James 1:2-8

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;

 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

It’s hard to think of “trials” and “pure joy” in the same sentence, but James tells us to do just that if we want to become mature and complete.  I want to have everything I need to be effective for the Lord. 

I want wisdom to deal with situations that arise daily.  James tells me to ask for it because God gives without finding fault. 

These words were bouncing around in my head today so I had to let them out somewhere!  Don’t be surprised if you come back and I’ve added some more thoughts to this post. Thoughts are brewing in my head and they are not completely sorted out yet…Thanks for reading~

EDIT:  How is it possible to face a trial and consider it pure joy? I have had to face trials I would have just as soon walked away from.  But I decided that to make my life more in line with what God expected from me and what God intended for me, I had to clinch my fist, grit my teeth and face the trial.  Did I consider it joyful? Not at the time.  But looking back it was such a relief to get that poison out of my life…to make the changes that would ultimately bring peace to my life and to my heart. Now I thank God for my time of trial.  I am closer to Him, more in awe of Him and more in love with Him than I could have imagined.  I guess I need to learn to look for the God-things during the time of trial.  I want to be able to face the trial knowing that God is teaching me something…that God is working something…trusting that He will get me through it and good will come from it.  I have seen it over and over in my own life as well as in others.  God disciplines those He loves and my hardest times came as consequences for my poor choices.  But I think God built my faith in ways that helped me learn about Him…and helped me learn about myself.   

 

 

…and the LORD has blessed Sherry in every way.

This weekend we were studying from Genesis. And we got to chapter 24 and read “Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.” Paige was teaching and she encouraged us to make a list of the ways God had blessed us.  Then, to pick one and share it. 

Throughout the past few years, I have thought of many ways that the Lord has blessed me:  In all the ways He delivered me from the pit of my bad choices. In the way He crossed my path with just the right people at just the right time.  In the way He brought a group of prodigals together to create a place where I could feel at home.  I have told the stories and thanked God for His infinite mercy.

But Saturday I thought of something that I really had not appreciated the way that I should have.  And I chose to talk about it Saturday because it was probably the least emotional thing on my list..OR SO I THOUGHT! I started telling the story and when I started talking, the providence of God and His goodness struck me..and so I couldn’t tell the story without crying. 

Way back when I was just a freshman in college, I needed a job.  I had no work experience other than six weeks of receptionist work at a teeny tiny rural hospital.  I applied a few places but had heard nothing.  One day a long-time family friend called me up.  He was working as a computer repair technician and had been on a service call to a small credit union.  He found out they were needing a part time worker.  He had called his sister first, but the hours were not compatible with her schedule so she passed on the job.  So he called me.  Now…let me just add…I had not talked to this friend for several years and he had no way to know that I was looking for a job.  I don’t really know why he thought of me. This may be a part of the story I need to find out from him some day!

Anyhow, I went to interview, got the job, worked part-time through the rest of my college career and after 26 years, I am still working at that credit union! I’ve worked my way up from receptionist a bit though, I’ve been the manager for about 11 years now I guess. 

I know that doesn’t sound all that impressive in the big scheme of things,  but bear with me a little bit here.  When I needed to get out of my marriage, I had to move my children and myself to a new house as the ex wanted to keep the house and land we had shared.  So I had to qualify for a mortgage loan on my own with the chunk of debt I had agreed to take on (just so the divorce could be finished quicker…I was at the point where I would have gnawed off my own foot to get away).  I was not worried about whether I could afford a house, because I have a fantastic job and I am paid pretty well for what I do.  I was worried whether or not everything would happen when it needed to happen, but the financial side of it was far down on my worry list. 

I guess some could say that is a nice little story and hard work and persistance paid off.  That I reaped the rewards of my education and happened to be in the right place at the right time.  That I was lucky.  That it was very fortunate that I had a friend that referred me to a job that just happened to turn out well.  Ahhh, but I don’t believe in luck, or good fortune.  I know better.  I know that my Father God has been at work all of my life. And it was God taking care of me by providing this job through a friend to the 19 year old version of myself.

The Lord has taken care of me…seen into my future…provided for my needs long before I knew I needed something.  Could there be anything more amazing?? As God reveals His love to me, layer by layer, unfolding my life story before me…my love for Him just continues to grow…as does my amazement at His love.

Tell me a way that God has blessed you, if you can.

Just for laughs

I will confess that I found these on another blog one day and I did not write down the source, so I apologize for borrowing them without acknowledgement! There were a lot of them…but these were my favorites:

My mother is a travel agent for guilt trips.

In dog years, I’m dead.

If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving isn’t for you.

Madness takes its toll.  Please have exact change.

My husband keeps complaining I never listen to him…or something like that.

Money isn’t everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.

He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead.

I feel like I’m diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

Gravity…it’s not just a good idea…it’s the law.

 

Huh?

I read this article in the paper last week some time.  And I read it a couple of times to make sure I hadn’t missed something important.  No matter how many times I read it…I am still left saying “huh?” You just can’t argue with their logic…but still.  It’s no wonder our country is in the mess it is in.  Here, read for yourself:

NONSMOKERS COST SOCIETY TOO (WASHINGTON)–Smoking takes years off your life and adds to the cost of health care.  Yet nonsmokers cost society money, too–by living longer.  House members described huge health care costs associated with smoking as they approved legislation last week giving the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products.  No one mentioned the additional costs to society of caring for a nonsmoking population that lives longer. (Associated Press)

DailyBibleReader?

