Dancing with Jesus

Dancing with Jesus can bring us so much joy, if we only take the step into his arms. I read a book by Angela Thomas called When Wallflowers Dance and then a couple years later I heard a song that made me imagine dancing with Jesus through all the trials and joy that life may bring to us.
When Jesus asked me if I’d like to dance, I could barely stand but I found no walls that I could lean against, so I took his hand.
I didn’t know where Jesus would dance me to, I only knew I didn’t care. I was so happy just to be with Jesus, it didn’t matter where we danced to.
Jesus danced me to an endless ocean view from a high mountain plain. Then Jesus danced me through a some rough land and stormy waters. For a while, Jesus seemed to disappear and I could find no place for my head to rest. When the land became smooth and the waters at a calm state, Jesus was still there waiting for me to dance again.
I still don’t know where Jesus and I are dancing to, but I would be a fool to care. I am just so happy to be dancing with Jesus, it doesn’t matter where we are dancing to.
What a song, a endless song that Jesus and I are dancing to. In my heart the song has been playing all along but until I accepted Jesus into my heart, I never knew how wonderful dancing would be with Jesus.

My First Pickling Adventure

Back in June, I went on vacation to Florida to visit family. While I was there my sister-in law Polly taught me how to make Garlic Dill Pickles and Bread and Butter Pickles. Making the pickles didn’t look that hard however, I didn’t think they would be cost effective for me since her cucumbers came from her garden and I would have to purchase them. I enjoyed learning to make them but never got her recipe. All I knew was that she had gotten the recipes from youtube.

A week or so ago a friend of mine, Karin asked me if I would like some cucumbers. I told her yes of course and told her how I learned how to can the cucumbers. I was able to visit her at her home up in the beautiful mountains. We walked through her garden chatting (just as women like to do) looking at all the different types of vegetables her mother and her planted. They were just all so beautiful. Karin and I had the opportunity (while the children played) to just sit on her front porch and talk. It was so enjoyable to relax and visit with a friend in the fresh air of the mountains.

Back to my pickling adventure. Karin gave me a basket full of cucumbers and other vegetables. I thought that this would be a good time to try my hands at pickling. I called Polly for the recipe however, she was unable to find the tablet she had written it in. So, off to the web I went. I had the visual part of making the pickles still in my head from Polly and the recipes on youtube was not ringing a bell. I decided to do a hit and miss batch of Garlic Dill pickles. They ended up being Dill because the Garlic I had was bad. I still thought it was a good thing because I had used all organic ingredients. I have to admit, I was very frustrated and almost gave up. After a long break and Polly coming to my rescue on facebook, I started making the Bread and Butter pickles. It was easy. All the visual memories from Polly’s came back. It makes me feel better now that I didn’t give up. Now I can say, I did it and they taste good too! Now, I am looking forward to having my own garden next year.

Dialog in the Dark Exhibit

I went on a field trip over the weekend with the Ralph Chandler Middle School Band and Strings. The director of the band and strings, Susan Wines choose for the children to experience this exhibit. This exhibit left me almost speechless. All the tour guides are blind or visually impaired. Our guide was blind. His sight was taken from him at the age of 39 by a gunshot to his face. As we prepared to go through the tour we were given a cane to find our way around. We were taken into a lighted room and then the room gradually darkened. Our guide asked us all to stand up and follow his voice as he guided us into the first room. There we were able to touch the floor, listen to sounds and smell. It was a park. We had mulch, tree’s, sounds of birds and flowers. Our next stop was the grocery store. Our group identified the shapes of items in the store like a gallon jug, cans, fruits and vegetables. Did you know that in the dark you can shake a can to tell what is in it? A gallon jug in a cooler isn’t always milk. We can use our hearing (to shake it) and our touch to feel the weight. A gallon of water weights more than milk I found out. I just never paid attention to the weight of a gallon. The guide then took us on a boat where we heard the motor of the boat, water, animal life and touch of the wind on our faces and the rocking of the boat. The last room was a café where we could purchase soft drinks and ask personal questions of the guide. We learned that he chooses his clothing by the type of fabric and that he has a machine that he can put his money in to tell him how much it is, like 10, 5, 1 etc.

What happens when we have light whenever we wanted it and suddenly it was taken away by an act of violence as it did to our guide? Well, one of the students asked a question? She asked: Do you hate the guy that shot you and is he in jail for what he did to you? The guide answered no he didn’t hate his shooter but he forgave him and they became friends and that he wasn’t in jail because he went to heaven. Our guide demonstrated to the children that he forgave his friend as God forgives us. I think that our guide left a strong impression on how great of a God we have and forgiveness can be given to a human no matter how bad it may seem. Even though his visual light was taken, he still had light in his heart to shine for us to feel. He brings God glory by sharing his story in the dark about forgiveness every day to all ages.

