“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

Have you ever thought about exactly what is evil? Webster’s Dictionary says a few things that would spark our interest:
1. Morally reprehensible. In other words, they are guilty or blameworthy.
2. Sinful, Wicked
3. Arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct ( a man of ~ reputation)
4. A archaic: Inferior
5. Causing discomfort or repulsion: OFFENSIVE (an~ odor)
6. Disagreeable (woke up late and in an ~ temper)
7. Causing harm : PERNICIOUS (the institution of slavery)
8. Marked by misfortune: UNLUCKY.
9. Lastly ~ the fact of suffering, misfortune and wrongdoing, a cosmic evil force, something that brings sorrow, distress or calamity.

We can be enslaved by evil in so many ways that are too numerous to list here in this writing, but we all have a choice to overcome evil with good. Have you ever thought about how to do this?
I personally believe there are three wise ways to overcome evil with good. The first way is to:

1. Begin to train your mind to think good.

In the last chapter of Philippians 4:6-9 we are told what to think upon. In the New Jerusalem Bible it says “Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude, and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, let your minds be filled with everything that is true, everything that is honorable, everything that is upright and pure, everything that we love and admire with whatever is good and praiseworthy. St.Paul continues to say: Keep doing everything you learned from me and were told by me and have heard or seen me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.“

We worry in our minds about all of the “what if’s” and most of the time these things never come about. When we worry we invite doubt and unbelief into our life and reap the wages of unrest and lack of peace. Today we call it stress. Stress can bring on high blood pressure and that can bring on dis-ease. It isn’t God that brings these things around in our lives, it is our own seeds we’ve planted in our minds that we've allow to fertilize and grow and produce into fruit that is so unsettling.

St Paul goes further to instruct us to tell God about it. Tell him about our weaknesses and desires. Petition our prayers up coupled with gratitude. If we have gratitude and thanksgiving in our heart; God will always hear your prayers because he sees the sincerity and hears your cry. We have no reason not to believe in the promises of a loving God, all He asks is to communicate to Him from our hearts. If you are struggling in your mind thinking about things you shouldn’t be thinking about; we are told what to think about. If you cannot even think of one thing that is true, good or praiseworthy, then; you need to read about God’s great love for you in the book of John and then think and meditate about it afterward. Begin a new habit, a good habit; but it will take time. The more you retrain mind, the better you will feel about yourself inside. Ask God to help, there are some things that we need help with.
Something to remember is what happens in our minds when we look at something, for example; if you are trying to lose weight and you see a pizza. Then, we begin to think about wanting it. If we know we are going to see this on TV, turn it off; so we won’t think about the temptation, whatever your temptation. Everyone has them.
If you are having a pity party in your mind about how you messed up your life or made the wrong decision, have your party for about 15 minutes and then start to think about how it will all work for you, not against you. Can you really believe that all things work for the good to them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose? Give it all to God and just let it go and trust in Him. We have a choice to think negative or positive thoughts. We have a positive God who cares for your best interests, but you have to believe that too.

2. Do Good. We always feel better about ourselves if we do something good for someone else. The world says you are number one, take care of yourself first; because if you don’t, no one else is going to do it. And, there is some truth to that. We have to keep ourselves healthy by eating, drinking and exercising right. What good would we be to those we love, if we just let ourselves go? But aren’t you glad that Jesus didn’t put his self first? What if he would have backed away from the cross and said no way and called those angels to help him? Instead, he put the wishes of his father over his own and obediently laid down his life for you and me, so we would have forgiveness from our sins. Giving is where it is at in our lives if you want to really feel good about yourself. Give yourself to your neighbor, feed the poor, volunteer, babysit for a single mother who never gets out, Give an encouraging good word and become an ear to someone who needs you to listen to their heart and most important do not judge when they open up to you. There are so many things you can “do good” at. Use your imagination. You will discover that every time you do good, you will feel good inside.

A spiritual cleaning seems to take place inside.

If you walk around the block to help keep off your weight, that is a good thing and you will feel good. If you resist that drink or second helping of food, you will feel good because you’ve done good. Make a small list in the mornings of the things you’d like to accomplish and check them off as you do them. Accomplishing good things will make you feel good inside. See how many good things you can do a day. Smile at others. Smiles are good.

