What a treat - I love fires!
Campfires, bonfires, fire pits - so many memories from back in the day. Long weeks spent up-North. Everyone has an up-north, a cabin, a summer place that has forged many memories.
My favorite memories from childhood are the weeks spent up-north over the summers. the day consisted of waking up, getting ready to go to the beach, playing at the beach all day, then coming home to eat dinner and sit outside by a fire, maybe go for a walk down the country roads and catch fireflies or be guided by the flood light of a full moon. Then go to bed and wake up to do it all over again. Cooking food over the fire, throwing trash in the fire, mulch piles, being out in nature for most of the waking hours of the day.
And then my sinful life took over full speed ahead, shortly after entering the teens and none of that was cool unless my boyfriend was involved and most likely some alcohol. Sadly.
So tonight was so awesome for so many reasons.
Tonight I was engulfed in fires. A bonfire - more like a small campfire actually - with a genuinely nice, loving group of people; all 'newer' friends of whom I've made their acquaintance a few times in their church setting. But all so welcoming and friendly with no agenda but to love and have fun. I got to see a fire in the sky - a hot mess of glowing colors my Father laid out for me at sunset. But tonight I was outside to see it and I felt wrapped in glowing flames of love from my Father as the colors unfolded, so rapidly in the night sky. And there was a fire in my heart, remembering, cherishing those childhood memories of times spent up-north doing what I now know I loved and would give anything to be able to do again, but sadly at that time didn't know just how much it meant to me.
A fire can so quickly change whatever it touches. Tonight the fire forged new friendships for my whole family and deepened others. Tonight's heavenly fire reached down and surrounded me, bringing Abba's love right down to the ground to engulf me. And tonight this fire made me vow to myself that I will begin to make 'fire memories' for my children...
Because that's what a childhood is for.
Tonight, a miracle of Abba's love reaching down to me. Thank you Abba.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Perspective on Abundance
"It is impossible for the seeds of depression to take root in a grateful heart." (from the Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews)
The topic of thankfulness (eucharisteo) has had my awareness heightened ever since reading this book (click on the link in this sentence) by one of my favorite writers, Ann Voskamp. We always take time at meals to thank God for our blessings that day, but to do that in more moments of the day, not just at meal time, is what can really start to make a difference. This can bring about so many changes in a lifestyle, just by being thankful at every intersecting moment of life - it's all about perspective.
"My God has bestowed upon me many gifts, and for these I will remember to be grateful. Too many times I have offered up the prayers of a beggar, always asking for more and forgetting to give thanks. I do not wish to be seen as a greedy child, unappreciative and disrespectful. I am grateful for sight, sound and breath. If ever in my life there is a pouring out of blessing beyond that, then I will be grateful for the MIRACLE of ABUNDANCE." (from the Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews)
When you simplify your life in such a manner - that everything beyond waking up with sight and hearing and breath (which truly is miracle #1, that God keeps everything functioning for you to wake up one more day) - when it is a simple as that, then it is easy to be thankful for the abundance with which God showers us every day.
Many times a week I think on these two words, Grace and Mercy. And for me, these are the definitions I repeat to remember which is which (notice the one word change that makes all the difference):
Grace - God gives us what we don't deserve (because we truly are wretched, not a one of us is good) -
Psalm 14:1 The fool[a] says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
Mercy - God does not give us what we do deserve (which is punishment for our sins)
So God's grace rains down anew each morning when he wakes us up. To have a job to go to, to have a family to love and them to love you, to have food for breakfast, a hot shower to clean you, a car to drive, roads to drive on, etc. The list could go on and on, and when we face our moments with thankful hearts for what we've been bestowed, our perspective can change if you choose to remember to be grateful. But it is a choice only you can make for yourself, and it is one choice you will have to make anew over and over and over, each day, each hour.
Thankfulness grows gratitude. Gratitude lays the path for humility. Humility puts God back on top where he belongs. With God leading you, what is there to be depressed about? Choose to remember what he has done for you so far in your journey on this earth. Choose to be happy. Even if your journey has not turned out how you planned/expected/wanted it to; start to partner with God on your journey and your plans will start to line up, this is how joy takes root and depression is uprooted. Thankfulness in everything.
I delighted, today, in the dirty work of building a home for a family on the receiving end of God's grace, and I am completely excited for this family to come to understand the gift-wrapped package of grace they are going to be hiding out in, each and every day after it is completed. The abundance of miracles in this one house, just for them - the space they need inside and out, the master craftsmen who are building with superior knowledge and love just for them, volunteering their time - a house that fits like a glove because God is carving it out day by day.
