Now many of you that know me know that my actual anniversary is not in October, it is in March. But, what many of you who know me may or may not know is that tomorrow, October 25th, is the 35th Anniversary of my first date with my husband.
35 years ago I went on my first date with my now best friend, my lover, the man who makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. On my first date with the man who makes me think, makes me angry, makes me happy. I went on my first date with the father of my children, the Grandude of my sweet grand babie's, the man who loves me enough to put up with me even when I can't put up with myself.
I told him after that first date that I couldn't go out with him again, not because I didn't want to, but I was dating two other guys at the time and was engaged to one of them and I was never good at juggling. He walked me to the front door and kissed me long and hard and said, "You are giving up the best thing that ever happened to you." And with that he walked away.
I went in the house, sat on the couch, and I thought, "I can't feel my lips." No really, I argued with myself to not run after him because there was something in what he said that rang true in my ears. I knew he probably was the best thing that would ever happen to me but I couldn't bring myself to stop him because my heart and hand belonged to someone else.
I had promised my brother and sister that I would take them to the fair that year but I was trying to chicken out of it because I didn't want to drive in the traffic to get there. My mother told me, "Why don't you call that nice Jimmy Glen? I bet he would take you." I told my mother I was not going to call someone that I had went on one date with and had told that I couldn't ever go on a date with them again to take me and my brother and sister to the fair. She kept insisting so I caved.
A few days later I wrote a letter to the man I was engaged to and broke up with him. (He lived in Texas and we both had an agreement that we could date other people)(Didn't work out too well for him, that arrangement.) And I sent a letter to the other guy who was going to college in California.(He had to have seen it coming)(He hadn't wanted me to date Jimmy in the first place.)
And five months later Jimmy Glen and I were married. It was a decision that I have not regretted. So thank you Lola for stopping me on a Sunday evening after church to "introduce me to this nice young man."
And thank you Jimmy Glen for loving me all these years. If I haven't told you lately, please know that I love you, more today than ever before. To the moon and back. Happy Anniversary!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Be a blessing
Today one of my most wonderful, and deserving sisters received a blessing. She has been wanting a particular perfume. It is a little pricey so she was not going to buy it for herself. She is a selfless soul and is always pouring herself into someone so it was a pure blessing today when someone (my nephews wife, not her son) gifted her with this perfume.
When I heard of it I really like crying for her. It did my heart good that someone would bless my sister like that. Angelica was a blessing to her. Thank you Angelica for your willingness to do what we should all be doing.
I would like to take a moment and give a thank you to my mother, for without her example I would probably not know what it is like to be a blessing to people. She lived blessing by example. My mother, although not perfect, was one of the most Goldy women I have ever met. She knows what it means to live the words out "What Would Jesus Do?" Honestly I have to say this right now, I really hate that saying. Most people only use it to beat you up with anyways and if you are a Christian you should really not even have to ask the question.
But my mom always lived that saying by example. It was the "right thing to do" she would say.
My mom worked at a bus station, at night, at one time in our lives and I remember waking up early to find a strange man sleeping on our couch. My mother had brought a perfectly strange young man to our home because he had no place to go and his connecting bus didn't leave until later that day. Then she fed him breakfast and took him back to the bus station. That was my mom.
My mom and I were going somewhere and as we were driving down the street she spotted an elderly woman trying to carry bags of groceries. So my mom turned the car around came up alongside the woman and offered to carry her and her groceries home. The woman gladly took us up on our offer. Now that was nice enough but my mother never stops at nice enough, no. After we loaded the woman's groceries into the back of the car and I moved to the backseat, we drove her to her home, then we helped take her groceries inside and put them away.
She was always doing things like that. She led by example. I do not believe I heard her say, now should I do these things, or "What would Jesus do?" As a christian woman she already knew the answer. She showed kindness to strangers and in so doing was a blessing.
I love the fact that I got to see love in action. Because you see, to me being kind to people, even those that do not deserve it, blessing them, saying kind things to them, complimenting them, is love in action. Love is a verb.
I love little things that you do in life can be a blessing. Blessings don't always have to be big. When my kids were teenagers we were blessed to meet a single mom who was struggling financially. Trying to make it on her own and needing a bit of a hand. We watched her little girl for as small of a price that we could possibly do and I always made sure to invite her for dinner and send the leftovers home with her just so she could take them for her lunch the next day. We tried to bless her in every way that we could. She started going to church with us and she is a wonderful christian woman walking with God and being a blessing herself these days. She just became a grandma for the first time.
