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Thursday, November 29, 2012

My possessions can be stolen, but not my treasures!

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34, Matthew 6:21......


Today my wallet was stolen right under my nose. I saw her face. I saw her put her hand in her purse, certain that the wallet she had just taken out of the shopping cart was now in her purse. When I confronted her and asked if she saw my wallet in the buggy that I had just vacated to get another, she denied seeing it, but promptly ditched the buggy, left the store, went to her car and left the parking lot.
I thank God that all my treasures are in Him.
Last night, Sarah and I left Jackson at the same time. She was headed to Hattiesburg. Rachel, Isabella and I were headed to Meridian. I hated knowing that she would be traveling alone, late at night, on a bad two lane highway. I really wanted to follow her and then come home, but I didn't. I prayed. I prayed that God would surround her with angels, that His hand would protect and guide her safely home if it was His will, certain that nothing could circumvent His will.
I breathed a prayer of thanks when she said she was pullling into her apartment complex, grateful that God protected her and certain that angels surrounded her. I love the story of Eliasha and Gehazi when they are surrounded by the army of the enemy, and God opens Gehazi's eyes to the army of angels that surrounded them protecting them for harm. Nothing can stay His hand when He acts. 2 Kings 6:8-22!
A dear friend lost her newborn baby to Turner's Syndrome about a year ago. When she did, as she grieved, she said that the only person that she could have released her precious daughter to was her Savior that sacrificed for them both and loved them both.
I knew that if anything happened to Sarah, she would be with my Savior. He is the only one that I could release one of my children to and even then, they are not gone. My treasure are stored  in heaven. My heart would be broken, just as my friend's heart was broken. But my treasure would not be gone. He already holds my treasures safely in His hand.
Oh Lord, what would I do if my treasure were not in You?
Thank you for your Son you sent so long ago.
As we welcome this Christmas season, let us remember where our treasures lie.


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Living Word


God's word is alive. I know it every time I read it. I feel His presence in His word. I hear His heart in His word. He changes my heart with His Word. For that, I am so very grateful. 

I see the stain of my sin ever before me. My heart is not the heart I want most of the time. I want His heart in me. Mine is tarnished. 

Sanctification is a process. If you are like me, you probably wish it was instantaneous. Oh for that glorious day when the presence of sin will be no more, when I am in glory, and I don't have to struggle with my sin nature that I abhor. But it is a tedious process. I struggle with the same things over and over, trying to root those stubborn sinful attitudes and actions out of my life. 

When I am immersed in His presence, in His Word, I feel the difference between who I am and who I want to be. I see the change He makes in me. I am grateful. I love Who He Is in me. Without Him, I would be hopeless, angry, bitter, hurt... Doomed to be buried and rotting in my sin. Doomed to relive past grievances until my soul rotted in the ugly bitterness of the pain. In Him, because He has forgiven me, I find the strength to forgive, to let go. To want to be like Him.

 Without Him, I would be doomed to be irritated by the annoyances of every day life, doomed to be selfish and self-centered all the time, doomed to squander my time and my days in self indulgence. He is my self control. He is my strength. He is the love in my heart. He is my direction. 

As His living Word fills me, I am changed for as long as I dwell on it and am filled. That's why He says to meditate on it day and night. That's why He tells us to pray without ceasing. That's why He tells us to always be thankful.

It is the constant, day in, day out, all day long practice of praise, prayer, and meditation that allows us to be filled with Him and in His presence. Only then can we be different.


I am working on that. I get so distracted by life. 

Philippians 1:6 says "He that began a good work in  you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus."

I am so grateful.....

Hebrews 4:12

 (New American Standard Bible)
12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.


Joshua 1

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalm 1

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Be still and know that I am God!

Be still, and know that I am God!
Psalm 46:10
There's nothing like acknowledging His presence in my life. I read this Psalm this morning and the peace that surpasses all understanding washed over my soul. Waves of peace, the peace of His presence.
Here is the entire Psalm for you to ponder! The Word, living and breathing in us!

Psalm 46

King James Version (KJV)
46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Maybe you needed to hear this today as I did. Maybe you needed to be reminded that HE IS GOD! 
He is our refuge! He is our strength! He is our help!
He is with me today. I am not alone. You are not alone.

