Reflection

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“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, there I shall know fully, as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

I should be growing more every day to be just like my father. I was created to give God glory by being the exact image of him here on earth. We are the only God some people will ever see. Am I different from this world? Do I stand out as having something special that this world would desire? Most people think that Christian’s are hypocritical because they don’t see them as being light and different from themselves. What do you have that I don’t have? That’s why we need to look at the true plumb line. We are not comparing ourselves to other sinners. We need to look at our creator. By studying the words of God we will see what we need to see in the mirror. By meditating on his words we will see what we need to be. We get to know God more with each word we read. Where do we stand compared to Gods attributes? This is not something we can do on our own. But the Spirit that is within us is constantly teaching, counseling, and leading us to be more and more like God. Right now God knows me better than I will ever know myself. He knows just why he made me just as I am and all he has for me to do to bring him glory. He is constantly working on me from my first day until my last when I walk through those pearly gates in heaven. It’s a process that takes a lot of time. I may not be able to do it on my own, but I always need to be reevaluating just how much like my daddy I’m becoming. Do I look like him more than yesterday? What can I do today to look more like him? I know myself I’m thinking each minute, what can I do better right now? Something I forgot to do or say? I also like to make each moment special for me and God together. That is how you have a joy filled and successful life. I don’t want to waste a minute. I don’t know when my homecoming celebration will be but I want God to be happy with my progress here on earth. I do not want regrets or should haves or could haves. I have been to a place where doctors said , “I don’t think she’ll make it.” At that time I had huge regrets for my selfish behavior. Thank God he never gave up on me.

Overcoming

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“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the word of life.” 1 John 1:1

God is sovereign over all. There is nothing that he does not have control over. What he wants to happen does and he is very good. I have no control over anything and actually I don’t want it. I know the one who does and he does more than I could ever ask, think, or imagine. And I have a pretty good imagination. I first look to everything around me. Everything is from him for my enjoyment. So much that you could spend forever thanking him for things your whole life and barely scratch the surface. Things he has made like stars and planets, animals, plants, natural wonders, emotions, family, friends, gifts and talents. My son-in-law is an airline pilot and just got promoted to the top. He just started flying jumbo jets all over the earth. Last week he flew to England. I am so proud of him and excited for all he will experience. So I have been learning everything I can about all the places he’ll be traveling to. About the people, the natural wonders they are known for, industry, the arts, museums, commerce,churches and their religions. Yes God thought of it all. But not just the things he has made but all about him. He is living inside of me and I can do all things with him. Even greater things than he did, wow. There is nothing to stop me but myself. But that’s not going to happen because he can have all the control he wants. I am retired and can’t do a lot so I live in a nursing home. That sounds like a hard life but I have a chef and my meals come right to my room, housekeepers to make sure my room is always spotless, someone doing my laundry, maintenance for anything that goes wrong. Nurses and doctors taking care of all my health needs and making my appointments with doctors or hospitals and transportation. Insurance covering everything. A huge family and friends to live with. I even have my own private room with my own shower. Everything is done for me so I can just do whatever I want whenever I want. The first thing I want to do is talk to God, listen to praise music. I always say, “ What are we doing today God?” He has given me plenty to read, free games and puzzles to strengthen my brain. We spend the day together and I ask what I can do for him. That still small voice is always speaking and I listen. Life is great. It is everything you make it.

Unanswered Prayers

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“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

This morning I just had to write. I’ve been thinking of writing about unanswered prayers for a while now, but I just wasn’t sure, then this morning I woke up with a Garth Brooks song running through my head and God showing me everything I needed to write. God is good. I usually wake up singing praise songs or even other songs. He is always the first thing on my mind. I have really been growing the last few years. But growing takes strength and we need to exercise are muscles. Prayer muscles, faith muscles, and perseverance muscles.We don’t grow much in times of abundance and plenty but during trials. It will bring us to our knees in prayer and that’s a good place to be. I have pain sometimes at night in my legs, and sometimes it can be bad and if adjusting my bed doesn’t help I’ve learned to sing praises or pray if I can’t go to sleep. It will either go away or I will fall asleep. God is definitely listening to our prayers and he knows what’s best. After Covid let up we had a time where different new people we’re getting me up every day. This can be hard because I need things done certain ways so that I feel safe or I can panic. Especially when they don’t understand me. That isn’t good. I prayed about it a lot but God just kept telling me to trust him. I finally decided trust was all I could do because my freaking out didn’t help. I would pray for strength the whole time they were in my room. I kept saying God you’ve got this. Eventually I was at ease with new people and it didn’t bother me anymore. Job trusted God even more after everything he went through. I know that people will get sick and die. But God can heal anything when it’s his will. But sometimes he is ready for someone to come home to be with him. It may not be our choice but he knows best. Crying out to God is right where some people need to be so they stop relying on themselves and let God be God. Trials and pain will draw you to God. You don’t realize all God can and will do for those he loves until he’s your only hope. So trust God today, he does have it in control.

