A Time of Reflection and A Time to Look Forward

Ready or not, here comes the New Year!

2011

We often ask where the year went; it seems to have passed so quickly. At the end of 2010 we sit and think about what events occurred that blessed us and those that were difficult and challenging.We think about what we have accomplished and what we let slide. We make our New Year's resolutions with the greatest intent to keep them. It's very good time for such reflection.

I'm ready for the new year with my workout tape, my Dave Ramsey financial handcuffs, my journal and I signed up for Tuesday am bible study at church. Oh Lord, that I will be faithful to attend to these disciplines.

Two of my favorite verses are Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

You can figure out why I cling to that verse, eh? Oh, yes, I need that mercy daily!



Looking toward 2011 I am committed to living simply, to making each moment count for good by loving God and loving people. I am secure in the knowledge that He loves me and has a plan for my life in the new year.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Just want to share a disclaimer if you will...plans to prosper you is often taken to mean financially prosper and while He may do just that, please consider there are many other ways for the Lord to prosper our lives...

good health, a life of meaning and purpose, a lesson, a challenge, a heart for others and a content spirit.


Whatever He brings...let us rejoice and love one another.

--oOo--

The hurt I hold inside me

Two things happened today. A friend posted a YouTube video of Bebo singing "Cover Me" and I received a thank you note from my grandson Kevin for the two books I sent him for his eighth birthday.

A tear was shed for the thank you note. His mother won't let me see my grandson ... (she won't answer why) only twice since his daddy passed away in 2006. Sometimes no thank you notes for little cards with money or presents at Christmas and birthdays....so today was wonderful in that I could see his printing and know I am still called "MiMi".

It was after that that I heard the Bebo Song Cover Me and really liked it so I listened to many more and then heard "I will Lift My Eyes". What a wonderful song!

When it came to the line: The healer of the hurt I hold inside me, it got me thinking. Thinking about the hurt I do have about the situation. I can forgive her and do pray for her, but how does that hurt heal without me actually getting to be with my grandson...it seems a permanent tear to me. Of course God and I have talked about this many times. I manage to get through the day obviously, but it's there,always there. I think it hurts more because his own daddy is not in his life and feel that I could give him so much for that vacant spot...never to fill that for him, but to help him on the way. God has not allowed this for whatever reason.

Everyone has hurts; I am no different. Big hurts, little hurts...These trials and tribulations teach us great wisdom and knowledge as we surrender our egos and pride. God always has a better plan than any we can dream for ourselves!! Some things have to be removed from our lives in order to fulfill His intention for us.

So how do we move through and not let those hurts affect us negatively? The Enemy would have us ruminate and ponder and drive ourselves nuts until we lose all our peace and any effectiveness we might ever have toward serving God and loving others.

Conversely, Jesus tells us to forgive our enemies (small cap), pray, think on things that are lovely and pure, move outside ourselves and focus on the purpose and meaning to why we are here...serving others as unto the Lord, sharing the hope in Him who is able to keep us from falling and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy! Jude 1:24

Forgiveness isn't always 'easy', far from it, but God always has a better way...and when we forgive it is we who are set free. It's not like the other person cares much anyway! God's ways are better .. we surrender to Him and He takes that and turns it to our benefit. How blessed to be set free from the repurcutions of unforgiveness such as bitterness. Have you ever been around a truly bitter person? It isn't good, nice or fun. They usually end up very much alone in terms of great friendships and have few acquaintances as well.

I want to live life to the fullest being on the path God has set for me. I want to enjoy His presence in my life. I don't want to be held back by character qualities that don't let me DANCE the life the Lord gives me each and every day.

I'm thinking one way to move through this hurt I have held inside me is to help the 8 year old sunday school class or volunteer at the 4th grade grammer school in some capacity...or just find an eight-year-old who needs a pal. God will bring it to me. I know this because as I pondered all of this the Holy Spirit placed the thoughts into my mind.

YouTube - I Will Lift My Eyes - Bebo Norman (with lyrics)

I will lift my eyes to the One whose throne is in heaven. Psalm 123:1

The LORD heard my prayer for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. Psalm 6:9

I pray you let the Holy Spirit move in your life today

and heal you free from any hurt you have in you.

Blessings

Birthday Thoughts

It's a few minutes past midnight

so technically yesterday 2/24 was my birthday.

I was thinking about my upcoming birthday the night before last. Thoughts included how I feel like I'm very young in spirit but betrayed by my true age. I reflected on the things I had done and hadn't done over my many years..the joys and disappointments -- my journey thus far and the future ahead.



Knowing I would be alone on my birthday, I could have taken the woe-is-me attitude, but determined that was not to be the case. I have so much to be grateful for that to complain about being alone would be a slap in the face for all God brings to my life.



So I awoke on my big birthday morning happy to be alive! Thank you Lord for another day, one you created for me.

Today is the day that the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

OK, Lord - I WILL!

