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I like postcards.
They let you know that person traveling has you on their mind.
As I followed the bus to Gentry Farms to the pumpkin patch this morning, I noticed the leaves changing colors, each tree in its specific designated time. Ever notice that?
The spectrum of colors from the variations on the theme of fall is amazing.
And it brought me to worshiping the Lord right there.
Thanking Him for painting leaves for me. Well, maybe He didn't paint the leaves just for Mindy...but He opened my eyes at that moment, so that moment ...was mine.
That moment God created just for me. It was all about just me and God. Nothing else, no one else, no distractions. He was thinking of me.
He is ALWAYS thinking of me. Wow. And that alone can bring me to me knees...just think about it...when you are taking in the beauty of nature and it brings you to recognize the Lord's presence in that moment. He is always there, we just don't always acknowledge it. It's like drinking in the very fresh air that feels so good you slowly fill your lungs with. Ahhhhh..... |
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| I used to teach music and fall was the prep/rehearsal time for the Christmas (politically correct- "Winter") Concert.
Let me tell you, we started singing Jingle Bells and jingled all the way and back again from September to December.
I was so SICK of any Christmas music by Thanksgiving! Right when everyone else was just getting in the Christmas mood, I was ready to be done with it. Jeff would want all the pretty cheesy Christmas music on, and I just wanted silence. He used to call me the Grinch.
And rightly so.
Now that I am not teaching, I don't rush Christmas, but I am ready for it by Thanksgiving.
I think that is why I didn't pay attention to the debate at Belmont on Tuesday. I've been jingling for a long time and I'm kind of done with it now.
I know who I am voting for. For me personally, it all comes down one issue, and I know where I am standing. The debates are particularly helpful to those who aren't sure yet.
Me?
I'm ready to do my thing.
I'm ready to cast my vote, and continue to pray for our president daily...lifting his name up in prayer with kids.
And no matter who is president, we Christians have the responsibility to pray for our leaders.
So this is the first thing we pray for...
"Dear Jesus, thank you for our president, George Bush and the leaders of our country. Thank you for the Pastor Lloyd and the leaders of our church. Help them all to make good choices. Give them passion, purity, protection and peace."
And then we continue to pray for other things including our friends and family.
So next month - particularly the end- will be a good one, b/c we will put aside our political differences, and come together again as a united country.
And it will bring the beginning of the holidays.
Thanksgiving, where we remember all the blessings we have, and the wonderful country we live in.
And of course, it will bring about the Christmas mood- it will bring people together and bind us together around the love of the infant that came to save us. |
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I am really tired of the political debating ready.
It's not that either candidate is making me angry, I just grow tired of that time in our country's season where we seem to be severely divided.
And I don't do well with conflict, so political debate makes me uncomfortable. It's that people pleaser part of me.
As I sat pondering this last night when I couldn't sleep, I came back to a phrase, slogan, whatever- that our church uses. "Pray Vote Pray"
I love that phrase.
And really, it's all about Jesus. It does matter who our next president is, but in the grand scheme on the heavenly side, it matters so little compared to what people do with their faith in Jesus.
And if we are seeking Jesus and truly asking the Lord to guide us to the candidate that HE wills and not what WE will, if we put away our SELF and truly pray about it, then noone can argue with our decision on who to vote for.
If you can truly say "I prayed about it, I sought the Lord on His Will and what He would have me to do and I was quiet and still enough to listen" and you feel God leading you one way
than I have no place to stand in telling you that you are wrong. Not that I should anyway.
The key is to put away our self, close up any "rights" or "who should control what" and listen to the voice of the Lord, than we as a country will be blessed.
And I think I can be safe in assuming that the majority of praying people forget to ask God to Bless America on a daily basis, and I am convicted of this.
Maybe we don't have to force anyone to pray in school, but if we quit moaning about it and spent our time praying instead of arguing- on our own time and even in our own quiet places by ourselves? Wow, what a difference that could make!
And no matter WHO is president next, we need to pray for our leaderS.
Every night we pray with Walter. We used to start out praying "Dear Jesus, thank you for our president, George Bush, help him to make good choices" and now we add "and the leaders of our country" to that prayer. And we then we pray for the leaders of our church and we ask the God would give them
"passion, purity, protection and peace."
AND we will pray that same prayer in a few months and ask God to be with President McCain or President Obama.
And if your "choice leader" does not get to be president, and you forget to pray for the next leader, or pray with your heart in the wrong place, then you are doing more damage to our country than if you had not voted.
Our country was close and resembled a family after our towers and thousand of lives destroyed. Not that I am asking for another terrorist attack, but
What is it going to take
to get our country back to loving each other, and hitting our knees asking the Lord to help us, protect us, and bless us?"
And I understand churches not wanting to step in and step on any toes, but at least remind and urge your people to pray for our leaders!
AND LET US NOT FORGET THAT GOD IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL! |
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