Struggles (The Parable of the Butterfly)

One day a small opening appeared on a cocoon, a man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly, he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly.
-Author unknown


My prayer for you comes from England, 1573;adapted

Grant,O Lord, that we may
live in your fear,
die in your favor,
rest in your peace,
rise in your power, and
reign in your glory,
for the sake of your son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. ~Luke 18:1

JUST A BRIEF UPDATE:

We have 4 baby caterpillars!!! Yipppeeee! Of course, after I got the plant the other two pretty much went into cocoon stage, so I was thinking...ooooh now I have all this plant..(when I was worried before about not having enough) but now we have 4 new ones to just eat away on that 3 gallon milk weed!

We are now in the Monarch Farming Business!!!I hope we get to see them emerge!

Thank you sweet Barbara for allowing us the opportunity to experience this amazing gift. We are truly blessed! I am reminded of the parable with the butterfly. I will post it next. Very profound!

Listen, I have NO idea how it happened!! But it did!

It all started when our family went to Katy Texas for a job interview.
I know sounds crazy...a job interview for the whole family? Well, when it's ministry...it involves the whole family.

We were blessed with Cinco Ranch Church of Christ calling us to come out. It is an outstanding church made up of Amazing people! We had such a beautiful time there!

Well, there are several members there that raise Monarch butterflies! You know the really gorgeous ones? Well, of course Emily our youngest was drawn in right away!!It wasn't long before she was begging us "Please let me have one”?

Okay, John is our oldest and he is our computer/comedian guy, Laura is our singer/dancer and Emily is our artist/animal lover.

So really with Emily’s passion, they can be shall we say... somewhat messy? Seriously she can destroy the entire house in less than thirty minutes!

Needles to say, we have gone through several pets. All who have been messy! So, I naturally wanted to say no! when she was desperately pleading with us to have a caterpillar.

Well, as we entered into church that Sunday, we were greeted by Barbara Estes, a lovely elder’s wife, and children's minister. I know I heard a trumpet sounding off as I watched in slow motion Barbara handing Emily a container holding TWO Monarch caterpillars and a couple of sprigs of Milk Weed! (Their only source of food)

Emily was soooo fired up! Of course when your child is extremely exhilarated as Emily was, can you really say..”Uh, we really can’t take that with us”?? Of course not! So when it was time to leave, and Emily was reminding us that we just couldn’t forget her new pets! I was less than thrilled.

We have a 6 hour trip to get home. The thought of creepy crawly things in the car with no lid on the container just wasn’t a pleasant thought for me. Being a mom…and all that comes with it. I just smiled and help situate them.(as far back to the back of the car as possible!

It was a bit stressful at times, like when the girls wanted a blanket, or a pillow, or the bag with all the art supplies! I stressfully reminded them not to knock over the caterpillars!!!!

Well, we made it home…us and the caterpillars, both unharmed! Then it began…the next level of stress! Remember they can only eat a certain kind of plant…Milk Weed.Barbara told us, “Oh, you can just get some at The Home Depot”. No big deal.

Well, it’s only a big deal when you live in Abilene, Texas! Of course this Home Depot did not carry it. Nor did many other stores! So when I desperately called around trying to locate this special plant for our new found pets, Emily was beginning to freak out!

Now they are completely out of their milk weed, and what are we going to do? Joel is out of town of course to leave me to “handle it” I know some of you are thinking…”What’s the big deal”? “Just let em go out in the back yard”


Yeah well, I may not be an animal lover…but I am certainly not a murderer! Because the special plant that they live off of has highly toxic poison in it to help protect them against birds, and spiders.

So, I just shudder to think of those poor caterpillars out there unprotected! Anyways…so I finally found someone who has Milk Weed!!!! Wonderful Garden World of Abilene.



They had it in a 3 gallon container for $16.99 WoW! I told Joel that’s kind of expensive for pet caterpillars! I said we are going to have to decide what we are going to do after they power through this like they did the other stuff. I’m sure he thought I was crazy because I was overly excited on the phone, or actually maybe he’s a parent as well!!


