SAY

Does every word that you say glorify God, is it true, does it build someone up, or teach them? Those are some questions to ask yourself before you say anything. All the words that come from my mouth should glorify God first and foremost. If they don't I should not utter them. They should be true, as far as I know it but then if I don't know something to be true or if it is true but will hurt someone I should keep them to myself. Are the words I am about to say going to build a person up or teach them or are they going to hurt them and cause them to fall. I try really hard to be kind, and say only the things that need to be said, I don't accomplish this many time, I do try!

The thing is I think, people forget that the words they type on a computer or a phone are words that were spoken. As you thought them they came out just as if you had said them. Should you voice, type, or say everything you think? The Bible says, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalms 19:14

Lord help me to let this be true in my life. Lead me to say the things you would have me to say and do the things that I should do.

The Quote:

"Before you speak ask yourself: Is it kind, is it necessary, it is true, does it improve upon the silence?" ~ Shirdi Sai Baba

The Drawing:

EMPTY

Well, today my "nest" will be empty again. I have had my daughter here for 2 months, part of that time I was away, but I still knew she was home. She goes back to the North today. Every time she leaves it breaks my heart, I love to have her near. She lives so far away and if something happened to her I can not get to her fast enough.

My wish is and has always been her happiness. I want her to be happy and loved and she says she is, that is all that matters. I want her to build a home that is Godly and full of hope, love, and laughter. I want God to be the center of her life and when He is then everything else will fall into place.

It is my prayer that she and her boyfriend have a safe trip to their home and always know that this is their home too. That God will bless them and lead them in the decisions they need to make.

The Quote:

"If you love someone set them free, if they return they are yours. If they don't return they never were."

The Drawing:

 

RELIEVED

Life can make us so fearful, anxious and stressed. I knew from the beginning of the plans for the trip to Croatia that I would have to make a presentation when I returned. I would have to field questions about all sorts of things. I began being anxious and fearful of that from the beginning. I do not like to speak I have said that before. Now, I am glad it is finished (I hope) at least for this trip.

If I follow my heart and God allows me to continue to go to Croatia. I will have to speak more often, before and after my trips. I never want to get so used to speaking that it becomes mechanical, that I do it with out the leading of God. God does not give the spirit of fear and anxiety, although I believe if we want to speak God's Story, like I did in these presentation the Devil will cause us a lot of problems. For the moment I am relieved that the speaking times are over!

The Quote: I could not find a fitting quote so I am using the definition in my words.

"Relieved: to feel less stressed and anxious about something."

The Drawing:

CENTER

Center is important in many ways. Knowing where you center is makes life easier.

Center of Gravity is an important thing to remember in doing many things. Like sports, if a football player does not know about his center of gravity he will possibly end up on his behind or flat out on his face more than he is standing. Center of gravity is what keeps you balanced, it helps you to stand when something wishes to make you fall.

Center point is the point at the center of a thing, a circle, a city, a thought, and an idea. There is always something at the center.

We have lives that are centered around many things also; our families, our jobs, our recreation, and many others. Living with your life focused on something is good, is it the right something? Do we stay so focused on that one thing that nothing else matters?

There is one thing that I wish to be centered on, because if I am then everything else will fall into place. I want my center of gravity to be God, my Center point to be God, I want God at the center of who I am. If I allow Him that spot in my life, my thoughts, my actions, and my words, then my life will be better for it. I do not always have Him in the center of my life, hence the reason I get depressed, sad, frustrated, and lonely. Then sometimes He allows me to have those feelings to remind me that I am vulnerable, and I need Him.

Lord, I pray that I can keep my center focused on you and allow you to control my life. I do not want to be off balance, or have my center point to be skewed. Help me to keep you at my center.

The Quote:

"I teach people that no matter what the situation is, no matter how much drama is around you, you can heal your presence if you just stay within your center." ~Deepak Chopra

The Drawing:

WORSHIP

We were created to love and worship God. When God created humans he was looking for some one to talk to, to spend time with. Yes, He had the archangels, and all the other angels, they worship God because they have no free will, and when some exercised a "will" they became prideful and believed they better were than God, that they were God. So man was created, God gave this creature the ability to desire to worship and communicate with Him. I don't believe the fall of Adam happened right away, I think Adam enjoyed many days, maybe years of living in the presence of God. Besides Time was probably not even a real issue at that point, since man was not "dying" yet.

