Smiling on the 14th Floor

January 2011 marked our 18th Wedding Anniversary!! It is hard for me to believe that I have been married for that long...I don't feel like I could be old enough?! The season of life we are in, we are not able to simply pick up and go away for a weekend. This year, we did managed to get away for one night as we stayed local.

To our surprise, as we checked into the beautiful hotel, they placed us on their top floor....the 14th floor! When I head those numbers my heart skipped a beat~ both joyful and fearful at the same time. Many of you may remember that in December 2008, I had "hotel issues" causing a season of panic attacks. In the first hotel, we were on the 13th floor I believe and had to move to the 2nd floor (which didn't really make a difference). Weeks later on a trip to Austin to see family, we stayed in a gorgeous hotel, I believe on the 10th floor, and again, there were panic moments in this torturous season. The next morning, we attended a large church as a family and even there...panic. This was quite the Season of Hell to say the least. I was so consumed by fear and anxiety that I did not have hope or understanding. I was afraid.

The following April of 2009, God had delivered me from the bondage of fear. My birthday was certainly a celebration of Life! We stayed on the top floor of our hotel which only happened to be the 9th floor but that was a huge moment of victory for me! Fear had no hold on me!! Life was good, full of hope! Life to be lived fully in Christ, with great hope and anticipation. Since then, we have not stayed in a "big" hotel.

We walked over to the elevator, pushed the Up button and waited. The doors glided open and we stepped inside. My heart jumped, but I was ready, willing and knew with God, I was able!!! This was not an issue for me. What a moment to treasure!!! A Blessing counted and remembered.

Side note: I don't know why there has to be a chime at every floor passed, kinda reminds you how high you are going, and really...is anyone counting to know? They should do away with the chimes~ not good for anxious riders!!
 
Anyway, After the first few seconds of taking a deep breath and believing...celebrating this victory, my heart was glad. Just 2 years ago, I thought I would never be able to stay comfortably in a hotel again and yet, here I was rising to the 14th floor!!! And of course, our room couldn't be the first door, but it was at the end of the hallway! Funny God!! Walking it out in joy.

 
  Our room was beautiful and the view was awesome!!! I have never liked edges, and even now, I will not be the person leaning against the windows or rails, but I did walk straight up to it and look down. The smile was for the victory more than the view. God is sooooo good!

 
The hotel gifted us with flowers, champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries! (What a wonderful distraction too!) I haven't had a drink since 1994, but I sure loved the strawberries!! We enjoyed several rides up and down the elevators as we visited the pool area and restaurant. No issues, amen!

 
When we are in the middle of the storm, it is hard to imagine ever getting out of it, and very difficult to see anything good in it. It is soooo important that we have two things~ confidence in God through our faith and the love of others. God is our Potter and He is in the business of defining and shaping us to be more like Him. In the same way we bless and correct our own children, so God does with us. It takes good times and bad times to teach us. Some things are only learned through trials.
 
Before you find yourself in the midst of a trial, be ready! Work out those spiritual muscles so that when it is time to be strong, you are! Also, ask God to place others who are deeply in love with Him around you, for such a time as this. We are made to live in community with each other and God uses others to help us in our time of need. "Encourage one another, love one another." I am thankful for the sweet sisters God has placed around me. It has been through them that God has been that hug, that word of hope, the focus and perspective. To each a season and to each a specific reason. We should all be a sharpening to one another and not dull each other out.

I am also thankful to be married to my man who has reminded me over and over that he will never leave me or walk away from me. He is committed to walk over the mountains with me and even the valleys. Boy has he!!! I appreciate him more and more every year.
 
Wherever you are in your walk today, I encourage you to go further. Keep walking. Don't stop learning and especially don't stop believing. Trust that God is who He says He is. He is able to do more than we could ever imagine! (Eph 3) He wants our joy to be full! (John 15:11)
 
Blessing and smiles, from the 14th floor!!!
 
 

 
To GOD be the GLORY for He has done, and is STILL doing GREAT and MIGHTY things!!!
 
AMEN!!!!



Michele
 
 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

 

 

 

Drink More Water!!!

God really does crack me up. He has brought me to tears, both happy ones and sad ones. Today was a day of joyful tears. Like I have so many times, I am just a visual learner and God certainly teaches me and talks to me often through visuals. In recent days I have been praying for affirmations of His will in my life, to make sure I am on the right path. Am I reading what I need to be reading, doing in my day what I need to do and am I receiving what He is giving and am I giving where and how He is asking.

