Life, Love and the Grace of God

Christmas Blessings

2011-12-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

Snow

2011-12-09T06:54:00.000-05:00

"Come now, and let us reason together says the Lord, Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool." Isaiah 1.18

Anybody who knows me well, knows that I don't particularly like winter here in the Northeast. I'm not very fond of the white stuff that falls and covers the roadways. It makes driving a scary experience for me and the scaryness seems to get worse the older I get.

But I must confess, that very first, gentle snowfall is beautiful. It slowly falls from the sky and blankets the ground that has become brown and decaying with a crisp, clean white sheet. It covers everything, even the bare tree branches.

It's as if God is saying "Ok, let's wipe they slate clean and start again." In reality, that is exactly what is happening. The ground has spent itself and needs to rest and be replenished; it can then begin to grow anew.

Isn't that what God does for us as well? He takes us, with all our scars and depleted souls, and washes us clean....as clean as snow. He does this for us; we don't do it for ourselves. In fact, there is nothing we can do on our own to clean ourselves up.

God does it. He has already done it.

He gave us Jesus.

Let's celebrate this wonderful gift that He gave us.

Let's build a snowman!

Well, ok. You build the snowman. I'll watch from inside, sipping hot chocolate and baking something yummy for to enjoy when you're done.

May the Lord bless you with peace today and may you feel His abundant love.

Immanuel

2011-12-08T07:08:00.000-05:00

Immanuel. God with us.

I am doing a study for the Christmas season through YouVersion. (great little site, if you don't already know about it). Today's topic was about Jesus Himself and how he was prophesied in the old testament. Check out Isaiah 10.7-15.

God is with us. Immanuel.

Our God is alive. He is not some dead saint or inanimate object that we worship. He is a living, breathing being. And He is very active in our lives. He is with us.

How do we know that?

We have His word that tells us so.

Jesus promised that He would never leave us here alone. He promised that He would send us a helper; and He did, in the form of the Holy Spirit. He talks about it in John 14. I just reread that chapter....so encouraging!

We know from God's word that Jesus is alive, because we can read the testimonies of those who saw (and felt...think of Thomas) Him alive after He had been crucified. He rose...alive...from the grave!

And because He is alive, He is still with us. He is a life force, living within us, in the form of the Holy Spirit. Guiding us, teaching us, helping us.

Have you ever felt Him close to you?

I have.

He met me on a beach one morning and used a silly seagull to teach me something about myself. He sat Himself in the passenger seat of my car one day when I asked Him to, because I was having a particularly bad day and just needed to feel His presence and His reassurance.

I know this may sound crazy to some people and I don't worry about that.

I know it to be true because God's word tells me it is true.

God is with us.

God will never leave us.

He is alive.

He has sent us the Holy Spirit who is with us always.

And He will guide you if you will let Him.

Peace to you my friends!

My Dreams

2011-12-07T20:17:00.000-05:00

When I was younger, I had many dreams for my future. I wanted to be a hairdresser; I wanted to work in a museum; and I wanted to live in a little studio loft where I could paint and create.

Because of choices I made, my life went in a different direction.

I don't regret any of it.

Each part of my life has made me the person I am today. My passions and compassion for others in certain situations are an extension of my life experiences.

Would I prefer to have not made some of the mistakes I made? Absolutely! But God has used those mistakes....and continues to use them....in directing me now.

So, have my dreams changed over the years?

Yes.

I am no longer interested in being a hairdresser; although I admit a few years back I gave it some thought. However, standing on my feet for eight hours seems daunting to me now. But I still like to play with hair.

I also don't think a loft would be big enough for me now. I have accumulated too many things. However, I thing about those big warehouses that have been converted into open space apartments and I think that would be a wonderful canvas to create a heavenly retreat.

I do still want to paint. I do still dream of sitting in front of an easel and painting beautiful flowers...my "specialty." I'd like to batik again. I just don't have the time, space or privacy to do that right now. My creative juices flow only when my immediate surroundings are devoid of distractions.

I'm also creeping up on 50 and that has me thinking of retirement and how I want to spend that time. I want to be able to spend time near the water which has always been a very calming place for me to be.

I want to make it to Wisconsin to visit my beloved auntie. She is getting up there in age and I want to wrap my arms around her one more time. Money is always tight and I just can't seem to get there.

I dream about spending time with my grandchildren. I have one beautiful granddaughter already and can't wait for more! Actually, (in case any of my children read this blog) I can wait until you have completed your educations and have gotten married!

So, yes, my dreams have changed a bit. They have grown and changed as I have grown and changed.

And that's okay.

In fact, it's good.

What are your dreams?

I Shall Believe - Matt Brouwer

2011-12-03T19:56:00.000-05:00

In the Between

2011-12-02T21:48:00.000-05:00

"Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age."

My sweet youngest posted this to my facebook wall. She has an interesting sense of humor, huh? LOL! She makes me laugh and I love that about her.

According to this statement, I am in between;

I am both old and young;

I am middle aged.

There are days when I can't begin to believe I am as old as I am; sometimes I don't even act half my age. Then there are days when I feel much older and my bones and joints creak with aging.

I don't know how I feel about being middle aged. I never in my life thought I'd get this old. I remember being as young as my daughter (wasn't that yesterday) and thinking almost 50 is OLD; she is quick to remind that I really am old.

But I don't think I'm old. I look at my mom who is in her 70's and she looks the same as she did to me when I was much younger.

She has the most beautiful skin. Seriously, my mommy does not look her age. I hope I age as well as she has.

So, I am in between.

I am middle age.

I think I am okay with that.

Have a blessed weekend!

and know that you are loved by me and our wonderful Creator.

Is Anybody Out There?

2011-11-30T22:08:00.000-05:00

Oh my.

Has it really been over a month since I last posted?

Did you think I had fallen off the face of the earth?

Did you even care?

LOL!

I have been unemployed since my last post and lots has happened. I've been incredibly busy and getting adjusted to being home.

Having not written in so long, I'm feeling a bit rusty. So this post probably seems very rambly. Is that even a word?

(another) LOL!

I see some major changes happening in my near future.

I've been spending time getting stronger, not only in my walk with God, but in my walk with myself. Rediscovering myself and who I am in Christ.

I am learning to truly be free in Christ.

I am beginning to heal from many years in the presence of mental illness.

I am learning what it means to love and more importantly to be loved....especially by God.

I hope to share with you soon what I am learning.

Thanks for continuing to check in.

You are loved.

Just Checking In

2011-10-20T12:23:00.000-04:00

One more day of work and I am a free woman.

I've been pretty busy here at work these past couple of weeks. I've needed to wrap some things up and make sure that I leave the boss in the best shape possible.

So there has been no time to post.

Also, I'm going to be taking the next week off. So if you don't hear from me, know that I am just relaxing and resting.

I'll be back soon.

Hugs!

Sue

Starry Night

2011-10-12T19:38:00.000-04:00

I remember, as a little girl, drawing and sketching. I loved colors and the intimate details of the world around me. When I first discovered that no two snowflakes were alike, I was mesmerized by them, carefully looking at each one. Unfortunately, the only way to do that was in the dead of winter. I had to catch them on my mitten, where they quickly melted from the heat eminating from my hand and through the mitten.

As I got older, my attention turned to sketching all those details I saw around me. I did my best to enhance my skills on my own by taking art classes all through school. It was there that I began to learn about all of the artists that I have come to love. It all started with a report on Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel. I posted a wonderful, interactive site of the Chapel on this post. You really should check it out.

I have learned to love many artists since then. My favorite being Renoir; I am drawn to his floral paintings, but love them all.

However, by far, my favorite painting is Starry Night by VanGogh. I could sit and look at that painting for hours on end. It is not so much the colors used (they are dark) but the patterns and fluidity of it; it almost seems to move as you look at it. You can feel his instability and his heartbreak. He was a tortured soul.

But what a master he was. He captured the night sky and its bright stars beautifully. These stars break through the darkness of night and reveal life below in the form of a little village. The wind blows and shifts. Constant movement.

What is your favorite piece of art?

Where I'm from

2011-10-11T11:39:00.000-04:00

I am from a sketch book and Barbie dolls with their hair cut off, Chrysler automobiles and the Lawrence Welk show, and from Saturday morning cartoons that sang "Conjunction Junction, what's your function...".

I am from the house on the corner, with ghosts in the attic and the basket ball court, from Saturday night Hide n Seek at the top of the hill, and the little neighborhood store with the soda fountain and penny candy.

I am from the big maples we used to climb, the cold ocean waters, too cold to swim in, and from shoulder high snow banks perfect for making forts, and from the pine trees in the deep woods and tall mountains.

I am from Sunday trips to my grandparents who lived next door to each other and a family that loves sweets, from Alma the fudge maker and Aurore the pie maker and my loving Aunt Jackie who loves me despite me.

I am from the french that was spoken when parents didn't want the kids to know and from the love of a family party, and from a tendency towards perfectionism.

From "go outside and play" and "get up, it's time for school!"

I am from the stained glass of a Catholic church, where we attended faithfully every Sunday and every Catholic holiday; and from where I began to question what faith was and who God was and wondered "just what am I supposed to say when I pray?"

I'm from the city in a rural state, where French abounds, and where Canadian cheese and crepes were our favorites treats.

From watching my Pepere clean fish at the family camp, having my cousin hit the horse I was on with a switch...and having the saddle not be sinched tight enough to not slip....and the time my aunt hurt her ankle when the whole family decided to ride the toboggan down the hill.

I am from the family ancestry that my father researched tracing our lineage all the way back to France, and the words to the Canadian National Anthem written by my distant relative, from the photos in my grandmothers many photo albums, and the antique bedroom set and Grammie's old china service.

Thanks to Erin for posting her own "Where I'm from" and for sharing the link to the template. You can find the template here; please share with us "Where you are from!"

What Did I Decide?

2011-10-10T14:50:00.000-04:00

So, last week I told you I had made a decision. I thought I would share that decision with you today.

I quit my job.

And I have no other job to go to.

Crazy? Irresponsible?

Maybe to some people, but not to me.

God has been growing me tremendously this year and part of what He has taught me is that I cannot compromise my own morals and values.

I don't mean to imply that financial planning services are not in line with God's desire for His people. I believe these kinds of services are actually very beneficial. However, my working for a man whose values and beliefs are not in line with mine are very detrimental to my own.

The amount of peace I have about this is incredible to me. I am normally a worry-wart; wondering how I'm going to pay this bill and that.

I'm not worried this time.

Incredible!

I know that I will go back to work. What it will be, I don't know. But I am trusting God to put me in just the right place and in the meantime provide for my family's needs.

What an incredible adventure I am embarking on.

Keep me in your prayers; especially so I don't panic and take the reigns back from Him!

Have a blessed week everyone.

D Day

2011-10-06T09:48:00.000-04:00

I've made a big decision. I have peace about it, but am still nervous because I have yet to carry out the action.

I asked God this morning what He wanted me to do. His simple answer was "Get out of my way."

Say a prayer for me, will you? That I do what I need to do and that I, indeed, get out of His way.

Thanks so much!

Shower the People - James Taylor

2011-10-05T11:31:00.000-04:00

Some Thoughts From My Heart

2011-10-04T16:05:00.000-04:00

“How important is it for a woman to know whether a man appreciates her, her beauty and body by love or by lust? Love celebrates all that she is, commits with a singular and absolute fidelity, ardently protects her honor, and sacrifices all for her prized love; she has found an everlasting lover. Lust consumes a woman with vulgar eyes, a cretan's touch, and eventually discards her as a conquered, common tramp; she has cast her pearl before swine.”

