hope

Enjoying the Journey Like It Is Meant To Be

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This week’s journey has been amusing. I got to spend time with some older women from a Baptist Church. Remember the story of those sisters getting put off the wine train because they were too loud? I met some sisters who make them look like children playing. These sisters were rowdy and fun. They wore beautiful outfits to be photographed in. They sat and shared their lives and testimonies with each other. I appreciate being able to eavesdrop into their world.

One of my favorites was a little woman who had had several bouts with cancer. I had never heard of sinus cancer until this woman began to testify to God’s goodness in her life.  She said it was nothing short of a miracle that she was still alive. Not only did I listen to her testimony but I watched her live her life. She volunteered and lived the life she had fought cancer for. (Sometimes we get so defeated by the battle, we stop living)

It reminded me of the testimony of a man from another Baptist church who told me of his heart transplant and how God kept him going through those trials. At one point, he said he had a pigs heart to keep him alive. Afterwards he was determined to live his life.

It is hard to fight your way through when you don’t have something major coming at you like cancer or heart disease. We tend to discount the little discouragements and disappointments. We like putting a big name to our struggles. But what I learned from these folks is keep on living. Keep moving forward. The life you live is your real testimony.

These people weren’t just living their lives. They were enjoying their lives which was evident by the laughter. When times are hard you have to find a way to enjoy what God has given you. It may not be what you want, but it is what He has given. Live.

Still Celebrating Fifty

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For February, I was going to do a 10K, but snow deleted that. (not mad)

This month’s celebration of 50 years of life was with good friends in Selma, Alabama.  I have the craziest group of friends.  Someone will come up with a stupid idea and four other grown people will “Amen” it. But it does make for the best adventures.

The Bridge

It was a once in a lifetime experience. But getting there, not so much.  And that is life. Our everyday experiences may leave something to be desired, but we should not sacrifice the incredible moments we have the chance to be a part of.  God puts all of these people in our lives and creates beautiful moments.  Don’t miss them because you are focused on the wrong thing. Be where you are and love it.

I know April is going to be off the chain.  God is making 50 the best year yet.

Revelation

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There are those who would steal your dreams and hope. There are those who want nothing more than to see you fail. Sunday, I had a revelation that I shared with my Facebook Friends.

“I have to share this because I know some of you are waiting on the Lord to act in your life.
This morning I was on my way to church and I was singing with the radio. I don’t remember what song it was. But the Lord and I were having a conversation. He told me that sometimes we are waiting because He has to take the teeth out of the serpent that is waiting to bite you. He didn’t say He was gonna stop it, but He said it wasn’t going to harm you. You see He has to show you and the serpent who is in charge.
So whatever you are waiting on, know that God is de-fanging something that was trying to hurt you. Be still and know.”

I am in a time of waiting. It is hard, but God sends hope. You just have to look for it.

You have to learn to appreciate the times of waiting. It reminds me of the last full day of my mom’s life.  She was having a surgical procedure and we were waiting with her for her turn. My mom, my sister and I had some of the best laughter we have ever had together.  This procedure was just one of the tasks of the day. We were in a hurry to get home and get ready for Christmas. We had started talking about Christmas and ended up talking about her childhood. She had us rolling in laughter.

We were a little irritated that the procedure had not started. They originally gave us a 10am start time. Well, 10 am came and went. We were still having a good laugh, but by 12 we were looking for explanations. Closer to 1 they came and got her.

By 5 or 6 we were up in her room, laughing and talking again. We had been joined by my youngest sister and my Mom’s youngest brother and his wife.  For hours we talked and laughter. Sometimes my Mom laughed so hard, it hurt her incision. The final story of the evening was how my little sister tried to run away. We hollered. It was so funny. I could not wait for Mom to get home and hear more.

She never came home. That day of fun was all the fun I would have with her. Sometimes we are so anticipating the coming thing, we miss the moments we are living in. But I serve an awesome God. He knew what was coming. He gave us precious hours I will always remember, but they came in the form of a delay.

If things are not happening the way you want, if there is a delay in your plans, ask God for a revelation. He is taking the sting out of the bite.

