Sunday, December 18, 2016

Liturgical Calendar

I spent about 50 years as a member of a liturgical denomination. There are a few things I miss, one is celebrating Advent. I miss some of the hymns which reminded me Christmas does not begin on Black Friday.

Some years, I've found it easy not to get caught up in the commercial holiday hype, other years, I failed and was completely caught up in it. As we enter into the week before Christmas, I will now decorate the inside of my house. Today, the tree goes up as well as a few other decorations. Last year I cut back on the decorating and missed the 2 trees I normally place in the dining room; as well as other decorations around the house. I am going to determine this year if I will decorate more than 1 tree again. If I still miss them at Epiphany when I pack the decorations, I will resume decorating 3 trees and go big once more. I used to decorate the chandelier over my dining room table as well. I loved the results, but I do not see me doing that ever again!

I used to spend the Thanksgiving weekend decorating for Christmas, then 1 year due to circumstances I did not have the time over the holiday weekend and I began decorating later in December just as my family did when I was a child. We decorated the day school was dismissed for the Christmas holidays. I look back and remember how I could barely contain myself the day school was dismissed, not because it was dismissed, but because with care, we would unpack the decorations and lovingly place the Nativity Scene in the living room, hang the wreath on the front door, hang delicate ornaments on the tree. Dad let me help with the outdoor lights. In my book, one could never have too many lights!

So this afternoon, I will lovingly place Nativity Scenes around the house, one of which my mother bought in 1965. I will assemble the tree and hopefully, on the 1st attempt, plug in all the electrical cords correctly. I will look at delicate ornaments as I hang them on the tree and smile.

And if by chance, I have difficulty with the lights on the tree...I may have a future blog post concerning be angry and sinning not!

I pray this week, as anticipation builds, you have quiet time with the Lord and no matter what is on the news, no matter what the govt is doing or not doing, no matter what a difficult relative demands, you are thrilled at the Good News:

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Monday, December 12, 2016

Christmas Carols

I love Christmas Carols! I feel joy when I listen to them, but occasionally, I feel sad when I hear them. At my age, I've said goodbye to most of my family and a good many friends. Maybe you are in the same phase of life.

If the holidays cause you pain, if celebrating the birth of Jesus does not bring you joy, please ask trusted friends and or your pastor to pray with you. Try to get out and walk, even if it is in the mall due to weather, ride your bike, fly a kite, hit a bucket of balls at the driving range. Many times physical activity helps. Do something you enjoy - knit, color, crochet, paint. Manage your expectations for the season, especially if you are a perfectionist down to the smallest ornament on the tree (Words lovingly typed by a reformed perfectionist/control freak). Watch a few I Love Lucy episodes for a good, G-Rated laugh! Limit sugar and other foods/beverages which can cause your system to crash leaving you feeling worse after a momentary surge of energy. Ask the Lord to lead you to Scripture that will be uplifting to you.

If your family member or friend is blue, don't try to cajole them into the holiday spirit. This is not a pull yourself up by the bootstrap situation. Be present for your friends and family, listen to them, don't try to fix them or their problems. If you see a little something you think would bring a smile to their face send it to them. Lift them up to the Lord.

Let these words from the New Testament permeate the very fiber of your being:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.


do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And remember, You are loved by God so much He sent His only Son to save you!

May the remainder of Advent be a time of peace and joy for you.









Friday, December 9, 2016

Advent 2016

Advent has arrived. What a relief after the vitriol of November! Advent Calendars, Advent Hymns, Advent Wreaths - symbols of the season, the new year. Symbols are nice reminders, but what is the true state of my heart and mind? Do I have a heart of stone or a heart of flesh? Is my mind focused on Christ, looking to His return or is it focused on myself and things of this world?

My prayer is this:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Instead of getting caught up in the hustle and bustle, my hope is to remain in the Word and in prayer, as Paul tells us in Philippians:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things - I want to live this way, focused on Him.

2017 is almost here, I look to it with hope, putting my faith in our Lord and His promises, not the govt. I pray the rancor subsides, I pray our love for the Lord and our neighbor increases, (Our neighbor is everybody!) I pray we die to self and live for Christ, and I pray we truly learn to forgive.

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.







Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Contention or Contending

So far November has "delighted" me with a contentious election, warm weather, little rain, and post-election contention. People are still so bogged down in politics, whether their candidate won or lost, I've heard little talk about giving thanks about anything! I've seen the November gratitude posts on Facebook, and the poster's very next post is angry, hateful, and or filled with pride.

If Facebook is causing negative emotions, sinful thoughts, and outrageous posts, maybe you should take a break from it. If Facebook does nothing other than cause negative emotions - give it up for a while. The world will still spin while you are off of it. Go outside, take a walk, ride a bike, read the Bible, talk to a neighbor...anything just quit expending energy and raising your blood pressure over politics and trash talk.

Newsflash this election has come and gone, let us turn our eyes to the Lord, let us contend in prayer for our country, the elderly, the widowed, the poor, the youth, justice, the lost, the prisoner, the unjustly incarcerated, the injured, the mentally ill, the physically ill, the spiritually ill...the list is endless.

Run toward the finish line, don't get stuck in a rut. Let these words wash over you anew:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

We need to walk in love, forgiveness, and dying to self. We must live out the Gospel without a drop of Pharisee of legalism. I jump off the soapbox now, get back to work, try to be Kingdom minded.