A friend asked this question (and offered the subsequent comments) recently on their facebook page. I wanted to answer, but didn’t think I could in a simple facebook-type response. So I wanted to offer my thoughts on this subject here, on my blog, so I could share it with anyone else who may need (or want) to hear it. I offer it because I have been a woman whose self-worth and resulting self-confidence, has suffered greatly due to twisted, ugly and very wrong messages that she received over many, many years.

Let me answer the first part of the question by saying it is VERY important that a woman knows a man appreciates her; more specifically, the man she’s given her heart to. For some reason, our self-worth depends on believing that the man we’ve chosen to spend the rest of our life with does indeed appreciate us. And we need to see that appreciation expressed. That expression can come in various forms and really is specific to individual needs. Those needs rise from the ones that were never filled.

Basically, though, it gets down to the fact that the fairy tales we heard as little girls, the ones where our prince comes and rescues us, are indeed true. We DO need someone to rescue us, someone to protect us and our honor. Someone who will provide for us and keep us safe; and someone who will think we are utterly amazing and want to dance with us, hold us, and never leave us. Hopefully, a little girl finds that prince in her dad, who becomes the example of the man she will seek in her adult life.

Sadly, that’s not always the case. That little girl may see the fairy tales on the screen, long for them to be true, but life proves otherwise. She is left to fend for herself and she learns that in order to get the attention and acceptance she so longs for, she must behave in a certain way. The problem is, she has set the bar too low for the quality of attention and acceptance she is willing to accept. Eh, it’s better than none right?

So, she may accept the “lust” description above as acceptable, maybe even desirable. She has no idea of her worth and beauty; a beauty that has nothing to do with her appearance, but with her very soul. How she got to this point in her life may be different than what I’ve described above, as we all have our stories and life experiences, but all of the experiences lead to this one place….the belief that she is not worthy nor accepted. The “love” described above is so foreign to her; it is nothing but a fairy tale made up by someone with a great imagination.

The man who finds this woman has been given a great gift from God; and a great challenge. He will need to meet this woman right where she is, just as God meets us right where we are. He will have to show her the true beauty that lives within her and he must do it with a very gentle hand. Because she is very fragile. He must be patient with her, just as God is with us and accept her as she is….just as God does. He must do this because he sees her worth and her beauty more than she does and he wants her to believe it….because HE believes it. When she understands and sees that he believes it, she will begin to believe it.

It’s not unlike our relationship with God. God believes we are worthy and beautiful and acceptable. It’s us who doesn’t believe that. This world has torn us down and left us with the belief that we must behave in a certain way to be acceptable and viewed as worthy. But I give you something to think about; God created each one of us, with unique gifts and abilities and personalities…who are we to say that He goofed up. He accepts us, because He created us and He likes us just the way we are. Are any of us perfect? NOPE! That’s why He sent Jesus Christ to this fallen world.

Jesus is our fairy tale prince. He has rescued us and continues to protect us and He KNOWS we are worthy and beautiful and acceptable. Believe it. Live it.

And you men out there, be our example of Christ here on earth, be our fairy tale prince. We need you!

Kutless "Everything I Need" (Official Music Video)

2011-09-29T15:27:00.000-04:00

Be transformed

2011-09-28T14:33:00.000-04:00

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12.2

I've been working on a post for the last week and I keep running into road blocks. My thoughts are not coming out in understandable, written words. I think it's a case of my heart getting something, but there just isn't any way to explain it. It could be because I have more to learn on the subject and God wants me to be quiet until I get it fully. He has a way of doing that to me, quieting me until my words are actually His words.

So quiet I will be.

Moving on to something else.....

The verse above was my daily verse from my wonderful little smartphone app. Love that little app! It's called "Daily Bible" by JoanSoft...find it in your marketplace. Okay, back to our regular programming....

I've read this verse many times, but this particular day something about it stood out to me. It is the testing part.

And it is leaving me a bit perplexed. Are we talking about the testing that is done to us or is it talking about the testing that we are supposed to do? (See 1John 4.1)

It seems to be pretty important, because this testing allows us to discern the will of God...what is good and acceptable and perfect.

So, I'm off for a few days to study this. I want to do some praying about my other post too (should I give you a teaser? Yes? It's all about love!)

We are heading to our camper for the last weekend of the season. Time to close it down for the winter.

Can you see my sad face here?

Until next week....

May the Lord bless you abundantly and may you feel His loving arms wrap you in comfort and strength.

Great Expectations

2011-09-26T16:47:00.000-04:00

This topic has been on my mind for over a week now and I’ve been wanting to blog about it. Interestingly, a couple of friends have brought up the issue as well; it appears to be on more than just my mind.

Let me back-track a bit. Many years ago, I was learning the study method used by Kay Arthur. It’s called “Inductive Bible Study” and the method can be found here. I no longer use this method, but at the time I found it very helpful as I was going through a growth spurt in my walk with God. The setting was an organized, women’s bible study held at the church I was attending. The pastor’s wife was teaching this method and the bible passage she asked us to look at was in Luke 24.1-8. After studying the passage, we were asked to share what we had learned. Part of the reasoning behind this method is that it allows us to personalize God’s word to our lives and where we are at that particular time.

At this particular point in my life, my expectations were out of wack. That’s the best way I can put it. My expectations were unrealistic and very “me” centered. So when I read this passage, what stood out to me was that the women had come prepared and were expecting to properly anoint Jesus’ body as was the custom at that time. But what they expected to happen, did not. In fact, their expectations were completely blown out of the water! Jesus had other plans for them that day and their reaction was confusion and fear. It wasn’t until after the angels explained what had happened that they realized that their expectations were wrong.

This was a pivoting point for me in my life. Ever since, it has made me look at my own expectations. First, I began to look at my expectations of others and more recently, my expectations of myself.

So, just what do expectations look like? First, it’s important to understand that expectations are borne out of a want or need. Sometimes, these wants or needs are stated by others. For example, a potential employer will state what he/she needs from you when you are interviewing. These are their expectations of you as an employee. This is a wonderful thing, because you are able to decide if you are able to meet those expectations and have the option to decline the job. There is no disappointment on either side.

But that’s not always the case in life. Often, others have wants and/or needs from us. These develop into expectations; expectations that those wants/needs will be fulfilled by us. The problem is, these wants/needs/expectations haven’t been verbalized and disappointment sets in when they aren’t met. The person with the expectation is hurt. I want you to also realize that we do the same thing to others….expecting them to fulfill our wants and needs without voicing them. And then we are the ones to be disappointed.

What’s even worse is when we have expectations of ourselves that are completely unrealistic. Often, these expectations come from society. I remember when my son was first born, being a mother was so much simpler. Fast forward 26 years and the expectations of motherhood by others and even ourselves is unrealistic. Mothers are expected to be everything to their families; from doing the laundry to bringing in a paycheck, all while carting kids to their various (and sometimes ridiculous schedule of) after school activities. The SuperMom phrase isn’t far off….you’d have to have superhuman powers to perform the way society expects you to.

There are unrealistic expectations to be found in the Church too. Many of us would call it legalism, some have called it performance-based salvation. I think the Church is where the worst case of expectation is to be found, both from others and from ourselves. Such a burden, one not meant to be put on our shoulders.

I have learned over the years to lower my expectations of others. Not because I don’t think they can live up to them, but because I don’t think they need to live up to them. I’ve also come to understand that God doesn’t have all these crazy expectations of me, so why should I have those same expectations of others or even myself?

Letting go of expectations is an act of love. Listen, God loves you. He has no expectations of you. He simply asks that you love Him with all your heart, soul & mind….and to love others as yourself. So today, love God, love others and learn to love yourself. Have no expectations from anyone. And rest in Jesus’ yoke, it is not a burden.

Follow up

2011-09-21T13:06:00.000-04:00

I just had to share this with you today. It's a devotional from "Our Daily Bread" for today (September 21, 2011). I'm copying it here in it's entirety, so I will have it for future reference.

Remember how I talked the other day about being told not to cry by my father? Well, guess what my Heavenly Father had to say to me today.

"Has your heart ever been broken? What broke it? Cruelty? Failure? Unfaithfulness? Loss? Perhaps you’ve crept into the darkness to cry.

It’s good to cry. “Tears are the only cure for weeping,” said Scottish preacher George MacDonald. A little crying does one good.

Jesus wept at His friend Lazarus’ grave (John 11:35), and He weeps with us (v.33). His heart was broken as well. Our tears attract our Lord’s lovingkindness and tender care. He knows our troubled, sleepless nights. His heart aches for us when we mourn. He is the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). And He uses His people to comfort one another.

But tears and our need for comfort come back all too frequently in this life. Present comfort is not the final answer. There is a future day when there will be no death, no sorrow, no crying, for all these things will “have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). There in heaven God will wipe away every tear. We are so dear to our Father that He will be the one who wipes the tears away from our eyes; He loves us so deeply and personally.

Remember, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).

Think of a land of no sorrow,
Think of a land of no fears,
Think of no death and no sickness,
Think of a land of no tears. —Anon.

God cares and shares in our sorrow."

So I share this with you, my friends. Cry now, but be assured there will be a day when there will be no more tears!

I love you. Have a blessed day!

Rejection, Acceptance, Revelation

2011-09-19T14:42:00.000-04:00

When I was a little girl, my grandfather died. I remember waking up one morning and finding my mother laying on the couch, crying. Not the normal place for me to find her upon waking each morning. I was confused and walked into the kitchen, where I found my father sitting at the table. He was in his normal, assigned seat. I don’t know about you all, but in my family we all had our regular place at the table. I always sat between my mother and my brother. I sat across the table from my other two sisters. My big, middle sister and I always had lovely faces for each other at dinner time, usually involving food in our mouths. But that’s a story for another time.

On this particular morning, my dad was alone at the table. In my confusion and worry about my mother, I sat in my big brother’s chair, next to my dad. I didn’t understand what had caused my mother to cry and it scared me. So I sat down next to my dad and asked what was wrong. My dad told me, simply, that my grandfather had died and that my mother was very upset about it. I was old enough to understand death and what that meant and the tears began to flow. Then the sobs began. And what came next shook my very soul.

My father, the man who provided for me and protected me, told me to stop crying and get ready for school. He promptly went back to his breakfast and his newspaper and I was left all alone in my grief. No consolation, no hug. Just the message that my emotion was not acceptable and that comfort would not be forthcoming from him; I was left alone to console myself. I had been rejected. It was the first of many rejections as I was growing up.

I walked out of the kitchen and past my grieving mother. She was alone on that couch and I wanted to hug her, but I didn’t dare to. I was just told that crying wasn’t okay and that crying didn’t warrant comfort. I honestly didn’t know that to do, so I did nothing.

I can look back now and understand that my father simply didn’t know what to do with my emotions that day. They made him very uncomfortable. He had not been equipped to deal with them by his own parents and so when confronted with them by his own children, he did what he had been taught.

I was talking with someone the other day and remarking on how our relationship with our earthly father is often reflected onto our Heavenly Father. And that is just so unfair.

In my particular situation, I had been taught by my earthly father, and had come to believe, that my behavior and emotions dictated whether or not I was acceptable. If I behaved in a way that was comfortable for him, I was acceptable. If my emotions or behavior entered any area that caused discomfort for him, I was rejected. And because my spirit was in great need of expressing emotion, the pain of rejection ran deep. It has skewed every relationship I have ever had; most especially my relationship with God.

And that is what is so unfair; I have assumed that my Heavenly Father would treat me the same way my earthly father did. I have assumed that I would need to behave in a certain way and suppress my emotions in order to be accepted…and loved…by God.

But this is wrong, it is just not true.

God does not reject, He accepts. Therefore, rejection is not of God; acceptance is.

