Loving Others

Good Morning and happy Friday! And what's more, Happy Memorial Weekend!! I hope you will find much rest and relaxation this weekend whatever you do. :-)

Just wanted to hop on here for a few minutes and share what's on my heart today:

I've been meditating on I Corinthians 13 - you know the "LOVE CHAPTER". I have to tell you that the more I contemplate it's concepts the more convicted I am becoming. I honestly felt like I was showing the love of Christ on a regular basis but now I realize even on my best day I am offering only a shadow of what God intends. Below is a portion of 1 Corinthians 13 from The Message. I've put a few of my own reactions/short comings in parenthesis next to each line.

Love never gives up. (I give up dozens of times in dozens of ways. On myself and on other people)



Love cares more for others than for self. (I do this to a point, but when push comes to shove, I still press for my own way alot of times)


Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. (All I can say is OUCH!)


Love doesn't strut,


Doesn't have a swelled head,


Doesn't force itself on others,


Isn't always "me first," (I struggle with this sometimes as I have a competitive nature. I'm an overachiever and like to "win".)


Doesn't fly off the handle, (I've mellowed with age, but still need work on this)


Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, (I'm pretty good with this. Experience has taught me to let things go)


Doesn't revel when others grovel, (Think, I'm pretty good with this one too)


Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, (I do!)


Puts up with anything, (I don't and need to work on this. Things irritate me and then I get mad and then... well you know how it is)


Trusts God always, (I'm fairly good with this)


Always looks for the best, (Sometimes I do...)


Never looks back, (I need work on this)


But keeps going to the end. (Yep, I do)
 
Okay, now it's your turn. It'd be cool if you posted some of your comparisons to I Corinthians 13. But even if you don't, take stab at doing it offline and see how you measure up. Trust me, it's a real humbling experience.
 
Know I pray for you. I don't know your name or even if you're reading my blog unless you leave a post but I pray for God to bless all who happen by. Have a glorious day!
 
Debbie

Just As You Are

(It's much later than my normal posting. I spent too much time chatting with my husband over coffee this morning! Normally, I am getting ready for work by this time so this post will be short, but hopefully minister despite it's brevity.)

If you've been following my blog you know that on Wednesdays I write about my weight loss journey. It was HARD to post today because I had a very upsetting and stressful week: the death of a family member; a dear, dear friend who's little boy is having siezures and in the hospital etc. And when I'm stressed or upset I overeat. This is a habit I'm trying to break through prayer, exercise, meditation and sound eating but it's an uphill battle.

I normally weigh-in on Wednesdays, but I'm skipping today  (which I don't  recommend) but my emotional reserve is low and I don't want to completely tap myself out. So my plan to is to regroup, build up my inner strength by following all I know to do, and be 'back in the saddle' for next Wednesday.

But what I really want to share this morning is about a sweet, sweet lady I met at the Maranatha Bible Church last Saturday. (See earlier posts. I spoke at this church.) To be honest, I don't even know her name, but she glowed in the Holy Ghost. Here is her picture (to the left) in case any of my readers know her name and can tell me.

In my talk to the women that day, I mentioned my weight issues and the ongoing struggle to surrender it to the Lord. She came up to me afterwards and said:

 "I wouldn't worry so much about your weight. You look beautiful, and  God loves you just the way you are."

She went on to say several more things to me that strengthened and encouraged me. I felt like she was an angel sent from God just to minister to me, like God did to Elijah after he'd been running from Jezebel and just slept and ate and wanted to die. Her sweet spirit refreshed me and renewed me.

I thank God for precious women of God like this sister who see beyond themselves and their own lives and offer a "cup of cold water in the name of Jesus". Her words were like a cool, refreshing drink on a hot summer's day.

May we all learn to accept each other just as we are - and to accept ourselves - JUST AS WE ARE. Yes, God wants us to continue to grow in Him but  often we are so hard ourselves. (I know I am)

So today, " I will forget what is behind me and press toward my goal to the prize of the high calling." Knowing my prize isn't the weight loss - although that will be a nice benefit - but a deep acceptance of who I am in Christ Jesus - weight and all!

Stop Striving

(My brain is a little fuzzy this morning although I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee already so bear with me as I try to share what's been on my heart today.)

So much of life seems to be about striving, pushing, trying to accomplish more, to get noticed, to succeed.

