So I'm not sure where this is going but I think I have a need to babble on about ......
Had an interesting time staying focused during the lecture at bible study today. Usually I have a hard time at this point as my mind wanders to what is next on my list of things to do, but today I really tried hard to focus and again failed.
I am seeing some new things, maybe not so new in belief, just new in experience? First of all I have listened to my mother talk, as well as others, about being IN the word. Sounds kinda funny eh? The more mature in the Spirit will recognize this though. I have been spending more time reading the bible, as I have decided to take part in this study group. There are readings and questions to provoke your thoughts, then you get together to share what you think each question is asking and then after, you sit and listen to a lecture on the reading. There are notes to take home and read through as well before you get into the next weeks reading. One of the biggest things I have noticed is that the more time I spend reading and researching the question as well as my beliefs, the easier it is to see truths around me.
One of these truths would be the feeding of the flesh, or maybe the not feeding. I have found it easier to avoid the things not so good for me (talking about sugar here!). For lent I decided that I would try to give up a few things to explore this tradition. Cursing (I can have a nasty mouth), refined sugar (this is hard like trying to kick a bad habit) and the ever loved chocolate. Being more into reading and trying to digest all that is there for me to consume in this great book Have found my awareness for the cursing and I am able to reign it in much better than I have ever before. James 1:26 "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." That sort of hits home. As I don't consider myself religious, but I do see this word religious as spiritual, and this I do want to consider myself. James 3:10 "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be." And so it is that I do agree with James.
Of course the chapters we have also been studying have a fair amount of information and scriptures on obedience. John 15:10 "If you keep my commandments [if you continue to obey my instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father's commandments and live on in His love." John 14:12 "The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me;and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him.[I will let myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]" So there we have it. To show our love for our Father we obey, listen, as well as we can. He knows us, and He is aware of our shortcomings, and yet He loves us anyways.
I guess the concluding thought to this would be that I seem to have it on my heart to keep the cussing in check. This is one way I can honour my God and His love for me. I can show my love for Him and all He has done for me in this act. And maybe, just maybe, the love for my family in Christ will shine through just a little bit more.
There will be more on this later as I figure out more of the details as I go and explore further, but for now I am glad to have found this understanding and to have it in my heart. From there I will have it near and I will be able to call on it when in need.
Have a great night.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
So many lessons and it seems like there just isn't enough time to take it all in before the next one lands on your shoulders like an anvil in a looney tunes cartoon!
It has been a week since the long run across lake Winnipeg was cancelled. Last Sunday it was so hard to get up and out, and then to try to be 'of good cheer'? Good cheer has been translated for me as "take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted!" in John 16:33. hmmmmm Not the mood I was in, but that is the CHOICE, right? So we made it through another personal best distance run and that accomplishment felt great, but I have to admit that it was one of the hardest runs I have had in a very long time!
I was looking forward to the challenge of doing something that others think is a bit 'out there'. I guess that's me? Trying to tackle a run across a lake with a new distance in mind to cover, relying on my Lord to get me safely to the other side. Keeping my fear in check as I go, knowing that Gods' got my back, and my feet! That was the challenge I was so looking forward to. I'm a bit of a planner, this was my plan, until the run was cancelled last Saturday afternoon. I was devastated! Completely deflated, and feeling a bit lost! I had worked through fear and struggled with the what ifs and prepared as well as I could and was looking forward to finding God as He carried me through the troubles I may have encountered.
That is not what happened.
G, my running partner, was the one to recognize that the lesson was not about getting to the end of our run, it was how to get out there when we really felt disappointed. At this point of the morning I could have easily stayed in bed. We went out with no plan of where we were going to go. Gs' husband agreed to pick us up wherever we ended up. This was not going to be our usual out and back, it was just going to be an out to see where we ended up.
Did I mention I'm a bit of a planner?
I think I smiled and said 'sounds great', although I felt a bit lost as we went (actually I didn't know where I was for some of the run, just somewhere in Winnipeg). As I look back now I feel pretty great about trying something new, but it has taken me a few days to get here. Initially I found the run hard after about 10 miles. This is about the point that we left all familiar ground and started to find trails and paths, which were unplanned, but very interesting.
