Separation of Church and State

"The First Amendment said only this: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." His eyes moved down the page. The idea of separation of church and state came from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to a group of Baptists, assuring them that no act of government would infringe on their right to believe. Why? According to Jefferson's letter, because that clause in the Constitution provided a wall separating church and state. A wall that separated the church from the state, not the state from the church. The state was the power that threatened the church, not the other way around as was so often interpreted today." -Karen Kingsbury "Forever Faithful, Book 3"
In this time in our country's history so many people believe that the church is a threat to the state, but they seem to forget that God created the government and the rules that they made for the land. How do you run a government without the God that created it?
I guess the thing that amazes me the most is that in a world where they are trying to make people smarter, they expect us to ignore the English language. It says that the government can't make a law about religion or practicing it. Where's the clause that says unless that in the government is the exception? I really wish people would realize that it isn't God that is the problem with the country or us closed minded Christians, but the fact that we no longer think we need God. We think we can do everything on our own, but yet the Bible is filled with stories about what happens when we try to do things on our own. Can we say Sodom and Gomorrah? I pray God has mercy on those that really are trying to shine His light on this dark world and will have mercy on us. I also pray God will have mercy on those who reject Him and that He will turn their hearts to Him. Mostly I just pray that this country will realize before it is too late, that God isn't the problem but that we are.

Appearance of evil?

Have you ever looked at what 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says? Have you ever actually studied what that means? Yeah we know that we shouldn't look like we are doing the wrong thing, but how far should this go? And what about us as Christians? What should we point out when we see other people doing stuff?

I know that my parents were always telling me to be careful who I hang around with and who I was associated with. That made sense. But what about when I invited people home or was over at their house? How far does appearance of evil go?

First I think it is important to define what evil is. We now view that word as such a bad word reserved for only the worse offenses but what did God mean by evil when he put it in the Bible. James 2:10 talks about how if you keep the whole law but mess up on one point you are guilty of all. So if you lied, you were also as guilty as one who murders. That definitely puts evil in a whole new light doesn't it?

Jesus says in Matthew 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. God doesn't put a line on what is kinda bad, bad, really bad, semi-evil, evil, and really evil. That would be us humans trying to make our sin not look as bad as the next person's. So I go back to my original question...What does appearance of evil mean?

Out of my experience I can tell you that you have to be careful what you do. People will view you according to your actions. So if I was hanging with people who drank, I was considered a drinker. If I hung out with people who smoked or did drugs, I was someone who did that too. If someone hangs out with the goodie-goodies or the smart kids then they are associated with them even if they aren't one.

So what about between guys and girls? Let's take a trip back to high school for a minute. Trust me I don't want to go back either, but hey there is a reason. Think about the kids in your school who were dating. Which ones were labeled the good kids, the bad kids, the sluts, the "man-whores" (for lack of a better term)? Why were they labeled this way? Because they had the appearance of those names. A girl was labeled a slut if she had a different boyfriend on a regular basis, was found kissing her boyfriends in the hall, went to parties and was seen going upstairs, dressed provocatively, or was dating a guy known to take advantage of his girlfriends. If you were a guy in my high school, you more than likely bragged about how many girls you had sex with to your buddies. That was a sign of social status.

Things aren't so different today. Kids are dressing skimpier, they are bombarded by more sexual influences and they have lower moral standards overall. So how does a person who is a Christian abstain from the appearance of evil in today's society. I think we have to head back to the old fashioned values of what a man and a woman should do.

Proverbs 31:30 puts it clearly for a woman. "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." It says in verse 31 that "her own works praise her in the gate." This means that all her actions are known by everyone and they are worthy of praise on their own merit. She wasn't trying to fit in. She followed God and was known for it.

I Corinthians 8:3 says "But if any man love God, the same is known of him." Just like the woman, a man is to put God first and not look to impress his friends. This means following God's laws and wanting to stay pure in all aspects of his life so that he can be well known for being a Godly man.

1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. I love this verse because it states clearly where we need to be from day one. As children, teenagers, on so forth. I wish I could say that no one could despise my youth, but let me honest, I despise my youth because I lived my life and not God's life through me. I did things that will haunt me the rest of my life. The biggest regret I have is not abstaining from the appearance of evil because had I of abstained (not hung out with the kids that slept around, not dated guys who were known for sleeping around, not putting myself in positions where sex was so easily accessible, or giving the guy signals so that he would be impressed with me) from the appearance of sin, I would not have ended up in the positions I was in and I would have been more content with my life because I wouldn't have skeletons in my closet.

As a Christian now and knowing what God's Word say, I have no problem letting it be known when I am not happy with something going on. Not because I am not happy about it, but because God's Word says it is wrong.

