Costly Price of Convenience

It was a sunny warm fall day, as I glanced at a wood pile, I remembered that I needed some to put in the Solo fire pit once I got home. It wasn't a need but a want. I knew I was going to get overcharged for something I could find around town once I got home. Thinking at what I needed to do, and the traffic, I may have to go out of my way to pick them up. This was just so conveniently right there; and honestly that's what I did. I didn't think twice. I picked up the bundle of firewood, overpaid for them, and carried them to the car. As I walked to get inside the vehicle I heard “Convenience is costly”. I knew in my heart that The Lord was talking directly to my heart. Human nature is to try to justify our actions. Make excuses as to why we do what we do. Trying to find a shortcut, saving time. I knew it was a lesson to learn. Every situation when we allow, it will become a teachable message. Because we don't want to take the long route. Because everything is within our reach, we accustomed ourselves to easy and fast, no matter if we overdo, overwork, or overpay. The same way the enemy works with us. He watches. He studies the best angle and when we less expect, without notice, he traps us in his grasp. Slow fade. Because we don't want to do the research. We don't want to study the outcome. We go for what is easy and convenient. We take someone else revelations and make them our own. We exaggerate out of fear of missing out (FOMO). We become someone else echo. We devalue ourselves. We don't recognize our worth. We give ourselves away, out of convenience. Our talents and gifting are put out like a tag sale event. Given away to the faster buyer. If we pay attention to our surroundings we will see how here and there we compromised and how we do things out of convenience. It will cost us. Some may have to pay a higher price. Let us look inside ourselves. Do a personal inventory. Take the long route. Make the stop. Who knows if God has someone there waiting to hear from you? Below is the meaning, definition, and synonymous words that may help you; do things a little differently. (according to Google) -”a quality or situation that makes something easy or useful for someone by reducing the amount of work or time required to do” -being able to proceed with little or no difficulty. convenient * acceptable. * advantageous. * agreeable. * available. * beneficial. * comfortable. * conducive. * favorable. If this has blessed you feel free to share. Ivette Diaz-Yee Sept 2023

The Present (Gift)

“We praise you for creating, crafting, forming, and knitting us together and our mother's womb”. Psalm 139:13. (God has a plan for everyone's life) God says, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 A present 🎁 is a gift. Giving without asking for it. It is not in the present BUT in His presence; Where God reveals Himself to us. In his presence, we find rest and peace. It is in his presence that we are transformed and changed from the inside out. Where we start to understand, identify, and learn about our real value and our worth. (Value and worth are two different concepts) In His presence is where the outer stuff will come out. The wrapping that we carry around starts to fade away, the fake is revealed, the illusions, the mask, the pretensions, and the fears. Is where you learn to remove, “that” which is attached to you. (attitude, behavior, action, and reactions). Don't allow the light, the colors, or the festivities, to come and trick you. Loneliness is amplified, and so are the selected memories of good days, forgetting the abuse, trauma, and disappointments. The enemy of our souls knows how to use our emotions, our feelings our humanity. He will derail plans, move you away from your goal, and stop the plans God has for your life. Don't get distracted. Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed by all that is taking place around you. Go after His presence. Open the precious gift. The real reason why we celebrate. Jesus is no longer at the manger or hanging from the cross. But he lives here. Inside our hearts. If you allow him this will become the most precious gift you will ever receive this Christmas season. Ivette 12/1/23