Different Paths

 "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. ' So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea." Exodus 13:17-18

Does your path in life seems a little like the path the Israelite's went on!? You expected the road to the right; the shorter path, the direct path, the easier path, the path that is like the nose on your face right in front of you!? And then you discover that God wants to bring you on the path to the left.

For me I can go back to the start of my life as an adult and see that God and I were together on the destination but I have always been surprised by his choice in paths. Let me share a few of those paths with you. From the time I was very young, kindergarten age, I wanted a big family of my own. I even brought home, without anyone's permission, a little boy from school one day.  When my mama told me he had to go back because he would miss his family I brought him and his brother home the next day. LOL! I am sure that was interesting for my mama. God gave me a beautiful family but God didn't take me on the path I expected. The destination was the same for God and myself but it took me years to see it. I thought building God's kingdom here on earth meant many children, my heart was built for children, and both my husband and I come from large families. So my path was to have many children to get to that destination but God only gave us two. God had the same destination in mind for me but he knew which path was best. He gave me a heart for children and then he expected much from me knowing what I was capable of, what I was to encounter up ahead on the path, and how to grow and strengthen me.  

 There was the path of homeschooling. I have always been confident that God opened that door but the path I thought I was going down was paved, unobstructed, no hills...easy, peasy! Not the path God took me on! The path God chose for me was hard...rewarding and the desire of my heart but like a trek up a mountain through the forest! It took commitment; you have to give all of yourself for those years. It took a tough skin...almost a shell. I schooled during the 90's and into the 2000's. It was misunderstood and frowned upon. You got no help from your local school board so it was expensive. And we found many people wanted to take the option away from us. And the constant negativity hidden by concern about our children turning out anti social, weird, and not becoming functioning adults. And at times it was lonely. My children and their education, which depended totally on their father and I took so much focus and commitment. We didn't say goodbye in the morning, as we got our children on a bus, and then had the day to be part of a women's bible study, lunch with friends, run around target looking at home goods. We woke up each and everyday to children and the weight of the pressures of having to get their schooling done amid the normal running of a home, paying bills, doctor's appointments, etc. Where I went my children went! And their rough paths. If one of them were having a hard day we all had a hard day. And we had many, many hard days. It could be very lonely. Yet, God chose that path for me.  Amidst the journey through the woods and up the mountain was an indescribable joy. I learned to search out teachable God moments with my children. God provided opportunities for them to serve their grandparents, to be part of our larger family, to give of their selves, to mold huge hearts for God and to make so many memories. Both my children understand sacrifice and caring about others more than themselves. Praise God  for the longer, more difficult path!

I know by now, if you haven't walked away from this post, that you understand what I am trying to get across. And I pray that your mind is going over some of your paths in the past and looking at them differently as you mull them over. For me, and I am not a quick study, my surprise and acceptance of the paths went on. For the past fifteen years my path has definitely been all God's and not what I expected. My expectation was to get the kiddos into college and then take some time for my husband and myself. Ease into a life of no pressures and a little less responsibility.  An easy path right!? Not so much. I ended up going back to college at the same time my children started. In my last semester my daughter was in a near fatal truck accident. So we have dealt with a rocky path over the last 12 years. One surgery after another, trying to heal from surgeries and then the normal dealing with injuries that are still there. During that time though I was blessed with two beautiful, loving, grandbabies which I helped to take care of while Mommy worked. That was a commitment  that I willingly made but being in my fifties wasn't the smooth, easy path I envisioned in my brain. Yet, God knew the right path for me. Then there was the commitment of taking care of aging parents. A privilege and an honor but a much harder journey than I would have ever thought. While I was barely making it along the path, tired and hurting, putting much pressure on myself to give them the very best in care and also trying to wrap my head around life without my loving parents my youngest, my son, was diagnosed with lung cancer. And the day he called to give me the surgery date was the day I was in the car driving to my brother's home out of state. I was headed there to bury him. He had just died of a massive heart attack!

Forty plus years ago I had my adult path in life planned out. It was an easy jump on the map from point A to B. The destination of my life was the same between God and I but all I could see was the short route. God's path was along the desert road toward a sea that he knew he was going to part for me to pass through. And as in Exodus 13:21-22..."by day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night lift its place in front of the people," God has gone ahead of me and helped me travel down HIS path. And I also, like the Israelites who begged to back to Egypt to the slavery they were trying to escape, because they didn't understand where God was taking them I too have had doubts and questions. But our God has the overall path, the overall map and he is faithful not only to send us down his path but to guide us down the way to a miracle, a parting of the sea and to a life fuller than we can imagine. Thank you Lord for your pillar of clouds and your pillar of fire. May I always follow them wherever path you take me!

