Happy LOVE day!!!

Honored to celebrate today, a day that’s about LOVE!  HAPPY LOVE DAY!!!

Many have spouted to me that it is wrong to celebrate today because it is a pagan holiday.  I see where they are coming from and am accepting of their convictions.  However, it is not my conviction.  No, I’m not saying I agree with the pagan rituals.  However, I am saying … a holiday that focuses on LOVE and celebrates it … yes, I’m for.  From my perspective, today is a very good day. 

No, our family doesn’t rush out and buy flowers, candy and whatever card is left at the last minute.  We don’t tend to dress up and go eat at an expensive place.  Our family, plans time together to have fun, laugh and be together.  Sometimes we are just our family and many times we are with friends that we share the love with. 

You see, Valentine’s is all about love.  Love is defined in world’s dictionaries as, “an intense feeling of deep affection”.   And very accurate is that description.  Many seek after the fleshly fulfillment of the endorphins that are released, the feel happy, feel good, feel a part of a bigger picture, feel needed, feel whole or complete.  Yes, they are seeking love or at least the feelings that love brings to fill the void within and using the words of a song … “in all the wrong places”.

The following scriptures are just a few that tell us that GOD IS LOVE! 

I John 4:8 ESV, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

I John 4:16 ESV, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

I John 4:19 ESV, “We love because he first loved us.”

I John 4:7 ESV, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

We were each created from Love.  We began as a thought to God who then created man in to being breathing His breath of life into man. (Genesis 2:7)   Genesis 2:18 says “And the LORD God said, “it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him”.   So, He created a help mate from man’s rib out of love.  (Genesis 2:21-24)   For them to be joined together as one flesh.  (Genesis 2:24)

We were created to want to be loved and to want to love.  It’s in each of our core being.  We are created in His image, the One who IS LOVE.  LOVE is not a sexual thing … however it is an awesome perk as being the ultimate worship or union with God between a husband, wife and God.  It is physically impossible for a man and wife to get closer to God then in that perfect union of three in one.  Which is why the world tries to imitate it with sexual pleasure outside of marriage which without God in the union leaves one even emptier.  Which then proves that GOD is LOVE as LOVE does not leave one empty and scarred but filled and overflowing to succeed at what you were created for. 

So, from my perspective, LOVE is definitely something to celebrate every day, every breath of our lives.  Today is NOT a day to be shunned but to take advantage of the opportunity to show the world what they are seeking and thirsting for.  TODAY is about showing and sharing GOD’s LOVE to the world around you.  We were created with the yearning to have and be loved because we were created out of Love to be able to Love Him back. 

So, you choose …

         1)  Out of expectation … rush out and buy a card (some don’t even read they just grab and go), some flowers and chocolate and give without much thought just to fulfill a commitment or to hope to get something in exchange.

 

       2)  Go with intent purpose and a happy heart and reflect God’s love to others in action, word or deed.   Expecting nothing in return. 

My challenge for you today …

Find ways to show God’s LOVE to others today, those you know and those you don’t know yet.   I would thoroughly enjoy seeing your reply below with pictures or a report of some of the ways you show His LOVE to others today.

Bonus challenge:  

Don’t stop after today … keep showing His love to others throughout the whole year!  And keep sharing and posting below.  Creativity is awesome and helps prompt others into action too. 

HAPPY LOVE DAY!!!!

Doing or Judging ... Which do you choose?

Father God, Yahweh, Jehovah-Jireh,  

I give thanks and praise to you for all you are doing in and through me.  My heart is filled with peace, joy, and anticipation for what you have for today.  With the authority, you have given to me, I speak to my eyes to be open to see, my ears that they may hear, my heart that it may receive and my mind to understand the insight you have for me today.  Thank you for your loving, faithfulness.  In Yahweh, Jehovah-Jireh's name, I pray, Amen.  

Today, I'm lead to Matthew 26:6-13:  

The Anointing at Bethany

^“6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, ⁷ a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. ⁸ But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

¹⁰ But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. ¹¹ For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. ¹² For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. ¹³ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (NKJV)

Wow, just as in life, there is so much going on in this passage.  We could look at the stigma of Simon "the leper".  We could focus on the value of the "very costly fragrant oil".  We could focus on the awareness and understanding of the disciples who have been under the teaching and life experience with Jesus.  We could ... there's so many facets of this text ... today, I'm drawn to the woman and oil.

