A Pair of Bartletts

Cafe Chat--What Gifts?

 
 I am always thankful for Kim at  To Know Him for challenging us at Cafe Chat over at the Internet Cafe. And today's question is another great one that begs us to dig deep(er).  When I read the qquestion, all I could see is a huge ticking timepiece.  I had to look introspectively and realize that my own personal gift that I can bring is more time with my Heavenly Father.  I immediately saw a flash of the "inventory" of things that I spend my time on.  When I see this flash, I see that one thing that doesn't flash as "bright" as the other "things" is the time that I should be spending with Him.  

I know that Kim's challenge to us regarding our gifts is for the coming year, but I certainly can  work on this now.  Like Kim, I feel that I think about the Lord and His birth so much during the Christmas season.  It's not that I "don't" think about Him throughout the year, but the Christmas season, I can't help but imagine what it must have been like.  The cold.  The ride on a donkey...while pregnant.  The stinky, smelly stable. The terror of being "found out" by Herod.   The Magi. The scared young mother.  The worried new dad.  Putting a new born in an animal feeding trough.  And all of that, just so that this tiny baby would come and save my filthy sin!  So if He would do that for me, a rotten sinner, why won't I give the gift of my time back to Him? 

Thank you Kim for the reminder and the challenge....I'm done preaching to myself now!

Cafe Chat--A Journey To Freedom

With all that I have had going on around me at home, in our family and just life in general, I've REALLY missed participating (and the fellowship) with Kim from To Know Him and other contributors over at Internet Cafe Devotions.  So today, I'm so GLAD that I can participate in the Cafe Chat with Kim...it means that I'm that much closer to getting back to my regular blogging!  

Here is an excerpt of Kim's post from today introducing our topic:

As you might have noticed already the title of the Chat today is, "Can today be the day?". The Lord has really been working in my heart over the last several months. I feel like He has been dealing with me in the area of letting things go. Sometimes the things are outright sins. Sins that have had me in their grip for a long time. Sins I have been wrestling with for what feels like my whole life.On the other hand, there are things in my life, things that I neccessarily consider sins. Some of the things are good things, or at least that is how the world might define them. However, these good things have become idols in my life. Things that I find myself not able to do in moderation, if you know what I mean.I am speaking today in general terms, because I don't want you to get focused in on any particular sin, and I don't also want you to feel like I am singling out things in my life that I think you all should give up as well. What I am asking you to do is to pray to God and see if there is something He wants you to give up. Not give up eventually, or one day in the future, but TODAY.Can today be the day you begin your journey to freedom from what binds you?Begin your journey with prayer, and then seek God in His Word. Ask Him to give you the desire to change, and the strength to do the hard work that is required. Seek out friends and loved ones that will support you on your journey to freedom.Jesus came to set us free... Let's seek freedom together.(Today, if you feel led please share with us what thing you are asking God to set you free from, or at least that you decided today is the day to change...)Cheering you on,Kim

When I read the topic, I immediately thought of these verses from Proverbs 3:

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, 
      And lean not on your own understanding; 
       ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, 
      And He shall direct^[a] your paths. 
       ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; 
      Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 
       ⁸ It will be health to your flesh,^[b]
      And strength^[c] to your bones. 

To answer Kim's question, I am a "fixer".  I always have been.  I have to fix it.  I have to get to the bottom of it.  I can't let it go. The problem with this is that sometimes I miss out on the direction that God is giving me in verse five above.  It's the one that gives me the "permission" that I need to "lean not on my own understanding".  And if I'm "leaning not on my own understanding", then I'm also doing what the beginning of the verse is commanding me to do...it's even harder than the "leaning not"....it's to TRUST and ACKNOWLEDGE God for who He is and His position in our lives.  And even further, to quit being wise in our own eyes  and know that He will live up to His PROMISE to me that HE will direct my paths!  If I can't trust God with ___(fill in the blank)____, then what's the point of Him being in my life at all?  Well, all I can say is thank you Lord for grace and mercy.  

I'm so beyond perfect but thankfully I have been saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  And even though I'm sure of my salvation, I'm still human and I'm still prone to struggle with handing the reigns over to Him when I need to just "let go".  And the verses even offer benefits to our health!  God is SO good!  If we will obey His word, then He'll even bring health to our flesh and strength to our bones.  This is such a relevant scripture for our stress laden world.  At every corner...at every turn....everyone is stressed (me included!).  But thanks be to the Lord that He is gentle to remind me through these verses that no matter what, I can trust Him, I can "lean not"...and if I do, and will do it diligently, I will have gained strength and health along the way.  So I'm challenging myself today to be obedient to the Lord to trust Him, lean not, God's promises are so good!  And Kim is right...it's like a journey into freedom!  Is today the day for you?

