by Sharon O | Jul 12, 2010 | Uncategorized
Today…
The Lord’s day
A day for worship and praise
To listen and be attentive
We came to hear
We came to worship
We came to experience
To be in tune to the words spoken from a Pastor
Who studies so he can teach the people who are listening and waiting
for a touch from God
Our Pastor spoke on the passage that says in Matthew 7:4-6 and in Luke 6:42:
“Or how can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye,” when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”
Then the Pastor said, “Let me make it more clear”…
and he walked over to the other side of the stage and picked up a large plank and put it up to his face and said, “This is what it looks like, you are walking around with a large plank complaining about someone Else’s speck and when you get close to others because of your plank you smack them with it, telling them to remove ‘their speck’…all along not seeing your plank and the hurt you are causing.”
It was powerful…
Then he continued to move into the passage in 1st Corinthians 13:4-8:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it is not proud. It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
LOVE NEVER FAILS.
I felt my chest heave with heaviness and my eyes fill with tears.
I felt myself breathing slow and deep…
I wanted to sob and wail… and pray…
Someone in my life is doing just that…
and hitting me with the plank as they are doing it
they are justifying their behavior by accusing me
of having the speck
and in that process … failing to love me… failing to love me
Pastor was talking about marriage… but it didn’t have to end there
It could be in any relationship
My heart was heavy…
My grief up close and to the surface
I left with unfinished business to deal with in my heart
I left with deep sadness that this situation
will not heal itself without deep introspection
from the one who is blaming.
I left feeling emotionally open and incredibly fragile
My heart was heavy today
The speck has never been in my eye
I am feeling the deep intensity of the cord broken
And I am grieving a ‘broken’ relationship
by Sharon O | Jul 9, 2010 | Uncategorized
Psalm 51:16-17 (msg Bible)
Going through the motions doesn’t please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.
——————
Lord God give us a desire to be real with you.
Bring us to our knees ready for God-worship.
Ready for a restructuring of our ‘life’ so we can serve you
more deeply and more intensely.
I am glad you notice my heart when I seek you…
for you have said ‘if you seek me with all your heart I will hear you…’
I know you will listen Lord.
Tonight my heart is heavy.
I wish for ‘a heart of love’ towards others… I try and yet I fail so often.
Thank you God that you care… no matter what I do or say… your love is not
conditional on circumstances or feelings.
Thank you God for your patience for I have failed you many times..
your love is always and true.
Thank you God. Thank you
by Sharon O | Jul 7, 2010 | Uncategorized
The success of emotional integrity lies in the one who holds the rein’s.
This was on a blog I read today …
as I began to process it the question came up for me
about what it meant to be a person of ’emotional integrity.’
Emotional integrity… those are powerful words.
Emotion equals feeling…Integrity equals adherence to moral and ethical principles.
So to have success within these powerful words one would have to have full rein and control of what comes out of ones mouth, heart and actions. I see the picture of a rider upon a horse with the reins in his hands suggesting the horse to go left or right by the pressure of the rein.
What a challenge that is for us as God leads us through different situations.
He knew it would be hard for us to control our ‘words’ it is written all through out scripture to be wise and careful.
I think we all know some one who struggles with emotional integrity. They confuse the average persons thinking. They are hard to follow and hard to read. They are difficult to understand. They create turmoil. They are not authentic or real in relationships.
Someone I know said to me one time, “that is just the way I am… I say what I feel and I voice my opinion.”
At the risk of saying anything too harsh right now, I struggle with that kind of ‘attitude’.
Emotional integrity is being true to oneself, being honest with oneself and being honest with God.
Does that give us the right to be ‘brutally honest’ to others just because that is the way we are?
I submitted a writing to a publishing site for a critique. The goal for me was to receive an opinion and guidance as to how to write better and with more ‘depth.’ The critique came back to me and left me feeling very encouraged. They were positive and they also gave me direction and suggestions on what would make ‘the’ writing even better.
It was helpful and just what I had hoped for.
Instead of sending me the message… your writing is awful… quit trying.
They encouraged me to press forward and reach further into the heart of the message.
I really valued that critique. It was powerful in words, and in depth and in feelings.
Emotional integrity is something we all can work on as we move through this journey of life.
I challenge us all to take hold and strive to be successful in our actions, motives and thoughts.
And encourage each other in the process.
by Sharon O | Jul 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
I just had to share this as a blog post today, if we only would have that much faith and that much trust and that much wisdom.This sweet dear lady…. God bless her….(have your volume on).
by Sharon O | Jul 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
If this doesn’t make you smile or even giggle I am not sure what will.God Bless her little spirit as she makes a joyful noise to the Lord. (have your sound on)
by Sharon O | Jul 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
From the book:
Whispers of Faith
God offers you the priceless freedom
of being able to live each day of your life
free from the chains of guilt, despair, and hopelessness.
He has opened to you the door to freedom and His Spirit directs you along the path
He has laid out for you, a path leading to genuine happiness and lasting liberty.
——————————
May we think about freedom today in a new and different way.
Not only are we free in our ‘United States’ but we are free to follow the path of the Lord
into a new kind of liberty and justice for all.
Happy 4th of July… 2010
by Sharon O | Jul 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
From the book:
Whispers of Promise
To appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to give one’s self;
to leave the world a little better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
to have played and laughed with enthusiasm,
and sung with exultation;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived…this is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emmerson
————————
Lord help us to know that whatever we do
to help others or our world is valuable and not wasted effort.
Thank you God for a new awareness of ‘success.’
by Sharon O | Jul 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
From the book:
Whispers of Promise
A really good friend~
The kind Jesus wants to create~
can be hard to find.
It takes commitment to a person’s best interests
to stir that person up to love and good works,
and it needs to be done gently if it’s going to work.
Be that kind of person who gently stirs up love and good works.
Then God, who is a Best Friend to you both, will be pleased.
——————————
Lord,
may our prayer today be one from a receptive heart
that we may learn as you teach us to become
a good and faithful friend to those around us.
Thank you that you have given us people in our lives
whom you have entrusted us to love and encourage towards
a more purposeful relationship.
Help us never to forget the value of a good friend.
by Sharon O | Jul 1, 2010 | Uncategorized
From the book:
Whispers of Promise
In a day when dishonesty is often almost taken as a matter of course,
a person whose strength of character
demands honesty
can stand out in a crowd.
Sometimes it’s the kind of standing out…
that leads to uncomfortable situations.
But there are things worth standing for,
even if they have a price.
Sometimes that price is just what brings the blessing.
———————————-
What are you standing for today?
by Sharon O | Jun 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
From the book:
Whispers of Promise
We may not reach around the world to people.
But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t value all we do.
Though each believer may only touch a few lives,
that impact may go far beyond what can be seen.
In the end,
God may show the whole world that the blessed silver-tongued saint
who lived down the street was priceless to Him and His work.
—————————
Go forth today and do good…
don’t worry about who you reach but how you reach
those around you.
Be gentle
Be kind
and listen for those opportunities to ‘show Jesus today.’