Making It Yours

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“God blessed them and said to them, “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28

God made everything for us. Everything that exists was made by God and given to us. That’s how much our God loves us. We came into this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. I used to just lie in bed in the morning and thank God for things he gave me. Like air to breathe, and breakfast that I didn’t have to make or clean up. But I could lie there all day long and never come near thanking him for everything. Plants, animals, places and food, you name it, and God made it. He made it for our enjoyment while we are here on earth. Tomorrow morning when I wake up the sun will come up and it will be another beautiful day. A cool winter day for me to enjoy. Because God loves us. He wants me to enjoy what he has made. Life isn’t always perfect and problems and troubles arise. Trials and pain are guaranteed in this imperfect world but he promises to always be with me and will help me through. “What can I do for you?” Something he always asks. He cares about every detail of our lives. He loves to talk with us about whatever is on our minds. The older I get the more I love to sit and talk. So I have begun to just talk throughout the day just as if he was sitting right next to me. Like I used to do with my family. I am always thanking him for things. An especially good meal, or a idea to try pops into my head. The solution to a game I’m playing. I know it’s him. It may come to me through someone else but it all comes from him. It’s his way of saying I love you. I care about you. I have learned to enjoy simple things like a sudden rain shower this morning Or watching birds on my back patio. My grandson playing with his monster trucks. Listening to my daughters talk about their vacations and all they did. I don’t want to miss these opportunities. Life is what you get out of it. It is all mine to enjoy.

Beautiful Tapestry

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I was reading the other day about how God sees things so clearly because he can see the whole picture. The beginning from the end. It is like a beautiful tapestry. On the bottom we see all of the knots and problems. We can’t see ahead to the finished piece that he sees. You have to remember that he has been working on it for thousands of years. He’s not in a hurry though. Figuring just how and when to send Jesus to earth took a few thousand years. He is always working behind the scenes in so many different lives. God is the creator of so many beautiful things. Landscape scenery is so full of vibrant colors. People have been posting some awesome sunsets and sunrises. With pink, purple, blue, and white with yellow and orange mixed in. There are so many shades of color just like there are so many different people God created. All different and unique. Let’s say one man might be dark and brooding so let’s say he’s a grey thread. Mary might be bubbly and cheerful, a yellow thread. But when woven together they are quite a striking pattern. Same as God using evil for good. Remember how Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. But God placed him right where he would be able to save many people from starvation. I have done some really beautiful puzzles and you really have to focus on patterns and shading to put them together.God knows just the right person to put into your life at just the right time. People can come together and change each other for good or bad. But we learn and grow by these experiences. Challenges and trials may come through others but it can strengthen us. God is using everything and one day we will see clearly and it will be awesome. Right now it’s a jumbled up mess but I know the one in control and one day it will be a masterpiece.

How To Be Blessed

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“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8

Oh how powerful this simple verse is. The most important thing to God is our hearts because out of our hearts comes life or death. He knows our hearts, every crack and crevice. How we think, what we know and what we will do. He said that good and bad come from the overflow of our hearts. Every day we get more information to cram into that little heart. The secret is knowing if, one day, you want to see God? The answer will change everything you let into your mind and your heart for the rest of your life. To see God one day I will want to be pure. He knows everyone’s hearts and true motives. If you love the Lord and want to spend eternity with him, you will want to be intentional. I personally love to listen to praise music. It strengthens and lifts me up to listen to songs about my God. I don’t listen to much other music because it doesn’t do anything for my soul. I do like other music but what gives me peace and gets me closer to heaven? I don’t own a TV any more. I watch Christian movies all the time. Tv brings me down and I prefer being up. I might watch a Hallmark feel good movie occasionally but I do not miss tv. There is too much in life I don’t want to miss like friends and family. A beautiful sunrise or sunset. I’m retired so not having to work frees me up to do things I enjoy. I’m over complaining and just want to focus on living. Everyone needs to carefully examine what they allow into their lives. What I may do is not what you will do and that’s fine but guard your heart if you want peace. Throughout my day I can feel my spirit saying to do this or say that. Go here or try this. I always listen because I want the road I’m on to lead me home one day. Fifteen years ago I never thought this way but I also wasn’t a very happy person either. I just want my life to get better and I believe intentional living is the way to see that happen. I talk to God a lot. And I can feel his presence throughout the day. So I can talk to him just like I would my family throughout the day. I read the Bible and like to memorize scripture because it is kindling to keep that fire burning in my life. This little light of mine will burn brighter everyday for a lost and dying world. One day I will close my eyes for the very last time. And when I open my eyes, I will see Jesus.

