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kaitkris2005
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Name: Mimi
Interests: Faith, family, friends, church, nature, singing, playing piano, working out, laughing, collecting and listening to CDs, digital photography, internet and computer (Macintosh), email...so many fun things in this life!
Expertise: Talking a lot, airhead impersonating, baking
Occupation: Administrative Assistant
Industry: Ministry
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
4/28/2005
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| Think, think More food for thought from my peabrain today:
Remember that problems are not unique to you. You're not the only one who is suffering or has suffered this current trial or hurt in your life.
The time for whining and always wishing for something different or better in the future is done. Live right now and be thankful. (I'm talking to myself. If it helps you, too, then get to it.)
When we sign up to follow God, we're signing up for troubles...since that's what makes us grow closer to Him. We often don't think of it that way and then act surprised when hard times keep coming throughout life. Maybe the Church needs to do a better job explaining what it means to follow Jesus.
Isn't it interesting that hard times and troubles are what God uses to shape us, to keep us close, to make us grow? I wonder why? However, there is a bittersweet beautiful result to persevering with Him through the troubles. It brings peace, maturity, perspective, insight, compassion for others in similar plights, and a little more of God's light in us.
It seems most beautiful or valuable things are purified, tested, put through fire, pounded, chiseled, pruned, and/or tested. I guess that should make us feel special when we endure testing, right?
Nourishing morsels from my sweet Grandma Flynt and God's Word:
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 Notice it says "daily". Grandma reminded me that she's still learning. Just because we've learned a lesson once doesn't mean we can say "been there, done that". It's bound to come around again - so don't feel badly when it does.
"Do your best, then leave the rest (to God)." - Grandma
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 Then Grandma added, so to sum this up "Grow up, get over it and move on!"
I love her. I love my heavenly Papa. | | |
| I had some good advice and reminders given to me today by various people:
"This may not be the life you always wanted, but it is the life you have. Accept it and make the most of it. It's what God has given you."
"Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you." In other words, God first and everything else will fall into place one way or another.
Good food for thought. I've had so much food for thought the last few days my brain is tired. I think I'll go to bed. Good night! | | |
| The thicker holder-upper? Do you remember that paper towel commercial in which you see a lady holding a paper towel stretched taut between her hands? Someone pours some water on the middle of it, then sets a heavy object in the middle. The towel rips and the object falls through. Then the same scene starts over, this time with a better paper towel, one that can withstand getting wet and still hold together. Impressive! It holds the object up even when it's wet!
Today I felt like the first paper towel. Anxiety over seemingly long overdue answers to prayer, uncertainties about the immediate future, and a piled up to-do list had me feeling soggy. Always one to be completely honest, but then feeling guilty about it, I ended up venting to a good friend of mine over email. In a few hours this friend replied with words that went straight to my heart. As I read his encouragement, his faith-filled reminders, his quoting of God's Word, the uneasiness inside faded and some peace took its place. His faith and confidence in God seemed to bring my faith bobbing back up to the surface after being pushed down.
It reminded me how much we need each other in God's family. We need to reach out with one hand and hold tightly to God's hand, and with the other reach out to our brothers and sisters and hold onto each other. Could it be that when we do that all our little paper towel hearts pile up and become an impenetrable force of faith that Satan can't rip apart or destroy? Let him pour challenges and troubles on us. Linked with our heavenly Father and each other, we'll hold up and hold together.
God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we're awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we're alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I Thessalonians 5:9-11 The Message
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| More broken than fixedThat's what a friend of mine said of his life today. "I'm not a 'good' person, I'm more broken than fixed." Doesn't that describe us all? Which of us doesn't have glaring flaws and mistakes marring the not so gleaming surface of our lives? I read an article about Gov. Palin today, the woman John McCain has picked to be his running mate and possibly the first-ever woman who serves as vice-president of our country. She and her husband made the tough but inspiring choice last year to go through with a pregnancy when the baby was confirmed to have Down's syndrome. They were advised to abort but refused. It would be their fifth child. She had the baby and they welcomed him into their family with open arms. The picture is not perfect but certainly loving and I know God is definitely pleased with their choice. Now it's been announced that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. Some people might gasp and think it tarnishes her character or the image she has in the election. I think the response she and her husband have made shows their true character and will actually steel her image in the eyes of American people. She said, "We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter, Bristol, came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.
"Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family." Everyone faces challenges, finds some fears realized, deals with disappointments: famous people, beautiful  people, rich people, people in leadership...everyone. It encourages me to see the "humanness" of a potential leader who doesn't try to hide not-so-perfect stuff in her life and who responds graciously to things dealt to her and her family. I once heard a story of a gardener who would fill two clay pots with water, carry them out to the flowerbeds, water them, then walk back and repeat the task. A passerby watched him one day and called over, "Don't you know those pots have cracks in them? The water is leaking out as you walk." The gardener pointed to the path where he walked each day, to beautiful wild flowers along that path that had sprung up because of their "accidental" watering from the cracked pots. Why do we think perfect or undamaged is necessarily better? God promised he would dwell in us....just as we are. Day by day he fixes us, uses us for his purposes, and holds us together. So I would say to my friend "In God's eyes you're good. Because of Jesus' sacrifice for you, which you've accepted, you're fixed." Going through the motions doesn't please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don't for a moment escape God's notice. Psalm 51:16-17 The Message | | |
| Is it time to go up yet?Sometimes it seems my path is going down a lot...is it time to go up now, God? My Grandma Shultz sent me a quote from a program she heard on TV: "When you're down to nothing, God is up to something." I know it sounds a little like something you'd read on a plaque or greeting card, but it encouraged me. I found out today that one of my church friends is going to have to move away because of her husband's job. This friend has been such a blessing to me, such an encouragement. She regularly hugs me and says in my ear, "I'm so glad you're here. Hang in there. Love you." With folks that have left our church for one reason or another over the past year, and then friends like this that have to leave, I feel like yelling "Enough leaving already!" Let's start going up again, Papa. It's getting dark down here and I can't see where I'm going!
It does make me hold tighter to His hand. The downward path keeps me close to his side.
In Hebrews 12 it says there is a great cloud of witnesses watching as we run this race of faith. These witnesses are people who faithfully stayed on God's path. It says to remember them, and to remember Jesus and his perseverance when times get rough so we won't lose heart and give up.
I think of Paul & Silas sitting in prison, a pretty low dip in their path I'm sure. Instead of moping as I'm prone to do these days, they sang praise! When they did, their path started heading upward really fast. I think of Paul and his constant pursuance of Jesus and his calling in the face of trial after trial. "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain," he said. I think of Jesus, God in the flesh, dealing with human nature and disbelief among his closest friends up until the very end, following through and surrendering to God's will...for our eternal benefit.
In times when I feel down, especially about church stuff, I miss my friends Harlem and Toni. Whenever I visit with them, I leave feeling God Himself has been in our midst. Such joy and enthusiasm! I miss my Grandma Neal. She was another joyful presence in my life. She is one of those witnesses (now in heaven) who points me back to God, to the joy of knowing Jesus, to the greater purpose we have.
I wish we would talk more about that in church when we see each other, rather than just stuff or worse, wishing the way things were done was different to suit us more. Let's talk about what God is doing in your life this week. Tell me some answered prayer. What miracle, little or big, did you see Him do this week? I want to hear! What does He mean to you? What ways is He showing you His love? These conversations would fill our hearts with faith, encouragement, hope, and joy. The downward paths aren't gloomy if we keep our hearts focused on these types of things as we walk together.
Thank you, Papa, for turning my face back to you again this morning. Thank you for your nearness. Thank you for listening to me and letting me vent or cry to You. Thank you for my family and church family. Thank you for what you're up to, even if it seems all I can see right now is down, down, down. I trust You.
"Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God's throne! So keep your mind on Jesus...Then you won't get discouraged and give up." Hebrews 12:1-3 CEV
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