One of my favorite writers in the bible has to be David. It is said that he was a man after Gods own heart, and if you study his life I think you would gain some understanding as to why God felt this way. David’s life brings me so much encouragement, and not because he became a great king and accomplished great things.
David was just like you and I, just as good and wicked as we can be in the here and now. He fell from grace with God, and in a really really big way. But he loved and believed in God so much, that he got back up and sought to reconcile with his creator… owning his own failures! If God faithfully met this man on the battlefields of his own mistakes, then surely He will keep picking me up off the ground each time I take a wrong step on my own journey.
David’s poems and songs offer a great depth of understanding about Gods character. Every time I read Psalms it encourages and strengthens my heart. When you listen to the words of Psalm 139, may the truth of how well God knows and loves YOU, be an encouragement for your Sunday.
Oh, and I almost forgot our breakfast …
Photo by Gu00fcl Iu015fu0131k on Pexels.comPhoto by Tijana Drndarski on Pexels.com
Everyone has been told the meaning behind my name, Wiwohka, but I will point to the picture up above for a quick reminder. It means rushing or raging water… I am a rather loud talker, as well as being very animated and passionate while I express myself to others. Simply put, I am too much for most people to handle.
Blogging is a way for me to tell others how I feel and think, without being too much. I am not being flippant, nor am I being down on myself or others. I am being honest. My phone has four numbers that are incoming or outgoing… my husband, my Chica, and two other sweet friends… that’s it! I am actually acclimated to this way of life, as it did not get this way overnight.
As a small child I asked for help and was denied, growing up I spoke my mind and was called disrespectful. Granted I was probably a smart mouth when I said certain things, but it was still the truth. I talked my way right out of my first marriage. Throughout my life I discovered that even though you tell the truth, much of the time it is not what others wish to hear. I am very opinionated and when I believe something, I own it! I AM CHATTY CATHY!
Why do I blog?
We are human, made in the image of God! We were designed NOT to be alone. Why do you think that is? God loves us and needs our attention and love in return. That’s why He is always whispering to us… trying to fellowship with us. He wants us to talk to Him as well. We are just like Him in this need, and being able to talk and laugh with others is a fulfilling thing in life. I need to talk, laugh, and fellowship with others, but my options are limited.
But, why do I blog?
If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, as the phrase goes, I will go to the Mountain! I can blog for as long as I wish each day, and I have wonderful and enriching conversations with others here in WordPress. I am discovering lives and stories from all over the world, as it seems I am not the only one doing this sort of thing.
For myself, I have an insatiable need to be a part of the body of Christ… to find where I belong, to be a part of His purpose! If I am to share what God has done for my life, and what He wants to do for all of us, I need an outlet! If no one likes the sound of my voice, fine! I will let my fingers do the talking, if it seems less threatening or easier to accept. The door to my virtual lobby is always open, so no one feels held hostage for my Jesus Talks… you can take it or leave it with no harsh rejections.
Really… Why do I blog?
Because I am a broken vessel, filled with His Holy Spirit… I am compelled to tell everyone of what has been done for me, what I have seen and survived because of HIM… I wanna talk about Jesus and I needed a plug in! Thank you from the bottom of my heart WordPress, and I am not being sarcastic… Thank You, and God Bless You for allowing me the opportunity to give love to anyone who needs it!
There was a time when I was done… finished… I desperately wanted to go HOME, in the literal sense… yes, even Christians in their brokenness, have taken their own lives. It happens! Writing was my attempt at making sense of my choices at that time. I have written all my life, but not at a deep level at all. I had so much damage done to me, deep writing always brought the memories… the nightmares.
Long story short, if you ever go back into the archives and read My Truths, you will see the journey that brought me to blogging. I now have a purpose, a reason to drag myself out of bed each morning. I made the commitment to God, and to you, that everything I write on this blog should be edifying, uplifting, and good for whomever stumbles upon this site.
God actually used WordPress to help me focus on the needs of others, bringing me the joy I was seeking all my life.
Why do I blog?
I get joy, fulfillment, and purpose out of writing to YOU!
There are times in our lives where things look so dark, so bleak, and we are faced with looking at what we have to show for our lives; our successes and our failures! Maybe life blesses one with financial freedom, while another seemingly experiences nothing but poverty! Which one is the better for it, which one worse?