Parents, letting your daughter/son go into parts of the house where they can not be monitored is setting them up for failure. You think they won't do something, but they will. Letting your child go to friend's houses that you don't know their parents or where you know they don't believe in the same things you do, your setting your child up for failure. Letting your child watch shows that don't hold up to God's standards or watching them yourselves, appearance of evil. The big question is "What kind of an example are you to your child?"

Teenager/Young person, do you go to the parties where you know God wouldn't approve. What about how you behave with your boyfriend/girlfriend? Do you find yourself in positions where you are alone together for long periods of time? What about the things you watch? Are they violent, sexual, have a ton of language? What kind of influence are you to your friends? Your siblings?

It boils down to the actions you do are what you are about. If you follow God's laws in private, you will follow them in public. If you do your own thing in private, you will do the same in public and visa versa. What is in the heart will come out. Evil is plain and simple sin of any kind. Sin is plain and simple anything that God doesn't approve of whether it is in your heart, mind, or out in the open for everyone to see.

So parent the next time you let your child's "significant other" sleep at your house or allow them to be back in their room by themselves know that you are contributing to the appearance of evil by allowing them to appear to be having sex or in a sexual position. You are telling your child that you are okay with them having sex. The next time you are watching that movie that has nude scenes or is extremely violent know that you are appearing to sin. If you are talking to that coworker of the opposite sex about things you should be talking to your spouse about, you are appearing to sin.

Teenager/Young person the next time you are cuddled up with your "significant other" in the bedroom, couch, movie theater, etc you are appearing to sin. When you are at the parties with drinking, smoking, drugs, sex, etc. you are appearing to sin. When you watch that movie with nudity, violence, language, etc you are appearing to sin.

And when you appear to sin, you are only a step away from actually sinning. The appearance of evil is the step before actually doing it if you don't do something to stop the appearance.

Superstitions aren't Christian

So with the the start of the New Year many people believe you can't clean or cook on New Years Day or that's what you will be doing the rest of the year. Or that if you eat black-eyed peas and greens you will have money and health for the New Year. But do these really happen and are we to even believe in superstitions?

How many people do you know that carry around a rabbits foot or get nervous when a black cat runs across their path? What about walking under ladders or breaking mirrors? What about unlucky 13 or the dreaded 666? Do any of these have power in our lives as Christians or are we focusing on the wrong thing?

Believe it or not superstitions are a tool of the devil. He tries to get us to allow other things in our lives to have power over us. We think they are all in fun, but what happens when we start truly believing these things? I am just as guilty as the next person to say good luck or to be a little nervous when a mirror breaks, but I have to remember where my strength and good fortune come from. It isn't from anything I do, but what Christ does for me and in my life.

Did you know that superstitions are a form of idolatry? Did I get your attention? It is. Idolatry is simply allowing anything other than the one true God to have control over you. And needless to say the Bible speaks extensively against idolatry. The Bible also speaks against giving an ear to people who speak of these superstitions. They are instruments of the devil to get your focus on something other than God.

I know your sitting there saying "I am not being used by the devil!" Have you stopped to think about the people you have influenced with that rabbits foot or because you wouldn't let them walk under a ladder. It's the same as if you shared a drink with them and they became alcoholics. It all ties together as becoming a stumbling block for someone else. Deuteronomy 13:1-4 talks about not following people who tell you one thing even if it comes true if it isn't of the word of God. We are to worship God with our whole hearts and minds and follow His law and teaching.

So should we really give 666 as much power as people do? Should we buy something else if the register rings up that number? The answer is simply no! That number has no power over us unless we give it power over us. We as Christians have no need of fearing that number or anything other number. If something good happens it isn't because of luck it is because of God's graciousness. If something bad happens it isn't because of bad luck or because we walked under a ladder or broke a mirror or because a cat walked across our path. It is simply because bad things happen because there is sin in this world or God is testing our faith to show us where our hearts really are.

Now let's be honest some things are just common sense. You don't walk under ladders because you never know when something might fall off the ladder and you don't break a mirror simply because you shouldn't break anything made of glass considering we all know what it is like to try to clean up broken glass!

The reason superstitions exist is simply because Satan wants our focus on something other than the one true living God. He wants us to give power to other things so that when good things happen we think of what good luck we have and not the great things God has done for us in this life. And when bad happens its because God wants to mend the broken pieces of our lives and not because we broke a mirror or walked under a ladder or heaven forbid a black cat should walk across our path.

So collards don't give you more money, nor black-eyed peas give more health. Ladders can't cause bad things to happen nor broken mirrors or black cats. 666 and 13 are completely harmless because these are powerless. They are inanimate objects. It can't have power over you or anything else!

