Have You Taken Your "Word" Lately?

Lately, things have been going really well for me. It’s been life as usual, but with God, my “life as usual” has seemed so much more like a life that I can live in. So you can only imagine my surprise when I woke up this morning feeling completely overwhelmed and 28 shades of gloomy.

I spent most of the day in this terrible funk that I just could not shake off. I cried, prayed, listened to music, watched an uplifting movie, but none of it seemed to be breaking the suffocatingly binding shekels.

Unwilling to give in to the clouds, I took myself to a quite place, listened to some calming music and meditated on God’s word. I really wrapped myself in the wisdom that owns my heart.

Proverbs 12:25 tells us that, “anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up.” NRSV

Maybe that was just it. I was being anxious. Change is all around me. Not bad change, just change. I’m much better at embracing changes these days than I think I ever have been, but maybe my heart didn’t tell my mind and my mind didn’t communicate that to my body.

Either way, anxiety was oppressing me. The worry of how things are all going to work out, what it is God is really calling me to do, whether or not I’ll ever have another child, longing for healing from my PCOS, trying to discover who I really am, desiring answers for the future…just to name a few. I didn’t realize just how much these things were getting to me.

It was when I took a second and third look at the scripture above that God began to speak to me. My heart was heavy burdened because of the stress and anxiety I was putting on it. God informed me that though I was doing a good job being prayerful, I was in much need of the “good word”.

The scripture in Proverbs tells us that what weighs us down can be transformed into cheer with “a good word.” I think the real key, is that everything is better with “THE good word.” The best medicine for our anxiety doesn’t come in a bottle from the drug store, but from God in God’s word.

What a beautiful reminder of just how much we spiritually, mentally and physically – how we wholly – are in need of our daily doses of God.

We take special care to make sure we take our vitamins, our prescriptions, healthy foods, etc. When we don’t take care of ourselves, we feel it. I can tell when I have forgotten to take my medicine…trust me. Well, I think it’s the same with God’s word. I can tell when I’ve forgotten to take my Word for the day. Today, I needed a much bigger dose of the Word to help me feel well again. There simply is no supplement for the healing power of the Word.

Prayer:

Lord God, today I poor myself out before you. I acknowledge how powerful your healing words are. I know that it is your desire for me to be fully well, healthy and happy. Lord God, help me to remember to take my medicine, your Word, on a daily basis. May I always turn to you first in my times of explained and unexplained sorrow. May my frown always disappear in the warmth of your light. Thank you for the rainbows after the rain. Amen.

Questions to Ponder:

1. When was the last time you turned to God’s medicine in your need for healing?

2. Is time with God and studying God’s word a part of your daily routine?

3. Have you asked God for the healing your mind, body and soul desires?

Imagine This...

A while back, I received a wonderful little gift in a book called Mocha with Max by Max Lucado. I pull this book out from time to time to enjoy the fresh sentiments on life and what it is God's really trying to whisper, or possibly shout, to us.

Today, I stumbled across one that really spoke to me and I want to share it with you.

"No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."
1 Corinthians 2:9, NCV

"Try this. Imagine a perfect world. Whatever that means to you, imagine it. Does that mean peace? Then envision absolute tranquility. Does a perfect world imply joy? Then create your highest happiness. Will a perfect world have love? If so ponder a place where love has no bounds. Whatever heaven means to you, imagine it. Get it firmly fixed in your mind. Delight in it. Dream about it. Long for it.
And then smile as God reminds you, 'No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.' When it comes to describing heaven, we are all happy failures."

Prayer
~ Lord God, today I lift up my dreams, my visions, my wildest and most extravagant imaginations. I lift up the world I dream of and the world I live in. I lift up the way I envision the future and the blessed moments of the reality of today. Lord, I so long for what my souls thirst for and I know the quenching of such thirst is only found in you. God, help me to remember that all things are through you and you make all things work for good. Help me to see the laughter, the joy, the love, the peace and the tranquility that exists all around me and remind me with every breath to be comforted by knowing that these blessings are only the beginning. For Lord, you are the beginning and the end. You are the creator. You are the conductor of the opus of my life and the harmony you create cannot possibly be heard with human ears. Great are you O God who directs the choir and great are you who loves me beyond the depths of my comprehension. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Random Acts of Villainy

Being human isn't easy. We often think we know best and act as if our way is God's way, even when we don't consult God about it. We turn to our own resources and strategies to deal with life when life gets heavy. We allow our flesh to control our emotions, actions and reactions without including God in the mix, or at least leaving God out until we realize we can't do it on our own. Often times we simply react out of fear or defensiveness - we do not wait to shoot until we've been shot upon, rather, we shoot first before anyone else has a chance to get close. We resort to our own sinful tactics, often developed from our prideful ways, to detonate our anger upon anyone who dares to think about encroaching on our territory (work, relationships, family, philanthropy, sports) - we let our competitive nature, the one that demands we're to gnaw through any bystanders on our way to the top of the so-called food chain. We, after all, live in a world that doesn't tell us to act out of love or concern for others, but to simply take care of yourself, forsaking all others. "Do whatever it is to get to the top irregardless who you hurt in the process." Because, the world tells us, "it's all about me".

Today I was a witness of such villainy. I saw someone, for no apparent reason at all besides pure prideful defensiveness, unleash their fury on an innocent bystander. It wasn't pretty friends. The worse part, is that it made me feel like garbage and I was just in the room. The villain in question isn't an evil person, but today, this person let evil take over their better judgement. Worse yet, there was no apology, no amends.

I left the scene quickly and came home. I curled myself into my husband and cried. I'd never been treated in such a malicious way, all verbal cruelty, and I felt attacked. Worse yet, I was and still am, heart broken for the other person I was with. It's a dog eat dog world, right? So if we're all trying so hard to destroy each other on the way to the meaningless top, who will be left to celebrate with when we reach our goal? There is no doubt to me why people say its lonely at the top. It must be hard not to know who to trust and to have to watch your back constantly. I can't imagine how miserable it must be to sit and wonder day after day who will come after you next and to think the worst of everyone.

