Hey Y'all,
I just finished two books this weekend. Both fiction. I am a very quick reader which is why I keep a couple going at the same time. The first one I read was "The Lucky One" Nicholas sparks latest. It was very good. Typical Sparks if you read his stuff. It is nice to read about places you really know. He lives in North Carolina too and I think has always written about the Tarheel State. the second book I read I finished about 15 minutes ago. It was "The Shack". Needless to say it left me..........unsettled? I am grasping for the right word here. On one hand I sobbed through many parts of it. Yesterday I cried so hard in a chair in my own front yard I ruined the front of my t-shirt wiping off my own make up. I was not so pretty at supper. Today I took it to the gym and I had to leave while I was on a stationary bike. I hope the guy beside me thought I was sweating extra hard. I tend to be a deep thinker. A real question asker and a real ponderer. "The Shack" left me feeling things I don't really like to feel. Parts of it made me feel very angry. I do not like the way that this world treats God. He is Holy. first and foremost. I cannot derive from that. For me, my relationship with God is one of utmost respect and reverence and I believe that God is not fond of our constant treatment of Him as one of the boys or our homeboy or anything other than God. I need to keep Him in that perspective because I believe that He prefers it and I am so prone to wander. To leave the God I love. Also, I struggle with the idea of ever making God female. If you have not read the book. God appears to the main character, Mack, as a black woman. Jesus is a working blue collar kind of guy and the Holy Spirit is a floaty, spritual kind of gal. I am all about freedom in Christ but parts of this book really, really disturbed me. I would never reccommend it to anyone who was not firmly grounded in the Word. It is too easy to imagine that this is how God works. Many parts of this book were really good and the actions of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were so meaningful to things going on in my own life. Forgiveness is hard, letting go is hard, living is hard. Even though it is a fiction book and the author lets you know it is fiction. Too many people today are looking and searching to fill the hole in their lives with anything. The world needs the truth. The real, hard and not so easy to hear truth. Jesus Christ is Truth. This book made it too easy for people to allow God to be on the human level and to rationalize behaviors. A friend told me this book helped her get God out of the "box". I do not want to keep God in anything like a box. But without building our relationship with God on the "cornerstone" we have scattered things all over. God pursues us anywhere we go to escape Him or to hide from Him I have no doubt. He has found me hiding and running many times. There is no mention of sin and it's consequences at all. No mention of the devil or hell either. They are not so great to think about but they are a real part of the truth in this world. I wanted this book to really work for me. But it didn't. When talking about the Creator I need things to go along with the Word. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we should cast down "arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." "The Shack" was not that for me. It took liberties that I fear may offend more than enlighten. I would rather err on the side of my own fear of God than His dealing with my own arrogance in trying to bring His thinking down to my own level. God will never change for us nor adapt to our ways. I don't understand a whole lot but i do know that for me I cannot learn from Christ and grow in Him if I don't stick with His ways. Sorry if I sound confusing. I really do not mean to. That is how this book left me. Confused. Am I too serious? Am I too shallow and dogmatic in my beliefs? I don't think so but I better spend more time in the Word than in books about God and His Word. I need to really sharpen my sword and hold up my shield.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
My goal with this blog is to keep a journal type account of my walk with Christ, my children and my grandchildren. To share what wisdom I have been given and have learned. To share the occasional recipe, photograph, funny story and possibly a teary one. God's mercies are new every morning. We each get a fresh, clean slate each day. So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
My Babies
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Memories & Cards
Hey Y'all,
I was at WalMart the other day and I stopped at the card section. Two things: I have a REAL love/hate relationship with that store. Do they ever stop stocking? Do they ever use all 41 registers?? The second thing is I LOVE cards. I used to be such a great encourager. Mailing out 6 or 7 each week to people that God laid on my heart. Now I still believe this is a gift i have but I am very guilty of not using it to its' full potential. I mail cards from time to time but I have gotten out of the habit with all the other stuff life throws at you. But we all have stuff. You know? Anyway, I was looking at Mother's Day cards. Some are so funny and some are so sweet that I was crying like a loon right there in WalMart. Have you ever seen some woman (it is never a man) crying or laughing hysterically in the card section? I have and I have been her on many occasions. Once I laughed so hard that snot flew all over the card I had in my hand so I had to buy it. I am sure y'all really needed to know that but I will keep it a secret to whom I sent it to!!! So while I was flipping through the cards looking for one for my own mom I saw a new kind of card. It was one to a daughter on her first Mother's Day. It was so beautiful and so full of emotion. It said how proud that the mother of this daughter was to see her own daughter become a mother. The picture of the baby was too precious. So...I bought it. Now I do not even have a daughter who is even remotely thinking of a baby. My oldest daughter is getting married this fall but no shotgun is involved. Thank you, Jesus. My other dughter is in school and again thank you, Jesus. But when I saw this card I could not resist. I cannot wait to give it to either one of my girls on their first Mother's Day. It brought so many memories of those sweet cards, pictures and flowers that my babies gave me years ago. When I look at them I remember all the hugs and kisses that I got after Sunday school when they made handprint pictures and grew marigolds in paper cups and said I was the best mommy ever. Precious memories are better than gold folks...better I tell you. What a privilige to see that happening for my own girls. I will hopefully get to see it for many Mother's Days to come. But for now I will place that precious card with the Easter outfit I have already bought for one of my granddaughters. I am, at least, prepared!
