Pride and Yucky Fish

James 4:10  "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Oh, Lord, that my pride would die!
Last night it reared its ugly head and it resulted in throwing dinner away.  However; in Your loving kindness, You may have saved us from sickness through it all.
My husband and I bought some Haddock so we could have an old fashioned NY Fish Fry.  I told him I'd cook it the old way in cracker crumbs like we used to.
Well...

• The cracker crumbs I thought I had were cornflake crumbs so I just dredged the fillets in flour in which I had added, I think now, too much onion powder.  I could have made a batter, but didn't.
• When I was placing the first fillet in the oil, my dear husband said, "If the oil is not boiling hot, the fish will just soak up the oil."  
• Here is my sin!  Immediately I thought to myself, "How many years have I been cooking fish for this man and NOW HE is telling me how to cook?"
• I had yet to test the oil temp, but went into the house, got the thermometer and it read that the oil was hot enough, so in my mind I thought, "There! I was right!"
• After cooking it until It should have been done, I placed it on the table and we started to eat it.  the inside was mushy and looked like it was not done all the way.
• I took it back out and placed it back into the still hot oil and cooked it for 2 minutes more.
• It was still mushy and had a weird flavor and we still could not eat it, so just threw it away.

My pride, my failure, my humiliation.  My husband did not feel like eating after that and I ate a bowl of cereal that tasted to me like rotten fish...YUCK!  My stomach was upset for most of the evening.  I think there was something wrong with the fish in the first place and even though my pride was a BIG problem, Lord, You preserved both of us from major sickness.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy.

Thank You, Lord, that my wonderful husband did not rail on my for having to waste such an expense, but loved me unconditionally and forgave me when I confessed. 
Lesson learned, sin forgiven, freedom regained! Thank You, Lord, and hubby!  I love you both!

Ultimate Royalty On Call

John 14:10-14 "10 "Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. 12 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!"
Matthew 27:50-51 "50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,"
 John 1:1-4  "1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone."
 Isa 54:5  5 For your Creator will be your husband; the LORD of Heaven's Armies is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.  
Isaiah 9:6-7 "6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!"
Rom 8:35, 38-39  "35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ... 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hebrews 4:16  "16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
 
King Jesus!  King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Prince of Peace! Creator and Sustainer of the Universe!  Redeemer!  Lord of Heaven's Armies!  Holy One of Israel!

I adore You, Lord, but stand amazed in Your presence.  The realization that I, a mere mortal woman, can come boldly in Your presence and actually TALK with You and ask You anything blows me totally away! 

If I wanted to speak with any of the rulers of any country, state, city, town, or even a business (unless it was tiny), I would have to go through myriad of aids, assistants, secretaries, and  body guards.
I cannot even call my doctor and speak directly to him, but have to go through his nurses!
A perfect example of this happened this week to my husband.  He called the phone tree of the pharmacy to have some medications refilled.  Even there they ask if he wanted the pharmacy to fax his doctor's office for a new Rx because the refills had expired. When he went to pick up the medications one was missing.  The pharmacist told him he would have to call his and speak with his doctor.  He told her he could not speak with the doctor directly, and if he did, they would tell him to ask the pharmacy to get his request faxed from them.

But YOU, O Lord, are always accessible to me!  Day or night, in every tiny situation, I can call on You and You will answer as nothing can separate me from Your love, grace, and mercy because of our relationship bought and paid for with Your blood on my behalf.  Lord, I realize that if I am being rebellious and ask for things that go against Your Word, I dare not expect You to be like a vending machine or an indulgent grandfather and give me what I demand. But if that is not the case, I can ask for the things You have told me I can not only for myself, but also for others: wisdom, strength, help, protection, healing, patience, perseverance, provision of true needs, guidance, discernment, peace, grace, and mercy.  The Psalms are replete with  such things.

Because You tell me I can, I boldy ask that the missionaries who have stayed behind to minister to the very ones who have beheaded their children be given a great harvest of souls among those people as You did to the Auca in Jim Elliott's time so there labor is not in vain.  Bring many into the fold, O Lord!  In my country, Lord, bring revival into Your church.  Convict the pastors and others that speak lies and liberalism accepting into their churches blatant sin considering it normal, and into our land, so that false religions and cults cannot get a foothold and deceive many.  Our sin is great in this country, Lord, and You have every right to destroy it like you did in the time of Noah and Sodom; but I ask for mercy and forgiveness.  Give us wise leaders who love You and will follow Your commands, and we will give You praise!

