Love is as Strong as Death
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Posted:Nov 29, 2008 3:07 pm
Last Updated:Nov 29, 2008 6:04 pm 6763 Views
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I was reading today and came across the words in Song of Solomon "for love is as strong as death". The words seemed to leap off the page. Think about it...not one of us is able to conquer death. God says that He will overcome it in the end, but until then we cannot. It is strong, unyielding. But...love is as strong as death....think about it. That is a powerful concept to grasp. Think of how the world could be changed then by love...and better yet, love, unlike death, is something we do have control over. We can choose to love and invoke the power that goes along with it...or we can choose to withhold love. Isn't it interesting that the bible also says God IS love. Of all the characteristics an almighty God could choose to BE...He chooses to be love...He is love.
So what should we as His followers be about? What should our primary focus be? What should we choose first to exercise when given a choice?
Think about it.
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What does your name say about you?
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Posted:Oct 24, 2008 4:08 am
Last Updated:Nov 16, 2008 5:25 am 7281 Views
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Ok, there are some online names that I can't quite figure out. But since most folks put a little thought into choosing their handle there must be something behind each of these names. Mine is floridagal2...its pretty obvious that I am a gal from Florida. Wouldn't you all like to know the why behind some of these handles? How about posting the handle of someone you are curious about...and then if that person would be so kind as to post the meaning behind their handle, I think it would be both interesting and fun.
I'd like to ask about BristerBate. Is Brister an exotic foreign animal? And what kind of "Bate" do you catch one with? Really, though, what's the story there?
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A heart like Caleb
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Posted:Oct 22, 2008 7:42 pm
Last Updated:Feb 3, 2009 10:08 am 6877 Views
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How many of you have heard from God to move out, go forward, face the challenge and "take the land"? What is your response to His leading? Do you ponder, do a risk/benefit analysis, or step out in faith...even if you don't know all the whys and the wherefores?
God sometimes gives us great vision that we initially receive with much excitement. At least until we start seeing all the obstacles in the way. Excitement can give way to fear...even to the point where that fear paralyzes and we are rendered ineffective. While I am spontaneous when it comes to fun and adventure, major change can rattle my cage a bit; I begin to look at the obstacles and sometimes they grow so large in my sight that I lose the initial excitement over a new opportunity, a new direction. I find too that when I let myself look too long at the obstacles, my focus does not remain on God. Fear and worry are great opportunists; they will wait for that moment when you are so overwhelmed with what ifs, and can't make it happens, that you can barely distinguish their influence from your own thoughts.
Is it God's desire for us to embrace His vision and direction with fear and trepidation?...even if we obey, the wrong heart attitude can cause us to not only falter but even to miss out on the promises of God. When Moses sent a team of men to spy out Canaan, after God had promised to give it to the Israelites, some of the group were overwhelmed at the apparent power and might of the people already living there...to the point of trying to encourage the others to scrap the plan to enter in. The fear and obstacles became larger than the promise of God despite all the good things that they had seen in the land. Fear spread like contagion and the people rebelled; Caleb tried to redirect the focus back to God "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it," but the people let their fears overwhelm them. As a result they were not allowed by God to enter into the promised land. But God noticed and rewarded Caleb's heart; in fact He honored Him in front of everyone "But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it." The others were not allowed to enter in, even though the Lord forgave them.
Our reactions and inner attitudes speak volumes about where our faith and trust really lie. If God can give us a direct promise and we let our fears and worries take over, are we not saying that God is not capable of doing what He promised? It is the essence of belief versus unbelief. And God has said an unbelieving heart is an evil heart. "See to it, brothers, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart...". Doubt cannot exist in the presence of faith; fear and worry give way to faith and trust. Not only should we believe that God CAN do what He promised, but that He WILL. When God speaks to us and tells us to move out and move forward, our heart attitude should be one of gratitude and expectation. That kind of heart pleases God...and helps bring His blessing in our lives. My prayer today with all that has tried to take the focus off His promise is to have a heart like Caleb. Lord you are God, the ruler of the Universe, the creator of all...if you say it will be done, then I choose to live my life in the reality of that promise. It is your job to bring it to pass, mine to obey with a hopeful, grateful, expectant heart...I am willing, let's go for it!
