New Every Morning

Lord, I will wait for you.
You, Lord, are my portion.
Great is your faithfulness.
Your compassion is new every morning.
Your compassion never fails.
I will not be consumed.
Great is your love.

Good Fruit

"You can not change the fruit itself but you can change the root from whence the tree nourishes the fruit it produces." When I heard this a light came on in this wee little brain of mine. No wonder it seems impossible to change our bad habits or bad attitudes or bad tempers. We try to practice better habits, have better attitudes, and present more pleasant temperaments by polishing the appearance of the fruit. But bad fruit is bad fruit no matter how shiney you try to make it.
The only way to make bad fruit better is to nourish the root system that produces it. Build stronger roots that eliminates the need for improving bad fruit because wouldn't you know it the fruit it produces is good. The roots of true joy and happiness are naturally displayed in the fruit we produce. The good fruit is good habits, good attitudes, and pleasant temperments.
In Joel Osteen's book, Your Best Life Now, he encourages us to improve the root system by looking at the roots that produced the bad fruit. What is your purpose for not stopping a bad habit? What is the underlying reason you exhibit a bad temper or bad attitude? Once you know, don't hang on to that thing-- forgive a hurt, stop seeking pity, eliminate a fear--- whatever the reason deal with it and move on. Your life will begin producing good fruit as your root system becomes healthier and stops wasting nourishment on the bitterness of the past.

Hosea 14

Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord... and the Lord will say, "I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever."

He promises to be like:
a refreshing dew from heaven

That falling on us will make us:
blossom like the lilly
send deep roots into the soil
branch out like olive trees
with fragrance as the cedars
We will live:
under God's shade
and
flourish like grain
blossom like grapevines
with fragrance of the wines

God answers your prayers and cares for you.
God is a tree that is always green
All fruit comes from him.

The wise listen with discrenment
and
righteous people walk in the true and right paths of the Lord.

The Lord says,
"I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you."

To Do Life Today List!

To Do Life List:
____ Expect God's favor today... no matter your age, your health, or your circumstances.
____ Visualize your big dream and imagine living it at least twice today.
____ Write down the Top 6 things you want to accomplish today and do them.
____ Take one step toward your big dream today.
____ Read a scripture and think about it as you interact with the world today.
____ Be ready to be used by God today--- you're on-call 24/7.
____ Accumlate 30 minutes of heart-pumping activity today.
____ Think about the things you put in your fuel tank today (your body).
____ Think about the impact of the things that came out of your mouth today.
____ Work a puzzle daily to keep your mind alert (use it or lose it).
____ Read a chapter from a book today and journal what it meant to you.
____ Write down 10 Great things that happened to you today.
____ Thank God for today.

The Hard Decisions

Last evening my 17 year-old son and I watched a program on Leadership delivered by speaker, Chris Widener. He recommended that leaders make hard decisions quickly so that if you make the wrong decision you have more time to fix it and if you make the right decision you have more time to implement it. As my son and I discussed that, we realized a key contribution to our most heated conflicts-- he likes to make quick decisions which I always felt were impulsive and I like to analyze the details and make the right decision the first time which he felt was my procrastinating so I could hold him back.
During the conversation I did realize that I have a fear of making the wrong decision. I have an underlying need to be RIGHT! And so I put off a decision until it is certain to be the right one. The freedom to make the wrong decision with time to correct it may be just what I need.
The best part was the look on my son's face when he learned that he had a quality of great leadership. He loved to 'make hard decisions quickly.' We both recognized that we had a different way to approach a decision and that somewhere in middle we could come together. He could give me a little more time to gather the facts and I could make a decision a little sooner even if it was wrong.

Heart's Desires

I read a 2004 Cover Story from Time Magazine today about the discovery of the "faith gene." According to the author there is a gene sequence in our DNA that predisposes us to seek God. In Sacred Romance author John Eldredge posits that God placed in our hearts passions and desires that are designed to lead us back to him. "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4, NLT)."

We are hard-wired to seek after God and he gave us what we need, our heart's desires to find him. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD (Jeremiah 29:13-14, NLT). "

Of course we have the gift of free will and can use our hard-wire desires to pursue selfish delight and not find God. What a shame to miss out on having the desires of your heart and God too!

In Wild at Heart, Eldredge proposes that a man's heart's desires can be summed up into three categories: A battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a Beauty to rescue. Similarly he lists three essential desires in the feminine heart: to be fought for, to be swept up into an adventure, and to unveil her Beauty. What are your heart's desires? Do you agree with Eldredge? What desires has God put in your heart to help you find him? Are you pursuing them, for his delight or your own, or are you burying them?

The Car from Hell? or Heaven?

I really thought God had let me down after the same car from my God's Peace post exploded just three days after he got it and my son had to replace the entire engine not to mention hundreds of dollars of other things wrong with it. He had that replaced and then the instrument cluster quit working. A few days after getting it back from the mechanic he was stranded on the side of the road when his tire came off the rim. Is this the car from hell or what!!
I have been having conversations with God about this whole car ordeal. Did I not ask for a sign? Was that not you God that gave me a sign? The sign I testified about as your faithful witness while everyone watched and smirked and jeered, "What a peice of junk!" I prayed about this car purchase because I wanted your blessing-- what happened to your promise-- 'ask and you shall receive.' I did ask and this is what I get? I just felt stupid and publicly humiliated not to mention let down by God.
Last night my son came into my room and cheerfully told me he had fixed the tire. He was very proud of himself and happy that it wasn't going to cost him any more money to get it fixed. But he informed me that there was something wrong and the car was now making a knocking sound. Sigh! Now what? And the conversations and feelings of God letting me down again filled my head. When I walked by the garage, I heard my son and my nephew laughing. I peeked in and my son was bent over with his head in the engine compartment of his new but very old car. He was covered with dirt and grease from head to toe, wrench in hand, tinkering.
"Hey, mom," he looked up, "I think we figured it out." I smiled and left.
Could it be I just didn't get it? Was this God's plan all along? Since the car's engine exploded, my son has been at home working for me on the ranch almost every night to make up for the extra money to fix the car's engine. He has been in the garage tinkering with the engine, painting rusted parts, and affixing parts that are falling off. He's decided he really likes working on cars and is thinking about becoming a mechanic. His grades have been improving in school so he can participate in the technical college program as a senior in high school. Maybe the extra investment I had to make in the car is just what God ordered to keep him at home, safe, and tinkering in the garage.
"After I get you paid back, I am going repaint this car and redo the interior. It's gonna be a classic."
"Sure," I replied, "The car from heaven."
He smiled. "Exactly."

Mastery over the Previous Age

"The fact distinguishing our day from previous times is obviously our mastery over the scientific means of life. ... [new discovery] harnessed for our service until we possess, as no other previous age, [a greater means of living]. ... But when we turn our thought from the means by which we live to the ends for which we live, are we so sure that we are on a correspondingly higher level than our [fore] fathers?"
---excerpted from The Hope of the World by Harry Emerson Fosdick (1933).

FULL FAITH

Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you can not see (Hebrews 11)

Have FAITH.

Goodness is virture, excellence, generousity, value.

Add GOODNESS to your FAITH.

Knowledge is familiarity, a knowing, acquintance with facts, awareness, and the path of understanding.

Add KNOWLEDGE to your GOODNESS.

Self-control is like a city whose walls are fortified, to regulate, direct, or influence.

Add SELF-CONTROL to your KNOWLEDGE.

Perseverance is adherence to a course of action, belief, or purpose through suffering and trials.

Add PERSEVERANCE to your SELF-CONTROL.

Godliness is a great reverance for God, valuing all things from the creator, attained by knowledge and truth.

Add GODLINESS to your PERSEVERANCE.

Brotherly Kindness is exercising a tender, considerate, helping nature toward each other.

Add BROTHERLY KINDNESS to your GODLINESS.

Love is patient, kind, without envy or boasting, not proud, keeps no record of wrongs, rejoices in truth, protects, trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, never fails.

Add LOVE to your BROTHERLY KINDNESS.

Have FAITH full of Goodness, Knowledge, Self-control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Love.

Connor's Financial Planning

Connor said, "Mom, I realize that you are not going to increase the amount of my commissions. I understand that. Really, I am okay with that but can you at least increase the frequency of them?"

