Merry CHRISTmas 2014

Christmas 2014

Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20

This Christmas is a hard one. 

My beloved brother-in-law who I have spoke of on here before

passed in March this year after 8 years battling CHF. 

His last 7-8 weeks on this earth were not easy,

For him or anyone who loved him.

So this being our first Christmas without him here, 

is especially hard and kind of strange to be honest.

I also have a brother who has been in heaven now for over 5 years. 

Hard to believe that either of them are gone. 

Let alone all other loved ones who have passed. 

Some many many years ago...my lifetime. 

We are at my sister's 

where we always spent Christmas, 

at least in my lifetime.

Things have changed in the last 3 years

due to family and change, which, I guess happens. 

So this makes things harder, just.....because it does. 

However as I laid in bed last night and stared at my sister's 

Christmas tree and her fireplace with her beautiful decorated mantel,

 I was reminded of Jesus and the night of his birth. 

Oh how I wish I could have been there!! 

Can you imagine being able to transport yourself to this moment? 

Like in the movies when someone is able to beam themselves 

to a past time in history, I would love to be able to do this! 

To be there to witness the entire history event of Christ's birth!

I love babies so no doubt I would have wanted to hold him, 

give Mary some advice no doubt!! 

But would I have? 

Maybe knowing what I know, I would just have sat there, 

 and watched it played out like a stage play. 

In awe, not able to speak. 

Or would I have yelled at the Inn keeper? 

Knowing what was about to happen, 

would I have ran up to him and said, 

"You idiot!! Do you know WHO this is?!?!!?"

(anyone who knows me, knows I WOULD do this!)

Or would I have at least told the Inn Keeper to heat up some water 

and fetch me a towel or two, we are about to have a baby!! 

THE BABY!! 

No, I think I would have let it play out exactly like it did. 

After all, God ordained it exactly like it happen. 

And He knows way better than I why things happen the way they do! 

Matthew 11:27

"All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God,-All-knowing#sthash.T6l5XRQy.dpuf

 Matthew 11:27

Matthew 11:27

"All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God,-All-knowing#sthash.T6l5XRQy.dpuf

I don't understand them always. 

Like Jesus birth. 

Why was the Inn Keeper Cold and Heartless

 to a young pregnant woman 

and her husband on such a cold night ? 

Why did a King have to be born in a stable? 

Why? 

Some things are not meant to be understood. 

Birth, Life, Death.  

Some things, we just believe. 

We know they just ..... Are.

All I know is He WAS Born! 

And for me and my faith

I rejoice in that fact.

It's what makes me get up every morning. 

He gives me my life. 

My very breath. 

I celebrate Him. 

I Worship Him. 

Everything about Him.

The way He was born.

His Life. 

The way He died.

What He did for me. 

Christmas is the one season that makes me 

realize that He came down to me, us

as a baby to make Himself known to mankind. 

He grew into a man who was perfect in every way

and died a horrible death so that I (we) 

could be set free! 

When I think of my loved ones spending Christmas in Heaven

I can't think of a better place to be! 

Rejoicing and Singing Praises to God Almighty on His Birthday! 

Happy Birthday Jesus! 

Blessed are those who are amongst Him on this day! 

Blessed are those who know Him and Love Him! 

If you do know Him, Close your eyes....

Picture yourself there on that night. 

What do you think you would do? 

And if you are reading this and  do not know the Love of Jesus

Ask Him now to come into your heart. 

Lay down your sins at the foot of that cradle 

and ask the Son of God to forgive you those sins. 

Ask Him into your heart this Christmas! 

And then come, join in the celebration of the reason for this season! 

 Come, Celebrate the One True King! 

Christ the Lord! 

 

It has been a long time since I wrote here. 

I'm sorry for those who do follow me....

Do I have followers? 

I never have comments, Do I have that turned on!? 

LOL, I'm not even sure how this blogging thing works.
I just know when I am moved I come and write. 

It's been a couple months. 

The Lord has moved me in some friendships. 

Wonderful woman!

And, He moved me OUT of some friendships with women.

Funny how God works like that. 