I've been guilty of this myself numerous times. I am an overachiever by nature. There's something inside of me that drives me to want to be the best. Now that in and of itself is not bad, but when that desire gets out of balance and you deny yourself adequate rest and relaxation in order to meet self-imposed expectations then it's time to re-evaluate.

I've been guilty of striving so often in my life. For example, when I coached a Bible Quiz team I put in countless hours in preperation and practices to insure we'd win the championship - and we did 7 years in a row. This is just one example and trust me there are many.

But what I've learned as I'm gotten older (45 years old now - yikes!) is that the more I push and press and exhaust myself, the less glory God recieves when the goal is achieved.

 I told you yesterday that speaking at women's groups and selling and autographing books I've written at those speaking engagements has been a lifelong dream of mine. And it is. But what's worth noting is that so far, every speaking opportunity I've had did not come to through any effort aka 'striving' of my own. Instead, it came unexpectedly through sources that I had not even considered.

So the lesson for me in this is that if I will just relax and be faithful in what I know to do, God will do the rest. And I think that's what He's been trying to tell me all along.

And what about you my dear reader? What things do you strive for? Share your struggles with me and together we can grow towards more trust in God, and less striving on our own.

May you have a blessed and strengthened day. I do hope to hear from you. The give and take in sharing is how we sharpen one another towards good works!

"It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel." (Proverbs 20:3)

Monday Musings: WHAT'S YOUR DREAM?

It's a Monday morning and very soon I will be rushing around to get ready for work. (I always do this to myselF - the last minute rushing) I get up at 4:45am so I can veg out, drink my coffee, read my Bible and pray. Having this quiet solitude before the demands of the day grounds me, and helps me to maintain my peace as I get bombarded with the stresses of my work week.

This morning I was thinking alot about my weekend and the time I spent with the women of the Maranatha Bible Church. Sharing my heart with women, praying with them and encouraging them has always been my dream. So I'm still revelling in Saturday's experience kinda like a kid who finally gets to go to Great America after a long wait.

Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a writer, to walk into a book store and see a book I'd written on the shelves. I even love the smell of fresh paper and musty books - it's weird I know. But for me, this is what I was created to do. God obviously planted this desire in me because it consumes alot of my waking moments.

So my question to you this morning is: What is your Dream? What consumes your thoughts? If you could do anything you wanted - what would it be? Think about your giftings, what you enjoy doing, your passions and begin now to offer them all to the Lord Jesus. Then stand back and watch how He begins to unfold your personal dreams for His glory!

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Hugs,

Debbie

Pentecost Sunday

Today is Pentecost Sunday and since the Pentecostal experience is a huge part of my walk of faith, I wanted to share a little about it's history and how speaking in an uknown holy tongue as the physical sign of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost has radically transformed my life. I have a writer friend who explains it better than I do. Her name is Vi Moore. Vi has this to say about Pentecost:

"Pentecost, originally a Jewish celebration fifty days after Passover, is now recognized as the birth of the Christian church. The New Testament second chapter of Acts is the common reference to the first audible and visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit, even on Mary the mother of Jesus. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers,” (Acts 1:14, NKJV). Apostle Paul first mentions the importance of this celebration after he was filled with the Holy Spirit, “For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost,” (Acts 20:16, NKJV). Again St. Paul mentions Pentecost in his letter to the church at Corinth, Greece, “In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost,” (1 Corinthians 16:8, New Living Translation). That historical annual Jewish Feast which took place fifty days after the Passover was conferred with a greater meaning when it was heavenly ordained as the beginning of the New Testament Christian church. It is both ironic and sad that while major traditional churches in Christendom who will celebrate with colorful ceremonies tomorrow have not experienced Pentecost. Others who have a personal Pentecost with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, will let this day slip by unrecognized."

But Pentecost is so much more than a day to celebrate, or even an experience to have. It is a lifestyle of living with the empowerment of the living God. So many people know God, love God and serve God in all they know, but they have yet to experience the powerful and dynamic presence of the holy God they serve by recieving the Holy Ghost like they did in the book of Acts. (See Acts 2,8,10 and 19) The Apostle Paul came across many honest, faithful people like this while on his missionary journeys. As a matter a fact he told the believers at Ephesus :

"Have ye recieved the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" and their response was "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost!"  (Acts 19-1-3) Paul then goes on to explain to them about water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost as evidenced by tongues and it says in verse 4 "and they were baptized, and spoke with tongues and prophesied"

Oh my precious reader, the Holy Ghost is for you today too! Read the book of Acts and pray for God to fill you full to overflowing.

