Friday, April 10, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Learning
Well it's not for a lack of words that I haven't been keeping up with the dear ole blog. Those of you who know me know that lacking in speech is not one of my problems. Lacking in proper speech or self control when speaking is probably more the problem than anything else!!!! Proverbs says "A fool vents all his feelings". Reading that verse causes a little check here and there when I feel like just pouring it all out there!!
So, last night we watched the movie Joseph. I had a different perspective in that I didn't actually watch the movie but sat at my computer and only listened to the dialogue. This wasn't because I didn't want to see the movie, I have seen it before and it is good. It's just that my heating pad plugs in by my desk and I needed my heating pad on! Most times this is how I watch movies....by listening! Well, I was talking to Jim this morning about this and how I was able to pay more attention to what was being said without being distracted by the pictures. Of course we keep in mind the movie is made by Hollywood, therefore things are added/deleted and not exactly as told in the Bible.
I doubt there is anyone in this life who hasn't been hurt by someone else, felt wronged or falsely accused of things, etc. There's that part in all of us (well atleast I think most of us)that desires to be avenged. We want justice done! We can spend hours, days, months, years entertaining thoughts about what we will do when we do meet up with the person(s) we had a conflict with. We will show them! And then that day arrives....all the emotions and feelings that have been built up inside of us are ready to come out. All the well rehearsed paragraphs are ready to be spoken.
Did Joseph think about this? He named his first child Manasseh which means God has made me forget my toil and all my father's house, but what were the first thoughts that came to his mind when he was reunited with them? I would want to say to them...see guys...my dream was right and you all laughed. Look where you are and look where I am. Joseph could have pretended not to know them and sent them away or even kept them in prison on false charges.
When they were all reunited the second time, Joseph revealed who he was. Imagine the looks on the brothers faces! Oh my! What were they thinking? Were they trembling? Did they wonder if they would now get what was coming to them?
How was Joseph able to respond with such kindness? Was it that the things God had made him forget weren't the acts themselves -but the anger, bitterness, the sense of being betrayed that God caused him to forget. Was it that Joseph was so free of all these things that his heart was pure before the Lord and able to respond to his brothers in a way they would not expect!
How I long to have that heart! A heart that is tender and merciful! Praise God that with Him all things are possible!.png)
So, last night we watched the movie Joseph. I had a different perspective in that I didn't actually watch the movie but sat at my computer and only listened to the dialogue. This wasn't because I didn't want to see the movie, I have seen it before and it is good. It's just that my heating pad plugs in by my desk and I needed my heating pad on! Most times this is how I watch movies....by listening! Well, I was talking to Jim this morning about this and how I was able to pay more attention to what was being said without being distracted by the pictures. Of course we keep in mind the movie is made by Hollywood, therefore things are added/deleted and not exactly as told in the Bible.
I doubt there is anyone in this life who hasn't been hurt by someone else, felt wronged or falsely accused of things, etc. There's that part in all of us (well atleast I think most of us)that desires to be avenged. We want justice done! We can spend hours, days, months, years entertaining thoughts about what we will do when we do meet up with the person(s) we had a conflict with. We will show them! And then that day arrives....all the emotions and feelings that have been built up inside of us are ready to come out. All the well rehearsed paragraphs are ready to be spoken.
Did Joseph think about this? He named his first child Manasseh which means God has made me forget my toil and all my father's house, but what were the first thoughts that came to his mind when he was reunited with them? I would want to say to them...see guys...my dream was right and you all laughed. Look where you are and look where I am. Joseph could have pretended not to know them and sent them away or even kept them in prison on false charges.
When they were all reunited the second time, Joseph revealed who he was. Imagine the looks on the brothers faces! Oh my! What were they thinking? Were they trembling? Did they wonder if they would now get what was coming to them?
How was Joseph able to respond with such kindness? Was it that the things God had made him forget weren't the acts themselves -but the anger, bitterness, the sense of being betrayed that God caused him to forget. Was it that Joseph was so free of all these things that his heart was pure before the Lord and able to respond to his brothers in a way they would not expect!
How I long to have that heart! A heart that is tender and merciful! Praise God that with Him all things are possible!
.png)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Getting back to normal
What a whirlwind of a week! My body is so confused as to where I am and somedays I even think it wonders who it is! I fall asleep around 2 or 3 am and wake up sometimes at 10am, 2pm, or even 3pm! Yikes! What is up with this jetlag! I decided not to fight it anymore and just let it happen. At my age you can't allow to much shock to your body because it has a mind of its own and get confused very easily.
It's so good to be back in Italy. This past weekend we had a couple girls from the bible college stay with us. We went to the market in Padova on Saturday. I even made myself get out of bed at 8:30am for that! The secret must be to tell yourself you are going shopping and your body will automatically make the necesarry adjustments. Until of course you tell it that you are only looking and not buying.....we keep that a secret til we get to the marketplace :) While we were there I was once again surrounded by Italians and all the people talking, yelling, etc. It was wonderful! I realized then that I was home where I am supposed to be. I fell in love with the place all over again and had such a strong sense in my heart of where I belong. The language sounded great and I can't wait to tackle it and speak it fluently. I told Jim that I want us to be so natural in Italian that we just speak it at home. Ha ha.....I wonder if that will ever really happen!