Saturday, November 12, 2016

America's Hate Group = KKK

An Open Letter to the KKK:

The truth be known, I want to shout y’all are stupid and leave it at that, however, that accomplishes nothing. I truly do not know how a fraternal order or whatever you call yourselves can decide to hate everyone who is not white and does not buy what you are selling.
From dressing up to conceal your identity (just like Jihadists) to your Sieg Heil salutes, you are nothing more than buffoons. Then we add your hateful signs, parades, and burning crosses to the mix and you morph from buffoons to hate filled people who need spiritual and mental counseling, possibly in-patient treatment. I can only imagine your lodge meetings and ceremonies.
You and your hateful rhetoric are a blight on this land. I would like to write you off as an uneducated, raised by packs of wolves, people. If I came to know any of you, most likely I would discover some of you are educated and were raised by loving parents.
Do you really think your ideals are right and just? Do you feel your lives have merit and bless our country? If you were able to drive out every person who does not agree with your “philosophy”, what would you do then? Become more extreme and attack one another because you find some to be Not KKK Enough?
The Constitution guarantees your right to free speech and parades. Men and women have died to afford you your rights. I will not be let myself be overwhelmed by anger. Instead, I will do the right thing, the loving thing, and pray for you just as I pray for myself, my family, the sick, the hurting, and the USA. I know Jesus is bigger than your hate. I believe miracles happen every day. I believe people can change.
I pray the KKK fades away because you cannot find new recruits and your current members come to repentance and turn away from hate and instead are filled with the love of Christ.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

President-elect Donald Trump

The campaign is over, the ballots have been tallied, and the dust will settle. Hopefully, people who do not like Donald Trump will stop the violent protests and heed Hillary Clinton's words to be open minded and give him a chance.

Many people have been praying over the candidates and our country for months. I urge you, please continue to pray. I don't care who you voted for or voted against, I don't care if he will never be your president, don't murmur and complain - pray for Mr. Trump and our country. If you supported him, continue to pray for him and our country. Don't stop now.

Don't spend the next 4 years griping and whining. God is not a fan of murmuring and complaining. Don't spend the next 4 years gloating. With humble hearts seek the Lord and His will. Consult your Bible not Facebook, Twitter, the news media. I think it is fair to say many mainstream media outlets need to reflect upon their lack of journalistic integrity.

In the words of JFK, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."

Go out into your community, spread the love of Christ, not legalism. Remember the least of these:


For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Monday, November 7, 2016

Waiting at the ER

As you wait with a loved one at the ER, you hear many things. Machines whirring, carts being wheeled down the hallways, bells, alarms, people griping about various topics and the dreaded voice over the PA System announcing Code Blue. 2 people coded as I waited. One was a 35-year-old man brought into the ER by paramedics. One moment a nurse was taking my loved one's vitals, in the blink of an eye he was off to work on the man who was dying feet away from me. Earlier today, the man left home for work. I think it is safe to safe the day did not turn out has he planned. I feel for his family. He did make it up to ICU...

If he could push the reset button for the day, the last month, or the last year; I wonder what changes he would make if any? If we pushed the reset button, what changes would we make? Eat less, exercise more - maybe...Spend more time griping about politicians - NO...Spend more time maintaining our spiritual health and with friends and family - Yes!

We never know when we will be called home. When we pray and come to our Heavenly Father in repentance confessing our sin, we do push the reset button in a sense. Our sins are forgiven. I had a friend who always said, "I keep the accounts short and confess throughout the day because I cannot remember it all when I return home from work." I know I feel as though I've really accomplished something if I make it from the bed to the coffee pot in the morning without a single, sinful thought.

Scripture tells us:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.



Friday, November 4, 2016

Almost Over

Tuesday is Election Day in the USA. I know millions of Americans, including myself will be glad it over even though I know millions will be dissatisfied with the winner. (I am not sure citizens win regardless of the outcome.)

I will admit I am not a fan other either major candidate for various reasons. However, I consider it a privilege to vote and will exercise my right to do so. I pray for Hillary and Donald every day, not for my will to be done through them in Jesus' Name, but for them personally. The outcome of the election is important, but it is a blip on the radar in the big picture when you consider eternity.

With the finger pointing, trash talking, overreporting of issues, underreporting of others, it would be easy to get into the trash talking, candidate bashing, judgmental, hateful rhetoric. I think our opinions are important as we relay facts and concerns. Name calling and wishing people dead is ungodly.

I am saddened by the hatred coming from my Democrat and Republican brothers and sisters in Christ. We can be angry but we must sin not. We should spend the collective hours spent on moaning and griping in prayer instead.

So as we head into the last hours before the polls close Tuesday night, let us try prayer and love.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

John Wayne & the Good Guys

The Man and I watched way too much TV last Sunday afternoon and evening. We began with John Wayne's Island in the Sky, when it was over we moved on to The High and the Mighty and as if that was not enough TV, we watched 2 parts of Lonesome Dove. I am not sure if we felt nostalgic or wanted to escape from all the bad news and political drama. We watched all this on a digital TV device - No Commercials!!!

There is something wonderful about John Wayne movies, he might die in a few of them, but the good guys always win. Sometimes, I think we want God to show up like John Wayne with guns blazing and take care of the "bad guys", we do not want to wait patiently, we do not care about His timing. Do it now God is our attitude.

Obviously, on occasion, we need an instant answer to prayer. But we do not need it in every instance nor should we expect it. My friend Norma used to say God answers all prayers with yes, no, or wait. I don't think we like no or wait. We want yes and fast just like the line at a drive through restaurant.

Andrew Murray had wonderful thoughts on prayer, two of my favorites are below:

“Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!”

“God cannot hear the prayers on our lips often because the desires of our heart after the world cry out to Him much more strongly and loudly than t our desires for Him.”

We must look at our desires and motives as we pray. Do our desires line up with the Word of God?

