Tag Archives: scenery

Aug18

Life Happens…And More Abundantly!!

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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…

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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!”

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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!

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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

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

Headline:  Els Wins British Open After Scott Crumbles by 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…

Endure to the end…

Jul21

The Reporter

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“The only reason I’m here is to tell the story.”

I saw a movie the other night about a journalist, and that was the ending line of the movie.

Wow, what a thought.

That’s why we’re here.

It’s not about us.

It’s about God and His story, the Gospel.

All we have to do is tell it, by living it.

Being a Christian is not about doing things.

It’s about telling God’s story.

How liberating!

I’ve always got a lot to say, but I’m glad it’s not about me.

And it’s not about you, either!

Jul21

Return Policy

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Ever bought anything at Wal-Mart?  Of course you have!  Can you believe their return policy.  Bring in the receipt, return the item, no questions asked.  They don’t seem to care why you want to return it, they just seem so happy to have it back.  You’d think they’d be unhappy, since they sold it to you, and now that they have it back again, they owe you money.  I never mind returning something at Walmart… they never judge you…they just take the item back.

So, I checked their web-site to see if that’s really their Return Policy…here’s what it said:

“Walmart’s Return Policy

Our goal is to satisfy our customers by exchange, refund, or repair, as outlined in this policy.

As an added convenience for customers, Walmart has adjusted its return policy for the holiday gift buying season for items that have a limited return/exchange period (15 days, 30 days, etc.). For these items purchased between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, the limited return period will begin Dec. 26. This includes items such as TVs, cameras, computers, DVD and music players which can have a 15-30 day return period.

Q:  Is there a time limit on RETURNS?

A:  Generally, we accept returns within 90 days after purchase. There are a few exceptions, including the below examples but not limited to these examples, to the 90-day rule:

  • Computers, camcorders, digital cameras, digital music players, e-tablets, e-readers, portable video players, GPS units, video game hardware, pre-paid cell phones, and post-paid cell phones must be returned within 15 days with a receipt.
  • Airbeds returned within 15 days with a receipt that are not defective and have been opened or used will only be exchanged for an airbed of equal or greater value.
  • Defective airbeds will be exchanged for an airbed of equal or greater value within 90 days of purchase.
  • Swimming pools, lawn mowers, weed eaters, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, air conditioners, power washers, compressors, and generators must be returned within 30 days with a receipt to obtain a refund or exchange.
  • Pre-recorded movies, music, and computer/video game software and circuit cartridges must be returned within 90 days in the original and unopened packaging with a receipt to receive a refund or exchange.
    • If the above-referenced items are defective, they can be returned within 90 days with a receipt and the original packaging. Defective units may be exchanged for another unit of the same title.
  • Defective pre-owned (refurbished) video game software can be returned within 90 days with a receipt and the original packaging. Defective units may be exchanged for another unit of a different title if original title is not available.
  • All perennials, tree and shrubs must be returned within 1 year with a receipt to obtain a refund or exchange.

Q:  Do you accept RETURNS without a receipt?

A:  Walmart, for several years, has accepted returns without a receipt, even though many of our competitors require receipts for all returns.  Walmart gives customers the option of a cash refund (if the purchase was under $25), a shopping card for the amount of the purchase (if it was over $25) or an even exchange for the product. Also, as applicable, we follow any manufacturer’s warranties.

Q:  Do you track RETURNS, do you place a limit on the number of returns?

A:  In the event that a customer has returned more than three items without receipts within a 45-day period, the cash register system will automatically flag the transaction, and a customer service manager or member of management must approve the return.  These cash register messages will remain for six months and will disappear if there are no more returns during that time period.”

Okay, now wait a minute…Walmart has a good return policy, but there are stipulations that I didn’t know about before doing  this research…they don’t take back everything, there are exceptions, they don’t take back damaged goods, there’s a time limit, they track how many times you return things, and you generally need a receipt that says you paid the price for the item before they will give you cash back, a gift card, or an exchange.

But, no such stipulations with Jesus!

Isaiah 44:22 KJV says, “I have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy transgressions; and as a cloud, thy sins:  return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.”

Return…we’re redeemed!

Pardon promised, sin forgiven.

He takes back everyone.

No exceptions!

Even damaged goods.

He repairs and restores lives.

There’s no time limit as long as there’s breath.

He doesn’t keep track of wrongs.

He has already paid the price.

He exchanges our stoney heart for a brand new one.

Gives us a “Get Into Heaven” card.

Stop…go listen to “Take You Back” by Jeremy Camp from his album Restored.

What a message…what a return policy…He’ll take us back!  Always!