I was so privildeged to speak at the Maranatha Bible Church yesterday to their women's group. They are a dynamic group of Bible believing women. As I spoke the Holy Ghost moved, God's presence was there so strong! With all my heart, I wanted them to experience this life changing infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I did tell them of Acts 19 and what Paul asked the Ephesian church, but I stopped short of challenging them to recieve it for themselves. A few of them came up to me afterwards and told me that they HAD RECIEVED THE HOLY GHOST WITH TONGUES! This made me so happy!! (I will write more about these incredible women in the days to come)

But for today, my prayer for you is that you embrace ALL GOD HAS FOR YOU - including the HOLY GHOST!!

Hugs,

Debbie

I Refuse to be an OSTRICH

It's Wednesday, and I promised myself - and you - (my readers) to report how I was doing with trying to lose over 100 pounds.  (See earlier posts labeled '100 pounds')

Well, let's just say it's NOT been a good day. I GAINED 2.5 pounds which means I ate too much and didn't exercise enough. That's the thing, weight loss is not rocket science. Basically, if you consume less calories than you expend you will have a loss. And so conversely if you consume more calories than you expend, you will have a gain. Let's just say we all know what I did this week.

But still I feel I am making progress. Last Wednesdays post "Progress Not Perfection" touched on this. The fact that I'm even willing to bare all and post each week brings accountability and balance to my life. It keeps me from burying my head in the sand. It forces me to look at the facts:

• 
  
  I am a very large women.
• 
  
  This didn't happen overnight.
• 
  
  The weight is not going to come off overnight.
• 
  
  I can be beautiful and have self-worth despite my size.
• 
  
  The number on the scale does not define me.
• 
  
  I must daily - and sometimes hourly - remind myself that it really is progress not perfection.
• 
  
  Most of all, I am not alone in this effort to change my behavior and body size. I have friends, family, my readers and of course the empowering help of the Lord Jesus Christ to offer support and encouragement.

And so, on this Wednesday that started with a disappointing weigh-in, I am proudly holding my head upright and looking all around me. Because that is how I will succeed. The ostrich doesn't get anywhere when his head is stuck in the sand. But when he lifts his head and starts to run - look out. It's said an ostrich can run up to 50 MPH. And one, day very soon that will be me!

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it." (Philippians 3:13-15)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r-b8uY7C9E&feature=related

"Key Generation"

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18

Has anyone noticed that key mania is sweeping our jewelry counters, fashion magazines and TV commercials? This is not a key fetish criticism. In my jewelry box I have few of my own. So I took this picture of my little key collection as evidence. There must be something fascinating about keys. Often times, a key is a sign of trust, love, wisdom and commitment. For example, my neighbor entrusts her keys to me when she is away so I can feed her cat. With this key to her apartment I feel like she has given me a gold medal for trustworthiness, and for that I am exceedingly grateful. Sometimes lovers exchange their keys as a sign of commitment and love. Parents give their car keys to teenagers, and then pray to God that they don’t crash.

I must admit my “Key Generation” title sounds odd even to me, so I searched for this phrase online and found out from Wikipedia that “Key generation is the process of generating keys for cryptography. A key is used to encrypt and decrypt whatever data is being encrypted/decrypted.” This made me leave my title as it is. Aren't we struggling to understand how and why human beings are created? Philosophers are searching for the Key that unlocks the knowledge of Universe; poets lament of the lost key; scientists and religious leaders are trying to break the code of life for centuries. Nowadays we are more drawn to the key symbology than ever before.

But I really believe only God has a key, and He has already given us its copy – Holy Bible.

 

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19

Lilac Encounters

I was walking on my lunch break the other day as I often do.   The sun was shining brightly and every once in awhile a gentle breeze would blow when suddenly I smelled the sweet aroma of lilacs. The pleasant scent made me smile and I looked over and saw a beautiful lilac tree (do they come in trees? I thought they only came in bushes.) standing petite but strong in someone's front yard. Aaah, I thought to myself, that's where that delightful smell came from. I enjoyed the momentary lift but then forgot about it   and kept on walking.