An Adventure to Remember

Today was a vey exciting day. My best friend asked me to come along to get a bed for her stepdaughter. It was in Jasper, Fl so I said why not. We get in her van and get the kids loaded and off we go. We put the ladies address into the TomTom so that we could find our way. Along the way the kids are playing and talking giving us some adult conversation time. We get to the exit that TomTom claims is the correct exit and continue to follow its wise directions. We turn down this dirt road and us being from a small town in GA didn't think much of it until it turned into an ATV trail and it suddenly started to get very tight on the road. We kept thinking that it had to come out on a main road somewhere right? The next thing we know we are on hunting land in a wildlife management area and we are officially lost. So we try to backtrack. That didn't work because we had gotten turned around. My best friend, Bri, is on the phone with the lady to see if she knows where we might be and I am on the phone with 911 trying to see if they can find us. The 911 operator is pinging my phone to see if she can find us. At this point we have gone way beyond squealing pigs and banjos. The lady that Bri is talking to says she can find us and they are on their way to come get us. I hang up with the 911 operator with the promise to call and let her know whether or not we got out of the woods. We finally find the road we came in on and there are our lifesavers ready to lead us back to civilization. Of course I call the operator back to inform her there was no need to send the Calvary in after us. She was glad that we were able to find our way out. Needless to say Bri and I were so happy to see our saving angels. Mackinsey tried to inform us that they weren't angels because they didn't have any wings and we promptly informed her that some angels don't have wings. We get to the people's house and get the bed loaded up. We then proceeded to go out the very simple way we should have come in. TomTom is now renamed DumDum. But did our adventure end there? Of course not. We are on our way back. Kids are fed and talking and singing in the back when Bri sees a puppy on the side of the road. I told her to turn around because they kids and us adults were worried about him getting hit. So we go back and there's the puppy all skinny and pitiful. So I pick him up and we go to the nearest house to be told that it was a stray that had been around for a couple of days. I politely bit my tongue and took the poor puppy off their hands. He was very sweet all the ride back and rode very quietly. We got to Bris and the poor puppy had to have a bath due to the fleas on him. We wrapped him in a towel and brought him home. I gave him a bowl of food, took my stepdaughter to her friends house, caught up for a few minutes with my friend and then came home and ate and am currently watching TV. It has been a great day and I have made some great memories with my best friend. I am so thankful that God allows us to make these memories. I am also thankful he gave us some angels down here on Earth to help us lost people find there way. There very well could be a great message in that statement! Now I am going to bed and put a close on this what's lost is found day.

Adopted By Christ

I had a divine appointment yesterday. Steve and I were keeping my best friends, boyfriend's two kids. They are very sweet and adorable. They are 6 and 4 and have a lot of energy. Needless to say now that they have left our house feels a little empty.

Yesterday a firend of mine posted that there was a fair going on and that it was free. So I decided to take the kids since Steve had just got off work and he wasn't feeling so good. I figured he could use a couple of hours of quiet and the kids couple use a couple of hours out of the house. So we make it to where they are having the fair and we walk up. Apparently my friend had no idea that this was set up for the kids in foster care. Thankfully they let the kids go in and they got to play for a little while. The people were very kind.

When we walked in there were kids everywhere. I couldn't believe all the kids. Babies all the way up to teenagers of every size, shape, color, etc. And the foster parents ranged in age from young to old, black to white, short, to tall, etc. You get my point. The kids were so fun to watch and they were so charming. They were having a great time.

Then they went to give out the gifts that the community had been generous enough to donate. They had two bikes and a flat screen TV for the parents. It was wonderful to see the giving. Every foster child got a gift.

My heart was full to bursting by the time we left and it reminded me how selfish we can be during the holiday season. We tend to focus on what we are getting or what we are giving to those close to us, but what about to those that don't have the luxury of having people who truly care about them. What about that child who is spending Christmas with strangers, or that elderly person who has no family left. What about the homeless person under the bridge that can only hope they will get a meal or that person who thought success would bring him happiness. Do you ever stop to consider anything other than you and your family during this season that should be based solely around the greatest gift we were given....eternal life. Do we focus more on the material gifts that we are given or do we focus on loving those that Jesus would love if He were physically on Earth now?

It really opened my heart and my eyes to see these children getting to celebrate a good Christmas with children like them. Thankfully these children were able to see that there were people who really did care and that they were not forgotten. It was wonderful to see the generosity of the businesses and communities in their giving to be able to provide gifts for the children.

I know my mind is already working on a way to give to these children. Most of these children aren't there because of something they did, but the selfishness of their parents. It was more than apparent in the eyes of some of the older kids that were there. One in particular stands out to me. She was a very pretty girl. Probably around 12 or 13. She is in the Methodist Home. In other words, no one will ever adopt her. She will age out of the system and then who knows. Maybe she will go to college. Maybe she will make something of herself, but the reality is that she will probably end up on the streets for a while or maybe find some guy who might take care of her, but who knows at what price. She may end up on drugs or with a criminal career. There are so many roads that this girl could possibly take and due to being forgotten she will probably choose one that will harm her. To look into her eyes you would understand why I say this. Her eyes were hard. She had built that wall around her heart so that she couldn't be hurt anymore. To think that a young girl has already learned how to guard herself to the pain. Does she know that she has a heavenly Father that will take that pain or does she even believe that a good father can even exist? It is so sad to think, unless something changes, she will probably always have that hard look to her eyes. She will always be fighting for her place in society.

