Flirting, French Kissing and Fornicating Fools

This post is rated SM, that's for Smart Married people,
or for folks that plan on being Smart Married people some day.
If you're foolish, just stop reading right now,
because this article won't do you a bit of good.

Shwew...do I sound stirred up?
You can bet I am.

Me~oh~my, but I am fed up with Fools these days. Fools is just the Bible word for stupid folk. Folks that could choose to do better, but just won't do it.

Folks that think flirting is fun business, not foolishness that leads to French kissing and eventually to Fornicating. You think that's harsh? Do you really think there has ever been a French kiss without Flirting first? Do you really think there has ever been Fornicating without being preceded by French kissing? Really?

This is not a how~to guide...it's a how~NOT~to guide.
Please, read on.

Flirting has it's place...it's between two married people...
that are married to EACH OTHER of course.

French kissing belongs in the EXACT same place.

Of course Fornicating has no place at all in God's book...
except for those future and present residents of Hell.

Why do people think flirting is harmless??? I'll be the first to admit that I LOVE to flirt with my Superman. He's all mine. I can let my hand linger on his arm, or on his thigh, I can smile a sexy smile at him...it leads to lovely married things for married folk.

That's my intention. That's why I do it.
Because Flirting is not harmless.

It's provocative.

Innocent conversations start to linger on too long.
A light touch on the arm,
a soft laugh with a toss of the head exposing your neck,
a handshake lingering with gentle and provocative pressure,
fingers resting on someones shoulders with an inviting smile...
all of these are just so called "innocent" lures of Satan's that lead down a road
that many are unwilling to turn back from.

Good intentions of helping some poor hurting woman/or man (whichever is your opposite sex)
to get through a hard time may be just that to you... initially.
Good intentions...
but to Satan, you have swallowed the hook and imbedded it firmly in your jaw...and you'll not have such good luck removing it.

Yes, people in this old sin sick world need help...
and you AND YOUR SPOUSE may be just the ones to do it.
BUT NOT YOU BY YOURSELF.

Too many of our Christian friends have started down that path.
Well intentioned enough to begin with, then their egos were stroked and molded by that wicked one, in the form of a needy co~worker or friend with batting eyes and sheathed claws...and sometimes low cut blouses with plenty of cleavage showing.

I hate sin.

I HATE IT!!!

I hate the destruction left in it's wake as marriages are destroyed, children are devastated and wives or husbands are broken...left fallen to the ground weeping...
All wondering how this happened to a good Christian family.

I simply am beyond FED UP!!!

Wake up folks!

If someone needs help, get them help.
Talk to your spouse about them.
Come up with a plan together to help them.
But don't take the bait.

If someone starts flirting with you, no matter how inconsequential it may seem, IMMEDIATELY start talking about your handsome husband,
or your beautiful wife whom you adore.
Praise them, then move away.
Send your message loud and clear.
No, I'm not being dumb or paranoid.
Cliche but true, better safe than sorry.

The Proverbs writer, inspired by God,
warned again and again of the importance of not going NEAR the paths of sin.

"When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee; understanding shall keep thee:...to deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. " Proverbs 2:10,11, 16~19

Compare that to those that are truly seeking God's wisdom! "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise(profit) of it is better that the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasure, and all her paths are peace...my son let not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck." Proverbs 3:13~17,21,22

"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it,
pass not by it, turn from it and pass away...Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are all the issues of life...Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy ways be established." Proverbs 4:14, 15, 23,26

"My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding; That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two~edged sword. Her feet go down to death;
her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable (unstable) that thou canst not know them. Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her,
and come not nigh the door of her house;
Lest thou give thine honour unto others...Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well...
Let thy fountain be blessed:
and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
And why will thou, my son,
be ravished with a strange woman,
and embrace the bosom of a stranger:
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings." Proverbs 5:1~9,15,18~21

Don't linger or bask in the rays of compliments, flirting or affection from someone who has no right to give it to you, and from whom you have no right to receive it.
Run don't walk.
Your ego may be too weak...and before you realize it is, it may be too late.

Flirting leads to French kissing and then to Fornication...all things that outside of marriage lead to Hell and Destruction for us, and incomprehensible Pain and Hurting for those We love.

