Attention

I was trying to check my emails this morning before work and my dog, Chewy, jumped up in my lap and stood in front of the screen and pushed my hand off the mouse.  If I tried to go back to my work, he would do anything he could to block me.  I love the way dogs just tell it like it is.  He was saying that he was more important than what I was doing.  He wanted my time and my attention.  It made me stop and give him some love and take him for his walk.
I think that I would be better off if God would do the same thing to me.  If he would just make the TV shut off or gently nudge me off the sofa when I am being lazy, then I would be reminded that my priorities might be wrong.  Instead I have to rely on my faithfulness to God, which often fails the test.  I get caught up in my activities of the day and lose track of the time.  I need to keep God as my center.  He also wants and deserves my time and attention.  Thank you Lord for your patience with me.

Peace

I feel very peaceful today even though it is Monday and one of the other providers at work was sick and another is on vacation, so I needed to pick up extra patients today.  I feel peaceful today even though it is also the end of our fiscal year, so end of year reports and updates on programs and our self evaluations are all due.  I feel peaceful today even though I have agreed to do a lecture in one week for the Hawaii PA Conference and I haven't even started on my powerpoint presentation.  I feel peaceful today because I spent some good quality time with God this weekend and God's peace is within me.  The peace of God can fill us, so that we don't have to get  or anxious when life gets busy (which is all the time for most of us).  The peace of God is my calm in the storm.  I know that God is in control and as long as I do my part, all the things that I really need to get done, will get done.  Peace - what a wonderful gift!

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful."  Colossians 3:15

One Month

I realized today that it has been a month since I started this blog.  For the first couple of weeks, I only shared it with 2 or 3 people, then I told a few more each week.  I still have only a small following but I am being faithful to God's direction and trust that God will use it to help or bless someone.  I do ask for those who are following my thoughts/devotions/ramblings, to please share the site with someone that you feel could use it.  Also, I love to have comments, but don't feel obligated.  I try to share what is on my heart and hope you will joint me on this endeavor to live a life of faith in such a way that those around us can see Christ.

As I review the postings of the past month, I can see areas that I still need to work on.  But that's okay.  God knows that I am a work in progress.  I think that it helps me to review my past convictions, so I can continue to focus and pray on these areas.  I know that God is faithful and that through him, all things are possible - even memorizing scripture.  Let's keep each other in prayer as we move forward in faith this week.

Passion

I was thinking on my drive to work this morning about trying to incorporate my passions in life into my ministry.  I have a passion for teaching God's word and for scrapbooking, so I have been investigating ways to bring these passions into service opportunities.  While I was thinking on these ideas, I was immediately convicted on the fact that while God has given me these gifts and in fact has given me the passion for these things, my first passion needs to be for Jesus.  I get so caught up in serving Jesus or teaching about God, that I forget to show my passion about Jesus.  In fact, I think I don't even feel passionate about Jesus.  I hate to admit that but I need to be honest. I love him, I worship him, I try to live my life for him, but am I truly passionate about him?  Do I share with others a passion for Jesus?  Sadly, no.  This is my prayer for today, to develop and display a passion for my Savior and Lord.

seeking

I have been exploring possible service opportunities and don't yet know if any of them will be the right place for me to serve right now.  I am simply following through on ideas and opportunities that jump into my mind or doors that seem to be opening.  I realize that in the past I have often had a sense of call or seen a possible need to fill, but then I don't bother to follow through.  Sometimes, I even have really good ideas but lose interest.  I then will say that God didn't open the right doors, when in fact, it was just that I didn't want to put myself out there.  I was being disobedient to God. I am now trying to be more intentional on my part and then trusting God to work out the details on where he wants me to serve.  To serve faithfully, we first need to offer ourselves up to God and then be active in prayer and action, seeking and then using God's wisdom and discernment as a guide.  Who knows where God will lead us?

Slowing down

My youngest son, Kyle, is learning to drive and he needs to log 50 hours of driving.  I took a long ride with him up to the north shore today and we stopped by the farmers market and had a nice lunch in Haliewa.  It was a very nice day, but riding in a car with someone who is following the speed limit exactly made me realize just how much we tend to rush through things.  (And how much most of us really speed - I admit to my lead foot).  It was a gorgeous day with beautiful scenery, but everyone was anxious to get around us to go faster.  I think that God probably looks at us daily with this question - what is the rush?  He gives us things to do and a plan for our life, but not in order to just rush off to the next item or event.   He created the beauty that is around us because it tells us who he is.  As we slow down and reflect on our day or his creation, it should cause us to worship the Creator.  So today I encourage each of us to slow down and enjoy God's creation.  "Be still and know that I am God."

Be strong and courageous

Be strong and courageous!  This command is spoken to Joshua 4 times in the first chapter of the book of Joshua, three times by the Lord and once by his officers. Makes it sound like it is an important command, doesn't it.  And it is a command from the Lord.  It isn't a suggestion or request.  The Lord commands Joshua to be strong and courageous, for he knows the difficulties that lie ahead.  Joshua has just taken leadership of the Israelites and he will be the one to lead them into the Promised Land.  They have followed Moses since leaving Egypt, but now they have a new leader.  And the Lord tells him to be strong and courageous.  He also tells him how to do this.  Obey the law (v.7), meditate on God's word and do what it says (v.8).  He then gives two promises-he tells Joshua that he will be prosperous and successful (v.8) and that God will be will him wherever he goes (v.9).