God's Peace

God promised he would be the Father to the Fatherless. I really caught on to that promise when my husband died and left my children fatherless. Yesterday, God really showed me his faithfulness. My son had worked all summer at the local grocery store and most of his hard-earned money had went straight into the gas tank of his dad's old pickup. I had agreed to help him buy a used car that would save him money on gas and allow him to put more of his money towards his insurance and hopefully have some spending money leftover as he paid me back for the car. He researched several cars and had taken my advice to not buy a couple of them. Then he found "The Perfect car."
I was not so sure. It was a little too sports car for me, not necessarily the gas saver I was hoping for, and I was not so sure it would handle safely in the snow. My biggest concern was that it was a sporty car and that he would drive it too fast. I started doing my research online and kept running into younger men who had bought these cars with their dads. I thought, yeah, this is the kind of car that would be cool for him to buy with his dad. I just didn't feel comfortable saying yes to this car... I mean what if something happens to him! What if he drives it too fast and gets hurt? I just didn't have a peace about it. I decided to tell him to find something else.
I went home last night and told him I decided it wasn't the right car. He tried to convince me it was. He said he did research and the mid-engine rear wheel drive he'd found handled well in the snow and it got 36 MPG in the city. I wasn't convinved my research showed that it only got 24MPG in the city and didn't handle as well in the snow. He said that I must have been looking at the GT's which were V6's. We had conflicting information and reviews. We kicked it around and I finally said, "Fine, you offer them $1000 cash and tell them we'll pick it up tonight." He tried to tell me how it was worth the $1895 they were asking and that I hadn't considered the stereo system and that other cars like it were on autotrader for a lot more.
I explained that I never agreed to buy him a stereo system and that just because they were asking for more in these ads didn't mean they were going to get it. Reluctantly he agreed to call and make an offer of $1100. They said they could go to $1750 or $1200 without the stereo.
A used stereo system for $550. Oh my son said, it is worth more than that you've never research stereos. I reemphasised 'not buying you a stereo.' I reconfirmed my position that the car was only worth $1009 according to TMV. He correctly stated that was an average and this car is worth so much more than that plus its got a great stereo. I finally agreed that I would allow him to buy it for the amount I had originally offered to help him out with which was $1500. And I prayed that I was not making a mistake.
"Lord, you promised to be the father to the fatherless. I don't know how to make this decision. Am I being too protective? Or am I making a big mistake. I am asking you to show me the right way. Do not let them accept this offer of $1500 if it is not a good idea, if it is not something you as his father would endorse. If you agree he should have this car then please protect him and help him to avoid the temptations to drive wrecklessly. Lord, I am looking for your answer by the outcome of this deal."
My son called and said, "If we bring $1500 cash tonight will you take the offer." No but they would accept, "$1600 if we came down tonight only." I said no.
Oh boy did we have a big fight after that. My son couldn't believe I would blow the whole deal for just $100. I said, "They will call back and if they don't it wasn't meant to be. We agreed $1500 and I really don't have the other hundred."
"Someone else is going to buy this car."
"I am telling you this is the game. You made a fair offer. It's $500 more than the TMV, that is plenty of money for that stereo. It's a fair offer. The $100 will go into the pocket of the one who stands their ground the longest. If it is sold out from under you, there is a reason and you don't want it anyway."
He was so angry with me. I told him to call him back and ask the salesman to take his name and number and call him back if they changed their mind. Soon I was on the phone with the salesman trying to convince me to buy the car for $1600. I said, "Listen, I did some research on line the TMV for that car is $1009. That means we've offered you $500 already for the stereo which is also used."
"But this car is a classic."
"You mean it has $134,000 miles on it."
"The stereo is worth $900."
"Listen, we have researched this car and feel that the $1500 is a fair price."
"We have more in the car than that. We paid $1400 for it."
"We are offering $1500 cash tonight. If you can't take that for it, I understand. Call us if you change your mind. Good night."
We hung up. My son couldn't believe I did that. I didn't mention to him that I was pretty set on the fact that if God said yes, they would come down to $1500 and that I wasn't going a penny over that and buy this car without God's blessing.
He went on and on about the extra $100. He couldn't believe I was going to let someone else get this great deal for $100. He told me how many ways he could come up with the extra money and I told him that is how you were going to come up with the $1500. I said, If you have $1600 march right on down there and get the car.
I took the opportunity to teach him a few things about buying cars. Number one, you can't be so set on getting one that you convince yourself this is the only car in the world for you. Number two, it's a game. Whose pocket should the $100 go into? Decide what you want to give for the car and be willing to walk away and find a better deal if they can't sell it to you for that. I feel $1500 is more than fair and I am not going to let them play me for another $100. And if they can't sell it for that-- that's fine too. There is another deal out there.
I don't think I had convinved my son until the phone rang about thirty minutes later and they said if we had $1500 in cash, tonight, we had a deal. I prayed on the way to the bank -- this is really from you right Lord? The sign at the drive up window said checks for over $1500 had to be done in person in the Lobby. Luckily we only needed $1500 because the lobby was closed.
He got his car--- I got God's peace~

I'm the Leader!

I am a great leader. The only thing holding me back is that no one wants to follow.

Puppy Love

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13-14

Yesterday I went in to wake my 9 year old by teasing, "Okay-- rise and call me blessed." You know from Proverbs 31 her children rise and call her blessed. Like that is ever gonna happen in my house. Guess what, he grinned and said, "You are blessed mom." That made my day! These moments of unexpected bliss are why I went through the hassle of birthing him, loving him, worrying about him, disciplining him, teaching him, and footing the bill for him.

God is love and he created us to share that love. Maybe it is the same way in which we decide to get a puppy, because we want some living being to express love to. What better subject than a puppy who expects nothing from you. I guess that is why we have babies, too. Because we love to express our love and we imagine these tiny infants cuddling in our arms smiling up at us. Of course, it doesn't take long for reality to hit. Just like with the puppy who starts chewing up everything you own, kids soon learn to talk and "I love you" isn't always at the top of their vocabulary list. By two they don't seem to idolize you as much as they once did. Once they start school, you no longer know everything. When they become teenagers, you no longer know anything. Expressing our love for them becomes extremely challenging.

Children aren't going to praise us just because we went through birthing pains to have them and all sorts of pains to raise them. However, It doesn't change the fact that we love them. We did not choose to have them so they could worship us. We wanted to love them. We loved them first ... we love them always... through it all. And if things work out right, they can carry that love with them throughout their lives when they feel like no one else in the world cares. Unselfish love endures forever in the hearts of those who recieve it.

Loving first, without expectation of love in return is what unconditional love is all about. It is why your puppy is so happy because he expects nothing. He bounces up to you for a pat or a scratch behind the ears and if he doesn't get one he doesn't mope off. Instead he bounces off somewhere else and tries again later. But if he does get a pat or a scatch he is filled with tail-wagging excitement. Everything he receives is a blessing over and above what he expected. In this same way we should reach out and love others with the heart of a puppy's love; no expectations. Giving love should be the goal that brings us joy and the return of that unexpected love, a blessing over and above our expectations.

"Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

Hope for the Control Freak

I have been called a control freak a few times. Okay, maybe I don't work that well with others and maybe my eye for details is a few sizes larger than the average person's but control freak? Whatever. However, in the remote case I lean toward being a control freak I heard on the radio this morning that the Sunflower Dental Group will let me be in control. Isn't that great! They even have a back up plan. They said, "We'll let you be in control and if that doesn't work there is always laughing gas."

~"Laughing gas," hope for the control freak~

Pampered Pets

All I can say is city pets must be really whimpy. I just read a Reader's Digest article on keeping your pets bug-free. They suggest if your dog gets a tick to remove it and take the dog to the veternarian to analyze the bite area. I am pretty sure my vet and my dog would not be on speaking terms by the end of the summer. And frankly, I wouldn't be talking to my vet either because I would be in the soup line ... broke from those daily trips to the vet. Country dogs however do get ticks. So if we see 'em we'll yank 'em out but if not the ticks tend to fill up and fall off on their own. If they fall on the ground, we stomp 'em and watch the explosion. Do not stomp them if they land on the deck or the patios because blood stains! We are not heartless though, if the dog does get a lump or infection from a tick bite we clean the infected area with an anti-bacterial wash. We also load the dogs up with tick spot prevention goop to cut down on their chances of getting a tick in the first place.

A Heart for God

Many of us spend a lot of time wondering what God's purpose is for our lives. We take inventories and interest surveys to find our God given talents and gifts. We pray for answers about what job, what ministry, and what schools God has planned for us and our families. At times it feels like we are lost because the answers seem unclear... do you think God may have just wanted you to choose? But we know the feeling of being in God's sweet spot... that place where we know we are walking on the good path God has laid out for us. We continue to search for that spot and prayerfully ask God to continue to nudge us back on it. So what does God want from us? I beleive all he wants is our heart.
There are over 774 references to heart in scriptures, some versions boast 996 references. There are hearts being hardened, filled with pain, drawn to others, rejoicing, and sinking. There are evil hearts and glad hearts. God speaks and prays in his heart. You can find out a lot about God's heart and the heart of man in the scriptures. I search his word to find out exactly what God wants from us. It became very clear God does not want us to go through the motions of being righteous, he wants us to give him our hearts fully.
Here is a little heart to do list straight from God's word:

• Fix these words on your heart (Deut 11:18)
• Love him with all your heart (Deut 30:6)
• Yield your heart to the Lord (Josh 21:3)
• Return to the Lord with all your heart (1 Sam 7:3)
• Your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord (1 Sam 8:61)
• Pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge (Psalm 62:8)
• Open wide your hearts (2 Cor 6:13)
• Let Christ dwell in your hearts through faith (Eph 3:17)
• Let the peace of God guard your heart in Christ (Phil 4:7)
• Set your hearts on things above (Col 3:1)
• Let the Peace of Christ rule in your heart (Col 3:15)
• Purify your hearts (James 4:8)
• Set apart Christ as Lord in your heart (1 Peter 3:5)
• Apply your heart to understanding (Proverbs 2)
• Keep his commands in your heart (Proverbs 3)
• Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3)

This is just a sample of God's heart to do list. If you find more please share them in the comment section. These are God's will and purpose for your lives! Rejoice in your heart for the Lord will make your paths straight when you search for his discretion and understanding like a hidden treasure.

