Has God said "No" to you on any particular issue lately? I have recently had a confirmed "No" from the Lord and honestly, I'm learning to be grateful. I thought I would be devastated but I wasn't. I'm learning that "No"s are not all bad...yes, it has taken me 40 years to discover that! That doesn't mean we always like it or enjoy the "No" but we can trust God and then, even in the "No"...
Psalm 37:3-5, "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it."
Trust, Do, Dwell, Cultivate, Delight, Commit, and more Trust...all verbs. All surrounding "getting" the desires of our heart. How does a "No" from the Lord work into this? Well, when I receive a "No", I'm tempted to drop in a heap and stop...Trusting, Doing, Dwelling, Cultivating, Committing and so on. My tendenacy is lack of faith in the midst of a "No".
He is good and He is God and He is actively and accurately designing a change in our desires. He is enough. Am I desiring Him, even in the "No"? Am I dropping in a spiritual heap to throw a spiritual fit? Sometimes. Today, though, I'll choose to thank Him for the "No" and continue to Trust, Do, Dwell, Cultivate, Delight and then Trust some more...
Friday, January 9, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
A New Year...
Can you believe it? 2009, another New Year. Where does the time go? I've been reflecting on 2008 and trying not to "look" too far into 2009- a general problem I have. I like guarantees, I want the promise that this year holds only wonderful things. What do you feel as you "look" into this New Year? Hope? Fear? Certainty? Uncertainty? Faith? Or, like me, all of the above and then some?
Proverbs 31:25 " Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future."
Honestly, that seems to sting a little...ok, a lot. I'm not so sure I'm smiling at the future and strength and dignity? I think my holiday pounds are causing me to not fit into that clothing, right now! LOL.
Where am I going to find the strength and the dignity to wear for the smiling at the future part of the New Year? 2008 left me exhausted...unless. Unless. Yes, that is it. It is His Strength. His Dignity or should I say my identity in Him, that gives me dignity, that I need to wear- holiday pounds or not!
Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."
2009 a New Year...trusting, revering the One who is Redeeming. Trusting the One who is the Strength and who always smiles at the future. Happy New Year. May our eyes be on Him this year, no matter what the year brings.
Proverbs 31:25 " Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future."
Honestly, that seems to sting a little...ok, a lot. I'm not so sure I'm smiling at the future and strength and dignity? I think my holiday pounds are causing me to not fit into that clothing, right now! LOL.
Where am I going to find the strength and the dignity to wear for the smiling at the future part of the New Year? 2008 left me exhausted...unless. Unless. Yes, that is it. It is His Strength. His Dignity or should I say my identity in Him, that gives me dignity, that I need to wear- holiday pounds or not!
Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."
2009 a New Year...trusting, revering the One who is Redeeming. Trusting the One who is the Strength and who always smiles at the future. Happy New Year. May our eyes be on Him this year, no matter what the year brings.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Days of Mercy, Grace and Peace....
Well, it's December 26th...Merry Christmas. Late. I've been meaning to blog but due to the excessively crazy holiday...yet, striving to remain "Christ"-mas in the season, something had to give besides my last nerve! WHEW....
I've been thinking on some things and I just want to share one thing. I hear the collective, "Ya, right, just one" :) That's OK.
John 3:16,17- "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."
We are all very familiar with these verses, sometimes I find myself, too familiar. God did not send Jesus to judge the world. I've been struck by what that looked like, 2000-ish years ago. Mary, full-term and in the agonizing labor...desperately alone, naive, terrified. Face it, my sisters, she did not have an epidural or a wonderful labor coach with cool cloths!
Jesus was born. YHWH- God Himself...fully God and fully man, the Word became flesh. He entered this world like any other baby does; with pain, blood, water...relief. He came not to judge. If He had come to judge, the world would have ceased to exist by the sheer presence of His Holiness. He came not to judge but to die...to save.
We live in an unprecedented time, we live in a time of great mercy, grace and peace. We live because He came not to judge. The days are relatively few,as I am becoming more and more aware of. He will come again- this time He will judge. Where is our focus the other 364 days of the year? Christ needs to be our focus of everyday...the mercy, grace and peace He offers needs to be the focus of all our days- until we see Him face to face.
Let the reality of what that looked like...God NOT judging-at Christ's birth, sit upon your heart. Let the reality of His coming not to judge but to offer Salvation, Mercy, Grace and Peace rest upon you soul. Merry Christmas...and Peace on Earth- the real peace that every soul is longing for. Jesus.
