Zip Your Lips

  Ethan and I went to Walmart this morning.  Tyler needed snacks for school and decided on getting him a new bedding set to go with his new bed.  As we were leaving, the door lady stopped us, she needed to verify the bedding set on the receipt.  Apparently Ethan didn't like her so he started screaming.  There was a man over by the claw machine and he was heading our way with this monkey in his hand.  He smiled and handed it to Ethan.  We didn't know each other, I'd never ever seen him before.  I don't know his situation and he doesn't know mine.  I walked into Walmart asking God to send someone my way to bless.  Instead, he sent someone my way to bless Ethan and to give me a message.

  When we got home, I started cutting tags off this monkey pillow.  You never know what Ethan will try to eat, so I take precautions.  I was staring at this adorable monkey and I noticed that those aren't ears on his head.  Those are his hands covering his ears.  You know those monkey emoji's with their hands over their mouth, ears, and eyes?  Hear no evil, speak no evil, and see no evil.  It just hit me, this monkey is not only super adorable, God is giving me a message through this little plush of cuteness. 

  There is a situation going on in my life involving loved ones.  I love these two people with all of my heart.  I'm saddened by what's happening and it's been not only really hard and taxing on them, but also on me.  Some things had come up this weekend that got me worrying all over again and trying to control the situation in my mind and what I want to happen.  It doesn't work like that.  You can't change people around you and their trials they are facing.  That is something between them and God that needs to get worked out.  I hear a lot of what's going on and I let it upset me to the point of wanting to control it.  As I held this monkey in my hands, God whispered, "stop listening to those around you, listen to Me!  I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life..."  God is truth...GOD IS TRUTH. 

  People say a lot of things, a lot of opinions are spoken, a lot of emotions are spoken.  When it comes right down to it though, our perspective isn't always truth.  You see a situation and you see how bad it is, but you don't see it through God's eyes.  You don't see the victory that has taken place or the baby steps towards progress.  You don't see what God is doing behind the scenes.  We choose to listen and to see what we want to hear and see.  Instead of going to God for TRUTH, we rely on ourselves and our emotions.  I'm completely preaching to myself right now.  God gave me this message because I desperately need it right now.  I need to zip my lips and turn down the volume of everyone around me and turn up the volume with God.

  I have been a people pleaser my entire life, that means taking everyone's words as precious gold.  Hiding their words in my heart because I needed validation.  I have been hurt so many times because of this.  I have aged myself probably about 10 years because of the stress this has caused.  I had the volume of the world on max.  This is a problem.  Do you notice how quiet God's voice is?  It's quiet yet noticeable when you're heart is in the right place.  It's gentle yet stern sometimes.  Most importantly, there is a lot of quiet time.  Why is that?  I believe that when you are in tune with God and listening for Him, He knows that quietness stills our minds and our hearts.  He has given us peace that we can use at our disposal.  It is a gift that has already been given.  We have to decide to use it or not.  In the quietness within us is when we can really hear God and what He's trying to speak to us. 

  I'm going to go about the rest of my day, but I won't forget this man and the message this monkey brought to my attention.  I pray many blessings on this man and this split second meeting we had.  I wish I could tell him what this monkey means to me.  I'm pretty sure it means more to me than it does to Ethan lol.  Thank you Lord for your faithfulness, love, grace, and overall goodness.  Thank you for being so creative in sending us messages.  Thank you for sending me this man that blessed us.  I'm definitely going to stop talking so much, and just listen.