Processing 4 Life

This morning I started reading Matthew again. I have no idea how many times I have read through this book of the Bible and I still love reading from the NIV Bible I received when I attended The Stony Brook School for my high school  years. Seeing my notes in the margins and what stuck with me and made a difference during those years in high school and college brings a smile to my face. It also reminds me of where I was and what I have walked through. Anyway, this morning I started at the beginning and read through the time when Jesus was in the desert and tempted (Matthew 4:1-11). This was directly after his baptism and anointing of the Holy Spirit and before he began to preach and minister to the people.  If we truly desire to follow Christ's example, that means that after we receive an anointing and before we get to walk in it, there is a time of testing. A time where we need to "grow up" and mature so that we can effectively walk and influence others. Ouch! Anyone else

Jaron has stated that words in and of themselves mean nothing, unless you give meaning to them.  I agree to an extent but have countered that relationships cause words spoken to have meaning and impact. And the only way for that not to be so would be if the relationship has no meaning. And that, in my mind would be a lonely existence. This is just one example of the many conversations that he and I have. Discussions. Sometimes ones that could sound like an argument to an outsider. Because we are both passionate people and that can sometimes come through in the volume and manner through which our words are spoken. My childhood was filled with words and messages. Some from those who were well intentioned and loved me. Some from people that were not tied to my life but what they said had an impact...until I didn't let it any longer. My Dad: I could do and be anything I put my mind to. I would probably have to work twice as hard because I was a woman but I was not to allow that to sto

One step forward. Yes. I will keep moving forward but first I want to look back at my life and highlight some of those moments that have shaped me into the woman I am today. Dad's rules. Technically they were rules of my parents but I viewed them as his. And many of them irritated me.  It seems like there were so many when I was younger but the main ones I remember now - the ones that really irritated me: Not allowed to date until I was 16. Not allowed to get my ears pierced until I was 18. How would getting my ears pierced when I was younger change the character of who I am? At 50, I can wonder if it had more to do with level of responsibility and availability of money but his reasoning is what makes smoke come out of my ears. Even now, I can hear his voice in my head saying "If God wanted holes in your ears, you would have been born that way." Seriously? Did he really believe that? Or was that just the "dad" answer an attempt to placate my persistent requests?

Growing up. Does it ever end? My feet stopped growing by the time I was in high school - size 8. I reached the status of average height (5'4") by the time I graduated high school. I am regularly battling growth around the middle, and the additions that want to hang around on my hips and thighs.  But growing up isn't just about physical growth. There's emotional growth and mental growth and spiritual growth. And it seems that with every lesson learned, every valley triumphed, every mountaintop scaled, there is another lesson to be taught, and another challenge to be conquered. Writing that makes me tired. You? I'm 50. And some days I'm tired.  I can look and see what I can put in the "achieved: been there, done that" column of life. But there is so much more. More dreams for me, my boys, the future generations. The mere thought and time spent pondering leads me to a fork. Do I choose to feel overwhelmed and just throw my hands up because it just all se

In the natural there is a connection between breathing and living. What happens if we take in His breathe? How can one even do that? When I think of the power that results from the simple presence of oxygen - LIFE. How much greater would it be to have his power flowing through us. Breathing his breathe and allowing him to penetrate every cell of our being. Every aspect of our lives. All the way down to the nitty gritty. That's awesome and scary. I mean we are talking about God here. Almighty and powerful. To think of his power penetrating my being. Mind blowing. Vulnerability. I mean if He is truly part of my being and I'm taking that in then that means impurities and toxins have to leave. Like the carbon dioxide we exhale in the natural. Think on that for a bit. And while you're contemplating that, let's add this thought - without Him we are spiritually dead.  So if we are alive in him, then that means he is already there. Already part of us. Empowering us

Breathing. We do it without thinking. And yet, if we stop, life stops. Ok - so breathing is important. But what is happening really - on a cellular level. Why does life stop if we don't get breath. How are these interconnected? You're most likely aware that breathing is essentially a gas exchange. Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out. What happens to the oxygen we breath in? Why is this one element so vital for life? Riveting questions I know. hahaha. Bio-nerd alert... The pathway oxygen takes starts in your respiratory system. Think lungs. But it is interconnected with your circulatory system. Think heart. This is key. Because of what happens to that oxygen - the pathway it takes - it is integral to life as we know it. The oxygenated blood that leaves your heart goes to every part of your body. Every. Single. Cell. So? Well, what is happening in those cells? Work. All the time. 24/7. When you are directly participating in the activity and when you aren't aw