Friendships

Are you blessed with friends? The kind that "sticks closer than a brother?"

I know Solomon says there is nothing new under the sun. I'm sure my experiences are similar to those of others. I have been blessed with some really special friends. Some of them I don't see that often, but when we are together we just pick right back up where we left off without missing a beat. I love that~!

My friends have came through on numerous occasions when I needed them. They "rescued" me so to speak. Sometimes they rescue me when I don't even realize I need rescuing. Some of my friends can rebuke me and I accept that because I know they love me and are wanting to help and not injure. Some of my friends encourage me with emails and phone calls. Some love my children and accept them as their own. Some have given of themselves and of their possessions in ways that humble me and show me the love of God.

Sadly there are some who for reasons left unsaid have decided we aren't to be "friends" any longer. We have a cordial relationship but that's about as far as it goes. Others are no longer a part of our lives; their choice, not ours. It broke my heart for a while but I have come to accept it now. Maybe these fall into the "seasons of lives" category (Ecclesiastes 3:1 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.") Friends will hurt us and let us down at times. We will hurt them also. We are all human and imperfect. But Jesus will never leave or forsake us. We can always depend on Him.

I thank God for my friends who are willing to work on our relationship. When there is a problem we can talk about it and maybe even agree to disagree, but we still love each other.Ecclesiastes 4:10 states, "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"

What brought this about? A verse on a CD for a special friend. I love you~!

Back to Normal

I started to post last night at midnight and call it Twelve O'clock High. You see, my life is back to normal now. Our kids got home yesterday from their almost week long youth trip. It is so good to have them back where they belong~! But with them came tons of laundry. I was still doing laundry at midnight. My faithful washer and dryer had been running nonstop for over 9 hours. I had baskets and piles of sorted clothes all throughout the kitchen and laundry room. If you went out the door you had to maneuver through the baskets and piles. I still have several loads to do today. Now I remember why I wash clothes every day.

I probably would have been wiser just to load it all up and go to the laundromat. I just can't do that though; that brings back memories I don't like to recall. I am so thankful for my washer and dryer. In fact, when they have to be replaced I already have the ones picked out that I hope to buy. Now I don't know if I'll get them, but one can hope. Maybe the prices will have gone down by then. Do you notice how optimistic I am today?

I also cooked a special dinner for everyone and had even ran the dishwasher twice before bedtime. Things really are back to normal~!

Get off my plane~!

I couldn't get to sleep last night so finally around 2:30 this morning I just got up. Not much is on TV at that hour; at least not that I wanted to watch. I finally found "Air Force One" with Harrison Ford. It has been ages since I've seen that movie so I decided to watch. It was on one of those channels that have more commercials that movie and bad ones at that. I wish we had it on DVD and I could of just popped it in and avoided all the extras. After that I was finally able to sleep so I went back to bed and slept in until around 10:00 this morning.

After I had been up a while I started thinking about the movie. There was one part that particularly impressed me. Harrison Ford is the president of the U.S. and hijackers have taken them all hostage on Air Force One, including his wife and daughter. Near the end of the show the cargo door of the plane is open and he is fighting with one of the hijackers. After a mighty struggle he pushes the bad guy out the door while declaring,"Get off my plane!"

He acted as a man with authority; after all it was his plane, he was the president of the United States~! They weren't just idle words and he said them with force and authority because he could.

Authority is important. Jesus has authority. Even the people back then realized it, even though they may not have recognized him as the Son of God. Luke 4:32 says, "They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority."

Romans 13:1 says this: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

1 Timothy 2:1-4 "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

Rainy Days and Thursdays

I think we are in the middle of a summer monsoon here. Last summer we were in the middle of a drought and water rationing. At least I've only had to water my impatients a couple of times this year. I need to borrow some one's camera and get a picture of them. They are gorgeous if I do say so myself. My kids tease me about how I always kill indoor plants so it's a real big deal to me to actually grow something and have it live.

I was in a store shopping this afternoon and when I started to leave it was POURING. I mean the flash flood kind of pouring. Of course my umbrella was out in the van. It didn't appear to be lightning so I thought of the woman Bethany spun a tale about in her blog. I decided I'd enjoy the moment even if it did mean getting drenched. And saturated I got as I slowly wandered to my car; there was absolutely no need to hurry as it wouldn't of made a bit of difference. By the time I got my bags unloaded it had slowed down and the sun was beginning to peek through the clouds. I'm sure I resembled a drowned something or other as my hair was dripping while I tried to find a few napkins to wipe my glasses so I could see to drive home.

