Tag Archives: parenting

Nov21

Make The Effort!

Posted on November 21, 2012 by sagescenery

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I’m highly recommending this Christian daily e-mail you can subscribe to…

Called “The Daily Verse” by Kat Davis…

Or you can purchase her book by the same name…

Web-site: TheDailyVerse.com

Today’s Bible verse for November 20, 2012:

“And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.”
Luke 19:2-4

After each verse, Kat explains her thoughts from God on that verse:

For this verse, Kat writes: “Let us consider how much of an effort will we make to overcome our limitations, so that we can clearly see Jesus, and figuratively climb the tree, just as Zacchaeus did.”

Always short, sweet, and to the point!!!!

Do we get it???

Don’t be lazy!

Make the effort it takes to see Jesus…

To walk with Him…

To have Him come to our house…

And into our hearts!

Then when He says, “I’m coming in!”

Let Him!!

Amen!

If you were raised in Sunday school, you know the song about Zacchaeus!!!

The song tells of Zacchaeus’s attempts to see Jesus by climbing a sycamore tree, there are a series of hand motions that accompany the song. The song is one of the more popular children’s Bible songs, and has been featured on numerous Christian children’s music collections.

It was my favorite!!

I can still see and hear my Uncle Angelo (my pastor!) singing it to us and teaching us the hand motions…

It’s one of those songs you teach to your children…

I taught my son!!

Here are the lyrics:

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

And a wee little man was he.

He climbed up in a sycamore tree

For the Lord he wanted to see.

And when the Savior passed that way

He looked up in the tree.

And said, ‘Zaccheus, you come down!

For I’m going to your house today!

For I’m going to your house today!’

Zacchaeus was a wee little man,

But a happy man was he,

For he had seen the Lord that day

And a happy man was he;

And a very happy man was he.”

Each day, “The Daily Verse” pops into my email…

I can’t tell you how much it has helped set the tone for my day…

For my walk with the Lord…

And how many, many times I’ve felt compelled to forward it to others!

Miraculously, when I have a need, or a family member or friend is going through something…

“The Daily Verse” seems to be just what I need…

What I want to pray for…

And what I want to convey to others!

Thank you, Lord…

For giving Kat the gift of Your insight!!

Make the effort…Jesus is worth it!!

Nov15

Train Up!

Posted on November 15, 2012 by sagescenery

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“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6

Train Up:

To teach and form by practice; to educate; to exercise; to discipline; to form by instruction; to bring up…

Hey, wait a minute that sounds like hard work…

Day in and day out work…

Lifetime work…

No wonder we’re all tired!

Raising kids is tough!

Hey, God…

We need some help here!!

Parents…

Are you ready for this?

Are you prepared for all this training up???

Better get ready fast!

I always tell new Parents, or Parents-To-Be…

Being a parent is great…

As long as you know…

The ONLY thing you get done after you have kids is taking care of the kids…

And sometimes, not even that very well!!

If you start out thinking that…

Then when you actually start having time for yourselves again…

You’ll feel really blessed! Ha!!

I’ve always believed that raising a kid you like to be around, is the best reward there is!

Take the time needed to do it God’s way…

It’s worth it!

I just read this great article on Christian Growth Network, by Pierre Eade, called “In The Way They Should Go.”

Here’s what he said in the article: “Train Up, if translated literally means: Narrow the way in which your kids go. The idea here is that you are bringing your child down a narrow path of life, not letting them go off to be wild and reckless on a path of destruction. This concept is very similar to the teachings of Jesus.

Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

It is our obligation as parents to guide our children in ways that are right, true, noble and good. We are at the same time to keep our children from ways that are destructive, harmful, false and evil. We cannot delegate this responsibility to the Sunday school teacher, church or any other institution. God calls us as parents to perform this function. We also cannot expect our children to know the way to go or figure it out on their own. Children must be taught and even trained to live a godly lifestyle.

The word “child” in the Hebrew covers the ages of infancy to adolescence. The training and molding of our children begins at a young age. In the youngest years children are most impressionable providing us as parents a prime opportunity for developing their ways of thinking and behavior. Obviously, the training and development of our children does not stop after their toddler years, but the idea here is that we are to start young and continue on throughout their adolescence.

