It can be scary....or it can just be an experience.

This is a picture of my hubby, cute as a bug and joking around in this pic. Now we both had faith in that one foot holding him in place while I got the picture. Faith....what an exquisite reality we have available to us. Today God I am grateful for faith in you, faith that can change something from being scary and incredibly unpredictible to an experience of getting to know more of you. It is so hard sometimes to not try and control situations, to take back what we've lifted up to God in prayer. Patience is a refiner of faith in God I believe. I've caught myself not completely letting go of a situation, ya'know just in case God was busy:). Picking up a task I left at the cross because I felt God could use a hand. While my mistakes will continue because at my own hand I'm an idiot, lost without a map. Today I'm grateful God reveals my mis-steps to me and will not easily let go of something I have given Him to handle for me. God reminds me of reasons I left it with Him in the first place. My God is faithful, my God is true. I know this because of the verses He is storing away in my heart. Memorizing verses for the first time since I was a child. I'm not exactly sure why He is storing away these particular ones but I trust Him enough to hold tight to them. Plus now that He put those there I feel ready for more. Life can be scary, watching the news can send you to the nearest piece of chocolate. Faith assures me that this is an experience that He will see me thru. I take faith in the Lord my God over scary anyday :) Thank you God I am grateful for You.

a break in the heart, a healing God.

Today God woke me up asking to be first. I mean time in His word, which I've been doing, but to do it before anything else. Thus far I have taken a moment to make a cup of coffee to enjoy while reading His word, but today He said me first. So with groggy eyes and a belly growling for coffee I stepped into Him. I am reading Exodus and am in chapter 21. I'm not exactly sure why God wanted me to read about all His commandments and other rules before coffee, but I know it will make sense later. I do know God has been laying the word obediance and faith on me alot lately. Is He in His infinate wisdom laying down the ground work for something to come? Absolutely !!! Do I trust Him that it is important to take heed now to reap later, absolutely!!! God is asking me things and I am being obediant and my faith is growing and God is asking me things and I am being obediant and my faith is growing, what a wonderful cycle dontcha think?
This morning I read of a friends husband having cancer, my heart broke a little for her and her husband and family. Then God said I have a plan, I am the healer, all will be done to serve my plan, and I felt better.
I'm not sure what Gods plan is for me, and to be honest I do not want to know, ever. You see our God see's so much more in us than we can see in ourselves. We can see a step, but the whole plan might overwhelm us, might make us slip up because we do not agree. But a step we can handle.
God today I am grateful for each step and for the mercy and grace of you allowing us to see back to how far we've come because of you. May I trust in your plan and be grateful for the sole task of taking a step.

feeling better, but wonder if ???

Sometimes I want to share the really cool things God is doing in me and I feel...I don't know like I'm bragging sometimes, but I'm not. God has been so generous with me that I just want to shout from the rooftops how awesome He is. During bible study we have women dealing with peaks, some in valleys and some just wondering in the desert it seems, so I feel bad being so happy, so amazed. Then I feel compeled to share and I feel these looks?
God has opened my eyes to His word, to the joy of studying Him and getting to know Him. As far as possesions and things my life has not changed, it's my view that has, and I feel so blessed. I share so that they see it's there, for anyone, I'm not special at all. I do not want this joy lessened by "these looks" so my prayer today is to keep on keeping on being happy, joyful. God today I am grateful for You, Your word and the joy of getting to know You, thank you Lord.

figuring it out...well figuring this out :)

Okay so I'm still feeling the icks, but God has given me a plan. My level of energy to get thru each day is minimal due to the icks. So...God being genius and knowing I need Him even more (ya know to whine on His shoulder that I feel these icks) told me to do my reading first, followed by my studies and I will be better for it. Okay so I still feel the icks BUT, yesterday was worse cuz I had trudged thru the day reading a bit here, studying a bit there, feeling bad because I wasn't "into" doing it at all. Today I did that first, so even though my flesh feels the icks, my spirit has been lifted, get it?
Today God I am grateful for a spirit that can be in me and not feel these icks. Today I am grateful for friends that pray for me and the blessing of praying for them. Oh and God I'm grateful you got me to lunch with some friends to enjoy their company even though a nap is what my flesh wanted yesterday. Thank you God, I love you.

praising God when I feel yucky.

