Happy Anniversary-Birthday

Today is Rick and my 15th wedding anniversary and our daughters 12th birthday. Wow, so much has happened in those years and yet they have gone by so quickly. Elisha was born on our 3rd wedding anniversary and it was Easter Sunday morning. There we were in our tiny one bedroom basement apartment me in labour and little Jordan hunting for Easter eggs. I was thankful for the distraction for Jordan because as you women know labour is a bit of work and takes quite a lot of concentration and the mid wives just made it on time-phew. That was a very special day for sure.

Thank you God for our lives together. You are sanctifying us more and more each day, each year. Thank you for the gift of time and I pray me and my family use our time as You would have us live it.

Happy Anniversary Rick. I Love You! Happy Birthday Elisha. I Love You!

A Quote

"I discovered that as I began to love people and care for people and become more involved with people, I had more joy, more tears, more laughter, more meaning, and far greater fun than I ever had before" by author Reuben Welch

Amen and Amen to that, eh?

Yey I'm Getting It - Now HELP

As I was getting the little ones to sleep tonight I was reflecting on further reading in Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel and a new revelation came to me-Hallelujah.

I see how the areas of my life where I am not walking fully under God's eternal Truths my family and I suffer. Let me try to explain what I mean by this. The times I fall short in giving my husband the respect and affection he needs we both suffer. The times he is unable to help me with the things that are important to me we both suffer. Now we are committed to each other and are doing the best we can for now but every time we do our relationship our way when that is different than God's Truths we hurt. And not only we suffer but this has an impact on all aspects of our lives. So we hold fast to each other because we do love each other and are in our marriage until death do us part. But we are not realizing all the blessings and protection that God has for us. We have blocked it even though it is right there waiting for us. It makes us have to work harder to fight the lies of this world from getting between us. It makes it harder to extend Grace to each other as well because the lies are just sitting there trying to get in and shadow God's Truth.

So the thing that came to me was that this will also happen if I do not find out how to teach, guide and train our children in God's Truths as well as showing them Grace. They too will not get the full blessings and protection that comes from God's eternal Truths. They too may settle for less than God would have for them. NO WAY HO SAY! I claim in the name of Christ Jesus it stops here.

So Lord thank you for this fresh revelation and now I pray for Holy Spirit to guide me in every moment of my day and in all of my interactions so I can start to walk this realization out in our everyday lives. Lord I do not have a clue how to do this in my own strength so please send Your Wisdom and Knowledge to me so I may be a blessing to this Life You have blessed me with and a blessing to my family and those in my sphere of influence. Please show me how Holy Spirit-I need You! Thank You, thank You, thank You and Amen.

Grace Based Parenting Dr. Tim Kimmel

I know I was not going to share my parenting reading due to the fact that it can be an upsetting topic for people but I am enjoying this book we have been lent and I just wanted to share a bit of my experience so far. I am about half way through. It is called Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel. I am thankful for this book and any Christ like learning that comes my way. There is so much learning and growth to accomplish.

I like this book because it talks about Grace and Truth existing as one in Christ. I have so struggled with how to show Grace but teach my children what is good for them (right from wrong) I find I have sacrificed their training because I have not known that Grace and Truth can only exist together. When they are separated they disintegrate into something not of Christ. Something hurtful and damaging to Life.

I am thankful for the progress that I am making even though I know there is much more God wants me to aspire to. Some books and Holy Spirit's convictions can be difficult and often painful because when I am ignorant of my wrong doings my Spirit may know somewhere deep inside I feel things are not right but I don't know what it is. Once Holy Spirit convicts me or I learn through Scripture or a Christ like teaching what I am doing wrong it is right there in my face and I can see the damage it is causing and that hurts a lot. But I am thankful that I can learn and move out of the things that are hurting me and my family even though the process can be uncomfortable to say the least. I am thankful for the growing pains because it gives me hope that I am not staying as I was but moving forward into greater Life.

So I am enjoying this book and I look forward to learning much and being able to help my children be all God wants them to be.

