Communicating With God

26 Jan

My Take

DiVoran Lites

 

Author, Poet and ArtistMany years ago, when we attended Park Avenue Church a man came to speak. His way of doing things changed many lives – mine was one.

Mark Virkler teaches people to communicate with God, just as our Pastor Peter Lord always has and does. I’m so deeply grateful. The thing about communing with God is that He knows each of us as an individual. No one else’s knowledge of Him is ever going to be exactly the same as mine and vice-versa.

(One caveat – I must be willing to launch myself into the water and swim with my imagination. Later I can read it back, or if I’m feeling insecure, I can read it to someone I trust spiritually and see if they confirm that it was God speaking. Also, of course not all my or your communications will be about praise or music. They will be about anything you or I, or the Father wish to discuss.)

God: Beloved, I’m building a road right through the ocean and through the pounding waves so that you may walk on dry land. Forget about what has happened, don’t keep going over old history. Jesus already knows all about your weaknesses and has set them aside as healing projects for the two of you to do together.

Be alert. Be present. I’m about to do something new in you. It’s bursting out. Don’t you see it? It has to do with your learning to praise me and also with your being able to accept my praise of you and of what you do for me. Yes, what you do counts, and yes, I acknowledge it. I don’t just keep asking more and more of you. It’s like a beautiful dance, and it goes on all your life.

Me: Father, is there anything you want to tell me about your new plans for me?

God: Stand by. Whenever you begin to feel your weaknesses as you did yesterday, just remember that I have already forgiven you, and you need to forgive yourself for all imperfect acts and thoughts. The best way to do that is to praise me. I need and want your praise as much as you need and want water to drink. You need my praise, too.

Me: Please will you give me motivation and inspiration to please you – perhaps a small routine – something to trigger my memory and get me going.

God: You may play the Gaither sites on your Pandora stations more. That will be a big help to you. Those singers and musicians are part of my praise team, and they have spent their entire lives praising me in the very best ways possible. They are my modern-day beacons and examples of what I want and what I want you to do. Do you recall the times I have asked you to sing the songs I’ve given you?

(Reader, remember, this is my message, yours will be different. He wouldn’t expect you to follow music in your private life that doesn’t resonate with you.)

Me: Yes, knowing you want me to sing thrills me.

God: All right now, my dear, just put on any praise stations you like and sing along. It will be good for your breath – your inspiration and fine for your muscles and energy tone – your motivation.

Me: It’s strange, Lord, but I think I got away from praise songs because they seemed to jazz me up too much.

God: They can do that. I don’t mean for you to stay over-stimulated all the time. There is a time for action and a time for rest. Don’ worry you won’t lose control.

Me: Oh, ha, ha, Lord, I see what you mean. I’m always afraid that if I get excited and too happy, I’ll make a fool of myself or disgust somebody. You know that, don’t you?

God: Of course. I know everything about you. I’m not the one who got after you about being, “a lady.” The world did that to you. You are well-disciplined – don’t worry. Don’t worry about your singing voice, either. Don’t worry about being thought, “loud.” Wouldn’t you enjoy singing with the Gaither’s?

Me: Yes, indeed, I would. I’m looking forward to the new plan. Thank you, Lord.

God: You’re welcome. Thank you, too.

If you’d like to know more about communing with God check out http://www.cwgministries.org/

 

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An Amazing Adventure~Part 14

25 Jan

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

After our venture into the mountains, we drove back to Denver. We parked and walked some of the downtown area. It is a lovely city. We walked through Lincoln Park.

 

We saw, across the way, the County Courthouse, decked out with pink ribbons on the columns.

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We saw a statue memorial to a Medal of Honor Recipient from World War 2;

 

we saw a cowboy and an Indian warrior.

 

We saw bronze statues,

 

and the library, and a cow!

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In front of Katie Mullins bar were some bagpipers.

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We went through the library and were fascinated by it. Very modern. It was of great interest to Karen, as she is a librarian in her hometown. We rode the downtown bus—free—for several blocks, just to take in some of the town, and the architecture.