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Laying It On the Altar
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Posted:Oct 17, 2008 7:10 pm
Last Updated:Feb 3, 2009 10:35 am 7001 Views
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Have you noticed how sometimes God gives you something wonderful, something good....then asks you to lay it down? What's that about? Often our tendency is to cling to the good thing He has given in protest, even pointing out to God that He did in fact give it to us. That good thing could be vision for a ministry, a job, a promising relationship, even something material. What's going on then when He asks us to lay it down, walk away, move forward?
Often God is testing us to see if we love the good thing He has given us more than we love Him. It is easy to become excited about something God given, to the point of focusing on the gift more than the One who gave it. We sometimes leave Him standing in the corner. God will not allow us to keep anything, even something good and blessed by Him, in a higher position in our lives than He is. We can relinquish it willingly or let Him take it from us. God often tests the sincerity of our love for Him, not so that He can know what is in our hearts (He already knows it) but so that we can know it. And the purpose there is not to stand ready to punish, but to correct us so that we can see where our priorities have become unbalanced or in wrong order. His purpose is to get our attention so that we can get our hearts right.
What does God do when He finds we are willing to relinquish that which He has given? Often, to our surprise, He gives us back what we have willingly placed on the altar, as he did with Abraham and Isaac. Sometimes though it really might be time to let go of the old to embrace the new. The important principal, however, is that we must never place anything higher in our lives than God and that what He gives we must hold loosely in our hands, willing to lay it down if He asks. It is about our heart...the heart that loves Him first and places Him above all else will not find that too big a sacrifice. And the gift we are given in return is a greater measure of faith, depth of character and intimacy with Him. When He knows He can trust us with what He has given, He will give more.
Is there anything in your life that you have placed your security in more than God? Is there anything you are holding onto that would be hard to relinquish or that would cause you to doubt God if He asked you to do so? If so then it is time to examine your heart and ask God to help you come to a place where you would willingly give up all for the sake of serving Him. He might never ask you to do that, but your heart should be in a place where you would if He did. Anything less is not enough. God doesn't want a piece of your life, He wants all of it.
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The God of New Beginnings
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Posted:Oct 14, 2008 3:52 pm
Last Updated:Feb 3, 2009 10:39 am 7095 Views
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What do you do when circumstances change the future you thought God had planned for you? What do you do when a promising relationship ends? What do you do when you unexpectedly lose your job? Everyone has an initial reaction...often fear, often despair, often pain. Did God forget me? How could this be happening?
The first thing to realize when the ground below you is shaken, when everything seems to fall apart is that God is not shaken nor He is surprised by the "unforeseen" circumstances. We may be rattled, but He is not. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is all-knowing, all-powerful...and all-loving. Everything that touches us...yes, even the bad...is filtered through His loving hands. He will not only comfort you but He will take care of you.
Sometimes loss can signal redirection; a failing business may be used of God to redirect you into something new. Sometimes the failure may just be due to a struggling economy. Whatever the reason, we must not forget who is Lord. No matter the external circumstances, He is in charge. A major change or loss should bring us first to our knees...not just for peace and comfort but also to get God's direction, a sense of His purpose in what has just happened.
Perhaps you were involved in a promising relationship...and had even felt you had heard from God that this was His will for you..yet the other person ended the relationship, or chose another. In relationships God may say it is His will for you to pursue a relationship but it is not a done deal...He is not a coercer of wills...the other person has a will as well and is free to choose. Rebekah at the well was given a choice as to whether or not she would return with the servant to marry Isaac...she could have said no. So having heard from God, and then seeing things end, is that your last chance for happiness? Of course not, God is a God of new beginnings...He is creative and loving. He will redirect and make a new plan...and no, it will not be "second best". His will for you, at any given time, is His very best for you.
