Have You Ever....

This is just a little fun quiz passed on by a friend. The things I have done are in bold letters....

Picked up the check for the whole table.
Swam with wild dolphins.
Climbed a mountain.
Taken a Ferrari for a test drive.
Ridden in an airplane.
Been inside the Great Pyramid.
Held a tarantula.
Taken a candlelit bath with someone.
Said “I love you’ and meant it with ever fiber of your being.
Hugged a tree.
Bungee jumped.
Visited Paris.
Watched a lightning storm at sea.
Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise.
Seen the Northern Lights.
Gone to a huge sports game.
Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa.
Grown and eaten your own vegetables.
Touched an iceberg
Slept under the stars.
Changed a baby’s diaper.
Taken a trip in a hot air balloon.
Watched a meteor shower.
Gotten drunk on champagne.
Given more than you can afford to charity.
Looked up at the night sky through a telescope.
Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment.
Had a food fight.
Bet on a winning horse.
Asked out a stranger.
Had a snowball fight.
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can.
Held a lamb.
Seen a total eclipse.
Ridden a roller coaster.
Hit a home run.
Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking.
Adopted an accent for an entire day.
Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment.
Had two hard drives for your computer.
Visited all 50 states.
Taken care of someone who was drunk.
Had amazing friends.
Danced with a stranger in a foreign country.
Watched wild whales.
Stolen a sign.
Backpacked in Europe.
Taken a roadtrip.
Gone rock climbing.
Taken a midnight walk on the beach.
Gone sky diving.
Visited Ireland.
Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love.
Anonymously picked up the check for a stranger in a restaurant.
A stranger asked you to dance.
Visited Japan.
Milked a cow.
Alphabetized your CDs.
Pretended to be a superhero.
Sung karaoke.
Lounged around in bed all day.
Gone scuba diving.
Kissed in the rain.
Kissed on a first date.
Played in the mud.
Played in the rain.
Gone to a drive-in theater.
Visited the Great Wall of China.
Started a business.
Fallen in love and not had your heart broken.
Toured ancient sites.
Taken a martial arts class.
Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight.
Gotten married.
Been in a movie.
Crashed a party.
Gotten divorced.
Gone without food for 5 days.
Made cookies from scratch.
Won first prize in a costume contest.
Won first prize in a limbo contest.
Ridden a gondola in Venice.
Gotten a tattoo.
Rafted the Snake River.
Been on television news programs as an “expert”.
Got flowers for no reason.
Performed on stage.
Been to Las Vegas.
Recorded music.
Eaten alligator.
Had a one-night stand.
Bought a house.
Been in a combat zone.
Buried one/both of your parents.
Looked out onto the Atlantic Ocean.
Looked out onto the Pacific Ocean.
Been on a cruise ship.
Spoken more than one language fluently.
Performed in Rocky Horror.
Raised children.
Followed your favorite band/singer on tour.
Picked up and moved to another city to just start over.
Walked the Golden Gate Bridge.
Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t care who was looking.
Had plastic surgery.
Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
Thanked God that He got you home safely.
Wrote articles for a large publication.
Lost over 100 pounds.
Met or been friends with a celebrity. (Yes, several of them)
Been a vital witness before a jury.
Kissed passionately in a public place.
Piloted an airplane.
Petted a stingray.
Broken someone’s heart.
Helped an animal give birth.
Won money on a T.V. game show.
Broken a bone.
Gone on an African photo safari.
Bailed a friend out of jail.
Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced.
Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol.
Prayed until you felt the undeniable presence of God.
Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild.
Ridden a horse.
Had major surgery.
Had a snake as a pet.
Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours.
Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states.
Ridden a mechanical bull.
Visited all 7 continents.
Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days.
Had a specific prayer answered.
Eaten kangaroo meat.
Eaten sushi.
Had your picture in the newspaper.
Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about.
Gone back to school.
Parasailed.
Eaten fried green tomatoes.
Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey.
Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
Skipped all your school reunions.
Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language.
Been elected to public office.
Written your own computer language.
Had a true spiritual experience.
Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream.
Had to put someone you love into hospice care.
Trusted God until the impossible happened.
Built your own PC from parts.
Changed a tire.
Skinny dipped.
Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you.
Been friends with someone longer than 30 years.
Dyed your hair.
Been a DJ.
Shaved your head.
Traveled to a tropical island.
Caused a car accident.
Faced a fear.
Saved someone’s life
Baked your own bread.

