Sunday, April 27, 2008

One of my favorite things

Every April when the bluebonnets come out, my husband and I try to make time to go see them. This year we took my brother. I wanted him to see one of my favorite things about Texas.

Seeing them reminds me of my first spring here.

That winter had been harsh and cold. Everything around was brown and bleak.

My life felt like that too. The grief of losing my Dad and other stresses that year had taken a toll on me emotionally and spiritually.

That morning as I drove to work, there they were--the bluest flowers I had ever seen! Not just one or two but large patches all along both sides of the freeway. It was just stunning. They were highlighted by the sun and were even more noticeable against the dead brownness around them.

I felt like I had been given a gift.

When I got to work I raved about the amazing sight and asked Ed, my coworker, if he knew what they were. He could hardly believe I didn’t know about bluebonnets – the Texas state flower. I think he was slightly amused and more than a little pleased by my naïve delight.

Now every April when the bluebonnets come out I think of that morning when God brought hope alive in me again.

Follow this link to see some really great photos of bluebonnets! http://www.pbase.com/richo/bluebonnets&page=all

Thursday, April 24, 2008

I need God!

Feeling drained and in need of something.

My BB is away until Monday. It has been good to have him here with us, but it is also nice to just be us again for a few days.

My b-day is coming up, but I want to wait until he is back to go out to celebrate -- I'm thinking ribs at "Chili's" :-) yum!

Not sure what to do with my blog at the moment. Wondering if I have been too confident in myself--"I always have lots of ideas." But I am seeing how much I need God to give me the ideas.

Yesterday at ladies Bible study when we got to Prov. 16:18 "pride goes before ... a fall," E. talked about pride and that pride is depending on ourselves or others instead of God. She said humility is the opposite of pride and it is also a fruit of the Spirit. We don't get rid of pride by focusing on it, but instead by focusing on God and our need for Him.

(I just looked up the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 NIV. Humility is not listed :-( -- Funny it sounded so right when E. said it. Maybe her version reads that way... ) Anyway, maybe it isn't in that list, but I do need God. Dependance on Him is the only way to go -- all of the time!

He even said "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5)

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

"Indescribable" DVD

Hey check out this cool dvd a friend told me about. It's by Louie Giglio of Passion Conferences. I looked it up and just the description is inspiring. You don't have to buy anything unless you want to. Here's the link: https://www.268store.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=170

It reminds me of my Feb. 14 post titled, "As high as the heavens", about God's love.

That seems to be a theme in my life this past year or so. Maybe God knows I need reminders. I think I might even be starting to "get it".

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Help!

Thanks for that last comment, Wendy. It came at a "good" time--I certainly need the reminder to trust God!

Something has come up lately that really has me fuming. A few days ago when I was praying about it I felt God said to me that I was to start thanking Him for X. I didn't really want to, but I could tell that continuing to fret and judge X was not helping. In fact it was a real bummer to have my mind filled with that junk. So I did start to thank him for X. It really did help that day. My mind was a much more pleasant place to be.

But this morning... I got into a discussion (for the umpteenth time) with J about it (the situation with X). It turned into a fight... sigh :(

Later as I was walking on my treadmill, feeling really angry and stressed, I was reminded of what God said about giving thanks for X. I was also thinking with some chagrin about our small group meeting Tuesday night. We had talked a lot about giving thanks and I told them of my little victory of a few days ago. I was so sure of myself then. I thought things were going to work out the way I wanted them to, so it was easier! (ouch)

So anyway, as I was treadmilling, I told God this morning that I could not think of anything about this problem to be thankful for. But as I kept trying I did think of a few--grudging and meager though they were. Things like "thank you God that I have not killed J yet!," and "Thank you God that you have promised to work everything out for good for those who love you..."

So what happened? Well I did start to simmer down and relax a little. And I felt less inclined to kill J.

The situation has not changed... And J has not called to apologize...

Am I happy? Do I feel like everything is beautiful? No and no.

That reminds me, I just got a new journal and on the front is the verse, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." (Ecc. 3:11)

sigh... it's the "in its time" thing I am struggling with-- How long will this one take Lord?

~~p.s. (1:20 pm)
J did call and email me and we got things sorted out between us. Thank you God! :-) The thing with X? Well that's a different story, but at least J and I seem to be walking in unity about it now. Hopefully that will continue!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Peace in the Son




Few things evoke peace like a cat basking in the sun.


This week I was starting to feel less than peaceful. Not enough time or energy for all the things that were happening... It was looking impossible, but I chose to trust God to get me through and to work it all out. And as I have done that I have felt His peace pervade my tasks. Things are getting done and I am feeling much more at peace. This afternoon I even had a few minutes to spend with the cats and to take this photo of Sonya (Chloe's "adopted" sis who we are also cat-sitting this year).

Trusting God takes a choice. An article I read today by Joyce Meyer said we can choose what we think about. It's true. Not always easy, but true.

We can also choose to trust God. It isn't automatic it does require a choice (sometimes multiple choices through the day!) but it is possible.

Colossians 3:2&3 says, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

Thank you God for the peace you give. Help me to choose to trust you all the time!

Friday, April 4, 2008

It's Springtime!


This morning I was so pleased to see the pink blooms on this (fruitless peach) tree. And all the other trees have greened up too. I just love this upwards view from my kitchen window. I feel like I am looking up into heaven. (I guess the chain is a little distracting, but I look past it now)

At the momment the downwards view is not too pretty (see below). But I'm working on that.

A friend recently gave me a journal called “Ladies of the Garden” It has helpful info, pretty drawings and places to jot notes about my garden.

In it she wrote: “To all your future gardens – may they be filled with the fragrance and bounty of the life that Jesus offers us each day!”

Today after looking at it again and rereading her message I felt so encouraged and even got inspired to go work in my garden! :-) Thanks S--.


Here is a before picture of my patio garden in all of its weedy ugliness. Hopefully I will soon have a nice "after" picture to post

Thursday, April 3, 2008

If we have God...

Hebrews 13: 5

"Be content with what you have,
because God has said, ‘never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.’"

So whatever we have, or don't have, if we have God with us then we have enough! We can be content.

Thank you God!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Introducing...

This is a video of Chloe. Cute isn't she? She and her adopted sis Sonya arrived last Friday. They will be here for a year while their "mummy and daddy" are home in the UK.

They seem to be happy here.... Hopefully they will soon learn to use the litter box every time......!