No matter what has changed, what you have lost, do not lose hope. I remember some years ago when I was a CPA...I had my own business for several years, then a promising business partnership with another Christian from my church. This ended when he accepted a job as town manager a few hours away. Business took a downslide. Then one day, in aerobics class, I had a strange urge to talk to the woman next to me during stretching....even stranger was the urge I had to tell her that I was a CPA and looking to do some contract work for other CPAs. The response was amazing...she was a Christian and married to a CPA who worked in a small firm with his father, also a Christian. Just before leaving for aerobics class her husband had told her that they were looking for a CPA that they could contract out some of their tax work to. We met and after talking for awhile, they actually asked me to merge my firm with theirs. After much prayer (it was hard to let go of my initial dream of sole proprietorship) I did just that. Still there was a bit of sadness there...the owner sensed that and one day said to me, "Deena, life is not a bowl of cherries; but if you really believe Romans 8:28, then get excited about what God is going to do." I have never forgotten those words.
So weep for a short time, then take off the grave clothes and start living again. Face the future with expectancy and anticipation...He is always there, always at work, always recreating and redirecting. There is never a place too dark or too difficult that He cannot redeem us from it. His plans are to give you a future and a hope...take Him at His word.
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I'm an Entrepreneur
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Posted:Oct 12, 2008 8:48 am
Last Updated:Oct 13, 2008 6:06 pm 6840 Views
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Well, I did it...listed my first item for sale on ebay. I have purchased on there for awhile and have found some amazing deals and hard to find things; even a cookbook from 1964 that contained a Pillsbury Bakeoff recipe that was a favorite my mother used to make when I was a little girl...she described the dish and stated she thought it was a Bakeoff winner, so I went back to the approximate age when I remembered her first fixing the dish and did a search on ebay. Sure enough there was the cookbook with a picture of the dish on the cover.
Anyway I had a garage sale back in early September in an attempt to downsize and make a little money while I was at it. Sat outside in the Florida sun ALL day long only to sell a few things. I am truly not up for that again so I decided to think about a different venue. I have the unsold things from my garage sale in a corner of the house, not wanting to put things away that I was thinking I did not need. Hopefully I will be relocating back to North Carolina sometime in the near future...God willing, and provided the right job comes my way...and that I am able to sell my current home in this economic crunch. Either that or I will be living very inexpensively while I continue to pay the mortgage here. Sooo...decided to see what was entailed in selling on ebay. It was much easier than I thought. I already had a Paypal account for purchasing...I just took a picture of the first item I wanted to sell with my digital camera then uploaded it to my computer. They have a step by step process for listing your item which is very easy to follow...then you can even use their shipping wizard to calculate shipping. You then have a couple of step process to set yourself up as a Paypal seller...really quite easy especially if you already have an account; basically you fill in a couple of pieces of info, they call you with a pin number, you enter it and then you're done. And Ta Da...my first listing is up. I have a lot of picture taking to do to get all those things I was going to sell at the garage sale on there. A few items just wouldn't be appropriate for online selling...I likely will just donate them.
But I do need to downsize. Have been watching those home and garden channel shows on what's your home worth and selling your home. If your closets are bursting at the seams other people will see that you've maxed out your storage and might be less inclined to buy. And in the smaller bedrooms I need to get rid of the extra things, large pieces of furniture that make the rooms appear smaller. But anyway I've taken the first step...I think I have a lot of work ahead. It's so much easier when you are just renting..you just give notice, then go. Sometimes all of this is so overhwelming I don't see how all of it will come together. But God is God...and I feel I've heard that I'm to move back to NC...so I have to believe He will make a way and assist me in the process.
Any more entrepreneurs out there?
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Autumn Memories
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Posted:Oct 11, 2008 6:35 pm
Last Updated:Feb 3, 2009 10:43 am 6986 Views
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Visions of raking leaves, and jumping into childhood joy, watching them scatter.
Color pallets seen only for a short time...vibrant reds, yellows, oranges...painted across a horizon, nipped with the coolness of morning...teasing of winter yet to come; concealing its harshness.
Fields of orange pumpkins, choosing the perfect one with the excitement of a bride choosing her diamond. Around the table with family, the carving contest, ebuliant laughter and innocent competition.
Mugs of apple cider, garnished with popcorn balls...the sticky, gooey mess...a 's delight to make; the pride of presenting them to a father who loved them as much as a .
