Today is...

TODAY IS 10-11-12!!!
 I found this funny!
 :-) :-) :-)

He Loves me. He loves me not.

As a little girl, I can remember walking outside on my grandfather's farm and picking flowers, mostly daisies.  They were white with yellow centers and they were the wild kind.  The farm there had rolling hills, with a few old rusty grain silos parched on them.  As a child, I used to wander around the farm, day dream, and make up songs/stories (what most 5-6 year olds do :-D).  I can remember getting lost in thought on those rolling hills, which seemed much bigger than what they really were.  I used to sit behind the grain silos and pick the wild daisies that grew right up against the rusty walls.  I often would pick a few other wild flowers along the way too.  My young curious mind, would often wander to the thoughts of God.  While playing on the farm,  I often would sing my thoughts to God.  I'm not sure if this is normal for a 5 year old, but maybe God was making me into a "David."  As I picked those daisies, I would always ask God... "Do you love? Do you love me not?"  Then I would begin to pick each pedal off the flower, while saying or singing...

Pedal #1  "He loves me."
Pedal #2  "He loves me not."
Pedal #3  "He loves me."
Pedal #4  "He loves me not."
....
....
....

I would often get to the very last pedal and most of the time it would be...

Last Pedal #...   "He loves me!"

... but on the times that it wasn't I would ALWAYS "make up" an extra pedal and say...

Last Pedal #... "Yep, He loves me!"

I would then smile up at Heaven and feel absolutely LOVED!

Even as a child, I always knew the love of God.  It was never really explained to me at this age but something in my child-like heart knew that there was a Father out there who extravagantly loved me. I knew that in his flower making skills there was no such pedal for me called "He loves me not."
I knew His Love as I walked on those rolling hills.
I knew His Love when I sat along that grain silo.
I knew His Love when I walked along that big creek, which now seems more like a stream.
I knew His Love when I picked those daisies.
I knew His Love when I sang to Him ... "He Loves me.  Yes, He loves me."

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!"  1 John 3:1

Today as I was shopping, I came across this treasure.  I was brought immediately back to my grandfather's farm and my days of daisy picking.  I was reminded just how much God loves me.  He really really loves me!

American Dream

I had a dream last night in which I was house shopping. I was walking around a neighborhood with quite a few number of houses.  Every house looked the same except for the different sizes of the yards.  I was alone and without a realtor.  I came to this one specific house.  I walked in and began to walk around.  As I was walking around the house looking at the rooms, I came into the kitchen, which was in the very center of the house.  There was a familiar friend from my childhood in the kitchen.  He was sitting at the kitchen table (kitchen island) on a bar stool, which was in the middle of the kitchen.  As I approached him, he began telling me how he and his wife had bought a house just like this house and it was in the very same neighborhood.  He then took me to look at their house.  To get there, we walked around a small pond in the neighborhood while passing a few other homes.  Their home was almost the same as the one I had originally looked at, but with just minor differences.  I then looked at the yard to see how big it was.  The yard was much smaller and closer to the other houses, the trees were also very close to their house.  I noticed in the dream that all the houses looked the same.  I then looked at my friend and told him that I wanted to buy the first house. I said... "It is what I want."  I then woke up.

As I thought about this dream, I was surprised why I would ever want to buy a house like this.  In the dream, the house was not beautiful although it was not ugly either.  It was not unique but it was very similar to all the other houses in the dream.  It was small and simple, a little boring.  The only difference from my house compared to my friend's house was that it had a bigger yard. I was not really impressed by the appearance, size of rooms, yard size, uniqueness, or character of the house.  Yet I still stated that I wanted to buy the house. Why?  I prayed about this dream today and the interpretation of it.

I felt that God was talking to me about the so called "American Dream."  I believe that God has given me a choice of how I can live my life.  To the average American it may seem like the thing to do.  Most might settle down, buy a small-adverage house-in a small neighborhood, along a small pond.  Most people might actually be content with their average lifestyle.  For years they might even say... "this is what I want."  This is exactly what I said in my dream.  As I said this in the dream, my heart felt something completely different.  Although these words came from my mouth, my heart was not satisfied with the decision.  I awoke thinking... "Why on Earth would I settle for the average lifestyle?"  I personally don't think that God was specifically speaking to me about buying a house but that the house was symbolic for the "normal" American lifestyle.  God has given me a choice of what lifestyle I may live.  There are two options to choose from: The path that most people take, the so called American Dream with an average life, average neighborhood, average house, average yard, average pond, and average family or the path less traveled into the unknown, living in random countries, random cities, random cultures, unknown houses, among unknown or different languages, and with the unknown of when the family may come, if by chance it ever does.