My Prayer Today...

Today my prayer consisted in simply going to my heart and remembering all the folks I've stored there. It is not cold storage. It is a quite warm and tender place.


-- Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB Tree Full of Angels

Love, straight from the heavens....

Wow. What more can I say?

TREASURES GATHERED ON THE JOURNEY...

* Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

* Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can carry easily.

* Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.


* Don't be afraid to encounter risk. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

* Don't be afraid to admit you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.

* Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

* Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or future. By living our life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

* Don't take for granted the closest things to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.

* Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

* Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

A WOMAN OF STRENGTH...

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape…
but a woman with strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.

A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything…
but a woman with strength shows courage in the midst of uncertainty.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...
but a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks sure footedly...
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...
while a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

Your Life Path Number is 8

Your purpose in life is to help others succeed You are both a natural leader and a natural success. You are also a great judge of character.You have a head for business and finance. You know how to make money.A great visionary, you can see gold where other people see nothing. In love, you are very generous - with gifts, time, and guidance. You love to inspire people, but it can be frustrating when they don't understand your vision.Great success comes easily for you. But so does great failure, as you are very reckless.You are confident, and sometimes this confidence borders on arrogance.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

Dreamin'

She hadn't seen him in almost six months and although the face in the dream wasn't exactly as she remembered, she knew, without doubt, that it was him. His voice was the same--- a sensuous and masculine tone falling somewhere between the sound of a poet and smooth brandy falling over ice. And the touch of his hand was one that she would know anywhere. It was the same touch that made her think she felt the earth move once upon a time in that quaint little mountain village.
For some reason she knew it was a dream---maybe because in the back of her sleeping mind she knew that it couldn't be real because, for the time being, he had drifted from her life. There really is a strangeness to dreams you know. Nothing really seems familiar, yet, in your spirit, you know where you are and why you are there. So they walked and talked and laughed and held hands and spoke to one another with their eyes, their voices and their touch, each suggesting to the other that they shouldn't have wasted so much time apart and maybe, if they tried, they could get back together and recover the sacred bond they had once shared. Together they thanked God for favoring them with one more opportunity because, in all sincerity, their meeting really did feel like a 'God thing.'
But dreams have a peculiar way of taking on a life of their own and although you try to control the dream it sometimes veers off into the unknown and nothing that follows goes down any predictable path. But something about this dream seemed mighty familiar and as she awakened she thought to herself, 'I think I have had that dream many times before...' She stared into the dark and wished she could go back to sleep and dream some more. How wonderful it was to see him and feel him and hear his voice once again.
Thank you, God, for dreams.

.....I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. Numbers 5:13

Thank You, Miss Rogers....

I dreaded the 'torture' of sitting through Miss Rogers seventh grade English class. At that point in life my primary focus was cheerleading and trying to persuade my mom to let me wear ridiculously short skirts, shave my legs and wear frosted pink lipstick.

Miss Rogers was stone-age by the standard of a junior high kid and, in my opinion, couldn't teach us a heck of a lot because she was too old. Gee, I imagine she was at least 60 so what could she know about life? She was an old maid who wore a 3 piece suit with stockings and heels to school everyday, had probably never been on a real date, she was proper beyond proper---even by a southern lady standard and, basically, just needed to get a life. Little did I realize then that Miss Rogers had a life.

