Do I Radiate

Moses asked the Lord, Exodus 33:16 "How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" I have been thinking about this for a couple of days. What distinguishes me from anyone else on the earth. How do people know that I am a follower of Christ. Does my face radiate everyday from hearing the Word? Moses after coming from meeting with God on the mountain, his face radiated so much that his brother and the Israelites were frightened. I have come to realize that I need to be checking myself on a regular basis on whether I am the face of God to people. Do I radiate love and compassion. Do I stand out in a group of people as someone who loves God with all her heart. Do I complain like everyone else when things are going great. Exodus 33:17,18 "And the Lord said to Moses, I will do everything you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name. Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory". Is God pleased with me, Do I spend enough time with him to know me by name. Can I ask of him to show me his glory. Even when I don't feel it, think it or believe it. The Bible says God loves me, and enjoys my company, He inhabits (lives in,is found in) the praises of his people.
So yes he will show me his glory if I ask......

IKEA

Monday, I took off from work, my dear husband stayed at the office for me (hated it) and I went with 4 wonderful women to the IKEA store in Charlotte. These are the same friends I had over for Superbowl Sunday, except for Rhonda, who was laying in the sun on a Cruise ship somewhere in Hawaii, (Don't you feel sorry for her). We had a great time, just looking, Diane went there for some specific things, but the rest of us just went to get away from it all. We stayed from 10:00-2:00 then went and had a great lunch at Olive Garden and finally made it back home at 4:00.
We all needed a day of fun, you see Katie broke her wrist a few weeks ago on the ice, Diane has been sick on and off for the last 2 years, and last week was a doozy, I'm just ready for spring and sunshine, and Rhonda well she decided to become semi-retired and spend some time with her friends, (her mother passed away 1 year ago tomorrow), we all were in need for some fun. The Lord blessed and it was just great.

Steady & Sure

What a beautiful day its going to be the sun is out in full, the temps are going above 45. Once again as I am reading be small groups book, I am reminded of how thankful I should be to know that I am a child of the King, The King who today still sits on the throne. Who today knows all, sees all, is in charge of all, and loves all. When I am lost in my own life, and I feel tired he is still in power. He is never tired, he doesn't sway to the left or right, he is stable and sturdy. Do I always feel stable, no, sturdy, no do I sometimes sway, yes. But I have a King who loves me when I am confused, tired, sad, happy, on top of things, behind in things, lost, found, lonely, and completely surround with love. Isn't great to know that no matter where you are in life there is someone who is always there steady and sure. If you get a chance go on u-tube today and listen to Thank You by the Katina's. Our mime team is going to perform this on Easter Sunday. It is just a fresh reminder of all we have to be thankful for.....

Rushing river power

In our ladies small group we are reading I Saw the Lord by Anne Grahan Lotz. Today, I realized the Lord above had this book picked out for me especially. Today I read, "But in those moments of despair, remember that God has allowed this crisis, and you and I need to be watchful for his message within the life storm." I am watching for his message....A few pages later she wrote" God may be preparing your heart for a life-changing glimpse of his glory,but before that can happen your burden may get heavier and your pressure greater as you struggle on through this life-shaking event." I pray that I pay attention to what is happening, that I see the message he has for me so that I can see his power and glory before me. In Ezekiel 1 he is describing the fire, the power, the sound and also how he fell on his face before this power, before the throne where seated on it the great power, like a rushing river sat. God told him to listen to him.. So in this time of great trial, I am watching and listening for this power....

Gathering

As the animals gather their food so should we gather........ I read a verse from the Bible this weekend in a novel I was reading. The verse is Exodus 16:4 "I will rain down manna from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.In this way, I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions".
God provided daily for the Israelites, all they had to do is go out and collect his provisions for that day. After the last few weeks I realized that I was expecting provisions for awhile, not for just that day. I realized that through all the trials and turmoil, each day he provide me with something new. At the end of the day, I slept pretty peacefully. I did have to gather unto myself his manna for that day. He feed me with positive feed back from many different friends, he protected me when I fell, (and I don't fall gracefully)and he showed me there are many people worse off than me. So today gather your provision for this day, not tomorrow, or next week or next year, just today and be blessed....

