We have... a Heart Condition

Do you know what really grinds my gears? 

The inaccuracy of the hand grip heart rate monitor things on the handles of treadmills. Are they EVER accurate? 

Ok, maybe I should slow down a little bit. I am really not THAT upset about it, but it just makes me think sometimes. Perhaps you can help. Maybe I am not gripping them right? Whenever I work out on a treadmill (or elliptical, bike, anything with the fancy-schmancy heart rate grippy things) it never, ever seems to be even close to accurate. 

It usually takes the majority of my workout to get a close to legit reading. I spend all that time trying to adjust my hands so it will show that I actually HAVE a pulse, and when it does, it gives some astronomical number on the verge of heart explosion. (I work hard, but not THAT hard. Seriously.)  Oh, and don't get me started on how I feel when it occasionally blinks judgmental messages of "Do not run while gripping handles." (Well if you would read my heart rate while I am walking/recovery, I wouldn't have to, you stinkin temperamental machine...) 

Here's the great news about that story. God is OUR heart monitor. And a very accurate one at that. He knows our heart. It's important to understand that regardless of what physical shape we are in, we ALL have a heart condition. 

That is symptom #4 of being a human. We have a heart condition. As much as we would like to deny it or argue, we have sin in our heart. While I would love to blame Adam and Eve for messing it up, let's be honest... If it wasn't them, it would have taken 13.43 seconds before someone else came along who would have thought the snake's ideas were great and screwed it all up. Oh, the "joys" of being a human. 

Our sins give us a heart condition. But God is constantly "monitoring" our heart, much more effectively and accurately than the treadmill example. He knows everything in there and we don't need surgery to clear the "blockages" (aka sin.) Why? Because we have Jesus!! (More on THAT tomorrow) 

If you haven't done so already and feel called, stop right now and ask Jesus into your heart. If you have already experienced that, then go ahead and ask Christ to continue clearing out the "junk." He will condition your heart. He will strengthen it. He will be your accurate, never-ending tool to monitor your "heart condition." 

Next time you are on the treadmill and you begin to argue with the heart rate grippy things, remember... Jesus has got your pulse. And He IS the cure for our heart condition!

Lub-dubbing along, 

SGK 

"As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19

Lifted by being Gifted

So you might have noticed yesterday that we talked a bit about looking for Goodness of God everywhere... Today, I wanted to keep this simple (it is Friday after all, let's be honest) and share with you a few of the A-MAZ-ING gifts God has given me. They lifted my heart as I typed them-- I prayerfully hope that as you read them, you too are lifted by being gifted.

*Drinking wine on the front porch on a cool evening

*Early morning walk-jogs

*Nutella sandwiches with a glass of milk

*Waking up early feeling rested

*Sleeping late and not feeling guilty

*Hitting the final "Submit" button after completing a large project

*Laughing til it hurts

*Dessert (chocolate involved) with zero guilt

*Comfy pants

*Deep conversations with a close friend

*Puppy cuddles & high fives

*Sweat from an awesome workout

*Fresh bed sheets

*Standing on a tall hill looking down

*Fancy coffee on a cold morning

*The smell of a library

*Eating pasta... in Italy.

*Fitting into new, smaller sized clothes

*Blingy, feisty shoes... that are comfortable

*Catching a fish

*Cuddling on the couch

*Really inky pens

*Starting a cute new journal

*Purchasing large quantities of bargain books

*Roadtrips

*Reaching your destination

*Fuzzy socks

*Feeling extra cool when strapping on barefoot/minimalist shoes

*Baby calves

*Good smelling candles

*Paying off a debt

*Brightly colored fingernails

*Mama's homemade salsa

*Shiny, dangly earrings

*Fresh baked banana bread

*Christmas decorations

*Wearing a flower behind your ear

*Bubble baths

*Waking up in the middle of the night praying

*Hot fresh popcorn with a cold soda

*The nerves, excitement and relief when getting off a plane in a foreign country

*Warm rainstorms

*The smell of the farm: dirt, straw, cows

*Missouri State Fair

*Movie marathons

*Being completely surprised

*Feeling extra close to God

This isn't my complete list-- it grows almost daily. Do you have a "Lifted by being Gifted" list? If not, consider starting one today. Not only will it make your heart lighter and tingly when you read back over it, but it helps us to remember that God loves us so much that he exerted extra effort to give us these seemingly small but oh-so-significantly impacting gifts. Plus, it gives us a reason to smile-- and who doesn't need more of THAT? 

I would love to hear about some of your "gifts" in your life... feel free to comment below!

Not returning THESE gifts, 

SGK 

"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" --2 Corinthians 9:15