Smiling Plastic

 "If Barbie is so popular, why do we have to buy her friends?"

I liked playing with dolls as a kid. Barbie was my favorite. I got teased in grade school because we had a kid in class named Ken. Ken Doll to be exact.
I wish I was kidding.
That didn't stop me from wanting a Ken doll to "go" with my Barbie. On the box he was labeled, "Accessory".
When I took child development classes there were many theories about this. Whether or not it is messing kids up it not. Quite frankly if we wanted to blame pieces of smiling plastic for kids being messed up I was simply thinking perhaps it's a much deeper issue than that.
I began to pray about what it is to be a good friend later on in my life. I started to realize that this was something only the Lord could touch my mind about. As I found a wonderful church and met wonderful people I read about Solomon and his prayer he made to the Lord. He wanted to the wisdom to walk in and out among the people. The Lord blessed him far above that because of the condition of his heart in that prayer.
Lord, help me to be a good friend and never to force people to be how I want them. Thank you for all those in my life and if I have found favor in your sight I would like to have the wisdom to be a good friend and sister.

Nothing Without Him

Temperance: To be balanced and exercise moderation in all things, according to the Word of God. The ability to exercise self-restraint, and to life a life absent of extremes in all things that are unnecessary. To be content and satisfied with only those things that are approved by God.

A diet without exercise, exercise without rest, worry without sleep, acquaintances without friendships, friendships without love, love with out commitment, commitment without work, work without play, chocolate without the peanut butter-what is the point to striving for physical well being if there is no balance?
I was reading in 1 Corinthians 15:44, It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
If I am not able to get my natural body in balance how will I be able to do it for my soul?
It was then I realized that I can't.
"I "can't.... Not that I won't.
I can't do anything without Him. All things come through Him.
Lord, it is my desire to have temperance in my life for you. Please touch my mind on what it takes to be a mature Christian. I would like to rise and shine for you.

Quotes About God

I really love Him. It's easy to beat myself up when I feel I don't do right. Staying positive while trying to be a good Christian takes a certain amount of strength. It helps to have positive people reminding you how much He really loves us...

Look up for your redemption draweth neigh.

~KJV Bible

"God understands our prayers even when we can't find the words to say them."

~Unknown

 

God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.  ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

"Weave in faith and God will find the thread." 
~Author Unknown
 

"Any fool can count the seeds in an apple.  Only God can count all the apples in one seed." 

~Robert H. Schuller

"People see God every day, they just don't recognize him."  

Look for Him everywhere.

~Pearl Bailey 

"Let God's promises shine on your problems."

~Corrie Ten Boom

"Your talent is God's gift to you.  What you do with it is your gift back to God."

 ~Leo Buscaglia

The Hearer and The Doer

Please open my heart like a flower before you.

There are some that don't know, but don't know that they don't know
There are some that don't know, and know that they don't know
There are some that know.......but don't do.

What is it about implementing the Word of God? It convicts us doesn't it?
The Lord talks to us through His word. What have you read in your bible lately that you really want to do more? When we increase Him in our lives we automatically decrease.
Lord, I am thankful for all your mercy and grace. It is my desire to be a willing honorable vessel in your site. Not only a hearer, but a doer of your precious Word.

The Giving Tree

One of my favorite books as a kid was The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Many people have told me that that is a terrible book to read to children. As a teacher I don't recall reading it to kids but I think what was disturbing to most people was the idea of giving....and giving....and giving until there was nothing left.
I kind of thought that trait was natural in trees. Even the fruit it gives is not for itself but for others.
I always wondered why scriptures mentioned trees so much. It talks about good fruit and bad fruit. I always found them to be interesting pictures and parables.
If I am really striving to be a good Christian...reaching maturity, what kind of tree would I be?
Some trees are just nice to look at, some give lots of fruit and some trees just smell nice. There are others that look strong and others that look like they are weeping.
As for me, I would like to be a tree that gives sweet fruit. Sharing parts of Him with everyone. Love, Joy Peace, Long suffering...all the fruit of the spirit. It's no wonder He said,  "Taste and see, that the Lord is good."

