Pray for those who are grieving today

I’m preparing a meal for a family to eat during/after  the viewing/visitation/wake of their loved one.   You may know someone who is grieving too.  You may know someone who lost a loved one years ago!  All of them need our prayer support and to know that we love them.

If you feel the need, send them a note of encouragement.  If it’s been more than a month since the person died, don’t send a sympathy card or a note that says you know they are grieving  or anything like that.  They know they are grieving still.  They know they have your sympathy.  Send them a thinking of you card.  Tell them about your day and that they came to mind.  Send them a smile!! 

Praying for those of you reading who are grieving too!

Much love!

Ever Feel like you’re in a hamster wheel?

Do you ever get something stuck in your head?  Something that you can’t get out of your head?  Something that seems to take over your thought processes?  Maybe your mind is telling you that you’re fat.  Maybe your mind is telling you that you’re not lovable.  Maybe your mind is telling you that your house is a pig sty.  Maybe your mind is telling you that no matter what, you won’t be good enough.  This spinning wheel train of thought is wrong!!!  It is FALSE!!  It is from Satan. 

It says in Genesis 1:27 that God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. . . .   If we were created to be the nature of God himself, how in the world could we possibly be too fat, not lovable, not capable, or not good enough?  God is the right size.  God is lovable.  God is capable.  God is good enough.  Therefore, you are the right size.  You are lovable.  You are capable.  You are good enough!  You are who God sees when HE looks in the mirror!!!

Mark 12:31 says that God commanded us to. . . . Love others as well as we love ourselves.  Some of you may have heard this as love your neighbor as yourself.   Stop thinking about showing love to your neighbor for a second and look at this differently.  If you’re neighbor needed someone to walk with them for exercise, would you if you had the time?  If your neighbor was lonely or depressed and needed cheering up, would you send them a card or make a visit?   If your neighbor needed help getting started cleaning their kitchen, would you spend a little time in their kitchen with them offering tips and encouragement?  If you would do these things for your neighbor, then you MUST do these things for yourself as well.  So often, we think this verse means that we should treat our neighbor better than we treat ourselves.  Turn it around, learn to love yourself as much as you show love to your favorite neighbor or friend!

Romans 12:3 says that we must not. . . .misinterpret ourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God.  No, God brings it all to you.  The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.  We are who we are because of what God is.  God does for us.  No, we may not be worthy of all the wonderful things he does for us.  No, we might not feel like accepting it either but it’s God who is offering it, who are we to refuse to accept how wonderful he made us??  God does not make junk!  God made us like Him and I highly doubt that he considers himself worthless.  He is God for goodness sake!  Creator of all the universe.  King of all kings.  We are his children!!!!

Decide today which part of Proverbs 15:15 you will become. . . . a miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.    I hope you are choosing the cheerful heart!  If so, go to a mirror.  Look at yourself.  Smile, force a fake one out if you have to.  Say out loud, I am looking at the image of God himself! I am God’s child!  I am worthy; I am capable; and I am loved!!!

How to find peace, real peace

Phillippians 4:6-7  Says, Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

A positive note . . . . .

Can I offer a piece of advice?  (I hope you said yes. . .  lol)  I am one of the MOST independent people I know, yet at the same time I tend to look at people in my life and rattle off in my brain all the ways he/she  isn’t doing their part or not meeting my needs.  Sometimes this gets me all out of focus and when it finally hits me I realize that I have made myself independent of God and dependent upon people.     I have to switch it around. . . . .

 

Being dependent on God to get our needs met does not mean that we are not capable.  It doesn’t mean that we need a crutch.  It means that we are learning to be what God wants us to be.  He wants us to find our true fulfillment in Him.  He wants us to look to Him for the “Atta Girls” and “Atta Boys”.  Learning to lean doesn’t mean “I can’t’ do it myself”, it means “I understand that God made me to need Him”.

 

When I was in H.S. my Child and Family/Home Ec teacher had us write down these letters on a piece of paper     IALAC   They stand for “I am lovable and capable”.  This is not profound, but yet it is!  Say it out loud when things are bad! 

 

I read a book by Tim Madigan about his relationship with Fred Rogers .  Tim and Fred would correspond often and Fred would sign his notes to Tim, IPOY (I’m proud of you).  This is another not profound but truly amazing phrase.  God is proud you !

 

Wake up to a new day tomorrow!  You can do it!!

kids. . . . . . . .

