Have you ever gotten so busy that you forgot to eat? I have and it really felt good to be in that "zone". I felt productive and purposeful. Unfortunately, too many days like that leave your body weak, your mind "fuzzy", and your patience thin resulting in less productivity overall.
The bible warns us not to "grow weary in well doing, for in due season, if [we] faint not, [we] will reap a reward". In order for our body not to grow weary we have to nourish it with food, so it is with your spirit. Spiritual food is time spent with God; in prayer, in bible reading, in meditation on His Word, in devotions. However you best connect with God, it is important to your overall health, productivity and well-being to do it some every day.
Years ago my husband swore that he was closest to God on the lake. I would get so upset with him when he would head out to the lake on Sunday mornings instead of going to church with me, but for him, the lake was "church". The stillness in the early morning and God's creation surrounding him was peaceful and to Tommy, peace was equated with God. I didn't understand it but i prayed hard that God would shut my mouth and open my heart. Finally, after many years, my husband goes to church with me most Sunday mornings. But he still visits God in his own way too. That is his spiritual food.
For me, it is waking early, before the house is full of the "busy-ness" of two preteen girls and homeschooling and ministry obligations and such. It is reading God's Word then "writing it out" to digest it. I talk to God all day long in one form or another, but it isn't the same as sitting down purposefully and spending time with Him. I think the purposeful part is what honors God and nourishes my soul and my spirit.
So, how do you nourish your spirit? I ask because sometimes we forget to "eat" in the hustle and bustle of our days, even those days spent doing "God's work". In order to not grow weary in well doing, we have to use wisdom and nourish ourselves, body, mind and spirit.
Peace -
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Thankful
Like the Pilgrims in the beginning, and so many other families this season, we gathered together to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvests in our life. Most harvests in this modern day are not those of planted seed crops and successful hunts, but I think this year maybe ours was in a way. We thanked God for the health and recovery of my nephew Christopher, who had just a week before been in a terrible auto accident. The news of his injuries brought many who knew him, or were asked to pray by a friend or relative, to their knees planting seeds of hope and healing through faith. On Thanksgiving Day, just one week after the accident, we gave thanks for a harvest of answered prayer evidenced by Christopher’s being able to sit up, speak, eat, walk and talk. He is on the road to a full recovery; I know, because those are the seeds of faith that we planted.
Additionally, we gave thanks for a successful “hunt”. You see, my sister Cher asked one of her friends who is a genealogist to find our twin sisters that we had not seen since 1969. The circumstance of their not being a part of our life was sketchy, even more so the place they might have grown up and the people who might have raised them, still Cher and her wonderful friend Rye began a hunt that would end successfully after two years on October 10, 2008. Our sisters were found. We emailed and sent pictures at first until November 1, 2008 which was my birthday. Talking to my now grown sisters who once were my “doll babies” was one of the best birthday presents I could have ever wished for.
And on Thanksgiving, we all gathered together at our littlest sister, Bobbie’s, home for the best Thanksgiving ever; 7 sisters, 6 husbands (one had to work and we missed him sorely), 12 nephews, 10 nieces, 1 future daughter-in-law, 1 future son-in-law, 1 grand-daughter/niece, and one father- in –law; 39 of us together to give thanks. God is indeed good.
We gave thanks for our bountiful harvests of love and hope and triumph over trials, for the health and well being of our families and friends, for bringing us all together again. We thanked God for another year together and for many years to come as He wills. We thanked God for traveling mercies as some traveled from far away and before we left we prayed for peace and strength and God’s protection as we went our separate ways.
We had much to be thankful for this year; these were just the “big two”. God is so good to us all in so many ways. While bad things happen that we don’t understand and can’t explain, it helps to know that (Rom 8:28) “in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.” (All of Romans, chapter 8, addresses these times really, and knowing God’s word ALWAYS helps.) It helps to know that while we don’t understand or like what is going on sometimes, God is still God and will love us through whatever we are going through and will love us however we feel about it.
I’m so thankful that His love for me is not dependant on how good or bad I am. The day I learned that was a day of freedom for me and one I am ever thankful for. There is so much that I'm thankful for, in fact, I strive towards "thanks-living"; living everyday thankful for the big little things that get overlooked. I'm thankful, and i tell God so, for sight, and for the ability to taste and feel and hear. I'm thankful for running water and inside plumbing. I'm thankful that i have a washer and dryer and don't have to lug my clothes to the laundry mat or wash them in the tub because i have done both and each is a lot of work. I'm also thankful for work; work for my hands and my mind, work for my children so they will grow up thankful and work for my husband that pays well enough for me to stay home and care for the children. I'm thankful for my children and husband and sisters and brothers and nieces and nephews and aunts and uncles and cousins and my dad and step-mom and the time i had with my mom before she passed. I'm so thankful for my friends, homeschooling community, church family and online friends. It amazes me how the technology of today makes us so much closer and I'm thankful for all the good ways that we can find to use this technology. I'm thankful for America and the freedoms and rights that i have always been blessed to know; like the right to pursue happiness, not the right to happiness, but the right to pursue happiness and the certainty that i am not just a pawn in some cosmic chess game, but my opinions and actions count. That is something to be thankful for to be sure.
