Another out of the box message....

Today I was reading from one of my many, many devotional books - the one above.  This is one of my all time favorites and I often go back to this one.  No matter where I start to read, it seems like it always hits exactly what I need for that day.  Here is my reading for today....

Yes, this in yet another "out of the box" message.  I loved the reference to Jesus taking the deaf man "Away from the crowd" to get him out of his own element.  Ummm.  This had me doing some really deep thinking today.  I had been thinking about being "out of the box" that I had been in, but out of my element is something entirely different.  In so many ways this past year has seemed like I have been taken "away from the crowd" into a totally new place.  And I have felt that unease of being out of my element.  It has been a place of discomfort with a bit of feeling really lonely.  One thing that has been very clear for me has been the increased dependence on Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  I had a sudden realization that the tunnel I found myself in and that rushing river running through it were just Jesus taking me "away from the crowd"!  Clearly I was not willing to get outside of my box and out of my comfort zone any other way.  So, there was the tunnel.  And the river.  Don't you just love it when you get an explanation - even if it is hindsight - about why something is happening?  

I managed to get my hair cut today also.  For the last several months I have been really having trouble with my hair!  Doesn't this sound like a silly, small thing?  I have very short hair, but it has just been TERRIBLE!  I really started to wonder what was going on.  I changed my shampoo and still didn't get any fix.  About 4 hair cuts ago I got a really bad cut.  At the time I thought..."oh well, it will grow".  But alas, here I am 4 months later and it seems to get worse and worse.  Today I went "out of my element" to a brand new hair salon.  I got a wonderful young gal who really knew what she was doing!  She took one look at my hair and said "who cut your hair?".  There were some sections that were more than 2" shorter than others.  Apparently the last 3 people who tried to fix the first cut, had actually made it worse!  She was willing to take lots of time and much effort to really get me headed in the right direction towards my "normal" hairstyle.  After 45 minutes of very careful cutting, my hair looks great.  She told me that I would still need at least one more cut to really get things evened out, but I looked in the mirror and FELT NORMAL!  

As I was driving home after the hair cut (with the car windows down and the WARM air blowing in)

I realized that this was such a strong message for me.  Sometimes you have to just get through those really silly little things that really bug you.  And you might have to go out of your element to get relief from the issues.  This makes flowing along in that tunnel, on that river, a bit less scary.  I guess I have figured out knowing Jesus only wants the best for you lets you breathe out and relax.  So now I will focus on Jesus taking me "away from the crowd", rather than trying to figure out what is going on and more so, where I am headed.  I confess, this has been a long and sometimes confusing period of revelation for me.  But I love when I can have one of those "ah ha" moments, especially when it comes with a "normal" haircut!

Jesus, thank you so much for taking me "away from the crowd".  Thank you for wonderful devotionals and for Beth Moore.  Jesus pour out your blessings on her.  Thank you for a wonderful hair cut and the amazing gal who took so much time to get it right. I love that you can reach me in the silliest little things!  Holy Spirit, you are amazing!  Jesus, help me to stay in this place of relaxed, acceptance.  Continue to speak clearly to us all, in our day to day life.  Amen

From CYC to Beth Moore

Today my devotion began with the Bible verse - Luke 2:52. 

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men"

 

This was one of those times I just got stuck on the very first line of the devotion.  My mind started to wander back to a time when this verse was spoken over and over in my house.  At the breakfast table, in the car, at bedtime.  I grew quite tired of hearing this verse recited over and over.  It was the key verse for the CYC program (this was a kids midweek program similar to Awana) that Gwen had joined with her friend Angel.  It was held at Angel's church and I was quite happy when Gwen decided that she wanted to go every week.  Eventually Doug even attended this program.  There was lots of fun and many, many bible verses were memorized!  I well remember sitting at the breakfast table going over Ephesians 6:10-18 (armor of God verses) until I had the entire thing memorized!  And just for good measure, here is Gwen with her friend at CYC!

Okay, enough with the flashback to CYC.  On to the devotion, which I did finally complete.  I really love the overall direction of this study.  Today's title was "Picturing Jesus".  I just love that this scripture about Jesus was used to "picture" him.  I spent a bit of time on the section of this lesson that focused on Jesus having "favor" with men. 
Beth Moore says "people didn't just respect Jesus, they liked him.  The word favor is undeniably related to the word favorite.  It is safe to say that Jesus was a favorite of many who knew him."   I love thinking about this verse in this way.  It does make Jesus seem more human.   And then I glanced at the side bar on the page of this lesson.  Here is what it said............
In today's terms, Jesus was a man who could preach an anointed sermon, then change a flat tire on the way home from church. 

There was a lot to think about in the devotion today.  And I love that I am drawing closer to Jesus by thinking about his humanness as well as his Godliness. 

