My Story, Part II

 

I'm curious about this second half of my story now that I'm alone. Then I read this by Jennifer Camp from "Loop":

"... But there are pages being written now, My love, pages of story with you as the protagonist. You are the center of the story I am writing with you. And you get to decide, so much, of what happens. You get to work with Me in the shaping of your story, the rise and fall of the details of your life. 

No, you don’t have control over it all. No, you can’t change the setting sometimes, or the other characters with whom you interact. For sometimes I bring those people in and these events into your life, for you to see Me more, love Me and pour Me out a bit more. But you do choose how to enter into your story, or how to dismiss opportunities I bring, reject people you could love. You have a say in what you do within the story. You have a say in whom you love and whom you don’t love, in where you go and what you do with your time.

Oh, your story, My love . . . Do you see it written out? Do you see My fingerprints upon the page? I love looking at it, all the good that has happened, all the places in you where I want to bring hope, all the places in you that still need healing, still need freedom. There are places in you where you still need to see where I was, how I loved you in each place of heartache, disappointment, and pain.

So, let Me show you the story of your life through My eyes. I have some new things to show you, some rises and falls you have not yet seen. And it’s good. I will show you the places where I come, with My presence and My hope and My love, to make it good.

Does this sound good? Let’s look, together, at your story." ~ Love, God

A new Sheriff in town....

This year is truly flying. Only one more month left in 2016.

Amazing.

After eight years, we now have a new Commander In Chief. Amazingly, it's Donald Trump.

Yes, that Donald Trump. The only one. Do you know anyone else by that name?

Now, I am NOT political in anyway, but I do have enough sense to perk up when the hairs on the back of my neck rise.

Regardless of whom you liked this election, I tended to lean toward the person who was NOT promoting division, hate, insults, potty-mouth, and out-right lack of caring for fellow human beings.

When the hate-spewing commercials first started rolling and Trump said "... and you tell them to go FUCK themselves....", I was completely mortified. NEVER in the history of my time have I heard anyone say that so blatantly in such an important matter as running our country.

I knew it was downhill from there.

But what really hurt me were the folks who all agreed with the words he chanted. And now here we are.

I'm not panicked because God is the first and the last. My life won't change any more than it changed when Obama was in the White House.

Folks who are hoping Trump fails have backward thinking because we'll ALL fail. I read something the other day that said "hoping Trump fails is like hoping the pilot crashes the plane that we're ALL ON!!!"

And on that note, carry on.

Sunday

And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. ~ Luke 17:6

When I was a child, I sold mega amounts of Girl Scout cookies (thanks, dad - Lol). I received this necklace as as gift. I didn't understand what it meant. My GS leader told me that if I had faith as small as the size of this mustard seed, ANY AND ALL things would be possible. I couldn't believe that's all it took! I kept saying, "THAT'S IT??" Surely, it must've been tougher than that. I held on and still hold on to that very important piece of truth.

Over the years, I don't know what happened to my necklace, but I never forgot about it. Imagine walking into a bookstore a couple of days ago & finding it again. :-)

Peace and Light.

The Sunday Community

Time

One thing about time; you either feel you have too little of it, or too much of it.

When you're unemployed & watch everyone else leave to what it is they do for 8 hours, you have too much time;

When you're employed, or have a very busy social calendar, you have too little time;

I'm finding in this 'period of what the hell next?', I'm  had/am having:

• anytime
• sleep late time
• between time
• me time
• doubt time
• panic time
• insecure time
• depressed time
• beat me up time
• down time
• up time
• sad time
• tear time
• garden time
• reading time
• walking time
• photo walk time
• being-in-the moment time
•  peace time
• play time
• Bible study time
• Summer time

I'm ready to feel productive again. Hoping that it will be "soon time." :-)

Doubt

"Doubt is a pain...

... too lonely to know

... that faith is his twin brother" ~ Khalil Gibran

Week two into unemployment. I am finding with so much time on my hands, I cannot relax & do all the things I thought I would do if I were "off." A door left cracked open is allowing bits of doubt to seep in. Self-doubt. I desperately hang onto my faith, yet I find when my mind is idle, I allow myself to pick me apart.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Hands folded.

In prayer.

Pictures: me

Sunday

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" ~Proverbs 3:5-6

I found these photos on disc from 2008. I believe it was when my sister & I traveled to L.A., via a stop in Vegas - to & fro - for my brother's birthday. From Cleveland, to Chicago, to Vegas, to L.A., to Vegas, to Chicago to Cleveland.

