Rip Tides (and the lifeguard)

Just one of those summer days of being mom with 8 kids in all stages of school age and younger. Some were off to a job or a friends house. Another had plans to be picked up by a friend and their parent I didn't know well AFTER I would be gone already with the 4 I was taking with me. It had me more than a little on edge so I was praying in the spirit about it. Except that when I would stop long enough to hear what I was praying about, it kept coming back around to me and the 4. That was odd to me because I figured the ones with me were right there in my care...the others were not so I wanted extra protection on their behalf you know?


This was when we were not all armed with cell phones and all that instant communication potential.


We were on our way to THE BEACH and THE ZOO picnic lunch, double stroller, diaper bag, bathing suits, sunscreen, beach towels...you get the picture if you are a mom of even one child. Enter the storm. Not long lived, but enough to close the beach a while and send us to the zoo first and perhaps only the zoo.


Eventually though, it was deemed "safe" for opening the beach and we were delighted to head that direction next. Lydia and Martin were released to wade in the water about knee to waist deep only to the sand bar while I proceeded to sunblock Abe and Lily. Sunblock the back. Look up and out. Sunblock the little face. Look up and out, in the rhythm of a mom tending and watching her little flock. Look up and out...Martin was missing! The feeling of dread hits me as I type these words. "Where is he?" I mouth to Lydia, her beautiful blue eyes large and fringed with still dry blond hair because she was still only about waist deep. Young hands of a 10 year old half lifted in that expression matching her desperate words mouthed back "I don't know".


Praying, grabbing Abe and Lily, running  to the shore and looking with Lydia in the longest time warp of seconds...Some how I became aware of a situation down the beach with the life guards bringing in a boy...my 8 year old son...alive bless God!


Here is what I remember my son telling me. An undertow pulled him under and swept him down the beach (yes that shallow and near to shore).
"I knew I was drowning but I thought to lift my hand up"

When he lifted his hand it so "happened" he was right next to a life guards boat! He was pulled up and out to safety!

A couple of things I take from this now that it is a memory...


One is the whole thing of my kids are safe if they are with me.
Well surely they are most times but the Holy Spirit makes intercession and prays for those things we do not know. That day the Holy Spirit was interceding for me and my kids...the ones who were with me and would be needing His help even though they were with me.
American King James Version
But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Jude 1:20


Another is this picture.
Sometimes circumstances or choices in life or the enemy of our life, sweep us under and far from our place...
If we will think to LIFT OUR HAND to the One Who inhabits the praises of His people, we will be lifted out by the One Who Guards Our Life...


Enjoy summer. Don't be afraid of the beach (but respect that water!). Pray in the spirit. Count your blessings...Know you are loved by the One who desperately wants lost sons and daughters recovered...and if you are a found one or a saved one join Him in rescuing the others.

Feast, Fast (or famine)

Something about scarcity can make a thing more valuable. Take gold for instance. We wear bits of it and it has value but in heaven we will walk on it since the streets are made of it. We don't treasure asphalt (unless it is missing from our streets) but never enough to pay to wear it.

The feasting we are fortunate enough to participate in for most people in our country, allows us to enjoy lots of our favorite things whether it is food or fun or ability to be working to earn the means to get those things.

I think that the idea of fasting something is that it has value to us but we want to show
that the thing we are intentionally fasting from is less valuable than what we are fasting for. Like to hear from God more clearly on a matter. And maybe the time I would be spending eating would be spent praying for others or meditating on God's words to me from His book.
But sometimes I fast from the wrong thing like fresh reading of His word. Don't get me wrong, remembering and thinking on his word is good and something to be doing, but really I don't like eating stale food when it comes to what I am putting in my mouth. I need to freshen it up even as much as I like to eat leftovers for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

 


Kind of like when we pray give us this day our daily bread...Jesus being the bread of life is what I need daily...remember He is the word of God so meeting with Him in His book and in prayer feeds me on a deeper level that affects all of me... 
And now that I think about it more, fixing a good meal to enjoy just takes some time and effort. I love reading but reading a novel, reading how to or informational books even books about the Bible all take little effort for me. There is something different about the Bible. It engages me on so many levels. It is not just a book. It is what God tells us it is...Words he was inspiring men to write...words that are a discerner of my heart (yikes!), a two edged sword, Spirit and LIFE, a mirror, bread, a light and lamp, a revealer of WHO GOD WAS, IS and WILL be, who WE are and more...yeah a lot going on when reading that book...it is more effort than a novel.

