Spring Cleaning...Unsubscribe?

Would you like to Unsubscribe to this email Now?

I have reread this question over and over today in a variety of different alluring fonts and styles.  Each and every site wanted to make sure they gave one last chance for me to change my mind before I jumped ship on their weekly (sometimes daily) temptation emails giving me the opportunity to invest deeper one way or another to their "cause."

This weather is indescribable GOOD.  

It makes me want to shake off anything that is holding me back and run like crazy into the warmth and sunshine.  I am thinking that is where the idea of Spring Cleaning came from.  Or, it is my reasoning anyway...Get all the list of "To Dos" over quick before the outdoor weather hits hard and nobody wants to do anything but play outside every chance they get.

SO~~ this lead me to start cleaning out a rather insignificant area of my life but it still needed cleaning none the less---my personal email account.

It actually turned out to be a much bigger undertaking than I initially thought and God used it to reveal a MUCH more important analogy to my life, in general.  

~UNSUBSCRIBE~

(pic courtesy of my husband who is in Oregon right now.  
posting simply cause it is gorgeous and i wish we were with him)

To UNsubscribe, that means in some way and at some point, I had to SUBSCRIBE. 

Here is where the Lord grabbed hold of my thoughts.  

I caught myself thinking the same thought at each reoccurring question as I clicked through countless Monday morning emails from company after company trying to lure me into their latest, new products. 
"how in the world did YOU get my contact information, I don't remember ever ordering from YOU, I don't remember signing up for this, I don't remember giving YOU permission to contact me?"

These luring advertisements had gotten a way into my daily, weekly life.  They had found a way to at least make me take time to consider them (even if it was deleting them time and time again).  

STRONGHOLDS... 

God so gently said
"don't you see it?  These emails are basically just exactly like the disguised and well-dressed versions of your sin, tempting you over and over to jump back in."

Now, be clear, these were just emails from clothing companies, house decorating stores, charitable organizations, and so on.  Nothing at all in itself BAD.  However, they were filling my account space up with useless information.  

HOW MUCH OF MY DAILY LIFE IS FILLED UP WITH USELESS INFORMATION? (NOT BAD SINFUL THINGS, but mindless JUNKMAIL?)

DING~~Here is where the spiritual correlation set in.

I need to to start UNSUBSCRIBING from ANYTHING that takes my mind, thoughts away from my Lord!!!

~All the above was written on Monday~

Now, it's Thursday.  I had NO idea that little lesson on "cleaning up" life, throwing off what hinders and focusing on Jesus would become just so important only a few days later.

Here we are...neck deep in making a pretty large decision in the life of one of our daughters when God brings this full circle.

In regards to my daughters life, we were thinking this mindset totally selfish in nature.  When, during bible study this morning after a day of toying with selfishness, the Lord took a verse and laid it upon me fresh and in such direction communication with my cries for answers to the prayers the last several months concerning a particular matter in our lives.  

Matthew 26:8-11

The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. "It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.

All we have is time.  We are to be good stewards of that gift with constant service to the Kingdom in the forefront of our thoughts and actions.  Doing this may look different for everyone.  Even those within the same group or family.  Uhmm...maybe I have been looking at this from a narrow perspective. 
 

Why do I see the Unsubscribing in my life any differently than I see it in my child's life?  

What is it about this decision for my child that bothers me most?

If taking a few years and investing in strengthening the heart for the Lord that is already within her is preparing her for a deeper personal service to the kingdom in the long run, is that selfish?  Or, am I just afraid of the perception it might have within the community as appearing selfish because someone may misrepresent our hearts just as the disciples did here.  Even those on our own team may not understand.  So, quite possibly the true selfish act here might be coming from the desires to escape an image by staying neutral.  

Quite frankly, my head hurts.  

However, my heart feels a peace after this verse was laid on me today.  It wasn't at all used in this context for everyone else in that study.  The Lord and I knew how it was meant for me, for my girl.  She will have years (Lord willing...as Granny always, always said) to invest in serving.  But, first, Jesus may need her to focus on growing "her" for that service in a way that looks different than the days up until now.  Don't we all reach that point where we are placed in "time out" to spend some alone time just getting to know our Father more?  So, that we are of better use to Him accordingly to the will He has for our particular lives. 

I know I just came out of a "time out' season of my own life.  I didn't choose it for sure.  It was chosen for me, life striped from me.  However, I am not sure I have ever been so thankful for pain like I am now.  Never have I understood the breaking of the alabaster jar like I do today. 

Now, please let me just walk this out willingly by being faithful in obedience with her life.  

Somedays, all we are called to do is UNsubscribe.

 I think I will follow Jesus here...BLOW it all off and be obedient in His call.
Unsubscribe to what keeps me from the foot of the Cross. 

 Lord, make us useful.   Please let me and mine not blow mindless with the wind but walk forward in purpose and strength that comes only from You.  Let us shake loose from the ties that bind us so we can better serve those you have called us to.  Let our timelines come in line with Yours.  Use us as You see fit...broken to be beautiful in the eyes of the one who made us.  Amen