A Miracle

Thank you all for praying for me about the error in the printing of the book.  I am at complete rest.  What ever God works out will be good with me.  It is not my book but His.  He gave me the joy of Him writing it and I hope others will also.  But I trust Him completely.

Discouraged

I met with Martha,and my cousin today about the book. There is a big error in printing the book. I cannot sell it this way. I don't know what I am going to do with the books because of this huge error. PLease pray some thoughts come to me that I can use it as it is in some way. It was not cheap to have them self published and don't feel I can invest in any more prints at this time because of that. I am probably going to have it on e book. I just thought isn't it a thing that a lady with a messed up life would print a messed up book. Like I said God uses crooked sticks. Hope and pray he uses this. I sure do appreciate your prayers and suggestions.

Can Being Right Be Wrong?

There is someone I love who I was around for awhile recently.  It seemed every time I said something to him, he said I know.  It was so much so it was very noticeable to others.  I began to think about people that not only think they are right all the time but they pretty much are right.  We use to call people like that a know it all, when I was young.  Finishing with  she is never wrong.  

Can being right be wrong?  I began to look at my own life.  I don't do a lot of talking.  I mostly listen and write my thoughts.  When that is the case you have time to make sure what you are writing is right as much as you can tell.  Then I thought who likes to be around a know it all.  Besides aren't we suppose to be about relationships, with each other and God Himself?   Pretty much in a conversation when the right answer is given it will cause the relationship to end.  There is nothing more to say.  It is a quick way to shut everyone up.

I thought of the pride and arrogance of thinking you are smart enough to give other people what you think is right.  Who determines right from wrong anyway?  There are many times I have thought things were wrong and God used it in more of a good way than if what I wanted happened.  Sometimes I think we think right is the decision that causes the less pain.  Maybe even the easiest.  How often do I pray and ask the Spirit what I should do?  Get wisdom from wise friends?  Not enough.  I try to come up with solutions on my own.  I use to think anything that keeps the peace is what is the right thing to do.  Well sometimes an argument is just what the conversation needs.  Relationships are usually stronger after both parties repent to God and each other.

Is a person that always knows the right thing to do in their eyes and others a black and white person?  Is it a person who is legalistic.  They have a low view of the laws of God because they have lower them to something they can keep.  God came to fulfill the law and increase the law when He said to love Him with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.  Is that the right answer to every question.  It is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision that counts but faith working through love.  We are no longer under the law but it is written on our heart.  The law of love by faith.  The only way we can love is for Jesus to love through us.  It is His love that we love with and trust God with the outcome.  We are powerless apart from God.  It seems the older I get the less I know.  God has stripped me of all the things I depend on to work but Him.  There I go trying to figure things out again.  Life is personal and relational so there is no pat answer to anything but "Jesus".

 

If God can use a crooked stick he can use me.

What Do I Do

Where do I run? What do I do? All my projects are taken care of that I had lined up. The grands are gone. All that is left is a memory. A joyful memory.

I want to be in God will. I think what is happening is His will. He wills it to be so.  He is above revealing His will to me.  He is not about keeping it a secret.  I am to plan well, seek others advice, look to His word and pray.  Then I can go forth knowing He uses it all for good even when I may not make the easiest choice it does not mean it was not the best for me.

I have slept a lot since the kids gone. I am thinking about taking some courses for counseling. Mostly counseling myself. My mind has to stay going and so does my body or I feel I will fade away. I got my book finished. So details to take care of there.

The kids left me with such joy. Life is so wonderful as a child. I had a good friends wife pass today into the arms of Jesus. I am sad and happy about that. She will be so missed here but in such a better place. Please pray for her husband that God will comfort Him as He is. They truly were a picture of Christ and His church.

I am off for now. I have missed you all so much. I just have not had the time or the word.

Keep the faith, press on and keep your eyes on Jesus. He loves you so and brings blessing after blessing your way. Do you have a dream? Don't let it die. Keep pressing onward to what God might do in it and through you. I don't know what God has for me or you but I don't want to stop trying on my end. I am not responsible for the results but am responsible for the doing. Then God takes over. I want to encourage you as I encourage me take that step of faith and press on.

Lets Celebrate

Matt:18:3   “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

Our grandchildren just came and stayed a few weeks with us.  All I could do prior to that time was plan things we could do and things I could teach them.  After they left I was reviewing the things we did while they were here, our memories.  I was trying to remember the teaching moments we had.  I must admit there weren't many times of me teaching them but lots of times of them teaching me.  You might ask, "what did they teach you while they were here?"  They taught me to be a little child again.  They did this last year while they were here for a visit.  I need lots of reminding.  Lots of humbling.

As the time has passed from one year to the next life has slowly sucked the joy right out of me.  So slow I didn't even realize it had happened.  I had picked up my burdens.

 I remember when my husband was a head football coach and we would fly to away games.  He would be so tense, studying on the way there.  Then if we lost he would be upset on the way back home.  But then I began to notice that win or lose he would be all worried about the next game.  We were not  even celebrating the win.   There was no difference on our flight back home whether we won or lost.  I remember thinking something is bad wrong here.  We are not even happy when we win.  This is a little how my life has gone lately. I have forgotten how to laugh.  I have let the worries and suffering so consume my life I have stopped celebrating the good life which Jesus has given me.  It is like I am holding my breath and waiting for the other shoe to drop.  My suffering has grabbed my attention, along with my pride.  So much so that it is all I am focusing on.  Not the abundant life, the free life, the joyful life that Jesus gave His life for me to live.  

There is nothing that can happened to me or my loved ones that can rob me of a happy, content, loving intimate relationship with my God. It is only pride thinking I know best and trying to be god to everyone around me.  Yes of course we feel the pain and suffering of life but our rest, joy and happiness is not because of our circumstances of life but in the life Himself.  Our peace and love is contained in the person of Christ living His life through us.

My grandchildren were so dependent on us.  The would say can I do this mem, pop?  They laughed out loud and they danced and they would sing.  They didn't care who was watching them, they were just enjoying the moment.  They played in mud puddles, dove in the waves at the ocean, they were silly and funny, they jumped and skipped. We let them sleep in the room with us, making pallets on the floor.  We didn't have to worry if they got enough sleep.  They fell asleep as soon as their precious eyes were close. They were enjoying life and what God had given them.  They were not worried about tomorrow or felt burdened by yesterday.  They wanted to live and let live.  They ate ice-cream and cookies and were so active they didn't have to be concerned with their weight.  They rode horses and jumped on the trampoline.  They weren't concerned about what others said about them, they were contagious.  It was catching.  Life was fun and funny.  It kept slipping through our hands to others so we had to keep filling our hands full.

Since then I have reflected on our times together and ask the Lord to help me know what it is to have a child like faith and joy again.  To know that everything that happens is sifted through fingers of love.  I can relax, live and love people again.  I won't break if I crack a smile or give a hug or even catch fireflies in the dark.  I can risk it all and be happy in the life of the one who is life.  I can quit trying to control my life and my families to be happy.  I can just let it happen.  We had serious times, like when we prayed but even then we had a smile on our face and love in our hearts.

I miss their joy and their laughter.  I can only imagine how the Father has missed me.  I want to enjoy and delight in Him with no fears of what tomorrow may bring.  If God is indeed in control and has a perfect plan for me and my loved ones, why should I worry.  The game is over and we won!  Lets celebrate.

 

Freedom, 4th of July

I am taking a  break writing while my grands are here.  Take this time to look at some previously posted devotionals.  www.whispersofgod.or and this blog.  Hope you have a wonderful 4th as it reminds you of the freedom we have in Christ.