The Spirit of Christmas

Have you been asked, "Are you in the Christmas spirit yet?"...

If I had, I would reply, "No, but the Christmas Spirit lives in me!"

The Spirit...is the Holy Spirit; through which the virgin Mary conceived from God his only begotten son, JESUS.

This Spirit is not only brought to us Comfort and Joy on that most Holy of Nights 2000 years ago, but is still our Comforter! So... if you haven't gotten into the Christmas spirit...maybe it is because...you need to receive HIS SPIRIT inside of you. Once you do you will find Peace and Joy in the true reason of Christmas itself, the true meaning of gifting, celebration and family. It is because GOD....so loved....HE GAVE...us the greatest gift of all. JESUS CHRIST THE LORD! The GIFT who keeps on giving!

Happy Thanksgiving

The holidays are a difficult time to "feel" thankful. There is so much stress in holiday meal planning, etc...that we easily lose sight of what the holiday is about in the first place.

One of the most stressful thing about the holidays is the breakdown in relationships caused by a number of things.

But when you are finally gathered around the table and God reveals himself in the faces and smiles of others; you realize that whatever it took to bring you to this moment...where you experience the love of family...it was worth it all.

The Pilgrims and Indians struggled with difficulties beyond our comprehension that first Thanksgiving. Yet, they came together and celebrated the goodness and bounty of God and sweet fellowship of friends, neighbors and family.

Celebrate the goodness of God...and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

When Friends Walk Away

I have never been very good at good-byes. My whole makeup is that when I love, I love deeply. I don't open my heart up lightly and I am careful who I allow into my life, but every once in awhile I face the pain of seperation.

There are alot of people who take friendships lightly. They meet someone and after they get what they need out of the relationship, they walk away without so much as a consideration of your feelings. Believe me... an email or text is an inappropriate way to handle this. It is as bad as writing a "Dear John" letter.

If you haven't guessed yet, this has recently happened in my life. I have considered keeping quiet as I usually do and not addressing it, but my heart was so crushed that I thought it best to deal with it here at my blog because I know that I am not alone. I was going to try to discuss it with the "friend who walked away" but it was evident that they were hostile and it would be of no use to even try.

The Bible says that in order to have friends we should show ourselves friendly.

I am a Pastor's wife. I cannot help that. That is my title and position in this life. I love my calling and I try very hard to serve the Lord faithfully. When I consider a person safe enough for a relationship outside of the normal functions of the church, it is a BIG deal and a major decision to me.

BUT...it can be so heartbreaking...especially when a "friend" decides to make certain changes in their lives and move off to what they deem "greener pastures"... and then... they dump you!

It hurts, it's not fair, and it is inappropriate. Let's not call it Christlike bahavior...because to treat anyone this way is not even a type or shadow of walking in the love of Christ toward fellow believers and fellow laborers as commanded by the Lord.

When I invest in peoples lives, I invest until it hurts. Being in my position as Pastor's wife it makes loving people a greater risk than it would be ordinarily. After spending countless hours helping, consoling and loving people through difficulties and crisis, one would expect a mature way of saying...good-bye. Correct me if you want, but if you are truly friends....is there really "good-bye" because you desire to attend another church? Let me just add this while I am at it...God calls people into all kinds of ministry, but after they are where He has called them to be and they are entrusted with the care and ministry of the family of God where they are at...He would not call them to leave immediately.

Here is my opinion:

1. You better have prayed and fasted before you make a decision to leave. There are peoples never dying souls at stake! We are commanded ...to be careful not to offend "these little ones".

2. You should go directly to your Pastor and inform him of your decision and then give the church you are serving a notice. You accepted the position to serve the LORD... not a secular boss. You would never left your secular job without integrity...then why would you treat God's work and people with less respect?

3. If you have been closely connected to others in friendships outside of the church. Don't just dump on them. Be mature enough to go to them and whatever you do....don't do it in a chat room online after midnight. I guarantee that if you dump them like this...they will see that you as a person with no substance..."shining like a diamond, but when tried...a cubic zirconia"...and they will never allow anyone to do that to them again.