Blessings don't have to be big. Some blessings are giving someone a sandwich when they forgot their lunch. Or taking teenagers to an old folks home (I don't know if that is the politically correct term) and letting them sing to them. It could be volunteering in a classroom. It could be taking dinner over to a family that just lost a family member or has someone in the hospital.
Blessings come in many different forms.
In Acts 10:38 we are told that "Everywhere Jesus went He was doing good." He was the great example. He was and is the ultimate blessing.
So who are you blessing today? Pour yourself into someone, whether you think they deserve it or not. You will truly get more out of blessing someone than they will get from your blessing. Let God's love pour through you. Do not grow weary in well doing. Bless someone as if you are doing it unto the Lord.
And as I finish, I pray that the Lord would "Bless your socks off!"
Be a blessing!!!
When I heard of it I really like crying for her. It did my heart good that someone would bless my sister like that. Angelica was a blessing to her. Thank you Angelica for your willingness to do what we should all be doing.
I would like to take a moment and give a thank you to my mother, for without her example I would probably not know what it is like to be a blessing to people. She lived blessing by example. My mother, although not perfect, was one of the most Goldy women I have ever met. She knows what it means to live the words out "What Would Jesus Do?" Honestly I have to say this right now, I really hate that saying. Most people only use it to beat you up with anyways and if you are a Christian you should really not even have to ask the question.
But my mom always lived that saying by example. It was the "right thing to do" she would say.
My mom worked at a bus station, at night, at one time in our lives and I remember waking up early to find a strange man sleeping on our couch. My mother had brought a perfectly strange young man to our home because he had no place to go and his connecting bus didn't leave until later that day. Then she fed him breakfast and took him back to the bus station. That was my mom.
My mom and I were going somewhere and as we were driving down the street she spotted an elderly woman trying to carry bags of groceries. So my mom turned the car around came up alongside the woman and offered to carry her and her groceries home. The woman gladly took us up on our offer. Now that was nice enough but my mother never stops at nice enough, no. After we loaded the woman's groceries into the back of the car and I moved to the backseat, we drove her to her home, then we helped take her groceries inside and put them away.
She was always doing things like that. She led by example. I do not believe I heard her say, now should I do these things, or "What would Jesus do?" As a christian woman she already knew the answer. She showed kindness to strangers and in so doing was a blessing.
I love the fact that I got to see love in action. Because you see, to me being kind to people, even those that do not deserve it, blessing them, saying kind things to them, complimenting them, is love in action. Love is a verb.
I love little things that you do in life can be a blessing. Blessings don't always have to be big. When my kids were teenagers we were blessed to meet a single mom who was struggling financially. Trying to make it on her own and needing a bit of a hand. We watched her little girl for as small of a price that we could possibly do and I always made sure to invite her for dinner and send the leftovers home with her just so she could take them for her lunch the next day. We tried to bless her in every way that we could. She started going to church with us and she is a wonderful christian woman walking with God and being a blessing herself these days. She just became a grandma for the first time.
Blessings don't have to be big. Some blessings are giving someone a sandwich when they forgot their lunch. Or taking teenagers to an old folks home (I don't know if that is the politically correct term) and letting them sing to them. It could be volunteering in a classroom. It could be taking dinner over to a family that just lost a family member or has someone in the hospital.
Blessings come in many different forms.
In Acts 10:38 we are told that "Everywhere Jesus went He was doing good." He was the great example. He was and is the ultimate blessing.
So who are you blessing today? Pour yourself into someone, whether you think they deserve it or not. You will truly get more out of blessing someone than they will get from your blessing. Let God's love pour through you. Do not grow weary in well doing. Bless someone as if you are doing it unto the Lord.
And as I finish, I pray that the Lord would "Bless your socks off!"
Be a blessing!!!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Everybody needs heroes!
Everybody needs a hero. Some of us have one maybe two. Some may even have more than that.
We look up to people. Set them on a pedestal. Some are deserving of the accolades, most are probably not.
But what actually makes a hero?
We have real heroes and fictional heroes. We have sports figures that are fallible and fictional heroes like Superman that honestly has only one nemesis.
But what have they done that is so heroic?
Throw a ball? Run a race? Swim a lap? That is heroic?
Throw a bus? Run down the Riddler? Fly to the moon? That is heroic?
I guess it depends on your standards.
I don't generally have heroes like that as a rule.