This is a time of study for me. I am preparing to lead a Mother's bible study and yet I have this sense of rest and peace. Shouldn't I be doing more Lord? The answer has been No, rest in me. There are seasons we go through where our service or ministering is something you sign the dotted line for. Other times, in our "off season" we are to rest and minister as we walk through our day, to whom ever God places there, in whatever circumstance we find ourself. Of course, we are never "off" from ministering or serving Him as far as being lazy but resting in Him is an important season. It is work to rest. We can minister one step and need at a time. No Sign Up Sheet needed.

Timely words...somedays when I am really seeking after God, I feel like I am on a treasure hunt of sorts. He will show me something that leads me to another treasure which leads to another and another. All throughout the day, His message strings together into a specific message to me. It may sound weird, it is weird to try to explain it but point is...God speaks sometimes briefly and other times throughout divine moments.

Today, my IPod was downloaded with some of my favorite pastor's and the one I chose happened to be about waiting on God, taking time to rest. When the fishermen were casting their nets, they had to stop to mend their nets. That's where I find myself, mending my net, to be stronger.

Then, the next treasure came once I got home. I was doing a quick vacumm and just as I was finishing, "something" said to get down on my hands and knees on the floor. I really wasn't planning on it, just needed a quick run over, but I felt the need to so I did. When I was down on hands and knees looking under the couch, I noticed the dropped popcorn. Lesson- there are some things that can only be seen when you get down on your knees. Applying this spiritually- we must go where He leads, His plans are not always ours, even when we don't understand, we must trust and obey. There will be things revealed that can only come from being on our knees before God.

Then, I am laughing as I write this...I won't say names to protect the identity of the person. Someone has been struggling with constipation in our house and therefore going to the bathroom has been a little painful. I know, how is this a treasure moment...I am laughing too...don't worry. I told this person that it was important to drink lots and lots of water to make the poop softer, thus making it easier to get out. Well, today, my toddler was helping me make our lunch and he said to me, "Mom, I am going to drink this big water so I can get the big poo-poos out cuz if I drink little water, it won't all come out and it will hurt." I replied, "Yes, we need to be filled with water to get the poop out." You can probably see where I am going with this one. Spiritual Lesson- being filled with the Living Water is what gets rid of our poop, junk inside our hearts, mind, sould and spirit. The more water we drink, the easier it will be and also, more consistant and less painful. When are body (spirit) is dehydrated, things don't work like they should making it more painful of an experience.

It is funny, I know, but the lessons are there. This is what I have asked God for and He has heard my prayers. I want to walk my day out with God and I want to hear Him as I walk, not just at the end of my day. As much as I experience "serious" holy moments with God (prayer time, worship, meditation, stillness), He sure has given me practical (normal, every day examples, teaching moments) holy moments with Him. God can use any thing and any one to speak to us. Just this past Sunday, a question I had been asking God, a dear Sister affirmed the decision I had made, not even knowing I has posed the question to God. His word is always timely and true and they do not come just Sunday mornings through the Pastor.

He uses any circumstance, any hour of the day or night (I have had several beautiful 3am moments), any place through any means-sermons, KSBJ, friends, books, fellowships, over coffee, at the park, making lunch. :) He is talking. Are we listening?

Are you on the look out for the treasures, lessons, opportunities to hear Him today? At home, in the car, at the office, in the gym, at the grocery store, in the carline, in the bathroom.

Drink more Water~ it will help you get the poop out!

" Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." John 4:13-15


 "Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Revelation 7:16-17

Let them Scribble-Scrabble

This morning, my 4 year old told me that he didn't like to go to school. I asked him why not and he replied, "My Friend always scribble-scrabbles on his paper and I don't like to." I couldn't help but giggle at that reasoning but it was something I reflected on later after I spoke the words, "Honey, you cannot let other people dictate how you feel or enjoy something. If you like doing it, then do it! Don't worry about what they do. Maybe you will even be able to teach them how to color inside the lines." (Obviously this is not a permissison to sin, not going down that road. I am simply talking about letting someone else's actions change what you do. I am also not saying that a person is wrong for doing things differently than we do.)

The point is~ We have the ability to impact just as much as we can be impacted.

This was a good reminder for me as well. It is hard when those around us are disrespectful, negative and hurtful. Not only does it affect our enjoyment of the shared activity but it also gives us an opportunity. We have the opportunity to stand tall and not flee. God has called us as Believers to teach, encourage, love others, not becoming like them or by avoiding them, but patiently through His enabling of the Holy Spirit, reflect Him to the watching world.

