The Grass is Always Greener?

I walked 18 holes of golf yesterday morning (even though we had a high of 104 degrees by mid day!) and as I walked I noticed how beautiful the grass looked ahead of me, smooth and soft. But when I arrived to that same spot I had gazed upon a few minutes earlier, I noticed that the grass was bumpy and hard in places. It made me think about how often we think that everyone else around us is living a smooth, soft life and we are the only ones going through hard times. But when we get close to those "everyone elses" we find that their lives are as bumpy and hard as ours is. Actually, I have found that other people are going through much hard things than I am going through. (They probably think that about my trials too)

So the next time you think the grass is greener further down the fairway...remember...there will be bumps ahead. I sure am glad that I know and can count on my Abba Daddy to be with me and help me through those bumpy places. As His children we can rest secure in His love and care for us.

Where do you carry your water?

My daughter had a junior high science teacher who took her class on a trip to Death Valley one spring. I was invited to go along as a helper and as we climbed the beautiful sand dunes, her teacher informed us that we should always carry our water in our stomachs, not in the bottles he had provided us. He said that if the water stays in the bottles, it doesn't do our bodies any good. But if that water is in our bodies, it is refreshing and hydrating us against the 90 degree heat of the desert. (It's also easier to carry water that way!)

I've noticed that I can apply this principle to the water which is the Word of God. If I leave my Bible sitting next to my bed and don't open it and drink in His goodness, then it really is not helping me. But as I drink the Word on a daily basis and keep it within me, it refreshes and hydrates me against the dryness of our existence.

It's too easy to go about our day, not spending time in the most valuable book on earth. But in the long run, life really will be harder and dryer. I pray that I would grow in my adoration of Him so that I would choose to carry His refreshing Word deep within me!

Report: Battle Won!!

Sorry that it has been so long since my last post. My husband and I have been very busy with business (and a little vacationing!) I wanted to report that one of our long ongoing battles was won last week when we finalized the purchase of the building our restaurant has leased for over 20 years. I think it has been about a year and a half that we have been working on this purchase and have seen over and over the hand of our Heavenly Father move on our behalf. Certainly my faith has not always been strong, but our Faithful God was always there to strengthen and encourage us.

I am amazed not only at the faithfulness of my Heavenly Father but also of my growth in faith during this long war. I have discovered that we are warriors who are able to overcome the plans of the enemy. I have discovered that our prayers are powerful and effective. I have discovered that we can hear God's voice and sense His leading. I have discovered that we can trust God with the battles of our lives. And I have discovered that God has surrounded us with friends and family who are willing to battle with us.

There are so so many more things that I have discovered but I think that as you have journeyed with me via my blogs, that you have seen what God has taught me. Above all, I have experienced His loving kindness and grace to a degree that I never could have had I not been in this long long war. The enemy does come to kill, steal and destroy, but praise God - He is able to deliver us. Greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world. Thank you God for everything!!

P.S. We received a major breakthrough today for another battle we have been in so I will report on that as soon as I can.

Japan!!!

I just returned home from a glorious visit with my beautiful daughter who lives in Japan. Her husband is in the Navy and so they are stationed there, although he spends more time at sea than at home. I often joke that my daughter is really stationed in Japan because she's the one who lives there full time.

While I was there, we visited Mt. Fuji and many other beautiful places. Japan truly is a breath taking nation, so lush and forested. And I love to observe the people when I visit there, they are so shy and kind. While I was there, each morning I would walk my daughter's two sheba inu dogs around her hilly neighborhood and try to get acquainted with her Japanese neighbors. I would try using the few basic phrases that my daughter and son-in-law have taught me but I have a feeling that behind my back, the Japanese nationals were giggling at my silly pronunciations. It doesn't really matter though, over all I have such great memories of this beautiful and intriguing land.

What a blessing to be able to visit my daughter and the foreign nation that she lives in. Thank you, God, for continuing to care for me and give me so many precious gifts. You are truly awesome!!

Our Position

This morning we have a ten o clock appt to meet with our banker about our projects. I wrote a friend that after that meeting we would know better our position in the projects. Then while taking a shower, the Lord began to speak to me. He reminded me what our position is:

We are accepted (Romans 15:7); Able to do all things (Philippians 4:13); Abounding in hope (Romans 5:5); Appointed by God (John 15:16); Favored (Psalm 5:12); Future Assured (Romans 8:18,28); Seated in Heavenly Places (Ephesians 2:6); Protected (2 Thessalonians 3:3); Provided for (Matthew 6:33); Rich (2 Corinthians 8:9); Royalty (Romans 8:16-17); Steps established by the Lord (Psalm 37:23) Unafraid (Isaiah 44:2); Overcomer (1 John 5:4-5)

I could go on and on, but, well, you get the idea...

Choose Life Part II

Recently I felt like the Lord was impressing upon me that I haven't always been willing to receive life, that I tend to have a hard time facing anything that may be too hard. I have thought a long time about that and wondered why. I think I am still working through that, but in the midst of that I sensed that Jesus was reminding me to choose life. As I meditated on that scripture from Deuteronomy 30, the scripture came to me from John 14 that says "I am the way, the truth and the life." Duh!! No wonder He wants us to choose life, He wants us to choose Him!

When we choose to face hard things in our lives, and must lean on the Lord, we discover a part of His character that we didn't know before. If we are facing a financial crisis and must turn to Him for help, we discover Him as our provider. If we are sick, we discover Him as our Healer. Without need in our lives, we would not know the fullness of the Lord's character that can only be understood during those times of need. It seems like without need, our understanding of God is only academic. He comes alive in us as we need Him.

My Mom has always told us kids that God doesn't waste anything. I believe that that is true. He uses everything for His glory and for our blessing. He is such a good Father!!

2:22

Do you remember the movie Bruce Almighty? In that movie God kept trying to speak to Bruce in different ways by showing him the numbers of a scripture over and over again, particularly through his alarm clock. I had the same thing happen to me recently. I woke up one night last week and sensed that God had woken me up. The clock said 2:22 and I thought He wanted me to look up Jeremiah 2:22. The next morning I looked that scripture up (even 22:2), but nothing really leaped out at me as being really important at that time.

Two days later at my ladies Bible study, the leader asked me to read Isaiah 2:22. I gasped! Of course the ladies wanted to know what was going on so I told them my wake up story.That scripture says: "Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?" This really spoke to me since we have been having to put a lot of trust in men lately with the building projects that we are working on. Maybe more trust in them than we should have. Are we looking to God to be our provider, our provision and our hope? I'm not sure we can ever fulfill that 100%, but I know that we should always be willing to grow in that process our entire Christian walk.

Don't be surprised if God tries to get your attention in unconventional ways. He is definitely creative in his approaches to speak to us. And He sure has a good sense of humor!!