If You’re Looking for the Pot of Gold it ain’t at the end of the Rainbow

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Oh, looking for the pot of gold. I was disillusioned as a kid when I tried to find the rainbow much less the end of it.

Legend has it, the Leprechauns  make lots of shoes. Once they sell them they keep the coins hidden away in a big pot.  As the Leprechauns themselves are Irish folklore, so is the pot of gold.
How many of us have one sitting around?
What constitutes our pot of gold?

The child who fills their “piggy bank” with a few coins. The Lock Box at the bank with who knows what in it.

James Bond found his behind the safe in the wall; only it was not filled with coins. It was an Encoder along with a few other unsightly items.

Many buy Lottery tickets thinking they might win millions of dollars. Others enter contest after contest hoping for that free trip to the Bahamas.

Back in the Old West, men would travel afar to reach California for the mighty “gold rush.” Glad I didn’t have to do that. Riding in a wagon train, sleeping on the ground and drinking cold coffee out of dirty cups.  Nope. Not for me. I’ll take my warm bed and hot coffee over that life any day.

A pot of gold can mean a lot of different things to different people.

A new job. A new boyfriend. A new car. That 2nd trip to the Bahamas. A new house. An old house. A meal. A shelter for the homeless. Shoes when you haven’t had any. An award. A nice hot shower. A miracle of healing. You favorite team winning the Super Bowl. (not this year.) Money to buy your next meal from an anonymous donor. Saving the children. Sponsoring missionaries to go overseas to spread God‘s word and offer hope. Giving your last dollar to the Salvation Army so they can give it to the poor. Receiving an unexpected gift. Listening to a child you don’t know who just wants to be heard.

Whatever we value the most can become our pot of gold. It is a matter of priority; or choice. Sometimes your life  is smacked out from underneath you and it is neither priority or choice, but becomes a “pot of gold of survival.” It feels like a bad joke; someone pulls the chair out from underneath you. As you hit the floor you realize getting up by yourself is not an option. You survival kit is no where to be found.

All of a sudden, you have nothing left. You are alone, without.  Whatever you had in the pot is not getting you through the day. It is not supplying your every need or any need for that matter. You realize the pot was something you were holding on for dear life that wasn’t even there.  “Linus’s” security blanket  might be good for keeping you warm, but it won’t put food on the table.

Falling flat on our face is an indication we are not self sufficient even though we spend most of our life trying to prove we are. And for some of us it just might be the best thing that ever happened to us. Why?

Like the pot of gold;  we can’t see the bottom of it unless it’s  empty. Underneath the dirt, filth and trash is the golden nugget we are looking for.

So empty your pot.  Get rid of the trash and filth. Clean out the dirt so it can shine!

Once you have emptied it, let God begin filling it up.
Little by little, God will add love, gifts, prosperity, health, joy, peace, contentment, wisdom, knowledge, abundance of all he wants us to have.

On top he will pour the Holy Spirit to mix all these good ingredients together. He will take the pot to the cross of Jesus and sit it at his loving feet.

It is there my dear friends, you will find your “pot of gold.”

Photo of Cross by John Randolph Harrison

• http://www.pbase.com/jrandyh

Copyright @2012 All Rights Reserved

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Lions, Whales and a Staff! OH NO!

There is nothing dull about the Bible.  In fact, if you have read it you know it is God speaking to his people with Words of wisdom and knowledge.  But you will also find it is not lacking for great entertainment, movies or scandals. The Bible is a reflection of us; you know us. We the people of God with all of our
issues like disobedience, stubborness and selfishness which often makes for a good story. Only these are all true.  Like the following:

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Moses was found in a creek ( the Nile) by the Pharoah’s daughter. He was floating downstream in a basket. Really? Who puts a child in a basket and lets him float down stream so the richest man in the kingdom’s daughter can find him? God.

No one knew he would grow up to be  the “Deliverer.” Even Moses didn’t know it. God used his “staff” to perform many miracles like, tapping a rock for water, turning water into blood, and parting the Red Sea.  I wonder what ever happened to his staff. I could sure use it about now.

Who can forget the story of David and Goliath?

