Forgetfulness jumped up and bit me again this morning. I couldn't remember my password to get in and write my blog. How do you forget a password you have been writing five days a week for almost two years?!! All I've got to say is be thankful you're you and not me!
We leave for home today. Four days is not enough! I think maybe aging has affected my vacation time, too. It seems to take longer to "unwind." By the time I have, it's time to go home!
I golfed with my husband yesterday. To say I'm a good golfer would be a lie. To say I'm a fair golfer would be a lie. To say I'm a golfer might even be a lie. At least I enjoy the scenery as I hack away!
I looked at green trees, green mountains, green grass (is there any other kind?). Do you see a thread running through here? GREEN. I have been surrounded by green for four days and I've relished it. Alas, it's time to go back to brown. Dirt, that is. Maybe I'll go to the paint store and get me some green paint. I'll spray all my brown dirt green. Nah! The wind will blow it all away in a few days. I guess I'll be thankful for brown as well as green.
God knew eons ago where he would place me. He thought brown would do nicely. Actually, I wouldn't trade places with anyone. I've been blessed in serving Him where I live and developing friendships that are very dear. Not to say there haven't been rough times. But, God didn't promise it would always be easy. It certainly wasn't for Jesus!
Where has God placed you? Is it a good place? A difficult place? A lonely place? Just know he placed you there for a reason . . . to bring glory to Him!
Hoping I am bringing God glory where he has placed me, Gloria
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Trials
What do you consider hardship? For most Americans it would mean having only one car. Or worse, having no car and having to ride a bus. Now that's hardship, right? I hate not having a car parked in the garage, even if I don't plan on going somewhere. I want it there JUST IN CASE I want to go somewhere!!
Others would consider not being able to shop at some exclusive store or having only two pairs of shoes. Others would think hardship was having to eat beans four times a week.
Hardship is relative, isn't it?
Paul tells us in Acts 14:22b, "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God."
What were Paul's hardships? Well, not long before he made this statement, he had been stoned and thrown out of the city for dead. That was just one of many things he suffered for being a follower of Christ.
Believers in other countries accept this kind of life as part of being a follower of Christ. They're hounded by police, beaten, raped, beheaded, thrown in prison and lose all their worldly possessions simply because they are Christians.
Americans have been immune to this type of suffering. I wonder how long before we join the ranks of our brothers and sisters around the world. How strong will our faith be under such horrible trials?
Do we need to fear? NO! Just as he gave our brothers and sisters strength, he will give us strength. Don't fear the future but prepare for the future!
How? Immerse yourself in God's Word. Pray. Study. Fellowship with other believers. "Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" Ephesians 6:11.
After you read this, you may tend to be discouraged. That's what the devil wants. Give him fits. Start praising God that he is always there and will give us strength to go through any trial, no matter how difficult. Keep praising and watch the fear subside. The two are incompatible!
Praising God for geting me through difficult times I think I can't bear, Gloria
Others would consider not being able to shop at some exclusive store or having only two pairs of shoes. Others would think hardship was having to eat beans four times a week.
Hardship is relative, isn't it?
Paul tells us in Acts 14:22b, "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God."
What were Paul's hardships? Well, not long before he made this statement, he had been stoned and thrown out of the city for dead. That was just one of many things he suffered for being a follower of Christ.
Believers in other countries accept this kind of life as part of being a follower of Christ. They're hounded by police, beaten, raped, beheaded, thrown in prison and lose all their worldly possessions simply because they are Christians.
Americans have been immune to this type of suffering. I wonder how long before we join the ranks of our brothers and sisters around the world. How strong will our faith be under such horrible trials?
Do we need to fear? NO! Just as he gave our brothers and sisters strength, he will give us strength. Don't fear the future but prepare for the future!
How? Immerse yourself in God's Word. Pray. Study. Fellowship with other believers. "Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" Ephesians 6:11.
After you read this, you may tend to be discouraged. That's what the devil wants. Give him fits. Start praising God that he is always there and will give us strength to go through any trial, no matter how difficult. Keep praising and watch the fear subside. The two are incompatible!
Praising God for geting me through difficult times I think I can't bear, Gloria
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Pressure
Second time to post. First one? I hit something on my laptop and it all disappeared. Sometimes I HATE computers. With my brain, I'll never be able to remember what I wrote!
There are probably those wondering how someone can forget so quickly what they wrote. I know. It astounds me, too. But, it's the truth and I have to live with it!
