(And I don’t mean exercise. Well, maybe…)

Each year that I’ve been keeping a journal and spending time with God I’ve heard him speak a theme into my life.  Last year that word/theme was ‘Dwell.’ All throughout my quiet time and my reading the word came up in some form or another–WAIT, REST, BE STILL, DWELL– no matter where I was reading.

I had no idea people made this a focus in the blogging world until I ventured in about a year ago.

“What’s your word for the year?  What have you decided on?”

Well, I have a word for this year but it sort of picked me through circumstances and the daily ness of life. (And truly, I want words, especially God’s word to actually make a difference in the way I live.)

What piqued my interest about this word was the phrase I heard during the Christmas holidays from “Away in a Manger”…..

“fit us for Heaven to live with you there.”

Well, what does that mean, I wondered? ‘Fit’? It means to make us ready.

‘Fit’ as in adapted to, suitable for, adjusting oneself–that sort of Fit.

I thought about that often during the holidays and the word has been ringing in my ears on into this new year.

Why?

God is definitely rounding off the very rough edges of me that do not ‘fit’–I am edgy (in a bad way), grumpy (and it ain’t cute), un-gentle (very) and many other synonyms in the family of words like ”unkind”.

And what has brought out this un-Christlike behaviour?  Oh, just my flesh fighting with my spirit.  The usual. Not only does God want to ‘fit us for Heaven’ he wants us to be suitable to, adapted for  and adjustable people on this Earth now.

And how do I know this? Because, I’ve had to be the extra hands and feet my husband has needed (and will need for several months) as he recups from a total knee replacement.

Do you know that if you’re rolling a scooter in front of you to help you walk that you can’t carry your coffee cup?
Or the paper?  Or the phone?  Or a bowl of cereal? Or………….do you get the picture?

Enter the helpmate.  Me. Getting not only my coffee but his, fetching the paper, making an extra bowl of cereal. You’d think he was asking me to lift a car the way I’ve been balking and (silently) complaining.

So the smoothing out, fitting into process has begun, and I’m quite certain it’ll take all year long.

I will leave you with this, a note I made during the summer, reminding me of what God supplies: 

Galatians 5:22-24   The Message (MSG)

“But what happens when we live God’s way?
He brings gifts into our lives,
much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—
things like affection for others,
exuberance about life, serenity.
We develop a willingness to stick with things,
a sense of compassion in the heart,
and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.
We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments,
not needing to force our way in life,
able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Linking with Jen and the Soli Deo Gloria sisters
and with Cheryl for True Vine Abiding
True Vine Challenge_Thumbnail Badge at OikosLiving
and with Bonnie for Thursday Jams, who’s been away w a y  too long.  Join us?
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