Fact, we know it is a very costly or expensive oil.  Scholars have researched and have established a general value for it; however, for today, we are going to accept the understanding of The Word that it was very expensive and valuable.  (For those that desire to know the value ... have fun and dig into The Word to quench your desire ... you will always come away blessed.)  This oil was precious to this woman, most likely (from my limited studies) it was a gift to her that had been handed down through the generations.  This raises the value abouve the world's value system as it has heritage and eotional value to it as well as the financial value.  

She broke the oil and poured it over Christ's head as He sat at the head of the table.  Wow ... there's even more to ponder.  There is so much symbolism in pouring it over His head.  There is symbolism in that He was setting at the head of the table.  However, for me today, I note and accept these things as showing the respect and honor that was being given to Christ while He was in Simon the leper's house.  

So, here are the disciples who have experienced life under the teaching of Christ.  They KNOW Him on a very personal level.  They are at a gathering and are accepting the respect and honor being given to Christ with Him being placed at the head of the table in another man’s house.  However, when a woman comes bringing an alabaster box of oil which they are fully aware of the financial value and sacrifice on her part … their judgement and level of respect and honor of Christ is that He is not worthy of such a valuable sign of reverence.  This judgement from they who have laid down their previous lives to follow Christ.  How often do we do this?  Were they put out because of the financial waste? Were they responding in pride? Do we look at an act of another and make the judgement that we know what is going on in their life?  What they are being led by the Holy Spirit to do?  Do we stand in pride thinking that we know the full circumstances, conviction and reason for the action?  Is it our place to judge the action of another?  Do we want to stand in the likeness of the disciples here and receiving the rebuking of our Lord?  

Honestly, no I don’t.  I desire and am striving to step up in my level of faith.  To know my LORD and Master such that I know what is pleasing to Him and do it.   As well as support and encourage others when they are walking in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  It’s not my place to judge them for their action.  We are given the authority to judge the spirit that it is done in however.  It is my place to judge the spirit behind the action and to pray for the situation and uphold the proclaimed victory that is Christ’s in all things.    

Jesus said, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. ¹¹ For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. ¹² For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. ¹³ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

The oil was used to prepare Jesus’ flesh for what was to come.  His burial.  Our Salvation.  Our Freedom.  Our Life Eternal.  This resonates deep within me.  God has called me and blessed me with being a woman with a ministry that allows me to get to anoint others with oil.  It is such a humbling experience to get to be His ministering vessel to those He brings to prepare them for what is to come.  The spiritual and emotional side of the essential oils just ignites a passion in me that, for those that know me … can take me from a lethargic state to fully energized in an instant.  When Jesus was anointed with the oil … God was providing support and preparing the flesh for what was to come.  Just as we have feast celebrations to end the season we have just come out of and celebrate the newness of the season we are heading into.  The same is with our emotional and spiritual side of our lives.  God provided us His tools, one of which is essential oils - which is evidenced in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation - to help cleanse, break off past seasons in our lives, and prepare us for what is to come and be done in and through us in our new season.  I am always humbled and amazed at what the Holy Spirit does when another comes desiring to break from the past and rise to a new level in a new season.  It is always different, just what the Holy Spirit knows is needed.  Sometimes it comes with deliverance, sometimes with prophecy, always it comes with His love flowing and into the deepest depths of their soul.   

So today, I thank God for drawing me to this scripture.  For this affirmation that it is my place to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and not to give heed to those that are scoffing out of their limited understanding.  There are those that take the position of the disciples who scoff and put down what the Lord is being asked to be done.  Every day as I dive into knowing Christ more, I am constantly receiving new insights and levels of knowledge and wisdom in the purpose and how to use the essential oils He has brought in to my life after I said YES to Him.  When others speak against God’s teaching in using the essential oils (we’re not even going there with discussing what happens when you blend scripture, essential oils and prayer together …. Oh my, my, my WOW!) to support our flesh, emotions, mind, and spirit … it is mine to stay focused on His leading only and not receive nor judge them that are not at the level of understanding.  Every day I stand in awe of new levels of enlightenment that He brings and am ever more aware of just how much I don’t know and am so excited to see what’s next.  I am so thankful for the heart and passion He created me with and that I no longer bury my head in lack of understanding instead digging deeper in to Him to receive more understanding.  I choose to be one of the one’s using oils to prepare self and others for what is to come rather than one judging, scoffing, rebuking from a perspective of limited understanding and disrespect.