Inside Looking Out

I have been stuck in this head of mine looking out for as long as I can ever remember. Sometimes I just want to get out of my head and get a bigger picture of the world. I have to wonder if I were blind and deaf would I still feel as if the center of my existence was inside my head or would I have a more over-all body experience. I forget sometimes that I am getting older on the outside which changes the way others look at me but not necessarily the way I look out at others. The nucleus of my life view seems the same as when I was even nine years old or younger. I have more experiences in my head now but I still peer out from behind this same set of eyes. From that perspective nothing has changed, I'm still in my head peering out at the world. Age has only changed the way I process what I experience, making some things simpler to understand and others more complex. Yet, it's still me, the same girl that was peering out decades ago; still here on the inside looking out.

The Owner of All

We are God's possessions and He wants us to live like it. If everything we own is God's, even ourselves, then why do we find it difficult to share what we have been given. God wants us to lay down everything, even our life, to follow him. That at first glance seems like a tall order. Do we all sell our houses and live as missionaries? Do we give away all of our possessions and have nothing to leave an inheritance to our children? If not, then what.

I have been contemplating this for a few weeks now. How do I truly become a disciple of Christ when Jesus said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-- yes even his own life-- he can not be my disciple." Luke 14:26. He wants everything! And yet, I have two children to raise and the bible also says if one doesn't work one doesn't eat. At first this was very conflicting for me, who will provide shelter and clothing for the nomadic missionaries if no one is allowed to own a home or have possessions that would benefit them. Is it right to expect others to work to take care of my children and provide us shelter.

If we do have possessions, part of what God wants is us to be generous with what we are given. "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" 1 john 3:17. Most of us get that but we live it out in a varying degrees. Even if you think you are doing well in that area let me tell you that that is not enough. Christ said to give up everything! Be like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:14, "I will gladly spend everything I have for you and expend myself as well." If you truly are convicted of that then you will start to give away everything and even then Christ says that will not be enough. So should you just give up and go back to life as usual. Of course, not. So how do we get this right?

God doesn't forbid us to have material or money. Actually he wants us to be great handlers of money but what he has been trying to tell us is that rich owners have a difficult time getting into heaven. They are tempted more with greed and hording, they have more to be selfish with, they have more to mis-manage, they have more to give up when God says sell your possessions and follow me. They hang on to material things and gain their self-worth by their possessions. They forget who they are and begin to conform to the world of money and possessions which causes them to lose God's peace and freedom.

God wants us to be rich and live abundant lives just not one that involves putting our worth in material possessions and money. "Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greeds; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15 It is our heart about material possessions that God wants. He wants us to let go of all of our ownership. Let go of ownership of our money, our material possessions, our father and mother, our children, our brothers and sisters. We don't own any of it. It's God's. We are God's possession and so is our money and material possessions, our family. All belongs to God and what God really wants is us to live like that is true in our hearts. To really Get IT and Do It! To be great stewards of all he has put in our care-- managers of his wealth and the homes he has put us over. With it comes God's peace, for you can loose nothing because you have never owned anything but if you manage what you have well, the Lord promises to give you more to manage.

It's not about getting more but doing what God wants with what you have. It's about being a great care-taker of the possessions and money God has entrusted you with. What are you doing with God's stuff? How are you putting God's money to work for him? Are you investing your time and money and possessions in things the owner would be happy about or are you mismanaging His resources? If you were the owner, would you fire yourself or give yourself a raise? Are you still hanging on to material things and money as if you own it? Can you grasp the reality--- you own nothing and never will!! You own nothing but are fully provided for by the Owner Of All who loves you!

The Cost

In Luke 14 Jesus said don't even begin to be my disciple until you are willing to give up everything. If you are not willing to give up everything, you run the risk of only building a foundation that you will never build a building on and everyone will laugh at you. "They will say, 'There is the person who started that building and couldn't finish it.'" Luke 14:30

"But don't begin until you count the cost." Luke 14: 28

If a king determines he can not defeat the enemy with his count, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. Are you sending a delegation or giving up everything? The enemy is near.

Do you have other things to attend to? Did you start out as salt but lost your flavor? Do you love your father and mother, your spouse and children, and yes, even your own life more by comparison?

"Come, the banquet is ready."

Together as a People

We have often debated over the need to assemble with believers. I mean afterall God is everywhere and if you are a believer then you can worship God anywhere so why worry about whether you go to church on Sunday morning or fellowship with other believers during the week. Often we defend church attendance by Paul's word in the new testament to come together to encourage each other and of course to follow the commandment to observe the Sabbath and make it Holy. Holy means to set something apart and Sabbath means to cease from work or labor.

Today in my readinmg of the word in Deuteronomy 33 a few passages stood out that seem to add weight to the blessing and priviledge to assemble with other believers. I'll just share them here as they are written and you can ponder them.

"The Lord became king in Israel-- when the leaders of the people assembled, when the tribes of Israel gathered as one." Deut 33:5

"Bring them together as a people. Give them strength to defend their cause; help them against their enemies." Deut 33:7

"Indeed he loves his people; all his holy ones are in his hands. They follow in his steps and accept his teachings." Deut 33: 3

What Prayer is Worth . . .

In accordance with the Holy Scriptures, the prayers of the righteous;

• are answered.
• give courage.
• give mercy.
• invoke God's presence.
• get God's attention.
• are pleas which produce the knowledge of afflictions in our own hearts.
• cause heaven to hear our hearts.
• cause heaven to uphold our causes.
• are heard by God, who hears them and responds.
• open God's eyes and attentiveness.
• reach heaven.
• move God.
• are answered petitions.
• are accepted by God.
• listened to by the Lord.
• give back the love which the God of Life gives to us by day and turns into songs in us at night.
• cause God to hear our voices.
• cause God to turn an ear to our cries.
• come before God.
• are set before God like incense.
• go against evil.
• please God.
• add years to our life.
• in faith, cause receipt of whatever we ask for.
• are the only way to cause some demons to come out.
• for the poor and destitute are considered by the heavens to be memorial offerings to God.
• cause favor to be granted.
• are not for Show.
• open the way to help others.
• perfect the saints.
• cause God to remember us.
• abound in love and increase our knowledge and insight.
• relieve anxiety.
• are consecrated.
• make sick people well.
• are powerful and effective.
• cause the Lord's ears to be attentive and His eyes to be open.
• are saved in Golden Bowls on heavenly altars.
• Are hand delivered to God by angels.

Better is ONE Day!

A coyote crossed my path this morning. Not sure what that means but things went down hill from there. Sure is Monday!
A smiley face appeared on my system computer this morning in the who is in control box. I know what that means; I don't have control of the system and neither does anyone on the link.
A call from the elementary school came in while I was working to solve the smiley face problem, "Your son is balled up on the floor and won't respond to anyone because he can not be allowed to take a metal bat to the cookout." I can't believe I sent my son to school with a weapon, either.
A message appeared while I tried to email the system log files to the technical support engineer, "You're locked out."
Another message appeared when I tried another computer, "Error... access denied." I concluded it would probably be best not to touch anything that has its own brain (CPU) today.
A phone call came in but every phone I picked up went dead. Whose idea was it to give phones a brain anyway?

After this I finally admitted to myself, "You're really not having a very good day."

A call came in from my boss who said things have gotten worse but I just said, if you need me it would probably be best to call me tomorrow.

Yesterday was so drastically different:
My teenager went kicking and screaming to church telling me it wasn't right to force him to go to church. He was priviledged to sit through the preacher's sermon on the importance of observing the Sabbath. God's perfect timing!
My youngest son got an excellent report from his Sunday school teacher, he was in love in Jesus. He said, "I sang to God and you know what, you were right, it made me feel so good."
My afternoon was awesome, productive, and God was so near.
My son got some one on one time with his baseball coach in the batting cages and afterwards told him know how much he appreciated a great coach. A great parenting day afterall.

Today, fighting the smiley face demon, I understand these worship lyrics more intimately, "Better is One Day in your House, Better is One Day in your Courts, Better is One Day in your house than a thousand elsewhere."

Better is ONE DAY!

Arrival

We tend to live our lives as if we expect to arrive somewhere. You might think you will have arrived when you have more money, get a better job, find love, or build that dream home. Most of us discover that when we do make more money we just want even more. A better job can add stress or increase our desire for a better job. A new love is soon discovered to have human faults just like all the others and that dream home, well, it comes with its share of pitfalls to. Soon after we have reached what we set out to achieve we discover we haven't arrived at all and must set out for a new destination. If we can't achieve what we thought we would, we become depressed or give up on achieving anything at all.
Where is the final arrival? What is it then that we are truly searching for? If not in this world then what are we doing here?
To truly be satisfied in our daily lives we must discover that life is a journey not a destination. Arrival doesn't happen until the end when we meet our Creator face to face for the first time. But that doesn't mean we should disregard the thrill of the journey. I have noticed that this is precisely what many young people try to do. They want the destination instead of the journey-- more money, a better job, and true love, NOW. Right out of high school, at 18, they can't understand why they can't just get a career. Why shouldn't they be hired for the good paying jobs? Somehow they want to skip the gaining of experience and blink onto the destination.
As I look back on my life, those moments of striving toward a new arrival place were the most thrilling and enjoyable times in my life. Although I remember feeling frustrated, often inadequate, and even hopeless. But these times gave me the experience to really appreciate the achievements, to be prepared for pitfalls that came with them, and to share the journey with others.
I believe that is what the journey in this life is all about--- it is the time between arrivals that will help us appreciate the new life we will have with the creator. Joy in life is understanding and finding peace with the perpetual cycle of the journey knowing the true arrival is yet to come.

