HELP I'M STUCK

"Help I've fallen and I can't get up."  Thanksgiving weekend my youngest grandson was playing in this draw in the kitchen.  It's the one draw in my kitchen that he is allowed full access.  There is plastic bowls, cups and plates all to entertain him.  He walks n the front door and instantly heads for this drawer.  To him it's a treasure chest filled with wonderful surprises, to me it's something to keep him occupied so he won't open the other draws.  Sometimes it works well, other times he still tries to investigate all the other cupboards.  Thanksgiving weekend he discovered a new way to enjoy this draw, he sat in it.  The only problem was he couldn't exactly figure out how to get out.  He was stuck.

How many times in our lives have we felt stuck?  Stuck in the past with memories that haunt us?  Stuck in a dead end job with no hope for a future?  Stuck in the consequences of our decisions?  Stuck in pain of choices?  Our minds can be filled with regrets and lost dreams.  We feel hopeless and alone like my grandson here in this picture.  So often we here people say, "You got yourself into this mess, you get yourself out of it."  While this can be true and these periods of being stuck can be a great learning tool, this saying doesn't help those who are where they are at no fault of their own.  They didn't choose to be stuck, they didn't decide to end up stuck.  They walked a path that no one should have to walk and it was not their choice.

There have been times in my life where I have felt stuck, if we're being honest we all have felt stuck one time or another.  Most of these times where of my own choosing.  Then again some were not.  When my parents moved to Arizona, that was not my choice or my decision yet I felt stuck because of their choice.  I was "stuck in the muck" for 25 years.  That was a terrible place for me to live. Their choice affected me and just like many others out there in this world, other peoples decisions and choices can affect us and put us in a place where we feel stuck.  

1 Corinthians 7:20-22 (The Message)  Stay where you were when God called your name.  Were you a slave?  Slavery is no roadblock to obeying and believing.  I don't mean you're stuck and can't leave.  If you have a chance at freedom, go ahead and take it.  I'm simply trying to point out that under your new Master you're going to experience a marvelous freedom you would never have dreamed of.  On the other hand, if you were free when Christ called you, you'll experience a delightful "enslavement to God" you would never have dreamed of.  

The thing I've learned on this adventure through life with Jesus Christ is that I do not have to remain stuck.  Learn and move on.  Grow and be free.  Give it all to God.  When I feel stuck now days, I give it to God.  I ask Him what I need to learn during this time.  I ask Him to point out my fears and failings.  I ask Him to help me forgive those whose choices made me feel like I was stuck.  I asked Him to forgive me for getting myself and others stuck because of my choices.  The other thing I've learned is that no matter how stuck I may feel, there is always one who will pull me out of the muck.  There is one who is always ready with His 

4-wheel drive and a tow chain, or maybe just a helping hand.  

If you feel stuck today, turn to Jesus Christ.  He is always there ready to lift you up ad pull you out of the muck you're stuck in.  He's not afraid to get dirty and He's not afraid to dig down deep.      

  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 A few weeks ago I flew out to Arizona to visit with my mom.  As I was flying I looked out my window and saw this amazing scene.  The clouds, the sunshine, the airplane soaring through the sky; I was mesmerized by the beauty that spoke to me as I gazed into the sheer beauty of the sky I was flying through.  I instantly was reminded of this verse from scripture,

Psalm 19:1  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

You know there are so many times we take the simple things in life for granted.  Oh we thank God for the extraordinary, out of this world miracles, we thank Him for open doors that propel us to a new level of success at work, we thank Him for healing, we thank Him for all the big things in life, but do we thank Him for the everyday things we take for granted?  Oxygen?  Clean water to drink?  Electricity?  A roof over our heads?  Health?  Sight?  Hearing?  Walking?  Our job?  Rain?  Clothes to wear?  Food to eat?  A bed to lay our weary heads at night?  How about thanking Him for the sunshine?  The stars?  The moon?  The universe?  Okay here's a real challenging one....ready?  How often do we thank Him for the challenges in our lives, the storms, the trials that test our faith?  

Yes I said thank Him for the tough times in our lives.  It is only through those tough times that I have learned so much about myself and His faithfulness.  It's only during those hard times that I have grown in my faith.  Those times have propelled me to a new level of faith and a increased season of blessings that still amaze me.  Although those times are hard I have come to appreciate them because for me it means that God is going to trust me with more blessings and more favor.   Mind you He doesn't cause any of these hard times, I'm usually the cause of my own troubles with the help of a little red horned devil.  But He will use those difficulties to shape me to be more like Him.  

If everything in my life was a piece of cake, and everything was filled with sunshine and roses, I wouldn't need God.  As a parent we have to allow our children to make mistakes and face the consequences of their decisions.  That's the only way they learn.  Well if God is our Heavenly Father, why wouldn't He do the same thing for us?  I can imagine the smirk on His face sometimes when we make the decisions we make. He probably shakes His head in disbelief at our choices.  But He never abandons us, He never lets go of us and He'll always be there to pick up the pieces when we fall.  

Today, and every day...let's give Thanks to God for all the blessings and all the trials in our lives.     

Ephesians 5:20 Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Abba Father...today I give You all thanks ad all praise for being who You are.  You are the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  You have been, You always are  and You always will be.  Apart from You there is no God.  I thank You for all the blessings in my life.  I thank You for all the trials and storms that have taught me so many valuable lessons.  You are amazing God.  Thank You for Grace and salvation in the name of Jesus Christ.

WHY???

