Yard Sales

When I looked out the window early Saturday morning, I noticed my neighbor had all her treasures laid out on long tables. I also noticed there was already a crowd too. So… I decided to take a cup of coffee with me while I ‘just look’ around in order to be neighborly, of course. Taking a cup of coffee was also supposed to distract me from getting anything. Yeah…right….

Sabrina said they were downsizing for a move they were planning for the future. She said she had way too much stuff tucked away so she was going to sell it off little by little. Then the task would not be so overwhelming.

People were steadily filing in and out. Some took a brisk walk through looking only for particular items. Others checked for brand names, signatures and dates hoping to find a prize to sell later I supposed. Each had their purpose for coming. The main thing for my friend was that it was selling, no matter the reason.

When I came back home, I started thinking about yard sales and their purpose.  I came up with a couple of important views.

Repurpose items for farther use

Yard sales are a great for unloading items you no longer need but someone else can repurpose to meet a need they have. With the economy the way it is, people have to concentrate on getting good deals.  This type of shopping is a great way to get things you need or even want inexpensively. I have also heard of people who have lost everything through a fire/flood using yard sales to replace basic necessities. And…in the end, isn’t helping others what life should be about?

Reconnect our hearts with God

Let’s face it. We live in a world of distractions. It is hard to say no to the things that are so readily available and tantalizing to our wants and wishes in life. We just have to have it! But then, after we made the purchase, we realize that we didn’t really need or want the item as badly as we once thought. The treasures we sought after didn’t live up to our expectations and we are left empty. Our reasons for the purchase in the first place were misguided because our hearts were in the wrong place. What we really needed was to feel the need with more of God.

Yard Sales help us reevaluate where we want our focus to be for the future. Jesus once said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Jesus was not against us having our hearts desires but He was against them replacing our loyalty and obedience to Him. When we seek God’s counsel, He will advise us on the timing of all things so what we purchase does not throw us off balance.

Are you holding on to more than you need? Is it time to change your focus? Take the challenge to cleanse yourself and your house of the extra you don’t want or need. It is work! But the joy of helping someone else could out weight the chore and put a song in your heart once more.

By the way, I did make this one small purchase. I felt called to help my neighbor. : )

Affirming Our Foundation

There is a childlike balancing game I like to play when I go to the beach. You stand in the sand at the water’s edge so the waves can pass over your feet. Each time a wave comes and goes the water takes sand with it until you finally lose your balance. Last one standing without repositioning their feet wins.

Recently, when I went to the beach, I played this game by myself. As I stood there and felt the sand melt away, the Holy Spirit brought this verse to mind:

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”  Matthew 7: 24-26 (NASB)

What are you trying to teach me Lord? When I returned home, I began studying about sand and how rocks are formed. Then, I began to see what the lesson was about.

In the natural, sand is made up of tiny grains of minerals. By itself, sand does not have the properties to stick together and it is so light it can be easily moved by water or the wind.

On the other hand, a solid metamorphic rock like Jesus is referring to in the passage is made up of unlimited sand-type particles that have been “morphed” (transformed) into one solid piece. The sand in metamorphic rocks have been through heat and pressure to form a solid impenetrateable structure.

In the spiritual sense, the sand represents the principles God is teaching us out of His Word. When we do not connect and protect the lessons we are learning, they can easily slip away and we can become off balanced. Without steps to foster change, we can end up falling to the ground with a bang.

However, if we learn the validity of the scriptures one by one through the pressure of the trials we face daily, then the knowledge base built from these experiences will form a solid impenetrateable rock that cannot be destroyed.

Rule of Thumb: 

If you can leave your footprints in your foundation, 

then it is not solid yet.

So...how is your foundation coming along? Are you “connecting the dots” and forming a solid base on which to stand? Forming a foundation takes time and effort to make it strong and our purposes have to be spiritually motivated. But, if you will remain faithful to the process, then nothing will be able to destroy the authority you stand on.

…upon this rock I will build My church;

and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

Matthew 16: 18 (NASB)

Preparing to Provide

God is thinking about and providing for your needs way before you even realize you will need anything. This was brought to my attention recently when I bought my new home. I was truly amazed.

Before I decided to buy the house, I went over to look at it many times. Judy was the one who met me there on each occasion. She was very friendly as she told me everything about the house I would need to know to make my final decision. At one of the visits, she began to tell me more about her in-laws who had built and lived in the house for over 20 years.

