When God Speaks Do You Listen?

When God Speaks Do You Listen?

That could have been the title of the sermon from yesterday's worship service at Friendly Baptist Church.  In actuality it was Speak & Pray.  It was a good sermon, I took lots of notes, wrote down scriptures that were used in the sermon and then left church and promptly forgot about what was said.  

But God had other plans for that sermon.  It was the first step in what He was going to share with me this morning and talk to me about.  He is like that you know, brings things up more than once so you (I) will pay attention.

Yesterday I wrote the following during the sermon ~

1.  Has the hand of God been on you? touched you?

2.  Are you distracted?  Has the Spirit moved you?

3.  Can things change in my life?

4.  Answer the Lord wisely.  Is He able?

How am I going to get THIS done?

Results are God's not mine.

5.  What is my response to God?

Speak to God

Speak & Pray

Lord I want my life to be authentic!

Scriptures from the sermon:

Ezekiel 37:1-10

Matthew 4

Luke 4

John 16: 8, 13

And then this morning...had the alarm set for 5 a.m. ~ woke at 4:56 and changed it to 6 a.m., slept till 5:57 and changed the alarm to 7 a.m., rolled over and slept till 6:59, turned the alarm off and laid there till 7:04 and heard this little voice "You ask me to get you up, I have done it 3x and here you lay...do you want me to wake you so you can spend time with me?"   That's when I quietly got out of bed, combed my hair and got dressed and made my way to the couch stopping to grab a bottle of water.   That dang little voice said to me "you seem to be drinking more soda pop, more alcohol...when are you going to go back to drinking water...lots of water?"  so yep, I grabbed a bottle of water and have drank half of it already this morning :).

Some of you know Friday was a rough day all the way around...Ron backed the JD Gator into a guests van (a friend of the owner no less) and I was feeling stressed and that I just had no time to get everything done and in the course of the day of sending a few text messages to our boss, Darrell and he wrote back at one point "God is Good...All of the Time"

And I repeated that phrase a few times on Saturday, again yesterday during the worship service it was said a couple of times and then this morning God met me once again right where I am and I found myself saying a couple of times "God is Good...All the Time"  and you know what?  

He is :)

The first scripture I turned to this morning was Psalm 69: 29-36

 

Resonated within me...I need to praise the Lord all the time, giving thanks to God for everything not just the stuff I think I need to give thanks for but EVERYTHING!

And not take things for granted...we live in a beautiful country and right now in a beautiful area of the country.  Yesterday I was whining about all the rain  that had fallen yesterday...instead I need to give thanks for the rain...the area is parched, the grass is brown...the rain is a blessing and I need to be thankful for it.  And with all the rain I was able to pretty much have a day of rest...and that's what I have been craving...a day of just being and not really having to think...and that's what I did and I crocheted on a blanket (one of three I need to finish and get in the mail to send to Japan)  and I watched movies with Ron...something we enjoy but we find we don't do very often.  Thank you God for the reminder to give thanks to You for EVERYTHING!

But God wasn't finished talking to me this morning.  

My devotion this morning came from 1 Kings 3:1-6 and is summed up 

 

and closed with the statement

"Do you practice what you preach?  David did and Solomon too, do you?"

and then my mind went back to the last statement I wrote down yesterday during the sermon

Lord I want my life to be authentic!

Do I practice what I preach...I think I do, most of the time...

but God calls us to be truthful, authentic ALL the time. 

Which leads me back to right where I am today...feeling overwhelmed, like I have too many spoons in too many pots all calling for my attention to stir them and not ignore them.

And then that little voice said "Give up Facebook for the month of August."  WHAT?    That's how I stay connected to so many.  "Give up Facebook for the month of August.  You can do the Branson View Campground  and Forever Friends but no more wasting hours and hours of your time just scrolling through Facebook."  Um...really?? You want me to give up Facebook?  "Umm YES!!!  You can tell people how to get a hold of you.  It's time to refocus on what is important ~ your home, your family, your job, relationships, ME and not in that particular order."  

Don't you just love God...he meets you right where you are!!

God knows I need to get myself reorganized, get my priorities straight, to do the things that need to be done, to focus on what is important.

So if you need me...you can reach me at ali1257 AT gmail DOT com

or

send me a message on Facebook ~ I get the messages without having to go on to Facebook :)  and make sure you give me your email address so I can respond.  

Now to notify all the groups on Facebook I won't be around for awhile...who knows maybe a month will lead to three months...

Thank you Lord for the reminder this morning that to do all the things I NEED to do, what to put my focus on I can do it by getting my priorities right and the first one is being right with you Lord.

Monday Morning Musings

Can't believe it is Monday once again.  

Life just seems to be speeding by. 

Had a fun weekend celebrating Ron's birthday.

Had friends stop by the campground 

and enjoy coffee and donuts to begin the day.