Teaching English just wasn't quite enough for Miss Rogers. Her life was dedicated not only to educating but to shaping the life of her students. Every paper clip in Miss Rogers' classroom was lined up with a precision known only to a five star General and for the sake of teaching us common courtesy (her favorite word) she called us---the kids---Mr. and Miss So and So. Good citizenship and correct posture were mandatory in her presence and she didn't just make us read her favorite poems, we had to memorize them and recite them before the class. Sheesh. What a waste....I thought.

It had probably been decades since I had even thought of Miss Rogers until last week... when she made the local news. I found her name, 'Miss Lucille Rogers', and a few paragraphs detailing her life accomplishments listed among the local obituaries. My, what incredible works filled the space of that dash between 1912-2006. And a strange thing happened as I was reading of this remarkable little lady. Somewhere, way in the back of my mind, I thought I heard an old poem being recited. A poem that meant absolutely nothing then but, now, holds a message that is almost like a treasure. It's by Rudyard Kipling and it's simply entitled 'If'......

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

I wish I could thank you, Miss Rogers, for a lesson well taught.

FEATHERING THE NEST

I am a nester. Nesters are those among us who feel a deep-down joy whenever we arrange flowers, or fluff a pillow, or stir the soup. We find something wonderfully fulfilling about tending our own space, something therapeutic about discussing life's challenges around our own kitchen table, something restorative about the quiet comforts of our own home. Whether we've been away from home for a month or a week or from 9:00 to 5:00, our hearts sing when we open our own front door. To identify the home of a nester, you seldom need to look farther than the entryway. As soon as spring arrives, a pot of pansies will suddenly appear on the front step, a rocking chair or wicker chair will find a place on the porch. In summer, look for window boxes overflowing with petunias or bright geraniums and Old Glory wafting in the breeze. Come fall, swags of Indian corn and crocks of chrysanthemums signal a nester-in-residence. And as winter holidays draw near, nesters will deck every window with wreaths, ribbons and candlelight. Whenever a nester doesn't know what to do with something she puts it in a basket. Our baskets hold mail, produce, toys, towels, magazines---even other baskets. Rearranging furniture comes as natural to us as changing clothes. Don't be surprised to find chairs and sofa in different positions---perhaps even different rooms---each time you visit a nester's home. This may be confusing for visitors, but it's normal for nester's. Pillows---lots of them---feather the nest. Whether faded, beaded, hand-made or tag sale finds, they serve as inviting antidotes to life's rough spots---physical or mental. Nesters believe in the power of books; their bookcases overflow with volumes they have read and reread, cherished and loved. Shelves hold childhood favorites, classics, volumes of poetry, and of course, tons of cookbooks. Coffee tables hold tomes devoted to art, home decorating, antiques and travels to Rio and Paris and Tuscany. Favorite magazines are stacked and kept for further reference becuase you never know when a nester may need further reference. In every room are candles. Tall, short, chunky, tapered, and usually triple scented delights are waiting to cast a warm glow. In the kitchen, a tea kettle and a coffee pot always stand ready on the stovetop. A nester takes every opportunity to invite others to relax with a cup of coffee or tea---or enjoy one in solitude. Some nesters collect things: blue and white china, copper molds, cookie jars, art or vintage linens. Finding and living with the objects they love is an indescribable joy to nesters. For the nester, decorative objects tell stories and hold memories. Children's plaster handprints from kindergarten may hang on a wall. A card from a special someone may be in a frame. Grandma's handmade quilt may adorn the guest-room bed. Each piece is significant and special. You might not recognize a nester when she's out of her preferred domain, camouflaged in a business suit or a uniform or dress attire. But it's a strange fact that on weekends, nesters often dress alike. Well worn denims and khakis are favorite pieces; they dress them down with t-shirts and dress them up with a string of pearls. There's reason to believe that nesters are born, not created. It will not be surprising if, in the amazing new mappings of our genetic codes, scientists someday note one peculiar little gene to designate the nester. It will probably be shaped like a house...

