Sharing with you!

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. ~ Philemon 1:7

Good afternoon, dear friends! The above photos are several years old, but they all show a little bit of who I am. Daughter, friend, wife, aunt, stepmom - we all wear SO many different hats during the same day!

This email was sent to me several weeks ago by a dear friend. It touches me in a different way every time I read it. I hope it awakens something in you!

Quilt of Holes
Author: Unknown

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt

before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares

of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our

quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the

pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was.

They were filled with giant holes.

Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had

been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in

everyday life.

I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me.

Nobody else had such squares.

Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled

with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.

I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together,

threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the the scrutiny of truth.

The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries.

So filled their lives had been.

My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.

I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes.

I had love in my life, and laughter.

But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth,

and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.

I had to start over many times.

I often struggled with the temptation to quit,

only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.

I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.

I had often been held up to ridicule,

which I endured painfully,

each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin

beneath the judgmental gaze ofthose who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth.

My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around me,

at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me.

Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ.

Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.

He said, "Every timeyou gave over your life to Me, it became My life,

My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowingChrist to shine through!

My Epiphany

Yes, it HAS been a long time. God gave me this post to share with you about two weeks ago, and making myself sit down to do it has not worked. :) So, I'm going to attempt it now. I really have a feeling that someone besides ME needs(needed) this post!

Please go click on the picture above, and read the verse. Let it soak in. Then come back.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::waiting::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Welcome back! Did you HEAR what the verse said?

Well, let me tell you what I heard from God concerning this verse! :)

Haman was doing just fine, having come from the FIRST banquet with the King and Queen of Persia. That is, until he OBSERVED Mordecai.

Now, let's take a look at that word. Here you go, straight from Webster's Online:
1: to conform one's action or practice to (as a law, rite, or condition) : comply with
2: to inspect or take note of as an augury, omen, or presage
3: to celebrate or solemnize (as a ceremony or festival) in a customary or accepted way
4 a: to watch carefully especially with attention to details or behavior for the purpose of arriving at a judgment
b: to make a scientific observation on or of
5: to come to realize or know especially through consideration of noted facts
6: to utter as a remark
intransitive verb
1 a: to take notice
b: to make observations : watch

That 4a is the one that applies here. Haman HATED Mordecai with a PASSION. As most of you reading this know, that hatred fuels the whole book of ESTHER.

Haman had to look with this INTENT at Mordecai, to be ABLE to observe. He took his focus from the joy of being Haman, and started to look at the places he lacked - namely, Mordecai's lack of acknowledgement, in this case. Haman wasn't complete when he looked at Mordecai's contempt for his power.

Dear one, when we take our eyes from where they're supposed to be - fixed on the finish line, on our Lord and Savior - and start to observe our circumstances, not only do we not see the whole picture, we start to judge ourselves, others, and our situation in our own sight. If I start looking at what is - or ISN'T! - going on in my life right now, start taking a look at what seem to be insurmountable obstacles.... Well, let's just say that I would cover MY head, too, and run up, crawl into bed, and NEVER come out.

In MY sight, if I observe the circumstances, I can't go on.

If I keep my sight fixed on God, I cannot observe anything but Him. I can't get distracted and distraught by things beyond my control, that are actually there to help me grow in Him. Good or bad, circumstances are there. They change constantly. GOD DOESN'T. He's bigger than ANY circumstance I am under - or IMAGINE myself to be under. God is sufficient for ALL my needs. He is my Rock, my Strength, my Strong Tower. There is NO OTHER. Period.

Dear one, please let these Scriptures encourage you!

2 Corinthians 4:17 - 18:
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Hebrews 12:1 - 3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Be blessed, my dear friend. Let us determine together to fix our eyes on Him. All things will pass away, but the Lord endures forever! PRAISE HIM!!! Lift your song to Him, PRAISE HIM, REJOICE ALWAYS. Not only will you lift your song, but your HEART will be lifted. Sometimes praise is a sacrifice, but it is one that God will acknowledge and honor - and you'll be lifted up, too!