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David was a young sheep herder with little or no fighting skills, or so everyone thought.
Goliath was a giant literally. A Philistine who for 40 days taunted the Israelites with his so-called strength and big mouth.
That’s what I said. A big mouth.
You know; the kind who spews violent threats showing off his muscles like he has just entered the “Mr. World” competition?

Once David convinced King Saul to allow him to fight the Philistine, he refused to wear the armor. David had other plans and so did God.
You see God had already equipped David to do the job. David’s slingshot and a rock may have been his weapons of choice.  His faith in God gave him the strength and courage to knock the giant dead even if it was the craziest stunt ever.

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If you read my blog you know I am a cat lover. Small cats. Not the kind with a mane, huge white teeth that weighs 400 pounds.
Hence the story of Daniel in the Lions Den.
Daniel prayed a lot but the King’s servants didn’t like him so they conspired against him by getting the King to pass a law that no one could pray to anyone but him. Daniel didn’t listen and kept praying to the great God Almighty.

The servants were basically tattle tales; they saw Daniel praying to God and ran and told the King. What? Were they like 5 years old?

The king honored the law but it made him sad to have to throw Daniel into the lion’s den because he liked him.

Daniels faith had to be stronger than most but getting thrown into a den of roaring lions probably wasn’t his idea of a fun trip to the zoo. God sent an angel to close the mouth’s of the lions to protect Daniel.

The servants? Let’s just say they probably wish they hadn’t woken up that day.

Of course there were Godly women who took mighty risks of faith like Esther. You know the Jewish girl who became Queen after Vashti disobeyed the King?  Well,  he divorced her and went looking  for another woman.  Sounds just like a man. Is this a Hollywood story?

Anyway, once Esther became Queen she saved the King from a plot against him. As a result the King gave Esther her wish of saving the Jewish people.

One of my favorite Bible stories is Jonah and the whale, fish or whatever it was.
Talk about running? that was Jonah. Or me. Or a few other people I know.
God sent him to Nineveh to warn the people of their evil ways.
Jonah really didn’t want to go because the people there were enemies.

He thought he could go some place where God wouldn’t be able to find him! Ha! Can you believe a grown man, a prophet of God would even think such a thought?  So glad I never tried running away from God. Oh yea, that’s right I did. I got about as far as Jonah did, only I didn’t land in a whale.

So he found a ship that was headed the opposite direction of Nineveh and booked himself a seat in the VIP section.

Yep, he was going to sail the seas in top-notch fashion. Find a nice, cozy spot and take himself a nap. Only his nap didn’t last very long.
Before he knew it God threw him in a whale. A whale? He stayed for 3 days in the stomach of this big fish. ugh.
Can you imagine what all was in there?
Who knows what  that whale had for dinner. or what was leftover from the day before. The stench. The smell. Bones. Organs. Body parts.

Ya’ think that might get a man’s attention?

These stories are about real people, who had real battles and problems just like we do. But God brought them out of their simple lives into lives of following God at all costs.
These very people later became a Deliverer, a King, a great man of prayer, a Queen and a Prophet.
Do you think God has a modern-day Deliverer, King, a great man of prayer, a Queen and a Prophet waiting in the wings?
I do. It just might be you.
SO PLEASE DO WHAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO AND GET ON WITH IT! WE NEED A BREAK HERE!

Copyright @2012 All Rights Reserved

Falling Off A Cliff Backwards

Do you ever feel like this picture? Ever wonder how life got that way?

Do you think about the journey ahead from the trail you left behind?

As you get closer to the cliff, dirt begins to fall before we do. That is when the cliff gets too close for comfort. What is worse is if you are heading there backwards. I think that might be a good place to stop. Don’t you? OH, it is like a signal; a sign; a moment of truth.

As my dad has always said, “when you play with fire, eventually you will get burned.”

The same happens with a cliff. The closer you get the more likely you will fall off. And if you are heading that way backwards you can’t see the end of the cliff. Whoa.  Is that 2 signs or signals?  I remember some cliffs I almost fell off of.  I am thinking right now “what in the world was I not thinking?”

