1,000 Word Thursday

Endurance

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.


Acts 20:24
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Funny Friday

Blonde in a snow storm
A blonde gets lost in her car in a snowstorm. She remembers her father's advice, "If you ever get stuck in a snowstorm, wait for a snow plow and follow it." Soon a snow plow comes by, and she follows it for about 45 minutes.

Finally, the driver of the truck gets out and asks her what she is doing. She explains the advice her father had given her. The driver says, "Well, I'm done with the parking lot here at the mall, now you can follow me over to the bank."

1,000 Word Thursday

Senior Moment

This is supposedly a true log recorded in the Police log of Sarasota, Florida

An elderly old lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her vehicle.She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at the top of her lungs,"I have a gun and I know how to use it!Get out of my car!!"

The four men did'nt wait for a second threat.They got out and ran like mad.The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat.She was so shaken that she could'nt get her key into the ignition.She tried and tried and then she realised why.It was for the same reason she had wondered why there was a football, a frisbee and 2-packs of beer in the front seat.

(Insert: This story made me laugh until I fell on the floor because I have done this. Um not with a gun and not with four men, however I did begin to drive off in a van that was not mine with a child in a car seat that was not mine...more later)
A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four or five spaces further down.She loaded her bags into the car and drove to the police station to report her mistake.

The sergeant to whom she she told the story could'nt stop laughing.He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men were reporting a cat jacking by a mad,elderly lady described as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair and carrying a large hand gun.
No charges were filed.
Moral of the story?
If you are going to have a senior moment...... make it memorable

(More on insert: True story, I was at school a few years ago dropping my oldest off and walking her to class, came back out to drive off in "MY" van and wondered why there was this terrified child in the back with eyes bugging out. I'm a little slow on the uptake and it wasn't until I noticed a van full of items that were not mine until I remember my mistake.)

Born Again

I was recently talking with a friend about an awesome song by Third Day called Born Again.




We were discussing the lyrics (look them up) LYRICS about what it was like when we first came to meet or realize the savior of our soul.
Do you remember that first encounter? The First Time?

How settling to know that though we may be broken beyond repair, He is the Master Repairman. Our El Shaddai, Yahweh, Adonai and Elohim!

Oh this song is such a good reminder to NEVER ever forget our First Love, The Lover of our soul who is jealous for us, who died for us and set us free.

To NEVER forget He has taken us from the miry clay and set our feet upon a Rock.

To never forget our first encounter with Him, or the first time He healed us, or the first time we heard His voice, OR the first time we felt His Holy Spirit and the hairs on the back of our neck bristled.

I don't want to forget the deep intense yearnings that cry out from my every pore, or the EXTRAVAGANT tenderness that He covers me with.

I DON’T WANT TO EVER FORGET THE VERY FIRST TIME I FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

FUNNY FRIDAY

A Sign of the Times

A little girl climbed onto Santa's lap, Santa asked the usual,

"And what would you like for Christmas?"

The child stared at him open mouthed and horrified for a minute, then gasped:

"Didn't you get my E-mail?"

Even if it means to be still!

I recently received an email from Tracy that uncorked something deep inside of me.

As I’ve shared below in “From August to February” this season in life has been extraordinarily intense. I feel like I’ve been all the way from glory to a deep dark pit where the oxygen is limited. Writing has always been so cathartic, and yet I have put the proverbial pen down.

I have been grieving a loss and feeling guilty for grieving. What juxtaposition!

You see the Lord gave me a clear promise many years ago. I felt His call on my heart for ministry. It’s a fierce and unrelenting call. It took me many years to even let such a thing slip from my mouth as I felt it would be laughable, so I left it my secret and served the church with vigor passion. You see I’m good at “doing”!
Eventually I met with my pastor and shared my heart; it took another five years just to have the nerve to announce it publicly.