4. If you have made the mistake of not excercising any of the above...Don't blame them for not liking or accepting your behavior. Be an adult, apologize, take responsibilty for falling short and go make things right. "You may even win their confidence back."

5. Quit being selfish! Remember, this is not about you, it is about Jesus and helping others to the Kingdom. Who would want our Jesus if they think that this is the way he expresses love to those he is in covenant with?

6. If you have done any of the above...realize that you are not the only one who falls short of God's glory. Just do what you can to resolve, restore and repair by following the steps above.

True Friends never really walk away. Jesus said that, "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 That is how greatly he loved us....don't you think we could love others better?

For those of you who have been dumped.....Shake it off! They were never true friends anyway. Learn from it and walk on.

What the World Needs Now...

Several years ago Burt Bacharach wrote a song saying ,"What the world needs now is love sweet love...it's the only thing that there's just too little of..."

Those words are true today. We live in a world today where love is not what it used to be. A world that has changed from loving family and being neighborly, to a world that barely knows family and has no desire to acknowledge their neighbor.

In 1 Peter 4:8 we are admonished that, "above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselfves; for fervent charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins."

There is no greater example of LOVE than JESUS! It doesn't get any better than this.

Just think of how life would be if we practiced love the way that he did. He never considered anything but accomplishing the very will of LOVE itself.

Why not try living life like he did? Walk in love. With love comes forgivenss... and a fervent charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins.

Know anyone out there who needs their sins covered?

Get out there and start loving!

I'm Listening

I have decided to LISTEN! ...

Recently, a very wise young woman said, "God gave us a mouth to shut and ears that never do as a sign that sometimes we need to SHUT UP and LISTEN!"

Don't you think that since God gave us two ears that He meant we should always LISTEN!

So....IF YOU HAVE A NEED TO BE HEARD....THEN THIS IS YOUR TIME to TALK ...AND my space to HEAR YOU!

SO GO AHEAD....

I AM LISTENING!

"God's Faithfulness"

The Bible says that God keeps covenant. That means if God said it, that settles the matter! I am glad that God is a covenant keeping God.

In a world of broken promises there is a deep sense of security in knowing that there is "ONE" who never wavers or sways in any area of HIS promises to His children.

I love that old hymn, "Great is Thy Faithfulness". There is nothing more comforting, more reassuring, or more precious to me than to know that GOD IS FAITHFUL!

"HE is, "Ever faithful, ever true".

I have never in my life met a new morning, but what the faithfulness of my Heavenly Father had not already...through His covenant love for me; provided "all" I would ever need...for every part of my day. For my spiritual, physical, financial, and emotional needs; my well-being.

If you need security today then just wrap your confidence around the FACT that God is not like man, he keeps his promises! You can find rest for your soul in Him....knowing that God is FAITHFUL!

Been Thinkin'..."

Been Thinkin'
Been Prayin'
Been Hopin'
Been Seekin'
Been Cryin'
Been Waitin' ...and waitin' ...and waitin...

The Silence of Grief

No one sees the inner pain, hears the echo of recent voices, reviews the memories, re-lives the past, or feels the utter hopelessness in loss. No one but the one...

No one is there to hold you like the one did, speak the same, take the place, bring the joy you once shared, or experience how hard it is to re-call the face. No one but the one...

No one can know the cry in the heart, the loneliness in the soul, the emptyness of seconds that become minutes, hours, days, months, years. No one but the one.

Oh, the silence of grief.

When the last condolence is made and the door closes, when you walk down an even longer hallway, when you lie on your bed at night burying your head deep within the covers to try to block out the scenes and the sorrows that echo... it is gone, they're gone, it is over... No one but the one.

Grief is a lonely and hard journey. It cannot be done by two or three; even though two or three are affected by the loss. It cannot be done by a group; even though the loss touches many.

It is personal. It is long, hard, lonely, it is painful, it is........... Silent!

No one can know it but the one.

