Know Your Role

Good morning and happy Friday. A thought that occurred to me the other day as I was getting ready to do a study on Joseph, the Earthly father of Jesus. Most of my life hearing the Christmas story it's seems to have been about Mary and Jesus. What if it was Joseph God was choosing? What if it was Joseph He wanted to raise His son? I believe it was both but why do we forget that God uses and chooses everyone. We have all been called to a part of the great plan of God. We don't hear much from Joseph or about him at all, but from the bits and pieces we know he was a good man and did a good job of raising up the Son of Man. He knew His part in this plan and followed God's instruction to the T. This story so fits with us today as we are called to do His work here.  God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. That means what He was doing then is what He is doing now. Miracles still happen, the unexplainable still is seen. Why do we doubt He is using us for a greater good today and tomorrow. Our part doesn't have to be the headliner, but play the part we have to the best of our ability. In love always. <><

The End

Good morning and happy Thursday. The world is ending in 12/12. Are you ready?  Predictions of the end have been going since Jesus said it would be like a thief in the night. None of that stuff has ever bothered me until now. Now I know I can't wait. Before I was lost and not headed for a heavenly home. Now I know the difference and not afraid of the end, whenever it may come. So many people and so much time has been and is being spent trying to predict the end. What will it matter when it comes anyway, it's the end?  What are we doing in the mean time? If we are Christians as we say, we should be about the Fathers work. If you're not a Christian, aren't you still wasting your time trying to find the end only to find it's here? If you knew when, what would you do different from now til then?  Why aren't you doing that now? What if tomorrow is the end? What if it's the guy next you on the planes turn to go so you the whole thing goes down? Just kidding. All this becomes stupid after a while doesn't it? But it will come, and you will be held accountable for your time here on this Earth. Make it good from this moment on. Live today forward with no regrets. It's never too late to make a change. In love always. <><

Leaving Eden

Good morning and happy Wednesday. Have you wondered what Adam and Eve thought and felt like after being kicked out of the Garden? To know what it is supposed to be like? To be in the presence of God and to talk with Him? I don't know if they were able to remember what that was like, but I bet they felt like something was missing. Gee, that sounds familiar. They could not have known the full magnitude of what they had done and brought into the world because their world was just them, but when Cain came along, I wonder how they felt about their actions now effecting their child. They did know one thing for sure, they knew they were children of God. And to know and understand what that means is paramount to a deep relationship with Him and His Son who died for us to get a way back to Eden. It will all come full circle one day. Are you ready to go home? To go back to where we belong? To walk with our Father once again as He meant for us to? Then we have to get to that place where we won't be kicked out. in love always. <><

True Happiness In Him

Good morning and happy Tuesday.  How happy are you? Is it really a happy Tuesday? Maybe not for some. But in the grand scheme of it all, the big picture, it will pass and happiness will come again. Most people are happy more than sad, but we dwell and hang onto the sadness in our lives. Once we reach that point, it takes over everything. So if we're happy most of the time, why hasn't that taken over everything? True happiness comes from a love of Jesus Christ. And if that takes over our lives, we will be living a very positive one. Sure, even Jesus was sad, but it didn't consume Him. His purpose was the work of the Father, not dwelling on a moment in time. It was important to Him and He felt it and He dealt with it. But a greater issue is at hand for Him and all of us. In our grief we will find God, because He knows we need Him. It's after our grief where we usually lose it. We're ok and back on our feet and we can do it. Wrong. We can do nothing apart from Him. We have to learn to live for Him and not ourselves. This is a life lesson Jesus came to live as the example for. Follow it to true happiness. In love always. <><

Lean Into Him

Good morning and happy Monday. Sorry I'm late. Sorry I couldn't make it. Sorry I didn't call. Sorry I didn't come by. We've heard and said them all. Sometimes, it's absolutely true, the excuses we have and make to one another for the smallest of things. Sometimes it just can't be helped and there's just no way of making it up. This has been one of the most hectic and busiest week and weekend I've had in a long time. And it was all the stuff we've put off for the last two weeks trying to catch up from the weeks before that. Satan won this weekend. He wore me out to a point I let my frustration out, not bad, but not right. Realizing the battle is at hand is a big part of our success as Christians. Knowing that our eternity is at stake should have us so leaned into Jesus we become one with Him. I have not done that in a while and it has shown up. God forgive me for stepping out on my own apart from you. Thank you that the damage I caused was minimal on the large scale but huge in my own. Thank you for your grace and mercy in dealing with my stupidity. No excuses, no more. Thank you for guiding me back to you so gently. I love you and give you all the glory for all you've done for me. I will stay strong for the battle and not be caught off guard again. In love always. <><