For those that would like to experience essential oils and especially those that want more with the Holy Spirit leading the experience, myself and/or one of our Be Healthy His Way team would be honored to come along side and support you on your journey.   You can achieve emotional release whether you are a Believer or not … however the synergy effects of salvation, scripture and prayer bring a level of freedom living of its own accord high above all else. 

It is our desire for you to KNOW God, to share His Word with you but also to share our lives with you in love.  We love you where you are and are honored to support you on your journey to get to where you want to be. 

Thank you for the investment of your time. 

May you hear and receive what is yours to hear from the sharing of a portion of my insights. 

Be blessed in the Name of the Lord, Yahweh, Jehovah-Jireh.

Created to Serve,

Michelle Wendt

His Beloved, blessed wife and mother

My Father’s Blessing Ministries and Be Healthy His Way Mentor

For our Be Healthy His Way Team – Emotion Study Group:

Today diffusing and using:

Xiang Mao, Melaleuca Quinquenervia, Tranquil, Rose

To support and expand in these areas:

Embracement, Spontaneous – Guided, Value, Self-Respect,

At-one-ment, Unconditional Love, Openness, Unity,

Meekness, Harmony, Needed, Wholeness

To be a part of our Be Healthy His Way Team or purchase products:  www.1111order.com  

To learn more about emotions and essential oils:  www.1111emotions.com

To see great videos about why natural, chemical-free living:    www.MFBOils.com

Contact us for more information:  BeHealthyHisWay@gmail.com

How's your lamp shining?

John 1:6-8 HNV "There came a man, sent from God, whose name was Yochanan [John}. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light."

We are sent from God as a witness that we might testify about the light, that all might believe through us.  Wow!  What an impact that scripture has made on me.  I, like Yochanan [John] am a lamp that shines the Light [Christ].  So … I have to stop and ask, how am I doing?  How well is my lamp reflecting the light of Christ?  Are others believing because of how I am living my life? my choices? my actions? my love for self? my love for others? my ability to forgive myself? to forgive others? 

What type of lamp light was I created to be?  What type of lamp light am I actually being?  

Here are just a few that have come to mind:

A light controlled by a switch - either fully on or fully off.  

A dimmer light - Either fully off or when on, on at varying degrees of brightness from barely there to full on bright or somewhere in between.  

A hazard flashing light - Only used when there is a problem.

A blinker - on one moment and off the next.  Only used when making a deviation from the path and even then not always being turned on when deviating and making a direction change.

A headlight - If old style - only on when turned on at night (in today's times that's if one remembers to turn it on or someone warns and flashes that we are proceeding without light).  If modern style then we are on all of the time but still primary use is during the night or stormy times to light the way  immediately in front of us on our journey.  We can be low density (which many drive using all the time instead of using the high density bright lights and having to remember to "dim" our headlights when others are approaching.) or high density bright beam lights. 

Christmas lights - All pretty and colorful, either solid or twinkling with part of us on at all times for the season; however once the season is over we are packed away for all the other seasons until our one season comes around again.  

A lighthouse - Shining 24/7 for others to help navigate, giving direction and keeping their paths focused on God, aware of and avoiding snares/traps/dangers.   There for all to use and giving 100% even though you may never know those that were directed by the light that shined through you.  

A search light - Radiant light that pierces the sky to be seen for miles and miles to draw others to come and find out what is the big deal.  We aren't the big deal but our lives reflecting His goodness and greatness through us draw others near so that they can come and meet Him for themselves receiving His salvation,  focusing on Him, believing Him, knowing Him, loving Him, walking with Him, partaking in His fullness.  He is the BIG DEAL.   

