Books!! I adore books! They have been a constant companion to me through the years. I have been known to hang with them at bookstores, at libraries and at home. I have even read at red lights. Oh and maybe while driving but don't hate. You have probably texted and drove. And if you haven't good for you! You are awesome!
Sorry sidetracked. This post is about books. I have over the last few years went through a type of dessert in my book reading life. I don't know what happened but I couldn't read. Okay, I couldn't consume books like I used to. I have been known to read 3 or 4 books a week. Like eating food.. just eat 'um up. But I have went through a dry spell where I have left books half finished. Stopped mid read. It was awful!! Terrible!! My identity was wrapped up in being a reader. I think maybe it came about because of the internet. At least I'm blaming that. It couldn't be my age or anything. Too much reading of blogs, facebook, emails etc. But the good news. I think I'm recovering. I got a smart phone for Christmas and I have Kindle on it.
Kindle is awesome! It has a ton of free books or you can buy books for it. So I have finished
3 books in the last 2 weeks and am part way through a fourth one. It is so handy. Waiting in line? Waiting for your hubby to come to the car? Waiting in line to get the granddaughter from school? During a commercial? Any where you have a few minutes you can get in some reading. It rocks. Also I have the Bible on it so I can read it more. I highly recommend both.
But I have said all this to tell about these exciting books I have been reading: Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldridge, When Goodly People do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore, and a Grace Livingston Hill novel..The Enchanted Barn. Also I'm part way through Why We Eat Our Own by Michael Cheshire.
All are excellent, excellent books!!!
I will share some more about them in another post. I would encourage women to especially read Becoming Myself. What a life changing book. Such healing!
If you haven't put Kindle on your phone or computer, do. It's free and might help you read more, which is always a good thing.
Random thing I heard: reading 20 minutes a day to a child raises their chances of academic success hugely. It will make an unbelievable difference in their whole life!
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
Did You Know God has a Knack?
My friend a while ago had told me about how her and her husband found old furniture and refinished and then sold it. Restoring, repurposing it. A little side business. Well I was talking to her just the other day and we started to discuss their side job.
She told me, "It is a fun thing to do, hunting down the old piece and restoring it. My husband has a real knack for seeing what can become of something that looks like it ought to be thrown out."
Something jumped out at me. It actually brought tears. This is what God does. So many of us at times may have looked like we should have been thrown out. Other people may have looked at the mess we had made of our lives and shook their heads saying we were worthless or useless or hopeless. We may have even pronounced that verdict on ourselves. But our amazing heavenly Father had a knack of seeing what could become of us. I don't know about you but he rescued me.
Recently our church was collecting Christian books to take to the jail ministry. A precious couple in our church has faithfully had services at the jail for years. Many people would look at the people in the jail and see that many of them return over and over. And they declare them in perhaps different words, something to be thrown out. But God sees more.
The Bible holds many example:
Rahab was a harlot and she got in the lineage of Jesus.
David was an adulterer and murdered. He became a man after God's own heart.
Noah got drunk. But he is known and loved by every child that's heard his story.
Peter had a terrible temper and wasn't loyal when it counted. But God used him mightly in the beginnings of the church.
The Samaritan Woman was divorced numerous times and was living with a man when she met Jesus. And her story of faith is still being told today.
Jesus is portrayed as a shepherd who leaves his flock of 99 sheep, going out seeking the one lost lamb.
Are you a lost lamb? Do you feel worthless? A mess? A mistake? Do you see no way out? Do you believe the lies the enemy whispers to you? The Lord doesn't. If you will accept His help He will give you beauty for ashes. He will do like the old song says: He will make something beautiful of your life. My friend and her husband take the broken old piece of furniture and they remove the ugly surface and they sand it down. They apply an oil that coaxes the hidden beauty out of the piece. Let God do that for you. His son Jesus died to bring you salvation and healing and beauty. He loves you right where you are. He knows what you are to become. He has a good plan for your life. A hope and a future.
Who Does God Say You Are?
If I ran up to you and asked "Who does God say you are?" What would first come to mind? Would you feel condemned? or loved? Would good things bubble up in your mind or would your sins bubble up? The Bible says: What a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov. 23:7a) A song churches sang back in the 90's said: Whose report do you believe? I believe the report of the Lord!
Do we know what God says about us? Do we know His report about us? Here are some of the things He says of us: We are loved! We are blessed! We are saved (if you have asked Him to forgive you and be Lord of your life)! We are his children! We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! We are growing in Him! We belong to Him! We are free! We are beautiful! We are called beloved! We are joint heirs with Jesus! We are overcomers! We are mighty in Christ! We are cherished! We are called Beloved! We new creatures in Christ!
