Grace Van Cutsem

This just makes me laugh.

Grace Van Cutsem, a three year old flower girl to the royal wedding, just plain had enough of the hoopla, even when Prince William and Princess Catherine had their wonderful balcony kiss.

Hey, we've all been there, fed up, wanting to hear no more, see no more, deal with "it" (whatever "it" may be) no more!

We salute you, Grace! It doesn't look as cute on us to do this thing when you're older than three!
So, we all collectively live through your annoyed little face in this moment for the irritations in our lives!

We all vicariously stop up our ears too and say, "enough!"

Oh, and God bless the Royal Couple!

Googly Eyes

After an intense time of writing today, my eyes have officially gone googly.

 I am starting to see woodland creatures hopping over grassy fields where words should be. I think I’m done for the day. Settle down, little eyeballs. Settle down…

He is risen!

He is risen!

It’s Resurrection Day! He is risen!!! But don’t just say the word, personally apply them to yourself! Just like Jesus, each one of us is called to arise in life! This is a time of new beginnings! That includes you!!

Mark 5:41

God bless and have an incredible resurrection Day- and an incredible resurrected life!!!

The Feeling of Our Infirmities

Tempted? Tested? Struggling? You’re not alone; Jesus got there first.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 4:15

Whenever we battle with ourselves, our lives our adversities, we need to remember that Jesus gets it. He’s not judging or condemning us; He is there in it, with us. The King of Kings not only loves us and empathizes with us, He paid the ultimate price for us.

This time of year, so close to Resurrection Sunday, let’s remember that the Gethsemane is temporary, but God’s Love and Victory are forever!

Passover

As we enter into Passover, what does the word mean to us?

Is it a negative connotation to us, representing “missed opportunities?”

Or is it a word meaning mercy and “second chances?”

Think of it; you and I probably should be dead a number of different times, except, by God’s Grace, He saved, blessed and protected our figurative (and literal) hides!

It’s all on how you look at it. Passover isn’t just an old Bible story, a movie with Charleton Heston , portraying Moses or another holiday. It’s God relevantly reminding us of the real Truth that He loves us, wants to invade our lives, get us to our next “Promised Land” and give us a new beginning.

We‘re not forgotten; we’re smack dab in the miracle of Passover. Let’s not limit how God wants to teach us all what it means!!!

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.”

John 2:23

Happy Passover, Everyone!!! God bless!!!

Recovery...

Grace...

Thanks To The Men who Support Us...

More photos of Emily Recovery Night...

More pics of Emily Recovery Night...Video coming soon...

Eagle or Baby Eaglet?

Lately, I’ve been watching the stream of the Decorah eagle family; three little fluffy eaglets have hatched and are currently wobbling, falling beak first, often, into the nest. Sound familiar? I don’t know about you, but, more often than not, I feel like those clumsy baby birds.

A lot of the time, I feel like my beak’s stuck in the nest. It’s not exactly the majestic eagle of strength, dignity and grace, is it?

Watching this little family, I’m fascinated by how such a cute fuzzy-headed, bobbing baby bird eventually grows into this incredible creature. God tells us that we’re like eagles.

“Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

Isaiah 40:31

However, what do we do when we are more eaglet than eagle? As I’ve been watching the adventures of Huey, Dewey and Louie, I see how growth is such a powerful factor. The fact is, these little ones are little more than a week old, yet they have already changed dramatically and are getting more mastery of their flailing wings.

 First on the nest scene, it was all about kaboom face/beak plants. Now, they’re actually toddling around, still clueless, mind you, but toddling, all the same!

So, it’s reassuring to know that even as eaglets, they’re destined for great eagle reality.

If we feel we haven’t fully arrived at eagle status, let’s remember that we’re on our way. Some beaks stuck in the nest may occur, but God’s already decided who we are: His Majestic Creations!

Comforting to know, isn’t it, while we try to figure out how to make our wings work!

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Emily Recovery Night...

Emily Recovery Night went great!!!

Thanks to everyone for their support; I had a fantastic time!!!

And yes, God's STILL Amazing!!!

Sputtering

Tonight I’m speaking at the Emily Recovery Night. I may or may not be coherent. Regardless, it’s not about perfection. In fact, in life, in one way or another, usually in multiple ways, we’re all sputtering a bit, trying to express, cope, deal with our lives and who we are. Sometimes, it just ain’t a pretty or an audibly pleasing situation to behold.

But again, we’re in process, improving, getting better, not just stagnating in vain. God is too good to leave us where we are. So yes, reminding myself of one of my favorite scriptures, 2 Corinthians 3:18, we are going “from glory to glory.”

So, some sputtering may be involved. But never fear, God can bring out in us what needs to occur. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He turns our imperfections  into amazing things!

Therefore, as we sputter, let’s live a life sputtering glories in process. We are better today, yes, than we were yesterday. And tomorrow’s glory version of who we are will only get better!

Sisyphus or Child of God?

Up the hill with the boulder, only to have it roll downhill, requiring the repetition of pushing it uphill again.

Feel like this? Do you feel like the Greek character, Sisyphus? He was sentenced to an eternity of hard, endless labor, pushing a boulder up a hill, repeatedly, never going anywhere, never achieving any progress. Hmmm. Sounds like life a bit, doesn’t it? Tedious, hard, frustrating. Is this where you are in your recovery, life and circumstances? Do you feel like all you are is a vain, failure, doomed to endless frustration? Feel that you’re going nowhere- nowhere good, anyway?

God has called you to more than that; God has called you to an incredible life:

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Jeremiah 29:11

And He is faithful to bless your endeavors. Feeling stuck? Have you turned to God with whatever boulder you’re trying to push uphill and beyond?

“And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”

Psalm 90:17

God IS helping you; believe it! You’re a child of God; you’re no Sisyphus! Your life is not in vain! You’re destined to win!

40 minutes...

40 minutes- sigh. Trying to cram it all in. Sigh. It has to be less than 40 minutes.