Inside Out!

After my swim in the pool and the Y, I discovered my suit was inside out. Hum, I should have been embarrassed- but I wasn't. I am a basic nut case and I always do something that would horrify most people. I am just thankful it was black inside and out. I figured most people probably did not notice. Those that did either were relieved that it was not them, or had compassion on anyone so unaware.

I am thankful too that God can take us in stride. He is our father. He is not surprised, or overwhelmed when we do strange things. He just keeps on helping us along the path. He promises to always be with us- even when we go swimming in clothes turned inside out!

God Still Hears Prayers

I have been meeting with friends weekly three years to pray for family and other items. One of our prayer requests was to reunite with a lost daughter. This daughter had mental illness and was living on the streets for seven years. No one knew where she lived. Sometimes as I was praying I would get irritated. "God what's taking so long? Are you listening?" But, we continued to pray.

Then the miracle happened. She called home. What happened during those prayer years? She got off of the streets, stopped using drugs and alcohol; and now she called home asking her parents is she could come visit.

God still hears prayers.

Just Lovely

How lovely it is outside. Our sky is clean, the flowers are blooming and this weekend I will put the bird feeders up. Isn't it wonderful that God makes simple things just to enjoy?

What a loving god we serve.

Service of Grudge

My mother asked me to come with her and help stuff papers at the church. I hate doing that. I am 53 and the youngest person there all others are over 70. I agreed to go with my mother, but went with a grudge. As soon as I started, someone commented I was doing it wrong, I did not care. I just wanted to get out of there.
I did not talk to anyone. Why talk- let's just get this nasty chore over with, I grumbled inside. All day I felt depressed to have wasted my time.

"I am just too depressed Mom, and I don't know why". I avoided talk with my mother as well.

In the night I thought and thought, why had I been so depressed. After much prayer and thought I realized I have too much responsibilities right now. But, another sad thought came to my reality. I had stolen from others joy. I could have been kind, friendly and supportive. Instead I fed on my own self pity, absent of the suffering or loneliness of widows, widowers around me. I hope I am not so careless in the future. It's not all about me. They gave service of love. I gave service of grudge.

Flowers in Bloom

Today I walked in my yard. Flowers are blooming in so many colors and I felt satisfaction seeing the works of my labors. I have put a lot of time in that yard. It still needs a lot too- but as the colors brightened my day I felt thanks. I am so thankful for so many things. The colors, the springtime, the friends I have. I feel thankful for family and health.

How privileged I am to know that God loves mankind enough to color the world. I have lived in desolate places and still seen beauty. The flowers that pop up through the rocks. The contrast of dark cactus against blazing red and orange skies as the night appears. The stars in a velvet night.

What a loving God we serve.

Suffering Friends

I have several friends right now which appear to really be suffering. I watch with compassion the pain my friends suffer, and sometimes wonder why life is so hard. That is when I just long for Jesus to come back. I am waiting, praying and moving. As I wait, and watch, I lift up my heart to God, "Lord what would you have me to do?"

I hope that Jesus comes soon, but until he comes I also hope I am faithful. I want to be a serving Christian. When I was a little child we sang a song that asked what our hands, feet and actions say about our faith. "Little hands: what do you do?"

Mother Theresa showed us what little hands could do for Jesus. Do his acts.

How Forgiving Do You Want God?

Once a friend told me about a man which wanted to sleep with her. Both were Christians and she refused. He said to her, "Come on, after we have slept together we will ask God to forgive us." To my friend's credit she told him no.

I think about that. Sometimes I hear Christian's make some pretty poor excuses for their behavior. They say they do not need to obey God, because he is love and will forgive them when they sin.

Isn't that offensive, if you really think about it. What do those comments say about God? It says that what he wants from us is really not for our good, but to please a demanding and exacting God. I believe the God I serve, is a God of love. He never asks us to do anything that would not make us better and more whole people. It is his love which asks us to obey. Does he give us laws and rules? Yes, but those are from his heart of love. Any loving parent has rules, and those rules protect and defend us. I am glad to serve a law giving and loving God.

