Finally back blogging...Happy 4th of July!

I know that it has been a long time since I blogged - six weeks!  It was a very busy 6 weeks, however the fact that I was busy, is not the reason for the blog silence.  I made a very clear decision to step back from this blog and re-evaluate.  That included thinking/praying about the reasons for this blog.  Looking back at some past blogs.   Looking into the future a bit.  Among other things!  It was a good time to rest and let events happen.  In addition to all my "normal" busyness - being with my grand kids and life in general - here is a recap of what kept me away during these weeks.

1.  A brief visit with my sister Julie.
2.  Anna's preschool graduation.
3.  Dance recitals for Lia, Ellie and Anna.
4.  Lia's Birthday.
5.  Zeke's Birthday party.
6.  A full week with Ellie, Zeke and Anna while Gwen, Tim and Lia were on a Mission Trip.
(During that week Ken was in Florida visiting with his sisters)
7. Short trip to a nearby lake for a walk/photo session
8.  A wedding of my friend Diane.

And finally, the 4th of July!  Ken and I had a wonderful holiday.  We got up early and went with Doug and Susie and Grace to an early parade in a nearby town.  We were very thankful that they moved the start time to 9:00am since it was VERY HOT!  Grace was delighted to pick up all of the candy that was tossed to her, but the best things was the Ice Pops that several groups gave out!  And the water bottles!  After the parade, we spent a bit of time at Doug and Susie's and got to watch Grace in her new pool.

She was so excited to go down the slide into the water.  It was fun to watch her slide, over and over.  I'm sure she took a good nap after all that excitement before it was even noon.

Ken and I decided to go to the local fireworks display.  Something that we haven't done for years.  Last year we had decided to try a nearby parking garage roof, but the event was rained out.  This year was clear so we saw the entire show from 7 floors up.  Actually the hour before our town's display began,  we watched all around the horizon as various communities had slightly earlier start times.  No matter what direction you looked, there were tons of fireworks. 

Getting out of the garage and home was much easier than being in all the traffic right by the park.  So we called this a major win.  I am sure we will be going back there again next year.

One of the reasons for the brief break from blogging, is my sadness at the decline in the number of people who are seeing my blog.  This has been because Google stopped sharing any posts from the Blogger platform.  I lost a good number of my international readers who followed me through Google.  I suspect that many of my new readers also came from that search engine.  I watched as my readership fell from the hundreds and sometimes thousands into the teens.  However, as I have reflected back on the reasons that I began this blog, I am convinced that I need to continue to write and share my life in this way.  Sometimes it is the smallest things that reach people and effect changes.  Although this blog may not be read by that many people, I am convinced that the people who need to read my words, will find them.  I spent several years before I began this blog in 2013, feeling frustrated and stifled.  I felt as if I had been given things to share and yet I didn't have anywhere to share!  When I started this blog, it was as if the floodgates opened and so much poured out.  I was reminded of my life verse from John 7:38.... "rivers of living water will flow from within them".   I am amazed when I go back and look at some of my posts.  Clearly these were God-given words and not mine.  Today I am feeling ashamed that the number of readers caused me to back off this blog.  It was giving way to much power to Google.... when God is in charge of who sees theses words!   Yes, lesson learned. When God calls you to something, don't stop just because it gets hard or uncomfortable.  Just keep on going.  I saw this yesterday from the diary of John Wesley....

Sunday A.M.  May 5 - Preached in St. Anne's. Was asked not to come back anymore.

Sunday P.M. May 5 - Preached in St. John's.  Deacons said "Get out and stay out"

Sunday A.M. May 12 - Preached in St. Jude's. Can't go back there either.

Sunday A.M. May 19 - Preached on street. Kicked off of street

Sunday A.M. June 2 - Preached out at the edge of town.  Kicked off of highway.

Sunday P.M. June 2- Preached in a pasture. Ten Thousand people came out to hear me.  

If God calls you to share, I guess you just have to keep on sharing and let Him bring the people!

Jesus, thank you for using this past few weeks to remind me that this blog is about you.  It is all about my relationship with you.  Help me keep my eyes focused on your kingdom and off of the cares of this world.  Remind us all that you are much bigger than anything that is happening in the world around us.  Thank you for the plans and purposes you have for all of us.  Amen

Called but not qualified

I have been thinking about this picture all day today.   I have started to write a blog post several times over the last week, but they are sitting in the "draft" mode and most likely, I will never publish them.  Nothing that I have put on paper has seemed to be just right.  After my last blog I was determined to blog more and to put all of my thoughts out there.  No matter what.  But that is so much harder than it sounds. 

