ChristmasIsComing Simple Woman’s Daybook

(Jumping in with Cindy)

My own version of the Simple Woman's Daybook for today:

Outside my window...
Cool day…highs in 48-50* range…clouds rolling in and rain is supposed to start tonight.

I’m thinking...
these cooler temperatures are awesome for me in my ‘eternal’ hot-flash state.  Everyone else is complaining it’s cold.

I am thankful for...
My husband handling the food lineup for Christmas week with his sister…they’re splitting the cooking/food responsibilities.

From the kitchen...
turkey cutlets wrapped in bacon, seared in balsamic vinegar; broccoli, cauliflower, carrots in cheese sauce, French rolls, tomato slices

I am reading...
Disciple 1, Week 15…Hope

I am creating...
table decorations for our Christmas dinner table … pics later

Around the house...
There are signs of Christmas: An un-decorated tree, a wreath on the door and a stocking on the garage door entrance and a blooming Christmas cactus.

On my MP3 player this week...
nothing

One of my favorite things...
Arizona Peach Tea … instant packets with Splenda included.  I don’t have to make a gallon at a time.

One of my least favorite things...
Mommies continuing to shop, ignoring or being impatient with their ‘obviously-tired, screaming’ children riding in shopping carts

A Simple Grace Note...
Look Ma, NO cavities…yeah!

My Simple Devotion:  Day 46 Daily Affirmations (grieving a recent loss of a friend lost much too soon)  Today’s word: BLISS  The dictionary notes BLISS as:   state of extreme happiness, ecstasy, or spiritual joy

It can be hard for to imagine your loved one in a state of such happiness. But, why not try it for today?   After all, it’s a comforting thought, isn’t it?   Of all the things you could consider as their experience after death, this is a nice one. 

If “bliss” is too strong, try “quiet contentment.” Rest assured, it’s not likely they are suffering the sorrows of grief you are.  Wouldn’t they have joy in knowing you’ve found some measure of comfort for yourself in thinking they are blissful?

So, just for today, try that thought on for size. If it “fits,” wear it – from this day forward; like a warm jacket on a windy day.

Quotation for the Day
"I can assure you those who have already passed have not only made it to the Other Side, but are in a state of bliss." ~ Sylvia Browne, Journal of Love & Healing

I read the above quote; but I needed something from God’s Word to give me a better confirmation.

Revelation 14:13 “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.  Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (now THAT sounds like bliss)!

A Picture to Share:

Our prayer shawl ministry had a Christmas brunch this past Tuesday morning, so Zena and I had a chance to get a new picture

FRIENDS CAN BE HEAVY…5-min friday

linking up with Five Minute Friday…

After receiving her prompt, write for five minutes … no editing.

Post whatever you have.

Today's prompt  -REST

My devotion today was written by Dietrick Bonhoeffer…
He was discussing the importance of ‘intercessory prayer’ and he related our going to Jesus in prayer…imagining ourselves carrying a friend we are having difficulty with, to lay at the foot of the cross.

Poor humans all needing healing…and then being re-born through Christ’s blood having covered us ALL…small and big sins.
His words make me envision being on my knees and having a heart-to-heart with our Lord to lay out my concerns seeking REST in His providence:

"Lord, I can’t deal with this person…they won’t listen…they hurt my feelings…they won’t turn to you when I want them to listen to You.”
 

“You know what it was when people didn’t listen…when they beat you and crucified you…when they betrayed you and then killed you…yet You forgave them, didn’t you as you asked God to forgive us in our ignorance?!”

My 5 minutes is up…and there’s ‘more confessing and praying needing to be done, so I’ll finish here and ponder the Lord’s answers for me. 
 

Thanks, Mr. B, I needed to be reminded.
Where is your REST today?

"...confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective."
James 5:15-16

POST-IT NOTE TUESDAY…1st of 2012

...and it’s all in a word, you know?! 

Sometimes it’s my not hearing clearly

and sometimes it’s his ears that are hoping

(CLICK THE PIC FOR A LARGER VIEW)

(Devotion:  Barbara Johnson’s, SPLASHES OF JOY)

HAVE A NICE DAY!

HE IS ALWAYS WITH US...we see Him when we seek Him.

When struggles come into our child's life, we want to help them as quickly as we can...in some way. This becomes difficult especially when they are not within physical reach.


Where can I turn to get beyond my own kind of response? I must again seek God's thoughts on the matter.


