Tammy On Tuesday – Get Over Yourself!

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But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me  1 Cor. 15:10

This morning, while organizing our Christmas boxes in the basement, I came across a photo that made laugh out loud.  It was taken almost 20 years ago and I’ve held on to it for many reasons.  One of them is to be reminded not to take myself too seriously!  Works like a charm!

In my twenties, I was a major “go-getter”.   I wanted to excel at my career.  I wanted the perfect marriage.  I wanted to do great things for God.  Be a world-changer.  The list goes on.  I just knew I wanted to pull myself up by the boot straps and make a mark on the world.  I wanted to be God’s right-hand gal.  I was pretty serious about it too!

What I was completely unaware of at that time in my life was that I had been elevating my self to a place of “righteousness” I was mustering up from within me.  With that comes a great deal of pride and continuous stress from ever exceeding expectations.  And, frankly, it’s just plain silly.  Almost 20 years have passed and what I have learned is to stop taking myself so seriously!

As I look back over the years I realize that ALL that is good in me comes from God.  Honestly, ALL the Good!

All that creates shadows in my life are the things that I still seem to hold on to in myself – self sufficiency, fear, ambition, doubt.  As I recognize those things I want more and more to give them over to God so that He can replace them with what pleases Him.  The result is peaceful living and simple trust.

Psalm 115:1 Not to us (me), O Lord, not to us (me),
but to your name goes all the glory
for your unfailing love and faithfulness.

James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

How did I go from the “go-getter – it’s up to me” to the “servant – it’s up to God” mindset?
God had His ways.

I want to share one of those  “ways” with you today:

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Mark and I got married when I was 26.  I was in the best shape of my life.  I was running 5 miles every other day.  I worked as the president’s assistant at a thriving organization.  I kept a neat and tidy house and had everything under control.  I’ll be honest, I struggled with the occasional bout of acne.  But that was because my life was fast-paced and I dealt with a lot of stress on a daily basis.  I figured it was the price I had to pay in making my mark!

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We had only been married about a year when Mark and I took a trip out to see his family and spend a few days on their family farm.  I was excited about this much needed vacation!  I couldn’t wait to spend the days sleeping in and doing nothing.  It was the beginning of December and one of the things Mark mentioned on our trip out to Ohio was that his mom wanted to pass on the Lashey Springerle Cookie recipe to me. This is a recipe their family has passed down through the years and I was honored to know I’d be able to carry on the tradition.

Our second morning there, Mark shook me awake at 8:00 AM.  I looked at the clock and thought, “What in the world?  Why are you waking me up?  Isn’t this vacation?  I’ll be down around 10AM.”  He said, “My mom and grandmother are waiting across the street (at his grandma’s house) to bake the Springerles.  They want to give you the family recipe. Remember?  I told you.”

“At 8:00 AM?”

Mark replied, “Yes, they have everything ready and they are just waiting on you. How quickly can you get over there?”

I sat up and scratched my head.  “Well, I can go now, I guess.  I’ll just change out of my pj pants and put on some sweats.”

Mark seemed satisfied and headed out of the room.  He turned around and said, “Okay, just hurry.  They are waiting.”

As I changed out of my pjs I thought to myself, “If we’re baking cookies at 8:00AM.  They must be in their bum clothes too. I’ll forego the makeup and hair.  Who is ever up and ready for their day on vacation by 8:00AM?”

The answer is…People who farm for a living!

I walked in to Grandma Lashey’s kitchen and everything was nicely prepared for our morning of baking.  Grandma Lashey and my mother-in-love both looked beautiful and festive.  I, on the other hand, looked like I could be a body double in one of these popular zombie movies out right now.  The mint green thermal I was wearing complimented my pasty white skin.   I can’t tell you how much I had wished I ran a comb through my hair. How could anyone take themselves serious when they look like this!?!
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Okay, so maybe you’re wondering how a picture and a story like this has anything to do with anything.  But this picture has reminded me just how foolish I’d be to make life all about me.  When it comes down to it, under the makeup and the hairspray and the pretty outfit…lives a zombie.  (Okay, that’s not even possible.)…lives a flawed and simple girl with a perfect God!

Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Galatians 2:20  My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 4:1-8  Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?  If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”  When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.  But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.  David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven,  whose sins are put out of sight.  Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

Now  if you’re wondering how I will land this plane,  here’s the question.  Do you find yourself easily offended?  Are you driven?  Uptight?  Are you putting any confidence in the flesh?  How do you respond to mistakes in yourself and others?

Let yourself AND them off the hook because all that is good within you is what’s been given to you by Christ.  Maybe He’s pressing in on a certain issue even now.  Give it to Him and be free of it.

I’ve learned to laugh at myself.  I’ve learned to let go and let God.  You should too, because you never know when that dreadful picture might be snapped…make it an opportunity for a good laugh!