When we say good-bye

I thought I would write a blog since it has been almost one month from the last writing.

I just want to speak from my heart. (not unlike the other times I have written. I just want to write from a different prospective.)

When we say good-bye was a thought I have had about my husband when he says good-bye to me in the mornings, when he leaves for work. I have often wondered when he leaves the house; "will that be our last good-bye?" I have thought; "Was I happy with that good-bye?" This morning, we did not have a very heartfelt good-bye. In fact we did not have a very heart felt good-night.
The gesture of a formal good-bye is the essence of a warm hello. This means we are really saying to the other person; "I will always be here." But, when the good-bye is empty and void of emotion, so is the hello. I think we should say good-bye to ones we love with sheer abandonment of love, as it may be the last.
Please understand, I am not being morbid, I am being real. We do not know when we will say good-bye to someone for the last time. Think of a favorite movie that has touched your heart. Although I am a sucker for great romance movies that have endings with the happily ever after, I also have seen the other side of the "Happily Ever after", with "The way we were" --Yental and that Richard Gere movie with Diane Lang.....(the one where he DIES!) and other movies which did not leave me smiling, but rather crying.
When we say good-bye is on my heart for the season and year we are about to walk away from. 2010 has been a very unusual year for many reasons.
I have skimmed through my old calendar and have seen so many various things I have done in this year. I see how many times I was fearful over a speaking engagement or excited over a short trip to Florida with my husband. I have made note of birthday's that I wouldn't forget, yet forgot and made notes of what I was eating, so I would not over eat. I've seen how every Monday when accessible to life's schedule, that I held a Bible study in my home.
I looked at the visit's I had from friends or loved ones who came to my house and how many times I groomed the dog. I went to many retreats, even spoke for my first Singles Retreat. The funniest thing I wrote, was in the month of May when I told myself to buy Kimberly Ann ferns for my front porch when I got back from San Antonio with my mother for Mothers day. The things we do in a year.
I had portions of my house painted, my bathroom shower redone and even started hormone replacement therapy. (I do feel better!)I went to Altoona, Kansas for a campmeeting only to leave my diamond earrings in the Hotel and experience that there are really good people in the world; THEY CALLED ME TO TELL ME I LEFT MY EARRINGS! Wow!
Yes, Garage sale shopping in the summer time and dining out with old friends only about three times. The most admired note on my calendar is the one reminding myself to keep a secret about an 80th birthday party I was attending for an ole friend. I have known her since moving to Wichita, Kansas eighteen years ago. She was so surprised. The month of December alone is full of scribble, not to nibble, but events that I needed to partake in. The monumental one was a wedding of a couple who were engaged for eight years only after dating fifteen! They tied the knot.
Kansas city to another wedding. A Christmas musical with my church. A "party bus" to look at Christmas lights, with 70 to 90 year old women, and I was the only one in my forties! But the final and most significant date was my 49th birthday December the 19th! On that particular day, I submitted my second manuscript for my second book. Yes, on my 49th birthday, my Publisher/printer was given my work of my mind and heart and am looking forward to holding that second baby in my hands in the year 2011.
So, here I sit on the 27th day of December with nothing on my calendar, but rather many thoughts in my heart as we approach the ending of a really unusual year.
When we say good-bye we should do it with much love and passion only to hope we will be holding that love and passion again very soon. I look forward to 2011 as it will be another great year to fill a calendar with the events that fill our space and time here. I pray you embrace the day and the ones you choose to "say good-bye to and......... HELLO!"

“At Whose feet do you sit?”

“At Whose feet do you sit?”

The Apostle Paul speaks out, toward his authentic love for God and gives tribute to his teacher, Gamaliel.

In Acts 22:3—Paul speaks.
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. At his feet I learned to follow our Jewish laws and customs very carefully.”
Paul was a Pharisee (a self righteous hypocritical person.) He was a persecutor to Christians, and so much more, in the latter part of his life. (His name was actually Saul….before his conversion on the road to Damascus, when the Lord changed him.)
But that is not what this is about. I want to look at Paul when he was only 13 years old.
What Paul learned as a thirteen year old boy stuck with him throughout the course of his life.
Paul was from Tarsus. (Ancient city in Turkey) Taurus, in Paul’s day makes me think of Grove, Oklahoma, and what I remember feeling as a child, while living there. It was at that time a small resort town, with fewer than 3,000 in population during the early 1970’s, possibly less than that, now that I think about it.
Kids from Grove would grow up only wanting to move to the “bigger city.” We would set our sites on Tulsa, as the flourishing city with wisdom (many churches) and even successful lifestyles. To a small town girl it was wonderment.
So, like Paul setting his sites for Jerusalem, he finds a Holy City. I set my sites toward Tulsa prior to sitting under the teaching of my Pastor/Daddy for many years. Paul was only 13 years old when he trekked to Jerusalem, to learn the Jewish laws. I was 23 and married, feeling like I already “knew” the law of the Lord and soon realized I didn’t. When I moved to Tulsa, I sat under the teaching of Pastor Bob Yandian, and my ‘wisdom’ grew even more as I had more attentive ears. His words, like my daddy’s still penetrate my heart. I did not know the Law of the Lord until I had to use it daily in my, then, adventurous time of my life.
Paul learned later, the Law he was taught at the feet of Gamaliel came a more suited practice when he was forced to address the “council” who wanted to kill him. Acts 21:31. Thank God, I never got into a riot about whose I was, or what I believe, though my faith was tested many times throughout my adult life. But none like Paul.
Why do I write about Paul? (That could be a very big blog, since he is one of my favorite stories.)
I am actually smitten by the person who taught Paul all the laws which accommodated him in the growing balance of his converted life. Gamaliel. We have all at some time in our life needed a Gamaliel.
I like Paul, have learned the Word, to bring balance and most of all to bring conversion to my life.
I sat at many Pastors’ feet and now I have an occasional few who sit at mine. I would only hope that one day; one would find my teaching worthy of Jesus’ glory! I only hope to do HIM justice.
Thanks Gamaliel—I am forever inspired.

