what made these wise guys so wise...

“...and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him.  Then opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)

At first glance, it may appear that the only gifts the Magi presented to Jesus were gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Costly gifts to be sure, yet, there lay hidden beneath the gilded robes of these men another gift.  A gift that was much more precious, much more valuable than the three we are familiar with.  

Considered by the world as wisemen because of their superior knowledge of astronomy and astrology, this is not what made them truly wise.  It was not even their worship of Jesus that made them wise, nor was it the overflowing of gifts to Him out of their worship that made them wise.  What made these wise guys wise was belief in the Word of God.  It was out of this belief that everything else flowed.

“Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:2)

Long before their journey to worship had ever begun, as astrologers, they had seen the star in the East, and being familiar with the Scriptures, they believed in and saw fulfillment of prophecy.  It was belief in God’s Word that preceded the purpose of their journey.  Put the two together, belief and the journey based on that belief, and in that they had gained a heart of wisdom.  Knowledge of God’s Word does not become wisdom in our lives until it is acted upon in faith.  A heart of wisdom.  More valuable than gold, frankincense and myrrh.  As they fell to the ground and worshipped Him, it was a heart of wisdom that they were truly presenting to Him.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”

         Psalm 90:12

To number our days is to have an understanding and respect of the brevity of our time here on planet earth. The psalmist realized that time is a precious gift.  A gift that no one but God Himself can give.  So, he went to the Giver of time to be taught by Him, how to number his days.  How to live wisely in the time apportioned to him.

You and I have also been given, not only the gift of time, but also a gift from the magi.  It’s a principle.  A principle that teaches us that what we believe will ultimately chart the course of our days.  What made these guys so wise is that they had numbered their days, their calendars if you will, with the ink of belief in the Word of God, and then lived out their journey accordingly.   

LORD, in just a few days, I will be turning my calendar page to the very first day of a brand new year.  Each day will be a journey unto itself.  Teach me to number my days, that I may present to You a heart of wisdom.  

Additional Reading:  Proverbs 8:11  Proverbs 16:16   Ecclesiastes 2:26   

                                          Colossians 2:2-3  James 3:17  James 1:5   Proverbs 3:13

Your Precious but!

Please excuse my phraseology here,

 but honestly, 

Your BUT could be your BIGGEST asset today!

"Be anxious (afraid) for nothing, 

BUT in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 

let your requests be made known to God." 

Philippians 4:6

Your BUT is your point of turning. 

Will you ever be afraid?

 Yes! 

Will you ever experience being anxious? 

Of course! 

But your BUT is your turning point. 

Your BUT is your higher ground. 

Listen to what happens on the other side of your BUT....

"And the peace of God, 

which surpasses all comprehension, 

will guard your hearts and minds 

in Christ Jesus."

By using your BUT to it's full, God given advantage, 

what begins with fear or anxiety 

can end with PEACE!

Let's determine to take God at His Word. 

Let's find the joy and peace and victory 

that is on the other side of our precious BUTS!!! 

Bless you today!

feeling a little sketchy...

Journaling and drawing, in one form or other, seems to have been a part of my life since I was a very little girl.  I have no idea what happened to my childhood writings and drawings, 

but I remember a few of them quite well.    

My best friend in grade 3 and I had a way of sharing our ideas through stories and drawings.  On rainy days we would, together, share the same wooden chair and desk in my room where we would have a beautiful blank piece of paper laid out in front of us.  One of my relatives in Scotland had given me one of those ridiculously ginormous pencils for Christmas, and it was with this that we would create the most wonderful tales.  

I would begin by positioning my fingers around the base, as near to the HB lead as I could get without the huge pencil eraser at the top tipping the whole thing over, then I would draw an impressive arc in the middle of the pristine paper, and utter the words, 

"once upon a time, there was a beautiful green hill."  

... and the story had begun!

The pencil would quickly change hands as my friend would then eagerly add her own drawing to the page and utter her own, imaginative words.  The whole entire process usually ended up in a fit of giggles as little stick people emerged with their equally stick-y little dogs, with lollipop heads perched precariously upon almost none existent necks.  

