I’ve often wondered how it felt to sit right by his side
To eat the bread that he prepared and with him there abide
To be so close and share with him his spirit and his love
And share a meal that was his last before he rose above
Oh yes it’s true he died that day and later he arose
Now he lives in heaven’s home his love still flows
He has prepared a place for us and patiently awaits
For each of us to follow him and enter heavens gate
The table of the Lord is set an invitation sent
And all that is required of us is that we all repent
What your wearing looks just fine and please don’t be late
For is your heaven destiny and Eternity is your fate.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Tiny Stone
There is a story in a book, That took place long ago
It’s a story about a boy, And a stone he had to throw
It seems there were two armies And their leaders squared to fight
But one was so big and strong The others filled with fright
The big one was so strong and fierce He taunted all the rest
But then there came a boy with faith To meet this mighty test
This faithful boy stepped forth alone And with his meager groan
He whirled his slingshot over head And loosed his tiny stone
The boy had faith that God would help And with the stone he threw
The giants day had ended And his army beaten too.
There are so many things we learn from David and his stone
Through him we learn that we can win although we seem alone
And when we are on the side of right the Lord will see us through
When we face our giants with faith and courage too.
I have faced allot of giants in my life and some of them defeated me because I did not have the faith or courage to battle them. Which by the way, is the tiny stone. The bible talks about "the faith of a mustard seed...." Now that's tiny. I still face giants every day that I am struggling with. But I know that I am not facing them alone. The Lord says, "fear not for I am with you always". And although there are days I don't "feel" his presence, my faith tells me He's here. I use to get caught up in the lies of feelings but I understand it is not about feelings. It is about faith. Believing in the things you cant see.
As I was driving home from a job late one night I was reminded of David and how he slayed a Giant of a man, 9 feet tall, that everyone else was afraid of. I have learned allot and just want to share a few of my own thoughts with you.
1. Don't believe what people say about you, believe what God says about you
I admire David's courage, he believed that with God's help, he could slay Goliath, but his brother Eliab accused him of presumption and having an evil heart. (1 Sam17:28) Eliab had a jealous heart toward Dave. He tried to make Dave feel small and worthless. I have always believed those type of people are so insecure about themselves that to tear someone down made them feel big. It don't. I know people like this. But Dave was a smart man, he "turned away from Eliab" (1 Sam17:30) He forgave them. I wish I could remember that lesson. "walk away its not worth it" I tell myself that but I don't always act on it.
It's hard when people you love hurt you, but David is teaching me to keep my heart pure of hatred, strife, offence, bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. He walked away...keeping his focus (eyes) on God.
As I was reading this story, i could see Satan working in Eli, trying to bring Dave down, make him feel worthless, rejected, unacceptable. God fills our heart with faith and Satan tries to make us fear our abilities. He's to young, you don't have the right armor, He's allot bigger. But God uses the weak and rejected to show himself strong so no one can take the credit that is due him alone. (1Corinthians 1:26-29)
2.When God prompts you to do something, just do it!
When David looked at the giant, he "ran quickly toward the battle line" (1 Sam 17:48).
I think he knew that if he thought about Goliath too long, he might run away. He took action and obeyed God immediately, and I need to always do the same. When God prompts me to do something, run to do it. His grace will be present to help me.
3. You don't have to have abilities, just be available.
David had a slingshot and a stone. "no sword was in David's hand."(1 Sam17:50) He didn't come in to battle with this giant armed with high power guns a blazing..he had a string and a rock. Where everyone else seen a big problem, David seen it from God's view, not big at all. He wasn't the strongest, tallest, or the fastest, he wasn't the best choice according to the rest of guys standing around but David was available. He made himself available to God so to be used.
I want to be available, not to care what people think, or say about it. Just be used in any way God sees fit. I can already see so many opportunities He has put in my path through our church. I only have a short time left, and I want to fulfill my purpose while I have the time. I have wasted too many years. I know whatever He ask of me, he will provide the skills.
