A New Years Spring Cleaning - yep, in January :)

     Along with the New Year comes thoughts of New Years Resolutions.  Although I think it quite silly to wait until January 1st to decide to make changes in your life that may have been much needed months ago...might as well embrace the fact that January 1, 2011 is really upon us.  So what does it mean for you??  Anything?  I admit that I usually ignore the whole "New Years Resolution Madness" just for the mere fact of the reason I stated above.  This year however, I feel something different in my spirit.  Something that is drawing me to "cleanse" in many areas of my life.  A type of "cleanse" that will prepare me for the season I am entering in to.  Although I am unsure of what that will entail, I do know that I need to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and embrace it.  It reminds me a bit of "nesting" that ever woman seems to go through toward the end of her pregnancy to prepare for the birth of the baby.  Much of that cleansing has to do with the house, baby's room, laundry etc...  This to me entails some cleansing pertaining to my home, but also of things in my life...a spiritual cleansing.  A cleansing that will have eternal influence.
While one cleans out their closets, rooms etc.... Spring cleaning, while worth the effort will only last a season while spiritual cleansing is eternal.  So while you are cleaning out the crud in your house, also get ready for a spiritual cleansing.
     The Bible encourages us to get closer to God  and to allow yourself to be cleansed....our hearts and our bodies.  We cannot cleanse ourselves, only God can do that kind of cleansing.
     ** Hebrews 10:22
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
     **Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

      Spiritual cleansing goes deeper than what anyone can see and hear, it is a deep cleaning, a cleansing from inside to out. This means not only cleaning up your language, but the negative talk and pessimistic thoughts that contradict the Word of God and faith. This includes the challenge to stop complaining.
**Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or arguing"
**Luke 6:45  The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

     Its time to renew our minds on a daily basis.  Get the garbage out and start feeding your mind and spirits with the Word of God instead of the worlds garbage. 
**Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Time to take out the garbage!!! :)

     Its time to clean out our spiritual closets and get rid of old baggage by repenting of hidden sin and and releasing unforgiveness and bitterness that will weigh you down and hinder your life.
   **Hebrews 12:1
Therefore ... let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress...
**Ephesians 4:31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

ITS NOT ABOUT RELIGION, ITS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP!!!
  I get called "religious" all the time  from people who may mean well, but don't get anything about my relationship with Christ, and makes me sad.  Being a Christian is not about the "religion" its all about the relationship with Christ. What God wants most from you is relationship - friendship. He wants to be involved in the big and small moments of your life. Open your life, let the light of God's presence shine into every part, and you'll have no need for a yearly spiritual cleaning. Instead experience daily, moment to moment refreshing of your spirit.
**1 Corinthians 1:9  God ... is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
**Psalm 56:13   For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light

May you be blessed by this new year and begin the year with a renewing of you spirit and your mind and shaking away the junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.  God Bless you in 2011!!  Happy New Year!!

Merry CHRISTmas!!

     As I finished up my Christmas shopping tonight and headed down the road to home,  a Christmas song by Michael Buble - "I'll Be Home For Christmas" came on the radio.  It got me thinking of Christmas memories as a child.  I remember traveling to see family to celebrate, laying in bed seeing the Christmas light decorations outside though my window, seeing the red lights of the radio towers and pretending it was Rudolph's nose.  I also remember getting my first portable AM/FM radio and listening to it every chance I got.  I have so many stories from so many different Christmas's..each different with each changing season of my life.  Different events, gifts, decorations, etc..... all providing lasting memories most of which were good.     
     No matter how much you change Christmas and the things associated with it, there is ONE thing you cannot change no matter what...its what makes Christmas CHRISTmas. (Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever).  Its Christ and His birth, the whole reason we celebrate.  You can commercialize it however you want but the bottom line is that without CHRIST, it would just be "mas". You can even try and change the name by wishing people "Happy Holidays" but it doesn't change the reason the whole day even exists.    JESUS is the reason for the season, lets not forget it.

Here is the story of Christmas: 
References:  Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20.

The Conception of Jesus Foretold

Mary, a virgin, was living in Galilee of Nazareth and was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited her and explained to her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would carry and give birth to this child and she would name him Jesus.

