Blessed Sunday

I got up early to have a little quiet time with the Lord and take advantage of the quiet house. Needless to say with my two little early birds, it didn't last long.

It is a cool, rainy Sunday morning here in Texas. We are blessed with a house that was designed before air conditioning and designed to make the most of it. I have our windows open to let in the cool fresh air, as well as the soothing sounds of the rain as it drips off our roof. After last year's awful drought rain is still a much needed answer to prayers around here. It is absolutely amazing how quickly nature bounces back from its trials.

God designed us that way too although we often become our own worst enemy. Take for example a grass fire, although it is destructive and deadly at times, it is also a way of cleansing out the land of underbrush and weeds to let the good grass grow. There have been several times I've passed a field that has been burnt to see bright green grass among the charred landscape. This happens to us as well. How often does life "burn" us, and instead of learning from the experience and grow new life from it. Instead we wallow in self-pity or doubt and don't look to God to help us through these times.

I've felt here lately that we've been going through a slow-burning wildfire that has charred several things about my life. My emotions, time, energy, and other things have left me drained. I need to take advantage of the renewal of the fire that cleansed me, and look to the "rain" of God to bring new life to me as well.

Water..

Yesterday it was so pretty I decided to walk outside. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and it had rained for several days the week before so the creek I was walking beside was running and making all kinds of gorgeous noises as it spilled over rocks and made its way through the land.

I stopped on a bridge to relax for a minute and noticed some limbs and debris that had blocked one area of the creek. Opposed to the water on just the other side of the debris, the water inside the little pocket was stagnant and had a film over it.  I had a "come to Jesus" moment as a friend of mine would say.

How often is something in our life like that one little pocket of water? Something that we block up with out own limbs and debris and hang onto when we really should let it all go. Sadness, resentment, jealousy, depression, or worry, the list could go on and on. Instead of letting Jesus wash it all away with the rain of His love, the debris in our heart holds it in and lets it fester and get murky.

I myself have been struggling with a few things lately and that picture stayed with me as I walked home. I prayed that Jesus would knock the debris out of my heart and let that "stagnant" water out, to let it be cleansed by the fresh water running through it. I pray that He'll do the same for you...

Ezekiel 36:25-27 - Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Friday Favorites

Today it's a little different Friday Favorite, as I was reading my devotionals this morning one struck a real chord with me.  It came out of the book "From Faith to Faith: A Daily Guide to Victory" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. The devotional was entitled "Punch a Hole in the Dam."

It's all about a little faith can go a long way. Like the story of the child who put his finger in the hole in a dam to keep it from becoming a larger hole. He knew that one the force of that little bit of water could start a chain reaction that could bring down the dam.  So my challenge is to put a little faith and break the dam that the devil has built around me and break it down a piece at a time. By using faith and the word of God I can tear down any dams that the devil is trying to contain me with.

Like the dam that I'm too busy to take care of my health. LIE I am a child of God and I deserve to treat my body like the temple designed by God that it is and fill it with nourishment and take care of it.

Like the dam that says we will never get ahead in our finances. LIE. It says in the scripture that the God will provide and that He wants his children to prosper.

Like the dam that says I can never be a good enough wife or mother. LIE. I know God can guide me and shows me the way in all things, no matter how big or small to take care of my family.

"Lord, Jesus, I know that you are a master of tearing down walls that confine us. Open Your word to me today and help me find peace and strength to break down these dams that imprison me. Your love can conquer anything that holds us down and can free us. Amen."

Devotional Truth

My devotional today was entitled "Get Yourself Together" and since I've been a little torn and unbalanced lately, I thought it was a sign.

It spoke of how Christians seem to have one foot nailed to the floor when it comes to their faith. They spin in circles, around & around and never seem to grow. They will say they believe the Word, but then in the next breath say they know God is in control but they are so worried about their finances they can't sleep. They are unable to put their whole life in God's hands.

To get yourself together, you have to get your spirit, soul, and body in alignment. My devotional pointed out the way to do that is by:

1) Feeding your spirit with the word. Spend daily time with the word, meditate on it.
2) Set your mind on "things above" to get your soul in line.
3) Get your body in line by teaching it to act, on the truth that has been planted in your mind and spirit by the Word.

They scripture that went with the devotional was 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24

¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

 ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

 ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt ²¹ but test them all; hold on to what is good, ²² reject every kind of evil.

 ²³ May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!!!

Attitude

Lord,
I want my attitude to be one of love for you. I want to wake up and see the world anew each day.I don't want to get down about the bad things I see in this world or the negative forces that try to pull me down. I want to be able to see each day for what it is..a gift from You.

A gift to open my eyes and see the beauty in the fall leaves changing colors.

A gift to hear my children giggling at a funny comment I made.