Blessings my friends!

I spy with my little eyes...

How many of you, either with your children or grandchildren have played the "I Spy"game. "I spy with my little eyes something ________ {insert color of item you see}!" The average items spied are the grassy pastures, the cows, the sky, the colors of our clothing, our hair... simple but fun. And I am not a competitive person in the least! So when we are playing this game, usually enroute from one of our houses to the other, it is more for them to take in our surrounding; to notice what is on our country roads in between our houses, to build an appreciation of the beauty of country life....and also to keep them from falling asleep before I get them home!! LOL! I make it simple and easy and fun.

In my life God plays "I Spy" with me. God, knowing the route and landscape of my heart and life, looks into my heart and utters the words, "I spy with my all knowing eyes something____! What might God put in the blank? Well it might be "something that is making you hurt". It could be "something that is making you fearful, or something that is making it hard for you to trust." "Something that you need to ask forgiveness for or extend forgiveness to someone else", or "something you need to give up and/or let go!"

Then it is up to me to answer him back. At times what God spies with his all knowing eyes about me are evident. It could be something that is already nagging at me; something that is already on my lips to talk to him about. Similar to when I play with my darlings and say, "I spy with my little eyes something blue." They always say my car! It is blue and that is an easy one. But on some occasions what God spies in me is a little harder. There are things that God spies in me that I really don't see in myself or that I don't want to see! When my darlings and I play the first dozen or so items are easy but as the evident objects get crossed off the list I have to look and choose items that are a little harder to find. It is the same when God plays the game with me. The more he looks into my heart and we cross the evident items off the list the deeper He looks. It takes me more concentration, more examination to see what His all knowing eyes are spying.

And when it comes to my turn..."I spy with my little eyes a God who is ______! All knowing, faithful, patient, unchanging, forgiving, compassionate, and the list goes on. He is always training me and helping me be the best I can be in this world for him..... What God spies in me then reveals the character in Him! A God who wants me to be the all He created me to be! Our "I spy with my all knowing eyes" will be welcomed, sought after and participated in fully! Thank You Lord!!

Job 24:21 For his eyes are on the ways of a man and he sees all his steps.

Psalm 33:18 Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.

Miss Swan!

The sun sets, my cupcake and I are snuggled under the covers in the children's bed, the house is quiet, and that is when the two of us have some of our most touching conversations. I love those moments, treasure them and they usually end up being a teachable moment for me. The house is dark and quiet. Everyone has retreated to their respective beds to quiet down for the night. Our room is illuminated only by the lights on my phone and Cupcake's pad. We hear faint television sounds from my daughter and son-in-law's room which is next to ours. There is the usual soft conversation between us, her little hand rubbing my arm, some cuddles and kisses, and a few giggles about something cute on her pad.  Every now and again I get a beep from my phone giving me a progress report on how our grandson is doing. My husband and grandson are in our room doing much of the same; getting quiet and calm so sleep can take over. It is during this quiet calming down time that these special stay in your heart conversations happen.  

I would like to share one of those moments with you:

Cupcake: Meme, I want to tell you something!

Me: Okay my darling, tell me something.

Cupcake: Did you know my teacher's name is Miss Swan!?

Me: I did know that.

Cupcake: No Meme! Her name is Miss Swan but guess what!!

Me: Hmmm, what my darling?

Cupcake: Her name is Miss Swan but SHE IS NOT A SWAN!!! Can you believe that!!

Me: Say what!! That is crazy!

Cupcake: Yea, I know! But REALLY Meme...she is not a SWAN! She is a teacher! A real       teacher not a bird...you know a swan is a bird? (Such amazement!}

Me: I did know that but I am so glad I have you to keep me informed.

Cupcake: Yep Meme...it's crazy...her name is Miss Swan but she is NOT a swan!! Aren't you glad I told you! {Followed by a hug and a kiss!}

Me: I sure am! I might keep you around just to tell me these things!

