Wow! Nothing like letting the month of April go....south! Busy month, but being sick for around two weeks, gets a person behind!
But here I am!
God's Presence has been so sweet lately. So powerful.
I can feel other saints' praying for me. I feel them going before the Throne on my behalf. And I always want to bless them back. I pray, "God, please bless those who pray for me. Bless them back a hundred fold." (Not sure of punctuation there!) And I know that God does bless them back.
But what I have discovered is... the worship time, His Presence, the sweetness, is all tied into how I meet Him. The time that I give Him.
It is a direct result of how hungry that I am for Him.
Of how passionate I am for Him.
As the church gets busier, the Bride gets busier, Satan gets more and more intent on letting us believe that what we are doing, is all ok. "That's just the way it is."
The three Bible studies, the choir rehearsals, church bazaars are all good things, right?
But where does our dear Holy Spirit fit in. Those things are busyness, that maybe aren't really what we need to be doing. If we are so busy, and noisy, how can we learn to hear that still small voice?
I encourage us all to really check in with the Holy Spirit on what we are doing for God.
Maybe He just wants to sit on a park bench with us, and swing our legs back and forth, listening. Listening to the world, His world. Listening to His voice.
Maybe He just wants to have fun.
Whoah. But there are wars going on. There is poverty. There is (ick) a coming presidential election coming up.
And He just wants to sit on a park bench? (And swing our legs?!)
I think that He really wants us to get a hold of the fact that He really has all of those things handled, and He just wants to spend time with us.
Mary or Martha. There's time to be both.
Copyright©Bonnie Lacy
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
Pushy and Persistent
This morning, in my devo time, my cat, Selah, tried to climb into my lap several times. But I was reading the Bible, and I put her off, so I could read.
But she persisted. And she got her way. As I prayed I rubbed her ears, her eyes (she loves that!), her paws (yes, she lets me do that, she lets me hold her paws!)(Okay, some of you are...oh well!)
And I went to my Father, and persisted in climbing into His lap. I pushed my way in.
And He welcomed me! He enveloped me! He rejoiced in my persistence. He opened up to me, so I could climb in.
He opened up my mind, my ears, my eyes! He rubbed my heart, softening it. He took the gunk out of my eyes, so I could see.
He cleaned out my ears, so I could hear His sweet voice.
I climbed onto my Father's lap.
I pushed my way in.
I climbed into my Father's lap.
I pushed my way in.
He welcomed me with His arms wide open.
Copyright©Bonnie Lacy
But she persisted. And she got her way. As I prayed I rubbed her ears, her eyes (she loves that!), her paws (yes, she lets me do that, she lets me hold her paws!)(Okay, some of you are...oh well!)
And I went to my Father, and persisted in climbing into His lap. I pushed my way in.
And He welcomed me! He enveloped me! He rejoiced in my persistence. He opened up to me, so I could climb in.
He opened up my mind, my ears, my eyes! He rubbed my heart, softening it. He took the gunk out of my eyes, so I could see.
He cleaned out my ears, so I could hear His sweet voice.
I climbed onto my Father's lap.
I pushed my way in.
I climbed into my Father's lap.
I pushed my way in.
He welcomed me with His arms wide open.
Copyright©Bonnie Lacy
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
I'm Ringin' the Dinner Bell. Come to the Table!
I ask God so many times for Him to reveal answers to me. To help me understand things in His Word that I know have deeper meanings.
He is so faithful to bring me those answers!
I was struggling recently over some things in my heart, knowing God would bring me to that place where I repent and let Him do what He needs to do in me.
I rarely turn on TV early. I want my time with Jesus. But last Monday I did, and God brought me the word that I needed. I needed that teaching to be set free. I needed to find the Grace and Mercy that He so willingly has for us all.
And I realized that this is what Psalms 23:5 is all about. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." I have always wondered what this really means. What does that look like? Does He get out the best silverware, the best tablecloth? (I just saw Him lifting a tablecloth up, all unfolded, in the air, getting ready to let it fall onto the table! I could blog on that!)