Take Heart

So much pain in the world? Take heart!
No place to turn; need a new start?
Look to the Lord and you will find... the pain of the past will fall behind
Joy will come in the midst of the rain.
Sunshine will follow the long night of pain
Hope will spring forth anew once more.
The Lord's coming is at the door.

"I BELIEVE!"

I BELIEVE!...

God created me...and that today He has not lost count of how many hairs are on my head or of the times I begged forgiveness for failing to be, say or do all that He wanted.

I BELIEVE!...

That He loves me and will not forsake me. He never once abandoned me and He never will!

I BELIEVE!...

He will give me strength to face each and every day because He sees potential in me that I cannot see.

I BELIEVE!...

In His love...that nailed him to that tree.

I BELIEVE!...

That the "One" who commands us to forgive 490 times a day...still forgives....and forgives me.

I BELIEVE!...

In the blood that sets me free and that it is the same blood that heals me now and for all eternity...and is currently, actively, healing, now presently...has healed me in all my years past and will heal me right on up to the day of my "Ultimate Healing!"

I BELIEVE!...

I can...because He already has!

I BELIEVE!...

Lord...help thou my unbelief..............

Unbelief...

because my focus shifted off from you and onto me or on the circumstances around me.

Unbelief...

because my eyes were too clouded with tears to see clearly.

Unbelief...

because there will be places up the road of my life's journey where I will be afraid to walk and the valley might overshadow my path.

Unbelief...

because the goodness of mankind is being swept away more daily through the wicked devices and plans of evil men.

Unbelief ...

because............you knew I would...

You knew...

That I would be weak..

You knew...

That I would be tempted.

You knew...

That flesh, body and mind...would be weak; even though my spirit willingly presses onward and upward.

Herein is what I BELIEVE...

I BELIEVE...LORD JESUS!!!

....and like your first disciples...who walked with you, talked with you, touched you and beheld your glorious works first hand...

They prayed.....

HELP thou MY unbelief"....

...

Pictorial Definition of "Horse Laugh"

Horse Laugh: a loud, coarse laugh

Recently reviewing my site I decided that it was time to do something a little different. This is for all those people out there who have ever been horse laughed at or who have horse laughed at another.

I hope that this inspires you to throw your head back, open your mouth wide and bare your pearly whites and even if you have no teeth... go ahead and show those gums...

but for Heaven's Sake.....

JUST LAUGH!!!

Season of Loss...

"To everything there is a season..."
Ecclesiastes 3:1

In March we entered the Spring season. A time for sunshine, rain, budding and blossoming of trees and flowers and NEW LIFE!

There are different seasons all of us face in life.

For us it has been a very difficult season. It is as if Winter linked arms with Spring and came in very cool and death-like. We have not only sensed the chill, but also experienced death's reality in various forms...leaving us with only memories...

This season for us has brought so many tears.
A season for us of loss.

When God's Servant's Get Depressed

Depression comes to everyone at one time or another in life. But what happens when it hits the man or woman of God. Aren't they supposed to be stronger than others? Doesn't the very fact that they are in Christian service exclude them from experiencing symptoms of depression? Don't they have supernatural strength in their "shoulders" to continually bear the burdens of others?

What happens when the the servant of God suffers from depression? In 1 Kings 19 we see a glimpse of one of God's faithful servants who suffers from the illness of depression. Elijah had just finished winning one of the biggest battles in his life. God showed up and proved that HE WAS GOD! But right after that victory Elijah's life is threatened and he runs away in fear. He travels to Beersheba (well of the Oath of God) and leaves his servant there and travels another full days journey alone. (aprx. 25-30 miles) He sets down under a Juniper tree sheltered from the sun and wind and requests that God will let him die and then he fell asleep.

In my experience with depression you can become so overwhelmed with difficult life situations that you experience total exhaustion. This is not at all a healthy fatigue because it is the result of your body kicking into a self preservation mode to protect you from a complete breakdown. I believe Elijah was at this place in his life.

What happenened? Elijah was visited by an angel of the Lord. The angel said to Elijah, "Arise and eat"...so Elijah rose up and found a cake(probably of unleavened barley; typical of the day) and a cruse (bottle) of water which were supernaturally placed there. Elijah rose up, ate and drank and then he laid down and fell asleep again.

