173 degrees

What a beautiful Texas day this Tuesday has turned out to be! Despite my allergies, I decided to have lunch outside with the kiddos. They love eating outside and since it is so pretty out and feels so pleasant, I thought I would join them! These are the kind of days that all Texans should stop and breathe in deeply. Before you know it, the weather here will be miserable! The kids will only be able to play outside in the early morning and late, late afternoon because the temperature will be too hot to bare. Oh and who can forget the Ozone alert days when the weather men tell you to stay inside! So now is the time to cram every outdoor activity into your schedule because this amazing weather won't last, it just won't!

While sitting outside eating lunch with the kids, my Dad called and told me about something funny he had heard on the radio regarding the time and temperature man! There is a number you can call 817-844- then any four numbers and you will hear a man tell the time and temperature sponsored by Chase Bank. I knew about the number because when I was much younger and my little brother did something to irritate me, I would pretend like I was calling my Mom at work to tattle on him. I had many conversations with the time and temp man about Josh! It was great when I told him that Mom said he was grounded, he changed his tone real fast! Little did he know it was only the time and temp man! Anyway, my Dad said that when you call to find out the time and temp, the date and time given is correct but the temperature is wrong. Not only is it wrong, but it's insanely wrong! So, I thought I would call and give it a try. Sure enough, the date was correct, the time was exact but the temperature was way off. Current temperature given by the Chase Bank man? 173 degrees!

It's a struggle for me to not make little things into big things. Some of you can relate. I remember one time while I was working for a Christian Company, I had a really difficult co-worker in my life. This person said hateful things to me and quite often attacked the way I dressed, the way my hair was styled or cut, or just anything about me that they didn't like. This person was much, much older than me and so I found myself feeling very intimidated. One day I sat in my cubicle crying because I did not know how to handle this person. My boss walked out of his office and said, "Hey, don't let em' get to you. People are always going to try to tear you down, always. It does not matter for one second what that person thinks about you, this is a little thing in life." It was hard to take his advice. This person told lies about me, tried to get me into trouble and constantly talked bad about me. It wasn't all in my head, this person did not like me! So as this went on, my boss stopped by my desk one day and gave me a book called, "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff." And today I think about that book a lot. My boss was right, it doesn't matter for one second about the little things! So many times I let little things take control of my day. In my mind it becomes 173 degrees and dreadful but the reality is, it's only 80 degrees and beautiful!

Father, help me to live in your reality, not my own. Give me your vision, take away my blurry sight so that I may see the truth. I am desperate for you Lord and I need you every second of every single day. God, PLEASE use me to show others how to be free from those things that keep them so tied up. May I not be silent Lord but tell the WORLD what you have done for me! Remind me Lord when it's not really 173 degrees.