My Birthday Praise

Today is a wonderful day to praise my Father in Heaven for His wonderful gift of life! Today is my 58th birthday!

Waking up this morning to birthday greetings from my family was very nice. My mind began to contemplate the day and all that it means. With those thoughts I could not help but lift my grateful heart to the One who knit me together in my Mother's womb, the One who placed me in my family and country, who creatively put me together in unique combination of body and soul, and who has delighted in redeeming me from my sins and filling me with His Spirit! WOW! Life is amazing when we look to our Creator Father!

Father, You are so good to me! Thank You for 58 years of life touched by Your love.I lift my voice to praise You for Life here on earth and life eternally through Your Son!

Too Much, Not Enough

It has been too long since I've last posted here. I have had thoughts to share but in my mind they were either too much or not enough. What do I mean by that?

Too much means that sometimes I think my thoughts drown people! My husband and a few other people close to me say I am "Deep." Because I do not get much traffic here I tend to believe that people either don't understand what I am talking about, or they get tired of trying to figure it all out. Time to laugh at myself! If I am too much, do I really need to give too little? Who am I pleasing if I do? It is time to give God what He made me to be, even if it is too much!

Not enough means that sometimes My thoughts just do not measure up to others expectations. They may not be spiritual or they may be common knowledge. Whatever the reason, they are not enough to hold the attention of my readers. Again, it is time to laugh at myself! Do I really need to be more than who I am?

Pleasing people is hard. There are times I think that pleasing God is difficult, but the truth is that He is easy to please. He told us that all we really need to please Him is faith. We need to believe in Him and trust Him! So, how does this blog show my faith in God?

My blog is written about my faith walk. When God overwhelms me or when I stumble and fall and He offers grace, I am willing to share. If I am too much or not enough for you, I hope you will read past my words and hear my Heavenly Father. He just might be telling you that it is okay to be too much or not enough in the world, because to Him you are just right!

Perfect Father, I am glad that I do not need to be perfect. You cover over my imperfections! You see me as Your perfect child because of Your Son Jesus. Thank You!

Tears

Tears are the children of our emotions and physical bodies. I have given birth to tears born out of passion, fear, joy, grief, pride and many other emotions. Tears contain the life of our emotions.

Where our tears fall determine their worth.

"You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?" Psalm 56:8.

"For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and He will guide them to streams of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Revelation 7:17

Our tears are collected by Our Fathers' hands and collected into a bottle because they are precious to Him. His Son died for these tears.

Father my tears belong in Your loving hands. You alone bring life and life abundant through those tears. Thank You for giving me the opportunity to offer myself to You through my tears.

Bloodline

I have read that my fathers' Scottish bloodline was known for being bards (poets and singers). There is evidence that my mother's Slovenian bloodline was heavily endowed with the musical gifts. It is no small wonder that I gravitate to the arts.

Some of my fascination must certainly be the environment as well as heritage. My parents modeled music, literature, art, theater, and dance appreciation. We were encouraged to participate in anything that we enjoyed. Taking inventory of each of us, I have found that we all have had some success in the arts over the years.

The passing down of genetic material may predisposition us to a certain activity. I prefer the more poetic term of "Bloodline" to describe that unique inheritance. It reminds me of the long "Bloodline" passages in scripture where we are given a glimpse into the place each family belonged in the household of mankind. Scripture, however, does give us hope to strengthen the purity of the godly inheritance and turn away from the ungodly.

Our bloodline inheritance has been given to us by Creator God just as our spiritual inheritance is given by our Savior God through His Holy Spirit. Both are gifts to accept and use to their fullness or to reject and allow to waste away. The question is: Are we accepting and using our gifts? Or are we accepting and shelving the gift to wait on His return?

Giver of all good gifts, you are generous in Your giving. You are patient in our receiving. you deserve our gratitude for the many gifts we have received from Your hands. Today I take up my pen to write for Your glory. I take up my cross and follow You. You alone are truly worthy of that commitment.

Discovery

Two nights ago I stayed up late to watch the shuttle go off into space. Nighttime launches are spectacular and this was no exception.

As the TV announcer spoke, I watched the clock tick down to the final seconds. At the 30 second mark I hurried outside just in time to see the eastern sky begin to light up. When the rockets are lit the sky brightens like the beginning of a sunrise. Suddenly a ball of fire lifts into the sky! It is thrilling to see it so clearly from my front yard! I watched until the boosters fell off, and the shuttle pushed its way into space looking like a new star in the night. Discovery was off! It was worth the loss of sleep. It provided a simple pleasure of human accomplishment.

I breathed a prayer of thanksgiving for the safe lift off, and then added a petition for their safe return. My mind took flight in the wonder of our ability to make this happen! Just as quickly I was awed to hear God speak to my heart that He set in place every scientific, mathematic and physics principle that allowed us to reach for the stars! He designed our world and us for discovery!

God Almighty, Creator of all things, You are wonderful! You amaze me with how you really did make us in Your image! This is the day I am amazed that You are a God of discovery and You invite us into the far reaches of Your universe to know You better! Thank You for this wonderful gift. May I use it with wisdom and truth.

Think

There is much we should think about, but we don't always stop to think. We just blunder our way through making decisions as if we were dealing cards. It is that absence of thought that causes us to cringe when we finally take a look at the hand we have dealt ourselves.

There is a time when we should act quickly with little thought, but I believe that even in those times thought has preceded our actions. If we have been thoughtful about the small decisions, we will be ready to take the chance on the big opportunities that come our way.

I am still working thoughtfully through some small decisions. Someday I hope to be ready to lay a good hand down and gather the pot into my own pocket. Till then I will keep thinking things through in conversations with God and others who walk in wisdom.

Wise God and Father, Thank You for supplying me with the tools to make decisions. You are always available to me when I call. You give me thought and Your word causes me to think rightly. Your thoughts are not my thoughts and Your ways are not my ways, but they are always right and good! You are the greatest thought I have every day!

Invitations

Everyone likes to be invited to join the party, but what about being invited to work, or learn a new skill, or change bad habits, or...well I could go on but you get the idea. What do you want to be invited to join? What do you need to be invited to do?

Invitations came to us throughout our day, and most often we simply pass them by. God sends invitations with His whisper to join Him in a time of prayer or simple conversation about our lives. He may also send an invitation to enjoy creation with the passing of a butterfly or His cloud paintings. He might invite us to forgive or reach out to someone by a simple word or look into their eyes.

I received an email newsletter that listed many invitations that I had never thought of before. These were things like being invited to reach for a dream or take the step toward that dream. The newsletter, "Inspiration Strategies" with Diane Cunningham, made me think a little differently about all the invitations I Receive but never accept.

There is one invitation I accept every day. I am invited daily to allow Jesus to be my Lord and to let His plan rule my life. Though I am not perfect at this, I do make a strong effort to invite Him into the place of honor. It is what makes me want to invite others to join us! Someday in heaven we will meet because we accepted His invitation.

Lord Jesus, I accept Your invitation today. I may not be perfect in my surrender to You, but I have trust in You to make my R.S.V.P. certain! Thank You for inviting me! It will be a great celebration and I would not want to miss it!

School Lessons

This may be the beginning of school, but it is not necessarily the beginning of learning. From the time of our conception our minds and our bodies have learned ideas, concepts, facts, feelings, and actions. It is the way of growth.

I always loved school. I was not an A student though I could have been. I loved school because I learned through instruction as well as my own daydreaming during school time.

Sitting at a desk for hours filling up papers is the established method that we think of when we envision learning. But what about sitting outside watching the path of a butterfly, or the learning we experience as we plant seed and tend it till it blossoms into a flower? What can we learn from work, or leisure, relationships, or loneliness? What might our experiences of celebrations or rituals teach us?

Learning is continuous, and yet there are special moments when learning is easier than others. It can be planned or unplanned, simple or complicated. In contemplating learning I am assured that it is a gift I am invited to embrace and enjoy to the fullest, or lay aside and miss some marvelous things in this world.

The question I have today on the eve of the beginning of a new school year is, what will I learn this year outside of the school room? At this time in my life I want to learn to love better, live more fully, and like who I am in the process. Seems like a tall order and a lot of work ahead. I'll need a good teacher.

All knowing Father, thank You for sending me the perfect teacher. Your life lessons are filled with love, wisdom and grace. I need You to present Your lesson plans to me daily and I commit myself to do the assignments as best I can. I someday want to hear that I passed and You are pleased.

Hush

Shhh. Be still and listen!

By the way, how many voices do you need to hush before you come into the silence? I have quite a few. Music, TV, computer, grandchildren, children, spouse, and even those voices in my own head that are relentless in trying to gain my attention. It is a multi-level task to get them all silenced at the same time, but it is worth the effort.

What do you hear when you quiet yourself? You see, when I walk into the silence, it is then that I begin to hear the sounds of my Creator working in me, around me, and for me. It is His voice I need to hear. I must hear! It is His word that reveals myself and Himself. In the quiet I can hear clearly the only voice that is worthy to be treasured.

I love the words to a song long ago sung but never forgotten: "Speak ,Lord, I long (or love) to listen to your voice. See, Lord, here I am."

