This morning we had a big storm go through as I was trying to get to work. Nothing like taking a shower in the dark. Fortunately I know where everything is in the tub and on me so I did alright. I found myself chuckling in the shower as I replayed the scripture I read this morning in my head
Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 The Message
Just an early morning reminder that my God is a God of humor and He likes to give me a reason to smile.
Out of the darkness,
jene'
22 May 2007
19 May 2007
Timing is everything
...or is it. My time this week seems to have gotten away from me. I accomplished some of my goals but others have fallen by the wayside. Several people needed me and my choice was to be there for them and to let go of my to do list. You might think this means I have changing priorities but really this isn't so. Goals are good, plans are necessary, but a soul needing love takes precedence over all. For when it comes time to total up my life's acheivements I'd rather list people helped than tasks completed.
One young girl I have been mentoring needed a face in the audience this week. She was so glad to see me and asked how I had found time to get to her school program. I told her that goals are important but friends are more so.
A friend has been blessed with a new job she is enjoying, but needed someone to cover her shift on her old job to make it happen. So a day off gets offered up to Jesus to help her out.
In both cases I feel the choice I made was the right one. My niece and I having been trading notes on facebook about what it means to show the love of Jesus to others. I want her to know that treating others needs as greater than your own is one way to do so. It's easy to talk about love, but hard to do.
Tiredly,
jene'
One young girl I have been mentoring needed a face in the audience this week. She was so glad to see me and asked how I had found time to get to her school program. I told her that goals are important but friends are more so.
A friend has been blessed with a new job she is enjoying, but needed someone to cover her shift on her old job to make it happen. So a day off gets offered up to Jesus to help her out.
In both cases I feel the choice I made was the right one. My niece and I having been trading notes on facebook about what it means to show the love of Jesus to others. I want her to know that treating others needs as greater than your own is one way to do so. It's easy to talk about love, but hard to do.
Tiredly,
jene'
17 May 2007
God's day
I leave aside my shoes
-my ambitions,
undo my watch
-my timetable,
take off my glasses
-my views,
unclip my pen
-my work,
put down my keys
-my security,
to be alone with you,
the only true God.
After being with you,
I take up my shoes
to walk in your ways,
strap on my watch,
to live in your time,
put on my glasses
to look at your world,
clip on my pen
to write up your thoughts,
pick up my keys
to open your doors.
Graham Kings
This was one of the poems I read this morning during my meditation and it made me aware of just how much everyday belongs to God. I am thankful to call Jesus my friend but I think I need to realize anew that all I am and all I have, is His.
I spent some time today with a couple of his best creations. A sweet older lady who has outlived her family and a young girl who hasn't any family who care for her. As I was listening to each I thanked God for placing me where I could be and feel His love for them. It's quite a kick and it made my day!
Joyfully,
jene'
-my ambitions,
undo my watch
-my timetable,
take off my glasses
-my views,
unclip my pen
-my work,
put down my keys
-my security,
to be alone with you,
the only true God.
After being with you,
I take up my shoes
to walk in your ways,
strap on my watch,
to live in your time,
put on my glasses
to look at your world,
clip on my pen
to write up your thoughts,
pick up my keys
to open your doors.
Graham Kings
This was one of the poems I read this morning during my meditation and it made me aware of just how much everyday belongs to God. I am thankful to call Jesus my friend but I think I need to realize anew that all I am and all I have, is His.
I spent some time today with a couple of his best creations. A sweet older lady who has outlived her family and a young girl who hasn't any family who care for her. As I was listening to each I thanked God for placing me where I could be and feel His love for them. It's quite a kick and it made my day!
Joyfully,
jene'
03 May 2007
30 April 2007
An honorable man
Today is my nephew Joshua's birthday. He's at college as an engineering student. He has in his rather abbreviated life as an adult, proven himself to be an honorable man. He cares for his family, he is considerate of his friends, he is compassionate in dealing with everyone. He takes time to stay in touch with his younger siblings and his grandparents. He has a great relationship with his parents. He has a wonderful girlfriend. And the hardest to believe, he is good to his aunt.
