Hiding From God

 

       You can't do it.  "You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins."  Proverbs 28:13a  Not only can you not hide from Him, but Proverbs says you won't  even succeed in life.  The Message Translations says "You can't whitewash your sins and get by with it." Why not?  God knows.

     He always knows.  He is Omniscient.  He is everywhere.  Omnipresent.  He is all powerful.  Omnipotent.  So are you really gonna try to hide from Him?

     The rest of Proverbs 28:13 says "confess them (your sins) and give them up; then God will show mercy to you."  Mercy!  Love that word!  The Message Translation says "you find mercy by admitting and leaving them (your sins)".  Mercy!

     Mercy.  God's mercy.  Withholding God's judgement.  Not giving us what we really deserve for those sins we were trying to hide.

     So just how is your life going?  Really?  Are you where you wanted to be by now?  Are you living openly before the Lord?  

     Think about it.  Not because I suggested it.  But because you know you need to.  Is there anything in your life that doesn't align with God's Word?  Is there anything you think your are hiding and won't be found out?  

     Hiding from God.  Making excuses for your behavior.  Blaming someone else for your actions. None of this will work.  Confessing your sins.  YOUR sins.  Not making excuses.  Now that works. 

     Remember God sees all.  He is everywhere.  And He is all powerful.  Might as well give it up.  You can't do it.  You can't hide from Him.  WE can't hide from Him.  

     Dear Lord, I confess my sins to You.  I come before You openly, nothing hidden.  It's all there.  Lord please cleanse me completely from my sins.  MY sins.  What I've done that was against Your Word.  

     Father I thank You for Your Forgiveness.   I thank You that You truly forgive and forget when we confess and forsake our sins.  Please give me a nudge when I start to stray or give in to temptation.  I want to glorify You with my whole life.  Amen

      No we can't hide from God. But we CAN hide IN HIM! Thank you Lord!

Yeah Mon. No Problem!

     Ok. I have a confession to make. I tried so hard to not inhale!  I really did!  Oh boy. I have to tell you so here it goes.

     July found us in Jamaica!  I think I mentioned before that I was in total awe of the flowers and plants there,  even to the point that I thought they weren't real!  I'm sure, as we stepped out of the airport, I looked like the the Jamaicans' worst nightmare. Or maybe more like their easiest prey!  Constant picture taking and pointing and smiling like an idiot. 

     Once we got settled in our hotel, I couldn't wait to get out on the beach!  I had been warned that there were people who would try to sell you ganja (marijuana) everywhere though. So I was on the alert. Noticing what appeared to be a small lean to on the beach, just past the resort property, I couldn't help but be curious. I reasoned that must be where they lured in unsuspecting tourists and got them high on pot!  (You already know I can be a bit naive and have an imagination so.....) 

     We watched tourist after tourist go to that little shack. Pretty sure they were all coming back out too.  But I made a mental note not to get too close. I was curious but not that curious!

     Well. One morning while I waited on the beach for hubby to come down from our room, I was taking pictures as usual. "Come see my shop!" A loud deep voice shouted to me from just a few feet away. Without even realizing it, my photography habit had led me right down the beach to that little shack. A huge Jamacain with long dreads was right there in front of me! 

     Quick!  Think!  If I try to run he will surely catch me. I can't run in the sand!  And if I go with him, what if I breathe in some of that ganja smoke and then have a drug test and then lose my job and the respect of everyone I knew!!!!  What was I to do. Ok.  Calm down.  It was just a tiny shack right at the end of the resort property. I'd watched many people come and go. What could happen?

     "My name's Smokey" he said. Oh great. He was even named after the smoke from the pot!  But I was just going to this little lean to so I would be ok surely. I tried to tell Smokey my husband would be right down and I didn't have any money on me. He said that was 'no problem' and lead me towards the shack. 

     But,  oh my.....  BUT that was not Smokey's shop!  As we got to the little shack I looked to my left and saw another shack. And then another. Smokey then asked that I follow him to his shop and I realized I was walking down a dirt path wearing no shoes, had no phone service and my husband thought I was relaxing on the beach just yards from our room!  Would I make the international news when I didn't return?  What kind of torture did Smokey have in mind for this little ole lady from Arkansas? 

