He Loves Us!

There is never a question whether the Lord Jesus loves us. He loves us! He loves us! He loves us! He loves us despite our bad choices, judgemental thoughts, gluttony, and all other sin we commit daily.

Even though He loves us lavishly and unconditionally, He still longs endlessly to hear our sweet voice. He desires silent solitude with our thoughts focused on Him alone. He wants the chance to lull your tender spirit into rhythm with His. His heart beats with the pitter pat of love as He waits for your acceptance of His invitation to dance with Him. He is sad when He is rejected by the one He truly loves, but then again, He is use to rejection. He remembers two words..."Crucify Him!"

When we forget about Jesus and all He did for us, we crucify Him all over again. Let us not put our Lord through such pain and anguish. He suffered enough to build a bridge to God for us. He longs to love us! We have a choice every day to let Jesus rule us and have peace or allow the world to dictate hurt and pain upon our soul. Sing this...

O how I love Jesus,

O how I love Jesus,

O how I love Jesus,

Because He first loved me.

Don't forget how much Jesus loves you and desires to bless you with the best of everything! All praise, glory, and honor to Him forever and ever!

The Field of Daisy's

It's nice to know our Savior sits and thinks about us. It seems pretty impossible that He would have the time, but He does just so...gives us His time. He lays in a melodious field of daisy's and picks the petals off saying...

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"She loves me...she loves me not."

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It's a sad thought, Christ pondering this question, but I'm sure we leave Him wondering by the lack of devotion we show Him on a daily basis. Do we take the time to show Him the praise and adoration He truly deserves? Do we spend time to sit awhile with Him, talk to Him, and allow Him to whisper sweet nothings in our ear? Are we to busy with our list and "to do's" to even hear Him speak and tell us how special we are to Him.

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I'll leave you with this image...

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Jesus lifts himself up from the field of flowers and begins to walk towards the sunset. The tips of His fingers gently graze the top of each daisy. The yellow pollen displaces itself upon the hems of His robe. His hair dances back from His shoulders. He turns and looks at the trampled path He has mad and amazingly the flowers arise as if untouched. Christ then turns His entire body around and begins to walk backwards motioning with His gentle hands to come along my love...come along with me this day.

Submission, Surrender, Obedience

The word submission, surrender, and obedience often confuse me. Individually they can all stand alone, but they also connect to one another as well. When one states they have surrendered all to Jesus they could also exchange surrendered for submitted or obedient. So do they all mean the same thing or does one come first and then the others follow?

Upon looking up the three words on http://www.dictionary.com/, I found all three words have commonalities. All three definitions contain the word “yield”. The word obedience is defined as submissive and the word submit is defined as obey.

So here is my take on the three. You must first submit to the Lord God Almighty. When you submit you defer to another. In this case, you defer to God’s judgment and opinion. Then you make the conscience choice to surrender yourself to Him based upon the opinion of God and abandon or give up control of your life to live for Jesus. Once this is achieved, which by the way needs to be done on a daily…moment by moment basis, one can become obedient and yield to the whispers of the Holy Spirit and comply with the Lord’s desires for their life. Confusing? Yes, I will admit it is a bit.

Think of it this way. It is like the braiding of hair. You need all three strands woven together…one on top of another…all crisscrossing and intersecting until beauty is achieved. When you submit, surrender, and obey to the will of the Lord a flame of fire occurs…a kind of combustion when the three come together. They cause a blaze of intense zeal and passionate love for Jesus. One will glow and shine brightly. But the most amazing thing is... we in turn serve our risen Lord and become His host or hostess offering and distributing his love to others in hope that they too will catch the flame and become a blazing fire for Christ Jesus as well! Therefore the circle of life continues to abound and expand in Christ's victory of deaths sting...ultimate beauty is acheived!

My Body is Failing Me

I’m tired today…really tired. I awoke at the normal hour, but left by 7:50 am for a doctor’s appointment. Ginny went along with me and her soothing voice which guided my way gave me a calm assurance I would reach my destination on time. Today’s visit to the doctor was all about my diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). I had to see a specialist. There were a lot of questions, pokes, prods, and the question,

“Does this hurt?”

My left hand has been highly affected by the RA. Around Christmas and through mid March, I had severe pain in this hand specifically the index finger. I was unable to do the simplest tasks such as tie my shoe, put a button through a button hole, or open a jar. It was hugely discouraging to say the least to be face to face with this disease (RA) at forty-two years old. After all, arthritis is for old people…right?

