What Are You Planting???

The Strangest Secret
by Earl Nightingale
George Bernard Shaw said, "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, they make them."

Well, it's pretty apparent, isn't it? And every person who discovered this believed (for a while) that he was the first one to work it out. We become what we think about.

Conversely, the person who has no goal, who doesn't know where he's going, and whose thoughts must therefore be thoughts of confusion, anxiety and worry - his life becomes one of frustration, fear, anxiety and worry. And if he thinks about nothing... he becomes nothing.

How does it work? Why do we become what we think about? Well, I'll tell you how it works, as far as we know. To do this, I want to tell you about a situation that parallels the human mind.

Suppose a farmer has some land, and it's good, fertile land. The land gives the farmer a choice; he may plant in that land whatever he chooses. The land doesn't care. It's up to the farmer to make the decision.

We're comparing the human mind with the land because the mind, like the land, doesn't care what you plant in it. It will return what you plant, but it doesn't care what you plant.

Now, let's say that the farmer has two seeds in his hand- one is a seed of corn, the other is nightshade, a deadly poison. He digs two little holes in the earth and he plants both seeds-one corn, the other nightshade. He covers up the holes, waters and takes care of the land...and what will happen? Invariably, the land will return what was planted.

As it's written in the Bible, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap."

Remember the land doesn't care. It will return poison in just as wonderful abundance as it will corn. So up come the two plants - one corn, one poison.

The human mind is far more fertile, far more incredible and mysterious than the land, but it works the same way. It doesn't care what we plant...success...or failure. A concrete, worthwhile goal...or confusion, misunderstanding, fear, anxiety and so on. But what we plant WILL return to us.

You see, the human mind is the last great unexplored continent on earth. It contains riches beyond our wildest dreams. It will return anything we want to plant. So....it is important that we "EJECT" the "poisons" that have been planted in our minds and replace them with all the good things that could be there instead! It takes conscious effort on our part.....but it is VERY possible. So...in 2010.....let us all fill our hearts and minds with love, kindness and a desire to be all that we can be...without the "poisons" that the world tries to insert!

Abigail...In A Bad Marriage, Yet Used By God.

Another lady in our study is Abigail. She was married to a rich, selfish and drunken "fool", by the name of Nabal. Abigail rose above her circumstances and demonstrated great pose and faith in her actions to save her family and keeping David from making a foolish mistake also. David was offended by Abigail's drunken and selfish husband and gathered his army together to kill him. But God used Abigail to protect the future King David and to protect her own husband from a savage death. As with many of us, David felt he had the right to react even more harshly against one who had offended him. Abigail gathered alot of food to feed David's entire army and then went to meet with David. She met David on his way to confront Nabal and she took the entire blame for the situation on her shoulders. So in Abigail we see a lady who was devoted to her husband, even though he was a selfish drunk, a lady who listened to God's calling in her life and a lady who was willing to humble herself in front of an entire army of strangers. David knew that Abagail was a "God Send" and he listened to her and did not kill Nabal,as planned. As the story goes on, Nabal died and David then took Abigail to be his wife. It is sometimes very easy to not take the time to ask God or listen to God in many of our decisions in life. We often just react immediately on impulse as David did. But God used Abigail to stop David from being foolish and reacting in anger. We all must understand God's way of thinking and his love, or the "fools" in our lives will be targets of our own critical remarks and anger, rather than an object of showing God's love through us. So once again, God used an ordinary woman, living in bad circumstances, to teach others what God wants us to learn.

How Many Marbles Do You Have Left??

I must admit I wish I had spent many of my Saturdays in different ways than I did. I found this article in a book and it reminded me of how precious time can be and how little time we truly have to let others know how important they are to us.


The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday morning. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it:

I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whomever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say.

"Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital," he continued; "Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.

Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3,900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.

It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail," he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1,000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear.

Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life.

There's nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight.

Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time.

It was nice to meet you Tom. I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 year old man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter.

Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast."

"What brought this on?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."

May I Have An Attitude Of Gratitude! :)

This article was taken from "Simple Truths" by Mac Anderson. I find this an inspirational story and wanted to share it on my blog. This is one man who definitely inspired many during his lifetime. Hope it can inspire you also. Patrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes, and a tightening of the joints which left him crippled for life. However, as a child, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mom said, "I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he'd get it." By his second birthday, he was playing requests (You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). His father was ecstatic. "We might not play baseball, but we can play music together."

Today, Patrick is a junior at the University of Louisville. His father attends classes with him and he's made nearly all A's, with the exception of 3 B's. He's also a part of the 214 member marching band. You read it right...the marching band! He's a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father do it together. They attend all the band practices and the half-time performance in front of thousands. His father rolls and rotates his son around the field to the cheers of Patrick's fans. In order to attend Patrick's classes and every band practice, his father works the graveyard shift at UPS. Patrick said..."My dad's my hero."

But even more than his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick's "attitude of gratitude" that touched my soul. On stage, between songs, he would talk to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was. He said, "God made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me the ability...the musical gifts I have...the great opportunity to meet new people."

When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes. It gave me giant goose bumps!

My life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes. I needed a hero, and I found one for the ages. If I live to be a hundred, I'll never forget that night, that smile, that music, but most importantly, that wonderful "attitude of gratitude."

I returned to Chicago and shared Patrick's story with my wife, my friends, and our team at Simple Truths. About two weeks later, I received a letter from a friend. He said, "Mac, I don't know who said it, but I think you'll love this quote."

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"

I thought...that's it! We all face adversity in our life. However, it's not the adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our life. During tough times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, or, can we, with gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?

It almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word...gratitude, can change your attitude, thus, your life, forever. Sarah Breathnach said it best...

"When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we experience heaven on earth."

Can I "Blossom" Where I Am Planted???

This week's lesson in our small group was about Leah...the first wife of Jacob. Jacob deceived his father Isaac which created turmoil and friction in his family. He then ran from his brother Esau who wanted to kill him. He came across Rachel, whom he loved. He offered to work for Laban, Rachel's father, for seven years in order to marry her....only to have Laban deceive Jacob by giving him his oldest daughter, Leah, instead of Rachel. A week after the wedding to Leah, however, Laban gave Jacob Rachel to wed also for the price of working yet another 7 years for him. How must Leah have felt to know that she was not the one that Jacob loved? That within a week of her wedding to Jacob, he married his real love!!! Leah had six sons and one daughter with Jacob....yet knew all these years that it was Rachel that Jacob really loved. The sin of her father, Laban, affected Leah's life for years to come. With each son she bore for Jacob, she must have wondered, or even prayed, that maybe this time Jacob would finally love her?? In all these years though, it never appeared that Leah became bitter regarding her circumstances. She praised God for the children that she bore and tried to be content in the role she was given. Her children were a blessing to her. She may not have been as beautiful as her younger sister Rachel...but her real beauty was her gentle spirit. It was through Leah that God kept his promise also....through her last son, Judah. It was through the line of Judah that Christ would come. So...what can we all learn from Leah? She like so many of us had to live with the consequences of another's choice. Yet, she never lost sight of a God that loved her even in the midst of a husband who did not. Her faith in her God remained firm and she continued to praise him. Once again we later see that God used her.....as Christ then was born from her son, Judah's line. It always amazes me as I see how God seems to use the most unlikely characters for his glory! :) So tonight my prayer is that regardless of circumstances I may be placed in during the course of my life, I can continue to be "grounded" in the truth that God loves me, just as I am. May I continue to "blossom" where I am planted, just as Leah did! Have a blessed week! :)

Could The Blind Girl Say This About Us??

'Excuse me, Are you Jesus?'

This is really powerful and makes one think!!!! A friend shared this with me today and I thought it was worth sharing with everyone! Thanks Rosie...makes me think!

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.
He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight... Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.
He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.
When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, 'Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?' She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, 'I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly.'

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister.....' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?'
He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: 'Are you Jesus?' Do people mistake you for Jesus?
That's our Destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.
If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would.
Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.
You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

Do I Sometimes Take Shortcuts Waiting For God?