Here In Your Presence 

8 Loves, 6 Ifs, 11 Remains, and 5 Commands

[Jhn 14:12-15 NIV] 12 "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 15 "If you love me, keep my commands. [Jhn 15:1-14 NIV] 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command."

Dearest, Lord,

Oh what You teach me!  How much do I really love You?  Here You say "If you love me, keep my commands."  Then you tell me to remain (abide in  KJV) in You and You will remain in me.
People and friends come into and out of our lives, some like revolving doors and few remain.  Even my children, although we love from a distance since they are out of the house and have spouses and children of their own have not remained always with me.  However; my husband remains here with me since our marriage, and I am blessed by that.

You have given us free will just like You have.  That's why the "if"s are here.  I cannot remain in Your love unless I keep Your commands.  I know, Lord, that I cannot lose my salvation and am secure. However, Your power and strength to do what You command lessens if I do not remain.  My daughter-in-law once told me she saw remaining (abiding) in these verses seemed to her to be like blood running through our veins and arteries.

You tell me that means I am to love one another as You have loved me.  I cannot be choosey as to whom I love or how much I choose to love them.  This is hard, Lord, because some of the people You ask me to love are like porcupines.  If you try to get close, you get hurt, and then have to give grace, just as You gave to me when I was one.  Oh Lord, I am sorry I didn't see Your love for so long.  Thank You for Your grace!

Being a farmer's daughter and gardener myself, I understand the "remain" analogy You give here.  You are my life's blood.  If I do not remain  daily in Your word and in communication with You, I start to wilt just like a branch or leaf would if the connection was broken.  How can I ask anything of You if I have broken that bond by not obeying Your commands?  I think because I know I am secure in my salvation and You forgive my sins and give grace and mercy, I will at times presume on those things and disobey.  Oh, Lord, forgive me!  Help me to Love You more so I can love others better and more consistently for Your glory.

The World Will Hate Us

John 15:17-16:4
 17 This is my command: Love each other. 18 "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? 'A slave is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn't done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: 'They hated me without cause.' 26 "But I will send you the Advocate--the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.   1 "I have told you these things so that you won't abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4 Yes, I'm telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn't tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer." (NLT)

Oh, Lord,
The world is no different than it was when You spoke this to the disciples.  In the Middle East right now Christians are being martyred for their faith, and it could start here in the USA and in Europe.  The Enemy is beheading children who will not denounce You, in front of their parents, and they are sending these precious ones into Heaven.  The Christian relief workers who are bringing aid and Your Gospel to the region are the parents of these children.  However; they are followers, not fans.  These parents have prepared their children for martyrdom and are remaining with these same people to minister to them and face torture and martyrdom themselves for the furtherance of Your Kingdom and out of Your love for these poor deceived people.

Lord, I must confess that it is hard to hate the sin, but not the sinner in this situation, and I need Your help to do so.

The perpetrators of these atrocities think they are winning the approval of their god, and they are.  However; they are blind to the fact that their god is Satan himself.  He may go by another name, but it is him; and because he is the Father of Lies, he has led them to believe they will be rewarded for what they have done with worldly pleasures and other rewards.  How very sad that their reward, if they do not repent, will be an eternity paying for their sins in hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [Mat 13:49-50 NIV] 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
 [Luk 9:25 NLT]  "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?"

Lord, help me to be like those missionaries and remember:
[Jhn 3:16-21 NLT] 16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."

Help me to pray for salvation for those in darkness, and to prepare myself and my family as these dear folks did so if the time comes to us, we will be faithful and not try to save our lives by denouncing You, who is our Savior and Lord!

To Whom and to What Am I a Slave?

Romans 6: 16, 18
"Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.  Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living."

Lord,
in our country, the idea of being a slave is very distasteful.  Freedom!  That's what America is all about!  We do not have slavery anymore.  We pride ourselves as being"The land of the free and the home of the brave."  We abhor the human trafficking that takes place in other countries, and is starting again here with sex slaves.
However; every moment of every day, we Christians make ourselves slaves to something: technology, TV series, movies, celebrities, music,sports, hobbies, work, fitness, food, even slaves to "works" instead of ministry for You. We even become slaves to SELF"!
In the Old Testament, people would sell themselves into slavery to pay off a debt they could not pay and would work for seven years.  Then, if the Master was gracious, one might make of themselves a bond-slave for life.
Precious Lord, You paid my ransom with Your precious blood to give me freedom!  I want to be a slave of Yours for righteous living.  Keep me from ever going back to what I was before.