I heard a sermon this week that talked about lust. "Lust" she said "happens when you can not be happy without the thing that you want." When you cannot be happy without the thing you WANT. I guess I really wanted that run. I found it so hard to find joy last Sunday, I'm not sure if it was the challenge of the run across the lake I was lusting after, the doing something others thought was crazy, or just that my plans had to change. Still working this out, but knowing that there was something in the way of my being with Christ and finding joy.... hmmmmmm. Could have been my ego not getting the boost from an incredible crazy run?.
I think I have worked most of this out, but what a week of lessons that was!
So I look forward to this week and for our run Sunday morning, and I will find joy even if my plans are cut short, or the distance is not what I would liked to have done, or if whatever else happens happens!
I wish for you all a great week!
Nicole
It has been a week since the long run across lake Winnipeg was cancelled. Last Sunday it was so hard to get up and out, and then to try to be 'of good cheer'? Good cheer has been translated for me as "take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted!" in John 16:33. hmmmmm Not the mood I was in, but that is the CHOICE, right? So we made it through another personal best distance run and that accomplishment felt great, but I have to admit that it was one of the hardest runs I have had in a very long time!
I was looking forward to the challenge of doing something that others think is a bit 'out there'. I guess that's me? Trying to tackle a run across a lake with a new distance in mind to cover, relying on my Lord to get me safely to the other side. Keeping my fear in check as I go, knowing that Gods' got my back, and my feet! That was the challenge I was so looking forward to. I'm a bit of a planner, this was my plan, until the run was cancelled last Saturday afternoon. I was devastated! Completely deflated, and feeling a bit lost! I had worked through fear and struggled with the what ifs and prepared as well as I could and was looking forward to finding God as He carried me through the troubles I may have encountered.
That is not what happened.
G, my running partner, was the one to recognize that the lesson was not about getting to the end of our run, it was how to get out there when we really felt disappointed. At this point of the morning I could have easily stayed in bed. We went out with no plan of where we were going to go. Gs' husband agreed to pick us up wherever we ended up. This was not going to be our usual out and back, it was just going to be an out to see where we ended up.
Did I mention I'm a bit of a planner?
I think I smiled and said 'sounds great', although I felt a bit lost as we went (actually I didn't know where I was for some of the run, just somewhere in Winnipeg). As I look back now I feel pretty great about trying something new, but it has taken me a few days to get here. Initially I found the run hard after about 10 miles. This is about the point that we left all familiar ground and started to find trails and paths, which were unplanned, but very interesting.
I heard a sermon this week that talked about lust. "Lust" she said "happens when you can not be happy without the thing that you want." When you cannot be happy without the thing you WANT. I guess I really wanted that run. I found it so hard to find joy last Sunday, I'm not sure if it was the challenge of the run across the lake I was lusting after, the doing something others thought was crazy, or just that my plans had to change. Still working this out, but knowing that there was something in the way of my being with Christ and finding joy.... hmmmmmm. Could have been my ego not getting the boost from an incredible crazy run?.
I think I have worked most of this out, but what a week of lessons that was!
So I look forward to this week and for our run Sunday morning, and I will find joy even if my plans are cut short, or the distance is not what I would liked to have done, or if whatever else happens happens!
I wish for you all a great week!
Nicole
Saturday, February 27, 2010
So why don't I feel better? I have given up something that I love to be more responsible about our family finances and I do not feel very good about it now at all!
I have never been good with struggling against the flesh. The last time I found something this hard was when I quit smoking. That took a long time and once I finally accomplished it, wow, I felt great.
Although this is not like smoking.... You see for just over the past year now I have been taking Taekwondo classes. My oldest was taking the classes and I thought it might be fun to see what it was like. I have so fallen in love with this sport that my interests have taken me to start looking into the sport a bit more and seeing the differences in the world of martial arts. I do not believe in fighting! I think it is wrong and violence never solves anything, using your brain is how best to get out of trouble; even better is to see it coming and then not be there at all. This I started for exercise, to help with my running, and to have fun. I found this was more than fun, good exercise and did help with running, but also fed my need for education. I enjoy learning, and feel great learning new things, and at this taekwondo school you get a new curriculum every 3 months or so. Perfect for the education junkie like me.