I've been thinking on some things and I just want to share one thing. I hear the collective, "Ya, right, just one" :) That's OK.
John 3:16,17- "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."
We are all very familiar with these verses, sometimes I find myself, too familiar. God did not send Jesus to judge the world. I've been struck by what that looked like, 2000-ish years ago. Mary, full-term and in the agonizing labor...desperately alone, naive, terrified. Face it, my sisters, she did not have an epidural or a wonderful labor coach with cool cloths!
Jesus was born. YHWH- God Himself...fully God and fully man, the Word became flesh. He entered this world like any other baby does; with pain, blood, water...relief. He came not to judge. If He had come to judge, the world would have ceased to exist by the sheer presence of His Holiness. He came not to judge but to die...to save.
We live in an unprecedented time, we live in a time of great mercy, grace and peace. We live because He came not to judge. The days are relatively few,as I am becoming more and more aware of. He will come again- this time He will judge. Where is our focus the other 364 days of the year? Christ needs to be our focus of everyday...the mercy, grace and peace He offers needs to be the focus of all our days- until we see Him face to face.
Let the reality of what that looked like...God NOT judging-at Christ's birth, sit upon your heart. Let the reality of His coming not to judge but to offer Salvation, Mercy, Grace and Peace rest upon you soul. Merry Christmas...and Peace on Earth- the real peace that every soul is longing for. Jesus.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Gas Gauge...
Well, we just paid off our van! WHOO HOO!! This is a big deal for us and very exciting too. Of course, John and I have been joking every time we are together in the van..."She doesn't sound so good." One of us responds, "Shhh, don't say that too loud. The van is listening. She is going to break down as soon as she is paid off." We laugh together often, it's like she (yes, the van is a she) knows she is almost fully ours! Windows are not working properly, one door has had trouble and so on. You get the point. No big deal, but very funny.
The latest thing to go is the gas gauge. It always shows at a full tank...well at least most of the time. That's how I realized that it wasn't working. It was full, full, full and then full and then right at empty. Made it to the gas station and I had .2 of a gallon left of my 24 gallon tank. Close call. Please tell me you can already see my problem...I'm a busy woman who admittedly doesn't pay much attention to car details, SO this gas gauge thingy, it could be a real issue for me! The amount of gas left...after driving say a week, is "unclear" to me so I just keep driving until I realize...Hello! I need to get gas. I do not want to run out! Then I think to myself...it will be all right and I drive a little longer. :) Still haven't run out of gas...YET! I never realized how much I appreciated the gas gauge and the low fuel light!
I do have a point. It's the holidays...a busy,busy time of year. How is your spiritual gas gauge? Are you like me, driving-driving-driving. Assuming you'll have enough "gas" to get you through? Make sure you take some time to "fill up" with the Word, with worship and just with Jesus- in this His Season. I'm guilty of doing the same thing to the Lord that I do to my car. I'm off to "fill up"now , how about you?
The latest thing to go is the gas gauge. It always shows at a full tank...well at least most of the time. That's how I realized that it wasn't working. It was full, full, full and then full and then right at empty. Made it to the gas station and I had .2 of a gallon left of my 24 gallon tank. Close call. Please tell me you can already see my problem...I'm a busy woman who admittedly doesn't pay much attention to car details, SO this gas gauge thingy, it could be a real issue for me! The amount of gas left...after driving say a week, is "unclear" to me so I just keep driving until I realize...Hello! I need to get gas. I do not want to run out! Then I think to myself...it will be all right and I drive a little longer. :) Still haven't run out of gas...YET! I never realized how much I appreciated the gas gauge and the low fuel light!
I do have a point. It's the holidays...a busy,busy time of year. How is your spiritual gas gauge? Are you like me, driving-driving-driving. Assuming you'll have enough "gas" to get you through? Make sure you take some time to "fill up" with the Word, with worship and just with Jesus- in this His Season. I'm guilty of doing the same thing to the Lord that I do to my car. I'm off to "fill up"now , how about you?
Saturday, December 6, 2008
A pile of rubble...
I saw a huge pile of rubble tonight...this particular pile was 20 years of memories and 15 years of lots of my hard work. I saw a pile of rubble of what use to be the building of our family owned business, a business that I was a part of for 15 years. It is all I have ever known in my adult-working life.
