"Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way."
Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us!! I love this!! There have been so many times in my past that I have thought that if I asked for prayer for myself it was a sign of weakness or even lead to believe that it was selfish... So what of it?!? When I am weak is He not strong? And I am learning to that to LOVE GOD & love others, I must love myself!! Should we not ask for prayer for the ones we love? And loving your self IS NOT SELFISHNESS!! Selfishness is complete opposite of caring about self... I mean think about it... When I am being selfish (Yea, I have been known to be, believe it or not.) I am wanting satisfaction RIGHT NOW, at any cost, not thinking of any consequences for not just others, but myself... When you think about it really it is sad... the statement "She is just so selfish. She doesn't think about any body but herself." No not really! But I guess it is a lot shorter than... "She is always wanting instant gratification, never thinking about what it is going to do to herself or others down the road." Whoever wrote Hebrews knew that needing prayer was important! So much so that they state "PRAY FOR US"... Not a question but a statement! Understanding that I am "only human" and I am "weak"... I need prayer! Not just for myself alone, but with the knowing that I will be of no good to the kingdom if I am not doing well. I often say, " One of the most unselfish things I can do is be selfish." Now you could take that wrong if you want to, but really think about it... when I am truly thinking of myself, my health and well being in it's fullness... only then can I be used to glorify His kingdom and all it's fullness. But I need to remember to look at it in the big picture of things... to first Love God~Love others... I must first love self... I am sure... I cannot love myself without first being loved by my PaPa Himself! O.K. I am sure I have come full circle around that one... Back to my point... It is not about me... It is about Him... I am His... I put Him first by seeing and knowing He created me... He loves me... He knows and wants the best for me... and that means I need to act like I believe that... by trusting HIM... listening to HIM... to best take care of me.
It is about HIM!! HE created you! He loves you!! He knows and wants the best for you!!! Trust HIM... listen to HIM... to best take care of you!!!! Be weak!! Need prayer? Don't ask... just make the statement "Pray for me!" Not only does it benefit you... but the ones who prays for you... and the ones who don't... but first and foremost it gives all the praise and glory to God... God with us!! My great I AM!!
As 'leaders' we can sometimes get set in the thinking that we need to show everyone we can 'handle' everything... and we sometimes put on masks to hide how we are truly feeling... I see the enemy loving this because we are keeping things 'in the dark'... the outcome is never good... it can make things harder for ourselves and others... bring things out 'into the light'... I believe people need to see we 'leaders' struggle... but we really can be 'leaders' by showing them what we do when we struggle...
"Remember your leaders, who spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith."
Hebrews 13:7
I want people to see when I fail, but through faith in Him win... Not the prideful attitude... I don't fail, only to loose and people to see. Where I lead... do I want others to follow? Hmmmm... Oh PaPa, we need your help! Show us how to be great followers of Your Word so we may become great leaders of Your Word!! Equip us with everything good for doing Your will! And work in us what is pleasing to You, through Jesus Christ, to whom be all the glory for ever and ever!! Your grace be with us all!! Amen!!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Leave the ducks for Dad. (This is not for duck lovers! But it is laughs!)
Years ago Mike's (my husband) dad built a pond in his backyard... every spring ducks would come... see the water and want to stay... This caused many problems... I mean serious problems... because they poop... they poop everywhere... they would mess the deck up in one afternoon... and the pond... the fish... they would die. Mike's dad would always get 'rid' of them... About 10 years ago he died... And getting 'rid' of the ducks was left to Mike... Now here is where the story really starts....
