Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Last week I went out to do some Christmas Shopping.  I was overwhelmed with frowning people.  Driving was a nightmare, as people were aggressively cutting in and out of the lanes.

I went into one shop, and as I was looking at a purse, I accidently knocked over some luggage.  It was funny really, because on this platform they had placed numerous suitcases all on wheels.  As one toppled over it pushed all of them rolling off the platform.

I started to pick them up and some nice lady who had been standing with her friend at the register came over to help me.  Her friend kept yelling to her "don't do that, don't help her, just leave it."



Then I went to the register to pay for the purse, and some woman literally walked faster to cut in front of me.  I left the store and went the long way home.  It was starting to get dark and the Christmas lights were beginning to be in view.

I drove home the long way so that I could stop by the Lady Fatima Shrine Park.



They have music piped in throughout the park and 1,000's of lights decorating all around the religious statues.





The last time I had visited was before Thanksgiving, and some man all alone was beginning to decorate the park.



That night I was in awe seeing these lights and what an amazing job it must have been.



As I turned the car off, I sat for a minute and rolled down the window to listen to the music.  This song was playing, by the same group II Divo and they sung this lovely version of Over The Rainbow,



The park was illuminated to celebrate Christ.  I had the park to myself and decided to go for the walk through the park, admiring the lights and embracing the moment.  I didn't even care that it was cold.



I left the park that night with my spirit renewed, and it changed the meaning of this song for me forever.



Someday, we will go over the Rainbow, it was God who gave us the symbol of the rainbow to remind us of His promise.



We all will be different to each other, and Jesus Christ will be our joy.



We will spend everyday remembering the true meaning of Christmas.  All adversity will be behind us and there will be a new heaven and earth.  Every tear will be gone and kindness and love with reign...when we are Over The Rainbow.

"But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a newearth, where righteousness dwells."  2 Peter 3:13

I am linking my post to Spiritual Sunday, where you will find Charlotte and Ginger's blessings.

Spiritual Sunday

Yesterday always reminds me of the people who flocked to church right after 911.  There were traffic jams for the first time on Sundays.

The Keeper of the Faith.  It always seems easier for me to give time to the Lord when I am in the middle of adversity.

Let me remember when the skies are blue and all is well, that this too is a time to spend time alone with the Lord.  He wants to spend time alone with us, and it is because He wants to bless our lives.

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

John 4:9-11

The song for this post is The Keeper of the Faith.

I am linking to lovely Spiritual Sunday today, hosted by Charlotte and Ginger.

Lessons Learned

On Friday I had a pretty horrible day.  Suffice to say that it was your typical horrible day, when people in your life say things that make a little hurt in your heart.

We all have those days and they make you doubt yourself,  and feel sad.  So, I got in the car to go for a ride to refresh my spirit while spending time alone with the Lord.

Driving down a few country roads I knew and a few I did not...As I turned a corner I saw a field of sunflowers and a small farm.

There were people with bags going to collect a harvest.  We were expecting Hurricane Earl, so I thought that these smart folks were harvesting their co-op farm before the storm.

I saw a sign and it said

"Pick your own flowers, 25 cents a bloom."

Well, who could resist that?

So, I got out of the car, and took some water from a water bottle I had in my front cup holder.  I went into the trunk of my car and took out a roll of paper towels.  I tore off a few paper towels and drenched them with water, like my mother had taught me to keep the stems of flowers wet.

Then taking a plastic bag with me I knew I could wrap the stems of the flowers I picked with the wet paper towel so that I could put the bouquet I was planning to pick in the plastic bag until I got home.  They had scissors hanging by the money cup for you to use.

With each flower that I picked I gave my anger to the Lord.  I could feel my spirit being calmed. I felt like a little child in that field, picking flowers.   I was glad at the time, to give those blooms a safe haven in case the storm would arrive and pound them silly with the heavy rains.

When I was finished picking my bouquet, I felt like a new person.  The storm came later that night but gave us little damage.  All that I can say is that there must have been some pretty heavy prayers covering our lovely place.

My bouquet is in my kitchen so I can see it whenever I pass by. Lesson learned, that sometimes when those days come raging through like a storm, I need to spend time with the Lord to renew my spirit.

Lessons learned.  I think next time I will be spending time with the Lord a little extra before the storms strike.  A bit like those farmers who were harvesting what they had sown before the storm arrived.



The song for this post is I Am A Child of God

"And He said:  I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:3




I am linking to lovely Spiritual Sunday today, hosted by Charlotte and Ginger.

