Is There Anybody Out There?

I have not blogged in SUCH A LONG TIME. I'm not even sure I would like to start back up. Wondering...is there anybody out there who even cares to read my blogs anymore??? Signed, Maybe I'll blog again someday...

Righteousness or Rightness

I'm sharing mainly to believers in Christ here. This whole ordeal with Chick-fil-a is so blown out I think. This is on my heart about this day or any other day as a believer in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. In standing for what we believe in (traditional marriage between one woman and one man), or any other truth we stand for, and then possibly dealing with others who attack or mistreat us for what we believe, even within the body of Christ sometimes; let us remember all of Gal. 6.; not only remember it, but obey it. Let us remember that we ALL FALL SHORT, and we are ALL as believers striving to grow closer to the 'SON'. At the same time, even doing something as simply speaking what one believes, can bring on a lot of opposition by the one who disagrees, even if we do it with all the love our heart can hold! If a person chooses to be offended, they will be no matter how we approach them. I've been on the giving and receiving end of the harsh tongue at different times in my life. Sometimes, especially in the body of Christ, it can cut so deeply. What hurts the most, is when reaching out to another christian to try to make things right, and they will not communicate or try to make amends. Something I've learned through it all. It's like the line in that Bonnie Raitt song, "Cause I can't make you love me if you don't You can't make your heart feel something it won't" Yes that is a love song. Jesus is our love song. He also COMMANDS us to love. He doesn't suggest it, He commands it. Pure love, unconditional love, agape love (selfless love of one person for another without sexual implications (especially love that is spiritual in nature)! The problem is, so many of us do not even KNOW what that kind of love LOOKS like. We can't MAKE anyone, christian or non-believer LOVE JESUE OR US in THIS WAY, if they are not willing to open the heart. We CAN pray, and hope for this. Something else I've learned: Relationship is better than rightness! There are boundaries that can't be crossed as well in relationship. We can hold up those boundaries in a loving way! We can 'communicate' and 'correct' someone who struggles with boundaries...in Agape LOVE. In relationship, we have an opportunity to demonstrate God's unconditional love and truth as we are living it out. I'm not talking about being best friends with the world, or those who continue to choose that path against God's truth, but loving others as Christ loved. Jesus ate with and communed with sinners-took time to connect with them, He met needs of those caught in sin, then once He touched the life and met the NEED, and they received and were willing to hear truth, He said.."You are forgiven, Go and sin no more". Some of those 'sinners' became the saints... closest of Jesus's companions AFTER they turned from sin and chose to walk with Him. He was also patient with them, even after they became believers and disciples. Peter denied Him 3 times, he shot off at the mouth at the most inappropriate times, yet Jesus saw THE HEART, and he was patient and loving with Peter, because he KNEW Peter's weakness. He also knew that Peter so desired in his heart to do what is right. He stayed close to Peter, even through his fleshly struggles. I love this about Jesus, and those who walk out His love like this! I'm more affected by someone's LOVE and COMPASSION, GRACE and MERCY to forgive me, over hammering me with my wrong behaviors and then shunning me. If we are going to correct someone, take the time to allow them to work it out with the Lord. Until then, continue to love and receive them with HIS love! God will work on our hearts, and ALL of us need heart surgery! I don't care how 'saintly' a person is, there is always something in the heart that God is working on in us ALL. Some of the most difficult pain I've had over the past several years, has been in examining MY OWN heart, and what is truly going on inside of it! The enemy would love for me to walk condemned, but I'm learning to deal with it as it comes, and release it to God. "There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus". No there isn't. Our hearts will condemn us if we are not willing to turn the cold hard parts back to God. Let's remember especially for those of us Christians who may go to support Chick-fil-a, to approach this in love, not only rightness. Jesus was our example, "He was led as a lamb led to the slaughter, yet spoke not a word." So shall we as believers at times face persecutions, being led as sheep to the slaughter. (Romans 8). The most hurtful of all, is when other believers are putting other believers on the cross for their lack of being able to overcome an areas in their lives. If we must speak truth, let it be "seasoned with salt" (Colossians 4:6) and a whole lot of love and concern for the PERSON. (1 John) Better yet, in walking through to get chicken sandwich, PRAY for GOD to put a guard on our mouths! "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" Psalm 141:3. If we must look upon, look upon with "agape" love in our hearts! Move and speak as the Holy Spirit leads, and not out of emotion or flesh. Dear GOD, this is not easy! So difficult to do, believe me it wasn't long ago that my mouth got me into trouble!!! Like, yesterday! EVER DAY is a NEW DAY to start over! and NOTHING is possible without the power of Christ in and through our lives! Only way to KNOW the truth, is to get into that Bible in its entirety, and READ IT for ourselves. I have no right to say anything, accept by the authority of Christ Jesus in and through me. Even so, anytime I share, there is a heaping load of responsibility to walk it out in my OWN life FIRST! The enemy comes at me with force, but GOD is GREATER! Please let us be prayed up before going to do something like stand for Chick-fil-a's rights, or anything thing else. We can do this business (and all businesses) well by supporting them every day, not only on specific days. Our economy NEEDS the boost! "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) Let's overcome evil with good, not by being evil in our hearts or by our words and actions (which like I said, I'm guilty as charged for falling short) I'm sharing this so carefully....for myself FIRST and to encourage others to walk in truth AND grace. All of my righteousness is as filthy rags without being bathed in the blood of Jesus! My niece Kaylen, spoke one of the most precious things to me. "We are in the arms of God, we've just got to embrace HIS hug." How profound...

