Family Finances

Last Sunday our church air conditioning wasn't working well. My husband and i walked into the sanctuary and saw hundreds of bulletins waving in the air. As we entered a row of seats we greeted those seated behind us. I mentioned that I saw we had a new air conditioning system, while motioning to their waving papers. They agreed. I then turned my attention to one friend who sat quietly and I said that if it was to work we all needed to do our part. He laughed but continued to sit without helping to fan the air. Later in the service the air kicked in and the rustle of fans died down. Everyone was blessed.

It isn't just in the fanning of the air that we need to all do our part. Money has many issues that can be similar or unique to each individual. A family must unite to provide the necessities even if they struggle to unite on differing issues. The same is true for the Family of God.

Summer time is notorious for the church to struggle in finances because of the lack of giving. Members vacation and have many activities that take priority over the needs of the church. It isn't right.

Over the years I have heard many sermons on tithing and a general theme is that we must "Pay God back" for all He gives us. Can we really pay God back? Obviously the answer is no. I ask myself, "Why try?" I think that the truth of not being able to give back to God should lead us to look for the real reason we should pay our tithes with a joyful heart. The reason I offer is that we are a family.

Our church family must come together in unity to provide for the necessities of promoting the gospel. The Family has many parts that struggle with different issues but as a family we are obligated to work together. In doing our part, whether little or big, we draw closer to one another and find joy in our relationship to god and the Body of Christ with which we are connected.

The question is, am I doing my part? Am I dealing with my individual issues so that I can be part of the provision for the family?

Provider God, You are the Greatest of Givers. You give abundantly and without needing it to be returned! I have struggled so often with money issues and failed to trust You in providing all I need. forgive me! Thank You for drawing us together into a family where we can work together to be Your body to a needy world. Continue to open my eyes to how You desire us to give and do our part. Fill us with the joy of giving! You are our example!

Dandelion Dew

This picture was sent to me by email. I don't know who took the picture but it is fabulous! It is simply dew on a dandelion. Kudos to the photographer!

Seeing this makes me wonder if I could ever choose man made beauty over this kind of God breathed majesty. I certainly know my limitations in creating beautiful things. I have seen artwork that stuns me with the amazing talent it takes to draw from ordinary materials and birth a unique creation, but God surpasses them all.

What do you see in this picture? I see beauty, but even more than that I see life! I see life in its most fragile state. One wisp of a breath could shatter the glorious balance of dandelion dew. I also want to see myself in this picture. I want to see the weeds of my soul sprinkled with living water. I want the things that are weedy in me to be used to glorify the One and Only Creator.

Creator God, You are Amazingly Brilliant in how You make the world come together. You teach and reveal Yourself through Your Creation. You open our eyes to see You in the tiniest and the grandest displays! Thank You for letting us see Your glory.

Small Package

Today my #2 Grandman was welcomed into the family He arrived in a 6lb. 11oz. package about 19.75 inches in length. The package was decorated with lovely red hair , blue eyes and a sweet little mouth that seemed to move in all directions making funny faces. I sat amazed at that tiny little present sent from heaven.

It may be awhile before we get to know the gift inside our little package. The outside will grow and we will be delighted in the new things this little man will teach us. We will see the world through new eyes and discover the unique value of the gift inside the body that holds the personhood of Jacob Ronan Scully. In all this discovery I pray one prayer: Jacob, may you live a long life. May you come to know Jesus early in life and walk closely with Him all of your days!

Father, You are an amazing Creator and Giver of ALL Good gifts. Thank You for the gift of Jacob! Thank You for the beautiful and special way You packaged Him! We are delighted! We praise You for Your works are wonderful and amazing and great!

Joy Lost

There are times in our lives when expected joys become lost. New parents dream so much for their children. Once those children walk into adulthood their choices bring joy or sadness to those expectations. The joy is lost or found.

Must we set aside all expectations of the joy we want to experience? Is it wiser to wait without expectation for the joys of accomplishment and celebrations over carefully made choices and godly living? I do not think so. Without anticipation and expectation children will surely choose the easy road. Expectations are the guard rails that keep them headed in the right direction.