 

Reasons. Seasons. Lifetimes. 

God, I believe, puts people in our lives for 

Reasons, Seasons, Lifetimes. 

 

The older I get, I look at these relationships and wonder....

how will God use this? 

For a specific reason? 

For a season? 

Or will this become a lifetime friend?

However He works it out, 

I want to world to see me as a Christian. 

I want people to look at my friendships 

and my relationships overall

and ask themselves...

Am I missing out on something here? 

This person is a believer and WOW! 

It shows! 

Maybe I should find out what is going on here with all this Christ talk

and see if I need to believe. 

I want others, strangers, family, to look at me and say, 

"what is it? what does she have in this Christ thing that I am missing?

Everything we do should please God.

Our actions, words, jobs, friendships

should reflect God in a way that makes people wonder

 what we got going on.  

 

I'm thankful for the wonderful friends God has placed in my life. 

True, honest girlfriends you can trust. 

They are hard to come by and I have a few! 

Blessed is me! 

 

Pray today for a friend. 

God has one

Just for you

Then watch what He does! 

You'll be amazed! 

Trust Him

Then, make sure your friendship

shows the world, that you are a believer! 

And enjoy the fruits of that relationship! 

 

I promise to get back here and write more....

I miss my thoughts and time with the Lord here.....

Have a wonderful Day! 

Filled with Friendship and Love~

 

 

Sun Rise

God's Mercy and Awesome Power never ceases to amaze me. 

I never liked getting up in the morning, 

not sure I do now, but since I have to to drive both my son and husband to work

God has given me the Sun rise to greet me. 

Oh, I know, He's been rising the sun since the beginning of time, 

I realize that, but I never took the time to SEE IT! 

But, now I do. 

And every morning, I look for the sun rise. 

Its God's way of saying, 

I know you don't like to get up

but look what I did!! 

And so every morning

I search for the sun rise to greet my day. 

And God in His awesome ability never stops to amaze me! 

God is like that no matter what or where we are. 

He wants to greet us and say, "Look what I have for you". 

We have to accept it. 

Have you ever heard the fairy tale of the Prince who found his true love?
She was a common girl. 

Not approved by the Royal family he was a member of. 

So he denounced his title

got on some garb and headed into the woods. 

He found his true love and she loved him for who he was

a common man. 

She had no idea that he gave us his Royal crown for her! 

He wanted her to love him for him

and so that was the only way

To become like her. 

That is what Christ did for us. 

He came here

Lived among us

Suffered all the same stuff we do

Love, hate, joy, sadness, happiness, grief, hope, hopelessness....

all of it. 

He wanted to experience what we would

after all, if he was going to die for us

he wanted to know what it was like to be us

And so, he lived among us

God Himself

came here

as a man

without sin

perfect in every way

yet, living with us

then

He died on a cross so that we never have to die

All we have to do is believe

Believe in who He is! 

The Son of God!

Look at His sunrise! 

He does that for us

And for me! 

yep, every morning when I don't want to be up before the sun

heading out to drive 

He give me a Sun Rise

and reminds me of what He did for me

And all is right with the world....

He is mine and I am His

Look for your Sun Rise Today!

Happy Birthday!

To all of you out there with a Birthday today! 

Happy Birthday! 

We share the same birth-date! 

Good day to be born! 

Good day to be alive! 

Praising God for yet another year of life! 

I'm 52 today. 

I thought I was 53 until I showed my husband my Facebook post and he said, 

"Cute, but you are only 52" 

A friend said, "That's a good sign, 

it means your having to much fun to know or care how old you are".

That is one way to look at it :) 

Life has been good. 

I have clocked 62 miles walking in the last 2 months! 

I only lost 10 lbs (but I need to watch my eating better) 

So, I move on. Kick it up a notch

Eat better, watch more of what I'm putting in my mouth

Walk one more mile a day

and in time, I'll get there! 

I have a wonderful husband. 

A great kid (who finally found a job!!) 

Praising God for that. 

My son needs work that is not customer service related. 

