Communication

Being a woman, I find that communication has many levels. Words, tone, gestures, body language, inferences as well as history, and past discussions that all come together to mean something. Well, maybe only to me. Especially when I am talking to a man!

Men (at least the men I know) don't allow themselves to hear more than the words, unless it makes sense for them to do so. I find it hard to communicate what I really want to say without all the nuances. With all that in mind, I question if there is any real communication that happens between the sexes.

In order for my man to understand I must explain myself. Even a short lesson in explaining the history or what was said previously between us can make our conversations long and drawn out. And yet, I talk too much.

Communication is a two way street that women must pave and build road signs in order for the men in their lives to follow. Without us, men would sit on the side of the road and never move towards understanding. It would be so nice to work together.

I am sure God made women to desire the exchange of meaningful words. I just wish he would have sent along an instruction book on how to make communication work with men!

The Right Place at the Right Time

Today I read: "What God makes clear is that when we are committed to seizing His divine moments, He'll make sure He gets us to the right place at the right time." (from Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus p.45) Oh, how I want to believe this to be true for me!

It isn't that I don't believe God would do it, but I doubt sometimes that, though I am committed to seizing His divine moments, I don't think I always do! I am not certain that I am bold enough or wise enough to see His moments and live fully in them. I think my doubting comes from closed doors that I have faced recently. Have I missed Him? Or maybe, just maybe, I am being lead to the right place at the right time!

Okay, so I will now look around to find any divine moments coming my way. No more looking at the closed door and knocking to find out why it is closed. It is time to turn around and walk down the road to the next open door! So, look out! Here I come!

Correction

The other day I invited you to come with me on an adventure through the book Captivating. The class has been cancelled.

You are still invited to read the book. It is one of the best books around in my humble opinion.

God is Love

I cannot imagine my life without God. What would the world be like if God turned His back on us? If He existed, and was the Creator of all that exists, but chose to ignore His creation, would life be worth living?

I really cannot imagine what our existence would be like in that condition. The only word that even comes to mind is hell. I know that I couldn't call it life.

It is so much easier for me to put God's touch on human life into words rather than a non-caring God. God is love. With Him, as with love, there must be relationship. But I have known people who profess to believe in the absence of God, or simply do not believe He cares for His creation. How do they go through life ignoring The God who breathes life into their every breath? What darkness overshadows every movement of love that God sets in motion for their pleasure?

God's mission is for us who live in His love to share our experience. I am a part of that mission. I am chosen to love as He does. I must love even those who ignore, or battle against the truth. It is in the power of the Holy Spirit living in me that the darkness can be swept away and the light of His love can pierce the heart of the one He chooses to love.

With Him by my side I conquer my fears, my worries, my doubts and move forward. I come with weapons of love, mercy, grace, hope, and peace. The victory is His! His signature is on my prayer ....

In Christs' Name

I ask in Christs' name

Knowing that when

I ask rightly

His signature is on my prayer.

I work in Christs' name

Understanding that when

I do the right thing

I do only what He would do.

We come together in Christs' name

Believing that when

We are in unity

The world will know His love.

Carolynn J. Scully (c) 2001

Captivating

In a few weeks I will again be teaching a series at church based on the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. It is a facinating book that brings women through the process of understanding how God created them in His image. Though I have read the book three times and will reread it for this class, I continue to be healed, inspired, and drawn closer to the heart of God.

I need the teaching as much as the women to whom I teach. I need to hear again and again that God has chosen me for a special purpose and that I am uniquely qualified to reveal something of God to the world. As I begin to prepare I am humbled and lifted up. If only the struggle to remain in the truth were not so difficult and oh, how wonderful our God is to love me like He does!

I am inviting my class to come along with me on an adventure to find ourselves and to mark the trail lest we get lost again. Would you like to come too? You are welcome to participate if you live nearby. Just contact me, and I'll get you signed up! If you only share through the blog, I will try to give you a tidbit of the class each week. You can read the book too!

Let's fall deeper in love with Jesus, Find friends, and have fun!

To Know and Be Known

To know and be known is

the essence of my

Communion with The Father.

To know and be known is

An eternal journey of

Never ceasing conversation.

Who do you say that I am?

You, Lord, are all I know of love,

Mercy, peace and joy, but

You are deeper and higher and

More than I can know.

