This year I am a different person.
Most of my life, I have been waiting for that magical moment when everything would be perfect and I could start to live. For instance, waiting to be thin enough to wear that perfect dress; to meet the perfect man; to have the perfect job; get those perfect grades; have the perfect house; the perfect life... waiting to exhale.
It has been 3 decades and now I know that there is no perfect moment. I accept. So this year, I was reborn. The other day I got home tired after a full work day. I parked the car, climbed up the stairs and turned the corner towards my apartment. Suddenly I stopped and admired the brightly coloured flowers growing on the left side overlooking the car park. Guess what happened next? I stopped and I smelled the flowers.
One morning last month, I went for a run. It felt great. I returned to the hotel where I stay and decided to walk around the pool to cool down. I climbed up the stairs to the pool area and after several turns, I noticed the small swing set. I stopped and sat on one swing. Now, when was the last time I did that? Once last year I swung on a children's swing at a park near my home in Georgia. Before that, I think that I'd not been on a swing since childhood.
Some weeks ago, I stopped to listen to the sound of the birds that gather every morning in the trees within the hotel grounds. More often nowadays, I pause and stare at the huge river Congo (that I learned about in history and geography books). As I cross the bridge on my jogging route I watch the fishermen in their simple boats and nets. I catch the beauty in the sunset and sometimes the sunrise too. These are the things that matter. Sometime last year my husband and I bought some take-out food from a Jamaican restaurant and sat in a park to eat. Its the little things... the little miracles in life that we should live for.
When was the last time a little child hugged your neck? [excluding your own kids if you have the sort of kids that hug a lot; including your own kids if you are not a family of huggers; LOL]. When is the last time you had a picnic? The last time you had a spa treatment (ladies & guys too)? The last time you read to an elderly person or a child? The last time you cooked for someone? The last time you visited someone in hospital? The last time you spent time with extended family? The last time you played hopscotch with your kids? The last time you played catch? Do you remember any of those times?
Life is precious and life is short. This is 2010 - a year to remember all the good things in your life and to do some of the fun things that you haven't had time to do in a while (or that you have been putting off until that perfect day). Today is as perfect as it gets. Start living. Just stop what you are doing right now and ... Exhale!
~
A Voice on Fleming Road
Sunday, February 28, 2010
GLORY
Wow. Glory y'all.
Look... can't you see it (with your spirit's eye)?
Can't you feel it? I sure can - His awesome glory.
Thanks for all your lovely and uplifting comments. . . Finally Free, Prerna, Bob West, CathM, RCUBEs, Peter Stone and Violet.
Today, I heard it said that we passed the test and His glory will manifest in our lives. STOP and think about that for a moment. Meditate on this. Many-a-time we go on and on about trials & temptations; being tested and being put in the fire. STOP. All that may be true, but how many times have you congratulated yourselves on passing the test? You made it- well done. You came through the fire and were not burned [at least not much- lol- see the burn marks as a warrior's scars; a reminder that you did it]. Maybe at this point in time, at this juncture in your life, maybe there is not much that God wants you to do ... except stay in place. Just stay in position and let your guard down. You are not waiting for any thing. Simply enjoying the moment. Consider this a REST STOP. Pause and take a breath. Let Him carry you a while.
Earlier I was tuned in to Ron Carpenter's service on TBN Africa and this is what I heard from his message... (this ain't no quote because it is like I heard a whole other message - smile)
We are the yeast and therefore we need a lump of dough to function. Our function is to leaven dough. Yeast is used to cause dough to rise and it needs the right temperature to do so. God wants to use us to cause others to rise and we need the right atmosphere to accomplish this. Peoples, face your situation and change it like yeast changes the dough it is in. Change the family that you are in. Change the church that you are in. Change the town that you are in. Change the school that you are in. Stop asking God to remove you from that environment (as difficult as it is) lest you remain as inactive dry yeast. Choose to continue until you have leavened the entire dough... the entire extended family; the entire congregation; the entire community or campus. Find or create the right temperature and moisture level required for your activation. Realize the level of your anointing and remember to dress daily in your godly armor.
Waste is not always bad. We know of toxic waste, but recall that some waste is valuable raw product that can be turned into precious substances. "Fermentation products contain chemical energy (they are not fully oxidized) but are considered waste products, since they cannot be metabolized further without the use of oxygen." One of yeast's waste product is alcohol through a process known as fermentation. Yeast is used in the manufacture of beers & fine wines. There have been no wasted events in your life because, like a manufacturer, God takes all that waste and turns it all into fine wine.
Hmmm, I digressed back there [smile]. I am lucky to get unto Blogspot today and I really want to share with you the biggest miracle of my life. Honestly, God's done a lot for me and my family, but this is the biggest gift yet. I can't go into details, but believe me when I say that my darling sister is finally free after 14 years of captivity. The Holy Spirit reminds me of the lady with the issue of blood- 12years; the man at the pool of Bethesda- 38years.