Jewelry and God's Amazing Grace

Matthew 13:44-46

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.  “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.  When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"
Luke 15:24
"for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began."
15:32
"We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'”

Sweet Lord, now I know without a doubt You are trying to teach me something profound and wonderful.  this past year, I lost my wedding ring for five months and looked everywhere for it to no avail.  Lord, it was just a piece of metal, but it resembled the covenant my husband and I had made at the altar.  I still had him, so I was fine.
Months later, You had him go to a place in the yard by our house to show him You had one of Your ministering angels place my ring there.  I know that because there was no other reason for it to be where he found it and in the condition it was in.

Yesterday,I wore the pearl necklace that our son Jeff had placed in a setting for me while they lived in HI.  Elissa was very young, but had picked out the pearl, so it had sentimental value, but I doubt that it has great value otherwise.
About mid morning, I realized that the pearl and the setting was gone from the chain on my neck.  I thought it may have fallen off here at home while I was finishing dressing.  If not, I had no idea where it would have been because I had done errands before coming to work.  I was very sad.  Later that morning, I told a co-worker who had asked about why my countenance was downcast.  She lit up and said that she had seen something earlier.  She went to the sink in our office and on the floor was the setting, and the pearl was by the wastebasket!  Thank You, Lord!  I should have remembered about how You gave me back the ring, but sadly, I didn't until the pearl was found.

Both things were lost but now were found.  However; like my wedding ring, after close inspection, there was no breech in the gold loop that held the setting.  I put the setting through the chain, brought the loop's closure and the chain to the same place and pulled as hard as I dared to try to get the chain through the loop, but could not.  Only You know how that pearl came off the chain, Lord, so I started asking myself why.

You started bringing these scriptures to mind.  The human soul is far more precious than anything else on earth.  You went to great lengths, giving Your Holy life blood to have me found!  Your grace is amazing!  How much more now must I share You with others so they may be "found" as well.  When a soul comes to Christ, there is a celebration in Heaven.

God's Positive Instructions For Living Without Wickedness

Romans 6:13a
"Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness"

Oh, Lord,
You have been very clear in Your word as to the evil we can do with our "members" (KJV).  Today, help me find the good things I can do with them,

Mind:  Philippians 4:8 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
1 Timothy4:14  "Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress."

Heart: 
Ephesians 5:15 "Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do."
Ephesians 4:31-32 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."

Eyes:
1 Timothy 4:15 "Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you."
Psalm 17:8 "Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.Hide me in the shadow of your wings."  Psalm 119:18-19 "Open my eyes to see  the wonderful truths in your instructions.  Turn my eyes from worthless things,  and give me life through your word."
Psalm 123:1 "I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven."

Mouth: 
Ephesians 4:29  "Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." 
 5:18b-20 "Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Timothy 4:12  "Be an example to all believers in what you say,"

Fingers:
1 Thessalonians 4:11: "You should mind your own business and work with your hands,"
Proverbs 31:19 "Her hands are busy spinning thread,  her fingers twisting fiber."

Arms:
 Proverbs 31: 20  "She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy."

Legs:
 Psalm 18:36 "You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping."

Feet:
 Isaiah 52:7  "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!"

Privates: 
1 Timothy 4:12  "Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."
Hebrews 13:4  "Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled."  

 Lord there a myriad of verses that speak of keeping myself pure, only for my husband and since the church is Your bride, I want to keep myself pure for You too!  Anything else would be idolatry and adultery as the worship would be for me or the evil one.
Thanks You Most Holy Lord, for giving instruction in not only the "Do Not"s, but also the "Do"s.

Does Sin Reign as I Walk Hand in Hand With Jesus?

Romans 6:12
"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires."

Lord, I always have a choice: "To sin or not to sin...that is the question."  William Shakespeare did not invent his, "To be or not to be...that is the question."  because it is here!    You lovingly have given us free will as part of Your image in which we are made.  You could have made us like the animals, but You did not.  However; since Adam and Eve used that free will to bring sin into the world, our spirits have been at war with each other.

In "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young this morning, part of what she wrote was,:"Give your mind a rest from its habitual judging.  When you become preoccupied with passing judgment, you usurp My role.  The intimacy I offer you is not an invitation for you to act as though you are My equal.  Worship Me as King of kings while walking hand in hand with Me..."