4. When you face your giant don't just confront it, cut it's head off.
Can you imagine what Goliath thought when he seen David? " I'm going to squash him like a grape." And then all of a sudden, "he took out a sling and a stone and slung it and it struck the giants head sticking into his forehead and he feel face down on the earth and David then drew his sword and cut off his head." (1 Sam17:49b, 51) Now that's the way to defeat a problem,
Head on...apply directly to the forehead..head on. I don't know why that commercial came to mind sorry...
A friend has been saying this for the past few weeks
"thinks are never as good or as bad as they seem, but most likely somewhere in between."
And i have to agree, we will always see our problems larger than they really are. But God sees them as a grain of sand. If I start looking at thinks from God's view, they don't seem to be as big as they seem. This is where we have to lean on him and trust him, because with him we can cut it's head off.
Well, my husband just got up to check on me, it's 4:35 am and I need to try to get a couple of hours before work. Hope this makes sense to anyone reading it. commit if you will please.
Moral of this Blog: Giants only get bigger if we fed them. Stop worrying that is it's food.
It’s a story about a boy, And a stone he had to throw
It seems there were two armies And their leaders squared to fight
But one was so big and strong The others filled with fright
The big one was so strong and fierce He taunted all the rest
But then there came a boy with faith To meet this mighty test
This faithful boy stepped forth alone And with his meager groan
He whirled his slingshot over head And loosed his tiny stone
The boy had faith that God would help And with the stone he threw
The giants day had ended And his army beaten too.
There are so many things we learn from David and his stone
Through him we learn that we can win although we seem alone
And when we are on the side of right the Lord will see us through
When we face our giants with faith and courage too.
I have faced allot of giants in my life and some of them defeated me because I did not have the faith or courage to battle them. Which by the way, is the tiny stone. The bible talks about "the faith of a mustard seed...." Now that's tiny. I still face giants every day that I am struggling with. But I know that I am not facing them alone. The Lord says, "fear not for I am with you always". And although there are days I don't "feel" his presence, my faith tells me He's here. I use to get caught up in the lies of feelings but I understand it is not about feelings. It is about faith. Believing in the things you cant see.
As I was driving home from a job late one night I was reminded of David and how he slayed a Giant of a man, 9 feet tall, that everyone else was afraid of. I have learned allot and just want to share a few of my own thoughts with you.
1. Don't believe what people say about you, believe what God says about you
I admire David's courage, he believed that with God's help, he could slay Goliath, but his brother Eliab accused him of presumption and having an evil heart. (1 Sam17:28) Eliab had a jealous heart toward Dave. He tried to make Dave feel small and worthless. I have always believed those type of people are so insecure about themselves that to tear someone down made them feel big. It don't. I know people like this. But Dave was a smart man, he "turned away from Eliab" (1 Sam17:30) He forgave them. I wish I could remember that lesson. "walk away its not worth it" I tell myself that but I don't always act on it.
It's hard when people you love hurt you, but David is teaching me to keep my heart pure of hatred, strife, offence, bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. He walked away...keeping his focus (eyes) on God.
As I was reading this story, i could see Satan working in Eli, trying to bring Dave down, make him feel worthless, rejected, unacceptable. God fills our heart with faith and Satan tries to make us fear our abilities. He's to young, you don't have the right armor, He's allot bigger. But God uses the weak and rejected to show himself strong so no one can take the credit that is due him alone. (1Corinthians 1:26-29)
2.When God prompts you to do something, just do it!
When David looked at the giant, he "ran quickly toward the battle line" (1 Sam 17:48).
I think he knew that if he thought about Goliath too long, he might run away. He took action and obeyed God immediately, and I need to always do the same. When God prompts me to do something, run to do it. His grace will be present to help me.
3. You don't have to have abilities, just be available.
David had a slingshot and a stone. "no sword was in David's hand."(1 Sam17:50) He didn't come in to battle with this giant armed with high power guns a blazing..he had a string and a rock. Where everyone else seen a big problem, David seen it from God's view, not big at all. He wasn't the strongest, tallest, or the fastest, he wasn't the best choice according to the rest of guys standing around but David was available. He made himself available to God so to be used.
