The LORD looks into the heart

I am very thankful that my Daddy who saw unjust treatment of his Mommy lived to see a day when he could be called by his name and not by the word "boy" or worse. Though we have many other progressions that need to take place, I appreciate and admire the brave souls that fought for me to know the liberties many take for granted. I appreciate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrate these freedoms. As a mixed race individual it is a privilege to be living proof of what many peace loving freedom fighters stood for and that is, at the end of the day, being born a certain skin color doesn't make you a person. We are all human and should be treated as such.I Samuel 16:7 But the LORD told Samuel, "Don't look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the LORD looks into the heart."

Year's Reflection

I learned in 2014 that in order to be at peace in my soul, in my mind, and in my body I have to make a daily commitment to it. I learned in 2014 that a far greater crime than living life with people around you that don't love or like you is not liking and loving yourself. I learned that Love really does cover over a multitude of sin(our own) and truly heals the wounds that might have been left behind as someone else's sin may have landed on you. I learned in 2014 to strive to be part of the solution instead of the problem. I learned in 2014 to break clearer from energy that insights instead of enlightens and I learned not only will this too pass, it will be used for my strengthening. Most importantly I learned in 2014 that God can and will get me through my short comings, my fears, and my insecurities. I learned He does it by a great power that rises higher than the largest peak of the highest mountain...My hope for 2015 is to continue this 40th year of life recognizing my driving force is my God. My hope is to continue striving to please Him alone as I make every effort to love on my friends and my family better. I hope this year is full of growth and continued positive changes. I hope we support each other more and not throw shade or push our own baggage on to others when they are rejoicing about some thing happily. I hope we recognize that someone else's joy is a time they are able to see God's love and that there is no reward when are being used to snuff that out for them. I hope in 2015 we may get back to being useful to our future generations and be the type of people they can look back at with pride and happiness. I hope in 2015 our youth may learn to love themselves more and stand up for their self worth and values. My hope for 2015 is that, most importantly we turn to God. My hope is that we remember not just in times of death or loss, but remember often, that we take none of this with us. My hope for 2015 is to practice Love right here, right now, while we are gifted with living.

I AM Here

Today I felt attacked on every side. The day was made long by multiple moments of nonsense and incredible frustration with junk. I had to spend the entire day on phone calls & multiple hours driving up and down to take care of some things that needed sorting, feeling unheard along the way....I stopped myself at least 6 times from breaking down while driving around with a torturous migraine because my children were present. Not to mention that my neck decided it no longer wanted to hold on to its current position of being what carries my big head around throughout the day. The wear and tear on it over the years / disc issues sometimes make it difficult to focus....I just wanted it to end....then I learned of someone who drew their last breath. It was as if that provided just enough ‘breath’ of my own to realize this was just a moment and would all pass. My husband had been trying to communicate that to me all day, but I wasn’t getting that first part of today’s life message. I have always found It remarkable to watch his patience with stuff like this. It always astounds me how calm He remains. He usually recognizes the attack is far darker than on this mere flesh and heads to gear up to protect the more important part of himself his spirit. Whereas with me, though I am not proud of it, I often need a little more prompting to rise from the barracks. I need a bit of a shove to stop floundering about in the surprise/panic of the alarm that’s been sounded and join the ranks. Thankfully, I eventually get there though.... ...my husband’s once seemingly annoying cheer was actually the powerful weaponry my hand needed to Fight properly...Not with my own hand crafted weapons, but with God's strength as He always sees me through.....After all I am alive aren't I? Here I am typing this, so it can't all be bad. That my friend is what is real, not all the rest of this day's junk.....so in this moment of reflection....today was a gift. Regardless of the highs and lows, it was my privilege not my right....and as I finally take pause to remember that, I can now say more appropriately, it was a good day because God was with me. I am here. Psalm 103 A psalm of David. 1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things.

Papa Prune Me

Reflecting: God doesn't waste time pruning a dead branch. The whole purpose of pruning is to remove the obstructions that are preventing the plant from growing into it's healthiest strongest self. You better believe if the process of snipping away at things in life is hurting you, you are considered worthy by Him. Pruning often takes away that which blended in with your healthy parts, especially that which you never even realized was harming you. It's up to us if we are going to let that draw us nearer to Him or pull us away from Him. It is only in Him we remain alive.Jesus, the True Vine 15:1“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

I Sing because I'm happy. He's the Reason I sing.

Perhaps that smile or that pep in someone else's step is a direct reflection of them celebrating God’s goodness and not them attempting to celebrate their own. Looking outward & assuming a joyful person has no struggles or hasn't been thru much wont lead to a break thru for our own hearts. It's looking inward and applying change that will help pave the way for God’s power to work in spite of its broken condition.You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.Isaiah 26:3 ESV

The Light Pollution of Our Hearts

We recently went on a Home school field trip to the Planetarium. We had the whole place to ourselves. The kids enjoyed a non traditional discussion on planets, the stars, and universe because of the intimacy. During that process the facilitator told us some things on light pollution. She went on to explain the affects on the various cities and our ability to see the beautiful created stars big or small. That made me think about the correlation between our daily thinking and our blessings. I want to be so guarded and so careful that I don't allow negativity, fear, or worrying cause that same light pollution for my life. God's stars are always burning bright behind all of the clouding of our artificial lights here on earth. And in the same thinking His blessings are always present despite how we might cloud things with our artificial thinking. I pray I might remove all pollution from my line of sight that I might continue to reap from the joys of each & every blessing (big or small), for they are each beautiful. 1 John 1:5&6 NLT ....God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God, but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

Learning to Give Thanks Thru Every Storm

"For many people give thanks to God when He gives, Job gave thanks when He took."....The Devil wanted to destroy Job's dedication to God. In fact, He boldly told the Lord the only reason Job feared God was because God had put a wall of protection around him, (in various forms of tremendous blessings)....so the Lord allowed Satan to test Him by stripping Him of all he had...Job's response was not an easy one, nor in today's society would it be a common one, but yet He yielded. He was blessed for it..."Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said,"I came naked from my mother’s womb,and I will be naked when I leave.The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. Job 1:20-21 (NLT). It's OK to mourn the losses we experience on this journey, but we can't live there. We have to keep fight knowing the God of Heaven will prevail. I want to BRING HIM GLORY WHEN IT RAINS