NaNoWriMo Confession

Monday November 1, NaNoWriMo kicks off. For the third year I am setting aside the month of November to write a novel of 50,000 plus words.

The story that is rolling around in my spirit is going to be a difficult one to write because it will deal with heavy issues. After I had the idea I wanted to put it aside because I am so unqualified to write the story and it will require a lot of painful research, not painful to me, but for those I will seek out for the help I need.

I asked God if this was my idea or if it was the story He wanted me to write. He confirmed this was the direction He wanted to me go. Each time I think about this story the tears want to come.

It will be a story of healing and redemption but there will be much pain in getting to that place. Knowing this, I feel the weight of this project.

This morning while reading in the book of John so many scriptures spoke to me of God’s guidance over this story. I realize I need an extra heavy dose of inspiration and I should start each writing day seeking the Holy Spirit’s help.

I took the scriptures from John and made them into a personal prayer. I will lift this prayer to God at the start of each writing day to remind myself: I am not alone in this and I better not go off on my own tangents but have an ear to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to me. This will be the start of each of my writing days.

Father, your Word says to make use of the Light while there is still time, may I be the light bearer that you have called me to through my writing.

I thank you that the stories I write are not my own ideas, but the Holy Spirit will tell me what the Father says to tell me. I know His instructions lead to eternal life; so whatever He tells me to say, I say!

Father, I haven’t any idea where I am going with the story, so how can I know the way? I thank you that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and He will lead me in this. This is Your story.

“The words I say are not my own but are from my Father who lives in me. And He does His work through me.”

I pray I stay attached to You during this time of consecration to this work, for apart from You I can’t do a thing.

I remind myself Father that You chose me. You appointed me to go and produce lovely fruit always, so no matter what I ask for from the Father, using Jesus name, Father, you will give it to me.

Father, thank you the words You give me for this story will be used by the Holy Spirit to convince the world of its sin, and of the availability of God’s goodness, and of deliverance from judgment.

May love, grace and mercy ring through this work bringing healing and deliverance to the captives.

May I keep distractions to a minimum during this time but also include in my life the people You send to me.

Father, bring glory and honor to Your name.

In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.
       Scriptures: John 12:28, 12:36, 12:49 14:5, 14:10 15:5, 15:16, 15:26 16:8

Happy writing to all who are participating in NaNo 2010.
       My NaNo user name is Shortstuff if you would like to follow my progress.

Mirror, Mirror

Don’t you hate being wrong. I do.

With age comes wisdom, or at least that’s what the world says and what I hope manifests in my life someday.

God gets down and dirty with me and I cringe when he uncovers the unlovely in my life. Today He started it during Praise and Worship and went deeper during the sermon. I wish He would wait until I get home to deal with me and my issues.

He knows me too well. In church He has my undivided attention. At home there are too many distractions, including the three hour nap I took today.

I didn’t sleep much last night, maybe I should have asked God then what was up. I might have saved myself the yucks I felt during service as God unpeeled some ugly, rotten layers in my life.

Today He was knocking on the door of my heart asking me to check with Him instead of thinking I know all the answers. I need to do some back tracking and cut through the brambles that I have allowed to grow around me and find my way back to that door to let Him in.

When I know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that is rebellion. It’s not the big things, but the seemingly insignificant, that trip me up.

When He holds His mirror up for me to peer into I don’t like what I see. There is a way to clear away the unwholesome reflection, I confess my sins and ask His forgiveness. Now the reflection is covered in the blood of Christ and He no longer sees my sin.

How long will I maintain this perfected reflection, probably not for long but there is always His grace waiting to be poured onto, and into me.

Tomorrow is a new day and a fresh opportunity to get it right. I am thankful.

photo: MorgueFile

I Can See Clearly Now

This morning my world was encased in a shroud. It wasn’t caused by my fuzzy mind but a beautiful fog had descended, hiding the spectacular view that I normally enjoy each day.

The fog was keeping me from seeing what I knew was there. My mind has been in a foggy state for some time and the pity parties I kept throwing myself were getting downright disgusting.

Letting go of what I didn’t have—that sounds strange, how do you let go of something you don’t possess—and embracing, with thanksgiving, all I do have is bringing transformation into my life.

