The Revolving Door

In my town there's a large resort with a revolving door.  Anytime we go to visit, my young children love to go around and around in the revolving door, I like it too. They never stop inside the lobby, they keep going a couple of rounds, big smiles on their faces, joy in their step.
Sometimes, my life feels like a revolving door! Round and round, I go! Never really stopping in the lobby. Thankfully, the lobby is not my final destination, even if I spend the rest of my life in the revolving door, the reality is, I'm living in eternity!!
In Ephesians 2:6 I am promised this:

"raised up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

So, there you have it, and so do I. Today, I may be in the revolving door and feel like I am going round and round, but the reality is, I am seated with my Jesus in Heavenly places!
Say That Again, Jesus, You have seated me with You in heavenly places!

The Faith Fall

My grand daughter is going to be two years old on Christmas Eve day. She was visiting us last night, and it was really nice to see her. We were in the basement, and she was walking on the coffee table between her daddy, her grandpa, her uncle, and me. She would walk to the edge of the table and then just fall into our arms. She did it over and over again. At one point, her uncle got up and left, she went over to where he had been sitting, and went to the edge of the table and it looked like she was going to let herself fall. Her daddy said " there's no one there to catch you!" She smiled and turned to her daddy, falling into his arms instead.  I admired her faith. She never once doubted that we would catch her. She knew we would, and we always did. She believed it, and we believed it too. It was a joyful experience for all of us.
I want my faith fall with God to be just like hers was with me. I want to daily fall into His arms and just know He is going to catch me, always. No hesitation on my part. He is there, all the time, and I don't even have to think about it.
Jesus, You have said it is true, now Say That Again. You will catch me!

The Trip Up The Hill

I went back to our old house today. My husband still had some stuff in the garage and I went to help him. I went in the house and it felt very different than I thought it would. It was no longer home. As I walked from room to room and thought about all our days in that house, it was okay with me that we didn't live there anymore. I came back out to the garage and my husband said, "You couldn't pay me to live here again!"
God is amazing, isn't He? Change is hard, but God always knows what He is doing. Still in the midst of the change I find that I struggle. But, it's okay. I know this is where God wants me and my family right now, so it is good. As I drove up the hill today I thought about the many times I had driven up that hill, and I said goodbye today.  I thought about the beautiful sunsets, and how I'd stop at the corner and admire the colors. I thought about the snow and getting stuck in the drive way every year. I thought about the stairs that we had to climb just to get into our house, and the grape vines behind our house. I admired the big boulders in our yard as I came around the corner, and remembered how much work it was landscaping our yard.
Now, I am in a different home. God has led our family to a country home. It's quiet here. I sleep longer here. The kids like it here, and our dog likes to run here. Our adult children are excited about this home, and can't wait to celebrate the holidays here. The view from the window that I am sitting near is very lovely. Our Christian family visits and makes themselves at home here. It is good here.
So, right now, I am feeling thankful for the home God has blessed me with. He is the God that provides and gives me territory that is good and wide. Say That Again, Jesus, You bless!

The Manual

My husband likes to keep all the manuals from everything.  He usually has them nicely organized in a cabinet, verses me who stuffs them in a drawer, never to be found again.  He is more organized than me, and even likes the spices to be alphabetized! I prefer to spend minutes searching for the right spice, then I have a better idea of everything in my cupboard!
This morning, the chapter in my book was about having a manual for life.  A biblical procedure manual. Here is the short version from Unglued:

1. Alarmed, I resolve to remember who I am.
2. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
3. Stay in the flow-my job is obedience, God's job is results.
4. Shift from an attitude to gratitude.
5. My reactions determine my reach.

This is a manual worth my time and effort.  I think I will file it away in my brain and refer to it often.  In my moments of alarm, I will continue to remember who I am.  I am God's child, His chosen daughter, Holy and righteous before Him. Adopted into His family, with eternity on my side.
When I begin to feel overwhelmed, and I don't know what to do, I can repeat the name of Jesus. There is power in His name. I know this is true, I've experienced it.
I will obey, and because of my obedience, God will provide results in my life that are fruitful and good.
I will remember my blessings and be thankful to my God for all that He has given me. Thankful for life. I have life, and it is His gift to me. I have an incredible family, a home, food. There are so many blessings to be thankful for .
When I am able to stay in the power of Jesus, and through His power my reactions are responses to His love and gifts,  He uses this to reach and speak to others. This is good. It is Him shining through my life.
So, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Say That Again!

