Bezalel & Oholiab ...

"The the Lord said to Moses, 'See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts, - to make artistic designs for work of gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you: the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent - the table and its articles, the pure god lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the alter of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand - and also all the woven garments both the scared garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.' ~ Exodus 31:1-11 ( to read more here Ex 36:2-7)

Oh this passage makes me soooooo excited because being very crafty myself it brings me great Joy to have God put special importance on the crafts of the hands. What ability to be ordained to do that many mediums of crafts!!! - from wood, stone, weaving, and sewing ....etc.... I also find it precious to these names are obscure. It gives me hope and a smile as I go about crafting and giving that craft away.... I always knew that God gave us passions that the world needs and for us to give but to have this spelled out just makes me giddy....

cold hands - hot heart ...

Oh boy! I need to redo my body so that my hands are where my arm pits are and the arm pits are where my hands should be. Why you ask? I have severely cold hands and the hottest heart around and it seems to be getting worse or that I am getting more frustrated with it. My hands are in severe pain by the time I reach work even with my hand double decked in mittens. Here is the kicker... get me all frustrated or nervous and instantly the heart over heats and the cheeks burn but all the hot blood has left my hands a frigid cold. I find that the clothes are more concentrated around the heart area and less clothing for lower arms and lower legs and feet. I guess I could go walking around with my hands in my pits but then very little work would be done.

I make a mean Winter bed or so I thought until I changed the bed sheets this morning. I have concentrated the bedding for my feet with a short wool blanket to keep them toes toasty. However, when this ice cube gets into bed, I have fallen asleep before I notice that my heart is overheating in sweat! I once again have tweaked the bedding situation to where moved the blankets down and away from my heart. My heart is at its coldest when jumping into bed. I tend to snuggle way under so you can't see me at all. I do behave and pull back the covers so I can breath but now I am going to have to kick off the top blankets so that my heart doesn't make me sweat. The good thing about bed covers is that my feet and hands are happy and warm. {sighs}

Ok, I know! Go ahead and snicker at me! {smiles}

the desert road ...

"When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea." Exodus 13:17-22

Oh dear, how many times to I weep and wail about how much time it seems to take for me to get along in my journey or to learn a lesson. It could be the longer winding is better suited to my strength building. There will be battles to face but just maybe it isn't for today because I am not ready. God trains my arms for war and builds my strength upon strength. I have learned that from the Psalms. Just why is it easy to be let the eyes slip focus from the Pillar of God's Glory and Mighty Works? Do I want to roam the desert for 40 years? Noooooo.... so let me follow my Heavenly Father the scenic route is just fine with me. I will rejoice!

Extraordinary Measures ...

This movie tops the charts. Rating would be a 10. Do not think of this movie like you would 'Lorenzo's Oil' where it was a tear infested movie & hope came to late. This movie is very upbeat & the two children especially the little girl with Pompe Syndrome are fighters. Yes, I had some tears but you were in the movie fighting with the doctor and the father as time was ticking away to find something to keep the children alive.

My mother stayed awake and that is saying something. Good thing the theater was huge and we sat in the back! We were quite vocal because it felt like cheering on the home team. This is a most go see. There is some language as the doctor is a crusty eccentric man.

A little note from an English person....
There is this study of four enzymes that they color coded so there would be an equal look at which enzyme was ready to go. The color codes where yellow, green, blue, and magenta. Megs wanted her medicine to be pink and during the movie I kept telling Mom that Dr. Stonewall's enzyme was magenta the closest to pink! Well, you never find out but in my world it is so!

my wedding song ...

I love my visual brain! I have been thinking about the hymn "Be Thou my Vision" and there I am in a white wedding dress and veil. The isle is long and tall because I am feeling quite small. But there He is, my Groom, at the alter dress in white. He turns and the flash of His welcoming smile makes me flutter but His warm eyes make me feel safe. Then He reaches His arms for me and I see His nail pierced hands. My heart bubbles up because those hands meant that I WAS CHOSEN AND HE WILL NEVER LEAVE ME NOR FORSAKE ME! He is my Vision, Lord of my heart!!!!
Amen!

love stinks ... teehee

I have a real hard time with Paul when he admonishes the singles to stay single. I think because he seems quite happy to be single and I am not. I think because I have always felt like a misfit and seem to always go against the peer pressure. It just seems that marriage is a place where you can finally breath without looking over your shoulder. So I rather like what Jesus has to say on 'singlehood' in Matthew. It feels more kind and encompasses more singles than those who have no desire for marriage.