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
I was at WalMart the other day and I stopped at the card section. Two things: I have a REAL love/hate relationship with that store. Do they ever stop stocking? Do they ever use all 41 registers?? The second thing is I LOVE cards. I used to be such a great encourager. Mailing out 6 or 7 each week to people that God laid on my heart. Now I still believe this is a gift i have but I am very guilty of not using it to its' full potential. I mail cards from time to time but I have gotten out of the habit with all the other stuff life throws at you. But we all have stuff. You know? Anyway, I was looking at Mother's Day cards. Some are so funny and some are so sweet that I was crying like a loon right there in WalMart. Have you ever seen some woman (it is never a man) crying or laughing hysterically in the card section? I have and I have been her on many occasions. Once I laughed so hard that snot flew all over the card I had in my hand so I had to buy it. I am sure y'all really needed to know that but I will keep it a secret to whom I sent it to!!! So while I was flipping through the cards looking for one for my own mom I saw a new kind of card. It was one to a daughter on her first Mother's Day. It was so beautiful and so full of emotion. It said how proud that the mother of this daughter was to see her own daughter become a mother. The picture of the baby was too precious. So...I bought it. Now I do not even have a daughter who is even remotely thinking of a baby. My oldest daughter is getting married this fall but no shotgun is involved. Thank you, Jesus. My other dughter is in school and again thank you, Jesus. But when I saw this card I could not resist. I cannot wait to give it to either one of my girls on their first Mother's Day. It brought so many memories of those sweet cards, pictures and flowers that my babies gave me years ago. When I look at them I remember all the hugs and kisses that I got after Sunday school when they made handprint pictures and grew marigolds in paper cups and said I was the best mommy ever. Precious memories are better than gold folks...better I tell you. What a privilige to see that happening for my own girls. I will hopefully get to see it for many Mother's Days to come. But for now I will place that precious card with the Easter outfit I have already bought for one of my granddaughters. I am, at least, prepared!
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Some Fam Time
Hey Y'all!
I just got through visiting with my sister. She is so funny! For years and years we really did not get along. At all. Only 10 months seperate us but we live on two poles of the earth. Ideals, lives, the whole works. But as time goes on we both have kinda merged a little. I am relaxing (a little) and she is constricting. I have been married to the same guy for pushing 26 years. some days it feels like 62 but...whatever. she is going through her third divorce. I have been telling her for years to stop with the fixer uppers. She is no good at reconstruction. Even through really hard and sometimes bad times we have always had plenty to laugh at in our quirky family. She and I walked over to our mothers house. I live next door to my parents. Blessing??? Most of the time! Now when you put all of us women together we all talk at the same time about 20 different subjuects but within at least an hour or so we have intertwined the stories to fit one conversation that makes perfect sense to us. Many times strangers just look at us with that salck-jawed look at just say, "Huh?" When I say stranger I am talking about family outsiders. You see, to us you can be born into our family and your "in". You can marry into it and you run the risk of being cast out. this is the case with my sisters' ex-husbands. Several people have been cast out over the years. This does not always come from divorce. You can make some of us mad enough that we just don't include you in the inner loop anymore. We run quite a caste system in this group of hillbillies! On a rare occasion you can work your way back into the inner loop but it takes some mighty hard work. There are cookouts to host, clothes to mend, yard sales to have and pies and cakes to bake. Can take you years!! I am so thankful that our heavenly Father does not do this kind of thing in His family. Once your in....your IN! The countless times He should have kicked me to the curb, He just picks me up instead. So precious. We should be that way with our families here on this earth. It is so hard at times. You know we really cannot pick our family members. If we could, let's face it....some of us would never get picked.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
I just got through visiting with my sister. She is so funny! For years and years we really did not get along. At all. Only 10 months seperate us but we live on two poles of the earth. Ideals, lives, the whole works. But as time goes on we both have kinda merged a little. I am relaxing (a little) and she is constricting. I have been married to the same guy for pushing 26 years. some days it feels like 62 but...whatever. she is going through her third divorce. I have been telling her for years to stop with the fixer uppers. She is no good at reconstruction. Even through really hard and sometimes bad times we have always had plenty to laugh at in our quirky family. She and I walked over to our mothers house. I live next door to my parents. Blessing??? Most of the time! Now when you put all of us women together we all talk at the same time about 20 different subjuects but within at least an hour or so we have intertwined the stories to fit one conversation that makes perfect sense to us. Many times strangers just look at us with that salck-jawed look at just say, "Huh?" When I say stranger I am talking about family outsiders. You see, to us you can be born into our family and your "in". You can marry into it and you run the risk of being cast out. this is the case with my sisters' ex-husbands. Several people have been cast out over the years. This does not always come from divorce. You can make some of us mad enough that we just don't include you in the inner loop anymore. We run quite a caste system in this group of hillbillies! On a rare occasion you can work your way back into the inner loop but it takes some mighty hard work. There are cookouts to host, clothes to mend, yard sales to have and pies and cakes to bake. Can take you years!! I am so thankful that our heavenly Father does not do this kind of thing in His family. Once your in....your IN! The countless times He should have kicked me to the curb, He just picks me up instead. So precious. We should be that way with our families here on this earth. It is so hard at times. You know we really cannot pick our family members. If we could, let's face it....some of us would never get picked.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Life all around us....
