Wow, He really knows how to call and how to encourage. Here I am ready to head out to the Rescue Mission to do wome more decorating. I am really concerned about this project. My plan is to do some relief stenciling. I have cut the stencils, but because this is for relief I had to use thick plastic and burn the design. That left very rough edges and I have spent quite a bit of time cleaning those up. I don't know how this stencil will work out. How easy will it be to fill in the areas that had to be the bridges in the stencil? Are my openings too big? Are the spaces between too small? Will the stencils hold up to the plaster? This is a big room. And my biggest concern - will I hold up? I have to work on ladders, up and down, up and down - 10 feet high ! I am dreading this but willing to do it because that is what I feel I am suppose to do. So, here I am, all packed up, ready to call to have the ladder made available - basically commiting myself to the project today. I sit down here and open my Bible.
"Be sure to use the abilities God has given you ...Put these abilities to work; throw yourself into your tasks so that evweryone may notice your improvement and progress. Keep a close watch on all you do and think. Stay true to what is right and God will bless you and use you to help others." 1Timothy 4:14-16
Those words just popped out at me when I opened up. Coincidence? I think not! My eyes immediately teared up. My God knows me, and He knows my fears. Yes, I am encouraged that He will be with me thru this task. But what is even more important to me is that He loves me so much that He speaks to me, when I listen, and touches me. He is my Father thru and thru. What an AWESOME gift.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The important exercise
"Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit. Bodil exercise is all right, but spiriual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do. So exercise yourself spiritually and pracitice being a better Christian, becaues that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too." 1Timothy 4:7b-8 My dad has been a big exercise advocate and inspiration. He started running at 50 and is still doing so 25 years later. I know I am a disappointment to him in that area. I don't like running, never have, even tried it for a few months once. But that is also an excuse. I have been dancing some lately, for a bit of exercise, but mostly it is because it is fun and I can bring smiles to others with it. I tap dance with a group of senior ladies. We dance at nursing homes and the like. But it really hasn't been much of a workout. Oh sometimes it is. I certainly work up a sweat when we have dance outs since we practice the whole show first at our studio and then go to the location. But the classes and practices don't usually use up too much energy. The rest of my time I seem to spend sitting. I am trying to get back to my paintings but that has been slow. So I have not been getting very good grades in the physical exercise department.
How about the spiritual department? As the scriptures say, that is profitable for the here and now PLUS the hereafter. Am I working on my spiritual fitness? I am trying to. This blog is one area that I am working on my spiritual fitness. By recording entries here that stem from my quiet time, I am, in a way, holding myself accountable to do my quiet time Bible reading. And not just reading the scriptures but also typing and hoping/praying that God helps me see what I am to be learning from the reading. I have found that God often speaks to me when I am typing. It may sound odd but the words often flow without pre-thought. Don't get me wrong, I am in NO way identifying with the writers of the scriptures in whom God breathed the words. But I think this is how God can speak to not only me but to others as well. Many times it has been while I am writing a script for a skit or program. It has also happened when writing letters. I am not a good conversationalist but I think God has called me to be open to His leading when I am writing. This may seem to be getting off track, but am I? My writing opens me up to God's leading. I am focusing on what He wants of me. I am tying it to my quiet time and it is getting me to be much more regular with that. So maybe, just maybe this workout that my fingers are getting typing these words is helping with my spiritual fitness. now, if it would only help with my physical fitness too. Maybe if I could set up the laptop with a treadmill.....LOL Okay, so maybe these are just the daily steps that will eventually lead me to where He wants me to be... I can accept that. Of course doing some physical activity won't hurt either.
