My Lighthouse

"It is impossible to win the race unless you venture to run, impossible to win the victory unless you dare to battle."

-Richard M. DeVos

Dishes

My Dad is a really great dad. He plays with us, loves us, listens to us, helps around the house, takes care of the yard & pool and more. One job that he does not like to do is washing the dishes, but you would never guess this. If it needs to be done, he does it. Never complaining, never hinting that he doesn't like it. How many of us are willing to do the "dishes" is our life? The job we dread, the thing we really do not want to do. How many of us, while we are doing the job, never complain or hint that we absolutely despise it? Not many. How many of us roll up our sleeves, get our hands dirty, and scrub? Spiritually, do we do the dishes? Clean off our plate (heart & life) with leftover food (sin) and wash till it's clean? Let's pray a prayer and roll up our sleeves, get our hands dirty, and scrub.

a moment to reflect...

It is November, the month of turkey, chilly weather, and Christmas shopping. At the end of the month we get out our thankful lists, maybe add a few items, and then put them back at the bottom of our dresser drawer until next year. It is the month of colorful leaves and warm scarves. It is an excuse to go to Starbucks more often with a friend and hang out. Knitting needles are taken back out and we are motivated to read more. It is all fun, but let me take you back to the second sentence: At the end of the month we get out our thankful lists, maybe add a few items, and then put them back at the bottom of our dresser drawer until next year. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, a time to eat good food and get together with friends and family. But is this the only time we give thanks? Let me say that again: Is Thanksgiving the only time we give thanks? Mostly. While churches and revivalists are focused on the "big" things in Christianity, many things are lost through the gaps. Why? Because people don't read the bible for themselves. It is very sad actually. When a girl receives a love letter, she reads it over and over and over again. It is still very special every time. She knows it by heart before very much time has passed. And then we have the world, so desperate for love, so broken, so hurting, and God has written this love letter to us, and we never even look to see who it is addressed to. God used Paul to write a big section of the NewTestament, Paul was really big on thanksgiving. David, the Psalm writer, was a worshiper. He wrote many many Psalms about thanksgiving and praise. These are two men of the bible, they knew what strength there is in thanksgiving. They had lived it. To name a few: thanksgiving renews your mind. It speaks truth to the lies of the enemy. Where there is thanksgiving, there cannot be resentment. To be truly thankful is to be satisfied. There was a girl who could have everything in the whole world except for one thing, and she wan't satisfied. That girl was Eve. And look at what happened out of her response to her dissatisfaction. You think we would have gotten it by now! Thankfulness, true thankfulness is humble and not selfish and prideful. Out of that humble heart we give.

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive!"

So, if thanksgiving reaps so many good things, why do we only do it once a year, and even then, not fully? Let me change that: If thanksgiving reaps so many good things, why do you only do it once a year?...

"Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Philippians 4:6

"Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always."
Psalm 105:1-4

"Praise the LORD
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Psalm 106:1

I encourage to to take a few minutes to reflect on thanksgiving, I encourage you to go and read other scriptures about it yourself, and then talk to the Lord about it.

He is good!

Precious Words...

"Katy, come up on the trampoline and fly with me."
-Ana

(and you know I couldn't resist)