At first Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel's words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, "How will this be?" The angel explained that the child would be God's own Son and, therefore, "nothing is impossible with God." Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior.
Surely Mary reflected with wonder on the words found in Isaiah 7:14 foretelling this event, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (NIV)

The Birth of Jesus:

While Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit, as foretold to her by the angel. When Mary told Joseph she was pregnant, he had every right to feel disgraced. He knew the child was not his own, and Mary's apparent unfaithfulness carried a grave social stigma. Joseph not only had the right to divorce Mary, under Jewish law she could be put to death by stoning.

Although Joseph's initial reaction was to break the engagement, the appropriate thing for a righteous man to do, he treated Mary with extreme kindness. He did not want to cause her further shame, so he decided to act quietly. But God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to verify Mary's story and reassure him that his marriage to her was God's will. The angel explained that the child within Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus and that he was the Messiah, God with us.

When Joseph woke from his dream, he willingly obeyed God and took Mary home to be his wife, in spite of the public humiliation he would face. Perhaps this noble quality is one of the reasons God chose him to be the Messiah's earthly father.
Joseph too must have wondered in awe as he remembered the words found in Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (NIV)

At that time, Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken, and every person in the entire Roman world had to go to his own town to register. Joseph, being of the line of David, was required to go to Bethlehem to register with Mary. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Probably due to the census, the inn was too crowded, and Mary gave birth in a crude stable. She wrapped the baby in cloths and placed him in a manger.

The Shepherd's Worship the Savior:

Out in the fields, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep by night. The angel announced that the Savior had been born in the town of David. Suddenly a great host of heavenly beings appeared with the angels and began singing praises to God. As the angelic beings departed, the shepherds decided to travel to Bethlehem and see the Christ-child.

There they found Mary, Joseph and the baby, in the stable. After their visit, they began to spread the word about this amazing child and everything the angel had said about him. They went on their way still praising and glorifying God. But Mary kept quiet, treasuring their words and pondering them in her heart. It must have been beyond her ability to grasp, that sleeping in her arms—the tender child she had just borne—was the Savior of the world.

The Magi Bring Gifts:

After Jesus' birth, Herod was king of Judea. At this time wise men (Magi) from the east saw a star, they came in search, knowing the star signified the birth of the king of the Jews. The wise men came to the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem and asked where the Christ was to be born. The rulers explained, "In Bethlehem in Judea," referring to Micah 5:2. Herod secretly met with the Magi and asked them to report back after they had found the child. Herod told the Magi that he too wanted to go and worship the babe. But secretly Herod was plotting to kill the child. So the wise men continued to follow the star in search of the new born king and found Jesus with his mother in Bethlehem. (Most likely Jesus was already two years of age by this time.) They bowed and worshipped him, offering treasures of gold, incense and myrrh. When they left, they did not return to Herod. They had been warned in a dream of his plot to destroy the child.

By Mary Fairchild, About.com Guide

Servants Heart

Proverbs 31:10-12
     An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

     Awhile ago someone introduced me to a special speaker we were having at our church.  When they introduced, me they also chimed in that I had an incredible servants heart.  This blessed me so, because it is a  passion of my heart to serve others.  At times I even think it a bit selfish because I know the incredible joy that fills my heart when I am able to serve someone, help someone else be successful at something, or encourage someone else when they are following their calling.  I pray that my heart is worn on my sleeve in this way because I have such a deep love for people, something I cannot say has always been there in my life until the last several years.
   Later, I was thinking of this sweet compliment I had been paid, and was convicted about something concerning it.  The Lord said to me "Would your husband say the same thing?"  Although I knew the answer already in my heart, I first I questioned the Lord on His question. (Now raise your hand if you know that the first step of avoidance is answering a question with a question??  Ha ha)  The Lord knows all, and after procrastinating, I was quick to say "probably not".   I then was forced to ask myself why.  I was not angry with my husband or upset with him in any way, so I could not understand why I had disregarded my husband in this way, yet he is the most important man in my life.  Honestly I admit, I did not have a good reason...just that maybe I had taken him for granted as is easy for anyone to do when they get busy in to life. My priorities were definitely out of order which can easily happen if we are not careful.  I am, by Gods design, an encourager, and a servant. Yet, I was convicted of failing in that very area, right in my own home.  I quickly repented and apologized to my husband.
      We are to think of our husbands first. This is for him. How wonderful would you feel; how honored would you be if your mate worked so hard to be a servant to you all the time?  Be careful to not turn this into, "he wouldn't do this for me, so why should I do this for him?" It's an easy trap to fall into. But it's a lie. You are being deceived. We are servants. As we serve our husbands, we are serving the Lord Jesus.
       I want to serve the Lord in many areas, but I also want God's blessing on that service. And I believe that a mega-measure of God's blessing comes with my obedience to God's standards for me as a wife to honor my husband by giving preference to him (Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.), to esteem him as better than myself (Philippians 2:3,4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. ), and to, as much as depends on me, live peaceably with my husband (Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ). Therefore I ask for Tim's opinion and approval on all things, including ministry opportunities. I don't ever want to find myself in a position of functioning in ministry without my husband's backing. So I serve only with my husband's blessing and support. Then I can serve with a free heart. Why? Because I know Tim's on board -- and praying for me.
   I admit I am still not perfect at serving my husband and probably fail more often that I would care to admit.  With each new day however, I get a little better.  Each morning also gives breath to new opportunities and a clean slate. Praise God His mercies are new every morning. (Lam. 3:22-23) 
     Want to make a difference in your marriage??  Start serving your husband just like you would if Jesus himself were sitting in that comfy recliner in your living room. :)   God Blessings to you.

