"Still" time

Hello out there. I came across this quote about the need for solitude and thought it was awesome. Some of you probably already saw it because I posted it to Pastor Jimmy's wall on FB. Wanted to bring it to our attention today.

"You are like a jar of river water all shaken up. What you need to do is sit still long enough for the sediment to settle and the water to become clear." Ruth Haley Barton

So my question to you today is when is your time to sit still for a minute? I know the possible answers, excuses, and scenarios coming to minds instead of a clear and definite answer, but let's talk about this for a minute. When I read this quote, that's exactly how I feel throughout most of my day. Another picture that comes to mind is a snowglobe all shaken up. I feel like my mind is a flurry of sparkly things whirling about 100 miles an hour, making it hard to see clearly or correctly. If anyone out there can understand how hard it is to carve a few minutes in your day for solitude and quiet, it's me. So I'm feelin' ya sister. And I'm all about keeping it real and practical. For a stay at home mom that also works part time and spends a good amount of time at the church, I need to know God and be refueled in between moments of screaming children, doing dishes, driving in my car, and loud gym music (my job). So as nice as it sounds to have a long, leisurely quiet time spending hours in the Word, prayer, and worship, for me that is not my reality. Maybe it will be one day, but not right now. So does that mean I just stay discouraged and tired, feeling defeated because my walk with the Lord is waning because of the cares and responsibilities of life? Well, it could. And to be honest some days it does. Or I can just make it happen in a way that's practical but still life giving and refreshing to me.

I'll be honest. I'm still battling the whole getting up early in the morning thing. Now most days I'm up early to get ready because I have to be at the gym, so I usually stumble out of bed and fall onto the start button of my coffee pot. I try to squeak out some Word time, just to get my mind focused in the right direction and start the day right. But mostly it's through groggy eyes and a foggy mind. So this is not my still time. This is my I'm-attempting-as-best-as-I-can-to-start-my-day-right time, so there is a lot of motivational self talk, coffee guzzling, and praising God instead of complaining like I want to because I'm tired and my emotions want to talk.

My "still" time comes later in the afternoon where I plan our days around us being home from around 2-4 or so that the kids can have rest time. Now that time is very precious to me, and unfortunately it has to be divided up between cleaning, preparing to teach my classes or see clients, or anything else that has to be done without the distraction of children. But I've discovered something about myself. If I can just have as little as fifteen minutes (and when I'm lucky a little more) or so to be still, listen to worship music, talk with God and sit in the sunshine and absorb some vitamin D, those little sparkly things swirling around slowly begin to settle to the bottom and I can see and think clearly again. And it's amazing what it can do for my day.

Since we're studying the book of James and talking about the life and death importance of reading the Word and knowing God, I figured it would be good to just have a practical talk about what that can look like for us in the middle of our busy days. Simple and practical, James style. So here's to hoping your sparkly things are settling for you today and you can see and hear clearly. Love to my peeps.

Have you breathed today?

Something we talked about Friday night has just stayed with me, so I'm going to share it again for those that weren't there with us. The main focus was on James 1:21 which says that we are to "humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save our souls".

As quotable and as many "famous" verses as there are in James, if we don't embrace and get a revelation on this simple verse, those powerful verses will not have their full impact in our lives. James is trying to emphasize the importance of the place of the Word in our lives. He goes as far as to say it has the power to save our souls. Which means he equates the Word with the Spirit of God Himself. If we don't hear the Word, we can't know God. It's the Word on the inside of us that's been implanted in our hearts that gives us the desire to want more Word and know God more. If we have no hunger for Him, we have become full with the things of this world and have lost sight of our NEED for His Word. When we don't desire the Word, we don't read it and do the things we know we should. What to do with this vicious cycle??? We break it! When we know that the power of the Word in our lives is life to us, then we rise above our emotions and how we feel and do it anyway. The external Word will stir up that implanted Word in your heart that's been neglected or crowded out by the things of this life. This will give life and bring back the desire.

It's like oxygen. It gives life and in giving life it makes you breathe. In breathing you receive more oxygen, and the cycle repeats itself. We don't say oh I have oxygen. It has made me alive, and look how well it's working in me! I don't to receive any more oxygen. Just because the Word is in our hearts doesn't mean that we don't need to keep on receiving it. We die without both working together.

God has been convicting me about this lately and challenging the place the Word has in my life. I haven't necessarily filled my heart with bad things, but if I'm not careful it still gets filled- even with good things. I desire God's Word, but can I say I've been desperate for it like it's oxygen and I can't make it without it? Not all of the time. But if I believe what the Word says, I will know that I will be in serious trouble without it. And if I have that mentality, even if I'm not feeling it, I will get to that place. And it will have the power to save my soul. From fear, from despair, from anger, from strife, from busyness, from myself. And when I receive it humbly, or with meekness, that means I am ready to submit to it right now. And take it literally.

So, have you breathed today? Take in that oxygen and allow it to breathe life into your spirit.

Don't Get Caught Lacking - part 2

Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

I have been reading in II Kings about King Josiah. He became King when he was 8 years old and reigned 31 years. When he was 16 years old, he began to seek the Lord. When he was 20, he began to purge his kingdom of idols. When he was 26, he was working to repair the house of the Lord, so he sent some men to the house to gather the money collected from the people for the repairs. When they entered the house of the Lord and started digging around, they found the book of the law. (their bible) It had been discarded by past Kings obviously considered unimportant.

In Deut. 17:19-20, (talking about the book of the Law) “It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of the law and these statutes, 20. that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Isreal.”

Josiah had the book of law read to him and his eyes where opened.

