Tag: Super Saturday

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Something Other Than the Coronavirus

Wow. I haven’t had a Super Saturday post in a long time. I blame the coronavirus.

Oh, don’t worry. I don’t have it, but I have been dealing with the stress of bouncing from thinking “it’s not a big deal” to the extreme of “we’re all going to die.” I’ve been listening to the news and reading most of the posts people are putting on their Facebook feeds.

On Friday we found out that our son’s college is sending everyone home by Wednesday and they’ll complete the school year with online classes. (Just when we were getting used to the empty nest!)

I’m not going to recap the situation or speculate about all that is happening around the world in regards to this pandemic. I’m sure most of you have heard more than enough about all of this.

Instead, I want us to take some time to focus on something other than the coronavirus.

When fear wants to control our thoughts and actions, let’s focus instead on the fact that God has everything under control and we can move ahead with confidence–no matter what happens.

When Satan whispers that everything is meaningless, let’s focus instead on all that is still right and beautiful and good in this big, wide world.

When anxiety tries to hold us hostage and keep us from getting things done, let’s focus instead on the peace we can choose (over and over again) and the confidence we can gain as we do things in spite of feeling anxious.

When we’re tempted to sit all alone and worry, let’s focus instead on who we can reach out to and encourage. We can do that through a phone call, a handwritten card or letter (remember those?), or even a timely Facebook post.

When it feels like everything is falling apart, let’s focus instead on how God keeps everything together. We may not understand it all right now, but we can trust Him and move forward in faith.

There’s so much more to focus on than . . . wait – what was that thing we were so worried about?

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together [except during the coronavirus pandemic], as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV – brackets mine)

Are you dealing with extra stress during these uncertain times? How can focusing on God help you to keep living well each day – in spite of the questions you may have?

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Starting the New Year Right

We are entering the final days of 2019.

If you’re like most people, you may be considering resolutions you want to make for the new year.

Or maybe you’re starting to make a list of all of the goals you want to complete in 2020.

I know. I feel it, too. I look at all of the bad habits indulged in this year and I want to resolve to eradicate every single one from my life – by March 1.

I see all of the goals I didn’t complete–and all of the time I wasted–and I want to make a detailed plan to complete every single thing on my list (and maybe add ten more, because I’m sure if I managed my time better I could do them all).

We can’t do that. If we do, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment, failure, and frustration. When we’re focusing on fixing all of our shortcomings and doing all of the things we think we need to do to have a good, successful life, we’re going to end up feeling pressured and agitated when life doesn’t go as planned.

There’s a better place to put our focus. On God.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)

When we start there–with our focus on God–we can feel peace as we trust Him and live our lives each day.

When we start the new year with our focus on God, He’ll give us the wisdom we need to decide what habits we need to work on changing – with His help. He’ll help us discern what our goals should be and give us the energy and drive to complete them.

Starting the new year like this will allow us to begin 2020 with joy in our hearts, excited about all of the opportunities and possibilities the year will bring, instead of weighed down with all of our own demands and expectations.

Now that’s a good way to start.

Happy New Year!

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)

Are you excited about the new year, or are you stressed about what you “should” do in 2020? How can focusing on God help you to begin the new year well and enjoy the inevitable ups and downs 2020 will bring?

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Every Second

As I was reading someone’s blog post this week, this line stopped me in my tracks: Every second of every day counts.

Wait, what? Every second?

Oh, the guilt that washed over me as I contemplated that sentence. Because, truth is, I don’t always treat every second as if it counts much at all. I’ve piddled away hundreds of thousands of seconds, I’d guess.

What does it really mean that every second counts? Does that mean we should be constantly working, using every second to accomplish our goals and projects? Should we feel guilty when we just sit and watch a sunset, our young child playing, or another rerun of Friends?

To tell you the truth, I’m not really sure what to think about it, but it’s definitely worth contemplating.

I think God wants us to spend time resting, relaxing, and enjoying his creation. So the seconds we spend watching a beautiful sunset or a playing child do count for something. (The rerun of Friends is a bit more questionable, but I think there may even be room for that if we’re spending the rest of our seconds wisely. Or maybe not.)

Where I need some work is really being deliberate about the seconds I have every day. Too often I say that I’m going to work on something “today” or “this week” and then the day or the week is over and I haven’t spent even sixty seconds on that task or project.

That’s why my book proposal isn’t finished. That’s why my podcast isn’t launched. That’s why so many of my good ideas don’t get done.

I don’t acknowledge that every second of every day counts, and so I go through many days distracted and restless, thinking about the things I want to do, but not spending the seconds I need to on them. I’m frustrated and stuck in one place.

If we take each second seriously, we can feel good about the seconds we spend working (because we’ll actually see the results of our hard work) and the seconds we spend relaxing (because we know that we deserve the break and we’ll get back to work again when it’s time). Every second of every day will count and we’ll see forward motion in more areas of our life.

Thanks for taking the seconds needed to read this post. Let’s all make each second count – every day.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ” (Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV)

Do you ever think about how every second counts? How can focusing on God help you to use each second wisely, whether you’re working or relaxing?

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Recognizing the Caller

The other day I was out working in my garden when I got a phone call.

