Ripples

The lake was so calm the last morning.  We were on vacation at Big McDonald Lake in northern Minnesota and before anyone awakes, I take a chance and slip down to the end of the dock with my coffee.  I took my camera this time and try to capture as I might the beauty and majesty the Lord gives to us, but it doesn't really do it justice.  I talk to my God at the end of the dock and He talks to me. 
The lake is so calm that when I dip my feet in, ripples appear going out from my feet.  They widen and go off into the lake.  I get the sense God is showing me that this is the type of ripples that each of us makes in our lives.  We make ripples that effect others in good and bad ways.  Every action we do makes a ripple, just like my feet in the lake.   We can be ripples for change or ripples that help or ripples for harm.  We can impact others for good and for God or not.  I want my ripples to be good, impacting, for the glory of God type of ripples.  What about you? 

The Summer of Learning

It's past the Fourth of July, summer is over the hill.  Whenever it hits the Fourth it seems like the summer is half over.  It has been a busy one and yet there is much more business to come.  I have not posted in a long time as it seems like I have nothing to say, only in actuality I have so much on my mind. 
I started a new Bible study this summer,  Living Beyond Yourself , Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore.  I had completed this study on my own without the additional videos earlier, so I thought I was doing this study again for others, and just as a review for myself.  But God had other plans for me.  I was taught something that will always stay with me.  With the Holy Spirit you "Do things you couldn't, feel things you didn't, and know things you wouldn't."  The Holy Spirit has an empowering power and God gives it to you when you become His child.  But we can not be full of ourselves and coexist with the Holy Spirit (see Gal 5:17).  So every day you must Pour out, pour in, and pour forth. 
Pour out - is to pour out your confessions.  When you pour out your confession, you will have freedom, you will then stand before God clean and pure but you must accept that purity and not bow down to the guilt that we put on ourselves.  We must pour out our concerns (see Ps 62:8), " bear your soul" to God, tell him what things are bothering you, pour out any anxiety, because it is like a drink offering to Him.
Pouring In - ask God to fill us up, ask God to fill us up with the Holy Spirit. (Eph 5:18)
Pour Forth - Go out into the day and pour out his Holy Spirit in your actions.  (2 Cor 3:5-6)
I have been doing this in my quiet time in the morning and I have been able to "Do things  I couldn't, feel things I didn't, and know things I wouldn't."  I have gotten a peace when I was asked to do something I really wanted to do but it was not the right time in my life for it, so I needed to say no.  I have had a peace in dealing with children, that I didn't know I had (now that's not to say that I haven't gotten angry too, but it has helped me be a better mom).  I have learned that when God says He will remove my sins as far as the east is from the west, and remember them no more, that He means that and I need to stand before Him and accept that humbling, sobering fact.  I have learned that to confess your sins means to say them out loud and not say, forgive my sins, Lord.  Because when you name each thing you do wrong, you will be less likely to repeat those same sins, but by being generic you are more likely to be a repeat offender. 
I am not sure all this makes sense but for me it does.  Thankfully the Lord is leading me and allowing me to Learn by Grace.  Have a great day!

Sunrise

Did you see the sun rise this morning?
The beautiful yellows, pinks, oranges chasing away the night?
Did you see the glorious sun rise?
It woke up the roosters and the birds sang!
It woke up the night sky.
Did you see the glorious, awesome SON RISE this morning?
Happy Easter!

Praying for leaders

I know it's been forever and a day since I have posted. I just have something that is on my mind now and I had write it down. I am not in to politics. I haven't watch CNN or FOX news very much, but since my husband is the health care field, I have been watching the health care debate. I don't know how the government works and don't profess to be an expert. But it seems to me that there are things that are seriously wrong with these health care bills that they are trying to pass. In my opinion, President Obama wants to have a health care bill passed no matter what it has in it, just to pass a health care bill. From what I've seen, no one really likes the bill, no one knows all the ramifications of such a bill, but the president is pushing to have a bill passed, no matter what, and congress is just suppose to say - "OK, the president wants it, so we better do it." I think that is wrong -- this is just my opinion and I could be way off base.
But today is a World Day of Prayer. I just have had a nudging to write this post to pray for our President and Government officials. I've been studying prayer. In the Bible are verses that specifically tell us to pray:
I Tim 2:1-2 1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
So today and this weekend, will you pray for our leaders. Pray for discernment and wisdom. If everyone would take ten minutes out of their busy lives and pray, I have faith that we could make a difference.
Will you join me?

Thank you High-Calling Blogs

I want to thank High-Calling Blogs for the book I received in the mail the other day. I was one of the first to fill out their survey and they graciously sent me the book, Epiphanies: Stories for the Christian Year. It was a wonderful surprise and I thank you. Most of the stories are written by friends of TheHighCalling.org and Laity Lodge. One author is Jim Schaap over at http://siouxlander.blogspot.com . Check his blog out - it's great! Thank you again.

Happy New Year! I am only a tad bit late. We have had an eventful start. The friends who moved to the big city were back because her dad passed away, then we had 5 more inches of snow on top of the 20+ inches already on the ground. The boys only had 2 full days of school and then had snow days. It was cold but yesterday it warmed up enough for everyone to get suited up and play outside. We have a retaining wall under our deck that is close to 4.5 feet tall. The snow was piled nearly to the top! So we took turns jumping off our deck! You would land almost waist deep in the snow! The boys had a blast, it was so deep they had to roll out of the snow to a patch where they could stand up.

So this does tie to my hope for you this new year. I guess it's my blessing to you: That you may jump into God's plan and His love that he has for you. That you may cast all your worries aside and jump! That you may end up covered with His blessings and awesome love. That His love may go before you, behind you and hem you in on both sides. That you won't be afraid. That you will be able to listen to His voice and act on it! I know that it can be scarey, but God does not want you to be comfortable in this world. So that's what my goal is this year --- how about you?Go ahead, come join me and .... JUMP!

It's a good day

It's a good day to start a life. Dec 29. Twenty years ago, I said, "I do" to my best friend. It does not seem like twenty years. It only seems like two years..... or maybe a lifetime. I don't remember life without Glenn. He is my rock, my shelter, a gift from my Rock and Shelter.
Last night, I had to say goodbye to a good friend who is moving away. She and her family left today to start life in a new city. Dec 29. A friend of ours put it this way, "You are starting a new chapter but it's all in the same book." Yes, a new chapter is beginning for them, today on Dec 29. It's a good day.