A Father's Love

Picture is of me when I was one or two and my dad.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Today I sit here thinking of my own dad.  He is in the hospital after a car wreck on Friday.  He has a couple broken ribs, bleeding in the lungs, and a small bleed in the brain.  Along with that his knee is a size of a small watermelon, his hand and wrist is bruised, and he has a black eye.  He is wearing a neck brace to keep from hurting things worse as his ten-dents in the neck are pulled and they also want to keep from any pressure on the brain.  If that is not enough for one person to deal with, my dad is a double lung transplant patient.  He has a bad heart and gets clots easily when not on his blood thinner which had to be stopped while he is in the hospital right now.  Needless to say, my every thought is with him and there may not be much posts on here right now while we deal with this.

My dad has always been my rock.  I have always been his little girl and I love him so much and know he loves me too.  We may not see eye to eye on everything, but we always are there for each other.He taught me to drive, ride a bike, and about God.  I also get some of my humor from him.  He may have adopted me, but I am his through and through.

A dad's love is like no other, but honestly there is One whose love is even greater!  That is God's love!  I don't know if my dad would have given up one of my brother's for me, but I know that God gave up Christ for me!  In the end, when no one is there, God always is!

May He be with each of us as we go through out our days and show us His love in all aspects of our live. God bless each of us!

  

Dealing with temptation

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

Life is full of temptation.  I aught to know!  I know for me temptation comes in many forms from a good looking drink to a good looking woman.  I am talking about really tempted!  Like you are walking a date up to the door and she asks you to come in and you know if you do then you will end up in the bed with her.  Like going to your favorite drag show at a bar, knowing that you are having a hard time saying no to alcohol and you want a drink. Or say calling in sick because you just want a day to yourself, so you lie to your boss to take it.

So what do we do when tempted?  Good question.  At one time, I would fall into the temptation and do it.  I would sleep with the girl even if I didn't want anything else to do with her.  I would steal money to make it to pay day when I could have asked for help.  I would lie my way out of situations. I was the one who let temptation take me to places that I should have never been.

So what is different now?  I pray.  I ask God to help me.  And biggest thing, I don't go where temptation lies.  I instead get busy in God's work.  I fill my time in church gatherings, going to support groups, helping others, and more.

Getting past temptation is easy when you ask God what the next right step is to take, and then, here is the key, you take it!  You follow His lead!  You say no when everything says yes because you know that the yes is not Godly.  

It isn't easy!  Trust me, now that I know that sex is really enjoyable, I want it again, but I am not married and so therefor I can not just go sleeping around.  I can't even write the stories about sex that I at one time found pleasure in. I am a recovering alcoholic and therefore can't just go have a drink.  I fret over money and can't go stealing things to make ends meet.  I can't do many things because they are not what God wants me to do with my life.

God wants us to live a life that is leaning on Him and doing His good work.  We are to allow Him to give us a way out of temptation.  We are to call out to Him for the strength.  We are to do what He asks of us.  Therefor we have to pray and do what we see as the next right thing.

How do I know what is the next right thing?  To know God's will and next right thing, I have to be in His word.  I must get to know my Savior by knowing what was left for us to learn from about Him.  I have to listen for those personal messages from God.

So to overcome temptation, I must pray, be in God's word, and do the next right thing!

Her Love

Her Love

by Lesley Hooper

Her love fills me to the soul.

Her love keeps me a fool.

Her love takes my breath away.

Her love pushes me to sway.

Her love is pure.

Her love is true.

Her love is honest.

Her love is kind.

Her love is like no other, it does not leave.

Her love is like an ocean, filling the depths.

Her love is like a tree, strong and rooted.

Her love is like a book, ever writing new chapters.

Her love is not my love though.

Her love is not given to me.

Her love is a lost love.

Her love will ever be on my mind.

May she find someone to give her love.

May she smile on me who had her love.

May she be at peace in her love.

May she forgive in her love.

Can't postdate God!

For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:2

At work we postdate files to run on a certain date in the future.  A person signs up and promises that they will pay on x date.  They don't always go through but when they do, it is a good day.  As I think about this, I think of God.

I can't make promises that I will do something on x date with God.  I can't say, "God, on February 13th, 2017 I will do this for your service."  I instead need to be doing the best I can for God on a daily basis.

God does not say, "Lesley, I won't bless you till the 20th of the month." No, it says now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.  God don't postdate His love, why should we act like we are to Him?

Today, do what you would tomorrow for God!  Live as if there is not going to be a tomorrow, cause tomorrow is not promised.  Don't postdate God for He does not postdate you!

Acceptance of others

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

Romans 14:1

We all want to be accepted.  We all want to belong to something greater than ourselves.  When you are different though, you don't always feel accepted.  No matter what, you don't see your piece of the puzzle fitting in place with everyone else.

When you are gay, you get the old line "We accept you, it's just the sin we hate." as they shun you at the same time.  And who is to say it is a sin?  If you are paying attention to my series on The Bible and Homosexuality then you will see, none of the scriptures actually say a loving, committed, monogamous relationship that is homosexual is a sin!

Acceptance is something I guess I will talk about often.  Why? Glad you asked!  Maybe because it is something I have always fought with.  I remember being a kid and not feeling like I was like everyone else and that none of the other kids liked me.  I remember that I was made fun of through out all of my schooling.  I was never popular or well accepted.

Now days, I don't care if I fit in.  And I take on as friends those others that did not fit in and make them accepted by me.  No one should ever feel as an outcast, and since I know what that feels like, I will never make someone else feel that way.

Outcast though, strong word!  Isn't that what we do to someone that we don't understand or feel their action is not right some how?  Don't we outcast those that we judge?  Don't speak to that person they are a sinner!  Yet we are all sinners!

God was the best at accepting a person just as they are and changing them into someone that He could use for the betterment of the whole.  The Bible is full of Christ accepting into the flock those that others turned their back on.

I believe if He were here today, He would be saying the same message, "Come as you are!"  He would be saying "I will accept you and love you"  He would say "Hey you there, yes you, just cause you like women and are a woman, is not what is important, what is important is that you follow me and I accept you!"

I remember a long time ago, I sat in front of a mirror and the counselor sat with me and had me say over and over again "I accept you" to myself in the mirror.  That was one of the most powerful things to do.  I cried and still tear up when I think about it.

Acceptance is a powerful thing, but we have to do more then just say we accept someone, we have to put action behind it!

So how do you show acceptance?  Be friendly.  Be kind.  Don't walk away when approached.  Don't give a look of disgust when you look at a person.  Be a Christian who is not afraid to talk to others and have conversations that are more then "You are wrong and I am right" and get to know a person, not just what you hear about them.

But most importantly, show love and a welcoming spirit!  Everyone, even you, needs to feel accepted and wanted, but it is up to us to show that to others.  Who will you accept today?