My Answer

Do I know anything you don't know? Do I feel anything you don't feel? Are any of my thoughts unknown to you?
Do I see anything you do not see? Do I hear anything you do not hear? Are any of my days unknown to you?
Do you feel my heartbreak? Do you know my joy? Are any of my tears not counted by you?
Is there a prayer I've prayed you haven't heard? Have you missed even a word that crossed my lips? Is there a moment of my life you have not witnessed?
You've come to me with open arms and yet I can not touch you. I always know that you are there although I can not see you. And yet, I feel an emptiness that can not be filled, an unquenchable thirst.
What is this longing that this world can not fulfill? This great divide that comes between me and heaven and all that is under heaven. You are my every breath and my life is in your hands.

The Donut

Isn't it exciting that God wants to be in the little stuff too? After kind of a rough start getting out of the shoot this morning, my 8 yo son and I were at the quick store picking out breakfast items. He was hoping to get a creme filled long john and asked the clerk which ones were filled. She said the ones that have a frosting dot on them were filled. But none of the long john's had dots. She came by and peeked and said, "I'm sorry we are out of the creme filled."
My son examined the donut bin and then announced that he was just going to take a chance and pick one and hope that it had creme in it. I put my arm on his shoulder and whispered, "God please let this be a creme filled day!" My son smiled, "Amen." As we walked out of the store, he said he wasn't going to worry about whether the donut had creme or not he was just going to enjoy it however it came.
A few minutes after we pulled out he shouted, "God does care about my donut!" And he held up the donut to show me the yellow creme dripping out of his donut.
"Thankyou God" I replied, "Thankyou for being here in the little things."
It means so much to know that God cares about the little things in our lives, the things that seem insignificant to bystanders but like creme in a donut can make our days a little brighter.
My son replied, "Well at least God can get creme into a donut even if they can't."
"With God all things are possible."

Spring Drizzle

It won't rain and it won't shine... it just drizzles. Ever felt that way in your daily living? Sometimes I feel like God is putting a passion or drive in my life and I get motivated to put the plan into motion but it doesn't pan out. He drives me toward it and then holds me back. What is with that? Everything seems to be going well in my life and I can't complain but nothing is going super, it's kind of drizzling with moments of partly sunny.
This weekend I went down to the army base to visit my son before he shipped out. We played the old hurry up and wait game. I had to be there by a certain time so we could wait together to hurry up and get to the next place on time so we could wait together again. We got to places on time to wait for practices and ceremonies to start, we hurried to appointments and waited for office personnel, and then we sat on base waiting hours for the next scheduled event. We hurried up to be at the bus station so we could check in on time to wait an hour for the bus. We had to be at the shuttle station on time to wait 20 minutes for the shuttle. Is life just the wait between hurry ups?
When I sense God calling I get excited about the plan, I hurry up and get started only lately it seems to be told to wait. It bears a striking resemblance to drizzle. Everything is wet but nothing is dramatically drinched like in a thunderstorm. I can feel God's presence in a subtle way but nothing dramatic like a miracle or sign. Held back by the lack of sunshine I sit at the window and wait.

Ready Yet?

"Romans 8:19 The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. 20Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in 21until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens."

I read this passage to my 8 year old last night and ask him how God will know when creation and the created are ready. What do we need to do to be ready?

He replied, "My theory is that God is watching us. He isn't worried about our sin because Jesus took care of that so our sin doesn't count. But God is seeing how many times we could have sinned but chose to do good instead. When he counts up enough of those, we are ready."

Check the Fruit

Ever wonder if something is from God. Check the fruit.

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Goodness
• Kindness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control

The Holy Spirit produces fruit in everything that is from God. (Gal 5:22)

Life After the Fall

We have all experienced a personal encounter with "life after the fall" when we first realized the fairy-tale was over. Are you afraid to think about yours or is yours all too real to you? Is it a divorce, the loss of a loved one, a chronic illness, or a job that you despise going to? Maybe your fairy-tale ended much earlier in life with the divorce of your parents, death of a sibling or parent, or a chronic illness in childhood.
Did you give up on paradise after the fall or search for it in all the wrong places? Are you angry at the angel keeping you out of the garden of eden or battling God to let you back in? Did you build up a wall around your heart and choose to never let it reveal it's desire for paradise again?
I was listening to John Lennon's "Imagine" yesterday and I realized for the first time how wrong he was. He posits if there were no heaven and no hell we would all live as one and everything would be wonderful. I thought if there were no heaven above us and no hell below us then heaven and hell would be trying to co-exist on earth; sound familiar?
I used to get frustrated reading the scripture that instructs us to focus on the eternal and not worry about worldly things. How God? I would ask. I have to live here. I have eat, breath, and experience this world because you put me here. "Imagine." Imagine heaven on earth. The instruction is not to quit living but to imagine heaven on earth. Put our sights on heavenly things and consider eternal consequences of our actions. God didn't want to us limit our vision but to expand it. He wants us to see through the hell on earth and to find the heavenly things.

Great Expectations

John Eldredge wrote in his book, The Journey of Desire, "Now what if I told you that this is how it will always be, that this life as you now experience it will go on forever just as it is, without improvement of any kind? Your health will stay as it is, your finances will stay as they are, your relationships, your work, all of it will remain the same forever." Are you disappointed?
Most of us would be because God has put a longing in our hearts for more than anything thing life on this earth can offer us. We try to get it right, we even see glimpses of it but they are fleeting and often unnoticed. God has put in our hearts a great desire for more than we can even imagine. And although it will not be filled in this life--- God calls us to him with it. He wants us to keep searching for it and keep asking for it and keep longing for it. Do not be discouraged but let God keep drawing your heart toward it, toward the perfect life He has prepared for you?
In the meantime as we learned in our Sunday's teaching this week, we should expect great things from God. The woman who reached to touch Jesus' robe expected that touch to heal her and she was not disappointed. God is revealing to us the secret life he has placed in our hearts. We should expect it to be filled "On earth as it is in heaven." It is the Great Expectation--- that God can and will fulfill the longing in our hearts for LIFE--- the LIFE Jesus already claimed victory for us. Do not let the search discourage you--- move from one glimpse to the next glimpse, take note of the glimpses with great Joy, and in between anticipate the next glimpse with GREAT EXPECTATION!

A Great Day to Be Alive!

I decided it was time to move past my anger management post. That post has served me well and I have to say we are all better now. There is an air of peace over our home which is such a blessing. It could be the weather... isn't it awesome! 60 degrees right in the middle of Kansas in February. I am talking about the weather, LOL! As you can see I have a touch of topic-block. That is similar to writer's block but in the blogging world it means not finding the inspiration for a well-defined subject.
It could have to do with the fact that I just completed the first and very rough draft of my book. It was over three years in the making. The procrasination was all mine and the grace of the Lord kept pushing me to the finish line. I am well ahead of my May deadline and taking a breather to finish up my taxes. After the taxes are filed I will be putting the final touches on the book and sending it off to publishers for their final rejections! Not really. I am going to pray about the publisher and let the Lord lead me to the one he is preparing for my query letter right now! Amen.
I feel the need to stop and breath in and breath out. Why is that? I suppose it is the sigh of relief and the breath of a new beginning. What will I do without that unfinished book staring at me from all the corners of my life and home? One guess... it probably has to do with manual labor.
Yes.. I suppose I'll be pounding in tee-posts, building fences. Did I mention the electric fence kicked my butt the other day? Wow, that packs a punch. I am certain my heart stopped. It didn't help that I had my other hand resting on the tee post. Right across the chest! My muscles are still requivering but I feel good. "It's a great day to be alive!" Praise God!

Anger Management 101

Today I got an interesting lesson in anger management. After throwing a little fit with the kids this morning, God dealt with me directly in my morning bible reading. If you know me really well, you may know that I have a tendency to once in awhile lose my temper, which doesn't mean I can't find it. I find Webster's definition of temper 3a-- just fine. 3a. A tendency to become easily angry or upset. However, it is definition 2 that I tend to lose. 2. Calmness of mind or emotions: COMPOSURE.
Since I have been walking with the Spirit, this is one area I have truly been working on. No more 3b's that make your husband insist you go out and wait in the car while he let's the repair shop walk all over us. 3b. An outburst of rage. It's not like I was making it up, they were going on an Easter egg hunt and we were paying for the eggs!
I have been doing a lot better since I got churched too. Not only was God convicting me of my 3a. temper but he was putting in place ways to help me control my fits of rage. We were just getting to know too many people to have a good knock down drag out argument in the middle of Walmart. But still when you feel you are being wronged, it's hard to keep that emotion down inside where things tend to be bubbling up and want to come out.
My kids are quick to tell me that what I thought I said politely was a little harsh. So last time I was getting upset at the Best Buy Geek Counter where the geek was explaining that my warranty may not cover the repairs because there was a dent on the front right corner of my laptop even though it had nothing to do with the power cord not working on the back left corner, I took a deep breath. I asked God for mercy, and blurted out, "I am trying not to get upset here but you are making me very upset." Then I forced a smile on my face and waited. The geek replied, "I am not trying to make you upset, mam. But I will write down that although there is a dent it is booting up. I just wanted you to know they may label it abuse which is not covered under the warranty. They will call before you incur any charges." With the deep breath I was holding in, I let out a "Thanks," and thought to myself, "It's your money Lord so I am just going to leave it in your hands."
The whole point of Anger Management is changing what we are telling ourselves in the middle of an emotional crisis. My morning's bible reading of Psalm 39 captured it so eloquently in these words of the Psalmist:
"I said to myself, 'I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say.
I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.'
But as I stood there in silence--- not even speaking of good things--
the turmoil within me grew worse.
The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, IGNITING A FIRE OF WORDS."
Ever had that happen to you? You try not get angry but the harder you try the hotter you get and then the pressure builds up until it just pops the top and spews out your mouth.
I think there is a key phrase in this Psalm that could easily go unnoticed, "not even speaking of good things." Trying not to say anything just lets all that pressure build up but if we start thinking of something good to say it can really diffuse the emotions around the situation. Coming up with something good to say can keep your mind productive and off of the thoughts that make you hotter than you already are. I tried that when I said, "I don't want to be upset but your upsetting me." Its the best I came up but it was better than some of the things I was thinking about saying like, "You people are always trying to find ways to get out of paying for repairs under that warranty!" I thought it; didn't say it; Praise God!
Another helpful anger management tool comes right out of Psalm 39 as well.
"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me my days are numbered--- how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath."
We don't have time to rebuild the relationships that fits of rage destroy. Our time is fleeting and we need to use it wisely, building up the people we love, not tearing them down. Our days are numbered and we need to use them to encourage and build up every person we meet and interact with.
So, if you're like me, you'll need the tools from Psalm 39 to find that 2. temper. 2. Calmness of mind or emotions: COMPOSURE.
Here they are again:
#1 Speak out Good Things to defuse your inner turmoil.
#2 Be reminded how brief your time on earth will be, how fleeting your life is.
#3 Be reminded how your days are numbered and make each day and every interaction count.