Feeling yucky is not much fun. I'm tired although I slept atleast 8 hours. My body is a bit shaky and well it's ucky. Days like these are sometimes hard to lift my bible and open it to read God's word. Then to do the life group workbook and womens bible study seems difficult too, but I do them. Not because I'm some champ, or even studious at all. I do them because I love God, I long to know more about Him, to learn more about my ancestry. Today is tough cuz my hands are shaky. But these are the days I need Him more, these are the times I get beyond myself and into obediance.
God today I am grateful for my spirit reaching out to connect with you although my flesh seems to say it would be okay to let just this day pass without reading or studying. Today God I am grateful that a willing spirit trumps a ucky flesh everytime. May your word be a tonic to my soul, may whatever you teach me today be a lesson my flesh needed to hear. Today God I am grateful to have you, and love you.

sketch artist.

I wish I had a sketch book or photo album of the wonderful pictures God gives me. A place to leaf thru and see what He showed me and when. Or to write down each thing He says. Sometimes there not words so much as a feeling. I don't know maybe I'll just jot down things as they come. Today God said with His full armor on we can walk away from these spats with satan completely unharmed, as a matter of fact He said we could leave His scent on satan. Kinda like being around a smoker, after you part company the scent of the smoker is on you, you need to bath and do laundry to remove it.
I've mentioned a friend before her name is flower (in my head). Recently I saw her in a picture being blown about by winds, barely hanging on, and God said all she would give to these winds was her fragrance. What a treat God has affirmed to me that I could, only thru Him, walk away from satan and leave my scent on him !!!! Does it sound crazy? Probably, but its true.
Today God I am grateful for the gift, the infinate blessing of the priviledge of putting on your full armor. Today God I am grateful for the cute cartoon you gave me of satan walking away from me, defeated and smelling of your love. All things are possible thru He who loves me.

it is overwhelming...but please overwhelm me again and again.

God is opening my eyes to see Him at work and it is overwhelming to see such a confirmation of Him. Monday mornings I send out a threads of gratitude email to friends, co-workers, sisters, loved ones. Each time someone replies with their own list of gratitude I get to see it, see Him at work. Sometimes I'm reduced to a heap of tears, bawling with amazement, sometimes I chuckle at how amazing He is. But the best part is knowing that it's all Him.

This is a picture near the bottom of bridal veil Falls in Yosemite, and I could've sat there all day listening to the sounds, watching the movement of the water, the smells of nature like a tonic for my soul. Most pictures I share on this blog involve nature, because that is when I felt closest to God. More and more God is blessing me with the priviledge of feeling close to Him here at home, y'know in the city, around people and noise and lets face it some unpleasant smells. God is showing me His beauty can be seen everywhere. Its trully amazing for me to learn this, love this. I still long for days near a lake, or on a mountain, just a bit away from it all. But to have this when I'm not hiking or biking or "on vacation" is awesome.

Today God I am tickled to a point of side aches and tears that you continue to reveal your works to me, scratch that, that my eyes are now opened to see your works, they have never been hiding, just not seen by me. I love you Lord and am grateful for Your grace and mercy.

WOW !!!!!! I'm in love and it seems new everyday !!!

Here I am hiking up Yosemite Falls 3-4 years ago, before we moved to Texas. It was a challenge, and it hurt, made me all sweaty (I don't like that),but... Every view point was beautiful. Some view points just took your breath away. The smells were delightful, it was worth every blister and sore muscle. This picture was not even 1/2 way up, I just needed a rest and called it a photo op. I think today God uses these experiences to say "Lisa if it's hard and you get tired it's more than okay to stop for a moment, rest, and look around at everything else I'm doing, breathe it in, restore yourself, then get up and go on because each stop will blow you away, the beauty is there, just stop and look at it."

This threads of gratitude thing God started and God is doing is a treat for me to watch, as threads come back to me and I get to see God adding people I am just breathless. Smiles cross my face and I move on, restored in Him, seeing Him at work. What a blessing, a wonderful wonderful blessing. So after I sit for a moment and read these emails I move on, God has more to show me, and even the sweaty shirts don't bother me (so much), the blisters barely register as I move on towards the next place.

