Mourning the Irises

God Will Turn Mourning Into Gladness And Sorrow
Into Joy.  Jeremiah 31:13

 

I have been watching as the bright and fragrant blooms of the Irises and the Lily of the Valley have dried and disappeared from my garden, and I am sad. Oh, I know there are still the flowers that I have planted that will last all season long, the roses are growing thicker every year, and the Rose of Sharon has yet to unfold her pink blossoms, but I am mourning the Irises...I always do.

 

 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:8

 

 

 ~Blessings & Love~

Meeting Louis

Jeff and I stopped at a yard sale in an upscale neighborhood after my mammogram Friday where I met a nice lady who introduced me to Louis for the first time.
The picture of the bag is not the same exact one at the yard sale…the picture was from a blog I just happened to land on while blog surfing the next day…but it is the same type of bag. (when stuff like that happens I just know it is God’s way of helping me to know when to do a blog post ;)
I was wondering out loud if it would hold a large laptop. The lady told me she was not sure…then Jeff said it would hold his. I asked him if he would use it or would he feel it looked too girly?
The lady interjected that he would really look stylish with it, to which I replied “maybe in a metro kinda way”.
I didn’t see a tag on it so I asked and she said “seventy five”.
I said, “well for 75 cents I can find some use for it.” I’m sure the lady had to restrain herself from laughing out loud when she corrected me that it was dollars and not cents that she had meant when she said seventy five!
She further justified the price by saying that it was a $ 300 Louis Vuitton!
I guess I’m just a back woods hick, because although the name rang a bell, I just didn’t get it…In my humble opinion carrying a bag that expensive around just says “steal me…and whatever is inside!” No thank you, I will continue to carry my laptop in a canvas tote wrapped in a quilted pillow sham…even though it seemed to embarrass my daughter a little when I took it out at the hotel room…but I like it, LOL!..It’s more me, I guess.

What’s in a name?

Philippians 2:9 says,
“Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and in things in the earth, and things under the earth;
And every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
So, I guess the bag is more valuable than any old ordinary bag because of the name…and likewise, we are more valuable than we used to be…because of the name that we now bear!
Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Tim.2:19)

My name is Lisa, I am a Christian and I just turned 48 years old yesterday….But…
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it.(Rev.2:17)
…I will find out what my true name is someday…And though my earthly body is 48 years old right now…My eternal body, which will be changed, will be ageless. And all because I met Jesus…and compared to Him…Louis is just an old empty bag after all!

How about you? Are you filled with the spirit of the Living God because you have accepted His son Jesus? Or are you still an empty vessel trying to fill your life up with worthless things that have no eternal value at all? There is a stone with your true name written on it waiting for you; aren’t you curious what it says?…Don’t you want to receive a new ageless body, and ask your Creator all those questions that nobody else has an answer for someday?
Confess your sins and God will forgive you, and you will recieve the gift of eternal life when you call upon the name of JESUS!
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12

 

A panda named Boo!

Meet Boo...

This cute little guy has only been with me for a few weeks now. You cannot help but feel good whenever you look into those eyes.
I love Pandas...all bears, really. When I seen him at the store I just had to have him.

Today I awoke with a desire to do more for the Lord, I wanted to talk with him more, to feel his presence even closer...I wanted to feel that Jesus is my home, my life like never before! It wasn't long before He told me what I was to do, and I thought of many excuses not to obey Him.
I even carried on a conversation that went sorta like this:

Me: But I will make them feel even worse, or uncomfortable Lord. I might cry or say something really stupid!

God: Use my words.

Me: Ok, I know what to do, I will find that nice card that I bought so long ago but never gave to anyone yet...It had something about learning to lean on Jesus written on it!

So I searched and I searched and after all these years, the card was nowhere to be found.

Me: I can't do this Lord. I need to clean my room because I should not lose things so easily when I need them!

God: Go ahead...I'll wait.

So I cleaned, and I searched through everything, and then I cleaned some more.

Me: If I don't do this will you still love me? I know I will still be saved. Right?

God: Of course I will. But do you still love me?...Is salvation all you want from me?

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Me: I feel so sick Lord. My hands are shaking and I feel like there is ice crawling up my spine. I can't go there...What if I throw up?

God: They will understand. They are much sicker....and you need to tell them!

God: Take Boo.

Me: Take Boo? Maybe this will be Ok...Ok Lord, Here we go.

God: I will be with you too.

So I put the panda in one pocket and tissues in the other and went where the Lord told me to go...I said the words the Lord told me to say...And yes, I cried. We both did. And Boo made someone smile....But Jesus gave them hope when they heard that He loved them..

...and I did not throw up.

So if God can use a panda named Boo, you know that He can use you too!

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Peter 1:22-23

Lessons about money

‎  
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.   1 Timothy6:10
 
It's been a long week.
  
It's been an interesting week.
  
I was able to witness many different things about people this week; specifically, in relationship to money.
  
There are those who work hard and have just enough, and when faced with the prospect of having more of the things that money can buy, are tempted, and may feel less content, at least for a time.