I am glad to know such a fine man and can forgive him for making me feel old for having such a grown-up nephew.
Happy Birthday Josh, I love you!
Your "anut"* jene'
*When he was much younger he addressed a card to me this way. Seems he had discernment early on.
I am glad to know such a fine man and can forgive him for making me feel old for having such a grown-up nephew.
Happy Birthday Josh, I love you!
Your "anut"* jene'
*When he was much younger he addressed a card to me this way. Seems he had discernment early on.
24 April 2007
Rejoicing
Last night at around this time my sister called. She was quick to reassure me she only had good news to share. This was good to know as late night calls are not always so.
My nephew and my niece made the decision last night to make Jesus the Lord of their lives. This excites me no end. It is a joy to know they have chosen to seek God's guidance on their own.
They are being raised in a home of faith. But that doesn't make any difference if they do not reach out and claim their faith as their own. As an aunt who prays for them daily, this makes a big difference to me. Now I can rejoice that one of my prayers regarding them has been answered.
The only bad thing about finding out last night was that I was so excited I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. I find the excitement hasn't lessened much in the 24 hours that have passed. I have been sharing my joy with my prayer partners and they have been glad to hear the news.
Rejoicing still,
me
My nephew and my niece made the decision last night to make Jesus the Lord of their lives. This excites me no end. It is a joy to know they have chosen to seek God's guidance on their own.
They are being raised in a home of faith. But that doesn't make any difference if they do not reach out and claim their faith as their own. As an aunt who prays for them daily, this makes a big difference to me. Now I can rejoice that one of my prayers regarding them has been answered.
The only bad thing about finding out last night was that I was so excited I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. I find the excitement hasn't lessened much in the 24 hours that have passed. I have been sharing my joy with my prayer partners and they have been glad to hear the news.
Rejoicing still,
me
16 April 2007
Heartache
People are going to be debating for a long time how today could have been avoided. The answer is simple, it couldn't have been. Ever since mankind left the Garden of Eden, violence against others has been part of the world.
Someone determined to kill will do so. The fact that it is easier to do so with a bullet than a bomb has little significance to the families who are in mourning tonight.
Now before you go all NRA on me, I don't want to limit your ability to own a gun. It is your right to do so. I do want to make it harder to buy bullets. Just to see how easy it would be I tried earlier this year to purchase ammunition online. One place said they would send my order as soon as they had received a faxed copy of my drivers license and a signed statement swearing I was of age.
In a land where cold remedy must be signed for is it too much to expect that buying a bullet should be a little bit more difficult?
Unfortunately nothing you or I can do can comfort those dealing with their loss tonight. Only God can ease their heartache.
Father,
You know so well the loss of one
You gave us Christ, your only son.
Many today have lost a child, the greatest grief that's ever known.
Help them now to feel your Love,
and send the Comfort of your Own.
In Jesus name,
amen.
-me
Someone determined to kill will do so. The fact that it is easier to do so with a bullet than a bomb has little significance to the families who are in mourning tonight.
Now before you go all NRA on me, I don't want to limit your ability to own a gun. It is your right to do so. I do want to make it harder to buy bullets. Just to see how easy it would be I tried earlier this year to purchase ammunition online. One place said they would send my order as soon as they had received a faxed copy of my drivers license and a signed statement swearing I was of age.
In a land where cold remedy must be signed for is it too much to expect that buying a bullet should be a little bit more difficult?
Unfortunately nothing you or I can do can comfort those dealing with their loss tonight. Only God can ease their heartache.
Father,
You know so well the loss of one
You gave us Christ, your only son.
Many today have lost a child, the greatest grief that's ever known.
Help them now to feel your Love,
and send the Comfort of your Own.
In Jesus name,
amen.
-me
25 March 2007
Soulful teeter-totter
At church we have been working on discovering who Jesus is and what he means to us. Last week Doug had us close our eyes and visualize how we would see Jesus. I was asked by a friend after the service what my representation had been. I told her I don't usually see Jesus as having any specific facial features. She looked perplexed so I went on to clarify how it was so. When I close my eyes and think of Christ, and I do so daily, I see the weave of hand-loomed cloth. I sense the rough texture and scent of the outdoors. You see, I always picture myself being held in a pair of arms offering comfort. I am leaning on the strength I know will hold me up.