Snow Storm

My father had rented a cabin in the mountains for us for Christmas. We were delighted! We expected a wonderful vacation. My mother planned the following day to go to the store and load up the shelves with groceries, but in the night a big snow storm came. This unexpected event caught us with few groceries; and to our dismay, the heat system was not working correctly. Instead of enjoying our time in the snow, we sat around a fireplace filled with little fuel eating candy and freezing.

Life sometimes does not turn out the way we expect, and sometimes my Christian experience also has not been what I expected. I thought it would all be "joy, peace" and all warm and fuzzy feelings. Has God failed? No. My understanding failed.

Jesus did not always have it easy. Sometimes he suffered a lot. I am not disappointed with my faith. The path is not always easy; and at times I suffer. But, I do not regret the path I have chosen. Christian peace and joy is not always "the feeling". It is the relationship. I know that I always have someone beside me which carries the hard parts. I have a friend which takes my yoke. That is the deeper peace and joy- a constant and faithful God.

Rude Comments

My friend confided in me that she let the pressure from someone push her into making a bad choice. I felt compassion for my friend. She is a person which appears to "have it all": attractive, bright, successful. And, yet, some one's careless comment pushed her to make a bad choice.

I need to remember this. My comments can hurt or resort, and I need to be careful. Jesus was never needlessly rude, thoughtless or insensitive. He always spoke truth; but it was always with compassion and love.

We Do Have Hope

Hot, hot, hot. I have a nasty temper. Most people don't see it- and for that I am thankful. But, push me in a corner and it is not a nice thing to see.

I am reminded that self-control is a gift from God. Often I need to remember also, that choice is a gift from God. I hope that the next time I want to jump down someones' throat: I will remember I do have a choice, and God wants me to use it.

Often Christians blame childhood, mood swings and other things for their behavior. Is that a factor- definitely. But we also have many choices in what we do. We can give our selves to God. We can pray. We can accept responsibility when we do something careless. We can choose to make plans to alter our behavior. We can forgive ourselves when we humbly repent.

I am not always proud of my nasty temper. But, I am thankful I don't have to live without hope. I can change, and I do have hope. For that I am thankful.

God News

Hey, I just realized that I am late for the news- my reaction? Rah! I usually am faithful to see the evening news. But, as I sit at my computer I find that I am relieved. I am tired of the sadness that comes in our daily news. Sometimes I want to be uninformed, because I find that listening to the news around me is sad and filled with suffering of others.

Today makes me realize that I am thankful for the Good News- the God News. Our news events are past, present and future news.
Past news: Jesus always had us in his plan. The daily news: he is in control. The future news: he is coming back to take us away from suffering and pain. This is news worth listening to today.

Watching the News

I was watching the news last night and thought about all the crime and sadness in the world. It can become seemingly hopeless. What is happening to us? A culture where people children can be raped, kids shot in schools and dishonest- crooked behavior as the standard of living today. It can appear that all things are hopeless.

I question myself. What am I doing to change things? I am trying to live by Jesus example. I fail many times. But, if I lived as He did: my world, would be changed- dramatically. He always sought to live for two goals: service to God, service to others. His service changed history. As I focus on Him, may my service change history too.

Healing Came, and Love Continues

My eyes flooded with tears and my face was washed with grief. My husband had unintentionally hurt me deeply. In trying to express my deep grief I could see the terrible pain I had given my husband as well. Never in my marriage had I felt this deep of pain- and we both remained bitterly silent. Both shattered by the other one;he left for work in silence, both of us too heart broken to speak.

As I thought of the future of our relationship more tears poured down my face. I knew my husband to be a good man, and I knew he loved me. But, why did we have so many painful moments. In prayer I went before God. I reviewed my husband and I reviewed myself. Neither of us perfect- but both trying. Then I realized I could remain drawn away from my husband: or I could humbly forgive and accept his heart- not his actions. I dialed the phone and heard his voice. I explained to him I did not want to hurt him, and he expressed his deep sympathy for the pain he had given me. We reunited in love, allowing God to "make the score even". Healing came, and love continues.

God's love made the difference.