How about the spiritual department? As the scriptures say, that is profitable for the here and now PLUS the hereafter. Am I working on my spiritual fitness? I am trying to. This blog is one area that I am working on my spiritual fitness. By recording entries here that stem from my quiet time, I am, in a way, holding myself accountable to do my quiet time Bible reading. And not just reading the scriptures but also typing and hoping/praying that God helps me see what I am to be learning from the reading. I have found that God often speaks to me when I am typing. It may sound odd but the words often flow without pre-thought. Don't get me wrong, I am in NO way identifying with the writers of the scriptures in whom God breathed the words. But I think this is how God can speak to not only me but to others as well. Many times it has been while I am writing a script for a skit or program. It has also happened when writing letters. I am not a good conversationalist but I think God has called me to be open to His leading when I am writing. This may seem to be getting off track, but am I? My writing opens me up to God's leading. I am focusing on what He wants of me. I am tying it to my quiet time and it is getting me to be much more regular with that. So maybe, just maybe this workout that my fingers are getting typing these words is helping with my spiritual fitness. now, if it would only help with my physical fitness too. Maybe if I could set up the laptop with a treadmill.....LOL Okay, so maybe these are just the daily steps that will eventually lead me to where He wants me to be... I can accept that. Of course doing some physical activity won't hurt either.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Here are My directions
Can you get any clearer than that? 1Timothy 2:1 "Here are My directions: Pray much for others; plead for God's mercy upon them; give thanks for all He is going to do for them." (LB) This is not something on God's wish list. It is a command. I'm sure He isn't looking for lip service here either. He wants up to bear it in our hearts. When we feel for others, connect to them in the heart, lift their needs to Christ, we are bonding the family of God. I stop and think of how my heart has cried out, at times, for others to know Him or to be touched by God. At times that cry has come from the gut full of desperation and pleading. Is that any different from what Jesus does on my behalf each and every day? Does He moan with aching when I stray? Do tears come to His eyes when I don't listen to His call? And does His eyes tear up with joy when I seek His will and DO it? His love for me is sooo much deeper than I can ever fathom. My love for others pales in comparison. But the more I love others, the more of a glimpse I get of His love, the more open I become to be filled with His love. A sponge can be used to soak up moisture but it also can be used to squeeze our moisture. I have soaked up His love, now I mus let that love out on others - He will replenish it. "This is good and pleases God our Savior, for He longs for all to be saved and to understand this truth: That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, Himseld man, is between them to bring them together by giving His life for all mankind. This is the message which at the proper time God gave to the world. And I have been chosen - this is the absolute truth - as God's minister and missionary to teach this truth to the Gentiles, and to show them God's plan of salvation through faith" 1Timothy 2:3-7 We have all been chosen, as believers, to be missionaries, to reach out and share His love. Here are your directions.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Can I Surrender?
"How thankful I am to Christ Jesus our Lord for choosing me as one of His messengers, and giving me the strength to be faithful to Him...." 1Timothy 1:12 I don't know the full extent of His purpose for me. This writing may only server to solidify His message to me. Or it may be used to reach others, that is not for me to know at this time. I am just to continue, at this point, to put in words the thoughts He brings to my mind.
One thing that I want to share, or at least note so that I have a reference to it, is the lyrics to a song that we sang yesterday. I have heard it said that Christians don't tell lies, they sing them. That refers to singing words to songs without stopping to think if those words are true to me, at that very time. This is a very powerful song - if you do a personal review and make sure that the words you sing really are true.
I Surrender All words by Judson Van DeVenter 1896
All to Jesus I surrender All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In his presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
How is that for making you shake in your boots? Can anyone really sing that song. Well, not on our own merits. There is no way that I can declare that I can surrender everything. I wish I could do that. But I have this knack of going back to my old ways, greed, selfishness, laziness, worldly possessions. I want to follow Him, I even want to give it all to Him. But I am weak and I have to DAILY ask for His help and His forgiveness. But He is a faithful, loving God, who understands me far better than I do myself. I can sing that song because my heart is singing it, though my flesh is weak and will, again, stumble and fall. But, hopefully, each time I fall it isn't as far or for as long as in the past. I hope that I am growing more like what He has called me to be.
Here is another part of a song from yesterday's service:
Made To Worship by Chris Tomlin
chorus
You and I were made to worship
You and I are called to love
You and I are forgiven and free
When you and I embrace surrender
When you and I choose to believe
Then you and I will see who
we were meant to be
Choosing to surrender, helps me be who He has called me to be. How about you?
One thing that I want to share, or at least note so that I have a reference to it, is the lyrics to a song that we sang yesterday. I have heard it said that Christians don't tell lies, they sing them. That refers to singing words to songs without stopping to think if those words are true to me, at that very time. This is a very powerful song - if you do a personal review and make sure that the words you sing really are true.
