It's A New Year....

Well, 2013 has arrived and is now upon us.  I tremble now with fear and trepidation.  In 2010, I thought we were having a rough time.  I looked at 2011 with excitement just really believing Jesus would intervene.  Somehow, we would win the victory.  2011 was horrible.  My mother died.  My family fell apart.  Things I thought would never happen, happened.  Time passed and 2012 arrived.  However, this time I did not say, "I'm glad for a New Year!"  I looked at 2012 with a little caution, but not enough caution.  Little did I know that around the corner, a war was looming and my faith in Christ would be tested as never before.  In 2012, my husband lost his job of considerable years with a company.  Let go because he did the right thing.  You can rest assure that if you do the right thing, you will be persecuted.  We found out who true friends were.  The family still is divided and split.  I pray the Lord will bring my children back to Him and their relationship with Him remain intact and stronger than ever.  I know of quite a few families who have been hit hard and heavy in 2012.  I pray that 2013 will be a year of restoration to them and to other Believers of Jesus Christ.  I rejoice that a New Year is here and I am excited to see what God has in store.  He kept us through 2012.  If I owned a wine distillery and had made wine in the year 2012,  I would break every bottle.  It was by far the worst year.  And worst yet, every believer I know has been going through the worst battles in their lives.  One thing I know, God has kept us and blessed us.  He has provided when we knew we could not provide.  Despite hubby losing his job, we never lacked.  We never went without.  We never had to sweat out not having any money.  God sustained us and supplied in every circumstance.  In fact, there were times that He so blessed us, we were able to bless others.  We also paid off our house so Yea...no mortgage looming over our heads.  Who gets to pay off their house when they lose their job? 

God blessed.  We brought it all before the Lord and said, "Here Lord, here is the mess we made of our lives."  He took that mess and blessed it.  I know he will do the same for others if they just trust him and believe.  2013, believe it. Things are going to get harder and harder until the Lord returns.  But he is faithful and true and his word, The Holy Bible, is true.  Read it.  Do what it says.  You will find yourself blessed.  God will supply all your needs.  Jesus will bless you.  I know without a doubt Jesus has blessed us and I know he will keep us.  I know all this other stuff will work itself out.  We may have lost a war, but I know who wins the victory!  It is Jesus Christ! 

I know there will be more trials.  I also know that I have nothing to fear because my God who is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-mighty is looking out for me.  I know that He will keep me, no matter what...Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us even whe we weren't loving you. 

Well...So Much For...

...trying to stay positive.  It seems the only thing I can think of to do when I'm frustrated is blog.  I was sitting here waiting on Mr. Moor...and I heard the phrase over the TV, "The TV news programs really are not the place to get your news from if you want the truth."  ???  REALLY?  I knew this, but really, there are people who totally believe everything that is said to them over the airwaves, internet, the dying newspaper industry...When did this happen though?  Journalists were supposed to convey the news in a manner that was trustworthy and reliable for the truth. 

Now, this phrase was made by a narrator on a documentary about the safety of nuclear power plants.  I really do not know whether or not they are dangerous; whether you can grow food next to them and it is okay to eat.  I have to admit at this point I do not think I quite believe that and would like somebody for once to stand up and speak truth. 

This goes for other areas life too - like in the medical community. 

Does truth matter?  Are ethics taken for granted and assumed because whatever particular community is respected and acknowledged as having intelligence because of higher education, but are they anymore honest than "Joe Blow, the blue collar worker", down the street.  In the past maybe, anymore...I just don't know? 

You work for...

Hmmm, I thought it was just us.  I'm finding out, it's going on all over the country.  Employers undercutting their long-time, faithful employees for the bottom line, MONEY!  SHAME ON YOU! 

All you managers and HR people had better pay heed...when they get rid of the lower echelon, they will come after you next.  You are not safe.  You will one day sit where we and these other people are sitting.  Remember Nazi Germany...If you don't stand up to wrong now, there will be no one to stand up for you when they come for you.   History does repeat itself.

More About Friends ...

Well, I have been thinking more about this subject of friends. I have been evaluating situations and circumstances and adjusting my behavior accordingly. I find that, for the most part, socialization is highly over-rated. I find that I become too irritable and start comparing myself to others when I am around them a whole lot. Why is that? I don't purposely set out to do such things. I have had to make some hard decisions lately and scary. They, the group, will ostracize me if I do this, and in someways I do feel ostracized. But that is nothing new for me, as they didn't really seem to want to be around me before either. It's hardest though when you see it affecting your children.