I love you. I care about you! I want to share your struggles. I know I've been a bit absent lately; February and March have been super-busy with Stampin' Up!, and I've been doing an AWESOME Bible study on Esther - it's Beth Moore's new one. If you get a chance to take it, DO SO. You WILL NOT be sorry. I knew the story backward and forward, up and down, inside and out. But the life application stuff that's there I never saw for myself. Such good MEAT.

Oh, sweet sister, I want to encourage you SO much. God is so good. His mercies are new, EVERY morning. He is faithful! Let Him love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A diamond in the making

Good evening, friend!!! I'm so glad you still drop by to check on my every now and then. :D I have a new friend, Ellen, who left me a wonderful encouraging comment last time. THANK YOU, Ellen!!!! I really appreciate what you said. :)

I've been ruminating on this message for almost a week. Kenn and I went to Wednesday evening service at our new church for the first time last week; with it being a ways away, we're praying about what God wants us to do. Kenn went to the men's dance class, and I think he thoroughly enjoyed himself. :) I went to Pastor Barbie's class; she's teaching on being under pressure for this quarter - what happens when you, your gifts, your life, EVERYTHING, come under pressure. This lesson was the second - we were in Missouri for the first one. But MAN, was it awesome! I want to share with you my notes from the class; please feel free to discuss, to ask me questions, to comment; I'm sharing so maybe a little of the meat from the Word can nourish us ALL. It's MEAT, girls; Pastor Barbie did a LOT of studying, and managed to put things into words that I could easily follow, eagerly await the next illuminating word. :) If any of it doesn't make sense, let me know! I'll try to clarify, or ask her how I can explain her point better.

Mantles and Rivers

There are only two things we're to be "under": God's sovereignty and grace.

Job 12:7-10: But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

All things testify of God's sovereignty and goodness.

Psalm 19:1-3: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

There is NO place where the voice of the heavens proclaiming God's glory is not heard!

We are all elementally the same - for instance, we're made up of primarily carbon - therefore, we all have the same potential!

ya'halom - Hewbrew word for "diamond". It's only found in two places, in Exodus and Ezekiel. In Exodus, it's on the breastplate of the priests. In Ezekiel, diamonds are associated with the King of Tyre. Diamonds are only mentioned in the Bible when associated with priests and kings.

(Please note: my spelling of the following is probably incorrect, but I did my best! :D)

Sihilet ya'holom - "the elite, special secret diamonds" - it's the name of the special ops arm of Israel's army.

A diamond is birthed in the mantle of the earth. Not the crust, but DEEP into the earth. It has to be under much heat and pressure to become a diamond. And it has to stay at a certain depth for a length of time to become a diamond.

When God births a diamond in you, you already have a mantle!

Pressure + heat + depth = ya'holom

Pressure - those times in your life. YOU know. :)

Heat - the refining fire

Depth - go deep and STAY deep in God

Your strength is not developed in the good times! (We all know this, but I think we can all hear it again!!!)

God is doing SOMETHING in your hard places.

Clarity develops in that place, too.

If the stone starts to move out of the heat and pressure before its time, it doesn't become a diamond. It becomes GRAPHITE.

Diamonds are conductive and magnetic. Just as we are to conduct the light of Christ, and draw men to Him!

God's perfect will is on the other side of our obedience."

Diamonds are released through disruption and explosion. (Think volcano!)

Rivers are what move diamonds around the planet after they're released.

You have the RAW MATERIAL; God placed it in you. God's just bringing out the potential. ONLY CARBON CAN BECOME A DIAMOND. Diamonds are the stuff of priests and kings - set apart, cleansed, and purified.

In these depths, He's giving you strength and clarity, making you conductive of Him, and magnetic to others.

THE DEEPER YOU GO, THE GREATER THE PRESSURE.

Birthed in the depths, in the refining fire, and under the covering of the Ancient. When you're released, it will be explosive and usually instantaneous.

You will always be positioned by The Holy Spirit's movement. ALLOW HIM TO LEAD YOU.