Personalized Passage

The following is from my devotional book Renew editor Ardis Dick Stenbakken page 121...

This particular passage was written by Maxine Williams Allen for April 22 and is entitled Personalized Passage.


The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalms 23:1


As I closed the book I decided to take the challenge offered by the writer to take a favorite verse of Scripture and personalize it. "The Lord was speaking to you right then in your situation," the author had admonished. I chose Psalm 23, and what I needed that day---that very moment---was for the Lord to be my very own personal motivational coach. So I wrote:

"The Lord is my motivational coach, I shall not lack confidence.

"He maketh me to lie down when I need rest; He leads me beside the quiet waters of reflective time to rebuild my strength.

"He restores my battered self-esteem.

"He guides me in paths that are right for me---though I may not understand---for His name's glory.

"Even though I go through situations that are emotionally dark, barren lowlands, You will give me the inner courage necessary to proceed without fear of the situation or of evildoers.

"You empower me, Lord, through intermittent use of Your rod and Your staff---that comforts me.

"You prepare a banquet of encouragement for me to envision the completed goal, even in the midst of naysayers, the jealous, the spirit assassins, the discouragers.

"You anoint my head with the balm of Your peace for my conflicted mind; my emotional cup overflows with gratitude for Your love and grace.

"Surely Your goodness and mercy will continue to pursue me all the days of my life, reminding me that my goal is to dwell in Your house---forever."

Why not take the challenge and personalize a passage today? God wrote all of Scripture to speak to you personally. We can appreciate that more when we personalize the test to our situation.

When I personalize, I hear God speaking to me through the verses, reaching to the depths of my present need, providing the answer even to my unspoken questions, and providing direction when I don't even realize that I've lost my way.

Maxine Williams Allen

40 miles and locked out...

My life for the past few days have been nothing short of eventful. IF you are reading this please be prepared to laugh at me....(I apologize in advance this is a long one)

Friday:
I was having a rough week and decided that I needed to pamper myself. So I treated myself to a hair trim and a pedicure. After my pedicure I felt better and decided to go home change my outfit and go to the agency in town that had a job opening but wanted applicants to apply in person. I got home changed and went on my merry way. After dropping off my resume I drove down a few blocks and found a Target (so you know I just had to stop). However, before I could get there I saw my cellphone service company across the parking lot. I figured how convenient I can milk two cows with one hand. So I stopped at the cellphone store and asked if I could get my phone fixed. They said yes it would be about an hour to an hour and a half. I didn't have a problem for across the parking lot was my favorite store Target. So I walk over to Target and enjoyed browsing and shopping. After I had enough and spent more money than I should have I walked backed to my car to drop off my new belongings. I then proceeded to walk across the parking lot back to the other stores in this shopping plaza. An hour and a half finally passed so I made my way back to the cellphone store to check the progress of my phone. When I get there I am told that what they did the first time did not work so they are working on Plan B and needed about another forty five minutes. So I said ok and went next door to eat some lunch.

After my small sandwich and drink, I decided to walk back to the other side of the shopping plaza and walk around in the other stores. I walked through five different stores and then headed back for my phone. At last my phone is working so I take my phone and head back to the car. I get in the car and head home (or so I thought). Ten minutes pass and I realize that none of the streets look familiar so I decided to turn on the GPS that comes on my phone. However, to my dismay, the GPS and several other applications were not loaded back onto my phone. So I decided ok I will just make a u-turn and head back to the cellphone store. I made the u-turn and drove and drove. After quite some time I ask myself why haven't I seen the store yet. I then realize I am terribly lost and have no GPS to help me out. I look at the clock and realize I still have about twenty minutes before I can call my husband to help me. So I take matters into my own hands. Instead of making another u-turn, (since the first one didn't help me out any) I decided I should make a left or a right (I can't remember which I actually made). I keep driving and driving. There isn't a sign for anything I recognize. No McDonalds, Taco Bell, Target, Walgreens, CVS, gas stations, etc...nothing for miles..I can't even remember the last time I saw a street name.

