Forgive

FORGIVENESS

Consider this, that woman of Samaria, she had had five husbands and the man that she was living with was not even her husband. Now do you suppose that she had issues with forgiveness? I would not hesitate to say yes. Now when I say forgiveness I mean that she would have those that she needed to forgive and I am sure that she needed to forgive herself. There may be those in our lives that need to ask us for forgiveness but that is a matter between that person and the Father God. It is our responsibility to be obedient and forgive. It is just that simple. The word of God tells us

Mt 6:14

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you.

Mt 6:15

but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Now, what is there about that scripture that we do not understand? When you get time please read Matthew 18: 21- end of the chapter.

I came face to face with the hate in my heart several years ago. It had been nearly two years since my divorce and I must tell you that I was in very bad shape. I was dying on the inside and on the outside on a roller coaster ride with death.

After spending an hour or so at the car wash, one day in June of 1993 I needed to run to Wal-Mart for a few things. Hair a mess, no make up, just going to run in and grab a few things and run out. How many of you know that when you go to Wal-Mart in a small town, it is like homecoming. Nearly finished I round the end of an isle in the food section and came face to face with the other woman. She now lived in my home, was a part of my business, and living with my husband. I cannot tell you the depths of my hate for her. At one point I called it “Righteous indignation “to avoid dealing with my hate. At that moment she smiled. I left my basket where it sat and hurried out the door, getting in my car and headed home. Not being able to drive my car because of the sobs that were coming up from within my spirit, I pulled off to the side of the road. In my pain and despair I cried out to the Lord to let me live. I was in such torment; I wanted to live but did not want to live in that state. As I sat in my car on the side of the highway sobbing pleading for life the Lord spoke to me so clearly. Oh not in audible voice, to my spirit, “Forgive her”, at first my rebellion rose up within me and I shouted No in the face of God, “I want her dead” Now there is an attitude for a Christian? Ever been there?

After pleading over and over again for Him to restore my life, the same message came bursting through over and over again “Forgive Her”… After what seemed to be hours, broken and finally ready to obey, with everything that I had within me, with my teeth clinched tight, “I forgive her” came out my lips. There was no lightening; there was no feeling, there was nothing.

So many of us think that we need to “want” to obey. The word tells us that we walk by faith and not by sight and certainly not by feeling. Obedience to the word in most instances comes before the feeling or the want to! I did not want to utter those words of forgiveness, I did not want to loose her of her debt to me however, in obedience to His word, I uttered the words that set me free. Oh not right then, but I can tell you this one thing, that day was the first day of the rest of my life. Friends saw it on my face and they began to see the healing taking place in my life.

We are not people without passion and emotions. We believe that as Christians there is something wrong with us if we find hate in our hearts. We must give our emotions to the One that gave us those emotions. He is able to search out our hearts and bring us into forgiveness if we will just be obedient to His word. It absolutely does not matter what has been done to you, what you have suffered, He wants you to live, and the key to that life is forgiveness. Trust me; it will transform your life. It has mine.

Joh 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Live in the abundance of His gift to you. Open the door to answered prayer; open the door to health and peace in your life. Open the door to joy and the strength it brings, open the door for the Father to repair, and restore your heart. He stands ready, He offers you the key, take hold of life, forgive and see if what I say is not the absolute truth. He challenges us to prove all things in

1 Thessalonians 5:21

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Be blessed today, and pray about all things that you hold in your heart. Let the spirit of God search out your heart and bring all things under his blood. Forgiveness is a gift, take it and live.

In Christ

Denise

Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

This is my first time to do this.. I am still learning the camera so just have patience with me... so here goes.........

This is a very old sewing box that belonged to my Grandmom... Ida Potts... she was my best friend and mentor. She taught me to sew and crochet and garden and she taught me of the Lord.She lived to be 99 years old and left here Jan 4, 1996 to go home to be with the Lord and see her son that went home in 1947.

Her little house that she lived in for 50 burned in October 1995 and I am not sure how I ended up with this wonderful treasure but I did. She had this sitting by her old treadle sewing machine and when I was a very young girl I can remember her rooting around in it for buttons or thread or rickrack... or whatever........ some have said that I should have it refinished and have the top fixed, but I just cringe at the thought of someone messing with it..... so it sits in a place of honor in my shop and there it will remain.

I also ended up with her button box which was just a cardboard box that had much smoke damage and was falling apart... so what better place to hide away her buttons than in her sewing box........ When looking at the buttons I can remember some items of clothing belonging to her or my mother or even myself with that exact button. They will remain there in that box and I guess I will have to leave it to my son......... ahahhah I do not have a daughter in law yet or a granddaughter....... soooooooo maybe one of these days there will be a certain someone that will treasure it as I do........ I have other treasures from Grandmother that I will share off and on, but for now I thought you might like to see the lady behind the sewing box. She was the most influential person in my life.

She is the one on the back...... I think she was 94 when this was taken........What a great outlook on life ......... she was a hoot!!!
The other lady is Aunt Lucy........she used to deal out bread around the table like you would a deck of cards...........She made us laugh........We have wonderful memories of her...

This is Ida around the age of 91........ She looks good don't you think?

She was 54 here......... Sharp little lady.......... I do miss her...

I have a devotional written just for her and to her over on my devotional page.. If you have time stop and read about this wonderful woman. It is titled "I Hope So"

Whew!!!!!!!!!