And it is so exciting because I know, firsthand, that our house is an awesome reminder of God's miracles every day. It is our place to choose happiness, our place to choose thankfulness, our place to choose to praise him for his abundance, our place to place him back at the top, our place to live with a grateful spirit.
This is our choice, in our home, which is his and which is his abundance lavishly bestowed on us.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Changed to bring CHANGE
As I was reveling in a another awesome Summer evening, sitting out on the front porch with my husband, drinking my Green Smoothie, I took a mental jog along a journey that has been a few years in the making for me and for him.
That is the journey of CHANGE! A healthy change. And what a miracle I am today, as a child of God, because I embraced the opportunity God placed in my lap rather than running from it. There are so many aspects of our lives where the opportunity from God to accept CHANGE has been given and is, of course, the best thing to happen to our lives.
Why wouldn't it be?! God does have the master plan.
This song I've included sums up, to the 'T', the mission of my life (and I'm pretty sure my husband's too!).
Changed (click on title to hear it (turn on your speakers, silly!) or read the lyrics below)
Aaron Niequist
Blessed with three beautiful children - who know who God is and that he is the center of their lives and he loves them.
Blessed with two businesses through which we get to experience God's love through provision of his perfect will for each day for each business. And a business that is much more than a business - and quite possibly has the best mission I could ever imagine having for a business - to share God with others in a direct and tangible way. That would be our gym YOU Factor.
We've been blessed with change in our faith - called growth achieved by daily awareness of and time spent in relationship with our Father in heaven. This also brought about by a miracle of God in allowing us to live each day being supported by his means, not means of this world. A change we had to accept and embrace with FULL faith.
We've been blessed with change in our health - called intentionality. Intentional attitudes to eat in a manner that we know is healthy. Intentionally exercising our bodies on a regular basis with commitment to never give up and to strive for more, to achieve more and better for the sake of our own bodies. Intentional mental focus achieved by simplifying our lives in thought, spoken word, material possessions, desires, expectations.
And ultimately, intentional in letting go of the wheel and putting it into God's hands instead of our own.
These changes have brought change in our lives. And our mojo is nothing but to 'bring change' to you. Living outloud, as the song says, the shake the nations in God's name. To love the world to heaven.
We have been changed to bring change, to bring change.
Care to join us?
That is the journey of CHANGE! A healthy change. And what a miracle I am today, as a child of God, because I embraced the opportunity God placed in my lap rather than running from it. There are so many aspects of our lives where the opportunity from God to accept CHANGE has been given and is, of course, the best thing to happen to our lives.
Why wouldn't it be?! God does have the master plan.
This song I've included sums up, to the 'T', the mission of my life (and I'm pretty sure my husband's too!).
Changed (click on title to hear it (turn on your speakers, silly!) or read the lyrics below)
Aaron Niequist
in Jesus’ name i’ve been changed, i’ve been filled,
i’ve been found, i’ve been freed, i’ve been saved!
in Jesus’ blood i’ve been loved, i’ve been cleansed,
and redeemed, and released, rearranged
but how can i show You that i’m grateful?
You’ve been so generous to me.
how can i worship more than singing?
and live out Redemption’s melody.
i have been blessed – now i want to be a blessing
i have been loved – now i want to bring love
i’ve been invited – i want to share the invitation
i have been changed – to bring change,
to bring change
in Jesus’ name we are changed, we are called,
we are chosen, adopted, and named!
in Jesus’ blood we are loved, we are healed,
we’re forgiven and free of our shame!
we want to show You that we’re thankful
flooding Your world with hope and peace
help us to worship more than singing
giving Redemption hands and feet
we have been blessed –
now we’re going to be a blessing
we have been loved –
now we’re going to bring love
we’ve been invited –
we’re going to share the invitation
we have been changed –
to bring change, to bring change
thank You for this new life,
thank You for the invitation!
God, we want to live it
loud enough to shake the nations –
in Your name!
we have been saved –
we’re going to shout about the Savior
we have been found –
we’re going to turn over every stone
we’ve been empowered –
to love the world to Heaven
we have been changed –
to bring change, to bring change
We've had the opportunity to be blessed - a home for our family - that we can afford - made with much love by his hands and feet on this earth.
Blessed with two businesses through which we get to experience God's love through provision of his perfect will for each day for each business. And a business that is much more than a business - and quite possibly has the best mission I could ever imagine having for a business - to share God with others in a direct and tangible way. That would be our gym YOU Factor.
We've been blessed with change in our faith - called growth achieved by daily awareness of and time spent in relationship with our Father in heaven. This also brought about by a miracle of God in allowing us to live each day being supported by his means, not means of this world. A change we had to accept and embrace with FULL faith.
