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My Get Up and Go …


Got up and went.

Ever feel this way? You know, when your day is done (or maybe just begun) and your get up and go, got up and went.

Know the feeling?  We are always on the run, here, there …. everywhere.  Hurry, hurry, hurry.  We have such a frantic schedule, especially when we have children at home.   My mother use to say she met her self coming when she was going.  Think on that one for a minute.

Other sayings from the South:

* running around like a chicken with their head cut off

* they won’t know they’re dead until they lay down three days later

We live life to the fullest.  So full, we overflow into utter exhaustion and yet seem to get little done.  Another saying: “Take time to smell the roses”.   Oh, we can quote them, but can we live them?  Each generation reflects back to when life was simpler … oh, for the good ol’ days.

Is it any wonder we do not hear answers to prayers?  We are too busy to slow down and listen and follow instructions.

In John 9 Jesus met a blind man. The man wanted to be healed.  Jesus placed mud on his eyes and told him to GO and he WENT.

JOHN 9:6-7  6  “After saying this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” He told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”

The man had to put action to his faith in this instance.  Jesus showed him to listen, follow and do.  Oh, we listen when we take the time to hear.  But do we follow?  Do we put any action to our faith?  Do we “GO”?

Today as you are hurrying around to the point that your “get up and go, got up and went” (in other words you are exhausted), think on what God has asked of you to do.  Have you been too busy to hear His still quite voice leading you?  What did you hear?  Did you say, “I don’t have time, or later Lord?  Maybe not in so many words, but in your actions that is what you say, right?  If you put as much into His schedule as you do your own … if when He asked you to “GO” you got up and “WENT”.  What might you see happen?

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Short cut!


Short cuts…

Short cuts

they save time and gas money on our journeys.  We love them.  Most of us know all the ones around our area.  Then there are the short cuts on computers.  Recognize any in the picture?  I love them … they save time AND brain cells.

Got any boxed mixes in the cabinet?  Oh yeah, love those too … save time, energy and it is a fast road to something good to eat.

I guess I really love the computer ones; especially the one at the top that helps with all of my “too quick to click” problems.  (UNDO or Ctrl + Z.)

Our short cut mentality takes over in every area of our lives.  Once we start incorporating it in one area, it slips over into another, then another.  But, we get the job done.  Or, do we?  You see people taking “short cuts” in their work, raising their kids and even in their spiritual lives.  They use quick fixes … putting off the inevitable.  Unfortunately, like our little computer menu, they need an  “UNDO” because eventually short cuts catch up with you.

Remember the movie “SANTA CLAUS” where the elf, Patches, designs a machine to shortcut production?  That turned out well., right?  How about at your job, or as a mom … a dad, an employee, or a church volunteer; taking any short cuts and “getting ‘er done”?  Sometimes it is not about finishing, in fact most of life is not just finishing, it is how you got to the finish; the journey.

Many  are wiping their brows, “whew, got them graduated”.   A diploma from high school, college, etc. is nice.  You “got ‘er done”.  Now comes the hard part, where you sit back and see if  all the short cuts you took raising them are going to back fire.  Are there “holes” in their so-called education?  Oh, they can read and write, but where are they on a spiritual level?  Where are they in character?  What values do they have, if any?  Did you just raise them the way you were raised, or maybe you insisted on raising them “better than your parents raised you”.

Look at your work ethics.  Will they work like you?  Is that a good thing?  How about your spiritual life; will they walk like you?  Is that a good thing?  Have you passed on a “short cut” mentality to the next generation?  Is saving time a good thing?  What did you really save?

The good news is, in the Christian life there is an “UNDO” button =  Control + Christ.  Did any of those “too quick to click” maneuvers backfire  in an area of your life and  you do not know how to fix the mess you have made?  Put it in His hands.  It is never too late to turn it over to Him.  He has been waiting  for you to relinquish control.  At work, at home, raising kids, volunteering at church … put the control in Christ’s hands.

PROVERBS 3: 5-7 “5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. 7  Do not be wise in your own eyes…”

Short cuts in your work life, your home life, children’s lives or church life will bring forth poor results.  Take time to seek Him, read His word and talk with Him … often.  Then, as we all will need to do, use the UNDO daily.

(Disclaimer:  NO, this was not inspired by any of my friends who happen to have high school and college graduations right now :-D).

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It ain’t over ’til ….


I am constantly amazed at the words that come out of parents’ mouths.  Recently one parent said, “I just wanna get them saved so I can quit worrying about them.”  Really?  First of all, you can lead them, you can pray for them, guide them, instruct them …. you   CANNOT SAVE them.

John 3:16(HCSB)   “For God loved the world in this way:  He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” 

The Gk word houtos, commonly translated in Jn 3:16 as “so” or “so much” occurs over 200 times in the NT. Almost without exception it is an adverb of manner, not degree (for example, see Mt 1:18). It only means “so much” when modifying an adjective (see Gl 3:3; Rv 16:18). Manner seems primarily in view in Jn 3:16, which explains the HCSB‘s rendering. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Salvation is the gift of God.  You do not earn it and you cannot give it to someone, least of all your child.   You can share what salvation in your life means and you can pray they come to know God through His son Jesus Christ.  They have to accept the gift, you can not make them take it so they will be safe.