Thank God For The Silver Lining

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“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah 17:7

As humans living on a broken and corrupt planet we will have troubles but if you know the one who has all the answers you will be blessed if you let him take care of them. In the beginning of 2022 I decided that if I couldn’t do anything about what was happening and going on in my life. I would trust that God would take care of it. My job was to focus on him and his love for me. That turned out to be a very wise decision. People in general like to focus on the negative. For example: I lost the crown off my tooth and chewing became difficult because there wasn’t anything hard to chew with and my jaw was sore. I could complain and focus on that but in Phillipians God tells us to dwell on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. So I always try to refocus when trouble comes on something good. Like the beautiful weather we have been having and the delicious breakfast they brought me this morning. I seldom have pain but I have learned how to overcome and stay focused. When someone doesn’t understand me and I get frustrated I try to find ways to show them that I am just trying to help make their job easier and not being bossy. After 17 years of being taken care of I do know what does and doesn’t work for me. I try very hard to make things simple if I can. People like to do things their way and that’s fine. But maybe I have an easier idea that someone else tried. Some days I just go along with whatever and the job gets done. But everything is not in my hands but Gods. I know he loves me and will take care of me. I have started memorizing scriptures again. Because I have found that speaking scriptures encourages me and lights a fire in me. I believe God’s word and though some seem impossible, God proves them true every time. Better than I can imagine. And the cherry on top is that one day I will get to live with God forever and no eye has seen nor ear has heard nor could we even imagine the things he has waiting for us and I can imagine some amazing things.

Be Ready

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“You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Luke 12:40

Whether you are a Christian or not we tend to assume that we have a long wait. I’m only five. I have 90 more years, right? Nobody thinks about maybe dying early. We are not promised another breath, we just expect it. Whether you die at birth or you live to be 100 we will all face the end one day. Do we need to be perfect? No, but how we live on earth will make a great difference. If you believe in Christ and have accepted him into your heart you have been forgiven for past sins. God knows you are not perfect and whether or not you want to, you will sin. When you realize you have sinned just come to God and tell him you are sorry. Clear the air and continue to seek his help. We can get very distracted in life’s concerns and problems but it is so important to your peace and full life to never stop seeking God and his advice. He is our focal point. I remember when I was pregnant going to childbirth classes. Like they could teach you to have a baby. Wasn’t that just instinct? Well when the pain consumes you, you have to focus on something so hard that it will get you through the next contraction. That is just like life, sometimes you just need to get through the next few hours. Focus on the solid foundation of Jesus. He loves you and will never leave you or forsake you. Remember how he willingly sacrificed his life so you could live a full and abundant life. To be assured of eternal life with him in heaven. We need to keep his commandments and to love others. But we can get busy with life and our needs and wants and lose our focus. If I said STOP right now, this very minute, and think about your relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords. Are you ready for his return? Where will you spend eternity? Forever and ever. It will happen suddenly. It may take thousands of years to get here but will you grow cold waiting or anxiously be expecting him. I remember as a kid waiting for my grand parents or cousins to visit. Oh, I would get so excited and everything had to be perfect. I would keep asking, when will they be here? How much more excited should we be to see Jesus. We need to live every day just like it might be our last. Because one day it will be.

Remnant

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“In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy one of Israel.“. Isaiah 10:21

“So to, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. Romans 11:5

Only a remnant will make it to heaven. But what is a remnant? It is only a fragment or a scrap, small parts, little unused bits. The chosen few who made the Lord their everything. People like to say that the Lord is loving and would never do anything like send someone to hell. Well he doesn’t but he will allow you your choice. If you don’t want him in your life he will give you your wishes. He doesn’t want to but he loves you. If you always preferred to do your desires and his ways were not what you desired then you have made your choice. There will be no sin in heaven and no sinners. It just wouldn’t be heaven then would it. There will be people who have done terribly horrific things in their lives but have simply asked the loving God of the universe to forgive them for their mistakes, when they realized they were wrong, and he did. They will be made perfect by his loving grace and mercy. A simple request but seldom made by billions on earth. Oh, there will still be millions in heaven but not the billions in hell. Heaven will be full of those that truly gave their hearts truly to their God. It is not by works that you get to heaven. But those that are going to heaven will do the works that their father did. You will know them by their love and their actions. It’s all about their heart. The reason you probably thought Christian’s were hypocritical was that those you knew were probably not really Christians, and they will be with you in hell. Thinking that God would surely let everyone in. Those that loved the things of this earth more than him. You chose the desires of your hearts. So he gave you what you chose, are you happy?

God is Good

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“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalms 197:1

God is good and he has given us everything we need for an abundant and victorious life. That doesn’t mean that our life will always be perfect. No, he has assured us that we will have troubles of many kinds. Just recently I have seen so many new and different problems pop up. First it was Covid-19 and it’s problems of dying, masks, isolation and vaccines. Then when that seemed to die down there was political unrest. Cancer and new diseases are hitting us hard. Satan is out to destroy like never before. Wars and rumors of wars. Natural disasters like flooding, tsunamis, earthquakes, and hurricanes like never before. What is this world coming to? Well through it all God is still in control and he is still good. He hasn’t given up on us. His grace and mercies are there every morning with the strength and the help we will need for that day. Things can easily overcome us to where things feel like we are out of control. It doesn’t do any good to worry about the future or dwell on the past. We need to live in the moment because that is where God is working to help us. Am I loving and serving God? Spending time with him in prayer and reading his word? Then he will take care of everything else. There is nothing I can do to change things. Life is what it is. The most important thing you can do is live your life loving others and have a good grateful attitude and know that God is working everything for your good.