God and the Geese

This is not my own words, but a story I ran across online and wanted to share with you:

God and the Geese

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion  and religious holidays.    
His wife, however, did believe in God, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments. 

One snowy Eve, his wife was taking their children to service in the farm community in which they lived. They were to talk about Jesus' birth. She asked him to come, but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!"  So she and the children left, and he stayed home.
 

A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening  Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet. When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and  aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.   The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them.The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked  over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. 
 

 The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them, and they moved further away. He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread crumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on.

Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe.
 

 "Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?"  He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud.

Then he had an idea. He went into barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn -- and one-by-one, the other geese followed it to safety.He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!"  

Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!"    Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done.   We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing..    God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us. 

As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished with the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer:  "Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!  I am ready to do what you wish for me to do".

Heb 4:14-16, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.   Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need". 

Which Step Are You On?

It is not many times that I find myself "double-posting" on my two blogs. But today is just one of those finds that can be applied to a "Christian's life" as well as an educator. God expects effort on our part. He expects us to grow and learn. Faith is a choice and it is shown by our actions. The belief is the easy part. We believe in Jesus, that He is God's son and was sent to save us from our sins. We all say we believe, but how do we prove our belief? It is said that we are either drawing near to God or away from him. Each day we make choices on how we want to spend our day and how we use it to His glory. We choose the attitude that we will have and how we show our gratitude. Today, I want to share a visual that I ran across on Twitter. It is used in an education type scenario; but I want to use this same visual in a Christian's life as they grow and trust in God through their walk.

Every teacher takes these steps on the path from mediocre to innovator. Which step are you on? #edtechchat #edchat pic.twitter.com/Li9zxOeRw3

— Weston Kieschnick (@Wes_Kieschnick) June 1, 2017

Which step are you on? Are you refusing to do God's will? Are you saying you are committed, but only on your terms, not God's? Is fear keeping you from facing your giants and becoming what God has planned for you? How can we fulfill our purpose God has for us? Check out this visual and see where you have climbed. Are you stuck on a step?

The Peril of Falling Away

Hebrews 6
  
1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.

Better Things for You

Hebrews 6

9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Today, why don't your take time to examine yourself in your faith. We are asked to do this, but our measurement should be on God's standard, not the world's. Make sure you are spending time in God's word which is our measuring stick! Is Christ Jesus in you?

2 Corinthians 13:5 

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

Do You Want Happiness?

Jesus wants us to be happy. But it's not what you think. Check this sermon clip out - pic.twitter.com/iQOxJmh79M

— Derwin L. Gray (@DerwinLGray) February 11, 2016

How Do You Socktober?

God tells us in Isaiah 58:7
New Living Translation
Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

By now, millions of people have heard of Kid President. He has captured many hearts with his cuteness, but more importantly, he has a heart and helps motivate others to good. I am challenging churches and schools everywhere to help him reach his goal of 3 million. Set up your own Socktober Drive. Don't limit it to socks, you can choose blankets, canned food, toiletries, deodorant, soap, brushes, etc. We want to help the homeless shelters and get them supplied with items before the cold winter. Check out the website: happysocktober.com They even have an official seal! Check it out:

Rules for Life #2

This post is a continued article from the original post called:
7 Cardinal Rules for Life 
Rules for Life #1 (with bible references) 

Rules for Life #2:
What other people think of you (is none of your business)

I am taking the seven Cardinal Rules of Life and looking for scripture that supports the rule and giving my thoughts about it. Here are some verses that I have found that apply to rule #2:

• Proverbs 29:25 (NIV) Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
• Luke 12:4-5 (NASB) I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!
• John 5:41 (NIV) I do not accept glory from human beings,
• John 5:44 (NIV) How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
• John 12:43 (NIV) ...for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
• 1 Corinthians 15:10a (NASB) Bus by the grace of God, I am what I am,...
• 1 Peter 2:15 (NASB) For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
• 1 Peter 3:17 (NASB) For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for what is wrong.
• 1 Peter 4:14a (NIV) If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests on you.
• Romans 12:18 (NASB) If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
• Luke 6:26 (NIV) Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
• Mark 12:14 (NIV) ...Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are, but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth
• Galatians 1:10 (NIV) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

There are so many scriptures on pleasing men or gaining praise from others rather than from God. Our focus in life should be pleasing our maker. God is happy when we share the gospel (good news) with others. Pleasing Him is foremost above all else. We should not put our efforts into satisfying others; nor should we worry what others think about us. Seeking praises of men will trap us and get us off of our true purpose in life. Knowing God's love gives us confidence and helps us appreciate our uniqueness and individuality. You have quirks that annoy others? Become comfortable with being YOU. The more relaxed we can be with our own differences, the more comfortable we start to feel just being ourselves. Thank God for our differences and use them to His glory. God controls all and carries us through the fun times and the dark times. When we put our trust in Him, we can overcome the trials and tribulations that come our way. I love this saying, "God can't please everyone, what makes you think you can?"  Some people can fill our heads full of negative thoughts and pull us down if we let them. Allowing this self-doubt to creep in will torment us if we let it. Don't let others ruin your self-image. Our self-worth, and true acceptance comes from within...with God. Live your life by God's standards, not the world's! He is supreme!

