Within

Last week God used this verse I've been praying with for months to show me his protection around me when I choose to live in him. He holds up his arms to take the beatings aimed at me.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for the stripes you took on my behalf. To me, they have come to mean healing in invisible places. They mean my pain is deflected by your love. They mean that no matter how much I think I'm hurting, I will never bear the full force of agony intended for me. In the name of your sweet son, let that healing continue to flow into diseased bodies and diseased minds. Let your grace cover over diseased lives. Let us learn to step out from behind our bars to hide within your stripes. As always, I thank you for your continuing healing of Arlene and for the privilege to come to you with our needs. Bless Arlene and Barry today, may they be given many more year to take the stripes of your son behind the bars of man-made prisons. Be glorified in us. I remain within your stripes.
Thank you.

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Spanking Good Times!

My friend was telling a story about her childhood and it was so grand I had to repeat. If only I'd heard this principle of discipline seventeen or so years ago....
Dee's dad would spank them with a paddle. Every time a child got a spanking, a mark was recorded. At the end of the month, whomever had the most marks got a bonus whack for good measure!
Brilliant!

Yes, it's true. I spanked daboyz. Get over it.

Tagged!! Argh!

So Kathy tags me something about eight random facts about me, which should be riveting. Since basically I give you at least ten random facts every Saturday and several bonuses throughout the week. Which reminds me; why do you keep coming back here?
In case you're wondering why Kathy would bother to tag me being that I never call her; consider the picture on your left. That's K with the funky hair cut and me being infantile. Clearly, she adores me.

1. I am chronically constipated. Interestingly; we have a secretary named Michelle filling in while our secretary Marsha is on vacation. I have pooped every day since Michelle has been at work.
2. I have insomnia too. This is from spending the night with Kathy as a child; resulting in hypervigilance carrying over from being told that there are aliens landing in the back yard or being convinced to go "ask grandma for a midnight snack" resulting in worse terror than the alien invasion. I have PTSD now.
3. I have recently realized I look like the mail man as played by Fred Astaire in Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.
4. I invented Margie.
5. My mom promised me a hamster when we moved to our new house when I was in the seventh grade. My mom is a liar.
6. I really want to work in the prison system on a forensic unit.
7. There may be a hit on me as we speak. Checking my bed for a horse head on a daily basis.
8. I wouldn't mind being an assassin.
9. My head always hurts. Probably it's sad from being attached to my Fred Astaire claymation face.
10. I inadvertantly posted nine facts but refused to post the rules so all in all; I did a poor job of responding to the tag. I also am not tagging 8 people. If you read this; you're tagged.
Please be sure to include your bowel pattern in your responses.

July 29, 2007

Pslam 74:16, 17 The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.

About Summer

1. Too short.
2. Grilled hotdogs & hamburgers.
3. Feels like vacation even when you're working.
4. No snow on my car in the morning.
5. Not freezing constantly.
6. Fresh green beans, corn, tomatoes...
7. Sunny mornings.
8. Sunny evenings.
9. Smell of freshly mowed grass.
10. Up north.

Salmonella

If on Thursday, you bring your salmon LeanCuisine to eat for lunch and do not eat it. And if you put the frozen entree in the fridge at work and not in the freezer. And if on Friday you decide to eat it. And if you remove it from the fridge and notice it is no longer frozen. And if you eat it anyway.
You will have a bad stomach ache after work on Friday.
Stupid unfrozen salmon LeanCuisine.

Striped

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

How much pain do we carry around because we simply forget to live within the stripes?
Or maybe because we are so proud of our stripes that we kind of like to show them off? Battle scars anyone?

Good Grief

All of life's worries and tragedies have lately been boiled down to a single statement, "God is good." My choices and judgement are not always good. My instinct and reactions are usually not good. Sometimes, other people aren't good.
But God is good. You think about that enough, you come down to one conclusion.
It's all good.