I also must ask myself, am I tending my lamp properly and to my best ability?  Am I keeping it in good operational shape - trimming the wick, keeping the oil full, prepared to be lit as He beacons?  Or am I busy running after other things or world busyness that I am too tired or distracted to make sure I am fulfilling the reason I was sent. Am I living such that anyone would see Christ in and through me and choose to believe in Him?  Am I drawing others to Christ or am I part of the attack of the busyness to distract and keep them away from Him?  No matter what, when you stop and look at it, you are either living so others can believe because of you OR you are living so that others are in unbelief and lost.  You're either for or against, there's no fence riding.  What an amazing love and confidence Christ has in us to give us such an impact on all His precious children young and old.  

Honestly, my life in and love for Christ has grown so much during my years; however I can see myself in each of the different types of lights.  I have had to stop, repent and ask His forgiveness for not living up to my best at the different stages of my life.  In this new awareness I strive to live more fully reflecting Him through me so others are not delayed in their belief because of me and my action or lack of action.  I am exhilarated with the simple understanding that I am here to be a lamp testifying of His light so others may come to Him and know Him.  As easy and simplistic as that is, I find myself knowing that every time i achieve my best He will then give me more wisdom and knowledge that will always keep me reaching and obtaining new levels of best in Him.  He will always keep leading me on in great anticipation of new levels of awe all my days as His lamp on this Earth.   I must keep Christ perspective that obtaining our best is a great thing and opens us up to continual new levels of best.  And if I stumble, then I must get up, repent, learn and keep moving forward and upward.   I must make a point to not adopt the world's perspective that we're never good enough no matter how hard we try, that our best just means failure as more is always expected.  For me, it is an awesome promise that He always has more for me so that in my pursuit of knowing Him I will never tire nor reach an end.  I am only limited by what I myself limit myself.  Hmm, to totally understand that fully - that I am the only thing holding me back.    With Him the possibilities and expansion is unlimited!  Thank you God!!  

Insight Hut #123 - What Does Grieving My Mom Your way Lord look life for me?

Today the journey started with healing ministry class at Faith Life Church with Brother Joey Woodward beginning a new teaching on "Hope in God".  Just another fine example that God leads you and gives you the insight teaching He desires to expand in you when you listen and say "Yes" to Him -- even when you don't know what you're fully saying "Yes" too!  It's always, always worth the step of faith to say "Yes".  He's never lead me wrong yet and always gets me out of or through challenges I get myself in to if I lose focus and wander a bit.  I will possibly share more about Brother Joey's teaching - however for clip notes, it covered Colossians 1 entirely and Romans 15:13 and concluded with he and his lovely wife praying with me as God brings this next season of His retreat and healing refuge from a thought (that he gave to Malachi when he was about 2 yrs old and Randy and I about that same time frame too) to a BE.  After the teaching we were speaking and I shared my quest for grieving my mom His Way and my struggle of what that looked like, Brother Joey spoke the word O death where is they sting.  I Cor 15:55.  It rang affirmative with my spirit … there was no sting in my mom's death.

So, after a refreshing rest this afternoon, I now find myself lead to Insight Hut #123.  And lead I was.  There are so many to pick from but every time I tried to settle for another Hut He prodded me on to receive His best or fullness of Insight Hut #123.  As I come up to it I can tell its not been used often.  The leaves are built up more than any of the others.  The table is covered with debris and dust webs from lack of use.  There are at least 10 other Insight Huts in view yet this one stands very much alone.  The trees are mostly young saplings with some mature but not predominant trees.  (Represents those stuck in grief mode?)

It would appear that grieving is a time or season you do alone, possibly in proximity of others grieving but each person is unique in its journey so thus alone.  You can take heart that others have been here before you and may be on the journey now so even though you're alone, you're not truly alone or abandoned.  You can walk your individual journey along side others who are walking their own personal journey.  Just keep your eyes and focus on your journey and don't compare to anyone else's!  Otherwise you might get lost in the journey of grief and stay longer than you should or need or even worse, plant your roots and remain the rest of your earthly days.

