Lab report on Vulnerability and thankfulness

Earlier this week I came face to face with an UGLY lie. It has been around for awhile, and I thought it had been dealt with, however, another layer was revealed.

On the other side of it, I can say that processing through that lie has freed me to deal with some other lies, to be strengthened to not believe some lies and has brought great joy.

 I don't want to expose anyone, but the relationships that are most definitely improving already are valuable to me. I encourage you to examine you heart, which is often indicated by your emotions. Then once the lie is revealed, ask God for the truth. It truly will set you free.

Here's what I wrote while out running earlier this morning:

 Letting go of lies and pain, while embracing and intentionally remembering truth is breaking through to a new land of creativity and joy.

 Today I am so very thankful for my Best Friend, Counselor, Comforter and Lover of my soul, who gently and relentlessly pursues me offering me healing, mercy, grace, forgiveness, love and every good and perfect gift because of He is Love.

I am thankful for my friends and family who know me and remind me of who I am, especially when I have forgotten.






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Theme Song Thursday

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Theme Song Thursday

I have been soaking in this truth for days now.  Hope you fully enjoy it!

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Checking in on My Poor Neglected Blog

Dear Escapades,

I have missed you and longed to spend time with you.  Dashing off "Theme Song Thursday" posts as a way to stay connected, though somewhat lame, has ministered to my heart and given me hope that indeed I will once again be regularly posting here.  Thanks for your grace, patience and understanding.

Theme Song Thursday -- The Sovereign LORD Reigns!

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The Super Lord Reigns

Isa. 50:4-5a

"The Sovereign LORD has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will. The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened."

Grabbed by these verses today, I began to imagine and to ponder. . .then did some hurried research about the word "Sovereign," after noticing the word "reign" inside the larger word.  Have I seen that before?  I do not remember, but it captivated me.

Theme Song Thursday

Kinda taking a risk here, as I cannot read the Chinese (I think it's Chinese), but love this song.


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Theme Song Thursday

Had a lovely coffee date with a dear friend yesterday, and we spoke of running like this.  This is a re-posted song, but still a great favorite and timely.


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Theme Song Thursday

My apology that there is no audio or video for this; I could not find one.

Love this song and will post as soon as it appears on the ww.



I feel it in my bones You're about to move
I feel it in the wind You're about to ride in
You said that You would pour Your spirit out
You said that You would fall on sons and daughters

So like the rain come drench us in love
Let Your glory rush in like a flood

We are fixed on this one thing
You know Your goodness and see Your glory
We're transformed by this one thing
To know Your presence and see Your beauty

I can see it now Your kingdom come
I can hear it now the sounds of heaven
You said that if we ask we'll receive
We are asking for the greater measure

So like the rain come drench us in love
Let Your power rush in like a flood

We are fixed on this one thing
You know Your goodness and see Your glory
We're transformed by this one thing
To know Your presence and see Your beauty

So come and blow on through
Spirit move we're ready for You
To come and blow on through
Come and do what only You can do


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Revive

June and July have been fabulously full of fun, learning opportunities.

After our adventure with Revive Northwest Indiana, my intention was to summarize that "summer school course."

You regular readers know that I have not chronicled our time in Lake County.  As I dreaded might happen, the passing time since then has gathered many of my memories and stolen them away.

I absolutely LOVED going out into the community to pray with people.  I absolutely LOVED listening to Holy Spirit's leading as to where to go and who to talk with.  I absolutely LOVED being part of a team of people whom I had never met before and who, by the end of our morning or afternoon outing were like family to me.  I absolutely LOVED the worship, the fellowship over meals, the prayer, the testimonies and the genuineness of Time to Revive's team.

So what lasting impact did it make upon me?  I feel like I am much more bold to talk to people than ever before.  I love the fact that I can now easily present the Gospel to someone using the tools (wristband and Bible), if that's where the person is on their journey to God. I was blessed and encouraged to see and to hear Holy Spirit respected, consulted, listened to and taught upon. Practicing hearing God's voice and then walking in faith according to what was heard is always a bonus as well.  

Love. Listen. Discern. Respond.  Four great steps for all of our interpersonal relationships!


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Theme Song Thursday

While I have posted this one before, at least once, I need to marinate in this still:

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Driving a Stake in the Ground

Edited 06.27.15

I am saddened, but not surprised at the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of same sex "marriage."

Rudderless, the majority justices continue to sail the USA toward rocky shores.

Perhaps I am painting a target on myself, but I feel compelled to post a statement of my faith and beliefs here today.

I do not hate anyone.  Because I follow Jesus Christ, because He loves and forgives me, and because His love compels me, I love everyone, though I do so imperfectly as an imperfect human being.

"Love your neighbor.  Do good to those who do evil against you.  Overcome evil with good."

Those some are my foundational motivations and guiding commands.

Below is a more formal belief statement, the wording of which I borrowed and tweaked from an Alliance Defense Fund pdf.

"I believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, evidenced biologically at birth. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.)  ‘Being man’ or ‘being woman’ is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity, which comes to them immediately from God their Creator. Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity ‘in the image of God.’

"I believe that the term 'marriage' has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) I believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.) I believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

"I believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.)

"I believe that God freely offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11.)

"I believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture or with how Jesus treated people while He walked the earth."

I understand that our government has approved and legalized relationships and actions that are in opposition to my beliefs.

I do not believe that those who have made these decisions hate me.

I am not your judge.  (Matt. 7:1, John 5: 26-27, John 12: 47-48.)

