Gardening

It seems like it has been forever since I have done any writing. However, today I was outside doing some gardening and the Lord was speaking to me as I worked. I love it when this happens. It seems I am always so busy that I don't let my mind slow down to listen for His still gentle voice.

As I was working really hard to trim back an Indian Hawthorne that we have, He reminded me of the words Jesus shared concerning the vine and the branches. We had sprayed some Round Up to get rid of some unwanted trees and vines - that's Red Neck pruning - and as would have it got some of it on the Indian Hawthorne which we did not want to get rid of.

However, the chemical got to it and it started to die. As I cut it back trying to get to the root so we can completely get it out and start over, the Lord reminded me of a few things.

Yes, we need pruning and sometimes in the process of getting rid of the bad we also injure the good. Notice I said "injure". The root of the Hawthorne was still strong and underneath the leaves and mulch there was new growth. Amazing! I had to dig deep to find it but it was there.

So it is with us. Things happen in us that cause us to bear poor fruit. God prunes and in the process even some of the good stuff might get hurt. But at the root - new growth occurs!

Aren't we glad!

The Little Engine That Could

I have been leading a group of ladies at our church in Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. In our lesson today "Please make everything easy; I can't take it if things are too hard!", I m reminded of a book that most of us read or someone read to us as a child, The Little Engine That Could. What most of us remember about it is there was a small train filled with good things for boys and girls. It had toy animals, teddy bears, dolls, airplanes, tops, (you get the picture) and the "funniest little toy clown you every saw" and they needed to get over the mountain.

We know the story. The little train has a break down and can't move. Several engines come along but all of them have an excuse as to why they can't help the little train. Eventually a little blue engine comes along and saves the day. We remember the favorite line - "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." and as he goes down the other side of the mountain - we remember the famous words "I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could."

We leave the story usually with the lesson being we can do anything we put our mind to. Right?

But let me drop back just a little bit and remind you of someone in the story that is what I feel like the key element and does not seem to be very important as you read. Remember "the funniest little toy clown you ever saw"? Check him out again. Every time one of the engines that they stopped and asked for help gave them "some excuse" as to why they could not help, THE FUNNY LITTLE CLOWN was there to cheer them on, waving his flag to stop the next engine to ask for help. He NEVER gave up! He was their encourager. He consoled them when they were disappointed.

After I read that years ago to my high school students as motivation and encouragement to them, I realized that God was telling me that He has done that for us. Only it doesn't come in the form of a little toy clown. When we became His child, He gave us the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. Not just a little bit of it - but ALL of the Holy Spirit. Not just enough to get us through a few things but to get us through EVERYTHING. His Spirit is always encouraging us, nudging us, pushing us, telling us not to give up because we will "at the appointed season" reap! (Galatians 6:9 "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.")

The next time you think you "can't" do something - picture the Holy Spirit cheering for you, encouraging you as you push through a difficult situation so you can say "I knew I could. I knew I could. I knew I could." because HE can!

Where Has The Time Gone?

I really don't know what happened. I have not written since October. Maybe my mojo went missing. You know how one day becomes another day and another day becomes a week and then a month and before you know it you have gotten out of the habit of doing something. I truly enjoy sharing here but if I don't make a conscious decision to do something it is like many things in my life it gets pushed aside and usually there is not a good explanation for why.

I really enjoy putting my thoughts into words because at this point in my life if I don't write it down it is gone. Charlie knows all too well what I am talking about. However, he recently shared that I must be Wonder Woman. I couldn't imagine what he meant by that. It seems he had seen this on someone's post on Facebook.

So yes, I am Wonder Woman in that respect. However, I am going to try to do better at journaling so I will not be wondering what I did during 2012.

We had a wonderful Christmas with family in Macon and in Adel.  Both of our daughters and their family were here with us for about 5 days. We were sleeping all over the house. Our granddaughters kept us busy too. We played outside, played inside, had a campfire New Years Eve and loved on each other a lot - so much so that the youngest grand left me with her cold. Still wouldn't trade that time for anything.

One afternoon Anna (our 5 year old grand) was resting in the recliner with Charlie. She said "Gran,  Grandad told me that if we were going to be like the pink bunny that keeps on going we have to lay down and let our batteries get recharged. But Gran, Grandad's batteries are older than my batteries."  You see this is why I need to write - so I can remember these words of wisdom and so she can read them herself later.

Well this has been all over the page but that's what I usually have to do when I have gone so long without focusing on writing. I promise to do better. So check back with me later.

What If?

I have not written in forever. A couple of reasons but none that would actually be significant. I got busy preparing for a trip that we took mid-September and did not blog while we were traveling. When we returned I got busy preparing for another project that will take place next weekend.

So here I am. I do enjoy writing but just got out of the habit. I imagine many of you can relate to that. There are good habits and bad habits and this one happens to be a good one that I hope to continue.

Okay. I have rambled enough. Today my pastor encouraged us to not live in fear. His scripture reference was from Matthew 28:18-20 focusing on v 18: "Then Jesus came to them and said 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.' " Jesus has been given ALL authority and is in charge. Therefore we should have no fear.