All creation great and small was created to worship God. I believe everything we do is supposed to be worship, the words we say, the thoughts we think and the actions we act on. All of it is a form of worship, and it is supposed to honor and glorify God. When man fails to worship the creator then even the rocks will cry out. (Luke 19:40) I do not want a rock to cry out to the glory of my God because I won't. Does everything I do, say, or think glorify and honor Him, NO! It is my prayer that I could totally worship Him, and guess what when I get to heaven I will!

Lord help me to strive to worship you in spirit and truth with all that I do. Let my life be a sweet offering to you.

The Quote:

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." ~Luke 4:24

The Drawing:

MAGIC

Yesterday, I told how I was to speak at my Father's Church about the trip to Croatia. I said that Satan was on my heals trying to discourage me and make the presentation a flop. Every time I tried to view my PowerPoint or movie before the presentation they would be messed up in some way.  A picture would be missing, or the PowerPoint would not advance, or the movie had no sound. It was frustrating to no end. It was hard not to let Satan have the upper hand. Even to the very last second before I was to present he was trying to cause me to take my eyes off of God, the reason I was doing what I was doing.

Then as if by Magic, while I was speaking about God's Story... The slides worked perfectly, the sound was playing on my movie and my fear turned to peace. There was a rough patch during the movie (I was supposed to sing and messed up) that was overcome when I closed my eyes and pictured the one I was singing about, Jesus.

I believe God was right there with me this whole time and all the time. While I was battling with my fears, depression, and faults He was trying to get close to me and protect me from those fiery darts. Satan seemed to have the upper hand, and then God said Dude "BACK_OFF!" she IS telling My story! It wasn't really by Magic.... it was almighty power, strength, truth, love, and presence!

Thank-you Lord for helping me through last night and ever day of my life. You always are there for me even when I don't deserved to be help you help me anyway, Thanks!

The Quote:

"There is some magic in truth and honesty and openness." ~Frank Ocean

The Drawing:

 

NERVOUS

Today, I travel to my father's church, there giving a presentation about the trip to Croatia and the work God did there. I have to give another presentation on Sunday evening at my church. I am nervous to say the least. I do not like to speak in front of people, I get flustered and off track, I would never make a good preacher.

You may be thinking but you are a teacher, you speak everyday to people, what is the difference? There is a big difference in speaking to children and speaking to adults. Also, on the first day of my classes, I am nervous. Even teaching Sunday School I get nervous, if it weren't for prayer and studying I would probably not make it through those classes. Public speaking is different, I still study, prepare, and pray before those times, I am just more nervous. I don't think there has been a time when I have ever calmed down as I spoke. I stay nervous all through the "speech." It has a lot to do with wanting to impart truth not speculation. I believe what I have prepared for this presentation is the truth, so I shouldn't be nervous, I am...

God, you do not give us a spirit of fear, you give us power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). I pray that today (and Sunday) you will help me to present the truth. To tell your story the way you want it told. Thank you for you strength and love.

The Quote:

"Anything you can suck at should make you nervous." ~Chris Rock

The Drawing:

 

STAND

The Quote:

"So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, whats lost can be found
You stand in the rain"

This song says a lot about standing. Right now I am standing and I plan to continue to stand. Even if the shadows are following me and it seems everything will come crashing down. I will stand. Even when I refuse to cry and give in to the tears, I will stand. I am in a battle with self, the one that loves, cares, and wish good for everyone even when they treat me less than right, and the one that wants to get even. The one that knows what good is and the one that wants to forget all that is right. The only way out is to stand and go through the mess that is around me. I need to stand, the great news is I DON'T STAND ALONE!  Jesus is right here with me. I may have a hard time feeling Him or believing He is there, I know He is!

Now, I have come to realize that Satan wants to give me a defeated spirit so that when I talk about all that God did in Croatia, I will not be believed. He has found a way to defeat me and I have to stand my ground against him and tell him to just go away in Jesus name! I am trying... God did marvelous things in Croatia, He would have done them even if I was not there.... I am so glad I was able to be part of HIS story.

Now, Lord, please help me to stand against the fiery darts that Satan is sending my way. Help me to give it all to you and stand up! Thank-you now for every victory!