Today we started a study called “How to read your Bible…and get it!”.  I have read my Bible cover to cover so many times I really don’t remember how many.  I read to say that I had read my Bible every day (you know so I could say in Bible class that I was a “DAILYBIBLEREADER”).  Or to say that I had read the whole Bible in a year.  Whatever goal I wanted to accomplish..but sadly the goal was never to understand or to hear what God was saying to me.  Until the last couple of years…when the pain of my past was overwhelming me and I had no other comfort except the Lord.  Only then did I really “GET” some of what God was saying.

Last year we read through the Bible…kind of a guided tour…with Rex (My Daily Bread) and that was such a great experience.  Getting the chance to read the comments of what others had picked up on and find things that I had never seen before was priceless! It was so good for my faith.

I have to admit that I have been a little lax and aimless in my reading this year.  I have not committed to a particular goal and have not read as much as I intended.  I have made excuses like “I’m just so busy” or “I’m too tired to read tonight…I’ll make it up tomorrow”.  So I think this study will really give me some motivation and some direction.  I am really looking forward to learning how to get more out of God’s word.

Today we talked about finding our own pace…finding our own time and place…to pick up the Word.  Just because morning works for someone, doesn’t mean it will be the best time for you.  Just because some people can read 100 pages in a day, doesn’t mean that is the pace for you.  Pick your place, pick your time, and pick your pace.  Good advice!

What have you discovered about your Bible reading lately?

Psalm 5

 ¹ Give ear to my words, O LORD,
       consider my sighing.

 ² Listen to my cry for help,
       my King and my God,
       for to you I pray.

 ³ In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
       in the morning I lay my requests before you
       and wait in expectation.

 ⁴ You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
       with you the wicked cannot dwell.

 ⁵ The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
       you hate all who do wrong.

 ⁶ You destroy those who tell lies;
       bloodthirsty and deceitful men
       the LORD abhors.

 ⁷ But I, by your great mercy,
       will come into your house;
       in reverence will I bow down
       toward your holy temple.

 ⁸ Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
       because of my enemies—
       make straight your way before me.

 ⁹ Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
       their heart is filled with destruction.
       Their throat is an open grave;
       with their tongue they speak deceit.

 ¹⁰ Declare them guilty, O God!
       Let their intrigues be their downfall.
       Banish them for their many sins,
       for they have rebelled against you.

 ¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
       let them ever sing for joy.
       Spread your protection over them,
       that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

 ¹² For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
       you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

This is one of my favorite Psalms.  Just a couple of comments from me…verse 3 I love the thought of asking God and then waiting in expectation for the answer.  Too often in my life I have prayed without believing God would hear. Or if He did hear He wouldn’t care.  That is so wrong! What matters to me, matters to Him.  He wants me to ask…and then watch for the answer.

Also verse 8.  I find it interesting that he says “lead me…BECAUSE of my enemies”.  What is your take on that? I’d love to hear from you and I will put in my thoughts along the way.

What to wear?

Every day I get up and have to decide what I am going to wear.  I hate that part of my day.  I am not really a clothes person.  I derive very little joy in shopping for new clothes. I do it because I have to and ONLY when I have to.  For the most part, I wear the same things all the time…from habit. 

There’s something else that I wear out of habit….my past.  I wear the shame of my sins far too often.  I drag it out and put it on like an old worn t-shirt.  When I wear it,  I feel unworthy and dirty and ashamed. Yet I keep it in the closet instead of throwing it out.  Why?

Paul tells us in Galatian 3:26-27:  

 “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

 for all of you who were baptized into Christ

 have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Jesus put to death the sins of my past.  I do not need to resurrect them and try to wear them any longer.  I am clothed in Christ.  When God looks at me He doesn’t see that old ratty t-shirt that is my sinful past.  He sees His beloved Son!  Even when I drag out those old clothes of shame and try to wear them, Jesus still covers me.  I have a white robe,  He promises.  Why would I want to wear anything else?   

Merry Christmas!

To all my friends…the ones I get to be physically close to and the ones that I only know through blogland…(all of you are dear to my heart)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

May God bless you and yours with a happy, safe, sane time!

Tagged by Sarah

4 Things I Did Yesterday: Went to church, made candy, installed a software update on the computers at work, and watched Dallas Cowboys win!

 
4 Things I Look Forward to: Christmas break, seeing my kids open their Christmas presents, having time to read more, finding out what my kids picked out for me for Christmas (I was told it would solve an ongoing problem that I have…hmmmmmm THAT list is endless!! hehehe)

 
4 Things On My Wish List: That God will hear the hearts of my friends and grant their desires, a Zune or an iPod, a night without my dogs making me hate them, and that my kids will find the mate God has planned for them

 
4 Restaurants I like: Abuelos, ThaiThai, Cheddars, Sundance (Red River NM)

 
4 Favorite TV Shows: Mythbusters, Dirty Jobs, M*A*S*H, Monty Python’s Flying Circus (when I can catch it)

 

I’m not gonna tag anyone because I’m just like that

Excerpts from Psalm 68

Psalm 68

          For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.          

 4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
       extol him who rides on the clouds —
       his name is the LORD—
       and rejoice before him.

 5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
       is God in his holy dwelling.

      19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
       who daily bears our burdens.
       Selah

 20 Our God is a God who saves;
       from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

       32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth,
       sing praise to the Lord,
       Selah

 33 to him who rides the ancient skies above,
       who thunders with mighty voice.

 34 Proclaim the power of God,
       whose majesty is over Israel,
       whose power is in the skies.

 35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary;
       the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
       Praise be to God!

 

I love verse 19…”who daily bears our burdens”.  Why do I try to keep carrying the things that weigh me down? Why do I keep worrying about the things I have no control over? My Father in Heaven is carrying those burdens for me.  I no longer have to worry with or about them.  Praise God!  I need to tatoo this on my forehead backwards so I can be reminded of it every day! 

I Peter 5:6-7

  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.