Mike's grandma moved in with his mom... she was 92... it was spring and the ducks were making their selves right at home in the backyard... The deck was still slippery for the winter and grandma being grandma, was concerned about those ducks getting into the pond and killing the fish... so she would go out on to the deck with a broom and a loud voice everytime a duck would land in the backyard... I did say the deck was slippery... well this was not good... so mom asked Mike to come over and get 'rid' of the ducks... because grandma was going to fall and break her hip if she went out there again... So we went over to get 'rid' of the ducks... right away grandma put 2 pots of water on the stove to boil... Mom told Mike what gun dad always used... a 22... Mike it and sat down in front of the patio doors crossed his legs and aim at the female first... shot and aimed at the mallard... the mallard stood up to see why his mate had just slumped over... the bullet slicing across its breast plate... it to dropping to the ground... Mike and the boys them walked out into the yard to retrieve the ducks and bring them in for grandma to 'fix' them... Well... you know that mallard?... Lance walked right up to it a reached down to pick it up... it was playing possum... it jumped to it's feet with a big quack startling Lance, knocking him off his feet... the duck saw this as his oppertunity to escape, flapping it's wings as it went running across the yard... Mike and Logan went running after it... Lance as Lance took a stick and poked at the other one before he went to pick it up... Mike had gotten ahold of the mallard and quickly snapped its neck and the bird went limp... and told Lance to take both birds around to the side door to the basement... the neighbor from across the way had hear the commotion came out and seen what was going on... went back in... and came back outside just as Lance was nearing the corner of the house... He was angry... his vocabuary informed us of that... he yelled, telling us he was a member of Ducks Unlimited and he had called the DNR and the police and they would both be there shortly... I could feel the panic rise up in my chest... Mike spoke up trying to keep the boy's from getting scared... he told the man o.k. and we would wait inside for them to show...
Mike told Lance and Logan to take the ducks down to the basement sink... he turned to grandma and told her to turn off the stove... did I mention she is 92 and very hard of hearing?... After repeating to grandma to turn the stove off for the 4th time... grandma then wanted to know why... then who was the DNR... then... a loud quack from the basement and a scream, a crash, the another quack and a few more screams... I ran to the top of the stairs and looked down... a duck (the mallard w/the lives of a cat) waddled past... Lance waddling after it... and Logan after Lance (if you can picture this, just spead your feet about 2 feet apart, squat, put your elbows on your knees and try to walk...)... the a loud thunk... quacking stopped... screaming stopped... then loud QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!!! More screams.... duck waddling back in opposite direction past stairs, then Lance, then Logan... duck had banged right into closet door in basement... knocked itself out for a moment... so again gone into shock... not sure there... anyway I guess you would have to ask the duck... oh wait you can't...
The boys were in still in somewhat of a panic and to be honest so were Mike and I... we really hadn't been in to much trouble with the law before and never with guns... but we decided it would be best if we showed a good example to our children if we told the truth and faced what ever consequences we had to face... that seemed to calm them down some...
Mike finally took care of the duck... just in time too, the DNR and the police had just arrived... after explaining to grandma why they were there, for the 3rd time... they then turned to Mike and stated 'She can't hear us can she?'... So Mike explained what he did and why he did it... They explained that it was illegal to shoot a fire in town and kill a duck out of season without a license... Then he looked straight at Mike and said, "We have to take the gun... you used a BB gun right?..." He was shacking his head yes and with out thinking both Mike and I started shaking our heads yes too... "I will need the gun... do you still have the BB you used?"... We froze... thats when Lance spoke up and said yes... it was in the basement and he would get it... and he went down and got Mikes BB gun from when he was a kid!! I stood there not even sure what to do... The officer then continued to talk and walk us through various things... Logan had disapeared... finally after telling us we would be fined and would have to go to court to find out how much he told us we would have to give him the ducks... Mike went down to the basement and got the plastic bag he had wrapped the ducks in and handed it to the man... he felt the sack carefully and then said there was only 1 duck... and he was going to take it out to the truck and be right back in with papers we would have to sign... Mike and I said nothing... we just stood there staring at each other... Lance had disapeared along with his brother... The officer returned, papers in hand... Mike signed them and he left... at which point both Mike and I heard sobbing coming from the basement steps... there sat both boys, crying... Logan spoke out first "He is going to open up that sack and find out there were 2 ducks!"... then Lance, "Yea, and then he is going to cut them open and find out I lied and it wasn't a BB gun!"... Again Mike and I could do nothing but look at each other... After some hugs and reasuring them it was going to be alright, Mike tried to explain to them that the officer really did know the truth, but he didn't want to see daddy get into really big trouble when he didn't mean too... Lance was old enough to understand this a little and he thought thats why the officer was so weird when he asked for the gun... As the the looked up to brother he was within minutes he had gotten Logan calmed down too. We walked back up the stairs and into the kitchen and there stood grandma hands on her hips, disgusted look on her face as she spoke, "THEY TOOK OUR DUCKS!!" We tried to tell her what had happened... she said yea.. yea.. she knew all that... but WHY DID THEY TAKE OUR DUCKS?!....
