I’m not sure who started the trend — or who created the cutesy acronym, but you can’t love Pinterest as much as I do and not know what DIY stands for: Do-It-Yourself.
Turns out we can DIY just about everything these days. We don’t have to spend millions (good thing, right?) to have all that we ever dreamed of…
Someone somewhere has created a blog post or YouTube video to show us a clever, quirky, artsy, interesting way to save money and… host the most fabulous birthday party / baby shower / wedding ever! Organize our closets perfectly! Make just about any common household cleaning product from scratch! Take the best selfies, cook the most tantalizing meals! Unleash our inner artists and make the most beautiful craft projects! Tour the best hotspots on our next vacation!
We can also learn how to have the best marriages, raise the best kids, and be the best versions of ourselves — the ones we’ve always dreamed of being…
No pressure… Really.
Hey, I’m not complaining about all the genious people out there who are willing to share their genius-ness for free. I thank God for them!
BUT I do see the spirit of DIY creeping in to my life where it doesn’t belong. Almost an automatic reflex. A feeling that everything can and should be better than it is. More than it is.
I look at my life, my ministry, my work, my relationships, my finances, my spiritual health and my physical health — even the things I do for fun — and think, “If only I knew how (and had more time) I could be doing so much better at all of this…”
The DIY thing also shows up in my approach to crisis management and problem-solving:
It’s all on me. There’s a solution out there somewhere, and I don’t know what it is, but I’ve got to find it. I’m responsible to fix this somehow. This, being anything from an issue with my cell phone bill or my website to world hunger and war in the Middle East.
I especially find myself wringing my hands over things I really have no control over in my own life and the lives of those I love — job stuff, health stuff, relationship stuff, future stuff.
But reading through the Psalms this week, I’ve been reminded over and over:
- The Lord is always with me (16:8)
- HE is my strength, my shield, the power that saves me (18:2)
- HE rescues me, guides me, leads me to safety; He rewards me (Ps 16, 18, 23)
- HE keeps my lamp burning; He is my light in the darkness (18:28)
- HE holds me (18:48)
- HE forgives me (19:12-13)
- HE restores me (23)
- His Word instructs me in the way I should go (19)
- Everything in this world belongs to Him (24)
In other words, it’s not DIY… it’s GGT.
God’s got this.
That’s what I’m going to keep reminding myself this week. Thought maybe you could use the reminder, too!
Virtual VBS for GrownUp Girls® Assignment
This week we started our free online summer Bible study, Virtual VBS for GrownUp Girls® ~ Summer in the Psalms. It’s not too late to join us! For an overview of how the study works, click here.
Reading: (Choose your plan)
1) Soaking in the Psalms ~ This week’s Psalms are Psalm 18, 19, 23, and 24.
2) Surfing through the Psalms ~ Read Psalms 1-25. (One participant is using an app to listen to these Psalms on her commute… What a great idea!)
Remember this is “active reading” – asking the 5Ws and an H (who, what, when, where and how) as you read, underlining key words and phrases, making note of things that come to mind. You can use different translations for further clarity. For more tips, see Five Simple Ways to Focus on the Words You Read
Review Questions: These questions are meant to help you think more deeply about your reading. You can answer in a journal, in your heart, or in a group (if you’re meeting with friends to do this study together).
- Make a list with three columns. In one, put all the nouns and adjectives the Psalmist uses to describe God in Psalms 18, 19, 23, and 24. (ex: rock, faithful, King of Glory). In the second column, list descriptions of God’s Word. In the third column, jot down word pictures for other things that stand out to you (ex: sweeter than honey, green pastures, holy hill). The point is to pay attention and really “see” these things… think about them, experience them, imagine them, feel them, the way the Psalmist intended.
- The Psalmist often proclaims his innocence before God, his righteousness — he’s done what he could to honor God, and now he’s under attack for it. Does he have a legitimate complaint? And do we? (Are there times when we’re truly innocent, when we do what’s right, when we’re faithful, and we suffer for it?) How else might we be able to pray these psalms and claim that we have “never abandoned” God’s decrees, that we have “clean hands and a pure heart” — to approach God’s “holy place”? (See 1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 4:15-16)
- If you had to pick one passage or one psalm as your favorite this week, as one that is really resonating with you, which one would it be? Why? What does it speak to in your life right now?
Memory Verse:
Don’t forget to download these free Memory Verse Printables! This week’s verse is Psalm 18:28 NIV ~ It’s in the graphic on our VBS Pinterest board and in Monday’s post.
Trivia Game:
This afternoon on my Facebook author page, I’ll be hosting a trivia game based on this week’s readings, for which I’ll be awarding virtual “stickers”! To join in the fun, come on over… Facebook.com/ChristinDitchfield
As always, please feel free to introduce yourself below, and post any comments or questions!