We are this and so much more. And yet we don't walk in this. We get our eyes on our own little world, our own physical sight not on the big picture. We need to see us through His eyes. We don't KNOW who we are or who He is. Let me encourage you today to open your eyes and look up. Get to know God more through prayer and Bible study. Then you can know who you are. Google a search on Who I am in Christ. And then meditate on these things. Review, rehearse these truths until they get down inside of you. And when the enemy of our souls whispers: you are a failure, you are ugly, you are a loser, you are wrong, you are never going to change, you are always going to be poor, you are fat, you are whatever sin you struggle with....etc, etc. When this happens if you have studied and put deep in your heart the truth. Then the Word inside you will rise up and Shout: NO NO NO I Am..... what God says I am. I can do what God says I can! Because I belong to Him! I abide in Him and He abides in me and devil you can move on down the road. I KNOW who I am. I am BELOVED, FORGIVEN, HEALED, FREE, BEAUTIFUL, BECOMING, SANCTIFIED, RIGHTEOUS, PEACEFUL, BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE,
Monday, January 20, 2014
Notebook, Tape and Scissors
My granddaughter was over and she got out a notebook I had bought at the beginning of the school season. Her momma and her aunties are long past school age but I still can't resist the bargain prices for notebooks at that time of year. There is nothing like a fresh blank page. It just calls to me. This one was the last one left, orange in color. It was left last because I don't really like orange. So I had used the others colors first. Like red, who doesn't like red. Or soothing blue. So peaceful You can write in a blue notebook.
But I digress. Bekki had gotten the notebook cause she needed paper. I almost didn't let her use it. Last one and all. I sometimes battle with a mentality I don't fully understand. I wasn't brought up in the Depression Era but I worry we won't have enough. But I caught myself and let her have it easily. Before I knew it she wanted tape, and then scissors. She quietly played and talked to herself most of the day. She cut and assembled long stripes of paper to put across the doorway. Not sure why she did but I had to explain that blocking the bathroom doorway was a bad idea when your grandparents both take diuretics for high blood pressure. She relented. She made Valentine scenes to go with the big Valentine posters we had up. There were little people holding hands in love and lots of hearts. Next she said the notebook was her journal and instead of writing in it, she drew about 10 pages of pictures. She carefully described what each one was to me. In case I didn't understand.
But my favorite was the bird. She showed me how to make it. You fold the page accordion style then unfold and crunch it up real good, then you shape and mold it into a bird shape. And it really looks like a bird. So seriously she explained it all to me. She had an exotic whimsical name she had grabbed out of her fertile imagination. Then of course, since the bird was a house bird, she needed a bird cage. More long stripes of paper where assembled. After a few minutes voila! She had a home worthy of any majestic canary or parrot. I'm not sure just which kind of house bird she was. But she did sit on your finger. And she flew and danced about the room, helping Bekki with some story she had in her head. Then we needed a friend for her and the whole process was repeated. The second bird took flight and we lost her but we still have the other sweet bird resting in her cage. Tired I imagine from her day's activities.
By the end of the day a good time was had by all. Well, except maybe Poppa who wanted peace and quiet. Sometimes you have to jump a little on the couch to fly your bird or get up on the love seat to attach her cage to the hanging picture thingy. And just like a bird, our Bekki sure can chatter. But all and all a fun time was had. And just to think it was with just a thirty cent notebook, a roll of tape, a pair of scissors and an imagination straight from God.
As I was telling this story it reminded me of something I heard. If we open our hand, God will fill it. Like the story in the Bible of Elijah and the raven. Don't remember it? Elijah was a prophet and he was told by God to tell King Ahab that because of his worshiping idols there wouldn't be any rain. Ahab got very angry so God told Elijah to go hide by the Brook Cherith. He had water to drink. But what to do about food? Well, God told him ravens would bring him food morning and night. He raised his hand and the raven would drop meat in his hand. God provided for him.
Also the story of David and the slingshot comes to mind. ( I listened in Sunday School) There young David was facing a giant that all the mighty warriors were afraid of and what did he have? A mere slingshot. But him and God overcame the giant.
Do you have a need? Open your hand, will not our God provide? Have faith. Rest in God. He has all the answers you need. He is right there with you. Be still and listen. Learn to let Him guide you. Be filled with His Spirit and He will show you that often you already have what you need to finish your journey. We run here and there, to and fro. Searching. Searching. Missing that He is right there with us. And we forget or don't really grasp that with Him nothing is impossible.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
So like Bekki, what do you have in your hands, your home, your mind, your heart, your life that can make this a good day, even a beautiful day? Shine out and live well today. Open your heart and mind and BELIEVE for your need to be supplied!!!
But I digress. Bekki had gotten the notebook cause she needed paper. I almost didn't let her use it. Last one and all. I sometimes battle with a mentality I don't fully understand. I wasn't brought up in the Depression Era but I worry we won't have enough. But I caught myself and let her have it easily. Before I knew it she wanted tape, and then scissors. She quietly played and talked to herself most of the day. She cut and assembled long stripes of paper to put across the doorway. Not sure why she did but I had to explain that blocking the bathroom doorway was a bad idea when your grandparents both take diuretics for high blood pressure. She relented. She made Valentine scenes to go with the big Valentine posters we had up. There were little people holding hands in love and lots of hearts. Next she said the notebook was her journal and instead of writing in it, she drew about 10 pages of pictures. She carefully described what each one was to me. In case I didn't understand.