I stare at these roses and it takes me back to Arizona, back to my mom's home, back to where the sun shines every day and the weather is warmer than it is here.  These roses are beautiful.  I took this picture the first of November.  This picture proves a very powerful point for me; that even those every plant here in Michigan is going into hibernation mode, even though my flowers look dead and every tree is losing it's leaves, somewhere else in the world there are places where the flowers are just starting to blossom and trees still have their leaves.  In other words for me today, right now in this moment....there is hope!

It's been a rough week for me personally.  A family member is going through some health issues and my momma bear heart is wondering why?  The helplessness can be overwhelming, I'm not a doctor or a nurse, I'm just a mom who wants here kids to all be happy and healthy.  When some illness throws a monkey wrench in my plans, it hearts my heart.  I don't want to see anyone in pain, especially not one of my loved ones.  As days drag on and no answers are found my mind begins to feel doubt creeping in like a thick fog.   My heart begins to ache and tears run down my face as the question keeps spinning in my mind...why????

My ladies prayer group this week was interrupted by 2 phone calls and a series of texts, "I'm in the ER."  My heart sank, my head fell to the table and tears poured out my eyes.  "There's still pain, no relief, nothing's better."  Instantly my prayer warrior friends surrounded me with prayers and support that was so comforting.  Even though I was prayed over and have been continuously prayed over during this time, I was still filled with doubt and fear.  What if? Why? My heart raced to the hospital before I could get there physically.  Doubt and fear, hopelessness and helplessness, frustration and yes even a little anger are just a few of the emotions I have been trying to deal with.

Then I heard a still, small voice whisper..."I've got this.  Everything will be fine.  Trust in me.  Rely on me."  Seriously?  I write this as a believer in the God who created the universe by speaking it into existence.  God, my heavenly daddy is all powerful, everlasting King of kings and Lord of lords.  He parted the Red Sea, He calms the storms, He moves mountains and raises the dead to life.  My question then begins to take a different turn...Why am I filled with doubt and fear???  My God is an awesome God!!!  There is no reason for me to doubt or fear.  It is in my human, sinful nature, but I cling to this truth today....The same God who raised Jesus from the grave, lives inside of me through His Holy Spirit.  The power of God is with me and lives in me.  I'm okay!  I don't need t doubt or worry or fear.  He's got the whole world in His hands and that includes me and you.

Matthew 14:31  Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.  "You of little faith," He said, "why did you doubt?"

IT'S TIME

I'm sorry I haven't been writing.  It has honestly been a huge struggle for me.  The last few years my mind has been distracted, my heart has felt sort of empty so writing this blog just didn't work for me.  I've felt sort of lost when it came to writing.  Words still managed to come out of my mouth, but to put them in writing seemed impossible.  I can't explain it and I can't excuse it.  God has been telling me too keep writing but I just couldn't or maybe I should be honest with myself and say I just didn't want to.  Maybe I should call it "burn out" or laziness or disobedience.  Either way I have been struggling to write, but here I am right now, writing.  

I can make a list of excuses but it doesn't change the fact that I have disobeyed God's whispers.  It's not the first time I disobeyed God and I know I'm not alone.  I am a sinner in a fallen and broken world.   It really makes me mad at myself because I feel like I've been wasting time, but maybe I've got the wrong attitude.  Could it be that God decided to use my disobedience to teach me something?  Of course!!!   God has a sense of humor, especially when it comes to me.  He chooses to allow me to learn at my own expense, which is rather a genius move on His part.  There is nothing He needs to do except sit back and watch me be my own worst enemy.  

It's sort of funny as I'm sitting here writing I am starting to laugh at myself and the absolute hilarious way God tries to get my attention.  He has spoken to me through a dear friend who challenges me to listen and obey, He speaks to me through my pastor who challenges me to keep growing and learning to be a better disciple, He speaks to me through dreams and visions.  Although I have tried to ignore these whispers, which at times seemed like I was being hit by a 2x4 across my head, I couldn't ignore them any longer.  So here I am doing my thing and writing again.  I'd say "Wish me luck" but I don't need luck.  I need grace and mercy and forgiveness.  I need more of Jesus.

Honestly I haven't read my Bible in long time.  I keep walking past my desk and thinking, "maybe later" or "maybe tomorrow".  Why????  Why do I do that?  The Bible is the best love letter ever written and it was written with me in mind.  While some women feel the need to  read romance novels, I don't need to because the Bible is a romance novel from the God of the universe.  I need to stop walking by the book that changed my life, my heart, my mind, my words and my eternity.  Oh boy is God dealing with me right now.  My heart is longing for His Word, His truth, His love letter.  Let's be honest, who doesn't like a great love letter?  I know I do and I'm assuming you do too!

It's been great writing to you again.  When I started this earlier, I didn't think I'd be able to finish it, but I did!!!  I feel more energized than I have in a long time.  Thank you for your patience with me and allowing me to open my heart to you.      

THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT

Life is simply amazing yet it can also be so frustrating.  Watching an amazing sunset literally takes my breath away.  Listening to the birds singing their songs of joy and watching the squirrels chasing each other up and down the trees, makes my heart skip a beat.  Watching my children and grandchildren grow makes me feel blessed.  Then I turn on the news and those feelings of bliss and peace and joy slowly fade away and I become frustrated and overwhelmed (and not in a good way).  I could write pages and pages of what's wrong with society today but instead I want to focus on the positive, and the good.  After all there is so much good news we never hear about, so many positive things happening in this world that never make the national news.  

