Posts
Happy Tuesday!
It is once again long Tuesday for me. I don’t get home until nearly 10:00. From 5:15 AM to 10:00 PM is a really long day! Tonight in class someone suggested that we do classroom introductions once again due to our long absence (two weeks) from class due to the icy, winter weather. That, coupled with Minister’s Week when we do not have class, and we have missed three weeks of classes. Minister’s Week is lovingly called “Reading Week.” I am just not sure reading really gets done.
Prayer: “Father, as I begin this day, I submit to You as the Vinedresser. Prepare me for fruitfulness. Prune me if necessary. I welcome Your sovereign activity in my life. Thank you for providing the power of the Holy Spirit within me. Produce eternal fruit in me today, I ask. Amen”
John 15: 1-2 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
Years ago I used to teach in a private school. There were two of us who taught first grade. Joann was wonderful with plants while I was sort of a “plant them, water them and watch them grow” kind of gardener. I had some type of plant that was (to my eyes) was full, green and pretty. To Joann’s eyes, there was too much in the pot and it needed to be thinned out. By the time she finished thinning out this plant there was not much left. She saw the look on my face when she was finished as it registered sort of a disbelief. Joann assured me that it would come back better than before. It did come back fuller, stronger and more beautiful than it had been before.
As God prepares us for use in His kingdom to bear fruit He may have to do some pruning in our lives. Just as the plant needs to be thinned out so that it may receive its full sunlight and nourishment from the soil, we must be pruned, taught and forgiven, so that we have room in our lives to receive the fullness of God’s wisdom. God removes all of the things in our lives that will keep us from being the servants he has called us to be. I know the saying is old, but it still is quite true and appropriate; “God does not call the equipped, God equips those He has called.” We must be willing to offer up the unhealthy parts of our lives and surrender them for His correction and forgiveness so that His teaching and leading will have lordship over our decisions, thoughts and actions. The action of the pruning may be painful, but the healing and our growth in God’s wisdom will enable all of us to serve in the Kingdom.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer remembering that each of us is fighting some sort of battle. Love you all so very much, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Monday and Happy valentine’s Day!
We attended the induction ceremony with Geni for the Kappa Delta Pi Educators National Honor Society on Sunday afternoon. Needless to say there were a few proud tears from this mom, lots of pictures taken by a very proud Dad and a beautiful daughter who will make an exceptional teacher. It was a wonderful ceremony. As we sat in the ballroom during the ceremony I found myself giving thanks for so many things; for Geni who has worked so hard, for those new educators and how hard it is going to be to get a job in Texas in the fall and for God to just let Casey peek down on his sister and share this moment with the rest of us. He would have been so proud.
Prayer; “Father, as I begin the day, I submit myself to You. I open my life to Your Word. I accept it as true and ask You to produce fruit in me. Do not allow me to harden my heart or be distracted by the cares of the world. I choose to focus my life on Jesus. In His name I pray. Amen”
Mark 4: 20 “These are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the Word, accept it and bear fruit some thirty fold—some sixty—and some a hundred.”
Okay, it is so nice to be thawing out. The jury is still out on the plants on my porch as to whether they survived the cold winter weather. We placed a blanket over them on the cold days and nights and watered them periodically. Time will tell. Hopefully the soil survived the winter blast and extreme cold. The plants were beautiful in the spring, survived the summer heat and did well in the fall.
Our care during the cold will hopefully prevent the death of these plants. As Christians we must take care of the soil of our souls year round. We must blanket ourselves in God’s Word. As we enrich our souls with the Word we are called in the scriptures to hear it, accept it as true and then act on it by bearing the fruit it produces. This process can only occur if we allow the life giving Spirit of God to flow through us and open our hearts to receive this Word and be taught by it. We need to read it, listen to it, meditate on it and pray that God will reveal its meaning to us. When God reveals the meaning of His Word to us through study and prayer then we must bear that fruit to those in need.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another in prayer each day remembering that everyone fights some sort of battle each day. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.
We attended the induction ceremony with Geni for the Kappa Delta Pi Educators National Honor Society on Sunday afternoon. Needless to say there were a few proud tears from this mom, lots of pictures taken by a very proud Dad and a beautiful daughter who will make an exceptional teacher. It was a wonderful ceremony. As we sat in the ballroom during the ceremony I found myself giving thanks for so many things; for Geni who has worked so hard, for those new educators and how hard it is going to be to get a job in Texas in the fall and for God to just let Casey peek down on his sister and share this moment with the rest of us. He would have been so proud.
