Son Shine

A few months ago I was returning to the office after being out for a few days.  I’m sure many of you know that feeling of dread you get when you’ve been out, knowing there is double the work waiting for you.  Well, as I walked in one of my employees immediately greeted me with, “Good morning, we sure miss you when you are not here”.  I replied with a simple “thanks” and continued to my desk.  After a few minutes of putting away my purse and docking the laptop, another employee dropped by my desk with a big smile on her face.  She quickly said, “You know, when you are gone, things are not the same.”  I’m sure my brow raised when I replied with, “what do you mean?”  Of course I was thinking the worst.  That while I was out, no one got anything done and they all goofed off.  She quickly put me at ease by saying, “No, not like that.”  Slowly and thoughtfully she then continued, “its like..... when you aren’t here.... I don’t know.  But I do know when you walked in this morning, it was like the sunshine coming in.”  This really caught me off guard, I don’t even remember how I responded.  It did make me feel good that I was sunshine to someone.

Now when I think about that day, it has a complete knew meaning to me.  It has challenged me in a way that I’m sure my employee doesn’t even know.  I like to think that it was not me that was the sunshine, but that it was the “Son Shine” that lights my path.  John 8:12 says, Then Jesus again spoke to them saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follow Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  

I work in a place with people that know who God is, but they don’t “know” Him.  They walk in “darkness” so when they see “light” they can not help but be drawn to the warmth and brightness.  Some may fight it, others may turn away, but no one can deny the existence or the presence of the “Son Shine”.

What a huge responsibility we have when we, as Christians, work outside the home or church.  When we shop in the markets or malls.  When we visit our relatives or hospitals.  We may be the only “Son Shine” they see for days or weeks.  I’m reminded of a song I sang to my boys when they were young.  Of course, I’ve taken the liberty to change the wording just a bit.  

You are my “Son” shine, my only “Son” shine.

You make me happy when skies are grey.

You’ll never know dear, how much I love you.

Please don’t take my “Son” shine away.

Does the “Son” shine upon you where walk?  Does He light your path?  Do others miss the brightness when you are away?  

Father, thank you for sending Your Son to shine upon this world of darkness.  Thank you for the hope we have in Jesus Christ to live with you forever.  Thank you for choosing to love us and giving us the Light for our path.  Help us God, to live holy and righteous before you and man,  so that others that are in darkness will be overcome by the “Son shine” of Christ.  Help us to understand our responsibility as Christians to let that Light shine brightly and not cover it up in any way.  May we walk in boldness, strength and love.  May we help bring the “Son shine” to those in need.  Forever we stand with You, Holy Father.  Amen

Charlie Bit Me

I came across this video again and still think it is funny.  Watching these two boys laugh really makes me laugh out loud.  I began to think about how often we will sometimes do something that we know will inflict pain, just because we are getting approval from those around us.  We continue down that road again and again until we can no longer stand it.  Then even after we remove ourselves and blame others, we are still left with the pain. 

I watched many young people grieve over the last week for the loss of a friend that they partied with.  They loved him, and wanted to be his friend.  As I observed them, I couldn't help but wonder how many were making choices to follow a path that is causing them pain, just to get that approval.  Sure it's fun when it starts, but after you are there for a while, your finger is stuck and the pain can become unbearable.  

Father, help us to see the danger before we are in over our heads.  Help us to be careful in finding joy in the wrong things and to live upright before you.

Day After Thanksgiving Shopping Recap

My Thanksgiving would not be complete without a recap of my after Thanksgiving Day shopping.  As we do every year, my niece (Keri), my sister (Lori), my mom (Mom), and I  met early for a day of Christmas shopping.  This year, we were joined by my niece-to-be (Kendra), her cousin & new baby (Molly & Todd, 3 weeks old) and her aunt (Stacy).  I really enjoyed talking with Stacy and Molly, over breakfast and linner (lunch/dinner).  I hope to see them again sometime soon.  Stacy appears to have a big heart and will open her home to others unselfishly.  I love that!  Molly is a new mother that is just beginning to see the rewards of motherhood.  She is so attentive to her little guy, it was fun watching her with him.   

