Sinking Into The Wall

I love looking at walls. I suppose it is the interior decorator in me that just loves to see what new designs and patterns are being put together. I like to see what other people think looks good together and take away ideas for my dream house. The other day I found myself staring at a wall. It was the kind of design that seems to move and makes you feel as if you are going to sink into it. You know the kind…it’s the bathroom wall that makes you dizzy as you sit there pondering life’s hardest questions…it’s the living room wall that you just can’t take your eyes off because you need to count all the flowers on the wall. I think you get the idea. We have all seen that type of wall that just makes you feel like you are sinking into it.
I bring this up because I have been thinking and studying about fear and doubt a lot. What, you may ask, does a design on a wall and fear and doubt have in common. Well, on the surface they don’t have anything in common. Upon a closer look it is clear to me that fear and doubt also allow you to sink into it, if you aren’t paying good attention, just like the designed wall. As you ponder that thought, let me share with you a quick story from my favorite book, the Bible.

This is the story of twelve men who were sent on a special mission. This mission was to scope out the land and those that inhabited the land. The ultimate goal was to see if the land was fertile and if the people residing there were strong, weak, many or few. The mission took time. The men had time to become fearful and filled with doubt. During that time, ten of the twelve got together, looked at the men and women in the land, and decided that it was too dangerous to battle the people in the land. They looked and saw with the lense of fear and doubt. They were afraid. There were two men who stood up and said, “Do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up.” They did not stop and look at the impossible. They saw the possible. They didn’t allow fear and doubt to cloud their vision. Here is the big deal with this mission. Because the ten saw the impossible, they, along with all the children of Israel, were sent to wonder in the wilderness for forty years. What a consequence for fear and doubt. If you would like to read the story in detail, it can be found in Numbers 13 and 14.

My point is that fear and doubt can hold you in bondage. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be in bondage. So, what is the solution? It’s simple: just have faith in the Lord and what He says. Simple, right? In the book, Breaking Free from Rejection, John Paul Jackson states it this way: “our personal relationship with God will determine our perspective. Our perspective will determine our decisions, and our decisions will determine our destinies.” (Page 52)

If you and I want a life free from fear and doubt, we can’t allow ourselves to sink into it. We must look away from the fear and doubt and look to the only One who can help us. Jesus is the answer.

Well, after all that I bet you won’t look at the funky design on the wall the same way again. God can teach a truth even through a crazy design on the wall. Until next time, may He teach you something new also.

Bold And Beautiful With A New Life

Hey friends!

I have so many projects going on right now, but I wanted to quickly share one that I worked on before Christmas. I was in sad need of a chest of drawers (i.e. clothes were all over my floor with no home to be put in). So, I started my quest for a chest of drawers at the local thrift shops. I love all the fun things that can be found in a thrift shop, but I wasn't able to find what I was looking for. I was starting to give up hope that I would find anything that could work, when I decided to look at Craigslist. I will admit, I am a bit hesitant to use online classifieds, but this time it paid off.

 I found a good chest of drawers with really good bones. Believe me, it needed a good sanding and painting, but I saw the potential immediately and the price was right.

 After a really good sanding (by the way, sanding without a mask is not a good idea...learned this the hard way), I gave it a great coat of primer. Then piled on about three coats of paint and finally put a good sealer on top.

This is the end product. I personally think it looks much better in person, but I think you get the idea. What started out as a chest of drawers with good bones, ended up looking like a beautiful custom made piece of furniture.
Thanks to my family for putting up with paint fumes and to my friend for driving down into a scary knoll on my first adventure of buying an item on an online classified site. It was an adventure and I enjoyed every minute of it...I think I shall try it again soon! Until next time...

Young and Restless on Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, dear friends!
What a fun day!!! A day to celebrate love. The love of family and friends and the love of God.
Recently I have been restless. Plain and simple...just restless. Content is not the word I would use to decribe myself at this moment. I have been wrestling with why I am restless and for what. I personally think there are many reasons for this restlessness, but as I was driving into work this morning I was thinking about God's great love for me and it hit me. At the very core of it all, I am restless for my God. I need more of Him. I need more of His face. I need more of His love. Why am I restless for Him? Simply because I love Him.
When you love someone, you want to be with them. You want to learn more about them. You can't wait to see their face. Shouldn't it be that way with the Lord too?
As you ponder the love of God, take a listen to this powerful song by Caleb Andrews. It is awesome! And have a great Valentine's Day! Until next time...

Something To Believe In

While on vacation, I was eating lunch at a local diner. This diner was filled to the brim with character. There were fun signs and saying all over the walls. The people working there were unique and full of personality. I would even go so far as to say that the food was unique and different. It was overall a very fun experience and let me just say that I would defiently go back.
As I was eating my food, there was an older gentleman sitting a nearby table chatting with some younger men about the war and what it was like. I enjoyed listening to him talk about what it was like when he was in the service. I could tell that he was enjoying having an audience and his companions were enthralled with his stories. I also overheard another conversation with a family at another table. It was funny to hear them talking about a recent trip to the shoe store. Now before you go on thinking that I just sit around listening to other peoples conversations, please understand that those that I heard were talking loud enough for the whole diner to hear and I enjoyed good conversation with the people at my table also.
So, finally I was waiting to pay and heard a conversation between a young man and an older man. The young man was trying to convince the older man that there was indeed a book of secrets that the President of the United States has and uses. The young man used everything from Hollywood folklore to actual facts to support his belief. As I listened for a few brief moments, I was hit with realization that this young man simply wants something, anything, to believe in. I don’t know much about a book of secrets, but I do know that when we have something to believe in there is a hope for tomorrow. This young man in all his zeal about a book of secrets has missed the most important thing to believe in. It is Christ. He is the only one who can give us a hope and a future. Sure the enemy can give false hope in many things, but he can never give true hope. True hope comes only through the Lord.
So, I learned a lesson today... everyone wants something to believe in. I have a responsibility to point those people to my Lord, who is my hope. Why would I do anything less? Until next time…