Prayer; “Father, as I begin the day, I submit myself to You. I open my life to Your Word. I accept it as true and ask You to produce fruit in me. Do not allow me to harden my heart or be distracted by the cares of the world. I choose to focus my life on Jesus. In His name I pray. Amen”
Mark 4: 20 “These are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the Word, accept it and bear fruit some thirty fold—some sixty—and some a hundred.”
Okay, it is so nice to be thawing out. The jury is still out on the plants on my porch as to whether they survived the cold winter weather. We placed a blanket over them on the cold days and nights and watered them periodically. Time will tell. Hopefully the soil survived the winter blast and extreme cold. The plants were beautiful in the spring, survived the summer heat and did well in the fall.
Our care during the cold will hopefully prevent the death of these plants. As Christians we must take care of the soil of our souls year round. We must blanket ourselves in God’s Word. As we enrich our souls with the Word we are called in the scriptures to hear it, accept it as true and then act on it by bearing the fruit it produces. This process can only occur if we allow the life giving Spirit of God to flow through us and open our hearts to receive this Word and be taught by it. We need to read it, listen to it, meditate on it and pray that God will reveal its meaning to us. When God reveals the meaning of His Word to us through study and prayer then we must bear that fruit to those in need.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another in prayer each day remembering that everyone fights some sort of battle each day. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Happy Saturday!
Was today a simply gorgeous day or what!? It is so nice to be thawing. There was still ice on my deck this morning but by this afternoon it was all finally gone.
I must share a mother moment with you. It is a moment of exceptional pride. Geni has been named to the President’s List at UNT by achieving a 4.0 for the fall semester. She has now been invited to join a national honor society, Kappa Delta Pi. The induction ceremony is tomorrow in Denton. We are so proud of her and her accomplishments. Her brother is taking her shift at Starbucks so she can attend.
Prayer: “Lord, today help me to hear Your truth with Your mind and see this world through Your eyes in Jesus name, Amen”
Galatians 6:1-2 “Brethren if a man is overtaken by in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
In my meditation tonight the author likened this verse to a soldier on a battlefield. He spoke of an injured soldier on the battlefield and how the other soldiers bear him/her up and carry their wounded comrade to the nearest aid station or wherever they need to go to receive help. Most of us do not get the chance to rescue someone with a physical wound and get them to the nearest place for help, but we certainly have opportunity to rescue in other ways. There is a group at our church that makes sandwiches for the homeless shelter. There is a group that makes prayer shawls for those in need of prayer. There are other ways that our church helps rescue those in need.
But on Friday I was able to begin to put my fledgling chaplain skills to work with a co-worker who is having trouble with her kindergarten son. I really did not do much more than listen and ask a few questions. I did not solve her problem but I gave her someone to talk to who would listen. Sometimes all someone needs is a listening ear and a good cup of coffee and a prayer to help them work things out. But as the body of Christ when one of us suffers all of us suffer because as Jesus’ body was broken and was wounded we become wounded also and the body of Christ (the rest of us) needs to come to the rescue. We then become the hands and feed of Jesus. We are not only called to rescue, but to stay with our charge until they reach a place of safely. We stay with them until they are healed. This is how we become not only the hands and feet of Jesus, but His eyes and ears as well.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us remember to continue to lift one another up in prayer each day remembering that everyone is fighting some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.
Was today a simply gorgeous day or what!? It is so nice to be thawing. There was still ice on my deck this morning but by this afternoon it was all finally gone.
I must share a mother moment with you. It is a moment of exceptional pride. Geni has been named to the President’s List at UNT by achieving a 4.0 for the fall semester. She has now been invited to join a national honor society, Kappa Delta Pi. The induction ceremony is tomorrow in Denton. We are so proud of her and her accomplishments. Her brother is taking her shift at Starbucks so she can attend.
Prayer: “Lord, today help me to hear Your truth with Your mind and see this world through Your eyes in Jesus name, Amen”
Galatians 6:1-2 “Brethren if a man is overtaken by in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
In my meditation tonight the author likened this verse to a soldier on a battlefield. He spoke of an injured soldier on the battlefield and how the other soldiers bear him/her up and carry their wounded comrade to the nearest aid station or wherever they need to go to receive help. Most of us do not get the chance to rescue someone with a physical wound and get them to the nearest place for help, but we certainly have opportunity to rescue in other ways. There is a group at our church that makes sandwiches for the homeless shelter. There is a group that makes prayer shawls for those in need of prayer. There are other ways that our church helps rescue those in need.