Something where he can get a check sheet of "to do" and just ...do it

Something that he doesn't have anyone watching over his shoulder

Something that makes him feel at the end of the day, "I finished that." 

I have been praying for 14 months since his last job

 that God provide just this type of work for him. 

And last week, he was hired as a temp at a place that provides just this type of work!! 

God is so good. 

When my son said, "The good thing about this job is, 

I can work at my pace, check off my sheet and no one is watching over my shoulder." 

He had no idea that is EXACTLY what I have been praying for!! 

But God did! 

And he heard that prayer!

14 months is a long time to wait.
And it is only a temp job. 

However, I am hopeful that if this is what God wants

He will keep my son at this place. 

I have great faith that the Lord provides what is needed in this life. 

That includes jobs. 

It also includes life.

Everything about it.
God provides. 

James 1:17 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 

coming down from the Father of lights 

with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

When people would say to my Beloved Brother in law

 who is no longer with us here on earth, 

 "Good to see you Ron"

He would say, "It's good to Be seen!" 

There is so much truth to that!! 

It IS good to be seen. 

Not just on another Birthday, 

but in life. 

On the job.
In school. 

In relationships. 

Everywhere we go, we want to be seen, 

and live another Birthday. 

I can't think of a better time to say Thank you. 

Thank you to the 42 people who read my blog this month. 

If the stats page is right, I had 40 people in the US read my blog

1 in Poland and 1 in Africa! 

WOW! 

That amazes me that this little blog

written from my kitchen table can reach that far and to that many! 

It's a God thing for sure! 

Thank you to each and every person who knows me personally

and touches my life in a positive way. 

Thank you for being there. 

Sharing. Caring. Loving. 

So, today, be it your Birthday or not

Be grateful for another day! 

Be happy that you are where you are in life. 

Even if your circumstances aren't perfect, 

Maybe its been 14 months since that last job. 

Maybe you lost someone dear to you that you love and it hurts. 

Maybe you just aren't sure that God is there, listening.....

I assure you, HE Is!!! 

John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have toward him,

 that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, 

we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

The key, 

To ask God HIS WILL, Not Ours

Hard to do, but, trust Him! 

And be grateful each day to be seen another day! 

Keep Going !!! 3 Miles

I'm going to be a bit dramatic today. 

But I did 3 miles of walking! 

This might be nothing to a TRUE athlete

But for ME, this is huge. 

And at moments, I felt like this saying. 

My back was burning, not sure why. 

My knee kept trying to act up. 

The top of my right foot kept trying to hurt. 

My bottom left foot was trying to bring back my heel spurs. 

I was like

REALLY GOD!! 

Come on! How bad can 3 miles be!?

So, I prayed

Lord, I got my ear buds in

You could not have provided a more beautiful day 

I'm healthy

I'm fat

But I'm healthy over all

I have no big things going on right now

I can walk for heavens sake

Provide me with some encouragement!!! 

So there I was, me, Klove and God

He provides the best music at the best time for me! 

The fact that I give to Klove makes me feel good too! 

Encouraging Klove! 

That is what that station is all about. 

And, it encourages me every morning when I walk. 

The songs talk about Gods Love for me

How he created me

How The Holy Spirit is IN me

When I am walking and my back hurts and I'm discouraged

because all I am burning is 300-400 calories and lost 

maybe 10-12 lbs, He just reminds me that I am His. 

And that as long as I give it to Him

He will see me through. 

I have to remember that I didn't get this weight in 3 months

I've been this weight since I think high school!! 

So, its not going to take hum, not sure how many years but 

its not going to take THAT long to lose some of it !! 

(Lord I hope not! I won't be alive by then anyway!) 

God's not dead. 

God is Alive.

Your Love is like a Diamond

Your love bursts inside me

You Love me

You care for me

You created me

You care about me

You are with me

You will never leave me

I surrender to You Lord

Take me and make me an offering to your desire

Use me, Shape me, Mold me

God, help me

Be with me

Never let me forget how much you love me

Make me a burning bush for your kingdom! 

And most of all Lord

Thank you

Thank you for the ability to push on

That unless I am fainting, puking or dying

Let me, even in those circumstances

Live for YOU and YOU alone! 