Finally my husband calls me and asks "where are you?" I reply, "I have no clue please help me". He replies "what street are you on?" My reply "couldn't tell you, I have seen a street name for miles". "Oh Lord, babe" was his reply. "Tell me when you see a street name" as he continues to talk to me. I finally see one after being on the phone for five minutes. I tell him and he gives me directions to get back home. We hang up and I follow the directions. Half way through the directions, guess what I find on the left hand side of the road? You got it, the cellphone store and the Target that I was at earlier. So I pulled in and asked them to put back the standard applications that came with my phone. They apologized for the inconvenience and reprogrammed my phone. I didn't leave the store till I checked every application to make sure it was on my phone and working.

So I get back in the car and continue with my husband's directions and finally make it home. He then tells me "You never cease to amaze me. Let me show you how far you were". So he pulls up google maps and shows me...I was 40 miles out of town, which means I was 55 miles from the house. Lol, never a dull moment when I am around.



Monday
My neighbor went for an afternoon two mile walk. We get back to our street, I open the door and leave the doors unlocked. I started with my afternoon chores around the house. I started in the kitchen. I realized that I left my "make-shift" recycling bin in the car. So I grab my car key, made sure the door was unlocked and head out to the car port. I pull the door in as to not let the bugs in the house. When I get back to the door from getting my container out of the car I turned the knob and realized I have locked myself out of the house. Apparently I forgot I had left the door unlocked and when coming back outside I turned the lever on the knob and locked it without realizing it. So I walk to my neighbors door and ask if I can borrow her phone to call maintenance to let me back in my life. We laughed for a few moments and then called and ten minutes later I am back in my house.

Kindness to Strangers

I found this poem in the book "God's Guest List" by Debbie Macomber on page 172 and 173. I really liked it so I am sharing it with you. The author of this poem is unknown.


It was a rainy night in New Orleans
At a bust station in the town,
I watched a young girl weeping
As her baggage was taken down.

It seems she'd lost her ticket
Changing buses in the night.
She begged them not to leave her there
With no sign of help in sight.

The bus driver had a face of stone
And his heart was surely the same.
"Losing your ticket is like losing cash money,"
He said, and left her in the rain.


Then an old Indian man stood up
And blocked the driver's way
And would not let him pass before
He said what he had to say.


"How can you leave that girl out there?
Have you not had a moment o fear?
You know she had a ticket.
You can't just leave her here.

You can't put her out in a city
Where she doesn't have a friend.
You will meet your schedule,
But she might meet her end."

The driver showed no sign
That he'd heard or even cared
About the young girl's problem
Or how her travels fared.

So the old gentleman said,
"For her fare, I'll pay.
I'll give her a little money
To help her on her way."

He went and bought the ticket
And helped her to her place,
And helped her put her baggage,
In the overhead luggage space.

"How ca I repay," she said,
"the kindness you've shown tonight?
We're strangers who won't meet again
A mere 'thank you' doesn't seem right."

He said, "What goes around comes around.
This I've learned with time.
What you give, you always get back.
What you sow, you read in kind.

Always be helpful to others
And give what you can spare;
For by being kind to strangers,
We help angels unaware."

A park bench, a pond, ducks and my moment with God

The above pictures portray my time at the park earlier today. After church this morning since the weather was nice and I had a lot to think about after the pastors sermon I decided to go to the park and spend a moment with God. However, I was in for a beautiful treat. The following words are what I wrote while I was at the park.....

I am sitting on a bench near a pond and am surrounded by about fifteen ducks. They are so close I could almost reach my hand out and touch them. I have asked Jesus to come and sit with me as I sit in the sun and watch His precious ducks play in the sun.