2 Samuel 7:28 O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.

Hate Me If You Must

Sometimes there is just nothing you can do to make things right. Sometimes, you aren't even the one who made them wrong. I've been thinking about this lately. There are people who I just can't make happy and in fact some people who openly hate me. I can't fix anything. I know I hold no blame and yet it feels like I'm drying up from the inside from the heat of someone else's anger. It would almost be easier if I was the wrong-doer, at least then there would be something for me to undo.
The good thing about bad days is that they always end with me getting serious about talking to Jesus. After several in a row the Lord pushed aside the various ugly emotions that were swirling around me like a dark hurricane and got down to the truth. I don't need to accept the condemnation or attacks of any man if my heart is right with God. I can walk away with my head high and take my joy from knowing I am right with heaven.
In the case of those who want to hate us for reasons we can't control, it's just not our problem. You don't have to like me. You can even concentrate all the energy of life on wanting to destroy me. In the end; it's your spirit that dies a little more every day.
I don't negotiate with terrorists. So I'm done thinking about this.
Jesus loves me, this I know.

1 Corinthians 4:2-4 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

Nothing But the Blood

I am starting a new study that will expand on something I taught many years ago as a youth leader; the blood of Christ. I feel that God is leading me to help format a study that ultimately teaches the foundations of Christianity and I am starting with the significance of blood. When I delved into this often spoken but rarely understood aspect of salvation years ago, I was shocked at how much I myself didn't really appreciate about the significance of this concept to redemption.
So today I'm again, asking you for a few things.
Will you pray for me as I start to create this foundations of Christianity teaching series that God would be in it, give me wisdom and use this to reach those already Christians but lacking understanding as well as those not yet converted?
Secondly, I am looking for your input. Whether you have accepted the blood of Christ for your own salvation or not; what do you understand or not understand about the significance of blood to Christianity?

Romans 3:25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

July 22, 2007

Isaiah 25:9 In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

On The Bright Side

1. Got some flowers from my girl Margie; thanks sweet pea! You made my day.
2. Went out for a dinner date with the Mr. last night.
3. Lost three pounds.
4. Finally found a pair of shoes that feel good for work; New Balance.
5. Court is over! Don't ask.
6. Boss bought everybody lunch at work.
7. Excited about a new Bible study I'm starting.
8. Really felt Jesus all week.
9. Not constipated!
10. Beautiful weather for the weekend.

Hidden

Psalm 27: 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Today God, I come to you and ask you to hide me. You are my strong tower and within you, I am safe. I ask you to set your angels as guard around me. Let my enemies be confused and defeated before they even begin to come against me. Let those who would harm me lose interest in me. Let my life serve only to glorify you and allow no man to interfere with your will. If there are brothers and sisters today in battle, I ask you to hide them as well. Give us shelter oh God, in your dwelling place. Let us stand in the shadow of the Most High. Let the world see only you when they look on us so that our enemies would be driven back and the lost would be drawn to your throne. I am yours, completely. Amen.

Power

Psalm 77: 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
Has God ever failed you? Do you have anything at all you could tell us about that he did in addition to saving you (which is quite enough!)?
I was worrying about a few different things when it occurred to me that I was trying to earn the right to God taking care of me. Can't be done. It's only because I am his that I dare ask for his favor. The cool thing is that when I started thinking back over all the times I have been saved from myself and circumstances despite my unworthiness, I started praising him all over again.
Praise is power, in case you didn't know.
Today I am not going to ask for anything. I am just going to praise my God.

He Touched Me

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed

On Sunday I woke up hungry to praise. I turned on the radio to our local Christian station because I couldn't wait to get to church for worship. Being Sunday morning, the station was turned over to various churches and Sunday morning programs. None of these were representative of the modern worship music I listen to. I almost flipped it off but paused for just a moment, a memory of my heart made me take in what I was hearing. An old song from childhood. A church full of people with arms raised. Cool air around us, an organ and piano the only accompaniment. An agreement being sung together by believers. The sound of my childhood. Of days with my parents and sister; Barry and Arlene and so many others. The song I needed then is the song that defines me today. And so I stood again to worship with the familiar refrain.
Sing with me.

He touched me, O he touched me,
And O the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened, and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.

