Are You Prepared?

I live in an area of the country where the weather has been somewhat volatile. One minute the sun can be shinning and the next, you would think someone reached up into the sky and turned off the sun. The wind blows and then without notice there is an eerie calm that comes over the land. This last week has been crazy. I have learned the art of dressing in layers. I can now go from being dressed for a winter storm to a nice spring afternoon in less than 30 seconds. This last Tuesday was no different. I was on my way to work, and as I was driving down a stretch of road the sun was out and I had just thought to myself..."what a beautiful day this is. Thank you Lord for such a glorious day." I turned the corner and there it was. A cloud that threatened both my mood and my environment. I could see as it quickly approached that it would show me, or anyone in it's path for that matter, no mercy. I could see the rain that fell in sheaths just about 500 ft. in my future. I was headed in it's direction and it was headed in mine. I quickly started to adjust to what my future held. I looked around my car to see if I had prepared for such a possibility. Yes...there was my umbrella! Ok now I could relax just a bit. I got to the office and it was raining so hard that the rain did not immediately soak into the ground, but rather danced on top of it for a bit before succumbing to gravity. I started to unload my car of things I would need for the day. It was on about my third trip up the front porch stairs that God began to speak to my spirit. "Are you soaked yet?" he asked. "No," I replied, "what kind of question is that?" "I was just wondering. It is raining pretty hard," He said. At this point I was back on the stairs descending this time out into the middle of this massive pour. I looked up and asked "Are you kidding me? You send rain this hard and ask me if I am getting wet. Then you tell me it is raining hard. I know I am standing in the middle of it." I wasn't being disrespectful. I was trying to get every bit of what he was trying to tell me. "Why aren't you soaked?" He asked. This is where I just came out and asked, "Lord what is it you want me to know? My brain is not on it this morning and I just need for you to speak CLEARLY to me." So He did. "This rain pattern resembles life, don't you think? It comes and goes. Sometimes with a warning. Sometimes in a sudden burst. When you could see it coming, Kim, you looked for your umbrella. That is your protection from the rain. My Word says that my love is like a banner over you. Most people think a banner is to announce your coming, but in this case the banner is to announce My protection. It is also as David said "But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You." (Psalm 5:11) So you see while it is that I protect you from getting drenched by life, I do allow you to get a little wet. I want people to want Me like they want an umbrella in the midst of a rain storm, which is at times why I let storms come." I was starting to see how this all made sense. There was one more concept however, that He shared with me. That was this...I have to be prepared for the rain. If I had not had the umbrella in my car I would have been soaked. Not to the point of drowning, but still wet clean through. It was because I carried the umbrella that I was able to open it to its' full capacity for my protection. The living Word of God is the same way. It is not wise of us to go looking for it only when it is raining. Although we may find what we need, it is better to be prepared. To know without a doubt that the protection that God has promised is on the journey with you. I believe the best way to do this is to do just as Scripture has instructed. Oh dear ones, we have to learn to hide it in our hearts. To ponder it as Mary did at the birth of Christ. We have to learn that it is not just for our protection, but it is also for our well being. I love it when God speaks to me in very simple, real ways. He is so much more than just a protector. I am not sure how today finds you. Maybe you are discouraged or tired. Maybe you are worried or anxious. It could be that you are fighting sickness physically or that you are depressed. Can I tell you, that I know without a doubt that Jesus is the answer to all of life's issues. The trouble is that most of the time we don't want to wait for Him to act. We want immediate results even though we haven't always given Him our immediate attention. If you will allow me I would like to pray for you. Oh, I know what you are saying, "How are you going to pray for me over the Internet. You don't even know what I need." That's the beauty of it. I don't need to know because I am not the one who is going to give you what you need. He knows. I am only releasing His power and I will do it in any way He allows me.


Father, right now in Jesus name I ask that the brother or sister sitting on the other side of this screen feels your mighty presence. That Lord they might be coming to you looking for answers and solutions, but instead Lord I ask that they find You. One who not only created them but One who also sustains them. Jesus we ask for healing where healing is needed. We ask that you take every care and every worry. That the burden of the oncoming storm is lifted from this dear one's shoulder. Lord only you know who will even read this far and who will allow Your power to take control even now. We ask Lord that you help us to see just a glimpse of Your glory. Thank you Lord that we can be prepared even before the rain starts. That we might know Father of Your faithfulness. We ask this in Jesus' mighty name....Amen


Please my friends...pick up the protection that is available to you. Do not walk in the rain complaining that you are getting soaked for your protection is only an arms length away.


