ABOVE IT ALL

My husband and I just returned from a trip to Florida and Washington D.C. We found ourselves vacationing during Florida's tropical storm Andrea! Evidently, as a native Californian, I have truly been sheltered from any destructive climatic conditions. However, I was abruptly made aware of just how menacing and traumatic “mother nature” can be. We were caught off guard in a thunderstorm at Disney's Magic Kingdom in Orlando. A large group of us tourists huddled together under a gazebo as the rain poured down in torrents, lightening cracked, and thunder roared. I have never in my life heard thunder crash with such vehemence. The ground practically shook. Literal jagged bolts of lightening split the sky merely one second after each peal of thunder. I was no longer innocent as to how powerful and intimidating nature can be. While we were in “the sunshine state” the media warned of possible tornadoes and locals advised us that falling trees posed real danger. We survived the storm and traveled to Washington D.C. While in D.C. we continued to hear reports of how the fearsome weather was, chasing around and heading up the New England Coast. It was rather unclear as to where all the havoc was truly happening at any given time.

While waiting in the airport for our return flight home, there was a threat of a coming storm. We did depart, however, and soon climbed above the mire of sinister dark clouds in the sky. The climate above the ominous clouds was serene and placid. Our flight was quite smooth and peaceful and the sky above the clouds was blue. We sailed through the air and arrived home safely.

I thought back to my brush with a T-storm in Orlando. In the airplane, I was reminded of the fact that during the situational storms of our lives, we can ride high above the turmoil. When adverse life circumstances threaten and alarm us we can seek the Lord and be carried heavenward on wings of comfort and repose. Through praise and worship, reading God's Word, prayer, and Christian fellowship we can rise to an elevated level in the spiritual atmosphere.  I am so grateful for our Lord who bears us up beyond the emotional distress of negative circumstances.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, 

whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in Thee.” 

(Isaiah 26:3)

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 

shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

(Philippians 4:7)

By Cathy Friberg

A Prayer That Speaks Into Our Lives

This is a prayer written with teachings of AA in mind. In AA people are encouraged to give all to God and submit themselves to Him. The 12 steps work for many people to be delivered from Alcoholism it they are worked and God is sought. These principles also hold for people who are not alcoholics face many of their challenges and problems in life and find victory.






12 step prayer

God, I admit I am powerless and my life is unmanageable without Your help and guidance. I come to You today knowing that You can and will restore and renew me to my needs of the day, and that You will restore my life to order and harmony. Since I am powerless and You are all powerful, I make decision to give You my life, my will, my thoughts, my ambitions; I give You all of me, the good and the bad. All of my character... defects and shortcomings, .my selfishness, self-centeredness, resentments, self-will. . .all of my defects I admit to You and give to You.

I turn my loved ones over to You and the old idea that I can change them. I turn my problems over to you knowing You can work them out for the good of all concerned. I humbly ask You to remove these shortcomings from me; if there is any changing, You'll have to do it and make me willing to be changed so that You can use me to be of service to You. Help me and keep me ever mindful of the people I have harmed and keep me willing to make amends to them all. Please teach me to watch for the sly little foxes that creep back into my life. The sins of my personality that harm You, myself, and others that separate and cut me off from the sunshine of Your spirit. And when I commit these errors, make me aware of them and help me to promptly admit it.

Please show me the way to one of Your children today who is still suffering and does not know the way of Your love, mercy and forgiveness that I might share with them what has been so freely given to me. Prompt me to be ever loving, giving, caring, sharing, surrendering, accepting, releasing, grateful, and honest in. all my affairs, Amen ( in Jesus name I pray)

Shared by
Angie Madison

Garden

Sounds of all sorts entered her newly-formed consciousness. Awareness of light seeping slowly past her closed eyes.  Breathe, in and out.  Listen, feel. Opening eyes slowly, seeing colors and shades.   Soft breeze carrying scents of…flowering things.  A tickle across her face makes her smile.  She thought it was her tangled, curly hair, but discovered it was a butterfly, stopping to rest its new wings by stepping delicately across her new face.

She turns her head cautiously, allowing the next breeze to lift the butterfly into flight once again.  She raises one hand to encourage its journey, waving farewell.

Her eyes slowly take in more colors and shapes around her.  Growing things; trees, plants; water, flowing from mountains unseen into rivers; like the one she rests beside.  Moving things in and on the water.  Fish and frogs; leaping and diving to swim.  Birds of all colors, shapes and sizes. Huge ones standing on long, stately legs as thin as her smallest fingers.  Tiny birds, with wings beating so quickly, she almost did not believe that they were really there.  Feathers like flowers and the shimmers she could see in the mists churned up as the river leapt across the rocky places; or the muted colors of the rocks and sands she had yet to see. 

