03/22/13

I realize I have been MIA yet again.

It's my Kindle... that is the problem.  :)

You see, I have found all kinds of books on there that have broadened my horizons that I don't think I would have found if not for the "cheap e-book" sections.  They have led me to more and more books that have spiritually strengthened me along with my Scripture reading and devotions.

One I just recently finished is Where is God When it Hurts?  by Phillip Yancey.

This book has been phenomenal. 

I am not as good in Science as, say, my brother.  However, the older I get the more I enjoy learning about how things work.  This book begins with how our body works and how pain is an important part of our lives... whether we care to admit this or not.  (Just ask someone who deals with diabetes and the deadening of nerves to realize that pain actually helps protect us and gives us warning signals.)

Our bodies are DESIGNED by our Creator.  He, in His wisdom, designed our bodies so intricately that there is no way we happened by "chance."  

Here are a few facts that I learned from the book and wanted to share.  I was amazed at the differences in touch with our skin.  It was something I *knew* because we feel things everyday, but I didn't understand it in this detail! 

These facts deal with what researches have discovered in measuring the touching of something to skin.  It is measured in grams (per square millimeter of skin surface).  All that is in green came from Where is God When it Hurts? by Phillip Yancey pages 26-27.

Sensitivity:
"Tip of tongue - 2 grams of pressure

Fingers - 3 grams of pressure

Back of hand - 12 grams of pressure

Back of forearm - 33 grams of pressure

Sole of foot - 250 grams of pressure

Thus, the skin, a single organ displays a very wide range of sensitivity to pressure.  We use our tongues for such intricate acts as forming words and picking food particles from between our teeth.  We use our fingers for playing the guitar, writing with a felt-tip pen, and the caresses of love.  These areas of the skin require a fine-tuned sensitivity.

But less critical areas hardly need such sensitivity: we would tire very quickly indeed if our brains had to listen to such dainty pressure reports from the foot, which faces a daily rigor of stomping, squeezing, and supporting weight.  Thus, while fingers and tongue can detect a feather touch, other parts of the body need a good sound slap before they report unusual activity to the brain."

I could literally go on and on.... and on.  This book has enlightened me in so many ways to the miraculous makeup of our bodies.  There are details we take for granted every day, but we miss them or really feel them terribly when something goes wrong.

I will continue to relate this to how pain is good in future posts.  I hope you will stay with me through this.  I have been learning much.

03/11/13

I love these guys.... they are lemurs and are so much fun to watch at the Zoo. 

 

So let's talk about duct tape today.

I have a funny story first....

Some people know this about me, while others do not.  

For those who know me in real life, this does not surprise them.  In fact, it just adds to my "Mrs. Fowler" moments....

Early in my teaching career I used to have to wear dresses/hose, etc.. each day.  Now we are able to wear pants if we so choose.

Well, in those early years, and on one of those days I wore hose, those said hose did not want to stay up.  

You women out there know what I am talking about.

I tried lots of things to help with that because it was at the beginning of the day and I had a lot of hours before I could take those puppies off!

After trying those different things... I found duct tape. 

I didn't think it would be too bad.  In fact, I was quite pleased all day as I walked around without having anything fall!  I figured this was the answer I could use time and again if need be...

Fast forward to that evening....

I think the entire world heard when I took off said hose with said duct tape on them.  I was not ready for what I felt!

OH. MY. WORD.  

I still remember that pain and it wasn't pretty.

Let's just say the freedom I felt at that moment was welcome...... that is, after I got over the healing process.....

I have had cause to laugh at myself numerous times throughout the years because of this memory!!

Lately the Lord has brought another twist to this story.... one that gives me a different perspective and I have been able to share with others.

For a long time I was duct taped in my box of life.

I was a Type A/ control freak/OCD individual who was thankful for the box she had duct taped herself into.. it was comfortable.

I liked my little box... I really did.

Then, the LORD BEGAN TO TAKE OFF THE DUCT TAPE.

I wasn't ready... I didn't realize the pain that would be involved!

God knew that in order for me to begin seeing the world He intended for me to see I had to get out of my box.  That required TEARING off the duct tape.

Sometimes the yanking was slow.

Most of the times the yanking was fast and furious and I didn't know what had hit me.

However, the freedom that He has allowed me to feel because my own restrictions are gone have been so overwhelmingly filled with joy that I don't ever want to go back in that box again!!

Don't get me wrong, the pain that went along with it was not fun, but I am THANKFUL I could FEEL the PAIN!  The pain is what helps me remember what the Lord has done for me.

