"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who believe.  These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come."  Ephesians 1:18-21

Wow, I love those verses!!  Lord, open our eyes!!  Help us to see who You really are, what You have done, and what You desire to do through us!  We have an incredible inheritance!  And quite a responsibility while on the earth - to bear His name and allow His love and life to flow through us!!  Sounds crazy, but it is indeed what the Bible teaches and promises!  We have much to learn and there is so much He wants to show us!!

A wise person is one who knocks, seeks, asks - and keeps His eyes on the true Source of wisdom and hope!  

This year the Iris blooms have come during a couple of weeks that have not been compatible for me to "graze" at the garden.  Kinda aggravated about that!  Gonna try and check them out next week to see if any are left, but if not, I'll hope to see the peonies and day lillies!  :)  I know, I know....I'm a flower fanatic!  But...they make me happy!  :)  They are therapy!  They remind me that God is God - and He indeed cares about the little things - and He continues to bring them to us to enjoy day after day after day!  How much more He must care for US who He also created with great artistry and love!  So....in a sense the flowers are rags compared to how He feels about us!  What a rich heritage we have!!  What a glorious God!

"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches.  I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come," and let the one who hears say, "Come," and let the one who is thirsty come, let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly.  Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus."

Revelation 22:16,17, 20

Dear friends, please be ready.  Take the free water of life.  If you don't understand how to ask Jesus to be your Savior, read through a few of my blogs, read the Bible...the book of John is a favorite of mine....or any of the gospels.  Feel free to send me a message - I would be happy to try and explain or talk with you about my experiences.  Don't wait another day...time is ticking and Jesus said that He is coming quickly.  You must be "born again" (John 3:1-21) in order to have this hope.  Do not delay.

I was challenged with 3 questions today at a wonderful church gathering.  The topic the pastor has recently been discussing has been identity.  The world offers us much about identity....and most of us to some extent "take on" its standards and offerings along the journey of our lives.  We are told what we should do at every turn...perhaps all the more in the church, since we are "trying" to be more Christ-like! 

Now, supporting God's standards of righteousness is a good thing, and His word gives us plenty about how to live.  But even before being told what we should do we need to learn who we should be!  Because we have a human nature, we are prone to do human things.  In our lives we endure experiences that hurt and harm how we see ourselves - and those, in turn - subtly (or directly) influence what we do.  Before long they affect how we see ourselves and sew lies into us about who we are.

We must learn to look past the world to find who we are.  The One who created us knows us better than we know ourselves and has everything to offer concerning our identity.  Firstly, we are designed to allow His life to flow through us once we know Him.  Because He is a God of love, light, grace, mercy, goodness, patience, kindness, long-suffering and truth, He made us to need and desire those qualities.  He also designed us to "feel satisfied" when when we accept those gifts from Him and begin to walk in them! 

There is nothing more sad than when someone has been told much of their life they are "bad" or not "good enough" - and their actions and life style begins to accept that as the standard they live by and settle with.  God does not tell us to be a light or try to act like a light in the world.  He says we are a chosen generation - the salt of the earth - the light of the world!  He has given us all the tools of His character to shine in the darkness of this world and make a difference around us!  He says that if we take on the identity of His nature, then we will reflect a contagious joy that will draw others to discover the same!  It is about falling in love with He who IS love and allowing that to become our identity!

The questions that challenged me had to do with the application of His identity flowing through me.  So often we don't know what to do with the desires He gives us and they become suppressed, hidden or silenced.  Sometimes we even take on jobs that are not what we were designed to be doing just to feel as though we are contributing to "a good cause."  The enemy can again deceive and lie to us, telling us our offerings are not important - worse yet, telling us we are not important. 

I am here to say that every beating heart and breathing individual is important!  When we become a Christian, we become a part of HIS body.  Every body part, joint, organ and ligament is necessary!  God does not make mistakes.  He made each one of us for a purpose that will glorify Him when submitted and in His presence!  Here are the questions:

1.  What breaks your heart?

2.  What is a need that you can fill?

3.  Where do you have influence?

I have swallowed these today and they are working in me like fresh water to bring clarity and passion!!  Do you want to make a difference in those who surround you?  Pray that His identity and person consume you to overflowing!  Let Him show you what indeed breaks your heart and where you have the ability to be most effective and fruitful as a representative of His glory!  Look up and find the truth about who you are and how you can represent His beauty and nature in a dark world!

(Thanks Pastor Brent Roam!)

A Mother's Day blog!!  For all those dedicated, loving, cuddlers, house cleaners, diaper changers, mess rescuers, problem solvers, care-givers, prayer warriors, late nighters, big huggers, hurt bearers, servants, sacrificers, go-the-extra-milers.............

Bouquets, color, sunshine, happy moments and hearts to each!  May our all sufficient Father supply you with all you need to be the mommas you want to be and give you reason to smile today.

And for those who have lost children, are single or would love to be a mother...to the hurt, disappointed, longing moms who miss their children, have someone overseas or estranged...to those who's children are hurting, troubled or needing answers....to those who's mothers have gone home, gone away or been absent in some way...may the same Father comfort your hearts and bring promise, healing and hope on this day.   

Isaiah records a powerful vision of God's glory in Isaiah 6.  The picture painted here is incredible, describing things we can only try to  imagine!  It says that he saw the Lord sitting on a throne and that the train of His robe filled the temple.  For starters, that is quite a scene to try and get my head wrapped around!