I do have people that I admire and think they have made accomplishments in their lives that are far more than I could do. But I do not believe most people have done any thing so heroic or outstanding that I would fawn all over them, unless they pass the test.
I do believe there are people that have done heroic things. They have been through battles and continue to push forward in their lives.
I do have a test that someone must pass before they reach hero status in my eyes.
I think of Joni Erickson Tada. She is a real hero. She has been in a wheelchair as a paraplegic since she was a teenager. I am sure she had moments that she wanted to just give up but she didn't. She pushed herself and continued to push herself. But I would venture to say she did not do it on her own strength. She is woman of integrity. A woman that loves God and works tirelessly to further the kingdom of God. She does these things in spite of her hindrance here on earth. I have never met her but I do know that some day I will be able to walk up to her and let her know how she inspired me and she will be able to walk over to someone that she admired and do the same. She is my hero.
I will be able to walk over to Corrie Ten Boom, the hollocaust survivor. That through the loss of her family and friends in the most horrible of ways was able to minister to those she was imprisoned with. She and her sister were able to be missionaries in the darkest of all places. God was their hiding place. She alone was able to escape the grip of death at that place. Only to go on and tell everyone that she could about the love of God. A woman that I can't wait to meet. She is my hero. She passes the test. I can't wait to meet up with her and hug her and tell her how she inspired me. How her example of forgiveness encouraged me to be able to do the same. What a hero.
I can't wait to meet Abraham Lincoln. Wow! I mean, really, he stood his ground in a time when no one stood with him. He knew the right thing to do and he did it. He paid with his life because of decisions that he made. That is a hero.
How about Job. Oh my goodness. I want to meet him. Talk to him and ask him what made him so sure? So determined to serve God even with everyone all around him telling him to do the opposite. Yet he didn't cave to their taunts and the fears that they tried to imprison him with. He knew that he knew that he knew. A real hero. I can't wait to thank him for the example.
How about those three Hebrew children. They as well as Abraham had unwavering faith. They kept their eyes on the prize.
Abraham followed God even though he had no idea where he would end up. He trusted God to have children at a very old age. Now that is a hero. Those three boys were taken, taken I tell you, from their home and made to be slaves in a foreign land. And even with the threat of death looming over them they were NOT going to bow to a king of this earth. They knew who their King was and would not waiver from His kingdom authority. God brought them through. Hereos.
David facing Goliath, facing Saul, facing his own faults, yet he persevered. Can't wait to meet that man.
How about Stephen? Even as they were stoning him he continued to look to the heavens where his help comes from. The forgiveness that he displayed to those that would take his life. He died a martyr just as many after him have. What a hero.
There have been so many that have done heroic things. And it wasn't throwing a ball or leaping over tall buildings. It wasn't writing the worlds greatest novel or discovering a cure for the hiccups. It wasn't acting in the most movies or tv programs or even creating the wheel. While these things are admirable and sometimes challenging it does not make one a hero.
To be a hero it costs something of you and it pours into those who would have need of encouragement or be in need.
Who is your hero? It could be a special teacher that sacrificed his or her time to make sure you "got it." It could be a doctor that stood on his feet for hours to operate on you or a loved one to give you just one more day with them. It could be your mom or your dad. The sacrifices they made just so you could have the things they didn't have growing up. Maybe dad worked two jobs so mom could stay home and raise the children. Maybe they worked different shifts so that they knew that they themselves were the ones pouring into your lives.
Are your heroes passing the test? Are you? Who are you being a hero to? Who are you encouraging, pouring yourself into?
Be a hero. Find a hero. Just make sure they pass the test though.
Remember, everybody needs heroes!
We look up to people. Set them on a pedestal. Some are deserving of the accolades, most are probably not.
But what actually makes a hero?
We have real heroes and fictional heroes. We have sports figures that are fallible and fictional heroes like Superman that honestly has only one nemesis.
But what have they done that is so heroic?
Throw a ball? Run a race? Swim a lap? That is heroic?
Throw a bus? Run down the Riddler? Fly to the moon? That is heroic?
I guess it depends on your standards.
I don't generally have heroes like that as a rule.
I do have people that I admire and think they have made accomplishments in their lives that are far more than I could do. But I do not believe most people have done any thing so heroic or outstanding that I would fawn all over them, unless they pass the test.
I do believe there are people that have done heroic things. They have been through battles and continue to push forward in their lives.
I do have a test that someone must pass before they reach hero status in my eyes.