There are those who work even harder to have more, or because they have more obligations, more bills to pay, they may feel there will never be enough.
   
There are those, who may question God's Word when they read:  "My children will never beg bread"...when it appears that some Christians have had to do just that despite working very hard for their money.
...and when they finally get money that, as anyone would agree, they are entitled to have...they thank God for it, knowing that through perseverance their prayers were answered.

And there are those who are in such desperate need of money that they will lie and cheat in order to get it.
And, according to an older Christian gentleman, there are those who despite knowing the Lord, when they are successful at earning money, money takes the place of God in their life.
  
And then there are those, who when finding a small sum of money on the street, react in one of two ways... They search the container that holds the money for identification in order to return it, or they say:"Finders keepers!" and intend to keep it regardless of whether or not it may be the last few dollars belonging to another...Someone who worked hard for it.
 
Throughout the week I have learned a few things about people, and about myself especially...I learned that I am not immune to the effect that money can have on us...even though we are Christians.
As a couple, we do not have much money, though we have enough. I am content with what we have, and sometimes I even think  that we could live more comfortably with even less things....But, I think we were tested this week...Even though I personally passed some of the tests, I am not at peace with myself because I failed at others...God is not keeping score the same way we do! One win does not cancel out one loss....He expects us to always use the same standard set by Him according to His Holy Word in EVERYTHING we do, taking EVERY thought captive, and being ready ALWAYS to give an account as good stewards...Or as the bible says...walking as children of light...living according to the Spirit of God, and not according to the flesh.
So, although I do not love money, or the things that it can buy...I must say, I hate the way it makes some people behave sometimes...even good people, even Christian people...(Not all good people are Christians, and not all Christian people are always good either! Remember what Jesus taught us: There is none good...no, not one)!
...And I hate the way it [$] makes me feel sometimes too.
But...We are no longer slaves to our sinful nature. We no longer have to walk after the ways of the flesh...No, we are covered (cloaked) with Christ's righteousness...and we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit...So that we are never without an answer about what we ought to always do...Unless we ALLOW the flesh to take control. And making the excuse that ... "After all, I am just human." does not fly, my friend...not if you are a Christian...because, if you are a Christian...you are way more than "just human"!
Your sinful nature was washed clean...No, it was not removed...it is still there doing battle with the Holy spirit inside of you every single day...But, you are given the choice each and every day whether you will listen to, and follow after it...or if you will listen to and follow after the Holy Spirit of God, who will teach and guide you to act and react contrary to what the flesh wants you to do.
Why else do you think the Word of God teaches us to "Renew our minds daily"?

So, I am am really feeling content with all that the Lord has blessed us with, and after learning what I have about myself recently, I can sincerely pray:
...Remove from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?'
Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Psalm 30:8-9 And I might also add:
… Please help me Lord, to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk...Help me to become the kind of Christian that my blog friends think I am...or even better:...the kind of Christian that YOU want me to be! ~In Jesus, Amen~

We did have a nice time… Good family time spent with our daughter and her friends in Indiana, as well as some time with our youngest and her husband here at home yesterday.
All in all, it is good to be back home. I did have one pretty major panic attack though. It was in a bookstore…turned out, it was a pagan bookstore. It felt as though a wall came up around me preventing me from going further inside,  My husband asked me “Do you need to leave?”… to which I answered “we need to get the he_ _ out of here!” I grabbed our daughter and I nearly ran into a man in a wheelchair on the sidewalk outside of the store. I joked with him about nearly running him over…but I was in full panic mode by that time…sick out there on the busy city street of Lafayette.
That will teach me to wander blindly into an open doorway again; but I was awed by the power of God to build up a hedge of protection around us…Yes, that last sentence carries a lot of spiritual weight doesn’t it?
Many people may not know that I am a mild agoraphobic. You might say that I am a ‘functional’ agoraphobic who likes to hike in nature once in awhile, but for the most part, I am only comfortable enclosed within the walls of my home environment…I have always been this way…this is who I am, and I am OK with it, but not everyone may be comfortable with it, after all, it is kinda weird. But it is alright to be kinda weird, as long as you are doing whatever God is calling you to do, with whatever you have been given, wherever you may be… and you have peace in your heart.
So, when I returned home, I was exhausted and vowed that I would not leave my house for several days…except the next day we had to do the shopping and run an errand with our daughter and SIL…We even ended up at the mall… NOT my favorite place! Well, I got home and said out loud to the Lord: “Lord, I just don’t function very well out there in the world do I?!”
And, then I was reminded that I have a calling, a mission field, if you will…and my unique circumstances make it perfect for me to fulfill God’s call in my life…and when I need to get back out there in the big old world, God will equip me to do just that, wherever and whenever it may be…But for right now, today…I am happy, happy, happy to be writing at my little desk in my little bedroom…words that can travel across the continents of this big old world!

From my computer to yours, & from my heart’s home to yours:

~God bless you~

& remember, we are…

~NEVER FORSAKEN~