Trust...how sweet it is.

 

Thoughts on trusting. 

Every Christian knows this verse, yet it takes years of trusting until it become second nature or possible our first nature, which means Christ is ruling our heart.  

As believers we all talk a good trust talk but, it's one thing to intellectually know we are supposed to trust God in hard times...but what does that look like?

Don't know who wrote this but it resonated with me.  Trust is the cornerstone of every relationship, communication, and all work happening in the world. You cannot make things work out efficiently for a long time if you don't trust in people and the processes.  (Can I get an amen?)

I have realized lately that my trust has gotten sweeter, and I think it's because since 35 I have practiced trusting God on a daily basis. Many times, I trusted in tears, shaking with fear, slipping and sliding through the trials that breaks my heart.  Only to come back to the one who is worthy to trust.   

Trusting is an action word of the soul.  It's a verb not a noun that requires for us to put it into action before we feel that trust.  And that is why it has grown sweeter the longer I live.  There is such a calmness that comes over one when we are walking in trust.  Our world may be in turmoil, loss may be our burden, answers may evade our heart, but we can still put into action our trust because of who is the foundation of our trust.  

As much as humans can love there might come a time that love is not enough because trust has been broken.  It's hard to stay in a relationship when trust is broken.  We all want those we trust to stand strong even though we often don't.  

I have to put trust and expectations together because that is how trust gets broken.  Almost all my expectation for others and myself shatter in light of what the Bible teaches about we humans and our frailty.  I am glad God put verses in the Bible about taking heed to not judge others for their sins as if ours are not as bad.  Thankful He made room for I John 1:9.

So, how did trust become so sweet in light of being hurt deeply and disappointed through my 76 years.  I can boldly tell you it's because I have and still letting go of expectations for others and myself and putting fully my trust in God   I fully belong to someone who loves me unconditionally and with that knowledge I can forgive when I need to and as many times as I need to.   I can place all hurts and disappointment in His lap.  Every time someone fails me, or I fail myself or another I take that misplaced trust and put it on Jesus.  So my trust in Him has grown through the years and that is where the sweetness comes from.  He is able to take my trust in Him and give me peace in this world.  

The more I trust Him, the more I love Him
Nothing good for me He'll deny
The longer I know Him, the better I can show Him
I couldn't stop now if I tried

It gets sweeter as the days go by
It gets sweeter as the moments fly
His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter
Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

Oh, the moment He saved my His good grace He gave me
He place His love down deep in my heart
There's great joy in knowing with Him I am going
And never more from Him to depart

It gets sweeter as the days go by
It gets sweeter as the moments fly
His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter
Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

EASY

 

I finished 2022 with a sigh.., glad that year is over only to have the, wait a minute thoughts come speeding into my mind. For me, 2022 was a year full of medical issue. I am praying 2023 will pass without any hospital stays. But, I turn 76 this week so I know this aging body will continue to deteriorate. Gravity takes it toll and the aging process leaves one with a body that does not work well and someday will give it up.

I can tell you from experience that living in the states is easy compared to other places we have lived, actually, too darn easy. Years ago the Lord directed us to overseas mission, Bolivia being the first place we went too. Right away I realize there were no packages of chocolate chips to purchase, but I had friends who like me thought, how hard life is going to get without chocolate chips. It wasn't long I discovered a roll of chocolate called Batons is what people use there. Here is the kicker you must chop them up into chip size to make cookies. It was not as easy to bake anything without those lovely chips. But, one will step up and do the not so easy thing to end that desire for sweets.

Package lunch meat, came about killing the animal, putting the meat through a grinder, presses to get lunch meat. Cheese come from a cow that someone had to milk. It took work to pasteurize the milk to kill the bacteria and then you had to cool it down, skim off the cream to make all sort of things we can just run into a store and buy. I am thankful for the dollar stores near us, they have it all, just pick it up, carry to checkout, take home and use

Ok, thats enough of the hardships of living in an undeveloped country. In case you wondering, we did love it because our purpose for being there had nothing to do with it being easy. We knew it would be hard but doing without the frills of easy living did not cause us to forgo what we knew God wanted us to do with our life. Chocolate chips and packaged lunch meat was not the purpose of our soul. What it did for our family was help us get our priorities in order, narrowed our focus down to our purpose.