Joel called to see how the progress was coming. I told him I actually found the stuff. He reminded me that we also needed a butterfly house. So I called those people back and asked if they had butterfly houses? No. Okay…so I call several other places. No No No No! Oh, well…we’ll just figure it out!


So I hopped in the car and drove straight there. When I arrived at the garden place, I asked for Kevin like I was directed. We went to the area where these plants were. They only had about 6 of them. So we chose together the one with the most leaves on it. Then I asked him about the butterfly house, and what was I going to do about not havng one?

He said oh, you can just make one out of mesh and a container. Well, that was simple enough! Well, then I asked him why they needed one. He said to protect them if they were going to be outside. So they didn’t need it like Emily had thought to make their cocoon.

I asked him, well, can they just live on this plant? He said sure if you are going to keep them inside. That’s all they need anyway. Oh, how cool. Their food and house all in one! Yippee!!

I kinda know why they need a container. They are messy! Poop everywhere. I even put a plastic garbage bag underneath the plate holding the plant. Can they just poop on the plastic? No! So once again, messiness.

I say all that to say again…I have no idea how it happened…but it did! I have fallen in love with those little guys! I’ve gone military on the kids and visitors. I’m so worried about them! I have signs please don’t disturb!

It is so intriguiging! I have photos of all their stages. They grow bigger then they assume the J position then develop the cocoon. Once they enter into the cocoon state it takes 9-14 days to emerge as a butterfly. Friday morning the first caterpillar entered into the cocoon. Yesterday the second one assumed the J position. I was trying to watch it through out the night to see it transform into the cocoon. I woke up at 1am still in the J. Then at 6 am and it had already transformed. Man! I need a video camera.

I will post my photos and also the link to where you can read about them. God is so amazing! What a gift! I just want to thank the whole chain of ladies who started this butterfly raising process! Beginning with Mrs. Luree Key!


http://www.butterflybushes.com/monarch_metamorphosis.htm

Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is real and that He rewards those who truly want to find Him. Hebrews 11:6


I really really believe this!!!! We were rewarded last night! Okay you probably already know this by now...that we are in a waiting room not knowing where in the world we are going to end up....just trusting in the Lord!

Well, sweet Gina Lewis asked Joel and me to pray with people at Oasis last night. The purpose of it is for us to pray for people with prayer request.

Joel and I were down in front ready to receive people and their needs to pray over them a blessing from God.

Well, surprise for us! Last night we had 3 people come up to us at different times compelled to pray blessings over us!!!!

What a treasured reward! Thank you sooo much to Stephen Bailey, Gary West, and Bob Allen for blessing us with God's sweet words of encouragement filled with grace, peace, and power!

God truly anointed your hearts for His service. Thank you for allowing God to use you, to profoundly impact His Kingdom by blessing two simple lives.

I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. --Ezekiel 34:16

Do you think it's possible for a bird to forget how to fly? You know kinda how we might forget what we were going to say, or what we were walking into a room for?

Yesterday, while I was walking home from work,I watched a nice size bird fly from a building to a tree. It almost seemed like there for a moment he forgot what he was doing. Like there was a glitch in his flying.

I don't really know how to explain it... I was just intrigued by the thought of a bird for a split second..forgetting how to fly.

Really strange I know. It made me a little sad.


It triggered a thought of my Grandmother Lena. The day before Mother's Day my mom,Allen, and my uncle Terry took her out to lunch. Before they left for the restaurant my mom fixed my grandmothers hair and helped her get dressed(she has a broken arm).

Because my grandmother has hardining of the arteries her legs are not as active, so she has been using a wheel chair.(that's how she broke her arm) Well, they arrived at the restaurant. My grandmother was upset because the wind had messed up her hair. My mom smoothed it back down for her.

Allen, and my uncle Terry were putting her in the wheel chair, and Allen suggested my mom go ahead of them to hold open the doors. So, my mom went ahead and opened the first door,as they went through my grandmother politely said thank you, then the same thing for the second door.