Yes- I was thankful on Thursday, November 27, 2008 and I'm thankful today and i will be thankful tomorrow. While i know bad things can and will happen in this life, i rest in God knowing that while i don't like or understand everything that happens in this life, He has a plan. Romans chapter 8 tells me so. Specifically, Romans 8:28 says " We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose."
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day and i hope even more that you have a great "thanks-living" day today.
Peace-
Like the Pilgrims in the beginning, and so many other families this season, we gathered together to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvests in our life. Most harvests in this modern day are not those of planted seed crops and successful hunts, but I think this year maybe ours was in a way. We thanked God for the health and recovery of my nephew Christopher, who had just a week before been in a terrible auto accident. The news of his injuries brought many who knew him, or were asked to pray by a friend or relative, to their knees planting seeds of hope and healing through faith. On Thanksgiving Day, just one week after the accident, we gave thanks for a harvest of answered prayer evidenced by Christopher’s being able to sit up, speak, eat, walk and talk. He is on the road to a full recovery; I know, because those are the seeds of faith that we planted.
Additionally, we gave thanks for a successful “hunt”. You see, my sister Cher asked one of her friends who is a genealogist to find our twin sisters that we had not seen since 1969. The circumstance of their not being a part of our life was sketchy, even more so the place they might have grown up and the people who might have raised them, still Cher and her wonderful friend Rye began a hunt that would end successfully after two years on October 10, 2008. Our sisters were found. We emailed and sent pictures at first until November 1, 2008 which was my birthday. Talking to my now grown sisters who once were my “doll babies” was one of the best birthday presents I could have ever wished for.
And on Thanksgiving, we all gathered together at our littlest sister, Bobbie’s, home for the best Thanksgiving ever; 7 sisters, 6 husbands (one had to work and we missed him sorely), 12 nephews, 10 nieces, 1 future daughter-in-law, 1 future son-in-law, 1 grand-daughter/niece, and one father- in –law; 39 of us together to give thanks. God is indeed good.
We gave thanks for our bountiful harvests of love and hope and triumph over trials, for the health and well being of our families and friends, for bringing us all together again. We thanked God for another year together and for many years to come as He wills. We thanked God for traveling mercies as some traveled from far away and before we left we prayed for peace and strength and God’s protection as we went our separate ways.
We had much to be thankful for this year; these were just the “big two”. God is so good to us all in so many ways. While bad things happen that we don’t understand and can’t explain, it helps to know that (Rom 8:28) “in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.” (All of Romans, chapter 8, addresses these times really, and knowing God’s word ALWAYS helps.) It helps to know that while we don’t understand or like what is going on sometimes, God is still God and will love us through whatever we are going through and will love us however we feel about it.
I’m so thankful that His love for me is not dependant on how good or bad I am. The day I learned that was a day of freedom for me and one I am ever thankful for. There is so much that I'm thankful for, in fact, I strive towards "thanks-living"; living everyday thankful for the big little things that get overlooked. I'm thankful, and i tell God so, for sight, and for the ability to taste and feel and hear. I'm thankful for running water and inside plumbing. I'm thankful that i have a washer and dryer and don't have to lug my clothes to the laundry mat or wash them in the tub because i have done both and each is a lot of work. I'm also thankful for work; work for my hands and my mind, work for my children so they will grow up thankful and work for my husband that pays well enough for me to stay home and care for the children. I'm thankful for my children and husband and sisters and brothers and nieces and nephews and aunts and uncles and cousins and my dad and step-mom and the time i had with my mom before she passed. I'm so thankful for my friends, homeschooling community, church family and online friends. It amazes me how the technology of today makes us so much closer and I'm thankful for all the good ways that we can find to use this technology. I'm thankful for America and the freedoms and rights that i have always been blessed to know; like the right to pursue happiness, not the right to happiness, but the right to pursue happiness and the certainty that i am not just a pawn in some cosmic chess game, but my opinions and actions count. That is something to be thankful for to be sure.
