Catching Up

Wow, I cannot believe that it has been three days since I have posted on this blog.  Crazy thing is that I had to catch up on some bible study stuff as well earlier today.  I am telling you the days are just going by faster and faster each week.

I believe that sometimes we are put in the situation of getting behind for a reason.  What that reason is, I really don't know.  Most of you know that I am very OCD and I hate to get behind on anything.  I always have to have things planned in advance because I am not one of those, "fly by the seat of your pants", types.  Funny thing is that when I was going to school a few semesters ago, I would procrastinate until the last minute to get papers written, homework done, etc.  I always said that I did it because I worked better under pressure, but I really don't know why I did it.

So since today was the end of the month, I wanted to get everything done today.  Just in time to start all over again tomorrow.  Do you ever wonder why we tend to wait to do things sometimes?  I do, but I still haven't figured it out.  In fact, I need to start working on my To Do list for the next time I have some days off.  There are several things that I need to get done around the house.

One thing that I hope you will not procrastinate on, is trusting in God to take care of all your needs.  Remember that He loves you and all you need to do is invite Him in.

May you all have a wonderful and blessed day.  Thank you for continuing to read "The Pantry".

Frustration

I am just going to be very honest with you: today has been very frustrating for me.  Because of that I feel like I am having a really hard time writing.  So, I thought I would just write a little something about frustration.

It amazes me how the smallest things can make us frustrated.  To be honest again, it really doesn't take me long to get frustrated sometimes.  I did get my bible study done and I had hoped that would help, but it didn't.  Even though I absolutely loved my bible study, I still keep going back to the things that I have been frustrated about today.  

God had a different plan for me this afternoon then to be frustrated.  As I was going back through some of my notes trying to find something to write about, I came upon something that I had written down yesterday.  This is from the book of Psalms.  Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV)   23) Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts.  24) See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  This was also in our message at church this morning.  God wants us to allow Him into everything that is going on in our lives.  He wants us to call on Him in our times of trouble.  He wants to bless us with His might power.  He wants to heal us. He wants to deliver us.  All He wants us to say is "Here I am Lord, search me and lead me.  I want to follow You all the days of my life.  I want to do Your work."  God does not want us to stay in the pit of frustration or any other type of pit that we may be in.  He wants us to receive all of His promises.  

My personal prayer, "Lord, thank You for loving me.  Thank you for helping me to see that being frustrated is not really warranted in any of my situations today.  Lord, I pray that you will help me to be more able to control my frustrations and spend more time bringing honor and glory to You.  Jesus I thank you for the blood that you shed for me.  You are my King."  

Will you let God help you today and get you out of your pit? 

Watching God's Plan Unfold

I sit here tonight in amazement.  Amazed that I am watching God's plan unfold.  Sometimes it almost feels as if it is not even real.  I sometimes feel like I have to pinch myself in order to make sure that it is all not a dream.  Two weeks ago I wrote on "God's Plan"; in that blog I wrote a little about my son, but tonight I am going to write a little bit more.

When my son first started attending church with his girlfriend, I could immediately tell that there was something in him that was changed.  I still remember the day that he told me he was going to be baptized.  Of course, I was there for his baptism and cried my eyes out with tears of joy.  Since that time, he has never looked back.  He has given it all to God.  

I had the privilege of listening to him speak to the youth group last Wednesday.  He has such a love for God that you can see it all over his face.  I cannot even begin to explain what it is like to watch your child preach to a group of young people.  I could hear and feel the love that he has for God.  Tonight I got to watch him play bass guitar in the youth band, worshiping with music.  He has also spoken one other time to the youth and is also a member of our church puppet team.  Yes, I am a very proud Mom.  I am so proud of the man that he is becoming.  

God has a plan for my son's life.  I am so blessed and honored that I can be a part of watching this plan unfold.  I am so honored to watch him become the man that his Heavenly Father wants him to be.  I may be his mother, but God can give him so much more than I ever could.  I have always said that God gave me my son for a reason.  Part of that reason was I needed to change the path my life was taking back then; and he is still helping me now.  His faith has led me back to church.  I have renewed my faith and commitment to God, I have been baptized and I am allowing God to do His work in me.

God has a plan for you and He wants you to be able to watch it unfold.  All you have to do is give Him permission.  He will bless you beyond measure.  He will show you things that you never even knew.  Most of all, He will love you like no one else ever has.  Won't you allow Him to unfold His plan for you?

Change II

I wrote a little about "Change" five days ago, but the Lord has been showing me more about change in the last few days.  So I am going to do a little more writing on this subject.  This will even tie a little bit into my post from last night.

From Joyce Meyer on August 24:  Change requires change!  Only a foolish person thinks they can keep doing the same thing they have always done and get a different result.  From Joyce Meyer today:  Don't be afraid of change because it is always necessary for progress.  All I can say is WOW.  I hope those words spoke to you as they did to me, because they spoke volumes to me.