In the presence of my enemies of wrong attitudes, unrest, unforgiveness, sin, he feeds me the Word that I need at that time, to teach me, reprove me, (bust me!) and to set me free from those enemies.
It's just the right thing to feed me. It's at the right time. (5:30 am! But the right time!) And it is in front of the right enemies.
God is so faithful. Did I say that before?
God is so faithful!
God, please never quit teaching us and reproving us. Setting the table for Your Bride of Christ.
The more that I write, the more that I understand. The more that I seek Him, the more that I find Him.
Copyright©Bonnie Lacy
He is so faithful to bring me those answers!
I was struggling recently over some things in my heart, knowing God would bring me to that place where I repent and let Him do what He needs to do in me.
I rarely turn on TV early. I want my time with Jesus. But last Monday I did, and God brought me the word that I needed. I needed that teaching to be set free. I needed to find the Grace and Mercy that He so willingly has for us all.
And I realized that this is what Psalms 23:5 is all about. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." I have always wondered what this really means. What does that look like? Does He get out the best silverware, the best tablecloth? (I just saw Him lifting a tablecloth up, all unfolded, in the air, getting ready to let it fall onto the table! I could blog on that!)
In the presence of my enemies of wrong attitudes, unrest, unforgiveness, sin, he feeds me the Word that I need at that time, to teach me, reprove me, (bust me!) and to set me free from those enemies.
It's just the right thing to feed me. It's at the right time. (5:30 am! But the right time!) And it is in front of the right enemies.
God is so faithful. Did I say that before?
God is so faithful!
God, please never quit teaching us and reproving us. Setting the table for Your Bride of Christ.
The more that I write, the more that I understand. The more that I seek Him, the more that I find Him.
Copyright©Bonnie Lacy
Monday, March 31, 2008
What a Waste
I just finished reading a book called, "Akiane". It is about a 10 year old girl (in 2006 at the time of publishing) that has extraordinary gifts in art and writing. Her paintings are of a Master's quality, and her poetry is well advanced for her age.
This book, but also this girl, started me to thinking.
She had, at a young age, developed time with God. In fact, her parents were then atheists, and this was very strange to them.(You've gotta read the book!)
What I started thinking about was, I want to have what she has. Not only accomplishing great things in the arts, but her intimacy with God. About her being so pure.
She saw the Lord as He was. As He chose to reveal Himself to her.
Not as I probably do, with 56 years of experiences, opinions, and input.
She had a purity of heart and mind at the age of four when she met God. So she didn't add her embellishments or her thoughts. She just accepted Him as He appeared.
Like back to when Adam and Eve were first created in the Garden of Eden, before the Fall. They didn't have any experience with anything! No church that they had been attending. No baggage to drag into the relationship. They hadn't lived before! That is an odd thing to grasp!
No opinions!
When I think about all of my opinions, right or wrong, compared to them....
They didn't even have an Aunt Martha to inflict her opinions on them.
No, they were new creatures. Never having existed before.
No, they were literally new creations in Christ (John 1:3)
No, I mean literally. Brand spankin' new!
And that must be how Akiane must be, or was back when she was 4.
Every idea, every vision, was startling and fresh. And there was nothing that she couldn't do. Because no one had told her any different. God had told her that she could.
I want to do that. To have that. To be that.
And we can, if we believe the Word of God.
I believe that we have allowed ourselves to be so dumbed down by Satan, that we listen to his lies. And we forget who our Daddy is.
The Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. The Creator of all things.
Akiane spends the first part of each day, seeking God and sharing the intimacy that He wants with us.
I do that.
But I am going to take that one step further.
The ideas that He has given me? (And He has....)
I am going to act on them. Draw them. Use them. Write them. Just as I am now.
Not waste them and whine about how I never get to do what I was made to do!
