Forgiveness is Everyone… Forgiving

There are lots of things I have done in my past and present that I have to ask someone to forgive me. Being married 50 years, it has been necessary for me to ask  my husband to forgive me hundreds of times.

Words spoken in a moment of haste or just plain anger, desperation or confusion can hurt the listener. Harsh words are said, feelings are hurt and the only way to end it and not have it always “in the air”  is to ask forgiveness. There is no other way to put to rest the strain that can build up over time.

Many times I have asked my children to forgive me. Sometimes they were still young and at home, under my care and responsibility. Yet, I found I had acted unkindly towards them, and had to ask forgiveness or I would not have the peace and love between us that I wanted and needed.

As grown adults now, with families of their own, I still find myself saying or doing things that hurt some of them.  It is my duty to say…”forgive me”, I know I spoke out of turn, or said things I should not have said.

It is so easy to say to a stranger…..”forgive me if I hurt you, or insulted you with my statement”.  Yet, it is so hard to say that to a member of our own family. The heart becomes harder as we let the years go by and we do not offer those words that can break down walls of separation.

Wrongs done in our youth may have strained relationships for 50 plus years. When hurts are harbored in our hearts it affects our entire lives and only asking forgiveness for what was done or said is the answer to getting rid of “hard feelings”.  Too carry the weight of those transgressions is detrimental to our spiritual life and to our physical body as well.

How much better to look at someone who has wronged you or hurt you in some way and just say to yourself……” I choose to forgive you and forget it too the best of my ability to forget”.  You will be released from the pain of carrying the load alone.

Family members go to their graves carrying grudges against one another. A shame that forgiveness was not requested and the forgiveness granted.No one can make another person forgive another. It must come from within.  God alone can give us the grace to simply say to another..” I hurt you, and I am sorry. Please forgive me”.  No strings attached.  No reason to defend my actions, just forgive me.  It is gone.  Forgiveness has come. 

The grudge holder is the one in charge now. He may or not forgive, but you have done all you can to right a wrong. It cost you humility. You paid the price.

I have  forgiven and God has set me free from the pain of holding a grudge against someone.  There is another day to do things right and do it better the next time .

Thou Art All I Want

By NJ Thompson

I was greatly looking forward to slipping into bed last night but despite being rather worn out, I could not sleep. I grabbed a book and planned to read until my eyes grew heavy with exhaust. But God had other plans.

As I sat casually reading, I stumbled across a statement that shook me to the core of my being. God stopped me dead in my tracks and I could go no further. It was a short and powerfully potent little pronouncement by Charles Wesley.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

The declaration of this God-sourced man continued to press upon my heart and mind.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

I knew that such a statement was to be the anthem of every man and woman of God that ever walked this earth.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

I knew that in history past such a singleness of desire had been the driving force of every great man of prayer and intercession.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

I knew that there had never been a revival, personally or corporately, that was not birthed out of such a all-consuming yearning.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

Yet, I was having trouble boldly proclaiming such a statement myself. It was disturbing. The Spirit of God was shining the light of His holiness upon my heart and searching me. He was revealing all of my deep and hidden desires that were not of Him nor for Him. He was exposing selfish longings that I did not even know existed within my soul. He was showing me that a singleness of desire for Him was not the anthem, driving force, or all consuming passion of my life. And while I highly esteemed such a statement as Wesley’s, I could not in all honesty say it for myself.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

I was reminded of the Apostle Peter. Toward the later years of his life, he was rarely found with dry eyes. He would often cry when he heard a rooster crow (remembering his denial of Christ). But many days he was found weeping for what seemed to be no reason at all. One day, a young Christian, questioned him about this.

“Peter, why do you so often weep?” he cautiously inquired.

Peter turned to the young man, and with eyes burning with an intense yearning, he replied softly, “Desiderio Domini.”

That is Latin for “I dearly long to be with my Lord.”

Peter  wept and wept and wept out of a deep, all-consuming desire to be with his King. He could truly say, “Thou, O Christ, art all I want.” He was free from the desires of the flesh and the world. He yearned for one thing, and one thing alone. Christ. And his desire was so great that it drove him to uncontrollable weeping constantly.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

Please forgive my constant repetition, but I just can’t get over the amazing nature of such a proclamation.

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

In all truthfulness, from the innermost-being of your heart, can you say it, friend?

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

Is such a desire what drives you every moment of every day?

