Keep your peace and joy!

Decide today what you are going to do and what kinda day it is going to be through depending on your Heavenly Father. Though hard and difficult may come your way trust Him through it all. Don't let your circumstances or difficult relationship or uncertainty determine your peace and joy. If you feel your peace and joy slipping away confess it to the Lord. Tell Him your burdens, then give them to Him. Ask Him to take you anxiety through prayer. Be anxious for nothing He tells us but to pray. That is because He knows we will become anxious and fearful but He tells us what to do when that happens. Run to the only secure and safe place, His loving arms. Ask Him to return to you your peace and joy by leaning on Him through it all.

This picture is the view I had this morning out my back door.  I watched it for about 10 minutes getting brighter and brighter.  Then the color was gone except in my mind and camera.  God is so good to give us moments like this that are spectacular.  What a wonderful creator our God is.

We All Want Change

He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.

This time of the new year brings the hope for change. A better year than last year. Lose weight. Stop those nagging addictions. Exercise and eat healthy. Be better organized. Love better. Hopefully sin less.
I can tell you I don't see true and lasting change come by New Years Resolutions. We start out with a bang and then the old pattern seep back in. We get tired of trying harder to be better. We give up and give in.

The change I see in my life comes through in several ways. These ways are...

Time spent in the presence of the Lord. Through prayer, meditation and receiving His love for me. Letting His word be written on my heart, The ongoing communion, unbroken union and reliance on the person of Christ and the Love of the Father brings about a likeness, faith, trust, a 

rest in Christ. A relationship like no other. A delighting and enjoying the trinity. 

Daily repentance. It is a turning from independence to dependence on God. A dying to my will and pride and growing in desiring His will and humility. It is like a walking, repentance, faith, left foot right foot. This can be a slow change or it can be life changing. I have a change of mind or heart through the work of the Spirit in me. What I believe affects everything I do.

Experiences, good but also through suffering. Suffering is a training, It brings, wisdom, thankfulness, strength in weakness, joy and peace in all circumstances. A longing for Christ and not the things of this world. You tire of having your own way in your own strength. It breaks you, humbles you, gives you a contrite heart. It teaches you what is important in life and what is fleeting with the things to be left behind. You identify with Christ. Your life brings Glory to God.

We not only influence others but others influence us. We see their example and make a conscience decision to be like them or not.

Live in the moment. Not that I don't plan but I don't want to waste today waiting for a tomorrow that never comes. To live in regret of a yesterday I can do nothing about.

The truth of the gospel in our everyday life. Through Christ life, death and resurrection we have the same power that raised Christ from the dead. He left His Spirit so that He might live His life through us.

There is always change for the worse or the better. Because of God and His grace and faithfulness to us...we change for the better.

Little Let Down

Am I the only one that feels a let down after Christmas. You worked really hard and the body has not recuperated yet. The tree is dead and the garland is falling off. Dread taking it all down and going up those stairs to the attic. Last day to do something with the leftovers. Maybe you ask yourself if you spent too much money or should have given that other person more time or a gift. The people are gone and the parties are over. The excitement and anticipation of it all have passed away. Gifts have to be exchanged and can't find the receipts. Missing those that didn't come or those that are in eternity your heart aches to see. Shedding a tear or two. Maybe scared of what the new year will bring financially or to those you love or health issues that have to be solved or treated? To top it off the stomach is a little queazy. Surely its not the flu. Feel a little melancholy but decided you won't get depressed.
It is time to worship. Time to spend quiet with the Lord, maybe with listening to Matt Redman songs like I am. Return to your first love. Soak up His extreme love for you. Remembering the real reason for Christmas. Letting your heart be filled with an inner peace and joy at His coming to enter in to you and live through you. Just be still and feel His inner presence. Let Him renew your strength, bring back the passion for Him, give you that thankful heart in all circumstances. Just in knowing and loving Him and by Him.

God loves Presents

God loves Presents...

The Widow’s Gift

21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And He saw a poor widow putting [a]in two [b]small copper coins. 3 And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4 for they all out of their [c]surplus put into the [d]offering; but she out of her poverty put in all [e]that she had to live on.”

I have heard Christmas is not about the presents under the tree it is about Jesus. This is the first Christmas I have seen the connection between our celebration of Christmas and Jesus being born. It seems so obvious now.

From the star on top of the tree that lit the way to Jesus that night. To the celebration with friends and family all through the holidays. Symbolizing the coming of the Shepherds to see the Savior that was born. Then the coming of the wise men to see this King. Bringing gifts, wonderful gifts. It was a celebration.

