What was He thinking?

Oh it's been awhile since I have been on. Just thought I would take a minute to get these rusty fingers a chance again.

Palm Sunday is tomorrow, and it fell afresh on me last night, how Jesus might be feeling on this day of the week. Not yet riding into Jerusalem on a colt, He had probably just raised Lazarus from the dead and was attending the dinner in His honor. And when the woman poured expensive perfume on His feet and wiped it with her hair...how must the emotions of what it meant felt to the LORD?

Did He smile at her with a shade of heartache in His eyes? Did fear pulse through His veins? We're you on His mind? Was I? It thrills me and causes me to be still to imagine that warm evening in Bethany, where my LORD reclined, receiving the fragrant offering of sacrifice, that ultimately pointed to His Sacrificing His life for us!

Let us soak in the very presence of GOD this week and take in everything Jesus did for us.

¹³Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Random Friday

A few random thoughts this friday, that I thought I'd share:

• Women of Faith Conference tonight in Anaheim; really excited to go. I have never been and would have not been able to attend had a woman not given me four (4) free tickets - YES 4 FREE tickets - Bless you Janet! And Thank You God - pictures to follow.
• I start Boot Camp the next morning; yes Boot Camp! I am officially going to start working out, something I HATE to do. But health is a factor, I have put on an extra 30 lbs, and not because I am having a child anytime soon.
• I switched banks this week. It feels like I am starting school, needing all different papers and such.
• I start Women's Bible Study in two weeks; Esther (thx Siesta Mama). It will be the first year I am a group leader.
• I am contemplating highlights
• I have discovered a new found love for GH (General Hospital). Although this came as a shock to me, I think it pleases my mom ever so much. (She is a 30 year watcher).

What are your random thoughts?

God Bless Brothers

Brothers are a special gift! I have a brother who is older than me by 20 years, but I can't tell you the mystery it is to think of my mom (who was single with both of us) to have a unique relationship with him. He is always a picture of someone I find facinating and I would be lying if I didn't want to be like him every now and agian.

I was blown away the other day watching my nephew(12) with his little sister (10). You see, my niece is a singer - she LOVES to sing and has a great voice as well as a wonderful stage presence. It also helps that she has no fear and just goes for it, but I'm getting off course.

At every chance, she will sing a few songs for whomever will listen; this off course drives my nephew banana's. "If I hear one more Taylor Swift song..." he will threaten, and who can blame him.

But I noticed the other night, when she was singing for him, myself and their grandmother and she blanked on the words - who knew the next line? He did. Who sat quiet the other night at a BBQ and let her sing? He did? He supports her by his gentle way and lets her be who she is. How she will benefit as a woman from that support.

So I want to hear it for the brothers that are supportive in both words and actions. Now I am not saying they are still not going to call each other names and tell on each other. But let's encourage our youth - and if you see them naturally possessing a spirit of giving and love towards their sibling, embrace it and encourage it. They as men and women will benefit from it.

A healthy fear

The other night, I was invited to a bonfire at the beach near where I live. It was a birthday party for a friends' daughter - she was turning 13! Right at the end of the night, all the kids grouped together on the sand talking and, well, let's be honest texting! Can you believe it - I don't even own a cell phone, but anyway.

We had one lantern and the glowing embers of a fire that had burned for most of the evening as our light. The rest of my surrounding were dark. The moon seemed to light enough to show the outline of the waves rolling in. It was then that I felt it, the presence of God.

But this time the presence was that of His largeness, His strength, His power. In that moment of seeing the undisturbed ocean of dark against the darker sky, I felt small and I'll be honest a little freaked out. Like "Perfect Storm" freaked out!

The very vastness of natural creation and His workmanship was before me but it was a feeling of it being untamed, that was a little scary.

The power of God is untamed, and very real. We always like to focus on the love of the LORD - which is just as immeasurable, you see, He is balanced.

Untamed, unashamed LOVE/ Untamed, uncomprehensible POWER

I heard a Pastor say once, "The wheels of God's judgement turn slowly, but they grind thouroughly," (Jon Courson)

What a thought! I somehow like that statement even though it scares me. I felt that feeling that night - that God is Love, but God is powerful, God is just.

It makes the gift of Grace even more stunning.

Beth Moore Simulcast

OK, I realize this is shameless and frankly if anyone reads this, they probably live in Texas and can't do anything about it - but here goes...

