Fill Your Mind and Heart

In today's world there is plenty of things to be worried and scared about.  No matter where we turn COVID 19 is hitting us in the face. The news and social media are blowing up with the latest turn of events.  People cannot stop talking about it.  It is everywhere.  Last night I sent an email to the ladies in my small group encouraging them as we are not meeting right now.  And what I encouraged them with I would like to also encourage you with.

Make an intentional decision to turn off the tv and social media

for a time each and every day.

Get unplugged.

Then go get your bible or audio bible and fill that space with the Word of God!

Yes, it is important to stay abreast of what is happening and the developments and what we are to do.  But if we don't temper that with God's word it is going to affect our hearts and minds with fear and anxiety!  Whatever we continuously pour into our minds and hearts will eventually overflow.  It is our choice what that thing will be.  Do we choose to be filled with anxiety or do we choose words to point us to how mighty God is and words that fill us with faith and peace.   WE CHOOSE what our hearts and minds meditate and dwell on!   Let us be wise and do what the medical leaders are asking of us to help halt this thing but let us also build our faith and surround ourselves with God's peace.  Light will always dispel the darkness!

To get you started here is a handful of good things to think on and fill your heart with:

Psalm 91

Phillipians 4

Psalm 34:4

II Timothy 1:7

Nahum 1:7

Isaiah 41:10

Deuteronomy 31:6

John 14:27

I Peter 5:7

Staring Over the Edge

Yup, it sure is.

I can't believe it's Thursday already 

and once again I have not posted all week.

My mind is absorbed 

in some big decisions in our lives at the moment.

I've never been a huge risk taker.

I prefer the comfort zone of security

and the known

compared to the unknown of risk.

(Although I always did like the thrill

of jumping off the high board.

Don't know why that did not translate 

into the things of life for me).

In this Christian life of seeking God,

I think God calls us at some point 

to take a leap of faith.

It seems to be a given in our walk with Him.

And I think that time is upon my Hubby and me.

 God is calling us to step off the cliff

in an area of our lives.

In a good way.

Not to harm us.

But to show us how big of a God He is.

A big thing for a gal who grew up 

letting the "what if's" of my mom direct a lot of my life.

And a big thing for this time in our lives

when most look to sit back 

and slow down.

But that is where we find ourselves.

Almost forced to take that leap of faith.

But we will do it not on our own

but by grasping the hand of God.

Joshua 1:9

"Have not I commanded you? 

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: 

for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

The Pendulum...it is swinging around here

After 3 or 4 days of crazy wind that warmed our temperatures and melted our snows, we woke up to ... you guessed it, more snow.  Such is Southern Alberta weather in the winter.   This year especially there just doesn't seem to be a happy medium.  We either swing from frigid to down right balmy.  A real swinging pendulum.  It's odd this year to me.

 It got me to thinking about my relationship with Jesus. (I know that's a crazy jump but it's how my brain works so I roll with it).   I wonder if He thinks it's odd how my pendulum with Him swings.  From cold to hot.  Hot to cold.  I had such a great goal at the beginning of the year to start the day with scripture and end the day with scripture.  I was all gung ho and oh, so disciplined.  In the first month.  And then I got busy.  And then I got tired.  And then the Olympics came.  And my pursuit of Him went from hot to cool as my pursuit of the couch and Olympic coverage took precedence.  Why oh why do I allow that to happen?  Why am I so unstable and unfaithful and, dare I say, fickle?   I don't want it to be like that... and yet it does happen.  While I desire and admire the disciplined Christian life, all too often the apathetic and lazy and distracted Christian life rears it's head.

Yet I know His grace allows me to start again.  His mercy takes my repentance and encourages me to pick myself up and start running again.  Because He knows.  He knows me inside and out, better than I know myself.  He knows my strengths and weaknesses and He calls to my heart through them.  And it's amazing how He sends just the right person with the right set of words, whether they know it or not, to speak directly to me.  It's amazing how the perfect scripture at the perfect time will jump out at me.  And it's really amazing how He uses the weather of all things to get my attention.  Oh how I love Him for His pursuit of me and you.

" But this I recall and therefore I have hope and expectation:

 It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness

that we are not consumed,

because His [tender] compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness."

