Smarter Than Your Average Bear…

Yeah, I got bear on the brain today. You see, when I woke up this morning I went out to start the van..and what did I discover?  One of our many bear friends dropped by last night but he never called ahead so I didn’t leave him a snack in the garbage can.

Well I guess our bear friend figured since we didn’t leave him something he was going to do his own exploring and see if he could find anything interesting to eat. What I discovered when I came outside was an empty pizza box that had huge claw marks in it, and a trail of potting soil half way across the grass leading to an almost empty bag of #1 Sunshine Mix.

I can understand him being attracted to the empty pizza box, but what the heck was up with the potting soil?? So goes the ongoing battle of wits with this crazy bear. Just when I think I have him figured out he goes and does a fool thing like this.

Sometimes living with people who have addictions or mental illness can be a little like dealing with a crazy bear…you just never know what to expect from one day to the next.

The past few weeks with Mike has been like a crazy roller coaster ride..one day up, another down. Today was an okay day. He actually talked to me like a normal person, and didn’t criticize everything I did. We talked a bit about his drinking, and I asked him how he was doing with that. He said he only bought the one bottle and took a drink and then poured it out because it made him feel sick. I am not sure if I believe him, because I have been lied to so many times before it makes it virtually impossible to trust him again.

I am so thankful than even when people let me down, I can still put my full trust in God.

Psalm 9:10

10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 28:7

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Choose Whom You Will Serve…

My friend Mandy writes words for songs sometimes, and she shared these with us at church this last Sunday. Hope it blesses you and makes you think…

Choose Whom you will serve

Why give yourself to Satan when Jesus died for you??

What are you thinking?? How are you going to make it through??

If you’re waiting for tomorrow, well, sometimes tomorrow doesn’t come;

What will you do then when your time on earth is done?

The choice is yours to make, try to make it right away

You may not have tomorrow, heck you may not finish today.

What does Satan have to offer that would make you want to stray,

Can’t you see he’s such a liar and wants to steal your soul away??

Jesus is so full of love; He forgives your every sin.

All He wants is you to trust Him and that you believe in Him.

He wants you to be happy and to share His joy and Peace

To live with Him forever where only true Love is released.

So, my friend you better start thinking of where you might end up tonight,

Could be in the loving arms of Jesus, or a place of hate and fright.

To me there’s only one answer; Jesus is The Way

Make the right decision, give Him your heart today.

Given to me on August 1, 2010.

Bless you all,

Seasons Of Life…

It was  glorious fall day here today, with the sun shining  through the leaves. When I was driving back from the bus stop  I spotted a momma and two young Elk grazing on a neighbor’s lawn through the morning mist. It would have made a stunning photo!

Today work was a little less hectic as people were out busy enjoying the last of the warm sunny days. After work I had to wait for a while to pick up Brianna from after school projects, so I took a stroll down to the beach. Wow! The beavers were  busy felling trees, and your could hear the tapping of the Flickers as they clung to the tops of the tall Aspens.

When I got home I decided today was the day to finally tackle cleaning out the litter boxes. I had put this job off, as it hurt too much to think about the finality of this chore. That was so hard, but now I can move on…I am now praying that God will lead us to the perfect pet for us when the time is right.

Fall reminds me of this process of moving on..closing the door to one thing, and opening it to another. Fall gives me time to prepare for what lies ahead..the cold and snowy days of winter that will be here all too soon This small step of cleaning the litter boxes helps me to get ready for whatever God may have for me..be it another cat or something different..

I believe God created the seasons for a reason..everything has a purpose..even the difficult things.

Ecclesiastes 3 (New International Version)

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What does the worker gain from his toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has laid on men. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. ¹³ That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

First Day Of High School Prayer…

Well, today is an exciting day in the Enns family!  Brianna starts her first day of high school. Yesterday there was an orientation for all the grade 7s and their families so that we would have a heads up on what to expect. Some of you  might think grade 7 is a little young to start high school. Because we are living between Nelson and Castlegar in a rural area, they don’t have a middle school, so  juniors and seniors are all together. In some ways that can be a challenge, but in others it can be a good thing. Smaller schools mean that your child will not get as lost as in a big campus.