Today, this man lashed out. Out of anger, out of confusion, out of darkness? I don't know what caused the outburst, but I do know it was pure ugliness. It wasn't out of love, or compassion or even decent humanity. It was uncalled for. Why am I telling you about this? I don't know. Maybe I just felt the need to journal about today's events and how it made me feel. Or maybe I needed to share with you how deeply our actions and words impact others. Or maybe I just want to express yet again how priceless random acts of kindness are. You know, its a difficult world. I don't really need to tell anyone that. It's just that kindness can be such a rare form of human expression in some people's lives that to be a beacon of Sonshine is warming to both the giver and the receiver. I suspect God knew what He was talking about when we were told to live from love. Had this man today taken a few moments to breathe, to talk to the other person, to effectively communicate, to act out of love, everything would be different. Instead, this man caused great harm today.

There was a movie I watched a while back about a man who went to prison. While in prison, he felt a calling from God and not only gave his life to Christ but pursued ministry. Upon his release, he went to his father's old church to take over as the pastor. He had a mighty hill to climb in front of him. There is a scene in the movie where the main character is talking about what happened and why he was incarcerated. He had been joking around with a friend and said something smart. His friend reached across the table and slapped him in the face. There were women present and he felt his pride being severely attacked, so out of anger and without thinking, he got up to fight his friend. In the midst of the struggle, he noticed his friend had a knife. One thing led to another and they were on the floor. The next thing he knew, his friend was bleeding. In the course of things, his friend landed on his own knife. In the end, the main character went to prison for 15 years for murder. What he says next though, I found quite profound. He said that had he allowed for 10 seconds, just 10 seconds, he could have calmed down, he could have walked away from his anger and pride. That 10 seconds cost him 15 years of his life. 10 seconds is all it would have taken.

Maybe if that man today would have taken 10 seconds, he could have changed his random act of villainy into a random act of civility. Its not that hard to act how you're supposed to act. We must act Christ like and out of love, not react. PROACTIVELY AVOID REACTIONARY ACTIONS. Be mindful of who is in control of your actions...you and God or you and your flesh? And, when you hurt someone, apologize and make amends. Go the extra mile to avoid hurting people. We are in the business of healing not wounding. Also be mindful of who you project yourself to be. If you market yourself as a good person, understand that people will trust that is who you are. That doesn't mean you are to be a doormat, but a good person as often as you can be. And if you wear the badge of Christianity, understand that people are watching you and observing how you live your life and how you treat others. You are a living example to others. Make it a good one. And like I said, when you make mistakes which you will because you're imperfect, be a living example of goodness and love and reach out an olive branch, remove your pride so that you can ask for forgiveness and be a salve of healing.

Special Avon Offer to my Blog Readers

Get your hands on the New Smooth Minerals Lipstick by Avon. It's yours free to the first 10 people who place an order through my Avon website. There is not a minimum purchase requirement. You could order a $0.99 tube of lip gloss and qualify. You must use the website and have your order shipped directly to you. Once you place an order, post the first name you used to place your order and I'll contact you for your address to receive your free lipstick.

Smooth Minerals Lipstick is going fast and it hasn't been released yet. It will be sold for $8.00, so get yours now for free. This special goes on from 8.13.09 - 8.20.09.

Go to:
http://tdamours.avonrepresentative.com/

Healthcare - Boo! Aaah!

Image from FoxNews.com

Who needs the children of the corn, or Steven King or large quantities of dive bombing killer birds when we have the health care reform debates. I mean seriously, is there anything that makes people squirm, leave a family reunion or scares people out of their minds with just the notion of talking about it like health care reform does?

I turned on the news this morning to try and connect with the life and times of our global community. First of all, never brave to do this without first downing at least one cup of coffee and spending time with God in devotion. The coffee makes a tremendous difference, but God makes all the difference. Watching the news prior to spending time with God just depletes my system of all hope. But putting God first (this really shouldn't be a shocker), starts my spirit off right.

These health care debates are intense, no doubt about it. I suppose I could get wrapped up in the fear being generated by some on both sides of the aisle, but I know better than to put my trust and faith in mankind and I know better than to fear.

It is only this ladies opinion, but as I see it, we DO need health care reform. Medical costs are just ludicrous (I paid $60 for one aspirin for my husband when he had surgery...don't get me started on the other bogus charges), pharmaceuticals are acting in criminal ways, too many are without any health care, and people are dying for lack of treatment. This is NOT okay.

We are to care for each other. Jesus healed the sick, cared for the sick, made time for the sick. The sick mattered to Christ and I guarantee you Jesus was not waiting for the Jerusalem health care reform bill to kick in to help these people. What we have in our midst is shameful. It is our job as the church, as people of Christ, to care for each other, to help the poor, the sick, the children and the widows/widowers. We stand by waiting for a political leader to save us, when Christ already has.

I believe in change and that we as a country are in dire need of change. I believe that we need a better way for all to receive health care. However, the proposal on the table right now has more holes than Augustus National and it won't fix our problems anyway. To accept bad change just because its called change, is not the right way to go. I'm not here continuing to propagate the wheel of fear. I'm simply saying we are fools if we invest all of our faith into a man-made health care system and...where ever did our sense of entitlement come from?

Honestly, we sound like a bunch of spoiled brats. There are people in our world who are dying from simple virus's because we are not getting vaccinations to them. In our country we don't fear mosquito bites for anything more than an itchy annoyance, yet other people see them as the carrier of death. What about feeding the hungry? What about learning to properly care for ourselves, to eat right, to live right, to make healthier choices for ourselves and our families?

Like I said, health care needs reformation. Our elderly should not be neglected; no one should be neglected from proper health care. We all desire a good quality of life. My main concern is how quickly this bill is being asked to pass. Something of this magnitude needs time, it needs planning, it needs insight and extensive research and...it needs bi-partisan support. We, the people of this country, need to move past pride to work together to find a solution and workable system. And as flaws appear, which they will because its not going to be a perfect system, then we need to address them head on together. This is not utopia, this is the way we are intended to work together in community.

I would like to turn on the news one morning and see Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Taoists and others, all coming together to speak out about crimes against humanity - global humanity and the lack of attention to the sick, the the ill of God's children, all of us, around the world. We are all entrusted with caring for each other. Let us seek the Word of God for guidance, let us pray to God for God's will to be done in global health care initiatives and let us care for one another. Maybe, just maybe, if the US can work together to construct a health care bill made of complimentary policies that truly care for all, including elderly, we can then set the stage to help other countries develop similar systems.

Morning at the Museum

"Oh what a day."