When Jesus hung on the cross and said, “It is finished,” the curtain in the temple was torn top to bottom. If man had done that he would have torn it bottom to top. God was telling us, “Come on in, I took care of the hard part. Sit down, let’s talk, let’s converse. I want to hear all about your pain, your doubts, your needs and then, if you will be still in my presence, I will speak to you.”

I am learning that God’s love fills all the longings that I have, the longings that no person can fulfill because people disappoint.

When hurt comes, and it will, I have a choice—will I allow the hurt to take root and reap a crop of bitterness or will I allow the sweet love of Jesus to wash over me and encase me in a shroud of peace. I choose the peace He extends to me continuously.

Life is so much sweeter.

                                                            View from my deck, isn't it pretty?

SUMMER RECAP

Summertime is over and it was a hot one in Colorado Springs. We have enjoyed some spells of rain with beautiful thunder. I love to feel enveloped by it when it rolls on and on.
In June I attended the Glen Eyrie Writer’s Workshop and it was fabulous. If you are looking at conferences for next year I recommend this one. I had such a great time with the featured writers/speakers, Angela Hunt, James Scott Bell, Nancy Rue, and Kathy Mackel. We laughed and learned. The location is beautiful, lots of places to walk, hike and spend peaceful time with God. It doesn’t get much better. The picture is of the members of Words For The Journey Writer's Guild with author James Scott Bell.

In July my husband and I headed to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for a family reunion with his brothers, his sister and their families. We had fun, his family knows how to have a good time. I did learn a very important lesson: Don’t go to Florida in July, can you say hot and humid, record breaking temperatures.
Family picture without all the kids.

July 28th our writer’s group Words For The Journey had a write-in at the Broadmoor, lots of ladies came and the click, click of computers could be heard all day.

August has been a hot month in Colorado Springs. I have spent the month reading and playing with my granddaughter. Did I mention that I will be a grandmother again in November, another girl is expected. Yeah!

This last week of August has been an unpleasant one for me, I picked up a bug and spent a whole week in my house. I am still recouping from the cough and I need to recoup fast, because I have a busy week ahead.

Monday I will be getting my hair done, it is time for a trim and color. I wonder how gray I am? Not ready to find out yet so, touch up here I come. I would like to try a new style but I have no idea what look I would want. Ugh, hair issues, you love them and hate them at the same time. I’ll also be spending time with my granddaughter.

Tuesday evening our writer’s guild Words For The Journey will kick off our return to meetings, we took a break during the summer. The guest speaker will be author Robert Liparulo. The meeting will be held at the Barnes & Noble Lone Tree by Park Meadows Mall. Join us if you are in the vicinity, we start at 7pm.

Wednesday is church night and also more time with my granddaughter.

My daughter Coleen will be flying into Denver from Kansas City on Thursday morning. Thursday night my other kids and families will be congregating at my not very clean house, remember I have been sick for a week, for dinner.

Friday morning Coleen and I will leave for Silverton where she will awaken on Saturday morning to begin a 48 hour running race. She has participated in many ultra runs; she completed the Leadville 100 mile run last year. She takes after her dad who has run many ultras. You can read my story about them in the Chicken Soup for the Soul Runners book that came out in July.

See what I mean about a busy week.

I am planning on September being the month I settle down and get serious about my writing again. I’ll keep you posted.

I hope you had a summer full of fun, frolic and fulfillment.

Why I Am Not Writing

As a writer I constantly read the advice that a writer should be a voracious reader, well I’ve got that down pat. The problem is I am spending all my time reading and not writing. Now how can I possibly become a good writer if I am not writing?

I go to my weekly writers guild meetings, read lots of books on the craft of writing and read novels by my favorite authors, boy aren’t I good. NOT.

Unless I sit myself in my chair and put fingers to keyboard or mechanical pencil (my favorite non-computer writing tool) to paper I am not a writer. DUH.

So, if I say I am a writer then I must write.

I sat myself down today with a couple of writing prompts and wrote away. What I wrote was entertaining for me and showed me that my mind can still go to those strange places that writer’s minds go. I enjoyed myself too.

I am happiest when I am writing because that is what God has called me to do. So I asked myself, before I took off with those writer’s prompts, why I was hesitating to write. I also asked God if I should attend the Writer’s Workshop that will be held at Glen Eyrie beginning June 6th. The atmosphere of this workshop is small and intimate with writing time included. I have hesitated because I didn’t want to hear from the presenters that I should find something else to do with my time, you know, “step away from the computer do not put your hands to the keyboard.”