Why Divine Irrigation??

I have been asked why the blog name of Divine Irrigation?  Simple, God picked it.  I, on my own, tried to think of names for this blog.  I do not like meaningless names for things...there must be a purpose.  As hard as I tried however, I could not come up with something I had peace over.  When I got quiet however, and let it go, and got before the Lord...there it was.  Divine Irrigation.  I thought, "Lord, that is kind of odd", but he told me to look up each words definition.

Two separate definitions of each word:

divine:  a : of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God.

irrigation: 

1. To supply (dry land) with water by means of ditches, pipes, or streams.

2. To wash out (a body cavity or wound) with water or a medicated fluid.

3. To make fertile or vital as if by watering

So I put the two together like this:

Divine Irrigation:

  Supplying dry land with water from God, which may be used to quench the dry land to make fertile.

May the Lord use this blog to do any kind of watering He may need to do through words He places in my mouth on this blog.  To God Be The Glory

Dealing with Fear

     Dealing with fear seems to have always been an issue in my life.  Most people deal with some sort of fear on and off throughout life, but for some reason in my life, I had allowed fear to take ahold of the steering wheel of my life long ago.  I was not even aware of this and considered it to be the norm in my life, considering where I had walked. It wasn't until about 5 years ago when after attending some marriage counseling with my husband this was brought to my attention. When shown the evidence, I could not deny how fear had ruled my life, most of my life... something I was unaware of, but had still given fear authority over my life.  Having had this brought to my attention, I was shown biblically how this is opposite of what the word of God says. II Timothy 1:7 "For God does not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind."  Fear is not of God.  Once I came into this wisdom, I was then taken through the process of being delivered from the spirit of fear, which changed my life.
You may be wondering how or why would someone allow for fear to take over their life?  I can tell you however that it wasn't planned out - obviously.  Mine stemmed from childhood in dealing with issues with mostly my biological father among other things. Although I do know that my father loved me, I took a back seat to many of his lifestyle addictions to which I realize now were his own demons he was trying to deal with.    I have dealt with issues of abandonment, rejection on several levels, which in turn, out of fear, have pushed me into perfectionism and into an over achiever mode.    When I was widowed at age 30, and left to raise my new born daughter alone, abandonment and issues of fear were only magnified at an even greater level.
     Fear can be something so debilitating that when faced with the simplest of tasks, can be overwhelming and bring you quickly into shut down mode from normal life activities, and in some cases go hand in hand with depression.  It can create a picture in your mind that the whole world is against you or that everything you love dear may be stripped away.  You may be faced with a "doomed" type of attitude.
 In order to maintain a somewhat normal life, one may take a path of control, or place themselves into major "protection mode" which can easily slide into overdrive, even though you may not be aware.  This path is a lie of the devil who lets you believe that if you can control the things, or people in your life, to a certain extent, you are protecting yourself in some way.  This is not a conscious thought, but rather the brains way of of trying to cope and protect itself from pain.  What it ends up doing, however, is instead of protecting yourself, it ends up alienating yourself on many different levels.  Striving to have things perfect and have control over people and things is a major growth stunter as well as a relationship dissolver, for yourself and those you love.     The wall created by fear, put up one brick at a time, can get so high that you are the only one who can that can take down the bricks and remove the wall.  Its a move that can make you feel incredibly vulnerable, and because it is the lie we fight against, sometimes it appears to be easier to just leave the wall up.  People with fear find it easier to be critical of others or are more susceptible to believe lies of the enemy about people they haven't even lowered their walls enough to get to know on a personal level.  Fear is something that strips you of love, power, confidence, and a sound mind...although the "front" of people with fear is to try to show just how confident, powerful they really are. 
Even though I have been personally delivered by the spirit of fear, and it no longer controls my life, I still have to hold every thought captive.  When faced with a thought or a fear, I have to evaluate where exactly it is stemmed from and use biblical truths and Gods promises to cast it out, if fear is the root. 