Today I am grateful that God knows when I may need to rest and is eager to show me the view of His work while I restore myself. Today I am gratefully blessed.

God is Good....amen

I am just so grateful today. Saturday was a great day, then Sunday's lesson from Bruce was great, God is talking to me and I'm just as excited as all get out that He is.
First I want to say that I'm so sorry for the good people that live in southern Texas right now, Ike came ashore and was destructive. I'm grateful Ike did not get as strong as the news people said it might, enough destruction was wreaked upon our coast. My prayers are with them.
I am grateful that most people took head and left when warned.

Now, I want to say that I'm grateful God is working my planner as opposed to me working God into my planner. Ever since I decided to really get into His word, study it so I can know Him more, He has provided me the time to do it. I don't know how. My day is still busy, I work, have kids and a husband, but it's all working out. God is allowing me to study more and more and still the shopping gets done, laundry is done, my house is clean, dog gets fed, I work. AND, yeah get this, I have time to enjoy my family. I mean its like I have time to get everything done, study Gods word, and hang out with the kids. Each Saturday morning we are just going bike riding, or I take them to the skatepark and they skate while I read my bible. Its amazing, I'm not stressed about "quality time" , I'm enjoying quality time. There's a big difference. I am excited, I mean thrilled to absolute delight that God handles all this and I'm not mad at all that He does it a gazillion times better than me. Do I have days that seem a bit full? Yes But I pray and peace is there, just knowing that I need to let go of the planner and let Him do His thing is HUGE.

thankful for the opportunity...

Have you ever woke up from a nightmare, a reminder of your own past and thought to yourself " not today satan, you are not bringing me down today by throwing that crud at me". Well I have, many many many a time. Or have you seen a child being loved thru an accident( spilt milk) as opposed to the reprimanding you might have done just yesterday?
This kinda stuff has been a tool of satans for far too long in my life. Recently in a study a revelation absolutely freed me. Not a verse from the book in the bible although that happens as often . But God showed me satan can only use the tools we leave unattended. Like mistakes, or poor choices and actions. So I've begun waking up from these with the ability to remove these tools, to dis-arm satan. The minute I wake up I am grateful for the reminder of things I need to seek forgiveness for. Quickly and earnestly I pray for forgiveness for that particular thing or action and quickly God assumes that tool for His purpose.
It is not a tool to bring me discouragement any longer, and if that crafty satan tries using it again I am quick to say oh silly serpent I am forgiven.
Today I am grateful to God for showing me the things I have long buried in the depths of me out of shame and guilt. Once they are brought up I can ask for forgiveness, I can beg for this to somehow be turned into a work of God, and I am freed from that stronghold. I am reminded that The Creator will Always claim victory over the crafty. amen. thank you Father.

such a geek :)

Are you ready to be a geek for God? Thats how I feel almost all the time, like a geek. But I gotta say it's awesome, beautiful, kinda like these flowers, just a joy to see.

Last night the fall semeter of womens bible study began and I was so giggly and hyper, just over-joyed to be back with my girls and meeting even more great ladies. A beautiful thing has begun and boy am I geeky about it. This study has a big book, kinda intimidating at first glance, but then I thought"wow, we got some learning about to happen here". Today Lord I am so grateful for more to learn, for the reality of knowing you want to spend more time with me( because I'm a simple girl this study is going to mean alot of time with Him just trying to wrap my noodle around it). Yes there are moments when my day is filled with other stuff, but to serve a Lord that has an increasing desire to spend MORE time with me, even though He knows my past and my present? I am tempted to feel unworthy but thats just satan trying to get thru on "call-waiting" as I talk to God. y'know what I mean? I am worthy if He wants this from me, and I am able to move that other stuff around a bit to make room for my Maker. Oh Lord I am grateful, face on the floor, filled with awe grateful for you and to you.