Finally, tuckered out, we drove back to the hotel. Actually, we stopped at the Texas Roadhouse Grill for supper. The food was really good, but there was an enormous amount of it! We were stuffed! Then back to the hotel to pack and sleep.

The next morning, we checked out of the hotel, then went back to Rosie’s Diner for one more breakfast. Then Karen and Brian drove us to the airport, where we said our goodbyes to them. We then flew home. Karen and Brian had most of the day to do with, and they made a full day of it.

So, as you can see, the whole thing really was an A…M…A…Z…I…N…G adventure! One we would happily repeat!

As promised, one last word about the friends we stayed with our second night (I invite you to revisit my November 2, 2014 post).

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Ruth Anne and I have known each other since early childhood. We both lived in New Mexico: she was in Deming, and I was in Albuquerque – about a four-hour’s drive apart. Our fathers played college basketball together in Louisiana (early 1920’s). We are fairly convinced that her father was partly responsible for bringing my father to Albuquerque. I would spend weeks in Deming in the summers with her, and she would spend weeks in Albuquerque with me. We met up with her and her husband while studying at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, in the early-to-mid 1960’s. Charles went on to become a pastor, while Fred went into the Air Force. We visited with them and their family once when we were all living in Kansas. After their daughters were grown and away from home, Charles and Ruth Anne went to the mission field, in Malaysia. They were invited back recently by the Malaysian Christians to help them. They are absolutely lovely people, and we rejoice that our family has stayed connected with them all these years.

~~~~~~~FINALLY…..The End…of an AMAZING adventure!~~~~~~~

 

 

 

The whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders…..

Psalm 65:8

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Three things you must never do when facing self-pity.

24 Jan

When I Wake in the Morning

23 Jan

From the Heart

Louise Gibson

Louise Gibson

 

The natural flight of the human mind is not from

pleasure to pleasure,

but from hope to hope.

Samuel Johnson

 

Lord, when I wake up in the morning

my first thought is of you.

This  day is truly a blessing-

What would you have me to do?

 

The day may be disguised as ordinary,

but extraordinary things happen with you.

You are our reason for living, Lord

We find our purpose and strength in You.

THE DAY MAY BE DISGUISED AS ORDINARY

 

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Old Things R New Blogger Dinner

22 Jan

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

Our Old Things R New annual blogger dinner was last night. I spent the week looking forward to  the laughter and fellowship. As I thought about the blog and the wonderful people I blog with, I realized again how blessed  I was and I wanted to do something to  recognize their work and faithfulness. My daughter, Rebekah suggested certificates. At first, I balked, but as I thought about it, I grew to like the idea. It was something I could create  for them.

Since we don’t all live in the same town, we met at a High Tide Harry’s Seafood restaurant. It’s location was convenient for those coming from the east and the ones from the south.photo

We started the dinner off talking hard and fast. It was a challenge to  find an open moment to say a few words about the blog and give them a quick overview of the progress we have made. Our goal has always been to write and share, having readers is a lovely bonus. Our one disappointment was that our blogger/poetess, Louise Gibson  did not feel well enough to attend.

I had been looking forward to this dinner all  week and it did not disappoint So here is our “official” blogger dinner photo. (subject to change if someone took a better photo)

Fred (husband of Judy) Divoran,Bill, Judy, me and Janet

Fred (husband of Judy) Divoran,Bill, Judy, me and Janet

I held off giving out the certificates until the dinner was over . I mean how can you hold  a certificate and eat at the same time? I almost waited too long because suddenly everyone was leaving!  I went for drama and cried STOP!  It was fun giving them out and each one had a gold seal of thanks on it. Since Louise wasn’t able to attend I decided to post a photo of her certificate.  We were pleased her daughters joined us. as well as my husband and daughter. We really are a blogger family.

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I’m already looking forward to next year’s dinner.

Here is a quiz for you. Match the award to the blogger. I already gave you one free!

Most Comments

Most Adventourous

Most Nostalgic

Most Inspriational

Most Viewed

Leave your guesses in comments and you just may win a prize!!

ps…. If I had created an award for myself it would have been Most Procrastinating!

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My Colonial States Trip~Part 10