     As I passed by person after person in various stages of consciousness  I reminded myself not to inhale. There must be ganja smoke everywhere!  Smokey informed me that his shop was the last one. He invited me in. Oh no. This must be where the torture takes place!  If I step inside that tiny building it might be like a magicians box that closes and then I disappear, never to be seen again!  So I politely just stuck my head in the door and asked if he had made all the paintings and carvings. He said he did. When  we went into town later though, we saw the same stuff for sale in many shops. Smokey must be a very busy artist!

     As calmly as I possibly  could, I thanked him for showing me his shop and tried to appear interested  in other shops as I made my way back down the winding dirt path, through  the shack shopping mall,  to the resort. 

     So I don't know if I suffered any effects of the ganja. But I'm wondering if the lack of oxygen from holding my breath for so long may have done a little damage........  We may never know. 

     

Red Frosting

     "Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing."   Psalm 127:3.  Been thinking about this a lot lately.  As our kids prepare to be on their own, they may not need us so much anymore.  Or will they?  How often do we, as moms in particular, say "you'll always be my baby"?  Our children really never stop being our children.
       We wonder "Did we teach them right when they were growing up?"   I look back and see things I did wrong and wish I could change those things.  "Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their lives."  Proverbs 22:6.  That's a hard pill to swallow when you know you haven't done everything right.
     So what are we to do now? Is it too late?  Well, God never gives up on us.  And while we must let our kids make their own way in the world, even as adults we can offer guidance. But, most importantly, we must be examples. Even to our adult children.
     Last week our kids saw a different side of me than they used to.  Looking back through pictures and videos I noticed that I didn't smile much when they were younger.  I don't know why.  But I didn't.  So I have purposed to set a better example by smiling more and being more positive.  Doesn't always work.  But let me tell you about last week.
     While decorating our youngest son's birthday cake (the easy way with a can of frosting and screw on decorating tips) the can malfunctioned.  Our daughter then got red frosting all over her hands.  On a dare from one of her brothers, she proceeded to try to smear red frosting on my face.  I fought back of course!  But she got me anyway while another brother videoed.  Then the birthday boy came up behind her and grabbed her hands, making her smear the red frosting all over her own face!  We laughed so hard!  And of course we've watched the video over and over.
      Did I redeem myself for not being more upbeat and happy when they were growing up?  Maybe just a little bit. Hopefully it taught our kids that mom can have fun and smile and laugh.  And that, even if things aren't going like you planned, it's ok.  Go with it.  Oh. And a little (or a lot) of red frosting smeared on your face can be a good thing. Getting  it out of your hair may take a day or two though!
      What did I learn from the red frosting incident?  That we were being a family.  And I loved it!   In fact, let's do it again haha!
   

Oh Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

     It's about time for some fun stuff!  Us girls.  We work hard!  And it's not like we don't enjoy taking care of our families.  We do!  But sometimes we just wanna have some fun.  And I'm learning that having fun can have an awful lot to do with the attitude.,

     Glitter.  I love glitter!  But it seems a lot of guys are afraid of glitter.  With the recent celebration of Christmas, I did at least my share of decorating.  Lots of those decorations are glittered.  When it was pointed out that I had glitter on my face during a decorating session, I appreciated that someone cared enough to point it out.  But I let them know that I actually have a bottle of glitter that I spray on myself sometimes!  And I just don't understand why some guys are afraid of glitter.  :)  

     I've probably mentioned before that I'm not very good at sitting still in front the TV for a movie.  While my family watched a couple of Star Wars movies (I think it was just two....got kinda lost) a couple of weeks ago, I gladly joined them.  Not to watch the movies.  But I had fun drawing on my new chalk board I got for Christmas!   I am not much of an artist, but my family was glad that I sat still with them for just a little while.  And I had fun being 'creative'.  It was all in the attitude.

     Recently I wrote about skimming sea shells in the ocean.  Now that trip was so much fun!  But less than 24 hours before we were to fly away to paradise, we found out we had an electrical problem at home.  In fact, not just a problem.  We had a fire in the meter thingy on the outside of the house!   Instead of freaking out, prayers were said, smiles were worn, and the problem was fixed.  Nothing was stopping us!  And we were able to leave knowing our home and family were safe.

