Sunday, April 25, 2010

Yikes....

....

I keep running out of time to come back and add to other posts - and make new ones.
I've got to get better on that - just so there isn't another unfinished task hanging over my head...I know I don't have many readers so at least no one is really seeing my inability to come here often!

I have so many thoughts and entries I could write I'm know not sure which to post first when I do have time...but for now - sleepytime. The thoughtful posts will have to wait. I haven't forgotten - just sidetracked!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

A Call to Kindness...

Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile. Mother Teresa


We know the reputation of Mother Teresa was one of love, kindness and graciousness to those around her. It is definitely a worthy goal to strive for.

How can we even hope to get there?
We know we can't achieve perfection. In countless ways, every day, we fail to measure up to God's standard of perfection. God's kindness in creating us, sustaining us and redeeming us from our failures are undeserved. Yet He still desires us and He calls us to follow Him.

We know it goes so far beyond kindness, but for us it is a good starting place to dealing with our selfish and prideful attitudes. God is working to transform us and our hearts are the battlegrounds.

Every day, in all our relationships, we are called to demonstrate to others the kindness God wants us to show them. NOT because we want something from them or because we think they like us or they've proved to be worthy of our response - but because they too were created by God and it is OUR responsibility to live bringing honor to God in a way that stirs something beautiful in those relationships.

Speaking kindly - even to those who have hurt you, even those who are hurting you now - is one of God's tool to break the hearts of stone and call them to greater understanding of their own need for companionship (with God ultimately) but also the need for true friends while we live here and now. Relationships can be a tricky and painful mess. There is much damage that can be done, much confusion, sadness and doubt. Yet when God is in the relationship there begins to be a small reflection of what heaven must be like. There is a deep bond created between people who can be loving and kind at all times - even when they need to confront each other on an issue. Dignity and worth are still maintained...a deep trust the other person still has your best interest at heart grows and flourishes and love becomes more powerful then any hurts or failures. You know true love when you are able to feel it even in the moments you are being challenged by a friend. All that grows out of a godly kindness.

True kindness is apparent - you can see it in the person's face, eyes and smile. You know when they are being genuine and you can't help but be affected by it. Harsh words tear down a relationship. They are like a poison that slowly kills from within. Kind words and deeds rebuild and heal many wounds. Our kindness to others can only be a small reflection of God's kindness to us. Each moment we have a choice. God created us to be in a relationship with Him and with the humans around us. To live and work as a community of people we need to get to know each other on a level that we can understand their needs and desires. We encourage one another, help each other in difficult times, protect each other and persevere together. In doing so we learn more about God, each other and ourselves then we can any other way.

We can never repay the debt He freed us from. Yet each day we can do our best to point others towards Him so they too can know the freedom from despair over the mess our lives are. This takes going through each moment of our day with a purpose in mind: letting our actions and speech reflect God's kindness - HOW can we build each other up - EVEN in those moments when we see someone doing things differently then we want or think they should do? HOW can we encourage them when they are weary, strengthen them when they are weak or confused and help protect them from the enemy's attacks when we are shaking our heads in disgust at the ways we see them messing up. God's kindness (which when full-blown grows to compassion. mercy and grace) comes to the person in their need and kindly says, "I am here to grieve with you as long as it takes, give you what you need even when I disagree, love you even when it hurts me --- all because God would have me do nothing less."

Yes, we are still in a battle. We fail all the time, every day. We hurt people without thinking - sometimes without realizing it. We know until our life ends we won't always triumph...and it can be discouraging until we remember we are freed from needing to strive for perfection. All we need to remember is God never gives up on us - He gives grace to us when we mess up and gives us grace to extend to others when they mess up. So we move on ---looking for opportunities to bear one another's burdens, speaking kindly to all, looking upon the outcast with love, and smiling, knowing we have a power within us that can break all the shackles that are seeking to paralyze us. One kind word is all it takes to save a person's life who could be standing on the brink of eternal destruction. We've all been there at one time or another. God has given us enormous capability to bring His life-changing kindness to a lost, hurting world. When we stay focused on Him we are better equipped to communicate God's kindness in a believable, even tangible way. Pray God will bring more awareness of the attitudes in your heart that keep you from living kindness in your relationships. God promises when we seek Him with all our heart we will find Him!!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Dreams - Renewed in God

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. (Pastor) Dale E. Turner

Are dreams renewable?
Do we really believe that?

I think we'd all agree dreams are important to us. Dreams can get us through terrible ordeals. Dreams seem bigger then ourselves and our limitations. All of us have dreams. They are given to us for a reason. I'm not talking about all dreams - not the strange nonsense ones that sometimes come when sleeping. Yet some dreams while sleeping and dreams/goals/visions conceived while awake are placed on our hearts by God. What we do with them and how we view them are important.

Do dreams define who we are?
No, but the pursuit of them can define us. We can set good dreams but pursue them in unhealthy ways. We may achieve what we want but in the process leave behind hurting people who will have to pick up the pieces trying to understand what went wrong. A caring person looks at their dreams - and the dreams of those around them - and tries to make progress on their dreams without crashing other's dreams, and even at times tries to find a way to motivate others along the realization of their dreams -either by stopping progress of their dreams to help another or trying to juggle both at the same time.