Jesus, thank you so much for who you are.  Holy Spirit I love that you reveal more of who Jesus is.  Thank you for bringing our family into the CYC program.  Thank you for Beth Moore and this amazing devotional.  Help us all to be willing to see Jesus in a different way.  Amen

When -1 feels a bit like a heat wave.....

Right now it is -1 and when I came home from work tonight, it felt so much warmer than it had been.  Isn't that sad?  At one point yesterday it was -17, but I never left the warmth of my house to experience it.  Today was bad enough at -9 when I left for work this morning.  But the sun shined today most of the day, and if you didn't think about how cold it was outside, and just looked out the window, it looked really nice.  There are piles of white snow that has drifted into interesting shapes.  In some places the snow is smooth and shiny.  Really pretty. 

Today my devotional posed this ........... "write a song today.  Just begin to write and let Jesus lead you to your song for today"

Now I am not at all a song writer or a poem writer or even a real writer.  So I offer up my song for today, asking for your grace as you read these words jotted in my journal. 

From the depth of the thermometer, the sun rises.
Rays send warmth and light and life.
Touching frozen bricks and glass and fingers and toes.
It is well with my spirit, my body and my soul.

The hard iciness of hurt, pain, shame and regret covering me,
melts in the light of the Son.
Every hidden dark corner bursts with His light and His life.
Rivers flood out, like the springtime thaw.
And there is love.

As I typed these words into this blog tonight, I am seeing what Jesus was saying to me this morning.  Here is another picture through the natural of how Jesus works in us  - through the weather.  I see with a new depth of understanding just how much that tough exterior that had surrounded my heart and emotions, that false protection, just got melted away by Jesus.  It had nothing to do with anything I did - it was all about Jesus touching me.  And then the Holy Spirit working deep in my spirit, found all of those dark places that I didn't even realize were there.  Suddenly, everything is different in me and I know that amazing wondrous love of Jesus. 

Yes, this is my personal song.  I know that you all have a song to write tonight also.  The devotional was written about Mary's wonderful "Magnificat" song in Luke.  She truly magnified all that the Lord had done in and through her. That was her song for that day. While she has an amazing part in the Big Picture of God, we all have a part in "His Story".  And tonight, he wants us all to hear his message through our songs.

Write on friends! 

Jesus, thank you for reminding me today of all that you have done for me.  Thank you for Beth Moore who reminded me today to write my song.  Bless all of my friends who take a moment to write their own songs.  Holy Spirit, keep a song in our hearts.  Amen

Not your typical Christmas Day.....

Well Ken and I spent a really nice, yet not so typical Christmas Day.  We got up late.  I made a big breakfast.  We watched some Christmas movies on TV.  I made a pork tenderloin in the crock pot (which actually got done sooner than expected) so we ate our big meal at about 3:00pm.  Then we watched a couple more movies.  And here it is, the end of the day.  Yet, this was really a nice day.  I have a bit of a cold so I really appreciated being able to sleep as long as I wanted.  I don't often get to do nothing. So today was wonderful in that regard.  While it did not resemble Christmas' of the past, it was nice.  And I feel as if this might well be the new normal for us. 

So today I was looking through the books on my bookshelf.  I found this devotional journal that I have never started. 

 I have decided that this will be my devotional for the first 90 days of 2014 (or longer if I get "stuck" at some point).   I like having a jumping off point for the new year.  I love that this is all focused on Jesus - exactly where I have been hearing that I need to be looking - UP at my LEADER!  I mentioned last week that I had received some revelation and answers while driving home.  One of the things that I heard really clearly, was that I needed to be doing more journaling in the year ahead.  I haven't done much in the last three months.  It has really been a time of unrest and upheaval.  And I have found it very difficult to put words to paper.  I am praying that this book will be the clear path to further revelation for me.

 

One more thought........today I passed 10,000 hits on this blog.  I really see that as a gift - a wonderful Christmas gift.  I started this blog because I felt very called to share the things that Jesus was saying to me.  I had felt so stuck and like there was tape over my mouth preventing me from sharing.  I have been able to share not only what is happening in my life, but what Jesus is saying to me about this.  Remembering a conversation I had with Gwen.  She said it was my job to write the blog and then not worry about who might read it.  I honestly could not imagine who might care to read this or how people would find this blog.  But the response has been more than amazing.  I have had readers in 35 countries.  There has been many, many comments and emails that have encouraged me.  I started this blog because I felt that I had "canned" the things I was hearing - you know, just stored them up.  It has been simply amazing to be able to share with you WHATEVER is on my heart that day. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  I pray that Jesus will bless you as you read these words. 

 

Jesus, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Thank you for the amazing gift that has been given to us all through your birth!  Thank you for revealing yourself to us.  Thank you for speaking to us and showing us the path to fulfill our destiny.  What an wonderful and loving God you are!  Bless all who take the time to read this blog.  Give them clarity and vision and most of all your love and peace.   Amen