Sure, we pray throughout the day as we drive, work, wait in the carpool line. But it is ideal if we have a quiet period of time and pray intentionally. We are busy, it can be hard to make time, but it is vital we do make the time. Jesus was busy, yet He withdrew to quiet (solitary) places to pray.

One of the disciples asked Him how to pray. Jesus answered the question very specifically. I end with His instructions and example of prayer from Matthew 6 in the ESV:

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."






Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Judging Others

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are."

It is easy to judge and not take a good look at ourselves. It is easy to think well, she____________________ , he________________, or at least I did not_________________. At least I did not fill in the blank was a favorite thing to fling at my parents when I was in trouble as a teen. Seriously, I was not as bad as my cousin, their friend's child, or some teen on the news. As if ever uttering those words helped my situation!

I think as a busy adult, it can be hard to take the time to measure where our heart is, where we are compromising according to God's Word, how we are sinning. And though confessing our sin to the Lord and repenting of our sin is not only crucial to our Christian walk, it brings immediately healing to us. And face it, maybe we don't want to examine our hearts because we do not want to examine what lurks there. After all, if we confront it head on, we might have to make uncomfortable changes in our lives.

John Wesley put it this way, “We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others.” Easy to say, hard to do.

Somewhere between the feel-good, prosperity themed sermons of many mega church pastors and you are a worm messages of legalistic, Pharisaic pastors is the Truth. We must seek truth and put it into action in our lives.

Jesus warns us judge not lest ye be judged (I still remember it in King James English from my childhood.) In context (and in the ESV) He said,

"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?"

So as we go about our day, our week, our life...let us extend love, compassion, kindness, and thank the Lord for the love, compassion, and kindness He extends to us.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Corrupt Talk

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Eph 4:29

Christians in America would be wise to put Paul's words into action at all times, but especially now! I have never seen so much hatred and malice over politics. Many people refuse to disagree with one another and move on, instead they insult each other and insult the candidates. Nothing wrong with saying I don't agree with Mr. or Mrs. Doe's politics, but many don't leave it with that, many people start firing off curse words, casting stones, and political zingers. Much of the conversation is R rated. Eph 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Stand your ground in a godly way. Confess and repent, turn away from all the negativity, criticism, and judgment. Turn off the TV set. Don't tweet or post every salacious detail you see on the Internet. PRAY

God will not be surprised by the election results. Someone will win. Someone will be inaugurated. I recommend praying for both candidates because as in important as this is, their spiritual lives - their eternal lives are more important.

We don't need to go back to our past to be great again. The Hebrews murmured and complained after they left Egypt, they wanted to go back - How did that work out for them? Lot's wife looked back - Need I say more.

Look to God, look to the future. Being great as a nation can happen once more, but it does not have to look exactly like it did in 1945.

So brothers and sisters in the words of Paul:

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

We need to love one another, stand on God's Word and promises, and PRAY.


Thursday, October 13, 2016

Exhausted

Has this election cycle made you tired? It has exhausted me. God will not be surprised by the election results, so we should not stress, He is in control. I quit watching TV several weeks ago to avoid political ads. I quit watching the news to avoid political stories. I check the networks' and local news stations' websites, I read the stories I want to read and skip the rest. When I want to watch TV, I watch movies and TV show via my Fire TV device from Amazon. Few to no commercials none of which are approved by Donald or Hillary.

Not to wish away time, but come on November 9th! I realize a large number of people are going to be irate after the election no matter who wins, hopefully, they will not be as mad and offended as they are today.

I pray for both candidates. I pray they are safe, their health is good, they know Jesus as Lord and Savior, they know the Bible is God's Word and it is alive and active, sharper than a double-edged sword. I pray they will make decisions which are righteous in God's eyes and they know one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord.

The president cannot save us, Congress and Senate cannot save us...only the risen Son of God - Jesus can save us. Put your trust in Him. Let the words from Psalm 62 wash over you and refresh you:


For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.




Friday, October 7, 2016

Hurricanes

This week the news has been filled with stories pertaining to Hurricane Matthew which is a very strong hurricane. I live in an area which experiences the occasional hurricane, our last one was a Category 4 and made landfall just over 8 years ago. I understand what the people in the path of the storm do before, during, and after.

When a hurricane is predicted to make landfall in our area, most of us make preparations. We board up windows, move birdbaths and lawn furniture to the garage so they will not become projectiles, buy bottled water, non-perishable food, batteries, and fill our bathtubs with water (so we can flush toilets). We fill our cars' gas tanks, go to the bank and withdraw some cash because we might be without electricity for a day or 6 weeks. Filling the tub with water is the last thing I do. My husband says it is not real until I fill the bathtub.

After the last hurricane, we were thankful we had no major damage and were amazed by the quiet because there were no air conditioners running (no electricity and generators were not running...yet), no trains because the tracks were covered with debris. Hurricanes are loud. So the quiet afterward is almost too much to absorb. We embraced our neighbors before and after the storm and were so thankful to see everyone had only minor damage. Houses 5 miles away were flattened. You just never know what will happen with a hurricane and you try to prepare for all possibilities.

We need to approach our spiritual lives with the same care and a plan. The Bible tells us to put on our armor, it does not say you might need a weapon every 8 years. In Ephesians 6, Pauls tells us:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.


We prepare for the storms of life with prayer and time in the Word. We need to keep our eyes on our Lord Jesus and eternity, heavenly treasures not earthly treasures, or politics, or reality TV which is anything but real. If we have time to peruse catalogs and veg out for hours in front of the Tube we have time to read the Bible and to pray. We need to prioritize and make a few changes to our schedules.

Sometimes our schedule gets out of balance due to circumstances beyond our control, we become accustomed to it and get in a rut which keeps them unbalanced. Take an honest look at how you can tweak your schedule to spend more time with the Lord.