Hush, Let us listen to His voice.

Speak , Lord, I am listening!

The Older I Get

The older I get the more I know that I know so little, and even what I thought I knew, I really didn't!

Confusing isn't it? I am finding out that old age (not that I am completely there yet)is confusing. It may be strange, but as I watch my grandchildren learning about the world, I see them face confusion in their lives too. In fact it seems there is confusion all around us!

People walk through life asking questions about what they should do with their lives and what direction they should go next. We are constantly facing new challenges that confuse us and make us wonder if we really know what we are doing here.

Each stage of life has its confusions. Infants see the world only through their comfort. When they grow into children they put great stock on their feelings. The teen years take us through a maze of hormones. Adulthood traps us in the crazy systems of this world. Then comes old age where we take all of these experiences and mix them into a jumbled mess that we thought we had under control!

I, for one, am so blessed to know that God has a plan for me that is not confusing to Him, though it may be for me. I guess if He is the designer, planner and giver then He will be the one to turn to when my mind becomes cloudy with the things I thought I knew.

Creator Father, You see all things clearly and I want to see my world through Your eyes. I believe that You are good and that in your goodness You have placed all my days! Thank You for letting me see in the mirror dimly, so that when I come to You I will see clearly. You will surely show me who You have been for me. Open my eyes to see more of You as I journey through this once again confusing time.

To-Be List

Does your to-do list keep growing like mine? It seems that I check off three items and five more pop up! Yes, some are short timers like balancing the check book, but even that can draw itself out to being a long project if things don't go as planned! Others are the type of projects that last for months and seem to add lots of small items to the list.

Today as I began to check off a few of the waiting list items, I thought about my attitude and the character within me that makes a difference in what and how I do the things I do. I found myself listing the things i wanted to show the world through my work. I call it my to-be list.

I want to be kind, generous, loyal, faithful in the little things, loving and patient among many other virtues. The interesting thing about a to-be list is that the items listed should never be checked off. They should remain constant and lived out day to day!

It is only through a daily relationship with God that I can fall into bed thanking God for all I accomplished and all He accomplished in and through me to-be and to-do!

Holy God, my Father in Heaven, You deserve my praise and thanksgiving ! You walk me through each day offering me Your Spirit to plant the seeds that grow into my to-be list. I know this is the list You are most concerned about in my life, but You graciously allow me a to-do list to satisfy my longing to have purpose and a place in Your kingdom! Thank You for making me Your own, and for having a plan for my every day! You are awesome, Lord!

Honest Self

Today I took a short trip back to my High School thoughts. So many times I sat alone or kept silent because I was afraid the other person wouldn't like me. What a selfish and immature thought!

My journey of faith, walking with Jesus through so many ups and downs over these last 40 some years, has changed my thoughts from "They might not like me," to "They might need a friend." It has been a long road and I have often snuggled back into my fear hoping it would protect me from being hurt. Alas, I found that I hurt myself and others so much more by that selfish fearful thought!

A good neighbor (Mr. Fred Rogers of TV fame) once said that the best thing you can give is your honest self. Being vulnerable is honest. Allowing myself to be a friend, giving all the good and not so good in me, is the best I have to give.

Father God, You ask Your children to be good neighbors. You also sent Your Son to teach us how to be an honest friend. Teach me and lead me each day to be open and free with giving myself to You first and then to others! Because You are good, I know that I will find good things in doing what I find so difficult to do. Thank You for giving me Your honest self every day!

I Need

I need words. I need to hear a loving voice whisper or maybe even shout the good things they see in me. I confess that I don't get enough from those who love me, and so I seek out someone who will speak the truth of my beauty and giftedness and tell me how my weaknesses can be turned into good things.

It is THE Word to which I run for my needs to be satisfied. I turn my ear to hear His voice. I look for Him and His little delights that romance me and draw me close. He speaks truth and love.

Yes, there are times when earthly loves speak the words I need or want to hear. There are times when my needs are met, but when they aren't I have Someone to run to! He is ALWAYS there for me!

Thank You, Jesus! Thank You Father for letting Jesus be my Word that loves me and tells me the truth!

Connected

I would like to think I am connected to other people, but I confess I don't always feel connected. Family, friends, church, and other connecting places don't always look or feel touchable.

I don't think I am alone in this thinking. I really think that most of us walk through our day talking and interacting with others without really pushing past the exterior facade. We never really touch the real person who lives out of reach safe behind our fears and insecurities. We don't take the time or make the effort to tear down the walls. We simply smile and walk past.

I also don't think I am alone in longing to be real with others. I want to touch and be touched. I want to be known and to know. The question is: How do we get over or around the wall? How do we break down the barriers? I am guessing it has to start with me being vulnerable. If I open my heart will someone else do the same? Or will my vulnerability prove to be painful and push me further into my self-made tower of protection?

In the past I have tried and failed. I have also tried and been surprised by success though short lived or small. Lately I've been protective, but I know I must lay down my shield and allow others into my real world where my reality will show itself in all my strengths and weaknesses. Scary? Yes! But an adventure awaits for me, an adventure of life!

I am scared to open myself to others, Father. I do not want to be hurt. You are my strength and You know all about me, so I trust that You will guide me. You will always be my safe refuge!

Visiting the Past

I have found that looking back into the past is a new experience! Faces change even though they may carry the same expressions. Time weathers not only people with the various journeys we take, but also our perceptions of the past.

I can visit the past with new eyes and new ears and a brand new heart that remembers and forgives. The past becomes a reality that has moved with me through the years and changed with life's footprints.

Life is the sum of all our time. It is our past, present, and future! We can change the future by our present, and we change the effects of our past by our present choices. Today is the control room. I have given the control room over to The Good and Perfect All-Knowing God that loves me beyond my comprehension! Without Him I would fumble at the controls and wander aimlessly through life in darkness.

Thank You, Father of all that is good and right! You are the only One worthy to control in wisdom and truth! Thank You for the choice. Thank You for Life in Your loving hands!

Do Unto Others

The Golden Rule is to do to others as you want them to do to you. This is a great way to live a life free from guilt and regrets, but what about the times when others do not return your kindnesses?

I have found that many times I will do for others hoping they will get the hint and do the same for me. when they don't I feel hurt and unloved. The problem does not start with them but what is in my heart!

Doing good to others so I can get good in return should not be my motivation for doing what is right. Selfishness and self centeredness can never be the foundation for our good works. Good deeds should flow from a heart of love.

Father, You love purely. Teach me to do the same! Set Your golden rule deep within my heart so that I might love like You!

Always

Even when I do not sense His presence, Jesus is ALWAYS with me!

He is always faithful
Always loving,
Always knows
Always gives,
Always right!

Jesus is always available, ready to hear my prayer and answer with wisdom. Always with Him is a wonderful mysterious delight!

Lord, thank You! You are always to be praised!

I Like Minutes

Awhile back my Granddaughter, Brooke, became frustrated waiting for a fun outing. she expressed her frustration to me saying, "I don't like hours! I like minutes!" I understood perfectly, because I, too, like minutes better than hours when waiting for the good things promised to me.

It tries our patience to wait, but in the waiting and persevering we can reap the reward of Gods' best. We may need to persevere for years before the best shows up. It beats a second or third best any day, though.

Wait upon the Lord. Wait and don't settle for second best. Wait for God's ultimate best! This is what I keep telling myself and someday I will be delighted in the very great reward My Lord has planned for me. Till then I wait in expectation staying faithful and pushing through the doubts and difficult times. His best always is wrapped up in more of HIM!

Teach me to wait, Lord! Teach me Your ways! I want more of You!

Joy Unspeakable

How can we describe God? We are given many names for God in scripture that describe to us who He is. I AM. I cannot recall any scripture describing Him as Joy but it is the fruit of the Spirit and so I conclude that He is Joy as much as He is Love!

Joy unspeakable is Our God and Lord Jesus Christ dwelling in us, living life fully with us. We cannot explain our joy in Him. It is unspeakable.

His Joy may not be said in words, but it will be seen on our countenance and in our living life to the fullest serving with happiness.

God of Joy, fill us with You till our hearts are so full that we have no words to speak the pleasure that You are to us! Let it shine through us and be a light in the dark world.

Pour In~Splash Out

Pour in Gods' Word and good things will splash out.

Oh how I wish I could keep my mouth shut! I don't talk idle talk often but every time I do it seems to come back to me in the wrong way. When will I ever learn?

Cleaning up the mess of careless words is like trying to catch the spilled milk before it reaches the end of the table or the space between leaves. On the other hand pouring Gods' word into myself and others will allow only good to splash out and no clean up is necessary! It is time to clean up a mess, but also time to pour in God's word. Maybe the splash will help with the clean up!

Father forgive my careless talk and teach me to guard my tongue even with those I think I can trust. Help me as I try to clean up the mess and stay true to the truth. I know Your word will help me!

Faithfulness

We must be faithful in our belief, while God is faithful in being believable!

There are times when our faith is tested. It is in those times that we must remain faithful to what we believe about God. For myself, I believe God is with me always. He is always Good and loving. His way is always right. I believe that I will someday see the blessing that comes from faithfully following Jesus even when I face trials and suffering.

