I just love the way God uses His Word to show us things and it always amazes me just how RIGHT and TRUE His Word is. His Word is applicable for every moment of every day, for every situation we could ever come across and for every one of us no matter how young or old we are. Just a couple of weeks ago showed me this truth. Julia and Shane were at VBS at our church and at the end of it names were drawn out and if your name was called you got a treat (ex: candy, pen, bracelet etc...). Shane's name was drawn and he won a bracelet and when we were leaving everyone was saying, "Great job Shane you won, Yea!" Well, this got Julia in a huff because she didn't win anything and she was sure to let everyone know by her folded arms, frown and bad attitude. I told her she needed to get a happy heart. It didn't work! We got into the car and I said, "Julia the Bible tells us to be thankful when we are unhappy, can you tell me some things you are thankful for?" Julia said, "My mermaid doll and God's Creation." We talked a little more on our short drive home of things we were all thankful for and by the time we got home she was all better. I said, "See Julia isn't God's Word awesome, it works, your not unhappy anymore. " She agreed. Then I said, "What is that verse? Something about a thankful heart is good medicine but ..." (I couldn't think of the rest of the verse so I stopped to think) Julia said, "A thankful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit drys up the bones." Wow, I was in shock, we had memorized that verse about a year ago and she remembered it!
Later that night, during dinner, I was telling Dave about what had happened and Julia interrupted me and said, "Actually mom, it's a joyful heart is good medicine, not a thankful heart." I politely said, "No honey I don't think so." Then I left the table and went and looked it up to prove that I was right, but I was wrong, it is "A joyful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22. I looked at Dave and said, "Joyful and Thankful there a lot a like!" ha ha
I'm so THANKFUL AND JOYFUL that God uses His Word to speak to us, nothing is too big or too small for Him!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Red Boots
This is something I wrote quite a while ago but wanted to share it with those of you that did not get a chance to read it. These are the types of things that I love to write about and with this blog will hopefully be motiviated to do more of.
The Rider on the White Horse - Do you have your red cowgirl boots on?
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16
The story of the red cowgirl boots:
My mother-in-law gave Julia a pair of red cowgirl boots that Julia just loves. The boots are a little small on Julia but she doesn’t care, she wants to wear them all the time. From the time Julia was very little she has been in love with horses, she plays with plastic horses, she pretends like she’s a horse and she thanks God almost everyday for horses - the girl is crazy about horses. She knows that most people that ride horses wear boots so when she received the red boots she was thrilled and somehow I think she thought - "I’m in, I’m officially a cowgirl with these boots - surely a real horse will come my way."
Julia and I talked about how the boots would protect her from snakes. Neither her, nor her mother are fond of snakes. So I told her that no snake could hurt her with those red cowgirl boots on. So every time she put them on she says, "No snakes will get me with these boots on!" And I assure her that she’s right.
About a month after she got the boots I was reading in my Bible the above passage and I immediately thought of Julia. I was thinking, I have to tell Julia that when Jesus comes back He will be riding on a white horse - she is going to be so EXCITED! So, as soon as she got up from her nap I said, "Julia, guess what mommy read about in her Bible today?" She said, "What?" "I read that when Jesus comes back He is going to be riding a guess what?" She said, "a horse??" "Yes sweetie, a white horse - isn’t that cool?" "Yes!" "And Julia, I’m not sure about this, but maybe when we get to heaven, there will be horses there." "Will I get to ride them?" "Anytime you want honey." She was so excited and she was asking what is the name of the horse that Jesus will be riding, "Will it’s name be Uncle Ricco or Black Beauty?" "I don’t know honey but the horses Rider’s name is Faithful and True - it’s Jesus and we have to always be ready for when Jesus comes because He can come at any time." She left the kitchen very excited about this new information. A little while later she came in the kitchen holding her red boots and she said, "Mommy, I was just thinking that if Jesus comes I need to be ready and I was thinking I will probably need to be wearing my boots." "Julia, I think your right sweetie you will need your red boots." It took me a while to stop laughing.
As the evening went on I kept thinking about Jesus coming back and those red boots. Not only was this a cute little story but God was showing me something through those red boots. I kept thinking, Do I have my "red boots" on, am I ready for when Jesus comes?