The answer I received from God was not very comforting but truth telling. I love that He loves me so much that He is straight with me.

I doubt that you have this issue but for me it is PRIDE. See, if I go to the conference I will receive criticism in front of all these great authors. I want everyone to love me and everything about me including my writing. I want to hang onto my dignity.

As I clutched my chest and pulled the dagger out of my heart I saw that if I choose to go to the conference as one who knows nothing, but is willing to have a teachable heart, I can learn to become the writer that God wants me to become. Simple change of mind and the answer to whether I should go is simple, of course I should. God has gifted me for this and I must receive and use the gift.

James 1:17 in the Message Bible says: Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. THE GIFTS ARE RIVERS OF LIGHT CASCADING DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHT.

Rivers of light cascading down, those are the kinds of words that I want to put on paper or computer screen.

So, I will stop reading a novel every two days and throw myself into my passion for writing and leave the results to God. Smile.

BELIEVE

I’m sitting in my office comfy chair, as opposed to my desk chair, and in the mirror on the wall I see the reflection of a gift from a dear friend. It is a decorative stand with an encouraging word attached, that word is Believe. It is my reminder that whatever I have need of, the first step in receiving is believing.

I smile when I look at that sign. It is an answer from God when I have a question.

“God, will spring come to Colorado Springs?”
God: “Believe.”

“God, will I ever be a published author?”
God: “Believe.”

“God, can our nation get back to its firm roots?”
God, “Believe.”

Sometimes it is easy to believe, but in the deep, painful places it is hard. When the believing stretches on for twenty plus years and I ask, “When God?”

His answer is still, “Believe.”

Spring Road Trip Delights

It is good to get away from home. A driving trip to Kansas City, not looked upon as an exciting event, has sights for the eyes to feast upon, if one has eyes to see.

The Kansas countryside displays trees dressed in their spring fancy. There is something so alive in the intense green of early spring leaves, unlike the deeper green that comes in the heat of summer. This bright green is an assault to the senses. I miss the Midwest offerings of spring; it comes so very late in the semi-arid region of Colorado.

In the Midwest each season arrives with intensity.

Spring offers bright green trees, tulips, daffodils, lilacs and fragrances drifting through windows thrown open, driving out the staleness from a house closed up tight against the cold of winter.

Summer is warm sun, beaches, flowers growing everywhere, and fruits and vegetables growing on the vines and stalks. The smell of fresh mown grass, the prickle of the cut grass stuck to your sweat covered skin.

The autumns in the Midwest are a riot of colors on the trees and ground. Maple leaves, as big as plates, the color of the sun, hanging on the branches and littering the ground. The reds, oranges, yellows and browns of the leaves raked in a huge pile ready to experience the giggles of children who leap into the mound with joy. The air has a distinct smell of decaying leaves and plants, but it is a good smell, earthy, a fragrance whispering, “what is happening in this death will be life giving in the spring.”

Winter is harsh, dropping in like a parachute refusing to be rolled up for months. The air so cold it hurts your lungs with each breath, snow piled on top of snow, some beautifully white but most caked with the dirt splashed from passing vehicles.

Intense, full on seasons, no sliding from one season to another, you know when you have entered a new one.

This morning Kansas offered up thunder, lightning and rain, a gift I received with a smile. I love the sound of thunder, a beautiful, rumbling percussion. Each entrance and exit is different, the duration long or short.

God is so gracious, giving us delights for all our senses, imagine the world in black and white with no fragrances or textures. He created us with five senses to experience all of His glorious creation, are we using them or blindly lock stepping through each day unaware of His gift.

Photo:Morguefile

Final Lesson from the Wedding at Cana

Part four
This is our final lesson for this scripture.

1 The next day Jesus’ mother was a guest at a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. 2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother spoke to him about the problem. “They have no more wine,” she told him.
4 “How does that concern you and me?” Jesus asked. “My time has not yet come.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “do whatever he tells you.”
6 Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held twenty to thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled to the brim, 8 he said, “Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So they followed his instructions.
9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “Usually a host serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone is full and doesn’t care, he brings out the less expensive wines. But you have kept the best until now!” John 2:1-10 New Living Translation

Verses 9-10

What Scripture tells us:
The obedient servants brought the water, now turned into wine by Jesus, to the
master of ceremonies and he was surprised that this wine was better than the wine
served at the beginning of the celebration.