I peeked in at my boys while they were sleeping last night, as I do most nights on my way to bed.  They are exactly perfect when they are asleep.  They are angels-  Exactly perfect angels- just the way God planned them to be!

It’s been a looooooong summer.  #2 gave me fits earlier this season – he should have talked to some adults that he was too shy to talk to and it ended up in a fiasco that God is taking care of.  #3 jumped out of the water the other day as I was dragging him to shore for disobedience and gave me a black eye (seriously, it’s lovely. . . .grr).    #1 gets cocky and moody every time I turn around then shocks the entire world when an animal of any kind is placed in his care.  It’s like a split personality.  Parents are crappy and spoil all the fun.  Animals are amazing creatures that should be loved and nurtured with all of his being (except when nagged to feed and water them lol)

Seeing them at their “trying” moments can make a parent pretty aggravated.  Watching them be mature, loving, and kind are the moments to savor.  Remember and dwell on these moments today.  If it’s hard. …  . peek in on them when they are sleeping.  Pray for that angel in the bed and remember to love him/her through the heartache.

P.S.  #1 is now the proud owner of a black Holland lop rabbit, born on May 25th of this year.  It has been his dream for over a year now!  Happy Birthday Flex ( a week early)!!!!!!!! (in case any of you wonder- Flex is not his real name. . . . he acquired that nick name at church camp for his “showing off” abilities- a mother could not be prouder!  LOL)

One Ugly Hillbilly

The following story is an excerpt from “Created to be his Help Meet” by Debi Pearl.  I have mentioned her book before in my blog.  It is controversial but I believe in my heart of hearts that Debi is right on the mark.  Whether or not I make the choice to learn to follow all her advice is between God and my own independent heart!  As you read, please forgive the typo’s – I’m in a hurry today!

“A few years back, there was an overweight hillbilly woman who worked in the local store in our hometown.  Every time we went into the hardware store, several men would be standing around the counter talking to her, and they were always luaghing.  We usually had to wade throught the cheerful crowd and interrupt the gaiety to get served.  Her swarm of admireres reminded me of bees around the honey, buzzing with high iterest.  The strange thing was that this woman was ugly, I mean, hillbilly ugly, which worse than regular ugly.  One day as we were leaving the store, I laughingly brought to my husband’s attention all those men standing around talking to the salses cleark.  His reply really surprised me, “Oh, you mean that cute little lady?”  Live and learn!  And apparently I really had something important to learn.  In his mind that lady was cute!  The truth is, she was not little, she was not cute, and she was not young.  But she did smile, laugh, and giggle, and she was always ready for a good clean joke.  I loved being in the sotre talking to her as much as the men did.  She was delightful.  A few weeks later, we saw her in the grocery store.  She was mad at her very obese daughter for grabbing a handful of candy.  Gone were the smiles, giggles, and radiance that had so captivated everyone at the hardware store.  In their place was a bitter, ugly, snarl.  My hsuband remarked when we left the grocery store, “Haven’t we seen that woman somewhere before?  She looks familiar, but I just can’t place her.”  When I told him who she was, he was stunned.  “No, it’s not possible; it just can’t be her.  The woman in the hardware store does not look like that.”  I could see the truth dawn on him, and he was so disappointed.  The funny thing was that the woman looked just like she always did.  She was the same size, sam scraggly hairstyle, the same clothes style, the same everything she was when we saw her in the hardware store.  All she lacked was her glorious smile.  It was her most valuable asset.  Her face was always so radiant, her smile so infectious, her laughter so sweet, and her eyes so earnest that people simply saw her as cute.  I don’t know if she had a husband, but I am sure she could have had a dozen different men in that small town- as long as they never saw her in the grocery store, mad at her daughter.

Everyone is drawn to a smile and wants to be a friend to someone overflowing with good will.  Men are highly attracted to smiles.  That includes your husband.  Do you want your husband to stay home more?  A merry heart and a mischievious giggle are good drawing cards.”

Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

It’s my oldest brother’s birthday!

In honor of my brother’s 47th birthday, I printed off the words to several familiar hymns and contemporary christian songs that remind me of him and the good ole’ days when we all still lived at home.   I found these at www.my.homewithgod.com/heavenlymidis2  If you like this kind of music, visit that site and when you click on a song title, a new window pops up with the words and it plays the song for you right there!   I spend time on this site often and sing along- my own little worship time. . . . ..  . .it’s wonderful!

Anyway, on with honoring my big brother. . . .