Yesterday I had one of the saddest moments I have ever had in my life. I was designing solutions for a customer. She was what we refer to as an "intimate" customer. This type of person will share parts of her life that her friends may not even know. While I was trying to determine what kind of storage she needed she asked me what I knew about Judaism. I told her I have some Jewish blood in my background. She then proceeded to tell me how she was converting to Judaism and leaving the Methodist church behind. I asked her what prompted the change. She replied that it had been her experience that the Jewish people in her life seemed more at ease in their faith and comfortable sharing it with others. She said they seemed to have a real relationship with God. I asked her how she felt about leaving Jesus behind. She stated she had never seen much of Jesus in the people she went to church with and wasn't sure that anyone ever did more than just talk about Him.
My heart felt like it was breaking as I listened to her tell me her story. I struggled with the overwhelming desire to weep right there at the design station. I was glad I was able to help her with the problems that had brought her in. She stayed in my heart for the rest of the day. I frequently take part of my lunch break to meditate and center myself for the rest of the day. The plight of this woman kept coming to the front of my brain. I was then pondering how people who claim to love Jesus, can't show that same love to others in church with them. That led to thinking of how many of those people don't share Jesus with those not in church. Lots of people talk about the need to do so but never do anything about it.
This has been a point of contention between me and someone close to me. Can you really have a meaningful relationship with Christ and not share it? I don't think so. I think those who love the Lord can't help themselves. They are going to have it pouring out of their hearts. My mum is a great example of this. You can feel the love just rolling off her. Stand next to her for any length of time and you will feel it wash over you. I have a friend here who does the same. Either in person or over the phone he exudes the love he feels for his Lord. When he grabs you up in a hug you will feel great comfort and strength you know isn't coming from him alone.
Today I joined several friends of many varied backgrounds as we shared a meal together. There was joy and fellowship. People told of life experiences. Those that gave pause for thought and those that had us trying not to fall out of our chairs laughing. More than once I heard the phrase "I don't know how I could have made it without God's help". What makes it so fantastic is the fact that not everyone who was present knows Jesus. Today they got a good look at who he is.
In these two days, I have been at both the high end and low end of the teeter-totter.
Praying others see Jesus in me,
jene'
Yesterday I had one of the saddest moments I have ever had in my life. I was designing solutions for a customer. She was what we refer to as an "intimate" customer. This type of person will share parts of her life that her friends may not even know. While I was trying to determine what kind of storage she needed she asked me what I knew about Judaism. I told her I have some Jewish blood in my background. She then proceeded to tell me how she was converting to Judaism and leaving the Methodist church behind. I asked her what prompted the change. She replied that it had been her experience that the Jewish people in her life seemed more at ease in their faith and comfortable sharing it with others. She said they seemed to have a real relationship with God. I asked her how she felt about leaving Jesus behind. She stated she had never seen much of Jesus in the people she went to church with and wasn't sure that anyone ever did more than just talk about Him.
My heart felt like it was breaking as I listened to her tell me her story. I struggled with the overwhelming desire to weep right there at the design station. I was glad I was able to help her with the problems that had brought her in. She stayed in my heart for the rest of the day. I frequently take part of my lunch break to meditate and center myself for the rest of the day. The plight of this woman kept coming to the front of my brain. I was then pondering how people who claim to love Jesus, can't show that same love to others in church with them. That led to thinking of how many of those people don't share Jesus with those not in church. Lots of people talk about the need to do so but never do anything about it.
This has been a point of contention between me and someone close to me. Can you really have a meaningful relationship with Christ and not share it? I don't think so. I think those who love the Lord can't help themselves. They are going to have it pouring out of their hearts. My mum is a great example of this. You can feel the love just rolling off her. Stand next to her for any length of time and you will feel it wash over you. I have a friend here who does the same. Either in person or over the phone he exudes the love he feels for his Lord. When he grabs you up in a hug you will feel great comfort and strength you know isn't coming from him alone.