I Surrender All words by Judson Van DeVenter 1896
All to Jesus I surrender All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In his presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
How is that for making you shake in your boots? Can anyone really sing that song. Well, not on our own merits. There is no way that I can declare that I can surrender everything. I wish I could do that. But I have this knack of going back to my old ways, greed, selfishness, laziness, worldly possessions. I want to follow Him, I even want to give it all to Him. But I am weak and I have to DAILY ask for His help and His forgiveness. But He is a faithful, loving God, who understands me far better than I do myself. I can sing that song because my heart is singing it, though my flesh is weak and will, again, stumble and fall. But, hopefully, each time I fall it isn't as far or for as long as in the past. I hope that I am growing more like what He has called me to be.
Here is another part of a song from yesterday's service:
Made To Worship by Chris Tomlin
chorus
You and I were made to worship
You and I are called to love
You and I are forgiven and free
When you and I embrace surrender
When you and I choose to believe
Then you and I will see who
we were meant to be
Choosing to surrender, helps me be who He has called me to be. How about you?
Saturday, January 26, 2008
God Calls
God speaks, He is there calling to me all the time. But am I trying to hear Him? You may be in a crowded room and just hear all the noise, or you can focus on one voice and still hear. The voice hasn't changed, your focus has. Today He called to me by way of a marker in my Bible. I don't remember ever putting that in there. I don't remember when I highlighted those verses. But it got my attention, I mean "He" got my attention. The marker was in the book of Hosea, um when did I read the book of Hosea? This is the Living Bible, not the NIV that I use for church, or the NASB that I use for Precepts Bible study. So, when and why was I reading Hosea in this Bible? Well, it really doesn't matter. God called me to read it today. Wow, take a look at those verses: "Hear the Word of the Lord, O people of Israel." (this is important, pay attention)"The Lord has filed a lawsuit against you listing the following charges: There is no faithfulness' no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. You swear and lie and kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere, with one murder after another. That is why you land is not producing; it is filled with sadness, and all living things grow sick and die; the animals, the birds, and even the fish begin to disappear. Don't point your finger at someone else, and try to pass the blame to him!. ..... My people are destroyed because they don't know me..." When I first read this I thought "wow, this sounds like the world today. They are unfaithful, they lie, they steal, they commit adultery." That is true but that is not why He wanted me to read these verses today. Its not "they" "they" "they". Its "me". True, I haven't killed anyone and my husband is the only one in my life. But have I put other things before loving my husband? Have I spent more time with my computer than with him? (adultery) Have I spent money on frivolous stuff and then concealed it from him? (stealing and lying) Have I put email higher on my priority list than quiet time with the Lord? (adultery, unfaithfulness) And those words in vs4 "don't point the finger at someone else" woa, can't just skim thru that. Okay, Lord, you got my attention. But geepers, I don't think I can fix all of this. But with you I can. I had other verses highlighted on those 2 pages. Chapter 6 vs3 "Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him, and He will respond to us as surely as the coming of dawn or the rain of early spring." and vs6 "I don't want your sacrifices -- I want your love' I don't want your offerings -- I want you to kow Me." He calls me with a loving heart. I can just feel the disappointment I have caused Him. But I also know that there is joy in my returning to Him. How deep the love of God.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Fan into Flame
"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you..." 2Timothy 1:6 NIV
This verse speaks of reviving, fueling, your faith, and dedication. The Holy Spirit comes to live within us when we become children of God. But do we live like it? Do we feel it? Do we set aside ourselves and let Him fill us?
When you fan a flame you are gently supplying oxygen to fuel the fire. Too much force and you will rob the fire of whatever oxygen it has thus putting it out. I have been given Gifts, spiritual gifts, that I am to use. What have I been doing to fan into flame those gifts. What have I done nourish and build up the flame? He has given me tools to use but if I use them the wrong way am I fanning into flame or putting the fire out. Lately I have been using the tools but the flame has not been growing.I have been spending way too much time for so little accomplishment, too little directed the right way. I want to change that, right now, with this posting. I pray that I will use the tools, that He has provided, to help the gifts that He has blessed me with, and purposed me with. He has made me for a purpose. He has equipped me. Now I need to kick it in gear and get back to where I belong - using these tools to better use the gifts He has armed me with.
