What if we Flip our Focus

What do you see when you see this picture?  It's not a trick question :)  Seriously, no one really knows your thoughts except you and God even though you could give me any answer you want, but I want you to think about it seriously.

Some immediately see the walker.  Some will see Justin's big smile.  Some will note the teenager that is helping him and the cool hairdo and sunglasses he's sporting.  Or some might see Justin's feet.  There is a variety of things depending on what you are looking at that can catch your focus.  

We've had many different responses from people over the years as Justin was in a walker, forearm crutches, casts, braces, and walking independently with a different looking gait.  A very large portion of responses have been that people feel sorry for Justin.  I've even heard the words "oh thats pitiful" from an elderly lady.   A lot of people have instincts to want to move towards him to help him...especially the numbers of times he used to fall running to catch Jordan on the field as Brandy & Darrin Fulfer reminded me of on our last blog.  Great memories!!  

What I love the most is when I hear that people focus on his determination. his grit. his never give up. his big smile even when it hurts. 

Our focus is everything, y'all!  We can easily, in our human nature, find everything and anything to complain or gripe about, justify staying in a pity party, or criticize.  

But Jesus...   

Jesus died on the cross for you and me to give us ABUNDANT LIFE.  

When we choose Him as our Lord and Savior, he deposits His Holy Spirit into us to live supernaturally. 

Justin doesn't have the strength and determination he does on his own.   

  

I don't have the joy I have because I've worked hard to get it.  

We have received what God so graciously have given us.  

We have believed His promises, tried our best to live them out daily (thankful His mercies are new every morning), and continually- sometimes minute by minute- refocus our thoughts on Him!

Sometimes in life- when you find yourself in the midst of lots of negative thoughts or perhaps, you are going through one of the hardest times in your life.  Remember these words..

FLIP YOUR FOCUS!

What do I mean by that?  Do exactly what Hebrews 12:1-2 says..

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"   

Instead of focusing on 'everything that hinders or the wrong you have done'- throw it off.  It's weighing you down...give it Jesus.  Then move... you have purpose friend.  I don't know the race marked out for you, but I know God wants to use you to brighten someone's day, meet someone's need, speak life into someone, etc.  Focus... fix our eyes on Jesus.  He's the author of our lives and he he has JOY set out before us.  

It may not feel joyful right now, but hold on tight to that focusing on Him!  You can be confident that God is with you, He's gone before you, and He's working all things for your good.  "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  Phil 1:6.  

Can you imagine what it's going to be like when Jesus returns?  OH MY!!  What a day!  This boy is going to sprint so fast to thank Jesus first & then I can just hear it "Throw me a pass Jordan!"

   

Everything we go through in life either weighs us down or lifts us up.  We get to choose!  #luggageorladders

"Mama, he’s already seen me"

This boy... 

He endures more physical pain on a daily basis than I could ever imagine, but he perseveres through it so well.    As he’s gotten older, he’s obviously been more aware of people’s responses to his cerebral palsy or being deaf and it hurts... sometimes maybe more than the physical pain.  Most of the time he endures through it well and sometimes, it just hurts.   

It is difficult to watch both as his Mama & Daddy.  The difference between us and him at this point is that we have 24 years of experience enduring it (not the physical, obviously, but the mental or emotional pain that can come with responses to your child).  Justin doesn't remember everything just as a lot of kiddos don't, but we have told him story after story.  Praise Jesus, He's helped us to look to HIM and the IMMEASURABLY MORE that HE CAN DO instead of focusing on the pain.  

&&& HE'S DONE IT YET AGAIN & Justin being 24 has experienced it fully!!!

During the end of July, August & September, he worked for a local school district hoping to get to be on and work on equipment since that is what he loves, went to college for, and is actually very particular and good at doing.  Due to probation periods, he spent the hottest days of 2020 walking school campuses picking up trash and blowing off sidewalks and walkways.  Before you get upset reading that much like Mama and Daddy struggled with, consider how Justin himself endured it well making comments like "I'm at the bottom of the list and need to work my way up."  After a few weeks of it, it was obvious his body physically was just not going to withstand it, but while he waited for prayers to be answered, he continued to work because he doesn't use excuses EVER.  Blows my mind & humbles me often!!

About a month ago, Granny "just happen" to find a company on facebook to come give her an estimate on some dirt work around her pond.  She "just happen" to have to leave on an emergency (everything is fine now..praise Jesus) but it resulted in her asking Justin if he didn't mind meeting with  him and taking him to the pond to discuss what all needed to be done.

After riding back up to the house on the gator,  they stood and talked on the drive way for a while.  Justin ended up asking him if he happened to be hiring.  Chad immediately answered yes and gave Justin his card to call him the next day to schedule an interview while he could look at his calendar.  

A few days went by and Justin said to me at dinner one night "Mama, I feel good about this... he's already seen me."  

