Finish Line

Day 22 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

Life is like a race.

“We’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit!” Hebrews 12:1-2 Message Version

We start out feeling strong and ready. We get into a grove and are feeling pretty good until we hit that first obstacle, it slows us down a little but we keep pushing on.

The stream we had to cross ended up being deeper

than we had thought and it was cold.

We are no longer comfortable but we still have a long way to go. We decide to take a break and get some nourishment and to talk with other people and before we know it we have wasted precious time.

Now we need to make up for it so we push ourselves hard.

At some point we realize we have gotten off the right path, we wonder how far off we have gotten. We have lost more time and have expended energy that we couldn’t afford to lose. We work our way back to the correct path feeling discouraged wondering if we are the only one who has lost their way.

At this point
we are
barely
running, head down. People are passing us saying encouraging things to us but we are not feeling real receptive to their comments. The hills are getting steeper and running in the dark is scary and dangerous. Occasionally we see the light of another night runner and think “I am not alone.”

“I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” Acts 20:24 NIV

Our body will no longer permit running it has brought us to a slow shuffle. The finish line seems so far away and yet the longer we go we know the finish line is getting closer.

We all run the race to the finish, no one avoids getting there, some get there quicker than others but it is inevitable that we will cross under that banner.

“This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause!” 2 Tim 4:7-8 Message

In the Garden

Day 21 of 40 days of Lenten Posts
I love gardens because of what I find there. Each flower is a masterpiece of the creator. Some look like an artist has taken the tiniest paint brush and applied delicate lines or dots of paint to their centers.

The varieties of shades make it difficult to put a name to the various colors of reds, pinks, yellows, whites, purples.

Some have a strong fragrance while others have a subtle scent and some have none at all but that does not take away the pleasure of their beauty.

A garden can be a variety of flowers spread across a vast landscape

or it can be a pot hanging from a house.

When I am around flowers I sense my creator.

What fun He must have had on the day He created flowers.






He knew that for all generations there would be those who found Him in these things of beauty.

The hymn In the Garden, written in 1912 by C. Austin Miles, a hymn writer and church music director, came about when this amateur photographer was waiting for film to develop. He saw a vision of Mary Magdalene visiting the empty tomb. He saw her leave the tomb and walk into the garden where she met the Master and heard Him speak her name.
When the vision ended the words of the song poured out of him. Later that evening he composed the musical score.
Now almost 100 years later this song is still sung, and treasured, as it brings together the creator with his creation. What a perfect song for this Lenten season.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLjWivg4YUw&feature=related

Murmuring + Discontent = Deadly

Day 20 of 40 days of Lenten Blogs

Life is rough, unkind and at times totally unfair. It is easy to complain and there are lots of people who will agree with you and add their list of complaints to yours. But special and precious is the one person who will remind you of all the things in your life that haven’t gone wrong.

If you don’t have a person like this in your life then you have to be that person to yourself. You have to recall the right things in your life and be thankful for them.

Murmuring and causing discontent is deadly.
We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them. I Cor. 10:10 Message
The Israelites had first-hand experience with this. Numbers 14:26-29

A thankful heart is a full heart; an unthankful heart is one that is squeezed shut with bitterness.

When your world is spinning out of control and you wonder if you have any faith left to get you through, try this exercise. Make a list of those things you are thankful for.

Right now I am thankful for feeling good. Sunday I was sideswiped with twenty-four -hour flu. I hate being sick so I am thankful when my body is acting as it should. I am thankful my husband has a job after being unemployed for over a year. He isn’t real happy with this job but we are thankful for it. God will bring something else when the time is right. I am thankful for a car that runs well and a roof over my head. I am thankful for a free voice to write this blog. I am thankful for my dog, Sammy, she is a sweetie. I am thankful for my children and my grandchildren. I am thankful for a chair to sit in, for food on my table, and for friends. The list could go on and on but I think you get the idea.

I won’t give you a list of complaints, I could probably come up with a bunch of those too but I would rather put my thankful heart to work and watch my faith grow.

When I review all the good things in my life and all the times God has been faithful I know whatever I am going through right now my heavenly Father is with me and will bring me through this as I lay my requests before Him with thankfulness in my heart.

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. Matt 7:11 NLT

Sammy

Sorry, the pictures for the post titled Weeds are not showing. If you click on where they are supposed to be you can see them.