Cafe Chat--so what's your favorite?

I really was happy to read the question this morning from Kim at Cafe Chat over at Christian Women Online.  Today's question was "What is your favorite book of the bible and why was it your favorite book?".  I knew immediately how I would answer this question with no hesitation.  I have always adored the book of Ruth and the incredible story of this Moabitess and the journey in her life.  Her obedience to the Lord led her on a fascinating journey that also led her to be part of the lineage of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  I have read the story probably hundreds of times over and each time, I am just as moved in my heart as if it were the first time that I had ever read it. I can't imagine losing my husband and my brother in law and then having only my mother in law left and then having to figure out how we would survive.  Where would we live?  What would we eat?  How would we get food and water and any semblance of a normal life?  Having not personally lived in a time where women were so incredibly cast aside in a case like Ruth's, I cannot fathom what I would have done.  I know that I would have been so terrified with the uncertainty of what was going to happen.  But for Ruth, her humble spirit and her patience to wait on what the Lord had in store for her ultimately led to a glorious union with her new husband, Boaz.  Ruth's faithfulness to the Lord brought her out of unbelievably dire circumstances where there really didn't seem to be too much hope.  

RUTH 

Gender: Feminine Usage: English, German, Scandinavian, Biblical, Biblical Latin Other Scripts: רוּת (Ancient Hebrew)

 Pronounced: ROOTH (English), ROOT (German) [key] 

From a Hebrew name which was derived from the Hebrew word רְעוּת (re'ut) meaning "friend", "friendship", "companionship". 

I could write for hours on Ruth and her journey.  I loved her character and nuances and all that she stood for.  She loved her family and chose to stand by her family, no matter what the circumstances.  It just so happens that I come from a long line of "Ruth's", LITERALLY!  My maternal great grandmother was Ella Ruth.  My maternal grandmother was Nellie Ruth.  My mother is Betty Ruth and my 3 year old niece is Margaret Ruth.  And, if the Lord blesses me with a daughter, she too will carry on that precious name as well.  The Ruths in my family have carried on the tradition of the Ruth we read about in the scriptures.  Those that have gone on to the Lord endured many hardships including the Great Depression, the loss of a spouse at 38 years old (left to raise 4 children from age 17 down to age 6), just to name a few things.  It's so ironic.  Their strength during those times mimics the strength of the Moabitess.  They dug their heels in.  They banded together.  They raised their families the best they could.  They put food on the table and they made ever penny stretch to its limits.  They raised more incredibly strong women of the Lord.  And to this day, my mother carries on in their absence.....strong in her faith and strong in her commitment to take care of her family.  Every time I see my niece's name, I can't help but stop and pray for the line that she is carrying on.  I pray that the sweet little blonde headed 3 year old who is full of life and energy will rise up to be another woman from our family, strong and grounded in her faith.  I pray that she will have a relationship with the Lord that the other Ruths had and still have.  

Ruth 1:16 (New King James Version) 16 But Ruth said: “ Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.

I just know that Ruth was faithful and obedient to the Lord which led her to heaps of blessings in her life but ultimately, to the Lamb that would die for my sins and your sins on the Cross at Calvary.  I am thankful for Ruth's obedience, for without it, there couldn't have been a King David, and without King David, there wouldn't have been a Messianic line to my Savior.  Praise God for women of faith in the scriptures!  

What is your favorite book of the bible and why?

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Cafe Chat--What Would Your Title Be?

WOW...what a great question at Cafe Chat this week!  Kim atTo Know Him has posted another question from the archives.  And, it's SUCH a deep question....but a "good" deep.  It really made me take an introspective look. Her question to us was:

What would be the title of a book about your life?

Well, I'll have to tell you, what immediately popped in my head was actually the title of a movie, but it would be the title of the book about my life.  The book would be called "The Scent of a Woman". (HOO-WAH!) 

When I read the question, the verse in Ephesians 5:2 flashed up on the screen in my brain....it says:

"And walk in love, as Christ has also loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma."