I do miss my family and all my friends in the states. My trip home was so good and the Lord really blessed me in many ways. I cherish the time I was able to be there. I do miss the wonderful conversations and the encouragement. Sometimes I have to sit back and get amazed that I have been blessed by God with the true friends I have. That is something I have been thinking about for the past week. I feel like the most blessed gal in the world sometimes!
My granddaughter is a jewel. There is noone sweeter than our Miss Juliet. Her personality is terrific and she is so easy going! I can't wait to see her again!
Well, I have so much I want to write today but not enough time. Jim is on his way to Baja to meet with the leaders in the church so keep his travels in prayer! The weather is good Praise God for that!
Well, I have so much I want to write today but not enough time. Jim is on his way to Baja to meet with the leaders in the church so keep his travels in prayer! The weather is good Praise God for that!
til we meet again............
+(2).jpg)
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Home Sweet Home
Just to let you all know that I made it home to Italy safely. I will be updating the ole blog shortly. First, I need to be able to stay awake and have my brain return to halfway normal before attempting any literary functions!
Jetlag is so much fun when you are over 40!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first night I fell asleep at 1:00am and woke up at 2:00 pm. Last night I attempted to go to sleep at 2:00 am and finally dozed off at 6:30am and forced myself to wake up at 11:00 in hopes of falling asleep at a decent hour tonight. I think you realize all the more why I won't attempt any serious blogging today :)
Grace and peace upon your day!!
Jetlag is so much fun when you are over 40!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first night I fell asleep at 1:00am and woke up at 2:00 pm. Last night I attempted to go to sleep at 2:00 am and finally dozed off at 6:30am and forced myself to wake up at 11:00 in hopes of falling asleep at a decent hour tonight. I think you realize all the more why I won't attempt any serious blogging today :)
Grace and peace upon your day!!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Being Remembered
While we don't have tv here I can read the news online and of course today the news is all about the new president and the huge celebration. I couldn't help but be drawn to a picture of President and Laura Bush. After 8 years living in the White House it is time for them to pack up and make room for the new people to arrive. There is much talk about how our President will be remembered. From what I read, people are not very nice and only have negative things to say about him. While I don't agree with everything he has had a part in, I certainly will not remember only the negative.
It caused me to think about our own lives and how we will each be remembered when we move on. Are people going to remember all of our mistakes and things they didn't like about us or will they think back to fond days together and look past the bad and choose to focus on the good.
We all want to be remembered in a good way and it's normal. The more I thought of this, the more I thought of how the Lord remembers things and the things He chooses not to remember.
I can think of verses in the bible where I read and say "Huh????" Let's take Lot-in 2Peter, Peter uses the phrase 'righteous Lot'. Hmm, is that a phrase you would associate Lot with? The Holy Spirit inspired these words so they are not there by accident. It could easily have been written without the adjective righteous. I wouldn't have. Kind David is known as a 'man after God's heart', he said in 2 Samuel that he was blameless before the Lord. Would we consider David to be blameless after his little meeting with Bathseba and having Uriah killed? Not me! Sara-she is recorded in the chapter of faith Hebrews 11! As I remember her story she lacked faith from time to time and went about her own ways because of it.
Wow! Do these things give us hope or what?!!! We fall, we sin, we fail, yet our gracious God remembers us in such a greater way. He sees us through His Son! Amen! The death of Jesus on the cross has allowed our sin and failures to be forgotten in the eyes of the Lord. I am amazed! I am humbled and able to rejoice that we have such a gracious Heavenly Father!
Hard to imagine that in six days I will be on a plane to the states! Wow-I am a bit nervous because I found out I actually have to change airports in London which means I have to collect my luggage, take an hour bus ride and then start all over again at the other airport.
Jim is freaking out and thinking I am going to fall with my luggage. Ever since we found out I have osteoporosis he gets scared for me. So, if you read this, pray for me please! I am going to send out a prayer request for this anyway. I must admit I have a bit of fear about it.
I am going out this Sat to get some goodies to bring back with me.....little bit of this and a little bit of that.....yummy!
To those in So Cal...see you soon!
I made a little list of what I have to do this week-somehow when it looks a bit cute it doesn't seem so bad as just a plain piece of paper with magic marker writing :)
It caused me to think about our own lives and how we will each be remembered when we move on. Are people going to remember all of our mistakes and things they didn't like about us or will they think back to fond days together and look past the bad and choose to focus on the good.
We all want to be remembered in a good way and it's normal. The more I thought of this, the more I thought of how the Lord remembers things and the things He chooses not to remember.