Some Bible scholars have suggested that training a child in ‘the way he should go’ implies that each child has been given by God a unique set of gifts, talents, traits, abilities and personality that we as parents must be sensitive to guide them in following individually. Any parent with more than one child understands that no two children are alike in temperament or skills, so it would only make sense to guide and encourage our children to flourish in their God-given abilities.

The word ‘way’ in the Hebrew means a road, and figuratively means ‘a course of life or mode of action.’ We are teaching our children the way in which they are to live, how they are to treat others, how they are to love God and interact with Him, how they are to be in character and conduct. And what is ‘the way’ that we need to train our kids? In the New Testament, Jesus teaches us that He is the way.

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

If we begin to get confused about the model or style of parenting we should follow, it’s always wise to default back to Jesus. When facing a dilemma in parenting, it would be helpful to ask questions like, ‘What would Jesus think of my child’s attitude?’ ‘How would He respond?’ ‘What would it look like for my son or daughter to be more like Jesus?’ And most importantly, we need to pray to the Lord on our children’s behalf and for His guidance, help and wisdom for us as parents.

As we guide our children in the ways of Jesus, we are hopeful that they will one day choose for themselves to follow Him. This proverb does say that ‘when (our child) is old, he will not depart from (the way)”’which at times has been used to guarantee parents of their child’s salvation or future as a Christian. It is true that as we train and disciple our children in God’s ways, we lay the foundation for them to make the choice to follow Christ when they grow older.

This verse does not say that by simply being a Christian ourselves, our children will also become believers in Jesus. Parenting is a process. It happens day after day, night after night, year after year. Over time, if you are consistent in living out your faith, your children will learn the way to go.

If we desire to maximize the impact we have on our children, we need to start by examining our own walk with God and ask the question, ‘How well am I modeling Christianity to my children in my attitude, actions and words on a daily basis?’ And when we fall short, which we inevitably and frequently do, are we willing to admit our shortcomings to our kids and ask their forgiveness.

The clearest commandment in the Old Testament on parenting may just about sum up all we need to do and be as parents who raise God loving children.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:5-8

Our ultimate goal as parents is first to love the Lord our God. We are to be examples to our children of what it means to live a life of loving and following God. We are to model that love to our children everywhere we go with them. We are to be consistent in teaching, instructing, and training our children in the love of God. And as they observe and learn the ways of God through our lives and witness the faithfulness of God to us, they will be convinced that there is no better way to live.”

Pierre Eade
www.christiangrowthnetwork.com
www.linkedin.com/in/pierreeade
https://twitter.com/PierreEade

Oct18

How And When Did You Meet Jesus???

Posted on October 18, 2012 by sagescenery

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This is your post today!!

Your Comments will tell the story and witness to others…go for it!!

Was it anything like this???

Listen to “When Mercy Found Me”

by Rhett Walker Band

Here are the lyrics:

“Something had to give, something had to give…

‘Cause living my life so wild and free, finally caught up…

Oh, it left me broken, left me hopeless…

But that’s where I met Jesus…

In one moment everything changed…

Who I was got washed away…

When mercy found me…

My Savior’s arms were open wide…

And I felt love for the very first time…

When mercy found me…

All those days, all those doubts…

They don’t seem to matter now…

His Grace is all I need…

And the chains that I was in before…

They don’t hold me anymore…

His love has rescued me…

His love has set me free…

In one moment everything changed…

Who I was got washed away…

When mercy found me…

My Savior’s arms were open wide…

And I felt love for the very first time…

When mercy found me…

My mind found peace…

My soul found hope…

My heart found a home…

In one moment everything changed…

Who I was got washed away…

When mercy found me…

My Savior’s arms were open wide…

And I felt love for the very first time…

When mercy found me…”

Yes, it felt exactly like this!! Amen!

Oct14

Love Came Down…

Posted on October 14, 2012 by sagescenery

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We love you!

Your birth was the greatest moment in our lives!

We wouldn’t have ever wanted to miss this experience in life!