I have often thought of this verse the minute that I come in contact with some very displeasing odor, like trash.  I find myself thinking about the Lord and what HE must think about the very displeasing odor of our sin.  Actually, odor is a mild word....our sin to Him is a stench.  As sensitive as I am to certain smells (you're talking about a girl who  has to tie a towel around her face to clean out the fridge....I get SICK at the smell of cold food--not even bad food, just cold food!), I can't IMAGINE what the Lord must think at the hideous foul smell of something so  hideous as sin in the presence of a HOLY HOLY GOD! 

So, my dear friends, I would  hope that my book would be called "The Scent of a woman (of the Lord)"....I want my life to be a sweet smelling aroma to my most Holy and precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

SOOOOOOO....Are you going to be this?

 

Or will you be this?

 

 

Cafe Chat--Did you know we moved to Thursday?

I know that Cafe Chat has typically been on Saturday, but as of recently, we have now moved over to Thursday...and don't you love the new and improved look of the logo above?  I really like the new look!

At any rate...on with Cafe Chat!  Kim posed the question today (a repeat question from an old post, but one that I had not answered):

When it comes to an issue or truth that you believe in, maybe even feel like God revealed that truth to you; how do you respond to another Christian that might have the opposite view from you? Do you feel like the way you respond lines up with how God would want you to respond?

I think that first, I would want my response to be one that can be tested by the scripture.  I would also want my response to be pleasing to the Lord and edifying to the other party involved:

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." Ephesians 4:29

I would also want my response to be well prepared.  I know that the other person may have a very different opinion, however, my response is what I am accountable for.  I pray that it would follow the further instruction from the scripture found in Colossians:

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." Colossians 4:6

This is such a thought provoking question, and one that brings to mind the accountability and responsibility that we have with our words.  I know that there are certain topics that can be much more sensitive than others, so I would also pray that I would apply the charge to us in Psalms:

"The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,And his tongue talks of justice."           Psalm 37:30

I would like to thank Kim at To Know Him for the great question.  Kim, like a lot of us, is in the midst of a very busy summer with a lot on her plate.  Thank you Kim for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give us a great (and provocative) question....even if it was a repeat.  I am ALWAYS in need of reminders!   

Saturday's Cafe Chat--Who is in the company that you keep?

Today's Cafe Chat question from Kim at To Know Him is simple, yet a really great question.  She asks:

Name 3 qualities or characteristics of a good/close friend. Explain why the qualities or characteristics you listed are important to you in your friendships.

 

This is a great question for me because it is very near and dear to my heart.  I believe that for me, the qualities and characteristics of a close friend are:

•     A sister in Christ  
•     A prayer partner, bearing one another's burden's before the Lord  
•     A loyal confidant 

I am so fortunate to have two ladies in my life that are VERY dear friends.  Diane and Sue are sisters to me.  Sue and I joke all the time that she's my "sister from another mister"......and that is SO true!  I love them both terribly and am so thankful that the Lord planned for our paths to cross years ago.  I love them so much and know that if I ever picked up the phone and needed them on the spot, they would be there, as would I in return for them.  There is nothing too big or too small that I wouldn't do for them.  We can share our hurts and our happiness with each other.  We have cried together, prayed together and we all are in constant prayer for each other and each other's families.  God was SO good when He placed us in each other's lives.  I cannot imagine life without them.

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Cafe Chat--Feeling His Fingerprints

I am so thankful for the challenging questions that Kim at To Know Him gives to us from week to week.  I regret that I've been out of the loop the last few weeks but am quite happyt o be back.  And what a great question today!  She asks us:

Is there a deep hurt in your life/heart that you have not let God heal yet? If yes, are you ready to let God begin the work of healing your heart? (Feel free to post the specifics if you would like, and remember you can always post anonymously)

For those of you that answered no to the question above, has there been a hurt from your past that God has healed? If so, was the healing instant or a process? (Again, please give specifics if you feel so led, and again you can post anonymously)

I can't even begin to think of where to start.  I could write for hours on this topic!  I posted this picture of the Potter's work because to me, it correlates so well with this question.  I am the pot and He is the potter.  And my pot has been cracked so many times that there are too many to count.  But He, in His infinite wisdom, has always put me back on His wheel, moistens the wound and begins to rework me into the vision that He has for me.  The cracks are always my fault.  But He is the Potter.  He continues to mold me and shape me according to His will.  The molding and shaping usually doesn't feel so great, but I know that without a doubt, the finished product will be beautiful in His sight.  I thank God for the "cracks" that I have experienced along the way.  Without the Potter and without the cracks, I would still just be a solid lump of clay.  And like the picture illustrates....I'm full of His fingerprints.

