Merciful

    Mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.  A friend of mine once told me that after reading my blogs, she realized 'mercy' was not my spiritual gift.  Really?  Another friend has told me 'I'm glad I'm your friend because I wouldn't want to be your enemy.'  This all makes me sound like the big bad wolf.  I am forgiving, it just may take me a lil bit to get there. I've never been on jury duty and there may be reason for that, lol.
     God's mercy is faithful and quicker but also just.  God does have a point in which he will give people over to their evil ways.  His grace and mercy are always available tho. Our hearts can be as hard and wicked as Pharoah's but His mercy remains.
     May we all recognize our own failures when others fail or disappoint us and show mercy more often to them.  I'm not saying it's going to be easy but it's going to be worth it.  Don't be a doormat either, God has limits too.

  Romans 1;28-32  '' Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;  they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.''

Way Back Wednesday--Bull Shoals

     Well I don't have a story to go with this picture and I don't have a picture for my story so I'm combining them on this blog.  I was about 7 here and that's about the age that I was when we took a camping trip to Bull Shoals.
     I'm not a big fan of camping but my parents like to go so we went alot while I was growing up.  Back then, we had an orange and white striped camper that fit on the back of the truck.  It was tiny. It had a stove/sink to the left, a table that folded into a bed on the right and a bed over the cab of the truck. That's it, a far cry from the RV now.
     We went fishing during the trip, which I always loved. On this particular trip, we had fished all day and were headed back UP the shoals.  Well the rocks weren't too kind to our motor.  We'd go a little ways then a shearing pin in the motor would break.  We drifted back down and try again. We had about 4 pins with us and everyone of them broke. At one point, they both got out of the boat and tried to walk the boat upstream.  My mom who had her lifejacket on lost her grip and footing and floated off out of sight. So I'm in the boat alone and my dad, without a lifejacket, has a hold on the boat. If he had lost his grip, I would have been like Unsinkable Molly headed for trouble.  He got in the boat and we found my mom clinging to a limb not too far away.  So now what?  My dad, who must be related to McGuyver, had a nail-like object that he turned into a pin.  It was a last ditch effort.  He had my mom and I get out of the boat and walk the brushy bank. 'What about snakes?'  He said it was too cold for them and there wouldn't be any.  So we walked and he made it across the shoals this time.  It is still a vivid memory to me so I must have been scared out of my mind.  Oh, and guess what was outside our camper door the next morning?  Yes, a snake.
     We only see a glimpse of God's protection over us but isn't that enough to make us tremble at the thought of being separated from Him?

What Have I Done?

 

     I am looking at my computer right now just like this pug and thinking 'What have I done?'  I hit a try something new button for my blog and I don't like it and now I don't know how to change it back.  So I've spent the last hour, unsuccessfully, trying to fix it and relearning how to blog.  Is that what the pug is going to try to do on his daily walk, try to undo the pizza fiasco?
     Guilt can be a powerful force.  It can be a good thing tho to show us our need of repentance.  Forgiveness is there waiting for us.  We just have to seek it and ask for it.

What?

     If I had a nickel for every time someone has agreed with me and not known what I said, I'd have a pretty sweet bank account.  I've done it too so don't go all guilty on me.  Just so you know, I usually know when you don't get what I've said. I often try to rephrase it and sometimes that works. It's better for both of us if you just ask me to say it again. I'm telling you here and now, it doesn't hurt my feelings or offend me. If we had a DVR's rewind button for life's conversations, I bet our buttons would be used quite often.
     The Gospels of the Bible often tell of the same parables that Jesus spoke of.  It not only is an accountable record of events written by different people but maybe God knew we needed it said more than once for us to get it.  If we missed the parable of the mustard seed in Matthew, then maybe we'd understand it in Mark.
     'What?' is a fair question so don't be afraid to use it.  God knows whether we hear Him or not and it's a pretty good bet, He'll repeat it till you hear... loud and clear.

Already There

     I found this poem on a friend's facebook page and thought it was good enough to share.
     Isn't it comforting to know that God has already seen and planned for our future?  We can look back on our past and verify this with all the accomodations that were made on our behalf.  I had been on an old type of ventilator at night for 13 years when it stopped meeting my needs.  I ended up in ICU for a week.  My doctor offered a new, different type of machine but wasn't sure if it would be sufficient.  God met my needs with this at just the right time.  Other doctors in the past had told me this type of machine wasn't right for me but I think it just wasn't the right timing in God's plan for me.  I need not worry because it's out of my control but under His.
     When you're driving to Florida from Arkansas, do you worry about Alabama as you leave your driveway?  No, you have a lot of ground to cover first.  That's how believers should consider our journey of life. Know your destination but trust that God and His guidance will get you there.  ''Some thru the waters, some thru the flood. Some thru the fire, but all thru the blood.''

