When You’re Not a Precious Thing

With school holidays in full swing at the moment I will be having a little break and sharing a favourite post with you this week and next. Hope they’re a blessing to you.

When You’re Not a Precious Thing

by Amber C Haines

One of my oldest girlfriends and I have a long-standing joke about each other. I giggle at the way she delicately uses her fingertips to pick anything up. She looks like she’s doing ballet or touching intricate clock parts even when she’s stirring a post of soup or cleaning out a hamster cage. It’s amazing. She’s not a more feminine woman than I am, but she handles the world light as a feather, and it really is something to behold.

She laughs with me at how I handle objects, even tiny things, with my whole hand, a strong, wide grip — like I’ll need the strength of a heavyweight champion to pick up a ladle. I’m a loud worker, a full-forced stirrer, stomper, and laugher. I come at the world with a heavy touch.

I am not a precious thing. I never have been.

In some seasons, I’ll spin around my house less like a dancer and more like a crane heaving a wrecking ball, using every inch of my arms. I throw clothes over my shoulders piled high to get them upstairs. I’m a woman of strong economy in full swing. I don’t walk from one room to another without full-motion cleaning on my way out and distributing everything to its place. I don’t have a princess touch, a princess look, or a princess voice. I have four sons. It has to be this way, my voice a booming attention grabber so they don’t break their necks jumping off the bed.

The hardest thing in the world for me is to sit still. I am not a precious thing. Even when I’m sick, I apologize my way to sleep for not accomplishing more. I have a hard time not seeing myself as a hired servant in the Father’s house — unless I do sit still and reflect on the truth.

In the story of the prodigal son, after squandering his inheritance and coming to great hunger, the son says:

“I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” {Luke 15:18-21}.

But the father’s response was this:

“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” {Luke 15:22-24}

Why, after all this time as a believer, do I deal with myself this way? I know the truth about my standing with God, but the more I see myself as His unresting worker, the harder it is for me to be in His presence at all.

It is the stillness that reminds me. He has brought me into His house. He has called me daughter, maybe even a precious thing.

The more I remember His love for me, the more I’ll rest in that love.

The more I remember the ring and the robe is the more I seek to enjoy his presence.

I am healthier when I rest, but I know many of us don’t allow ourselves to do it — as if resting is selfish.

Maybe rest is a simple matter of fact when we’re in the presence of God. Maybe the stillness sends us out to do what matters with renewed strength. We aren’t even equipped to be servants without stillness before Him, but we also forget we’re daughters without it.

Even after all the good work, is your spirit hungry? This will tell you what to do and where to go. Go to a quiet place, like our Jesus did all the time, and don’t do a thing. Trust the do-ing to the Father a minute. Listen to Him. Ask what He thinks of you.

You are His child. He calls you by name. Look down at your hands. Remember the ring.

 

You can read more from Amber C Haines here

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Much love to you all today

Tracey xx

 

Anyone for a movie?

Lets do a girls night. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is on this Friday night at Hoyts Cinema at Warrawong at 7.30pm. Lets meet in the foyer around 7pm and if you are able to come just send me a txt (new mobile) and I’ll keep a look out for you. You can buy tickets online at http://www.hoyts.com.au/cinemas/locations/warrawong.aspx or just arrive early-ish to buy a ticket there. Should be fun!!