Just this past week, our Pastor preached about knowing God's will. Two things struck a cord with me. 1.) We need eachother. We need 2-3 Believers in our life that are willing to speak truth, GOD'S TRUTH, into our lives. Therefore, we must be willing to open our hearts up, which is a vulnerable place, and allow these few precious ones in so that God can speak into our lives. We must risk being hurt. I thank God that He has blessed me with a precious few Sisters that love me just as I am and yet have my persmission to speak truth. The other is 2.) Attitude~ having the right attitude that pleases God. The fruit of the spirit is a good check list to see how we are reflecting His love to others around us. Am I also aggrivated, negative or joyful and encouraging? I have a choice. Satan would prefer that I sucumb to the stress of the world, but through God's power and might, I can carry His love out.

We are one body and we are all gifted differently. We must too be careful of comparrisons. Just as each body part has a specific function so do each of us in the body. None is exactly alike. Satan seeks out to destroy and distract and there are going to be times of distraction. So, all we can do is remain focused on our part, stay inside our own lines and let God change the scribble scrabblers. Maybe He will use us to teach, encourage, or mentor someone else but that is for God to know.

I choose my behaviors and am not responsible for someon one else's. All I can do is go where God leads, do what God tells me to do and do it the way God shows me. I am certainly not perfect, no one is, but I can say this, I am intentionally and prayerfully asking God to empty me of me and fill me with more of Him! I will mess things up. I do mess things up. God's grace however, fills me. His love is enough for me.

I could go on each of these somewhat same but seperate issues, but I won't. Today's point is simple....

You are free to be Imperfect You and I am free to be Imperfect Me!!!! WHAT FREEDOM!!!!

Let God work His prefection through us to bring to completion the work He began. He is the Alpha and Omega! The Author and Perfector of our Faith!

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--

His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12: 2

 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." I Peter 1:6-9

Praise~ Glory~ Honor~

AMEN!

The Seasonal Squeeky Wheel

This past Christmas Eve, our family made the old traditional drive to Luling, Texas to celebrate with my Husband's-Dad's side of the family. It had been 4 years since we last made the large family gathering. All things were cheerful, light-hearted, until...Great-Grandpapa felt led to say his good-byes to the family.

Grandpapa is an 89 year old retired Preacher and has lost 2 of his 6 children and his wife in the past several years. He is blind in one eye and the hearing is limited even with the ear piece. His mind is as sharp as ever. I love our conversations about the world, life, family and the Lord. He is an amazing, generous and kind man! What I admired the most about him is his committment to prayer. Grandpapa faithfully prays for each person in the family by name and he even will send ocassional cards to remind us throughout the year.

Saying Good bye is never easy. One thing is for sure, when you are reminded about the fragility of life, your next day not being guaranteed, a fresh zest for life is ignited. Needless to say, Grandpapa got some extra hugs and lots of pictures were taken with him. Who knows, it may not be his last Christmas with us, but I am not going to make a gamble for "next time around" for our tomorrows, no matter your age, are numbered precisley by the One who created us. God holds our calendar dates. All we can do is live each day as our last and cherish each moment we are given. We loose this as our busy lives consume us. To Do's a mile long hurry us through our days.

Just this past year, I have had three friends face cancer and several who have lost loved ones. To say the least, not that I love them more than I did before this season in their lives, but I certainly appreciate them more. Days become more valuable and precious when you see each one as a gift.

During times of struggle, I find my heart is tuned in more closely to their needs~ whether emotional, physical and spiritual. If an opportunity comes up to be a help, then I am more than willing to help. As I pray for them in their time of need, my spirit is sensitive and humbled to stand in the gap for as long as God calls. Sometimes it may be a day to months to years. However the Spirit leads, what an honor to follow.

I didn't come to realize how important this was until I was on the receiving end for a season. Prayer is the most precious, practical and proactive thing another Brother or Sister in the body can give to another. It is the calling out to a listening God and caring Father. This is one huge way we can love eachother.

Each of us goes through trials. We will experience stormy seasons and lovely seasons full of rainbows and roses. Seasons can be 24 hours long or years at a time. Some as simple as mild irritations or they can be debilitating. For however long and for whatever it is, one thing is for sure...God's grace will take us through it one day at a time. AMEN!!! God is faithful and His promises are true, and kept!

