The scriptures suggest that I should be aware of what I am saying with my face and my body posture and the way I care for myself. Do I look people in the eye and SMILE, or look blankly past them? Do I lean towards them when they are talking or look slightly preoccupied? I was saying that I need a class at church teaching one another how to say with our bodies that God is on the throne and we are happy to be here with those around us, happy to see them. Pastor said that the people would not stand any such practical guidance. Well from what I see, there is room for improvement in this area of what shows on my countenance. So I’m going to stand in front of the mirror this week and  practice smiling and looking interested and pleased to see you etc.

One thing that locks me into the perpetual tension phase, is to “say” with my body that I am miserable. The brain feels tense and then it notices that the muscles are tight and that my face is sad and my stomach is full of butterflies, and my posture is slumped, and my hair unbrushed, and fingernails unpolished. The sagging unkempt body screams to the brain, “boy are we miserable!” Then the brain commands the body to look even more miserable.

The scriptures admonish me to “lift up the hands that hang down and straighten the feeble knees and wash my face and put on cologne ‘oil’ . It is OK to take into account my struggle and”make straight paths for my feeble knees if they are lame. Hebrews 12:12. Strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong fear not: behold your God will come. Isaiah 35:3 Go thy way , eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart’ Let thy garment be always white (clean and pressed) and let thy head lack no ointment, ( take care of your appearance.) Ecclesiastes 9:7,8

Hannah’s husband Elkanah suggested in first Samuel 1 that her being miserable reflected on him, “Am I not better to thee than ten sons? So she got up she ate and drank, ‘which she had not been doing’ and took her request to the Lord rather than wandering around miserable. I am to cast all my cares on him for he cares for me. When I circle endlessly on the details and walk around miserable, I am saying to the world that Jesus is not enough and being a Christian is sure a drag. Sure we grieve, sure we want children and other blessings we don’t have and pain we don’t like, so take it to the Lord and leave it there.

1. If the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold,
   And you have to get along with meager fare,
   Just remember, in His Word, how He feeds the little bird—
   Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
   • Refrain:
     Leave it there, leave it there,
     Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there;
     If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out—
     Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
2. If your body suffers pain and your health you can’t regain,
   And your soul is almost sinking in despair,
   Jesus knows the pain you feel, He can save and He can heal—
   Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
3. When your enemies assail and your heart begins to fail,
   Don’t forget that God in Heaven answers prayer;
   He will make a way for you and will lead you safely through—
   Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
4. When your youthful days are gone and old age is stealing on,
   And your body bends beneath the weight of care;
   He will never leave you then, He’ll go with you to the end—
   Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.