After my husband tried, mercilessly I might add, to peel me from the wondrous comfort of my bed, I embarked on a mommy journey to the museum with my son and eldest niece. We were on a wild expedition to find dinosaurs. I took the opportunity to hop in my DeLorean and go back to the future. I became one of the kids. I became an exuberant 3 year old who majestically took in each and every Paleozoic wonder.

I can't remember the last time I just let go like that. I mean, stopped being an adult for five minutes and to really embrace the wonders of God's creation for what it is, not scientific discoveries persae, but totally AWESOME fellow creations of God.

I ran through the museum, not following the kiddos but literally with the kiddos following me. I was so excited to just be excited. I wanted to see every exhibit, touch every tooth on display, I even for a minute (just a brief second really) considered climbing in the dino exhibit to try and find a way to "Hi ho Silver" myself into the Land Before Time. Seriously though, this was for just a second before I yanked my kid out of there. The security guard, who was way older than Ben Stiller, yet still "old man cute", had begun to give us the so-called "stink eye" so I thought it best to put aside my dino-girl ambitions and move on to the Native American exhibit.

What's the point? Not really sure, other than that it was such a beautiful morning of freedom. And the most amazing part is that I got a disappointing phone call (let me just say I'm not one to complain, but its been a rather disappointing week) just before entering the museum. The old, not God transformed me would have fallen into a miserable state of depression and took myself back home throwing the kids in front of a movie while I obsessed pathetically over my uncontrollable life. Great news though, God is amazing. Really having faith in God has overcome these limb numbing moments. Did I want to cry? Yes. Did I want to throw my hands up with the towel? You bet. What I did do was call my accountability friend, told her the solid un-exaggerated facts and got her wisdom and encouragement. I knew God was continuing to encourage me through her love and care. She didn't tell me to wallow, she didn't feed my frustration, she just offered me love, Godly wisdom and friendship. In the end, having the strength to turn "UP" the other cheek to this world and persevere, gave me the freedom to enjoy the blessings God has given me, like these amazing kids. What could have ruined the day didn't because I chose not to give it the power to control me. I chose to let God have the power. I let the transformation in me shine through and I'm a better woman for it today.

When we got home from the museum, I took the kids, the dog (we got a new dog - a beagle) and my fluffy self and walked to the park for a very hot but fun afternoon at play. I came home, sent the kids with the hubby and enjoyed the entire book of Hebrews. The world is so much sweeter when you desire a faithful and committed relationship with God. Spend time with God, love God, serve God, trust God, put your hope and faith in God ... and watch God transform your life. Let your inner child of God run free, run with excitement, run with pure joy and run without a care in the world because your cares are in God's hands.

Out for the Kill

In recent news, a leak to a New York newspaper reporter resulted in news conferences, name smearing and conspiracy theories within Major League Baseball regarding players and illicit use of performance enhancing drugs. A variety of speculations abound as to whose name is on this emphasis list of "users"; who didn't play by the rules, who is the next big thing in the soap opera that is professional sports.

This got me to thinking about Jon and Kate Plus 8, tabloid parades at the market, celebrity television news and cut-throat entertainment blogs. Maybe I'm crazy, but it just seems as though our nations culture is thriving off of the failures of others. It's almost as if we celebrate in exuberance when someone makes a bad choice. We are most certainly not a culture of grace. We take pleasure in the failures and envy the successes. We are only happy if everyone else is less happy than we are. Anyone else find this totally and obnoxiously out of whack?

I'm reading a book by one of my favorite Christian speakers, Christine Caine. Stop Acting Like A Christian, Just Be One, is a really great book so far discussing the hypocrisy that exists within the global church; the one we all secretly know exists and the one the rest of the world and nay-sayers eagerly point out. It's the hypocrisy of how we focus on acting the part of what we perceive being a Christian is all about, but how in reality, in the quite of our own homes, we stop keeping up the act. We sit in front of our televisions or reading our celebrity rag and openly criticize those in the more public of eyes.

Why are we this way? Why do we call ourselves Christians and turn on our fellow men and women when they make a bad decision? This doesn't just happen in entertainment, but in our local PTA groups, our child's baseball team, at work, even, yes even, (gasp) at church. We are, as humans, programmed by our culture to jump on the judgment and criticism train...and boy do we.

How wonderful it would be if we could love each other with the love we were created with. If we encourage people through times of trouble rather than continue to push them down, the results could be amazing. I guess I just want to believe that my child will grow up in a world that will encourage him to be better tomorrow than he is today, rather than celebrate when he does wrong. I want to believe in a Christian community, a global community that nurtures each other in the love of God, the love that God has nurtured us with, that redeeming and forgiving grace-filled love.

I'm not sure if the Red Sox player Big Poppy really used performance enhancing drugs or not. All I know is, destroying someone during a trying time, especially without proof of any wrong doing, seems like a great injustice to me. I pray that we stop going for the jugular in the midst of others times of trouble and darkness, but rather seek out the heart for healing. I hope that we all can do better tomorrow than how we have done today. I believe in us, do you?

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

Thanks to a great friend of mine from church, I'm officially hooked on the Kraft Foods website and magazine for great recipe ideas. My husband, who is a chef, recently cooked up this Parmesan-Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce from the Kraft website and even my fickle toddler ate it up. One warning: we now affectionately refer to it as smelly chicken. It's a little stout on the smell, but if you can get past it to take a bite, its delicious!!!!

Just click on the image to go straight to the recipe. Happy Eating!

www.kraftfoods.com

We're Having a Heatwave

It's another smokin' hot day here in Sunny Okieville and the forecast offers little in the way of a cool down. But, as I sit here making my contribution to the Blogosphere, clouds are moving in from the west and skies are teasing the poor folk of my community with possible rain showers. Weather or not it rains is yet to be seen, but I'm hoping for a nice afternoon shower.

I'm not sure if you've dialed into the news today, but there are a couple of stories that have really caught my eye and I just feel the need to jabber about them for awhile.

