Be Still: Part I

It's been a little while since you've really heard from me, of my thoughts and my heart. Believe me when I tell you there's been a lot going on in both. The last couple of weeks have been a true test of faith. I won't bore you with details, but I am going to share with you some of the things I've learned. I'll separate them into two or three posts to give you all a chance to breathe between cake bites and milk, or tea if you prefer.

My family and I went to a book sale last month, we all had such a great time! I found so many books, for myself and my sister (I'm really good at iSpy, so my sister was really glad to have me around). It was a great start to a marvelous weekend. Usually I get a ton of books, but this time I decided I would keep it under $20 and sure enough once I had cut all the ones I didn't need or really truly want I got just under with 50 cents to spare! The rest of day was beautiful, sun shining and wind brushing across our cheeks so gently.

Saturday was just as fine a day. Our family doodled and doddled and cruised around town. Enjoying the lovely day as we may. I couldn't have had a better day, I thanked God. Well, you know how that ole Devil despises happiness and praise. And, he will do anything to shift our focus away from God.
That night we ate a local restaurant and all, except my mom praise the Lord, got food poisoning.
First my dad and younger sister got it so bad they both had to go to the emergency at 3am that night. The next day my youngest sister and I were sick, but thankfully we were spared from having to go to the emergency room, ours wasn't as severe. In fact, my sister had to go back again to the ER due to complications from the whole ordeal; her chest cavity was inflamed and she was having a hard time breathing. She's well now, thank the Lord! We are all well again.

First lesson from this story: watch what you eat! If the food looks
bad or doesn't seem cooked or is cold when it should be warm or is warm when it should be cold or something just plain doesn't seem right with even just one piece of food ...WALK AWAY.

Here's the thing though, even if you do get sick, whether its food poisoning, a common cold, or something much worse, don't forget that though your body may be weak your spirit is still strong. Cause that's what the Devil is really up to, he's out to crush our spirits by putting our bodies against us. But here's some wise words I'd like to share:

"The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?" --Proverbs 18:14 (NLT)

Seriously! When have you ever honestly heard of someone being able to bear a crushed spirit? They can live without legs and feet or hands and arms, but the spirit... It's worse to have a crushed spirit, believe me!
See these bodies aren't made to last (since sin entered the world) anymore, they are of this earth {Genesis 2:7} but God has new heavenly vessels waiting for us in Heaven.

"For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put in new heavenly bodies." -- 2 Corinthians 5:3

God has guaranteed it {2 Corinthians 5:5} by giving us his Holy Spirit. I'm honestly looking forward to it; excited to tell the truth. Since I know what he has made for me up there will be beautiful. The pain, the sickness, won't last forever but His love endures forever. It's easy to forget when your hurting and sick, I'm just as much at fault as anyone for doing it. He loves you, wants to help you; he does help you. But instead we say: "Just gotta let it run its course, I'll be fine." As if we are to bear, or are bearing, it on our own! Think about this a moment.
To anyone who's been helping you: fetching your water, a wet cloth, a bowl of chicken noodle soup, or keeping people from disturbing you as you rest, would you say, "It took a few days, but I got all better! I'm right as rain, fit as a fiddle, just had to give it some time"?

Wow.

If you were that helpful person, wouldn't you feel like you'd just been slapped in the face? You'd think "how ungrateful." Oh you know you would, don't fib sweetie. *wink* I know I would. I know I'd also feel like such a heel for not giving credit and my sincere thanks to the one who helped me get well. I wouldn't be able to look them straight in the eyes! How could I be so ungrateful?

Second Lesson: Remember to Thank Him {Psalms 136:1} even in your weary state. Even if its just a quick whisper, for He loves a thankful heart. And next time you're sick or weary from these earthly bodies, remember it is only your body that is ill, not your soul {Matthew 10:28}. Don't let that silly ole Devil get you down in the dumps, he can't win cause Jesus already has! Your soul is secure if you keep believing Jesus is your Savior and live for Him.

