Thankful Thursday: Foolish Words

"A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back." Proverbs 29:11

I’m learning (very slowly I might add) that I don’t need to speak everything that enters my heart or mind. Many times we speak way too quickly.

I had that circumstance the other day on the job. I became very frustrated at what seemed to be a dishonest action toward me. I felt betrayed and lied to. This set the tone for the rest of my afternoon. I then left work (upset of course) and stopped at the daycare to pick up my Grand Daughter. My Son was there as well. At times we become distant with one another and I’m certain it is because we are much alike. We can both be stubborn and independent (in other words – willful sinners)…..
I don’t get to see him often and I asked what his family did all weekend.. He explained where they went and what all they did. I popped off with “Is my home banned from you all?” WHY…………….WHY do I do these things. My hearts desire is to please the Lord! Was this a statement that encouraged my Son? Reflected Christ? NO…. not in anyway were those words representing the LOVE OF CHRIST.

Today I’m thankful for the Lord’s still small voice that softly speaks – Holly, don’t say another word…… Ask your Son to forgive you and let him know the truth… The truth is that I love my Son with all of my heart and desire to see him… To share his life!

Lets all focus on what is true…. Not what we are feeling or thinking someone else is feeling. Truth is the only thing we can control in our lives is how we react to others actions and the only way we can react in a proper way is if God is in our heart and we are meditating and thinking on his WORD DAILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanking God today that he has chosen me even when I will never be able to deserve it!

Holly

Thankful Thursday: Finding True Joy

This morning I woke with thanksgiving on my heart as I realized my fan had stopped blowing..... My electric had gone off. I prayed to the Lord to allow me to be content in all things. I know this was not a life altering occurrence but it was an issue that I could have allowed myself to get frustrated for the inconvenience of my "comfortable life"...... I asked a small request for the Lord to allow me to be "content in all things".....

I found a quote by C.S. Lewis this morning that encourages me to EXPECT BIG THINGS FROM GOD:

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is not part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Today I'm thankful that I can trust in the promises of God and hope for good things.
KNOWING THAT MY JOY IS IN THE LORD!

Hugs,

Holly

Healing

Healing is on my heart this morning....
I found the following quote by Dave Harvey yesterday and it fit my heart completely:
Random Quote

"Perhaps the longest lasting damage from spiritual abuse is loss of ability to trust. Mark Twain said that a cat that walked on a hot stove would never walk on a hot stove again. But then, it would not walk on a cold stove either…Finally healing comes when the individual is able to give help to others out of his own experience. The ideal setting for this is a support group. This writer has felt for many years that there needs to be a bridge between the abusive experience in their past and a grace oriented church to which they will eventually go, or maybe are now trying to re-learn to trust. That bridge needs to be their “Church In Between” a place of refuge that will function as a church, with understanding of their responses. Because, they are still like the cat that walked on that hot stove."

Sadly - I was like the cat that walked on the hot stove...
Not wanting to place my trust in a church again. I can say from the heart that today, I'm a part of a church that is my family. We love one another, serve one another and CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. Are we all still sinners? Of course!
Do we all still need Christ? ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The quote above states: We need a place of refuge - That bridge that can be the church in between........How Ironic is it that the name of my church is "THE BRIDGE"..... Which illustrates the bridge that Christ created through his death to enable a relationship between God and his children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm thankful that God led me to a church family that I can be free to admit my faults, seek counsel and still be loved in spite of who I am!

IS THAT NOT AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHURCH BEING THE CHURCH? I believe it is :)

In Christ,
Holly