It was at this point that the conversation was at its end and she had turned her attention completely to something totally different that was playing on her pad. I sat my phone down beside me and began to thank God for my precious cupcake, who has taken on the job of keeping her Meme informed. Then I prayed that God would, if he wanted to, give me words to teach her something about him. And God had a job for me. So when the next round of cuddles came I asked my cupcake if I could tell her something."Of course Meme" was her answer. So below, in a condensed version for a six year old, is what I shared with her.

We have all sorts of names as people. But those names do not describe us. Veronica Lake wasn't a lake, Larry Bird...there is another bird one, Charlotte Church, Alexander Graham Bell, Alan Fudge are just a few. On a side note it is very interesting to discover how many people have last names of inanimate objects! My story went on...we have no idea about a person based on their name except for one special person...Jesus!

Jesus has 100 different names and each one is a description of who he is...a quality, a character, a position. Here are a few I told my cupcake about...Creator, Almighty, Comforter, God, Healer, Good Shepherd, Holy One, King of Kings, Father, and Rabbi. Take a minute and think about these names as you would if you were sitting with a young child. In your mind think about what each of these mean. And as you think on these, as I told my granddaughter they are not just names but they also have promises within those names that will always be kept. Take the name Healer and this passage of scripture..."The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous." There is a purpose, a reason, a promise that is contained in each and every name of the Lord! That we can be assured of!

I am not sure that my little explanation made much of an impact of my sweet cupcake. My job is to take hold of those teachable moments presented to me, to plant seeds, to speak love and truth. Not sure what, if any she will take away from our little moments but maybe that isn't God's plan. As I thought more about our conversation I decided to do a little research for myself...and boy has it bore much fruit for me! If you can find a few minutes just do a little looking for yourself. I am sure you will be as blessed as I was. As for your time with your children, your grandchildren take hold of those little moments. They are moments to treasure and we are still teachable also...Blessings to you all!

"Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and  gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of all those in heaven, all those on earth and those under the earth and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father."        Philippians 2:9-11

 This weekend my husband and I are staying at my son's house and watching their dog while the kids take my grands to the beach. Easy job, almost like a vacation for me right!?

 Well, almost! Let's start at the beginning of my day. My husband and I wake up to face a beautiful morning. We have coffee, breakfast, and he decides to run over to our house to pick up an item or two. After he leaves, I open the door to the deck to let the door out for a few minutes. Nala, the dog is lean and fast and loves to run. Out the door she goes like a bullet but is barking up a storm. The last couple of days I have seen three deer at the back fence from the woods. The thought ran through my mind that the deer had paid another visit. So I walked over to the windows to look out but no deer. But I could see Nala springing back and forth at the side fence. Hmmmm, wonder what that is all about! So I walked out onto the deck and what did I see with my little eyes...two armadillos running back and forth on the inside of the fence.

 Ok Colette, what should you do now!? Well, you need some shoes but then grab your cell phone in case they attack you. I guess they weren't really going to attack me...or would they...that would be a question for my friends from Texas. Grab some shoes and I saw a leash in the garage so make sure Nala is safe. Get her in the house. Luckily is she a very obedient girl and I was able to get her inside without having to leash her. Now grab your phone and call my son. Maybe while I am talking to him this whole situation will go away. It could happen that way couldn't it? Before I put in the call I snapped a picture for evidence that I had a real problem. Just so others would understand what I was dealing with. Then I made the call. My son informed me that I had to get those weird looking guys out of the fenced yard. What I expected to hear but not what I wanted to hear.

My first step was safety, my second step was communication, and the third step seemed to be headed straight to weapons! Now, I have an evaluation not a criticism. My son keeps TOO clean a yard. Yep, his yard is way too clean...no pine cones lying around to throw, no long sticks to poke at these critters, not even short sticks. At this short notice all I could find was a branch with thin branches and dried leaves hanging from main branch. And I had to retrieve that from his fire pit. Really not a weapon, more like a sweeper or broom with no handle but maybe I could whisk them down the fence line to the gate. The sight of me shaking that branch at these two creatures was really comical. Thank goodness my husband called from right around the corner and was able to be there in a short minute.

We decided we needed a shovel, a metal rake, and finally a pistol. Do not be disturb about the pistol part. My husband made the decision that wouldn't work so we put it back inside the house. It took us some time and we had to change plans several times but we eventually got those armadillos out of the yard and they run off into the woods. They were happy to be gone and we were happy to see them gone!