But now I feel the need to place this on hold and do some saving financially. I have had this post on hold for a few days and am feeling a bit better, although I haven't had to take my son to his class yet either. I still feel a bit apprehensive about going back even for that because of how I will feel being there and not being able to participate. I guess it is all about withdrawal!
I will be able to work more if needed, my husband gets to go and have some play time as well and I get a bit more with my kids. I will just have to keep all this in mind and heart as I challenge myself to give up something I so enjoy. This is where the Lords help is going to come in! I am not one to fight against what I want, usually I am fighting to do what I want, and can justify it with so many explanations.
This is stretching! This is growing! This is what it is going to take for me to see something else on a deeper level! I hope this goes fast, but I feel that it is not something I am going to get through quickly. I do pray that I recognize it when it comes though. It is nice to be able to see that it is growing me, and I have faith that God has a plan to grow and prosper me for the betterment of myself and those around me, I just don't really have a clue as to where it all may lead.
There are some ideas as to where it may lead, but nothing definite. Which is probably my problem, as I am a planner, my husband is not, and my God has his own plan, and I'm not always privy to them. So here I am placing my faith in the Lord and I will try to stay out of His way as I trust in Him and let Him do His work.
One thing I know.... stretching and growing are not comfortable!
Nicole
I have never been good with struggling against the flesh. The last time I found something this hard was when I quit smoking. That took a long time and once I finally accomplished it, wow, I felt great.
Although this is not like smoking.... You see for just over the past year now I have been taking Taekwondo classes. My oldest was taking the classes and I thought it might be fun to see what it was like. I have so fallen in love with this sport that my interests have taken me to start looking into the sport a bit more and seeing the differences in the world of martial arts. I do not believe in fighting! I think it is wrong and violence never solves anything, using your brain is how best to get out of trouble; even better is to see it coming and then not be there at all. This I started for exercise, to help with my running, and to have fun. I found this was more than fun, good exercise and did help with running, but also fed my need for education. I enjoy learning, and feel great learning new things, and at this taekwondo school you get a new curriculum every 3 months or so. Perfect for the education junkie like me.
But now I feel the need to place this on hold and do some saving financially. I have had this post on hold for a few days and am feeling a bit better, although I haven't had to take my son to his class yet either. I still feel a bit apprehensive about going back even for that because of how I will feel being there and not being able to participate. I guess it is all about withdrawal!
I will be able to work more if needed, my husband gets to go and have some play time as well and I get a bit more with my kids. I will just have to keep all this in mind and heart as I challenge myself to give up something I so enjoy. This is where the Lords help is going to come in! I am not one to fight against what I want, usually I am fighting to do what I want, and can justify it with so many explanations.
This is stretching! This is growing! This is what it is going to take for me to see something else on a deeper level! I hope this goes fast, but I feel that it is not something I am going to get through quickly. I do pray that I recognize it when it comes though. It is nice to be able to see that it is growing me, and I have faith that God has a plan to grow and prosper me for the betterment of myself and those around me, I just don't really have a clue as to where it all may lead.
There are some ideas as to where it may lead, but nothing definite. Which is probably my problem, as I am a planner, my husband is not, and my God has his own plan, and I'm not always privy to them. So here I am placing my faith in the Lord and I will try to stay out of His way as I trust in Him and let Him do His work.
One thing I know.... stretching and growing are not comfortable!
Nicole
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lent
Well here we are. Lent. This is an interesting season in the church year. I have never much thought about it over the years. It is the forty days (not including Sundays) that we use to prepare ourselves for Easter. Easter being the Christian celebration of Jesus rising from the grave, as well the recognition of His death in place of ours.
Growing up with a multi-denominational church I have seen many different types of traditional ceremonies, as they each have a preferred way of doing communion or baptism and things of such. I don't recall allot about the forty days before being filled with too many traditions, with exception to the cedar meal on good Friday. About two years ago I was introduced to the practice of self-denial, where you choose to not do something over the forty days as a way to remember what Christ did for us, of His sacrifice for our redemption.