We've been blessed with change in our health - called intentionality. Intentional attitudes to eat in a manner that we know is healthy. Intentionally exercising our bodies on a regular basis with commitment to never give up and to strive for more, to achieve more and better for the sake of our own bodies. Intentional mental focus achieved by simplifying our lives in thought, spoken word, material possessions, desires, expectations.
And ultimately, intentional in letting go of the wheel and putting it into God's hands instead of our own.
These changes have brought change in our lives. And our mojo is nothing but to 'bring change' to you. Living outloud, as the song says, the shake the nations in God's name. To love the world to heaven.
We have been changed to bring change, to bring change.
Care to join us?
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
God's Majesty creates miracles every day
Job 36:32
He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
Job 37:15
Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?
Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?
Job 38
The LORD Speaks
1 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: 2 “Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.
15 The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.
or shown the dawn its place,
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
14 The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
its features stand out like those of a garment.
15 The wicked are denied their light,
and their upraised arm is broken.
16 “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been shown to you?
Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.
19 “What is the way to the abode of light?
And where does darkness reside?
20 Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!
22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow And where does darkness reside?
20 Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21 Surely you know, for you were already born!
You have lived so many years!
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I reserve for times of trouble,
for days of war and battle?
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
Hmmm....have you ever thought about every single one of those questions at some point in your lifetime? I'm guessing you've missed at least one. And if these topics of grandeur have escaped you, how much more the finite details of your every day life?
Today, we were shown this in a small way, just to reiterate that we know so, so little of the endless wisdom God possesses.
Our beloved truck - it got an oil change and was running better. But it has stranded us in several places yet. We took it to the local mechanic whom all the locals rave about. He's the one who did our oil change and we agree, he's a solid, very nice man. So he offered to look at the truck if we had trouble again with it not starting after the oil change. It played nice for about three days. And then, as I give it a mind of it's own, it decided a few days ago that it wanted to act up again. So we took up the mechanic on his offer and took it in this morning...
And, can you guess? yep, it started every time they tried to start it.
That right there told me, it's not the vehicle with a mind of it's own (duh, right!). No, it's God, saying to us each time we're stuck somewhere, he's got something else planned for us. Once it was a nice walk through Middleton and a quick bite to eat at McD's. Once it was a good dinner with a great friend. Another time it was a chance to choose God (by remaining pleasant) instead of the evil one (by getting angry) to show the kids I accept God's will, even if it wasn't my plan to walk home from the ice cream shop.
And today, it was a chance to have God answer a prayer for a miracle right away. Remember today, the mechanic started the truck numerous times and had no troubles. So about an hour or so later, I get in the truck to take my daughter to her last Daisy meeting to Bridge to Brownie. we had our brownies in hand and said a quick prayer that it would start. And it did. Thank you, God. And we were off, a mile from home, starting to storm and we make our turn onto the highway to head to the next town for the meeting. And the truck dies in the middle of the turn onto the highway. I coasted over to the side of the road and do what I do best - pick up the phone and call my husband for a 'great idea'! It's just a comfort thing. I know he can do nothing but pray, as well.
I tried a few times to restart, after giving my daughter the option of walking home quick before it starts to pour or wait and see if it will start. Of course, we both want the truck to start so we can get our brownie on!
And I said outloud, 'We need a miracle God.' And this, the fourth try, it turned over. And I said sincerely, 'Thank you God for that miracle.' And without a second of hesitation, I threw it into drive and slammed on the gas. Tires screeching, open road ahead and behind and we were off, like lightning! On our way to get our brownie on.
This was God's timing. And this time, our gift, especially to my daughter was to see God answer a prayer, right away, for a miracle.
Job 42
1 Then Job replied to the LORD:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.’
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.”
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Temporary Spiritual Famine
Let's face it, some days are just better than others. I haven't met anyone yet that can keep a perfect, even temperament consistently, day in and day out. (There is a very pleasant gentleman at the DMV who takes pictures, but since I've only had my picture taken once, I can't say that even he's insanely jovial every day - but his pleasantness was infectious the 15 minutes I was waiting there!)
There are seasons to life, some days, some months, but regardless of the time period, there are ups and downs. Sometimes these seasons can make us feel trapped, trapped in our life, in our mind, in our body. A place we've gone, on a slow fade, unaware of where we're headed but sure when you get there that it's not where you wanted to be after all. And then we're left wondering, didn't I have the tools in place to keep myself from ending up here? What happened?
Evil happens; satan prowls looking for that perfect crack to jump into and bust the seam wide open.