But a few days later, that lovely scent caught me by surprise again. This time, I was laying on the couch in my living room in the middle of the night trying to get to sleep. ( I only sleep on the couch if insomnia peaks it's ugly head) The living room window was open, and a cool evening breeze occasionally floated through  bringing with it the wonderful lilac aroma from the lilac bush in my front yard. This time I pondered the fact that twice in one week the delightful lilacs had shared their lovely aroma with me and cheered me up.

Then, just yesterday, I was unloading the groceries from the back of my car when a gust of wind blew and enveloped me with the now familiar scent of lilac. It made me smile. Here I was just doing my chores with nothing in particular on my mind, when the lovely lilac bush reached out and stroked my senses.

At that moment the Holy Spirit quickened to my mind a familiar passage of scripture:

"In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.



This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No— but at least we don't take God's Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ's presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can." (2 Corinthians 2:15-18 from The Message)

And that's when I realized that God was speaking to me through the lilacs. As Christians who are full of the Holy Spirit  we too give off a wonderful scent - it's called the AROMA OF CHRIST. As we go about our day and rub shoulders with others, whether we realize it or not, the odor of Christ Jesus gets their attention - providing we are exuding his love and the fruits of the Spirit.

Oh Jesus, make me a lilac bush to all those around me! Help me to flow in the Holy Spirit and be a vessel that you can use!

His Glory - Not Mine

I've been thinking alot about why I blog and realize my motives have changed alot over these past many months.

At first, I blogged because I went to a Writer's Conference and they said that all writer's should have a blog to 'build their platform'. So I jumped on the bandwagon with a gusto and posted mostly devotional type things and then some about my weight struggles etc. But the more I did it, the more it started to feel like I was striving to build a name for myself, ie 'my platform'.

Now, I can't speak for anyone else, but for me and my relationship with Christ, I need to make sure that my goals and purposes are about HIM and not about me. Trying to minister while seeking my own agenda just doesn't work.

So, what I've decided is that I'm going to post more often but it will be about alot of things - sometimes personal and sometimes professional - but hopefully always encouraging in some way.

And if God is in this blog thing for me, then He will send me readers who feel the same way I do. So for now, this is a test, just to be myself and give you, my unseen friends whatever's on my heart and watch and see what happens. :-)

"He must increase and I must decrease..."

~Life in an Antique Booth~

“Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.” James 5:2

Outdated magazine issues, yellowish heavy books, mismatched utensils, postcards from a stranger, handmade toys, kaleidoscopic buttons of all sizes, cups, mugs, empty coca-cola bottles, and whatnot are laid out in front of me and it’s surprisingly pleasing to my eye: I am stranded in a wonderland called the Antique Shop.
At the slowest pace possible I stroll by each booth scanning all that fits into my perception. If anything catches my attention for more than a blink I pick up the lifeless object and contemplate its origin and price. I hold it long enough in my hands until wonder has faded into practical thinking. What can I use this relic for besides the purpose of collecting or decorating? One witty shopkeeper labeled a heavy iron with “would make a great door stop”.
Well, there are two questions I ask myself whenever I’m shopping:
First, could this be something that I would give to my friends as a gift? If the answer is yes, it’s worth buying. You would not want to buy anything worthless for your friends, would you?
Second, would I take this if it’s free? If the answer is no, I don’t consider buying it. Even if it’s free some items are just not worth having.
But here I am in the museum of a former shopper – the Antique store. While hunting for treasure I could not help myself but to notice how every booth would give away certain warmth. I realized that in front of me was the life of somebody who did not need these things anymore. There is this similar feeling that overwhelms me when I visit graveyards. Tomb stones are portraying tangible memories of a man’s life; the same appears with possessions. Suddenly a thought struck me: in the course of time my accumulated possessions will be handled by antique manager one day. What will its price be?
After an hour of searching to find something of a value and usage I came to the register with only hand lotion wondering about the expiration date. While starting small talk with a clerk I noticed that my voice was soft and calm as if I had experienced catharsis. I did not spend money on things, but my soul “purchased” tenderness and serenity along the way.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Luke 12:32-34