Copyright©Bonnie Lacy
This book, but also this girl, started me to thinking.
She had, at a young age, developed time with God. In fact, her parents were then atheists, and this was very strange to them.(You've gotta read the book!)
What I started thinking about was, I want to have what she has. Not only accomplishing great things in the arts, but her intimacy with God. About her being so pure.
She saw the Lord as He was. As He chose to reveal Himself to her.
Not as I probably do, with 56 years of experiences, opinions, and input.
She had a purity of heart and mind at the age of four when she met God. So she didn't add her embellishments or her thoughts. She just accepted Him as He appeared.
Like back to when Adam and Eve were first created in the Garden of Eden, before the Fall. They didn't have any experience with anything! No church that they had been attending. No baggage to drag into the relationship. They hadn't lived before! That is an odd thing to grasp!
No opinions!
When I think about all of my opinions, right or wrong, compared to them....
They didn't even have an Aunt Martha to inflict her opinions on them.
No, they were new creatures. Never having existed before.
No, they were literally new creations in Christ (John 1:3)
No, I mean literally. Brand spankin' new!
And that must be how Akiane must be, or was back when she was 4.
Every idea, every vision, was startling and fresh. And there was nothing that she couldn't do. Because no one had told her any different. God had told her that she could.
I want to do that. To have that. To be that.
And we can, if we believe the Word of God.
I believe that we have allowed ourselves to be so dumbed down by Satan, that we listen to his lies. And we forget who our Daddy is.
The Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. The Creator of all things.
Akiane spends the first part of each day, seeking God and sharing the intimacy that He wants with us.
I do that.
But I am going to take that one step further.
The ideas that He has given me? (And He has....)
I am going to act on them. Draw them. Use them. Write them. Just as I am now.
Not waste them and whine about how I never get to do what I was made to do!
Copyright©Bonnie Lacy
Friday, March 21, 2008
Mirror Reflections Through My Own Eyes
Okay, this is going to sound weird.
I was getting myself ready for the day. You know, looking into the mirror, doing my hair. Putting on the makeup.
I kept seeing my reflection and sometimes, in the way that I moved, it reminded me of my mom.
Now, most of us, at that point, go "eeooww!".
Even when we have had a great relationship with our moms, we're not too sure that we want to become them! Or look like them.
But God gave me a different picture this morning. Because, yes, I started to go, "Oh, no, I look like my mom!".
But my mom is with the Lord now. She died over three years ago.
And you know, it might be nice to see Mom again, in my mirror reflections.
That's a whole different paradigm. It's kind of startling, but I'll get used to it!
And you know who else I see when I look into the mirror?
Since Jesus is my Lord and Savior, I see His eyes looking back at me through mine!
And guess who His Dad is! We have the same Dad!
So while you are there at your mirror, let Him tell you that He loves you. Let Him tell you how glad He is that you are His kid.
Because we are His kids, (you've heard this before, I'm sure, but it's so cool!)I have my Father's eyes!
And because I am my mom's kid, I have my mom's ornery glint in those eyes!
©BL2008
I was getting myself ready for the day. You know, looking into the mirror, doing my hair. Putting on the makeup.
I kept seeing my reflection and sometimes, in the way that I moved, it reminded me of my mom.
Now, most of us, at that point, go "eeooww!".
Even when we have had a great relationship with our moms, we're not too sure that we want to become them! Or look like them.
But God gave me a different picture this morning. Because, yes, I started to go, "Oh, no, I look like my mom!".
But my mom is with the Lord now. She died over three years ago.
And you know, it might be nice to see Mom again, in my mirror reflections.
That's a whole different paradigm. It's kind of startling, but I'll get used to it!
And you know who else I see when I look into the mirror?
Since Jesus is my Lord and Savior, I see His eyes looking back at me through mine!
And guess who His Dad is! We have the same Dad!
