Have you removed your shoes?

This morning, as I watered the garden, the Lord was talking to me about taking off my shoes.  Just like He told Moses and Joshua to take off their shoes, He has asked me to take off mine.  Like we learned yesterday in church, taking off our shoes is not only out of reverence to God but it also symbolizes us giving up our rights.  Many times, even when we are right about something, Jesus asks "will you give that up for a bigger purpose."  As we read in Ruth 4:1-7 the relative of Ruth who was the first in line to marry her gave up that right to Boaz and the confirmation of this action was that he removed his shoe in the sight of the elders.  The instruction from God for this tradition is found in Deut. 25:7-10.  When God asked Moses to remove His shoes it was because the place he was standing was holy.  It was holy because God was in that place.  Again, when God asked Joshua to remove his shoe because the place he stood was holy it was because that is where God was.  Out of humility and respect of the Holy God these two great men of faith did so.  However, when we think about it we need to examine why their shoes?  Why not another part of their clothing.
Shoes are worn for protection.  They put a barrier between our bodies and the ground we walk on.  What if this action not only symbolized their submission to the Almighty God, but also symbolized that they were removing anything that stood between the place they were and the place God was.  There was no longer the need to protect themselves, especially in the presence on the Almighty.  What if God asked us to remove our spiritual shoes?  What if He said, "there is no reason for you to wear any protection here."  Would we be willing to remove our shoes as a sign that we trust Him fully.  That we give up the right to protect ourselves that we might gain protection from Him.  Could we possibly trust Him this much?  You see when God asks us to step into a place barefooted before Him, He is asking us to remove all that stands between us and Him.  Every sin.  Every fear.  Every hurt that we try and hold Him responsible for.  Every opinion or idea that contradicts His nature and truth.  Are you willing to remove your shoes?

Missing in Action

My kids hard work!

Missing in action has always been a funny sounding statement to me.  Recently however I have come to realize that in my own life it is because of all the action in my daily routine that I sometimes go missing.  Writing has always been a passion for me.  This is quit funny since I can't spell and my grammar is pathetic.  As of late I haven't been doing much writing unless of course it is on Facebook as an encouragement to others.  When I woke up this morning I asked myself why that was and the only answer I could come up with was, "because I'm busy."  Busy doing what I have no idea.  It seems that each day slips into the next without as much as a closing argument.  I believe each day is purposed by God but am I living each day on purpose.  I know I am rambling but it is what I do best I guess.  I just had my 50th Birthday.  I don't feel any different than I did last week but apparently this is a very big deal.  I can't tell you how many times I have bee asked, "How does it feel to be 50?"  So here is the answer to everyone's question.  It feels no different than being 49 or 48 for that matter.  The world hasn't come to an end.  My body hasn't fallen apart.  My mind has not become useless.  I am doing the same things in the same way for mostly the same reasons.  The only thing different is this...At 50 I have made a commitment to myself to review my days to see the uniqueness of each one.  To ask the question of myself..."Did you love Jesus today to the best of your ability.  And did you love others to the best of His?"  I believe in these question lies the answer to mundane routines of life.  No more missing because of action for me.  I will celebrate my days as gifts wrapped up in time with the bow of love attached to the top.

How Big Is Your God?

A simple question!  However, how your HEART answers it will determine your future.  We (Christians) say all the time that our God is so big.  But many times our lives do not show the evidence of what our mouths proclaim.  I believe, at least in part, that we have a much harder time getting our heart to believe what our lips say freely.  Just a thought.

It's Hot In The Kitchen!

Jalapeno Corn Bread with Plum Pepper Jelly

I found a recipe for Jalapeno Cornbread that I wanted to try.  I love the flavor of jalapenos but am a whimp when it comes to the heat aspect of them.  So I made a few changes in a recipe I found to make it more palatable for me.  I had to chuckle when God reminded me how often I have tried to change His word to meet my "liking."  I am sorry Lord....You always know what is best for me.

Jalapeno Corn Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup oil, butter or bacon grease
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced

Directions

   1. Heat bacon grease just until it starts to smoke then remove from heat.  I do this in an     

      iron skillet.  Add jalapeno to the hot grease and stir until it stop sizzling.

   2. Mix the buttermilk and eggs together.  Slowly add hot oil to buttermilk mixture while   

       stirring constantly.

   3.  Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

   4.  Mix the dry ingredients in to the wet.

   5.  Pour the Mixture into a grease 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake in a preheated 375F oven 

        until a toothpick pushed in the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes.

Singing Whole Heatedly

I love listening to children praising Jesus.  This is my neighbors little girl.  She is a year and a half old.  Her dad caught this on video and sent it to me to "make you smile" he said.  Make me smile it did.  I hope it makes you smile also.  Don't watch, it's not pretty, but it sure does sound good!

Blessed to be His,
Kim

Why Would We Live Any Other Way?

Resting easy in the arms of Jesus

I woke up this morning with a heavy chest.  Ok well my actual chest isn't any heavier than it was yesterday, at least I hope it's not, but it sure feels like it.  Between the bad air, the dry cold, my age, and being asthmatic, my breathing is a bit labored.  I have heard of people who feel like an elephant is sitting on their chest.  Well mine is not quit that bad.  I think I am only at a small rhino.  Regardless I realize it is not the pressure from the outside that is making me feel this way.  It is without a doubt what is happening on the inside of my body that is constricting my air flow.  As I sat in my quiet time this morning I realized that many times when I am struggling spiritually; when for whatever reason I just can't seem to move closer to the One I love, it is not what is going on in the "outside" of my life, but is in fact what is taking place on the inside that keeps me at a distance from Him.  The amazing part is that Jesus is always willing to take what is going on inside if I am willing to give it up.  Not only does He take it but He fills me with peace where worry once was, or joy where guilt use to stand.  Sometimes it is with courage where fear once resided.  Regardless He is always willing to take what I am offering.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  He never just leaves that place void though.  In exchange He gives.  Not according to my need but according to His riches.  Which means I can always expect to receive much than what I gave up.  Philippians 4:6-7 says it this way...
 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Then a little further down in that same chapter it tells us in what abundance all will be offered...
19And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.(emphasis mine)


I think I will remind myself of that through out the day...according to His glorious riches!


Blessed to be His,
Kim

Ah! Show me Lord!

So much has happened since my last blog post.  Most of it is private and meaningful only to me.  God continues to grow me, stretch me, test me, and refine me.  I didn't make any new New Year's resolutions.  I picked the same old ones I have chosen year after year.  Do better, work smarter, eat healthier, love more intently and so on.  The Lord has taken the last 5 months or so and have began to show me places in my life where I'm still trying way to hard and trusting way too little.  This blog will change slightly.  Not in the fact that I intend to always give glory to my Lord, but in the fact that it doesn't have to be earth shaking to me for me to post.  I for some reason use to believe that if it did't give me the spiritual "chills" that it wasn't worth speaking, or in this case writing out.  I once again was trying to control.  Major fail!  Jesus started showing me that what He places in my heart isn't always just for me.  It's just like my human self to place me in the center of everything I do.  So be looking for more posts.  Some fun.  Some fun.  Some even meaningless (at least in my own eyes).  I will also tell you that before I had both my daughter and daughter in-love proof before I would post.  If you haven't guessed by now I am one of the worlds worst spellers.  However, again I am have been shown content is way more important than perfection.  So where I error please overlook.  Read for content if you can.  This life is glorious ride and I intend to get as much out of it as Jesus will allow!

Blessed to be His,
Kim