   Lamentations 3:21 - 23 Amplified Bible

A Day Ordered by Heaven

Yes, that is me.  At the Operation Christmas Child Warehouse and Samaritan's Purse Canadian Head Office.  It was quite a God coincidence that I ended up there.  We were taking my son to the airport to catch his flight to El Salvador to work with Samaritan's Purse on one of their water projects.  Halfway there he pipes up that he forgot his Samaritan's Purse t-shirt back home.  Yikes.  After phoning a couple of contact numbers and not reaching anyone, we said we'd go to the hotel and then we'd try and find the Samaritan's Purse office on the off chance someone would be there.  I'd never booked this hotel that we were at before but we wanted one close to the airport as he had to be there at 6:30 a.m.  As we were turning into the street of the hotel, there before our very eyes, right across the street from the hotel, was the Samaritan's Purse building!

And lo and behold, there was lots of cars in the parking lot.  Co-incidentally, it was the first day of the Operation Christmas Child shoebox warehouse sorting and packing!  The lovely ladies there went all out finding J. another t-shirt, and while that was happening they let me into the warehouse to take a peek.  It was not fully up and running yet as all the semi trucks from all over hadn't really starting arriving yet as collection week was still on.  But I saw enough to literally make me cry.  Thousands of boxes being packed up, ready to ship to hurting kids around the world.

 It was totally overwhelming and I'm crying as I type this.  This picture is only a tiny view of the front end.  This warehouse is massive! What a privilege to see this after years of heading up collecting shoe boxes for my church and packing shoe boxes since the very beginning.  Next year I'm so applying to work a shift in the warehouse.  And what a humbling experience to, once again, see that God was in control the whole time taking care of our needs and adding an unexpected extra blessing on top of it just for me.  I truly felt loved by my Father!  Co-incidence?  I don't think so.  I think a day made in heaven by a loving God who does know everything and knows the desires of our hearts!

The Storm that Rages

What a difference a day makes.  After a wonderfully warm autumn week of temperatures hitting the 30*'s, which would be in the 80's*F, overnight the weather has gotten mighty angry with us.  Cold, super windy, a thunderstorm right over top of the house last night waking us all up with it's light show and loud clapping.  I woke up this morning thinking how sometimes I can be like that thunderstorm.  Brewing off in the distance, if I don't either deal with or let go of things that are bothering me, I stew.  And stew. And stew.  And then all of a sudden, I'm just so filled up with all the turmoil that has built up that it has to release.  I become like the raging storm, big claps of angry outburst, howling like the wind.  Might seem like a comical picture but it is really ugly if you are in the path of my storm.  How much better it is to take to the Lord immediately, and deal with it in prayer and with the Word of God giving me strength and wisdom for handling the situation.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

Phillippians 4: 6-8

See my issue isn't the getting mad or being hurt or the problem.  Everyone, if you are alive and breathing, has those.  If we live on this earth, there will be things come along that get under our skin.  Guaranteed! No, it's what I choose to do with it.  When I stew, when I rehash it over and over and over again, it gets bigger and uglier and more inner turmoil results.  Until it can do nothing but burst in a big, ugly, loud, vicious storm and dump all over who happens to be near. 

Now you may be thinking to yourself that you're not the type to "burst".  You don't get ugly.  You are pretty together in keeping it to yourself.  But really that kind of storm does damage too.  It burst inside of you.  And it will change who you are and it will come out in some way or other, even it's not so visible.  

But the Lord wants us to have peace.  His peace.  He doesn't us to be churned up, and brewing, and a storm waiting to release.  And He has given us the key in the scripture above.  Take all our trouble to Him is the first step.  But we don't just leave it at that.  He tells us to replace those anxious, troubling thoughts that we dwell on with pure, lovely, honorable, true thoughts filled with thanksgiving.  And those we get when we get into His word.

How much better to feel light and calm and mild than to be a raging storm causing havoc.  

Morning Praises

What a gorgeous morning we have woken up to here in my little corner of the world.  Blue skies, sunshine, birds chirping, no wind.  It does the soul wonders to wake up to a beautiful morning such as this.  It makes me so relate to David, the Psalmist, in his many references to praising God in the morning.

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord

And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning

and Your faithfulness at night"

Psalm 92 : 1-2    New American Standard

A beautiful morning such as this reminds me of God as my Creator, as the one who give me breath, who sustains my life and who has me in the palm of His very capable Hand. 

