It is my firm opinion that we live in a world gone mad. Every day seems to bring worse news than the last. Good is now called evil, and evil is now called good. (see Isaiah 5:20 for that warning) Being bombarded all the time is enough to make anyone sit up and scream "STOP!!!" It truly is maddening.
I was telling my kids today that "in the old days" when I was growing up, we had about twelve television channels to watch, (if that?) and the way we got our news (besides tv) was the newspaper, delivered each morning and evening. I told them we were not bombarded with news and facts 24 hours a day wherever you looked. There were no cell phones, call waiting, 'smart' phones, internet, nor even computers at home, no big screens, remotes for the t.v., cds, nor any dvd and vhs players. Then they asked me "and did you ride a dinosaur to school then?".
But it's true, and sometimes I just need a break from it all. I have gone on computer fasts, news fasts, television fasts and/or just computer news sites. It's very refreshing, to say the least, and when I do turn back on the tv or the internet, it's only with a sort of sadness and resignation that it didn't last long enough.
It's not too convenient to stay off line for very long, for bills need to be paid, banking needs to be kept up with, and shopping on the internet is very convenient, especially during Christmas time. Not to mention research-it's my favorite way to use the internet. You can find out just about anything!
Still, when I'm on one of my 'off' times, I get so much more done, and the world looks different to me. Better. Most likely because I'm not busy worrying over everything that is happening out there. And who needs to worry so much anyway? I realized my time would be much better spent OFF the computer, praying for things I want changed instead of worrying.
Next time I'll tell you about a woman who lived in the 20th and 21st Century but acted like she didn't. She just recently died and I was very sad I didn't get to go meet her first!
Till next time...
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Our God is so BIG...so strong and so mighty...
I was going through some old journals from years ago. I've been in a spring cleaning mood for over a month now and have already gotten rid of a lot of things.
In those journals I found an entry I had written probably 12 years ago when it was a very hard time for me physically, emotionally and spiritually as well. In the entry I talked about me going to a friend's house for a prayer meeting. She, as was most of the group, was from Africa but she told me she was having a guest there, a man from Egypt who was a Christian prophet. I wasn't sure how I felt about that as I didn't really believe there were actually still prophets, or prophecy for that matter.
Anyway, this day had been a particularly brutal one for me and I didn't even want to go to her house anymore. Instead I had gone to the garage to weep my eyes out and travail before God. I was completely heartbroken. Amidst my body wrenching sobs I poured out my heart to God there in that garage. Afterwards I decided I should go to her house anyway, even though I REALLY didn't want to.
During/after the meeting this man began prophesying to a few people. That kind of thing freaked me out so I was totally fine if he wanted to skip me!! I actually tried to hide. Now how many people know you can't hide from God!
But alas, he didn't. (skip me that is) Imagine my shock when he started telling me exactly what I'd been pouring out my heart to God about, all the way across town just an hour ago! It was such a shock to realize God really DOES listen to our prayers, and He cares about our cares, and sometimes is so quick to answer! He told me many things about my life, from my childhood to adulthood. All were so true. God comforted me greatly, and gave me great hope, at exactly the time I needed it and felt I might go over the edge! I left that meeting a different person. God was bigger to me now.
So I got some surprises when I was reading it all again, most of which I'd forgotten. Everything this prophet had said was true, yet there is only one thing he told me, that has not come true yet, and this is something I had totally blocked out of my mind and forgotten about, because at the time, I remember thinking "Nooooo!" And this one thing is that one day I would serve God in another country. Now that shocked me reading that! Up until a few years ago I never had the desire to even go to other countries. I mean I've been to Canada and Mexico but that's it. I've traveled back and forth between both coasts quite a few times and saw such beauty that I didn't have the desire to ever leave my country, (yes, even to visit another one) because I realized while planning those trips that there was enough here in the U.S. to still see, and thought I'll never even be able to finish seeing all that I desire, let alone want to go to another country. But just in the last few years I've changed a lot. Starting about 4-5 years ago it's been on my heart almost constantly.
But serving God in another country? Me??? What would I do? God could or would actually use me in another country?? Right now I admit my thinking is small. "Well, maybe He will use me just to pray for someone or carry their groceries to their car. Maybe I will save their cat, high up in a tree or tell them everything they never wanted to know about chimps." If God wants me to do it then I suppose He will prepare my heart, but it's exciting to think about it because that is the only thing regarding the prophecy that hasn't come to fruition.
