Transparent

I am usually transparent. I am not fond of this trait but feel unable to change it. What you see is what you get. I try to smile "Good Mornings" to those I meet. Sometimes it is returned; sometimes it is ignored. Recently I have found myself in pain from my neck to my shoulder, not all at once. It comes and goes and moves around -- even down my arm or in my hand. One morning, a co-worker informed me I was not myself. I do not seem to be able to hide what I feel.

Though I have pain, I don't worry about it much, because I know my Creator. He made me, this world, and everything in it. If He can breathe air into a pile of dirt and make it come to life in the form of a man, and if He can take care of feeding all the sparrows, then He can certainly take care of me. And He will! It is a bit disgruntling that I have shoulder pain when I lie down, no matter how I turn. I cannot sleep in the bed until this thing goes away! I have rebuked it in Jesus' name. I know that God is in the healing business, but I also know He is not a lucky charm or a genie in a bottle that we can use by saying some magic words. He is God and He is sovereign. Sometimes things happen as a result of other things in life. Just because God does not jump to heal me when I claim it, does not mean He has quit listening. He is my All in All whether I walk in pain or without it.

If you think of it, thank the Lord for my healing. He did purchase it with some brutal stripes on His body. I know He has made provision for all of us, but I do not want to use Him for my benefit. I want Him to use me for His glory -- come what may.

Blessings to you and yours!

Random Thankful Thoughts

I am thankful for my parents, older and wiser than I.
I am thankful for my children, long awaited.
I am thankful for memories of all of the women I have heard praying in my lifetime.
I am thankful for a job in which I can impart knowledge, unconditional love, and respect into the lives of some brilliant preteens.
I am thankful for a husband who loves God, loves his parents, his sister, our children, our church, and, of course, me.
I am thankful for a Heavenly Father who planned my life with purpose.
I am thankful for a Savior who paid the price so that I could talk to my Father firsthand.
I am thankful for special friends whom God has seasoned my life with, and who grow like flowers in my garden of friendship.
I am thankful for peace that passes all understanding.
I am thankful for the ability to lay my head on my pillow and "cast all my cares on Him" because of His love for me.
I am thankful for answered prayers.
I am thankful one more soul will make it to Heaven because Somebody paid, and somebody prayed.

Lord, You are holy.
Lord, You are mighty to save.
Lord, You are worthy of praise.
Lord, You are mine, and I adore You.

Thoughts

I attended a funeral today. It was bittersweet. It is always sad to our flesh when we lose a loved one, but it is always a joy to know that one who has lived faithfully for the Lord has gone Home to be with Him. A flood of memories washed through my mind today as I sat and listened to the man's children tell of the funny things he always said to them (like "What is the square root of pi? Pi is not square. Everybody knows pies are round. Cornbread is square."). I knew this man in my childhood and through a few of my adult years. I laughed and cried as I thought of the years and the distance. Amazingly enough, despite years and differences, our families have a connecting thread, a bond that cannot be severed.

I had a neat memory. Once my parents were out of town (and my sister was away at school), and I stayed with this family. They had kids younger than I and one older. I always had fun with their kids. In the night I was awake and wished I were home. I was not afraid - but not at home. I got up and walked down the hall. There was a dim light in the living room, and I wanted to go in there. I don't know why. When I got to the doorway, I saw the lady of the house on her knees and heard her praying. Yes, she was a prayer warrior. I did not want to disturb her, but I wanted very much to go in there and just sit -- bask in the Lord's presence. I felt at home there. My mother prayed; my daddy prayed; my grandmother prayed; that eased my homesickness. I was afraid I would disturb her, so I walked back to bed and went to sleep. I thank God everytime I remember her praying.

I wrote a little song quite a few years ago that says,

There is no place like the presence of the Lord.
There is no place like the presence of the Lord.
Such blessings He affords
When we meet in one accord.
There is no place like the presence of the Lord.

It is only fitting that I feel at home in the presence of the Lord. I have a godly mother who was living so close to the Lord when she was pregnant with me, that I believe I was born in the presence of the Lord. And I am convinced I will die in the presence of the Lord. When I am absent from my body and present with Him, I will evermore be at Home in His presence.

I thank God for this heritage.

"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 2 Cor. 4:7

Praise

Our Sunday School teacher said something Sunday morning about praise in Bible days. It was not so much a choice as a command. That struck a chord with me and I thought about the many psalms that begin with "O give thanks" and "I will praise Thee." I have scanned through and made a list of the first phrases of chapters in Psalms that begin with praise. Remember Psalm 22:3 says "the Lord inhabits the praise of Israel" (many of us include ourselves by adoption:o)).