I am reminded time and again of John 10:10 -

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The Lord wants you to have abundant life!  If you are too duct taped into your own box of desires and controlling then you will never know abundant life in Christ.  

Allow Him to take off the duct tape.

Just know that even though it is painful, He is there every step of the way healing as He pulls you free.

03/04/13

I have seen a project done by a friend of mine that I loved.

It is a sign she made out of scrap wood from when they were building their home.  (Please go see it here.) 

My friend is amazing with decorating on a budget and just knowing how to do so many neat things.  

I have wanted to do this project for some time.... I even made space for it on my mantle!

However, as it always seems to do, life has gotten in the way.

I knew the only time I would be able to do it was summer and I already have a list of things to do then.

A few weeks ago I got the idea to use a coupon I had gotten for a canvas.  (I loved the fact that I got over $100 off of it!)

I figured I could use my own talent of my photography and my love for designing to make my mantlepiece.

I asked the Lord to show me the verse I should put on the canvas knowing I would be looking at it A LOT.  I also wanted it to be a witness to others coming into our home.  

I began searching the Scriptures asking the Lord to show me what I needed to use.  I turned to many familiar passages that brought me joy.  

I had underlined them in my Bible.

I had written meanings in the white spaces.

They just weren't what the Lord wanted me to use.

He then turned me to Romans 11:36 - the verse He gave me after He gave us Glory.

I knew that was it!

I began to search through all of my pictures to find one that would go with our living space as well as one I could have enough room to write the verse.

I then visited dafont.com (I LOVE THAT WEBSITE) and picked out a few neat fonts that would allow my creativity to flow.

After it was done I showed it to Wesley and Mikayla and they loved it. 

We couldn't wait for it to get here... but we had to wait a couple of weeks....

Last week, it came...... what do you think?

I was so excited with it!  I love looking at my mantle seeing something I was able to create in my own way and having a verse that has meant so much to our family.

I keep remembering the words I wanted to use this year and they are "magnify the Lord."  

I pray people see this clearly when they enter our home. 

02/25/13

I know, I know......

I have been MIA for a while.

Life just doesn't slow down enough anymore for me to get my thoughts together!

Plus, I have tried to read more and spend more "still time" with the Lord.

With that being said, I have to share some things I have been learning from what I have been reading.

I had never heard of Cherie Hill before I found her as a $.99 book for my Kindle right after Christmas.  I had bought this book and it was waiting in my carousel on my Kindle for some time before I began reading it.  I was reading others I had bought, too.  Well, I began reading this one - Waiting on God - because I thought it would help me as I helped a friend while she was waiting on a job.  

Little did I realize it that the Lord had me start reading it when I did because I NEEDED IT!

It is a book that I believe I will refer back to many times.  I will probably re-read it soon.  It has such meat to it on what God is doing in our lives.

I thought I would share some things out of it to encourage you as well as get you to think.

Here is a portion that really has stuck with me since I began the book.  I have shared it with others and it has brought tears to my eyes.  Enjoy:

"One of the most critical decisions in your faith that you will continually make throughout your life is:  'Do you trust God, or not?'  Do you believe He's holding onto you or not?  It is a question you must answer.... it is the decision in your faith that determines the outcome of your life.

Here's a little story, you'll surely enjoy, and hopefully you'll take its message with you in your life.

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hold behind his house.  In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind his shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.  He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the sore.  His mother, in the house, was looking out the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer together.  In utter fear, she ran toward the water yelling to her son as loudly as she could.  hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a u-turn to swim to his mother.  It was too late.  Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.  From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs.  That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two.  The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.  Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived.... His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal, and on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he could show him his scars.  The boy lifted his pant legs, and then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms.  I have great scars on my arms too.  I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go.'

We can relate in our lives as we reflect upon God's love for us.  The enemy has been pulling on us, tugging on us, and we have scars.  We have scars of a painful past.... of sins that have left their mark.  And our greatest sin is our unbelief during our 'waiting places.'  But what we must never forget is that some of those wounds are because God refused to let go.  In the midst of all that you've been through, God has been holding on to you.  In your 'waiting place,' as you fight through the pain and suffering, God never lets go."

~ Cherie Hill, Waiting on God

02/07/13

Seasons.

I love them.

There are some places around the world that do not have them.

Ever think about that?  I do, often, as I teach Geography to my students.  :)

When God first created the world, there were no seasons.  Every day was the same... there wasn't even rain until after the Great Flood.