His Word is the best place to go and take on the His calming balm. Someone else compelled to help by guiding and/or reminding the new Christians of his day was the Apostle, Paul.


While imprisoned in Rome for his outspokenness of Christ as Savior, he did not yield and wrote to Christ's followers in Collosae (Asia Minor) reminding them to take hold of their "call in Christ".

Colossians 2:5-10 "I'm a long way off, true, ....but believe me, I'm on your side, right beside you. I am delighted to hear of the careful and orderly ways you conduct your affairs, and impressed with the solid substance of your faith in Christ.

My counsel is simple and straightforward: Go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live Him, deeply rooted in Him. You're well constructed upon Him, knowing your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. Let your living spill over into thanksgiving.

Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk, wanting to drag you off into endless arguments never amounting to anything, spreading ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. (But that's not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in Him, so you can see and hear him clearly.)

Not needing a telescope, microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without Him. When you come to Him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything."

Re-reading this passage in NIV (and posting it here from THE MESSAGE), it captures some very important guidance for those far away and on their own.


Important comforting words, reminding words, truth-filled words, confirming words. 
Yes, communing in the Fullness of Christ...He is the epitome for each of us (be ye writer or recipient).


Blessings,

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

IN THE VALLEY...where moss grows

Elaine over the PEACE FOR THE JOURNEY asked us to elaborate on "how we know"  when God is fulfilling.    Here's an excerpt from her blog (or you can read the entire writing here.)  
My answer follows....join us, won't you?   
note:  The comments end up as blessings...believe me...you might want to continue asking this question on your blog and see the answers you receive.

"Hope deferred does, indeed, make the heart sick; but longing fulfilled is a tree of life."(Proverbs 13:12).

Deferred hope. Who of us hasn’t experienced this kind of heartache at least once, twice, or fifty times in our lifetimes?                                                                When this happens, even as it has happened for me this week, we must practice our faith despite worldly contradictions. We must speak it, rehearse it, pray it, and read it until we finally, again, rise to believe it. If we are to recover from the searing pain of hopelessness, then we must hit our knees to the floor and reach out for truth. God’s truth. Not truth as the world gives, but the truth that truly is and that lives in the heart and witness of Jesus Christ.  So, here is my question for you.  A fill-in-the-blank sort of pondering.                                                                                                    What answers would you provide to the following statement?: I know that God is ________________________, because ______________________ .

My answer to Elaine was:

I know God is PROVIDENT in those moments when we are unable to help ourselves, because when recuperating from major surgery and being overwhelmed wondering 'how' my family and household was going to run smoothly during recuperation, He sent his angels to me. 

Angels with food to revive and sustain, presence surrounding me with peace rather than lots of talking, and willing hands and feet to vacuum floors and put away dishes without saying a word. It was in those moments that I knew, that I knew, God was showing me his love, teaching me to open my heart and mind to 'receiving' in order for it to bless someone else. 

Receiving is hard when one is used to being in service...lessons from the valley become the BEST mountaintops. 


(p.s. at the end of this comment to Elaine, my WORD VERIFICATION was...get ready...I didn't make this up: 
'vallymen'


...God continued by showing me even MORE of His creativity ...even in the smallest 'word verifications'...oh, I could go on from there...

Now a 'lite' note:


What grows in the valley, under the northeast side of trees, where the afternoon sun doesn't do it's heat?


Moss...


beautiful moss...
I envision things like:



I must say, I never envisioned this...
                                     

There's NO WAY you'd ever catch 'this menopausal woman' getting in that suit...

or being accused of: "breaking into the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals"!  hahahahaha ;)  

Really!    (Associated Press article)

Blessings,

FINDING THEIR ADULT...mommy moments

When they're babies, it's hard to believe they'll one day be an ‘adult’.  They each want to grow quickly...to make personal choices and be on their own (even before knowing about paying the bills and earning money).
 
Dear Christian Daughters/Sons:
Throughout the years, limits and consequences SEEM like punishment, but it's really protection and teaching, deciding consequences, and struggling when guiding tightly or loosely.  


Your daily decisions can be like looking down into the ocean, seeing a blur of activity and not seeing the dolphin until it’s close to the surface...out of the depths and suddenly in your face. 


