Meekness

It's been on my heart and mind. Not really sure why. This word seems to be flying at me from various places and people within the last 3 months. Since it keeps coming around (or my senses are heightened to the concept), I feel it is worth looking into. What does God want to do in me?

Today in church, someone described it as "power under control" or "strength under God's control".

A few weeks ago in church, the topic also came up and if I remember correctly, it was in regards to a sermon about pastors and God's calling placed on them.

What are a few definitions of meekness? According to some on-line sources
1) showing patience and humility; gentle. (The American Heritage Dictionary)
2) enduring injury with patience and without resentment (Merriam-Webster online)
3) deficient in spirit and courage (Merriam-Webster online)

In general society, it can often be associated with weakness. However, the Bible has a different take on it...

The greek root word for it is apparently praus or prautes
1) used to describe a soothing medicine
2) used by sailors to describe a gentle breeze
3) used by farmers to describe a broken colt
---these examples are all things of great power under control---

Matthew 5:5 - blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
Both Moses and Jesus were described as Meek.

As I have cruised around a few different websites and read various articles and Bible references about it, it is clear that it involves gentleness, dependency on God, the harnessing of our natural desire for power and prestige, not always striving to be "right", diffusing anger, showing mercy, seeking wisdom, humbly seeking forgiveness and reconciliation, and many other things. How contrary is this to our prideful, arrogant, and self-sufficient human nature?

A few weeks ago I began re-reading a favorite book which I first read through in college by A.W. Tozer titled The Pursuit of God. He writes, "The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God of more importance than angels. In himself, nothing; in God, everything."

He also shares that meekness can serve to deliver one from the burden of pretense. Tozer states, "By this I mean not hypocrisy, but the common human desire to put the best food forward and hide from the world our real inward poverty."

At the end of his chapter on Meekness and Rest within the book, he has a prayer, from which I'll share one line....
"Help me to forget myself and find my true peace in beholding Thee."

I sense great purpose in this investigation of meekness and have a feeling it's one I will be continuing for some time...

A new job for me - and a fun day trip

Okay, so a quick update on the job situation. I have accepted an offer from Providence hospital in Everett - with their RN residency program in Labor and Delivery! I loved my clinical rotations in Labor and Delivery -- and also loved being a part of my friend's deliveries last year. Of course, it's new so I'm a little nervous about it. However, with time, I'm sure it will become more comfortable. I start September 8, and will be working 3 - 12 hour night shifts a week. That will definitely take some adjustment. Holy Smokes.

Yesterday, my friend Kelly and her daughter Makenzie (my goddaughter) and I took a little road trip to Port Angeles. Our Friend Megan is living over there, and we wanted to make a visit to her. We had a great time...and I'm thankful for good friends and being an "auntie"!!!

Banks Lake

It was another good year at Banks lake. I'm always amazed at the vast difference in landscape once you cross over the Cascades....it's a whole different desert land over on the east side of the mountains. On one of my morning runs (which provided good alone thinking time)...I stopped by the state park and read the "tourist" signs that talk about Grand Coulee dam and how the canyons were formed over there. It was mind boggling to think about the floods that must have caused the erosion. It's strange when you think about the creation of things that to you have always "been" in existence. I felt small in comparison to nature's huge and vast expanse...and was thankful that I belong to such a powerful and mighty God.

Highlights: Playing guys vs. girls football keepaway on the sandbar out in the water (seriously good exercise for the quads). Using TONS of deet - the bugs were bad this year. Eating Cocoa Krispies and Captain Crunch. Cliff jumping. Jet Skis. Water Skiing. Sitting in the sun, reading, playing games and doing nothing. Catching up with Family and Friends.