This picture represents one of my very first memories.  I don't actually remember having this picture taken when I was three years old.  But I do remember that outfit.  The jumper was a deep blue and the trim on the ribbon was red.  The embroidery on the blouse was also red and the little bow was red.  I don't know why I remember this so well, but I am sure about the colors - even though the picture is black and white.  I've been thinking about this picture after spending some one-on-one time with Anna on Monday.  Gwen had a crazy, busy day so she asked if I would come and pick Anna up after  preschool.  I was quite happy to get just a bit of time to be with Anna without the older kids around.  As the youngest of four, Anna is usually not that much of a conversationalist.  When you get her alone, it is just the opposite!  What an amazing little girl, who will be four years old next week.  She was happy to tell me all about her day in preschool.  She even shared that her teacher was "really bummed" that she forgot to sing the dinosaur song. What an amazing little girl - she seems much older than three going on four all of a sudden.  She was very excited to ride in my car and insisted on hanging her "pack pack" (her back pack) on the hook in the back seat.  On my way home from their house, I was reflecting on my time with Anna, and wondering just how much she will remember of days like this.  And that led me to think about this picture.  Memories are really funny things. 

Somewhere around the time that this picture was taken, I had a life changing dream.  In this dream, Jesus and I were walking in a beautiful garden.  There were all kinds of flowers and birds and trees. Even as a little girl, I remembered how incredible the place was.  We were walking on a path that seemed to just go on forever.  Jesus was holding my hand.  Even now, when I think about this dream, I can feel his hand holding mine.  Jesus had a very important message for me.  A very simple message.  Jesus was the Son of God and he had died on the cross to take away all the bad things we had done.  And he did not stay dead.  He came alive again and is in heaven with God.  Easter is not about the candy and the Easter bunny.  It is a true story about Jesus.  I was supposed to tell everyone about Jesus. 

I can't explain this dream.  While my family attended church, we did not really ever talk about things like this.  I don't remember ever having a conversation with anyone about Jesus, the cross or Easter prior to this dream.  I do remember talking to my mom AFTER this dream and telling her I was going to tell everyone about Jesus.  Her response was to tell me that we don't talk about this to other people.  It was not something I should share with anyone else.  So, I did not go and tell everyone about Jesus at that time.  It was many, many years later when I realized that the dream was really the point when Jesus called me to be a truth teller and a sharer.  I just never felt qualified to do that!
In total truth telling, I don't feel very qualified right now!

It really is a mystery how God really doesn't look around for the most qualified people to do His work.   It is also interesting how many times He calls on children to carry out his plans.  Lets face it, if we are qualified to do a job, we often don't have to have any help.  When you can accomplish something in your own strength and power, you don't really need God, do you?   Once I acknowledged this call on my life, and also just how unqualified I was for this task, it was quite easy to call out to Jesus for help.  It has been a slow process towards acting on that first call on my life. 

This blog is just part of me finally fulfilling that first call on my life.  I am telling everyone who reads this blog that Jesus is real.  He really died on that cross for you and for me.  And He really rose from the dead and is now in heaven with God the Father.  If you believe in Him you will be saved.  It is that simple.  There is nothing that you have to do.  Jesus has done it all for you. 

There are so many very qualified people out there, with training and theological degrees.  There are well known, world traveling evangelists that are much more qualified than me to carry this message.  Tonight I am very thankful for the means to write this blog and the method to transmit it out into cyberspace.  Only Jesus could have planned to use someone as unqualified as me to share this message.   I am sure that each person reading this blog, has a destiny and calling unique to you.  That is just who God is.  He loves us each so much.  We are all pieces in the puzzle of His plan.  We each have an important destiny to fulfill.  Don't hesitate is you feel unqualified for the calling.  Remember, nothing is impossible with God!

;Jesus, thank you for this very powerful memory through this picture that brought me back to the dream that needed to be shared today.  Holy Spirit, give us all clarity as we consider what Jesus is asking of us.  Help us to know your presence with us.  Jesus thank you for being patient with us as we walk on towards your calling. Thank you Jesus for children.  Amen

More birthday surprises..... and more insight from last night

Today I am starting my blog with my grateful items!  I have been so surprised to get several birthday cards in the mail!  Today I got this darling card from my sister Julie.  I love this sweet message that sisters belong to each other.  And, as Julie said on the inside of the card, even though we are far apart in distance, we are connected.  I couldn't help but think of Lia and Ellie (and I am sure Anna will join the mix as soon as she is a bit older).