Unforgiveness and Silly Putty

Unforgivness is like silly putty. You hide your silly putty in your pocket and it gets into the cloth of your jacket. You forget all about hiding it in your pocket until one day you stick your hand in your pocket and the silly putty gets stuck on your glove. You don't realize it is out of your pocket, no longer where you hid it but now on your glove. You reach out to hug your child and it gets stuck on the back of his coat. He sits down next to you at church and the silly putty gets stuck on the back of the chair. When he gets up and leaves for children's church, there it is. A large neon green blob is sticking on the back of the chair he was sitting in and you wonder... how the heck did that darn silly putty get out of my pocket onto that chair. So you sit in church trying to pick the putty out of the seat so it doesn't rub off on anyone's clothes.
The truth about silly putty is it gets in between the fibers of every peice of clothing it touches. You can remove the bulk of it but it leaves behind a slick surface where the putty is down in between each fiber ruining the fabric and transferring itself to every peice of fabric that touches it there after.
Unforgiveness is like silly putty. You hide an offense against someone in your heart thinking it is out of sight of out of mind. You forget all about hiding it in your heart until one day you open up your heart to someone else entirely and either can't love them or trust them and you don't really understand why. You don't realize it is an old offense that got stuck onto your new relationship. Even the way you love your children can be effected by the old offense and a little rubs off on them and the way they treat others. You don't even know this is happening until one day while you are sitting in church the Holy Spirit brings this person who long ago offended you to your mind. You think, "Why the heck am I thinking about that person?" And slowly the Spirit begins to pick at your heart removing the bits and peices of offenses and unforgiveness from deep down into the fibers of your very soul. Because offenses slime their way in between the hidden fibers of our heart, our soul, and our mind.
The only way to get rid of them is to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your unforgiveness to you and start picking it out. I have also heard coating it with peanut butter before washing helps too!

To Delete or Forward, that is the Question!

I knew I wasn't going to buy into forwarding the email because of the threatening comment at the end that said if I didn't send it to ten people in 10 seconds bad things would happen. But it was a really good poem and I truly do have people on my email list I love and want to let them know I love them so possibly I could forward it on for that reason. Yet, I had already sent loving emails to much of my email list just prior to reading this email. So no pressure, I decided not to pass it on.
However, the dilemna I faced was do I reply to the sender and let them know that I don't believe in threatening emails of a superstitious nature. Or better yet, could I figure out who the originator of the email was and let them know that I believe superstition is the work of the deciever and God doesn't need schemes or threats to get his emails passed on. Was this a moment to instruct the sender in proper Christian behavior which was above superstition and good luck charms but rather a Christian should be walking victoriously in Christ without fearing threats of bad luck and doom on you chants?
HMMMM.....better 'DELETE.'
Now why would I delete such an opportunity to disciple a fellow Christian or evangelize an unbelieve? Although I felt I passed the first test immediately, walking in faith and not letting the fear of bad luck pressure me into forwarding the email, the decision to delete was simple. A house divided can not stand. The deciever wanted me to make a big deal out of the email and divide me and my family member on the good luck issue. Whether there was or was not good luck and therefore persuade me to engage in an argument and sever the relationship we were building. But this time, God had the victory... delete that scheme right off the page.
If I want to evangelize, I can just send out my own beautiful, loving email to the sender without any threats attached.

Grace and Truth

We all need grace and truth and boy, did we need it this morning. Well, I really need the grace part. We had an awesome teaching about grace and truth yesterday. At least that is the part that really caught my attention. I was unable to focus a lot while he was teaching about peace because I had a headache and was very irritable all morning.
Seems to be a theme this week, I was irritable this morning too and luckily remembered the message about grace and truth. You can not just get God's peace right in the middle of a heated argument with your son. Yes, I remembered that part of the teaching. You must build peace. The seed is planted and by God's grace it grows until you have peace before you even enter the situation which caused the heated argument.
The truth is we need to look at this situation that caused the heated argument, which actually wasn't an argument but was more about me complaining so much that the cashier at the gas station smiled and said, "Have a great day, mom!" To which I replied, "Thank you so much for listening. I feel a lot a better now." And we all, including my son, laughed on the way out. That was God's grace for sure.
So how do we build a foundation of peace for the next situation that arises out of the sheer frustration I have been having with this boy. I realized that is the problem. He is still a boy but the trickery comes into play because he looks like a man so it throws you for a loop when he acts like a boy. However, I know my job as a parent is to expect him to act like a responsible man and yet, offer grace when he blows it by recognizing he is learning to perfect that role and not very experienced at it.
I have no idea what my excuse is. This is my third child that has been in this phase and I still can't seem to get it right. Some parents just give up and shrink back from the truth. God gave us the responsibility to train up our children in the way they should go. I will not quit trying to do that, I embrace the truth, though I feel so unqualified for the task. Thank God for his grace.

Thanks, Mom

My mom read my blog!! I can't explain how cool that is. Possibly the feeling may be captured by reading my post called, "The Blog!". But my mom read my blog! I think it could be funny, or possibly an entry in the DSM-IV, how at 45 years old parental approval means so much. Of course, she didn't evaluate the blog, good or bad, but my mom read my blog!

I am struggling with my own children's need of my approval. I always thought they knew how great I thought each of them were but for some reason none of them think I think they are good enough. And a few of the braver ones have been letting me know this lately. It is very sad because they are each so dear to me. They are my life as much as they at least say they wish I would get my own life. So now I am in this bind, because if I start telling them how great they are now they just think I am saying it because they said I never do. And when I do tell them they think I am just saying it cause I am their mom. Now if a dad tells their kid they are great, kids believe it, but when moms say it they are just saying it because they are a mom and that is what moms do. That was explained to me by more than one of my children. No wonder my kids are struggling with a need of my approval.

I guess we never outlive that need for parental approval. Although I am finding that it is not necessarily approval I seek from my parents but rather just that they notice my life. That they take time to listen to my heart, read my blog (hee, hee), see what is happening, and not fix it but just know if things are good or bad. And to take the time to say something as simple as, "Mike's [my late husband's] birthday is Monday." Well, that means so much. It means they noticed.

Life is good, cause hey, my mom read my blog! Thanks, Mom.

Angels

He will send his angels with a mighty blast of the trumpet and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world and from the farthest ends of heaven (Matthew 24:31)

Two men will be working in a field; one will be taken, the other left.
Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. (Matthew 24:40)

Send an angel before me to protect me on my journey and lead me safely to the place your have prepared for me. Amen.

Songs of Joy Anchor Each Day

"Where morning dawns and evening fades, You call forth songs of joy!" Psalm 65:8

God really laid this scripture on my heart one evening as I watched the sunset off my father-in-law's deck. I was in the middle of growing out of the darkness of grief and my days were emotional rollercoaster rides. The sunrise and the sunset became the anchors on my day. My refuge where I knew that no matter how my day was going I could go stand in the Joy of the Lord as the morning dawned and evening faded. I decided then that I didn't want to miss one of them on my life's journey, not one sunrise or one sunset, not one of God's songs of Joy!