After the Flood, God allowed seasons to happen....

Genesis 8:22 

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

I have seen a lot on Facebook and heard others around me always complain about whatever season we are in.  

Some people love the hot weather so they complain when it is cold.

Some people love the cold weather and they complain when it is so hot.

Some people hate when it rains because it messes up their plans.

Some people pray for rain because they are in such need of water.

I could go on and on.

I can't sit here and say that I have never complained about a season because I have, but God is teaching me more here.

The other day I was outside during recess and it was a very COLD, windy day.  I began to think about the seasons in life and how they compare to our seasons of the year.

We all have seasons of life with coldness and bitterness.

We all have seasons of life with warmth and freedom.

We all experience the rain of sadness.

We all experience times of drought.

What do we do with those seasons?  Do we wish them away and desire the other season, counting down the days till we can "wear flip-flops again?"

OR....

Do we find contentment in the season we are in and just bask in the fact that we are alive, learning, and growing?

In typing this, the Lord revealed something else to me.... what if He gave us the times of seasons after the Flood to help us have a visual of what real life is like?  I have never thought of that up until these past few moments!  Seasons come and go... just as good times and hard times.  

BUT THAT IS LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.

I am not perfect in this... as you can tell, the Lord is revealing things to me about this as I type. 

However, why do we wish away our lives complaining about the season we are in and wanting a "better one" to hurry up and come?  

The Lord is teaching me instead to be still before the Him, accept the season, live through it, and learn from it. 

02/05/13

This portion of Scripture has been brought back to my mind time and again in the last few weeks since I read it in my devotions:

James 2:14-16

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?  can faith save him?

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

These verses have become a "chewing" process for me to know exactly what the Lord is wanting to reveal in me and work in my life.  I have felt the Lord's leading in doing something for others, but wasn't quite sure where He was taking me.

In the last few weeks I have noticed a friend posting on Facebook about how she and a few others have been going downtown to minister to the homeless people.  The Lord continued to draw me to her posts and cause me to inquire about what they do to help.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I volunteered to go help the homeless after school one day.  I wanted to take Wesley and Mikayla with me to give them a glimpse of what other people face and to realize just how blessed we are.

The first time we went, I am not sure as to what I was expecting.  I saw many different homeless people.  Many looked like they were homeless, while others did not.  I felt as if I was almost standing back watching a movie unfold before my eyes.  I helped, but yet felt like I was overwhelmed by the visions of neediness coming our way, that I seemed dumbfounded.

I passed out hand warmers.  The kids passed out snacks/crackers.  We had hotdogs/corndogs for the people to eat.  There were also donated clothing and other items that the people could choose from to have.  We knew it was going to be very cold in the next few days and we wanted to provide what we could to help.

I saw many people desperate for anything to wear to keep them warm.

I observed ones who were slow in coming but were wanting to eat and so they gave in to their pride and walked over.

I walked with one of my friends over to a woman who lives in her van.  It was stuffed with all of her worldly belongings. 

I heard many say "God bless you for doing this." and "Thank you."

There were those that were out on the streets because of their unstable mental state and there was no place for them to go.

There were those who I was told were addicted to drugs/alcohol.

I saw a couple of people who received their hotdogs and, after eating and using the condiments, threw the trash on the ground.  I will admit.... I had a hard time with that.


As I left that day, I got in my own car and went to my own home. 

My warm home. 

My mind was quite puzzled for a few days after the visit.  I wasn't sure WHAT the Lord was showing me because I didn't feel that I had the overwhelming experience that others had shared on being thankful for what they had.

I even talked about it with a friend at school.  Was it that the Lord knew I was big into thankfulness already so that wasn't what I was called there for?

Throughout that week I kept reading different things in my devotions that led me to understand a little more about what God wanted me to learn.  Here is another verse He gave me:

Matthew 7:1-3

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Hmmm.... are you following me?  Are you seeing what the Lord is teaching me?

It is not my place to judge these people as to why they do or don't do something.  It is my place to help them and show the love of Jesus to them whether I see any fruit from it or not.

I have since learned that some of those people we saw on the first visit actually had jobs... they just didn't have the money to have a place to stay.  They were trying, but life was tough.

This past week we went back with our friends to help the homeless.  We went to a different part of downtown this time and saw different people. 

As they walked up to us getting coffee, snacks, packaged meats, etc... I began to look past the outward appearance and see what was behind them.

