Let the sun rise on a new day

One day I woke up and all I could think of was "Let the sun rise on a new day".  Simple, I know.   So, I posted it as a facebook status, not thinking much more about it, until I couldn't stop hearing that phrase in my head.  So I'm going with it. It is a new day in my life, let the sun rise, and let me be all that God wants me to be in this new day.  I am believing for new things in my life, new and improved methods of doing life, new outlooks, new attitudes, new energy.  This  comes with a letting go and a letting God be 100% in control of all the new he wants to bring for me.  It was a hot summer, many sunrises and sunsets, but now it's a new day, let the sun rise. I'm looking forward to living it to the fullest!

Life is a Marathon

I was reflecting today on the concept of life as a marathon.  It's not a sprint.  It's not a 5K. It's 26.2 miles of pacing oneself so that he/she can finish with at least a heartbeat and some tears of joy and relief to cry with his/her spouse.  That being said, I am constantly working on my pace in life.  It seems to be an important thing.  I can't burn out. I don't want to risk the casualities that come along with that. Therefore I must be careful in all things.  I know myself, my limits, my strengths, my weak areas, my body clock, my energy level and sometimes the lack thereof.  Summers for me tend toward times of refueling my system, like a Gatorade, or maybe for you marathon runners a Carb Boom energy gel.  I need this next few months to reflect, regain strength, and fill myself up. Since for eighteen years summers marked the end of another homeschool year, I used summers to build myself up and read things about why I did it--homeschooling--that is.  That way when the middle of August rolled around, vacation was over, I was ready to go.  I could do it with a full tank of gas, since I had spent a summer getting that tank full.  This brings me to what I have been thinking about blogging.  I am filling myself up and can't seem to figure out what I want to say on a blog right now. I believe it may be because I am to take some time off.  Refuel, Reflect, Fill up my tank, so that when I'm rounding the stretch and have to push a little more to get down the road further, I'll have what it takes to do so.  So that's what I'm up to this summer.  Have a good one. It may be awhile. . .

The seasons of life

Ecclesiastes is hard for me to read since I never know whether or not to read the wisdom as Solomon's wisdom from God or if it is one of those things he changes and says that there is no meaning to this.  It's kind of like reading Job and taking the counsel from the friends of Job and saying it is good and then realizing it was not good and that his friends were misled.  All that to say, even though I have to be a bit careful to read it in context, I have always liked what Solomon said in Eccl. about the times and the seasons.  Since I began this walk with God, I have embraced the whole thing about all things are perfect in God's time and that there are seasons in life.  It has helped me time and time again to be content with where I'm at in life, realizing that not everything in my life on this earth happens at one time, but over the span of my life.  It has helped me to embrace the present and live it with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength for the Lord and His glory.  I thank the Lord that when I was a young mother I could be just that, a young mother with  young children.  Now I am in a new season, I am older and have older children, and I am content with that as well .  Since I have always valued the wisdom of God in Ecclesiastes about the times and seasons, I have known that this new season was coming and  I have been prepared for the change of seasons in my life.  There is peace in knowing a God who is Lord of the various seasons of our lives. Thanking Him today that He has been  with me through the changing of the seasons! He knows what He is doing and has a plan that continues to unfold.

Ecc. 3:1  There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.
Eccl.3:11  He has made everything appropriate in its time.
Eccl. 8: 5-6 He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him. (This verse is good to me, because it acknowledges that it is not easy and that the troubles can still be heavy on us, but even with this, there is a proper procedure and time. It always seems to come back to trusting Him to bring it about).

Even when you think all is lost, it's not.