I tell you about all this not so that you will write a check to some foster agency so that these children will have a little more for Christmas. I write because these kids don't need money. These kids need people to surround them and love them. They need people to show them God's love does exist and isn't some fairy tale that they can't believe in because they dont' have that luxury. When are Christians going to put foot service to lip service. We are so quick to write a check because we can keep some distance to the problems in our community. We don't have to be soiled by them. But we forget that's exactly what Jesus did. He got down in the trenches and loved the orphaned and the widow. He loved the whore, the dirty tax collector, and the religious man whose heart turned to repentance. A man raised from the dead was a close friend and everyday hard working men were his followers. The rich man turned away from him and His own people on Earth crucified Him. And yet He died for them all so that we could give the ultimate gift to each other by telling them of God's love for them.

Identity in Christ

So I have gone back to school and it is a different experience going back and being 10 years older than a lot of my classmates. It is intimidating because you know they are looking at you as the older more mature person. In a sense it gives me accountability and that is really neat.

I also tend to watch people from a different perspective than I did 10 years ago. I see things in a new way not only as an older person but in comparison to my life 10 years ago. I see so many girls that remind me of me at that age. I wish I could say that with pride, but I say it with shame because I was not the example I should have been. I wasn't a Christian, though I claimed to be, and I did not set a good example for many of my peers. I was a follower of the people around me instead of letting the people around me follow me to God.

I was listening on the radio the other night about being happily single because God can use you in a different way that what He can use married people. And whereas I am glad I am married to my wonderful husband, I can see where Paul was going with this. There are so many benefits to being a Godly single person.

I know we are taught from very young that being married is the only way to be. Marriage is a great thing, but it isn't for everyone and it isn't the earlier the better in a lot of cases. So many young people today wrap their identity around their relationships that they lose who they are or never learn who they are by themselves and with Christ. I know because I did this. I was so busy trying to please the person I was with at the time that I compromised what was precious and dear to me. I never learned to stand on my own without someone being there to hold me up. My identity muscles were weak, I guess you could say.

I have now worked on figuring out my identity and who I am in Christ, but it has been a long road. It would have been a lot easier to do on my own and when I was young than having to deal with it now when I have so much baggage piled on top of what God really wants to shine through. I regret very much that I didn't take the time to learn how to be me without someone else.

I am always encouraging young people to be single for a while and be able to figure out who they are without another person around. Especially young women who are taught that they are only complete with someone or once they get married. That's why we see so many women unhappy in marriage is because they don't figure out who they are before they try to love someone else.

Why do you think God tells us to love other AS YOURSELF. You can not love anyone else until you love yourself. You have to love yourself through the good, bad, ugly, and completely unbearable! You can only love yourself with the love of Christ. Otherwise it is downright impossible.

I thank God everyday that He put me with a man that has allowed me to work through the baggage with God only and didn't interfere while I had to do this. But it was also a very trying time for our relationship that thankfully we were able to work through. But I do regret that I didn't take the time to figure out how to survive without a man in my life before I got married the first time.

Here is my request, especially to the young women out there. Please go to college, get a job, and live on your own for a while. Let God show you that you don't have to sacrifice who you are in Him to have a relationship. Then let Him bring the right guy into your life and you will see how great a relationship based on God can be because you were confident in yourself in Christ. And if God wants you to be single. Rejoice in being single because He will use you in mighty and amazing ways!

We will always have struggles, but why make it any harder than it has to be.Figure out who you are in Christ before you complicate the situation by adding someone else. If you are not confident in Christ as yourself then you will take on the personality of the other person and lose yourself. Then you will end up resenting that other person down the road when you realize that you no longer know who you are.

And above all remember God loves you even when it feels like no one else does! He the perfect Father, Husband, Friend, Confidant, and above all Lord.

Update

I apologize for it being so long since I updated my blog. For a long time I had no internet and things have been very busy and interesting. In the last year God has blessed us in so many ways. There is not enough typing space for me to name all the blessings that have been bestowed on me. I can tell you that I am back in school and looking to finish my Business Management degree and double major in Spanish. My husband and I have now celebrate 2 wonderful years together and we are just growing closer. We now teach a couples class at Southside Baptist Church and God has blessed us with many couples who influence our lives! God has also blessed me with some very good friends and they have helped to keep me on the right path. I am so blessed that God has been helping me grow as a woman, person, and a wife.