This was the first day of school this year.  Yes, they do belong to each other.  This card and reminder from my sister Julie was just what I needed and made me feel connected to her, in spite of the miles that separate us.  So the cards are number 1 tonight, and sisters are number 2!  Yes, I am so thankful.  And my number 3 is the fresh from the garden tomatoes and green pepper that a friend gave me last week.  Tonight I made Ken's very favorite dish (Chicken Paprikash) with those yummy veggies!   

Okay, I mentioned that the speaker last night shared a bunch of thoughts that would have me thinking for a long time.   So I have decided to share my reflections as I go through these short little phrases that I noted.  Tonight.... "Don't fight where you are NOT called.  It is not your concern. Stay in your calling!"  I thought about my post recently after a friend asked me what I thought about the problems in the world.  I liked this answer!  I am not called to fret or worry about anything!  In fact we are told very clearly NOT to worry.  Or be concerned.  And I was thinking about how great this advise really is.  Any time that I think about getting involved in some kind of battle, I need to stop and ask myself if this is something that I have been CALLED to be involved with.  In thinking back over the last few issues that I have faced, there is at least one that I should just have left alone.  It was something that was outside of my calling - it should not have concerned me.  And even when I am feeling a bit unsure of exactly what my called is, I am fully aware of those things that are NOT my calling.  Wow!  That is such a freeing thought.  I am thinking about all of the issues that I do not have to be concerned about.  Yes, I can breathe out now.  

Jesus, thank you for the reminder that there are lots of things happening in the world that are NOT my concern.  Holy Spirit, help us all to know what and where are calling is so that we can fight the fights that we are supposed to.  Thank you for the words of wisdom that give us so much to think about.  Jesus, thank you for my sister and friends that blessed my birthday.  Amen

Resolving to have the best year ever......

Well I couldn't help but share this clip from the Elijah List by Rick Joyner.  I just loved this post.  There is so much in these words.  I love the very first quote here.  No circumstance in 2014 can effect how good a year it is.  It will be the best year yet if we resolve to get closer to the Lord.  And then we will have peace and joy in that best year ever!  So ponder this...................

Having the best year yet does not depend on what happens in 2014 as much as it does on how close we get to the Lord. Psalm 16:11 declares,
"You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever."

You can know that this is your calling, because it is the calling on each of God's people. It is God's will for 2014 to be your best year yet—full of more peace and more joy than you have ever experienced before, because He is calling you to draw closer to Him. Every year thereafter is supposed to be even more full of the peace of God and the joy of the Lord because it is your calling to get ever closer to Him. All we have to do is follow Him and resolve that we are going to fulfill our highest purpose as human beings—to love Him above all things and to love one another.

 

Peace of God

It is that simple. Those things that divert us from simplicity of devotion to Christ bring pain, confusion, frustration, and fear into our lives. If we place seeking the Lord above all things, as is basic to those who resolve to keep Him their first love, then every major decision we make in our lives will be based on first seeking His Kingdom and His righteousness.

As we are told in Romans 14:17, His Kingdom is "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
If we are seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness in all of our major decisions, then we will be doing what is right in the sight of the Lord, which leads to true peace that leads to true joy.
As we proceed into these times, the distinction between those who have built their lives on the Kingdom of God and those who have built on the kingdoms of this world will become increasingly pronounced.

Those who have the peace of God will become more quickly distinguished from those who do not. Those without the peace of God will be growing in fear and discord. Those who have the peace of God will be growing in the joy of the Lord, and this will cause them stand out more. You are called to be one of those standout people who represent the Kingdom of God. If you follow your calling, this will be your best year yet.
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So I will resolve to follow my calling.  My calling to draw ever closer to Jesus.  I am so thankful for my Beth Moore devotional that will encourage me to go deeper and get closer to Jesus.  I am so grateful to live in this era with the internet, things like the Elijah List and Facebook that are bringing me encouragement and reminders.  And I am so thankful for my friends and family that walk with me on this path.  Yep, 2014 is going to be the best year ever! 

Jesus, thank you for who you are.  You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  You are an ever present and always loving and caring friend.  Holy Spirit, thank you for peace and joy that fill us with the love of Jesus.  Lead us all to grow closer and go deeper into Jesus in this year.  Thank you for the best year ever!  Amen