Youth obliviousness will transform into adult awareness gradually through little and big choices.  Each choice chisels away unveiling you, striking deeper into your reality:  moment by moment choosing grace and truth 
or 
choosing evil's temptations, accepting his guise of fun or “it’s just one time”

Praying God protects through any poor choices while sending GREATER blessings through good and right choices.  He and His Words, His Sacrifice, His Resurrection and Eternal Relationship is our gift through His Grace.  

Desiring God’s BEST is what I desire for ALL new adults...God’s guidance in every decision.  

LOVE you ALL,

Psalm 22:30 

”As the word is passed along from parent to child. Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news— that God does what he says.”

Psalm 103:6 “As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out”

THANKFUL THURSDAY...pouring our oil

Resting on His Word...immersing myself ... gleaning what I'm missing on my own...wrapping up in Him (instead of what's written on the dry-erase board  TO DO list.  Some of those items might just have to change.)
Join me...intentionally read and listen for His perspective about this day...the only day I can influence...yesterday is gone--tomorrow may not come for me.  Click on the link and read with me...Mr. Chamber's guidance from Jesus's teachings...MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST...

Couldn't you just hear Mr. Chamber's Scottish brogue ...spoken with rare insight and great expression. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIS REMINDING US TO BE 'ANTI-SELF'?  

(ANTI-self...selfless, thinking of others first...Wow, How does that go over with today's world?  TV commercials tell me to get the latest computer, taste greatness of the newest lite beer, immerse myself in the hookups and heartbreaks of people baring their relationships on 'shock' TV, like 'Jerry Bring-her" to the stage.)  Who really has time for 'being still' these days?  It is a choice...an action.

What did He say to you as you read the second paragraph?  The picture of Mary pouring her MOST-precious onto the feet of God's Servant, pouring it all out in celebration of His sacrifice.

Measuring that up against my day's plans...grabbing a scoop of life to put memories into my bowl...will they be self-serving or self-giving?  Jesus was trying to get the people to 'be still' and listen to what He was saying...He was about 'Saving' them from the world...hhhhmmm, that still applies today.


(photo: Dwelling in the Word)

What oil do I have to pour out for Him today:...could it be:

• smiles for the check-out cashier who looks as if she hasn't smiled in a month?
• a hug for the widow who lives next door that I have talked with recently?
• or my 'pouring my heart' out to Jesus with my own concern, 'bridled excitement' and emptiness I'm feeling with daughter being so far away in a new college...my gift of 'presence' with the Lord is what Jesus wants FIRST.

Are you pouring yet?  What are you THANKFUL for pouring for Jesus?

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Blessings,

WORD-FILLED WEDNESDAY: He paints each dawn...

Celebrating the new home for WFW!! If you have not visited the Internet Cafe, please join us today!

During our last Spring Retreat for this year's seniors, they decided to meet the DAWN after having stayed up ALL NIGHT while preparing their "senior cross" and "personal sharing moments" for later in the day with the entire youth group.

That morning they were 'embracing His artistry', looking toward their future of the day.

Now, they're all done with high school and beginning to 'embrace His artistry' in their futures, some in college, some in military service, some places still unknown.

He IS going forth, going before them...and He is AS SURE as His dawn!

"Blessings,

THRONE TIME...the BEST plan

THRONE time...

TWO THINKS 2 SHARE sent an unexpected gift of a 365-day devotional entitled JESUS CALLING Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young.

While reading today's entry, thoughts began to roll and a heart began to change.

She referenced the following two scriptures:

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus".

What is the reaction when things seem wrong? The operative word here being SEEM. We sometimes don't understand what's happening...leaning toward thinking it couldn't possibly be His plan for me to suffer. Why do I not want to look for GROWTH opportunities instead of 'wanting my own way'?

Believing His Scriptures to be my guide, they tell us to be thankful IN ALL circumstances...reaching past my pain or selfishness; claiming His victory over the evils of life.

Do I believe thoroughly (and humbly) that His plan is BETTER than mine?

When I'm not looking for GROWTH in changing my perspective, she notes it is "deifying" my desires. THAT statement REALLY got my attention. "Deifying" my desires.

Synonyms for deify are: idolize, worship, exalt...idolizing my own wants, worshiping my choices, exalting my desires. Jesus, forgive me, please. Suddenly I'm being Job, hearing God's reprimand. Here's how it went:

Job 42:1 "Job replied to the LORD: "I know you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this obscuring my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,things too wonderful for me to know."