May God have all the Glory in all I do

Really Lord? Walking this early?

Corinthians 6:19 NKJV

¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit 
who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 

 As I have begun my walking routine in the morning
This verse has come to mind through songs I hear on KLOVE 
my local Christian radio station that I listen to as I walk. 
Now mind you, I'm not power walking.
 I am walking at a speed of about
2.89 mph and walking about 2-3 miles each morning
 in about 45 minutes to an hour. 
So its not rocket science, nor is it considered a "work out".  
(I did some research on what makes up a "work out" and this is not it!)
BUT, for me, this is a huge step in the right direction. 
Now for those reading this that don't know me, I don't like mornings.  
Nor do I like to "exercise"  (if you consider this walking "exercise") 
But for ME, it is exercise and it is morning when I do it. 
And it it is funny how the Holy Spirit grabbed a hold of my ear buds
and makes every song that comes through a beat I can walk to. 
The fast songs I walk faster.
The slower more worship songs, I slow down. 
I average 2.89 mph on my app on my phone. 
For me, this is huge! 
I've lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks. 
Well, actually, I lost 12, but had a fun weekend and gained 2 back :/ 
I've changed my eating style a bit.
No more bread, of any kind.
 I am not eating wheat germ stone dry yuck
so forget it, no bread. 
I also am trying not to drink milk, if I do, its organic. 
I'm eating more protein and less carbs. 
Drinking protein shakes to supplement what I don't get in my day.
For the first time in my life
I have, with the help of the Holy Spirit
Set some goals for weight loss.

 God has been so awesome in this process. 
My doctor said, "it is time, you NEED to lose some weight."
So that is what started this venture. 
And since I knew I could not do it alone, 
I asked God to help. 
And from day one of walking He has done just that! 

I actually get up about 6
I take my husband to the bus stop around 7, come home get my gear on
(consists of a small water bottle, a rag ( for sweat and to swat bees) 
my ear buds, my phone and some Kleenex) 
I am a sight!! 
No makeup, same outfit each  morning 
(It makes me wonder if anyone is sitting in their living room that early and watching me every day go around in the same outfit and thinking, "I hope if she's keeping this up she buys some new walking clothes!" LOL If I lose the weight I want, I WILL Be buying some new walking outfits!) 
  Honestly, I see many people that time of the morning. 
It amazes me how many people are up and walking or running at 715 am!! 
One girl I saw the other day was sweating like a pig in mud while running
and her shirt said, "I hate running"
I thought, I should get one that says, "I hate mornings"
But the truth be told
God is making me LIKE mornings! 
I can't believe I am even typing that 
but He is! 
I look forward to getting up. 
I don't even make it to the alarm setting, I am up before it rings. 
I look FORWARD to coming back from dropping my husband off and 
getting 'geared up' and heading out the door. 

I hear Gods words in the songs. 
You are worthy
You are mine
I'm here for you
I'm with you
Your my child
I will never leave you or forsake you
and 
do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
 who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 

LIGHT BULB moment!~  
My body is created by HIM, it belongs to HIM, not me.
 The Spirit is IN ME
Therefore
Morning, early, same clothes each day, same path,
It matters not
As long as I do everything for the Glory of God
with the body He gave me
I will not fail! 

If you are on a mission to lose weight
You need to drop 5, 10, 50, 100 lbs
I'm suffering in your need to lose brother or sister in Christ
and TOGETHER with CHRIST
we CAN do it!! 

It belongs to Him
Ask Him to help you
Listen to His words
Walk
Run
Swim
Whatever you need to do
Find your place in Christ and give yourself to Him! 
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Walking With Christ

 

 

Did you ever have a light-bulb moment?

You know, that moment when your doing something 

and in your head you say to yourself 

"OOOHHHHH, why didn't I see that sooner!!" 

Well I had that this morning. 

 

I haven't been on here lately

I've been in a bit of a funk. 

Feeling like life isn't giving me what I want

Doing things I don't want to do

Not being happy with some things in my life

My body being one of them. 

