Tag Archives: Grace

Offer ~ Five Minute Friday

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What Do I Have to Offer?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)/ Pixabay

What do I have to offer?
What could I possibly bring?
Fitting for the Savior,
Who offered ME everything!

I wish there was obedience
I could lay down at his feet.
If only my fears and failures
I could once and for all defeat.

Strength in every situation
Is what I’d like to give,
But weakness is the lowly place
Where I most often live.

What do I have to offer?
I’ve no riches nor sweet perfume.
No gift that could repay my debt
To He, who walked from the tomb.

Oh, to sing like the Angels,
Songs of praise He deserves to hear.
Or eloquent words of thanks spoken
With a voice so confident and clear.

Instead here I stand empty-handed,
With nothing to impart.
When a still small voice reminds me,
Grace is a gift from God’s own heart.

This gift to us was given
When Jesus hung upon that tree.
Because our God so loved the world,
We who believe are eternally debt free!

Now that the burden’s been lifted
What we have to offer comes from above.
Faith, hope, and mercy,
But the greatest offering is love!

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7 (NIV)

I’m privileged to be joining the other gifted writers at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com To see what they are “offering” up today just click on over.  I know you won’t be sorry!

Whole ~ Day 27 ~ 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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This post is part of the October 2018 Edition of 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes. I hope you”ll join me in seeing where each prompt takes us.
 P.S. Just so you know, I’m finding it difficult to stick to five minutes (**) and it may take me longer than the 31 days to finish all the prompts. Not easy for this rule follower!
You can read more 31 Days entries at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

A Whole New Me

“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) / Pixabay

A glance in the mirror
And what do I see?
Not who I pictured
But a whole new me!

When did those wrinkles
Appear on my face?
My girlish figure?
Gone, without a trace. Continue reading →

Story ~ Day 1 ~ 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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This post is part of the October 2018 Edition of 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes. I hope you”ll join me in seeing where each prompt takes us.
 P.S. Just so you know, I’m finding it difficult to stick to five minutes (**) and it may take me longer than the 31 days to finish all the prompts. Not easy for this rule follower!
You can read more 31 Days entries at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

 

“Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story-those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,” Psalm 107:2 (NIV) / Pixabay

A Story to Tell

If you know me or have read enough of my ramblings here, you might guess that I love to tell a story and you’d be right!  With the tone of my voice, facial expressions, and just the right words, it brings me joy to draw a listener away from the real world and into the tale I’ve created for them. Focusing on the faces of those looking back at me with wonder, spurs me on; and before you know it, I’m not only speaking with my voice, but my hands have become involved in telling the story, too. Sometimes I can say more with my hands than I do with my mouth.  With a wave, a thumbs up, a fist, a clap: a storyteller’s hands can speak volumes and help bring what’s being said to life! Continue reading →

His Mercy Rains and Rains ~ Five Minute Friday

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It’s raining over at  http://www.fiveminutefriday.com not really, but the prompt is “rain”. Grab your umbrellas! Here we go……

“Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Jude 1:2 (NIV) / Pixabay

It rained and rained and rained and rained. By afternoon: school was dismissed early. By evening: phone lines were dead and the electricity flickering. By nightfall:  we were without power and water was rising in the cellar. We awoke the next morning to an eerie hush that hovered heavy on the air. No birdsong. No traffic. No voices. Just the loud roar of rushing waters making their way down what had once been the road that lead in and out of our little town. In a matter of hours, life completely changed and from that moment on, time was defined as “before the flood” and “after the flood”.

When I left my classroom in the rain that day, I never imagined it would be weeks until I’d return. I’d called my mom to tell her we had a flood warning but not to worry. It never occurred to me that we’d be out of touch for what seemed an unbearable amount of time. Nothing could have prepared me for handing my nine month old son over to Army Reservists who’s all-terrain vehicle could make its way across mountains to take him to my in-laws’ farm where there was wood heat, when we had none. The flood of 1985 destroyed roads and farms, demolished homes, and swept away precious lives. It also taught me about community, perseverance, compassion, and God’s amazing grace!

We are rarely prepared for the storms of life. They come unexpectedly and often leave us in dark and seemingly unbearable places. It’s easy to feel engulfed. Even though many years have passed since that November flood, I’m reminded still today of the lessons I learned in it’s aftermath. While singing along with Chris Tomlin’s song “My Chains are Gone” one day, I got to the lines: “And like a flood, His mercy reigns. Unending love, amazing grace.” and I was overcome!   I know what a flood can do and these words reminded me that God doesn’t give his gifts of mercy, love, and grace like a light, spring rain but rather just like a flood: with all its power, abundance, and an outpouring that saturates our souls and fills us to overflowing. When we accept those gifts, time then becomes defined as “before Jesus” and “after Jesus”. And our lives? They are completely changed forever! Amazing!