It was God joining us so we could join Him. He was entering our world in the most humble way. It was a quiet shout from God just how much He loves us and what links He would go to show us that love. There was going to be a separation that had never occurred before to bring us into a unity with the Father, Son and Spirit that would never be separated. The Father was giving His children the first and most wonderful gift that could possibly be given, His Son.

I believe God gets great delight out of giving and receiving presents. It is interesting to me He did not tell the widow, "keep your money, it is all you have, you will need it". He adored her giving, her heart in giving all she had to Him. He not only wants us to give all we have but He wants us to give it with our whole heart. He gave us His heart in His Son. He expects no less from us to Him and to each other. He gave us His dearest gift, our Savior, that keeps on giving.  He gave us all He had.

Please help

I am going out on a limb by saying what I am about to say. Every human being needs to be educated on mental health. You can go to NAMI website. National Alliance of the Mentally Ill and educate yourself for yourself and your loved ones. There are warning signs of those with illusions and delusions if you know what 

to look for. The government should be investing more into mental health instead of less each year. One in four will suffer sometime in their life with mental issues of some kind. This disease can not be ignored nor excused. We must fight this horrible disease with all our might. How many warnings do we need to take action? It is a matter of life and death. Let your voice be heard to you senators and congressman. I do not know if this is the situation with this man that committed this violent act to the innocent people but I have heard he was a very disturbed young man. These killing cannot go on and us not try to do something to prevent them.

Please read the following post Evil has not won if you haven't already.  Thank you.

Evil has not won

The pain must seem unbearable to these families that lost their children and loved ones today.  I lost a stillborn child but I never said his prayers with him or tucked him in bed.  Fed him or played endlessly watching him laugh and giggle.  I cannot imagine how it is to lose an older child and this way.  Or a loved one.  I pray Gods presence and grace is with these families and sustains them with His peace in their grief.  I pray for the words and strength for those who are there to comfort them.  That our prayers lift them up.

As I was up praying and grieving for these families and their loss tonight and just couldn't sleep.  THoughts came through my mind...when will you return Lord?  When will you take away all evil and make all things right.   I don't understand this.  I know you weep with those who weep.  But then I thought what beauty has been added to heaven with the arrival of these today.  We will see them one day worshiping our Lord.  THeir families will be united with them.

I have found that sometimes pain and suffering and loss can make you turn on each other.  Drive you apart.  You blame each other.  I pray during this time these families and friends draw closer to each other as never before.  And to our God.

It seems that evil has won but at the cross Jesus broke the chains of death.  Then people grieved and felt hopeless but the greatest miracle of all time was taking place.  Evil was being defeated and the victory over death was being won.  Jesus is our hope at times like these.  May we draw near to Him and Him to us.  May we seek His presence with our whole hearts. Love our loved ones as never before.  Make amends.  Take hold of the power that is ours as believers in defeating sin in our lives.  Lord may we believe more than we ever have before.  May we realize that the very Spirit of God lives within each of us and us in Him for us to live forever and share in His glory, peace, joy and growing love and knowledge of Him.  Evil has not won.  THere is victory for those of us who believe.  Death is not the end but the beginning of eternal life with the Saints of old, with each other and with God.

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Just went through gathering from the farm. Cedar, magnolia leaves, holly and eucalyptus. Don't tell my son yet but mostly from his yard. Kinda like he comes in and takes from my pantry and refrigerator at night. Tell him we are even lol. The lights are on the tree.  Waiting for my husband to tie it to the window.  It fell last year.  Got the wood for the fireplace. Got the chili on and hopefully making brownies. Got the nativity in place. The music nearby.  Everything is out for the den. Having a cup of c

offee. Would rather it be a glass of wine but that is another story. Anyway sitting here taking before pictures. If there is an after picture anytime soon I will show you the before ones at the same time lol. Missing family but other than that is it beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Jesus is in this Place and in my heart for all of you.

What do you Do?

What do you do when you have been misunderstood and hurt someone. Then not given the opportunity to try and make it right? I have been thinking...
You can worry about it and it will make you angry or depressed. Or you can let it go like nothing every happened. Or you can turn it over to God. Then ask Him to heal you and their hurt. He is a redeemer!
Life can be so dang complicated. It ought so be so simple. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and your neighbor as yourself.

Through the Fire

A friend of mine posted this morning that we all have needs. The need to be accepted, secure, listened to, have compassion and love. That when we meet other needs we find our own met. I so want to do this to others. I have been shown this so much through all you people of grace. I have been through the fire and you and the Lord have walked with me through it. I am coming out of it now and I

have such a heart of love and gratitude it has to go somewhere or I feel like I will explode. It is overflowing and it cannot be contained. It is given to me to be given away. When we go through suffering His love and glory is revealed in us. We are like beautiful stones in His crown of glory.