I do remember, however, that although the stories changed with each new sheet of paper, the sun was always predictably huge in the upper right hand corner, while hundreds of blades of grass and flowers were added along the bottom with each exchange of the pencil.  

Last week as I was engaged in a lengthy phone conversation, my hand inadvertently picked up a pencil that was close by and finding a piece of stray paper began to gently move in effortless ease across the blank expanse.  

My hand began a slow dance of straight lines and swirls, of bends and twirls, while I remained oblivious, carrying on in the conversation at hand.

Later on that evening, I returned to my desk to tidy things up for the day.  As I was crumpling up papers to place in the garbage, my eye caught sight of the edge of something different from the others.  

I slid it out from between two sheets and I just stared for a moment.  

It was my mindless doodling.  

Crudely drawn pencil lines, childlike in dimension, simple in its form, 

but there it was... 

my heart was telling me a story.

 It was my heart's happy thought of the promise of Spring, just around the corner.  

The beauty of the garden just waiting for me to come and play, create and enjoy.

The anticipation of the renewal of Life in the midst of winter's chill.

I smiled.

Then I giggled.

A hydrangea blossom.

A watering can.

A hose.

A mouse.

Given enough time, 

I'm sure my hand would have predictably had the sun,

huge in the upper right hand corner,

while hundreds of blades of grass and flowers were added along the bottom of the paper.

"For behold, the winter is past,

The rain is over and gone,

The flowers have appeared in the land;

The time has arrived for singing..."

                                                     Song of Solomon 2:11-12

a little summer Vlogging

You can find this audio book club series over in The Room to Read!

But He said to them...

"But He said to them, 
"It is I; do not be afraid."

                                                                                     

Many times, the most fearful of situations and circumstances has Jesus written all over it.

How different it would be.

What a difference it would make in our hearts...

in our life...

if we could, in the midst of our fear, have the ears to hear Him say...

"It is I, do not be afraid."

It's not so much the circumstance,

as it is Jesus.

Presenting Himself to us in the midst of it.

Fear has the ability to blind us from seeing Jesus.

Fear distorts our vision.

It closes, not only our eyes to Jesus, but also our hearts and minds to Him as well.

We respond to the fear with the very thing fear feeds upon the most... our flesh.

Fear gets fat when we operate in the flesh.

It starves when we are walking in the Spirit.

I love the narrative that follows the declaration of

  "It is I; do not be afraid."

It says...

 "So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, 

and immediately

the boat was at the land to which they were going."

Am I, are you, willing to receive Him into the boats that are our particular lives?

Into our hearts?

Not placing our trust in the circumstance, the fear, or our own flesh.

But placing our trust in Him and in His Word to us...

"It is I, do not fear."

This being willing to receive is not just our initial receiving of Him at salvation.

This being willing to receive is an ever present continuous action, 

for every moment of every day,

until we take our final breath here on planet earth.

Yes,

our salvation at that one moment in time has secured our place with Him in heaven.

But it is our daily,

moment by moment willingness to receive Him here and now,

 that ensures the immediacy of our very heart, mind and soul stepping with solidity upon the shores of our promised land...right now!

Right where we are this very minute!

What is this promised land amid the fears and circumstances of life?

It is the land we have been given to reside in,

and live off the bounty of NOW!

The land of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

It's a land Whose shores can only be reached through the hearing and willing receiving of The Very Word of God...

"It is I, do not be afraid."

Many times, the most fearful of situations and circumstances has Jesus written all over it.

Climbing Walls...

One of my birthday gifts this year was to go and climb a wall.

I thought it was fitting that it was one of my children that gave this to me.

I have been wanting to do this for quite a long time now.

I invited my husband to come along and enjoy the thrill as well.

Here is the 'yin' to my 'yang'.

Thrilled he was not.

He was a trooper though.

And so we scaled the wall together.

Just as we have always done.

Some walls were harder than others.

Tiny footholds.

Large gaps of space.

But every small movement upwards,

carried with it the thrill of victory!

There will always be those moments in our lives,

when to heed the call to 'Come up Higher',

will require of us.

Body, Mind, Soul and Strength.