Wake up my dear ones.
And if you're already wide awake,
give those that you love a nudge and pass it on.

Love you all~

marie

24 Days of Blessings 1-5

As I sat here all cozy in my window seat this beautiful November morning, sipping a hot cup of spiced tea, and gazing at the bright leaves plastered on the ground, I pondered for a while all the blessings God has bestowed upon us, and me, in particular in my life.

The first thought of thankfulness that crowds all other thoughts from my heart is being thankful for His infinite mercy and love for taking a wretched sin sick sinner like me, and looking into my heart, knowing if only I knew Him I would obey Him and love Him for all I'm worth. Then His Providential hand placed one kind and loving good man in my path that would show me the way. Oh the depth and the riches of God's saving Grace flowing down from the cross for me! It is a fact I ponder daily that His infinite Mercy and Grace are completely unmerited by me.

My first thought of thankfulness always turns me right to my second, my dear husband, my Enri, by David Wayne, my Superman, my savior that led me to my Savior. I do believe in soulmates, and he is mine. No matter that we may disagree on some things, no matter that communication can sometimes be difficult between a crazy busy gal who sometimes uses way too many words, and a good and Godly man of few words; He is just what I need, and I am infinitely thankful for him. He is my life, my strong and steady, my best friend, the one who loves me, guides me and stands beside me through every battle that has come our way.

And battles lead me to my third thought of thankfulness. I am thankful for God giving me my best (girl) friend, Tammy, a faithful Christian, a treasure, a true best friend, a therapist, who would truly help me to heal and push me to be the best that I can be. Whole, faithful, Godly, focused, happy, content, at peace with my past, letting go of my past, and pushing forward with Joy for today and All God has blessed me with. Knowing where I came from and where I am is enough to make me the firmest believer in God's mighty Providence. My salvation is enough. My husband is enough. Tammy is enough. Any one of these blessings in my life brings me to my knees with Thanksgiving, completely humbled by the Mighty loving care of a God who has woven this wonderful, impenetrable fabric of loving care and concern throughout the days of my life to bring me to this day.

This one friend, my bestie, and this woven fabric that surrounds me, leads me to counting my other greatest blessings, my other best friends. Blessings upon blessings have been showered upon me because of my wonderful daughters Ashley and Candice, my sweet Shauna, my dear Chasity, Luvenia, Colby, Tina, Cindy, Joy, Nancy, Judy. Good women. Better that good. Good doesn't say enough. Tough. Kind. Loving to the depths of their souls. Honest. Strong. Faithful. And here for me every step of the way. When we were hurting and barely able to lift our heads, when we laughed until we cried and every painful step in between. I thank God every day for these precious women who have borne it all with me. I thank God for weaving them into the fabric of my life to mold me, form me, make me into this woman that I am. A woman that loves deeply that wants to show that love to them and be here for them like they have always been for me.

My last thought of thankfulness for the day will sound strange to some, and make sense to others. I am a bit ahead of the game as I believe this will be my fifth thing to list and it's only November third, but these five all go together. You may think it's strange that I have not named my children, my precious, precious children yet, but I will. I will get to each one of them individually. But it's these first thoughts that help me to love my husband and my children as God would have me to. That help make me the wife, momma and friend that I want to be. So the last thankful thought I leave you with today, is my cancer. I thank my Father every day that I had cancer. It hangs over me as a shadow. Not frightening me or worrying me, but reminding me that I truly don't know how long I have. It helps me not wait until tomorrow to tell my blessings and grandblessings that I love them dearly. It reminds me to hug them and rub their backs and hold them and love them for all I'm worth. It prompts me to fall on my knees thanking God for one more day. It focuses me on peace, patience, love, tranquility, faithfulness, mercy, grace, seizing the moment, and working with all my might today. It taught me to sit and wait. To enjoy every moment both the quiet and the crazy. It gave me a doctor who has helped me let go of my imperfections, and truly feel whole and normal, even when dealing with a possibly terminal illness.

Oh, I am thankful. So very thankful. I love you my friends. I pray your day is blessed with REALIZED blessings.

love~
m

Cross words and other things...