Happy Valentines Day

I am not a big Valentines Day celebrator, I think its nice to remember to tell your special someone how much you love them. But as I look at young love... There is that happy feeling you get just to see them, especially if you don't get around them everyday.

There is that new love of starting out as a new family, learning all about each other, the ups and downs of living together for the first time.

Then there is that love that after 26 years, all the ups and down, sickness, financial situations, dirty laundry, raising teenagers, extended families, work and just living life. It is love that can be comfortable, fairly easy at this point, however not taken for grant it. It still has it ups and downs but has a commitment that can put your mind at ease. If your not experiencing any of these loves at this time, that's OK too. Life is different for everybody, marriage is different for everybody, dating is different for everybody. Don't lose heart, God loves you more than any of these earthly loves.

Yea...Its Friday

It's finally Friday....Yesterday, My Internet decided to shut down, I was on the phone with AT&T for 2 hours. Finally at 5:00 they said I think this problem is in your computer not us. So I called a friend from church who is a computer geek and he met me at 8:00 at the office, finally at 9:00 he said, I am going to have to take this with me. At 12:00 he brought it back, after he threatened to run over it at his workplace. He said after all these years of working on computers he has never seen one do what it did. Well as you can see I am on it, but I still can't get my electronic gate system to work here at the office, it has shut me out. So I have been on the phone with the fence/gate company. Hopefully they will be here to fix it soon. Computers can't live with them and can't seem to live without them now. Satan at it again, one of the many ways he keeps trying to make be unhappy. Not going to let him.....As I Peter 1:6 says, rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to be distressed by various trials. I just have to remember to rejoice for the time will be short, even when it looks like it goes on and on and on....

Scarlet, crimson or white as snow

I hate to take pictures of myself, but I had finally put on some make-up and fixed my hair( One of reasons I love it in the mountains I don't have to wear make-up nobody sees me there), so I jumped out of the truck and had Joey take a quick picture. Another beautiful red barn in the white, white snow

This is one of the many Christmas tree farms in the area

The poor birds were almost snowed out of their home

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are as red as crimson,they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18. Just like all the red barns or red doors in all these pictures I have posted, the red stands out in all the white. Just as our sin stands out to everyone we come in contact with. Yes in these pictures the red is eye catching, just like sin can be. But in the stillness of our life the red takes away from the beautiful white sin free life. As a christian when you are striving to live a healthy, guilt free, closer walk with God you see the scarlet quicker, you notice the crimson in you life. I pray that we deal with it as quick as possible so that it doesn't take away from living white as snow.

Small post and more pictures

Can you imagine being a mailman in this. Our neighbor there is the mail lady and she went out that day to deliver mail around the area. Once again he is smiling.

This was the driveway we had to use to get to our house at the top of the hill, Once again another beautiful picture.

I just love that the people up in the mountains like to have red barns. It makes such pretty pictures when it snows.

Just a small post: Don't think Satan is not a work here on earth, Don't think that he doesn't have an agenda to kill, steal, & destroy. My brain is overloaded today, I feel like I am in a cloud, with a little bit pity party coming on. I am telling myself that greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. If you feel out of control, with darkness surrounding you, remember you may have various trials but you are being refined by the fire so it may result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Amen, Amen, Amen......