God is believable! My faith remains in Him.

Faithful God, I trust in You alone! The world and all it contains will never be what I need but You are! I am determined to persevere and be faithful to the end because of who You are!

Heavy Burdens Turn Light

Heavy burdens can become lighter when we walk with the Lord.

During our Firework tent sale we had many little problems that ranged from minor irritations to the more serious "Let's talk this over, Lord" situations. A couple of our tents had rain that puddled and made things miserable for our workers and customers alike. In fact one tent was so muddy that people were driven away by the mess. We also had the hot muggy weather with which to contend. Then there were the permits and inspectors that were a struggle to obtain this year or caustic when dealing with them. Opposition and attacks of theft burdened our days. But in it all we were blessed to be around many people who were celebrating the freedoms we still enjoy.

God enriched our lives with His simple delights! He always makes our burdens easier to bear. My daughter told stories of tourists from other countries who came to their tent just to take pictures! They had never seen anything like it. They were shocked at our freedom to sell such things that explode just so we could celebrate our nation's birthday. A little old man and his tiny dog came by our tent and as he left God spoke to my heart to go talk to him. I simply asked him if he was a Veteran. Yes, he was, from the Korean war. When I thanked him he was taken aback. He told me that so few people had ever thanked him for his service to our country. He was visibly touched and so was I. Late on the Fourth I narrowly escaped two possible accidents. A deer ran across the road in front of me and someone ran a red light as I neared an intersection.

We welcomed little children who spoke about their lives and what they were doing to celebrate; met a man who is an alumni from our Alma Mater, Colorado State, living here in Central Florida; encouraged people to get involved in the political process and campaigned a bit for Marco Rubio for Florida Senator. Family and friends came to visit and some even helped without pay! We were brought cookies and enjoyed some really good food, especially after it was all finished!

We could dwell on the losses and the trials but we choose to put our trust in God, thinking about the good things. His provision, protection and pleasure is more than enough. It does not matter that the enemy is against us, because God who lives in us is greater!

Thank You, Provider of all good gifts. We have been richly rewarded because You have watched over us in all things. Thank You for lifting our burdens and bringing Son light into our lives!

233 Years!

Happy 233rd Birthday, U.S.A.!

I am so very happy to have been born here! I pray that our beautiful and unique nation will return to its roots and be strong for as long as Our Father God will allow.

Have fun, my friends! Be safe, and enjoy the birthday of this great nation!

Independence, freedom, God and country, are the words that come to mind today! May we stay strong under the guidance of The Lord God of heaven and earth!

Patriot Prayer

God of our Fathers, You have created our land and blessed us with freedom! You are our foundation and our only hope.

Thank You for the freedom to speak out, worship You or even other gods, bear arms to protect our families and our possessions, and so many other freedoms from You and confirmed by our founding Fathers. Thank You for our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thank You, O Mighty God, for speaking wisdom into our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. It is You alone who give freedom!

You have lifted us up from the lowest to the highest power on earth, but we have not taken care of what You have gifted us with. We have become spoiled and greedy. We have forgotten the fight for freedom and the cost of liberty. Forgive us! Have mercy on us. We have turned our hearts away from You and Your gift of freedom and trusted men to provide for us. Forgive us!

Reveal Yourself to us anew. Heal our blind eyes that no longer see Your precious gifts of liberty and justice. May our hearts be set on fire for You. May we turn our hearts to Your good and perfect ways. May we Your people speak out with boldness and faith.

As You have said in Your word, O Lord, may we Your people, who are called by Your name, humble ourselves and pray, seeking Your face and turning from our wicked ways, You will hear us, forgive us, and heal our land. (2 Chron. 7:14) I, your daughter, now humble myself and seek You in prayer for my beloved country. I turn away from evil and stand for what is holy and good in Your eyes. I ask You to heal America! There is much to be healed. Without You we have no future. Give me strength to do Your will in the midst of rising opposition to You and Your ways.

Lord, I remember the glory You have bestowed on America. Bring it back I pray! I humbly bow to You.

U.S.A.

I think that most people would agree that our beloved country is on a fast and furious downward spiral. We are losing ground as a nation under God, and as the most powerful nation on earth. It is most tragic to note that we have chosen this path ourselves through our blind-folded eye as we vote.

What will become of us? Only God truly knows, but I have my own opinion. I believe that we as citizens are allowing ourselves to become slaves to our government. We no longer are the directors of our fate. We have handed our rights and freedoms over to our greedy, godless, government. It is a time of grief for those who remember the wonderful pride we had in our leaders, our heritage and our strength. We are fading fast and will soon be living under the rule of men who would dictate our every move. All the while our hearts cry out for freedom!

This Fourth of July I pray that we will remember that we are a country for the people and by the people, not a people whose lives are directed by a few men and women in the seat of power that we have elected. I pray that we will remember that we have GOD-GIVEN rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I pray we remember, because if we do not remember we will be forgotten.

Almighty King and Lord of the Universe, You are our sovereign ruler. You alone hold power over men. You are Good and Righteous. You offer freedom and hope to the oppressed. I pray that my fellow beloved countrymen would turn our hearts back to You. Allow me to be one voice crying out for You in this dark age!

He Knows My Name

I've recently shared that I've been mistaken for friends. I don't like that much. It makes me feel invisible. I've always thought of myself as unique and different enough to stand out a bit in a crowd. But maybe I'm not as unique as I'd like to think.

Knowing that God knows my name and never mistakes me for someone else, makes me feel so loved, important, and to put it best, His treasure. to know that He is so awesome, powerful, and all knowing, and still considers me important enough to call me by name is enough for me to fall on my face to worship Him forever!

HE KNOWS MY NAME!! He knows me! He loves me and treasures me! He delights in my frail efforts to please Him.

Almighty God, I feel like a speck or a wisp of air compared to you, yet You search for me, find me, save me, and love me! You care about every detail of my life. I must consider that You deserve the same. I will seek You, and love You! I will search for every detail I can find about You and I will delight in knowing You. I will learn Your name and who You are. You are God.

What Has Changed?

Selling fireworks is very interesting as we talk to the people strolling through the tent and trying to decide what they want to buy.

One of the frequent comments we hear from adults is how we as children had access to more fireworks than we do now. It is difficult to tell our customers that it is all too easy to loose the right to set off our own fireworks. Why? What has made the difference between what we so freely enjoyed in the old days, and what we are limited to now?

My answer needs to be self control. When we control our actions, and do unto others as we would have them do to us, we do not need our city, county, state, or national governments to control us by petty laws. Without self control we may feel free for the time being, but certainly will be oppressed by our neighbor whose rights and personal space we have invaded. This is true not only just for fireworks but in every part of our lives.

Free speech without self control can become a heated argument instead of a discussion of issues.

Freedom of expression without self control can become vulgar instead of an enlightened understanding of true beauty.

Free enterprise without self control becomes greedy, selfish, and manipulative instead of a team effort to provide and protect our resources and people.

I could go on but maybe you can see the picture I am trying to paint for you. Self control is lacking in our world. We would be wise to check our individual lives to see if we have lost self control and need to be held accountable to the authority.

Father, Giver of the Holy Spirit that lives within me, I ask Your forgiveness for the times I have been out of control and letting the world persuade me to follow instead of lead. I need Your Spirit to teach me self control and to rein in my worldly passions. I pray also for our country. May we have a change of heart. May we turn back to You and find Your ways to be freeing as we gain self control.

A Time to.....

What time is it? We ask this question many times in our life. It is asked almost exclusively of the hour . but in reading Ecclesiates 3:1-8, I wonder if we should also ask God what time is it in my life?

Is it a time to birth a new adventure or a time to let a relationship die?
Is it time to put our resources to work for others or to gather in a harvest?
Is it time to kill our evil habits and thoughts, or to heal the wounds from the past?
Is it time to tear down our pride or a time to build ourselves up in Christ?
Is it time to cry over our sins, or a time to laugh at the enemy who accuses us unjustly?
Is it time grieve over lost time and lost relationships, or is it time to embrace the dance of the new?
Is it time to dig out the burdens that get in our way, or to rearrange the obstacles into bridges for going forward to our future?
Is it time to make something or someone a part of our every day living, or time to wait, holding back for the right time to change?
Is it time seek out our future, or is it time to lose ourselves so that Gods' plan would be fulfilled?
Is it time to keep our things, thoughts, and time to ourselves or is it time to throw them out to those who wait?
Is it time to tear down walls and rip away our self protection, or is it time to sew trust in our Good and Loving God into the fabric of our lives?
Is it time to be quiet before the Lord and others so we can listen to them without prejudice, or is it a time to speak up and stand for the truth?
Is it time for us to love even the sinner, or is it time to hate the sin?
Is it time to make war on the evil that seems to oppress and overwhelm the world, or is it time to make peace with God?

It is time. It is time to do something. It is time to be someone! It is time to ask God, "What time is it? "

Oh Ancient of Days, You know all my days and You have a good plan for my life. It is only You that can tell me what time it is. It is my place to ask and want to know. Today I ask. what time is it for me Lord?

That is Not Me!