Good Words

     Who doesn't love a compliment?  We all love flattering words that make us feel noticed.  I wore my pink monogrammed jacket this morning to church.  A friend asked me if the 'A' was for Awesome?  I smiled and said yes.  If we all know how good a compliment feels to us personally, and we do, then why isn't our speech filled with them?  Your words can be the difference in somebody having a good day or a bad day.  Compliments can also be good conversation starters.  If you want to talk to someone but aren't sure what to say, start by telling them something you like about them.
     Colossians 3:12  ''Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.''
     Compliments are an act of random kindness, so go on out there and act on it.
    

''Kind words can warm for three winters, while harsh words can chill even in the heat of summer.''

Fear

     Have you ever been told 'you might feel a lil discomfort' before?  Then when they did the procedure, you felt like yelling 'for crying out loud, THAT HURT.'  I used to be extremely fearful of needles.  If I had to give blood for some reason, I'd work myself up into a panic and be halfway to passing out before they even stuck me.  It became such a habit, that I'd warn the nurse that if I didn't lay down then I'd pass out.  When I got older, I had to check my blood every few days for awhile.  I got over the fear of giving blood with that ordeal.
     I'm still needle shy tho.  I went in for my 2nd filling in my life at the dentist's office a couple of years ago.  I noticed the dentist hiding something behind his back.  Then I saw that HUGE needle.  My tooth needed filled but my heart was more filled with fear than anything with the sight of that needle. I said, 'what are you planning on doing with THAT?'  [I'm a pretty outspoken patient]  He said it's just a lil numbing medicine.  NUH-UH. I said 'no, I'm good without it.'  I did do fine with it all and no needles. I hope he wrote that on my chart..lol..'no shots for her.'
    Fear can be a good thing tho.  It can keep us from danger and getting hurt.  Psalm 111:10 ''The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.''  God doesn't sugar-coat the pains of hell.  He clearly warns us and it should stir up a fear in us of an eternal life separated from Him.  Matthew 13:42 ''They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.''
     Put fear in its proper place and you'll be eternally blessed.

What Was I Thinking?

     Before I turned 40 last year, I told my doctor 'they say everything changes when you turn 40.'  He said 'no, it's  60' because he was closing in on that age.  I think something changed because this caption hits a little too close to home and a little more often now.  Has your train gone off track more than you like to admit?  They say to keep your mind healthy and alert, you should do word games or read or do anything thought provoking.  I play scrabble everyday with friends online so would my mind turn to mush without that daily activity?  I hope not.
     Our thoughts can not only disappear on us but can become tainted. Yes, the mind can be both active and mush at the same time. Our thoughts can often turn into our words so we must try to keep them on a positive note and out of the gutter. Philippians 4:8  ''Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.''

Would You?

     These are lyrics to one of my favorite songs, ''Chasing Cars'' by Snow Patrol.  I think its a song about feeling all alone and wanting just one person to care.  It makes me think of alzheimer's patients and their loved one just lying next to them and holding them in their hospital bed.  I don't know of such a display of love by man greater than this.  We don't have to wait for a sick, bed-ridden moment to show someone that we can do without our routines and let go of the noise of the world for a while.  How?  A walk together without ipods, a day off from work and not working on any to-do list, prayer time together or whatever you can think of.  Like the song title says, we are often just chasing cars in our lives with no quiet time.  The world will not stop for you but you can stop your world from spinning out of control.  Hit the pause button, every once in a while.
     No matter whether you feel alone or not, you can take comfort that Jesus is right beside you. He is our Comforter and Counselor above all else.  He cares more than anyone about you and the struggles you face.
    

Way Back Wednesday

    Oh my goodness, I look so short in this picture.  Look at that hair? Sometime shortly before this,  I had a radical moment and chopped my hair off that had grown to the middle of my back.  Actually, my Aunt Robbie did it for me and begged me not to do it.
    I was about 13 here.  This room was a dark room for developing film when we first moved here.  It was attached to a tiny bathroom.  The garage was attached to both and after a year or two?, it became my bedroom. So I was pretty thrilled to not only get my own bathroom for the first time but a jacuzzi too.
    I am wearing my Girl Scout t-shirt that I got at camp a few years earlier. Camp Minnetonka, I think. It took me forever to outgrow clothes.. and still does.
     I share these pictures of the past to show how good God has blessed me thru the years.  I hope you can look back at your own pictures and count it all as blessings too.

Friends

     I love this picture.  My friend, Betsy, gave me a puppy calendar for Christmas and this is one of the  pictures from it.  Friends are so valuable in our lives.  They will listen to our never-ending, sad, pitiful me stories that no one else wants to hear.  They will tag along with you for no reason just so you don't have to go somewhere alone.  They will bring you your favorite snack when you're too sick to go out and get it yourself.  They will pray for you whether you're on a hill or in a valley in your life.  They will know if you say you are 'Fine!', that there's often more to the story.  They will know what you're saying across a room with just a glance of the eyes. 