A Sweet Tooth for Onions

“The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" Numbers 11:4-6
I have never tasted the food of angels known as manna, though I wonder if angels eat onions. Often times when I’m upset or tired I find myself craving for good food and I feel like one of those Israelites who had undergone the exodus from Egypt. When hunger knocks at my belly I just don’t want to talk to people until I have that bite. Moreover there is only one thing that puts me at ease better than any other. Before I continue, I am sorry if I offended any of you who personally or professionally know me. Truth can’t be buried forever, even walls have ears (or nose). Thus dear reader, I have to make a confession: I am an addict. Admitting it is the first step, they say. I call my habit “appetitus bulbus”[1], or some sort of addiction to crunching sweet onions. Not chips, but raw onions! How can I resist onions, when they have such a firm texture with layers of spicy nectar that opens up my appetite and can accompany almost any dish? Besides onions are low in pesticides, they are a good source of vitamin B and C, and are known for their health benefits (lowering bad cholesterol, preventing cancer and inflammatory reactions). Onion a day keeps the doctor away (and not just the doctor). I must admit I love garlic too, but I learned that my husband suffers from insomnia whenever I eat that. This is how I earned the nickname “Lukic”[2] whose author is none other but my own husband. A great deal of chewing gum, mouth wash and toothpaste could not erase this begotten name. Now I am stuck with it until death do us part. There is one thing that concerns me: when I get to heaven I hope they serve manna with onions.
“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:12

[1] My own pun derived from Latin words: bulbus -i m. [an onion], and appetitus -us m. [longing , appetite].

[2] Bosnian word “lukic” means “little onion”.

Progress Not Perfection

I struggled with my food this past week because of Mother's Day celebrations etc. So when I weighed in this morning, my expectations were very low. I was hoping to just not have a huge gain - and thankfully I didn't! I only gained 3 tenths of a pound.  But I was  happy with this because I knew what kind of week I'd had.

Being satisfied with a gain is a new experience for me. I really am learning to embrace that old mantra - PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION. This approach is working for me because I'm making lifestyle changes instead of dieting. For Example:

•  I'm learning  if I eat too much or don't excercise one day, then the next day I need to eat less and exercise extra hard. This strategy works for me and keeps me from giving up when I mess up. It allows me some room to just relax and live.

• And I'm learning that  celebrations and rewards are important. I've started treating myself to certain food indulgences after my weigh in for that one day only. Like today I went out for coffee with my friend  and ordered a Hot Fudge Sundae. It came in a tall sundae glass with whip cream, nuts and a cherry on top! I felt special and like I was really having a treat. But I only ate about 1/4 of it.  That was all I needed to eat to feel like I'd celebrated. And trust me, this is a huge step for me. Geneen Roth , noted author on emotional eating talks about this concept alot in her books and lectures.

 I think the PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION approach must've been what Jesus had in mind for the human race. Afterall, He talked alot about forgiveness and mercy and human fraility. Consider just a few of the following scriptures:  

"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him... For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." (Psalm 103:13-14)

"Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:38)


So whatever you  might be facing today or trying to change about yourself, please remember it's all about PROGRESS (how many forward steps did you take today?) and it's not at all about PERFECTION.

UNperfectly Yours,


Debbie

Mother's Day

It's been a great Mother's Day weekend for me. Yesterday, I spoke at the Bartlett United Pentecostal Church for their Mother/Daughter Tea. God allowed me to minister to about 60 women. I talked to them about the importance of developing spiritual roots for their Family Trees. We had a lovely time and the Holy Spirit really ministered. The decor was beautiful!(See pic) The theme was Branches of Blessings.

Then, I came home from speaking and my middle son, Jeremy had a dozen roses and a beautiful card waiting for me. His card really touched me because he wrote a personal note about how much he and his brothers and sister really love and respect me.

For those of you who don't know I am actually my kid's stepmother. I married their father when I was 20 years old and he was 30 years old twenty-five years ago. He was a widower and the 4 little kids. The oldest was nine and the youngest was 2! You can read INSTANT MOTHERHOOD one of the first articles I wrote (it DEFINATELY reads like someone's first ariticle) but it tells my story...