Like the mallard this story isn't done yet... The day of court... Mike's 2 uncles, his mom, and his grandma all went with us... They had all agreed Mike was not going to pay the fines when he did it for his grandma... As Mike went before the Judge, they had different people there to represent the Ducks Unlimited, prosecution, DNR, etc. the Judge listened to the case... then grandma got up and walked right up to the Judge... no one said anything... I mean what do you say to an old 92 year old woman who is 'waddling' up to the Judge? Everyone stopped talking as she spoke up, "Judge, my grandson did this for me and if you give him any fines I am going to pay for it. And if he has to spend any time in jail, he can't he has got a family and he has to work. I am 92 and I don't have anything better to do so I will go for him." And she turned back around and went and sat down... The Judge was the first to speak "I will fine him the minimium he can be fined..."
After that we decided 'DAD' was the best at taking care of the troublesome ducks... But grandma sure knew how to talk to a Judge!
Could there be a lesson to be learned here?
Believe it or not this story IS NOT MADE UP!
Mike's grandma moved in with his mom... she was 92... it was spring and the ducks were making their selves right at home in the backyard... The deck was still slippery for the winter and grandma being grandma, was concerned about those ducks getting into the pond and killing the fish... so she would go out on to the deck with a broom and a loud voice everytime a duck would land in the backyard... I did say the deck was slippery... well this was not good... so mom asked Mike to come over and get 'rid' of the ducks... because grandma was going to fall and break her hip if she went out there again... So we went over to get 'rid' of the ducks... right away grandma put 2 pots of water on the stove to boil... Mom told Mike what gun dad always used... a 22... Mike it and sat down in front of the patio doors crossed his legs and aim at the female first... shot and aimed at the mallard... the mallard stood up to see why his mate had just slumped over... the bullet slicing across its breast plate... it to dropping to the ground... Mike and the boys them walked out into the yard to retrieve the ducks and bring them in for grandma to 'fix' them... Well... you know that mallard?... Lance walked right up to it a reached down to pick it up... it was playing possum... it jumped to it's feet with a big quack startling Lance, knocking him off his feet... the duck saw this as his oppertunity to escape, flapping it's wings as it went running across the yard... Mike and Logan went running after it... Lance as Lance took a stick and poked at the other one before he went to pick it up... Mike had gotten ahold of the mallard and quickly snapped its neck and the bird went limp... and told Lance to take both birds around to the side door to the basement... the neighbor from across the way had hear the commotion came out and seen what was going on... went back in... and came back outside just as Lance was nearing the corner of the house... He was angry... his vocabuary informed us of that... he yelled, telling us he was a member of Ducks Unlimited and he had called the DNR and the police and they would both be there shortly... I could feel the panic rise up in my chest... Mike spoke up trying to keep the boy's from getting scared... he told the man o.k. and we would wait inside for them to show...
Mike told Lance and Logan to take the ducks down to the basement sink... he turned to grandma and told her to turn off the stove... did I mention she is 92 and very hard of hearing?... After repeating to grandma to turn the stove off for the 4th time... grandma then wanted to know why... then who was the DNR... then... a loud quack from the basement and a scream, a crash, the another quack and a few more screams... I ran to the top of the stairs and looked down... a duck (the mallard w/the lives of a cat) waddled past... Lance waddling after it... and Logan after Lance (if you can picture this, just spead your feet about 2 feet apart, squat, put your elbows on your knees and try to walk...)... the a loud thunk... quacking stopped... screaming stopped... then loud QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!!! More screams.... duck waddling back in opposite direction past stairs, then Lance, then Logan... duck had banged right into closet door in basement... knocked itself out for a moment... so again gone into shock... not sure there... anyway I guess you would have to ask the duck... oh wait you can't...
The boys were in still in somewhat of a panic and to be honest so were Mike and I... we really hadn't been in to much trouble with the law before and never with guns... but we decided it would be best if we showed a good example to our children if we told the truth and faced what ever consequences we had to face... that seemed to calm them down some...