Then there is famine. I have not ever experienced famine. There are times I have had scarcity of some things and that was hard for me but true famine never. That happens in many places in the day we live in which is why relief efforts are established to participate in. When times were tight for us, I would remind God of His word that I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his children begging for bread. I knew I was not righteous on my own scale of good things but because I believe He gave His life to make me that way. Or I would remind Him of the time He multiplied the few loaves and fish from a little boys lunch for feeding thousands and surely I could trust Him to take what I had and make it enough for the 10 of us.

But the Bible tells us of times of famine. There were 400 years of no one hearing from God before Jesus was born...that is a famine of His word. Apparently "we don't know what we've got til it's gone" as the old song goes. And then in the FULLNESS of time God sent His Son Jesus, Immanuel (meaning God With Us). He showed up not just as a whisper in a prophets heart to be spoken aloud. But in that baby's cry, as the Word of God made flesh dwelling among us, born of a Virgin, in a stable in Bethlehem (which means house of bread. Interesting the bread of life would be born in the house of bread!)


Make time to hang out at His table this season. He loves you and wants to BE WITH YOU.

Rolling Eyeballs (and porcupines)

When did this happen to me? How did this activity sneak in? Lately I have caught myself rolling my eyes!!! And the worst thing is that it is at things my husband would suggest or ask! Wow! Have I been doing this all along but only now become aware of it?



I have noticed that since we began Walking It Out Marriage Counseling I seem to have escalated in undesirable behavior... but maybe it really is that I feel more accountable, more visible...just plain and simple more aware.

I realized the other day when I was behaving in an EGR manner (Extra Grace Required) that sometimes the pressure is on when a new endeavor begins. Add to that a number of disruptive crisis type circumstances with several that seem ongoing, coupled with fatigue quite possibly created by said circumstances and the tendency is to become a porcupine with rolling eyes type personality. All meant to keep people at a distance and hide myself though not consciously doing so. For instance I do not think a porcupine thinks about putting its quills out nor does a skunk think hard and long before letting loose with that marked Peppy Le Pew fragrance. It is automatic when perceived danger is on. In my case being asked to do one or several more things has the effect of danger I guess.

 
 
 
 
 
 



 
 



 
 
 
Now this is a cute little porcupine. But get a full grown one upset and beware! They can inflict quite a bit of damage!
So I don't have quills to speak of, but I do have a tongue and body language that can be damaging and even more long lasting. Yikes!

I am not excusing my behavior really, just being aware that it is happening and that it indicates change is needed. Not just catching my rolling eyeballs as they are making an escape, but changing a few things in life that I may be saying yes to that I should say no to. Not adding new things and more new things on top of all the already there things. Some of the already there things need to be let go of or rearranged. It's a song sung by many who are time management people. It is wisdom really.

Can I just point out to you who have had babies or been in on a delivery that when in the transition stage of childbirth, everything else is set aside to get that baby born!  Think about it.There is a plan to have the other kids watched, your place at work handled, meals brought in, a room prepared, extra people to assist which can all COST something mind you and still the process is intense even while it brings about a glorious result. So why would I not practice that with other things in my life that require quantities of my attention?

Just as practical and helpful is real communication about how something is affecting me. And then if my behavior calls for it, a very sincere apology. Not just shooting off a quick sorry for poking them with sharp "quill" like stuff either. Sincerity...Because humbling myself to the one who was recipient of my porcupine behavior, usually is stabbing my pride, which is not pleasant. But it bears that  fruit of repentance in my life and others around me which is pleasant.

If you see me running I am may be trying to catch run away eyeballs...you can help me...keep me accountable...catch them and hand them back...with no condemnation please...just a gentle smile will do. Hopefully this is a habit broken by this public confession of sorts...

Have a blessed weekend!

Coasting (is never uphill for very long)

Who doesn't love the exhilaration of coasting downhill especially after an uphill climb? I even think I might I feel like I have earned the coast and want to take full advantage of it. Eventually though the bike, car, skateboard or what ever wheel type used at the moment runs out of power. It may even have enough of an edge to get me a start on the uphill in front of me or if no hill is there get me a decent stretch on the straight way but will not take me far.
Movement to be productive is intentional. Getting further ahead in life. Moving in the life God sets before me is an intentional choice. The law of entropy is the law that things tend to disorder rather than naturally fall into order. Anyone alive can see that by trying to take care of a living space!
What I found out  was this: I was coasting on past knowledge and past experience with God. But I didn't catch on to that until I was required to step it up a bit by a daily Bible reading schedule to get me through the Bible in a year. Go figure! A Bible College wanting us to read the Bible diligently, daily, not just in a bite size verse a day.
Over 35 years of being a Christian I had packed in a lot of scripture and sermon material and teaching and devotional reading. That is all good as far as it goes. Over the 50 plus years of living I have also packed in plenty of food of various kinds but it seems my body requires more and is a real baby about it if I even indicate I will be skipping a meal or two.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered how much of the Word of God I had forgotten when I reluctantly began trying to meet this requirement. Yes I was a bit prideful actually not thinking this much daily reading was necessary or even do-able. The high of an awesome worship service and ministry time at church or a conference works a lot like a birthday party. So fun. So great. Many highlights and memories.
But that only takes us so far. Life needs maintenance in all kinds of ways that are not all fun but important just the same to keep it running well and heading toward the goals God gives us.
There is a scripture that is ringing around in me today that I had forgotten about and came up in my reading this week. It seems to fit what I am talking about.