I think of Joni Erickson Tada. She is a real hero. She has been in a wheelchair as a paraplegic since she was a teenager. I am sure she had moments that she wanted to just give up but she didn't. She pushed herself and continued to push herself. But I would venture to say she did not do it on her own strength. She is woman of integrity. A woman that loves God and works tirelessly to further the kingdom of God. She does these things in spite of her hindrance here on earth. I have never met her but I do know that some day I will be able to walk up to her and let her know how she inspired me and she will be able to walk over to someone that she admired and do the same. She is my hero.
I will be able to walk over to Corrie Ten Boom, the hollocaust survivor. That through the loss of her family and friends in the most horrible of ways was able to minister to those she was imprisoned with. She and her sister were able to be missionaries in the darkest of all places. God was their hiding place. She alone was able to escape the grip of death at that place. Only to go on and tell everyone that she could about the love of God. A woman that I can't wait to meet. She is my hero. She passes the test. I can't wait to meet up with her and hug her and tell her how she inspired me. How her example of forgiveness encouraged me to be able to do the same. What a hero.
I can't wait to meet Abraham Lincoln. Wow! I mean, really, he stood his ground in a time when no one stood with him. He knew the right thing to do and he did it. He paid with his life because of decisions that he made. That is a hero.
How about Job. Oh my goodness. I want to meet him. Talk to him and ask him what made him so sure? So determined to serve God even with everyone all around him telling him to do the opposite. Yet he didn't cave to their taunts and the fears that they tried to imprison him with. He knew that he knew that he knew. A real hero. I can't wait to thank him for the example.
How about those three Hebrew children. They as well as Abraham had unwavering faith. They kept their eyes on the prize.
Abraham followed God even though he had no idea where he would end up. He trusted God to have children at a very old age. Now that is a hero. Those three boys were taken, taken I tell you, from their home and made to be slaves in a foreign land. And even with the threat of death looming over them they were NOT going to bow to a king of this earth. They knew who their King was and would not waiver from His kingdom authority. God brought them through. Hereos.
David facing Goliath, facing Saul, facing his own faults, yet he persevered. Can't wait to meet that man.
How about Stephen? Even as they were stoning him he continued to look to the heavens where his help comes from. The forgiveness that he displayed to those that would take his life. He died a martyr just as many after him have. What a hero.
There have been so many that have done heroic things. And it wasn't throwing a ball or leaping over tall buildings. It wasn't writing the worlds greatest novel or discovering a cure for the hiccups. It wasn't acting in the most movies or tv programs or even creating the wheel. While these things are admirable and sometimes challenging it does not make one a hero.
To be a hero it costs something of you and it pours into those who would have need of encouragement or be in need.
Who is your hero? It could be a special teacher that sacrificed his or her time to make sure you "got it." It could be a doctor that stood on his feet for hours to operate on you or a loved one to give you just one more day with them. It could be your mom or your dad. The sacrifices they made just so you could have the things they didn't have growing up. Maybe dad worked two jobs so mom could stay home and raise the children. Maybe they worked different shifts so that they knew that they themselves were the ones pouring into your lives.
Are your heroes passing the test? Are you? Who are you being a hero to? Who are you encouraging, pouring yourself into?
Be a hero. Find a hero. Just make sure they pass the test though.
Remember, everybody needs heroes!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Anticipation!
How many of you remember what it was like as a child when Christmas was soon to be over and you were already dreaming what next years Christmas was going to be like?
The presents, time spent with family and friends. Going to church and watching Christmas programs, some good, some not so good.
But the experience left you anticipating next years Christmas. You could hardly wait. And months and weeks and especially the days before Christmas your eyes would light up and your heart would thump in your chest and you thought you would die if Christmas didn't come any sooner.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
Your birthday was another day that couldn't come soon enough. You were going to be made to feel like the most special person for at least a day. No one else could share that with you, unless you were a twin or any kind of multiple birth child. But when that big day approached you were giddy. You told EVERONE "My birthday is coming up" or "Did you know my birthday is tomorrow". You would smile and beam just knowing that one day out of the year was special just to you.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
Ladies. How many of you remember waiting for that first kiss? That first "I love you"? That day when you were going to walk down the aisle into the arms of the man that said you were the one he had waited for all of his life? That first time they laid your child in your arms and you never knew that your heart could ever be so full? You had dreamed about these moments all of your life. Hopefully most of you have experienced those moments. Your eyes would light up as you told your girlfriends or a sister or your mom, "I hope he tells me he loves me soon," because you were dying to tell him. The thrill you got in the pit of your stomach when he held you in his arms for the first time and kissed you full on the mouth and you thought you would faint from it. The planning that had went into your wedding and you hadn't even met him yet and yet there he was waiting for you and you wanted to run to him. When you would rub your stomach and call the little being growing inside you "My baby" as you decorated a room not knowing what it would be. A boy or a girl? Who would it look like? Who would it act like? Then the pain and thinking to yourself "What was I thinking? This hurts. I changed my mind." But then they laid him or her in your arms and the tears began to flow. This new little being was the most beautiful child that was ever born in the history of all children being born.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
Today I heard a story of an elderly woman. As she was leaving church one day, she was tired and weary and her body was aching with age. Her legs had been wobbling and hurting and she had been having a hard time walking recently. As she stopped to talk to the Pastor she endearingly asked him, "Do you know where I can get a new set of legs?" Without missing a beat he told her he absolutely did, heaven, but she would have to wait a while to get them. She smiled and went on her way. "It's worth the wait," she said.