EXPLOSIVE FAITH

He keeps bringing me to look at the mustard seed. So I looked, and I saw some amazing things apart from it being tiny. Things like: mustard seeds come in three colors. Black, white/yellow and brown. Like us. People. I also learned that a chemical reaction is responsible for the hot taste of mustard. When ground and mixed with water, two substances, sinigrine and myrosine combine to produce this molecule called isothyocyanate of allyle which produces that explosion in your mouth. So this is what He was talking about. He is the water of life and all He needs to do is mix it with our faith, as small as a mustard seed, and He's got some mega explosives going on. Satan knows this: check out your average prayer meeting attendance.

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,"Move from here to there" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

There's a mountain I think He wants me to move and that will be my focus in the coming weeks and months as I dedicate myself to this seemingly impossible mission.

Nothing will be impossible for me. Hmmm. What an awesome, mighty God He is.

Always On Time, Always Making A Way

"When you come to the end of all the light you know and you are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly."

FOR JESUS CHRIST, LOVER OF MY SOUL.....

I love the way you look at me.
I love the way you always look forward to talking to me.
I love the way you do a million things surrounding me each day just to see if I notice you.
I love the way you always give me your 100% attention.
I love the way you're fascinated by me, always.
I love how you know me through and through and you're still fascinated by me.
I love the way you conduct the song of my days, who I meet and where I'm headed.
I love how you lavish me with your favor.
I love knowing everything's always going to be okay because of you.
Always.
I love how you've taught me patience, even when it looks like what you promised is slipping away.
I love how constant you are.
I love it when you want to come closer to me.
I love it when you kiss me with your presence.
I love knowing that you are not just with me but, in me.
I love how you wait... for me.
I love that, God.
How you patiently wait, God.
You wait through the times when I'm too tired to talk and too tired to pay attention to your voice.
You wait, even when its days and days on end.
You're always waiting...
Always waiting for the tiny moment when I'm completely focused on you.
Waiting for me to notice you, even if it's just for five minutes.
You love me...this I know...
And I love you.
Not because of what you've done but, just because you're you.............

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN !!!

I was truly blessed beyond measure the day God decided that we should be friends. Wow. What a spectacular gift. I pray that He blesses you with a favor-filled day that's pressed down, shaken together and running over with God winks and angel wing swishes and all things good and perfect. Happy Birthday, Handsome!

I'm back....

I've been incredibly busy in some huge art projects around my little domain, therefore, it's been hard to find time to blog. Hopefully, I'll be back sometime over the weekend.......

Prayer Walking Shoes

Got some new 'prayer walking' shoes today but, if I walk from now 'til the soles are gone, I will not have even begun to thank Him for all He's done for me. He's mighty, He's phenomenal and He always shows up just in time to take us through the fire again. That's just another of the countless things I love about Him....He's an 'On-Time God.'

Cleaving

I spoke with a dear friend late into the night about issues which appear, through mere human eyes, to be overwhelming. I listened and listened and listened some more then, offered my simple thoughts..... Marriage is such a personal covenant that no one can stand outside of the relationship and see why we bond with that person. We must honor that covenant and understand that our spouse isn't running for office, therefore, he shouldn't have to meet every expectation of all our friends and family. If they strive for now until God comes back, they will never see what we see in the one that we love. To cleave is to stick together, a promise we make at the altar before the Holy One. And the real secret to cleaving is leaving. "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother...Mark 10:7. If we enter into marriage and still keep other options open, whether mental, emotional or physical, it will never work. We must leave those behind. When the tugging of adversity tries the bonds of the relationship, we will fall apart. We must leave and cleave to our spouse. We all rely on our wholesome and Godly friends but, it can be unhealthy to cleave to someone other than our mate for support. After God, our spouse should have more influence over us than anyone else. And it's not always just a matter of feelings. Roman 1:17 says. "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith." It will not be our feelings that heal our relationships, it will be our faith. Our feelings will flow in and out like the tide but our faith never changes.

The Dead Sea

...a view of the dead sea from my 7th floor hotel room. The white areas in the water are salt concentrations.

