Expectations

Expectations, we all have them.We expect certain things from people in our lives.Our spouses, friends,coworkers,even more from our pastors.We will have a thought stuck in our minds of how this person will react and the sad thing is most of the time,they do not respond how we had hoped.

I think of a friend ,it was her birthday.She had many friends and relatives.All day she waited for them to call her or stop by to wish her a happy birthday.But the phone did not ring,nor did the doorbell.And so by the end of the day she sat crying on her bed,the thoughts running through her mind that no one cared,here were people she had known for years,why even her best friend did not call.She had expected them to remember and they had let her down.

It was not that these people didn't love her.There were many that did.But our lives are so filled to the brim with commitments,stress,and distractions that we do forget the little things like birthdays,or making that phone call when we know friends that are struggling with life and could use some encouragement.We put things on the back burner so to speak and charge forward each day trying to get everything done that is on our to do list.We are running at break neck speed and we disappoint people or forget to make that call or stop in for that visit.

Someone had told me years ago.If they are human they will let you down.But Jesus will not.He is the only one in your life who will always be there.Someone else told me in life we need to lower our expectations when it comes to people.We are all flawed,we may have good intentions but we will always at some point drop the ball in the game of life.This makes us wonder if everyone is going to fail us in some way why bother to have friends,Why set ourselves up for a fall?

Jesus did not put us on this earth to go it alone.Think how boring that would be? We would never be hurt or let down but im sure spending time with just ourselves would get old real quick.I think of the people in my life that will say" I don't need people".How sad is that?The real reason behind that comment is fear.Fear of rejection, fear of being hurt, we are vulnerable,giving a bit of ourselves that yes, might possiblly be hurt at some point.Why they might even let us down and then that would be painful wouldn't it? So they keep to themselves,growing more bitter and more alone each day.Without God and other people the heart can start to wither and become hard and cold.If we start to keep track of the times people have let us down,we will quickly become angry,the bitterness will begin to seep in.One by one we will start to distance ourselves from others.

Jesus wants us to have a life full of joy.He wants us to surround ourselves with others who can encourage us when we need it.To be there when we are suffering.We cannot go it alone.We are all flawed in some way.We will all eventually let someone down.But the fact is that we are human.The only perfect one is Jesus.He will surround you with people who will love you and be there for you,but we cannot expect them to be perfect.We need to look at others through His eyes.Forgive those who have not done what was expected.Jesus forgives us over and over again.How wonderful is that? Today why not ask him to give you his eyes and his forgiving heart,your day will be one filled with blessings and wonder.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10


Blessings Dee

At this moment my living room resembles a recording studio.I have a drum set in one corner,five guitars leaning against the fireplace,one large piano and an organ all crammed into a house the size of a postage stamp.My children both love music.My oldest son can be seen walking around with a guitar strapped to him at all times,I have actually found him asleep with the guitar still attached,pick in hand.My youngest will go from the piano to the organ,to the drums and this will continue through out the day. They both have amazing talents when it comes to music.

As a parent I realize this and try to encourage them ,but with that comes the noise.Cymbals that cut through your ears like a knife.Try to complete a task while the guitar amp is cranked up as high as it will go.I dare you to try and remember what in the world you are doing and why you walked into the room.The only thing to do in this house is to take a walk,or find some ear plugs.Even though I will most likely need a hearing aid in the future due to blown out ear drums.My children will never be able to say they were not encouraged and that I never let them express themselves.Believe you me,there is some expressing going on in this home daily.

Loud music reminds me of our thoughts.At times we can't block them out.We try to focus on other things,but the thoughts continue on.Did you ever sit in church praying,all is quiet,all of a sudden the strangest thought pops in your head.You open your eyes and look around and think" where in the world did that come from"?You close your eyes,start to pray and here comes another one.I find that while I am driving the strangest things pop into my head.It is usually things from my past that I would like to forget.That long since been forgiven,but there they are.At times they make me cringe.How many times have we had some really rotten things run through our minds?

