Everyday blessings of God

Yesterday I walked to my granddaughter’s house to drop off a jar of creamy peanut butter. When the door opened, my greatgrandson saw me, threw his arms out wide, and exclaimed “Mimi”. I remember when my granddaughter was that age. Whenever she saw me, she would throw her arms out wide and exclaim “Mimi”.


I realized how blessed I am to have this love and admiration twice in a lifetime.

Each morning I thank the Lord for 10 things. I use my fingers to count, and more times than not, have to count my fingers twice. The blessing of the Lord flow into everyday things: a warm house, good health, a sound mind, a car to drive. And don’t overlook the blessings of God’s love, His guidance, His constant care, a listening ear, a kind heart, and hope.

In the dark? God has a flashlight.

I am walking on a path that is dimly lit and at the same time exceedingly bright. I am walking in the grace of God, being provided with a job that keeps the wolves from the door. And with an opportunity to advance in my education and my craft.


Yet as I walk this path, I cannot see an outcome, a goal to be achieved, a clear path. The brightness comes from trusting God. They say faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Honestly, my faith is in God. I have some dreams and wished, sure, but more, I have faith that God has a plan for my life.

Because of this, I am willing to walk in the shadows for a time. I have faith the fog will clear, and everything will be alright. I can do this because I have never known God to forsake me. Even in the darkest times of my life, God whispered “Do not fear, I am with you”, and He was.

So if you are moving in the dark right now, be assured that God is with you, and everything will be okay. I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or their seed begging bread. Trust in God.

Religion or relationship-stunning definition

I heard a stunning definition of religion. Religion is man's interpretation of how to please God. The more I thought about this, the more I understood. This is why there are so many different denominations and ways to follow Jesus. Each branch has a root in the Word, and trys to create a roadmap to reach God.

I also heard the definition of relationship. Relationship is what God wants with His people. Relationship is a covenenat between God and me in which each of us commits to the other, and pledges to give all we have to each other and to the generations that belong to us.

I really don't have anything to give to God, but as I develop in our covenant relationship, I am increased, enlarged, and enabled to give to those whom God also has covenant with.

Honestly, in a true covenant relationship, God is well able to lead us in His direction as we give ourselves over to Him.

God always care for us

God always cares for us. God always amazes me. I have been out of a job for nine months, submitting as many as sixteen applications a day, getting some interviews, but no offers. After a certain age, employers are reticent to hire a person, health costs are too expensive, and they can get younger people cheaper.

Now here's my favorite: BUT GOD...... I recevied a phone call from a company owner who found me on Monster, and now I have a job. I did nothing to get this job, the job came to me.

This is how it is with God. We have really nothing to offer, only sin, bad attitudes, broken spirits, sad lives, pride, etc. But God says "That's okay. I have everything. I love you, and, because I love you, this is an even trade. Your trust for my love."

With God all things are possible

I was thinking about Jesus last night. Jesus was flesh and blood, yet He had the ability to understand God and submit to God's plan. How did He do that?

I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, a miracle mix of a human egg fertilized by the Spirit. He had God's chromosomes. I imagined Jesus standing, and a bolt of light was filling His head. It may seem kind of simple, but as I thought of this I thought of Jesus' sacrifice and the strength it took to submit to the nails, the cross, and death. I remembered He did that for me.

Jesus sacrifice enables me to have a bolt of light entering my head, overcoming the struggles with unbelief, pride, and selfishness. As the light enters my body, I am changed: I received God's chromosomes. Since I am just a little lady, I shake at the thought.

What in the world can I do to be worthy of this? I understand there is nothing I can do but let the light fill me up, listen attentively, and be willing. It's a simple thing.

Doomsday preppers: How ready are they

I have been watching the National Geographic show “Doomsday Preppers.” I wonder how ready they really are. The individuals stockpile food, water and other supplies, practice shooting at gun ranges, and have bug-out drills. Some plan for an economic collapse, others for extreme natural disasters, but rarely do I see them plan for a real future after the event they dread occurs.


What happens after they survive? Most individuals are making isolation plans with a few friends or family members. I am intrigued with the combat drills, and wonder whom they plan to fight. Most mention marauding motorcycle gangs and wild thieves. But are they prepared to shoot a mother with an infant and a toddler looking for food and shelter, or the family with young children who have run out of their stockpiles, and are looking for shelter and other survivors.

