Life ain't McDonalds honey....

We all need things here on earth. And things require money. So we slave
away at our jobs, groan and complain on the bad days, smile and are in a
pretty good mood on the good days, and flop down when we have fought our way
through the traffic when we get home. That gives us about 20 minutes to
recharge our batteries, and then it is off to whatever event is on the
calendar that date. For our children it might be Basketball, football,
softball, baseball, soccer. Plays, rehearsals, tryouts, movies,
dances....on and on and on. Not to mention our own agendas. Dinner out
with friends, catch a movie, make some phone calls, return emails, birthday
parties, anniversary dinners, on and on and on. We are just so on the go.
All this just to get up the next day and start the grind all over again.
Day in and day out...same old, same old. Our weekends aren't any better.
And let's not forget that the house and yard and car always need some kind
of attention too. Somehow we fit this all into our schedules. And we know
that we can't give up any time on Sunday for church because we only have so
much free time to get all these very important things done. I mean, come
on, we are just one person right? Life moves fast and we just barely have
time to keep up with it. And let's all give a big "thank you" to the Fast
Food gods, or we wouldn't even have time to catch a bite!

Then it happens. There are just too many reasons why to cover here, but you
go to work one day and find out that your job is no longer there. Or you go
to the doctor for something that has had you just a little off your game,
and after leaving the room to get your test results, he comes back into the
room with this "look" on his face that tells you in an instant that life as
you have know it is over, or worse. And again, there are just too many
other situations that can arise that can totally and for either for a short
or long term, change your life as you know it. Suddenly everything that you
do everyday, all the hustle and bustle, seem so trivial and unimportant.
You have hit one of life's many brick walls head on. Your first feeling is
one of incredible aloneness. Then a numbness settles in as you return home.
Then everything that is still going on as if nothing has happened seems
surreal. And then the reality of it sets in and that is usually followed by
incredible sorrow or panic. The news you give others creates the same
feelings in them and then the world as you have always know it is gone. The
last and most horrible feeling is of being without anywhere or anyone to
turn to for help.

Well, there is one place. There is God. But we haven't had much time for
Him have we? Well, it used to be an occasional Sunday we would make it to
church, then just holidays, and then...well...never. So we skip over the
guilt quickly, and blurt out something warm and fuzzy like, "God if you are
really there, then you know what I am going through right now! I know that
I have not had much to do with you but you know how it is with kids and a
job and all the other things in my life...but if you can hear me, I could
really use your help here because I don't have anywhere else to turn."
"Just fix it God". Or one of my favorites..."If you will just get me out of
the mess I'm in I will never............(you fill in the blank here) ever
again, I promise!"

Well honey, God ain't McDonalds! You don't drive up to heavens window and
shout out your order and pull to the next window and get your bag of demands
and go on. You know that you would not appreciate someone that you
considered a friend treating you the way you treat God. They never have
time for your problems, they never call or come to visit. They never want
to spend any quality time with you and yet when they are in trouble, here
they come, a big smile on there sorry face, and their hand out saying, "My
best and special friend, I just know you are going to help me through this
little speed bump in my life." You would rather tell them of three ways you
could dream up to remove the smile from their face than to give them any of
your time or your money.

Ephesians 6:18 NKJV says, "Praying ALWAYS with all prayer and supplication
in the Spirit". This means for all things and always. We cannot afford to
leave God out of our lives. Our lives are what we make them. We are in
control. We CAN make time to spend in prayer and fellowship with our Father
everyday. We CAN go to church on Sunday. We then can always have someone
who walks with us and will answer us in our times of crisis and need. Have
more respect for yourself and for God. Make more time for yourself and for
your Heavenly Father....cause...you have it...life ain't McDonalds honey!