We’re so happy!

We’re glad we never gave up…

That we had faith that God would give us a miracle!

Before you were born, after we’d set up your crib in our guest room, we’d say, “Hey, there’s a crib in there!”

We weren’t used to it.

It was just the two of us for so long.

But, we were ready!

Afterwards, when you had to stay in the hospital a while longer, we’d say, “Where is our baby?”

We’d see your empty crib…and long to have you finally come home!

Why did you come into this world so early?

I guess you saw us setting up your room and decided it was time.

At least we know you’re all right!

We saw your heartbeat at five weeks. I had some surgery at 13 weeks and ultrasounds all along the way.

We found out you were a boy, and had a fetal echocardiogram at 20 weeks. You’re fine!

This pregnancy was the best experience for us!

We worried and prayed and it was hard work, but it was all worth it in the end.

We’ve waited 10 years for you! We prayed every night for Jesus to give us a precious baby. We went to many doctors and hospital appointments, and you were worth every effort.

Our IVF egg retrieval procedure was on Valentine’s Day! The nurses brought me a cupcake after dinner with a plastic Valentine heart on it…I still have it!

The transfer was done on Feb. 16th, and I had to lay on the table for three hours.

Then I had to rest for 13 days before a blood test was done, and then wait for the results. I took a lot of days off from work that year! Grandma and Grandma were cautiously happy, as was everyone else who was waiting anxiously for the news with us.

We were told to call the Fertility Center at University Hospital to get the results of our pregnancy test. But, there had been a fire, and the computers were down, so we couldn’t get the results ’til the next morning…it was very hard to wait.

When we got the news that the pregnancy test was positive, both Daddy & I cried…we were so thankful…it must have been the love connection with Valentine’s Day, we thought! Ha!

At our big BBQ, before you were born, friends came from Wisconsin, and other friends from work, & one friend said, “You’re fat & your feet are so swollen.” Though everyone else thought I looked great…maybe he knew you were coming early.

I had tried to keep to the Diet Center diet as much as I could (since I had just lost 30 lbs. the year before). But I gained 10 of those back because of the Pergonal fertility drug I had to take.

We decided on your name early, and called you that as soon as we knew you were a boy!

My water broke and you were born 9 weeks early, at 3 lbs.-4 oz., but perfect in every way!

You were so tiny, all of your five little tooth-pick sized fingers fit inside Daddy’s wedding band!

We were expecting a miracle & got one! Amen!

Daddy, Mommy, & Baby makes three! Yipee!

We didn’t know you were coming so soon, so Daddy had to go back and forth from the hospital to home to get everything we needed.

He’ll be a great Daddy…

We sent out announcements, “He’s here and he’s all ours!!

When I came home, you had to stay in the neonatal ward for about 6 more weeks. Everyone called and brought presents . Daddy, or friends and family, took me every day to see you at the hospital, since I wasn’t allowed to drive for a while.

You were so precious…you tried to open your eyes when you heard our voices. You could hold onto our fingers, and you loved for us to touch your “toesies.” Dad and I called the hospital about you every day.

Then, one day, the neonatal nurses (who are real angels!), let me take you out of the incubator to fed you through a tube, and then change your diaper. We bought you a wind-up musical toy that played “Lullaby,” and also put a picture of us in your incubator. You loved to be rocked and patted. Dad said he went to see you one night after work, and you turned over to look at him! You were born with a lot of dark hair and looked like my Dad & my cousin Tommy.

We have a lot of photos of your birth, so we can look back and remember how ecstatic we were at that moment of your birth.

We cried…

I don’t think we believed we would ever really have you until that exact moment!

People who saw you as a preemie, later told us you looked like an alien…Thank God they didn’t tell us that at the time! Ha!

We thought you were beautiful.

Love came down…

And embraced our lives…

The moment God gave us this miracle, this gift, this answer to our prayers of 10 years.

A healthy, happy baby…

We pray every day for Jesus to keep you healthy and happy…and close to His heart.

We love you so much.

And did from the very moment of your conception.

We pray you’ll always loves us and God.

We’ll try to be the best parents for you, and always tell you how very loved you are!