My computer, yes it is a tool along with all of my art supplies. I need to spend more time using it, as a tool, to fan into flame my gift of creative communication. I need to be doing more artwork which focuses on and gives glory to God. I need to share what the Word teaches me, even if no one reads this blog. I need to start that faith book that He has put on my heart. I need to start planning lessons for the children's program. I need to start writing the skits that He keeps putting in my head/heart. He has equipped me with the tools and the gifts. It is up to me to Fan Into Flame The Gift of God so that others may know, really know, Him.
May I never forget that the only way to use the tools/gifts for His glory is to be tuned in to Him for His guidance. In 1Timothy 1:1 I read where Paul was writing to Timothy and stated that he, Paul, was a "missionary of Jesus Christ, sent out by the direct command of God our Savior and by Jesus Christ our Lord". Wow, I thought, to have such clear direction from God is awesome. But that is available for me as well. Its just that I have muddied up the communication by not trying to listen to Him. How much time have I spent with Him in private, quiet time? How much time have I spent reading His love notes, the Scriptures? How much time have I spent in prayer without a list of prayer requests but rather with a heart waiting and wanting to hear Him? He has been the faithful one, waiting for me to get my head straight. Lord, thank you for not giving up on me, for loving me more than I deserve. I want to be "sent out by the direct command of God" that clear direction, knowing your purpose for my life and following it fully.
Right here, right now. Look out world, things are gonna heat up !
This verse speaks of reviving, fueling, your faith, and dedication. The Holy Spirit comes to live within us when we become children of God. But do we live like it? Do we feel it? Do we set aside ourselves and let Him fill us?
When you fan a flame you are gently supplying oxygen to fuel the fire. Too much force and you will rob the fire of whatever oxygen it has thus putting it out. I have been given Gifts, spiritual gifts, that I am to use. What have I been doing to fan into flame those gifts. What have I done nourish and build up the flame? He has given me tools to use but if I use them the wrong way am I fanning into flame or putting the fire out. Lately I have been using the tools but the flame has not been growing.I have been spending way too much time for so little accomplishment, too little directed the right way. I want to change that, right now, with this posting. I pray that I will use the tools, that He has provided, to help the gifts that He has blessed me with, and purposed me with. He has made me for a purpose. He has equipped me. Now I need to kick it in gear and get back to where I belong - using these tools to better use the gifts He has armed me with.
My computer, yes it is a tool along with all of my art supplies. I need to spend more time using it, as a tool, to fan into flame my gift of creative communication. I need to be doing more artwork which focuses on and gives glory to God. I need to share what the Word teaches me, even if no one reads this blog. I need to start that faith book that He has put on my heart. I need to start planning lessons for the children's program. I need to start writing the skits that He keeps putting in my head/heart. He has equipped me with the tools and the gifts. It is up to me to Fan Into Flame The Gift of God so that others may know, really know, Him.
May I never forget that the only way to use the tools/gifts for His glory is to be tuned in to Him for His guidance. In 1Timothy 1:1 I read where Paul was writing to Timothy and stated that he, Paul, was a "missionary of Jesus Christ, sent out by the direct command of God our Savior and by Jesus Christ our Lord". Wow, I thought, to have such clear direction from God is awesome. But that is available for me as well. Its just that I have muddied up the communication by not trying to listen to Him. How much time have I spent with Him in private, quiet time? How much time have I spent reading His love notes, the Scriptures? How much time have I spent in prayer without a list of prayer requests but rather with a heart waiting and wanting to hear Him? He has been the faithful one, waiting for me to get my head straight. Lord, thank you for not giving up on me, for loving me more than I deserve. I want to be "sent out by the direct command of God" that clear direction, knowing your purpose for my life and following it fully.
Right here, right now. Look out world, things are gonna heat up !