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat-Preaching to Myself

I am so thankful for the accountability that has come from participating in Cafe Chat at the Internet Cafe Devotions site, sister site to Christian Women Online. Each week, we are challenged with some really great questions that for me, have been ones that have caused me to take a deeper look into my own spiritual life and spiritual growth.  It's so easy to get caught up in the "day to day" and put God on the back burner.  I am the chief of sinners here.  So, with that, our question for today, posed by Kim was:

On a scale of 1-10, with a 10 representing the strongest, rate how you do with reading and studying the Bible. Why did you rate yourself as you did?


If you are struggling with reading God’s Word, make a list of possible stumbling blocks.


Make a list of how we can grow closer to Jesus through the reading and studying of God’s Word.

I would have to rate myself at about a 5 right now.  I would have loved to have put down a 10, but I can't.  As I said earlier, it is so easy to get caught up in the "day to day", and that lends itself to putting the importance of scripture reading and study below the importance of other things.  This is the prime place where priorities are found in disarray.  When I say this, please look back at the title to my post.  I'm preaching to myself.  I cannot compare myself to anyone here, nor can I point a finger.  I can only look introspectively, which is where I find myself at a 5.    The list of stumbling blocks for me is relatively short, but they're still enough to divert my attention away from such a large priority.  

1. My Spouse
   
2. Work
3. Television
4. Miscellaneous Activities 

I know that when I am in the word consistently, I somehow find the time to work other things in, but for some reason, it never works in reverse.  This is a charge to myself to re-prioritize my daily activities and be a better steward of my time so that I can meet with the Lord and bathe myself in His word.  As for my list of how I can grow closer to the Lord through the studying of His word--it's pretty obvious for me.  1) It makes me a better wife, daughter, sister & aunt 2)  It makes me a better servant 3) It makes me a better leader at work to lead a large staff of employees.  I could probably write a very long list, but these are my top priorities.


Thanks for the challenge Kim!

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat--Thank you Mike, Judy and Deborah!

Wow---what a great question today at Cafe Chat! Thanks Kim for such a challenge in answering this. Today's question is:  

So today, I ask you to share a time when a friend may have wounded you by speaking hard words to you, and even though you were hurt you realized it was the best and most loving thing he/she could have done. (If you can share the specifics that would be great, but if not feel free to use generalities).

Well, I'm going to go outside of the box a little bit with my answer. I would have to thank some dear friends and former Sunday School teachers, Mike & Judy N. and Deborah B. for their dedication to me and to others in the classes that they taught (and still teach today).These (still) dear friends were my Singles Sunday School teachers before I was married.  They are totally and completely devoted to the discipleship and mentoring of the Singles that they teach at our church.  Usually, the Singles Department tends to be the "red headed step child" at many churches today.  But, I am so happy to say that at our church, that is NOT the case.  These incredible teachers spoke MANY MANY hard words to me and to others in the lessons that they studied, prepared and delivered each week.  They were incredible mentors for me and I treasure each of them to this day.  They are still my dear friends and I am SO thankful for each of their personal testimonies.  They didn't just teach Singles, but they also lived out married life in front of us.  They pointed the way to what marriage should be, if we were to one day become married.  They challenged us to walk with the Lord FIRST.  They instilled more wisdom than what I could write for you in this post.  Thank you Mike, Judy and Deborah....I will forever be indebted to you for your faithfulness to lead me in the right direction. 

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat--Hurry Up And Wait!

Well folks, I guess I'm just destined to be the late night reading material for Cafe Chat!  I can't seem to get to posting on Saturday at a reasonable time!  But, here I am, so I guess it's time to get to the question and the answer.  Today's question from Kim at To Know Him is "After looking at the verse in Galatians, what specific 'fruit' (love, joy, peace...) do you find yourself lacking in your daily life?  Give an example if you can.  What circumstances in your life shows your weakness with the specific 'fruit' that you mentioned above."

I need a new car (patience), Rob and I have outgrown our house and need a new one (patience), I want to have a child now (patience), I'm ready for our business to take off so that I can be a stay at home housewife (patience).....is anyone detecting the theme of my answer yet?  I have really been praying for the opposite of patience as of late...my prayer has been for "contentment" until these things "move" in my life as the Lord would allow.  His timing is perfect.  The World's timing is not perfect.  For now, I crave contentment and will be thrilled at the outcomes from the Lord when I receive those desires of my heart.  I guess that praying for contentment is what has kept my soul from being down trodden.  When I have been able to focus on being content is when I feel the most "patient".  Anything that we are blessed with (a house, a child, another car, the job of a housewife) will all bring glory to the Lord, which is all that I ultimately want. 