Our small group has began yet another workbook on life's lessons learned from ladies of the Bible. This week's lady was Hagar. She was a maid servant for Abraham and Sarah. As we know God had promised Abraham that he would give him a heir and he would have many descendants. But several years went by and Sarah and Abraham did not have a child. Sarah particularly became impatient and decided to take matters into her own hands! She gave up on God's timing and decided to take a shortcut to give Abraham his son. She wanted Abraham to conceive a child with her maid servant, Hagar. Abraham did not give the decision to God at all.....he just did what Sarah had asked him to do.....apparently his faith was no greater than Sarah's. Then there was Hagar, who apparently had NO choice in the matter. She was bound to do what her mistress asked of her. So what could Hagar's feelings in all this have been?? Could she have felt "used" possibly? Did this cause resentment?
Shortly after Hagar became pregnant, Sarah and her began to have problems. Sarah saw Hagar more as a rival than a bond wife, and Hagar was proud of the fact she was carrying Abraham's child. Sarah began to treat Hagar so badly that she fled into the wilderness. God Came to Hagar in the wilderness and asked her to return to Sarah. Hagar obeyed God and returned. Shortly thereafter she gave birth to Abraham's son, Ishmael. Still years went by before Sarah finally did conceive and had Abraham's son, Isaac. When Ishmael was about 16, the friction grew worse in the family. Ishmael no doubt resented the favored son, Isaac. Sarah once again told Abraham she wanted to send Ishmael and Hagar away. This time Abraham did seek God's advise and God advised him to do as Sarah asked. So he handed Hagar a jug of water and sent her and her son away. Again one must wonder what Ishmael and Hagar felt at this time. In these times, such favortism was common practice with wives and maidservants, but it would seem harsh to us today to be sent away by one's own father. While in the wilderness, the water ran out and Ishmael and Hagar felt hopeless and felt sure they would die. They began to cry and God heard and saw their tears and led them to a well. He promised Hagar that he would make a great nation from Ishmael also.
So what can I learn from Sarah and Hagar in this story? First of all, when God has promised to make all things work for good and he has promised to take care of my every need....I need to LISTEN!!!! God's timing is NOT mine!! But God ALWAYS knows best. Taking shortcuts, as Sarah and Abraham did only leads to disaster. Relationships were destroyed and people were hurt in many ways. How many times has that happened in our own lives?? Too many I dare say. Human beings have been sooo impatient since the beginning of time...beginning with Adam and Eve in the garden. They could not wait to eat of the forbidden fruit. They took the shortcut also and did as THEY chose...not following God's will. Sarah was no different....she could wait NO longer..she would "fix" the problem herself! Both of these stories, as well as many others in the Bible, had bad consequences to face because of the bad choices and "shortcuts" they made. God allowed them all to suffer the consequences but always allowed the situations to turn around to a positive when faith in him was restored. In Hagar we are reminded that it is often in our "valleys" that we meet God and not on the "mountain tops" of our lives. We need to hear from God and listen for him in the "valleys" and be reassurred that he sees our situations and NEVER leaves us. I know there are times in my life I try to "take over" and control situations. I want to "fix" things myself....because that is what I have always done. I NEED to remember that God is in control. I NEED to trust his promises for me and I NEED to have faith that all will work out....in HIS time, not mine.

Can I Accept The Place Where I Am Planted Right Now And Still Soar??

More thoughts from Joel Osteen's book. We also studied this some in our last workbook in small group. So much of the time we create much of our own unhappiness and frustration by constantly resisiting and fighting against situations and circumstnaces occuring in our lives. How much easier it would be for us if we could learn to relax and accept the place we are right now. If we truly believe that God is in control and is directing our steps, then we must believe that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. Maybe something unfair has happened, something you had little control over....still we need to trust that God is mighty and can fight this battle with us. He has promised He will use whatever comes into our lives for our good. There was a time in my life, I could not possibly believe that! But today as I look back I know it is true. In times of trials we are often reminded of Joseph in the Old Testament. He spent 13 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He could have constantly fought that. He could have asked God, "Why me?" He could have easily lived his life upset, negative, and bitter, But he did not! He simply embraced the place where he was and made the best of a bad situation. The rest of the story, we all know. God took his situtation and saved an entire nation. What his brothers and others used to hurt Joseph, God used for good. It took several years to get there, however, and our timing is definitely not God's. We need to accept and learn that our FAITH does not always instantly deliver us....but it will ALWAYS carry us through. There are indeed some things we will NEVER understand this side of Heaven, but even in difficult times we need to remember that God is still in control of our lives.
Throughout the Bible, the person who trusts God is compared to an Eagle! Eagles have been known to fly at altitudes of 20,000 feet! They often fly there to keep free from "pests" and situations. We should do the same....rise higher than the strife we face. We need to learn to "live above our circumstances" and not get pulled into the strife and negativity of it all. So.....my prayer tonight is that when life gets tough....as it always does, we can be the eagle that God made us to be. We need to stretch our wings and rise to the level where God wants us to live. We were made to soar! We were made for so much more than most of us ever think possible! Believe in our God that can do anything and bring you through anything!

I Have Something To Offer Noone Else Can Give! :)

It is time we all tried to "Make a Difference in Other's Lives." Most people will never reach their full potential without somebody else believing in them. This means you and I have an assignment.....enocuraging, building up and challenging others to reach their full potential. Relationships are by far more important than accomplishments....yet where do we spend more of our time? Many people simply need someone to spark a bit of HOPE and to say. "I believe in you and YOU CAN DO THIS!!" When we believe the best in people, we can help bring the BEST out of them. Jesus often did this. He never focused on their weaknesses and faults. Instead he saw the potential in them and what they could become. We see this time and time again in the Bible.....how God used the most unlikely characters for his glory! As a rule, we will NEVER bring out the best in someone by condemning and criticizing them....more often than not, it is brought out through LOVE. Complimenting each other is the glue that holds realtionships together. Material accomplishments will soon be forgotten and lost, but an investment in another's life will last forever and possibly generations to come. So when we get up in the AM, I pray we can all find a way to bless others in our lives, instead of first thinking of how I can be blessed today! For when we are giving our love to others, we are showing God to the world. There was a time in my life....others did this for me and I thank God for that blessing in my life. :) I better understood God's love for me as I witnessed others loving me. We are never more like God than when we are giving and sharing HIS love. So my challenge to all of us this week is to GO OUT and FIND someone who needs your blessing and encouragment and MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ONE LIFE! I don't think ANY of us will have to look very far!!! You may never know in your lifetime what a difference an act of kindness can make in another's life. Have a blessed week by being a blessing to others! :)

What Voices AM I Listening To????

Again another lesson from Joel Osteen's book.....If one truly wants to become a better person, it is imperative that they learn to feel good about themselves. Too many people live under condemnation, constantly listening to the wrong voices. Consequently they live their lives feeling guilty, condemned, and extrememly discontented with themselves. They will go through an entire day without joy, without confidence, expecting the worst and often receiving it!! We ALL have failures in our lives.....but God does not focus on what is wrong with us....he focuses on what is RIGHT!!! This is called GRACE!!! Some people are practically addicted to GUILT!!!! They do not know what it is like to feel good about themselves, to believe they are loved, forgiven, or to believe they have a bright future. The parable of the "Prodigal Son" can remind all of us how God looks at us. He does NOT focus on our mistakes or failures. He does not want you to live a miserable life. He wants you to succeed; he created you to live ABUNDANTLY!!
God wants us to be secure and to have healthy self-images, but soooo many people get hung up on weaknesses and mistakes. Jesus has asked us to, "Love our neighbors as OURSELVES." But the prerequisite to loving others is loving ourselves!!! Self-loathing destroys many relationships. You CANNOT give away what you do not have!! If you are full of stife, condemnation, anger and feeling insecure, then that is what you will give away. On the other hand if you will recognize that God is working on you and accept that and yourself, then you are able to give that love away and have healthy relationships.
We were created to EXCEL!!!! So many people go through life with low self-esteem, feeling inferior and feeling they do not have what it takes. As long as we have this poor self-image, we are not going to experience God's best. One CANNOT rise above the image they have of themselves. One of the best ways we can improve our self-image is with words. Our words tend to set the DIRECTION in our lives!! Whether it is others that speak neagatively about you or you yourself do it....CHANGE the words!!! If one can change the way they speak about themselves.....they CAN change their lives!!! Use your words to BLESS your life. The image of your life MUST change on the inside before it can change on the outside.
WE often have to reprogram our minds. Each of us has an internal dialogue going on with oursleves throughout the day. Often these wrong thinking patterns are deeply rooted going back to our childhoods even. We NEED to "EJECT" the old "tapes" that continue to play in our internal dialogue and replace them with more positive and hopeful tapes. Not easy but knowing and BELIEVING that God created us for soooo much more....makes it easier!!! Maybe you feel it is too late to change. It is NEVER too late! IT IS NOT HOW WE START THAT COUNTS......IT IS HOW WE FINISH!! So my prayer tonight is that we all can stop the "STINKING THINKING" and finish the "Race" knowing that "God Does Not Make Junk," and we will do our part in being what God created us to be!