I have had a few interesting encounters with people lately that thought I was someone else. As I thought about it, I could understand some of the confusion. I have been mistaken for friends who have similar interests in teaching and writing, and also are fair complexioned with light hair.

Correcting the mistake is uncomfortable for both sides, but I really want people to know me so I gently tell them who they think I am. It is becoming old hat to me. I've always wanted to be seen as my own person, but even when I was young I was mistaken for one sister or another. Sometimes it was just that I was their sister, but with no other identity. It is a struggle to be in the shadows of someone, even if that person is special to you.

I suppose many people have had my same experience. There could be many ways in which we are hidden by others who seem to carry a spotlight. The hardest of all, though, is when others place us into a mold in which we have never fit. Those are times when I want to shout, "That is not me!"

Mistaken identity hurts can be healed by knowing my identity in Christ. He never mistakes my name, talents, gifts, or my appearance and character for anyone else. He knows me better than i know myself! Even more so, I can be secure in knowing that I belong to Him and am a part of Him. When I stand before God's throne I will want Him to see Jesus not me!

Father, You have seen me perfectly and know me intimately. You will never forget me or forsake me. You made me to be who I am and I can trust that You will never mistake my identity for someone else. I want Jesus to be seen in me whatever I do. Let Him be glorified above my own desires for being known. You alone are worthy to be glorified!

Fire and Ice

Yes, it is HOT here in Florida right now. clouds, breezes, and even thunderstorms are welcome right now. Like I always say, now is our indoor time!

We spend most of our summer inside where we bask in the air conditioning like northerners huddle in their homes with cozy fires in the icy winter. We do feel lazy in the heat. We eat less and mostly keep things simple. Reading inspires or helps us imagine far away places in the hottest part of the day. Napping refreshes if you can find a cool place to rest. Nice if it could be quiet and restful all the time, but alas, we still have work to do.

Moving through the day's heat is exhausting. It reminds me of those times in my life that my soul is struggling and I long to find a quiet time alone for my spirit to be refreshed in God. He is the cool breeze and the refreshing spring of water. He is the inspiration and imagination of the future. God is enough for any time and any circumstance.

When I am hot or when I am cold He receives me. He refuses my lukewarm attitudes and like the perfect days that require no outside help, I need nothing to set me free from the temperature of my soul. He prefers me to be hot or cold.

Embrace me O God, cover me with Your wings and breathe on me! Set me on fire for You and soothe my weary heart with Your refreshing Spirit. May I never stay in my perfect world where passions are lost. Keep me in a place of needing You!

Disconnected Feelings

I have always been a very sensitive person, empathizing with others, maybe even more than i should, for my own mental health. Lately, however, i have been disconnected from those heavy duty feelings and even when I am not, I only work towards not caring so deeply.

I still don't know if it is right or wrong to feel deeply or to let emotions break into pieces shattered beyond recognition. I know I don't feel like "myself" but also trying to learn the lessons that God is guiding me through. Who knows, maybe my real self has been hidden under all those feelings for others. In any case I know that somehow god will see me through and it will come out for my good.

Father, I want to feel again as I used to. I feel so disconnected lately and though others seem to think it is a good thing, I am just not sure that I need to conform to others emotional personalities. I need You to guide me through to the truth. I need You to fill me with Yourself so that i can be who You desire me to be! I will continue to lay down my feelings and my desires, but only to You.

Two Sides

Today I watched James Robinsons' program where he showed the children dying of starvation. As the show ended I flipped to another channel to watch the news. The program before the news was The Price is Right. I saw two sides of the same world within seconds of each other.

Luxury, abundance, greed and selfishness reign here on our side of the world. On the other side of the planet lives struggle in the severest poverty where the only thing they cling to or grasp for is life itself. What purpose do I have living here on the prosperous side of the earth? Could I learn to be a giver and not a taker? Could I make a difference in a child's life, providing life giving food to them?

The answer has to be "Yes." Yes, I can help, if I give up my selfish desires. Yes, I can help if I reduce the affluence I keep and offer food to the hungry from my storehouse of abundance.

Father, I have heard You say that when I feed the least of these I feed You. I seldom give as much as I am able to give. I hold back more than enough for myself. I am so sorry for my selfish greedy heart. I know it may take awhile to pry my fingers off of my things so that You can use them for Your children in need, but i want to get there Lord! I do not want to withhold anything from You.

The world is a strong magnet for my attentions. I don't want it to be, but it is. I truly desire God to be the strongest pull for my love and obedience and attention.

I am learning after many many failures and some victories that though the world and God both draw me to them, it is my choice of which to turn. In some ways that gives me power that I never thought I had. I have the power to turn away from god and His love and goodness. I also have power to turn away from evil and all of its enticements.

It all starts with my mind. What I fill my mind with will determine the direction I turn. If i fill my mind with the worlds thoughts, visions and desires I will turn to the world. If I fill my mind with God's word and His love and truth, I will turn to Him. If i can memorize the jingles on commercials and remember all the happenings on the latest shows, I can memorize scripture and learn about who God is.

The thought for the day is: I have no excuse!

God of Love, You have given me freedom and choice. You have set me free to love You or turn away without a care. You offer me everything that You are and have. I have no excuse! I cannot explain away my sin. I am able to learn from You and to put Your wisdom into my mind and heart. You have changed me and I give You all I have and all that I am today! I love You!

My Honest Self

What did you take away? Today is Sunday and most people I know go to church and then get together with family or friends. Yesterday the women at our church gathered for a conference and one of the speakers asked us to share with someone beside us what we were taking away from the sessions.

I began writing this wondering what I took away from this mornings service. I have a few notes and certainly heard a few interesting things that I can ponder for a few days. But the one thing i keep thinking is instead of focusing on what I took away, what if I were to focus on what I could give?

Today I ran an errand for a friend, went shopping with my daughter to help her choose materials for a throw she wants to make, complimented my husband and prayed for my family. I visited with friends and gave lots of hugs. I gave God praise and thanksgiving for all He does to delight me. I shared my real self with others.

I once read that Mr. Rogers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood fame once said that the greatest gift you can give is your honest self. I tend to think that is true because I love receiving that gift from others. sometimes it is hard to give that gift but even in the difficult moments of opening up to a friend I find that I offer it wrapped in joy, the joy of knowing I am giving the best I can give.

Father, I want to give You my honest self too. You have already given me your honest self and I am blessed that You did! Thank You for Your gift. Continue to help me offer my honest self to others.

Renewing My Mind

This year I have memorized 5 verses of scripture so far. John 15:5, Psalm 20:7, Matthew 22:37-38, John 14:21, Romans12:1-2. I have also been disciplining myself to think about the things I want in my life. All of these things are helping to renew my mind and keep me focused on my goal of becoming more Christ-like.

Here are some of the things I want out of life :
-to be a giver not a taker
-to focus on others not myself
-to put Christ first in everything
-to enjoy life and live abundantly
-to not let fear rule my life
-to accept that I need others
-to know I am needed.

There are probably many more ideals for which I strive. To be Christ-like is not one dimensional. Jesus was full and complete in His humanity and that is what I want also! I want to be fully who He wants me to be!

It all starts with my thinking. And so, I pour God's word and his plans for my life into my thoughts. As I do I will start to believe and obey. What about you? How do you renew your mind?

All knowing God! You know my thoughts and my heart. You know my desires, failures and capabilities. You have promised me a plan for living life abundantly and I am seeking to find that plan in You! Teach me.

I Love God!

I have been wrestling with God lately. It is not always a pleasant experience but always results in blessing.

I know one thing about God. He always gives me everything I need to understand and to "Come out on top," so to speak. Today was no exception.

As I wrestled with God today over issues in my life, He brought help by way of Beth Moore. She does a teaching every Wednesday on James Robinsons' show. Today she was beginning a series about wrestling with God. I was surprised but then laughed with joy over His loving preparation for my need! I am committed , like Jacob, to not let God go till He blesses me! (Even if it means my stubborn will breaks.)

Lord, bless me as I have never before known blessing! Your love and provision for me prove that You will win, but in Your victory I , too, will reap great rewards! Thank You! I love You I rejoice in You! you are my delight and Enough!

The Big O

My memory verse right now is John 14:21. "Anyone who has my commands and obeys them loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father and I, too, will love him and show Myself to him." Did you catch the Big O word?

Obedience! This word conjures up images of disobedience or times when we have messed up, needed discipline, or were punished for a wrongdoing. Seldom do we look at obedience head on. Though we experience feelings of satisfaction, peace and joy when we obey, we will quickly forget and fall back into our selfish mindset that leads away from obedience.

Back to the verse. God says that if I obey Him it shows my love for Him. The Big O is my love given back to God.

Loving God, You loved me first, even before I ever thought of loving You. You are so Good and loving that to obey You shows my trust and complete surrender to You. That is Your picture of love. It is not hearts and flowers and love songs. It is the Big O. I confess that I struggle to obey sometimes. My love is not perfect, I fall short of loving You as You deserve. I do thank You, Lord, for loving me through my failures. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me so that I may want to obey.

Wrestling with God

When we wrestle with God something will be broken.

A stubborn will shattered by Love and Goodness sets the imprisoned dreamer free to become real.