Characteristics of Humility

This is really good, and worth watching. Characteristics of Humility by Joyce Meyer.

Click here for Characteristics of Humility

Please VOTE!

Please vote for my friend Linday's video of her little girl Baileigh! She could win a Disney dream!

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The Awakening

I've read this many yrs again, but I have to say that I'm finally living out my OWN true AWAKENING with the Lord! It feels pretty darned good!

The Awakening by Sonny Carroll

There comes a time in your life when you finally get it ... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out "ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on." And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective.
..........This is your awakening.

You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something or someone to change, or for happiness safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren't always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

So you begin making your way through the "reality of today" rather than holding out for the "promise of tomorrow." You realize that much of who you are and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you've received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about :
- how you should look and how much you should weigh,- what you should wear and where you should shop, - where you should live or what type of car you should drive,- who you should sleep with and how you should behave,- who you should marry and why you should stay,- the importance of bearing children or what you owe your family,

Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin re-assessing and re-defining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.

You accept the fact that you are not perfect ,and that not everyone will love appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that's OK... they are entitled to their own views and opinions. And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a "perfect 10".... Or a perfect human being for that matter... and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare. And, you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others. Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.

And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by. Then you discover that it is truly in "giving" that we receive, and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of "creating" and "contributing" rather than "obtaining" and "accumulating."

And you give thanks for the simple things you've been blessed with, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about - a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, the freedom of choice and the opportunity to pursue your own dreams.

And you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors, including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising. And because you've learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest. And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.

Then you learn about love and relationships - how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally, and that not everyone will always come through... and interestingly enough, it's not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren't done for you. And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns - anger, jealousy and resentment.

You learn how to say "I was wrong" and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to Say NO. You learn that you don't know all the answers, it's not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.

Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships, and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it's wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet "your" standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that "alone" does not mean "lonely" and you begin to discover the joy of spending time "with yourself" and "on yourself." Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know - Self Love. And so it comes to pass that, through understanding, your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.

Moving along, you begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk doesn't change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead, you set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.

You learn that life isn't always fair and you don't always get what you think you deserve, and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God... but merely a random act of fate.

And you stop looking for guarantees, because you've learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you'll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time - FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears, because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.

Then, YOU LEARN ABOUT MONEY... the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart's desire. And a sense of power is born of self-reliance. And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you TAKE a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed, not for the answers to my prayers or for material things, but for my "God" to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and to do what I must do.

Remember this:- You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you. My "God" has never failed me.

Reference website where this was taken from: http://www.sapphyr.net/largegems/theawakening.htm




Like birds hovering, so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it." Isaiah 31:5