Colorful coat

Harper and I were having a conversation on who one of my favorite people in the Bible is... I was telling her that I really loved Joseph, she said is he the one with lions, I said no, the coat and she said of many colors, you know that his brothers were mean to him, don't you.. I said yes because of his pretty coat. She said, I don't understand they had nice coats to but theirs was all just one color. That got me to thinking so I looked up the scripture in Genesis 37 to reread it. All I can find says that Joseph was given a coat that was made with many colors, I told Harper maybe since he was one of the youngest sons, maybe his Dad, Jacob took old fabric from all his brothers and made him a coat. To show him that even though they have been around for a while he was  part of this big family. We always been taught in Sunday School that Jacob loved him more because he was born to him at such an old age and we've assumed that the coat of many colors was something more special than what the other brothers wore. But think about it, they weren't really rich people, they were not wasteful people. What if like I said the coat was a heritage symbol and that's why the brothers were jealous, not so much about the pretty coat of many colors but of how Jacob had put so much time and thought into it. As we get older, when life is a little slower, we as adults stop and think more  about the important things of life. We realize that its not always about the money, its not always about self satisfaction, its not always about what will this get me... Life is so much more, but when your young you get caught up in the rat race of life, you have a lot of demands, some are self imposed, and you forget the big picture of family, love and quality & quantity time spent. So maybe the coat of many colors was not just because he was the favorite maybe it was because Jacob realized things he had forgot.

Love & marriage

Today I rented to a young lady who has decided she does not want to be married any longer to her husband of two years. Not because she hates him, or that he's abused her, or had an affair, she actually likes him. She just doesn't want to be married to him.. We are friends with her husband, and I told him I was very disappointed in this outcome and his response was "that's life Tracy."
Josh said I don't get it, if I was going to leave Abby I would at least have to think that I couldn't stand her... Today people think marriage is easy to get rid of, I think that they think can start over and its no big deal.. That haven't realized that marriage is hard work, it can be fun, it can be very rewarding, it can be loving, but there are times when you are in it for the commitment and that alone sometime. But after the dark has passed and you see light at the end of the tunnel you realize that God meant for us to work it out.  Our family are fighters, we will fight it out before we give in to it. But as I also know both parties need to be ready to fight it out, to do whatever it takes to make it work and many would rather walk away than get in the trenches and get dirty. I tell me kids, marriage is what you make of it.. If you put effort, time, patience, love and most of all the commitment you vowed before God, you can make it work but like I said it has to be both of you...I am a little sad because I know the fellow is heart broken even though he won't admit it and I keep hoping she will change her mind.
The meanness inside of me wanted to tell her no to renting and get her butt back home and make this work, but if you can believe it I held my tongue...

Horse crap...

I have a little rant today...I wonder what causes people to not clean up after themselves. I remember working at the concession stands at the different schools and thinking then what is wrong with you people, there is a trash can right in front of you and you throw it down beside of it. Josh has sub contractors who come to job do their work and then leave their mess in the house. How many of us get to go to work and not clean up after ourselves. Today I had a renter leave a bid pile of horse xxxx
in the middle of the driveway at the storage facility. I called to have a chat with him about this and you know what his first answer was...I didn't think about it. Wrong dumb answer to say to me, what you mean you walked around a large pile of crap and didn't think about it. We have had many other similar situations and the first answer of most of these people is I didn't think about it. Start thinking people. Horse mans other answer was "you have no clue how busy my life is right now". I stopped him quick in his tracks there... We all have busy lives, some of us are busier than others but that is no excuse to be lazy or uncaring on other peoples property. We have other situations where people are on our property and say I didn't think is was a big deal to be on the land. My first thought to them is oh ok I will just go park my big ole truck right in the middle of your front yard. It is time we as a group of people start calling out rudeness, teaching our children and grandchildren the respect of other peoples property and that trash belongs in a trash can not on the ground.

Can I be real and not scare you to death...