Totally Awesome Evening In Belpre. Ohio!! :)

I just came home from meeting at the gazebo in Belpre with many other Chrisitans from around the city. The Belpre mayor had asked every "congregation" in Belpre to walk certain streets surrounding their particular building to pray for the citizens on those streets. Nearly 80 of us from the Belpre C'of C' met at the building at 6PM tonight and walked about a mile in that area, praying individually for the city. We then all hopped in our cars and went to the Civitan Park in Belpre. There we were joined by others around the city to sing songs of praise and to pray for the city and our nation. :) The Baptist, the Nazarene, the Methodist, a congregational church, the Church of Christ and I am sure others were there. All of us together as one, in unity and it was NOT about us...but ALL about HIM!!!! Differences were ignored, doctrines were not discussed, negative comments were not made about the country or city.......we just sang praises and prayed to ONE God as ONE. It was sooooo neat to see so many come together as ONE for ONE purpose and that was to pray to God.....because it IS ALL ABOUT HIM!!!!! Our church has been stressing revival during the past month and tonight did this old heart good! More of this is needed to light some fires in our nation!!! I think this is what God intended when he asked us to be one and love each other. Sometimes I think we missed the boat! Just my thoughts for tonight!

Am I Still Tied To A Leash???

I am presently reading a book by Joel Osteen entitled,"Become A Better You." One of the examples he gives in the first few chapters of the book is how we tend to be like a dog that has been kept on a leash for years. This dog would see other dogs and try to run after them only to be jerked back by the leash. After several years and attempts at this, the dog finally learned that his space was limited and he could only go so far. He then began to stop before he was jerked back by the leash. One particular day the owner felt sorry for his dog and decided to free him of the leash. While the dog was off the leash the owner observed his dog as another dog and cat walked by again. His dog reacted in his ususal manner and barked and chased the other animals, but once again only went so far and stopped because he still KNEW he was limited!!! The dog was free but he did not realize it!!! Many times that is exactly what we as humans do! GOd has freed us from so much, our pasts, our addictions, our personal defeats, bad attitudes, etc. Yet....we do not really believe this! We do not believe in the power of God or our own power and we remain "tied to the leash of whatever!" Too many people adjust and learn to function in their "dysfunction." They remain angry, bitter, addicted, etc. Instead of dealing with it all and being willing to change, they stick a "bandage" on it and continue to live in bondage. Truth is we will NEVER change what we tolerate! If we allow our thinking and actions to be limited, then our life is certainly going to be limited. The key to greater living and peace is to focus our lives more on the mightiness of God and his power and less on the mess that life here on earth has created for us. Our God is mighty and he truly does want the best for us! So.....I encourage myself and all of us to throw the "MUCK" of life off of us and allow God to show his power in us and through us. It is not always easy...it takes practice, time, and patience but there is not a one of us that cannot do it and become all that God wants us to become. God Bless you this week! :)

God is Good! :)

Third day post op from gallbladder surgery and it is good to feel the pain lessening each day. Alot to be thankful for this week! :) Successful surgery for one and the ability to breath and keep all the nurses and Anita happy post anesthesia. :) We also had a very good HOPE group meeting Wednesday eve and will now have 16 ladies in the class. Alot of hurting ladies out there. It is pretty awesome to see God working in these ladies' lives and promising healing and help to become all he wants them to be! Along with my children and grandkids, I am also very thankful for the friend I have in Anita. I always knew I did not want to live alone...but at times like these it is very easy to see the advantages in this. With both of our kids living distances from us....it has been good this year to have each other to count on during surgeries in our lives. Not sure what I would have done this week without Anita here to pick up the slack and do things for me when the pain and fatigue was ever so present. So...thankyou God for the blessings of the week and thankyou Anita for being there for me this week! You are another of God's awesome blessings and a lady I am sure he has even greater plans for! :)

How Judgemental Am I?????

A firend of mine emailed this to me and I thought it was worth sharing with all. How many times do we look at others with the "Big Sins" in their lives and judge them? Truth is Christ did not judge them any more than one who gossips. His blood covers itall! :) THE BLOOD

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart.

She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution.

But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church.

She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.

It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son.

The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans.

This is when the problems began.

You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers

was suitable for a pastor's son.

The church began to argue and fight about the matter.

So they decided to have a meeting.

As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.

The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past.

As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak.

He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be.

He began to speak and his statement was this:

"My fiancée's past is not what is on trial here.

What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin.

Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial.

So, does it wash away sin or not?"

The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters.

Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely.

If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble.

A Subject That Requires More Work On My Part!!!

This week's lesson in our small group is on stewardship. Of course one of the scriptures brought out was in Matthew 25..the parable of the talents. What are we stewards of??? The first is TIME......A significant life is not a result of how much time I have but of how I use that time. Where do I spend my time? The priorities in my life are shown very clearly by where I spend my time. Guess I need to spend less time on facebook farming! :) I DO need to balance my priorities and be certain I spend time in God's word and being a good steward of the time he has given me. The second area of stewardship is my TALENTS. Everyone of us has God-given talents that make us unique and God wants us to use those talents for him and others. The third area is our TREASURES. Money and possessions, like Time, can be wasted and most of us are very good at this! One can tell alot by looking at another's checkbook to see where his priorities or values lie. The third area of stewardship is being a good steward of TRUTH. What do I do with the message and christian life that God has entrusted me with? Do I share it? Do I let others see Christ living through me? Not always....sometimes it depends on the day. The message is pretty clear...."It is NOT about ME!!" I was created by God....all that I have is God's and he has entrusted it to me to use WISELY!! My time, my talents, my treasures and his truth. Am I doing a good job with all he has entrusted to me? Not always and NOT nearly good enough!!! Sometimes I fail pretty miserably!!! How do I do better with this???? It frightens me to read the verse in Luke 12..."And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him will they ask all the more." We as Americans have been given SOOO much...truly one of the most blessed nations on Earth....so how much is going to be required of us? ALOT! In order for stewardship to be effective in my life's decisions, I must be operating on an ETERNAL value system. I must place my highest priority on things that are important to God and that will last in eternity. Otherwise my scales of decision will be very unbalanced!!! So...this chapter humbled me and really made me take a greater look into my life this week. Am I doing ALL that I can with my time, talents, treasures and God's truth?? The answer is NO! I have given much more thought lately to allowing God to use me and trying to be open to his guidance. I am making efforts to that end...but I seriously have a long ways to go. I am so blessed materially, physically, spiritually, etc... Yet I know I could do more. Why do I try to keep up with the "Jone's" when that really does not matter....Where are my priorities and what DOES matter???? Our church leaders are asking for revival right now. There is NO doubt in my mind that if we as Christians would get our priorities right and love like Christ did, pattern our lives more after him...nothing would be impossible!!! No revival would even be needed! So my prayer today is first thanking God for LIFE and all he has blessed me with and secondly that I will keep this message at the forefront of my thoughts and become a better steward of all he has given me.

GOD IS GOOD :)

Just arrived home from a LONG trip to Arkansas in the past two days. We took Anita's son, Brian, back to college for his senior year. Brian Grubbs can do this trip in a 24 hour period...but not this lady! I was up at 5:30 Am Friday and we left here Friday afternoon about 6PM. We arrived at Harding University in Ak. at 6:30 Am our time....so not bad time....but I found no matter how tired I am....I cannot sleep too well in the car. :( We hit a detour on I64 between Charleston and Huntington....must have been a terrible accident...cars stopped for hours....I am glad we got off on a detour! Then outside of Nashville, we saw another terrible accident, around 2AM. :( I just took a moment and thanked God it was not us! The stars and clear sky were just fantastic Friday night! I seldom take the time to gaze into the late night sky...but Friday night gave me lots of time to just look up through the sun roof and gaze at God's own fireworks! From the comments on facebook....they were more beautiful than the fireworks at the P-burg homecoming....because I truly enjoyed the sight! Gave me time to pray for our safety on this trip also...as I gazed! There seemed to be sooo much traffic all night long! I was surprised...should people not be sleeping at those hours??? I bought some "go-go juice" to drink and it did help somewhat for a few hours...but by 2 PM Saturday afternoon as we hit Bowling Green, Ky. on the way home...we decided to give it up and settle in for the day. Anita and I both have a touch of the brochitis and colds that are going around and it seemed best to get some rest. So...We filled our bellies, showered and hit the bed at 5:30 PM!!!! I woke up at 4:30 Am....Anita was able to sleep a bit longer...then we headed on down the road to home.....a little more alert than the last time we had driven. :) I had placed the jeep in the garage Friday AM to get an oil change before we left and have them check a "knocking" in the steering column. It turned out to be the tie rod that was bad and they replaced it! I am soooo glad I had it checked out! I had one of those rods break on me years ago doing 20MPH and I WOULD NOT want one to break on me doing 70 MPH!!! So...again..thankyou God! The jeep did just fine on the trip. So....all in all it was a good w/e. Tiring....but we made it and tonight I am grateful for the safety God provided us with and the quiet moments I had to enjoy the beauty of his sky. Also, glad this is Brian's senior year at Harding and pray it is a great one for him! Hard to believe he is a senior in college this year!!! Time flies! So...thank you God for a safe w/e of travel and for HOME! :)

A Simple, Cheap Gift!!!!