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live." Ecclesiastes 3:1-12 

I have noticed the wonderful ebb and flow even between my Husband and I over the nearly 18 years we have been married. It never fails that when one of us is going through a stressful time in life, things seem to be steady in the other's and he/she is able to give "more than" for a bit of time. Of course, there are times when he is the source of the stress in my life (or like wise for him) and what a blessing to have friends to encourage, support and help with love.

And it goes both ways in any realtionship. When one of the partners, whether marriage or friendship or even co-workers, there will be times when one person will need an extra measure of grace, mercy, compassion as they walk through "whatever." There are many different ways we can minister. A simple meal can seem like a golden feast to an exhausted person. When we walk through a tough day, our energy seems to hit all time lows and the thought of making a meal, ontop of the house, work and the kids can nearly push us over the edge of despair. Sure, they can call Domino's for a delivery or drive thru a fast food restaurant, but I could also just double my family's dinner recipe and drop it off as a blessing to their family. I could spend the day cleaning my house or helping a hurting friend clean hers. When I pick up groceries, it's easy to grab a needed item for my friend as well. Giving does involve sacrifice of self. It doesn't mean giving up self, but giving from self, funneling God's love to another.

I have been so blessed by those who have stepped out with a meal, running an errand, help with the other kids and met a practical need for me when I have been sick or one of my children were. Most often it was the simple phone call with a caring, encouraging voice on the other end to lift up the spirits!

Sometimes the simpliest forms of ministries is just loving simply. Not that we don't love everyone equally, but we cannot be best of friends with everyone we have ever met. We ought to love everyone with the Love of Jesus. Some are harder to love than others, sure. Each person placed in our life is for a reason. Maybe it is for them or maybe it is for us, or maybe both! Maybe becuase of our relationship with someone, it touches another person's life. Ministry happens where Love is. Loving others happens when we step out of our normal, self-revolving routine and step into the lives of others. Of course we should pray for each other but we are also called to be His hands and feet here on earth.

Next time you feel discouraged, look around you. God has given you extra measures of love and grace to carry you through. Look past the giant waves. Blessings will come in a million different forms from provisions, change of circumstances, timely, loving words, new friendships, and strengthening of seasoned friendships. When things are great, it seems every one is our friend but when times get hard, here is where you find the strength of those who are willing to continue to stand by you in the valley. Not everyone is "that" kind of friend. The friends who last the longest in the dessert are the ones who drink of the same Living Water as you. God supplies all that we need when we need it, in good times and bad, and that includes companionships.

During the last "season from Hell" I went through, I had never felt so alone and although I am blessed to know many wonderful and Godly people and have a family, including in-laws, that love me...I had never felt so lonesome. When I found the courage to cry out for help, I could count on one hand the number of those whom I felt would still love me, accept me and support me through this very painful and embarassing time in my life. God has blessed me with wonderful, Godly Sisters in Christ!! I am so very blessed. Over the years, their faithfulness and acceptance and encouragement have meant so much to me. It has been out of this overflow that I am then blessed to love, support and encourage another in their time of need.

We are not called to meet every person's needs, there would be no way even if we wanted to. Our broken world is full of pain. We serve a mighty God who has unlimited resources. Each of us are equipped with our own gifts and abilities to use in the Kingdom. We are called not to do every thing for every one. We are called to do our part. If we each covered the path He set out for us individually, imagine the amount of territory that would be covered?! Our lives would no doubt intertwine with one another's, making a strong cord of two or more gathered in His name!


We will love everyone but we will love everyone differently. And each person that we love, even that love will change in form as the seasons change. One will need more in the ebb and flow.

Life is our training ground~ God is training us to know how to be more like Him and Love Him and He is training us to share His Love with others. We are never to stand still. We are never to be self-sufficient or absorbed.

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Ephesians 5:1-2

Your life is not about getting what you want. It is loving God and loving others. Maybe the squeeky wheel does get the grease. When something is squeeking, it's needs our attention. That doesn't mean that all other wheels become unimportant, it just means that for a while, this squeeky wheel needs our extra love and attention for a bit. And it could very well become you favorite wheel because for a second, you thought you might loose it; therefore, all wheels seem to be a little more special and appreciated too.

Love God. Love others. Do not take advantage of the fact that there is always "next time." Do not love less, love differently, each according to their needs. What a joy to share His Love for the seasons!


Thanking God for not being a Seasonal God, but a God for all seasons.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind....

 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and

continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—

he will be blessed in what he does. "    James 1:2-6...22-24



HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!!!!