      King Solomon had written about the value of friends as well. In Ecclesiastes we read, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (4:9-10).

     Friends are like family, I can't live without them.  We become to look alike too, don't you think?

Time Traveling Tuesday

     In 1989, we went on a 7 day Carribean cruise.  I think we flew to Puerto Rico and caught the ship there. It could have been one of the stops but I don't remember anything there but the airport.  It's been a few years so my memory is a little faded. 
    We went to several islands but I'll start with Barbados.  We went to Bluebeard's Castle.  I think it was on the beach here that a suspicious guy came up to us trying to sell jewelry.  We suspected he had drugs in the lower drawer of his jewelry box.  We did buy a conch shell somewhere on the island.  Good grief, it stunk in a few days. The lil animal inside had died. yuck.
     Martinique was another island.  I liked the shops here. They looked like storybook shops. French influence I suspect.  Sunbathing here can be a lil shocking.  The women go topless here..yes you read that right..on public beaches. I think this is the same island that our bus tour stopped at a nude beach.  We didn't get off the bus.  We saw more than we wanted from there, lol.
     St. Thomas was the most American of all the islands.  We tried to take a taxi or bus tour on each island to see the 'sites' in the few hours you're given by the ship to be on shore.  We took a bus tour here.  The driver got us up close to the iguanas in the trees as he dared to get as close to the edge of the cliff as possible.Eating, shopping and beach lounging were our main activities.
     St. Marteen was another island.  We went to this beach and needed some shade.  We found this tree and couldn't believe no one was under it.  Well, some people soon told us, it was a poisonous tree that dripped sap.
     The cruise ship itself was nice but the room was the size of a matchbox with bunk beds.  This picture of me was from one of the dress up dinner nights. It was fun and I may have gotten the islands mixed up but that's about all I remember because it was way back when.

Hot Topic

     I'm going to talk about a hot topic with me but I'll try not to get too hot about it.  We are all going to get sick from time to time but some of it's avoidable.
     I don't understand why some people 'think' it's okay to expose others to their or their kid's feverish illness. Love thy neighbor as thyself does not mean make your neighbor feel as bad as you do.  Nor does share the wealth include germs, viruses, or the flu.  This is not just a self centered blog but other people miss work and/or have unexpected doctor bills they can't afford just because of the exposure.  If you think that you're so important, that you can't miss church, school, work, or whatever...then I encourage you to take a moment to humble yourself.
    For all those who do stay home when sick, I thank you and Lord willing, will see you next time.

Ice

     I've lived most of my life in the South but a few years were in the North.  If you watch the news today, you'll see how many people should not be behind the wheel in anything but sun or rain.  I went from driving in Dallas to driving in Chicago and that will make you learn how to drive in bad winter weather quick.
    3 pointers for driving in slick conditions.  1] Slow down. Give yourself extra time to get where you're going.  A ditch is not a short cut.  2] Patience.  Those other drivers are usually more of a danger than your own driving.  Speeding around them because you lost your patience, could make you lose more control than you ever imagined.  3] Stay focused.  People often rubber-neck or gaze off during regular driving conditions but your brakes aren't that fast when it's slick. 
     Snow is the same in the north and south.  You don't have to freak out when driving in it, just take your time.

Aging

     Now I know the real reason why our family has never been a fan of buffet restaurants..lol. It's an aging reminder. Besides the fact that the food has all been touched or sneezed on by everybody.   
      I love Maxine. I think she's wise yet sarcastic enough to tell you the truth like you've never heard it before.  If you know who 'Walter' the puppet of Jeff Dunham is, I think they'd make the perfect couple.  oops, I just checked, he's already married.
     Aging is not easy.  I think we do have to be able to not only laugh about it but to embrace it. I think the recent headlines of Demi Moore's struggles with getting older are sad for her.  I think it shows a lost soul when all you have to cling to is the flesh.  It's going to change, fade, die and return to dust so I think the soul should take priority.
     Gray hair is from the trials God has brought you thru.  Sagging is from all the years you been blessed with being exposed to gravity.  Short term memory loss is so you can remember the old times even better. 
     They say 'only the good die young' but let's keep on aging gracefully and say 'only the best, outlast the rest.'

Which Road?