The peaceful, calm feeling you created in me will last forever!

We love you! Mom and Dad

Do you think God felt this way about the birth of His Son?

I think He did!

Isaiah 9:6 NIV “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given…”

Aug18

Life Happens…And More Abundantly!!

Posted on August 18, 2012 by sagescenery

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Hello Dear Bloggers!!

Okay, my summer’s over, even though it’s still intensely hot around here! School has started in FL!!

In NJ, I would still have off until AFTER labor Day!!

I substituted on Thursday and Friday last week, and on Monday this week, for a new high school English teacher, who went to her sister’s wedding. All went well, nice to see everyone from last year!!

There are many, more kids and I was in a new portable classroom for my 1st 3 periods, which was fine, except for the “new” chemical smell…YUK!! Then I traveled to other classrooms the rest of the day. On Thursday and Monday, I had two free periods, but on Fri., I covered for another teacher for those two periods, so she could go to a funeral.

So this was my schedule on Friday:

I got up at 4:35 am, covered 7 classes, went to the gym, went to drama practice, got home at 7 pm, straightened up the house, and collapsed! On Saturday, I had to get up 6 am to go to breakfast with my sponsor to meet my new district superintendent of Gospel Crusade Ministerial Fellowship, so I can get my minister’s license, since I just finished my required courses!! Yipee!!

Came home on Saturday afternoon…felt like collapsing, straightened up the house (of course!), and went to take a nap!

Let’s just stop here a moment…I had my son when I was 41 years old…he’s going to be 22 next month…he keeps me young…but, if you do the math, you can see…I’m no spring chicken! I was exhausted!!

My left jaw started hurting on Friday and got worse by Saturday afternoon…my son prayed for me…I called dentist for pain meds in case it was a tooth ache, but the pharmacy closed at 6 pm, and I didn’t get the meds ’til Sun., and I didn’t need them by then. I had an icepack on it all day Saturday while napping, and later while watching TV.

My husband and I watched some funny movie, and finally I relaxed, so it stopped hurting around 8 pm.

I didn’t go to church on Sunday, thinking it was lack of sleep.

*Let’s digress…a moment here, too, because:

Men don’t get it at all!!!

“Go to bed” to them…means, literally “Go to bed!”

Same thing in the mornings…”Go work means, literally “Get up and go to work!!”

Females…we, on the other hand…well, we all know what we’re like…my list of things that I need to do, is endless…we don’t even get it ourselves…there’s always one more thing we need to do…day or night…before we can “Go to bed!” or “Go to work!”

*Hence the reason we’re always tired…but I digress!!

My jaw felt fine all day Sunday…got lots done around the house…went to work Monday…went to the dentist after work to find out it’s not tooth related. Woke up Tuesday am at 3 am with it throbbing again, but not as bad…my husband prayed for it and by the time I got to work at Calvary Christian School the pain was gone!!

It’s like a muscle is twisting or something in the left jaw area, from my ear to and under my chin. Like a gland or something! Felt like the shingles I had years ago (from stress!!), but not as bad and no painful sores! Looked it up on-line, and it sounds like it’s most likely TMJ…it makes your whole head hurt…please pray for me! I read that some people have this pain for years!

No, I can’t take pain, so I must be healed in Jesus Name! Amen!!

So anyway, I got a part-time job working at Calvary Christian School on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday each week.

I’m glad to not be working 3 days in a row! I had to tell the high school I couldn’t work a bunch of days they asked me about already, but just feel God telling me to do this!!

The classroom at Calvary is set up so each of the 17 elementary kids has his/her own cubical (called their “office!”). To help them, we
walk around the room and check their work at the counter above their desk, so I stand all day, except for a 20 min, break and a 30 min. lunch with the kids. On the second day, I wore sneakers!! On my day off, I tried to get lots of things done at home…for drama practice on Friday, for my on-line course to renew my FL Teaching Certificate, laundry, phone calls, etc.

My son’s responsible for putting dishes away and folding towels. My husband makes dinner, my son’s lunches, and takes care of the dog so I can go to bed early…so it’s taking the whole family co-operating to do this for sure!! I’ve been retired for 10 years! So we need to get back in the groove.

