Today has been a bitter sweet day. The mother of 3 of my grandbabies, my ex daughter-in-law remarried today. I have spent much of the day in contemplation and prayer. Old memories are resurfacing...memories of our lives with her as part of our family...memories of my own divorce from my first husband almost 40 years ago and his remarriage...memories of my mother struggling to parent 3 children when my Dad left when I was 4 years old. Although I have experienced great emotional pain in my life nothing prepared me for walking/crawling through the pain of betrayal and divorce with my child and grandchildren.
As I prayed today I found myself not knowing how to direct my prayers. To be honest I am experiencing a sense of release and relief...a sense of closure and an opportunity for a new beginning for my son. I found myself simply praying "Lord make her the woman you created her to be" and "may they come to provide a Godly home and example for my grandbabies".
Over the last 3 years I have been seeking the Godly definition of; forgiveness (even when there is no repentance); Godly love (according to God's Word); and what it really means to "cast all your cares upon Him...".
Today has been bitter sweet....knowing that Gods promise for the righteous is to make the bitter into sweet brings peace and a sense of anticipation...
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
....Time flys!
Wow, I cannot believe it has been almost a year since I last posted! Life seems to just get busier and busier. Sometimes I think I should go back to outisde employment in order to slow down, lol. I know, I know I am slowing down, it is called aging.....I am in denial!
My 6 grandbabies are growing up so fast. The oldest will soon be 13 and the youngest will be 4 in August. Life does not "march on" it races on! I am very involved in their little (and not so little) lives and am so proud of them and the people they are becoming. God is sooo good....even though they have already faced physical and emotional challenges, He is faithful and He loves them even more than I do and I am continuing to learn to put them and leave them in His hands!
My children are amazing! First of all, they "trust in the Lord". Really I could stop right here...that says it all. Life can be so challenging, but they know where to get their direction and strength. They work hard and each is outstanding in their field...family is priority... and they persevere in doing the right things - the right ways...giving the credit to God!
I have, in the last year, rented a space at "The Fussy Duck" to offer my found/hand-crafted "treasures". My business is called "Fragments". The name comes from the story in the Bible about the loaves and fishes. John 6:12 "...gather up the fragments that nothing be wasted." I love to treasure hunt and Fragments gives me the opportunity to share my finds (my husband is delighted to have me "share").
We have also recently become involved in Jordan Rubins new Beyond Organic organization. He is an amazing young man with an amazing life story. This new venture is exciting for us. I started a Facebook page "Beyond Organic Oregon" and hope to develop this more as this business unfolds.
This is a very short overview of some of what has transpired in our lives in the last 12 months. Hopefully I will be more faithful in updating this blog/diary this year.
Again, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths", Proverbs 3:5,6.
My 6 grandbabies are growing up so fast. The oldest will soon be 13 and the youngest will be 4 in August. Life does not "march on" it races on! I am very involved in their little (and not so little) lives and am so proud of them and the people they are becoming. God is sooo good....even though they have already faced physical and emotional challenges, He is faithful and He loves them even more than I do and I am continuing to learn to put them and leave them in His hands!
My children are amazing! First of all, they "trust in the Lord". Really I could stop right here...that says it all. Life can be so challenging, but they know where to get their direction and strength. They work hard and each is outstanding in their field...family is priority... and they persevere in doing the right things - the right ways...giving the credit to God!
I have, in the last year, rented a space at "The Fussy Duck" to offer my found/hand-crafted "treasures". My business is called "Fragments". The name comes from the story in the Bible about the loaves and fishes. John 6:12 "...gather up the fragments that nothing be wasted." I love to treasure hunt and Fragments gives me the opportunity to share my finds (my husband is delighted to have me "share").
We have also recently become involved in Jordan Rubins new Beyond Organic organization. He is an amazing young man with an amazing life story. This new venture is exciting for us. I started a Facebook page "Beyond Organic Oregon" and hope to develop this more as this business unfolds.
This is a very short overview of some of what has transpired in our lives in the last 12 months. Hopefully I will be more faithful in updating this blog/diary this year.
Again, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths", Proverbs 3:5,6.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Don't Judge Me!
Don't judge me! This seems to be the current mantra of the world...the Christian world that is. Interesting that the ones who insist that it is not biblical to judge quote only those parts of scriptures which seem to support the notion that as followers of Christ we are to walk in acceptance of the failures and sins of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery is one I have heard referred to often...but they fail to quote Jesus final words to her...."go and sin no more".
We are really setting ourselves up to look like fools if we throw out what we believe are Biblical quotes but fail to read the Bible. Read Romans....we are not to judge the world according to our Christian standards because as unbelievers they will be judged by their sin. However, as believers we have a mandate and a responsiblitly to first judge our own hearts and then in turn to judge the actions and fruit of our fellow believers. There is a clear process lined out in Romans that tells us how to, through Love, reinstate our fallen brothers and sisters to spiritual health.
Guess what, if the Bible says something I'm doing is sin then it it sin! Pretty simple stuff. What we are really saying when we say Don't judge me is....don't hold me accountable to God's word. If I am made aware that it is in God's word then I, as a child of God, would need to make a decision to either repent and turn from my sin or make a clear choice to continue in my sin and fully accept the consequences of my choice. ( That is another whole blog.)