If you have found yourself in a situation like mine, I am here to tell you that you are loved by God. You are acceptable and beautiful to Him. How could you not be? You are His creation, wonderfully and perfectly made by Him. And He loved you more than any human possibly could; He gave His only Son up to death for you.

Your emotion is okay, whether it’s tears, anger or crazy joy. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotion you may have and move through it. It’s not until you move through the emotion that you can get to the other side of it and move beyond it. Cry and release the pain; be angry and then forgive; laugh in your crazy joy, then rest in great peace.

And have a beautiful day, knowing you are loved with the greatest love ever known.

He Turns 26

2011-09-14T07:21:00.000-04:00

Today, my baby boy turns 26; no longer my baby boy but a grown man with a child of his own.

I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. After 14 hours of labor and too much pushing, the nurses placed him in my arms and I melted. Here was this little life, brand new and vulnerable, safe in my arms.

I fell in love. He was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen.

26 years later he has been through so many things. Parents divorcing, moving (too many times), the death of a beloved grandfather and friends.

He’s had good times too, his whole life has not been terrible. ;-)

But this past year, in particular, has been extremely hard on him. What he envisioned his future to be, completely fell apart. That brand new, vulnerable baby is now a grown man that I cannot keep safe from all the hurts and pain this world throws at us all.

But I am so proud of him. He has come through the past year with much grace and strength. He has a new vision for his future and he is moving forward, for the sake of his daughter and for himself. He has refused to allow his past to dictate his future.

So, happy birthday Anthony! Keep your eyes looking forward, God has a plan for you and I know it is a good one. You have so much to offer the world. Never stop smiling and know that you are loved.

Lexi is blessed to have you as her daddy.

I am blessed to have you as my son.

It's Been Busy in My World

2011-09-13T14:05:00.000-04:00

School has started up for the year, which I always look forward to. I love a good schedule and school provides that for me. However, that schedule does tend to get busy!

The youngest one is not playing soccer this year; (I’m making a sad face) she has chosen to cheer instead. She loves it and who am I to quench her spirit! So, while I won’t be able to enjoy a good game of soccer, I get to enjoy a good game of football. I know hubby is happy with that, he loves his football. So we are going to games and running her back and forth to practices.

The grandbaby has started pre-school. I was able to go with her on her first day of school. It was just too precious; her little backpack, her first day of school outfit, and new friends. Makes a grandmother’s heart all warm and melty. Every other Wednesday I have the privilege of dropping her off at daycare in the mornings. Love the little alone times we get together.

We are getting ready to close up the camper for the year. I sure will miss that place over the winter. I didn’t realize how noisy our home location was until I encountered the quiet at the lake. I think we will have to move soon. But in the meantime, we are spending every weekend there until we are forced out.

Let’s see, what else. Oh yes, we had some friends visit this past weekend. We met this couple at our old camping, stomping grounds. They now come up once a year to visit. We went out to eat and spent the weekend at the camper. It was nice to see them.

Oh yes, I have to report that this Tigger no longer bounces. I took a good spill at the camper over Labor Day weekend. We thought I broke my arm. After a visit to the emergency room, we discovered I had not (thankfully). But I am full of bumps and bruises and typing is kind of hard. The spot where I hit my arm was also cut, requiring repair. And it’s on the part of the arm that you rest when typing. I have kept typing to a minimum, obviously. You know what, this almost 50 year old body still aches almost two weeks later.

So, that’s life in a nutshell right now. That’s why I haven’t posted much. I’m just getting into my fall/winter routine and need some time to adjust. I’ve got lots on my mind to share with you all and I will get to it.

In the meantime, know that you are loved and accepted and precious to me….and more importantly to God.

Yes, You're Worth It!!!

2011-09-09T11:43:00.000-04:00

A Powerful Prayer

2011-09-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

We had a lovely summer at the lake. Most of our weekends were spent in relative peace and quiet, with day long fires and sunbathing by the lake. We truly relished our weekends there and plan to do it all again next summer.

However, our retreat to the lake precluded our attending regular church services on Sunday. This wasn’t a problem for us, as we aren’t of the mind that we will be damned to hell for not attending church services in a building. What we did do was listen to Charles Stanley on Sunday mornings. He is a good teacher and I always learn something when I listen to him.

This past Sunday, he talked about “prayer with impact.”

I remember growing up in the Catholic Church and sitting in Mass watching the grownups pray. I always wondered what they were thinking or saying inside their heads. As I got older and started to go through the sacraments, I came to my first communion. I remember going up and receiving my first communion and coming back to my pew, kneeling down to pray and then wondering “what am I supposed to say?” I don’t remember ever being told how to pray. Oh, I knew how to say the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary,” but that never seemed appropriate after receiving the eucharist. It always seemed to me a rigid, monotonous prayer that really had no meaning to it. So I would often just kneel there, after communion, and let my mind wander to whatever plans I had for after church.

It wasn’t until I was an adult, wandered away from my childhood faith and then found my way back to God that I figured out prayer was a simple conversation with Him. But sometimes, people will ask me to pray for them and I just don’t know what to say or what to ask God for. And this is what Dr. Stanley was talking about on Sunday.

He stated that he often has people come up to him and ask him how they can pray for him, and he always has a specific request for them; he asks them to pray Colossians 1.9-14 for him.

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Wow.

Can you imagine having someone praying this for you? Isn't this prayer exactly what we are all striving to be in our lives?

I have since asked two people to pray this for me. And I have started to pray it for others I know, especially when I am at a loss for words.

So, my dear friends, would you pray this for me?

Thank you so much.

I will also pray it for you.

May we all walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, with all spiritual wisdom, bearing fruit and loving others.

Know that God loves you so much…and so do I.

There is a Reason ~ Alison Krauss ~ Lyrics

2011-09-02T11:28:00.000-04:00

I am Loved, I am Accepted

2011-08-31T11:05:00.000-04:00

Two days in a row, I've had someone insult me, question my integrity and downright reject me with a completely callous attitude.

I was brought to tears.

When I woke up this morning, my heart was still hurting. But I vowed to not let another person's rejection of me ruin my day. My prayers this morning claimed a promise from God and that is what I am going to hold on to.

"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. " Deut. 31.6 & 8

In Hebrews He says:

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"

He loves me and He will never leave me.

What was even more wonderful, is that promise was confirmed on another friend's blog.

Isn't He wonderful?

So I'm writing today to tell you that you, too, are loved by God and He accepts you just as you are. He loves you so much that He gave His only Son for you...long before you were born! What a precious gift we have been given in Jesus.

My heart overflows with the realization that I am loved so much by the One who created me.

I also want you to know that I love you. And I accept you, no matter what.

You are precious to me.

Monday Musing

2011-08-29T13:32:00.000-04:00

What is on my mind today?

Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods…disasters abounding.

And the storms of life.

I live in the Northeast and our most recent pending disaster was the great Irene.

There was much hype about Irene, and for the more southern states the hype was appropriate. However, here in Maine it was for naught. Yes, we had rain and we had wind and there are some people without power, but this is nothing that we Mainers don’t normally endure during a typical winter snow storm.

With all the anticipation and preparedness that went on and then having it end up being not much of anything, it has made me think about all the other “storms” we encounter in life.

How often do we anticipate the worst? How often do we imagine what “could” happen?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you have limited information and then let your mind and imagination take over? If you say no, then you are lying to yourself. We have all been there; it’s part of our human and imperfect nature.

We worry.

We worry that the life or environment we have created for ourselves or our loved ones will be threatened or possibly demolished.

Think of a hurricane warning. We are told what could possibly happen if hurricane-force wind or rain develop in our area. We begin to anticipate the worst and we begin to worry. We take every precautionary step to protect what is ours. We huddle inside our protective walls and wait for the storm to pass and pray that we make it out unscathed. All well and good when you are dealing with the forces of nature.

Never mind that history and experience has proven that the area you live in rarely deals with such forces of nature. And that the worry and extended precautions you have taken just aren’t necessary.

Yes, experience does and should play a part in how you handle situations. If you live in an area that consistently experiences hurricanes, then precautions should be undertaken. But because of previous experience, worry shouldn’t be a factor. You know what to expect and you know what to do, so you do it.

I think worry enters our lives when we don’t understand or don’t know.

Jesus specifically addressed worry in Matthew 6. In these passages, He is speaking directly about material needs. However, He ends it by saying:

"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I believe He is saying here to live in the moment; take care of the moment; do not anticipate and worry about what is next.

He talks further about worry in Matthew 13:

"And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

He references “worry” as being of the world in this verse and then in the very next verse compares it to someone who hears the word and understands it.

"And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

Worry does not bear fruit, it actually chokes the word.

Do a word search of “worry” and see how we are told NOT to worry. God does not want us to live this way.

Don’t worry about what is going to happen next, don’t worry about what you don’t understand; simply don’t worry!

Can you imagine the peace we would have if we simply trusted God and took Him at His word?

I had a small discussion about this with my son on Sunday. We were watching Charles Stanley who was talking about tithing. I love Charles Stanley, he teaches directly from the word and not his own opinion.

My son had questions about tithing and I did my best to help him understand and referred him to Malachi 3.10. It’s the one place where God actually tells us to test Him. It got down to the fact that we need to trust God when He says something.

That can be a hard thing. But trust is developed when we develop our relationship with God, just like we do with others in our life. Once trust is there, we don’t need to worry.

And once we stop worrying, we will stop anticipating the worst. And when we stop anticipating the worst, the storms of our lives will not seem so overwhelming.

Chris Tomlin - Love

2011-08-19T09:47:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone!

Update on My Garden

2011-08-18T10:43:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted on the status of my garden for a while. Sorry, I don't have pictures to share with you, I keep forgetting to bring my camera when I go to the garden.

Cucumbers were a bust this year. We were invested with cucumber bugs and I just couldn't keep on top of them. I ended up pulling them out of my garden. Zucchini was the same, they didn't even make it past the initial growth stage.

I had an abundance of sugar snap peas. They were soooo yummy. I will definitely be growing them again next year.

Potatoes ended up with bugs as well, but I think I got them under control enough to have a crop this fall. We'll see.

My tomato plants are overflowing! They are just starting to ripen. I can't wait to make some salsa and sauce to can. YUM!

My carrots didn't get too big, but they are tasty enough. I should have thinned them out a bit more.

I think that I will build a bed in my own yard next year. Part of the problem with maintenance was it being somewhere other than my house. It would have been much easier to water and debug if I could have done it each night after work for about 10 minutes.

We've had a problem with security over at the garden as well. Seems people are helping themselves to our gardens. We even have a sneaky suspicion that it's our own fellow gardeners. I, for one, have actually seen a fellow gardener help herself to someone else's garden. I was quite shocked. We are in the process of getting the gate fixed so it can be locked and opened only by gardeners. If the stealing stops, then we'll know it was from either neighborhood people or possibly teenagers just being destructive.

It's been a great learning experience and I am excited to spend some time this winter planning out next year's garden...in my own yard!

Hope you are all having a wonderful day.

The sun is shining here in my little part of the world and it makes me smile.

Smile today and create your own little bit of sunshine.

God bless.

One is the loneliest number

2011-08-17T16:16:00.000-04:00

Two are better than one,

Because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.

But woe to him who is alone when he falls,

For he has no one to help him up.

Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;

But how can one be warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.

And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ( NKJV ) 9

Living and Giving Love

2011-08-16T11:06:00.000-04:00

Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.

Dinah Craik, A Life for a Life, 1859

The Lord tells us that the tongue "is a restless evil and full of deadly poison." (James 3.8) People lie with it and say terrible things, things that hurt others. Most don't do this on a regular basis; sometimes their frustrations, anger and hurt cause them to blurt things out that they may not have normally said.