My son received an invitation to a birthday party. Last year when he attended this particular boy's birthday party, he came home very upset, angry and generally overall feeling depressed and bullied. I tried to explain that human flesh is that way. People are generally selfish and no, I did not know why so and so would do that... so this year, he was considering going again. My husband and I both talked to him because we really felt safety could be an issue. I know my son well enough to know he can be very irritating. But at the same time, I have seen some atrocious behavior from boys who claim to be Christian. What to do, what to do? We reminded him of conversations and scenarios of hurt, anger, bitterness...We evaluated. Is it worth it? We all came to the conclusion that the risks were too high. Maybe it would be better to let it pass by this year. In teaching myself boundaries to live by, I find that my children need to learn this too. For far too long I have told them to treat others like they wanted to be treated so much so that it is almost detrimental to my children's health. I believe Christ would love them regardless but I don't know that He would put up with continued affronts. Where does it all fit in to God's plan? Why must we go through this desert? We have been walking this path for a long time. We are tired of being on the outside looking in...tired of trying to reach out in a hand of fellowship only to be 'slapped in the face' so to speak. We are finding it very nice to be around ourselves and say, 'Hang it' to the world and so-called Christians. I don't believe a Christian should mock someone, and if it is a child, the parent should correct that child.

In the meantime, , my son is learning to not react to emotions but rather to really think the situation out,

Goliath won....

Or did he?  My husband lost his job March 9th.  Talk about a real wake up call.  Hoo boy...

So there has been a lot of growing  in the Moors household.  And really, learning to go back to what I knew...Really?  Really!  How could I have deviated so far?  What led me to such anger and then back to grace and mercy.  Do we really have to go through this?  Well, it's all in the perspective.  If you are far from Jesus that's a very bad place to be.   So is it worth it?  Yes!  Because if you are far from God, you have nothing.  You might think you have it all, but in reality, you have nothing. 

Sneaky snakes - I thought it was a bullying issue.  Turns out - It might be an age discrimination issue; or maybe, it's just a bad economy.  But one thing I do know...

I know that I have committed myself to Jesus and that he is able to keep me.  PERIOD! 

So here we are looking for employment...hubby and me.  But one thing I know, My God is able to supply all of our needs.  We are expecting great things.  We would also like your prayers.  And if you happen to own a business, please consider hiring an older person for the position. 



Destined For Greatness, part two...

Oh right, that's supposed to be God's place....

I had an epiphany or at least, it's my idea of an epiphany.  I had been contemplating my life.  Reflecting on my relationship with the Lord.  I have been so angry with him.  Lot of stuff, not really his fault but stuff I felt he should be helping me with and I wasn't feeling the love.  You know how that goes....

Anyhow, I was looking to the past and reflecting while working on another writing project.  I realized in an instance I had not grown.  I was thinking on the story of Lot and his wife.  How Lot's wife had looked back and they were warned not to look back.  The consequence of her action was to be turned into a pillar of salt.  I was looking back.  While not turning into a pillar of salt, looking back still had consequences that were not necessarily producing good results, especially to be growing in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

In that instance I realized I had not grown for two years.  I thought surely I have grown Lord.  I have come through this ________, and this ________, and ....Thinking these were all major things to have come through, surely I have grown.  The Lord showed me a small flower that just barely had sprouted through the ground.  I thought to myself, "Self, I haven't grown at all!  I have a lot more growing to do."  In some ways it was disappointing.  I am by no means 'young in the Lord', but I might as well have been.  Then I felt the Lord telling me that by focusing on the past, the hurts, the regrets, the what might have beens, etc.; all of that was hindering the growth of this flower that he so wanted to grow, nourish and have bloom into a beautiful flower.  I had not been turned into a pillar of salt, but I might as well have been. 

By focusing on the past, all of the issues were causing a hindrence, stifling, bondage, doubt; all were things that caused a slowing down or complete stopping of growing in the Lord.  So I am purposing in my heart to move on.  Looking to the future.  I can't change the past, but I can actively pursue the future with faith.  Faith that the Lord hasn't forgotten me.  He is still leading me.  He is the author and the finisher of our faith, my faith.   

Destined For Greatness!

Have you ever felt or yearned for something, just knew that somehow, some way you were supposed to do this thing, whatever that yearning may be...and totally in the wrong place, wrong time - things never come together right.  That is how I feel in my life right now.  If only...

If only I had more money.  If only my house were bigger.  If only...Lord, how can you use me if these things are never in my life.  And it is not really discontent.  It is more of others would be uncomfortable stacked like sardines in my little house.  Others would really not be ministered too.  It seems to be an endless battle.  It is frustrating.  I have to admit I am frustrated by these things, small as they might be. 

I have been around people who have the ability to do these things and they do not have the skills.  They have the money, but they don't have the time.  They have the house big enough to stack quite a few sardines, but not the other connections.  It really is frustrating to me.  God, why did you put me here if only to leave me just sitting here unable to do this thing?