The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. Zechariah 9:16

I believe

When I was a little girl, we lived by a lake made swimming pool.  In the middle of it was a high dive.  I wanted to go off that high dive so bad but was scare to go.  My dad said he would stay at the bottom and be there when I jumped off.  I climbed the stairs to the top of the platform.  Walked out on the diving board and looked for my dad.  I jumped way out.  I wanted to be really close to him when I landed.  It is a wonder I didn't jump on top of him.  Sure enough, when I came up, my dad had moved right where I had landed and was right there to get me.  I think of that child like faith I had that day.  Trusting my dad to be there for me.

For the last few months I have struggled with tremors, shaking and couldn't sit still.  Even my mouth kept moving back and forth.  Sick at my stomach.  Especially in the morning.  This really wasn't an issue to me though.  It was the seemly anxiety attacks that were on going.  When I would share this people would encourage me in my faith.  I kept thinking if I would just trust Christ more.  If I would let go of my circumstances this shaking would stop.  I didn't know of anything particular I was afraid of at the time.  But circumstances were difficult for me.  So I thought Lord I believe, help my unbelief.

I thought of Peter.  Who walked with the Lord for three years.  He told the Lord he would die for Him. The Lord told Peter you will deny me three times Peter.  Peter did go on to deny Christ three times cursing and saying he had never known Jesus.  When they were looking for Jesus to crucify Him.  Peter repented and Christ went on to build the church with Peter.

As it turned out I was having an allergic reaction to some medication. I surrender my heart and my life daily to the Lord. I tell Him every morning I want what you want.  I want to do what you would have me do.  But I know, like Peter, my faith may fail me at any time. Sometimes my pride keeps me from trusting God.  I want to be God and do it on my own.  I am learning though through suffering to trust Him more.   God is gracious in giving me faith.  But still if my eyes get on me I am either puffed up and proud because I think I have faith.  Or I am defeated because I think I have none.  My eyes must be kept on Jesus.  That He lives in me and me in Him and His faith never ever will fail me.  He is even faithful to the faithless because to deny me would be for Him to deny Himself.  I am His child.  He will never turn His back on me.  He will never leave me or let me go.  Nothing can separate me from His love.  I am forever His.

I believe it is not how much faith you have but who you have faith in.  We are told if we have the faith of a mustard seed we can move mountains.  We also are told we can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  I must keep my eyes on Jesus and His faithfulness.  That is when I have faith.

Be Aware

After the tremors and anxiety keep getting worse. I called my doctor today. I am on a new med and each time we have increased it but the initial taking it, I have gotten more anxious. We thought the increase would help but instead I have had an allergic reaction to it. I called my pharmacy and got him to read me the side effects and it is tremors, anxiety and more that is going on with me. 
S

o thank you all, with all my heart for praying. I hope this is the reason this has been going on. I start an antidote as soon as I get it.
This is a good warning to read all your meds side effects and look for changes in yourself. I usually do this faithfully but just didn't this time. I did wonder early on but got no real answer. We have to keep on top of our health. I hope this saves someone from going through something like this. It is going to take me a while to get straightened back out. As we kept increasing, on my suggestions mostly. These meds have to be tweaked and it is a guessing game and being aware to just how to are responding. Others can help pinpoint changes in you also. So you need your family, doctors, friends even counselor all working together to keep yourself healthy as possible. Now I can pretty much just tell myself when something is just not right. But welcome others opinions.

Find one pharmacy you trust and stick with them.  I had a friend on several different meds and different people giving them to her.  Which is usually the case.  She had to get off so many because how they were interacting together.  Your pharmacy can help you keep an eye on this if you ask.  He can tell you what you can mix with what you are taking.  And side effects.  They are very wise.

So look after your health.  Your doctor I am sure is good.  Mine is excellent.  But he doesn't know my body like I do.  I have a specialist for almost everything that I have a problem with.  They need to all work together.  Have your test records sent to all your doctors if related and give them all the meds you are taking.
Well that is it for now.  Good health to you.

God Looks on the Heart

1 Samuel 16:7
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for [a]God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart? Have you ever ask the Spirit to reveal your hear

t to you. What do you see? Mercy, Peace, Joy, Love, Patience? All the fruit of the Spirit?

Or do you see unforgiveness, sadness, anger, bitterness, resentment? Only the Lord can change the heart. Give yourself grace. It can take time to change a heart. Keep going to Him for comfort, love, healing, wisdom.

The heart is the wellspring of life. Let Jesus give you this life. There is nothing like it no matter how difficult your circumstances are. Because it is the very life of Jesus living in and through you.