Dark Treasures

   There are treasures for you that only come from being in the darkness.  I have experienced darkness.  I now realize that what I gained from the darkness is treasure. Treasures that changed me for the better.

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel  ~Isaiah 45:5 KJV
 

Know your Season

    There is a time and season for everything.  We must know what season we are in.  If you don't what season your are in this can lead to a leak in your joy tank and unfulfilled expectations.  For me as a mother of very young children, I am in a season of planting.  In this season I must be diligent about cultivating good soil in which to plant good seeds.  I should be watering with Godly principles and morals, nurturing any signs of healthy growth and weeding out anything that will inhibit strong growth.   In this season it is joy depleting to expect a full grown tree budding with juicy fruit and or lush foliage.  I may see a bud here or there.  I may even notice a bloom or two or three, etc... But overall it is planting time for me.  I am encountering rocks in the soil, and in some areas of this vineyard I am seeing good moist soil.  Some days I feel like the weed I thought I plucked out yesterday is full grown today and I must pluck away once again.  I was planting one week and expecting beautiful blooms the next week.  Silly me!  No wonder my frustrations were plentiful.  Thanks to The Almighty Revealing One I am seeing that my expectations are unrealistic for my season.  So, for now I dig, chop, hoe and pull away.  Along the way I will thank God for buds and tight baby blooms and continue in the dirty sometimes muddy season of planting.  For now I put my hope in God's faithful love and attempt to shake off weariness knowing in due time I will reap a harvest.
   
    As a wife, I am reaping the harvest of good communication, trust, sacrifice, dedication and appreciation.  Ironically  I am simultaneously continuing to plant seeds of emotional intimacy and vulnerability to name a few.  I am learning to never leave weeds unattended in this vineyard.  Uggh!  A weedy garden is so unsightly and not nice to be in.  On a brighter side the soil is rich and the turn around of the harvest can be swift in most areas.  However, planting is always in progress and therefore there is always potential for lush fruit and breathtaking blooms.

To every thing there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:  Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

And let us not be weary in well doing:
for in due season we shall reap, if we
faint not.  Galatians  6:9 (KJV)

Get Low But Don't Hide

I am salt.  I am light.
I am a city set on a hill.  Yes, to be seen.
Seen for God's glory, not my own.



God's glory comes at a price.
The price is humility.
Am I willing to pay the price?
Besides, what He did for me *is* priceless!




~I'll take a shot of humility please and thank you!  Straight up, no chaser!
It gets me "low" and keeps me from hiding... His Glory.

It's Tricky

Beware of the insidiousness of pride.
It is the master of camouflage.
It eases it's way into the spirit of your attitude
and in your heart it will set up lodge.
 
Beguiling is that thing called pride.
It gives the impression of being smart.
She places bets against your mind
and will slither into your heart.
 
Pernicious as gossip dressed up as concern.
Like a crisp Red Delicious concealing a worm.
As a well defined eye of a violent hurricane
seeking to eradicate humble thoughts in your brain.

Beware of the insidiousness of pride.
It will populate anywhere it can
Moving its way from your heart
Showing up in the workings of your hand.

Choices, Agape Style

Choose to suffer long
Choose to be kind.
Choose to speak edifying words
Regardless of what's on your mind.

Choose not to cloak yourself with invidia
Choose not to be a glutton of pride.
Put away all narcissism
And abandon abnormal response to stimuli.

Choose to be exuberant about the truth
Choose not to give approval to iniquity.
Choose not to publish others faults
And the best about them choose to believe.


Agape is a deliberate choice.  It is born out of a sincere reverence of God.
It IS NOT a love that is centered around people.  This love has God as it's primary
focus. It has nothing to do with you and your affections or the lack thereof.

Think about it, God gave His only son for us.
The thought of giving up an only child to be put to death for the sake of
sin does not evoke anything warm and fuzzy within. So don't expect the "warm and fuzzies" when you put 1 Corinthians 13 to work in your life.

Let's love on one another the way God loves us. This is how others will know we are Christians.(John 13:34-35)
Agape has to become a habit. It's expensive and laborious.  But it is worth it because God commands it and that settles it!