Hey Y'all,
I have a new favorite singer. Chris Tomlin. Not only is he the cutest thing ever, he sings wonderful. My friend, Tracy and I, went to see him and we had a ball. We ate dinner (for free thanks to her dad!) together and headed on into the coliseum. We saw several friends and sat down for the concert. We both love to people watch. We saw such a huge variety of people. I think this gave us insight into what heaven may be like. Every tribe and nation was there. Tracy sat next to a sweet couple that was there for their anniversary. I sat next to a group of young Asian American kids that were so sweet. The young man beside me just broke my heart. He literally sobbed during Chris' song "I Will Rise". I wanted to just hug him. After the show I told him how impressed I was with his group and their obvious love for Jesus. His name is John and y'all keep him in your prayers. He was just so sweet!! We also ran into a dear friend named Sandra. She just looked plumb wore out. Pray for her too. Her daddy is so sick. Her mother is in an alzheimers care facility and her only brother is also struggling with sickness. Sandra is also scheduled for surgery on Monday but is keeping her doctor on hold in case her daddy takes an even worse turn. Life just keeps happening all around us even when we do stop and "be still" it just keeps moving on by. When I think of the Easter season and all that it brings to my own mind I am just floored. That my God would sacrifice His own Son for me. Even just mean sinful me. I just sob too. That kind of love is infathomable. So deep and wide. Unending. Life does go on all around us but our loving, merciful God stopped the earthly life of His Son for us. Take the time this Easter to Be Still in front of a Holy God and just thank Him for His love and sacrifice.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
I have a new favorite singer. Chris Tomlin. Not only is he the cutest thing ever, he sings wonderful. My friend, Tracy and I, went to see him and we had a ball. We ate dinner (for free thanks to her dad!) together and headed on into the coliseum. We saw several friends and sat down for the concert. We both love to people watch. We saw such a huge variety of people. I think this gave us insight into what heaven may be like. Every tribe and nation was there. Tracy sat next to a sweet couple that was there for their anniversary. I sat next to a group of young Asian American kids that were so sweet. The young man beside me just broke my heart. He literally sobbed during Chris' song "I Will Rise". I wanted to just hug him. After the show I told him how impressed I was with his group and their obvious love for Jesus. His name is John and y'all keep him in your prayers. He was just so sweet!! We also ran into a dear friend named Sandra. She just looked plumb wore out. Pray for her too. Her daddy is so sick. Her mother is in an alzheimers care facility and her only brother is also struggling with sickness. Sandra is also scheduled for surgery on Monday but is keeping her doctor on hold in case her daddy takes an even worse turn. Life just keeps happening all around us even when we do stop and "be still" it just keeps moving on by. When I think of the Easter season and all that it brings to my own mind I am just floored. That my God would sacrifice His own Son for me. Even just mean sinful me. I just sob too. That kind of love is infathomable. So deep and wide. Unending. Life does go on all around us but our loving, merciful God stopped the earthly life of His Son for us. Take the time this Easter to Be Still in front of a Holy God and just thank Him for His love and sacrifice.
Bless Y'all
Cindy
Thursday, April 9, 2009
I am going out tonight!!!
Hey Y'all,
I am so pumped! I am going with a dear friend, Tracy, tonight to see Chris Tomlin in concert. I am so sure it is going to be wonderful. With this being Easter week it can only be like dessert. I love Easter. From Palm Sunday until Ressurrection Sunday it is such a blessed week. What wonderment it must have been for the early Jewish folk to celebrate the Passover yearly. Now that Jesus has paid the price for my own doorway with His blood it is like I feel the Angel of Death passover my own house. Thank you sweet Jesus! What a priviledge it is to serve our mighty God. I will be singing His praises as loud as I can tonight with a bunch of other believers. I cannot wait!
