Kings and Queens of Old

Ok, So I know this is over my limit for posts this week, but I just couldn't help myself.
Our kids received the second Chronicle of Narnia (Prince Caspian) movie last year for Christmas. No one was interested in it AT ALL for the longest time. Then last month after our move to the new place, the little ones watched it and a whole new world opened up for them.
Jaxson is mesmerized by the battle scene story. He walks around with a small baseball bat for a sword holding it to the sky yelling, FOR NARNIA!!!! We were in the store yesterday and Jax kept quoting the movie "you have got to be kidding me.... your the king and queens of old" in an English accent. Although unintentional, he got me every time. I quickly turned to see what he needed.We found some costumes on sale that fit the time period so Jacie and Jax have now been dressing up each day to watch their beloved movie.
SOooooooo, we found out our neighbor had the first movie (The Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe) and we asked to borrow it. In this one the character of Aslan is established as Christ, and he gives his life for others then rises from the dead. this morning Jax comes running into the kitchen , his eyes swelled with tears, "mommy the lion was dead but he camed to life and saved them".

It don't get no better than that! :~)

"Rooted in Love"

I am on a mission today to scratch off a few small items on my "to-do-list". As I was knocking them out I ran across this verse printed on something.

" And I pray that you, being rooted and established in Love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long, and high and deep is the love of Christ"

Ephesians 3:17-18

We have different scriptures on 3x5 note cards placed around our home on the walls. It's been a good way to help us stay focused on something much greater than ourselves. When we are walking through a trial or maybe need reminding of how wonderful his blessings are to us. So with that in mind, I wrote this one down and placed it on my kitchen sink window.

Afterwards I went back to my task at hand... but my mind kept returning to this scripture. I began to ask my self "what does "rooted and established in Love" mean exactly?" I loved how it said that the LOVE would be what allows you grasp all these in depth things of Christ.

It's all about LOVE ! His Love is WIDE, LONG, HIGH, and DEEP! Once you have encountered it you will NEVER NEVER NEVER be the same

Man that makes me just smile.

This was my devotioal today!

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
-- Acts 16:25
Thought:
Falsely imprisoned, Paul and Silas had been beaten "with many blows," placed in prison, and locked down in stocks. Under such horrible circumstances, they managed to praise God in hymns and pray to their Father in Heaven. Under this kind of pressure, their faith caught the attention of the other prisoners who listened to them. We need to be reminded that over the years of Christian witness, some of the most effective times of evangelism happened because Christians remained faithful and joyous people despite persecution and harassment. Nothing should limit our prayer and praise. God will use them to reach the hearts of those in the most difficult of places!
I recently had someone I love very much share with me how they had watched my marriage over the last 17 years walk itself out, and what it ment to them. I admire this person very much, and had no earthly idea they were aware of all the craziness that has been my life during these past years.

We have no idea why God allows us to walk through certain things on this earth. But we have to believe that it's to ultimately fulfill His will. He is bigger than any sickness, failing marriage, lack of confidence, loneliness, or family history we could ever hide behind. You just have NO IDEA who may be watching your actions as you walk through these earthly things.

I am sure that God has placed people in my life so that I could witness their joy over flowing, and their freedom in completely surrendering to Christ as they walked through some sort of trial. I give Him thanks for the blessing it has made in my walk, I pray I will make Him proud in my times of struggle.

Love ya
TJ

God will provide.....

Have you ever stoped to think how many times we just take things for granted? I mean really, little things that "just show up, or drop from out of nowhere"... and fall perfectly into place.

I don't believe in "plain ole luck". Everything is apart of a greater plan, I may not be able to see it in advance but if I'm watching (in tune with what God's word says and what he is doing in my life) He shows himself all around every day.

This morning I forgot my lunch at the house so I called Cory to have him put it back in the fridge. I told him I was out of cash and had no stashed food at the office and so it looked like I would be fasting today. He giggled, and said to me......." Don't worry, God will provide". Now I had no doubt someone would have a stashed microwaveable mac N cheese I could bum off of but God took it to another level.

One of our sister department members just poked their head into my office and let me know that they had BBQ brisket, potato salad, beans and the whole 9 yards down in the break room for me to come get myself some.

God provides......even the little things.

San Gabriel's Horn

A few weeks ago I went on a respite with some ladies. I had never even heard of this word, respite, let alone knew what it meant. Well, God had a weekend planned to teach me live and in person the definition.

I've been on the traditional women's retreats several times. We all pile in to a car and head off somewhere with no kids, husbands, housework etc. and listen to a speaker teach us a new word from God,.but this retreat, or rather respite, was totally the opposite. This was me and God..... that's it....... no pre-printed fill in the blank sermon notes to go by......just me and him amongst all of his splendor!!

At first I was unsure how this whole thing would work. I have my daily quiet time hour, but this was 2 full days of quiet time...how would I find something to do all by myself for that long? Well, as some know, I struggle with a nasty little word called "control" and, boy oh boy, did my Jesus have plans for me that weekend.

We stayed in a large vacation home, on the San Gabriel River, in Georgetown. It was a huge home; tall ceilings with large open windows over-looking the river and from our bedroom balcony we had the view of God's creation; it was so peaceful. We all gathered a few times each day for worship and meals, but other than that we each put on our tennies, grabbed a blanket & bible then hit the land.

I love the song we sing at church "I lay back against you and breath, feel your heart beat" I have a strong desire for this peacefulness in my life. This verse of this song has brought me through some pretty tough times in life. Well, I was totally overcome with emotion as I walked down to the river and found a huge oak tree. The tree leaned just so, that it made a perfect place to sit and lean back on, as if God, himself, put it there for me. So...... I layed against him and felt his heartbeat for 2 days.

I entered that weekend with a heavy heart with a lot of life issues weighing me down, I was having a hard time understanding where all of this was coming from. I got to thinking, we all have our struggles, you know the ones we have endured forever, and we have found ways to somewhat comfortably cope with them.....but have you ever watched God just flat move one of those struggles out of the way? He has recently done this in my life. Another song I love has a verse that says "He can move a mountain, my God is mighty to save".

Well guess what I learned ..... there are different struggles on the other side of that mountain, and sometimes there things you haven't dealt with before and therefore have no coping methods. Man, this has been humbling to me, that's right where I was. So If I believe my God, not just believe IN Him, then I must lean on him for everything. So that's where my "control" problem comes in. I was stressed out because Tanya was trying to control and fix all the new struggles that had become visible to me.

I went into that weekend stressed, and came out free. The struggles aren't gone, but the stress of trying to figure out all the answers is. So I had to share this with who ever wants to read this and I have inserted some of the pictures from my spot on the river. Each of these pics are the very heartbeat of God and I know I will look at them daily. If you ever have the chance to get away and spend time with him in nature, I would encourage you to do so. And if you need someone to go with, I'm only a phone call away.