Monday, October 29, 2012

He is our Peace

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Peace is something I have been working on. 
I recently read Tracie Miles new book, Stressed Less Living. Tracie offers a fresh perspective and practical tools to help us recognize and deal with every day stress. One thing she points out is that our stress is not really the product of the stressful situations in our lives. 
I am going to borrow Tracie's words from her 10 day stress detox. She does such a great job of helping us see that if the stressors in our lives today were gone, they would be replaced by different ones. I want a peace that is independent of my stressors. Here is Tracie's post. 
Go to 

http://traciemiles.com/ for more of Tracie's inspiring words. You can sign up for her next 10 day Stress Detox.

STRESS DETOX
DAY 2


Today's Peace-full thought:

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (NASB)


Today's Prescription for Peace:
REFLECT

Peace. Can you picture it? What do you see?


Does your mental picture include a golden sunset at the edge of a lake, a gentle ocean breeze, or frozen breath on a snow topped mountain?


Does your last picture of peace date back to a time in your life before your problems began; before abuse, divorce, bankruptcy, infertility, unemployment, etc.?


There are different ways to define peace, and each one of us may have a different mental picture, so it’s important to reflect on what is shaping our picture of peace.


For example, peace to a mom of several young toddlers might be a lack of noise. Peace to a mom of teenagers might be a noisy house, knowing that all her kids are safely at home.  Peace to a busy employee might be a day without problems or deadlines. Peace to a high school student might be the absence of a bully who taunts him or her every day. Peace to a person struggling financially might mean knowing that all of the bills are paid.  Peace to a person who is unhappy with their job might be the acquirement of a new position.


Sometimes our mental pictures of peace – those dream scenarios that we think will make us less stressed – can actually distort our view of what real peace really is. Unfortunately, the longer we reflect on the world’s view of peace instead of peace that is found in Jesus, the chances of ever finding real peace is slim to none.


Many people think that the definition of peace is simply the absence of conflict, but the absence of conflict is only a temporary situation that will always eventually come to a close. This is a fragile view of peace, because the sense of peace is based solely on one’s circumstances.


A much better definition of peace is one that rests on the ability to rise above our circumstances, overcome our innate tendency to stress out over problems, and help us learn to remain calm and confident despite what is going on around us.


That is real peace—a peace based on Christ, not on people or circumstances. A peace based on faith, not on personal desires being met. A peace based on a quieted heart, not on a quiet house. A peace based on the love of Jesus, not on an easy day at work. A peace based on trusting God in all things, not just the simple things we think we can handle on our own.


Is it possible that peace has seemed a thing of the past and out of your reach, because you have been searching for peace in all the wrong places? Because you have had allowed the world’s pictures of peace to distort what real peace really is? Because you have succumbed to the lie that your life can never be peaceful again, because of the circumstances in your life right now?


Sometimes we need to reflect on the past and the present, and peek at what our private mental picture of peace really is, in order to discover that we might need to make some mental adjustments. Once we grab onto God's picture of peace and ask Him to intervene in our lives, we can  step into every day with our hearts and minds focused on God.  Doing that does automatically mean that every day will be free of conflict and overflowing with serenity, but we can ask for God to help our hearts not be troubled - or at least, not near as much.


God's truths in today's key verse remind us that real peace can be fully present in our hearts on the inside, even when our entire life is overflowing with chaos on the outside. Real peace does not come when life starts going our way, people start getting what they deserve, and all problems get resolved.


Only Jesus can give real peace. Real peace that is not based on circumstances. Once we get a taste of that kind of peace- we are never the same again.



Dear Lord, I do want a peace that is a life transforming. Peace that I know can only from You. My life is chaotic, and I have simply not taken time to reflect on when peace became a memory, instead of a reality, in my life. I ask that You infuse Your peace into my heart, and quiet my soul. Help me to see You in the midst of my circumstances, rather than only seeing my circumstances.  Help me to seek You above all else, even when what I really want to seek, is change.  Help me come to know You through the challenges I am facing, so that Your peace can be mine. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

O.K., I have to link you all up with Warrior Wives today, also. This is a timely word for something that we are almost all guilty of...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

How Do I Fret?

I know a lot of Warrior Wives.  So, I asked one of them - my friend Jen - to share about what has been on her heart for wives. Enjoy!

How do I Fret? Let me count the ways…

It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. 
Proverbs 21:19

This is one of those verses that makes me wince.  God would rather have my husband be incredibly dehydrated and hot than be with an argumentative, fretful woman.  And not just any woman. Me. His woman.