Are You Making a Difference?

I don't know about you, but there a times when we can become very discouraged, disappointed, and upset with ourselves. Do you ever wonder if your life is pleasing to God? Do you make a difference in someone's life? We have been studying Jennifer Rothchild's book, Me, Myself, & Lies in bible class on Wednesday nights and tonight's lesson was great. The word that kept coming up this week was "perseverance" in the wake of our battles. Life is not always pleasant and can heap lots of troubles, heartache, and misery.  What can we do to get through the rough battles? Balance is important in life if you want to remain UNSHAKABLE. If you picture a table's four legs, we can remember the four areas that are important for us to keep grounded and firm.

1. The mental leg (keep mentally strong, don't get bored...learning never ends)
2. The emotional leg (not every feeling is a fact, nor are feelings all productive)
3. The physical leg (our body is God's temple with basic needs: eating, moving, & resting)
4. The spiritual leg (this leg bears ALL the weight and is most important to remain unshakable)

I want to leave you with this awesome video I ran across today (thank you Lord for that) which made me realize how very short a time we have on earth. I want to make each day count! Time's a wasting and too many 'beans' have gone. See what I mean by watching it for yourself.

Stinkin' Thinkin'

What I like about the new year is that it brings about reflection. Hopefully, most of us are reflecting on ways to improve ourselves, improve our lives, and improve our relationships. I have been reading and studying a book by Jennifer Rothschild called, "Me, Myself, and Lies". It has made me think more about my self-talk (sometime called Soul Talk) and how powerful it can be if they are negative ones. I want to admit that my thoughts are not always pleasing to me or God (He counts most). I have a problem with Stinkin' Thinkin'! It is something I plan to change in 2015. Have you ever told yourself that "You can't do something?" or "You're not important"? "You're too fat, ugly, stupid, dumb, fill-in-the-blank with your choice of word(s). Our thoughts need to be acceptable and pleasing to God. Our theme memory verse is taken from Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the mediation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer" (KJV). If you are one whose thoughts hurt more than help, replace them with God's truth. It is helpful to memorize scripture and erase negative thoughts with God's loving words. I love this acronym for MIND. These are the kind of thoughts I want and that should fill our SELF TALK. Join me this year and don't let Satan keep you down this year. He wants us to fail, to think we aren't capable of achieving His purpose in our lives. Together, we can fill our thoughts with things that are pleasing and acceptable to God, our Father and creator. Enjoy the journey!

God Grants us Talents

We know the parable about the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 and how God expects us to use the gifts that HE has chosen for us. How are you using yours? I ran across this perfect example through my email when +PurposeCity  and @PurposeCity on Twitter followed me on Twitter. I researched them and discovered thay Noah Curran is sharing great WORD ART using God's word (pun). It was so refreshing to see the talent and gift he has and for it to be used in such a wonderful way. I could not take myself away from it. Thank you Noah Curran for your designs. They are breathtaking. This is the one that I have decided to share since it spoke the loudest to me this morning. It is telling me to be brave, and have courage in light of what I dealing with in my life. What does it say to you? If you are like me and need courage check out Joshua 1:9 also for another scripture on courage. It is my favorite and I challenge Noah to design one with that one.

"The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." - Proverbs 28:1 pic.twitter.com/VZ9JGkdeYo
— PurposeCity (@PurposeCity) August 20, 2014

Ever Look at Your Hands?

I'll never look at my hands the same!

Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat, I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice. "I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to him. "Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making. Grandpa smiled and related this story:

We Need to Hear, See, Internalize This: I AM GOD!

Take a short 2 1/2 minute break from your day to watch this powerful video. I am glad I did and hope you will share it too. I located it from +Phil Wagner in California on Google+ Love how small the world seems when we share across the world with others.

I Am a Christian

When I say that "I am a Christian," I am not shouting that "I am clean living." I'm whispering "I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say "I am a Christian," I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumbled and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say "I am a Christian," I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not holier than thou. I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!
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I took a snapshot of this poem in a nurse's office while waiting to see a doctor in Beaumont. I can't remember the name of the nurse, but appreciate that she allowed me to take the picture. She did not know the author, but hope you like it as much as I did.

