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Basket of words ~

by | Jan 2, 2015 | Uncategorized

Before I start the year with my new word, as I am praying about it
I should finish the basket of word series.
There are two words left.
I think I will merge them together as they follow each other in the same emotional process.
The first one is…
How many times have we needed to and had to give forgiveness to one another.
If you are married it is pretty often.
If you are a parent, the right thing to do is forgive
when your children mess up and wish for ‘grace’
you are the example of a living ‘seeing’ visual Jesus to them.
When we mess up Jesus always forgives us
even if our heart isn’t right.
If you are a friend what better way to seal a good friendship
than to ‘forgive’ if we have hurt one another.
It is in the ‘knowing we hurt someone’ and then asking
for their forgiveness that makes a relationship real.
The hard task is coming to a truth within ourselves.
When Jesus was on the cross.
Remember what he said while he was in deep agony,
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Even when he was a tiny baby the people didn’t really understand
the purpose of why he came. It wasn’t just about Christmas.
It was the cross. The whole point was leading to the Cross.
Just as those who were with him in life didn’t fully understand him.
In his dying they didn’t really either.
They had no idea they were killing God’s son.
Just as God had Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph,
the angel Gabriel, Simeon and Anna, the shepherds and wise men
all play a part in the life of Jesus birth.
He also would bring the disciples and other players to be a part of his death. It had to be that way.
It was about love and forgiveness and hope.
They didn’t know, because they couldn’t fully know,
they were killing, God’s only son.
Pilate had no clue he was playing a part or a role that was pre-ordained for him to play.
But God did.
Jesus understood while on the cross, they didn’t understand it all.
Many times we do things we do not understand.
That is why His forgiveness is so powerful.
The second word is… 
When our lives are full of truth telling and calm we can be assured that our hearts are in peace.
When reading the Bible it shows this word 455 times.
It must be a very important thing for us to have according to God.
Psalm 37:37 Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
In Mark 4:39 Jesus calmed the water by saying “Peace be still.”
In John 14:27 Jesus said, “peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding,
will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.
Do you get the point yet?
We are to create in ourselves a calm, forgiving, peaceful heart condition.
When I began to heal from my ‘child hood’ issues God told me
in a very gentle way I had to forgive those who hurt me.
I wrote it down… all of it, as much as I could remember.
Then I let it go and I didn’t allow them to hurt me in that way again.
Hurt people, hurt people.
Sometimes God allows us to be hurt, so we can be tested and grow stronger through the process.
Sometimes it is for their growth if they choose to pay attention to the lesson.
This last year we have discovered the basket of words and the potential
of each word as it could affect our lives.
There is power within a word.
They can be both healing and useful or hurtful and wounding.
The choice becomes ours. How to give and how to receive.
As I have written each of these blog posts I have prayed it was a blessing to you.
Leaving this ‘basket of words’… and moving towards a new year.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Word for the year

by | Dec 27, 2014 | Uncategorized

I am praying about and centering in, so I can learn and listen for my new word of the year.
Every year I try for a new word that would symbolize and set some significance for the months ahead.
It is a good goal to reach for, and in years past each word has had meaning, when I didn’t even realize it.
Last year my word was given to me by my husband, he thought it should be the word BELIEVE.
That was a wonderful word and did end up having some meaning as we struggled through many issues.
Some who we loved passed away, we had surgeries, sickness, biopsy’s and more who passed away.
Our faith was tested financially and physically.
Emotionally and some spiritually too.
Believe was a powerful word because after it is all over and done,
all one really has is faith.
So I wait and I listen.
I pray for the words. I pray for the one word to choose for this year.
The new year of 2015.

I have had …
 I have had…

 
Last years word was believe and now I pray for the next new years word. 
The year 2015 will bring new changes, challenges and journeys for us.
I wonder what word the Lord will lay upon my heart this time.

Pondering

by | Dec 23, 2014 | Uncategorized

The baby of Christmas, the Christ child, was Mary’s baby. 
So much for her to think about and to ponder on.
Can you imagine placing your tiny baby on a bed of hay?
She did the best she could given her circumstance and her location.
A tiny one. So precious. So innocent.
So anticipated and so misunderstood.
 