The Haunting

We try to uncover the mysteries in the morning light, but there is a whole other world out on the ranch at night. We know this because our dogs carry on so barking at things we have never seen during the day. Often I will get up to see what they are so upset about but I can see nothing out in the dark. I believe them though because in the morning there are often signs of the other life. The pole barn is wrecked with garabage scattered or feed barrels over turned and attempts made to open them. I have had to strap the lids on now because whatever the mysterious animal is they have learned to unlock my lockable barrels.
Last night was a little different though. I was woken not by my dogs barking but by a cackling mix of wimpers and distant howling. The eeiry part was that the dogs were not barking and the cackling was moving closer to my bedroom window as it approached from the pole barn. Hairs rose on the back of my neck as they moved past and descended down into the lower pasture. There were many of them, possibly a pack, as they loudly moved past as if celebrating a conquest. I listened carefully for the sound of horses in distress but heard nothing. Again, I thought, why do I not hear the dogs that bark at every branch that blows by.
I got up and looked out on the deck to see if I could see them but I saw nothing except my Austrialian Sheperd sitting on a lounge chair with her ears perked but remaining very still and quiet. There was no sign of the puppy.
I made the decision to scope out the property in the morning. As the horizon lit up well enough to see, I would venture out and calculate the damage. The puppy ran up to the bedroom sliding doors as soon as I mentioned his name to my son who was preparing to brush his teeth. "Did you hear that pack, last night." I asked. "Funny, I didn't hear the dogs barking and Samson wasn't on the porch." Yelp, yelp, now he shows up at the door.
"What was it, coyotes?" He asked, "I knew we shouldn't have moved here. The place is haunted that is why the other people wanted to move."
"Coyotes are not ghosts. They are just wild animals."
"It's the night time. Anything you can't see during the day that comes out at night is trying to haunt you."
I guess we got haunted then but this morning I felt a little victorious, the horses were all okay, all the cats and both dogs showed up for the morning feeding frenzy, and to my surprise my strategically placed barrels had not even been over turned. Victory!

The Enemy's Camp

Last summer I had a vision during a personal battle with those who justify tolerance of sin. I was struggling to understand how Jesus could love sinners and yet, hate sin. God showed me the enemy's camp was like a POW camp where the lost and some unconvicted believers were held by Satan. As disciples of Christ we were to go in and rescue the POWs.
If you start bombing the camp, your mission fails. You must, with Christ's leadership, strategically go in and rescue them. These POW's are the lost and the hurting, the head strong and weak, strangers and our loved ones. They are not the enemy. Satan is the enemy.
Sometimes I feel like I have to convince them to leave. I know the way out but they don't want to come. We must show them through the testimony and witness of our own lives that it is better in the other camp. Satan is decieving them and they are convinced that they are right. Sometimes I listen to their twisted reasoning and they almost convince me. It is important not to stay in the camp too long or run the risk of be trapped in it yourself. However, we must continue to follow our leader into the camps to attempt to rescue them. The Victory has already been won. The time is now. The mission is clear.

In God I Trust

Yesterday at my son's basketball game the half-time testimony was about trusting God. The gentlmen told a story about a millionaire acquintance he was with who stopped to pick up a penny off the sidewalk, pausing and then putting the penny in his pocket. He asked the millionaire, "Certainly you don't need to be picking up the change off the street do you believe in the good luck myth? Shouldn't you be putting the penny in your shoe?"
The millionaire replied, "Have you ever read a penny? We pass these coins between us every day and never give it a second thought but everyone of them says, "IN GOD WE TRUST." I have found that whenever I find a penny the next thing that happens requires a substantial trust in God. So now, I pick up the coin, read the words, "In God We Trust," and pray. Often when I am facing something difficult God places a coin in front of me to remind me to always trust Him to get me through it."
Today in church I was praying about a spiritual battle I am facing. I felt strongly that I should set up an appointment with the pastor to discuss it but I didn't want to wait. I needed to approach him immediately after the service and often that is a difficult time because many people like to approach him after his sermon and it can be very distracting trying to get your thoughts across and usually results in making a later appointment anyway.
Feeling quite nervous about approaching him, I bowed my head down to pray as the last song was playing. At the tip of my shoe was a dime, so I confidently picked it up and smiled as I read, "In God We Trust." Not just a penny's worth, I thought, but ten times!
At the end of the service, the pastor announced that if anyone wanted to discuss more about partnership to meet him in the fellowship hall. We ran into each other right outside the door of the sanctuary and he said, "Good to have here today." Confidently I remembered the dime in my pocket and said, "Thanks. I am going to meet you in the fellowship hall." I thought to myself, "I do have a question about partnership although it seems trivial in light of this spiritual assault."
Since no one else attended the meeting, I was able to share my heart about the spiritual attack I was under without distraction. The result was a spiritual partnership for R4C Ranch.
That was 10 times more than I even thought to ask for. "In God I Trust"

Only In America

God Bless America!
Drive thru breakfast may be available in many countries these days, but only in America can you drive through once and be served by people of three diverse ethnic groups. This morning I stopped at the drive through of the golden arches and ordered my breakfast into the speaker-phone. I stopped at the first window and paid my ticket to a rather small man of African descent. Then I pulled to the next window and a Hispanic woman handed me my drink and with english words that rolled off her tongue with a heavy spanish accent she asked, "Would you pull up dare to wait for your food?" I pulled up to the drive thru and wait slots hoping I wouldn't have to wait too long. To my surprise a shorter man than the first came to my window within minutes. I recognized that he was of Japenese descent which didn't really surprise me being in America and all. But when he bowed to me, you know like they do in Japan, I was really taken by surprised. The biggest smile came over my face, "Thank you," I almost shouted at him more for the bow than the bag of food. I had seen the custom often on television shows but never actually had anyone do that to me. I have to say, "It made me feel very special." What a blessing!

The Sailboat

It's not about what happens, it is about what you do with it when it happens. It is tempting to second guess what you did to cause a particular outcome, but after reading Exodus and the plagues and all that, I think I realize that God will use any situation for his purpose. God gets his point across by causing unexpected outcomes from our best efforts. It is not the effort that produced an outcome that is important but rather our response to the outcome.
When the outcome is good we tend to pat ourselves on the back and think, that was a great effort. When the outcome is something unexpected we think our effort failed. But actually neither reaction is correct. Neither the good outcome or the unexpected outcome can be credited to our effort but rather is the result of God's will. So it is more important to concentrate on what to do with the outcome than on the effort itself. How is it that God is moving you to respond to the outcome of your efforts?
I had a vision once of a sailboat. The boat was still on the water, becalmed. It was very similiar to an afternoon I spent in a becalmed sailboat with my father. Its great sails were stretched high above it, yet, it did not move. The sails drooped toward the water with no wind to move them. The rudder moved back and forth but could not turn the boat. It could not go forward, it could not go back, it could not be turned in either direction. It was becalmed, destined to sit on the water in the middle of the lake and do nothing.
What I realized from this vision is that the only important thing about effort, is that we make an effort at all; lift the sails up, pray for wind. The sail boat must be moving forward in order to be turned. If your sails are down, no wind is going to move that boat. God can not direct you if you are not moving. Ask the Lord to send the Holy Spirit in your life to be the wind in your sails. Let Jesus be the rudder, pointing your vessel toward the Father, our God, who awaits us on the other side. A lighthouse beaconing us toward him.
The thing about a moving sailboat is that there is always outcome that can be changed. If the boat is moving, it can be turned around, it can be turned left or right, or it can be allowed to gain momentum in the direction it is going. Once the sails are up, the effort is not what is important. What is important is who we let steer our rudder.
It is important to know where you want to go and stay pointed in that direction. As long as you have lifted the sails, no further effort on your part will move the boat. You must have the wind in the sails to move. All you are asked to do is lift your sails and receive the wind. Asking Jesus to guide your rudder and pointing your outcomes toward God. Even if you are going full-speed in the wrong direction, as long as you are willing to 'come about' you can change your direction.
After much effort on my part to ensure a particular outcome, something totally unexpected happened to me. All my preparation resulted in something I was totally not prepared for. My gut reaction is to ask, "What did I do to get that outcome so I can make sure I never do it again?" However, after prayerful consideration, I realize that I can not take credit for the outcome. I need to evaluate the situation based on what God is trying to do through it. Not what caused the outcome, but what does the outcome need from me. Do I need to turn left or right, change direction, or gain momentum in the direction I am already heading?

Wisdom, Strength, & Victory

Today I listened to the President speak at a Question and Answer session at Kansas State University. The answer he gave to the question, "As a man of character, how do you deal with the attacks on your character?," caught my attention. His answer, "Faith, Family, and Friends and of course, {implied: when it gets real sticky}, Barney, my dog."

The President was right on today, better than I have ever seen him. He said, "When you make hard decisions, things get a little sticky. I am sustained by the many Americans, more than I can ever thank, who are praying for me." In addition to requesting a prayer covering over your daily life, surrounding yourself with supportive family and friends, and having the joy of a good pet to take care of who will love you unconditionally; the President encouraged all Americans to keep the important things in perspective. He said, "If you know something is important you have to schedule it in, like prayer and exercise." He emphasized the importance of both praying and exercising regularly and I have to agree.

Since I started my exercise program, not only does my brain seem clearer but my tasks seem lighter. I also scheduled a weekly time to pray over my home and family members and it has been such a blessing. I enjoy the time thinking about each member and their needs. God has blessed me with so many answers and praise reports through these prayers. In so many areas where we just struggled and stumbled along, victory has come through just because we have asked for it. And you can just read this blog and realize what a blessing our horses and dogs and often our cats!, have been in our lives. "Ask the animals and they will teach you... for which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this. In His hands is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." Job 12:6

May God continue to bless America and give His wisdom, strength, and victory to our President.

Where the Messes Are

"An empty stable stays clean, but no income comes from an empty stable." Proverbs 14:4 NLT
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest." Proverbs 14:4 NIV
" 4 Når der ikke er Okser, er Laden tom, ved Tyrens Kraft bliver Høsten stor." Proverbs 14:4 Dansk

Things are going to get a little messy in order for God to produce a great harvest. If you don't have to muck up a mess now and then, you probably aren't producing anything worthwhile.

God is producing an abundant harvest, down where the messes are.