These beliefs guide my relationship with God and with man.  A desire of my heart is to grow in loving relationship with God and with all of humanity every day.

If you disagree with my beliefs, I respect you and love you anyway.  I think all of you are amazing creations of Father God who carry unique and needed gifts into our world.

Can we focus on the things we agree upon and work together to build a promising and bountiful future for us and for the generations to come?

Have mercy on us, oh God!

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Theme Song Thursday Twofer

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God Does Whatever He Chooses

Acts 10:44-48 NASB

"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 'Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?'  And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days."

   I LOVE this; according to this passage, Peter did not do an "altar call" or have them repeat the "sinner's prayer." It does not say that these folks confessed their sins or repented before Holy Spirit filled them. Holy Spirit showed up, Peter recognized that these Gentiles had been given the gift of Holy Spirit, which is the evidence of belief in and acceptance of Jesus as Savior & Lord, and then had them baptized in water.

  

  Following Jesus is not a formula or a road or a step-by-step process; it's a relationship from the very beginning. He meets us right where we are.

  

  Now that is wonderfully like our loving, good Father.

  What opportunities do I miss of sharing the Good News because I have a list in my head of what has to happen first? Open my eyes to see You moving so that I can follow You and do my part, Holy Spirit.

  Who are the "Gentiles" of in my sphere of influence that you are sending me to love with Your love? Open my eyes to see them, LORD.

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Theme Song Thursday

This is my prayer this week!



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And From the Archives

Can you guess what this is?

 Ever have one of those days where more than what is possible lands in that day?

 Whilst prepping supper for the masses tonight (it's date night, and I won't be here), I landed in the "way back machine" remembering the days when I scheduled daily time in the kitchen early in the morning for supper prep so that I could be freed up enough to nurse the baby and still have supper ready "on time."  There's a minefield of reasons why this was kinda a problem, but the benefit was that I did manage a fairly consistent supper time every day. That one goal was accomplished.  I am celebrating the personal growth and change that has happened since those days.  And I look forward to more in the days ahead.

  Why am I still the one making supper every night, you may ask?  Changing old eating habits to healthier ones requires certain food prep practices that I am still working on myself.  I do have help many nights with parts of the meals plus much of the prep is fairly easy because protein and slow carbs are the featured components.  Along with those things, I also very much enjoy cooking, usually, so it's another life-giving part of my day.

  What personal growth and/or change can you celebrate today?  I'd love to hear from you.

  BTW, it's a low carb egg casserole, THM S friendly and DELICIOUS!

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Did You Notice?

 This is ONLY for my regular readers and followers. . .ok, the rest of you can read this, also.  I was only teasing.  Who am I to discourage anyone from reading my little ol' blog?

  I chose a different blog template recently; did you notice?  I'd love your thoughts and feedback in regard to it.  I feel like I need change often, so my blog reflects that at times.


And today's random:

  I was grocery shopping this morning, using my re-usable shopping bag horde. The cashier who was waiting on me does NOT like the re-usable shopping bags.  I have been in her "line" before, and each time she comments offhandedly about how she does not like those bags.  Honestly I try to avoid her line because I know it pains her to wait on someone like me.  As far as that goes, I'd rather we both be enjoying the shopping experience as much as possible.  As I could not avoid being in her line (read that as not enough lines open), there I was.  She grudgingly greeted me, and I cheerily replied.  She began listlessly loading my frozen and cold items in one of my freezer bags; "great!" I silently cheered.  After she filled one of my "least of these" bags, I re-positioned my bag o' bags (whilst she was busy and NOT looking) with the other freezer bag on top and my best bags next; in her defense, the "least of these" was the next one in the pile.  I said nothing except cheerful thank-you's as we both endured the process -- me with a smile and her with lips in a grim line.  Then I heard her sadly mutter, "I don't pack these kinds of bags very well." My heart stirred with compassion for her -- silently I released blessings and peace over her.  And I am thankful that I was privileged to be in her line this morning.  She needed me and what I carry of the #Kingdom.  I needed her to stir my compassion and to give away what Jesus gave me.

  Someone once told me that I pick up on lots that is going on in a given situation, which seems to be true.  What I have realized is that I often misinterpret after the observation.  This morning I was reminded that even Paul did not always hear and discern correctly, (it's right there in The Book).  I need Holy Spirit and His gifts soooooo much!  Still a work in progress here:).

So, what do ya think about the new template?

What's your random from today?


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Tag

 Labels are extremely obnoxious, especially when applied to me.

 By "label" I mean "a classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive."

  I felt my frustration bubbling while in conversation with the "customer service" rep.  Because of my "tag," I was being given standard, dead answers.  Needless to say, I left the conversation feeling powerless.  Not a good feeling, AT ALL.

 Upon review, after my frustration subsided, I realized that I, too, participate in this dishonoring practice.  Labeling or tagging gives me permission to dismiss and to give up on.  Is this a Kingdom practice or mindset?

 Graham Cooke challenges us to seek possibilities in these situations.  That's my dot today.  I must discover Kingdom, power-ful possibilities!

 What?  So what?  Now what?  (Thank-you, MB, for sharing that gem with me.)

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An Eclectic Random Thought

  I feel that if I cannot understand a passage or verse of Scripture through the lens of love, then I  do not understand that verse or passage as of yet.  Interpreting Scripture without the revelation of Holy Spirit, who is Love, is not interpretation, but appeasement of our soulish desire to understand.


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Theme Song Thursday

Your Love is better than life!!!


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