The Drawing:

The Song

CARES

Have you every had a day when nothing seemed to go right? The work you tried to accomplish was wrong, the words that came from your mouth were misunderstood, everything seemed wrong in your life. It is on those days when I mostly just want to be left alone, yet not really. They say talking about the problems you are facing will help you through them. Most of the time though I really don't want to talk about them, I don't want to burden anyone else. 

It is times like these when a good friend is helpful. One that can help you get your mind off of the issues for a while even if they come back later. Some people look to alcohol or drugs for this comfort, yes they cover up the pain and the problems for a bit sometimes, they do not do what a friend can do. A friend can care for you, listen to you without hearing the problems. Talk about something else to get those issues off your mind. Look at photos and tell stories, even laugh and make you laugh. The problems don't go away, they are still there, but the one who cared enough to be a friend made them seem to vanish for a time.

Jesus can be that friend when your earthly ones just aren't available or willing to help. I have found that telling Jesus my problems helps, and He cares for me like no other person does. Sometimes I forget this, and I brood or keep everything bottled up until it gets to an explosive state in my life. Then I usually cause more problems. Jesus is there all the way and if I remember to talk to Him and ask for His guidance in the matters things always get better. They may not be perfect still, nothing in this life is perfect this is earth. They get better and usually get resolved quicker. 

Thank you Jesus for always being the friend that sticks closer than a brother, and thank-you for giving my friends who care for me. I pray that I can be a friend to them in the same way. 

The Quote:

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." ~I Peter 5:6-7 

The Drawing:

INSECURITY

Have you ever been insecure, feeling like you just aren't able to do or say the right things. That everything you touch will turn to rumble. That you can't possible be a useful person or that everyone is out to get you. I feel that way sometimes, actually more than I would like to admit. I think if we were honest we all feel that way at times.

When I saw the quote for today I was wondering how that works together. I have to say I am not sure how a lack of transparency results in distrust and insecurity. If I put my thought, feelings, myself out there for someone else to see and they stomp on it... it seems that would lead to more distrust and insecurity. I have been there, it is not fun and I am sure we all have. I mean writing this blog and my other one, I have been pretty transparent, I have opened up here and let people see a lot of what I believe, and who I am. So why then am I still feeling insecure, could it be that my faith is wavering, or that some issues that I have come face to face with in the past week are troubling me.

I know that I need to let God help me through the times of insecurities and when I get to the other side I will be a better person for having dealt with them. It is hard to push through, to pray through, to step out and move on. Has writing this and being transparent in a way helped, maybe only time will tell.

The Quote:

"A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity." ~Dalai Lama 

The Drawing:

SUBSTANCE

Substance is essential nature; a fundamental or characteristic part or quality; practical importance. We all have substance physically. We are made up of various parts that make us whole and give us substance. There is a non-physical aspect of this word that I want to talk about today.

Our lives are also made up of attitudes, desires, actions, thoughts, and so much more. We are 3 parts body. soul, and spirit. We must have substance in each of those areas. There are times when we need to just chill to relax, maybe to be mindless that allows our bodies time to heal and recuperate from the daily grind. The other times we need for what we think, say, and do to have substance. We need to think thoughts that are good, and lead us to say or do things that are right. We need to say what we mean and mean what we say. And we need to do things that enhance our lives and the lives of others. We need to have substance, the things we think, the words we say, the actions we take need to have meaning.

Lord help me to be a person of substance. Let every thought I think, every word I say, and every action I take be meaningful and glorify you.

The Quote:

"We must look for ways to be an active force in our own lives. We must take charge of our own destinies, design a life of substance and truly begin to live our dreams" ~Les Brown

The Drawing:

SVRHA - PURPOSE

"Što je svrha mog života?" "What is the purpose of my life?"

Every person on earth has a purpose. What is the purpose of my life? Of your life? That is a question everyone asks at least once in their life, maybe more. The question is a right of passage of sorts for most young people, as we age we ask it when we start new relationships or jobs, or when a loved one dies. Where do we find the answer to this question?

The times that I have asked myself this question I look to God for the answer. Then the question changes to "Znaš li ti svrhu mojeg života?" "Do you know the purpose of my life?" You know He does! He has a plan and a purpose for us all. That plan or purpose may not be the same as ours. We may not like what God has for our lives because along the way there will most definitely be trials and problems. We may even fail a few test along the way (paper test and spiritual test), God had all that worked into His plan for our lives. He knows every step we take before we take it and He allows us to walk away from His perfect purpose for our lives to helps us grow in His grace and mercy. So if you don't know the purpose of your life, or you are questioning yourself about what you want it to be. Ask God... He is listening, He is there, He will show you...

