Appreciation and Application of the Mystery

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Ephesians 3.  The entire chapter speaks VOLUMES to our christian life and walk today.  I have loved it before, or parts of it, I should say.  But it has recently and continues to take on new life for me.  Each time I study it, God shows me more.  I love that.  I have become addicted to it.  I can't get enough of it.  And it is changing me.

Last week, God brought four people to me to "love on" for him.  This scripture was the center of it all. 

I am humbled that in the past two weeks alone... there have been at least 5 comments about the light in me.  I am humbled because it is not me.  I am humbled because it is seen.  I am humbled because I am simply a vessel and it is the love of the Lord flowing out of me.  I am humbled because it has not always been seen.  I am humbled because I can see it in the mirror.  I am humbled because it builds my very faith and belief in the one giving it... my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I am humbled because it resides inside every believer.

I am moved to share this scripture and there is no way I can cover all of it in one post.  So my next several posts will be focused on this scripture.

Ephesians 3  
The Mystery Revealed
1) "For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles--- If indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power."

Purpose of the Mystery
8) "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, from which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Christ Jesus; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.  Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory." 

Appreciation of the Mystery 
14) "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the width and length and depth and height--- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Praise and Glory Be to God!
20) "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen"

My desire is to share what God has shown me about this mystery and the fullness of God in it.  I am by no means an expert.  I am by no means a biblical scholar!  I am by no means doing anything but sharing what God has shown me.  Why?  Because it is changing my life.  Why?  Because God keeps moving people to reach out to me for it.  Why?  Because this blog is a place where I can glorify Him and share my "God Stories".  Why?  Because over and over and over and over... you email me, facebook me, call me, text me, or handwrite me about how you see God here, that He has spoken to you, that you have been encouraged or inspired by His truth.  This has become more important to me than sharing how I cut a shower curtain in half to make a curtain! :0)  Now that has benefit too!  But this, God, His power and His love, has become my all consuming focus.

I encourage you to read Ephesians 3 on your own.  Read a sentence and look between the commas.  Ask God what that section means... then listen.  Then read it again.  The write it down.  We are going to take a journey... and I promise... it will be full and you will see Him.  Thank you for sharing it with me.

POST EDIT:  I want to clarify a few things.  1.) Anything I mention in this post and the posts to follow is not to be prideful or boastful at all.  When I share that people are lately commenting on a glow in my face... and that I am humbled to see it... that is for the glory of God... for it is only Him that is being seen!  And it is for the benefit of offering encouragment and assurance that the same glow is inside of you (if you didn't know).  I am sharing it in the context written because the ones who comment to me about it seem not to know they too contain it and it is my heart to get that out there.  It's like someone constantly telling me how much they love my lipstick and me telling them they too can have the same shade of lipstick, what it's called and where to get it!  2.) I am in no means suggesting that I have it all figured out and am any better than anyone else.  This is like coming across the biggest "Buy one get 500 free" sale and wanting to tell everyone I know about it... no, it's better than that!  I am far from perfect and I am far from knowing it all.  3.) I know this kind of post may not be for everyone.  But I do know that people are "asking me for it" and the Lord is leading me to share it... in obedience and against "fear of man" and "lies from the enemy"... if it benefits ONE... then God has touched ONE more!  If every "ONE more" was obedient to share with ONE MORE... this world would be in a much better state than it is.

As many places and in as many ways that the enemy bombards and attacks us with distraction, doubt, and lies... it is important to have many places and ways to share God's truth.  It is more important than anything else.

Freshening #1

Marc's room was the first to receive a freshening!  It's not a huge deal... but enough.

Now, this is simply sad.  When I FIRST did the room, his chest of drawers were under the mirror/clock and it didn't look so RANDOM!  However, when the crib went out and the toddler bed came in, I didn't want it in the middle of the wall and so it was moved to another wall.

This wall has little space.  I love the book rack that a friend gave me, but it is not practical in a toddler's room.  It only has screws at the top and so when he tried to "yank" books out... the whole thing bounces on the wall and... well... boucing book racks are not a good thing.

