For His Name's Sake

Psalms 106:1 Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

I sit here typing in the warmth of my home, smelling the coffee brewing this early morning, waiting for the patter of little feet to come down the stairs. I am blessed to be sitting here a free woman rather than in prison, healthy rather than full of HIV, alive rather than dead and saved rather than lost.

Psalms 106:2 asks us the question "Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praise?" This questions struck deep in my heart and yet it is so simple. Only those who have had mighty trials can proclaim His Might acts. While it is difficult at times to share my testimony, I hold fast to this verse.

Verse 8 tells us "He saved them for His Name's Sake, to make His Mighty power known." So if we do not sing of His praises how will anyone else know of His power? If we do not proclaim of His blessings how can His Name's Sake be glorified? God didn't save the Israelites because they were thankful for His miracles; remembered His kindness, or were obedient. They were thoughtless, rebellious, ungrateful people that time after time turned their back on God and by their own admission "sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.". Yet, He saved them. Why? "For His Name's Sake".

The Israelites were in no small trial, they were being chased for their very lives by their enemies. And what was it the God did for them? Was it nothing short of breath taking? Miraculous? Verse 9 tells us, "He rebuked the Red Sea and led them through the depths just as He did through the desert. He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy
he redeemed them. (11) The waters covered their adversaries; NOT ONE of them survived. (12) Then they believed His promises and sang His praise."

While it is satan that brings adversity to destroy us, God allows that adversity to mature us and to have a reason to sing His praises when He brings us through it. We choose who will be our master and how we will go through that adversity. I am starting to see doors open as to how the
challenges I have walked through were the shoes I needed to wear in order for God to use me where I am now.

Aren't we just like the Israelites sometimes? How quickly do we forget our last battle that God conquered? How often do we cry with worry? God will rebuke our enemies, He will save us, He will crush all our adversaries.

But it will be for His Name's Sake. When was the last time you proclaimed His mighty acts of victory in your life? I challenge you today, no matter what or how big the trial is that you are facing to ask Him what it is that He wants you to praise Him for and who He wants you to share the testimony with of His victory in your life.

So let us be women that Praise the Lord, give thanks to the Lord, proclaim the Mighty acts of the Lord, declare fully His deserved praise, give thanks for His miracles; remember His kindness and obey His commands.

I have some warm crow pie to eat.

This morning since it is my birthday I envisioned my hubby getting up early to make breakfast in bed, take care of the kids, make me a cake and getting started on his 5 page honey do list. However, come 10am he was still snoring away. I was weighing all my options and at first thought I would add a little something to his lunch and just give him a sever case of diarrhea. But realized that it really isn't his fault. He was diagnosed with RCD after our 1st year of marriage. Romantically Challenged Disorder. Together we have been taking it one day at a time and although we try not to get our hopes up for anything long term, we rejoice with each small sign of improvement.

Today he had one of those days of miraculous healing. After he got up about 10:15 he asks if I wanted breakfast or to go out to lunch. Then he told me there was an envelope on top of the frig for me. I went ahead and took a shower, got the kids ready and then checked the envelope. I figured it was probably some cash to use to buy myself something. I was wrong. I opened the card and found a beautiful homemade card...not by him. My one hobby besides all this blogging is making cards. He went by and saw my stampin up consultant sometime. In 3 days starts their sellabration. He got me a set of markers and the water color crayons I had been wanting for over a year, which means I'll also get to pick out 3 sets of stamps for free. I was for once out of words. Then we left and he took me to the Marketplace Grill. We haven't went to a restaurant (one that doesn't' offer a happy meal anyway) since last Valentines. His thoughtfulness and planning was just so perfect. Guess he'll be gettin lucky tonight. lol.

It's My Party And I'll Dye If I Have Too

Today is my birthday. thank you. Let me know if you need my address to send cards, gifts, money. lol. So my precious little girl pampered me last night while we watched Little House on the Prairie. It was the one with the Runaway Caboose. Very dramatic. First they rubbed lotion (lots of it, to the point I was still sticky when I went to bed) on my legs and feet. I was informed that I needed to shave. Then Gabby painted my toes and fingers managing to get some on the nails. Then she decided I needed makeup to pretend I was getting ready for my wedding. I didn't look, but Gabby said the deep plum eyeshawdow and the blush she used as foundation, along with the sparkly powder she choked me with and covered my arms in, made me look like a Bratz girl. Now if I could just wear a middriff top and miniskirt without being startled when I walked by the mirror! She then had me lay crossways in the recliner so my head would hang over the arm in order for her to brush my hair. It was quite the painful experience and thought I would need to cut the brush out of my hair several times. Then she left. It sounded like she was tearing apart the craft room. I asked what she was doing and in her very frustrated voice answered, "rrrr, momma, I'm looking for the brown marker and can't find it anywhere!" I thought we were done and that she was moving on to coloring. About 10 minutes later here she comes with the brown marker, "found it." with the lid off she comes right at me. "what are you doing?" She tells me, "I'm going to color your hair so it's all brown again instead of all that white on top." Guess I'll be shaving my legs and dying my hair today.