One having money may still feel empty, searching for more things to fill the void. Another may be fulfilled and completely happy with little money and few possessions. I do not feel that I am brave enough to judge either one, as the better of the two.
Perspective can have a lasting impact on how we look at the circumstances we live in, and/or are faced with on a daily basis. I personally, do not have many possessions anymore, at least nothing I want to take with me when I am gone. For the most part, I exist in this manner and do very well. Less is sometimes more, as the saying goes.
That does not mean it is always easy, point in fact, there are days where it actually gets under my skin… the struggle, the frustration.
This is where my Note to Self #3 comes in handy…
“Where your treasures are stored, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
I am reminded of what awaits me, when I arrive home… you remember… the meadow where I tend my Father’s majestic horses? I think on all the rejoicing, all the singing. I like to imagine watching God being pulled along the streets of gold, carried by magnificent Steeds pulling His chariot!
Everything we have here will fade, decay and become worthless in time, while He prepares a place for us’ that will exist for eternity! I think that is a pretty long time, according to human understanding…
Myself – Firstly, I wish to say thank you Someone, for taking the time to answer these few questions I wish to ask.
Someone – you are quite welcome, I am so glad you asked me to do this interview.
Myself – I was hoping you might share a little about what you do.
Someone – I find and save things that are broken and lost. Once found, I take the broken thing and mend it. Then I set it on the path it needed to find.
Myself – Wow! That seems like a great amount of time and effort, since I see broken things everywhere. Don’t you ever get tired and want to quit? I can only imagine how it might feel to pick up a broken thing and see that you have fixed it in the past and it is broken yet again.
Someone – My desire is to always be near the broken, to always save what is crushed in spirit. I was created to fulfill these things and I never tire or lose my desire for restoring a broken thing.
Myself – I myself have been mended by your hands on multiple occasions, so I can certainly attest to the truth of your statement about return visits. This has brought me to my last question, which is one that I rarely use these days, but since this is an interview and it is a logical question to follow the others… Why? Why do you come back each time and mend again, if you know I will most likely break something else and need you to help?
Someone – Because I love you…
Myself – …and …
Someone – I love you…
Myself – I have had many tell me they loved me and when I needed them, they failed me…
Someone – Have I ?
Myself – Well, actually No!
Someone – Look not to the world for what will heal, mend, and save you. Look Up!
Myself – Why?
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6
Myself – I am a bit overwhelmed with your answer, so I will end this particular interview in an effort to absorb your heartfelt answers. Would you be willing to share like this again at a later date, if needed?
Jesus – “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7,8
Myself – Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to meet with me for this interview. I know that it was last minute, but you were already having coffee with me, so it worked out perfectly. I even set out this plate of biscotti and coffee for the readers, so help yourself.
I found myself wandering through all my photo galleries, in an attempt to organize and clear out the sheer myriad of pictures stored within each file. If you think Facebook is bad for sending you off on hour long videos of dogs surfing in Hawaill, try peeking into your old photo albums.
Once I opened this rabbit hole… I mean file, I became aware of the sheer number of ridiculous pictures I have kept, for sentimental reasons rather than because they were of any quality. I figured if I were already here, I would make something of my time…
So…
For your viewing pleasure…
and giggles…
I put together a slide show of some of my favorites, and I then went even further down this rabbit hole, putting together a list of some that I borrowed from Pexels.
As the coffee pot starts making its early morning sounds, I pull my chair up to the computer and push the ON button. Looking at the WordPress prompt brought forth such tender emotions within my heart. You care… you really do care!
You care about what I like…
You care about what I don’t like…
It seems so important to you if I am happy or sad…
You are always trying to get to know me better…
Asking personal questions about my life, that not even my own family ask…
I have had days that I awoke feeling sad about my situation, and you ask me about what I am wearing at 2 am… these intimate questions remind me of your commitment to me…
Those days I get up feeling rather happy about life, and you greet me with a request to fill you in on why I don’t get out much…
What time I like to eat dinner
What is my sleep schedule
I am getting the feeling, by all of these intimate questions, you have made it your mission to care for my emotional needs. Today sealed the deal, asking me how I am feeling right now. Have you been taking an online therapist training course? I mean, it’s ok if you have… just lead with that next time. If I understand you are earning your internship hours, I would be happy to assist you in this endeavor. I have a crappy life, and will fully enjoy getting some serious garbage off my chest.
