Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Intentions without works mean little.
I wrote an essay for a contest. I missed the deadline, again. I had the best of intention, even prepared for the act of submitting, but in the end, i waited too long and missed the deadline like i do with so many other things.
Do you find yourself with great intentions, lists full of hopeful plans and goals, think often of someone you want to call or write, and then look back after the time has passed to do all of the things you hoped to?
I hope i am the only one with this dilemma because unmet intentions, however good, eats at the soul like acid eats metal. A promise unkept, especially to oneself eats at the character the same way.
Sometimes, the consequences are more than a missed deadline, but a missed love, a lost opportunity to share with someone who may never pass this way again.
Tell that person you love them while you can, call the friend that has been on your heart- now, not tomorrow or after the dishes and laundry are finished, write to the relative you've been meaning to comfort or forgive, and submit your stories for the world to see- ungiven gifts, unkept promises, and unshared love are the saddest things and they weigh us down like lead.
peace to you -
Read more: http://restyourself.pnn.com/14036-dreams-and-dreamers#ixzz0VmWGhLN9
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Anointed Rest Yourself Weekend
This event was anointed! The speakers not only met but exceeded expectations by leaps and bounds. The food and service was amazing and the fellowship was the kind that not only warmed us while we were there but most of us will take with us long into the future in the way of new relationships in our personal and business lives. Our spirits rested and were indeed refreshed. Some of the comments by vendors, attendees, and volunteers included:
The Holy Spirit has indeed been with us this weekend "," This was so much fun, I will certainly be back in February and "I needed this. Thank you for inviting me."
My comment about this weekend is that it was indeed anointed. It was a spiritual renewal for me in a way I didn't even know I needed or wanted. I feel blessed by the friends that were there in so many ways, and by the new friends I made there that will hopefully remain a part of my life for many seasons. I didn't get a lot of physical rest, because sometimes the work of The Holy Spirit takes time and energy, but I'm so happy that the work was began. I felt elegant and pretty this weekend among many beautiful women and that is not a feeling I have often. I normally feel rather plain and boring but there was an air of grace and beauty at this event that I know came from within each one present and culminated in the very real experience of beauty and grace.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Nourishment
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 -
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 -
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-
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