You never know when the Lord will call you like He did Esther for such a time as this...

Friday, September 30, 2016

It is October Ready or Not

I had a few goals I wanted to accomplish before Labor Day, then I extended the self-imposed deadline to September 30, and here we are...I am not finished with a massive reorganization of business files which I began mid-August, though I did sort through 600 LBS of documents some of which I shredded and some of which I had shredded. Every 5 years per a client's contract, I can destroy hard copies of their orders and the results I submit to them.

It feels good to have more room in my office, less paperwork in filing cabinets. Many clients allow me to store their work digitally, but not all do. Paperwork and clutter are like the proverbial snowball, they begin to grow, almost as if multiplying when you skip a day or 2 of handling them. The next thing you know, flat surfaces are no longer visible under the clutter and paper. The job is now big, time-consuming, and tedious.

When we let our time with the Lord slide for a day or two, metaphorically speaking Labor Day has come and gone and October begins tomorrow because in many cases a day or 2 becomes many days. Life if busy, there are work and family demands. Schedules are interrupted for many reasons.

Another way to look at skipping time with the Lord, the little hurt/offense is like a splinter and we neglect to remove it. It goes from being a minor annoyance to an aching, red, inflamed inconvenience. The problem is bigger. Had we taken care of it immediately, it would be healed.

Our goal is to stay close to the Lord and serve Him. His Word is a lamp to our path (APV - Annette Paraphrase Version), it is a balm to our aching/broken hearts. Wisdom is found from Genesis to Revelation. We have the Lord's example of how to pray, He prayed alone and He taught the disciples how to pray. There are prayers and hymns throughout the Psalms. Open your Bibles, let them wash over you and bring solace, healing, and joy.

If you have gotten away from daily time with our Lord, it is not too late. Begin anew, He is waiting. Ask,seek, knock!

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

Friday, September 23, 2016

Meddle in Someone's Business

Wednesday night I discovered my friend and Sister in Christ is suffering terrible pain in her hip caused by Bursitis. It flared up a couple of weeks ago. Doctors have brought no relief. I looked up the spiritual root of Bursitis, it is repressed resentment. So, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I let her know. She burst into tears and wrote back to me: I knew it would have to come out someway.

Sometimes people and or life smack us in the face with neglect, abuse, tragedies, and trauma. She had long buried abuse and trauma. It was deeply buried; but recently began working its way to the surface. We can paste a smile on our faces and respond with everything is fine, God is good - All the time. Yes, God is good all the time, but life is not always fine, everything is not always fine. I find Christian women many times other won't admit there is anything wrong or they are the complete opposite and think and tell you everything is wrong and it normally takes several 4 to 5 hour long visits to do so. (These same women always seem to pop over during dinner or phone late at night and use you until they move onto to someone else.)

Christ lets us know in no uncertain terms we must forgive. The Bible is very clear on this. We cannot twist it, misconstrue it, and expect to live happily ever after. When we choose not to forgive, we hinder our walk with God. Forgiveness is a choice. We may not succeed at 1st, but I do believe God honours our heart's desire to forgive. One way I can tell I've truly forgiven someone is I can pray for them and truly ask the Lord to bless them, there is no more thinking maybe bringing a little fire and thunder down on them is a good thing.

In some circumstances forgiveness is truly instantaneous, in others it takes time. I've also noticed over the years, many people have a hard time or refuse to forgive themselves. About 20 years ago, I really annoyed a friend as she moaned about never forgiving herself over a minor offense. I said, "Good to know the Cross is big enough for me, for everyone else, but not you." Her eyes grew big, her Texas Twang increased in intensity as she vehemently denied it and realized in her case it was a matter of pride.

I look to Corrie ten Boom's example of forgiving the man who betrayed her and her family which led to their arrests and many of them were sent to Concentration Camps. She also personally forgave a guard who ask for forgiveness.


As Stephen was being stoned he asked the Lord to forgive his killers. Jesus said, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

I know the act of forgiving is difficult and is opposite of what we as humans want to do at times. My friend Norma Dearing shared the following exercise with me years ago. She learned it from her father-in-law. I posted it years go. It is truly timeless. So please take some time to really discern what is buried, what is hindering your Christian walk, and what is causing you to sin. He will forgive you!

4 Way Forgivenss Exercise:


After you write down the people, places, situation, pretend you are holding them in your hands like cupped water, pray, then turn your hands over as you dumping the water as a symbol of letting go.

Part 1: Hold up to the Lord all the things about the person that trouble you.

Bring before the Lord all the things a particular person has done that bother you. Physically put your hands together like cupping water, in your hands, all these things to give to Him. For example, if the person is your father, list and name those things that upset you about him. It is important to verbalize each offense as you place it in your hands. When you are finished, turn your hands over and release all these things to the Lord. At this point, pray a prayer similar to the following:

Lord Jesus: I give You each one of these things and ask that You take them and pour Your love and healing power through them. I thank You, Lord, that You have the power and the grace to redeem them. I ask You, Lord Jesus, to lift all the pain and hurt that have been involved with each one of these experiences, that You lift it from my heart, from my mind, from my spirit. I ask that You lift the burden of these things from my shoulders. I give all this to You, Lord, and I trust You to deal with it. Thank You, Lord, for taking each one of these things. Amen.


Part 2: Hold up to the Lord all the things about you that trouble this person.

Put your hands together and prepare to lift up all those things about yourself that may trouble the person you are forgiving. Then, go through the same process of verbally listing them and piling them up one by one in your hands. When you cannot think of anything else, turn your hands over and release those things to the Lord. Now, pray the same type of prayer:

Lord Jesus: I ask You to pour Your love and healing power over these things. I ask You to heal this hurt and pain and disappointment. Lord, I give You this relationship today and ask for You to deal with it. Help me to trust You with it. Amen.