Recent doctor appointment told me that I need to lose weight

If I don't, I will pay the consequence. 

Those consequences are not something I want to deal with. 

So, I have embarked on the best way for me to lose weight. 

Breakfast has never been one of my strongest times to eat. 

As a matter of fact, I can skip breakfast and sometimes lunch 

on most days, big mistake in the "keeping your weight in tack" world~ 

So, I figured that drinking weight loss shakes might be the key

Since cooking is something I do, but usually only for dinner

I am looking in to different options for meal replacement. 

I've tried one, to much Soy, so I am looking into some others

I bought one last week and just finished that can this morning. 

My husband and Son had to embark on this mission with me

so they too had some of the shakes this weekend. 

Guess what? We all survived!! Chocolate flavor, not bad

best mixed with milk and a scoop of yogurt 

I'm going to try a couple others I found online 

and check my local health food store for other options. 

But the biggest thing that hit me like a light-bulb moment 

wasn't that I need to lose weight

I've needed to do that for years,

or that I can drink my way to it, 

No, what hit me this morning as I headed out for my daily walk 

And let me say, that for two weeks now I have been walking with my son in the morning

He has been doing this on and off for a while now

But I decided to join him the last few weeks.

Its been nice, but I think I invaded his "quiet" time 

So, I think him and I agreed that not every day will we walk together

only some days out of the week. 

So this morning, as I am up at 6 am anyway, 

I ventured out after my protein drink on my own. 

And for the first time took my phone with me and turned on KLOVE

The local Christian radio station. 

Ear buds in, I was on my way! 

I tell you, it was a God moment! 

It was if each song was designed to make me walk at a certain speed

The first four, were fast and uplifting

I found myself clipping along pretty quickly

perfect timing as I rounded the corner and it became slightly uphill

so the next couple songs were slower, more deliberate.

I truly felt as if the Holy Spirit was saying

Walking with Christ eh? Why haven't you ever thought of this before? 

The songs were perfect not only in rhythm, but in words

Each song talked about God lifting me up

Loving me, caring about me, walking beside me!! 

Light-bulb! 

I might not lose tons of weight, then again maybe I will. 

But God could not have made it clearer to me that HE loves me! 

Each song made me just beam with emotion as I stepped each step!

Every word to every song picked exactly for this moment

was speaking to me, telling me this might not be easy, losing weight

But God is there for me! He always has been! 

Ask him to walk with you every morning, the Holy Spirit was saying to me! 

 

I honestly felt like I could take the world on!!

I walked double what I normally do and I feel great!! 

(Thus the writing on this blog) 

I feel like I have some new found energy! 

And it is energy of the Spirit, I know it. 

 

1 Corinthians 10:31 

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

I love this next one

Genesis 9:3 

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. 
And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 

Its that light bulb moment when you say
This is it, I'm going to do this
and you set out, not on your own, 
but with Christ by your side, 
walking with you
Walking WITH Christ
I CAN DO THIS!
John 6:35
Matthew 6:25-34
Whatever it is you need to conquer 
Be it weight, or any addiction to anything
Walk WITH Christ and you CAN battle the enemy! 

Have a blessed day!  

 

Praise Him and Worship Him In Song

 

 

You Laid Down Your Life So That I Would Be Set Free! 

What Brings The Chaos Back Into Order? 

The King of Glory! 

Who Rules The Nations? 

The King of Glory! 

This Is Amazing Grace

This IS Unfailing Love

That You Would Take My Place

That You Would Bear My Cross

You Lay Down Your Life

That I Would Be Set Free

Jesus All You've Done For Me

Worthy IS The Lamb Who Was Slain

Worthy IS The King Who Conquered The Grave

Phil Wickham

This Is Amazing Grace

 

Listening to Christian music is so uplifting

Not sure if you listen to it at all

But I took a challenge on my local radio 

about 4 years ago to try it for 30 days

and I haven't changed the station since! 

The only other music I listen to is 

Michael Buble and that type of stuff

(you can dance so well to that stuff) 

But what we put in our minds

reflects who we are.

