Just a truth

Exodus 20:15, "Thou shalt not steal." Four very simple words and yet very profound when put together in this sentence. What is the basic meaning of "steal"? Answer, To take something that is not yours. That something could be anything and everything.

Last month the LORD began to convict me about something in this area. It is a government program that many, many have had to use in the last couple of years. I believe it is a good program....until it starts to go beyond the realm for which it was created. I am talking about unemployment. All those who are rightfully employed (and their employers) have to pay into this program. If they ever get laid off from their jobs, then the unemployment program pays them back what they have already contributed. However, with America's economics being so bad, there has been something extra added to unemployment. It is called emergency unemployment. It gives out more money to those who are still not employed. I thought it was pretty nice, until the LORD helped me to realize that the emergency monies were not coming from the one who was once employed, it is coming from the monies of those who are still employed...and that is stealing. That emergency money does not belong to those who are unemployed, it belongs to those who are contributing it.

Once I understood what was happening, I repented of stealing, and took a step of faith. We stopped receiving unemployment for my daughter. Guess what? Within a week of doing that which the LORD commanded, He blessed her with a wonderful new job.

Freaky Friday part 2

If I thought Friday, October 1st was freaky, I wasn't prepared for Friday, October 8th. I awoke at 1:22am needing to use the bathroom. My guts felt like they were going to erupt. I thought it was just gas, but a few minutes later I gently got back out of bed and tried to walk around. The pain only got worse. I got on the internet to see what it could be, and it said that if I had severe upper quadrant pain to go to the hospital immediately. By this time, I could barely walk, but had to wake Jerry.

At the Urgent Care, the pain was so bad, I was in tears and could no longer move without crying out loud. The doctor tried to examine my tummy, but his gentle touch felt like knives. They finally gave me a shot of strong narcotics and sent me by ambulance to Harrison ER. I don't remember much except them doing an ultrasound and determining that I needed to be admitted. I spent the rest of the morning trying to sleep and giving myself pain relief. It was so nice to have the self-administered pain-relief machine hooked up. The pain would have been tremendously horrible if I didn't have constant medication.

They finally took me into surgery Friday evening. It didn't take long for them to get me from my room and into the surgery to remove my gall bladder. The next thing I remember was waking up and being taken back to my room. It was so fast, but actually took two and a half hours.

It was so nice to be able to come back home on Saturday afternoon. There truly is no place like home. If it feels great to be back in my earthly home, I can't imagine how blessed it will be when I get to my heavenly home. All praise and thanksgiving go to the LORD God who gave me such peace and His blessings in this trial of affliction.

A Freaky Friday

Last Friday was freaky for me. I had an interview that morning at a school where I had worked six years ago. It would only be a three-hour, temporary position that I thought would be perfect. I had enjoyed working at this school, especially since the principal was a Christian who had prayed with me when I went through a difficult situation. So, I was fairly confident that I would get this new job and couldn't wait to see the principal again.

It had been several months since I had colored my hair, so, I figured that I should do it before I went to the interview. Somewhere in the back of my brain was that small voice that kept saying, "Don't do it! Don't do it! Don't do it or you'll be sorry." I should have listened! Even though the hair dye wasn't the same brand that I always use, it was the same color....NOT!!! When I pulled the towel off my head, I almost fainted. I had ink-black hair and looked like Goth-girl. All I needed was a few chains and some piercings. I was devastated. I had no time to fix it. So, I chose clothes that I thought would down-play the hair. I got out the blow-drier and did the best I could.

As I pulled into the school, feelings of remorse overwhelmed me. "Maybe the principal will forget what I use to look like. Maybe I should call in sick and ask to reschedule. No, it's too late. Maybe the principal won't notice."

Waiting for the interview was torture. My brain just reeled. Half an hour after I arrived, the principal came out to shake my hand. I could tell by the tiniest look on his face that he was shocked at my hair. We sat down in his office, and to my regret, he informed me that the position was a very physical one. That was pretty much the end of the interview. We chatted for a few more minutes as I brought him up to date on my last five years of employment. As we got ready to leave his office, he asked the question I had dreaded, "Didn't you use to be a brunette?"

I couldn't get home fast enough. My fragile emotions were about to erupt. As soon as I ran in the house I grabbed a towel and the shampoo. I used it, but nothing happened. My hair-stylest had told me to try baking soda if you wanted to wash out a coloring. All that did was make my hair extremely dry. Then I remembered my mom telling me decades ago that girls used to use peroxide to lighten their hair. Gave that a try and all it did was disinfect my kitchen drain. I was now desperate. I went for the bleach. My mom had also told me that there were bleached blonds. It didn't matter to me if my hair fell out, so long as it wasn't black anymore. It took a lot of nerve to try the bleach. (Yes, it was diluted.) Then the tears began to flow. As I poured on the bleach, the tears poured from my eyes. I was so frustrated by the hair and by the job I wouldn't get. My sweet daughter was there to comfort. The main thought that kept running through my mind was, "Vanity, thy name is Alice."

It seemed that there was nothing more that I could do to get rid of the hideous color in my hair. Until, the Holy Spirit (that small voice) seemed to say, "Go to Fred Meyer, they have something that will work." Sure enough, there in the hair coloring was a wonderful box called "OOPS". It was a strong chemical, but it worked. It stripped out the black and left me with the natural color of my hair. It was a literal pain to use, but well worth it. My sanity was restored.