Ch. 9, I will praise Thee...
Ch. 30 I will extol Thee...
Ch. 33 Rejoice...
Ch. 34 I will bless the Lord...
Ch. 46 God is our refuge...
Ch. 47 O clap you rhands...
Ch. 48 Great is the Lord...
Ch. 66 Make a joyful noise untol the Lord...
Ch. 68 Let God arise...
Ch. 81 Sing aloud unto God...
Ch. 89 I will sing of the mercies
Ch. 92 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...
Ch. 93 The Lord reigneth...
Ch. 95 O come let us sing unto the Lord...
Ch. 96 O sing unto the Lord...
Ch. 97 The Lord reigneth...
Ch. 98 O sing unto the Lord...
Ch. 99 The Lord reigneth...
Ch. 100 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord...
Ch. 101 I will sing of mercy...
Ch. 103 Bless the Lord O my soul...
Ch. 104 Bless the Lord O my soul...
Ch. 105 O give thanks...
Ch. 106 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 107 O give thanks...
Ch. 108 O God my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise...
Ch. 111 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 112 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 113 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 116 I love the Lord...
Ch. 117 O praise the Lord...
Ch. 118 O give thanks...
Ch. 134 Behold bless ye the Lord...
Ch. 135 Praise ye the Lord
Ch. 136 O give thanks...
Ch. 138 I will praise Thee...
Ch. 144 Blessed be the Lord my strength...
Ch. 145 I extil Thee...
Ch. 146 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 147 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 148 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 149 Praise ye the Lord...
Ch. 150 Praise ye the Lord...

enough said.

Woman Came From Where?

Since it is summer, and I am at home with my kids, I took the opportunity to do the Days of Creation with my children. They made cute books and drew a picture for each day. I had my oldest child read the Bible for Days 4-7 and be the teacher. Studies show that when you teach something, you retain ninety percent. So CoCo (a nickname she chose) taught days 4-7 and did a great job (tho' she left out woman). After we reviewed, she asked, "When did God create woman? Didn't he take her from a kidney stone?" I have laughed ever since. For all you men out there, I know we women can be a pain at times, but I surely hope we are never as painful as a kidney stone! lol

Have a blessed day!

Storm the Gates

Does anyone know where the phrase "storm the gates of hell" comes from? I do not have time to locate my Strong's Concordance. I am in the midst of an action research plan for my master's degree program (BrainSMART). It has to be submitted today, so I cannot quit.

BUT we had an awesome service at church today, and a precious prayer warrior stood up and said she had made up her mind that she was going to give the devil so much trouble he was going to start saying, "uh-oh, she's awake!" I love that! I know I heard a minister a few years ago say that the Bible says to "storm the gates of hell." I have done a quick search online, even in Strong's online concordance. I have not been able to easily find a scripture that says that. Apparently, there is a book with that for a title. That is all my searches came up with.

When I have time, I can look for it myself. I just thought someone might know off the top of their head where it is. If so, leave a comment. Thanks!

I hope your day is a blessed one! Mine sure is.

The Last Word

IN Luke 24:10 & 11, when "Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women that were with them" returned from the empty tomb, they told the apostles all about what they had seen: the angel (and what he said) and the empty tomb. Don't you know they probably ran the whole way and were all out of breath when they delivered the first resurrection message! You know how it is when you are really excited about something that you just have to tell? And you know how it is when you have run so hard you can't talk? That is the way I imagine it.
"And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not" (vs 11). WOW! Talk about bursting a balloon! The Greek word for these "idle tales" is leros, which means silly nonsense. I use a Dake Bible, and Dake says that this word leros is only used here and "is a medical term for delirium."
This reminds me a little of Sarah's laughter when she heard the Lord say that she would have a child (Gen. 18). The Lord asked Abraham why Sarah laughed. He said to Abraham, "Is anything too hard for the Lord" (vs. 14)?
I must declare to all who hear me (or read me): Nothing is too hard for my God. He holds time in His hands. He created the air I breathe, the sun, the Earth, and everything on it. If He promised you something, He will deliver.
Financial difficulty does not have the last word.
Divorce does not have the last word.
Infertility does not have the last word.
Sorrow does not have the last word.
Depression does not have the last word.
Pain does not have the last word.
Cancer does not have the last word.
Death does not have the last word.
Only God will have the last word. So look your problem in the face and tell it so. Somebody in your hearing might think you are delirious. It won't be the first time. But did the apostles' doubts hold Jesus in the tomb? NO! Why? Because God has the last word. When God says it is, then it is. No doubt about it.
God said Sarah would have a child, and she did.
God said Jesus would be resurrected, and He was.
God said He would send me children, and He did!
I could go on, but there is no need. The rest is up to you. I don't know what God has said to you. I only know that whatever it is, He will bring it to pass! Because He, and only He, has the last word.