Yes- I was thankful on Thursday, November 27, 2008 and I'm thankful today and i will be thankful tomorrow. While i know bad things can and will happen in this life, i rest in God knowing that while i don't like or understand everything that happens in this life, He has a plan. Romans chapter 8 tells me so. Specifically, Romans 8:28 says " We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose."
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day and i hope even more that you have a great "thanks-living" day today.
Peace-
Monday, November 3, 2008
PRAYER FOR THIS ELECTION
Please join me in prayer for our country as we face the most historical election of our time.
Whether you are conservative or liberal, republican or democrat, man or woman, regardless of race or creed,i hope you will join in prayer for the welfare of our land.
Father God I ask that you help us to all remember that it is never too late for You to hear our prayer, and knowing this, help us call on You in this, our country’s time of decision. (2 Chronicles 7:14 However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country (God’s Word paraphrase.) Please forgive us as a nation for sinning against you and help us to truly repent as a nation and turn our hearts back to God, Country, and Family.
I come to you in thanks and praise for this life and this country. Lord, I thank you for the freedoms and rights we have as Americans and for the liberties that were fought so hard for over the history of this nation. I pray for peace and unity once again in this great country, America. I pray that You would have your way in our government, in our communities, in our people and that whomever is elected, it would be Your will. I pray that You would strengthen Your people to vote according to Your good will and that You would help us a as nation to gather round our leaders and support them, showing the world a that we are still, and will always be "The Land of The Free and The Home of The Brave", and “One Nation Under GOD.”
Father, give our leaders strength, courage, and wisdom. Help them to be men and women of great faith and conviction. I pray that You would send angels to protect them as they govern this land and that You would bless and protect their families as well.
Lord, most of all I pray that You have YOUR way in this election on every level; nationally, statewide and in each community. Help us to all remember that no matter who sits in The White House, YOU SIT ON THE THRONE.
I ask these things in Jesus’ name, amen
Whether you are conservative or liberal, republican or democrat, man or woman, regardless of race or creed,i hope you will join in prayer for the welfare of our land.
Father God I ask that you help us to all remember that it is never too late for You to hear our prayer, and knowing this, help us call on You in this, our country’s time of decision. (2 Chronicles 7:14 However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country (God’s Word paraphrase.) Please forgive us as a nation for sinning against you and help us to truly repent as a nation and turn our hearts back to God, Country, and Family.
I come to you in thanks and praise for this life and this country. Lord, I thank you for the freedoms and rights we have as Americans and for the liberties that were fought so hard for over the history of this nation. I pray for peace and unity once again in this great country, America. I pray that You would have your way in our government, in our communities, in our people and that whomever is elected, it would be Your will. I pray that You would strengthen Your people to vote according to Your good will and that You would help us a as nation to gather round our leaders and support them, showing the world a that we are still, and will always be "The Land of The Free and The Home of The Brave", and “One Nation Under GOD.”
Father, give our leaders strength, courage, and wisdom. Help them to be men and women of great faith and conviction. I pray that You would send angels to protect them as they govern this land and that You would bless and protect their families as well.
Lord, most of all I pray that You have YOUR way in this election on every level; nationally, statewide and in each community. Help us to all remember that no matter who sits in The White House, YOU SIT ON THE THRONE.
I ask these things in Jesus’ name, amen
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
writing my life
Well, I’m doing it. I'm finally committing to writing my memoirs, or autobiography. Not sure how this will all play out because I’m not all together certain that anyone cares except those closest to me who wonder why I am what I am, however, my spirit is unsettled and after much prayerful consideration, my answer seems to be to put the past in its rightful place so that I can move on. I thought I had, but perhaps this will put it in perspective for me? I don't know why, I only know I have to do this. I have decided that I will write as the memories come and edit before I let anyone read it. My intent is not to harm anyone and so I will not share the original draft. I guess if my kids choose to read it after I die that is up to them, but I learned after reading my moms journals (after she died) that some things are best left unsaid. Not that she said anything wrong, but they were her thoughts and feelings that she didn't share with us for a reason and those reasons were hers. She had a right to her private feelings and thoughts and consequently, I had no right to judge them before or after her death. I suppose this is more meant to be cathartic for me than explanatory to anyone else.
I have been asked though, by several women if I would ever tell my whole story that they would love to read it. Seems some of the things I went through have encouraged those who know me now after the storm. That makes me feel better; that God could use the pain I went through to help heal another women's pain. It may as well be used so that it had some sort of meaning.
So, I will go now to begin. This was possibly just a ploy to procrastinate a moment because the thought of putting it all on paper (or in the computer) is really scary for me. I left those monsters in the past for a reason. Maybe now though, I can really slay the dragons and through God's help, I can really be victorious over the thoughts that hold me back and the habits formed so long ago. Perhaps I will find the happy memories outweigh the sad ones, the good outweigh the bad, and will have a whole different view of my childhood and adolescence.