peculiar

I'm a geek.
There.
I said it.
I'm not sure when it happened...having a mullet as a kid didn't help, I suppose. But I always felt....well, different from everyone. Kind of like I was looking through a window at life going on around me. Some one said that I was just one of those square pegs.
I love to read and study the bible. I love asking questions about scriptures and I have found some people don't like that very much. I decided to stop being around the ones that refuse to answer questions....
I thought at first some people just didn't want to tell me...like they wanted a corner market on understanding the Word of God or something. But later on I realized they just didn't know and didn't want to say it.
I am the type of person that will keep going until I get an answer that makes sense (hence the geeky-ness). I guess there is a spiritual hunger side to me that must be satisfied as well.
I read in the scriptures about the Lord having a peculiar people. And in another place he calls them a peculiar treasure. Jesus talked about being in the world but not of the world...the world hated him because he didn't belong to the world. Sounds like His people are supposed to be different. I suppose He was also talking about the heart of a person. I want my hearts desire to be turned towards Him, to be peculiar in His eyes....not just being different in my own way...but His way.

Be Still

Being still and doing nothing are two very different things. I thought of the scripture 'be still and know that I am God'. Waiting on the Lord is still abiding in His will because in order to wait in someone we must serve them. I think if a waitress at a restaurant. Having a good spirit while serving the Lord and having full confidence and faith He will handle a situation that is out of our hands.
Looking for His in all situations.
I am thankful.
They that wait upon the Lord, they shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as an eagle. They shall walk and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Teach me Lord, to wait.

Provoking to Good Works

"Well I double-dog dare you!"

There are many ways to provoke someone. It always seems to be used in a negative way for some reason. I was having a teacher meeting and teachers complained to me that there was a particular child that went around 'provoking' others as well as them.
"Provoking in what way?" I asked.
One teacher rolled her eyes and explained, "You know, bugging kids when the read a book or tapping them all the time to get their attention. It makes everyone angry."
I thought of the scripture about provoking one another to good works. With the same attention and energy we give to provoking others negatively we can actually do it with love, understanding and compassion.
I suppose we can even use provoking as a form of teaching.
After some brainstorming the teachers came up with some great solutions to helping this child that clearly didn't know how to make friends. His actions were hurting his chances of making a friend, really.
"Looks like we will wind up provoking this child right back." I said.
The buzzing and chatter in the staff room went quiet.
"For the good." I explained.

Lord, help me to provoke others to good works. Help me to recognize what is in me that wouldn't want to bring out the best in others so that I may see myself each day. By your mercy and grace you can change my spirit to be one of a good servant. Being kindly affectionate one to another.

Nice Try Mr. Death...

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The obvious isn't always so obvious to some. I found in scriptures where their is a duality. Some things that sound or look the same but are clearly not. In the old testament there was two men named Seth (a good one and a bad one). There was also two Enoch's (a good and bad). To be able to discern between who is whom takes an understanding of right and wrong. I would like to have that type of discernment. Although I cannot see the heart of others I have the scriptures to guide me. When something doesn't line up with the Word things get a bit clearer. Confusion is made plain.

Thank you Lord for the Word and please help me to always have an appetite to read. One day I would like to say, "Oh Death, where is your sting...oh grave where is your victory?

Walking on Water

In the scriptures there is a sea of humanity. I was thinking about how Jesus went walking on the sea. I noticed that it was after deep prayer that He did it.
I believe it's possible to walk on water today.
If I live my life according to God's Word and elevate my mind I can walk over all problems and situations I have. Anything pertaining to the flaws of humanity...gone.
I think I'll go for a walk more often.....

Saving the Universe.

