new creation Archives - MAKE TIME FOR GOD

Nothing can ruin my day

Published on March 31, 2018March 31, 2018 by VelvetLeave a comment

It smells like Spring. It reallllly does. Mmmmmmm. I think of past springs and reminisce over the times. What it was like to be younger. The older I get the more complicated life is. And I’m only 25. HA! I have feelings too. I don’t care to think about how much MORE complicated things will get as the years pass by. I am here. I am alive. I am well.

I saw this leaf on the road yesterday as I was taking one of my clients for a ride. I bypassed it and started to think about how I am much like this leaf. So much alive yet still has some beautifying to do. Some conforming. Some growing and changing. This leaf is partly dead, but it’s more alive than dead. Unlike this leaf, I will continue to grow and change and become better. This leaf is separate from the branch and vine, and will die. But I am a branch. And Jesus is the vine. I am alive through Him.

Like a spring plant drinks water from the stem as it filters up, providing nutrients and life and CO2, Jesus and His Word gives me the sustenance that I need.

I didn’t know that daffodils could be so beautiful. They’re everywhere. But if you look at the flower closely, you appreciate the beauty, the design. The delicate petals. The bursting color.

This flower is so tiny. It’s smaller than my pinky fingernail. But it’s so soft, bright, beautiful. Now if only the photo weren’t blurry.

And then we have the cherry tree. Ha, at first I wrote “cheery” tree. It is quite cheery, don’tcha think? Although I think it may be causing some of my allergy symptoms. Oh heck, I’m sure it’s all of the lovely spring things that’s causing them. I never used to be bothered with allergy symptoms before moving to Virginia. What’s the deaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!!!!!!!! But I’m still delighting. 🙂

And the wishing flower. You may call it a dandelion if you wish. But I call it a wishing flower. I have always made wishes on this little flower. And every time I see it I pick one and make a wish, given the opportunity! There must be 100 little seeds that float out from this one flower.

So then. Spring is here. April will be here tomorrow. I am alive. I am well. Things are blooming all around me for my eyes to see. And so many things are blooming that I can’t see as well! I’m sure of it. 🙂

Happy Springtime! What can you find delight in today?

xoxo <3 V

I dance while I swim

Published on March 29, 2018March 29, 2018 by VelvetLeave a comment

Wow. Here I am, inside Aroma’s coffee shoppe. I just went swimming at the Community Center on Jefferson Avenue. As I was swimming the sky opened up and the sun shone through the many windows on the West wall filling the entire pool room with light. And I thought about the scripture “put on the armor of light” which comes from the book of Romans. I felt as though I was wearing an armor of light in that moment and a wide grin spread across my face just like the light spread across the bottom of the pool below me as I swam down the lane, just before touching the wall.

And I started mentally putting on the armor of Christ. First, the belt of truth. Then the breastplate of righteousness. Followed by the shoes of peace. Then the helmet of salvation. And then I picked up the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. And I lifted up the shield of faith. And nothing could touch me. And I knew it. I know it. Nothing can touch me as long as the armor of God is on me. And I don’t have to consciously put on the armor every day, as in going through the prayer in my mind. I have the armor on already because I am in Christ. I have been in Christ for almost three years. I confessed that Jesus was my Lord and Savior when I was about 7 or 8 years old but I didn’t understand what that really meant until almost three years ago. Three years in June. A child of God. A child of light. For God is light. And we are called to be like Him. And we are being conformed to His image a little more each day.

I am the light in the room. I am the light in the pool that floods the space and brightens my face and the faces of others. I cannot be ignored. I am set apart. I am not of the world. I am holy, because Christ makes me holy. I am righteous, because Christ has made me righteous.

And so I swam. And I… danced. I danced. I smiled and danced. Each time I took a breath I wonder if the lifeguard off to my left side saw my smiling face as I gulped for air.

I hope he did.