A gift to hear my husband work with our son on his homework. (Makes me LOVE him even MORE)

A gift to have a fire in the fireplace this chilly fall night.

A gift to have a job I love that I am constantly learning at.

A gift to spend a morning with the just the Lord, a cup of coffee, and a blanket.

There are too many gifts to name Lord, but I am so glad you provide them all for me.

Love,
Harmony

In Response to How Are You Really???

This morning as I was reading a devotional, I had an insight. I was reading an article from (in)courage website that was entitled “How are You, Really?” and hit home. It was about a woman who asked her friend “How are you, really?” and the friend let it all go. As I sat there reading it, not only did I long to be able to be able to do that with someone as well as for someone. But then I started thinking about my life and wondering, How I doing, really? To be honest with myself, I’m overwhelmed and tired, and long for something to connect me to my life.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and kids I wouldn’t trade them for the world. But the only time I feel completely at peace is when I immerse myself in the Lord’s word. I strive to be so many things, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an employee, a student…the list could go on from there.  But as I sit daily asking for God to make me better in those areas, I had a light bulb moment. Or maybe it was an angel knocking me in the head.

I don’t need to strive in these areas any longer. If I follow God and His word, His teachings, and listen to His will, then He will make me better in those areas.  We cannot do things by our own will, they have to come through God. 

Isaiah 41:10

“ So do not fear, for I am with you;
   do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Exodus 15:2

 “The LORD is my strength and my defense;
   he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
   my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

So from now on, instead of asking daily to make me better in the different areas of my life, I will ask the Lord to create me to be the woman that He wants me to be. As I grow into this woman, all these other aspects in my life will fall into place. By being with the Lord, and walking with Him, I will be better in these other facets of my life. There is no need for me to strive or agonize over how I feel I’m not measuring up. Only through the Lord, our God, can make me into the woman he has intended me to be. 

For Granted

For Granted

I cry out for someone to save me

This world has beat me down again with

Its negativity, hatred, apathy, and sorrow

But I come to the realization as I wipe away my tears

That I have taken my blessings for granted

This body you game me Lord

I’ve mistreated by lack of sleep by being too busy to

Take care of this gift of life.

I’ve taken the blessing of my husband for granted by

Not giving my time and love to him.

I’ve taken the blessing of my children for granted by

Not enjoying these special years while they are young.

Lord, I confess my apathy and selfishness has blocked

My sight to see the blessings you have graciously given to me.

Lord forgive me for this, and help to walk each day

Renewed by your love and peace

Give me your sight to see the people around me hurting

So I can wrap my arms around them

Let my eyes see the blessings that You have poured out on me.

Lord, I ask for your love to be shown to others through me. 

Forgivess

Today during church our Pastor gave a sermon on forgiveness and especially what it meant on today, the tenth anniversary of September 11th. The scripture was the parable of the Unforgiving Servant.

Matt 18:23-35  Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants.  When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’  The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  "But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’  "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’  He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due.  So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.  Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.  Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’   His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.  So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."

When I got home I started thinking...is there any unforgiveness in my life I need to let go, or need to let go of one more time? Some forgiveness is harder to give than others.

Forgive a person for saying something mean to me....they may have been having a bad day or had other problems in their life.

Forgive my husband for something he said that cut me deep, he was frustrated over something at work and lashed out. He apologized later and explained why he was so short.

Forgive my father for leaving so early in my life. I was only 17 when the good Lord took him home, and it took me a long time to let go of the anger I had about the whole situation
.
I once heard that forgiveness is not about the other person, it's about the person that is forgiving. Hanging onto hurt, anger, and despair can only poison yourself and your relationships.  So on September 11th I ask that everyone that needs to forgive will to allow healing into their hearts.

No more Tearing Down

As I was reading my devotional this morning, I realized that the Lord was hitting me over the head with some things.  One scripture from my devotional was "What (the Lord) opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open." Revelations 4:8-12 and another was from Jude "But you dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith & pray in the holy spirit."

I've been listening to podcasts by Joyce Meyers and reading a couple of other books and they have all been about how our attitudes and thoughts can hold us back or even tear us down. So I'm taking a stand and saying I'm not allowing either of these to tear me down any more.

Lord, I'm tired of tearing myself down for not being a better woman, wife, mother, etc. I want to build my faith on you, and build my prayers upon you. My worth is built on you, and no one can tear it down. I will think  positive about my circumstances, our finances, our marriage, my parenting abilities, and lean on you for all things, because the Lord holds me up.  I will NOT allow my attitudes and thoughts to hold me back from the life You want for me.

I gave my fear and martyrdom, to the Lord that day during the Walk to Emmaus. I know He is healing me a little bit at a time. I give my life to the Lord, and I can't wait to see what He will do with it.