And then there are others who do this on a regular basis.

I love the quote I posted above, because I believe all of us need that one person in our lives who knows us intimately, understands where we are coming from and can sift through the words that are blurted out in an emotional state.

Being a Christian does not make us perfect. And that's okay, we aren't supposed to be perfect....yet. That is something that God is working on, in us. It's not something that we have control over. There are things we need to learn along the way to heaven and if we follow His lead, we will learn them in His timing....which just happens to be perfect.

As Christians, we do have a responsibility to recognize this about ourselves and others. We have the responsibility of being gracious (passing grace) and merciful to others. I think the ability to be gracious and merciful comes from experience and from accepting and understanding the grace and mercy that God provided to us.

I often wonder if those whose lives have not been so easy or who have made bad choices in their lives prior to knowing God, appreciate and understand God's grace & mercy better than others who have not lived such a rough life.

Is it possible that they understand where another is coming from, because they've been there?

Because of this, can they possibly be that person referred to in my quote? Someone who is able to sift through the words and throw out the "garbage," thereby enabling them to love someone who is unlovable? I see the sifting of words as an act of love.

And loving is not a burden. Although when you think a person is unlovable, it can seem that way.

Loving an unlovable person is not a duty, it is a matter of the heart. Duties are burdens and loving someone else should not be a burden. Jesus said....

"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 11.30

Relationships are not burdens. Loving someone else, even when they are unlovable, is not a burden.

But sometimes others are not able love you.

And that's okay

As long as you understand you are not required to make someone else love you. Most often, there is nothing you can do about it.

Just love God first and foremost and the loving others part will come naturally...even when they don't love you back.

May the Lord bless you with an abundantly soft and loving heart.

Reaching The Goal

2011-08-13T19:53:00.021-04:00

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3.14

I went for a walk tonight. I hadn't taken a good long walk in quite a while and I felt a little push to go from that still small voice. My goal was to to walk the entire length of the camp road; almost 1.5 miles.

I was enjoying the walk and spending some quality time in conversation with God. Before I knew it, the end of the road was in sight. I thought to myself "well, there is the end. I've gone far enough I can turn around."

I stopped and my next thought was "huh?"

Since when is "almost" actually reaching a goal.

Never. "Almost" is NEVER going to get you where you want to go.

I kept walking.

I was rewarded with a beautiful chorus of birds and a little babbling brook.

But God wasn't done with me yet.

As I was walking back, I could see the sign to our local YMCA summer camp in the distance.

God said run.

YIKES!

But I did.

I knew He was testing my heart and my desire to learn to trust Him.

I made it the entire way; praying the whole time that I wouldn't have an asthma attack.

I learned a lot tonight about trusting and believing that when He asks you to do something, He will empower you to do it.

Now I am off to drink my water and enjoy my porch swing.

God bless.

2011-08-10T13:20:00.000-04:00

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galations 6.9

The Lord gave me this verse recently while in the midst of a hail-storm of phone calls from worried clients.

Everyone wanted to talk to my boss (the Certified Financial Planner/stock broker). He has about 200 clients and only so many hours available to speak with them all. And each of them deserves his time and attention.

I was scheduling, taking messages, and assuring clients that he was watching the market and looking out for their best interests.

He was giving them advice and guidance and making recommendations on investments, while reassuring them that he is looking out for their best interest.

It was hectic and stressful.

But it was all good. Because he is a good planner and advisor. While this is certainly a for-profit business, his profits do not come at the expense of his clients. He only advises them on what is best for their financial future and does not push anything on them.

We are doing good here.

And to receive that message from God was all the encouragement we needed.

We all are doing some good for others. At least I hope we all are. God calls us to serve and to serve others, not ourselves.

Don't grow weary while doing good.

God sees.

He knows your heart.

And in due season, you will understand why you did what you did and you will be blessed by it.

Facebook and Reality

2011-08-09T16:58:00.000-04:00
I've been de-friended! Twice in one week!

I am either doing something wrong....or something right. ::wink, wink::

Honestly, if someone feels the need to de-friend me on a silly social networking site, they weren't much of a friend to begin with.

In light of larger world events, it's really not that important to me right now anyways.

I work for a financial advisor who manages large sums of money. With the current economic situation, having someone defriend me is trivial.

We have people near retirement who are calling, in a panic. I am the first person they reach when they call the office. I need to be a calming influence for them; an even keel in the midst of their storm.

It is my opportunity to show them the light and love of Jesus Christ. A chance to extend the Grace of God and the mercy of a tender heart.

There are much larger things in life to worry about in this world.

Worrying about who wants to be my friend is not one of them.

Love the ones around you; accept them for who they are.

If you can't do that, then perhaps it's time for a chat with the God who loves you even at your worst. Then thank Him for accepting you, even when you are unacceptable.

May God's Grace, Peace & Mercy abound to you.

Musings on a Monday

2011-08-01T12:39:00.000-04:00
A while ago, I was speaking with someone about my volunteering with a local hospice. I talked with them about how I sit with my patients, hold their hand, read to them, take them out in the sunshine, or just wheel them around the facility so they can see more than the four walls of their room. I've also sat with a family while their loved one passed away.

The majority of my patients were in the advanced stages of dementia, so holding conversations wasn't something we normally did. Although I had this one patient that I loved to talk to as every once in a while I would get a smile out of him.

I haven't volunteered with hospice since going back to work full-time. I really miss it.

The reason I was thinking about this today, is because during my conversation, this person commented that death scared them.

And what made me think about this conversation? Because I was reading at another blog and this person was talking about death. No, it's not as morbid as you might think; they were talking about the process of death and being ready to die...and dying gracefully.

So that made me think about my previous conversation. And I remembered saying, in response to the comment about being afraid, that I was not afraid to die.

And I'm not.

Now, I'm not going to be all pious and holy and tell you that I welcome death so that I can be with my Lord and end all my suffering, etc etc. Honestly, I don't think about it enough one way or the other. But I do know that I'm not afraid to die.

I know where I'm going. I don't have the fear of the unknown.

And it makes me sad to think there are people out there who don't have that assurance of knowing.

I'm not going to lie to you though, I have thought about HOW I'm going to die and that unknown makes me a bit nervous. Will it be quick or will it be a long drawn out event?

After spending time with my hospice patients who had dementia, I do know that is not the way I want to go. After watching my dad and my mother-in-law suffer in pain from cancer, I'm thinking that would not be so pleasant either.

But do any of us have an control over our own deaths; how or when it will happen?

No.

That is entirely in God's hands.

So my musing today is about how will I die and will I have the opportunity to do it with such grace that God is honored. Will I have the opportunity to show that one person that I am not afraid, that I know with certainty that God is with me and will be waiting for me after I breathe my last. Will that one person then come to believe and trust and no longer fear.

I am not sure.

But I am sure that God has it all under control and until that time, I can live with great joy and peace.

Do you know for sure where you are going?

Would you like to know?

You can go here to receive that assurance. And if you do, please let me know. You can find my email by clicking on my profile.

Grace, peace and much love to you.

Sue

Talk, talk, talk...

2011-07-29T09:51:00.000-04:00
You know what?

I like to talk.

I actually have something to say, that's worthy of listening to.

Just not right now.

We are busy moving down to our camper for the rest of the season. So I'll be neglecting my little blog again.

Perhaps I'll have more to say after we've moved down and I am resting in the peace and quiet.

Have a wonderfully, blessed weekend everyone!

A New Day

2011-07-28T13:43:00.000-04:00
Every day is a new day.

I said this to one of my daughter's friends recently who posted on her facebook that she wanted to start fresh. I told her that every day is a new day and a chance to start anew.

And I truly believe that.

After posting yesterday and sharing what has been on my mind and in my heart, I woke today feeling very free. While it was a post to no one in particular, writing it down and sharing it with the world allowed me to let go of a heavy weight on my shoulders; one that didn't belong there and really wasn't necessary for me to hold on to.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11.28-30

My relationship with the Lord should not be burdensome and therefore my relationship with others should not be either.

I am learning this as I face and understand what I have come to believe about myself and others...what is true and what is not true about that understanding.

I long ago asked God to help me understand love and to open my eyes to see others the way He does. I so wanted to be Christ-like.

I still want to be Christ-like.

I want to be the Christ who spoke with the woman at the well and who bent down to write in the sand while all these self-righteous people prepared to stone a woman for adultery. I'm not so sure I want to be the Christ who went into the temple to overturn tables of self-serving, self-loving, money-centered people though. Not sure I have the courage to do that; but who knows where He'll bring me to in this journey He has me on. ::wink, wink::

What I do know is that God wants me to love and to love EVERYONE. Even when they are unlovable. When I first turned back to God, His first message to me was one word...LOVE. I didn't understand what He was trying to tell me, because I honestly didn't know what it meant to love or be loved.

And that is why I asked Him to teach me about love.

And He is doing that.

And I am healing.

And He is giving me understanding.

My next step is to deal with this diagnosis I have been faced with and that seems like it will be a slow process.

You know, mental illness is a very taboo issue in society. We are not supposed to talk about it with others and because of that many people suffer alone. Even when it's not you with the mental illness, but someone you love; and then it's probably even more taboo to talk about it.

Why is that?

I don't know.

But today is a new day for me and for you. A chance to make new and better choices. A chance to make the choice to love even those who are unlovable.

And more importantly, a chance to turn to God and choose Him over everything else.

Do it... TODAY!!

God bless you all.

Be at peace.

Know that God loves you and so do I.

There is always hope when He is part of your life.

So little time, so much time....

2011-07-27T16:21:00.000-04:00
Hello blogging world.

I know I've been very neglectful of this blog as of late. I guess I'm being a bit lazy. It's summer and I tend to want to be outside as much as possible; not inside in front of a computer. I actually have to do that for my job and at the end of the day, I'm just not interested in going home to do it some more.

Soooo.....

I've also been spending some of my spare time contemplating my life and all the different elements that make up that life. I've had plenty of time to do that while I'm at the lake.

I've been thinking about my relationship with God and all of the beliefs that have been hand-fed to me over the years. I've been sifting and sorting, doing a bit of housecleaning in my brain. I've come to realize that all these doctrines and duties have come between me and God. It's so hard to have a relationship with someone when there are so many others trying to be in the middle of it.

I've also been giving some consideration to all the personal relationships I have in my life. This has been prompted by the realization that someone near and dear to me has a mental disorder; one that was undiagnosed for way too many years. As I've come to understand the ramifications of this disorder, it's made me realize that it has affected many of my other relationships. Even more so, who I've chosen to have relationships with.

It has skewed my ability to recognize what is healthy and what is not. More importantly, I've come to realize that the messages from all these unhealthy relationships has skewed my relationship with God.

So, I am contemplating all these realizations and thinking about how to go forward. My doctor gave me permission to take 1/2 hour to myself every day. In fact, she prescribed it. While she's a spiritual person, she isn't a Christian (at least as far as I know). Interestingly, she told me that I should spend that half hour of quiet and peace (no people, no noise, just nature) in reading my bible and meditating/praying to God. Imagine...I needed a prescription from my doctor for a half hour alone by myself.

But I did. There was no way to get it otherwise. If I tried to spend time alone at my house, I would have been accused of trying to hide something. I'm not lying, it has actually happened already.

So, from now on, I don't go home right away. I take half an hour by myself before I get there.

I spend time reading my bible and just sitting quietly in God's presence.

No doctrine.

No "performance spirituality" (stolen from a new found friend...hope he doesn't mind)

No negative messages.

Just peace, quiet, and resting in the realization that God loves me just the way I am.