Thank God I'm A Horse-woman

If I would have been a horse-woman when my children were little, I would have broken big jobs down into smaller tasks more. I would have asked, gotten out of their way, and allowed them to try more. If I would have been a horse-woman when my children were little I would have made them doing the right thing a lot easier and doing the wrong thing much more difficult for them. If I would have been a horse-woman when my kids were little, I would have used show-sheen on their manes and bought providine at the feed store in the big jug for a lot less. If I would have been a horse-woman when my children were little, I would have rewarded them with praise on every real try and made sure I didn't reward them when they didn't try. I would have found an opportunity to always end our encounters on a good try.

If I would have been a horse-woman when I was married, I would have made more time to take my husband out to play. I would have groomed him more and returned him to his own space when I was done. If I would have been a horse-woman when I was married, I would have complained about his messes a lot less and just hired a ranch-hand to clean up after him. I would have soothed his aching muscles more, allowed him time to get used to new ideas more, asked for more of the things he was good at giving, and found more reasons to praise his good tries.

If I would have been a horse-woman when my children were little, I would have learned a lot more about sibling herd dynamics. I would have stayed out of the way more and let the kids work out their own pecking order. If I would have been a horse-woman when I was married, I would have understood the need for some studs to be dominant and I would have gotten out of the way and let my husband be the leader. I would have learned to lead from within the herd and been more comfortable with my placement at the second bucket and more thankful to have a good leader.

If I would have been a horse-woman back then, I would have been a better wife and mother. I would have had more fun, less worries, and just enjoyed the ride more. Thank God I am a horse-woman now! Watch out!

A Women's Spirit

There is something inquisitive about a Woman's Spirit. I learned this first from my mother who always saved the last peice of pie for herself. Of course, she waited patiently to make sure everyone else got a peice and though none was ever left over for her she seemed perfectly content watching everyone else enjoy a peice. A woman does things for everyone around her and somewhere finds energy to do more. No one seems to notice that nothing has been done for her. However, curiously enough she waits to take care of herself after she has cared for everyone else. But after caring for everyone else's needs there is no time left for her to care for her own needs. You would think this would wear her down and sometimes she thinks that it has. But even more curious is all it takes to recharge her for another round, to refuel her for the long haul, to satisfy her soul, is a mumbled, mouth-ful, "Great pie, mom," as the back door slams. Though alone with the dirty dishes, her spirit is lifted and she's off again when all others would have been crushed and defeated long ago.

I'm the Leader

I rode Jazz yesterday. It was an awesome 60 degrees; a beautiful day at the ranch. The ride was a little less than the wind in your mane type of ride. We worked on our turns and she was agreeable to the whole thing for a while. However, when I decided to go work on our turns around the haybales and farther from Zippi racing up and down the fence next to us, she was a little less agreeable. So when I thought I was giving a cue to make a right turn in the opposite direction that Jazz wanted to go, I was actually giving a cue to sidepass in the direction Jazz wanted to go; at least that is how Jazz interpreted the cue. With Jazz's neck arched beautifully toward my toes, her body moved gracefully sideways toward the barn.

One thing I forgot to mention, I am not that good of a rider. I didn't even know I knew the cue for sidepassing yet. It must be very close to the cue for turn your darn head to the right and let your hindquarters follow it around in a circle. I think Jazz was just showing off. When I asked her to circle to a stop, she circled to a trot. What a showoff! Like I didn't know she could trot.

I think Jazz had forgotten that I was the leader. She wanted to play, "I'll beat you to the barn."

"Oh I know this game. We've played it before. You try to run out from under the saddle as fast as you can." It's a pretty thrilling game but I just wanted to play follow the leader and I wanted to be leader! "I'm the leader. We'll go to the barn when I say so. Hurry, let's go to the barn!"

Rest Home

I read a brochure this afternoon recommending "Top Time-Saving Tips" which included a little tidbit on relaxing and recharging. I whole-heartedly agree that rest is important. God set the example for us and rested on the seventh day. What I found odd were the suggestions for how to relax. With recommendations like get a manicure, jog in a park, or buy yourself an ice cream cone, I am stressed with the thought of having to get out in the frigid cold to run in the park, make another inconvenient appointment in my day for the manicure, or fight traffic to run out and get an ice cream cone. This would not reduce my stress level one bit.

My recommendation: Stay Home. Design a 'Rest Home.' Create as many ways to relax in your home as you can and then use them. When my house gets chaotic, I like to start off in my bedroom. I set up a place to relax with either lots of stackable pillows on my headboard or a recliner with a reading lamp. Then in the morning tidy up the room, make the bed, spray a mist of air freshner, and close the door on the way out. When you are done running yourself ragged with your to-do list, you'll open the bedroom to a wonderful surprise exclaiming, "Awesome! The maid was here," forgetting the fact you are the maid. There is nothing more relaxing.

Create lots of relaxing nooks and crannies in your home like a reading corner or a two person breakfast table. Make sure you have a place that is quiet, no tv, to retreat to. Not all relaxation has to be quiet. I enjoy relaxing at the piano playing worship music. There is nothing like a warm, bubble bath with some soft music and a glass of wine.

I do not find getting into my car relaxing or unstressful. It is always a task on a to-do list even if it is fun. On my hectic schedule, there is nothing more relaxing than the opportunity to spend some quality time relaxing in my home.

A Year of Jubilee

Last year, January 2005, a prophetic word came to our church from several sources that our church and its members would experience a year of Jubilee. Now, my personal interpretation of Jubilee was "a joyful celebration." 2005 has been a joyful celebration for myself and my family. We sold our house (that was a miracle in itself) and bought our country home on 77 acres (another major miracle). We named it R4C Ranch, a dream that came out of a series of visions I have had for 'Riders for Christ.' The Lord assured me he wanted to give me fine things as a husband would give his wife and I must tell you I have not been let down. It has truly been a year of Jubilee.

Sunday, however, I received another definition for the word Jubilee, "Release." In biblical times the year of Jubilee came every seven years. It was a time when all debts were erased, slaves were set free, and people had a chance to start over. And I have to say, we had that too.

In 2005 God set me free of a number of things from pain to debt to old ways of thinking. It truly was a year of Jubilee in the fact that so many things were released and I was truly set free. I sense that although I can and will list many here, there were many more things released that are more difficult to put your finger on. I would expect a release of one or two things in a good year but in 2005 it really did feel like the entire slate was wiped clean and a new story began in my life.

The Question was asked: What did God set you free of in 2005? Here's my bulleted, short list:

• All my credit card debt.
• My dissatisfaction with my job (although I still have the same job).
• My need to hang on to Mike through material objects (like the house, his clothes, etc.)
• Fear of pursuing big dreams without a husband.
• The burden to change my kids.
• The entrapment of remembering past hurts.
• Dependency and expectations on fellowship.
• Satan's lies and deceptions in family relationships.
• Needing to micro-manage God's plan for the ranch.

An Intimate Moment with God

Sarah, age 90, overheard God tell Abraham, age 99, "I'll come back this time next year and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!"Sarah laughed silently to herself and thought, "How can a worn-out woman like me enjoy such a pleasure? And Abraham is also old."

Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh?" [Laughing to himself I am sure] God said, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Sarah was afraid and denied it, "I didn't laugh."
But the Lord said, "No, you did laugh." (Genesis 16:10-15 NLT)

"Did not."
"Did to."
"Did not"
"Did. Come on, Sarah. It's me, God. Don't you think I can hear you when you laugh?"

About Church

What I want in a church. I had been searching for a home church since I moved in May. I have been hoping to find a church in my community, the small town of Tonganoxie, so long I have forgotten whether it was my personal desire or a direction I received from the small quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. My desire to find a local church combined with my desire to meet some locals, make new friends, and be able to be close enough to engage fully in the ministry and leadership of the church. My feelings of frustration with finding a church home as well as my children finding a place of joyful worship and connection within the church has led me to do a little soul searching. What is it that I truly want in a church? What is the purpose of church anyway?

What I want in church:

• First of all I want a church whose beliefs and teachings are consistent with my primary beleifs:

1. The Infallibility of the scriptures
2. The Saving Grace of Jesus
3. The Literal Return of Christ to the Earth
4. The ability of all God's children to form a personal relationship with him through Christ, read his word, and recieve personally divine direction from the Holy Spirit.

• Secondly, I want a church where I can enter in to worship in a style that welcomes God to inhabit the praises of his people.
• Thirdly, I want a church that is spirit-led and encourages it's members to hear and follow the leading of the Spirit. The church should support and encourage members to stretch out possibly even leave the church to minister in their gifts.
• Fourth, I want a church where I can fellowship with other believers for encouragement and growth in Christ, in my personal gifts and ministries, and in my daily life.
• Fifth, I want a church where my children can learn about and be encouraged to know Jesus, to walk with Holy Spirit, in a fun and uplifting way. Not in more sit-down and shut-up and listen ways, with more rules and just another day of school way.

Now, is that too much to ask?

What I need in a church:

• I need fellowship, close enough that someone notices if I don't show up.
• I need intimacy, people who know something about my life Monday through Saturday and care about what happens.
• I need to feel as if I contribute something of value to the church and its people.
• I need to feel as if my voice is heard in the church and that my ideas are valued.

Why do we even go to church? Why not just read the scriptures at home alone with God?