Part 3: Hold up to the Lord your heart's desire for this person.

Hold out your hands as if to offer that particular person to the Lord and share with the Lord what the desire of your heart is for him or her. Say, "Lord, this is my dad and this is what I would like for You to do for my dad." (If the person has died, it is still okay to lift up the person in prayer and share with the Lord what the desire of your heart is for him or her.) List those things, placing them in your hands. When you are finished, turn your hands over and give them all to the Lord, just as before. At this point, pray a prayer like the following:

Lord, I give [name] to You. I thank You that You are able to handle [him/her] better than anyone else. Bring about Your perfect will for [name], and let Your love pour into [him/her] and Your healing power flow over [him/her]. I release [name] into Your care. Amen.

Part 4: Hold up to the Lord your heart's desire for yourself.

Lastly, hold yourself up to the Lord and share with Him what the desires of your heart are for yourself, what you would really like to see Jesus do in your life today. Name these things out loud, put them into your hands and release them.

Lord, I release these things to You and ask that You pour Your love, mercy and grace into them. I thank You that I can trust You with these things. Surround me with Your heavenly angels. Help me to know how much You love me. Continue to reveal Yourself to me in a mighty way. Thank You, Lord. Amen.



Saturday, September 17, 2016

Paul's Letter to Timothy

In Acts 9, we see a slice of Paul's life when he breathed murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went all the way to the high priest with them. After this, he encounters the Lord Who asks Saul why do you persecute me? His life was changed forever. He preached, he traveled, he obeyed, he wrote. We have God's message poured out through him in the Epistles. Our lives in Christ are enriched through previous generations' obedience. I hope I am always thankful for them and do not take the sacrifices they made for granted.

Paul's ministry included many years and much travel. Today, he would be a frequent flyer. We know during Paul's ministry he was surrounded by people. I am willing to bet he was a people person maybe not when he lived as Saul, but definitely when he became Paul. People responded to the love of the Lord he exuded as he preached. He traveled, he worked along the way as a tentmaker. He developed relationships with people especially Timothy who became like a son to him. His life was full. The Lord was his # 1 priority.

I think of him as he awaited his execution, virtually alone in prison. We have no record of him sitting around bemoaning his fate, crying out why me? We know he prayed, he remembered, he wrote. Dietrich Bonhoeffer did the same thing. I am reading his Letters and Papers from Prison.

I believe when we are in the desert, living through a tough season, wondering if we will make it to the other side, we need to look towards Paul and Dietrich's examples. We need to remember what the Lord has done for us, we need to pray and ask others to pray for and with us, and write - pour out our hearts on paper. You don't need a fancy journal, a spiral notebook or legal pad will work.

Life is hard, the news is dreadful, ghastly stories assault us relentlessly. We must keep our faith and stand on God's promises that are sprinkled throughout His Word.

Let us fight the good fight in praise, prayer, and love. He will never leave you or forsake you. Be encouraged today and encourage others.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.


Tuesday, September 13, 2016

War Room

I do not have a prayer closet in my home AKA War Room. I hope to convert a closet in my office over the next few months. Late last week, the Lord gave me inspiration for a portable War Room involving a tri-fold poster board. Where were these things in the 1970's when I was forced, I mean assigned science projects? I know the inspiration was Divine because tri-fold poster boards are not a part of my realm.

I wrote out Scriptures on 5 x 7 tablet and binder paper. I wrote out name lists on sticky notes and stuck them on larger pieces of paper with Scriptures on them. I wrote names of countries and issues which need prayer on index cards. I used thumbtacks to attach everything to the board, so as I change out pages, lists, and index cards the board will not be damaged. One of the lists contains the names of school teachers, one list is names of people fighting cancer. You get the idea. When I finish praying, I fold it up and place it behind furniture. Below is a picture:


Please feel free to post comments if you have a War Room or War Room ideas in your home.

Ladies, we are in the home stretch of the election cycle. Let us pray for both candidates. May they listen to God, believe His Word, and be people who will make decisions which are righteous in His sight.


Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Fall Wreaths & Pumpkins

Yesterday my cousins from Ohio posted pictures of their trip to Wyoming and surrounding states on Facebook. I could tell the weather was very cool by their attire. If I had seen pictures of Texans from my area attired in jackets and hats, I would have wondered if it was that cool or was it 65 degrees F and felt cool to them because the day they left home it was 103 degrees F. Sometimes, the picture is worth 1000 words sometimes not so much.

Autumn is closing in on parts of the United States. People in southeast Texas hope to see it by late November. We yearn for cool fronts, a few crisp days, air conditioners off, windows open, and low humidity. While waiting, we hang fall wreaths from our front doors, place pumpkins in the yard and around the house. We will pretend fall's arrival is imminent. It is all show, no reality.

Is our Christian life all show, looking good on the outside with little reality on the inside? Are we faking it until we make it? Are we in a desert and we do not know what to do? Do we feel far from God and think there is no way back to Him? Do we feel our friends have turned away from us?

Remember ladies, God has not moved. We do the moving, He remains on His throne.

If you do not know where to begin to find true victory living out the Gospel, find hope in these words from Revelation 2:

I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.

Go back to Scriptures which spoke to you and stirred your spirit in the past. Re-read Christian books and sermons which led you closer to Christ. Join a balanced Bible Study. Ask good, trusted friends and or your pastor to pray for you and with you.

Make a list of promises from the Bible and read them daily until you once more believe them, ask the Lord to show you any sin that is unconfessed and repent, and remember Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. God loves you so much, He gave his only Son to save you, redeem you, deliver you, and heal you.



