what a way to go!

Whew!  All the 911 stuff brings up a lot of feelings.  A question has come to mind as I hear the stories all over again.  If I had a hubby who called me to tell me good bye before he met the Lord, what would I say?

The answer comes quickly.  Psalms 23 seems top on everyone's list but for me it would be Psalms 100.  This particular Psalms gives such strength and gives you something constructive to do when chaos is raining down all around you and when you feel the fires heat bear down your neck and when you feel the foundations give way .....

Psalms 100
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands.

The battle is the Lord's.  What is a joyful shout but a battle cry?  

Serve the Lord with gladness;

... even in difficult times, even in a blaze of fire, even when you storm the terrorist in a plane headed for the White House, even if you are all alone gasping for the next breath of air,...

come before His Presence with singing.

Singing changes your brain for the better even if all you can get out is a few whimpering notes... He hears you.  He is with you.  He is singing over you.  Can't you hear Him singing?

Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

We were made by His Hand and He has plans for us.  We are weak.  He is strong.  He is our Hope and all we have to do is trust and obey Him.  What a Great Shepherd He is.  We are NEVER EVER FORSAKEN!  Keep marching onward! 

Enter into His Gates with Thanksgiving, and into His Courts with Praise, be thankful to Him, and bless His Holy Name.

If is time to go on into Glory what better way to do so than with thanksgiving when meeting God face to face.  If is time to stay here and come before Him in prayer and all is taken from my hand, it is His plan not my own and I will come before Him and thank Him for what I did have and will wait upon the Lord for what is and is to come.

For the Lord is good; His Mercy is everlasting, and His Truth endures to all generations.

Yes, the kids will know not only their earthy father but their Heavenly Father as well.  God is both Protector and Provider.  We shall meet again.  I have the memories.  We serve and love the One True God.  Those who come behind us will know of our love for each other but more importantly for our Lord and Master.

The visuals are overloading my mind as I step into the 'shoes'.  I am sure the emotions would be raw and the cracks would be in my voice but what strength I find in Psalms 100 and would want to give it out to my loved ones whether or not it was me facing the my final (finest) hours or it was my loves ones.  

O to enter HIS GATES a shouting!!!!!  with all the JOY within me bursting out of all my seams!  What a way to go!!!!  

war paint & crazy!

I am putting on war paint and wanting do something a little crazy. It is the best way I know to start a new beginning that I really don't want to do when the old seems to best fit. My attitude was sinking fast and tears where my food. I am suppose to be better than that! I am God's child! Am I not more than a conqueror through HIM who loves me? Than why am I not living it? Why am I crumbling up in a corner with red eyes? Not I, I roar as I look to Monday. I am going in with the Sword flashing on the inside as I have a brave smile and happy eyes on the outside. I will not be defeated and I will not let the thief steal my God-Confidence, my God-Peace, and my Joy.

I've been fortifying all weekend and banishing all bad thoughts with Scripture and Hymn 'talk backs'. I have this giddy smile when I talk back to bad thoughts. I guess because as a child I wasn't allowed to talk back to my parents. To take something so wrong and turn it into something good like talking back to the thief is super satisfying and mischievous!

I read somewhere that anger is a weakness! Not going there. Also that not looking into someone's eyes is showing weakness? Hmm, gotta work on that. Eyes focused on Jesus Christ is strength!!!

So here is to war paint and the happy fight that threatens my purpose and value. I am a conqueror through HIM that love me. He is my Strong Man and no one gets into my house to steal!

to be a superpower or not to be ...

She asked me what I thought about the country of Georgia - I did not want to start WWIII with her (she is new & I don't know her that well) and she doesn't want WWIII globally I understand but I am a fighter and especially for the underdog. So you can guess what I really think! So because she asked me something like this without knowing what it might stir up, I thought I would try to ask a question - to do a bit of research on the side... Here is the burning question I posed to her:

"Is the USA a superpower?"

"Not anymore. We used to be but no so anymore."

"Do we need to be a superpower?"

"Yes, we do!"

"Why?"

"To protect ourselves."

"So we aren't here to rule the world?"

"No."

I am doing a bit of research because of a conversation a while back that I don't remember to much about but I do remember how I felt. It is definitely a feeling of being misunderstood as an American by an Australian but most likely what most of the world feels about us. This Australian shared a Kingdom view with me and still felt this way... I wish I could give him my findings.

I know there is going to be all kinds of answers to these questions. But for the most part I am bitting on that most Americans are going to what to be a superpower for the purpose of self protection and for protecting of others even if they have a worldly view.

Personally I do not like to view the US as a superpower because that is not what our purpose is. I have always felt the history echo forward. Our greatest strengths is faith, creativity, and the love of the underdog. We are not conventual and young at heart. Unfortunately, we are bit loud which causes a bit target on our backs. Down in the very depths of me is a fighter. Always will be. I will defend at all costs. ... {jumps down from soapbox & fades out of view}

reasons for war ...

