Tuesdays in "other" words

This week's quote is:

"We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle."~ Oswald Chamber~

Ugh... we are built for the valley hu? prove our mettle (vigor and strength of spirit or temperament ) This is a test, it is only a test..... *Ü*

Honestly though.... I do try to think of life situations this way.... it is a test....it is only a test.... some days I pass with flying colors....*Ü* yeah me! Other days...... not so much. OOOOO, I need to work on that........

I have not always approached life this way...... I used to be a bit more negative and beat myself up every time I messed up..... but I realized many, many years ago..... I still learn..... I need to learn.... Just like I did when I was in school! only different.... this is life lesson number.......

When I became a Christina 15 years ago.... I was a pretty messed up young lady..... I wont go into details... but I was bitter, angry and didn't trust anyone.... I could say I was justified to think so too..... but as I grew.... in my faith.... I realized.... I had so much to learn.... embarrassingly to me... it was my thought process and behavior. Things I should have learned while growing up! uh ya....

It was embarrassing sometimes.... I "failed" tests a lot.... I felt like I would be better off living under a rock! As I grew though, I began to understand what it meant to put off the old self... and put on the new..... I was made new.... but it took time for my mind and my heart to be made new. I had many things to learn.... life lessons.... love lessons.... trust lessons.... obedience lessons....it doesn't/didn't happen overnight folks!

Now that I am a little older.... and I hope a little wiser.... *Ü* I would hope that my tests would become less and less frequent( those valleys maybe?).... but ya know what? They don't. They still come daily. Could be life lesson number bazillion and 3 with one of my kids.... could be how I respond to my husband... could be how I respond to the new clerk who is slower than molasses when I am in a hurry....or how I respond to that teenager that just cut me off!!! *Ü* KWIM?

These daily tests shape... and prove who I am. Shapes my character.... my temperament. I cant say I always welcome them..... but then again... I do. I can choose to learn form them... or wilt.... I can grow.... or die.... I can make a choice.... I can decide to think and believe I am loved and fearfully and wonderfully made.... or choose not to. I can choose to see a person for who they are in Christ..... or not.... I can choose to think the worst or the best of a person..... Do I try to be a good willed person? Do I think the worst of people and circumstances? Do I try to see the test in it? I believe we can learn from everything to anything.... that comes our way if we want to. If we want to.

So, although I do not like being in a valley, I do appreciate them. I know they do not last forever, and once I am done walking through it..... I know I am stepping into a season of growth or maybe even renewal. Its like having daily, weekly or when ever AHA moments.

Be Blessed today! No matter if you are in a valley, or on a mountain top! Remember.... this life... is a test... it is only a test.... *Ü*