Cliffs are like finding “the end of the rope” or “you’ve come to the end of the road.” That poor old goat had no idea where he was headed. But he is a goat. Not that the end result there isn’t the same, but at least he has an excuse for getting there.

The truth is we have no excuse. God gave us brains to figure this out. Well, most of us. The truth is we rebel. Truth. Truth. Truth.

Why do we rebel? Did the goat rebel? How did he get there backwards?

We rebel because we think we know better than God. What? No. Would we do that?

Yes we would and present company included.

The definition of rebel is: To refuse allegiance to and oppose by force an established government or ruling authority.  To resist or defy an authority or a generally accepted convention. To feel or express strong unwillingness or repugnance.

I do not recommend rebelling against God. I tried it and it simply doesn’t work.  Thankfully he showed me how to put both oars in the water instead of  one before it sank. OK! I hear those snide remarks! Don’t make me come looking for u!

Actually, falling off the cliff is like rebelling. And for some of us we get right to the edge before we allow our broken or hardened hearts to see the rope God is throwing us. He was throwing the rope all along; we were too stubborn and full of pride to reach for it.  It doesn’t take “Rocket Science” or the brain of a genius to let go of pride. It has nothing to do with  intelligence or smarts or even the lack of it. It is a will or a choice one has to make of their own accord.

For those who refuse to let go of their pride but are headed for the cliff, wise up. Humble yourself. Let go of your stubbornness. Realize what is at stake which is your life.

If you don’t get hold of God, surrender to Jesus Christ as your Savior, you might end up like this goat; only you won’t be falling into Heaven.

Copyright @2012 All Rights Reserved

The Element of Surprise

Today, sitting in my chair having my devotions the house shook. One rather small blast and then one that was so loud the whole house literally shook.  My cat flew off the couch. We both headed to the front door. Outside we were joined by many other neighbors whose houses also shook.

Living 2 miles from one of the largest AF and now Army bases in the country we are use to noise. The jets fly over regularly; sometimes so close you wonder if they will land in the backyard. This was not a jet. They were not flying anywhere today. I have gotten so use to the take off of usually six jets one after the other that I know which flight pattern they are on.

This sounded like a bomb going off. And…..later on fb a friend acknowledged it was. Old bombs the military was disposing of.

I feel so blessed to live around these people who live everyday for our country. That is before the government cut the defense. Now many are without health insurance, and other benefits. Many simply received pink slips with no gratitude attached.

The following are  a few reasons with Scripture to back them up that God wants us to have a strong military.

1. God fights for us. God fought Satan before he created mankind. We are still in that war. Exodus 15:3, “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.”

2. God helps others fight. Deuteronomy 3:22, “Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.”

3. The biggest mistake any country can ever make is to fight against Israel. Psalms 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”

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4. Ronald Reagan said we should have a very strong military. Jesus said in Luke 11:21, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:” Jesus says a strong military ensures peace.

5. Disarm the enemy. Luke 11:22, “But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.”

6. Some enemies are to be reckoned with due to they are ruthlessly evil. Numbers 31:7, “And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.”

7.  Use peaceful means as the first weapon. Proverbs 24:6, “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

8. Once the enemy is defeated, do not oppress them. Ecclesiastes 7:7, “Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.”    As we did with the Japanese, we have done so in Iraq and Afganistan where our military have helped rebuild their land.    

9. The military should be organized and well established with a Commander in Chief. Deuteronomy 1:15, “So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.”

If this is what the Bible teaches, then why is our military being cut? How are we to defend ourselves without these great people of sacrifice? How are we to defend other defenseless nations from the ravages of their own leaders?

God is a God of peace (11 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.” ) But when peace fails, God does not expect his people to sit back and do nothing to defend themselves.  And if we are to defend ourselves, we have to have a strong military. A strong Biblical based military.

My first protector is God. He has protected me from many evil attacks throughout my life. And then some I don’t even know about. 

However as I listen to the Air Force jets flying over my house as I write this now, I feel even safer.