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

Is this the ceaseless anthem of your existence?

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

Oh, to be able to shout such a proclamation to the heavenlies! Oh, to in the deepest depths of my heart be able to say that Christ, the spotless Priest and King, is ALL, absolutely ALL, that I want! Oh, that to live would be Christ and to die would be gain! Oh, to, by the Spirit of God, mortify all the fleshly desires still deeply implanted within my heart! To no longer desire the applause and approval of men; to no longer desire comfort and ease in Zion; to no longer desire worldly pleasures and fame; to no longer desire anything of self or this sin-ridden world! Oh, to desire NOTHING but Christ, and Him crucified!

“Thou, O Christ, art all I want.”

This must be the single, all-consuming desire of my life. This must be the single, all-consuming desire of every Christian. Desiderio Domini

NJThompson is the author of this posting. I found it very close to the heart of God and wanted to share it today.

Time to take out the trash

I read a very good article today and want to share it with those who might read my blog. It talks about the trash that we carry around within us.  Some things need to be trashed and put out on garbage day to never be seen or thought of again.

Knowing how hard it is to let go of special items we love, it is also hard to let go of bad feelings that linger within us all. We have to face the fact that we may  be keeping them hidden so we can bring them out every so often and just look at them.  The hidden things that we should have forgotten about and forgiven someone or ourselves long ago. Yet, we hang on to them just so we can always remember what happened or what was done or said.   These things need to be done away with and our minds and hearts cleaned from all the trash that only makes for a cluttered life.
I hope you will enjoy the article as much as I did. It is good preaching material for those who have that special gift of developing a meaningful message.

It’s Trash Day
My heart has been a little heavy lately. I know God is up to something and I want to be right in the middle of it. If He is moving, I’ll move with Him. If He wants to rearrange my space, I am the empty box waiting to be filled up with things of value, things you can’t live without. I’m tired of the junk pile. I grow weary from the things that should be long forgotten, but somehow they remain hidden deep in the closet where no one can see.
God sees it. He knows our junk and He is unafraid to deal with it. Like a big, black plastic bag and strong arms He takes the mess that we have created and says, “Are you done with this?”
You have been holding onto this because you thought you had to. This has no value; this does not define you, the pain, and the baggage. It’s time to clean house, you hold the bag this time…and I’ll tell you what goes inside.
I look at Him timidly and hold the bag wide open and wonder if the bag is big enough to hold the mother-load of trash that has annoyingly cluttered my storehouse. I cringe at the thought of the messiness of me and ask the God that formed man out of dust if He might want to use some rubber gloves for this one.
And we have our moment:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Before you were born I sanctified you. I set you apart.
I ordained you. I am the God that appointed you as one who is called.
I do not make trash. But, I’ll help you clean it up. My beloved, this is what I want you to throw in the trash:
The voice that tells you that you can’t, the voice that tells you that you are not good enough and that you have nothing of value to offer.
I hope that today you have your Jeremiah 1:5 moment. I hope that you read about how the prophet questioned his call blaming his youth. In timidity and fear Jeremiah was completely unaware of how much the God of all creation wanted to take what he had to offer and be so big in him. In Jeremiah 1:8 it says, “Do not be afraid of their faces.”
Take your fears and doubt to the curb. His approval of you far outweighs your critics; believe what the word of God says about you!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” Declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
It’s Monday and today is trash day.
By Jennifer Watson, Messy Mosaic

I am most thankfull for….

1. The knowledge that God loves me unconditionally.

2. My mother who taught me to be honest always and forever. Lying was never honored or tolerated.

3. Philip Walmer who I have grown old by his side. He gave me direction in life and has done so for 51 years. We are married 50 years on June 17, but I know from the time we were engaged he has led the way.

4. The desire to learn more about everything. without the desire to learn there is nothing new in my horizen. There is something new everyday.

5. The Bible is my guide and I read it daily to hear a word from the Lord. It has been my map and my guide for almost 58 years. 

6. Health is so important and I thank God everyday for the health I have. Each day is a blessing.

7. Home is where the heart is and I am thankful we have a home to call our own. Things get complicated at times in our lives, but we have somewhere to live and be safe. I am thankful.

8. I have never passed a day wthout food. I have fasted but never knew what it was to be actually hungry for lack of food.  There was always something to eat in the house.