I usually have some sort of scriptural 'piece' coming in my inbox daily, whether it's a devotional or a blog I'm following or maybe it's what I'm reading myself in the bible and I'm always blown away at the miracle of how God speaks to me, just what I need to hear for the circumstance, through whatever media brings me his truth.
This time it was a double AHA moment.
Seems like satan likes to make sure I have just one snare tripping me up at a time. I can always count on it; if I've resolved one thorn, he's always got the next one ready to go. And when I'm back on my heels, rolling along in goodness, you'd think I'd already be prepared with flaming arrows to defeat the next attack. Well, not this time, but you bet'cha I've got my tools now!
I had been having a hard time being happy. My smile had left me. I'd been stuck inside my mind and didn't know how to get out. So many conversations were going on inside my head, but outside, I had become very silent. And in my case, inner dialogue without outer dialogue leads to bitterness, anger, disdain, and general unhappiness and it all builds up into a perceived reality - which is really just satan's attempt at poisoning my soul.
So my battle plan:
Cry - it must be done, it's a good release; let it all out until there isn't anymore cryin' left to be had
Scripture - I dug in. I had bookmarked Psalm 34 many many years ago during a rough spell in the marriage:
So I began there. It's so comforting just to know this. And I continued, backwards, through Psalm 34 and quickly came to this, AHA moment numero uno:
God was gracious enough to want to rescue my soul, once again. The Holy Spirit convicted me. And I was lead to the fear of the Lord. According to verse 11, the fear of the Lord is/can be learned. And from Psalm 110:11 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And in the above piece of scripture, the fear of the Lord revolves around the functions of the head. Keep the tongue from evil, the lips from speaking lies, turn from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it.
Mental Fortitude
That's two words. Simple. Powerful words. Even more powerful when achieved.
Seek peace and pursue it. Since the epicenter of our thoughts, spoken word and actions is the brain, seems pertinent this is where the self-control must begin and be maintained to learn the fear of the Lord and to see many good days. The inner dialogue, which turns into a pity party and justification station, is nothing but evil. Only truths from scripture, that are thought on over and over, prayers for God to take captive the thoughts of my mind for his will, for his purpose and the constant, continuous pondering on doing good, being peace, on Jesus and his gift, on God and his majesty, grace and compassion can combat the foe.
And here's the even bigger part, when I'm not focused on/reminding myself of/reciting scripture/reading scripture/seeking peace and pursuing (pursue: to find or employ measures to obtain or accomplish) it then that leaves space in my mind for satan to take captive and fill in instead of God, leaves room for evil instead of good.
So I put to memory (I like to say, hid in my heart) Ps. 34:11-14 as seen above, and I run to it the moment I'm backhanded with evil trying to burst open my seams.
And later on that same day, I was blessed with AHA moment numero dos. Just in case I wanted to hold onto a tiny bit of satan telling me I had the right to think what I was thinking - Holy Spirit burst in to say, I'm not going to let you do that!
My favorite blogger as of late (God has done so much through her hands for many I'm sure), Ann Voskamp, came into my inbox with her daily post: 'when you feel like you just keep blowing it'. Wow. Did this go to everyone or did it just come to me?! Because that's exactly where I was at. Blowing it - because really my pity party was about me, calling on my justification station to make poor old me feel like I had good reason to find fault and feel the way I was feeling. But my spirit (the guilt I was feeling) was trying to say to me, this is not about you. And now, not only have I wasted time being lost, unhappy and talking to myself, but now I was going to have to suck up my pride and let it go, give it to God, say sorry and move on in a different manner. And no one could do that for me but me. And God was so good to me,
Psalm 32:
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
Psalm 33:
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
This Temporary Spiritual Famine
As Ann reminded me (really, this blog post from her is a must-read!) with Acts 7:51
“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
I'm done with this famine. I chose not to resist the message and the conviction of the Holy Spirit because I have been circumcised by Christ, through baptism... and I have that choice, the choice to be made with wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord by taming the tongue and the mind, by seeking peace.
Mental Fortitude.
There are seasons to life, some days, some months, but regardless of the time period, there are ups and downs. Sometimes these seasons can make us feel trapped, trapped in our life, in our mind, in our body. A place we've gone, on a slow fade, unaware of where we're headed but sure when you get there that it's not where you wanted to be after all. And then we're left wondering, didn't I have the tools in place to keep myself from ending up here? What happened?
Evil happens; satan prowls looking for that perfect crack to jump into and bust the seam wide open.
I usually have some sort of scriptural 'piece' coming in my inbox daily, whether it's a devotional or a blog I'm following or maybe it's what I'm reading myself in the bible and I'm always blown away at the miracle of how God speaks to me, just what I need to hear for the circumstance, through whatever media brings me his truth.
