Is God like a buffet?

What we 'need' is not always what we want. Most children don't want to eat their vegetables, but they need to eat them to obtain nutrition to grow healthy. If you got to a buffet restaurant you will often see children (and adults) fill their plates with a lot of enticing items... and a few vegetables. Do we treat God like a buffet? "I think I would like some of that Grace, but not that Judgement." or "Oh yes please pass the Salvation, but you can keep that bowl of Repentance." Perhaps it's; "Thank you for the nice serving of 'Blessings on my life', but I don't really want any of that 'Share my faith with others platter'." Just as a balanced diet needs all types of food a balanced Christian Life needs all that God has planned for us.

In James 5:10-11 we read, "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." God allows affliction, persecution, judgement, to mold us into the kind of believer He can use. The success of that molding depends on how we choose to endure. In the Greek (no I did not take Greek, but a few things stick when I hear them in sermons) the word endure in this verse can be further defined:
to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee

1. to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ
2. to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments

A good way to picture this is to think of a vaccination/hypodermic needle, and the word 'hypo' is from the Greek word hypomeno/hupomeno=endure. If you get a shot it has to go under your skin in order to be effective, it has to become part of you. If it were just poured onto your skin it would run off and be of no help. No one likes to get shots but we know that it is what we need, and the pain is worth the health outcome, preventing disease. The Christian life is more than just a one time decision it is a constant process of seeking God and learning from His plan for us.

Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Yup.. it said ALL... even the struggles, pain , and testings. Why? Let's look ahead a bit to Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that, and acceptable,and perfect will of God." The term "this world" usually refers to the physical world we live in that is not in agreement with God. It's not hard to see that 'this world' is a spiritual and emotional battle ground, vying for your time, thoughts, and even money. God allows the trials to show us our need of Him and His guidance. With His help He wants us to make changes in our lives. If we don't want to be conformed to the world and we want to do the perfect will of God, where can we find that? How can we 'renew our mind' to be pleasing to God? II Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Daily Bible study and prayer are the keys to having a balanced Christian life and knowing what God wants from us.

In times of trouble, pain, sorrow and fear God wants us to look to Him, not give up or become discouraged. He wants us to search His word and then look at our own heart and lives and see if any changes are needed. Perhaps enduring will mean waiting on Him and trusting in His plan. When we eat our "vegetables" and get our "vaccinations" we can live a much more balanced and productive life for God.


Greek New testament lexicon for Hupomeno:
http://www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5278

May your house always be a home

May your house always be a home.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it..." Ps 127:1

Being a 'mom' is all I ever wanted. I can remember as a young girl I had several large wooden doll beds (made by my grandpa) that were FULL of baby dolls. I lovingly tended to their every need. I loved to play house with play dishes, pots and pans. I loved to dress up in over sized dresses and plastic high heels. Once I even dared to try and walk from my room on the third floor in said plastic high heels. OH DEAR!! I fell after only few steps and tumbled over and over until I hit the landing. Crying and in a state of 'shock' (for a kid) My mom came running. She hugged me and wiped away my tears. Then of course she sort of scolded me for trying something so grown up as that. My mom was as near to a perfect mom as anyone could have. I will admit during my teen years I had totally the opposite opinion, but once the Lord got hold of my life that changed and she was once again the wonderful person I remembered as a child. I could write a whole book on her life, no... several books. She was an amazing person, and if I could become even half the women she was I will have achieve a lot. I will save all of her fantastic live stories for another time.

Being a mom was her job and she cherished it. "Homemaker" certainly fit her well, and she never thought that a demeaning title... in the dictionary it's defined as ..."a person who manages the household of his or her own family, esp. as a principal occupation." That's ok as far as simple definitions go, but making a house a home is a bit more than just 'managing' things. There is a whole lot of love in there too... love that is filled with giving and serving. Being home and being a mom are just about the best two jobs I can have. I actually think being home presents a greater time management challenge than going to a work place. If you work somewhere, when you leave usually they don't call you and ask where their lunch is , or their socks, or ... Homemaker/Mom (I am going to use mom just because it's shorter) is a 24/7 job... you might get a little break here and there during the day, but around 5pm when everyone comes home for the day you are back at it for a few more hours... and loving it!

MOM upside-down is WOW.. pretty cool huh? Being mom is a very wow experience. I am so blessed that I have been able to stay home for most of my children's growing up. Home to take things slow when needed. Home to just sit and color on a rainy day. Home to take a walk to the park whenever. Home to be the one the kids talk to when they are just back from school and have to tell you everything about their day right then. Home to be able to help out at a moments notice. Home to be able to supervise repairmen and spend hours on the phone when repairs go awry.

This is all I ever wanted. I am so very grateful to God and my husband for making it possible. I know there are many many women who long for this and I am in no way condemning or judging their lives. This season of my life will be changing soon as my youngest graduates next June and goes off to college. So for one more Fall we will buy some new pencils and paper. For one more year I will drive her to school each morning, tell her "I love you" (even if she rolls her eyes at me sometimes). For one more year I will sit on the side lines and cheer her volleyball and softball games. For one more precious year I will know for sure where she is each night. I will always be a mom, but then I will be a different kind of mom. I hope I will always be the mom they think of when they think of home.

God so loved the world He came to be with us

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Hallelujah what a fantastic promise!
God, the creator of everything that was, that is, and that is going to be, wanted to have close fellowship with me (!?) Why me? I am really nothing special. None the less He did. To this end He put His Holy and divine spirit in a human, Jesus.

We think a lot about Jesus being with us at Christmas time. The wonderful story of how he was born just like us and was raised in humble surrounding so that anyone could understand the message of "God with us" After that, after the lights, tinsel and trees are gone. After the presents are not our focus anymore. After all that... what about Jesus? What are you doing with Jesus? Are you doing anything? You might think about him again in the Spring at Easter... and remember His ultimate sacrifice.... taking your punishment on His body. Celebrating His raising Himself from the dead , AMEN!!! Then what? What about everyday? On your way to work, or while you work in your home? What about at lunch break, while shopping, or at school? Do you think of Him then? I realize it's impossible to think about Jesus every moment, but do your thoughts go to Him when you can? Or do you avoid spiritual things? If you do, why? Do you feel it's not 'for you'? Perhaps you think "oh I am not that bad, others are far worse than me" that might be true, but is that really how you should be measuring yourself? By what others do? Why not let God set the standard for you ..."OH pleassseeee.... God is perfect", you might be thinking.... Yes , He is. Why not have a very high standard for yourself? God does not expect you to be perfect, in fact He knows you can't be, because of the sin in our lives, but He does expect you to acknowledge that sin, and realize that you can not of your own efforts erase the penalty for that sin,. Only Jesus who is perfect can do that for you.



Do you acknowledge your helplessness, or are you relying on your own strength to carry you though? Why not rely on someone who is far stronger and can never fail, to carry you, especially in the most dire of times? God is available to everyone, He was born the way he was to show even the poorest of people that He came for them. He was born helpless to show those who feel out of control He is their for them as well. He left the splendor of heaven to show His willingness and great desire to have fellowship with YOU.



I hope you will reach out to Him today. Please email me to find out more.