Will I or Won't I

Today I was feeling "hemmed in"
I longed for freedom and no constraints.
My service to Mom felt like a noose around my neck. (I'm sorry if that offends)

I wanted to attend my Bible Study (that's not bad right?)  I wanted to be free of someone constantly calling my name to ask where I was, what I was doing.
 I wanted a "grown up" conversation.

Harmless.             ?

I felt the prompting of the Lord.
I began to read His Word.

I came across  Romans 15:5-6

5 Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

          6 SO THAT  you may unanimously and  with united hearts and one voice, praise and glorify the God             and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ .

United hearts,  One voice?   

Ah yes

I needed to silence the voices in my flesh ...

I needed to submit my divided heart and simply

HEED THE SCRIPTURE.

How difficult is that?   Well after I've "done away" with my flesh it's not so hard
 but killing that old man sometimes seems to be a real chore especially if my Sword is dull.  :)

I'm better because His Word is alive and creative.  It is doing It's work in me and I will remain on the "wheel" until I'm finished

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The Helpless

Thinking today about 

the Helpless

the Homeless

the Least of these

How often have I just walked past?

How often have I said in my heart;

..."someone else's responsibility" 

.... "not my business"

.... " I don't have anything to spare"

..."They have chosen this life"

.... "I'll be taken advantage of" ?

I've decided that that is wrong thinking

Its God's Business not ours.

In Matthew 25 He has directed us as to what to do.

EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING!

Everyone DOES NOT have to do Everything!

What will you do?

First of all I'm simply praying 

that the Lord will make me mindful of this.

   That He will help me 

   to see differently, 

 hear differently.

I'm going to make myself ready.

Whether it is to make 

small care packages of toothpaste, brush, soap etc.  

or

buy packages of socks and underwear

or 

have some "ready" food items on hand and/or

gift cards for coffee or a sub.

SOMETHING

I will be ready.

and when those things have been given out 

I will ready myself again

How about you....

I think I now know what the "Samaritan's Purse" stands for.

Called to Diligence

.... 

Home on the Range

Well Friends,

We have not chatted in a while....

My life has been stretched the past months with mom, the holidays and life in general.  Everyone is doing well here on Pumping Station Road and in one month mom and I will celebrate her 2nd full year living with me.  I find myself doing what I said I never would or could and trusting God  Bigger and Better.

I have missed blogging...it certainly does not mean that I have stopped Musing...as it seems I do that really well ~ all of the time!  

I am trying to get on a new format called Mail Chimp and have been having some technical difficulties getting set up so I ask for your patience as I try to iron things out.  But you will be hearing from me once again.  MC gives the unsubscribe option along with  a nice readable format ..I only hope I can get it together

As I sit in my office watching SOME MORE big fluffy flakes come down from the sky I am thankful for each and every one of you and once again .....   an old hymn comes to mind 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdZ7RdF07Eo

God will take care of you!  Today and everyday!!

With Diligence
Marnie

Too Tired to Swim

The Maine home where I grew up bordered the lovely Sheepscott river.   Often I and neighboring children were known to swim in this clean water hole numerous times a day...especially during those dog days of summer. Although our swimming hole did not normally have a swift current, there were times that it was much stronger than normal;  after a storm, springtime when the snow was melting etc and if one got caught in the current, it could pose a real struggle for a young swimmer. 

I'm sure you all understand the ways of a current...it carries.

Over these past weeks life has served up some situations that simply have put me off kilter. 
Some days I have done ok..others not so much.  

Struggling again today, I counseled myself with the Word, I simply realized I have been swimming too close to the current. Daily life, the news, family and relationships all have the ability to carry us off course as sometimes as shown above, seasons create stronger "pull" and we must be aware and on our toes.
When we get "pulled in" we begin to expend a lot of energy to stay afloat or keep on course.  We tire,lose our peace,patience and more often than not begin the spin cycle of leaning to our own understanding. We become preoccupied and often our emotions tumble to the negative side of neutral.  We are self absorbed.

Lord, I now see.
Thank You for, once again, rescuing me.
Thank You for bringing me back into Safety, that place under Your wing, where peace, security and Grace abound.
You long to carry Your children.  
Your Will is that we live in rest and peace, where no trouble abides.
Father help me to stay and not to venture into the stream or try to figure life out...

You rescue the souls of men
and once again
I thank you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8T0br5JfAA

Content!

The Shortest Distance

is thru the Power of the Holy Spirit!!

A few weeks ago I was sharing with a friend over dinner.  I asked her how long she thought the process would take to change the current situation that she was in.  She replied " Well, it has taken us many years to walk into the woods and I guess it will take just as long to come out."

Well that would seem rational, correct?

The Lord gave me these words," that does not have to be the case.  We walk in by the flesh but when you walk out by "The Spirit" its supernatural and healing can come very quickly"

I love when the Lord speaks.  It tends to be just a phrase or sentence and has the meaning(s) that could fill volumes.

Friend, you may find yourself in a hole, out of focus, off the track and anywhere but "right" but the Good News is God is the Way Maker!!  HE can make a Way where there seems to be none!  He works in ways we cannot see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YBwMQwr8AI

Good nite Beloved

Compost

Today in Prayer Meeting one of the ladies had a word for another.  She said that my friend was like compost and that she saw small green shoots growing out of her.

Immediately the Lord reminded me that compost is from DYING MATTER and

DYING is WHAT MATTERS~

When we die to self/our flesh, wants and desires, God uses that humility to do great things!

How encouraging is that!!  It is not for not!

So dear friend....Let's "die" together.  Let's make it a point to take the low road (which by the way is the high road)  Let us be willing to be last, overlooked, misunderstood, rejected.....

I want to be compost.  I want to grow good things...I want to fertilize others as I grow myself.

Friend I hope to see you in the garden!

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Bracing Yourself

Last evening while sharing with a young mom, I remembered a time when the Lord taught me a valuable lesson.  As always He is forever trying to expose and tear down  wrong thinking and teach us His ways.

The winter before my youngest was turning 18 I began to "look ahead" (first mistake) and ponder how I was going to survive without the child support that I had been accustomed to.  I tried to figure it out....

While visiting with mom in Maine, she asked how things were going etc.  I proceeded to tell her my plight and that things were going to change drastically.  She responded with " well God will just continue to provide as He always has"

Mildly irritated I began to educate her about different Biblical men who had to "rough it out".  I mentioned Job, Paul and Steven.  Men, all devoted to the Lord, who still had to walk a rough road with a heavy load.  After I made my case, she responded, "Whose side are you on anyway?"    

grrrrrr

I finally went to bed when I could not "move" her and as I settled down the Lord whispered to me.
"Marnie, you are bracing yourself against Me."
To which I replied..."no I'm not Lord, I'm just trying to prepare myself for what may lie ahead of me" (duh)

He then gave me a picture of a man and his son  walking away from me.  The father reached up to scratch his head and the son flinched cowering.  

It spoke volumes.    

"This is the picture that you are painting of Me.  
I am a Good Father.  I Never hurt My children.  You Must Never be afraid of Me.
My plans are Only good for you and I will walk with you through anything that I allow to come your way.  Do not be afraid of Me....or anything for that matter....I am Good and I AM Your God"

I asked for forgiveness and went immediately to sleep.  

I want to say a few things:

God has NEVER let me down.
God has ALWAYS been good
God has ALWAYS provided for EVERYTHING I have ever needed plus bonuses!
God is a PROMISE KEEPING God.

My friend, once again, come into alignment with what He says.....You will never be the same!

Content!