Now this command was given specifically to Joshua but it can apply to us today as well.  As I try to live a life of faithful obedience, I need to remember to be strong and courageous.  For by myself, I tend to be weak and fearful.  As I step out in faith and become obedient to God's direction for my life, for areas of service and for ways to witness, I need to remember this command - BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!  For God commands this and he promises that he will be with me. I pray that each of us will be strong and courageous in our walk with God. 

Pleasing words

I am convicted tonight about my words.  I know that God desires my words to be for encouragement and lifting others up, but how often do I let that little comment slip out and wish I could take it back.  Or worse yet, purposefully say something hurtful or prideful or take part in gossip.  I know that God has called me to encourage and inspire others; it is part of his plan for my life.  But I constantly have to pray for wisdom and guidance on how to control my tongue.  I often need to allow for silence or quiet reflection instead of jumping in with advice.  Psalm 19:14 says "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."  Those around me hear my words and they should reflect my faith, but I must remember that God also "hears" my heart.  Both need to be pleasing to God.

Being honest with God

I have been reading the psalms for the past few days.  I love the honesty that is displayed by the writers of these verses.  In the book of Psalms we can see love, anguish, praise, anger, and just about every emotion that can be expressed.  I love the reminder that God wants all of us; he wants us to be honest in our conversations with him.  I know that I try to be "holy" sometimes in my prayers, expressing what I think God would like to hear.  But in the Psalms, we see the good and bad all displayed openly. God can't really help us or heal us without our honesty, because it shows our lack of trust, our lack of faith in God.  And of course, he already knows what we are really thinking and feeling anyway - we aren't surprising him!  For today, for me though, it is all praise.

"I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.   (Psalm 9:1-2)

God is Awesome!

I am getting ready to go to church this morning and just want to give a little shout out to God first.  God is so awesome and gracious and loving.  He knows just what we need and when we need it.  The more I study and learn on faith, the more blessed I feel.  And, the more I realize just how far I still need to go.  It is a daily walk and a daily commitment, not a one time event.  The christian life is not easy, but it is a  life worth living to it's fullest - in the way that God intended. 

I pray that each of you will have a truly blessed Sabbath today and that God will speak to your heart in a meaningful way.  May God bless each of you.
OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD! 

building spiritual muscles

I have 3 sons who are 17, 19, &21 years old and they all work out and lift weights regularly.  They often spend several hours a day on lifting, running, exercising, planning the correct amount of protein to consume and eating healthy. They are very dedicated to their passion and to their goal.  They realize that it takes time and commitment to develop those oh so coveted "6-pack abs or killer biceps".  They show their dedication and I am proud of them for their commitment.

It makes me wonder, however, about my dedication and commitment to my faith.  Sadly, I can't be as proud of myself in this area. What would happen if I spent even one tenth of the amount of time that my sons spend on building physical muscles each week, on time with God?  What kind of spiritual muscles could I build with that time?  Where or how would God be able to use me if I had just a small portion of the passion that they reveal in their workouts? Faith and spiritual maturity requires time and energy and a passion for God.  I need to commit to build strong spiritual muscles through quiet time with God, prayer, and bible study. A workout with an eternal reward!

memorizing scripture

I have always struggled with memorizing scripture.  I don't know why; maybe I have been too lazy or maybe I haven't fully committed myself to the endeavor.  I know how important it is to know God's word, to have it at the tip of our tongue when we need it, to know the location of a particular passage.  And yet, I still struggle.  I know that I can do this with God's help, and that is what I pray for now.  I pray for God to give the desire, the time and the persistence to place his word in my heart and in my mind.
I am placing this challenge of faith out to everyone.  If this is not a struggle for you, then pray for the rest of us.  No specific passage or time line, just start with a favorite passage, or one that speaks to you today. 

Weekend blessings

It has been a busy few days and I have failed to post anything.  But God has been blessing me greatly, as usual.  I had a wonderful Saturday as my friend, Karen, taught me how to make some beautiful cards.  It was truly a blessing to take the time to just spend time with friends and to have a little creative time as well.  Yesterday, we celebrated David's birthday by eating at the Cheesecake Factory.  YUM!!!  The diet can start again tomorrow.  David is now 21years old.  I don't know where the time has gone but God blessed me greatly with this wonderful son.  He is caring and thoughtful and so much fun.  Today we are celebrating with his friends with a barbecue at our house.  I won't be much help since I pulled my back yesterday while putting away all the food we bought.  But, there is even a blessing in that.  I will have to let David be the host and not worry about anything.  And, I will have no excuse for not studying for my final.  And, today is an extra day to spend with family; got to love those holidays!

Faith is trusting God and thanking God in all circumstances and I pray that each of us will continue to grow in this test of faith called life.

Action

Praise God! I just completed by research paper, which is really good news since I have to turn it in tomorrow night.  These papers are always such a struggle and very time consuming, but I learn so much through the research on each one.  In fact, the problem is that I want to read every word in each book, instead of focusing on the specific topic.  It's easy to get off track on something else that is interesting. And there is always something new to learn about the Bible.

It does, however, bring up a good reminder. As interesting as a certain topic might be in a biblical commentary, we need to realize that it is not the reading or studying in itself that is useful.  It is, instead, what we do with the knowledge.  After reading something new or recognizing a new concept from a passage, we need to immediately ask ourselves, "how can I apply this?"   Or better yet, stop and pray over it and allow God to show us how to apply it to our own lives and in service to him.  This is my challenge and possibly yours as well - to allow God's word to become an action plan for my life.