0 muddy hands: November 2005

Sunday, November 27

recognition

many are the days that pass us by.
many are the blessings that come our way.
many thanks are never expressed, nor the recogniton
given to the one who gives to us so freely.
When I keep my heart and soul in a steady gaze on the life-changing gift of Jesus Christ, my eyes become like his. I begin to see the world differently. I become increasingly thankful for the life that he has given to me and I desire to celebrate his goodness and mercy. Praise God!!
As our family has been talking about and remembering the first Thanksgiving and how hard it must have been, I have had to do some serious introspection of my own gratitude. First, I'll remind you that "gratitude is defined as the feeling of being thankful to somebody for something". The definition does not say "thankful to somebody for good things". So as I have mulled over in my mind these last few days what I am grateful for, my list is different than before. I have been confronted to go just a tad bit deeper and have found myself being truly thankful for the "not so good things". Stay with me... Second, the definition of celebration is to observe with ceremonies of respect, festivity, and rejoicing; to extol or praise; to make widely known; display. Thanksgiving is celebration. The Lord has prompted my spirit to celebrate his dominion, proclaim his goodness and recognize that he is the "I am". He alone is the giver of life. Must I be reminded that his word says "to give thanks in everything", and "for my lips to continually praise his name". Our God is a jealous God. He requires, commands, insists and desires for us to recognize him for who he is. Consider with me about our God and what celebration he deserves and requires. There is none like him, nor ever will be. He knows what I need when I need it. He is my provision. He heals, restores, defends, shelters, grants peace, comforts, loves, brings friendship, and he knows the deepest parts of my soul and still wants me for his own!! He deserves all my thanks and all recogniton. Celebrate him. Offer your sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. He has made me glad.
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I praise you King! You have made me glad. Thank you for your kindness. Loyalty. Patience. My life is yours and all that I have. Thank you for a husband that is ready, willing and waiting to go to the ends of the earth to proclaim your saving grace. Thank you for his strong convictions, boldness, and does not compromise with the world. Grant him clear vision that he may know the next step to take. Thank you that he is long-suffering and gentle to me and my children. He has always provided and made a way for me to be home with our children. Thank you that he supports me in all that I do or even attempt to do. You have lavished your love on me by giving him to me. You knew he would love me for who I am. Thank you for my two precious boys. Thank you for the spirit of God that already exists in my Crash. He amazes me how much he already knows about you. May his sensitive spirit never be squelched by this insensitive world. I pray that Crash and Toogie will fall madly in love with you and surrender their lives in service for you. May they desire nothing more than to do your will. Thank you for Toogie and his strong will. May he be strong in the Lord and full of your might. Thank you for laughter in our home. Thank you for loud voices, including mine. Thank you that my family allows me a few minutes of fame each week when I burst out in song like Julie Andrews. Thank you for the sound of music. Thank you for the "not so good" things that have allowed me to have understanding, compassion, concern, empathy and sympathy for others. If I had not lived these things, my witness would not be the same. Thank you for broken bones that have healed and cause me to walk again. Thank you that I was able to pass my walker on to my pastor. Thank you for brother Jay and his precious Sheri. Thank you for a colicky baby that taught me to cuddle, trust you and give consolation to another momma. Thank you for the seasons of depression that have taught me about your strength, your truth, your promises and the hope that comes from you alone.Thank you for placing so many people in my life who need your encouragement and your hope. Thank you for comforting me in times of loneliness and despair and reminding me that you are my closest friend and all I ever need. Thank you for giving me boldness to tell others how you have taken me from the miry clay and set my feet on your solid rock. Thank you for cancer that taught me to "be anxious for nothing" and to see the power of prayer. Thank you for healing me andI praise you that I am in remission. Thank you for a mother who loved you more than anything and brought me up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Thank you for momma quoting the word of God to me at an early age and teaching me to forever praise your name. Thank you for my Aunt Deloras who always believes in me and speaks real-life encouragement. Thank you for my amazing father and mother-in love who treat me as their very own. May I be as loving, generous and concerned for my children's families to come. Thank you that they love my children dearly, enjoy our company, and never get tired of us eating their fabulous foods. Thank you for Papa's crab cakes, Mimi's chocolate cake, and Dean's Barbecue. Thank you for so many wonderful friends. Grant wisdom and discernment to those who are eager to do your work. Thank you for Spirit-and-Truth Ministries. Use 'em Lord. You know how much they want to spread the word. Thank you for being silent at times to teach us to "be still and know that you are God". Thank you for financial diffuculties that are teaching us that you are Jehovah-Jirah and to be great stewards of your provision. Thank you for teaching us contentment and to store our treasure in heaven not on earth. Thank you for the socks for Crash. Thank you for the diapers for Toogie. Thank you for the beautiful $24 Christmas tree when we had $24 dollars in our pocket! Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for sending your son to destroy the works of the devil!!! May my life be a sacrifice of thanksgiving and celebration of you. Love you daddy.
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Praise Jehovah. O give thanks to Jehovah; for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.
Who can utter the mighty acts of Jehovah, or cause all His praise to be heard?
Blessed are those who keep judgment, he who does righteousness at all times.
Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favor of Your people; O visit me with Your salvation,
that I may see the good of Your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, to glory with Your inheritance. Psalm 106:1-5