Now, what is the purpose of my life? (Što je svrha mog života?) I am still working all of it out. I do know that God wants me to love others more than I love myself, to help those in need, and to reach out to the hurting. I know He wants me to give my whole life to Him and be willing to do anything He sets before me. The next question is... "Am I willing to do that?" (Jesam li spremna za to?)

God, I pray that you will show me the purpose you have for my life. I know there will be problems and tests along the way and I may fail them terribly, give me the strength to get back up, dust myself off and go forward. Help me to be willing to do anything you put before me.

You may be wondering why I am using Croatian and English. I asked a friend to help me with a word for this blog today. She is Croatian and so I am using a little of both. Thank Ines!

The Quote:

"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

"Za sve ima svoje doba, i vrijeme za svaku svrhu pod nebom." ~ Propovjednik 3:1 

The Drawing:

FRIENDS

The Quote:

"Make new friends, but keep the old one is silver and the other gold." 

This song has been part of my life since I was in girl scouts many, many years ago. We sang it at almost every meeting I think. I hold it as a life truth, we should make new friends but not neglect the ones we have.

I have many friends some I talk to daily, some not as often. Some are work friends and some are life friends. I have friends who I call on when I am in need and those that call on me when they are in need. Friendship is an important part of life, with out friends life would be just a little boring I think. The bible says many things about friendship. Today in reading Proverbs 18 verse 24 was there; "A man who has friends must show himself friendly, But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." This is one of the verses that I have memorized over the years. It also means a lot to me.

Jesus is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Don't misunderstand, friends here on earth can be close as brothers, the thing is they will let you down. Jesus never will, even if it seems as though He has. When I feel this way it is usually me who has let Jesus down or rather walked away from Him. Jesus is a friend that I want to spend time with everyday, just like my friends in the physical realm I want to talk to him, and share issues, problems, thoughts, and laugh too.

I made some new friends on my trip to Croatia, and hope that we can keep in touch through out the rest of this life and into eternity. My "old" friends, you are all very special to me too, and I am glad we are friends. I have cherished each and every one of you and will continue to for all eternity. I am so thankful God has given me the friends that I have. I am thankful for my Best friend Jesus, who laid down His life for me and everyone who has ever and will ever live!

The Drawing:

CHANGE

Yes again....

Life is continually changing and we have to learn to go with the flows of change or to stand in one place and let life pass us by. There are many people in this world who have stood still and it is those who tend to be unhappy. Change is hard and it takes a lot of work to stay positive, to work and pray through the fears and uncertainties. There is one thing that can get me through times of change that blow my perspective out of sync with what I think life should be. I look to God who is unshaken by the changes of the world I live in. He is always the same and will always be there if I need Him! He sends people my way to help me, or gives me the strength to bear it all by myself!

Thanks God for not allowing things to go beyond what I can bear and being unshaken by the things of this world.

The Quote:

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as in common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." ~I Corinthians 10:13

The Drawing:

Extra: Unshaken by Attaboy

WISDOM

I am repeating words again I am sure. It is ok, there is a lot to be said about many words, and repetition helps us to learn.

I believe Mother Teresa was a very wise woman, I hope to meet her in heaven. That is why today I will let the quote from her be my blog. It spoke volumes to me and I hope you will get something from it also.

The Quote:

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” ~Mother Teresa

 The Drawing:

THE WAY

Jesus spent a lot of time with all kinds of people. These people had all kinds of problems, ailments, fears, pain, and sins. Jesus was the only way out for each of those people no matter what the issue was that they had.

For the Samaritan woman at the well, He had living water that would allow her to never thirst again for things to satisfy her that were not good for her. He knew she was living in sin even before she met Him, she never had to tell Him a thing about herself, yet He asked her anyway. She freely offered to Him the fact that she was a sinner, that day she ran to the town and told all who lived there what this man had done for her. Her baggage of a life of sin was dropped at His feet and she will never thirst again.

Lazarus was dead, and had been for 4 days. Can you imagine how much he smelled. He was starting to decay, like all of us are in our sins, carrying the baggage of old grave clothes and the stink of this world. Jesus lifted him up and brought him back to life with just a word. He had the people unwrap him from his grave clothes, and all the junk of the grave were left at the feet of Jesus. 

