. Cleaning out!

Today was one of those days that don't happen too often at our house. When I got up it was raining and my heart filled with joy. I'm not much for being snowed in and we were snowed in big time. I haven't driven a car in close to two weeks. I rejoiced in the rain and then my hubby realized we were more stuck than ever! Of course, it is temporary and I am still thrilled it is raining but my enthusiasm dampened somewhat. It was then that my Melody decided that we could tear apart the kitchen and reorganize it. I'm not much for that type of project but there wasn't much else to do and I had a willing partner so we had at it. 5 hours later and 10 garbage bags later the kitchen is looking much better and I discovered something about myself. I have always said I am a dumper but in reality I'm not so much. I found things I haven't used for years shoved back in corners and cupboards, taking up space that I could use for stuff that is really useful and that is crowding my counters. I think my life is like that also. I find myself too often remembering and dwelling on past events and past failures instead of honestly assessing my present life and moving on in it. My husband is thrilled (not so much) with the dumpload of garbage he needs to take care of, but he did notice the pantrys looking much neater. I wonder if it would be just as noticable if I could dump the past in the bottom of the sea where Christ says that it is? I bet it would. I think it would clear the way for doing what Christ would have me do now and clearing out present junk that also needs to be out in the bottom of the sea. I sure enjoyed my day with my daughter and I feel a burden has been lifted. I think I will try and spend more time on the present than in the past this next year and clear out all of my useless junk!

Overcoming and the New Year

The weather has been a challenge for many this week and I am one of those many. We have not been able to get out of our driveway the last couple days. Bill and Nicole had to hike to the store with backpacks and bring back supplies. It has been a challenge but has reminded me of how easy I have it. We were able to watch sappy Christmas movies, bake, play video games, follow facebook and the blogs, and be warm and comfy. I can't imagine what it was like to be a pioneer during brutal conditions. I have been meditating on being an overcomer. I have been reading Revelation and in John's letters to the churches he keeps giving promises to those who overcome and dire warnings to those who don't. I'm not the greatest overcomer. It reminds me of this verse, Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. It's war. But there are reassuring verses also, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.
Rev. 17:14 These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him {are the} called and chosen and faithful.
Rom. 8:37But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. It is Jesus who is the conqueror, not me. It is He who overcomes. I know that in my flesh I am not capable of being an overcomer, but in Him I am capable of everything. I have been thinking about the New Year coming and what personal goals I want to set. The most important of the goals I have thought about have to do with overcoming. Now, they may sound like ordinary goals, like losing weight and reading my Bible and praying more often, but this year I want to rephrase them. I want to eat as to please the Lord and not myself. I want to draw closer to God and know Him more intimately than I ever have. I want to go to war for the needs of my family, my church, my community, and the world. This is overcoming, this is what we are to push forward to , this is the high calling of God. I want to quit whining and put on my armor. Let's go out and do some conquering and overcoming in the New Year!

First Works

Keeping our hearts vibrant and alive for Jesus can be hard. It is easy to get caught up in the struggle to survive the week and to go through the motions of relationship with God, but lose the closeness and peace that only He gives. There is nothing that can take the place of relationship, nothing you can do, nothing that will fill that place or take the place of the time that it takes to get there. Shortcuts in relationship don't work. It is about quantity and quality. Listen to these words that I personalized from Revelation 2: I know your deeds, Cyndi, and your toil and perseverance,... and you have perseverance and have endured for My names sake and have not grown weary. But, Cyndi, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, repent and do the first deeds. I have heard Jesus calling me with these words. He must have the preeminence, the first place of my time, my relationships, and all that I am and hope to be. The first works, I remember what it was like when I was first saved. I spent hours reading my Bible and praying. The only way to live in continuous relationship and in continuous revival is to to live in continuous first works. I must take the time, whatever time is necessary and put Him on the throne of my heart and my life. If I was a slave, my time would belong to my master; as a bondslave of Christ my time also belongs to my master, Christ. He is a good master and will make sure that everything that we truly need to get done does get done. It may mean cutting out the optionals of life but to live in the peace of God and in the center of His will, what could be better. I want to fall in love with Christ anew. This week I will be committing myself to the "first works" and trust in Christ that my heart will soon follow my actions.