The Inside of Your House

                                              

Everyday on the way to take my granddaughter to school I pass a certain house on the way.  It is a beautiful farmhouse.  The fields are tilled with no debris and  the lawns are always mowed.  The house is white with large pillars gracing the front porch.  Everyday when driving by this house I can see through into the house.  I can only see lights so I don't really know what the inside of the house looks like.  I can only imagine that it is just as immaculate as the outside is.

I know that there are many times when a driver might look at our house and see the lights shining from within and think that the inside is clean.  I know, in my house, that many times the outside looks so much better than the inside.  On certain days if a person were to come to my door and I invited them in they might be really be surprised to see the mess.  The outside does not always tell the truth.  If I know in advance that someone is coming to my house, than I clean, mop, sweep whatever I need to do to make my house presentable.

This morning when I drove by that lovely farmhouse I wondered if they might have the same problem with the inside of their house as I do with mine.  I also wondered if people might  look at me and wonder what is on the inside?   Do they look at me and think oh she has it all together or can they see the chaos that might be floating through my insides?  If I know in advance that I am going to see someone I can look like I am clean.  Are my insides full of debris and need to be tilled?  Can they see the debris of uncertainty, anger and pride?

I do have a sweeper that will sweep away my debris.  He will clean as often as needed.  I can look immaculate but if the inside is dirty it will eventually shine through.  I often have to ask the sweeper to sweep away the dirt in my soul.   My sweeper is Jesus and He cares more about the inside than what the outside looks like.  What about you?

Do you need swept out?

1 John 1:7-9

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Journey Continues:Quick Update March 2014

Good news, Richard doesn't have to go back to the Doctor for two weeks!!  He is still having lots of cramping,  quite a bit of congestion and fatigue.  He also has lost four more pounds because the sores are still bad in his mouth.  They may put him on a different drug for the graft vs host at the next visit.

Richard is getting really tired of feeling bad but he did say it would be worth it if that silver lining comes true. That silver lining is that acute graft vs host that he is experiencing is the kind that normally will help get rid of tumors and normally you don't see the cancer come back.

Thanks again for all the prayers and keep them coming!!

Psalm 54:1-2

New King James Version (NKJV)

54 Save me, O God, by Your name,
And vindicate me by Your strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
Give ear to the words of my mouth.

The Journey Continues:Update Feb. 2014

Just when I think that we are in the clear and do not need to update, something happens.  I guess that is the nature of the graft vs host beast.  Just when I think that Richard might be slipping into normal, it rears it's ugly head and sends him back into that dark abyss.  Part of his problem, and I do tell him this, is that he wants it to be gone so bad he can't see what is happening.  It is blamed on normal stuff but in reality the majority of the time it is graft vs host.

It has been a long time since we have had to make weekly treks south to Oklahoma City but next week will be the fourth week in a row.  Two weeks ago it was pneumonia, sinus, mouth sores, RSV and graft vs host problems.  Last week it was check-up and a cat scan.  The graft vs host was not any better, the congestion was still there but not quite as bad and the cat scan showed two spots on his neck.  This week the congestion is better but the graft vs host had not changed.  They have put him back on anti-rejection medicine, antibiotic, a liquid steroid to help with the mouth sores, and another medicine to help with his immune system.  They also did a skin biopsy to make sure that the fight is all graft vs host.  He was told that he has chronic graft vs host and acute graft vs host.

The Doctor did tell us that there could be a silver lining.  He said that the acute graft vs host rash looks like the kind that normally will get rid of tumors and that the cancers usually don't return when a person is afflicted with this.  The key word here is normal.  You guys all know that my Richard is not normal.  My prayer though is that the Doctor is right.

I do try to get my husband to listen to me when I think he has graft vs host.  Normally he doesn't listen, sometimes to the point where it has almost been to late.  Thinking about this and how he reacts made me think about sin in my life.  How many times do I sin and as I am slipping into that dark abyss it just seems normal.  I blame other things and other people but it is just sin. That is the nature of that beast called sin.  There is a silver lining though.  It is Jesus!  He is the medicine that I need.  He woos and calls me until I realize that I am in the grips of sin. He than pulls me up out of that deep, dark abyss and back into His light.

