by Sharon O | Feb 18, 2010 | Uncategorized
Romans 12:1 (The message) vs 1-2
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life- and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.
Instead, fix your attention on God.
You’ll be changed from the inside out.
Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
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I read this today and it stirred in me a new thought.
This is saying, give an offering of our lives to God, daily.
Dictionary.com said the meaning of offering is : ‘it is a show of intention.’
So this means we intentionally offer our lives to the Lord. Intentionally.
Dictionary. com said ‘it means, deliberately or willfully, done with intention or on purpose, by choice.’
So we choose to give all that we do, to the glory of God.
Is that possible always? Some days are not so good. We all have bad days, I certainly do.
The verse says to us “you will be changed from the inside out.”
As we choose to fix our attention and heart towards God, and embrace what HE wants for our lives, we grow and we change.
We become mature in our thinking.
We become discerning in the ways of our world and culture.
Yes we have to live here, yes we have to work and do every day things, the challenge for us, is to decide what do we want to embrace?
What values do we want to hold onto.
The verse said “readily recognize”, that means we choose to look with our spiritual eyes.
To recognize something, we would have to know it already. It is a place we have been before.
That would mean, we have experienced it and have a memory of it.
I see it as a ‘God moment’–Oh now I realize God is doing something here.
To be changed from the inside out is an intentional act.
Our choice to embrace the good and the bad.
As he moves us to a mature direction.
The beginning of the verse said “God helping you”. That means we ask.
We can’t receive help unless we are willing to accept it.
I think we all can relate to our ‘cultures desire’ to pull us down. Turn the TV on and you will see and hear all kinds of messages. They are not necessarily positive or good for us.
If we embrace those messages we loose the message of God.
Let us not compromise our purposeful intent. Let us allow God to change us from the inside out. So we can be strong in his word, spirit, and truth.
May we encourage each other always, as we allow God to bring out the best in us.
by Sharon O | Feb 17, 2010 | Uncategorized
Maya Angelou said :
“People will forget what you say,
people will forget what you do,
but people will never forget how you make them feel.”
I find this challenging today.
Just a short note… challenging us.
To remember, our words can have an impact on someone each day.
So it is our choice – To be thoughtful, kind, encouraging, edifying, gentle and perhaps even prayerful.
Relationships are not to be taken for granted.
Time is challenging us all. LIFE is challenging us all.
None of us knows when our days here are through.
So what we do with those days are simply a choice.
I heard a saying one time, not sure of the author.
“As you invest in others, you are investing in yourself also.”
another one,
“The greatest tragedy in life is choosing not to fully live.”
Let us live with intention.
by Sharon O | Feb 16, 2010 | Uncategorized
The other day I was listening to a southern Gospel show, and I heard a comment that really grabbed my attention.
“We must never forget in the dark, what we know as truth in the light”.
As I listened to this, I was moved to remember the many times,
I have been alone at night.
Not feeling comfortable or safe. Every creak and noise magnified by the very reality that, ‘I was alone’. Every time the dog barked, it meant someone was outside. Every shadow or perceived shadow, a bad one. Someone could be lurking out there, waiting to come in.
What I know as truth, in the light of the day is this.
God is safe. God is here always. God protects.
God sends His Angels to guard and protect. God will never leave me ‘abandoned’.
He rescues me. He is greater than the darkness. His power is more powerful.
All I have to do is speak “I need you”, and his presence is near.
(Even though He is near always, my voice, activates my faith)
Gods Word is true always.
If I let fear come near and the unknown rule over me.
Then I have allowed the light to become blurred, by the darkness.
At night when I am alone, and my husband is gone. I do not have to fear the shadows at the window. I do not have to fear, or allow my imagination to startle me, with pretend images.
I can trust. I can know what is true. I can make a choice to believe. The angels will surround me with protection and peace.
The doors are locked.
I am safe from the outside.
When our son was little, maybe 4 or 5 we were all sleeping, and he came running into our room. As a rule the children weren’t supposed to be in our room, but this night we could see and experience his ‘night terror’.
“Dad, something is in my room, and it is breathing in and out, and it is scary,” he said in a child like whisper, looking very frightened and scared.
As a mom and dad who were just sound asleep down the hall from their children.
This was NOT something you want to hear from your child. Especially from one who is visibly terrified.
The story continues; “Dad it is over my bed, and it is big and moving, It woke me up and I’m scared”, the trembling voice of our son looking for reassurance and safety.
The picture is in my mind as I remember the scene. The young dad and son, facing our sons fear together hand in hand, as they walked down the hall to his room.
They entered the door way and turned on the light.
Holding their breaths, expecting to find, some evil thing startled standing in the room.
I waited with anticipation and fears of my own.
I heard down the hall, giggling, and laughing.
The evil monster turned out to be a hat, hanging at the end of the bed post.
The air from the heat vent, made it move in and out, appearing way more scary than it really was.
What was scary in the dark, now became exposed in the light.
The power of the moment ended with a huge sigh of relief, a little boys laugh and a very funny memory for us all.
The rest of the night was calm.
Our son went back to sleep, knowing the bad monster was no longer a threat. We settled back to bed, with a mommy and daddy sigh of relief, that our crisis was over.
When we face times of uncertainty and fear. When the ‘shadows’ overwhelm us.
We can claim victory over the dark places.
Psalm 18:28 “you light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.”
John 1:5 “The light shined in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it”
Psalm 27: “The Lord is my light and my salvation–why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, why should I tremble?”