“Irene, my mother-in-law, died in the back bedroom about 18 years ago,” she said.

“Oh really.” I said with curiosity, “What year?”

“1993” she replied.

“What month?” I said with more curiosity  than before.

“October” she said.

“Wow…My husband died in November of the same year!” I said with surprise.

Moments later, the Lord spoke to my heart,

 “Even before your husband died, I was preparing a place for you.”

From those few words, I was lifted to a whole new level of love for the Father Himself as well as a new level of knowledge about His loving care. He had saved this property for me all those years until I was ready to receive it. I was blown away. Seeing God’s love and care manifested in this way was humbling. Quietly, I headed for the master bedroom, fell on my knees and cried with thankfulness. He had not abandoned me while I was in the desert learning obedience. He had been listening all along to my heart’s desires for a new place when the time came. Now…He was giving me all those collected desires in this one home.

There are two other items of interest to this story, which give it even more depth. First, the mother-in-law’s name was Irene. My mother-in-law’s name was Irene, too. Second, the former owner’s name was Howard. When I looked the name up later for it’s meaning, I found this:

HOWARD:

Language/Cultural Origin: English

Inherent Meaning: Chief Guardian

Spiritual Connotation: Discerning

Scripture: Psalm 37: 23 NKJV

     The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,

           and He delights in his way.

I felt God had used Howard as a guardian over this home for the twelve years it remained empty after he remarried and moved out. Howard just couldn’t let it go. Judy said their family felt like they were saving the house for someone special. Others had tried to buy it but failed. Yet, when they met me, they felt like they had found that special person.

What promises and dreams have you been waiting on God to fulfill? He has not forgotten about you. God is listening and collecting all your heart’s desires whether it seems like it or not.  Though it may tarry wait for it. Then… when He is ready, He will bring them to reality as a precious gift of love.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. 

                       Ps. 34: 8

GOT TRIALS?

Anyone going through a trial? No matter who we are or where we live, we will have to deal with them.  They are not prejudice to your looks, social standing, or lack there of. They come to everybody who lives on the planet. And…if we happen to be trial-free at the moment, then hang on because one is in the making, tailor-made for your situation. We have to remember that when we gave our lives to Christ, we started the perfecting process. We all go through trials but how we end up after them or whether we have to go through them over and over again depends on who we rely on to get us through.

Trials are difficult, unpredictable, and the timing and length are non-negotiable. We are in the hands of the One who sets the terms. But, what we learn through them can be life changing and used for His glory. So many times we are not willing to learn a new way because we have to loose control and jump towards the unknown. However, when we release our concerns into God’s loving arms, He transforms our trust into power to believe for the resolution, the restoration, and the life changing character He promises to develop.

God will not protect you from

 what he wants to perfect you through.

What can we do to help us move through the process?  

Proclaim who God is to you. He is my Strength, Fortress, Help in time of need, Lover of my soul, Mighty, and full of grace to see you through any situation. It is also good to remember the times He has gotten us through in the past as well.

Proclaim who you are in Him. I am righteous; I have the mind of Christ, I have the peace of God that passes all understanding. Speaking and mediating on these types of scriptures strengthens the knowledge of who we are in our heart. It also fortifies our mind so that we can make it to the other side.

Proclaim  to your enemy he is defeated. Satan has no power over us and we already have the victory. Satan is so sneaky about how he undermines our resolve. The enemy plants seeds of doubt, which we may think is just logical thinking but end up making us give up prematurely. Watch your thoughts because they can lead us in the wrong direction before we realize what or why your downward spiral happened.

These proclamations and mediations fortify our mind with faith (vision/the mortar), hope (upward attitude and anticipation throughout the process), and love (our perception of God’s presence with us). Our words and thoughts are like bricks that build a fortress around our heart and mind by faith to protect us from the words and actions of the enemy. They help us to stay focused on what is really important.

What are you doing to get through in your tough situations? Trials are no fun and there are no quick and easy solutions to shorten the process. However, there are ways to go through that will give us more courage, strength, and peace of mind while God is working His way in our life. Remember...even in your darkest hour, Your Heavenly Father is there with you and he will complete what He has started in you.

For it is God who works in you

 both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13

This blog post is dedicated to Pastor Terry Howell. 

