Keep Your Gift and Use It.

According to tradition this is the rock that Jesus and Peter sat on by the Sea of Galilee when Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. A church, Sancti Petri is built over the rock formation. It is a beautiful calm place located on the Sea of Galilee.

I love the man Peter in the Bible. He is so normal, isn't he? He gets angry, cuts off an ear and then denies he ever knew the Lord. It could have been me! It could have been you! I love the normal people in the Bible.

I guess I love these people because they give me hope... yes, hope. But I have realized that I love Peter for another reason. He spoke normal or maybe lower than normal! I mean... look at and listen to Paul. He was highly educated and probably spoke very eloquently. He wrote extensively and expressed himself so well. I can't imagine him ever trying to come up with words to express what he wanted to say.

This gives me hope also!! There are quite a few "Paul's" around. They write articles, books, poems. columns and yes, blogs. But what about those of us who identify with Peter? Yep! I'm a person like Peter. He was a fisherman and probably not highly educated. I figure the books in the Bible attributed to him were probably cleaned up grammatically. I can see him speaking the words and a scribe (maybe Silas) sitting in the corner writing what he knew Peter was trying to say.

Well, I kept waiting for "my Silas" to come along and help me write this blog. But, guess what? It didn't happen so here I am doing my own writing. The Lord pretty much told me that I needed to write for the everyday person. I don't use big words. Sometimes I don't even think I have deep thoughts! Ha! But I know the Lord uses me when I speak. He allows me to get on the same level where the everyday person understands. I write the way I speak. I guess that's a gift. Imagine having a gift and wanting to give it back.

What is your gift that you don't want? I encourage you to listen to the Lord and then do what He tells you. You will be amazed what you can accomplish. I am writing a book now. It's a silly little book, nothing at all serious but I would not have started it if the Lord hadn't encouraged me to write the way I speak. Use your gift... just the way you are.

With love & hugs,
Janet

Surprise!

Don't you just love it when you get a surprise from God?

After reading about the largest appearing moon in years or for years to come, Bob and I decided to find a spot and watch this much heralded moon as it appeared on the horizon.

We were like children! We were all excited to go look at the moon... and on a weeknight even! Sad to say it doesn't take much to give us a good time. We bought a coffee and began our search for the perfect spot. With 30 minutes to spare we parked our van in a large parking lot and started our wait. Well, after looking around we decided there were too many buildings so we drove to our second choice. This place was still a parking lot but on a higher elevation. Ah, the coffee was still hot and we had our place saved 'cause you know there were going to be thousands out looking at this large moon! But once again we decided this couldn't possibly be the best place.

My wonderful Bob drove us across town and up to Missionary Ridge because he realized he knew the perfect spot to see this moon. We had 10 minutes and we were going to make it. Now, we were on a mission.

Well, the place Bob knew closed at dark! Not wanting to get arrested for loitering in a park we drove along Missionary Ridge. As we drove across the bridge that crosses Interstate 24 there were two lone photographers standing with their cameras poised toward the horizon for this never-to-be-forgotten moon. We looked at each other and knew this was our spot too! The only problem was we had to park and walk uphill. I know that doesn't sound too awfully strenuous unless you have Bob's knee or my back; both of which were acting up this night. But, hey the coffee was cooling off and this size of moon wouldn't appear again for years and years!

We started off at a leisurely stroll toward the bridge which appeared to be 6000 feet in the air! Bob is such a trooper! He made it about one-third of the way onto the bridge and planted himself. That was it. He was done. Wherever the moon was going to rise, he would see it from that spot. Not me... I was on a mission. I wanted to take pictures of this beautiful moon as it broke the horizon.

Did I tell you we were on a bridge? Did I tell you that this bridge crosses an Interstate? Okay... visualize me walking like I'm on a tightrope! This is a two-lane bridge, with sidewalks on both sides with concrete sides and an iron top rail about waist high. I kept feeling like I was going to fall!! It was a warm evening with a slight breeze and hundreds of cars zooming underneath me. I kept wondering what those two lone photographers would think if they saw me approaching on my hands and knees!!

I finally made it to the middle. By this time two women, much older than me had passed me and were standing there so I joined them. As I look back to wave, there was a young father with his daughter and a baby in a carrier had joined Bob. Now there are seven adults on this bridge to watch this amazing moon as it breaks the horizon. The only problem was there were clouds on the horizon and no moon in sight!!

But wait! That wasn't what we were supposed to see! We were supposed to see the sunset. All of our married lives, Bob and I have taken photos of sunrises and sunsets. When we do, it is like God sets up the scene and takes the picture while one of us holds the camera.