If you have run with the foot men and they have wearied you, how then can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace in which you have trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5

If our strength is small contending with the small issues of life (and I do know there are wearisome issues but we have the Lord Almighty who is powerful and loves us and says He gives us power to overcome all the power of the enemy)...so if we are contending with smaller albeit difficult things in life and having a difficult time standing, HOW can we stand when life seems to fall apart if we have not been eating and exercising not only physically but spiritually? When life is tough and it takes all to maintain is the time we need a reserve built in us already to give us the power move us ahead, not coast to a stop.

Do you know what that place between the two sides of a hill is? A valley. It is hard to see a future in the valley. So fill up your spirits gas tank so you can get up the other side and to the place where you can see again.



This link will take you to some options for Bible reading Schedules. I will be honest I needed accountability and a schedule. There are some portions of scripture I would not have purposely read on my own. I was just too hit and miss with Bible reading not knowing where to begin or just picking a place to read or reading something about the Bible and leaving it at that. Honestly some days I do still miss or miss part of the days reading but I try to catch it back up if possible. This is not about rules, regulations and religion so no beating myself up over it. It is about feeding on the Word of Life.
So the link:
http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/

Blessings! Lea

Monday Morning (melody making)

Eyeballing a sink of weekend dishes waiting to be cleaned before 6:00 am, I opened the dishwasher to see it full of the miscellaneous little things, among larger things, waiting to be sorted and put in their places. Where they will wait until they can be used again, to be washed again, to be put away again, to wait to be used again and so on. That put a bit of a pause in me. I still have not tackled it because I don't need any of it immediately because frankly I am blessed enough to have more than enough kitchen stuff to get by and create more dirty dishes.



I have written about conquering mountains of dishes in the past and even though it sounds like I am headed there again, I'm not. Mainly its pots and pans in the sink for now.

So I reminded myself that 16 years ago with a newborn infant and all her siblings ranging up to age 17, I was very sick with something that could have killed me instantly or left me a quadrapeligic unable to do dishes for the family AT ALL. Unable to make meals for them to create dirty dishes AT ALL. But for the touch of God. Now I don't flog myself with that reminder, and neither do I insanely rush to the task with that reminder. But I do put things into perspective with it.



I went about the makings of a Monday morning grateful for the sounds around me from the tasks causing them. The hum and clink of the dryer and clothes tossing around with zippers from a sweatshirt tapping the inside drum. Thankful to have clothes for my family and the ability to keep them clean. Thankful to have a family to clean up after. Thankful to have a home to clean (even though my version of clean may differ from what my fantasy version of clean is.)

The sound of the knife slicing fruit and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for school lunch and the sound of the bagel popping up in the toaster. The wind outside and the hum of the amish heater. Footsteps coming down the hall and down the stairs signaling my family getting ready to leave for their days at school and office. It's the music we don't usually think of as music but making a melody in my heart even so. The music of my monday morning. 

 God bless your day with the music of the ordinary today..

Making a List (checking it twice)

My list isn't a "naughty or nice" list. Mine is the "Things To Do" to be ready for Christmas and family and events happening this week and next. And I will tell you I already have 4 lists written since this morning. Some are pretty lengthy. They will also be checked many more times than twice. Can anyone relate?

  Mine are not this advanced. They are on lined notebook paper torn out of a spiral binder.

 My lists have lists...

I wonder if God has lists. I think in a way He does. His word talks about things that happen in the "fullness of time". Seems to me that means certain things have to happen or be finished first before the time is full. You know, those prophetic words telling a Savior would be coming and what to be looking for, for example. 

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah
Though you are little among the thousand of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.
Micah 5:2

There are well over 50 scriptures telling of Jesus' first coming, some of those speaking of Him being born of a virgin and, as the above states, in Bethlehem. And why He was coming.

He certainly came in a dark time, to a dark place, to be the light of the world. A harsh, jealous, perverse king was in rule commanding people to return at their own inconvenience to the place of their family origin so he could better tax them for his own gain. Ordering the slaughter of all male babies age 2 and under. Can you imagine the terror of the time? Yes a crazy time, under a crazy king.