Each day thoughts run through our minds like the thousands of cars that drive the freeways.Zooming through,some stay and continue to swirl in our brains.They usually are the negative things that have happened to us.Why is the positive ones pop up occasionally but don't stick around like the negative ones? How many of us can recall a mean comment that someone said to us in grade school? Most likely all of us.They embed themselves in our mind like a splinter in our foot.Hard to remove and the pain it can cause here and there hurts.

Jesus wants us to protect our thoughts.Do you know He can do that for us? He can help us guard out minds.He can be the filter that lets the negative go in one ear and out the other ,so to speak.But if we meditate on the positive, after a while it sticks around.We can easily recall positive happy thoughts rather than the debilitating mean or negative ones.If we immerse ourselves in Scripture we can leave no room for the negative.In with the good,out with the bad.

Remembering scripture is not one of my strong areas.I have a better chance of learning how to become a trapeze artist or an Olympic athlete than retaining scripture,But if we take one verse a week and try to remember ,it is like having a shield when we are in a war.The more scripture the bigger the shield.

Each morning we have a choice,one is to go through this day with positive thoughts,being on the lookout for the negative ones that settle down in our brains with the plans of staying for a long time.Like the cousin that comes for a weekend visit and never leaves.Or we can choose to let those untruths swirl in our heads,where they grow and change and then birth new negative thoughts.How many times have we had something pop in our heads,we then dwell on it and in about a minute it is a full blown horror story,we then become fearful and that will stay with us throughout the day,and possible the next ?

We start out the day positive,our self esteem intact but by midday if we listen to the whispers,we are not so positive,our self esteem is starting to plummet.Sound familiar?

So today why not ask Him to protect your mind? He made the heavens and the earth do you think that He can't help you change your thoughts? Read scripture and it will be your shield that will protect you when the whispers of Satan start to settle in your thoughts. Now go and prepare for battle,you have Jesus on your side and there is no way you can lose.

Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”

Blessings
Dee

In the shelter of the almighty one

This evening as I went on my usual nightly walk out on the Marsh.The rain had ended earlier and the dreary sky had turned pink and gold . Always a nice surprise after all the rain we have been having.As I stood by the water.I noticed little circles forming here and there,This is usually the minnows that come near the edge when the tide is low.But as I looked the circles were everywhere in the water.I realized that it was rain.But the interesting thing was I was about a foot from the waters edge and none of it was touching me.It was raining a foot away and I was dry.A few minutes later the skies opened up and I was soaked.

This made me think of the storms in life.We can at times be surrounded by them,but if we are under the shelter of the almighty one,at times we can sail through them seemingly untouched.When they are over we scratch our heads and think" how in the world did I get through that? Was I sleeping? At times after a particular storm in my life,i have wondered if perhaps i was in LA LA land during the whole thing.You replay it over in your mind and some how you have come through something that has the capability to level us,but we have come out untouched.We have made it through the rough times with nary a scratch.Hard to believe but it is possible.

There are other times that we feel like the cowboy in the old westerns ,the one who has been tied to the back of the horse and dragged through the desert for days.We have been slapped around so much we feel as though we have been thrown into the boxing ring and hey we never signed up for it.We grow weary,we are beaten up and just plain tired of it all.

I have a saying that I say at times when something is going on in my life that I did not ask for.I say" Hey Lord,why don't you go see so and so down the street,I think they need some work in that area,but me,no Im good,thank you very much.I don't need any work in that area.I'm sure He thinks Im hilarious.I know He is using this circumstance to grow and change me.To perfect me where I am in need of perfecting.But some days I want to shout at the top of my Lungs.Go Pick on someone else.

But then I think of the times that I have had complete peace,and have emerged from a trial completely unscathed and I am so thankful.I am always amazed at what He can do.And I am always amazed at the work that He has done in me during certain hard times in my life.Will I still whine when things don't go my way? I will try not to,but I can guarantee I will. Will I be in awe when I am carried through a storm and emerge unharmed,covered in total peace? Yes.

