May 30, 2013

Tired Of Being A Pagan?

 I'm a pagan... 
Most days,
And many times in a crisis.
I go into... Self preservation mode,
When I should be in
fall out to Jesus mode.
Take my heart, my soul and mold me into 
Something You can use.

"Trust completely in God, when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis-only one out an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God." My Utmost For His Highest 

Maybe the thing I call a crisis today
Is really, an adventure. An opportunity...
To just be... His daughter.

I will trust His character, more than Mine.
Every time.

May 29, 2013

Quiet


I've been quiet here.
Waiting. Thinking. Praying.
Praying.
Praying some more.
Some days I draw near... and yet it's hard to see His face.
God's face.
I wait.
I know He is calling me to be still.
Calling me to trust.
The hard part, where the knife scrapes against the grain.
Forcing me to look deep in the mirror. To search my heart.
To trust something other than my ideas, my thoughts, my desires.

To know that He, the God of creation loves me...
To let God, be God of my life.
To trust in His boundless love. His eternal desire for me to know Him... more than anything I can do for him, pray to Him, work for Him... but simply, to know He. LOVES. Me.

Trust.
A daily call to rest in Him... and wait.
Maybe this is His plan for us everyday.
Different than my plan... if I were God.

I am glad I am not God, of my life.
I trust and seek His face.
His truths run deep in my heart, I can only trust... Him,
being vulnerable, without becoming paralyzed.
Trust.
A small word, that grows deep in my heart... the years proving this truth. 
The lover of my soul.
The. Lover. Of. My. Soul.

 



 
 


May 21, 2013

Clouds.... Zach Sobiech

"Most People Live In The Middle Of Dream Come True And You Are Dying, And It's A Comfortable Place To Live." Zach


Today is hard. 
Maybe you woke up feeling this same way.
Sorrow.
Loss is close... tragedy being two short hours away. Trying to make sense of it... Can't.
I came across this beautiful story of life. 

I hope you feel blessed and see the truth his mama spoke,
 'The blessing of cancer is it takes you out of denial."
This family is beautiful... a picture of what God created family to look like...
connected, supportive, loving... no matter what.

A diagnosis brings us closer.
Truth is.
We are all terminal.
Live today like Zach.
 

May 16, 2013

The Only Goal In Life...




 My devotions this week have hit home...

"Rise to the occasion - do what the trial demands of you. It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body." My Utmost For His Highest.

My trials and tribulations are small, though I tend to let them bubble up and over,  becoming mountains I cannot hope to see clear of, by the end of the day.
Then God drops some truth on me... many times in His provision and blessing.
I never stop being amazed by the goodness of God.

I continue to read...

"May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality - a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father and neither are we to make demands on God." My Utmost


How many times do I make demands on God? Many times they are unspoken by human word, but don't doubt that they are well thought out and weary from travel in my mind. I am good at deception... especially to my Lord.
I tell Him I will gladly do something, and then I quickly set to work on how I will work this to my benefit.
Oh, the human mind is so suspect, and so gifted in this endeavor.

But then I read His truth and Paul reminds me of the goal.
Chapter two of Philipians shares the attitude of Christ...
plain and simple in front of my deceived face.

Verse 3, "Don't be selfish (ouch); don't try to impress others (ouch). Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had...
vs 6-11 explain the attitude of Christ... HUMBLE

Go. Read. It...

You will be changed...

Christ was the humble servant...
and I am the weak, self obsessed, child of God...
recoginzing the need of a Savior ...
more and more each day.

May I seek His face today.



May 14, 2013

An Open Letter To Moms from Kid President



Mothers Day is over... but we moms are moms every day and maybe you missed this sweet, funny, laugh till you cry, smile till it hurts, spill tears from the corners of your eyes, video by my favorite Kid President.
                                                                                      Enjoy

May 8, 2013

Be On The Lookout For Wonder...


Amazing Beauty of Waxwing Birds (6)
  by MINETTE LAYNE

"Always be on the lookout for wonder." E.B. White


Psalm 119:18
"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things from Your instruction."

Look for wonder today.... in God's ways, for humanity and nature?
He is at work all around us.
Do we see Him?

May 7, 2013

The Mother Of All Days.... It's Coming.

 Listen you Mothers...
I have something to say.
The day is fast approaching,
when you desire
to hear your loved ones say,
"You da bomb, you da best, you are so much better than the rest."
 Rah, rah, rah...
and all that.

Well, it may not happen that way, and I don't want you to 
be caught off guard.
The day of cards and candy, flowers and buffets,
holds some tricks along the way.
 When we sign up to become a mom, it takes many forms.
Some joyful, others bringing storms.
We know we are more than a day, but we've bought a line 
from a store...
an envelope holding a card,
that tells us who we are.

Wait... what?!

Right.
So, my thought is this...
take the day in stride,
and don't let your heart be hurt.
Some have the gift of giving...
others, have no idea where to start.

I think of my girl, who called her dad and brother her first year away, to make sure there would be no tears...
on her mama's Mothers Day.
She was sure they would forget.

I missed my girl that year...
but the truth grew in my heart.
It's the hours and moments we share,
that can never be contained in a card.

I told my mom she is fabulous in the card I sent her this year.
She told me how much that meant to her.
She is fabulous, and deserves to hear those words...
more than once a year. 
 
I used to get my feelings hurt and remember 
a certain year...
my husband had a meeting on my birthday.
 Candor was not my strong point.
I was hurt, and let him know.
He left, I pouted.
No... I am not proud.

Fifteen minutes later he walked in the door,
two cakes in hand.
He had gone to the bakery and begged off his meeting.
He called the neighbors and a party began.
I was sheepish I had behaved that way.
I have not forgotten that day... both the kindness of my husband and the selfishness of my ways.

