February… Oh, how it begins the painful dance of my heart each year.
It’s not that I’m angry. It’s not that I’m hating what I see. It’s just a longing within my once little girl heart that will never be fulfilled.
The beautiful pictures plastered all over social media bring sweet memories never beheld. Precious relationships promising treasured protection and defense for all her days.
His large frame casts a shadow not of harm or destruction but of love and nurture. Her petite form is sheltered, cherished and adored. They stand in parade for all to appreciate and celebrate.
I am thankful for his place in her life. I am grateful for her desire for his strength and fortitude. I truly am.
Yet, my heart breaks time and again for the wee little one standing at the door, her packed bags awaiting his never return. She forms her own dance, spinning, twirling, hoping for his hand; yet, he never extends it.
Someway, somehow, she makes it to the One who holds the key. With tears streaming, hopes shattered and dreams crushed, He takes her into His arms, and swirls her life into a new masquerade where she can smile again and forever more be held where she always wished to be. ❤️
The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
I’d like to ask our modern culture and our “evolved” Christian believers, “When did we get to the place where Truth cannot be spoken for fear of offenses and sin cannot be confirmed for fear of judgement?”
If we are a follower of Christ, Truth is absolute and irrevocable, and sin is sin, not just “grace-filled” or “judgement-filled.”
When did we get to the point where we care more that we not offend someone than we do about their very souls? When did we get to the point where we work so hard to preach grace that we forsake the reality of sin, hell and an eternal death?
If we read the Bible, from the front cover to the very last page, God is so very clear: the wages of sin is death.
We’ve gotten to the place where we’d rather argue, and too often quite hatefully, with our brothers and sisters in Christ over the possible offenses taken or not taken over an issue rather than the merits of truth.
We’d rather drum up dissension over the intentions of someone’s words rather than seek His Word for His truth on the subject at hand.
We’d rather slash the hearts of our fellow kinsmen, and in turn, wound those who are listening and trying to find their own answers, rather than speak with love AND truth and let the Holy Spirit bring forth His conviction and mercy.
It sounds too much like the arguments of old, when men and women would argue over the color of the pews and the length of the choir robes while their babies were battling issues of sex, drugs and rock and roll.
It smells too much like the wayward youth of decades past who fought so hard for their independence and their owns rights that they forsook the ancient boundaries set before them to show them The Only Way.
It looks too much like the sly dealings of darkness who always brings forth confusion, contention and chaos in order to distract, disengage and devour those who are most vulnerable and afraid.
Wake up, Church. Lift up your eyes.
Look upon the One whom we have pierced! Gaze upon His torn flesh, His stripes, His pierced hands and feet.
He was wounded for OUR transgressions.
He was bruised for OUR iniquities.
It was not for someone else but for you and me.
It was for our own prideful stance. It was for our own arrogant words.
Not a one of us is not guilty. Not a one of us is worthy of the mercy and grace He gives.
It is time for us to stop claiming our own opinions and laments as Gospel. It is time we stop doing what is right in our own eyes.
Lives are at stake.
The innocent lie within the balance.
It is time we all repent.
Moses stood between the children of Israel and God’s burning wrath. Moses stood between the children of Israel and the armies of Pharaoh.
Moses cried out to God for their lives to be saved.
Moses was their hero. God was their Savior.
Whose hero will we be?
…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
You wait on your potential, wait through your potential and you wait for your potential to arrive. Waiting on your potential to grow and mature can sometimes be exhausting! It can be slow growth with lots of changes and adjustments.
You wait through your potential change and development to arrive at your giftings and abilities.
You wait through your potential shifting to get to your potential extension.
Have you ever met someone who seems to be a “skys the limit” kind of person? It seems they can do anything, be anything they desire, with no limitations?
This is what I’d describe as a potential extension. There is no limit to their potential, because it has extended beyond themselves.
This is where you find yourself awaiting the potential’s arrival or the limit of your potential.
It’s not a “sit down and wait” kind of potential.
It’s not a place of apathy and laziness, “simply growing old and fat,” awaiting your potential.
It’s not a “looking at the clock, awaiting the change to come to you” kind of potential…
It’s a place of pushing, striving and extending your limitations to reach further than you ever have before.
It’s a place of stretching and learning to thrive in your potential as if you have no limitations.
It’s a “how high can I jump and still land on my feet” attitude, a “let me try to fly just once” perspective.
This is your potential extension.
Are you ready for your stretch?
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
I saw this posted the other day, and it caused me to pause…
“Cancel telling kids college is the only way to be successful.”
I’d have to somewhat agree a bit, but might I throw a bit of a curveball and some kindling to that line of thought?
Success is an attitude of the heart and mind as well as the actions of the body and emotions.
It’s a lifestyle that begins when you wake up everyday by the thoughts and choices you choose, which in turn, can create successes or failures.
It can last for a lifetime if you think well, choose well and have determined follow through…
So, I guess I’d personally say, “Don’t cancel the thought of “college only”, and don’t cancel the thought of “trade only.””
My suggestion would rather be, the better approach is to decide to be successful by who you are more than what you choose to do, and THEN, what you choose to do, do it well and with purpose and watch successes come more easily!
There was a girl who got through the day with routines, laughter. and some memes...chores, laughs, smiles, and some cats...food, naps, plus coffee too...then yoga for the win... a warm bath, some books, and You Tube📺-hdtj💜
My journey didn’t stop with mere time travel or writing; it led me to become one of the most sought-after empaths, a soulful psychic who reads the hidden depths of the human spirit. I’ve been blessed—or perhaps burdened—with an ability that allows me to feel the emotions of people from every corner of time.
I am a licensed psychologist based in Greece. My love for housekeeping has inspired me to create this blog about home management and family relationships. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!
Dedicated to movie nerdom, nostalgia, and escape. In the late 90s, I worked at Blockbuster Video where they let me take home two free movies a day. I caught up on the classics and reviewed theatrical releases for Denver 'burbs newspapers and magazines. Today, while raising two young, beautiful daughters with my amazing wife, I look forward to anything rated R and not Bluey. Comments and dialogue encouraged!
the grizzle grist mill 