Love Covers ...

Forgetting past "issues" and "not worrying" about the future does not seem to be something we women generally do well.  My mom often told me "don't remind your partner, or anyone else of past errors, misjudgments, or sins." Otherwise don't harp, grieve, waste time in fruitless activity that only brings sorrow. The bible even says should not remind ourselves of what WE have done wrong. "Love covers a multitude of sins."... "Set your minds on things above NOT the things that are on earth!"

Do you live in the "what ifs" and the "if onlys" do you tend to mentally head for the past or the future, forgetting we only have grace/strength for the now. If we use it (grace for the now) wisely and learn to rehearse and memorize scripture instead .. our heart will begin to rejoice in God and our real enemy (bad thoughts) will flee.

THAT is the truth .. but often we need to remind each other and ourselves to live by faith and not "feelings"

When I was a new believer I was so traumatized when my feelings would crash .. I felt condemned and hopeless until I learned the little word "fix" in the bible. "Fix ... your thoughts on things above, not on things of earth." Fix is a ...nautical term. I think of it ... like when (or if) you are lost at sea you find out where you are by focusing (taking a fix on the stars) not on the water and endless waves ... but on the stars that never are out of order. Fix is something we do apart from feelings. We fix or (set) our sight on what never changes .. not on the changeable nature of our womanhood. The things that never change are God and His word. In the long night hours if we have our heart full of God's word we can fix our thoughts on the word of God and meditate on it ... and the mind conversations will flee. Taking a fix is an act of our will. Thanks girls/guys I was just rehearsing this for me. Had a big change in MY plans and direction this week and needed to "fix" my thoughts on God's plan and not my own!!!

Safe behind an island called "Destruction"

Sailors fatigue drove us to look for shelter from the wind and waves we'd been battling on that summer day in 1983. We were sailing our 34 ft Trimaran ... north to the San Juan Islands. A few days before we'd left our mooring in Westport, Oregon. A mooring in which we'd lived for 2 years with our family on board our sailboat. Our charts of the Pacific told us just ahead there was an island that would afford us needed rest and protection from the wind and buffeting seas. But I didn't like the sounds of the name of the “shelter” ... Destruction Island? Back then we didn’t have the Internet where I could just ‘click’ up an explanation so I was left wondering why this ‘shelter’ had such a name. Did we really want to anchor behind an island called “Destruction?”

Soon I was so tired I could care less what its name was ... I just wanted to sleep! We sailed in behind the island and Gary dropped anchor. We would take turns through the night keeping “watch” while the other slept. He told me to take a fix on the "light" on the island with the hand held compass and if we drifted to let him know. We did not want to end on... the rocks. As I set in the cock pit I often imagined the waves on the rocks sounded closer. But I would point my compass on the light ... sure enough it never moved.

I learned that night to trust my “instruments” not my 'feelings' or vain imaginations. That compass when fixed on the lighthouse on the Island always confirmed our boat was right where it should be. 

Likewise God has given me instruments to navigate the sometimes turbulent seas of my life. Trusting them and not my frail "feelings" is imperative.

The first is talking and listening to Him in prayer. 
Another is reading, memorizing and meditating on His words in the bible. 
Also vastly important is trusting what His word says … and proving it by applying its truth to my life. As I do I am led by the quiet inner voice of the Holy Spirit in my heart in the direction God wants me to go.

Sometimes in the business of my life it “feels” like I have drifted and my anchor “seems” not to be holding. So like that night at sea I take a fix with my “compass” on the word and hear it say … “Behold I will never leave you nor forsake you!”

Maybe presently you are caught in a current which seems to be pulling you away from the Light. God may be directing you to purpose to take a fix with your inner compass on Jesus the “Light” of the world. Drop your anchor and trust your instruments. Together let's put our trust in Him Who will never let us down. He will keep us from drifting into the "rocks of life." 

A favorite song of mine …

THE LIGHTHOUSE

THERE'S A LIGHTHOUSE ON THE HILLSIDE
THAT OVER LOOKS LIFE'S SEA.
WHEN I'M TOSSED IT SENDS OUT A LIGHT,
THAT I MIGHT SEE.
AND THE LIGHT THAT SHINES IN DARKNESS NOW
WILL SAFELY LEAD ME ON.
IF IT WASN'T FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE,
MY SHIP WOULD SAIL NO MORE.
EVERYBODY THAT LIVES AROUND US,
SAYS TEAR THAT LIGHTHOUSE DOWN.
THE BIG SHIPS THEY DON'T SAIL THIS WAY ANYMORE,
THERE'S NO NEED OF IT STANDING ROUND.
BUT THEN MY MIND GOES BACK TO THAT
STORMY NIGHT, WHEN JUST IN TIME I SAW THE LIGHT,
OH THE LIGHT FROM THAT OLD LIGHTHOUSE
THAT STANDS UP THERE ON THE HILL.
AND I THANK GOD FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE,
I OWE MY LIFE TO HIM
FOR JESUS IS THE LIGHTHOUSE,
AND FROM THE ROCKS OF SIN;
HE HAS SHONE A LIGHT AROUND ME
THAT I COULD CLEARLY SEE
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE,
WHERE WOULD THIS SHIP BE?
AND IF WASN'T FOR THE LIGHTHOUSE,
WHERE WOULD THIS SHIP BE?