My mother once worked in a nursing home and would come home and tell me about the patients in there. There was one particular woman who used to be a teacher but was now an invalid. She couldn’t move any part of her body, but she had the sweetest and kindest disposition for such a person who was suffering her life out until her end. Her gentle words ministered to my mother who would come home in total awe over her godly character and share them to me. She chose to do good right up to the end and she could smile at the ones who came into her room.

3. Look Good. Even if you are overweight, there are certain things you can wear to help you feel slimmer that will give your moral a boost. Put on some makeup and make sure your nails are painted when you leave the house and stand up straight when you walk. Get a new hairstyle, one that makes you look younger and slimmer. You will develop a bounce in your step and be more cheerful because your confidence will go up a few knots. Looking your best no matter your age will give you a high rating and will help combat and overcome any depressive thoughts that you’ve fought against in the past.

We are all like fruit bearing trees, some of us aren’t ready to be picked yet. In the meantime, we strive to learn to become that perfect round apple or orange that we are meant to be. Others of us have become ripe, and are in the prime of our season, still learning and want to be the best fruit for others to enjoy. Then others have become over ripe and ready to fall to the ground because they have refused to be used or to use the knowledge that was given to them. It could be like someone giving you the key to freedom from evil (where all worms gather); but instead of accepting the key, you just sort of hang on to the branch while all the time rotting your life away.
What can you lose by trying to:
Think Good
Do Good
and
Look Good?
Little by little your life can change for the good!

Only a Mother Understands

Only a mother’s heart would understand how others feel when their grown sons of 18 years enlist in the military and then go off to fight an unjust war. Do you know what a mother sees during this time? She sees the baby that suckled at her breast in the middle of night and remembers him smiling at her when he was full. She sees him splashing in a bath, the one she nurtured, loved and sang songs with together. It doesn’t matter how old the children become, the emotions and feelings in her heart are quite alive and sometimes the world can see them on her sleeve because there isn’t anything quite so deep as a mother’s love.
Think about it. When a young girl finds herself without her husband and is forced to raise her sons alone, the whole process becomes more than an adrenalin rush, it becomes a calling; a holy ministry. She realizes that there isn’t anything in this life as precious as another life, a prized gift from God Himself. We then discover the power to mold this life into a powerful, confident individual filled with his love. Is there really anything so powerful or important? Not in a mother’s eyes.
My Pastor jokingly once said that mother’s believe that their son’s can walk on water. Well, he was right. He was right because mothers know their children’s weaknesses and strengths and have an unconditional love for them anyway. They automatically know that their strength will over power their weakness because their power is in God’s Spirit and they know the one who has the power to forgive our sins.
It has been said that the most powerful love on earth is the love of a mother bear that protects her cubs. She can smell you hiking miles away and if you get too close she will instruct her cubs to climb a tree while she wards off that “evil” smell that could cause them harm. A mother hen covers her chicks protectively under her wings and would give her life to protect them.
A mockingbird will dive bomb you or any animal that unknowingly gets too close to her nest.
A mother eagle will nurture their young and bring them fresh food every day as her young birds begin to sprout their silly looking down feathers, then when it is time for them to leave the nest the mother begins to make them uncomfortable by taking out the nesting’s feathers and the brush that it was built with. Then, all of a sudden one of the brave eaglets starts flapping his wings; flip flap, flip flap and begins to jump all around the area. He’s got stars in his eyes and a surge of ambition that was long ago bred inside of him. The other siblings watch him in wonder. He looks out into the broad heavens and sees all those mountains that he yearns to glide over and then, one early morning right before the sun breaks, he looks back at his mother and his siblings and leaps into space. He stretches his wings wide and soars ever so graceful, over those mountains, over the cliffs, over the rivers, the waterfalls and over the treetops of forests. Oh, the delight of it. He then tests his drive by tilting to the left a little and then to the right, he’s a young eagle and wonders if “he can really walk on water.” He discovers how to dive in a smooth rocket fashion that would barely break water, after a few clumsily attempts.
The mother eagle watching, knows he can “walk on water” and while being wrapped up in emotions she knows, this is his time. He has a mission and a purpose that was given before he was even born. The father eagle looks on admiringly and having a wing span of 72 to 85 inches himself, knows that his eaglet will rule over the earth by diving for fish, snatching rabbits in a split second, vermin and rats, court a female, help build a nest and keep predators away. He will be the king of the sky and his eyes will see it all and know everything that goes on in his territory and it is with this fact that the father knows that his son will be full of confidence as he fly’s towards the new horizons that are waiting for him to conquer. He carries an inheritance and the power of the Spirit with every flap towards the Son.

