Mom Monday

" The sayings of King Lemuel- an ORACLE his MOTHER  TAUGHT him:   "O my son, O son of MY WOMB, O son of my vows, do NOT spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.   "It is not for kings, O lemuel- not for kings to drink wine, not for ruler to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law decrees,  and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.   Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Psalm 31:1-9   ORACLE-   A command or revelation from God.     May we teach our children NOW so when they are older they may be guided by and pass on our teachings (which should be "commands and revelations from God...The Master Teacher). What "Oracles" are we teaching our children??? It is OUR JOB to pass on to another generation what we ourselves have learned of God's commands.   What "oracles" were you taught as a child? Perhaps you could take a moment and thank your mom today for any teachings from God she gave you.   Happy Mom Monday...........Thank God for this BEAUTIFUL and HOLY job He gave you to teach your children about HIM.   "Let us not become WEARY in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP." Galatians 6:9           "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

"How much more.................."

I was sitting in McDonalds listening to a friend share a clip of what is going on in her life when I heard HIS VOICE AGAIN.   She was sharing about how excited she was that she found this particular gift for her daughter that she has DESIRED and ASKED FOR many times. This mom used the phrase, "I am beyond excited to give it to her."  As I sat there LISTENING WITH A "BIG EAR"  and seeing with my own eyes this incredible joy this mom had in giving her child something she really, really wanted,  His Words popped into my mind:   " ASK and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son ( or daughter) asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then,  though you are evil (do wrong things) know how to give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN GIVE GOOD GIFTS ( "the Holy Spirit" in Luke 11:13) TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM! Matthew 7:7-11   Not feeling much love in your heart...ASK!!! Ask Him for more love.... Not feeling much JOY? ASK your Father in heaven........Not feeling much peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control??? ......Not feeling much hope????  ASK!!! "How much MORE will your Father in Heaven give GOOD (Spiritual) GIFTS to those who ASK....and ASK AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.   May we trust HIS HEART as an AMAZING FATHER, better than any of the best dad's on earth...keep your eyes open to the joy earthly parents have in giving gifts to their children  that they really want  and hear HIS WHISPER......." I want to give you even better gifts and even more than these earthly parents...."   Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link     "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

Tools

I saw a funny commercial the other day where they were using  a big stuffed bunny (perhaps the Energizer bunny??) to  try to break down a wall. The people standing by said, "Wow, this is going to take awhile."" The commercial was an advertisement for using the right tool.  As soon as I saw that commericial, I heard HIS VOICE.   We are God's 'TOOLS" ... people utilized to carry out the designs of another......devices for performing work.     We are all different, made for different works that God wants us to do. It is up to Him what kind of "Tool" we are and how he wants to use us. He is the Master Builder and with his great wisdom knows EXACTLY what kind of tool he needs to perform a certain kind of work. Our job, is to allow Him to use us.......to totally surrender our will to His.   "Does the AX raise itself above him who swings it, or the SAW boast against him who uses it? Isaiah 10:15   An ax doesnt' ask to be an ax. It is what the Creator designed and created it to be. All tools are useful and NEEDED at the right time, in the hand of the Builder.     May we be sooo thankful that we are any kind of tool at all and given the opportunity to be "Useful to the Master."  May we accept and be all that he made us to be. May we not try to CHANGE "ax's" into "saws."    "Does not the Potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? Romans 9: 21      May we be patient for Him to use us at just the right time when he needs the exact "Tool" that we are.  May we TRUST him to know what tool is needed at the right time. May we praise Him for all the different tools he has in his toolbox.  Hammers are wonderful but where would I be without my screwdriver???? Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link.....   "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

APANGU!