What did I see?

I saw people.... JUST. LIKE. ME.

One guy, who had been in the armed services, was now living on the streets and trying to get off of drugs/alcohol.  His image has stayed with me all week.  I have prayed for that man.

If we are honest with ourselves, we are no different from that man.  We all have our own addictions.

Sure, they may not be drugs and alcohol, but there is always something that Satan uses to draw us away from what is right.... to draw us away from the Lord.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about my experiences, yet I am still chewing on them.  I feel that God is saying.... "Stop saying you are a Christian and only deal with the "safe" people.  What good is it if you walk around telling people to trust in Christ yet you never get out there to help provide the physical aspects of what people need as well.  In providing the physical aspect, you will have the opportunity to be a light for ME in a dark world."

We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus... showing His love to ALL. 

Jesus spent most of His time with the "rejects" of the world.  I know the Lord is showing me more of how to show His compassion to others that are out of my comfort zone.  

I am excited for what the Lord is helping me see.  I know I can pray for those people at any time, but I want to have the courage to share the love of Christ with them and help them to see that with Him they can spiritually never hunger or thirst again.

02/02/13

I have recently been teaching my children about Moses and the Israelites.

Let me just say... I LOVE and am so thankful for how the Lord points out things for MY life while I am teaching the kids.  Maybe something the Lord showed me will help you, too.

I have, but at the same time not, thought of how Moses was being prepared for the huge job of leading the Children of Israel out of Egypt.  Then, as I was teaching it, I began to see how God had to deal with the same doubts with Moses when he was by the burning bush as the Lord had to deal with the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness.

I was teaching about how God tests us in our lives, just as Moses was tested, because He knows the bigger picture and can see what the testing does for us.  He can see how our testing will cause us to be able to use that for His glory.

I had one of my students thoughtfully ask, "Well, if God already knows what the testing will do, why DOES he test us?"

I knew how to respond in an adult way, but to help the children understand it on a more simple and tangible level for their age, I didn't have the words to say.  I began looking in my Bible for Scripture to share with him and the rest of the class, but I couldn't find what I was looking for because I was used to finding it in my Bible at home.

I don't think it was that reason at all, actually...

I think the Lord chose not to reveal the Scripture to me because He had a better visual in mind.

I told the little guy who asked the question that I would continue searching and would help him understand it as the day went on because I knew I had to get to teaching the other curriculum.

Well, wouldn't you know it... a few minutes later, right in the middle of something as ordinary as Phonics and Language, God revealed to me how He wanted me to explain testings in our lives.

We began talking about diamonds. Something I was teaching led perfectly into talking about diamonds and it flowed as if I had planned it long ago.

To this moment, I have no idea how it began.  I even had one of my students ask me a bit later in the day how we got started on diamonds and I had no answer.  I just said that it was because God wanted me to share it.

I began sharing with my students how we are all like a diamond in the rough.  I went to the computer and I showed them what a diamond looks like after it has been mined.  It is not the most beautiful thing.  In fact, it looks like a regular old rock.

It takes the skillful hands of a master to cut the rough edges and old blemishes away so that the diamond can reflect light from different angles.

I showed them pictures of a diamond after it had been cut and got the "oohs" and "aahs" from the kids.  They loved how it shined and sparkled.

I still knew I needed to give them further understanding... a more hands-on visual even though I knew they couldn't actually handle a real diamond at that time.

I began searching on YouTube for a video showing about diamonds and how they are cut.  I loved this video and the kids did, too.  They were very interested in the whole process.  I thought I'd share so that you could learn a bit, too.

What I found here was truly a beautiful picture of what the Lord does for us as He cuts away our own ugliness to reveal His glory beneath. 

We are hard.... just like the diamond.  Sometimes it takes a lot of testings to get us to change. 

Those testings are like the cuts of facets on the diamonds.

The diamond cannot change on its own... the cutting is hard but is done in such precision to gain the most beautiful reflections from the light. 

That is what God does for us.  Our times of trials are hard.  They are not pleasant and seem to take a long time.  However, what we become because of the cutting away of our old selves reveals a far more beautiful reflection of Who Christ in our lives.

Just as Moses had to be cut away so he could be used by God to lead the Israelites, so are we as we face testings that will allow us to be so much more beautiful.  God sees that... and that is why He chooses to test us even when He knows the ending.  He knows it takes those testings to bring forth His glory.  He knows that when we are shining for Him, we can be used by Him to help others in the same way.