If you get the opportunity to visit Atlanta, this is a wonderful exhibit to take your family to.

Freedom from Addiction

Thoughts from Hebrews 12:3… Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and loose heart.

When we face discouragement it is easy to lose sight of the big picture, we’re not alone. Suffering is the training ground for Christian maturity. It develops our patience and makes our final victory sweet. (LASB).

Freedom from addiction is very long path and hard to imagine seeing the light but I can almost see it. The enemy is playing mind games telling me “You’ll never be free” or “just one more won’t hurt”. Every step I take feels good for the day but has no direction. Some days, my faith starts shaking. I know I need to awaken my soul to pray and be alert to the lion that is around the corner. The mountain I am climbing seems so steep. I know God will show me his ways and teach me the path to the top…. for the final victory is going to be SWEET.

My foot might slip but I will stand tall and walk again with God as many times it takes because He delights in me!

Forgiveness

Over the past few weeks I have felt that God was not near in my life. I kind of felt alone and wondered where God went, I knew he wouldn’t leave me but I still felt alone. A few days of things (some good and some not so good) started happening around me that showed me that yes, God never left me alone he was always right near me.
I read something that did not seem “real” and called a friend, whom I trust and walks closely with Jesus. I just didn’t understand why I was feeling like something just wasn’t right. I feel now that I should have let God sort the feelings in my head before I called my friend. I feel like I jumped the gun so to speak instead of going to God first. Now, I am wondering if I should go to the person who wrote the paper and ask for forgiveness because I doubted parts of what was written just because some of the words did not seem “real” to me. In going, I would be afraid I would hurt feelings and I surely don’t want that to happen. I keep telling myself “Who am I to judge what was written?! I really don’t know what to do.

On Saturday, my boys and I went to look for a Christmas tree. They have never experienced picking out a real Christmas tree. We walked around and looked at all of them and I told the boys we needed to pick a tree from this row. So we walked and discussed why we didn’t like this on or that one. Then, Casey yelled out this one mommy! Of course, I asked why. He said, It has a cross on this branch! Sure enough it did. There is cross shaped branches all over the tree but the one branch Casey saw was straight across and straight down. I told Casey, that this must be our tree and we brought it home.


In my bible study “Esther” this morning, we were learning about the great garden party of King Xerxes. At this party, I learned that there was quite a bit of lavish decoration of hangings of white and blue ribbon, couches of god and silver and wine that were served in gold goblets. The part that caught my eye was that each gold goblet was designed different! With feelings that has been stirring makes me wonder “Where all the goblets different because God makes all his children different”? I went to Worship Service and the stage was decorated with beautiful Christmas trees that shined brightly in Gold and Silver and the message was on Forgiving! So you think that sparked my attention? Of course it did. A song was sung during the service that I had heard many times before however, third verse stood out to me. The song was El Shaddi by Amy Grant which means God Almighty. It brought me to remember that the time of Christ is near and there are people who are all different that don’t know who Messiah is. That I need to scatter and show people His Word that contains the plan and shows his most awesome work that was done through his Son.

Could all this be coincidence that this seems to be happening within a few days apart? No, Coincidences are miracles in which God prefers to remain anonymous. Even though I couldn’t see or hear God, he has always been there. Teaching me a few lessons!!!

Encouragement

When the stress gets high and your nerves are stretched and your strength is draining, STOP for a moment. Sit back in your chair, close your eyes, and repeat these words:
"He strengthens those who are weak and tired".(Isa 40:29)

Our strength falls back sometimes as we work hard to accomplish the things we've be given to do.

"But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak."(Isa 40:31)

Ask God to keep this promise for you, right now--and don't allow yourself to wonder whether He can or will answer. God delights in making promises (note how many He makes in the Bible), and He delights in keeping those promises. So, draw upon His strength.

Do not be afraid---I am with you! I am your God---let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you. (Isa 41:10)

Lady Bugs

Ladybugs are so round, pretty, colorful, spotted and live about 2-3 years. They have been coming around me for the past month or so. They visited me at the beach, in my friends car in New Jersey and last night, two ladybugs on top of each other dropped in my lap! They have caught my attention. Why, I am still trying to figure it out. What is going through my mind right now that God is talking to me through these LadyBugs. I think he is telling me that the world is very colorful but watch for the spots of sin and evil. Not to let color of the world fool me but remind me. Also I think he is telling me is that I meed to teach and protect my children from sin and evil where ever they are just as the Ladybug protects the farmers crops. That feeling comes from a Deeper Still Conference where Kay Arthur told us as parents we need to step up our parenting to our children and teach them the word and for us not to expect the church to teach them. It is our responsibility to teach them the word not the church. So for now, I will be still and listen to God as he speaks to me through the LadyBugs!