Two years ago it was an experiment that was much more difficult than I expected, especially with the bad habits that I've formed over the years. Some things I found myself doing even though I had said I wouldn't, and not even being aware of it. Last year I chose not to eat chocolate. PMS was not the same! I was surprised how much chocolate is a part of my life, without even realizing it. Last year towards the end of lent I found myself enjoying a cookie or something and as I took the last bite I realized that there were chocolate chips in it. I was surprised to make it that far and then suddenly forget what I had been concentrating on for so long. Immediately I started to beat myself up over it, how could I, what was I thinking, why bother continuing. Then I realized that this is a part of everyday living. Asking for forgiveness for my lack of awareness, for lack of preparation; for realizing that I can't do this all by myself.
Wow! What an eye opener.
I can't do this all on my own, I need Jesus to help me through this. I need Gods help to keep me aware, I need to be in contact with Him in order to ask for His help; I need to prepare each day with God first on my agenda. Then, each day, one by one I will accomplish my goal.
So this year it is chocolate that I've chosen to give up along with most refined sugars and cussing! I rely on chocolate to give me a sugar boost when I am tired, refined sugars are a treat I rarely deny myself, using the same excuse of being tired and needing a lift. So here I am going to choose to go to God for my lift, to go to God for my rest, and to ask for His help as I go on my way. To ask for His help as I try to follow in His way. I am very aware of the cussing I am doing and I really believe that it has been placed on my heart to be attentive to the expulsion of it from my vocabulary. Today is day two and I'm not doing well, but tomorrow is another day and I will ask for His help again and I will do better!
I also want to recognize God in my day, each day. Sunday on our long run we (my running partner and I) saw the most lovely sunrise. I felt that He placed it there just for us, it was my reward for getting up and out of bed that morning. So along the journey of self-denial to celebrate what Jesus did for me, I want to experience God and what He is doing for me each day.
Here is the sunrise:
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Week 4 LOVE
Well, I think I have procrastinated enough!
Week 4 of advent we celebrate Love.
Now this is where I have been stuck as I looked up the definition of Love in Websters' and found it as "intense affection". This seems so disappointing and I am struggling with this particular definition as it just does not do this word justice. But I am finding that with our limited English language we are very to the point and there are so many things which seem so abrupt and not properly expanded upon that meaning is lost among our words. Wikipedia gives a similar definition but goes on to expand to define the different kinds of love we say we experience. It later goes on to explain the definition of Love in different languages and cultures. This is interesting: other cultures have many words for this ONE of our words. This is so much more freeing in how to think about love and its many interpretations.
In our western culture we use this word to describe things as well as people and I think we overuse it to the point where we are desensitized to its full meaning and the potential it has to affect others. Loving an article of clothing should not be the same as loving our spouse or our children, yet this is how we refer to things in our language. A bit of exaggeration that leaves us with little meaning left.
A few years ago I heard a definition of Love that shocked me and opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about this word. It was being described as a verb! Love is an action, it is an act, a doing to someone. It is not just an intense affection, it is an act of kindness, a gesture of affection, it is work! It is something that you have to DO. To love my husband is to DO for my husband. This includes, and should be emphasized, at the times when I don't want to DO. Loving someone is not about what I want or what I will accomplish, it is about what I can DO for someone else.
This is what God has DONE for us. He loves us so much that He came to us and let us torture and kill his only son, and he continued to show us his love by then forgiving us. All the while continuing to DO for us, provide for us, and loving us.
This is what we celebrate in the fourth week of advent. God loving us so much that He extends his mercy and grace over us to invite us to become one of His children.
Wow
Week 4 of advent we celebrate Love.
Now this is where I have been stuck as I looked up the definition of Love in Websters' and found it as "intense affection". This seems so disappointing and I am struggling with this particular definition as it just does not do this word justice. But I am finding that with our limited English language we are very to the point and there are so many things which seem so abrupt and not properly expanded upon that meaning is lost among our words. Wikipedia gives a similar definition but goes on to expand to define the different kinds of love we say we experience. It later goes on to explain the definition of Love in different languages and cultures. This is interesting: other cultures have many words for this ONE of our words. This is so much more freeing in how to think about love and its many interpretations.
