So we're in a 'temporary' housing situation that at times has been trying, but we have survived. I don't always feel like I've actually conquered it, but at least with God's hand, I've been standing my ground, or at least, a year later, I'm still here!
Last winter, I would walk by a house with a pear tree that had shed pears all over the ground and road. The owner told me I was welcome to all I wanted, so I picked up all the good ones, and took them home to can. Very proud for being successful, I got nine quarts of pears out of it. As summer wore on, I would think of those pears and I would say, "God, I don't really want to put anymore pears up! I like them and I appreciate them, but they are hard to cut and I don't really have the right supplies and had to rough it last time, and I feel so inadequate at working with them. I really don't want to be here that long!"
Well, here it is autumn once again, and every week I think of those pears. I don't walk past them because there are several dogs living on that end of our road now, but I think about them and decided not to drive past them. I don't want to see them and feel obligated to pick them up. Now why on earth, do I keep thinking about those pears – and what difference does it make to me or anyone else, if I pick them up or not. But, I keep thinking about them and avoiding them.
Fast forward to this last weekend, we were blessed to go visit with a couple of our friends that we hadn't seen in over a year. The evening went well and we had a great time! They said a prayer for each of us, my request, being to be ready to move. Afterwards as we were at the door to leave, one of them ask, "Do y'all like pears?" Needless to say, I went home with a bag of pears!
This morning I asked God once again, "What is it with those pears!" Only this time, I stopped and said, "Ok, what are You trying to tell me with these pears?". So I called my sister and asked her to look up what pears stand for — the answer?
Today let me be a blessing to someone Today let me show your care Today let me walk in your love Today let me be your love reaching out Today let me be your voice of Hope Today let me be your hands that heal Today let me be what you want Today let me stop looking at me and look to you Today let me rise to the task you have before me Today let me excel in the kingdom Today let me strengthen weak hands and knees Today let me be the agent of your peace Father today I yield myself into your loving hands To use as you see fit I lay down all of my preconceived ideas and notions I lay down my plans and receive your plans for my life Today I am yours In the mighty name of Yeshua AMEN
When you walk in the prophetic people are always asking you, "What's the Lord telling you?" Most of the time I just smile and shake my head like I've got a surprise pot of Gumbo on the stove and its not quite ready to serve. It's always better the longer it sits! Yep, there are seasons when we wait before the Lord and hold a word until God releases it. Now that's good eating! But lately there is an urgency in the spirit to get the word out. Now, I didn't say panic, that's how the enemy works. Panic is fear based. Urgency is from necessity or importunity. God is saying, "Blow the trumpet!Sound the alarm!" There is a necessity to awaken the sleeper and warn the wicked! The day of the Lord is coming! The book of Joel gives us a fantastic picture of what this day will be like. Get your "waders" on it's the former rain and the latter rain together!
Another reference the Lord gave me is in Nehemiah. Great was the opposition and the fear of the people in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. So Nehemiah armed the workers,and kept a trumpeter by his side. "And I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."(Nehemiah 4:19-20) As we are working in the kingdom together are we aware of one another that we are not in this alone? I need to know that when the enemy attacks on my portion of the wall that the workers from the other parts are there to war for me and support me. Are you on alert? Are you listening for the trumpet call to rally around your brother or sister on the wall?
An interesting note, this is the Hebraic month Elul. It is the month of repentance, preparing our hearts for the High Holy Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is a time of cleansing the season of teshuvah, the 40 days of repentance leading to the Day of Atonement. The shofar is blown every week day after morning services as a custom to "wake up the sleepers, to rouse us from complacency".
Paul's urgent message was this,"Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed." (Icor.15:51-52)
I don't know about you, but I'm getting the message; Blow and Go!
So I wanted this website to have more of a blog style. A little less formal – a little more relaxed – just the walking it out day-to-day. Some thoughts, some art, some preachin', some dreaming…with the hopes of it being a little more active!
I didn't think I was doing a good job at all, but today I spent time reading all the posts from this year. (It didn't take long!) What I found out was that I hadn't done so bad after all. I had kept each post shortened down, added pictures and links (gettin' some pretty good techno know-how), and most entries were actually pretty interesting.
Now all I've got to do is to keep at it. Add one more entry – means getting it all out of my head, down through my wrist and out my fingertips and onto the keyboard!
Gonna keep on developing 'my style' and write a little more free and not wait 'til I've got a 'perfect article'.
Had to learn to give myself a break, ease up and lower those outrageously, unattainable standards that we tend to put on ourselves which only freezes up our abilities or runs us ragged!
Here's a cool picture of how God thinks of us, "…so the Lord has compassion of those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." (Ps 103:13b-14) Wow! If God remembers I'm made of dust and has compassion for me, how can I demand more than that of myself and others?
There's more than one way I can choose to remember: all my shortcomings, goofs and shameful moments; or I can choose to remind myself to thank God for all His benefits! All His compassion and graciousness!
I want to remember to get my style from Him! That and post on my blog more often!
It may not be on the mountain’s height, Or over the stormy sea; It may not be at the battle’s front, My Lord will have need of me; But if by a still, small voice He calls, To paths that I do not know, I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine, I’ll go where You want me to go.
Perhaps today there are loving words Which Jesus would have me speak; There may be now in the paths of sin, Some wand’rer whom I should seek; O Savior, if Thou wilt be my guide, Though dark and rugged the way, My voice shall echo Thy message sweet, I’ll say what You want me to say.
There’s surely somewhere a lowly place, In earth’s harvest fields so white, Where I may labor through life’s short day, For Jesus the Crucified; So trusting my all to Thy tender care, And knowing Thou lovest me, I’ll do Thy will with a heart sincere, I’ll be what You want me to be.
I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord, O’er mountain, or plain, or sea; I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord, I’ll be what You want me to be.
Does something look out of place in the picture below?
How about this one?
Seems people have been finding things to do with strings for thousands of years! All the way from the Americas, China, Greece and the Philippines. And even though there are a few rumors of a simular item used as a weapon, they all look like they were just for having fun!
When's the last time you gave that ol' yo-yo a spin!
Early morning