"Life is what you make it!"  I have heard this saying over and over again.  Henry Ford once said,  "whether you think you can or you can't; you are right!"  Our mind is a powerful tool that will affect not only our lives and our physical bodies, but it also affects those people we deal with in life.  Have you ever been around a "Negative Nelly"?  You know that person who has nothing nice to say about anyone or anything?  Have you ever been in the presence of someone who is a positive thinking person?  You know that person who sees the best in everyone and everything?  Ever notice the difference you feel being around these types of personalities?  I know I do.  If I can be totally honest here, it drives me crazy to be around negative people.  Now I'm not talking about people who just make negative comments here and there, heck even I do that.  I'm talking about those who constantly complain or whine and get angry about everything and everyone.  Those individuals who are never happy no matter what is going on.  You know some people like that don't you?

How awesome do you feel after you've been around positive people?  Isn't it amazing how our minds work throughout our entire body, spirit and soul when we listen to positive and encouraging talk?  Listen I know I've said it before but I will continue to say it over and over and over again until we all get it through our thick skulls...what we put into our minds affects our physical bodies, our heart, our words and our lives.  What we think about, what we listen to, what we watch, what we read affects us, or should I say infects us.  One of the greatest diseases of our times is our thoughts and they wreak havoc on our mind and they infect our mind, therefore infecting our bodies with stress, therefore destroying our physical health.

Just like what we eat affects our physical bodies, our mind affects our physical bodies also. So let me ask some questions....

What are you thinking about?   

What are you reading?   

What are you listening to?

What are you watching?

What words are you speaking?

All these things affects our minds and thus will either bring life or death to our bodies.  I tend to think about it this way....if Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, could keep a positive attitude while on this earth so can I.  He saw peoples hearts, He knew the truth about everyone's sins and secrets, He knew the worst in the people He met with, yet His attitude was positive.  He thought about God in heaven, He listened to His Father in heaven, He saw the miracles He performed and the lives He transformed, He spoke God's truth.  He filled His mind with loving, godly, true, noble and holy thoughts.   

Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)  Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious-the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.  Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who make everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies.

Today I challenge all of us, me included, to think about what we're thinking about.  What's infecting our minds today?  How can we change our thinking and therefore change our minds? 

SWEET SUMMER

My heart skips a beat every time I see a flower.  For me it is one of my biggest joys.   I love flowers.  I love growing them, and I love receiving them.  Flowers are so beautiful and breathtaking to me yet in reality they do nothing. Or do they?  Well let me see... they make the world beautiful and they feed the bees.  They bloom where they are planted.  They paint the landscapes of this world with color.  Some of them are edible, some of them are poisonous, some of them are just plain mean, like poison ivy (which I am highly allergic to).  Where would the mountains be without beauty of the wild flowers?  What would the streams and rivers look like without the wild flowers filling their banks with their beauty?  What would a garden look like without any flowers?

I love a variety of flowers and an array of different colors.  But tending a garden filled with flowers can be a lot of work.  I have to pull the weeds that try to choke out my flowers, I have to fertilize my flowers so they grow, I need to water them, but first of all I need to plant them in the proper location that is best for them.  Without doing these things, my flowers would not survive.  They would be dead, dried up, shriveled heaps of brown, ugly stems.  Have you ever seen a dead flower?  It doesn't make for a pretty picture.   

Our lives are a lot like flowers.  We need to take care of ourselves in many different ways.  We need to eat right, exercise, rest and drink water.  If we don't take care of ourselves physically, we will eventually pay a high price for our declining health.  What we eat and drink affects our bodies in ways we cannot see, but will eventually feel.  What we drink will either improve our health, or make our health decline.  We have a responsibility to take care of our bodies just like we take care of our gardens.  Sadly many of us take better care of our gardens and neglect our health.  

Also we need to take care of our minds.  What we watch, read, and listen to will affect our mind, which will in turn affect our hearts, then it will affect our words and eventually our health.   Our mind is a powerful tool and it is a battlefield that will affect our lives, our health and our eternity.  Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy our minds, our health and our eternity.  He fills us will lies and deceptions, he fills us with doubts and worries, he clutters our minds with garbage and waters it with schemes and strategies.  If we are careful about what we are putting in our mind, we will be like a neglected garden...dead on the inside and outside.  

The thing about a garden is once it's dead...it's dead!  You can't bring a dead garden back to life.  You can replant it and start over with a new one, but we can't do that with our lives. Once we're dead....we're dead.  We don't get a new one, we don't get a do over.  But wait....there's good news.  It's not too late for your health and your mind.  You can change what you are putting into your body and your mind.  You can start to eat right, you can begin to exercise, you can put down that diet coke and start to drink water.  You can also change what is going into your mind.  Change what you are reading and listening to.  Fill your mind with positive uplifting truths about God.  You can change direction and you can also change your eternity.  

I want my life, my health, my words, my mind and my heart to be a well watered garden that speaks hope, life and truth into other people's lives.  I want to bloom where I am planted, which is this...I am planted in Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.  He waters my heart and soul.  He nourishes me with His truth and the food He created.  He removes the weeds in my life and kills the lies of the enemy.  He prunes away the dead and lifeless parts of my life and renews His Holy Spirit that lives within me.  He daily renews my mind and fills it with truths about who He is and what He can do for me and through me.  He guides me and satisfies me, He strengthens me so that I can be all He created me to be. 