Mike finally took care of the duck... just in time too, the DNR and the police had just arrived... after explaining to grandma why they were there, for the 3rd time... they then turned to Mike and stated 'She can't hear us can she?'... So Mike explained what he did and why he did it... They explained that it was illegal to shoot a fire in town and kill a duck out of season without a license... Then he looked straight at Mike and said, "We have to take the gun... you used a BB gun right?..." He was shacking his head yes and with out thinking both Mike and I started shaking our heads yes too... "I will need the gun... do you still have the BB you used?"... We froze... thats when Lance spoke up and said yes... it was in the basement and he would get it... and he went down and got Mikes BB gun from when he was a kid!! I stood there not even sure what to do... The officer then continued to talk and walk us through various things... Logan had disapeared... finally after telling us we would be fined and would have to go to court to find out how much he told us we would have to give him the ducks... Mike went down to the basement and got the plastic bag he had wrapped the ducks in and handed it to the man... he felt the sack carefully and then said there was only 1 duck... and he was going to take it out to the truck and be right back in with papers we would have to sign... Mike and I said nothing... we just stood there staring at each other... Lance had disapeared along with his brother... The officer returned, papers in hand... Mike signed them and he left... at which point both Mike and I heard sobbing coming from the basement steps... there sat both boys, crying... Logan spoke out first "He is going to open up that sack and find out there were 2 ducks!"... then Lance, "Yea, and then he is going to cut them open and find out I lied and it wasn't a BB gun!"... Again Mike and I could do nothing but look at each other... After some hugs and reasuring them it was going to be alright, Mike tried to explain to them that the officer really did know the truth, but he didn't want to see daddy get into really big trouble when he didn't mean too... Lance was old enough to understand this a little and he thought thats why the officer was so weird when he asked for the gun... As the the looked up to brother he was within minutes he had gotten Logan calmed down too. We walked back up the stairs and into the kitchen and there stood grandma hands on her hips, disgusted look on her face as she spoke, "THEY TOOK OUR DUCKS!!" We tried to tell her what had happened... she said yea.. yea.. she knew all that... but WHY DID THEY TAKE OUR DUCKS?!....
Like the mallard this story isn't done yet... The day of court... Mike's 2 uncles, his mom, and his grandma all went with us... They had all agreed Mike was not going to pay the fines when he did it for his grandma... As Mike went before the Judge, they had different people there to represent the Ducks Unlimited, prosecution, DNR, etc. the Judge listened to the case... then grandma got up and walked right up to the Judge... no one said anything... I mean what do you say to an old 92 year old woman who is 'waddling' up to the Judge? Everyone stopped talking as she spoke up, "Judge, my grandson did this for me and if you give him any fines I am going to pay for it. And if he has to spend any time in jail, he can't he has got a family and he has to work. I am 92 and I don't have anything better to do so I will go for him." And she turned back around and went and sat down... The Judge was the first to speak "I will fine him the minimium he can be fined..."
After that we decided 'DAD' was the best at taking care of the troublesome ducks... But grandma sure knew how to talk to a Judge!
Could there be a lesson to be learned here?
Believe it or not this story IS NOT MADE UP!
Out of my mind!!
13"If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, that therefore all died. 15And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldy point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come! 18 All this from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has commited to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God. 21God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
6As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2For He says,
In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.
I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."