Gotta Vision?

Have you been thinking about what you’d like to do but that day is always “someday” or “maybe next year?” Don’t wait too long to follow your heart’s desire because it may not be here. I would like to encourage you that if it is a farm you’ve been thinking about and now you feel you are not as young as you used to be and wonder if you’d be able to do all of the exercise farm life requires. Do not fear. Of course you can do it! First of all exercise is where it is at, if you want to stay healthy. Yes, you will have the occasional sprain and pulls in your back and other places, but you do not have to lift, use a dolly and push those things around. Use crow bars instead of trying to pry up things with your arms and hands. Always find a tool to use because there are ways to do everything easier. Instead of bringing in all those bags at once, take the time to walk back and forth from your vehicle caring one at a time. Remember, anyway you can get more walking in is good for you, no matter your age.
Maybe you have a dream of traveling and never had the time or money. Why not just sell everything you have and go? We cannot take our homes or things with us when we pass over and if you have your heart set on seeing new things and have that adventurous heart, why not! Besides, if you get rid of a lot of your things now, it will be that much easier for your children when you do go to glory. If you refuse to give up the homestead, maybe you could aggressively begin to save up more money through garage sales, bake sales, baby sitting or pet sitting. You have heard the phrase “if someone wants it bad enough, they are going to get it.” Well that is true. If you think about something long enough, you are going to get it.
Maybe you want to go back to school. Excellent idea! Why not! We have to keep our brains alive and working; remember it is a muscle too. What would our brains look like if we went to a gym that made us work out with your brains? Fit brains or mushy brains. Today you can go back to school online and get your Doctorate in anything as long as you are willing to study your “brains” out.
Everyone has something that they want to do, now is the time to get going on that idea you’ve been stewing about for so long. Maybe it is a business idea. If so, do your homework and research it all out legally. Get everything in writing. Ask the pros to help you out. By this time next year, you could be a multi-millionaire and finance everyone’s trip abroad.
Want to help those less fortunate than you? There are so many organizations that are just waiting for your help. Again, do your research with a fine toothed comb and then, get to work.
The more you think about your dream, the closer your adventure comes to you and brought into reality. Then, you will see it all in the physical realm. Write it all down and take plenty of pictures along the way.

Friends

There are those who say that loneliness is simply a state of mind and I think that could be an important contributing factor. If we are not reaching out and meeting people, we will be lonely. If we are not people oriented, then you might have to push yourself to get out there and smile and make a few friends. No one is going to knock on our door or call you if they do not know that you exist, right? So, if you are finding yourself sitting home and having a pity party you will find that you are the only one coming to your party. Hey, we’ve all been there a few times, so you really aren’t alone. I personally do not like crowds and tend to be an enigma to those who do not know me, because I do not care for small talk or negativity and won’t stay around anyone who whines or talks about the weather for too long, unless it was about that tornado or hurricane that made everyone’s heart skip a few beats.
They say that if you can count a true friend on one finger, you’ve found a gem and that you will never need a counselor or therapy because a true friend won’t judge or reject you when you confide in your deepest secrets. She knows that she is loaded with them herself. A true friend is someone who will drop everything she is doing and be by your side through thick or thin. If you have done something wrong, she will take your side; accepting you in your wrong. She will listen to your whining and complaining until you have a cauliflower ear over the phone. She will give you unsolicited advice about whether your hair is attractive or if you are wearing too little or too much makeup and you will hear about the extra weight you put on because she wants you to be around for awhile longer, maybe she will just accept you just the way you are, because in truth; none of those things are really important in your friendship. Are these friend’s angels or devils? I think they are just what we need at the right time to help us pass through our journey. There is nothing like a good friend to come in and smash our own righteous self image from time to time and bring us back to reality and where we should be in the first place. That can be a humbling experience. More than ever, you don’t want to hurt your friend in anyway, but we do. We end up taking them for granted, thinking they will be around forever and that is a big mistake, because we might not be here tomorrow to tell them how important they really are to us.
Every woman needs another woman to talk to from time to time. Although you may be married and feel he’s your best buddy, you still need a crony who will cry with you and laugh hysterically over your yesterdays, today’s and we hope your tomorrows.