Written by Ronnie Hinson Copyright 1971

Tiffany's story ...

Excerpted from "My Journey" ...

Many years ago our beloved fifteen-year old granddaughter, Tiffany, was diagnosed with 4th stage Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer. Tiff who was at that time leading a Bible Study for her peers … began a journey, which was to include chemo, radiation, and finally remission. Two years later she was diagnosed once again with cancer, this time with Leukemia. Her only recourse was to receive a bone marrow transplant. Oct 3, 2003 Tiff began a 3½-month sojourn in Doernbecher Children’s hospital in Portland, Oregon that would end Jan. 24th, 2004 with her graduation to heaven. I would be beside myself if I did not know I would see Tiffany again! But when she was 8 years old she had given her life to Christ at my dining room table! I had been doing the homework for my Bible Study and the lesson told how you could know God in a personal way. I shared this with Tiffany who had been setting watching me as I worked on my lesson. She very simply and easily accepted Jesus as her personal Savior! Hours later as we were riding down the road in my car, I looked over and saw tears sliding down Tiff’s cheeks. I said “Oh honey, why are you crying?” She said in a voice just above a whisper, “Oh grandma, it should have been 'me' on the cross!” As young as she was she had understood that Jesus had stood in her place on the cross paying the penalty for her sins so she could stand in His place forgiven. Tiff was a new creation!

Years later as her cancer progressed she had surrendered herself and the disease to Christ for whatever that was to mean! Do I miss her? You bet, more than life itself! But now she knows personally, what we only can experience by faith!

During my journey with God I have seen good things and what often “appear” as bad things, intersect in our lives. But I am learning through them ALL to “be still and know that God is in control” Then I am able to experience God’s peace even in the storm. His word that says I will never, no never, no never, leave or forsake you has become my anchor and stay! I don’t know about tomorrow, but I do KNOW God holds my hand, and He is in charge of the journey now…

In the hands of a Master Carver

Just so you know my friends .. my gift in the Lord is encouragement and exhortation which means ... when "I" learn something everybody "gets" to hear it. :(Sorry) But once I write it it goes deeper in me and writing it keeps me accountable to you who have read it.

Another example of from trash to treasure ...

When you see a peach seed what do you see?  I see garbage but my honey because of his uncle Milt sees .. "peach seed monkeys" and other wondrous things. Milt passed down a family secret .. How through patience a man can take a pocket knife and a peach pit and transform it into a darling little monkey sucking his tail. Gary is one of the most patient people in the world and when he wants to learn a new talent he develops patient endurance until he has it figured out. Gary has carved these little guys all his life. He has also been given an eye to see there can also be a little squirrel and a darling piggy in the same peach pit. He has even taken a apricot seed and made a basket. And just tonight we remembered in 1978 he carved "the praying hands" out of a peach pit. He gave the only one he ever carved to a former Pastor .. Jim Edmunds at his graduation from bible college. So Jim if you ever happen to read this dear old friend ... you have a one in the world. I asked Gary tonight to carve a second for our family. I just bet I get to see one soon. :)

Pictured here are some of the "peach pits and an apricot pit" that have been "transformed" by my very patient carver husband. I think the objects of beauty that come from his hands ... remind me of the work our  Heavenly Father ... is also doing in our lives ... We are His kids and are ... in His time being ... "carved" by the circumstances of our lives ... into the likeness of His Son. Our "job" or part is ... to be like the pits in Gary's hand ... " just to be still and know" ... know what? That all the pain of the Master Carvers knife is necessary and though we can't see or understand  what we are becoming.... when Father is done with His work ... we are going to be knock outs! We will be in the likeness or image of Christ. All heaven is watching what He is doing with the sons of men.

He is with us and He will be exalted in all the earth. Ps 46

Maybe just maybe the lesson I learned from Gary's peach pit monkey's will be a visual to you too. Be still in the hand of the Master Carver ... He is doing a work in us and when He is finished we are going to shine like gold in the Image of His Son.