"But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;

Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,

for You have been my stronghold

And a refuge in the day of my distress." 

 Psalm 59:16  NAS

It is good for me to remember that a lot of these Psalms were written by David, not in times of His life that were all hunky dory, though some were, but they were written in times of great stress, confusion and trial.  Times when his very life was being hunted down by someone he had trusted.  Times when he felt totally betrayed.

"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice;

In the morning, I lay my requests before you

and wait in expectation"

Psalm  5:3

Yet, he knew who really had his life in His hands.  He knew how to build himself up in the Lord.  He knew who to turn to for strength, wisdom and comfort.  And he did it each morning, before the day started.  Not when he was in the midst of the hard grind of the day.  But in the morning, he strengthened himself in the Lord his God and faced the day already being built up in God.

"But I cry to You for help, O Lord;

in the morning my prayer comes before You"

Psalm 88:13

Oh, I want to be more like David and know how to build myself up in the Lord so that no matter what I have to face that day I am strengthened and know Who is on my side.  Know that His mercy and grace is available to me every single day, to know that His faithfulness is great!

And a beautiful morning like this just causes that hope to rise in my soul and throw my hands up like David and say:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name."

Psalm 103:1

Thank you Lord, for this beautiful day!  

Ever have one of those times where you just felt you were bonked on the noggin with a truth?  I was reading a devotional this week that really got me thinking.  It was based on the scripture Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do"

The author was using the example of the 1924 Olympic runner, Eric Liddell who refused to run a race because it was scheduled on a Sunday.  And Liddell believed that was dishonoring to the Lord's Sabbath.  Because of his loyalty and faithfulness God rewarded him greatly and he went on to win a gold medal with other circumstances causing the race to be changed to a different day.  Liddell believed his joy and ability to run came from God and he used it to glorify God.

All this I understood, using your gifts to glorify God, God taking pleasure in our gifts being used to bring glory to Him.  But then the devotion author made a statement that brought me up short and made me think.   His exact quote was  "Take pleasure in the gifts God has given you this day.  And let His glory shine through you." **

What?? I'm to take pleasure in the gifts God has given me also? Well, believe it or not that was a revelation to me, a real "aha" moment.  And oh boy.  Conviction!! I have not always done that.  How many times have people said certain things in my life were a gift and they could never do it and I've brushed it off and in my heart resented it because it's not the gift I've really wanted?  And I certainly was not taking pleasure in it?  Oh, I've been doing it and doing it the best I can and even giving the credit to God, but deep down I've resented it.  How many days have I used the gift but not even paid that much attention to it because my eyes were always looking outward for something else?  How much pleasure have I let slide by me because I couldn't recognize it right in front of me?  How many times have I, instead, coveted someone else's gifting wishing I could be doing what they do instead?  How much grumbling have I done and complaints have I uttered?  Yikes. God forgive me.  I feel an attitude change coming.  God has majorly pinpointed something in my life that I've struggled with so long and couldn't figure out.  Something so simple and obvious and yet beyond my grasping up until now.  And all it took was a little sentence at the end of a devotional to turn on the lightbulb.  Thank God He still speaks into our lives even when we're stubborn and thick headed!  

**Hillman, Os.  Today God is First - 4 Minute Meditations on the more important things in life.  Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2000.  pg. 49-50.

There are things every day that I see to admire in my kids.  Well, if you are new here, my kids aren't really kids anymore.  At 22, 20 and 17, I think it's safe to say they have moved out of the "kid" category but I'm not sure what to call them because no matter how big they get or how old they become they will be forever be my, well, kids.  Anywhoo, I see things in them at their age that I wish I would have had way back then.  And I wonder where my life would be if I had displayed some of the qualities they already show in their lives.

One of those qualities is a courageousness to experience life and new things that I never had at their age.  Oh I wanted to do all sorts of stuff,  dreamed of doing wonderful things, but never had the courage to grab ahold and go for it.  I didn't move away to go to school, I didn't travel the world the way I wanted, I didn't even live on my own before getting married. I think in a sense, I let my parents practicality, sensibleness (is that a word?) and fears and worries direct me quite a lot.  My mom is the queen of worry and she is quite good at thinking of all the stuff that could go wrong and letting it keep her up at night.  We never attended a camp, didn't sleep over at friend's houses, didn't go on the Greyhound anywhere on our own.  Which is all really ironic because it is my parents who, when they were young marrieds, left their family and friends and everything they knew and fled Hungary in the '56 revolution amidst gun fire and threat to their lives, traveled on land, boarded a boat and came to Canada.  Not knowing anyone, the language, where they would end up in Canada or the life that they would have.  They hoped for something better. And it spurred them on.  Now that is courage if I ever heard of it.  But then they settled in, worked hard and made a good, safe life.  And I somehow didn't make that grabbing ahold of your dreams and go for it courage my own.