And I hope he wondered why I was filled with joy. I like to think that I would have been filled with that same joy even if the sun hadn’t come through the windows. I know I could never have this joy if the Son hadn’t come through the window of my life and woken me up almost three years ago. I was swimming in an especially dark place then and wasn’t even aware of how dead I was. How much I needed Him. But when the light came in, when the Son shone in, it brightened everything. I saw everything so much more clearly. My life. My position. My priorities. My aspirations. My dedications. My value. My worth. All of these things rooted in the wrong things. Because if God is not first and foremost; if God is not at the center of my life and my thoughts and all that I do, I am swimming aimlessly. I’m swimming all over the pool and never getting anywhere. I’m swimming slowly and with so much effort and never accomplishing any goals. But when that light shone in, when the light shines in, I have order. I can see clearly now the rain is gone. Just kidding, I can see clearly how much tile is preceding the wall before I have to turn. I can see rays glittering through the water casting curvy, artistic shadows on the pool floor. I am reminded of light, the Father of light. Jesus, the light of the world. I am reminded that I am that same light, because He bought me and made me so. I am His. And He is mine.

And I swim. And I dance.

Sunday

Published on March 5, 2018 by VelvetLeave a comment

Today has been a long day. To say the least. I’ve been up since 6:00am. Got to church at 7. Played music at 8. Went to Starbucks at 8:30. Til 10. Then putzed around until church at 11. Then walked in the woods for a while, which was nice. The sun was out today, which was also nice. And I listened to a good sermon on what Jesus has done for me and how I owe him my whole life and nothing less.

I am rather deadpan today. As opposed to alivepan. Just kidding, that’s silly, and doesn’t make much sense. I think I’ll go to the store now and get some Halo Top.

So I just got back from the store. Took 20 minutes. Not bad, considering I sat in the car and listened to about half of “Stars” by Skillet

SO that was good and uplifting. Reminds me that God’s got it in the bag. When I’m having a hard day, He’s GOT it…! I just need to ask for help.

In the store, my cashier was super cute. Not in the traditional sense though. She had a boyish haircut and was pretty overweight, and normally probably wouldn’t have been confident or talkative. I’ve actually had her as my cashier before and she acted like she wasn’t sure if I was going to judge her or not, as she clearly judged herself. This is a way that I’ve changed since re-committing my life to Jesus: I no longer dominate other women with my eyes and attitude and behaviors to get an ego boost. I would try to dominate so I could feel powerful and good about myself. Praise God that now I desire to lift up other women and show them love and affection and empathy and compassion!!!!!

Anyway, she was confident tonight because her frand or boo-thang, or half-boo-whatever-flirt-crush walked by her and she made a comment to him like “it creeps me out when you slip behind me like that”; even though he simply walked by. Though I understand what it’s like to have a crush. You do or say whatever to get their attention onto YOU. You do whatever you can to get noticed. Louder. Flirtier. It was cute. And made me smile. I’m glad I went to the store. For multiple reasons. Including my pint of S’mores HaloTop ice cream which I’m about to eat….!!!!!

Another song I heard on the way home was “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again” by Danny Gokey. Here is the chorus:

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday’s a closing door
You don’t live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you’ve been
And tell your heart to beat again

So I did. I told my heart to beat again. Words do have the power to bring life or death.

Proverbs 18:21 says “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

So I am going to speak good words to myself. Life-filled words. I am going to listen to life-giving music, messages. I am going to spend my time with life-giving people. And I am going to read the ultimate life-giving resource: the bible. Praise God for giving us this amazing book of truth to govern our lives and know Him personally.

He keeps no secrets from us about how to live a fulfilling life. Starting with surrendering your life to Jesus and admitting you need help. You can’t do it on your own. You don’t have the control you thought you had. You can’t make people and things do what you want and happen the way you want them to. But it’s okay. Because God is available to you and wants to help you. Hear you.

Today I was feeling rather dark. Tired. Sleepy. Sleep-deprivation causes depression for sure. But even through that, the Lord has picked me up. Helped me up. Given me the time and the tools I needed to be restored. He is my well-spring of energy. Christians are not supposed to work and live on their own strength. We have the Holy Spirit and ought to let Him do the work. So I call on God.

Praise God for helping me get through this day… and for giving me so many blessings along the way. For sleep. For church. For music. Guitar. Talent. Coffee. Friends. Singing. Praising. Prayer. The Bible. Truth. Sunshine. Walks in the woods. My phone. My car. Time. Safety. Energy. My house. My job. Rest. My computer. The internet. Videos. Ice cream. Money. People. Inspiration. Wine. Pretzel chips. Hope.

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:23

So now I’m going to go eat my halo top and revel in my blessings. <3

#blessed

xoxoxo