WORDS

Red boxing gloves, crown of wisdom, woman of influence, three paths all the right direction, know you can juggle, trust impressions and speak them out, stop asking for what you already have, finally believing and hoping this is the next leg of the journey to destiny.

Are We There Yet?

Another layer. Seriously, some of these layers are of the same material so why can't I get them off all at once and be done. I know, I know, His timing and planning is perfect and all for my good. Still, I think what frustrates me is that I think I'm free of something holding me back, I am ready to move forward when suddenly there is another layer to be removed. When I'm thinking rationally I know that I don't want to try to move forward if I'm tethered to a hindrance. But my heart burns...
The year of 'suddenlies', the year of 'increase', the year of .......

I'm not there yet but I so want to be...

Endurance

Yesterday I was being productive going from one task to another, not really finishing any of them before moving on but I did keep coming back to the unfinished. So, all of the partially completed tasks is really quite similar to the conversation I was having with God. Sometimes it was more of a questioning dialogue than an exchange. Not that the conversation ended with answers - see, no completion. In fact, if anything what I learned is there is to be more stripping of layers and revealing new Kingdom work. At one point I was very close to telling my God that I just couldn't do this anymore but the Holy Spirit reminded me before I spoke those words that it wasn't me doing it anyway so be quiet. He's gotten pretty bold with me lately. He probably has to be that way to keep my attention focused in the right direction.

So soon after this Q & A session with God, I received a phone call asking if we could a meet with another couple that are experiencing a family heart break. "Oh, geeez, Lord, where are you going with this?" The time with this couple was amazing. As we talked and later prayed, it became evident that God has a much bigger plan for us than we could have ever imagined. And quite frankly, not a plan that I really want to move forward with because it cuts deep and I so want to be done with the cutting and stripping. Did Jesus have those same thoughts when his flesh was being ripped off by those whips? Did He what to drop those wooden beams and stop climbing the hill? Did He quit giving His life for me because it wasn't what He wanted to do? No. He finished. And with His help, I want to be like Him. I want to finish whatever He calls me to.

I realize this post is vague in details. Nevertheless, please ask Him to give us wisdom, patience, revelation, favor and ENDURANCE to finish. Thank you.

Title change

It's been a journey and it isn't over but a destination has been arrived at from where the next leg of the journey pushes off. I realize I didn't have this journey mapped out for the shortest route or my blog title would have read differently to start with...maybe "God's Daughter and a Momma Forever"...at this point it doesn't matter. I have discovered being His daughter and committing my focus to that relationship helps align all other relationships and positions in life. Well, duh, you say. After all that is exactly what Mt 6:33 says "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." What can I say? Apparently I needed to wander in the dessert on this journey awhile in order to appreciate the Promise Land and the One who promised it.

This life adventure is hard sometimes. Yet the journey is also exciting. The unknowns, the blessings, the miracles, the lessons learned. I've learned to sit and know that He is God and to allow Him to be just that - God. One who doesn't need my assistance. However, He made me a doer, an active person and He has called me to be active even in the learning to be still. No, that doesn't make a lot of sense but then again, God's thinking and ways don't line up with our natural minds often.

If I couldn't serve Him, I would stagnate, wither and die. Faith without works is death. Work without faith is worthless. To know the balance is a sign of maturity in Him. That's where this destination meets the next leg of the journey. I'm ready, Lord. Let's go.

3 Point Landing

How does a 3 point landing look? Well, it looks better than a crash landing and not quite as good as coming in on your feet. It actually means your tandem partner's feet touched first, then your tailbone and then his tailbone. I think we were coming in a little too fast and his feet slipped in front rather than take a full impact which might have hurt him. It's all okay though. I went into this skydiving experience with an open spirit to whatever He would show me. The lesson is this: You place your trust in Him, you give Him all control and know in your deepest spirit that the end will be okay. The surprise twist to the lesson is that giving Him all control and complete trust doesn't guarantee a perfect landing. The tailbone (or whatever) may get bruised, you will feel a little pain and life will still go on. The pain gets easier but the fact that the landing wasn't what you planned doesn't change. Life goes on. You can choose to replay the landing over and over and choose to focus on the bruised tailbone. Or your life can go on. If I've chosen to give Him my all, then I'm going to also chose for life to go on. Jesus came to give me life and life abundantly. A less than stellar landing isn't going to rob me of that life. The One who made the heavens and the earth has a plan and I'm gonna stick to it with Him!

I'm Jumping

Yes, the title describes what I'll be doing tomorrow. I'm jumping from an airplane. Fortunately, through great planning on my husband's part, I will be attached to an experienced skydiver who will be in charge of knowing when to pull the chord and how to steer us safely - and gently - to the ground.
Why, you might ask, have I made this decision to skydive. Well, to start with it was a couple of casual comments I made about wanting to do this someday and my husband, who loves to give surprises, taking the idea and running with it. Now that I've had time to think about the actual event, I am amazed that I am not nervous or worried. In fact, my prayer is that I will fully enjoy every second of this and not miss the joy of the adventure. You see, God has brought me through a season of dying to control and learning to trust God more fully. Just as the act of baptism is a public demonstration of accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord, this jump is my demonstration of learning to let go and let God.
Whenever I'm in an airplane, I love the window seat and spend a good part of the trip with my face pressed against the glass. Sometimes you are above the clouds and that is all you see - yet I see it as glorious. Then when you can catch some of the landscape below, I realize how large this universe is and how small we are and marvel at how much He loves and knows us.
So tomorrow, I plan on enjoying not having to press my face against the glass while I experience His marvelous creation and all that He has created me for. I'm going to rest & trust in His Almighty arms - then fly like an eagle...and land like a graceful ballerina (or something - couldn't think of what would be graceful and I'm planning on a gently, graceful landing!!!!)
The rest of the vacation is just as amazing! I'll write about it when we return. All I can say is that my husband went above and beyond in his planning and thinking outside the box.

Spring Colors

I love the colors of spring. But today it is rainy and it makes for a gray-blue day. Then I realized that life is like that. There are beautiful spring days with new growth, new colors, new shapes and then some rain must fall or the beauty would die. How does this thought transfer to life? Is it in the gray-blue that we stop to recognize where the real joy lies in the colors of spring? No, God, You might be doing something here but honestly, I like the spring days of warm weather, green grass and new flowers. Can it please be dryer weather tomorrow? And mostly sunny. Maybe You think I'm not done wandering in the dessert but I think I'm more than ready to cross into the Promise Land. How's that for positive thinking???

"I'm not going to take the position of victim any longer. I'm raising my voice with a war cry and claiming victory. I will not be oppressed but will be triumphant." Someone remind me of this if I get whiny again:) :)