My dear reader, how long have you suffered a particular problem? The kind of problem that has caused you angst, deep depression, loss of sound mind... for how long have you wailed in travail? For how long has your marriage lingered or your health teetered on the brink? Today, I speak with boldness and confidence when I say, hang on; hold on; don't give up; because if God can answer a prayer that my family has prayed for over 10years (with incessant prayers and support of pastors at the different churches we each attend, and the prayer groups at each of these churches, and the pastors of friends' churches and their prayer groups too; and the prayers of ministers I never met whom I called on prayerlines & hotlines all over North America)... if God can answer our prayer after all these years of tears, then my friends God can do anything.
Think of the life and ministry of Jesus, Joseph, Daniel and other great men in the bible and in history... from the time of their birth, it took years of ordinary living and human suffering until the appointed time for them to be revealed (made manifest) to the world. Yesterday I watched parts of different movies on Ernie Davis (see movie The Express) and Jim Ellis (see movie Pride). You are almost a nobody until God is ready to reveal you and commence your ministry. So get ready. Be patient. Your time shall come (if it hasn't already). Hold on to that promise - don't let the devil make you doubt it. I choose to believe that 2010 will be our best year yet. Claim this testimony for yourself too, and then watch it unfold in Jesus' precious name. God is good. He is awesome. Have a wonderful month of March!
- GLORY -
xxx
Look... can't you see it (with your spirit's eye)?
Can't you feel it? I sure can - His awesome glory.
Thanks for all your lovely and uplifting comments. . . Finally Free, Prerna, Bob West, CathM, RCUBEs, Peter Stone and Violet.
Today, I heard it said that we passed the test and His glory will manifest in our lives. STOP and think about that for a moment. Meditate on this. Many-a-time we go on and on about trials & temptations; being tested and being put in the fire. STOP. All that may be true, but how many times have you congratulated yourselves on passing the test? You made it- well done. You came through the fire and were not burned [at least not much- lol- see the burn marks as a warrior's scars; a reminder that you did it]. Maybe at this point in time, at this juncture in your life, maybe there is not much that God wants you to do ... except stay in place. Just stay in position and let your guard down. You are not waiting for any thing. Simply enjoying the moment. Consider this a REST STOP. Pause and take a breath. Let Him carry you a while.
Earlier I was tuned in to Ron Carpenter's service on TBN Africa and this is what I heard from his message... (this ain't no quote because it is like I heard a whole other message - smile)
We are the yeast and therefore we need a lump of dough to function. Our function is to leaven dough. Yeast is used to cause dough to rise and it needs the right temperature to do so. God wants to use us to cause others to rise and we need the right atmosphere to accomplish this. Peoples, face your situation and change it like yeast changes the dough it is in. Change the family that you are in. Change the church that you are in. Change the town that you are in. Change the school that you are in. Stop asking God to remove you from that environment (as difficult as it is) lest you remain as inactive dry yeast. Choose to continue until you have leavened the entire dough... the entire extended family; the entire congregation; the entire community or campus. Find or create the right temperature and moisture level required for your activation. Realize the level of your anointing and remember to dress daily in your godly armor.
Waste is not always bad. We know of toxic waste, but recall that some waste is valuable raw product that can be turned into precious substances. "Fermentation products contain chemical energy (they are not fully oxidized) but are considered waste products, since they cannot be metabolized further without the use of oxygen." One of yeast's waste product is alcohol through a process known as fermentation. Yeast is used in the manufacture of beers & fine wines. There have been no wasted events in your life because, like a manufacturer, God takes all that waste and turns it all into fine wine.
Hmmm, I digressed back there [smile]. I am lucky to get unto Blogspot today and I really want to share with you the biggest miracle of my life. Honestly, God's done a lot for me and my family, but this is the biggest gift yet. I can't go into details, but believe me when I say that my darling sister is finally free after 14 years of captivity. The Holy Spirit reminds me of the lady with the issue of blood- 12years; the man at the pool of Bethesda- 38years.
My dear reader, how long have you suffered a particular problem? The kind of problem that has caused you angst, deep depression, loss of sound mind... for how long have you wailed in travail? For how long has your marriage lingered or your health teetered on the brink? Today, I speak with boldness and confidence when I say, hang on; hold on; don't give up; because if God can answer a prayer that my family has prayed for over 10years (with incessant prayers and support of pastors at the different churches we each attend, and the prayer groups at each of these churches, and the pastors of friends' churches and their prayer groups too; and the prayers of ministers I never met whom I called on prayerlines & hotlines all over North America)... if God can answer our prayer after all these years of tears, then my friends God can do anything.
Think of the life and ministry of Jesus, Joseph, Daniel and other great men in the bible and in history... from the time of their birth, it took years of ordinary living and human suffering until the appointed time for them to be revealed (made manifest) to the world. Yesterday I watched parts of different movies on Ernie Davis (see movie The Express) and Jim Ellis (see movie Pride). You are almost a nobody until God is ready to reveal you and commence your ministry. So get ready. Be patient. Your time shall come (if it hasn't already). Hold on to that promise - don't let the devil make you doubt it. I choose to believe that 2010 will be our best year yet. Claim this testimony for yourself too, and then watch it unfold in Jesus' precious name. God is good. He is awesome. Have a wonderful month of March!
- GLORY -
xxx
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