Float like a Cadillac, Sting like a Beamer

As you may know, I have a course of the Bible that I follow and study. While it is not spontaneous, God has never failed to teach me something from his word. It may not always be at that very moment but to hold onto for later. However, this morning was an example of perfect timing on His part. I had a conflict arise a while back. This morning, what was next on my study? Psalms 31. I have always enjoyed the Psalms. Maybe because I seem to relate to David and all his woes at times. Not that I plan on dancing naked in the street this morning, as we love our elderly neighbors.

David was the King. This man faced so many terrible situations, so many enemies. At the time he wrote this particular Psalm, he was facing the most disappointing enemy of all. His own son, Absolom. His OWN son. Absolom had flattered and lied to so many of Isreal's leaders that he ended up winning their favor and running his father out of the country. He disgraced his dad. My children are not old enough to plot out intentional lasting hurt aimed at me. However, when my 3 year old son gets mad he will tell me, "you're not my best friend anymore." That is ok. I'm not suppose to be, right? But what if he was 40 years old and I had devoted my life, time and money to raise him up to follow the Lord and he choose to humilate me, run me out of town, leave me to live in the caves of the dessert and never appear to care whether I even lived another day? I imagine that this would be the deepest kind of betrayal a parent could feel.

So if David can come through this time of hurt from his own child, his own flesh and blood, and give us examples of how to handle it, he is my mentor in the area of dealing with difficult people. Guess that makes him the Dale Carnagie of his time.

One of David's suggestions when dealing with those who bring us down is to not associate with them. Good advise. Look at where most conflicts tend to arise. When we are associated with others that we have not chosen to be with or have not chosen wisely. Friends in college that were not christians led to a life style of partying. Co workers with negitive attitudes that I had to see daily often drained my energy. A relationship that confessed of knowing God led to a terrible ending because their words did not equal their actions. Friends that were friends but constantly judging and ridiculing others eventually turned against me.

Now some relationships we can't just pick up and run from. We do not have to have lunch with the ladies that gossip at work. We do not have to continue to make an effort to keep a friendship alive that is not positive. We do not have to continue a relationship with a boyfriend that is not glorifing to God. But we do have to continue to be related to our family and inlaws. We do have to keep our kids around even if they cause us grief and zap our positive energy.

Jesus did hang out with the sinners, but that was to win their hearts and souls. He did not trust or carry on long standing friendships with them and devote himself to them if they were hard hearted. He did continue to be firm yet loving to them.

In the Disney's movie Cars, Lightening McQueen says, "float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beamer." This is a cute little saying that is easy to remember. We can be as graceful as a Cadillac when dealing with people, and at the same time we can be "The Ultimate Driving Machine" of our relationships that we choose.

I suggest that if you are dealing with a people problem today that you read through Psalms 31.
vs24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Am I the Only One?

Am I the only one that feels like there is constant drama in my family? I have 2 sisters and a brother. I'm the only one who has moved away from the little town we grew up in. It seems like at all times someone is in the hot seat. Either a sister in law for not saying the right thing, the brother for not coming around enough, a sister for being in a bad mood, my mom for being pushy. Once you enter the dreaded place of the hot seat you will stay there until everyone has talked it to death behind your back, you somehow find out that you are the one in the hot seat and apologize to everyone for unknowinly being human and making a mistake, or fresh meat bumps you out of the hot seat with a new comment or scerio.

When I am away from my family I start missing them and want to move closer and when I do go visit I often get caught up in the latest drama. Which is one of the main reasons my husband does not want to move closer than we are. So who's in the hot seat now? Myself. It does bother me because I always want to be the peacemaker and like it when everything is running smootly. You would think I'd be used to it by now. I have been in the hot seat dozens of times before....for going to dinner with a sister in law that noone liked, for homeschooling, for going to church too much, for selling Mary Kay, for being too strict with my kids, for not coming home enough, for coming home too much, for saying I wasn't too excited about a new boyfriend and supporting a breakup that never happened, for baby #3, for baby #4 and on and on. I've been in this aweful and well used hot seat at their home, and have not lived there for over 15 years, more times for unintentional things, than I have been in the hot seat at my own home with my husband for things I intentionally did to try to stir up some kind of reaction from him. Is it because I'm just so oblivious to my own stupidity and going against the flow of what is acceptable? Is it because there is little involvement in anything besides that family unit and work to focus on? Is it just a small town soap opera? Or Is it because our priorities are different?