Lots of times, we think we are supposed to be doing/seeing/going one place when all along God has another plan for us. You know the thing about it's easier to move a moving object than one that is stationary? It's the same with us! He gets us up and moving and then He shows us/tells us just what we are supposed to see/know. I love it when He does that!! It's always an "a-ha" moment for me.

By the way, after I took the pictures of the beautiful sunset over Lookout Mountain, the clouds parted and we saw the never-to-be-forgotten moon. It wasn't that great! And, the two photographers had the angle wrong! Bob was standing in the perfect spot to see it!

Don't be afraid to move! Take that first step! If you're headed in the wrong direction our God, yes the one who created the universe is perfectly capable of getting you on the path He wants you on.

With love & hugs until next time,
Janet
PS... the photo is the sunset at Lookout Mountain, TN.

Uncompromisingly Righteous

When to compromise? That's my question for today.

I have a dear brother who has taken it upon himself to be an encourager for me which is another story as to why I would need my own cheering section. Anyway, the other day he sent me a text and all it said were some chapters in Psalms. As I guess any good encourager knows, he gave me only the number of the chapter and not any verses because then I have to look up the chapter myself and then listen to see what encouragement the Lord has for me this day. Are you with me so far?

I have the Amplified Bible on my phone so whipped it out and looked up the first scripture which was Psalm 34. I was reading along when the neon word showed up! Does your scripture have neon words? It's not really neon of course but it's when the Lord wants you to really see it and really take notice. Beginning in verse 14 "Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it! 15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the (UNCOMPROMISINGLY) righteous and His ears are open to their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 When the RIGHTEOUS cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of their distress and troubles."

Okay, I'm having trouble with that word UNCOMPROMISING. Do you struggle with this too? When is it okay and when is it not okay... that's the basic dilemma. I want His eyes and ears to be open to me! I want Him to hear my cry and deliver me! BUT... am I uncompromisingly righteous?

I know it's only through the blood of Jesus that I have ANY righteousness. He is righteousness for me. But the scripture says His eyes are toward the uncompromisingly righteous. It looks like there is a distinction doesn't there.

After I became a believer in Jesus I attended a very legalistic church. If you looked at me then and now, I would look like I have compromised a lot. But, I don't think I have on the inside! I know at the age of 58 I give a lot of people more grace than I did back then including myself. What really matters and what doesn't? Do you ever wonder about that? The election "stuff" is already beginning. What matters and what doesn't? In relationships? What matters and what doesn't?

I guess bottom line is what about things pertaining to God? Am I compromising on things I would have not compromised on in the past? Are you? Even as I write this He is showing me things that I really don't want to see. In trying to be a "good Christian" am I compromising on important things? In trying to be a "blessed peacemaker" am I compromising?

When do I act and when do I stay quiet? When do I speak out and when do I keep quiet?

Thanks for listening! I hope you've been made aware of some things also.

With love & hugs,
Janet

Lord,
Show us where we have compromised. Help us Lord to take a stand on what's important to You. I love you Lord! Amen

Not Martha Again!

Lately I've been busy like I know many of you are. In thinking about my busy life I looked to the scriptures to tell me about busy. Well, one of the first ones I found was Luke 10:40 "But Martha (overly occupied and too busy) was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me (to lend a hand and do her part along with me)!" AMP

I don't know about you but I get tired of poor, old Martha being brought up every time we talk about busy. Is it because it hits too close to home? I really, really want to say "no, uh-uh, not me"! But, if I'm going to be honest I have to say "yes".

This past weekend I was talking to a dear friend is Israel. She was discussing some of the problems in their congregation. She said believers in Israel need to learn that their lives have to have the right priorities - God, family, their congregation and then free time. I sat right there with the phone to my ear and agreed with her. Not long after that is when the "niggling" started.
Have you ever had something to start "niggling" in your brain until you have to sit down and think it through.

Look where she placed free time... after congregation! To believers in Israel their congregation and the people in their congregation are very important. It is not like in the western world. There are not churches on every street corner. The people there meld and become family. They truly love each other. They work through problems. They help each others with their needs.

I had to start asking myself some hard questions:
~ Have I missed being a good mother/grandmother because of the busy-ness of ministry?
~ Have I missed talking to someone or helping someone because of my busy-ness?
~ Do people think I am unapproachable because they think I am too busy?

Once again the Lord has gently reminded me that I need to stop being so blasted busy! I want sit at His feet and listen... just listen. One problem that goes along with busy-ness is that we usually talk too much. The Lord doesn't have time to say anything to us when we only stop long enough to take a breath because we are already working on the next day/week/month or project/lesson or ________ you fill in the blank.