But the Joy of the climb outweighs it all!

The Gift of Easter

Early this Easter Sunday Morning, 

I stepped outside to take in a deep breath and greet The Day.

Something New caught the corner of my eye, 

and as I turned toward the colour amid the green foliage,

I saw that The Son had chosen to shine His light upon this lovely gift of Beauty,

to cheer my day and to point to New Life and the Hope that is found in Him.

Blessings upon you and yours this Easter!

Walk On...

I've been walking these dykes since I was 10 years old,

and every morning they greet me like a Faithful Friend.

This morning they were beckoning me to 'walk on'.

Even the puddles appeared as stepping stones to me, leading me into the New Day ahead.

I thought about how there is nothing quite like a Word of Encouragement from a Faithful Friend,

to continue on in your walk along The Path of Life.

 This little fellow and many of his brothers and sisters continually chirped and swooped around me, joining with me along The Path and reminding me of the simple joy of greeting with delight and thanksgiving another New Day.

It's just a given that along this Path of Life,

 there will be moments when our flesh will obscure portions of the Higher View...

yet the Promise Still Remains...

"His Word,

The Son of God,

 Jesus,

will be a Lamp to our feet,

and a Light unto our path."

                                      Psalm 119:105

Walk on! 

Dare to Get Real Conference

In the early months of 2012 I was asked if I would be available to join seven other speakers at a Women's Conference to be held in November 16-17, 2012.  I was asked to write a "bio" about myself.  As I was writing in my journal that night, I was reminded of all that God has done, not only in my life, but in the lives of all the women that I have been privileged to have been able to share this magnificent walk with.  My "bio" is God's story in, and reflected through, me ... and so I wrote in my journal that night, what was in my heart...

"So often we are encouraged to study our Bible, but have never really be shown how.  I have had the pure joy of watching women, of all ages, develop an intimacy with God that comes through the study and knowing of His Word.  Know His Word and you come to know Him.  A woman who knows her God will not fall for a lie, because she has risen with the Truth.  A woman who knows her God stands firm, no matter the circumstance or trial, she displays great strength and takes action.  Instead of looking outside ourselves for these kind of women, let's purpose in our hearts before God that we, ourselves, will go and be that woman amid this generation, knowing our God and living accordingly!  One by one, together, we will be a beautiful "planting of the LORD that He may be glorified."  (Isaiah 61:3)

It's not about me... it's all about Him.
The above "bio" was submitted.

The Women's Conference is on.  

I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

The Dare To Get Real Conference Website link... http://www.getrealconference2012.com/ 

Everything you need to know can be found there, 
Sessions, Speakers, Video, Facebook Page, Registration... 

Fabulous Friday!

It's another FABULOUS FRIDAY!

fab·u·lous

 [fab-yuh-luhs]

adjective

1. almost impossible to believe; 

Did you catch that?

 "...almost impossible..."

But certainly,
by no means,
 impossible!

ALL THINGS are POSSIBLE with God!
Matthew 19:26

May this FABULOUS FRIDAY,
leave you shaking your head at the wonder of it all.
The fabulous wonder of believing...

"...that Jesus is the Christ, 

the Son of God; 

and that believing
you may have LIFE
 in His Name."
John 20:31

FABULOUS! 

Thrilling Thursday!

It's another THRILLING THURSDAY!

THRILL

1. to affect with a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement

She... was crying. 

She... saw Him. 

She... heard Him. 

She... did not recognize Him. 

Grief can do that. 

Then, He called her by name....

Jesus said to her, "Mary!"

She turned and said to Him, "Teacher!" John 20:16

So, perhaps it wasn't a Thursday...

but if thrilling means a sudden wave of keen emotion or excitement... 

then, 

right in the middle of her overwhelming grief, 

this girl TURNED ... 

her amazingly THRILLING DAY had begun!

He's calling your name today.

Hear Him, turn to Him... 

and know the JOY of the THRILL!

Wonderful Wednesday!

It's another WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!

Perhaps today will just be another Wednesday you can tick off as 'done'.

Perhaps today will decide to tick you off and declare you, 'done'!