Almighty God, I believe You are Good and You are Love. Break the things in me that must be broken so that I might become the dream You have for me.

Behind My Eyes, Inside My Skin

One thing I have learned over the years of my life is that I really do not and cannot see things the same way as others do. Yes, I do have similar feelings, similar experiences, but they are also different.

To be able to give advice or to make judgemental comments about others perceptions without their permission, or at the very least a real honest comparison to yourself, is reckless and damaging to relationships, if there is one. I have learned to be cautious and patient with others. I listen to their story and then if they leave an opening for comments or advice then I proceed with caution.

The question I have today is do you really get behind my eyes? See things from my perspective and all of my life experiences? Can you get inside my skin and really feel what I feel?

This blog is not meant to preach to anyone. It is for the sole purpose of sharing my story of relationship with God and others. It is my thoughts that may spark something in others about themselves, not about me.

Lord, open my eyes that I might see You in everyone I meet. Open my eyes to see You working in me through others relationship with You.

Roller Coasters

I do not like roller coasters. I especially dislike the roller coaster of my inner life.

Roller coasters take the rider on a series of ups and downs and sometimes upside down. They go slow and then suddenly speed up. Some people enjoy the thrill and anticipation of the slow move upward only to pause just a moment at the top before the plunge into a series of twists, turns and ups and downs. Like I said, I don't like roller coasters.

Even though I will not willingly get on a coaster for fun, I look back over my life and see one huge unstoppable coaster ride. This is true especially in my perception of my worth. I don't think I am alone in this. There are many out there just like me but we put on a good act for others. We are okay with ourselves aren't we? We are having fun?

Over the years I have at times liked myself, and at other times I have seen so much that I don't like! I want to change things like not letting my fears stop me from living an abundant life, not being so selfish, be more generous, be able to lose the weight that has been far too long holding me back from looking my best, or allowing myself to need others. I am at one of those down times right now. I have a long list of things I'd like to see changed in me right now. Bible Study and inspirational books have led me to examine myself and found myself lacking.

My walk with God has taught me that my best human efforts, by themselves, can never accomplish a lasting change in me. I must release these things to God, placing them in Jesus' hands and then obey the Holy Spirit promptings. To do this 1. I must know who God is for me in that area of my life. 2. I must be ready to let go and committed to His better way of managing my life. 3. I must obey to receive the blessing.

Lately, I have heard from various sources the story of Abraham and Issac. God is speaking to me through this story. He has offered me a choice just like Abraham. Abraham was blessed by God because he withheld nothing from God, not even his cherished son of promise. God is asking me to withhold nothing from Him. Because God is a God of relationship not religion, He also gives me a promise: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11

Sovereign God , my Father and Friend, I give thanks to You for Your generous and giving heart. You withhold nothing from those who love You and obey Your word. I want to give You all that I am and all that I have. It is a daily decision that seems lost sometimes but I will always come back to the place where I offered myself completely to You. You are my Lord and Savior. You are my King and Deliverer. Even in the coaster ride of life I choose to let You be in charge of the ups and downs, the twists and turns. I am Yours!

I Am All In

Jesus is not only my Savior but also my Lord. It has been this way for a long while and I think that I have tried my best to let Him have complete Lordship over my life.

Lately, I read a story that made me re-examine my surrender to God. Is it complete surrender, or are there areas of my life that I hold back and keep for myself? My examination has been revealing in that I am seeing in myself things I really never saw before. It begins with my relationship to others.

I hold back on friendships and even with my dear husband. It isn't that I set out to hold back, I just do and then regret my failure to love fully. The question arises that if i hold back on them am I holding back on God too?

I consider my quest for character an indication that I have not yet arrived at the place of complete surrender. To trust and believe in such a deep and "All In" way takes courage, not fear; truth, not lies. I hold in my heart a mixture of all.

The only offering I can give friends, Patrick and God is my " I do" to our relationships. I do give myself. I do believe. I do trust. I do commit to us. I withhold nothing.

God, I believe. Help my unbelief! Reveal Yourself to me so that I may trust You with all I am and all I have! I am all in!

(Thanks to Chip Ingram and Erwin McManus for their teaching and insight that challenges me to examine my life in the light of scripture.)

Not of This World

I carry a dual citizenship. The Kingdom of God is my home. I also hold citizenship in the United States of America.

During my childhood, I found my U.S.A. citizenship to be the most discussed within the family more than the other. Patriotism was desired and celebrated. I became an adult who held the red, white, and blue in high esteem and honor. It is with much grief that today, though my heart still beats with pride in our foundations, I am finding myself to be embarrassed to be an American.

My patriotism is reserved for more private times now because to cheer my country seems to endorse its legalization of sin. I am ashamed that we as a people would so easily let our freedoms slip away from us. I am ashamed that we would embrace the killing of our most vulnerable citizens as a legal and justifiable way to end a pregnancy. Turning over our freedoms to a bureaucratic government, living greedy lives that gives no thought to others or to our beautiful land, and the lack of involvement and understanding of our political processes makes me so very sad and embarrassed to love this place I call home.

Oh, I still bleed red, white, and blue, and always will. I weep for the strong moral and high valued heritage we are quickly losing. I need to shout before it is too late! WAKE UP AMERICA!! WE ARE LOSING THE BEST OF WHO WE ARE!

On the other hand, I will never be ashamed to be a part of the Kingdom of God! It is Heaven that is my real home. If only I can bring a little heaven here! That is why I pray for revival!

Lord God, King over all the earth, set our hearts on fire for You and Your ways! Break our stubborn wills and free us to live for You! My heart is yours, I do not want to withhold anything from You!

Servanthood

Yesterday our church held a volunteer appreciation luncheon. We have many in our church who serve in various positions in the church. I am certain there are many more who serve in the community as well. It is right to honor each other for our good deeds.

Servanthood requires an attitude of humility. There are many ways to serve. A servant is an amateur, one who does what needs to be done out of love.

Today I say Thank You to everyone who volunteers in service of God and humanity! you are a blessing!

Father God, bless those who are giving of their time to help others. Bless them with joy in their service, love flowing back to them, and many acts of kindnesses done in service for them! Teach me to be a willing, humble and joyful servant.

God Never Fails Me

God is Faithful. He never fails to do the right thing at the right time. His faithfulness is a firm place to put my trust.

There are many times that the church, the government and all sorts of man lead institutions fail to do the right thing for me and my loved ones. It hurts and it can make life so much harder to live than it needs to be. The only consolation is that God has sent Jesus to walk in our shoes and in turn Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit to walk with us.

When others fail me I run to God asking Him to reveal the truth in the situation. I seek His advice and His comfort. I listen for the truth that He has to say to me. Yes, sometimes it is not what I want to hear, but it is always good and it always helps me to grow.

Lord, you have always been the faithful one who teaches me truth and speaks the truth in love. You have never failed me. You discipline and comfort me as a loving and good Father. I want to be Your obedient and teachable child.

Heartache & Triumph

Love is not all joy and happiness. Love has its measure of pain and heartache.

I would like to think that each newlywed would go through life with no thought of sickness, lack or death, but life lived together with love does not blot out these trials.

True love is powerful to sustain and comfort and hope those who choose to commit themselves to love. Loves' power comes only from God who is Love.

Loving God, thank You for Your power to overcome and to face trails in love. Thank You for the love that does not depend solely on joy or happy times, but becomes a rock solid foundation that we can stand on in safety during the storms that fiercely battle our desire to live lives that reveal Your love to the world. Love never fails.

Random Thoughts

This past weekend Patrick and I attended our niece, Lisa's, wedding in Canada. Visiting with family and hearing their take on politics in the U.S. gave me much to ponder. Here are a few random thoughts as I listened to those Americans living across the country from me and in Canada.

Obama is moving at a very speedy pace to make his plans implemented. Is speed a good thing when it comes to public policy? Is the push hard attitude right when our president has had relatively very little time in Washington circles, including his time as Senator? Could it be a good strategy to catch the other side off kilter after the blow from the elections? Certainly Obama is taking every advantage he is offered. He is making the best use of his power and convictions in the time he has.

I wonder if Mr. President is still assured in his ability to govern or is he scared that we will regroup and be stronger than ever after his agenda is revealed, to take from us our freedoms our hard earned money and our ability to govern ourselves with godly morals and high values for life, liberty and the hard work it takes to pursue happiness.

The economy was a major topic with everyone this weekend. Money was definitely more important than the lives of innocent people.

Words have power to push people in the wrong direction. It may be a family member that is belittled for mistakes or character struggles. Words could push a nation to believe in the subtle lies of the enemy who would steal our freedom, kill our values and dreams for a better life, and destroy who we are as a nation of citizens, who work hard to accomplish their personal goals that also strengthen and grow our United States into a world powerhouse. What kind of words push me?

I am convinced that most of us are sitting back and allowing the government to move us rather than us moving the government. We are quickly becoming a people that surrender our government by and for the people and embracing a government who governs by the power that sits in the seats of our governing bodies.

My red, white and blue heart cries out to my Lord God in prayer for our country and all of its people!

