Take My Hand

Emotions are a strong part of life.  Unfortunately,
.... emotion tries to govern our future,, and it will if we let it.


Whether a Domestic Engineer, ( a.k.a.- mom),, a contractor, day-care provider, journalist, teacher, or whatever may be your calling...
We ALL have emotions.

Life moves so fast, and if we aren't careful, we find our self letting our emotions govern our decisions, our relationships, and our daily outcome.


This is a test I have to try and work through every day.
I know you are not surprised... because you must do the same, right?

It is in the most tempting moments to act on my emotions,, rather than fact, prayer, and steady waiting for the truth to be shown........

That I hear my Lord whisper.. :"Take my Hand."

There have been times that I have ignored this voice of truth.. and reaped sorrowful consequences...
reaped regret and learned many hard lessons.
And, sadly,, will probably find this to be true again...

It is really not an age thing... getting older means getting wiser?
I don't think that this is a truth that can always be stood on...

And I certainly KNOW that I am not any wiser in many areas as well.

The only governing force in my life that spurs growth and understanding is a true submission to my Lord and Savior.
Not man -made wisdom,,,
Nor discussions on what is Right and Wrong...

If any one lacks wisdom, ask it of God..

Here is a verse that we taught our children from the time they could repeat Scripture,, and I am constantly challenged and spurred to remember this:

Proverbs 3:7 - "Be not wise in your own eyes,

                            fear the Lord, and turn away from evil."

                        It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones."

Feel like emotions are taking over?

He wants to take your hand...

and lead you...

This week...Been there.. again.

How God led me to stop.....

This is a true story of how God is working in my life this week.

For the month of November, I had decided to put out more than I take in....
in other words....
Sowing Christs love in a more relevant way than just letting my walk be my walk.

BUT,,, I strongly believe in keeping my giving, my love and my acts of service for he Lord, and not for show to men.
Therefore, I have not shared on my blog "all" that I am doing in November to make Christs Love more real to people.

THIS story today, I was led to share... to encourage, spur to good works, and to GLORIFY the Lord who created this story from the beginning.

~~~~~~~~~

4 loaves of pumpkin bread sat on my counter.... waiting for me to freeze, eat, or give-away.
We make bread, cookies, and other special treat a lot for neighbors, family and friends...so I knew that his bread would go to someone this week..

Little did I know that I would be strongly convicted to share this bread with someone in this little community of mine,,
where I worship, drive through, and live, and not know some of those behind the closed doors...
who do not set their feet upon our Church doorsteps, or wave when we go by.

I load up three of the children, the bread, some caramel corn, and a strong leading t be a light to those who do not know HIM.
And if they cannot see HIS love in me,, then where will they see it.

Will God care that I was uncomfortable to knock on the doors in this community to say hello, and deliver bread, or will He rejoice when they see His life in mine?

I drive slowly through my little town. I pray, and pray and pray...
not for my nerves, not for strength...

But... I prayed that HE would lead me to stop where HE needed me to shine HIS Light.

His leading was so very clear that day.
My first stop was to a widow, and she was tired from much lawn work she had done on her own that day...
she LOVED the pumpkin bread, and now I know where we can help her.

Second stop.... I was least suspecting that He would lead me here....
Why... this house is straight across the street from our church.
The family waves to us,,,we wave to them... we have seen them out and about..
we do not know them, and no very little about them.
They watch everyone at church come and go...
we have stopped to chat with them once or twice...
they have sent their son to our children's programs, but, they have not come for worship.

I am thinking... "Lord,,, you really don't want me to stop here, do you?"...YES.
"Hm mm.. what if I give this bread to another family?"
...NO.
I slow the van down... truly hesitating,, thinking about how nervous I was to speak to them...why?
I am not even sure why...

We knock on their door... four times... for about 4 minutes...
"OK Lord,, we have tried,,, where now?"

No one came to the door, and so I begin to back the van ot of their driveway.
The father of the home comes out of the garage....
Walks up to my window.. and I smile....nervously...

"Hi,,I made some pumpkin bread and thought that your family might like some today."

He takes the bread without acknowledgement.....

and....

as if we talk every day...
as if he knows me well... like we are friends...

he says..

" My daughter lost her twins today...".. and he is all choked up..

My heart bursts with sadness...tears come to my eyes...

"How far along was she," I ask...

"She was to 8 months along ," he said... "identical, and their cords were tangled today."
He told me that she would have to have a funeral, and how devastating this was.
... the reason no one was able to answer their door.
The look of grief and hopelessness were overwhelming.

WHY was he pouring out his heart to me... a stranger?

14 years ago,.. God knew this day would happen.
The day my identical twin boys lost their life in my womb.. almost ready to be delivered,, and their lives were meant for another purpose.

This moment was so surreal to me.
I cried with him,,, for him,, for her...and ...
Shared how .. we also... had to bury our babies, more than just our twins.

God gave me the words this day...
to share with this man....
and I now will be going back.. following through to this open door ..
with hope for this family.

As I pulled out that driveway.... tears still streaming unabashed..
over the sadness this family is experiencing...
over the empty gap in the line-up of our children...
over the empty arms that I know this young mother is feeling right now...
I was truly comforted knowing that this was HIS plan...

Not for pumpkin bread...
Not for me to be out of my comfort zone...
But to let His Light become a presence behind the closed doors in this community...
where people are hurting...
all of the time...and we never know.

A door is just a barrier that man sees as an excuse to not see beyond the walls of homes and hearts.

There are no doors or walls in Heaven.

My heart was opened to His leading even more ...
Will you pray for this family today?

Where is He leading you to shine?
Don't ignore His calling.

It is ALMOST that time

This is the path we walk every year...

This path leads to a sweet reward...

Takes cold days, long nights, patient tending, and careful accuracy...

This is where the path ends...

it is ALMOST that time....

Time for what?

Can you guess?

This is REAL Life

Blogs are fun places to stop by..
Blogs are part of someone's life...

One September Day often shares the happy side of life, the every day moments that make us smile...

But ... this is REAL Life...

And there are a lot of people who read this blog that go thru hard times, happy times,  and real life moments that we don't see.

Real Life....

~Laying in bed some mornings... putting off slipping our feet from under the covers.. knowing all we have to do..
~Finding the gas tank empty again..  wasn't it just yesterday that we filled?
~hearing the diagnosis that we dread to hear
~unexpected phone calls
~tears falling freely in the hot shower.... unabashed... unhidden from God
~no sleep due to pain from illness or injury
~life-long disease or pain that affects every day life
~lack of employment
~hurtful relationships
~cleaning up the spills of life when others leave them for you...
~burning in the pit of your stomach over news broken to you
~bills that are left unpaid
~children making bad decisions....watching them grow
~caring for sick children without any control over their healing
~stranded alone with seemingly overwhelming problems

...to name a few...

This is REAL LIFE....

~Mercy falling free for sinners
~healing of the soul for the lost and hopeless
~comfort and care for pain and illness
~healing tears that bring relief
~casting cares upon His throne
~sharing one anothers burdens
~Grace abounds with forgiveness
~Open arms for the frightened and angry
~An altar waiting for surrender
~Peace for the peacemakers
~rest for the weary...
~Laughter for the lighthearted moments
~Thankfulness for when the Light shines clear

One September Day... REAL LIFE

Will you leave me a comment if you are in REAL LIFE mode?

What are you experiencing today?

Need a smile?

What makes a day around here fun?

Moments like these:

True gifts of laughter....
Don't you agree?