Oh Happy Day!

Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. John 20:11-12 (NIV)

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." John 20:21-23 (NIV)

Though the doors were locked( I remember when my heart was locked even though I was crying out to God for help in my way--but I remember Jesus came right through that locked door even when I didn't have the keys*), Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:26-31 (NIV)

Oh Happy Day indeed! You know I really do not understand this precious Christ Love! It is so profoundly beautiful. His Love shines where there continues to be darkness. His Love allows my heart to overflow with Joy when some situations in life are not as they should be. When I see my short comings and there painful consequences on those precious people in my life. The times I fail to reach out in affection to my husband, the times I get caught up in my emotions and needs instead of being fully present in a Christ like-Life giving way to my family and people in my sphere of influence, the times I let my frustration of undone stuff come between me and God's Ways and Truths for our lives, the times I let my fears rule my behaviours and choices instead of His Living Word and on and on I could go.

I know this Christ Love is the Love that sustains those people who are holding their starving or dying children in their arms and still be able to Trust in God and His unfailing Love He has for them and their children. I know this is the Christ Love that has given us Life even after death. I cannot explain or comprehend His Agape (unconditional) Love for us but I am so thankful for it. I am so thankful that He has filled my hopeless heart to overflowing with hope even when I am faced with hopelessness. That is so amazingly wow! Thank you Christ Jesus for sacrificing your sinless Life for a humanity who can slip into wallowing in our sin without Your guidance and protection. Thank you for Your ultimate gift of eternal Life and Your amazing grace. Thank you for the empty tomb that is the hope for us all. Thank you for sending us Holy Spirit to help lift us upward to what you have for our lives and not leaving us in the depths we can dig ourselves into. Oh precious God how Holy you are.

Oh Happy day indeed. Happy Easter to you all. Christ Love to you all.

*light pink writing in the Scripture quotes my thinking.

Is She Old Or Young?

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. Isaiah 40:31 (Amplified Bible)

I could not find the quote I was looking for but the verse above did explain in part what I am experiencing. In Godspell there is a song called Bless The Lord and the words explain what I am feeling:

He clothes thee with his love

Upholds thee with his truth

And like an eagle he renews

The vigor of thy youth

When I was young I felt so used up and vile yet my body was in it's youth. I did not notice this bodies' youth. I only saw ugliness. Now the wear of years of depletion are showing it's consequences on this abused temple. I am taken by surprise when age reveals it's lines, wrinkles, lumps, bumps, scars and sags on this face and body. I find it interesting how I can feel so full of Life at this time yet see the reflection that I do. I know how I feel is of God. It is His Life that fills me with energy that is difficult to contain. The Word of God is eternal and Scripture (Jesus-the Word made flesh) fills this aging vessel. I feel youthful and excited to share His Love and Eternal Life with others. So I am not going to focus on a mirror that shows me a reflection of this fleeting world. I am going to revel in the Life that pulses through this body directly from Holy Spirit, God Himself. I choose to reflect His Life and not human flesh. I will Live in accordance to His Word as best I can and pray this decision to walk in the promise of Eternal Life will shine His Love onto the darkness bringing others into His eternal glory. Hmm maybe I will even start jogging again (that is if these old worn out knees can handle it and I can fit it in an already very busy day-and mostly if I am brave enough to try it out again-I will think about it- but I should just do it)

A voice says, Cry [prophesy]! And I said, What shall I cry? [The voice answered, Proclaim:] All flesh is as frail as grass, and all that makes it attractive [its kindness, its goodwill, its mercy from God, its glory and comeliness, however good] is transitory, like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely [all] the people are like grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Isaiah 40:6-8 (Amplified Bible)

Angels At The Nails

Here are some pictures from two different years, two completely different people,two different cameras and I hear there are more out there as well. God sometimes lets His angels be seen to help further His Kingdom. And if you want to 'feel' Jesus' holy angels make sure you get yourself to 'The Nails.' It is going to be great. I am so excited. Bring a friend and enjoy.