The Artist

The Picture

My four year old sister, Ana, is an artist. She loves to paint and color. If she loses the special picture that she made for a special someone who is coming over for dinner, there is much distress. She is very creative with tape and is good with the scissors too. One of the things that she loves to do is to keep her picture a secret to all in the house until it is finished. If one of the many family members happens to not hear her voice shout through the house, "No one look at my picture", and happens to look over the artists shoulder...well, we won't go into detail about how she reacts, but she's 4, remember :). Now, think about the amazing artist who paints the sunsets and creates the butterfly's wings. I have a friend who is an artist, and she says when she gets to heaven she is going to get some art lessons from God! Beside the point, think how God made Adam...Adam was an original. No one had ever made man before. Think of how our bodies work, the amazing skill and design it took. I stand in awe. Now think of how He creates our lives. He is Omniscience, all knowing. He is the creator of our lives, though we are free to choose the way we will walk. I can just imagine Him, up in his workshop in heaven (not even sure if there is one, but work with me here) creating, writing, dreaming. He's painting this beautiful picture. That picture is your life, and it's not done yet. He's saying to the angels, "Don't look yet! It's not done!" And the angles are getting really excited and are saying, "God, can you please just give us a little hint. Maybe just show us some of the colors you are using?" He smiles, his hands the hands of an artist at work. He considers, "Let me finish this little part, and then you can have a peek." The angles are jumping up and down now. They just cannot wait for that little part to be done. "Is she gonna be an evangelist, a worshiper? Are you giving her the gift of healing? Who are you going to use her to minister to today?" He smiles, patient but concentrating on his work. "Nope, she's an original." He slowly turns the canvas around, covering up all but a small part so the angels can see. They stare, and stare, and stare, then start jumping up and down again, then they start squealing and shouting, and I am pretty sure one faints. And they have only seen a little part of the picture! Same with us, maybe not so dramatic, but we are seeking, seeking, and seeking with all our heart. God takes us somewhere, and you ask, "God, what is the plan you have for my life?" He gives you a glimpse, and you are overwhelmed. But sometimes, when you ask Him for more of the picture, He doesn't show you. I think it's a matter of you trusting and obeying God, but also, can't you see Him up there saying, "Don't look, I'm not done with my picture yet!" You are getting excited, God is getting excited, He gives you another glimpse after some time has passed, and then He might say again, "Don't look yet! I'm not done!" And God is not done with you yet. His hands are those of an artist. They have paint and ink and little balls of clay stuck to them. His hands are also those of a Daddy. Always ready to love and to kiss the hurts that life brings. He is also our Savoir, our Ransom, Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit being the same. He broke our chains. He is our friend, our best friend. Always there to listen and do whatever He can do to help you. He is the lover of our souls. Sending us "spiritual flowers" to make our day, the closest person to us, one who truly loves us. He is our King. He's the unshakable King over an unshakable kingdom. He has all power and all authority, the victory is already won. Remember, he is unshakable. And He's painting...

"...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6(B)

"God has a very unique way of scooping up the shattered fragments of our hopes and dreams and molding them into a plan of His own---a plan vastly different from ours, but far more wonderful."

Anita Dittman

...God's plan for your life is so amazing. It is beautiful! Our minds cannot even comprehend it. Lay your plans and dreams down. God's plans and dreams are always better than our own. Yes, God did give us certain gifts and talents and put dreams in our hearts, but if He gives you that dream and you lay it down, don't you still think He will make it come true? And if it's not from Him, then you lay it down, it's finished, and you will discover God's dream for your life. Don't believe me? Well, why don't you just find out for yourself. And remember, He's painting...

"Don't look! I'm not done yet!"

This song is "Second Chance" by Rend Collective Experiment. Really pay attention to the lyrics of this song. I have put them under the video and have put some of the lyrics in italics and bold because those are the words I really want you to focus on. I pray God ministers to you through this song!

My future hangs on this
You make preciousness from dust
Please don't stop creating me

Your blood offers the chance
To rewind to innocence
Reborn, perfect as a child

CHORUS:
Oh Your cross, it changes everything
There my world begins again with You
Oh Your cross, it's where my hope restarts
A second chance is Heaven's heart

When sin and ugliness
Collide with redemption's kiss
Beauty awakens by romance

Always inside this mess
I have found forgiveness
Mercy as infinite as You

(Chorus)

BRIDGE:
Countless second chances
We've been given at the cross
Countless second chances
We've been given at the cross

Fragments of brokenness
Salvaged by the art of grace
You craft life from our mistakes

Black skies of my regrets
Outshone by this kindness
New life dawns over my soul

(Chorus)
(Chorus)
(Bridge)

And remember, you're an artist too. Create this week! And remember create does not necessarily mean to draw or paint. Write, garden, sew, build, use your imagination, design, draw, paint, do pottery, cook, respond to a situation using the creativity God has given you! And they are MANY more creative things that I have not listed. I would love to hear about your ideas in the comments :).

1. cre·ate

   krēˈāt/

   verb

   1. 1.

      bring (something) into existence.

      "he created a thirty-acre lake"

      synonyms:

      produce, generate, bring into being, make, fabricate, fashion, build,construct; More

   

   
   

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