Personally, I believe that there’s a huge difference between religion and relationship!
I do not follow, nor do I practice religion! I live a life indwelt by the Holy Spirit! That means God is with me, within this vessel, surrounding this vessel and carrying on a full relationship with the woman I am today.
No religion necessary… just Jesus!
Here, have a cookie…
Made of Iron, made of wood
Some have fallen, while others withstood
Some can be burned, or break free from their moorings
While others hold strong, given plenty of shoring
Bridges offer travel, from one side to the other
providing a way, helping one reach his brother
These connections need work, in putting them together
They provide safe passage, even if there’s foul weather
If a bridge is destroyed in the depth of a storm
The gap that it leaves, is where heartache is born
We must tend our bridges, making sure they stay standing
holding firm to the ground, over waves life keeps handing
If your bridge falls apart, breaking away from the dirt
Get down on your knees, and confess all your hurt
Even if your bridge broke free in the storm
God can build a new bridge, fully shaped in His form…
My answer would be YES, indeed I do remember life before the internet.
Oh… I’m sorry… was there something else? Since the prompt only asked If I remembered life before the internet, and nothing more, I’m trying to stick to a yes or no answer.
Here, have a cookie…
I’ve always had the knack, as a professional MeeMaw, for rocking babies to sleep. I’m well versed in softly singing lullabies, and rhythmic rocking or swaying, with or without a chair to sit on… It’s a gift!
Not only am I good at putting babies into dreamland slumber, I can effectively put grownups into a yawning lull. All I have to do for the grown ups is to talk. I’m like a life size version of a Chatty Cathy Doll. All you have to do is occasionally poke me and I will just start chittering away, allowing those in proximity to drift off into dreamy bliss, while listening to the non-stop, storyteller style voice I’ve been known to employ.
As much as I’d like to say that I gain satisfaction from watching other adults yawn and stretch peacefully, while answering a question they’d been the ones to ask, I prefer babies. They’re much more adorable when they snore, or when they toot in their sleep… just sayin.
Here, have a cookie…
As I was sitting here this morning, pondering what I should write for todays Live Wire, I found myself staring at my bible for a bit, not sure that I even felt like writing. I suppose that there are just those days, where I don’t feel like even reading my bible, even though I know that I should.
When I find myself in this place, it helps to have index cards with bible verses written on them, strategically placed around the RV to catch my eye. As I move here and there throughout the day, they allow me to see God’s words of truth, edifying my spirit and encouraging my heart. It wasn’t always like this though, as there were numerous times in my life that my bible simply gathered dust upon a shelf!
Many times I found that I didn’t have room in my life for such a commitment to a book. I’d read the bible enough times, I felt confident that I needn’t read the book so often.
Knowing what I do about humans, as a whole, I feel pretty comfortable saying that this is something everyone encounters in their walk with God.
Life interruptus occurs…
Birth, babies and childhood,
Unexpected twists and turns,
The pain and confusion of loss,
Good times that bring about a sense of Out of sight, out of mind…
Eventually, Holidays alone seem to be sufficient enough, for pulling the good book out and dusting off it’s cover.
Somehow, we turn the word of God into a tonic, of sorts! We use it when we need it, and then return it to the cupboard for next time. I found myself actually getting so angry at the Israelites, while reading of their rinse and repeat cycle of sin and consequence. Time and time again, they wandered off and got happy… forgetting God, returning to their old idols and sins, only to watch everything fall apart, and then they ran back to God, begging for another chance. My anger dissipates at the moment I remember that I do this all the time, now, today! We all do!
God’s word and promises are always so valuable and sought after when we are in need of His help, when we are hurting, afraid, or lost. We turn to Him in our time of need, in our time of anger or despair, in our time of utter Joy… but what about all the time in between?
In truth, I think that it’s the commitment to follow and obey during those in between times, which enables God’s word to strengthen and keep us standing strong, while in the intense highs and lows of life. Something like staying the course, even when it doesn’t feel necessary to pay attention. I’d like to say that I’ve advanced beyond the Israelites revolving faith door, leaving their ridiculous behavior behind in the distant past, to become so much wiser than sinners of old… but unfortunately, I cannot!
