I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
Galations 2:20-21
Knitting Socks
at least trying! pj's for all American Girl Doll clothes and bedding curtains, tablecloths and chair covers for the schoolroom, eating nook and sewing room
~ Family Read Alouds~
Danger!
Last Light
~Blessings~
~Join the Fun~
Mar. 2, 2009~ waking up ~
This morning, like many mornings as of late, I am awake at a wee hour. Four a.m. to be exact.
God, what is it that you want from me at this time of the day/night?
My mind is racing in so many directions I cannot reel it in. I am so frustrated that I am not sleeping. I try to turn my mind to you Lord, but I cannot seem to get a handle. I don't know what to pray. I can't stop the flood of names and circumstances. It feels fragmented and senseless.
I am out of bed, dressed, starting laundry, picking up the kitchen- the kitchen is always in need of picking up. I am still out of sorts- I still cannot stop conversing in a jumbled and seemingly senseless manner.
Take my tea, sit down, breath- just breath in the morning for a moment. It is dark but I can still see outside, take in the fresh beauty of the day.
Breath.
Lord, this is a very full time for me. It is over unchartered territory and I am unsure of my steps. What do you have for me today?
Breath.
So many things to pray for- I am not even sure how to pray for everything.
Breath while handing each thing over to you, God.
One by one, giving each a name, a feeling.
It is still confusing, doesn't all make sense to me, feels out of control-my control. But I am more peaceful, content. I think this will be a full day of continual conversations with God. I will learn much today- of that I am sure.
Mar. 1, 2009~ So many paths- why is mine so windy? ~
Have you ever been out on a walk on a beautiful day and all you want to do is enjoy the scenery. You don't want to hike up a huge hill or criss cross many different paths. You just want to stroll.
I find that is what I like to do in life- stroll. I love to enjoy the company, enjoy the scenery, ponder deep thoughts-but stroll.
I am thinking God does not have a stroll in mind for me right now. I feel like my life walk has been uphill, windy, slippery with ice and snow, wet with rain---anything but a stroll over the last few years, this yea in particular. But I am thankful. I am tired, but I am thankful. I do not even know everything I am thankful for. I am not even sure if I feel thankful all the time, but I know I am.
I am thankful that God is holding me up every step of my journey. He also is telling me what to do at each bend in the road- for if I did not accomplish what He wishes my walk would be for nothing.
So, as I reflect to myself I wonder if I knew this was my path would I take the walk again? I have to say yes. God is by my side, holding me up, listening to my fears, strengthening me every step of the way.
At this point I would have to say, ' Use me God. Do not let my journey just be a journey for me. Let me be used by You in others life through their journey.' And as I rest for night I must ask of the Lord-' Where to now and what would you have me do?'
This world is just a layover-like the Dallas airport, somewhere you need to stop and possibly stay a little
longer than you would like in order to get where you want to be-
The purpose for this life is to share the love of Christ for people to understand who Jesus is and what He has done for us all.
But it is not always fun. Circumstances of this life is not what we should base our happiness on.
Our ultimate joy is in the Lord- in all circumstances- and ONLY in the Lord.
Last night as I heard the results from our election I was in disbelief- how could we have already decided this when half the country-or more- have not even closed their polling booths, let alone counted all the votes that had been mailed in. Discouragement started to set in.
I woke this morning in a stupor. I did not want to hear any more about the election. I was sad.
Then I heard God's Word and I am again encouraged. It really does not matter who is in the White House- or any other house- when it comes down to it. My God is bigger. My sights and those of this country need to be centered on Him. This does not feel like the best decision. I have to believe God continues to work, and work for our best---not just our ease.
So, I close today hoping to encourage the ones that are discouraged. Be Glad---REJOICE!! The Lord is holding us in his hands and will not turn from His people. How mush more does he love us that we love our children? I am expecting great things!!
My good friend put this out there and I felt it was worthy of sharing.
Her disclaimer says it all-- It is not meant to be insensitive to those in difficult situations, with real needs, but rather to address the issue of a welfare State and a hand out mentality.
Two Different Versions! Two Different Morals!
OLD VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long,
building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays
the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!