The many saplings speak a time of tenderness and newness to me.  This is a new season of life, a new start.  In the case for me its a new season …. of living as His Ambassador in this foreign land without my physical mentor, my nurturer, my comforter … my precious mother.  She's been there for me since before my first breath.  She loved me from the moment she knew God was creating me inside of her.  Okay, her thoughts and words might not have been so loving and kind when she though I was a violent flu; however as soon as she knew it wasn't the flu and wouldn't pass but be in her life for the rest of her life … SHE LOVED ME!!!  What insight and revelation of God's love to me.  Except we went from 1) being His thought to 2) BEing and there was no ill thought of flu, discomfort of sickness, no dread, no icky (technical term) feeling … just pure love, joy and delight at His creation.  Wow!  And I've been honored to be a mom and experience that intimacy of love.  Thank you God, I'm so humbled and will strive more to love fuller my family and those you bring to us to love.

So here I am again … What does grieving my mom Your way Lord look like for me?  I want to get it done and launch fully whole into this new season.  Just like my mom, I chase after Him seeking to please Him and honor Him.

So … if in doubt, look up the definition to identify or define according to some dictionary what the baseline or meaning of the word is -- it even gives you different tenses i.e. noun, verb, past, present, transferal? (I think I missed English that day!)

GRIEF:  to cause great distress or sorrow.

SORROW:  a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others.

DISTRESS:  extreme anxiety, sorrow or pain.

So … here I sit pondering those definitions.  "SORROW: a feeling of deep distress caused by loss ..."  Hmmm, I didn't lose my mom.  I know where she is.  She fulfilled her assignment in this foreign land and was able to return home to hear "Well Done".  "… disappointment …" my mom's life was anything but a disappointment.  Her life walk inspired all (even sometimes when I fathered it didn't).  I experienced moments of sadness while she was till alive when I looked at the challenges of life she lived in, the abuse, the neglect, the sacrifices … but wait!  There's more!!! (And no extra shipping charge either!  God already took care of that fee.)  The Lord brought to mind we either receive our rewards and treasures here on Earth OR we store up eternal rewards and treasures in Heaven.  My mom so got that and choose an eternity of rewards and treasures rather than Earthly ones that break, have be be cleaned, replaced, moved, etc.  "… or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others."  Suffered - yeah she went through some intense pain in the flesh in the final month but her sweetness remained and she endured for  His gain praising Him through the pain and tears.  If you read her obituary then you know her passing had no part of suffering or distress and honestly -- it was so sweet and anointed it brought great joy to both Randy and I that we were witness to her eyes being opened to the Heavens and her pure vocal response in seeing her Savior and Lord, her Comforter, her Provider, her Lover and the wealth of rewards and treasures she honestly in her humility had no clue were awaiting her.

Randy and I were so humbled that He loved us and let us witness it.  That I got to hold her and kiss her goodbye as she prayed / conversed with God in a language only He understands then sang her way into Heaven while I held her physical body that housed her spirit until He received her spirit in His arms with the ultimate, long awaited hug from One who was dearer to her than any other.  No greater love have I witnessed or felt.  Even now these tears I'm shedding are tears of thanksgiving, of being so humbled that He allowed me, little (okay maybe not so much presently) ole me to hold her and hand her over to Him.  The One i know and trust.  The One who loves my mom even more than I.  Suffering or distress?  Absolutely NOT!  It was like receiving top honor or recognition … and I was just being who He created me to be, loving as He poured in to me, tending, serving the mentor He purposefully chose for me.

"DISTRESS:  extreme anxiety …" …. Nope!  We knew where she was going and it's far better than any taste of Heaven she may or may not have had on this Earth.  "…sorrow…" -- Are you kidding me?  Sorrow would have been her being stuck here after her assignment was done.  "… pain." -- We, from our first breath of birth, are guaranteed achieving at least one goal in life and that's death.  We all will accomplish it, the journey on the way is up to us and how well we live out our days on Earth.  So I  knew it was a definite goal and my mom would strive to succeed at it giving Him her absolute best -- which she did.  The only pain I've really experienced is right now and its the chill as the temperature drops and I sit outside writing this wishing I had a blanket or warm fire … but that's not grief related.