“I didn’t think I wanted to talk to anyone from Iowa, but it turns out I did!” she said.

I laughed and told her that happens a lot.

That’s why I leave messages when I call people here in South Dakota. I know they might not pick up when they see an Iowa number on their phone, but most of them will listen to my message and call me back after they realize I’m not a telemarketer. I suppose I should probably switch to a local number, but for now I’m sticking with my old one.

With the recent explosion of robocalls, it’s understandable that most people don’t answer a call from a number they don’t recognize.

I usually do answer with a suspicious “Hello?”, ready to hang up on “Sarah” or “Rachel” or any other recorded voice selling who knows what.

But every once in a while I’m surprised when the call is from someone I know. I just didn’t have them in my phone as a contact, so I didn’t recognize them.

All of this phone stuff got me thinking about how sometimes we don’t recognize God when He calls us.

We hear a verse, or a sermon, or a song, and God is trying talk to us, but it’s not familiar to us so we ignore it.

Something happens to us, and God is trying speak to us, but it’s painful or difficult so we figure there’s no way it could be God.

A thought runs through our mind about something we need to change in our lives, and the Holy Spirit is trying to gently correct us, but we don’t really want to change so we shake it off and continue living the exact same way.

We don’t recognize the caller, so we don’t answer.

But God has left a message, dear friends. His message is in the Bible, it’s in the words of trusted friends, and it’s in the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.

You may not recognize the caller at first, but if you listen to the message, you’ll hear his loving voice and you’ll realize you really do want to talk to him .

He definitely wants to talk to you! Make sure you answer next time he calls.

“The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10:2-4 NIV)

Do you recognize God’s voice when He calls? How can focusing on God help you to recognize Him in more and more areas of your life? Will you answer next time He calls?

*By the way, did you know that God has a phone number? He does! It’s Jeremiah 33:3…

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3 NIV)

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Following

tail lights for blog

I learned a lesson about following yesterday.

Actually, it was about not following.

You see, Gary and I took a long day trip to pick up a new car way east of Sioux Falls. It was a salvage vehicle with low miles and a price too good to pass up. On the way back through Sioux Falls we made a couple of stops to shop and eat, and then we left town. We didn’t go back to the Interstate, deciding to take the route that would get us to Highway 44 instead. The GPS was in the car with Gary and I was following.

We made several turns in town and then we were going down 57th Street. I had gotten a couple of texts about something going on with the praise team on Sunday morning, so I decided it would be a good idea to call about it for a second and clarify what was going on.

As soon as I hung up, I realized that I wasn’t sure if Gary was in front of me and just that quick he called me. “Did you turn behind me?” he asked.

“No, I think I might have missed it,” I answered. “I was on the phone.”

I’ll spare you the gory details of the next several minutes of us trying to figure out where I was and how I was going to get to where he was.

I turned around and went back to a stop light and turned south, but that got me to a residential area that didn’t go through to the south.

I went back to 57th Street and finally found another road to go south on. 

Somewhere in all of that driving around, I remember Gary commenting in disbelief: “All you had to do was stay on my bumper and follow me.”

Well, to make a long story a little shorter, I hung up with him and put Platte into my phone and got the directions to come up and guide me to where I had to go. Gary checked in a couple more times to make sure I was on my way, but we figured out that he was at least twenty minutes ahead of me. He could get in the garage, but the house key was, of course, in the car with me. 

I finally got home at about midnight and we could put that fiasco behind us and go to bed.

I can’t help but think of how often I mess up in similar ways when I’m supposed to be following God.

Just like driving in the dark, sometimes I can’t see much of anything ahead, but I can see those bright tail lights guiding me along. My only job is to keep my eyes on them and follow. 

When I’m following God, I usually can’t see the future very clearly. I’m in the dark, but if I’m paying attention, I can see the next steps God has for me, lighting the way like tail lights in front of me.

If I get distracted by something else, I can lose sight of those steps and waste time and energy getting back on track.

Faithful following will get me where God wants me to be, right on time and without confusion.

I’ll remember that the next time I have to follow my husband anywhere as well.

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.‘” (Mark 8:34 NIV)

Do you get distracted when you’re following God? How can focusing on God help you to follow more faithfully?

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Thanks

I feel like keeping this week’s post short and sweet.

We’ve just celebrated Thanksgiving and now we jump into the Christmas season.

Maybe we need to linger a bit longer in that attitude of thanksgiving. In that vein, I thought I’d list a few things I’m thankful for here, and I invite you to share some of your own in the comments (or at least ponder them in your own heart for a while).

I’m thankful for:

God (who provided His love and all of the other people and things on this list)

My family (Gary and our children, but also each one of our extended families)

Friends (I often say that I can’t imagine my life without each person God has brought into our lives as we’ve moved over the years)

This beautiful world (We love to travel and explore its many wonders)

The hardships I’ve had to go through (Yes, I’m even thankful for those times, because they helped shape me into who I am today)

The future (With all of its many possibilities and surprises)

It’s good for our mental health to practice gratitude, so let’s not forget to do that each and every day.

So grateful for each of you, ~Robyn

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1 NIV)

Are you thankful for everything in your life? How can focusing on God help you to be grateful every day?