Do you ever feel like giving up??? I sure did this past Friday night.  My girls and I had gone to  grandma's house for the evening. It's about half and hour away from our home, so around 9:30pm, knowing I had about 1/2 hour left in me to drive home, we began packing up to go. After we were all loaded and ready to go, we began driving our van up the snowy hill to get out of grandma's driveway. Unfortunately, we could only get so far before our van would start slipping backwards and simply would go no further. After about the 15th  unsuccessful try I contemplated giving up and spending the night. That wouldn't have been bad to have a sleepover at grandmas'  (we LOVE those), it's just Reese didn't have "Princess" and Big Bear, I didn't have my contact solution & glasses and we had basketball games early the next morning.  So, we decided to NOT GIVE UP and  continued trying. Finally, 45 minutes later and after 20 something tries, grandma got our van to the top of the hill. After much cheering and with thankful hearts, we FINALLY headed home.   It is such a temptation in soooo many areas of life to give up. Jesus shared a story with his disciples to speak on the topic of "giving up" in Luke 18:1-8   "Then JESUS told his disciples a parable to show them that they SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY AND NOT GIVE UP. He said: ' In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who KEPT COMING TO HIM WITH THE PLEA, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, "Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow KEEPS bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'   And the Lord said, 'Listen to what the UNJUST judge says. And will not God (who is just and who cares deeply about men) bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, (I.........Jesus......the One who never lies), he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"   I don't know what is going in your world and what pleas you keep coming to God with. However, the "Just Judge who cares about men" does. He tells you to KEEP COMING. Jesus told them & us this parable to "SHOW US  THAT WE SHOULD  ALWAYS PRAY AND NEVER GIVE UP". KEEP PRAYING FOR YOUR LOST, DISOBEDIENT, STRUGGLING, CHILDREN. KEEP PRAYING FOR YOUR MARRIAGE WHICH HAS AN ADVERSARY BECAUSE MARRIAGE IS SOOOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL.  KEEP PRAYING FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR OWN WRESTLES WITH THE ENEMY.   A..lways P..ray A..nd N..ot G..ive U..p   APUNGA!!! APUNGA, my friends! APUNGA! Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

"He will..."

"In your  UNFAILING LOVE  you WILL LEAD the people you have redeemed. In YOUR strength you WILL GUIDE them to your holy dwelling." Exodus 15:13   He WILL lead. HE WILL. He WILL guide. HE WILL!!!. Will we follow???????????????? Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

"Clothe yourselves........."

Do you ever have those days you look in your closet or drawers and say out loud, "What am I going to wear today?" My husband ALWAYS sets his clothes out the night before but I can hardly ever do that because I'm just not sure how I'm going to FEEL the next morning.  Sometimes, when I'm pushing the hangers back and forth looking for that certain pair of jeans (or long, cool skirt)  or the perfect long sweater for the day, even though I have PLENTY in my closet, I find myself saying the very thing I hear my children say that drives me crazy, "I don't have anything to wear." Here is a closet FULL of clothes and drawers with not much room to spare and "there's NOTHING to wear???"       On those days, when for some reason, your clothes just aren't looking good to you, nothing seems to fit right,  they don't make you feel beautiful, or you're just plain bored with the same clothes but it is not in the budget to add something new to your wardrobe, try bringing to mind this truth:     " Therefore, as God's CHOSEN people, HOLY and DEARLY LOVED, CLOTHE YOURSELVES with COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS and PATIENCE. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues PUT ON LOVE, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14     Whatever kind of "clothes" day you may have today, may you put on the "clothes" listed above and be BEAUTIFUL. Remember...according to Scripture.......you may have the most striking outfit on and look GORGEOUS today, but "without LOVE you are NOTHING." .....Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link           " "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