2 Corinthians 5:13 ~ 6:2
This morning I rode my bike into work... I love to ride down by the river!! I just feel so blessed and free... But I am quite sure that people think I am out of my mind... It is the look on their face as I ride by them with a big smile and a cheerful "GOOD MORNING!" that gives it away... or it could be my big granny bike with a basket on the front, pinwell sticking out of it, bandana blowing in the wind, pant leg stuck in sock, singing aloud with a voice that God must love (because His hasn't stopped me from singing and He hasn't changed my voice yet), and then, at last but greatest a little bike license plate off the back seat stating "Jesus loves me". And then it hits me... 2 Cor. 5:13... oh my... I am being at this very moment His living word... whoa!!! Not doing anything spectacular or grand... just simply ridding my bike to work... How awsome is that!! I can do this because of Him... I am happy because of Him... I share it because of Him... CRAZY!?! I don't know... maybe... but I look at it this way... people thought I was crazy before and I was unhappy... people think I am crazy now and I a happy... so no matter what someone is going to think I am crazy... and only He can make me happy... I love the way I am now... the way He made me... oh... here its goes again... happy brings on happy brings on happy... get the picture... why do we always define insanity as a bad thing... Isn't insanity repeating the same thing over and over again... oh yea I forgot... EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT... I am doing the same thing over and over and getting better and BETTER results!!! I guess to the world they may be a little insane!! Good thing I am not from this world!!! Oh... PaPa!!! Thank-you!! Thank-you!! Thank-you for the blessing of being out of my mind!!! And with it a new creation, bringing FREEDOM, HAPPINESS, and BOLDNESS to let you shine through!! Give me the strength and courage I need to continue my "insanity" in You!! Bless all of Your children with this "Insane Love" (You love me... I mess up... You love me... I mess up... You love... I mess up... You Love me... etc. then one day... hmmm different result!! And the world calls this insane!! I call it ... our deliverance... Salvation!!!...wonderful... Thank-you for Your "insanity"!! And not giving up on us!!) and give us all the courage to show it to others!! Because today may be the day You will use us for Your favor and the day of salvation for another!!! ALL the glory is Yours!! Well I am off... heading back home that is... to my earthy home... on my bike... down by the river... AMEN!!!
Singing.... "I am a promise! I am a possiblity!! I am a promise, with a capital P!! I am a great big bundle of Potentiality... And if I listen I can hear God's voice... and if I'm trying He'll help me make the right choice!!..." O.K. I am going....
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldy point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come! 18 All this from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has commited to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God. 21God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
6As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2For He says,
In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.
I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."
2 Corinthians 5:13 ~ 6:2
This morning I rode my bike into work... I love to ride down by the river!! I just feel so blessed and free... But I am quite sure that people think I am out of my mind... It is the look on their face as I ride by them with a big smile and a cheerful "GOOD MORNING!" that gives it away... or it could be my big granny bike with a basket on the front, pinwell sticking out of it, bandana blowing in the wind, pant leg stuck in sock, singing aloud with a voice that God must love (because His hasn't stopped me from singing and He hasn't changed my voice yet), and then, at last but greatest a little bike license plate off the back seat stating "Jesus loves me". And then it hits me... 2 Cor. 5:13... oh my... I am being at this very moment His living word... whoa!!! Not doing anything spectacular or grand... just simply ridding my bike to work... How awsome is that!! I can do this because of Him... I am happy because of Him... I share it because of Him... CRAZY!?! I don't know... maybe... but I look at it this way... people thought I was crazy before and I was unhappy... people think I am crazy now and I a happy... so no matter what someone is going to think I am crazy... and only He can make me happy... I love the way I am now... the way He made me... oh... here its goes again... happy brings on happy brings on happy... get the picture... why do we always define insanity as a bad thing... Isn't insanity repeating the same thing over and over again... oh yea I forgot... EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT... I am doing the same thing over and over and getting better and BETTER results!!! I guess to the world they may be a little insane!! Good thing I am not from this world!!! Oh... PaPa!!! Thank-you!! Thank-you!! Thank-you for the blessing of being out of my mind!!! And with it a new creation, bringing FREEDOM, HAPPINESS, and BOLDNESS to let you shine through!! Give me the strength and courage I need to continue my "insanity" in You!! Bless all of Your children with this "Insane Love" (You love me... I mess up... You love me... I mess up... You love... I mess up... You Love me... etc. then one day... hmmm different result!! And the world calls this insane!! I call it ... our deliverance... Salvation!!!...wonderful... Thank-you for Your "insanity"!! And not giving up on us!!) and give us all the courage to show it to others!! Because today may be the day You will use us for Your favor and the day of salvation for another!!! ALL the glory is Yours!! Well I am off... heading back home that is... to my earthy home... on my bike... down by the river... AMEN!!!
Singing.... "I am a promise! I am a possiblity!! I am a promise, with a capital P!! I am a great big bundle of Potentiality... And if I listen I can hear God's voice... and if I'm trying He'll help me make the right choice!!..." O.K. I am going....
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