Alas this is only the beginning of the story. "Be Still: Part II" will be coming soon. I can't wait for you to come back, I really do enjoy our little chats. Sorry I couldn't offer you an apple but I'm afraid they weren't quite right. Maybe next time though, yes? Oh maybe you like pears, I love pears.

God bless you!

The Girl in the Orphans Clothes

Today I was looking at our first Figgy Friday Spotlight "William Carter" and I saw he's been quite the busy bee since we last saw him. Hopefully you all have kept better eye on him than I. However, something caught my eye: The Girl in the Orphan Clothing. I don't know, it just intrigued me.
What could he have written in that? I really believe God does pull us to things and we just don't realize it cause we're not as in tuned with Him as we could be. Cause once read this I felt Him drawing me in even more, for something more.

It was a poem, a Haiku to be exact.

Quick note: A Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. Using three phrases with 5-7-5 syllable pattern, haiku's are supposed to paint a mental image in a readers mind with those 17 syllables (that is hard!)

I've always had trouble understanding Haiku's. One of my friends loves writing poetry, especially Haiku's, but it's hard pressed to understand them (as I have just found out, they all are, it's not just me!) but there was one special reviewer that explained and helped me understand it.

Alexis Bradley said:

 "The first line represents how sin separates us from God. Are action and how we choose to live our life. The one's that are not Christ like and how easy it is for those sins to pull us away from him."

"The second line represents her separation from the father [God]. Because it doesn't state that she's a orphan rather that she's trapped in the facade of being one. We're all God's children and yet she has lost that and doesn't seem to realize it anymore."

"The last line is Satan's triumphant. He takes pleasure in her separation."

I was amazed by the meaning and depth these 12 words, 17 syllables, held. And what Will told was something many people go or have gone through, including myself. 

Why is it so easy for us to forget "we are all of God's children"? Let me back up here just a moment. Read back the last sentence. What's missing? You've all heard many a times that we are all children of God but there's always something forgotten when we quote that back to people. Something even I hadn't really put together till this evening when I was looking up this verse again.

"So you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." --Galatians 3:26

We all keep forgetting we have to keep our faith in Christ, our trust and our hope is and should be in Him. Cause when we don't we forget, we get lost or sidetracked and feel like orphans abandoned in a world that's so messed up and without God. But that's not true, we're never alone. Those are the lies we're attacked with by Satan so when he see us he can laugh and try to say he's won. But he hasn't won. No, he hasn't. And he never will. God stands beside you, he's never left you and he never will. Lean on him for everything and in everything you do.

"Trust is like a staff you can lean on as you journey uphill with Me. If you are trusting Me consistently, the staff will bear as much weight as needed." --Jesus Calling Devotional by Sarah Young

 I know many of you have heard Psalms 23 "The Lord is my Shepherd."  I know you have. But listen to this verse carefully. 

"Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid for you are close beside me. Your rod and staff protect and comfort me." --Psalms 23:4

Dictionary Definition: 

• Rod: A thin straight bar, esp. of wood or metal; a slender straight stick or shoot growing on or cut from a tree; a wand or staff as a symbol of office, authority, or power.
• Staff: a long stick used as a support when walking or climbing or as a weapon

Wow. So when your feeling weak you, we, can lean on Him, this staff that's always at our right hand (or if your left handed ;)) ready to hold us up, to help us climb that mountain or fight and protect us against our enemies. ALWAYS there to SUPPORT...You.

Reading the definitions of those two, what once were simple, words has opened my eyes to a deeper meaning of who God is. Though he's a great many things, but we'll save that for another day. :) I'm learning, truly learning, that God is my truest and most trusted friend and lover in the universe and I'm finding comfort in His word and truth. 

I'll leave you with this tonight and hope you have a blessed evening and I thank you for reading. I hope you got as much out of it as I did, or even more. :)

"But I am an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I trust in God's unfailing love, forever and ever." --Psalms 52:8