Grateful for the "Good News"

So many people tell me I should watch the news, read the papers, and I gotta tell ya I don't like to. More often than not I will avoid the paper. The news I watch just enough to get the weather and even then I am forced to see pictures that can stay with me all day if not longer.
I just don't get what is so unsensational about God at work that it doesn't make the papers? Why isn't there a missionary section to the paper? Why don't new believers grace our papers? I'm sure there are magazines I can subscribe to that would give me this info but why don't I see it in the Dallas news? My husband reads that paper front to back and shares with me the items he believes I would like to talk about without being offended. I gotta say there must be alot of offensive stuff in there because he shares only a little bit with me. Mostly I like to hear the "love is" cartoon.
I'm not naive, I've lived thru stories that people have read about. Child abuse, divorce, drugs, criminal activities and jail time. I could be on Montel exposing the reality of a past directed by satan.
What I am grateful for today is the very huge reality of the good news found in the bible, can you dig it? I mean I am thrilled to spend my morning reading His news. I know I have to stay current to be relavent, so says many and maybe I should. But just the weather is enough for me. Other than that you can find me in His word gleening an eduacation on His ways and happily avoiding the tragic pictures and words the world sends out daily. Is todays "news"paper so different from yesterday, or even tomorrows? It is all heart-breaking stuff that can fill you with a weight that makes your back bend with sorrow. I say if you want to be bent over start on your knees and you shall be lifted by His word and it will lift you daily.
This is my opinion and my thoughts. I know many who read several different prints to get the worldly news. I guess my prayer is that these same people are spending equal time in His news to really have a God perspective on their day. I have alot of learning to do alot of studying to understand more.

Grateful to be challenged

My son Anthony is a real treat. This is him after his graduation ceremony from Navy league Cadet Corp Boot Camp. This is a jr program the U.S.Navy has for kids that want to learn about the Navy. They drill the 3rd weekend of each month and yes go to bootcamp for a week during the summer. As a mom I handled this week as a complete wimp, I called officers daily with concern. Anthony however handled this week away from mom like a champ. They do this at a real base with real military people doing real military things (on a downsized scale). Anthony is fearless to challenge, he always raises his hand at any opportunity to try something new.
Well I am learning to accept challenges as blessings. We have a new study on Hebrews in our life group and this workbook taunts me it seems. I am just not getting it, I mean week 1 day 1 has me challenged. Our pastor is without a doubt blessed big time intellectually, and his writing shows it. Me, well I'm not so blessed and the language, while english is hard for me to wrap my noodle around. 3 times yesterday I tried and was defeated . This morning God says try again Lisa, I am expanding you to learn more, try harder. If God believes I can do this than by His will I will do it. The bible says God will never ask more of me than I can give even if I believe I am unable. So again today I will try and today I will receive the blessing of a challenge faced and conquered. Today I am grateful to my heavenly father that does not let me sit things out, but props me up till I can stand. As my son stands in this picture between 2 of his commanding officers I want to bow down before my father some day so He can smile at me and say " see that wasn't so tough eh Lisa"

okay today is the 1st day I fished in bigger waters.

Fishing in a familiar pond is relaxing, fun, without surprise. Today is the first time I went into bigger waters with the Threads of Gratitude email. Some recipients are not people of faith, some are down right non believers. I think its those without God that give me most pause. Not because I'm worried God can not work with them, but because if they come to me with questions, doubts, negativity I need to go back with the right answer, something from scripture to guide them. God help me, guide me, be that most beautiful lamp unto my feet. Oh and since I have your ear Lord can you make this easier?
Today I am grateful for a spirit to serve.
Today I am grateful for a new life group to grow in and a great "get to know each other dinner last night.
Today I am grateful for a husband that still doesn't understand this but loves me enough to support this.

serenity of obediance

There is a calmness, a sweet serenity I feel when in obediance to my Father. Its like a warm blankie on a cool evening. Or that 1 piece of chocolate you allow yourself when dieting all month long. The world is still chaotic, homework is still a battle to be won, dinner needs to be made then cleaned up after, the daily chores still need to be done. All the while a peace covers me, a Father listens to me, and I feel serenity. This is a blessing I am overwhelmed with gratitude for.
This picture was taken from the deck of a ship we were on, a family vacation last year. Its quite humbling to be out in the midst of His ocean, nothing but water all around you, not even a bird travels this far away from land today. So tiny I felt, so far removed from my life. Yet on that boat, far from home He was just a prayer away, if even that far. I felt Him with me, like He was showing me a new perspective. I find it wonderful to know that even when my dearest earthly friend is a international call away @ $ 5.00/min. My Father is but a whisper away no matter where I am. And His excitement at showing me things is as if we are both seeing it for the first time, He is gentle that way. Father does His reprimanding, and boy can He prune me, but He also never hesitates to show me beauty as well.
I greet at my home church and there's a beauty He shows me every time, it's that of the children running into the church, smiling and bouncing there way into His house. I love it every time I see it and I hear Him saying "see their joy to be here" You my child should feel that joy in being here cuz I'm just inside those doors encouraging you with open arms saying "come to me".
Today I am grateful, so very grateful to be a child of God's.