Prosperity Is!

Life has no favorites. Rather, conscious people are people who choose to be self-determining. They are street-smart, have common sense, and do not believe in lack during good times or bad times. They know that the flow of good is as available to them as to anyone, all the time, because the universe exists and everything in it regenerates--always.
Most of us have grown up seeing, feeling and believing in limitation and have subconsciously assumed that that's the way it is and that we'll have to live with it. The truth is that we obtain in the outer world whatever we consistently picture in our mind.
Many people are so negative that they don't even know they are negative when they say, "I'll never have enough money, my job is my security, I can't afford it, I'm too young or old, I'm limited by my spouse or partner or lack of resources. And if only I had this or that, I could earn more, be more, do more and have more."
Security exists only in our minds. Security is not the dollars we have in the bank or invest in business or rental properties. Security is the thought we have in our minds. Security is a self-generated inside job....created inside the mind. In this incarnation, we exist behind the only eye-balls we will ever be behind and in the only bag of skin we will ever have. We must choose to be secure. As we increase the security of mind, we will choose work we love rather than work we do only for money. And the truth is that doing what we love will facilitate rapid self-advancement and probably higher earnings, too.
All the wealth in the world will not buy, nor be a sufficient substitute for love, family, spiritual fulfillment and the real satisfaction of having a meaningful purpose in life.
A consciousness that is not conditioned repetitively and positively to welcome prosperity and abundance automically repels them. Prosperity is! And if it's not for us, well, who is it for?

The Eye Of The Lord

The eye of the Lord runs to and fro about the earth and finds me even here....

A Beautiful Valley View

This picture was taken 3 months ago when I spent 10 days in Israel with a group of great friends. This view of the Elah Valley--the place where David killed Goliath--was taken just at sunset, a breathtakingly beautiful time of the day in the Holyland. Though just a small boy, Davids' small size had absolutely nothing to do with the magnitude of his faith. Because of his unmovable faith in the Lord, David was able to achieve what he was able to believe. And so it is with us today. The same God that allowed David to defeat his insurmountable problem so long ago is standing nearby, waiting and wanting to perform sea-parting, mountain-moving and dead-arising miracles through us, if we'll only exercise what He's already given us--a measure of faith.

Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.

Z Z Top???

This shot was taken early Sunday morning in the 'Old City' area of Jerusalem, a place where the rich culture of all the people---Arabs, Muslems and Jews, is distinct and visible. The culture of this sect of Jews is quite fascinating. By the time they are 2-3 years old, even the little boys are taking on this distinguished appearance.

Ishmael

Ishmael is a wonderful Jewish craftsman whom I had the pleasure of meeting when I was in Israel this past March. For 60+ years he has toiled daily, handcrafting shoes, in a tiny shop in 'the Old City'-- a huge marketplace in the heart of Jerusalem. From early morning until sunset he cuts , sews, measures and tacks, creating one of a kind shoes, one at a time. After we had visited for a while I asked for permission to photograph him and within a few minutes, I knew had made a new friend. We visited a while longer then, as I was telling him goodbye, he motioned for me to come closer as he reached into the back of a drawer, retrieving a ragged little drawstring pouch full of old coins. He handed me a coin, a 'widows mite,' then, with a twinkle in his eye, he began to tell me the story of the widow in the Bible who gave all she had, one mite, as a temple offering. Though she had nothing of monetary value, she had hope, faith, charity and such a spirit of selflessness she was willing to give her all. He went on to tell me that the coin in my hand was about 2,000 years old and when it was in circulation the population of Jerusalem was so sparse that chances are great that it was handled by one of the apostles or, maybe even Jesus Himself. My, what a wonderful gift. And what an honor to be blessed with something that may have once been in the hand of Jesus. I kept the coin for a few months, then I gave it to a wonderful friend whom, I believe, God specifically ordered our paths to cross in this journey of life. I hope he feels as honored as I was to receive this treasure.