An unusual greeting

Something sooooo unusual happened yesterday. Like normal,  I went to pick up 3 of my children at Winchell Elementary at the same, 3:45pm pick up time that I do every day. Usually, when I pick up my children from school, I get a "fairly" nice greeting..........a "Hi mom," a hug, a backpack to hold for them (how sweet ). Yesterday,however, was different, a bit unusual. From a long way off, I saw my 8 year old son, RUNNING towards me. As soon as he got to me, he  threw his arms around me, kissed me almost knocking me over, like he hadn't seen me for years.  I have no idea what prompted this kind of a greeting. A friend of mine was standing around and observed this incredible greeting. She said, "I want one of those."  I just finished e-mailing her  the story below:   "Jesus continued, "There was man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, "Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to be a citizen of the country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him;   'Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'   So he got up and went to his father.   BUT WHILE HE WAS STILL A LONG WAY OFF, HIS FATHER SAW HIM AND WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION FOR HIM; HE RAN TO HIS SON, THREW HIS ARMS AROUND HIM AND KISSED HIM.   The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'   But the father said to his servants,  'Quick!! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate......................." Luke 15:11- 24   Observations:   vs. 11........The man had 2 sons...they serve as examples for us.......we only have 2 choices. We are either with God or we are against God. We are either believers in Jesus or unbelievers.     vs. 12.......The younger one said to his father, "Give me." (sounds like us doesn't it).....so the father  gave him what he asked for. God respects and has given us our freedom of choice. He gives us what we ask for. If we ask for Him to leave us alone........he leaves us alone.  He will not force us to be in relationship with him. But wow..........does he ever long for us to DESIRE to be with him.   vs. 14......"And he began to be in need..." God uses our times of "neediness" to draw us back to him...May we be alert to our own neediness and that of others as a season of "opportunity."   vs. 17..."When he came to his senses... he went back to his father and said to him, "Father  I have sinned (I've done something wrong, something that isn't beneficial to me or anyone around me)"...........It makes sense to humble ourselves when we sin/do wrong. The fool is proud and "says in his heart, 'There is no God." Psalm 14:1   vs. 17 & 20.....The son said " I will go to my Father and say to him'.............So he got up and went to his father."   The son did what he said he would do. He didn't keep putting it off.  He didn't speak and then not act."Does God speak and then not act?" Numbers 23:19   vs. 20..........God is always looking and waiting for us to return to him, to move towards him. When we mess up, as soon as we choose to repent,,, he is FULL OF COMPASSION TOWARDS US........   "The Lord is Gracious and COMPASSIONATE, He is slow to anger and rich in love." Nehemiah 9:17   He runs toward us, he throws his arms around us and he kisses us. He gives us an AMAZING greeting. .....a greeting that is a bit UNUSUAL.... So I told my friend, that she could receive that kind of greeting by the ONE who Created the Universe and loves her more than anyone else. ....the ONE she was made for.  Blessings from Bombadil.............home of a little boy who gave his mom an AMAZING greeting and an opportunity to reveal God's heart to a friend. Kristy LInk   "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

"...joy will come"

13 years ago (yes......1 3 years.........wow!) on this day, I was at Bronson hospital in the beginning stages of labor. It was a very loooooong day of  LOTS OF PAIN........( that is before I had the AMAZING & WONDERFUL epidural).  Thankfully, at 9:37pm this precious baby boy entered the world and has brought incredible JOY to his parents. Hear Jesus' words:   " You will grieve, BUT your grief will turn to JOY. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; BUT when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her JOY that a child is born into the world, So with you: Now is your time of grief, BUT I will see you again and YOU WILL REJOICE and no one will take away your joy." John 16:20-22   Perhaps you are experiencing grief and pain at this moment in your life. May I hold out to you the encouragement of Scripture that speaks EVERYWHERE  of the truth to hang in there, because JOY WILL COME!!!    Jesus will "bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair..." Isaiah 60: 3    " ....have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned to joy and their mourning into a day of celebration...." Esther 9: 21 & 22     " You turned my WAILING into DANCING; you removed my sackcloth and clotheed me with JOY, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.' Psalm 30: 11     I could go on and on............there are sooooooooooo many Scriptures that speak of this principle. So, if now is your time of grief................hang in there my friend. A better day is coming. Persevere. Don't give up or give in. Be STRONG in the Lord and never give up hope, He WILL  turn your grief, ...........somehow and in someway.........to joy. Meditate on His words. They are true and flawless. Blessings from Bombadil..........the home of a mother of a TEENAGER...........ahhhhhhhhhh! Kristy LInk   "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

