OUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY?

The words “Golden Opportunity” have been going through my mind for several days now.  Having worked in the grocery retail business I quickly learned how to deal with irate, mad, furious, and just plain ticked off customers.  I diffused the situation by looking at it as if it were my “Golden Opportunity” to make the customer happy or elated.  I had a 100% success rate.  For example, If a customer was not happy with their cake that they ordered from the bakery I would make them another one quickly and give them a free gallon of ice cream with all of the trimmings.  They left happy that they were understood and got something free, plus I went out of my way to do it.  So when they talk to their friends they will more than likely say, “They screwed up my cake, but man did they sure make up for it”.  I know how quickly bad new travels, so I made it a priority never to let a customer leave unhappy.  

Where am I going with this?  I was thinking that this economic mess that America is in is a Christian’s “Golden Opportunity”.  It’s our turn to shine.  We can’t pass this up.  How can we make a golden moment out of this ginormous mess and build the kingdom?  I think about those tent cities popping up and I wonder if any Christians are going to help.  I am thinking about how to seize this “GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY”.  I want to be apart of it.  What do you think Christians can do to seize this opportunity?

HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY !!!!!

Want to See?

Click on THE MEND to the right on the Blog Roll to see a video of pictures that were taken during my pastor and his son’s trip to India to spread the Gospel.  It is both beautiful and frightening all at the same time.   It is well worth your time.

I JUST HAD TO.

Wow, ten months old already.  Just learning the basics of crawling, which means I don’t have to buy a rope quite yet.  Eating his Gerber Graduate meals like a champ.  He is not quite into eating my cooking, humm.  Just as adorable than ever at a whopping 23 pounds.  Has mommy’s eyes and daddy’s cheeks and jaw.  Loves to jump up and down in his Baby Einstein Jumper.  Touches everything and it all goes in his mouth.

I AM MY OWN TOP CLICK ! :)

Everyday when I log onto this blog I check a few things like stats, top posts and top clicks.  Usually Theory Dimensional is the “Top Click” on my page, but not today.  I am my own “Top Click” for the piece “TEN TIMES” today.  People are viewing the larger print of the piece in another window.  They must really like it?  What are they doing?

ADDENDUM:  This only lasted for 2 days!  Theory Dimensional is back as Top Click!

GOD WILL RESTORE ME

RESTORE   \ri-stor\

1 : give back , return 2 : to put or bring back into existence or use 3 : to bring back to or put back into a former or original state : renew 4 : to put again in possession of something.

Have you ever felt like you have totally blown it big time with God, life, friends or maybe just everything in your life is a mess right now?  I found the word RESTORE in the NASB Bible 78 times.  As I read each verse that the word was in, I found that our God is the God of Restoration from total destruction.  No matter how bad we have blown it, or how broken we are, or how bad our situation is,  God wants to Restore us.  As a matter of fact, I would say it’s one of his favorite things to do.  How else would he get the glory if we didn’t fall flat on our face and need him to RESTORE us?

Psalm 51  1-19  Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against You, You only , I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when you speak and blameless when You judge.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.  Behold, you desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.  Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bone which You have broken rejoice.  Hide You face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.  Than I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.  Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise.  For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;  You are not pleased with burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

MATTHEW 26: 36-46  Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  And he took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.  Then He said to them.  “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with me.”   And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.”  And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?  Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”  Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.  And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.  Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?  Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.  “Get up, let us be going: behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”

Have you ever had friends fail you?  Have you ever failed a friend?  We are all human, so the answer is YES.  The next time a friend hurts or fails me in some way I want to be instantly reminded of THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.  While Jesus was grieved to the point of death before he was captured and slaughtered, he asked his disciples to stand watch and pray.  Instead they fell asleep TWICE after being asked by our Saviour to stand watch and pray.  It’s hard for me to imagine the disciples falling asleep at that moment in time, but it happened.  They let Jesus down.  Could you imagine your closest friends falling asleep instead of praying before you were brutally hung on a cross?  Have you ever been failed like this?  I haven’t, and I want to be as forgiving as my saviour when my friends fail me and like wise.  Jesus forgave his friends for the ultimate let down.

LESSONS FOR FEBUARY

*  I must be still, quiet and wait for the Lord every time.

*  Not as many people have left my side in the middle of my battle as I thought.

*  Some people don’t know what to do when their friends are hurting,  there are times that I don’t know what to do either, except pray.

*  Satin wants to take every single shred of happiness from my life no matter what form it comes in and he wants to destroy me and DIVIDE US!  I need to get on some Ephesians!

*  The hard trials that came my way over the past 4 or so months have been happening to make me more Christ like, whether I have a disability or not.

*  Those trials are pain full, but worth it, and I praise God for loving me this way.

*  I am pretty excited about this month since the lessons of last month were hard.

*  Apologies and taking responsibility for my actions isn’t easy.

*  I need everyone, including YOU.

*  I need to let God change my weaknesses and spend more time focusing on developing the strengths and gifts God gave me.

GOD CALLS TO THE ACHING HEART

A couple of years after 911 my husband was going to volunteer to serve again in the Army over in Iraq.  I guess they needed some IT skills on base.  We talked about it a lot.  The pay for the job was quite substantial.  He would be gone for over a year.

Back then my husband traveled a lot, so much so that I didn’t keep track of where he was.  A.Z.?, Mexico?,N.Y.,?  He was all over the map and would be gone only for about 4 days when he traveled.  He went out of town while we were discussing how things would most likely be if he went to Iraq.

I went to bed by myself and was missing him.  Then I had the thought of not being able to touch him for more than a year and my heart fell to my stomach and I felt weak and sick.  What a horrible thought.  A week is bad enough and a year seemed liked an eternity.

That was about 5 years ago.  A few weeks after this I walked into the Church at Woodland and began walking with the Lord and made some friends.  God used the ache in my heart to draw me to him and do lots of others things too.

Only A Good Christian Woman Waits For Her Man In The Dryer.

This is an inside joke that you actually have to go to a crazy church to understand.

done

Addendum:  She Ramblings posted  instructions on how to get in the dryer and wait for your man, every good Christian woman should know how this is done, and yes we are all nuts!!