     Stepping out of the airport in Jamaica that next day, I was in awe!  There was just no way the flowers and plants I was seeing were real.  Just no way.  They were beautiful and perfect and vibrant.  I had never seen such perfect colors other than on silk flowers in the craft stores.  That was it.  They were tricking us! They had placed fake plants and flowers everywhere just to make us think something could be that amazing!  Yeah.........well I finally touched a couple of them and found out I was wrong.  It was then that I realized these were the real deal and the ones I had seen in the store were made to look like these.  So where is the fun in that?  I got a good laugh at myself!  And I probably took like 1,000 pictures of those beautiful real plants and flowers!

     Ok so then they couldn't find our reservation.  Oh no!  I felt the panic start to rise even when the desk clerk said "no problem!".  "No problem mon".  That was the saying of the week.  What a fun attitude! I'm pretty sure we could all learn a lesson there.  Attitude.  No problem.  Nothing is really a problem!  And we 'qualified for an upgrade' once they found our reservation under a combination of names and not just our last name.  That was no problem mon!

     I know I've mentioned before that I love shoes!  In fact, I'm thinking of turning a bedroom into a shoe closet.  Just call me Imelda haha!  (If you're very young you might want to look her up.)  I don't like to shop.  At all.  Except for shoes.  I can't imagine what it would be like to have every style of shoe and boot I ever wanted.  What a dream!

     So back to now.  Christmas is over.  Glittery decorations have been taken down and placed in the garage but not put away just yet.  Well most of the decorations and waiting in the garage.  We still have four huge poinsettia plants in the house.  Not many years ago I would have considered that really dumb.  Christmas is over so all signs of it should be gone too.  But I kinda think it would be fun to see if I can keep these four plants alive.  May set them by the pool this summer!  Because, you know, girls just wanna have fun! 

     

     

This and That.....Year

     That year, 2015.  "My brothers and sisters, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.  Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."  James 1:2-4
     Consider myself fortunate to have trials.  Really?  I could make a list of the trials we've experienced this year and you might feel sorry for me.  I must admit there have been times I've felt sorry for myself.  But is that what God intended?  Most definitely not.
     "We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28.  All things.  That includes trials.
     Trials:  Unexpected job change.  Just when you think you're on top of things, it happens.  Suddenly the job you thought you would be doing changes and all you had worked hard to learn is next to useless.  Feelings of giving up, running away or just crumpling into a blubbering heap of goo become almost overwhelming.
     A diagnosis out of the blue.  Six months to live that turned into less than 2.  Not enough time.  Just not enough time.  Long, painful, lonely hours when it just doesn't seem like that aching hole in my heart will ever go away.
     But didn't He say He works ALL things together for our good?  Sure doesn't feel like it sometimes.  And didn't He say to consider myself fortunate in ALL kinds of trials?  Seriously?  Haven't I been through enough already?
     This year, 2016.  Time to use what I was supposed to learn in 2015.  Attitude.  "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts."  Proverbs 4:23.  Yes there were some difficulties last year.  And yes my heart is still hurting.  But God truly does cause all things to work together for good for those of us who belong to Him.
     Pride.  "Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall."  Proverbs 16:18.  Was it fun having an unexpected job change?  Not at all.  In fact it was down right miserable.  But then I realized something.  Took me a long time.  But the Lord finally got it through my thick skull.  He was using that situation to get rid of the pride I had clung to for so long.  Thank you Lord.  I'm so sorry it took me so long.
     Have I learned all the lessons God has planned for me?  "Of course, my brothers and sisters, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to foreget what is behind me [trials, pain] and do my best to reach what is ahead.  So I run straight towards the goal in order to win the price, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above."  Philippians 3:13, 14.  Now that's our real goal isn't it?
     I think I probably have some more to learn before that time comes.  And my first lesson for 2016, I believe, is simply to be the woman described in Proverbs 31:26.  "She speaks with a gentle wisdom."  I'm working on it.......