My sister has been banned from driving on this shopping day.  In the past, she has been known to become very... let's just say.... she is no longer allowed to drive.  So, instead she sits in the back seat and tells me how to drive, where to drive and where to park.  Being the younger sister, I of course, do not listen to her....  In the afternoon, as we were driving down Walnut Avenue toward Kohls, the traffic was really thick and backed up.  I was waiting for the light to turn green on Mooney and Walnut a little west of the mall.  As I came close to the mall entrance and exit, I decided to stop and let some cars get out and others cross traffic to go into the mall.  I knew I was going to be there a while due to the traffic anyway, so why not show a little Christian Spirit right?  Well, you can imagine this made the car behind me upset and she sat on her horn.  But the other 15 cars that were probably stuck for over 20 minutes trying to get in and out, were waving and smiling as they passed me by.  My sister started getting nervous.  I said to her, "Hey, I believe that I will get a good turn from this."  My niece said, "Yep, what goes around, comes around".  My sister just exhaled.  I then said, "Lori, just wait. When we get in Kohl's parking lot we will find a great parking spot, because now I have favor".  

When we pulled into the parking lot, it was extremely full.  Cars driving in and out trying to find parking spots, but I just kept saying, "Just wait, a spot will open up for me".  Seriously cars were everywhere.  I drove to the last isle and what did my faith-filled eye's see?  A parking spot, waiting just for me and not far from the front door.  I turned to my sister and said, "See? I have found favor".  

Later, we were leaving the mall and ready to eat our linner (lunch/dinner) at Casa Grande.  I was driving down Mooney Blvd in a sea of cars, bumper to bumper.  My darling sis once again began to tell me I needed to move over as soon as I could or I wouldn't be able to make the turn to Casa Grande.  I,  however being a smartie now,  said, "Oh ye of little faith.  When I need to get over, these cars will part for me and let me in, just watch and see".  About a block from Casa Grande, I put on my blinker, the cars parted and let me in without a problem.  I looked in my mirror and my sister sat with her mouth open.  I said, "See, everywhere I go, I have favor".  In my mind though, I said to God, "Wow! Thanks for being a show off today".  

Well, we started the morning at K-Mart and finished the day at JC Penny.  I always love this day, not for the shopping, but for the chance to spend time with my family and the opportunity to watch people.  I really do enjoy watching people interact, or not, on this day.  I have seen many funny things and many sad things through the years. Yesterday did not disappoint me.  A few things always amaze me though: 

1. The amount of people that bring young children shopping with them.  Most of the time the small children are crying because they are so tired and the parents don't know when to go home.  
   
2. The number of people that walk around with frowns on their faces.  I truly believe they think their happiness depends on that one item that is on sale.
3. The amount of "stuff" put in shopping carts.  I can't help but wonder how much the gifts are truly appreciated by the recipients.  
4. How long people will stand in line, to only give up just before they reach the check-out stand.
5. How long people will stand in line and never speak to the person in front of them or behind them.  Do we miss opportunities to meet knew friends?

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and remembered to thank God for the many blessings you are enjoying, just by living in America.  As I am finishing this, a news report gave an update on the situation in Mumbai.  Please let's remember to pray for those that have lost loved ones in Mumbai.  Also continue to pray for the safety of America and our soldiers keeping watch.  

Psalm 144:2

Is This All There Is?

I was humored a couple of days ago when I received a text message from my son, Tim.  He had posted the following statement on his Twitter account and it sent me a text message.  It read, “I think I was switched at birth; I cannot be destined to work for the rest of my life- I was meant to be a spoiled rich brat...”.  Soon after, Carissa replied with, “I have been saying that for a long time. I think I belong in a palace somewhere, getting pedicures and wearing diamonds on my head for a living.”  I, too, have thought many times that I was really destined to live a lifestyle of the rich and famous.  In any event, my life was not suppose to include financial woes, job worries, health issues, or serving others.  