In our western culture we use this word to describe things as well as people and I think we overuse it to the point where we are desensitized to its full meaning and the potential it has to affect others. Loving an article of clothing should not be the same as loving our spouse or our children, yet this is how we refer to things in our language. A bit of exaggeration that leaves us with little meaning left.
A few years ago I heard a definition of Love that shocked me and opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about this word. It was being described as a verb! Love is an action, it is an act, a doing to someone. It is not just an intense affection, it is an act of kindness, a gesture of affection, it is work! It is something that you have to DO. To love my husband is to DO for my husband. This includes, and should be emphasized, at the times when I don't want to DO. Loving someone is not about what I want or what I will accomplish, it is about what I can DO for someone else.
This is what God has DONE for us. He loves us so much that He came to us and let us torture and kill his only son, and he continued to show us his love by then forgiving us. All the while continuing to DO for us, provide for us, and loving us.
This is what we celebrate in the fourth week of advent. God loving us so much that He extends his mercy and grace over us to invite us to become one of His children.
Wow
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Advent Week 3 JOY
Joy: great happiness; delight.
a source of happiness
Happy: fortunate.
having, displaying, or marked by pleasure or joy.
fitting; appropriate.
pleased and willing
I am finding it really interesting to examine our language and how we are using our words. Week 3 of advent brings us to a week we are dedicating to joy. Websters' II gives us the above definintion which brings me to the word happy, again see above definition.
Interesting to see how God wants us to feel these things, as He made us to feel Joy. He even tells us how in Proverbs 12:20 "There is deciet in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace." To promote peace eh? hmmmmmm.....
Reminds me of the week which went before. Promoting peace brings us here, to a celebration of Joy. A remembering of the Joy that has been and the anticipation of the Joy that is to come. Of course the Joy that is to come here in our lives as we know them now, is only one aspect to the anticipation, with the Joy we will one day know throughout eternity as another thought to keep us all alligned to a bigger focus.
I have been reading an interesting book "The Rest of God, Restoring your soul by restoring Sabbath" by Mark Buchanan. He writes about giving up of ourselves and our wants to do what is needed or wanted by others. "But joy is found here." is what he writes explaining how God will bring us to joy if only we would follow His lead.
How hard we work and toil to find ourselves empty and definately not feeling Joy! A little pissed off as well if this is something we should be able to achieve, something we should be able to feel, and yet are so far removed from this sensation that we will question the very existance of such an emotion. We forget that we sometimes need to give up ourselves to achieve this, God will bring us there, if we follow His lead! If we give up ourselves (once again) we will experience something GREAT; great happiness as a matter of fact. JOY.
Proverbs 14:10 "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy"
Bitter: having or being a sharp, unpleasant taste
causing or manifesting sharp physical or mental pain or discomfort.
caused by or exhibiting strong animosity
Sounds like the opposite of Joy to me! If we choose to learn about ourselves, about what is realy in our hearts, we will recognize the pain that is there. When we choose to no longer live in that pain, when we can move on to letting go of it and letting God deal with it, no one will be able to experience the Joy that will fill us in our hearts when it happens.
To celebrate peace we can begin inside ourselves, letting God love us and showing us how to love others. This seems to be a natural course to fall into celebrating Joy. As we promote Peace we will find Joy.
Who would have thought?!
Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may over flow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
As we trust, rely, on God he will fill us with Joy and Peace. As we hope in Him, (He is our Hope), as we give up ourselves to God, He gives us all what we can not give ourselves.... Joy and Peace.
One sermon I heard described joy as recognizing Gods' presence. If we are the center of our lives it is hard to see beyond our wants and needs. When we choose to give up ourselves we can see Gods' greatness, we can see His presence, we can let go of our wants to make room for someone else. We can experience joy. We can be filled with it.
I wish you all Joy as we enter the new year.
Nicole
a source of happiness
Happy: fortunate.
having, displaying, or marked by pleasure or joy.
fitting; appropriate.
pleased and willing
I am finding it really interesting to examine our language and how we are using our words. Week 3 of advent brings us to a week we are dedicating to joy. Websters' II gives us the above definintion which brings me to the word happy, again see above definition.