 There were Seraphim with six wings.  I can not begin to speculate what these amazing, angelic creatures actually look like!!  However, they called out to each other and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory."  As if they themselves were not supernaturally magnificent, they were bowing to One much holier!  The passage describes the temple full of smoke at which point Isaiah declares that He is ruined and unclean after having seen the King, the Lord of hosts!

I read this scripture and it makes me just a little more aware of how brilliant and terrifying our omniscient God is!  A spoken declaration literally brought the heavens and earth into existence as we know them!!  I look at a flower and marvel at its glory.  Though it doesn't compare to God Himself, it certainly is a brush stroke of His hand upon the earth!  Everything beautiful reflects the glory of the One who created it!  

And then it says in Genesis 1 (after God had made man) that He saw all that He had made and declared it good!  This is the first of MANY passages that talk about His love for His creation - especially His children!  I will look at flowers forever and remind myself that God looks at us and admires and loves us all the more!  Oh how His glory is revealed - in nature - and in US!!  God has chosen to dwell in the hearts of each who will accept and proclaim His glory.  Others will see and also be drawn to His glory as we allow it to "travel" through us in our actions and love.

As I submit to Your love and desires for my life, Lord, may Your glory be seen and reflected in me! 

A friend, Don Williams posted a scripture on Facebook recently and I began to read it over and over with more awe each time - especially since I have felt just a little of Job's frustrations in my own experiences lately.  I will share excerpts here in order to stay with the focus of this writing.  The passage is a response from God to Job after his world had been pulled out from under him and everything he had known was shaken and destroyed.  He had lost family, friends, and his own health, yet he did not curse God as he walked through these valleys of the shadow of death in his life.  It certainly speaks volumes of the faith in God he carried and lived.  Oh to respond to God in the way Job did in our own circumstances - even when his best friends (as we and our own friends are certainly capable today) suggested that he was in error.

Here is God's response to Job after he had said in 31:35, "Let the Almighty answer me."

4-5.  "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell Me, if you have understanding, who set its measurements?"  "...who stretched the line on it?"  
6-7.  "On what were its bases sunk?  Or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
8-11. "Or who enclosed the sea with doors, when bursting forth, it went out from the womb; when I made a cloud its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and I placed boundaries on it and set a bolt and doors, and I said, 'Thus far you shall come but no farther; and here shall your proud waves stop?'"  
12-13 "Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?"  
16-18. "Have you entered into the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?  Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?  Have you understood the expanse of the earth?"

Pretty much puts things into perspective!

I am doing another little happy dance this week.  The reason?  Well, there are a few:  My hubby has a new job for starters!  Though he is somewhat nervous about new beginnings, it is an answer to a number of months of prayer.  In these days, it is hard enough to find a job without being 57 and trying to find a job!  Once again, I simply look to our marvelous Source and smile, knowing full well that His desire is to care for His children.  I am sure He is smiling back with an "I told you so" nod that reminds me that though somewhat invisible, He indeed is invincible!  I am also reminded that faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things we do not necessarily see!  Why else would it be called faith?  Being a Christian is all about risking what we see for that which we do not!  It requires us to believe in something/someONE bigger than us!!  I like that!  This "round" of unemployment took me to a deeper place of trust in God.  It is rather difficult to describe, but I have to say that the tests of our faith do in fact produce endurance and confidence that He will bring us through and bring us out!  And in the process He causes our character to be more like His.  I also like that!

A second reason for my happy dancing is that today I am witnessing a long time personal desire and prayer become a reality. Over three years ago I began collecting information, clippings, stories, and photos to begin writing a book about my growing up years in Potosi, a quaint little town about an hour south of St. Louis.  It is so interesting how the desire and drive simply "moved in" and led me through the process of doing something I had never done - write a book!!  Once again, I can only attribute the entire process to God as it has been a completely delightful experience!  I have made numerous trips to Potosi, showing up in my old blue Honda with camera, notebook and pen in hand taking photos, interviewing and talking with townspeople, checking out buildings, schools, tombstones, grave sites, churches, browsing through the library and museum there.  I have met and re-met some wonderful folks and learned so much more about my town - and it's people than I ever might have known!  I could even tell you about a few miracles that have occurred as a result, but that will wait for another writing.  

In the meantime, I will be announcing on Facebook and here when this book will actually be for sale!  I have 4 copies from my dear friend and editor, Christie that I am so excited to have in my hands!!  She took my manuscripts, spent hours upon hours editing and working on creating a "prototype!  It is now complete including photos and a beautiful cover!!  I now have only to make the last editing corrections/changes and add a few other additions.  I am so very grateful for her love and service to do this wonderful thing for me!  It literally brought me to tears!!  Who even does such beautiful things for another??  One who is submitted to the same God who I so often mention here!  It is a selfless thing to sacrifice such time and long-suffering, and it demonstrates the kind of love that the Father has for us, His children!  My heart is bubbling and running over with gratitude to my amazing God and to this dear woman who has so graciously made something very special begin to come to life for me.  I remember at the beginning of this project when I again wondered how "little" me could ever accomplish a task so enormous!  How could I have doubted that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead is not able to strengthen my "mortal body" and bring about a beautiful end to that humble beginning?!!  Faith = trusting in a God we cannot see to do what might seem impossible in our lives!  

Stay tuned for more soon to come information about "Growing Up in Potosi"!  And....thank you to a very dedicated and loving friend, Christie Checket!!  XOXOXOXOX