Pass the Eraser, Please!

Do you remember how easy it was to correct your work when you were in grade school? We wrote exclusively in pencil, and voila! If we messed up, we'd grab those big eraser's and before long we had a blank page to work with again.

Now I'm 43 and finding the pages of my life are written in permanent marker, not pencil. My past mistakes seem to creep up when I least expect them. Please pass the eraser.

My bathrooms need the most scrubbing power on cleaning day.  They've invented this handy little all-purpose eraser (see picture above) that works wonders on the toughest bathroom stains.  Could I try this on the stains of my past?  Pass the eraser, please.

Is there an eraser that is big enough, or strong enough to erase the past mistakes I've made? No.  But God showed me this verse in His instruction book:

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalms 103:12 (NIV)

While my past may still bear occasional consequences, and it's presence is sometimes felt, I don't need to hold onto any guilt.  The blood of Jesus has cleansed me of all unrighteousness. Jesus stands at the door to our hearts, and He alone holds the magic eraser capable of erasing our pasts.  

A Daily Journey

Well, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've started a new blog.  Not one I will do much time editing and critiquing, just a place to throw my thoughts.  After 7 bouts with skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma), I've felt the Lord leading me to try becoming a Vegan to see if my body will be better able to conquer these lesions on its own.  Anyhow, if you'd like to follow my daily musings, hop on over to my new blog:

My Vegan Journey 4 Health

Visit Me Here

Blogging has been a challenge for me over the past year. I've been focusing more on my personal writing, and I've been coordinating another blog called, Titus 2 In Action.

Visiting your blogs is truly encouraging and uplifting, I hope to stop by more often.

In the meantime, Please hop on over to read my bi-monthly posts called, Date Your Mate on my shared blog, Titus 2 In Action. Don't forget to leave a comment so I can come by and visit your blogs, too!

God Bless!

Thankful Thursday

It is high time I participate in Thankful Thursday again. So here goes:

1) I am thankful for the opportunity to think of five things I am thankful for!

2) I am thankful for a fabulous summer! I've enjoyed my kids, my husband, and making new friends, as well as my faithful friends. It's been amazing.

3) I am thankful for the opportunity to join the leadership team at my Tuesday morning Bible Study. I even have a new mentor named Phyllis. Our Bible study is fabulous (we did it over the summer) and I'm looking forward to sharing it with the 120 ladies this fall.

4) I am thankful that all my kids will be in school full-day this fall. My youngest will be full-day as well. This will free up time for me to write and join in as a new leader at my Bible study (see #3).

5) I am thankful for blogging. I have not been faithful to post to this blog, but I have been posting bi-monthly to Titus 2 In Action. It's a great way to share with others.

If you'd like to join in - join Greg over at Greg's general store.

Intimacy

"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1 (NIV)

What is your definition of intimacy? I recently read a phrase that wraps it up for me, into-me-see. Does that sound about right? Being intimate with someone is the closest thing two people can share - either emotionally, or physically.

As humans, we crave intimacy, but I believe most of us struggle to find it.

We long for close friendships, only to find most of them superficial.

We marry our soul mates, and then years later wonder why we aren't as intimate (or close) as we used to be.

When first saved, most new believers can't get enough time with God, but after years of being a Christian, many of us are crying out for God to ignite the flame that once burned bright. As if we need a new wick.

So how do we capture and maintain intimacy, with our spouse, our friends, and most importantly with God?

Perhaps we achieve true intimacy two ways.

First, we need to learn to be transparent - yes that means becoming more vulnerable.

Second, spend time together. The more time two people spend together, the more they begin to resemble one another, and the more they desire to be together.

Seems simple enough, so what's stopping us? Life. Busyness.

Purpose in your heart to spend time with God, and then with those you want to be more intimate with. It takes a lot of work and persistence to become intimate and keep the flame burning. The end result - relationships that are fulfilling and fruitful.

Independence

July the 4th is just around the corner. Everyone is talking about their plans to celebrate this great American holiday. Most families are planning a cookout, fireworks, and fellowship. No doubt, fun for all who chose to celebrate.


Before long my youngest child was asking me about this holiday, and inquiring about the meaning of Independence Day. While I know full well what the 4th of July represents for America, I began to ponder the word independence.

According to www.dictionary.com, the definition for independence is: Freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.

Can you see where I'm going with this? As Christians, we should be celebrating our independence from this world. The world we live in is powerful, and it's influence and control are far reaching. But as followers of Christ, we should be emulating Jesus, not this world.

I also found it intriguing that part of the definition is "support, and aid." Okay that one has me. I do look to the world for support (financially and going to doctors). I also turn to wrong worldly things to console me when I'm down (food). I definitely need to work on the area of support from the wrong source.

This 4th of July, have fun and celebrate our independence from other countries, but also remember to be independent from the pulls of this world.

I'M BORED!

Summer is finally here!  School let out and within one week we were on the road headed for Walt Disney World, Florida.  Ahhh, life seemed good. 

Vacation ended and the following week we spent at doctors appointments, and catching up on laundry and T.V., "Is this how everyone starts out their summers?"

Anyhow, next thing I knew, I had a list of summer projects on paper ready to be checked off. Life seemed good, until my son popped into the kitchen and said, "I'm bored!"

To read how this affected our family and what solutions we used, click on the link below to jump over to Titus 2 In Action where I am a guest blogger today.