Dear Lord, When I am like Job, putting my desires before yours...gently remind me of your Majesty, Steadfastness and Love for me. Your Plan is THE BEST plan.

Amen

Blessings,

FRUITION OF A LONG-AGO DREAM

I'm joining many others in praying for Elaine over at Peace for the Journey on the day her new book is released!!

PEACE FOR THE JOURNEY in the pleasure of His Company: a collection of fifty-two meditations which will deepen your walk with our Lord. He's a constant, leading us to Eternity. Check out Elaine's site for an opportunity to win a signed book, watch the BEAUTIFUL trailer video on YouTube

WinePress
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
CBD {shipping dates are longer here}

PRAYERS AND BEST WISHES FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS DEVOTION, ELAINE!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Blessings,

JOB'S FRIENDS LEARNED...(How is it speaking to me?)

Last night...

about 25 senior-hi students attended prayer share at our home, enjoying food, friends and Jesus...we also watched NOOMA-WHIRLWIND by Rob Bell, which reviews scripture from the Book of Job.

Life is sometimes hard...this video got me thinking about God's providence...when I might LIKE IT and when I MAY NOT.

My immediate reaction ...Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

WE'RE created to worship Him... Colossians 1:16 "For by him ALL things were created...all things were created by him and for him." ...for His purpose and Glory!

But...Questions are difficult throughout life:

why is there suffering; why is does it seem evil prevails sometimes? Speaking of questioning...People AROUND Job were questioning God.

Job, himself though, was steadfast in God's providence and plans. Our youth pastor CHALLENGED US TO STUDY IT FURTHER THROUGH SOME OF THE ONLINE COMMENTARIES...so, today I followed up with Mathew Henry :)

Mathew Henry's commentary shares these snippets...my responses are in ORANGE.

Job's patience DURING troubles: A GREAT EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW

Satan's malice started it...God restrained him though: GOD's LOVING CARE REITERATED

Job's restoration began in God's mercy, when he was praying for his
friends: GOD HONORS SINCERE CONCERN NOT MEAN DISPUTES.

God doubled Job's possessions: PATIENT SUFFERING BLESSED

Job's friends wronged God: JOB SPOKE GOD'S TRUTH

Job prayed/offered sacrifice for persecutors: JOB'S RENEWAL BEGAN

Quarrels with God ALWAYS begin on our part: MAKING PEACE BEGINS ON God's PART

Our prayers/services should be acceptable by Lord's standards; not for
praise of men: STRIVE TO PLEASE GOD, HE BLESSES OBEDIENCE.

^{JOB 42:12,16,17} The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. ... After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years.

Humble faith and sincere obedience see farthest and best into the will of the Lord.

"If you're reading this, Allen...thanks for challenging us to DIG DEEPER!" There was definitely MORE to the STORY and JOB was blessed in the end!

WORDFUL WED. & THANKFUL THURS...ALBATROSS ANYONE??

7-Clown Circus is hosting "Wordful Wednesday"

AND 

Sonya @ Thankful Thursday #27...

When I was in high school (no jokes about what century that was, ok?, thank you), we studied the prose of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a dark romanticist...

and I specifically remember The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

A Mariner who sailed a ship "into a sunny and cheerful sea" and the story progresses into unexpected, darkened experiences-- and an Albatross, normally a good-luck symbol of sailors, wasn't associated with its influence. The captain killed it with his cross bow--the bird brought fog instead of the breeze. Many things continued to get worse and other sailors hung the corpse of the Albatross around his neck, like a cross. That visual reached down into me and has sat in that little niche of my memory all these years.

The many themes that emerged from the depths of this literary work also sat down in my brain...two come to mind:

1. all God's creations=value them (I felt sorry for the bird...he was just being a bird)
2. guilt will circle overhead like a vulture until confession is true and professed..then God forgives and heals. (we don't always have control on the paths we go down, but we do have control on how we respond)

Parts of this writing remind me of Paul, from the New Testament, who was concerned for ALL of God' creation, especially the gentiles. I'm thankful for his passion and obedience in spreading God's Word out to the world...where would I be if it hadn't spread past the Jewish community?

Even though Paul was converted he confessed he continued to struggle...and in his struggles I have found hope on many occasions. Paul noted there were things he didn't want to do, but in his humanness he still did them. Have I been there? Can you say every day?! My comfort comes in knowing that we ALL struggle with our humanness, every day, every night...we wrestle up and down, back and forth with those items, people, situations we don't want to release, or can't release, to God's strong arm.