 

 

Sweet, Sweet Surrender ~ Five Minute Friday

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It’s Friday, so I’m attempting to write for five minutes on the prompt, “Surrender” today. If you want to read more or join in hop over to http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:25-26 (NIV) / Pixabay

Time starts now.

When I started thinking about today’s prompt, “surrender”, lyrics started playing in my head.  The calm, pleasant voice of that spectacled, blond haired “country boy”,  John Denver (a popular singer back in the day for you youngsters) began singing to my soul:

“I don’t know what the future is holdin’ in store
I don’t know where I’m goin’ I’m not sure where I’ve been
There’s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end.”

The song continues:

“Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care.
Like the fish in the water, like a bird in the air.”

Wouldn’t that be lovely?  To live without care? How much time do we spend (waste) caring about what we look like, what others think about us, or what the future holds?  I can tell you right now, that for me…..It’s. Way. Too. Much!  The fish and birds have it right! They swim and fly along being just who they were designed to be. Wondering if their feathers make them look fat,  if their nest is as big as others, or if they swim faster than anyone else isn’t part of their make up.  And guess what?  It isn’t meant to be part of ours either! 

In the midst of our crazy, social media driven, high-speed lives, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and alone.  Cue the music…We must remember that there IS a Spirit who guides us and a Light that shines for us! And even when we’re worrying and scurrying, God says we’re valuable.  Think about it…..Our lives were worth dying for! And because of that, we can sing at the top our lungs right along with John, “My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end” because we KNOW the end.  So, how about it?  Ready to practice some sweet, sweet surrender? I sure am!  I continue to work on being set free from the comparison trap.  What’s one care you can give up?  Let me know in the comments below.

(Yes, yes, I know.  More than five minutes.  I’m a work in progress)

Work and Revise ~ 23&24/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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Well, this rule follower is stretching the rules today. I’m combining two days into one post to finally catch up.  I might as well admit it now, I’ll probably stretch the five minute limit too….

“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7 (ESV) / Pixabay

“Work harder!” “Do better!” “Don’t fail!”  This was my mantra for many years.  Those of you who are close to me or who have read some of my blog know that I’m a recovering perfectionist.  For oh so long, I believed that I had to earn the love and approval of others and God.  I guess we all know how that worked out!  The harder I tried, the more I failed, so the harder I tried.  It was an exhausting vicious circle! Attempting to be a flawless daughter, teacher, wife, mother, friend, and Christian seemed right to me, but always impossible. So of course, I concluded that I’d just have to continue to work harder to measure up!

Enter God and a circle of Christian friends!

Joining a small group changed everything!  There I learned that I needed to revise my thinking and the way I was living. What a relief it was to finally understand that I. Absolutely. Will. Never. Be. Good. Enough! It’s a large learning curve for a works girl to believe, live, and become a grace girl! It takes a lot of editing! Rewriting the dialog in my head, deleting my “saved by works” attitude, and amending my focus from what I can do myself to what God has already done, is definitely an on-going process.

Jesus went to the cross because you and I cannot do anything on our own to be worthy of eternal life.  I’d be lying if I said it’s easy for this perfectionist extraordinaire to let go of her ways. Maybe you can relate. I take comfort in, and you can too, that each of us is a work in progress.  Revisions are required. But, what peace it brings to know that we can trust God, the true Author of our story, to complete it to perfection!

 

Write ~ 12/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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“But Jesus told them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:43 (NLT)

I’m old enough to remember back before iPhones, iPads….computers for that matter, ever existed.  In those days if we wanted to stay connected to one another we had to write letters.  Finding a letter from my grandparents, a friend, or other family members in the mailbox was always exciting!  Those pages were filled with the latest news, questions about our lives, and lots and lots of love. It wasn’t unusual to read them over and over again just to feel like we were right there with the ones who sent it.

In today’s world where people seem to talk to each other less and less, it occurs to me that we are the letters from God to those around us.  We were created to tell the Good News. When our words, the activities we’re involved in, and the way we treat others are different from the world, it may spur questions about why, and of course, love is the greatest thing we can pass on to those around us!

What letters do your life and mine write to the world?  We’ve been “signed, sealed, and delivered” to be a way to connect someone in need to God’s love and saving grace.  And as we share that over and over, the more we’ll feel we’re right in the presence of Him who sent us!

Remember ~ 10/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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Remember: “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24(NLT) / Pixabay

I have a hard time remembering some things these days.  What I had for lunch. Where my keys are. Why I came into the room.  My biggest challenge though, is to remember to forget!