We are hosting the Beth Moore Simulcast at my church

Capo Beach Calvary

August 28th-29th 2009

Tickets are only 25.00 *and that includes everything., yummy snacks, beverages, childcare.

*Tickets go up to 35.00 after July 17th, 2009

If anyone reading this is located in the south Orange County area of California, please don't miss out on this event. This will be a wonderful time of fellowship, worship and in-depth Bible study. If you have any questions, please email me (on my profile page).

There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another- showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 The Message

God bless you Ladies, and I hope you can make it!

Last second grace

I drive the freeway every morning and every evening - what fun! Actually it is more stressful and weird than I ever imagined. And given the fact that you have a bunch of people going 65, er, 75mph (who are we kidding) trying desperately to get to their destinations first, it makes for a circus of ego's and brakes.

Here is Orange County, CA, we take our driving seriously - no cut ins, no merging; if you could not figure out that you were meant to be in the right lane way back when we did (I'm not going to let you pull in front of me back there either) you sure are not going to cut in front now! It's a wonder we have a nervous system left at all.

This morning while driving I came up to my exit and noticed that someone cut right in front of me. AGHHH! I made my annoyance known to them by inching up, yes I realize this is a non-christian thing to do, you'd be wise to imagine my horror when I know I have sped past someone angrily and know that the last thing they are going to see on my car is not only my fish but my dove as well!

DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO

So me and this "bad" driver were just about the place the exit separates from the freeway and this car zooms in front of them. They, I am sure were bitter and mad (maybe it's just me) but for some reason, the ultimate GPS; God. Plain. and. Simple, spoke to my heart and said, life is like a highway, wait, no that's Rascall Flatts.

No, seriously, we are all going towards heaven and some of us cruise, and some speed, and for some, right when we take the Eternity Heaven off ramp, choose to refuse those who realize at the last minute, that is their exit. In essence His question was clear and gentle, "Do you want to be the girl who keeps them from getting in your lane simply because they hadn't figured it out until then?"

NO!

I want to be someone that is able to slow down enough (safely - if actually on road, metaphors and driving don't always go together) to make sure that anyone and everyone who in that last second wants to go, gets to go.

LORD KNOWS, there will be no other way for me to become this person without Him, but my sincere prayer is that my need for salvation for others becomes more important than my need for speed.

Cast down your crown

Well, well, well; beauty pageants can be fun. A wonderful tradition of poise and glamour, we revel in the whole, well, for lack of a better word, pagentry of it all. Women, who are beautiful and beautifully coifed floating around the stage in glitzy, stunning gowns hoping that all of their hard work and MONEY (gulp!) will be worth it and they can all of a sudden hear the runner-up's name called and tear up, startled, as they get to put that beautifully designed crown atop their head.

Oh to be a beauty queen!

This must have been Carrie Prejean's dream - Miss California, who had everything going for her (including the feathered dress, love it!) But alas, her destiny came down to a loaded question by a biased judge who had no intention of judging fairly. And she lost. But wait, did she really lose?

“By having to answer that question in front of a national audience, God was testing my character and faith. I’m glad I stayed true to myself,” Fox News quoted her as saying.http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/miss-usa-runner-up-god-was-testing-my-faith-with-gay-marriage-question_100182636.html

Well I applaud you Carrie; it is refreshing to have someone who regardless if I agree with (I just happen to) HAS the character to stand up and give a "big girl" answer. At the end of the day, she knows where she stands and who she stands for.

Matthew 25:23 (New International Version)
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4: 10b-11.

When we lay our crowns down, literally for the sake of the truth of our king, there is no losing in His sight. And no losing in ours. Sure she would have loved to have done the job of Miss USA and in my opinion sending a candidate to the Miss Universe pageant that speaks her mind with class and dignity in lieu of opting out of making a stand on any issue, would be refreshing. Not to mention the fact that she spoke with such care and kindness. Class and dignity are hard to come by these days, she possessed both. Shame on those who pass up kindness in search of "open mindedness," when it dosen't line up with their agenda.

But don't fret, Miss California, even though you will cast your crown before the LORD because of His brillance and beauty beyond compare, and gladly so, I am pretty sure He will give you a beautiful crown to adorn your head.

To watch the full interview, see below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5tZbga2Iz8