I am also going to be an Aunt that I am very excited about and we are patiently waiting to see if it will be a niece or a nephew. God has also been very faithful in our finances, but we have also been very faithful with Him.

That is about all for now, but I will slowly be updating through my studies and as God lays things on my heart. I know He loves to use my life to make His word known and I am okay with that because He saved this life so long ago. Thank you for following me and I hope you are blessed by this blog!

Waiting on God

It's amazing how God will teach you patience whether you ask for it or not. People always think I am crazy when I say that I am trying to be patient or that I am praying for patience. Why shouldn't I pray for patience since that shows an attitude of wanting to do what God wants in my life instead of resisting His teaching because I have a negative attitude about it?

I realize that this is a revelation for most of you because everyone always says "Don't pray for patience." Have you ever analyzed what you are saying to God when you don't pray for patience. You are saying I am going to resist you if you try to do anything in my life that I don't want you to do. Instead of having that open heart and saying "Okay God you are trying to teach me something here and I am going to have a good attitude about it." Think of Paul who was put in jail. Don't you think one of the lessons he was learning while he was in jail was patience? He probably would have rather have learned patience at a different time or a different way, but God wanted him to fully rely on His plan and His timing. Then look at Jonah who was impatient for God to destroy Ninevah. Don't you think that if his heart had of been open to being patient and allowing God to work that he would have seen the blessing that came out of it instead of pouting on a hillside?

Praying for patience isn't setting yourself up for unwanted trials and tribulations it is a matter of attitude. It is telling God that I am going to trust you to take care of all things and I am going to have a great attitude to go along with it. God is going to teach you patience whether you pray for it or not. It is a certainty. God promised tribulation and trials as part of our Christian walk. What attitude are you going to have? Are you going to say "Please Lord teach me your patience so that I may endure the trials and tribulations with a good attitude" or are you going to not pray for patience and suffer through the trials like a little kid pouting about having to do your chores? The choice is yours to make and it is all a matter of the heart.

How He Loves Me

If your heart is with God you tend to find him in the little things in life. You can't help but love him when the rain waters your parched plants or when someone encourages you in a terrible time. I had one of these moments last night.
Steve and I went bowling with our college class and that in itself is a blessing. All the young adults that we were there with love to have a good time and I have found that they have a good time doing whatever it is they are doing. Their passion in and of itself makes you feel like God is right there with you, laughing with you because people who love him were gathered together.
I have my own bowling ball from when I bowled in a league when I was previously married. When we split, my darling ex decided to draw a broken heart on everything I owned including on my actual bowling ball. Thankfully the other stuff he just drew on the boxes. Anyway, for three years now my bowling ball has had a broken heart crossed out on it in sharpie. I tried to clean it off to no avail.
Last night I thought I would ask the guys at the bowling alley how much it would cost to get it off or if they could even get it off. Instead of giving me a price they offered to do it for free. Even when it included having to sand the bowling ball, they still did it for free. To many people something like that wouldn't mean much, but to me it felt like God helping me get rid of anything that would remind me of my past failures. I knew in that moment that all God is worrying about is what my present and future holds. The past is of no consequence anymore. All that matters is being in love with my Father and living for him and anything that tries to get in the way of that is unacceptable.
I was so moved by such a small act of kindness that those guys did. I have been so blessed and in ways that I would never have expected. Not only has my heavenly father forgiven me for my past, but he has allowed me to forgive myself and those involved so that I can be an effective member of his family. What greater gift is there than that?
I have to encourage you, if you don't know your heavenly father on an intimate, personal level; I want to encourage you to get to know him on that level. Being in your Bible everyday. Studying His Word daily and taking time to pour your heart out to him helps you to develop a wonderful relationship with him. And in doing so, even when things aren't going exactly how you feel they should, you know that he is there keeping it all under control and helping you get through the troubled times.

Hurt feelings Followed by God's Blessings

We were at church last night and I was once again reminded of how women with kids like to look down on women without kids. I already feel awful that I had the decision taken from me and I don't need people reminding me they are somehow better than me, whether they truly are or are not. I try to remember that some people don't know I can't have kids and that it wasn't my choice, but it is still hard to deal with when someone reminds you that you don't have children. Ot that my stepchildren aren't my real children so the feelings toward them aren't the same. It is so hard for me to deal with not having my own children, but I try to rest in the arms and promises of God. It just doesn't stop the feelings that come when people say hurtful things.
Last night when we got home, I was feeling very hurt and very down. I was having a mild pity party. Thankfully my sweet hubby was a great listening ear, but I really wanted someone who knew what I was going through. I googled "Hystorectomy Under 30" and found a wonderful website called HysterSisters.com. Wow what a healing balm for my hurt feelings. This website was filled with other women who had hystorectomy's. Some have children, others who don't. Some as young as I am and others that are older. Some Christian and some not christian. It was awesome to see these women and read their stories and know for 100% certainty that I was having normal feelings and that it is rude for people to treat me any differently.
It goes back to Jesus treating everyone the same and being a friend to the friendless. People tend to forget that Jesus didn't judge on what a person could or couldn't do or what a person had been through. I believe Jesus sees I love my stepchildren and try to do right by them. I know he sees that I love him and am trying to live the life he asks of me. I know he has a plan for me. I just wish sometimes other people would see my heart before they ran their mouths!

