Thankful In All Things

Today's blog comes courtesy of, my favorite, Father Tim (from the Mitford books).

I just finished listening to book seven in the Mitford series, "In This Mountain" and Father Tim preaches a great sermon in the book about giving "thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" from 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Father Tim said that Christians are often quick to be thankful in joyful times and give thanks for blessings, but how many times are Christians thankful for trials or challenges?

Father Tim said that trials and challenges in our lives, no matter how difficult, are at the very least permitted by God, and He will ALWAYS bring good in the midst of the challenges.

Father Tim encouraged his (fictional) congregation to not just tolerate challenges, but to sincerely give thanks in them and for them.  Father Tim talked about how much God, our Father loves us, and how He brings good out of EVERYTHING -- not just overt blessings.  Father Tim asked if you could imagine a child saying to their parent, "I really don't like this hard thing... but you, Mom, are allowing it to happen, and I trust you, so I am thankful for this hard thing in my life."  
What a trusting child that would be to say that... I want to be that child.

This is such a word in season for me because I am feeling the trials of being a working mother.  I feel that I am struggling as a teacher and as a mother, I am exhausted, and I only see my baby girl awake for less than two hours a day.  This is a huge challenge for me, and it is only the second week of work (and the first week of school).

I am trying to remind myself to be thankful for this challenge.  And I seriously have to REMIND myself.  My initial reaction, most of the time, is to complain about things that are challenging... it takes consciously reminding myself time after time to try to harvest gratitude for this situation that, my human side, wants to go away.

Nevertheless...
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

The Prayer That Never Fails

I have been sharing different parts about the Mitford books, and I want to keep talking about the, because I am just loving listening to these books for the second time.  I just started book five, for the second time.  These stories provide so much peace for me.  I can be upset about something... but listening to the story of these Mitford characters always gives me peace.

Father Tim frequently talks about the prayer that never fails...
"Thy Will be done."

Have you ever thought about this?

This prayer never EVER fails.

Thy Will be done.

... Hey, it's Friday the 13th!!!  I just noticed that!  :-D

Every Five Minutes

I've written before about the Mitford Series and not only how much I enjoy the stories, but how much I grow in my Christian walk by the beautiful example of the characters.

The book I'm listening to right now involves Father Tim trying to forgive someone... well, several of the books deal with this, but in this book he talks about having to practice forgivness anew every five minutes.  He talks about having to surrender his anger to the Lord only to have to surrender it all over again five minutes later.

All too often I think I've surrendered my anger, or my pride, or practiced forgiveness... but three minutes later, I'm toting the barge all over again -- festering anger, clinging to my pride, struggling with forgiveness.  Then I forget to surrender everything again... and five minutes later surrender AGAIN.

Too often, if I'm not able to forgive and forget, I just hold onto my anger -- I tried to forgive, but I couldn't, so I guess this particular issue is too fresh, or hard, or whatever... I'll try to forgive again another day, or month, or year.

Nope, forgiveness needs to happen NOW.  And if the anger continues, it needs to happen again in five minutes.  And again another five minutes after that.

Mitford reminds me that God would rather I lay something at His feet again and again and again and again, as I LEARN how to trust Him with control rather than lay something at His feet only to pick it up to run with it myself indefinitely.

Mitford

My job involves a LOT of travel - upwards of 200 miles a day at times.  In going back to work, time in the car could have been harder than anything -- time wasted.  Time travel is time when I'm not with my baby, I'm not taking care of my home, I'm not teaching students, and I'm not responding to emails.

Thankfully, my time on the road was delightful for one reason: Mitford.

There is a series of books by Jan Karon called The Mitford Books.  I have listened to them a few years ago, but, in going back to work, I've recently started the series again.

The series is about an episcopalian rector, Father Tim, who lives in a tiny town, fully of personality, in the mountains of North Carolina.  The book, and the town, are full of hilarious, adorable supporting characters with whom the reader/listener just fall in love.

Because Father Tim is a minister, he is always trying to draw closer to God, always reading and reciting scriptures, and so reading stories about him is such a Godly influence.  Even his huge black dog points the reader back to the Lord -- the dog is only obedient to the recitation of scripture.

There are nine Mitford books (a tenth will be released later this year), and even a subsequent series of four or so about Father Tim's childhood.  The first Mitford book might take place in the early/mid-nineties and the series spans about ten years... thus far, its still going.

On days when I might have been frustrated with work, or discouraged at being away from my baby, the Mitford books brought me back to a beautiful Christian town of neighbors and friends.  It Mitford existed, I would be moving there immediately.

I sincerely invite you to make yourself At Home In Mitford (book 1 of the Mitford series).

Friday Letters: FRIDAY

 YAY!!!!

IT'S FRIDAY!!!

• Dear Tracey Ann,  You are amazing!  I cannot believe you are going to be four months old tomorrow.
• Dear School Year, I am SOOOO glad you are almost over.
• Dear Grammy and Papa,  We really miss you.
• Dear Grandma and Grandpa, We really miss you, too.
• Dear Lloyd, Thank you for reminding us to feed you.  Its not that we're forgetting that you need food -- we just need a little reminder that you haven't been fed yet.
• Dear Mitford Books, I have LOVED listening to you as I travel for work.
• Dear Sonic,  Thanks for offering $0.50 corn dogs to celebrate the end of school.
• Dear Hubby, Thank you for all your work this week taking care of Tracey Ann.  We make a really good team... and it definitely takes both of us giving 100%+ to make life work these days.
• Dear Warm Weather, It has been really nice to have you hanging around these days... I especially love dressing Tracey Ann in her adorable summer dresses and sun hats!
• Dear Friday To-Do List, You are very long and nearly endless...
• Dear Veterans, Thank you for your service.
• Dear Long, Memorial Day Weekend, Welcome!

The Prayer that Never Fails

Lately, I have been thoroughly enjoying the Mitford Series on tape as I am ending my school year, and generally doing everything else required in this hectic season of life.I am loving these books about Father Tim and his little Mitford parish, although, I just started listening to the book where he has retired and has agreed to be the interim pastor in another little town, so I'm not sure what changes are in store.

Father Tim is such a lovable character and such a wonderful example of Micah 6:8 (And what does the Lord require of you, to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.) It was Father Tim who spoke the words that inspired my post and new philosophy, One Step at a Time, and Be Grateful.

Over this weekend, as I listened to the book, he kept saying that he prayed, "the prayer that never fails". He never specified his prayer, but he said it enough times that I was really curious of what Father Tim considered the prayer that never fails. A few possibilities went through my head including The Lord's Prayer, and The Serenity Prayer.

At the end of the book, a character in despair shared that the only words he could say were, "Thy Will be done. Thy Will be done." The only words he could pray were "Thy Will be done." That's when Father Tim responds, "That is the prayer that never fails."

How simple. Four words and yet, I would argue, when put together, one of the most powerful sentences ever uttered. Thy Will be done. What a word in season for me as I am working to wrap up a season of my life in Colorado and open the door to a completely new season and new role for my life. As we remain in prayer about our jobs and location for next year and as two families become united into one, Thy Will Be Done. This prayer should be on my lips with every anxiety in my heart and worry on my mind these days.

The Prayer that NEVER FAILS... Thy Will Be Done.

Thanks be to God.

Source for the picture.