But on Friday I was able to begin to put my fledgling chaplain skills to work with a co-worker who is having trouble with her kindergarten son. I really did not do much more than listen and ask a few questions. I did not solve her problem but I gave her someone to talk to who would listen. Sometimes all someone needs is a listening ear and a good cup of coffee and a prayer to help them work things out. But as the body of Christ when one of us suffers all of us suffer because as Jesus’ body was broken and was wounded we become wounded also and the body of Christ (the rest of us) needs to come to the rescue. We then become the hands and feed of Jesus. We are not only called to rescue, but to stay with our charge until they reach a place of safely. We stay with them until they are healed. This is how we become not only the hands and feet of Jesus, but His eyes and ears as well.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us remember to continue to lift one another up in prayer each day remembering that everyone is fighting some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Happy Friday!
If you are a reader of this blog for any amount of time you know that when Bruce is away I do not sleep well. So His absence from Sunday to Wednesday finally caught up with me on last night and I fell asleep watching a movie with him on the couch. It was one of those nights that I woke up only to go to sleep again. Sorry I did not write last night.
Prayer: 1 Thessalonians 5: 12—13 “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.”
On one of the days we were out due to icy weather Geni and I had a chance to talk about her future as a teacher. I told her the best thing she could do in her first year or two of teaching was to be quiet and listen to those experienced teachers around her and they should be an invaluable resource to her. My prayer for her, besides that there will be a job for her, is that wherever she teaches she will have teachers with mentoring hearts and skills to help lead and guide a new teacher in the way she should go. Please pray there will be a job for her in the fall.
We, as spiritually mature Christians, should make ourselves available to those who are new in the faith and help guide them in their new journey of faith. Each of us can teach a new believer how to live a life in piety. Some of us are gifted in the ways of service and missions. Some are gifted in the practice of worship. Others are knowledgeable in the Word of God while others are prayer warriors. A new believer needs to know and grow in all of these areas to live a life in piety and walk a journey of faith.
I am not gifted in all of these areas, but I am gifted in some. I count on other members of the family of God, the body of Christ, to help fill in the gaps not only in the life of a new believer, but in myself. We are all teachers when it comes to helping the new believer of those of mature faith.
For each of us, we need to remain always teachable. If we remain teachable then we are always learners. And if we remain teachable then we will always find ourselves in the presence of God.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another up in prayer each day remembering that everyone is always fighting some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God
PS In your daily prayers remember to pray for the continued healing of David Russell. Also, please pray for the Texas Education System. It is a mess! Peace, gc
If you are a reader of this blog for any amount of time you know that when Bruce is away I do not sleep well. So His absence from Sunday to Wednesday finally caught up with me on last night and I fell asleep watching a movie with him on the couch. It was one of those nights that I woke up only to go to sleep again. Sorry I did not write last night.
Prayer: 1 Thessalonians 5: 12—13 “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.”
On one of the days we were out due to icy weather Geni and I had a chance to talk about her future as a teacher. I told her the best thing she could do in her first year or two of teaching was to be quiet and listen to those experienced teachers around her and they should be an invaluable resource to her. My prayer for her, besides that there will be a job for her, is that wherever she teaches she will have teachers with mentoring hearts and skills to help lead and guide a new teacher in the way she should go. Please pray there will be a job for her in the fall.
We, as spiritually mature Christians, should make ourselves available to those who are new in the faith and help guide them in their new journey of faith. Each of us can teach a new believer how to live a life in piety. Some of us are gifted in the ways of service and missions. Some are gifted in the practice of worship. Others are knowledgeable in the Word of God while others are prayer warriors. A new believer needs to know and grow in all of these areas to live a life in piety and walk a journey of faith.
I am not gifted in all of these areas, but I am gifted in some. I count on other members of the family of God, the body of Christ, to help fill in the gaps not only in the life of a new believer, but in myself. We are all teachers when it comes to helping the new believer of those of mature faith.