They all got seated and my uncle Terry was at the salad bar, when my grandmother turned to my mom and said " Kathy did you see that nice lady smooth my hair for me, and then open those doors for us?"

Of course, my mom was stunned! My mom said well, mother that was me! My grandmother was just flabbergasted! Well, it was not! My mom said back, mother yes it was! So my grandmother called my uncle Terry over and asked him if it was indeed my mother who had smoothed her hair, and opened the doors????

My uncle Terry said yes mother it sure was! I thought you were being awful polite when you told Kathy thank you!

Then they all just laughed and went on about eating, and celebrating Mothers Day.

For a split second she forgot...My grandmother is in the first stages of Dimentia.

When my mom told me that story it made me alot sad.

I pray that no matter how old I get, that I never forget people...more importantly who they are to me!

Of course that triggered the thought of how easily we can forget Jesus...His power, grace, mercy, forgivness, His sacrifice..His will...the amazing love He desperatley wants us to experience!

And what about the people who haven't even accepted Him yet????

Ohh, the people who walk around aimlessly without Him! when I thought of that...
It made me more than alot sad...devestatingly heartbroken

Have you ever had convicting thoughts, then opened a book to find they have written exactly what was heavily on your heart? Sometimes I get through the first chapter (sometimes just the first paragraph) then I can't even read anymore. Sometimes because it seems sooo overwhemling and sometimes because just the little tid bit I read seems so fulfilling, that I feel like there could possibly be nothing more said that could be more powerful then what I just read.

Well, of course I finish the book...eventually, and it always proves to be even better completed!

We ask for miracles not because we need it for our faith, but because through them we can share with others the glory of God. -Anonymous

I got a call this morning at 6 am. It was my mom, and I knew something bad had to of happened. She doesn't call me that early to chit chat. She and my dad(Allen) were in an emergency waiting room. My little brother Trey (20 yrs old) was life flighted to Herman hospital where they were preparing to do emergency surgery. Trey was in a bad car accident. He was the only one, Thank God...because he had been drinking. The doctors say he will be alright physically and mentally. I am worried about emotionally and spiritually.

Listen at how they found out. At 2 am the phone rings and my mom answers it. It was a dispatch lady on the other end. She asks if this is the residence of Mr. and Mrs Seale. After my mom replies yes she states that there are 2 officers standing at the front door will she let them in? Yes, says my mom, then wakes up Allen and tells him what is going on.

When they get to the front door there are actually 3 men standing there. It turns out that the third one was the first one on the scene of the accident. He told my mom his name and said that he is a youth minister and that he would be willing to serve them in any way! How amazing that God provided His servant to be a comfort for Trey and my mom and Allen.

That just made me think of waiting rooms. There are all kinds.


There are waiting rooms on the Labor & Delivery floor
There are waiting rooms for the emergency room
There are waiting rooms for surgery
Then we have waiting rooms to wait in for recovery from all these different situations etc...


These waiting rooms are not limited to a hospital facility. I'm sure all of you who are reading this right now are experiencing some sort of "waiting room"

Our family is in God's waiting room right now! We are waiting (some what patiently) for God to reveal where He will be leading us. Financialy it is not always easy to be trusting and patient. Joel's jobs at Highland and Crosswind are over, so we are counting on his speaking (http://www.firstverb.com/) as he pours into his Masters work in Grad School and with my small but blessed income from ACU.

It is always a joy (AFTER we are through it) to see how we could only have gotten through it by God's grace and power. While we hang on and battle it out we are confident that although it is often in the eleventh hour that He reveals His will we strongly believe He will. We do not have to go back to the begining of our lives to see the evidence of a faithful God, no we merely have to think back only moments even seconds when you allow God to truly be the center of our hearts.

What a gift to know that everything can be tested against God's word to see if it is His will. It is true! We can find the answers in His word! There are many examples in the Bible to confirm this.

There is one thing that is confusing to me. Now every waiting room I have ever been in is pretty quiet, and everyone I have heard talk about their experience or just in general God's waiting room, has been pretty quiet. Just how come mine is not a quiet experience? I feel like someone has turned on acid rock and hooked my ears straight to the amps!