(43) Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in , than all they which have cast into the treasury: (44) For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. St. Mark 12:43-44

Faith, the Mighty Hallucinogen

Something I find most fascinating is the ability to visualize something on the inside that is not manifest on the outside. When you can envision something and it becomes so real to you that you are seeing things that are not there, it is often a sign that (a) you didn't take your medicine , or (b) there is something you see inside that comes from God. It is a sign that it is out there somewhere and that you, with His guidance, have the ability to accquire it.

Not everyone has the ability to see the invisible but, people who do are what I call visionaries. To me, they're giants in the kingdom. They are guides to those who don't exercise the same dimension of faith. When I see someone whose faith is so strong that they get excited about things that are not there, I watch them closely. That level of passion is often an alarm going off in the spirit that what seems impossible is about to be done. These visionaries are the real leaders of the world, men and women who see the invisible and do the impossible. I am not speaking of a conjured faith that comes from talking yourself into believing. I am speaking of a God-given gift of faith that enables you to see differently from others because you have been designated to lead the way to faith.

A prime example of this kind of faith is portrayed in the story of David and Goliath. Davids' small size had nothing to do with the magnitude of his faith. He had faith in himself and in God. He knew, in no uncertain terms, that God would give him the ability to slay Goliath. That kind of faith is Divine ennoblement. At a complete disadvantage--because of his small size and sub-standard equipment--David was still able to achieve what he was able to believe. David was the only man who could defeat Goliath because he was the only one who had the faith for it. He knew this was the place, a destiny place. This was for him a life-changing, pivotal point. Had he missed this opportunity, he would have spent the remainder of his life in the field, tending sheep. But, his compass was screaming like a fire alarm and he knew what he had to do. Goliath was a mile- marker on the road of his life and there was an inner voice saying--no, screaming--"Turn here!"

This is not the kind of faith that can be conferred or conjured. It cannot be achieved by focusing on a thought all day and using mind power. We see it countless times in the Bible---Gideon, Queen Esther and Noah all walked this path of faith. In more recent history we see it in Benjamin Franklin, Anne Sullivan, Martin Luther King, Jr and Nelson Mandela. They defied the odds and achieved greatness by following a vision, despite the doubts of others and obstacles that were in their way. They persevered by faith. They were remarkable, one of a kind. They weren't perfect but, rather, compass-carrying men and women who were able to see the invisible and therefore achieve the impossible.

When we ask ourselves, "What can I see that others cannot?" Whatever the answer is, that is what we have the power to attain.


"Faith is believing in a thing when common sense tells you not to."

Faith Training

Just as we must exercise our bodies, we also need to 'faith train' and I believe it is crucial to experience both success and failure in order to stretch the muscle of our faith. I thank God that I went through many of the things that I have because it has prepared me and strengthened me for this point in my life and for my future. I can use only what I have---no one elses workout will benefit my body and no one elses experiences can stretch my faith to a supernatural level. Like the message taught to old Doubting Thomas, for me, it is more blessed to believe without a touch than to have proof to believe. In spite of the huge obstacles that stand against me, I can still prevail because I have faith in God. I don't have to have a dime in my pocket, a friend on the phone, a contact in high places, or anything else before God moves in my behalf. All I have to do is follow some simple guidelines:

1. Possess it by faith: Know in my heart that it was meant to be.
2. Work out my faith: Have the tenacity to go through trials and tribulations before I attempt to deal with what I haven't trained for.
3. Natural Resistance requires Divine Assistance: To avoid the mistake of trusting unreliable people, promises, or statistics, I must count only on God.
4. Don't lose strength as weight is added: I must maintain my faith no matter what I face.
5. Acknowledge that today's battle is training me for a wonderful tomorrow: I must persevere through my trials, for they are training me for greater things. They will help perfect my faith.