-------------------------------------------
MODERN VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his
house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays
the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering
grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table
filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is
allowed to suffer so ?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries
when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'
Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the
news stations film the group singing, 'We shall overcome.' Jesse then has
the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the
ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an
immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act
retroactive to the beginning of the summer.
The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs
and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is
confiscated by the government.
Hillary gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation
suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal
judges that Bill Clinton appointed from a list of single-parent welfare
recipients.
The ant loses the case.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the
ant's food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be
the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now
abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once
peaceful neighborhood.
I am studying the parable of the seeds right now. You know the one, about the seed falling on good soil or bad soil. It is Mark 4:3-8 if you want to check it out. I know that most of us have heard this over and over. I know that most of us think that Jesus was talking about the saved and the unsaved. Maybe he was. But maybe he was talking about Christians.
We should be hearing God's voice. If we are a Christian then this should be the norm- not the out of ordinary.
Several things that could hinder us in hearing Gods voice-
1. Attitude- I must repeat that ATTITUDE- sorry I was yelling. Can this issue get any bigger??
We need to have an attitude that is eager and receptive to hearing God. We should have our ears tuned in to hearing His voice, His whisper. This means that we need to cultivate an open mind to Christ.
A pastor of mine once said that he trained his children to not wander farther than they could hear his whistle. And when he whistled he expected them to come running. He can whistle very loud and he used this to call his children to his side when they were in the neighborhood playing. He would only whistle once. His child's ears were tuned to hearing their father's calling, even while being occupied elsewhere.
Is this just the greatest illustration of how we should be tuned to hearing God(our Father) speak to us (His children)
The soil in the parable is my heart and mind. Is my heart and mind cultivated to receive the voice of God?
Why can't I hear God? Is my soil good? Or is it like the hardened path that the seeds fell on? Those paths walkways, everyone used them to get from one field to another. The more space for the path the less area could be planted so these were very narrow. Because they were so hardened and trampled down the seeds would fall and stay on top. The birds would be able to easily pick up the seeds and carry them off. The poor were able to come along and gather any that they found on the path without disturbing the fields that were prospering.
Pride the definition is- arrogance, a sense of superiority, an I don't need you attitude?
I am bigger than YOU.
Fear- afraid God will request things that I am not able/willing to give. Psalm 118:6
Fear of losing a lifestyle, $$$, our pride. Fear of our inadequacies.
Bitterness- this shuts everyone out. This is a cancer that causes death to our souls. Resentfulness.
Is my soil like those of the rocky places? These were bedrocks of limestone. Very shallow soil- like a shallow heart/mind.
Could this be those mountain top experiences we can sometimes have? Like when we were in youth group and we would go to camp. It lasted about a week and we were going to change our lives forever. We were going to have a devotion every day, pray morning and night, do some of those little rituals that would remind us of how our hearts had been touched...One maybe two weeks later it was all forgotten. This is shallow soil. Hearts and minds that are not used to hearing Gods voice that hear Him briefly yet do not have the focus to follow through. No roots.
How can we get roots? Roots that are deep and healthy?
Set aside time.
Slow down- spend time with God. Allow Him to teach us. Work on our commitment to God.
Eliminate distractions- Is your quiet time in front of the TV? Is it only half heart-ed because your mind is really making lists of things you should be doing? Get off somewhere new, unfamiliar. Close your eyes. If you fall asleep don't worry. God spoke to many an Old Testament guy in dreams. When you wake up spend some awake time with Him, you were probably just over tired.
I have so much more that I have been learning. I will share more later, you have a great day!
Here is a parting thought.
Don't let your distractions be your weeds. Choking out the time for God. By the way, choke means to suffocate and strangle.
Practice hearing Gods voice. Do one thing this day that will enhance the soil of your soul forever to be able to hear Him clearer.
Remember, as children of God it should be the norm. to hear your Father's voice.
Thank you for listening to God Pastor Terry Marrow. God truly speaks to me through you!
I am a wife to a man who can do everything (Lovingly referred to as MacGyver), mom of 10 (1 married in, 1 almost married in and one adopted in) and a Nana to 4.
I am all about growing in Christ, family, handcrafts and the art of homemaking. My newest passion is knitting.
We live on a small homestead in NE Washington. Raising pigs, chickens and goats, growing a garden and revamping an older home.