So now in a way, I live vicariously through the courage of my, uhm, kids.  My oldest right out of high school moved to another province to pursue bible school and dance and is still there living her dreams.  Away from home.  My son is pursuing his dream of being a paramedic and will probably be moving to northern Alberta soon to get better experience. Not knowing a soul or what to expect.   Pursuing his dreams.  And my youngest jumps right in to things she wants to do at the drop of a hat full of courage.  Case in point.  On Saturday we went to the theatre to see a movie together as a family.  While buying our tickets, we learned that they were also auditioning at the theatre for a movie they will be shooting here in town.  After getting our popcorn and drinks and settling comfortably into our seats, she excuses herself and off she goes and auditions for a part in the movie.  And she wasn't even nervous.   Now bear in mind, she's been in a couple of plays at school, but no major parts, the usual Sunday school stuff but that is the extent of her stage experience.  She's taken drama at school and enjoys it.  And then on the spur of the moment, she auditions for a movie.  Wow.  I am in awe.

And don't take me wrong.  Some of the things they grab ahold of scare the daylights out of me.  But I've always determined I would try to support them to the best of my ability, not letting my fears hold them down.  Not that we didn't say "no" to them when we really felt they shouldn't engage in something.  But for the most part, we tried to be supportive.  And I think the difference is I have something I can do with my fears.  I have a knowledge that my kids are really not my own but they belong to the King of Kings, the Creator of this world and themselves, that it is He who directs their lives, has a plan for them and has given them their gifts.  And it is this same caring God who asks me to "be anxious for nothing....but by prayer let my requests be made know to Him...and His peace will guard my heart" (Phil 4:6-7 my paraphrase) and this same mighty God who says that we, and that includes my kids no matter their age they are " ... indelibly imprinted (tatooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands..." (Isaiah 49:16 Amplified Bible).  And that brings this Mama comfort and peace (even though fear trys to take me over) and allows me to let them be courageous.  


Which leads me to say maybe one day I just might be blogging to say to watch my youngest "coming to a theatre near you".

Decisions, Decisions

I have no idea what to post on today. Things are very slow and yet at the same time there is so much going on. I am standing at a crossroads in my life right now, specifically my job/career life. And it seems the decision of which way to go is what is taking up much of my mind and heart. It will take faith to go either way. There is much unknown no matter which fork I take. I am usually not a huge risk taker. I mull things over way too long. Weighing pros and cons. Trying to think of all the consequences of both choices. And of course, one can only see so far down the road. Once that first bend is there only the Lord God knows what is around that corner. And I guess that is where trust and faith come in, isn't it? I have to believe when He tells me in Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".

And it's really funny how He brings around just the right encouragement when we need it. Just when you feel you're going to go under in panic. God is a good God and doesn't want us to flounder. If we would be open to it, He sends encouragement in all sorts of ways. This time, for me, happens to come in a book. And we all know how I love books. Is there such a love language as books? If there is, that would be me. Anyway, awhile back I recieved a couple of books for a blog tour. I didn't have time to read them at the time so just posted what the publisher sent me and then put them into my book basket. I remembered them when the Fall Into Reading came up. I chose this one. And wouldn't you know, it's exactly what I'm needing right now. I've only finished the first chapter and already it's speaking directly to my heart and stirring up some much needed encouragement and faith.

The book is all about offering hope and peace for the person waiting on God and helping us remember that God is always faithful, worthy of our trust and never late with His help. And it's done in a setting of humor. One of the very first quotes that got underlined by me (yes, I'm one of those underlining maniacs) in the book is:

"Humor is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles."

And I definitely need that because I can tend to be waaaaaay too serious in these times. Which breeds worry. Which breeds health stuff and a grumpy face. And we don't want that now, do we?!