“Why me, I am from the wrong side of the track with NO denominational couth? In fact I have no couth whatsoever. I laugh at crass jokes; I love leopard print and red lipstick, I’m loud and flashy. I audibly told the Lord, “Lord I will give up my sparkles and color for You”! He must have had a big smile on His face. Not because that is what He expected, but because of my vision of what it took to follow Him. A suit, flat shoes, bottle rim glasses, with large theologically savvy words fluidly spilling from a mouth, with no hint of red.

I see now He wasn’t calling me to change me, He was calling me to be who He made me to be while allowing Him to have the reigns in my life. He wanted to percolate my life with His healing, His Glory, His Spirit and His grace.

I “signed the dotted line” into full time ministry and as the pen left the paper, life turned upside down. Our church family came under a major attack. The battle lines were drawn and it was immediately apparent that I needed sufficient “oil in my lamp of readiness”! I was determined to stand and fight with everything I had. This was no little tug of war such as …”The music is too loud, or can we sing hymns” no, this was a full on affront to the Bride of Christ that took us to the gates of hell. It was violent quake of evil where the sulfur overtook our nostrils and the flames licked the hem or our garments!

When God is about to reposition your life Know that the devil will begin to attack!

As it turned out, it took a good part of ‘me’. Purging oft does. After a year and a half of battle I was spent. I questioned God. “Is this what I signed up for? Are you serious God? You tell us that YOU cause all things to work together for good, to those who love You and are the called according to Your purpose”?
I did not quit. You see I’m good at “doing”! I buried the question in a corner of my heart and continued my classes and in ministry with even more gusto and made sure I had sufficient “oil in my lamp of readiness”.

Jump ahead a year or so and one class short of becoming an ordained minister. Our church is beginning to heal with a palpable heartbeat. Hope is returning. Within my grasp is the realization of what He put on my heart as a child.

Then…

A major shift/tragedy in our family… the “prize” slips out of my reach yet again.

You see I’m good at “doing”, sitting still, not so much. It became evident that He was calling me to be still and the tears that were held up behind a dam in my heart, threatening to flood my soul in anguish, was released.


This is where my friend Tracy comes in. A random email with Psalm46:10 Be still and know that I am God! I am King over all.”

FATHER YOU ARE KING OVER THE FLOOD I WILL BE STILL AND KNOW AND KNOW YOU ARE GOD!

It only takes a moment reflection of His suffering to realize what we experience on this earth is but a drop of His blood that He shed for us.

God is big enough to hold us together, to be intimately acquainted with all the circumstances of our lives, he does not always change the circumstances but He does have a purpose thru those circumstances.

I will to be prepared for Christ's banquet and watchful enough to have sufficient oil in my lamp of readiness and will remain vigilant for Jesus
Even if it means to be still!


Oh I have not forgotten the call; it beats wildly in my heart as it ever did, but my Jesus alone is the prize!

Still
Words and Music by Reuben Morgan

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

Funny Friday

Bubba Had Shingles

Those of us who spend much time in a doctor's office should appreciate this! Doesn't it seem more and more that physicians are running their practices like an assembly line? Here's what happened to Bubba:

Bubba walked into a doctor's office and the receptionist asked him what he had. Bubba said: 'Shingles.' So she wrote down his name, address, medical insurance number and told him to have a seat.
Fifteen minutes later a nurse's aide came out and asked Bubba what he had..Bubba said, 'Shingles.' So she wrote down his height, weight, a complete medical history and told Bubba to wait in the examining room.
A half hour later a nurse came in and asked Bubba what he had. Bubba said, 'Shingles..' So the nurse gave Bubba a blood test, a blood pressure test, an electrocardiogram, and told Bubba to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor.
An hour later the doctor came in and found Bubba sitting patiently in the nude and asked Bubba what he had. Bubba said, 'Shingles.' The doctor asked, 'Where?'Bubba said, 'Outside on the truck. Where do you want me to unload 'em??'

1,000 Word Thursday