It was interesting to see how much high school has changed since I went way back in the 80’s. We all got to check out the new computer lab, with the smart board, and were shown how to get access to all the amazing resources for us and our kids online. In this school, kids are allowed to bring electronics, as long as they have a safety net in place, and the teacher does not mind it in the classroom. Kids are bringing Iphones, Ipod touches, Mp4’s, cell phones, cameras, net books, and laptops. They grade 7’s even have the use of a net book during the daytime for classroom use, and can save everything they need to on their memory sticks for use later at home. That is really cool as far as I am concerned. The school even has some of their library gone virtual now, and you can download books to listen to.

Brianna got her class schedule, and walked through the flow of each day to get the hang of it, and got to practice opening a lock. She was so excited. It was fun to watch her as she realized that a whole new world of learning has been opened up to her. She told me she wants to see if she could join the running team, or maybe volleyball. She is also starting Cadets for the first time tonight. That should be interesting to see if it is something she will pursue.

Well, with all this excitement comes the motherly concerns over this next big phase in her life. High school can be exciting and fun, but can also bring many pitfalls for kids. First there is that whole peer pressure thing, and then there is bullying which goes on so much now, but my biggest concern as a parent is the spiritual aspect of what kinds of theologies, doctrines, and agenda’s will be forced on her. We are not in a Christian area at all..about 5% are Christian so she will be walking a difficult journey in this school and area. She will need to be so much stronger than I ever was in high school.

That is where I need to be covering her with prayers daily, as she goes into this difficult dark world full of traps, dangers, and confusing trails.

A Mother’s Prayer For Her Child:

Dear God,

Today is my precious daughter’s first day of high school. May You go with her today, and every day. May she sense Your presence even in the midst of evil, and know that You are walking with her.  May she have discernment to sense when she is being taught values and ideals that go against Your Holy Word, and courage to stand against those ideals. May she always remember that she is loved no matter how other kids treat her, and that she has  infinite value in Your eyes. May she remember who to turn to when she is having trouble understanding new concepts and ideas, and never give up when things seem impossible. May she discover her true gifts through exploring different subjects and activities, and learn how to use them for Your glory. May she have wisdom beyond her years when presented with people who seek to destroy or attack her, and that she would have discernment to know how to respond with dignity and love. May she remember that she can only find worth in Your love, not in having the latest clothes, shoes, hairstyles, or the latest boyfriend. Only You can fill that void.  May she learn to develop healthy relationships with her girlfriends, and with boys. May she learn to be modest, and take care of how she presents her outward appearance so she won’t be a stumbling block to the young men that see her. May she always remember when she is feeling insecure that she has a safe place to come home to, and parents that while are not always perfect, love her very much. May she  learn to not give up when she fails at something, but always remember that it is through failure that she really learns.  May she learn the value of hard work.  May she be a blessing to her teachers and friends, and shine God’s light wherever she goes. May she learn to resist the temptations of the Devil, and be like a Daniel in our dark culture. Most importantly Lord, may she learn to Love You with all her heart, mind and soul, and learn to Love Your Word with a passion. Into Your hands I give You my precious daughter, for I know I can’t raise her alone.          Amen.

Lessons From The Garden…

It feels like fall around these parts this week. Sunday a storm rolled in and with it came rain and cooler weather. Not exactly what we usually have for this time of year, but we can be thankful for the rain.

Well, all the cooler weather got me motivated to harvest most of my veggies..that is the ones that the deer, elk, crow, raccoons, bugs, and prairie dogs have not yet eaten.. We got a nice crop of carrots, some yellow bush beans, peppers, cilantro, dill, and different kinds of squash. I decided I was going to transplant my Juliet tomato plant to a pot and baby it on the deck till frost comes, and all my peppers too. Here’s where some skill comes in. During the growing season I had a cage for it to grow around, and now I was going to have to untangle and move it to the pot. Well as soon as I removed the cage the heavy branches started to flop. I had to grab them before they broke, and gently wiggle the root system out of the ground. Then I had to carefully place it in the pot, place the cage over the stems, and add more soil.

Another light bulb moment from this procedure occurred when I thought about those flopping stems. We are like those Tomato stems. Whether we are dealing with a family addiction, sickness, or family troubles…We all need a support system or we flop!

The first place that we need to turn to is God, because He is the ultimate guide for strength and wisdom. If we are lucky we also have a family who can support us through difficult times, and friends to encourage and uplift us in prayer. If we are dealing with family crisis, addictions, or medical issues it also helps to have professionals in our corner. Family and friends are wonderful, but sometimes you need the expertise of a professional to guide you along the way. Can’t say enough how my counselor helped prepare me for the challenges ahead, and guided me to become stronger.

