Trust/Righteousness

S. And he believed the LORD, and it counted it to him as righteousness
-Genesis 15:6

O. Abram believed what God had said to him. He had faith in God's word. He trusted God. Because of this he was seen as righteous.

A. I find it hard to trust anyone. I need to learn to let go of past hurts and trust in God wholeheartedly.

P. Heavenly Father, forgive me for not trusting in you like I should. Help me to shed off my past hurts and to learn to
Trust again. In Jesus name amen.

Be like the weed

Went for a walk around the park this morning for the first time in a fair while. I had done my devotions and Bible reading and I just couldn't get anything out of it. While I was walking I asked God to give me something….anything really…I needed to reconnect with Him somehow. Then I noticed a pretty little yellow flower beside the path. It was a weed. I picked it. As I was looking at I started thinking about how the council comes in every so often and mows down all the long grass and weeds. And it saddened me at first to think of this pretty yellow flowers being cut down. That’s how life seems to me sometimes. Like just when I feel like I’m beginning to bloom that something comes and mows me down. But then God reminded that even though these pretty yellow flowers (weeds) get mown down, they don’t die. They come back again. They don’t give up. And he told me that I need to be like the weed. I need to keep coming back no matter how many times I get mown down.

One Word Prompt - Zoo

 

I love animals.I actually went through a stage when I was young when I wanted to be either a marine biologist or a vet. I'm kind of glad that I didn't become either of those. Firstly I don't like the ocean (well going in the ocean to be precise) and I can basically only swim enough to barely save myself in calm conditions. And sharks totally terrify me. Hmmmm actually to be completely honest I have a strong aversion to boats, ships etc. But I love dolphins. I was completely obsessed with them as a kid. I had books on them, posters of them and I even joined the WWF. Even though I don't like the ocean swimming with dolphins is on my "to do before I die list". I figure I'll go to Seaworld one day and pay to do it there.
Well that's why I'm glad I didn't become a marine biologist. As for the vet thing I'm glad I didn't do that either for several reasons.
I was a vet nurse for a while and found it a rewarding but very emotionally draining job. It was hard enough assisting vets when they had to put animals down but to actually have to make those life and death decisions myself would have made me an emotional wreck.
Blood....while I can deal with animal blood much better than human blood, it still makes me queasy.
Poop and other excrements....well I don't think I need to say much more there...gross...and I have a weak stomach
Reptiles...specifically snakes....I am completely and utterly terrified of snakes....phobic...can't even look at pictures of them. Luckily for most of the time when I was a vet nurse I worked for a Cat Specialist so it was not an issue. But at my other job I once turned up to work to find a snake had been admitted the night before. I can tell you I was not cleaning the cages that morning.
And  lastly....is....well I would no doubt end up with a "zoo" of my own with all the animals needing a home and my DH would not be happy living with lots of animals...see while I am an animal lover he is is definitely not. He doesn't hate them just doesn't like them much either.
Okay back to the word Zoo. Some have said that my house was once like a zoo and I have owned lots of animals over time. Lets see....I've bred pedigree guinea pigs...kept chickens, ducks, a rabbit (shhh don't tell anyone coz I wasn't supposed to have it), pet rats, mice, various birds, dogs, cats, an axolotl, gold fish, tropical fish and a turtle. Right now we only have two very old cats, 4 rats (two are on their last legs I think) and my son has tropical fish. I hope one day to have chickens again and I really really want a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Maybe I’ll get one someday soon…:)

Rainy Daze

Today is a rainy day.

I love rainy days. It’s a time that all I want to do is curl up with a good book or watch a good movie. Not doing either at the moment. But writing on rainy days is good too.

There is something about rain that soothe my soul. Rain reminds me of life, of growth, of renewing, and most of all it reminds me of the awesome power of the God I love. He has power over life. He gives us water which makes every living thing grow.

I remember first finding out that this earth didn’t even know rain until the Great Flood of Noah’s day. I try to imagine just what was going on in the people’s heads when they first saw it rain. I imagine for those that refused to believe Noah when he told them that God was going to flood the world it was shock and fear. Did they realize that Noah’s words were true? Or were they still stubbornly refusing to believe?

What were Noah and their family feeling? Were they afraid too? Imagine that water had never fallen from the sky before and here it was pouring down. What a shock to the system that would be. I imagine it would have been scary but also comforting. If their God could cause water to fall from the sky when it never had before than of  course he could protect those who followed and loved him.

How do I feel when God rains into my life? Do I turn away in fear and run? Or do I see it as a sign his awesome power reigning in my life?

How about you?

2010 New Year’s Goals – Part One

Ok....just starting to think out loud now...only got a couple more days to work out my New Year's Goals...thing is I want to do and change too many things....so gonna brain dump everything here to start with...ok...
1. Get organised
2. Declutter my house
3. Fix up the yard
4. Get fit - lose probably about 10kg
5. Learn to draw/paint
6. Get a part time job
7. Get more involved in Zone Worship
8. Develop my piano/keyboard abilities
9. Learn to play the Saxophone (probably not 2010 coz Saxophones are expensive)
10. Do more Scrapbooking
11. Make something in patchwork
12. Get better at prayer
13. Read my Bible EVERY day without fail
14. Read more books
15. Pull out my teddy bear making supplies and make some teddy bears\
16. Organise my kitchen and cook more.
17. Spend more quality time with family
18. Entertain at home more
19. Be better at keeping up writing to long distance friends
20. Remember all my friends and family members birthdays
See soo many things going around in my head....how to either narrow the list down or figure out a plan to fit them all into one year without going insane...
Luv and Hugs
God Bless
Jo

Rest For The Soul

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.                                - Matthew 11:29

Earlier in Matthew Jesus speaks of bringing a sword to the world, that families would be divided because of him. So, how could taking on his yoke be good? I think it is because truly knowing Jesus and living his way brings a peace and joy to your heart that nothing can take away. We may hurt, slandered and rejected, bad things may still happen in our lives (we still live in a fallen world after all) but we will have a peace inside that overcomes all this. We can still have joy amidst pain, loss and struggles.

Heavenly Father, Thank you that you love me so much that you you want me to have rest for my soul. I want to take on your yoke but somedays I am afraid to do so. It is hard when people that I love don’t understand my love for you. Teach me your ways, Lord so that I may have joy and peace in my soul even when the world around me is in turmoil. In Jesus’ Name Amen

The Reason

Today has been an up and down…actually more of a down and up and down and up….anyway….started out this morning by discovering that one of my children had left the hose turned on…they had turned off the nozzle but left the tap on…the pressure had built up so much during the night that the hose split open and water was everywhere even fully under my house…I can tell you I was not a happy chappy…getting mighty sick of my children not listening…I have told them on numerous occasions not to leave the tap on…not looking forward to the next water bill…well Jason (DH) decided he would take DS to work with him this morning and put him to work cleaning out the work shed and DD stayed with me to help me clean up at home…this was a good plan…then later I had a phone call from my mother…and…well I don’t want to go into it…but it seems one of my brothers doesn’t want me around at the moment…well that’s what I got from the conversation…this upset me heaps and I got quite teary…I had really wanted to see him…we aren’t close you see and I wanted to try to change that…I miss the Christmases we used to have before my oldest brother left his wife and Mum and Dad spilt up…we used to all get together…and even though I always felt the odd one out…I loved being with all the family…but then…I decided to stop being so negative…I mean what is the reason for Christmas…the real reason…it’s Jesus isn’t it…God loved me so much that he sent Jesus…what better reason to be happy….so Christmas is happy for me no matter what…I have decided that right now.