Oh, that the same thing would happen in our time! The very book that God has given us to guide us through life, would be important in our homes and personal lives.

Yet, so often is set on a shelf to gather dust, as we try to maneuver through life without the “map.” Every answer we need is in God’s word, although at times, we try to figure out the answers in our own mind.

Josiah was spared from God’s wrath because he did what was “right in the sight of the Lord.”

Wonder why we struggle so much with reading and studying the bible? There is an enemy that knows this very thing. He will do anything to distract us from the very book that gives us life.

It is essential for our walk as Christ Followers!

i was pondering today on the service that chris brought......always so good. but when i saw the whole russell family came in after saying good-bye to kathi the day before.......what a testimony!! terry said can you imagine coming in knowing that the one you love will NEVER be there again to sit with.......i said yes.........that the Lord had shared a time when a dear friends daughter was tragically killed in a car accident......He showed me in his word that when John the Baptist was beheaded that Jesus wept......we all know that but then when He wanted to get away for rest and quiet the people went on ahead ...... so when Jesus saw them he was moved to compassion for them and ministered to them......i said to myself back then....i want to be that strong........i truly do.......so as you read this think about what you would do in the midst of a tragedy or something that you know is fixing to happen....where would you choose to be.......home or with your church family.........love you girls and keep keeping on with our Lord Jesus Christ and keep growing......fall forward.......don't quit no matter what happens........don't lean on your own understanding.........just trust...................truly trust....
robbye

despair....................

dusti and i have been watching the series....anne of green gables....an interesting quote was said in one of the videos and it has stayed with me for years when i watched it with my older girls....aunt mirilla said, "to despair is to turn your back on God". strong statement....so i thought i would comment on that today. i find myself the older i get that there is going to be situations ALL the time that can steal your joy and hope in the Lord. the question is are you going to let that happen, because we do have the power by the Holy Spirit NOT to let that happen. i looked up in the dictionary the word "despair" .......one definition says it all......to be without hope; to give up all hope or expectation; to loose confidence in; to deprive of hope;..........strong words girls......i want you to turn you face to the Lord today and worship, praise and thank Him for all He is and does on our behalf. despair is not an option for me.......my hope is in the Lord in all things.......even loses.......even tradgedy and disappoint..........even triumphs and victories........where is your hope today.........in what you see?............or who He was and is and is to come!!!!!!!!!! have a hopeful and victorious day, girls..................it is always your choice!!!! i choose life today...........how about you??!!!!!
my hope is in the Lord
now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen
it is impossible to please without faith
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

have a hopeful and glorious day!!!!!!
robbye

Don't Get Caught Lacking

It is a HOT morning!  I just walked into my house from my morning walk feeling thankful for the cool air.   Earlier this morning, as I rolled out of bed before everyone else in the house, I grabbed my coffee and bible which is my routine.    For about a month now, my routine has been just-exactly-that......routine!    Sometimes I read my bible and the words jump out.  I get an excited feeling kind of like butterflies in the stomach! I know God is speaking to me through His word.  

For about a month now, I have struggled to “feel” anything as I read.    This morning I was reading in Hosea 4, when verse 6 made that long awaited jump!   

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being My priest,

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

I know this is Old Testament and that God is speaking to the sons of Israel, but I believe the words of the Prophet Hosea can speak to us today.

Having a passion for God’s word and “feeling it” is the best thing ever!   What about the times I don’t feel it?   During times of trials and struggle (which is inevitable),will I lay The Word down and wallow in self pity?   Honestly, I have been there lately.   

I was reminded this morning of a very profound fact of life.   This thing is so simple, yet at times I can make it complicated.   Take the living word, as God has given us, to guide us through life, read it, gain knowledge of the truth inside, which in turn will keep me from being “destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

I chose to do this whether I feel it or not!

  

Hey girls,

I just want you to know that I haven't ditched the blog! Hey, "shift happens"! I only said that because I can't say the other! HA! At this moment I am sitting at my sister's computer in Oklahoma City. She is at work today, so I am alone. (Well, not really, Seth is here) There is nothing like being pampered by my older sissy! God is good. He is so in love with me and I with Him. No matter what is going on at any given time in our life, He is right there with us. I am experiencing a "shift" in my life that I have no control over. I am so happy that God knows and He controls what happens. Sometimes thing happen and we are not sure why, but once we walk through and get to the other side, we can then be able to help others. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness to be a child of the living and active God!

I am reading a book, "Think and Make it Happen". Rice Brooks told us about this book, while we were in Nashville. I started it a couple of months ago, but haven't had the time to really dive into it. My one goal during this restful week in Oklahoma , is to finish this book. (It is so nice to have just one goal!, at least for a few days) God's timing is always perfect! I need this book at this precise moment in my life. A quote: "A correctly thinking mind understands that the goal with our emotions is to manage them as best we can by directing their significant power to achieve positive ends. The remarkable mind will also make sure the conscious "self" remains in charge rather than being ruled by emotions."

We have control over our thoughts. Do we take control? So may times a thought will make itself known in our mind, we immediately grab it, feed it, then it grows into a monster!

I truly believe that every circumstance, even the toughest, can be looked at with a positive mind. This book states: "The fact that Jesus withstood the pressures brought upon him is evidence that he was the captain of his own thoughts."

We can only learn by doing, therefore, when a negative thought jumps into my mind, I desire to
take control and not let that "thought" control me. This book is a meaty book written by a very intellegent person. I don't know how I will ever get through it and remember everything. One chapter can be overwhelming with a wealth of information. Well, better get back to reading.

Love you all.... Have a wonderful week! Ruth