In The Last Days…

*A nurse impregnated a comatose woman in a long-term care facility. How did no one see? Who looked away?

*A Tennessee teacher groomed his young student and showed her nude pictures. These types of people are everywhere and children are their prey.

*Catholic teens who received death threats for a snippet of a video that did not show the whole truth, and the ensuing horrible and vile comments from adults. When did it become okay for grown adults to make death threats to children? No apologies from the media for instigating this hate.

*New York state passing a bill that allows the taking of innocent lives right up until birth. How is it that one baby can be cut out of its mother’s womb because she doesn’t want “it”, but across town, a baby still in the womb is having life-saving surgery to fix a defect before being born? Life is life, that doesn’t change regardless of how the mother “feels”. Everyone who shouts it is a woman’s “reproductive right” to abort her child, knows it is taking an innocent life. We all know.

*In Oregon, a child with autism was locked out of the school by the school’s principal. The principal then instructed staff to not open the doors. None of the staff helped the child, instead choosing to look away, but when a fellow student had compassion and let the boy in, that child was suspended for two days for his kindness.

These are stories that came up in my newsfeed today. An overwhelming portion of sadness, frustration, and anger. I find myself wondering what has happened? When did it become the norm in society for evil and selfishness to flourish? For lies and brutality to become common?

This world full of brokenness is spinning crazily on its axis. The dizziness of sin causing me to feel sick, and yet I am reminded that evil in this world is not new, nor should it be surprising. Thankfully, as a Christ follower, I know how this story is going to end. “I <Jesus>have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

 Be sure of this. In the last days, hard times will come. People will love themselves. They will love money. They will talk about themselves and be proud. They will say wrong things about people. They will not obey their parents. They will not be thankful. They will not keep anything holy. They will have no love. They will not agree with anybody. They will tell lies about people. They will have no self-control. They will beat people. They will not love anything that is good. They cannot be trusted. They will act quickly, without thinking. They are proud of themselves. They love to have fun more than they love God. They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God’s power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Faith In God

My husband is leading the Wednesday night Bible study.

His words continue to replay in my thoughts.

“What does it mean to have faith?” 

What do you place your faith in? Who do you place your faith in?

Faith in God and His Son, Jesus.

Faith in the One, who is who He says He is.

Faith in His unchangeable character.

Faith in His sovereignty.

Faith that nothing is impossible for Him, or through Him.

Believing in Him, trusting in Him, because without Him there is no real faith.

Faith in things, or other people, or in ones self….is empty.

I am weak, but He is strong.

I am fickle, but He is the Rock.

I know so little, but He is all knowing.

I am quick to anger, but He is long-suffering, patient.

I give up and want to quit, He knows no limits.

Without this faith, it is impossible to please God.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NIV

 

 

 

 

Do Not Be Anxious About Anything

I remember reading a book, years ago, entitled Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff. This book talked about not getting stressed over stuff that in the big scheme of things, really isn’t all that important.

Sometimes easier said than done…at least in my world. Sigh…….

I tend to stress. I fret. I worry. I mull things over until my head hurts. I’ve even at times affected by health because of stress. There are mornings when I get up and half way through my morning routine realize that my shoulders are hiked up practically to my ears! I tell myself to take a deep breath and relax, as my shoulders loosen up ever so slightly.

God tells me in His word that I’m not going to add any time to my days by worrying. Stressing really is the thief of peace.

Honestly, I want to learn that lesson. I want to internalize it. I want to live it.

What am I really saying to God when I continue to worry and stress about the future, as well as the day to day?

“God, I know You are big, but not big enough”.

The hiss of fear wraps itself in my worry. The pain of stress weighs heavy.

God, forgive me.

But, Jesus who loves me so, whispers to my heart…..”You are mine. I bought you for a price. No matter what happens in this life, I am with you. I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. You are my redeemed. My child……..and I’ve got you covered. Once and for all.”

 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 

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Today I am thankful for: 

* blazing pinks and purples in the morning sky

* sun peeking over the horizon

* waiting for a rainy day

* a slow, quiet Monday

* smiles

* new friends

* laughter

* reminiscing

* comfy t-shirt

* piles of laundry

* furry pets

* clucking chickens

* grass getting greener

* God who IS big enough

* Jesus who stands in the gap

 

 

I Realize…

Today’s writing prompt pertains to the life journey. At Faith Jam we spend time discussing what God is doing in our lives,  how He has changed us, how we have grown, and what we have learned through the process.

 Writing prompt: What I’m Learning About Myself.

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The Top 10 Things That I Have Learned About Myself And Life…..

1. I realize that life is short. When looking through the scope of eternity, whether we take one short breath in this world, or live to be one hundred years…it is all brief in the scope of eternity.