But, once they are saved it is not over.  You must raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Disciplining them in the ways of our Lord, helping them to grow.  When a baby is born into this world that is not the end.  Just as you care and raise them in the world, a new-born in Christ must also be cared for and raised in the spiritual world.  You would not let your newborn flounder around on their own for sustenance, yet many a parent “gets” their child saved and thinks, “whew, now that’s done.”   As a  parent you see to their physical and mental needs (or you should) and likewise you need to see to their spiritual needs, teaching them in the ways of the Lord.  Getting them to Sunday School, youth group and church is a start.  But, you must also walk the talk you talk.  It is not, “do as I say do while you’re doing as you please”.  Your child becoming a man or woman of God is a growing process.  It does not happen overnight or when they are saved.  It is not over at that point.  It is just starting.

1 Corinthians 13:11 (NASB)  “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”

When you bring a child into the world, you must tend to their physical, mental and emotional needs or you are abusive in the world’s eyes.  God’s Word says you are responsible for their spiritual life as well.  How much more accountable should we be to their spiritual needs?  They have all the electronic toys, stylish clothes and treats to eat.  But, have you provided for their spiritual needs?

Proverbs 22:6(KJV) ” Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Some people cling to Proverbs 2:6 as a promise.  It is not a promise, it is a proverb.  However, if you ignore the proverb you are setting your child up for spiritual failure and being lost and condemned.  It will always be their choice to choose God or reject God.  It was satan’s* choice that got him kicked out of Heaven.  God is not a puppet master and we are not puppets.  If you do all you can do to raise your child up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and they choose to not accept, do not let satan* lie to you and blame you.  Just keep praying for that child.  You planted the seeds, someone else may harvest the crop.  You just keep watering it with your prayers.

It ain’t over … it’s just begun.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) 5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.6 Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take.”

*satan – I know people capitalize the “S” but, I don’t.  I refuse to give him any status of importance.  He’s a snake, so satan, devil, etc. are lower case, as he is one.
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Shhhhh….


Yesterday seemed to be the day for screaming kids in our store.  I am continually amazed at parents disrespect for others’ places of work (and even other customers).  I work in a bookstore.  People are trying to read, select books and study materials.  I am not talking about a sudden outburst, but an out-and-out continual loud crying tantrum.  The kind where you cannot hear yourself think.   The mom’s idea was to ignore the kid.  That is fine, but only if it is at her expense, not that of the store’s employees and other customers.  Take the kid to the car, let them scream and sit and ignore them all you want.  Never let your kid scream or carry on, run around, etc. in another person’s place of work.  Could you or your husband work under that condition?  Of course not.  Remember, stores and restaurants are somebody’s place of work.  Respect that.  Let others hear themselves think as they shop and/or work.

So I have vented.  Now to my point.  Quiet time.  For us, for kids.  Learning to be quiet, so you can hear… not just all that is around you, but the Holy Spirit’s quiet voice leading you.  Teaching you and giving you discernment.

My husband has always thought I have bionic ears when it comes to children.   He swears I would hear our daughters change breathing patterns during the night.  I am a light sleeper.  I treasure my quiet, quiet is a valuable thing.  The least little sound wakes me.  Quiet time, something to treasure.  Any mom can tell you that.  Unfortunately, through the years of multimedia, we have grown accustomed to…

LOUD

Is it any wonder when we feel we have not heard from God?   We never slow down, we never get quiet … we are on the go … over stimulated with noise and sights … leaving no room for His

 still, quiet voice.

I could always hear when my children awoke, when they breathed differently, coughed … I was tuned into my girls.  I hear my grandchildren during the night when they visit.  The house is still, all asleep, and I am in tune to the changes of my quiet.

Would it not be wonderful to be so still in my spirit and so attuned to Him that I could hear His still quiet voice anytime day or night?  If only we could hear His voice no matter the clamor all around us.  It is so important to find a quiet time in the day to keep that open line of communication so we KNOW His voice.  It is important for our children to know we have that quiet time as well.

Does He always have to get our attention the hard way?  If only I felt His breath on me … He’s there.  I just need to listen.  Be still.   Shhhhhhhhhh.

1 Kings 19:11b-12  “…And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.”

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Lighting The Path


Have you ever gone camping?  Hiking through the woods?  Have you been on a retreat with your kids as a counselor or chaperone?  Did you ever walk the ocean shoreline at night?

Lighting the Path

I bet you got your  flashlight and shown it ahead of you to light the path, right?  Remember how pitch dark it was everywhere except right in front of you, in the beam of light?  If you shown it way ahead you might fall over something right in front of you.  If you show it to the side you could not see what was right before you.  There was no point in showing it behind you because you had come from there, it was behind you; you were going forward.  The flashlight went ahead of you just enough to light your path.

That is the way of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life. We live in a world darkened by sin.  Some areas of life are darker than others.   He is your light for your path.  He does not want you looking way ahead, to the side or behind.  He is the Light for your day, showing you His way.  Guiding you safely through the path, helping you navigate what would cause you to stumble.  Jesus died on the cross and, if you will, is the “batteries” for the “flashlight”.  You have all you need to navigate the path of life.

Do not walk through life in the dark.  Pick up your Light, allow Him to show you the way.

Psalm 119:105 (NASB)
“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.“

Daniel 2:22 (ESV)
“He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.”