It will work!

However…Blogging did not get done!!

And I miss you!

So, Dear Bloggers…Praying you are all doing great! I still do have time to pray, of course, so I’ll continue to lift up each of you to the Lord!! God Bless!

Why did I take on this part-time job???? (Subbing was working out just fine…go to work when you feel like it!)

It dropped into my lap! Just like my son’s job at Calvary did! After I told him time and time again this summer, while watching him play video games…”You’ve graduated from college now…don’t expect God to come knocking on your front door to say, ‘Hey, I’ve got this great job for you!’ You’ve got to actually go and find a job!”

Well, God literally dropped these jobs into our laps…

So what did we do???

We looked down at the gifts God laid in our laps, prayed about it, picked them up, and said, “Let’s Go!!”

PLUS…Bottom line?

I didn’t want to tell God…I don’t do mornings!! Ha! Even though everyone KNOWS I don’t do mornings!

I may be too busy to blog to you…but God is never too busy for any of us…

Really!

How does he do it????!

When we have such a hard time “doing it all!!”

Life happens…and then it happens some more…

Sometimes it’s hard for us to ask, “Where do you want me to go, Lord???

We could murmur (I do!!) when He tells us…but it didn’t get the Israelites anywhere!!

Literally, they just wandered around… like we do without purpose…

Our purpose is to go!!

Go to your job…go to your school, go to the park with your kids, go to sit with a sick friend or family member…

Go into all the world…your world…

So that everywhere we go…

Everything we do…

Is for the Lord…and points everyone to Jesus…

If we remember that, life is easier!

Easy, because our Bible simply says, “Go!!”

“…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15 NIV

Don’t add any stipulations…

Like,

“I’ll go when…I have nothing else to do…”

“When nobody else needs my attention…”

“When I feel like it…”

Or, after we remind the Lord…”I don’t do mornings!”

How about if an evangelist or missionary said, “I don’t do Africa…or China…or India…”

Our Bible also says “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJV

Life…more abundantly…

Notice the word “MORE”…

I’m not asked to sit in a rocking chair and do nothing…even at my age…

I’m still called to, “GO!”

Because I’ve been given LIFE…MORE abundantly!!

Face it, church…

God wants to give us MORE LIFE…so we can “GO!”

More job opportunities, more people to minister to, more people to love and feel compassion for…

When we obey and “GO!”

Jesus LIVES…so should we!

Our Drama Team exploded this year…

Why? We prayed for MORE!!

More faith, more anointing, more wisdom, more members…for more outreach opportunities…so we can “GO!”

It’s never about more “stuff” for us, Church…

It’s not about more money, more cars, more houses, etc.

Though God may bless us with those things…

They’re His to give us, if we use them for His mission… reaching lost souls….

For us to use for His glory to help others…

But what He really wants to give us is MORE LIFE!!

MORE abundantly!

So since my last blog…my season in LIFE has changed…Life has happened…MORE has happened…I’ve been asked to “Go!”

But, my mission from God hasn’t changed…

“Go!” Is still His command to me!

And to you…

What season of LIFE are you in?

In NJ, there are many seasons: Cool…crisp…beautiful fall foliage…frost on the pumpkins…apple-picking…

Icy cold…dry skin…frostbite…slippery roads…gorgeous snow drifts…(unless you have to drive in it or shovel it! Ha!)

Wet…blustery…birds chirping…flowers blooming…

Hazy…hot…humid…beach…pool…summer vacation…

Fl has no seasons…unless you count…

“Not-so-hot”

“Hot”

“Really hot”

“Intensely hot”

That’s LIFE…let’s embrace it, whatever season…

And stick to God’s plan and His purpose for our lives…to live life MORE abundantly…and to “Go!”

I won’t murmur or complain about this season…(Okay, I may vent a little!! Ha! I’m tired and my feet hurt…etc.)

Don’t live in the shadows…the Son is Risen!

Let’s have an attitude adjustment…

This new season could be school, books, jobs, stress…

Or it could be love, compassion, teaching, ministering…

It’s all in how you look at LIFE…

Look at it much more abundantly…

Don’t get stuck in one hard season…

God’s trying to make you Live!