God Almighty, Stir the hearts of Your people! Awaken us to Your freedom and grace. Teach us the truth! Let our hearts be on fire for You and Your ways. May the fire in our hearts burn so brightly that others will be sparked into life. Let Your Word the wind of Your Spirit be the fuel that revives us! Send revival to our land and then touch Canada and Mexico and our neighbors far away on this dear earth! Let us stand with YOU and not forget that we are strangers in a strange land. In You we trust!

Time Out

In sports at time out is called for the team to regroup, make plans, or to fix a problem on the field. Disciplinary time out is time set aside to contemplate what we did wrong. sometimes i take a time out and simply stop what I am doing and clear my mind.

I need a time out every day! Even a few minutes helps me to keep in focus and realign my priorities. Most often my time outs are spent quietly listening to God's whisper. I don't read His word at these times, I just sit and wait for Him to speak a word into my day.

Father, I come to Your throne room to listen to Your voice. I wait patiently in the stillness until You turn Your face to me. I love Your tender voice and loving words that encourage me in the trials. I love Your presence even when You remain silent. I search for Your face and imagine the look of love and compassion You have for me and all Your people. Fill my time out with You, Father. You are all I really need.

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday was my Daughters' anniversary. Briget and Jimmy have been married for two years now. They are working through the challenges of molding their lives into one. It has not been easy, but they are still loving each other through the tough times. I am proud of them.

When I talk to newly weds now-a-days, I find their ideas of marriage are so much different than mine. They are eager to work together, but they also insist that their spouse change for them. Did I think that way when I was newly married? Yes, I must say I did. Thirty five and a half years has taught me differently. No matter how hard I try, Patrick will not always think or act like I want. He is a man. The differences between men and women go much deeper than just teaching each other how to behave. Our differences are who we are.

The questions that run through my mind today are: Why do we focus on making our spouse a carbon copy of ourselves? Wouldn't it be better to celebrate, explore, use and delight each others unique qualities? I think that with 35+ successful years of marriage we have some wisdom to offer young couples, so why don't they want to listen?

Young couples would be wise to find an older mentor couple to help them through their tough times. Maybe not family, but someone they can look to for sound healthy Godly advice.

Father, You brought Adam and Eve together and designed the relationship of marriage for them and for us. Thank You for making men and women differently. We can learn so much more about You through our differences! Help us to grow closer to one another in love. Bless the young couples I know and give them grace to find their unique relationship style in Your plan!

Wake Up Sleepy Head

The past few days have been rainy here in "Sunny" Florida! We actually have not seen the sun , but I do know it is there. I miss not seeing it and hope the clouds part soon so I won't feel so sleepy!

Rain tends to make me sleepy. I need the sun to shine bright to give me energy to keep moving . In the same way, sometimes my spirit is clouded by sin, fear, or doubt. Those clouds keep me from seeing the Son of God clearly and lulls me into sleep. I have found that praise can help me break through those spiritual clouds and lift me up towards the Son.

Today I've been sleepy because of the rain, but when the sun comes out I may see a rainbow that will remind me of God's promises. Yes, I know the rainbow was made for one promise not to flood the earth again, but for me I can see a greater promise. \Like the Sun shining through the rain to make a rainbow, God has promised that He has sent His Son to bring light into a dark world and give us hope for the future. Oh, how good my God is!

God of Heaven and Earth, You are amazing! You give me hope when the rains come into my life. You never leave me. Even if I don't see You clearly You are there, waiting for the right time to reveal Yourself and remind me of the promise You have made and will keep! Thank You!

Love Life

I sit here breathing in the air that keeps me alive. My heart is pumping the blood that carried life giving oxygen to my cells. I am alive!

There are days that life is really hard. I need not list all that goes wrong with life, but I do need to speak out that even in the difficulties life is a good gift. Life. Precious not because of its scarcity, but because of its fragility! Life can be shattered in an instant or slowly be lost in tiny minutes. Precious life.

My heart is grieved that so many choose to count life as nothing more than a happenstance. How much more is God grieved over our careless attitude toward this precious and amazing gift? We have grabbed the gift and demanded our choice to terminate life. We demand our rights to have only the best of life and not the hard lessons that teach, reveal, and develop our character. Sadly we choose to stop life before it even has the opportunity to begin in earnest. Abortion is a deadly word.

When did we decide that we could cut off a life for not better reason than our life would become more difficult? Who are we to snatch away the life of another for greed?

We live in a dangerous time. The danger begins before birth. Helpless and without defense, babies are forced to fight for that precious life. They have not been given the choice. Their protective womb becomes a battlefield where the outcome is certainly not in their favor. The Bigger, more powerful enter their sanctuary to steal away their life. Precious life!

My question today is what side would our governing officials and our President take if bigger and more powerful bullies would barge into homes of the innocent and kill in cold blood those who dwelt there? Is there a real difference between such a horrible and detestable crime as that and abortion?

Giver of Life, I fall on my knees begging You to forgive us for allowing these innocent babies be violently murdered! We are a nation who has stood on our pledge that we are a nation under God, but we have taken Your throne away from You and misused our freedom to choose. Forgive us! Father, I choose LIFE! I stand firm and speak out today to say our President and lawmakers are wrong to allow murder of any kind to be done in the name of another person's rights to money, revenge or simply inconvenience. change us, O Lord, from the inside out! give us hearts that Love Life and protect the precious gift You want us to enjoy in abundance!

God Sees

It is very comforting to know that God sees and looks after me. I know He is aware of everything that happens to me. He is all knowing about my thoughts, fears, issues and even those of people that influence me. He sees me and looks after me in all things.

My Lord sees me with love and tenderness, but He also sees me with truth and reality. He will ask me to do difficult tasks, but He will constantly watch over me. He sees all. He sees my sin, and He knows my heart and my actions.

It is embarrassing to know that He sees my secret sins. Knowing that He watches sometimes stops me, but there are times that I choose the momentary pleasure over Him. Going to Him with a humble and contrite heart, a broken spirit, reveals to me His choice to be blinded to my sin. Yes, He sees but chooses to not see that which I place in the nail scarred hands of Jesus. I am forgiven. I am free. I am righteous before Him when I trust in Jesus.

All seeing, All knowing God, you are so merciful and kind to me a sinner! You see me and help me to change. You see me and accept me as holy. You choose for me the way of forgiveness and love. I can only choose You!

Secret Meeting

There are times when I hear God calling me to come meet with Him alone. It is like a secret meeting of lovers who just want to be together without anyone else interrupting their time together. When I respond to the invitation it is a sweet tender intimate time of sharing His beauty, grace, love and mercy.

Though I really do love these times, I find myself putting Him off because of other things that seem so pressing at the time! It is sad to know that I have missed many opportunities to have Him to myself for awhile. He wants to romance me and take me on an adventure with his all encompassing love. Why would I think anything else could be more important or more wonderful?

My Lord, You have always been faithful to pursue me, seeking me and calling to me to come and be with You. You have never failed to delight me when I have joined You in a secret meeting. I am so sorry that I say "no" at times. I should never put You in second place, but I do. Please forgive my lack of love for You who deserves it! Please don't stop calling me! Don't take Your Spirit from me! Lead me to those secret place where I can be delighted in Your goodness! I do love You Lord!

Touching My Heart

This morning I was listening to a radio sermon and the Pastor asked this question: What area deeply touches your heart? It started me thinking. I have a list of things that touch my heart, but what one thing deeply touches my heart?

The purpose of the question was to point out my passion for others, or maybe just myself. OUCH! That thought hurts because my list does contain many areas that focus on my needs and my desires. There are some passions for others and their situations though and with these i want to find the one that deeply touches my heart and the one where God would have me place my energies.

How do I discover this passion? I would think whatever it might be would make me stop and respond with emotion and then do something about it. Today is a day I will look for this place in my heart that is deeply touched by someone or a group.

Father, You are the only one who can fill the needs of everyone in the world. You have generously called me to come and help You reach someone and I want to. Open my eyes to see those who need what I have to give. Open my heart to be tender towards others and willing to be touched deeply by their needs. I am so sorry that I have been so self centered and self involved . Turn me around to face what I have been running away from. Thank You for forgiving me.

God's Work

God allows us to work for Him! Amazing thought isn't it?

The All-powerful, All-knowing, Most Capable God wants us and seeks us out to do work for Him! It is even more amazing that He does not micro manage us. He gives us an assignment and then lets us go about doing it using the gifts, talents and capabilities He has given us and those around us!

Certainly He could do things much better, easier and quicker than we do. However, He understands that purpose, accomplishment and satisfaction make life abundant and a blessing to us and others. I imagine God in heaven not sitting back but on the edge of His throne seat eagerly watching the work we do. He watches for our success to cheer us and reward us. He watches for our stumbles and longs for us to call out for His help.

King of the Universe. Sovereign God and Watcher of Men, You delight me! You allow me to work for You and You work through me! You are a good giver. You pour out so much more than You take in! Amazing! Awesome! Your abundance flows over me like a flood! Thank you!

Healing Wounds

Wounds that come from words spoken can sometimes be healed by the words of the wounded to someone willing to listen. It need not be the one who caused the pain, but it could be.