I fully expect faith to take me to places I've never been, show me things I've never seen, and perform impossible, unimaginable, unbelievable miracles the like of which I've never seen. No matter what man says, no matter what my senses say, I trust that God will perform mightily.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. II Corinthians 5:7

Monday Morning Harvest

It rained all night....again, but, actually, I don't think it has stopped for more than a few minutes here and there since Saturday morning. So much for my plans of all day gardening for the next couple of days. But in spite of the rain, or maybe because of it, the harvest is pretty awesome. Early this morning I donned my clogs and waded out to find about a half gallon of luscious crimson strawberries just waiting to be rescued from the seemingly never-ending shower. What a delightful sight on a wet and dreary day. Now, if I just had a little champagne and whipped cream and, well, my favorite man with his guitar.....hmm.
My garden has turned out to be a pretty awesome place to commune with the Lord and while working there, I'm reminded of the law of the harvest---you'll reap what you've sown. It's just as evident in our spiritual lives as it is in this plot of soil in my yard. I dilligently pray that God gives me the desire and stamina to sow only the best seed because, well, harvesting weeds is too laborious, physically and spiritually.

Faith and Promises

Though the Master's methods may fluctuate, His promises ultimately remain the same. God promised Abraham that He was going to bless his seed, and He did. When God makes a promise He always keeps His word. Our faith is the activator that moves God but, it is often required that we lay hold on the promise by acting on it in an aggressive way. We must go after it with total abandonment and commitment, armed with the knowledge that God's blessings don't necessarily come through the kindness or responsiveness of others. In fact, it is often in spite of a lack of others' kindness toward us that God performs the most mighty deeds. The miracle begins when we remove the training wheels of dependency on others and lean on Him, trusting that, regardless of how the situation appears, the impossible, unimaginable and incredible are going to happen in His time, because of our faith. It is then that we begin to see mountains move and seas part and the dead awaken.

God knows when my heart is broken and my spirit is crushed but, thankfully, He's taught me to develop an appetite for manna. I've learned to believe God for sustenance to survive the land of drought and famine that precedes the land of miracles. God supernaturally provided strength for the journey that He ordained the children of Israel to make and He will provide the same strength I need to make it from the valley to the mountain-top. Prosperity begins with strength for the journey. It goes far beyond surviving to thriving. But it starts with strength for the day. And just as He delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, so will He deliver us out of our current situation and into the land of promise, one day at a time---in His time. What a God. What a wonderful, merciful God.

Fitting The Pieces Together

Once again, I procrastinated with a project I lent myself to so, for about 4 hours last night I was lost in yards and yards of luscious white silk, adding the final details to a wedding gown I created for a friend. And, once again, I told myself I will never again, never ever, find myself frantically putting on the finishing touches at, literally, the midnight hour. But the beauty of the silk and the purity of the whiteness caused me to reflect on just what this occasion is all about, so, I took a break from sewing and hastily composed a few thoughts. Nothing profound or soul stirring, just simple thoughts from a simple mind. So, here it is.

Just like me, many of us are damaged. Like the clay spoken about in Jeremiah 18, we are marred. But God, in His infinite grace, allows us the opportunity to mend in His hands. He applies His touch and stretches us beyond our past so that we can have a wonderful future. And He wants us to have someone special to share this future with. So we wait for Mr./Ms. Right. And we wait, and we wait. We wait as our frustrations grow and we begin to doubt that there is a special one out there for us. So we spend a little time with Mr./Ms. Right Now and Mr./Ms. Okay for Now and Mr./Ms. Too Good To Be True. Then we give Mr./Ms. Almost and Mr./Ms. Pretty Close a try but, the more we get to know them, the farther from ideal they seem. They turn us off because of their imperfections, but if we're really honest with ourselves, we're light years from perfect too.So, it seems to me that life is very much like a puzzle, and we, at least I, am one of the pieces that has fallen on the floor. Some of the pieces have been stepped on, while some have been lost for a while then carelessly kicked under the couch. But amid the oddly shaped fragments, there are two that were designed to fit each other. They do not fit because they are perfect. They fit because they are perfect for each other. They fit because the odd shape of one nests perfectly in the curvature of the other. Apart, they are two pieces without any definition, but when they come together they complement each other and take on meaning.