I have decided to read all of the Narnia series and have watched the two movies. I am also going through the Ring movies as this is one of my yearly pacts with myself. I do not know too much of these two authors' personal history other than they were British authors and friends in a time where war was on their minds. Reading their most popular stories, war is the theme. I wonder if they would be rolling around in their graves if they could see today's 'war' mindset.

What is happening to our vision? Yes, there is a veil covering our eyes but a believer has the ability to know what is on the other side of the veil. No, we don't fully understand but we've been told in the Letter from God. War is apart of life. To fight evil - to hold to good. Anyways this is not to debate war but just an observation. A first thought .... a continuing thought ... and a thought that might not get answered until I reach the other shore...

life God-lived ...

Trouble, trouble, toil, and trouble... I can see the witches stirring their brew in Shakespeare's Macbeth. My soul feels the trouble, trouble, toil, and trouble in the world today as hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, drought, flood, and tornadoes tear up and eat away the fleshy part of earth. It is not just the wrath of nature but the human demise as well. Just look at the character miming of those in office or seeking the office. Just look at the way of a country founded on the Bible and on God that has taken prayer out of the public and is rather loose with taking His name in vain.

I was just lamenting with my Mom the other day over the nature, gas prices, food prices, genetically altered food, and the fate of our country. I keep going back to the Abraham and his request to save Sodom and Gomorrah. Is there enough of us Christians to save the country and the world?

Anyways today Ravi talked about Daniel and how he choose to eat God's way instead of the foods offered to the idols. Daniel choose to live differently in the land that captured him. He made a difference and changed 3 kings lives. That in time when the world seems like it is winning and you are captured with in this mess, you must stay true to God and His Word. "You cannot argue against a life well lived.'' This was Ravi's closing line and it caught me. Of course, me and my word fetish, I had to change but I shall let this echo with in and make sure that I hold my head up and live as purely and beautifully as I can. I have a certain someone who has been attacked repeatedly while serving his country and I think I need to send encouragement. He has not fallen into public depression and he has not faltered. He loves God and it shows.

You cannot argue against a life God-lived

soldier and Christian?

I was talking or rather listening to a father talk about his son going off to train to be a 'Green Beret' and about a couple other boys that are either in the war or coming home. He is a bit long winded but I do enjoy listening to him. Today he affirmed without knowing it what I feel a Christian solder has over one who isn't a believer.

Can a Christian soldier come home from horrific battle unscared mentally? Can a Christian soldier come home to his family and return to being a great dad and a loving husband without this 'retreat' side affects? Can a Christian be a soldier and conduct himself peaceably as the NT commands? When a Christian young man has this strong desire to serve in the military, is it God's purpose for him? Is a Christian soldier better than a soldier who isn't a believer?

I know the New Testament has we are to be peaceable and being a soldier that would seemingly go against peace. Because I my favorite Bible character is King David, I really do believe that a Christian young man can serve God on the front lines of any war. I strongly believe that a Christian who feels he is 'called' to be a soldier really needs to go into 'Spiritual Boot Camp'. A Christian already has come to terms with his on mortality. Jesus took the sting out of death. No fear. So with that taken care of there are a couple other things a Christian should tackle.

First things first, a Christian soldier must always seek God in every move he makes especially in the heat of battle and always find time to get quiet with God. After seeking God the next thing he must do is hide God's Word in his heart like passages about battle. God had battle plans required of the Israelites and it always included getting your life cleaned up or making sure there was purity within the ranks. When they lost it was because someone did wrong and hid it. Other passages and I think most important of especially for war and for men in general is the issue of anger. Anger happens. A buddy gets maimed or killed. What happens? Sorry, but too often anger sets in and then there the boys go off on a killing rampaged. A Christian is NOT slave to anger. Yes, that means a Christian is free from anger. Again you have to seek God in this area. He will meet you and show you how to have freedom from anger. Lastly, a Christian soldier should 'talk back' to any attacking disbelief. I am not saying you have to 'talk back' aloud. I don't rather I am in my prayers or mentally. It is a must or you find your faith wavering.

So the Christian soldier goes off to war and sees some horrific battles and/or is wounded, do I believe he can come home spiritually whole and without nightmares and without retreating into a shell of a man? YES I DO. God said He has gone ahead and will go with you. He says not to be afraid (deut 31:8). I know there are going to be mistakes in battle, but God is a loving God and He is a Forgiver. Man is lousy in the forgiveness dept. Not God. Again this is not an over night transformation. No! This is a daily walk. Each moment is to be shared with God. In battle and out. And who said a Christian is off duty?

It was nice to hear this father be on the same wave length as me. A great God-Affirmation. I thought it but never ventured to say it aloud. I didn't even have to... this father just started talking about this and I was jumping on the inside!!!!

Some passages that I find comfort in when it comes to war:
Psalms 83 & Psalms 37: 12&13 - this one is for the president of Iran.
Psalms 91
Ephesians 6:10-18 <-- hmm, good for spiritual boot camp!

The Armor of God
¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

God in Iraq and at home...

The first Gulf War was closer to me then this war. Probably, because the men and women that went to fight were my age. This war is further away from until lately. Deaths are hitting closer and closer to home. Today when talking to a co-worker who keeps me updated with his soldier, I realized just how close it is getting.

