Five Minute Friday: Savor

   Right now at this moment I’m savoring the amazing gift the Lord has given me. Sitting relaxing in one of my favorite places. My heart @nd mind had drifted away from my confidence and true living faith in out gear Jesus. Life.  Depression. Anxiety. Family strife. All had taken their toll on my emotional and physical health are headed on a bad place. 

God was far away. My prayers empty  Whispered to empty dark air. Plugging away I expected things would get better. You know....by a faith I do not possess. 

After a particularly difficult week; I was hopeless. Curled n the fetal position hugging a pillow hopeless. Still, I stood up. Showered. Went to church. Alone. As it has become that lately. Something I had been considering all week presses harsh into my heart. I needed a sabbatical. Alone time. To concentrate on the Lord. Pray. Rest. Relax. Seek His face.  

Sitting as Joe spoke inspiring words to many I’m sure, i opened my phone searched flights from a nearby airport. I could fly out today, well. yesterday now.  I made the reservation right there.  Not knowing if I had a place to stay. Savoring the notion I could be someplace warm by evening. And alone.  I knew I had taken a bold step of faith. 

We own several places in Florida. I knew at least two we’re occupied. My husband phoned. Several times until he was able to find someone who could authorize our condo was open. Already there, are the things I cannot take on a plane. 

Hurried home. Stuffed some food down my throat. Packed a quick little under the seat bag. Gave hugs and left. 

Very brave.  Independent, not the weak and hopeless shadow of the me I had become. Now I sit on the balcony, equipped with a plan (a friends idea) not mine. I was to jello brained to think. 

 Have prayed,  worshipped, sought my savior.  With plan and purpose I know I am already looking up.  Not inside at my empty shell  

Savoring.  Yes savoring my savior.  The warm air. sunshine.  Quiet me and You God.  Alone.  But not alone.  

Five Minute Friday: Redeemed

 Redeemed

 
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten..." Joel 2:25

Above is one of my favorite verses. Throughout my adult life it has been a foundational scripture reminding me that my story is not over.  

Restored and redeemed are of similar meaning. Synonyms of sorts. Jesus the Great redeemer has all the empty pockets of our lives stored up. Some we will see restored this side of heaven, others maybe not until Glory. Either way they are held safe until the time He desires. Such a confidence we can have that every heartache or loss we will see restored because of His great love. The sacrificial Love of the cross where He redeemed us of our sins, so that he could reunite us to the Father. In turn restore and heal the broken pieces of our hearts.

Five Minute Friday prompt: Possible

 Hmm. What is possible

Saturday night, I am getting better. I should have written something last night, but instead I found myself entrenched in a mindless online computer game. I told myself I would only play a couple rounds and spend absolutely no money. Unfortunately I have been fiddling with said game off and on for several years. I am on like the gazillionth level. Puzzles are difficult and the remolding costs keep getting higher. I have to solve the puzzles without buying diamonds, which gets more difficult with each level. I guess I mentioned that, more or less. It is possible to beat the level without extra help, not always easy. At the end of completion of a level I am awarded points in which to buy furnishings, windows and such to remodel the room I am working on.  I am more aware of the addiction in my teen boys as I seek to finish just one more level.

So, where it was possible for me to write last night, I allowed myself to delve into my guilty pleasure addiction.  What does this tell me. Not a new thought really. I fact I'm pretty sure the Creator of the universe coined the phrase first. 

Simply put: Avoid temptation. Run from that which entangles us.  Now, playing a game is not a bad thing. And its not really mindless, actually becoming quite difficult. I'm guessing maybe will keep my aging mind more alert. Problem being, I should have complete the tasks I had wanted to accomplish BEFORE I entertained the idea which enticed me. 

Lord, remind me to keep my/You're priorities for my life forefront, and give me the strength to make your designs possible.

Five Mnute Friday link up: Green

 Green huh? 

Oh, that one runs deep into my soul. For so long it was my favorite color. My clothes were green. Everything in my closet matched everything else. It made life simple. I even remember one of my boy children, the only kind I had, asking me once, "Why don't you ever wear anything  but green? Or Brown?" I mean what goes better with green than brown? Right? That was my thought anyway. 

Even the curtains and rugs in my house were green, varying shades at least; and stuff that went with green. Like brown. My thinking then anyway.  I could laugh out loud at myself thinking back. 

We built a new house twelve years ago. Almost to the day today when we moved in. My builder would only use white paint. White paint? I was taken aback. He was a bit of an artist. Creative. But house walls were supposed to be white. I pleaded with his wife, our families are friends. Finally, I got taupe. Five different shades. Admittedly, taupe is restful. Peaceful. Calm. I liked it. 

But what about the green? Slowly I began to adapt to the taupe. But guess what goes with taupe? Yep, you guessed it. Brown. So now I had a peaceful taupe and boring brown. It stayed that way for eleven years.  In that time tho, I found my clothing tastes begin to change. Now I have blue. No seriously, I went from green to blue. Big jump. A whole new clothing world opened up before me. Now I still will not wear pink. Or purple. Or certain reds or for heavens sake not royal blue. 

But my world has expanded. I have a navy-ish sun room. I am I'm the process of converting my living room, dining room to teals and rusty gold. its incredible what a little color can do. 

So what is the point of all this ramble. 

I guess, 

DO NOT be afraid of the new things God is putting before you. Change is weird. For me anyways. I like the old and comfortable. Behold I am doing a NEW thing in your life. Whatever that is for you. Say, yes and Amen...

 

Five Minute Friday Prompt: Enable

 Enable

To enable; give (someone or something) the authority or means to do something. 

"the evidence would enable us to arrive at firm conclusions"

Similar:

authorize

sanction

warrant

license

qualify

allow

permit

entitle

empower

accredit

legalize

validate

commission

delegate

OK

give the OK to

give the green light to

give the thumbs up to

let

 

Hang in here with me. The meaning and synonyms for enable.

I choose empower. 

I have two grandsons I am raising. I am sure I  I have mentioned this in the past. 

I am struggling with discipline and respect, and general control of chaos. Now they are young teens, so that is to be expected. My job is not to give them everything: but to give them the tools they will to become the men God has called them to be. And also to not become jerks...

 To show them, lead them to the power they will need as adults to walk in the fear and obedience of the Lord. A personal relationship with the Creator. I cannot do this without first seizing the power and wisdom I seek  from God. Dear Jesus send Your Holy Spirit to our home that we may all be enabled to seek you and desire to walk in your ways.