Your Will Verses God's Will . . . Listening to God Can Save Your Life!

Tremendously Thankful Thoughtful Thursday! 

Today I am thankful that Mike is alive. If I am to be honest, he is in a struggle over his will verses God's and I can only pray for him and love him through the struggle. Trust me when I say this is not always easy. Just yesterday morning I was carrying on to God. I came to Him with something like this:

Father, I come before you at my wits end where Mike is concerned again. I am trying to follow the teachings of Jesus, Father, but I am angered by his indifference. I love him with all my heart, but currently he is being detrimental to my heart. I come before you in desperation for relief. Give me more wisdom and strength. Help snuff my anger and hold my tongue when I feel as if Mike has purposely gone out of his way to hurt my feelings. Teach me to rest in you through all storms. Please reach out to him Father and soften his heart. Open His Eyes. Awaken him. I know you Love him. Help him to see the truth. Help me find peace in the chaos. Help me trust that you have this. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

So, Last night after work, I headed off the the YMCA with Travis, my 11 year old. Mike was supposed to meet up with us there after he finished his work. By the time I was done working out I had still not seen Mike. I went to go find Travis and when I went to the teen room I could see our car. I looked to see if Mike's motorcycle was out there and it was not. Eerily enough I heard a very calming voice say, "Mike wrecked his bike". My first reaction was "No way." my next thought was, "He doesn't have a phone." and then I was like heck even if he did have one my battery is dead. I chastised myself for allowing my phone to be down. It happens more than I care to admit. I'm not someone who checks my phone all day long. I often forget it in a rush out the door. I grew up before cell phones were around and I work all day answering the phone. It hurts my head to talk on my cell phone without a headset so I find it most inconvenient to be quite honest.  Regardless of all that, I pushed away the thought that Mike had wrecked.

I found Travis down by the entrance and asked if he was ready to go. He informed me he was starving and ready. We walked out the door, got in the car and had just pulled out of the YMCA when we saw Mike coming around the corner on his bike. I chided myself for being so foolish as to have the thought he had wrecked his bike. He was just being Mike. It was a nice day. He'd most likely taken a ride in the country. I came to a stop and Mike pulled up. "I wrecked. I flipped off my bike. I didn't have a phone. I'm hurt." He lifted his right arm and it was ugly to say the least. He informed me he had stopped by the house and a neighbor had cleaned him up a bit. He said, "I tried to call you but it went straight to voice mail. All I could think was I needed to get to you." I was surprised to see him wearing his helmet. The last 3 days he has chosen not to wear it so he could feel the wind in his hair! Just last week he rode it in sandals as well as without his helmet.  I stared at him for a moment in disbelief. I knew it was God that had protected him.

As I doctored Mike's arm, we began talking. I looked at him and said, "I'm so glad you had your helmet on today. You would have most likely been killed without it. It would not have been pretty to say the least."

He said, "I know. I fought with myself over wearing it 3 times." He told me he really didn't want to wear it. He confided that he went to his bike 3 times without it but kept feeling like he should have it on so he gave in to the pull on his heart and put it on. It was God's WILL that Mike wear his helmet yesterday. It was Mike's will that he not. I'm so thankful God speaks His desire more than once.


Today I pray we all begin to listen to that soft strong voice when we hear it. Even more so when we resist it.  Sometimes, Father, I think the buzz of the outside world is so loud I don't take the time to recognize your voice. I push it off as my imagination or I find it in conflict with what I want so I deny it. Help me sit still. I have heard before everything, pray. I must admit, I am not to this point in my life but it is where I want to be. Help me grow Father. I am beginning to recognize when I am off kilter. It is directly tied to how much I have or have not focused on you. Whether I have turned to you with my troubles or held onto them myself. Sometimes in my anger, I become so foolish. Fill me with your Love Lord. Fill me with Your Wisdom. I am determined to put you first every day! Help me turn to you immediately in crises, fear and doubt. I pray for more Grace and Wisdom and Strength. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy,
Mom of Many


© Wendy Glidden 2013

Better to Birth Boys than Girls . . . such a sad belief

You might believe that this is something that is believed only over in China but you are wrong. All my life it has been drilled into my head how much better boys are than girls. I can't count the times I heard the phrase, "It's a mans world". I had some influential women in my life. Here were their viewpoints:

My mom: girls have no worth. All they worry about is silly stuff. She made so much fun of me when I wanted to be a brownie that after a few weeks of it I gave it up and asked to play softball.