The guy with palsy had friends who knew Jesus was the only answer for their friend. So like good friends found a way to get their sick friend to Jesus, and Jesus in all His love and compassion stopped talking to the crowd to heal the man. The man left his baggage of illness there at Jesus' feet and carried His bed as he walked out of the room.

On and on the stories go in the bible. People reached out and just touched Jesus and their troubles fell away. Today, Jesus is the for each of us to drop our baggage at His feet... to use His provision for healing and cleansing provided by the cross to "cross" the canyon of despair and eternal separation. In Jesus' life he healed, cleansed, comforted, and lifted people up from the troubles, sicknesses, and sins of the world. He can do the same for you if you let Him, His compassion can reach from the cross to today and help you drop the burden of your baggage. All you have to do is believe He can and will do that for you. 

The Quote:

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

The Drawing:

 

MEDIATOR

Have you ever had a time in your life when you could not talk to someone without a mediator, someone to smooth out the edges and keep everyone calm.  Most of the time I tend to handle the situation myself face to face, if the situation can not be worked out then I usually just forget about dealing with it. The later option usually causes problems.

In our spiritual lives we because of sin can not approach the throne of God without a mediator. That is why Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell in our heart, spirit, and soul.  He makes intercession with Jesus who approaches God with our prayers. The Holy Spirit knows our thoughts and prayers better than we do... he interprets what we have to say, what our desires are, and our needs.

I thank God that this interaction between us and Him is not like the game we used to play where one person whispers a message to a person who whispers to the next and the next.... at the end the message is usually all messed up and really silly. The Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God never mess the messages up! If we throw someone else in the mix things may get messed up.

It is okay to ask someone to pray for you, I like to always give and get specifics when possible so that no mistakes are made. I know that if I am praying with the proper attitude the Holy Spirit will get it right! Thank God! Because if it was left up to me to get it right I would fail every time!

Thank-you God for giving us the ability to pray to you and that you always hear it and know exactly what we are asking because your Spirit and Son make intercession for us!

The Quote:

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus," ~I Timothy 2:5

The Drawing:

ANTS

For some reason ants have interested me many times in my life. I love to watch them go about their daily lives, carrying loads that would be to hard for us to carry.

Yesterday was no different. As I was sitting outside praying, I saw an ant carrying something much larger than he was. It was headed in a direction that took it by my foot, which was obviously the only way it knew to go. My foot was in its path and so it just turned in circles until I raised my foot so it could go on the path it wanted to go.

That ant started me to wonder, as they do many times, that we are a lot like ants. We get head strong in the path we want to go, we could care less about who our decision effect and how. We march on and on until we get where we want to go. Then we come to a place in our path, and we circle and circle until the blockage moves, we don't even attempt to find another way because we have blinders on. We don't even care that that might be God, telling us we are on the wrong path. We have the gall to wait even until He moves.

Then as God in is divine wisdom often does, he showed me that I was on the right track. This morning while reading "The Circle Maker" it was about the same principle. God puts blocks in our way to make us turn around and take a different path. In the book, Mark Batterson use Balaam and His talking donkey to describe the same idea. Balaam was ready to kill the donkey for stopping when it was God who was in the way all the time. The donkey was paying attention to the signs, Balaam was head strong.

So we need to be like hard working ants in the respect of how they work. Yet be less like them in the respect of having a one track mind!

The Quote:

"The Ant's Marching Song. The ants go marching one by one, Hurrah!! Hurrah!!"

The Drawing:

WET

This has come up before and will come up again.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

In this verse faith, we know that everything we do in life, the choices we make take a step of faith. This verse is described as reaching out to grab what isn't seen something that isn't tangible, yet there are two words that imply something is physical, tangible. Substance implies something that can be touched or is physical, and evidence is something that is physical; in a trial you must have evidence of quilt to prove someone is guilty of a crime, without evidence there is no crime.

I was reading in "The Circle Maker" this morning about "Wet Feet". The idiom is "getting your feet wet" which implies you must take a step toward something, to physically step out in faith. Putting substance and evidence to the faith that moves mountains. In this feeble mind of mine I do believe that God wants us to step out, to get our feet wet in what He has for us to do!

The Quote:

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." ~Lao-Tzu

The Drawing: