LEGACY

 I wrote a paper in one of my college courses, the assignment was to sum up in less than two hundred words a life statement of mine. I don't remember all the criteria for the article but I am sharing this to inspire you to write your own statement. Pray about it.

"Leave a legacy of persistence, humbleness, caring, loyalty to myself and others, all with Christ as my focus or center. Be an example of Jesus. My purpose is to gain new insight about myself and new direction, renewed insight of my abilities, and gain clarity for work. Why I do what I do. To grow for Jesus, and feel accomplished. I want to grow up, be stronger, and maybe network with others. I pray there will be more doors open or possibilities. I want to be God reliant but also more self-reliant (meaning not dependent on others so much). To keep this going will require prayer and time spent with God."

I never will succeed when I go so fast.

I'm not very good at keeping things organized.

Something I'd like to change about myself...be more organized, be satisfied with myself, slow down what I think I should do, have less expectations for myself and others, stop asking what would so and so do and finally...begin to do. 

Friends:

I repeat the story frequently when in 1997 me and my little family made a declaration of dependence. Dependence on God. We put scripture on the document and signed it. I have the signatures of my then only two sons. My daughters weren't born yet. You know the idiom or saying, "Draw a line in the sand", which means to establish a figurative boundary that someone refuses to cross or beyond which no further advance or compromise is accepted.

We did this line regarding our direction for life with Christ. We no longer were going to be on the fence just teetering (meaning moving unsteadily; wobbling) in life when it comes to trusting in God. 

I love that document. I'll have to get it out and report back what the verses we selected.

Let's pray:

Thank you Lord for moments. Moments in time where we were brought to a point of realization that everything we have is yours. You created us. You love us. You want us to follow you. Amen.

EVER PERCEIVING AND EVER UNDERSTANDING

Hi! I am getting alot of disruptions as I try to keep my peace and write this quick note to y'all!

Have you ever had that happen...weird texts, phone ringing...

I have something on my heart it's been a battle to write it!

My day started with a walk down by a running river, as I sat on a bridge I saw a momma deer and two baby deer (they still had their whites spots on them, so cute!). My grateful heart got of glimpse of God. God watching over me as the mother watches her babies. I love my kids and to imagine God loving me that much and more, is so mind boggling! Right?

So Lord help me write this message, push back on the distractions and help me.

Scripture comes to me now:

He whose mind is on Him will be in perfect peace...if you know me I say you are P squared (perfect peace=get it, p squared!)

As I was walking I was thinking pondering on the world problems and asked God to not allow my walk to be inundated with those thoughts but thoughts more about Him the prince of peace!

Have you ever seen or read a fiction story about end times or pandemics or even the left behind series. How should I be acting and reacting in this day and age? What I am reminded of is I can glance at history and books but the true inner peace and my going in and going out needs direction from the Holy Spirit and submission to that leading. Do we race ahead with the fiction writers vision or do we seek God for the times through prayer and submitting to God? Before I take a stand on something, I wait for the leading of the Spirit. Do you? It takes spending time with the author of peace to learn to extend peace or live peacefully.

It takes a sensitive spirit. I do know that in the mean time while waiting for the leading we can live what is in the word.
My favorite is:
"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
In the Kings James version it says "so you will lack nothing."

I write this verse a lot this past year because this is a inner work and desire of mine to live this out. So, I take each part of it and do an inner inventory of when I do this and when I don't and make changes.

Today I am focused on "not be dependent on or lack nothing". God what does this mean? There is only one cross reference and I love it!

Jesus told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. (the believer) But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, "they maybe ever seeing but NEVER perceiving, and ever hearing but Never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!" (Mark 4:11-13). This is priceless, worth more than anything material.