I urge you to read Psalm 91.This says it all.How can we be fearful after reading this? We need to read it and believe it and we need to receive it.

¹ Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
³ For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
⁵ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
⁶ Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
⁸ Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

⁹ If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
¹⁰ no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
¹¹ For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
¹² They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
¹³ You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

¹⁴ The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Blessings
Dee

Never forget that everything is significant and is working together for the good that God has planned for you.

This statement is true,but how many times do we not believe it? There are times in our lives we cannot see God working and we sure can't hear him.So we begin to wonder.

This morning I had called a friend.I said to her" What are you doing'? She said "actually I was praying,praying that someone would call me or stop by and give me some encouragement."
Well after she said that I thought " Well i guess im the one".

Funny, how we go about our days thinking where is He? Did he go on vacation? Is he busy with someone else,maybe He is on the other side of the world? My friend was not seeing him today,but there he was,

I picture him sitting there saying" ok lets see,she needs some encouragement down there,hmmm i will tell Dee to call her,right after she is done praying for that.Some people call that coincidence,but what it is ,its God.Listening to our prayers,hearing whats on our hearts,and knowing what we need at that precise time.Nothing is a coincidence in this life.

There are times in our lives we have things going on that we can't even fathom why they are happening and how in the world is God going to work this one out for good.We feel that we have been dropped off on the side of the road somewhere in no mans land.Hello... is there anyone out there???

Some times distractions keep us from hearing Him.I know the past few weeks,I have walked into a room that was 2 feet away and couldn't remember why i was in there.My friend prayed with me and i was thinking of my grocery list,all a million other things.I barely heard half of what she said.I try to focus,but it is a struggle.With too many things to think about,and decisions to make sometimes we can't think straight.

At this time in my life,God is yanking out of my comfort zone.Everything that is familiar,and comfortable I am being moved out of.What is the reason? At this time I don't have a clue.Is He doing a work in me? That is a big yes.Am i happy about it? Yes and No. No that i am uncomfortable and feel slightly lost.But yes, because its happening for a reason,and i know the outcome is going to be good.

See how if we believe that all things work for the good,we can get through anything?.It may be a rough and bumpy ride,but it will all be worth it when its over.Hopefully this ride will be a short one for me.maybe just a ride around the block.But it could turn out to be a long road trip that entails lots of stopping and going,some sights that are breathtaking to see,some hairpin turns in the road ,but after this trip comes to an end.I will be a little wiser,a little stronger,and will be ready for the next one to begin. I will also be able to help someone else,who has just begin their journey down the same road.All I have to do is remember that He is doing the driving and its going to be ok no matter what.

What we need to do on our road trips is sit back,take in the scenery,enjoy the ride,even if He is taking us somewhere we don't think we want to visit.How about a nice trip to disneyland,or how about to the Grand canyon Lord! I'd rather not go in this direction,it doesn't look fun and the scenery isnt' that pretty right now.But what we do not know is what is further down the road.What may be right around the next bend might be something that is so beautiful or more wonderful than we can ever imagine.We wouldn't want to miss it.But if we don't allow him to drive and if we allow him to take the roads He wants to,instead of us causing him to swerve off the road and head in the direction we have chosen to go.In the end it will be a road trip that we were glad we took.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
blessings
Dee

What happens when things do not go your way? How many times would you like to trade in your life for someone elses? Kind of like those game shows on TV,where you can buy a vowel, or pick any case you want,and it might be the one with the huge amount of money in it. i"ll trade this for that.Wouldn't it be great if we could say" I'll take Bill Gates life please,or maybe Oprah,anyone else's out there,but your own.Would things be better? Maybe for a while,but then we would realize they have their own set of issues and worries.

I think of a boy who lived with us when he was small.His life was not easy before he came to us,He and his siblings had been placed in so many different foster homes,they lost track of where they had been.They also lost track of their belongings and showed up at my house each holding a brown paper bag holding some items of clothing and a doll or two.