What we would do:
Either we would be disobedient and not even bring the water to the master of
ceremonies, or we would be apologizing all over the place for bringing him a
dipper of water. We would put the blame, for doing something so foolish, where it
belongs, on that Jesus person. Our mouths would have dropped open when the
master of ceremonies declared this the best wine ever. Then we would have
pranced around proudly, thinking we had something to do with the miracle.

What Jesus did:
Jesus gave instructions to the servants and when the dipper of liquid was brought
to the master of ceremonies it was no longer water it was now the finest wine, a
wine so good that the master of ceremonies questioned the bridegroom.

What God wants us to learn from this:
When He gives us instructions, and we follow them, no matter how silly, foolish,
or impossible they seem, the results will be the BEST.

In my humanness I have ideas of the best way God can take care of my difficulties, I plan it all out in my mind. I am so glad He doesn’t listen to my strategies, I would continually be short changing myself. His ways are higher than my ways.

Has God given you instructions or led you in a direction that seemed to be the worst thing you could do? Have you followed those instructions and seen that He knows best?

When the awesome answer comes remember who to give thanks to.

Part Three: More Lessons from the Wedding at Cana

Part three

6 Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held twenty to thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled to the brim, 8 he said, “Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So they followed his instructions.
John 2:1-10 New Living Translation

Verses 6-8

What Scripture tells us:
The servants were given some strange instructions by Jesus but they followed them. They were told to take a dipper of the water to the Master of Ceremonies.

What we would do:
We would have grumbled about the hot, sweaty job of filling the waterpots. Who
is this Jesus guy who is giving us instructions. Weren’t we supposed to get
our instructions from the Master of Ceremonies. After finishing the long task of
filling all six of those pots we would have thought we were done and turned to
walk away, but before we could, this Jesus tells us to take a dipper of water to the
Master of Ceremonies. What? That is even dumber than filling the jars. The M of
C is going to look at us like we are crazy. He’ll be asking us why we are bringing
him a dipper of water? This Jesus person must be crazy, I’m not participating in
his antics.

What the servants did:
The servants did as they were instructed: “Do whatever he tells you,” Mary had
said. Jesus said: “Fill the jars with water,” “Dip some out and take it to the master
of ceremonies.” I don’t see them questioning, complaining or being fearful to
follow all of the directions given by Jesus.

What God wants us to learn from this:
Follow His instructions, even when they sound foolish. He knows what He is
doing.


How are you at following directions? God uses other people to bring the answers to our prayers, are we willing to listen to what they are telling us even if it doesn’t seem logical? Testing is hard on us. God is looking to see if we will trust Him even when we don’t understand the direction He is giving us. He sees the whole picture, we only see in part. It is not easy following Christ and at times it can seem to be painful.

Image: Morguefile

MORE LESSONS FROM THE WEDDING AT CANA

Part two of Lessons from the Wedding at Cana
Story from John 2:1-10

4 “How does that concern you and me?” Jesus asked. “My time has not yet come.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “do whatever he tells you.”

Verses 4-5

What Scripture tells us:
     It looks like Jesus is not going to do anything about the problem.

What we would do:
     When we don’t get our prayers answered right away or in the way we
     think they should be answered we loose our faith in God and His
     promises. We turn away from Him and think, and say, that prayer (our request for God to fix our
     problem) doesn’t work.

What Mary did:
     Mary told the servants to “Do whatever he tells you.” She prepared them to receive instructions from
     Jesus. She knew who Jesus was.

What God wants us to learn from this:
     Trust God for the timing and the way He will answer your prayers. Be prepared to receive instruction.


How do you react when it doesn’t seem that God is hearing your prayers? Do you continue believing and listening for His voice? There may be instructions coming before your answer arrives.

Image: Yahoo Images

LESSONS FROM THE WEDDING OF CANA

In reading from the book of John, God showed me lessons He wanted us to learn from the story of the wedding Jesus attended with His mother and His disciples. I will be dividing this up into several posts to keep it from becoming toooo long. I want you to get all of it.