God is in Control!

Don't you love that God is in control. It is hard sometimes to feel that way when life seems to throw you one curve ball after another. That's when being in the Word is so much more important during the calm tims so that when you get to the hard times you have some foundation of truth and you know that God is taking care of the situation.
In the last 2 years, there have been so many times when I questioned God about what I was going through. I didn't understand why I had to go through what I did. Now I am glad I went through it because on the other side I could see where God was teaching me or where he was trying to get me to go. Sometimes it was easier to get me there than at others, but that was always my fault. If I had listened to God and done as he asked, I wouldn't have had to go the hard way there, but even when I am in disobedience he is there loving me and showing me how to get back to the right road. I am so thankful for that! My heart truly breaks for those that don't know Christ and are truly feeling alone in the hard times of life.

Catching UP

I have been a blogging slacker! I have been very busy and do not have internet access at our new house. I am going to work on my blogs at home and then try to put them in when I can get to the internet. Just a quick update, God has been working in my life like crazy and I am so glad that he is with me everyday. There have been some days that have been a struggle to deal with life, but with God beside me it has been easier to get through the trials and tribulations. I am thankful he is there through everything! Good and bad! I hope everyone is doing well and that you will check back to see my hopefully new posts soon!

Joy of children

I work in a daycare with 3-5 year olds, but everyday I also deal with the 1 and 2 year olds. These kids can teach you so much! My kids are constantly astounding me at their knowledge of things as well as their creativity. Oh if I could just harness all of it and a little energy, I could make it through anything! lol Let's just say they wear me out, but it is all worth it!
I cherish all the kids at the daycare because they bring so much to my life and I would stand up for any of them. Even the most stubborn of my children. That's why I am so mind boggled when I hear of people who can't be nice to kids or see people that are just plain out mean.
Don't get me wrong, I know they can try your patience and at times make you want to pull your hair out, but the enjoyment they bring and the love they show you makes up for those crazy times.
I can see why Jesus said we should be like children because their innocence and constant love and devotion is how we should be to him. Children copy what they see. They mimic you and their environment. If we love God and make him our environment we will be like him, if we let the world be our environment, then we will let that rule what we do and how we act.
So the next time you have the time, watch a child's face light up at some funny thing or some wonder they just discovered. Watch the way they look at you when you praise them or when they are just happy you are there! Then turn around and show that face to God and see how quickly your day is brightened. Remember children don't stay sad for long! A smile is usually only a second away!

Loving Blindly

We are taught throughout our life that love has to be blind. I say if you follow that rule you are setting yourself up for failure!
True love isn't blind! True love sees the faults of another and loves them in spite of those faults. If you think about it, isn't that how Jesus loves us?
Jesus doesn't blindly love us. He sees all our good and bad faults and still chooses to love us. He knew our faults when he died on the cross.
So why are we loving blindly? To me, you are a fool if you choose to ignore bad faults! Those faults will eventually be seen and then you will have to deal with them. Choosing to see them first and loving them anyway makes more sense doesn't it? Then you aren't "surprised" down the road.
Be careful though! Don't love somebody too closely who's faults are more than you can deal with! You can love them from a distance if need be. But don't not see their faults!
Jesus never loved blind! He saw Lazarus as he was and still ate with him. He knew David was an adulterer and murderer and still picked him as a chosen one. As you read through your Bible God shows his loving mercy over and over again and all in spite of our ugly faults.
Next time you are loking to love, don't turn a blind eye to that person. See their faults and then decide if you are going to love them from near or a far! Remeber Jesus died for you in spite of your faults!

Painful Love

I wonder if Paul found that the people he loved the most were the hardest to love? If the ones who he grieved over tended to be the ones who cut him the deepest? Whereas God will never harm us, it seems the people we love the most are the ones who burden us the most. At times they are the ones who cost us the most.
God tells us he will never give us more than we can handle, but it feels like, at times, I can't take anymore. Where faith in him is required at all times; it is when I can no longer give anymore of myself when God has to take over. When there is nothing of me left is when God has to fill me up.
Jesus grieved for the lost. His heart was with the lost. It was also the lost that caused him great suffering, but it was those that were closest to him that hurt him deeply. Judas betrayed him, Peter denied him, and daily, saved people sin ever though he died to save us.
I wonder if, like me, Paul shed more heartfelt tears over those closest to him? How are we to continually love those who throw our love back when we are but mere humans? Thank goodness God is there to build up our weaknesses so we can continue to love whole heartedly those we have a burden for!