Matthew 19:12
For there are eunuchs
who were born thus,
from their mother's womb,
& there are eunuchs
who were made eunuchs by men,
& there are eunuchs
who have made themselves eunuchs
for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake.
He who is able to accept it,
let him accept it.

Well, 40 has brought on me needing to accept singlehood. It is one of the hardest things to do with so many hazards out there sabotaging my every thought. I was going along with my life and my Amigurumi addiction was keeping me level and functioning then I get asked 'if I was married' and 'if I liked boys or not' at a family Christmas function. Then later I get this call if I would like to go on a blind date. This person was well meaning and it was harmless but man, did it send my thoughts in a wild frenzy and I had some low points last week. BTW I said no to a blind date. Good grief! {take deep breath}

I love BNN {worldwide Christian radio} that has great hymns and pastors. With it comes a lot of marriage tidbits and help that I really dig. But after taking stock of my life, I have spent 20 years studying marriage, what a wife is, and what makes boys tick because I wanted to have the best marriage and be the best wife I could be. Now it gets me because singles need help. If a good marriage is a mission field for all those out there with bad ones then being single should be a mission field for all the singles messing around or are walking wounded. Elizabeth Elliot said "our disappointments are God's appointments." This is a good boost for a thought I have been nursing for the past months. Something along the lines of Singlehood Survival .... of course I am not main stream so maybe my survival kit wouldn't help others. If I create this dream and it only helps me to be full joy and vibrant than it is worth it. I know vague on the dream but people like to rain on my parade and fail to shush and truly listen.

Oh, I have thought of a retort for those pesky questions on my marital status and it is Biblical! It is good for those 'talk backs' I need to pack myself when the heart starts to bleed and the mind goes into downward spiral and the tears heave. I might not quote all the verse as it just might blood to boil but parts of it still packs some heat....

Marriage is honorable ...
be content with such things as you have.
For Jesus Himself has said,
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."
So we may boldly say:
"The Lord is my Helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?"
~ Hebrews 13:4-6

If I really need to shut someone up, I would quote all of it but this saids a lot right here. It certainly shuts me up! I do get a killer wicked grin on my face and I get my mind back and the bleeding stops and the tears recede. I am sure I will have dark episodes and that I would be out the woods on this but I have my footing back and I will keep fortifying myself with His Love Letter.

Robin Hood Relief ...

I woke to the idea of huge planes that can fit automobiles & buses in its belly forgoing any governmental hoopla and red tape landing in open green fields with hordes of personal with tons of aid pouring from the guts of these aircrafts to help and serve the Haitians to ease the hurt and hunger. A vision of an 'aid invade' like now and then they would pull out once all the governments got their acts together. Think Robin Hood!

disclaimer:
If you can't tell tears over the nightly news of Haiti's hurt and hungry are causing hallucinations.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You will revive me.
Psalms 138:1

punishment or just schooling?

Hebrews 12:7-11
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You can think of the hardships as you messing up and in need of correction. Sure that happens but sometimes there are times when I am just struggling and I haven't done wrong. Then I had a thought! I have a bit of teacher in me and I lovvvvvvve learning. So lets think about it as schooling. You wouldn't send your kid just for kindergarden and first grade and then yank him out. It would be consider horrible! There is soooo much out there like reading and math that you kid needs to survive!

So my Heavenly Father & Master Teacher 'discipline' is more like schooling and let me tell you I did horrible with the math. It was hard and my brain is more of a creative free spirit. The hardship wasn't because I did wrong but because it seemed unnatural to me. I needed to learn it.Because the learning was hard, I can say without a doubt that when I finally get it - IT IS MINE to keep! With my love for words, you often will find me making a simple word formula out of something I want to keep in a throw back to math formulas.

Not all bad, huh?

Be Thou my Vision ...

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

written by by Eleanor H. Hull
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you notice that your life has a theme? that you are learning the same thing over and over? that what you are learning is like a spiral upwards where you may be learning the same thing but it is building up each other? I have and when I come to a low point in my life, I have a momentary lapse where I have forgotten everything I learned. I get sooooo mad at myself because I it took me forever to learn these lessons God has given me, I don't want to repeat the learning.

Of late I have lost my Joy that took forever to get. I must turn my eyes back on Jesus and His Word. I must not lose myself in the mud wallow. I am not a pig but rather a chosen people. I must get my act together and remember to enter into His Courts with praise.

Be Thou my Vision, my one True Love.

Here is to a Joyfilled 2010!!!