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Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

Our Government is not a Throne of Grace

Once again I am surprised at the blatant blindness of people. You would think I would learn.  I am caught between their  blindness or  purposely don’t turn the porch light on? If one is truly blinded of God‘s word it is one thing, but to ignore the truth is another. What boat are they sailing on?

I wonder what God thinks about our welfare system. Now he is a great God of mercy and loves the poor.  In fact one of the church missions was set up to help the poor, the widows and orphans. James 1:27 ” Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. ” This is the church, not government.

If God is a God of justice (Proverbs 31:19 “Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”) he would want us to help the poor and needy. That is what I just said, the poor and needy. Not those who ride around in SUV‘s, have manicured nails, collect food stamps and buy alcohol and cigarettes with it. NO, I don’t believe that is what the Bible teaches.

Now don’t go jumping on me. If you believe for one minute I am not all for helping the poor, call my accountant.

God does not waste anything and he expects us to do the same. Do you think he approves of our hard earned tax dollars wasted on alcohol and cigarettes? What about programs that benefit one race of people over another? What about financial aid for college students who buy junk, candy, and items that have nothing to do with their classes? What about those same students who collect financial aid, go to school one semester and drop out? Do they pay that money back? Get my point here?

I cite those instances as I am well aware of this occurring right here where I live. These are just a few of the many  financial abuses of our government and the people who have a leak in their think tank pushing to raise our taxes, or borrow more money to make loans to groups like Solyndra. You know the company our present administration gave  500 million dollars only to declare bankruptcy? Wonder where that money is now.

It doesn’t have to be rocket science people to understand the laws of give and take. Our government takes, and we just keep giving. Does the government realize when they have taxed us to death we will end up like Cuba? What happens when the money runs out? What happens when China won’t lend us anymore money? Oh, I know they will run to Donald Trump and ask him for it. lol. Good luck Mr. Secretary of the Treasurer getting an extra dime from him.

The Bible is clear about being stewards of that which God has given to us.

Proverbs 13: 11 “Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it.” In other words work.

Psalm 112: 5 “It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.” In other words give fairly.

Psalm 37:21 “The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.” In other words, don’t take if you don’t need it.

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.” In other words don’t make money an idol.

Romans 12:13 “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” In other words give of your own accord.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ” In other words, if people would read the Bible and follow it, place God first in their lives we wouldn’t need welfare, food stamps and other government agencies to provide for us. His riches come from Heaven and are infinite.

In other words, the government was never created to supply our needs. Only God can do that.

Related Articles:

The Truth from a real life cashier: www.cashiersconfessional.wordpress.com

 Freedom from Religion:  www.media4lifeministries.com/2012/01/20/615/

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

I Accept

All my life I have been short.  Now I realize this may not apply to many of you who as adults or even older teens are somewhere over 5’1 inches tall. For the most part I have never liked being short. The following are a few reasons why.

1. Group pictures. You will always find short people on the front row.
2. Reaching the 2nd row of cabinets in kitchens or some bath or laundry areas are bad enough. Forget the 3rd floor.
3. You can never see over a crowd unless you are right up front.
4. In church for instance, no matter where you sit unless it is the front row, the tallest person around will find the seat right in front of you.
5. The ridicule is endless.
6. Finding pants to fit my short legs is virtually impossible these days unless they are in the Petite department and then they cost a fortune. I have never understood how they can charge more for less material.
7. Others with long legs should stay out of my car. They move the seat so far back and fail to move it back where I need it.  Don’t drive my car. It is too small for tall people.

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8. Randy Newman‘s song “Short People” is the worst song ever recorded.  It became a hit during my college days; many thought it was funny to sing it to me over and over. I did not think it was funny.
9. I never made the basketball team. In fact, no one ever asked me to play basketball.
10. Short people are asked to look under furniture to find things. It is assumed we are closer to the floor therefore we should be subjected to the vermin under the couch?

You are probably wondering why I have brought this to your attention not that you really care but I need to express my heartfelt feelings about this. This is my blog so I can do that.

God created me. Oh, you already knew that.  He created me the way I am physically which was small.  But growing up, the ridicule was constant. Short jokes, small jokes. In college my nick name was “little bit.” I often wondered why God made me smaller than most of my classmates. He knew they would make fun of me. He knew the perils I would suffer through out my life as a result of the rejection of not making the WNBA.