     God does not paint a picture of people without fear.  There are many stories in the bible about people dealing with fear:  Jesus calming the sea, David and Goliath to name a couple. 
 In Deut. 1:9 Israel was freed from Egypt and was given land promised by God (vs 21).  This was the promise land they had dreamed about, but instead of just possessing it, they sent spies to check out the land. 
It ended up being a difference in perspective that caused the spies to return to Moses with a bad report, while Joshua and Caleb declared in faith "we are well able to overcome and possess the land."  The ten saw from man's perspective, which became an obstacle to them and they never entered into the Promised Land and it was certainly a dangerous trap for them to speak out of their mouth because it sealed their fate forever.
    Fear disregards Gods plan.  In  Deut 1:19 they could have just taken the land but because of their fear, they wouldn't.  Fear will keep you from God's plan. (II Timothy 1:7).  Personally I was not living with a sound mind or without fear.  Fear distorts Gods promises. (Deut 1:27 & 28) "The Lord hates us, so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us....the people are stronger and taller than we..."
   When fear distorts your life, you lose rationality.  Some things that I feared....letting my daughter spend the night anywhere, driving over bridges. In my mind I always thought the worst case scenario because I thought if I did that, at least I would be prepared....WHAT A WAY TO LIVE (NOT).
Fear robs you of Gods blessings.  I have found personally that I have missed out on a lot because of the years of fear in my life I didn't even know where there.
I like to use the three D's when describing fear to someone.  Fear will take everything in your life and "Destroy, Distort, and Discourage those around you."  The testimony of a few spies they sent in Deut. 1:27-28, affected the next 40 years.
     Fear is contagious.  Ever think of standing at the entrance of the zoo and screaming while you start running "Run for your life, they are loose" and wonder what might happen - ha ha. 
     Fear disobeys God's principals.  If you look at vs. 26 "But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the Lord your God."
     Fear is disobedience.  How many times in the bible does it say "fear not"?   According to my research, 365 times would be the number...at least one time for every day of the year.  ha ha :)

 According the the Bible, the whole generation was forbidden to go into the promise land with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. 
FEAR CAN STEAL AWAY THE VERY THING GOD WANTS TO DO IN YOUR LIFE

            Fear was rooted deep in my life…from way way back, and I allowed it to grow that root deeper and deeper.  You have to get out the root.  Its like a scenario of dandelions.  If you mow over the dandelion, eventually it will come back.  Its not until you reach down and pull out the whole root that is deep within that you get rid of it.  Problem is that Satan is constantly trying to replant...and you have to be on your toes.  You also have to fill that hole in the ground where the fear root was with LOVE....GODS LOVE.
THE OPPOSITE OF FEAR IS LOVE:

 1 JOHN 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

II Timothy 1:7  For God does not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind.

THE NEED TO BE ROOTED IN LOVE: “Prayer for the Ephesians”

Eph. 3:17- 19  So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

PERSONALLY –

   I have recently in my life watched..as I have had some  extreme clarity over the last year, how God has used people in my life strategically to heal wounds in my life that have occurred because of fear being there for so long.   He did this because he loves me so much. 