How awesome is the story about the journalists returning home? Thank God for their safe return. It warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes to see them reunited with family. Irregardless of political agendas, the outcome of this situation for those women and their families was a positive one. I think we often loose track of what's really important for us to focus on. I mean, Jesus didn't say love only the leaders you politically agree with. He said love everyone! No out clause folks. I'm not particularly fond of our current leadership, nor am I happy (to say the very least) about our economy and other such matters concerning government solutions to global problems, but...I do believe in doing things the Jesus way and disagreeing with love...not hatefulness. The world is watching what we're doing. Our country needs to come together like a real family and share in the joys, like these women coming home and the many efforts made by people of both parties to bring them home. We won't always agree, but we are family, and I guess every family has that "crazy" uncle that we all want to avoid. Anyway, *snaps* for our country bringing home two extraordinary women. This is a JOY friends.

In other news...WHAAAAT? No Paula Abdul on American Idol? What am I going to fast forward through now? Just kidding. I love Paula...she's "forever" our girl and there's no doubt that with her and Simon "opposites attract". She'll be missed. I guess I'm kinda shocked she's gone, but, eight seasons ain't bad lady. Who wants to take bets on how long it will take for her to get on Dancing With the Stars? I'm guessing a season, 2 at the max. Which by the way, anyone else hear that Dean McDermott, otherwise known as Mr. Tori Spelling is considering DWTS? It could be an interesting season in reality TV. It could just mean more time spent hanging out with the Duggars.

Lifting up many prayers today for the families of the victims of the Fitness Center massacre that took place yesterday. How tragic! Also, prayers for those who were injured as they will be enduring the memory of the incident.

A friend and co-worker of mine lost his grandmother-in-law this morning after a battle with Alzheimer's. Please lift up all families who are faced with Alzheimer's. Mine was and it has since been a personal mission to help families and raise money to try and find a cure. Speaking of, go to www.alz.com and find out when the Memory Walk is talking place in your area and get involved. It's a nice walk, the kiddos LOVE it - even spouses too...and, it's for a GREAT cause.

So, the braces came off yesterday. I'm loving it, but now I can't figure out how to smile. I think I look goofy in the different faces I put on. The dentist is now talking Veneers and I'm think that = more mula so dream on!!! Though I would love it...still, dream on.

Okay all you guys and gals, it's time for me to jet for now. Have an amazing day and remember to look up when things are pulling you down.

Once Upon a Blog

This awesome site, who I have recently asked to design my new blog look, is having a stellar giveaway right now. Be sure to head to their site and check it out. You won't want to miss this great opportunity to flair up your blog.

Prfoundly Unfounded

Ever have one of those days when you just feel like your profoundly intellectually bright? That's not today! Well, for me anyway. Some day's my "ological" brain calls in sick and decides its going to have a mental health day. That is today. I'm not saying I'm incapable of doing the things I need to do, I'm just saying that I would expect me to do them today in any way that would make MIT proud. Today, I'm just goofy brained and I'm okay with that. Needless to say, you will not find a profound blog today, just ramblings of a lady who gave her brain the day off.

So today I get my braces off after two years! I'm very excited about this venture. I have always hated my teeth. You know the saying "you're your own worst critic"? Well, there is no doubt that I am probably the only one who was every bothered by the fact my baby teeth fell out so that smaller teeth could grow in, or the nickle depth space in my top front teeth or the overall misshapen demeanor of my jaw. But, I new every stinkin' detail and I despised it. I especially hated it when someone would ask me to smile and show my teeth. Whaaaat on earth for? Why would anyone want to see my teeth for ever and ever and ever? Needless to say, my husband funded the therapy (braces) to my (since age 12) neurosis. So today, it all comes to an end. I must tell you though that having gone through this as an adult gives me GREAT respect for our little people who have braces. We have tough kiddos let me tell you. There were days when I wanted my mommy my teeth hurt so bad and I'm almost 30.

In other news of the young and unfamous, I've been interviewing for a job as a youth director part-time. I'm really hoping this opportunity presents itself as it will help greatly financially and it will be perfect for my seminary schedule. So prayers are up and fingers crossed there.

Next weekend hubs and I are heading to Dallas with his brother and our sister-in-law to catch a Red Sox game for his brother's birthday. We're all big Red Sox fans and can't wait to check out a game. Hubs really wants to go to Boston for his birthday in September. I told him I'd buy him a lotto ticket for his birthday and if he wins will move there if he'd like. There are days when I just wish that money tree would start to produce fruit, but my trees just have vibrant cores I guess...no "dough".

I'm working on my sermon for Sunday. For those who don't know, my father is also a United Methodist pastor. Him and my mom (still waaay jealous) are heading out of town on Saturday for a two week vaca in Italy. See, you are jealous too now! ;-p Anyway, I'm preaching for dad in his absence. I'm so very excited about this weeks sermon because it's based on The Shack by WM. Paul Young. If you have not read this book, I urge you to do so. It is simply divine! What a great book with deep theological concepts. It takes you to deep places for reflection and has some beautiful imagery for God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I do encourage you to approach it with an open mind though. You will be challenged, but in a loving and gentle way. Back to my original topic, I'm using it as a premise for my sermon this Sunday and I'm very thrilled. I plan on posting the sermon Sunday after I give it, so come back to check it out. By the way, you can also download the audiobook of The Shack from iTunes. I listened to the audiobook on my travels back and forth from home to Kansas City this summer for seminary. There were so many times when I was talk back to it and say "yes", "amen", "preach it", that I finally decided I needed the hard copy so I could use it for sermon's. So glad I did that.

Speaking of that sermon, I bet get to working on it some more. Many blessings to all of you. Peace and love in Jesus Christ, today and everyday!

Picking Weeds & Pulling Flowers

As a child, we would travel up into the Rocky Mountains on weekends and the parks were always speckled with the most magical colors of flowers imaginable. Beautiful rich hues dyed the sides of the Rockies and they were almost too much to take in. I enjoyed getting out of the car and walking through the fields of flowers and picking some of my favorites. I especially liked those pretty blue Columbines (which I later learned I was not to be picking). There was no doubt I had an eye for the ascetically pleasing flora.

I loved flowers. But sometimes, even as much as I felt I knew the beauty of those gardens and mountain spreads, I would mistake a weed for a flower. You know the ones. Pretty, fluffy, colorful. The ones you'd pick and bring inside for mom just to discover that they were actually weeds. There were of course other times when I would pull a flower from its bed and toss it to the ground to be discarded as a pesky weed, not really knowing that it was indeed a flower, yet revealed.