Don't get me wrong I love easy and one would think it would make living for the Lord easier. Honestly it is harder to live for the Lord in abundant America. When you do not have internet, and electricity it causes everyday things to be harder. Going to church is harder here, I mean I can stay home in my pj and listen to a message about God. But, that is not what God said to do. He says to assemble TOGETHER, each of us growing together.

I would watch the ladies who lived around us and there only a few who had weight problems. In fact they assumed we were rich because we had some fat on us. They loved to feel the underneath of my arms, you know the part that wobbles.

From Thanksgiving to after the start of 2023 I gained 4 pounds from using easy ways of making things, especially sweets or just buying already made food. It was an easy 4 pounds to put on.

So after seeking easy ways to lose weight I think I will take the hard way of doing that. Less portions, less easy already baked things, more of the old fashion walking when I am able. I love ease but I love more that Jesus did not look around for the easy way to purchase our souls from going to hell. He stepped up to the plate and said, I will go, God who created us suffered and died for us so we could experience salvation. 

What is God teaching you from your abundant living? Is He the one you trust to give you direction for the life you have. Most of the time His direction can be a hard road, not an easy one. Oh, but the sights He shows us on that road, the things we learn that help us to be more like Him. Sacrifice is my new chocolate chip and I would give them up for Him because He gave up all for me. I have started my new year with a thankful heart that turns my eyes to Him.

Late

 

There sits part of my Christmas card, addressed, nice words written inside the card, enveloped and ready for stamps.  There is no reason I did not get them done and sent other then I put everything else before the task.  After years and years of doing this because I wanted everyone to think I was a super woman at anything needing done.  

The last week and half has been a reminder that some deem Christmas card sending still important.  Two days before Christmas and we have gotten six cards and I have sent out none.  I especially did the personal one first, you know close family, close friends and thought how loving I was being to these people thinking of them first.  Then came the churches that has supported us all these years.  They usually post it on top of the last update on a special board especially for missionaries.  

What is happening in my mind that I would let this good thing slip and come to this place.  I think my priorities are changing as I age. Lord knows I had enough time to do this.  Yet there they sit, no stamp, a reminder of my failure. 

There sits part of my Christmas card, addressed, nice words written inside the card, enveloped and ready for stamps.  There is no reason I did not get them done and sent other then I put everything else before the task.  After years and years of doing this because I wanted everyone to think I was a super woman at anything needing done.  

The last week and half has been a reminder that some deem Christmas card sending still important.  Two days before Christmas and we have gotten six cards and I have sent out none.  I especially did the personal one first, you know close family, close friends and thought how loving I was being to these people thinking of them first.  Then came the churches that has supported us all these years.  They usually post it on top of the last update on a special board especially for missionaries.  

I know I am not alone in this for we have only received six cards and half of them were just a family picture, which I love, I keep those but the card I throw away.   

This is about all I can say on this subject, but I want to leave you with a good thought.  Jesus not only came to die for our sin but from the guilt of whatever we feel guilty about.  Thankful for His unconditional love and mercy this Christmas.

                                                           MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Trip!

 

Laughter is so good for us.  

Two and half weeks ago we took off on a trip to the south.  Not because we were seeking some beach to thaw us out from the cold and snow but a trip to encouraged others and get some encouragement.

  First to a family member 30th birthday party outside of Kansas City.  Then next day we went to Illinois for Thanksgiving with more family. 

On a still full stomach we left the day after Thanksgiving headed back south to St. Louis to pick up a car belonging to a longtime friend who needed someone to drive it to Phoenix, Az. We left our car there and drove the most southern route hoping we would miss any bad weather.   

This is where it got even better for us.  This route took us too close to our sons and family who live north of Dallas to not stop in.  Seeing the surprised faces of our Grandchildren who did not know we were coming and feel their arms hugging us was the highlight of the whole trip.    