Prophecy doesn't freak me out anymore but I am careful because I've heard some people call themselves (or others call them) prophets that are false, and giving false prophecies, even damaging Christ's church. The Bible says to "test the spirits, because many false prophets have gone out into the world".
I haven't had many people prophecy over me since that first time. Maybe two or three, and one I am keeping in my heart because it is a future event that I believe will happen in my life, and God gave me a glimpse of it, to keep hope alive I suppose, until He deems fit to bring it to completion.
In those journals I found an entry I had written probably 12 years ago when it was a very hard time for me physically, emotionally and spiritually as well. In the entry I talked about me going to a friend's house for a prayer meeting. She, as was most of the group, was from Africa but she told me she was having a guest there, a man from Egypt who was a Christian prophet. I wasn't sure how I felt about that as I didn't really believe there were actually still prophets, or prophecy for that matter.
Anyway, this day had been a particularly brutal one for me and I didn't even want to go to her house anymore. Instead I had gone to the garage to weep my eyes out and travail before God. I was completely heartbroken. Amidst my body wrenching sobs I poured out my heart to God there in that garage. Afterwards I decided I should go to her house anyway, even though I REALLY didn't want to.
During/after the meeting this man began prophesying to a few people. That kind of thing freaked me out so I was totally fine if he wanted to skip me!! I actually tried to hide. Now how many people know you can't hide from God!
But alas, he didn't. (skip me that is) Imagine my shock when he started telling me exactly what I'd been pouring out my heart to God about, all the way across town just an hour ago! It was such a shock to realize God really DOES listen to our prayers, and He cares about our cares, and sometimes is so quick to answer! He told me many things about my life, from my childhood to adulthood. All were so true. God comforted me greatly, and gave me great hope, at exactly the time I needed it and felt I might go over the edge! I left that meeting a different person. God was bigger to me now.
So I got some surprises when I was reading it all again, most of which I'd forgotten. Everything this prophet had said was true, yet there is only one thing he told me, that has not come true yet, and this is something I had totally blocked out of my mind and forgotten about, because at the time, I remember thinking "Nooooo!" And this one thing is that one day I would serve God in another country. Now that shocked me reading that! Up until a few years ago I never had the desire to even go to other countries. I mean I've been to Canada and Mexico but that's it. I've traveled back and forth between both coasts quite a few times and saw such beauty that I didn't have the desire to ever leave my country, (yes, even to visit another one) because I realized while planning those trips that there was enough here in the U.S. to still see, and thought I'll never even be able to finish seeing all that I desire, let alone want to go to another country. But just in the last few years I've changed a lot. Starting about 4-5 years ago it's been on my heart almost constantly.
But serving God in another country? Me??? What would I do? God could or would actually use me in another country?? Right now I admit my thinking is small. "Well, maybe He will use me just to pray for someone or carry their groceries to their car. Maybe I will save their cat, high up in a tree or tell them everything they never wanted to know about chimps." If God wants me to do it then I suppose He will prepare my heart, but it's exciting to think about it because that is the only thing regarding the prophecy that hasn't come to fruition.
Prophecy doesn't freak me out anymore but I am careful because I've heard some people call themselves (or others call them) prophets that are false, and giving false prophecies, even damaging Christ's church. The Bible says to "test the spirits, because many false prophets have gone out into the world".
I haven't had many people prophecy over me since that first time. Maybe two or three, and one I am keeping in my heart because it is a future event that I believe will happen in my life, and God gave me a glimpse of it, to keep hope alive I suppose, until He deems fit to bring it to completion.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Storms of Life
These last few weeks have been a challenge for me. Seems lots of trials were in store for me.
One of them was that an old friend came back into my life recently. I was overjoyed at getting reacquainted, but then an unfortunate misunderstanding happened and just as quickly I thought they were out again. I went from happy to distraught in one day.
I had woken up in a great mood-happy to have this friend back in my life but after the misunderstanding, I couldn't stop crying all day.
So, I did the only thing I know to do in these circumstances-put myself at the foot of the cross and worship.
