May My Heart See...

    I left for a LONG walk by myself recently while vacationing at my sister's place.   Armed with a bottle of water, it was a perfect morning to get away.  The sun was shining and the birds were singing - what could be better??   Having walked this path before, I didn't have a worry in the world. Praying, humming and taking in as much of God's creation as I could, all was good.   Well, until . .   My bladder was full and no bathroom was in sight.   I figured I was still about two miles away from the nearest bathroom.   What to do?   Two miles is a LONG WAY when you gotta go.   Some of you know EXACTLY what I mean.   Or maybe you don't have problems like this and if you did, you at least wouldn't tell anybody about it.   But the older I get, the more of a problem it is.   And the older I get, I know that EVERY event in life has a lesson.   Yes, even one like this   So I did what an...

I belong to the Clean Slate Club, ever heard of it?   Probably not, cause I just made it up.   Not the Clean P LATE Club btw – although I pretty much could say I belong there too J . This is a club consisting of totally white – blank – clean – non-encumbered nothing.   A “clean slate”.   That’s what happens when God forgives.   There is no “sort ofs” with this – no “almosts” – no “halfways” – it’s all or nothing.   It’s complete.   It’s forgotten.   It’s absolute.   It’s the way God works - it’s GRACE . Psalm 51 says, Have mercy on me, O God,     according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion     blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity     and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions,     and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned     and done...

I’ve got all my Valentine’s Day cards done except one .  I got the mushy one for my hubby –  cute ones with stickers inside for the grandkids and one for a friend who just got divorced. To be honest, I didn’t even think of sending this one until I heard it mentioned last Sunday during the children’s sermon.　 Paper and scissors aren’t needed - not even a stamp.　 This requires the most heartfelt devotion I can muster.　No schmaltz or trite little words.　 In fact, this might be the hardest thing I have ever done.   Maybe I should rethink this. 　 I want to send one to God.  I want to tell Him, no SHOW Him how much He means to me.　 I want to offer my heart to Him like I have never offered it before. This will be my best Valentine ever! 　 But my heart is deceitful . . . 　 Jeremiah 17 says: 　　　 　　The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. 　 I can’t do this. There is not one thing I can do or offer that will be a ...

Nothing like a 21-foot fall to turn your life upside down.   That’s how our week started.   One of our sons fell at work, 21 feet off scaffolding.   He backed right off.   Backed right into life changing, horrific, yet merciful mud.    Merciful mud?   Yes, I say “merciful” for he dislocated one finger, broke his shoulder blade and two bones in his back.   Merciful for obvious reasons:   he did not lose consciousness, no surgery was needed, he can still walk – you know things like that.    Needless to say, his life will never be the same.   Nothing like a 21-foot fall to show your true colors.   My son’s, amazing.    My husband’s, glorious.   Mine, not so pretty.   I have always known about and loved my husband for his steadfastness and his “rock-solid” faith.   None more than I do now.   When I think back on his servant-attitude, compassion and devotion to my son and his family during the...

I’m a recovering addict.  There I said it.  I’ve had this addiction for years.  I’m not proud of it.  In fact, I’m ashamed.  But its time it came out.   Hello, my name is Debi, and I’m narcissistic.   My addiction:  me.        For you see, a me addition is all about me.   My way.  My turn.  My happiness.  My self.  Me.  I have had this “addiction” a long, long time - since I was born, in fact.                   Psalm 51:5 says:  Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from                           the time my mother conceived me. A me addiction is sin.  Plain and simple.  It’s totally against God’s will.  I’m trying to think of one ...

Sometimes, I just want a start-over, don’t you?  Doesn’t everybody?  I mean, the times when I say the wrong thing, or hurt someone.  Or maybe when I go the wrong way, or go too far.  Going back – starting over – seems ideal to me.  This could be every minute, every hour, daily or even totally.  What about when that thought was “so wrong”.  I’m not thinking like that again, I’m going to change my way of thinking (or at least try to).  Or how about I start over when I won’t listen to gossip anymore or at least I won’t add to it (that’s a hard one!).  I can start over daily as I change my habits to “praise-ful” ones instead of “whine-ful” ones.  Once the whining begins (even in my mind), I can try and back er up and think of something I am thankful for.  I've done this - try it, it gets easier as you go. My cousin is starting over in a totally big kind of way.  Their house was being remodeled and they found s...

I have found myself to be in a “wrong” frame of mind lately.   I don’t know what triggered it.   Is it because I’m older and its easier to think wrong instead of right?   I’m talking negative thinking here.   Its like the “wrong” outweighs the “right”.   Maybe it’s the people around me, or how the world is.   I don’t know. But I don’t like it.   And I don’t think God likes it either.   Let’s just say its not good for me and its not good for those around me either.   It’s like when Eve was in the Garden of Eden.   With all the beauty around her, the bounty right at her finger tips, why did she only see the ONE THING she couldn’t have and dwell on it?   Why not see what she did have and savor it?   You see what I mean? When I look at my precious family, I see what went wrong, instead of all the good things about them.   When there is a difference of opinion among friends, I dwell on the “difference” instead of the ...