I plopped a nice pork roast in the crock pot and enjoyed that wonderful aroma all day long!! I knew I had a couple of small red potatos which would be done in a fast couple of minutes in the microwave when it came time to eat my birthday dinner. It was all so easy and quite tasty if I do say so myself. (You'll just have to take my word for it.) ;)

I had two phone calls wishing me Happy Birtday before 10 am. I am so blessed to have family and friends who care for me and make time for me. I had two more calls by 2 pm. Tons of well wishes on Facebook, in emails and snail mail has been arriving since Saturday from people who want me to know they care about me and wish me many blessings in the days ahead. I am so blessed in my relationships.

I was very aware of the Lord's goodness to me throughout the day. I am grateful His hand is on my life. He brought to mind some scripture that really changed my life around about five years into my walk with Him.

"I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

marvelous are your works, and my soul knows very well."

Psalm 139:14

In Hebrew the word fearfully means with great reverence. The word wonderfully means unique, set apart, uniquely marvelous. I am a unique and individually made creation of the Most High and Holy One. What more esteem does a person ever need than the knowledge of the love and care of God Himself! He set me free with that knowledge. Free to be the me that He made..the one that would follow Him all of her days.

Jeremiah 29:13 assures me..."For I know the thoughts (purposes) that I plan for you. Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give me a future and a hope."

So I get ready to go to bed in a few minutes having had a wonderful blessed day, cared for by my family, friends and the Lord God Almighty feeling like the masterpiece He created and rejoicing in the days He has planned for me. Peaceful and content am I on this birthday in the year of our Lord 2009.

Community

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,

but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)

This was a difficult day. My emotions got the best of me. I struggled with the questions of why the house is not selling, the worries of how to pay my bills, and just a general sadness for the loss of family in my life. No, I didn't run to the Word. I needed prayer. I needed someone up close and personal to pray for me. I don't know anyone up here like that so I called my pal Rose Marie. I knew she was at work and looked up the number. I remembered again back to my days working in church where people would call and ask me to pray for them...people I knew and people I didn't know.

Once I got myself together I was able to blurt out..."Is anyone near you?" "No." "gulp, gulp...I need prayer Rose Marie; I need you to pray for me. I feel overwhelmed. Can you, will you?" "Of course." And she prayed...and I cried...and she prayed and I cried. And she prayed...and I was able to get out the thank you. Then we talked about it a bit. We had a good talk. It's good to talk things out, to have a listening ear, to be comforted and assured and encouraged. I am grateful to my friend, Rose Marie today... and every day. Thank you.

God knows what He is talking about when he says to not give up the meeting together. That is about church. The church building is where you can form friendships of a lifetme with a common goal in living as best we can our spiritual walk. When I look at the people who are still in my life so many of them are people I met at church. People who I fellowshipped and worshipped with, done bible studies with, played games with, ate with, traveled with and loved in community. Let me assure you we are not all little peas in a pod with the same little darling personalities, and same little purses or shoes. We have varied interests, talents, and opinions. We are the Church.

Who would I have called today when in such an emotional place if not someone who I knew would pray for me? I guess I could have called a prayer line from a TV show, but how wonderful to be able to call a friend who knows me well, warts and all and is happy to help me in any way she can.

I am grateful for my friends. I am grateful to the Lord for placing me in a wonderful community of believers over many many years now. I hope this writing today would encourage you to find a church community. It can be scary. Everyone is human there, even the pastors. Nothing and no one is perfect or even close to it. But I encourage you anyway. Like the little Mary Engelbreit poster says: Why not go out on a limb? That's where all the fruit is! So true, so true. I imagine you have a lot give (God uses everyone) and you just may need someone to pray for you in a difficult season. Church...people loving Jesus as best they can by loving others. It's good. It's sunshine. It's love.

Be a goose!

The Goose Story

Next fall, (or maybe they are still passing over us now)whenyou see geese heading South for the Winter, flying along in V formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way:as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in V formation the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.

When the Head Goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshots and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly, or until it dies. Only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group.

For years I facilitated a small group bible study for women through my church. Some years it was held at the church and others at my home and usually there were groups of 6-10. At the beginning of each year I handed out The Goose Story. I love the way we can learn great lessons of encouragement, love, sacrifice, fellowship and love from the geese. Most often it wasn't long before we were living the analogy.

No one was felled by gunshot but as life hit us round the head from time to time or for a season, our bond was close enough that we stood by each other, prayed for one another, listened, and encouraged as best we could.

I remember my friend Patti's daughter who had a new baby that ended up in the icu for newborns. We were there for her in prayer and in person. That baby is now 14 and healthy and happy. Patti's mother died this past week and I was so upset that my car was broken and I couldn't get down to the Bay Area to be with her while her mom was in the hospital. I knew her brothers and sisters had all come to be together, but I really wanted to be with her too. I prayed and sent emails to let her know I was there in spirit.

We all have our struggles and our victories and need to share life with each other at deep levels.

Reach out and be a goose! ;)

From another blogger

Someone forwarded me this link today and I just wanted to share it with all of you.


Internet Cafe Devotions: Eternal Perspective