Do you need a good return policy?  Come to Jesus…

Jul21

What Are You Looking For In A Church?

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When we moved to FL, as my son was entering 7th grade, what I was looking for in a church was a strong youth ministry.  Our small church in NJ did not have a youth pastor at the time.  I wanted a place where my son could serve the Lord.  I’ve always tried to lead him by example…that we’re saved to serve the Lord.  It was top on my list!!

We also knew how important it would be for us to be a hop-skip-and a-jump from all our church activities and friends in the Lord!!  After the first Sunday and Wednesday night, we knew where the Lord wanted us!  We met the youth pastor’s wife as soon as we walked in the front door, and now that I know her and the youth pastor so well, I know why the first thing she said when she saw my son was, “Welcome!  I’m the youth pastor’s wife!”  They have such a heart for teens…it’s like radar!  I feel the Lord told her to sit there and wait for us to come in!!

Then we walked up to Kid’s Church, and the moment we met the children’s pastor, saw the beautifully decorated room, and met all the workers…we were hooked!  I remember saying to her, “If you ever need any help here, let me know!”  It was our first day, but, we needed no time to get used to everyone and everything…there was no holding back, we loved it!  This was what we had been praying for, and the Lord showed me He would “part the seas” of hassles and obstacles along the way to find it–our new home church!!  Here was where we could bloom where He planted us!!

The youth and children’s pastors are still such a blessing to us, my son is still in Kids Church…now as a teacher.  He still goes to youth group…now as a leader.  I would need pages to express the impact that their love of Christ, and their love of people has meant to us!  Both, such powerful ministries.

Then, we came back on Wednesday night, and met the leaders in Royal Rangers!  Again, fun, welcoming, and filled with the Spirit of God.  The Lord definitely led us here!!

So pastors, I want to say, “THANK YOU!!”  to you for the years before we came, the years when you poured God’s love and Spirit into this congregation, when you laughed with them and cried with them.  When you constantly prayed to Our God about them and their concerns.  When you taught them that the Joy of the Lord could be theirs, and that loving and serving God is not drudgery…it’s Joyous!!  When you taught them to reach out to people, as soon as they walk in the door of our church.  Or, when they meet them at school, work, or in the marketplace.  And to reach around the world with their giving.

Thank you for being steadfast in the Lord, (I admit, sometimes I don’t know how you do it!).  I know God holds you up because of your strong faith and reliance on Him.  You’ve taught us these lessons by your words, and by your lifestyle…a life of Praise!  I’m thankful that the Lord gave us pastors that are willing to be accountable for our spiritual well-being.  I know you’re both depending on God and His wisdom in everything you do, and in every decision you make for our church!!

Thank you for sharing the visions and dreams the Lord speaks into your hearts.  We will believe and agree with you, that we will see them come to pass!  We’re blessed to be placed here by God!  We love you and honor you…In Jesus Name!!

Praise God!  This is just what I was looking for in a church!

Jul20

Are You A Modern Day Moses?

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Of all the personalities who engaged in prayer to the Lord in the Old Testament, it is doubtful that any can compare to Moses. In terms of prayer and communication with God, it was virtually his sole occupation.  Is it ours?

1.  RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL:

God speaks, “Moses! Moses!”

Moses responds, “Here I am.”

  Today:  God speaks our name.

We answer,  “Lord, are you talking to me?”

2.  GOD GIVES A COMMAND:

God speaks, “Do not come any closer.”

Moses, obeys.

Today: God says, “Go back to church!”

We say, “We’re too busy!

3.  MOSES QUESTIONS:

Moses questions, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’  Then what shall I tell them?”

God answers, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites:  ‘I AM sent me to you! ‘”

     Today:  We question, “How can we fit God into our already crowded, overwhelmed life?”

God answers, “I AM GOD, I’ll work it out!!”

4.  MOSES HAS CONCERNS:

Moses confesses, “I am not able to contend with the unbelief of the people and I am not eloquent.”

God answers, “I AM.”

     Today:  We confess, “Lord, I am not able to do this.”

God answers, “I AM.”

5.  TIMING OF DIVINE INTERVENTION:

Moses doesn’t understand, “Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people?”

God answers, “Now you will see what I will do … and then you will know that I am the Lord your God … ”

Today:  I don’t understand, “Lord, you’re asking me to lead Vacation Bible School?  I can’t do that!”

God answers, “Say yes to me, and you will see what I will do … and then you will know that I am the Lord your God … ”

6.  PRAYER-THEN ACTION:

God speaks, “Move on!”

Moses, steps out in faith.