It really made me start thinking about how many of us really expected something great in our life and only received disappointment.  As a young teenager, I couldn’t wait to get married and have children.  I was going to stay at home and be the best wife and mother in the world, while my husband brought home a lot of money for me to spend.  I was raised in a middle-class family, with parents that encouraged me to dream big.  I had everything a young girl could want and more.  In my young mind, I could never imagine my life being any different when I got married and began a family.  I was going to live my big dreams.

At the age of 18, I married the man of my dreams (minus the money).  Within the first 10 years of our marriage, we experienced the birth of 4 sons, the sudden death of Dan’s father,   the loss of jobs, financial strain, many health issues with oldest son and myself.  This was not what my BIG dreams were.  I remember at one point in my life wondering, “is this all there is?”  The reality of life was striking me right between the eyes and I didn’t like it.  

The following 10 years became a completely different ride.  My boys became the focus of my worry.  The pressure of raising teens wasn’t anything I was ready for, yet it stared me in the face daily.  The aging body, weigh gain, feelings of isolation, day to day maintenance of a home, working full time and unbalanced priorities.  Completely overwhelmed is how I would describe this time.  I asked again, “Is this all there is?”  I even decided to run away one day and leave it all, but found myself in a position of dependency upon my husband and children.  Love prevailed.  

The last five years have been speckled with illnesses of self, parents, and mother-in-law.  Children leaving the nest, girls hanging around the boys, job change, spiritual growth, old relationships restored and deepening love for my husband.  Although good has been speckled with the bad, it would still be easy to ask, “Is this all there is?”  But, the difference now is, I can answer.  My answer is, “no, this is not all there is”.  

My life isn’t anything I had dreamed.  I have found happiness in surviving my reality with those I love, right beside me.  My dreams are now about seeking a personal relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus Christ.  They are full of watching for the prince that has gone to prepare a place for me in His Fathers house, not about settling with the prince in a castle of this world.  My Prince says that He loves me, I can have life in Him; I can ask for anything in His name, He sent me a helper , I can have peace and not fear anything.  All these now, are what my dreams are made of.  With God there is always more.  John 14

FIRST IMPRESSION

Over the past several weeks I have been interviewing candidates for various positions we have had open in our office.  The process has always been a tough one for me and I take it very seriously.  I have a responsibility to the company and to my customers to hire the best.  As I reviewed resume after resume I became very critical, looking for only those that have the required skills, knowing full well that someone can look very good on paper but be completely incompetent in the tasks we need them to perform.  They only have a limited time to make a good first impression.  I recall a couple of years ago an interview I conducted.  I seen this gentleman’s resume first and was able to determine that he had all the necessary skills and experience to fulfill the role.  I was excited to meet him and discuss the possibility of offering him the job.  I have to tell you, I was so disappointed when I got my first glance at him.  He was wearing a white dress shirt and tie with black slacks.  Sound good?  Well it would have been, if the shirt was ironed, if the slacks weren’t faded and if his hair was combed/trimmed.  I asked him to take a seat so we could talk.  I thought we could work on the grooming so I wouldn’t be so hard on him.  Then.... he began to talk.  I believe he used at least one curse word in every sentence and his arrogance was quite remarkable.  I was just shocked.  Now, I am not a prude, but this was not the professional I was looking for.  I bid him goodbye, thanked him for coming in, knowing full well that he would not be offered this job.  He did not make a good first impression.

I can't help but think of the men that Jesus called to be His disciples.  Many of them were not considered "the highly qualified professionals" that I would have picked.  Jesus could have chosen the Priests as disciples, but he wanted people that wouldn’t take pride in the gifts of God.  He wanted humble hearts that would allow God to be their strength and their wisdom so that He could be glorified and not man. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)  Whew!  I would have totally missed this.  I would have picked the priests because of their knowledge and experience.  