"Cross Words" is a little poem that I keep in my Bible,
with many other wise sayings and treasures,
~~~
Like the last anniversary card my grandma gave me that says
"And they lived happily ever after." because she believed we would.
It may seem silly that it helps me to believe it too, but it does.
~~~
A dear card from my bestie, telling me how much she loves me.
Yep. I am that insecure to love that re-assurance.
~~~
A list of things women can do to serve from another of my dearest friends,
to help me remember the work God has for me to do.
It is all too easy to forget.
~~~
My prayer list.
(Self explanatory.)
~~~
All of these things are special,
comforting,
inspiring
and they help me to be a better Christian.
When I remember to read them.
That "when" thing is really kicking my hiney.

I struggle with my tongue and cross words.
No excuses, but plain truth.
It is made worse by hormone fluctuation during certain times of the month.
Again, no excuse, but true.
If I don't constantly work on trying to do better,
guess what...I don't.

It seems I (and others) of course struggle the most
(with whatever our particular struggle is)
when life is tougher than tough.
Prayer and Bible study are not what they ought to be.
Have not been what they ought to be.
I used to pray constantly and study daily.
Now I am struggling.

Lack of prayer and Bible study is a vicious cycle.
The less you do, the more you suffer for it and need to get back to it.
It is especially the case for someone like me.
Someone with a naturally harsh tongue who is too black and white,
who teaches the need to show grace and mercy to others,
but often forgets to exhibit those very qualities.
Not pretty. I know.

Today is a new day.
Even a fresh new month.

I am trying to shake off the fog of these last few months.
The last few years.
To focus and live purposefully.
To spend the time in prayer and study that I should be spending.
To talk to God and to believe He is listening.
You may be tired of reading my posts like this one.
I am tired of writing them.
But it is what it is, and right now it's hard.

I don't write for sympathy, or to discourage others.
I am sorry if I am discouraging.

I write because I KNOW I am not the only one struggling right now.
I intellectually "know" I am not the first Christian to have these struggles,
but emotionally and spiritually, it is debilitating.
It makes you feel weak.
At the worst of times, it makes you question your own salvation,
because you are discouraged and discouraged with yourself for being discouraged,
if that makes any sense.
It makes you wish you were dead.
Not taking your own life dead,
just "Please take me now LORD" Elisha's kind of wishing dead,
too discouraged to go on, too overwhelmed to keep up the fight.


I know the answer has to be re-focusing, re-purposing, re-dedicating my life to God.
I know others are struggling and stumbling along with a face plastered on outwardly that it is all o.k....but none of us are feeling that it really is, on the inside.
We are weary, sad and discouraged.
Stumbling, frustrated, feeling unsure of so much.

I know we need to take one day at a time.

So, I continue to ask our Christian friends to pray for our family,
our loved ones,
as we struggle to go on without Shauna,
for so many struggling marriages,
for so many diagnosed with cancer,
for our faith to be strong again,
for our hope to feel secure again,
for the wisdom to handle these struggles in God's way,
for strength to pick our selves up and immerse ourselves in His word,
and the humility to fall down on our knees in prayer,
and for the peace to KNOW He hears us.

And for us to just remember to have love,
kindness and patience with each other as our resources and coping skills are not just low,
but seem to be (temporarily) gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Cross Word

The cross word never made a friend,
It never earned a cent,
It never made a house a home,
It never bought content.

It never made a poor man laugh,
Nor mad a rich man grin;
It never caused an honest act,
Nor kept a soul from sin.

It never made a baby coo,
Nor made a sick child smile,
It never pleased the virtuous,
It never pleased the vile.

In fact, the cross word is about
The one thing on this earth
That we can get along without
Because it has no worth!

~anonymous~

"Let your speech be always with grace,
seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."
Colossians 4:6

love to you all,
~m

Back at it...sorta...

After months of being away from creating,

well...not counting painting walls,
ceilings
and furniture...

I am,

I think,

ready to work on the wild raspberry shop again.

It seems a little strange to be doing this solo,
but I think it will be o.k.

Chas is following her heart and pursuing photography,
and I am following mine with this little shop.

I have always wanted a home business that's not so much a business, but a hobby and a joy. In sewing, crafting, creating beautiful things, I find a great outlet that fits in perfectly with my role as wife, mama/grandmama and home maker. One that will not be top priority, but will fit in nicely with our family life.

Amidst all the chaos and struggles, right now may seem like an odd time for me to be doing this.

But frankly,
opening up a little shop again
is a welcome diversion.

With Shauna's illness life kind of stopped.

I don't regret it a bit.
I'm not complaining.
It just was~is so.

We stopped running,
gardening,
crafting,
sewing.

Things just seemed hard.

Chas and I have talked about it often.

It was just hard to do those things when Shauna couldn't.
We didn't even have the desire to.
None of it felt right.

But now, what is there left for us to do?

We kept waiting, hoping, praying that she would get better.

And now she is gone.

Our lives will NEVER be the same.

Our Joy has been tempered with a bitter sweet quality that will never be what it once was.

We have learned a lot.
We are continuing to learn a lot.
Lessons we really didn't want to learn.
Lessons that are harder than hard.
Lessons that focus us sharply on Heaven,

but also lessons that focus us on
finding and enjoying the beauty of TODAY.

We long for the day when we can be with her again...
but until then we have to put one foot in front of the other.

We have to live and do,
like she would want us to do,
like God wants us to do.

So, I am.

I am excited about it.
I think Shauna would be excited with me and for me.
She would have so many great ideas, and pictures to show me that she had saved.
Her blue eyes would sparkle as she said "Oh, do you know what I saw??? Did I show you...???"

Chasity always came up with great ideas she had found on a beautiful blog, or a cute little shop she had stumbled upon, or a great magazine photo...
I'm not sure I'll do so great without the two of them to inspire me...
but I know it is going to be good for me.
It is going to be fun and I am looking forward to just...
trying.

I am going to try to take pictures of my sewing/craft room this week.
(certain friends keep asking for pictures...ahem, Joy)

I already put a few goodies back in the shop with some new pictures of them.

The lighting in my sewing room (thanks to hubby) is really nice.
That, along with the vintage and antique pieces
I have been picking up cheap the last few months
(auctions....sigh....I do LOVE auctions...)
should make for some nice pictures,
even by this pitifully amateur photographer.

We'll see.

Anyway.

Whatever happens I'm trying to dance in the rain.
~~~~~~~
Hubby and I were home and worshiped watching OABS this morning.
Tonight we all left him here to worship with OABS solo.
I had not left him yet, but of course he did fine.
He just stayed put.
:)
We had a lovely family supper tonight,
after evening worship,
full of laughter, stories, good food and good times.
I am so grateful for the family that God has blessed us with.
We just love each other so much!