Well, I was talking about it being 2:13 in the morning and I'm trying not to disturb my husband who is in the "bedroom" of our motor home. Of course, that means he is about 20 feet away.
Every movement can be felt. In fact, yesterday my husband woke and felt the bed move. He momentarily forgot where he was and thought we were having an earthquake. I didn't appreciate being compared to an earthquake!
Closeness can brings out the good in us or the bad in us! That's also true of pressures. When we're "under the gun" we sometimes reveal areas of our lives that are not being controlled by God. A short temper, irritability, unkind words can all surface when we're under pressure. Jesus said it was not what we put in our bodies that defiled us but what came out.
How we react under pressurs is an indication of who is in control of our lives at that moment. Let's develop a closer relationship to Jesus so that, when the pressure is put on us, we exude only godliness. A worthy goal and one I am going to try and reach!
Hoping pressure reveals Jesus is in control of my life, Gloria
There are probably those wondering how someone can forget so quickly what they wrote. I know. It astounds me, too. But, it's the truth and I have to live with it!
Well, I was talking about it being 2:13 in the morning and I'm trying not to disturb my husband who is in the "bedroom" of our motor home. Of course, that means he is about 20 feet away.
Every movement can be felt. In fact, yesterday my husband woke and felt the bed move. He momentarily forgot where he was and thought we were having an earthquake. I didn't appreciate being compared to an earthquake!
Closeness can brings out the good in us or the bad in us! That's also true of pressures. When we're "under the gun" we sometimes reveal areas of our lives that are not being controlled by God. A short temper, irritability, unkind words can all surface when we're under pressure. Jesus said it was not what we put in our bodies that defiled us but what came out.
How we react under pressurs is an indication of who is in control of our lives at that moment. Let's develop a closer relationship to Jesus so that, when the pressure is put on us, we exude only godliness. A worthy goal and one I am going to try and reach!
Hoping pressure reveals Jesus is in control of my life, Gloria
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Blessing In Time Of Great Tribulation
I just read a letter about a Chrsitian man who was wrongly sent to prison. It is a modern day Paul story. The man loaned his brother money. The brother used the money for a scam and was caught. The jury said the brother could not possibly have NOT known so they convicted him along with the guilty brother. From what I'm told, even the judge told the jury he felt they were wrong in convicting him!
When he got to prison this week, he found a large number of Christians who had the same story as his. They welcomed him, helped him, paid for things he needed because he had no money. His Christian "roommate" was trying to win another person to Jesus. They have Bible study with over thirty people attending. The new man said he goes to church three times a day!
Is this a foretelling of our future? Christians being wrongly accused and placed in prison? Perhaps. I personally think it is unless the Church of Jesus begins to change. Will it be a bad thing? Humanly, it seems so. But, perhaps God is doing a great thing with these men like he did with Paul in prison.
I cannot begin to understand how this man's wife and family must feel but they are still praising the Lord for guiding their loved one to a group of godly (yes, people in prsion can be godly) men.
Will you pray for these men who are in prsion unjustly? Will you ask God to use their ministry to reach others there? God could begin a great revival within the walls of that prison that could spread outside. We surely do need that!
Blessed to hear of a modern day Paul, Gloria
When he got to prison this week, he found a large number of Christians who had the same story as his. They welcomed him, helped him, paid for things he needed because he had no money. His Christian "roommate" was trying to win another person to Jesus. They have Bible study with over thirty people attending. The new man said he goes to church three times a day!
Is this a foretelling of our future? Christians being wrongly accused and placed in prison? Perhaps. I personally think it is unless the Church of Jesus begins to change. Will it be a bad thing? Humanly, it seems so. But, perhaps God is doing a great thing with these men like he did with Paul in prison.
I cannot begin to understand how this man's wife and family must feel but they are still praising the Lord for guiding their loved one to a group of godly (yes, people in prsion can be godly) men.
Will you pray for these men who are in prsion unjustly? Will you ask God to use their ministry to reach others there? God could begin a great revival within the walls of that prison that could spread outside. We surely do need that!
Blessed to hear of a modern day Paul, Gloria
Monday, November 16, 2009
My Father
Have you ever had your kids embarrass you by repeating something you said? This weekend I howled as some of my friends shared about things their children had repeated that brought great embarrassment.
Centuries ago there was a television show hosted by a man named Art Linkletter. I'm probably the only one reading this that's old enough to remember the program. How do you think that makes me feel? ANCIENT.