I want to be available, not to care what people think, or say about it. Just be used in any way God sees fit. I can already see so many opportunities He has put in my path through our church. I only have a short time left, and I want to fulfill my purpose while I have the time. I have wasted too many years. I know whatever He ask of me, he will provide the skills.
4. When you face your giant don't just confront it, cut it's head off.
Can you imagine what Goliath thought when he seen David? " I'm going to squash him like a grape." And then all of a sudden, "he took out a sling and a stone and slung it and it struck the giants head sticking into his forehead and he feel face down on the earth and David then drew his sword and cut off his head." (1 Sam17:49b, 51) Now that's the way to defeat a problem,
Head on...apply directly to the forehead..head on. I don't know why that commercial came to mind sorry...
A friend has been saying this for the past few weeks
"thinks are never as good or as bad as they seem, but most likely somewhere in between."
And i have to agree, we will always see our problems larger than they really are. But God sees them as a grain of sand. If I start looking at thinks from God's view, they don't seem to be as big as they seem. This is where we have to lean on him and trust him, because with him we can cut it's head off.
Well, my husband just got up to check on me, it's 4:35 am and I need to try to get a couple of hours before work. Hope this makes sense to anyone reading it. commit if you will please.
Moral of this Blog: Giants only get bigger if we fed them. Stop worrying that is it's food.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
I'm Back!!!!
Have ya missed me? I have missed being here. My computer has been crashed for about 2 weeks. I have finally figured out the problem had to erase the hard drive and start all over again. Lucky for me I had a backup or I would have lost it all.
It has been a trying 2 weeks at that. Where do I start..... remember in my earlier blog I had told you the story of my furniture? And how we have been trying to help this young couple get a fresh start....remember? Well today we went to court on it. For the past 3 days she has called me over 30 times stoned out of her head and trying to get me to drop the court case against her. not! And today Gary and I went to court and about 20 minutes after court started she came in. We really didn't expect her to show up because she was so stoned out of her head, but she did.
We went before the judge and he began to look at my paper work and she began to plead her case. the judge politely told her not to speak until she was ask a question. He again ask me about the paper work and she interrupted again. He very strongly told her not to say another word until he ask her a question. And she kept saying "but this is important...I need to tell my side of the story....The judge ask her if she was intoxicated or had taken something and she replied no, but you could tell by looking at her she was high. The judge again sternly said to her if she said another word she would be locked up for 10 days on contempt charges.....and guess what?
She is in jail. When they took her back to the holding cell you could hear her in the court room screaming to the top of her lungs so the judge sent the bailiff back to tell her if she did not settle down she would adding 10 more days to her sentence.
The judge said to me " you do understand the blood and turnip theory don't you? the chance of you receiving any of the money is going to be slim." I told him "yes sir, but the money is not the reason I have brought these charges, it is based on principle. She is 23 years old and has been in trouble since she was 14 years old and according to her own mother she has never been held accountable for anything she has ever done. She has always been able to get off without any punishment at all. I just want her to know I am not going to let it go and that there are consequences to your actions ." He said I will see you and your principles on September 26."
So because she came to court stoned and couldn't keep her mouth shut we have to continue this until September.
I have done sever damage to my right shoulder mopping 8600sq. ft. of tile floor Monday night. I stripped and waxed on 4 coats of wax until 1am Monday morning. Just so you get the full picture that is 1200sq ft per room X 7 x 6 / that is like mopping 14 double car garages 6 times. It took me and 2 men 12 hours to complete the work because the drying time in between each coat was 45 minutes. I got home from pocahonos at 1:30 am, went to bed woke up at 7:30am stayed up til 3 pm took a muscle relaxer and slept til 8:30 am the next day. So now I have messed up my whole week because I am a day behind. Don't you hate that when you think its Tuesday and it's really Wednesday.
Saturday several members of our church went to look at our new church building. It is absolutely beautiful. And there is a "only God can" story behind this.
