I Got My DO~OVER!

I got my do~over! However my self-appointed Happy New Year did not turn out exactly as I had imagined. (What does?) From February 1 – 3, I was determined to look for God in unusual places. I chose something I could offer as a sacrifice of worship to God during these three days. (No details here.)
Nevertheless, the Mom/Wife life continued and, for the most part, my special three days to seek and hear from God looked much the same as the previous three weeks!

I rose early to take TechSon to his school, taught my morning high school Spanish classes at another school, drove One Fine Man to treatment and homeschooled Skate~Boy in the van while we waited. We picked TechSon up from school and then finally home again to prepare dinner!

In between I did what so many of you also do daily: put chicken/beef/pork in the crockpot, fed/walked/watered the pup, swept/washed/assisted with a 9th grade Middle Ages history project and talked with Guitar Girl about a possible change in her college major.

Amid the "dailies," I grabbed snatches of time to pray, ponder and prepare my heart to hear from God. My three days passed and I was beginning to think I would have to declare yet another Happy New Year and a second do~over!
But Day Four…
On the afternoon of the fourth day, I sat at my desk and thought how even though I had made a small sacrifice and tried to make myself more available to God’s voice, I felt I had not hit the mark for the purpose of my appointed days.

And then God interrupted my thoughts. He brought to mind two separate occasions…both occurring on the fourth day. On the first occasion I felt God leading me to do something but since it involved anther person I felt a bit hesitant but jumped in anyway.

On the second occasion, I felt God leading me to NOT do a thing. It was regarding something that is very opposite to what I would normally do in the given situation. But I obeyed and refrained. God reminded me of these two acts of obedience and brought this scripture to mind, “[Obedience] is greater than sacrifice" I Samuel 15:22.
I thanked God for His word and His reassurance that I had not spent my do-over in vain.
That in and of itself was a blessing to me.
But then there was the desire I have for my yearly theme. What about that I wondered? This is one time that I didn’t have to wait on the answer to that question.

No sooner did my thought wing its way upward than God gave me my theme. And what He gave me was One Word. Was I disappointed that all I got was one word?
No! All it takes is ONE WORD. One word from God can give you renewed hope, a new piece to your dream puzzle, and a punch of color for your purpose! God has ignited a new fire in my belly for 2009. There is stirring a hunger and a thirst for MORE, MORE, MORE…OF HIM.

I would love to share my ONE WORD with you but that will have to wait for the appointed time and another word from HIM on that one. That next word? GO!
(There is a hint here somewhere as to the ONE WORD if you can find it.)

Now I must share with you what happened on Day Five…

(photo by Linda Charlene)

From The Top of the Mountain

Did you start ’09 with big plans, projects or platitudes? Or did you avoid thoughts and conversations about resolutions, change and challenges?

January will soon be over. Have you already faced failure, fallen short, fought back tears or let them flow? I can answer yes to all of these.

A few days leading up to January 1st, we were, as I have previously posted, on our annual ski trip in CO. We were skiing, the boys were snowboarding and I had lots of fun taping my Ski Tips for Living.

It was all great - until my husband, One Fine Man, had a traumatic accident on New Year’s Day.
The day before the accident, I had called my mother on my cell phone from the top of the mountain. Enjoying its significance, I remember telling her, “I just wanted to call you from the top of the mountain.” I related to her how beautiful the day was…blue skies…sunshine…fresh powder…and what fun we were having!

I also told her it was my last day to ski but One Fine Man and the boys had one more day to go. She asked me what I would do and if would I be bored. Me? Bored? Hardly ever! With a couple of books to finish reading, some research to do for the literature class I teach and my plans to set some goals, challenges and scheduling for 2009, I had plenty to do. In fact, with the alone time to pray, think and plan I would be in heaven with this time of preparation.

What a difference a day makes! I won’t repeat what I have already posted about concerning the accident. (It is in the first five posts of January if you care to read about it).

Platitudes? Now pleading prayers.
Planning? Flight changes, calls to make, rental car return, school starting...
Resolutions? Do what has to be done now; then do the next thing.
Change? YES!
Challenges? Continue.
Tears? Some held back. Some hidden. Some flowed silently until a stranger pressed tissues into my hand.

And I’ve been disappointed but mainly in my own shortcomings – impatience heading the list.
Yet, with all of my thoughts of planning and preparation for the New Year, it was God who had done the planning. He had prepared my heart weeks before our trip.

A day after the accident, I was standing in the hospital room and a memory flooded my mind. I was back in my bedroom, a few weeks before our trip, putting away clothes and God spoke to my heart. I remember the deep emotion that came with such a personal and humbling word that God spoke to me. What He spoke is so personal that I...

Part Two to follow...

(Photo by Linda Charlene)

Purpose, Plans, & the Power of the Holy Spirit

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven...(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

God moves on an eternal time table that is not always readily evident to His people. He works within seasons, and time frames for His own purposes. And yet, He is also a God of the suddenly. Don't be surprised when in a certain season, out-of-the-blue, comes one of God's suddenly-s.

When a suddenly occurs, it may be a bit of a shock but don't let it take you by surprise. Have you ever jumped into a pool on a summer's day? The cold water is shocking but you are not surprised by it.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21)

It is right and good to plan. It is necessary for it gives direction and allows you to set priorities. However, yield some white space on your agenda for the purpose of God to prevail. This may mean you have to readjust from time to time. (See Monday's post Plan B.)

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, Says the lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

Zerubbabel is representative of a person chosen by God, from whose yielded nature God causes to flow life, leadership,and ministry. In this verse, might refers to military strength, and power refers to one's own ability. But spirit is the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer who yields to the purposes of God.

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water, He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1)

We should never look to physical strength, political power or our own personal ability to carry out God's purpose in His kingdom. At this present time His kingdom is an invisible, spiritual kingdom. Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is within you. " (Luke 17:21)

In this season, at this time, and for His purposes - go ahead and plan, yield to his prevailing will and do it all in the power of the Holy Spirit.