Because much of what I struggle with is stemmed way back with lack of my biological  fathers influence, and poor choices of my own,  I have watched how God has strategically placed Godly mentors/fatherly men in my life in different seasons.  He did this to move me toward HIS direction, to help me grow, to encourage me, to feel a sense of  belief in myself,   so that I could step passed fear that may have been holding me back and keeping me from my next season.  Teachers, coaches, mentors who were Godly men still play a significant role in my life to this very day.  I am a firm believer of what the enemy takes away, the Lord rewards back two fold...or more even. :)  I have to say that my cup runneth over with amazing Godly men in my life...especially that of my husband who seems to see it all so clearly and has understood the need in my life to have fatherly influences, which has actually, in turn, incredibly strengthened my own marriage.  God has used people to fill my father figure tank and show me the love that fear stole and to keep me on the path and help me to remember what it looked like THROUGH ENCOURAGEMENT.  Because of this healing and outpouring of Godly love….perfect love…which casts out all fear…a boldness has started to take place in my life..something that is moving me toward my next season.  Hebrews 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

      I still  have to hold every thought captive, because that spirit of fear continues to knock on my door.  However I do not allow him to come in a sit down in the Masters Chair of my heart, .....because that is where the LOVE of God sits.   I have to repeat verses aloud when if I begin to get overwhelmed with fear….I have to command that spirit of fear to leave in Jesus Name.
WE CANNOT FURTHER GODS KINGDOM IF WE ARE SO CAUGHT UP IN OUR OWN.
     Because fear caused me to think of myself constantly because of being in protection mode, I could not even begin to think of what God wanted to do in my life.  I also could not love myself or especially others the way God has called me to because fear is the opposite of love.  God's voice sounded a bit like Charlie Browns teacher, because fear was sooooo LOUD in my life.
Until we use our authority and command that spirit of fear to leave and tell him just where it should go in the Name of Jesus, we cannot even begin to further God's kingdom as we become so caught up in our own.
I am thankful for my deliverance from fear running my life.  I am thankful that my life is so full of joy, something I never imagined years ago would be possible at this level.  This does not mean I don't have bad days, but it does mean that my strength and joy come from God and I know where my hope lies each and every day. I find that on a daily basis I am NOW so full of love toward people that if I can't show it I may feel as if I am going to burst.  This was a life changer for me and may God get all of the Glory!!   PRAISE GOD!!

Through a Childs Eyes

     As I sat watching my four year old play at the McDonalds Play Place, it became very evident to me just how closely this childs domain is related to how the real world seems to opereate at times.
   A common goal at the play place is to reach the top and enjoy the slide down with kids racing to get there.  Some pushing, shoving and knocking each other down just to be the first to get to there.  Some trying to get to the top by going about it the wrong way, while others stop to lend a hand to help others find the direction they need to go.  Some even along the way trying to deliberately keep others from reaching their goal.
     I watched Kamdyn play and how she encountered each situation.  I watched how much more quickly she reached her goal, felt successful and her confidence grew, when another child stopped to help her find her way so that she could also make her way to her goal.
I was reminded as Christians, and followers of Christ, that this is also our duty, to lend a hand, be kind, and help one another successfully stay on the path in the right direction.  When we shove one another out of the way, knock one another down or block the path, EVERYONES growth is hindered and focus is lost.
      Sometimes we dont even realize how the smallest things to us, may help someone move toward their goal.  Lending a hand, a kind word of encouragement, and cheering one another on toward the call on their life, can often make all the difference. We also need to keep in mind how our behavior on the "slide" is not only a reflection of what may be in our own hearts but also effects those around who may be watching our lead.

1Th 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.)
Heb 10:24 -
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Romans 12:9-13

 ⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

The Joy of the Lord

Isaiah 35:10 - "And the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." (NIV)

    What is Joy??   At this time of my life I am finding that my joy cup runneth over and is flowing off the table.  I can honestly say that this has not always been the case in my life and that, Praise God, this has been a long time coming!!  I am so thankful for all He has brought into my life, and I pray that it shows on my face daily! 
      Its easy to be joyful when things are going well in your life.  One true measure of faith is how much joy you can retain AND export when things aren't going so well.
Neh 8:10 "The joy of the Lord is my strength."  This does not say "when things are going good", as it doesnt specify when...so it means it as fact...always, whenever...etc...       I have found that when things aren't going well, and even when I don't feel like being joyful, that if I can force out even a small bit of joy or somehow bless someone elses day with some joy, it helps.  The joy of the Lord helps me to get through my own struggle.  Somehow I am always able to count my blessings and count on Gods promises, instead of focusing on the negative.
Phil. 4:19 "My God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in Glory." as well as Phil 4:6 " Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God", have been great reminders to me to keep my joy.
     Forcing yourself to be joyful is a measure of faith, that even though you have yet to see the greener pasture, you know that indeed God WILL bring it to pass.  I have watched this time and time again in my own life and seen the results first hand.  I quickly admit that stepping out in faith and digging out that joy that may seem to not exist is difficult and may seem impossible.  I have difficulty, however,  believing that people in general can't find at least ONE ounce of SOMETHING to be thankful for in their own life.    Believe it our not, being joyful is a choice.  You get to decide whether the cup is half full or half empty.  The problem with joy is not getting it, it's letting it out. As Christians we have already been given joy as part of the fruit of the spirit. So since we have it, it's our responsibility to let it flow. We have our hand on the valve that governs our joy level. 