The Country Experience

There are moments that living in the country is peaceful and nice, but then as quick as a twister move, I can have a different experience, and it's not so nice. It's like Fall, I think it's actually a beautiful time of year and I love the color. But, then, as quick as death can overtake a life, I feel like Fall is not that great anymore, because after Fall, there is winter. And, it's cold.
Sometimes I have those moments that my head twirls, and I can feel a mix of all kinds of emotion. It's the raw emotion I read about, and I know there is only one good solution, Jesus! Pray for Jesus, pray for something different, pray for adjustment, pray for change, pray for His Breath to overtake my soul!
Right now, at this moment, I am praying. It feels like I should continue to pray all of the day. Jesus, I know You see me, You hear me, You love me. Say that Again so I remember!

The Search

Both my husband and I drive old vehicles. His is especially old, and we need to replace at least one. I'm not that excited about replacing my Rover. I like it, and in my opinion, it has been a loyal daily companion! So, my husband is going to sell his Durango, and we are going on a search for a new vehicle. We need one that is not too expensive, and one that gets good gas mileage. My husband found a four wheel drive Buick that he seemed to think was the best ever, so my son and I went to look at it with him.  Sadly, we did not think it was the best ever, I termed it as boring. My son said it was an old person car!! My husband did not understand our point of view, but decided that since I will have to drive this new vehicle, we should look some more. Tomorrow, we are looking at two more. One is an SUV, the other a car. The car gets really good mileage and I think we will lean more that direction, since I have come to the place of agreeing to drive a smaller car and work on my feeling of being unsafe in small cars.
This morning I read more of my book, Unglued, while I ran on the treadmill. I have tagged it the "treadmill book" The book reminds me of several different episodes in my own life, and my search for resolution, renewal, and restoration.  Just like our old Durango, some of the old habits need to go, and be replaced with something more efficient. I like her view on God's Word and her encouragement to bring His Word into the present and make it an application to my current situation. It's a good habit to have because it produces peace, and the ability to do difficult things. Even in the simple like switching vehicles; it can still present a challenge for some.
The search, the journey, the life God has given me is all about glorifying Him and being in His presence. There are times I get distracted with the circumstances that come my way, but I am seeing that He has a spotlight and it is bright. It makes the search worthwhile, at least eventually.
Jesus, shine Your light, if I search in the wrong place, make Your Way brighter. Continue Your leading, Your love, and Your wrapping. Say That Again, You will be at the beginning and the end of every search!

The Chisel

So, a couple years ago I went to a conference on speaking, and at this conference I heard Lysa Turkeurst speak about being chiseled by God. Since then, she has written a book titled Unglued, and in the next couple of days I plan to read this book.
Chiseled by God? I feel that God has been doing that to me, He is showing me His truth and His glory, and bringing me on a journey that will further His Kingdom.  I like this quote in her book:

"Is it true?  Will I see grace and feel grace and call it grace when I come unglued? Even when, Like Peter, I deny Christ with my actions? When, like Paul, I have a past that's anything but godly?  Will I embrace the grace by which I've been saved through faith--choose to see myself as God's workmanship--and do the good work I've been called to?"

I have noticed about myself that I still hold back about what is going on in my life. I just have a very small amount of people that I feel safe enough to really be open. A handful of friends with which I can be unglued and believe that because of grace, we will still be friends. It reminds me of something else that was read to me:

"When you need comfort I love to enfold you in My arms. I enable you not only to feel comforted, but also to be a channel through whom I comfort others. Thus you are doubly blessed, because a living channel absorbs some of whatever flows through it." Sarah Young

I hadn't realized it before, but one of the ways God chisels me, is through comfort.  When He brings others into my life that offer blessings of comfort, it works on my heart in ways that I have not allowed before. It penetrates in such a way that I begin to feel safe, and I want to be a channel of comfort to others as well. The blessings multiply, and His Kingdom grows! His grace covers me.
When I came back from the conference, I had a key chain that was given out. It said "Be Chiseled"  I did not realize at that point the many ways God would chisel me. But, I can see that His ways are unique, and because of them, I am blessed.  So, on my unglued days, when my actions are not so great, I'm going to pray to remember the workmanship of God, me and others. I will pray to allow His comfort to soak through me, and believe that He will work a good work.
Say That Again, Jesus, You chisel me in unexpected ways.