This is the joy of a Godly union. It is not a celebration of sex. It is not about merging incomes and assets and worldly possessions. It is the coming together of two souls lost on the sea of reality. Over time, they drifted far from the ideal but, when they find each other and embrace, they become mutual life preservers, keeping each other afloat. They're like two small bubbles in the midst of a raging sea. They hold on to each other, making love, making memories and making each other feel complete. They know they must stay close to The Captain of the sea lest they drift into troubled waters. So they cling together like a three ply cord--he, she, and the Captain. Together, they sail... never fearing what lies ahead. And in fact, together they are ideal.

Marvelous Grace

I spent the day with a very close friend yesterday and, in the course of general conversation, she asked me, "How do we combine our separate and unique perspectives and create a harmonious blend that is appealing, satisfying and well, just feels 'right?' Well, I believe, that there is a very special ingredient simply called 'grace' that must be added to the mix. It bandages the souls of wounded people and allows the broken-hearted to develop Godly strategies to escape their past. It gives strength to those who struggle to make functional what has historically been dysfunctional. Grace renews the heart and reconciles the troubles of a tortured spirit. It is kindness and forgiveness. It causes us to keep on loving when the receipient turns the other way. It is the favor of God, and as He bestows it on us, we should in turn give it to those who so desperately need our compassion and love.
We are all broken, and we must learn to accept and then help mend the brokeness of others. In the Book of Hosea, God tells the prophet to marry Gomer, the prostitute. She is a promiscuous woman who disgraced herself and her family. She was abused and battered, she was tattered and torn. She was broken. She ran away from Hosea, but he still wanted her. He could have said, "This woman hurt me, she humiliated me, she failed me." He could have left her on the auction block. But, instead, he call after her, "Gomer...my Beloved." He empties his pockets to redeem her. Hosea's name means "salvation," and he, and his grace, saves Gomer.
Hosea's undying love for Gomer's broken life should give hope to the most severely damaged among us that there is healing for the broken places in the human spirit. If we are to have successful relationships that gradually develop wholeness, we must understand that we must love and extend grace to imperfect, flawed people, be it our mate or other relationship. We must follow Hosea's example. We must educate ourselves and not only in spite of our past, but because of our past work hard to create and nurture a relationship that will act as a support system and safety net as we endeavor to attain success in every area of our lives. We must follow the Lord. As He loves and unconditionally accepts us imperfect beings, so, too, are we to love and accept those who so desperately need to experience His grace.

Ain't Nobody Like Him

While trodding down the path of discovery, aimlessly searching for who I am, I finally realized that it is He who knows who I really am and Whose love has finally convinced me that it doesn't matter if I ever know. His grace is greater than my stumbling, stammering humanity. I acknowledge that I've always been exceptionally strong in some places and pitifully frail in others, absolutely certain about one thing and completely stressed about another. In spite of my numerous weaknesses, He has always comforted and blessed me and, to be totally honest, blessing me is like painting a Picasso on a dollar store canvas. Amazing how He does His best work with such inferior materials.
When He does decided to bless me---be it spiritually, physically or financially---boy does He ever! I have no doubt that all I've ever accomplished in life is simply a matter of His divine favor. He's the best financial advisor, secret-keeper, personal counselor and emotional stabilizing influence I could ever know. He's given me tips on people, places, things, and even stocks. I marvel at the manner in which He's calmed the raging storms of my life. Mercy, what a God.
My faith in Him is fixed, my faith in me is growing, and my gratitude is too overwhelming to articulate in such a small span of life and with my limited linguistic ability. To attempt to express my feelings for Him is an intimidating undertaking. Exasperated by the efforts, I will succomb to a simplistic term to convey the depth of my love, gratitude and undying devotion. Although it is simply stated, it is nonetheless of profound significance to me: There ain't nobody like the 'On-Time God.'