Please pick the flowers from this post for your own bouquet.  Take home any photos from my post.

Spiritual Sunday

Please visit Charlotte and Ginger for Spiritual Sunday Inspiration . You will visit the most heart-felt stories and words to strengthen your faith.







One night I had a dream. It was before I had read the book of Revelations about the second coming of Christ. At the time, I had struggled with that knowledge. In my dream there was a long line of people waiting for the Lord. Such a long line cascading down a hill. We were all wearing white robes and held prayer cloths. At the top of the hill stood a temple. We were waiting for the Lord and we raised our voices and kept saying in praise, "The Lord of Nazareth." We were waiting for Him to come out of the temple. When I awoke I read Revelations chapter 7:9 about the great multitude coming to greet the Lord. My painting is what I saw in my dream.



Revelations Chapter 7:14
"These are the ones coming out of great tribulation. They washed their robes in the blood of the lamb and made them white. That is why they are standing in front of the throne of God serving Him day and night in His temple.

And he who sits on the throne will live among them and shelter them. They will never again be hungry or thirsty and they will be fully protected from the scorching noontime heat.

For the Lamb who stand in front of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to he springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears."

Such comforting words, promises that give us Hope. The song for this post is I Can Only Imagine.

Spiritual Sunday

Please visit Charlotte and Ginger for Spiritual Sunday Inspiration . You will visit the most heart-felt stories to strengthen your faith.



Getting back to joy, that is exactly what I set out to do when I realized that I was just living one day at a time, but not living it with joy. I have been thinking about how do we get back our joy when we might be living one day at a time suffering with depression, enduring a troubled marriage, coping with a sick or difficult child, failing health, facing the death of a loved one, battling addictions, and facing all kinds of adversity.



Living in such an uncertain world, I thought is it truly possible to not let these circumstances effect our joy? Relying on the Lord living one day at a time is the way we need to live, but to live one day at time does not not mean to just get through the day and survive. One day at a time with the Lord means that we can walk through fields of gold no matter what our circumstances. I have faith, but sometimes I don’t have joy.

“Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy.”
James 1:2

Recently, I heard a sermon about joy. In the middle of the sermon he said “If you want to get your joy back, re-joy.” RE-JOICE! This is exactly what a did, I had felt like I was just getting through the days, studying the word, doing the right thing…waiting to feel joy. Feel joy? I remembered all the times that the Lord’s Word says that it doesn’t matter how you feel, we should count it all joy.



But it was the pastor that said, if you want to get your joy back, no matter how you are feeling rejoice. I remembered wonderful Darlene Zschech and her story of writing Shout to the Lord, which was written in one of her darkest times.



“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say, Rejoice.”
Phillipians 4:4



The song is all about praising God, shouting our voices in praise, even when we don’t feel like it. Learning this lesson, it made perfect sense…after all, when we are in the depths of a storm and we raise our voices in worship or thank Him with our words, aren’t we really demonstrating the ultimate sign of faith?

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones, and shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”
Psalms 32:11

The song for this post is Shout To The Lord, sung by Darlene Zschech.

Spiritual Sunday

Please visit Charlotte and Ginger for Spiritual Sunday Inspiration . You will visit the most heart-felt stories to strengthen your faith.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People


1 Peter 2:4-12
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Cornerstone
1. a stone uniting two masonry walls at an intersection. 2. a stone
representing the nominal starting place in the construction of a
monumental building, usually carved with the date and laid with
appropriate ceremonies. 3. something that is essential, indispensable,
or basic 4. the chief foundation on which something is constructed or
developed.

This definition really made me think. When I looked at a picture of a cornerstone, I saw an image that I wanted to create. I saw an image of Jesus Christ with His arms out-stretched in praise to God, and inviting us to His embrace.

I could see a shawl of purple symbolizing the Royal Priesthood draped over his shoulders, cascading down His back over His robe. The shawl was folded in such a way as to visually symbolize the shape of a cornerstone. When we accept the embrace of Jesus Christ into our lives, He connects us, as a living cornerstone to God because it is written “you also, like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.” As He brings us into His Word Jesus teaches us how to be obedient to God. I created this collage to illustrate the image that I could see.



I have read this chapter so many times, yet it had never really come alive, until I looked up the definition of cornerstone. I believe it was the visual image of the cornerstone and the description that truly made me understand the meaning of the word in this scripture.



“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

The song for this post is On My Knees.