Prepared

Today, the bible reading was from Genesis 6-7, I know most people know this story. God saw the way man was living on the earth and corrupting His creations, He couldn't watch anymore. He was going to end it all and start over. Then He remembered Noah, that he was righteous and found favor in His eyes.

Noah was told to prepare for a flood. I am sure he was afraid, he had never seen rain before, much less a flood. Noah was told to build an ark. I am not sure what Noah's profession was, yet he did as He was told. It doesn't say if he had any help,  he did all he was told. He made the ark to God's specifications, he gathered the food he was told to gather. God sent the animals in the numbers He wanted on the ark. There were two of every kind of animal, male and female. There were 5 extra of all the clean animals. 

Noah was prepared, because he believed and had faith that God was God. He believed that He would be saved from the destruction. He prepared the ark, He prepared the food, and He believed His God. I think the most important part of Noah's preparation was his belief, his trust. One ounce of doubt could have been the difference in the salvation of his family and their destruction. I am glad that Noah had the faith and the ability to do all God told him to do. 

Today is my last day off. I go back to the "grind" of my job. Teaching is a wonderful profession and I am prepared to do my job. It is not as easy as some would say. I have to be prepared every day to do my job, mentally, physically, and emotionally. There is Spiritual part that I always prepare for also, because the devil can be so cunning and can catch me off guard if I am not careful. 

So I have prepared, my lesson plans are written, my lunches are prepared and in the freezer, and I think I am ready to face what ever may come my way in the months ahead. I will read my Bible and talk to my Lord and Savior everyday. I will pray for myself, my co-workers, and all the kids. This will be a good year, I am prepared. 

Thank-you Lord for helping me to prepare for the job you have given me. Thank you for the little lives and minds, you have entrusted to my care. Help me to be the teacher you would have me to be. Amen! 

Garden

 "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Genesis 3:8 

Every year, I try to read the bible through, last year I read all but Revelations, I got a little behind. This year the church I attend is reading through using "Daily Walk" magazine. Today, the reading was from Genesis 3-5. 

As I was reading the scripture above I thought of one of my favorite hymns, "In the Garden" here are the words if you are not familiar with it...

"I come to the garden alone,

1. While the dew is still on the roses,
   And the voice I hear falling on my ear
   The Son of God discloses.
   • Refrain:
     And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
     And He tells me I am His own;
     And the joy we share as we tarry there,
     None other has ever known.
2. He speaks, and the sound of His voice
   Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
   And the melody that He gave to me
   Within my heart is ringing.
3. I’d stay in the garden with Him,
   Though the night around me be falling,
   But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
   His voice to me is calling."
4. The scene in the garden on the day in Genesis 3 made me think of this song. I believe that up until the two were made to leave the Garden, their walks with God were like this song. It was peaceful and calm, no problems, nothing to fear, and a serene atmosphere of love, joy, and wonder. 
5. Today, and ever since that time we (humanity) has longed for that peace and comfort. We have tried to tame the earth and produce gardens that mimic the one the LORD God created. Ours pale in comparison to the Garden God walked in. Although, even though it is not the same, He is there all the while, longing for the sweet companionship with His creation. He longs to walk and talk with us. He wants to hold us and guide us. 
6. I like to walk through gardens, and quiet wooded areas. At those times I can almost feel the presence of God walking right beside me. I can hear His voice telling me what He wants me to know. 
7. Lord, today and everyday let me find tie to enter a garden. Even if it is just in the solitude of meditation. Help make the time to hear you speak and to feel you gentle guiding me in the way to go. Thank-you Lord for your love. Amen 
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Beginning

"In the beginning God...." Genesis 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word...." John 1:1
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...." Proverbs 1:7

Today, is the beginning of the New Year.... It is the beginning of this "new" blog....

As I am beginning this "new" blog I want so much to try and remain positive. So as I am counting my many blessings I have had in years past and looking forward to the overflowing of blessings to come in this new year.

I think of what God did in the beginning of time as we know it.... He created!!! He created many beautiful things, the sun, the moon, the stars, the sky, birds, animals, plants, man, and woman.... The wonder and beauty of all His creations amaze me every day. I am so glad He gave me the will to create also. Even though my creativity could never be as beautiful as His. I love to create and I know He gets joy out of seeing the things I create. Thank-you God for my desire to create.

In the beginning was the Word... Jesus! He was there helping to create the universe. He was there and all the while knew all that would take place. How He would have to save mankind that He created. I am so thankful that He did. Because He did I can live eternally with Him. Thank you Jesus!

Thank-you Lord for letting me know you. For helping me have a healthy fear of you. Verses like the one from Proverbs sometimes gives people the wrong idea. This fear is the same as a child's fear of their parents, or an employee's fear of their boss. If you do something wrong you will be punished, right? It is the same with God, that is why I fear Him, it helps me to stay on the right path. I am not afraid He will hurt me, or that he is mean and vindictive. I believe he loves me as a parent and if I stray he will correct me.... this healthy fear of him is the beginning of knowledge. Thank-you Lord for this fear.

So it begins.... Lord, I pray you will be part of this process from now till the end, thank-you know for all you have, are, and will do for me in this new year! Amen!

Thinking Outloud

Today, I revisited the idea of my blog and how it has allowed me to grow in various ways.

I think I need to go back to what I was doing when I first started this blog... a word, a quote or scripture, and a drawing daily (or almost daily).  Again, these will be portable, easily stored, and relatively cheap.

Over the past few years I have learned a lot about mixed media and art; I hope that I will be able to bring that into this process.