2 Corinthians 2:4

My Christmas Message

Luke 2

Last night, at church, the youth pastor Justin preached a very stirring Christmas sermon. He preached on 7 Christmas Messages found in Luke 2. One in particular stood out to me.
He talked about the Innkeeper that showed Mary and Joseph to the stable because he had no room in his inn. Justin said the Innkeeper teaches us a message of rejection. He told us the Innkeeper gave Mary and Joseph the stable when he did have room in the inn. He could have given his own room, but instead he didn't want to inconvience himself.
Can you imagine a young woman and her husband being forced to travel, when she's due, to a foreign land only to realize they are having to stay in a stable? Can you imagine them at your door asking for a room? What would you do? Could you send a very pregnant woman to the barn to have her child? What if she wasn't pregnant? What if she was juat a travel wary person looking for a place to rest?
This message hit hard because I am willing to give up some of my creature comforts, but my bed to sleep in the barn? That is what God did for us though! He gave up heaven to be born to a woman of lowly status. Her husband, a carpenter, couldn't afford nicities like higher up merchants.
So why would God give up heaven to be born in a barn? To give us a chance to live in heaven and to be with him! He wanted us with him so desperately that he humbeled himself to being born in a feeding trough!
So I ask again... Are you willing to give up your creature comforts to help God? This Christmas instead of worrying about the food, gifts, church, and everything we worry about at this time of year; stop and go out of your way to help someone out. This is a challenge to me as well.
Reach past what's comfortable. Open your home to a needy person, feed an extra family, buy gifts for kids that need it. Give up your Christmas to give someone else a Christmas.
I know this is a hard thing to do, especially during this economic time, but if Mary and Joseph showed up at your door would you send them to the barn or give them your bed?

Tribulation

tribulation: great trouble or misery; severe trial; affliction

It seems this week has been a week of trials and tribulations. I can't say I have had the joy in my heart that I should have had through them. But later I have remembered that God uses trials to draw us closer to him and I can't help but smile.
What? Joy through tribulation? Yep!
We should have joy through all things, especially tribulations. Satan rejoices when we go through hard times and get sour and bitter about them because we aren't drawing closer to our Maker. When we are happy through our troubles then we know our Lord is near us because you can't be joyful through tribulation without God's hand on our life.
I have also been reminded that God doesn't put on us more than we can bear! Granted their have been times when I have hit my knees and had to say "Uncle", but then I realize maybe if I had of run to God at the first sign of trouble I may not of had to go through the other troubles or maybe God is trying to teach me a lesson.
Many of the faithful have gone through tribulation and have done it with a joyful heart or with gladness. In Foxe's Book of Martyrs, a woman named Blandina "endured stripes, the tearing of beasts, and the iron chair, she was enclosed in a net and thrown to a bull"; before she went to meet her Lord. In the book she is described to be "rejoicing and triumphing in her exit, as if invited to a marriage supper."
WOW! To go through all that and to be happy about it! Reading about her and the rest of the martyrs during that time makes me realize that I have nothing to complain about.
Since the Bible says to be joyful in all things I am going to try to continually have joy in my heart and then try to instantly turn to God instead of pouting or trying to fix it myself.

Verses for thought:
"And not onlyl so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience"
Romans 5:3
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:11
My brethern count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
James 1:2
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.
Phillipians 1:4

Loving forgiveness

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:16

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.
Rom. 12:10

After working with dogs for so many years, I find it amazing at how quickly they adapt to new surroundings. An abused dog can turn into a social butterfly; an outgoing dog can cower depending on the care he/she recieves.
The thing that strikes me through all this is the fact that a dog is ready and willing to forgive and forget past wrongs especially when given soemthing else to replace the behavior with. So why aren't people more willing to replace wrong behavior with better behavior? Why aren't people as ready to forgive or forget?
In the past few years, I have made some not so smart decisions and have wreaked havoc on my life. Now I am turning my life around and I find there are more discouraging people than encouraging people. People tend to be hesitant to listen when I talk about what I learned or when I want to give my opinion on a topic because I made the wrong decision before.
But isn't that the beauty of mistakes? Learning from your stupidness and then being able to share how God blessed you in spite of your humaness!
Recently people have made me feel like second chances aren't allowed, but I feel that God is all about second chances when we need them and in some cases third, fourth, and fifth chances. Think about it! If he only gave us one chance to do right none of us would make it! God readily forgives and forgets and encourages us to do better.
If God can be encouraging why can't people learn to be encouraging to a brother or sisiter who has stumbled. Wouldn't you prefer encouragers over doubting Thomas'?
Next time you are talking to someone who went through a rough patch, why don't you try words of encouragement instead of making them feel like they will never change and their past is what they are all about!
You never know what God is doing in their life! And if you can't find encouraging words try the Bible! It's full of them! Seriously, what's more encouraging than John 3:16? "For God So Loved The World He Gave His Only Begotten Son That Whosoever Believeth In Him Should Not Perish But Have Everlasting Life!"

Isaiah 54:1

Isaiah 54:1 "Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband." says the Lord

As I read this verse in the middle of a Sunday morning service, I realized that God had finally answered my questions and pleas. I also realized I had opened my heart to him enough to allow an answer in.
I didn't know on November 1, 2006 how much of a burden I was going to carry when I went under the knife. I was so focused on relieving the pain, I was sure I could deal with any emotional side effects that hit me.
Over the next year I was too busy watching my world fall apart to care about the emotional side effects I was pushing aside. I was having to deal with too many other emotional problems.
Finally in the summer of 2007, I hit rock bottom. I had no where to turn to for comfort. I was too ashamed and angry to turn to the one that could help me the most. So I kept digging in the rocky terrain that makes up rock bottom trying to run from my troubles.
By spring of 2008 I was running out of steam. I couldn't not deal with the emotional issues anymore. I have to find an outlet.
In late 2007 I started to visit a church with a friend and that's when God started chipping away at my walls. I still resisted. Who does God think he is anyway?
Over the next several Sundays the pastor preached on marriage and what a husband's role is, what a wife's role is in a marriage, etc. according to the Bible. I can't even begin to tell you the emotional turmoil I was in. Every sermon reminded me of what I wanted and how much of a failure I was. I refused tofall back on old habits though. Something was pulling me forward.
Finally in the spring of 2008 God finally broke through my hatred and bitterness. I was too emotionally worn out to keep him out any longer. I finally started to listen. One by one, like science projects in the fridge, we began to identify each problem and throw them out.
First to go was my hatred and bitterness toward my failed marriage. That turned out to be easier than I expected. I realized I never loved him and had married him out of selfish desires. I was more upset at myself for being so stupid.
Next I had to goodbye to the anger toward my parents. The feelings of betrayal, sibling unfairness, and lack of support took a while to work through. I finally realized that being mad at them was only hurting me.
Then my anger at being barren had to go. First I had to identify that I wanted a child before I could work through the anger of losing that option. Lying to one's self is so much easier! Working through this took a lot of love and patience on God's part. I had just realized how much I wanted children and the implications of my surgery finally hit me. I didn't want to let God off the hook so easily.
As each one of the badly rotted dishes were thrown away, I started to realize where the real stink was coming from, the dirty refrigerator. It reeked of neglect and abuse. Stains that I knew would never come out. This old, battered, beat up, good for nothing refrigerator was of no use to anyone. No one would want to buy it, heck you probably couldn't pay someone to take it! I sat down and cried over how worthless I was. Now that I didn't have all that hate and bitterness at everyone else in there, I could finally see how much I hated myself and how much I blamed myself for such horrible acts I had done.
I pushed God away when he tried to hold me. I knew no one wanted something as worhless as me! I was empty with nothing to put back in.
On March 23, 2008, God finally showed me how much he wanted me. By showing me all the sins I had committed and reminding me how he died for those sins. He showed me how much he cared!
I didn't know how I deserved his love or even if I truly could accept it 100%, but I knew I desired him and really wanted to make up for all my wrong doings.
Since that miraculous day, God has shown me I don't have a debt to repay to him. He took care of it all on the cross so that I can accept him love in its fullest capacity. No strings attached.
The day I accepted him and his love, that old beat up, worthless refrigerator became brand new. The stains were gone, the stench was gone. It took a long time for me to see that I didn't have to wipe away the stains or that they were still there. He had already taken care of them.
The more I opened myself up to his love, the more I found I could love myself and start to love others. With love came forgiveness of myself and others and through that forgiveness I was finally able to have peace in my life.
I can not change the past. I still pray that one day the good Lord will bless me with a child, but for now I have the promise of Isaiah 54:1. The other stuff in my past is just a beautiful reminder that God gives second chances. It serves as a reminder of how I no longer want my life to be and a life that I no longer have to live.
I am a forgiven, redeemed, blessed child of God now and though I will never be perfect, I will always remain forgiven.

Introduction

I am a 25 year old Southern Gal. I have been grooming pets for 6 years. I have been married once and divorced once. I am a born again, saved by grace christian and I don't mind letting people know what an amazing thing that happened to me when Jesus saved me. I am in a wonderful relationship and have many plans for my future.
The easiest way to describe me is laid back and fun loving. I like the simple life and tried not to get caught up in day to day craziness. I don't ask for a whole lot and try my best to show love to everyone everyday. Hopefully you will get to see my personality through this blog.