My Dining Room Table

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My dining room table is a collecting spot, a study place, and a mentoring area.  It is used for family conversations, sorting notes, having coffee with friends, and yes, even for the rare times we want to eat there.  Today it has many jars of canned tomato juice and green beans waiting to be put away, a plastic container that is ready to be returned to a sweet friend who gifted us with some yummy Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake, and a glass carafe from the coffee maker that ‘died’ and I don’t know what I’m going to do with it.  What’s on yours?

In Psalm 23 we are told that God prepares a table for us.  David was also very specific about where this table was placed – – in the presence of our enemies.  What does that mean?  Why, in the midst of a battle, would someone do that?

psalm-23God prepares the table for me.  While I’m watching and waiting.  He sets out the gleaming silver, the shining glass, the sparkling crystal.  He provides the absolute best for me while my enemies are watching, their eyes popping out of their heads, and their mouths watering.  The battle is still going on around me and He serves a sumptuous meal, complete with my favorite dessert.  Why?  Because he wants them (my enemies) to see how He provides for me.

My enemies, your enemies are real.  Perhaps it is the stress of your job…Perhaps you have experienced the meanness of one you thought was a friend… Perhaps someone has spread some vicious, untrue gossip about you…

God is calling you to the table.  While there He will serve you in the way only He can.  He is a compassionate listener and will delight in having coffee with you.  He knows your favorites and will serve you with love and grace.  His merciful meatloaf is better than anyone else’s.  He dishes up a forgiveness fruit compote that will ‘knock your socks off’. The water in your cup is full of life and never goes dry.

I can hardly wait for Him to seat me.  How about you?

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

 

 

Friday Faves

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I’ve been reading a lot in the last few days.  Here are a few of my finds. You can enjoy them by clicking on the picture or the title.

like-a-tongue-sticks-to-an-icicle-i-stuck-my-god-given-gifts-and-talents-inside-my-pocket-where-they-lay-frozen-and-uselessPRIDE DIGNITY AND POCKET LINT                                           Are you kept from sharing your talents because of perfectionism or self-comparison issues.  As Daughters of the King we are given many talents to use in glorifying Him.  We must use them!

 

Building-friendships-with-faith-sisters-helps-women-grow-spiritually.-3-Ways-to-build-friendships-that-inspire-and-motivate.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH THE FAITH SISTERS YOU NEED         Being intentional in our friendships, spending time with one another, and keeping God in the relationship are a few of the ways to stay connected.

 

The-Eternally-Valuable-Practice-of-Becoming-a-Minimalist-womenabidingTHE ETERNALLY VALUABLE PRACTICE OF BECOMING A MINIMALIST                                                                   Who are you serving?  Your stuff or your Lord.  I’ve been wanting to downsize for quite awhile and this article was very motivational toward that goal.

check-your-neck_-thyroid-cancer-awarenessCHECK YOUR NECK; THYROID CANCER AWARENESS            It is really important that we, women, take responsibility for our health issues.  Being a cancer survivor has made me very aware that unless we insist there is something wrong our doctor may choose not to pursue the issues we are bringing them.  It happened to me,                                                                                           which is why I’m so passionate about                                                                                      who my doctors are and if they will                                                                                          honor my reasonable requests.

gossip-is-a-problem-in-the-church-it-is-often-the-excused-sin-cloaked-as-a-prayer-need-motivated-by-pride-and-judgmentBE HAPPY AND AVOID GOSSIP          Gossip is a big problem everywhere.  In the church where it is disguised as acceptable sin, at the coffee shop where it’s the norm for our culture, yes, even on the phone in private conversations.  God doesn’t like it and we must stop doing it.  Great ideas here for doing just that.

I hope you’ll take the time to read these awesome posts.

Keep on keeping on.

Marie

I connect with several link-ups throughout the week.  You can check them out by going to my Blog Hops page.

The Christmas Angel Project – Book Review

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The Christmas Angel ProjectA dear friend and mentor passes into eternity unexpectedly and leaves a handcrafted angel for her book club friends.  As a way to celebrate the life of this special woman and mentor, they determine to choose a personal project for their community based on their personal skills and gifts. Thus, The Christmas Angel Project is born.

All of their projects are worthy but something is missing.  The ‘God Factor’, i.e., a relationship with Jesus.  They each find a tiny scroll with a Bible reference specifically for each individual.  How these short verses affect change in their lives is very revealing in their relationships with friends, family, and colleagues.

2 Things I liked about this book:

It was very motivating and encouraging.

There was no violence or sexual connotations.

2 Things I didn’t like about this book:

The characters seemed somewhat hollow and could have used more development.

Although a delightful story, it really could have been longer.  Obviously, it left me wanting more.

With all of that in mind, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 and would recommend it for those who want something lighter to read.

I was provided a copy of this book by Revel Publishers for the sole purpose of review.  All of the thoughts and comments are my own.  

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

No Options To Love

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How often do we pray, “Father, let (help) me love everyone today,” then walk out of our ‘prayer spot’ and totally forget we’ve asked?

Then, someone irritates us with their words…

Then, something happens that wasn’t planned…

Then, another person tells us what someone else has said about us…

Then we feel slighted by someone, in some way…

When we are commanded in John 13:34 to love one another like HE loves us there are no ifs, there are no buts.  One almost might say there are no options.  But there are actually two,  right choices and wrong choices.  The above ‘thens’ have options.  We can choose to respond as HE would with kindness, love, patience, gentleness and self-control.  We can choose to be hateful, gossipy, malicious, or controlling.  What choice we make shows others Whose we are.

Let’s choose loving one another!!!

Blessings to you and yours!

Marie

Originally published on October 8, 2011

3 Who Parted The Waters

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Interesting!  Amazing! Provoking!  Every one of these adjectives describes my Bible reading.  How about yours?  Do you read the Word for study only or, like me, do you take the time to just read it for the pure joy of it.  Don’t get me wrong, I do study the Word!  But every morning, with coffee in hand, I simply read it, asking God to let me see something new and amazing each time.  He honors that request almost every day and today was no exception.

2 Kings 2

We all know that Moses parted the waters at the Red Sea, and stopped the rivers on the journey to the Promised Land.  Did you know there are others?  I found two in 2 Kings Chapter 2.

Elijah was trying to get away from Elisha because he knew he was about to be taken to the LORD.  First, he told Elisha to stay where he was because God had an errand for him in Bethel.   Elisha wasn’t having any of that.  He knew what was about to happen and he wasn’t leaving.  Then Elijah said God had an errand for him in Jericho.  Same thing happened, so they traveled together.  Finally, Elijah said God has an errand for me at the Jordan.  Elisha is not about to let him out of his sight.  When they get to the Jordan, Elijah hits the water with his cloak and it parts allowing them to cross on dry ground.  When they reach the other side Elijah is taken to Heaven in a whirlwind, his cloak falls to the ground.  Elisha, having already asked to be like Elijah, uses the cloak to part the waters again and return to the other side.  As I said, interesting, amazing, and thought provoking.

Transfiguration by Alexandr Ivanov, 1824

Transfiguration by Alexandr Ivanov, 1824

Here’s another interesting connection.  (I love it when the Old and New Testaments connect!)  At the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13) Jesus met both Elijah and Moses.  Isn’t it interesting that the One who walked on water and the ones who parted the waters were great friends  and needed to talk to one another while Jesus was this side of heaven?

Keep on keeping on!

Heavenly Father, put a great desire in all of us to know more and more of  You!  As David said, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Make it so for all of us Lord!