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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Clouds to Sunshine

Yesterday I woke up at 2:30 am. Yep, 2:30 AM.

Woke up knowing I was in a cloud and didn't really want to be there. I told my husband (when he finally got up) that I was struggling and asked him to watch me and help me because I didn't want to take my cloud out on anyone. During my quiet time I just asked God to help me to run to him in the cloud. I wanted to remember as long as I was in the cloud to cling to Him.

Today, I woke up at 5:30 am. A much better time.

My quiet time - Nevertheless afterward. Hebrews 12:11

YESTERDAY - full of grief for Daddy's death, Jack's car axle broken, and the Tigers lost to Carolina. (The last one was just the topper to huge emotions.)

TODAY - rejoicing that Daddy is in heaven, we can afford to pay for Jack's car repairs, and all of my really close friends are happy!

Yesterday I awoke to darkness - literally. Today I awoke to sunrise.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Digging on Priscilla and Aquilla

I have just completed two bible studies, "A Woman's Heart" at my church, and a study of Acts that began last September through Just for Women's Ministry. This is the hardest time for me in my quiet time. In the past I've had some really great personal bible studies and then I've had some times when I just bounced around looking for something. I can't just read a short devotion in the morning and be ready for my day. Just like I love a big breakfast, and really, I would eat bacon and eggs with toast and jelly every morning if I could; I just need a big douse of God before I get going or I never really get going.

I use to teach Sunday School(recently stepped down from that). Last year we used a daily devotion book on women of the bible. One Sunday I taught a lesson on Priscilla and since that time, I have been intrigued by her. So. . . .

On this past Monday morning I began digging on Priscilla and Aquilla. Don't know where it will lead me but I have already had a couple of big aha moments. So for now when I blog I'll be chewing on this. Oh yeah, I'm using the inductive study method to try to dig - the who, what, when, where, why, and how - questions. If anyone does read this and you discover I am misunderstanding something, feel free to call me on it. We all need to be accountable.

Romans 16:3-5

These three verses found at the end of Romans contain alot of tidbits that add up to a really full meal.

Paul is closing this letter and asks for GREETINGS to be given to:
1 - Prisca and Aquila
2 - All the churches of the Gentiles
3 - The church in Prisca and Aquila's home
4 - Epaenetus

My "WHY" question that day was: Why is Paul GREETING them?
1 - Prisca and Aquila are fellow workers in Christ, they risked their necks for Paul, he wanted to say thank you, they had a church in their home
2 - Paul was thanking all the churches of the Gentiles, fellow believers
3 - Paul was greeting fellow believers
4 - Paul was greeting fellow believer, even 1st believer in Asia

It took me about 40 minutes to get through to my "HOW" questions for the day. I asked God, so HOW does this apply to me? I came up with four questions I needed to ask myself.

1. Do I GREET my fellow workers in Christ?
I thought about church and asked my self, "Do I just greet those people at church that I know well?" Probably yes. I speak to alot of people but I don't know that I always greet everyone.

The word GREET in Greek is aspazomai. It means to welcome, greet. Ok I could just stop right there. I know I don't always welcome everyone. Gotta work on that one.

2. Do I stand up for my fellow workers in Christ?
Ok gotta work on that one, too. There are times when I just don't speak up and I know I should. Prisca (I just love that nickname) and Aquila not only stood up but risked their necks for Paul and for Christ.

3. Do I thank my fellow workers in Christ for what they do?
I do pretty good on this one. I can always improve but I try to make it a point of thanking people wherever I am for what they do for me. I, also, in the past couple of years have tried very hard to look people in the eye when they thank me for something and say "You are welcome". Did you notice, there's that word, aspazomai. To acknowledge thanks is greeting, too!!!

4. Do I reach out beyond the believers I know or do I stay in my little circle?
Gotta really work on this one. I get as tongue tied as Moses when I am around people I don't know or in an unfamiliar situation. Need me an Aaron or need to trust God more.

Ok, so at work on Tuesday morning, a new patient came in. I GREETED her, said the usual, then told one of my fellow workers that I just couldn't key her in. That means I didn't want to register her. This new patient smelled horrible. I don't just mean a little bit bad I mean she smelled like she had smoked 20 packs of cigarettes in a small room and then walked in our door. I didn't register her, one of my co-workers took care of that.

I left to go marketing and while I was driving to my second stop, it hit me so hard, tears filled my eyes. I did not GREET this person. I did not WELCOME her. I did everything but run from her. God and I had a conversation about that right then and there. When I got back to work I went to "the child" and told her about this. My question to her was, "What opportunity did I just pass up by not GREETING this person?"

I pray God will help me to keep my eyes wide open so that I won't fail to GREET his children.

Romans 16:3-5 Three little verses that I have read many, many times and never paid close attention to until now.

