Downloading my Brain...

Wow, it's been a while. I probably lost all my faithful readers (total of two) because, for no reason at all, I quit posting. Well, maybe I had a reason, and it's the same ol' "I was busy" excuse. Except that it wasn't an excuse, I was actually busy.

Right now I am vegging in my comfy porch, enjoying the cool breeze and missing my kids. They left for a week mission's trip to Mejico, and I miss them. The first day was the emotion of saying good bye, followed by the next day trying to catch up on things never accomplished, which they still remain unaccomplished, followed by my stress class preparation.

Today, we finished one of our 6 weeks classes and I am spent. It takes a lot out of me and at the same time, it revitalizes me. The repetition of the classes help my brain to absorb the truth and firmly set it there. The way to break a bad habit is just that, stop it and replace it with a good one. So my brain is constantly hearing good habits, scripture, fellowship, accountability, snacks, and yet I feel tired afterward. Sleeping cleanses the painful situations that some of our dear ladies go through, it erases the mistaken beliefs that well meaning people buy into, lies from living in this world.

I am thankful for a God that reveals His purpose through the faithfulness of His people, and I am thankful for the peace He rewards them with. I am ready to be entertained by my Netflix collection now... Chau...

Jesse's Graduation

We had a lovely day today in Boulder Creek. The setting was the beautiful mountains, and the occasion was Jesse's high school graduation. It was a nice, short, family style ceremony, cake and punch, pizza later, and then home. I am the proud mama of two high school graduates and one to come next year. Enjoy the pictures. Well, they didn't make it in the blog, but at least you can see them.

Feelings...

Feelings are so deceitful, it is no wonder I need to have God as my anchor to keep me from "feeling" all over the place. One day I'd be singing praises for an answered prayer, the next I'll be down for one of my kid's infractions. I want to be the kind of follower that believes and trusts that God can do all things. Not just a few, but all. I know that feelings follow behavior, therefore I need to keep on working daily on my salvation; not to be saved, but to keep on growing. I know all this too well, so why do I so often forget to apply it? Because I am trapped in this sinful body now, and I can only dimly see what it awaits me when I receive my glorify body and nothing can separate me from the love of God. Specially myself.

Are you worried today?

This should qualify for today's Bible reading.


"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you"
(1 Peter 5:7).


Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4: 4-7


8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

Carry each other’s burdens… Galatians 6:2

Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:25-34

The Dung Gate

I enjoyed our service today. Nehemiah is always a fun book to glean lots of stuff from. It is famous for the rebuilding of the wall, but they couldn't just have walls. They needed gates as well to let people, goods, stuff in and out. Just like our lives, we have a wall of protection with gates to let people, situations, sin, stuff, in and out. One of their gates, the Dung gate, was exactly that, to dump the refuse, not having sophisticated sewer systems, people would go, dump and burn. Often, I need to take inventory and dump my refuse at the Dung gate where it belongs, and allow clean, pure, healthy, worthy stuff in my gates. Only then, I can continue my walk in a lighter manner, without carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, where it does not belong. When I get all weighted down it's time to go to the dump and spiritually leave all the excess stuff at the feet of the cross. I am so thankful that I am able to do that through Jesus Christ.

Close Encounter of the Fire Kind.

As Christa was driving home last night, she past our next door neighbor house and saw flames. Immediately she stopped her car and knocked at their door, then pounded when they didn't respond quickly. They opened the door, confused by being waken up by her, and Christa calmly said "Your house is on fire", and proceeded to call 911. As the firemen arrived 4 minutes later and put out the flames, they told our neighbors that 3 to 4 more minutes they would have lost their house as the fire would have quickly spread through the roof.

Our neighbors were so thankful to Christa that this morning they brought her See's candies, Starbucks and Jamba Juice gift cards. A few things had to work together to make this miracle possible. Christa was supposed to be home earlier but was delayed as the movie run longer than expected. She had to turn her car around to park across the street forcing her to go to the neighbors to maneuver, thus seeing the fire. Had she found a spot on our side of the street she might have missed it. The neighbors said that she saved their house and possibly their lives. Not to mention that if the whole house caught on fire, we were right next to them... and we don't need any more fires in our lives. I believe providence was evident, and God's hand was there helping all of us.

Challenging Questions

As I continue to learn about wisdom these closing questions in my study were challenging.

~ Are you becoming a woman of excellence?
~ Are you pursuing specific skills in order to increase productivity and enrich those about you?
~ Do you ponder in order to gain insight into God and His wisdom so that you are a treasury?
~ Is your speech wise so that you are able to invite, petition, counsel, reprove and instruct others with maximum effectiveness?
~ Finally, do you fear the Lord? Do you have a stand-alone inner core of strenght and self-possession based on reverence for God?

Wow! If you answered yes to all these, you are my hero! I am still trying to ingest all these meaning, let alone doing all of it. However, I am moving toward it, and that consoles me: knowing that perfection will come the day I stand before Him one day. Meantime, the best I can do is continue moving, and pray that I won't stand still.