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Recently I thought I heard that little whisper behind my ear saying, “Accept the way you are. ” I started thinking about that. I have rejected God’s creation of me. I have complained about the many times I have to get a stool to reach the casserole dish off the top shelf of my kitchen cabinets.

I really complained when I had to squeeze the stool into my closet when I couldn’t find enough floor to sit it on. The door got in the way. The maneuvering between moving the stool to fit with the door became an all out war. By that time, I forgot what I was doing in there.

God reminded me had I been taller I would not be what he created me to be.  I wish he had told me that when I was 13. The only person shorter than me in the entire grade was a dwarf.

Now many years later and older I understand why God made me short. It doesn’t matter. That’s why.

I don’t have to be taller for God to love me more. I don’t have to be taller for God to use me. I don’ t have to be taller to pray or read the Bible. I don’t have to be taller. Period. I accept.

Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
   I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
   I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

The Detour of Depression

God has laid a burden on my heart. Depression. So many are seriously suffering from this mind deafening delirium I believe God wants me to speak about my own sufferings; more than that God wants you to know what he did for me to guide me through it and out of it.

My usual tone of remarks may be a little downplayed and yet the key to part of my healing was due to finding God’s humor.  Now I understand the last thing a depressed person wants to do is laugh. I didn’t. In fact it was almost an offense for anyone around me to be happy much less laughing.

Mind you when I lived this “hell” I was not taking medication; therapy is great however you can get it. Just for the sake of you who are depressed I now take Lexipro. This occurred 2 years ago when my father almost died, but didn’t. The stress of that event and the care he has needed following led me into a state of anxiety I had never had; depression to me can be complicated by that, but trauma can bring it on either way. The guilt of living 3 hours away, the travel back and forth became exhausting in every way. My doctor told me the family member who lives away suffers more than any others. That in itself relieved the guilt. Philippians 4:6

Let me say first and foremost I am no doctor, no psychiatrist and do not issue any replacement for that. Continue what you feel God leads you to do. I simply want to offer some suggestions that God gave me to save my life. You can choose to try them or not.

1. Realize the enemy is attacking you. He doesn’t want you around to accomplish what God has placed you on earth to do. Twisting that is almost a compliment because it just means what you have to do is important enough for the devil to take notice. End that by telling him to leave. Quote James 4:7 to him and command him to leave.  Even when you don’t feel like doing this, speak it out loud. It works.

2. If you don’t have a reason to live, find one. Mine was my child. The enemy continually blasted my mind with “you are going to die.”  That thought left quickly because there was no way I was going to die and leave my ex-husband to gain custody of her. It was no option. If you can’t find a reason to get over this, ask God to give you one. He will.

3. Understand that others who have never experienced depression will ever understand how you feel. Seek others who have to lift you up. Surround yourself with those who celebrate you.

4. Change your thinking. Joyce Meyer‘s book, “The Battlefield of the Mind” is the greatest book I have ever read outside of the Bible. Even if you don’t feel like reading it, get a copy and soak yourself in it. You will find the thoughts you have are often not your own causing the depression.  This book was the beginning of a complete change of my mind set.

5. You are not crazy. I had a psychiatrist tell me that.
6. Realize this is not who you are. You are a child of God. You will get through it and out of it. Speak positively over your life off and on all day long. MAKE yourself do this. Speaking God’s word out loud over your life will not only bring healing and deliverance, you will be setting into motion a prophetic future for yourself. If you had asked me years ago that I would be writing my own depression deliverance I would have  laughed!

7. Exercise. Move. Get away from the areas that make you feel the most depressed.  The “pit” (as I called it) may be deep, but you can crawl out. God has plenty of rope.

8. Stop being hard on yourself. More than anything the devil wants you to feel guilty, hard pressed and useless. It is oppression. Realize, as humans we expect more of ourselves than God does. Stop worrying about what other people think. People are not to be pleased, but God is.  Ask God to show you what he expects of you. Then he will show you how to say “no.” I am convinced we have overloaded ourselves with useless accomplishments God never ordained. Set your priorities according to God’s will for you; don’t allow others to take your focus otherwise. When you do, you end up burned out, exhausted, and bitter. What God wants you to do is most likely different from others. If his hand isn’t in whatever you do, it won’t work.