For each of us, we need to remain always teachable. If we remain teachable then we are always learners. And if we remain teachable then we will always find ourselves in the presence of God.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another up in prayer each day remembering that everyone is always fighting some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God
PS In your daily prayers remember to pray for the continued healing of David Russell. Also, please pray for the Texas Education System. It is a mess! Peace, gc
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Happy Wednesday! Another day home from school due to the weather. It was a nice day to stay inside with a great pot of coffee, my dog Lamar and Matlock! When I read Carme's Guidepost blog about Casey's shirts I decided to share it with you. Enjoy the reading and take joy in the journey!
Carm Russell: The Faith Family T-Shirt
By 3 Guideposts.org Readers, February 9, 2011
This week I want to tell you about a T-shirt that we are dubbing the Faith Family T-Shirt.
This T-shirt was a gift from my best friend. It belonged to her son (our godson) Casey. She gave it to me as my special remembrance of Casey. You see, Casey passed away from soft tissue sarcoma more than two years ago. I had the privilege of helping care for him when he was undergoing treatment at MD Anderson in Houston. He wore this T-shirt frequently. Shortly after he passed was when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I took this T-shirt with me into my own surgery. I also wore it afterwards. It made drain tubes easier to deal with because the arms were torn off. It had been put away until recently when we got it out again for my husband.
David wanted to take the T-shirt into his own surgery for kidney cancer. What makes this T-shirt so special? Well, first it represents the friendship that our two families have shared for almost 30 years. Second, it belonged to Casey. It brought him comfort, it brought me comfort, and it brought David comfort during times when we all needed some hope. Third, the words on the T-shirt are the most quoted scripture from the Bible and Casey's favorite: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."— John 3:16 The numbers of hope on the front and the words of hope on the back. As my husband successfully went through the removal of a kidney this past week those words on the T-shirt once again sustained us through a difficult time. They reminded us that God's love is always hopeful because of the gift of his Son.
Keeping God close, always present, was something that got me through my own cancer journey and I did not want to give up that spiritual practice. So I have made the effort ever since to keep God's love close whatever the circumstance. This past week it took the form a much beloved T-shirt.
—Carm Russell
Submitted by resolutions-blog on February 9, 2011 - 18:07.
From Casey's Mom (who was not sure how to post a comment):
My name is Gaylene. I am Casey's mom and Carme's best friend as she is mine. In our thirty year friendship we have been through several lifetimes. Between the four of us (two husbands, two wives) three of us are cancer survivors. And we have both lost children. She lost little Katherine when our girls were both 2 years old. I sang at Katherine's funeral. We lost Casey at the age of 24. At the celebration of life service for Casey, David and Carme sat by our sides. At this writing Bruce, my husband, is in San Antonio helping David through his healing and recovery. This friendship has stood the test of time through the days of darkness and light and joy and sorrow.
The bond that has forged this long time relationship is the love and faithfulness of God. We met and chartered a Sunday School class together for young married couples without children. Our friendship was founded in a house of faith and we have journeyed in faith ever since.
Carme shared about Casey's T-shirt. It was his favorite. The sleeves were cut out of all of his shirts because of the PICC line that was located on his arm throughout the many months of chemotherapy he went through. For some silly reason I saved all of the sleeves of those shirts. A friend of ours from church is a quilter. She crafted those cut off sleeves into a quilt that we sleep under each night. As I was searching online for a cancer awareness shirt with a green ribbon, the kidney cancer color, I found a T-shirt with a cross and in the center of the cross is a green ribbon. Underneath the cross are the words Faith and Family. It was perfect! We are not a family bound by blood type, but we are most certainly a family bound by the love and blood of Christ.
Take joy in the journey.
Gaylene Chrystie
Carm Russell: The Faith Family T-Shirt
By 3 Guideposts.org Readers, February 9, 2011
This week I want to tell you about a T-shirt that we are dubbing the Faith Family T-Shirt.
This T-shirt was a gift from my best friend. It belonged to her son (our godson) Casey. She gave it to me as my special remembrance of Casey. You see, Casey passed away from soft tissue sarcoma more than two years ago. I had the privilege of helping care for him when he was undergoing treatment at MD Anderson in Houston. He wore this T-shirt frequently. Shortly after he passed was when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I took this T-shirt with me into my own surgery. I also wore it afterwards. It made drain tubes easier to deal with because the arms were torn off. It had been put away until recently when we got it out again for my husband.