(What goes in comes out) 

If I listen to stuff that swears all the time

Talks about things that I don't want to do

Let alone my son or husband to do

Why would I want songs about it coming into my home and car?
By listening to Christian music 

I am bringing Christ into my home, car and life~ my heart

After my beloved Brother-in-law died

I had a hard time with some of the songs and would turn the dial down

until I knew the song was over. 

That didn't last to long, only a few weeks. 

It was to hard. 

And it was a safety issue, 

I didn't want to be driving and bawling my eyes out! 

I'm better now

Now God speaks to me through those songs. 

The one above is a catching tune. 

God set down HIS life so that I may have mine. 

That amazes me. 

 

I wonder, If asked, would I set my life down for someone? 

I want to say yes, but would I really? 

Hope I never have to find out. 

But I sure am happy I believe in a Christ who died for me

And that I KNOW with certainty that I WILL have eternal life in Heaven 

because I believe. 

 

If you don't believe in Christ

What he did for ALL of us

It doesn't matter who you are

Where you are

What you did

God loves you

He wants you to spend eternal life with Him and His Son

All you have to do

Is believe that Christ died for you

Ask forgiveness

Tell Him your a sinner

Who needs a Savior

Pour your heart out to Him

Tell Him to fill it with His Grace and Mercy

 

There is no other feeling like belonging to a God who loves you

No matter what

I AM a child of God 

And always will be His! 

 

 

Summer

I haven't written in a month!! 

This is what happens when you live in the mid-west and have the winter we had. 

Summer comes and you don't want to be inside

or if you are you are being creative with something summer! 

This is my newest creations

Flip Flop Wreaths! 

I LOVE flip flops

After all, Jesus wore sandals, right?
I want to believe that he had a pair of flip flops! 

He needed his toes out, feel the sand and sun! 

Yep, that's the best part of summer, flip flops! 

Psalm 74:17

You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. 

Well, winter is not one of my favorite seasons

but I do appreciate it in some respects. 

I don't like bugs and there are no bugs in winter

so that is one good thing about winter. 

And snow can be beautiful

as long as I don't have to drive in it

(which I always do, but) 

But nothing screams living like summer!

The Sun is out, its shining, its warm

Birds chirp, The ducks make families, the geese mate

we see turtles in our pond, the muskrats get busy

Its fun watching God's animals from my balcony! 

(I am a 110% city girl) 

I live in the suburbs, but have a bit of country out my window 

and in the summer, it is perfect! 

The sun stays up longer, so its lighter later. 

ahhhhhh

Summer

Flip Flops

Yep, God knew what he was doing! 

 

Husband and Wife Get Close To Jesus

This came my way on Facebook.

Not sure where it came from, otherwise I would give credit. 

Its pretty cool actually. 

When a husband and wife get close to Jesus

They get closer to each other. 

I can speak from personal experience on this one. 

I have been married 27 years 

to the best man ever! 

God could not have picked a better spouse for me. 

We have known each other 33 years! 

I've known him most of my life as we met right out of my 

graduating high school year. 

Both of us were raised Catholic

But since have been to a few different denominational churches in our 33 years

and we have landed at this point in our life at a Lutheran Church. 

I have to honestly say for us, NOW, it isn't about what church we belong to,

Its about our relationship with Christ. 

 

My walk was a bit ahead of my husbands. 

I had a spiritual mom who took me by the hand at 16 and said

This is the prayer you are going to pray, repeat after me! 

I did, and wasn't to sure what I was saying or praying!
But oh so thankful that she lead me down that path! 

Once God got a hold of my heart, He never let go

And my love to learn about him started then. 

I prayed for my husband from that time 

1 Peter 3:1

And prayed for myself, that I be an example to my husband. 

How do you do that? 

study!!

I have been in studies since the age of 25

and I love my bible study groups. 

Over the years they have been serious studies, 

Laid back studies, long studies, short studies. 

I never tire of learning about the Lord. 

And all that time I prayed that God would equally yoke my husband and I. 

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers

My husband gave his life to Christ a few years after my prayer

And when he did it was quiet and personal

Special for both of us.

