Where is that Ball?

Where is that ball?

My husband and I had some errands to run yesterday about noon. We had left a little before noon and not finding what we went after, we had to venture further down and to the east to find a store that sold this Kombucha drink. Now this drink has some health benefits, and it is wise to get that which was just created to drink. After the drive over the river, we returned down the interstate.
On arriving, put our newly purchased items in the refrigerator, I walked to the patio door to put the dog outside. There is no need to coax her for at this time, she needs to go, and just after her instant on the spot to check our the visitor to the back of the yard  she took care of her 'business'.

I watched someone in a "golf cart" drive ever so slowly by from the south to the east and he must have spotted some ball in the yard. Watching me and my reaction to his moving around the cart and into the yard, he waved and of course I just waved back. Still watching him, he leaned down to pick up this ball laying in full view. He said laughingly like: "the wild playing and swinging caused his ball to go wild and out of control"!

He  appeared anxious to leave, and I started to mention the other ball to him that I saw closer to the big tree in the yard, but like a flash he was gone. I saw him go around the hill and back onto the golf course and again he appeared to examine the ball. I am thinking the ball he really wanted was the one next to the 'willow' tree but he dare not come close or attempt to check out the other ball in the yard. I figured he was thinking about the dog and the woman who would not leave the back door so about two minutes later the man drove off in his golf cart and our dog came indoors. About 2 hours later, I see him appear, again driving slowly, like looking for "his" ball, and then he headed back towards the club house. Am thinking he was really wanting his ball and not someone else's to play with!

Our habit is to check our yard for any balls and bring them to be washed. We find people who like playing golf and will put them into egg cartons to give them balls for their use for their time out on the golf course.

We were on a walk about this morning and took the leisure time to searched among the tree seedlings and "yes, some weeds" but did not find any except for the one that the  "golf" courses lawn groomer ran over with blades and caused it to split open. It is those tiny balls that people will practice with for that specific game. Today, I am still in awe of those who play and have the expertise to get that tiny ball down a fairway to "a hole in one". I always tell my husband that golfers on this course close by to this house, do not know the amount of hole in ones they get when hitting it toward our yard. For surely you have to look hard sometimes when the grass is needing a real good cut job! And when searching, it is there that we find the little ball as a "hole in one"  shot within the tall grass!

While walking in the brisk air, and sustained wind of about thirty miles an hour this morning, I was reminded of the walk with the Lord. Surely we would like our days to hold many "hole in one shots ", to hold many rainbows with  no rain, to have many windless days to enjoy the peace and quiet! Yes, we desire to hold have many days of receiving a mystery gift from a close friend or family member who lives far away, yet our days should hold the significance that God paid a big price for each of us.

Some people will denote their day the "moment they saw their baby smile" for the first time. Some will delight to tell of their seeing their child walk or graduate college. Still others will mark the day when they married or when their children marry.

In my life, I have seen and heard the stories of many relatives and friends of my parents who served their country. My uncle, as a young man flew as a pilot in World War II. He would land on those ships with a landing runway and a short one at that.  My brother-in-law served in the military for more than one term. He also went to help those in Guatemala when they were ravaged by earthquakes. And in my life, I see someone like my husband who goes the length to see people treated fairly, not because of entitlement, but because they love God, love this nation and choose to work for this nation. And as a people to see the glory of God to fill this world with His glory.

We have to choose life in Jesus and through Him see many others come to Him for salvation. But even more we can look to life eternally with Him, where the atmosphere is filled with life and joy, where He lights our days forever with His beauty and His glory.
Those certainly without Him and remain that way will be that way forever. They will forever be in darkness, forever be in torment of "what if", forever in the atmosphere where there is no refreshing breeze or water to enjoy but only darkness and sulfur filled darkness. What is sad is we each have "the choice" to choose to make a difference like Jesus did.

We have the choice to worship Him now, we have the choice to view His likeness in the Word of the truth now and we can participate in His love, His life and His joy that is found in the peace of God now!

For many it is see how big a house can one buy now, how fancy can that new car be, how fancy can our vacation be this 'summer' (now). For me, I have joy all around me. I have the joy of seeing my husband while he is checking out a a new recipe to prepare for a meal. I have joy of seeing our grand-daughter pretend she is surfing, and yes with surfing music on..( I think is was by the Ventures) and of having joy when our dog brings us her stuff toy to us the first thing in the morning.

I have joy, not for what I have lost but for what I have gained through Jesus for it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. One scripture that stands out today is John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Our energy for a life of devotion to Jesus comes by the Holy Spirit. In this we draw our lives from His life, from this we have energized prayer, energized worship, the partaking of the Lord's supper and see healing come to every part of our being.