9. Thank God for everything. Praise him for the toothpaste you use. Thank him for the water you drink out of a faucet. Thank him for your neighbors, food, your cat, your family. Thank him for the chair you sit in. The bed you sleep in. That you get to bathe inside instead of outside. Thank God for Jesus. Thank God for healing you. Thank God for loving you. Thank God you are alive. Thank God it is all about him and not us. Let God fight this battle for you.  2 Chronicles 20:15, 1 Corinthians 10:13

10. This may be the last but certainly the most important. There is nothing more important than spending time alone with God. Pray, listen, read his word as you do this. Sit and wait for his presence. His word is real, active, and alive. I have witnessed it over and over. Reading the same verses for years and then one day it is as if it flies off the page with a revelation that was waiting to wake up. Allow time whenever is best for you to give God time. That is what he wants; that you respect him enough to spend time alone with him. This will bring about God’s peace that overcomes the pain. Colossians 3:15

This is the reason I can laugh again. It is one of the reasons I write with humor; not because I am funny, but it is God’s humor coming through me. Believe me, some of the things that come out of my mouth I am even shocked.I find myself laughing as I write! Now isn’t that like medicine! God heals me through the words I type with his humor! God’s word is all-powerful. It works and the devil hates it. Isaiah 46:4

Finally I am going out on a limb here. Many of you may already have this gift, many may be skeptical or think it is crazy. A Prayer Language is key to getting to know God. It is like a door that flies open into the Supernatural leaving the misery of the natural behind.  I was skeptical too until I wanted everything God had to give me. January 1987 I was filled with the Holy Spirit and God gave me a prayer language. This gift is magnificent; I have had miracles happen as a result. I have seen Jesus while praying in the spirit. This revelation gift is waiting for anyone who wants it. All you have to do is ask for it. If you choose to doubt it or me that is fine. But you will be missing out on one of the greatest inventions God ever made. It is like an addition to your faith that you already have but gives a life flowing with peace through out your spirit that nothing else can compare with it. 1 Corinthian 14:4

God bless.

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

“Good Mornin! Good Mornin!” oh please.

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I am not a morning person. Never have been. Don’t want to be. Joyce Meyer says we need to be. She isn’t a morning person either she says, but is working  on it. Earlier she gave some good ways to start the day. Sometimes I wish she was wrong.

She speaks of how Dave, her husband wakes up. “Good morning! It’s a great day!” Sounds like my husband. I’d like to slap them both upside the head.

Getting up has always been difficult for me but I never let it get in the way of my responsibilities. Most of it is my attitude of “oh great, another day.”  I really want to change that.

Joyce Meyer said to go into the bathroom when you first get up, stretch and look into the mirror at that person you don’t know and say,

“Something good is going to happen to me today” or “This is the day the Lord has made and I will be glad in it.” yea, right after about 3 cups of java.

She says to even smile while we do this? oh, give me a break lady! My smile machine is wired to show up around 10 A.M. Even then it is an effort to hit the “on” button.

Then she continued this drill of “Miss Morning Sunshine” by speaking God‘s happy words like “a cheerful look brings joy to the heart!”  She must not know what I look like without my makeup or my hair combed.

Her idea of being bright and cheery by 8AM is going to be a real test for me. Maybe I could act like I didn’t see that particular program of hers. That way I can continue to get up grumpy and not feel guilty about it.

So what did God just show me? Proverbs 24:33-34 which says,

“A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man. “

In other words,  get up. Get moving and do it with a smile. Oh, Please God don’t make me do this!

Most of my life I have gotten up before God. Between work and school it was at least 6 A.M. Now that I work at home I want to be lazy in the morning! I deserve that don’t I? As far as I am concerned speaking before 8 A.M. should be outlawed.

