Balancing Sewn Up Parts of Us

Now many people in my life, myself included, have perfect parts and broken or messy parts of them, great habits and sinful habits, good focus on some things and horrible focus on others, amazing gifts in some areas and no giftedness in other areas. And most people look around and want other people’s hood parts and gifts and long for it, ignoring the bad parts entirely. And we are told by God to focus on Him and do our jobs on one hand and rest in Him on the other. So basically, do and focus on the good and forgive or deny credence to the bad stuff. And the whole time, our focus is to be on Jesus. I think surfers have more the right idea than people give them credit for. Catch the wave, bask in the surf, chill out, love everyone. Now they may take it too far and neglect responsibility sometimes maybe but they got the chill out portion of how we should be. We are to be balanced in life but always focusing on Jesus and resting in Him. Contentment is a mandate, a commmission. Yes, so is teaching, witnessing, worship, doing our gifts, baptizing, caring for those in our lives, etc. Yes, that is true. But that is it. The rest is extra. And we are called to peace and contentment in the midst of life and that can only be accomplished by focusing on Jesus.❤

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The Art of Giving Thanks

Today 830 or so of my fellow citizens of our central Florida city stood in line together to receive one or two Thanksgiving dinners for an elderly person (generally widows or widowers) in our town. Our family took a meal to a sweet 96 year old lady who happened to be asleep. Lol But she will enjoy as great meal tomorrow, Lord willing. But that is a wonderful new tradition for us. Serving and giving to others is a great way to articulate a lifestyle of gratefulness. There is little as rewarding as the great feeling that comes from making someone smile. It is a lifestyle, not just a special day, but in light of this special holiday for Thanksgiving, I am thankful to God for life, for my family, for my band family, and for you. Thank you, God!! Have a very happy thanksgiving!!! ❤

Walking Light-ly

Christians are called to be the light because our faith is based on Jesus Christ who is the Light of the World. And where Christians do not live in the light where they are, they are like a flashlight turned off…. no good to anyone and selfish as snot. Being the light is sharing our inner light wherever we go. Living the light turns on the fruit of the Spirit (our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) so everyone can see it. That way those in darkness (without the Holy Spirit) can snoteeee another better life option that heals and restores and makes everything better in every way. Live the light today. ❤

My Quilt’s Journey

I hand sew. I have tried to use a machine but to me, it lacks flavor, meaning, passion. I want to place each stich carefully where I want it to go. I want it customized and full of love and meaning. Every inch of fabric and thread, I want to touch and be a part of positioning and stitching exactly where it should be. And that meaningful intention produces a quilt with a purpose, a journey to its home, a story, a love thing. I make quilts and any of my art with the exact same passion and drive I live my life. I want it to be purposeful, time consuming on purpose, tell a story, be a visual representation of what God made. I want to exude love, scream out that this was on purpose. I took my time and valued it. That, my friend, is exquisitely beautiful. 

The Joy of Worship

Worship is not an experience at church, it is a daily, no hourly acknowledgement that God is great and we are small, that He is worthy of honor and respect and we are less worthy. This humbleness of spirit is very difficult for so many people. It is simple, a bowing of the knee of the created in the constant presence of the Creator. It is very difficult for so many because our culture and backwards media glorifies the ego, elevates self, does not acknowledge the Creator, boosts our pride. Our pride does not help us because it is most people’s greatest struggle/weakness. It takes great strength to dismiss our own greatness and power as subservient to a God who is infinitely greater. It takes great faith to yield control and power to God and acknowledge He is and knows best. Once that difficult task has been mastered, that bending or even yielding of will, worship is left. “May God’s will be done. Everything is His and for Him, including me.”This is the attitude, the goal and focus of worship. It is continuous and permanent. It is a lifestyle. Everything else branches off it. It is the core and strengthens everything else. Worship, this humbling us and acknowledging God, is extremely powerful! And it has benefits: peace, joy, richness of life, proper perspective, fruits of the Spirit coming easily, beauty of soul. It is worth every effort you make !

The Talk of Fools

I used to talk way too much. Some say I still do, others that I should say more. I would argue that I talk very little, considering how much goes on in my head and I write way more than I talk. And the more challenges I go through, the more I write and the less I talk. But the talk of fools (I do not consider myself one most of the time but of course we all suffer from foolishness sometimes) is simultaneously comical and sad. It entails speaking at length and adamantly about that which you know little of. Besides the obvious political targets, I include in this category those who have judgmental and hypocritical attitides. And the judgmental and hypocritical ones are everywhere, inside and outside the church and politics and schools and media and everywhere. They seem ubiquitous. And often those who accuse others of judging or being a hypocrite are the most guilty themselves.  So, I thank these fine foolish talkers for their comic relief but I also ache and am sad for the danger of leading people astray. God says He really hates that. So please try to do the research and know of which you speak before you do speak. Thank you ahead of time. 🙂

Goodbye to Facebook

I have been on Facebook for years, sometimes actively and sometimes scarcely. Now, I am deleting my accounts. The reason is private but I will tell you that part of it is a focus on family time and part of it is our security. Twitter is fairly safe so I will conti n ue on Twitter. However, more and more eyes and hackers are on Facebook than ever before and this world is less and less interested in the morality. So to be on the safe side and have fewer distractions for my kids and family and bands, I am deleting my Facebook account and focusing on family. All may contact me on my cell or on Twitter and I will continue my blog here, but Facebook will no longer be part of the mix. I hope you all understand. I will miss the encouragement and pictures and laughs most and definitely the interaction with those I love as well as that tolerate me. Keep my n umber and call or text anytime. I love you all dearly. May God bless you and your families!! 🙂 ❤