When I was first married I was told by somebody that I should be going to God and God alone for my support, and not sharing with anybody my struggles. I believed it for a very short while until I thought I was going crazy. If you are struggling with something don’t think that you are more spiritual if you keep things to yourself. In the Bible, God teaches us that we are to encourage, love, and support one another while we walk this journey of life

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (New International Version)

¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (New International Version)

¹² Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Just Not The Same…

Friends are great. They give us a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and a safe place to land. In today’s hectic society it is hard to carve out time for our friends, but technology can help in ways we never imagined. We can call, text, IM, live stream, e-mail, and Facebook. We never have to be totally without the influence and support of our friends even if we live far away from them…but it’s just not the same as being with our friends.

When we get together with our friends, there is a depth to our communications that can only happen when we look into their eyes, and spend time with them. There is no comparison to all the electronic communications, because they are mere shadows of what it is really like to spend time with our friends.

This week I got to spend time with a dear friend who I only get to see maybe once a year. It was such a blessing to spend time with her, and her daughters and her niece. It was fun catching up, and sharing from the heart. There is only so much you can do in a e-mail.

This visit got me to thinking about our relationship with God. We have a relationship with him through reading His word, and spending time with Him in prayer, but it will not be anywhere near as wonderful as they day when we finally get to meet Him. Of course He is so much more than just a friend. He is the most Holy God Almighty, and we will be face-down worshiping Him along with all the angels. What a magnificent time that will be..no more being separated from Him!

Things That Really Matter…

This week has been one of reflection for me.  As I read the news of all the disasters and rumors of war that are happening around the world, it makes me think of how close we are to the Lord’s return. I don’t think I am the only one who is sensing this, but maybe one of the few who does in my community. It would be so easy to get distracted and discouraged by the fact that we are living in dark times, and so few people see it or have the courage to talk about it.

A dear friend of mine this week stepped down from blogging, and while she will be greatly missed in the blogging community I believe God has a greater purpose for her as time gets shorter for His return.

It got me thinking about how I should be living, and whether I am doing everything I need to be doing with my time.  Do the things I spend my time on count for eternity, or are they just time fillers to amuse myself and keep me distracted from the troubles of the world?

I also thought about how sad it is to realize that most Pastors and churches have not adequately prepared their congregations for what is to come. I wonder how many people even know the promises that the Bible holds for those who faithfully study the book of Revelation?

Revelation 1:3 says Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

So what are the things that really matter to me living in the Last Days as I believe we are? I think for me some of the most important things are walking with God, and sharing the Blessed Hope that only He can give. I want to share my faith in God with whoever will listen for as long as I have the freedom to do so.

So…what really matters to you?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Today we had a visiting missionary from Italy who shared a bit about the state of the church in Italy, and why it is so difficult to minister to Italians. He is a local who grew up in Castlegar, but moved to Italy and married his wife there. He had so many good things to share, but somethings really struck home with me.

He was mentioning about the story in Haggai chapter 1 where the people planted, but nothing grew. So much calamity befell them, and God told them why. It was because they were so busy taking care of their houses, but not God’s house. Their priorities were out of whack, and God did not honor that. The Pastor talked about how we are like the Temple of the Lord, and that our focus needs to be on  seeking after righteousness.

Matthew 6:33 says

King James Bible
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The other thing that really hit me was the fact that we have so many people believing the lies that psychologists tell us. Some how we have bought into the myth that we have every right to be upset, hurt, or disappointed in what life has thrown our way, but what we really need to be doing is taking those things to the cross. Only the cross can heal us.

Of course this is only a paraphrase of what he said, as I can’t say it as well as he did. If they post his sermon to the web, I will share a link  for it. It was so powerful, and full of truth that I will need to digest it a little at a time.

Two things that really made me want to cheer when I heard them were these:

1. He thought we were living in the last days.
2. He said we need to be living like we are redeeming days

One thing happened that made me very sad during the service was when he asked is somebody could stand up and read a passage of scripture for him. You would think people would be flipping through their Bible’s looking for it. While I was flipping I looked up and saw very few people doing this. We even have Bible’s under the chairs for people to use, so that was not an excuse. I think we have become so reliant on Powerpoint, that people have forgot how to look things up in the Bible.  Somebody did finally stand up and read it. It breaks my heart when I see so few people bringing their Bible’s to church anymore, or even picking them up and reading it in the service. How can we know the power that God has given us if we don’t believe it, and read from His words how we are to live? How are our children going to place any value on God’s word if we don’t show them how important it is to us? How are we going to know if what the Pastor is saying is true if we don’t read it with our own eyes?