4 Days Til Christmas

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Peace.

In the midst of my storm, the Lord has given me peace.  This year He has taught me to be where I am. Whether I am up or down, be there. Often, He has a reason for placing us in the situations we are in. I can’t say I understand, but I trust the one who made it.

Even though my heart and head conflict, being where I am helps me to appreciate the moments in life.  I am appreciating spending time with my family. I have had moments with them I will remember the rest of my life.

Christmas has taken on a new meaning for me. I still love the Christmas story. It will still be my favorite time of the year. This song has been running through my head everyday.

 

11 Days Til Christmas

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I have been fortunate enough this year to have moments of clarity. Moments where the Creator of the universe spoke to me through a situation and I learned something I was able to apply to my everyday life. Here is one from April:

Had a revelation as I was walking out of Target. A mother and her young son, about 3 or 4, were walking toward the door. She said “We are going to Target.” He was crying and yelling “No.” Even though he did not want to go, he was walking right beside her. He was steady crying, but stayed at her side.

Some days that is how my Christian walk is. God is taking me places and like the little kid, I am screaming and crying, but steady walking with Him. He promised He would never leave us or forsake us. He didn’t promise we would like everywhere He took us.

No matter how out of hand that child got at the Target, his mother didn’t leave him there. No matter how crazy my life gets, God doesn’t leave me there.

I am a visual learner, so I like it when He gives me visual lessons. He had drug me through some situations this year, but I could feel him tugging at me. He kept telling me, we are not going to stay here. (Amen!)

So wherever He is leading you, go. He is going with you.

Do We Really Want Justice?

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Over the last several days I have read and listen to a lot of rhetoric about Ferguson. Some of it moved me, some of it didn’t. I am sorry for the Brown family’s loss, but I am also sad for Darren Wilson’s heart. Here’s my take.

People are crying out for justice, but what they really want is vengeance. They want the other side to be punished because they feel that would be the right thing to do. They believe the other side has suffered enough consequences.

I have spent the last couple of months in a bible study looking at the children of Israel as they were suffering under the hands of the Egyptians. Their oppression caught the eye of God. He delivered them, but it cost Israel something.

Israel lost the secure comfort of the only world they had ever known for the unknown. As bad as it had been in Egypt, there were times in the desert they longed to go back.

I believe the folks crying out for justice need to take a look inside themselves. Do you really want justice, cause God is not going to just give justice to some. He will deliver it to all. When God allows sin to reign in a family, it can run to the thousandth generation. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have to look back that far.

Ten percent of my DNA comes from Europe and Asia. Most likely, my ancestors were slave traders. They caravanned from India and Afghanistan into the African continent meeting up with the Europeans and other greedy Africans and sold people into slavery. I am living out the punishment for that hell.

When they was making money and living the good life in this new found industry they had no idea their children’s children would live in poverty in an unknown land as slaves. Do you think they knew their great granddaughters would be raped over and over to produce more workers?

If you think those little sins you do now don’t have broader implications, think again. Knowing my people, all we probably did was hold the camel, while someone else chase the future slaves. We are setting our future generations up for a hellish living situation, and trying to blame someone else for it.

I love the United States of America and the principles it was founded on. I don’t believe that we as a people have carried out these principles well. I believe throughout our history we have had the opportunity to grow and enhance those founding principles as our culture has changed, sometimes we have risen to the occasion. Lately, we have floundered and allowed greed and hatred to be our banner. We won’t win again until we all find that selfless love that this country was built on.

When God reigns down justice on us for our current situation, it won’t just be for Mike Brown and the other African American young men who have been oppressed. He will come in the name of ALL of the oppressed, not just the ones who have been in the news. What about the Latinos and Asians? Have you played a part in their oppression? How is your family and your coworkers? What side of the line will you be on then?

When Justice comes in like a rushing wind, it will probably leave us all just like the children of Israel. We will celebrate the punishment of the oppressor, but be very frightened by the unknowns it will leave. Keep praying for justice. It is coming. You better be ready.