With Erich here this past weekend, Friday came and went without me sharing week seven in our study of Joyce Meyer's book Battlefield of the Mind.  This is such a great chapter, too!!

The chapter title is, "Think About What You Are Thinking About."

At first, you might wonder what that means exactly.  But let me give you an example from my own life.

Erich left yesterday to head back to Nashville, and watching him carry his suitcase to the car and then take down Hugo's dog cage and pack it in the backseat was not fun.  I loved having him back home.  It felt so much more like the old days just having his fun spirit here, laughing and being silly.

After he left, I easily could have slipped into some sort of sadness that hung on for days.  But I had to make a very conscious decision to think about good things....Erich loves his job.  Erich still enjoys coming home to visit.  Erich is excited about his wedding.  Erich loves being independent and he is a committed Christian.

The same thought process has helped me keep my grief from consuming me which it easily could.  I cannot allow myself to sit and dwell on the sadness of Nick having cancer and all that he endured.  I can't focus on what I could easily see as an injustice of loving God so much and yet having to walk the road of losing two children.

I have to focus on God's promises.  I have to choose to think about what I'm thinking about.........and sometimes this means that I actually have to stop and say, "Tammy, you are thinking about the wrong things."  At those times I claim the verse that says to "take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ." 

This doesn't mean that I never cry or I'm never sad, but it does mean that after I cry (usually in the shower), I wipe away my tears and I decide to live for God not for myself.  There is power in living for God, and there is freedom!  See, I believe with every inch of my being that I will be reunited with Adrienne and Nick for eternity.  So I agree with Paul when he says, "To live is Christ, to die is gain."  Tim texted me before his flight from Houston Friday and shared about a sermon where the minister had asked a lady if she was nervous about the flight she was about to make.  Her reply was, "I have one daughter in Cleveland and one in Heaven.  In 90 minutes, I will be with one of them."  I loved that!!  I want to live with that spirit daily.

So for this week, I'd love to challenge you to really "think about what you're thinking about."  Do you feel overwhelmed with things you need to do?  Make a list and start getting things done.  Whatever it is that may be burdening you today, try to turn it around and make something positive out of it.  After a while, you will begin to see that your entire attitude about life is transforming.

Psalm 119:15 (NLT)

I will study your commandments
      and reflect on your ways.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

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.

I love you all so much,