I can tell you a little bit, based on what I know, of how God smells, the different ways God appears, the way God sounds, feels, even tastes. I can sense God in many ways and in many places. Sometimes, I feel so connected with God that I'm confident I could not possibly misidentify the One. Yet sin has a way of masking itself with God-like beauty. It has a way of deceiving even the most self-proclaimed strong Godly relationships. So deceiving in fact, that often we can find ourselves discarding the flowers that God is sending us and bringing the weeds inside.

Maybe it is a matter of our imperfect and flawed perceptions. You see, we know that appearances can be deceiving, yet we often judge by appearances alone. Therefore, if what we conceive in our minds as beauty, or God, or answered prayer, or hearts desire, is what shows up at our feet, we my find ourselves easily convinced that the nature is of the flower. Likewise, we may come face-to-face with God and God's blessings and not pick them, but discard them based on initial observation that the gift is a weed because it does not yet look like a flower. In the meantime, we have missed God's gift and have instead planted seeds of the weed. The sin is allowed in and God is kept out based on our perceptions of what is the flower and what is the weed.

What blessings, gifts and answered prayers has God been trying to send that you have been discarding? What sins have you let into your life because they came wrapped looking like your idea of a gift from God?

Satan wraps sin with pretty packaging and God often sends the most beautiful gifts in the most unexpected wrapping. I learned at an early age that to truly appreciate the beauty of the garden, I needed to more fully embrace the elements within. I needed to cultivate a relationship with the garden where I knew flowers by name and I could identify a weed from a flower. It is the same with our relationship with God. God has planted many people in our lives who have sown numerous seeds in the garden within us. By cultivating the soil and nourishing the seeds, God's love and blessings grow in us so organically that the beauty reveals itself like the first breath of life. But to sense any element of this relationship with God, we must invest the time and passion and love into it so that we may be so closely connected with God as we are to the faces of our own children, that there may be no mistaking a weed for a flower. Spend time with God in your garden and ask God to help reveal to you those weeds in your life that need pulling. Also allow God to help you discover the flowers whose beauty can touch another soul if you'd only pick them to share with someone else.

May God bless your flowers and heal your weeds.

The Healthy Family

The following is from Entering the World of the Small Church, written by Anthony G. Pappas.

"Professor Maynard Hatch, formerly of Central Baptist Seminary, worked with churches in a field-placement setting to measure their "temperature" (degree of health) by using certain characteristics of a healthy family. These characteristics, fifteen in all, are described in Dolores Curran's book Traits of a Healthy Family."

The Healthy Family...
1. Communicates and Listens
2. Affirms and Supports One Another
3. Teaches Respect for Others
4. Develops a Sense of Trust
5. Has a Sense of Play and Humor
6. Exhibits a Sense of Shared Responsibility
7. Teaches a Sense of Right and Wrong
8. Has a Strong Sense of Family in which Rituals and Traditions Abound
9. Has a Balance of Interaction Among Members
10. Has a Shared Religious Core
11. Respects the Privacy of One Another
12. Values Service to Others
13. Fosters Family Table Time and Conversation
14. Shares Leisure Time
15. Admits to and Seeks Help with Problems

These characteristics are being used in reflection on churches and the Body of Christ in general. I find them to be very helpful when trying to identify the health of the church you are attending or visiting and considering joining.

Though the discussion which introduced these characteristics happened to be related to the rural church, I find these characteristics vital for today's family. These are characteristics that can be sustained regardless of geographical location or family dynamics...if one so chooses to put in the extra time it takes to invest in their family. Families all to often dwell on the negatives and the petty, rather than seeking God's will for their family and working through issues. No where above is it suggested that we sweep problems under the rug or stick our heads in the sand and hope they simply disappear with time. But rather, it encourages us to have an open and respectful dialogue with our families that does not present a hostile environment.

Anyway, I just thought these were great characteristics to pass a long to you and hope you find them good food for thought.



Scripture Verses on Family for Personal Prayer and Reflection

"He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge." - Proverbs 14:26.

"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife." - Proverbs 17:1.

"Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." - Matthew 12:25.

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." - Ephesians 5:21

A house divided will surely crumble. But a house built on a foundation of the Lord and that lives to serve Jesus Christ, will never fail.

Praying in Color

Image/Drawing by Sybil MacBeth

For those of you who may not know, I'm in seminary. I'm currently taking some summer courses and this week, the course I'm taking gives us the opportunity to explore some alternative ways of worship. What was introduced this morning was something I had never done before, but LOVED it. I encourage you to try something new in your prayer life and maybe this might be the thing to reconnect you with God in a knew and refreshing way.

This idea of worship comes from the book titled Praying in Color by Sybil MacBeth. You can learn more about Sybil and the practice of praying in color by visiting her website at www.prayingincolor.com.

That being said, the following is the exercise we practiced this morning and I would really like to encourage you to continue reading and after reading through the instructions, attempt this new form of prayer. If you do it, I'd love to hear your reflections.

Instructions
1. Draw a shape on the page - a triangle, trapezoid, squiggly line, or imperfect circle. Write the name of a person for whom you want to pray in or near the shape.

2. Add detail to the drawing. This might be dots, lines, circles, zigzags or whatever your hand wants to do.

3. Don't analyze your next stroke too much. Dismiss the art critic from the room. This is not about creating a work of art; it's about creating visual images for the mind and the heart to remember.

4. Think of this as kinesthetic improvisation, a kind of praying in tongues for the fingers.

5. Continue to enhance the drawing. Think of each stroke and each moment as time that you spend with the person in prayer. The written name and the emerging picture may evoke words and thoughts for the person. They add a new layer to your prayer experience.

6. Words, however, are unnecessary. Sometimes, we do not know what to say; the mere act of sitting with this person and keeping them as the focus of our intention can be as powerful as words.

7. Keep drawing until the image feels finished.

8. At some point, your mind will probably wonder. In Seeds of Contemplation, Thomas Merton said, "If you have never had any distractions, you don't know how to pray." Distractions are as much about being human as hair and heartaches. Make no judgments about your ability to pray based on their uninvited appearance.

9. Repeat the person's name to yourself as a way of corralling distracting thoughts. Think about the face or the entire person as if you were sitting with him or her in conversation.

10. Add color to the picture. Choose colors that will stay in your memory, that you particularly like, or that remind you of the person for who you pray.

11. When the drawing and praying for the first person are completed, move to another space on the page. Draw a new shape or design to create a place for the name of a different person.