Suffer- to undergo or be subjected to injury; to put up with something or SOMEONE unpleasant
Invidia-envy
Glutton- a person DEVOTED to eating and drinking to excess or OVER indulgence.
Abnormal response to stimuli; easily annoyed, irritable

Square Biz

Thanks, but no thanks.
I will kindly pass on the "cube".

Thanks, but no thanks.
I'll pass on the on the "square" too!

Thanks, but no thanks.
I'll pass on the on the "mold".
He does not fit!
Now you have been kindly told.

Oval, rectangle or round with a top.
I will not make him fit.
I will not put him in your "box."

Fearfully and wonderfully,
sounds unique to me.
He has to be free
Free who God made him to be.

So Thanks, but no thanks.
I'll pass on the "cardboard".

Now if you would kindly excuse me
I want to be lead by the Lord.

Me, Little 'B' and Trisomy 21

Almost ten lunar months had gone by.
The inquisition that lingered was why Lord,why?

I know that all good things come from above.
Sweetly wrapped in your heavenly love.

I know that you made all things beautiful in it's time
 But Jesus, what about mine...what about MINE?

It's not about you my sweet Princess.
Its not about you at all.
Everything that I made, comes with a cause.

That includes your sweet little 'B".
Remember my word from John 9:3.

Yes Lord, yes!  How could I have been so dim?
Your word has already told me.
 It's so "the works of God should be made manifest in him."

`Matters of the Heart A modest heart will reflect without.

~ Adoration~

Lord, your works are awesome.

How did you place sight in my eyes?
Enabling me to see the sunrise.

I can see the trees sway in the wind, their branches bend.

Oh,incredible for me to see
the cumulus, stratus and cirrus,
float lazily
over the trees.
I behold the breeze.
I notice the bees
that pollinate
the aubergine.
How great it is for my eyes to see.

Prince of peace, your opus is awesome!

I praise you for the sight you placed in my eyes.
Enabling me to see the sunrise/
how divine
this sight of mine
everytime
I rise and shine.

I want it

Sometimes I think I know what I need and what's best for me. Only God knows what I really really need. I don't want to want what I want just because I want it. I want to want it because God knows I need it.

Need-anything necessary but lacking
Want- to feel or have a desire for

You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Phil 4:19 (The Message Bible)

I want it, do you?

What do you want?

"And my God will meet all your need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Do you want to want what God know you need?

What Are Your Measurements?

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 2 Corinthians 10:12


Sometimes I think we get a little lost or perhaps even discouraged. We tear ourselves down trying to compare ourselves to other women. We know everything about ourselves and we only know what "sista girl" chooses to reveal to us. Fortunately or unfortunately it's usually "made-up" to look really pretty. Let's face it we all try to only put the "good stuff" on front street. We want to put our best foot forward instead our real one. Well, that's alright and also another "story". The problem arises when we compare ourselves with ourselves instead of trying to measure up to what God wants us to be.
Let's try these measurements:
*are we where God assigned us?
*is God getting glory?
*can God approve our work?
The bottom line is this. When the good Lawd comes checking for us He's gonna wanna see that we did what He commanded of us and not the same thing "Jane Jones" did!
<"measurements" taken from The Bible Exposition Commentary: New testament>

Ready To Die?

In order to be a disciple for Jesus Christ and to glorify Him we must be ready and willing to die.
Die to "self". Daily. It's a must. If not we get wrapped up in selfishness and "I-itis", self centered-ness, whining, bickering, moaning, complaining and did I mention WHINING! All sorts of childish behavior.
It can be a vicious cycle. Reminiscent of a dog chasing it's tail. (how silly does that look)
On the other hand, when we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, fall to the ground and die, (germinate) be hidden, lost to ourselves but found in Christ. We can be used mightily by God. We can fulfil purpose.
Jesus died so that we might live. We must die to self so that Jesus can effectively live in us and through us.
So Suga' go on and BLESS God and die. Die to self. Let God live through you. Bring forth MUCH fruit!

Scripture Reference: John 12:20-27

That Settles It!

Can you say "hallelujah- anyhow"!
Translation: anyway you bless me Lord, I'll be satisfied.

Just Because

Because He lives I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
and life is worth the living because he lives.


No matter how hard life "seems" know that you can... because He lives.
Tomorrow will come and whatever it holds you can face becuse He lives.
Yes Lawd, you can because He lives.