You are the only one who

Can tell me who I am.

And so I ask:

Who do You say that I am?

To know and be known is

To discover day by day

And moment by moment

Who You are and who I am in You.

By Carolynn J. Scully

(c) July 12, 2001

Good Samaritan

Have you ever been a good Samaritan? Have you really gone out of your way to help someone who was in need? Given them access to your resources? Checked up on their progress days,weeks, or months later?

In my life I can truly say that I have stopped and helped quite a few people. I just can't say that strangers have been given the special treatment that family gets when they are in need. When I have not followed through, have I missed a divine moment? A divine moment is when God intervenes in our lives and changes the person I help AND changes me? When I do good deeds I am changed. I step outside of the box filled with my selfish desires and begin to experience the freedom of living in God and through Him if only for a brief moment.

The wonderful invitation that God gives is that I am offered a choice. I can remain outside of the selfish box where dreams are stifled and life becomes a living death, or close myself up into the coffin of ego driven thoughts. Seems like an easy choice, but so often I find the comfortable place is hard to resist. It is not always convenient to be a Good Samaritan and go the distance.

With God's help, I will choose freedom in Christ! I am certain that the more often I choose Him the more I'll want to stay! Come join me in the adventure!

Love

How does God want to be loved? Is strict obedience to His law the way He receives love from us? Or is there a way that brings us really close to God's heart, the essence of who He is: LOVE?

Love to me implies a relationship. Relationship is built on time, talk and truth. Learning to have relationship with God involves the Trinity:Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Taking time to be with someone is an act of love. It is not necessary to do anything. Love lets us "Be" with each other. God is I AM. He is with us always and present in our present.

Communication can be a deep well that satisfies and refreshes our relationships. Without the intimate conversations love cannot grow. God is THE WORD. He reveals Himself to us and draws us deeper into His heart of love by sharing precious promises, and truths with us.

Honesty is a strong foundation on which love is built. God is the way, THE TRUTH, and the life. Without His truth we would be lost in the trap of tthe Father of Lies. Gods' truth frees, cleanses, and restores.

God is LOVE. We, His children, are called to love. So, how does God want to be loved? I think He desires relationship. He wants us to take time to be with Him, talk to Him intimately, and open ourselves up to His truth (The only way He can be!)

God loves me, He chooses me, He pursues me, He rescues me, He washes me in His freeing truth. I love God, choosing him and pursuing Him. Lord, Help me love others the same. (Part of this list comes from the book "Black" by Ted Dekker. P.118-119)

Frustration

Frustrate means to break or interrupt. It is an apt description of how I have felt for the last few days. My plans are being thwarted by seemingly small and insignificant things and circumstances (computer glitches, my rush jobs becoming a mess and needing to be done over and over, etc.)

I guess I could say that my planned path has met a brick wall! It is frustrating and sometimes I allow myself to become angry. Now that I stop to think things over, I wonder what I can do with the brick wall that I am facing.

Can I beat it down with persistence and force? Is it possible to scale the wall and get past it by "rising above" or ignoring the problem? Then there is the thought that I should go in another direction. Which way should I go when I was so very sure that I was headed in the right direction? Could God be directing me to see a new path or a more satisfactory one?

I do not have the answers yet. The only way to really know the truth and break free is to pray and seek the One who sees all, El Roi.

El Roi, I desire to see what You see in this situation. Open my eyes, Lord!

The tastes of vacation!

Planning for my vacation included the tastes I wanted to enjoy as well as staying in control so that I would not come home a size larger than when I left home! I did fine even while being delighted by the tastes of my vacation!

I think we all know the joy of enjoying a meal with family and friends. Jesus, Himself enjoyed wedding feasts, Passovers, snacks along the way as He walked with His disciples, and simple breakfasts by the seashore. Simple or fine foods taste much better in the company of those we love and even moreso when we have not been with them for a time. My vacation meals were delights for my body and soul.

Spaghetti, pizza, pancakes, sandwiches, M&Ms, fresh peaches, and salads, as well as steaks, crab legs, burritos and enchiladas. All these yummy foods were made more delightful because I didn't prepare most of them and they were seasoned with the conversation of love and heart stories. There was one favorite that I enjoyed more than the rest.