I hope your weekend was blessed with friends, family, Faith and love as well!

Love to you all,
~m.

Learning to dance in the Rain

Thank you for your continued love and prayers.

We have been home from the hospital for a few hours now.

David is settled in nicely and I have most things unpacked and put away. Unfortunately he had to wait over an hour to take more pain meds once we got home. Moving around is NOT fun at all for him, but he is very tough and not a complainer. His pale face, clinched jaw and sweaty forehead are sadly dead give aways, though.

But now I can hear soft snoring coming from his chair right behind me, and I am thankful he is resting so well. He really needs it.

He will be having surgery to put in pins, screws and plates to try to fuse the many pieces of his broken fibula (if I didn't mix it up, it is the larger of the two bones) back together. The tibia has only one fracture. We are very, VERY thankful it was not worse...just a fraction of an inch higher and his knee would have been crushed too...even harder to repair. Pretty things do not happen to a strong leg, even one belonging to my Superman hubby, when it is crushed between an Expedition tow hook on a front bumper and a tool box.

It was just an accident, but the person who was responsible (or irresponsible in my way of thinking) was fired. David did not want him to be. He holds no ill will or grudge, but it was his bosses decision and I think the right one. It was quite a painful and costly mistake to make, and at my poor husband's (and the shops) expense.

We pray for no infection, no falls and no further damage before they can operate some time in the next two weeks, and for the pain to be able to be controlled. We sure would appreciate your prayers for the same.

We are a bit of a pair...after stopping to get his prescriptions, and a pizza so I wouldn't have to cook, he had to sit and watch me struggle to carry in a few bags that were overloaded. My soreness/tenderness/weakness on the right side has been worse the last few days. Probably just a bit of stress and not sleeping well aggravated it a bit...those hospital chair beds...ahem...not great.

