Disaster [entirely] averted

Boring. Mrs. Hack called Anna this afternoon to cancel their lunch date for tomorrow at 1:00 because it was snowing today at 4:00. Welcome to Ohio.

Disaster [nearly] averted

"Hi, Anna. This is MRS. Hack."
Gulp.
Ruby - ahem - Mrs. Hack, stated her status straight away. Remember Mrs. Hack? She was the crescendo in Anna's Christmas luncheon saga. True to her word, she called my sister up last week to 'do lunch.' After asking Anna where she'd like to go (to Anna's mortification and abundant hesitation), Mrs. Hack was persistent enough to pull an answer out of Ann. Ruby could pull a tooth out of a tiger. She's very persuasive and persevering. Though Anna's initial response was panic, she knew she had to say something -Mrs. Hack wasn't giving her anything. "Panera's always good." Mrs. Hack's reply: Oo, that's true. The only problem with Panera is that their bread is quite hard.
Nice try, Ann.
They eventually did decide on Panera as their rendezvous point despite their hard bread. They set the date and time and...Anna discovered she had class all day that day. What a bummer. No matter, they just rescheduled. This Tuesday is when our story will get colorful - Ruby red, I'm sure. I can't wait to hear the full report!
So after she thought she had an excuse -class is even legitimate- Anna came to realize there is no excuse for Mrs. Hack, she'll find a way. She makes things happen.

Confession:

Sometimes I feel trapped in my mind. What I mean is, I get so caught up in my thoughts (frets, really), that I become overwhelmed with all there is to worry about. This seems wrong, considering the God of the universe has promised peace and safety, provision and strength.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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." Philippians 4:6-8

Interesting how Paul makes the transition from anxiety to rectifying our thoughts, detecting the origin. Our enemy, the Devil, wants to devour us. He's tricky in using a very personal, God-given tool, our own minds, to manipulate and confuse. Sometimes I feel like he's eating me from the inside out. Though this sounds morbid, there's hope! In Ephesians God gives us a list of tools and armor to combat this most destructive pattern Satan has wound us in. The belt of TRUTH, breastplate of righteousness, sandals of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit--the word of God. The trouble comes when we don't use these defenses, when our guard is down, when our thoughts aren't fixed on Him. Now, I'm a very practical person, so I know it's not possible to be actually praying all the time. However, I know I can be in constant communion with God, having a prayerful heart.
Here's where it gets tricky again... my sin blocks my communication with Christ. Yesterday at Bible study a new thought came from an old reminder - unconfessed sin is a barrier in our relationship with the Lord. I usually pile this up (sin), until it's looming over me like an impossible mountain to climb... a mountain of sin is a dreadful thing, to be sure. But I don't have to climb it. With the resurrection power of Jesus, I can shatter it! Until I call on the power of Jesus, I am joyless, faithless. Doom and gloom. This is a very real problem I've been experiencing. I've lost my moxy... only to take it up again upon this grand discovery! It can feel like a bleak uphill battle, but when I carry my burdens and blunders to the cross and lay them at the feet of Jesus Christ, I find that the ground is level there. No one is better than me, no one is worse. We all go before Him equally, stained by our choices and washed by His blood. The key is in the confession.

{You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3}