     Today:  God speaks, “Get off the fence for good!  Make a commitment!  Serve only Me!”

Will we step out in faith?

7.  CONTINUED DEPENDENCE ON GOD:

Moses cried to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people?”

God answers Moses because he drew near to God, and chose to pray.

God was ready to give up on Israel, “Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.  Then I will make you into a great nation.

“Moses is totally unselfish and becomes a true advocate and intercessor to influence the final outcome, and the Lord relented.

Today:  We cry out to the Lord, “It’s hard to serve you when others around us don’t comprehend the spiritual things of God!”

God answers us because we drew near to God, and chose to pray.

God is ready to turn every soul 180 degrees around, to draw them closer, and turn stony hearts to flesh.

We must be totally unselfish, obey the vision given to reposition ourselves to become a true advocate and intercessor to influence the final outcome of every soul.

9.  GOD MUST GO WITH US:

God speaks, “I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

Moses answers, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here … ”

     Today:  God speaks, “I will relocate you and your family.”

We must answer, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us there.  Our heart’s desire is that we can serve you there!”

10.  PERSONAL REVELATION FOR THE INTERCESSOR:

Moses makes a bold plea, “Now show me your glory.”

God answers, “Yes Moses .. .I will enlarge your vision and your faith.”

Today:  We make a bold plea, “Lord, I have always wanted to write (sing, dance, teach, play an instrument, etc.).  Give me a ministry for you with my passion!  Give me your blessings!”

God answers, “Yes, I will enlarge your vision and your faith and increase your territory of influence for Me and the spreading of My Gospel.”

Prayer and communication with God allowed Moses to desire to see God’s glory…and it will do the same for us today!

Jul20

A Best Friend Just Gets You!

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I worked hand-in-hand with my best friend for 26 years…I retired first…and when she finally retired…I had a lot to say!

It seems like I’ve known her forever!  To this day, it has been a very cherished friendship.  When I retired, here’s what she said about working with me:

“We graduated at the same time from college, but we didn’t meet until five years later when she was hired as my maternity leave replacement.  This was the beginning of a cherished friendship. Here we are 25 years later…she’s retiring and I’m still working!  What’s wrong with this picture?

What an impression I must have made sitting at the table in the Home Economics room, with my feet up on the chair with the 12 girls in the class coming to me for help on their sewing projects. This job was a piece of cake, is
that what you thought? Those were definitely the good old days (before we had boys in our classes!  Ha!).  I had a few days to orient her with the classroom, curriculum, the up-coming fashion show that we put on in those days, and the procedure for purchasing groceries at the local A&P.  Teaching in Sussex County, on that first trip back from the grocery store we had to stop and wait for the cows to cross the road. This was a new experience for the girl from suburbia!  Bet you didn’t know that was in your job description!

Did you know that she’s is a cooking teacher, but doesn’t cook? Her husband does most of the cooking.  Thirty years ago we never dreamed that we would be teaching 25-30 students at one time in 5 tiny little kitchens. I don’t know what we were thinking!  Cook, clean, wash dirty towels, keep up with inventory, etc., all day at work, then go home and keep doing it!  But, now, we’re no longer called Home Ec. teachers, we’ve graduated to Family and
Consumer Science teachers.

Our profession and job has certainly changed a lot in a quarter of a century. It’s a good thing that we are so flexible! Because, the administration decided that we were even flexible and knowledgeable enough to teach computers without any real training. But we were thankful to have a job!  Since they were always telling us our job would be the first to go with budget cuts.

Of course, like any long-term friendship we had a few snags along the way. My over-active thyroid probably caused the first. It seems that I was pretty hard to get along with and that my normally sweet nature was replaced by unpredictable outbursts. And your many menopausal symptoms and mood swings have at times been
very trying also. Some days the room felt like the North Pole, both in temperature and atmosphere. I hope you had a heavy-duty air conditioner installed in your new Florida home.

I can’t imagine what it will be like coming back in September and not having you there!  E-mail us a few pictures of your newly built FL home completely finished, since we’ve seen a thousand black and white printer copies at every stage of construction!  By the way, does anyone know if there is an available ink cartridge in the building? Ours seems to have been used up completely by the copies of your house taped on the wall behind your desk!

I guess you won’t be needing your multitude of precious sticky note reminders anymore…Period 8 put up chairs…Do lesson plans, Get groceries…Order supplies…and Start wash to remind you of things at school.  Or, Pay the bills…Call your Mother…Pick up your son on the way home.