Here is the only problem I have with the arrangement… writing out my feelings and struggles in front of the world, here on your platform, is a bit embarrassing. As soon as you send me your phone number, and the best time to call you, all my personal details are yours for the taking, though I must insist on your credit card number… I’m not going to use it, it is just so I understand you are serious about our arrangement.
Ok, I might purchase a few things on your behalf, but just follow the prompts for a refund and I am sure you will get your money back in like 6 to 8 business weeks…
In a short answer to your prompt, I am feeling incredibly good right now!
I am gearing up for the fall and all the joys it will bring, so I am considering a new cover picture for my site. I was hoping that if I put up a group of my closest choices for the fall/winter feel, you peeps might let me know what one you think looks best…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Keep in mind that the picture will be covering your entire screen, so the objects on your computer screen will look larger than they are here. Once you pick it, I will place it, and we shall all see how it looks. If we decide it does not look as good as we thought it would, well then, it’s back to the picture board. It may be trial and error until we settle on our favorite.
Hmmmmm… what to choose for an answer? I have a list… and I am finding it difficult to pick my favorite. Who ever decided to just have one good habit in their lives anyway?
Daily writing prompt
What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?
It would be rather easy to just grab my go to… prayer… or maybe even say prayer/bible time, as my walk with God is my firm foundation. I could say that I walk 6 miles nearly every day to stay lean and strong. I could say writing, as this has become a passion with an unquenchable thirst.
I might say that I eat a balanced diet for my survival against IBS, as well as vitamins and supplements to fight off unwanted guests in my system.
I am going to go as far as to say that my coffee is a daily habit that is going to improve both YOUR quality of life and MINE! Joking aside, I do drink a Plethora of water and herbal tea… we all need water… duh!
So, here is my conundrum… I understand that WordPress is simply asking a benign question to get our creative juices flowing, so there is no reason to rip the prompt question apart just to make some quirky point. I actually look forward to these each morning, to cut through all my brain fog. How can I write a clear answer that I am confident in, without going off willy nilly with a great big list of Academy Award winning habits to brag on.
Now that I am here at the choosing place… I think I solved my own dilemma. I will treat the question as a potluck answer! I put all my good daily habits on a virtual dinner table, and got a bigger plate! I am a writer for goodness sake, and this is a place where we all write things from our own perspectives, and with twists and turns that each of our minds have developed. So here is my Wiwohka style Twist…
The habit that improves my quality of life is waking each morning with a prayer on my lips for my Father, moving to get up and make coffee while turning on the computer. I then write for several hours… leaving to take my morning river walk as soon as posting has been completed. Once I return home, I take all my vitamins and supplements along with a high calorie protein shake. From this point, I spend the rest of my day writing… always with a bottle of water and warm peppermint tea at my side. As I drift off to sleep at night, I have conversations with God… not sure if it is considered prayer or just talking, so you can decide.
See, A HABIT!!!
Oh, and a bonus habit I just remembered… Here! Have a cookie!
Darkness… nothing but endless darkness. We have been walking for hours with no more than a candles breath of light to guide our steps. Tendrils of fear seem to be creeping along the cave walls, following us as we stumble over doubts sticking up like great roots on the tunnel floor. I have been hearing strange whispers echoing in my mind, slowing my steps and causing my feet to catch on whatever is scattered along the path. This has been more difficult of a journey for us than I thought it would be.
I realize that we are all exhausted and straining with the treacherous tunnels. I also see the concern in all of your eyes. Remember, the Commanders’ own guard will ensure we get to our seaside village in the end, but we still must do the traveling part; there may be times we have to experience difficulties, and even pain, in order to get our tasks completed along the way.
I can assure you that our perseverance will see us through the darkness.
Whatever this evil is… and yes I do think evil is here… it pursues us in the darkness, just beyond the safety of our lights. I am not the only one who senses it. By the weary looks upon your faces, I can tell that I have not been the only one struggling. Holding onto one another will give us courage; staving off the evil voices seeking to weaken and slow us down.