Either way,

what's so wonderful about Wednesday?

No matter what this day brings.

No matter what this day holds.

Remember,

There is One Who is intent on holding YOU!

His Name is Wonderful...

                                             (Isaiah 9:6)

Tremendous Tuesday!

It's another TREMENDOUS TUESDAY!

 If you are feeling a little fragmented today, 

frayed around the edges 

and seemingly ready to fall apart, 

remember that "IN HIM all things hold together" 

(Colossians 1: 17) 

It's a Good Word!

Magnificent Monday!

Today I posted this on Facebook...

It's another MAGNIFICENT MONDAY!

“But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!” –Romans 13:11-14, The Message 

After more than a few conversations this past week with women, 
who are weary in well doing,
 it made me think of how we frame our days in thought.  
Monday's seem to be dreaded DAYS before they even arrive!  

This week, I'm eagerly anticipating each morning, 
being clothed in Christ and JOYFULLY RECEIVING...

 MAGNIFICANT Monday, 
TREMENDOUS Tuesday, 
WONDERFUL Wednesday, 
THRILLING Thursday and 
FABULOUS Friday!  

Each is a day the LORD has made... 
wouldn't I be a silly girl not to choose to REJOICE and be GLAD in it!

May this week be a blessing to you as you joyfully anticipate each new day,
clothing yourself IN HIM!

with love,

Heart Matters...

A young woman from church recently texted me this verse.

I loved it as soon as I saw it.

My text response back?

"Thank you!  

No wonder I pray for God to give me 
a pure heart and right spirit... 

nothing worse than a woman 
who speaks from her heart 

and others in the room have to duck 
just so as not to get smucked!"

God instructs us to "Above all else, guard our hearts...".
It's important what we let into our hearts.
What we allow to fill our hearts.
Because it's our hearts that ultimately move our tongues to speak!
This is what God calls, 
the fruit of our lips. 
The fruit of our lips is the harvest that is reaped 
from the seeds that we have allowed to be sown 
into our hearts and minds.

Here are a few seeds that are worth sowing into your heart and mind today.
Seeds that will bring forth a beautiful harvest.
The fruit of your lips...

"...whatever is true, 
whatever is honorable, 
whatever is right, 
whatever is pure, 
whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute, 
if there is any excellence 
and if anything worth of praise, 
dwell (ponder, think) on these things."
Philippians 4:8

Lost and ... Found!

Yesterday morning I awoke to the drumming of pouring rain.

I love the sound.

 I had planned on doing some gardening and I wasn't about to change my plans.

So, in the still early hours of morning I headed outside.

The Lavender needed trimming back.

So with cutters in hand I began to take away the spent blooms.

As the old was cut away to make way for the New I saw something sparkling.

As I bent even farther down to take a closer look I was delighted to see that hidden amid all the foliage were my long lost reading glasses.
I usually hang them off the front of my top.
They must have fallen off when I leaned over to smell the gorgeous fragrance of the blooms!

And so began my meditation for the day.

One of my favourite things to do is to take moments like this,

 and to see them with a Biblical perspective.

God's perspective,
 on the subject of lost and found.

Finding my reading glasses had me meditating upon Luke 15 most of the day.

In this passage Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep,
the lost coin,
 the lost son.

We know him as the prodigal.

Lost sheep need a shepherd.

Lost coins have value.

Lost sons are in need of fellowship with their Father.

You cannot read through these parables without noticing how many times the words "joy", "rejoice" and "celebrate" are mentioned.

And always by the One Who has found,

that which is lost.

v6. "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!"

v. "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!"

v.32 ..."we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found."

Finding my reading glasses amid the spent blooms,

put a song in my heart.

One of thanksgiving.

One of pure wonder.

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 (1725-1807)

Fighting the Good Fight!

There is a vast difference between fighting over something and fighting for something.  The good fight, fights for the good thing... not over it.  To walk in freedom is worth fighting for.  To forgive and love without constraint is worth fighting for.  To take action in the purposes and will of God, without thought for any person's reaction or responses, only set on pleasing God, and glorifying Him... this is walking in true freedom... true Peace!  It's worth fighting for!