Anticipation!
Heaven. It is something worth waiting for. I heard said the other day for those of us who know the Lord and are looking forward to living with Him in heaven some day that we always talk about heaven as if it is the "After life" but that in all actuality we should really be referring to this life that we are living now as the "Before life".
We have heard of heaven. What ever we have heard or can imagine can hardly begin to touch what we believe it to be. To me the most wonderful thing about heaven is the fact that my Saviour is there. The lover of my soul. The one who gave His all for me on the cross when He didn't have to. I will get to see His blessed face and I will get to thank Him and praise Him and love Him more than I could possibly imagine. Heaven is real.
Here on earth we have hope of what heaven is. We say in passing "It is just a little taste of heaven." And really, that is all that it is, a taste. Did you ever walk into the kitchen while Thanksgiving Dinner was almost done and you kept asking "How much longer?" The answer was almost always "Soon." You wanted a little taste and sometimes you were given one. Your mouth would be drooling and the tiny bit of turkey that was handed to you made you only want more.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
That is what heaven is like. We have that blessed hope.
Titus 2:13-14 tells us "While we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good!"
Anticipation! It is worth waiting for!!
The presents, time spent with family and friends. Going to church and watching Christmas programs, some good, some not so good.
But the experience left you anticipating next years Christmas. You could hardly wait. And months and weeks and especially the days before Christmas your eyes would light up and your heart would thump in your chest and you thought you would die if Christmas didn't come any sooner.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
Your birthday was another day that couldn't come soon enough. You were going to be made to feel like the most special person for at least a day. No one else could share that with you, unless you were a twin or any kind of multiple birth child. But when that big day approached you were giddy. You told EVERONE "My birthday is coming up" or "Did you know my birthday is tomorrow". You would smile and beam just knowing that one day out of the year was special just to you.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
Ladies. How many of you remember waiting for that first kiss? That first "I love you"? That day when you were going to walk down the aisle into the arms of the man that said you were the one he had waited for all of his life? That first time they laid your child in your arms and you never knew that your heart could ever be so full? You had dreamed about these moments all of your life. Hopefully most of you have experienced those moments. Your eyes would light up as you told your girlfriends or a sister or your mom, "I hope he tells me he loves me soon," because you were dying to tell him. The thrill you got in the pit of your stomach when he held you in his arms for the first time and kissed you full on the mouth and you thought you would faint from it. The planning that had went into your wedding and you hadn't even met him yet and yet there he was waiting for you and you wanted to run to him. When you would rub your stomach and call the little being growing inside you "My baby" as you decorated a room not knowing what it would be. A boy or a girl? Who would it look like? Who would it act like? Then the pain and thinking to yourself "What was I thinking? This hurts. I changed my mind." But then they laid him or her in your arms and the tears began to flow. This new little being was the most beautiful child that was ever born in the history of all children being born.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
Today I heard a story of an elderly woman. As she was leaving church one day, she was tired and weary and her body was aching with age. Her legs had been wobbling and hurting and she had been having a hard time walking recently. As she stopped to talk to the Pastor she endearingly asked him, "Do you know where I can get a new set of legs?" Without missing a beat he told her he absolutely did, heaven, but she would have to wait a while to get them. She smiled and went on her way. "It's worth the wait," she said.
Anticipation!
Heaven. It is something worth waiting for. I heard said the other day for those of us who know the Lord and are looking forward to living with Him in heaven some day that we always talk about heaven as if it is the "After life" but that in all actuality we should really be referring to this life that we are living now as the "Before life".
