A Vacuumed Carpet!

It has been a couple of weeks since I have had the chance to vacuum the carpet, downstairs, in our home. The last few days every time I walked into the house it just felt so dirty and cluttered. This afternoon I finally had a few minutes to straighten up and vacuum. Now the house seems so much cleaner. It is amazing how just a simple act like that can change the feeling of messiness in our home, to freshness.


It seems to me, that this is the same with our hearts. We get so busy, life beats up on us and we get to feeling dirty, cluttered and overwhelmed. We have troubles feeling good about ourselves and doubt our worth here on this earth.

We just need to find a place of refuge, a place of wholeness. This is when this passage in Psalms comes to me....


Psalm 57:1-2

New International Version (NIV)


1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.



I get so mad at myself, sometimes, because I forget to turn to the one who will always be there for me when things are going well but most certainly when times are tough. I need this reminder.....

Ephesians 6:18

The Message (MSG)

13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long.

There really is no reason that any of us have to get to feeling being beat up and filthy before we ask God for help and peace. If we would keep in mind we have the scriptures and the gift of prayer everyday, all day, in every day of our lives, we would never feel unprotected and unsafe.


He wants to be there for all of us, always! Hold tight to the promise of this verse.....



Psalm 144:2

New International Version (NIV)

2 He is my loving God and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield, in whom I take refuge,


My hope for all of you is that you feel the cleansing, loving, safe, protecting, power of our God, there is nothing better.

Blessings!

The Watch!

My weather alarm just went off. 

We keep it up in the master bedroom so we can hear it in the middle of the night. It has been a handy thing to have, even this last winter. The alarm has been very accurate in keeping track of severe weather. We live in Indiana so you never know when the weather will change. Kind like when I was growing up in Kansas.

Anyway the alarm was telling me of a severe weather watch. 

So now we watch!

This reminds me of life. We always need to watch ourselves everyday to make sure our mouths don't get us into trouble. We almost need an alarm to go off in our heads to keep us from being, well.......stupid. Sorry to be so frank, sweet friends, but hey, the truth hurts sometimes. 

                                        

But wait we do have an alarm. It's called the Holy Spirit. If we let Him he can push the warning button of our conscience and remind us to change whatever we are about to say, and keep us out of trouble or from hurting others around us. 

The book of Proverbs has some great insight on this.......


Wisdom’s Call
8 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:

5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Pretty straight forward huh? I need to read this all the time. 

We as Christians know how to live but the human side of us gets in the way sometimes. And we as women can really let our mouths get in the way. We can be petty, we can admit it. 

There I go being to frank again!

Showing the love of God is so much easier when we let the words of our mouth build up instead of tear down! Let's be wise and let understanding raise her voice!

It can be tough but we can do it!!!

Blessings!