Weeds

Day 20 of 40 days of Lenten Posts
Have you been neglecting your quiet time with God?

Did you have a special place that you met with Him?

Is that special place broken down and overgrown with weeds?

Don’t despair. Cultivate your quiet time and your special place can be restored.

In that quiet place you will find answers to your questions and peace for your anguished soul. Don’t allow your calendar of events to steal the most important thing from your life. Make your time with your creator the highest priority.

Ears and Eyes

Day 19 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

Ears to hear                              

And Eyes to see

 

Both are gifts from the Lord. Proverbs 20:12 NLT

I want to understand the path to integrity.

When will you come to me?

I will live in my own home with integrity

I will not put anything wicked in front of my eyes.

I hate what unfaithful people do.

I want no part of it.

Psalm 101:2-3 God’s Word Translation

Father, may we use our eyes and ears in a way that

is pleasing to you.

Log Jam

Day 18 of 40 days of Lenten Posts
You can see the speck in your friend’s eye.

But you don’t notice the log in your own eye.

How can you say, “My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye, “when you don’t see the log in your own eye? You show-offs! First, get the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend’s eye. Luke 6:41-42 CEV

At times we can be quick to point out sin in a friend’s life when it is outwardly visible to the world. But what about our own sins, the ones done behind closed doors, the ones no one sees or knows about.

Until we deal with the sin in our life, do we have the right to point out another’s sin?

When we try to remove the speck from our friend’s eye, while harboring a log in our eye, we become the Pharisee in the parable that Jesus told in Luke 18:10-14.

Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a proud, self-righteous Pharisee, and the other was a cheating tax collector. The proud Pharisee ‘prayed’ this prayer: ‘Thank God, I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t commit adultery, I go without food twice a week, and I give to God a tenth of everything I earn.
But the corrupt tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed, but beat upon his chest in sorrow, exclaiming, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home forgiven! For the proud shall be humbled, but the humble shall be honored.”

When the sin in our life has been dealt with, then when we go to our brother to help him recognize the sin he has in his life, it will be done with humility. We will stand with that brother, holding him up, encouraging him and keeping him accountable to walking in righteousness.

May we pray as David did.
Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don’t let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true. Ps. 139:23-24 CEV

The Real Thing

Day 17 or 40 days of Lenten Posts

In 1969 Coca Cola introduced the slogan, “It’s the real thing.”

Now Coca Cola may think it is the real thing but I can guarantee you it is not.

There is only one real thing and that is Jesus.

He is it. The one and only.

He is our Advocate, Almighty, Alpha and Omega, Amen, Author of Life, Author and Perfecter of our Faith, Author of Salvation, Bread of Life, Chief Cornerstone, Chief Shepherd, Christ, Creator, Deliverer, Eternal Life, Faithful and True, Faithful Witness, Firstborn from the Dead, Good Shepherd, Great High Priest, Head of the Church, Healer, High Priest, Holy and True, Hope of Glory, I Am, Immanuel, King Eternal, King of kings, Lamb of God, Light of the World, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Living One, Living Stone, Lord of All, Lord of Glory, Mighty God, Morning Star, Only Begotten Son of God, Our Holiness, Protector, Redeemer, Our Righteousness, Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb, Precious Cornerstone, Prophet, Resurrection and Life, Rock, Savior, Son of God, Son of Man, the One Mediator, True Bread, True Light, True Vine, Truth, The Way, The Word.

Try to beat that Coca Cola.

Not Two but One

Day 16 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

I grieve when I hear of another couple who have separated or divorced.
I try not to judge because I don’t know what is going on behind closed doors.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 says:

Finishing is better than starting.

I pray that we will begin to see a turnaround in marriages. May forgiveness always be in our hearts and on our lips and may peace reign in our marriages.

Then they are no longer two people, but one. And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.

Matthew 19:6 CEV

His Big Hands

Day 15 of 40 Days of Lenten Posts
With so many tragic things happening in the world it is frightening to watch the news.

What do we do with the questions that seem to have no answers?
We bow our heads in prayer weeping for those who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses.
We wonder; what would I do if that were me? Would I lose all hope? Who would I turn to for strength and peace?

Even though the fig trees have no fruit

and no grapes grow on the vines,

even though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no grain,

even though the sheep all die

and the cattle stalls are empty,

I will still be joyful and glad,

because the Lord God is my savior.