Along with that, I am already a bit pink. I have always preferred medium~ rare,
to well done, and I am hoping that is how I will turn out! :)

Before anyone hollers something about our kiddos helping, Josh was at work,
and we let Candice, Robert and Dustin go on to a Youth Rally tonight.

It all got done, just a bit slower than I would have liked.
We are way too young to feel this decrepit and I double dog dare any of you to say any differently!!! :)

One day at a time though, and we will be just fine. These difficult times make us realize our blessings and point out our need for our Father, our friends and our family.
We really do love you all and are so grateful for you.

I am most especially grateful for our God that does not shun me when I am weak and fearful, as I have often been in the last several months, crying out for strength, begging Him to increase my Faith and to help me to not be afraid, whatever the future holds.

We have had a lot of discussions/Bible studies/ prayers about how hard life has been, how we want it to be easier, how we are sometimes afraid it might not be...and how, while we MAY ask God to help times to not be so hard, we must realize the answer may be NO...
so the deeper focus of our prayer life is to ask God for STRENGTH for whatever lies ahead,
and for a cheerful heart to handle it.

I know I am not telling you anything new.

But let me say, knowing this, and living this are two different things.

I have been through hard times before, and I survived

LOTS of folks have, and are, going through harder times than us, right now.

But I think(and I suspect others do to) that I have still tended to live in that "God will take care of it, everything will be o.k." simplistic attitude.

I am not saying that God WON'T take care of us.

No.
NO.
NO!

I am not saying that at all.

I am saying that sometimes God taking care of us
just may not be what we have in mind
AT ALL.

We mean "God, make it EASY!"

We mean "God, I'll be faithful and not worry if you just don't make it too hard."

We tend to let ourselves feel protected from the big physical struggles/illnesses/traumas,
things that God NEVER promised to protect us from.

Then, guess what?
When they come, our faith is shaken,
some times destroyed because it was built on false hope and misguided trust.
God's promise of Peace is a Spiritual one.
Yes He is here with us now, in this Life.
Yes He hears our every prayer.
But His Peace is not like the world's peace.
Jesus said that Himself.
It is a confidence of perfect peace and rest after this hard, hard life is over.

It's a peace we get now for the promise we'll receive some day.

It's sobering.

I think it is difficult to properly focus on sometimes,

because we are caught up in wanting a more perfect life down here.
An easier life.

NOW IT'S NOT WRONG TO WANT IT EASIER!

It's just,
friends,
we might need to grow our spiritual maturity level a little...

or a lot

and realize
that it just might not get easier for a while.

Again, I'm not telling you, or me, anything new.

I'm not telling you I like it,
or I've got it down.

If you've read much of what I have posted on facebook lately,
You'll know my struggle with this.

I wonder if when God looks down at me he sees a child
"kicking and screaming"...
that's the visual image I have of myself sometimes.
A tantruming child shouting "I don't want it this way!!!

Yep. Knowing it and living it are two different things.

I am working on it.
Boy, I get tired of saying that.
:)

I recently came across a beautiful saying that I believe carries an Heaven sent message:

"Life is not about waiting for the STORM to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain."

These words walk hand in hand with my struggle...with knowing what I need to do, and working on doing it.
These words speak to me like the words of God Himself

No, I haven't gone off my rocker.
No, I'm not elevating a saying to be equal to God's word

It's simply HIS idea I see in these words.

Don't let trouble knock you down...stay happy, faithful and focused on Heaven.

I hope that if you're like me, and you catch yourself waiting for the perfect,
trouble free day, that you will
stop it.

THIS is the best day we are going to get and the only day we get TODAY.

You know the old saying "Make hay while the sun shines" Meaning, seize the moment to do the work at hand...well, that's right.

But as Christians, we need to be making hay all the time in the sun and in the rain.
Kind of live in the sunshine, or make our own...Hmm...another post talking about sunshine again.

That has been the thought in my heart.
Struggles and Rain always makes me think of Sunshine and Shauna,
now more than ever.
That is how Shauna lived.
She had a whole passel of rainy days,
yet she still lived in the sunshine.

I am working with all my might to dance in the rain.

Like Shauna did.