Part one

1 The next day Jesus’ mother was a guest at a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. 2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother spoke to him about the problem. “They have no more wine,” she told him.
4 “How does that concern you and me?” Jesus asked. “My time has not yet come.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “do whatever he tells you.”
6 Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held twenty to thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled to the brim,8 he said, “Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So they followed his instructions.
9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “Usually a host serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone is full and doesn’t care, he brings out the less expensive wines. But you have kept the best until now!” John 2:1-10 New Living Translation

Verses 1-3

What Scripture tells us:
     Mary saw a problem; they had run out of wine.

What we would do:
     Like all women we would want to fix it. Now if we were a typical woman we would have gone to
     our friends, our mother and then our rabbi to tell them all about the problem. When we got around to
     telling Jesus we would have given him a list of suggestions for the best way to fix the problem.

What Mary did:
     Mary went straight to the one she knew could, and would, do something, she went to Jesus. She knew
     who He was. She didn’t know how He would fix the problem and she didn’t give Him a list of
     suggestions, she left the solution up to Him because she knew He could handle it.

What God wants us to learn from this:
     He wants us to follow Mary’s example. He wants us to bring our problems to Him, directly to Him,
     do not pass Go, do not collect $200, just come straight to Him. Then He wants us to trust Him that He
     knows the best way to solve the problem.


How are you doing with the first part of this lesson? Do you take your problems directly to Jesus or is He your last resort? I hope that you know Him like Mary knew Him and trust Him like she trusted Him.

Image: MorgueFile

Life Lesson from an Ordinary Woman

Author Kathy Eberly has published a book titled Extraordinary Life Lessons from Ordinary Christian Women. I have not read the book, but the idea of honoring those women who had impacted her life got me thinking about women in my life.


Fresh out of High School I began job searching. I needed something close to home, without a car I had to be able to walk there. The small town I lived in had a limited selection.

I applied at several places looking for office work to put my typing and bookkeeping classes to use but no one would hire me without experience. That always stumped me, how can you get experience without someone taking a chance on you. I finally resorted to applying to a small department store. They hired me, as a sales clerk. Happy for a job I threw myself into it totally.

A male manager and two women ran the business office of the store. Both of these women where older and one was having health issues so retirement looked good to her. Elvira Smith, went to the store manager and told him she wanted me to have the office position. She then talked with me. I hesitated because I had only been there three months; surely someone else working there longer would want the position. She assured me I was the one she wanted working with her. The manager did not have her confidence. He agreed to give me a trial period to see how I would do, not guaranteeing me the job. My mentor knew the quickest way for him to see I could do the job, and for me to prove to myself I could do it, was to take a vacation. After two weeks of training Miss Smith took off for a week, I ran the office on my own. Her excellent training helped me pass my trial by fire.

Because of her faith in me I went on to computer night school and left the store to take a position with opportunity and a much higher salary. Because they couldn’t find anyone right away to replace me I worked at the store on Saturdays so Miss Smith wouldn’t be working six days a week. They also gave me a big raise for a one day work week. Miss Smith shook her head and told the manager, “Maybe if you paid her well when she worked full time she would have stayed.” She always rooted for me.

Forty Five years ago I needed someone in my life who believed in me, especially since I didn’t believe in myself. I know my future success grew from one woman who said, “I know you can do it.” I have tried to follow the example she gave me by encouraging women wherever God has taken me.

Is there someone in your life you would like to thank for believing you had what it takes?

DETOUR

Well, I’m back. Did you miss me?


Do you  have those times in life when everything demands to be done now?

Well that is how it has been for me the last three weeks.

I had to take a detour from my writing and I have missed it.

We have a rental property we had to get ready for new tenants. There was painting to do, cleaning, doors to be replaced, a light fixture to replace, new trim to put in, etc. My husband and my son put in many hours and I was working right alongside them.

I am pretty exhausted with all I have been doing and I feel like my word tank is empty.

When my body has a chance to rest this weekend I believe it will all come back as I sit myself down to create, at least I am hoping so.

In the midst of getting the house ready and some other major things happening with family, we got some really, really great news. My son and daughter-in-law will be blessing us with another grandchild. They have a little girl who is three, she is our only grandchild. We are excited for the addition that will arrive in November.

On Wednesday I heard from Chicken Soup about two stories I had submitted. One of my stories for their Running Book is accepted. The book will be out in July.

God knew I needed a boast in the midst of all the happenings in my life.