Can I be real for a minute, I told a group of young couples last night in small group that I had prayed for the Lord God above to just take out someone so we wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. She is one of the most mean spirited women I have ever met. And you know when someone messes with your children or grandchildren the bear in you comes out.  Now deep down after I said those words, Lord just let her die so we don't have to deal with her anymore, I was reminded, she probably isn't a Christian even though she professes to be, so that means she would probably end up in hell and I sure don't want to pray anyone there for eternity. I had to remind myself that she is a lost, lonely, bitter, hateful unforgiving woman who really needs him. To see the wide eyes of these adults  from my honesty was, I will have to admit, funny. I know deep down some of them think this at times in their lives but would not likely say it out loud and not to a group of church  people. After sleeping on the situation and talking it over with Joey and Josh, we have all agreed she needs someone to hate and we are it right now. I told Audrey some people are mean and know they are mean and are proud of it, others hide in outward sweetest but will cut you down to the core all the while with a smile and say I am so glad for you (her exact words). So how do we as Christians live godly lives and still live smart lives in this fallen evil world. Many of you have never experienced people like this and can't imagine the thoughts that I have had. But God gave us brains, his word, and action. The key is apply all to this situation which right now seems hopeless unless she dies. LOL However, I know that there is a end to this and if we stay righteous through it all God will provide a way. My verse for the girls in bible study last week is in front of my desk, once again seek God, live right and he will provide what you need in his time.

Thy Kingdom come

I am breaking down the Lords Prayer with the two young ladies in our discipleship/small  group. You know we've al recited the Lords Prayer a million times and until today I never had really thought out the part where Jesus said, "Thy Kingdom come" we say it so fast with thy will be done, that I think we forget that Jesus is say, I'm here, I am the kingdom of God, I am the one that everything rest on. Our verse this week that I will ask the girls to memorize is pretty easy but I have used a different version because sometimes we have memorized or say things and we don't really look at the meaning of it.  Matthew 6:33. Seek the kingdom of God (Jesus) above all else and live righteously (moral and right) and he will give you everything you need.  I started looking up commentary's what is the kingdom in the Lords Prayer. I asked Joey when we say that what are we meaning. It hit us both the Kingdom has come, not thy kingdom come. We today should be praying Our father who art in heaven, holy is your name, you kingdom has come . It was fulfilled after Jesus died on the cross and went to heaven to get his gloried body and came back to earth. His kingdom is now established, its a spiritual kingdom, not a physical one that you can see, but now we should be seeking Jesus and his will, which is written out in the Word.

Pebbles in the shoe do hurt

The struggles we have every day are real, some are big as mountains and small are a small as a pebble, but a rock in a shoe is uncomfortable and hurts too. As we each struggle with our own problems and obstacles whether big or small we as Christians have a responsibility and with that comes some stress and pressure to handle these things with grace, love and not lose our cool. Now for me to be real, do I handle most things from the get go with grace, love and coolness, NO! Usually I complain, blow my top, call them all kinds of names, figure ways to get them back, then I pray and say Lord, I know you love them as much as you do me, help me see this. Help me see the bigger picture, the struggle with the demonic world, the real struggle. Usually after a couple hours, I bet you thought I was going to say minutes...I can calm down, regroup and start to see what is really going on. However this usually doesn't change the situation and with all struggles there are still consequences to all things that happen in our lives. I am doing a small group with two young ladies and they want to talk and learn about pray. So we are starting with the way Jesus told us to pray, the Lords Prayer.Last night was "Holy is your name." I started to look up what the definition of this Holy means, the words that came were sacred, worthy of complete devotion, spiritually excellent. WOW, when you start to pray with this in mind, I should be able to see quicker than a couple hours the bigger picture in my struggles. We are trying to memorize different scriptures and I gave them this last night,
Isaiah 57:15 " For this is what the high and exalted one says, he who lives forever, whose name is HOLY, I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite(remorseful) and lowly of spirit. (he lives with us) in order to revive(bring back to life) the spirit of the lowly and the heart of the contrite(remorseful).
I am thankful that while he is so holy he is willing to revive me when I fail him.