Will this change how I select my future employee’s?  Absolutely not!  I am not God, and I can’t change lives the way He does.  It does, however, make me completely aware that no matter what the candidate may look like on paper or have in experience, if they are too prideful and are not teachable then they will not be easy to lead.  

Holy Father,  I pray that you forgive me for judging people by their appearance, knowledge and experience on a ‘personal basis’.  Help me to see their potential as You do, regardless of the First Impression.  I want to see others through Your eyes and not mine.  On a 'professional level', help me to see the full potential of candidates and not just their resume or appearance.  Forever I am thankful for the teaching found in Your Word.  Amen.

I'm Expecting!

I bet you took a double look at that title.  But believe it or not, I am expecting. 

As I was sitting at my desk this morning, thinking about my day to come and wondering what it will bring, my mind went back to a time when my boys were small.  I think Jeremy was around 10, Tim 8, Charlie 4 and Joey 2.  Being a mom and working a full time job was really becoming difficult to juggle.  Every morning I had to wake the boys, and of course they never wanted to get out of bed.  Some mornings were worse than others, but most were pure torture for me.  I had listened  to the Dr. Dobson program one day and a guest speaker was discussing how she always woke her children with a spirit of wonder.  So, I decided to try it out.  After all, when we planned our trips to Disneyland or some other place the boys wanted to go they had no problem waking and jumping out of bed.  They also woke Christmas mornings without a peep from me.  Well, one morning I went into my older boys' room, opened the blinds and in an excited voice began to  say, "Good morning boys!  Wake up and see the beautiful day that God gave us today".  I then broke out in song, "Wake up, wake up you sleepy head, get up, get up, get outa bed......".  Both boys immediately sat up in their beds and didn't say a word.  They looked at me like I was a space alien.  I smiled at them, continued to sing and tickle them for about 5 minutes and then left the room.  As I got a couple of feet outside their door I heard Jeremy say, "What's up with her?"  Tim's reply was, "Well, she's been listening to that Dr. Dobson guy again".  I smiled and we continued with our morning routine.  The difference in the day was startling.  The boys got out of bed without another prompt from me and we left the house on time, in cheery moods.  How did this work?  It still makes me smile when I think about it.  It gave the boys a different perspective of the morning.  They weren't reacting to my dread of the day.  They seen a cheery and smiling mom instead of the normal grouchy and mean mom.  They knew because I was happy, they could expect great things.  I wish I could go back and do it all over again.  I would wake each of my boys one at a time with these words: "Wake up son.  I can't wait to see what God has for us today.  He put the sun in the sky just for you today!"  Just imagine if we all woke thanking God and expecting something great from Him.  I believe God would rejoice!

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you andwait in expectation. Psalm 5:3

Are you expecting?

100-Fold Harvest

Friday night and Saturday morning several of the ladies and I attended the Beth Moore Simulcast at the Neighborhood Church.  We had a great time.  Beth, of course, challenged us again.  Her message for the weekend was "100-Fold Harvest" and the scripture reference was Luke 8.  She really hit on the importance of truly knowing the Word of God and letting it take root in your life.    Her steps to begin were.

1. Treasure the wonder.
2. Protect your heart.
3. Expect the test.
4. Dig the roots.
5. Stop the choke.
6. Retain the word.
7. Press forth for your 100-fold harvest.

The word that I personally took away was, "You can not do what God wants, until you get into the Word".  Wow, wow, wow.  It has challenged me to dig deeper in the word and find the hidden treasures He has for me.  

Bible Journey

I thought I would share some scriptures I have read lately that spoke to my heart.

1 Samuel 3:9-10 I pray that I will continually respond with "Speak, for Your servant is listening".

Psalm 139:17-18 Wow! He thinks about me?

Matthew 13:44 Have I sold all I have to buy this treasure?

Mark 4:1-29 I want good soil.