Years ago when something depressed me or angered me, that was the last thing I felt like doing (and therefore I didn't do it!) Now it's the only thing I want to do. After steeping myself in His presence, I just don't want to leave! I put on some annointed worship music and immerse myself in His presence, which is filled with such glory, a lifting of burdens, and such deep peace that is like nothing else in this world. It almost feels like a guilty pleasure-I'm sure I get much more out of it than God does! I would stay there all day and night if I could, but I think my family might complain about not eating dinner or doing school. (Ok, the kids would never complain about that!)
One day I hope to have an entire room to myself to have quiet, privacy and a t.v. where I can put on worship videos and dwell in His presence for hours if I want to. One of the songs I love is from Hillsong called Still.
Still:
Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust
I'm reminded of the eagle. He knows when a storm is coming. While he can't avoid the storm, he flies to a high place until the winds come. Then he uses the winds to push him higher and higher, above the storm, and then he rests, keeping his wings still.
Isaiah 40:31 says that "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint."
That's exactly where I want to be when depression threatens to overtake me, or as the bible calls it, "The spirit of heaviness"-I want to hide under the shelter of His wings. I want to be above the storm, and know that even when the oceans and storms in my life are rising and thundering that I can find rest and peace in Him alone!!
One of them was that an old friend came back into my life recently. I was overjoyed at getting reacquainted, but then an unfortunate misunderstanding happened and just as quickly I thought they were out again. I went from happy to distraught in one day.
I had woken up in a great mood-happy to have this friend back in my life but after the misunderstanding, I couldn't stop crying all day.
So, I did the only thing I know to do in these circumstances-put myself at the foot of the cross and worship.
Years ago when something depressed me or angered me, that was the last thing I felt like doing (and therefore I didn't do it!) Now it's the only thing I want to do. After steeping myself in His presence, I just don't want to leave! I put on some annointed worship music and immerse myself in His presence, which is filled with such glory, a lifting of burdens, and such deep peace that is like nothing else in this world. It almost feels like a guilty pleasure-I'm sure I get much more out of it than God does! I would stay there all day and night if I could, but I think my family might complain about not eating dinner or doing school. (Ok, the kids would never complain about that!)
One day I hope to have an entire room to myself to have quiet, privacy and a t.v. where I can put on worship videos and dwell in His presence for hours if I want to. One of the songs I love is from Hillsong called Still.
Still:
Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust
I'm reminded of the eagle. He knows when a storm is coming. While he can't avoid the storm, he flies to a high place until the winds come. Then he uses the winds to push him higher and higher, above the storm, and then he rests, keeping his wings still.
Isaiah 40:31 says that "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint."
That's exactly where I want to be when depression threatens to overtake me, or as the bible calls it, "The spirit of heaviness"-I want to hide under the shelter of His wings. I want to be above the storm, and know that even when the oceans and storms in my life are rising and thundering that I can find rest and peace in Him alone!!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Passion Blog
Let me say right up front I've never been to Scotland. YET. But since I'm now going into my fourth year with my obsession over this magical place, I figure it's here to stay. I thank my family for putting up with it and listening to all sorts of information I'm sure they could live the rest of their lives without knowing, as I follow them around the house telling them all sorts of things about Scotland.
How can a person feel so strongly about a place they've never visited? (I'll be writing more about that later)
Many shows, movies, dvds, websites, books and magazines later I am completely bewitched by it.
Nevertheless, this blog is not just about the Highlands or Scotland, despite my fascination with it. I will also be writing about my family, my God, and the life He has given me. It will vary greatly. Just like my everyday life.
You could call this a passion blog; writing about everything I am passionate about (and maybe even some things I'm passionately against)!
In closing, let me reference this blog's title. I believe having a Highland heart is a state of mind, but...more on that later.
How can a person feel so strongly about a place they've never visited? (I'll be writing more about that later)
Many shows, movies, dvds, websites, books and magazines later I am completely bewitched by it.
Nevertheless, this blog is not just about the Highlands or Scotland, despite my fascination with it. I will also be writing about my family, my God, and the life He has given me. It will vary greatly. Just like my everyday life.
You could call this a passion blog; writing about everything I am passionate about (and maybe even some things I'm passionately against)!
In closing, let me reference this blog's title. I believe having a Highland heart is a state of mind, but...more on that later.
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