Thank you Father for giving me patience through my contentment in circumstances!

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat--Secure or Insecure?

Happy Saturday and sorry that I'm so late! Today's Cafe Chat question is GREAT and one that touches many, many people, especialy women. The question today is:

"First of all, do you struggle with “Insecurity” issues? If no, why not? If yes, can you tell of a specific situation that happened to you that brought out your insecurities (the more details, the better). Again, if you do struggle with insecurity, what do you believe is the root cause of your insecurity?"

I will have to answer this question with a big "YES"!I don't think that I would be human, let alone a woman, if I didn't struggle with insecurity.  When we talk about "insecurity", it can mean so many different things. There can be insecurity in one's self esteem, finances, marriages etc. But, the insecurity that I had in my life centered around personal safety and protection.

One of the most prevalent times where insecurity loomed in my life was as a single woman living alone.  I have never liked being by myself, especially living alone.  I think I slept every night with the TV on in my bedroom, and even left one on in the living room, in hopes of faking out the "Boogie Man", in case 'he" were to try and come in while I slept.  Doesn't everyone know that TV scares away the "Boogie Man"?  I would pray myself to sleep every night...."Lord PLEASE keep me safe and PLEASE put a hedge of protection around me tonight"....that was the prayer, every night, without fail...and I prayed it over and over and over again until I fell asleep.  My insecurity with being alone was so bad that I never really slept well--ever.

It was only when I met, fell in love with and married my husband that I actually realized the magnitude of this type of insecurity that had taken over in my life. It had become a stronghold and I really didn't know it.  I cannot tell you how deeply that I slept after we were married.  Rob will vouch for that too...a marching band could come through and I wouldn't move! But, I certainly didn't marry my husband for the selfish reason of just having someone there.  However, I can tell you that the Lord not only blessed me with the most wonderful husband on the face of the earth (for more reasons that I can list), but He REMOVED that insecurity from me after we were married. But in the "removal" came the "lesson".  The funny thing was, all of those nights that I was praying those prayers and leaving those TV's on, I was totally missing the "point" that I think God was trying to make with me. I was so busy "praying the Boogie Man away" that I had forgotten to ask God just to "remove" that fear and insecurity and just trust Him to take care of me, regardless if I ever married or not.  I guess the old cliche is right....I couldn't see the forrest for the trees.

I still don't like staying by myself to this day, but I can do it, and have done it once or twice since we've been married.  But the difference is, I don't have to leave on TV's and lights and worry about the "Boogie Man".  I can put my head on the pillow and know that I know that I know that God is my eternal security, my Heavenly Father and my greatest Protector.  He has never left me or forsaken me...just as He promised.  He did bring me a wonderful mate who will be with me until the Lord sees fit for us to be with Him.  But in the meantime, He has placed Rob in my life to be my earthly protector...and I am SO very thankful for the security that my husband brings to my life. The Lord fashioned yet another wonderful blessing in a marriage when He foreknew how the woman would need this very important  thing of security in her personal protection.  I could write for hours on all of the facets that God created through this covenant, but will save that for other posts. 

Thank you to Kim at To Know Him for the great question today!

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat--Overcoming Struggles & Strongholds

Since I am just now getting to read the Cafe Chat post for the first time today, I'm just going to jump right in with a brief answer. Today's question is somewhat a carry over from last week's question.

"So, how can we be set free in Christ from our strongholds and struggles? (If you can please make sure to use scripture to support your answers)."

Honestly, when I read the question, an extremely simple answer popped into my head. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) promises us that:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

When I put my faith in Christ, repented from sin and allowed Him to cleanse me of all of my unrighteousness, I put all of my hope and trust in Him, and only Him. By putting that trust in Him, I also put all of my faith in the fact that the Bible is God's infallible word. I believe EVERY word of the Bible. While the world thinks that the Bible is "a nice story" about "a nice man who was a teacher" and that it has some "great principles to live by", I happen to think much differently. I believe that the aforementioned "world view" is a bunch of flowery garbage. I believe that if the Bible tells me that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me", then I can. And, if I can do that, then that means that I can overcome (and bring under control) ANY struggles or strongholds that come my way. This is not to say (by any stretch) that I can do this alone, but ONLY through the power of Christ "who strengthens me.

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat--How Would My Life Look?