As I have grown in You and in age, some of the sins of the flesh have fallen by the wayside.  However; the tongue and mind are still very active.  Lord, I have enough to do in my day that requires me to think and speak. Please keep me from taking on Your job of judgement!  You and You alone are the righteous judge.  My judgements without Your wisdom giving me discernment are poor at best.

This morning I worship You as the Almighty God!  In my world, if a past worthy president or the King or Queen of England had invited me to walk hand in hand with them, there would have been no question that I was the "subject" and they were the ruler.  I would not ever think of taking on their jobs or responsibilities.  So why in the world would I try to do that with YOU?
Lord, it is only by Your grace and mercy that I live and move and have my being and CAN walk with You at all!  Please forgive me and keep me from the sin of usurping Your Role in my life and the world around me.

We Will Also Live With Him!

Romans 6: 8-11

"

And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.

  We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.  So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus" NLT

Oh, Lord,

How could I have live all these years walking with You and not REALLY have understood this?  What difference does this make in my life?
With work, family, church ministries, etc. You can get lost in the shuffle.  I need to remember that I am living in ETERNAL LIFE now; in every moment in every day.  When I trusted You as Savior and Lord, You made me a NEW CREATURE!  I guess because my body didn't take on a glorified state and my residence here on earth did not change, it is harder to remember that.  However; as You have told me over and over; I cannot live my life believing my feelings as they can deceive me, but have to constantly remember the TRUTH of Your Word.
Sweet Savior; please help me to remember this daily, to live it daily, and to share it without excuse.  I live with YOU.
This world is not my home anymore as I am a citizen of Heaven.  I long to be Home, Lord, come quickly and take all you kids home so we can all be together in eternity forever!

Revelation Song

My Death and Resurrection

Romans 6:1-7
"Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?  Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?  Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?  For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.  Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.  We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin." NLT

Lord, I have read this passage many times, but today I had an epiphany: DEAD PEOPLE CAN'T SIN!  That's why you told the disciples, and now me, what is in Matthew 16:24 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways (deny yourself), take up your cross, and follow me."
In "Not a Fan", Kyle Idleman said he had spray painted on his wall in the closet where he prays, "I DIE DAILY" but said, "Unfortunately I don't".

Lord, I can never excuse my sin!  I can never say, "I'm just human."  Unfortunately, for me, the outward sins are not as visible as they once were, You know...the "List" most know.  But the other "Lists" in Colossians and Ephesians, and the "Love one another as I HAVE LOVED YOU"list, are still an issue for me.  If I truly die daily, that will change too.

Sweet Lord,
I long to be in Heaven without this sin nature, but You tell me here that I have no excuse if I choose to sin...none at all because DEAD PEOPLE CAN'T SIN!
I Won't Go Back

Romans Right or Wicked

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.  This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”  But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.  They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them." NLT

Sweet Savior and Lord,
There is so much chatter today in our world as to what truth is.  Before You saved me, I struggled with knowing what was the truth and what was someone's opinion or theory.  I remember having a hunger for someone to tell me the truth.  All that time, Lord, I had a Bible, and had been brought up in church so You had made it plain to me too, but because my heart was more wrapped up in me instead of You, I missed it.
There were false teachers then in Paul's time and there are false teachers today too who suppress the truth, and here You warn in a very understandable way that You will show them Your anger.
Lord, keep me from falsehood in all ways.  Give me discernment to know truth from lie as I hear other preachers, read another man's work.  Remind me to always check what I hear or start to say against Your Word...the ONLY truth.

Luke Warm and Distracted or a Red Hot Follower?

Romans 7:1
"Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

Lord,
It is easy to get distracted from doing something You have called us to do for others, for you, or even for ourselves.  I see that the last time I posted anything on this blog You called me to write, was the first week in May!

A lot has happened in my life since then and there have been good things and some not so pleasant things, but You have been with me all along in every circumstance.  I have written in my personal journal, but not here for my family legacy...I have gotten lukewarm and have allowed circumstances to waylay me.
We have just finished the study "Not a Fan", by Kyle Idleman in our ABF (Sunday School) and it has really affected me.  Lord, I don't want to be just a fan of yours, I know You personally and desire more than anything for my family to know You and to walk closely with you too.  You encourage me every day in Your Word and teach me so much that You have asked me to share.

The things that contaminate can be:
Good things...but distractions from the most important thing. 
They can be the urgent things...but distractions from the most important thing.
They can be fun things that are not in themselves evil...but distractions from the most important thing.

Lord, keep  me focused on the MOST IMPORTANT thing!