Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...
Yes, it is only August 19th. We still have four more weeks of summer, but as every year....I am getting anxious for the fall season. I LOVE fall!
Tomorrow is the first day of school. Our curriculum is in order, the schedule book sitting patient on the Hoosier cabinet....waiting....full of the first weeks activities. The sky overcast tonight is reminscent of cooler evenings. The smoker outside fills the air with the wonderful aroma of mesquite....its wafting into the windows. Jerky in the making and Hunting Season is soon around the corner.
The wood pile is starting to grow outside in anticipation...and smells so good. Fresh cut wood and mesquite....I like this.
Some red zinnias....all that's needed to make this "night before school" evening complete; a canning jar full of flowers. Feeling blessed tonight. I know its the middle of August.....but a girl can close her eyes and count her "Fall Blessings" a little early.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in
Christ. Ephesians 1:3
It's been said life's like a toilet paper roll, the closer you get to the end the fast you roll. My life seems to go quicker and quicker. Sometimes I feel like I am standing at the epicenter of life spinning in circles. One revolution and my kids are infants. Another, they're toddlers, and yet another, and now we're school-aged. I used to believe the phrase "Time is short" was so cliche. Now, I am asking God to relieve me of my spinning dizziness. I am dizzy from spinning.
It's funny how death makes you look closer at life. I attended another funeral today. My friend lost her little boy, her heart broken. Her little "Joel", born too early, went to be with Jesus. His life ended as soon as it began.
I open Facebook and am over-whelmed by distraction. Chick-fil-a, Planned Parenthood, animal rights, political campaigns, he said...she said.....lifestyles.....demands....rights...arguments: "I am right.. you're wrong". Friending....Unfriending....Aggghhh!!!. My brain can't take it. Distractions. All distractions: things to take our vision off the imperative. Distractions to take our eyes off the important....
Life is short. Unbelievably short. The next revolution may be our last. What then? My life will one day cease from this earth. Yours will too. Its funny how distracted we get....allow ourselves to get. If we distract ourselves, maybe the inevitable will go away? Do you not believe preparation for the future is important? Do you wear a coat in the winter?
There is a Savior that's prepared you're way for the future. The catch...you have to accept His gift of salvation. He's handing it out, but you have to grab hold....accept it. The Bible says there is a hell....a serious hell. A terrible place, so terrible I can't fathom. God doesn't want anyone there, but He's given us freewill....we get to choose. He can't make you love Him....He can't make you accept Him. It's your choice. He loves you, but forced love isn't real love. He desires your presence...you are precious to Him. He longs to hold you....He allowed to His Son to die on Calvary's cross in your place. He loves you that much. YOU HAVE NO IDEA.
Tell Him you accept His offer....that you want Him.
We are given a set amount of time on earth. We don't know how long. You don't know how long you have. Don't waste your time on distractions. Distractions are only that....distractions....to keep your eyes off what's important.
Questions? Leave feedback with your email address and I'd love to share what the Bible says about God's love for you!
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Matthew 24:36
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Our Memorial Day was a beautiful one this year. The sunshine was bright and the temperature was perfect.
Our kids were old enough this year they could understand the meaning of the holiday.
A day celebrating the lives already past.
Our oldest daughter, our sensitive one, struggled a little. She is empathetic and feels the pain of those grieving. She wasn't sure she wanted to come to the cemetery with us. I understand her feelings. There are many emotions surrounding this day.
We took the kids to visit the graves of family members. Most of which passed on before the kids were born. We did lose my husband's grandfather last year and the kids remember him.
I am thankful for family ties. Legacy's of love continued past the grave.
We had an opportunity to tell the kids about their great grandparents. A little about their lives and what they stood for.
We gave the kids each an opportunity to remember their great grandfather with a flower from our garden.
Legacies are important. Life is important.
Our children know this life is not the end.
We followed our trip to the cemetery with a family potluck at a local reservoir and park.
We met with a few of my husband's family....lots of nieces and nephews.
I want my kids to understand the importance of family.
Memories.
Legacies.
Childhood Remembrances.
Spending quality time together.
Life is short.
And...a new generation of families will grow up and celebrate those gone before them.
I want my children to understand what's important.
(**Quiet the blog music first, scroll down midway on the left hand side, to "Farm Songs", then click pause)
Wow. I am so tired, but so blessed. God is so amazing. Yesterday I got back from Living Proof Live 2012. For those unfamiliar, its an amazing two day event featuring awesome worship and a great message. Beth Moore, a wonderful teacher of the Bible and Travis Cottrell, a worship leader, lead this amazing event.
I have to say I went expecting to hear something my heart needed....and I wasn't disappointed. I love when God does that!
The message presented was so very relevant: Running our Race Unhindered. Running without baggage that drag us down, fatigues us, making us stumble. It was about losing our shackles that make us ineffective. And that its only in this manner we'll have endurance to get to the finish line.
I did a lot of soul searching during the conference: God revealed my shackles. I've been toting unnecessary baggage all my life: I've been traveling with FEAR. I run my race with fear dragging not only from my ankles, but my waist, and my wrists....and my head. I give my fears to the Lord just to pick them up again. Why do I do that? Really, its so dumb. Who runs a marathon carrying an arm load of bar bells???
The odd thing: my fears are perceptions and possibilities (not even reality). I fear expectations. Perceived expectations.....(and I guess some real ones). I fear them, because it could be proof I don't measure up (another fear mine...lol). And my deepest fear: rejection for "not measuring up". Rejection...oh, I hate (and fear) the thought! Anyway, you get the picture....Fear is a huge hindrance for me. I've spent a good deal of my life shackled by FEAR. I hate fear! It's kept me from doing a good many things (that God's intended me to do). I've been ineffective because of FEAR!
I want to run freely. It's funny how when you live with something for awhile you cease to see it. Fear at times has dictated my life. It's like I have a big "F" on my forehead painted in red, however, when looking in the mirror, I don't see it. Yet, I sit on the side lines of life not participating because of it. Fear has held me back from being who God has made me to be. It has hindered me from reaching my God-ordained destiny. My shackles have held me captive. And....when I am shackled, I am right where the enemy wants me.
God showed me this weekend that to run the race marked out for me, FEAR must be eliminated. And...I know I can't do that without my Savior. He's my redeemer. I only need ask Him, and He'll adjust my focus (with a lens eliminating fear). He doesn't want me wearing shackles. My shackles hold me captive with lies.
It's terrible how long the "F" has been on my forehead and the shackles on my ankles. I pray He removes them from today....and tomorrow.....and the rest of my life.....
I can't live life without difficulty, but I want to live it unhindered! I don't need to be afraid.
Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12: 1&2. A few notes from the conference:
Disappointment - (without) Hindrance= Faith
Devastation - Hindrance= Trust
Injustice - Hindrance= God's Vengeance
Handicap - Hindrance= Hero
My Pain - Hindrance= My Passion
My Life - Hindrance= My God Ordained Destiny
And....the last verse from the book of Acts: "He [Paul] proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!" Acts 28:31.
Running without hindrance....that's what I want.
*Notes and ideas are taken from Beth Moore's Living Proof Live 2012 Boise Conference.
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