I'm discovering that I need to surround myself with people who don't feel the need to fix me or mine, people who only want to give positive messages and are respectful towards me. People who listen, in love, and then hold my deepest secrets in their heart without throwing it back in my face (or sharing it with someone else).

I am mostly discovering that I am a good person, with a huge capacity to love....and that it's okay to set boundaries with others.

So, be forewarned, if you think there is something wrong with the way I think or that how I live or do things is wrong, you have every right to think so...but you have no right to tell me so. Keep your negative words to yourself....I've heard enough for a lifetime and I refuse to hear any more.

I'm sorry if that sounds very harsh or un-Christian-like. It's just the truth from my heart.

I'm not angry. I'm just tired; tired of performing like a circus-monkey for treats. That's not what God wants from me and I am slowly coming to understand this and believe it.

So understand that I am truly not angry or feeling sorry for myself or thinking that world is out to get me. I am just choosing to make better choices in my life...choices based on loving God and Him loving me, not on what others think.

This is very freeing, because it opens me up to trust in Him and Him alone. And it opens me up to freely love everyone else.

God is still working me.

You are welcome to stick around and see His finished workmanship.

Grace and peace,
Sue

I should pay more attention

2011-07-21T10:37:00.000-04:00
Clearly I haven't been paying too much attention to my blog.

It's summer time and the lake has all my attention.

:::big smile:::

Just discovered a spam comment on my last post. Hmmm, the spam setting is not working so well I guess.

It's deleted.

This was no one I knew and I hope no one encountered any problems if they went to his site. Actually, I'm pretty sure the small amount of readers I have are smart enough to NOT visit places like that.

Ok.

Back to the lake I go.

2011-07-15T11:57:00.000-04:00

Back From Vacation

2011-07-11T16:21:00.000-04:00
Yes, I've been on vacation; partially the reason for my not posting lately. The other reason is that I've just not had much to say. Be thankful for that. ::wink, wink::

So, we are thoroughly enjoying our little haven on the lake. It is so peaceful and quiet and is where I spent the majority of my vacation.

Here is a snapshot of our life down to camp....

We build fires, really big ones

We play games, Yatzee is my favorite

We go canoeing. Love my kids!

We got to the fireworks early to get a prime seat. It was perfect!

Hubby and I ended my vacation (yes, it was just mine, he did have to work) by visiting my mom who lives about 2 hours away.

This is the long, lonely road to my mother's rural residence.

We always eat at this little diner when visiting.

We took a different route home and found this lovely church.

And now I am back to work.

Vacations are always too short.

Have a lovely week everyone!

Angels

2011-06-23T12:38:00.000-04:00

I often get sidetracked and overwhelmed by circumstances in my life.

It can really drag me down at times.

Then, along comes a perfect stranger.

There but for a minute.

They remind you of the why, whats, and who fors.

And all of a sudden your heart is back on track.

These people have no idea what they've done or who they have affected. They have simply been living their life in a loving and encouraging way.

Yesterday, I sought consolation from God and yesterday I received it.

Yesterday, I sought rest and peace from God...and yesterday I received it.

Through an angel who didn't even know they were an angel.

Keep an eye out for them.

They often pass through your life very quickly, but they have a lasting effect.

My Psalm

2011-06-22T10:29:00.000-04:00
I was over on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook site the other day. Ellen, one of the writers, posted a Bread for the Journey post. You can read it for yourself here. She suggested we write our own Psalm.

I thought she was crazy. After giving it some thought, I think she might be pretty darn smart! What better way to express ourself in the midst of turmoil, peace and all those places in between. Isn't that what David did?

Here is my first Psalm, written in the midst of my greatest journey ever.

"Oh Lord God, Great Redeemer, have mercy on me.
You are the Almighty Savior, who freed your children from enslavement in Egypt.
You healed and raised the dead.

You are all powerful.

Save me from this turmoil.

Where is Your consolation?
Where is Your mighty hand? The hand that fixes all things?
Have You forgotten your child?
Have I been so disobedient that I am not worthy of an answered prayer?

I need release.
I need rest.
I need peace.
I need quiet.

If but for a small amount of time.

Oh Lord, I know you are near.
You have promised to never leave me.
You have promised to hear the prayers of the righteous.
You have promised grace & mercy to those who believe.

I believe.

And so I wait.

I wait on your answer, which is good and true.

Keep my eyes free from blinding scales.
Keep my heart open and free of walls.
Help me to see this world through your eyes.

May my trust always be in you and no other.

Amen

Stress

2011-06-21T11:11:00.000-04:00
Having a stressful day today.

Having to fix someone else's mistake doesn't make me happy. Especially when it happens on a regular basis.

Very grateful that my son is around to help fix these mistakes; it takes a load off me.

::sigh::

When is vacation?

Lupine

2011-06-20T12:15:00.000-04:00

Mary, Mary Quite contrary

2011-06-17T09:53:00.000-04:00
...my how my garden is growing!

I'm very excited at the progress of my garden. Look at those sugar snap peas! I should be able to start harvesting lettuce next week. Yum!

Snapped this photo of my rhododendron this morning.

You'd think I have a green thumb or something.

Actually, my grandfather was quite the gardener. God must have blessed me with his gardening genes.

There Is A God - Lee Ann Womack

2011-06-16T12:11:00.000-04:00

New Shoes

2011-06-15T10:49:00.000-04:00
....are a wonderful thing!

A Weekend With Some of My Family

2011-06-14T10:19:00.000-04:00

Big Brother

Protector

Tickler

Adored

Seeeesstteeer

Confidante

Friend

Admired

My Roses

2011-06-13T10:06:00.000-04:00

She Graduates

2011-06-10T10:02:00.000-04:00
...and begins a new season in her life.

Momma is so proud of you baby girl!!!

Keeping it Real

2011-06-09T10:09:00.000-04:00

A Opportunity Overlooked

2011-05-25T14:42:00.000-04:00
My morning was a typical one for me. Dragging myself out of bed, getting a cup of coffee, getting ready for work, rush, rush, rush.

And, typically, I hopped in my car and headed to work. As I was sitting at a red light, I noticed a woman hauling a couple of large containers of dirty laundry to the nearby laundry mat. She actually walked right in front of me.

The whole time I'm remembering how I had to do that. (Once, I actually hauled my dirty laundry to my parent's house on foot...almost a mile.)

I felt bad for her.

As soon as the light turned green I went through.

Then, within seconds I felt bad about not helping her. Geez, I could have offered her a ride. It wouldn't have made me late and she probably would have been grateful...at least for the offer.

God gave me an opportunity to serve someone else and in my rush I completely missed it.

::sigh::

Who's in your backseat?

2011-05-18T10:06:00.000-04:00
So yesterday, I'm driving in the car with my 13 year old (who is almost 14 and wanting to drive the car). We had just finished her weekly tumbling class and we were heading home. As we got into the car, I noticed a jacket in the back seat and wondered if it was hers or the friend we had given a ride to on the way to class. Our brief conversation went as follows:

Me: Is that your jacket in the back seat?
Her: No, it's Jesus'.
Me: Really? I didn't know He was riding with us today.
Her: That's the problem with people today, they don't know He's always with us. They've stopped believing.
Me: :::silence:::

What do you say to that? Especially when it's true!

My children are very smart and wise beyond their years. I am so grateful to God for them.

Jesus is, indeed, always with us.

Do you believe that?

The Art of Marriage

2011-05-17T15:28:00.000-04:00
Hubby and I attended an event at our church this past weekend. He wasn't so sure about it, but agreed to go just to make me happy.....(although that is a kind of way of saying it.)

What a weekend!

The event was a video seminar put out by Family Life called The Art of Marriage. You can see a video trailer for it here.

All I can say is it was life changing, for both of us. I highly encourage you to attend one of these if you can. Our church will be hosting another one, possibly this fall. Let me know if you are interested and I'll get the information to you.

That's all for now folks!

Have a blessed week

Grace - Fully Loaded

2011-05-11T12:55:00.000-04:00
I had to share a blog post from a fellow blogger with you all today.

Grace Fully-loaded

Thank you Dave for a wonderful blessing today.

Enjoy!

Hodge Podge

2011-05-09T13:59:00.000-04:00

Hodge-podge is a word used to describe a confused or disorderly mass or collection of things; a “mess” or a “jumble.”

Thought this might be a fun title for today's post.

I've had lots on my mind and lots to say since I last posted, but I've been sick. We've had a nasty cold-type virus going around the area and I've now had it for over a week. It's hard for me to concentrate on any one thing for a very long when I am so congested. I have that "foggy head" kinda feeling. All these very important issues have been happening around me and it seemed like I just couldn't gather my thoughts together to offer an opinion.

So here are a few hodge-podge kinda thoughts on my mind today.

I've joined the new Community Garden in my little town. I signed up for a 4x4 plot; I didn't want anything too big seeing this is my first attempt at growing vegetables. But I did want to get as much into the space as possible, so I used my Border's 33% off coupon and bought the new Square Foot Gardening Book by Mel Bartholomew.   It has me hooked and I'm all excited.

Here's a picture of what I accomplished yesterday in my little piece of gardening heaven.

The trellis on the end will hold tomatoes and cucumbers. The teepee contraption will hold my sugar snap peas. Yesterday, I planted sugar snap peas, carrots and some lettuce. I will wait until after memorial day to plant the cucumbers and tomatoes. I can't wait for little green shoots to start sprouting up. Hubby & youngest daughter helped me pull it all together. Fun, fun, fun!

Last weekend we brought the new camper down to the lake and this past Saturday was spent loading things and putting them away. We just need to get an electrical extension and new hose for the water, along with filled propane tanks, and we are all set to go.

Here is my other little piece of heaven, this one at the lake.

Can't wait to get some flowers planted to pretty up our space. We'll also be hauling down our porch swing for warm summer nights.

Let's see....Oh yes, oldest daughter is graduating soon. Must get invitations out in the mail. So much to do in the next couple of weeks. We want to have a yard sale to clean out the cobwebs in our attic, that will be in a couple of weekends. Need to do some spring cleaning before party guests arrive for daughter's graduation party. Her prom is coming right up also. After all that is said and done, youngest daughter wants to have a sleep over at the camper for her birthday.

And somehow, amongst everything I have to do, I need to attend to my little garden.

I really need to get well and get well soon.

Phew.

Okay, so I really don't have time to be sitting here. Off I go.

God bless!

The Prodigal Blogger Returns

2011-04-27T14:05:00.000-04:00

Hello. How are you? I hope all has gone well with you since I last posted.

A lot has gone on in my personal life since I last posted. The reason for my break was due to some life changing news that I received. Not to worry, no one is physically ill. But the news I received did affect my family significantly and caused me to have a new perspective in my life. Interestingly, God had already been working on preparing me for this news, so that when it came I could handle it without panicking.

Since the beginning of the year, He has been drawing my eyes and heart directly to Him and away from others. He has been teaching me to lean on Him only and not to depend on others for anything. He has been teaching me to trust Him alone, despite what His children do, say or think of me. And it has been quite freeing. My spirit is much calmer and happier. He has led me to people who consistently direct me towards Him and away from themselves (and others), who exhibit positive and encouraging behaviors, and who see the joy in serving and loving on others.

A received some testing yesterday (and a lesson) on what I’ve been learning from Him. I was introduced to a blog post by a well known pastor. I was forewarned that it could be controversial; that should have told me not to read it….but I did. (Notice that I never said He had perfected me in what He’s been teaching me….::sigh::…I’m still a work in progress…) I don’t want to get into details or name names, because I don’t want this post to be about the controversy. I want it to be about the heart issue and what I learned.