One path seems average and the other path seems random & risky.
One dream seems contentful and the other dream seems unknown.
One home seems small and grounded and the other home seems limitless and vast beyond the oceans.
One seems so stagnant and the other seems so fruitful in new seasons.
One seems to be walking by sight and yet the other seems to be walking by faith.

I have to admit, I like the latter.  This is my path. This is my dream. This is my home.
"This is what I want."


Somehow I can't help but think of the path less traveled. :-)

that chosen to be close to God one

I want to be that chosen to be close to God one

To hear Your Voice
To feel Your Nearness
To see Your Face
And to know Your Gaze

Because I want to be that chosen to be close to God one

To look in to the night sky and know The One who created each star
To walk along the oceans and know The Man who filled them up
To look upon mountain tops and know The Master Painter
And to step into different seasons and know The Changer of them all

I want to be that chosen to be close to God one

To walk into a different nation and know You ~The One Father of them all
To step into the darkest places and know that You have already gone before me
To look into the face of strangers and to exchange a glance through Your Eyes
And to love others through the love that You have chosen to love me

Because I want to be that chosen to be close to God one
God choose me

33rd street & 3 more days

Today has been a strange day.  What should I expect though when I pray "God show up!"  Last night I prayed that God would show up during my travels, that He would surprise me with His Presence and signs. :-)  This morning I prayed that again... but I might have rephrased it... "God show up in Paris today! (I have this thing with Paris-but then who doesn't right?)  Now I sit and ask myself "why am I surprised on my strange day?"  Maybe in the midst of all the confusion I had forgotten my prayer.

I got up this morning and began last minute packing to head back to the UAE, for my 3rd year teaching at Almaha Primary School.  I packed everything all nice, neat, and orderly.  Funny how packing to go back is a lot neater than it was to come.  I had everything all packed by 11:00am and I had time to pray with one of my roomies for the upcoming year-new beginnings for both of us.  How great it is to bless friends in prayer and receive prayer.  Truly this is the family of God that I love so much, a praying family.  

I then checked (through my phone) my flight departure time.  Yes, I have to say that I'm a proud owner of a new iphone-4S.  It has been my new toy for the week that has consumed only a little of my time. ;-) The departure time read 4:35pm, Aug. 30th.  My other room-mate and I planned on leaving for the airport 3 hours before my fly time.  

On the way to the airport, we lifted up prayers. :-)  She specifically prayed for God to show me that I was not traveling alone.  She also prayed for favor, favor, favor, and for new beginnings.  I then lifted her up in prayer.  My friend's car started acting funny as we were driving.  All of a sudden I just had this peace in me.  I said, "I'm okay if God has me not make it to the airport.  I am okay if God has me make it to the airport.  Whatever He wants to do, I am okay with. "  Then her car stopped acting funny.  As we pulled into the airport we ended our prayers and she helped me carry my very heavy luggage to the dock.  I really honestly didn't think I came with that much stuff but as I pulled it all out of her hatchback, even as neatly packed & orderly as it all was, it was def. not light.  Who knew that shoes & product could weigh that much!  I will admit that I love my shoes & hair products.  Although at times my heels seemed a bit inappropriate in KC, they may not have actually made it out of the suitcase in KC.   'sad-face' AnotherTime@AnotherPlace   

At the "check in dock" at KC International Airport, I placed my bags on the dock and passed the man my passport.  He looked at me strangely and said, "You should have been here 2 hours before for an international flight!"  I then showed him my phone because I had not printed the ticket out.  He told me my flight was departing at 3:00pm instead of 4:35pm.  I then proceeded to the American Airlines help desk.  As I was in line, there were some Arabs checking in as well.  The man carried one of my suitcases up to the counter for me.  It felt good to practice my arabic skillz again. "Shukran Jazilan" :-)  As I showed the American Airlines Clerk my flight schedule via@iphone (while pointing to the time of 4:35), she reached out and touched the screen.  It opened up the date which then changed the time to 3:00pm! No way I thought, "I missed my flight!"  She then said that there was another flight leaving tomorrow for Abu Dhabi and she said the flight difference would be a 2,000.00 dollars!  I immediately felt sick to my stomach and thought, "No way am I paying that amount for me missing my flight!"  She tried to look for another flight but for some strange reason the computer system was not working properly to look for flight prices.  She gave me the international number to call and we proceeded to the back to the car.