Friends

Friends
There are those who say that loneliness is simply a state of mind and I think that could be an important contributing factor. If we are not reaching out and meeting people, we will be lonely. If we are not people oriented, then you might have to push yourself to get out there and smile and make a few friends. No one is going to knock on our door or call you if they do not know that you exist, right? So, if you are finding yourself sitting home and having a pity party you will find that you are the only one coming to your party. Hey, we’ve all been there a few times, so you really aren’t alone. I personally do not like crowds and tend to be an enigma to those who do not know me, because I do not care for small talk or negativity and won’t stay around anyone who whines or talks about the weather for too long, unless it was about that tornado or hurricane that made everyone’s heart skip a few beats.
They say that if you can count a true friend on one finger, you’ve found a gem and that you will never need a counselor or therapy because a true friend won’t judge or reject you when you confide in your deepest secrets. She knows that she is loaded with them herself. A true friend is someone who will drop everything she is doing and be by your side through thick or thin. If you have done something wrong, she will take your side; accepting you in your wrong. She will listen to your whining and complaining until you have a cauliflower ear over the phone. She will give you unsolicited advice about whether your hair is attractive or if you are wearing too little or too much makeup and you will hear about the extra weight you put on because she wants you to be around for awhile longer, maybe she will just accept you just the way you are, because in truth; none of those things are really important in your friendship. Are these friend’s angels or devils? I think they are just what we need at the right time to help us pass through our journey. There is nothing like a good friend to come in and smash our own righteous self image from time to time and bring us back to reality and where we should be in the first place. That can be a humbling experience. More than ever, you don’t want to hurt your friend in anyway, but we do. We end up taking them for granted, thinking they will be around forever and that is a big mistake, because we might not be here tomorrow to tell them how important they really are to us.
Every woman needs another woman to talk to from time to time. Although you may be married and feel he’s your best buddy, you still need a crony who will cry with you and laugh hysterically over your yesterdays, today’s and we hope your tomorrows.

A Melody of Angels

A Melody of Angels
You know that area of sleep where you are still asleep but getting ready to wake up? They say this is the area where we get our brainstorms and if we can remember what we heard, we should be definitely writing them down.
Sometimes I hear heavenly songs. That is the only way I can describe it. What a wonderful way to begin a day, but to hear these lush words sing: “You have become the master of rainbows. You have become the guardian of rain.” The singing was incredible, so I certainly knew it wasn’t me, but I am sure I was humming it.
Since this morning I have thought about those words, especially the word become. Jesus learned obedience through suffering, like we do. That is in the book of Hebrews the 5th chapter.
He listened to the Holy Spirit while he walked the earth back then, this is how he heard God’s voice. He didn’t want to die upon that cross and prayed not his will but God’s will. So He followed it through for the great love of His father and us.
No I do not understand it all. Yes, I do have lots of questions. But I do know this, that there isn’t any greater love than when someone lays their life down for another person. Could you do that for those whom you haven’t even met, like Jesus did?

The 2010 Oil Leak that Kills Millions

The 2010 Oil Leak that Kills Millions
When doesn’t an oil leak kill, when it keeps pumping thousands of gallons a day into pure salt water? Those that are afraid of their beaches need to be concerned about the marine life that depends upon that water. Why can we take a man to the moon but not stop up a leak? Why do we deem controlling the world so important, yet not take care of our own doorsteps? Why are we are so belligerent, yet are so weak? What is wrong with this picture?
Millions of people are weeping over the 2010 oil spill into our beautiful gulf water where dolphins play and fish are abundant. Some weep for themselves in fear of their businesses, not caring about the innocent life that swims in the sea and had nothing to do with this atrocity.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/us/29spill.html
Is this a judgment by God or is it a unthinking slip of shoddiness from man’s greed? It doesn’t matter what it is, the important thing is to get the oil leak fixed as fast as possible from anyone and as of this writing it is pumping out many more thousands of gallons a day or more.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/us/24spillweb.html?src=me
So what can we working people do to fight against this? Remember one thing, when BP commences with bankruptcy it will come back as another name. Be wise, be informed and know!
Fight back! Fight against any drilling in the gulf ever again! It could be too late for our marine life to be saved, maybe in 15-20 years without the interference of man things could be turned back to normalcy. If you believe in miracles, God could intervene; He knows there has been an zillion amounts of prayers to Him.
But have we repented, in order to unleash His rescue?