This time it was a double AHA moment.
Seems like satan likes to make sure I have just one snare tripping me up at a time. I can always count on it; if I've resolved one thorn, he's always got the next one ready to go. And when I'm back on my heels, rolling along in goodness, you'd think I'd already be prepared with flaming arrows to defeat the next attack. Well, not this time, but you bet'cha I've got my tools now!
I had been having a hard time being happy. My smile had left me. I'd been stuck inside my mind and didn't know how to get out. So many conversations were going on inside my head, but outside, I had become very silent. And in my case, inner dialogue without outer dialogue leads to bitterness, anger, disdain, and general unhappiness and it all builds up into a perceived reality - which is really just satan's attempt at poisoning my soul.
So my battle plan:
Cry - it must be done, it's a good release; let it all out until there isn't anymore cryin' left to be had
Scripture - I dug in. I had bookmarked Psalm 34 many many years ago during a rough spell in the marriage:
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
So I began there. It's so comforting just to know this. And I continued, backwards, through Psalm 34 and quickly came to this, AHA moment numero uno:
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
God was gracious enough to want to rescue my soul, once again. The Holy Spirit convicted me. And I was lead to the fear of the Lord. According to verse 11, the fear of the Lord is/can be learned. And from Psalm 110:11 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And in the above piece of scripture, the fear of the Lord revolves around the functions of the head. Keep the tongue from evil, the lips from speaking lies, turn from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it.
Mental Fortitude
That's two words. Simple. Powerful words. Even more powerful when achieved.
Seek peace and pursue it. Since the epicenter of our thoughts, spoken word and actions is the brain, seems pertinent this is where the self-control must begin and be maintained to learn the fear of the Lord and to see many good days. The inner dialogue, which turns into a pity party and justification station, is nothing but evil. Only truths from scripture, that are thought on over and over, prayers for God to take captive the thoughts of my mind for his will, for his purpose and the constant, continuous pondering on doing good, being peace, on Jesus and his gift, on God and his majesty, grace and compassion can combat the foe.
And here's the even bigger part, when I'm not focused on/reminding myself of/reciting scripture/reading scripture/seeking peace and pursuing (pursue: to find or employ measures to obtain or accomplish) it then that leaves space in my mind for satan to take captive and fill in instead of God, leaves room for evil instead of good.
So I put to memory (I like to say, hid in my heart) Ps. 34:11-14 as seen above, and I run to it the moment I'm backhanded with evil trying to burst open my seams.
And later on that same day, I was blessed with AHA moment numero dos. Just in case I wanted to hold onto a tiny bit of satan telling me I had the right to think what I was thinking - Holy Spirit burst in to say, I'm not going to let you do that!
My favorite blogger as of late (God has done so much through her hands for many I'm sure), Ann Voskamp, came into my inbox with her daily post: 'when you feel like you just keep blowing it'. Wow. Did this go to everyone or did it just come to me?! Because that's exactly where I was at. Blowing it - because really my pity party was about me, calling on my justification station to make poor old me feel like I had good reason to find fault and feel the way I was feeling. But my spirit (the guilt I was feeling) was trying to say to me, this is not about you. And now, not only have I wasted time being lost, unhappy and talking to myself, but now I was going to have to suck up my pride and let it go, give it to God, say sorry and move on in a different manner. And no one could do that for me but me. And God was so good to me,
Psalm 32:
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
Psalm 33:
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
This Temporary Spiritual Famine
As Ann reminded me (really, this blog post from her is a must-read!) with Acts 7:51
“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
I'm done with this famine. I chose not to resist the message and the conviction of the Holy Spirit because I have been circumcised by Christ, through baptism... and I have that choice, the choice to be made with wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord by taming the tongue and the mind, by seeking peace.
Mental Fortitude.
Monday, May 23, 2011
It's little but it's so big at the same time.
The 'truck' as it has been coined by all of us, has been a rather fun addition to the family! Fun is a subjective term, however.
I think this is the first day that DS hasn't cried when the truck leaves the garage for fear that it will not come back home! After seeing our Hyundai for so long, and then seeing a blue car (Taurus loaner from the body shop), the lunchbox (the red Aveo rental), Ashlie's car (borrowed it for a day to use for some bigger stuff), and then the lunchbox and the truck at the same time and then the lunchbox gone and just the truck - it's pretty easy to see why he'd think the truck would leave and not come back. But seriously, a crying tizzy? Uber obsess much?! But ah, today, he didn't. Oh, but that's not the little miracle I was thinking of for this post.