Celebrate those you love, the mothers who are yours and the ones you just adore.
The ones you mother alongside and the ones you watch afar.

 If your boy forgets a card... no worries.
Think of the times he sends a text, just checking in to say, he loves his momma and knows he's blessed.
If the husband seems distracted, hug him hard around the neck. Tell him that you love him and glad to be together in this mess.

Celebrate each day...
the love and family that we are...
and pat ourselves on the back,
because they are awesome..
and we cheer.

 Or...
You could post this somewhere they might see it...
and your Mothers Day may be complete.

Good luck with that.

Happy Mothers Day...
 all you amazing, beautiful, fantastic women!!!






Is Your Compassion Ready Today?

Do you claim the name of Christ?
Do you speak on His behalf?
Do others see Him in you... in me?

The Bible is full of wisdom in living our days and years.
We are wise when we choose God's desire for us.

"Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know truth."
2 Timothy 2: 22-25 

May we show compassion and love today, desiring peace with our brothers and sisters, those we know.... and those we will meet today.
Be ready... with gentleness, humility... compassion.

May 3, 2013

Friday Facts... Poison Ivy, The kentucky Derby and The God Of Details...


138th Kentucky Derby
Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby.
I will be wearing a hat that has danced at the Derby... thanks to my beautiful friend Kelly.
No... the above hat is not the hat.
That resembles a small country.
I don't believe my neck could support that beauty.

I will be celebrating in Wichita... kinda like Louisville... except that it is Wichita and nothing like Louisville.
 At all.
Have you been there? Louisville?
Do you know how hard it is to correctly pronounce Louisville, like you are one of them? 
If you are not birthed there, you must take a prerequisite course, before moving in.
This is a fact.
Look it up.
 Okay, not really.

Today my son is in Indiana with his College track team.
He will be running the 800, looking for a P. R., 
personal record, so he can run in the fastest heat at Conference next week in Florida.
I love this boy and his commitment.

Last night he sent me a picture of a nasty looking foot, with red sores/swollen ugliness on it.
I asked, "Who's foot is that?" 
 I was praying he would not say it was his.
He responded, "Mine. Do you think this is poison ivy? 
Ask Dad."
Oh... because the surgeon would know poison ivy better than the mom.
Really Dan, you cut me to the bone.

I am hoping poison ivy somehow improves running times.
Perhaps the fact that the person is in such distress that they must run at record speed, so they can tear off shoe and itch foot.
Not sure if there is any scientific evidence to this thought.
 
Yesterday, I had lunch with a new friend. 
I love how God brings women into my life, who will make me better.
She runs a non profit counseling center. I am impressed with what they accomplish.
She paid me a compliment that was a God moment for me.
It was confirmation of something I desire and believe I am to do, but I am not sure how to go forward.
There is also some fear involved.
And doubt...
about myself.
 Just being honest.

Lunch was a blessing from God, in a week that started hard for me.
I had moments of doubt and sadness.
Each day I leaned more on Him and less on me...  He blessed me each day.
His word is Truth and He is faithful.
I learned that again this week.
 
This weekend... I will pray for my boy, that he runs the race of life well, both on and of the track.
That he honor God with his gifts.
I will attend a Derby Party to support a Pregnancy Center. God will bless me through His people, the ones I have not met yet. 
The ones that desire to serve Him.
I will think of this friendship God has given me and look forward to what he has for us.
It will be good, if it is for His glory.
All for Him.

In Hebrews 12 it says, "Let us run with patience, the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith."

This life is a race, but we do not run alone. 
We run shoulder to shoulder, nudging and encouraging one another.
Who are you running beside today and who is God calling you to encourage? 
There is someone who needs you today.
 






May 2, 2013

I Am Praying For You On This National Day Of Prayer...

National Day of Prayer 2012.jpg


  May 2nd brings cold, hard rain stinging my windows, a final reminder of winter. The heat back on.. after two days in the 80's. 
Thoughts of my dad's 80th birthday, though he celebrates in heaven. I see posts of first birthdays, 30th birthdays today, reminding me of the winds of change, the vapor of our days.
 I talk with my mom... the first week of May holding their anniversary. Prayers for healing and peace.

The nino, became a Junior yesterday... finals finished. We talked last night, many miles in between. I suggested he slow down his college experience and he agreed to stay a junior for the next year. He's funny like that.
His dad missed him, called to the hospital last evening.

A man I do not know, in need of an operating room and people to care for him. I said a prayer. 
Not old, but ill, his wife away... at the birth of their grandchild. 
Life doesn't stop. Babies do not wait.
The hubby returned home late in the night and left early, before I could ask of his patient. I will pray for both of them today. 

The boy will travel to Indiana today with his team. One more run before conference. His goals are high. He believes in himself. I believe in him. I will pray for him.. for quickness of speed, timing, health and joy.

A year ago we celebrated the daughters graduation from college. She toils long hours in the non profit world of social work now, with many responsibilities. I have never seen her happier. I will pray for her, safety where she travels and rest for her body and soul... and joy. Always joy.

Today is the National Day of Prayer.... perhaps we should treat each day as a day of prayer.

Pray for our leaders, our military, our country, our world, our children, our babies, our elderly population, 
the persecuted church, the hidden population of slaves in our world, many young women.. with no voice.
Pray for change.

I will pray for neighbors, friends, young ones... dealing with diagnosis of cancer, instead of laughing and dancing the days through college. I will pray for you... though I do not know your need. God does. He is big enough to handle those details.
Just pray.

Pray for peace... yes
the peace that passeth all understanding. Not the peace this world gives, but God gives.

The peace that calms the soul in the midst of the storm, the trial, the living, the dying.

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

 Pray today, for your needs, those you love and those you have not met.
God listens. God loves.
God is at work.