David wanted to take the T-shirt into his own surgery for kidney cancer. What makes this T-shirt so special? Well, first it represents the friendship that our two families have shared for almost 30 years. Second, it belonged to Casey. It brought him comfort, it brought me comfort, and it brought David comfort during times when we all needed some hope. Third, the words on the T-shirt are the most quoted scripture from the Bible and Casey's favorite: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."— John 3:16 The numbers of hope on the front and the words of hope on the back. As my husband successfully went through the removal of a kidney this past week those words on the T-shirt once again sustained us through a difficult time. They reminded us that God's love is always hopeful because of the gift of his Son.
Keeping God close, always present, was something that got me through my own cancer journey and I did not want to give up that spiritual practice. So I have made the effort ever since to keep God's love close whatever the circumstance. This past week it took the form a much beloved T-shirt.
—Carm Russell
Submitted by resolutions-blog on February 9, 2011 - 18:07.
From Casey's Mom (who was not sure how to post a comment):
My name is Gaylene. I am Casey's mom and Carme's best friend as she is mine. In our thirty year friendship we have been through several lifetimes. Between the four of us (two husbands, two wives) three of us are cancer survivors. And we have both lost children. She lost little Katherine when our girls were both 2 years old. I sang at Katherine's funeral. We lost Casey at the age of 24. At the celebration of life service for Casey, David and Carme sat by our sides. At this writing Bruce, my husband, is in San Antonio helping David through his healing and recovery. This friendship has stood the test of time through the days of darkness and light and joy and sorrow.
The bond that has forged this long time relationship is the love and faithfulness of God. We met and chartered a Sunday School class together for young married couples without children. Our friendship was founded in a house of faith and we have journeyed in faith ever since.
Carme shared about Casey's T-shirt. It was his favorite. The sleeves were cut out of all of his shirts because of the PICC line that was located on his arm throughout the many months of chemotherapy he went through. For some silly reason I saved all of the sleeves of those shirts. A friend of ours from church is a quilter. She crafted those cut off sleeves into a quilt that we sleep under each night. As I was searching online for a cancer awareness shirt with a green ribbon, the kidney cancer color, I found a T-shirt with a cross and in the center of the cross is a green ribbon. Underneath the cross are the words Faith and Family. It was perfect! We are not a family bound by blood type, but we are most certainly a family bound by the love and blood of Christ.
Take joy in the journey.
Gaylene Chrystie
Happy Tuesday!
This writing is being sent to San Antonio to Bruce’s computer for his excellent editing. When that is finished, he will post from Carme and Dave’s house. Bruce and Dave spent the afternoon watching movies. So far, other than becoming easily tired, Dave’s healing seems to be progressing very well. Bruce is planning to leave for home between 2 and 3 tomorrow hoping to avoid super heavy Austin traffic. Please pray for him as he travels back to the Metroplex with the next winter storm on the way.
Matthew 7: 7 “Ask and it will be given to you.”
How many times have you driven through a parking lot and prayed for a parking space? And then when a close space appears you give a short prayer of thanks for this blessing. I remember an episode of “The King of Queens” when the couple began to pray and treated their prayers like a vending machine. They would pray and the item they were praying for appeared. Their motives remind me of a televangelist who told the congregation that prayer was like dropping quarters into a vending machine. If you place your money in a vending machine you expect a drink to come out. His motives were that if people sent him large sums of money then they would receive multiple times their investment in return.
I don’t think God is like a vending machine. God does not always answer our prayers instantly. God does not work on our time, but in His time, “For our thoughts are not His thoughts and our ways are not His ways”. If our requests and petitions in our prayers are in line with God’s perfect will for our lives, then the prayers will be answered, but God is not a bellhop who answers our every whim. God is our sovereign God Almighty who places desires in our hearts that will honor Him and will allow His perfect will to be enacted in our lives. Sort of makes God the Boss, huh?!
God does not always answer quickly, but I happen to think that is what faith and hope are all about. So friends, if you are praying for something then trust that God has heard your prayers. Believe He loves you more than you cn possibly imagine and will only allow His perfect will to be done in our lives.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes . Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer each day remembering that we are all fighting some sort of battle. Love you all so very much and thanks for all of your prayers, Bruce ,Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God
This writing is being sent to San Antonio to Bruce’s computer for his excellent editing. When that is finished, he will post from Carme and Dave’s house. Bruce and Dave spent the afternoon watching movies. So far, other than becoming easily tired, Dave’s healing seems to be progressing very well. Bruce is planning to leave for home between 2 and 3 tomorrow hoping to avoid super heavy Austin traffic. Please pray for him as he travels back to the Metroplex with the next winter storm on the way.
