Let's Get Saved!

I don't know about you but there are times when I need rescuing! Most of the time from myself! But there are times when the world - stress from your job, tension from different difficult situations, life itself - feels overwhelming, and you need to be saved. Remember that ridiculous commercial that said " Calgon, take me away!" It was bubble bath, for pete sake! The woman was relaxing in the tub. Trouble hadn't magically disappeared. The 2 year old was standing right outside the bathroom door. In James 1:19-21 we are reminded that when things are difficult, " humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."Not only did Christ's death give us eternal salvation but His Word can save us in those difficult times in our lives. Saving grace! Let's continued to be saved!

Keep on listening!

Have you ever heard the saying - "God gave you 2 ears and 1 mouth. You should listen twice as much as you talk."Love it!

Post A Note

Thoughtfully reading in James 1:19-27 now, I see the phrase "...take note of this...", and I think of post it notes. The first thing James wants you to do is to be "quick to listen". Grab some post it notes and listen. Write down what you hear in God's Word, what you hear in Nature, what you hear in the voices around you. Listening isn't always easy. There is enough negative speak in our world, so grab a hold of the good! I am going to place the notes with the beautiful words from God and my world and put them all around my home where I can see them and be thankful. JOIN ME!

If you read this and you go to my church, see me tomorrow and I will have a gift of post it notes for you to use!

A New Song

In Psalm 96 and in so many of the surrounding Psalms there are repeated calls to "sing a new song". As I daily meditate on God's Word it begins to sink into my thinking patterns and my prayer life. What if God lovingly said to me, " Janice, you know I've heard those requests before. You know I am a gracious God and I don't forget my children. What does my Word say?" And I reply, "It says to sing a new song!" I am drawn once again into my new habit of praise and thankfulness, looking out my window for new beauties that will remind me of God's presence.

The hummingbird zooming around my garden.
          The cloud cover that reminds me of the beach - God's great oceans.
    The fact that my muscles hurt - yea, I can still exercise!

I will choose to sing a new song!

Distractions or Drudgery

There are tendencies with all believers to go through times in our spiritual lives when our dedication to our relationship with God and His Word wanes. You might be feeling like your reading times in God's Word have become mundane or maybe like me, you are too often distracted when you do make time. This is what distracted me the other day, when trying to reflect on Psalm 96.

This is Abby. She is our Boston terrier pup. I remember the times when I had to set the alarm to get up before my small children did. That was the only way I was going to have quiet time with God. Well, for a while, I am back to the "new mom" routine! Even good things distract!

Now to speak about mundane for a moment. There is a place on my blog site where the machine tracks how many people have checked out my blog. Don't get me wrong, I blog because I enjoy it. But it is interesting that during the first 6 months I had 500 viewing times. In the last 2 months, 7! Yes, I admit, I haven't always been diligent to regularly post. But the fact is, the newness has worn off.

We live in a society where we are encouraged to seek new adventures! Don't get into a rut! Have the latest tool or phone or fashion!

I am closing this blog by praying for you. Whoever is reading - God knows! Stay in the Word, no matter what distracts you, or in spite of how you are feeling. Feed your soul!

THIS MONTH

Just a little post-it-note. We are studying Psalm 96 for the month of August. Don't be discouraged if you haven't been to a session for a while. Discouragement isn't from God. Dwell in this rich Psalm!

De-clutter

It's been more than a month that I've written anything. Life has way of piling up and weighing you down. I hadn't blogged because I didn't have anything good enough to say. But then a friend encouraged me to simply be vulnerable. These last few weeks I have allowed myself to become overwhelmed. I have opened my mouth and used words that have scraped against those I love. I have been so tired that anger has bubbled up in me and burned the one I love the most, here on this earth. I am in the middle of Ann Voscamp's book One Thousand Gifts and she is teaching me, with her vulnerability. I have let the piles of "stuff" lay on top of my list of things I am thankful for. So yesterday I de-cluttered! I am making a choice to live TODAY. Where there is only God, the I AM. Yes, I am sure I will have to de-clutter again in the future. I'm human!

Go to aholyexperience.com and read July 8, How to Keep Up the Fight for Joy. Awesome!
P.S. I'm going to learn how to use that link button!