MAN! What in the world is going on? I know it sounds crazy. I used to want someone else's hair, figure, house...now I covet their quiet waiting room? Well, even though it is loud in my waiting room I am confident that we are not waiting in vain! I say again, even though it is often in the eleventh hour that my King reveals His will in our life, there has never been a doubt that He will!

Well, I would appreciate your prayers as our family sits here in God's waiting room.
I pray that whatever it is you are waiting on, that you will allow God to fill you with a confidence that He is working powerfully to give you the best answer, May we accept with honor His will!

May you feel him profoundly even through things seem cloudy and uncertain!

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2Thessalonians 2:16,17

Some thoughts to make you smile!

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.
Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily,it is a valuable plant.
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy it's replacement.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.
Life is sexually transmitted.
An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys.
If quitters never win, and winners never quit, then who is the fool who said, "Quit while you're ahead?"

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach that person to use the internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
Some people are like Slinkies . . .. not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents?
In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

To All Parents

I'll lend you for a little time a child of mine, He said, For you to love the while she lives and mourn for when she's dead. It may be six or seven years, or twenty-two or three, But will you, till I call her back, take care of her for me?

She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and shall her stay be brief, You'll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief, I cannot promise she will stay, since all from Earth return, But there are lessons, taught down here, I want this child to learn.

I've looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true, And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes, I have selected you.

Now will you give her all your love nor think the labor vain, Nor hate me when I come to call to take her back again?

I fancied that I heard them say, Dear Lord, Thy will be done!
For all the joy Thy child shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run.


We'll shelter her with tenderness, we'll love her while we may, And for the happiness we've known forever grateful stay; But shall the angels call for her much sooner than we've planned, We'll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.


Edgar Guest

Today my heart is very sad. I have alot of friends that desire a career outside of being a mom and wife. NOT ME!! Don't get me wrong....I like my job and all. If I had a choice, I would much rather not have to work...but I don't have a choice.


Of course many people I know are shocked when they learn that information. They are shocked they say because I do such an amazing job ( so They say...)and that they would never have guessed I didn't want to work.

Well, see anything I put myself into I put ALL of my self into it! The trouble is I just wished I could put it all into my family, some amazing volunteer services,and to be in an enviroment where I can evangelize more. I AM blessed to have a job! We need the money. So I AM thankful.



I'm praying for relief for my aching heart.

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

Take my quiz to find out more about me

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An excerpt from Today Matters by John C. Maxwell

John C. Maxwell describes his dieting attempt:


Breakfast:
1/2 grapefruit
1 slice plain whole wheat toast
8 oz. skim milk


Lunch:
4 oz. broiled skinless chicken breast
1 cup steamed broccoli
1 Oreo cookie
Unsweetened tea


Midafternoon Snack:
The rest of the package of Oreos
1 qt. Rocky Road ice cream
1 jar of fudge


Dinner
2 loaves garlic bread
Large pepperoni pizza
Pitcher of Coke
3 Milky Way candy bars
Entire frozen cheesecake eaten at the freezer




SOUND FAMILIAR?????? I really really really believe I need to go to a detox place!
I am not trying to be funny! I am serious. I have a problem with sweets. I feel like I am addicted to it. John's lack of discipline for a healthy diet is very real to me.

I have (for years) abused my body with unnatural sugars and unhealthy fats. Well, today is a new day. If I can abstain from sweets (sugar) of any kind for two weeks, then I can reintroduce it back into my system in a healthy way.

Fruits and vegetables have the natural sugars and fats our bodies need! Now eating all those other items (cake, cookies, white chocolate trash,candy bars,brownies, homemade vanilla ice cream, etc...) on special occasions will not harm you. AS LONG AS YOU DON"T MAKE EVERYTHING INTO A SPECIAL OCCASION!!! ( I have been known to do that!)


I am not going to become a vegetarian; I am just going to become a healthy eater!!!
Please pray that I will be able to go two weeks without sugar of ANY kind, so I can start fresh with eating sugar in a healthy way.



