Don't be Like a Mule.

Wall of Forgiveness: Aftermath of the Vancouver Stanley Cup Riot.

Photo by : Guilhem Vallut

https://www.flickr.com/photos/o_0/5850662652/

Psalm 32 (In my own words.)


How blessed we are to know God has forgiven, and will always forgive, our sins and mistakes! They are covered by the blood of Jesus. He puts truth in our minds.


When I didn’t confess my sin, your hand was heavy upon my mind. I felt weak and sorrowful. But when I told you my sin, you forgave me and my guilty feelings were gone!


Because of this, may all pray to you while there is still time! You will become their hiding place. You will protect them and surround them with songs of freedom!


The Lord God says, “I will teach you the way you should go. I will counsel you with my loving eyes on you. Don’t be like a mule or a horse, which have no understanding. They must be controlled by bit and bridle, or they will not come to you."


The evil man has a lot of trouble in his life. But God’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. So, rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you children of the Great I Am. Sing, all you who have God in their hearts!

Heaven: Boring or Exciting?

My granddaughter, Hope, enjoying the snow.

I dreamed last night someone asked me why I would want to follow God. I said to him, “Imagine the best day you ever had with people you love. That is what God wants for all people. We will be one big happy family enjoying each other, enjoying God, having interesting work to do, eating wonderful food, getting to know the animals, traveling, sightseeing, singing, playing musical instruments, gaining knowledge,

One of the best days I’ve ever had was when our whole family packed a picnic and we drove up into the mountains to a park. There was an abandoned gold mine there, an old train trestle no longer in use, a river flowing by, and trees everywhere. I remember looking at my children and grandchildren and thinking, “I must always remember this beautiful day.”

The river was deep so my husband and son-in-law were jumping from the trestle. We walked over to the abandoned mine and found some rocks with gold dust on them, we walked among the trees and saw a large woodpecker. Simple things, but so very wonderful because we were all together discovering this park and enjoying the happiness of the children who were excited by everything they saw.

One of my sisters, who has a chronic illness and cannot work, told me she thought heaven might be boring. She couldn’t imagine having fun there. I said, “Look at what we are doing this minute. We are playing video games. We are enjoying ourselves, aren’t we?” She agreed we were. “I said, “If we can enjoy playing these simple games, I think the God of the universe will have interesting things for us to do.”

My daughter once told me she hadn’t wanted to be a Christian because she thought heaven would be boring. But now that she knows she will meet her deceased son in heaven, she can’t wait to get there.

I think the thoughts of being bored in heaven come from going to church and being bored as a kid, or even an adult, and perhaps by being a party/sex/drink/drugs lover. You know that won’t be going on in heaven so it turns you off.

 But all those thoughts show a lack of imagination. If people will spend a lot of money to go see the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone Park for two weeks, then I think we will all enjoy heaven. Think about how most people love snorkeling or just swimming at a beautiful beach. All the things we love about nature will surround us in heaven. And the more we get to know God, the more we will enjoy his company. I’m sure the angels will be interesting to meet and get to know.

As the Bible says, we have no idea what awaits us in heaven.

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

1 Corinthians 2:9

God Lifted Me Up.

A bog.

I was re-reading Psalm 40 and was moved to gratefulness again.

Psalm 40:

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord

and put their trust in him.

I do feel God has lifted me out of a miry bog, or quicksand. I was sinking because of the memories of my father sexually abusing me. I was sinking in shame, mental illness and depression. But through the years he lifted me up out of that.

It didn’t happen quickly. It takes time for the mind to heal. Therapists also helped me. Am I completely well body and soul? No. But I am now standing on the rock, Jesus. My feet are no longer slipping and sliding. I understand how to run to him, to pour out my heart to him and to let him give me peace. Perfect peace? Yes and no.

 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Isaiah 26:3

I used to think that when we had perfect peace it would never go away. But I was wrong. Our peace is disrupted when life brings obstacles or tragedy. Satan messes with our peace when he whispers negative thoughts to us.

So, we have to go back again to God and tell him how we feel and ask for his peace. We need to go again and again through the day and quote uplifting Bible verses praising God. Satan cannot stay where God is being praised and trusted. This is what I think Paul meant when he wrote, “Fight the good fight of faith.”

I learned most of this through Joyce Meyer. I watch her TV show every day. She focuses on how to live the Christian life. She was raped by her father for most of her childhood. She understands.

I still have a mental illness. I still hear my little girl inside say things. But I don’t mind too much. I try my best to stay away from things that trigger me. I can honestly say I am mostly happy and at peace. It is a wonderful feeling. He lifted me up out of the slimy pit, out of the mire and mud.

Psalm 40 is a Messianic psalm. Commentators have said the feelings expressed in this psalm are what Jesus felt. I’m going to write about that next time.

What Career Does God Want For You?

This is the main street of where my daughter works in the Dollar Store.

I heard Joyce Meyer talking about how to know God's will for us. I thought she had some practical ideas.

1. What are you good at?
2. What do you enjoy doing?

She says God wants to show us what to do and he will if we follow his leading. I'm going to give a few examples of people finding their happy place. Lol

Joyce: She said she started out working for God by giving away pamphlets to strangers downtown. She hated doing that. Yes, I've done it and hated it too.

Next, she worked in her church by babysitting for parents while they were in the service. She said it took about two weeks when she and the children decided it wasn't working. Then, she started a Bible Study program in her home. She loved teaching people about God. She found her place.

My Daughter: First she was an office assistant and photographer for a real estate office. She really liked that job, but after 10 years and low pay she decided she needed to do something different. She had always been attracted to nursing so she went to school and $20,000 later she was a nurse. She didn't really like working in a hospital so she went to a nursing home. The pay was good and she loved the residents, but watching people die was too painful for her.

She then took classes in working in emergency situations and got a job way up north in Canada to man the ambulance. But driving on pure ice roads upset her and her family did not like her being away 3 weeks a month. So, she quit.

Next she worked at a drop-in clinic and then a doctor's office. She didn't like either of these jobs because a lot of patients were angry and took it out on her. Her husband was transferred to a mountain town and she got a job looking after a sick and elderly man. She did like this job and loved the patient. But he became sicker and had to go live in a nursing home.

There were no other jobs available in town but working in a Dollar Store. She liked this job because she loved her boss. Then she was made manager of the store and in charge of buying products. Well, she loved this part of the job. She knows what women want for crafts because she is a crafter and she knows what children like to play with and ordered new toys. The store has been making much more money since she was made manager and she is very happy. She found her place.

One time, she was telling me how upset she was that she spent all that money on nurse training for nothing. I told her it wasn't for nothing; she found out what she didn't like and not only that the jobs she had as a nurse over the years paid extremely well. They more than covered the tuition. Also, in the back of her mind she had always wanted to be a nurse. She would have always regretted not giving it a shot.

Me: Well, I had been drawn to archaeology since I was in my twenties. But I had children and was a stay-at-home mom for years. When I went to university in my early 40s, I decided to be a librarian in a museum. But I had a mental breakdown and quit school. I was upset for a few years, but then realized how much my daughter's and grandchildren needed me. If I had had a career, I wouldn't have been available. I'm really glad my life turned out the way it did.

So, I do believe God will show you where your talents lie and where you will be happiest and do the most good. Don't be afraid to try something out and see if it fits. You may love a career you didn't even give consideration to.