Is God's "NO" greater than HIS "YES"?

Is God's NO greater than all HIS yeses?

We've all heard the expression: putting GOD in a box; but I wonder how often we put His answers in a box as well? What about waiting on answers? Sometimes I think we find ourselves focusing on HIS "nos" rather than all of God's "yeses". Our prayer life with GOD is the direct communication line to a relationship with the Sovereign GOD. What an awesome privilege to have the opportunity to talk with the Creator of the universe!

Human relationship is two sided. You have your part, and the other person has their part. At the start of a relationship you want to know all about someone, you pursue them. You ask them questions. You get to know their likes and their dislikes. The desire is mutual to (hopefully) build a lasting relationship. However, what would happen if you were in a relationship where you were always doing the pursuing? You were the one who always called, left messages, wanted to meet up? Sooner or later the connection will probably die because you may get tired of the one sided nature of the relationship. 

UNbreakable

I had a dream. No not like the Martin Luther King Jr. kind, but nevertheless I had a dream. I dream quite vividly and frequently it seems. This particular night I dreamed about being at my old home place with many people surrounding me. Inside, I happened to be in a small bathroom in the back of the house. Standing in this tiny room next to me were several girls. Some of the girls were very young. There was one particular girl from Africa. She had been adopted. Why we were in this bathroom, I couldn't tell you. What I do know is that the house had a giant mess going on inside. Everyone was leaving and in quite a hurry. Everyone, except this one little girl, who refused to leave. She said she was afraid that if she left the house that her parents would no longer want her and return her to Africa immediately. She did not want to return. I tried to assure her and the other children that it would be all right and that all we needed to do was leave the house. I assured them, all would be well. At that moment, for some reason, I turned to this small child, held her face in my hands and looked into her eyes. This came out of my mouth, although I still haven't quite understood why. I told her to repeat, out loud, after me: "The house is broken, I am not broken. The house is broken, I am not broken. The house is broken, I am not broken."

I awakened from my dream in quite a haze. The repetition of these words resounded in my mind like a musical encore that wouldn't end. "The house is broken. I am not broken." What could this mean? What DID this mean? 

I am a Masterpiece!

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." ~Ephesians 2:10 NLT

I keep seeing this verse today coming up in different devotionals I read on email. I love to look at different translations of the Bible because they offer a slightly different look at the same meaning of a passage in Scripture. For example, some other translations use the word "workmanship" or "handiwork" in place of the NLT's version of "masterpiece".

I have to say that I do love the illustration here of being a "masterpiece". Truly, we can say we ALL are God's masterpieces. HE is the master, and HE has created us in HIS image.

85 Things about my Granny

My Grandmother recently turned 85 years young...or in her words "sweet sixteen and holding"! I always tell her she's been holding for a mighty long time! ;)  We decided to get together with some of her church friends and family to surprise her on her birthday. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to honor her with 85 things that she taught me, or that remind me of her. Some of this list is serious, some is funny, some will make no sense to anyone else but me, but all in all this is my memory of my Granny...as much as I can put on paper anyway. Here it is, in no particular order. Enjoy

 

Granny's reaction to seeing her friends surprise her for her Birthday!

 

I've often heard people speak well of others after they have passed. I told a group of friends and family that my desire was to honor my Granny on this day, her birthday, for all the years she has honored me by being in my life.

Here is my list, my Granny...

IN Season & OUT of Season

Happy New Year once again! Join me on a quick journey. This might seem long, but I promise it will be quick. Grab a seat and enjoy!

 

 

The new year always brings talk of new goals, resolutions, and changing of old priorities in hopes for a better life. The new year brings a season of hope and possibility. I believe for the most part resolutions are made with great intentions. However, what happens once this season passes? Once the newness of the year has faded, and all the decorations are put away, what then? We settle back into the busyness of day to day life, and often our resolutions become a passing memory of woulda-coulda-shouldas and maybe next year. My point of this chat with you today is not to talk about resolutions. It's to talk about our seasons in life. You see we all experience seasons in life, just as we experience seasons of the year.

 

There are four seasons in each year. Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall. Each marked with specific dates and conditions, depending on where you live. I live in North Carolina, so sometimes in the winter it snows...and subsequently everyone then rushes to the store to grab bread and milk- much like the Hostess Twinkie Apocalypse of 2012. No kidding! However, on other winter days we rush around wearing flip flops and shorts because it's 60* outside. You learn to expect the unexpected here in the south. And while some would say we never really get a Spring (except for the two weeks a year my car is covered in yellow), we do have four distinct seasons. It ranges from cold to sometimes extremely hot and humid. I -for one- am thankful for the seasons. It gives you something to look forward to. In the sweaty summer with a/c blasting we dream about having a white Christmas. Yet, when it's frigid and Jack Frost is nipping at our noses, we wonder when sweet summer time will be back again! I think as humans we can never be truly satisfied with whatever season we are in! We either look back on the previous season with longing or we look ahead for the next with hurried anticipation. We don't like to experience any season in which we are not completely comfortable. And let's face it there aren't many days in which everyone would agree it is completely perfect. Except of course for my favorite time of year -in the fall- when I can turn off my heat AND A/C and have all my windows open to let the wind blow freely throughout the house. Ahhhhhh, but I digress... :)

A NEW Beginning for all!

2012: ♫ "So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night..." ♫

As we turn the page on another year, it is common to reflect on the previous days, weeks, and months that were presented to us in 2012. We celebrate the joys and sorrows of days gone by. For many this year may have been trying and unyielding to a positive outlook. However, I know that no matter what frustrations and difficulties that we may pass through that God is always in control. It is hard to comprehend at times that He does, indeed, work ALL things for our good~but nevertheless HE does. Part of having faith in God is trusting that we don't understand all the things that happen but that there is a purpose for everything under the sun; and hopefully one day we will know in full, as now we only know in part, all the things God has planned for us.

Now we are looking to a new year. The new year for many signifies a new start, a new beginning. This reminds me of a story I'd like to share. A couple had two sons. One son was pleasing to the Father and one son was not. Through jealousy and rage the older son killed the younger. I'm sure this family was devastated. They had lost two children. One to murder and one ran away as a fugitive. I cannot imagine what this mother and father must have felt...perhaps-despair, anger, hurt, grief, confusion, hopelessness, etc....; But God stepped in and gave them a new beginning.

A note about CHRISTmas time. May you all be blessed on this day, and every day by the joy that the news of a SAVIOR brings. †

"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace."  ~Isaiah 9:6 Amplified

Once upon a time, when time had yet begun

The Father up in Heaven, Holy Spirit and the Son

Three together separate, and yet complete as one...

From whence we share the story of God's unending LOVE!