I turned the corner on my way to my parents house and it was just gone. My folks sold the building 2 years ago and the door of my professional life (in that business) closed 3 years ago...but I had a reminder every time I went home to my parents, I drove past the place and now it is gone. Tonight, I had tears in my eyes and memories flooded my mind. A very significant chapter in my life closed with that business and now the only tangible reminder of that season of my life is gone- it is now, a pile of rubble.
I loved the 15 years of business I was in. I learned a lot about my industry,business, people...I learned a lot about life. I wouldn't change those years but I also wouldn't go back, it was time to close the doors of the business. Those years molded me and my days there prepared me for what I'm doing now. I wouldn't change how things happened but change can be difficult. I spent 15 years building a business...pouring into it and do you know what is left? A literal pile of rubble. It is a very sobering thought.
I'm no longer pouring into a business but it is an important question to ask ourselves...what are we pouring into and what will be left when it is gone? Will it be a pile of rubble? Am I pouring into a house? Am I pouring into a ministry or church program? Am I pouring into my success or my possessions? Or am I pouring into people? Into Kingdom Purposes? All I have left of the Fringe (that was the name of our family business) is the memories and the relationships. Those are all that is left.
What are you spending your life on? What are you pouring into? Spend a little time in Hebrews 12...there is only one thing that will not be left in a pile of rubble...it is the unshakable Kingdom of God. There are so few things that are eternal. People and God's Purposes and His Word.
I turned the corner on my way to my parents house and it was just gone. My folks sold the building 2 years ago and the door of my professional life (in that business) closed 3 years ago...but I had a reminder every time I went home to my parents, I drove past the place and now it is gone. Tonight, I had tears in my eyes and memories flooded my mind. A very significant chapter in my life closed with that business and now the only tangible reminder of that season of my life is gone- it is now, a pile of rubble.
I loved the 15 years of business I was in. I learned a lot about my industry,business, people...I learned a lot about life. I wouldn't change those years but I also wouldn't go back, it was time to close the doors of the business. Those years molded me and my days there prepared me for what I'm doing now. I wouldn't change how things happened but change can be difficult. I spent 15 years building a business...pouring into it and do you know what is left? A literal pile of rubble. It is a very sobering thought.
I'm no longer pouring into a business but it is an important question to ask ourselves...what are we pouring into and what will be left when it is gone? Will it be a pile of rubble? Am I pouring into a house? Am I pouring into a ministry or church program? Am I pouring into my success or my possessions? Or am I pouring into people? Into Kingdom Purposes? All I have left of the Fringe (that was the name of our family business) is the memories and the relationships. Those are all that is left.
What are you spending your life on? What are you pouring into? Spend a little time in Hebrews 12...there is only one thing that will not be left in a pile of rubble...it is the unshakable Kingdom of God. There are so few things that are eternal. People and God's Purposes and His Word.
Monday, December 1, 2008
The conversation...
Here's how the conversation went...
Mandi/Mom, "Ummm....who moved this?"
Maggie, "Tommy did it."
Tommy-from the other room, "I did what?"
Maggie, "None of your business."
Does that strike anyone else as funny? OK, I'm have to admit it. I might sound just like this exchange sometimes. Blame-shifting and avoidance. Her objective? To fly under the radar. I'm positive Maggie moved it.
This small and very funny exchange reminds me of me....how often do I do the same kind of thing to people, situations, and even the Lord. OK...I'm a big girl, I don't do it out loud...I do it in my head and that doesn't mean I'm nuts-o! My objective? Get the spiritual spotlight on to someone else...and then tell myself not to worry about it.
Blame-shift, avoid and try to fly under the Holy Spirit's radar. I guess I can be kind of like a spiritual 6 year old...and in a child of the King, it's really not funny or cute. I'm grateful I'm starting to see it. I'm grateful that the Lord will not allow me to "fly under the radar". In reality, with Him, there is no "under the radar"! He sees it all and He is in the business of transforming His Own. Love you all.....
Mandi/Mom, "Ummm....who moved this?"
Maggie, "Tommy did it."
Tommy-from the other room, "I did what?"
Maggie, "None of your business."
Does that strike anyone else as funny? OK, I'm have to admit it. I might sound just like this exchange sometimes. Blame-shifting and avoidance. Her objective? To fly under the radar. I'm positive Maggie moved it.
This small and very funny exchange reminds me of me....how often do I do the same kind of thing to people, situations, and even the Lord. OK...I'm a big girl, I don't do it out loud...I do it in my head and that doesn't mean I'm nuts-o! My objective? Get the spiritual spotlight on to someone else...and then tell myself not to worry about it.