So here I am no worse for the wear and wondering if I enjoyed it as much as I could have. Who knows, I may get another chance to try it again. We have a pretty good chance of rain for the next ten days. If only it were Monday I could try to sing "Rainy Days and Mondays." But since I'm not "down" maybe I should sing something else.

Can you hear me now?

Check out http://www.komando.com/

Kim has some wonderful tips on computers. I subscribe to several of her newsletters also. Today on her "cool site" she was talking about cell phones. She made a statement that started me thinking...........

"Cell phones are, of course, both a curse and a blessing. They are priceless in the event of an emergency. And they keep us connected wherever we go. On the downside, they keep us connected wherever we go!"

My cell phone hardly ever rings unless I am out shopping and one of our kids calls me about something. However it has rang several times at church or in meetings when I forgot to put it on vibrate. Those times were usually embarrassing because I hate creating a disturbance. None of those times were an emergency.

"Can you hear me now?" is a line from a commercial we've probably all seen on TV. I was thinking about my relationship with Jesus and how it in no way mirrors the things I've just written. There is never a downside to being connected with Him. We are always connected to Him and the signal (Holy Spirit) never fades. He always hears us. We don't have to pay a monthly connection fee as his death on the cross paid it all.

I'd rather have Jesus than riches untold.

Choices

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24
The Message says it this way:
This is the very day God acted - let's celebrate and be festive!

Our three youngest kids have been gone since Sunday afternoon. They are on a youth group trip and the house is sure quiet. It's amazing how fewer loads of dishes and laundry I've done this week~! I miss having them around, but the quiet is kinda nice also. You don't get many opportunities to be "home alone" in our household. So today I have spent the morning with the dog. It seems he has eaten something he shouldn't and he has been sick off and on since early Saturday morning. Pets are awesome, but they sure are a lot of trouble and expense at times. After the vet I spent the rest of the morning cleaning carpets.

This afternoon I have been cleaning, doing laundry, ironing, and listening to my play list on iTunes. I am listening to everything from Smokey Robinson's "Tears of a Clown" to The Partridge Family's "I Think I Love You." Hall and Oates (You Make My Dreams Come True), Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman," CCR's "Who'll Stop the Rain," the BeeGees, Jennifer Knapp, Three Dog Night, the Righteous Brother's "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," Third Day, The Eagles, Kutless, and even The Monkees' "Daydream Believer." And I can't forget Otis Redding's "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay." I am being festive and enjoying the day while doing my work.

I think it's so awesome that I can enjoy God's presence while doing the things I need to do. God can speak to me in whatever music I choose to listen to. I have a wide range of songs, but I believe God has much imagination and likes so many different things. Look at creation, a sunset, people.......we are all so different yet made in His image.

Like the song I'm listening to now says,
Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your glorious name.
You give and take away, you give and take away,
My heart will choose to say, blessed be your name.

Amazing Grace

I can't get away from grace; not that I want to. God's grace is everywhere. He is so amazing and so loving. Grace makes me love Him more; the thought of grace makes me want to please Him. I have had an amazing time of worship just reading Bethany's blog. God speaks to me in so many different ways.

You can read her post by clicking on http://pinktealetters.blogspot.com/
The part that spoke to me are these lyrics:

I want to hide in You
The Way, the Life, the Truth
So I can disappear
And love is all there is to see
Coming out of me
And You become clear
As I disappear
I don't want to care about earthly things
Be caught up in all the lies that trick my eyes
They say it's all about me
I'm so tired of it being about me

God started speaking to me months ago through my friend, Connie. She kept saying the words it's not about me. My first thought was, "Of course, it's not." Isn't that the Christian thing to say? However God is bringing me away from my head thoughts and making it a heart thing. I begin to realize how much I wanted it to be about me. I came to see that most often I am my own worst enemy. I need to be free; usually from my own thoughts and imaginations. I need Jesus. I need to be centered, my life revolving around Him.

Grace is like worship in that it is a HUGE thing~! I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of it and I wouldn't be able to breathe if God shows me too much at once. I love you, Lord.