Blessed to be His,
Kim T.

Bad Bertha?

Children amaze me! They really do. I am often struck by the simple fact that they can make almost anything fun. Even walking on the treadmill. I have one sitting in my bedroom and it gets used about 3 to 4 times a week. There is a huge difference between how I use it and how my nieces and nephew use it. I have to get myself psyched up for it. I set a time in my head, then about 15 minutes before it's time to step on that beast I start preparing for what's to come. I put on my workout clothes including my special tennis shoes. I grab a magazine or a book, because you know I have to divert my attention so that my mind doesn't dwell on the fact that I am actually doing something good for my body. Then I get my water, eye glasses, Ipod, headphones, Kleenex, telephone (both cell and home phone), and last but not least, a book just in case I get bored with the magazine. I turn on the machine and wait for it to display the light, which tells me IT is now ready for me. I step on and do everything within my power to keep my mind somewhere else. I don't understand why doing something so good for me has to be so overly involved. Well....I guess it doesn't have to be but I sure make it that way.
So I am standing in the bathroom putting on my makeup before I take my nieces and nephew to school when Cade, my nephew, comes in with a simple request. "Auntie can I walk on that walking machine." He must have seen that I was blown away by his request because when I made eye contact with him he shrugged his shoulders and said, "What?" "You want to walk on the treadmill?" I asked. "Yes. It's fun," he replied. I couldn't believe my ears. Did he know that this machine was invented for exercise not for fun. Did he know that thousands of Americans buy machine after machine after machine only to let them sit in their bedrooms offering up daily allowances of guilt and shame for not being used? Did he know that that beast was created for adults for the sole purpose of trying to get in shape? That machine is not fun....it is WORK! So like a good Auntie I said yes, he could walk on it. I walked up to the machine and instantly broke out into a sweat. "Calm down," I said to myself. I am turning on the treadmill for someone who wants to have "fun." I flipped the switch and watched as my nephew stepped on with the biggest grin on his face. I heard my nieces coming down the hall. Before they even rounded the corner they began asking if they too could take part in the joy of walking on the treadmill. Ha, who would have thought something so painful for me could be so fun for them. As I stood at my mirror listening to them banter over who's turn it was next and how long they each got I began thinking. What makes this treadmill so difficult for me and so fun for them. Why do they count the minutes before they can get on and I count the minutes before I can get off. Why do they, with no preparation I might add, step on smiling from ear to ear, and I step on with a look of determination to make it at least 29 minutes? Then it dawned on me...this is work for me because somebody along the way told me it was supposed to be. That exercise, while good for you was not fun. That it was a necessary venture for good health but that it would be at the cost (heaven forbid) of effort. Those kids didn't see it that way. Maybe my mind set is the reason why getting on Bertha (yes I named my treadmill) seems to be more of a duty than a benefit. I find this with many things in life. My mindset often has an affect on how I approach activities, people, and even my God.
I love The Message's take on Philippians 4:8. It says...
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
I know you might be saying..."Kim, I think Paul was talking about things that were a little more spiritual." I would agree with you, however why can't we apply God's truth to EVERYTHING in our lives. Why can't we take truth and apply it stroke by stroke into the nooks and crannies of our everyday living. Today when I step on that treadmill I will no longer think about how much work it is, but how thankful I am that I can walk. How thankful I am that we had the finances to even buy Bertha. I will thank the Lord for giving this day and this moment to put all else away and just talk with Him. I will change my mindset to the beauty of all that the Lord has given me rather than on the ugliness that was past down about that dreaded word "exercise." In fact, I will start by changing the treadmills name. She will no long be called Bertha, but is now Esther. Why? Because she was created for "such a time as this."



Blessed to be His,
Kim T.