So the truck and I have a love/hate thing going on. Let's see, the first time I took it on my own, with the kids, we went to a local joint to get some slushees. We enjoyed our time and hopped back in the truck to find it wouldn't start. After trying a few times, waiting for the gas lines to 'unflood' to no avail, we got out and walked home. Not without forgetting the garage door opener, our only way into our home, ever (that deserves it's own explanation, not for this post!). So we walk a block back to get that, and discover my keyless entry remote actually doesn't work. The small miracle here, was that a few days earlier, when we picked up the truck from it's owner, he wasn't going to be around so he left the keypad code with us so we could grab it whenever. And he made the code a zip-code with two numbers flipped around - thank you God!! I could remember that in the panic of realizing I shut the doors and locked them and left the garage door opener inside. We'd have been stuck outside for a long time, had I not been privy to that code a few days earlier. But still not the little miracle I meant to share.
Yesterday after church we ran to Woodman's to get a few things while DH was at a meeting at church. Used the life-saver keypad to get back in the truck only to find, now the driver's side auto-unlock does not work and I can only pull up one other lock by hand. :) Okay, truck, what do you have against me?!
So today, DH, DS and I are in the truck running some errands in Cross Plains and our last stop before heading home was True Value. DH ran in and we hung back in the truck, giggling over a doggie hanging out the van next to us. DS wanted some music on, so I reach over to turn the key in the ignition to the great invention of accessory mode! It didn't seem to do the trick so as I was turning it back to off, I noticed the key was a bit out of wack, so I went to 'straighten it', not question how a key would manage to not be inline with the ignition slot to begin with (sometimes I'm not that observant right away) and next thing I know, the key head is falling on the seat and yep, the rest of it is still in the ignition!! oh, my word.
Okay, good thing we're at the hardware store, they've got to have something for these types of situations. Can they tape a key together and get a good copy made? Do they even copy car keys? Oh man, DH is really gonna think I'm completely incapable of handling a large vehicle and I'm gonna be cut off from driving it!
So, he gets back in the car and I hold up the head of the key and the rest of his keychain. 'Does the hardware store have something to help us?' I plead. 'Do you have your set of keys?' he pulls at straws. 'Nope.' I laughed. So, we turn the ignition to see if the lodged piece is enough to start the truck. Nope. Okay, well, stick the top back in and try that, and if it starts, don't stop until we get home!! And this, folks, is the little miracle, of the day that I wanted to share. We made it home. And I laugh every time I think about our truck and sticking the top half of the key into it to start it and where day by day, it shows it's age, and day by day, we have a choice to make - get mad because we have an old vehicle and who knows what will go wrong next, where we'll be stuck, what electrical failure will happen next...
OR thank God we have a vehicle that fits us all, lifts us two more feet off the ground than any of us have ever been before in a vehicle we've owned, loses ground but still gets us from A to B and at this point, still gets us there safely and fits the landscaping tools we need for the landscaping job that's keeping us fed this month.
It's a little miracle maybe to some that a broken key in an ignition sidetracked our day for less than three minutes, but it's so big all the same. It's big because of the choices we made surrounding that miracle. We didn't argue. We didn't play the blame game. We didn't get angry. We turned to God to follow his lead and he led us home again. And our day continued on with lunch, [attempted] nap-time, DD coming off the school bus as usual, a walk to the library, dinner on the table, family time after dinner and bedtime routines as usual.
And it was all about a split second choice about which attitude to adopt - half empty or half full? grumpy or cheerful? God's punishing us or God's will? Contempt or Faith? Alive or dead?
In the words of a great author (thank you friend who shared him) Andy Andrews who wrote among others 'The Noticer': "If you are breathing, you are still alive. If you are alive, then you are still here, physically, on this planet. If you are still here, then you have not completed what you were put on earth to do...that means your very purpose has not yet been fulfilled. If your purpose has not yet been fulfilled, then the most important part of your life has not yet been lived..." "If the most important part of your life is ahead of you, then, even during the worst times, one can be assured that there is more laughter ahead, more success to look forward to, more children to teach and help, more friends to touch and influence. There is proof of HOPE...for more."
The only true hope we have is in the message of the gospel, that we have eternal life in Christ so that we can live eternally with Jesus and the glory of God in heaven. This hope, when believed on WITHOUT doubt, frees us to live in Christ daily, to go deeper in our faith, to not be rocked by human tradition and the happenings of the world, but to remain solid on our Rock, the Cornerstone of our foundation. And when we have this Faith and Love built on the hope of the gospel, we can live lives worthy of the Lord, pleasing him in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to God's glorious might so that we can have great endurance and patience (paraphrased from Colossians chapter 1). Our endurance and patience is uber-growing now but has been a work in significant progress for the last few years; when we decided and then acted on the decision to live head on in that hope.