When I left the doctor’s office today, I had a prescription in hand and then traveled across the street for blood work and x-rays. They just didn’t take one, two, or three valves of blood…nooooo…they had to take six! Then it was off to x-rays. They just didn’t take one, two, or three x-rays….get this….they took twenty-five! I guess it is imperative for the doctor to have something to compare my joints to in future years. Needless to say, I was glowing as I walked out the exit.

I drove home thinking this is it…I’m officially old! My body is failing me. Rheumatoid Arthritis is actually an auto immune disorder which causes your body to attack itself. No one knows what causes it or how to cure it. You’re just prescribed drugs to lessen the long term affects such as disfigurement of your hands and feet. My body is failing me. All the blood work was done to rule out other deficiencies so they can know what medicine to give me or not give me. I don’t even know if I want to take the medication. They all have such bad side effects. My body is failing me! They really have to take into consideration my four leaky heart valves which were discovered in September this past year. I was diagnosed with Aortic Regurgitation Disease. I need an echo cardiogram every year to watch the progression of my valves. I’m told I’m looking at valve replacement in future years. My body is failing me!

Even though I had my friend’s soothing voice to guide me to my destination, which by the way, Ginny is my GPS system. I had another much calmer voice settle the fear within me. The Holy Spirit made his presence known and whispered softly telling me…even though every day my body fails me…I’m one day closer to being home! What marvelous peace it brought to my countenance. I love knowing my friend and Savior Jesus and the hope He brings to me each and every day despite life’s difficulties!

Grass to Milk

This story is about a field trip I took with my daughter two years ago while we lived in Indiana.

I went on a field trip with my daughter the other day. We went to a dairy farm called, Fair Oaks. At first in the midst of about forty or so third graders on a school bus, my thought was….why did I do this to myself? After arriving and beginning the tour I was so glad I went. It was very interesting how they could make cows such a fascinating topic. Did you know that many great scientists have tried to make milk out of grass and have failed, but the cow knows how? The whole grass to milk concept never occurred to me, but then again a lot of things just don’t occur to me.

Anyways, we got to go on this bio-free bus tour and actually drove right through the middle of two different cow barns. Then the bus pulled into the milking barn. We walked up the stairs to a huge window that looked down on a rotating circle of 72 cows and then watched a short clip about what happens which we can’t see as the cows move slowly around the circle. It takes about 8 minutes for them to go around the moving carousel and be milked and they do this three times a day.

However, the most interesting thing that intrigued me and many of the children was, without any prodding the cows walked onto the carousel and backed themselves off when they rotated all the way around. How in the world did they know to get on and off, for Pete’s sake they’re a cow! The tour guide said that the cow is a “creature of habit”. In 72 hours the cow learns all he needs to and just does it. Yowzer, I thought to myself! It was just amazing to watch these cows back in and out at precisely the right time again and again and again.

I drifted off in a daydream state for a few moments as some of the other children continued to ask questions. I asked myself, “Why can’t we be the same “creatures of habit” when it comes to our daily devotion to the Lord? I mean really, I was looking at cows. I only found a few references to cows in my Bible…Pharaoh’s dream in Genesis, two references were about sea cows native to the Red Sea for the hides, and the last one in I Samuel which they hitched two cows to a cart. I’m thinking cows aren’t to smart and haven’t invented much….oh yea….grass to milk….forgot already!

Lord help me this day to be more devoted to you. Help me to thirst for you and long and desire to sit at thy feet when the sun rises and the night time falls. Let me listen to the soft whispers of the Holy Spirit when he beckons me to walk awhile with you. Help me to be a “creature of habit” longing for what only you can give! Amen.

Praise be to Jesus!

Lord, let me be reminded this day of all the pain and suffering you endured for me. Please give me a contrite heart, but also a thankful soul in the sacrifice of your life for my sin to set me free. Thank you for the victory you won in committing yourself to the Father in obedience and love for me. Thank you for your love! The chains of bondage are broken and released and hold me captive no more. My soul finds rest in you alone. I anxiously look forward beyond the cross, beyond the tomb, to one solitary life which rose from the dead on Easter morn. Halleluiah! The stone will be rolled away and my Savior will arise defeating death forever more! Praise be to Jesus!

A Royal Foot Washing

The crushing blow of Adam’s sin and the seductive tone of Eve haunt the human way of life. So horrible are we with such sinful lives. At times, we don’t even realize the ugliness we have committed to ourselves and to others. My own heart is sick within. I’m so unworthy, so unclean, and so unfaithful to my Lord in so many ways. My mind is downtrodden and my spirit crushed because the perfectionist anal achiever in this woman’s body knows I can never be what I’d like to think I am while I walk this Earth. I’m human. I am sinful. I need Jesus!