Struck By Oncoming Traffic

The simplest lessons in life are sometimes learned in the middle of potential disaster. That is what I found out yesterday. It was a beautiful day where I live. Almost 70 degrees, sun shinning, birds chirping, the kind of day that in a perfect world could exsist everyday. So I decided to go for a walk just me and Jesus. No ipod, iphone, and definitely no dogs. I wanted my focus to be Him and Him alone. "Ahhh this is grand" I thought. The day was so bright that it just seemed as if everything was waking up after the long winter's slumber. While I was in deep conversation with Jesus concerning some restoration in my own life I became acutely aware of someone following me. I could hear their rapid approach and considered my options. I live out in the country and was walking in the middle of an orange grove so running to the nearest house was not an option. Besides I would die of a heart attack from running before I ever made it and that would have taken all the fun out of killing me for the Boogie Man. I had only one option from my perspective, stand my ground and fight for all I was worth. As I looked around for a weapon, a stick, a rock, something to use with force, I realized it was too late. My attacker was on my heels. Their shadow came into full view and as it did I realized this was not the shadow of a man but a shadow of a dog. As my heart thumped in utter fear, I turned around only to find my own German Shepherd Sadie standing right behind me. Oh my word was I relieved. That relief however quickly turned to frustration. This was supposed to be my time alone with the Lord and she invited herself by jumping the fence. Well what was I to do except welcome her to the walk that was initially designed for one. We sauntered along at a pace that was enjoyable to both of us. As we neared the road it dawned on me that I didn't have a leash which could potentially be a disastrous thing. I have trained my dogs so at the command of "keep" they are to take their spot just behind me and keep there. As we approached the road I barked (get it...I barked) out the command...KEEP. Sadie quickly responded by whipping her head around and taking her place right behind me just off the road but still closer to the road than myself. We walked along the fairly busy country road for about 150 feet before I heard the blare of a horn. I turned to find Sadie not where she was suppose to be, which would have been by my side, but instead I found her walking along in the middle of the road. I quickly called her with what I am sure sounded like pure panic in my voice. She quickly came to my side. "Wow! That was a close call" I said as if she could understand me. I began strategizing how I could put myself between her and the traffic that was ensuing. So I decided to move her over to the other side of me where she could walk safely in the weeds of the field that we were walking along side. So I pointed to the field and called out the command again...Keep. She went to where I pointed and started trotting along as if she hadn't just experienced a near death event. As I turned to cross the road and head back down my street a neighbor pulled up behind us. He stopped for a moment and said, "That dog is going to get you killed. Why don't you put her out street side." My reply went something like this, "Oh no I couldn't possibly do that. She might get hit. I love her too much to watch her die. I don't want to lose her." Ah the truth of that tiny little conversation with my neighbor rang with the clarity of the Liberty Bell. I know Sadie is just a dog and her life is not worth my own. Sound familiar? Just as I am just a human and not worth the life of Christ. And yet He was willing to take the hit for me. Why you might ask...well because "I love her too much to watch her die. I don't want to lose her." You see when Christ came to earth He chose to walk street side. He chose to take the hit for me. He chose to lay who He was and His position aside to save my life. Funny thing is He did it to save yours also. John 3:17 says "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
This morning as I was sitting with Him in the midst of my quiet time Matthew 10:27 came to mind. It says..."What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs." So here it goes...JESUS loves you so much He took the cross for your sake. Now the only question left is this...How are you going to respond to what you just heard?


Blessed to be His!
Kim


Side note...I love this quote but I can't remember where I heard it. "If you haven't met Satan face to face it may be because you are traveling in the same direction."

An Old Story

Some things are worth repeating over and over again.  This is one of them...(comments to follow)


I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory. 

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood. 

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,"
And somehow Jesus came and bro't
To me the victory. 

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood. 

I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I'll sing up there
The song of victory. 

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.



You and I can have victory today.  That victory can be found in Jesus.  There is one condition however...YOU have to believe it.