We have heard of heaven. What ever we have heard or can imagine can hardly begin to touch what we believe it to be. To me the most wonderful thing about heaven is the fact that my Saviour is there. The lover of my soul. The one who gave His all for me on the cross when He didn't have to. I will get to see His blessed face and I will get to thank Him and praise Him and love Him more than I could possibly imagine. Heaven is real.
Here on earth we have hope of what heaven is. We say in passing "It is just a little taste of heaven." And really, that is all that it is, a taste. Did you ever walk into the kitchen while Thanksgiving Dinner was almost done and you kept asking "How much longer?" The answer was almost always "Soon." You wanted a little taste and sometimes you were given one. Your mouth would be drooling and the tiny bit of turkey that was handed to you made you only want more.
Anticipation! It was something worth waiting for.
That is what heaven is like. We have that blessed hope.
Titus 2:13-14 tells us "While we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good!"
Anticipation! It is worth waiting for!!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?
Well, I don't know about all of you but I just finished watching the Presidential Debate.
Most of you know that our country is in turmoil. We have right wingers, left wingers, middle of the roaders and at your throaters. A country without true leadership.
We can all look around and see the pitfalls and pratfalls as our leaders and want to be leaders slip and fall. They have an agenda. They each want to be in charge.
As a conservative christian woman I know who I would like to have as the leader of our country. You are free to disagree with me all you want. Reason being is because we live in America.
We do not have to all agree with each other. What saddens me is the fact that the people that would give you the information to make an informed decision are all a little lopsided.
But I want you to know that I pray for my country. I pray for my wanna be leaders. I pray that the Lord would once again move on America and in Americans hearts.
If I continue to keep my mind on the things that are going on around me it would seem futile to even get out of bed in the morning. But this one thing I do know my hope is not in or of this world.
You see as a christian I know that this war raging in the world is just a physical thing that is going on in the spiritual world. But because of Psalm 121, specifically verse 2, "I know my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." I do not have to be afraid.
The word of God says in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
I believe there is a coralation between what we are seeing in the world today and what is being done in the spiritual world.
We are going through it and those of you who don't see that are either blinded to it or have no concern over it. You may not agree that it is a spiritual war but I do.
But I also believe that we have a hope. A blessed hope. Just as Elisha in the past was surrounded and his servant just knew things were bleak, Elisha asked God to open his eyes so that he would be able to see. God opened his eyes. Elisha told him in 2 Kings 6:16 "Those who are with us are more than those against them." I pray that your eyes would be open.
We have a hope. But we get our eyes and our minds set on what we can see in the physical. We look around at what is going on in this world and realize that we have no standing. Especially as a person of faith.
Our faith, our standards, our belief system and our values are all under attack. They are being torn down. They will be ripped from us if we do not start getting on our knees and praying. We need to have our eyes open to what God can do for us.
We have a choice. We can continue to dwell on the things of the earth and let fear grip our hearts or we can get our minds set on things above.
In Colossians 3:2, His word tells us, "Set your mind on things above." In Philipians 4:8 we are told to keep our minds on "Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report. If there be any virtue, any praise, think on these things."
We have choices. We have to decide what we are going to engage our thoughts on. To guard our thoughts.
We do this in faith because we have this promise, this hope in Romans 8:28-31, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethern. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called: and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can stand against us?"
Can you stand on that promise. I am the called of God. I am being justified. I am keeping my eyes on Him. I am going to believe that the things that I see going on around me that the God I serve has everything in control. I am going to turn to the Word of God. I am going to fill my heart and mind with the promises that jump off of every page.
Look to Psalm 91. Because He loves us, He is our refuge, our strong and mighty tower. He gives His angels charge over us. I am standing on that. I am fixing my mind on that.
That is what I am thinking about. Not that I am not concerned with what is going on. Not that I am not saddened by the state that the country and the world for that matter is in. But I am not setting my mind on it. I am setting my mind on things above. That is what I am thinking about.
What about you?
Most of you know that our country is in turmoil. We have right wingers, left wingers, middle of the roaders and at your throaters. A country without true leadership.
We can all look around and see the pitfalls and pratfalls as our leaders and want to be leaders slip and fall. They have an agenda. They each want to be in charge.
As a conservative christian woman I know who I would like to have as the leader of our country. You are free to disagree with me all you want. Reason being is because we live in America.
We do not have to all agree with each other. What saddens me is the fact that the people that would give you the information to make an informed decision are all a little lopsided.