Here’s a list of things that I know you will not miss:

Wearing the aroma of Peanut Butter Cookies

The ‘Stop, Drop, and Roll’ safety video

Constantly repeating directions

Ordering and shopping for food

Bulletin boards and display cases

Lunch Duty

Constant interruptions from other teachers/staff…”Do you have … ?  May I borrow … ? I’ll bring it right back …

Organizing parent volunteers

The nauseating smell of someone brewing Hazelnut coffee in our classroom

I know this is your Recipe for a Happy Retirement:

Sleep late

Write stories and books

Relax by the pool

Eat out

We love you…you made a difference in all our lives!”

Does she Get Me, or what???

So, what was it like teaching with her!  Here’s my “retirement-rebuttal-roast” to her when she finally retired!!

She has always been a happy, smiling, wonderfully encouraging friend.  If she likes you, she lights up with a smile and a kind word the minute she sees you!

Then one day, out of nowhere, her thyroid decides to stop functioning and the best friend I knew and loved, LEFT for one whole year!!

In her place was a mean, arrogant, aggressive ogre!  Where had my sweet, loving friend gone?!?  We all still blame her that year for causing our other dear friend to have a heart attack!  He’s ok, but…Yikes!  All about disagreements over the Computer Curriculum.  Can you imagine?

Well, maybe we shouldn’t go there!!  Because, after a difficult year of praying for the right medicine adjustments for her, and just trying to stay out of her way, my sweet friend returned.  Yippee!

My husband asked her years ago, when she was going to retire…and, because she has two daughters, she told him she had two weddings she had to pay for before she could even think about retiring.  So he said, “Well, you should have had a plan!”  With that, coffee came pouring out of her nose, all over her desk, and she struggled to say, “This is my plan, working forever!”  So she’s retiring now, since her girls are married off!   Thank God…before she becomes one of those…you know…the ones who don’t know when it’s time to go!

Oh, P.S.-don’t worry about the spilled, snotty coffee all over her desk, it will eventually just disappear under the debris!  You can’t find a thing in that rat trap!!

Here’s her filing system:

A.   Day 1 of school in September-Take the empty, clean, cleared off desk, move it in place, load all papers, books, mail, folders, thread, needles, cooking tools, potholders, sewing projects, cards, money, buttons, markers, scissors, videos, dishtowels, memos, pencils, pens, food supplies, and grocery lists on top.  Keep piling ‘til last day of school.

If you ever saw her desk, you’d understand.   Some teachers freaked out, if they had to cover her class…we all stayed clear of that desk!

B.   Keep everything from your entire thirty-something years of teaching in your desk drawers.  Never, ever throw out anything!

C.  Day 124 of the teacher’s school year-Take your right arm, swish it across the desk sending everything into a big, kitchen garbage can!  Wheel the huge can of debris to the dumpster!

D.  Start over in September!

You gotta love that system!!  No sticky notes in sight!  Knows where everything is!  It’s all in that brilliant mind of hers!!  Wow!

My best friend is very easy-going and laid back, and since she had her children before I had my child, she taught me to apply that attitude to nutrition, housecleaning, and child rearing.  For instance, the time I had lunch at her house and her youngest daughter was licking Kool-Aid off the dining room table.   No problem!  She taught me never to be concerned about dust in the house, says, “Don’t disturb it, it’s good for the furniture!”  And, also, that Chocolate Chip Pie was okay to have for lunch, because you might not have room for it after eating…so better to have it before, or even instead of lunch!

It’s been very easy, and such a blessing over the years to be friends with this God-fearing woman…deacon of her church, who taught me so many important, sacred, life-changing phrases, like “Sometimes life sucks!”  I don’t think I’d have made it this far without her wit and easy laugh!!  That laugh (Well, really a cackle!) that you can hear all the way down the hall!!

I’m glad we ended up in the same crazy profession, teaching the same crazy subject, and most of the time working in the same crazy room.  No wonder I don’t cook, it’s overload!!  But it was a great ride and she always made the journey fun, and sometimes downright hilarious!  I miss it all, and wouldn’t trade it for anything!

Dear friend…you made a difference in all our lives, and we are all better for knowing you.

If there’s anything I forgot to mention, it’s because I’m four years into retirement now myself, and I don’t have to tax my brain any more when I don’t feel like it!!  You’re going to love that part, too!!  I’m enjoying my “Recipe for Retirement”…thanks!I  Miss you and I’ll always call you my very special friend!

With all that constant friendship and companionship over the years, you can really see that we “Get” each other!

Now, stop and go listen to “You Get Me” by Zoegirl on their With All My Heart album.

Jesus is our Best Friend.

We must develop that constant friendship and companionship with Him also.

So we can say,

“Lord, you get me!”