And then, if that wasn't enough at church, my sweet husband was leading prayer request and paused and told everyone how thankful he was that I raised his children and that they love me so much. He welled up with tears as he did it and just touched my heart so much. I was overwhelmed with joy already, thinking things can't get any better and  came home and got on my Facebook Page and my daughter had written a beautiful post about me and said this song from Brad Paisley should have been written about me(see below). She said even though Brad talks about his step dad, she thinks it describes me beautifully:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjO1F6oCab8

I just had to share all this with you my faithful readers. It's been 25 years and there were hard times like any mother experiences. But when you give in love and sincerity God ALWAYS brings things around. Truly, I am blessed today and every day to have had the life I have and the family I've had.

Now it's your turn. Write and tell me about how YOUR MOTHER'S DAY went. I honestly want to hear!

Dwelling In Truth

Every Wednesday, I  weigh myself on the special scale for obese people that is in the Emergency Room at the hospital where I work. Just the action of walking in there in front of the ER staff and telling them I need to use their special scale is an act of faith. By doing so, I am facing a painful truth: I am obese. And I'm not just obese, I'm morbidly obese. My body fat percentage is like 50.

But please don't feel sorry for me. My purpose in sharing this isn't for sympathy, or even for encouragement (although a pat on the back is always nice). No, I share this to put a face on an important Biblical truth:

 "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."  (John 8:32)

Jesus spoke these words to the Jews who believed on Him. And He speaks the same words to us today. While it's true Jesus was speaking of the gospel message, I believe knowing - and more importantly facing the truth in our struggles is a key part to freedom.

It is for me anyway.

So today, like every Wednesday, I face the truth of my body size. Some weeks, I'm happy because there's a loss - like today I lost 2.4 pounds - but some weeks I'm sad because my weight stayed the same, or I gained. But always, I can rejoice because I'm facing truth head on and Jesus said that's what really matters!

Godly Perception

My day started as any other first day of the work week. I hit the snooze button a few times; drank an extra cup of coffee to shock my system into the alert zone; and tried to get my mind wrapped around the fact that 9 hours of responsibility and labor awaited me.

The nice thing is that I used to dread Mondays as much as the next person, but I don't so much anymore. Why? Because my heart fills with anticipation at what treasures God has prepared for me.

You see, every day  I am able to share Christ in some way. And knowing this causes me to look forward to who the Almighty is going to send my way.

For example,  on my lunch hour, I went to a friend's house for a cup of tea and some prayer.

See what I mean? Every day is an adventure with Christ because I see myself as His ambassador and He responds by sending me people to minister to.

What's interesting is that my job itself hasn't changed at all. I have the same work load, the same stresses etc.

But my outlook is different.
The blessings, the joy, the strengthening of relationships, was there all along. But I didn't see it. In essence, my vision was skewed.

And isn't that what Christ wants from all of us? 

 Could it be that Christ  is waiting for us to climb up to the high places with Him so we can see things from His vantage point?

You decide.

FACEBOOK FORGIVENESS

I'm still toying around with what I want this blog to totally be about. For now, I'm going to try to post 3x a week. ( I know it's not much in terms of serious bloggers, but it's the best I can do at the moment) So Mondays will be mostly musings about work, and Wednesdays will be about my goal to lose over a 100 pounds... but what about Saturdays?

I think I shall call my Saturday posts unofficially Saturday Snippets as in -anything goes!

So today I feel like sharing my struggle with accepting someone as a FACEBOOK FRIEND. She's someone who wounded me severely a very long time ago and although I feel like I've forgiven and let it go, I don't necessarily want her to be my FACEBOOK FRIEND.

But she keeps sending me a friend's request. The first time she sent it, I ignored it for 2 weeks, prayed and wrestled with what to do, and ultimately hit the ignore button. I felt justified in this decision because she had shown herself to me in the past a wolf in sheeps clothing so why would I want to let a known wolf back into my safe zone?

I had forgotten about doing this  and moved on. But  this morning, I got another Friend Request from her. I rolled the mouse over the the Ignore Button but did't click it. So it's just hanging there waiting for me to respond.

Does my wanting to deny a former enemy access to my Facebook world make me less Christ-like? I honestly don't know. These are the kinds of questions I make myself nuts with! I so want to please Christ in all that I do, yet I don't want to be a doormat either. I don't think Christ expects us to be trampled on. But He does clearly tell us to love our enemies and do good to those who despitefully use us. But does that mean we have to have them over for dinner? I don't know. I'm still trying to sort this one out.

So, my precious readers, what do you think? What would you do? And I guess more importantly, what would Jesus do?