But I want you to know that I pray for my country. I pray for my wanna be leaders. I pray that the Lord would once again move on America and in Americans hearts.
If I continue to keep my mind on the things that are going on around me it would seem futile to even get out of bed in the morning. But this one thing I do know my hope is not in or of this world.
You see as a christian I know that this war raging in the world is just a physical thing that is going on in the spiritual world. But because of Psalm 121, specifically verse 2, "I know my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." I do not have to be afraid.
The word of God says in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
I believe there is a coralation between what we are seeing in the world today and what is being done in the spiritual world.
We are going through it and those of you who don't see that are either blinded to it or have no concern over it. You may not agree that it is a spiritual war but I do.
But I also believe that we have a hope. A blessed hope. Just as Elisha in the past was surrounded and his servant just knew things were bleak, Elisha asked God to open his eyes so that he would be able to see. God opened his eyes. Elisha told him in 2 Kings 6:16 "Those who are with us are more than those against them." I pray that your eyes would be open.
We have a hope. But we get our eyes and our minds set on what we can see in the physical. We look around at what is going on in this world and realize that we have no standing. Especially as a person of faith.
Our faith, our standards, our belief system and our values are all under attack. They are being torn down. They will be ripped from us if we do not start getting on our knees and praying. We need to have our eyes open to what God can do for us.
We have a choice. We can continue to dwell on the things of the earth and let fear grip our hearts or we can get our minds set on things above.
In Colossians 3:2, His word tells us, "Set your mind on things above." In Philipians 4:8 we are told to keep our minds on "Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report. If there be any virtue, any praise, think on these things."
We have choices. We have to decide what we are going to engage our thoughts on. To guard our thoughts.
We do this in faith because we have this promise, this hope in Romans 8:28-31, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethern. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called: and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can stand against us?"
Can you stand on that promise. I am the called of God. I am being justified. I am keeping my eyes on Him. I am going to believe that the things that I see going on around me that the God I serve has everything in control. I am going to turn to the Word of God. I am going to fill my heart and mind with the promises that jump off of every page.
Look to Psalm 91. Because He loves us, He is our refuge, our strong and mighty tower. He gives His angels charge over us. I am standing on that. I am fixing my mind on that.
That is what I am thinking about. Not that I am not concerned with what is going on. Not that I am not saddened by the state that the country and the world for that matter is in. But I am not setting my mind on it. I am setting my mind on things above. That is what I am thinking about.
What about you?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
I'm With Him
As many of you know I have been looking for a job for over a year. I was laid off from my previous job back in August of 2011. I loved my job. I loved the people that I was working for and with. I really, really loved to get up every morning and go to work. If it wasn't for the fact that I had a family I would probably be a workaholic.
As much as I loved my job, I do love my family more. Every day though I would look for a job in some form or another. But, because I was laid off, I got to spend time with my husband. More than I have in the entire time that we have been married. I also got to spend time with my kids and grandkids more than I ever have. It was fabulous. But that doesn't pay the bills. So, like I said, every day I looked for a job.
I did not just want any job. I could work just about anywhere. I love working and I love people, so it really wouldn't matter much where I had gotten a job, unless it went against my morals, but I would not have applied to those places anyways. But when I said I didn't want just any old job what I meant was I did not want to be in a job where God didn't want me.
So every time I sent out a resume to any place I always prayed over it. "God if this is where you want me to be then let them call me as soon as possible and offer me a job. If it is not where you want me to be then I don't want it." Now let me tell you, that was a hard prayer because some of these places paid very well. I would have loved to have made that kind of money, but not at the expense of my relationship with God.
I did have several interviews. So many of them seemed to go very well. I expected to get a call from each and every one of them with a job offer because of how positive they had been. But alas and alak I never got the call.
A friend of mine, Jackie, whom I had worked with before at my previous job, had told me about one place, but it didn't pan out. So on Tuesday night when she texted me and let me know her sister was moving out of state and was looking for her replacement, I was hopeful but not too skeptical.
Wednesday morning I called her office but she wasn't in yet. I had a temp agency that I had already made an appointment with so I had to leave to make the appointment. I'd had a phone interview with her and seemed rather optimistic about the possibilities. I knew for sure I would get there and leave with a job. I was told after I filled out all of the paperwork that they would submit it to the place that had an opening and see if they would like to try me out. It was a temp to hire. I left with no job.
When I got into the car I called Jackies sister one more time. Tada!!! She answered. She said to come on over. The owners were in and maybe they could interview me right away. I went.