Mom Monday AND Happy Martin Luther King Jr,day

.      Happy Mom Monday AND Happy Martin Luther King Jr. day..................... To honor both of those, I looked up Martin Luther's King's mom, Alberta Christine Williams King.  She was the mother of 3 children.  She lost one to assasination and one to a drowning accident while she was yet living.  She herself was assasinated 6 years after her son while playing the organ in  her church, the church pastored by her father, her husband and then her son,  by a man who said, "All Christians are my enemies."   While he was still living, Martin Luther King Jr.  said this about his mom:   " She was behind the scenes setting forth those motherly cares, the lack of which leaves a missing link in life." If you are prone to think that your "motherly cares" mean nothing, I encourage you to accept the truth given in the above quote. There is a HUGE LACK, A MISSING LINK, if we as moms DO NOT set forth those "motherly cares." May we take great pride today in all the ways we care for and serve our children.  In fact, may we do as Martin Luther King Jr. said ( I believe to a janitor) :   "Do your work so well that no one could do it better. Do it so well that all the hosts of Heaven and Earth will have to say: Here lived a man who did  his job as if God Almighty called him at this particular time in history to do it."   Remember Jesus' words: "Whoever wants to become Great among you must be your SERVANT." Mark 10:43   May we care for our children so well BECAUSE God Almighty DID call us at this particular time in history to become GREAT by serving, loving, caring for and giving up our lives for the sake of our children. Blessings from Bombadil. .......hopefullly the home of not too many "Missing Links"...Kristy Link   "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

"That's how you know"

For Christmas, I gave my daughters the soundtrack to the movie, "Enchanted." Although we are enjoying ALL the songs, # 3 is our  "Fav."  Number three is :   "That's How you Know" I think we listened to it six times in the car yesterday. Elyse, my three year old, REALLY knows how to BELT IT OUT!   One of our favorite lines is:   "It's not enough to take the one you love for granted you must remind her, or she'll be inclined to say... "How do I know he loves me?" (How does she know that you love her? How do you show her you love her?) "How do I know he's mine?" (How does she know that you really, really, truely love her?)   Well does he leave a little note to tell you you are on his mind? Send you yellow flowers when the sky is grey? Heyy! He'll find a new way to show you, a little bit everyday That's how you know, that's how you know....."     As we go about our day today, it is my hope for us that we would be alert to the "little bit" He gives us today whispering to us, "I love you!"   Perhaps it is a song we hear, a verse we read, a line in a movie that makes our spirits soar, a cross we catch a glimpse of reminding us what he was willing to go through to communicate his love for us, a sunrise or sunset,  a perfectly timed provision, event or encounter, a gentle peace that passes over us,  a glimpse of a peacock feather with an "eye" in the middle whispering, "I see you," or a kindness through a person.   "It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not REALIZE it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of HUMAN KINDNESS, with ties of LOVE..." Hosea 11:3 & 4   I believe God is trying to communicate many times throughout a day, "I love you." May we be alert. May we "REALIZE" that it is HIM.....and may we show Him that we "really, really, truely love him" through our obedience to him.  Blessings from Bombadil. ,........the home where "That's How you know," is listened to often and quite loud, & sung even louder. Kristy Link       "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

"TURN" Tuesday:......"You TURN things upside down

TURNING: Move around; rotate; move around in order to achieve a desired result;  to change the position so that the underside becomes the upperside...to reverse     "Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who will know?" You TURN things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing."   Isaiah 29:15 & 16   Know this day that He formed YOU & ME. Know He sees and knows everything. Nothing is hidden from him....even what you think. May we allow Him to be the Potter and us to be the clay today. Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy lInk "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