Now Mrs. Meyer didn’t say we have to do this. Of course she adds that she wants to get ahead of the devil before he does; I guess that means he gets up earlier than the rest of us? So now I am going to have to do this because I don’t want him around at all.  She called him “grumpy” all day long.

Her point in this lesson of ruining my life is that God has given us the authority to kick the devil out early in our day so we don’t wake up like him. I don’t even want to think about what he must look like first thing in the morning.

She did say this is a work in progress for her but she has found it makes a major difference in the rest of her day. She must not suffer from allergies and have to take Benadryl. You know the antihistamine that makes you feel like you have a hangover the next day?

Image by dcdan via Flickr

Ok, now I have to explain one of the few hangovers in my life. I do not drink now. In college, my roommate and I were invited to a very formal, posh wedding. They served the best dry Champagne; only I didn’t think that the next two days after drinking 8 glasses of it.

Anyway, getting up with Benadryl or Lodrane or Zrtec in my system is hard enough. Initiating a “happy” conversation with the Creator of the Universe is another.

Maybe what Joyce Meyer is telling us is that by using the “Sword of the Spirit” as soon as our feet hit the ground, our day will be better. Showing the enemy the door before we get there will kick him out-of-the-way for us to reach our goals completely without his annoying aggravations and unsightly interruptions.

Or maybe standing in front of the mirror first thing in the morning is enough to scare him off!  l0l!

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Does Anyone have a Bag of Sand? A really heavy bag of sand?

I believe the antihistamines/decongestants are getting to me. Maybe not. Aren’t we suppose to be an educated country?

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Lately I have come across some people from different venues who I would like to throw a bag of sand at. Now to make sure it works it has to hit them on top of their head so maybe it will really shake them up so they ask me,

“What are you doing? Why did you do that?” so I could respond by saying,

“Listen buddy, wake up! don’t you get it? you are suppose to be an educated, smart, intelligent human being? You must have missed the day God gave out common sense because you have none!” My fellow bloggers I am not speaking of you so don’t run away! We have to stick together here! We are on a mission!

I think people keep getting on the wrong elevator; you know the one they don’t have any idea where it is going?

You may be thinking: “ummm, what about her? who is she to throw sand?”

Let me tell you. I had sand in my eyes for so many years that is why I see others who still have it;  only they are older and suppose to be much wiser. This is experience people!

You know the saying I like to use, “I was blind, now I see?” well get some glasses. I did and then I saw all I was missing. really. I would find dishes I had washed that were dirty simply because I wouldn’t go get my eyes checked to wear glasses.  I think in Proverbs God calls that “pride?” That commercial about the woman who thinks she is climbing into a cab only it is a police car because she has no glasses? ok you get it.

Now I am not completely out of sand in my own eyes. Particles of it often get in them but I am quick to wash them out. Partly because I am allergic to dust but that is not my point here.

One of the reasons I started washing the sand out as often as possible was because I made remarks or stupid comments that I later thought were so embarrassing I wanted to use the sand to make a sand castle. I use to have a sand box when I was a kid. It was so much fun to play in; except when I couldn’t sit down the next day.

Anyway, you know that King Solomon in the Bible? You know the guy who had all the wives but was smarter than anyone? Well,  I decided I wanted to be  like him. NO! Not have the wives (I have never understood that part; how did he get away with that?)

I wanted to be wise; to speak with wisdom which is different from intellect. Not that I don’t have intelligence but don’t ask me ever to do any math.

So what did I do? I prayed and asked God for wisdom. Hours, days, weeks and months and years I have studied God’s word for wisdom. I hear you laughing like you are wondering when I am going to learn it? Be careful; there is more than one bag of sand here.

God spoke and told me: Luke 21:14-15 “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” That is it. It is so easy. When you let God speak for you, embarrassment ends up in the sand truck.

The problem with intelligent, so called smart people is they don’t know how to read the Bible! You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink it!

My point to this entire blog post is we need to pray for smart people. They maybe didn’t flunk out of Nursery school, but they are driving without the keys.