Maybe this season is blustery…you’ve driven into a snow drift…slipped on icy roads…gotten caught in a hurricane…you’re chilled to the bone…wet, cold, and damp…or it’s so hot you can’t breathe…

Keep going, keep living…’til you’re season turns into one of gathering flowers, picking pumpkins, making angels in the snow, or walking on the beach!!

Don’t get stuck in…”it’s too hot…I’m too old…it’s too hard…”

I’ll just be thankful for the job God gave me, for the Christian environment He’s put me in…in this season…

For health, so I can go…

For abundant life… to love…MORE…

And for the delightful sunrises I get to see each morning now!!

I hope to talk to you before my next vacation!! Ha!

Aug2

Working On My Behalf…

Posted on August 2, 2012 by sagescenery

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Come, take a look inside my house around 11 am on most mornings…

Shhhhh….be quiet!

I’m still sleeping.

And my husband is just sitting in his (as we call it!) “goon” chair…watching the Yankees, or something, on TV.

When I finally get up….this is how I find him!

I could assume that he’s lazy, doing nothing, and resent his inactivity, if not for the fact that I know he’s been working on my behalf while I was sleeping restfully!

He’s an early, early riser…and I definitely am not!

My reason?

God allowed me to retire after 26 years of teaching and getting up at 4:50 am each school day morning. I did it, but I hated it. Because getting up that early, means you have no life after 6 pm…you’re too tired to think by then.

So now, I enjoy my retired schedule…I have a teenager’s schedule…I stay up ’til 2 am and get up by 11 am…Fits me so much better!!

If I have to substitute teach, or be somewhere, I go to bed early, and set my alarm to get up. Works for me!

Anyway, back to my story…

I’m fast asleep…while my husband’s got all this activity going on at the crack of dawn…he cooks a meal, checks the weather (watching for storms brewing in the Gulf), makes his grocery list (so he can be the first one to the stores when they open, because he hates crowds), takes out our garbage, makes sure everything’s secure inside and outside our house (retired cop, you know!), checks our sprinkler system, feeds all the neighborhood birds with fish from when he fishes across the street, goes to the bank, to the post office, to Publix or Sweetbay (he’ll go every day…getting 10 items or less), Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club, does the yard work, sees to the car repair, and does whatever needs to be done each day for our family!!

I know, I’m blessed!! Ha!

To have him working on our behalf!

God’s like that, too.

We’re blessed.

But, we pray.

And when we don’t see anything happening, can’t see Him working, can’t feel Him moving, can’t see anything being accomplished…

We conclude that God is not working on our behalf.

But all the while, He was up early even before we whispered a prayer…getting done all that concerns us for our day.

For today.

And tomorrow He’ll do the same thing. Amen!

We need to trust.

That He’s working on our behalf!

On your behalf…on your family’s behalf…on your ministry’s behalf…on behalf of all that concerns you.

If we are God’s children, we have a connection to God!

He’s working on our behalf…so we can rest easy & relax in His care.

Listen to the song “YOURS” by Steven Curtis Chapman

It’s all His, so that makes it all yours, too!

So thank Him for working on your behalf…thank Him for your family, your job, your church, your friends, your calling…

Lord, I thank you for my healing, for my peace, for my joy, for my capacity to love and feel compassion for others, for my desire to please you and encourage others to love You…

Is it me working?

I jump out of bed in the late morning with my usual “Things-To-Do” list…

And I find supper-done!

Errands-done!

Shopping-done!

Yard work-done!

Our cars repaired and running-done!

Garbage taken out-done!

Dog fed-done!

And on and on…

Let’s wake up with that assurance about God, too!

I read this once in an e-mail, printed it out, taped it to my printer, and I can see it from right here where I sit!

“Good Morning All! This is God!

I will be handling all of your problems today.

I will not need your help.

So relax and have a great day!”

Psalm 66:5 (NIV) “Come and see what God has done, how awesome His works in man’s behalf!”

Since He’s working on your behalf…You’re done!!