This WAS not as bad as this picture looks.  This WAS where the crib was and there were three wall plaques high above the crib with cute baby things on them (I took them to the consignment store before taking picture).  But this is just embarrassing sad!

Soooo... for $61 dollars... his room was freshened!  He LOVES Dr. Seuss and so I went with the Seuss theme!  His toddler bed came from the thrift store for $10!  Yep... daddy found that one.  It was white and covered with stickers.  "Goo Gone" took care of the stickers and a can of spray paint transformed it to this!  I am not including this $10 since he has had it since February!

I would like to spray paint the fan with our brushed metal spray paint (rocks from Home Depot) and paint the blades... that will have to wait.  I also spent $13 on the curtain rod and cut an old shower curtain in half and hung it with hooks!  The colors in the stripes are perfect!

I bought a large Dr. Seuss book from the book store for $18.  He has many Seuss books but I didn't want to tear them up and needed 8 x 10 pictures that were full page.  The book is a book of 6 Seuss stories and so it worked great!  I got the frames at Wal-Mart for $5 a piece.  What I really love about this concept is that the pictures can change.  So if he ever gets into "airplanes" or "flying"... I could replace the pictures with maps! 

Then I got a clever idea.  How about putting the mirror on his level instead of mine!  He LOVES it!  He dances in front of it and stands there and makes faces... it's great!  This chair was purchased from the thrift store for $10 (way back when).  I have future plans to recover the cushion and paint it (screen porch days ahead).  But for now... Marc likes to sit in it and look at books so I put a crib sheet on it (to hide the ugly cushion) and it tucks in great!

The chest fit (bought years ago at a thrift store in VA) perfectly on the little wall and so it moved there and the book shelf moved up!  I also added a cd player (ooops... forgot to add that money to the total) since the little one loves music and to dance.

I cleaned up the book rack using it to house the Seuss books!  The top shelf holds two antique "Winnie The Pooh" books but the rest is for the Seuss! 

And here it is from the doorway.  It looks SO MUCH BETTER but the coolest part is that he LOVES IT.  He calls his room, "Ham"... from "Green Eggs and Ham."  He has even taken people who come over, by the hand, and shown them his room!  THAT brings me a BIG SMILE!

And I have to laugh as almost everything in this room is from a thrift store!  The blue table by Marc's bed is from my grandparents and the hamper was also given to me for Abby by a friend in VA!  Cracking me up!

Rain

It finally rained today.  The earth cried out and the heavens answered with a steady down pour of fresh rain.  It was so wonderful.  And we praised God for it.

We danced in the rain.  We shouted praises in the rain.  And the girls played in the rain.

The sweetest joy filled my soul...watching them... being filled with simple delight.

I think playing in the rain is one of my newest favorite things.

Watching my girls play in the rain is another one.

We must do it again and again.

And yes, I was soaking wet too... but had to be inside to take the pictures!

The Lord's Supper

This past Sunday, the Lord gave me such a revelation during the Lord's Supper or communion.  I literally had to jump up and go to the back of the church!

I have spent years doing "my routine" during this time of worship.  I start with reflecting on the cross.  Then I move on to thanking Him for His sacrifice.  Then I move on to praising Him for what He has done in my life that week.  By that time, they are moving on in worship and singing another song.  I have done this for years.  I have focused on the cross and what God "has" done.

This Sunday, the Lord gave me such a gift, that I almost had to scream it out.  Seriously.  PRAISE HIM!  God's presence was so there.  I felt it flowing through me like electrical currents and had just had "communion with Him" during worship (singing).  I was thanking Him over and over for His presence as I held the bread and juice in my hand and then it hit me... my gift... my revelation.  I was just about to put the bread in my mouth and the words, "This is MY BODY" came to my mind followed by, "Do this in remembrance of me," followed by "where AM I?" 