Proverbs 31: 30 (a verse I memorized years ago and need to continually apply), "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

Peace perfect peace

    There is nothing like the peace of mind that comes from the LORD. For the last several weeks, ever since the weather began to change, I have been wondering what I should do. The weather can have a negative impact of those who have fibromyalgia or arthritis or other body ailments. It seems to be worse when we are going from high pressure to low. The aches and pains that seem to be doing better, get instantly worse.
    I began to think about going south for the next six or seven months. But the thought of being away from my family was horrid. Then we began to talk about the three of us moving. But the thought of being away from home was awful. And I didn't know if I would be able to withstand the discomfort if I stayed here. We were in a quandary about what to do.
    Of course, we took it to the Lord in prayer and were just waiting for His answer. So, last week I listed all the possible options and left blank spaces for the "pro and con" under each one. I told my family to give their input as well. The paper sat around for a week until Rebekah finally wrote a few things. The saddest was how much she would miss her mom.
    The Bible says for us to trust in the Lord and to seek His will. I was doing that, but it seemed I wasn't getting a clear answer until I read what my daughter had wrote on that list of options. God has given me great peace to just stay here. I know that there will be days of pain and frustration, but more than anything, there will be days full of blessings of being right where I belong...at home.

Freedom

I was studying the Bible this morning and was once again blessed by Colossians 3:3, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." When I accepted Christ as my Saviour, the old, dead self was taken away, and I became a new and living soul and spirit in Christ. I don't understand how it all happened; I just know that it did. 

Before Christ, I was religious and rebellious. I felt dead inside. However, when I finally understood what Jesus did for me on the cross, I was convicted of the fact that I was going to Hell unless I called upon the name of the LORD. As soon as I did, it was as if the old me was taken away and a new me came. I admit that I have sinned greatly many times since that day, but I feel horrible when I do. That never happened before Christ. Back then, I simply didn't care what I did.

Today, as I was looking at my 2004 journal once again, I found an entry that I thought I should share. It is from 3-30-04, "For the last couple of days, I have been reading my journals from 1992 & 1993. That was when we started getting "entangled" with ATI and their "law" beliefs. I'm sure that they are sincere in their motives and beliefs. However, I also believe they are wrong. We are not justified by the "law"; we are set free from it and justified by the Lord, Jesus Christ. Because of that, we are then free from the power of sin to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we are to live a life that is pleasing to God, especially in accordance with Paul's epistles. Not to be "approved", but because we love and fear the Father...out of obedience.

I am thankful for the things we learned in ATI, but I am even more thankful that we were set free from the "bondage". It is such a joyful and peaceful feeling to know that I am accepted and justified fully in Christ. There is nothing that I can do to make myself more holy in God's sight.

Daily, yea, hourly, yea, every moment, I have the choice of Whom I serve and why. Whether it be Christ or sin. I try to always choose Christ and yield my members as instruments of righteousness unto holiness.

This freedom has brought more peace and unity to our family. We realize that we will each stand alone before our God. The Holy Spirit indwells and works His way within us individually according to the will of God; not according to my will. Am I still burdened and grieved over sin? Of course! Do I wish that we were more spiritual? Yes! I know that there is room for improvement, but that is not my responsibility to anyone but myself. And that is why I am trying to apply God's Word to my life as the Holy Spirit leads and empowers me."

Sandwich living

    One of my favorite sandwiches is one that I get from a local restaurant. It is toasty warm filled with grilled chicken breast meat, sprinkled with crisp bacon, and topped with melted cheese. I don't have it very often because of my choice to eat right. But when I do have it, I know that I am in for a messy meal because the sandwich also has a creamy garlic sauce spread on it. Once everything gets all melted together, it becomes a gooey, yummy, slippery mass inside the bun. The only way that I can eat it and not wear it, is to smash the bread together making sure that the seam of the roll is facing down and take my bites from the side. It only took me three times eating this type of sandwich to realize how to do it the right way.
    Well, right now, at this time in my life, I am the filling inside that sandwich and if I do not stay inside of the bun, I am going to ooze out all over the place. I am squeezed on top by the stress of dealing with my daughter. I am squeezed on bottom by the stress of dealing with my mother. And I am melted together with the stress of my fibromyalgia. So, what is keeping this sandwich life from falling apart? It is the strong hands of the LORD. If I just stay right where I belong, I am safe from falling all over the floor. Thank God for His strength....and for those yummy sandwiches.

Applying God's Word

    One of my most favorite things to do is to read. I especially love to read my journals. This post is about another one of the entries from my 2004 journal. It is sad to read it this time because the lesson that I should have learned back then has still not been fully learned as of today. However, the LORD is so gracious and long suffering. He still wants me to learn this lesson, and so, He has given me another opportunity to do that. I shall try to do much better this time.
    So, here is the journal page from March 22, 2004,
    "For the past 28 years, I have been reading and studying my Bible. I feel "dirty" if I don't read it every day. But the Holy Spirit is really working one me...that I should be doing more than just reading or studying the Book. I need to do more applying of God's Word. Reading is no more than a form of entertainment. I do that all the time. Studying is just a way of learning and understanding. Like what I did in college. But applying...that's where true wisdom comes in and Godly changes occur. My head is full of knowledge and understanding. There is even some wisdom in there. But it is all vain if it isn't applied. Such as "love your neighbor as yourself." I do like them, but I don't love them as I should. Or "greet the brethren." I barely even greet those that I know and am close to. Hmmm! Well, after 28 years, it is time to apply the Word of God. Not just read it and think that's enough."
    So many of us wonder "what is the will of God for my life?" Well, Jesus said that if we loved him, we would keep his commandments. What are his commandments? That we would love the LORD with all our heart and soul and mind and strength. And to love our neighbor as ourself. It isn't reading the Bible nor understanding the Bible, it is applying the Bible by doing what it says. And that doesn't mean that we just do it in our own power, but that we do it because we love the LORD and want to do his will.
    Those of you who read this blog, will you please pray for me to do God's will and apply His Word? And that I would start now and not wait? Thanks!