1. Old Time Religion- this song reminds me of the pianist we had at church growing up.  Lamoille was her name and she could pound those keys with the best of them!  Lamoille played two ways- loud and loud!
2. One Day at a Time- If I remember right, this song was performed by the Gaithers back in the day.  It was written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson in 1980.  I don’t remember Marijohn but I do remember Kris Kristofferson.  He was in there just prior to the “christian rock” days bringing new music to the gospel realm.  A great artist and a great song.  It reminds me to slow down. 
3. Our God Reigns- This was one of many of my favorite church camp songs.  Church camp reminds me of my brother.  He was a counselor at camp at the same time that I was a camper (that’s what 10 years difference in age will do for you!).  I thought I was soooo cool because my brother worked there!  Anyway, Our God Reigns, was one of the songs we sang during worship time and in the camp choir- most times it was just the chorus but it was still an awesome time of worship that I will never forget!
4. For Those Tears I Died- circa 1972.  If you know this song, you know it was one of the up and coming contemporary songs that changed Christian music.  It’s the story of coming to Jesus and coming to understand His purpose in your life.  Thanks to my brother and so many of his friends,  many many kids (myself included) came to know Christ at church camp- came to understand that Jesus died for their tears. . . . .
5. Friends – 1982  Those of you reading who know me personally and knew me back in the early 80’s, know why this song is here.  This song was at the top of the Contemporary Christian music charts and was one of the songs that jumped over onto the pop charts for a time.  It was played at my brother, Andy’s and if I remember right, my brother, Tim’s funerals.  I was able to sing this publically with a friend once since 1986- around 1989 -during those crazy “I don’t care” teen age years and have not been able to sing it completely since then.  This song is special- it holds many memories- it will remain sacred in our family for generations to come.
6. There is Power in the Blood- I could not believe it when I read that this song was written in 1899!!  I could have swore it was one of the verging into contemporary music pieces!  When Lamoille played this at church when we were little, our little country church in the “wildwood” boomed with praise and worship.  We sang this song loud and proud- without hesitation!  It is completely amazing that a song with such beat and strength was written in 1899. . . . . . .
7. My Tribute- performed most famously by Andrae Crouch, an African-American singer who brought African- gospel to masses of all color and was respected in all realms of music.  When I was 10ish and Doug was 20ish, Andrae was popular.  Contemporary music wasn’t well known in the midwest yet.  Doug brought this style of  music home with him and would play it on our family piano.  The music Doug came home from college singing was music like I had never heard in church before.  It was cool!
8. Burdens are Lifted at Calvary-  This song was not sung often growing up but I do remember hearing it.  It is a true, honest reminder to come to Jesus and I like it.
9. Learning to Lean-  This is another one that surprised me when I read when it was written- 1976!!  I thought it was an old hymn!!  I remember singing this song and feeling a little bit like Laura Ingals.  It made me feel like I was singing a simple repetition song from colonial times, sitting in a tiny church with a potbelly stove to keep warm by!  I recall Doug playing and singing this one at our family piano too!
10. When the Roll is Called up Yonder-  Now if this one doesn’t make Doug think of Lamoille, our pianist- I don’t know what will!  The piano keys just danced when we sang this one at South Amboy Church.  Everyone was on their feet singing as loud as they could.  I remember being able to pick out the individual voices of many folks who were singing- our parents especially liked this song!  It was written in 1893 and is an amazing hymn!!

Those were the days, back when I was 10ish and Doug was 20ish.  I idolized the ground he walked on!  He brought cool music back home from college, brought interesting people to our home for holiday meals,  always had some sort of escapade or fiasco to accompany his visits back home.  I remember one story – he had borrowed a friends car to drive home for a visit.  When he stopped to put gas in the tank, he realized that the gas cap had to have a key to unlock it and Doug did not have the key.  He drove home on fumes and made it.  Dad and Tim helped him pop the cap off and he had to drive back to college with a rag stuck in the opening. . . . (at least that’s how I remember the story!) 

Or another story-   Doug brought one of the foreign students home on several occasions- I forget, was his name John?  John watched my mother trim the fat off the ham she had prepared.  When she went to remove it from the serving platter, John stopped her and asked her to keep it on the platter- in his country the fat was a delicacy and something special to be served!

I also remember when Doug was in the singing group from college, New Creation.  Now that was waaaaaaay cool!  About a half dozen college kids invaded our home and they all loved to sing!  I was that little sister who got to hang out with them. . . . .