He thought it was Jesus ??

a Hail storm in a part of Kenya that just doesn't experience this type of weather,

"We thought a big white sheet had been spread, so we decided to come and see for ourselves. We thought that it was Jesus who had come back," one villager told reporters.

Oh the joy these villagers experienced for that moment, to see this white snow, to believe Jesus had come. To touch this cool treat from the heavens. The story goes on to say it was odd the ice lasted so long considering the heat there. These believers were brought sweet relief for that time. Maybe Jesus did not return, but I believe He was there, I believe He laid manna on their ground to provide a sweet treat for these, His children. Just reading the story and hearing that villager name Jesus as the reason for this odd season of weather touched my heart.

tears so close...all day...so happy I am leaking !!!

All day I'm either crying happy tears or they are welling up in my eyes. God is at work and I am seeing this with my own eyes, can you dig it? Little old me, nothing special for sure but still granted the priviledge of beholding my Father at work. After hearing Him and taking steps to follow Him I got to witness Him. Its truly amazing each time I see it, and I'm grateful.

I gotta tell ya this morning after taking the first few steps in the direction He is sending me my heart hurt, physical pain. At first I panicked I'm very human in that way. Then God whispered to me"fear not silly girl, I'm just knocking down walls, reorganizing this mess, making myself more at home" Oh Lordy Lord did my eyes feel full of cleansing tears. I'm feeling these pains and know I'm not at risk but in the midst of being saved. I am 1 grateful girl, so very grateful I wish I could make you see this gratitude, it is beautiful.

a net and a brain :)

Ideas come in so many ways, most times I know if I don't stop and write it down I will forget them, all this genius gone without a trace :) Like the notion of only using 5% of our brain. God is absolute genius to only allow us this much on our own. Can you imagine what mayhem we would cause if we had more capacity to think? My 5% of brain activity is maxed out, so much so that the thought of studying the bible had me terrified. I mean I could not wrap my head around the language let alone the meaning. But...yesterday God told me not to worry, He would provide, and my guess is He's allowing me to tap into His reserve, the other 95%, because it's coming together in my mind, it's making sense. Dare I mention I'm reading 3 different things right now in an effort to atleast grasp 1 of them and glory be to God I'm getting it all. It is trully amazing and I am yes grateful.
The other idea God gave me is that of threads of gratitude. 1st I saw this as a way to begin a week in the right frame of mind and heart. A way to lift up all my joy to the very source of joy. Now, genius as He is, He has shown me a net, He is making me a fisherman of gratitude. This is a way to bring together a posture of gratitude, together in gratitude we are joyous. God wants these threads to be a net, to gather gratitude. It all makes perfect sense in my heart, my words might fail to clearly communicate this .
God is awesome, God is generous, God has and will provide all things necessary to serve Him, even brain capacity :) I am thankful.

gratitude

it's probably a bit hard to see why I love this picture, let me explain. Here we have a puppy and a husband that did not want to get a puppy. Both playing and both smiling and just having fun. (I'm almost positive Charlie is smiling anyway, I can't really see his face). I am grateful for each moment I see these two together. Charlie is close to 2 yrs old and many of these moments catch my eye. Never did it enter my mind that Tim would love Charlie the way Charlie loves Tim. I pictured Tim grumbling each day about this dog, making the decision to get him regrettable. Than God made this happen, God made Tim care for this dog when I was tired from getting up 3-4 times a night. Begrudgingly at first but soon Tims heart was smitten(he'll never admit it) Now I watch Charlie and Tim play, read the paper, just share time together and I'm reminded how God can make something I pictured so difficult, so very beautiful. Days when I think life is difficult I need to remember this picture and realize what the world can make difficult, God can make it beautiful. Thank you my sweet Father for revelations and brand new ways to see things. My love for you overflows.