She sits up slowly, allowing her mind to hear the naming of things.  Grass, sky, ants, fruits and vegetables; an amazing array of things spread out before her, as far as her eyes could see.  Oh! The variations of color exploding before her eyes were almost too much to take in.   Almost as if these things came into existence, just because her eyes moved to that space.

Animals..um, cats!  Many different kinds of cats.  Small, fluffy things that are softer than anything she could imagine.  These were huge, tawny ones right across the river.   They were majestic and solid; drinking deeply from the water. Looking at her and watching for other movement around them.  Appearing completely relaxed and yet alert at the same time.

Other creatures approached the river cautiously, aware of the incredible power resting in these…lions. Their obvious strength and subdued ferocity demanded careful planning by the other animals wishing to share this tranquil, fruitful place.

Slowly she stood, arms spread to balance herself as she adjusted to the strange feeling of standing fully upright.  She frowned briefly, wondering why and how these thoughts came to her. 

Suddenly, she knew.  “The Creator!”  She smiled feeling the joy of knowing that The Creator of All was pouring thoughts and knowledge into her mind.  Telling her that she had a mind, and body.  Allowing her to identify everything she saw.  Letting her know colors and sounds and what she touched and what scents drifted to her in the breeze.

Laughing, she startled some birds nearby, causing them to leap from the tree branches and dart away into the sky.  The branches were shaking, leaves fluttering and snapping loudly.  Then she realized that the noise was coming from somewhere else.

An upright figure was heading towards her, running through the brush and overhanging branches.  She tilted her head, waiting for her thoughts to name whatever it was.  These thoughts were not clear, like most of the others were.  Words tumbled around; confusing her and making her heart beat quickly in anticipation.

Suddenly, he was there.  Panting a bit, he stood with his hands reaching out, almost as if he was going to take her in his muscled arms.

They stood silently looking at one another, noting the similarities and differences.  Somehow knowing that they were meant to be together.

He, the man took her, the woman by the hand. Smiling at one another, they walked together, each waiting for the other to speak.

Written by Lynda Kinnard

DANCING

                                       ......................doing the Cha-Cha

I came across a clever quip recently. It reads, “Optimist: someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it's a cha cha.” (by Robert Brault, writer) I loved this idea.

This month I become an official senior citizen. If there's one thing I have learned through the years, it's that you can't cry over spilled milk. We all make mistakes. I've made some doozies. Of course we are sorry when we lose our tempers, dent the car, overspend, or make major poor life decisions. We can feel the sting of our mistakes and backsliding  We may even suffer their consequences and ask for grace to do better next time. Then, however, its probably best to move forward and get back in the game. The best solution is not to wallow in self-pity or self-contempt. Rather it is to continue on, understanding that relapse is part of the process of recovery or “sanctification.”

The concept of the cha-cha presented earlier in this writing may be more spiritual than it appears. I believe the Lord wired us to dance. It is part of our joyful childlike nature. There are many references to dance in the Bible. It can be used to express our gratitude toward and praise of the Lord. There is a song titled, “Lord of the Dance” by Sydney Carter. It pictures Jesus as our leader in the dance of life.

My husband and I took a few ballroom dance lessons at one point in our lives. I learned some great life lessons. One of the things our instructor kept emphasizing was that my husband was to take the lead. I needed to follow him willingly and graciously. It was my responsibility to allow him to lead. What a difficult but valuable lesson for daily life in my marriage relationship. Our dance teacher advised my husband to be aware of the other couples dancing in the room. He needed to be sensitive to them and to flow with them. In this way he would not collide with them or impede their progress. I thought this was a good word for the body of Christ. We are all one unit. We need to cooperate with one another and to move together toward one purpose. 

                                                                                     (Name of graphic..."GOD - YOU - AND - I - DANCE" 

Creator is God...Human creator of graphic is unknown.)

Even though we pray and fix our hearts on the Word of God, we may still be guilty of some faux pas. Being tired, over stressed  and merely human can cause us to fall into indiscretions. But let us be like Paul who said...

 “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God

 has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” 

(Philippians 3:13, 14) 

Let us rejoice always in all things, even after a so called “failure.”

“For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 

(Nehemiah 8:10) 

The more joy we have, the better we can serve the Lord and others. Let us take joy in this dance called life. Then we can trust the Lord to weave even our mistakes and regressions into His marvelous plan.

By Cathy Friberg

Laughter...Healing and Contageous

Who’s Laughing Now?              by Allen Randolph

“The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh?’”  Genesis 18:13 NIV.

God can turn incredulous disbelief into inexpressible delight.

My thoughts and comments today ask, “Who’s laughing now?”

Have you thought much about laughter? I amused myself one day by thinking of the variety of words to describe differing forms of laughter like: smile, grin, smirk, giggle, titter, snicker, chuckle, cackle, guffaw, but my favorite may be chortle. I am chortling just reading these words.