Now relax!

I heard Pastor Reza Safa preach the other night on TV…a sermon called It’s Yours.

“Don’t beg,” Pastor Reza said, “God’s done it all for you already, by sending His Son Jesus to die for you!

Accept what Jesus’ death and resurrection did for you.

He’s just waiting for you to accept His gift.”

Accept it.

He’s always working on your behalf.

Just because we don’t see or feel Him working…

I assure you…He is.

So we can rest easy.

Relax in His care.

He’s got everything under His control.

He’s gotten up early and orchestrated your day already.

Each day, every day, day in & day out.

One day at a time.

Step out in faith.

You’ll see.

God does work on your behalf!

Leave me a comment…what has God done on your behalf lately????

Jul28

“This Is My Kind Of Meeting!”

Posted on July 28, 2012 by sagescenery

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The Filling Station

Food for your soul…sharing…giving…helping…talking…loving…

Please bring a cozy blanket…your favorite pillow…a comfy chair…and decadent food to share…

Scripture topics discussed are your choice…

Wear your slippers…(and PJs, if you wish!)…

Snuggle up close to Jesus…lay your head on His shoulder…

Receive His rest…

Thirsty? Find living water to drink…

Draw up in a huge bucket water from the living, cool, thirst-quenching fountain…

Hungry? Feed on His Word and be nourished…be refreshed…

Live life to the fullest in Christ…

Bring your friends to the well with you…to the feast…

Sing a new song

Be light. Be salt. To all the world…

Lay your burdens down…

Lift up the Name of Jesus.

Share and contribute your insights…your inspiration…your wisdom… your testimony…

Understand and encourage each other…lift up each name in prayer…each need…

Lay hands on the sick…pray in the Spirit…pray for restoration…enjoy extravagant worship…

This is a real meeting with Jesus…believe…

Come to the Filling Station of Christ…

I’ll be there, too!

Jul28

Fish Out Of Water!

Posted on July 28, 2012 by sagescenery

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Okay, literally! I saw a fish out of water!

I was taking my walk one day last week and I saw a creature flopping around on the sidewalk! At first, I thought it was a giant slug!

It was approximately 10 inches long, greyish colored, and when I got closer to it, I could see tiny little protrusions on each side of its face. It’s motion was like a “scrunch up & jump-scrunch up & jump” kinda action! It had been raining…it’s our rainy season in FL, but the sidewalk was dry…all I saw were puddles in the roadway.

Where had this creature come from?

I looked around & saw a drainage ditch…so maybe that’s where it came from and where it was heading. It certainly didn’t belong on the sidewalk.

But, what was I to do?

I kept walking.

Really, I wanted to just pick it up, rescue it, and carry it across the street to the lake on the golf course.

I thought about it, then I thought what if it bites me? I’m not near my house at the moment…what if it bites me and I bleed to death?

What if it carries a disease?

I could call 911..I did that one other time in almost the exact same spot, when I noticed a stray dog in the neighborhood. But what would I say to the dispatcher this time? “Sorry, to bother you, but I found a fish out of water!” Do you even call the police for this issue, or is this clearly a Fish & Wildlife matter?

Since it had been raining, I had my umbrella with me, so I thought, maybe I can just shoo it along on the sidewalk..ya know, to help it get going toward whatever water source it came out of. Then I thought, what if I hurt it by scraping it on the sidewalk…who am I gonna call then? Huh?

“Hello, Urgent Care Center?”

“You saw what? You did what?”

I just can’t handle that much judgement!

One day several months ago, I was again walking in that same area, and a lady and her daughter were driving by. They suddenly stopped near me…pointing at something in the street. Maybe I have bad eyesight, but I didn’t know what that was either! Turned out, it was a very large turtle, and the lady was trying to stop traffic, so it wouldn’t get run over by cars. She was shooing it with a plastic toy hockey stick, apparently her daughter’s. See, she thought of something similar to my umbrella handle. Ha!

Anyway, just as she was getting nowhere hurrying this turtle out of the road…a guy in a truck came, saw, stopped, picked up the large turtle, told us it wouldn’t hurt us, placed the turtle safely on the side of the road in the grass, and went on his way!