What kind of world will they build in the aftermath? From what I can tell, it is one where the prepper’s family survives by shooting everyone else. So what kind of life is that?

I do believe the families do need to prepare for natural disasters by developing a plan to be self-sufficient during a crisis. We have seen the lack of planning and preparedness that occurred during Katrina. People should keep a supply of canned goods (which also contain drinkable liquid), dried foods, flashlights, batteries, a heat source that can be safely operated, medical supplies, etc. Families should have a plan to stay in touch, or meet up locations and safe words.

But if people are really so concerned about mass prepping, it is best to establish a survival community that includes carpenters, nurses, hunters, and others with contributing talents. The community should not be implosive or exclusive, and it’s best to have a contingency plan to include at least 50 to 100 folks who did not plan. After all, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?

For the earth to continue it will take a community of survivors working together, not locked down in a bug-out location.

What happens when I receive Jesus as my Lord?

I was talking with my brother about what it means to follow God. Following Jesus is like living parallel to the reasoning and attitude of current society. It's similar to walking in an alternate dimension while walking through life.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." (2 Cor. 5:17) But, therein lies the rub. "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matt 9:16-17)

When we willingly acknowledge and accept Christ, we are born again. Yet, we still have the thoughts and attitudes from out upbringing. The next thing is to submit to Christ. We let God work in us to teach us how to live and operate in our new reality.

The best way I can describe the journey:

When settlers came to a new country, their vision was a large farmland with fruitful crops. The land they chose was filled with trees, rocks, grass, and weeds. The land had to be formed into the field. This was not a quick process; it required a lot of work. The trees and stumps had to removed, the rocks cleared, and the grasses and weeds uprooted.

First, the farmer felled the trees and dug up the stumps. As this happened, more rocks appeared. The rocks were gathered off the fields. Then the farmer used the plough, beginning to till the land. This unearthed more rocks, and clumps of grasses. As he cleared the tilled rocks and pulled the weeds, more rocks and ground debris. The farmer continued the process until the land was smooth enough to begin planting the new crop.

But that was not the end. Each day, the farmer walked his field, pulling out new weeds and grasses. Sometimes this meant pulling out some of the plant seedlings and replanting.

Learning to follow God is a process. The good thing is we are the field, and He is the farmer. In the analogy of the settlers, the only thing that didn't "work" was the land. The land didn't fight the farmer; rather it yielded to the farmer's will.

This is the Christian's part in the process.

• Acknowledge your sins and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. 
• Choose one book from the Bible to read.
• Before you begin reading, ask God to teach you, and help you listen. 
• Ask God to bring some older Christians into your life to help you learn. 
• Listen to instruction. However, after hearing, find the same thing in the Word of God. If what you heard isn't there, tell God, and just tuck away the information. 
• Remember, you are the land, not the farmer. Yield to God. Seek Him to discover the areas of your life that He wants to change. 
• Guard your salvation, and rely on God. Men always fail, but God never does.

Following God is Not for Sissies

Many people think of Christians as sweet loving folk who turn the other cheek. In truth following God is not for sissies. While it's wonderful to talk about God and His goodness, it is harder to walk the talk. Christians walk the Word daily and it takes fortitude, humility and character.

Champions in the Old Testament followed God by faith. Faith is not an abstract concept. It requires trust and dedication. When God asked Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt there was a discourse between Moses and God where Moses pointed out all the reasons he couldn't do it. God listened, acknowledged Moses' concerns, and told Moses to lead the people out of Egypt. I imagine Moses thought "okay fine" and thought "how the heck am I going to do this." However, Moses also thought, "well, God told me to do this, so I will just do it and trust God that it all works out." And it did all work out.

Everyday, Christians are faced with the same challenges as everyone else: unemployment, over inflated mortgages, health issues and raising kids. Yet Christians carry an additional challenge: how to be peaceful and patient. This means understanding that all things work for the good of those who trust God and using everyday circumstances to learn to control tempers, avoid depression, and treat people with kindness.

Everyday living isn't necessarily easier for Christians. However, trusting God provides guidance, peace and a sense of hope that sustains Christians.

Faith Keeps Us Strong

Sometimes faith is all we have to keep us strong. As I reflected on my job prospects and my future, all I saw was a black wall. I could not see beyond even to tomorrow. My thoughts went dark and I began to ponder the usefulness of living. I felt as if I was a camper at the foot of a high dark mountain. The side rose slick and insurmountable. The past had trapped me here in this present.