Tell Them Good Job

Good morning and happy Friday. It's really good to hear from someone that what you're doing is good. A pat on the back at work, a friend letting you know that something you did for them was very appreciated. It really means a lot when your child tells you something like " That reminds me of you " or " That's something you would say ", and it's something really cool and meaningful that they're comparing you too. Most of us live out our lives thinking we didn't really do much for our family and friends only to have them show up at our funeral and say all the things we did for them and how it changed them. Tell people now what they mean to you. Don't keep it inside waiting to see if they mess up and you didn't waste an at-a-boy on em. Jesus let the people, especially the women, know how much they meant to their Father in Heaven. He let them know and He showed us today that we are someone worth dying for. He told us on hill nailed to a tree. He didn't keep it to Himself. He knows we'll mess up and not do good all the time. But He done it and told us anyway. Tell people they've done good when they have. I think of waiters and waitresses in this. I watch the Sunday after church people be the rudest to wait staff at restaurants. See people as God's people and you will appreciate who they are and what they do. Jesus died for them too. In love always. <><

A Christmas Story

Good morning and happy Thursday. I hope that everyone is enjoying their Christmas season. I also hope that everyone is remembering who and why we celebrate this day. Jesus knew the whole time He was growing up what He was on this Earth to do. The Christmas story has so many things to it that apply to us today. When you read it or hear it this year, think about all the people who were witnessing the event as it happened. What they said about Mary behind her back. What they said when her son said He was God. Mary was a vision of strength and love and devotion to God. She did not let the world tell her something she knew was wrong. She had God with her. That's all she needed. People talk about us and we about them. The difference comes when we let God take His place in our hearts and rule our lives.  He's all we need. Mary and Joseph were going to be ridiculed the whole time. Imagine how inadequate Joseph had to feel raising the son of God. He knew this was a special child and from God. The deepness of the story is mind blowing, but society is loosing that in all the gift wrapped specials of the season. Take time with your family to take a new and different look at this beautiful story. In love always. <><

Thoughts Of Death

Good morning and happy Wednesday. We attended a memorial candle light service at the church last night for those who have loved ones that passed recently. It's funny how we begin to think of our own mortality at times like this. We begin to examine our lives and measure it against the things we think would be good. We reflect on what we've done in our life and see if it's good enough. But if this moment has caused me to think about dying, what have I been thinking would happen to me before? Does my death and how I've lived only cross my mind when it's one these times? Of course I don't want anyone dwelling on death, but the how we're living our life part should be a daily thing. If we are following the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, death becomes our reward when we're done here. I'm getting thoughts wrapped up in the world more than I know, I guess. Maybe this is the wake up call to refocus myself. It's strange the things we see and how we see them, and everyone sees them differently. It goes to show God has a purpose for us all. In love always. <><

Trading Places

Good morning and happy Tuesday. What if by the power of some freaky thing or coincidence, or whatever, you changed places with your best friend. Like the freaky Friday or the change up movies. I wonder what our friend would find out about what we do and say. We would hear the things we say about them from people we told it to. A very honest and true dialog would open and nothing would be hidden anymore. How would you feel and could you find forgiveness for them if there was some hurt along the way? This is how our relationship with God is supposed to be. What amazes me is that we think we can hide stuff from Him if we don't tell Him. And there is forgiveness from Him when we hurt Him. And we hurt Him everyday. When we live transparent lives, and not pretending to be, our lives are better lived and better examples of someone who is loved by God. In love always. <><

Don't Keep it To Yourself

Good morning and happy Monday. In Jesus' day, He went all throughout the country side preaching to people who hadn't heard the good news given to the Jews. The Jews knew the word and kept it from the world. But then the world saw Jesus and knew exactly who He was while the Jews could not see what was right before their eyes. How bad are we searching? How deep in our own crap are we that we don't see what's right before our eyes?  We know the truth just as the Jews did. We keep it to ourselves and just do the minimum to call ourselves Christians and maybe people we know will think we're good. We're not just good by what we do, it's by what's in our hearts, really, it's who's in our heart. Do you see Jesus in your life today? Do you know who He is and what He's done for you?  Then why are you keeping to yourself?  Is your friend not worth the death paid for them too? We've all been bought at a very high price because we're all worth it. Spread the news to everyone. It's too good to keep locked away. In love always. <><