Baby, no matter how "hard" it seems, let nothing separate you from His love.
Pain and suffering will come and they come in many forms. While you're in it, it feels horrible and pointless. You can endure!!!
Yes Lawd, you can because He lives.

Because, because, because...you can, you can, you can.
Yes Lawd, you can because He lives waaaaaaay down in your soul in mine too.
Halleluah!

An Inside Job

Worry is one of the greatest thief of Joy. So is comparison but that's a whole different story. However, when your Joy has been stolen, you can get it back. You can get back your piece of peace. These are the conditions upon which you can have your Joy back: Right praying (Philippians 4:6-7), right thinking (Philippians 4:8), right living (Philippians 4:9).

Alright Baby, let's do some word study; in the Greek "worry" can be translated as "anxious" and it means to be pulled in different directions. Lawd have mercy. How many things on a daily basis get us pulled in different directions. Wooo, Honey. That sounds like a bunch of chaos to me. Our hope is pulling us one way and our fears are pulling us in another direction.

Now, the Old English form of "worry" can be translated "to strangle". Lawd help me. Strangle? Suffocate? Choke? No air? Sounds like a slow death to me.
Child, don't worry yourself sick. Headaches? Um, um, um. I can tell you about some migraines.

Now listen here, this is the modern day definition of "worry"; "to torment oneself with disturbing thoughts". My, my, my. Who is doing the tormenting? Yes you. Worry is an inside job.

This is another definition; " to seize, especially by the throat, with the teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another" I ain't gotta say no more. Well, yes I do. Why would you worry yourself?

Take custody of your mind. LET God's peace in. Turn them worries into prayers. We will have trials and tribulations. The key to making it through has already been given to us. We just gotta use it. Work the word.

scripture reference: Philippians 4:6-9 (The Bible Exposition Commentary: New testament)
The MSG Bible uses worry and fret.

Eeny Meeny Miney Mo!

Be "choicey" about who you're hanging around with.

What Time Is It Honey?

Now don't get me wrong Suga'. Ain't nothing wrong with time for yourself. But I'mma tell ya somthin', it should be just that. Time by yourself. You and Jesus. Even Jesus had to come away. He did so to fast and pray. This time alone prepared and strengthened Him for his purpose. So our "me time" should do the same. Recharge, refuel. reinvigorate, re motivate, refresh and fill us up so we can pour out to our families again. We should come away from "me time" feeling better equipped to run the race that's set before us.

Um hum. You say, What about "girl time" and time away by MYSELF? Yeah, what about it? Please choose friends wisely. It's good to have good friends. Spend time with women that will positively support and encourage you. That will have your back and pray with you. However, I ask, doyou return home refreshed and ready to jump into Wife and Momma mode? Hmm... or do you walk in the door and get mad and wanna fuss because the floor is full of toys? Do you wanna ask your husband what's wrong with his hands because he wants to know what you gonna cook for dinner? Do you wanna scream 'cause the kids got a million and one questions before you can get in the door good? No, I got it. You just wanna turn back around for a little more "me-time"! If this is what's happening after your "me time", then you just wasted your time. Time is a precious commodity. Make wise use of it.

Me, Me, Me!

Me time. What is a "me time"?
That sounds like something akin to selfishness! Calling it "me time" can be misleading. It can set you up for undue frustration.

As long as "me time" is always on your mind (when is it gonna be "my time") you will never enjoy the present moments you have with your husband and babies. You'll always be trying to sneak a little "me time". You'll start to think that being a wife and mother is some type of oppression you need solace from. Humph! The devil is a liar and so is a "me time"!

There is refuge in being a wife. You CAN be rejuvenated by the company of your children.

Your "me time" is right in front of you, baby. Enjoy motherhood. Delight in being a wife. Be wife and mommy wholeheartedly as to the Lord.

Steal away with Jesus. That's "me time" Suga'.



Scripture reference: Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men...

What You Studyin' 'Bout?

Aw, don't worry about "that"! Turn those worries into prayers.
Set your mind on things worthy of praise and thanksgiving. Even if it ain't but one thing, hold on to it honey, and praise Him with all your heart. Shake ya'self loose.
Choose to be joyful!

Scripture Reference: Philippians 4:4-8