Boy, do I have a parallel to share. I had the most upsetting experience in a long time the other night. No, it was not life or death, even though when my children heard me crying (and such) downstairs, they both were scared to come down to see who had died. They were convinced that for mom to be that upset someone had died.  That sets the stage for my story.  I had worked and worked on a practicum notebook for my class, which was a 17 page document that I had finally finshed with everything in it ready to submit online and when I did, it encripted itself and shut down and acted like it was lost.  I fell apart. (million pieces, not pretty) You get the picture.  Well, long story short, I called my husband (from a meeting, which he had to leave and tell those with him that he had an emergency, again you get the picture of how upset I was). Well, after two hours of help from son James and husband Mike, my file was recovered. Not perfect, but I could retrieve it and piece it back together. Here is the parallel, when we think all is lost, it's not and when we think there is no hope, there is.  My life has actually come back together again after that draining night last week. When I knew all was lost, it wasn't. I'll remember that night for the rest of my life. I know there are lessons that  I am still going to get from this as I ponder the "what was that all about " side of my experience. If you're wondering do I wish I hadn't gotten that upset, Yes, I wish I hadn't, but I did and life goes on.

Once again, when I am weak, He is strong and therefore so am I.

2 Cor. 12:1-10
Well, after a lousy night of sleep, I awake this morning feeling pretty weak.  But I am so used to that, since sleeping is not my specialty (wish it were).  Anyway, if I were to have a thorn in the flesh sleeping poorly  would be mine for sure, a messenger of Satan (that's what Paul called his in 2Cor 12:7), and yes, I have prayed like Paul at least three hundred times(not just three that's for sure) and pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But just as He told Paul, I feel like the Lord tells me.  "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness(vs. 9)." . . ."For when I am weak, then I am strong (vs. 10)". So once again I reread that portion of scripture this morning. It has ministered to me time and time again.

Addisyn Faith Feyer

What I focus on. . .

I read a pretty neat little article last night in Charisma about Breaking the Worry Habit by Dondi Scumasi.  It got me thinking that I know better than to worry. I know that what I meditate on and roll over and over in my head is just going to get worse in there.  That's how mole hills are turned into mountains. (Not that that is how that making a mountain out of a mole hill expression is usually used, but it applies.) Anyway,  Here's what she said in the article,  "What we focus on we feed, and what we feed grows.  When we feed our problems with worry, they become giants, and in comparison we feel small and vulnerable."  I needed to be reminded to magnify the Lord and meditate on Him.  So that my image of Him grows and not all the negative thoughts, like worry. So I plan to catch my thoughts more often and when I 'm not thinking a good one, tear it down, and say no to it and focus on the Great God that I serve. What a Mighty God He is. Able and Strong.  He holds my life in His hand and carries the loads I give Him.

Jehovah Jireh and the Great I AM

I was thinking again today,  How am I going to do it?  More of those overwhelmed feelings came over me.  Then I remembered that what Jehovah Jireh means is that He provides what I need when I need it.  So when I can't figure out how I will do a thing in the future, if He provides what  I need, He will be there to give me what I need when I get there.  He's faithful like that.  He won't abandon me.

I also thought about how He is the great  I AM and that He will be to me what I need him to be when I need Him to be it.  It's all about Him and His sufficiency and trusting Him with my life.

Now I can enjoy today, without fretting over tomorrow and the next day, etc.

Each day. . .

I was thinking today about all the times I have stressed out about all I have to do, and then when I plod along and do what each day allows, it all gets done. I marveled again today about this concept.  I had a million loose ends going into today and then finished up some stuff from the weekend and did a couple of things to prepare for this week, and before I knew it, I was reflecting on that great truth from the Bible once again, the one that says, Sufficient for the day are the troubles thereof (KJV). So why did I worry lately about all that I had to do?  I think I forgot this valuable truth that we are not to worry about tomorrow, but to take care of today, and when tomorrow comes, take care of that, and it will all work out!

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

20 years in Greenville

Thanking the Lord for His faithfulness. It was this week twenty years ago that we moved to Greenville NC to start a church. We knew God had told us to come and we came. We knew He would do it and He did. Thank you Jesus.  The journey's been a good one and its not over. Thanking Him today! He is worthy.

How on earth am I going to do it?

2Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.  Thank you Lord that you will strongly support me.