Well, I pray all of you have a blessed day enjoying all of God's blessings!

There are times when you just have to stand up and applaud Paul Harvey.

A friend of mine sent this to me....what do you think?


Paul Harvey says: "I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going
to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.

I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when
my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered
because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game So
what's the big deal?

It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts.
They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant
safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the
game.

"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the
United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles.

According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all
others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect-somebody
chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a
Jewish prayer. If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect
to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a

ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to
Buddha. And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome... "But what about the atheists?" is another argument.
What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized.. We're not
going to pass the collection plate.

Just humor us for 30 seconds.. If that's asking too much, bring a
Walkman or a pair of ear plugs.

Go to the bathroom.

Visit the concession stand.

Call your lawyer.

Unfortunately, one or two will make that call.

One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't
think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's
foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while
our courts strip us of all our rights.

Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray
before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now
a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us.

And if that last sentence offends you, well..........just sue me. The
silent majority has been silent too long.. it's time we let that one
or two who scream loud enough to be heard, that the vast majority
don't care what they want.. it is time the majority rules! It's
time we tell them, you don't have to pray.. you don't have to say the
pledge of allegiance, you don't have to believe in God or attend
services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your
right....but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights
away. We are fighting back....and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all, especially those who denounce Him...
God bless America, despite all her faults, she is still the greatest
nation of all.....

God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to
pray and worship God...

May 2005 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back
as the foundation of our families and institutions. Keep looking up...
In God WE Trust.

"Give your troubles to God; He will be up all night anyway."

A story from "God's Little Devotional Book for Moms"



When Penny saw her daughter's scarlet cheeks, she became alarmed instantly. Candi had undergone a liver transplant as an infant and when Penny had rushed Candi to the hospital, her fears were confirmed: the fever signaled a serious infection. Six-year-old Candi would need another liver transplant!

The same day, Candi's best friend Jason also became ill. He, too, had undergone a liver transplant. Penny and Jason's mom, Nancy, spotted each other in a hospital corridor, in the heat of crisis, each unaware of the other's latest problem.
Then, the children's surgeon presented Penny with the toughest choice of her life. A liver had been found, and it was suitable for either child. The medical team had assigned the liver to Candi, but now the team felt Jason's need was more urgent. Was Penny willing to give up the liver intended for Candi so Jason might have it? She said yes.

Jason's transplant went smoothly, but after two weeks, no liver had been found for Candi, whose condition was becoming desperate. At what seemed the last moment, a liver was found. Three weeks after the operation, Candi went home. Penny recalls, "I gave Candi's liver to Jason knowing that somehow God would provide for Candi. I thank Him every day!

Have you ever looked at or said a word, then realized,it actually sounds weird? Go ahead, try some. Bottle? Bed? Fork? Inbox? Outside? Tell? Surround? Has? Letter? Those might not do it for you. So try some of your own.

Sometimes I just get so puzzled by this. I know these words have been around for a long time, it's still weird to me.

Have you ever known someone for a really long time...like your parents, siblings, spouse, children, friends, yourself and one day find yourself thinking...."Who is this person?"

You know where to tickle them, what they like to eat, their favorite color, what makes them mad, or happy... But something seems bazaar....Do I really know them..or do I really know myself?

Sometimes I feel that way living in middle of my precious family! Oh, I play, cook, yell, clean, laugh, do projects together, tickle, study together, read, pray,watch something dear to them...but weird to me,am intimate with my husband, but still sometimes I feel empty and angry.

I feel like sometimes that I am in the wrong place. Like I don't belong here.
Not because I desire more or deserve better. It's because they deserve better!

We talk about, and teach about the hole in your heart and how it should be filled with Jesus. What if you have already filled it with Jesus, yet you still feel angry and empty?

What if you have consistent prayer time, are in the Word, listen to spiritual music, surround yourself with Godly people..and still feel empty and angry?

I mean do you ever feel this way?? or am I a freak?

Why do I feel so out of place? Where do I belong?

So Much Can Be Done in So Little Time.