God knows what you need before you even ask Him.

“Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Mt. 6:8
What does that mean? Like them? Them who? Them what? Simply them who haven’t met Him yet. I love “them”. I know because, I was there, I won’t judge anyone.
We so limit our God. He’s everywhere, hears it all and knows it all. He reads our hearts every day. Can you imagine a God that knows what you need before you even ask Him? You could ask, “Well if we’ve got a God who knows what I need, why ask Him? Why pray? Besides that, why does he allow me to go through all of these things?” Because, He wants to hear from you, after all; He is the one who created you. Besides, He’s given you a free will to do as you please.
Think of it this way: You are where you are because of a thought, and you eventually carried out that thought. Woe is our thoughts if we do not choose to change them.
Isn’t it delightful when your first born says a few words to you and begins to grow in their love toward you. They look up and smile and you smile back and as they grow, they ask you for things and sometimes you say a no because you know what is good for them at that age. Other times, you are delighted to give them things. A very wise man that has a gigantic help ministry once said to me “Sometimes God says NO.” Boy we don’t want to hear that. But you see, just as God knows what we need, He also knows what we do not need. A leader of the Prophets once said that the worst thing you can do for your child is to give him everything or to do everything for him. I say “amen brother!”
I call Him father, because He’s been my Holy Father since I was five years old. I didn’t understand it, but I knew He was there. I knew He was my guardian.
Isn’t it great that when you are hurting and struggling; we have a great God that actually knows what you need right at that exact time!

Getting Older isn't for Wimps

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes;: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to the bones.” KJV Proverbs 3:5-8

It seems when you hit a certain age you start noticing odd aches and pains. I realize I am not unique because we all seem to be on the same journey. If you have been healthy for the most part of your life you become shocked and dismayed with your body. What is going on anyway? We become like an old modelay needing a 30,000 mile overhaul. Our engine doesn’t seem to be running the way it should and sputters when it tries to start. After all,the car used to automatically know where to go, but now we have to take a few minutes to think why we went into the garage in the first place. You went to the Dr and discovered you then became a statistic of many other thousands of women who needed their gallbladder out. Your back ache becomes a real challenge and you know it isn’t your great bed. All in all, you look around and see so many others treading on our journey a lot worse off than you and not whining about it.
As I see it, there has to be a lot of backbone in you to be able to continue on our journey of aging.
Behind every thought of mine is a continual trust in God. I certainly won’t pretend that I know and understand everything that is written in the Bible, but I do know that when you take it to heart; it will change yours. When you take that one small leap of faith in trusting God, he meets you the rest of the way and takes your hand and makes the journey a little bit easier. It is so easy to try to figure it all out, especially when you have an analytic mind like mine. I have always sought the “whys” and “motives.” God says it is he who gives us understanding and wisdom when we seek him with everything inside of us. We have a God so big that for some reason we seem to keep trying to bring him down to our level to understand him. That isn’t necessary. Isn’t it time to realize that there really isn’t anything too small or big for him to handle? Can you honestly believe that? Can you change your thinking processes from doubt to faith assured that the character of our God is love? He will move mountains upon your behalf if you can only believe.
Have you found yourself in a quandary about which way to go? Acknowledge God first and then take that step forward. Believe me, if you aren’t supposed to walk through that door, he steps up to the plate and closes that door. He may have a better one in mind for you. I always love it when he closes a door, because he has heard my prayer.
Knowledge and wisdom is a good thing and we should be seeking his way all of the time, but do not depend upon man’s storehouse of wisdom. Why do we always seem to do things our self and depend upon our own “wise” ways? Too many times we will find ourselves going in circles until we learn that it is all by his spirit.
Fear the Lord. I see this as remembering that whatever we do in this lifetime we are planting seeds of some sort. Seeds of trust for others to use, seeds of hope to extend encouragement, seeds of love to those who are in need and seeds of favor. All those are good seeds that will reap an abundance of a healthy harvest in your life, but there are the unwise seeds that we choose to plant too and there is definitely a harvest time for them also. God’s sowing and reaping principles are seen everywhere. In fact, one single sowing began with one thought from our mind. Whether it was a building to be built or a divorce and from those seeds each gathered a harvest. Be very careful what you plant in your garden of life, there will surely be crop come up.
Depart from evil. Today’s message in the world is that there isn’t any difference between good and evil. We know better when we hear the news. If you are struggling with evil or any bondage, seek counseling and help. You can be delivered from it, but you first must desire this to happen. In order for light to open up darkness you have to make that one small step and seek help. This is what a powerful God of love can do for you.
The above verse gives us a promise that when we do all of these things we will have health to our navel and bones. Navel signifies life and when you get a little bit of age, you will want some extra marrow in your bones so you won’t creak.
God doesn’t expect us to be perfect; but we should examine our heart and ask for forgiveness and forgive those who have offended us. In fact, bless them in some way, but that is another word for later. Remember God knows our weaknesses before we confess them. It is important that we acknowledge him, trust in him so we can lean upon his strength instead of our own. A small amount of trust and acknowledgment will open up a door to give you more faith. Forgiving others will bring forgiveness when you need it. Extending a kind word will reap a perfect word in the perfect time in your life. Leaving an old way of life will give you the blessing to see his strength and promise to carrying on in your journey.

