The "I Don't Understands" of Life

 

So many times in life I find myself saying, "I don't understand". I don't understand the craziness in the world. I don't understand the nonchalant attitude of many Christians being careless with their testimony. I don't understand the meanness of people. However, I can usually shake my head and shrug these off and chalk it up to humanity and sin natures. 

The other "I don't understands" I must leave to God and trust Him and His plan. There have been times when I thought "what good can possibly come from this?" Even when I have had these thoughts and hurt so deeply within, I have still chosen to trust. As Job said, Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. 

Still, I don't understand why I have been surrounded by death all my life. I have spent time at the funeral home in support of loved ones since I was 4 years old. I don't understand why my dad died when I was 12. I don't understand why my mom got lung cancer 5 years after quitting smoking and then passing after a 14 month battle. I don't understand getting to start a church and then having to close the doors 7 years later due to lack of growth and finances. Then later I don't understand trying so hard to impact people in Oklahoma only to see the church not grow and seemingly having no influence on the people. I don't understand why I survived being hit by a train when my friend, Warren didn't. I don't understand nearly dying yet surviving COVID and others don't. Every time I find out that another person who has COVID dies, I feel guilty. It reminds me to be grateful and to try to live up to the second chance God has given. I also must tell myself that God decided to let me live and chose to take those others. But the initial pang of guilt is always there. 

I often don't understand what God is doing but I trust Him. Jeremiah 17:7 - Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

Isaiah 55:8 - For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Romans 11:33 - O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

God is sovereign. It's His ball game. He is not only the coach but the umpire, the team owner and He gets to make the rules of the game of life.

I hope this may help someone who is struggling today with the "I don't understands" of life.

What Women Want

 I think I may have blogged about this idea years ago but it's been on my mind lately so I thought I'd do it again today. There's a lot of talk about what women want and there's even a whole movement out there demanding it. I plan to touch on the things that are wanted by most women deep down in their souls. 

I believe all women want a hero. Despite that there are many who say they don't need a man and can do everything themselves, I do think they want someone they can admire and who will save them from the things that frighten them. And yes! Everyone has fears. Fears of failing. Fears of not being good enough, etc. Whether they admit it or not, in their hearts they know themselves and what fears they have. The hero can take many forms. Maybe he fixes a broken appliance or car so that the repairman doesn't have to be called. Maybe he opens the jar of pickles that she was unable to open. Maybe he holds her hair while she throws up and helps her back to the sick bed. Maybe he changes the baby's diaper so she can have a break. Maybe he cooks or cleans to give a break. Any or all of these can create a hero in a woman's mind and heart. 

Often times, it's not about what a man does but how a woman FEELS around them. Women want to feel chosen. Chosen over anyone else, especially other women. Don't get me wrong they want to feel chosen over the buddies, too! Few things can melt the heart like hearing "I'd choose you again". 

This leads right into and goes along with women want to be a priority. No one wants to feel they are at the bottom of the to do list. They want their feelings and desires to be important. They want to be considered. 

Women want to be and feel supported. They want their ideas, thoughts and dreams to be supported and not poo pooed or discounted. It hurts the heart when someone doesn't feel supported. They feel like they no longer matter. 

Women want to be appreciated for the little things. No one likes to be taken for granted. It's important to tell someone that you notice the extras or just appreciate the everyday things. I almost died from covid back in September 2021 and since then my husband has expressed the little things that he's grateful for that I do for him. This makes my heart happy in knowing he appreciates me and he'd miss me if I were gone. 

Women want to feel gorgeous. This happens most when being told that they are by people they care about. They want it said even on days when they feel like they look awful. 

Of course I realize that most of the things I mentioned are also appreciated and desired by men, too. It's just called being human. It's being kind one to another. 

Most women I know do not want to take power from a man. Most don't want to try to compete with or be like men. There's a world philosophy out there that says all women are envious of men. (they use a term that I'm refraining from using because I don't feel it would be lady-like) While there may be some women like that, I don't believe it's the norm. In reality, true man envy is seeing the line at the women's bathroom and none at the men's or knowing your husband can jump out of the car and go beside it while you have to run inside the house urgently! 😅

One more thing. What women REALLY want is a very comfortable bra and comfortable shoes!!!