I was sort of taken aback at today's question on Cafe Chat. It wasn't that it was a bad question, but just that for me, it's a very deep question. Today's question is:

How would my life look if I no longer struggled with _______? What if I was completely free from ______ through Christ’s power…(Put your struggle/stronghold in the blank) *Try to give some very specific ways your life would be different if you no longer struggled with your above named stronghold*

I would have to say that if I had to fill in these blanks, my struggle would be "fear of rejection". That is VERY hard to admit, but it's true. I could write for hours on this subject and the who, what, when, where and hows...but suffice it to say that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". And in Jeremiah....He promises to "prosper me and not to harm me". So, with that said, I am not saying that this stronghold is always in check, but much prayer and petition has gone into bringing it under the power of Christ. As for how my life would be different, I'm almost willing to say that if I didn't struggle with it at all (to some degree), then I wouldn't depend on the Lord to help me as much as I do now. He certainly has brought me past the point of it being a horrendous stronghold, but as I said before, it's only due to prayer and petition that it is "under control"---not totally gone, but "under control". I thank God for the power of Jesus Christ over strongholds!

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Saturday's Cafe Chat

Here is the post from today's cafe chat at Christian Women Online:

Café Chat February 14th 2009

First of all, since it is Valentines Day I want to send out my sisterly love in Christ to all the readers of the Internet Café, and especially a little extra love to the readers that have participated in our weekly Café Chats. You all are just blessing my socks off, at least when I am wearing socks .

A big thanks to all the bloggers that participated in last week’s “Chat”, as I know the question from last week was not an easy one by any measure. You ladies (so far only ladies have answered) have a lot of wisdom and depth of insight in your answers, and I am encouraged every week. Well, I had a different question for this week, but when I realized the Chat question was going to fall on Valentines Day, I had to change it up to reflect the special day. The number one thing I associate with Valentines Day is “LOVE”, so let’s talk about love today.

Tell of one specific time in your Christian walk that you were overwhelmed with God’s love for you.

I can’t wait to read your stories this week, and regardless of whether you are single, dating, married or anything in-between have a wonderful Valentines Day! God loves you and that is what is really important on a day like today. Blessings friends, Kim

Okay...I'll tell you now, my answer is going to be what my Mother would call "mushy"! I can tell you without hesitation that outside of my salvation, the most overwhelmed with God's love for me during my Christian Walk was when I looked into the eyes of a man named Rob, and realized that He was sent from the Lord to be my one and only husband for the rest of my life. Marriage has taken a bad wrap for quite a while. Call me old fashioned, but I married for life. Because of that, it overwhelms me to think that the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, could find, match and knit together two very different people into a marriage together that is a sacred covenant between us and the Lord--FOR LIFE. It makes me feel like the most honored princess on the planet to know that my Heavenly Father hand picked my husband to meet every need that He gave me a desire to have met. Rob makes me laugh like no one else, he knows the inner most parts to my heart like no one else, He knows what can make me cry in less than 5 seconds flat, but he also knows what can make me suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. He makes the world go away for me. He's my earthly comforting companion. Most of all, he's my hero.

So....raise your hand if you think that I'm overwhelmed at God's love for me!

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat--Two Hearts Knitted Together

I absolutely LOVE today's question from Kim at To Know Him. The question is

"How does it make you feel to know that God has designated you as the primary instrument to reflect His love for your spouse?"

I can't BEGIN to tell you how privileged that I am to have a husband so wonderful as Rob. I am by no means telling you that I have him on a high pedestal that I lose sight of the fact that he is a human being and will make mistakes in this life. What I am telling you is that the Lord blessed me with His perfect choice in a mate for me. Rob is everything that I am not. He completes my life. Our hearts were so skillfully knitted together by the Lord that no matter what this life could bring our way, the threads can never be broken. There is only one thing that can pull us apart and that will be our passing into eternal life with the Lord. Because of all of these things, I love Rob with every fiber of my being. I am honored that the Lord chose me to show His love to Rob. I am also a human being and am imperfect, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...therefore, I can love Rob though the Lord, when my flesh (on it's own) may not choose to love. Our God is omnicient, omnipresent and knew what my heart needed when He crafted Rob in his mother's womb. He foreknew that we would be together. I could write for countless hours on the intricate details of things that the Lord has done throughout our lives that would prepare us to be together and to relate to what each other would experience both together and as individuals. Our lives are testimonies to the extreme sovreignty of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat--Testing our Beliefs

I wish that I could have gotten to this earlier today, but I have been gone most of today with my Mom. It was a great "girls day out"....Thanks Mom!!

