Be either cold or hot...

"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.

"Here's what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that's been through the refiner's fire. Then you'll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You've gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.

"The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!

"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!

"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches."
-Rev 3:15-22 (Msg)

As I reflect on 2009 today, I am reminded of my(our) reason for being (to glorify God & be a vessel in which others may see Him in me) and how can I do this more & more effectively in 2010...

Lord today my prayer is to continue to use me for "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:10

Also I continue to live my life verse: Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

I thank you for the way you were so real in my life in 2009---it was a hard year on many levels and as it ends, I am so uncertain. Yet, Lord I cling to you because you have never left or failed me before! Hold me/carry me Lord for I cannot do it alone, You are the strength in me and I ask that You continue the work You have begun in me!
Thank you~me

Believing God...

1. God is who He says He is
2. God can do what He says He can do
3. I am who God says I am
4. I can do all things through Christ
5. God's Word is alive & active in me

**I AM believing God!

e-collar

Today as I was doing my Believing God study, Beth Moore told about walking her dogs and asking God if this was like Him walking her-because she questioned if she kept trying to slip out of the leash unnoticed. Wow..I thought oh my do I do this? As I looked over at Watson--our acquired homeless dog, who mind you is the stubbornest thing dog I know--I saw myself and what God has to do sometimes to get my attention.
See Watson got his ear cut the other night & it would not stop bleeding. Really..our garage looked like a murder scene more than once because we thought we had the bleeding stopped. We held him tight, applying pressure but oh no--this made him even more determined. So, once the bleeding would stop and we would allow him to walk, hoping he would lay down and rest---He would sling his head & the blood would fly. Not only did he do this, he tried to fix it himself by rubbing his head on anything he could--not knowing this was making it much worse. So after a trip to an emergency vet, Watson was not stitched up-but bandaged up with an e-collar. Again, not a happy dog but the bleeding had stopped-or so we thought. See we did the first thing that came to mind and that was to fix it immediately. So today we take him to our regular vet and they remove the bandage and sling...blood flies everywhere once again. They were shocked he didn't get stitches and said since it was on a blood vessel, that stitches were required. So Watson is once again home, stitched up and wearing the e-collar again.
In relation to God, I thought Wow! how my walk is so often like this...I mean often I am hurt or need answers & turn to the first thing I THINK will help or offer answers...oh how wrong I often am and know it. Just like Watson, we need to wait on the One who knows us, created us for help & direction. If we don't, because God does love us, He often has to correct us, or allow us to suffer through our choices--sometimes even requiring us to wear e-collar of life--meaning we are forced to focus on something else to get us to the point of allowing God to help us...
anyway ....ponderings of my mind today I felt I should share...

God was there...

I have put off writing about this for to long now...i suppose something inside me feels writing about it makes it real or something like that. Either way, I have known I needed to write this but ran & well here I am...finally writing with the hopes someone will see, as we saw, how real God is!

The night of July 7th, as Ben & I prepared for bed, I had the odd feeling that I needed to make sure I could hear my cell during the night. As it would turn out, Debbie (my step-mother) called about 1:30am to tell me my Dad had had a stroke and they were preparing to air-flight him to Louisville, that things did not look good. So, out the door we went to meet my brother, Shane.

My Mom brought Shane to meet me and he told her he was not listening to 106.9 the whole way. Mom smiled, thinking to herself that he would as long as the station held out because this is the radio station I listen to.

Side note: During a recent life group, someone had expressed feelings about a close person developing alzheimers and the loss that comes with that...I felt prompted to buy her a book. I searched the net for a book and ran across "A Grace Disguised-How The Soul Grows Through Loss" so I ordered it. Well I kept hearing from God that this book was for me...but it made no sense because I wasn't dealing with loss. When the book came...I froze because on the cover was a blue herron (one of my God signs) so I gave in to God and began reading the book-still not understanding why He wanted ME to read this book.

