August 11, 2011 - Be ready with a focus on the "Be"

A slight twist away from the canning, cooking, storing up, etc.

My niece has Neuroblastoma, one of the many names for Cancer. It's really rough...no matter how you look at it. No fun to be in the hospital, feel bad, be poked and tested...no fun. Especially at 16 months old!

I have to say, however, that she is a little teacher...a wise little thing of all of maybe 17 or 18 pounds. She worries when worry is necessary. And, when there is nothing at the moment to worry about, she likes to just "Be". I'm talking "Be happy," "Be content," "Be pleasant," "Be kind," "Be a friend," "Be sweet," "Be loving," "Be empathetic."  Need I say more?

I completely get it that it's not so easy to be all these things all the time. But I think the key is that my niece does not worry about tomorrow, but focuses on today. In her little way, she is being very scriptural, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:33-34

So how does not worrying and being prepared fit together? Part of being prepared is resting in the fact that we have done all we can do and knowing that, really, we can't ever be prepared in full for anything and everything that may come our way. Looking at the big picture of the world and all the potential worries is overwhelming. But, ultimately God says to us, "Let Me help you," "Trust in Me," "I love you," "Give me your burdens and your sorrows." When we say, "Yes, Lord," we are prepared enough and then we are able to just, "Be."