So, today is Day 8 . . . and I was going to post for Day 7 . . . which is a great illustration for ME of the topic for Day 7!

I have tended to always side with Martha in the Mary/Martha dilemma . . . stuff NEEDS to be done . . . ON TIME! I LIKE doing stuff . . . what's so wrong with that!?

But I'm finding as I've been on this crazy cancer year, that I can't DO all the stuff I want to do when I want to do it, and that I've depended on the doing of it to define who I am and give value to myself (whether it actually affects others in that way or not). I do get some praise for doing "stuff"... so it must make me worth something, right? And that must make God happy, right??? It sometimes takes me a really long time to learn! The opening verse of Galatians 3 . . . "Oh you foolish Galatians! After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" . . . so speaks to me!

I so needed the reminder that it's the grace of God that gives meaning to anything that I do - and the "doing" doesn't bring me that grace... just take the gift!!! I can't earn it . . . and that's hard to swallow in a value system that connects what I do with what I'm worth. I'm worth God's grace BEFORE I do all that stuff . . . and . . . and . . . and that's ALL. Just stop and relax in that wonderful truth.