The other day I was thinking "How on earth am I going to do thus and such?(There were particular items I was wondering  about.) Then I got in to the Word and read this verse and it jumped out at me.  The thought that the Lord would strongly support me in it, that's how I would do it resounded in me. For the next few days I kept saying that to myself. The Lord will strongly support me in it.That's how I'll do it. That's all I needed.  A few days later I read this verse and thought "Wow,that goes right along with it."

 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. 

 He will sustain me. He will carry me.  He will rescue me. Thank you, Lord. It's not me who has to do it.  He will keep me going and even carry me when I need it and rescue me when I need that.  My question is answered. It's just that simple.




 

I've been thinking. . .

I had a thought that I am not much different than the people of Israel.  Just like how they started worrying about not having any water after God had just taken them through the Red Sea (Ex. 15:24) (and He already had plans to give them water if they would just hang in there a little bit longer(Ex.15:27)), I seem to be guilty of the same thing.  I see miracles and things that God fixes after I have cried out to Him that, if He would do this big thing, I would never worry about the little things again.  He does the big thing and, after a time, I tend to forget  and before long I am anxious about the little things again.  Certainly if God could take the Israelites out of Egypt and drown the armies chasing them, He could provide water for them. When I read Exodus 15, I am challenged to keep praising God for the huge victories, how faithful God is, He heals, He takes care of what concerns me. It's all about my focus.  If He can take care of the big things, He can certainly provide for the little ones.

Still on 2Sam22

2Sam.22:40 You arm me with strength for battle, you made my adversaries bow at my feet.  Just as you did for David, I know you do for me.Thank you Lord that you not only arm me with everything I need in life, but my adversaries are bowed down. Not only are they bowed down but  I believe as David knew to be true for him that You made(make) my enemies turn their backs in flight(41)  Thank you Lord that you do the hard part for me.  My adversaries aren't screaming at me face to face, ready to knock me out with a punch,  but instead they are bowed down and even fleeing because you Lord are fighting for me.  I will meditate on that picture of my enemies.What a great God I serve.

2 Sam 22 is so encouraging.

I have been so encouraged by 2 Samuel 22 the past couple of days. I even told my husband this has got to be one of the best and most loaded Chapters in the whole Bible. (You can tell it blessed me.) Today I got my nuggets from verse 35 and 36. He trains my hands for battle, my arms can bend a bow of bronze (35). Thank you Lord for training me in what You want me to put my hands to in these next years of my life. While you are training me, I am becoming strong, strong enough to bend a bronze bow and fire arrows at the evil one who thinks I may be growing weak and tired, but no, on the other hand, I am waxing strong!!! Lord, You are good, and You are able and powerful, and I will put my trust in you for this strength You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great(36). Thank you Lord for your shield. I need it to protect my heart from every kind of defeat. I place it over my heart daily and I find victory over discouragement. Instead of acting on discouragement and walking through the day with that as my motivating force, I choose Your shield, which is VICTORY. Through You, I have courage and gain "heart"which is a much stronger and more positive force to motivate me and set the course of my day. It is all because "You stoop down to make me great." You love me so much that You meet me way down here where I live and You help me in every way. You identify with me in all my humanness. Let me stoop down when others are down low. You did it for me. You could have stayed high and exalted on Your throne. But You came down here to earth. You still meet me down here. Thank you Lord for lifting me up . Help me Lord to lift others up as you have done and always do for me.

The reason

There are several reasons I started this blog. Most importantly, I wanted to challenge myself to diligently seek the Lord in His word for nuggets. That is what I call the special things I get out of the Word. I started a new journal this morning(small blank book), and I thought to myself, "I could write the most special nuggets on my blog in case they would be nuggets for the reader of it". That brings me to my second reason, which is staying current on technology and how the world is communicating which is important to me since I don't want to get left behind with all the modern ways of doing things. Thirdly, I just started a facebook, but don't feel like I should share everything on it. Sometimes I feel inclined to "preach", but feel like facebook is supposed to be short little blurps. Thanks for reading .Stay tuned.