Boading & flying on a plane 7x in 96 hours was the purest time to trust in the Lord with all my heart & lean not on my own understanding of how amazing airplanes are, and God's grace to get them to & fro.

Amen! :-)

The Sunday Community

"Do You....

 I don't usually get into religious or political things with folks. No religion talks because everyone has their own faith in their own higher power.

I don't talk politics because I am extremely politically incorrect. I don't know enough (or never paid attention enough) to know what was going on, so I steer clear.

... See

 A few days ago, a close friend, who considers himself Islam, sent me a couple of YouTube vids. of a Pastor who mentored him back in the day. The pastor was saying what lies the Bible tells, and the books of the Bible are all stories made up & translated. He said the "King James" version of the Bible was created by a man named James Stuart.

There was another video called "There is no Jesus & he's not coming Back." I didn't bother to watch that one because I couldn't get past the first video.

... what

 I told my friend that this was against everything I had ever learned in my life, and while it was interesting to give a listen, I couldn't agree with it because I know who my Lord & Savior are. The pastor that preaches this & has many videos out there, almost made it sound racially charged.

The things I heard stung me! As my thoughts lingered on them, I had to have some quiet meditation to refocus myself.

I...

...See?"

I KNOW God is my Father. He has gotten me through SO much, and I KNOW Jesus is in my heart and he died on the rugged cross for all of our sins. My faith sustains me; keeps me calm in the storm; God's arms comfort me when I need hugging, love & understanding.

When I was a child, about 9/10 yrs. & took the "big plunge" of asking Jesus to come into my heart forever, my most super favorite Bible School teacher taught me on my five fingers that Jesus said:
1) I
2) shall
3) never
4) leave
5) thee


He never has, and I'll be damned if I start to ever doubt Him.

I'll call this learning lesson: Different strokes for different folks (courtesy of Sly & the Family Stone) Lol.

Pictures taken by: me

Created by: God

Amen :-)

Faith is what makes life bearable, with all its tragedies and ambiguities and sudden, startling joys.  ~Madeleine L'Engle

I am writing with thoughts of my dear Cassie. I've spoke of her here before - she's terminal with cancer, yet she is the strongest person I know. She has had so many setbacks with her health, yet she still shines through. Her faith in God is unwavering! She is now at another cross road  health wise and admits she battles huge bouts of fear, yet God keeps her steady. She is preparing to participate in another marathon for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. Please take a look at her donation page & hear a little of her story. And if you feel so inclined, please donate a little. It means so much to her, me and all the others battling and/or survived the nasty cancer. 

Peace, love & comfort to all of you. But especially to my Cassie. :-)

Picture by: me. I chose this picture to show no matter where you're planted, you can still always bloom. Just like Cass.

Something good

Sunset 5/29/12

Sunset 5/29/12

"something good :-)"

Hey friends! Just a few shots of my something good everyday. The sunsets were taken from a friend's deck. Now I know where to go to catch sunsets as opposed to hanging out of my bedroom window. :-)

I was just listening to Joyce Meyers on the iPod. The lesson was 'choose happiness.' In the mornings when you wake, and if you think you're depressed - you'll have a depressing day.

But, if choose to have a great day & tell yourself that, you WILL have a great day. The mind is such a powerful thing & negativity is always waiting to pounce. If you let the negs. get a foot in the door, it's over. But if you kick the negative door in the butt & claim your great day - it will be.

Ms. Meyers also spoke about being victims of our past. Just because you were raised or treated a certain way that wasn't healthy does NOT mean you need to continue to carry that damn bag with you.

Trust yourself & love yourself, and you will find something good in every day! And that's not Joyce talking right there - that was all me! Lol.

Thanks for stopping in!

 

 

 

"Night Lily" taken @ 9:00p.m.

Giving thanks

 Happy Easter, all! I happened upon an Easter Egg Hunt during my walk yesterday. Lucky, lucky me!

 Complete with "Mr. Bunny."

 This one is my favorite. Painted plastic egg.

However, I bow my head & clasp my hands in prayer of thanks to our Savior for dying & rising on this day for us. He lives eternally, especially in my heart. Happy Easter to you and your families. Enjoy the day! :-)

Honest

I have found that when folks say that they want honesty, that honesty is not what they're looking for at all.

I believe that sometimes they have versions of honesty that require hearing only what they want to hear.

I have found that when you hold honesty in for long, and it finally exposes itself, it strikes a nerve in those who doubt your honesty. Because you never exposed it.

So, speak only with honesty and truth at all times, so you'll never be doubted.

And that is the honest truth.

Pictures by: me

Sunday Scribbling word prompt: "honest"