Isaiah 58:11  The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones;  you shall be like a well watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.  

"YOU'RE A MEAN ONE, MR GRINCH"

Oh me, oh my a beautiful sunset once again being ruined by dark storm clouds.  You know how I love sunsets, or at least you should by now if you've been reading my blogs.  Yes, eventually that dumb cloud will move and the sunset will once again be beautiful but in the meantime I have to deal with this cloud on the horizon.  Seriously though, why do these clouds have to ruin my photo opportunity here?  I just don't get it!  It's frustrating when this happens.   I try to do my best and take fabulous photos of sunsets yet this day I couldn't take the photos I wanted, at least in this moment.  This cloud reminds me of the movie, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas".  It's trying to ruin my picture the same way the Grinch tried to ruin Christmas.  He stole their presents, he took their decorations and he even stole their Christmas feast.  Who does that and why?  

Listen I know that it's only a story but if truth be told we all know a "Grinch" or two in our lives.  You know who I'm talking about, those people who try to suck the joy right out of you.  The grumblers, the complainers, the whiners, the blamers and the people who just can't stand to see anyone happy.  We all know people like that.  If they're not happy, you can't be happy.  Their hearts are as cold as ice if we could ever see the real truth they hide behind this "Grinch" attitude.  They consider themselves right and everyone else is wrong, they think way too highly of themselves, even though they know the truth they're trying to hide.  They may even wear smiles on the outside, acting like "goody two shoes" to others while there is a raging fire of anger and resentment that is burning in their souls.  

Their words are weapons and are as sharp and deadly as a sword.  In a war of words they reveal their truth.  They often speak without thinking.  They hide behind their words hoping no one discovers the truth.  Theses "Grinch" like people are often so offended and so angry because they're lost and broken.  They don't want to know how desperate they are searching for someone to love them and accept so, so they push everyone aside.  They don't know what true happiness looks like or feel like.  They feel empty and lost.  They feel alone and vulnerable.  They have a void that they are searching to fill and that void can ony be filled with the love of Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;  I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh 

The "Grinch" discovered that Christmas still came no matter what he stole. He thought he could steal their joy and ruin their Christmas by removing all the things that he thought Christmas was about. He thought by removing things, it removed Christmas.  He thought he could destroy their happiness, but he was wrong.  He discovered the truth he had been hiding for many years.  He discovered the truth behind his anger and his attitude.  Instead of blaming, grumbling, whining and complaining he looked at his heart of stone and realized he needed to change.  His heart grew so big the day he finally gave up that heart of stone.

  "It came without ribbons.  It came without tags.  It came without packages, boxes or bows."  He puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzler was worn out.  Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.  What if Christmas doesn't come from a store?  What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

Although the story of the Grinch doesn't mention Jesus, for me it draws me to Him because God removed his heart of stone an gave him a heart of flesh.  A heart that learned to love, a heart that learned to forgive, a heart that learned that may, just maybe, he had been wrong all along.  Jesus does that for me every single moment of every day.  He gives me a heart of flesh that beats for Him filled with love and forgiveness.  He can do that for you also.  Receive Him today and allow Him to change your heart from a heart of stone, to a heart of flesh.  And just like the Grinch, you can be transformed and changed.  

PROMISES, PROMISES

"I promise"...those words are spoken over and over again by so many of us.  We make promises we know we can't keep or decide we wont' keep.  Promises are empty and meaningless without action to back them up.  Promises are just words spoken in a moment of time hoping that the person we promised won't remember.  Marriage vows are promises yet so many don't keep them.  Every New Year brings promises of resolutions we don't keep for long. "Promises are meant to be broken" is a lie.  Promises are meant to be kept.

As I sit and think about my life I realize that my life has been filled with other people's promises.  Some were kept, most were not.  The thing I've learned is that we need to be careful what we promise ourselves or others.  Unfortunately we've become so cynical that don't believe it when someone makes us a promise.  We have had so many unfulfilled promises that we doubt an honest promise when we hear one.   "Sure....I'll believe it when I see it" attitude has become our defense mechanism.  We'd rather not believe anyone's promises than risk being hurt.  

We are human beings.  We don't mean to disappoint people, we don't mean to forget about the promises we've made, we don't mean to ignore those promises.  Sometimes we just get so darn busy and our mind becomes so overwhelmed that those promises are the last thing we think about.  Sometimes it's not until someone has pointed out our failures that we realize we forgot about our promises.  Thank God that God does not forget about HIs promises.  His promises are eternal and never fading and never ending.  His promises are always Yes and Amen!!  .     .   .  

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God promises us the gift of eternity in heaven if we but repent and believe in Jesus Christ.  There is not some list of chores to complete, no agenda to tackle, no boxes to check off.  Believe, repent and receive God's promises.  Simple!  Yet so many of us are living lives missing out on His promises.  Our pride and selfishness keep us from claiming these promises and embracing them.  Our sinful self wants to deny that these promises are true, it's so much easier to deny them than it is to receive them.  

Today I ask you to take a leap of faith and claim the promises of God.  They're waiting for you to receive them.  He's waiting to tackle you with so many blessings and promises that you're blown away.  His promises are eternal and they are for you and for me.  Believe, repent and get ready to receive.  