Interesting to see how God wants us to feel these things, as He made us to feel Joy. He even tells us how in Proverbs 12:20 "There is deciet in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace." To promote peace eh? hmmmmmm.....
Reminds me of the week which went before. Promoting peace brings us here, to a celebration of Joy. A remembering of the Joy that has been and the anticipation of the Joy that is to come. Of course the Joy that is to come here in our lives as we know them now, is only one aspect to the anticipation, with the Joy we will one day know throughout eternity as another thought to keep us all alligned to a bigger focus.
I have been reading an interesting book "The Rest of God, Restoring your soul by restoring Sabbath" by Mark Buchanan. He writes about giving up of ourselves and our wants to do what is needed or wanted by others. "But joy is found here." is what he writes explaining how God will bring us to joy if only we would follow His lead.
How hard we work and toil to find ourselves empty and definately not feeling Joy! A little pissed off as well if this is something we should be able to achieve, something we should be able to feel, and yet are so far removed from this sensation that we will question the very existance of such an emotion. We forget that we sometimes need to give up ourselves to achieve this, God will bring us there, if we follow His lead! If we give up ourselves (once again) we will experience something GREAT; great happiness as a matter of fact. JOY.
Proverbs 14:10 "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy"
Bitter: having or being a sharp, unpleasant taste
causing or manifesting sharp physical or mental pain or discomfort.
caused by or exhibiting strong animosity
Sounds like the opposite of Joy to me! If we choose to learn about ourselves, about what is realy in our hearts, we will recognize the pain that is there. When we choose to no longer live in that pain, when we can move on to letting go of it and letting God deal with it, no one will be able to experience the Joy that will fill us in our hearts when it happens.
To celebrate peace we can begin inside ourselves, letting God love us and showing us how to love others. This seems to be a natural course to fall into celebrating Joy. As we promote Peace we will find Joy.
Who would have thought?!
Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may over flow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
As we trust, rely, on God he will fill us with Joy and Peace. As we hope in Him, (He is our Hope), as we give up ourselves to God, He gives us all what we can not give ourselves.... Joy and Peace.
One sermon I heard described joy as recognizing Gods' presence. If we are the center of our lives it is hard to see beyond our wants and needs. When we choose to give up ourselves we can see Gods' greatness, we can see His presence, we can let go of our wants to make room for someone else. We can experience joy. We can be filled with it.
I wish you all Joy as we enter the new year.
Nicole
Friday, December 11, 2009
Advent, week 2
So here we are in week 2 of advent. This week is about PEACE. Wikipedia describes peace as:
A time of no fighting, no rudeness, no cruelty, but only calmness. An absence of hostility. Is a state of tranquility or harmony.
Our world is in turmoil, as is our lives as we wonder through our days trying to get STUFF accomplished. I think that there are many places to find peace. There is the world , and it seems so overwhelming to think of how we might think to bring peace to something so big. There is our country, provinces, city's', communities, homes, bodies, and our own minds. I wonder if we just think outside ourselves and get so overwhelmed with the size of things and then we give up hope?
I wonder what happens when we start in ourselves first. Or perhaps it is better to say, when we let God do His work in us. Peace seems like such an out there thing, but as I age (hopefully growing wiser as well) I am realizing that when I change what is going on inside that the stuff outside seems to change as well. Not all at once, and maybe it is all in how I've changed my perception of what I'm seeing, but it is different than it was. When I find peace inside my heart, mind, life as I live it then I feel like I can see Peace outside where I have never seen it before.
To think about having peace in our lives every day as a conscience choice is to sometimes not have our way. It is to sometimes recognize that we do not need to be right and that peace in our hearts and in our home is more important than winning an argument.
As we live with ourselves in a peaceful state, when God gives us the insight and the wisdom to know which fight is the one to draw the line with, then we will find peace in our homes. When we can draw our strength from God to not have the need for everyone to know that we are giving in, not because we are wrong, but because we can love our families enough to not care about being right, then we will find more peace in our homes. As we find peace in our homes, we will see peace in our communities, again because God will give us the wisdom and strength to be a better neighbour, to know when to stand up and when to let it go.When we see peace in our communities we will then see more in our cities, and our provinces', and then our country, and our continent, and then our world. When we are able to let God love us, let Him show us how to love others, we will experience peace, in our hearts, lives, homes, ...... you get the picture. (I hope I've painted it well.)