So again, I look at the definitions of grief -- the World's definitions.  They don't apply in this situation.  I know my mom and I are just His Foreign Ambassadors doing our assignment here so we can go home. This is just temporary.  I was blessed with a lifetime of her love, mentoring, nurturing, comforting me, encouraging, praying and speaking into my family - my amazing husband and awesome sons - as well as all the spiritual children and people He brought into our lives.  I was given an amazing gift of a little over 22 months to love on, honor and give back to my mom before she completed her assignment.  I played games with my mom, laughed with my mom, cried tears of joy and sorrow, prayed, prayed … and prayed with my mom .  I got to share new levels of light He imparted to me because of the high mantle she achieved and launched me from.  She lead as Jesus lead -- from behind, encouraging, supporting and launching me to be able to do all she knew and could do and even more.  She praised with me and celebrated all God has, is and has yet planned to do in our lives and ministry.  She lived through me.  She dreamed with me.  She laughed with me.  She praised Him with me.  She prayed WITH and FOR me.  I chose to honor her and celebrate her life while she was still living it.  We laughed together.  God allowed me to speak into my mom and right wrong perceptions or false truths that she was under.  We loved together.  We laughter together.  We praised together.  We laughed together.  We prayed together.  We laughter together.  His Joy was not a stranger to us.

When Holy Spirit opened my eyes that my mom had no clue the impact she had on this Earth for His Kingdom -- I began a purposeful celebration of her life by requesting friends and family to express the way my mom impacted their lives.  When the emails, cards, letters, Facebook comments began to come in, we would read them.  She looked at me and asked where all this was coming from and why.  With all the love in my heart I told her that I firmly believed she would benefit more by celebrating and acknowledging the impact she has and had on people's lives  while she was still alive rather than after she was dead.  She laughingly agreed with me.  I firmly believed in Celebrating her while she was with us and could enjoy it and laugh with us rather than later when frankly, she wouldn't care and it wouldn't matter to her.  Sooooo …. CELEBRATE mom we did.  Even during her two days of silent resting in preparation for her end of assignment promotion Holy Spirit lead me to speak all the appreciation and thankfulness for all the things He brought to mind that my mom did.  I had 48 hours of speaking into my mom's spirit and was blessed beyond blessed and could have continued on if time allowed as there was still far more she did but … the eternal rewards and treasures covered the rest.

So,  I'm finding myself thinking there is nothing to grieve.  I have no regrets or uncompleted issues with my mom.  She lives on in and through me.  She is a part of me, my husband and my sons and that is to be celebrated and praised.  I may experience moments of homesickness - but I did that while I was growing up when we were apart and we were always reunited which we will be this time too.  I am choosing to praise and celebrate my mom and laugh with her even while she is at Home waiting for me to get there.

My mom dreamed and prayed with me as God revealed to us His plans of having us steward His yet to come retreat and healing refuge.  I feel my mom's completing her assignment and going Home was/is a gift to our family so we could freely, whole-heartedly go after pleasing God by starting this new season and level of ministry.  It overwhelms me all the plans God has shared, is sharing and reveals and blows me away as I know its just a glimpse of what He has planned if we just continue to say "Yes".  My faith and belief are ever growing because as in every situation in the past, He positions us so He is strongest in our weakness allowing all the glory to go to Him.  We know what and where He is leading we can't obtain or do on our own … but our God whom we love and serve can and already has it covered. We just need to submit ourselves, say "Yes", get out of His way and hang on!  He's always provided and lead us well, far beyond anything we could imagine and He keeps expanding our ability to imagine.  Wow!

Thank you Mom and Thank you God for giving me such a role model to walk out You for me.

Let's CELEBRATE!

                                … And that's How Grieving my Mom HIS WAY looks like for me.

I wonder what Insight Hut He has in mind tomorrow and what the insight will be.  Nothing but joy and anticipation from me!

What does grieving my mom according to You look like for me? Insight Hut #150

27 October 2014

Compton Campground

Insight Hut #150

Branson MO

Today is the first day for me to be totally away from all who need loved, ministered to and whatever else since my precious mother's passing Monday, October 13, when she sung her way into Heaven and I was able to hand her over to God's loving arms at 7:17 am. Truly His Joy does come in the morning!

My amazing husband responded to my inability to be able to put healthy boundaries up (from others expectations, needs, demands, desires to love me as they wanted or needed to whether due to not knowing me and how I process or just needing to fulfill their own needs, etc) so I could center in and make sure I grieve as God intends instead of putting my needs aside for others and pushing through or burying inside. I totally, with my husband and sons agreement, gave my absolute all to my mom this past six months and almost exclusively the final month of her life with the finals weeks of not leaving her room except twice for appointments I couldn't reschedule. It was a sweet time however it also depleted my physical health.