EMBRACE LIFE AND LEARN TO ENJOY IT

Remember the song from the movie "Cocktail"?  "Don't worry, be happy"?  That was my favorite song for a long time because it spoke such truth to me.  My granddaughter in this picture, has learned to enjoy life.  When it's hot outside I water my flowers with a hose and she proceeds to enjoy the coolness of the water instead of dwelling on the hotness of the sun.  She dances, she sings, she laughs, she embraces life and enjoys it.  Oh sure she cries when she's hurt but that doesn't ruin her day.  She brushes it off and gets back up and enjoys the rest of her day.  Do we live like that?  We can.

Today I want to learn to embrace this life I have and learn to enjoy it.  With all the ups and downs in life we are challenged as to whether we will buckle under the heavy weight of our current circumstances or embrace our current circumstances and learn to laugh and enjoy the lessons we are being taught.  The choice is ours to make.  Happiness is real and it is available to us today, right now.  Yes, at this very moment we can choose happiness.  Even though our circumstances may make today "the worst day ever", we can choose joy, we can choose peace, we can choose happiness.  No one is responsible for our happiness but the person staring back at us in mirror.  Our current circumstances cannot dictate our happiness, or at least they shouldn't.   

I know some very brave people who were in battles for their lives.  Cancer, can be a killer so how can someone enjoy their life while fighting this terrible disease?  The answer is crystal clear for me....Jesus Christ.  I have some very strong women and men friends who have been fighting this very battle yet they live their lives full of joy and happiness.  One man I know was battling cancer for the second time, lost his son and grandson in a 2 month period yet he still happy.  Why?  Jesus Christ.  

Happiness is not a mood or a feeling or an emotion, its a decision.  Every day I wake up I have the choice to look at my current circumstances and decide that no matter what...

I'M GOING TO BE HAPPY.

It's a choice that many of us miss out on.  It's a decision few of us want to make.  We'd rather wallow in our sorrows and throw ourselves a massive pity party and blast it all over social media so all our family and friends will know.  Oh the attention we will receive.  Oh the sympathy we will get.  The pats on the back the hugs, the tears are all meaningful and sometimes necessary, but what if we decided to embrace life and all it's challenges and just smile.

Listen I know life can be hard, I have had to personally deal with issues that don't make me happy, but there is someone I have come to rely on that takes my burdens upon His shoulders and gives me the peace I need to make it through the day...Jesus Christ.  He is my rock, my fortress, my shelter, my strength, my redeemer.  He works all things out for my good.  I can enjoy my life because I have the promise of eternity in heaven with Him.  I can be happy because I know He loves me enough to die for me.  I have decided to turn my life over to Jesus Christ.  No turning back, no looking back, no dwelling on my current circumstances because I trust in Him alone.  Join me on the journey of a lifetime and lets learn together to embrace this life we have and let's learn to enjoy it.  

IT'S A BRAND NEW DAY

In this ever changing world I am so glad that I have the reassurance that the sun will rise again on a brand new day.  I am glad that my confidence lies at the foot of the cross and not in human hands.  I am relieved that my strength comes from a higher power, God.  As I sit here staring into this computer screen I am being drawn into something much deeper than I had expected...true repentance.  While this is not a popular topic and many of us don't want to hear about true repentance, I am afraid we must stop and listen to the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  While many preachers gloss over this truth, while some don't even want to mention the "R" word I fail to see how someone can claim they preach the whole truth of God's word without talking about true repentance.

As I look back on my life I know there are many things I did wrong, many sins I committed, many acts of disobedience I lived through.  To be honest with you all, I repent daily, sometimes I repent hourly depending on my day and the circumstances in my life.  I do my best to live my life the way God wants me to, but it's not always easy and I'm human, so I fail quite often.  It's almost like Paul's litany when he says, "I do what I don't want to do and what I don't want to do I do"  Now come on be honest with me....I'm not the only one here who lives life that way.  We try our best but most times our best isn't good enough and we need to repent.  But repentance isn't easy, at least true repentance isn't.

True repentance leads me to the cross where I look up at the body of my Savior Jesus Christ that is all bloody, bruised and broken, and then I have to take an honest look in the mirror and see the reality of who I am and the sins I've committed.  It is only then in that reality that I can truly repent of my sins because I saw what my sins cost Jesus.  I see the scars on His body and I can't help but fall to my knees ans ask for forgiveness.  I can't hide the truth behind more lies and denials.  To truly repent I must face the truth about myself.  No one can do it for me, I can't make someone else repent.  I must get over my sweet little self and face the hard, cold truth.  It is only through true repentance that we can find the salvation Jesus Christ offered us on the cross.  It's only through believing in Him that we will ever be truly saved.    

2 Corinthians 7:10  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Because of Jesus's death on the cross, forgiveness is mine and I can live with no regrets because He has changed me through my true repentance.  My sins have been wiped clean and my heart has been transformed into a heart that beats for His glory, not mine.  Oh I still sin, but I become more aware of it and stop dead in my tracks and change direction ASAP.  Godly sorrow leads me to the cross where I begin to repent and allow Jesus Christ to change me and my heart.  Because of this simple yet profound fact I have a peace that surpasses all understanding.  Will you join me today and grasp the truth of true repentance?

ALL WORKED UP

I look up at the sky and I sit and wonder what tomorrow will bring.  I think about yesterday and try to contemplate all the mistakes I made and how I can change them.  For me this is a process that is exhausting and frustrating.  Is it for you too?  I mean I can sit all day and make plans for what I will do tomorrow, I can schedule and I can plan all I want but when tomorrow comes it always seems like something unexpected happens which throws my plans out the window.  As for yesterday I can look back all I want but I cannot change a thing about what happened.  I can't live the day over again, I can't go back and have a redo.  Yesterday is done.  So let's learn from our yesterdays and move on.