Our focus is to be on Jesus, not to one man or one woman, for each of us is learning, growing and becoming what God planned. It will take all of us not just a few of us to participate in His kingdom that has come. Do the works of Jesus while there is still time while it is still day. Go through your day and tell others of those parables Jesus taught from, and pray. Ask the Lord to direct you into His perfect plan He destined for you to live.

Sometimes when we lose something, it is likely it was not needed, but that which is for life we need every moment of everyday of our lives. The Word of God is life to us,  and from that Word Jesus appeared and was crucified. In that we should no longer fear man or death. Don't be hard-headed but be willing to let go of your life to gain His. For truly God is good and His truth is everlasting. Unity is allowing Christ to be the head of our lives. Unity is not a building, a pastor, or a religious doctrine, but is Christ, the anointed One Who is head of the believer's and King of the Jews. There is one God and His Gospel that came through as GRACE in Jesus.
Ask God what He has placed in your hand for His good and then ask Him how to walk in it. For then truly joy is heard, rainbows are seen, peace resides when truth is coveted from the word of God.
Remember you can always buy more "golf balls" but will never buy your way out of hell for we all need a Savior. Amen!

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No Sluggards Around Here

Proverbs 22:5.....5 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares,
but he who guards his soul stays far from them. NIV

Proverbs 24:30-34......30 I went past the field of the sluggard,

past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; 

31 thorns had come up everywhere,

the ground was covered with weeds,

and the stone wall was in ruins. 

32 I applied my heart to what I observed 

and learned a lesson from what I saw: 

33 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest-- 

34 and poverty will come on you like a bandit 

and scarcity like an armed man.   NIV

Yesterday was a beautiful day, with warm sunshine and warm temps to match, and a short ride to see the view of the beautiful scenic gorge was a wonderful idea. There were many boaters on the water fishing and  I even caught a view of some fine big hawks waiting their turn for the fishing event as well! I love this area and am delighted to see it everyday when the sun rises to shine on the majestic mountains that rise and fall into gorgeous valleys of green and ribbons of blue as the waters dance and move along the gorge that sport their diamond sparkles for everyone to see.

But as we continued to travel along some of the roadways, I was caught off-guard by the debris that dots some areas by the river way.There was trash and boxes scattered around, tarps and old vehicles, old boats and abandoned travel trailers with green moss growing on the roofs of said trailers, and even some black bags of trash and I thought of the scriptures above.

It also reminded me of a pastor who came to visit our church back about eighteen years ago now, but he had expounded on the Proverbs 24 scripture. He had mentioned that he was on his way home from some errands on a bright and beautiful day and had been praying in the Holy Ghost. He went by this house in a nice neighborhood, but it did not resemble any of the other homes there. He said the fence was falling down, weeds were almost as high as the porch on the fairly new home and the house needed a new coat of paint! He told us that the Holy Ghost told him that the man who owned that house had the same heart condition as that which appeared outside of his home with over-grown weeds and all! Yikes!

Now when I was growing up, I knew all about keeping our room clean. That cleaning included keeping the inside of the dresser drawers as well organized as the top of the dresser free of "dust bunnies"! And yes, my mother would inspect with that "white glove" treatment to make sure my sister and I had done a good job. She liked everything smelling clean and looking top notch, so to speak.

My dad was one that kept all vehicles just as clean and spotless. He did not like anything thrown down in the floorboard or left on the seat of the car or his truck. The only time we could eat in the vehicle was when we were at a "drive-in" movie. And you guessed it, he was out the next day cleaning everything from the top to the bottom of the vehicle we road in to enjoy the evening movie.

No, today, my life is still the same, and being married am very aware that my husband keeps an immaculate garage. Everything in its place and everything in its own container, so there is a clean walkway to walk through our garage. He even has some in-door, out-door carpet on the floor area from the doorway to the garage door for people to walk on. Yes, it gets vacuumed as well.

In reflecting on those scriptures from above, I am always aware of the first time I read them and kept them in my heart knowing importance of keeping and taking care of that which God has entrusted to our care. Another scripture that comes to mind is, "As in the water face reflects face, So a man's heart reveals the man"...Proverbs 27:19.

I know those qualities extend far into helping those who have a ministry, a management position, a job of bringing different companies with different people, fish and technology, mix them together to form companies, or to run a city like the mayor and police department.

Any promotion to do a job comes from God and when it comes slowly, we can expect to do that which God has for us to do!

