okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

Moms tucked in and I'm walking in circles. You know ~ many things to do but the energy for none.

Well it's been many weeks since you have heard from me.
A baby shower and a new baby
A bridal shower and a new bride/son in law
A speaking engagement and  ALL that those entail have filled my past weeks to the brim.

But now the fury and the flurry have passed and it is quiet.

I've been having a nagging thought. I find often that that is the Wonderful Patient Holy Spirit trying to get my attention.  Tonight I am thinking about giving in.
"thinking about it" you say?  Why?

simply put..

because it seems 

 too big for me!  

I will have to be on my toes, tape fingers together to remember and get my nose in the Word more ~ to name a few.

I do know that I will not progress hanging back.  I know He has more for me and to put in me and I need to go unearth my white flag and shoot it up the pole.

I give up!   

Take me I'm Yours!

Maybe you too are feeling the nudge from the Lord about something.  Let me know and I'll pray for you if you'll pray for me

Later we'll compare notes

:)

stretching

m

But It's Hard

I hear this OFTEN....

and I just want to say that ....that is beside the point!!
The Scripture has made  it very clear that this life will hold trouble. Job 14:1, John 16:33, Psalm 34:19

Life is hard whether you are a Christian ~ OR NOT!!
How quickly we forget!

So I guess I can "deal with hard" and go to heaven or I can "deal with hard" and go to hell.

Jesus gave His ALL..

it was hard.....

He did it so that we would have all we need to live fruitful 

and victorious lives in the here and now.   

Yes life is hard 

and disciplining ourselves unto holiness is hard

BUT not impossible!  

and there are so many benefits!!

So lets stop saying that...
We have the Holy Spirit to help us on all levels.  We need to exercise our faith muscles and learn to Trust and Obey.  As the song goes "to be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey!"

Onward Christian Soldiers!

Chutzpah

Such a good Jewish mom.  Such good boys.

"Why not ask, my boys have such potential!."

Can't you hear her now, muttering to herself as she walks home from the market.  The women, who meet at the well, can repeat her story verbatim as she, once again, tells about how HER boys were chosen to follow Jesus.

She is undone in her pride....her sons follow The Master, the Miracleworker, the Teacher.

Mathew 20:20-23. (marnies paraphrase)

The recalling of the mother and sons of Zebedee who come before Jesus, kneeling in worship.

  "Ok, now might be a good time to ask a favor".
V21. Please give orders that my sons will be chosen to sit on your left and right side in Your Kingdom 
V22.  Wait............what?????  "You don't realize what you are asking ..are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"

They answered  "we are able!"

Jesus is kind and understanding with His answer.  (Sorry it's not up to Me")
The other ten...not so much...in fact it left them indignant.

Jesus' teaching of the hour..."whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant.....to be first you must be a slave...
V28 "just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life for a ransom for many (the price paid to set them free).

As mom might say.  "Think before you speak".    

Isaiah 55

8“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.

“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

9For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so my ways are higher than your ways

and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Be patient friend as He unfolds His Perfect Plan

Unrelenting

Matthew 20:31".... But they cried out all the more....."

Jesus was in town!!

  People, great and small, young and old 
were pressing in to hear, learn and see what 
This Man might do.  
Excitement was tangible.

But this day in the life of these 2 blind men was just that...
another day blind ~ Crippled 
and unable to live a "normal" and fulfilled life.  

"Who is in town?" 
 "What are people saying?"  
"What is all the fury about?"

Have you not heard JESUS IS IN TOWN!

The noise of the throng moved closer...the men could taste the dust and feel the ground shake from the many feet.

 They leaned on each other with arms stretched out ~ feeling their way.

What the heck......let's do it!

"LORD HAVE PITY AND MERCY ON US YOU SON OF DAVID!" 

Over and over until they were hoarse they yelled hoping against hope to be heard!

"Shut up you two! This is an important man...get out of the way!"

But.....

YES BUT.

they did not stop....they were desperate for a Touch from the Healer...they were the only two that mattered right then.....and Jesus.....close but yet so far.

"LORD HAVE PITY AND MERCY ON US YOU SON OF DAVID!" 

"LORD HAVE PITY AND MERCY ON US YOU SON OF DAVID!" 

"LORD HAVE PITY AND MERCY ON US YOU SON OF DAVID!" 

Vs 32. And Jesus stopped and called them and asked, "what do you want Me to do for you?"

Wait.  What.  Is HE talking to us??

"LORD WE WANT OUR EYES TO BE OPENED!"

Friends won't you join me in this prayer today?

Will you cry out against all odds and 
against the cautions of society and even the Church?

We need the reality of our desperate condition to drive us to this

LORD PLEASE OPEN OUR EYES!

vs 34  "And Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.  Immediately they could see and began to follow Him"

Let it be Lord

Matthew 15:29-30

"Jesus returned from Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn't speak, and many others.  They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all"

Come To Jesus - Chris Rice (Lyrics) - YouTube

► 3:50► 3:50

www.youtube.com/watch?v...‎

YouTube

Oct 17, 2008 - Uploaded by kelsey06712

Lyrics to "come to jesus" by chris rice. ... Third Day - Cry Out To Jesus by ThirdDayVEVO 3,516,950 views · 4 ...

Come to Jesus. 

Come to Jesus and live.

Made in China

Or North Whitefield or Timbuktu 

While The Lord formed us in our mother's womb our parents were resident somewhere when we were conceived.  After that .....our history tells the story.   How you were brought up...a product of your parents, guardians, relatives etc efforts.    
Good and bad traits were passed down.  Often we can see these traits written all over us!   From physical looks to posture, hairline, gait and even our speech are filled with our parents*
We must also remember the traits passed down to us thru the line of Adam....the sinful nature has overlooked no one!  Learned practices follow us too.....manners or lack thereof, slothfulness and or an anal personality can grab hold

We are flawed with many imperfections that were passed down.

Then He finds us!  

Gentle He lifts us onto His wheel and the process of molding us into His likeness and image begins.  

It's out heart He is most interested in I believe.....as our heart goes the rest will follow.

Don't wait until those pearly gates for change.   We LOVE Him because He first loved us.  Our love SAYS something about our commitment .   Don't think of it as a process of taking away or giving up from our lives but as mom would say, "the Cross is a Big Plus Sign" 

Stay pliable my friend and don't get off the wheel until He has completed His Perfect work in you!

Blessings!
*or those who raised us

Psalm 91

vs 14-16

The Lord says 

"I will rescue those that love Me.  

I will protect those who trust in My Name.  

When they call on Me I will answer 

I will be with them in trouble.  

I will rescue and honor them.  

I will reward them with a long life 

and give them My salvation."

Do you see what I see??

Look at ALL the Promises!!

rescue

protection

 answers

help in trouble

rescue

honor

long life

salvation

How about chewing on that for a while!

Father thank You for Your Promises.  

They are Yes and Amen.  

Grace us to use them.

Remind us Lord 

before we get sucked up into worry and fret.    

Sturdy us, 

that we may stand firmly on Your Word

 with

 NO DOUBT...

NO UNBELIEF..

NO WAVERING!

You are our Everything!

Praise Your Holy Name!