Talk to Me Tuesday

The other week when I asked you for your opinion about returning to work (which by the way, I turned in my resume but as of yet haven't heard anything) I was very intrigued by your answers and thoughts on a wife and mom at my stage of life returning to work. It sparked a thought in me for my blog about doing a weekly run on subjects that can be debated (in good taste). I've always been of the opinion that everyone's opinion is valid and worth listening to. It doesn't mean that we agree with each other but that we respect each other enough to listen and take into consideration someone else's thoughts.

So on Tuesdays for the next few weeks we are going to try Talk to Me Tuesday to see how turn out is. If it seems to be going in a good direction, we'll run with it. If not we'll back up and try something else.

This Tuesday I'm curious about something that was brought up in church last night....

In our world of ever changing technology, some people are using their cell phones in place of their Bibles. With all the new apps and the availability of the web wherever you go, you can just pull out your cell and read the Word off of there. You can take notes on your cell as well.

For me, this is a big no-no. Yes, I know what you're reading off of your phone, is the same thing I'm reading out of the Book in my hand. But, for me, where do we draw the line and say, "Enough is enough!". I know people of all ages who have no idea how to look up a verse in the Bible. Be it from the fact they've not studied the Word and so they just don't know to this techno thing where they can just type it in and boop! it pops up. For me, the respect factor for the Word of God is lost when we stand up in church for the reading of the Word and some are holding Bibles, some are looking at the screen up front and some are holding their phones.

I'm going to stay with the physical, hold it in my hand, hard copy of the Word of God.

How about you?

Talk to me!!!

(Hey!! Don't forget about leaving that comment!!..it gives you another chance to enter my give-a-way!!!)

Am I Available?

In a very short time she has come to love this place. God has brought her out of her shell and put her in positions that she has had to step up and stretch the confines of her box.

Reading before a group of very godly women, visiting the shut ins and making conversation, driving to places she has no idea where she's going just to deliver a meal to a needy family--all things that she has a hard time doing, yet God has called her to do these things.

He also called her back into teaching. She wasn't thrilled about this and told God so. It didn't much matter to Him whether or not she was excited about the calling, just that she was willing to do so.

Like a child who is dragging their feet to get to the bathtub after a wonderful day of playing outdoors, she found herself giving Him a dragging "Okay...I'll do it....."

He would have liked enthusiasm and excitement, but He can work with what little she offers.

And He did.

She began teaching those sweet faces on Wednesday nights almost 4 months ago and she has never regretted it for a minute. God has richly blessed her availability with the biggest blessing of all; the fact that she can't wait to see those girls each week. If one is missing, her heart does a drop and she prays that they are okay.

You see, several of those girls ride the van and their home-life is....strained, at best.

She's fallen in love and she owes so much to God.

This day had found her at the church cleaning. Things had gotten so neglected in her classroom and since Pastor had declared a church cleaning day for Saturday, she couldn't wait to get started weeding and deep cleaning.

Pastor had even gotten paint so she could paint the walls and make it all fresh and new!! She was so excited about how beautiful God's house was going to look when they all got finished.

Some were planting plants others were washing walls. Dusting woodwork, washing windows...oh this was a fine thing that was going on for God!!

Something bothered her though. Something deep inside her.

Where was everybody??

The best she could estimate, only 20 or so people showed up. Out of what??......150 or so!!??

Why?

Given the obvious that some had to work and some had prior commitments but where was everybody at?

She tried to just let it roll off her back, but she found herself saddened by the fact that so few found joy in cleaning God's "house". The place they all came together to worship Him. The place they all came together to cry and laugh, to praise and pray.

Have we allowed satan to keep us so busy that we can't be bothered with the things of God. Whether it's sharing the Gospel or cleaning a toilet in His name, are we so consumed with ourselves that we just can't carve out more than a couple of hours on a Sunday or an hour on a Wednesday to give to Him??