Saturday, September 3, 2016

Hate Thy Neighbor?

Due to my age, I have seen much in life concerning race relations from outright hate to true love among people. While hatred pierces my heart, it especially hurts when I see it in the Body of Christ. White brothers and sisters (in Christ) spewing horrible ungodly words about people of different races. Black brothers and sisters (in Christ) spewing ungodly words about whites and people of other colors. It seems to grow even worse if that is possible when you add politics to the mix!

I am not suggesting people not vote or support a candidate of their choice (though there is no one I want to support at this moment), but when a person spends hours a day railing against a candidate on Twitter and Facebook using derogatory language, my concern grows - especially when a Christian meme proclaiming love follows the political rants.

Why the concern? The profanity, time, and anger exhibited in the posts for one. Also, the mentality if you support someone other than I support then you are my enemy. Lastly, where is Christ in all of this? Is your focus on Him, the Kingdom, the Bible, our real home - Heaven?

I think there are problems in America, I think Americans can do better, I think we need to turn it down a notch, I think we need to be kind and loving as individuals no matter what the govt is doing, I think we need to live out the Gospel, and I think we need to keep our eyes on Jesus and run the race set out before us.

I shall climb off my soapbox on this note: Love Thy Neighbor!

Sunday, August 21, 2016

One Little Weed

I spent way too many hours in front of the Tube during the Olympics. Managed to squeeze laundry in during the long blocks of commercials. I carved out time for the rest of the housework around events and pretty much neglected the yard work due to heat and days of rain. It was easy to ignore. This week should be dryer which means I must attack the weeds in the flower beds after work 2 or 3 nights this week.

Weeds - In southeast Texas, we have winter weeds, we have some winter weeds which only pop up on especially cold years, we have weeds that flourish during extreme heat and drought, we have weeds which grow by the minute when we have historic, epic, and Biblical (media description) rains and floods. Weeds are a year round problem to the gardener down here. This summer, to my dismay the weeds are green and lush.

Have you ever thought of anger directed at someone as a weed? Have you ever thought of hatred directed at someone, maybe a political candidate as a weed? Have you ever thought of any sin as a tiny little weed? You see this one little sprout and ignore it because life is busy. You'll pull it later, in fact, you will wait until next Saturday to pull it after you mow the lawn. Next Saturday arrives, you realize the weed has spread through your vegetable garden and flower beds and you are looking at an all day project pulling the weeds plus mowing and edging the lawn!

That is what happens to us when we neglect sin; when we do not confess and repent; the tiny little sprout has taken root and spread through our lives. Maybe the results are not visible to anyone but you and God. The text you should not send, the tale you should not repeat, misrepresenting hours worked on a time card, the little fib you told...the list is endless.

We all sin, we all fall short, we all need a Savior. Ladies, we must confess our sin, we must repent if we want to serve. Anne Graham Lotz told a story about drawing a circle around ourselves and asking for revival to begin in that circle. I don't need to look at others, I need to look in the mirror to see someone who needs to confess and repent. Pray for others - Yes, Judge others - No!


Abba Father,

Please draw us close to You. Give us hearts to be honest with the sin in our lives. Very clearly show us the changes we need to make to live lives which are pleasing to You. We want to be examples to those around us of your love, mercy, and grace. Fasting does not always mean giving up food, show us how You would have us fast - what we should add and what we should subtract from our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray.


Thursday, August 11, 2016

August Heat

I admit it, Summer has defeated me. It has not been a terrible summer, no extended heatwave, no drought, normal, humid 97-100 degree days. I am listless, I am bored, I have no get up and go to accomplish anything outdoors, and meanwhile the weeds grow in the flower beds. I've made a deal with myself - if I weed the front yard after work tomorrow and finish Saturday morning, I can sit in front of the Tube watching the Olympics as long as I want. We'll see (the royal we of course) if this works.

Have you ever made a deal with God in the same way? Dear Lord, If You ______________________ fill in the blank, I'll ______________ fill in the blank? I used to pray that way as a teen. Dear Lord, keep the lights green so I won't miss curfew and I will not smoke tomorrow or something equally juvenile.

We are not born mature Christians and mature prayer do not pour out of us until we've prayed many prayers. The language does not have to be eloquent a la King James. Pray what is in your heart. Seek the Lord in the quiet. Of course, you can pray anywhere, anytime, but we need private, quiet time without distraction in prayer. Jesus prayed alone, He was busy, yet He made time. The more you pray, the more natural it becomes.

I think of the scenes in War Room in which Elizabeth tried to get comfortable in her closet and is reduced to drinking a soft drink and eating chips. We then see her staying in her closet all night.

There are many prayer needs in this world. People are lost, hurting, ill. Danger and violence all over the planet. How do we combat it? We stay in Word and we pray. We keep our focus on Jesus. I ask Him to give me 20/20 vision so my focus on Him remains sharp. I don't want blurry vision when it comes to our Lord.


So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Ladies: Prayer - Just do it!

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Podcast

The Lord can use much to show us something missing in our lives. There are times and seasons, life does not remain the same. I noticed over the last 2 or 3 years, I have experienced trouble in the motivation department. I was motivated in short bursts. Occasionally it seemed as if I was moving from the death of the dearest of friends to another death of a dearest friend or close family member. The wind was knocked out of my sails when my cousin Bill died last Dec. I did not realize what a huge impact his death had on my life until last week.

Because I donate to a charity headquartered in Houston, I received an e-mail alerting me to a weekly podcast. I thought OK, I will listen to this manly podcast and see what I think instead of simply deleting the e-mail. There was a bit of colorful language between the 2 hosts and their guest. (3 former Navy SEALS) Their guest talked about motivation and passion. After the podcast ended, I realized I no longer had a zest for life or passion and all the motivation in the world was not enough.