All the way home, I was in shock.  Basically, I was thinking I was leaving the country and then a "suddenly" happened.  I couldn't really blame it on the airlines and I couldn't really blame it on myself.  It was just a mistake that happened.  I got the time wrong but it wasn't really my fault.  I prayed for favor with the airline price.  I def. didn't want to fork out another 2,000.00 for a one way ticket! That was just out of the question.  Immediately 1 Thessalonians 5:18 came to my mind. "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  I then just began to praise God and thank Him out loud.  It went a little something like this... "Well I missed my flight, might have lost a lot of money! Praise God! Praise God!"  We than began to claim Romans 8:28 over the situation.  "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

As we came into the house, I called the 800 number to reschedule my flight.  I was put on hold, transferred, put on hold, put on hold, and then put on hold.  All the while, praying for patience, favor, and questioning why this was all happening.  The woman on the other line was trying to find me a reasonable fare because as it looked for the upcoming day the cost was still a 2,000.00 difference.  I waited for approximately 45-50 minutes on hold.  She came on and had found me a flight that would only cost an 80.00 difference for the beginning of next week!  I praised the Lord out-loud and thanked her numerous times!   I rejoiced more when getting off the phone.  Then thanked "the Lamb" numerous times! My friend then asked me what time it was.  I told her it's 5:33.  "Oh wow!" I said.  She said "does this number mean anything to you?"  It sure does! 5 is the number for Grace and the 33 is the number that God always shows me when He wants me to know that I am right where I am supposed to be at! It's like He's telling me He is with me!  She then proceeded to tell me something crazy!  She said... "funny thing but today when I was paying rent, I added up my rent,  plus the 22 days that you were here.  The total ended up coming to 333.24.  You gave me yours in cash and then I wrote the check for 333.24.  Since you are staying another 3 days at 11 dollars a day, you will owe 33 dollars when you leave!"  I couldn't believe it!  

To give you all a history of this 33 thing.  Ever since I left for the UAE 2 years ago, the Lord has been showing me 33's as signs to tell me I am in the right place or that He is with me.  I had a dream of going through a door w/the 33 on it.  When I opened the door I was in the ME.  The street sign outside of our home-group home in the UAE was 33rd st.  The house of prayer's address in Dubai is 33.  When on a trip to S. Africa, my arrival time was 3:33.  There are numerous other signs the past few years using the 33's that God has shown me.  Today is another day that the Lord has shown up saying "Do not worry, you are exactly where you are supposed to be at.  I am with you.

As I sit and type this, I look over at my luggage in the corner of the room. I can't help but say... "Wow, I can't believe I'm still here in KC!"   For some reason or another, I am still here and I am okay with that-as I prayed earlier.  Now I am reminded of all the other prayers... "God show up today.  Presence. Favor, favor, favor. May she know she is not traveling alone." Wow did God ever show up today!!! I also have yet another REAL Sunday in America, on Memorial Day weekend (for those who understand the Islamic weekends).  For this I rejoice and giggle... saying "I can't help but feel I should be on that plane right now... but then again, maybe not.  

Quote of the Day

"Victory begins with name of Jesus on your lips, but it will not be consummated until the nature of Jesus is in your heart." 

pondering

Today I had this phrase come into my mind... "Breaking the Stigma of Religion."

Our two different faces from my two second grade emirate classes.
Who says you can't be serious and silly? :-D

cut to the heart

The rare times when reading scripture, it cuts to your spirit, cuts to you soul, cuts to your heart.

"Those who were not my people I will call "My people,"

and her who was not beloved I will call "beloved."

And in the very place where it was said to them, "You are not My people,"

there they will be called "sons of the living God."

                                                         Romans 9:25 (Hosea 2:23)

When I read this today the impact of the reality hit me.  This is happening today.  This prophecy foretold about in the book of Hosea and re-quoted in Romans is happening in this very day.  It's happening corporately in nations and individually in personal lives.  When reading this today I was amazed at how alive God's Word stands.  His Words are Truth, they are Real.  They are Alive and Active in our very time.  I was cut to heart as I read this today. 

MERCIFUL is He who says to those who are not His people "you are Mine."

COMPASSIONATE is the One who sees the unloved one and says "You are My loved one."

ABOUNDING IN LOVE is the Father who claims children in a land who has been said they don't belong to Him.  He says ... "My sons & daughters come Home to Me."

Merciful, Compassionate, Abounding in Love... this is my God. This is my Beloved. This is my Father.  He is absolutely BEAUTIFUL and I love Him so much.

The Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.


Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.


For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.


Amen."