Philippians 1:6 There is still hope for me. I won't give up.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 This one makes me so happy. I'm smelling good.

Stirred But Not Changed

I have surfed the net for the last hour looking for the lyrics to a song we use to sing long ago in church.  I was able to find one verse and the chorus but not the other verse.  This has been one of those songs that stay with you a while and you are unable to get it out of your head.  It is a Lanny Wolfe song and goes like this:

“Have I heard it for so long that He’s just another song?
Has the story lost its thrill that I once knew?
Lord, give me a burden that’s so strong,
That it will last when my tears are gone.
I’m tired of what I’ve been. Lord, make me over again.

I’m so tired of being stirred about the lost who need to hear.
I’m so tired of being stirred that His coming is so near; 
I’m so tired of being stirred till I cry bitter tears. 
I’m so tired of being stirred but not being changed.”

All too often we sit in our church pews/chairs and get fat on the Word of God.  We take in and take in, yet we are not willing to invite others to eat.  I really feel like God wants us to get up from His table, stop getting fat on the fruit of the land, and help harvest the field.  He wants us to change.  He is looking for people ready to change.  I don't know about you, but I am tired of being stirred and doing nothing about it.  Read  Matthew 9:36-38 Pray that you are sent to harvest the field.  

p.s. Does anyone know the words to the other verse?

What Do You Believe?

I ran across this article today on the FOX news site and was really disturbed.  Are the churches in America forgetting to preach that Jesus is the way the truth and the life?  If you think about it, many of our TV ministers have become motivational speakers.  Wow! What do you believe?

Lyfe

I know it looks strange, but Joey was watching television the other day and made a statement that had me thinking all week.  A commercial for an Met Life came on and Joey said he had a better advertising campaign for them.  They should rename it to Met Lyfe (spelled ‘Lyfe’ on purpose) and the slogan should be, “taking the ‘if’ our of life” or “take the ‘if’ out of life, when you are in our hands”.  I agreed that it sounded pretty good, however I continued to ponder it over and over and decided it was quite profound.  

So often we take out insurance for auto, life, health, dental, accidental death, house, flood, pet, never believing we will need it, but just in case, we want to have it.  We have the insurance that if something does happen, we will be covered.  We feel safe that our loved ones or loved things will be covered ‘if’ something happens and we don’t’ have to worry about our ‘ifs’.  What ‘if’ I have a car accident and my car get’s totaled?  I have auto insurance, they will cover it.  What if I get sick and need to see a specialist?  I have heath insurance, they will cover it.  What if my house catches fire?  My homeowners policy will take care of it.  

Depending where you live, you may not be able to buy some types of insurance policies because of the strong possibility of an occurrence.  One example might be living close to a river that floods each year.  Most carriers will not cover you under a flood policy.  (Personally, if I could not get flood insurance and I lived next to a river, I don’t think I would want to live there.  But that’s just me.)  Another example is if you have a terminal illness, it is not likely that you will find a life insurance policy to insure you.  If you have had multiple car accidents and tickets, you will have a hard time finding someone to insure you.  No longer will you have the peace of mind that all will be well.

I know we can never get rid of our ‘ifs’, but I do know the ultimate insurer that offers a plan and no one will be turned down if they apply.  I will have complete coverage on earth and after death.  Not only does this plan give me peace of mind on earth, but it will give my loved ones peace of mind after my death.  It secures me a place where I can retire.  Where I will no longer know pain.  A place where no sin will live and death will not enter.  No sickness, no accidents, no floods.  It is the ‘Salvation Plan’.  It is the only true Lyfe Plan.  Are you insured?

Revelation 22:12: Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.

A Night In The City - Fundraiser

What an awesome night we had Sunday.  We raised over 25k for our building fund and really had a great time doing it.  Our grand prize raffle was an all expenses paid trip to New York in October.  We had over 80 baskets donated for raffles and tri tip dinner.  Our youth entertained with a couple of human videos.  We all had a blast.