After prayer, I pinpointed the moment passion left my life. I quit teaching...I no longer teach ballet and pointe, I no longer host and or teach Bible Study in my home with a group of ladies.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy many facets of life (not including being weighed at the doctor's office) and no, I was never passionate about cleaning grout but I did it when it needed to be done.

There were/are a couple health issues too which led to fatigue and lack of energy/desire to see things through to the finish line. The Hashimoto's Thyroid thing is under control, my Vitamin D level increased from 7 to 29 but is back down to 20, so I am working to raise it up past 30. I think when it gets back into the high 20's I will have more physical energy again.

I have prayed to have passion again whether it is confined to things around the home and yard or volunteering, running, advancing the Kingdom...as long as what I pursue is in the Will of God.

Ladies, if you find yourself treading water, no motivation - ask the Lord to show you clearly the cause. Shut out the distractions and really listen.

And speaking of listening - I am so glad I listened to Team Never Quit's podcast!

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Time Marches On...

Time marches on...Our faces reveal much about our lives. Did we broil in the sun working hard or in my case for summer fun? Are we under stress, sad, or filled with joy? The answer is revealed on our faces. As an owner of a "mature" face - well over middle age, but not quite a fossil, what does my face reveal about my life?

Just as the outward appearance of our faces change as time marches on, how does our life in Christ change? Are we maturing in Him? Have we been transformed by His love, dying to self, living to serve the Kingdom or are we a legalistic mess wearing our Pharisee hats?

I avoided social media during the week of the Republican convention and most likely will do so again during the Democratic convention. So much hate spewed on social media in the weeks leading up to the convention.

As Christians in America, we should vote and vote our hearts. However, where does the Bible advise us to bash candidates and their supporters? (Calling people vile names, seriously where is Christ is that?!?!?!)

If one or more of the candidates get under your skin, set your teeth on edge, make you want to curse their very being then I urge you to pray. Pray for them to live a holy life, a godly life, filling themselves with His Word each day. Pray that you see them as God sees them. He loves them. He sent His Son to save them, not just you or me. Let go of the self-righteous anger, let go of the fear, let go of the hate and love...

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.



Saturday, March 5, 2016

Spring, Rodeo, Time Change

March is here, Spring is about to show up in her full glory, Rodeo Houston is in full swing, and the Time Change is looming. I am not a fan of Daylight Savings Time, but no one asked me. In the last 2 weeks there have been joyous births and bittersweet deaths. In the words of Truvy from Steel Magnolias, "Time marches on and eventually you realize it is marching across your face." (Which reminds me, I need moisturizer.)

Changes are all around us.

This political cycle is brutal and at the risk of annoying many, I think both sides of the aisle have lost it and few if any represent me in Washington D.C. The campaigning has been hellish so far and bringing out bad behavior in people. Social Media posts are numerous and cruel, not to mention slanted in some cases and utter lies in others. People post drivel which is what they accuse the other side of doing. I for one cannot wait until it is over!

I would never presume to tell someone who they should support financially and select on the ballot. I would appreciate the same in return.

Thankfully we have promises in Scripture, the Lord promises He will never leave us or forsake us. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. (APV - Annette Paraphrase Version)

So pray and put your trust in Him. Run the race. Keep your eyes on the Lord. In Him, our foundation is sure.

Monday, February 15, 2016

This is a Day the Lord Has Made Rejoice and Be Glad in It

I had no more said this is a day the Lord has made; rejoice and be glad in it and entered into prayer when the telephone rang. (No one has ever called me before sunrise with good news.) I answered the telephone, it was a call to inform me my cousin Bill died. I was stunned. He was my older cousin by 3 years, my friend, my brother in Christ, a prayer partner. We shared many serious prayer requests over the last 4 1/2 years.

I thought of his children, his grandson who turned one today. I thought of his parents, brother, and other siblings. His family would be rocked again when his father died a few days later.

So...it was a day the Lord had made, was I going to rejoice and be glad in it? Through tears, yes I still rejoiced. My heart misses him, my mind has come to terms he is in his heavenly home and I will see him in the future.

No more Texas Aggies - Texas Longhorn jokes between us. No more Dallas Cowboy jokes, he was a fan of theirs. No more making him laugh with TBT pictures or humorous Facebook posts, no more sharing Scriptures and what the Lord revealed to us as we studied.

I will smile through tears the next time I hear How Great is our God because he loved it so. I will cry the next time I watch Green Berets because I always do and it inspired him to enlist in the Army where he was in Special Forces for over 20 years.

I miss Bill, I am thankful for the prayers he prayed for me and my family, and I am thankful for the love he showed me. A great patriot and cowboy did indeed ride away...

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Procrastination

Fire burning brightly in the fireplace. Coffee in hand. Dogs in lap. Sunrise is spectacular. Cardinals singing. Oh to sit here and while the morning away instead of tackling the to-do list. No matter how hard I try to clear a Saturday morning, there is always a little housework that must be done and maybe an errand or two. First thought today - put off the one load of laundry, cleaning the stove, and the errand until Monday. I will resist the urge because it will nag me and who knows what Monday will bring!

If I am not careful, I can be the same way with a spiritual problem I need to take before the Lord. Instead of getting quiet and going to prayer, I think I'll pray later. I'll call Susie Q for godly counsel on this matter. A day or 2 goes by maybe a week, the problem is still nagging me, and I have not prayed or sought godly counsel about it though I've prayed for people and situations in the world, spent time in the Word...but procrastinated on the problem.