I had learned valuable lessons on the way from dusting those bunnies around to straightening our dresser drawers to being able to open a daycare and set up for the day's business. My husband, too, had valuable lessons with dairy cows, horses, and even an occasional stubborn sister. He had sisters that were so much younger and had to watch over them while his parents were busy with other work on the farm. He was always pitching in to help another and it showed in his work within the work-place. He was never arrogant about it, he just got in and helped another to get the job done. But one thing for sure of his family, they always worked like a "team".

For me and in my observations today, sports and military do not always reflect a hero. The best examples I have found are in the Bible and in our children's lives.

Proverbs 22:6.....6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.  NKJV
Yes, this scripture follows the one on snares and thorns. (verse 5).....it is a simple word but a powerful one in training up a child and the way he should go, to travel and become.

Do we desire our children to be failures or successes? Do we desire them to be the "leaders' this country needs? Will there be allurements or deceptions that our children, and grand-children should and can avoid to keep to the path of life and godliness?

The best example to me has come from the writings of  King David and the importance to walking in integrity and being humble before God and man. That humility is a trust in the God Who created us. That is a "confidence" that recognizes virtue. A confident person will always give credit to another for their success. It can be a parent or parents, a teacher or teachers, but all comes back to the Lord directing our pathway and if we "are teachable". In leadership over others looks like a willing heart. It is a willing heart looking to delegate leadership to others, to delegate to them and see them run with it. Hopefully we are not the one watching over them to think we can do it better, but really being a leader who wants others to excel in their gifting's as well. And another important thing is to keep a check on those "emotions"!

For me, and I only know my testimonies to write about, but seriously we have to regard our start in life. For me again was the waging war on "dust bunnies" and the emotions that could rise out of that if I did a "bad job" to wisk them away.  I could always find an excuse or some reason for doing my best job. My mother would point me back to doing the job "right". But each step brought me closer to where I am today. Today, I have had opportunities opened to me that I call God's favor on my life. I have opportunities to minister His word to women and men alike through church and the Internet.

I have seen our grand-daughter being taught the importance of being a "team member". I daily and weekly see how everyone works together for an accomplished end that brings a clean home, harmony and praise to God Himself.

I am thankful to my mother for all that she taught me about cleanliness and how God gave me another example through my husband. I have much on my plate to see come to pass and am grateful for the promises He has given to us help get from point A to point B!

So daily and yes, weekly, my husband and I take inventory of what needs to  change, to be cleaned, gotten rid of, and what needs covering of God's word. But in this walk with the Lord, and my husband said it accurately yesterday. He said, " our walking with the Lord, exercising everyday with His Word helps improve our heart condition." And I believe that whole-heartedly!

Paul said in Ephesians 4:31-32...........31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. NKJV

The next trip I take out to view the gorge,  I will keep in mind those who have been there before and left their belongings for others to view. But I will also take note that God in His great mercy has put my sin far from me through His Son Jesus. I will pray for those who left some of their baggage behind and pray for them to be constructive and not critical. For our attitude is truly known when as children, young adults and even a senior-citizen.

My prayer: Father, help us to be like child-like in our spiritual life with You. May we be mature in our knowledge of You, but oh so child-like with anger and bitterness. Help us to see that "emotions" should not rule us as an individual, or even as a nation! It is not about me and my thing but all of us together in the same boat! Lord, today, I am praying for those who may have a background of coming from a church foundation in Your Word and I am praying for those who have none. I pray for those who do not know You to be saved this day.  That those who left their belongings along the river, may they confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus was raised by You Father God. May everyone be saved as they confess Jesus as Lord. For He is the Lord of all! I pray for all to have a fire in their bellies to seek those heroes of the Bible and through their testimonies, see their failures and successes. May each who reads this find those testimonies to follow truth and godliness and know that God is not through with them yet! I pray for all who read this to be surrounded by motivating examples of godly people, those living examples of God's enduring love to us. Father, You are not absent from the scene but in the very midst of each of or lives to direct our pathway to freedom in who You have called us to be! As like King David, may we not have that "chip on our shoulder" but learn to delegate those into leadership from all areas of life that they too, can be a part of Your great move in these last days! Thank You for parents who gave us life and gave us family life to see victories and achievements. For all the bruises and hurts we might have experienced You have used them for our good and gave a good kick to the adversary to block our destruction. From dust bunnies to proclaiming truth You have been a part of our lives. Our waging warfare is good warfare through God-given weapons to overthrow the adversary. Show each who pray this the very moment You moved in on their behalf and guided them through to victory. Today I give You praise for Your Word and for life abundantly that just keeps getting better though the Blood of Jesus. Your will be done today in our lives as it is in heaven. Amen.

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