Blame-shift, avoid and try to fly under the Holy Spirit's radar. I guess I can be kind of like a spiritual 6 year old...and in a child of the King, it's really not funny or cute. I'm grateful I'm starting to see it. I'm grateful that the Lord will not allow me to "fly under the radar". In reality, with Him, there is no "under the radar"! He sees it all and He is in the business of transforming His Own. Love you all.....
Monday, November 24, 2008
To tolerate....
Do you ever feel like you just tolerate things? You know, the next task, job, commitment or maybe a person you just tolerate? To tolerate, it's a very draining way to live.
Dictionary.com has one definition for Tolerate:
to put up with something or somebody unpleasant; "I cannot bear his constant criticism"; "The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks"; "he learned to tolerate the heat"; "She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage"
I'll be honest, sometimes it just seems like I tolerate a lot of things and people in my day. Here's the thing, I don't want to just be tolerated. When I wake up in the morning, that is not on the top of any one's list; "I hope the world and my friends and family just put up with me. I hope that I am just tolerated today!" How horrible! Yet, that is what I do with certain people in my life, (Can you tell I'm being convicted out this!?) I simply tolerate them...they drive me crazy or annoy me or whatever and I simply tolerate them and the holiday's are sometimes the worst time of year to do this. Are you hearing me?
Well, as I struggle with this and as we come into this week...I don't want to have the attitude of just "putting up with", I don't want to just tolerate. I want to see with my Master's eyes and do you know how He sees you? And me? Not with the eyes of one Who just "puts up with" us! Let that sink in...do you ever feel like God is just tolerating you? He is not...He has gone to radically great lengths to have a personal intimate relationship with you. He loves you. He's not disgusted and putting up with all the unpleasant things about you...He's in the business of changing you from the inside out, by the power of the Holy Spirit because of the finished work of the Cross of Jesus.
He is wild about you and more than excited about the work that He is doing. Now here is where the rubber meets the road for me, Am I going to look at all those people who I tolerate with my eyes or His? He is not done in them either... and I am called to be His Hands and His Feet. Love you my sisters...
Dictionary.com has one definition for Tolerate:
to put up with something or somebody unpleasant; "I cannot bear his constant criticism"; "The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks"; "he learned to tolerate the heat"; "She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage"
I'll be honest, sometimes it just seems like I tolerate a lot of things and people in my day. Here's the thing, I don't want to just be tolerated. When I wake up in the morning, that is not on the top of any one's list; "I hope the world and my friends and family just put up with me. I hope that I am just tolerated today!" How horrible! Yet, that is what I do with certain people in my life, (Can you tell I'm being convicted out this!?) I simply tolerate them...they drive me crazy or annoy me or whatever and I simply tolerate them and the holiday's are sometimes the worst time of year to do this. Are you hearing me?
Well, as I struggle with this and as we come into this week...I don't want to have the attitude of just "putting up with", I don't want to just tolerate. I want to see with my Master's eyes and do you know how He sees you? And me? Not with the eyes of one Who just "puts up with" us! Let that sink in...do you ever feel like God is just tolerating you? He is not...He has gone to radically great lengths to have a personal intimate relationship with you. He loves you. He's not disgusted and putting up with all the unpleasant things about you...He's in the business of changing you from the inside out, by the power of the Holy Spirit because of the finished work of the Cross of Jesus.
He is wild about you and more than excited about the work that He is doing. Now here is where the rubber meets the road for me, Am I going to look at all those people who I tolerate with my eyes or His? He is not done in them either... and I am called to be His Hands and His Feet. Love you my sisters...
Friday, November 21, 2008
I am not God...
I am not God....I know, I know no shocker there but I had another "moment" this morning as a funny reminder of just how true that is. I am a thinker and I have been wrestling with a particular doctrinal issue lately and being who I am, a lot of times I think while I multitask...and being who I am, I am usually in some kind of hurry as I do my task.
Case in point, while getting ready this morning sitting in front of the mirror I put on my mascara and grabbed the blow dryer with my left hand and the body splash with the right hand. Here's the picture:
1.Thinking deeply about this doctrinal issue and trying to wrap my brain around it.
2.Drying my hair with my left hand.
3.Spraying body splash with my right hand...right into my eyes which of course had mascara that hadn't dried yet.
4.Frantically blinking to get the body splash out, I then had huge eyelash marks all underneath my eyes- did I mention while pondering the deep issues of doctrine?