My younger sisters have pointed out that while I’m forgetting day to day things of the present;  my memories of our past are becoming keener (a sign of aging, they proclaim). Don’t tell them, but I’m really ok with that! To remember the happy times we’ve spent with family and friends serve as a reminder of how blessed we are!

My remembering the past doesn’t stop with vacations and holidays however, I can relive words I should’ve never spoken, moments I let loved ones down, actions that were anything but Godlike, and chances I missed to do the right thing as if they happened yesterday.  They play,  through my mind like an old home movie, frame by frame reminding me of my unworthiness. Ever happen to you?

There’s no doubt we’re going to mess up in this life! And mess up again. And. Mess. Up. Again. Enter Jesus! He took all our sins; each one nailed to the cross. Because of His grace, we need to remember to forget!  Not forget so that we don’t learn from our mistakes but rather forget in such a way that we live as God intends: FORGIVEN! Remembering times and people of the past is truly a gift but, remembering all our sins of the past is a burden we’re not meant to carry because Jesus. Already Did.

 

 

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Wise Wednesday 10/19/16

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“One of the gifts of being a Christian, is being content where you are.” I was in a conversation this morning when I heard these words.  They weren’t spoken about me, but they sure spoke TO me! Loud. And. Clear. And, I have no doubt I was meant to hear them.

Content: “satisfied with what one is or has”  May I be honest with you?  I don’t know the last time I’ve felt content!  In my mind, there always seems to be something lacking: in my circumstances, my relationships, and myself! It hadn’t occurred to me, until now that is, that trying so hard to be a good Christian has caused me to miss out on a gift of being a Christian!

 Striving is second nature to me…..striving to always do better and be better. That’s good, right? I’ve been telling myself it’s not only good, but it’s necessary! Now I’m wondering, is it? Constantly attempting to improve, worrying when I don’t, and the negative words that I repeat in my head DON’T feel like rewards at all. 

It took another conversation for me to see that I’ve been depending on…..wait for it…..ME! I don’t want to admit it, but all that striving is really my attempt at pleasing God through my efforts, my works!  Whoa!  As much as I’d like to deny it, and believe me I tried, this striving girl has been struggling so hard I’ve ignored the Giver and the gift!

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (NIV)

What about you? Are you as ready as I am, to stop the striving? It isn’t going to be easy.  There’s a part of me that’s scared at the thought of not constantly monitoring my progress but there’s also a sense of relief that comes with the knowledge that in my weakness, God’s power is made perfect. So, I say it’s time! Let’s open the gift! First, untie the ribbons that bind us to our performance. Then, let’s unwrap ourselves from the belief that we have the strength to do anything on our own. And finally, let’s  open our hearts and know there’s true contentment found in the “presence” of God’s grace. 

P.S. Thank you to my mother-in-law for sharing her wise words and to my husband, whose patient guidance helps me in this journey of life.

M’m! M’m! Monday 7/18/16

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"This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook--try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, BE FEARLESS, and above all have fun. ~Julia Child

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook–try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, BE FEARLESS, and above all have fun.
~Julia Child

Today I’m lost without ever leaving home.  My sense of direction, dulled; I find myself aimlessly floating between the past, present, and what’s yet to come. Wayward, I drift on the rising and falling   tide of “what ifs” and “why nots”…. leading me only farther from where I need to be. 

Yes, I’m adrift on the sea of woe is me.  Ever been there? It’s a much too familiar place where my blessings feel obscured, as if swallowed by the fog.  And my wants?  They seem far out of reach; just minute dots on the distant horizon. Sucked into the whirlpool of my own churning thoughts, the me I want to be, is missing.

SEND OUT THE LIFEBOAT!!!!!

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind but now I see.”  John Newton, 1779

Join me in singing those words over to yourself a few times.  They remind me that whenever we feel lost…lost in grief, in sickness, in conflict, in worry, in fear, or even in our own self-centered thoughts; Grace. Is. Our. Way. Home.

Sometimes, like today for me, it feels like the person we want to be is nowhere to be found. Isn’t it reassuring that we’re not navigating this journey alone? We have each other to hold on to, inspired music and writings to keep us on track, and the amazing assurance that we’re never too lost that we can’t be found by the One who leads the way!

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do?  Won’t he leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he finds it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.” Luke 15:4-5 (NLT)

Days like today just require comfort food so I’m sharing with you one of my very favorites!

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Comfort at its best! Yummm!

Comfort at its best! Yummm!

This is my Grandma Stevens’ recipe that we tweeked by doubling the crunch.  It works well with apples in the fall, too! Serve warm with ice cream or my preferred way….with milk!  Makes any day better! Enjoy!