My husband and I both have always believed in Christ

 but I worship differently. 

We still worship differently (I like to raise my hands and sing) 

But we have come so close to God by walking together in this path called faith. 

 

We are now after 27 years of marriage reaching the top of this pyramid!

We are becoming more equally yoked because we both realize the importance of Christ First

When we seek God in all things in our marriage

 and are faithful, we are blessed. 

Galatians 5:22-23 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness.”

 

By walking this life together with Christ first

We have grown close

We talk about things more

Enjoy each other more than ever before

Not that we didn't 33 years ago

But now it is so deep and intimate

It is calm, real, honest

Everything about marriage has been enriched. 

Walking with Christ one on one is personal and special

But when you are married and you and your spouse agree on 

Who Christ is

Why He is THE MOST important factor in your marriage

Why you should ALWAYS in all things put HIM above anything else

That includes Job, Children, Family, Friends

Oh what a blessing He will give you!! 

Married life is intended to be a blessing from the Lord! 

Pray for your marriage today

For your spouse

That you walk together towards Him

And in Him, grow

 

 

Who am I?

WHO AM I?

I took this picture when I was flying in the mid West two years ago. 

It was the most beautiful sky ever. 

I never felt so close to God as I did this day. 

The clouds to the right of this picture look like Angels to me. 

I felt like they were following me, talking to me, giving me hope. 

Whenever I see this I feel....warm.....loved.....close to my Maker. 

It makes me wonder 

Who Am I? 

Well, I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, neighbor, co-worker, volunteer. 

I have been a wife for 27 years. 

He is the best. I couldn't love anyone more than I love my husband. 

Well, my son. I am a mother for 24 years, and I love my son. 

I love my family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, people I volunteer with. 

I may not like everyone, but who does? 

Not everyone likes me either, so it all balances out! 

 

But lately, I have had many a conversation with many 

people who seem to identify who they are with who is currently in their life.

For example, if someone is "alone" (without mate) they feel they are not "whole" 

If they don't have a husband, child...they feel, broken. 

I think I understand this. 

I have lost people I love

It hurts

And for a lifetime there is a missing piece. 

But do these "roles" I have in my life, make me who I am? 

What if there was NO ONE on earth but me? 

You've seen the movies

The whole earth blows up and there is only ONE guy left 

and he searches and searches for other humans

I would too! 

Don't get me wrong

Life would be very very hard with out those I love.

But, 

WHO AM I? 

What or better yet, WHO DEFINES ME? 

 Psalm 139:13-16 says

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 

God himself formed me
He defines who I am
My hair color, my eyes
My genes My DNA
HE made me who I am in my mother's womb
Knitted me together it says
He knew me before I was
He created my soul
He made sure my mom and dad got together 
He made sure they had me
He wrote my name in His book
He knows the hairs on my head! 
He knows the days I have here on earth
He knows the hour, the minute, the way I will take my last breath

No one else knows this about me
Only God
So
Who Am I? 

Yes, I am a wife, mother, sister, etc
And I don't want to live without those people in my life
But more than ANYTHING else in this life
More than ANYONE in this life
I am HIS! 
I am a child of God
HE defines me
Not my husband, nor my son, 
nor my friends, family or anyone else
God Almighty tells me who I am! 
First and Foremost, 
I am a child of the One True King! 
That makes me a Princess! 
 The one who knows how many hairs are on my head! The ONE who made my very soul

Gosh it doesn't get any more personal than that! 

Who Am I?
I am His
 

Pray for myself.....

 

 
Back in April 2012 a bible study friend of mine asked me if I pray for myself the way I pray for others. I told her no. She was surprised.
It inspired me at that time to write this. I only sent it to her and I think I have a copy in my bedroom in one of my books that I read sometimes, I use it as a bookmark. I thought I would share it tonight.

What would I do if I had to pray for myself Lord?

Praying for others is so easy.
They tell me their requests.

I listen intently to their words.

As they speak, I ask You what I need to pray for.

I seek the Holy Spirit to help me in the prayer that I will pray for them.

