Back Up - Erase - Restore

Greetings to my dear friends, my sisters-in-Christ,

The last day of 2008 - absolutely and utterly wonderful that another year has been lived and many rememberences to hold dear to our hearts and minds.

Each year my dear husband backs up our computers, erases the hard drive and then reloads the programs back onto the computer which are important for operation. At first I used to PANIC when he would ask me if he could do it to my computer. Not now for I am very confident that he will restore the useful programs which allows me to work more effectively and efficiently.

If my husband is able to do that with a computer how much more our LORD is able to back up, erase, and then restore ME. He formed me in my mother's womb, He is faithful and will keep me. Ah, dear sisters-in-Christ, 2008 is drawing to a close and with it are many things that have outgrown there usefulness, cluttered our lives causing us to be ineffective and inefficient in our everyday ministering and witnessing.

Abba Father, thank you for bringing the blessings and for revealing Your Goodness and Mercy. I pray for each dear sister-in-Christ that as 2008 comes to an end that she would ask You to bring to rememberence those moments when You held her close to Your heart, take away all that which is hendering her walk with You and her worship of You and Restore her to her able to Walk boldly and confidently serving and praising Her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Until next week,

Christmas Eve

Greetings,

I know that you have heard it numerous times before, the Christmas Story, but this Christmas Eve I desire to keep the wonder of it all. The world presents it with glitz and glitter, loudness everywhere. It is hard on my senses when I walk into a store. My thoughts seem to leave me and I forget what my mission was - to get that something very unique and special for a friend or family member. It is the wonder of it all. The angels coming announcing the birth, the weary traveler's searching for a place to have the baby. A night like none other. So this Christmas Eve may it be a night like none other in your life.

Abba Father, Praise thee for each night and day, praise thee for the wonder of You. How soon I forget Your Goodness and Mercy and look only at the present. LORD, I pray for each dear sister-in-Christ that she see the wonder of Your Love this Christmas Eve. May you reveal to her the Greatness of Your Majesty, the Brilliance of Your Grace, the Beauty of Your Joy, and the Abundance of Your Power this night. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Until next week,

Snow Angels

Greetings,

I miss making snow angels - it seems that I had perfected the art of making snow angels and then moved to where snow is not an issue. You are probably wondering why I would claim bragging rights to making the perfect snow angels? Well, after many years of practicing and lots of snow down the neck or up the legs or in the boots - I decided that fingertip impressions would count and heel footprints were acceptable. And I find that it applies in my Christian life as well. It is okay to leave an impression as long as it reveals God's Goodness and Glory. My desire is to fear the Lord my God in such an amazing way that what shows is my Love for His Goodness and Faithfulness.

Heavenly Father, may Your imprints be evident in my life. Thank you, most Sovereign Lord that Your Mercy and Grace has carried me thus far. I pray for each dear sister-in-Christ this day for Your anointed imprints to be evident her life. May her desire be to fear You and serve with her lips in praise, with her heart in worship and with her mind in purity. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Until next week,

A Simple Greeting

Greetings to my dear and wonderful sisters-in-Christ,

Yes you are wonderful and beautiful and gracious and righteous and holy. Yep that's you all in one package ready to face the day or in some cases have already been facing the day, what with the time differences.

I am making a conscience effort to say "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year", in response to the greetings that I am receiving, "Happy Holidays". And the response I get back is usually a big sigh that it is okay for them to say Merry Christmas and they repeat it back even more heartily than the first greeting.

I say conscience effort because it would be so easy and non threatening to just stick with the "politically correct" response for this year. Last year it was Happy Holidays, the year before that it was Season's Greetings. If I continue to say Merry Christmas then I don't have to be concerned about what is the "right thing" to say this year.

Merry Christmas to all, may you make a conscience effort to remember that it was CHRIST - for the WORD states, Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And as the greetings will abound until after the first of the year I want to be one who brings the Truth into the hearts of all who the Lord places in my day.

Heavenly Father, thank You for special moments and thank You for special glimpses. Abba Father I pray for each dear sister-in-Christ this day and in the days ahead that she be unencumbered with the thoughts of man and be renewed with the mind of Christ. May her eyes be filled with the wonder of Your Truth, may her heart be filled with the knowledge of Your Grace, may her ears be filled with Your most intimate whispers and may her mind be filled with whatsoever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good repost, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8) In Jesus Name, Amen.


Until next week,

Abstract Painter

Greetings dear sisters-in-Christ,

Since the beginning of September I'm realizing that I have been living in the abstract - I researched the dictionary and the following 3 items listed are definitions given:

Adjective - having only intrinsic form with little or no attempt at pictorial representation or narrative content

Noun - a summary of points (as of a writing) usually presented in skeletal form; also:something that summarizes or concentrates the essentials of a larger thing or several things

Verb - to consider apart from application to or association with a particular instance

I was starting the 7th grade and I needed to take an elective - I chose Art. I struggled and struggled in class but my teacher, Mr. Russell was always encouraging me. He was sick for a couple of weeks and we had a substitute - during her time I was failing miserably. There was an exercise that was assigned - the class was given a piece of canvas and told to color it with all kinds of different colors - no particular design just start coloring the canvas. Now this was something I did very well. After completely covering with colors we had to cover this with black paint and let it dry for a couple of days. After two days - our instructions were to remove the black paint in such a way to create a scene-a work of art. So I go about my normal artistic self and start to draw my infamous stick people. Present it to the substitute; it is not received very well at all. It is set aside and the next week my art teacher returns. He looks at it and sees - an apple core and low and behold he is so pleased because he has in his class an abstract artist.

I relate this story because before the first of September I had painted my life with colors and looked at different situations in a certain way. It seems that on September 1st the colors (situations-my perceptions) were darkened and now the Lord is slowly removing the black to once again reveal the colors underneath and the way He is removing them in my life is truly amazing.

Abba Father, thank You that this day You will reveal to me that which is Truth. LORD of Heaven and Earth, our most Sovereign Lord I pray for each dear sister-in-Christ that she allow You to completely remove the darkness from each area of her life that it is Your Glory that shines forth and Your Power that is uncovered and Your Beauty, Truth and Holiness which is seen after the day is done. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Until Next Week,