Holiday Traditions

"What does tradition mean to you? Is tradition something so sacred in your family that it will be hell or high water before change will be allowed to take place. Is tradition something you look to make changes in or create special new ones with different families?
I hear about traditions every year from people, especially this time of year near the holiday seasons. Places for Thanksgiving or Christmas celebrations changing, or who is going to cook the turkey will send people into a mere frenzy of fluster. Why is it ok to change some traditions but then have a knock down drag out yelling match over others? What is behind the need of sticking with traditions at all costs, regardless of reprocussions down the road that could take affect because the turkey got cooked in a different location.
 I have had many circumstances in my life from the time I was a child until now that have caused me to have to reinvent traditions, weigh them out, and realize that long ago that all traditions are subject to change always. Why is that? Because life is always changing. Look at families alone....most are no longer considered "traditional families". Unfortunately most fall into the dysfunctional/ non-traditional catagory whether it was a circumstance created by your own doing or completely something you had no control, or say so over. Mine is no different....its life.
Do you embrace it, or put up a wall? I guess that this falls into a catagory of choosing your battles carefully. Is the battle over "whose coming to dinner" worth the blood loss it may cause? This whole season, a time of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years celebrations, I have heard of and come across five different circumstances of traditions causing some sort of family strife in one way or another. I have lost in my life enough significant people that it all causes me to remember that life is short and wonder what all the tradition fuss is about. Does changing the location of where the turkey is carved somehow change the meaning of Thanksgiving? Does adding one more person (who may or may not be family) to the Christmas dinner change the true meaning of Christ's birth?
     What is family? I think my favorite definition from Websters is: "Any various social units different from but regarded as equivalent to the traditional family." I like this one because it describes what I have always knows as family my whole life...a bit of a mismatched jigsaw puzzle of people. Is this the perfect scenario of "family"...probably not, but since life changes on a regular basis...you learn to roll with the punches or get knocked out. Blood is thicker than water is true, but it is love...especailly Gods love that is thicker than all of it. Maybe you too this year will be faced with dealing with tradition as most families do, either having to adjust it, change it, start a brand new one, or carry out already existing ones precious to your family. In doing so please remember to consider this: the outcome, the big picture and what may be gained or lost by upholding or deciding to change a tradition and ask if it is worth it in either direction. Have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas and may all your traditions be full of love and blessings."

Well, here goes...

The Lord has been asking me in my spirit to get back to writing and I admit I have been fighting it a bit.  I love to write, but to create a blog was another story.  There are so many out there, that I did not see the point to adding to the growing list of people who do it, so I have put it off and put it off.  Finally, I am giving in and stepping out in faith, knowing that I dont have to know the purpose, but to just be obedient to what the Lord is asking of me, even if I dont get it.
     I used to write all the time, especially after I was widowed at age 30 and trying to raise my new born as a single mom.  It was theraputic, I guess it still is in many ways. One of the gifts God has given me is the gift of gab.  My friends (especially my husband and my male friends) tease me about how I stuggle to give just a 5 second answer.....I dont think its in my chemistry. Even my texts are more than one page on a regualr basis. :)   I, by Gods design, have the need to communicate, to get my thoughts out...my way of processing...so I talk a lot.  This is how I connect with others, and connect to what is really going on in my heart.  Connecting with others to be an encouragement to them is a major calling in my life.  I am a firm believer that it should not matter how you feel about that person, or what they have done to you, that you can find at least one genuinely positive or encouraging thing to say to everyone who crosses your path.
So hear I am, an offical blogger.  One of the things I love to do is learn new things, but in order to do that you have to make yourself vulnerable to failure.  Once upon a time ago in my life I would have run from that....which is a story for another blog...due to some things in my childhood.  Today, however, I look forward to the opportunities.  These blogs will not be random meaningless posts but rather from the heart...things that God places there.  I hope they will bless your heart as I am sure getting them out there will do to mine. :)