Pictures..Snow

Like I said, when we arrived there was about 13 inches on the ground, I just thought this was a neat picture The snow here almost looks fake, it is so billowy

This is an entrance to someones house, I Thought it was beautiful

Joey wanted a picture of all the snow on the deck, so he wanted me to try and inside shot, turned out pretty good

I just love the all the gray, white and black in this picture

This is farm right near us I thought all the different colors were great, especially the red door

More to come tomorrow

Outstanding God

Friday my husband decided that I needed an adventure, so we headed to VA at 8:00 that morning. The Snow was coming down like crazy, mine and his family both thought we were crazy, but what a wonderful trip it was. Of course I thought of all the things that could happen, we could wreak, we saw probably 10 cars off the road, a couple were turned upside down. We could not make it up to the house, and be stuck trying to find a place to stay. But I decided not the let my mind get the best of me. It took us alittle over 3 hrs to get to our destination, (it usually takes us about 2 hrs.). But when we pulled into the driveway , I don't think I have ever scene such a beautiful sight. There was 12 inches of snow on the ground, we could not get the truck up the hill, so we had to walk to the house with all of our stuff. Today when we woke up it was snowing again, it snowed on and off all day (probably another 3 inches) the scenery around the house was like a storybook Christmas picture. I will be posting pictures Monday of all the beauty that only comes from a outstanding God

(*^$%##%^) Do you know what that stands for at my house....

Well it started not so great again today, You know when you have claimed it, stand on it, and the the next day it starts again. I called my husband and told him of a email I received, not a good one. I told him I was having to laugh, because I probably could cry right about now. Satan (#^#%#^*#) this is how I feel about him right now, is trying to mess with my mind again today. I called a couple of friends of mine who know about this situation I am going through to just tell them thank you for being trusting and loving friends and that we need some fun time together as couples for Super Bowl. All of our husband are elders in our church and our Pastor prayed over them and their families, business, children, grandchildren and health, the other night at church.
I got mad because I didn't even think about being attacked from many different levels. I was like oh great, another trying year. While talking with my friends, we have all been attacked lately whether through health, relationships, financial situations or just our attitudes and mind set. I told Diane I do not want to get in the wrong mind set, I need to be able to look at these situations in our life with a sense of humor, and try as see the big picture and what Satan(&*^%*#) is trying to do. And at the same time not give him to much credit for poor human behavior that comes from sin.. Alot of time we give him more credit than is due, because we don't want to except the human sinful nature that we all have and like to use. I have made a decision to not let (*^$*%$#%^#) win....Nor myself either but am choosing to trust that he will take care of me...

A New Day

The sun is in full shine, the birds are chirping and I finally had a full nights sleep last night. I say this because yesterday, I was feeling very evil. I had things running through my mind that I played over and over again. You know as my friend says, the kinds of things that you pick with stars are in your show, what that we will say, the out come to every scenario and the ending that makes you feel good. I could not shake my despair yesterday. So I decided first to talk to my trusty friend (who thinks alot like me) not eat alot of supper, take a bath ( I never take baths), read my "same kind of different as me book", at the sad part where there is death, (cried a little in the tub), then went to bed upstairs in my son's old room where it is dark, cold, and nobody else there and went to sleep at 9:00. I woke up....a new and refreshed woman. Sometimes there are days that Satan just wants to screw with you and yesterday was mine, I've had it, I'm not going to take anymore from him, I know who is in control, I know who wins in the end, and I'm not going to let him or anyone else still my joy, peace and love. My new goal once again in 2010 is to try and look for the good everyday even in something bad and as you know when you set yourself up the devil likes to see us fail so that we get discouraged and don't persevere. So thank you God for a great nights sleep through all of yesterdays mind bombs.....

More snow and random thoughts

I don't have a lot of yard art, but my little girl statue I have kept for a while, when my daughter was young she liked to fill the little basket with rocks from our driveway.
This little tree was not bigger than a pencil when we planted it 10 years ago, It has taken forever to take off, but now it seems to be doubling in size each year.

The old farm equipment, I am so thankful to not have to use this. God once again knew when I needed to be created.

I am reading a new book, Same kind of different as me, in it there was a line about how just because you get saved doesn't mean you change all at once, it's a gradual thing. This lady has a fish symbol on her car referring that she is a christian, but the author said the problem was that her middle finger had not been saved yet because when she drove out on the road she still had a little road rage. I guess I can be thankful that when my mind and actions are not quite up to the par of a spirit filled lady I still keep my finger down.....