21 Jan

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Bill Lites

 

It was getting late, so I drove over to Hershey World which was really on my list for the next day, but I had checked the hours of operation before the trip, and I thought they were supposed to be open until 11:00 pm daily. My first clue that something was amiss was that their huge parking lot was almost empty. Well, when I got there, I found out they have different operating hours on different days of the week, as well as different months of the year! I hadn’t researched their operating hours thorough enough, and by now it was 5:45 pm and they were due to close at 6:00 pm that day. As I walked into the lobby, I saw the entrance to the Hershey’s Great American Chocolate Tour Ride and asked the lady if it was too late for a tour. She said, “Not at all, step aboard.” So I did. On their moving tour chair, I got to see how the cocoa bean is processed from the tropical rainforest to Hershey, PA and is transformed from a bean into the many forms of Hershey’s famous chocolate. That was all I needed to do there, as DiVoran had instructed me NOT to buy any chocolate for her because of her diet. That evening, for dinner, I treated myself to another one of my very favorites; a “Southwest Specialty Burger” at Fuddruckers in Harrisburg, PA before heading for the motel to relax and write-up my notes about the day’s activities.

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The next morning I drove the 15 miles back over to Hershey, PA to visit the Antique Auto Club of America Museum, and what a collection they have there. The AACA’s collection of vehicles includes such rare early autos as a 1895 Chicago Motor Benton Harbor, a 1896 Ford quadricycle, a 1897 Aldrich Autobuggy, a 1905 Paragon Roadster, a 1917 Pierce-Arrow Model 38 Runabout and even a 1924 REO Funeral Hearse. I was simply amazed at this fine collection of early means of transportation. They even had the Hershey Kissmobile parked out front under the portico. This was one of the finest antique auto museums I had ever seen.

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Next I went back into downtown Harrisburg to visit the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum where I saw how the firemen lived and worked, and also some of the equipment they used during the early 1800s. The museum is housed in the 1899 Victorian firehouse used by the Reily Hose Company No. 10 and features an outstanding collection of artifacts and equipment including an early hand-drawing pump wagon and other firefighting equipment used over the years. This was where the tour guide told me about how the term “Fire Plug” came about. Seems as how, in the early days, the water mains were made of wood, and held together with metal straps. These water mains were buried underground and when there was a fire in the vicinity, the firemen had to dig down to the water main, drill a hole in the pipe and install a hose adapter. When they were finished with the hose adapter, they removed it and inserted a wooden ”Plug” in the hole before covering up the pipe and marking the “Plug” location for future use. I wonder how that process morphed into what we knew when I was a kid as a “Fire Plug” or better known today as a “Fire Hydrant?” How is that for a piece of firefighting trivia?

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—–To Be Continued—–

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Off the Track

19 Jan

My Take

DiVoran  Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistAre you a seeker? I am. I have found what I was seeking for when it came to spiritual sustenance, and that was Jesus and the Holy Bible. Still I like to think of myself as open to new ways of thinking about prayer, living the Christian life, faith, and healing.

I also like to study about natural, or as it is sometimes called, holistic healing. I regularly go to an extraordinary healer who is a chiropractor and keeps me in good shape, and a homeopath from whom I order custom remedies for various things that might be ailing me. She uses a Zyto which is a computer program that maps a person’s individual body and tells what’s going on there. The biggest differences in these two kinds of healing and regular pharmaceutical treatments are that they heal instead of holding symptoms at bay. For instance, one can be permanently de-sensitized to allergies instead of simply getting shots for the rest of one’s life. .

I like to read good books about natural healing too. Apparently cancer can often be healed by natural means. I want to know about that, don’t you? These two books have recently come to my attention.

Outsmart your Cancer, by Tanya Harter Pierce, M.A., MFCC and Cancer – Free, Your Guide to Gentle, Non-toxic Healing, by Bill Henderson & Carlos M. Garcia, MD.

I’ve recently finished Dr. Gallagher’s Guide to 21st Century Medicine, by Martin P. Gallagher, M. S., D. C., which tells exactly how to stay healthy without drugs.

We want to thank our Lord for showing us these wonderful ways of healing as well as for the times when we needed regular medical intervention and it was available to us.