People were looking and longing for the Savior to come well before God sent forth His son. WE have our time table and God has HIS prophetic time table. Why would it be wrong for Jesus to come before He did? I don't know. But I do know if I do not cook the roast for Italian Beef long enough, it is not going to be fall apart tender. If I do not add the right spices at the right time, it just doesn't taste as good either. It needs the fullness of time.

Many cry out against God for things that are mans own inhumanity to man. Or even satan's orchestrating his steal, kill and destroy strategies and whispering lies about it being God we should blame. People prone to leaning to their own understanding, tend to believe these lies and then speak them loudly against the One who IS LOVE and loves so much He GAVE His own perfect son into the dark world to become it's Savior. If anything, we live in a day when it should be pretty apparent we need the Savior.

God has given the world into the hands of people. People who have opportunity to choose what to do with the gifts He has given us collectively and individually. He does not leave us as orphans however. As He says...He sends His Spirit to live in us to comfort, teach us truth, empower us, to live through us if we will receive Him.

In the fullness of time Jesus Himself will be returning and not as a baby. The cup is looking pretty full to me, but then God knows the fullness of time. Until then let's live ready. Let's live understanding why the baby was born in a manger that Christmas night. Why it was declared by angels, shepherds, wise men, prophets to be a birth like no other...Let's each choose Peace on Earth and Goodwill Toward Men to be on our to do list for every day.



Love each other!

Be The Light (all christmas like)

I love Christmas lights!


Life lessons not always so much. They do not rank neck in neck with Christmas lights even if I do later appreciate them. So last week I was sick. Something was "going around" evidently, and dropped in to visit me for a while. An unwanted visitor. But actually sometimes, the day after day, morning, noon and night schedule without let up can eventually create an open door for sickness which forces me to *ahem* rest. Perhaps better recognized as collapse.
So today I am thanking God I am much, much better! Up until this past Saturday night however, there was not one speck of Christmas decoration yet adorning our home.
There were and still are boxes of books lining the hallway waiting to be put away in a recently repaired room, which is waiting to be painted before putting in shelves, waiting to be purchased for the boxed books to be put away upon. Beds need to be set back up for family coming in for Christmas ect...Stuff to do stuff to do...


Last week mid recovering, I was picking up a prescription at the pharmacy and on the way home admiring the lights in the yard of a home when I noticed sneaking along in there with the admiration was envy. Maybe I should say "snaking" in there... I was jealous they were so well done and I had none... Suddenly I heard clearly in my spirit "Lea, I want you to BE the light". Yep even heard my name. Well then. Letting my light shine like the One Who came to be the Light of the World. (jealousy puts a bushel over it just so we know and as much as we try not to, we might just tend to do some comparison of who gets what and who gives what at Christmas...OK maybe I am just speaking for myself...but I don't think so)


None of this is a BAH Humbug on Christmas..I will still decorate and enjoy how my home is during this season. I will be happy to be giving and getting gifts. I love that I will have more of my family around for several days!!! I think it is still a beautiful time to magnify the LORD and what Christmas means for us all, the gift of God to us.


Yesterday was our Sunday to minister at one of our local Nursing Homes. Both my friend and my husband prompted me to share this little experience with the ladies and gentlemen who were attending that afternoon.
As I was telling my story, I started seeing each of us in the room as part of a string of Christmas lights. No not transfigured but each person representing a light...Ever had a string of lights where some just don't light up? Or maybe just one has gone out so the whole string stops lighting or half a string? I was seeing God wants each of us to be the light that shines in darkness. One itty, bitty Christmas light bulb doesn't do much on it own, but a whole bunch of itty, bitty lights strung together does, especially when they are connected to an outlet turned on. (Kind of like the vine and the branches theology Jesus talks about.) Don't under estimate your importance in the scheme of things. Your life matters. Your light shining matters. Your living for Him matters. Your words matter. Your loving others matters. Your joining and belonging to a church matters. 
Have a very Merry Christmas and remember to be the light!

Sometimes (before 10:30 am and beyond)

Realizing that more people pay attention to me than I may be aware of at any given moment...and that is not said pridefully but because of the place I have as a leader at church..so it comes with the territory..I am about to whisper something to you readers that makes me feel like not a good leader but none the less I will forge on...
Sometimes in the morning before church,  I get really, really mad at my husband! So angry .. Whew!  Yesterday was one such morning. I won't tell you why. Sorry. I guess I still think I was right yet am not trying to get anyone to take sides. He thinks I was wrong so there we are. And frankly he was not angry, I was. So whats a God loving person to do in such a case? And especially when said pink person is supposed to open the church service in prayer and most certainly needs a right spirit to do that and set the tone we open with.

