Thursday, August 26, 2010

THANKFUL THURSDAY...everything to everybody

I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to try to be everything to everybody. Not just in my family, but at work and at church. It is the hardest thing for me to say no to anybody and when I do say no ... I absolutely feel like I have let someone down.

As you can imagine, as a Pastors wife, one of the things that I have had to learn is that I CANNOT do everything! Nor should I be expected to. I am a wife and mother first, then a PW. People at our church have never, (let me repeat...NEVER)  put this kind of stress on me, it is I, who puts pressure on myself to try to do so much.

But I have been wrong. I do not have any kind of superpowers. I don't have bionic strength. I don't have nine lives. I don't even live in a time capsule. I have the same amount of time as everyone else in a day, and it is up to me to be a good manager of my time. God has been reminding me of this lately, that if my time is not His time, it may be a waste of time.

In all of the time I have spent trying to be everything to everyone, I have forgotten that it is not me who needs to be everything to everyone but it is God Who IS everything to everyone.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:28 "Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him Who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all."

When I commit everything to Him, He becomes the center of my attention and not things that I have absolutely no power over. I am so thankful that God does not put demands on me to be perfect, He loves me just the way I am and doesn't expect me to be the all in all. That's His job!

Today is THANKFUL THURSDAY, and we want to hear what you are thankful for today. Please join your grateful heart with ours and link your TT post below in Mr. Linky!

Next week, you can find TT over at Iris's place!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Laurie, Thanks for hosting TT for another week. I have been blessed by your posts and the others I read here.

Lady Claudette said...

Thanks for hosting Thankful Thursday! :)

Unknown said...

Laurie,

I admire you so much. I can only guess at the difficulties of living in a glass house so to speak as a pastor's wife. Your heart is so transparent and your love for Christ shows through your words.

Thank you for your example and your love for us and for your church and mostly for Jesus. Love you girl. Lynn

Rita T. said...

I want so badly to be perfect. Thanks for putting it in perspective. Have a great TT!

It Feels Like Chaos said...

I love that 1 Corinthians verse and have to remind myself of it so often!

Sharon Cohen said...

I love your thoughts. Perfectionism is a difficult struggle. Learning to replace my idea of perfect performance with His idea for my walk in life has been more difficult than it should have been. I am thankful that He has not lost patience with me.

Apron Senorita said...

Very good thoughts and good learning opportunity. God Bless you!

Misty said...

Thank you for sharing your very real and very powerful thoughts in this post..

Reminding me that I dont have to be everything to everyone.. that God IS everything to everyone! I need to take note of that just in case I forget in the future :)

Blessings, Misty

Joan Hall said...

Laurie - thanks for hosting Thankful Thursday. I also struggle with saying "no". The scripture you reference really puts things in perspective.

Have a blessed day.

Krista said...

Wonderful Thankful Thursday blog! Many times people expect people to be perfect and to do it all! I am too so thankful that God doesn't put demands on us to be perfect :)

Heather said...

Thank you! I need to remember this! You are an inspiration!

Karen said...

This is such a wonderful reminder today, Laurie..."everything to everybody" seems to be a mantra for women today...so thankful our Father sees us differently.....

becky aka theRAV said...

I so echo this post. Being an only child, sometimes I have to be everything to everyone. I too have found it hard to say not but I have learned to over the past 10 years.

Toyin O. said...

Thankful for Jesus!

Holly said...

Laurie,
Thanks for hosting TT and its good to see your heart and the fact that your "Aren't perfect".... Lets everyone see that you still depend on CHRIST!

Peggy said...

Happy Thankful Thursday Laurie & all of you...

I would like you all to take the time to visit #15 Misty...it's her first time and she's a new blogger.

I sent her here last night and I'm so delighted that she chose to write & link with you all.

You're a beautiful hostess Laurie
and Jesus shines through your every word and just being a pastor's wife, I'm sure the expectation is very high for you to be everything to everybody. His Spirit does flow
through you and empower you. It is
evident in your words and your heart! Are you sure you don't have superpowers??? (lol)

Love you & miss all of you...
So thankful for this meme & group still going strong!!!
Peggy

Cindy said...

Hi Laurie...thank you for hosting us at TT today.
Great post btw, I thin we all have tmes where we put ourselves through this agony. So thankful that God is all, so I don't have to try to be.
Hugs,
Cindy

Audra Michelle said...

Thank you for the link-up! Your post is a great reminder. I struggle to do it all and also, like you, feel like I am letting others down.

Jessica Kramasz said...

Thank you for the link up! I'm a pastor's daughter and my mom has always struggled with the same thing - she often feels that as a pastor's wife she needs to help everyone and be involved in everything. This was a great post!

Anonymous said...

Hi Laurie. I am participating in TT for the first time. Great group of women you have here. Can't wait to read their blogs!

Angie