Are You a Failure?

Are you a failure? Have you ever thought you are "such a failure".

Jesus, at one time, was also thought a failure. After all- wasn't He the one which hung from a cross? Satan would have us believe we are worthless.

I love to read biographies. What often amazes me is that those which have become great often walked some really hard paths. They did not give up but just kept going.

Jesus says he will never leave us, so then we can move forward knowing we are always going the right direction if we have given Him control. Isn't that a nice thought!

Push 2

Today I needed to contact an institution about my account. I expected to be running through the "push 2 for....": on going frustrations of phone systems, and to be going in circles. But, instead I got a live operator which patiently worked with me to take care of business. Instead, after about five minutes my issue was resolved, I am relieved and thankful. This man's kindness made my day much easier and I appreciate this little voice of kindness.

1 Corinthians 13: 4

"Love is patient." This man's patient attitude will give me peach today.

Rude Phone Call

I just hung up the phone from a very rude phone call. The offender- myself. My bank will not give me information on my own account, because they have loading misinformation about me. So around and around I went with the supervisor about getting my balance. She is trying to protect my security. I am thankful for that concern; but when I can't access my own account: I boil.

As I hung up the phone, I realized again- I blew it. I am sorry to have gotten so angry, and rude to the teller. My faith should keep me as a person of dignity- but I let me emotions make me a person of shame. I hope that the rest of the day I can remember; I am on a mission. To teach others about God's love. And that love embraces kindness, courtesy and respect.

Sorry Jesus. I blew it, let me remember you next time.

More- Less

More about Jesus- Less about Me. More about Jesus-Less about me. More about Jesus- Less about me. More about Jesus- Less about me. More about Jesus- less about me.

I Want Passion

It seems to me as I observe the Christian world today that we have become so lazy. I am. I no longer have the drive and thrust I once had as a Christian. Not a lot of evangelism coming from my life. So what is the problem?

I think, I have lost my first love. That passion I felt, and that all consuming love is gone. Why? I don't know, but I do know I miss it. I am tired of living a life of being a Christian that spends her time mentally "resting". I want passion, and I want to be on fire. Where is the fire today?

Isn't it time that we as Christian's get tired or being so content with so little? I do not want to be satisfied with indifference. I want a passion which drives my life.

So pray for me. Jesus is not coming to receive the sleeping- but the alive.

Still in Control

Easter morning. My head was pounding, my husband and I were fighting. And, in general I was immature and angry. "What a day!", I thought. I rolled my lawn chair out into the grass hoping that maybe my medication would finally kick in and relieve my headache.

It did not. So I rested on my chair and just prayed. "God, why does life have to be so miserable sometimes. I wanted to spend this day resting, enjoying the day with you and family. Instead my husband is working, my head is killing me and here I am all alone. I am angry!"

As I was there just trying to pass away the time with my head feeling like someone was playing ball inside my skull, I heard the birds in the trees. They were singing and so busy, maybe making nests and enjoying life. Then I felt the slightest breeze that blew threw both my toes and across my face.

Then it was that I felt as if God was saying, "While you may feel miserable, you are not alone. Because I am still in control. I still love you and I have not left you. I am here."

God is in control, good days and bad days are just as much in His plan. And I rest in that.

Think Fast

Think fast- think of someone which has made a big impact on your life. Think beyond family. I bet that there are lots of people that have impacted your life that never even knew you noticed.

I remember one person which touched my life, Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams was helping in our church kid's club. My friend and I were typically "good kids", but this one day we were not very good. Mr. Adams could have made things worse by punishing us. But, instead he took us outside and talked with us. He had the insight enough to realize that our bad behavior was motivated by being teens. We were not trying to be rude, or offensive. We simply were two silly girls which let our behavior get out of line. His wisdom, and patient attitude often came back to me as an adult; as a teacher, when I saw a child which was getting on my last nerve, I thought of my old leader. Then I would try and follow his example, treating that little one with kindness and compassion.

I want, as a Christian, to be a person that impacts others not by sermons; but by kindness and wisdom. And, I think that is how Jesus did it.