I ALMOST shot out of my chair.  I did start laughing as joy came through me like a rush of LIVING WATER!  God is IN ME.  When I accepted the gift of salvation, (Jesus), I was then given the gift of life, (Holy Spirit), and they came to dwell IN ME!  I died to myself and gave my life to Christ.  For what?  TO LIVE IT!  Not for me to live it.  But for CHRIST to live it!  And in taking communion, I am reminded of several things.  1.) Christ died for me because God loved me that much! 2.) accepting Christ's sacrifice for me caused me to sacrifice myself so that He could live in me. 3.) taking the bread and the juice that represents His body and His blood reminds me that HE is in ME and He is my blood and flesh... not me. 4.) Jesus is alive in me. 5.) Jesus defeated death and IS victorious. 6.) If I can stay focused on the fact that I did die to myself upon accepting the gift of salvation, the gift of life can freely flow through me through Jesus and the Holy Spirit! 7.) There is power in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 8.) That power is alive and living and acting today. 9.) By learning about that power, believing in it, and using it... my faith grows to places beyond my greatest imagination and 10.) I am living in the Spirit 11.) defeating attacks and trials from the enemy 12.) giving glory and praise to God 13.) reflecting His light for all to see 14.) and walking in the fullness of God!  And the kicker is... when believers walk in this... people notice the light in them and they want it!  PRAISE THE LORD.  LIVING IT is our greatest testimony to the power and love of the LIVING GOD!   Salvation and the cross is ONE THIRD of the message... then there is POWER and then there is PEACE AND JOY!  GOD IS ALIVE!  And HE IS ALIVE IN US!

This is what hit me in my seat and caused me to literally jump up and go to the back to PRAISE HIM!
I am so thankful.  There is not a word that can hold all the thankfulness I have for what God is showing me!  I can not get enough of Him!

I am so saddened by the distractions the enemy bombards on us so that we never even find this out!  Then when we find it out... he tries to distract us even more so that we don't live it because when we live it... we are a threat to darkness!  And we are filled with joy and peace that comes directly from the Father!  How many believers walk in the power given them through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit!?  TOO many look just like everyone else... defeated.  They don't even KNOW there is more!  THAT is the great LIE from the enemy!!!!!!!!!!! (And the great tragedy of the modern church)  It is for a reason!  The enemy doesn't want us to know!?  Why?  Because it TRANSFORMS us INTO HIS IMAGE!  And what is His image!?  VICTORY!  It's hearing from the Father, doing His will, living in His power! 

But if we are distracted with all the "busy"ness" of this physical world, we are distracted from the spiritual.  Television, internet, activities, work, social networking, ALL distractions to keep us from the Father... to keep us from the TRUTH.  And it keeps us all from seeing the attacks of the enemy that come through everyone of those previously mentioned things!  Seek the Truth (seeking is a verb) and the Truth shall set you free.  (this is not just heaven... this is freedom here on this earth!)

OK.  HHmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... smiles.... deep deep smiles............

The kids are doing amazing.  Abby is doing amazing.  Taylor is doing amazing.  Marc is doing amazing.  Don is doing amazing.  And I... am doing amazing.

I am so ready for Fall.  It is my favorite time of year.  The beauty God declares and shares at that time of transition for nature is breath taking.  Things are dying yet they are so full of beauty.  Just like dying to yourself before you are reborn in the Father!

Love and hugs...

Hunger

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."  Matthew 4:23

"As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?"  Psalm 42: 1,2 

These two scriptures speak so much to what I feel every day.  I am so thirsty for God... for His presence, His power, His word, His peace, His voice, His face, His warmth, His touch, His love, His Spirit.

I have a hunger to be in His word more than I ever have before... even the Old Testament is becoming alive to me.  The Psalms have all new meaning.  Jewish feasts and Holy days are now calling to me to dive into them and learn. 

I used to read that scripture in Psalm 42 about a deer panting for water and think to myself..."Really... that thirsty and wanting...?"  YES!  It's consuming.  It's distracting me from daily tasks.  I can't get enough.

And I love the scripture in Matthew because it comes with a promise that is now a truth to me... "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED."  There is nothing better than being full of God.  Full with what He is showing you.  Full with His love and full with his power.

It's like being hungry and biting into an apple.  It looks great on the outside... the color is appealing and the smell tempts you to bite.  And once you bite into it, the flavor and the juice explodes in your mouth... causing your jaw to hurt from excitement and satisfaction and your stomach to cry out for more!  