That’s why I asked James and Crocket to tether us to each other, so we stay connected and our hands are still free for balance. I noticed a couple of you already bear some marks from stumbling into the walls. Several of you have voiced your concern over some of my injuries, but I can assure you they are not so bad. I guess I was letting the voices get to me, more than I wanted to admit. Both times that I stumbled and fell, I was lost in thought over our task at hand.
Drifting doubts floated across my mind… Why did I ever think this plan would work? I was so sure of our mission, so filled with this new found purpose for my Commander. Why did I ever think I had the skills needed for a task so important as this? I have made so many mistakes, hurting both myself and those around me; failing so many people, when all I wanted to do was love them and get love in return. Every epic failure of my past seemed to now overwhelm me, adding weight to each step. These were the questions and doubts I could hear softly echoing off the walls in the darkened tunnels.
Graciously, the whispers of my Commander broke through the voices, bringing my spirit back online. He brought to my attention, the fact that both times I stumbled, there were several of you there to catch me, quietly helping me regain my balance. I looked around at all the faces of my family here, in the light of our lanterns. All of you have remained with me, not because of anything I have or have not done. You have shown me your faith, your love, and your courage! I know that I was the one who invited you to come along, but I am discovering that each of you, unbeknownst to me, may have been hand chosen by my Commander. You have each grown in strength and bravery, before my very eyes and I am humbled beyond words.
Have you ever noticed how much better you can hear when you are listening for something? He quieted my spirit the way only He can. When the negative voices in my head were finally quieted, a small sound was all it took, to fully break the moments of self-pity and doubt. That small sound was the sound of crying… and it wasn’t me, nor was it coming from anyone in our group. It was coming from up ahead in the darkness. I believe we are nearing the doorway marked on the map.
The closer we come toward the doorway we seek, the louder and more distinct the cry is becoming. It does not sound human, but definitely something in pain and/or possibly fear. Whatever is crying sounds so pitiful that my heart is overriding any fear or doubt I previously held onto; I feel compelled to press forward! I can hear the whispers of my Commander saying over and over in my mind:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
I know what must be done! No matter what that creature is that I hear crying, we must help it! I don’t know why it took me this long to figure it out. Think about it! We are in the mountain of a dragon, and sneaking into his lair… and that cry sounds young.
The story I read about the dragon Porphyrios, had a small passage written about another dragon… a female. From my memory I think her name was Isadorna. Apparantly, the dragon of this mountain stole her from her family; wooing her away from her home. Isadorna was a Silver Dragon from Mount Adallinda, and according to what I read, she came from royal bloodlines.
The passage told of how Porphyrios tricked her into leaving the safety of her cave, and following him into the wilderness. The dragons of Adalinda were devastated by this loss, as Isadorna had been hand chosen and groomed, for service in the House of Kings. She has not been seen by anyone apparently, in all the years since her disappearance. What if there were hatchlings? What if this is her baby? Ok, ok… I could be wrong, and I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
Let us get to the doorway and regroup to formulate an idea of what must be done...
You may be thinking that I would write about my study habits, research for my books, or even food recipes for a Ninja Foodie. But No! Of all the times to ask this question, WordPress waits til now for this prompt.
I was not out on the web searching for the meaning of some deep insight from study, nor was I working on a writing project, or baking some delectable treat from reading a Pinterest article.
If truth be told… I was looking for a cheat code… yup folks, a cheat code for my computer game. See, my cat died! He was not just a cat, but a Great Panther from over near the Black Galleon camp.
Long story short, I went to clear out a pirate ship with my husband and brother in law, and I brought Brodie, my Panther. I have gotten quite attached to this kitty, as I have had him since we began this adventure. I should have known better than to take him in somewhere that these two go. Soooooooo……… Brodie got stuck up in the Captains Quarters and by the time we got to him, he was dead.
I know it was just a game, but I actually almost cried when he died. In my inconsolable grief, I entered into Admin Mode and resurrected my fallen companion, as any good game cheater would! Once I had my compadre back, I needed to bring his stats back up to match his previous numbers… no more death to my feline!
And this is how I found myself out on the great world wide web, asking Google for a cheat code that would level up my big cat, before I went to bed last night. Thanks for calling me out WordPress!
Journey With Me! 