She is guilty of this sin called busy-ness too. How many times has she walked by someone just needing some encouragement. How many times could she have reached out, but in her haste "didn't have the time"?

Oh satan is cunning, for sure. How easily he slithers in and robs us of so many blessings.

She finds herself bowing before Him, asking Him to forgive her and to make her even more sensitive to the importance of the things of His Kingdom. No matter the calling..whether man deems it as big or small...obedience to Him. Thankfulness to Him. Gratitude to Him. Living...for Him.

Does He deserve any less?

Gray Skies...Inside and Out

Getting out of bed, she made her way through the house to the kitchen. As she reached for the coffee pot, she looked out the window.

"Raining again."

Gray skies and the distant rumble of thunder matched her mood: sad, depressed...just plain ole' down and out.

The weather had matched her mood for more days than she could count. She couldn't remember when it had been dark for so long or rained so much. Inside or out......

She was a Christian. Had been for many years now, but for some reason, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't seem to connect with God one on One lately.

She did everything she knew to do. She prayed, read the Word, listened to praise and worship music and watched a couple of the good evangelists on tv..but to no avail...she just couldn't seem to shake this oppression she was in.

Oh, well...maybe today would turn out better than yesterday.

After a couple cups of coffee, she made the bed, emptied the dishwasher. She'd tried sitting down right away to spend time with God, but always felt so sleepy. In her mind, a little physical activity would wake her up and she'd be better able to concentrate and focus on Him.

Of course, before she knew it, the kids were rambling around and there were errands to run.

Could it be 4 o'clock already??!! Time to start supper for her wonderful, patient husband would soon be home and he so deserved a hot meal waiting on him when he walked in the door.

Then of course it was 10:30 and the day was shot all to pieces. She'd accomplished nothing and she had pushed Jesus to the back of the shelf again.

This had been happening day after day for quite a few weeks now. Honestly, she couldn't remember the last time her mind felt refreshed, renewed..alive. She couldn't remember the last time that she felt Jesus was pleased with her..or even interested in what was going on with her.

On this day though, she made a dogged determination within herself to change things. She still took about an hour to wake up, but then she opened her Bible and read. She opened her devotional and read. She wrote in her journal...pouring her heart out and begging God to let her know that He was still there. Even with His silence, even with the dark skies and the dark within her, she needed to be reassured He was still there...but all she was met with was silence.

Figures. Even God can't handle her bummed out mood.

Determined to make God talk to her, she flipped on the television and found her favorite preacher (on tv) was on. This preacher was on her game today, she was fired up and she was telling all who would listen that if we allowed satan to control our mind, he controlled us. The preacher was right, you know...but somehow it just isn't getting through. Somehow, it's as if all of her "God-waves" had been blocked and couldn't be received.

So for today, she's made the decision to focus on Isaiah 55:8-9,

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."

She's just going to hold on to the fact that whatever satan is trying to feed her mind, really doesn't matter because God's thoughts of her and for her are His own...and even with the rain and the gray skies, it will bring a ray of sunshine to her clouded soul.....

Would Love Your Thoughts on This..

I was on Facebook this morning and noticed a post from my friend Kristen over at Hands, House and Heart Full. She was sharing about a billboard that was going up in Northwest Arkansas. This billboard is a venture by PETA to make everyone aware of the need to spay and neuter their dogs by comparing the "multiplying Duggars" to the multiplying dogs.

Click on this link to view the billboard and read the article.

First let me tell you that you won't find a bigger animal lover than me...and yes, I do think it's important to spay, neuter and care for your pets.

Second, we only have two children by choice....however, as I've matured in the Lord, I'm not so sure that was the wisest or right choice, but since you don't get do-overs, then this becomes something between me and God.

Third, I admire anyone who has the faith to allow God to determine the size of their families. Be it by birth, adoption or taking in elderly parents or however God decides to grow your family.

To my knowledge, the Duggars are debt-free and self supporting. I'm pretty sure that no one, including our government is supporting them.

Now, finally, what do you think about this billboard??