Guess What?

I am going to show you some pictures of some plants and flowers and guess what?  I have actually kept them alive for three weeks!  That is a record except for ivy plants and one plant that had pretty pink blossoms that only blossomed once or twice a year.  Other than that I have failed miserably with the rest of the species of plants on this earth.

Every morning as I have watered them I have felt a joy that the plants are not only still alive but are actually growing and those with flowers are keeping their blossoms.  Two of the plants have lost their flowers but they are coming back.   I have to faithfully water or the plants will dry up.

The flourishing plants are like me and my Christian life.  If I water myself daily by Bible reading and prayers I stay in bloom.  If I fail to do this I start to wither and turn brown.  I need to keep watering daily to be the flower that God wants me to be.  I have to faithfully water or my soul will dry up.

Are you thirsty?

James 4:5New Living Translation (NLT)

5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.

                                                        

Ring, Ring

                                        

Ring, Ring, answer the phone?  Now that there is caller id and voice mail I don't always dash to get the phone.  I think sometimes it just depends on who is on the other end.  How does one decide whether to answer the phone or not?  

I have watched my daughter with her phone and can usually tell by the expression on her face whether she is going to answer the call or not.  If it is certain people her face will light up and her voice is happy as she answers.  Other calls get blah looks and no answers.  She is talking or or sending text so much that sometimes I think the only way to get her attention is to call her.

I wonder if God thinks that about me?  Does He get frustrated by my not answering His call?  Does He wonder what He needs to do to gain my attention?  Can He tell by the look on my face whether I want or am willing to take His call?  Sometimes I have to push away the pull of the world to answer His call. Sometimes I have to push away the pull of friends and family to answer.  Sometimes I have push away the noise to answer His call.  

How many times have I given Him the blah look or no answer?

Ring, Ring, will I answer?  What about you?

Isaiah 50:2New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Why was no one there when I came?
    Why didn’t anyone answer when I called?
Is it because I have no power to rescue?
    No, that is not the reason!
For I can speak to the sea and make it dry up!
    I can turn rivers into deserts covered with dying fish.

Stepping out on Faith

Do you know how hard it is to step out on faith when it involves money?  I can tell you that it is hard!  I kept hearing God tell me to write, write and write some more but I haven't listened very well.  You know there are bills to pay, clothes and food to be bought.  I kept telling Him that I need the money coming in from my job.  He kept telling me that I will take care of you!  I didn't listen very well and than several things happened that lead me to the decision that I would leave my job(though will do phone calls from home).  I guess I am so hard headed that sometimes I have to be hit over the head to step out on Faith.

I do know that God will provide and guide me as I write.  Please pray that I will leave the worry behind and that I will crank those books out every week or two.  I finally have the house fairly organized though I do have a junk room.  I think I will go through it a little at a time until it is gone.  That seems to be what I do with the junk in my soul.  I get rid of it a little bit at a time.  If my soul junk had been gone it might not have been so hard to step out on faith.

Matthew 17:20New Living Translation (NLT)

20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.[a]”

 Matthew 6:30New Living Translation (NLT)

30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Giving the scraps

The other day, I was dicing up some chicken that I had cooked to go in a casserole.  Samson, the dog, was begging at my feet.  Every once in a while I would throw him a scrap and he would pounce on it.  Now I only gave him the parts that had too much fat or looked a little over cooked or just didn't look right.  I saved the best chicken for the casserole.  Samson didn't care though, as he looked at me with adoring eyes, waiting for the next piece of scraps to fall upon him.

I was throwing another scrap down to the dog when I realized how I do this same thing to God.  I throw Him my scraps.  I go about my busy life making it busier and many times I don't do what I should.  God can see right through me as I toss him the scraps and leftovers of my life.  I need to pounce on always giving my best.  

What if God had not given the best?  Where would I be?

Where would you be?

John 1:17New Living Translation (NLT)
Numbers 18:29New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Corinthians 10:33New Living Translation (NLT)

17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

29 Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you.

33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.