"A Promise not forgotten"

I am so encouraged by Isaiah 43. For many reasons I can see the Promise of God toward us, His people, when I read this passage. This chapter allows me to not only be reminded that I am a child of God, but I am not abandoned ever, because I am a part of HIS divine plan for HIS people.
I would like to show you a little of the contents of Isaiah’s Words to us, which were actually Gods Words to us. They are still speaking to us after thousands and thousands of years. (well, they are deeming in my eyes anyway.)
Why, because we are still being created by the same God who was then and remains to be, today. When Christians (those who accept Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior) hear the words “O Israel” this means us! According to Romans 11:19 we have been grafted in, this means we were able to become a part of Gods plan through Jesus Christ’s redemption blood, long before Jesus ever walked this earth. God always has a plan and purpose. As it was with Adam and Eve, so it is with us today! He is the God of yesterday, today and forever.
Isaiah saw and knew and heard the plan of God years before Jesus ever came into the earth, to become our redemption for eternal life. The prophet Isaiah knew what God was speaking to him through “O Israel.” Isaiah declares in chapter 43 that God, who formed us and created us into life, is showing us that He also is redeeming us from our own selves, just like he was explaining to the Israelites when he said not to be afraid.
Sometimes we just need a HOPE that everything is going to be OK. Well, Isaiah is reminding us through ‘O Israel’ that everything is going to be OK.
Isaiah 43:1-7 in short says; “Don’t be afraid for I have ransomed you.” “I have called you by name, you are mine.” “When you go through waters, deep, and great trouble, I will be with you!” “When you go through fire of oppression, you will not be burned.” Then in the middle of these promises of God through Isaiah, he clarifies His promise and says; “I am the Lord your God the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Then he goes on to tell “US” the “land” he has given to us. (meaning, the Word covenant to Israel, His people. Also meaning us, his people.—grafted in remember?)
“Do not be afraid for I am with you” he says.
This is a promise you can count on, even in times of trouble, He is with you. Trust that and rely on that and remember that "this momentary light affliction is working on you, and ETERNAL weight of Glory." (II Corinthians 4:17)
Until we blog again; "Have a wonderfully blessed and prosperous day!

"Let Downs"

Do you want to get uncovered--set free--happy--un-fatigued--unappalled--and prevent your 'let downs' from defining your out come?
Our God is a God of second chances. Thank goodness He is or he would have abolished my heart long ago. He is a God of mercy and grace, to find us in and out of our situations.
God, who is the God of second chances allowed King David to pass his wisdom to his son Solomon. (Solomon was a child of an affair, which David had with Bathsheba--II Samuel) God does not focus on the sin, but rather he focuses on the seed.
Our God, who created us and has given to us our very life looks at the intent of our heart. He does not remain focused on sins once we have asked forgiveness of that sin. 
Though sin is the seed of something; God turns the bad to the good in His time.
A fathers sin is often reflected in the life of his children. David had another son Absalom. David saw his sin in Absalom. His story is found in II Samuel 15:10. "But while Absalom was there, he sent secret messengers to every part of Israel to stir up rebellion against the King." As soon as you hear the trumpets; his meassage read, you will know that Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron. Absalom brought rebellion against his father David. Absalom crowned himself King. David and his men fled from Jerusalem and went to Mahanaim--Absalom and his army followed only to be defeated in the Forest of Ephraim, where Absalom was killed. (He was hung by his own hair in a tree)
My point is this. We think there is never a way out of self destruction. What do I mean by self destruction? How we manage our life and influence the people in our life. If we cannot be "more" to others and foremost to God, because of the great gift we are, then there is usually a selfishness that results in sin and doubt or rebellion and thus we become lacking, and the result of that can be destructive.
Absalom was possibly quite worse in his behavior than his father David. But he was handsome like his father and Charismatic like him. 
Absalom raped his sister Tamar after killing his half brother Amnon. He plotted against his father to take away his throne and listened to wrong advice! Actions against Gods plan will always fail.
When I am reminded of these stories of the Bible I think of how we can become disturbed in the fact that even the men of the Bible can become a let down, but David remained humbled and repented and God used him greatly. Several of his Psalms during Absalom's life of rebellion are scribed in Psalms chapters 39,41,55,61,and 63. 
David was "let down," but God lifted him up!
I Peter 1:23-25 says in short, We only have one chance to do what God is asking us to do. One life to live. I Peter 1:24 says; People are like grass that dies away; their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of wildflowers. The grass withers and the flowers fall away. But the Word of the Lord last forever. 
Don't be "Let down"----LIVE! LIVE WITH PURPOSE TO BECOME A PROSPEROUS SEED.