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Words of Love

Posted in WONDER, tagged #ancientwords, #michaelwsmith, #theword, #wordsoflove, Love on March 28, 2014| 1 Comment »

How would you define love?

My grandmother defined love as a couple who could drive for hours without having to speak to each other.

Most teens would define love as words of affirmation.

Words

Love

Whether an excess of them or an economy of their use, words have a great connection to how we show love, receive love and live love.

Hubby and I vacillate between the two, at different times of day, and different days of the week.

Words are a powerful expression of how we feel, what we think, and what we plan.

If someone hopes for a future relationship with another, words need to be true, thought-through and said.

Words can make us feel loved, they can make us know we are loved.

There is a love story, written long ago, that continues to define how very much we are loved.

It is one, written by our Creator, to us, for the purpose of guiding our days and for knowing of the depth of love He has for us.

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh, let the ancient words impart

Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us home

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Blessing of Boredom

Posted in WONDER, tagged #blessinginboredom, #siblingfriends, bored on March 27, 2014| 1 Comment »

Boredom is not something that I have much experience with.

Not many women who have a husband, children, a job and a house (or any one of the aforementioned) know boredom from experience!

I also avoid boredom …

My (undiagnosed) ADD (attention deficit disorder) makes boredom painful for me. To just sit can become an experience in inner frustration, that can spill over to all around me, resulting in fidgeting, deep and heavy sighs, complaining, and a depressive mood.

Earlier this week … I was bored!

(imagine music from Psycho now)

I was sitting playing a game on my iPad, and I was, uncharacteristically, bored …

until …

I heard the voices upstairs.

The younger pair of our kids were

together

chatting happily

drawing and painting

…

like they were friends.

After a week and a half of spending time with friends, time with technology, time with … moi,

they have become bored enough to

find the blessing in each other.

This was a moment that they might not cherish.

This was a moment that they will probably not remember when they are adults.

But,

because I was bored,

for just a moment,

I will remember,

and my heart, my mother heart, was filled and fulfilled to witness friendship between my kids.

What a blessing boredom was for me.

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Week Three of Lent

Posted in WONDER, tagged #godsword, #jesustemptedinthedesert, #justinbieber, #temptation, #weekthreeoflent, lent on March 26, 2014| 2 Comments »

Everyone’s seen it!

Have you seen it?

That video that has been shared and re-shared on every form of social media.
The one of the young man who was seated on that pedestal
seated so very high …
high enough to cause a commotion
when he slipped

he fell

as though he had been positioned there for that very reason

To fall

As though he, and all the gifts endowed in him by his Creator
were taken up to the highest of heights
so that those
who padded that seat for him
who padded it with the currency of this world
who padded it with all that this world calls satisfying

could watch how all that had padded his seat

weakened the foundation of his life

causing him to fall.

His reminds me of another story
of another young man
with great gifts
and great purpose

but

this other young man
he had always walked in the presence of his Creator
he always lived with His Father’s Word in His heart

and so

when he spent some time in a desert place
with no friend nearby
with no bread to fill his hunger
with no place to rest his head

he was surrounded by evil

by temptation

but he did not give in
because
though before him
were the things that would feed his physical needs

He knew they would starve His soul

And so
when temptation came His way

His physical weakness was His strength
because He had nothing to fight with
but the Word of
his creator
his sustainer
his father

So he lay himself aside

for the Creator to speak

This account, from Matthew 4, is what Lent is to represent.

It is one of laying ourselves aside,
so that the Word
the work
of our Father might become more important than

And, that young man
placed up on the pedestal
and encouraged to believe that he could have it all
in his own strength …

maybe we who follow the One who was tempted in the desert,

ought to offer up prayers for this young man
rather than ‘shares’

After all, in the words of John Walton :

“He’s just a young fella,
hardly experienced with living”

“Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when the time was up he was hungry.

The Devil, playing on his hunger, gave the first test: “Since you’re God’s Son, command this stone to turn into a loaf of bread.”

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to really live.”

For the second test he led him up and spread out all the kingdoms of the earth on display at once. Then the Devil said, “They’re yours in all their splendor to serve your pleasure. I’m in charge of them all and can turn them over to whomever I wish. Worship me and they’re yours, the whole works.”

Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”

For the third test the Devil took him to Jerusalem and put him on top of the Temple. He said, “If you are God’s Son, jump. It’s written, isn’t it, that ‘he has placed you in the care of angels to protect you; they will catch you; you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone’?”

“Yes,” said Jesus, “and it’s also written, ‘Don’t you dare tempt the Lord your God.’”

That completed the testing. Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

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My Lighthouse

Posted in WONDER, tagged #mylighthouse, #rendcollective, #worshipmusic on March 25, 2014| 4 Comments »

Ever been to an East Coast kitchen party?

Not me either, but when I first heard the song, “My Lighthouse?, by Rend Collective, I felt like this was definitely a kitchen party song. I was stomping my foot and looking for objects from a wooden spoon to a toaster to keep the beat along with the artists making music.

The sound and style takes me back to my East Coast upbringing. Maybe it is because the group comes from the land of green and leprechauns … Ireland.

“My Lighthouse” reminds us that Christ is our beacon through this life. Like a lighthouse on a rugged shoreline, His light, if our eyes are fixed on Him, will guide and direct us “through the storms.”

Check this out … and see how long until your tapping your foot, toes and fingers.

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God’s Not Dead

Posted in GOD, life, WONDER, tagged final word, Friedrich Nietzsche, garbage in, God's Not Dead, Hosea 11:10, life is hard, Newsboys, Roaring like a lion, victorious on March 24, 2014| 3 Comments »

Months ago I decided what I wanted to do for my birthday, when I saw a preview for a movie that was opening the day before the celebration of the day of my birth.

The movie, “God’s Not Dead”, told the story of college student, Josh Wheaton (can’t go wrong with a name like that!), who had to choose to either write

God is Dead

on a piece of paper and hand it in to his Philosophy prof, or debate the message of those three words with his professor. He chose the later, despite much pressure.

After seeing it this weekend, with my family, I highly recommend this film … even though there was no theater on my side of the 49th parallel showing it (and that is another blog post topic right there).

About a year and a half ago I wrote this post. And, though it does not deal with this movie, specifically, it does focus on the title, that

God’s Not Dead

“Garbage in, garbage out … so the saying goes.

Lately I have had the experience of the opposite.

A number of months ago a new song was released by the group Newsboys, and it is so freaking catchy. Whenever I hear it on the radio, I am left with it playing in my head for hours after. I have found that it has a profound effect on my day.

After hearing this song, and as it is playing in my brain, my mood changes, my thoughts change. I find that I live my day differently, not defeated, but victorious.

Life is hard (like you needed a reminder of that reality), and the daily grind can leave us feeling like we have been ground to a fine, dust blowing haphazardly in the wind. But, today is not the final verdict of our lives. Because of God within us, He has control of how the story of our lives will end, and he roars like a lion (“they will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion” Hosea 11:10).

It takes me to the scene in the C. S. Lewis story, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where Aslan (the lion) has been killed by the White Witch on the stone table, so that Edmond can live. Lucy and Susan are sobbing for their lost friend, their lost leader, and the brutality with which he was slaughtered. Then, he comes alive, and roars with the powerful, victorious roar of the king of beasts. He is alive, and no one, not even death, can keep him from his purposes.

Sound familiar? Another was killed so that others might live, about two thousand years ago. Jesus was wrongly convicted and killed in a brutal slaughtering. And those who loved him most wept with the sorrow that was overflowing from their hearts. But, he too came alive, and through his resurrection, he overcame, and continues to overcome this world … so that we might live in the freedom that his blood was shed for.

The song constantly reminds me of a poster in the classroom of a Bible teacher at the school I work, below.

Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher argued that “God is dead.” But, in all of our lives, we do not have the final word. And we need the daily input into our brains and lives of who does have the last word.

My “God’s not dead, he’s living on the inside, roaring like a lion.””

I believe in free choice, and free choice is what believing in God is all about. Make your own choice … and do it intellectually!