Our Heavenly Father gave us His list of expectations on tablets of stone. The Commandments give us a vision of what will bring joy to our Fathers' heart. Joy was lost with sin, but there is great rejoicing in heaven when even one soul turns back to ask forgiveness and begins to live with a heavenly purpose.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!(Psalm 30:5)

Heavenly Father, You are our source of Joy! Your joy is our strength! I want to be a joy for You, but I so often fail. Thank You for making a way for me to return to You in joy and restore the lost enjoyment because of my sin. Teach me how to expect the best and forgive the worst as You do. I want to be like You!

Garden of Eden

The presence of God makes any place heaven. If this is true then Adam and Eve lived in heaven, in the presence of God, before they were removed from the Garden of Eden because of their sin.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam could experience God in all of creation. It must have been an incredible place of beauty and holiness! It was also a place in which Adam was free. He was free to choose. That is a mystery of heaven. Choice is still available to us. Its goodness and holiness is ours to enjoy or to reject.

Would I reject heaven? Adam did. Angels rejected heaven too. The truth is: there is no heaven without choice. God is everywhere, but if we so choose, He will allow us to live without Him. That would certainly be a sad choice.

Lord God of Heaven and earth, Your presence is the ultimate choice! You are worth the price of my losing all that is removed from You. Sadly I have chosen wrongly many times. I thank You for taking those wrong choices and removing them through the awful sacrifice of Your Son's crucifixion. Lead me to make the right choices, Lord. Lead me into Your presence. Let heaven dwell within me.

Mud Wrestling

Have you ever been in an argument that you knew no one would win? I have, many times. It is a lot like mud wrestling. Everyone gets dirty. No one can get a good grip of the situation. No one comes out on top.

How many times do we enter the mud pit thinking we are right and leave wondering if we were right at all? Is it possible to stop ourselves at the edge of the mud hole before we step into things that will end up pretty ugly?

In my experience feelings are what leads us into a mud wrestling match. We become confused by our anger, humiliation, fear or other defensive emotion. We walk into the slime and find ourselves sliding down hill into the muck and mire of self defeating arguments.

If only we would take our cues from the pure and Holy Spirit who would guide us wisely.

Holy God, Your Spirit cries out for us to seek wisdom, and yet we so easily walk into the mud and muck that will cover us with the yuck of this world. When we fail to follow Your lead we lose sight of the truth that is pure , strong and free of all the messes we make. Forgive us for wallowing in the mud before we seek You. Show us the way out, and wash us clean from the filth with which we have covered ourselves. Thank You for being our Savior, Lord and Guide.

Would You? Would I?

If we lived at the time of our nations birth would we fight for our independence? It seems to me that we must make that same choice today. Will we take the stand for freedom, or will we let others dictate our fate as a nation?

The choice is before us. Will we stand in the same line as our forefathers? Will we choose to make our voices heard? Will we not give up the fight? There is so much at stake in the seat of our governing bodies. If we do not rise up and speak for LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS we will lose those basic rights afforded us by our constitution but more dearly by our Heavenly Father, the Creator of all!

I may not be able to post the next few days. I will be working the Fireworks tent with my husband. It is a joy to celebrate our Independence Day!. It is more joyful to share our love of country and our love of the blessings of God with those who come to participate in the traditions of our united celebrations.

Our tent will be filled with joyful songs of liberty of spirit and the foundations upon which we were built! I humble myself, pray and seek Gods' face begging Him to heal our land! Will you join me?

Father , You are the Author of Life, and Liberty. It is You who we pursue to find happiness! Thank You for placing us in the country of the Red, White and Blue! Thank You for the opportunities we have and for the freedom we fight to make possible around the world. Help us to place You ahead of all others, and teach us to live our lives in freedom that is wrapped in self control. Heal the land that we love! Protect our men and women who stand firmly for the rights we believe belong to all men! Thank You again and again!