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Over Processing

It's hard to believe that our vacation is at the half-way point already. I'm finding it interesting how much my brain has been working overtime the last couple of nights. I've been having dreams that are full of people I know and full of drama too. Do you ever have dreams that are so realistic that when you wake up your mood is altered because of what you've been dreaming? Well I've had a lot of that the last couple nights. And me, being the introspective deep-thinker that I am, is thinking that it's a sign of some things God is trying to work with me on. I mean, why in the world would I be having dreams full of jealousy, unforgiveness, bitterness, and anger while I'm on vacation?! I should be having dreams full of fun and laughter. As I was awakened last night and pondering my latest dream, I was thinking about the possible reasons that this could be occurring. I'm thinking it has something to do with the fact that when I'm at home, I'm so busy being homeschooling mother of 3 that I don't have time to think. I think I've become really good at stuffing things down and hoping they'll go away. Well, could it be that God's trying to help me on this vacation to "process" some of this stuff and get it out of my system. After all, haven't I been asking God to do just that? I just never thought it would happen in this way.

Did you notice how I said I was going to "process" it all? I say that a lot. "I need to take time to process that." I think it's the curse of my personality. I process (aka: overthink things) all the time. Last night God brought this thought to mind. If I was about to skid off the road and off a cliff, would I take time to "process" what the next best move was? No, I'd be more like the Carrie Underwood song "Jesus, Take the Wheel". Could it be that with some of these buried emotions, God is asking me to do just that? Stop thinking about them and trying to process my way to the bottom of the issue. Maybe I just need to recognize the emotion, admit that it's sin, and ask for forgiveness and then choose to let it go. Anytime those same thoughts come into my mind, since I've recognized them as sin, I should stop thinking them and just choose to think about what God would want me to.

Philippians 4:8 ~ 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.

There you go. That verse is exactly what I should be spending my time thinking. Do I? No. I definitely do fill my mind with a lot of other thoughts that aren't quite so true, noble, right, pure, lovely or admirable. Can my dreams reflect this? I believe they will if my daytime thoughts are full of such things.

So, as I enjoy another day of sunshine and family time, I know it's a new chance today to fill my mind with things that are honoring to my heavenly Father. And if I have another night of not so wonderful dreams, I'm going to choose to let them go and re-focus my mind on what Philippians 4:8 talks about.

It's time to stop "processing" everything and just start running it through the filter of God's Word. But right now...it's time to hit the pool.

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