Then he grew in wisdom and in stature.
The word says, he grew.
He matured and as he grew He knew the process was ending soon.
In the garden he asked, for prayer from those who cared for Him.
Then He prayed for Himself so deeply he dripped drops of blood.
I would imagine knowing the depths and the intensity of the cross.
One could not help but to plead, “Father take this cup from me.”
But it wasn’t.
And Jesus did what the Father had planned all along.
Remember nothing is without a reason.
Nothing is without a purpose. 
Mary’s little one.
Her precious miracle baby… Her chosen child.
Would not only save the world from their darkness.
But would also save herself.
It began at Christmas.
Then it ended at Easter.
The days, months and years between that time
were cherished moments.
Mary pondered so much.
The word [ponder] the ability to look deeper.
It is not observation.
The meaning of the word is:
Sumballo in greek
it is reflecting deeper and practicing the eyes 
of heaven.
Mary knew her baby was from heaven
chosen by God and given to her as a gift 
for a short amount of time.
Sumballo
treasuring everything in your heart
till a sword pierces it…
A Christmas baby who became the story of Easter.
A birth on so many levels. 
Sumballo we reflect and see what God has done.
——–
{the photos are not mine, I found them and 
do not take credit for them}

The eighteenth day of Christmas

by | Dec 19, 2014 | Uncategorized

I didn’t get the blog finished yesterday so today is yesterday’s writing.
Taking a risk as I write this:
Would it be alright if I venture into a different question
now that we have learned about the many of the ‘people’
of the Christmas story.
It seems to me that we are not thinking about or focusing on
the one reasonable question. What about Jesus?
In the beginning He was with God.
That is what Genesis tells us.
They were together as the three in one.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Then the plan from God was to provide a Savior,
so he could save the people from their sins.
As it is written:
Luke 1:35 The baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.
God created a way for us to be saved eternally.
God didn’t have to do that, but HE DID.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
God in his wisdom had to create someone we would relate to.
Someone special and full of meaning, and who could not only change history, but change and restore lives too.
So at some point in time, the decision was made, for Jesus to come to the scene as a baby, then to grow up and then to leave again, and return back to the Father, after his ministry was over.
Imagine with me for a moment.
What would that be like for Jesus, who was all God and all man, all knowing and still learning.
Jesus the Son of God entered the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit,
as a little tiny egg and grew into a ‘perfect’ little baby,
to be born and placed in a manger in a city called Bethlehem.
As scripture told us.
He had to come with the genealogy alongside him, as he was from the lineage of David.
God created a whole new ‘Jesus’ so we could see him and relate to him and then believe in him.
He was the ‘same’ equal part of God as in heaven, but now a physical form we could relate to.
From the spiritual realm to the earthly realm.
Do you think he was in the form of a body in heaven? I don’t think so.
Psalm 139:13 You made all the delicate inner parts of my body, and knit me in my mother’s womb. 
vs 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. vs 16. you saw me before I was born.
It was pre-planned as we know, but can you imagine?
What was it like to be a baby moving and kicking just as any other baby in the womb.
This ‘God in flesh’ baby child, miracle one, so tiny.
Or even during the birth process. He had to experience it.
I have seen video’s of how hard the baby pushes and turns and struggles to get out.
The process is hard and exhausting, challenging and relentless.
He had to be born through Mary because she was chosen to be his mother.
There had to be ‘physical connection’ as well as a spiritual one.
Then after he was born, the baby was cared for and loved by Mary and Joseph, blessed by Simeon, praised by Anna, then shepherds from the fields praised him, and then the wise men who brought gifts of royalty fit for a king.
All this meant something. On the eternal level and perspective.
Then we saw the threat from Herod, and then the Angels appearances over and over in dreams and visions.
So much happening in such a short amount of time for all of them.
Then I was wondering as a baby, he had to go through the normal teething process.
Just as any other new born baby. I would imagine and wonder,
did Mary walk the floors with a cranky colicky baby.
Did Joseph rock and sing to him as he calmed his crying, if he was sick and feverish.
I don’t imagine he could heal himself then, He was a baby.
As an infant, I would think, he had to learn to crawl and walk just like any other baby growing up.
Imagine with me, a skinned up knee, he could have placed his own hand on it to heal it or did that ability come to him later as he grew?
So many questions to ask.
Luke 2:39b They returned home to Nazareth in Galilee 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong.
He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
2: 52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. 
Did they go through some of the attitudes parents get from young adult children.
Remember they lost him one time in the temple.
Luke 2:45 When they couldn’t find him they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious leaders, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers. His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” 
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I would be in my Father’s house?”
But they didn’t understand what he meant. * key verse*
Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. 
And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
He had a lot of time to mature and grow.
There are many questions I have about all of this.
We often move from the manger, to the ministry, and then to the cross.
But what about the middle years, when he grew and learned and trained under Joseph.
I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but the word tells us he was a baby, then a child, he had to have been a teen, then a young adult, then a young man and then he turned thirty when I believe his ministry began to take shape and form.
So many stages of a young mans life. So many changes for a Savior.
Not only was Jesus the main character in this story.
But he was the story.
God loves us so much that HE wanted to give us a chance.
The only way that would work was to to allow a Savior to come.
Remember the verse when Simeon told Mary,
Luke 2:35 “As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your very soul.” 
Referring to his time on the cross.
It was all for a reason. It was all for a purpose.
The deep love from the Father to us given in the form of a baby.
As we move towards the closure of the Christmas story I hope you realize, as I have said before, nothing is by accident and nothing is without a plan.