Hmmmm? I guess only time will tell.
I have been asked though, by several women if I would ever tell my whole story that they would love to read it. Seems some of the things I went through have encouraged those who know me now after the storm. That makes me feel better; that God could use the pain I went through to help heal another women's pain. It may as well be used so that it had some sort of meaning.
So, I will go now to begin. This was possibly just a ploy to procrastinate a moment because the thought of putting it all on paper (or in the computer) is really scary for me. I left those monsters in the past for a reason. Maybe now though, I can really slay the dragons and through God's help, I can really be victorious over the thoughts that hold me back and the habits formed so long ago. Perhaps I will find the happy memories outweigh the sad ones, the good outweigh the bad, and will have a whole different view of my childhood and adolescence.
Hmmmm? I guess only time will tell.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
I VOTE
I’m an unwed mother of 4.
I’m on welfare for now, but I’m working to get out of this hell.
I just need help for a while,
AND I VOTE.
I’m CFO of a Fortune 500 company.
I have a few more rungs to climb before I reach the top.
I spend time with my friends, I work,
AND I VOTE.
I’m a stay at home mom,
Wife to a good man who works his butt off for his family
We both sacrifice so that I can be home, but we love our kids.
AND I VOTE.
I’m a recent high school graduate.
I make $6.00 an hour and eat peanut butter three nights a week so I can save for college.
But I won’t make $6.00 an hour forever.
AND I VOTE.
I am black, and white, and Hispanic.
I’m the minority, and the majority and the statistic so lovingly labeled “other”.
I read, watch television, pay my bills and my taxes.
I spend money and my time in many different ways.
I laugh, I cry, I notice what’s going on around me.
AND I VOTE.
I matter to my mama
Because I exist.
I matter to politicians,
BECAUSE I VOTE.
To be an American is an awesome privilege.
To be an American is an awesome responsibility.
America is the land of the free, BECAUSE I VOTE!
I’m an unwed mother of 4.
I’m on welfare for now, but I’m working to get out of this hell.
I just need help for a while,
AND I VOTE.
I’m CFO of a Fortune 500 company.
I have a few more rungs to climb before I reach the top.
I spend time with my friends, I work,
AND I VOTE.
I’m a stay at home mom,
Wife to a good man who works his butt off for his family
We both sacrifice so that I can be home, but we love our kids.
AND I VOTE.
I’m a recent high school graduate.
I make $6.00 an hour and eat peanut butter three nights a week so I can save for college.
But I won’t make $6.00 an hour forever.
AND I VOTE.
I am black, and white, and Hispanic.
I’m the minority, and the majority and the statistic so lovingly labeled “other”.
I read, watch television, pay my bills and my taxes.
I spend money and my time in many different ways.
I laugh, I cry, I notice what’s going on around me.
AND I VOTE.
I matter to my mama
Because I exist.
I matter to politicians,
BECAUSE I VOTE.
To be an American is an awesome privilege.
To be an American is an awesome responsibility.
America is the land of the free, BECAUSE I VOTE!
The Land of Should- a poem
I don’t want to live in the land of “I should”
The land of “I might”
The land of “I could”
I choose to live in the land of “I will”
The land of “I can”
It gives me a thrill
just tapping these words into the reality of a white page
In those other lands I was filled with sadness and rage.
Now I live in “I will” and “I can” and “I do”
and when I live there my reality is true
When I traverse back to “I should” or “I must”
My creativity is stifled
My energy is bust
The land of “I shouldn’t” or “I can’t” is untrue
I can
But sometimes I just don’t want to
And that’s okay in the land of “I can”
It is my choice here, not some “ought”, “must” or “should”
It is my choice here and choice is good.
by - Andora Henson
written in 2006 or 2007 (not sure as i didn't date the original)
The land of “I might”
The land of “I could”
I choose to live in the land of “I will”
The land of “I can”
It gives me a thrill
just tapping these words into the reality of a white page
In those other lands I was filled with sadness and rage.
Now I live in “I will” and “I can” and “I do”
and when I live there my reality is true
When I traverse back to “I should” or “I must”
My creativity is stifled
My energy is bust
The land of “I shouldn’t” or “I can’t” is untrue
I can
But sometimes I just don’t want to
And that’s okay in the land of “I can”
It is my choice here, not some “ought”, “must” or “should”
It is my choice here and choice is good.
by - Andora Henson
written in 2006 or 2007 (not sure as i didn't date the original)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)