So enough about moi. What's new on your farm?

Thank you to Jerralea from Jerri's Journey for giving me this nice award. I'm very honored. This award is given to bloggers who continually entertain, uplift, and inspire.

And in turn I'd like to pass it to Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom because she always inspires me to be a joyful homemaker

and to Jientje from Heaven is in Belgium because she inspires me to take better and more creative pictures and her pictures on her blog are so beautiful and uplifting

and Linda from 2nd Cup of Coffee because she never fails to entertain and she has inspired people to do everything from putting themselves on video for her "I See What You're Saying" meme to showing our Ugly Mugs to getting off our duffs and getting moving to get in shape for summer with her currently running 30 x 5 program.

Jerralea also tagged for a meme a while back so here it is:

6 Unimportant Favorite Things. That's sorta like an oxymoron, no? I guess it means things that are favorites but that you could do without if you had to. Which is really ironic that I'm doing this meme right now because it is so what we are going through in the Living to Tell house.

1. Starbucks. Definitely a favorite treat. Definitely not crossing their threshold as much as I'd like. A favorite yes. In light of other things; Unimportant. For sure.

2. Purchasing Books. Reading I could never give up. Buying books, yeah I could. Although I love owning books and love being the first one to crack open a cover and smell that new book smell it is definitely unimportant when there is a great library system here where I live.

3. Salon Brand Products. Love the shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays etc. that one can purchase at a salon. A definite favorite for me. But makes the unimportant list because I can find good stuff on the drugstore shelf too.

4. Massages. Oh I love a good massage. I've always had neck and upper back issues and I loved my regular monthly massage. A favorite appointment in my life. But unimportant right now. Do I still want and crave them? You bet. Are they so important I can not go have one? Not right now.

5. New purses. Oh how I love my new purse purchases. My favorite thing to go fun shopping for. Probably because one size fits all. LOL. But unimportant.

6.

I'm having trouble coming up with a sixth one, which leads me to say this is sort of where my brain is sitting right now. And gives explanation to why my posting is not very consistent lately. Right now is a time in my Christian walk where I need to be seeking the Lord and laying things at His feet and trusting in Him and His care and plan for my family. I know there is a job out there for hubby, it's just a matter of His timing and our resting in Him and doing what we feel He is telling us. Hence the laying things at His feet. Some days are easier than others. On some days I don't even think twice about it. Some days it is a moment by moment struggle. I'm the type of gal who like my ducks all in a row and like things planned out in advance. I like to know what is going on. I guess that's a nice way of saying I like to be in control and I resisit big change. But God calls us to trust and obey. To give up "our" control and let Him have control. To live a life of joy even in the midst of struggle. To truly know what is important in this life. And I believe that is what we, as a family, are learning right now. I know there are others in much, much more harder circumstances than us and I hang onto the scripture that tells me He never gives us more than we can handle. And I say a prayer for those who are also facing hard times and letting go. He is good and He's brought us through and proven His faithfulness in this kind of thing in the past and I know He will in the future.

All that to say, forgive me if posting is sporadic. On the tougher days, I must focus myself on step by step laying my worries and stresses down before Him, and it is those days that I find it hard to think of things to post. Some weeks I feel there is lots to say, some not so much. So please bear with me as I walk through this time.

"Casting the whole of your care--

all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all--

on Him; for He cares for affectionately, and cares about you watchfully."

I Peter 5 : 7 Amplified Bible

"Cast your burden on the Lord

(releasing the weight of it)

and He will sustain you..."

Psalm 55 : 22a

In Which a Catchy Title Eludes Me

Wow, I can't believe it's Thursday already. Where on earth has this week gone. It's not like I even have an excuse of being so terribly busy, because it hasn't been. It's been the same routine as always but my days have sort of just disappeared on me and today my mind is a big ole blank. So I going to do what every good little blogger does when they're mind is mush and I'm just gonna go ahead and do a laundry list of happenings .

-As much as I love cooking this week has been tough slugging in this department. Oh I have lots of ideas I can cook, I just haven't felt like it. I'm just gonna go right ahead and blame it on the crazy weather. It's getting the blame for everything else, so why not? After firing up the grill a couple weeks ago and getting my tastebuds going for a more springy summery menu that involves barbque sauce, it was discouraging to have to resort back to a more winter menu due to the barbque being under a foot of snow! Hubby was a sweetheart and picked up pizza last night. Thank you Hubby! Pizza, of course, is a year round meal!