I've made up my mind to live for today, today.  I decided to learn from yesterday and hope for tomorrow but I will live in the present, after all isn't that what today is?  A present?  For me it is.  I am not promised a tomorrow.  I don't know what tomorrow will bring, none of us do, so why waste time getting all worked up about what may or may not happen?  Oh I could stare into a crystal ball or have some fortune teller try to tell me what will happen tomorrow, but why?  Why should I believe anything someone else tells me?  It's ludicrous.  I know, I could read my horoscope, that'll tell me what tomorrow will bring, right?  Wrong!!!  Way to many people believe in that garbage, some even waste their money to hear this junk.  Seriously people, we need to grow up.  There is no "genie in a bottle" who is waiting to grant us 3 wishes.  There is no one and there is nothing that can ever tell us what will happen tomorrow.

My yesterdays are covered in the blood of Jesus Christ.  My sins have been wiped clean, erased and removed from God's book of life.  "He remembers my sins no more."  My tomorrows are placed in the arms of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I place my tomorrow in His hands and trust in Him because I know He will work it all out for my good much better than I can.  The thing about Jesus is that because of His sacrifice, my eternity is already booked and paid for, I have a one way ticket to paradise.  I didn't have to do anything to earn this gift but believe in Him and I certainly don't deserve it, it was a free gift for me to receive.  My tomorrow has already been taken care of.  Has yours?    

Matthew 6:34 (The Message) Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. 

What ever happens in this world I know one thing for certain, my future is guaranteed.  Why should I waste one minute of my life worrying about what the future may hold?  Why should I live my life stressed out and frustrated about life?  I have been given the gift of eternity and because that gift I have a peace that surpasses all understanding.  I will live for today and embrace all God blesses me with today.  Whatever happens tomorrow will happen.  I trust in God and believe that He will help me deal with whatever comes my way.   Trust me this way of living is simply amazing.  Will you join me?    

HORSE CROSSING

This year when I was out in Arizona visiting my mom I was able to finally check something off my bucket list, I was able to see wild horses.  For many years I have had a dream of seeing wild mustangs, I saw them on TV shows and in movies but I longed to see them in person.  Well I got to do just that this year.  Funny thing is though Jerry and I have driven past this same spot for many years on our way to Saguaro Lake.  At least twice during our visits we go there because it is like an oasis in the desert.  Anyway as I was talking to my mom about how I'd love to someday see wild mustangs, she mentioned, "you never saw them on the way to Saguaro Lake?"  Nope I never even thought that there would be that possibility in the desert, even though I had seen the horse crossing signs, I just figured it was for those trail riders.  I was wrong.  

The thing I realized this year when I finally got to see these horses is this...sometimes God puts signs right in front of us and if we don't pay attention, we will miss out on His blessings.  Sometimes we're in such a hurry we miss His signs, sometimes we're so wrapped up in our own little world that we ignore His signs, and then again sometimes we're just simply looking in the wrong direction.  For years I have missed out on seeing these amazing creatures because of my mental blindness.  For years I ignored the signs right in front of my face.  For years I looked in the wrong direction because I couldn't see the truth right in front of me.  How about you?

What are you missing out on?  What signs are you ignoring?  What direction are you focused on?  It's easy in this life to constantly look at others and blame them for your unhappiness.  It's so easy to finger point and blame.  It's easy to look in the rear view mirror at our past and make a list of wrongs that others have done to us.  It's easy to focus on how others need to change, how others need to just grow up.  It's easy to see others faults.  It's easy to judge others, but maybe it's time we stop looking at others and look in the mirror.  Maybe it's time we take and inventory of our own lives and our own hearts and be honest with ourselves.  

It's painful sometimes to see the signs that are staring us right in our face.  It's hard to face the truth about who we are and what we've done.  It's even shocking for us to look in the mirror and see the wretched person we have become.  My happiness does not rely on anyone else but me and my God.  I cannot think that it is Jerry's job to make me happy.  My peace does not come from everyone treating me the way I feel I should be treated, it comes from my relationship with God.  Oh I can't lie, there are times I get frustrated and upset and I start to point fingers, then God reminds me to look in the mirror.  The signs God places before me point to my heart problem and my mind problem.  I cannot blame anyone else but myself.  

Through my faith and belief in Jesus Christ, I am as free as these wild horses.  Yet I have a responsibility to become all God wants me to be and only through an honest look in the mirror can I ever begin to change and grow into the disciple God desires me to be.           

REMEMBER

North to south, east to west and everywhere in between...this weekend is the official start of the summer season.   The boat is in, the hot dogs are ready for the grill and hamburgers are being pressed by loving hands.  Patio umbrellas are in place, lawn chairs are no longer in storage and have been cleaned off.  The lawn is being mowed as I type and the house is ready for the invasion that I look forward to.  Memorial Day weekend is the time here in Michigan that everyone looks forward to.  School will soon be over with and the summer vacation will begin.  But while we're all busy getting ready for picnics and celebrations, swimming and boating, mosquitoes and ants, let's not ever forget the true reason for this holiday weekend.  Soldiers...warriors!

Our freedom in this country has come at a very high price, human lives!  Somewhere in this country there is a mother missing her son or daughter, a wife missing her husband, a husband missing his wife, a child missing their parent, a friend missing their buddy.  There are way too many men and women who have died fighting for our freedom.  We cannot and should not ever take this freedom we have for granted because the price we've paid is astronomical.  