It is hard to come up with words for everyday.... and many times I repeat myself.  There are a lot of lists out there like:

One Word Art Journaling Prompts
365 Creative Writing Prompts
Words that Describe People
Positive Adjectives to Describe People
Words that Inspire

I am not sure how the word I choose each day will be found. I pray God will be in this giving me a word to share that will uplift myself, others, and give Him glory!

Now, I would like to invite anyone who wishes to join me to please do so. Follow me openly or participate in your own corner of the world. I hope this will be a meaningful experience, as it was before. So beginning January 1st, for hopefully, 365 days, I will be sharing a word, a quote or scripture, a thought, and a "drawing" a day.

A Change

While studying today I realized again how very special the Word of God is and why it holds so much meaning for me.

I am studying the book of Esther along with some other women and technically with Beth Moore since it is her bible study. I am behind in my daily lessons because I simply forgot them with all the busyness I had this past week. Now I am trying to catch up. Anyway, this lesson I am on is about Esther 4:4-8...

"4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called Hathach,one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. 7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people."

The portion that stood out to me was the discussion about verse 4. Esther sends Mordecia clothes and he refused them. There is speculation as to why she did this... I felt being Queen and Mordecia being her guardian she was embarrassed by him. The book said maybe she wanted him to change so he could come see her, he couldn't as he was dressed.

Beth Moore explains that sackcloth and ashes were a way to make a person humble and as one who is dead. It is a noticeable change in status and state. It was a form of repentance. She said, "He needed more than a change of clothes." All the Jewish people there did.... and another statement was "Most of our problems are a world deeper than our appearance." That made me think of a song and one specific lyric in it... God's gotta change her heart before he changes her shirt." (Casting Crowns, What this World Needs).

Too many times we want to change the way someone looks on the outside, so they will feel better on the inside. It doesn't work that way. You have to change the inside to make the outside look better. We tell people who are sad or depressed, "smile, it will make it better". When that really won't help or if it does it is a temporary fix.

I want to be someone who gets this and doesn't look on the outward appearance... I want to see the heart of the matter. I want to be a catalysis of change that God can use in myself and others. I need a change of heart :)

Casting Crowns Song

Life is a Jigsaw Puzzle

Life is like a jigsaw puzzle. It starts out with all the pieces a jumble… then slowly and with a lot of work the pieces start fitting together. One person comes into our lives as another leaves, we do some good in our lives and we make some mistakes. Bad things happen but those pieces are just as important as the good things. They are pieces that without them the finished puzzle would have holes and not be what it should be.

Little by little the pieces come together, we can see parts forming an image, while some places we still have no idea what it will be. There are other areas that haven’t even started to come together. There are times we think we will never get it finished. Years and years we strive to fit the pieces together. At times we even try to force them together because we just know that piece goes there…. But it doesn't. When we realize that, it makes putting the piece where it belongs so much easier.

Then one day, the last day, the final pieces falls in to place, unfortunately we will not be able to see its beauty, as a finished portray. We will leave it for others to behold. It will be our legacy, it will be who the world remembers us as.

I wonder what my finished puzzle will look like. Will it be something everyone will want to see? Or a jumbled mess with torn and ragged pieces no one will want to behold? 

Art Journal Page for Inspiration Wednesday 2015

Because this is Me!

Let me tell you who I am...

I am a Christian, a believer, I love with my whole being, and I get hurt easily because of it. God called me out long ago to be different, set apart. Now, to some I am just weird and have strange values, they are the things God has impressed on me.

I became a Christian in July 6th, 1972... that is the day I gave Jesus my heart. It wasn't till much later that I gave Him my life... see I believe there is a difference. many people believe and have given Jesus their hearts and allowed them to be their Savior but they haven't made Him Lord.

I have not always kept Him as Lord as someone very dear to me pointed out a couple of weeks ago and I agree... I didn't.... Now I am trying to live my life for Him.

With all that said let me go the direction I need to go with this...

Many years ago on January 9, 1977 I was in a bad car wreck. This was my senior year in High School. I have many scars because of this wreck physical and emotional. I have no idea what happen, all I know is I was hurt badly and was unconscious for several days.

One of my scars is on my face. At this current time in my life it is mostly unnoticeable because I am over weight. When I am thinner it is more noticeable. My mother wanted me to wear some heavy makeup to cover the scar. I did not want too. I believe at that time God gave me the reason for not wearing the makeup and I still do this day. My mother wanted to hide my scar, my "ugliness"... I believed if people didn't like it and wanted me to cover it up then they didn't really like who I was. I do not wear makeup, I don't need it (I know some people disagree). No, I am not always happy with my looks but guess what God made me, I don't want to cover that up. I don't like makeup, because it is not me!

Then there is the issued with my hair. I have been told so many times by people, who mean well, that I need to color my hair or cut it or whatever... I like my hair long, I like the color of my hair... I did color it once because I gave into the "badgering". It took me over a year to get it fixed... the coloring ruined the texture of my hair and yes it was done by a beautician. God made me, He made my hair.... cut and color is not going to change who I am.... it is not me!

My weight as I said is also an issue... yes I am working on it... people just don't know how much it hurts to hear some of the comments like.... "you're a vegetarian? why are you so fat?" It is hard enough to hear my doctor belittle me.... I am big (right now) but I am trying to lose... but guess what...I am me and God made me....

So to the people who mean well by telling someone what they should do with their hair, weight or makeup... think first, those outward things are not going to change who is on the inside and if it does then that person is probably not very strong. If you wear makeup or cut and color your hair that is great... I am glad you have the freedom to do what you want to do.... And so do I...

you can like me because I am me.... or well.... I still love you :)