I can picture my husband now, tongue hanging out past his chin as he drags himself over the bones of other dead husbands, muttering joyfully, “Thanks Jesus, thanks for putting me here in this parched and scorching land, far, far away from my fretful wife.”
And Jesus is like, “I’m there for you, bro…”

Okay, that was maybe too silly, but God is saying a desert is preferable to a quarrelsome, fretting wife.

And quarrelsome I understand.  But fretting…what’s the big deal with a fretful wife? What is a fretful wife?

I think a fretful wife is one that is never really trusting in her husband.  She’s always the back-handed complimenting type. Like, “Oh, it’s great you’re spending time with other men talking about the Bible.  I wish you would spend time with the kids like that…”  Or another one would be, “Thanks so much for helping me with the dishes and putting the kids to bed, of course, now I don’t know where anything in the kitchen is and you just let the kids sleep in their day clothes…” Fret, fret, fret. Wives are saying, “That’s not how I would do it.  You are almost helpful to me.”

A fretful wife isn’t showing respect for her husband.  She’s slowly wearing him down.  You don’t respect what you wear down.

When I think about a fretful wife, I feel bad.  I wear that title a lot.  Fretting fits me comfy like that old pair of granny underwear you put on when your husband’s on a business trip and won’t be skyping with you.

I am easily tempted to think of the bad things my husband does.  Sometimes, I want to focus on his down side. If I am always fretting, how will this verse in Proverbs 31 ever happen, The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain?”
How can my husband trust in me, if I am always worrying over his decisions?  The examples I have given are relatively small, but they can be larger.  Maybe you fret over a job choice or a financial decision.  It is easy to always be second guessing him.  Not to imply that you should have no say in the decision making process, but once the decision is made, you support it, and that means no fretting!

Fretting keeps us from being united with our husbands. And at the same time we fret, we also want total openness and intimacy.  Who doesn’t swoon over the words, “The heart of her husband trusts in her…?” It’s like saying, “You complete me…”
How can your husband trust in someone who doesn’t trust in him? If you are always running behind your man, wringing your hands, rolling your eyes and essentially saying, “That’s not how I would do it…that’s not how I would do it…” You are never going to have trust.  You will be left eating stale popcorn on the couch, watching Jerry McGuire and wondering, “Why can’t I have that kind of relationship?”

When we fret, we are ultimately not trusting in the sovereignty of God. We are saying, “Sure this knucklehead husband of mine almost gets it, but if I were in control, I would have handled it so much better.” Of course you would not have. Because the only perfect handler of our short lives is Jesus. And when you are tempted to put on your old granny “Fretful and lovin’ it” drawers, just remember God loves you and is with you. He doesn’t want you to fret. He wants you to encourage. Be thankful. God is in control and he will use the misplaced dishes to help you. God will use the children going to bed in their play clothes to bless you. Jesus loves you and your husband and as long as your eyes are on Him, you will not be fretting.

Just one more thought. What If Jesus treated you like you treat your husband? What if Jesus was a fretter like I am?  What if he said to me, “Hey great job with the kids today.  Way to listen to the radio when the whole family was in the car. It’s too bad you didn’t use that time to talk about me.”  I would feel doomed! If Jesus was a fretter, I would start looking for a desert!  Because who could please God if He really fretted over you the way you fret over your husband?


Jennifer Fitzpatrick is happily married to her husband Kevin. She has three children. The whole family enjoys their lives in the Shenandoah Valley, surrounded by cows, stared at by the neighbors, and loved at their church.


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life!

I am linking you to a blog called Money Saving Mom today. She has a great post about how to develop the habits you want to build in your life.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Implement One Habit at a Time






I have been working on diet and exercise for the past 2 months, and I have those conquered. I have lost 21 pounds and have a habit of regular exercise that I miss when I have to give it up for a day! Yay me! It's way overdue. I was on my way to fitness when I got pregnant with Isabella. I didn't gain with my pregnancy; I gained after it, sitting around nursing and eating to make sure I had a supply. I ate my way to 40 more pounds. I already needed to lose a lot, even though I had lost 20 pounds before I got pregnant. So this was a big priority for me.

It;s only fair to admit that my house is a wreck since I have been exercising daily! But the dirt will still be there for me to clean up when I can add that back to my list of great habits! Maybe when Isabella is older!

I have been doing regular bible study for the past 2 or 3 months, also, but I have yet to conquer a DAILY quiet time. When things are busy, I have catch up days. A DAILY quiet time  and prayer time are next on my list. I may have to do them before I go to bed, but it's going to be daily. My goal will be first thing in the morning.
Join me in developing the habits you want! We CAN have the lives we want to lead!

Here's the link!


http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/11/21-days-to-a-more-disciplined-life-implement-one-habit-at-a-time.html

Sorry I can't get the link to work. Just copy and paste!

Monday, October 22, 2012

The BIggest Rocks First!


The Biggest Rocks
This is a list of the most important tasks I want to accomplish in my life.
1. Have a close, vibrant relationship with God by having a regular quiet time and time in the Word every day.
2. Have a prayer life that is on fire! Keep a prayer journal.
3. Be the witness of all that He has done for me. Blog regularly.
4. Have the marriage God calls me to have.
5. Find and accomplish all the He has for me to do. This includes reaching out to the poor and lost in tangible ways. This includes sharing my story.
6. Have family devotional times at meal time.
7. Memorize scripture at meal times. To do this we need nightly meals around the table.
8. Have monthly parties to bring others into my home. (To do this, we need a regular routine for keeping the house clean and the laundry done.

9. Continue to exercise and diet to regain my fitness.
10. Lead my children to have an impact for the Lord.

The Unveiled Wife made a list of tasks to accomplish in her marriage. I am going to copy her list for you. It's great!

10 Commitments To A Better Marriage – The Marriage To-Do-List

1.   Love Intentionally
2.   Pray For My Spouse
3.   Be Content
4.   Bless My Spouse
5.   Read Scripture Together
6.   Respect My Spouse
7.   Initiate Intimacy
8.   Be Transparent
9.   Give Thanks
10. Affirm My Spouse

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Colossians  2: 6-7  Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,  having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

 

We received our Precious Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh how I pray that we all would walk in Him
firmly rooted
being built up in Him
established in our faith
overflowing with gratitude!

Colossians  1:28-29  We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.


I keep coming back to this verse!
It just makes me cry...
Grateful to proclaim Him!
With a goal to admonish and teach every man with all wisdom
Grateful that His power works mightily within me!

Colossians 2:8-10 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;


How many times do we let worldly philosophy guide us? 
I catch myself when reading the blogs of sister's in Christ realizing that my actions and thoughts are worldly and need to be changed. 
I am grateful for their transparent sharing of their faults and troubles, for it helps me to see mine the way God would have me to.
The world says... Don't let anyone run over you! Stand up for your rights!
The scriptures have this to say about it..
Philippians 2:1-8

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

 

The scriptures also say to speak the truth in love.
If you have issues with someone in your life, communicate the truth in love, yet put them first, in love...
God works in ways that we can't see or imagine. Pray. Trust Him. Seek Godly counsel. The help is out there. But don't turn to the world's ways. They won't take you where you want to go. Only God can help you be who He wants you to be, where He wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do. 

And in the end, I think it is more about who you are, wherever you are, whatever you are doing. When we are allowing Him to breathe through us to others, letting His lights shine through us, reflecting Him because we have been in His presence, then we can accomplish what He has for us to accomplish.

Don't turn to philosophy to guide you, turn to Christ. Put Him first! In Him we are complete!
It's all Christ! 

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

 

 In Him we are complete. All the treasure of wisdom and knowledge are there, available to us if we choose. So often, and I catch myself at this all the time, I know what He wants me to do and it is a battle of His will and mine. I have to choose to do His will. WE WANT TO BE IN CONTROL! IS THAT BECAUSE WE THINK WE KNOW BETTER???????
SILLY HUMANS!!!!!!
It's called obedience. He is the head of me. 
He is the head over all rule and authority. If there is an authority in your life that needs to change, He is head over them. Pray first! 

Colossians 2:11-12

  11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

 

He has done what we could not do ourselves. He has removed our bodies of flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried us with Him in baptism, and raised us up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Christ from the dead. Because of this, we are capable of being obedient to Him in our actions. We are capable of actions that glorify Him and are pleasing to Him.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Revive Your Marriage - Revive Your S*x Life

 womenlivingwell.org

 tolovehonorandvacuum.com 

unveiledwife.com  

 TimeWarpWife.com

 O.K., I feel really inadequate to post on this, even after 30 years of marriage. These girls, listed above, have covered the topic really well. And to be honest, all I feel is convicted right now. I have my two year old co-sleeping with us. There's not much going on.......Obviously, I need to do some work.

I will say this, I believe God created s*x as a gift for us. These girls recommend some really good books and if your s*x life is not what you want, do go and get one. I did several years ago, and I think that is how I ended up with Isabella! LOL!

29 Days to Great Sex

 

I believe in a great s*x life!

It's important, and if you don't see a way to revitalize yours, talk with a counselor. 

 

 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Revive Your Marriage- Week 4






 He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

He holds it all together. Everything!
My life, yours, our world, our universe.
Whether we acknowledge Him as Sovereign Lord of all creation or not, He is that!
In Colossians, He says that we are strengthened with all power according to His glorious might to steadfastly walk in a manner worthy of Him with all patience, joyously giving thanks!
That means we have His power to accomplish His will!
That is some power, girls!
We have no excuse!

We started week one with praying for our husbands, then we addressed our attitudes, and last week we worked on friendship. This week, we will address showing our husbands appreciation.

Do you ever feel unappreciated? It makes us grumpy and hard to live with sometimes if we feel that no one appreciates our efforts. I often have to take that to God and remember that I am living for Him and not the rest of the world. (Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, Colossians 3:23)

We don't want our husbands to feel grumpy and unappreciated. That makes them hard to live with. Not only that......

We are admonished in scripture to respect our husbands! If we are failing to show our husbands appreciation, we are failing to show them our respect. Part of respect is admiration and appreciation for the qualities and actions of that person.

I know, some of you feel that your husbands don't deserve your admiration and respect, but it is really a function of your obedience to God. Thank goodness God doesn't always give me what I deserve.

We have God's power to accomplish this task. It is simply a choice between our will or His for our lives.
We want His will. 

 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55: 8-9 

His ways are higher than ours and take us where we want to go!

Take the challenge this week and think of some creative ways to show your husband that you appreciate him.

                                                                              

Don't forget to visit the blogs below for their encouragement and insight into your efforts to  have the marriage God wants for you.
OK! I edited this to say you have GOT to read the posts below! I just finished to Love, Honor, and Vacuum and her post is SOOOO insightful!






Saturday, September 22, 2012

Rescued, Redeemed, Forgiven

Colossians 1
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of  His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He has brought me out of the darkness and into His light.
He has rescued me.
He has redeemed me.
He has forgiven me.

Thank You, Lord!
 
 

Strengthened With All Power According to His Glorious Might

Colossians 1

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, 10 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; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

Studying this verse yesterday, I was reminded that we are (vs. 11) strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining for all steadfastness and patience, while joyously giving thanks,(vs.10) to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work! 
This means that we have ALL the power of God, His Glorious Might, to live the way He wants us to live.

THEREFORE, WHEN I FAIL TO LIVE THE WAY HE WANTS, IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE CHOSEN MY WILL OVER HIS!

People are really hard to get along with. We are all selfish and all want what we want, all the time! Our wants are constantly vying with the wants of those around us. We can't all have what we want. It makes me mad when I don't get what I want!
  
Isn't that embarrassing!
 
There are a lot of hurt people walking around with chips on their shoulders. They want you to be as miserable as they are. They often succeed in making me miserable!

Isn't that embarrassing!

So I struggle with anger and frustration when I don't get what I want and when people are unkind and unloving, which, because we are all sinful, is a lot of the time!

But that isn't the way I want to respond and that doesn't honor God!
I want to stedfastly, patiently, joyously walk in a manner worthy of  Him, pleasing Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work!

I can choose to have His power and choose His will over mine! It really is that simple!
I almost wish it weren't. Then I might have an excuse!

But I'm afraid there is no excuse. I can either choose to love the way He does or not!

He loves me so much! He demonstrates that over and over in my life!
I want to walk the way He wants me to walk!
I want to choose His will! 

Father,
Your theme for me lately has been loving the way You love. I want to be emptied of my wants and desires and desire what You want. I want to live the way and love the way You would have me to. Thank You that I have Your power to do this! You knew I couldn't do it any other way!
I love You!
Cheryl


Thursday, September 20, 2012

OOPS!

To any friends that viewed a post in the past few minutes titled, Hard Seasons, that was not intended for publication. It was meant for a private journal entry. Please pray for the situations mentioned if you happened across it in the few minutes it was up. But it was not my desire to publicly air those grievances. Thanks,
Cheryl

Hard Seasons

This has been a hard season. A season in which I could see no purpose, .....until now.

There have been seasons before, seasons in which God took away my supports, you know, those human ones that we all have. I remember how hard it was. I didn't have a friend in town. I hadn't offended anyone, but my Christian friends thought that I should end my bad marriage and didn't want their children around mine anymore. They thought my husband had been physically abusive to my child because she had a bruise on her arm. He had not. I knew he hadn't. I had NEVER seen any indication of physical abuse. So they broke off our friendship. No longer was my daughter asked over for play dates. No longer did they call when the girls were getting together. It all stopped.
But I had sought the Lord long and hard about the issue and was certain of what I heard from Him and the Word. God hates divorce. That decision began a 20 year journey that isn't really over yet. I keep waiting for my husband to grow up. And he does, by baby steps. But God is patient with me. I wish I were as loving and patient with my husband as God is with me. That is the growing part of this senario for me, what God is doing in me. Slowly, I learn how to forgive over and over and over and over without hanging on to bitterness. Slowly, I learn how to love like He does. I wish it were an overnight process. Slowly I learn new ways to give my husband consequences when he is unkind, thoughtless, and selfish. And had my friends continued our friendship, I am not sure that I could have withstood their opinions and remained in my marriage. It was God's way of helping me stay the course.
Anyway, I am in a new season of being friendless. Despite my best efforts to be a great friend, I did offend one of my friends. She has never discussed the issue with me, so I don't exactly know what offended her. Her husband owed us money for several years. I thought he must have forgotten it. We are really struggling financially and his finances seemed much better than they had been in previous years. It seemed only fiscally responsible to ask about the debt. I bought some carpet from him for our home in the May of 2007 and he went out of business in July and never delivered it. The debt was around 2000 dollars. He said he didn't have my carpet when I asked for it in the summer of 2007. I asked if he could order it, and he said he didn't have my carpet and he didn't have my money. He said he was sorry, he couldn't pay us now, but he promised to pay us when he could. When I told David, he asked me if he were still in business. I said I guessed so, that I didn't know anything about it if he had gone out. Then, at separate times, David and I both drove by the business to see if he were still open. He was open and at the business when David drove by. When I went by, I asked his employee behind the counter if they were still doing business and he said yes. I never told my friend about it. She was already mad at him all the time and I didn't want to cause her any further embarrassment or heartache. This year, when David asked about the debt, He told my friend, his wife, that he was already out of business when I asked for the carpet and had tried a couple of times over the summer to install it and that I had something going on and put him off.  It's possible. But if he were trying to get me to let him install it in June and July and he knew he was headed out of business, it seems like he would have mentioned that he needed to proceed because his business was closing. I'm sure if I had been given that information, I would have gone on with installation no matter what was going on in my life or in my house. I do know that Mom was sick, Sarah was in Jacksonville, FL that summer and Rachel probably went to Montreal that summer some time; so there could have been reasons that I wouldn't have been around to handle it after we finished the tile.
It makes more sense, if he had the carpet, that maybe he tried to get in touch with me and couldn't because I wasn't around. But then he knew where David was. He could have called David. Because of the way he answered me when I asked for installation, I don't he ever had the carpet and had spent the money.
Not only that, but in June I went into the store to look for tile for the kitchen. There was a large roll of carpet in the showroom. I asked Marvin if it was mine. I had only seen a small swatch of mine and wanted to look at the roll. He said that it was for someone else. I asked if mine were in the back and he said that they had not ordered mine. I am certain that if he had not ordered it by five or six weeks after I ordered it, he didn't order it between that time and the time I asked for it. Bottom line, I paid for it and didn't get it. It's a lot of money and too much to  drop without ever mentioning again. He had not mentioned it in the years intervening and neither had we. He said he would pay us back when he could and I took his word.
Anyway, when David asked him about it, he was rude and angry. He said he wasn't going to pay the debt because he had filed bankruptcy. David told him that he had not been included in a bankruptcy and asked him if he owed the money, and he answered that he owed it but wasn't going to pay it. He said he couldn't afford to. David offered him payments. He refused. David asked him what was he supposed to do about the money. He told David to sue him. David said all right, I will. I asked David if he mentioned litigation earlier in the conversation. He said no.
The truth be told, when I told David that I thought he must have forgotten the debt, David said he thought that he just didn't intend to make good on the debt. I said that I knew he wouldn't just not pay and never say a word about it. I said he must have forgotten. The next day, I asked David again if he thought that he really just didn't intent to pay us back. He said that was what he thought. I said, then maybe we shouldn't ask. David said he thought we should ask. I asked him if he had prayed about it. He said yes. And I smothered my qualms about asking him. I didn't want to stir up a hornet's nest.But I am trying to stay home with my baby and my husband is trying to let me do that. We did need the money. And David is the head of our family. He said he thought he should ask. And I never dreamed that my friend's husband would react that way, not in a million years.
We never gave him a moments grief about what he did. I never expected him to be ugly and angry. David was livid. He wanted to file suit the next day. I told him that I wouldn't and couldn't sue my friend. I love her and I just couldn't. He said it wouldn't be me, it would be him. I said it was the same thing. It didn't matter. And I prayed. I prayed for God's will.
She didn't take my phone calls. I e-mailed her to explain what had happened and she answered that she didn't know how to respond to that fairy tale. Evidently she thought I was lying.
I still don't know what he told her happened.
I tried to lay out the facts and explain what had happened a couple of more times. David talked with her husband a couple of more times.
The third time he talked with him, he offered to pay the debt in part. David asked him about the remainder and he said that would be it. That made David mad again. He invited David to sue him again, and David said it was too late to do it that day, but that he would file in the morning.
From the start, after I knew my friend's husbands intentions, I just wanted to drop the whole thing. If they didn't want to pay the money, I didn't want it. I didn't want money to come between me and my friend. David said that we really needed to lay out the facts or it would look like I was making the whole thing up. So I continued correspondence. But with that last phone call, I didn't want their money and I didn't want him to file suit. Obviously, they were still angry about the whole thing. David finally understood how firmly I felt about litigation when I told him that if he filed, I wouldn't testify. I don't know why he thought I would anyway. I told him I would not litigate against my friend from the start; logically, that would include testifying if he filed suit.
The next morning, they called David and asked him to pick up the full payment. He didn't consult me. I would have refused it.
It didn't feel loving to insist that he pay what he didn't want to pay. Anger didn't feel like the correct response. I never felt angry. Just sad that there had been a misunderstanding that separated me from my friend.
Anyway, I used to talk to my friend a lot. Now I talk to God a lot more. Maybe that was His plan.

It's really difficult to see how the lack of love and unity is God's will. I'm sure it is not. He wants us all to love and encourage one another and lift each other up. That fiasco wasn't His will.

It may have been His will for David to have his money. He certainly needed it.  We lived off of it for the next month.

But the broken fellowship wasn't His will, I don't think.

Nonetheless, He has used it for good. I do like being dependent on Him for support and fellowship. He is the best friend and I love Him so much.

I still pray for my friend and her husband regularly. I want God's best for them and always have. I am still very saddened by the separation.

Sometimes I get angry now. But God addresses that in me. I want to love. I don't want to be mad. It accomplishes nothing but evil. My friend has talked with other friends about the situation and I have been defriended by them also. It's hard not to address it and tell what happened from my perspective. But I am pretty sure I won't. It's a really sad story, and I don't think it bears repeating. If they ever ask, I am going to say there are two sides to everything, and that I attempted to act in love, whatever mistakes I made.

Blessed Because He Is Faithful

I wish the perfect scripture were coming to mind right now.
My heart is so full of His blessing.
He is so faithful.
He hears me.
He answers me.
Oh, Precious Lord, let me faithfully live my days to Your glory! I am so blessed to be Your child. I love You so much. Thank You for Your faithful work in our lives, in the lives of my loved ones and friends and in my life. I don't deserve all that You do. Thank You for Your sacrificial love on Calvary! Thank You that my sentence is "Not Guilty" due to Your love.
You are worthy of a life lived all out.
Help me to live it for You.
Show me what You would have me to do to show my gratitude.
And remind me of this the next time that I am struggling with an area that You have already revealed to me. I am ashamed that I struggle with even the revealed. Let my heart be obedient to You!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Proverbs from Ricochet(http://www.ricochet1950.com/verbaldynamite1.html)

What could be wrong with just talking, as long as you don't actually lie? Proverbs sees plenty of danger. Words are dynamite; they can destroy people. They should be carefully weighed before they are spoken. Even truthful words can damage. Yet they can also save a friend from going wrong. Proverbs speaks strongly about both the danger of gossip and the good done when someone justly rebukes his friend.