The speaking out about the feelings, reaction and changes that occurred with the wound is like the cleansing needed to prepare for the healing balm of forgiveness. It is not easy to do this without overwhelming emotion, but to look at both sides with truth is the important surgery needed to restore relationship.

Healing does not always turn back time to restore anew the feelings and communication, but the relationship can produce new and wonderful connections. Healing may still leave a scar. The scar remains only to remind us of the vulnerability of one another and our need to be kind and gentle. Scars teach us to watch out for words that become weapons and to freely use words of compassion and tenderness, especially when confronting or revealing a truth. Healing takes time and patience. It is a work of God for all involved not just the one who suffered the wound.

Healer God, touch us with Your love and tender mercies. Wipe away our tears and teach us Your way of forgiving. Cover our relationships with love and grace. Heal us from the inside out and remind us to rely on You for our strength and hope! Thank You for resurrection power that lifts, restores and frees us from the death of friendships, marriages and other relationships caused by our words.

Mothers

Mothers' Day is past and the work week has begun, except if you are a mom then it just continues.

Mother, Mom, Mommy, Mama. Names for our Mothers always produce images from our past: Moms' smile and applause as we delighted her with our show of talents yet perfected, Her fierce look of disappointment and rage when we were found to have our hand in a known disgrace or deliberate action against her rules, Songs, prayers, words of instruction and comfort laying a foundation and fences of strength and security.

It is easy to go on and on about Mom, if we only take time to think about all she does. Then Monday comes, and she again goes about her work unnoticed and unappreciated until we come again to Mothers' Day, a day when Mom still does "Mom" work but we notice and appreciate her as she deserves.

Happy Belated Mothers' Day!

Is God Real?

As we grow up we are faced with realities that things are not always what they seem. Magic (at least most magic we see on TV) isn't real it is only an illusion. Our favorite fairy tale characters are not real but only stories. Then we find out that our parents, whom we thought were perfect, really aren't perfect. so what is real? Is the God we can't see really real? Or is He a myth too?

My Granddaughter is struggling with these issues right now. She is too young to worry about this in my opinion, but she has serious discussions with her classmates who are slowly convincing her that God is not real. This means that the war is on! We stand on Gods' side and they stand on the world view.

So I ask, how do I help my granddaughter see the truth? I can't push her into believing. It would be much better if she comes to that belief on her own. Then she can own her faith in God. It will belong to her and her choice to accept Him.

I can pray. Prayer changes things. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that God hears and He wants my Granddaughter to know Him, love Him and believe in Him. I can share my faith: Where do I see God? Why do I believe? Who is God to me? How has my life changed for the better because of knowing God?

For anyone looking in today, who does not believe I first pray: Father open their eyes that they might see Your good works, Your creation. Remove the influences of the enemy who would blind them from seeing the truth. Let them hear Your voice calling to them to Come and fellowship with You. Give Your body the boldness, the love, the words to draw them closer to You and not from You. Teach us all, O Lord, how to reach out to the lost and confused souls who need You now!

Prayer for our Country

Sovereign God, I join my voice with so many others today as we pray for our Nation. We are a Nation under God. Though we have forgotten what it means to be under Your authority and Your guidance, I believe those of us who are on our knees today want to find our way back to You. Shine Your light in the darkness of this world so we may see You clearly!

May our hearts be changed by Your word. May our changed life draw others to seek You. May a fire of revival begin with us and spread without control all over our land.

We love our United States, Lord God. We want our foundations to remain firm and not be broken by men who are deceived by the enemy. Teach us how to stand for Your principles. Help us to speak out on the side of truth without anger, hostility and pride. May we all stay focused on the truth that You love all and desire that no one should perish knowing that our actions, words and attitudes may be the difference in someone seeing You for the first time and believing in Your good and perfect way.

I give You thanks for placing me in this Country rich in Christian heritage and a place for all people of like minds toward freedom to dwell.

Fill our land with Your glory, Your truth and Your purpose! change our hearts and begin with me!

Communion

This morning I was having breakfast with Jesus and was reminded of one of my recent memory verses: John 15:5 I am the vine you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.

As I contemplated the verse, I began to think of the communion I have with Jesus. I actually drew a grape vine (rough sketch) in my notebook/journal. The branches were loaded with fruit and all of the parts were united. My conclusion is that in communion with Jesus we produce fruit. Yes, I know it is not a new thought, but it brought a new definition of communion for me.

Communion is remaining in Jesus so we can produce fruit. Producing fruit cannot be done alone. We must do it in unity with Christ and His body.

The symbol of wine at communion will now remind me of this passage as well as the offering of Christs' blood for my sins. Communion is a time to remember that Jesus gave His life blood for our redemption. We are also to remember that we are now united with Christ in producing fruit.

Check out my poetry blog later today. I'll put one of my communion poems there for you to enjoy. http://poetryimpressed.blogspot.com

Thank You Father for coming into communion with me. You presence is my lifeline and my source to producing fruit. May I always remain in You and bring You glory through my efforts to do good works.

Unsafe World

Today's world is an unsafe place for radical Christians. If you are passionate about Christ and live your life following Him as best you can, you can be assured of opposition to your way of thinking. In fact you may be surprised that the world will consider you to be a detriment to society.

Christians are to be silent in the face of objectionable material being forced on them and their children. The opposite it true for the world. They are given every right and encouraged to speak out against any Christian thought or activity that offends them.

Jesus comforts us by telling us that if we am persecuted and hated by the world, we can remember that He was hated first. He has walked this path before us and we can be sure that He continues to accompany each of us as we face our own trials. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us that we can stand firm knowing that the truth will be revealed in the end. 'Til then, let us pray for one another and commit ourselves to proclaim the good news! Someone needs to hear, and some will turn around and follow! One sinner repenting is worth it all!

Lord God, you desire that I be courageous in the face of persecution. I admit that I hide out of fear on occasion, but I want to stand on the rooftops and shout Your good news! You are placing me in positions where my faith will be tested. Give me the desire of my heart to reach the lost and help those who follow my example in following You. Let Your love overcome my fears.

Yes & No

Is it ever okay to say "No" to a ministry that is doing the work of God? I think the answer is "Yes." Is God wanting us to say "Yes" to every ministry opportunity that crosses our path? Here I think the answer is "No."

I have experienced the pressure from well meaning individuals that want me to become involved in their ministry. It may be sending money to the starving children, or showing up to an event and working to make the event happen. The work may be God's design and it may be a very good work, but it is not always my place or my call from God.

My offer to serve is generated by the voice of God calling me into that service, not the voice of a friend. Saying "No" is difficult. I imagine that the person asking for help will somehow think that I am rejecting them, passing judgement on their ministry, or simply not hearing God though my answer is none of these. Unless we all begin to understand the working of God in each heart to do different things we will continue to struggle with saying "No."

God does not expect me to say "Yes" to another call. He only expects a "Yes, Lord." When He calls my name and asks me to serve. It may be one area of service that He calls me or it may be many. He knows me and He knows the abilities with which He has equipped me. He will not over burden me or my family with too much to do. He will not fill up my calendar so I can look like a devoted follower of His. He desires that I am a devoted follower not a Pharisee that looks right on the outside but dead on the inside.

So, if I say "No" to you, please understand that I must follow Him. Though I may want your works to be a success I am not the person you need to fill your vacancy.

Father, Thank You for knowing my limitations and my strengths. I need help to only do those things that You have called me to do. Open my eyes to see the goals set before me by Your plan for my life. Remind me often of my commitment to serving You alone and not man. Thank You for being my Guide and my Protector. Let my yes be yes and my no, no.

May Blessings

Happy May Day!

May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May He make His face to shine upon you with smiles and be gracious to you in mercy;
May He lift up His countenance upon you and hearing your petitions and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 (my version)

Lord God Almighty, we Your people need Your blessing! We come before You covered with the blood of Jesus and filled with His Spirit. In Him we enter Your presence and receive Your abundant blessings. I bow to You in thanksgiving and offer myself as a living sacrifice for Your glory!

A Walk with God

If God gave out speeding tickets to us when our lives got so busy that we ran past His mini delights, would we learn our lesson and slow down?

I've known people who get many speeding tickets. They pay the fine and keep right on racing down the road. Then there are people like me who have only had two, yes, two speeding tickets in my whole life. I am very aware of the speedometer and constantly check the signs so that my speed does not pose a traffic problem or a danger.

In life we can sometimes get so busy that we find ourselves speeding through our Bible reading and study. We don't slow down to enjoy the little worm that somehow dropped onto the car and attached itself by a tiny silky thread as we drove down the road. Maybe we need to get out of the car and take a walk. A walk with God can be a speed bump that helps us to slow down long enough to hear and see him working in our lives.

I think today is a good day to get out of the race and take a walk. Being alone with God will be a breath of life into my activities!

It has been a busy week, Lord. I have raced through my time with You so that the things of this world could get accomplished on or before the deadline. I now realize that deadlines don't make life exciting, they bring a death to my relationship with You. You are my lifeline! I need You to accomplish the very things that seem so pressing! Today, I put You first!