Well, today's question on the Cafe Chat is:

"When it comes to an issue or truth that you belive in, maybe even feel like God revealed that truth to you; how do you respond to another Christian that might have the opposite view from you? Do you feel like the way that you respond lines up with how God would want you to respond?"

Before I read the second part of the question, my mind immediately had the thought that "I would hope that both my view and the view of the 'other Christian' in question would line up with Scripture, since I believe that the Scripture is our litmus test for anything that comes our way in life. The Bible has an answer to every question that could be posed. It is God's inspired and infallible Word. So, as for the second part of the question, I would say "yes", since I would want my original answer to someone to be the answer that lines up with the Holy word of God.

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." Colossians 4:6

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat....A Personal Struggle

Well, today's Cafe Chat question is (what we would say in the South) "a doozie". Today's question is this:

What is one thing that you feel you cannot share with another person about yourself? (You think if they knew this one thing or struggle that they may not accept you).

WOW! Where to begin? It's so easy to sweep things under "the rug of our hearts" so that everything is neat and tidy for those who are a part of our lives. But, we all know that "this thing" is still there, even though we think that we have "cleaned up the evidence" for the outside world.

I would have to call myself the "chief of sinners" when it comes to doing something that the Lord very specifically tells us not to do.  I would have to say that my struggle would be with harboring "unforgiveness".  This is something that I have to battle with on almost daily basis.  I have had to come to realize two things regarding the subject of forgiveness in my life:   1) It doesn't come easy for me and 2) I cannot do it in my own strength

When I find myself struggling with the issue of forgiveness, the Lord gently reminds me of David's forgiveness for Saul in I Samuel 24:10-12:

10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. 12 Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.

In addition to the picture of forgiveness by David, the picture is also painted by none other than Jesus himself in Luke 23:34:

34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”[a]
And they divided His garments and cast lots.

I could honestly sit and write on this for the rest of the day. However, for time's sake, I will tell you this. It has been over many a night in the prayer closet of my heart that I begged God to show me how to forgive. And, even though it sounds like an oversimplification of the solution, it is this. God just very plainly reminds me each time that the person I am trying to find forgiveness for is His child. Whether or not that person has come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ or not, He gently reminds me that He came to the Cross for many more than just little me. That person that I'm trying to forgive has access to the same God that I have access to. Yes, that person must realize their sin, repent of it and turn from it, just like I did. And, they must make Jesus the Lord of their lives. But the key to this whole struggle for me is that regardless of that person's relationship with the Lord, I am to forgive them, no matter what. If they indeed do not know the Lord, then it should also be an open door for me to tell that person about the Lord and His saving grace.

I have come to the point now that I don't beat myself up over this issue anymore but instead, I try and deal with it head on. I am thankful to the Lord for everything that He has taught me in the past few years regarding the forgiveness of one of His creations. I pray that those reading this post will also find the power of forgiveness in their lives. It is truly a freeing thing for me, as I hope that it will be for others.

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat....Happy New Year!!

If I haven't told you already, Happy New Year! I am just stunned that 2009 is already here and in full swing. It seems like the older that I get, the faster the time goes, as I'm sure it does for all of you as well.

I think that Kim at "To Know Him" has posed a great question for the Cafe Chat today. Today's question is "What is the most important truth/lesson you feel God taught you in 2008? How will that truth change your life in 2009?" Well, for me, I believe that in 2009, God has plainly said "child, Simplify". I can quickly complain to myself that Rob and I are out of room, yet when I look around, there are SO many things that are just "things" that could EASILY bless someone else who is less fortunate. I am so blessed to have a roof over my head, a fridge that needs to be cleaned out (because it has too much in it), ice cold air condition (we do live in the DEEP south), clothes, shoes, the sweet scent of my new "Berry Jam" Yankee candle burning nearby while I type this.....the list could go on forever....you get the point. In Ecclesiastes 2:4-11, the Lord tells us:

Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 (New King James Version)

4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments[a] of all kinds.

9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.

The first few passages sound like us....just too much "stuff". This is exactly what I want to change. I'm not saying that I want to get rid of everything in my house to the point that we don't have anything to sit on, but there are many things here that we can both stand to live without. I just started reading a great book by a wonderful blog-o-sister, Joanne Heim, titled "Living Simply: Choosing Less in a World of More". Joanne's book has really been the icing on the cake for me as I've been thinking about this need for "simplification" in 2009. Thank you Joanne for all of your wonderful insights and encouragement!