My eyes were fixed upon the cross which stood boldly draped in purple cloth. I listened to the sermon and my soul was hushed to humbleness as the passage of Jesus washing His disciple’s feet in the upper room was read. The gentle hands of my healer which would soon bear the piercing pain of the nail and hammer, took a moment to be the slave and serve the imperfect sinner. I wonder, did His hair touch there leg as He bent to cup His hand to bath the dirty sandal clad foot? Did He lock eyes with the ones He washed and did the shadow of the cross reflect in His pupil?

But then it was time, time to do to one another what Jesus had done with His disciples at the last supper. As I entered the candle lit room, nervousness fell upon me. Wash the feet of another and let another was mine? Did I shave? Would sock fuzz be stuck between my toes? But then those anxious thoughts dissipated as voices began to sing in the quiet silence. The sound of trickling water poured on one another’s feet, kneeling, washing, hugging, and tears could all be seen and heard. Peace, what glorious peace did abound!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrtgrU_uo9s

Red

Red is an amazing color. It’s my favorite. I have a red couch and love seat in my living room, red accents, and just recently chose a red shower curtain and red rugs to match for a bathroom in our new home. It’s a beautiful, bold, courageous color.

As I put the shower curtain up, I began to think about all the things I know that are red. My favorite bird, the red bird, is red. Red was my precious Grandma Romigh’s favorite color as well. The colors of Indiana University are red and white. But the most profound thought that brought tears to my eyes was that of the blood of Jesus shed for me. His blood was definitely red.

As I went to bed last evening I wondered, God made us and God chose every detail about us. He could have chosen for us to have blue, green, yellow, or even purple blood. But he didn’t. He chose the color red. Why? That’s a question I’m going to ask him when I see him some day. But for now this is my answer. The courageous blood of Jesus dripped like sweat from his brow when he surrendered all to the Father in the garden before the soldiers took him away. The blood of Jesus trickled down his thorn pricked head as he boldly carried the cross to his death. The beautiful blood of Jesus fell from his nail pierced hands to pay a debt he did not owe.

The color red is courageous, bold, and beautiful just as my Immanuel. No wonder I love the color red! Thank you Jesus for dying for me that I may have hope of a life everlasting!

“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly,

and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

Luke 22:44

I just want to welcome all who have come her via the internet cafe. Please enjoy my writings and know above all things, Jesus loves you! He never leaves. He never forsakes. He is an ever present help in time of need.

If you didn't come via the cafe, please visit the cafe using the following link to catch my devotion!http://www.internetcafedevotions.com/

A Walk in the Clouds!

The half moon sings in the radiant blue sky.

Even amidst the shadow of the clouds.

The Lord reminds us of His death.

And in His death He gave us life.

The Lord's eye sees all things.

Even His angels protect and guard.

Then He gave me a rainbow.

Brilliant!

Breathtaking!

Not just one, but two!

I went for a walk tonight and the radiant clouds caught my attention. When I returned home I got my camara and walked all around my yard and started snapping pictures of the clouds. At the time I took the pictures, I didn't really see any certain formation. But when I came inside and looked at them on the computer...I was amazed at what I saw which you have now seen with me.

An hour had passed and my family and I were sitting at the table eating dinner. My husband looked out our kitchen window with the sun shining brightly and said,

"Hey is it raining?"

Indeed it was! I jumped from my chair and grabbed my camera and I said,

"Maybe there is a rainbow!"

Thank you Lord Jesus for such a marvelous show in the beauty of your creation!

Rainbows or Rain Clouds?

God has truly blessed my family with wonderful homes. One home in Chesterton, Indiana had a beautifully lit entry way with natural light from a half oval shaped window and an elegant crystal chandelier. As the sunshine flowed through the window, it bounced off the crystals and reflected to the wall a fantastic array of little rainbows.

Often times when we talk of rainbows or see a rainbow after the storm we are reminded of the covenant God made with Noah; God’s promise to never again destroy the Earth by flood. It is a symbol of God’s mercy and compassion to all of us.

When Christ penetrates the very depth of our soul, we become free from the chains of bondage to ourselves and to others and live life because of God’s mercy and love for us. Our lives need to reflect the image of Christ. His love needs to “bounce” from our hearts and “reflect” a gracious love toward others and the merciful love that Christ has shown to us.

In Proverbs 27:19 it states,

“As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects a man”.

Is your heart reflecting a life lived with love, mercy, and compassion? When the light of Christ “bounces” from your heart toward others, are people seeing rainbows or rain clouds? Ask for the heart of Christ today in prayer to enable you to love with the grace that Christ has loved you.

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
II Corinthians 3:18