Graduation Time

Saturday, May 31st our Women's Ministry Board all graduated from School for Women's Ministries in Fresno.  Laurna, Teressa, Julie and I have been attending classes since September 2006 to earn our certification in Women's Studies.  I am happy to say we all completed the certification and graduated with honors.  

Memorial Day Thoughts

As a mother, I've watched my son leave for war.  I was proud of the service that he was giving to the country, yet sad at the thought of him fighting for people who may not appreciate his sacrifice.  I kissed him one last time and walked away.  Tears were in my eyes and sorrow on my heart.  I knew he was going to a place where the people have not had freedom and don't know how to accept it.  They have been enslaved for so long that they have accepted it and because of the possible sacrifice, they were afraid.

I watched the news each night while he was away to hear anything about the war.  I began to feel genuine frustration at the media, the US media, that only reported one side of the war. They made sure to share the deaths, the bombings, anything that would show how bad the US is.  If I was looking for public relations, I certainly wouldn't choose our US Media.  Where were the good things happening?  The stories that told of rebuilding schools, giving away hundreds of shoes to children and of our safety in the US because they are fighting the terrorist over there?

I felt as if God was showing me today that this is how He felt when He sent His only Son to battle for our freedom.  There were those around Him that only reported the laws He was breaking, they neglected to tell of the demons that were cast out, the illnesses that were healed or freedom that could be anyone's that asked.  Many were rejecting Him, because they only knew captivity and anything outside that was frightening.  They had their Savior right there and they pushed Him aside and chose to stay in their captivity.   

Is this what it has come to?  Do we stay in our captivity to the enemy because leaving it would bring fear, ridicule or sacrifice?  Do we stay this way because in some ways we believe it is easier?  I will tell  you what, it may be easier to stay in captivity, but I also know that as long as we are enslaved we can never experience the true JOY of freedom.  Whether it is the freedom that our soldiers fight for everyday or the freedom that Christ died to give us.  

Are you living in freedom?

Refreshed

What an amazing weekend we had.  17 women drove down to San Diego to hear Beth Moore. Travis Cotrell and his worship team were incredible.  He is absolutely anointed by God.  We arrived late due to traffic, but believe me when we walked into the arena we immediately felt the presence of God.  Not only did Beth stir our hearts and renew our spirits, she gave us laughter.  When she had us open our bibles to Psalm 139, I just about giggled with delight.  I have been drawn to this chapter for several months and was just excited to know that God was going to give me a special treat.  And He did.  Beth's teaching is so anointed.  Her topic was "Known".  I am still just chewing on the words she gave.  I am so happy that we were able to be a part of this meeting.  I hear in the wind that several now want to go to the Las Vegas conference.  Sounds like we may have another road trip ahead.  Who is onboard?

Don't forget to check out the pictures.  The link is found on the right side of this page.  

Exposed

Today was inevitable.  I knew it was coming but I thought I had more time.  It happens every year around this time and it isn't taxes.  Today was the day my toes were exposed and believe me when I tell you, they were not ready.  I hadn't had a pedicure for several months, I let them go in the winter.  Tina dropped me an email yesterday and we set up time to have our toes done on Thursday.  So, I was out last night and decided to buy my first pair of sandals this summer.  They really are cute!  Anyway, I wanted to wear them today.  I put them on, and trotted off to work.  I started getting compliments on the shoes, and that is when it hit me that I wasn't ready to expose the toes yet.  Understand the shoes are cute, but my toes need to be de-winterized.  Now I'm self-conscience and don't want anyone to see my shoes because of my toes.  Also, they started off comfortable this morning but as the day goes on my feet are starting to hurt.  Straps are hitting places on my feet that are foreign, and now, not only am I self-conscience, I am also in pain.  All I want to do now is kick off these shoes.  Have you been there before?  I've been here on my Christian walk as well.  I've stepped out in my faith, not expecting my failures to be exposed but one by one, as people began to take notice that I am a Christian the more self-conscience I became.  I felt they were not looking at Christ in my life, but at my failures.  My failures were taking away from Christ.  The more consumed I became of my failures, the more painful my trials became.  I would want to run away and hide.  Not let anyone know I was a christian that way it didn't matter if I failed.  But, instead I remained, I stood still and let Christ show who He was in me.  Yes, I was a failure and I was all the things the enemy throws up in my past.  But today, I am a daughter of the King.  Do I still make mistakes and fail?  You better believe it, but I don't dwell in it because I know in the end the pain will be worth it all and Christ will be victorious.  Now for these shoes.  Will I kick them off?  No, I will wear them with my winter toes, pain and all.  I know my feet will get use to them and tomorrow my toes will look better.  If you see me at church tonight, look at the sandals but leave the toes alone.  Be encouraged ladies and don't be afraid of exposure, thats when Christ can truly shine.

