What’s My Motivation?

Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

Recently I head someone explain how she had gotten hurt by something a friend had said. She wanted to go all Chuck Norris on this friend, but then took a breath and stepped back. She asked her self why was she really angry with this person. What was her motivation for wanting to go and yell and scream at this friend?

Can you imagine for a moment if we all took the time to ask ourselves this question every time we started to open our mouths? What a different world we would live in!

I am not saying there are not times we need to be firm or get a point across, but even those types of situations have ways of working out better when the words used are kind and considerate.

I know as a teacher when my kiddos are getting a little out of control, I do not speak louder. Instead, I begin to speak quieter. Yes, there may be a firm tone in my voice but it is still gentle and soothing. They calm down and are usually ready in a few moments to explain to me, in a much calmer way, what happened.

I am not for one minute saying I have this all figured out. Just ask my hubby. There are many arguments where I speak first and think later. Oh man, now not only did I admit to that, but he has it in writing…lol!

I am going to end this with one more saying I heard this week…

“When you put your mind in neutral, don’t leave your lips in drive!”

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

 

 

Time For A Nap

Mark 4:38

And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”

I can’t take it anymore, I am laying down and taking a nap!  I need the world to go away for awhile.

Scarlett O’Hara had it right when she said, “I’ll think about that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.”

Sometimes, I find myself in situations where I just need to walk away.  I need to find my cup of coffee, eat the cookie, buy the shoes or take a nap. My family refers to these as I need a normal minute, please. A moment where the world as you know it doesn’t exist.  The world stops and you get off.  You excuse yourself from reality.

Jesus did it too!

In Mark 4 we find many stories Jesus was going around preaching and teaching.  He had a full day.  An exhausting day.  Full of people.  Lots of needy people! I am sorry dealing with all of those people all of the time always needing things from him makes him a saint in my book.

At the end of his long day, he asked his disciples to escape the world with him.They got in a boat and headed out. It says some other boats followed him. O goodie more people with needs right.  What did Jesus do? He took a nap!

What is my point here? Well, that is an easy one.  It is OK to just take the nap!  We need moments to recharge our batteries.  We need moments of normalcy.  Jesus took naps.  Be like Jesus!

Now, if you don’t mind I am going to go take my nap!

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

Learn to Fly!

2 Timothy 4:18
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I am reading Anxious For Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World, by Max Lucado. In his book, he talks about an acrobatic team.  The flyer explains how the key to their success is remembering he is a flyer and his partner is the catcher.  His job is just to jump and let his partner do all the catching.  It is dangerous for him to try and catch his catcher when he jumps.  It simply is not his job!

Max goes on to compare that to our relationship with God.  We have to put our full trust in him.  Let God do his job! “Your Father has never dropped anyone. He will not drop you. His grip is sturdy and his hands are open.” It is not our job to control things.  we must let go and Let God!  As Max puts it, a wonderful thing happens when we let go and let God, we FLY!

Paul went through some pretty horrific moments in his lifetime.  If anyone deserved to have fear and trepidation in their walk with God, I am saying Paul had reasons.  However, Paul never questioned any of the positions he was left in.  Not when he was stoned, ran out of town, or thrown in prison several times.  Instead, he went out of his way to encourage Timothy and the church by saying,

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothey 4:18)

Wow!  Can you sit back and let that sink in for just a moment? I mean really let that sink in!  No matter what we are facing in our lives, God is there. No job, God is there. Cancer, God is there. Divorce, God is there.  He will rescue you from every evil attack and will bring you safely to his heavenly kingdom.

What does that rescue look like?  I don’t know.

How long will it take? I don’t know.

What I do know is he has promised to catch me.  All I have to do is Fly!

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Peace Be With You

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I want to start by thanking all of you for your thoughts and prayers for my family. My father came through surgery fine. He did have to have some of his esophagus removed but the doctor was very confident of the work he did.

He will be in ICU for the next couple of days and of course, the next seven days are the critical ones. I have to say, he looked wonderful tonight when we left the hospital. My mother is also doing well and much more relaxed.

My family has spent many days in and out of hospitals through the years including ICU waiting rooms. Families tend to bond while there. Never do you stop and ask if you are the same race, religion, political viewpoint or sexual orientation. You hold each other’s hands, cheer, cry and pray together. Today was one of those days.

A family across the room from us did not get such great news. The matriarch of the family was brought in for open heart surgery. Once the doctor got in, he realized there was so much more wrong. My families hearts went out to them as they received the news.

I don’t know what people do when they receive horrible news and have no hope. I turn to my family and God and no matter what comes my way, I have a place to go for comfort. I am not saying things are always unicorns and rainbows, but I know rainbows will come. I just have to hang on.

God will sometimes calm the storm, but he will always calm the child! Just cast your cares on him because he truly loves you!

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

Anxious! Who’s Anxious?!?!?! ME!

I recently read on a blog by Joe Miller that according to Amazon, the most highlighted book by Kindle readers is the Bible. And Philippians 4:6-7 is the favorite passage. Here it is from the New International Version:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

These verses are actually part of one of my all-time favorite passages in the bible.

Philippians 4:4-9
Final Exhortations
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I recently started reading Max Lucado’s book Anxious For Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World. I was so excited when a few pages in, he also quoted this passage as one of his all-time favs!

I am having a hard time putting the book down so don’t mind me if my next few blogs talk about what I am learning.

My father is about to go through a long rough surgery with an even longer and rougher recovery. To say that I am anxious is like saying oxygen is sometimes helpful. I will admit I am ANXIOUS!!!!

What are some of your go-to passages when you feel anxiety creeping up on you? Post in the comments below. You just might have the one someone needs to hear. I know I could use all the verses right now.

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

Hang on! Call on! Move on!

