Karen’s Notes
Celebrating Six Years of Sharing from this Glory-Bound Lady
Volume 6 Number 14
Posting # 258 “It Seems to Happen Over and Over Again!”
April 5th, 2023

Something that I want you to know about Karen.
Karen was a person that loved routine. She was very organizational and if she could choose for herself, every day would be the same. Monotony was marvelous to her. She didn’t become bored very easily.

Then the Lord brought to us a large family through birth, adoption, and foster parenting. Though she had to be well organized, she and I both learned that with the family comes the inevitable change of plans, and life can happen at a very fast pace. It was in this that we learned to trust the Lord and to view life through the 80/20 lens. Let me share a wonderful portion of Scripture, and then I will share with you what she wrote.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor?” (Romans 11:33-34).

What a great reminder. Here’s what she wrote one day.
In life there seems to be an 80/20 principle. It seems like the situations with which I have little or no control account for 20% of my life. On the other hand, my response or reaction accounts for 80% of my life. I must remember His sovereignty (Romans 11:33-34).

Here’s my takeaway.
Karen actually wrote more that day that goes along with her statement on the 80/20 principle based on the strong conviction that God is sovereign and can be trusted in every situation. I might not have any control over my situation. However! I most certainly do have control as to how I will respond.

Karen noted two other life principles that help with the 80/20 principle.

He is my stronghold. “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knows them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

He is my strength. “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD (Psalm 27:14).

It seems to happen over and over again. There are so many situations over which we have no control. However! How we respond is most certainly under our control. Over and over again we can learn to fully trust the Lord. Think of it! We can fully trust the Lord over and over again.

Let me send you on your way with a smile.
For years Karen wanted to cut my hair as a way of saving some funds. She cut the hair of our children, and it looked very nice. I mean, she really did a great job. But even though I loved her dearly, I appeared on our weekly television program and somehow, if she messed up, what was I going to do with the TV program speaking?

Then the Lord moved us to the First Baptist Church of Marilla, New York, where there would be no TV programming. Within the first couple of weeks, I needed a haircut. I approached her with humility and shame and asked her to cut my hair.
Her reply was, “So now all of a sudden you trust me, a little bit anyway?”

She was right. I loved her but didn’t trust her enough to cut my hair back in Conklin. But now I “kind of” trusted her in Marilla. Here’s the smile. I sat in the chair. She put the barber’s sheet over me. She turned the clippers on, and suddenly she gasped as she screamed, “Oh no! Honey, I am so sorry. I’ve made a terrible mistake!” And then she laughed as she said, “Only kidding.”

The hair cut was fine. I mean it was really good! I wish I had trusted her hair cutting skills earlier. You can trust the Lord’s sovereignty. Really, you can.