One of the deepest principles of human nature is the craving to be appreciated. You never know when a few kind words can change a life forever.

Excerpt from
The Simple Truths of Appreciation
by Barbara Glanz
When I speak about appreciation, I use this quote by Albert Schweitzer:

"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light."

A man listened to this speaker one day. She challenged the audience to think of one person in their lives that had made a diffference and been an inspiration to them. As the man pondered the question, he thought of his fifth grade teacher. After leaving the seminar, he tracked this teacher down, and when he finally found her, he wrote to her.

The following week he received this letter:

Dear John,

You will never know how much your letter meant to me. I am 83 years old, and I am living all alone in one room. My friends are all gone. My family's gone. I taught 50 years and yours is the first "thank you" letter I have ever gotten from a student. Sometimes I wonder what I did with my life. I will read and reread your letter until the day I die.

He just sobbed on the phone as he told about the letter. He said, "This teacher is always the one we talk about at every reunion. She was everyone's favorite teacher - we loved her!" But no one had ever told her...until she received his letter.

My wish is that we would all become more appreciative as we go through our daily lives. We can see from this story the life-changing GIFT we can give by simply sharing our appreciation with those around us. So...today, I challenge each of you to wrote a note, give a hug, make a phone call, or send an email, to anyone who has been an inspiration or made a difference in your life. Such a simple thing to do but yet, something we NEVER seem to find the time for or are too uncomfortable to do it. So give the GIFT of appreciation and make a difference in someone's life TODAY!!!! A simple, cheap gift that WE ALL NEED!!!!! Have a blessed day all! :)

Last Hours In ND

It has been a wild and crazy week here. Started with temps in the 60's and ended with temps in the 90's. We started the morning with dark clouds and a bad thunderstorm with quarter inch hail! The kids were pretty excited about Ice falling from the sky. Amanda was not so excited because the car was sitting outside! But it did not get hurt. We then left and spent some time with Amanda and the kiddos shopping and driving through Grand Forks. We met Adam for lunch and then went to the mall. We bought a few books on sale and also bought our little Honduran kiddos some Spanish children's books. We watched the boys tonight as Adam and Amanda went out on a date to relax some without the kids. I am truly going to miss the kids and their parents...but know it is time to get back to my life also. Payton has grown soooo much and has really began trusting Anita and I...just in time for me to leave him again. :( We fly out of here around 4:30 tomorrow eve and will arrive in Columbus at 10PM...then we have to drive home...so should make it home around 1-2 AM! Then I get to lie down in my own bed! :) Home will certainly be quiet and boring after this place! :) But...sometimes that can be a good thing. :) I do love and miss the kids though...wish they were closer....but as long as they remain happy and healthy.....momma is good! :)

Fun Day With The Grandkids!! :)

It has been a great day with the grandkids today. We took them to the mall, the movie, "Ice Age 3" and then to a water park with another kid park beside it. It was fun to have the kids to ourselves and get to spoil them a little bit. :) Grand Forks is a nice little town. It is a town of about 60,000 but seems so clean and since it is the University town....it seems very modern and has sooo much to do. Brittany Spears is even coming in Sept here! Makes we want to fly back! :) NOT!!!! I have watched little Payton who was afraid of us again when we first came, change to hugging us and kssing us several times per day. Tonight he would run from daddy to me for "safety." It is sooo neat to watch these little ones love, laugh and learn so quickly. Brennen is becoming quite the card player and loves to play Uno and chicken foot and does it nearly as well as we adults and he is only four!!! Him and Taylor love to read and spend each evening reading books. Today we bought them a search and find puzzle book and Brennen was working with it tonight and did well with it. I am just awe struck at kids...their innocence, their love, and all that brings them joy. I will truly walk away from here Saturday afternoon in tears again. :( It has been three years since Amanda and Adam married, but missing them and these kids never gets any easier!! Adam is such a kind man and I am glad that God has blessed my daughter with him. :) He is a good provider and a great father to my granchildren. He is so kind to my daughter and myself also. I am sure it will be another year before I see them again....I just thank God tonight for the technology we now have with phones, internet, skype, etc....all this does help somewhat. So....I will end now, a little tired from a long day. Been a long week for this old grandma....missing my own bed, I suppose...never have slept too well away from home. But I thank God tonight I have had the opportunity to visit with my family in ND. I am also thankful that Anita's son, Brian is going to be able to come home for a few weeks before he heads back to Harding University in AK. At the last moment he decided to change his flight and come back to Columbus and visit for a few weeks before he begins his senior year in college. Anita's heart is happy tonight as the final arrangements have been made and she will be able to hug his neck on Monday. :) So life is good, we are blessed and God is good! :)

OK...It Is Finally Hot In North Dakota!!!

It has been 90 degrees here the past few days....feels like home! :) Beautiful day here today but all these ND people are complaining about the heat and humidity....they are definitely not used to this! Life has been good today...got to feed a few babies, bathe the boys, play with some kiddos, and do lots of my farming on facebook!!! Both my farms had to be done today...that took awhile. Anita and I both got to talk to friends and family from home today. Life does go on....even in ND!! :) We also went to a small mall in East Grand Forks, MN and managed to drive there ourselves and not get lost!! We went to Cabela's and bought a few things on sale and then went to a movie, "The Proposal." Had to be on vacation to get time to see it. I loved Betty White in the film. :) We had friends of Amanda and Adams for dinner and the kids love them....neat to watch them interact with others. We fixed Talopia and Mahi mahi, pasta salad and beans....it tasted very good. I am sure I have gained another five pounds this week!! But that is what vacations are for I suppose. I got the honor of sleeping with Brennen last night in his double decker bed. Good night but early rising with Payton beside us in his crib and awakening at 7AM.....Rest is not something we are getting this week....like I said....these vacations between Honduras and here are very similar!! Jason called me today to tell me his little guy, Kyle, has been diagnosed with asthma and will now be on daily meds....I assume they will do more testing to see if certain things or allergies are making it worse for him. Jay and Jennifer are a little upset by it all so keep them all in your prayers, please. Tomorrow we are taking Brennen and Taylor out for the afternoon....should be fun...we get to spoil them some! So...this is my life today...Hope yours has been a good one also. Have a blessed day!

Beautiful North Dakota!

Ok the rain left and we sent it East to Ohio! :) Yesterday we went to the badlands of ND to the Teddy Roosevelt National Park. It was indeed beautiful!! God really outdid himself in the badlands. BJ...we tried to get a picture of a cowboy but it came out a bit blurry! :( Today it was 80 some degrees here and we went boating on the Missouri river again. It was fun to watch the kids tubing and Adam skiing. Not so much fun to worry about Brennen jumping overboard though. Gives a grandma a heart attack! Tonight we are wore out and just chilling a bit. We head back to Grand Forks in the morning. Amanda and Adam have to go back to work...so Anita and I will just get into whatever the rest of the week. I tried to post a few pics of the badlands and the boating today but could not get it to work...instead i just emailed them and placed on facebook. Have a blessed week!

North Dakota Does Not Like Me! :)

OK....It is August! We woke up today to lots of rain and the temps in the 60's. So....we did not go to the badlands the the play tonight. We changed the tickets until tomorrow night. There is suppose to be sunshine and in the 70's tomorrow. We did do some shopping and sightseeing around Bismark. We then came home and ate chinese and then put on some jackets and jeans and took Anita on an adventure! :) She loves the water....NOT!!! We placed her in the back of the boat and Adam took us on a boat ride on the Missouri River. A bit chilly but nice anyway. We saw some million dollar homes along the river.....makes one almost drool! But if I had a million dollar home along the river...I think I would like a climate a bit warmer where I could use it!!!! It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that one out! We called Ginger and her and Griswald seem to be bonding quite well and Rosie and helping out when needed! We may not get him back after this week! :) So....tomorrow we are headed to the western side of ND and hopefully on Monday do more boating on the old Missouri and then back to Grand Forks on Tuesday. So....today I am thankful for the warmer temps in the MOV and the beautiful Missouri River and the homes along its shore. By the way......Have I told you all my grandchildren are fantastic??!!! :) I love em!