New Do

I got a haircut today. Why is it that at times, a hairdresser is better than any therapist I know. It feels so good to have an updated do. As you can see I was trying to take a picture with my phone so that I could send it to a few ladies who I use as my true earthly north for times like these. You know the ones...they are the friends that when you show them that cute little dress you just bought say, "Tell me how much it cost and we'll tell you if it was it worth it,". Or you might see them walking very close behind you, so close you are uncomfortable only to find out later they did it because your pants were too low or your shirt was too high and your leopard print undies were showing. (I know you men can't relate) Anyway, I wanted to get their true opinion of my new do. So I started snapping a few pictures. You can can tell by these pictures what a good photographer I am. As hard as I tried either my angle was wrong, they were blurry, or not centered. Ahhhh! I had almost given up when I snapped the last photo. Finally the right perspective. It reminded me that sometimes even when I am trying my hardest my focus is all wrong. Or as much as I try to be centered I am skewed just a bit both in what I see and what I think others see. About 6 months ago I was working in Sunday School with the kids and a boy who I consider my friend walked in. Noah (his name has been change to protect the innocent) has Aspergers which is a form of autism. Because of his Aspergers he will often say what he is thinking without much of a filter. I was standing in the hall as he approached. With a smile on my face I greeted him with a lively, "Hi Noah. How are you doing today?" To which his reply was, "Hair." As he said that one word he had a look of disgust on his face. I quickly took an account of his hair and couldn't tell that it was out of sorts at all. "You're hair looks good Noah" was my reply. His grandma who brought him in that morning put her hand on the top of his head and brushed his hair to one side in an effort to make him feel better about it. He pulled quickly away from her hand. "Bad hair day," were the next words that fell from his mouth. Wanting to help him adjust to whatever he was feeling about himself I quickly said in a light hearted cheerful voice, "Noah, your hair looks great. I like the way it looks today. You are not having a bad hair day." He looked up at me with an expression that was saying, "how stupid are you lady" and said..."Not mine, YOURS!" Oh how I laughed. You see when I left that morning I was thinking my hair looked pretty good, but according to Noah I was mistaken. According to him my perspective was out of focus. I wonder how many times I walk out the door thinking I look good while others look at me thinking..."bad hair day." Better yet how many times have I looked at others and declared in my own self promoting opinion "bad hair day."
We have a choice every day what leaves our mouths, and unlike Noah, we can control it. We just often choose not to. The Bible says that out of the heart the mouth speaks. It also says in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." You see I believe when we decide to get our mind right our speech will show it.

As I spoke to 50 children last night about being a blessing or a curse I was left with the feeling that an inventory needed to be taken in my own life. Have I chosen today to center myself, bring Christ into focus, and then shoot from that perspective.

My hair? Oh it will grow if I don't like it. New do's are always fun. My words however can have a life-time affect on others. I think I am going to make an effort to give my mouth a "new do." To speak positively to others about who they are...new do. Help make the best of every situation by encouraging others towards goodness...new do. Build up both the Body of Christ and those who have yet to know Him...new do. I have a lot of new do's planned for my life. Hopefully people will get a better perspective of me from my new do's than my camera did of my hair.




Blessed to be His!

Kim

Did You Leave The House Naked?

Let's be honest with each other shall we? How many of us spend more time physically getting ready for our day than we do spiritually? You know the routine. We get up, jump into a warm shower and scrub ourselves clean, including our hair of course. Maybe (this is a big maybe for me) shave our legs. Step out of the shower and start the drying process. First our bodies and then our hair. Ah, a clean canvas to work with. Then we proceed to the building process. You know...deodorant so we don't stink throughout the day, maybe a little lotion to rehydrate our dry skin. We pick out clothes to dress ourselves in, plug in the flat iron to make sure our hair lays straight, and pull out the trusty old makeup bag. We pull, stretch, straighten, curl, fill in, highlight, cover up and color most everything that is visible to the world. We walk out our doors feeling good about what can be seen, but what about those things that maybe are not quite as visible?
What if we took as much time to walk through the same process spiritually? What if we took the Word of God and let it pour over us to wash away yesterdays filth? I love the passage out of John where Peter tells the Lord to wash all of him. Christ then bends down and washes the dirtiest part of the disciples.
"So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?" Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later." Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet - ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing." "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!" Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you."
John 13:4-10 (Msg)
Proverbs 30:12 (Msg) says...
"Don't imagine yourself to be quite presentable when you haven't had a bath in a week."

What if we started everyday taking a heavenly bath from head to toe to wipe the slate clean?
Realizing that there are some things that need to be 'ironed out' while other places need a little 'filler' each day using the Word of God. In doing this, we submit to allow the Word of God to create in us a more presentable person because we have Christ all over us.


I love this passage out of 2 Peter 1:3-7 that says...
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.


Can you imagine waking up every morning and intentionally applying the things spoken of in 2 Peter? Applying daily faith, goodness, knowledge, and self-control. How could the world miss us? We'd look stunning!


Then finally getting dressed in the armor of God...Ephesians 6:13-16
"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."


These three simple steps...cleaning up, applying what is essential, and clothing ourselves is something we do for our physical body every day. Let's agree to do the same spiritually, understanding it is the very thing that God wants the most for us. If we will come into agreement with Him we might just be amazed at how good looking we become. Spiritually speaking of course. *Wink*


Blessed to be His!


Kim