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Worship as an Act of War

Posted in WONDER, tagged #battle, #hollygerth, #incourageme, #jehoshaphat, #overwhelmed, #psalm40, #weary, #whenyouneedhelpfightingabattleinyourlife, #worshipasanactofwar, Worship on March 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

“We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” — Jehoshaphat, King of God’s People

This (above) is how the post by Holley Gerth started. But I am not a lover of battle scenes, armies and power struggles, so I was about to push delete on this post …

until …

until I read the following :

“Has your heart ever echoed what’s expressed above? You’re weary. You’re overwhelmed. You feel under attack. And you don’t have a single strategy or plan or idea about what to do. You just know something has to give–somehow this battle must be won.”

insert instant interest.

If you, too, are feeling more compelled to hear what Holly has to say in her post called, When You Need Help Fighting a Battle in Your Life, keep reading :

Has your heart ever echoed what’s expressed above? You’re weary. You’re overwhelmed. You feel under attack. And you don’t have a single strategy or plan or idea about what to do. You just know something has to give–somehow this battle must be won.

God answered Jehoshaphat with courage-giving words and His response can encourage us, too. He tells the King to go and fight his enemies. And as the people prepare to go, Jehoshaphat does something interesting. He doesn’t put the warriors at the front. He puts the singers.

Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
for His love endures forever.”

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
{2 Chronicles 20:21-22

When the people arrived at what should have been a battleground, all they saw were bodies. The enemy had already been defeated. The threat eliminated. The victory won. The only thing to do was take the plunder and go home.

Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies.
{2 Chronicles 20:27}.

When you go out with praise, you come home with praise.

Worship is an Act of War by Holley Gerth

In this story the victory is instant and obvious. In our day-to-day battles the same might not be true. But here’s what is always true: Worship is an act of war. When we feel under attack, praise isn’t what we tend to think of first. We’re more likely to reach for our swords or run away in fear. But what if we paused and worshiped instead?

Then we’re not going into battle alone. We’re going with the God who spoke the universe into being fighting on our behalf. That changes everything. Because He never loses. Even when it looks like He’s been defeated, like when Jesus died on the cross, it was only a matter of time until His ultimate victory became clear.

What’s overwhelming you today? What’s coming against you? What situation is causing you to feel fear? Take a moment right now to say to God what Jehoshaphat did: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Then worship.

And watch God work.

This battle will not be won not by your power but by God’s might. Nothing can defeat Him and He lives in you…that means nothing can defeat you either.

Now that’s a reason for praise today.

XOXO

Holley Gerth

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The Best of March 17-21

Posted in WONDER on March 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I am now half way through my Spring Break … it is going so quickly!

When I looked to see which post was the most read this week, I was humbled. And I was humbled because it was an illustration of how God takes our weaknesses, sin, hardened hearts and failures, and makes delicious lemonade for us and those we share our lemons with.

Know that if you read Unforgiving Heart, that it was written from the ugliness of my own heart, softened by the only one who can. Sometimes we need to remember how we were forgiven, in order to forgive others.

Its Not Easy Being Green
(a celebration of Saint Patrick)

A Break from the Everyday
(a change can be as good as a rest)

Week Two of Lent
(would you do anything for love?)

I See Love
(a recognition of those with Down Syndrome around the world)

Blessings to you this day,
Carole

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I See Love

Posted in WONDER, tagged #dearfuturemom, #downsyndrome, #iseelove, #JanJoestofKalkar, #trisomy21, #worlddownsyndromeday, Love on March 21, 2014| 2 Comments »

416px-The_Adoration_of_the_Christ_Child_Follower_of_Jan_Joest_of_Kalkar

Did you know that today is World Down Syndrome Day?

I think most people know of someone who lives with Down Syndrome.

I think most people can identify if an individual who lives with Down Syndrome … it is often obvious when we look at their slanted eyes.

Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is a genetic condition with three, rather than two, twenty-first chromosomes. The name, came from the doctor (John Down) who is credited for identifying this as a syndrome of it’s own.

My own first encounter with an individual with Downs was a relative of my aunts. I only saw her a handful of times, but my memory of her is of how, when she entered the room, everyone else started to smile.