The Passkey Special is an Italian Sausage sandwich. It is made like a burger and served with your choice of cheese if you like. The Passkey is a family owned business that has been in Pueblo, CO ever since I can remember. (No, I am not being paid to advertise for them and I am not part of the family!) Long ago when I was little my dad would take us to the tiny store where we would be seved in the car. It was a simple drive-in. Dad and Mom would enjoy the special while we kids would have burgers. Dad was generous in sharing bites of his Passkey. I couldn't wait to be old enough to have one of my own!

Enjoying a Passkey brought back memories and my soul was satisfied along with my tastebuds! If you ever find yourself in Southern Colorado or in Pueblo, CO ,I invite you to experience a delightful sandwich at The Passkey. If I happen to be there we can share the taste of Pueblo together!

Vacation part 2

We were delighted by some beautiful experiences on our trip to Colorado. Flying above the clouds and seeing the earth from up high is always amazing, but even more were the surprises God placed before us on the ground.

Our first surprise was an empty lot that had a colony of Prairie Dogs! This was in the middle of town! We also saw a fox and a rabbit passing through the housing development where my brother-in-law lives. The mountains were hidden by haze most of the time, but we enjoyed seeing them up close near the end of our trip. They truly are majestic! At the Cave of the Winds we were pleased to experience the inside of a mountain. The formations are intriguing.

We enjoyed the architecture of little houses on the prairie and the expansive mansions (to us) of the well to do. Comfort met us in both. Gods' personal beauty was reflected in each face of our loved ones! He is such an amazing Creator!

All of the beauty seemed to be lavished on the earth as landscapes, portraits, nature, and still lifes that were painted for our enjoyment. I returned home to be even more amazed at my everyday surroundings. There is beauty in every corner of the earth. May our Creator be praised for His magnificent glory!

Vacation is over

I gave a deep sigh of relief when we arrived back home from vacation. Ten days is a long time for me to be away from home, computer and my routines. I am glad to be home even though I experienced many delights on our trip.

Sharing vacations can sometimes become like home movies to those on the outside, so I will try not to bore my readers with unnecessary details. I would like to share some wonderful insights that came from my trip. These may take me a few days to unwind and express, so please be patient.

We visited with most of our family and a few of our wonderful friends while we were in Colorado. I listened to stories from the past and learned interesting things about each person. Listening with a heart of acceptance and love helped me to see with different eyes and serve with unconditional generosity. Yes, there were times I wanted to just do what I wanted to do. There were times I was miffed at what was said. There were times I wanted to say what was on MY mind, but didn't. I even stuck my foot in my mouth a couple of times, proving I was not totally selfless.

What did listening teach me? It opened my understanding to the truth that I can find joy in being silent. Voices of loved ones and the opening up of their hearts to me are treasures that I consider precious. I am certain God wanted me to hear and understand those He loves with an everlasting and deep love.

Tomorrow will bring more. Maybe you, too, can find a precious treasure by listening to someone today.

Silence

While I am on vacation this blog will be silent. Unless I get access to a computer and time to do more than delete emails my words will be written in a journal. Or, maybe I should challenge myself in an exercise in silence.

I need to be silent in order to listen and listening is an integral part of relationship. Refraining from expressing my own thoughts is not easy but also not impossible. It seems to me that all of us humans have a fear of losing those thoughts that are so important for a moment in time. If we don't speak out or write down our lists, ideas, opinions etc, we lose our chance. The moment passes and we wander around wondering what we forgot to say, do or buy.

The question is how important was the thought in the first place? Could it be expressed better at another time? Is there truth we can learn if we wait and listen before we speak?

My vacation will be a time of resting from my blog and listening to my own thoughts as I interact with new surroundings and people. Silence can be golden so I will mine a bit of wisdom while I vacation.

Packing

I am begining to pack for a ten day vacation. I want to carry a light load, but I don't want to forget anything I will really need. I am planning my clothing carefully, but when it comes to my books I know I can be a little heavy in that department.

I have a book I am reading and must decide if I will finish before the ten days and need the second in the trilogy. I think I'll read slow. I must take my bible. I thrive on Gods' word. Then there is my study book and journal. Gee, I'd love to take them so I can move along with my plan. Okay, so that makes four books, all of which are medium in size. Maybe I'll skimp on the shoes!