Life is good; spring is coming to Colorado Springs, sometime. It is snowing as I write this.

Photo: Diane Shaw

WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED?

Do you recognize these Old Testament names?

Shummua, Shaphat, Igal, Osea. Palti, Gaddiel, Ammiel, Gaddi, Sethur, Geuel.

These men had something in common, something I hope you don’t share with them.

Are you wondering what they had in common?

They lacked vision. Instead of seeing opportunities, they looked at the difficulties that presented themselves. They focused on what appeared to be impossibilities and they quit.

How do you react when roadblocks present themselves? Do you throw up your hands and quit or do you look for a way around, over, or through the roadblock?

I left two names off the above list they are names of men who had vision and did not let what they saw keep them from what they knew could happen, you will recognize them: Joshua and Caleb.

We remember their names because they did not quit, the other ten men, no one remembers them.

Being in the minority, pushing against popular opinion that says it can’t be done, takes the kind of strength not many people possess. Joshua and Caleb stood up and said, “We can do this”, and the people said, “Let’s stone them.”

Yikes, I doubt you have heard those words when you have shared your vision, at least I hope not. Joshua and Caleb didn’t back down when threatened with their lives and God honored them by allowing them entrance into the promised-land. (You can read the whole story in Numbers 13:1-14:10)

Is it easy to push through to the fulfillment of your vision? God had to tell Joshua three times (Joshua 1:6-9) to be strong and courageous.

Visionary men and women are hard to forget or ignore, they refuse to give up, back down or walk away.

So I ask you “Are you among the two or the ten?”

Photo: morgueFile

LIVING GETS IN THE WAY OF LIFE

Well it’s been a while since I have shown up at my blogsite.

Sometimes living gets in the way of life.

Guess that is where I have been at the past few weeks. I am beginning to poke my head out of my hole. Punxsutawney Phil poked his head out to see if he would see his shadow, I am poking my head out hoping it won’t get shot off. Seems I have been the target of spiritual attacks.

Not spending time in God’s Word and letting thoughts run through my mind that are clearly not God’s thoughts have caused some pretty scary feelings. Forgetting to admonish the scripture to take every thought captive and think on good things, makes for a lousy life. So glad God doesn’t give up on me. Getting myself back on the right track. I crave the peace that He is so willing to give to me and His forgiveness, oh, His soul cleansing forgiveness.

Determining to get back to first things first. God, His Word and Prayer. Truly, it is that simple.

Do you ever look up at where you are and wonder, how did I get here, it’s not where I was intending to go? The good news is you don’t have to stay there. Yea God, He provides a way out. Glory.

Photo:MorgueFile

FINDING GOD IN SILENCE

We need to find God,

and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness.

God is the friend of silence.

See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence;

see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…

We need silence to be able to touch souls.

Mother Teresa

Photo: courtesy of Morguefile.com

BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER

Recently I found myself in a position where I had to receive correction. That is never a pleasant experience. Why did I end up here, again? I saw that it was a choice I had made to allow someone else’s beliefs to influence my response to a situation.

This morning I saw that this has become a repeating pattern. I reviewed in my mind the situations that led me to act out of character. All the situations involved other people. People who were spiritually mature, ones I thought could be trusted in what they were speaking. I Cor. 15:33 says: Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” NLT

I see that I can be adversely influenced by other people. This is definitely a weakness that the enemy has found. I recall five situations over the past fifteen years like this. That may not seem like a lot but I consider it three times too many. The first time I wouldn’t see that it was a pattern because it wasn’t, yet. But when it happened the second time I should have recognized that something was wrong.

Considering myself a mature Christian I am ashamed that I did not wake up to this sooner. Now I must root out what causes me to do this and make the changes necessary to keep my life clean from this sin. I don’t blame the other people, if I acted in character I might have been able to help them avoid the direction they were going also. Prov. 4:15-15 says: Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. KJV

I am responsible for my own behavior and for the behavior of others that I can influence for good. Eph. 4:29 tells us to Let no corrupt communication out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

I am so grateful for God’s grace and mercy, that He loves me enough to not allow me to stay the way I am. I have repented and received His forgiveness. My desire is to always bring froth good fruit.

Matt 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. KJV

Do you have an unhealthy pattern in your life that God is trying to bring to your attention?