The following is a excerpt from the book "The smallest things make the biggest difference"
By Ray Haring, Ph.D.

Click Here


There are 1,440 dots, each dot representing one minute of a single day. Pick one minute and imagine what you may be able to accomplish in just 60 seconds.
Try stretching for an entire minute. Go ahead. Stretch your arms, legs, or back for 60 seconds. You'll still have 1,439 minutes left over to do other things today. Try offering a compliment to someone or call a friend just to say hey, I appreciate you! Either way, you'll still have time left over for yourself.
Or perhaps you could find several minutes in a day and really make big things happen. Exercising just one hour a week, leaving 99.4 percent of the week for less active moments, is one of the best ways to enhance your energy, vitality, and sense of well being.
Benjamin Franklin once said, "If we take care of the minutes, the years will take car of themselves."
Just one short minute may be enough time to accomplish so much. Whether you choose to spend it complimenting someone, giving a tiny word of encouragement to a friend, or simply stretching and practicing relaxation techniques, you'll begin to understand the power each moment holds in your life.
Go ahead. Savor a moment you won't forget!

"If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere."

-Frank Clark

INTENSE

Surely you have seen this in baseball, (or actually been in this very play) where the guy is running from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd and the basemen are throwing the ball back and forth to each other trying to tag the runner out...while the runner is frantically running from one way then back the other way trying to get by one or the other guy and not get tagged .


Ever feel like that runner in your day to day living in life?

That is how I feel right now!

Abundant life is doing God's will, God's way, in God's time with God's power.
by Renee McClellan


"It's working, and it scares me to death!" I confided to my spiritual
advisor last week.
"What's working?" she inquired.
"Everything," I replied. "Maybe what I'm experiencing is joy!"
"What is working?" I mused later that afternoon. I've been on a spiritual adventure the last eleven years. It started with a silent prayer for more energy.

By trial and error I've developed a routine that works for me. I start my day by reading a daily devotional. Then I say a prayer where I turn my day and my way over to God. I give Him my marriage, my children, my pther re;ationships, my things, my attitude, and my schedule for the day. I ask Him to empower me to do His will, His way in His time.

My prayer while I shower is: "My creator, I trust you completely. I am entirely ready to have You remove any false beliefs, adjust any attitudes and remove any ineffective behavior that stands in the way of my usefulness to You and others. Empower me to know, love and serve You with my whole heart, mind, soul and strength. Empower me to cherish, protect and share my creativity and sensitivity. Empower me to be Your voice to the world directly, honestly and appropriately. Amen."

My half-hour prayer walk is my favorite part of my morning ritual.
As I walk down an asphalt road to a nearby creek, I repeat, "Speak , Lord, your servant is listening." I listen with my eyes, skin and nose as well as my ears. On the way back, half the time I repeat an affirmation, "Jesus empowers me, His Holy Spirit inspires me." The other half I spend praising God and praying for others.

As I get to my front door, I pray, "Do life through me, Lord-do woman, wife, mother, bookkeeper, and writer. I can't, You can, help me let You." With that, I make breakfast and get my two daughters off to school.

Since I work out of my home, I schedule rest time after lunch. I lay down for twenty to thiry minutes, focus on the cross on my bedroom wall and be with God.

When I go to bed at night, I read a short devotional and write a letter to Jesus. "Thank You," "Please advise," "I'm sorry," and HELP!" are my most frequent statements.

I realized recently that I spend approximately ten percent of my waking hours in prayer and meditation-I tithe my time. As a result, I seem to have the energy, desire and time to share my creativity and heart knowledge of God with others. I'm so very grateful for this tremendous joy God is giving me. The abundant life is possible. The plaque by Serenity Inc. I received as a gift years ago seems to say it all: "God saves the very best.....For those of us....Who leave the choice to Him."

Are you leaving the choice up to Him? If you do, you will experience His great joy...in abundanc


. . . Seek Me and live.
Amos 5:4


Action item: Write out a "Joy List" of those things that you appreciate about God's work in your life. Refer to it several times a day.

In His name and with His love, Kim Quile