The faith that springs from this hope brings love, peace, strength, wisdom and pure joy. And these squeeze out most of the room for fear, failure, contempt, discontent, anger, pride, frustration. It's not a perfect fix - you won't get it right 100% of the time (we sure don't), but every time you choose God's glory over your own your path becomes straighter.
All the little choices lead to the big picture.
I think this is the first day that DS hasn't cried when the truck leaves the garage for fear that it will not come back home! After seeing our Hyundai for so long, and then seeing a blue car (Taurus loaner from the body shop), the lunchbox (the red Aveo rental), Ashlie's car (borrowed it for a day to use for some bigger stuff), and then the lunchbox and the truck at the same time and then the lunchbox gone and just the truck - it's pretty easy to see why he'd think the truck would leave and not come back. But seriously, a crying tizzy? Uber obsess much?! But ah, today, he didn't. Oh, but that's not the little miracle I was thinking of for this post.
So the truck and I have a love/hate thing going on. Let's see, the first time I took it on my own, with the kids, we went to a local joint to get some slushees. We enjoyed our time and hopped back in the truck to find it wouldn't start. After trying a few times, waiting for the gas lines to 'unflood' to no avail, we got out and walked home. Not without forgetting the garage door opener, our only way into our home, ever (that deserves it's own explanation, not for this post!). So we walk a block back to get that, and discover my keyless entry remote actually doesn't work. The small miracle here, was that a few days earlier, when we picked up the truck from it's owner, he wasn't going to be around so he left the keypad code with us so we could grab it whenever. And he made the code a zip-code with two numbers flipped around - thank you God!! I could remember that in the panic of realizing I shut the doors and locked them and left the garage door opener inside. We'd have been stuck outside for a long time, had I not been privy to that code a few days earlier. But still not the little miracle I meant to share.
Yesterday after church we ran to Woodman's to get a few things while DH was at a meeting at church. Used the life-saver keypad to get back in the truck only to find, now the driver's side auto-unlock does not work and I can only pull up one other lock by hand. :) Okay, truck, what do you have against me?!
So today, DH, DS and I are in the truck running some errands in Cross Plains and our last stop before heading home was True Value. DH ran in and we hung back in the truck, giggling over a doggie hanging out the van next to us. DS wanted some music on, so I reach over to turn the key in the ignition to the great invention of accessory mode! It didn't seem to do the trick so as I was turning it back to off, I noticed the key was a bit out of wack, so I went to 'straighten it', not question how a key would manage to not be inline with the ignition slot to begin with (sometimes I'm not that observant right away) and next thing I know, the key head is falling on the seat and yep, the rest of it is still in the ignition!! oh, my word.
Okay, good thing we're at the hardware store, they've got to have something for these types of situations. Can they tape a key together and get a good copy made? Do they even copy car keys? Oh man, DH is really gonna think I'm completely incapable of handling a large vehicle and I'm gonna be cut off from driving it!
So, he gets back in the car and I hold up the head of the key and the rest of his keychain. 'Does the hardware store have something to help us?' I plead. 'Do you have your set of keys?' he pulls at straws. 'Nope.' I laughed. So, we turn the ignition to see if the lodged piece is enough to start the truck. Nope. Okay, well, stick the top back in and try that, and if it starts, don't stop until we get home!! And this, folks, is the little miracle, of the day that I wanted to share. We made it home. And I laugh every time I think about our truck and sticking the top half of the key into it to start it and where day by day, it shows it's age, and day by day, we have a choice to make - get mad because we have an old vehicle and who knows what will go wrong next, where we'll be stuck, what electrical failure will happen next...
OR thank God we have a vehicle that fits us all, lifts us two more feet off the ground than any of us have ever been before in a vehicle we've owned, loses ground but still gets us from A to B and at this point, still gets us there safely and fits the landscaping tools we need for the landscaping job that's keeping us fed this month.
It's a little miracle maybe to some that a broken key in an ignition sidetracked our day for less than three minutes, but it's so big all the same. It's big because of the choices we made surrounding that miracle. We didn't argue. We didn't play the blame game. We didn't get angry. We turned to God to follow his lead and he led us home again. And our day continued on with lunch, [attempted] nap-time, DD coming off the school bus as usual, a walk to the library, dinner on the table, family time after dinner and bedtime routines as usual.
And it was all about a split second choice about which attitude to adopt - half empty or half full? grumpy or cheerful? God's punishing us or God's will? Contempt or Faith? Alive or dead?
