QUIET TIMES

Recently I have been going thru the book of Genesis really slow. I have really been getting alot from it. The first thing I got from Genesis 1 in the first chapter, is every human is a special being. I mean we were created by the Master, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, that is pretty amazing and the second thing was that every human is a spiritual being, God breathed His spirit, His life into us. Just the fact that God singled out man and created Him with His own hands and gave Him special care shows us there is a vast difference between us and all the animals he created.

Then onto Chapter 2 we see the very first surgery. God took a rib from man and made a woman, then we see a marriage made in paradise. The very first wedding and God teaching man his first responsibility, his view of what a man and woman's relationship is. Here God shows man a three step process, to leave, to cleave and to become one.

Then in Chapter 3 we see man's greatest tragedy, but in the midst of this tragedy, we see man's greatest hope. He disobeys God, he plays the blame game, blaming the woman for his problems. God wanted Adam to admit his sin, instead he made excuses.

I am already into Chapter 18 and I have gotten some simple revelations this time that have really stuck with me. I have read Genesis many times, but this time, I am taking it slow, slow, slow. I want God to show me something, to speak to my heart. I want to know Him more, so I thought maybe I would start at the beginning.

The Paradox

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller building, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We learn how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We've conquered outer space, but not inter space; we've cleaned up the air' but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we have higher incomes, but lower morals; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show windows and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference or you can forward it.
~Author Unknown~

Collateral Damage

My nephew, Jimmy Del Aker hung himself this past week. I got the call from my sister, he was hanging from a tree in her backyard, she was screaming pray Dana, pray!! She was out of control.

Oh God, why?

If I had known he was this depressed I would have asked him if he wanted to stay with us for awhile and just get away. Jimmy was always a loving child, he was one of four of my sisters children. He left behind four boys, ages 17, 15, 13 and 10. I had talked to him alot this past month. I wish I would have reached out to him, I wish I would have had some idea what he was thinking, what he was going through.

Jimmy was the primary victim here, however it feels as if a bomb has went off in our family, the collateral damage is massive. There are numerous casualties. We are all changed. I still feel like I will wake up from this nightmare. I can't believe it.

Fitness for Life

I have been posting lately about letting go. So I have identified now three areas of stress in my life and now I am going about eliminating them. I mean some can't be elimanated completely, but they can be toned down alot. I have realized stress can be managed if it is identified and the cause is evaluated.

I think I sound like a shrink to me. Just jokin, but really I have been looking at the four major areas of my life, for instance, mentally, physically, spiritually and financially. I am evaluating those areas and I am making changes. I am looking at each deeply and being honest with me about things I can change, things I need to change and things I must change.

So mentally, what is it that I spend most of my day thinking about and why? What can I do to have a better thought life, better thought control, we concern ourselves with controlling our actions but what about our thoughts? Thoughts lead to actions. The bible says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

Then there is the physical. I am taking better care of myself. Exercising, eating better and less, taking vitamins, drinking water, just breathing in and out. Sitting by the lake, taking it in, deep breathing, it's all good!.

Spiritual. Feeding my spirit on the Word, but really digging deep, looking intently in the Word, asking God to change me from the inside out, show me who I really am. Looking into the Ten Commandments, Do I love the Lord with all my heart? Is there anything that is keeping me from the feet of Jesus? What is it that takes my time? and so on..........I am not being legalistic, just evaluating, analyzing....

Financial...I am taking a series of financial classes and I have been amazed at what I have learned. I can see so much waste in my finances. I thought I was pretty conservative but there are things I do that I have to stop.

So this is my fitness test, my life fitness. How are you doing?

Just Do It!

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

Theodore Roosevelt

I am having a wonderful year this year. I have peace. I am doing as Theodore Roosevelt once said...what I can, with what I have, when and where I am.

I really am happy. I still have the same job, the same kids, the same friends, the same house, the same car, the only difference is I have let it all out.

You know the song by Kirk Franklin that says, "Shout, Shout, Let it All Out!" That's me this year. I am not holding anything in, I am taking it all to the One who can handle it all.

No Revelation without Examination!

I recently went to a Women's Conference and the preacher made the statement, "No Revelation without Examination!" She was referring to reading the Word. About digging deep and studying and how God will give you a revelation, or reveal to you a certain truth. I was like Wow! that is so good and so true.

I have thought alot about that and realized it applies to our whole life. When we take the time to really examine things even in our own lives we will get a revelation about things we need to change or relationships we need to evaluate.

Before I heard this, I had already emptied my heart of everything I could think of. I examined everything I was doing and anything I could do differently. I realized I am not in control of certain things and there are things I can't change and I need to only concern myself with what God has entrusted to me and leave the rest to Him.

Having said all that, I can't say there are not things in my lives and my family that don't touch me in a way that hurts and I wish I could change. But as for me, my relationship with my creator is awesome, my husband is wonderful, I love my children and grandson and all I can do is all I can do. The rest of up to God!

Babooskha!

My one and only grandson Aiden is now 2 years and 5 months old. He calls me (бабушка) - babooshka. However it comes out as Booka, Booga, Booska! I love to hear him say it, it is Russian for Gramma. I wanted him to call me something that everyone would know he was talking about me or wanted me. And I wanted a reminder of the little grammas in Russia who are homeless and starving. Anyway let me share with you a little about our trip to Russia and why the name Babooskha means so much to me.

When Chuck and I went to Russia on a mission trip the grammas there stole my heart. There was one in particular who was in McDonalds and she was walking from table to table begging for food. I asked what she was doing and Chuck told me she was hungry. I said then get her some food and give her some money!! I wanted to cry. So he got up and gave her money and she got herself a cup of coffee, it was real cold outside. Then she stood by the trash can and tears were streaming down her face. It was one of the saddest things I had ever seen. I then told him to give her more money, so when he did, she followed us outside and kept saying Thank you, thank you in Russian and was crying.

Then in Red Square as we make our way back to the hotel, the little babooshkas were huddled up in the doorways out of the cold, they were hungry and homeless. Late at night there were small children in the tunnels where you cross the streets playing instruments with boxes in front of them for you to put money in.

I couldn't take it. If I ever go back, I am taking all my savings and giving it away. I might even sell everything I have, because I could not go back and not give everything I have. I am so so so blessed!!!!