Reflecting On the Mysteries of Our Humanity

Elisabeth Elliot has written many good reads to ponder and to reflect on.  Since youth, I have followed her adventures and many of her good writings.  She has had quite an influence in my life.  I was fortunate to hear her a couple of times in person.
Now she has Alzheimer's but she has left quite a legacy in all the books and articles she has written.
But one devotional from "A Lamp For My Feet" stands out as to God's Amazing love.

"Have you ever thought much about the fact that we, created by God for his own pleasure and glory, are permitted by the Creator Himself to deny Him?
Even though we are totally dependent on Him for our next breath, with that breath we may declare that He does not exist or that we refuse to do what He wants us to do.
We live by the life He gives us, moment by moment.  
We enjoy rain, sunshine, the growth of crops and flowers, sensations, delights, satisfactions of many kinds.
Yet we often act as though we were sufficient in ourselves, needing no interference from Him. 
I can, by the power mysteriously granted me by my Creator and Redeemer, declare myself master of my fate, captain of my soul, and say, "My will be done."
That the Lord should expose Himself to this effrontery (shameless boldness)in a million forms, for millions of days and nights, is the mystery of love and grace.
Still He draws us with cords of love, calls us to come, waits (amazing grace) for us to bow and say, "My Lord and my God."   2/18/99
 

Relections & Ruminations On Cultivating JOY

Here, I sit, again reflecting on the Joys of my life journey.  It was about ten years ago that I decided to assign cultivatingjoy2 as my e-mail address, little knowing how it would morph from there.
I had already chosen, the word "cultivating" as my life word because in that one word is the best reminder to put some effort into cultivating many aspects of my life such as JOY which also happens to be my middle given name.

Having finally approached Spring and observing its many facets, I ask myself, "If my life was like a garden.  What would I be doing to sustain my life?"   Imagine the care and nourishment needed to thrive.  Just like plants we also need sustaining qualities to cultivate what pleases God and sustains us in life.
What sustaining qualities?  Nourishing soil-light-sun-air-water-adequate weeding and pruning.  Cultivate what pleases God as it will sustain life.
Cultivating JOY, has been a focus in my life, not that I have reached the top, but find myself many times over failing to focus on this fruit.
What have been some of the things that steal that focus in my life?  I have found that the following have been the joy stealers in my life at some point or another.

>Selfishness and preoccupation with self.
>Setting own pleasures and relentless pursuit of personal
   pleasures.
>Craving more, a desire for bigger & better things.
>Ungratefulness and an unforgiving attitude.
>Watching TV and its enormous powers to form our desires and
   affections.  Ads can cultivate the insatiable desire for the new,
   improved,bigger, and better.
>Hanging out primarily with bitter people.
> Leafing through advertisements and mail
  order catalogs.
>Not getting enough fresh air and exercise.
>A diet rich in sugar,fats,salt that contribute to sadness and
   depression.
>Attitudes and perspectives affected by self-centered ideas and
  whatever is going on around us.
>Staying away from opportunities to interact with and care for
  children.  Children see the world differently than we do.
>Not choosing to be joyful and ignoring the Scriptures, ignoring
   God, and prayerlessness.

Choosing Joy is one of those life long projects.  What kind of journey are you on? What direction is it taking you?  Are you moving in the direction toward joy?

Other ways I have cultivated JOY:
Focusing on relationship with God.
Focusing on God's transforming work in others.
Noticing and drawing pleasure in what God is doing.
Serving those He sends us.
Meditating on God's Word.
Pondering God's grace and salvation.
Sharing JOY's with others.
Singing and listening to music.
Turning to the Lord first in every need and talking to Him about every difficulty.
Consulting Him about every step.
Doing something out of the ordinary.
Reflect on the way you begin your day.

I challenge you to recommit to JOY and cultivate JOY in everyday life.
Nourish it by planting good seed(ponder & meditate on Scripture).  Get plenty of sunshine (daily worship & prayer,spending time with God)  Psalm 16:11 reminds us that in God's presence is all fulness of joy.
Spend a lot of time  around encouraging and joyful people.
Weed  and prune often.  We are urged in Phil.4:8 to focus our thinking on what is true, honorable, just, and pure.
Enjoy the beauty.  Make it your priority to cultivate JOY.

Wedgwood Family

Life is a journey to be savored and part of that journey is to recall the past in the form of memories, photographs, and journals written by those from the past while interviewing others in the present.  As keeper and sharer of those memories, I am fascinated by how gracious God has been to bless and keep my family to influence those of us in the present.  I am very fortunate to be able to share these photos because someone took the effort to take them and write about them.  This amazes me.  It is good to review the lasting testimonies and to be reminded of all that God has done in our lives and to compel us to evaluate our present lives.  God can use anyone, from any back ground to draw them close to Him. --BecKY

Celebrating God's Presence in My Life

 I am sitting here reflecting on God's abundant goodness toward me and how quickly we assume our earthly mortality.   In many pleasant and unexpected ways, I have been celebrating His presence in my life.
How often do we think of ourselves as terminal?  For now I continue to be a sojourner and exile on this earth.
Last weeks incident in my life truly kept me from feeling too at home on this earth, however, I am thankful, for the many blessings that have come my way because of it.

I am living in and for this life as a stepping stone, a training ground for something eternal.  If anything, I have been reminded to consider what tasks God has given me at this stage of life.  I feel a sense of renewed strength.  Now to reflect the love and joy of Christ as I do them.
Many times, we are taken on these unexpected paths to re-direct our pursuit of the One who gives joy.    (Psalm 27:13  I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.)
Every season has its challenges unique to that season but every season has its  blessings unique to that season.   The Lord has given me a new lease on life of which, I intend to take advantage of.   Even if waiting for now.

Looking forward to continuing on in my ministry in the nursery and with Our Gentle Man.  A friend recently mentioned "God is never late, nor is He early, He arrives precisely when He means too."    This was truly demonstrated to me this last week as the end to and start of a new day unfolded and I was carried into a whirl wind of activities to save  potential fatal consequences to my heart.  I have been enjoying a much needed respite and have been the recipient of the other side of care giving.