Red Robin

And the red red robin keeps bob bob bobbin along.  And he had done literally that.  For some reason or another the robin who hangs our on my driveway each morning has decided to abuse any car that is parked in the driveway. Ir must be sort of a game of reflection to him or something. He sits on the outside mirror, then flits away and then returns only to repeat the same process, but the problem is when he sits he well...makes a mess.  

Molly was home for dead week and I told her of the robin escapade. The realization of the story hit her when she went out to her car and saw that he had now chosen her car for his entertainment.  Molly, in her witty way, decided to squelch his activity and went to the garage and gathered small bottles, like bubble bottles that the kids play with, and place them on her mirror so as to not leave room for the robin to roost.  It did work, but the problem it was only a temporary solution, for every time she left she had to take them off and put them on again when she returned. Just too much trouble.  

It reminded me of a saying that someone once told me about thoughts.  There is only room in a moment of your mind for one thought at a time. We have the ability to push out the negative ones and replace them with positive ones, but it has to be a conscious effort. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could take every thought captive and rid ourselves of the fearful ones, the unproductive ones, the bitter ones, the selfish ones, the malicious ones and the negative ones? Maybe you don't have a nest of them but I know I do and they lurk, and leave their mark just like that robin does on the cars. For from our thoughts, our words and actions are generated accordingly.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Psalm 139:23
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Proverbs 4:26
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

But the one verse that comes to mind over and over is Proverbs 23:7a, King James Version: For as a man thinketh, so is he.

I read an article recently entitled As a Man Thinks in his Heart, by Gary Smalley, a favored Christitan author who I was introduced to many years ago at the beginning of my Christian walk.  It about a six step process that he begins his day with, and it deals with thoughts.

1) Turn over all expectations to God

Stress is the gap between our expectations and reality. The greater the gap, the greater the stress. God promises that all of our needs will be met in Christ through his riches in Glory.

2) Take each thought captive

When we understand the power of Philippians 4:8 which says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things… and you will have the peace of God.” Whatever thoughts come to my mind and heart in any area of my life, I use the power of God within me to evaluate each thought or belief according the eight standards found in this verse.  If any thought is not consistent with these descriptions, I now have the power to stop my wrong thinking or beliefs and go on to thoughts that are consistent with these eight words

3) Accept God's filter for my life 

No matter what happens in the course of a day, a week, or a year, ultimately my times are in His hands and I trust Him to guide my every step. I now see that those things that seemed completely “bad” happened for a reason greater than I can know and see in this lifetime. I can trust in His sovereignty.  

4) Worship God in the midst of trials

Not matter what trials we are facing, we can still worship God and be thankful. A grateful heart is a healthy heart.  God can always use what hurts us to teach us where we need to grow.

5) Seek Godly counsel

Waiting on God is an important discipline, and not something I’ve always practiced. Now, before I make an important decision, I first seek God’s counsel in His Word.  Then I ask other Godly people that have a relationship with God that I respect.

6) Review, review , review

Finally, I like to just take a moment and just review with God. Many days, I don’t measure up to what I desire to be, so I reflect on my words and actions throughout the course of the day, asking God to mold me into His likeness. It is important also to review His faithful acts toward us. When I am discouraged, I take time to remember how He was faithful the day before, and I review His promises found in His Word. I’ve found I forget easily and need constant reminders of all God has done in my life. I’m often quite humbled how quickly I forget.

It was just the story of a robin perched on a mirror that nudged me to go down this road of thinking. But God, I do believe sent that robin to remind me to not allow the negatives to stay perched on my heart. For as a man thinketh, he is. If the thoughts are negative then the character is reflected and if the thoughts are positive, well you know the rest.  For fear is a force just as faith is a force and it is has to be my conscious choice to allow God to substitute one for the other, according to his terms of purpose.  The fear thing is never invited when in the presence of true faith. And it is through our faith and trust that our thoughts are generated and all our words, deeds, emotions, feelings and character are birthed and built. 

So what thoughts are generating your character? I know there are certainly a few of mine that need to fly away and be replaced.  Fly away robin and take with you the remnants of your folly. 

Dear Lord, Thank you for being willing to oversee my mind. Help me to embrace and discern those thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy, and hold tight to them when the winds of fear and anxiousness come blowing through.  Amen