It took me a second to get what he meant.

My heart... 

it was my first time hearing him say anything out loud & acknowledging that he knows he gets treated differently.   He wasn’t mad at anyone.  He wasn't angry.  He wasn't sad or having a pity party.  He was just looking forward...   He said "I've been to many interviews where I am more than qualified.  They are nice and say they will call me, but they never do.  Chad has already seen me." 

&& once again, God uses Justin to teach me a great lesson.   He was showing me "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phil 3:14 

I've not met Chad yet, but I've thanked God for him every single day since.  Justin went to the interview- they talked for over an hour about all the things.  His pay is incredible, they have benefits & he gets lunch brought to him every day.  He couldn't wait to get started & this smile just buying all the shirts to get ready...PRICELESS!!!

He's been at work for two weeks,  and was asked "because you are such an asset to our company, I would like you to take classes to get your CDL" last week.    

WHAT?!?!  IMMEASURABLY MORE just keeps coming over and over!!  WAY MORE than any of us could imagine or ask!!!

&&&Because God is just TOO COOL....yesterday, I got to watch Justin work with my own eyes because they are on Granny's pond now.

YES, Justin drove & used this crazy big piece of equipment!!!  He got the truck that brought it in the gate safely (YIKES!), helped him unload this excavator, saw to it that he got out of the gate okay, and climbed up in this John Deere and had the TIME OF HIS LIFE!!!   

"God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory"  Ephesians 3:20

It is hard..so hard sometimes to endure the difficult times.  I believe with all my heart that mindset about the hard is everything.   I'm not always good with it, but praise Jesus, that doesn't stop God from working.  

Everything we go through either weighs us down or lifts us up.  We get to choose.  We can choose to focus on Jesus and know He is working for our good.  WOW! What amazing things He can do!  Tears of joy roll down my cheeks as I'm so very grateful for the hard... it's made these moments and this smile so

incredibly amazing!!

My Bible, My Boot, and Me Trying to Be Still

I'm so very thankful that my heavenly Daddy has been working on my heart well before I ever walked into the orthopedic's office yesterday.  He's so good like that and is so faithful to meet all of our needs. 

I knew something wasn't right due to the pain I was having... have been having since August.   Since I am "one of those" that did all the reading all over the internet to try to see what it could be, I kind of had an idea of what was going to happen.  But when the actual words came out of Dr. Prudich's mouth that I needed to be in a boot, my initial response was wanting to cry.  I knew better with Dr. Prudich in the room as well as my sweet hubby who immediately had me laughing.  Not that it wouldn't have been okay to cry at all, but I was grateful that everything God has been teaching me came flooding back into my mind and heart. 

I do have an injury from being active!  (Side note...please don't say "I told you not to Crossfit!"  I was running when it first started acting up!)  I have learned that exercise is a celebration of what my body CAN DO and not a punishment for something I ate or the number on the scale, and I CAN DO some pretty cool things at 44 years old!  I love to move and I love how I feel both physically and mentally when I move.   I will take an occasional injury from being active ANY day over taking prescription meds because I'm not healthy.  It happens!  Now, the way I respond is crucial!

As with everything in life, I believe God teaches us spiritual lessons through physical circumstances.  Thinking about this pain in my heel for several months now, I've reflected on how being active is why I have an injury to my Achilles tendon.  Had I not been playing sand volleyball, running, box jumping, and all the things, would I still have this injury?  I will never know or don't need to know.  But what I do know is I have not missed out on any of the fun I wanted to have doing all the things my body can do!  I took the risk, I did the things, I got hurt, but I WILL HEAL and get back to all the fun!

Don't we do this in life sometimes?   Whether it is a relationship that we don't give our whole heart to out of fear of being hurt, a leap of faith in business when you don't really know exactly how to do everything out of fear of making a mistake, or maybe even getting up off the couch and becoming active for fear of an injury.   

I've been hurt in relationships, but I've also been extremely loved on by other relationships.
I've make mistakes in business, but I've also met some amazing people I wouldn't have been able to meet had I not tried.
I've had the injuries, but I've also done so many things I never dreamed I would be able to do. (&& will do them again!!)

When the pain, mistakes, or injuries come, it's how we handle them that determines so much of our next!  We can withdraw and quit altogether which is what our flesh screams to do sometimes OR we can believe His promises with all our heart, be still and know that He is God,  and He is working ALL things together for our good!     

I'm on a three weeks in the boot and if not better, surgery!  This surgery is 10-12 weeks of non weight bearing which seems SO LONG!  I'm believing for healing and trusting God with whatever that looks like!  In the mean time, I'll be rowing with one leg on a skateboard (I HAVE to see my friends and do some kind of movement),  watching for satan to try to throw darts at me, but learning into Jesus even more knowing He holds the VICTORY!!!