12. When you move your focus take several deep breaths to release any anxiety.

13. In the process of this wordless prayer form, daydreams and distractions will probably enter your mind and demand center stage. Notice them, but don't dance with them. Refocus on the person for who you pray.

14. A flash of the image in your mind during the day is a reminder that you have committed these persons to the care of God. It is also a reminder that you have chosen not to worry but to pray for them.

15. Whenever worry about a person seeps into your consciousness, picture them in color surrounded by the love and care you offered when you sat with them in prayer. Envision them in the care and presence of God. Act as if you really believe that God will take care of them.

16. I use the word icon with the understanding that an icon is an image that helps us to see God. We do not worship the image; it has a transparency about it that lets us see through it to a deeper experience of God and god's presence.

** The above image and steps come from:
MacBeth, Sybil. Praying in Color. Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2007.
Visit www.prayingincolor.com

Meditation on Psalm 62:1

Psalm 62:1 - "For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation."

The following is an excerpt from a sermon by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book Meditating on the Word.

"Any beginning is difficult, and whoever begins such an undertaking will experience the first attempts as strange and perhaps completely empty. But that cannot continue for long; the soul will fill itself, it will begin to revive and gain strength. Then it will experience the eternal silence which rests in the love of God. Cares and sorrows, unrest and haste, noise and confusion, dreams and anxieties - all will be stilled in that silence, in which the soul waits for God alone, from whom comes its salvation.

It is a law of the world that there can never be rest and satisfaction here. Here no passion will ever be completely stilled. Every satisfaction has planted within itself that which drives beyond what has been achieved. The rich person wants to become richer, the mighty one mightier. The reason for this is that in the world there is never anything completely whole, so that each success, no matter how great, is only a partial success. If it is possible for there to be rest and silence anywhere, then it is only possible where there is wholeness, and that is only in God. All human strivings and drives are finally directed towards God and can only find their complete satisfaction in him. Augustine, the great father of the church, expressed this most beautifully when he said: "Lord God, you have made all things for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you." May God grant us all to know this rest, may he draw us into his solitude and silence. We will thank him for it."

"If We Are the Body"

A Beautiful Video, Excellent Song by Casting Crowns and a Powerful Message. Check it out!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4wojcSO9Ww

Thoughts on Prayer

I was in the bookstore today and picked up a little devotional that in title is denominationally specific but the content can be deemed universal. Prayer & Devotional Life of United Methodists is written by author Steve Harper, who is a clergy member in the Northwest Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and is currently serving as vice president-dean of the Florida Campus of Asbury Theological Seminary. As I was reading the first chapter of this book, I came across a couple of paragraphs that I found profoundly important and I want to share them with you.

"Our fingerprints are a tangible reminder of our individuality and our unrepeatable value in the sight of God. It makes no sense to believe that God takes the time to etch into the ends of our fingers little lines which differentiate us from everyone else and then turns around and mass produces human souls. Rather, our fingerprints are divinely created evidence that we are a distinct and prized self, made in the image of God.

We are never more "ourselves" before God than when we pray, because when we pray, we bring nothing else with us. We are not "doing" anything at the moment, but paradoxically, we are doing the most important thing - we are giving God our selves."

Harper goes on to say:

"Prayer is exercising the muscle of the soul, so it can enable us to live for God. Prayer propels us into the world precisely because we know that the God who "wants us" is the God who "wants everyone." Prayer is not an exhibition of selfishness, but rather the energy of servanthood. The specificity of our soul-print relationship does not isolate us from others or insulate us from sensitivity to their needs. Rather, prayer reveals the loving heart of God for humankind and the broken heart of God for any persons who are failing to be the unique, unrepeatable selves God intended them to be. Prayer shows us that the basis of redemption is God's unwillingness to accept caricatures and counterfeits. Prayer reveals God's love for the whole world through the coming of Christ, and we are invited in the prayer relationship to become disciples of Christ in the service of others."

A Prayer for the Universal church

O God of all times and places,
we pray for your Church,
which is set today amid the perplexities of a changing order,
and face to face with new tasks.
Baptize her afresh in the life-giving spirit of Jesus.

Bestow upon her a great responsiveness to duty,
a swifter compassion with suffering,
and an utter loyalty to your will.

Help her to proclaim boldly the coming of your kingdom.
Put upon her lips the ancient gospel of her Lord.
Fill her with the prophets' scorn of tyranny,
and with a Christlike tenderness for the heavy-laden and downtrodden.
Bid her cease from seeking her own life, lest she lose it.
Make her valiant to give up her life to humanity
that, like her crucified Lord,
she may mount by the path of the Cross to a higher glory;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Written by Walter Rauschenbush

Generous Leadership

The following is an article I read this week that really inspired me to share its message with all of you. I hope you find this article to be planting some vital seeds in you generous heart. God Bless.


Generous Leadership
By Paul Extrum-Fernandez: Paul is vice president for institutional advancement at Pacific School of Religion
- This article is from May/June 2009 issue of Interpreter

**********

It is difficult to speak of generous leadership in a time marked by greed, malfeasance and economic uncertainty. yet, it is precisely the time for those of us who serve God's people to consider the enabling power of generosity.

"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." (Luke 6:38, NRSV).

Luke places this verse within a larger context of Jesus' teaching to His disciples - reflecting on blessings and woes, love for our enemies and forbearance from passing judgment upon others. It also reminds us that God's "measure" of our lives is directly related to our "measure" of our relationships to others.

I cannot help but think of cookie recipes that call for one cup of packed brown sugar. I tend to be an overzealous abider of cooking law, pressing and packing every possible grain of sugar into that one cup. I don't want to feel like I have cheated the cookie or myself!

How can we ensure that we "pack" everything we have to give into our relationships with the people we serve? How might we practice generosity in a period of recessionary angst? How can we give it our all when we feel like we have little or nothing more to give?

In a recent conversation with some of my staff, we were discussing some of the concerns we f ace as an organization. As I was outlining some of the issues, one of my younger colleagues chimed in and reminded me of the opportunity we have to think and act creatively - especially in these financially challenging days.

It was during this encounter that I understood more fully the relationship between leadership and generosity. Whether we call it "thinking outside the box." creative engagement or even "wishful thinking," our opportunity as leaders in the church is to explore today where we would not have yesterday. Ideas are not in short supply, only our willingness to receive them as leaders. God's generous gift to us is the capacity to see hope in places where before we would not have dreamed it could be found.