Traveling always means saying goodbye and after two days and night we went on our way heading to Phoenix through some awesome remotes' sights. There was some snow on the mountains but none on the roads.   El Paso was an over whelming huge city and at times we could see the border wall.  It saddens our hearts to think of the chaos going on there. 

After two days and one night on the road we made it to Phoenix to my brother place where we stayed for a few days resting up from the drive.  Another goodbye and off we flew back to St. Louis and picked up our car and started our drive to Blackduck Mn.  That cold and snow was still there but praise the Lord the roads were cleared off.  

Ace and I have traveled all over the world in our ministry which has meant lots of flying and driving.   My favorite way to travel is by car though because I read a lot and Ace and I reflect on each visit.  Kind of a time for a heart check to see if we actually encouraging others or were we getting all the encouragement.  

Everyone needs some encouragement, especially this time of the year.  To think daily on what God did for us through His Son is encouragement.

   

October Thoughts

 

This looks exactly like the road I walk on.  

Oct 20th we finished our 58 year of marriage, and start our 59th year.  We both remember clearly the day we got married, not knowing what the future years would bring.  Some of those years were hard, some were great, all do to the choices we made. We are still making choices.  Many times we are ask, how did you stay married?  Commitment and forgiveness come to mind because that first exciting love we had at 17 saying I do fades when hard times come. But when those two words are settled in the heart you can get through hard times.  

Happy Anniversary to us, Ace and Betty Draper 

Christians mature by little bites of will, little denials of self, little inward victories, by faithfulness in very little things. They become what they are. There is no sudden maturity. There is only the work of the moment.

Amy Carmichael

Be good to people for no reason

No one is responsible for your happiness but you. Marrying someone and expecting them to make you happy isn’t going to work. Having children expecting them to make you happy is a bad idea. Happiness flows from a grateful heart. Safe Haven Bible Study

If you’re serious about change, you have to go through uncomfortable situations. Stop trying to dodge the process. It’s the only way to grow. Believe me, it’s worth it all. Unknown

Dostoevsky once wrote, that we cannot ‘live and have no

story to tell’, then perhaps it is equally true that there is no story that can be told without somehow teaching us how to live.

Doing some late night reading and come across this profound quote. During my family visit we talked about our childhood, teen years, becoming adults, now each of in our winter years. Our stories mesh together often yet each of us have taken a different road to get where we are. I learned some things while listening to my family that made my heart softer toward them. I saw and heard them through the same grace God has given me. How grace can change our view of others if we will just ask for it. My family stories teach me, it's good to share ones heart, not opinion which I am prone to do, but listened with grace as the theme. Wise Hearted

I am encouraged this morning as I read many of my friends who are weathering the storms in Florida. Their words speak of how they are trusting God through it. You can't keep hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, wars or any kind of storm from happening.

Some or all of your material things may be destroyed but they can be replaced. Pray for those going through storms for faith is built when we come through something hard. They help us put our priorities in order, and show us we are not God for we cannot stop storms from coming to us. It's through the storms we develop a grateful heart as we trust Him. Wise Hearted

I have been off from blogging for a while but above is just a few things I posted on facebook that has kept me close to the Lord this month. Only a few more days and Oct. will be gone like all the leaves on the trees. How has your Oct been so far?

Safe Place

 “The only love that won’t disappoint you is one that can’t change, that can’t be lost, that is not based on the ups and downs of life or of how well you live. It is something that not even death can take away from you. God’s love is the only thing like that. Phillip Keller

The other day I was heading toward home and the sky was getting darker, rain was beginning to fall. The wind was whipping my hair and clothes as I hurriedly walked.

I love this kind of weather even though I know it could produce serious damage. There is something beautiful standing on the edge of a storm watching God release nature. As beautiful as it was, I hurried home to a safe place before it really cut loose.

1 Peter 1:6 and James 1:2 both talk about the trials of many kinds. They come in many shapes and sizes and do not always come in a spiritual wrapper.

Randomness trials can hit without warning. I have California friend who would never live in a tornado zone. I tell them, at least in those place you have a warning of what is coming. Yet, there is no warning minutes before an earthquake which happens all the time in the west coast.

