leapin' lizards

Happy Leap Day! Now let's leap into spring. Tomorrow I'm going to decorate for the first holiday of the season...St.Patrick's Day! Bringing in the green!

No detail too small

No detail of your life is too small for God. And I try not to miss any detail of his love for me. How many of you would notice that two dandelion puffs flying through the air, "holding onto each other", in February, is a little unusual. Dandelions haven't released their airy seeds for months now, so where were these two hiding? I happen to think they were dropped from heaven by God to remind me that he runs beside me every moment. (I was running when this happened.) Now go look for your "I love you's" from God. I guarentee they are there!

Anxiety great within me

Ps.94:18-19 When I said, "My foot was slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When my anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. God knows our weaknessess, our frailities, and He does not ask of us that which we are not able to give. All He asks is that we give what we have- and beyond that, His grace supplies. (Derek Prince)

freedomyou.com is an excellent fasting website!

Jesus sang me a love song

Zephaniah 3:17- "For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you...He will rejoice over you with singing." It takes my breath away to even describe this, but I had an experience tonight that blows my mind. Just days ago I saw a flyer for a healing & deliverance service in Ephrata. I was going there anyway to take my nephew a birthday gift and just felt like the Lord was calling me to go. So at the end of the service, I went forward with many others for healing and just to receive more of the Holy Spirit. As the pastor finished praying for me, he started singing in a foreign language. There was lots of other people praying in tongues, so I figured that's what it was. When he finished, he said, "That was a love song for you." On my way home, the full impact of what had happened hit me. My precious Savior had just sung a love song specifically for me in Hebrew. It was so beautiful, I cried. Remember that little "Valentine" I attached to my teapot when I gave up tea for the week of my Daniel Fast? It said, "I love you more." He just one upped me.

Here is a Word for you from the Lord...

That's how Derek Prince emails start that arrive weekly in my inbox. And I always half catch my breath at what my Lord has to say to me personally. It's always Scripture, His love letter to me. The one I'll share today is from October. It begins, "Psalm 73:26- My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and portion forever." This was special to me because last fall, my flesh, my body was physically failing and I didn't know why. I have begun to get some answers from my nutritionist, but very often I am still reminded how delicate health can be. I can't count on it to be there tomorrow, no matter how diligently I try to care for it. But I don't have to worry. I CAN count on God to be my strength. (Love that song I'm Counting On God!) Derek goes on to say, "You see, there's a difference between the internal and the external. The external is fading, it's temporary; but there's something inside us that's eternal, that's from God...doesn't fade or wither. Paul says, 'Our outward man perishes, but our inward man is renewed day by day.'

Breaking The Fast

I learned a lesson today that I would've rather learned about by reading rather than experiencing. I learned a humbling lesson about the power of the tongue. I had been building up expectations all week of having the perfect day today. I don't often have off from work an entire Saturday and I wanted this one to be perfect. I was looking forward to ending my Daniel Fast with a gluten free sandwich at supper from the Prince St. Cafe (bread being a rare treat in and of itself) and eating some chocolate while watching Courageous with my honey. I got my belly filled and sniffed/laughed through an excellent movie, but I struggled to refind the joy I had most of the week while fasting. What happened? Earlier in the day a child of mine started expressing displeasure and I said in exasperation, "I think I'll join you and have a stinky day." Now why in the world would I speak those words? Why do we speak half the things we do? I remember reading some Derek Prince material while ago about the Bible verse, "Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Now choose life." (or something like that) I didn't choose wisely and try as I may in my mind to blame my stinky day on the behavior of others, I chose death or better stated, joylessness. When I asked God why my lovely fasting experience had to end this way, He gently firmly stated, "You chose it. Choose life next time." Yes Father, life and joy is much better. Every moment, help me choose You.