The soldiers are now sons and daughters of my peers. It is a whole different set of emotions. Today I learned about Sam who got shot 3 times on Friday and was unconscious for three days. He is the boyfriend to a co-worker's daughter. I am adding Sam to my list.

I got an update on Joey. He is another soldier that I get updates on. He not so keen being in Iraq. I won't get into that - reasons will be kept private here. Joey is boyfriend to a daughter of the plant boss. The boss has taken Joey under his wing. Joey's home life is wasn't good. Monday the boss told me that Joey didn't take to the 4 anthrax shot and his arm and side is real stiff. This just might allow Joey to come early. Joey is excited.

I have been having some concerns for Joey because I know his mind isn't in it. Not good on the battlefield. I do ask the hard questions. So I asked the boss guy 'isn't it dangerous to feel that way?' Yes was his answer but what can you do but encourage his mindset.

This time I asked if Joey felt that being in battle was good for him. The boss guy said absolutely. God was a foreign concept to Joey. He was just something big. Now Joey bends the knee and asks God. Then the boss guy said 'I wish I could get my daughter into that for a time.' I said 'maybe it will rub off on her.'

Tears were falling in my eyes. God is works and when He does and I am fortunate enough to have my eyes wide open to it, I cannot help but have liquid emotions flow!!!

I was also moved to thought-
Guys need that battle and that adventure to hone his character. Daddy's often wish they could provide some honing to a wayward daughter. With my girl-eyes there is that honing in the waiting and often the worrying when left home. Perfect opportunity to show the girls that in the waiting they must get busy and become the prayer-warrior. Why not show them they are hearth-keepers and that it takes a warrior heart to do so. There is strength in that.... and pure beauty.

The battle is the Lord's. Iraq is the Lord's. So is America. We are to weak and so shanken by evil and terror. Don't forget Who is strong and will take any earthly defeat and make all thing beautiful in His Time...

in God I trust ...

If I had my way, this war would never have been commenced. If I had been allowed my way, this war would have ended before this. But we find it still continues; and we must believe that He permits it for some wise purpose of His own, mysterious and unknown to us; and though with our limited understandings we may not be able to comprehend it, yet we cannot but believe, that He who made the world still governs it.

We are indeed going through a great trail - a fiery trial. In the very responsible position in which I happen to be placed, being a humble instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father, as I am , and as we all are, to work out His great purposes, I have desired that all my works and acts may be according to His will, and that it might be so, I have sought His aid.
~ Abraham Lincoln, October 6, 1862

I do not doubt that our country will finally come through safe and undivided. But do not misunderstand me... I do not rely on the patriotism of our people... the bravery and devotion of the boys in blue... or the loyalty and skill of our generals...

... But the God of our fathers, Who raised up this country to be the refuge and asylum of the oprpressed and downtrodden of all nations, will not let it perish now, I may not live to see it ... I do not expect to see it, but God will bring us through safe.
~ Abraham Lincoln, June 1863 weeks before the Battle of Gettysburg

When everyone seemed panic-stricken... I went to my room ... and got down on my knees before Almighty God and prayed... Soon a sweet comfort crept into my soul that God Almighty had taken the whole business into His own hands...
~ Abraham Lincoln

Wow! I find huge comfort from a great President of old to the President today - a humble human prespective. Two men alone in their wars but standing in their faith of the Almighty. The human history books will surely pale in the light of the Kingdom's history books. I cannot wait to pour over those Heavenly volumes!

chip away!

I have noticed that with gruff men that you can actually chip away the rock and reveal the 'friendly' inside by keeping up the daily greetings and good mornings with your best smile. So if this has worked on some pretty tough dudes, it should work on the one that I have a schedule meeting with HR tomorrow. In honest words this guy and his department aren't playing nice with me the receptionist. I am getting sick of it and have some not so happy feelings about it. I've have been taming the beast inside and will try to work on solutions. However, I do believe my best arsenal is just my smile and bright eyes to chip away the bad feelings and ruts...

rumors of war ...

My spirit gets weak and weepy as war has filled up every page of every day. Through tears and prayers I view the world as I hide out for rest in my space. Then last night Billy Graham had an old 'classic' sermon on that really gave me a peace. I cannot say the words he said exactly so bear with my telling ...

Rumors of war and war will be an every day occurrence.
so no peace?
Peace comes on in Him.
what about peace on earth?
Peace on earth was Jesus born to us.
so no peaceful days?
You ask the wrong questions. Peace is only found by putting your life in God's. You are promised and given Everlasting Peace so you can live in the days of rumors of wars and war. Peace will rule in the end. Good will triumph over evil. And after the Final Battle, Peace as you wish now will be forever.

Dear Almighty Warrior & Prince of Peace,
I feel much better. I was out of focus a bit. I have Peace living in me every day. By keeping my eyes You, the Prince of Peace, I can live in war and rumors of war. No, it doesn't mean that I carry peace signs. I have a battle to fight and prepare for no matter if physical or spiritual. I always knew I had a fighter's spirit....
~always Yours