Courage For Today

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Living With Well Dressed Intentions

Self-Worth

A couple of weeks back, I broke down and bought a new suit for myself.  I hate buying clothes for myself.  I’m not sure why because once I buy them, I really enjoy them.  For some reason, I just hate spending money on myself.  Unfortunately, I had a business meeting to attend in New York and needed a suit. I’ve gone through trauma recently because I’ve gained weight and my waist size can’t fit in my existing suits.  Now, I could exercise and eat right, but that seems like too much work.  I decided it was just easier to buy a new suit.

What a great feeling it was to put on my sleek, new Grey suit.  I even bought a new shirt and matching tie.  If I do say so myself, I looked pretty sharp. It’s amazing how confident I felt for the meeting knowing that I looked sharp with my new shirt on.  Man, I felt like a million dollars and, I believe, it showed in my actions during the meeting.  I’m sure, over time, the newness will wear off and I’ll get fatter and, sooner or later, I’ll have to break down and buy another suit.  Until that time, I sure will enjoy this one.

It reminded me somewhat of the day I accepted Christ back when I was a young teenager. It was such an exciting, confident feeling and it was as if I had “a new suit of clothes.”  If you believe the Bible and believe that you are a new person in Christ when you accept HIM, as I do, than it really is comparable.  When I accepted Christ, I was a new person.  I was more confident, more at peace, and much happier than before.  My “new suit of clothes” in Christ was more than I could have ever hoped.

Over time, I began to take Christ for granted.  HE almost became like an old suit and just didn’t seem to fit any longer.  It was as if I needed something new.  Over time, I stubbornly learned that I really didn’t need anything new.  I really didn’t need a new suit of clothes.  What I had in Christ was all I needed.  It wasn’t HIM that left me; it was me that grew tired and bored with HIM.

I began to realize that I needed to pray more; to worship more; and to place HIM first in all that I do.  It was amazing that by doing these simple things, what I had been viewing as the “old suit” became new again.  I was back to my old self of confidence and joy.  Not because I did anything special.  HE was still God and HE never left me.  I just renewed the relationship that HE was so longing all the time.

Does Christ seem like an “old suit” to you?  Just remember, that HE has never left you.  I pray that you will renew your relationship with HIM and become one in Christ again.

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Prepare a Place For Us

Grace

For years in my early adult life, I was never brave enough to tackle home projects.  It didn’t really matter whether it was changing a light socket or doing light plumbing work, I was going to let the professionals do it.  Looking back, I guess I was intimidated by the work that needed to be done and decided it was just easier to hire someone than run the risk of doing it wrong and being humiliated.

For some reason, as I’ve gotten older, I have begun taking on more home projects—–and actually enjoyed them.  I’ve now attempted most everything from installing garbage disposals, to re-wiring kitchens, to building cabinets.  You name it, I’ve probably tried it.  Mind you, some projects didn’t come without a lot of gnashing of teeth and frustration, but if the first step I tried didn’t work, I tried something different until I was able to get done what I had set out to do.

The only problem with me starting so many projects is that I tend to go so far, then get bored, and never complete the project.  For example, I’ve been working on remodeling our basement for some time now and it is basically livable now.  All that’s left is some crown molding installation and some minor things like that, but for some reason I just can’t seem to get motivated to finish it.  Maybe one day I will.

I was thinking the other day how wonderful this part of our house would look if I would only complete the little bit of work that is left.  It would really look complete and professional.  I also think about the tool shed in our backyard that I have promised myself for two years that I would tear down and rebuild.  I then start thinking about our backyard and the little spot where my wife wants a small pond built.  Oh, how beautiful all of this would be and how much nicer our home would look, if only I would go ahead and finish everything.

I was reading some scripture the other day and was reminded of the verses where Jesus said that he was in Heaven preparing a place for us.  Quite honestly, I’ve never thought too much about that particular passage of scripture.  I know I’m going to heaven one day, but the idea of a place that Jesus is preparing for me never really hit me until just recently.

I realized that Jesus has been preparing this place for us for over 2,000 years now.  As I mentioned before, how much more beautiful would my own home look if I would just complete the projects that I’ve started within the past couple of years.  Are you starting to get the picture?  Can you even imagine how wonderful a place Heaven must be if Jesus has been preparing this place for us, not for 2 years, but for 2,000 years?

If you are like me, it suddenly becomes pretty exciting.

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