When I started reading, it was clear to me that there was an agenda, right off the bat. This pastor is in complete disagreement with another Christian and this post was the first of a series of posts. As I read, I kept expecting to read something about what exactly was so wrong about this other Christian (please keep in mind that I know nothing about this other man and what the issue is), but I never did. It was a post full of contempt and clearly meant to set people up for the posts to come. This pastor was really priming his readers, he had a point he needed to prove.

Now, normally, I would either get right into what he was saying and read on, getting myself all wound up and jump on the bandwagon. But that didn’t happen this time. What happened is I became very disturbed by the way he was speaking. And I was saddened to think he felt a full frontal attack was the way to handle what he sees as error and attempt to circle the wagons and protect his flock (and others, apparently, as this is posted on the internet). I wasn’t in the least bit interested in reading further. This first post wasn’t edifying in any way, so I certainly didn’t expect the rest to be.

Now, I understand that there are people out there that are easily led and misled by others who they view as an authority on a subject. You can see it to the extreme when cults surface. You see it to a lesser extent when a person follows a certain teacher and believes everyone else to be completely wrong. But that’s what I see as the problem; they are following and allowing themselves to be led by a human being…in all their imperfectness.

I believe……we should all be following Jesus Christ and allowing ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit. I believe we should listen to people who have been Christians longer than we have; they have wisdom and insight that we may not have. BUT, we should not listen to any one exclusively and we should always check what they are teaching against ALL of scripture, not just a verse here or there, just as the Berean’s did. And most importantly, we should be trusting that God, the Creator of the Universe, is much bigger than any mislead, weak human being. I wonder, do these overly critical pastors really believe that God is all powerful and able to overcome anything? Do they really think that God needs their help to save the masses? Do they ever recognize that it is possible that God sees all, knows all, and has it all under control? Besides, isn’t error usually borne out in time?

Personally, I think my own little life is enough of a handful for me to manage. I also believe that it is not a Christian’s duty in life to shout from the rooftops that he/she/they are heretics. I believe it is our responsibility to go out and share the gospel, to serve others as Jesus served us, and be sure that our brothers and sisters are secure enough in the Truth that they are not easily misled by others. And I believe that is done by pointing them towards Jesus, where all strength, knowledge and wisdom come from.

So what did I learn yesterday? If someone posts something with the word “controversy” in it…don’t read it! (Haha)

More importantly is what I learned today. I opened up the Turning Points magazine this morning that I get every month. It has daily devotions written by David Jeremiah. Here’s today’s. After reading this, be sure to read the recommended reading. God used this to confirm for me what I was thinking yesterday; that He is God and that I can trust Him to have everything under control, that a positive and loving attitude will go further than a contemptful, self-righteous one, and that I just need to keep my eyes on Him and no one else.

Lord, if I ever begin to sound like a clanging cymbal, please correct me! Help me to see others as you see them. Make me more like Jesus.

Chronicling my Journey, for my own sake

2011-04-05T12:37:00.000-04:00

(Drop down to the bottom of the page to stop my music player)

Another, much longer pause...

2011-03-25T11:49:00.000-04:00
It's with great sadness that I have to tell you all that I need to take a break from my blog.

Something has happened in my personal life that needs a great deal of attention and I just won't have time to be here.

I can't divulge what's happened, but know that God knows and He is watching over me.

I will be back some day.

Pause....

2011-03-22T14:22:00.000-04:00

I have been neglectful in my posting.

Did you notice?

I feel bad, as I had every intention of posting my progress through this 40-day devotional on a regular basis. It just seems that my good intentions are always thwarted by life. It swirls around me at times like a tornado, and leaves me breathless.

At least my life is not boring!

I was going to post a couple of days devotions today, but there is something else on my mind.

Emotions are on my mind today.

I have been sitting back and noticing the plethora of emotions around me lately.   I’ve seen anger and sadness, joy and frustration; I’ve looked in eyes and seen the beginnings of despair and desperation. I’ve also looked in little eyes that begged for attention, love and peace. These emotions are in the eyes, words and actions of my loved ones, my friends, and my co-workers.

Heartbreaking and overwhelming.

I do my best to meet their needs, to console and love them, encourage them and help them. Often, it is not enough; sometimes it is just enough. In MY eyes, it is never enough.

::sigh::

Where is my responsibility in the emotions of others? What is my responsibility when I encounter them?

As I’ve been seeing and experiencing other’s emotions, it has made me contemplate my own. Where do they come from? How do I use them? Are they appropriate? Is God pleased with them?

These are questions that are swimming around my brain today and I don’t have an answer to them. Not yet, anyways.

If I am not careful, that tornado called life along with a swimming brain could make me crumble.

But I am careful.

I am careful to place my trust in a God who is bigger than all the emotions in the world; my God has promised to never leave me nor forsake me.

Within His arms and promises I find peace.

Join me?

Jim Croce - Which Way Are You Goin'

2011-03-21T09:54:00.000-04:00

Dusty Shoes

2011-03-17T15:24:00.000-04:00
Day 12

Changing your focus will soon result in a change in you.

In today’s devotion, Dr Jeremiah said (and I’m going to quote a large passage today): “Too many Christians are like batteries that never get used. They stay fully charged all the time; they’re in church and bible studies several times a week; they listen to Christian music; they read the latest Christian bestsellers. The problem is, their batteries never get drained in service to others. They never dispense any of that power they’re storing up.” He said this after relating how a battery in a cordless phone can fail after time if it’s not drained periodically and then fully recharged, like the manufacturer suggests.

I really liked this analogy. And it made me think about how we can be so fully charged and ready to go, but waste all that energy and power that was meant to be used in service to others.

And isn’t that what Jesus wants of us? To serve others?

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Matt. 20.28

I think, by nature, we humans are very self-centered. We look out for ourselves first. It’s a matter of survival sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think everyone is self-centered in a negative way and there are many people out there that are very “others” centered.

But as Christians, should we be more “others” centered? If Jesus is our example, the One we strive to be like, then I think the answer is yes.

I have been working on changing my focus lately. I have been choosing to seek out the positive in everything and everyone around me. I have made the decision that people can think what they want of me, but I don’t have to own their opinions. All that matters is what God thinks of me. My focus has become God centered. And lately, because of what God is teaching me in our private time and through this book, I’m looking at others differently. As Dr. Jeremiah said in today’s devotion, when our focus changes, we change.

As I am typing this up, I am listening to my itunes music. As I was typing that last paragraph, Jim Croce came over my speakers singing:

Which way are you going?
Which side will you be on?
Will you stand and watch
While all the seeds of hate are sewn?

I do have to ask myself, which way am I going? Whose side am I on? My own or God’s?

Life sign: The needs of others are as important as my own.

Verse: do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Phil 2.4

Action: What steps can I take to change my focus from self to others? Who around me needs a blessing from my hands?

Casting Crowns - Does Anybody Hear Her

2011-03-16T17:01:00.000-04:00

Look around you today.

Dusty Shoes

2011-03-15T10:43:00.000-04:00
Day 11

"The Lord can use a stammering tongue better than a silent one."

Today's devotional tied in nicely with yesterday's. The question of the day is: "Why are we silent when it comes to sharing the Gospel?"

Good question.

Why is it that we are silent?

Perhaps it's for the reason I mentioned yesterday, the need to be politically correct. Or perhaps it's because we are afraid to trip over our tongue. Maybe we aren't very confident in speaking; maybe we are so new to Christ that we are afraid to misrepresent the Gospel.

That is a legitimate fear, but it's one that can easily be overcome. Dr. Jeremiah shared some ways to overcome this particular fear and obstacle in today's devotional.

First, ask God to specifically fill you with His Holy Spirit.   (See Ephesians 5.18-19)

I think this is a good thing to ask for every day. The Spirit will give us the words to say and the strength to share them.

Second, develop a burden. (See 2Cor. 5.14)

The good Dr. suggested that we see the words "For Whom Christ died" on the forehead of everyone we see...every single day. This morning, I asked God to help me see His creation through His eyes, to help me love them the way He loves them. (I'm thinking again of that Brandon Heath song, "Give me your eyes.") When we see people the way God does, we begin to shed the pre-conceived notions we have of others. Negative labels disappear in light of this.

Finally, to gain confidence in sharing God's word, we should memorize verses. (See Psalm 119.42)

One of the first verses I memorized is: Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble. Psalm 119.165. I'm not suggesting that you should memorize that particular one, but it stood out to me for reasons at the time and has stuck with me. I have used this verse in the past when talking with others. Since I don't have the best memory in the world, I will write up verses I want to memorize and post them around my computer to read and re-read.

For those who might be new in the faith, Dr. Jeremiah suggested the following verses to memorize: John 3.16; Romans 3.23, 6.23, 5.8, and 10.9-10, 13; Ephesians 2.8-9; and Acts. 16.31. (You will have to go read them for yourselves!)

Hiding God's word in your heart this way will help you to be bold in sharing God's word; and don't fear, the Holy Spirit will bring it to your remembrance just when you need it!

Life Sign: The most important thing I can say is "Jesus loves you."

Verse: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1.9

Action: What keeps me from witnessing to others? What practical steps can I take to overcome these obstacles.

Dusty Shoes

2011-03-14T13:43:00.000-04:00
Even though I haven’t been here to post, I have been continuing my study. I hope you are all sticking with me! It’s getting a bit deeper and into some uncomfortable areas for me. Uncomfortable is good; it’s there that God can use us the most, don’t you think? Because it’s there that we rely on Him the most.

Day 10

“The world is a banquet and you have been invited to be the keynote speaker.”

This day’s devotional is all about finding our voice as a Christian.

When I think about the apostles and how they preached, especially Peter when he spoke his great sermons in Acts, I am in awe. Also, how about Paul? He was actually imprisoned for his preaching. All the great saints faced persecution when preaching the Gospel. But they did it anyways, without fear, and they were very bold about it.

Here in America, we have nothing to fear when it comes to preaching the Gospel. We will not be persecuted for it; we certainly don’t have to worry about being thrown to the lions for our faith! Thank God, huh?

But why, then, do some of us worry so much when it comes to sharing God’s word? We worry more about offending others, than we do about the eternal destination of another’s soul. Have we Christians become “politically correct?”

Today’s devotion really gave me pause to think. As anyone who truly knows me, I am not shy and certainly have no problem speaking up when I see an injustice. But I have been guilty of not wanting to be too offensive. Also, being a worker in the public sector, I had to watch what I said or who I supported publically…I had to be “politically correct.” It has been ingrained in me.

Dr. Jeremiah wrote: “…find your voice as a Christian; be so comfortable with who you are in Christ that you are prepared to speak, verbally and non-verbally, in a way that encourages others to consider how knowing Christ could change their life.”

I liked how he worded this. It’s not about going out and thumping our bible on everyone’s head. It’s about being comfortable with who we are and what we believe. When we are comfortable, we will live out our walk in a way that looks different from the rest of the world; and that will encourage people to want to know what’s going on! I don’t often have people say to me, “I want what you have.” I’m praying that will change and soon.

Part of today’s devotional was also about the opportunities that God will provide for us to share. I’ve already had that happen to me (well, I was finally aware and saw the opportunity). I mentioned it in my last post. Dr. Jeremiah wrote: “Where ever you go, God will arrange an opportunity for your voice to be heard.” We just need to keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to those opportunities.

Life sign: Opportunities to share Christ are divine appointments

Verse: “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” 1Peter 3.15

Action: How can I be more proactive about seizing opportunities to share the Gospel with others?

A Prayer...

2011-03-11T09:35:00.000-05:00
for those affected by the earthquake in Japan.

Father in heaven, Creator of this precious world we live in, please hear the prayers of your saints.