This spoke to me! I am reminded in the moment. The chosen people of God, Israel, were wandering in the desert for forty years! Forty years friends! They were provided for the whole time. God says everything I provide, even if it seems difficult to navigate, is allowed by me, but remember I am watching and if you ask I will help you perceive and understand. But if you do not ask you will wander with LACK OF PEACE! Are you navigating these days with the lack of peace? Jesus says, peace I leave you, peace I give you. I DO NOT give to you as the world gives." I understand that to mean Jesus inner peace will divinely help me in hard times. Do you believe this? God was basically saying to the Israelites, DO NOT DESPISE THE MANNA!  He provides daily. (that is the food He gave them daily) Friends, we have to get this! Jesus peace does mean He will help you with reactions, but it does not mean that he will put you in a bubble and you will never run into trouble. In this desert story God was also saying, stop grumbling, to not ask to go back to Egypt or SLAVERY. He took me out of slavery into the light of  freedom. I am free!  He training me to be like Him.

Getting back to "lack nothing or not be dependent on". It is a spiritual blessing to be able to have forgiveness, grace, peace of  Christ, with that I will lack nothing. I shall not be in want (Psalm 23).

So so important to get!

Prayer:  Thank you God that I as a child of God and can perceive and understand. Please help me to remember believe that. Amen.

Part of my perceiving and understanding is starting my day with Jesus. Jesus in this case blessed me with this real live picture of the deer. I pray you find these messages written in the smallest way today.

EVER PERCEIVING AND EVER UNDERSTANDING IS THE OUTCOME OF SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS. You will be able to be led BY THE HOLY SPIRIT for your actions and reactions but be slow and wait.

MIRACLE

The description of the face mask I was applying read, MIRCOL (pronounced miracle, lol!) revitalizing lotion (pink) in a luxurious cream. The thick, rich formula applied easily, next I had to wait, as the lotion hardened, made my skin so tight and wrinkled that after twenty minutes I looked like an old lady.

Then it happened.

I dipped my face into the warm water and instantly the lotion melted and was gone leaving my skin silky smooth. As my face was in the water I heard a whisper...when you come to me I take the hard wrinkled moments you are struggling with. I felt washed...smooth...clean...refreshed...loved. It was a moment of listening and agreeing that whatever the day holds He promises to be ever-present.

It was a sample of peace that I could carry into the day. I could write to you and assure you as I felt assured.

A simple exercise I had done prior to this self-facial. Matthew 14:25-32, using my imagination I pictured myself in the boat...the wind rocking the boat and I was feeling sick and scared. Jesus comes to me and holds me in the boat till the water calms.

Realizing again that I don't know what is next...but stay in the boat and be safe with Jesus. Answers yet to be revealed...answers that might not be what I wanted...but Jesus will be there...He will make it okay. I am sure of that! Are you sure of that!

So no Mircol will fix everything its just a face-mask, but Jesus....He comforts...and loves.
Wait for Him!

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES

Have you ever had what you would call ,"A bad hair day", or chronic complaints like, "Why didn't God give me straight hair instead of curly?" There are a myriad of complaints about our job, body, or even personality. You may be asking "personality"? I mean you catch yourself saying, "I am so loud why do I always have to be that way!"

Then it happens!
What happens, Elaine?

Let me explain what happened to my daughter, she is mid-twenties now, but back when she was 17, we were in a grocery store checking out and a girl bagging, about her age, says, "I just love your curly hair, I would love to have hair like that! You are so fortunate!" My daughter smiles! Let me back up. Just that day she was grumbling about her curly hair with the "why!" What a grin on my daughters face! It was priceless! To have a girl around her age make a compliment like that! What a gift! Which I pointed out to my daughter. "A gift!"

Do we look at compliments as a gift from above? I think it is powerful to receive the gift and believe in a small way God gave it to me. I had a friend that always says to be a "bucket filler". Taking each little experience and writing it on a piece of paper and before you know it your bucket will be begin to be full. Love! It connects me with the love of the Father.

I think it is hard to love without first really paying attention to the Father's love.

I have this happen more as I'm acknowledging the small happenings. Like one time I was dressing for a rehearsal dinner and felt unsure about my lipstick I chose, do you believe someone specifically said without any prompting on my part, "I love the lipstick color you chose!". I'll take it!

You know we race through life without joy and it's because we do NOT take the advice, "Take time to smell the roses!"

Now don't go around looking for compliments, what I am suggesting at the end of the day laying in your bed doing an inventory of your day, add circumstances like these. If you saw a cool butterfly and had a photo shoot with it (like I did today), count it as joy!

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace."Col. 3:15.