Thats it,to be on this earth 7 years and this is what you have.All your belongings in a little bag sitting on your lap,while the tears flow from your eyes because you don't know where you are,who these people are,and where you are going next. You wonder if anyone loves you,why is this happening and will you ever have a home?You can bet if he had a choice of trading in his little life,he would have jumped at the chance.

Even now as an adult,I can bet he has wished for a better life.One like the kid down the street.Who has had the same boring parents all his life,The same bedspread,and curtains for years,the same address,the things that this kid thinks is boring and mundane.Im sure each one would look at the others lives and wish for some of it.

But the thing we don't realize is that although our lives are not always wonderful,there have been things that we had wished had not happened.There are some of us,who think we got the short end of the stick so to speak.We look at others and think "God must love them more.their live has been so much easier".But we do not know half of what these people have gone through.Even those we call close friends.We know them,but we do not know every detail of their entire lives.And they do not know about ours.

I love the verse Joel 2:25 'I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten-- the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm-- my great army that I sent among you.

What this means is no matter what your life was like as a child .Or even the past few years.He will replace those lost years.When we think of the damage Locust can do,they come in like a dark cloud,eating everything in sight.They fly out leaving behind fields that were once green and full of life.That are now mowed down,damaged and destroyed.But the wonderful thing is,after some time.Once the rain has fallen and the sun has come out.Slowly but surely the new growth starts to poke thru the earth,each day growing a little greener and a little taller.Until one day the field is full of tall lush new growth blowing in the breeze.It is restored.It is better than ever before.

That is what Jesus can do for us.Even those lives that seem so painful,the ones that it is a miracle we have grown up to become functioning adults.He can and will restore what the locust have eaten.But we have to let him.We need to go to him and ask and allow him to work.We cannot do it on our own.So today,you can choose to allow Him to begin to work,and give you the wonderful life you never had.Or you can stay right where you are,the damaged,beaten down field,that eventually will cease to exist,it will become barren wasteland empty and full of dirt.Let him restore you.You will be amazed what He can do.

Blessings
Dee

Whats in your Garden, flowers or weeds?

People fascinate me.I love to sit at the mall or boardwalk,anywhere really and just sit back and watch them.I wonder who they are,what their lives are like..I can spend just a few minutes with someone and kind of figure them out,so to speak.My father always had this gift.I would bring home a new friend who I thought was wonderful.He would spend a few minutes with them,then later he would tell me all about them.And it was usually not what I wanted to hear.That one will get you into trouble,Somethings not right with that one,They won't even look me in the eye.I always thought with each new friend that even though they weren't upstanding christian people, I thought maybe just once he would be fooled.But he always saw through their charade and saw what I didn't want him to see. That used to literally drive me crazy.I still cringe at times when I think back on who I chose to spend my time with.Im positive my parents wondered at times where my common sense had gone.

Now that I am older I now have the gift,same as my father.But thank goodness my oldest son,also has it and does not choose to bring the type of friends home that I did.When he was small I would say to him" you sure a good friend picker outer" and he would say with much enthusiasm"I know'! I pray that this continues.

How many times do we surround ourselves with those who maybe are not the best for us.If you are a Christian you are to be out in the world,helping those that are struggling.But in your everyday life the ones that you are surrounding yourself with,the ones who you call when you yourself are struggling,the ones you spend a lot of time with,Who are they? Do they lift you up,encourage you? Or when you hang up the phone do you feel worse ? What kind of advice are they giving you?

There are people in my life,who just 5 minutes in their company feels like eternity.I want to run for the hills. If I was in a good mood before I am not now.There are others I could spend hours with them,and enjoy every minute of it.I could be having the worst day of my life,and when I leave them,everything has turned around for the better.

I have watched women sitting around a table talking about their husbands,The conversation starts out with one women complaining about her husband.Before you know it every women at that table is contributing to the conversation and the bash fest( as i call it) starts up.You can walk away from that table ready to find the nearest divorce lawyer or your husband so you can tell him off.This in turn will start the road to discontent,fighting etc.