Large Yellow Hand

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An Amazing Adventure~Part 13

18 Jan

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

 Our next stop was Idaho Springs. This is an area that Karen and Brian had visited to go white-water rafting four years ago,. It is a quaint place, and we enjoyed visiting the town and the museum there.The Argo Tours leads tours through the old gold mine and mill. (We didn’t) There are rocks on display that show the placement of holes that held dynamite.

We took in the museum and were fascinated with all the displays and information about how the mine/mill worked in the old times. They had two life-size models dressed in what women of that day would have worn—even for traveling. Much different than today. They were very elegant.

We had lunch at the Buffalo Restaurant.

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Their specialty was buffalo meat! They explained to us that buffalo meat is much healthier than beef—it contains less fat, has more protein, and therefore better for you than beef! I had a buffalo burger that was delicious!

I took quite a few pictures of the inside of the restaurant. Lots of “old time” stuff.

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But the most fascinating to me was the bar. It was a beautiful piece of furniture, and had a history, of course. According to the info on the menu, it was originally built in 1861 in Chicago. It traveled from Chicago to Denver, then eventually, to Idaho Springs. It’s amazing that it survived all those moves, but it did.

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Behind the restaurant, by the road, there is a cliff, that has a waterfall. And by the waterfall is an old wheel.

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There is also a small park (Turkey Lake Park) that contains a Narrow Gauge Colorado and Southern train on display. Brian even got up in the coal car for a look-around.

 

Leaving Idaho Springs, we went up to Echo Lake. Part of Echo Lake area is Summit Lake Park which tops out at 12,830’, and the temperature was a whopping 53°! Well above the tree line, so there was just scrub. We saw many, many Big Horn Sheep— some old, some young. They were close, not bothered by all those humans around them. It almost looked like they were eating the dirt! I got a good picture of one jumping over the fence. Someone brought out their dog—which looked like a sheep dog—and it really wanted to herd those sheep!

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On our way down, we saw some Virga rain showers. Don’t know what that is? Neither did Brian. But my retired-meteorologist husband informed him that Virga is a rain shower that evaporates before it reaches the ground. As Brian stated—he continues to learn something new every day!

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We stopped briefly at the Mount Goliath Station. Here is a cute sign:

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We did stop and park at the Arapaho National Forest. There was a lovely small waterfall with more gorgeous Aspen stands across the road. Brian got down and personal with the waterfall.

 

There was also a very large outcrop of rock that had a “Christmas” tree atop it. A little difficult to see in this picture, but it’s there. It fascinated me.

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~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~

 

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How to keep good friends; here are three secrets.

17 Jan

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14)

God Never Says “O-O-O-PS”

16 Jan

From my Heart

Louise Gibson

Louise Gibson

 

That’s a theological truth in disguise.

God is a Master of Perfection.

His truths stand to confuse the thinking of the wise.

 

Every moment we feel overwhelmed by problems,

God is busy dealing with them, dear friend.

Every time we despair over the lack of God’s presence,

Remember, He promised to abide to the end.

 

The Bible has been written for people

who are living in the land of the living-

It is so much more than “pie in the sky

in the sweet by and by”.

 

The Bible is written for the tough realities of life,

the nitty grittry of the here and now.

Its pages are filled with real life solutions

to relieve our strife and our sigh!

 

 

“There has to be a song-

to make our burdens bearable,

to make our hopes believable,

to transform our successes into praise.

to release the chains of past defeats.

Somewhere- down deep in a forgotten corner

of each man’s heart-

There has to be a song,”

Robert Benson

 

“At times when we feel forsaken,may we know

the presence of the Holy Spirit who brings comfort

to all human hearts when we re willing to surrender

ourselves.  May we be convinced that soon before

we reach up to Thee, Thou art reaching down to us.”

Peter Marshall

 

Corrie In Darkness God's Love shines

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