Our son is now a daddy with two sons of his own.
He will someday need to walk down the hall with them, hand in hand ready to face, the evil monster.
When they do, I pray he will remember what is fearful in the night, might not be anything when the light is near.
The light is brighter than the darkness.
I hope this brings encouragement to you.
Psalm 56:13 “For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, In your life-giving light.” God’s life giving light.
by Sharon O | Feb 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
Have you ever read the book of Job?
The other day I was reading some of it. The part that really became fascinating was the conversations between God and Job.
Now the very thought of even having a conversation with God, is an idea that doesn’t come naturally to me. I mean God, was talking to Job in the midst of a whirlwind. So it was the sound of whooshing air yet Job knew it was words? It said ‘The Lord answered Job from the whirlwind’.
I challenge you to read chapters 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42. It is awesome. I was reading it with great interest, and the most fascinating part was God’s challenge.
Several times in the passages God said to Job; “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.” He says this at least two times.
Wow, CAN you imagine? God saying… “Brace yourself…. I am going to be talking to you and YOU must answer me.” Then He continues, chapter 40 vs 1 “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”
At one point Job answers him, chapter 40 vs 1-6. He becomes humbled. He realizes, HE should not be saying a word to God, other than humble words.
“I am nothing – how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already I have nothing more to say”.
Again I am in awe, that God would challenge Job, and gently Bless him back into the relationship again.
Isn’t it an awesome example for us to see God’s power, and His desire for relationship with us. He says later in chapter 42, when He is talking to a friend of Job’s…”My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” vs 10 When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact the Lord gave him twice as much as before. At the end it said ‘Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who lived a long, full life.’
The prayers of a good friend is a gift we all need.
Today I spent time with my best friend, we shared from our hearts. It was good. A time for us to be reconnected, as sisters in the Lord and as good friends. When I ask her to pray for me I know she does. I don’t question it, I just know. It is important for her.
This reading in Job was powerful for me.
It spoke to me of relationship, of discipline, of love, of restoration and of humility.
After all that, a long full life.
What more could we ask for?
I challenge you today, to read the book of Job.
It is a good reminder of God’s power, love and desire to do good things for us.
by Sharon O | Feb 11, 2010 | Uncategorized
Today is my sister Mary’s birthday.
It is a miracle we thought would never happen.
In 2006, She was put on hospice with the diagnosis of death pending.
She was wheelchair bound, as she slumped over in the chair, with her 90 pound starving frame. One really won’t understand it all, without the pictures. They paint a picture of our reality in ways, that words can never do.
Her husband died before she did on July 26th, 2006. He was her caregiver.
It was a sad and horrible day for us all. Unexpected. Shocking. Numbing.
My sister who was dying just became a widow.
We brought her home in the quiet silence of the car, each of us in our own thoughts. She slept.
Soon our family room became a resting place for the dying.
Instead, she lived.
Her desire to live was stronger, than the force within her, to die.
Even though we helped save a life.
It was a journey none of us would ever want to repeat.
She was drowning in the sea of alcoholism, and like life guards, we jumped in and saved her.
It was hard, it was really hard. I don’t know how to swim, so it was very exhausting for me especially. We gave round the clock care. I slept by her bed on a cot for 6 weeks. Giving medications, every two hours, and spoon feeding her bites of mild foods.
Detoxing the demons out of her daily.
It was an incredibly hard experience, yet in the midst of the difficulty, we had some comedy relief.
Remembering the middle of the night, when I was SO exhausted to take her outside to smoke. I gave her one that was unlit, as she laid in her bed. She smoked it for 4 days. The same cigarette. Not ever realizing, it was never lit. I just leaned over her hospital bed with a dish, and said ‘dump your ashes’, and she did. There were none, but she didn’t know or care. She wanted her cigarette. I would watch her inhale and exhale pretend smoke. Feeling relieved I did not have to go out in the dark of the night.
The hospice team said it was a great idea. We have all laughed at the image of her, in bed smoking the unlit cigarette. I was just very tired and smoking was not important to me.
In 6 weeks, we brought her down from a massive amount of straight vodka, to two small doses, prescribed. You can’t totally remove all alcohol it has to be removed slowly. Her doctor was marvelous and knew what he was doing. He believed in the process, and helped us through many difficult moments. The hospice team extremely helpful, and most of all the Chaplain.
Almost four years later, she is alcohol free. Healthy. Living in an assisted living home, and thriving. She weighs 156 pounds and her brain is coming back.
It is a story of love, sacrifice, hope and sister hood. It is a story of family.
Our family.
A journey of life, death, and life again.
It is a story of sisters.
So today I wish my sister a Happy 57th Birthday.
In fact I tease her now; saying to her, “you better take classes on how to take care of the elderly. You will probably be taking care of ME some day.”
If you would have asked me, could I ever do all that? I would have said NO WAY. I am not a caregiver.
God brings to each one of us different seasons of our lives.
If we are not prepared, He will give us the strength, the patience and the willing heart. To do what needs to be done, for that season.
We brought my sister home to die, in a safe place so she would not be alone. We had no idea what we were doing, but God was with us through the process.
I am thankful that my sister chose life. This story is about her journey.
Her desire to better herself. I am thankful that she can enjoy her grand children now. Be healthy for her children, and even be healthy for us. I am thankful that I can say to her “Happy Birthday.”
It is a story of sisters.