posted by muddy hands at 1:03 AM | 1 comments

Monday, November 7

indescribable glory


" And in the morning you shall see
the glory of the Lord..." Ex 16:7
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" Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth! " Ps 46:10
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" For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: " Rom 1:20
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Father, I will extol your name at all times. Your praise shall forever be on my lips. I am mesmerized by the magnificient beauty of your creation. As I gaze upon the beauty of your heavens and the earth, I am reminded of your strength, brilliance and royalty. I am aware of your dominion over me and the entire universe. Only you reign supreme. How honored I am that you know the very deepness of my thoughts and still call me daughter, friend, beloved. May my words be few. May my love be surpassing. May my service be pleasing. Send me to people that need your soothing balm to heal there broken spirits. Multiply my family's faith that we may live without limits when it comes to reaching this desperate world for you. Provide guidance to the wandering children who have forgotten the sound of the Father's voice. Raise up uncompromising warriors to fight the enemy of this day. Give us clean hands. Give us pure hearts. Break my will and conform it to yours. Go before us Lord. You are our sheperd. We shall not want. You, oh Father make us to lie down in green pastures and beside the still waters. Whom shall we fear? You are for us. My husband, my children and I am victors in Christ Jesus. No weapons formed against the children of God will prosper. We shall not be moved. We are like trees planted by the water side, strong cedars and towering oaks. You alone are life. You are the tree of life. You are the way, the truth, and the life. Praise God. I'm alive. Praise God that we are healed. Praise God that we have hope. Praise God that we will reign with you eternally! I love you. May you bless and keep us. May your face shine upon us. May you grant us peace and provision. You alone are faithful. Thank you for saving me from death and destruction. I am redeemed by the blood of the lamb. My children will arise and call me blessed. May my boys be light in the world. May they exude the true meaning of a life lived for Christ. Use my husband to bring salvation to the nations. Set his feet on high places, place him before dignitaries, that all may see the true splendor of living wide open, fanatically, jacked-up for Jesus. Test us. Try us. Refine us like pure gold and precious silver. Polish us like unblemished stones. We are yours. The sheep of your pasture. We are not our own, you bought us for a price. We are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Comfort those close to our hearts who are across the world, denying themselves for your name sake. Provide the perserverance needed to continue to run the race before us. Keep our eyes fixed on the price --You, Jesus-- so that we may finish hearing you say "well done my good and faithful servant." Convict our hearts of the sin that holds us back from moving into the next high place with you. May you find my family delighting in your fulfilled law. Your love is better than life. I am yours. Father, do as you please.

posted by muddy hands at 10:58 PM | 1 comments

Sunday, November 6

chameleon in the mirror


i am like a chameleon- easily changeable.
i am fiesty, dramatic, messy and distracted, but i am also quiet, solemn, neat and focused. i like me.
I haven't always felt this way and quite frankly, I still on occasion struggle with shrill whines and grumbles about who I am. So do many of us, if the truth be known. My boys and I are avid fans and readers of Eric Carle books. One of our favorite books deals with a chameleon who is not content with who God created them to be. He/she wishes they could be a little of this and a little of that. Only to find out in the end that being who he was created to be is the best choice. The story ends with the chameleon's thought --
" I wish I could be myself".
Do you ever wish you were someone else? Do you ever wish you could be a little of this or more of that? Are you content with who he has not only created you to be, but called you to be? Are you living out your own reality of life with Christ or what you think someone else would have you be? Life is so beautiful. We are each so distintive. Our creator fashioned us so perfect in his image. He really thinks we are great. So why do we tend to forget the truth from his word? Our creator wants us to like who we are because he is the master craftsman and you are his handiwork. He who began a good work will follow through to completion. God is doing some incredible reconstructive work in my life. Couldn't we all use an ambush makeover some moments in our lives. The truth is, Christ is revealing the truth about who I am through his word. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, lend your ear to hear-- open your eyes to see --taste and see that the Lord God is good. He tells us over and over in his verse that we are made in his image and that he can transform us to his likeness. I would love to share with you, as well as remind myself, his pounding truth as to who we are: blessed with every spiritual blessing, holy and blameless before him in love, adopted by Jesus Christ, accepted, forgiven, sealed with the holy spirit, alive, free, justified, chosen, loved with an everlasting love, desired, wonderful, beautiful, empowered, royalty, redeemed, conquerors, ambassadors, full of hope and the list goes on... Are you having trouble believing this could actually be you? Don't take my word for it --- verify yourself -- His word is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. His word declares the true identity of who we are and gives us true value and worth. I love it. I love it. I love it. Seeing one's self through the eyes of God makes all the difference in how I see me!!! Take another look in the mirror. Can you see the reflection of the one who loves you for who you are...
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I love you Lord. Thank you for creating me just as I am. Take the areas in my life that do not bring glory to your name. Burn away the draws that keep me from shining for you. Teach me contentment. Allow me vision to see the goodness and beauty that you have bestowed upon me. May my entire life be a declaration of your consuming love. May I be found devoted to your word to the point that every thought becomes obedient to you. I praise you my God and my friend. You are all that I need. Draw me close to you that my soul will scream of your majesty.
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All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. 2 Cor 3:18

posted by muddy hands at 11:10 PM | 0 comments