When my grandparents passed, my first husband died of an incurable heart disease, or when my father ended his life too soon, I realized that it doesn’t really matter how long someone has….it never seems enough. All relationships end. No one really likes to think about it, but it is true. When walking down the aisle, eyes full of love, the words “until death do us part” don’t seem real. Until it happens to you. And it will. No one makes it out alive. I know some of you are probably thinking how morbid I sound, but if one can’t live with the knowing that it won’t be forever, they will never fully appreciate the moments they have. Sure, the small irritations of life, are still there, but the perspective changes. I look at relationships with different eyes now. This perspective makes life richer.

2. Tell the people you love, that you love them. You need to say it, and they need to hear it. All the time. Every day. Don’t let things go unsaid, because regret is a bitter pill to swallow, and no one likes the taste.

3. Say you are sorry. It is humbling. I am not perfect, and neither are you. It is okay to be wrong sometimes. Just admit it.

4. There is always good to appreciate. I’ve always been a voracious reader. My life has been consumed with the written word. About three years ago, I came across One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. There are only a handful of books that have changed my life. (the first and most important, the Bible) Ann’s book talks about how all of life is a gift and we need to list out our thanks to God for all the ways He gives us daily gifts. It was life changing for me, because she opened my eyes to true appreciation and thankfulness for God’s blessings.

5. Music transcends. Music touches the soul, like nothing else can.

6. I try to keep my heart tender towards others. Yes, I’ve gotten teased because I cry at TV shows or Hallmark commercials. I don’t like for people to cry alone…I’m right there with them.

7.God loves me. He loves you. He loves us so much that He took our place on a cross. A cross that was the bridge between us and God. There is nothing in this world that will ever be more important than this relationship. People have said, “I’d die for my faith”, and that is true, but I’d much rather live my faith. Every day for Him. If I had nothing else in this life, I’d realize that HE is enough.

8.Friendships are important, they are the glue of life. Laughter, talking, goofing, hugging, shopping, joking, crying, sharing….. true friendships are awesome. Cultivate them whenever possible. They are worth it. My husband is my best friend, and I am thankful every day that we were brought together.

9.I love nature. It brings me a deep peace to walk outside and see God’s creativity. I realize how small I am in this big world. I stand amazed. Even feeding the animals becomes less of a chore and more of a joy when the perspective is one of amazement.

10. Spend time each day doing what you love. It will make you a better person, and it will bring you joy and that will show to others.

 

A Meaningful Nugget

This particular post is just going to be free thought, my words tumbling out like the white capped waves of the rapids. Sometimes I just get in the mood to write, but I don’t have anything profound to say. I just want to write…and really at times when I do this I usually find some meaningful nugget in the middle of the mess. I should make that my motto,”Finding A Meaningful Nugget In The Middle Of The Mess”. I like it. I could make it into a sign and hang it over the doorway.

Don’t we all have times where we wonder if we are the only one? The only one that feels a certain way? The only one that feels scared or nervous? Or goofy or nuts? The one that is a hot mess.  The one who can dish out wise words in one breath and then feel like a 16 year old trapped in an adult body in the next? How in the world can I be expected to make rational decisions when in my head I don’t feel I know what I am doing?! Sigh. And no, before you think anything, I do not have a split personality….although at times, it might seem that way. Come on, admit it. You feel that way sometimes.

Life is a lot like that. New situations. New people. New chances.  Not sure of what the future might hold, but diving in any how. Even if I don’t always have it all planned out, and am not sure how it all will turn out. None of us really know, do we? I mean we can hope and plan, and pray, but we are not the ones in control. We never were. I need to think about that some more. Sometimes letting go is a lot more freeing then desperately attempting to control the circumstances of life. I’m not saying I shouldn’t plan, because to me planning is being responsible. Just a note to myself to remember God is the one in control. The closer I stay to Him, the better off I’ll be. There, that is it. The meaningful nugget! Be close to God.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4  NIV

 

Writing For Five Minutes

Today’s prompt for Five Minute Friday is WRITE.  If you want to join us at Five Minute Friday, remember to write for five minutes and don’t worry about mistakes or grammar. Just share.

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I have to laugh. My mom kept a lot of my notes, letters, and cards, written through out my growing up years. One of my early writing attempts was an “I’m sorry” letter to her. Evidently, I had misbehaved, got caught, felt remorse and was now begging for mercy. As a child and teen I kept journals (not diaries!) about everything and nothing at all. Periodically I will look back through my journals and spend time both laughing and crying. When I got to college, my DayTimer/Calendar book became my journal. I’d fill dates in with what I had done, or needed to do. I highlighted, made smiley faces and had an ample amount of exclamation points for emphasis on the really good stuff. My life, in all its glory, covered in glitter gel pen.