So … here I sit in God's presence in Hut #150 in a remote county and city from home and my loved ones (I need to research that # significance as He was specific this hut, this time.) laying myself open before God at His throne asking, “What does grieving my mom look like according to You for me?”

After sitting on top the table and praying, I just sit in His beauty and … just BE. As I gaze out across the beauty of the fall foliage, trees of varying sizes and colors, He first brings into focus 3 sturdy, tall, prominent dark trees that stand out amidst the forest. The beauty and stature of the trees, out of all the many shapes, colors, statures of the trees, these three stand out predominately. I sense the closest to me represents my husband, Randy, who God has filled my life and blessed me with as a life mate. During this time with my mom he has grown and covered me like never before in my life. He has cried with me celebration tears after her passing and different times since. Like the tree, he is sturdy and tall, not perfect, not rigidly straight but purposeful and successfully focused at going ever upward to connect and be fed by the The Son, not twisted or tangled with the other trees of the forest, not handicapped nor marred by the challenges of his development.

Just beyond or past this tree are two of the same prominent type trees of just a tad smaller stature. They signify our sons, Josiah and Malachi. They are sheltered under the covering of the larger tree; however standing solidly alone in close proximity to each other as they are prepared to be predominate in the forest. They have been nurtured and allowed to develop into strong, sturdy, well-rooted trees that are no longer just under the coverage of their father tree but now in union and focused on reaching and staying in connection with The Son in their own personal relationship yet in communion with each other. They too are not twisted, gnarled or deformed. Not perfect and rigidly straight but always moving upward in growth.

I marvel at how despite Randy and I's being human, making choices and settling for less than His best, and being human battling the flesh as we strive to serve God, know Him more intimately and minister to those He brings to our lives, God has covered our sons through us with the aid of others to develop them as the mighty warriors God created them to be. Satan has been trying to wear me down by pointing out all the sacrifices and times the boys have done or gone without so we could, as a family, love on others as He leads. The times when I should have, would have, could have. Pointing out how we did't have purposeful Christlike boundaries in place so the boys and our family are/have been exposed to abusers, depleters, attackers, leeches, saboteurs, suckers, well-intended but not Christ directed deeds, busyness, etc. The burden is heavy when I allow my ear to listen to that, seeing all the errors and short comings of our choices. It brings the feeling of doom and gloom, of failing those we love the most that were given to us as our #1 mission field. Then (thank you God!) with just a breath or a blink of an eye, I choose to see with His Christ Perspective and I see how through all the challenges and abuse we all, including our sons, have grown and become stronger warriors learning from the goodness and the attacks. It has helped strengthen and develop character in each one of us. We have learned 'how to' and 'how not to' do by real life examples with sometimes Randy and I being the best examples of how not to do something! (Praise God our sons love us.) These times have taken our roots to deeper levels and continues to develop, deepen and spread out to allow us to ever continue growing and soaring in relationship with The Son. All these attacks or blights of the enemy have not marred their development but added to and expanded who they are, who we are as parents and who we are as a family. He is ever faithful.

My focus is then directed to smaller white birch and other variety trees and their colorful presence across the way. The Lord shows me as Randy and I strive continually to raise our knowledge, understanding and mantle for Christ that our sons are to launch from – the boys are being covered and raised to higher, deeper levels in Him as well. All of this and the overflow of God's love of, in and through us spreads out to help nurture, develop and feed others that God brings into our lives and ministry home. Each with their own purpose and direction that are blessed and grown/expanded by His presence in and on us that overflows to meet and fill their individual areas of need and growth. We love them all no matter their size, situation or stature. Some are thin vines that depend on others to hold them up but yet they still are intent on climbing higher. Others are bare branches, others full of leaves and fruit, some bland and some vibrant. Some have lost direction and are bent down, others have succumbed to hurts/wounds and developed no further or died completely. Through all this God shows me that we are an important part of His Kingdom. Even those that choose to give up and die bring His victory as the goodness from their nutrients from them returning to the earth help create rich soil for others to grow from. As we focus and grow in Him setting our mantle ever higher, as we grow in new light and knowledge to cover and launch our sons from … others are also fed by Him through us to the extent that they are willing to open up and receive. Some up close in relationship and others from a far just watching our walk and daily lives. What a humbling and heavy responsibility. Makes my seeking how to walk out grieving my mom His way even more important. Makes learning how to love ourselves so we can love our neighbors best even more of a priority. Makes my words and actions even more important and accountable even when I think no one is probably looking.