We are a church of only 7 weeks. We are running in the middle of summer about 50 people. A Lady in our church was praying about finding a perminate building as we all were, she passed the church every day on her way home. And in her quiet time she felt God was laying it on her heart to call this church, she didn't understand why but she was obediant and called. She spoke to the pastor and told him what God had told her to do and ask if they knew of a building for our church. The pastor replied " well it just so happens we are going to sell our building, we met last night and I have been tring to reach an Auctioneer all day and haven't been able to get anyone." Shirly ask if we could come look at the church and he said yes. We went last Saturday and it is clean, and furnished with everything we can walk in next Sunday night and start having church without doing another thing to it.A turn key operation! Drums, reception tables and chairs, classrooms, furnished, nursery furnished and very well kept. Patsy and I began to cry, it was such an awesome spiritual experience to see what God had provided. We should close on the building Friday and move in Sunday night!!!! The first service in our church will have aleast 17 couples that will join the church next Sunday night. How exciting is that. We have watched over the course of the last 7 weeks Gods power and authority in action every week. We have averaged over 1500.00 a week in offerings and we have seen people just walk in off the street and into the Atkins Celebration Hall downtown for service. We have started a jail ministry that has impacted the lives of many, Grace mission has invited us out next Saturday night to worship with them, and we have community events planned all year.
Maria has her birth certificate finally and we go to Little Rock Monday to see a lawyer about her legalization. She has been studying for it and I must say I have had to relearn American history again.) It is funny how much I took for granted and she would ask me a question about the 14 Th president and I would say who? I would have to look it up myself to give her the correct answer.
Our building out back has the foundation poured, the plumbing studded out, the driveway laid and construction should start Monday if there are no more delays.
I go next Tuesday for my mental evaluation. yea, mental. I have got to get profeesional help on my sleep, mood swings, depression, and anxiety. I am now on 5 different types of medicine and it still has not corrected the problems. I take a sleeping pill at night which I took an hour and half ago still up, 2 anti depressants one for anxiety and the other for depression, 1 zoloft for mood swings, and 1 muscle relaxer for my shoulder just until it heals. And I go to the eye doctor Friday to find out if my eye infection is coming back or if it is just irritated. Pray it is irritation otherwise, I will be back on the steriods and my husband will move out and Maria will have to go back to the Mission!!!!
I leave for 8 whole wonderful days on the 4th of August. Cheryl and I are leaving for Charleston South Carolina for our 50th birthday trip. We have been friends for 35 years. but I don't know if we can stand to be with each other for 7 days.) ha. I can hardly wait to see that part of the country again, my cousin Debbie and i went last September and Gary and I are going back in October. I would move to Charleston in a heart beat if I could talk my husband into it. I told him just know that when something happens to you, I will spend 2 months here finalizing everything, selling the house. I will be moving to Charleston where I will probable die.
Well I think this pretty well catches you up on another day in paradise, so until tomorrow good night and may the angels of God sing you to sleep
It has been a trying 2 weeks at that. Where do I start..... remember in my earlier blog I had told you the story of my furniture? And how we have been trying to help this young couple get a fresh start....remember? Well today we went to court on it. For the past 3 days she has called me over 30 times stoned out of her head and trying to get me to drop the court case against her. not! And today Gary and I went to court and about 20 minutes after court started she came in. We really didn't expect her to show up because she was so stoned out of her head, but she did.
We went before the judge and he began to look at my paper work and she began to plead her case. the judge politely told her not to speak until she was ask a question. He again ask me about the paper work and she interrupted again. He very strongly told her not to say another word until he ask her a question. And she kept saying "but this is important...I need to tell my side of the story....The judge ask her if she was intoxicated or had taken something and she replied no, but you could tell by looking at her she was high. The judge again sternly said to her if she said another word she would be locked up for 10 days on contempt charges.....and guess what?
She is in jail. When they took her back to the holding cell you could hear her in the court room screaming to the top of her lungs so the judge sent the bailiff back to tell her if she did not settle down she would adding 10 more days to her sentence.