How was I ever content before?  I was being lied to. I was being told I was fine.  How did I not know this hunger and this filling?  I was being lied to.  I was being told I was full enough.  How did I not see?  I was being lied to.  My eyes were veiled with distraction and worldy opinions.  And yet God was was calling me... all that time... a quiet but constant calling... for more of Him.

I had a deep stirring.  I wrote about it last summer in my blog.  Praise Him!  I felt He was stirring me and something was coming.  And I felt it was big.  But I felt no need to try and figure it out.  I felt no need to try and make "something" happen.  I just waited.  And waited.  And waited.

Then on December 8, 2009, I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit that forever changed my life.  

My eyes were opened to the spiritual realm that had been before me all along.  And the hunger for more of HIM took my breath away.  I am so thankful.  I simply sob when I try to put my thankfulness into words.  Our words are so empty when it comes to the Lord.  "Holy" and "Love" are the closest we can get.

As God continues to reveal His word to me, His power to me, His authority in me to me, His will for me, His fullness to me and His kingdom to me... I am BLOWN AWAY with the friends in my circle who have this same hunger and are having the same experiences.  I am left with my jaw hanging open half the time!  Why do we put God into a box!?  Have we not learned!?  

I used to know the historical God.  Now I KNOW the living God!

More... more... more... I so want more and more. 

Don't be fooled!

Yes, I am in a refreshing/decorating frenzy!  I'll have pics to post very soon!  But I saw an article today that I had to pass on, along with a warning... "Don't be fooled!"  The article is about how the producers of high fructose corn syrup are trying to get their name changed! 

The reason they want to change their name is because manufacturers are not using their product anymore in their foods like cereal, crackers, bread, and such.  Why...?  Because it's BAD for you!  It's BAD for your children!  And the public is finally waking up and looking at what goes into their bodies and are not buying it anymore!  Google "Dangers of high fructose corn syrup" and read the health articles. 

So they want to change it so we won't know!  SHAME ON THEM!  And the governement is probably going to do it!  SHAME ON THEM! 

So this is my public service announcement!  Stop pumping your body full of chemicals, pesticides, growth hormones, anti-biotics, and crap!  Get informed.  Another one I am REALLY against is splenda.  It's a chemical pretty much like chlorine.  Google "Dangers of splenda" and read that too!

 Now... eat healthy... organic... and have a great day!

P.S. I tried to post the article but the address has underscores that mess up with the auto link line that comes under it and won't work.  I'll work on it!

Itching

No not from bed bugs!  I feel the serious need for some decorating, crafting, and refreshing!  It's time.  Mommy needs to play!  Photos to follow!  I'm off to drop a load at the consignement store and the thrift store!  See you soon.

Here I am again...

Blogging has become so hard for me.  Not because I don't enjoy it... I love it!  But I have no time.  I pretty much try and go to bed with the kids now and that means I have lost hours of the night when I used to do this sort of thing!

But I am trying.  And I will continue to try.  Now onto some stuff...

Taylor accepted the Lord as her Savior on August 29th and was baptized in the creek behind our home.

She repeated words of faith after me and then was baptized by her dad.

It was pretty special.

Her smile says it all.  My heart overflows.

God is moving her in ways that just amaze me. 

Our conversations about Him and life with Him excite me.

I am so lucky to be a part of His plan for her.

We called her grandaddy that morning to tell him.  He surprised us and came to share it with us.

She wanted it to be private... just family.  It was very special.

Abby is doing better.  She went 7 days without a seizure but they have picked up again.  It's a hard battle.

But God continues to show me His presence all around her.  The other morning she had one... I went to hold her and realized I was not feeling anger.  Later that day when I was thinking about it, the Lord sweetly informed me, "Yes, she had one, and she is STILL OK."  It was such a gift.

 

Marc is growing... physically and emotionally.  His language has just taken off since we had his tongue clipped.  He is talking like crazy and his personality continues to bloom.  He started back to preschool two days a week.  He loves his backpack!

I am still trying to balance things, still doing laundry, still wanting to craft and decorate more, still being wowed by God like crazy, still facing my own challenges and still trying to find time for everything and enjoy the moment... with a bad hair cut!  At least it grows back! HA 

I think it's time for some color again!