First I need to recognize the purposes of God are bigger than my perception and offended feelings so forgive as He (God) forgives me. No getting around that truth. No matter how long we walk the walk, forgiving remains part and parcel of it. Yes even 7 times 70..which was feeling like a tall order this particular Sunday morning even though we had not reached 70 offenses before 10:30 am. But it does seem sometimes, when I am working to lay aside an offense and move forward, the spot is still tender and the supposedly forgiven offender can not do much right in my eyes for a while and seems to poke the tender place intentionally or not, which I am guessing was the experience of the disciples as well or they would not have asked the "how many times shall we forgive" question in the first place.

Second  I also need to remember we have an enemy who is all about stealing, killing and destroying and is the father of lies. Certainly one of his devices is about stealing, killing and destroying unity among God's people and part of that is through lies. ll Corinthians 2:11 says we are not to be ignorant of his devices. As Jesus plainly states "a house divided can not stand". Psalms 133:1 tells us it is good when we dwell together in unity. Look at the example of the natural law of Synergy (God created natural laws you know)...

"At a state fair there was an event where horses were being hitched to wagons to see which horse could pull the most weight. Two horses pulled 9,000 pounds. They then hitched these two strongest horses together on the same wagon. The horses didn’t pull 18,000 pounds – a mere doubling of their individual efforts. Instead, together, in true teamwork, they pulled 35,000 pounds. Now that’s synergy!"

If we stay in unity as much as possible, so much more can be accomplished.

Third  I began picturing myself standing and a large concrete block was at my feet. It was at best the stumbling block of offense. At it's worst it was the beginning of a thick block wall to divide me off from my husband but also from most other good things in life.

I felt directed by the Holy Spirit to kick it to the side and walk on by. And do the same with any offense that came after.

Fourth I told you we each still thought the other was wrong. That happens sometimes doesn't it? What in the world happens then? Well in the world we do know...bitterness, ugliness, hurtful words, family rifts for generations...so, what in the life of a Christian happens then?

I had already expressed my viewpoint to him. Because I do that. Maybe too much. But again I r e a l l y believe I was right.  But so does he think he was right...sigh... So here is what I did. I cast him with his contradictory opinion and my care (wounded, offended feelings and inability to change things by words or knowing the ugly tactic of cold shoulder -tempting as that may be-would not make them better) upon the Lord who cares for both of us and has the ability to turn the heart of the king of a nation, so surely my husband's heart as well. In prayer you know, not physically throw him around as if I could anyway.Was it simple? Did I pull this off seamlessly? Well no actually...some people knew I was struggling with something but at least I was struggling to do the right thing with all my menopausal emotions wanting to run at nasty high speed.

Fifth  At the risk of sounding like I am making a formula out of all this, I have numbered my process but there is no formula really. It is a walk with Jesus and staying in the light of the narrow path to avoid destruction...I passed my thoughts through the scripture grid. It is the place set up internally from learning the Word of God. Do my words and actions pass through or do they get stopped on the mesh of truth?

"Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking..."1 Peter 2:1a 

"Let every man (woman) be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God...  be doers of the word not hearers only...let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement. For we all stumble in many things. If any one does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able to also bridle the whole body...All from the book of James

Leader or not we are all human beings. We are not perfect beings. We are not going to always see eye to eye in relationships. And I don't always get to be right and get my way. We are in the process of change and attaining the high call in Christ Jesus. But this morning I was watching a program of leaders who were pretty vulnerable about behind the scenes trials while needing to hold it together by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit when moving from the back room to the pulpit. They were not making an excuse for sin. And I had just written this blog but not posted it. We do get angry. Jesus acknowleged that. His word says be angry but in your anger do not sin. The above is how I processed anger in order to not sin. But all in all what I heard today was "Jesus loves me". In spite of it all and in spite of it being unresolved even still, so having mixed emotions going on, Jesus loves me not because I do it all the right way or am always right but because He just does. And for that I am thankful!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Pressed Down (shaken, running)

Ever feel a bit pressed down? How about shaken together? Running over by any chance? Like running away perhaps?

  

Maybe the journey of life shakes our faith going along some paths that we didn't anticipate...there are some promises we have been hanging on to that we didn't get a hands on answer to yet. Or we have confidence shakers speaking into our lives. We might feel like we are settling for something less than God's best. And maybe we are, though sometimes we don't always know God's best even when it stares us in the face because we suffer from the "grass is always greener on the other side" syndrome. And sometimes it is because the journey to the promised land is a journey through some wilderness.

