sulk

Sunday, March 27, 2011 (7:16 a.m.)

Colton, CA

Awesome God,

Thank You. It’s so good to be home again. It was great to be gone, to see different places and learn new things. It was fun to see and smell and taste and experience so many different aspects of various cultures. It was also important for me to have this opportunity to get to know myself just a little bit more.

I got to be aware of how I was feeling and what I was thinking in fairly present time. There were times I mindfully adjusted my attitude and others when I emotionally withdrew and sulked.

Monday, March 28, 2011 (6:44 a.m.)

You were there with me Lord. You helped me be aware of what I was thinking and feeling. How I thank You!

(8:38 a.m.)

Thank You so much for the opportunities You provided for me to explore and experiment with different aspects of communicating. Rather than following my former pattern of withdrawing emotionally and holding in disappointments, I branched out and practiced calmly expressing myself. Thank You Lord.

Thank You that in turning to Your Word yesterday in regards to my deeply ingrained tendency to sulk, I am again reading the wisdom expressed in Proverbs 3. With strains of Cajun music still playing randomly in my head, I keep trying to blend the wisdom of Your Word to the lively melody of ♫Jambalaya♫ While I have yet to come up with an appropriate mix, I continue smiling in my attempt.

Lord, thank You that for every single situation I come across I am able to bring it to You for Your help and guidance. Forgive me for those occasions that I do not follow Your leading.

Thank You that even when I think I am alone with a deeply engrained habit [read here as ‘sulking’ J] I am pleasantly surprised to find others in Your Word who have experienced it as well.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 (7:08 a.m.)

In “The Message” Eugene Peterson used the word sulk (Proverbs 3:11) to express what we are not to do under Your loving correction. The section immediately preceding this states that we are not to resent Your discipline either.

The Contemporary English Version says that we are not to turn away and become bitter. Other translations use the words ‘reject’ and ‘be upset’ (NLT); ‘despise’ and ‘resent’ (NIV). ‘Detest’ is used in the New King James Version. In looking up its synonym, I find detest can also represent ‘shrink from’. I do that Lord! Most times when I sulk in a given circumstance, I ultimately find that I have shrunk from it. Keep working in me Lord.

I truly love knowing that You can change me. While awakening this morning, I realized that by changing the vowel in the word sulk, it can become ‘silk’. As easily as that change can occur, I gave thought to the various musical instruments we’ve heard over the past two weeks. The same instrument can be used to make a variety of sounds, to conjure a multitude of emotions.

Lord, I want desperately to be an instrument in Your hands. Use me as You will. Tune me. Play me. Get me out of Your way, so that others can see and get to know You through Your mastery. You created me. There is absolutely no One better qualified to put His creation to work than the Master Maker Himself. I trust You with my very life Dearest Lord. Play and use me well I pray. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(596 words ~ 8:01 a.m.)