     Roads take us to where we want to go but we have to be on the right one. Today many people have a GPS in their car to help keep them on the right road to their destination.  My dad and I were in the van the other day with his new GPS.  It was trying to guide us to a cupcake shop in Little Rock.  Well even though I had never been there before, I had in my mind where it was and thought the GPS was wrong.  So we went a different way, which ended up being the long, wrong way..lol.
    Some people say that all roads or paths of religion will get you to heaven. That couldn't be any more wrong. I've heard it explained this way... let's say you're at Verizon arena, just pick a road..any road, and follow it and eventually you'll get home.  Seems pretty silly, doesn't it.  Well, the only road to your eternal home is thru Jesus Christ. John 3;36  '' Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.''
     Are you like Alice or do you know where you want to go?  Doesn't it matter to you?  You are going to need a spiritual GPS to guide you, it's called The Bible.  Your mind may think it knows better but this GPS is never wrong.  Start your journey today.

The Frog and the Gator

     My aunt in California sent me this picture to blog about.  What do you see from the picture?  I see three things that we could draw an analogy from.  I usually stick to one topic but I'm going to go for three on this one.
     First, it reminds me that we should choose our friends wisely.  Not everyone you consider a friend has your best interest in mind.  I think if this alligator really just wanted to give his frog friend a lift, then he could have done it with a closed mouth. I think the gator has a secret motive, 'lunch.'  Psalm 10;7  ''Their mouths are full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under their tongues.''
     Secondly, it reminds me of how we don't know when the Lord will return or call us home and we need to always be ready.  Matthew 24; 42-44  ''“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.''  That frog has no idea how close he is to death and it can be over for him in an instant. 
     Thirdly, it reminds me that if you play with danger, you're going to get bit.  The frog thinks he is just going to sneak a peak into the darkness of evil and yet he's not only risking his toes but his very life.  Proverbs 22;3  ''The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.''
     A picture speaks a thousand words but I'm not going to say or type that much.  God does speak to us thru nature so does the picture say any more to you?  I'd love to hear.

Way Back Wednesday

The driveway

Before the pool, driveway and sunroom

Before the deck, carport and
basement renovation

View from the road before
removing 60 trees



The backyard



  
     This is where we moved to about 28 years ago.  My dad's aunt and uncle lived across the street since he was a little boy.  He dreamed of owning it one day and the dream came true on a 2nd try.  My parents couldn't afford it the first time they made an offer so they waited a few years and tried again.  I remember us looking at some other houses and this one just looked like alot of work.  My 12 yr old eyes could not see the vision they had in mind.  I did my share of blade work and trailer hauling with our riding lawnmower on these 2.5 acres.  I'd say it all worked out after all.
      Don't you think this is how God sees us?  A tangled mess that needs alot of His work in our lives but yet with a vision of a beautiful ending.  Of course, maintenance is required thru His word, prayer and our fellowship with other believers.  Thankfully, He thinks we are worth the trouble too.

C'mon Already

     Well, you may think I blog about patience alot but it's something I know I need to get better at.  I may seem patient but my thoughts have said everything these flowers are saying in the caption above.  I think I was wired to be an independent person because it has never bothered me to do stuff alone.  I actually enjoyed it.  As my wiring has failed me, I've been forced to rely on other people. I don't know of a faster way to learn patience.  If you adhere to the phrase 'if you want it done right, do it yourself' then you have a steep road ahead of you when, not if, you want help from others.  Patience isn't always about waiting but also understanding your way of doing things is not always the only way.
     Maybe an example would help me illustrate what I'm trying to say.  Are you a navigator in the car but sitting in the passenger seat?  You may know the quickest way from point A to point B, but when the driver takes the path of A -D- C- B, it takes patience to not say anything.  I am a navigator in the car so if people ask me which way I want to go, I sometimes practice patience by saying 'either way, it doesn't matter.'
    Patience, use it before you lose it.

Stress in a Good Way

   






     My friend, Sherry, and I were recently talking about the huge diamond found at Murpheesboro a couple of weeks ago.  It is worth 20,000 dollars and we both agreed if we had found it, then 'SOLD' would be our first thought.
     According to a recent study in the journal Nature, they think the recipe for a diamond is as follows:

Bury carbon dioxide 100 miles into Earth.  Heat to about 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit.  Squeeze under pressure of 725,000 pounds per square inch.  Quickly rush towards Earth’s surface to cool.
     Have you ever felt like you were under that kind of pressure?  We are under all kinds of pressure everyday in our lives in order to survive like atmospheric pressure, blood pressure, etc.  Sometimes extra pressure can make us feel uncomfortable or change us. It can be a good thing if handled according to His will.  God allows us to undergo the pressure of trials because He is transforming us into a precious diamond for His glory.  We too are as filthy and dirty as charcoal but with Him in our lives, we too can become a shiny gem in His eyes.
     So the next time your blood pressure is near stroke level and you're sweating bullets, then just cool it down quick. Realize whatever the stress is, that it is part of God's plan in making you into something better.