Years later, as an adult in my late 30’s, I began to blog. It was if the door of heaven had opened. An opportunity to write…and to be read. To share my quirky humor, vast knowledge (ha!), and day to day happenings. Could it get any better than this? Later on this year, I will have been blogging for eight years. Eight years can seem like a small number or a lifetime, I guess it depends on who is considering it. My blog has evolved into posts written about my faith. My walk with the Lord is written out for all to see, and shouldn’t it be that way for all of us?  The longer I write, the more I realize…writers and readers, we aren’t all that different. My words pour out through my keyboard, and are read on computer screens all over the world, bonded together through the Word.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5  NIV

 

 

Beloved

Today’s word at Faith Barista is BELOVED.    

Dearly loved.

Adored.

Cherished.

Prized.

Highly regarded.

Esteemed.

Words that not many of us feel on a regular basis. 

This world has a way of telling us the exact opposite.

Not worthy. Ordinary. Nothing special. Plain.

Don’t listen to the world. Don’t let the lies break your heart.

Christ changed everything. For you. For me. For us all.

For those that have chosen the gift of salvation through His grace…He calls us His.

Children of the KING.

The REDEEMED. The WORTHY. The LOVED.

His beloved……for now and for always.

 

Romans 5:8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Word Up!

Today, over at Faith Barista we are posting our personal word for 2014. What is the one word that has significance for this year? For me? What word sums up what I am striving for in 2014, just as this year begins to unfold? To be honest, I could spend days mulling this over, as I am wont to do. I’ve decided to not do that this time. I’m picking a word that I’ve been thinking about already, regardless of the new year. That word is……

RELATIONSHIP

Last night I was reading and came across this quote from John Milton… “Loneliness is the first thing which God’s eye named not good.”   Genesis 2:18  The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.I will make a helper suitable for him.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the very beginning we were created for relationship.

Then this morning I read my Jesus Calling devotion by Sarah Young. “I AM WITH YOU AND FOR YOU.”  God is our place of safety. He gives us strength. He is always there to help us in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1 

God is here. He always has my best interest at heart. His love is all encompassing. My creator wants relationship with me. To Him, I matter.

I can rest in Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Memories Of The Moment

I was born in 1968, on a beautiful spring day, when many of our men and women were fighting in Vietnam. I grew up singing Simon and Garfunkel’s Sound of Silence in elementary music class, I watched Free To Be, You and Me with Marlo Thomas, and caught the Kroft Super Show on Saturday mornings, well before cable was the norm. As a teen, I listened to Michael Jackson’s, Thriller, and loved Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future. I had excellent grades in high school. Life was good.

I didn’t know war. It was always some place else.

I graduated from college in 1990. I was teaching at my first “real” job. I had my own apartment, car, and was taking care of myself as an independent adult. Twenty-two seemed old and young all at the same time. The Gulf War started and I watched the news coverage. I had my students write letters to the soldiers. I became a pen pal to a young man who was my age. He was a native Iowan, named Pete. We talked of sand, and scud missiles, and the autumn beauty of Iowa. I told him about my classroom at school, how I loved teaching and the leaves changing on the east Tennessee mountains. I wanted him to remember what home felt like….even in the midst of the heat and feeling so alone.

I didn’t know war, except through Pete’s man-boy scrawl. The war was someplace else.

It was 2001. That Tuesday morning started like any other, early September day. It was sunny and calm. My classroom was active with the wiggles that come from corralling energetic elementary school children. Little did I know that the minutes were ticking down on normal. Things were about to change…and my memories of the moments that were about to occur would be forever etched in both my mind and heart. I remember running to the office where there was a TV in the school conference room. I saw the planes hit, I distinctly remember the sinking feeling in my gut. The memories of pacing the floor in disbelief and uttering, “Are we at war?”

With these attacks, this horrible tragedy…war came home…and it has changed me.

Changed us.

Forever.

O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.  Psalm 30:2

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Remembering those who were lost on this tragic day, twelve years ago. Remembering the police, coast guard, firefighters, and civilians that served that day, and some that paid the ultimate price. Remembering the servicemen and women who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom.

 

And You Say, “I AM”

Today I was listening to my Nicole Nordeman CD in the car. I often do this, on my way to work.

 

 

Her beautiful voice lifted my spirit as she sang, I AM.

 

That particular song inspired me to write my own words, mimicking the theme of I AM.

 

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When life becomes tough and the edges are rough

 

When I wonder how I’ll make it through…

 

I cry, “Heart mender, my Defender….capture my tears just as they fall.”

 

And You say, “I am”.

 

On days that are light, and the sunshine is bright

 

When everything is going just right….

 

I cry, “God my Creator, Personal Savior….hear my praises.”

 

And You say, “I am”.

 

When I am overwhelmed, wondering whose at the helm

 

Watching the waves crashing all around…

 

I cry, “My Rock and Redeemer, grab my hand….”

 

And you say, “I am”.

 

As the years pass by and I find myself sigh

 

as time etches wrinkles, where youth had once been

 

I cry, “Awe Maker, Star Gazer, Question Taker…hold me, if you can”

 

and You say, “I am”.

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.'”  Exodus 3:14 NIV

 

 

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