TIme with family and friends! :)

We made it safely to ND and got lots of hugs from Brennen and Taylor. Payton is still not sure what to think of us! He is starting to get used to these two crazy old ladies though. We traveled another three hours to Bismark in the afternoon and are now at Adam's parents house (John and Angie). They fixed us a wonderful dinner with grilled salmon and have been very gracious to let us all stay here for a few days. Tomorrow we are going to the badlands and take in an outdoor play. We are looking forward to seeing more of ND.....so far most of it is very flat and all farmland!! Even in the summer.....when I come here it rains and turns cold!!!! I am not sure what sunshine and heat is here yet! I brought shorts and am not sure I will be wearing them very much! May have to take a thermal blanket to the play tomorrow night! We will also be doing some boating on John and Angie's boat while we are here....so it is going to be a busy few days here. I thank God tonight for a safe trip here and for an awesome daughter and family and gracious hosts in John and Angie. Ginger....I hope Griswald has not driven you over the edge yet.....we will call tomorrow to make sure he has not driven you out yet! :)

Do I Listen to God Or Choose To Stay "Comfortable?"

Over the past several weeks we have been studying "Doing God's Will." As I have mentioned before it seems that everywhere I turn there are hurting people, women that need to talk, people in crisis, and people just needing a simple hug. Sometimes it is very easy to be selfish and just lay back and relax, curl up with a good book, sit out on my deck and enjoy God's beautiful woods and not be concerned about all the things that others are dealing with. But it seems that God is really after me this time and continues to KNOCK me in the head with the message that, "Sharon, it is time to get moving and do what I created you to do." We went to Columbus this w/e to take a puppy to Anita's daughter, Lisa. We went to church with her this AM and again the preacher spoke on Queen Esther and how she was placed in a particular place...."For Such A Time As This." God has a habit of placing us in particular situations to enable us to be used by him. :) I may not always like where he places me, or has placed me in the past.....but I want to CHOOSE to allow him to use me through these situations in whatever way he sees fit. Thus Anita and I are choosing once again to begin the "HOPE Group" to enable us to help some struggling women with difficult situations in their lives. I have always tried to listen when God places people in my life that need a bit of encouragment or just a friend. But is that ALL I can do???? I don't think so!!!! I would hate for God to have to knock me out cold to get the message across to me!!! But he has been pretty persisitent with this one and I feel I need to get out of my comfort zone and do what he is leading me to do again. Maybe with his continued guidance... to do it even better this time. God's persistence has been going on for about two months now and even today.....I just had to laugh at his message to me AGAIN!!! My small group studied Esther, I watched a movie recently about her life, and I have been approached several times by hurting women in these past few months. Is this just a coincidence or is God trying to get my attention??? It is just following me everywhere I go.....literally!!!! So if this is the writing on the wall....I guess I need to listen! For now I am going to ND to see my daughter and her family and continue to pray and listen. When I return, however, I want to put much more effort into reaching out to the hurting and showing them a God of healing and HOPE!!!!!

I Want To Dance In The Rain!!!!

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"

I thought...that's it! We all face adversity in our life. However, it's not the adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our life. During tough times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, or, can we, with gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?

It almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word...gratitude, can change your attitude, thus, your life, forever. Sarah Breathnach said it best...

"When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we experience heaven on earth."

Detour Signs......God's Will??????

This week's lesson is on DETOUR signs in our lives. As we travel down the road and see detour signs....we are often in a rush and become annoyed by them. That is until we see that the road ahead is washed out by a recent flood or some other problem....THEN we undestand it was for our benefit!!! God sometimes does the same thing in our lives. He may place detour signs in our lives to provide for us or to protect us. Just like Jonah, I sometimes want to run or hide from what God wants me to do. But God placed a HUGE detour in Jonah's life in the form of a fish and that "sign" placed Jonah back on the right path. HE does the same with me....I am CERTAIN!!! Probably noone was "detoured" more than Paul in the New Testament. As he went from place to place to preach to the Gentiles, he often found himself imprisoned, but in all the trials he faced....God used it for good. The persecution served as a catalyst to spread the gospel to the world by spreading believers throughout the world. God in all his wisdom is always guiding us, even though we may not always recognize it or understand his reasoning. We must only have faith in a God that is mighty. Sometimes it may be hard to know that a detour in our lives is indeed from God.....in such cases we should continue to pray about the situation and trust God to guide us. The author of this book makes a profound statement, "God is far more concerned with our character than with our circumstances. Circumstances are one of his favorite tools to shape our character." There have been many times in my life that I have asked God, "WHY????!" Why has he allowed certain things to happen in my life, placed abstacles in my life, etc. I am certain Joseph at one point asked God the same question. But in the end, he told his brothers that they meant evil against him.....but God used it all for good! In the midst of trials....we NEED to believe that our mighty God is able to accomplish HIS purpose through whatever life can throw at us. God's wisdom, coupled with his love and grace, should provide us tremendous reassurance! :) Tonight.....I KNOW that God can use any circumstance in my life and direct me to use it to HIS glory.

How Do I Know What God's WIll Is In My Life????

During the past few weeks we have continued our study on God's Will. We have studied how important prayer is in knowing his will and taking EVERYTHING to him. We have also reviewed how important it is to study the Bible on particular subjects we are questioning.... by using concordances and other tools to really study HIS Word and understanding what his word tells us about different circumstances in our lives. We also studied the importance of receiving wise counsel from more than one source as we consider certain major and even minor events in our lives. All of these are so important as we try to understand what God's Will is in our lives. This week we are studying "weighing our options" as we make decisions in our lives. Doing our homework as we make decisions is not always easy....but then neither is living with the consequences of an unwise choice. So, even in some of the smallest decisions in our lives, we need to study, pray and weigh the options of choices and be certain it is where we need to be. In the past month, Anita and I have been bombarded with hurting and struggling individuals. I am beginning to wonder if God is trying to kick me in the head again and tell me to wake up and face the music and do something about all this again. So we talked today and for right now.....Anita and I are praying, studying and weighing the options as to where we should go from here. Another group? A Website? Do we move on this or do we stay comfortable where we are? Is God trying to tell me anything...I am not sure??!! For now though, I will keep the options open and pray about it.

Do We Fear Deeper Relationships???

July 6, 2009
Don't Fear Deeper Friendships
by Rick Warren
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV).


When we're full of fear and anxiety, we don't get close to each other. We back off from each other. We're afraid of being rejected, manipulated, vulnerable, hurt, or used. All of these fears cause us to disconnect in life.

This fear is as old as humanity. When Adam and Eve sinned, and God came looking for them, Adam said, "I was afraid . . . so I hid" (Genesis 3:10 NIV). People have been doing that ever since. We're afraid, so we hide. We hide our true selves.

We don't let people know what we're really like. We don't let them see the inside of us. Why? Because if we let people know what we're like and they don't like it, we're up a creek without a paddle. Tough luck. Why am I afraid to tell you who I am? Because if I tell you who I am, and you don't like me, I'm in for it. I have no alternative. So we wear masks and we pretend.

Fear does three terrible things to relationships:

1. Fear makes us defensive. We're afraid to reveal ourselves. We defend ourselves. When people point out our weaknesses, we retaliate and defend ourselves.

2. Fear keeps us distant. We don't let people get close to us. We want to withdraw, pull back. We want to hide our emotions. We don't want to be open and honest. We become defensive and distant.

3. Fear makes us demanding. Whenever we're insecure, and the more insecure we are, the more we try to control. So we try to have the last word in a relationship. We try to dominate, control. It's always a symptom of fear and insecurity.

Where do you get the confidence, the courage, to take the first step in connecting with someone, to go into a deeper intimacy? Where do you get that courage?

You get it from God's Spirit in your life. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For the Holy Spirit, God's gift, does not want you to be afraid of people but to be wise and strong (courageous), and to love them and enjoy being with them" (LB).

How do you know when you're filled with God's Spirit? You're more courageous in your relationships. You love people. You enjoy being with them. You're not afraid of them because God's Spirit is in your life. The Bible says "God is love," and "Love casts out all fear." The more of God you have in your life, the less of fear you're going to have in your life.

So the starting point in connecting with anybody is to pause, pray, and say, "God, give me the courage to take the first step." You need to do that now with a person you want to connect with. Even a deeper relationship with God requires prayer and more time spent with him....communicating intimately, and spending time in his Word. Are we fearful of a relationship with God also? Do we take the time to increase our relationship with him? Do we feel worthy of this realtionship? Or are we distant, defensive and demanding in this one also. Do we feel loved, secure, and courageous in our relationship with God??? My prayer tonight is that the latter is what we are all feeling! Have a great week! :)

Am I Really "Online" With God??