Today I joined several friends of many varied backgrounds as we shared a meal together. There was joy and fellowship. People told of life experiences. Those that gave pause for thought and those that had us trying not to fall out of our chairs laughing. More than once I heard the phrase "I don't know how I could have made it without God's help". What makes it so fantastic is the fact that not everyone who was present knows Jesus. Today they got a good look at who he is.
In these two days, I have been at both the high end and low end of the teeter-totter.
Praying others see Jesus in me,
jene'
15 March 2007
Time
I really believe God means for me to see four o'clock only once a day and He means for it to be in the afternoon. Still, here it is just after four and I'm aware of it. I figure if I'm still awake having taken two meds for pain and one sleep aid, meditated and prayed, there's got to be a reason.
I have family spending the night and we are stretched out all over the apartment. I'm sleeping in the living room with my nieces. Right now I have the laptop on the kitchen floor so I won't wake them.
I love having family over. They are the best friends I have and the greatest gift short of salvation God has ever given me. I am cognizant of the fact that many people don't have that relationship with their family.
Monday morning I was also up at four. The Burpeau gals had come to spend the night again. Putting all three of them into bed with me almost always ensures I will spend a good portion of the night dodging arms and legs. Then I had much to give thanks for as well. I love that God allows me to play an important part in their lives. I adore children and not having my own, it's nice to have some I can "borrow" from time to time.
I am glad to have this time to thank God for all He has done and continues to do for me. Time awake also leads to prayer for friends I don't see that often. Remembering them brings feelings of joy. To be able to do this more than compensates for being tired tomorrow.
Having said that, I think I'll get horizontal again and see what happens.
Praying in the kitchen,
jene'
I have family spending the night and we are stretched out all over the apartment. I'm sleeping in the living room with my nieces. Right now I have the laptop on the kitchen floor so I won't wake them.
I love having family over. They are the best friends I have and the greatest gift short of salvation God has ever given me. I am cognizant of the fact that many people don't have that relationship with their family.
Monday morning I was also up at four. The Burpeau gals had come to spend the night again. Putting all three of them into bed with me almost always ensures I will spend a good portion of the night dodging arms and legs. Then I had much to give thanks for as well. I love that God allows me to play an important part in their lives. I adore children and not having my own, it's nice to have some I can "borrow" from time to time.
I am glad to have this time to thank God for all He has done and continues to do for me. Time awake also leads to prayer for friends I don't see that often. Remembering them brings feelings of joy. To be able to do this more than compensates for being tired tomorrow.
Having said that, I think I'll get horizontal again and see what happens.
Praying in the kitchen,
jene'
08 March 2007
Quiet hugs
Several members of my family are under the weather. But the good news is we can pray for, encourage and comfort each other. I count myself very blessed that we are close. But an even greater blessing is not having to wait until things are difficult to be there for one another.
Right now I have a friend whose father is ill but won't have anything to do with him. His father disapproves of a choice he made and is allowing that to keep walls between them. My heart aches for him and there is little I can do for him but to let him know he has my love. So, we sat together and I gave him a hug.
Several people have told him how he should handle the situation and offered lots of advice. I know from this last year in my life that people love to offer advice, even when it's not wanted. I have had people offer all sorts of suggestions to me this last year. Some of them too bizarre to even repeat. I have no words to express how much I appreciate someone who can offer support and a quiet hug. They have been the best gift.
Think of someone you can gift today.
love,
jene'
Right now I have a friend whose father is ill but won't have anything to do with him. His father disapproves of a choice he made and is allowing that to keep walls between them. My heart aches for him and there is little I can do for him but to let him know he has my love. So, we sat together and I gave him a hug.
Several people have told him how he should handle the situation and offered lots of advice. I know from this last year in my life that people love to offer advice, even when it's not wanted. I have had people offer all sorts of suggestions to me this last year. Some of them too bizarre to even repeat. I have no words to express how much I appreciate someone who can offer support and a quiet hug. They have been the best gift.
Think of someone you can gift today.
love,
jene'
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