The keys are in the Bible and you can’t get that in public school these days. Fact is you can hardly get it in a Christian college! (the state of my Alma Mater)

God’s wisdom goes far beyond intellect and thank goodness how to add 2 +2. God’s wisdom gives you directions, a guide for life and vision to be able to put one foot in front of the other when your life is falling apart. You won’t learn that in a classroom today. God’s wisdom gives you a foundation of his words to use for those who don’t! As I just wrote that I have to laugh at some of the issues I have been reading about from friends in my life that I simply am asking, “what planet did you fly to after we graduated? or that you played too much without your helmet?

It really isn’t that hard folks. God has more wisdom to give us than we can imagine. For me, I want to be able to hear the Holy Spirit whisper in my ears the words of God in speaking his truth. The way to do that, is to read it. Study it. Meditate on it. Live it. Believe it. Then you can really “Spread the wealth.”

Well, I have to go now. I hear the sand truck in the driveway. You won’t believe how many bags of sand are in it.

Copyright @2012 All Rights Reserved

And My Husband Said….

College classes are back in full swing. The beginning of January and August my husband abandons me. His job in College Management requires 12-14 hour days filled with griping students, worn out employees and textbooks everywhere. Managing 4 departments and Supervisor over the bookstore, he is a needed man.

He is very good at what he does but once this time period winds down he is ready for a break.

I opened the door and said to him,

“It is raining.”

He replied, “I hope it doesn’t rain on Friday.”

I asked, “Why?”

“Because I want to go kill something!”

I said “You want to go kill something? What?”

He replied, “Anything that gets in front of my gun.”

Mark is a hunter. Deer season is over here so I know he won’t be bringing home dead deer meat. ugh.

I didn’t want to know what he wants to hunt so I didn’t ask.

I am not an advocate of hunting, but he enjoys it with his buddies. For the life of me I can’t understand the thrill of sitting in a stand hour upon hour waiting for that poor innocent animal to come along and lose his life.

For Mark, this is stress relief. He needs it and I guess he could be doing something worse. Not sure what but it is his life.

This blog post is dedicated to  him.

If you have read my blogs you would know my family is very important to me. I want to tell you about this man God brought into my life.

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Dave Meyer, Joyce Meyer‘s husband reminds me of Mark. From what Joyce has told the world about him over the years, Dave and Mark have a lot in common.

Joyce and I are a lot alike; only thankfully I was never abused. I relate to her so much because we have a lot in common.

The following are some characteristics of Mark and me.

Mark is stable, I am not.
Mark is emotionless, I am overly emotional.
Mark is traditional, I am contemporary.
Mark is aggressive, I am passive.
Mark is a risk taker, I am not.
Mark is not a communicator, I communicate more. ok a lot. (don’t say anything)
Mark rarely worries, worry is my middle name.
Mark is specific, I am general.
Mark is non-compassionate, I cry thinking of the deer he might shoot.
Mark is short on mercy, I would give mercy to a criminal.
Mark is tough, I am a peacemaker.
Mark is short on suffering, I am too long on suffering.
Mark is extremely logical, I am logical.
Mark is scatter brained, I am sensible.
Mark is a spender, I am squeaky tight.
Mark is impatient, I am more patient.
MARK NEVER GETS SICK!

You are probably wondering how can two people so different be married and happy? Well, we are. God is and has shown us to use our differences to aid the other person. If we were both like me, Mark says nothing would ever get done. If we were both like him, one of us would be dead!

So now I want to elaborate on his qualities that I need.

He is extremely dependable, reliable, hard working, dedicated, faithful, full of integrity and keeps his word more than anyone I know. I must interject here on my behalf that I use to be the most dependable, hard working dedicated, person in the world, but life has thrown some baseballs at me that never hit Mark.

My 40’s began with terrible female troubles that have led to sicknesses like I have had this week. To some extent I feel excused but Mark is the epitome of stability in ways I wish I was. I have tried to figure it out, but he just is. He takes life as it comes; he is set in the moment and yet plans for the future in a manner of “this is what has to be done” and he does it.

One of my goals is to learn from his stability. He is to be commended for his impeccability to keep his word which is almost extinct these days.

More than all of this is I know he loves me unconditionally even if I am a one short visit from the “funny farm!’

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