But my favorite was the bird. She showed me how to make it. You fold the page accordion style then unfold and crunch it up real good, then you shape and mold it into a bird shape. And it really looks like a bird. So seriously she explained it all to me. She had an exotic whimsical name she had grabbed out of her fertile imagination. Then of course, since the bird was a house bird, she needed a bird cage. More long stripes of paper where assembled. After a few minutes voila! She had a home worthy of any majestic canary or parrot. I'm not sure just which kind of house bird she was. But she did sit on your finger. And she flew and danced about the room, helping Bekki with some story she had in her head. Then we needed a friend for her and the whole process was repeated. The second bird took flight and we lost her but we still have the other sweet bird resting in her cage. Tired I imagine from her day's activities.
By the end of the day a good time was had by all. Well, except maybe Poppa who wanted peace and quiet. Sometimes you have to jump a little on the couch to fly your bird or get up on the love seat to attach her cage to the hanging picture thingy. And just like a bird, our Bekki sure can chatter. But all and all a fun time was had. And just to think it was with just a thirty cent notebook, a roll of tape, a pair of scissors and an imagination straight from God.
As I was telling this story it reminded me of something I heard. If we open our hand, God will fill it. Like the story in the Bible of Elijah and the raven. Don't remember it? Elijah was a prophet and he was told by God to tell King Ahab that because of his worshiping idols there wouldn't be any rain. Ahab got very angry so God told Elijah to go hide by the Brook Cherith. He had water to drink. But what to do about food? Well, God told him ravens would bring him food morning and night. He raised his hand and the raven would drop meat in his hand. God provided for him.
Also the story of David and the slingshot comes to mind. ( I listened in Sunday School) There young David was facing a giant that all the mighty warriors were afraid of and what did he have? A mere slingshot. But him and God overcame the giant.
Do you have a need? Open your hand, will not our God provide? Have faith. Rest in God. He has all the answers you need. He is right there with you. Be still and listen. Learn to let Him guide you. Be filled with His Spirit and He will show you that often you already have what you need to finish your journey. We run here and there, to and fro. Searching. Searching. Missing that He is right there with us. And we forget or don't really grasp that with Him nothing is impossible.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
So like Bekki, what do you have in your hands, your home, your mind, your heart, your life that can make this a good day, even a beautiful day? Shine out and live well today. Open your heart and mind and BELIEVE for your need to be supplied!!!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Be Mindful
So teach us to number our days; that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12
We are "spending" our days, on what? Like currency we are "spending". Will we go bankrupt? What exactly are we "spending" our days on? What elusive thing or person or position are we chasing? Are we seeking happiness in the wrong places? Approval of others? What do we "spend our time on?
I know some of those questions are redundant but that was me just letting my mind go and think and that came to me. Here is some more....Are we purposeful in our "spending"? or haphazardly pulled by the next drama? the next emergency? the next loud voice demanding your time?
Can you go a single day media-naked? Can you eat a meal without being available to phone, text, tweet, insta-gram, etc?
The urgent. Is it really that urgent? And is your mind stuffed to the gills with trivialities? It was cute to know your friend's cousin's grandson got his first tooth. But do you really have space in your brain for all this? I'm already distracted enough I don't know about you but I need to pick and mindfully chose what goes in my brain. I need a media detox time maybe even a few days.
And yes, I realize the irony of you reading this on a media devise.
Let's step back. Let's pray and be led by the Holy Spirit. Decide. Chose. Be mindful. Don't just flow with someone else's agenda. Stop and follow the plan, the agenda the Lord has for each of us.
And just for the record this post is directed mostly at myself but I thought others could use it to.
We are "spending" our days, on what? Like currency we are "spending". Will we go bankrupt? What exactly are we "spending" our days on? What elusive thing or person or position are we chasing? Are we seeking happiness in the wrong places? Approval of others? What do we "spend our time on?
I know some of those questions are redundant but that was me just letting my mind go and think and that came to me. Here is some more....Are we purposeful in our "spending"? or haphazardly pulled by the next drama? the next emergency? the next loud voice demanding your time?
Can you go a single day media-naked? Can you eat a meal without being available to phone, text, tweet, insta-gram, etc?
The urgent. Is it really that urgent? And is your mind stuffed to the gills with trivialities? It was cute to know your friend's cousin's grandson got his first tooth. But do you really have space in your brain for all this? I'm already distracted enough I don't know about you but I need to pick and mindfully chose what goes in my brain. I need a media detox time maybe even a few days.
And yes, I realize the irony of you reading this on a media devise.
Let's step back. Let's pray and be led by the Holy Spirit. Decide. Chose. Be mindful. Don't just flow with someone else's agenda. Stop and follow the plan, the agenda the Lord has for each of us.
And just for the record this post is directed mostly at myself but I thought others could use it to.
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