9. My family is the most precious item on my list. Each one is precious beyond words. each one is precious to me. They have all made me proud in many ways.

10. My car.  I am glad and thankful that I do not have to walk everywhere I need to go.

11. Lights and Water.  I am glad i have both these items everyday to use as I need to use them. so many do without.

12. MONEY is a gift from God and we are grateful for the amounts we use and retain. When it is gone and we have no more, I will thank God for all HE gave to us and let us use. 

13. INGDIRECT.COM  has been a blessing to me as now I have a saving for all the things I know will come due and planning for. Saving can be painless.

14. My friends. I can not count hundreds as my friends, but I am grateful for the friends I do have. Each of them has contrubiuted something to my life along the journey.

15. All the people in America and Brazil that came to the Lord through the preaching of the Gospel. God gave us grace and we are thankful for all HE did through our efforts. 

16. Gods grace in my life that compels me to do better and never give up as God never gives up on me. 

17. Freedom to worship God as I please in America and in Brazil

18. Sewing is my hobby and even though I do not sew well, it is my past time and i love to make something from a piece of cloth.

19. Rachel my daughter is a special friend and helps me see things in the proper light. She has a word for me when I am not sure just what to do. She is a blessing as a daughter and as a mother.

20. Michael is my first born son. He has made us proud to have his as our son. He was a good son all his life and contineus to be an example to all those who know him.  He is a hard worker and never shirks his duties at home or in the work of the Lord.

21. Nathan is my second child and he is a special blessing to me.  He can visit with me just for a few seconds and already has noticed if something is just not right. he is very sentitive to others feelings.  He has always been special in so many ways.

22. Stephen our fourth child is very loving and is a wonderful father. He makes everyone love him by his kind ways and gentle nature.  He loves God and knows the Bible.

23.

BEING POOR

I have posted these thoughts about what is is like if you are poor. These were not my original thoughts but someone who wrote them and I copied them down and have saved them on my blog.
Being poor, is not a fun type of life. Being poor does not allow a person to enjoy the many blessings of the world we live in.  A poor person looks on while others enjoy life to the fullest.  A poor person goes to the grocery store and sees people with two carts full of all the groceries they can buy and wonders “where do they get so much money to spend”?  Some poorer people are poor because of where they were born, to whom they were born too. Some are poor because they have chosen to be poor and continue to make bad choices in life.
I was poor as I grew up, but I never knew it. My mother did everything to make her children happy in the little we did have. Today, I work with many poor people. Some of them are happy and some are not. Attitude makes a big difference in us all.  Not so sure a lot of Americans can relate to this posting today. What ever your lot in this life may be; richer or poorer, happiness can be  yours by deciding that you will be content and still strive to have a better life.

BEING POOR

Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs.

Being poor is getting angry at your kids for asking for all the stuff they see on TV.

Being poor is having to keep buying $800 cars because they’re what you can afford, and then having the cars break down on you, because there’s not an $800 car in America that’s worth anything. Being poor is hoping the toothache goes away.

Being poor is knowing your kid goes to friends’ houses but never has friends over to yours.

Being poor is going to the restroom before you get in the school lunch line so your friends will be ahead of you and won’t hear you say “I get free lunch” when you get to the cashier.

Being poor is living next to the freeway.

Being poor is coming back to the car with your children in the back seat, clutching that box of Raisin Bran you just bought and trying to think of a way to make the kids understand that the box has to last.

Being poor is wondering if your well-off sibling is lying when he says he doesn’t mind when you ask for help.

Being poor is off-brand toys.

Being poor is a heater in only one room of the house.

Being poor is knowing you can’t leave $5 on the coffee table when your friends are around.

Being poor is hoping your kids don’t have a growth spurt.

Being poor is stealing meat from the store, frying it up before your mom gets home and then telling her she doesn’t have make dinner tonight because you’re not hungry anyway.

Being poor is Goodwill underwear.

Being poor is not enough space for everyone who lives with you. Being poor is feeling the glued soles tear off your supermarket shoes when you run around the playground.

Being poor is your kid’s school being the one with the 15-year-old textbooks and no air conditioning.

Being poor is thinking $8 an hour is a really good deal.

Being poor is relying on people who don’t give a thought about you. Being poor is an overnight shift under florescent lights.

Being poor is finding the letter your mom wrote to your dad, begging him for the child support.

Being poor is a bathtub you have to empty into the toilet.