Let Your Light Shine!

The society that you and I live in, has the definite propensity to bring about a lack of restraint in God's people.  The culture that we find ourselves in, by and large, are "unfaithful to the LORD" yet I noticed in my reading today that it was not unfaithful Ahaz whom the LORD chose to humble, it was the people of Judah BECAUSE of Ahaz, king of Israel.

For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,

for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was very unfaithful

to the LORD."

                                                                2 Chronicles 28:19

This verse reminded me of Proverbs 25:28.  A lack of restraint quickly manifests in having no control over our own spirit, which is likened to a city that is "broken into" and  "without walls"... the implication being that the enemy now has access to come in and "kill, steal and destroy."

"Like a city that is broken into and without walls,

is a man (or woman!) who has no control over his spirit."

                                                          

God fully intends that we have control over our own spirit!  Blaming the culture in which we live in, or another person in particular just doesn't hold much water!  What brings about a lack of restraint in God's people and begins the downward spiral is our own unfaithfulness.  Our own desire to run off in all directions, chasing after the next delightful thrill!  Our only barometer being that if it looks good, feels good, smells good and tastes good... it must be good!

The unfaithfulness that brings about the lack of restraint in God's people is shown in our disobedience to God's Word.  Of course the flip side of that old, well worn record is that faith is shown in our obedience to God's Word.  Hhmmm.... how about the question 'where does unfaithfulness even begin?'  I'm thinking that unfaithfulness actually begins with an apathetic view towards God's Word.  How can someone actually be faithful to His Word when they don't actually know His Word?  Yep!  I'm bangin' that old drum again!  I like the beat and it rings true....

Faith KNOWS God's Word and then takes God at His Word and lives accordingly... no matter what any one person, or society as a whole may say or do.  This is truly Living!  And all the time we are to keep in mind and encourage ourselves and one another in the truth that "we are protected by the Power of God through faith."! (1 Peter 1:5)  You want the mighty protection of the Power of God?  It comes through faith!  And faith comes by hearing... and hearing by the Word of God! (Romans 10:17)  Girls... on your mark, get set, GO!... open those Bibles and start you some serious hearing!

Look, there is a wide road that by and large the culture we live in walks upon. I'm beginning to see a little more clearly, this "wide road" that God has warned us about.  I've walked a few miles on it myself and it causes a disquieting, dis-ease within my soul.  I crave, desire, the "Narrow Way" which imparts peace and clarity within my soul.  I find this Way full of joy and rest.

By way of encouragement, let's not be a city that has been broken into and taken over by the culture of this world.  Let's purpose in our hearts to have control of our spirit, by His Spirit, showing restraint and knowing and adhering to the Word of God by faith.  After all... we were created to be a magnificent city, set upon a hill, letting our light shine...

It's Knowing Where to Look...

At my age, excessive blinking can reek havoc on my equilibrium,

it also has the potential of causing my contacts to fall out.

And,  I'm thinking,

  excessive blinking might also be a little disconcerting 

to those who happen to be around me at the time!

This well meaning assurance on the elevator panel, just tickled my funny bone.

(And yes, I know it was referring to the little red light!)

But I like to look at things from different angles,

and so, to think of some unsuspecting stranded person, 

stuck on a malfunctioning elevator, 

just standing there,

taking the message to heart,

and blinking excessively, 

just made me giggle.

It also made me think about what we actually do with our eyes during times of trouble.

There is such a vast array of distractions that we have to choose from,

in which to turn our gaze upon...

doctors, money, people, places, things...

yet there is really only ONE thing that is needful,

and for a girl who loves simplicity,

nothing could be more simple than this...

I lift up my eyes to the mountains -

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

                                            Psalm 121:1-2

The LORD also has a place for His eyes.

This Psalm goes on to tell us that He watches over us,

that He never slumbers or sleeps.  

In other words, He never closes His eyes.

He watches over us,

and watches over our life;

in all things concerning us.

He watches over our coming and going,

both now...

and forevermore.

Yes, Help is on the way,

His eyes are upon us,

and we are to look up!