Thank God for Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness.....but without true repentance we make it very clear to whom we love.
We are really setting ourselves up to look like fools if we throw out what we believe are Biblical quotes but fail to read the Bible. Read Romans....we are not to judge the world according to our Christian standards because as unbelievers they will be judged by their sin. However, as believers we have a mandate and a responsiblitly to first judge our own hearts and then in turn to judge the actions and fruit of our fellow believers. There is a clear process lined out in Romans that tells us how to, through Love, reinstate our fallen brothers and sisters to spiritual health.
Guess what, if the Bible says something I'm doing is sin then it it sin! Pretty simple stuff. What we are really saying when we say Don't judge me is....don't hold me accountable to God's word. If I am made aware that it is in God's word then I, as a child of God, would need to make a decision to either repent and turn from my sin or make a clear choice to continue in my sin and fully accept the consequences of my choice. ( That is another whole blog.)
Thank God for Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness.....but without true repentance we make it very clear to whom we love.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Ahhhh, My Spiritual Shower
My Morning Prayer:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me."
Psalm 51:10 (Amplified Bible)
"God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life."
Psalm 51:10 (Message Bible)
Thank you Father for the daily new beginnings you offer me. Thank you for your forgiveness that covers all my sin. Thank you for loving me more than I love myself. Thank you for your keeping power that holds on to me even when I feel unable to hold on to you. Thank you Lord, for the unanswered prayers, prayed in the heat of emotion! Thank you for my daily salvation....
"For You delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; You find no pleasure in burnt offering. My sacrifice (the sacrifice acceptable) to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart (broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent), such, O God, you will not despise."
Psalm 51:16,17 (Amplified Bible)
"Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice."
Psalm 51:16,17 (Message Bible)
Thought for the day: God wants me to give him a repentant heart and watch him do the rest!
Monday, April 19, 2010
It has been my observation...
Often what bugs us about others are things we do ourselves. Tailgating, stopping in the middle of the aisle at the store to hold a conversation, leaving our grocery cart in a parking place, picking our nose. I'm not talking about ornerines, more like thoughtlessness.....in our own little world to the extent we are mindless of others.
Purposeful living is what I have asked the Lord to remind me of... Doing all things with purpose. Can I give a meaningful, acceptable, thoughtful reason to everything I say and do? Not yet, but with the Holy Spirit's help I am getting better.
Thought for the day: Use irritation with others as an opportunity to self examine.....
Purposeful living is what I have asked the Lord to remind me of... Doing all things with purpose. Can I give a meaningful, acceptable, thoughtful reason to everything I say and do? Not yet, but with the Holy Spirit's help I am getting better.
Thought for the day: Use irritation with others as an opportunity to self examine.....
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Thru the eyes of Faith
For the Believer there should be no crisis....only opportunities! Several years ago this was whispered into my spirit...no crisis, only opportunity.
Oh what a lesson(s) to learn.
Opportunity to walk by faith not by sight or by thoughts or by feelings or circumstances; opportunity to practise trust when I feel so helpless and things are totally out of my control and I have no answers and those I love are hurting so badly and I can't take away the pain and they don't do what I think they need to do; opportunity to develop more patience even tho I am exhausted, and don't sleep and my hormones are wacko, and drivers are idiots and I have a thousand valid excuses to lose it; opportunity to love the unlovely and give them what they need, not what they deserve; endless opportunities to self examine and repent and ask God to help me remove the "log in my own eye"; opportunity to pray without ceasing because there is nothing else to do.
Opportunity to walk-the-talk...to take Jesus at his word...to offer the sacrifice of praise...to grow Christ-like! Being a true follower of Jesus is not for the faint of heart...but it is worth it.
Thought for the day: Don't wait for a crisis to take the opportunity!
Oh what a lesson(s) to learn.
Opportunity to walk by faith not by sight or by thoughts or by feelings or circumstances; opportunity to practise trust when I feel so helpless and things are totally out of my control and I have no answers and those I love are hurting so badly and I can't take away the pain and they don't do what I think they need to do; opportunity to develop more patience even tho I am exhausted, and don't sleep and my hormones are wacko, and drivers are idiots and I have a thousand valid excuses to lose it; opportunity to love the unlovely and give them what they need, not what they deserve; endless opportunities to self examine and repent and ask God to help me remove the "log in my own eye"; opportunity to pray without ceasing because there is nothing else to do.
Opportunity to walk-the-talk...to take Jesus at his word...to offer the sacrifice of praise...to grow Christ-like! Being a true follower of Jesus is not for the faint of heart...but it is worth it.
Thought for the day: Don't wait for a crisis to take the opportunity!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Proverbs 3:5,6
I love the Bible... Reading and applying God's word is foundational to my spiritual progress. I have taken these verses in Proverbs as my personal favorite life application verses. Recently I purchased a Message Bible and enjoy this contemporary, simplistic version:
"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track."
Thought for the day: Words matter least, actions matter more, heart motives matter most!
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