GREETINGS

Saturday, March 7, 2009

UNimportant to Important

I've been feeling a little UNimportant the past couple of days. That is a very UNcomfortable feeling. It leads to UNcontrollable anxious thoughts. It causes me to be UNable to remain focused on a task. It leaves me with many UNanswered questions. It may even lead me to make UNbecoming comments.

Why am I sharing such negative feelings? Because I really want to share how those feelings were changed.

My husband has set up our computers at home so that when we log on, a bible verse from BibleGateway.com is on our homepage. I read the verse first thing this morning and really didn't pay that much attention to it. Psalm 139:23-24. I spent some time on the computer, took a shower, and then got ready for my quiet time with the LORD. As I began, I started by telling God how I've been feeling. I didn't quite know what scripture to turn to for relief. So I turned to the back of Psalms in my study Bible where I can find a little help: "When you feel. . ."

There are all kind of feelings listed: afraid, cheated, depressed,. . . .

Then I came upon UNIMPORTANT. It hit a chord in my soul!! The Psalms listed were
5; 90; 139

Bingo!

I did read and pray Psalm 5 which actually contains my favorite bible verse:
3. In the morning O LORD, you will hear my voice,
In the morning I will order my prayer to You, and eagerly watch.

I did read and pray Psalm 90.

And then I began reading and praying Psalm 139. Our God is so glorious and so faithful. His word is sharper than any 2-edged sword. (Heb 4:12) It is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (2 Tim 3:16).

How can I feel Unimportant when my God:
searches me continually,
knows everything I am doing,
understands all my thoughts,
is scrutinizing my path,
knows what I will say before the words leave my tongue,
encloses me behind and before,
has laid HIS hand on me,
is always present,
leads me wherever I go,
is in the dark,
formed my inward parts,
knows all my days,
shares HIS thoughts with me,
knows my heart,
tries me,
knows my anxious thoughts,
leads me in the everlasting way!!!!!!

To the world I may just be another person, BUT to my LORD I am important. I'll just keep reminding myself of that!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

I love Saturday's!!

I love Saturday's. I really love this Saturday because it is Valentine's Day.

Jeb beat me saying, "Happy Valentine's Day" this year. I was walking over to give him a good morning kiss and he smiled and said it very fast. It sounded like "happyvalentinesday"! He made me a card and I took a picture of it. (if I can figure out how to post pictures I will post it)

I cooked breakfast for us and we just hung out for awhile.

What a wonderful sweet man of my life. We will go out to eat this evening.

DATE NIGHT!!!!

I just love Saturday's especially when it's Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Genius and Laughter

"Anytime we spend time in the Word of God, and search for Him with a Sincere heart, God will reveal Himself and it will effect every aspect of our life."
- The Child

Yesterday the Child and I were talking as we worked and she said the above statement. It stopped me in my tracks and I told her she had to say it again because I wanted to write it down. She wrote it down for me, handed it to me, and we went back to work. Here is our brief conversation before I laughed so hard I cried:

Me: That is really deep. I'm going to have to think about that.

Child: Every once in a while I come up with genius.

Brief pause

Child: Did I tell you I put two contacts in one eye?

Genius and laughter all from the Child in my life. What a wonderful gift I have been given.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Lesson From a Child

Everyone should have a child in their life like the one I have in my life. This child does not belong to me and to many she would not be considered a child. She has been given a very large measure of faith from our heavenly Father and she shares this faith without hesitation. Many days we talk about the book we will write together and I have said my half of the book would be titled "Lessons From A Child". She takes everyday happenings and turns them into practical lessons. The lesson she taught me awhile back and that I have shared with several people is on my mind tonight. She taught me to ask myself, "Is it my turn?"

I asked the child one day, "how come you never seem to be in a bad mood?" The child is a country girl and sometimes proper English will go right over her head. So I ask her "how come" alot. Anyway she told me that she found out right after she got married that she and her husband couldn't be in a bad mood at the same time because it just didn't work. So she decided that whenever her husband seemed to be in a bad mood that she would tell herself that it wasn't her turn to be in a bad mood. She could have a bad mood later. By putting off her bad mood, she found that she didn't have very many bad moods. So in life, wherever she is, if her day isn't going just right she checks first to see if someone else has claimed being in a bad mood. If they have by their words or actions then it just isn't her turn. What can I tell you? Makes perfect sense to me. If more us, including me, would just check out to see if it really is our turn to be in a bad mood I bet there would be alot less bad moods out there.

So that's it. The first "Lesson From a Child". By the way, the child, came up to me as I was leaving work today and said, "I just love you. I get excited coming to work because I get to see Beckie (that's me)." Everyone should be so lucky to have the child I have in my life.

I love you, too, Katherine!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Did I really want to do this?

You know it's very interesting what you will do when you are very tired and listening to your little sister. I am now a blogger. woop de doo!!! What you don't know is that it is now 10:25 pm and I have been awake since 3:30 am. Later you will see photos and read about the trip to Columbia but for now. . . good night!