Had a great visit with Darrell & Patty 

brainstorming about ideas for the campground.

Enjoyed dinner and seeing Barbara Fairchild & Roy Morris' show at Golden Corral and visiting with them for a little while afterwards.

Sunday found us helping guests a few times 

and painting the apartment.  

We cranked up some great Southern Gospel music and painted, painted and painted some more.

All the walls are done and trim work in the bedroom is finished.  Today and tomorrow will be more painting of trim work.  It is coming together and I can't wait to show it all off.

God is so funny 

and I am always amazed how he meets me right where I am.

This morning was no different.  

This is what He shared with me as I was contemplating my day:

 

Yesterday as we painted and sang along with the radio,

I thought about how singing just made the work go faster.

Not sure what radio station we were listening to 

but it was playing some of the old great hymns:

Standing on the Promises of God

The Old Rugged Cross

Power in the Blood

and

Jesus Loves Me

 

...that one made me cry

 

as I thought of just how much God loves me.

I was sharing with someone earlier in the week about our boys and how we always celebrated Jamie's birthday on August 8th - cause that is the day he was born and we always wanted it to be a happy day.

And that on August 11th we remembered our baby, Jamie's twin, 

Royce Alan

on the day he went home to be with Jesus

and that on August 11, 2009

32 years later

God orchestrated the date 

Max legally became Brandon's son, and our grandson.

We shared so many happy tears that day.  

It was like God took a day that had always been hard for us 

(and in some ways it still is as we will never forget Royce 

as we wonder what life would have been like if he was still with us here on earth) and made it extra special by adding our first grandson officially into our lives.  

And then this morning God's word was

 

and how as we have worked on the apartment

God's love has 

been proved over and over

with the love of friends and family

with words of encouragement,

notes on Facebook,

and helping us paint.

And we look forward with anticipation

to have visitors in our home.

We love to entertain

and even though we have done some entertaining 

while living in the rig

it is not always easy to do

so watch out Branson peeps

be ready to have some fun times at the 

Wandering Workentins

stationary home!!!

Thank you Jesus for helping us to build 

our home on solid rock, with your love

and for encouraging me each and every day.

God's Blessings & Wise Words

First off,

 

Spent some time with the Lord this morning before the rush of the day.

He is so Faithful to me and I am so Thankful to Him.

Yesterday we were blessed by one of the couples here in the campground

with a

 

along with corn-on-the-cob and hush puppies dinner!!!

God is Faithful and provides for us.  Dinner was delicious and a special treat as we had been busy in the office and painting in the apartment.

This morning, my scripture came from 

 

and

 

Immediately my thoughts went to where my life was in the late 80's and 90's when I struggled with such bitterness, anger and hurt done to me by my parents and step-father.

And the lingering pain today that my sister, Joanie chooses not to have anything to do with me or my family.  I have tried so hard to find out why she hates me so...but since she won't talk to me, it's kind of hard to find out.  The last time I spoke with her was in Laughlin, NV when I saw her when our older sister, Kathy had passed away.  I said hello and she said hi.  When Ron and I were leaving I said Good-bye and she would not even look at me.  Thinking about this makes my heart cry.

The truth of the abuse that was put on me as a child, teenager and even a young adult along with the hatred and hurt feelings that I felt towards my parents and confessing all that hurt to God has definitely set me free.  And healed my heart from so much.  

I am so thankful for a God who loves me through the thick and thin, who surrounded with me with a wonderful and caring pastor, a good ARNP who knew what combination of medication would get me through the hump of major depression, suicidal thoughts and anger bursting from the seams, along with a friend/counselor who sat with me for many hours, praying and crying with me, just listening and praying some more...who let me yell, cry and scream but most of all loved me through some horrible pain, and the best hubby any girl could ask for, who got way more trouble than he bargained for, two sons who love me and forgave me for the not so nice parenting I put on them at times, and for special friends who stood by me, encouraged me, told me never to hang up the phone on them ever again ~ and I haven't :)  

I am so very thankful for the love, forgiveness, care and support...there are not enough words to express my thoughts but there is still some pain when I think of my sister...our parents and grandparents are all gone, our older sister is no longer here either (taken from us at age 54...too young to die) and yet my heart craves for a relationship of friendship with my younger sister.  I know she reads my blog, so once again I am reaching out...please tell me what I have done to hurt you so bad, please let's heal this relationship before it is too late, and even if not for me for our sweet niece...we are her family and she needs us both.

I love you Joanie!!!  Life is too short to let hurts from over 20, 30, 40 years ago keep us apart.

You know how to get a hold of me...as they say...the ball is in your court and it is time for you to take a shot.  You have 2 beautiful nephews, with sweet loving wives and 5 beautiful and sweet great nieces and nephews who would love to be a part of your life and you a part of theirs.