A Mish Mash of Yarn

A Mish Mash of Yarn

Have you ever tried to put another pair of glasses on over the reading glasses you are already wearing? Well, you just do not know what you are missing if you haven’t experienced that yet. What about not remembering if you added the sugar to the cake you are making? Oh don’t ask! It seems to be a part of the “maturing game.” I refuse to use that word old because I do not believe in it.
Are you a nurturer? That is someone who feels like they have to take care of everyone and everything around them. A mothering spirit, I’ve heard it called. Usually someone who is a nurturer has received more than their share of the gift of empathy. In fact, I’ve often wondered why I have so much empathy and so many around me, do not seem to have any. Super empathetic thinking is: “well if I were that parrot, where would I like to fly? And how big would I like my aviary?” They automatically understand that all birds must fly to exercise their wings, dogs must be allowed to run and cats must prowl and jump. They also know almost every thought their mate is thinking before he thinks it and when he opens his mouth she can easily nod and say she understands.
Who said that men were the stronger sex anyway? Maybe physically and why does a strong woman attract a weak man and weak women attract a strong man? Perhaps the “weak woman” isn’t really weak at all but an extremely intelligent lady who knows how to get the attention of a strong intelligent man. Therefore, could it be that our strong appearing woman may not be that strong after all if she is still attracting a weak man? Could it be because she subconsciously feels she still must control the whole relationship or roost, when the more “weak” intelligent woman has learned how to control the roost in a more intelligent and feminine way? Did you get all that? Who knows!
Why do we see the 6’2” gent dating the petit 5’2” lass? Is it because he has this protective spirit toward her, or is it because the lady has an IQ of 195 and knows exactly what she is doing? Could it be like “they” have always told us from the beginning, that opposites just simply attract?
For those of you who have carried some grief and bitterness possibly through a devastating divorce and seem to still be carrying the memories of his infidelity in your memory banks, may I take this moment to share with you something that I just learned the other day? Ladies, you have my permission to get a little bit excited about this!
When your mind does repeats about the “way back when’s” most of the time it is because you have put it on the “auto” while you are laying there on your bed; thinking about it all again! Yes, once again, you’ve just relived the love, the heartaches and horrors and all of the anxieties of your past. You are a smart cookie, you already know that wasn’t a good thing, but trying to stop it is another chapter in your journal. What if you discover that you are grieving over finding out that your ex wasn’t the man you thought he was in the first place? You think you are grieving over the whole situation, but in reality you are grieving over what you thought he was? Isn’t it possible to grieve and mourn over a make believe person? To have a wakeup call and know that person didn’t really exist after all? If you didn’t know he was a cheat and a liar and you assumed he was a good guy, you were deceived and completely innocent and not only that but you thought only the best of him. Consider yourself set free now, because the one you loved was not alive. Love always thinks well in a person. Forgive and move on, you deserve it!