Habakkuk 3:17-18 Good News Translation

We put our trust in God and He promises:

I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you

on the palms of my hands                    
Isaiah 49:15-16 NIV

He knows our pain and He weeps with us and then we must remind ourselves that He has the whole world in His hands. The whole world! He has not forsaken us.

One Equals 810,000

Day 14 of 40 days of Lenten Posts


Fruitfulness – conducive to an abundant yield; abundantly productive

Our God is a god of increase.

Look at a kernel of corn. It is small and hard, a handful ground up could be made into a biscuit.
Planted, one kernel of corn will produce a stalk with three to four ears.
On each ear you will find over three hundred kernels. A stalk of corn with three ears would produce over 900 kernels.
Take those 900 kernels and plant them, now you have 900 stalks with three ears, that’s 2700 ears with over 300 kernels on each ear. Now that adds up to 810,000 kernels of corn, all starting from one kernel and only two plantings. Keep planting and the harvest is truly plentiful.

Increase is God’s way.

Then he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a fertile field; He placed it by abundant waters and set it like a willow tree. Ezekiel 17:5 NKJV

Does God desire increase for you?

Second Corinthians seems to say that He desires you to be fruitful in all areas of your life.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Cor 9:10-11 NIV

That excites me. I am into abundant blessings from my Father God, not so I can horde it but so I can share when I see a need.

Spring is coming and we will soon see God’s increase bursting forth all around us.

Light in the Darkness

Day 13 of 40 days of Lenten Posts
Financial devastation, rebellious children, a marriage in danger of disintegrating, a diagnosis of a life changing infirmity.
Darkness surrounding you, gross darkness.

Is this your life?
He despairs of escaping the darkness Job 15:22 NIV

The Message translation goes into more detail.
Every little sound terrifies them.
Just when they think they have it made, disaster strikes.
They despair of things ever getting better—
They’re on the list of people for whom things always turn out for the worst.
They wander here and there,
Never knowing where the next meal is coming from—
Every day is doomsday!
They live in constant terror,
Always with their backs up against the wall.

When it appears that darkness is total, open your eyes, observe the pin pricks of light that God has sent your way.
The phone call with encouragement when you thought no one cared.
The surprise check that comes in the mail when you needed it most.
Your child obeying you without arguing.
Your husband calling you to say he loves you.
A neighbor bringing over a meal when you are so worn out you were ready to put peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the table.

These pin pricks of light are strong against the darkness. The more you observe, the more light you see.

When you have noticed the pin pricks then lift up your eyes and observe the greater light of God. He is watching over you, never leaving or forsaking you.

You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light. 2 Samuel 22:29 NIV

Legacy of Love

Day 12 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

Isn’t this a great picture of two happy people?

This picture is of my mother’s parents.

When I think of the hardships they faced it is good to know that they could smile through life. My grandmother gave birth to 14 children. One child was still born, one died of pneumonia at 2 months old, one died of crib death at 8 months old, one died of Diphtheria at 5 years old, and one died of a brain tumor at 14. The other nine children lived to adulthood.

When he was 56 years old my grandfather was killed while riding his bike to work.

While together my grandparents lived through World War 1 and the Great Depression.

Supporting so many children had to be hard on them but I never heard any stories from my mother or aunts and uncles about them being given anything but lovefrom their parents.

All of my mom’s brothers and sisters remained close. My mother, at 90, is the only one living of those nine children.

I thank my grandparents for leaving me a legacy of love and family.

 "but showing love to a thousand [ generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments."  Exodus 20:6 NIV

Here is another picture of a happy couple.

This is my husband Bob and me on vacation last year.

I pray that you are able to leave a legacy of love, even if you haven't had one passed down to you.

Spring Come Quickly

Day 11 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

"The rain

and snow

come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.

They cause the grain to grow producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry." Isaiah 55:10 NLT

I am so ready for spring. I want to put away my heavy coat and boots and see flowers bloom. Colorado Springs has to get through the month of April before we can breath a slight sigh of relief that our snow times are over. Sometimes we are surprised with one last covering of white in the month of May.

How about where you live, has spring started to show with green grass and buds on trees?

Go Ahead Laugh

Day 10 of my 40 day of Lenten posts


Today as I was reading Facebook posts it seemed that most of them made me laugh, out loud laughter. It felt really good. They say that laughter raises your serotonin levels and reduces stress. It worked.

I hope that you have a laughter filled day.