Packing is a bit like choosing three things you can have on a deserted island. You can't carry everything, but there are things you really need. What will I REALLY use on my trip? I guess I need clothes, books and my vitamins!

Makes me think about what I carry along on my spiritual journey. I carry Gods' word but I also tote along some unnecessary baggage! I think I'll try to do some unpacking before moving forward in my day. What are you needing to unpack? Jesus told us that His burden is light! I want to take a trip with Him and let Him show me what I really need on my trip to heaven!

Falling

I took a tumble off the back end of a moving van today. It was something I would have rather not done, but I did, and now I am very sore. I expect to end up with a couple of black and blue temporary tattoos from the experience.

It happened as a result of a simple miscalculation. My husband and I were unloading my sons equipment that he lent us for our fireworks tent. I was moving items in the truck and my husband was carrying them to their shed. My sons ladder was leaning against the back of the truck on the side that had the shortest drop from the step to the ground. Being a short woman, my intention was to hold the ladder out and step down at that shorter step. Unfortunately for me I miscalculated, and as I reached my foot down I found air not ground. Thus I became off balance and the ladder started to fall. I let go of the ladder, but my body also continued in the same direction. I hit the ladder with my left side, lost my hat, my glasses and my dignity as I rolled onto my back into the street. My husband came running and after a quick assessment he helped me up.

Any fall can jar me into an awareness of body parts that seem to work in obscurity. This fall is no exception. The truth is that spiritual falls can also jar me into an awareness of vulnerable areas of my life. One misstep can send me tumbling causing contusions of my emotions or my spirit.

The healing of my physical wounds calls for gentle TLC. Spiritual wounds calls for my loving and gentle Saviors' voice, speaking truth. His voice is gentle strong, and healing. Thanks Jesus for the TLC of Your voice. Thanks also for every little bit of TLC I can find for my body!

Freedom Fences

Freedom has boundaries ordained by God and enforced by each individual.

These boundaries are good because God is good. They are the dividing line between good and evil. We must choose good in order to live in freedom. Good is infinite Evil is finite.

When we choose to live selfishly and without self control we will eventually find that government needs to control more and we will live with less freedom. Bigger government does mean less freedom. Our individual choices are much more important than our choices at the voting booth. Our hearts must beat in rhythm with Gods' goodness because there can be no law against Him that will stand. It matters not what men may rule against Gods' good boundaries, we will own freedom if we remain within the safety and security of those freedom fences!

Today we here in the U.S.A. celebrate the birthday of our nation that has been founded on the choice to live within the expansive boundaries God has given us. Today I celebrate my freedom to choose. May I choose wisely.

God Bless the U.S.A.

I am the patriotic sort of person who cries easily when hearing our "National Anthem" or "God Bless America" or any other patriotic song. I don't really know how I got that way, but I think I have a vague idea.

As I grew up I was told over and over that the U.S.A. was the greatest country in the world. My parents were grateful for the privileges and opportunities we were afforded here as citizens. Thanksgiving was birthed in me for my native land. I thus took to heart that God had placed me in a place that was rich and built on priceless treasures. These treasures were the God given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

May life flow from the spilt blood of those who gave so freely in service to the people of this great land. May life be valued from its simplest of beginings to its struggling breaths of its endings. May liberty be honored for all. May freedom build its safe and strong boundaries within each self controlled heart. And may the pursuit of happiness never be for ourselves alone but for every people and neighbor.

May our celebration of Country be filled with hope for our future. May God grant us wisdom in seeking the paths to these ageless and foundational ideals we call our own.

God Bless America!

Wisdom

What is wisdom? My definition is seeing things from Gods' perspective. If that is a true definition then is it really possible for us to have wisdom apart from God?

I suppose that we can stumble on a piece of wisdom. I am almost certain it would not be a complete understanding though. I firmly believe that to own wisdom entirely is Gods' possession and His gift to those who choose to receive. He does give it freely because He desires for us to know the truth and to be set free. He waits for us to ask.

Lord, I want Your wisdom in all my relationships and choices. Thank You for offering and giving it so freely!

Chisles

Who might be a chisle in my life? I really think God is the hammer. It is His direction and power that sets in motion how others affect me and carve into my life the character God has chosen.

WHEW! could you be one of my chisles? Don't worry. I thank God for putting you in my life!