Seems to me I always have to remind myself to be thankful..even when things are going smoothly for a while. You know getting comfortable and forgetting how grateful I am for where God has me. That actually might be a great fertilizer to the grass I don't think is as green as that growing on the other side. And honestly we don't know what has gone on behind the scene to make it so green. It is a whole lot better to be running over with intentional thankfulness, than going natural with frustration, misery and complaining.

                                                                                        

See, I know there are things that are incredibly frustrating and hurtful. Stuff that makes us feel like running away. As fast as we can! Or pray like the Psalmist to have wings like a dove so I could fly away.

 Those days that Calgon just won't do it for me. I am not suggesting to not acknowledge that and try to just pretend those life things are not there. A mom with sick kids can be completely overwhelmed at times. Broken appliances are inconvenient at least. Unexpected bills and a shorter pay check can bring despair. Broken relationships can be devastating.

Those are the times to pull on the Holy Spirit who is given to us to be our Helper...the word is Ezer in the Hebrew text meaning help, aid or sustainer, a person or thing that gives help, relief, aid, etc. as in lifesaver in my time of distress. (which as a side note is what woman is meant to be to man from the time of creation; an Ezer...I found that to be eye opening)

Jesus said "and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever..." John 14:16

He also said "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all the things I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:26-27

If I were a betting woman, I would bet you thought this was going to be about the verse that tells us to give and it will be given to us pressed down shaken together running over... did you? That dear readers is a writing for another time...remember to pray in the Spirit because scripture tells us He makes intercession for us praying for the things we don't even know we need. And tells us when we pray in the language of the Holy Spirit we strengthen ourselves.
I Corinthians 14:4;  Jude 20

I guess tongues is a touchy issue for some. I am not one to try to dive into topics controversial..but I can't ignore that praying in tongues has been part of my walk with God from the time I gave my life to Him 35 years ago. I happen to also suspect that something God means for our help and strength is also something the devil would try to steer us away from by saying "it's not for today" or "that's from the devil" or "only some people can but not you"...you know things like that..sure I have seen people misuse the gift. But just because someone else drives their car crazy doesn't mean I should not drive. So start your engines and get praying!

Your Heavenly Father gives GOOD gifts. If you are asking Him, He isn't going to slip you something from the father of lies.

Walking on Monday (what I hear on sunday)

The whole idea behind my first Devotional Blog Diapers Dishes and Devotions and then starting this one Walking It Out stemmed from wanting to practically apply the word of God and the love of God (His toward me and mine and toward Him) to everyday living. Sometimes though I seem to hit a bit of a wall. Maybe we could say I might pick and choose what parts to walk when. Or maybe I am just a bit confused on HOW to walk it out. Maybe my kids are sick. Or maybe I am. Or maybe I am continually offended by someone and not knowing what to do with the emotions of that even knowing I am supposed to forgive as I am forgiven. So do my emotions mean I haven't forgiven?

See what I mean?

I remember "counseling" a mom of teen age boys about something when I only had very young toddlers and not only that had never been teen age boy myself! There is something in knowing the word of God is TRUTH because you know and trust that to be so. There is something else when you have lived that truth for your self and your family when life has thrown some stuff at you that looks contrary to the word that says "by His stripes you WERE healed" or looks more like a barren land than the one flowing with milk and honey...though as a mom the milk and honey may be all over our furniture, floors, cars, us and our kids.

You know the Doctor might prescribe something and say take one 3 times a day. Or quit smoking. Or walk 20 minutes a day 3x a week. If I just look at that instruction. If I just look at the doctors handwriting and muse to myself and all who will listen "Look at that Doctors handwriting! Isn't it awful!" But never get it filled and follow instructions, I am probably going to be worse off for that. On the other hand, if I follow instructions and take it fully, I am more likely to get healthy results. And frankly I will probably not even begin to see immediate results. (I am not too sure why I would go to a professional that I trust for something and then decide I know better than they do anyway)



That is a pretty good picture of me and the word of God. What if I just hear the word. What if I am not a doer just a hearer like the book of James says it. What if I happen to read it in the old King James and say "that language! That is so archaic! Who can even understand it?" Then never took the time to follow its instructions. Or attempted to a couple of times but didn't see immediate results so decided "It isn't for today. It doesn't work for me."


What if I tried to potty train my kids just one day and have 5 accidents to deal with? Should I give up trying to direct where they are supposed to go and just assume they won't be in diapers when they are adults and let the process all run its own course?

And I am positive Olympic contestants were pushed and trained and they are not ones who quit at the first sign of pain or opposition.
Now see this woman making contact with the baseball? That is us with the word of God against whatever the enemy of our souls may throw our way. We need to skillfully use Gods promises and knock lies and attacks OUT OF THE PARK. Now I don't know about you but skill with a bat does not come natural to me. In fact I prefer not to play the game. However we really don't get to just tell the devil "um I don't like to play that game. no thanks".