"For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to MEET the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord FOREVER." 1 Thessalonians 5:8
I don’t know when He will come, when that last trumpet will sound, when Jesus Himself will come riding on the white horse. No one knows except the Father. But one thing I do know is that HE WILL COME. So am I ready? Do I live EVERYDAY - EVERY MOMENT for Him or on that day will I be wishing He would have came on a day when I was doing more for Him and His glory. On a day when I got up early and Praised Him for the day, Praised Him for all His blessings, Praised Him for being my Savior. On a day when I spent the ENTIRE day with Him on my mind and in my heart, listening to what He was trying to say to me in EVERY moment. On a day when I didn’t let the "little things" get to me, make me anxious and make me forget why I’m here. On a day when I finally put aside EVERYTHING that was not of Him and completely clothed myself with Christ (including the red boots). On a day when I did more to glorify Him. One a day when I put aside my fears and told people about Him and how we are all lost without Him. On a day - a different day Lord because this day I wasn’t all You wanted me to be. I can hear Christ saying, "I’m sorry that is not how it works, I will come when I come and I want you to be READY every moment of everyday - I’m sorry there are no second chances, there are no "do overs" this is it, this is the day"
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11-14
How far away from this I am, how thankful and humbled I am for God’s grace. My mind keeps going back to when Julia first got those boots and how we talked about how those boots would protect her from the snakes. What a picture - I often think about Satan as being a snake. If I would just put on those boots I would be protected from "the snake" If I would live every moment for Christ "the snake" can’t get through. Will "the snake" still try - oh yes but with my "clothing of Christ" I will be protected! Am I ready - do I have my red boots on? Such a simple statement from a 31/2 year olds mouth - such a profound lesson in my life. Will I learn from it - I pray by the grace of God, He will take this lesson and make me ready for His return. May my life bring Him glory and honor.
"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16
The story of the red cowgirl boots:
My mother-in-law gave Julia a pair of red cowgirl boots that Julia just loves. The boots are a little small on Julia but she doesn’t care, she wants to wear them all the time. From the time Julia was very little she has been in love with horses, she plays with plastic horses, she pretends like she’s a horse and she thanks God almost everyday for horses - the girl is crazy about horses. She knows that most people that ride horses wear boots so when she received the red boots she was thrilled and somehow I think she thought - "I’m in, I’m officially a cowgirl with these boots - surely a real horse will come my way."
Julia and I talked about how the boots would protect her from snakes. Neither her, nor her mother are fond of snakes. So I told her that no snake could hurt her with those red cowgirl boots on. So every time she put them on she says, "No snakes will get me with these boots on!" And I assure her that she’s right.
About a month after she got the boots I was reading in my Bible the above passage and I immediately thought of Julia. I was thinking, I have to tell Julia that when Jesus comes back He will be riding on a white horse - she is going to be so EXCITED! So, as soon as she got up from her nap I said, "Julia, guess what mommy read about in her Bible today?" She said, "What?" "I read that when Jesus comes back He is going to be riding a guess what?" She said, "a horse??" "Yes sweetie, a white horse - isn’t that cool?" "Yes!" "And Julia, I’m not sure about this, but maybe when we get to heaven, there will be horses there." "Will I get to ride them?" "Anytime you want honey." She was so excited and she was asking what is the name of the horse that Jesus will be riding, "Will it’s name be Uncle Ricco or Black Beauty?" "I don’t know honey but the horses Rider’s name is Faithful and True - it’s Jesus and we have to always be ready for when Jesus comes because He can come at any time." She left the kitchen very excited about this new information. A little while later she came in the kitchen holding her red boots and she said, "Mommy, I was just thinking that if Jesus comes I need to be ready and I was thinking I will probably need to be wearing my boots." "Julia, I think your right sweetie you will need your red boots." It took me a while to stop laughing.
As the evening went on I kept thinking about Jesus coming back and those red boots. Not only was this a cute little story but God was showing me something through those red boots. I kept thinking, Do I have my "red boots" on, am I ready for when Jesus comes?
"For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to MEET the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord FOREVER." 1 Thessalonians 5:8
I don’t know when He will come, when that last trumpet will sound, when Jesus Himself will come riding on the white horse. No one knows except the Father. But one thing I do know is that HE WILL COME. So am I ready? Do I live EVERYDAY - EVERY MOMENT for Him or on that day will I be wishing He would have came on a day when I was doing more for Him and His glory. On a day when I got up early and Praised Him for the day, Praised Him for all His blessings, Praised Him for being my Savior. On a day when I spent the ENTIRE day with Him on my mind and in my heart, listening to what He was trying to say to me in EVERY moment. On a day when I didn’t let the "little things" get to me, make me anxious and make me forget why I’m here. On a day when I finally put aside EVERYTHING that was not of Him and completely clothed myself with Christ (including the red boots). On a day when I did more to glorify Him. One a day when I put aside my fears and told people about Him and how we are all lost without Him. On a day - a different day Lord because this day I wasn’t all You wanted me to be. I can hear Christ saying, "I’m sorry that is not how it works, I will come when I come and I want you to be READY every moment of everyday - I’m sorry there are no second chances, there are no "do overs" this is it, this is the day"
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11-14
How far away from this I am, how thankful and humbled I am for God’s grace. My mind keeps going back to when Julia first got those boots and how we talked about how those boots would protect her from the snakes. What a picture - I often think about Satan as being a snake. If I would just put on those boots I would be protected from "the snake" If I would live every moment for Christ "the snake" can’t get through. Will "the snake" still try - oh yes but with my "clothing of Christ" I will be protected! Am I ready - do I have my red boots on? Such a simple statement from a 31/2 year olds mouth - such a profound lesson in my life. Will I learn from it - I pray by the grace of God, He will take this lesson and make me ready for His return. May my life bring Him glory and honor.
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