Generous leadership is more than just a substantial financial contribution - although that certainly incarnates it! Generous leadership is more about leading with a spirit of grace and compassion. Living and leading generously means discerning between the frivolous and the meaningful. Too often in our local churches we leaders can become sidetracked by petty arguments so that we miss seeing God's activity within and beyond our doors.

Jesus' invitation is before us: Keep our eyes and hearts on God's eternal promises. "Give and it will be given to you." Press down your measure, shake it well and share it abundantly. Our witness as Christian leaders is an invitation for those who encounter us to follow our example.

Remembering Columbine

10 years ago today, April 20th 1999, the actions of two high school boys, shocked our nation. Two boys perpetrated horrific acts of violence that resulted in the death of 12 students, one teacher and the injuries of 23 other students before the tragedy ended with their suicides. Ranked the fourth deadliest school massacre in the United States, Columbine High School is remembered this day.

10 years ago today, I was a high school senior in Colorado, not too far from Columbine H.S. I was at home that Tuesday and remember receiving the phone call from a friend that something had happened and I had better turn on my TV. I did just that, and watched in horror as students my age ran from their high school, leaving others behind whose names would be remembered forever. I remember feeling for the first time, that my little safety bubble had been burst. I realized the reality that is our world in a completely different light than I had ever before. I recall to this day, participating in concert competitions at Columbine High School. I remember walking the same halls shown on TV and I remember sitting in that cafeteria and the library during a debate competition. In fact, I remember having met one of the killers briefly during that debate competition. I will never forget that face.

As today is a day of remembrance, it is also a day of great grief for those who buried their loved ones ten years ago. It is a day when we continue to reflect on humanity and wonder if we've really come that far at all? Our country has seen many more tragedies since that day like 9/11 and the Virgina Tech shootings, just to name a few. I know many are praying for the families of the students and the teacher who were lost. I can't help but wonder though, if anyone is praying for the families of the shooters? I know its hard to wrap our heads around such a thing sometimes, but did they not also loose their sons? Their babies? Are they not living every day with the guilt of what their son's did? I cannot imagine a greater burden.

As I remember that day and the days that followed, I pray for all who suffered. As I can recall the funerals that were televised, the agony on the faces of the parents, the flag at half staff, the endless array of columbines seen everywhere, even the dedication page at the end of my senior year book, I pray. I pray that no other parent ever has to suffer that way again. I pray that we can overcome the evils that lurk within all of us to avoid such tragedy in the future. I pray that we can learn to live out of love and not out of selfishness and hate. I pray that the families have found forgiveness in their hearts and that the families of the killers have been able to forgive themselves for the guilt they have adopted. I pray that as a parent, I never have to see my child's school on TV and wonder if they're alive. I just pray that we never forget our past so that we can avoid repeating it in our future. Our world needs healing. May we all pray for that, each and every day.

Day of Fasting and Prayer

Tomorrow I will observing a day of fasting and prayer and would like to invite anyone who would like to participate.

It doesn't take long for us to realize how badly our world is hurting. People across the globe are in need of our prayers and the healing of the Holy Spirit. Some qualify prayer as "the least they can do" but prayer is the first thing we should always do. Before we give advice, donate money, cook a meal, go on a mission trip, protest injustice or make any decision, we should be in prayer. It seems like an overwhelming task to be in prayer constantly, but the more you practice it, the more it becomes like breathing to you and you realize that you actually never stop praying, you're just in a constant dialogue with God. Prayer is a powerful agent of transformation in our world and not only touches the prayed for, but also the pray-er.

A list of things I will be praying for tomorrow are listed below. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray over you about. Also, let myself and those reading know if you will be praying and fasting with us and what things you might be praying over. God bless all of you this day, and may the presence of Christ be felt in your lives.

Prayer List

• Robin - who suffers from MS and is considering a new and risky treatment. Also for Robin's family and direct caregivers that they made me strengthened and confident in the will of God.
• For marriages across the world - for those about to be married, newly married, happily and unhappily married and for those marriages ending in divorce.
• For those suffering in Uganda, Rwanda, Darfur and other parts of our aching world who are in such great need of hope and love and healing.
• For the women of Afghanistan who have been sentenced to marriages condoning rape and who are being stoned for protesting.
• For the women, men and children who are being trafficked around the world in the labor and sex slave trades.
• For the families around the world and here in the United States who are suffering because of lost jobs, lost retirements, a sluggish economy and who are in need of hope.
• For inmates in our prison systems that they might seek and find the face of God. That redemption and salvation may surround them and those who are in danger of being a part of the prison system. We also pray for the families of victims as well as the families of perpetrators. We pray for those who serve our prison systems with honor and those who disgrace it with their hatred and prejudice.
• For those who desperately long for a family but are faced with infertility. Those who cannot afford expensive treatments or adoption.
  
• For those in the armed forces and government who take seriously their oath to serve and protect as well as for those who have lost sight of their call to service and integrity and have fallen into corruption.
• For the teachers who wake up every morning in the face of adversity to teach our children and who grow to love and nurture our children into the people God created them to be. We pray also for those teachers who lack the commitment to make a difference and who become stumbling blocks to students.
• For doctors and nurses, pharmacists and techs who work around the clock in their mission to seek out healing and wellness and to serve the sick. We also pray for our pharmaceutical companies, crooked doctors and insurance companies who often stop believing and having faith in the power to make a difference in lives of those around them.
• For public figures who could do so much good with their fame, yet choose only to spread ungodly behavior. We also pray for those public figures who strive to live a righteous life, one of honor and dignity and class.
• For the leaders of our states and nations, that they may be led by the Holy Spirit and not by their own will. That they take their leadership seriously so to make a real difference in this world. We pray that they understand the importance of caring for humanity, of seeking peace and resolution, not war and torture and chaos. We also pray that they lean not on their own understanding but on God's.
• For those who have been lost and are not yet found. We pray that these, our brothers and sisters, take a step out in faith and get to know Jesus as we have gotten to know him. We pray for their salvation, for their transformation and for their enlightened walk. We also pray for the friends and families of these brothers and sisters, and ask God's blessing on them all.

This is just a short list of all that I will be praying for. In encourage you to add your prayer requests to this list and to consider joining me tomorrow in prayer and fasting.