Mom Monday

This weekend, my family drove down to Indiana to attend a retirement party for my Mother-in-law who is a Pastor at a church down there. Her church did a fantastic job of saying "thank you" and "good-bye"  with an enjoyable evening of amazing appetizers, a delicious dinner and a memorable "open mic." I enjoyed everything about the evening but I especially enjoyed watching 2 of my sons (Max and Zeke........Jake was off watching our two youngest girls) delight in hearing about how their grandma's faith and service to our King affected the lives of many people.  With every word of honor that was spoken they would smile. I was sooo thankful that my children got to see and hear about the faith of their grandma (not that they don't see it whenever they are with her)  and the effects of that faith.  I only wish they had the opportunity to experience that for each of their grandparents because my children have been INCREDIBLY blessed to have ALL their grandparents love the Lord, be "Useful to the Master" and make a difference in the kingdom of God and many, many lives.   Through this honoring of my children's grandma, I am reminded of these Scriptures:   "I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your SINCERE FAITH, which FIRST LIVED IN YOUR GRANDMOTHER LOIS AND IN YOUR MOTHER EUNICE AND , I am persuaded, now lives in you also." 2 Timothy 1:3- 5   On this "Mom Monday" may I hold up the POWER of SINCERE FAITH  in YOU/US and the effects it can have on our children and grandchildren.   Sincere- Not feigned; true.........Presenting no false appearance; not hypocritical; honest; genuine; pure  Sincere Faith is attractive. Our children do not want us to be fake. It is NOT attractive to tell our children to not lie, gossip, be generous, and then for them to see us lie, gossip and not be generous. It is not powerful to go to church with our children, but them not see God affect our daily lives and choices.    A "Sincere Faith" is not just "claiming" to love God.  Many "claim" to know or love God.   "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. " Titus 1:16   "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:6-7   "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man (mom) who says "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2:3 & 4   To have a "Sincere Faith" we must seek to be guided on a DAILY/HOURLY basis by His words and Spirit.  We must seek to Obey Him above all things. His Spirit MUST LIVE in US FIRST.  This IS ATTRACTIVE. I am convinced that one of the reasons I am sooo passionate about Jesus and his teachings is because I have a mom and dad who had a "sincere faith" and I SAW it lived out DAILY in the way they lived and  treated me and every one I saw them interact with.   It may very well be that you have a "Sincere Faith" without having had it first live in your mom or grandma, however, the influence of an alive, sincere faith being passed down from one generation to another is  POWERFUL.  So moms (and grandmas), may your faith be real. May it be genuine. May it be alive and daily. May your children see it and may it have a huge influence in their lives. You ARE making a difference. Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link   "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

God can save!

My 3 year old daughter went to our piano yesterday and began singing:     "She is in prison. She is in prison. But God saved her. But God saved her!!!"   Is this you? Have you been in prison and God saved you? Are you in "prison" now????? God CAN save you!   " The Lord your God is with you, he is MIGHTY TO SAVE." Zephaniah 3:17   Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy LInk "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

I heard from the HOPE house

So, after I wrote about the HOPE sign yesterday, I said to myself, "Self,........why not go today and meet the mysterious person behind the HOPE sign???" So I did. ....No one was home. However, I did leave the note in their door with my e-mail address.  To my delight, when I got on my computer this morning I found an e-mail from my new friends.  Here is what was said in regards to the HOPE sign:     " If there were ever something that is needed in our world today, it is hope. The world needs to know that our only source of hope is in the person of the Lord Jesus, and that is what Christmas is truly about. Without Him there is no hope, and that makes us men and women who are most miserable. We ( a man and his wife live there) are glad that you see the message, and it would appear that you also have that hope within you. I pray that ALL OF US CAN FIND A WAY TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF HOPE, and  that hope began with the birth of a baby some 2000 years ago. Thanks for your encouragement, and may God bless you as you FOLLOW HARD AFTER HIM."     I LOVED that. So my encouragement for us today, is Mr. HOPE sign man's encourgement.  May we find a WAY (some unique, creative, beautiful, attractive, luring, wise, mysterious, unique to our own personalities).....some way to spread the message of hope. ..and may we follow HARD after Jesus.  Perhaps when people ask us "How are you today?", we can respond with , 'I'm hopeful."  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm......Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link         "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

A sign

There is a home here in Kalamazoo, Michigan, off of Parkview rd (near D & W) that for Christmas this year displayed a HUGE sign in their front yard.  Everytime I drive by it I want to stop and meet the people who live there. I want to know what their sign means to them & why they made it sooooooooo HUGE. Some day I AM going to stop over there and ask but until then, I will just drive by and enjoy what they have displayed causing my heart to reflect upon what rests in their front yard.  Are you curious what it is??? It is a word. Each individual letter is cut out, HUGE, and standing on its own. It is the word:   H O P E   We have a HUGE HOPE.       1.We have the the HUGE... "Hope of GLORY." (majestic beauty...the splendor and bliss of heaven..perfect happiness...the height of enjoyment)   "Christ in you, the HOPE of GLORY." Colossians 1:27       2.We have the HUGE ... "Hope of SALVATION." (deliverance from evil and the penalty of sin)   "Since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the HOPE OF SALVATION as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. " 1 Thess. 5:8 & 9       3.We have the HUGE  hope that "when He appears , we shall be like him."   "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we WILL BE has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like HIM  ( ahhhhh...perfect!), for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has THIS HOPE in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." 1 John 3:3      4. We have the HUGE HOPE of "the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."     " For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to allmen. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the BLESSED HOPE- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from ALL wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11- 14   May we know what we are hoping for.  We have a HUGE HOPE. May we be sure and certain.  .....and may we be "JOYFUL in HOPE." Romans 12:12   " Now faith, is being SURE of what we HOPE FOR and CERTAIN of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1   Blessings from Bombadil........the home just down the road from the HUGE HOPE sign. Kristy Link             "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