Desperation to Graduation

My daughter, Kristen Leah Downs, is 26 years old today. The time has gone by so fast but there were many days back then where I didn’t know whether I was going to make it through. I remember on one particular frustrating moment when I had had all I could take. Falling down into a rocking chair, I took time to relax and think. I don’t remember the issues of that moment but it was a situation that was trying my patience. Ever had one of those days?

While I sat there stewing, a still small voice broke in my thoughts and partly agreed with me. “Yes…she is a wild one,” the Lord said. Then there was that ‘but.’ “But, if you do not teach her how to respect your authority, then she will not learn how to respect My authority,” He said. Then He continued on, “Wait and see if I don’t put My words deep within her heart as she grows to full stature.”

Those words made me sit up, refocus and get back in to the ring. Above all, I wanted Kristen to have a vital relationship with her Heavenly Father through the blood of Jesus. I couldn’t give up now just because it was hard. Besides, God was promising me she would live to serve Him, if I stayed the course.

Today, she is a spiritually confident young woman ready to face whatever life throws at her. I couldn’t be any prouder then I am right now.

There is another event in Kristen’s life this weekend. After eight years, she is finally graduating with honors from Converse College. She struggled to “find herself” at the local college here and almost flunked out. Nothing seemed to be going right for her. Then, after time spent soul searching, Kristen began again by setting new goals in a different direction.

Converse College was even more challenging then the one before but Kristen determined this time to stay focused. Now, she will receive her teaching degree in learning disabilities, when she walks across the stage on Saturday. And me... I’ll be the proud peacock on the front row clapping. Congratulations Kristen for a job will done!

Do you have a story to tell about one of your own late bloomers finally making it through or are you still one of those in the thick of the conflict? If you are on the other side, encourage and bless others with how God was faithful in your time of need. If you are still in the fight, don’t give up in the heat of the battle. God is faithful to the promises he gives us through the scriptures and the ones He gives to us personally.

For me, it felt like victory was going to be impossible so many times but I kept on praying, searching for wisdom and look what God has done now. Behold for your time to celebrate victory will come just don’t give up!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Rosie the Road Warrior

Rosie the Road Warrior, my GPS, and I were going from my home in North Carolina to Fort Payne, AL for a family reunion. I was nervous about depending on Rosie again. Earlier, when I had taken a trip to my son's house in Kentucky, she took me to the back roads of nowhere and dumped me. Fortunately, there were people at the end of the gravel road who helped me find my way out. But, in the end, I was willing to let the past go and trust again.

So Rosie and I headed towards Asheville. Right away I noticed she was taking me on the scenic route over the mountains. I enjoyed her choice because of the colorful landscapes we were pasting. Still I felt nervous about her leadership skills so early on I stopped to buy a road map just in case. As Rosie directed me to exit to a new road, I checked the map to confirm her direction.

Then it happened! The four-lane divided highway suddenly went to a two-lane road without warning. Flashbacks of my trip to Kentucky came to mind as I became anxious a gravel road would be next. Yet the road beckoned me to go forward so I cautiously went on.  As I traveled the curvy road, a wide creek appeared. It was so beautiful and peaceful. I had to stop and take a few pictures. It was then the Lord began to speak to my heart.

“This trip is a lot like your spiritual walk with Me. You walk nervously through life hoping you don’t go the wrong way. Your lack of trust keeps you up tight and you can’t enjoy the journey I have planned for you. Stop 'faithlessly' checking up on your direction all the time. Relax and start experiencing My loving Presence along the way.  Know in your heart.....I am big enough to get you to where you need to go and wise enough to redirect you if you take a wrong turn.

I got ya covered Mary Jane…I got ya covered.”

When I got back in the car, I was more relaxed and ready to enjoy the rest of the journey. With new resolve, I determined I would intentionally trust the direction I felt lead to go with a more peaceful heart. Wrong turns will happen but God has me covered.

I arrived at my destination safe and sound. Rosie had done a great job. The fears of her directing me wrongly were forgotten. I gained a valuable lesson along the way. All was well with my soul.

Do you have fears of making a wrong turn? You are not alone. Most people feel that way from time to time while they are seeking the Lord for His direction along their way. But take heart. God is big enough to get you to where you need to go and wise enough to redirect you, if you happen to take a wrong turn. 

So relax and trust.....God’s got ya covered.

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.                                      Psalm 37: 23

Me Again

Here I am again, Lord.

Troubles I can’t face.

I tried to do it my way

And I didn’t use my faith.

It started out so innocent.

I thought it wouldn’t hurt.

If I took care of this and that

Save faith for “bigger” works.