I have watched a different scenario take place.Take another group of women.Same woman starts to complain,but the conversation is different now.The women at the table, point out the husbands good points, they pray for the woman struggling.The end result is a woman walks away from that table, thinking a little clearer, she is a little stronger and supported.Hey the situation doesn't look as bad now.

Do you see the difference? Jesus wants us to surround ourselves with people to encourage us,to love us,to point us in the right direction.He doesn't want us to be by ourselves.He certainly does not want us to go it alone.Or worse yet,be around those that drag us down.

The Lord has given me amazing friends at this time in my life. But I can remember a time,thinking" I have so many friends but something is missing".A lot of them were not true friends. When certain things took place in my life who was there? Not a lot of them.

This started the weeding process.I now have a network of women that I can call in a moment notice. Some I do not know when their birthday is,there exact street address .But I know I can call for an uplifting word or prayer.That is a gift.One that the Lord wants to give each one of us.So today if you are in need of people in your life that will be there to encourage and love you.Just ask Jesus and He will start the weeding process,and He will replace the weeds in your garden with beautiful flowers that will brighten your day.

I love this saying that I found in a devotional calender.
The friend given to you by circumstances over which you have no control is God's own gift.Author unknown

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Eccl 4:9-12

Blessings Dee

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The peace of God

Do not be anxious about anything,but in everything,by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving,present your requests to God.And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.

When I read this verse,what stands out to me is the word peace.A peace that transcends all understanding.A peace that will be there regardless of what we are going through.How many of us have felt this? How many of you have not? I can remember times in my life,when things were happening that I had no control over.Things that i would never in a million years have thought would ever happen to me.But they did ,and I did not have a clue how to deal with them

.Most of the time it was a waiting game,wait and hope to God that it would be over soon.I can remember times where i laid in bed at night,thinking the worst,the scenario playing over and over again in my mind,and each time it did,it was getting worse.

I remember one night during a extremely stressful time in my life.i could feel my heart actually skipping a beat,After noticing that, I started to have trouble breathing,my chest felt tight,like I couldn't get enough air .I lay there most of the night,afraid to wake my husband,because he would probably have taken me to the emergency room,where I didn't want to go.

I thought to myself if I close my eyes I will not wake up.The fear of death,stole my sleep that night.The fear of the unknown caused me to think crazy things.And before i knew it the crisis was over,I was still alive,and I had stressed over something for no reason.

How many times do we do this? We have planned our funeral down to the last detail,or we have taken a small crisis and in our minds ,we have ourselves,dead,homeless, or broke,in seconds .The list goes on and on.Fear in our minds is like someone throwing a match in a haystack.

At this time in my life.I have found that I can go through even the hardest times with a peace that amazes me. There are people in my life that have none.They are like the tiger in a cage, pacing back and forth,there is no peace there,just an anxiousness,a restlessness,and overwhelming fear.

You cannot have peace without Jesus.He can give you peace that astounds you.But He cannot give it to someone He does not know.So many want the peace ,but not the relationship with Jesus.They think they are just fine most of the time,but when a crisis hits,they want the peace. But they want it without Him.But with onecomes the other.

We have choice.If we want a peace that totally engulfs us and takes us through times in our lives that could literally devastate us ,we have to have a personal relationship with the one who provides it.. I have watched women who have lost children or a spouse,speak at their funerals.How can this be done,we wonder? When we watch others laying on the floor at the funeral a sobbing,heap, ,devastated beyond belief.It is peace that transcends all understanding that enables them to do the impossible..It is hard to believe that we can have it at times when we are so broken,where our hearts are hurting so bad,we can;t even breathe.

But it is possible,and it is there waiting for us to ask for it and receive it.We cannot make it on our own,why not let Jesus take away your pain and your fears? Why not let him cover you with a blanket of peace so warm and comforting that you will not know how you ever lived without it.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”John 16:33

blessings Dee