In the words of a great author (thank you friend who shared him) Andy Andrews who wrote among others 'The Noticer': "If you are breathing, you are still alive. If you are alive, then you are still here, physically, on this planet. If you are still here, then you have not completed what you were put on earth to do...that means your very purpose has not yet been fulfilled. If your purpose has not yet been fulfilled, then the most important part of your life has not yet been lived..." "If the most important part of your life is ahead of you, then, even during the worst times, one can be assured that there is more laughter ahead, more success to look forward to, more children to teach and help, more friends to touch and influence. There is proof of HOPE...for more."
The only true hope we have is in the message of the gospel, that we have eternal life in Christ so that we can live eternally with Jesus and the glory of God in heaven. This hope, when believed on WITHOUT doubt, frees us to live in Christ daily, to go deeper in our faith, to not be rocked by human tradition and the happenings of the world, but to remain solid on our Rock, the Cornerstone of our foundation. And when we have this Faith and Love built on the hope of the gospel, we can live lives worthy of the Lord, pleasing him in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to God's glorious might so that we can have great endurance and patience (paraphrased from Colossians chapter 1). Our endurance and patience is uber-growing now but has been a work in significant progress for the last few years; when we decided and then acted on the decision to live head on in that hope.
The faith that springs from this hope brings love, peace, strength, wisdom and pure joy. And these squeeze out most of the room for fear, failure, contempt, discontent, anger, pride, frustration. It's not a perfect fix - you won't get it right 100% of the time (we sure don't), but every time you choose God's glory over your own your path becomes straighter.
All the little choices lead to the big picture.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
A Fatal Mistake
Deuteronomy 8
Do Not Forget the LORD
1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. ...
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery....
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. This piece of scripture is vital, VITAL, to living by FAITH. There are so many valuable points here.
1) God leads you into trials, to test you, humble you and see where your heart is -
And what's the big deal about your heart? He tells you exactly, to see whether or not you will keep his commands.
2) He shows in verse 3, these trials humble you and can have a solution that quite possibly, most likely, is unknown to you.
3) For what purpose, to teach you (because we all need to learn continuously) that we do not live on material things but on Scripture (the very word of God - verse 3).
4) God already knows our failures, the path humanity is headed down (vs 10-14) which is to forget his GRACE altogether and
5) verse 17, credit ourselves with all the abundance we think we have due to our hard work and to FORGET the GOD who created us and gave us EVERYTHING, forever and always.
This scripture came to mind during this last week for me. As my last post mentioned, we were in need of a car; but we were not frantically searching, exhausting our options, making ourselves stressed with worry - in fact, as has been said of both of us at different times in our lives, you'd be surprised how calm we've been about the situation. And that is a peace that comes from knowing that God has this plan in his hands and he unfolds it as he sees fit. What I first recalled, from storing scripture in my heart, was verse 17 - 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”
I was thinking, when I talk about the new car we've been blessed with, I want to make sure I speak of it in a manner that does nothing but direct those listening to God - it was his work through the co-worker of a client at the gym, it was his work through the owner of the vehicle to prepare him for his encounter with us, it is his work to work out the monetary aspects to fit our needs - those we have now and those we don't know about in the upcoming future. Not by our power or strength (AKA stress-fully searching to the ends of the earth, frantically grasping at all options, freaking out, running ragged all over town) but by his GRACE, for his plan, for his glory - and as a result, we truthfully have had a very peaceful last two weeks since our car got totaled!
And I love the reminders in all of Deuteronomy 8, that he does intentionally put us through trials (yes, everything does happen for God's reason), why the trials matter to him (he loves our hearts), how to overcome the trials in his glory by his hand (by praising him for EVERYTHING, because it all comes from him) and choosing, in those trials most importantly, to remain in him and follow his commands and allow him to have the control, ALL THE CONTROL.
He is gracious enough to already know we're going to be wretched and forget him. 2 Tim 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
He is loving enough NOT to hold it against us or give up on us (as humans do with other humans). He is patient enough to try us over and over until we learn - the patient teacher he is.
And he knew before creating us, that nothing would sustain us in this life better than the gift of his Word, the bible, the very word of God, which only serves to connect us to him since he is invisible. As Timothy says in 2 Timothy: All Scripture is God-breathed [inspired by God himself] and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. This is how we move through these trials and grow closer to him and walk more deeply by FAITH, by living on/in the Word (the bible). And when we choose to live (read it, store it in our hearts, recall it by the power of his Holy Spirit, trust it without doubt, yearn for it) by His Word alone, he uses us for good works, to shine his light for his glory.
Like when your car gets totaled by a deer at a time when you only have one car, unreliable income, no 'emergency fund' to draw from and not a lot of 'known' options....
Welcome the trials, find God in his Word, purify your heart with Jesus and let his light Shine!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)