Growing up in a small east coast village, I attended school and church with a guy with Downs. He was the son of one of the most delightful couples I have ever known. He made friends with everyone, and he could sing any hymn in the hymn book by memory (and loud).

Even today, I get to spend part of each work day with a young man with Downs. There is not a time I see him, at school or elsewhere, when I do not receive a smile, a hug, a wave. Just last week, as we shared a laugh, I looked at him, and remembered that he lives with Downs.

You see, when you know someone who lives with Downs, you don’t see Down Syndrome in their eyes anymore …

You see love.

Unconditional.

Undeserved.

Sometimes, un-reciprocated.

Love

Don’t get me wrong, an individual with Down Syndrome can do unloving things as well …

after all,

they are only human.

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Unforgiving Heart

Posted in WONDER, tagged #apology, #unforgiving, #unforgivingservant, Forgiveness on March 20, 2014| 1 Comment »

“… for this I do apologize to you and Carole …”

As I read that apology I could hear my inner voice bubbling up to the surface, mockingly stating,

“that’s it!?”

The error, made by a business who omitted their own commission in the multitude of contracts that hubby and I signed.

When the ‘deal’ was done, they discovered their commission omission, and quickly let us know what we still owed.

To say that we were shocked, would be an understatement.

A significant amount of money had already gone to grease the hands of others. Part of that money intended to insure that all i’s were dotted and all t’s were crossed.

After the shock of yet another bill was digested, we sat down to carefully, thoughtfully respond to this email announcement. We explained, right off the top, that we would certainly pay what was owed, but we also explained our disappointment, and shock that this important detail was missed, and that we were now left holding the bag.

We waited the reply …

nothing,

for five days.

Then, when it did arrive the response was,

“for this I do apologize to you and Carole …”

And that was it …

I admit, although we are more than willing, and plan to repay fully what we owe, I was hoping that the apology would eliminate the cost … after all, it was their mistake, they should have to pay for it!

Right?

And then I remembered the story, the story that reminds me that we have all made mistakes.

It is the story from Matthew 18:21-35, of the unforgiving debtor.

The story is told of a man who owed a king a butt-load of bucks that he could not repay, so the king called his loan, and said that the man, and his entire family would need to be sold into slavery to repay his debt.

The man begged the king for patience, promising to pay it all in full!

The king not only agreed, but forgave the debt completely! He was now a man freed from the chains of his debt.

What mercy this man received! He must have felt profound grace!

NOT!

This man immediately went to another man who owed him money, wrapped his hands around his throat and insisted that the man pay his debt immediately … or else!

This man begged for a little more time, promising to repay in full (sound familiar?).

And what did this man, who had just had his own debt forgiven, do?

He had the guy thrown into prison!

News of this got back to the kind, who was livid!

He had this man, whose debt he forgave, brought to him, and he let his rage loose on him.

The king said,

“You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?”

Then the king had this man imprisoned, and he literally took the debt from him in flesh and bone.

The parable ends with Jesus telling his disciple, Peter,

“that’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

And so, with great humility, I will accept the apology of the man who made a mistake, and forgive him. I will pay him what he is owed.

Because …

that is how my heavenly Father has dealt with my debts …

He has forgiven.

Forgiveness-Quotes-59

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Week Two of Lent

Posted in WONDER on March 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Please let me know if the video did not show up! And if it doesn’t, check out vimeo, and search anything for love.
Carole

itsawonderfilledlife

Last week I spoke of my first week, of my first experience of participating in Lent (Week One of Lent), by eliminating cream from my daily, morning coffee.

Withdrawal from what one loves can feel like a real sacrifice … until one remembers the One whose sacrifice yours is a symbol of.

This past weekend I saw a video (below), and before it was finished, I found myself thinking, what a beautiful sacrifice of love.

And sacrifice for love is what Lent leads us to understand.

Gerdi McKenna is a woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer, just this past February, in South Africa.

I cannot imagine what that news must be like.

I cannot imagine what it is like to walk with one close to me, through the journey that breast cancer leads.

Gerdi is a loved woman.

Watch the video, below, to see just how loved…

View original post 96 more words

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