Or when Glen and Jean were the music leaders at camp.  They were friends of Doug’s and I was one of the few campers who knew them outside of camp.  It was like I was on the inside track of cool. . . . . . .

Anyway- Happy Birthday, Earl the Pearl!  Your little  sister still has stars in her eyes after all these years!  Thanks for being such a positive influence in my life!

Friendship. . . .talking ’bout friendship

As regular readers have probably figured out, I spent yesterday with my girlfriends!  We had an awesome time!  Proverbs 27:2 says Don’t call attention to yourself; let others do that for you.  I’m the attention seeker in our group.   I make sure everyone in our little group is embarassed by my antics at least once every time we go out.  Funny thing is, they keep inviting me to go along so must be they like it! LOL

Seriously though, these friends are amazing.  Most of us have known each other since we were little, we’ve seen each other through many life changing events, supported each other in crisis, and had a ball during the in between times.  The other gals in the group have come along as friends or family of others and fit in as if they have been there our whole lives!  They truly are a Proverbs 27:9 friends.

Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. (The Message Translation)

Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweeness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel. (The New Scofield Translation)

The sweet smell of friendship revives the soul.  Help you see the world in a whole new light.  Friendship refreshes and renews our heart and mind.  I hope and pray that each of you who reads this has at least one friend who touches you like my angelic friends do.  They truly are gifts from God!

Today, thank a friend for their friendship!  Thank God for their friendship too!

Dear Heavenly Father- The gift of friendship is an amazing thing- how could you have known how important it would be!??    Thank you!  Thank for giving me time to renew my spirit!  Thank you for the gift of friendship.  In you name, amen

It’s a sure thing! Stick it Out!!

Hebrews 10: 32-39 (The Message Translation)

Remember those early days after you first saw the light?  Those were the hard times!  Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse- some days it was you, other days your friends.  If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them.  If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure.  Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set back.  So don’t throw it all away now.  You were sure of yourselves then.  It’s still a sure thing!  But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.  It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute.  But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.  But we’re not quitters who lose out.  OH, no!  We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.

Don’t lose focus, folks!   The book of Hebrews was written to people who were losing focus on what truly was.  They had lost sight of God is God, Faith, Hope because they had started making the “religiousness” of Christianity more important than God and Jesus.  God is God.  Jesus took care of everything.  There is no religious ritual or rule that can change those facts or make those facts better than are.

So, today as you go about your business- if discouragement blurs your vision or if someone tells you your not good enough, don’t lose heart!    The New Living Translation for verse 36 says, Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will.  Then you will receive all that he has promised.  The focus is simple and if you stay focused you will truly acquire patient endurance and it will help you follow God’s will. 

God is a sure thing!  It’s a sure thing that Jesus covered all our wrongs!  Stick with what you know!   Follow God’s lead!

Dear Heavenly Father-  Thank you again for your wisdom in you word!  Help us today to not get frustrated with life’s pit falls but to keep our eye on the prize- You!  Give us the courage and the strength to press on.  Thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen

Be Real!

Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20 (The Message Translation)

After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life.  And that’s about it.  That’s the human lot.  Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work.  It’s God’s gift!  God deals out joy in the present, the now.  It’s uselss to brood over how long we might live.

Just the good ole’ boys!  Never meanin no harm. . . . . . .

 

When I read this Bible passage, I immediately thought of the “good ole boy” terminology.  Not the drunk, fist -fighting kind but the blue collar, old pick up truck, blue jeans and friends over on Saturday and blue jeans and a Bible on Sunday morning.   There is always something comfortable and welcoming about hanging around a good ole boy.  They do the best with what they have, they have a good time, and the typically work the same ole’  job for years.  Their yard is messy, theirs dirty dishes in the sink, they are a payment late on their mortgage, the kids have dirty knees and a tore up yard to drive their ATV in.  Most notably, they are Happy!!  They are comfortable in their own skin.  They don’t put on “aires” about who they are or are not.  These good ole’ boys (and girls) have delighted in God’s gift!  They don’t look back with regret, they are happy with where they are in life!

 

My brother, Tim, was a good ole boy- through and through. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father-   Thank you for showing me a glimpse of what you hopefully meant by Solomon’s wisdom in Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20.  It’s nice to know that it’s okay to settle for who I am and not be expected to be someone I’m not.  Help me to not look back but to look at today and be thankful for your gift of hard work, food in my belly, clothes on my back, and most importantly the gift of joy that I have because of it. Thank you Jesus.  In your name, Amen