Around 2:30 Ben, Shane & I have set out for KY (yes 106.9 was on the radio) and Louis Grant was on speaking about of all things, loss (wham the book came crashing back to me as why God wanted ME to read it)...and then he read this poem:
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
by David M. Romano
When tomorrow starts without me,
and I'm not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry,
the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things,
we didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me,
as much as I love you,
and each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me,
please try to understand,
that an Angel came and called my name,
and took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready,
in heaven far above,
and that I'd have to leave behind,
all those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away,
a tear fell from my eye,
for all life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for,
so much yet to do,
it seemed almost impossible,
that I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays,
the good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
and all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday,
just even for awhile,
I'd say goodbye and kiss you
and maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized,
that this could never be,
for emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
my heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
from His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity,
and all I've promised you".
Today for life on earth is past,
but here it starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow,
but today will always last,
and since each day's the same day,
there's no longing for the past.
But you have been so faithful,
so trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things,
you knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven
and now at last you're free.
So won't you take my hand
and share my life with me?
So when tomorrow starts without me,
don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart.

Well.....talk about an awkward silence. Neither of us said anything for quite a while. We both acted as if we didn't hear it. However, I knew in my heart it was a gift from God about Daddy. We made it in time to see Daddy before the stroke really started to take him out. We were faced with some hard decisions but thankfully Daddy had already made them very clear for us. In the end, for what seemed like forever, but was only two days, we were able to spend two full days with Daddy. He knew us at first--he was so happy when I called him and told him Paul had proposed. He had been waiting on this and the subject of love, life and marriage was what our last in depth conversation was about-oh also death. He knew his time was short. So when he saw us at the hospital, he just smiled and reached out for my hand and kept playing with my ring-all the while a tear formed in his eye. He grabbed onto Shane as well. For Ben, he rubbed his head and his face, as if to always remember...

On Thursday, Ben & I went to find somewhere to eat. My mind was not functioning so we circled Louisville several times, and kept seeing this billboard with Jesus on it & a scripture in Spanish. Finally we found a McDonalds and sat in the upstairs part to eat. Well, right in my eye line was the billboard again. I knew enough Spanish to know the reference was Matthew 11:28 but didn't remember the scripture so I looked it up on my Bible app on the phone. It took my breath away:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." I knew God was calling Daddy home. I felt such a peace!
See, Back in November (you can read that post on the blog as well) Daddy & I had very serious conversations about everything because as I said, he knew his time was approaching. He showed me everything he had that meant something to him and talked to me about marriage & Paul and Ben and raising a son to be a man. This was a gift as well because Daddy & I were not always on the best of terms since we were so much alike(stubborn & hard-headed), we often clashed. I left that November with such a peace and thankfulness for the time we spent together. Time is something we so often take for granted and can't control --- so I thank God for this gift.

Back to Louisville---as the day(Thursday) wore on with Dad, he began to slip away and we knew his time was short. Debbie stayed with Daddy as Ben, Shane & I tried to get some sleep--we had all said our goodbye's when we left. Around one, Debbie called and said it would not be long so we went back to the hospital. As we all sat there, we hoped Paul, Shane's girlfriend Erin and Mom would get there before he passed-they were set to arrive at 9am. Somewhere around 7:30am we were all awake and waiting silently-praying! And I took my phone out to read my daiy Bible verses...guess what one was:....

Matthew 11:28-30--- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I immediately shared this with Debbie, Shane & Ben...they were amazed at God's comforting to us! Within a few minutes, I asked Debbie what version of Amazing Grace she liked and she began to softly sing the My Chains Are Gone version....as she did, Ben & Shane got my attention because Daddy's eyes flew open and looked upward.....and it was obvious he was leaving us...I quickly began to play the song on my phone and Daddy entered the arms of Christ as we wept and held him while listening to 'Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone'. It was the saddest, happiest, most peaceful moment for us to share. Words truly can't express what I felt.

The rest of our family did arrive at 9 and Paul was able to shake my Dads hand and tell him that he would take care of his little girl!

Now the greatest part of this story is what I saw happen in my brother. See he witnessed some bad things happen in church and has since stayed away....well at the memorial services, Shane decided he would stand with me as I spoke about how we saw God through it all...then he actually spoke and his words were "If you saw what we saw you wouldn't doubt God!"
Amen!
God is very real, and I can't make you believe me, nor do I want to, I want you to experience Him for yourself...whether you believe or doubt God today....ask Him to show Himself to you and then quieten your mind so you can hear, because God is real!

daddy...

