Tick Tock The Game is Locked!

I enjoy memories of playing outside as a little girl...

Jumping rope and singing rhymes. Playing hopscotch with rocks and not jumping far enough to 8 or 9. Girls competing against the boys in freeze tag. Playing kickball and getting hit by the ball so hard that it stung!

Playing jacks was my all-time favorite! Bouncing the ball, picking up jacks, around the world, lagging, and making it to 10's were all kinds of fun! Playing with my sister was one thing but when I had the opportunity to play with girls from the neighborhood, that was even better.

I remember once excitedly spotting a game and being ready to join in on the action. As quickly as I ran to play, the girls shuffled, held hands and yelled "tick tock the game is locked!" That was the signal saying that I was not invited to play the game.  I was left out and had to stand back and watch while they played. I was excluded for whatever reasons 9 year old girls could make up.

I smile now but at the time I was so hurt. Not only did they not want me to play, it felt as though they didn't want me. Something was wrong with me. What did I do to not get invited? Why were they having the fun and I only had the unfortunate privilege of watching?

So now that I'm older and as I talk to others I think adults are having the same feelings!

We see or hear about all the success others are having. New homes. New cars. Traveling. Great careers. Great ministries. Great health.

Singles see their friends going out on dates and having the audacity to have fun or even get married!

Parents see the successes of other children as ours are battling difficulty.

We see others have financial blessings as we struggle.

It's as if we are watching and they are saying "Tick Tock the Game is Locked!"

Children often make decisions about their world though their limited understanding of it. Most difficulties in their lives are often explained through themselves. So it wasn't unusual that I blamed myself for not being invited and not the inconsistencies of little girls. It made me think twice about joining in the next time I saw them playing.

Unfortunately as adults we tend to make decisions about our circumstances with limited understanding of them and with limited knowledge of God's Word. We conclude that we have been forgotten,. We are convinced that something is wrong with us and we have not been chosen for a purpose. As a result, we limit our involvement with others. We isolate ourselves. We blame us instead of the lies of the enemy!

As long as we nurse this lack of understanding and knowledge, we are rendered ineffective for the Kingdom of God. If we can continue to believe the lie that it's just us, we are too self focused to turn our attention to purpose. Meanwhile, as Jesus said in Matthew 9:37 "Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

We often think that the enemy or Satan only wants us dead. Or we declare that he wants us destroyed.
He does.

However, he will also be content with us being ineffective.

Not a threat.

Powerless.

Isolated.

Uninvolved.

What he doesn't want you to know is the truth of God's Word!

And here's the truth!

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us then who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

"Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you." I Corinthians 16:23 (The Message)

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" John 6:37

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8


You are IN!

GO!

Blessings!


copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com All rights reserved.

Feeding Chickens!

Freedom. 

That's what I've thought about all week. I ruminated about how I was set free because of the redemptive work of Christ. It was nothing of my own.

He just did it.

Set us Free.

We were imprisoned and he set us free.

Living as free is now our responsibility. THIS had me up most nights. I asked myself, "How am I not living free? What am I fighting? To what am I holding on?"

When I was a little girl, my sister and I were often dropped off at my Great Grandmother's home. We were there to help out in any way she needed. We loved being distracted by her things. They were treasures that we loved finding throughout her house like washboards, antique wall phones, old wigs, books, and old bibles. We were constantly excited to get lost in her possessions. There were many great stories of her life in the old days.

I remember one day our responsibilities were to clean the chicken coop, gather eggs, and feed the chickens. I was about 11 and my sister was 9. In our minds this request from her was a confirmation that she had lost her mind! We never had a desire to do anything with those chickens in her backyard and this day was no different. However, we knew she wasn't asking. She was telling!

So off we went!

We began to devise a plan. My sister would distract the chickens by feeding them and I would gather the eggs. She picked up the feed bag and began to scatter it across the feeding trays. The chickens began to follow the feed. Why did they do that?! My sister noticed that they were following her and she LOST HER MIND! Sheer panic! She began screaming and running in circles! I watched it all in disbelief. My great grandmother laughed so much she wasn't of any help. She chuckled so hard, tears were falling. 