10 Things God Won't Ask You

When you die, 10 things GOD won't ask you: 

1..... God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation..
2..... God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3..... God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped clothe. 4..... God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5..... God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
6..... God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7..... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8..... God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
9..... God won't ask why it took you so long to find Him and ask Him into your house, He'll lovingly take you to heaven and not to the gates of Hell.

10..... God won't have to ask how many people you forwarded this to, He already knows your decision.

Inspiration for 2014

Inspiration for 2014! pic.twitter.com/QLfjTG1Czu

— Peggy Hale (@phale) January 1, 2014

It was hard to get back to the 'working' world! I enjoyed my time off so much and the best part about it, I unplugged myself from too much technology and tried to enjoy family, friends, and the simple things. I was reading God's word and other material online and in books. So much emphasis lately is getting back to the basics or the SIMPLE things in life. I like simple. I am a simple, country girl and love being outdoors, enjoying God's creations. I ran across this poster of brainstorming for INSPIRATION in 2014. I think most of these things can be applied to your Christian life, don't you think? I love the tips and will review them to make sure I am applying them in 2014. They fit right in with the 'simple' life.

Have Joy, Pray, Give Thanks

Well, I apologize for being away for a spell, but you can say I truly enjoyed my break for the Thanksgiving holiday and look forward to the next one, Christmas! I have so much to be thankful for and love this time of year. Maybe that's why God chose the Thanksgiving season for my birthday LOL. Yes, I had a birthday on November the 26th, and was truly given the most wonderful blessing. I went to MD Anderson for my routine 6 month PET scans. I had been studying God's word each morning, praying and focusing on his presence in my life before going to my  appointment. This time, I felt such a peace about it. The verse that kept coming to my mind was 1Thessalonians 5:16-18, a very timely scripture for this time of year: "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." As I memorized this verse, the part that was difficult was the "all circumstances". We readily accept good from God, but rarely thank him for the bad. I have Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and could not imagining thanking God for that. But in time, I could because my battle and bout with chemo drew me ever so closer to Him. That I can say I am thankful for. If it had not been my cancer, then maybe I would not have grown in my faith. So, to the main point...my doctor came in to share my news that the spot  that we have been tracking for more than two years had completely disappeared! Now that's what I call a great birthday blessing!

As if that was not enough for this season of thankfulness, I was blessed with a new grandson (number 6 grandchild) born on November 29th, which had us traveling to Austin for his birth. There's just nothing like snuggling with a newborn baby. I miss him already, but do have to get back to work.

May you enjoy the upcoming season and focus on Jesus which should be the main reason we celebrate Christmas!

Power of God through the Internet

It is Sunday, the Lord's day and I am spending it at home as I recuperate from a successful ear surgery. I am giving God the glory and thanks for it. Today, I experienced what I call a "God wink" in that a small event happened that I think is only by God. He somehow made my two worlds come together and prove how HE is in control of ALL things and at ALL times. As you know, I am passionate about God, my family, and LOVE technology. In this God Tube video that came to me, I can prove how powerful the Internet is and hope that this is a little proof what God can do through technology. I don't know the details of how these three young men practiced or decided on their audition song, but one thing's for sure: God brought them together and I hope they bring HIM the glory. May you experience the same feelings when you watch this.

3 Young Strangers Recently Met Online - And When They Sing It Sounds Like Heaven! from alegator21 on GodTube.

God Winks

I went on Amazon and looked up books about "God Winks". I had watched a TV program with Squire Rushnell, the author, and made it a goal to read his book. He has more than one book written now, and I plan to read one this summer. In fact, I so believe that when we become more aware of things and understand that God has a hand in making each event occur in our lives, we become more closer to him. In fact, I just experienced my own God wink tonight. I've been thinking about the life and how we get so caught up in the "busy"ness of it, that we miss out on the little things that mean so much. I have been wanting to simplify my life and get back to the basics, if you say. I read a devotional about "Stopping and smelling the roses" before life passes you by. Well, the God wink occurred when a friend sent me this video to watch. It is called "Life is like Coffee". It is worth the few minutes, I promise, that it takes to watch. This is one I want to keep and re-watch when things get too hectic, and I lose sight of the important things in life. I want to choose the plain and simple!

He is Everywhere!

I was sent this video by a friend and took the time to view it. The end of the video is what is amazing, and verifies that God is in control. He can use the righteous and the unrighteous to get his message across. Hope you take the time to see his work in action.