Do we put our hope in our dreams?
NO! Dreams are a stepping stone to something greater - either a new/improved relationship, awareness of self-discovery, contribution to society, etc. Realizing dreams does result in some type of new beauty. Something has changed in a positive way - there is a triumph that is recognizable. Yet neither the pursuit nor the dream is something we should hope in. We can pursue our dreams in a healthy, Biblical manner and still not see them realized. We can know our dreams are appropriate Christian desires and find others trample over them. We can achieve some of our dreams and be more deeply affected by sadness that it wasn't really what we were looking for. It didn't fit the need we were so sure it would. Because dreams often become idols of being puffed up in ourselves - not achieving a goal in order to praise God that He allowed us all the necessary pieces to go after it and succeed. The hope isn't the dream or the pursuit of the dream. It's the One who gave us the dream.

It is really only in that context that dreams can be renewable. Dreams are often crushed by outside forces: illnesses, finances, people. Illnesses and finances are very real struggles that can make us question why. Yet when others have let us down the pain can be unbearable. All of these things bring the temptation to let dreams die. If everything seems against us --dreams feel like a chain weighing us down - saying here I am just out of your reach...what are you going to do about it??

We realize that sometimes just because a dream is a good dream isn't one we need to spend time fighting for. We decide another dream is more important to follow. Sometimes we regroup and attack the same dream - and succeed! We can say dreams teach us about the human spirit - and there is truth in that because dreams exist to teach us about ourselves...Ultimately what we have to learn about ourselves is that God is the One who leads us, grows us and sustains us. Apart from Him all our dreams would fail whether we acknowledge it or not and our lives would collapse in shambles.

At the current moment my dreams are in the re-evaluating phase. Renewing...What is going to be important to me? How am I going to go forward? I don't know what my dreams are going to look like. I don't know who will help me realize them. I know who holds my dreams. I know who holds me in those moments I feel hopeless. He is taking my broken dreams and reshaping them into something I've yet to comprehend. Something I can't see. Though the result is not yet realized I know His love is not holding back. He gives us dreams, so we can see what He is going to do. One day - we'll be amazed at what He made. The pain we knew will be a distant shadow - The dreams that went unrealized will be forgotten. The presence of dreams fulfilled will shine brilliantly and beautifully in the light of the Son - an everlasting testimony of grace and mercy.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Proverbs

I should take the time to go hunt down the handout from the Sunday School class on Proverbs so if anyone stumbles onto this post (which seems unlikely with no one knowing about my blog) they can benefit from the excellent teaching on the books of the Bible we're going through at church.

Maybe I'll do that later on this week when it's not already late and I'm tired...

Quote for the day:

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. Proverbs 15:13

I've often heard the "fake it until you make it" quote from people who know that it is hard to act happy when you aren't but in time acting like you are happy can make you happy. This Bible verse is actually talking about the opposite. It is talking about a person who is already living with the joy God brings into lives...When the heart is joyful it spills out of the person. You can't really hide deep joy. People can be happy and have it not be noticeable at times...but joy - that is a much deeper state of being. Filled with contentment, filled with appreciation for blessings, filled with admiration of beauty, filled with love of others...these things can't be hidden. The persons face will show a true delight in the situations and environments they are in.

People love to be around those people!!

I felt yukky this weekend and didn't sleep well so I'm getting tired...I'm going to finish adding to this post tomorrow...

Sunday, April 11, 2010

A late Easter Poem

Splinters by PumpkinsMomma April 11th, 2010 (just finished writing it!)

She sinks to the floor with tears in her eyes
A splinter of pain pierces her heart
While the demons inside rip her apart
She waits for her inevitable demise

Is there anyone who'll search for her?
Will anyone love the unworthy one?
Is there anyone who'll save her?
Or will she become undone?

Time passes on and the splinter recedes
She's knows it's still there
Yet it less freely bleeds
A glimmer of hope grows in the air.

New strength carries her through a new day
Until under darkness the thief takes it away.
Fresh splinters prick her skin
Working their way ever deeper within

With relentless precision they damage every good place
Until the only survivor is utter disgrace.

Is there anyone who'll reach out to her?
Will anyone love the repulsive one?
Is there anyone who'll comfort her?
Or will she stay undone?

As the nail's driven in a splinter is formed
Tears for her suffering fall to the earth
From death comes rebirth -
a woman transformed
a woman of worth

Her body is frail and her wounds are still present
Yet when her splinters attack she is not shaken
Freed from the effects of unyielding torment
She is never forsaken

Out of His love flows her strength and power
She was saved from her dark hour

Tears and blood for her suffering fall to the earth
From death comes rebirth -
a woman transformed
a woman of worth

Her body is frail and her wounds are still present
Yet when her splinters attack she is not shaken
Freed from the effects of unyielding torment
She is never forsaken

Out of His love flows her strength and power
She was saved from her dark hour

Time passes on and the splinters recede
She's knows they're still there
Yet they less freely bleed
Love echoes grace into the air --

You're no longer undone
You're my beautiful one.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Busy! Quick Entry....

So, I've written a lot of things in my journal but haven't had time to post them yet. I will back date them when I do just in case you wonder when I originally wrote them :)

In the meantime I will post this poem I wrote on the 23rd - as I was continuing to contemplate my post from March 20th. Here it is....

Power - March 23rd, 2010


What events that lie behind us do not last
Their power has diminished
For the past has passed

What events that lie before us are not yet sure
Their existence is fragile
Only what occurs is of the future

Power lies in this current day
As each moment presents a choice
Crying out in a loud voice
Desperate to steal your life away.

Cling to the cross for your power
Truth breaks the chains that strip you bare
Freedom can be found in your dark hour
When on your knees you fall in prayer.

by PumpkinsMomma