And then God spoke to me! In particular my husband and myself are dealing with some medical issues. There are other members of my family as well that are dealing with "hard life" right now. God spoke to me and showed me the parallel between the events of this morning and with how to approach the day and weeks ahead. Give the next part of this post a little thought...

When faced with trials in this life we cannot, CAN NOT handle them on our own. We need to face the problem, not just wish it away. It is okay to assess the situation...that is not being negative but don't run. God's word tells us that we can do or get through anything with and through him. "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. A little denial when faced with hard issues is human but this scripture is filled with hope, encouragement and strength in itself.

Our next step is communication...communication with the one that can overcome all things! The one that can lead and direct, the one that can heal, the one that can comfort, the one that gives peace, and the one that has already paved the path ahead of us! So go to your safe place and communicate with our Father. "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments' and unfathomable are His ways!" Romans 11:33. Pour out your heart to him, bare your fears and your concerns, give your burden over to him. Let God know you need him. "It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him." Daniel 2:22. And forward we go...

Now we pull out our weapons! Pray, which we have already had a conversation but that needs to become constant and continually. This is important. God already knows the future and the desires of our hearts. Prayer is not just about asking for things we need or desire. It is about the relationship, faith, trust, and thanks. Prayer is about drawing us closer to God. That is why I like, at times, to use the term conversation. "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12. And even when your thoughts and prayers may be all over the place that is okay also. Read this for those times..."Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Romans 8:26.

Next we don't need to take up a shovel, an iron rake, or even a gun. Instead we need to pick up our bible and immerse ourselves in God's word. His words are food, are medicine. They also give us strength, encouragement, direction, hope, and grow our maturity in Him. God's word is food for our soul, medicine for our aliments. "In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?" Psalm 56:10-11.

And then we have our community of believers...your family, your church, your people. When we have hard things to walk through we need our circle. We need those that know God to share in our journey so that they may hold us up, pray for us, spur us on, and rejoice with us. God gave us each other to walk alongside our good times and our difficult times. "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor; if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm, alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

There are so many of us out there that are in places that they did not see themselves in. Places that on the surface seem so unsavory. In life it is not WHAT we go through but HOW we manage the day to day, hour by hour of those trying times. With God by our side and the tools I have mentioned we will gain a deeper and strong bond with our Lord, we will discover strength and maturity we didn't realize was in us and we will be able to manage our purpose here on earth with peace, grace, and humbleness...Building HIS KINGDOM here on earth. Thank you for reading this...I hope that if you are struggling it sparked something within you. And I know I can count on your prayers and praises for our family...

 

"TO YOU, O GOD OF MY FATHERS, I GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE, FOR YOU HAVE GIVEN ME WISDOM AND MIGHT, AND HAVE NOW MADE KNOWN TO ME WHAT WE ASKED OF YOU.." Daniel 2:23

 

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Think back to a time, probably when you were a teenager or your children were teenagers. A time when you knew someone was going to be angry with you and you thought you were at your darkest hour. Oh, the perception of youth! And all of us have heard, "Well, I didn't tell you because I knew how angry you would be!"

Early this morning, as I was reading my devotion, I came across this verse..."For his anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5. The psalms were written by David, " a man after God's own heart" Acts 13:22. Yet during his life he experienced  much heartache but also godly favor. He faced tremendous affliction and persecution but also much joy and favor. David knew the dread of having those conversations with God when he knew God would be angry. We can be encouraged by the life and transparency of David who poured out his heart into the Psalms.

There are many commentaries on this verse. I am not a bible scholar and as I have said before; I write what God moves me to.  Today he is giving us a message of HOPE. What a beautiful verse and message! Let's look at the first part of this scripture. Think of it in our human experiences. Anger can be brutal. It can go from dread to death. Relationships have ended over anger, people have physically  harmed others because of anger, decisions are made in anger that have long lasting consequences.  Yet we see the character of God that his anger last only a moment...a fleeting second...a drop in the bucket. For us to really get the impact of this statement just think about how many moments, also defined as an "instant" in time, we have over our lives. The point God was speaking to me His anger is just a minuscule/fragment of time. The sentence then goes, "His favor last a lifetime"! I looked up the word "favor" and the best definition of the word is "demonstrated delight". Take a minute to reread the last couple of lines I wrote. God gets angry but never in the human way we do. His anger doesn't hold offenses, want revenge, end relationships, cause mayhem. His anger is righteous and lasts only a moment while his demonstrated delight "favor" lasts a lifetime. Remember that!