HELLO, I am SO not God- but I did look very funny! I can't even multitask and put on my makeup for crying out loud. If you see me today, I may still have some raccoon eyes, that is why!
Point of the day, God is God and He is totally able to multitask and take care of "doctrine" and He is certainly not in a rush. Actually, I don't think God has "doctrine"...He just is and He is completely OK with that. He's certainly not thrown off the throne with my need to know. So, I'm learning to rest in Him and in the fact that He is in control. I'm learning that it is OK, if I just don't know...I can rest in the fact that He is known. The question is; Am I knowing HIM more, not just knowing doctrine? He desires to be known and He has made a way...that is eternal life. John 17:3
Case in point, while getting ready this morning sitting in front of the mirror I put on my mascara and grabbed the blow dryer with my left hand and the body splash with the right hand. Here's the picture:
1.Thinking deeply about this doctrinal issue and trying to wrap my brain around it.
2.Drying my hair with my left hand.
3.Spraying body splash with my right hand...right into my eyes which of course had mascara that hadn't dried yet.
4.Frantically blinking to get the body splash out, I then had huge eyelash marks all underneath my eyes- did I mention while pondering the deep issues of doctrine?
HELLO, I am SO not God- but I did look very funny! I can't even multitask and put on my makeup for crying out loud. If you see me today, I may still have some raccoon eyes, that is why!
Point of the day, God is God and He is totally able to multitask and take care of "doctrine" and He is certainly not in a rush. Actually, I don't think God has "doctrine"...He just is and He is completely OK with that. He's certainly not thrown off the throne with my need to know. So, I'm learning to rest in Him and in the fact that He is in control. I'm learning that it is OK, if I just don't know...I can rest in the fact that He is known. The question is; Am I knowing HIM more, not just knowing doctrine? He desires to be known and He has made a way...that is eternal life. John 17:3
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Shocker...2 hr. delay.
Well, the morning, we had the first of many snow-related 2 hr. delays for school. Shocker. The snow has hit and it's only November 18th! Here's the deal with 2 hr. delays, you wake up and don't know what you are going to get and then it's only a 2 hour setback. Simply put, it messes with my day. It throws me off. It messes with my mind, it messes with my plans. 2 hours delays.
Does life ever seem like it has its share of 2 hour delays to you? Or does it sometimes seem like God is just in a unexpected delay pattern, due to some sort of "weather" situations? Does life ever mess with you and leave you out of sorts, with plans delayed? Praise the Lord, He is not like the school board! (Hey now, I'm not trying to be mean to the school board!) I'm reminded of this Truth. God is always on time. There are no delays from His Perspective. My perspective says..."Why the 2-hour (or 2 day, 2 month, how about 2 year...you get it) delay? Why is this? The 'weather' doesn't seem so bad. Why does it seem like the Lord is waiting...delaying?" Maybe I do treat the Lord like the school board!?
Isaiah 26:3,4 says, "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock. "
So, as I'm experiencing my "2 hour delays" from the Lord I can have peace, as I trust Him. He is on time. He is unmovable, even in our "weather". He is the Rock. He's not messing with my mind or my life. Wow. Whole new perspective on those delays and maybe I should stop judging Him like I do the school board? He sees all the roads and what is safe...He knows what He's doing and what He is "delaying" and it is not His Purposes!
Does life ever seem like it has its share of 2 hour delays to you? Or does it sometimes seem like God is just in a unexpected delay pattern, due to some sort of "weather" situations? Does life ever mess with you and leave you out of sorts, with plans delayed? Praise the Lord, He is not like the school board! (Hey now, I'm not trying to be mean to the school board!) I'm reminded of this Truth. God is always on time. There are no delays from His Perspective. My perspective says..."Why the 2-hour (or 2 day, 2 month, how about 2 year...you get it) delay? Why is this? The 'weather' doesn't seem so bad. Why does it seem like the Lord is waiting...delaying?" Maybe I do treat the Lord like the school board!?
Isaiah 26:3,4 says, "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock. "
So, as I'm experiencing my "2 hour delays" from the Lord I can have peace, as I trust Him. He is on time. He is unmovable, even in our "weather". He is the Rock. He's not messing with my mind or my life. Wow. Whole new perspective on those delays and maybe I should stop judging Him like I do the school board? He sees all the roads and what is safe...He knows what He's doing and what He is "delaying" and it is not His Purposes!
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