Being poor is stopping the car to take a lamp from a stranger’s trash.

Being poor is making lunch for your kid when a cockroach skitters over the bread, and you looking over to see if your kid saw.

Being poor is believing a GED actually makes a difference.

Being poor is people angry at you just for walking around in the mall.

Being poor is not taking the job because you can’t find someone you trust to watch your kids.

Being poor is the police busting into the apartment right next to yours.

Being poor is not talking to that girl because she’ll probably just laugh at your clothes.

Being poor is hoping you’ll be invited for dinner.

Being poor is a sidewalk with lots of brown glass on it.

Being poor is people thinking they know something about you by the way you talk.

Being poor is needing that 35-cent raise.

Being poor is your kid’s teacher assuming you don’t have any books in your home.

Being poor is six dollars short on the utility bill and no way to close the gap.

 Being poor is crying when you drop the mac and cheese on the floor.

Being poor is knowing you work as hard as anyone, anywhere.

Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually stupid.

Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually lazy.

Being poor is a six-hour wait in an emergency room with a sick child asleep on your lap.

Being poor is never buying anything someone else hasn’t bought first.

Being poor is picking the 10 cent ramen instead of the 12 cent ramen because that’s two extra packages for every dollar.

Being poor is having to live with choices you didn’t know you made when you were 14 years old.

Being poor is getting tired of people wanting you to be grateful.

Being poor is knowing you’re being judged.

Being poor is a box of crayons and a $1 coloring book from a community center Santa.

Being poor is checking the coin return slot of every soda machine you go by.

Being poor is deciding that it’s all right to base a relationship on shelter.

Being poor is knowing you really shouldn’t spend that buck on a Lotto ticket.

 Being poor is hoping the register lady will spot you the dime.

Being poor is feeling helpless when your child makes the same mistakes you did, and won’t listen to you beg them against doing so.

Being poor is a cough that doesn’t go away.

Being poor is making sure you don’t spill on the couch, just in case you have to give it back before the lease is up.

Being poor is a $200 paycheck advance from a company that takes $250 when the paycheck comes in.

Being poor is four years of night classes for an Associates of Art degree.

Being poor is a lumpy futon bed.

Being poor is knowing where the shelter is.

Being poor is people who have never been poor wondering why you choose to be so.

Being poor is knowing how hard it is to stop being poor.

Being poor is seeing how few options you have.

Being poor is running in place.

Being poor is people wondering why you didn’t leave.

Nathan Walmer on a Photo shot

Nathan Walmer on a photo shoot with a friend. He is a very favorite son and one in which we are extremely fond of. He takes wonderful pictures and is a good huband and father. He is a fine man and loves God every day of his life.

Comparisons

To all those who actually read my thoughts on my blog, I have had a revelation.

In listening to a Muslim man (cleric) explain how men are taught to treat their wifes,  he explained about wife beating.  He gave the instructions on “how to beat your wife”.

The rules are such that a man can beat his wife for disobeying him in any detail. He can beat her but may not  beat her in the face where it could leave marks. Muslims also do not beat animals in the face.

The body can be beat as it is covered up and no one will see the marks. A man should not leave marks but if marks are there, they will be covered up.

A man can choose how he will beat his wife.  He could beat her with a stick.  He could choose a broom his strong hand  or he could use a noddle, a handkerchief, or a toothpick. The man can choose what he beats his wife with and still he is beating his wife. She must obey her husband at all times. A wife must not displease her husband.

Now, I will tell you that I am not in agreement with that part of the Muslim faith. Being  a Christian it is important to know and follow the teaching of Jesus Christ.  He did not teach a man to beat his wife.  He actually told men to love their wifes as their own bodies. Treat them well!  I am wondering if for this liberty among men that many prisoners in American prisons are converting to the Muslim faith. Could it be this liberty gives a man a certain “power” that he does not have in the American way of life and justice? Just a thought.

A man cancorrect  his wife many ways. He could beat her and go to jail in America. It is not allowed in our society. Women are protected from being beaten.

There is a way to beat a women and no one will know unless the wife does the telling. A man can beat his wife by his silence towards her.  If a man ignores his wife for an extended period of time, she will feel unloved, fearful of his loss of affection, unworthy and perhaps shameful for what ever it was she did or said.