Like God wants me to.

I don't and won't always get it right but I'm trying.

I hope you do too,
and I thank you for helping me to.

Love you all.

I'm gonna go kiss my hubby really softly on top of his head,
get a drink of water and finish my movie.
Nite friends.

~m

Adjusting...

Time keeps on moving, and while I can't stop it, sometimes it makes me mad. That seems to be my first reaction to a lot of things...now more than usual unfortunately. The last two days of sunshine have lifted everyone's spirits. We have tried to get back to some "normal" day to day activities, but then when we do get busy and feel normal, it feels odd, and I feel guilty, sad, angry. These feelings are fleeting, but real and I have to deal with them.

I know I don't need to feel guilty, I share this because, this is where I am, not because I don't know where I should be. I'm torn between wanting to feel normal, and feeling like normal isn't right or possible, or it's too soon.

When I stop and and make myself think about it, I know that God intends for time to help and heal. That Shauna wants it that way and that is good and right. But it's just hard. Losing someone of this magnitude, this woven into the fabric of our life is not "move-on-able". I guess we "adjust" is the best word I can come up with. But Shauna will never fade away or be forgotten. Life will go on, and we will heal, but we won't really ever "move on" as some might recommend.. Anyone that knew Shauna, just knows that she is not "move-on-from-able". Period. I don't think that anyone who knew her would want to.

I know that normal will creep back into our days, more than stumbling through them. It is happening to some extent already. We are spending less time in tears and more time smiling and even laughing. It's too hard to stay in this place of deep grief for ever. And again, Shauna would not want us to. She would want us to make our "adjustments" to life without her, then live it for all we're worth. She would want us to love every day with our family and friends with all of our hearts. She would want us to love on our husbands and kiddos, cuddle them and kiss them all and hold them close. She would want us to paint, and plan, and garden and run. And we are trying. Oh, we are trying, to find a zeal for those things again. But it is slow coming.

I did paint today. I finished painting my sewing room, and David wired up all of the lights. The sunshine was pouring in, and I thought how much she would love the sewing room, and of all the projects I hope to do some day and how she would love them. How she would smile her sparkling smile, with those shining, twinkling blue eyes, and offer some great suggestions. I wished we could have talked about them, and planned some together. But I know one day we will sit down together again. We might not be talking about projects and painting and sewing, but we will have so much to talk about and to catch up on.

I am going to live a good life, an obedient life to God, because I love HIM and I long to be with Him. But also because I am determined...So determined to sit myself down with my Sweet Shauna and have a good long talk again. I see the three of us sisters and our children sitting cross legged in a beautiful grassy field in Heaven with wild flowers all around, making daisy chains, basking in the Love of our LORD, talking and laughing, that deep down, throw your head back, belly laugh.

And then it won't mater how hard it was, or how long it took us to "adjust" because we'll be together for all eternity. And this silly life with all it's sorrows and its earthly joys, just won't have mattered a bit.

Ladies Study on Being Rooted and Grounded in Love: Introduction

Hello friends and loved ones.

This is the first of a multi-part lesson on being rooted and grounded in love taught for a Ladies Day last summer. I had planned on editing it, but time has gotten away from me, so I am just presenting it as is, intro and everything. I did not know at the time of this writing that Satan would have more in store for our family. God is His Divine wisdom certainly knows best to not reveal to us our future struggles. It was a needed study for me at the time, and continues to be one for me now.

Though you were not sitting in the audience that day, I left it as if you were. May God bless us all in our endeavors to study His word and grow ever closer to Him.

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I know that all of us are busy with ever so many things, and I certainly appreciate your desire to come and study from God’s Holy word when you could have chosen a dozen or more other things to do today. I truly don’t say that lightly. I am thankful for each and every one of you that has come to dig into God’s Word. I hope you brought your bibles, but if not grab one off the pew. I plan on using a lot of my favorite scriptures, and Sharleen would tell you, that's most of the Bible. We have a lot to study, and not much time.

When the two people that know me best in life heard that my topic was Rooted and Grounded in Love: I shall not be moved, they both immediately laughed. The joke was not lost on me either. David has always said that if I had a theme song, it would be Tom Petty’s “I won’t Back Down”.

Nice.

