Keep Walking

I think at some level, we all need this today.  

Need Some Hope?

Have days where doubt, fear, unworthiness creep in?  Feel alone? Feel like you are fighting a fight that cannot be won? 

Stop fighting a fight that's already been won

How often do I do that?  Daily?  Hourly?  Sometimes I verily make it a couple minutes without doubt, fear, what-if's creeping in.

All my life I have been called unworthy

Every felt like that?  How about in junior high?  How about when things in your life don't look like the way the world thinks your life should look?  How about when you mess up?  We all do.  I do.  I have been called unworthy, by many.  

Shame 

Have it?  If you are over a decade old, I would bet you do.  I do.

Regret

Oh, another one that I would guess most of us struggle with at some point....words said, words not said.  Opportunities missed.  Deeds done.  Years gone by and dreams shattered.

Our lives can be a mess, feel hopeless, but if we turn and put our faith and trust in Jesus, our lives have hope.

YOU AREN'T DONE WITH ME YET!

The only way to keep going through some of the days I face, we all face is knowing Jesus is still doing a great work in me, even when I don't see it, or feel it, or realize it.

You set me free

Because of the cross, I am set free from regret, shame, feeling unworthy, unloved, alone, sad, feeling like I have to do it all, when HE has already fought the fight.  AND  He won.

Take off the heavy chains

Stop living in regret, what if's, how comes, and let. it. go. Trust Him.

I am not who I used to be

No, I am not.  I used to be overcome with feelings of unworthiness, guilt, fear, worry.  While the old nature can sneak in, I am not who I used to be because I have set aside myself, and follow Christ.  He has transformed me.  He has taken the ugly parts of my life and made them beautiful.  He gave me

New Life

I have A Hope That Will Carry Me Home.

I AM Redeemed

 Redeem: to release from blame or debt; to clear; to free from the consequence of sin; to free from captivity by payment of ransom..Jesus did that on the cross. For you.  For me.  For everyone who would accept Him as their Savior.

to change for the better : reform, repair, restore  

Wipe away every stain

On the cross, my sins were taken from me, and put on Jesus, so I can be spotless, clean, without stain, like new.

I am

Redeemed. Restored. Renewed.

The Chipmunks

These three chipmunks entertained me for an hour today.  One was bold and bossy.  One was very shy and ran at the slightest movement or sound.  One was a little shy, but the bold and bossy one would not let it anywhere near where it was, and would chase it off.  Up the tree it go and sit, and watch, until it thought the bossy one was not watching and it would try to sneak back down the tree.  It never worked.  The bossy one did let the shy one come near it and eat, but not the other one.  Yes, I am easily entertained, and these three kept me watching and laughing late this afternoon.  I am thankful for little unexpected gifts that pop into my day.  

Almost Missed That Blessing

This summer I met a new friend.  We became friends rather quickly, and have found we are quite a bit alike.  I greatly treasure this new friendship and am thankful for God blessing me with my new friend.  

The sad part of this relationship is that we are very close neighbors, and have been for five years.  How have we missed each other?  How have we missed the blessing of being friends before this past July?  We have both asked this question, and both find it odd that we live right by each other, but different streets, and attend the same church, and didn't even know each other until this summer when I recognized one of her kids at church.  

I sadly admit that I don't know many of my neighbors well, even though I live in town.  I know a few because of their kids hanging out at our house. I know a couple others pretty well, but that is all.  It's sad.  It's sad that our society has become that way, that we can literally share yards with someone but not know who they are, not know their needs, their joys, their sadness, sometimes not even know their names.  As I admitted above, I am just as guilty as the next person, but since meeting my neighbor, my new friend, I realize I need to try to get to know some of the people I live around a little better.  Granted, some will not allow that as they don't let people in their lives, but some will.  I want to get to know those people.  I know that I probably won't find a good friend in each one, but I can still get to know them.  I want to be able to wave when driving by, and actually know who the people are, not just wave because they live in my neighborhood.  I want to care about the people in my little development.  I want them to see a life that lives for Jesus in me.  

How about you?  Who in our neighborhood, work environment, classroom, church, community can you reach out to and say hi, and share a smile with to help brighten their day?  If we want to change the world, it has to start with us.  You.  Me. 

What can you do today to reach out to someone and maybe, like me, be blessed with an amazing new friend? Or, at very least, learn someone's name and help someone out in some way?  Be a blessing.  Reach out.  

Quick Summary of Summer

It's hard to believe Summer is winding down.  I looked at the sunrise and sunset on the 10 day forecast, and within a week, we are at equal times for the sun coming up and going down.  I am not ready to lose daylight like that but there isn't a choice, so I will just move on and pray for days that are bright, not foggy or gray, and enjoy each moment, as they are a gift. 

We had a great Summer, with fun times with family & friends, had a great time on our boat, did some geocaching and hiking, and enjoyed the beauty of North Idaho and a couple quick trips to Western Montana.  Our garden was hit and miss.  We enjoyed a long harvest of raspberries, and the tomatoes have done really well.  The two little spaghetti squash plants I put in gave us a dozen or more squash.  The beans did ok, but not outstanding.  I planted zucchini, but only got one little yellow squash.  Fortunately, my sister and her hubby had some to spare, so they happily shared.  Two of five pepper plants did really well.  The carrots verily came up so we will not be enjoying a harvest from them this Fall, nor will our dog.  We enjoyed some greens, herbs, and strawberries, as well.  

My birthday was last week and my hubby blessed me with a new camera.  It has a lot of bells and whistles so will take awhile to learn what they all do, but I am up for the challenge.  My camera was 7 1/2 years old, which in the digital world, is pretty old.  I had noticed the picture quality going down quite a bit the past few months, and I have used it so much, it literally was disintegrating in my hands. I haven't had much time to play with my new camera, but this is one of the first images I captured over Lake Coeur d'Alene.

I hope to be a little more faithful here on my blog, so please check back.  I have been posting daily over on my business blog, if you want to visit over there: Respire Life Coaching

Enjoy the last few days of Summer, and take in the moments of beauty that are around us each day, and be thankful for each gift, each breath you are given. 

A Day on A Moody Lake

We spent a day on Lake Pend Oreille over the weekend.  It was a little choppy when we put in, but not bad.  We were part way down the lake, when the skies turned stormy, the wind came up even more, and the lake turned gray.  If  you know Pend Oreille, when the lake turns gray, it is definitely not a good sign.  We went into shore for a bit.  The lake was still choppy when we headed back out, but we were a long way from where we launched the boat.  Fortunately, the waters calmed down and the sky cleared part way back so we enjoyed some time fishing, and watching an amazing sunset.  

This is the color the sky turned, middle of the afternoon.