-this Saturday the youth group is doing their highway clean up fund raiser. My flesh crieth out! I am NOT looking forward to it. Being there at 6:30 in the morning on a Saturday, trekking through ditches for 6 - 8 hours picking up garbage. It is hard work! But on the positive end, it raises enough money for our small youth group for the entire year. We don't have to do any other fund raisers and it helps them to attend youth conferences, have their annual camping trip and do various other activities for basically minimal cost to us parents and in some cases, no cost at all. That is good news for my budget. So I will be out there with the youth and other parents at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday, shivering and drinking the biggest travel mug of coffee that I own. And I must remember the ibuprofen for my poor hips! Am I sounding like the matyr yet or what?!

-after much evaluation, thought, prayer and study, hubby has decided he'd like to start a home business. I cannot say how much this makes my heart tremble. Not because I don't think he can do it. I have full confidence that with the Lord leading him, he can. But what I'm struggling with is myself. More to the point: getting my "self" out of the way. To say I've become a little set in my ways and in my routine with me working at home for the last 19 years is an understatement. I have my little pattern for the day all mapped out. I do things a certain way and certain things at specific times. And now the thought of him also working at home and an upheaval in my routine coming about is really upsetting me. Yes, he has been unemployed for 3 months and has been around the home, so you'd think I would be used to it by now. But in my mind it was a temporary situation and I was just "putting up" with it until he got a job. But now with a home business, the situation is a little bit permanent. Which has me really frazzled, and it's coming out in all sorts of ways that I don't like seeing in myself. At all. I never really thought of myself as an inflexible or selfish person, but to my shame, that is exactly what I'm seeing manifesting. Sigh. I'm wondering if just maybe, this has been buried in my heart and God finally wants to root it out, so is allowing all this so that the work might be done. At my ladies group the other night, I realized that it's really easy for me to tell people to trust God and what He would be working out in their lives but now I'm faced with it, and it was like God was asking me am I going to trust Him to work out the best? Am I going to lay down things at His feet the way I so easily advised others to do? Was I going trust Him with my heart and allow His cleaning to occur without fighting Him every step of the way? Romans 8:28 has been churning in my heart:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,

who have been called according to His purpose."

In the side of my Women of Faith Study Bible, it says about this scripture:

"Let's be crystal clear here. God works everything in believers' lives for their "good". This doesn't mean that everything works for pleasant lifestyles, enjoyable futures and happiness. The "good" here, though it isn't defined or specified, is to be understood as a spiritual and eternal "good". God uses everything in believers' lives --and often the difficult things in their lives--to remake them, to transform them into the likeness of his Son. Everything that happens to us, the easy, the difficult, the grief, the pain, the joy-- has one purpose: to make us like Jesus."

And isn't that interesting when the book am I reading right now is all about spriritual transformation. Couple that with the the fact that the chapter I am on is obediance to God. That book, if you're interested, is this book. And I would reckon that God is trying to tell me something. All I can say right now is "But for the grace of God I go". May I be willing to let Him do the work!

-Whoo boy, I didn't think I'd be writing all that in the last point. LOL. Sheesh. I was going to do a couple other points about exciting things like laundry and surviving the dreaded parent teacher interview last week but I all of a sudden feel exhausted! LOL.

So, let's just get the focus off me now. That's a little more soul-baring than what I'm used to. So. What's new with you guys? LOL.

Simply the Best

Sometimes the simplest pleasures of life are the absolute best. This is one of the reasons I love visiting my friends on the colony. The simple pleasures and uncomplicated hospitality is almost like a mini vacation for me. While I don't subscribe to a lot of things within colony beliefs and order, a visit there really does take me away from my seemingly hectic, over scheduled life and slows me down. It reminds me that there is much joy and pleasure to gained from appreciating the things God provides in simple things like a flock of baby ducklings or a walk down a gravel road in the middle of nowhere.

I never want to fail to be suprised or enjoy simple discoveries such as finding a green pepper growing inside an orange one when I'm helping slice them for lunch

or helping to lay out a simple lunch filled with good homegrown and made from total scratch foods. And yes, the sausage is made from scratch too!

Simply, a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds.

