Break Away with Brenda
Grab your coffee mug and take a short break from the Zoo of Life!
Questions and Answers from one ZooKeeper to another…
Q.. I seems to me that you think Christianity has all the answers. I need practical, real life solutions to my everyday life struggles, not wishful thinking, because I really do feel like I’m living in a zoo. I’m finding it’s almost impossible to keep up with all the demands I have and what or whoever gets left out just screams that much louder for my attention. I’m not the only woman who feels that way. What is the solution for us?
A. OK, so the last time we all got together on Break-away I ended with a question and a tease because I already had your question waiting in the wings to answer and as a matter of fact, was really looking forward to it! Now, don’t run away, its really not a stacked conversation, its just that I remember so well being in your position many years ago.
I had three kids, all boys, all under seven years old, and most days I thought I was losing my mind! I’d been brought up as an only child with mostly girl cousins, so this rowdy boy thing was new to me. My house growing up was quiet, peaceful, organized….are you getting the picture? It was in stark contrast to what I was experiencing so I wanted answers. I’m the type of gal who doesn’t just whine and complain when I have a problem, I whine, complain and search everywhere I can think of for answers. I look to the experts for solutions because they should have the best answers.
There is a story about a guy back in the early days of automobiles I find interesting.
He had a brand new T-model Ford, one of the few on the highways at that time and he was so proud of it! His favorite thing to do was just drive up and down the streets and roads of his county showing it off. One day, as he drove down the road to the next town, his T-model died, it just totally shut down. He pulled off to the side of the road, lifted the hood and started to do everything he could think of to get it fixed.
He was stumped, nothing was working. After a few minutes of frustration another T-model started coming up the road, stopped, and as a man hopped out he said ”Can I help you fellow?”
“I don’t think so”, said the man. I’ve already tried everything I know, and I’m pretty good with ‘ole Betsy here, but she just won’t budge.
“Let me take a look”, said the traveler. He looked under the hood, reached inside, flipped a switch, and said, now give her try. Well, ‘ole Betsy cranked right up.
“How did you know to do that?” said the man. The traveler stuck out his hand and said,” Hi, I’m Henry Ford, nice to meet you”.
You see my sweet sister, Henry had invented the T-model, He had written the owners manual, so He was the expert of all experts.
In Matthew 11:28 – 30 that we talked about in our last break-a-way, Jesus said we should take His yoke upon us, remember those verses?
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”(NKJV)
Many old-timers, especially farmers, know exactly what a yoke is. It is a collar attached to a bar that fits around the neck of the oxen in the field, attaching them together in a straight line. It keeps them from going off in different directions, it keeps them in line together so they can do their job more effectively. In other words, it gives them the guidance they need so they can fulfill their purpose. They “run” better in the right direction. It may seem cruel at first glance, but it saves them a whole lot of chaos in the long run. Can’t you just see oxen in the fields trying to plow together, each one going off in his own direction? Kind of looks like some of our homes, the husband going one way, the wife another, and the kids all off in whatever direction they want to go.
You see, God made us, we are His invention just like Henry Ford invented the T-model. He also wrote the owner’s manual, the Bible. As we listen to Him we take on His Yoke, His Guidance.
He is able to reach into our lives and fix whatever is broken just like Henry Ford did to his invention. As we take on His yoke by doing life the way He created us to do we find peace, we can better fulfill our purpose. We “run” better. We plow better together in life if we are yoked up in the right way, following the owners manual.
Next time we’ll talk about what our owner’s manual has to say to us as women. How can we get better control of the chaos of our lives. We will tackle the issue of how to quieten the crowd outside all screaming for out attention at once.
You hang in there sweet thing. Your life didn’t get out of control all in one day, and the solutions won’t all happen in one day either. But, if you take it one day at a time, and learn something new each day that you can put into practice in your every day life, then before long life won’t seem so overwhelming.
Let have coffee again soon. In the meantime, start taking a look at your owner’s manual. It’s the best place to start.
Blessings,
Brenda