All seemed fine for quite some time.

The way looked perfectly clear to me!

My wisdom helped me forge ahead.

My pride brought up the rear.

But today was the day of reckoning.

My plots and plans were revealed.

What my way had really cost me

And the path for me to heal.

So here I am again Lord,

With problems I have made.

I am asking for your forgiveness

And to help me find my way.

When I first wrote this poem and centered it from the left hand side, I noticed something. The shape of the poem became like an old-fashion oil lamp. When I began to imagine it lit,

 this verse came to mind:

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Psalms 119: 105

When you have troubles of your own making, where do you go to find the answers and the strength to see them through?

I would like to challenge you to do three things:

First, I challenge you to pray before you do anything farther. 

Not only will prayer open up the communication lines between you and God but He can also reassure you of His faithfulness, love and mercy. God is always there with you but He also waits for your permission to initiate His counsel.

Second, I challenge you to go to the word of God for His wisdom and direction. Sometimes, I go to the concordance and other times, I may go to a book of “God’s Promises” or to other books which teach biblical principles. If I need help interrupting the scriptures or putting my plan of action together, I go to someone who will be honest with me and not just tell me what I want to hear. Beginning to search for the Truth coupled with faith brings about answers if we search with our whole heart.

Last, I challenge you to wait before the Lord so the Holy Spirit can inspire your thoughts and guide you through the process of healing and/or restoring yourself from the messy situation. God usually does everything step by step so listen carefully and then do your best to obey what He is telling you to do. An honest effort before the Lord will keep Him ever present.

Troubles, although hard to go through, 

have always brought me closer to God. 

And that, my friends, is a true blessing.

A Weekend to Remember

Mom died. Now we have to disperse or sell all her treasures. She loved and collected anything-vintage…furniture, all types of wood pieces, and all types of glass, and silver just to name a few. For Mom, it wasn’t so much about having the things as it was about the challenge of the hunt. She loved to find what no one else could and then talk the seller down to nothing. Mom would go into a flea-invested barn herself to pick up her latest bargain. And sometimes, us kids got drafted into helping her move this ‘treasure’ for an enjoyable treat.  When she got it home, Mom would refinish it with love and display it proudly. Then she would delight in telling others about her latest ‘find’ adventure.

Together, my two brothers and I viewed the boxes piled up in each storage room along with the antique furniture. None of the three of us could see ourselves taking much because while Mom always had a large home, we have more modest homes. With that consideration in mind, we pulled up Mom’s white plastic porch ware and decided to have fun with the whole decision-making process.  Like I said, none of us really needed any of the things set before us. However, each of us did want a piece of our past and a memory of Mom.

Paper ended up going everywhere as pieces of Mom’s life were displayed before us. If two or even three of us wanted the same thing, we rolled the dice for it. Highest roller won. I can’t say I was not disappointed with some of the outcomes but it was the only fair way. Mom always said, if we started to fight over her stuff, it was to be sold immediately with no more questions asked...period.

By the time my brothers and I were finished going through everything, we were at peace. We had told many stories about Mom and her escapades which made us laugh once more. We had also told a lot of stories on ourselves growing up which caused some laughter too. Then, at the closing of the last box, I can honestly said my family was still a family and united for the future. And to me...remaining a family is what really mattered the most.

This is what I learned:

1.    Your life can change forever with a single phone call.

2.    Family relationships can be stronger then they ever were, if all set their hearts to make it possible. The boxes said “United” on the sides. Even after many years of differences between us, Mom and her things were beckoning us to stand united at the end of the day.

3.    Accumulation of possessions is fleeting. Some things we buy as ‘investments’ for later may not become the big investments we were planning on at our death. When our kin are ready to sell, it is only worth what another will pay. There are so many variables that can push the price up or down. So…when you make purchases, choose wisely so what is purchased can be enjoyed with those you love now while you are here. Then ‘if’ you can sell it for the profit later, that is always a nice bonus.

4.    Some day you WILL be at the top of the family ladder. These things in the storage rooms were representations of memories from my childhood.  Family pieces handed down...ruby glass, a silver service, sandwich plates with rings for punch cups and pictures of an era now gone.  Cherish the journey because it is all too soon gone.

Mom… it will be a year on the 23^rd of April since your passing on into God’s glory. We miss you down here but I know you are at peace now. Thanks for all you did for us and the lasting memories we cherish.

And Mom...     I love you!