Our hearts break for those who are suffering right now from the earthquake that hit Japan and we lift them up to you. Please comfort those who are hurting and may be trapped in the wreckage, send rescuers to find them quickly. Comfort those who can't find their loved ones as they wait for word on their survival...or not. Please keep the waves at bay and the aftershocks to a minimum.

Please be with the leaders who coordinate rescue efforts and then rebuilding efforts, giving them guidance and wisdom as they deal with this terrible tragedy.

And protect the countries who will be affected by the resulting tsunami. I pray that the distance it will travel will allow it to lessen the height and strength of the wave. May everyone in it's wake be alerted and have time to get to higher ground.

Lord, we love Your children here on earth and we pray for your mercy and healing touch.

Please hear our prayers that are asked in the name of your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Dusty Shoes

2011-03-09T15:57:00.000-05:00

Well, I got to put what I'm learning into action recently.

I was at my doctor's office yesterday to meet my new doctor; sort of a meet and greet. When I was called in, I commented to the nurse that "that was quick, I didn't even have time to read much of my book." She laughed and said perhaps I could read it while I waited for the doctor. While she was doing the normal blood pressure check, temperature, pulse thingy, she asked what book I was reading. Normally, I would pause and wonder if I should share with this person about my "Christian book." Wouldn't want to offend anyone. Yesterday was not a normal day. Without hesitation, I pulled the book out of my purse and explained what the book was all about (it was this book). She asked questions about it! She wasn't offended and actually thought it was a great concept.

Then the doctor came in. I had an opportunity to share my faith with her as well. How cool is that!!! God is educating me and then giving me opportunities to put my education to work. Given some of my history, the doctor said she was amazed at how peaceful I was and how strong I seemed to be. I got to tell her that it wasn't me, not one ounce of my doing. WooHoo! God is working and using me as a witness.

This really excites me and encourages me to keep it up.

Okay, onto Days 8 & 9. We start our journey into Dusty Shoes.....

Day 8

"Be willing to get your shoes dusty on the streets of this world."

I didn't know the full history of the Salvation Army, but Dr. Jeremiah gave me a bit of a history lesson. He wanted to use William Booth and his wife as an example of what he was teaching in this day's lesson. The Salvation Army was an outreach ministry to the "downtrodden & marginal members of society." Seems he and his family got their shoes very dusty on the streets of this world. Mr. Booth often said, "Go for souls and for the worse." They are the ones that really need our help, right?

Jesus tells us in Luke 14.23:

..., 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.'

Doesn't sound much like staying in our cozy homes or church halls, does it? Jesus is our best example of having dusty shoes and of ministering to those who need it most.

So what exactly does this kind of ministering look like in today's world? When I think about going out into the streets today, it scares me. It would be very risky for a woman to head downtown where the homeless people gather; many of them have mental disabilities.The homeless youth hang out there also. Quite a bit of risk.

That didn't seem to bother William Booth or his wife. From what I read, they faced a lot of danger. In fact, Mr. Booth had people who protected him.

I don't God feel calling me to put my life at risk, but I know there is something He wants me to do. He hasn't made it clear to me yet; I'm guessing there is more for me to learn first.

Life sign: I am willing to get my feet dusty in the streets of my community.

Verse: Luke 14.23

Action: What opportunities can I actively pursue to be salt & light in my neighborhood? Which one will I pursue this week?

Day 9

"The Christian walk should be filled with wonder & the fear of the Lord."

Dr. Jeremiah talked about our walk today and how we "As Christians ... are called to walk worthy of our calling, 24/7, morning, noon & night."

Our walk always gives us away.

Yep, we can talk all we want, but do we do what we say? I think about all the evangelical pastors who have fallen over the years and I cringe a bit. When we fall, the world locks right onto it. We are called hypocrites. People mock us and turn away from us, because sometimes they are right.

I think we Christian's sometimes hold ourselves to a higher standard than others. We preach at others and tell them that they are living wrong, they will go to hell, follow Jesus and life will be grand. And then we live wrong; we cheat on our taxes, and we have affairs. We really are no different than the rest of the world. We can't expect to tell others about what they are doing wrong, then not live up to our own expectations.

I think we sometimes have bigger expectations that we really should.

Dr. Jeremiah outlined four ways to walk, as follows:

Walk with the wise

Walk in the fear of the Lord

Walk in newness of life.

Walk in obedience.

Walk it; preach it with your mouth only when your feet can't. (See my quote from St. Francis up above.)

Life sign: My walk supp0orts my Christian talk.

Verse: Jeremiah 6.16 Thus says the LORD, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'

Action: What can I do to stay focused on my walk with God around the clock?

Couldn't have said it better myself....

2011-03-08T10:18:00.000-05:00
I imagine there are many things I could say to lead into the post I'm about to share with you. But I'm not going to wax eloquent for you; the post speaks for itself.

Just read this and know that I agree with it.

Big Mama, you ROCK!!!

A big thank you to Angie over at Bring the Rain for sharing this with everyone!

Signs of Life

2011-03-07T14:57:00.000-05:00
Hello!

What a busy week I had last week! The bosses were away, so my co-worker and I decided to surprise them by painting and redecorating part of the office. It was much needed and so much fun. They came in today and were very pleased!

Needless to say, that over-rode my posting here at the blog. I attempted to post this past weekend from home, but the word document I was writing it in shut down on me. You would have thought the secretary in me would have saved it periodically as I was writing…but no. So I haven’t had a chance to write until now.

Let’s see, I ended on Day 5, so you are due a few days. I’m going to catch you up to Days 6 & 7, as those end the first section of the book, entitled “Signs of Life.” Day 8 begins “Dusty Shoes,” so I will save that day and a few following for my next post.

Here we go!

Day 6

“Our most effective witness comes when others see hope & joy radiate from our lives.”

Dr. Jeremiah used the example of a court trial to make his point for today’s lesson. He asked, “If you were on trial, accused of being a Christian, would you be easily convicted?”

We often are on our best behavior when others are looking, but what about when we think others aren’t looking? It made me remember a time when I was out in public with one of my children and they offered an exclamation out loud for all to hear; and it wasn’t a very pleasant word. Unfortunately, my child had heard this word come out of my own mouth when I didn’t think they were close enough to hear (or even paying attention for that matter). It was a quick, and hard, lesson learned; don’t ever assume your child is not paying attention!

This lesson can be applied in our behavior with the world around us. Is our behavior consistent throughout the day? And for that matter, is our behavior consistent with what we say? As every parent knows, living by example speaks louder to our children than our mere words.

In today’s devotion, Dr. Jeremiah offered this poem by Edgar Guest:

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I’d rather one would walk with me than merely show the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and much sharper than the ear.
Fine counsel can confuse me, but example's always clear.
The lectures you deliver may be very wise & true,
But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.

Love it, love it, love it!!!

Life sign: Those who witness my life see Jesus.

Verse: Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, Col. 3.23

Action: What can I do to be a more effective representative of God?

Day 7

“We don’t stay on earth forever; but after we’re gone, our imprint remains.”

I thought today’s devotion tied in nicely with Day 6. Remember, our behavior, not our mere words is what stands out to people. It will be those behaviors that will be our legacy.

We really need to be aware of the impact we have on others around us, especially on those we love. I want to be remembered as someone who loved and someone who could be depended on. I wonder, will my children remember how I prayed and found my strength in God? When they are in trouble and need counsel, will they remember how I turned to God and His Word to find answers and solace?

Or will they remember me as someone who gave a lot of lip service to my relationship with Jesus, but didn’t follow it up with my actual daily walk.

Dr. Jeremiah offered four (4) specific attributes for us to aspire to in order to achieve leaving the imprint of Jesus behind:

Read the word so that our children see how important it is to us.
Live honestly.
Pray.
Have an enduring testimony. (2Tim. 2.2)

Life sign: The imprint of my Christian life will remain for eternity

Verse: Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 1Cor. 4.1

Action: In what specific ways am I leaving behind a positive or negative, imprint in the lives of my family, co-workers and community.

So looking forward to having Dusty Shoes!!!!

Interruption

2011-03-01T13:41:00.000-05:00
I am taking a moment to interrupt the regularly scheduled programing for this blog....

Is anybody else distressed by the Charlie Sheen fiasco being aired by the media? I sat in horror yesterday morning as I watched the Today show and saw this poor man's mind unfolding right before my eyes. It reminded me of this verse:

"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind...." Romans 1.28

As distressing as it was to watch, what upset me more is that the media saw fit to air it for the world to see. Probably even more upsetting was that people, just like me, sat there glued to the television unable to NOT watch it.

Then this morning, watching the Today show again (I really need to stop watching that show), they announced that Meredith Baxter (supposedly a beloved TV mom) was going to be interviewed and tell us all about being gay and other very personal information about herself.

What made Ms. Baxter think it was important for us all to know that she is gay? When did this type of information become "news" that needed to be shared with the world?

When I stopped to think about it, I realized it is because this kind of "news" sells in our society today. We watch it when it's on TV, we buy the books, and we clamor for the newspaper when we know there is a story about someone messing up.

But why?

I think that's a question that each of us needs to ask ourselves. I also think that when we stop feeding the media, they will find more news worthy things to share.

Food for thought.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

Signs of Life

2011-02-28T12:51:00.000-05:00

Day 5

“There’s a power in the presence of Christians that permeates the society and sets into play the grace of God.”

Today’s devotional revolved around our being salt in the world. This is the message I saw Dr. Jeremiah preach when I originally discovered his book. It rung so true to me that I decided to watch him again. It was after his second teaching that I decided to buy this book. So glad I did!

He explained this verse in such a way that opened a whole new understanding of scripture for me.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Matt. 5.13

Salt prevents decay, provides flavor, promotes thirst and permeates food. When you break it down that way, it requires you to look at your role in this world in a new and fresh way.

Salt has always been used as a preservative, and particularly so during biblical times. So a statement like the one made in Matthew 5 was pretty significant at the time. It’s clear that God intended for us to be a type of preservative while living here on earth. In other words, our mere presence should prevent decay.

When others, who know that you’re a Christian, are around you, don’t they clean up their language? Aren’t they hesitant to do something illegal? Granted, there are people who will act worse just to upset you, but they do that knowing full well what they say and do are wrong. We are (or should be) a moral compass to others.

As salt, we also provide flavor. Our interactions with others should be reflective of Jesus and His character.   His character qualities should be our character qualities, and they should be genuine. Any of us can plant a smile on our face or be pleasant; but let’s be honest; we can all tell when someone’s heart isn’t matching their words.

Salt also promotes thirst. Our interactions with others should cause them to want (or thirst after) what we have. Has anyone said to you “there’s something different about you” (and mean it in a positive way)? Or have they wondered how you make it through some of your toughest battles? They should see our peace in our most difficult times and want it themselves.

In giving an example of how one Christian was so influenced by a preacher that “he made me hungry for the Word,” Dr. Jeremiah states in today’s devotional: “Our commitment to scripture, plus our cheerfulness and our enthusiasm for Christ can influence others in the same way.”

So true.

And finally, salt permeates food.

Just a little goes a long way; a small amount of salt can completely change the taste of a dish. We may be small, we may be one person, be we can have a huge effect on the world around us.

Today’s life sign is: I am conscious of influencing those around me.

Today’s verse is: Mark 9.50 "Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

Action: What am I doing that causes others to thirst for the living water?

Signs of Life

2011-02-27T17:01:00.000-05:00

Note: I have received permission to quote Dr. Jeremiah, as long as the quotes are not excessive. Yay!

