Indescribable

Last night in our small group, we watched Louis Giglio's message entitled, "Indescribable." In it he talks about just how BIG God is and yet how much he loves each one of us. He shows several pictures of stars, galaxies, etc. He talks about how the universe worships God and shows off his majesty.

Every time I watch this presentation, I am reminded just how insignificant I am and how unimportant the day to day challenges that I face really are. I see that I AM really, really small. I see how HUGE God is.

Today, I Will

Today, I will.....

Be true to myself

Be true to my God

Be true to my family

Be true to my friends


Today, I will.....

Seek God with my heart

Love others out of the love God has lavished upon me

Choose to think positive thoughts

SMILE!!

So, just what do those affirmations mean to me? What is being "True?" I think it is accepting both my weaknesses and my strengths. It is not pretending. It is living loved. It is living engraved. It is loving. It is engraving. It is being the best ME I can be.

My challenge for today is to love as I have been loved.

A New Day

I find myself in the early morning hours in "my chair" thinking and preparing for a new day. I think on yesterday and all the things I did or didn't get accomplished. I think of the relationships of family, friends, and co-workers. God, you are so good to me. Thank you for loving, good relationships.

Ah, it's Sunday--a new day and a new week--day to worship our holy Lord and Savior. I look forward to gathering with my friends in Heartstrings and count it a privilege to be a part of this great group of ladies. I anticipate a stirring time of praise and worship in the main auditorium. I'm certain our pastor will challenge me to serve God with more commitment than ever. It is an added treat that our neighbor and friend Kathy will be joining us. I hope she will enjoy today's service and desire to go again.

I remember that God's mercies are new every morning. It's like we get a blank page to begin our day. No mess ups, no erases, no white out--it's fresh, it's new, it's waiting to be filled.

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

God how do you want me to fill my day?

Why Blog?

As I surf and email and contemplate my responsibilities for my day, I read a blog of a friend and find myself thinking "How Neat!" and think maybe I want a blog. So I looked a bit further and well....I'm here typing my thoughts.

Not sure if I'll ever tell anyone I know about this and not sure if anyone will ever read anything I put here.

So why not just journal on paper or type and save in Word? I don't know.

Will this be my one and only entry? Maybe or maybe not. Time will tell.

I really should be getting ready for work. But somehow I just need some sitting time.

When I got to the part in setting up a blog that asked me to name my blog, I quickly thought, "Who Am I?" What defines me? Although I normally respond to similar questions in a group or from an individual by identifying my job or my family, this time I quickly realized that I am ENGRAVED. I am a permanent etching in the heart and hands of my Lord Jesus Christ. That URL was already taken so I had to add something to it. Exploring that thought reminded me that I am LOVED and ENGRAVED. Jesus loves me so much that he has permanent scars in His palms. God says that he loves me with an everlasting love and that he will not forget me. He says I am engraved on the palms of his hands. "15 Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!

16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me." Isaiah 49:15-16

Those thoughts are truly the essence of who I am.

Then I think that God is not the only one who loves me and has engraved me in their life. My husband has loved me for 29+ years (counting dating time) and our lives are woven together in a way that neither of us can ever be completely removed from the other even if one of us dies or should we ever divorce. Even if we never saw each other again....the impact we have had on each other has become a permanent part of each of our unique selves.

This same "engraving" or "scarring" or "permanent etching" extends to almost every significant relationship of our entire life. The impact that others have on us and that we have upon them is a type of "Engraving"

So how often do I combine LOVE with the engraving process as I encounter people?

That is my challenge for the day....LOVE and ENGRAVE