"The tongue has the power of life and death," Proverbs 18:21 says, "and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs teaches the skill of speaking so as to give life.
Proverbs on the importance of words:10:11, 20; 12:14; 15:4; 17:10; 18:21; 25:11.Proverbs on the wrong way to speak:6:16-19; 11:9, 12, 13; 12:18; 13:3; 16:27, 28; 18:8, 13; 26: 23-28; 29:5.Proverbs on the right way to speak: 10:14, 21, 32; 12:25; 15:1, 23, 28; 16:13, 23, 24; 17:27, 28; 25:12, 15; 27:5, 6; 28:23.Proverbs on the dangers of words: 10:19; 14:23.

I just stumbled on Ricochet's blog, but she does a good job of categorizing Proverbs for us and her blog is worth a visit! She has more lists of Proverbs at the bottom of her blog.

Monday, September 17, 2012

So true! How to really love a child!

Revive Your Marriage Week Three!

Today I tuned in to timewarpwife.com for the Revive Your Marriage series.
Isn't it funny how when God is giving you a message, He gives it to you everywhere you turn. Thank you, Lord for not being subtle with me. You know I don't get subtle very well!
She says in her post, "What we see in all of this is that true friendship is not self-seeking. If we want to strengthen the bond, we must be willing to give up our desires for the good of another. " If you see my post from last night, you will see that God has been talking to me about loving like He loves. True love is not self seeking, it is self-sacrificing.
You can read the rest of her post here.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/2012/09/revive-your-marriage-revive-your.html
 
The first week we talked about reviving our prayers for our husbands. 
The second week we talked about changing our attitudes, reviving an renewing a loving attitude. 
 
 
The challenge for this week is to revive your friendship. That means to treat your husband like a friend. Do something fun together! Take some time to be together and laugh! Find a movie that you know you both love and watch it! Go bowling! Go skating! Go take a hike! Do something fun!
 
To so this you have to begin with prayer and a good attitude.
If you haven't done it yet, pray for your husband like never before. Address every area of his life, especially his wife!LOL!
Then take stock of your attitude towards him and your marriage. That has to be right to have some fun with him.You have to be willing to be his friend...
 
It's hard with the stresses and strains of life and kids to remember what it was like when you were just good friends. 
Disagreements, disappointments, the distance of a lack of time, the distance of responsibilities, the distance of unmet expectations, the distance that can creep in and squash your marriage, it's hard to forgive all that. Instead of kindness to one another, there's irritation. 
Instead of forgiveness, often anger and bitterness.
 
Marriage is hard. It takes a rubber meets the road relationship with Christ to survive, much less thrive.
 
The bitter poison of unforgiveness can kill a marriage. It will kill you! We weren't intended to carry a load of bitterness around. You need to throw that load off, give it to God, and have the joy and peace He intends for you. You are poisoning yourself  and your marriage!
Don't let Satan have that victory!
I know, they really don't deserve to be forgiven. 
Neither do we.
And yet...
Hebrews 10:10,  And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.(NIV)
A Savior endured the shame and pain of Calvary for us. At judgement, the sentence will be, "Not Guilty."
Not because we deserve to go without punishment, but because He loved us enough to take the pain and shame of our sin and bear it on the cross.
It's a debt we can't pay.
But we can forgive, for Him. 
Because He is worth it.
Because we want to glorify Him and the sacrifice He made that we might have victory.
I am grateful for His mercy every day and I want to extend that mercy to all who wound me. 
I want the "Living Water" to flow from me to them in love and forgiveness!
 
So let go of the past and enjoy your husband once again. 
You can have the romance and relationship that God intended for you to have. Let the God of all hope go with you to redeem your marriage, your romance, your relationship and have glorious fun!
Luke 1:37, "For nothing is impossible with God." (NIV)
 
Let's go there together and love our husbands the way God intended and have the marriages we always dreamed of!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Don't forget to visit these sites for additional encouragement for your marriage!
They have some invaluable insights that you need to hear! 
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