Shackled By a Heavy burden,
'Neath a load of guilt and shame,
Then the hand of Jesus touched me,
And now I am no longer the same.

He touched me, O he touched me,
And O the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened, and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.

Since I met this Blessed Savior,
Since he cleansed and made me whole,
I will never cease to Praise him;
I'll shout it while eternity rolls.

He touched me, O he touched me,
And O the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened, and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.

No Weapon

Isaiah 54: 17 ...no weapon forged against you will prevail,and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.

What tries to destroy you?
My emotions usually lead the attack. My eating takes their lead. My faith grows weak. I get tired of praying and try to just gut it out. I start fighting my own battles without deciding to.
I'm in a warfare state of mind this week. It came over me Sunday morning and I welcomed it. The righteous anger of realizing that satan has dared to try to come against me finally rose up inside of me. Fear got pushed so far into the background that it disappeared. My God is mighty to save.
I am standing, speaking and living the word of the Lord in bold letters this week. There is no need to add anything to them. I spend too much time trying to figure things out when it's already been written, in the Bible and across my soul.
NO WEAPON formed against me will prevail.
I am bullet-proof.
Hell can give whatever it's got. I am in Christ so I'll tell you what, those who want to hurt me or mine; disease that tries to settle in and define our future; doubt that tries to steal our potential...you have just been given notice.
Bring it.

Cowboy Up

2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

I'm looking at a week of war in front of me. I have some stuff that just won't go away at work to deal with. I have friends fighting a variety of battles. I am so grateful to be reminded that I am a warrior by nature, and victor by blood right.

I do hope that satan is reading my blog. Here is a message just for him...

Step off loser.

Sincerely,
The Army of the Lord

Garden Party

I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me, And He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of His voice, Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me, Within my heart is ringing

And He walks with me, And He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known

I'd stay in the garden with Him',Tho the night around me be falling
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe, His voice to me is calling

And He walks with me, And He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known
- Words and Music by Charles Austin Miles, 1913

Happy birthday to woman who has tended the garden of her family for over forty years. Thank you for the soil of Christ in which you planted my life.
I didn’t write this old hymn, I’m giving it to you for your birthday anyway.
We love you!

I Enjoy...

1. Them rotisserie chickens what you buy pre-cooked at the grocery store.
2. My new kicky haircut.
3. Moisturizing lotion with a hint of tanner.
4. The new books my friend at work let me borrow.
5. Entertainment Weekly.
6. Seinfeld reruns.
7. Open windows.
8. Digital cameras.
9. Painting my toe nails but not my finger nails.
10. "I"ll Be" by Edwin McCain

Interceding

“Discernment is God's call to intercession, never to faultfinding.” Corrie Ten Boom

Do you ever look at someone and realize immediately that there's something a little "off" there? Are you a good judge of character? Good instinct? Trust your gut?
When someone lies, do you kind of know it somewhere deep down? Can you "read" people?
Maybe you are a good judge of character, as the saying goes.
I'd say I am all of the above. I'm rarely proven wrong. That's not boasting, it just is. One of the aspect of the abilities God has given me so I can do what he made me to do. I do know this gift, if that's what it is, causes me some times of tension and even debate. The debate is, once I know someone is a little shifty, why do I still stay involved with them?
Believe it or not, Christians have a definite tendency to back away from the problem children out there. Some part of us (some of us at least) is still hooked on consequences while we're living on grace. I'm not above doing the same. It's a sincerely generated idea that with a little pain, we'll learn not to repeat our mistakes. It isn't entirely a crazy idea.
Then again, I have found the most satisfying relationships I have with people are grounded in recognizing the person with their luggage. Not increasing my suspicion or looking through their purse while they're in the bathroom. I have a current favorite saying, "It is what it is." This is entirely liberating relationally.
No one who refuses to see the hidden side of the heart can help shed light there. It is our particular challenge to shed light to dispel the darkness instead of to reveal the sinner. Such a subtle thing, yet so enormous.
Are you a good judge of character? Could you use that insight to pray for and love the shifty characters you discover? Let it be a call to intercession when we realize some heart is far from God.