Art would talk to children. Many a parent was embarrassed about what their child told Art. I imagine some of them wished they had never allowed their kids to be on the show!
God, our heavenly Father, doesn't mind us telling about things he has done. There's nothing to embarrass him. When we tell people what he said, they are amazed.
He never says the wrong thing.
He teaches us only good things.
He always acts in love toward us and others.
He is always looking out for our good.
He never fails, never lies, never thinks more about himself than he does about us.
Our Father is perfect! Now, tell me, what other children can say that about their father?
And,do you know what? He LOVES for us to tell others about what he says and does!
Hoping to tell others about my heavenly Father, Gloria
Centuries ago there was a television show hosted by a man named Art Linkletter. I'm probably the only one reading this that's old enough to remember the program. How do you think that makes me feel? ANCIENT.
Art would talk to children. Many a parent was embarrassed about what their child told Art. I imagine some of them wished they had never allowed their kids to be on the show!
God, our heavenly Father, doesn't mind us telling about things he has done. There's nothing to embarrass him. When we tell people what he said, they are amazed.
He never says the wrong thing.
He teaches us only good things.
He always acts in love toward us and others.
He is always looking out for our good.
He never fails, never lies, never thinks more about himself than he does about us.
Our Father is perfect! Now, tell me, what other children can say that about their father?
And,do you know what? He LOVES for us to tell others about what he says and does!
Hoping to tell others about my heavenly Father, Gloria
Friday, November 13, 2009
Promises That Deliver
Yesterday the clouds were dark an ominous. They spoke of rain, moisture to blanket the dry desert ground. That's what they spoke of. They just didn't deliver. Kind of like those commercials that promise you skin that looks twenty years younger. AND, it only costs fifty dollars an ounce! Or, me promising to give you a million dollars if you're the first to post a comment on this blog. I guess I could give you a million dollars but the kind I would give you couldn't be used to buy anything. I don't think they take fake money!
Promises are nothing if the one who promises them is not able to deliver. One thing we can count on to deliver is the promises of God. Not one of them has ever failed to do what it promised. Why is that? Because they are all backed by the power of a mighty God. God can deliver!
Get into the Bible and find all the promises God has left you. Believe them. They can be trusted because He can be trusted!
Oh, by the way, some of the promises are only for those who are part of God's family through Jesus. That should make anyone who's not part of the family want to join it even more!
Happy that God's promises always deliver, Gloria
Promises are nothing if the one who promises them is not able to deliver. One thing we can count on to deliver is the promises of God. Not one of them has ever failed to do what it promised. Why is that? Because they are all backed by the power of a mighty God. God can deliver!
Get into the Bible and find all the promises God has left you. Believe them. They can be trusted because He can be trusted!
Oh, by the way, some of the promises are only for those who are part of God's family through Jesus. That should make anyone who's not part of the family want to join it even more!
Happy that God's promises always deliver, Gloria
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Inside, Outside
I looked in my magnifying mirror. I know. I'm sick. What woman my age would look in a magnifying mirror? I can tell you, it almost brought me to tears.
Once again I found another sign of aging. Blotches. Will I wind up with so many of them that I'll look like I have a face full of freckles? Actually freckles are cute. These are not!
I've never been much on foundation but I may have to resort to it. However, most makeup piles into the wrinkles and makes them stand out. I guess there is no product that is going to hide the obvious!
Too bad I won't be around in the future when someone invents a cream that makes skin look like it's twenty again. It would probably be too expensive anyway. I guess I'll just have to live with saggy, blotchy skin!
While I may deteriorating on the outside, I hope I am growing more beautiful on the inside. That would mean I am looking more like Jesus! I think that is real beauty, don't you?
The outside doesn't look too hot but I'm hoping the inside is looking better, Gloria
Once again I found another sign of aging. Blotches. Will I wind up with so many of them that I'll look like I have a face full of freckles? Actually freckles are cute. These are not!
I've never been much on foundation but I may have to resort to it. However, most makeup piles into the wrinkles and makes them stand out. I guess there is no product that is going to hide the obvious!
Too bad I won't be around in the future when someone invents a cream that makes skin look like it's twenty again. It would probably be too expensive anyway. I guess I'll just have to live with saggy, blotchy skin!
While I may deteriorating on the outside, I hope I am growing more beautiful on the inside. That would mean I am looking more like Jesus! I think that is real beauty, don't you?
The outside doesn't look too hot but I'm hoping the inside is looking better, Gloria
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