Peace

I have said it before, but it always bears repeating. What I value most, besides salvation itself, is the peace of mind that only Jesus can bring. Someone recently said to me that she feels peace when she is around me. My mind goes back to a homestudy we went through years ago when we started pursuing adoption. Our caseworker walked into our home (in the midst of our nervousness) and said, "The presence of the Lord dwells here." All my nervousness melted away.

O Lord, my Source of peace, always dwell in me. Always allow others to feel Your peace in my presence. Your presence, whether in me or in others, is the only source of peace there is. Thank You for the special person you have sent my way to prod me to "let go, and let God." It makes me want to dig a little deeper into what You have for me. Help me always to shine like a beacon in darkness, and help me to always share Your peace. Amen.

All Creation Declares

All creation really declares the handiwork of God. Nicole C. Mullen wrote a song (at least she recorded it, and as far as I know, she wrote it) that says:

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?
And who told the ocean you can only come this far?
And who showed the moon where to hide till evening?
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?
...
All of creation testifies
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives

In the last week, I noticed that sometimes when you look at the ocean, it appears to go uphill. It reminded me of this song, and I could just imagine God drawing a line in the sand for the ocean not to cross. From what I understand, God designed the tide to be controlled by the magnetism of the moon, but He is God. He decided how far the ocean can go. That brings me comfort when the winds of life blow. The tide may come in, but it will not consume me. I am in the hollow of HIS hand, and HE tells the ocean where to stop.

Sweet Surrender

I have gotten hooked on a song I heard on Youtube called "I am Broken." The line that gets me is the last: "All I ever was, all I am and hope to be is broken at Your feet." I retrieved the words from another site that names Jim E. Davis as the writer of the song. A comment on the Youtube post names Sandy Blythe as the writer. Regardelss of who wrote it, it is very anointed and ministers to me everytime I hear it.

I never really thought about it this way before, but when we surrender to God and kneel at His feet, we give Him our past, our right now, and our future. The woman who broke the bottle of perfume over Jesus' feet gave Him her past, was giving him her present (right now), and was giving Him the precious ointment she had been saving for years, for her future. In much the same way, we surrender our past, present and future.

When Jesus went to Calvary and was crucified, He took my sin on Him. He covered the past, the right then, and the future. Only God in His love unconditional could create a plan so efficient. I am thankful for sweet surrender, not for my actions, but for His. I am in awe of all the God does for us when we surrender to Him.

Morning

I have never been a morning person! I am very lively at night, but I do not even want to whisper in the morning. I have always preferred quietness until about 9 or 10. God must surely have a sense of humor. He created me to teach. He placed me in a school over 40 miles from home. He has given me very lively, noisy children who are bright and perky, and even loud in the mornings. Even in the noise, I have a new appreciation for mornings.

A favorite old song says that God's mercies are new every morning. I have gained a passion for beautiful sunrises. They often remind me that it is time for God's mercies to be fresh again, fresh like the morning dew.

Be blessed!

Thinking Vertically

In the last three years I have heard a term at school called "vertically aligned." In the education world, that means people at various grade levels get together and organize better so that students do not reread the same books in different grades and so that our education transitions can be smoother (elementary to middle school and middle to high school).

It hit me last night that God wants us to be vertically aligned. You know on the Day of Pentecost, followers of Jesus were gathered in the upper room, and the Bible says they were all in "one accord" (Acts 2). They received what God wanted to give them because they were vertically aligned. They were centered on Him as they prayed and waited.

God has not changed. He has blessings for us: salvation, Holy Ghost baptism, His divine presence, joy unspeakable, unconditional love, peace that passes understanding... and so much more. He is waiting for us to turn our attention to Him so He can pour it on. Lord, here I am. You are God of all; my mind is on You. Pour it on! As a wonderful old song says, "I want to be so full of You that there won't be room for anything else." AMEN!

Christmas Gift!

It's Christmas! WOW! And in the blink of an eye, it will be gone. Christmas is a time to celebrate, to share, and to reflect.
I celebrate love from a holy Creator to an undeserving mankind.
I celebrate family and time set aside to be with them.
I share my worship from my heart for the One Who came down and took a robe of flesh so that I may have life abundantly.
I share my time, my blessings, my food, and my talents with those close to me.

My family has always played a game called "Christmas Eve Gift." It is a race to see who can say it first. The goal is to say it first to as many people as you can. Every other person willing to play it with you is your opponent. My mother's best friend and her daughter once came to our house at midnight, so they could "get" Mother at the first possible, and unexpected, moment.

That daughter now lives out of the country and has been known to call at midnight just to say "Christmas Eve Gift!"

I must admit I got a little bored with the game in my teen years, and let it slide. Now that I have kids, it is back, and with a vengeance. My eldest is competitive and loves the game. The fun is back. Somewhere along the way, I carried it over to Christmas Day. Christmas Eve has passed. All that is left now to say is

CHRISTMAS GIFT! Have a Merry Christmas!

Bits and Pieces

That is what I feel like these days: bits and pieces. My church family lost a precious member to cancer a week ago. She was a mother, sister, daughter, friend, minister of music, Sunday School teacher, Wednesday night teacher. She was the kind of teacher who was always prepared. She was the kind of friend who showed up to help you whether you had windows to clean, hair to perm, or a disaster to fix. If you were moving, she came and cleaned behind the furniture that had not been moved in five years. When you tried to shoo her away from your dirt, she shooed back and said, "Nah, I got it." She was my sister's best friend, and we are sooooo gonna miss her.

She, however, has choirs of angels all around and light straight from the Son. Streets of the purest gold are under her feet. The day of her funeral, at the graveside, there was a magnificent wisp of clouds that waved up like they were painted with giant fingers into angel's wings. Just after the dove release ceremony, we looked straight overhead, and one of those wisps was rainbow colored. I have never seen anything like it.

I have 3 projects going at the same time as I try to finish up my master's degree. Overwhelmed does not touch it. I am also an optimist and know that I will get through it. I can do ALL things through Him Who gives me strength!!!

All for now. Blessings!