Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

I saw this today. It touched me so.

<This morning in church our minister said, "The goal of Spirituality is transformation. That's what metamorphosis means. Transformation isn't what we make happen, but what we open ourselves to allowing happen to us. Transformation is what God does to a receptive heart.">
I thought of this scripture.

 

Now to Exhale!

Life has changed.

It has been some time since I've posted and one thing I can attest to is that nothing stays the same. Especially in God's economy!

We are in 'holding pattern'. At first, it was rather nice to be able to spend time with friends and family, worshipping with them, visiting them, and, basically, just being footloose and fancy-free for a time. But...then it became a bit too different and started to feel too loose and not bonded to a local Body of Believers. God has answered our prayers and placed us in a local church that seems to be so welcoming! Our Pastor is a wise and godly man, as is his wife. I have come to grips with the fact that it's okay to stop, pull up to the table and feast. Be quiet and learn.

Part of the beauty of the local Church would be our brothers and sisters. God gives us so many gifts that are ministered to us by other believers, for the edification of the Church. We are to be ready to do the same. Forget all the tradition for traditions sake, the horizontal worship, the mindset of just 'showing up'. Strip it all away, dust our feet off, look heavenward. As our Pastor said today, "It's all about vertical worship!"

What else is there in the grand scheme of things? Now......pull up to that table of the feast, worship, love, learn, serve....and....exhale!

Love and washing my hands for that meal,
Ms Pastor Astor's Wife

Pulling Strings

 

"Would you tell your husband that I can't attend this month's Alliance meeting?"

"Be sure to tell your husband that we are out of copy paper."

"I think he wore that tie last week."

"Don't forget to tell the Pastor that our meeting times have changed. Oh, and make sure the secretary knows so she can change it in all the printed material. Last time you forgot."

"Your husband looks discouraged. Is he discouraged? I hope the sermon isn't going to be as long as last week. We have to get to a ballgame."

"Please tell your husband that my sister's mother-in-law's best friend's cousin's child is having her tonsils out on the 31st. Have him pray and put her on our pray list in Sunday's bulletin."

"Do you realize that you have forgotten the dates that I just gave you a week ago?"

 

 

Your expectations are too high. I cannot meet them.

Do you stop to think that we are two people? All of you are many.

You have a 2% chance of me remembering these things. <sigh>

I don't want to remember these things.

 Tell me about your niece who is soul searching, acting out in the process,

 and that you would like to pray with me about it.

 Tell me that you have faith, as a grain of mustard seed,

 but you want God to increase your faith and you want us to pray about it.

Ask me if we could visit your sister-in-law,

who has many questions about what it means to be a Christian.

Ask me how my husband and I are doing and then ask how can you pray for us.

Tell me how I can pray for you.

 

 

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Eccl. 4:9-12

 

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

1 Peter 4:8-10

 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Choose Sunshine

I will probably wake up to fog tomorrow. Sometimes I love the fog and other times it feels at if it wraps itself around me, like a cocoon. A suffocating cocoon. Depending on my state-of-mind, the weather definately influences my writing.

I find that discipline is a great remedy for the temptation to slack off. Consistency in making the scriptures my 'go to' place, can lift my ho-hum state of mind quicker then anything. Gratitude is a great shot in the arm, as well. Find one thing to be thankful for. It will lead to another.

The imaginary sun can shine through the very real fog!

The Secret is Out!

Oh, my! I saw a "preacher's wife" blog with an entry titled,

"Your So Vain, You Probably Think This Blog's About You!"

 

I have to admit that I laughed,         

                                    and laughed

                                                            and laughed.

 

 

The secret is out, Carly!

Sight-Seeing

 

 

"You have a nice home."

 

Thinking, thinking. I know you have never been to my house.

Then it dawns on me.  You did a drive-by! You just told me you did a drive-by!

Ok.

Well, did you like the wheelbarrow?

By the way, your car is really, really red. How do you know I didn't see it??

Why do I feel like you are reading over my shoulder?

<sigh>

 

"Why, thank you very much."

 

 

Ok, Just Stuff It!

In my world, the fall season is a grand reason to rejoice. Nothing can compare to a lovely mixture of crisp air, the crunch of leaves underfoot, a flowerbed full of mums and pansies, open windows, and the scent of that first fire that a neighbor has roaring in their fireplace. With all its glory, fall brings those wonderful orange spheres that we scoop out, carve, embellish, and recreate in so many ways.  Well, this season is no different and it's time to share some things I've found on the web. So as I enduldge in a little Palladia, let me show you these:

                                                                 Woodland Pumpkin

How darling is this little guy?? A ragged, tattered elegance. It wouldn't find its way back into seasonal storage until spring!

Pumpkin Monster Doll

What a sassy little mess from Tami Johnson out of Helena, Montana. This little guy deserves to be tucked into your fireplace arrangement or just loved.

                                                         Upcycled Sweater Pumpkins

Whimsy Workshop makes these. Now, every sweater in my house is in danger. Pastor Astor's sweater drawer is fair game!

Now wasn't that fun and doesn't it just want to make you drag out your sewing machine, your hot glue and stuff a pumpkin you have just created? Listen to good music and let those creative juices flow.

Speaking of music, I wonder if I'm the only Christian woman that wrestles with my passion for Jesus, music, and how it all fits together in my lifestyle? I'm trying to decide what I think about Florence and the Machine. The sound is intriguing, yet I pick and choose what are acceptable lyrics. Too dark? Unedifying? Therein lies the rub. It all seems to move along quite well and then the lyrics mess up the whole thing. My previous life was filled with a plethera of music. As a young teenager, I can remember slipping off to bed with my little radio hidden under my pillow. Every night was a concert, jamming to the likes of Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Linda Ronstandt, and the list goes on. Grandma's quilt would be in a jumble from rocking the night away. I believe I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as 'Christian music'. <gasps are heard > I'm thinking that there is music and then there are lyrics. It all depends on your cultural exposure, and if the Holy Spirit resides within your heart. All the rest is preference. In our church, every generation has a different preference in music. The Southern Gospel bunch thumb their noses at the contemporary group and vice versa. Let's get real! Do we really think that those raised on U2 are going to have the same taste in music as those raised on Lawrence Welk or Buddy Holly? I don't think so. While the context will change when God steps into a life, the sound probably stays the same. At least that's been my experience. I do love the richness of some of the old hymns. Many times the lyrics are filled with Biblical truth. Not always. I've caught myself looking hard at all of those old lyrics, only to discover that I refuse to sing a few of them. I mean, come on! How do I know that my mansion is over a hilltop? That's up to God. But I do know that God is good...all the time!

I'll never forget the looks on faces when I stated that I didn't think there was such a thing as Christian music, but only Christian lyrics and that all the rest was preference. Yes, it is true. But I'm from an alien planet, question Christian cultural mores  and I love this:

and this

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2