I just looked at the lady and said, “Well, I guess that’s how it’s done!” I learned something, and I felt foolish for not thinking of it myself.

But apparently that learning experience did not help me with the fish out of water!

After I walked away, I started to go back…I really did! But, then I thought, “You’re going to look foolish!”

What will people think…you bending down to rescue this sorry-looking, squirming, greyish, flopping creature…that fish out of water?

I went home, told my husband, The Fisherman…my fish story…and he said, “Oh, that’s just a catfish…that’s how they move…I’ve seen them in the grass at times, flopping like that!” We looked it up online, & I don’t know how I could have been afraid of such a cute little fish!

But it WAS out of its water, for goodness sake…

A lot like fishing for men, huh??

Sometimes a person can be like a fish out of water, too!

Down and out.

Far from God.

Needing to be rescued.

Why are we afraid?

Do we keep walking?

Why can’t we just pick them up, rescue them, and carry them to safety?

Even if we look foolish to the world.

Even if they look sorry-looking.

Get them out of the rough roadway of life.

Send a lifeline.

Stop worrying what others think.

Call on Jesus.

And be the one to come, see, stop, pick up, and bring them to safety in the arms of Jesus!

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

Mark 1:17 (NIV)

Jul22

We’re Champions

Posted on July 22, 2012 by sagescenery

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Photo by Glyn Kirk/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Headline: Els Wins British Open After Scott Crumbles by CHRISTOPHER CLAREY Published: July 22, 2012

After being six strokes back with nine holes to play, Ernie Els won the Claret Jug and his fourth career major victory.

Yes, I watched the British Open today, because my husband’s an avid golfer, and that’s what we watch in our house! I ran an errand after church, so I just caught the end of the Tournament, as my husband was saying, “Ohhhhh,” just as I walked in the door.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Adam Scott was so close, but lost by one stroke,” he moaned.

Just as I was going to ask again, “What happened?”

The commentator said, “This is what happens when golfers forget to take their eyes off the obstacles and to just focus on the goal!”

Profound!

So Ernie Els won the British Open…his fourth major championship…when the third-round leader, Adam Scott, bogeyed the final four holes.

Els, the popular South African with a catchy nickname, “the Big Easy,” is one of the most likable of the PGA professionals. It has hardly been easy for Els to get his hands back on the claret jug. This was his fourth major championship, but his first since 2002, when he won the British Open at Muirfield.

The Commentators were so excited! Knowing that Els has had personal obstacles to overcome over the years, they found it remarkable that he had won a major Tournament in each of the last three decades.

Wow!

“What’s the secret?” they wanted to know.

“I guess it’s perseverance, ” Els said, “I’ve been here a longtime!”

“How do you feel at this moment?” was their next question.

“Well, I’m very emotional,” Els said, “I’m happy to win and be standing here, but I feel for Adam Scott, he’s a great friend of mine.”

His good friend, Adam Scott, is a talented 32-year-old Australian.

This surprising victory came for Ernie Els at age 42, because he managed to keep his focus. Golfer of the Year!

Sweet triumph!

“Young bucks don’t win it all the time,” my husband said, “The headlines should read…Experience Shines At Lytham St. Annes, England Today!”

“A lot of people, a lot, a lot of people never thought I would win, and I started believing this year,” Els said. “I had a lot of help from a great team, all the way from my family to the professional people around me.”

What’s our goal?

To reach Heaven?

What do we need to know?

Take our eyes off the obstacles and just focus on the goal…don’t crumble…

Persevere…be there a long time…overcome obstacles…keep going…don’t quit…experience is so valuable…

Be emotional when we triumph…even when people didn’t think we would…no matter what age we are…

Be emotional…if our friends miss the mark…speak truth into their lives now while there’s still time…don’t let them lose, even by one second…

Keep believing in God…start believing in ourselves…get our hands back on the prize…even if it’s been awhile…

Surround ourselves with a great team…

Stay focused…

Enjoy our sweet triumph…our major victory…Heaven…

We’re champions with Christ…more than conquerors…yes, we’re winners…