The words…they just come.

It seems natural…to pray for others.

But to pray for myself that way?

It’s easy to pray for someone else when they are hurting.

If they are in physical pain, I just center in on that area and I ask You to heal that part of their body.

I ask You to send good doctors, nurses, medicine.

I ask You to give relief and ease their pain.

I ask You to give comfort and bless them with ease….

It seems natural to pray for others that way…

But to pray for myself that way?

Praying for others is easy.

I listen to their needs, their concerns, and I lift them up to You.

I can’t feel their pain really.
I can imagine what they are going through, but I really don’t know.

That is why it is easy to pray for them,

Because You know more than I do.

You feel and know their true pain, I do not.

My head is clear, the Holy Spirit is working in me on their behalf and it just …works!

But myself?

Myself is to real.

To personal.

I’m to close to me.

I FEEL my pain.

Whether it is physical, emotional or mental, my pain is real.

When I start to pray for myself, my head gets clouded. 

I start to think of the ‘whys’ of how I got here.

I start to think of the ‘whos’ to blame for my pain.

I remember the ‘situation’ in which I got emotional, and then…I can’t pray for myself.

I get frustrated.
Filled with to many words.

I want to say so much, and the words become like a giant puzzle, and then I just say, ‘oh forget it!’ …and leave it at that.

I mean I could ask that you lift that burden,

The one that keeps me up at night…the one that no matter how hard I try to turn off the thought, it just won’t go away…I could ask You to take it, and I could bring it and set it at the foot of your cross…

I could imagine that I’m setting it at Your feet, and then imagine that you carry it with you to the Father, and together, You and Him take care of it…

I could ask you to heal that relationship and make it whole again.

I could ask that you search my heart and open it up to Your ways.

To give me courage to face it…to face her..or him…

I could pour my heart out to You

& You and I could get down to the matter and figure out how to handle it…that would require me to submit…

It’s easier to ask for other people to submit to You than for me to do it for myself…

I mean really? Pray for myself the way I pray for others?

I could ask you to give me a new heart for You Lord, and in that new heart, take away the things that cloud my soul to see Your Glory.

I could ask that while you are sending help to my friend,

That if You don’t mind, send some for me too?

The Angels that roam the earth on behalf of all believers

Could you send one for me too Lord?

That worry for my child, You know the one Lord, the one that just hurts so bad I don’t want to even say it out loud for fear that the Devil will hear it…yeah, that one…I could ask that You, the Creator of all of us, The One who made my child just for me, that you protect him from that, and take care that it never happens…After all, You love my child more than I do…

Or that friend, the one that suffers from cancer, the one that we fear might be taken way before their time…I could ask you to please, just let her keep living with us till she is old and has a good long life…

Or the family member that doesn’t know You, the one that hurts so bad that they live in dark shadows most of their days…the one I can’t seem to understand for the life of me…I could pray that You lift that darkness, and shine Your light in their life…I could pray for a miracle for that person, for You to come and make an example out of that situation, and make it whole again…but I’m to angry sometimes to even ask…because that person’s darkness hurt me…and I’m still mad about it…

And that other prayer Lord, You know the one, the one that deals with the whole world, the one that sometimes scares me so bad that I can’t sleep at night wondering when…if it will ever happen…and if it does, will You come before that and rapture me up so I don’t have to be here for it? Is that selfish Lord?

Or what about my physical pain Lord? I feel bad asking You to assist me with that because there are so many other people in way more physical pain than I!

I can walk, and sit, and drive, and live…many cannot and therefore…it’s hard to pray for myself in that way…for I’m blessed with good medical care…it’s easier to ask for the person who lives in a hut with an incurable disease…

Pray for myself like I pray for others…? It’s a thought…

I guess praying for myself isn’t that much different than praying for others…

Since you made all of us, we are the same.

My prayer for my friend, is really no different than the ones I would pray for myself…just more personal…

Pray for myself, the way I pray for others…

Father, with You all things are possible…

With You, I can pray for my friends, my family, my world…

And myself…

In all these things Lord…I pray for myself, and everyone else…