I pray that you will all have a wonderful new year and that you may also be able to find some room for some "simplification" in 2009!

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat

Cafe Chat....A Day Late!!

Well, I'm a day late!! I have been so busy trying to get us ready for a very long Christmas road trip, so I wasn't able to get anything posted for the Cafe Chat.  But, as they say, "better late than never". 

The question was "Why do you think so many people are stressed out during this time of year? What advice would you give them (or yourself) to help de-stress?"  My answer to this may sound very simple, almost too simple.  The reason that I think that people are so stressed out at this time of year is because they have simply lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas.  Not only have they lost sight of "Christ", who is the reason and the meaning of Christmas, but they have also given themselves over to the beast of commercialism.  I know that some people in today's world are offended by a statement like this, but I'm sorry.  Times have been much simpler in the past, families have been much closer and the world was much better off for it. 

The best way I know how to illustrate this is just to go back two generations, maybe three, in my family.  I have a book that I gave my grandmother when I was about eleven years old.  It was called "Grandma's Story".  The book was filled with pages that allowed my grandmother ("Nanny") to illustrate her entire life for me and for those after me, so that nothing would be forgotten or lost.  Once she filled the book out in it's entirety, she gave it back to me as a gift.....and oh, what a precious gift it was.  Aside from the ring that she left me, it is one of my most treasured possessions of all time.  There is nothing that can replace the content of those handwritten pages, written in her most beautiful handwriting.  I promise, I'm on the way to the answer to the questions...stay with me here.  The times that Nanny wrote about were incredibly similar to the times that we live in now.  They were in a depression....we are in an economic crisis.  They didn't always know where the next meal would come from....we have people lined up at food pantries.  But at Christmas....regardless of the circumstances of the times, you would never hear my Nanny frown on her memories of Christmas (or really any other time).  The reason why is because they always made each holiday so special.....they made it with what they had.  In fact, just at the sheer mention of Christmas "back in the day", you would see Nanny light up like a Christmas tree in the town square.  The reason that she lit up is because the memories were so fond.    They were not stressed, because they had each other.  My Nanny had 5 other siblings, so my Great Grandma Smith had her hands full when it came to the children.  My Great Grandpa Smith worked and provided what he could.  It may not have been wealth, but they made it work.  They always MADE it.  They grew vegetables and always had some on the table.  They put up vegetables during the summer so that they always had a plenty pantry during the winter.  They hand made their gifts to each other, they sewed, they made blankets, they did so many things that didn't require too much dependence on the merchants of the times.  They made pomander balls so that they could given them as gifts or put them in their handkerchiefs to sniff and keep from smelling bad street smells.  They made dolls from handkerchiefs and baby doll furniture from scrap wood. They cut scrap paper and made paper dolls.  They made tops to spin, they whittled toys to play with. They made homemade pralines, homemade divinity and fabulous fruitcakes.  They slaughtered a pig...they had ham, bacon and all the trimmings.  Did you notice yet that I haven't mentioned that they were stressed during any of this?  That's because they really weren't.  They always made a way. 

That same standard was passed on to me...and I KNOW what it means.  We didn't have the easiest time growing up over the years, but God ALWAYS provided what we needed and His hand was always on us....even at Christmas.  So for me now, in these times, I am content in making what I can, be generous with a meal or contribution to a party. I made our Christmas cards this year from some scrapbooking stickers, some plain cards and some labels printed on the printer.  I used what I had so that I could put more of  a special touch on each card. 

The advice that I would offer to anyone wishing to de-stress at the Christmas holiday time would be to stop.  Look back.  What were the traditions of the past generations?  How can you make those traditions relevant to the time now.  What is absolutely necessary to buy and what is frivolous....cut out the frivolous.  Make something handmade for those you want to give presents to.  Put something special in it that is a reminder of the past....just make it special.  Most of all, remember that Jesus Christ is the reason for Christmas to begin with.  If He were going to be at my doorstep for Christmas dinner, my main concern would be spending as much time with Him as I could possibly squeeze out.  I wouldn't want to miss a minute.  I would love to serve Him some of my favorite Irish Breakfast Hot Tea, some great Southern biscuits and jelly and sit under some warm blankets and just soak up His presence.  My time with Him would have nothing to do with anything bought in a mall or an outlet.  It would be simply.....TIME SPENT.

Labels: Saturday's Cafe Chat