As the words differ, all laughter is not the same either. There is a nervous laugh from discomfort when a person is unsure or uncomfortable. There is a scoffing or skeptical laugh of disbelief when something sounds too good to be true or you know to be untrue. There is the sound of a friend laughing with you, differing from the awkward moment when someone is laughing at you. And there is the happy laugh of your own joyful anticipation of good.

“The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh?’” Genesis 18:13 NIV. Sarah’s incredulous laugh happened before discretion could stifle it. Hearing Abraham being told that she would have a child was more than she could mentally process or dare to believe. That time of life was long past. Read Romans 4:17-22 NKJ and Hebrews 11:11-12 NIV.

Months later, Sarah again laughed but her laugh was far different as she cradled the miraculous son in her arms, as promised by God. God had changed her laughter from incredulous to incredible! Sarah named her son Isaac, whose name means, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” Genesis 21:1-8. God changed her laughter forever from disbelief to inexpressible joy. Others would never again laugh at her, but would laugh with her.

Maybe there are prayers you have not dared believe God would, or could answer. A promise of God that once warmed your heart now seems too long delayed, until you are no longer expectant. Maybe dreams and hopes that once brought joyful anticipation now silence your laughter. There is good news. God has a plan for you that will turn your laughter of disbelief into inexpressible delight. “For I know the plans I have for you . . to give you hope and a future.”Jeremiah 29:11 NIV.

Every day, God wants to birth new life in and through you. He whispers promises of your future that He will fulfill. God’s delays are not denials. “For I will turn their mourning to gladness; I will give them . . joy instead of sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13 NIV. Isaiah prophesied of Messiah, “The Spirit of the Lord has anointed Me . . to comfort all who mourn . . to give them the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV. Listen closely to your heart; you may hear God laughing and inviting you to laugh with Him.

Life should be – and can be – filled with laughter. Laughter is healing and contagious, brightening your life as well as the hearts of others. God loves to fill your days with laughter; share that laughter and brighten the lives and hopes of others. Solomon wrote, “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.”Proverbs 17:22 TEV. See Psalm 126:1-6 NIV.

My prayer for you today is for your laugh to be of joyous expectation, not disbelief.

Shared by Cathy Friberg

What is it time for you to do in this Season?

Seasons

Perhaps it was the way Peter, Paul, and Mary crooned its lyrics in the 60's which caused Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 to captivate my heart. It is a masterfully written passage. As a literary piece it certainly lends itself to music. It's message is profound and has a wistful pensive tone. This selection penetrates the soul and yields to numerous personal interpretations.

As you read the words of 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

may the Holy Spirit guide you in relating them to your own life experiences. I hope you find that this passage of scripture gives you peace and assurance concerning past, present, and future seasons of your life. May this literary work, originally written by King Solomon, encourage you with confidence in the wisdom, sovereignty, and providence of a loving God. 

                                                                Ecclesiastes 3:1-8                                                                  

1 “There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down anda time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
 a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

The epochs and eras of our lives serve to craft us into who we are. The Master Potter uses them to refine our character and to help us to see things through His perspective. As the words of Ecclesiastes reveal, in life there are processes of comings and goings, tearing down and building up, of wounding and healing. It is sometimes only in retrospect that we can see the hand of God in the times of our lives.

As born again New Testament Christians, despite our changing circumstances we have an ever present constant joy in the knowledge that this earth is not our final destination. We are pressing on toward an eternal Kingdom where...

 “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:
 for the former things are passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

By Cathy Friberg

OUR FATHERS BUSINESS

It's tax season and the Liberty Tax service sign spinners can now be seen out on busy city street corners. As I was waiting at a stop sign the other day, I gazed at a young man dressed as the Statue of Liberty dancing about on the sidewalk. I marveled at his energy and courage. He was donned in a long blue gown, wearing a crown and wielding a sign advertsing his employer's business. He lept around, willing to look the fool, and actually putting himself in harm's way as cars whizzed by, not an arm's length away. I was sure that whatever his financial compensation for this task was, that it was not near enough. Still, his smile seemed surprisingly authentic and made me begin to ponder.

As Christians are we as willing to go out on a limb for our Saviour? God's heart is for souls to be saved. He longs with passion for a lost and wayward world to come to know, trust, and love Him and to share eternal life with Him. As His agents here on earth we need to be willing to throw ourselves into His cause. In order to draw the lost to Him many times we need to put ourselves into inconvenient, sometimes even hazardous situations. Like the side walk sign spinners we may feel foolish, work tirelessly, and yet need to maintain an air of winsome confidence. Our wages are infinitely higher than those of the Liberty Tax workers. After all, we will be rewarded with an eternity of heaveny bliss. We may hear those coveted words from our Master, “Well done good and faithful servant.” While laborers are out reminding people that it's time to prepare for tax return day, let's be about our father's business. As we love, serve, pray, counsel, comfort, and minister let's remind the world (and the church) to prepare for the coming of the Lord.

By Cathy Friberg