As I continue to delight in His revelations in nature He draws my attention to the sound and feel of the breeze. It started gently, softly moving just a few trees that were open and flexible to allow it to move them. As time continues it is growing as the wind picks up and other trees join in. It's almost like a “wave” that starts in one area and spreads to another. Like a single chorus that then develops into a musical round. The sweetness and now the beauty as the trees are beginning to sway and dance more with others joining in. The trees God showed as our family are ever so peacefully, gracefully flowing back and forth to the movement of the music. Those trees that are surrounding near and far are being nurtured, expanded and encouraged to join in more freely and vigorously in praising the mighty One. There are some who are boldly moving, those that are timid and those that are just observing the others. Each are able to learn from those that are further in development, learning how to be more open and flexible to flow with the Holy Spirit … or choose to stay stiff and unyielding, breaking under the challenges, decaying and eventually rotting to return nutrients to the ground to feed the other living trees – yet again an example of God's victory in even the darkest choices. It takes each one in their individually different levels and forms of worship to preform this beautiful display and sound of God and His mighty Love for each one of us, no matter where we are or what we have done. We each one have been specifically created from His thought of who we are and have an important part of what He is doing in His Kingdom. You do matter. He yearns for you to give Him whatever love and adoration you are capable of at the moment and loves you even when you are loving and adoring something or someone else. He is a patient God and waits with anticipation for you … even to your dying breath.

With the increased breeze I'm being lead to go seek warmer covering. So, on that note … I shall return to continue the quest of “What does grieving my mom look like according to You for me?”. Thanks to those who are prayerfully lifting me up during this journey. I love you and speak blessings for your faithfulness. Wonder what Hut # and insight He has already planned for me next!

"A Little Bite of Bread" God is watching us

God is watching over us! The other day as we were pulling into our driveway, we noticed our new neighbor sitting in his truck with binoculars next to our drive. We stopped and asked him if he was okay. He was quite embarrassed as he was explaining that he was watching his cow which was due to calve. He explained, I have no children, so these cows are my babies and I just need to watch her until she has the calf to make sure that she does not have any trouble. He was out there all day and even after dark keeping his eyes on this cow. This may seem silly but as I watched him, I thought about how the bible says in Job 34:21 “God watches where people go; he sees every step they take. and is Psalms 139:7 “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! NLT As I thought about this it gave me such a beautiful picture of how God watches over us. Like my neighbor did not crowd his cow but sat back at a safe distance and watched with his binoculars, God never crowds us. He sits up in the heavens and watches at a distance and then gently prompts us if we need to move, change or turn. He is such a gentleman, He asks us to seek Him instead of being and pushy and forcing himself on us. When we choose to come closer to Him, James 4:8 says “…He will draw near to you.” When we choose to seek Him, He says we will find Him. My neighbor’s cows are not the ordinary auction cows but they are show cows and the loss of one cow would cost him a lot of money but that is not why He was watching the cow. He was watching the cow because he has put a value on that cow that was worth much more than money. He valued her because in his heart she is one of his children. He wanted to ensure her safety and well being as a father would a child. In James 1:18 the bible tells us “He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession”. You see, we sometimes think for some reason that God is too busy to help us, we are too bad to be loved by God, we are so ordinary that God would not even bother to notice us out of the crowd but that is all wrong. God created each and every one of us. He had a plan in mind to be with us throughout our lives and He made a way that even in our sin we could still maintain our relationship with Him by providing the perfect sacrifice for us. We are a prized possession that He sits back at a distance and watches continually. We are His children and He wants to make sure that we are going to be okay. While my neighbor was embarrassed to express his love for his cows, My God is never embarrassed or ashamed to say He loves me and He loves you. Praying you that as you go through the day today, you can feel the eyes of our Father watching you.
Linda