God sent Elijah provision in the time of his distress.

Sandy Patti mentioned that a friend came and took her out to get some ice cream. She declared to her listeners that, "Sometimes only a friend and a banana split can help!" I think it was one of those times for Elijah too.

Then the angel of the Lord came and visited a second time. Only this time he touched Elijah and then said, "Arise and eat; because the journey is to great for thee."

Elijah rose up and ate again, but this time he was strengthened so much that he was able to go onward a 40 days journey in supernatural strength on the simple meal that the angel of the Lord had provided. He ends up at Mt. Horeb (the Mt. of God) where he finds a cave to dwell in.

This gives me hope. If God sent an angel to visit, speak, touch and feed a man of God supernaturally in the O.T. then surely he can do the same for us when we are weary in the work of ministry. (Note also that God gave earthly provision right alongside his heavenly provision.)

While here, the word of the Lord comes to him saying,"Elijah, what are you doing here?" After Elijah's response, he is told to "go forth and stand before the Mt. of God." Elijah obeys and God shows up in power and demonstration as the Lord himself passes by... and when he does a great and strong wind rends the mountain, rocks fall before the Lord and an earthquake and fire come and lastly a still small voice...but God is not in the wind, earthquake or fire...but he is in the still small voice.

At this Elijah wraps his face in his mantle and goes and stands in the entrance of the cave where he has been dwelling and the still small voice of the Lord comes and asks a second time, "Elijah, what are you doing here?

Servant of God, "What are you doing here?"

Note that Elijah's response never changed in his answer to the Lord; however he was able to recognize the still small voice as the Lord's and he went obediently forward after he was commanded to "Go and return...and....."

Often when servants of God get depressed, we call out for the thunderbolt demonstrations of God on our behalf. "Oh God, that you would rend the heavens and come down!!!" Only the Lord knows what we would add onto this request when we are in despair....

If we just listen; which may require getting totally alone until we hear that "still small voice" of our Lord...then we will be given the strength to "Go, return and do"... whatever the Lord commands for us to do in order to continue the work of His Kingdom.

Elijah wasn't the only one who got tired and despaired of life. There were many others.

If you are a servant of the Lord; take heart! There is still a God who hears and answers prayer. Not just the prayers and burdens of others, but ours too. Don't look for the wind to blow, the rocks to fall, the fire to come...but "be still and know" that He is God; he will show up and he will whisper in that "still small voice" and lead you out of your cave of depression and onward in the strength of His word so that you can accomplish the plans that he has for your life. "A plan to prosper and not harm to give you a future and a hope" as you continually extend "a future and hope" to others that you are ministering to.

Beginning Again

I hate starting over! It is completely out of my comfort zone! Life throws obstacles into your pathway that you cannot walk around. A simple "falling rock" sign on the roadside in which you are traveling can quickly become an entire "mountain slide" where you discover that the only safe solution is to simply carve out a new way around it.
When this happens we feel totally and utterly helpless. We find that this is where we are most vulnerable and frightened by the "unknown" of it all. We are no longer in control... Yet, God gives us hope and wisdom to start over...or begin again. We pick ourselves up and begin to prepare "new ground" as we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit. This is called process! It isn't always easy or painfree, but as we carefully walk each step in the new direction God leads, we will find that the pathway becomes much clearer, brighter and our hope becomes renewed. Our perspective is extremely important at this time. Our disasterous situations should be viewed as "God's Opportunities". When we adopt this kind of thinking we begin to see that God's viewpoint of carving out a new way for us is not the impossible task we fretted that it would be, but daily as we cooperate with God, it becomes a visible reality!
God always has our best intentions at heart. He is full of love for his children. This does not mean that bad things never will happen to us; that death-type situations won't come, but it means that God has a divine solution to everything we face in life. There is a way through!

The Secret

The secret is....

I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs.

When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches.
I have learned most of the time I don't need half what I think I do.
He has never let me down!
Since I learned that "Secret", I am happy!

(from a text)