Unbelievable! 

My poor sister. Notice that I just watched. I was not about to join in the mayhem and get plucked or eaten or whatever they do. As my sister ran away from the chickens, she continued to spill the seeds. As she spilled they were clucking, flapping their wings, and running behind her. 

Why didn't she just drop the bag?! 

Three circles later, she did. She let the feed bag go. She ran clean out of the backyard, around the house and back into the front door. My great grandmother was still laughing!

What does this have to do with freedom?  Everything!

Sometimes the very things that we are trying to get away from, we are feeding.  We live our days giving life to the things that we want to kill. 

We scream.

We cry.

We beg for help.

However, we have the feed bag under our arms and are still dropping seeds. Our thoughts, actions, and words are sustaining Fear, Doubt. Worry. Depression. Anxiety, Anger, Unforgiveness, etc.

www.shundriariddick.com 

What are you trying to live free of? What's continuing to chase you? What are you feeding? How are your thoughts, your daily activities, or your words hindering your life of freedom?

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.-Galatians 5:1

I am challenging myself to drop the bag and run in FREEDOM! What about you?

When we catch ourselves feeding the chickens, we will say "DROP THE BAG!"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." -Matthew 19:26

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. -Philippians 4:13

We can do this!

Let's  #JUMP!


Blessings!



copyright 2015 www.shundriariddick.com Pictures are for this blog only.

Missing Moments...

After a long exhausting day of work, I geared up to go home only to start what I call my real job.  There's so much to do but of course there isn't enough time. I work about 30 minutes from my home but this day it took about 2. I left work and arrived at my house. I couldn't tell you how I got there. My body was on autopilot and I missed the ride home.  I was so disappointed because I LOVE riding in my car alone. You must understand! It is my place of silence and tranquility. I can talk out loud to God. I can listen to the music I want. I can sing with a voice that ONLY the Lord enjoys! But this day I missed the whole ride! 

I'm sure you've been there. We've all been there. We arrive and wonder "how?"  During the journey, our minds take us to places other than where we are or where we are going. It begins with a single thought. It then transforms into daydreams, wishes, wonders and unbridled imaginations.

DISENGAGED AND DISTRACTED!

That's what it is! Not fully present. Not experiencing the now. Being in the place but missing the moment.

I often wonder how many times this happens in our daily lives. Because it surely takes place. With substantial amounts of  technology, entertainment and busyness, it's easy to lose time in things that divert our attention from what's most significant.

The indisputable would be that we lose closeness in our walk with the Lord. How many times do we check Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Skype, email, phones, etc? Now compare that time with the amount of time we spend checking in with the Lord. Yep...I'm going to leave that alone.  Just marinate on that one! I'm telling my own issues now...NEXT!

What are we missing with our family because we are distracted by the complaints and frustrations of being with them?

Are we disengaging from the experiences we desire most?

Are we longing for a time in the future, only to get there and realize that we've missed the time we had when we were there in the past?

What are the sights, smells, and sounds that have gone unnoticed on the journey between prayer request and answered prayer?

I cringe to think of the countless times that I've missed the sweetness of the presence of God. I ache to ruminate on the reality of unnoticed whispers of the Holy Spirit.

I've started my day longing for Him and then became distracted by the events of the day. He directed me to Him and I've walked right by Him. I cower in the confession that it was purely because of disengagement and distractions!

But GOD..

I'm so thankful that in all of our distractions He holds to his promise that He never leaves us! He's there.

Deuteronomy 31:8 "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Praise GOD!

I challenge you to eliminate your distractions. Ask the Lord to help you engage.

Don't miss your moments.  Don't miss your comfort. Don't miss your encouragement. Don't miss your peace.

He's There.

Don't miss Him.



Blessings!



copyright 2014 www.shundriariddick.com All rights reserved.