I am now employed.
That morning as I left my house to go to these places, I prayed, "Father God, You know I need a job. (as if He didn't know, so I reminded Him). If either one of these places are where You want me to be let them offer me a job right away and then I will know."
I left the temp agency without a job and I had been there over an hour. I had not been at the other place for more than 15 minutes when I was pretty much told I had the job.
They said if Vickie, Jackies sister, felt comfortable with me, then they knew I would be able to do the job. Vickie said that Jackie had really talked me up and that she felt very comfortable with me.
I have knowledge of a lot of job requirements. I turned in a fabulouse resume. But they didn't look at it. Vickie had vouched for me because Jackie had told her about me and she trusted Jackie.
I realized it wasn't what you know most of the time but who you know.
Yesterday I heard a minister on the radio talk about that very thing and it sunk in.
Some day, soon I hope, we will all stand before God. It could be because of death or the rapture. Whatever the reason, when we stand there hoping to get into heaven, I know that I will have filled a lot of requirements. I read my bible. I pray. But more importantly I know the person in charge of the gatekeeper. When he looks at the book I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my name will be in it. I will be able to look into heaven and see my Lord and Saviour. I will be able to tell St. Peter with a smile on my lips and a bubble of joy in my heart and point to the one who paid it all and proudly say "I'm with Him."
So, who do you know?
As much as I loved my job, I do love my family more. Every day though I would look for a job in some form or another. But, because I was laid off, I got to spend time with my husband. More than I have in the entire time that we have been married. I also got to spend time with my kids and grandkids more than I ever have. It was fabulous. But that doesn't pay the bills. So, like I said, every day I looked for a job.
I did not just want any job. I could work just about anywhere. I love working and I love people, so it really wouldn't matter much where I had gotten a job, unless it went against my morals, but I would not have applied to those places anyways. But when I said I didn't want just any old job what I meant was I did not want to be in a job where God didn't want me.
So every time I sent out a resume to any place I always prayed over it. "God if this is where you want me to be then let them call me as soon as possible and offer me a job. If it is not where you want me to be then I don't want it." Now let me tell you, that was a hard prayer because some of these places paid very well. I would have loved to have made that kind of money, but not at the expense of my relationship with God.
I did have several interviews. So many of them seemed to go very well. I expected to get a call from each and every one of them with a job offer because of how positive they had been. But alas and alak I never got the call.
A friend of mine, Jackie, whom I had worked with before at my previous job, had told me about one place, but it didn't pan out. So on Tuesday night when she texted me and let me know her sister was moving out of state and was looking for her replacement, I was hopeful but not too skeptical.
Wednesday morning I called her office but she wasn't in yet. I had a temp agency that I had already made an appointment with so I had to leave to make the appointment. I'd had a phone interview with her and seemed rather optimistic about the possibilities. I knew for sure I would get there and leave with a job. I was told after I filled out all of the paperwork that they would submit it to the place that had an opening and see if they would like to try me out. It was a temp to hire. I left with no job.
When I got into the car I called Jackies sister one more time. Tada!!! She answered. She said to come on over. The owners were in and maybe they could interview me right away. I went.
I am now employed.
That morning as I left my house to go to these places, I prayed, "Father God, You know I need a job. (as if He didn't know, so I reminded Him). If either one of these places are where You want me to be let them offer me a job right away and then I will know."
I left the temp agency without a job and I had been there over an hour. I had not been at the other place for more than 15 minutes when I was pretty much told I had the job.
They said if Vickie, Jackies sister, felt comfortable with me, then they knew I would be able to do the job. Vickie said that Jackie had really talked me up and that she felt very comfortable with me.
I have knowledge of a lot of job requirements. I turned in a fabulouse resume. But they didn't look at it. Vickie had vouched for me because Jackie had told her about me and she trusted Jackie.
I realized it wasn't what you know most of the time but who you know.
Yesterday I heard a minister on the radio talk about that very thing and it sunk in.
Some day, soon I hope, we will all stand before God. It could be because of death or the rapture. Whatever the reason, when we stand there hoping to get into heaven, I know that I will have filled a lot of requirements. I read my bible. I pray. But more importantly I know the person in charge of the gatekeeper. When he looks at the book I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my name will be in it. I will be able to look into heaven and see my Lord and Saviour. I will be able to tell St. Peter with a smile on my lips and a bubble of joy in my heart and point to the one who paid it all and proudly say "I'm with Him."
So, who do you know?
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