Do we really think that God’s word is true, and able to guide our daily lives, and the source of all wisdom, and a blueprint for our future? If so, then why is it okay to simply leave our Bible’s sitting on our shelves at home, thinking we don’t need it? Do we believe that our Bible is our sword? Then why leave home without it?

I urge all you as strongly as possible to open up your Bible’s and start seeing for yourself what God’s word says.

Hebrew 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

I will leave you with this powerful song by Kathryn Scott.

Getting In God’s Way..

How many times do we strive to make a loved one’s troubles disappear, thinking we know best what is needed for them? If you have a compassionate nature as I do, we don’t want to see anybody suffer or struggle. But what if God wants to allow suffering in that person’s life in order that they become more like Christ?

In today’s church world, there is a term called “Social Justice” that I am sure most of you are familiar with. It has become the focus of the church to seek to alleviate poverty, injustice, disease, and other social ills. Sounds like a very worthy goal for us, doesn’t it? But how far do we take that goal? Is our job as Christians to remove all hardships so that everyone gets the same treatment?

I am not saying that we turn our backs on people when we see they are in desperate need of food, or shelter, or protection from an abuser. What I am saying is that sometimes as Christians we get so focused on taking away the problems, when God is using those problems to refine that person to become more Christlike.

I wonder whether Mike would have sought help for his drinking if his DUI would have been removed, or his ticket would have been paid for, or all his bills been paid because he had spent his money on booze instead? Would I have prayed and trusted God with our family’s struggles if  people kept intervening and sweeping Mike’s problem under the carpet?

I read a very good devotional by Charles Stanley today that talks about this issue of getting in God’s way, and it really made me think. How often have we jumped ahead of God’s plans for a person, and denied them learning an important lesson? How often have I wished that somebody would come along and make everything easy for me? Am I really learning to trust God with everything?

I hope you will be blessed as you read this little lesson here…

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Getting In God’s Way

Monday, August 02, 2010

Read|Matthew 16:21-23

Believers are called to be compassionate, (Col. 3:12), but we must show discernment even when practicing kindness.  At times, stepping into another person’s life puts us in God’s way. I learned this lesson the hard way. In times past, I have: met a need when the Lord was trying to draw someone into a life of spiritual dependence; offered comfort when our Father intended that a heartbroken believer seek His solace; and bailed a desperate person out of trouble before he learned God’s lesson. (The fellow from this last example was shortly in the same bad situation again.) Nowadays, I pray before acting upon sympathetic feelings.

Peter once allowed feelings to cloud his discernment too. Attempting to interfere in the divine plan for Jesus Christ was an experience that he likely never forgot.

Though Peter knew exactly who Jesus was—namely, the Messiah and Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16)—he also held common Jewish misconceptions about the Messiah’s mission. Many Israelites awaited a king who would overthrow Roman rule. Consequently, Peter refused to accept Jesus’ warnings of the judgment, mistreatment, and death He anticipated. After trying to convince the Lord that such an end was attempting to subvert God’s will.

Peter had a narrow view of God’s plan. The Lord’s priority was to liberate hearts from sin rather than bodies from tyranny. Peter’s wrong perceptions led him into open rebellion. Do not make his mistake. Seek God’s will before offering compassionate aid, lest you block His unfolding plan.

Crows In The Chicken Coop…

We were sitting around sharing stories with my family this weekend, and my Aunt Bea told us a story of one of my cousins who tamed a Crow. They didn’t know what to do with the crow come wintertime, as it got very cold where they lived. They decided to put him in the chicken coop with the chickens. A funny thing happened. Eventually the crow started to sound like a chicken, because of being in with them for so long.

I shared this story with my daughter, as she has struggled with what it means to live as a Christian in a non-Christian world, and being influenced by the world. I told her that just like that crow, if we are around people who are worldly all the time, and read and watch things that are worldly all the time, it could rub off on us. We could become like those that surround us.

This was a powerful illustration of how subtly satan uses people and situations to turn our hearts away from God. As Christians, we need to be constantly aware of the dangerous influences that surround us, no matter what age we are, and how strong we think we are in our faith. If we don’t, we might start clucking like those chickens.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:2

New International Version (©1984)
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8