He closed with these remarks: "We all live in fear of some kind. 'What if?' " and then he reminded us "Jesus is Lord over our 'What Ifs'."  

Most of us use the "What if" to preceed negative thoughts such as "What if I lose my wife? children? home? job? What if I get sick? . . ." You get the picture.

God convicted my spirit as my pastor spoke to make my What Ifs positive.

What if I turn this all over to Jesus? What if I do something for someone else today? What if I smile today? What if I don't worry today? What if I laugh today? What if I rest today? What if I say positive things?

Got the picture. Jesus has ALL authority. What if we believe that and chill out with HIM?

Hope you find some encouragement from this.

Thanks so much for taking time to read. I've missed writing.

Until . . .

Gator Attack!!!

I suggested to Charlie last night that we go fishing this a.m. since we had a rain that afternoon. AND it might be cooler.

So we got up and headed towards the back pond. It was a beautiful a.m. - cool, gently breeze blowing. After changing my "bait" to the same type of lure he was using - a popping topwater lure, I started catching a few fish along and along too. That always makes the fishing better.

After about 2 hours of fishing we decided to head back to bank. He had caught 3 and me 2. We have gotten to the point in our fishing now that we just enjoy being out there and catching them but not cleaning them :-)

So as we were headed towards the bank, he is paddling and I am casting, a four feet gator decided that my topwater lure looked like dinner to him. Charlie starts hollering "reel it in, reel it in!" I am reeling as fast as I can and he is hollering "faster, faster". 

About that time that darn little gator picked up speed, opened his mouth as if he was about to pounce upon the lure, raised his body somewhat and I yanked on the rod to get it out of the water. I also thought he was about to jump in the boat with me as he continued to chase the lure. Now did I mention he is about 3 feet from the boat. I screamed and jumped up and backwards and fell flat of my back across my seat and the seat behind me. 

Did I mention I SCREAMED? Did I mention I yelled shoot him, shoot him, shoot him? (P.S. - there is no gun in the boat)

After all is said and done, the gator turns away from the boat. I don't know if it was my screaming or his disappointment that he missed the lure. I am still flat of my back across two seats. Charlie is laughing - and laughing and laughing. After I realized that I was not hurt and that I was safe, I decided it was rather humorous. Notice that I said that "after I realized that I was not hurt and that I was safe" I started laughing.

I now have a mission. The gator has to go. I have a bounty on his head. Any takers?

It Just Ain't Right!

Favoritism.

Have you ever seen it? Ever experienced it? Ever shown it?

Where have you seen it? At work? At School? In the Government? In the Church? In your home?

It's just not fair is it. I can say that when I am the one who is not receiving special treatment. I feel hurt. I feel rejected. Thoughts start running through my mind like: Why do "they" think that person is so special? They are not any different from me.

But what if I am the one showing favoritism? What are my reasons for doing that? Is it all of a sudden okay since I am the one doing it?

Scripture says: "My dear brothers and sisters,how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?" James 2:1 (NLT)

I have to ask myself: "What is my standard for how I respond to people?" Do I base it on how they are dressed? Whether or not they are clean? The way they talk? Does my first impression take priority over what it is going on deep down inside that person?

"There but for the grace of God goes I."  He extends grace. He extends mercy.

James 2:12-13: "So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.  There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you." (NLT)

Favoritism - It Just Ain't Right!

Live In The Moment

"Slow down, you movin' too fast You gotta make the MORNING last."

What did you do yesterday? Can you even remember? I am reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It has caused me to stop and rethink things - things that I take for granted.

What is a typical day for you? If you still have children at home, then you are operating under the word "hurry" - hurry and get up, hurry and eat your breakfast, hurry and get your clothes on, hurry so you won't be late for school . . . hurry, hurry, hurry! Depending on the season of the year you are hurrying to TBall practice/games, dancing lessons/recitals . . .  you get the picture. I remember those days or do I? I think most of those days were blurs and that is sad.

At the end of the day I was too weary to enjoy the evening because I was already getting ready for the next day. Have you ever said "There are not enough hours in the day!" Oh my, oh my, oh my.

I am just getting started in the book so you may be hearing lots more from me as this is really speaking to me. One of her statements that spoke volumes last night was "I speak it to God: I don't really want more time; I just want enough time. Time to breathe deep and time to see real and time to laugh long, time to give You glory and rest deep and sing joy and just enough time in a day not to feel hounded, pressed, driven, or wild to get it all done -- yesterday. . . . I just want time to do my one life well."

Wow! One of the things she began doing to focus on what I call living in the moment is she made a list over time over 1000 things she is thankful for. For her they were simple things. I have started doing that and I can tell you it is making all the difference in the world as to how I look at my day. I am LOOKING for things I am thankful for.  The key word being LOOKING. Another one of her profound statements for me was "Only because I was looking."

When you are not looking or expecting, you will miss it! Don't miss life! Live in the Moment!

Can't wait to share more with you as I have started this journery of One Thousand Gifts.