A few minutes ago I shared this on my Instagram and Facebook pages. I can't get it out of my mind, so I thought that I'd share it here as well and maybe talk a bit more about it. I have a bumble bee themed baby shower cookie order coming up. I had decided two weeks ago to use a square cookie cutter and since they said it was a burlapy (word?) rustic theme, I went with an ivory/gold base and planned to put a bee hive on half of the order and a bumble bee on the other. I'd maybe use the airbrush to add some shading around the edges and interior, trim it out and call it done. Cute right? But then last week I thought about how great it would be if I had a honeycomb stencil to use as a background. I even went to a few stencil websites to look and came up empty handed. Plus there was no guarantee that I'd even get it in time. So I dismissed it and moved along.
It immediately reminded me of God and how His plans are rarely what we see for ourselves. We make plans, and when they don't work out we are quick to be disappointed.
We must realign our vision with that of Gods. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. His plans are always much better than ours.
Creativity/art can't be contained in our best laid plans, just as God can't be contained. So thankful for this unexpected lesson.
I had to make a trip to the store yesterday for some supplies and even my plan with that shifted and changed as I went along. I didn't originally plan on going to Michaels, I was just going to go to Hobby Lobby, but like I said, plans changed and I found myself at Michaels. We were on a time schedule and needed to get in and out of these stores (which is a task, if you know me)! Luckily for me, Jessica was with me and she is a no nonsense kind of girl! I did manage to slow my pace as I passed their clearance bin........something caught my eye!! A honeycomb rubber stamp! Not was I was looking for, it wasn't even on my conscience radar but there it was! On clearance! I grabbed it up and figured there was no better time to try my hand at stamping on cookies. It's something that I've wanted to do but never took the time to try......until now!
I am reminded of so many times that my plans changed and I grumbled and complained, even threatened myself to quit! But I am also reminded of all of the times that, even when I did grumble, God took over and created an end result that was far better than my original plan. I see Him work in this manner in all sorts of ways, from large dreams to small steps in a day or moment. When I am willing to approach my day, circumstances or dreams with open hands, heart and eyes, I allow God the room that He desires to work in my life. Trust me when I say that His plans are ALWAYS, INFINITELY BETTER!!!!!
A creator knows his created like non-other - even better than the created itself in some cases- why oh why do we INSIST that we know better.
Psalm 139 is a beautiful reminder of "how" He knows us:
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
I am on a journey of entrusting my moments, my thoughts, my dreams and plans into the ever capable hands of The One who created me, The One who knows my inmost being, The One who calls me by name. I can look back and see where His plans have far outweighed my own and many others who have gone before me, as well as those that walk beside me even today. I pray that this encourages you to open up your hands and mind to The One who calls YOU by name.
Side note: I decided to jump into water coloring a weeks ago and I'm so glad that I did!! It's teaching me so much about myself, God and life! I have a long way to go, but again, I'm enjoying the journey!
Where do see you see God teaching you a lesson? Do you have any creative outlets? I'd love to know!!
God Bless
Lorraine
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