Day 4

"Live your life in the 'always on' position with God"

Today's verse is John 10.27: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

How do we know we are hearing God's voice? How do we know that the thoughts in our minds are from God and not just our own thoughts? When we are in constant communication with Him, when we are walking in the Spirit, when we are living in the moment with Him.

In today's devotional, Dr.Jeremiah talked about being in a "always on" position with God. He used the analogy of dial-up vs broadband. Log on, log off vs instant access at all times. I think it was a great analogy to use in today's world.

How often do we go to church on Sunday (log on), then walk out the door (log off) forgeting about what we learned there as we go about our daily lives. How often do we grab our bibles in the morning, (log on) read a few verses and call it good for the day (log off)? We're all guilty of rushing and putting God on the back burner at times in our lives.

God promised that He is always with us, that He would never leave us nor forsake us. If this is His promise to us, then it's us that leaves Him at home when we leave for work or go shopping, etc. When we leave God behind in church or in our bible at home, we miss divine opportunities, appointments, and communications.

Being in an always on position with God gives us a right attitude and a spirit of gratitude. We realize His blessings and the magnitude of His presence.

As I was going through the scripture that Dr. Jeremiah provided in today's study, this one stood out to me:

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. Psalm 139.7-10

God is always there with us, and if we are in constant communication with Him, we will become like him.   And becoming like Him is the whole point, right?

So, are you in dial-up mode or broadband?

These devotionals are wonderful and the truths behind them can have a huge impact on the world around us. I feel, however, that I am rushing through them. Dr. Jeremiah suggests not rushing through and allowing a full day for each one. But I think I need more than a day to absorb them. So I will be spending more time with some of the devotionals.

Have a blessed week everyone!

Signs of Life

2011-02-25T10:17:00.000-05:00

Note to readers: It occurred to me yesterday that I was quoting quite a bit out of this book and felt a twinge of conviction. The proceeds from this book fund Dr. Jeremiah’s ministries and I wouldn’t want anyone to think they can read my blog and not be bothered to purchase it. It’s a great book and I’m truly not revealing all that is in there. However, I felt the need to write and seek permission to quote as much as I am. So until I hear back, my posts will be more generalized and I will be sharing only the biblical verses that apply. If you wish to purchase the book, click here. I will also provide a link down to the right to access his website as well.

Day 3

Today’s devotional was all about the darkness in the world and the light of Jesus Christ.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt. 5.14-16

As I was reading this chapter, I recalled a conversation I had with my (previous) boss back in 2003. I’m very happy to say that he and his wife are now cherished friends. It was he that answered a million of my questions when I finally discovered that I could have a personal relationship with Jesus (very patiently, I might add). He always had an open door policy with his employees, so anytime I had a question about Jesus or something I read in my bible, he was right there and ready to answer them for me. It helped that we spent 8 hours a day working together! We were talking one day and he was explaining to me just what Dr. Jeremiah is talking about in this chapter.

We need to be a reflection of Jesus and shine His light into a very dark world.

This world lives in darkness. It seems every time we turn on the news we are faced with some kind of catastrophe, or an angry mob rebelling, crimes being committed, and heartache. People seek satisfaction from drugs and alcohol, they seek happiness in money and “things,” and there never seems to be enough. Everyone wants to be right, so you see our politicians arguing with each other instead of working together.

It’s overwhelming when you look at it this way and we wonder, what can we do? This is too big for us. Yes, the problems of the world may be too big for us. But the problems in our own little part of the world truly aren’t.

We can make a difference one day at a time, one person at a time. We have the opportunity in our everyday activities to shine the light of Jesus…and very brightly…as we walk down the street or even as we do something as mundane as grocery shopping.

I had to do that last night, grocery shopping that is. As I was shopping, I purposed to smile at everyone and take my time, no matter what. Right off the bat, I encountered a situation at the deli counter. Nothing major. It appeared they were out of the sandwich meat I wanted (it was on sale, a really good deal!). I smiled at the young man behind the counter and commented that it would take “a minute for me to figure out what other kind of yummy meat I could purchase, as there is so much to choose from.” In those few seconds of hesitation, he smiled back at me and while I perused the choices of meat, he took the time to go and look further. Lo and behold, he found the meat I originally wanted. And my, was it good!!! (herb roasted turkey breast)

A few minutes later, I found myself in a pretty crowded aisle. People were trying to get around those of us that were lingering in front of shelves. I was one of those lingering, trying to find the creamed corn (it was not my normal store). As I was standing there trying to not be in the way, I heard a small voice to my right say “excuse me?” Sweet lady, in one of those electric chair carts trying to get my attention. She need me to get something off the top shelf. I’m glad I lingered and had my listening ears on. I happily got what she needed and she was on her way.

I smiled at everyone. I got many smiles back. I also got some looks from others that said “are you crazy?” Maybe I was smiling too much? LOL!

Our everyday lives can affect just one person in a good way…or a bad way. It all depends on whether we have our light out on the nightstand or under the basket. Think about lighting a candle or turning on a flashlight in the pitch black. That candle or flashlight can instantly illuminate a large room, it is that bright. That’s what we need to be, a bright light.

But we also need to go beyond our everyday lives. Where would we not normally go? A nursing home? A prison? A homeless shelter? The streets?

(just one quote from the good Dr.)

“God has graciously given His children the capacity to meet human need in the power of the Holy Spirit, and as we do so, to be His light in a dark world. That is our very identity.”

Praying for all of us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, Who will empower us to meet the needs of others around us. If we all did something to spread the light of Jesus in our own little part of the world, perhaps it would have a bigger effect on the world at large.

God bless!

PS. It's Friday, so I will not be posting again until Monday. I'm going to work on my computer at home this weekend though, so maybe I'll get it up and running so I can post.

If We Are the Body

2011-02-24T14:13:00.000-05:00

Here is a video of the song I mentioned in my Day 1 post. The song is by Casting Crowns. (Don't forget to scroll down and pause my music player!)

Signs of Life

2011-02-24T13:45:00.000-05:00

Day 2

“The world around us can’t see our inner faith, but it can see our good works that flow from our faith.”

The life verse for today is James 2.17: “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”

I often hear people exclaim loudly that “you are working for your faith” whenever the letter of James is brought up. I’ve never quite understood that. Anytime someone says “show me your faith without works” others get all worked up and make accusations of misleading newly saved Christians.

I don’t think it is misleading, I think it is leading them towards a deeper relationship with their Lord. Just like any child, we are not to live our life on milk only, we need to be weaned and seek sustenance in the meat of God’s word.

And that’s what this devotional is all about; and it’s about a balanced theology.

Dr. Jeremiah says: “If faith doesn’t express itself in compassion, love, kindness, generosity, helpfulness, mercy, and good deeds…it’s not real faith at all.” I agree with him. It’s not that I feel I HAVE to behave this way; it is a natural WANT of me to behave this way. These desires and attributes are a RESULT of my faith, not a means to my faith.

In today’s devotional, he also provided some examples of how our faith works. He states: “A faith that works:
Enables us to have a positive attitude in troubled times. (1.2)
Inspires us to resist temptation. (1.12)
Makes us good listeners. (1.19)
Takes care of orphans and widows. (1.27)
Gives honor to the poor. (2.5-6)
Provides food and clothing for the needy. (2.15-16)
Controls and restrains the tongue. (3.1-12)
Doesn’t speak evil of others. (4.11)
Doesn’t grumble about others. (5.9)
Shows concern for the sick. (5.14)
Prays fervently. (5.17)”
Throughout history, Christians who were living out their faith this way made huge changes in the world.

Something in today’s devotion stood out to me. As Dr. Jeremiah was talking about how Christians throughout history affected our world, he provided this “satirical piece that brought this truth home to me…”

“I was hungry, and your formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger. I was imprisoned, and you crept off quietly to your chapel in the cellar and prayed for my release. I was naked, and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick, and you knelt and thanked God for your health. I was homeless, and you preached to me the spiritual shelter of the love of God. I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me. You seem so holy, so close to God, but I’m still very hungry and lonely and cold.”

In Dr. Jeremiah’s own words…”That’s not biblical faith.” and “Real faith lends a helping hand gladly, freely, lovingly, and in the name of Christ. Real faith is a balanced faith: it is a faith that works. “

This is getting quite convicting and I am only on day 2! But it feels good, because I know that it is clarifying for me something I already felt deep in my spirit. When my eyes were opened to righteousness, I knew the Lord was taking me down the path He had planned for me all along, and it is very freeing to follow that path as He lays it out for me without allowing myself to be distracted.

Today’s Life Sign: My faith is expressed through works.
Today’s Life Verse: James 2.17
Life in Action: What am I doing for others that clearly reveals the presence of God in my life.

Signs of Life

2011-02-23T13:07:00.000-05:00
You may remember me mentioning a few posts back that I was waiting for a book by David Jeremiah to arrive. It has arrived!

Signs of Life is a 40-day devotional, “designed to help you express your love for God by reaching out in compassion to others.” This is what God has called me to do this year and this devotional seemed to be a perfect fit when I discovered it.

It’s my intention to share with you what I learn each day. However, my internet access at home is nil for right now, so I will not be sharing on the weekends; but I will share on Monday when I return to work. (My boss is okay with me using my work computer for personal business, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my work. Sometimes it gets quite busy here, so there may be some days I don’t share, but I’ll catch you up as soon as I can.)

It is divided up into six chapters entitled “Signs of Life,” “Dusty Shoes,” “Worn-out Knees,” “Rolled-up Sleeves,” “Open Hands,” and “Outstretched Arms.” (These remind me of one of my favorite Christian songs…”If we are the body…” will have to go find this and share.) At the end of each daily lesson is a life application section.

So, here we go!

Day 1

It opens with this statement:

“This book is a mirror by which you can see yourself as others see you.”

This day centered on our actions and how others view us. A key question that stood out to me was: “How do (people who don’t know us) recognize that we are God’s ambassadors?” Dr. Jeremiah’s list of attributes is not one that I can disagree with at all:

• Our smile;
• Our joy;
• Our compassion in the face of another’s misfortune;
• Our friendliness;
• Our simple lifestyle;
• Our willingness to commit random acts of kindness;
• Our benevolence;
• Our social ministries;
• Our tears;
• Our generosity; and
• Our public expression of our private faith.

It makes me stop and think about how the people I come across on a daily basis perceive me. For example, the checkout clerk at my local grocery store, or the waitress in the restaurant I just ate at, or even a stranger I pass on the street.

As Christians, we should be a light to a dark and dreary world. I like Dr. Jeremiah’s words: “It’s not enough just to talk about the Lord…. It’s not enough to serve Him in secret with our acts of private devotion. We have to display the lifestyle of the Nazarene in the midst of our corrupt culture.”

Our light cannot shine if we shelter ourselves from the world and hide in our prayer closets. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

I look at that list above and realize that I am sorely missing the mark in some. But I’m also happy to report that I believe I am very strong in some! And I'm probably complete wrong, as I don't think any of us see ourselves as we truly are. But that is the point of this book.

I am a work in progress, not perfect, but God is working on me. So I will pray that God continue to reveal to me what needs work and strengthen those areas that need strengthening. I’m so thankful that even in my imperfect self, He still loves me just as I am. And He loves the rest of the world the same way; we should love the world the same way He does.

Brandon Heath has a song out that always stings my heart when I hear it and I think fits here within today’s study.

(don't forget to scroll down and pause the music player)

Today's Life Sign is: My words & actions evidence Christ's indwelling.

Today's Life Verse is: Philippians 2.14-15.

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,"

Today's Life in Action: What characteristics in my life offer solid evidence that I am follower of Christ? What aspects in my life contradict the claims that I am a follower of Christ?


This is the long, lonely road to my mother's rural residence.