Up to a few weeks ago I was not taking walks in the woods of northern Mn and enjoying all the beauty of nature. I decided to once again face my fear of meeting a bear, get my walking stick out and walk. My body needs the exercise, my mind needs the peace that nature brings and I needed to trust God those bears are more afraid of me then I am of them. (Not really sure if that is true or not) Yesterday, I played music on my phone in hopes bears would hear it and shy away from me.

There is a song I sing when I am going through a trial, it's my safe place. Because a trial can cause me to doubt this truth, that Jesus loves me. So I battle back with the song, Jesus loves me this I know, Knowing God loves me keeps me balanced between stepping out in faith and being cautious. I would not walk in a lightening storm, or a tornado.

Do you have a safe place song that comes to mind when you are in a trial?

1. Jesus loves me! This I know,
   For the Bible tells me so;
   Little ones to Him belong;
   They are weak, but He is strong.
   • Refrain:
     Yes, Jesus loves me!
     Yes, Jesus loves me!
     Yes, Jesus loves me!
     The Bible tells me so.
2. Jesus loves me! This I know,
   As He loved so long ago,
   Taking children on His knee,
   Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
3. Jesus loves me still today,
   Walking with me on my way,
   Wanting as a friend to give
   Light and love to all who live.
4. Jesus loves me! He who died
   Heaven’s gate to open wide;
   He will wash away my sin,
   Let His little child come in.
5. Jesus loves me! He will stay
   Close beside me all the way;
   Thou hast bled and died for me,
   I will henceforth live for Thee.

Finished

 “Perfectionism and procrastination have such a fine line. You say, “Well I want it to be good. I want to be perfect.” But what you’re really doing is not doing your work. You’re putting off showing up and being visible because then you’re going to be judged, and it might suck.” -Jen Sincero

After several months I finally finished my throw quilt with the help of some loving women. I like this quote above because it fits my life when I compare me to others. When I finished it, I then had to choose if I show it.? I decided to throw out fear of what other think and go for this showing of my first ragged quilt throw
One more quote I read this morning...No one is perfect, that's why pencils have erasers
 

Another Sunday Morning

 Another Sunday has come and in a few hours be gone. Heard a good message today that caused me to to think on the past week.  Lifted up my sins, prayed for forgiveness, gave Him my week coming up, ask for help from the one who knows me best, my heavenly Father.  Came home from church encouraged in the Lord, and started this post while thoughts were fresh in my heart. 

I so often want to lay in bed on Sunday morning instead of getting up, putting on a little makeup, and getting dressed for church.  For 46 years of Sunday mornings, I have fought this same battle, not every Sunday but more than I like to count.  

You would think the enemy of my soul would get tired of losing, you think?  Here is one reason He does not give up, he wins sometimes.  One thing he never wants me to do is go to church.  The farther away from a church is how he likes to keep me.  And he has plenty reason which are lies to give me. 

Which is why I am grateful for the Holy Spirit who loves to go to church.  He keeps gently pushing me to get up, get dressed, put on a slab of makeup and ready my soul for church.  I try to always ask the Lord to give me something good for my heart, either encouragement, or conviction.  

I read this today,  {Church is not a place we go. It is a way of life we live as being God’s people in the world participating in His Mission. }

I am never sorry when I obey the sweet voice of God who knows how weak I am and how easy my thoughts and then my way of life can take on the ways of the world. 

Today the message was about Deborah and how God used her when the men were not faithful to God.  Judges 4:1-16

What did you hear in church today, or, maybe you have to listen at home to a message, what did God speak to your heart?

 

Ticks and Sin

Our three Grand children from our son is visiting us for a week.  They love coming up to northern Mn. because we live in the country and ride four wheelers, climb trees, walk in the woods, and look for bears and swim in the lakes.  One thing they do not like is the amount of ticks this year Every day, several times a day we find ticks on them and doctor the mosquitos bites nightly. 

  

 We also have four little kittens, about six weeks old and everyday they are chasing them and getting scratched which needs doctoring. 