So while you are there at your mirror, let Him tell you that He loves you. Let Him tell you how glad He is that you are His kid.
Because we are His kids, (you've heard this before, I'm sure, but it's so cool!)I have my Father's eyes!
And because I am my mom's kid, I have my mom's ornery glint in those eyes!
©BL2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
I'm an Imposter
I seem to be so bound.
I stay stuck in the old habits.
What's up with that, when I have a Savior who took care of all that?
So what's the problem?
Me?
I'm looking with these big wide eyes. And looking around me. Like, you mean... me? Finger pointing at my chest?
Me?
I think that the worst sin is not taking a hold of who and what Jesus died for us to be.
Yes, we are conquerors. Yes, we are kids of God. If we have repented, and asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we have that.
But more than that.
I am called to be a writer, a creator. I make pottery. I create jewelry. I see things in a really funky way.
But do I make the time? So how does that make Father feel? Jesus feel? He died so I could be what He made me to be. And I am not doing or being it.
How disappointed He must be in me.
I'm good at being the conqueror. Telling demons to flee. I can do that.
For others.
But can I do that for me?
Those demons of fear of failure. Demons of I'm not worthy. Demons of what if I succeed. Demons of what will others think - bad, or good. Demons of let's just be normal. Demons of mediocrity. Demons of wasting time. (Oh yeah, I play Spider Solitaire before I write - I tell myself that it gets me in the mode. Ha! I'm procrastinating so I don't have to fail. That hurt.)
What did God put into your heart to be? What did you obsess about when you were little? Really. Me too!
That is who we were made to be.
That is what Jesus takes pleasure in, when we do or be it. He glows when we take up the pen. He holds His breath when we grab that clay. He jumps up and down when we tie up those shoelaces to run like the wind. He gets tears in His eyes when we pick up that child to tickle and snuggle.
Oh so sweet. To take up that cross that He died on. It wasn't just to enable us to crucify our flesh (Yeah. Me, too.) It was to take up that cross and be who He freed us to be!
So, I don't know about you, but....I'm getting out my pencils. I'm putting on my apron to cook. I'm cutting my fingernails so I don't pierce the pot of clay. I'm leaning over to tie my running shoes. I'm....you get the picture!
So free....So free!
Giggles from my Jesus.
©BL2008
I stay stuck in the old habits.
What's up with that, when I have a Savior who took care of all that?
So what's the problem?
Me?
I'm looking with these big wide eyes. And looking around me. Like, you mean... me? Finger pointing at my chest?
Me?
I think that the worst sin is not taking a hold of who and what Jesus died for us to be.
Yes, we are conquerors. Yes, we are kids of God. If we have repented, and asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we have that.
But more than that.
I am called to be a writer, a creator. I make pottery. I create jewelry. I see things in a really funky way.
But do I make the time? So how does that make Father feel? Jesus feel? He died so I could be what He made me to be. And I am not doing or being it.
How disappointed He must be in me.
I'm good at being the conqueror. Telling demons to flee. I can do that.
For others.
But can I do that for me?
Those demons of fear of failure. Demons of I'm not worthy. Demons of what if I succeed. Demons of what will others think - bad, or good. Demons of let's just be normal. Demons of mediocrity. Demons of wasting time. (Oh yeah, I play Spider Solitaire before I write - I tell myself that it gets me in the mode. Ha! I'm procrastinating so I don't have to fail. That hurt.)
What did God put into your heart to be? What did you obsess about when you were little? Really. Me too!
That is who we were made to be.
That is what Jesus takes pleasure in, when we do or be it. He glows when we take up the pen. He holds His breath when we grab that clay. He jumps up and down when we tie up those shoelaces to run like the wind. He gets tears in His eyes when we pick up that child to tickle and snuggle.
Oh so sweet. To take up that cross that He died on. It wasn't just to enable us to crucify our flesh (Yeah. Me, too.) It was to take up that cross and be who He freed us to be!