Bless Y'all
Cindy
I am so pumped! I am going with a dear friend, Tracy, tonight to see Chris Tomlin in concert. I am so sure it is going to be wonderful. With this being Easter week it can only be like dessert. I love Easter. From Palm Sunday until Ressurrection Sunday it is such a blessed week. What wonderment it must have been for the early Jewish folk to celebrate the Passover yearly. Now that Jesus has paid the price for my own doorway with His blood it is like I feel the Angel of Death passover my own house. Thank you sweet Jesus! What a priviledge it is to serve our mighty God. I will be singing His praises as loud as I can tonight with a bunch of other believers. I cannot wait!
Bless Y'all
Cindy
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Deeeeep questions, From my 20 year old
Hey Y'all,
I just got off the phone with my sweet girl, Megan. She is away at school where many liberal, free thinking, worldly people live and I pray for this youngn' ALL THE TIME!!! It is fierce how our enemy works on these young adults. Anyway, she has been discussing her Christian beliefs, values and scriptures with her neighbors. Today she called with some really hard and deep questions. Did God create evil? Did God know Satan would turn against Him? Why is there sin anyway? If God is sovreign why didn't he stop all the horrible atrocities that happened all through time and now? Needless, to say I quit washing up my supper dishes. I answered her in the best and most scriptural way I could and gave her several references to go to. I am so proud of her and the way she stands for her beliefs. She doesn't have all the answers and heaven knows I don't either but i told her that God is sovreign and He is not up in heaven wringing His holy hands and saying, "Wow, I sure didn't see that coming!?" I just know that as time goes on and sin gets more and more like a virus spreading at a rampant rate all over this world that I look more and more toward the eastern sky for Jesus to come and take us home. My heart breaks for the many that will not take that trip. Family, friends, co-workers and just people who refuse to believe or think that God will wait on them to make "that" decision. What they sadly do not realize is that God does not live on our time. I think that is what bothers me the most about our world. So many people are swayed and lulled into believing that God is just waiting for us to ask Him for stuff. Like, blessings, money, health...all kinds of stuff. Like our own personal genie. We are here to serve Him. When we start clouding that with ourselves we mess up the picture. God does love us and wants to bless us...His way. Often times though we don't like the blessings He gives us. Hard times that later turn weeping into joy are wonderful blessings. Like I told my daughter, sin is what keeps us away from God but when we realize that He lifts us out of that miry pit and we know that we so need the hand of a savior to make that climb. We serve a God of re's...Redemption, Reception, Revealing, Restoring and on and on. I for one am so glad for that New Mercy...each day.
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
I just got off the phone with my sweet girl, Megan. She is away at school where many liberal, free thinking, worldly people live and I pray for this youngn' ALL THE TIME!!! It is fierce how our enemy works on these young adults. Anyway, she has been discussing her Christian beliefs, values and scriptures with her neighbors. Today she called with some really hard and deep questions. Did God create evil? Did God know Satan would turn against Him? Why is there sin anyway? If God is sovreign why didn't he stop all the horrible atrocities that happened all through time and now? Needless, to say I quit washing up my supper dishes. I answered her in the best and most scriptural way I could and gave her several references to go to. I am so proud of her and the way she stands for her beliefs. She doesn't have all the answers and heaven knows I don't either but i told her that God is sovreign and He is not up in heaven wringing His holy hands and saying, "Wow, I sure didn't see that coming!?" I just know that as time goes on and sin gets more and more like a virus spreading at a rampant rate all over this world that I look more and more toward the eastern sky for Jesus to come and take us home. My heart breaks for the many that will not take that trip. Family, friends, co-workers and just people who refuse to believe or think that God will wait on them to make "that" decision. What they sadly do not realize is that God does not live on our time. I think that is what bothers me the most about our world. So many people are swayed and lulled into believing that God is just waiting for us to ask Him for stuff. Like, blessings, money, health...all kinds of stuff. Like our own personal genie. We are here to serve Him. When we start clouding that with ourselves we mess up the picture. God does love us and wants to bless us...His way. Often times though we don't like the blessings He gives us. Hard times that later turn weeping into joy are wonderful blessings. Like I told my daughter, sin is what keeps us away from God but when we realize that He lifts us out of that miry pit and we know that we so need the hand of a savior to make that climb. We serve a God of re's...Redemption, Reception, Revealing, Restoring and on and on. I for one am so glad for that New Mercy...each day.
Bless Y'all,
Cindy
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