But all kidding aside, this study was just what I needed.

Since the time I was assigned this lesson, I have prayed, studied and pondered how God could use me to edify and encourage all of you. I have honestly felt somewhat inadequate and beaten down with all that Satan has been accomplishing lately. Between illness and so many struggling marriages and breaking hearts both in and out of the church, I have felt my faith at times to be too weak to get through, let alone to really reach out to others as I should be doing.

It has been rough.

But God's word and Christian friends have strengthened me. And, in the very midst of feeling overwhelmed and even somewhat despairing with my head hanging down, I was assigned a lesson on not being moved from HIM, my God, my Savior and Redeemer. When I turned inward to muster strength for this lesson, frankly, I didn’t find much in my reserves.

So, I got busy and dug into the Word…And my eyes shifted back up to where they should have been all the time.

Possibly through God’s good Providence, or maybe just some clever planning on the part of our elder’s wives, God continues to teach me and refine me in His Holy Word, those things that I need to strengthen and improve upon in my own life, that I might strengthen others. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble…” 2 Corinthians 1 : 3-4

So, lucky us, you don’t have to hear a lesson relying on my wisdom or knowledge, and I didn’t have to write one based on what’s in my little brain. To God be the glory! His Word is all sufficient to keep us on track…or get us back on track when Satan is trying to derail and uproot us. And I needed back on track. Maybe some of you do too.

This study has been a tremendous faith builder for me and I pray that you will be encouraged as well to lift up your heads and hearts, lift up your eyes and focus back on Christ, our Savior and Redeemer and His Holy Word. Let Him give you the strength you need to keep going. Bring your focus back to our great Redeemer and Friend. He has given us all the answers we will ever need, IF ONLY we will spend the time and effort studying His Holy Word, His light will come shining forth to lift our burdens, and to help our roots grow down deep into the spiritual water of His Word. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

Roots form a network for a tree or plant that give balance, and hold the tree firmly in place. They keep it upright and prevent it from crashing to the ground when the storms of life prevail. Roots grow deep to bring nourishment to every cell, leaf and twig. They are life to the tree. If a disease affects the roots of a plant, or you chop through a trees root system, it will soon die.

The spiritual application is crystal clear. Without roots growing down into God's word we will end up spiritually uprooted and lost. The only way to grow our spiritual roots is to study. Obviously our spiritual roots will stop growing and stop providing us nourishment when we stop studying the Word of God. They can also become diseased by discouragement and sin. Lift up your eyes and look around. Brothers and Sisters in Christ are growing weaker daily, some are even dying in the garden of Christianity because they don’t have deep roots reaching the water of His word. Instead of spiritual redwoods, they’re spiritual tumbleweeds blown by the wind in every direction. Why?

I believe it’s because it takes work to stay rooted and grounded in love. Christianity is not a passive, cater-to-me lifestyle. It takes study, thought, prayer and work to remain faithful and encourage others to remain faithful as well. Psalm 16:8-9 says “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” Christianity doesn’t just happen. It’s about selflessness and discipline.

Some of us may have to work at staying rooted and grounded harder than others simply because we all have our own personalities and life experiences that have molded us, for good or bad, over the years. I don't like the terms "high-strung" or "high-maintenance". I'll let you gues why. :) I prefer to look at people in varying degrees of "passionate to laid-backness".

Maybe for some of us our tongue is harder to control; maybe another struggles with the temptation to dress immodestly as they did before they became a Christian. Another may struggle with self confidence in teaching God's word; or struggle with controlling their temper. No matter the temptation, the trial, the person or the personality type, God has the same solution for all of us. He is infinite in His wisdom. He is the designer of each and every one of us and HE KNOWS HIS CREATION. Sometimes we despair in our differences. Do we think God did not design us?

His solution for standing firm can only be found in His word. That's the "magic pill" so to speak, and nothing else. It won't make worries and problems disappear, but I guarantee that it will make us able to cope, and not just to cope, but to overcome; to have courage and stand firm. The KEY is in our hands. We will be studying three points to aid us in our Christian walk, but the first is, no doubt, the most important.

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Shwew, that was a long winded introduction!

The first point will follow soon.

Have a wonderful day friends!

Much love,

~Debbie

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