Maundy Thursday - A Look at this Day in Holy Week

The Last Supper by Da Vinci

Maundy Thursday, also know as Holy Thursday or Great Thursday, is the day directly preceding Good Friday. Today, is Maundy Thursday. But what happened on this day so long ago that we remember every Easter season?

Four main events occurred on Thursday. The first, is Christ washing the feet of his disciples. The second is, as pictured so famously above, the last supper or Eucharist - Christ's celebration of the passover with the disciples. Third is the time Jesus spent in the Garden of Gethsemane in prayer with God. And finally, this day is a rememberance of the betrayal of Judas.

Many churches in various denominations celebrate and recognize Maundy Thursday. You may find your own church or churches near you holding services Thursday and Friday night this week as well as Easter morning.

It is so easy for us to only remember the resurrection story and although that is a pivotal chapter, we can not fully appreciate the weight it carries if we do not acknowledge and understand the events that unfolded before that glorious day. We must remember the fully human Jesus, who suffered, who prayed, who was humble and who was forgiving. We must remember why it is we partake in Eucharist or Holy Communion. You know, I find a great comfort in picturing my savior in the garden with God this night. Knowing that Christ had human feelings, that he prayed and asked for God's help, is the beauty of the essence of Christ. And to know, that even knowing all that he did, Christ surrendered himself to God's will. Something very few of us can claim we do...surrendering to God's will over our own.

Tomorrow is a heavy day filled with emotion and grief and despair. But for many it is also filled with hope, but, that's because we know the rest of the story. Tonight and tomorrow, as you reflect on the Crucifixion of our Lord, think about how it might have felt to have been at his feet and to see your faith and your hope crucified along with your Lord. How great that despair must have felt. Also reflect on the sacrifice to be made tomorrow. God wasn't the only one who sacrificed Jesus for us. Christ willing sacrificed himself. Jesus is divine, but he was also human. He knew what it was like to have our fears and emotions and he said yes to this great suffering for us, for the Kingdom of God. There is much more to all of this than just Easter bunnies and Lily's. Feed your soul and seek the truth.

Good Friday Poem

In preparation for Good Friday, here is a poem for reflection.

The choices, even though You knew the lines

You’d have to cross for me
You made them anyway
Voices, as You knelt there in the garden
‘Neath the olive tree
You heard me call Your name
I cannot pretend to understand it all
But heaven knew the reason You were there

It was all about a man

It was all about a cross

It was all about the blood that was shed

So I would not be lost

It was all about the love

That was bigger than a life

It was all about a freedom that was given

Through Your sacrifice

‘Cause You would rather die

Than to ever live without me

Helpless, that’s humanity

Without Your saving grace

So misled

Selfless, You could have called ten thousand angels

Down to take Your place

But You took mine instead

I cannot pretend to understand it all

But heaven knew the reason You were there

A greater love has no one than this:

That he will lay his life down for his friends

- Jody McBrayer

Wednesday Prayer for Holy Week

The associate pastor of my church shared this prayer with me today and I want to share it with you. Be blessed.

Lord, You have always given
bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked
the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened
this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken
when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now,
today I believe.

(Hat tip to Gavin for this prayer from the Northumbria Community)

Non-Negotiable Factors of Christ

I'm currently sitting in my Systematic Theology class. The professor has asked the class to consider two very compelling questions. I'm curious what your answers might be.

1. What are the non-negotiable factors about Jesus of Nazareth?

2. What significance does Jesus as the Christ have for you?

"He is With You"

I came across this video/song for the first time this morning. It has ministered to me in a priceless way. I hope that by sharing it with you that you will also have a renewing hope in your hearts today.

"He is With You" - by Mandisa

Thankfully Thoughtful Thursday

It's a bit of a dreary day here in the neighborhood. The wind has been blowing my new flowers (and my attempt at a good hair day) around and the sky looks like it could unleash a downpour at any moment. Never-the-less, it seems calm and uneventful. Very few cars have driven by. My phone has been eerily silent today and my son is napping like the little angel he is.

My heart has been heavy and my mind stirred. Seems like my allergies aren't the only things this wind is rousing up. But I must say, it has been a great day for thoughtful reflection. With gray skies, the house is darker. I collected some of my favorite candles for meditation and lit them, allowing the fragrance to fill the room. I then proceeded to enjoy a very calm yet intense Pilate's workout. Now that I had centered my body, it was time to center my mind.

One thing I've started doing more lately is meditation. I find a great sense of peace and stress relief when I do it. The music, especially when I listen to Tibetan singing bowls and traditional Indian flute, whisk me away into beautiful zen. Though both the Japanese and the Sanskrit languages have words and definitions for zen, I enjoy that the Chinese refer to zen as "quietude". This sort of plays off of where I was going on my last post. This fundamental concept of simply being still.

Stillness is nearly impossible in a world of ringing phones, screaming children and endless stress. But when I am able to truly center myself physically and mentally, I find that my ability to center myself spiritually is heightened. When I'm truly "quite", I can sense the Holy Spirit deeper and I can meditate on the Word of God.

These days, in this time of lent, when we are approaching the heart wrenching realization of Good Friday, I believe we are called to be quite. Jesus, on the night in the Garden of Gethsemane, sought the quiet, the stillness in order to truly communicate with God. I think about how Christ must have felt those last days. How he knew of betrayal, but loved anyway. How Jesus knelt before God and prayed like we pray, even to the point of asking for pardon. But in the midst of this garden, in the knowing of what was to come, Christ had confidence in God's will. In a similar position, or even in the trials we are facing today, do we have the same confidence? Are we quiet enough, often enough and good enough to hear God? To pray for God's will to be done?

Good Friday is also a day when we remember the sins we've committed that we know we shouldn't have. We recall the pain we've caused Jesus with our transgressions.

Whatever you need to do to be quiet, do it for yourself, as an Easter gift. Give yourself the time to be thoughtful and reflective on what this season really means. Also, take this time to be naked (in the spiritual sense) before God asking for forgiveness for that which you need to repent of. Lastly, be thankful. Thankful for the sacrifice of God, the suffering of Christ and the forgiveness of your sins. I'm a firm believer that unless you take the time to truly reflect on that which happened on Good Friday, you will never fully appreciate the gift that is Easter. Do yourself this favor. I promise, it will have a renewing and transforming affect.

Be Blessed!