Last night I spoke about "My Temple", which is my body.  I want "My Temple" and everything within "My Temple" to be pleasing to God.  This will require some change.  Change in how I pray, how I worship, how I spend my time with God, how I act, how I speak, how I dress, how I treat others, how  I eat, how I take care of myself and how I take care of my family.  I cannot continue to do things the way I do now and expect a different result.  I must sacrifice some things to make the changes if I want progression in the plan that the Lord has for my life.  I must learn to submit everything that I have to Him and know that He will keep His promise to me.  I must learn to accept the change and allow it to help me grow in the areas that are being changed.

We must not be afraid of change.  We must know that God will be there to help us through the rough times and allow us to continue you on our path.  We must always remember to thank Him for everything that He is doing for us and the changes that are taking place in our lives.

We serve an awesome God and He is worthy of all our praise.

My Temple

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20   19)Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own, 20) you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.  

I read this scripture during my bible study this morning and it spoke volumes to me.  My husband has always said that we should take care of our bodies because they are a temple for God.  I guess I never really realized the importance until I reread this again tonight prior to beginning this post.  Once again I am amazed at the way that God will show us something at the time that we really need it in our lives.

Just today, I was thinking about how much I really need and want to lose weight.  The last few months have been very emotionally hard for me.  I have tacked on about 30 unanswered pounds.  It seems like the more I gain, the more I seem to be losing control of the battle.  The last few months have been very trying for me and I guess that I have chosen to allow food to comfort me.  I have struggled with my weight for many, many years.  There are times when I have lost weight and then I will gain it back, lose it again and gain it back and on and on and on.  That is why after reading this scripture again tonight I realized that it is time to do something about it.  I know that I must surrender "my temple" to God and allow Him to have total control.

This is going to be quite a challenge for me.  I know that it will require a lot of discipline and hard work, but I am ready to give it all I have.  I also know that I need to do this for me and my family.  I want to be here to enjoy my children and my grandchildren.  I want to be able to do things with my family and not feel tired anymore.  I want to be happy again about who I am and the way I look.  I want  "My Temple" to be pleasing to God.  I know I have said this many, many times, but I want everything I do in my life to bring honor and glory to Him.

Take a look at "Your Temple" today.  Is there anything that you need or want to change?  If so, give it to Him and He will take the journey with you.     

What a Ride

I cannot believe that yesterday marked the fourth week that I have been writing "The Pantry".  It honestly does not seem that long.  It seems like only yesterday when I decided to give it a try.  

I cannot even begin to tell you how I feel.  I forgot how much I love to write.  This blog has brought so much joy and purpose into my life.  Each time I sit down to write I just feel so blessed and excited.  There is such a feeling that comes over me when I write that I cannot explain and there is such a beautiful peace that surrounds me.  On those few days that I haven't written, I feel really bad; like I am letting down my best friend.      

I have said this many times, but I truly believe that God is the co-author of this blog.  There are times when I am writing that I don't even remember what I just wrote.  I know that He is with me and that there is something that He wants me to say.    I have learned to listen for Him.  I also pray before I begin my writing, which has allowed me to spend more time in prayer and bible study.  I have learned a lot in the last few weeks.

I hope that you will decide to continue following this blog.  My prayer is that you will be blessed by "The Pantry" and that what you read will inspire you.  I know that God will keep stocking it so that we will remain filled with His precious teachings and words.  Thank you so much for your continued support.  Remember you comments are always welcome and I read every single one.

Thank you Lord, for all of Your blessings and Your continued help with this work.  May all honor and glory belong to You.

Hitting the Brick Wall

How many of you have hit brick walls?  I don't necessarily mean a real brick wall, I am just talking about a point where you just cannot go anymore, and you are stuck?  I can tell you, I have hit many a brick wall.  This is also a term that we use at work, which means that we are beyond tired.  I must tell you that today I hit the brick wall at work about 1:00.  Since this was my first day shift, I was a little behind the 8 ball anyway.  But I did make it through with flying colors.

Do you ever stop to think about how this "brick wall" came into your life?  Sometimes I think it is just a circumstance of life.  We are all going to hit "brick walls" at some time or another.  How we deal with these walls is another story.

A few days ago, I received this message on a daily message site I belong to called, God wants you to know.  Here is the message from 8-15:  God wants you to know.....that when you come to a wall, you can either climb it, or you can simply walk around until you find a door.  Don't make life so hard, - look for the doors!!!   How true that statement is.  Sometimes we tend to become so focused on one thing, that everything else just passes us by.   We use the wall as an excuse; an excuse for not wanting to work, not wanting to go to school, not wanting to go to church, etc.  We become so obsessed with this wall, that we lose focus of how to remove all the things that don't belong there.  We also will walk right by some of the open doors and never peak in.

I am so thankful that God has a plan to get us away from these "brick walls".  Please step out today and take that step to be the person God wants to you be.