I thought of proverbs "Without hope the people perish." As I searched for hope to help me climb this mountain, I found within my heart another Word: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen."

I quickly wrapped this around me like a warm cloak, and realized that even in the darkness, the hopelessness, the fear, God's Word is fruitful and sustaining. I don't know how long I will dwell in this camp. Yet I rest, assured that God is good, and His faithfulness will provide the means to scale this mountain.

New Year New Dreams

Do you have a vision, dream or revelation for your life? Goals and dreams are important to our well-being. Without some kind of aim or direction, we lack focus. Life becomes stale, routine and something to be endured. Without a dream we sometimes fail to enjoy the life that God has given us. Without vision, people perish (Prov. 29:18).

Dreams can be as simple as a New Year's resolution to lose weight, read six books, learn to play an instrument, or paint a room. Take a little time to think about what you would like to do. Make a list, no matter how much of a stretch your dreams may be write them down.

 

Let yourself imagine the end result. Is it satisfying, worth the struggle. Then plan backwards how you can achieve the goal, and begin to achieve your dream.

 

For example, learn to play a guitar: 

• Buy an inexpensive guitar 
• Sign up for lessons 
• Practice each lesson daily 
• Choose a song you love and learn to play it 
• Keep at it. 

Bowl a 300 game

• Start bowling each week. 
• Use house balls until you find the weight that it right for you. 
• Take some bowling lessons. 
• Learn to find your mark and consistently throw the ball on the marks. 
• Buy your own ball and have it drilled for your grip. 
• Practice weekly.

God understands that the nature of man is to dream and achieve. He wants us to be successful and happy. And God knows that we must apply ourselves to achieve our dreams. We can have big dreams and little dreams. No matter, the dream is the thing.

 

Remember To Be Kind

Remember to be kind at all times. Actively look for ways to be kind to other people.

With Christmas around the corner, I find myself remembering. When we lost our infant a young woman reached out to give me comfort. She gave me four mint condition copies of Vogue magazines wrapped with a gold ribbon.

It may seem odd, but it wasn't. Those magazines are still in my magazine rack and each time I see them I have chills in my spine. But not in a bad way. It is like a surge of comfort flooding my body all over again. These were beautiful items to her, an antique dealer, and she reached out to comfort me in the best way she knew.

Don't pass up the opportunity to be kind. It means more than you think.

Brain Eating Amoebas

Brain eating amoebas. That's what I woke up to as I turned on the morning news. I signed onto my computer and found out a woman in Illinois shot herself and her three children in the head. And I wonder why I am so sad sometimes.

I grew up in the 50s and 60s when there were only four television channels and computers were only for big business. There was certain innocence in the world. Now everywhere I look I am bombarded with the most incredibly bad information.

Its no wonder so many people need medicine for depression. I tried not watching the news, but that seemed foolish to not be informed. I cannot escape the Internet. I remember God is good, and I look to Him for direction and wisdom.

In the early 1900's, swine flu wiped out entire towns. Infant death rates were high. I found out that antibiotics were not even around until the end of the 1800's and the polio vaccine didn't arrive until the 1950s. So, it's always been hard.

As I prayed this morning, I read Psalm 97:5: The hills melt like was in the presence of the Lord. In my mind's eye I saw that the mountainous obstacles that surround us, the perilous terrain we tread, all become smooth as we rely on and trust in God. Life is hard but God is good.

Going Through Trials With Grace

As I read Psalm 77 this morning, I could see the tight and lonely space where David was residing. He was hemmed in on all sides, and felt abandoned by God. "You hold my eyes from closing; I am so troubled I cannot speak" Amplified, Psalm 77:4. I understood this and I am moving through this same solitary spot.

But God is good, and as I continued to read verse 10 says "And I (David) say, this [apparent desertion of Israel by God} is my appointed lot and trial". I smiled because I admire the humility of this. David choose to accept that this is where God wanted him now, and he choose, he purposed in his heart, to praise God and remember all the good things God had done for him.

I understand that trials and hard times pass. How they pass is up to us. When God has made up His mind that I have to go through something, it does me no good to fuss. I do open my heart to God and through myself on His mercy, don't get me wrong. But I purposely call to mind how good God has been to me, and how I have seen Him act in other trials. It keeps me.