For those of you who stand in protest rallies...you need to thank a soldier's family.  For those of you who vote in an election...you need to thank a soldier's family.  For those of you who go to church every Sunday...you need to thank a soldier"s family.  For those of you voice your opinions without fear of being thrown in prison...you need to thank a soldier's family.  For those of you who stand in the gap for the poor and needy...you need to thank a soldier's family.  For those of you who love this country....you need to thank a soldier's family.  

This country is not perfect, but it's my country.  America.  Land of the free and home of the brave.  Let's remember those who died to give us the freedom we have today.   Let's remember those who are still fighting for our freedom today.  

GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.

IMAGINE

"I can only Imagine"  These words ring so true to me right at this moment in my life.  It seems impossible for me to even begin to try to comprehend the amazing things God has waiting for me in Heaven.  I mean I love sunsets and sunrises, they take my breath away and overwhelm me with a sense of God's presence.  If I could be honest here the sunshine, when it's at it's brightest, overwhelms me because I cannot stare at it.  You see in the Bible it talks about us not being able, with our earthly eyes, to look at God because the light that shines from His presence is so bright.  I imagine that when I'm standing in the sun I'm in the very presence of God and His love is surrounding me, His light shining on my face, the warmth of His love overwhelming me to tears.

I know for some of you this may seem a little far fetched and sort of crazy, but that's the stuff that rolls around in this brain of mine.  I may not read my Bible as much as I should, I may not have scriptures memorized like I should, I may not sit and pray for long periods of time, but I do feel God's presence everywhere I go.  I hear His still, small voice whisper to me.  I cherish the many gifts He has given me, my husband, our children and our grandchildren are just a few of the great gifts He has given me.  Yes, there have been trials and storms in my life, the road has not always been an easy road.  Is anyone's life been a bed of roses?  I choose to think about the blessings, the gifts, the opportunities God has given me.  I do my best to learn from the storms and trials, I get frustrated when things don't go my way, there are times I feel utterly alone and empty, I am human.  But as soon as I realize where my emotions are taking me I turn to nature, the world God made for me, and I see Him everywhere.

I don't know why certain movies awaken my spirit but the movie "I Can Only Imagine" sparked something in me.  The song is a gift from God and the words ring so true to me.  The words spark my imagination again and even though I've heard that song thousands of times before, seeing the story behind the song changes everything.  If you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for?            

1 Corinthians 2:9  "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him" 

"Surrounded by your glory, what will my feel?  Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still?  Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall?  Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine."  Think about it for a moment.  On the day you die, where will you spend eternity?  For me there is only one answer....I want to stand before my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be surrounded by His glory for all eternity.  I cannot even begin to fathom what it will be like to walk by His side and listen to His words.  I can only imagine.

  

REPENTANCE LEADS TO TRUE REVIVAL

Why am I so wrapped up in what I want that I lose focus of what God wants?  Why am I so set on my ways instead of God's ways?  I know for some of you these may not seem like very relevant questions but for me they are real and something I must answer and deal with.  As I ponder these questions and the answers that my heart already knows, I don't want to admit the answers to myself let alone admit to someone else.  It's so easy to get wrapped up in my needs, my wants, my desires, my thoughts, my ways, my attitudes, my dreams and my visions as well as my pride.  Of course pride the cause of all this garbage I waste my time and energy on.  My selfish ways bombard me with junk I wouldn't have to deal with if I would just be willing to admit it to myself, and to God.

Do I really need to admit my failings, my insecurities, my fears, my faults, my worries, my pride and my selfishness to God?  I mean after all He already knows everything I think and say and do, so why bother?  I mean I'm not some wicked person who goes around doing bad things, or am I?  I honestly don't think I am wicked, but in reality I am.   We all are!  We may never admit it or want to admit it but we are all wicked sinners in need or mercy and forgiveness. We all need to turn from our wicked ways, especially us Christians.  We are called to by God to turn from our wicked ways.  Yes we are forgiven but the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ but we are still called to stop sinning, not by our own power, but through the power of the cross.

Jesus forgave Mary Magdeline but He also told her to "sin no more".  Why are some pastors so afraid to even confront this issue?  Sin is sin and we need to call it what it is.  We are all sinners!  I am a sinner in need of the mercy and grace of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I need to repent daily, sometimes hourly.  How can we have a revival in our churches without repentance?  We need to admit our sins and deal with them.  We can't continue to bury them under the disguise of grace and mercy.  We can't deny them by saying "I'm forgiven"  and we cannot change unless we are willing to admit them.  Trust me these are my thoughts that I am dealing with personally and God is bringing this truth to my attention. 

2 Chronicles 7:14 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land." 

"Humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways" is not just Old Testament mumble jumble.  It's truth for today that many don't want to deal with but until we deal with it we will never change, we will never grow, we will never have a full blown revival in our church.  Again please understand, these are the whispers I am getting from God.  These truths is how God is leading me personally.  For way too long now I have refused to obey God in writing because I don't want to offend someone.  It has been way to easy for me to just close my ears and harden my heart so I wouldn't hear His still, small voice, but I can't do that anymore.  

I am a sinner who has been washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.  I will daily confess my sins to Him who saved me and I will do my best, with His grace and mercy, to turn from my wicked ways.   