The judge said to me " you do understand the blood and turnip theory don't you? the chance of you receiving any of the money is going to be slim." I told him "yes sir, but the money is not the reason I have brought these charges, it is based on principle. She is 23 years old and has been in trouble since she was 14 years old and according to her own mother she has never been held accountable for anything she has ever done. She has always been able to get off without any punishment at all. I just want her to know I am not going to let it go and that there are consequences to your actions ." He said I will see you and your principles on September 26."
So because she came to court stoned and couldn't keep her mouth shut we have to continue this until September.
I have done sever damage to my right shoulder mopping 8600sq. ft. of tile floor Monday night. I stripped and waxed on 4 coats of wax until 1am Monday morning. Just so you get the full picture that is 1200sq ft per room X 7 x 6 / that is like mopping 14 double car garages 6 times. It took me and 2 men 12 hours to complete the work because the drying time in between each coat was 45 minutes. I got home from pocahonos at 1:30 am, went to bed woke up at 7:30am stayed up til 3 pm took a muscle relaxer and slept til 8:30 am the next day. So now I have messed up my whole week because I am a day behind. Don't you hate that when you think its Tuesday and it's really Wednesday.
Saturday several members of our church went to look at our new church building. It is absolutely beautiful. And there is a "only God can" story behind this.
We are a church of only 7 weeks. We are running in the middle of summer about 50 people. A Lady in our church was praying about finding a perminate building as we all were, she passed the church every day on her way home. And in her quiet time she felt God was laying it on her heart to call this church, she didn't understand why but she was obediant and called. She spoke to the pastor and told him what God had told her to do and ask if they knew of a building for our church. The pastor replied " well it just so happens we are going to sell our building, we met last night and I have been tring to reach an Auctioneer all day and haven't been able to get anyone." Shirly ask if we could come look at the church and he said yes. We went last Saturday and it is clean, and furnished with everything we can walk in next Sunday night and start having church without doing another thing to it.A turn key operation! Drums, reception tables and chairs, classrooms, furnished, nursery furnished and very well kept. Patsy and I began to cry, it was such an awesome spiritual experience to see what God had provided. We should close on the building Friday and move in Sunday night!!!! The first service in our church will have aleast 17 couples that will join the church next Sunday night. How exciting is that. We have watched over the course of the last 7 weeks Gods power and authority in action every week. We have averaged over 1500.00 a week in offerings and we have seen people just walk in off the street and into the Atkins Celebration Hall downtown for service. We have started a jail ministry that has impacted the lives of many, Grace mission has invited us out next Saturday night to worship with them, and we have community events planned all year.
Maria has her birth certificate finally and we go to Little Rock Monday to see a lawyer about her legalization. She has been studying for it and I must say I have had to relearn American history again.) It is funny how much I took for granted and she would ask me a question about the 14 Th president and I would say who? I would have to look it up myself to give her the correct answer.
Our building out back has the foundation poured, the plumbing studded out, the driveway laid and construction should start Monday if there are no more delays.
I go next Tuesday for my mental evaluation. yea, mental. I have got to get profeesional help on my sleep, mood swings, depression, and anxiety. I am now on 5 different types of medicine and it still has not corrected the problems. I take a sleeping pill at night which I took an hour and half ago still up, 2 anti depressants one for anxiety and the other for depression, 1 zoloft for mood swings, and 1 muscle relaxer for my shoulder just until it heals. And I go to the eye doctor Friday to find out if my eye infection is coming back or if it is just irritated. Pray it is irritation otherwise, I will be back on the steriods and my husband will move out and Maria will have to go back to the Mission!!!!
I leave for 8 whole wonderful days on the 4th of August. Cheryl and I are leaving for Charleston South Carolina for our 50th birthday trip. We have been friends for 35 years. but I don't know if we can stand to be with each other for 7 days.) ha. I can hardly wait to see that part of the country again, my cousin Debbie and i went last September and Gary and I are going back in October. I would move to Charleston in a heart beat if I could talk my husband into it. I told him just know that when something happens to you, I will spend 2 months here finalizing everything, selling the house. I will be moving to Charleston where I will probable die.
Well I think this pretty well catches you up on another day in paradise, so until tomorrow good night and may the angels of God sing you to sleep
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