A message girl

I have a friend who I love very much, but who doesn't appreciate my "obsession" with God.  I most certainly respect a person's freedom of choice (although I can't help believe that if she knew what I knew about Him, she too would become "obsessed")         This particular friend of mine has a friend that I have met a few times on different occassions. It has been interesting to me that over the Christmas holiday, my path has crossed with this woman (the friend of my friend) 2 times in interesting places.       When my path crosses with someone a few times in a short period of time I sense that God is up to something. I usually being praying for that person and often share with them that I believe God sees them and knows what they need.        This time however, was a little different for me. Although I really believed that God wanted me to speak to this woman and be his "Message girl," letting her know what I have come to experience time and time again and believe in the deepest part of me, that He sees her & loves her, I found it a bit more difficult  knowing that this was a friend of my other friend who doesn't appreciate my love for God.  I had to fight off many different whispers and make a firm decision in my mind and heart of who I am on this earth for.  I repeated these verses over and over in my mind,   "We must obey God rather than men!" Acts 5:29   and     "Like the coolness of spring at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters." Poverbs. 25:13    "I believed therefore I have spoken."   "Let the one who has my word SPEAK IT FAITHFULLY....." Jeremiah 23:28   Thankfully, as God always goes BEFORE us,preparing us for how he wants to use us,  I had just read this quote:    "Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen." -Robert Bresson   We have a MESSAGE. There are people out there who NEED us who have God's words to SPEAK IT............FAITHFULLY. May we make it our goal to please GOD and not men who would rather have us shut our mouths about our God. It is Him that we are here for.............not people. May we make HIM and his activivity visible what others might not be seen. '   Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link               I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26

Happy Mom Monday........Gentleness

Happy New Year and Happy Mom Monday. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season and experienced some joy, special family togetherness, opportunities to give & bless others as well as some receiving as well, and some intimacy with the One whose birthday was celebrated. I also hope you had some time to reflect on the year 2010 and paid close attention to God's hand in your life........to how he provided for you materially, how he may have used others to comfort you, words he spoke to your spirit that challenged, encouraged, disciplined you, and taught you; how he may have given you the most precious opportunity to be "useful to the Master" in another's life, how he has directed your life through opened & closed doors and gentle or loud whispers/passions. As we enter this new year may I remind us that life, according to Scripture, is about knowing God, finding him, seeking him with all of our heart, and falling in love with Him and all his incredible goodness.  Everything comes from him. Your soul will be richer and fuller if you take the time to REFLECT, REMEMBER, & search your year for the hand of God in your life.        I had an encounter with my daughter, Reese, over this break that I hope I never forget.  One night I was tucking her in bed, feeling extremely tired myself and losing patience with her and her lack of tiredness (or at least fighting her tiredness).  I began speaking quite harshly with her. That is, until she said to me in the kindest, most gentle and sincere voice, with a tear in her eye and an apparently hurt heart,   "Mommy, you are being harsh. Will you please speak gently to me?"   Her question put me back in my place. As a mom, I know I need to grow in disciplining quicker & harder  while keeping a gentleness in my spirit as I relate to my kids. Their spirits are so tender and fragile  and so hungry for love.  Gentleness is powerful. Gentleness does not mean being weak, passive, and not firm. It does mean being careful with the souls we are dealing with.  May we grow in wisdom and self-control  so more love and gentleness can be displayed through our lives to the glory of God. Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Link   A few verses dealing with "GENTLENESS"   Prov. 15:1 Matthew 11:29 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Galatians 5:23 Phillipians 4:5 Colossians 3:12 1 Peter 3:15     "I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me." Phillipians 1:25 & 26