Monday, January 07, 2008
to Mac, or not to Mac
- that is the question. whether it be right to pay forth more for such a system or more wise to save with another. Okay, I have researched this to death. And I am still undecided. Mac, Vista, or XP What shall my new laptop be? MacBook would be a dream come true. But face it any laptop with more than my current .75gig of Ram and 40, yes that's 40, gig of hard drive would be a dream. I have to choose wisely because I want to be happy with my decision for the next 3,4 or 5 years. With a Dell 1520 I can get XP, Vista can be on a Toshiba (my current brand which I have been pleased with) or a Gateway (current sale makes this tempting) or shall I spring for the ultimate OS, a Mac. My requirements are 2 gig of ram (I use photoshop and other graphic intensive programs) and I am looking at 250 gig drives (I am currently maxed out with 40gig onboard and 160 gig external drive). Photos and digital scrapbooking supplies take up a lot of space. Yes, it would be cheaper to use a desktop but I love, love, love the portability. To me, that is important. That is why I have been using my 15" laptop instead of the desktop with dual monitors. Those monitors don't fit in my carry on bag too well.
The Mac costs more and would require me to use my windows software within a virtual windows environment, such as Parallels or VMware Fusion. And since I can't afford to upgrade my photoshop software, that is one of the programs in that virtual environment. FotoFusion is not available in a Mac version so it would have to stay virtual as well. And I have just started using ACDSee which is also not available in Mac. BUT Mozy, my online backup, is now offering a beta for a Mac version! Since I still have 9 months on my subscription for Mozy, that was good to hear. The MacBook is small, 13" size, which is awesome for portability but not so great for my aging eyes and graphics work. BUT DD is not using a nice LCD monitor since she has left her desktop at home and only took her laptop to college. She is allowing me to 'borrow' it for the time being. So the plus of small size portability and a nice 19" monitor sounds like an awesome setup to me. DS will be around this weekend and said he will install windows pscs on his Mac so that I can see if it is too slow in the VMware Fusion setting. I hope he can bring an adapter so I can try out the monitor thing too.
Now that Gateway laptop deal needs to be considered too. It would mean using Vista, which I have dreaded. But it would be half the price of the MacBook. 3gig ram, 250 gig drive and a pretty red laptop. I can't dismiss it. Yes, I know it is like comparing a chevy to a mercedes but this chevy had decent stuff. And I could buy a new chevy way sooner than getting a new mercedes. Hehehe, DH has dreamed of owning a mercedes. We even have a penny jar towards it. But we keep getting those Fords and Chevys.
DS1 and DS2 are both Mac guys, so too is DIL. DS3 is linux but recommends the Mac for me. DD is hoping to get a Mac come Aug after her summer of work. Whether 'tis nobler to join the fam or stand alone................... to be continued in a future post. (soon, I hope)
The Mac costs more and would require me to use my windows software within a virtual windows environment, such as Parallels or VMware Fusion. And since I can't afford to upgrade my photoshop software, that is one of the programs in that virtual environment. FotoFusion is not available in a Mac version so it would have to stay virtual as well. And I have just started using ACDSee which is also not available in Mac. BUT Mozy, my online backup, is now offering a beta for a Mac version! Since I still have 9 months on my subscription for Mozy, that was good to hear. The MacBook is small, 13" size, which is awesome for portability but not so great for my aging eyes and graphics work. BUT DD is not using a nice LCD monitor since she has left her desktop at home and only took her laptop to college. She is allowing me to 'borrow' it for the time being. So the plus of small size portability and a nice 19" monitor sounds like an awesome setup to me. DS will be around this weekend and said he will install windows pscs on his Mac so that I can see if it is too slow in the VMware Fusion setting. I hope he can bring an adapter so I can try out the monitor thing too.
Now that Gateway laptop deal needs to be considered too. It would mean using Vista, which I have dreaded. But it would be half the price of the MacBook. 3gig ram, 250 gig drive and a pretty red laptop. I can't dismiss it. Yes, I know it is like comparing a chevy to a mercedes but this chevy had decent stuff. And I could buy a new chevy way sooner than getting a new mercedes. Hehehe, DH has dreamed of owning a mercedes. We even have a penny jar towards it. But we keep getting those Fords and Chevys.
DS1 and DS2 are both Mac guys, so too is DIL. DS3 is linux but recommends the Mac for me. DD is hoping to get a Mac come Aug after her summer of work. Whether 'tis nobler to join the fam or stand alone................... to be continued in a future post. (soon, I hope)
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