Procrastination does us no good whatsoever - whether minor issues or the big things of life - take care of it, don't let procrastination steal your peace. It can be tempting to take care of several small items on the to-do list to avoid the big one. You feel a sense of accomplishment dare I say pride and you leave the big item for tomorrow. (After all, look at all that was crossed off the list.) Tackle the big one first and a weight will be lifted from your shoulders.

The following Scriptures remind us to get it done!

Col 3:23-24
Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.

Gal 6:9
So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.

So whether a spiritual matter or tasks that come with daily life - get it done, rejoice and be glad, this is a day the Lord has made.







Sunday, January 31, 2016

Foggy Day

After a pitiful night's sleep, I woke up to a foggy morning. Two cups of coffee are not going to do it today! The birds do not seem to be singing much this morning. The squirrels are racing around the yard and gobbling all the bird seed they can while the Hawk is hunting elsewhere. At certain times of year a hawk visits. I know he must eat, however, I prefer his fine dining does not consist of birds and squirrels caught in my yard.

Satan is similar to the hawk. He lurks, prowls, hunts, and devours. We may put him on the back burner, we may think the concept of satan is archaic and is not worth a second thought, but that is contrary to what the Bible says about him.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

Matthew 4:1-11


Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the highest point of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering to his needs.

Satan is not God's equal or opposite. He is a created being who sinned and fell. His time is growing short and he is on the prowl.

Ladies, arm yourself with the Word of God and prayer. Stand firm. Our Bridegroom is coming.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Looking at the Calendar

January has flown by at warp speed! Just over a month ago, we celebrated Christmas. Well, to be honest, I did not celebrate it, I was in bed ill with walking pneumonia. (My body was unaware it should be walking that day.) Sometimes I marvel at how time flies especially in the Winter due to dreary days which seem long and endless. I also catch myself saying why is it sunny all week and rarely on the weekends? (Which is not true.)

The Super Bowl (Sorry, I do not care about it one way or another.) and Valentine's Day are around the corner. I refuse to believe time passes quickly because I am older. (Anyone remember as a child on December 24th, thinking Christmas morning would never arrive?)

Time passes, this transitory life is short. Don't put off forgiving someone, calling someone, serving the Lord, praying, reading the Bible, helping those in need, the lost sheep, enjoying a walk around the block, time with family...the list is endless.

This is the day the Lord has brought about. We will be happy and rejoice in it.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Hearing Clearly


I heard a repetitive noise as I filled bird feeders. I stopped what I was doing and listened, I found the source of the noise, a beautiful Woodpecker. So often we want to hear from God, but we never stop to listen. We remain in constant motion, we talk, we watch TV, log onto Facebook, Twitter etc. Be still and know He is God!

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Ahab

What do you think of when you see the name Ahab? I think wicked, married to Jezebel, spoiled, and weak - let his wife carry out his dirty work for him. I first read about Ahab in 5th grade when we studied the Judges and Kings in the Old Testament. Maybe it shaped my opinion pertaining to Ahab or maybe reading about him each year, somehow I zoned out and missed the end of the story.


I Kings 21:

Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.

Ahab wanted a vegetable garden close to his house, did not get it, went to bed and pouted. Seriously - the king was in bed pouting and like a child would not eat.


But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

Jezebel takes control and sets Naboth up to be stoned and Ahab takes control of the land. The Lord sends Elijah to deliver a message to Ahab.

Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.”

For some reason in my mind, this is where the story ends for Ahab. He was evil, the Lord gave him a message, and at some point Ahab died. The End.

But that is not how it ended!

(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)

And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”

Ahab truly repented and had a life changing experience. He humbled himself before the Lord. It was sincere. Though I would love to say I was like Stephen with the face of an angel (See Acts 6.) or had to wear a veil like Moses because the glory of the Lord radiated from me...it is not so. I fear I have more in common with Ahab. I've sinned along the way - idolatry (other things were like a god to me), gossip, judging others, murmuring and complaining and the list continues. God is a God of second chances. Ladies - take it before God, repent, and live in freedom. It is not too late.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.



Sunday, January 3, 2016

Goldfinches

We've been in a cold, wet, and dreary pattern the last several days. I have not been outdoors much except to feed the birds. We have winter visitors in our area. The Goldfinches have arrived. They are cheerful and fun to watch as they crowd each other to eat seeds. I hear Woodpeckers calling each other. I have not seen any yet. There are probably House Finches too. There is so much beauty all around us, but I think sometimes we get in a rut going about everyday life and see beauty without really seeing it.

I think too we can see the poor around us and turn the blinders on because we are not prepared to deal with it at that moment or think what difference can one person make? The thing is, if we all work together we can make a difference. We are not the Lone Rangers of Christ. We are the Body of Christ. Do what you can with donations, volunteer if you can, and pray for the poor, the ill, and the lonely.

Lord give us the eyes to see what we can do and a heart for those who need us.

Friday, January 1, 2016

2016

2015 was filled with many blessings and many trials, as it was for you, too. My heart is still reeling from my cousin's death December 20. God has comforted me and will continue to do so as my grief wanes. I rest assured I will see Bill again, he was a man of strong faith who trusted completely in the Lord.

I pray in 2016 I grow more in Christ each day and keep my eyes focused on Him - not on family drama, terrorism, politics...Etc, Etc! My goal is to abide/remain in Him, running the race set before me. I want to have His heart for the poor, the grieving, the lonely, the lost. I don't want to judge, criticize, gossip, or become distracted with things of this world.

Love is my word for 2016. (I hope I do not cross paths with an annoying driver when I leave the house today!) Ladies, I hope 2016 ia year filled with love, joy, and peace for each one you. Keep your eyes on the finish line!


So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.