Golden Moments

I do not agree that silence is golden. It can be said, however, that silence can be golden. The difference is that there are times when silence is a killer of relationships more than a golden moment.

My wonderful husband and I have been married for 35 and a half years. I like to ask him questions. He likes to sit in the silence. If I never pressed him with questions, our relationship would be trying to survive on the information we knew of one another back when we said, "I do."

Is it possible that some of us married couples forget how mysterious and intricate our partner is? Experiences change our way of thinking, acting and beliefs. It is because Patrick is a deep well of feelings, experiences, beliefs and thoughts that I go exploring and find surprising treasures along the way! I would like to someday be surprised with his explorations into my thoughts and feelings too.

You might wonder where to get good questions. Well, if I come across something during my day I wonder how my beloved might see it so I ask. We happened to watch one of Dr. Phil's shows about premarital counselling. There were some good questions there. I printed them off and plan to take them on date nights, trips and have them handy for an intimate moment.

When my love opens his heart and thoughts to me I am delighted to receive those golden moments as gifts of love. I have a store room full and intend to keep adding to my treasure as time goes by.

God of Love and Giver of all good gifts, You have made each of us a treasure chest of wonder and amazement! You made us to fellowship and rejoice in the discovery of one another. What joy that brings to my soul! You are the One I find when I look into the heart of my beloved and see Your love working to make Him more like You! Thank You!

Work & Worth

I sit here wondering how to speak out without sounding like I am complaining or even trying to defend some of us. I don't want to set anyone above another but I do want to express something I have thought about frequently.

The subject has to do with work and worth. One of the questions most commonly asked when meeting someone for the first time is "What do you do?" It may be phrased , "Where do you work?" The two questions are meant to be a barometer of where you stand on a scale of how important you are or what you are worth to the person asking. For me this has always been an uncomfortable question.

I have felt uncomfortable telling others I've been a stay at home Mom and now a stay at home Grandma. Oh, I know people make grand statements about the importance of Mothers' work but in reality after that bit of information gets leaked, there is little else others will talk to you about. It does not matter how well versed you are in another subject besides diapers, school functions or shopping at the grocery store. If you are not bringing home a pay check there is not much worth placed on you as an interesting person. I hope I am an isolated case, but I tend to think this happens across the board.

Okay, so the perception is that some people have greater value than others just by reason of their work status and ability to make money. I see this happen with those who are unemployed right now. They even think less of themselves because of the difficulty they are having getting work that pays. What is the truth?

The truth is that our worth comes from our Creator. He decides our worth and His word says that He is no respecter of persons! Could it be true that my little income for taking care of my grandchildren and selling my poetry, cards and being a speaker has no influence on Gods' view of me?

My work is an eternal work. My Grandchildren are hearing Gods' word through me every day. My writing is meant to convey Gods' truths and hopefully inspire and impress others to seek a deeper relationship with their Creator. I do not make a huge salary and I suppose I should be more concerned about that, but I cannot devalue myself because of my lower status on the economic grid.

Father, I am deeply grateful for Your love and pride that You take in my work. I thank You for providing all things that I need and most of what I want! You give me purpose and I rejoice in knowing that You value me though I am not worthy of it.

Random Thoughts

How do losers win elections?

Why is it that my long list of faults makes me more grateful to God and more loving to my neighbor?

Isn't "living sacrifice" an oxymoron?

Why do we fight sleep?

Will we ever know and see all the shades of green, red, blue, orange, yellow and purple that God created?

Why do I love Jesus? Is it only for what He has done for me? Is that not a shallow love? When do I start loving Him just for who He is? Will it take a tragedy in my life to find that kind of love for Him?

Just wondering!

Lord, I wonder about many things and I thank You for answering some of my questions. I am equally thankful that You keep some answers to Yourself. It is then that I pursue You deeper! Besides I know that You do all things good. I don't need answers. I need You!

Love Learning

Learning is a lifetime chore or habit depending on how we look at it. Each day we are given an assignment in life and it is our responsibility to learn from what takes place. It is not always easy.

Watching my grandson learn to walk and talk, or my granddaughters to learn their math facts, is an expression of learning life's lessons of character, relationships and love. Sometimes it is trial by error. Other times it is just stick to it and be creative in how to make it work. And then there are the times when we just need to put our heart and mind into it, learn the lesson and move on!

Some of our lessons, like math, come in steps of harder challenges as time goes on. In math we learn the numbers, then adding and subtracting . We then move on to multiplication and division before we can ever understand algebra and trigonometry. Come to think of it, almost all lessons come packaged this way. Generosity is learned in steps of sharing our toys before we can come to the place of giving out of our own need.

One of my greatest gifts received from my parents was to learn to love learning! I have been determined to teach my children that same lesson and hope that it will be passed on to many generations. To love learning is to love living. It is an abundance of life we will receive when we embrace the lessons of each day and fill our hearts with gratitude for the adventure of the new experience.

My question in my March 30, 2009 blog is married to this one : Am I Teachable? You might want to check it out.

Thank You, Teacher God, for giving me lessons to learn and making it an exciting journey! You surprise me each day with something new! It makes life interesting and enjoyable! You are a grand master at teaching! You make even my failures a lesson to learn, a lesson in learning! I want to live every day seeing my experiences as assignments from You so that I can learn about life and life abundantly!

Gratitude

It is always time for gratitude!

Thanksgiving should be with us year round. Our hearts should overflow with the abundance of gratefulness for all God has given us. It is truly a terrible thing to forget the good we have when only some things in our lives are going wrong.

How quickly we forget to thank God for the lessons learned from past experiences, good or bad. In all that is given to us in our lives we can find a blessing. Yes, it may take some distance or a length of time, but because God is good all the time certainly we can see His help, His teaching, His love, His protection, His presence, or just HIM.

It is when we clothe our minds and hearts with gratitude that we are finally able to experience love. We can be loved and give love more fully!

God, You are love! You are all good! You have made Yourself known to us. I praise You today and always for everything that happens in my life. Open my eyes to see the blessings I have each day. Fill my heart with gratitude. I choose to see all my life from Your point of view so that I will know the good outweighs the bad! Thank You!

Limits

I am limited. As I get older I have more and more physical limitations. UGH. Not a pleasant thought. I am not a genius in any capacity or specific area, so my thoughts are limited to my own understanding. I guess that means I have a lot of questions and few answers. I am even limited in my emotions. Now this one seems not to be true on the surface because I seem to have plenty of emotions! But, the truth is that I do have limits on my ability to empathize with others or to feel the feelings of others.

Most of all I am limited in my love. My love is shallow at times and even selfish. It does not live up to the God standard of love. Gods' love is all encompassing, complete, whole and good. It is without thoughts of selfish ambition or desire. Gods' love is a giving of Himself entirely. Though I am called to do the same I cannot say that I have reached that perfection. I have not given of myself entirely. I limit my self-giving, holding back a part of me for me!

Maybe it is in my limits that God must enter and fill with His unfailing love. Love is bound to faith and hope so that it can be more than we can give. Without faith it is impossible. All things are possible to them that believe. I can love as God loves because I believe in His love!

God of love, you have given all for my sake. You have chosen to love above all else and You fill me with Your love so that my love can be complete. Set me free from the limits of earthbound love. Flood my being with your limitless love!

Loving God

I know God loves me! He gave me life through His sons' death. He speaks to me, and is always with me. He shows His love for me every day. Wherever I turn there is a reminder that He loves and cares for me, wanting the best for me.

I read his word, see creation, fellowship with His people, see His changing power work in me and in others through me and I know He loves me. Even in the tough times I do not doubt his love. Even as I wonder what good can come from this trial, I cannot question His goodness and His care. He deserves my love. He loves me fully even when I didn't love Him or when I fail to love Him as I should.

How do I love Him? I choose His life! I listen to His voice. I remain close to Him and believe in who He is and what He has done for me. I obey Him and follow in His footsteps of service and sacrifice. Yes, I am not perfect at loving Him but these are my goals.

Father God, Lover of all and Giver of life, I love You! I love You for all that You are and for all that You are making me to be. My love is imperfect, but I give all. Like the old Gaither song says: All that I am and all that I am not I give to You! (sorry if this is misquoted). You deserve my very best!

Shining Lights

The world is full of darkness. There are wars, rumors of wars. We are in the midst of so much evil perpetrated on the innocent. The earth groans with eruptions, quakes, firestorms, and floods. In the middle of it all God wants us, His children, to shine like stars!

I love to look up into the night sky and see the brilliance of the stars against the dark and seemingly endless sky. The stars are the place where our eyes rest. They bring light to the shadows and chase away the overwhelming cover of night. How can we be like the stars?

To be like the stars, to be the light the world needs in these dark times, we must do what we need to do without grumbling or questioning. Our light comes from obedience to our Father in Heaven, the obedience that is wholehearted and does not complain.

Right now, for me, that obedience is to let go unbegrudgingly. Letting go of things close to my heart that must be let loose so that I can do what God has said for me to do. tough assignment, but I already feel the light shine through me and lift me up.

Lord, God, Maker of the stars and the heavens, I join with Your creation in being a light for the dark world. It is Your light that shines through me! It is You who lifts me up! You are the fulfillment of my destiny!