Our second lesson in our small group's workbook is about Prayer! As humans our near fatal flaw is always our tendency to lean on our OWN understanding. We as humans usually have NO problem seeking God in all the MAJOR, frightening areas of our lives. For example the illness of a loved one, financial problems, marriage and relationship problems, etc. God is often the one we seek in such adversities. But......We need to bring EVERY situation to God, lean on him and ask his direction in ALL things. If we can trust him to help with the major problems....what keeps us from bringing ALL to him....even the small things?? We often forget what a resource God is for our decisions. God's presence is always open to us.....What a blessing! Prayer could be called the ignition key to fire up the process to finding God's will!! If we want to know God's will in our lives....first we need to ask him! Prayer is a fundamental and very important part of our relationship with God. Just like any relationship, communication is all sooooo important!! We must be honest with God in praying and communicate with him from our hearts. We must know that nothing is off limits with him and we can share anything with God. There are no magic words, just our honest thoughts and the power HE has. Prayer is powerful only because God is powerful. I must trust that God knows what is best for me and he promises me peace. He may sometimes say, "NO," but I need to trust his will for me is what is going to best for me in the end.....even if it does not appear that way right now. So....how willing am I to give it all to God....even the smallest of decisions and things in my life?? If you are like me, you may often forget to take the small things to God, or maybe like me you are just inclined to do things yourself and don't remember to take ALL things to him. Maybe you do not feel worthy to take anything to him, or feel you have been failed so many times in the past...that it seems pretty useless or hopeless!! Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves us with a love like none other and he is there for us and will listen to our heartfelt prayers. My prayer tonight is that I do not forget to pray about ALL things and that nothing seems too trivial to take to him. May I always remember that a good relationship with God begins with good, honest, communication with him. May God bless you this week with building an honest, heartfelt realtionship with him!

Will We Follow Our Rescuer???

I was reading a small book this past w/e when I had the w/e pretty much to myself. It was a beautiful day as I sat on the back deck and looked into our woods and listened to the birds and squirrels. I never cease to be awe struck by this little piece of Earth and beauty that God has blessed me with in my own backyard. The book I was reading was, "Jazz Notes," by Donald Miller. One particular story he shared really spoke to me that day. He told the story of a Navy Seal performing a covert operation to free hostages from a dark part of the world. They flew in by helicopter and found the hostages....terrified and curled up in a corner of a dark and filthy room. The Seals identified themselves as Americans there to rescue them, but the hostages did not believe them and would not go with them. Not knowing how to convince the hostages they would be safe with them, the Seals were perplexed. Then one of the Seals got an idea!!! He layed down his weapon, took off his helmet and curled up next to the hostages. Then he was seen putting his arm around one of them. He spoke softly to them and one by one looked into their eyes and told them they really were Americans there to rescue them. He then stood up and invited them to do the same and follow him out of there. One by one, the hostages stood up and followed the rescuers and were soon safe on an aircraft carrier. The author went on to write about how Jesus met US also where we are at. He came to the Earth and became a man like us, with feelings, with hurts, with temptations, etc. We read time and time again about how he also cared deeply about how others were feeling. Our decision to follow Jesus is much like that of the hostages choosing to follow the Seals. Do we believe JESUS??? Can HE rescue us from a very dark world???? Will we allow the world to hold us captive and stay where we are at or allow Jesus to guide us out to safety and peace at last? My prayer tonight is that I NEVER loose sight of the one who humbled himself and loved me enough to come to Earth to lead me out of the darkness!

How do I know what God's Will is in my life????

In our small group we are beginning a new study called, "Living God's Will." If you are like most of us in the group, you have to ask yourself, "How do I know what God's will is?" How do I know what I am doing is indeed God's Will???? If I pray for guidance....how do I know what I decide to do is truly God's will in this? Do I wait for God's guidance or do I just go ahead and do what I feel is the right thing to do? Do I even ask for God's guidance and wisdom in ALL things....or do I just handle it myself? Do I trust MY OWN decisions more than I do God's.....if not, why am I not praying about ALL things? These are just a few of the questions we faced in the first week of this workbook. Anita and I as facilitators of this group feel inadequate to facilitate such a study! But such is the dynamics of a small group. We do not pretend to have all the answers! We just trust God to use us to guide this group in this study and allow God to fill us with more faith and trust as we yield to his will. So.....how do we even BEGIN to submit to God's will in our lives? First of all we need to consciously stop doing our will over God's and yield to HIS will.....not OURS! Our surrender to God affects our ability to hear him. We can then discern which options are from God and which are not. Two characteristics that keep us from doing this so much of the time is pride and self-centeredness, however. Pride constantly sets limitations on what God's will can do! Self-centeredness is closely related to pride. We will NEVER find God's will in our lives until we settle in our hearts that we WANT to know his will. If we really want to HEAR God we must choose that HIS way is TRULY what we want. Secondly, we must trust God to be who he says he is and have faith that he wants only good for us. Bottom line is we will never find God on the road to OURS!!!!! So tonight my prayer is that we all can grow to yield to God and TRUST that HE knows what is good for me.....MUCH more than I do!!!

Please Pray For Our Honduran Friends!!!

By JOSé DE CORDOBA
Honduran President Manuel Zelaya's push to rewrite the constitution, and pave the way for his potential re-election, has plunged one of Latin America's poorest countries into a potentially violent political crisis.

A day after Mr. Zelaya fired the head of the country's armed forces, hundreds of troops on Thursday deployed around the Congress, presidential palace and airport in Tegucigalpa, the country's capital. It wasn't clear whether the troops were responding to orders from Mr. Zelaya, or Honduras' other civilian and military powers, all of which oppose the president.

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Honduras's president dismissed military chief General Romeo Vasquez, center, who refused to distribute ballots aimed at rewriting the constitution.
Mr. Zelaya, a populist and close ally of Venezuela's Hugo Chávez and Cuba's retired dictator Fidel Castro, wants to hold a referendum on Sunday aimed at allowing voters in the country's November presidential election to also vote on rewriting the constitution. Mr. Zelaya says the current constitution favors the country's elites.

The country's Supreme Court, top electoral body, and human-rights ombudsman have all declared the planned referendum illegal. Many in the country fear the president primarily wants to change the constitution to end its ban on re-election, and use that to stay in power when his term ends in January.

Other leftist Latin American leaders like Venezuela's Mr. Chávez, Ecuador's Rafael Correa and Bolivia's Evo Morales have used referendums for a similar purpose. Latin America has a long history of leaders of all political stripes trying to stay in power. Colombia's right-wing President Álvaro Uribe is trying to change the constitution to allow him a third term.

The current crisis was sparked on Wednesday when the armed forces apparently told the president that they wouldn't distribute the ballots for Sunday's vote, a role the army traditionally plays, because of the court's ruling. Mr. Zelaya responded by firing armed-forces chief Gen. Romeo Vásquez. The defense minister and heads of the navy and air force resigned later in the day.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that Gen. Vásquez be reinstated, ramping up its conflict with the president. Mr. Zelaya refused and called the ruling "an embarrassment for Hondurans." Meanwhile, Attorney General Luis Alberto Rubí asked Congress to oust Mr. Zelaya.

Mr. Zelaya has few supporters among the country's politicians, but is popular among the poor for his ramped-up social spending. His own Liberal Party has already chosen another candidate for the November election and asked the president to step aside.

"Zelaya has provoked this institutional crisis," said Michael Shifter, a Latin America analyst at Washington's Inter-American Dialogue. "He seems to have a very strong appetite for power. He's trying to be the victim, but he won't get a lot of sympathy by defying the country's institutions."

On Thursday, Honduras's top electoral tribunal ordered authorities to pick up all the ballots and other electoral material, which was being held by the country's air force.

In response, Mr. Zelaya called his supporters on the streets and marched them over to the base to try to claim the voting materials.

"No one is going to stop Sunday's referendum," he told a cheering crowd. He called on the army to obey his orders. "If an army rebels against a president, then we are back to the era of the cavemen, back to the darkest chapters in Honduran history." Air force officers handed over the material without incident, according to local press reports.

HOME IN OHIO :)

THESE ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE KIDS AND GRANDKIDS TAKEN THIS PAST WEEK. ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE THEM HOME AND WATCH THE LITTLE ONES PLAY TOGETHER AND RECONNECT. SOMETHING THEY GET TO DO SO RARELY. IN THE FIRST PICTURE KAITLYN AND BRENNEN ARE ASLEEP IN THE TENT IN OUR BASEMENT....TO HOT OUTSIDE TO CAMP OUT...SO WE BROUHGT IT IN. BRENNEN AT ONE POINT GOT ZIPPED UP IN IT. :) I GUESS THE TENT BOUNCED AROUND THE BASEMENT THERE FOR A FEW MINUTES AS HE TRIED TO ESCAPE! :) THEN THERE IS THE TRACTOR RIDE THAT ALL LOVE. THAT WAS UNTIL THEIR LAST ONE WHEN JASON DUMPED THEM INTO SOME DOG POOP! :) ONLY MY KIDS! LOL :) NO INJURIES....JUST SOME CLEANING UP TO DO! :) THEN THERE IS THE ONE OF THEM IN THEIR FAVORITE CHAIR IN OUR SITTING ROOM....ALL SEEM TO FIT VERY WELL. :) LIFE WITH ALL OF THEM HERE IS ALWAYS A BIT HECTIC AND WILD....BUT GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH SOME WONDERFUL KIDS AND GRANDKIDS. THANK YOU KIDS FOR SHARING THEM WITH ME! LOVE YOU ALL! MOMMA! :)

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH STRESS????