King David before he was ever king, was king in training for a long while. He started as a kid watching the family sheep. During that time he practiced his harp and worshipped. He practiced using his sling shot. He killed a lion and a bear. All this before he approached Goliath. See he took time to know his God. He also took time to develop skill. When He approached Goliath he did not trust in his own strength though he had a measure of it by then. It wasn't his first time to lay hand on a sling shot and he refused to use the armor he was unfamiliar with. He spoke what he believed to Goliath and those who doubted...Who is this uncircumcised Philistine!?! Everyone else thought that Philistine was something..But to David that Philistine was eclipsed by the God Most High Mighty in Battle! And wow, boldly said "THIS DAY the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off your head" and much more did he say and then he proceeded to do just what he declared that the people would know God does not deliver by sword or spear but the battle was His..

Well how did I end up here from where I started? In general, Sunday sermons are not just for Sunday. It is part of getting equipped for life there but one time a week in the word and prayer only goes so far. We need to take time to know God ourselves in our day to day life. Let's take the Gos-pill,if you will, on a regular basis according to instructions, meditating on it day and night that it may go well with us and we would have favor and good understanding. No problems? No, I won't promise that, but far less problems and the way to overcome them.

Monday Musings (and the re-po man)

I so need Monday's. I think I have even posted it before. Like some people want their Friday or Saturday to get here, for me it's Monday. Of course I do not have the added thing to do of clocking in at work on Monday unless I have scheduled an appointment with a client. My weekends are generally so packed and not with things to amuse or refresh but normally it is with thingstodo (albeit usually with people I at least like and many times love),that by Monday I am  exhausted. (I will interject that this weekend I just had was bust out exciting and refreshing! But it is not the one I am writing about for now) Well I can examine all that and figure out where the driven-ness comes from but that is not the reason for this post.
It was a Saturday night while I was standing in an excessively long check out line winding all the way into and on down the frozen food isle with a basket full of sale matched with coupon items, when a young man stepped behind with with just 2 cans of yams. He was on an errand for a friend. I learned that after I offered to let him ahead of me. "You will be checked out before I can finish unloading my cart." It was the evening before Easter so the place and lines were packed with last minute shoppers. He declined for the time being but somehow started talking to me about his job. Alot about his job. Which he loved by the way. He is the owner of a Repossession Company. He does not just order people to do his bidding but does much of it himself. Even went on to tell me how he finds these low livers who don't pay and just takes the car if its in a parking lot without the person even knowing until they come out and find it gone.

The truth is I had been at one time the recipient of a re-po man visit in a situation that really was unjustly handled. I felt pretty wounded by the experience knowing we had been making very large payments which evidently were not being applied correctly but he was not the person who could actually do anything about that. He was just "doin his job" unsavoury as it may have been. Later we learned the car was sold for less than the value and we were still supposed to pay up! Yeah a painful mess. In spite of all that I was speechless pretty much talking to this second generation re-po man.



That was unfortunate and something I am praying about because I wish I had an on time word for him from God. I kept casting around in my mind about what to say to him that would not seem canned or rote religious words but rather prick and awaken that place in him to the things of God. I became very aware that weekend how many people seem to be sheep without a shepherd. I did not know what to say to bring it around. I mean Jesus knew. He would take the woman at the well and identify the real issue beneath the conversation and turn her into the town evangelist. I want that skill. I want to hear the person, hear from God and speak. Or He could find Zaccheus watching from a tree no less, go eat with him and His manner and words so engage Zacs spirit and heart he vowed to return in multiples what he had cheated others out of. To be like Jesus...
As a bit of closure, God has brought us through those awful years where it seemed locust were eating everything we put our hand to as in the book of Joel. Where we needed to trust the God of our hope to sustain us, be our vindicator and restorer. His promise from Isaiah 61:7 is worth reading and holding on to:
Instead of your (former) shame you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach (your people) shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double (what they had forfeited); everlasting joy shall be theirs... and much more if you read on in the amplified version. And that is what we have found through our years. God is FAITHFUL! He can be trusted even in times of devestation that seem to come in ocean like waves. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. His delay is not necessarily His denial, but in there is the working of all things together for our good because we love Him and are called according to His purpose. He is building our character. Our foundations must be strong to hold those big things He has planned for us. And we will be continually amazed at what those things are!

Taking The Fence Off (offence)

There are practical fences.



There are picket fences.



There are privacy fences.




There are fancy fences.




There are fences like this one.