Silence  and ignoring someone will destroy their self-worth. If  a man does it long enough towards his wife a great divide will grow between the couple and it is can be become irreparable.  The man exalts his strength by his “beatings”, and the wife is put in her place for having disagreed or disobeyed her husband.

In my days upon this earth, I have seen many people destroyed by simply being ignored and treated like they were not in the room. Those people began to feel they had no value to anyone. Sadness is overcome by despair and despair will lead to depression and depression leads to death of self-worth and all that keeps us sane.

If you really want to hurt someone, just ignore them. Pretend they are not in the room. To husbands, sleep on the couch for nights on end. Do not eat with your wife, but just use this successful way of treating your mate. It works every time. In realtiy, you are beating her.

In the end it destroys all the love that was between you so be careful. The silence kills. The marks do not show as they do when a stick is used to beat someone, but the marks are on the heart and soul of that person.

I am thankful to be a Christian. When someone fails in some area or says somthing to hurt another, there is a way to make it right again. Asking for forgiveness and understanding is way God has chosen for us.  Praying for help in areas of ones life that needs changing is the path to find rest from the troubles. Trusting in the Lord Jesus to help in those difficult areas in life, as only HE can give understanding to both involved.

Jesus offers strength, comfort and hope to all. Let me say one more time; I am glad I am not a muslim.  Jesus offers so much more to a person who will put their trust in HIM alone.

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The face.

A very crabby lion.

Makes me wonder what happened in his life this day, that made him so disagreeable.
Could be the “food” got away. He is hungry. His mate is off on a “walk about”. Who knows? We can see he is mad about something. Was he disturbed in his nap time? Could be. Whatever it was I would not want to meet him on this day in his native habitat. I think, it would be best just to leave him alone for awhile and he will come around to be his jolly self again.
Reminds me of some people I know when they get angry. It is called sulking. No one wants to be around someone who sulks. It shows a person is wallowing in self pity. That will get them nowhere and very quickly.
Cheer up Mr. Lion. Life will get better and some delicious plate of food will soon come walking through your jungle and you can have your dinner. That is if you stop feeling sorry for yourself and prepare for the feast that maybe coming your way.
Get off the grumpy bed you are in and do something to cheer yourself up. Roar a little. That should help.
Better days are ahead.

LEARNING TO READ FOR PURE JOY OF READING AND LEARNING

Reading is a good way to spend time. Each of us have favorite books and authors that we enjoy spending time with.
My list grows daily as I find new authors and books that appeal to me and my way of thinking.
I envy those who can write and put onto paper what others would want to read. Expression is the key to communication.
There are those who write books, but they do not appeal to me at all, I have to be “hooked” after the first page, or I put the book down.

Some of my favorite books are:
Sanders:  Spiritual Leadership.  A great book for those who desire to be more spiritual in their leadership positions.
Carnegie: How to Win  Friends and influence People  Great book that teaches people how to actually win friends and be an influence in thier lives.
Johnson: Who Moved my Cheese?  When life throws a curve at you this little book helps a person to understand that moving to another “challenge” is not so bad after all.
Dobson:  Where is God when it Hurts?  Great book to help put hurting in the right prospective.
Edersheim:  The life and Times of Jesus the Messiah   No book written by anyone I know of can beat this one. I loved that book.
Shepherd: The Christ of our Salvation.  Great book that tells about Jesus as he lived and taught
Max Lucado:  All his books I recomend. He has never written a bad one.
Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner  Wonderful story that helps a person to understand another culture and true cowardness and true bravery.
James Michener:The Source:  The beginning of man in a fictious novel. Great story
John Steinbeck: East of Eden:  You will not be able to put this book down until you  are finished reading it in its entirety.
Francine Rivers: The Lion series:   Wonderful books about a real christian in a real world. A great inspiration to all who read it. You will cry when there is no more story to read.
Jane Austin  Withering Heights: A classic. A very good read
David McCullough  1776:  I love politics and the true behind what goes on. David McCullough has written some fantastic books that give us a picture of the real people in our history.
John Gregory: The Seven Laws of Teaching :   The fundamentals of teaching. The best of all the books on the subject. No frills, just how to teach.
Bruce Wilkerson: The laws of  Learning:  Fantastic book and well worth the price if you are a teacher who wants the student to actually learn something in your class.

I think I need to quit with the list. It will go on forever.  I think a person can be known by the books that person reads over a time period.
Reading is enjoyable and a learning experience.