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 3/17/99 Good Morning.... +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ +†+ When I come to the end of my rope, God is
there to take over. <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§>< Hi again Dear Friends!! Wow, I'll tell ya, it never ceases to amaze me regarding the ways God continually blesses me. I am once again honored to yield the "pulpit" to a dear Sis who has a very timely message. And to top it off, another dear Sis, who has blessed me many times by serenading me with "fresh manna songs" that God has put on her heart, is sharing a written song today. You don't even have to go deep to realize that there are a few areas in our walk that can be ministered through today's devotional. The introductory story really touched my heart. After you read it, try applying it to your Christian walk, and see where you fit. Are you seeing the "mess" or the "cake" that God has so richly prepared for your life? ( smile ) Read on, my dear pals, and enjoy!!
Cindy glanced nervously at the clock on the kitchen wall. Five minutes before midnight. "They should be home any time now," she thought as she put the finishing touches on the chocolate cake she was frosting. It was the first time in her 12 years she had tried to make a cake from scratch, and to be honest, it wasn't exactly an aesthetic triumph. The cake was . . . well, lumpy. And the frosting was bitter, as if she had run out of sugar or something. Which, of course, she had. And then there was the way the kitchen looked. Imagine a huge blender filled with all the fixings for chocolate cake -- including the requisite bowls, pans and utensils. Now imagine that the blender is turned on. High speed. With the lid off. Do you get the idea? But Cindy wasn't thinking about the mess. She had created something, a veritable phoenix of flour and sugar rising out of the kitchen clutter. She was anxious for her parents to return home from their date so she could present her anniversary gift to them. She turned off the kitchen lights and waited excitedly in the darkness. When at last she saw the flash of the car headlights, she positioned herself in the kitchen doorway. By the time she heard the key sliding into the front door, she was THIS CLOSE to exploding. Her parents tried to slip in quietly, but Cindy would have none of that. She flipped on the lights dramatically and trumpeted: "Ta-daaa!" She gestured grandly toward the kitchen table, where a slightly off-balance two-layer chocolate cake awaited their inspection. But her mother's eyes never made it all the way to the table. "Just look at this mess!" she moaned. "How many times have I talked to you about cleaning up after yourself?" "But Mom, I was only..."I should make you clean this up right now, but I'm too tired to stay up with you to make sure you get it done right," her mother said. "So you'll do it first thing in the morning." "Honey," Cindy's father interjected gently, "take a look at the table." "I know -- it's a mess," his wife said coldly. "The whole kitchen is a disaster. I can't stand to look at it." She stormed up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. For a few moments Cindy and her father stood silently, neither one knowing what to say. At last she looked up at him, her eyes moist and red. "She never saw the cake," she said. Unfortunately, Cindy's mother isn't the only parent who suffers from Situational Timbercular Glaucoma -- the occasional inability to see the forest for the trees. From time to time we all allow ourselves to be blinded to issues of long-term significance by Stuff That Seems Awfully Important Right Now -- but isn't. Muddy shoes, lost lunch money and messy kitchens are troublesome, and they deserve their place among life's frustrations. But what's a little mud -- even on new carpet -- compared to a child's self- esteem? Is a lost dollar more valuable than a youngster's emerging dignity? And while kitchen sanitation is important, is it worth the sacrifice of tender feelings and relationships? I'm not saying that our children don't need to learn responsibility, or to occasionally suffer the painful consequences of their own bad choices. Those lessons are vital, and need to be carefully taught. But as parents, we must never forget that we're not just teaching lessons -- we're teaching children. That means there are times when we really need to see the mess in the kitchen. And times when we only need to see the cake. "THE CAKE" <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> Whenever another human being is warmed by our love, uplifted by our hope, disarmed by our patience, inspired or unsettled by our faith---that person encounters the life-giving reality of the gospel. From these encounters other branches are grafted onto the Vine, and the joy of the harvest grows. From: "In My Father's Vineyard" <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> Carol, "Lord, Be A River" Lord, be a river.. flowing into me Wash away all my sins, Lord Lord, be a river... flowing into me... Bringing life and Your victory Lord, be a river... flowing through our home... May Your grace and Your mercy Lord, be a river... flowing through my life... Touching every part, Lord ( As I wrote the last verse, I really had this picture of the Lord being like this winding river flowing throughout my life touching this place in my life and that place washing, renewing, changing...making things new. It was sort of like looking at a timeline of my life...past, present and future. ) Hope you enjoy it! Feel free to share it. Your Sis, <>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<><JE§U§><<>@<> Coming to the end of my rope, or as a dear friend likes to phrase it...."Coming to the end of Myself." I personally am not a great fan of the "end" of the rope and quite often work very diligently at holding on to the rope somewhere in the middle with my lil feets dangling below. We fight daily to keep from coming to the end of our
rope or dare I If anyone knows anything about rope, you would find that the more it is used or held onto, the slicker it becomes...so as you can summize the knots also become slippery and therefore useless. I'm finding that one way or another we eventually will come to the end of that rope...whether we gently slide down it or fight it all the way. So why do we fight? Why are we so often afraid to let go of the rope? Does the rope bring us some kind of great joy or peace? Or is it because to "allow" oneself to reach that point would entail "allowing" God to catch us when the we let go of that rope. And that in turn would require faith, trust and a complete dependence on Christ! It would mean that "I" would not be the one in "Control" Those are two popular words today in our society now, aren't they? This may come as a shocker to all, but if we are hangin onto that rope with our lil feets dangling...well.....hate to tell ya this, but we aren't in control there either...the Rope is! And speaking as a person who has spent much time on the rope....I've come to find that there is no real joy there nor peace....and the biggy is....that the Rope doesn't care about me one lil bit! But there is a God who does, who is waiting there to catch me, love me, rescue me and heal me. And He will give you a new hope and future that the rope never could or ever will.
-By: Sandra Birmer- Amen Sandra!! Thank you so much for sharing! God Bless You All Dear Friends, and remember.. Jesus Loves You and I do too!! In Christ!!
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