Matthew 7: 7 “Ask and it will be given to you.”
How many times have you driven through a parking lot and prayed for a parking space? And then when a close space appears you give a short prayer of thanks for this blessing. I remember an episode of “The King of Queens” when the couple began to pray and treated their prayers like a vending machine. They would pray and the item they were praying for appeared. Their motives remind me of a televangelist who told the congregation that prayer was like dropping quarters into a vending machine. If you place your money in a vending machine you expect a drink to come out. His motives were that if people sent him large sums of money then they would receive multiple times their investment in return.
I don’t think God is like a vending machine. God does not always answer our prayers instantly. God does not work on our time, but in His time, “For our thoughts are not His thoughts and our ways are not His ways”. If our requests and petitions in our prayers are in line with God’s perfect will for our lives, then the prayers will be answered, but God is not a bellhop who answers our every whim. God is our sovereign God Almighty who places desires in our hearts that will honor Him and will allow His perfect will to be enacted in our lives. Sort of makes God the Boss, huh?!
God does not always answer quickly, but I happen to think that is what faith and hope are all about. So friends, if you are praying for something then trust that God has heard your prayers. Believe He loves you more than you cn possibly imagine and will only allow His perfect will to be done in our lives.
Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes . Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer each day remembering that we are all fighting some sort of battle. Love you all so very much and thanks for all of your prayers, Bruce ,Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Happy Monday!
Great news from San Antonio. The cancer in Dave’s kidney was totally encapsulated. No further treatment will be necessary. Dave will have to have scans every four months for the next two years. Bruce phoned earlier this evening and David was up for about 2 hours today. Other than getting tired all seems to be on schedule for David’s recovery. Given that he has not even been out of surgery a week I think he is doing remarkably well! Take your time doing whatever you need to do, Dave!
Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.”
God wants to be involved in all parts of our lives. God does not want to be part of the situations we seem to have no control over, but in the parts we seem to have control over. How many times have I gone head first into a project without praying first? Even if it is a situation of which I feel confident in the outcome, God wants to be involved because He wants to be involved in all parts of our lives. God wants us to remember that, apart from Him, we can do nothing. Can we humble ourselves enough to repent over our own arrogance?
The Apostle Paul calls us to be faithful in prayer. “Faithful means committed, disciplined, constant, and loyal.” I would never dream of leaving my house undressed so why do I not remember to leave the house not wearing my spiritual armor.
What is my spiritual armor? My spiritual armor is beginning each day dressed in the robe of righteousness and emitting the fragrance of God. To be properly spiritually dressed each day I must begin each day with prayer and invite God to be a part of each moment of my day, allow me to see others through His eyes and then to act on His behalf when a situation presents itself.
May I remember to put the armor of God on with the same love and familiarity as I put on my boots each day. Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes or in my case, comfortable boots. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another up in prayer each day remember that everyone fights some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God
Great news from San Antonio. The cancer in Dave’s kidney was totally encapsulated. No further treatment will be necessary. Dave will have to have scans every four months for the next two years. Bruce phoned earlier this evening and David was up for about 2 hours today. Other than getting tired all seems to be on schedule for David’s recovery. Given that he has not even been out of surgery a week I think he is doing remarkably well! Take your time doing whatever you need to do, Dave!
Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.”
God wants to be involved in all parts of our lives. God does not want to be part of the situations we seem to have no control over, but in the parts we seem to have control over. How many times have I gone head first into a project without praying first? Even if it is a situation of which I feel confident in the outcome, God wants to be involved because He wants to be involved in all parts of our lives. God wants us to remember that, apart from Him, we can do nothing. Can we humble ourselves enough to repent over our own arrogance?
The Apostle Paul calls us to be faithful in prayer. “Faithful means committed, disciplined, constant, and loyal.” I would never dream of leaving my house undressed so why do I not remember to leave the house not wearing my spiritual armor.
What is my spiritual armor? My spiritual armor is beginning each day dressed in the robe of righteousness and emitting the fragrance of God. To be properly spiritually dressed each day I must begin each day with prayer and invite God to be a part of each moment of my day, allow me to see others through His eyes and then to act on His behalf when a situation presents itself.
May I remember to put the armor of God on with the same love and familiarity as I put on my boots each day. Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes or in my case, comfortable boots. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another up in prayer each day remember that everyone fights some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.
Gcapplenotes@aol.com
I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)