Human nature is not something we shall ever overcome, not by our own power. That’s most likely what God wants me to understand, as I read through the biblical dirty laundry list of our predecessors screw-ups and consequences. It’s not so much about WHAT they did wrong or right, but about humanity as a whole… sinful, willful, and needy children… but all created in the image of God. As a parent, I don’t look back with memories of all my children’s faults, nor have I ever stopped praying and hoping for them. A parents love is unconditional, a trait provided by our ultimate parent! My kids generally didn’t come asking for mom’s help, until they’d already tried and failed first. By nature we are all selfish creatures, only asking for help during or after we’ve learned things the hard way, revealing that we can’t do things on our own.
I guess what I’m saying is that the Bible is like the spiritual version of things like toothpaste, clean underwear and love… we should probably be using them all the time, rather than only when we feel like it! If we don’t use them consistently, they’re rather ineffective when only being employed in emergencies… just sayin.
This question drew me all the way back to the beginning of things, when Eve was deceived into believing that she deserved to “have it all”, and things didn’t turn out all that well.
I, personally, think that it would be wiser to focus on whether we should attain it all, rather than if it’s attainable.
I may carry Eve’s human nature, but I don’t have to let it rule over my life. May wisdom allow me to learn from her lesson, so I might not repeat it!
What is this lesson?
Quality over Quantity!
Here, have a cookie…
Put your money where your mouth is!
Your turn…
Ready, Set, Go…
With as much writing as I do, along with the growing number of projects ready to be printed, I am now waiting to talk to that one key person that can make things happen.
I can do the imagining, the writing, and the preparation… but now I need someone to print it out. I may not have a number of colleagues to write accolades about my work, nor do I have money growing off the trees, which is needed to fund things. What I do have is God! If it is within His purpose, He will see it done!
When the timing is just right, I believe that there is a Publishing Company out there, perfectly suited to for printing my style of works. If I don’t do things God’s way, I don’t want to do them at all! Whomever God chooses for me to talk to, I’m willing to wait for them.
Just sayin…
Here, have a cookie…
As I arrived at the barn this morning, for a moment, I actually thought I might have a quiet opportunity to write about Squagon, our furry little flyer. Thinking that perhaps the babes had already headed down to the pond, I blissfully headed for my office, thinking how easy today’s writing might go, without all the babes underfoot. What a rookie mistake!
Upon opening my office door, my senses were assaulted by a room filled with sneezing, sniffling and miserable babies.
It looked as if a large box of tissues had exploded all over the office, covering both my desk and the sofa. Poor Tilly was doing her best to comfort and care for everyone, while barely able to stand on her own tiny feet… she was just as ill as the rest of the babes!
I promptly took the tissue box from Tilly’s hands, directing her to the couch, where I tucked her beneath the blankets. Leaving Brutus to watch over my tiny pitiful crew, I dashed home to grab some herbal teas, honey and a stack of Disney videos. The babies were definitely not feeling good, but a cold is not the end of the world, though it will be a few days before this passes. All I can do is to make things easier for them, soothing their symptoms with the tea and honey, and offering myself as a human sized feel-good pillow.
I’ve put on Rescuers Down Under, as this is one of their favorite movies, and I need to get the tea started as soon as possible. In his agitation, Boomer keeps trying to eat all the tissue paper, which is grossing everyone out… myself included!
Squagon’s story will have to wait for next Friday, when this whole cold thing blows over… get it… blows over?!
Anyway, just in case you were concerned that I wasn’t taking this seriously, I’ve put in a call to the local Animal Clinic and they’re sending someone out later today. Just because this seems like a simple cold, there’s no point in taking any chances with these little ones. A small thing can quickly get out of hand, if one isn’t paying attention. With these little ones, I thought that it might be better to get them checked out by an expert, just in case!
Never fear, as I feel certain that all will be well in a day or so, and I should be able to start back to writing again shortly. For now, though, I hear Dinky crying because Lilly took her pillow, so I better hurry inside, and turn myself into the human pillow I told you about earlier.
Journey With Me! 