Now comes the hard part, letting GOD LOVE US! He does it well, we just have to accept it. He has tried over and over again to show us how much He loves us and each time we seem to balk at Him as He expresses how He feels about us, His children. The lie is not that we don't deserve Gods love, the lie is that we can't have Gods love. We only have to accept it, that is all, it is a gift. A GIFT! It is freely given, there is no earning, winning or anything we can do to not be loved. It is there, always. Waiting. Waiting for us to say, I'll take that! As we say yes to accepting Gods love we acknowledge how He has shown us His love in sending Jesus to live and then die for us.
Having Gods love does not mean we will never face adversary or bad stuff, but it does mean we can choose our state of mind. We can approach things more peacefully, with an understanding beyond our comprehension because we have a Holy Counsellor to guide us through our decisions. Not only do we have this mighty Counsellor to guide us through our decisions we also have His Son who has shown us how to love others and how to be peaceful within ourselves so we can be peaceful outside ourselves.
I wish you all a peaceful week.
Nicole
A time of no fighting, no rudeness, no cruelty, but only calmness. An absence of hostility. Is a state of tranquility or harmony.
Our world is in turmoil, as is our lives as we wonder through our days trying to get STUFF accomplished. I think that there are many places to find peace. There is the world , and it seems so overwhelming to think of how we might think to bring peace to something so big. There is our country, provinces, city's', communities, homes, bodies, and our own minds. I wonder if we just think outside ourselves and get so overwhelmed with the size of things and then we give up hope?
I wonder what happens when we start in ourselves first. Or perhaps it is better to say, when we let God do His work in us. Peace seems like such an out there thing, but as I age (hopefully growing wiser as well) I am realizing that when I change what is going on inside that the stuff outside seems to change as well. Not all at once, and maybe it is all in how I've changed my perception of what I'm seeing, but it is different than it was. When I find peace inside my heart, mind, life as I live it then I feel like I can see Peace outside where I have never seen it before.
To think about having peace in our lives every day as a conscience choice is to sometimes not have our way. It is to sometimes recognize that we do not need to be right and that peace in our hearts and in our home is more important than winning an argument.
As we live with ourselves in a peaceful state, when God gives us the insight and the wisdom to know which fight is the one to draw the line with, then we will find peace in our homes. When we can draw our strength from God to not have the need for everyone to know that we are giving in, not because we are wrong, but because we can love our families enough to not care about being right, then we will find more peace in our homes. As we find peace in our homes, we will see peace in our communities, again because God will give us the wisdom and strength to be a better neighbour, to know when to stand up and when to let it go.When we see peace in our communities we will then see more in our cities, and our provinces', and then our country, and our continent, and then our world. When we are able to let God love us, let Him show us how to love others, we will experience peace, in our hearts, lives, homes, ...... you get the picture. (I hope I've painted it well.)
Now comes the hard part, letting GOD LOVE US! He does it well, we just have to accept it. He has tried over and over again to show us how much He loves us and each time we seem to balk at Him as He expresses how He feels about us, His children. The lie is not that we don't deserve Gods love, the lie is that we can't have Gods love. We only have to accept it, that is all, it is a gift. A GIFT! It is freely given, there is no earning, winning or anything we can do to not be loved. It is there, always. Waiting. Waiting for us to say, I'll take that! As we say yes to accepting Gods love we acknowledge how He has shown us His love in sending Jesus to live and then die for us.
Having Gods love does not mean we will never face adversary or bad stuff, but it does mean we can choose our state of mind. We can approach things more peacefully, with an understanding beyond our comprehension because we have a Holy Counsellor to guide us through our decisions. Not only do we have this mighty Counsellor to guide us through our decisions we also have His Son who has shown us how to love others and how to be peaceful within ourselves so we can be peaceful outside ourselves.
I wish you all a peaceful week.
Nicole
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