So, I don't know about you, but....I'm getting out my pencils. I'm putting on my apron to cook. I'm cutting my fingernails so I don't pierce the pot of clay. I'm leaning over to tie my running shoes. I'm....you get the picture!
So free....So free!
Giggles from my Jesus.
©BL2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
I'm Outa Control
How much time do you have?
Because I have a lot to write!
Make a cuppa and join me.
Monday, I was going to go pick up my daughter and go to another town to do errands and have some time together. As I drove out of my town, it was snowing terribly and I stopped and called my daughter. She assured me that it was doing nothing there, so I continued.
Have you ever wish you could have hit replay and done it differently?
We got to our destination, did our things, and headed back home. There were some icy patches here and there so I was going fairly slow. But I noticed up ahead that the road was pretty icy, so I slowed down even more. No brakes, just let up a bit.
Well we hit a place, and were on ice skates. Swerving back and forth, left and right. And then around and around. I remember scanning the road as we came around. No traffic. And as we slid around again, I was able to check the other way, and no traffic.
And I remember having a visual of my hands both on the steering wheel just trying to drive. Then crash! We had backed into the ditch and hit a tree.
That stopped us!
I got out and assessed the damage. My rear gate, bumper, and light were bashed and glass was everywhere. But we were both alright.
All I could say as we skimmed around in circles? "Jesus, Jesus."
Now I have been known to let a few words fly that weren't shall we say very polite?
But this time I called on my Lord, the Savior of my life.
Now I know that the obvious lesson is listen to the Holy Spirit. Or some might say, "listen to your gut!". And yes that is a huge lesson. Like in maybe I should have stayed home.
But as I think about the accident now, all I can see are my hands on the steering wheel and a spinning world through the windshield.
When we think we have it all under control, we are really spinning. Out of control. The only One in control is Jesus. He's got it all together. Not me.
We are so grateful that we are okay (yes, there are aches) and that there was minimal damage (yes, there are repairs and a financial hit), but we are fine.
I think that God is using this to prepare me for the future somehow. For when things spin out of control, He is in control.
Tough lesson.
I'm outa control.
©/BL2008
Because I have a lot to write!
Make a cuppa and join me.
Monday, I was going to go pick up my daughter and go to another town to do errands and have some time together. As I drove out of my town, it was snowing terribly and I stopped and called my daughter. She assured me that it was doing nothing there, so I continued.
Have you ever wish you could have hit replay and done it differently?
We got to our destination, did our things, and headed back home. There were some icy patches here and there so I was going fairly slow. But I noticed up ahead that the road was pretty icy, so I slowed down even more. No brakes, just let up a bit.
Well we hit a place, and were on ice skates. Swerving back and forth, left and right. And then around and around. I remember scanning the road as we came around. No traffic. And as we slid around again, I was able to check the other way, and no traffic.
And I remember having a visual of my hands both on the steering wheel just trying to drive. Then crash! We had backed into the ditch and hit a tree.
That stopped us!
I got out and assessed the damage. My rear gate, bumper, and light were bashed and glass was everywhere. But we were both alright.
All I could say as we skimmed around in circles? "Jesus, Jesus."
Now I have been known to let a few words fly that weren't shall we say very polite?
But this time I called on my Lord, the Savior of my life.
Now I know that the obvious lesson is listen to the Holy Spirit. Or some might say, "listen to your gut!". And yes that is a huge lesson. Like in maybe I should have stayed home.
But as I think about the accident now, all I can see are my hands on the steering wheel and a spinning world through the windshield.
When we think we have it all under control, we are really spinning. Out of control. The only One in control is Jesus. He's got it all together. Not me.
We are so grateful that we are okay (yes, there are aches) and that there was minimal damage (yes, there are repairs and a financial hit), but we are fine.
I think that God is using this to prepare me for the future somehow. For when things spin out of control, He is in control.
Tough lesson.
I'm outa control.
©/BL2008
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