Paul once remarked about a physical ailment he constantly prayed to be taken from him, yet God did not take it away from him. I greatly associate with Paul here...I've prayed many moments, days, weeks, years for relief from chronic pain...a neck injury in high school is an albatross around my neck yet God has not taken it away yet.

Surgery is not an option, at this point, because the crushed disc is at the base of my skull and there is too much risk with the 7th-nerve region. This "pain albatross" flies quickly into my days, leading me into the misty fog of twitching eyes, shifting shoulders, knives piercing tissue that can't be seen and I moan like the sailors on the ship sailing in the dark abyss, praying for relief and salvation.

"Thank you, Jesus for the gift of memory...for the Word You live in to guide us and have relationship with us.

It is in these times of shouldering the albatross when You send His Word to comfort, remind, calm, and the list goes on...for You are the Great Physician, my solid Rock of salvation, the Light guiding my darkened spirit. My suffering is momentary, Your pain engulfed You for days. 

My suffering can be subsided with medication, You were given defiled water and vinegar. 

My suffering is in the world, You ARE sitting at God's Right Hand sharing my plight and preparing a place for me. 

Thank you, for reminding me this is momentary...You are Eternal and There I will not hurt!

AMEN  &  AMEN

Romans 5:3-5

"...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

GUIDE "HER"

Joining Thankful Thursday commenters, click TRUTH4THEJOURNEY

I'm thankful for: American Sign Language , which is a form of communication I've been enjoying learning since I was a child. Getting to communicate with a girlfriend's family when I was in grammar school started it all.

Over the past few years, I've met many kids and adults along the way who cannot hear--and I just love watching their faces as I'm sharing my "sporadically-learned" hand language with them!! Needless tosay, I often have to slow them down because my skills are way "under par".

But for me really, it is one my "rejoicing" tools to praise God...especially when I'm singing. Giving my praise more fully with voice, face and hands.

Many times I learn from the books I own and often I view GodTube and YouTube to see the latest ASL praise songs on video. Please view one of the best videos I've seen recently...Shannon McMullen's YouTube version of God Bless America (1min34secs)...simple, sweet, and to the point!

Lord,

Will you continue to "stand" beside us

and "guide" us...

every day as we walk America's path to the future.

Give our leaders soft hearts

and open ears to hear your Spirit's guidance

as they work for this nation.

Amen

HIS TENT...30X5 PHASE II's FINISHLINE(?)

In response to a question posted by Peace-for-the-Journey's Elaine, I read and then pondered the chapter...read some commentaries...read different Bible versions. It was the very first verse that caught my attention.

1 Chronicles 17

God’s Covenant with David

"And it came about, when David dwelt in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under curtains." Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

Notice--God never gave a request to build a temple...(this was brought up in the BIBLOS commentar I read...which noted David couldn't rest in his dwelling knowing the ark of covenant was sitting among curtains--in the tent!) David would, from a human perspective, believe it would not be protected there and so he wanted to remedy the situation...and he continued talking to God about it.

However, the ark was where God intended it to be at that time...He would protect it...all God-centered. While pondering on that thought...where has God set up my ark? In my house? no
In my church? no In my heart! yes! In our hearts!

So...I must keep his temple "in my body" healthy so I can effectively be His hands and feet while I am in the world...healthy eating, exercising, sleeping.

Even though Liddie's 30x5 Phase II has "crossed the finish line", I must "stay the course".

To get my tent better maintained I must continue on through the desert

...where the path is hard to find when the winds of laziness blow...especially without the encouragement of my SWEET CHALLENGETTES, "You know who you are!"

...and even though my camel keeps sinking in the sand due to weight I dumped into this tent, the slow and steady pace of diligence allows for the sand to settle long enough for small steps to be made toward the goal: HEALTHY!

Even one of my FITNESS TIPS stated to "Aim for a healthy weight" and "people needing to lose weight should do so gradually, at a rate of one-half to two pounds per week." Everybody now, SING with me to the tune of "Farmer in the Dell"...

Turtles we must be,

oh, turtles we must be

high pounds to low we go,

turtles we must be!

This fragile, yet wonderfully resilient, "tent" he has TEMPORARILY given me definitely needs maintenance as I sit it down, get it up, push to exercise it, discern what to feed it, travel around with it and then sleep in it. :)

HOW ARE YOU MAINTAINING YOUR TENT, HIS TEMPLE?