Make a Smilebox greeting

Amazing Grace...Dad's Chains Are Gone

Jimmy D. Owens

(1948-2009)

28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me.I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.And Grace, my fears relieved.How precious did that Grace appearThe hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snaresI have already come;'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus farand Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.His word my hope secures.He will my shield and portion be,As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,And mortal life shall cease,I shall possess within the veil,A life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand yearsBright shining as the sun.We've no less days to sing God's praiseThan when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me.I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.

Dad---I love you & will always be your little girl. You taught me to be the strong person I am today, who will not waver on right/wrong, but will always do what is right! May you enjoying the unveiling of all the mysteries of God we "discussed" and you be ready to inform me when I get there.

Your daughter-Shannon

"Be Still And Know That I Am God, And That I Will Be Exalted Among All The Nations" -Psalm 46:10 (Shannon's rendition)
This morning as I sit quietly before the Lord, I am brought to tears at how it's so often in the quiet moments we hear the loudest. I am so thankful today at answered prayers. My Dad is very sick with polycythemia and his heart has been having mini heart attacks for awhile now along with mini strokes....so on the way here, Ben and I prayed that Dad would have some good days with his heart and feel good and up for having us (2 active people-ha! one being an 8 yr old boy) around. Well God worked on all of us...Ben was much calmer than normal and as my Dad spoke to my brother on the phone last night his words were, "Yeah, my heart hasn't acted up the last few days, I don't know why but I've had some good days!" PRAISE THE LORD! I just smiled to myself because Ben and I knew that the Lord was providing us--what may very well be our last visit with my Dad--a fun and pleasant visit just reminicising and time for he and Ben to really get to know one another. I sit here as they all sleep just humbled by our Lord and softly crying as I see it's these little things that are so often taken for granted that we need to grasp and comprehend that the Lord is good, his love & grace abound and sometimes its in ways we like and need and other times His answers are harder to understand but still they are in our best interest.
Lord today I pray for Dad's heart and that if it be your will, healing to come to his body....he says he knows you and is ready to go....Lord give him peace in all ways...whether it be here on earth or in your arms.-amen

Flipparoo

Phillipians 2:5-11
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
hat at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Pondering on these verses Sunday, God brought this to mind:
Jesus made himself nothing---meaning he took on human likeness and had a servants nature. His appearance was of man....and he humbled himself....obedient to the point of death--even a terrible, humiliating naked, public death.

Now if Jesus, who is/was seated at the right hand of God left heaven and all it's glory to take on human form (which we are already born into) and became a servant....I mean think about it...we don't have to choose to be human, don't have to choose to leave heaven to be human....we are born human...no choice there! Right!?!?! So it would seem the hard part has been done for us...we simply are human...born into this world...so we just have to be who we already are. But we must choose the second part....to take the very nature of a servant! Oh wait...choice here! But see we aren't in glorious heaven...so what do we have to loose by serving others?
Could it be that Jesus gave up time in heaven to serve to show us that we need to flip it around and give up some time by serving others so that we will enjoy heaven even more by knowing we did here on earth what we were meant to do?

Today

"Today is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it...
as i sit here thinking/praying/pondering God's amazing work i am drawn back to the idea that we, you and i are his handiwork! in us, He finds glory....and i wonder am i living up to be glory worthy? are you?

still no word from Ukraine..."be still & know I am God, and I will be exalted among all the nations" psalm 46-10 (shannon paraphrase)

Urgent Prayer Needed

Hi All,

The Red Cross donated an Apheresis Machine (blood cell separator)and it has arrived in Ukraine to go to a hospital that has needed one to treat children with various cancers. With Little Lambs Ministry, I was able to ship it to Ukraine and got word today that the container (which also has food & goods for many orphanges) arrived--Praise the Lord! However, once it arrived in Odessa, customs agents opened it and found new backpacks so they are making it very hard,so for the next 24 hrs please PRAY without ceasing and fervently that God will work a way for all the items to be released to go to the many orphans and the hospital will get the machine!
Thank you in advance!