What are my thoughts as I sit here on this bench and I absorb the scenery around me? "Oh how I need Jesus and how much I need Him" "How amazing God is that he allows me to sit among these ducks and they act like I don't even exist so I can be blessed by their beauty" "How incredibly awesome this is and how blessed that I am to sit here to be still and peaceful that these dear precious ducks commune around me as if I am one of them or that I don't even exist or that I don't pose a threat to them" "Is there a message or a lesson I can get or learn from my time here at the pond"

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by two women with three small children between the two of them. One lady is pushing a stroller while the other lady is keeping up with the other two toddlers. The lady with the stroller is walking closer to me and my ducks are starting to squawk and hiss at her. She turns the stroller around and heads back in the direction she is coming from. The other lady sees that and says no we are going to continue walking the way we are going. She proceeds to wave a branch in the area towards the ducks which makes this squawk and hiss even louder, however, her persistence prevails and they all move closer to me. As this is happening the two woman are looking at me trying to figure out how I am sitting amongst all these ducks and they aren't squawking or hissing at me. I just smile and continue watching these ducks. As soon at the five of them have past the ducks again spread out but still remain in my near proximity...I smile and chuckle to myself.

There is an older gentleman across the pond sitting in the shade feeding the few ducks that have taken a liking to him and sit near by him. He seems to being enjoying himself. I can hear him barely singing to himself or to the ducks...It is such a sweet picture to take in. If I could I would have taken a picture so you could see how gentle that moment was.

In the pond is a happy flying fish. He makes three or four sets of ripples before he swims around for awhile before starting his show again.

A few of the ducks are sound asleep in the heat of the sun; while a few others are asleep in the cool of the shade. Then there are still a few ducks that are just hollering at me as if they are trying to hold a conversation with him. I just smile and say in a soft calm voice "happy sabbath and thank you for keeping me company". And it was almost as the ducks understood me they bowed their heads in reverence and was silent for a moment.

I've been here for a little over an hour now and the ducks are starting to leave me. So it is now time for me to pack up and go home but not before I watch one more duck glide into the pond. As I am about to leave another family is coming with bread to feed the ducks. The few ducks that was remaining around me are now leaving me and flocking to the new family. Maybe next time I'll bring something for the ducks to feed on.

Thank you Jesus for this moment of peace and serenity.



As I reflect on my moment at the park with the ducks I realized that sometimes you just need to be still and let go and let God do the talking. Sometimes God has a gift for you or just wants to spend some quiet time with us. I also realized that in life we all need moments in our lives to sit, be still and take in the scenery around us. We are moving and going about life at such a fast pace we miss the moments when ducks just want to sit at your feet and sleep. Last lesson for today, being still helps you clear your mind and gives you peace of mind...Find time this week to take a moment and be still....

"Twelve ways to tell if your man is ready to commit"

I found this list in a book by Steve Harvey entitled "Straight Talk No Chaser-How to find, keep and understand a Man" on page 89.  I didn't read this book before I got married but as I went down the list my husband meets all these statements that apply to our life (the ones that don't apply are 3, 5, 6, 10)...so I guess its official according to Steve Harvey that I can keep my husband since he is committed to me, haha. I love my husband so much. He is absolutely a gift from God.

1. He takes you to his place of worship.
2. He thinks about you when you're away and still thinks about you when you're near.
3. He changes all his phone numbers so that none of his old flames can contact him anymore.
4. He allows you to help pick out his wardrobe.
5. Any man who wears matching outfits is totally committed because he has lost all his friends' respect.
6. He gives you a nickname he can't allow his friends to hear, like Schmoogles. Trust me, he knows full well that as soon as his friends hear that, they'll know he's sprung and, though its your nickname, that's what they'll call him every time they see him.
7. He puts making you happy in front of his own happiness.
8. He's seen you without your hair styled and no makeup and still keeps calling.
9. He's met your entire family and is still willing to attend the family reunion.
10. He knows your kids are crazy and ill-mannered but loves you anyway.
11. He's seen your mother in action and still things you can make it as a couple.
12. He allows you to meet his entire family, realizing this could change everything.

Workout Blues

So I have the workout blues. I gained fifteen pounds since my wedding. So I decided I needed to start working out. I have been working out since the middle of February. I work out three times a week but sometimes its five times a week. Since then I have yet to lose any weight. It is the most frustrating experience ever. I am a vegetarian so I eat fairly decent. So between the two diet modification and working out I figured I would start to see some difference but nope. I still feel and look the same. My clothes still fit a little tight. So now I am here frustrated with exercise and eating moderately. Any suggestions anyone?