Show Off

 Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. Isaiah 40:31

I've got a gal pal that praises the Lord & says "God is just a show off".  I love the ideal of God being the ultimate "show off" in my life and the world. How about you?

That being said there are many times that I fail to let God show off.  If I'm honest most days I choose to sing "anything you can do I can do better". It struck me this morning that self reliance is great.  God gifts each of us with free will right?  But what if instead of taking credit we simply show up. 

This morning I chose to "show up" rather than "show off" & do things with my own understanding.  I can honestly say that I feel at peace and the flow of my day has went better than the randomness and restlessness that I normally face.  I've been set on God's time rather than my own.  All my incidental things I got done before noon. 

Perhaps, its not just a matter of having free will but accessing it at the right moments rather than on a consistent basis. Remember being a kid and just wanting to not only show up but show off?  I do.  I frequently was serenaded by my dad to the tune of Miss America and would practice my best wave and even sashay around the living room and then take my perch from the dining room table...yeah, that is showing off.  My brother and I still argue because he sees me as the "show off" whose presence rises and sets the sun in my parents eyes. 

What if instead of worrying about rising and setting the sun to others we concentrated on rising and setting the sun in our Heavenly Fathers eyes?  What would that look like?  Would we choose to be as loud, post on social media as much, or "show off" for the world?  I like the perspective that the only worthy way to "show off" is to our Heavenly Father.  How does that look?  In reality He is God, right?  He does not need us yet he chooses us.  He does not need to solve every dilemma in our lives but he chooses to if we trust him.  That's where I think we need to "show off" in our trust of him.

Since we got home from South Dakota I've had some phenom talks with my kids.  It changed each of us for the better and got us in tune with our Heavenly Father.  My sonshine shared that he sees my problem with God as a lack of trust.  He told me that he sees me clearly and if given the choice of choosing my Heavenly Father or running to my Earthly Dad he thinks that I would be unable to choose to at my worst run to my Earthly Dad leaving my Heavenly Father in the dust.  That hit me full force because at my core I can't say that I would always run for my Heavenly Father either.  It's been twentysomething years since my Earthly Dad died.  I still harbor the need for my confidant, my fixer, and friend.  I miss him dearly and when thing are crazy in my life ; finances, car repairs, cancer I don't readily scream at the top of my lungs for my Heavenly Father.  I don't trust my Heavenly Father with it.  I simply weep for the loss of an Earthly Dad.

 I recognized this last year when I got news my Betsy Bravada was no longer safe to drive & her repair bill was beyond my means.  I got in Betsy to drive her home and wept for my Earthly Dad who would have fixed my car & I wept harder that I chose my Earthly Dad rather than my Heavenly Father. That drive home rattled something inside me.  It made me realize that my Heavenly Father was who I needed to trust.  He had never left me, wanted to be my confidant, and wanted to "show off" to me. 

The talk with my sonshine helped me.  It reminded me that I need to work on my relationship & trust God.  I need to daily trust Him "show off" rather than just show up. I love the idea of trusting a Heavenly Father that created me, entrusts me with so much, and loves when I trust him enough to ask Him to "show off".  That's my challenge this week is to engulf my trust to my Heavenly Father, allow Him to show off, and me to sing His praises.

Peace Be With You- Sherry

Updates:

• The Artroom re-opened in July to a handful of classes.  I was blessed with a handful of friends that came to create, gab, and be a source of light in my world.  I'm trusting in my Heavenly Father to help me to with August Artroom Classes ; supplies, people to come, and to promote them.  If you would like to help in any way or need a schedule please let me know.
• I'm working on a proposal that would allow me to teach art classes for a non-profit in KC.  I'm trusting that God will help me put into words what my heart, spirit, and mind can do with this opportunity to shine for Him. 
• I'm hopeful that our fam will return to Wagner, South Dakota, in September.  I'm trusting God to help me with the dates, the ability to travel, and the resources to do so.  
• The sonshine starts his senior year this month.  The darling dot has made the decision to go into counseling and is headed back to Longview this month.  I'm trusting our Heavenly Father with their care for His love is far greater and more encompassing than mine ever could be.  I entrust each of them to Him and ask that he keep them safe and guide their path.