My Stepmother: A woman can do anything a man can do only she will do it better. It's a mans world.

My Grandma Rosie: I am woman, hear me roar! ( love that one )

My Aunt Janet: People are people and they are only here for so long. Love them while you can and forgive any injustices you feel they have done against you. (I miss her and her attitudes)

I was in the 6th grade when the most hurtful thing ever was yelled at me by my mother. Granted she apologized to me as she drove me to school that day. It didn't take away the sting. I knew in my heart she had simply said how she truly felt.

My brother and I were at the table and she was making us toast and oatmeal . . . I don't remember what was going on with Tommy and I . . . we were probably bickering with each other. My mom was buttering the toast when all of a sudden she turned around and launched a piece of toast at my head.

"I wish you'd of never been born. You ruined my life. If I'd only had Tommy, your father and I would still be together." I cannot begin to tell you how bad that hurt. I knew all along she loved Tommy more.  You would have had to be blind to miss that. I just didn't realize she resented me ever being born. Honestly I think we were all stunned by her words. I cannot remember what happened immediately after. I think I went to my room. I have never really liked for others to see me cry. So much so that to this day when I cry I don't make a sound. You would have to look at me to realize there were tears streaming down my face. I don't know why I am this way . . . it's just an honest truth about me. Perhaps I'll figure that one out as I go along.

Anyway, I lay here awake this morning with my heart breaking for my brother. I believe God can heal him. I know God sees him and his inner struggles or he would not have told me to help him. Since I was 16 I have not been able to truly be there for my brother. I have carried much guilt over the years for leaving him behind. I'd taken care of him and been responsible for him since as far back as I can remember. Many times I have felt I played a big part in his downfall.

My heart goes out to him. My heart goes out to anyone who has found it necessary to be put on any type of anti-depressants. I know in my heart God is the cure for mental disease. Sadly we have cut God out of every element of our lives and then we wonder why we have so much violence and issues in the world today. That is not to say that there have never been killings and violence and wars . . . it's just I have to wonder, "Have there been so many children killing children before in our history?"

I know what will happen through this tragedy A whole classroom of innocent lives ended. Our government is going to be able to push through the first phase of gun control due to this last crisis. Those of you who have ever been documented for depression will be on a ban list. Anyone who has ever been documented to have issues with anger will be on a ban list. That part of gun control will be easily shoved through this time. Sadly the evil will always have access to guns. Government mandates will never be able to stop that. We will approve this move without realizing what the end result is going to be. Just like with our health care. Many champion the plan for now. They cannot see the wrong in it. Already friends are losing their jobs due to federal mandates in the field of health care. On one hand I sigh with sadness and on the other I look forward to the farther future when God is finally ready to reveal his Kingdom and show us all what paradise and peace are actually like! I know this is all kind of rambling from one subject to the other and even more so crazy as I am at a hotel with my children. I have written this off and on since 7 this morning. I have simply followed the thoughts on my heart. I wish you all a blessed day. I ask that any believers say prayers for those in pain. Pray for them to let go of their anger. Pray they come to know God. He is the healer of pain.

Remember, We are the Light of the World . . . those of us that are confident in our belief ... our purpose is to bring that to others. We were born to share the Glory of God with as many people as we can.

May your day be blessed. Today I urge you to perform a random act of kindness and keep it to yourself. It is more impressive to God when we don't brag on how awesome and generous we are to others. His opinion is the only one that counts in the end.

Wendy, Mom of Many