God, do you mean me?

When God speaks do we really hear Him, or do we think it is our minds thoughts playing overtime? When He talks, what does He sound like?
I believe that God speaks in the language of every unique person so that they will be able to understand what He is saying to them individually. And, we certainly are all individuals. One person may refuse to give up southern fried chicken, while another one wants their nightly ice cream if possible, then; a nice nightcap is always soothing after a hard days work. We’re all different and that is what makes our lives so exciting.
Usually, when the Holy Spirit talks you’ll discover that He will be talking about the same thing to everyone only in various degrees and ways. For example: lately I have been noticing a lot of talk about being in the favor of God and acceleration. When you are in Christ and He is in you, there is a favor placed upon you because you were adopted into the family of God. This means you are royalty and God looks to you as His child, one to whom He can bestow favor and blessings, if you will believe and allow it.
Today there seems to be an acceleration in almost everything when you look at the world. From the speed of NASCAR to athletes who take steroids to accelerate their speed or buff up their muscle. Hollywood puts out movies so fast, it makes our heads spin and when any one does something that fast, how good can they be? Think about the word acceleration and all you have to do is look at the iPods, the cell phones and television. What if God Himself accelerated all of those lost years in your life and brought the breakthrough you’ve been praying for? It can happen if you believe that it can happen. It is easy to believe there is a store around the corner, because you’ve been there, but what about an area in your life you haven’t tapped into yet? What about getting out of your comfort zone when you hear Him talk to you? You may not feel equipped to go to the other side of earth and give a message, but He knows what you are made of and wants you to do it.
It will happen. It can happen, but you must believe with great expectations, knowing that our father brings only good in your life.
God is not the one who creates cracked pots, we do it to ourselves by the thoughts we provoke our lives with. The thoughts we hang onto that we think will protect our ego. Oh us of such little faith. Besides, our ego doesn’t need any protection. It is time to let it go and get on with the real life that brings us up and no longer pulls us downward.

We all have skeletons

In the catacombs of the Paris underground there are thousands of skeletons. One can walk through and you can see them all neatly lined up, after all it saves space.
http://tides.sfasu.edu:2006/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Digital&CISOPTR=4234&CISOBOX=1&REC=8
And:
http://tides.sfasu.edu:2006/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Digital&CISOPTR=4231&CISOBOX=1&REC=10
Of course, they felt that they had to do this because they were saturating their cemeteries. There were many plagues and so many deaths, they didn't know what to do with all of their bodies. While there are many catacombs in Europe, in truth; we all have our own catacombs. The old saying is "we all have skeletons in our closets." But, what are we to do about these past things? Everyone has them, so we need not feel insecure or inferior. We just know ours, but not those of others. The skeletons are there and will always be there, but it is something that should be dealt with in your mind and heart. I don't know about you, but I needed forgiveness and Christianity is the only belief that supplies that need. Forgiveness offers freedom. The skeletons can stay in the closet, but in Christ they can no longer bother you. You are dead in your sins. Keep your closet closed and turn just let it all go once and for all. That was yesterday, but today you have a life of grace.

Forgiveness

What is forgiveness? I believe it is a gift from God because there are some things that happen to us while we are on this earth that seems almost impossible to forgive. Yet, we all have our limitations to understanding why there are those who react in ways that will hurt others and possibly even scar them for life, if we allow it.
Forgiveness sets you free from being a victim any longer and when refuse to forgive the only person we are hurting is ourselves. We have to ask ourselves what good is holding on the bitterness, because eventually it will harm you physically. I can remember one time praying and telling God that I was willing to be made willing to forgive. I think there are a lot of scenarios to think about when someone deliberately lies or hurts you in someway and when you get right down to it, most of the motivation can be selfishness, fear and assuming. Sometimes, you just have to think it all out and reason so you can see it a little bit plainer than you did when you were so upset. It's best to try to dig up a little bit of compassion inside of you if you can for the one that hurt you, because most of the time they are the one carrying the huge burden of wrong, not you; unless of course you decide not to forgive. When you forgive you can at last have the happy life you desired. There is an old saying that the best revenge is to be happy. Just make sure it is sincerely happy through forgiveness.

Forgiveness