"One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper was not hostile; he was not opposed to them, but his inn was crowded; his hands were full; his mind was preoccupied. This is the answer that millions are giving today. Like a Bethlehem innkeeper, they cannot find room for Christ. All the accommodations in their hearts are already taken up by other crowding interests. Their response is not atheism. It is not defiance. It is preoccupation and the feeling of being able to get on reasonably well without Christianity."
~ Billy Graham ~

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A lot of things come to my mind...

I think I'll just ramble and let my thoughts lead me...

Revelation 3:14-18 is one thought...speaking to the church of Laodicea"..you are neither cold nor hot..."

"you say I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing"-and do not know that you are wretched , miserable, poor, blind, and naked-..."

Think about it...this is written to the church...if this is the case what about the unbelievers around said church? Do they even have a chance? How will they ever see their own need?

We are so insulated from suffering here in our culture...we are so busy collecting goods for ourselves and trying to be someone that everyone will like...we are so conditioned to accept evil... even death is a cleanly packaged event for most of us ...we do not have to care for own dead...and we are so, so busy... we don't recognize our own need for a Saviour.

All of these things condition our minds...we are blissfully unaware of our sinfulness, our inability to please God, of God's holiness and perfection.

The unsaved in our society are inoculated against Christianity...they get just enough of our easy believism vaccine and the mega church mentality along with christian TV and radio all alluding to (and sometimes actually saying)the idea that "Christians can be cool and have fun too---just like the World"

Who is copying who here?

And what about half hearted Christian neighbors and friends?

How do they ultimately affect the world for the Kingdom of God?

People think it's just a gimmick. Christianity is something to fill someone's time like a hobby.

I have been guilty of this same busy, shallow existence, at times.

Please forgive me Lord for all the times I didn't see my own sin, for all the times I have turned people away from you by not truly living the Kingdom.

I want to lose the busy, time-wasting activity and focus on the really important things... I want my children to be so consumed by You that nothing else matters...

Sunydazy

"Like the proud mother who is thrilled to receive a wilted bouquet of dandelions from her child, so God celebrates our feeble expressions of gratitude."
~ Richard Foster~

How often do we 'become as little children' and give ourselves to God without pretense? ...just like our own precious little ones that bring us those tokens of affection? ...dandelions, a melted piece of chocolate clenched tightly in the fist so it can be saved for mama, a hand drawn picture with scribble writing, a song played on the harmonica...

It's easy to belittle oneself and think that our own offerings of love are meaningless. We don't have to have a 'great and mighty' ministry and a man made title to please God. We are doing what God has called us to already if we focus on our homes and children, teaching and training our little ones in the fear of the Lord and making our homes a place of peace and rest for our husbands and children to rest in.

Do you ever just sit down and enjoy looking at the tiny bugs and leaves in your yard with your children--telling them about the wonderful Creator as you do? Perhaps that is like the handful of dandelions.

Do you ever sit down with your husband or children and offer them some cookies and milk, a listening ear and  some heartfelt prayer after a long hard day-- without telling your own problems? Perhaps that is like the fistful of chocolate offered to your Father as you care for the family He has given you.

Do you ever sit and write prayers and thoughts to the Lord in a journal or even a scrap of paper? Wouldn't He like to get love notes like the ones our children give us?

Do you ever sing or hum praise songs or hymns while you wash dishes?

Perhaps that is like the little song puffed out on the harmonica that a child plays for his parents.

God doesn't want us to say: "I'm not a writer, I'm not an artist, I'm not a singer" He wants us to realize that we are wholly His and wholly made by Him, to  bring honor to Him in whatever we do.

So, cast aside the pride and the worry that you don't measure up to some man made standard, and give Him everything you've got without pretense.

Today I want to sing while I work and share some cookies with someone, and listen to my children.:-) What simple things can you do?

Sunydazy

"It doesn’t matter what is behind you as much as it matters who is beside you."
~ Ellen ~
"Laced with Grace"

Oh, how true I've found this to be in my life!

The relationships I hold with my savior, Jesus, and with my dear husband, are truly what have kept me alive in every sense of the word. Being alive is more than just breathing in oxygen. Life lived to it's fullest involves learning to love, learning to sacrifice, learning contentment, and finally, experiencing happiness.

I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life at the tender age of 3 years old. At the age of seven, I was so in love with Him and I was so determined to make sure that He direct my life, that I asked him again to please live in my heart. He always listens when His children ask Him to direct them and He does it. Of course, in our finite minds we are never really prepared for all the twists and turns that the journey holds. But He is still there, ready to be listened to and ready to listen, if we will just stop and remember to confide in Him.

For my journey, He also provided me with a strong man. This man has stayed with me through thick and thin. Our journey together has been full of adventure and pain and love and the difficulties of growing up.

If anyone had told me when I was young what my life would hold for the next twenty years, I might have withered like a leaf in the fall  and dropped to the ground. I would have been petrified! But from this perspective...looking back at what is behind...I am not afraid. I have found that those things in the past do not hold the power to destroy me. God has me in the palm of His hand and my wonderful husband is right beside me all the way.

Of course, having someone beside you is not merely a matter of chance...It takes strong choices to choose to stay with your God and it also takes strong choices to choose to stay with the mate He has given...but that is something to talk about another day. Let me just say that I do not regret, for one moment, having such a wonderful God or having such a strong man to lean on. Life is very hard, for most people...just remember you don't have to walk it alone. Look beside you and lean on the Creator of the Universe.

Nothing else matters.

Sunydazy

"When life whacks you so hard your head flies off, sew it back on and keep going."
~ Mary Pierce ~

The above quote is in reference to a lesson learned from a rag doll...

I have a teddy bear. I've had him for 38 years. He doesn't look so good anymore. He's bald and lumpy and has had major surgery several times. His foot came apart once, and his neck, and one arm fell off. Everytime something came off I fixed it because I loved that silly old thing. Thankfully,teddy bears aren't prone to worry! He doesn't sit around morose or have panic attacks thinking about what other dreadful thing might happen to him sometime in the future. He is just always there to provide a touch of memory or comfort and a smile to me whenever I need it.

Sometimes I spend too much time worrying. I worry about all kinds of things. I worry about finances, health, finances, schedule, lack of sleep, child training, homeschooling, finances...the list just goes on. I have often stopped the awful train of worry by asking myself this: "What is the worst that can happen?" And "If the worst does happen...what then?" Usually I am able to begin breathing normally again and go on. Fear has a paralyzing effect on me. It can stop me from enjoying the very best things...it takes the joy out of the day to day moments. It's just not worth it.

I'm not saying that very difficult things don't happen to us all. They do...thus the worry train starts rolling again. But...when those things do come along, God can and will supply His grace to keep going if we will just ask for it and determine in our hearts to avoid self pity.

There have been a few times when life whacked me hard enough to knock off my head but usually I only lose a lesser body part like a toe or something. I recently told my dear husband that I would rather the hard things in life take me by surprise...I don't want to sit around planning on them and waiting for them to happen.

What a waste of precious time that is!

If I do get my head knocked off I 'll just ask God for a needle and thread, or maybe I'll ask Him to do the sewing. He has a great repair shop!

One of my theme songs has become "Don't Worry , Be Happy".

Remember that great piece? A lot of wisdom in those few words...

I've got  lots and lots to do today. I'll be humming while I work.

And if you see my head get knocked off, don't count me out! I'll be back after a visit to the sewing machine.

Sunydazy