A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience,
Raised a glass of water and asked
'How heavy is this glass of water?'

Answers called out ranged from 1oz to 25ozs.

The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.'

He continued,
'And that's the way it is with stress management..
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,
As the burden becomes increasingly heavy,
We won't be able to carry on. '

'As with the glass of water,
You have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.'
'So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now,
Let them down for a moment if you can.'
So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.

WHY DO WE TEACH???

June 14, 2009
Fathers: Teach Your Children God's Word
by Rick Warren
"I have given them Your word" (John 17:14 NIV).


You can become a spiritual leader to your children by developing the characteristics that were evident in Jesus as He taught His disciples for three years.

He taught them that the Word of God is our foundation. It's what we build our lives on and it's what our children should build their lives on. God's Word is the truth, and Jesus said, "You will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free" (John 8:32 TEV).

I want my kids to be free; I don't want them bound up by guilt. I don't want them bound up by worry. I don't want my kids messed up by resentment. I don't want them to be pressured by the expectations of others.

There's only one way to help your kids be free: teach them the Truth that will set them free. Teach them that, when you build your life on God's Word, then you live a life of genuine freedom. A life built on God's Truth is filled with happiness, joy, passion, and purpose. You will spare your kids an awful lot of headaches and heartaches and heartbreaks if you teach them to rely on God's Word as the sole authority for their lives.

God expects you to be the primary teacher of His word and that means you have to know God's Word yourself! Like many people, you may need to catch up by getting into a Bible study. Then, teach your children to study the Bible for themselves.

Jesus said, "I gave them the message that You gave Me, and they received it; they know that it is true that I came from You, and they believe that You sent Me" (John 17:8 TEV).

WHAT KIND OF LEADER AM I??

June 13, 2009
Fathers: Help Your Children Know God
by Rick Warren
"I showed what You are like to those You gave Me from the world. They belonged to You, and You gave them to Me" (John 17:6 NCV).


The world is full of sons and daughters who desperately need a father who is a spiritual leader. Is it possible your kids are among them? You can become a spiritual leader to your children by developing the characteristics that we see in Jesus as He taught His disciples for three years.

Even if you are not a father, or a mother, you will be able to lead others into the heart of God by following the example of Jesus.

First, Jesus helped the disciples to know God.

Dads, this is your number one responsibility as a father. You need to help your children get to know God because eternity hangs in the balance: life or death, heaven or hell. It is your job to help make sure your kids are introduced to God.

Look at what Jesus says: "They belonged to you." He's acknowledging that the disciples belonged to God; and reminding us that we don't own our kids. They belong to God. He loans them to us for a period of time in which He wants you to parent them. Parenting, like all forms of leadership, is really about stewardship. You learn to say, "God, I am the steward of these children, whom You put into my care, and I will do what You need me to do to help them achieve their purpose."

Notice Jesus then says, "I showed what You were like to those You gave Me." Jesus doesn't say, "I preached. I sermonized. I pontificated. I lectured so the disciples would know you." He says, "I showed." He led by example. This is one of the most sobering truths about being a parent. For right or wrong, for good or bad, whether you like it or not, your children's idea of God is going to be largely determined by the kind of father you are. You may not like that. I may not like that, but it's the truth.

If you are an impatient and demanding father, they're going to think God is impatient and demanding. If you are distant and detached and never have time for your kids, they're going to think God is distant and detached from them. If you are inconsistent and unreliable, if you break your promises, they're going to think their heavenly Father is inconsistent and unreliable and breaks His promises.

What is God really like?

• God is caring.
• God is close and aware of the details.
• God is consistent.
• God is competent.

If my kids are going to grow up knowing God is caring, close, consistent, and competent, then I must be caring, close, consistent, and competent. I must care about my kids enough to show them what God is like and show how they can become like Christ.

SHHHHHH! I NEED TO LISTEN!!!!! :)

OUR SMALL GROUP IS PREPARING TO BEGIN A NEW WORKBOOK CALLED "KNOWING GOD'S WILL." I READ THIS BY RICK WARREN AND THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE AS WE BEGIN THIS STUDY. ONE THING I MUST DO IF I WANT TO DO GOD'S WILL IS LEARN TO LISTEN TO HIM DAILY!! June 1, 2009
Tell God You Love Him by Listening to Him
by Rick Warren
"I am the Good Shepherd; I know My own sheep, and they know Me . . . They will listen to My voice" (John 10:14, 16 NLT).


One way to worship God is to listen to Him.

Listening is one of the greatest gifts you can give to somebody. When you listen to someone, you're saying, "You matter to me." When I listen to my children, when I listen to my wife, when I listen to anyone, I'm saying, "I value what you have to say. I value your opinion. You're important to me." When I don't listen to somebody, I'm basically saying, "You don't matter to me. You're not important to me. I don't value what you have to say."

The same is true with God. Every time you listen to God, you're saying, "God, you matter to me. I value what you have to say." Listening is the most misunderstood and overlooked part of prayer. Most of us think that prayer is just talking to God. That's only fifty percent of prayer. The other fifty percent of prayer is getting quiet and letting God speak to us.

Usually we're in too much of a hurry to do this. What we do is say, "Hi, God, it's me. I've got ten things I need from You. Thank you. Over and out. Goodbye." We don't wait and listen. We don't say, "God, do You have a few things to say to me?"

Did you know that the Bible says hearing God's voice is a test of whether you're a true believer—whether you're in God's family—whether you're headed for heaven or not? In John 10, Jesus essentially says, "I am the Good Shepherd; I know My own sheep, they know Me, and they listen to My voice."

How often do you pause to listen to God each day? Do you pause and say, "God, is there anything You want to say about this?" When you're trying to make a decision, or you're getting ready to go to an event, or you're about to talk to somebody about something important, do you pause and say, "God, is there anything You want to say about this?"

Evaluate yourself on that. God wants you to hear Him, and by listening, you worship Him.

What Kind Of Message Am I Sending To Others???

June 7, 2009
God Wants to Give You a Satisfying Life
by Rick Warren
"A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of" (John 10:10 MSG).


Some people fear worshiping God because they wrongly think that means they have to become judgmental and legalistic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus came to give us a rich and satisfying life (see John 10:10 NLT).

It is Satan who wants to "steal and kill and destroy" your freedom and your joy (John 10:10 MSG).

Often well-meaning and misguided people can cause us to avoid God because of their fanaticism. Here are the types of religious fanatics I've observed over the years:

Freddy the Pharisee: Rigid, narrow-minded, and legalistic, he has a rule for everything. His favorite word is "don't." And it's only natural for some people to fear they may become just like that if they become a Christian. But Jesus called people like Freddy the Pharisee "blind guides," saying, "You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!" (Matthew 23:24 NLT).

Susie Self-Righteous: Holier-than-thou attitude and judgmental of others, her favorite phrase is "Thank God, I'm not like you!" Am I going to become like that if I become a Christian? If I get to know God? Yet, Jesus told the story of two men praying; one self-righteous and one humbled by his failures: "I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Luke 18:14 NLT).

Billy Bible-Thumper: He's an obnoxious and overzealous crusader. His favorite phrase is "Turn or burn!" Yet, God's plan for bringing us home to Him is full of love, grace, and sacrifice: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him" (John 3:16-17 NIV).

Pauline Praise-eluia: She can't speak without religious clichés. Everything is a miracle or the Devil did it. She's put her brain on the shelf. But God doesn't want you to stop thinking when you become a Christian; in fact, He wants to give you the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV).

These are stereotypes, but they represent people who have abandoned their relationship with God to instead embrace a religion. Jesus says, "I have come that you might have life [not religion] and have it to the fullest!" (John 10:10).