I hope you will stop this week and sit at Jesus feet and just listen. Listen to what He says about your priorities. Listen to what He says about the people in your congregation or on your street or at the grocery store or the person on the phone or the person who cuts you off in traffic. God has A LOT to say if we will get quiet and listen.

With love & hugs,
Janet

PS... my quick search for the word "busy" only brought up a list of 10 and none of them were good! I encourage you to search on your own and see what the Lord has for you.

Fainters!

A few months ago I decided I would be a fainter. You know, someone who faints. I was making a conscious decision to do this because the fainters get off easy.

Think about movies you've seen and books you've read. When the the woman faints she doesn't have to deal with anything that is going on around her. She doesn't have to deal with someone who's been badly injured. She doesn't have to deal with the Indians attacking. She doesn't have to deal with hearing bad news or anything unpleasant. So, I decided... that's the life for me!

Then I began talking to Jesus about fainters. "You know, Lord they don't have to deal with anything! The rest of us have to clean up the mess and take care of them at the same time. Why can't I be a fainter? Why do I have to deal with everything and everyone and be nice about it and wear a happy face?"

Well, you know when you start talking to Him and then you're quiet well... He answers you. Sometimes I really do want to be that person who runs and jumps in daddy's lap, tells Him what I want Him to know and how I want Him to answer and then leaves. It's not right I know but there you have it, that's who I am some days. Anyway, He began answering me. "I made you just the way I want you. You are strong. You care. I can count on you." I still wasn't happy with those answers but then He said, "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Is.40:31 NIV)

Wow! Now I really like that answer 'cause to be honest I wasn't happy with any of the others. I was having a bad few days and I new all that other stuff He said was true and I believed it but I needed more. I needed a reason to go on. Do you ever have those days? Sometimes He gives me multiple choice answers, all of which are true but I pick the one I need. It's a game for He and I. He lets me think I'm actually helping Him, and myself, when in reality I know He does all of it.

So, in the end, I decided not to be a fainter. As I pondered fainters the "cons" came in...
They always miss out on stuff. They never hear the full story. They don't know when to run. They could get left behind if someone has to carry their sorry carcass and things get too difficult they would be the first one left!!

Be encouraged today. If you do faint somedays, remember you can still soar if your hope is in Him.

Love & hugs,
Janet

Are you content?

"Bless your heart" is a familiar phrase here in the south. Now it's used for many reasons but one reason to say it to someone is if they are just a little slow and not quite getting what's going on or what everyone else easily understands. Well, sometimes I think the Lord is saying "bless your heart" to me because He has to explain things a second time or even a little differently for me to get it.

Most everyone is familiar with Philippians 4:13 which says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." NKJV But, how many are really familiar with verses 10-12? It talks about contentment. How content am I? This brings in all different kinds of contentment; content in my stage of life, my spiritual life, my monetary situation. See what I'm talking about?

The Lord gave me a visual. I am BIG on visuals. Within just a couple weeks of each other I have two women friends who were talking about their hair. Friend A has long beautiful naturally straight hair and Friend B has naturally curly hair yet neither are happy (content) with their hair. Friend A gets perms and Friend B straightens hers. No, there's not anything wrong with perms or flatirons... stay with me. The Lord gave both of them the hair He wanted them to have but they are not content and are trying to change it.

Now we can talk about the time we live in, the input from the media and the pressure from other women but bottom line is we're talking contentment with what Jesus gives us and we think we need to change or make better. My hair has been cut, colored and permed so this really hit home to me. Wow, if He wants to talk to me about hair what about the really important or spiritual areas of my life. I hope He keeps it about hair!! But, as a good daddy that's just given an object lesson, He has made me start looking at my life and the level of contentment.

Let me challenge you to read those verses and start looking at your contentment level.

Blogging

Well, as you can obviously tell I am not a very good blogger. I don't have anything super exciting to tell. I don't have any information or pictures about a wonderful trip. So, I have pretty much let the blog alone until "I" thought there was something worthy of posting. Hence, no post since May!

Sometimes do you think you're smart and then you have that "duh" moment? Me too!! The Lord keeps giving me things to think about and visions as illustrations. It just dawned on me that He wants me to use those things here.

I feel inadequate writing because I feel my grammar is not what it should be. Since moving to the south I jokingly say that English is my second language now with "Southern" as my first! Be that as it may, the Lord wants me to post some things on here so I will try to be obedient and this is one time I won't kick and scream first. So please bear with me dear friends as we take this journey together.

My prayer is you and I will both learn from the things He shares with me. Hopefully, it will be fun for all of us and who knows there may be a few pictures along the way!

Love & hugs,
Janet