First I would like to apologize for not blogging the past couple of days. I have been battling the stomach flu.

It is amazing just how horrible you can feel from a little itty bitty microscopic thing! This dude can bring you to your knees in a matter of minutes! I am not ashamed to say I found myself in the fetal position praying God heal me or take me now, don’t leave me like this!

I was physically in pain, but have you ever been in so much emotional pain that you felt this way. Well, I know a couple of guys in the bible that did!

Jonah was:

Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
–Jonah 4:5-11

Elijah also had his issues:

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the Gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.

“I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

1 Kings 19:1-4

If these two great prophets can have issues that make them feel overwhelmed and distressed why don’t we think it is OK for us to feel that way sometimes too?

We are all going to go through periods of our lives that seem like too much to carry. The important thing is to hang on, call on and move on.

Hang on…James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Call on…Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Move on…Philippians 3:14 I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God’s heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus.

Don’t give up! Never Surrender! Simply Hang on, Call on and Move on!

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

Don’t Write Me Off

Titus 2:11
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.

Do you ever think of people as evil?

I know during election years, people love to vilify candidates. As we all know, it never stops there.

If you look back in history, there are names that pop up and most classify them as good or evil. But should they?

Did they do anything good?
Should we write people off as just evil?

My brother was taken from me. He was murdered execution style. It is pretty hard to not look at those who were in on it as not evil.

However, God never said forgive those who deserve it. Titus 2:11 doesn’t say He offers salvation to those who deserve it.

I am working very hard to stop putting people in categories as deserving or not deserving of me. I am trying to not deem a person as entirely good or evil.

Yes, people make bad choices. Yes, I do not agree with everyone all of the time. But it is time for me to stop writing people off because of one part of them.

I want to see the whole person. Then, I can see the deserving part. The hurting part. The beautiful part.

Because…
I am not always deserving. I don’t always have it together. I am not always beautiful. I make bad choices. I do things others don’t approve of. Yet, I am included in Titus under all people. God has not written me off. It is time for me to stop writing people off.

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved

My Very Cold Cup of Coffee

Luke 10:38-42 (TLB)

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem[a] they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. 39 Her sister Mary sat on the floor, listening to Jesus as he talked.

40 But Martha was the jittery type and was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing.

She came to Jesus and said, “Sir, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “Martha, dear friend, you are so upset over all these details! 42 There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her!”

First, I want to apologize for not blogging on Friday. I had a jam-packed day and honestly did not even remember until I was falling into bed at 1:30 Saturday morning.

That brings me to today…I have felt like I have been chasing myself all day long and I am a quick little sucker! I have been at least 10 steps behind the entire time. I would just feel like I was making ground and BOOM! There I go taking off again into twenty different directions.

My day started at 6:00 am. It is 2:50 in the afternoon and I just sat down to take a breath and enjoy my now very cold cup of coffee. However, I can finally see my desk. My emails have been answered. Copies are made and lesson plans are done. Whew!

I think I know how Martha felt. I have been that jittery type all day long fretting over all the details of my day. I unfortunatly also know how Martha felt. I did not take time this morning to just spend time with God. I rushed through my morning and didn’t even say good morning God.

I wonder if I had been a little more like Mary at the beginning of my day, I wouldn’t have ended up like Martha the rest of it. I am pretty sure my to-do list would not have gotten any smaller or magically disappeared. But maybe, just maybe, I would have caught up with myself and wouldn’t have felt so jittery. Maybe I wouldn’t be “enjoying” my very cold cup of coffee right now.

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

Not Today Satan

Proverbs 14:23
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

It has been a long and rather discouraging day. However, I did not want it to end on a bad note. So, I spent the evening working on a project and totally lost track of time.

It was nice finishing my project. I have recently learned to create digital planners. It has taken me a couple of days to finish this last one, but I love it! I was able to incorporate Snoopy all over it.

For those that don’t know, I am obsessed with Snoopy and the whole Peanuts Gang!  I am excited to start using my digital planner tomorrow.

It feels good when we finish something. Specially, when we had to work hard at it.

Another project I am working on, my doctorate, is not going as well. It is at a very frustrating part, right now.

A friend reminded me of something today when I was in tears over the most recent set back. She told men:

“Every writer has setbacks! How many times was Stephen King rejected?  Nothing that is worth anything is ever easy. You are a writer. The best ones have setbacks and they say “NOT TODAY, SATAN” and push forward kicking and screaming..”

She is a very wise friend.

God was saying the same when he inspired our verse today:

Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

I stepped out in faith when I quit talking about it and actually started this journey. It has been hard work, but I will succeed.

So, you know what?

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Copyright © 2017 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

Future and a Hope

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

I am sorry today is so short and sweet, but my teaching life got in the way.  I had parent/teacher conferences which means 12 hours at work drive home and be back in less than 12 hours.  YUCK!

The glory spot of my night was two families that I have been with their children for three years.  The boys have grown into some pretty awesome young men.  It is always funny to see them come in as Freshmen and watch them grow up before your very eyes.

Anyways, these families make me feel like I can walk on water.  They always have.  Tonite was different though.  One of the dads looked at the other teachers and told them, I was more than a teacher, I was family.  The other dad from the other family looked up and said they would have never made it through high school without me.  I have been their lifeline.

I am not trying to pat myself on the back here.  I was speechless and teary-eyed.  With the ins and outs of everyday life as a teacher, you often wonder if you are really touching anyone’s life.  Then a parent comes to you and says something like this.  For a moment you realize your life does have purpose.

Thank you, Lord, for letting me have glimpses into the good I have done.  Thank you for having a plan for me.  A plan to prosper me.  Please continue to use me to bring a little light into my students’ and their families’ lives.

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