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

A Taste Test: Bitter to sweet

It was the summer before my 5th grade year. We had just moved to southeast Kansas a couple months ago. It was blazing hot July in our little trailer house that we had just "planted" in the middle of a bean field. (Literally.) I was bored. Which made me hungry. Which made me curious. 

I decided that Mom had to have something interesting to snack on in our pantry or cabinet. I was a short kid (still am at 5' 2") so I enlisted the help of a kitchen chair. I scooted it across the floor and parked it in front of the pantry. I climbed up and peered onto the top shelf... JACKPOT. 

I had discovered something I was not expecting to find... a Country Crock Butter container. I picked it up and shook. It was heavy. I climbed down, excited to see what was hidden in this precious yet odd storage device. I popped open the lid and... 

"Well poo," I thought to myself. I peered into the container to find a grainy white crystal-like substance. "Now why would Mom store sugar hidden on the top shelf in a butter container?" I wondered. My 10 year old mind deduced that it had to be SPECIAL sugar. Being the curious (and hungry) kid I was, I shoved my face in the bowl, stuck out my tongue with anticipation, ready for sweet, sugary goodness to flood my taste buds. 

"Phhhhhsssssssssssssfffffffffffffffttttttttttttt!" I spat out my "treasure" so fast that I swirled backwards and nearly tripped over the kitchen chair. "GAH! WHAT IS THAT STUFF?!?!" 

I found out later that it was not, in fact, some special magical sugar that my Mom was hiding... it was picking salt. 

Talk about a curiosity fail, huh? Apparently there was a REASON why it was hidden... so people wouldn't mistake it for sugar. It was not only a surprise, but it was nasty-- very bitter. (Don't believe me? Try it. I dare you.) 

Sixteen years later, I have learned my lesson not to stick my tongue into an unlabeled Country Crock butter container (not to mention that I have improved my etiquette skills... gross!) However, I have also noticed that I still sometimes approach life situations the same way I did with that pickling salt. 

There are a lot of things in life that can really frustrate a person. I personally try to chill out and lean on Christ when I can... but hey, I am still a sinner. Sometimes I really struggle with bitterness. Let me explain. 

When something (or someone) upsets me, occasionally instead of being slow to anger and quick to forgive, I treat the situation like the pickling salt. I go after it, convinced that my zeal or focus on the other person (or thing) will make me feel sweet inside and satisfy a "need" through revenge or vengeance. "I will show them," I think. 

But here's the thing. I am always surprised when my hope of something sugary turns out to be a nasty, bitter experience that I wasn't expecting. Instead of solving the issue and addressing it right away, I tend to take things into my own hands and allow the negative thoughts to churn in my heart (Thanks a lot, Satan. What a jerk. SIGH.) 

After awhile, I realize there is ZERO, zippo, nada sweetness in my frustration. It tastes bitter. And bitterness does nothing to the other thing/person... I read a quote once that I have since internalized to help me release the bitterness and frustration I might be inclined to harbor: "Being bitter is like drinking a bottle of poison and waiting for the other person (or thing) to die." 

Christ is at work on my heart.  He is making me see things in a different light and telling me to HOLD UP before sticking my tongue into the figurative "butter container" that is that tough situation in my life.  He helps me to step back and think about the consequences of my actions and what it is going to do to ME internally. I don't like the taste of pickling salt on my tongue... and I REALLY don't like the hurting, self-induced feeling of bitterness in my heart. 

Are you harboring any deep bitterness against anyone (or anything) in your life? Do you continue to stick your tongue into the pickling salt with negative results every time? Let go of the anger, resentment and bitterness. It isn't hurting anyone but yourself. Allow the love of Christ to teach you how to turn FIRST to HIM in those situations of trial  and frustration for a bit of a "taste test..." and He will turn that taste from bitter to sweet! 

A new kind of bitter-sweet,

SGK 

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." 

--Ephesians 4:31-32