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LIVING

It is almost the end of January, the first month of the year 2010. Everyone has been talking about their plans and focus for this New Year. Contemplating that one month of the twelve is already gone, I let my mind wander to what I see my life encompassing for this year and beyond.

Life Changes

Stages

Seasons

Never stagnant

New horizons

Excitement

Vision

Hope

Letting go

Grabbing on

Embracing tenderly

Laughing

Dancing

Tears

Gentleness

Organization

Simplifying

Getting tough

Saying no

Saying yes

Mourning

Rejoicing

Priorities

Family

Friends

God

Sounds like a full life.

GRUMBLE

I hate not feeling well. It messes up your day(s), week, however long it hangs on. My husband picked up a cold somewhere; if I knew where he had gotten it I would have made him take it back for a refund.

I kept my distance from him, loaded myself up with Black elderberry and Emergen-C and stayed healthy, for about six days. Friday night it made the transition from my husband to me and tacked on a few things he didn’t have, like that ache all over feeling. I’ve had good days and bad. Since I want to be done with this quickly I’ve stayed home a lot and rested.

It is hard to get enthused about anything when your body is under the weather. I don’t feel like eating, so I don’t feel like cooking. However, I do have a husband (may I remind you that he brought the cold home) who likes to eat. Do sandwiches count for a meal? I hope so because that is what he had last night, a chicken panini sandwich and tonight he gets a hot brisket sandwich.

I read five books since Friday and have done a little writing. I finished a story to submit to Chicken Soup and sent it off and have been working on my NaNo novel this afternoon. The Kleenex box has become a part of my necessary writing tools along with my Writer’s Thesaurus.

You would think that when I can’t do much physically I would be able to get a lot of writing done. Writing isn’t physically taxing, but I found that the creativity part of me is off. The scene I wrote for my character ended up being kind of nasty, hum, I may keep it, we’ll see. Anyway, all the above is to say sorry that I haven’t been blogging.

Hope you all stay healthy. I told my husband that the next time he gets sick I am sleeping in another bed.

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Yes or No?

“What would have happened to Mary (and to all the rest of us) if she had said No to the angel? She was free to do so. But she said, Yes. She was obedient, and the artist, too, must be obedient to the command of the work, knowing that this involves long hours of research, of throwing out a month’s work, of going back to the beginning, or, sometimes, scrapping the whole thing. The artist, like Mary, is free to say No. When a shoddy novel is published the writer is rejecting the obedient response, taking the easy way out. But when the words mean even more than the writer knew they meant, then the writer has been listening. And sometimes when we listen, we are led into places we do not expect, into adventures we do not always understand.” Madeline L’Engle

Whatever we write, when we are writing for the Kingdom, fiction or non-fiction, God has a purpose for that article, book or even a blog. That purpose may be to bring light to one person who has been in darkness, hope to someone who has been feeling hopeless. If a person is crying out to God He will answer that plea and you may be the one He has chosen to use, but if you say No, I’m too busy right now, what is lost?

At times our desperate cries to God seem to go unanswered, it is not because God did not hear, it’s because someone did not listen to His summons or they refused to respond with a Yes. Even though we are free to say No, we will be held responsible for our missed moments.

There have been many times in my life, and there will be many more, when I was the one calling out to God and He answered with words that someone was obedient to pen. I am indebted to those who said Yes.

Will you say Yes when He summons you?

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IMPACT

Whose life are you impacting?
How much are you willing to abandon?
How much of what you do is chosen with self interest in mind?
Where do you put your energies, money and time?
What makes your gut twist into a knot and a lump form in your throat?

When are you going to do something?

There are two current movies, The Blind Side and Extraordinary Measures (debuting January 22nd) based on true stories, which have generated these questions in my mind.

I haven’t seen either of the movies, only their trailers. They are movies that bear witness to the impact we can have when we do something instead of uttering purposeless words implying that someone out there ought to be doing something.

As I look at the questions I have posed and apply them to myself they become a challenge to me as a writer. I must put aside my self interests, abandon myself to the story, put my energies, money, or lack of it, and time into writing stories that will impact lives. Anything less than that is dishonorable to God.

If my life is tangled with obligations, meetings, and activities I will miss the moments set before me, moments that may transform another person’s life and my own.

I’m at a loss to describe the ache inside me to become a person who can bring hope to another lost human being.

What do these questions mean to you?

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