And now let's talk about what comes after the semicolon. Again, this little verse holds such nuggets of gold. This is for anyone who is struggling, having a hard time, facing hard situations. First off, if we are weeping there is something wrong. You are struggling. And then if you are weeping all night it stands to reason you have a big burden! And then add in the nighttime..."weeping may stay for the night". I have personal experience of the terrors of the night. During my daughters accident  and extended hospital stay the nights were the worst. Darkness has a way of growing our emotions. During the dark of the night the darkness can seem to take hold of you and drag you down deep. But again, God knows us with our emotions and weeping and weaknesses. We have a God of purpose; it is not by mistake that he set the heavens in order to reveal his himself as the sun rises on each new day..."but rejoicing comes in the morning".  With the rising of the sun there is a new day, the morning light that illuminates hope, joy, promise, and life.

What a treasure this Psalm 30:5 is and what hope and encouragement it brings to us. If you are dreading a conversation with God throw out your human life experiences and sit down right now and have that conversation. His anger will only be for a moment but his favor, delight, in you will last a lifetime. If you are burdened, depressed, feel the weight of the world this scripture tells us God's promise of joy and hope in each new day. What a treasure chest to open!

Finally, I pray that his words to me today will bring you some comfort, some encouragement, and always bring you a little closer in fellowship with our Almighty...

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

"Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard." Isaiah 58:8

This afternoon I was sitting outside on the back deck sketching. It was a beautiful afternoon, the weather just perfect. Pausing for a few minutes from my drawing I just wanted to take in the beautiful afternoon. That is when I noticed how blue the sky was and over the top a grove of trees was a big beautiful snow white fluffy cloud. it was so white and so fluffy I just sat and soaked it in. It was beautiful in that moment but it was not a rare atmospheric phenomenon. It was just a beautiful white cloud. And below the cloud was the grove of trees. Not any special trees, not any hard to grow or imported trees. Just your regular maple and oak trees. But yet beautiful and green....every shade of green! as I sat looking at the trees, and probably because I was just drawing, I made note of how many different shades of green were in that little group of trees. Yet, these trees are not trees you would travel thousands of miles to look at. These are not the Sierra Redwoods ! Yet, God saw fit to make these average  unremarkable clouds and trees for a reason.

 

We all know or have seen people that are popular, have excelled, are very important or even famous. I could name a zillion of those people! And then there is me. Do I fit into any of the just stated categories'!? Mercy NO! I am much the same as that white fluffy cloud or that grove of trees. I am the most average, unremarkable, unexceptional person I know. I am an overweight, gray-haired, grandma who has been a housewife for 43 years. I live in the country in a modest home, drive a car that is more than ten years old, and my everyday life is pretty unnoteworthy. It consists of washing dishes, cooking, running the vacuum cleaner, and possibly chasing a chicken or rooster out of my flower beds. I don't travel to exotic vacation spots, or go to fancy restaurants, or shop in designer stores. My name is not readily recognized...except at my favorite consignment and charity shop! LOL!

 

But guess what!? All this ordinariness doesn't bother me in the least! Because when I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror I see someone who was chosen...chosen by a king. Made in the image of Almighty God himself! He himself made me and crafted me, every inch of me...every cell, every bone, every muscle. He picked my eye color, my hair color. He gave me the special character that got me named "Frisky" as a child. He gave me a heart that loves and loves deep. And most importantly loves HIM with my whole heart and soul. And God didn't stop at making me...he loves me, adores me, leads me, forgives me, cheers me, and treasures me. He is always with me and already has planned and paved the paths for me in this life. WOW! Reread this paragraph please. In the same way that he made each and every thing in the heavens and earth He made me! And though what I see as ordinary God sees as special, a jewel in his crown, valued, and HIS! He loves me so much he gave the life of his son for me. Again WOW! While I was soaking in God's creation around me I felt joy and peace, awe and gratefulness. I had to raise my hands in praise and thank him for that cloud and those trees and for his love and faithfulness. And in that moment I knew that i was extraordinary, exceptional, important. Can I get an AMEN!

 

You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my other. I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this. Psalm 139:13-14

 

You are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession. You were chosen to declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9