And there are OFFENSES.... I was pondering today my tendency to get offended about certain things and what my response is when I allow that offense not just to happen and roll
away, but to take hold....like a fence post. You know take out the post hole digger and dig deep. Secure the post with cement so it has a firm hold. I do that by dwelling on the offense. And when the next offense comes, why I just set another post and so on, making a fence line. And it is even worse as time goes on because a fence line does get fencing of one sort or another hung on it. And for me it sometimes tends to be the sharp and pointy kind like in the picture above figuratively speaking.

One of the worst things about my offense fence is that it keeps me in too, not just others away. Naturally not everyone should have complete access to my life, making a privacy fence a good thing.  

But this OFFENSE...this is how I recognized it in me. I tend most often to be offended by my husband, sad to say, even when he never intended to offend me. This is partly because the making of a good marriage is a process not the instant happily ever after fairy tales we have been surrounded with all our lives and loved. There is process in making the two, one. First of all he is a man. And men are not women and women are not men. So I hear and see things differently than he does. I feel things differently than he does.

Now there is reason for that, making perfect sense, since together we can form a more well rounded picture of things that need to happen in our lives. NOT me vs him. Well in my natural state of being (the Word of God calls it being in the flesh not the spirit), I can take something he says or does and immediately become offended because it isn't how I would say or do it after all. And I must have this innate sense of I am right, you are wrong in me. And perhaps just a good measure of "I want my own way" selfishness still rearing its ugly head.

Sometimes it is so hard to try to tell these things without quick jumping in to say things like "of course sometimes I am right". *Sigh* So back to how I saw it this time though hopefully I am doing less and less of this as the years go by. Some background to the story...

We were watching something one morning and usually it is Christian programing which is an awesome way, a privileged way actually, to start the day. We love it. But the program had ended and before we could change the channel on comes the infomercial. I am sure many people get sucked right into these (I still want to order the Dog Training Kit!!!). However this one was for a product that promised more energy and weight loss by teaching you what foods are best for your body type and instruction on body sculpting using a resistance band. I wanted to change the channel since, not overly overweight, but moderately perhaps, I was not totally keen on watching women who had not had eight babies and were not my age, but it was kind of interesting and then my husband said something like "why don't you take down the number and order that. You would probably feel better and have more energy"

In fairness I had been worn out for quite a while and have some pretty good reasons for that too, but worn out does not feel good, and he was looking in his man sort of way for a solution to fix this for me, besides what nice things he was doing, like bringing me coffee in the morning sometimes or iced juice in the evening.

Does any one have any guesses on how my pink brain took that suggestion? I said something like "Wow, really? Thanks! That is a great idea! You would really order that for me? Maybe I would start feeling better.."

NOPE.

While I do not remember my exact words...there was no profanity just so you know...
I do remember my resistance to the whole thing and being profoundly offended and sure he must think I am old and fat and I flat out refused to make the call. "You want to get it for me?!? You call!"  And pink makes it look kind of like I said it somewhat nicely but it was actually a bit frosty.  And I left the room.

He made the call.

A couple weeks later the box arrived. I set it aside for two days. Then he started wondering out loud why the stuff had not come yet. I told him it had. Which meant opening the box to find several DVDs, CDs, books, binder, cards, resistance band and so on...Have you ever had to assemble something that came in pieces, like a bike or swing set? You have to be motivated. He tried using the word WE as in WE will feel much better when WE do this...but I was pretty sure there was not going to be a WE figuring this out and that when it was finally assembled it would be ME doing it. And that is how it was, only it was still several more days later. It took time but wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I became a bit intrigued by the test to see what type of food worked best for my metabolism and decided I would give it a try.

So that was about 5 days ago. Today I realized that I am starting to see a difference. Not that I don't want a short mid afternoon nap still if I am hanging around home at that time. But one of the things I realized was that I like the idea that my posture might improve. I had used nursing 8 children as an excuse long enough! (Our youngest is about 16 now) I did not realize it had bothered me because I did not have to look at me slouching my shoulders forward- my husband and others did. I am able to tighten my belt a notch too. Weird. My muscles are so willing to do what muscles are meant to do and I am happy about that. I was never much of an athlete but I did like training at the gym years back. I had forgotten that.

What I realized also, was my tendency to get offended could keep me from something that really is good for me. I can look back and see other instances where this has been true too. You know, because I am offended I can not take even good advice from the one who offended me. I think bitterness is like poison ivy climbing the fence. So best to take the advice from Jesus when his disciples asked how many times they should forgive...like 7 maybe...that does feel like quite a stretch sometimes but we have a life to live and He knows how we should live it best so said "No I say to you 7x70". WOW Lord really?

He just wants to fulfill His promise to FILL my life with GOOD things and staying offended  when the inevitable offences come, just does not let them in.