45 Lessons Aboout Life!

>
> Written
> By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer,
> Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate
> growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me...
> It is the most-requested column I've ever
> written. My odometer rolled
> over to 90 in August, so here is the column once
> more:
> 1. Life isn't
> fair, but it's still good.
>
> 2. When in doubt,
> just take the next small step.
>
> 3. Life is too
> short to waste time hating anyone...
>
> 4. Your job
> won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends
> and parents will. Stay in touch.
>
> 5. Pay off your
> credit cards every month.
>
> 6. You don't
> have to win every argument. Agree to
> disagree.
>
> 7. Cry with
> someone. It's more healing than crying
> alone.
>
> 8. It's OK to
> get angry with God. He can take it.
>
> 9. Save for
> retirement starting with your first pay
> check.
>
> 10. When it comes
> to chocolate, resistance
> is futile.
>
> 11. Make peace
> with your past so it won't screw up the
> present.
>
> 12. It's OK to
> let your children see you cry.
>
> 13.. Don't
> compare your life to others. You
> have no idea what their journey is all
> about.
>
> 14. If a
> relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in
> it.
>
> 15. Everything can
> change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God
> never blinks.
>
> 16. Take a deep
> breath. It calms the mind..
>
> 17. Get rid of
> anything that isn't useful, beautiful or
> joyful.
>
> 18. Whatever
> doesn't kill you really does make you
> stronger.
>
> 19. It's never
> too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up
> to you and no one else.
>
> 20. When it comes
> to going after what you love in life, don't take no for
> an answer.
>
> 21. Burn the
> candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
> Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is
> special.
>
> 22. Over prepare,
> then go with the flow.
>
> 23. Be eccentric
> now. Don't wait for old age to wear
> purple.
>
> 24. The most
> important sex organ is the brain.
>
> 25.. No one is in
> charge of your happiness but you.
>
> 26. Frame every
> so-called disaster with these words ’In five years, will
> this matter?'
>
> < font size="2"
> face="Arial">27. Always choose
> life.
>
> 28. Forgive
> everyone everything.
>
> 29. What other
> people think of you is none of your
> business.
>
> 30. Time heals
> almost everything. Give time time.
>
> 31. However good
> or bad a situation is, it will change.
>
> 32. Don't take
> yourself so seriously. No one else does.
>
> 33. Believe in
> miracles.
>
> 34. God loves you
> because of who God is, not because of anything you did or
> didn't do.
>
> 35. Don't
> audit life. Show up and make the most of it
> now.
>
> 36. Growing old
> beats the alternative -- dying young.
>
> 37. Your children
> get only one childhood.
>
> 38.
> All that truly matters in the end is that you
> loved.
>
> 39. Get outside
> every day. Miracles are waiting
> everywhere.
>
> 40. If we all
> threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s,
> we’d grab ours back.
>
> 41. Envy is a
> waste of time. You already have all you
> need.
>
> 42. The best is
> yet to come.
>
> 43. No matter how
> you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
>
> 44.
> Yield.
>
> 45. Life isn't
> tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Be Still and Listen to God

May 29, 2009
It Takes Energy to Do God's Will
by Rick Warren
"Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer" (Psalm 94:19 LB).


The fact is it takes energy to do God's will. What do you do when you run out of energy?

God suggests when we're feeling uneasy, perhaps low on energy; we should be still and get quiet before him: "Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer" (Psalm 94:19 LB).

But many of us have trouble getting quiet. It's as if we are afraid of silence; it makes us very uncomfortable. The moment we get in the car, the radio or CD player goes on. The moment we get home, the TV goes on.

Yet, God, in a sense, says, "If you want to lower your stress, it's as simple as this: Shut up. Be silent. Stop talking and start listening."

I suggest that once a day you should go out in your backyard, sit down, and just be quiet. I'm not talking about reading your Bible. You ought to read your Bible every day, but I mean get alone for five minutes a day and be completely silent. Ask God a question, and then just sit and listen.

Sometimes we say, "God, I really need your guidance on this," and then we get up and walk off. We don't wait for an answer. Could it be the reason we never hear from God is we never listen?

Learn to take little mini-breaks during the day. When you feel your blood pressure rising, stop and say, "God, I want to tune in on you again. I want to focus in on you." I'm not suggesting thirty minutes of meditation. I'm talking about fifteen or twenty seconds. Just little mini-breaks to stop and be quiet.

Why is this important? Because the race of life is tough and, quite honestly, it's tough to live God's plan for your life. It's important to be still and know He is there.

Here's an easy formula I use: Divert daily, withdraw weekly, abandon annually. Get quiet once a day, take one day a week to rest, and always take some sort of vacation at least once a year.

Memorial Day!!!

Well....we finished our workbook and I have no ladies of the Bible to blog about. So....what do I blog about now? Since today is Memorial Day.....I will begin by saying THANKS to all the veterans and those that are presently serving our country....overseas and here. Those that are risking their lives daily that we and others may be free. Thank you to the men and women who give up family and loved ones at home to serve our country. Also thanks to the families, who themselves, sacrifice in sending a loved one off to war or other places. SOOOOOO many sacrifices by so many people in many different ways. I cannot help but also be reminded of those that have lost many loved ones in the presesnt war and those past. Men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice so that others may remain free yet left loved ones behind mourning for them and feeling tremendous loss. On top of all these though, there are those that serve, not on fields stained with blood, but on mission fields and sacrifice so much of their lives also so that others know the freedom of God's salvation. Many are serving in areas that are not the safest places and some in the midst of civil unrest. Today I pray for all the US soldiers and Soldiers of Christ on foreign fields. All these men and women so freely give their lives so that others may live. Then of course I cannot forget the one who paid the ultimate sacrifice for ME just because he loves me. Our Lord paid it ALL and is there for me and loves me....NO MATTER WHAT!!!!! What an awesome scrifice, what an awesome example, what an awesome God! Today I have much to be thankful for, much to praise God for, and many to remember and thank God for! So...today, praise God and thank those who serve us in so many ways....Here and abroad! Happy Memorial Day!!!

BLESSINGS IN OUR ADVERSITIES!!! :)

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One
> day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the
> butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its
> body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making
> any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far
> as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided
> to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and
> snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly
> then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small,
> shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly
> because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would
> enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which
> would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the
> butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a
> swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
> What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand
> was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required
> for the butterfly to get through
> the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the
> body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be
> ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the
> cocoon.
>
> Sometimes
> struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God
> allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it
> would cripple us.
>
> I asked for
> strength: and God gave me difficulties to make me
> strong.
>
> I asked for
> wisdom: and God gave me problems to solve.
>
> I asked for
> prosperity and God gave me brain and brawn to
> work.
>
> I asked for
> courage and God gave me danger to overcome.
>
> I asked for
> favors and God gave me opportunities.
>
> I received nothing I wanted: I received everything I
> needed!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

One Awesome Mother!

This week's lady is the mother of Jesus, Mary. We all know her story and the miracle of his birth. She was just a young teenage girl of 15 or 16 when she was pregnant with Jesus. Through her, God kept his promise of salvation. Mary believed in God's promises and believed God would do what he said he would through her. I cannot even imagine others feelings or fears, etc that she must have also felt, however! Being such a young lady, a virgin, unmmarried but engaged, and then to find herself pregnant. I am certain there were many who doubted her story, including Joseph at one point. But as we know, she did marry Joseph, and the rest of the story is history, as we would say. Mary is not spoken of alot in the scripture and Joseph even less. But as I read this chapter and studied the scripture with it, it is obvious to see that Mary's doubts and lack of understanding of Jesus's ways were present. When Jesus was only 12, she did not understand why he left them in the temple, She, like others did not understand many of his ways or his timing. But Mary's faith was like many of ours...a faith growing one step at a time! She was many times confronted with new and different ways that God was using HER son for his purposes. How do I repsond sometimes when God's purposes for my life differ from my own???? Do I give him total control or do I still try to hang onto what I feel it should be? I wonder how much Mary struggled with wanting some control of her son? But although we see instances where she may have struggled with Christ's real purpose on Earth, Mary had a submissive heart and allowed God to grow her faith and obedience. Mary also had at least four other sons and two daughters. It seems there was a time that none of Christ's siblings believed in him. Perhaps there was some jealousy issues here as well. All we know is that later God did change their hearts and they were included on the day of Pentecost as believers. So....in ending, I can only imagine all the confusion, fear, anquish and love that Mary must have felt during those years as the mother of Jesus. First the feelings that surrounded her pregnancy and birth. Then trying to understand his ways of always "Being about his Father's buisiness." Then leaving his family and "hanging out with the disciples" and preaching about the will of his Father." Finally the horror of watching your son be beaten and crucified....knowing he had done nothing wrong. On this Mother's day.....I stand in awe of a Mother that was chosen by God to mother his only son. One who submitted to the will of God in her life and trusted him to see her through it all....even to the horrific death of the son he had given her. Through the love and tears of this chosen Mother.....our salvation is secure! Thank you God for keeping your promises!