Thursday thoughts: Be careful of putting things on hold

Bedtime at our house is always so interesting. The "routine" of getting ready for bed can at times be very drawn out. Distractions are rampant.

One night last week, the younger girls had been asked to brush their teeth and get ready for bed. One obeyed, but the other was distracted watching "card tricks" from another sister. After several reminders to the distracted child that her mom had asked her to brush her teeth, I casually asked if she knew that delayed obedience was really disobedience. She answered me quite quickly with, "I'm not delaying brushing my teeth, I'm just putting it on hold." There's nothing like a response from a child!

I reminded her we don't put on hold things that we are asked to do, even though on the inside I was a little amused. After they went to bed, I was thinking about this scenario. I was instantly convicted of how I can put things "on hold" or even worse, how at times I might even put what God asks of me "on hold."

I don't actually mean to do this, but I have to admit that I can get distracted and put my words, my feelings, and my actions on hold. I read a quote the other day that said, "Speak to people in a way that if it was the last time you saw them, you'd be satisfied with the last thing you said to them." I guess, in light of putting items on hold, it made me think about always being sure to be kind. Make sure you say "I'm sorry", "thank you," and" I love you." Don't ever delay those things. Those are not items to be put on hold. In Ephesians, the Bible says to not let the sun go down on your anger. Be careful not to put anger on hold. When you go to bed, ask God to help you release the anger - do not hold onto it so you can go to bed in peace.

I also thought about making sure you tell others you love and appreciate them. Only God knows the number of our days on this earth. I want to make sure my family, my friends, and other significant people in my life know I love them. Several years ago, I was at the nursing home in a room with my husband, my mother-in-law, and my father-in-law. We had been called in because my father-in-law was not expected to make it through the night. In the early morning hours, I saw my mother-in-law get up and whisper something into her husband's ear. In the next instant, my father-in-law took his last breath. Later, I asked my mother-in-law what she said to him. Her answer to me was "I told him I loved him." Those were the last words he heard on this earth. I pray those are the last words I will hear from someone as well. Don't put telling others you love them on hold.

Another reminder is not to put God on hold. If God burdens you to reach out to someone, just do it. If He asks you to help a stranger, then help a stranger. If you feel God prompting you to give someone money, then be sure you do it. I have been on the receiving end and the giving end of each of these circumstances. In both the giving and receiving, you receive the blessing. The blessing of knowing God met your need, or the blessing in knowing God used you in the life of someone else.

Several months ago, I had a retired co-worker on my mind. This co-worker's spouse had been suffering from dementia for several years, and he had been her caretaker. I had not talked to him in quite a while, but I felt God urging me to call him. I left him a message just saying he was on my mind and I was checking on him and his wife. In just a few minutes, he returned my call. The first thing he said to me was that today was his wedding anniversary, which I had no way of knowing. I could have cried, actually I may have cried. He needed someone to talk to on this particular day. God knew just what was missing in my life and my friend's life, and both of us were blessed. Don't put what God is telling you to do on hold. You might just miss a blessing.

My encouragement to you today is to be quick to say you are sorry, tell others you love them, give where you can give, be kind to those who cross your day-to-day path, and for my grandchildren, brush your teeth when you are asked to. More than anything, when life gets busy or chaotic, don't put God on hold. Make sure you hold on tight to the One who holds you.

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