If you are cheerful, you feel good;

If you are sad, you hurt all over. Prov. 17:22 CEV

Beginning to End

Day nine of my 40 days of Lenten posts

God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

He has planted eternity in the human heart,

but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work

from beginning

to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

Not seeing what God has in mind for our lives, from our sunrise to our sunset, we trust in Him.

Quick Moves

Day 8 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

How quick are your moves?   

Would you run to put a stop to the sin that angers God?

In my daily bible reading in the book of Numbers 25:1-13 I came across the story of God’s anger against the Israelites for having sexual relationships with Moabite women and then worshipping the gods of Moab.

All those who participated were to be executed.

In the midst of this showing of God’s wrath one of the Israelite men took a Midianite woman into his tent, right in front of Moses and all the people who were mourning the loss of the 24,000 who were destroyed. A stupid act, but arrogant people can be a mite stupid.

One man, Phinehas, was so grieved by what was grieving God that he picked up his spear and RAN to the man’s tent and put a spear through the man and the woman. This act turned God’s anger from the people.

One man who took up the cause for God was able to stop death.

That man had a heart that hurt with what hurt God’s heart and he moved quickly.

I want to be like that.

I want the things that grieve God’s heart to grieve mine.
But for me, and you, it must go one step further, we must be willing to do something about it. I am not suggesting that we go around killing people who are sinning; if that were the case we would have to kill ourselves because we are all sinners.
I do suggest that we can take up causes that are dear to God’s heart, the poor, the helpless, the widow, justice, the unborn, etc.

How do you choose what to get involved with?

What are you passionate about?

If your heart is for the poor look into programs your community has and get involved.

If your heart grieves for those who find themselves in the position of an unwanted pregnancy go to your local crisis pregnancy center and find out how you can help.

Are you fed up with how things are run in your community; get involved in the government locally. Something as simple as being on your homeowner's association board is a start.

Does your blood boil when you hear of someone being killed by a drunk driver? Get involved with MADD.

I am a writer of fiction and I see this as a vast and wide open field to be used for bringing righteousness back into the world. No preaching please, it only turns people off. A well written story, dealing with the issues of life in a God fearing way, that is believable, will reach people that a preacher in a pulpit will never touch.

What tugs at your heart strings, look there first.

If the madness of the world is to be brought back into order it begins with us.

Detours and Paths

Day 7 of 40 days of Lenten posts

Life for Christians can suck; don’t let anyone tell you that when you become a Christian all your problems will be gone. You will still sin, mess up and wonder if you are even saved.

When you give your life to Christ it is like painting a target on your back, the enemy of your soul will come after you with discouragement, temptations, and lies.

John 10:10 says the thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. He’s not after the non-Christians, he already has them. You have become his prey. God’s purpose is to give you a rich and satisfying life. It may seem a contradiction that you will have all these problems but still have a satisfying life. Think about it, isn’t there satisfaction in overcoming obstacles?

God doesn’t always deliver us from the messes we get ourselves into or from all that the enemy throws at us, instead He steps up alongside of us and shows us the way through, and out, of the muddle we have gotten ourselves into.

As we read the Word and listen carefully we become better at discerning when the enemy is speaking and when it is the Spirit of God directing us. When peace descends you know you are on the right path.

And if you leave God's paths and go astray, you will hear a Voice behind you say, "No, this is the way; walk here." Isaiah 30:21-22 TLB

Doors

Day six of 40 days of Lenten posts
Doors, we encounter them everywhere we go. Some are big and some are small. Some are pretty and some are plain.

Doors keep out elements and intruders.

Doors are openings we pass through on our way to opportunities.

Surprises reside behind each new door we face. Does the design of the door give a hint of what is hidden by its closure?

They can hold excitement or fear.

We would be excited to open a door that leads us to our loved one.

Fear might grip us as we stand outside the door of the business we hope will employ us.

Standing in front of a hospital door there may be hesitation before it is swung open.

Unlocking the door to your first home is a celebration, one that is not easily forgotten.

Going to a car dealership and opening the door of a car, you are assaulted with the distinctive fragrance of new car.

Opening the door of a barn you are assaulted with the odor of animals.

Quietly pushing against the bedroom door to peek in on your newborn child brings a rush of love and joy.

Of all the doors you will encounter in your life I pray that you will open the most important one.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Rev. 3:20 NLT

Jesus is inviting you to open His door of salvation.