LEFTOVERS...IN AND OUT OF THE POT!

With my refrigerator brimming with several left-over dishes from the past few days, it was time today to peruse the expiration dates and see what needs to GO today or tomorrow. Ahhhh, the ham soup.

Tonight for dinner I've thrown together one of my concoctions that I hope will taste good and get a "thumbs up" from DD and DH. My ham stock soup was originally very tasty--it had warmed the cockles of my being during the colder days of last week.

2 cups of soup
1 1/4 cups of ricotta cheese(skim)
1 cup of cheddar cheese/reduced fat
3 egg whites and 2 eggs
1 tbsp freeze-dried onions
Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle
Prepared pie crust

It all went in my large pottery plate and got sprinkled with Parmesan cheese when it went into my 375* preheated oven, for probably 45-60 minutes...'til the eggs were set.
Pray with me it comes out tasty, too!

Speaking of leftovers and concerns for not wasting things, this re-use of my previous entree reminded me of the importance of not WASTING opportunities to mix our lives with others and share what Jesus has done...not by standing on the street corner or going door to door with pamphlets. I mean in every-day discussions with our children, with friends, with spouses...when things are bumpy or uncomfortable or when we know in our hearts something needs touching in a special way.

Someone may think their problems are LEFTOVERS to only get thrown away.

Listen to your head AND your heart...step into the unknown pot and say, "You know, something like this happened to me when...". Your personal spice of experience and your showing REAL concern may open their lives to a new RECIPE of Jesus' love...in a bread-of-life kind of way! When Jesus is not brought specifically into a discussion, it could turn into a "throw away" moment of blessings for both of you.

In Bible class today we talked about Jesus' example of how He REALLY reached people...not through criticism and judgment, but by being WITH the people in need...rubbing elbows with them in REAL situations and listening to their needs. He was the living water that flowed over many as He shared what God had done for Him, would be doing for Him and what He wanted Jesus to share and DO for ALL of us.

WHERE HAVE YOU HAD A REAL ENCOUNTER WITH SOMEONE AND SHARED WHAT JESUS HAS DONE OR CAN DO, helping to reduce the "leftover" souls (HE chose to die for ALL of us 2,000 years ago)?


James 3:17 Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

update: from stockpot to pie pan!
Here's the outcome...it needed a little more spicing up, so next time I will add more spices when converting.

PROJECT 365...Week 11(kinda)

To participate in Project 365...for more, go here:
http://thebowyers.blogspot.com/2009/03/project-365-week-11.html

My picture is not from this week, but it is a memory with a large group of very-special Christian women who mean the world to me in my every-day living.

I relish with every part of me the "together time" shared on the mountain of retreat, without the normal distractions of children, husbands, jobs, household chores, and cell phones (kinda).

The younger women revive my energies with their spontaneity...their energy that permeates everything they do...I remember being that energetic and wanting to "get in" all I could every day. Back then, my days' words were "go, go, go", "see, see, see", not caring where I had to drive, or walk, so I could involve myself in the latest things (movies and shopping especially). These young ladies have a large strength of faith and understanding of grace. I was a Christian at their age...but I'm not sure I understood His grace as soon as they have. They share their love of the Lord...every day!

The women closer to my age ARE where I am or have been recently or SOON will be. Our kids are close to the same ages which churns many talks about how, when, and sometimes what are we to do.

A little slower?, yes...now going a little less often...however, I surely drink in the surroundings and the people where ever I am. I still love movies (but I've set more limits on what I will see now...being more intolerant of some things). I still love shopping, but my legs give out sooner and don't have the EXTRA cash to spend on myself (thoughts creep in about up-coming college payments and my hands quickly let go of that NEWEST purse I'd love to buy).

The women older in body (but still very young in spirit) are the cherished "Women of Great Wisdom"...they complete my "thinking back" on this wonderful weekend of sharing.

Their wise words, filled with God's truths and promises, taught not waste the fleeting time with the "not so important". Sweet words enticed all who heard to concentrate on treasures gained for the Eternal.

So, while I am HERE, before the Eternal, I am to be working as if for the Lord, Himself. How can I make my existence count...How can you make your existence count??

Pray this with me..."Lord, may we show our love for You in everything we do...every situation, every where, in every relation of life!"

AMEN & AMEN

How are you working for the Lord today?

Coloss. 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.