Renew

I love the times that I am in prayer and God gives me a nugget that knocks me in the head and makes me look at things completely different.  That happened this week.  I was in prayer asking for God to increase my faith.  As I was praying, I said, "God my mind was created to be doubtful" when I came to a complete stop.  The Holy Spirit spoke directly into my MIND.  He said my mind was CREATED TO BELIEVE!  Yes, I will accept that word.  The scripture in Romans 12:2 stays, 

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is --His good, pleasing and perfect will."  You see when we conform to the pattern of the world, we become skeptical and doubtful.  We can only believe in ourselves.  But when we are transformed by the power of the blood of Jesus we are to renew our mind.  It is then that we will be able to test and approve God's will in our lives.  Renew my mind Lord!  Renew the mind of my sisters!  Renew the minds of Your church!  We want to believe!!  We want Your good, pleasing and perfect will!!

Silence

For the last few months I have felt that God has been calling me to silence.  Now, I certainly wasn’t sure what that meant.  As I would lift my hands in worship at church, I would feel the Holy Spirit calling me to be quiet.  Almost as if He was putting his hands over my mouth to hush me.  Yet my mind just kept going.  Questioning, why do I need to be quiet?  What am I suppose to hear?  Even though my mouth was quiet my mind wasn’t.  I also have been drawn to the book of 1 Samuel and have been reading it to find out what I am suppose to hear.  But to no avail, I wasn’t getting it.  Yet, my heart was drawn.  This has gone on for several months.  In conversation with Dan, I began to describe that I felt God has been calling me to be quiet and I didn’t know how and for what reason.  Then I began to explain how the Spirit keeps leading me to the book of Samuel.  As we began talking about the events that unfold in Samual’s life in the first few chapters, it was as if God Himself spoke to me, right in the middle of Denny’s.  Dan and I began to discuss where God was calling to Samuel and Samual kept saying, “Here I am” and would run to Eli.  Finally Eli told Samuel the next time he hears his name called to say, “speak Lord, for Your servant hears.”  I have pondered this over and I believe God wants me to sit at His feet and just listen.  All too often, we have to keep noise in our lives.  It gives us comfort, it makes us feel not so alone.  Satan loves to distract us with busyness and noise.  Yet, God wants us just us to sit and listen to Him.  Oh, how awesome that sounds.  I would love to sit at Jesus’ feet like Mary did and listen to His instruction.  The last couple of Saturdays have allowed me to do that.  After my praise dancing, (yes, I am alone) I just sit.  It hasn’t been easy to sit quietly, but I know that if I am diligent in seeking to hear Him, God will meet me there.  I believe we should all seek that quiet time and listen for the voice of our Lord.  Can you hear Him?

Easter Time

Happy Easter!  Tomorrow is the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He died upon the cross and rose again that we may have life and have it more abundantly.  This is the time of year that we begin to come out of our 'winter mentality' and begin to hope for a new beginning.  As you celebrate this Easter with your family, it is my prayer that God will bless you and your family and give you a thirst for a new beginning in Christ.  Enjoy this wonderful day, and try not to over eat on that chocolate.