Camping in the mountains; sunny days giving way to shivering nights...sleeping bags cushioned with newspapers for warmth; zipped up to my chin, cap on my slumbering head...only the nose feels the nip of the night. Morning arrives, wanting to stay in my warm cocoon but nature calls...campfire lit, the aroma of bacon and coffee cooked on the Coleman stove...oh to stay in this moment.
Football played with my brothers, a toned down game at my father's insistence, concerned for his only ...his wanting to play the "real" way. Friends, healthy exhaustion, cold noses, fun...the dark comes earlier now, cutting short our fun.
Watching Disney and the Jetsons...more popcorn; the coca cola allowed only on the weekends...a childhood banquet, the treat of a waited for television program, then baths, and off to bed.
Florida heat...strange greenness that should have given way to autumn color...longings for home...for memories triggered by season's beauty and coolness...moments past, childhood gone...
but remembered in my heart forever.
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When People Disappoint
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Posted:Oct 11, 2008 2:40 pm
Last Updated:Feb 3, 2009 10:44 am 7501 Views
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All of us have been disappointed and/or hurt by others; often it is unintentional on the part of others. They may be completely unaware that their deeds or actions wounded us. But what about when someone intentionally does or says something that they know will hurt you? What do you do then?
We hurt the most to the extent we love the most; those we care about have the greatest capacity to hurt us. The same words or actions from a stranger do not carry nearly the weight as when inflicted by someone you loved and trusted. And in fact, sometimes people will hurt or say or do things to those they are supposed to care about that they would not dream of doing or saying to a casual acquaintance...in that instance it is often the person's reputation they are placing above you.
Because love requires a degree of openness and exposure of our inner self, we carry great capacity to be wounded by those we love. It is the very act of love that exposes raw emotion. Hearts are very fragile and can be broken and bruised easily.
So what do we do with the pain, the disappointment, the hurt? We do what God requires of us...we forgive. There is no hurt or disappointment so great that God's grace cannot cover it. We forgive because we ourselves are forgiven...God has already paid the price for the one who caused us pain...and it was a great price indeed. Forgiving keeps our hearts soft, keeps our heart open and tender and able to receive love. Conversely, unforgiveness hardens our heart and leads to bitterness. The kindest thing we can do for ourselves is to forgive.
Sometimes we will be the one who is disappointed; and other times we will be the one who disappoints. As we forgive others, we must also be willing to ask for forgiveness and make restitution when necessary. Relationship with God makes it possible to have whole, fulfilling relationships with others. How relationships survive without God and his principles is beyond me...perhaps self-help books and humanistic counselors work for awhile. But why stick a patch on something when you can heal it? God's way is the only way...if He truly is our priority, truly is our Lord...it will show...and others will be drawn to His love in us.
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Blocking
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Posted:Oct 11, 2008 12:03 pm
Last Updated:Oct 11, 2008 5:34 pm 6918 Views
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Just out of curiosity...if you block someone, say because of an email from a scammer...what do they see when they try to view your profile? Are there different levels of blocking people? Obviously I don't know much about this...got any info? Can you keep your profile up but block all emails?
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Measures
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Posted:Oct 9, 2008 6:32 pm
Last Updated:Feb 3, 2009 10:48 am 6903 Views
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Miles...a measure of distance, many miles a distance long.
Presenting what feels sometimes a barrier insurmountable.
And other times the distance hardly worth mentioning as two souls connect, finding measures to surmount the insurmountable.
Time...a measure of passing moments, months that turn moments into what feels like a lifetime.
Months that stretch ahead seem to pose a barrier to closeness;
and yet those same number of months in past years have flown by so quickly...can the measure be the same for the two?
To go headlong into time, complicated by many miles...to confront the barriers would seem foolish.
Yet a look over my shoulder shows opportunity missed...lost to time and distance.
Who is my master...a clock, a map?
Are they the obstacles they seem?
Or is my map the size of a postage stamp, my clock a tiny hourglass to the One who sees it all and plans my future?
Perhaps my perspective is glazed with fear, with worries about might or might not? Taunting my reliance on what I say is my anchor.
Whispers...timeless, distanceless...no spatial confines to hope and love...fears are calmed.
I can let go...ease into my future, overcoming my old masters.
Hope is there.
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