.........Hey ladies............. tomorrow I am going to change the TEE shirt order page a bit and make it a bit easier............ I always need easier...... sooooooooooooo remember to tell your friends about the TEE shirt....... I will start printing week after next.......... I think there are about 12 ordered right now............. sooooooooooo lets get the word out........... I will take picture of the first one made.......... SOOOOOOOOOO do not order until I redo the page........ early tomorrow.
TEE SHIRT ORDER PAGE IS FINISHED.. JUST CLICK ON THE ORDER HERE ON THE LEFT..... :)

........ I have been very busy with a very large job the past two weeks ........ I do the special Olympics for a group home for physically and mentally challenged adults here in town.... It is called McCalls Communities and I think that they have about 150 precious people living out there right now........... They go to the special Olympics every year and I think this is the 6th year that I have designed their shirts......... It is a very large job and takes a lot of my time for about two weeks.. We finished yesterday and will deliver them Friday......... I start working on a design the end of December and send them about three to choose from the first week of Jan........ Here is the design that they choose this year............





















.............Each shirt was navy blue and white with lime green,,, with their name on the left sleeve in white... We did 200 shirts....... so with the names on the sleeves they are handled twice so it is in actual fact 400 shirts (there are about 86 staff shirt in that number) Whew!!!!!!!!!........ They will look sharp and they are always so proud of their shirts...... They also order wind suits and shorts........ so it is a lot of counting and getting things together..... I am so glad that my DH helps me....... each year Chris comes out and prints all the shirts and puts the names on the sleeves....... so I just sat around and looked pretty........... (well my DH thinks so.. but we know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder)... Chris will get his share of the profit......... so it works well for him......... Now ...... I did sort and fold every shirt and put in order of size and group home so I did do something...... hahahah...... Check the list and check it twice........ No room for error........ soooooooooo I was busy.......

Just thought you would like to see what I do with my days............ I am glad that is done........... hahahahh

... and you thought that I just sit around and munch on grapes..........hahahaahha

........... Tomorrow I am taking a break..........

And just remember,,,,,,,,, laugh and the world laughs with you....... cry and your nose runs!!!

Home With The Lord

...... Thanks for all your prayers for Bryan Manuel.... He walked into his new home this morning and was able to behold Jesus face to face at 6:19....... He walked out of this world very peacefully and in no pain.......... He is where we are all going to be one of these days........ Maybe you will meet him there.............

Hugs............

Laugh!!!!!!!!

............Sometimes I just want to tell you what I have been up to....... I put too much on myself sometimes and I really am a very fun person...... Seems that lately I have not been laughing much and I really need to get back to that......... My grandmother said that by the time I was two years old I was in the big middle of everything trying to make people laugh...... and I think that was what carried me through the terrible times in my life.......... I always laugh.......

...... Grandmother said that I reminded her of my Uncle James........ he had dark eyes and laughed all the time.......... He was tragically killed in a train accident just one month before I was born in 1947.......... I think that the Lord gave me his sense of humor and his ability to make people laugh to help remind Grandmother that her son James was alive and well and she would see him again.............

anyway...........

...... The past 8 months or so my DH and I have had this little rent house hanging over our heads... We purchased the house three years ago for a family member with the thoughts that they would live in it for years..... We went in and cleaned and painted and fenced in the back yard and made it quite the little home.......... Well how many of you know that life gets in the way of your plans and this past September they left very quickly without any notice and the house was trashed......... oh my......... We just did not need that right now........... We were building the little house for my Mom and Dad and we were right in the middle of that project and mercy!!!!!!!

....... Anyway, to make a long story short and spare you the cry baby sob sob story.......... We have been working on that little house evenings and every weekend for months and months....... Now you know how that can just wear you down........ BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my DH was on Spring Break last week and we got up every morning and got our coffee and headed over to the house and by Thursday we finished that project and there is a for sale sign in the yard!!!!!!!! Thank you Lord......

........ It was just one of those little dark clouds that hang over your head and try as you might you cannot escape .......... like a thorn in the flesh.....ahahhahahha . Bless his heart my DH was doing most of it alone the past couple of months due to my back problem that has jumped up and bit me in the butt......... so to speak........ but I could do some things and I tried to help all I could...... but somewhere along the way I lost my laughter and the Lord reminded me today that He misses hearing me laugh........... What a precious thing that was to hear Him say......

...... We get so caught up in the day to day that we forget that we are just passing through .... this is not our home and we are sojourners.......... and we need not pitch our tents with the expectation of being here long...........

........ Sometimes I forget that..... in the scheme of things it really does not matter and what is needed most is to not take life so serious........ Laughter is good medicine and it has served me well all of my life......... soooooooooo I am going to rest a bit this week and see if I can find my giggle box again........

.......... I think that the Jesus in me is the Jesus with the laughing eyes......... you need the Jesus in me .........Life throws things at us and goodness knows that if we do not lighten up sometimes we will be overcome with the burdens......... . I think that He has quite the sense of humor........ if you don't believe that just look in the mirror..........aahahahha

.............. That is why I love to go out and read your blogs........ I need the Jesus in each of you...... it is a good balance don't you think?

........... Ok.... I guess you have figured out by now that I am in a really strange mood so I will just get off of here and go and read a while.........

........... laughter is a gift that we can give away............. and still have plenty for ourselves.........