What an amazing year we made it through! For me, 2010 was a year of blessing and love. I'd do it all over again!! As I look ahead to 2011, I can honestly say I have absolutely NO IDEA what God has planned with me. I don't know if this is just me, but I usually know what's generally ahead, be it real activities that will be planned out throughout the year, or the emotional journey of being totally excited or dreading an upcoming season, knowing some good and bad will be dealt with and spiritually, I most often have sense of what is being work on, refined or a new level I am headed towards,.....but not this year. I am a planner and right now, I am not seeing "The Plan!!!!" "The Planner" wants A Plan!!!

Day One of 2011 began with tears of joy and tears of sadness. I have no idea what 2011 holds for me with God. I feel almost as if I have on a blindfold and by faith, I can only enter each day as if it was a door to be opened. Sounds kinda faithful and courageous, but I promise you that is not how I feel. I am trusting Him completely to work all things out for the good (Romans 8:28) and yet, I am nervous, or maybe it's anxious. Or maybe I am anxiously excited!? I don't know.

This January, I will be leading a bible study here in my home, actually in a few weeks and although I know God has handed this opportunity to me, of which I am honored to have been asked, I do not yet have the curriculum. The Planner is getting anxious, a bit nervous in my flesh, but my spirit is calm and trusting. I am not confident in my ability to lead, teach, encourage or help but I am confident that God will lead, teach and encourage through me...despite me. I am nothing, just merely a vessel. Of course, I must trust, take a "risk", have faith in His abilities, not mine.

I know, I know. I hear myself telling this to myself, " Self, there is nothing God asks you to do that He will not equip you to do. Keep trusting Him and do not worry about it. It will be okay."

What it comes down to is the lack of control. We want everything to be planned out on the calendar. We hope to have just the right amount of money saved up for the thing we need to get this year, only for something else to happend causing us to dip into that saved amount. We want our jobs to go smoothly, raises to be given and respect shown. We expect our children to be perfect represenatives of their family. We pray for a surrounding of amazing friends who will keep intouch, look past our flaws and love us forever.

There is no control with "risks". Every day and every thing has risks involved. Activites get cancelled, finances can quickly come and go, jobs can be stressful or worse-lost, children will misbehave and talk back, and some seasons will be lonely. All things involve risks.

Even walking with God.

When we choose salvation in Christ, we choose to follow Him~ dieing to self, letting go of control, not knowing what lies ahead. It is no longer about controlling ourself, it is self-control in the Spirit. Handing over complete control of my imperfect self to a perfect God. I'd much rather He lead than I lead. Who am I to know where He is taking me? I don't. I have gone through seasons where I can clearly see the process, peeling back one layer at a time, knowing which layer we were working on and seeing which was next. I am learning about trust this New Years' and as I attempted to figure out the impossible, I realized I it was a waste of time for how can I know the plans of God? He knows the plans for me. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I am much better off taking a risk with God than with myself. He knows me better. He loves me more than I love myself. Who better to trust than He? With risks, I think the fear arises because there is an unknown outcome. Why do we get bent out of shape? Because we are anticipating failure in some way. If we had hope and believed in a favorable outcome, then we would gladly take the risk. So, when we hand ourselves over to a perfect God, loving Father, The Rock and Refuge, Ever Lasting Lord....will I believe in Him? Will I look forward with hope, by faith that He is going to lead me beside still waters through valleys and mountaintops in 2011? Will I risk my human failure, my feelings, in order to gain rewards and blessings?

One of my mentors in the faith taight me the concepts which are so very true~without pain, how can God be Comforter? Without the heartbreak, sadness or anger, how will we understand Joy and Peace? Without trials and failures, how would we understand Grace, Mercy, Compassion.

Maybe this is what 2011 is for me...a year of "risks." I actually don't think it should be called a "risk" with God. In the human-sphere, yes, going into an unknown is a "rick." With God, it's "faith." Maybe a year of strengthening my faith, gaining courage and going past comfort levels is coming...it's here! Alrighty then...if God is for me then who can stand against me? I will trust in the Lord. I will work out my salvation. I will stretch and build my physical, emotional and spiritual muscles.

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. " Hebrews 11:11

Each year carries it's highs and lows. The unpredictability is what should be keeping us clinging to the Lord over all, the Creator and Establisher of all things. May the Love we have from God be the glue that binds our faith and hope close.

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible,the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen." Hebrews 11:15-17