March 26, 2010

Who's Captain of Your Ship?

Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. -LUKE 5:5

Do u remember this story? These guys were expert fishermen. They tried their best and caught nothing! They were exhausted! Why should the even consider trying again?

Comon sense would scream INSANITY! (You know...doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different outcome.) But there WAS something VERY differrent this time. All night they worked in their own strength, by their own limited perspectives. But now, Jesus was not only 'in the boat', but He was guiding them. And unknown to them ALL of Creation was at His command. Even the fish!

How often do we think a calling or dream is over, too hard, or maybe we're just not qualified...so we just don't step out again? Could it be we've "toiled all night" in our own strength, ideas and limited perspective? Could it be that if we ask Jesus into our boat...not as a passenger, or even co-pilot, but as Mighty Captain, that ship will finally get to its designed destination, might you finally accomplish your true purpose in life?

Now I'm not saying there still won't be storms and nights w/ no wind to fill your sails. Just that you'll never be alone or truly lost again. That is...unless you decide to take back the wheel. You see...on the wheel, there's only room for one pair of hands.

Sail On!

Love,
Rebecca Thames
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Overcome Bias In Popular Media
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March 13, 2010

Heart Full of Praise...

Pray for a heart full of praise...an attitude of gratitude.
Think about what makes us miserable. Self image? Not enough money? Don't have what others have? Worry? Fear? Illness? Bad marriage?

The list could go on and on. But I believe, and have heard from many others, that your current situation isn't what can debilitate you...its your attitude toward it.

I've heard of people, and even met one, who've even overcome CANCER w/ a possitive outlook! Jesus said, If you can only believe, ALL things are possible with God. (emphasis mine)

So lets think for a minute. Just as light cancels and drives out darkness, wouldn't praise, thankfulness and gratitude drive of things like greed, anger, self-pitty, jealousy, and any form of discontentment? Sure seems right to me.

You see, if we're busy thanking and praising God for His goodness, His greatness, His power to save, His all-sufficiency...then we're acknowledging His ability to take care of us and handle ALL our concerns.

If we're honest we'll admit that most are way to big for us to carry. No matter how hard we try. We weren't built for that kind of load. Thats why the Scripture says, Casting your cares on Him, for He cares FOR you. Believe it or not, thats worth celebrating over. Since He's doing the caring, YOU DON'T HAVE TO! :-D

Here's kinda what I prayed this morning. Maybe you might try something similar:
Dear Lord God, please wash my heart and take away all the ugly stuff. Please ignite in me a heart full of praise and gratitude. For how can anger, anxiety, worry, or fear possible live in a heart filled praise thankfulness and grattitude!? Thank you so much! Amen!

Love,
Rebecca Thames
-----------------------
Overcome Bias In Popular Media
Be Heard!
http://www.pyrabang.com/go/jclight

March 02, 2010

Trivial or Triumphant?

For quite sometime I've noticed more and more, my life has been becoming quite uneventful. Some due to illness and some due to bad weather. It's just been very difficult for Bill and me to both get out of the house at the same time.

Now, he's been out on short runs for food or medicine, or to run a friend somewhere. But the last time we really went out together for a time of enjoyment to us both was 01/11/2010 for or anniversary. Praise God it was nice then. The Lord truly blessd that day.

Before that we'd had a Drs appt the Monday before Christmas. Before that I think it was Walmart sometime in November. Plus its been months since I've been to church. I hate to say it, but this is where I am right now.

All this is to say, this is the closest to a "shut-in" I've ever been since the invention of pulic transit for wheelchair people, when I was 8 yrs old!

After that we had no excuse to stay home even though my mom also was in a wheelchair. She was the oe who got us all ready to go out. No excuses. Now it seems like any old excuse will do to just stay home. Too cold, too damp, flurries possible, too warm, too windy, a little achy today, too tired... The list goes on and on.

I've wondered if my life had become rather trivial...mundane. You know, a lotta stay-at-home moms go through it...get breakfast, open the mail, pay bills, clean house, plan dinner, watch tv.... some details vary, but many lists are similar. You may through in laundry or shopping trips or something the kids need on your basic list, but primarily they're the same.

I've been meaning to write this a while now, but something crazy happenned. Bill and I both got pretty sick last Sun night...sudden, vioolent and persistant stomache flu. Pretty traumatic for both of us. Especcially when each other was all we each had.

But once again the Lord came through in ways I never expected. He sent help when we needed it most and we pretty much slept the rest of the time. Today, after a whole week, we've both been feeling maybe 90% better.

Somehow that super-down time gave me a slightly different perspective. Maybe life wasn't so trivial after all. Even though I could barely keep my tummy together half the time, I found so much joy in any little thing I could do to make Bill's life any little bit easier or more comfortable. It was a great reminder...thats my real job-tittle "Help-meet" for Bill. That's what the Lord has called me to. And I'll only be most fulfilled when I'm truly filling that role to the best of my physical, emotional and spiritual ability.

So I suppose through a terrible illness, perhaps the Lord has used it to teach me. Take the "trivial" or "mundane" parts of life and fit them into their propper place to compliment and enhance my role in Bill's life and my life will truly go from "trivial" to Triumph! Thank You Jesus!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
SWEETHEART!


Love,
Rebecca Thames
-----------------------
Overcome Bias In Popular Media
Be Heard!
http://www.pyrabang.com/go/jclight