Believers (Ephesians):

• Bear with one another in love.
• Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
• Prepare God's people for works of services so the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, and full in Christ.
• To be taught to put off your old self, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
• Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to our neighbors for we are all members of one body.
• Speak to each other in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord.
• Submit to one another in reverance for Christ.
• To prayer for each other that God would give each of use the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation so we may know Him better.
• To pray for each other that God would enlighten the eyes of our hearts in order that we may know the hope to which he has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
• The power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ and which we are now a part of that Body, the body of Christ which was raised from the dead and seated at the right hand side of God in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given.
• God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is the body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

"For the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth... find out what pleases the Lord." A church, where each member is part of the body of Christ, should be what helps us find out what pleases the Lord and encourages each other to walk it out just as the members of our own body; our mind, our arms, and our legs; work together to take each step.

Overheard at the BP

Today, driving through a small town on the way to work, I stopped at the BP to pick up a DP. I walked by a table of older, maybe retired gentlemen or farmers who never really retire. They all smiled and I smiled back. I got my bottle of pop and went up toward the checkout. Around the counter there were at least six men of various ages holding items they either had purchased or were going to purchase. I had a hard time figuring out if this was a line or a huddle. Alongside another gentlemen behind the counter the cashier rested his elbow on the cash register and everyone was focusing intently on the story being read from the local paper. It was about a marine named Aaron and his acts of heroism that had made the morning headlines.

I stopped short of the counter to determine if walking straight up to the cash register would be cutting in line. I listened to the rest of the story. The cashier looked up at me and I just lifted my bottle and he began punching some digits into his old fashion register. 85 cents. Cool, down the street at the new chain they were charging me $1.39. The BP facelift on the outside of this gas station, where they still fill up your tank and clean your windows for you, hadn't changed the small town feel inside.

"That's our Aaron" a man behind me insisted, "He was such a good boy."

"Now what was his buddy's name. He is over there too. Oh now that kid, he was such a trouble-maker."

"Oh yea.." They all chuckled as someone hollered out his name. "But now he is a marine. I'll bet he is kicking some butt."

I collected my change and stepped back from the counter. Another man approached and laid down a dollar bill for his coffee. "Way to go Aaron!" He chanted. "That's our boy."

"Her Children Rise"

"Her children rise and call her blessed? (Proverbs 31)" I wonder how she does that. My children do not rise at all. They must be drug out of bed every morning. I love to get up in the morning and step out onto my deck and soak in God's presence. If I did not need to arise before the sun comes up, I can enjoy seeing the horses down in the pasture or enjoy God's songs of joy in the sunrise. Mornings can be so serene, even in the dark before the dawn, and then... it's time to call the kids.

It's like blowing up a balloon only to intentionally stick a pin in it. There must have been a mix up at the hospital when my babies were born. What did they do with the children that were going to rise up and call me blessed? Mine don't rise at all and if they do I assure you they call me anything but blessed. I don't sound or look very blessed by the fourth or fifth time I have to call them. As the minutes tick away and they haven't budged, as the dreaded mad dash to the bus stop approaches, I begin to look more frantic and stressed, if you can imagine.

Does anyone have children that rise and call them blessed? If you do please comment to this blog, we want to know your secret! I am not going to quit trying to hold the standard of the Proverbs 31 woman but as scripture says, she is a rare gem. If you have a child that rises willingly and without fret, feel very blessed. If you have two, you are truly blessed.

For me, I am working on ways to encourage the children to rise up on time and get out the door. But when kids turn 16, it is difficult to use some of the same methods we used when they were young. You can't pull their big toe like my dad used to do and they don't think 'water treatment' is fun anymore. You can't entice them with breakfast because they no longer eat before noon. I guarantee they will test you on your ability to really take away their vehicle for life and will torment you with procrastination until the very second the bus pulls around the corner.

The moment I know both my children are at school and will not be released until 3pm in the afternoon, is as peaceful as that first moment each morning I spend on the deck. I relish in the tranquility, knowing I am no longer up against the burden of my responsibility for them for 7 whole hours or until I get a call from the school whichever comes first. My dreaded morning duty, rising the children, is done and I can go about all my other duties knowing all other obstacles in my day will pale in comparison.

RBRR 'Site B'

R4C Ranch is excited to be home to RBRR 'Site B.' River Bluff Rescue Ranch (RBRR) is the expanding ministry of founders Mike and Carol Poland. RBRR is a Christian not-for-profit corporation established to rescue broken horses and pair them with people for interactive healing.

Our newest herd members, pictured here with founder Mike Poland astride DJ, are Diamond Jim (DJ), Taffy, Punkin, and Stella.

Keep reading this Blog for more news about the horses, RBRR ministries, and the development of 'Site B' here at R4C Ranch. Also, check out Carol's RBRR01 blog for highlights about 'Site A' at Serendipity Farms in Platte City, MO.

Happy New Year

The first post of the year, should it be reflective or inspirational? Is the end of the year a time of looking back or looking forward? Will the lessons we learned in 2005 help us make wise choices in 2006? According to Webster's dictionary, wisdom is understanding what is true, right, and lasting. Definitely the scriptures contain wisdom. They have lasted more than 2,000 years and the truth contained within them is still relevant for our lives today. I love pondering that.

The word of the Lord is worth remembering. It is given to us for strength, comfort, and wisdom. "There is nothing I can not master with the help of Christ who gives me strength (Phil 4:13 JB)." The more I learn about Christ in the scriptures the more He can help me. You may have learned that lesson over Christmas as you tried to give good gifts to people. The more intimately you know them, the easier to know what would make a good gift for them. Distant neices or nephews are difficult to buy for. Though you love them dearly, you don't know them well enough to discern a great gift for them. In order to exchange good gifts with God, stay in an intimate relationship with Him by learning all you can about him through study of His word and by telling him often the desires of your heart.

I think of wisdom as a type of learning that discerns truth from the past, whether it be your own experience or someone else's, for use in the future. Certainly the New Year marks a time to gain in wisdom so I will share a little wisdom from Sunday's teaching within this post . "Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper (Proverbs 19:8 GN)." What did you learn in 2005? Remembering it will help you prosper in 2006.

Taking in account the lessons learned in 2005, it is wise to make plans for 2006. "An intelligent person aims at wise actions, but a fool starts off in many directions (Proverbs 17:24 GN)." Aim at something in 2006 by setting your goals now. Sunday's teaching encouraged us to set goals in four key areas: Intellectual, Physical, Spiritual, and Social. Similarly I encourage goal settings in eight areas: physical health; emotional health; intellectual knowledge; spiritual knowledge; intimate relationship with God; relationship with believers, family, and friends; physical ambience; and ambience with non-believers.

We are called to make productive use of our time and use all our God-given resources wisely. Through the study of God's word and Godly advisors we can work toward goals that make productive use of our time on earth and our lives here will matter in heaven. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven Matthew 16:19."

I hope you will share your goals in these areas by commenting to this blog. Writing them down increases your chances of accomplishing them.

2006 Goal Areas (Be Specific and Measureable)
Health: Physical; Emotional
Knowledge: Intellectual; Spiritual
Relationships: With God; With Family, Friends, and Fellowship
Ambience: Physical; In Ministry to Non-believers

My 2006 Goals:
Physical Health: I am going to work out to my Denise Austin DVD's at least 4X a week and cut down on the fast food by eating meals at home (no more than two meals out per week). REWARDS: Wear my Capri's riding this summer, have more energy for my chores and horseplay, and spend less money on eating meals.
Emotional Health: Without denying my feelings, I will keep my emotions in check by approaching those who offend me in love and honesty within one week of the offense. I will allow them to respond without any expections on my part. I will give the outcome to the Lord satisfied I did not harbour the hurt in my heart. REWARDS: Eliminate ulcers and be able to focus on the good relationships in my life each day and not run them off with anxiety and complaining about other people.
Intellectual Knowledge: I am going to finish researching and writing my book this year by completing the rough draft by May (6 chapters per month) and editing it for publication by September. REWARDS: Get this information into the hands of home managers looking for a great tool as well as possible financial rewards for improving the ranch.
Spiritual Knowledge: I am going to read the one year bible daily this year checking off each day's reading on the front calendar. REWARDS: Know God's heart and his clear step by step instruction for my life.
Relationship with God: I am going to spend each morning and/or evening where morning dawns and evening fades in Songs of Joy and intimate conversation with God. I am going to make a daily log of what I hear in the quiet voice of the Spirit. I have a list of places to meet God: On the deck watching a sunrise or sunset or the horses in the pasture, at the Piano singing songs of praise and worship, or alone in the garden praying. REWARDS: Drawing closer to God for the exchange of good gifts and the infilling of the Spirit to shine God's light to the world. "One tiny light in each of us, a ray of Hope ... "
Relationship with Family, Friends, and Fellowship: I am going to seek to make one close friend at my new church. I am going to start by attending the Wednesday night study group. I am going to prepare a meal at my home at least four nights each week for inimate conversations with the kids. I am going to make at least four phone calls a week to friends and family. I am going to begin having crockpot meals prepared at our house on Sunday afternoons/early evenings for friends and family and volunteers who show up at the ranch to work. REWARDS: Surrounded with Godly people for mutual encouragement and support.
Physical Ambience: I am going to create a tranquil home by creating a functional, clean, inviting haven for those who live here and all who visit. I am going to start by completing the 30 Day project and setting priorities in each area of home management. REWARDS: A home that functions without undue stress and is a place of refuge for all who enter in.
Spiritual Ambience: I am going to create a place for non-believers to mingle with believers in a non-threatening way at the ranch by opening up my home and property for guests each Sunday afternoon. For those who schedule to participate and those who just want to come out and watch what is going on. REWARDS: Seeing God heal hearts and save souls.