I can think of verses in the bible where I read and say "Huh????" Let's take Lot-in 2Peter, Peter uses the phrase 'righteous Lot'. Hmm, is that a phrase you would associate Lot with? The Holy Spirit inspired these words so they are not there by accident. It could easily have been written without the adjective righteous. I wouldn't have. Kind David is known as a 'man after God's heart', he said in 2 Samuel that he was blameless before the Lord. Would we consider David to be blameless after his little meeting with Bathseba and having Uriah killed? Not me! Sara-she is recorded in the chapter of faith Hebrews 11! As I remember her story she lacked faith from time to time and went about her own ways because of it.
Wow! Do these things give us hope or what?!!! We fall, we sin, we fail, yet our gracious God remembers us in such a greater way. He sees us through His Son! Amen! The death of Jesus on the cross has allowed our sin and failures to be forgotten in the eyes of the Lord. I am amazed! I am humbled and able to rejoice that we have such a gracious Heavenly Father!
Hard to imagine that in six days I will be on a plane to the states! Wow-I am a bit nervous because I found out I actually have to change airports in London which means I have to collect my luggage, take an hour bus ride and then start all over again at the other airport.
Jim is freaking out and thinking I am going to fall with my luggage. Ever since we found out I have osteoporosis he gets scared for me. So, if you read this, pray for me please! I am going to send out a prayer request for this anyway. I must admit I have a bit of fear about it.
I am going out this Sat to get some goodies to bring back with me.....little bit of this and a little bit of that.....yummy!
To those in So Cal...see you soon!
I made a little list of what I have to do this week-somehow when it looks a bit cute it doesn't seem so bad as just a plain piece of paper with magic marker writing :)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
2008 Year In Review
I figure if you can't beat them, you might as well join them!! I saw this and wrote it down for our reading enjoyment!! What would the world do without blondes???!!!! It would be quite boring I think!
Yes folks, what a year it was :)
.png)
Yes folks, what a year it was :)
click to enlarge if your eyes are as bad as mine
.png)
Sunday, January 4, 2009
New beginings
New Year's Eve we went to the church in Montebelluna for some food and fellowship! I love how they go together!!!!
We had a great time, made it til midnight and then to our surprise walked outside to a snowfall! Not bad if you are in the house, drinking cocoa by a warm fire....to drive back home is a whole other story! I did pack my overnight bag just in case but Jim wanted to brave it and drive home. What is normally an hour drive became a 2-1/2 drive home. Man, it was so snowy-like a blizzard at times and no snow plows. I was pleasantly surprised when we reached 0ur little town to see the plow guy was 2 cars ahead of us plowing the way-of course he made a left turn into his bldg before plowing all the way down to our house though! Thankfully, we made it safely home!
While we were driving home, I mentioned to Jim (in between asking him a million times if he's scared to drive) how appropriate it was to have a fresh snowfall the first of the year. It was neat because we talked about how it represented newness, purity, clean, fresh, all those adjectives and more. It brought great joy to my heart to think how the Lord does all these things in our lives.
I wanted a verse for the year-something to be reminded of and as usual, the Lord answered.
There are many things that have happened that I will probably never understand. I have spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure them out and asking God why things are the way they are. Instead of worrying, fearing man, and making myself sick over it, I need to know that He is God! First, to be still. Not to pick my brain trying to figure things out but to be still-be at rest.
Then, to know He is God. I mean really know that He is God! Not just sing the words or read the words or repeat them to someone else in their time of need, but to really know that I know that I know that HE IS GOD!! Nothing escapes Him, He sees all, He knows all. Knowing that with all my heart and mind will allow me to be still!
Here are a couple pictures of our New Year's snowfall from my balcony!!
We had a great time, made it til midnight and then to our surprise walked outside to a snowfall! Not bad if you are in the house, drinking cocoa by a warm fire....to drive back home is a whole other story! I did pack my overnight bag just in case but Jim wanted to brave it and drive home. What is normally an hour drive became a 2-1/2 drive home. Man, it was so snowy-like a blizzard at times and no snow plows. I was pleasantly surprised when we reached 0ur little town to see the plow guy was 2 cars ahead of us plowing the way-of course he made a left turn into his bldg before plowing all the way down to our house though! Thankfully, we made it safely home!
While we were driving home, I mentioned to Jim (in between asking him a million times if he's scared to drive) how appropriate it was to have a fresh snowfall the first of the year. It was neat because we talked about how it represented newness, purity, clean, fresh, all those adjectives and more. It brought great joy to my heart to think how the Lord does all these things in our lives.
I wanted a verse for the year-something to be reminded of and as usual, the Lord answered.
Be still and know that I am God
Psalm 46:10
There are many things that have happened that I will probably never understand. I have spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure them out and asking God why things are the way they are. Instead of worrying, fearing man, and making myself sick over it, I need to know that He is God! First, to be still. Not to pick my brain trying to figure things out but to be still-be at rest.
Then, to know He is God. I mean really know that He is God! Not just sing the words or read the words or repeat them to someone else in their time of need, but to really know that I know that I know that HE IS GOD!! Nothing escapes Him, He sees all, He knows all. Knowing that with all my heart and mind will allow me to be still!
Here are a couple pictures of our New Year's snowfall from my balcony!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)