So Much Yet So Little

As I have been attempting to organize all the notes from several years of study and reading, I have come to the conclusion that I have so much info yet I have retained so little of it.  I find myself re-reading some of the journal entries that I've made over the years and thinking, "I don't remember writing that."  I'll read a verse that I know I've read many times before and think, "Wow, I don't remember reading that before."  I'll peruse the notes from a sermon and think, "Huh?  When was that?  I don't remember it."

This is a frustrating place for me to be.  After all, the purpose of this blog is to remember the God Moments. And I forget so many of them.  We are admonished in scripture to remember God's works of old (Isaiah 46:9) even to write them (Psalm 102:18).  HOW COULD I FORGET?

Forgetfulness is an indication that we cannot save ourselves.  We can't do it because we've forgotten the  gruesome works of our flesh.  I don't remember every lie I've told.  So, why do I forget so many of the God moments?  I'm wondering if it might be because they are so often tied to sin.  Or, more so, sin lurks at the door and blinds me.  I don't take the time to clearly see the God moments because I'm covetous or have vainly placed something else before Him.  The result is that I forget.

I rejoice in my salvation.  I remember that work of God!  That's when I realized that I was not worthy and that God was.  He cleansed me.  He created me new.  Oh, how wonderful!

(Father God, holy is your name.  Help us to remember your wonderful works - the old ones and the new ones.  Thank you in the name of Jesus, Amen.)

Dinosaurs, Turkey Bacon, and Toilet Paper

Do you see those words together very often? I never thought I'd see them together in the same paragraph let alone a sentence. But, that is what greeted us this morning. We were TP'd.

Now, I could have been upset and frustrated because of the vandalism. I dislike TP'ing. I don't see the reason for it. I have no desire to participate in such an activity. Granted, it's a fairly minor form of vandalism with few consequences. It's work on the targeted family or person due to the clean up and has little effect on the one doing it.

However, today I am grateful for Dinosaurs, Turkey Bacon and Toilet Paper. It was these items that caused our family to come together. First, we just kinda wondered. Then, we began the suspect list. Next, we started the clean up and questions. Why is someone picking on us? Was it malicious or just a practical joke? And, why did they use Turkey Bacon on the bushes and storm door? Turkey Bacon?

We joked about needing to call NCIS for the investigation. Gibbs will solve the case. Hey, maybe the cat was the culprit. The poor dinosaurs all lost their heads. So did Barbie. Turkey Bacon?

After the cleaning was nearly done, we ended up trying to solve the case at Denny's. We had a long list of suspects. And the true culprit probably isn't even on the list.

None the less what someone else mean for harm, God used for good. Listening to the kids banter back and forth, enjoying a good breakfast as a family, and just having time together was a awesome blessing. Yes, there are still some remnants of paper in the tree. Eventually, they will blow away or get rained down. It's been a good morning.

(Father God, thank you for the blessing of family. Thank you that You caused us to be together. Thank you for the smiles. We are truly blessed by You. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

God Moments - March

I'm enjoying a study of the God Moments in my life. It's loosely based on the book "God Moments" by Alan Wright. It's basically a study of the feasts of Israel taken from Leviticus 23. My homework for each chapter is to journal, blog, photograph or otherwise capture a memory that God brought to mind during the study. I have truly enjoyed rehearsing these God Moments thus far and am so excited to see what God reminds me of in the future.

So, the assignment for March is to capture 3 moments. One is a moment of "Holy Attraction", another is an "Amazing Rescue", and the third is what ever God brought to mind. (In reverse order...)

1. God pricked my heart to really remember why I collect penguin items (and to showcase them). He asks me to remember what it is about penguins that reflects Him. I've given a few glimpses (here and here) into what penguins mean to me but there is much more that I've not been able to verbalize just yet.

2. Amazing Rescue - God filled my mind with scenes from my childhood. I grew up in the country near a creek with two older brothers. Yes, I followed them through briars, trees, fences, and mud. I followed them down snowy hillsides onto the ice covered creek. I followed them and their friend as they forged through the creek waters swollen from the rain. Rushing waters that knocked a young girl off her feet and sent her spiraling and bobbing into deep water. I never lost conciousness and I survived that day. My brother's friend pulled me from the water. I lay gasping for breath and spitting up water on the grassy bank that spring. It is a memory forever etched in my mind - a time when God's supernatural protection abounded.

3. Holy Attraction - It was 1986, I was a freshman in college. I was not walking with God. There was too much that I had to experience. I wanted to make decisions for myself. After all, I had new found freedom. There were six of us in the dorm room that day. Someone unfolded a small foil package. There it was. Crack. The presence of the Holy Spirit within my own body was so intense. Leave. Now. Get away from this. I did. It took less than a minute after seeing the drugs for me to be away from that room and that temptation. In some ways it was less of an Holy Attraction and more of a Holy Aversion. I have never used illegal drugs because I knew that God did not want that for me. I have never been interested in doing drugs. Even now I am careful of the prescription drugs that I take. Why did I feel compelled to leave that room so strongly? I rest fully in the knowledge that it was God that drew me away from that. I wish I could say that it was a major turning point in my life but I had much learning to do still.

(Lord God, I thank you so much for Your presence in that room. I thank you for Your strength which drew me away. I thank you for Your presence at the creek. I thank you for Your strength through my human rescuer that day. I am truly humbled that you would keep me from harm in so many ways. I am awed that you would draw me to yourself even when I was too blind to recognize it. Forgive me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.)