What about you?  Are you in the light?

John 14:6

New King James Version (NKJV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Are you listening?

                                                

The other day a good friend and I were talking and the subject came up about the art of listening.  It does seem that some people do not listen. They only want to talk.  They want to tell their story but they don't seem to listen in return.  This made me think about how well that I listen.  I decided that I really don't listen very well.  Many times my mind is wandering to other things and sometimes I look up to see the talker looking at me with a weird look.  I know that I am probably supposed to respond with something but since I don't know what was said I don't know what to say.  A conversation should be give and take, not one sided, but if one is not listening the right response will probably not come out of the mouth.

In thinking about the give and take of a conversation I also realize that many times my conversations with God are one sided.  Many times I am telling God what I need and what I want to happen but than I am not being still to listen to His response.  I wonder how many times God is speaking to me but I don't respond because I haven't heard what was being said?  I have to learn to be still and listen!

Are you listening?

Proverbs 23:19

New International Version (NIV)

Saying 16

19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:

Psalm 46:10

New International Version (NIV)

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

This one might be for you---

Today I had a phrase pop into my head and than after I mulled it over for a while I felt that I needed to share it.  I felt that it needed to be read by someone, so this might be for you.

God is working mightily in your life even if you don't feel, see, hear or smell it.

You need to know that no matter what God is working mightily and His works are wonderful.  He cares for you and He is in control!   God has only your best interest in His works.

Psalm 66:5

New King James Version (NKJV)

5 Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.

Job 37:14

New King James Version (NKJV)

14 “Listen to this, O Job;
Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.

The Lost Necklace

I have a necklace that my husband gave me about ten years ago for Christmas.  I was very surprised and of course I loved the necklace.   The necklace has a gold chain and a heart with diamonds that lit up my heart the first time I saw it.  It was the perfect gift!

I was very dismayed several months ago when I opened up the necklace box to get my necklace only to find that the necklace was not in the box.  My necklace was gone.  I looked everywhere but could not find it. It apparently was lost.  I felt terrible but life went on.  Every once in a while I would glance at that empty box and fill the loss.  It would renew my resolve to find my necklace.

I finally, after many months of search decided that it was no use and that my necklace was lost forever.  This past Friday night my daughter was getting ready for her winter ball and decided that she needed gold jewelry around her neck.  I went to my room and started going through my jewelry box when something shiny caught my eye.  It was my necklace!!  It was found and it was found in a place that I had already looked for it.  (no my daughter did not get to wear it)   Just like that my world changed, my necklace had been lost but was now found!!  I was thrilled!

Just like that your world can change!  My Savior came to find the lost.  You can be found, even if you are hiding where you think that no one will ever find you, you can be found!  Jesus came just for you and for me! He will light your heart!  He is the perfect gift that you have been waiting for.  He might even find you in a place that He has already looked. Will you be found?  How about today?

Make this the best Christmas ever, let Jesus find you!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!!

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

John 3:16-17

New King James Version (NKJV)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The Silly Things that I Sometimes Do

The other day I did something really silly.  I know that  I am allergic to honey.  I know that if I eat honey I am going to itch and possible get a rash.  I just love honey so much I could not contain myself.  I decided that maybe just this one time I would not itch.

I poured just a little bit of honey on my plate and dipped my sopapilla into it.  Oh my it tasted so good I dipped it one more time, than just once more.  It was not long before I was regretting my silly decision to eat that honey.  I was itching and my lips felt very heavy and tight.  I knew better but I thought just this one time won't hurt.

As I reflected on my silly act I thought this it was just like sin. Sin is just like honey.  It taste so good!  It won't hurt just one time!  Nothing will happen just this one time but it does.  There are always regrets after sin.  There is always some itching and discomfort as you realize that sin does affect you.  Sin does hurt and it is silly to think that there will not be consequences.

I have to turn that sin over to my Lord.  I have to have His help so that I am not dipping into sin, just one more time.  The Holy Spirit woos and convicts me and keeps me itching and feeling heavy until I give that sin up again.  He will forgive and take away the itching.

What about you?  Do you keep dipping into the honey?

Psalm 103:11-12

New King James Version (NKJV)

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.