Witness Protection Program

I just thought I'd share this lighthearted story from years past. My husband had taken a job in Springfield MO 5 years ago and we bought a little fixer upper in not the best of neighborhoods, but not the worst either. Directly across the street from us was another young family that we instantly connected with. We are still good friends today even after moving back here to AR. We would play cards at their house, we went to church together, grilled out together. It was just great. Our other neighbors however....not so much. The neighbors in the houses on both sides of us and on one side of our friends. were not in the routine of going to work yet had visitors, dozens of them, stopping for 5 minutes at a time all hours of the day. So while the neighbors themselves were nice enough, you just don't want your kids to be in that kind of atmosphere. So one by one I did my civic duty and left tips on the police hot-line. The 1st bust was quiet and we ended up with some young, alternative college guys that kept to themselves. The 2nd bust was so exciting! I woke up with flashes in our bedroom and thought someone was in the yard. I was right, their were about 10 policeman sneaking up on our neighbors house, I jump out of bed and run to the other room where I can see better. The paddy wagon pulled up and cars were everywhere. They eventually were taking pictures of everyone and handcuffing them and off they went. Our neighbors house was empty for about 6 months then went up for sell. 2 down and 1 to go. The last neighbor across the street that had traffic was not as sever. Plus it was a single mom and her teenage son, so I thought maybe it was a possibility that these were just friends of his stopping by. However, one afternoon a storm came up and Allen was out of town working. Here I am with 3 babies. The tornado was on a direct path to hit our neighborhood within the next 10 minutes. I run over to their house because they have a basement and they won't let us join them. They acted really strange and said they didn't let anyone in their basement. I was so frighten at this point I wanted to scream at her, "I don't care if you have body in your basement!" So I run back home and throw all of us in the tub cover with blankets, grabbed some shoes for everyone and a bottle and pulled the mattress over the top. We sat and waited. The direct path missed us by about 10 blocks. But it was still frightening. We had shingles off, a tree down, and all sorts of wonderful and strange debris in the yard. So needless to say I called in my tip to the police the next day. That night. My dear sweet friend across the street comes over crying and laughing. "Did you call the police on us?" What? No. The police got confused on which house number and searched my friends house. She said the police actually told her that the neighbor across the street had called in a tip! So much for anonymous hot-lines. Eventually they did bust the 3rd and final house on our street. However, if my family and I completely drop off the face of the earth, you'll know it's because I have been forced to enter the witness protection program!

The Mountain Top

Often times in the Old Testament God appeared to men on the Mountaintop. In Deut 10 Moses was reminding the Israelites of their sin of creating the Golden Calf while He was on the mountaintop spending time in God's presence. I tried to put myself in Moses' sandals. I personally have never climbed a huge mountain, but I have hiked up a beautiful well traveled path on a Mountain in Colorado when I was in 7th grade. I would have to say that in 7th grade I was in pretty good shape. I had some fancy sneakers on my feet, a well worn path in front of us, a packed lunch on my back and we were headed to the top. There at our destination we were told was to be a lake and one of the most beautiful earthly sights we could enjoy. Not long into the journey we had to start taking breathing breaks. My body experienced a tired I hadn't know before and my shins were on fire. We would break for a little while and then start again. I don't remember how long it took to reach the top, but it was well worth the struggle. There in front of us was a lake that looked as if it were a mirror itself. It was set into in little cove surrounded by boulders and pines; and canopied by the immense blue sky. The smells, the sights, the feeling of attainment was all just perfect. We had lunch and enjoyed feeding these funny little chipmunks that did not appear to be the least bit intimidated by us. None of us wanted to head back down the mountain. As we did, it was much easier going down, we needed fewer breaks in fact we could practically run down. I wasn't tired, I was overflowing with excitement.

I imagine that when God called Moses to come to the mountain top he was rather excited to go and be in God's presence. However, I also imagine that as he began that climb he rather quickly realized that his sandals were not the latest in hiking boots. I doubt that there was any type of path to follow, he might even have had to back track a couple of times to find a better way. There were probably thorn bushes pulling on his robe, scratching at his legs. And let's not forget that Moses is not in his prime of life for climbing a mountain. He didn't have a backpack with a Coleman jug filled with filtered water, a PB & J sandwich, Pringles or even a Jell-O pudding snack for dessert. But, when God called him he went, he didn't just run up a little hill without losing breathe. He committed to climbing a mountain. This was not an easy task. This was not a quick task. Not even a convenient task, he was after all the leader of the clan, he had a lot of responsibilities. But he did it. He met with his Lord.

After 40 days in God's presence Moses headed back down. I am guessing that on his trip down he was floating on air and only being weighed down by these 2 huge slabs of stone he was carrying. He was probably filled with excitement to share this experience with his friends and share what the Lord had taught him. All the slips and falls on the way down, the bleeding calluses on his hands from the stones, didn't matter. The Bible says his face was glowing. However, when he made it, he wasn't exactly met with the rejoicing or welcome home party he invisioned. Instead he was met by a group of "stiff-necked" fools that had lost their way in just the matter of 40 days. They were in the valley worshiping a golden calf and serving the god of self.

When we have been in God's presence we have a glow about us as well. I've heard it put this way. "The view from the spiritual highland is breathtaking". When we make a consorted effort, a choice with determination to meet with our Lord and be in His presence, we can expect to have a joy so overflowing that our faces will glow. Is it easy to get up a little earlier in the morning when we are so tired? It is convenient to devote that time to Him while we have 5 load of laundry waiting on us? Is it something that we can commit to only if we have no other pressing responsibilities? That is a choice we all have to make. How long has it been since you made an effort and sacrificed your desires to make sure you spent time in the Presence of the King? Those who live on the mountain have a brighter view than those who live in the valley.