Tests

Don't you just love it when you learn a great God lesson - only to have to take a test over it?

Food for Thought

I went 'Bible diving' this morning. (It's like 'dumpster diving' for treasure ;) I usually am rewarded with verses that start with "Woe to you!" But my prayer (in desperation!) was to be led to a place where God could talk to me, let me know some of His thoughts about dealing with the situations and circumstances of family and friends. I must admit He did lead me and I discovered a treasure that most of the Memorialites will role their eyes at and say 'duh!" Terry has been preaching the concept for years but God suddenly allowed me to see it in a different light.

In Isaiah 30:19-21 "How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it.""

I had always studied that verse with my footnotes explaining that the 'teachers' were the prophets...but I now read it as the teachers being 'the bread of adversity and the water of affliction'. How much I have learned from the bread and the water! How much bread and water the Lord has given my children! And the voice says "This is the way; walk in it." And when we do, we discover we are not fleeing in fear (earlier in the chapter) nor are we trying to make deals with the world we live in or trying to be the one in control (also earlier) but we are simply following that voice through the situations and the circumstances... believing He has (and IS) the answer.

Later in chapter 32:15-20 the women are addressed when that affliction and adversity comes: "the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. Justice will dwell in the desert and righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever...though the hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely, how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free."

Through His Spirit living within us, we endure the flattening hail storms, knowing His justice, righteousness, peace and quiet confidence is growing within us. And we in turn sow what he has taught us in the bread and water everywhere we go...sort of a 'free range' growing of justice, righteousness, peace and quiet confidence in Him.

O Lord, let my soul attitude be a blessing of justice, righteousness, peace and quiet confidence to my family and friends! But then let it be thrown to a world that has eaten so much bread and drank so much water that it is ready to die for lack of peace. May you be glorified in our 'free range' sowing of your love.

Remembering

Please join me in remembering the people that have gone before us, and especially their families that are left behind. Pray that the peace of God reigns not only in ourselves, but in our leaders and other nations. Let His Kingdom shine from us and may the King come quickly.

I am so PROUD!

Ethan did so good!!! Look out American Idol!

Any Questions?

Ok, I have been informed that yesterdays post was WAY to many questions (and more on the theological side).

So today I am asking for YOUR questions. Anything every bug you and you wonder why it had to be that way?

For example: When you put a pair of socks into the washer and there is only one of them that comes out of the dryer, where did the missing sock go?

If you have answers feel free to comment too.

Questions

Do you ever have times in your lives that you have more questions than answers? That you feel that whatever intelligence you have is just not enough? That whatever strength you have is not strong enough for the tasks at hand? That your wisdom is so lacking in the areas bombarding you and the relationships that are wilting before your eyes that you cry constantly on the inside? Oh, you have faith...but it seems at times so rote and such a routine that you begin to wonder if even that is really there?

Do you ever cry while watching all the disasters that are happening EVERYWHERE and feel that your prayers are like whispers in the gale winds? Do you ever look at loved ones that are aging and wonder what happened to the time or how you will survive watching them slow and gradually stop being the persons you always had known? Have you ever considered the stresses the young ones endure that were not even thought of when you were their age? Do you ever just wish that God would put you in "time out" just so you could catch your breath for awhile?

Have you ever felt sadness that was so deep for another persons pain and wonder if our creator feels that way about us? Have you ever felt a happiness so encompassing that you thought you would explode into song or laughter? Have you ever held a newborn and were amazed at their freshness and total dependence? Have you ever thought about the idea of a God that promised us that freshness every single day of our lives? And that your total dependence on Him is a complement to his Godhood?

Have you ever thought about a God that would take on all the questions you have and never condemn or make light of them? Have you ever considered that Jesus endured all the questions posed to Him and that He possibly wondered at the wisdom God allowed him to have at just the right time? Or that He ever wondered if He had the strength to complete the tasks He had to finish? Was His "It is finished" a scream of total abandonment, or a whisper of total faith? Do you ever think about what He was willing to do because you were born the way you were born? That you really are no surprise to Him at all? That your faith can be smaller than a grain of sand and continue to sustain you through anything the world throws your way?

Do you ever consider wrinkles as beauty marks? Or a child as an opportunity to stay young at heart? Or that the life tapestry of God is not finished yet, but is being constantly worked on so that one day it will be finished? That one day we will get our 'time out', when the trumpet announces the revealing of Jesus, face to face, and more wonder-filled than we can ever imagine? That the young and old of our lives will become like Him and never, ever have to endure again all the pain and doubt that Satan has thrown in their faces? That relationships will be mended and bodies healed? And that until that time comes, we have the promise of our creator that we are totally and completely loved with all the scars and faults and weakness? And that He uses everyone of those scars, faults, and weaknesses to shine His glory on a world that is aching for a 'time out'?

Do you ever look at a sunset and have it take your breath away because it is so beautiful? Hmmm, wonder if it is God letting us know it is alright?

And he said, "Take up thy shoe and walk!"

After 5 weeks, Pete is back in a regular shoe and walking! He still has to rest quite often but we will take that! Now, maybe I will get coffee in bed again....
(My family tries to keep me well caffeinated, can you tell?)

In Love Again

Ok...for those of you holding your breath...I am back with Starbucks.

I tried a Latte yesterday after explaining to the barista that I would get sick if she put regular milk in my drink. I used the word 'sick' at least 6 times while she was making it. And *tah dah* it was perfect! I still don't trust ol' Bucky totally, and probably never will again, but that doesn't mean we can't get along.

And my family sighs a big sigh of relief...mainly because I get really grumpy without my caffeine fix...but that doesn't mean I am an addict. I just choose to be happy...with Starbucks.