The thing I hate the most is those ticks, ugly little creatures that brings nothing good to this world, NOTHING.  I wonder what made God create them or did they evolve after the fall?  It's kind of one of those question I can't wait to understand when I get to heaven.  It's hard for me to believe they were in the garden before sin.  

What I know for sure is until sin entered the world God created there was no creatures harming each other or harming humans. The minute sin entered everything changed, God put  Adam and Eve  out of the garden and put the tree of life to guard it.  Even though they had no covering for their bodies they were not ashamed of their nakedness. but the second sin worked its way into their hearts they knew fear and shame for the first time. 

Now back to ticks, here is a few known illnesses ticks carry and can transmit to you, the human.   

• Colorado Tick Fever. This is a disease that may be transmitted by the bite of a hard tick (Dermacentor andersoni). ...
• Lyme Disease. Ticks infected by biting infected rats or deer carry this disease. ...
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It is caused by a bacteria transmitted by ticks. ...
• Tick Paralysis. ...
• Tularemia. ...   

I think Proverbs 6:16-19 say it the best when it comes to what God hates.   

There are six things the Lord hates,
    seven that are detestable to him:
17         haughty eyes,
        a lying tongue,
        hands that shed innocent blood,
18         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19         a false witness who pours out lies
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

No where does it say God hates ticks.  A tick is sneaky bug, embedding itself in us before we are even aware of it.   We check at least three times a day during this heavy tick season.  

I wonder how often we check our hearts for the sins that is sneaky too.  We are quick to find an excuse for our haughty eyes, lying tongue, wicked schemes, our rush to do wrong, lies come easy to us and man oh man do we ever love a good conflict.  We use the blame game for all those sins more than we care to talk about.  One must on purpose take our hearts to the Lord and ask Him to shine His light into the darkness  so we can detect hidden sin before it becomes a habit.  He loves us so much and wants us to walk clean before Him and the world.  No matter how many ticks I find on me I need to hate sin in my heart more than those ticks and check for both.    

Control

 

There is something wonderful in letting go.  A. W. Tozer called it being released from "the fine threads of the self life, the hyphenated sins of the human spirit, "self sufficiency, self pity, self absorption and self hatred. Letting go means "freedom from the everlasting burden of always having to get our own way." Having to stay in control, to get it own own , is indeed an everlasting burden.  

The above quote is from the book, Strong Women, Soft Hearts by Paula Rinehart. A few ladies and I are going to study through this book that I did about 10 years ago.  It's good to re-read a book that helped me to see how far I have come on this issue of control or trusting God.  

As I look back on my life I can clearly see the lies I so easily believed of how I need control of my life and how that lie caused me to have a hard heart.  First of all, one can never get enough control of life because we do not know what will come next for us.  Life in the world brings so much hardship and pain.  Yet, this is exactly where God wants to work on my heart, right in the middle of a heartache, a worry, an event that takes me out of my comfort zone.  

Re-reading revealed several truths to me, God never stops working on me no matter how many times I fail. It's never a new truth He wants me to learn, He only wants me to go deeper so I can see clearly how me controlling my life will not bring peace to my heart.  Also how deeply the lie has roots in my heart. 

Re-reading reminds me how weak I am and how much God loves me, a truth He wants me to live in daily.  When I rest in His love for me my control loosen it's grip on my heart. My heart becomes more teachable and it's then He is able to show me the goodness of His love.  

I need reminding often that as much as I think I know better for my life, I know nothing but He knows everything, the past, present and future.  The biggest lie we believe is the same one Adam and Eve fell for and the tool satan used is pride to put into action the lie. Pride says I know best what I need.  It shouts my way is more important then God's.  Pride tells us, God if you will just give me what I want I will be happy, I will have peace.  Pride craves all the wrong things, it craves the opposite of what God knows we need to become more like Him. Pride will cause us to blame anything but us for our hard heart.  

At 75 I am still learning this truth to trust God in all things.  Hindsight makes me glad for the hard times,  for it was in those times I went seeking outside myself to His ways for my life. The pain and suffering that has come my way has only driven the truths about control inward and He used it as a tool to soften me.  

Got a good book God brought you way to teach you about Him, its could be calling you for a re-read.