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Rooted in Joy

3/19/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
My sweet little grandchildren brought me over some cookies this morning…
I smiled and took a bite of the cookie they brought…
”Yummmm…did you really make these with mom?”
They both grinned from ear to ear.


What makes you happy?

If you asked my grandson he would answer…”cookies”. Then my granddaughter would interrupt to say…
”No…No…I like making the cookies with mom”.
Now that is happiness…spending time with mom making cookies.

But joy now that is a bit different.

Happiness is based on our current situation… and it’s result.
Joy...on the other hand is a...centered contentment... a deep delight...a beautiful bliss
not dependent on outward circumstances.

You see if they had added salt by accident to the batter of dough, there would have been no smile with the first bite.
Their happiness would have faded.

Joy...on the other hand...is true satisfaction and pleasure.

It starts as a whisper in our heart…but then wells up into an overflowing contentment.
This fulfillment comes from the internal aspect of our faith-based relationship with the Lord.


As the cookies got gobbled up…we were on to the next event of the day…out to the green house to plant seedlings. Because our happy event of eating cookies was done they were looking for the next happy moment with grandma.

"No one can get Joy by merely asking for it. It is one of the ripest fruits of the Christian life, and,
like all fruits, must be grown."

- Henry Drummond

Picture
Picture


 I had them fill 4” x 4” pots with soil
and then I placed a sprouted seed in each one of their palms.
I showed them the root and we carefully tucked the seed with its root into the warm soil.
As they gently patted it in the soil,
we talked about how the root would grow and provide for the seed until it grew its leaves.


Picture
As I have walked this path as a believer I have come to
understand that my joy…rooted in the Lord…cannot be taken away from me.


Why?

Because it has it’s roots deeply and forever planted in the truth of His love for me…
which in turn develops my love and devotion for Him.
This relationship has become my everlasting source of joy…
happiness comes and goes…
but my joy is forever and ever in the Lord!



 1 Peter 1:8-9,
“You love him, although you have not seen him,
and you believe in him, although you do not now see him.
So you rejoice with a great and glorious joy which words cannot express,
because you are receiving the salvation of your souls,
which is the purpose of your faith in him.”
(GNT)



Caprice <><
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1 Comment

The Choice to Love

3/11/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture

It was a beautiful winter day in Northern California…

74 degrees…warm and very sunny.
My husband and I were treating my daughter and our two grand children to an ice cream.
We walked from our ranch, down to the newly opened local store…
a very special event if you are 4 and 2 years old!


Both of them walked with a lively skip in their step, that sometimes broke into a jog.
When we got to the store, six tubs of ice cream laid chilled in the display case…barely visible when standing on tiptoe.
After great consideration, chocolate and mint chip were agreed upon.


Picture
 Little, short, chubby legs swung back and forth in the booth as we waited for our order.
They watched every move of the proprietor as she prepared their cones…
Finally the awaited cones arrived and the delight of the long anticipated moment was here.

Their tongues licked luscious ice cream with smiles and eyes that sparkled.
Then the unthinkable happened…Mom asked for a bite.


Picture
 1 John 4:20
“If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars.
For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen,
if we do not love others, whom we have seen.”
(GNT)


Have you ever given anything up that was precious to you?
Something that you really wanted?

A grievous child yielded up his cone as his little heart hurt.
“You are mean mom”

His words were honest and tumbled from his heart.

“What?” asked his Mom with a slight smile curling on her lips.
 He hung his head in his hands…


He knew he had no choice but to give his mom a bite.
He could not say "No" to someone he loved....
He had to sacrifice what was so very important


Not just because he had been taught manners…
but because he loves his dear Mommy so very much.

It cost him a full bite of his chocolate ice cream.

The little man that sat across from me had just experienced sacrificial love…
he surrendered his precious ice cream to his Mama.


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 So let’s look at a list of what love is and is not

Love Is Not
envious
boastful
              rude              
indecent
self-absorbed
unfair
 
irritable
jealous

Love Is

patient
kind
rejoices in the truth
full of hope
persistent
trusting
protective
supportive
                         
 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

(MSG)


We can sometimes overlook the simple as Christians...
forgetting to...

Love God and Love others

1 John 4:20-21
“If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar.
If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see?
The command we have from Christ is blunt:
Loving God includes loving people.
You’ve got to love both.”
(MSG)



Caprice <><
0 Comments

The Remedy for Neglect

3/5/2015

0 Comments

 
 I have been a gardener since I was 10 years old…I love getting my hands dirty!
Working in the garden helping things to grow…over the years I have planted…
Some flowers for the eye
Vegetables to help me stay well nourished
And shade trees for a hot summer days that offer refreshment

Picture
Picture
 In order for these plants to be healthy…
I need to look deep into the soil at what is it that their roots are tapping into for nutrients…


Is the soil rich?

Well watered?

Is there plenty of sunshine?

But sometimes as I have said in the past things get neglected
So I need to take a step back and take a fresh look at things...
And seek the remedy for neglect
A good look and review of what works and..
What definitely does not

Life needs an overhaul every so often too!
Time goes by and we as people tend to skate on issues and attitudes in order just to get by.
Why because if “it ain’t broke…why fix it?”...such a laziness can settle into one’s heart and attitudes rather quickly

Well I am here to tell you that anything in life worth doing…is worth doing 100%

 "God is more concerned with conforming me to the likeness of His Son than leaving me in my comfort zones.
God is more interested in inward qualities than outward circumstances -
things like refining my faith,
humbling my heart,
cleaning up my thought life and
strengthening my character."

- Joni Eareckson Tada


 
We can sometimes overlook the simple as Christians...
forgetting to...
Love God and Love others

So lets look to what makes this work…
the following is adapted from "The Expositor's Bible Commentary"
 

Love = Sacrificial, unmerited deeds to help a person in need

Joy = an inner happiness not dependent on outward circumstances

Peace = Harmony in all relationships

Forbearance = putting up with others, even when one is severely tired

Kindness = Doing thoughtful deeds for others

Goodness = showing generosity to others

Faithfulness = trustworthiness and reliability

Gentleness = meekness and humility

Self-control = victory over sinful desires


Here is the great news about these attributes…they are provided for us as a gift from God.
Our Father in Heaven has given us the Holy Spirit who produces in us these characteristics!
The essence of  these attributes is how we…


Love God and love others!

Galatians 5:22-26,
“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.
And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires.
God’s Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit.
But don’t be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are.”

(CEV)



Prayer:
Lord help me to live my life by
remembering to use the tools for living a life of love for others and most of all
a 100% love for you! 
Amen


Caprice <><

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0 Comments

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