Commission to Faith

Lord, today I accept my calling.
Not to perfection or performance.
My calling is to faith.
I have been chosen for this generation.
I have a place in the heritage of faith.
I'm going to stop wishing and whining.
I'm going to start believing and receiving.
What Your Word says is mine.
I won't let others steal my hope.
I will not argue with the Pharisee.
I will believe, and therefore speak
For You, my God, are huge.
Nothing is too hard for You.
Our world needs Your wonders, Lord.
Rise up from Your throne, O God.
Renew Your works in our day.
I confess the unbelief of my generation.
And I ask You to begin Your revival of faith.
In my own heart.
For You are who You say You are.
You can do what You say You can do.
I am who You say I am.
I can do all things through Christ.
Your Word is alive and active in me.
Enemy hear me clearly.
My Father is the Maker of heaven and earth.
And you are under my feet.
Because for today and the rest of my days.
I'm believing God!

--me too! Shannon

On Time God....Yes He Is!

God IS SO ON TIME!

I started the Beth Moore Breaking Free study 5 yrs ago a Prayer Breakfast i led at a local coffee shop....life happened and the group fell apart (time when I was going through my divorce & very low low state for me) then we did 1/2 the study at church with intentions to pick it back up---never did...then this year a friend invited me to it again. With great hesitation I agreed to go...so today we finished and her words about our God were for me....today right now....how when/if we break our covenant with God to tie a knot and move forward. He loves and forgives us and to re-wallpaper our lives with His truth not lies from satan....wheeeeeeeewwwwwwww I needed this NOW in 2009 not 5 yrs ago. I am continually amazed at Him!

soooo as i am literally sticking my tongue out at satan....I CAN WILL AM going to continue to share the great news of a relationship with Christ and can do so even more from the heart since going through a divorce and experiencing doubting God, and now knowing He loves me....no matter what and nothing can snatch me from His hands!

6th Annual Benefit Golf Tournament

www.kneelingbridge.org

Please join us as we raise funds to send medical equipment & supplies to Ukraine! Putting God's love into action!

God's Angel to Prepare the Way

Exodus 23:20 "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. 24 Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. 25 Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26 and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.
27 "I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. 28 I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. 29 But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

God is opening my eyes to things... how He goes before us to prepare things and how He works "little by little" to prepare things and make it just the right time for us to work for His glory....I am just wowed this morning...because looking back I can see His preparing me through the past -both failures & successes-for exactly where I am today.
Lord help me wait on You, all the while knowing You are working and things will be right!

When God seems distant...

" Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. " -Exodus 14:19-20

This is written as God has been directing Moses over & over again to go to Pharoah to plead with him to allow them to go & worship God....plague after plague, Pharoah doesn't allow it...but finally after the first born males are killed, he sends Moses & Aaron on their way with their people. Then God, who was guiding them as a cloud by day & fire by night, moves from in front of them--where they can see Him to behind them....where He is really needed since Pharoah's men are approaching them.

As I read this today I realized this is so common....we tend to want everything right in front of us--CLEAR--so it's easy to have faith...but God always is working in our best interest and although we may not see clearly what He is doing, He is there...time after time He is always there, right where we need Him to be.

Lord....please help my unbelief and forgive me for ever doubting You!

Miracles....each moment is one

wow....listening to the news this morning and hearing the stories of the survivors as they truly thought it was the end....one man wrote a note to his mom & sister quickly and stuck it in his pocket so it would be found.....this brings me to tears thinking what if it was my last few minutes....what would i say to my loved ones, to those i know but have never said much to, to my enemies......one man said it best "we were given another chance at life!"How many mornings are we given another chance at life? yet, we in our daily grinds dread the mornings, the day, etc etc. Let's remember today is a day we are given...not owed or due, but given and be thankful.....Lamentations 3:22-24 (New International Version)22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

Breath of Life

My hope is to read the Bible through this year (as well as continue the various studies) so please pray that I accomplish this. Today I was humbled at the realization that God breathed into man....He breathed His breath into us.....WOW.....Isn't it amazing that He never took that breath back, so to speak but that over thousands of years, His breath is still in us, in me. Lord how I pray and ask for Your help in becoming daily the person You would have me to be! I also pray for you in this new year that God use you & myself in mighty ways that only He could do!