Tell Them You Love Them

Good morning and happy Friday. Count your blessing and tell everyone in your life you love them. If it's been a while or tension is high and people are on edge, tell them anyway. More importantly, mean it. I wonder if I've done enough to die. I know that we all think about what we would miss if we died. Kids graduations, marriages, grand kids, all that stuff. But what about what we've done? Has it been enough? I sat with an 8 yr old girl who lost her dad. Her first Christmas without him this year. He recorded some books he read to her so she would still have those this year. He knew he was dying and was trying to leave some of himself here for her. I hope that I'm leaving enough of myself here for my girls and my family and friends. God came here and left Himself for us and the impact was forever. If I died tomorrow, I hope that I have done enough for my girls to tell stories when they're eighty. Make everyday count, make everyday one for the Lord and with Him you will leave a mark. I love you. In love always. <>< 

When In The Desert..

Good morning and happy Thursday. Who is God to you? Is He your everything or just your when things are going wrong? Have you ever wondered why God's chosen people lived in the desert?  Do you know why you will find God in the desert?  Because that's where you have nothing left and all there is is Him and you. We always call out to Him at some point when the going gets tough. His people are in the desert because they have lost sight of Him. When you're thirsty and hungry in the desert you will too. But what is the desert you're in? Where have you led yourself that will have you depending on Him to help you? He will be there always. Sometimes when we refuse to see Him, He will strip us down so you have no choice in the matter. Our country's state is an example of that on a large scale. Our own set backs are that on a personal level. But are you giving God the credit for bringing you through it? For being there when you needed Him most. No, we're not. Not like we should. So when you feel like you're in a place alone and no one can understand, that's when He's closest. Look for Him and keep Him close in your walk through the deserts of life. In love always. <><

Bow Before the King

Good morning and happy Wednesday. I was reading an article about the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Its going to under go some repairs and they talked about the design of the door to the room where it is said Jesus was born. It was built very low so that raiders on horse back could not ride through it. No invaders today, but the door is still low and you must bow before entering. They had a practical reason to build it that way then because they knew who Jesus was. I think today it is a reminder for us to remember who He was and to bow before our King. We don't have kings or rulers in this country and aren't used to the idea. I think it would be great for us to be humbled somewhat to the idea of having a King to be a servant to. To bow before our King. What an amazing thing we've never really done. At some point soon, I really recommend and prayer from your knees, bowed before the King. It's just a great reminder of who we serve and that we are His servants. But only do this in content humility. A heart that is ready to truly serve Him. Bow before our King. In love always. <><

Hopes Get Smashed

Good morning and happy Tuesday. Have you ever had your hopes in someone, that they might pull through, finish up, or anything like that? That "I know they will do it this time" kind of feeling, and then get that call or text for the excuse why they didn't. It's one of the worst feelings ever isn't it?  It feels like they just don't care how you feel about them at all. Even though it has nothing to do with you really, we still take it personal. I wonder, and really don't want to know, how many times I've let God down the same way. With Him there knowing I'll do it right and follow through and all those things, just to have me let Him down. And unlike us, He's pulling for the small stuff we don't do. And unlike us, with Him it is about Him and it is personal. I don't know why we let each other down. Sometimes we have a good reason. I just want to stop letting Him down. I don't have the answer to that, other than it's a daily and sometimes hourly thing. But I know what it feels like to be let down and I don't want to do that to anyone else, especially God. In love always. <><

Lost in the Chaos

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you had a wonderful day of Thanksgiving.  It's crazy how busy and overwhelming it can become, when family gets together. So many conversations at one time. One family in one house on one street on one block of one city of this country; families over the country doing pretty much the same thing. How does God keep up with that? I can't even focus on the two I'm involved in. It just goes to further show how awesome He is and how much we really need Him. When we have surrendered to Him fully, He does the guiding and directing. He has all this woven together in a seamless way so that we can live for Him and serve Him and others the way we need to be. All the chatter and noise of this world subsides and peace takes over, and a calmness beyond understanding. He is all we need. In love always. <><