And oh, can't forget the fresh home churned butter. No added color, no preservatives. On fresh baked that morning buns. Simply, nothing can compare!

Celebrating Christ, warm fuzzies, mouthwatering food and good company. Bringing it back to enjoying simple, uncomplicated pleasures. That truly is the best of life.

Oh My Pondering Thoughts

Mulling: a verb from the word mullen which means to grind up or mix thoroughly. Mulling: to think about slowly and carefully; to ponder.

Do you ever mull? I mull. And I seem to go in seasons of mulling. This is a mulling season for me. Thoughts and ideas and situations just hanging out in my brain. Going round and round. To give you an example of the things that bumping around my brain this morning vying for priority:

-why is it I am never hungry for breakfast except when a church wide fast is called and then I wake up starving the first morning?

-how on earth can a big fat worm get into a red pepper and not leave evidence of entry anywhere?
-why is it hair stylists always rave about my hair but I can never get it to do what I want?
-why oh why didn't I get my roots done before I got hi-lights?

-how does Celine Dion walk in those heels day in and day out?

-does one's feet permanently "freeze" in high heel position if stilletos are worn all the time?

-does melting ice cream and drinking it count as liquids in a fast?

-why is it a 5 year old furnace gives us more headaches than the ancient one we had before?

-why am I waking up with songs running through my head every single morning lately when that's never happened to me before?

-how can my hand towel disappear off it's hook and not one person in the family know where it is?

-why is it the kids these days seem to mega amounts of days off from school such as I only dreamed of when I was a kid?

Now if I take the definition of mulling and grind and mix thoroughly these thoughts it truly becomes scary! Just imagine this running through your mind:

-how on earth, didn't I get my roots, in those high heels?

-can a big fat worm, day in and day out, count as liquids ?

-I can never get, into a red pepper, and know where it is.

-if stilleto's are worn, running through my head, a church wide fast is called.

See what I mean? Oh my aching brain!

Church wide fasts are usually very timely for me. A time to purposefully focus my thoughts. Focus them not on the silliness and mundane and everyday, but onto the steadfast word of God. Onto the unchanging, unshifting, rock solid Word of the Living God. Mulling on the Word of God is what I should be doing.

Is it any wonder that God calls us to fast in His word? He made us and knows us in and out and how our humanness causes us to focus on all the different distractions that swirl around us each and every day. Fasting and purposefully setting that time aside to seek God through prayer and through His word, puts our thoughts in line with His. As we pray and ponder/mull over His Word, it releases us from confusion and puts our priorities straight in line with His. It humbles us in prayer as it breaks hardness of heart and bondages of sinful habits. As we set ourselves and our wants and cravings aside, and turn to the Lord, seeking Him we look for His handiwork in our lives.

May the cry of my heart be like David's when he wrote Psalm 119 (which is all about the Word of God) and more specifically verses 9 - 16:

"I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."

My Strength Is Nothin'

This has absolutely nothing to do with this post but have you entered my giveaway for a really good, wonderfully written, think on it long after you finish it, book? If not you better go here and comment. I'm drawing a winner tonight!

Now the real post.

I am afraid. Very afraid.

Since Dr. Man told me last week that I had to cut back to two cups of coffee a day, I haven't thought too terribly much about. Not because I have a handle on the self-discipline or any such lofty characteristics, but because I've felt horrible. And when I feel horrible, for some reason, coffee is sort of the last thing I want. In fact, I've learned over the years that my desire for the liquid brown gold, or rather lack of desire for it, is a good barometer that gauges when I'm going to get sick.

Which brings me to why I'm afraid. I'm starting to feel a touch better. And ye olde java is starting to taste better again. And I'm heading straight for the coffee pot in the morning again. Like my friend Linda commented: Did Dr. Man know with whom he was dealing? And now that thing called discipline is going to have to kick in. Sigh.

I haven't had such great luck with the self-discipline thing when it's linked to my favorite indulgence in the past. But maybe that is the whole point. I've been relying on luck, and/or worse, my strength. Maybe this time calls for a change in attitude and viewpoint. A letting go of the "me, my & I" as the major part of the equation. Maybe I need to start relying on the One who said He would be there for me, the One who is Strong beyond measure and All -Powerful. Maybe this is the time I need to take what He said to me as my own and run with. Or in this case, "walk away" with it.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Philippians 4:13 NIV