A CHANGE IN OUR PLANS

Oh my goodness I'm sitting here trying to gather my senses and collect my thoughts before I write and to be quite honest it's hard to do either of those things let alone both of them,  I know it's been a long time....sorry!  I've been distracted once again.  I could blame the enemy, I could blame a number of other issues but in total honesty....it's my own fault. I could take the easy way out and place blame on others but that's a lie for me, most of the times distractions occur, its my own fault.  Distractions are real and they can propel me away from some of the most important people in my lives.  I seriously fall for the distractions way too much!  It infuriates me and frustrates me that at my age I still fall for these stupid distractions but what's interesting about these distractions is what I am learning about myself and what I'm learning about God's amazing grace and forgiveness.  

It's rather comical when I look back at my life and take an inventory of the junk that has wasted my time.   I could sit here and condemn myself and make of list of all the wasted time I can't get back but instead I choose to concentrate on what I need to learn and how I need to grow.  I repent of my selfishness and my pride and I give myself over to God, I surrender to His guidance and His will every day.   I need to do this, I want to do this and I must do it every day because I constantly battle the distractions that draw me away from Him and His will for my life.  I always have a good plan for the day then the distractions raise their ugly head and I'm sucked into the vast cavern of wasted time.  

 As I travel down this road called, life, things happen that I don't expect, situations occur that I don't like, circumstances change that I don't want to change.   Curves, potholes, bumps and dead end streets make my path interesting and sometimes scary and even frustrating.  I sometimes want to pull myself into a fetal position and climb back in bed and pull the covers over my head.  The path of this life is not always easy but I have to trust that God has a plan and a path for me to follow.  A Bible verse keeps coming back to me every once and a while that knocks some sense in my head and the reality of life speaks volumes as I read this verse.   

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

A few weeks ago we started planning our annual road adventure out to Mesa, Arizona to spend time with my mom.  Because of the winter weather we normally take the southern route across Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico but God has a sense of humor and decided to throw a monkey wrench into our travels.  A monstrous winter storm stretched from southern Texas to Michigan and everywhere in between.  The states we normally traveled through were being bombarded with freezing rain, thunderstorms, snow, and even a few tornadoes.  We had a decision to make....delay our travels until the storms passed or change our route.  We woke up on the day of our departure and decided there was a clearing over Chicago so we did what we didn't expect to do in the winter months...we traveled the northern route.  Yes through the plain states where winter can be at it's worst.  But God had a plan and we had a 4 wheel drive truck.  

We canceled reservations, we packed up the truck and followed the path God had for us.  We planned every mile to avoid the snow, we did hit some snow but not as bad as it could have been.  The thing is this...God took us down the road less traveled.  A 2 lane road in New Mexico that took us to Salt River Canyon.  The road was surrounded by mountains on one side of the road and dangerous cliffs on the other.  The view was breathtaking and this photo doesn't do justice to the scenery.  The thing I have learned through this is that when I rely on God to guide me down this road called life, He may take me down a road I am not comfortable traveling but the rewards I experience are simply and profoundly breathtaking.  When I trust in Him, when I submit my life to Him, my path is so much more rewarding and the weight is lifted off my shoulders.  

God has a plan for my life, for your life, that will gift us with amazing views and amazing rewards, but there will also be dangerous curves, scary sharp curves and preposterous potholes.  Are we willing to risk it all for Jesus?   

"SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS MAKE ME HAPPY"

I love to get lost in sunshine, sunrises and sunsets.  I love the feel of the sun shining down on me whether it's winter, spring, summer or fall, sunshine warms my heart.  What is it about the sun that makes us all smile?  What is it about the sun that makes us all feel better?  The temperature doesn't even seem to matter when the sun is shining.  Why?  I'm not sure but I do know the sun makes me smile.  It literally and figuratively warms my heart and makes me feel more alive.  How about you?  How does the sunshine affect you and your life, or does it?  

Life is hard!   There are seasons in our life, like the seasons of this earth, where we feel dormant, cold and lonely.  There are times we feel alive and sparkling with new ideas, fresh goals and intriguing plans.  There are times we feel overheated and overwhelmed, yet also relaxed and resting (is that even possible?).  Then again there are times when we feel like we're losing everything.  Everything seems to be falling apart and we feel like we're losing our minds.  Just as the seasons change on this planet, the seasons of our lives come and go.  Whether we keep looking at the sunshine and seeing the good we still have or we can bury ourselves in the darkness and hide, clinging to every wrong in our lives.

The choice is ours to make but for me I cling to the "Son"shine. I didn't misspell there it was intentional.  It means for me when I see the actual sunshine, when I feel the warmth of the sun kissing my cheeks, I am instantly overwhelmed by the presence of Jesus Christ.  He is the Son I seek every day, every season, every second of every day.  His loves overwhelms me and He chases me down with blessings and favor because I totally surrender to Him everyday and I  allow His grace to invade my heart and change my life forever.  Through my faith in Jesus Christ, not only has my life been changed but my eternity also.  It has changed the way I feel about everything and everyone.  

Growing up in a catholic church, there were "holy days of obligation".  The sheer thought that I "have to" mass on these days made me question God.  Would He really make me go to church or else I'd go to hell?  The answer for a child was scary but now as an adult I know that this was not true.  God doesn't want robots coming to church because they "have to'.  Unfortunately our churches are filled with those who feel they "have to" attend on these days.  Church should never be about obligation, it's about wanting a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  I go to church because I love it!  I want to go to church and be in His presence.  

Sunshine and "Son"shine lead me closer to God not out of obligation but in the quest for a deeper relationship with Him.