To Live is Christ, to die is gain....

Recently, in wanting more of God in my life, and wanting to hear His voice, I ended up seeing more of my need for God, and really how fragile and needy I really am. In one of my emails that I receive daily, I read what's below, late one night. Truly, the longer I live, the more I see that all we really need is the Lord. Yes, we do need others, but when it really comes down to it, it's Jesus that we need, who will hear us, save us, give us peace and joy.

It doesn't always come the minute we look for it. Sometimes you have to seek and call out,and wait, and sometimes, wait some more, but if you are serious about it, God will answer you. And if you seriously want the truth, it won't always be exactly the way you think that you would want your prayer answered, but it will be what's best for you. Hang in there! If you presevere, you will get your answers to your questions and problems. God is faithful! (To die, meaning, to die to the things that are not of God, that have no life producing qualities. Of course, to die literally, means, with Christ our Saviour, eternal life with God).

Christian Quotation of the DayMarch 28, 2006

Meditation: Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him,not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. -- Philippians 3:8-11 (ESV)

Quotation: In the person of Christ, the formidable law of God, which by itself appalls us by its vast comprehensiveness and truth, and makes us hide ourselves from its dread sanctity, is brought down into the life of a brother, ... and we see it illustrated and ratified in human action, we see righteousness that makes us feel more bitterly our sin, that makes us look more disparagingly upon our own efforts, yet leaves in us a longing to be like Him, as if we ought to be as He is. ... E. E. Jenkins (1820-1905), Life and Christ [1896]

Quiet time reflection:
Lord, I cannot live in the presence of Your Holiness and righteousness. Grant the I might simply become like Christ, so that I can abide in Your presence.

Child abuse and living for her cats.....

You've probably thought this too, and have heard others say, "what kind of a world is this anyways", and "what else?". I just had to stop and blog, for listening to the news has just brought me to crying and sobbing. In the Chicago news there was a report that they caught a ring of perpetrators, from 4 different countries, who have been committing child abuse online. They have been doing it person to person, and on demand, live. Their youngest victim was a baby, 18 months old.

I cry out, Lord Jesus, come quickly, bring this craziness to an end. It makes my heart so sad and burdened. I know that my heavy heart is only a touch of what our heavenly Father feels, that He is very sad and burdened by these hideous crimes done to children, much more than mine. If only He wouldn't have given us a free will and had made us all good little puppets.... There is and will be an end to this madness, only not soon enough!

Today, when I was at a doctors, and the technician told me, "I only need to live 8 more years, that's how long my cats lives are, and I only live for them".

Where else do we go? Dear God, my Creator and Lord, please draw others to You, and use Your children and all the good things of this world to wake up people to truth and goodness. Love, Carol

More priorities in life.....

Today is the day after my birthday, no, I will now stop saying how old I am. Ha ha. I definitely am blessed, with a great husband, wonderful children and very good friends and family. Every year, before my birthday, I get nervous,and think everyone will forget me, but then I am pleasantly surprised, I'm not forgotten. Christmas has always been a time that I tend to be tempted to get depressed or evaluate my worth by the amount of friends that I have, sending warm wishes and gifts. Isn't that weird?! And yet, I know that it is all together too common with many people. Everything that happens to us in our lives affects us in such deep ways. I am blessed to be in a community where I can talk to people about my thoughts, feelings and struggles, even though I haven't always been quick enough to do so.

My husband, who is my best friend, is my best sounding board, even though he shouldn't have that responsibility, just reminds me to tell the devil to shut up! To have a mature, God fearing person to give you advice when you need it is priceless. To have a God, that you can cling to, in your fragility, that is really priceless!!

I was so surprised, to get beautiful flowers from my coworkers. I went out to a meal with my sons, daughter in law and husband for dinner, received assorted gifts and cards, & emails, and am going out to a movie and dinner today with hubby and friends. Am I blessed or what! Thank you Jesus! You would think that next year I wouldn't go through the nervousness before my birthday, like a little girl, but it'll probably hit me, as always. More and more though, as the years go by, I do learn to tell myself the truth a whole lot better. I need both sides of this fence, for I am a case worker for women struggling with various mental and emotional issues, and being who I am helps me, not only to have compassion for people, but hopefully to be able to share the wisdom that is given to me by others, to others.

So, you say, these are your priorities in life, while the rest of the world is being persecuted, tortured, starving, etc. etc. Yes, sometimes it's easier to get through a crisis, than the normal nagging things of life. In an extreme situation it is easier to throw your arms around the Lord for your life, but in the daily on going negative thoughts and trials that tempt us, that is where the rubber really meets the road for me. It is in surrendering my life to God, just as I did when I first had my conversion experience in the Lord 35 yrs. ago, moment by moment. Every moment. Life is fragile, salvation is a process, an ongoing process, and I need to experience finding God in everyday, and every moment. And if I don't have my own fragility, this world is screaming in need, and it's all together too easy to absorb everyone else's pain. Then where do I go? I must go to Him.

Have a wonderful weekend, and week. Thanks for reading my blog, and I do hope that I can help someone else in their pain, and encourage others to draw closer to God. There is no where else to go my friend. Love,Carol
p.s. Now I am going to work Mondays, not Saturdays. Leave me a comment, if you are reading this, and would like to.