 " My doctor says that I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."
 ~Douglas Adams

Jesus is the chief physician. I am so glad about that. And with all the knowledge we have about sickness and disease now a days there still is no cure for the common cold.
He is the doctor for those suffering, lonely and in need.....Before I found Him I spend a lot of time volunteering, delving in work or school and just being busy within myself.  I really didn't want to feel like something was missing.
But I did. I felt like a hollow shell, four day old newspaper...a homemade cupcake that nobody wanted to eat. You get the point, right?
I did so much for everyone else that I didn't take the time to figure out what was bothering me.
I was making good money at the time and on a quest to feed all homeless people....that or perhaps simply buy the world a Coke. I tried it for a year and found out soon enough that the world all didn't want a Coke. Some wanted Pepsi...or a Perrier.
I couldn't please everyone and I definitely wasn't happy. I found out it was me that needed healing before I could be a help to anyone. I'm so glad I have a vision about the truth.
Now nothing any doctor can say about what is going on in my body can upset me. I'm not in charge anyway. I can leave saving the universe up to Him....
Whew.....what a relief!

Ego....

E= Edging

G= God

O= Out

Putting myself, my fears, even excusing bad behavior in me is putting myself first above Him. In all my ways I wish to please the Lord. I have strong confidence that even if I falter, my ability to go back and make things right still pleases Him.
Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew the right spirit within me.
I don't ever what my own ego to get tin the way of serving You....

Investing in People

 "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, 
but in rising up every time we fail."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I always knew of things I wanted to achieve in my life. I really liked school so it was easy to apply myself and get good grades. I knew I wanted to one day be married and have lot's of friends. But being a friend was never taught to me, neither was having a happy marriage. I really thought is was something I did...well, it was in a way but once I realized my goals weren't meeting up with my vision I found out I just didn't have the tools I needed to get where I wanted.
I read in Genesis (KJV) that, He called those things that be not as if they already were.
"Hey,that's me!" I said to myself. I believe the Lord sees us at the finish line, it's me getting in the way of me that can't see it. I needed to find a deeper understanding about how to see myself the way He does.
I believe the Lord is in the business of investing in people. I'm glad there are some people that have made it their business, too.
After all, we are all the CEO's of our life.

The Lame Sacrifice

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon."
~Doug Larson

Treating our body like a temple is a discipline in itself. I know that I would like to be as healthy as possible and it was pretty clear in reading the bible that the Jews just didn't eat everything they wanted. The Lord clearly made a distinction between clean and unclean animals in the Old Testament.
I the New Testament Paul said we could eat everything as long as it was done with thanksgiving (Excluding things given to idols, of course). Quite frankly, I don't think everyone had a free for all in eating, though. I can still see the disciples remaining disciplined in eating even for health reasons. Luke was a physician and probabally was prevy to a lot of knowlege for those times.
Why am I saying this? In my own walk to trying to be a good Christian I feel I have a responsibly to take care of the health that the Lord gave me. Health is a form of prosperity. When I feel well I can think clearly, take care of my husband, work and run the household much smoother.
When I feel eat well I can concentrate better on my reading and praying.
I don't ever want to my sacrifices to the Lord to be in vain or lame because I am unappreciative or willful.
Lord, help me to keep a pure heart in all situations...

Questioning....

"We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way."
~Author Unknown

Running from trouble or unhappiness? There isn’t any place that far…..
All that running made me tired enough to slow down and make some decisions about what I was going to do next. I simply had to start organizing my life if I was going to think straight.

I never thought God minded questions much. After all, He knows all the answers, anyway. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the motive behind the questioning. Is it doubt, a lack of faith, or even unthankfulness?
My mother always checked me on my tone as a little girl. And when I think of how Esther prepared herself to go for a request before the King it really got me thinking.
She asked if she had found favor in his sight, if what had done anything good and pleasing. There was such a humility there.
For apostle Paul he was told, "My grace is sufficient."

So the same God, the one that speaks to Kings and Priests, He hears me. It's clear for now His Grace is sufficient.
So with great honor, I am content.