Kimi Maintenance…A MUST

Well the past two days have been what I call, "Kimi maintenance" days.  I have had my nails done, my feet done and this morning, my hair done!!!  I am ready to go.  Fresh and bouncy and NO MORE GRAY!!!  I am a big believer in keeping yourself fresh.  Not only does the world around you appreciate it but your body is thankful for the attention.

While I was at the salon, which is owned by my best friend who is also my stylist, both of my sisters came in.  To say it was a good morning would be an understatement.  I have enjoyed the last two days very much.  After I got my nails and toes done yesterday, I came home and gave the house a good scrubbing with the help of my wonderful daughter, Scovia.  I even got my dresser drawers cleaned out and organized.  I told Bo this morning, my dresser is so organized, I am not sure where anything is. I could get use to this…an organized life.

Henry at Hatteras last summer

Spring brings life and gives energy.  I have enjoyed this spring and I know I will enjoy the summer to come.

I cannot wait to get him back into the water
He loves the beach

I hope you all have a great weekend full of sunshine and joy.

Learn The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

Dr. Rozell preached at our church last night.  It was a powerful sermon titled "Unforced Rhythms of Grace."  He shared a scripture from the Message Bible that just keeps speaking to me.  

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)

We sang a song during the Worship service called, "He Is Here".  The chorus goes, "He is here, He is here, to break the yoke and lift the heavy burden…"  When we are in His presence, there is a peace that we cannot explain.  It's not that all our problems have vanished or that we are living a perfect life.  Our lives can seem to be falling apart, yet we have peace.  

Learning the unforced rhythms of grace means that it will become such a part of who you are, it is now your nature.  Moving to and with the rhythms of grace…receiving it from the Lord and giving it to others and even yourself.  Dr. Rozell stated that when we fail or miss the mark, Grace says, "OK, we will try again tomorrow."  Grace doesn't excuse us from doing wrong or give us a license to sin, it guides us to the truth and lets us see our sin.  Not to condemn us or destroy us but to save us, deliver us, give us freedom and a much lighter load to carry.  Sin is heavy and destructive.  It is because of God's grace that we have a place to go for real rest.  Read the scripture above again.  What does it say, "Come to me…Get away with me…Walk with me…Work with me…Learn…Keep company with me", In His Presence you find peace, freedom, rest, unforced rhythms of grace, a lighter load.  

I encourage you today to enter into the presence of the LORD.  Talk to Him, sing songs of worship, study His Word.  Even in the middle of the battle, you will find peace.

One last quote from Dr. Rozell's message:

Faith is an action based on a belief and sustained by a confidence that God always keeps His Word…You can take it to the bank!!!

A Refreshing Desert

Trees growing in the middle of the rock…amazing

I am back!!!  We had a wonderful time in Arizona.  I never thought I would like the desert but I was wrong.  The desert is so varied.  Where you think that nothing would or could grow, you have flowers and bushes and little trees.  Where there is sand, and dirt and only dry land to the natural eye, underneath, flows water, nourishment, life.

The Grand Canyon

I am so thankful for the time in the desert.  It deepened my love for God's wonderful creation.  It opened my eyes to the depth of the spirit that is imitated in the natural.  Mountain tops, valleys, dry places, streams of living waters…it's all there.  All the colors are in the Canyons, the sky is painted with yellows, oranges, blues and reds, the trunks of the trees are green, black, brown and red…it is breath taking.  In Sedona, the sky plays with the rocks all day long.  Changing the look and feel throughout the day so when you turn around, you are always seeing something new.

Sedona

We think of the desert as a bad place, but I found that it is a place to reconnect to our Creator.  To be nourished in the warmth of the sun and to slow down.  It is a time when you are more aware of how much we truly rely on God to give us what we need.  We take the time to make sure that we are keeping ourselves hydrated.  We tend to linger in dehydration in the green places but to do that in the desert would be disastrous.

Bo at the Grand Canyon

If you feel like you are in the desert in your life right now, don't be discouraged.  Take the time to recharge and rest.  The desert can be a wonderful place.

Me at Red Rock Park

Gone for a week

I will be away from my blog for a week.  I just wanted to wish you all a good week.  I will have lots of new pics to post when I return.

Go out and enjoy your blessed life.

Keeping Balanced...

I am going to confess something to you today.  I like to write about decorating, family, fun, beauty, photography, love, things that make me happy and will hopefully bring a smile to your face.  I struggle when I write something and it sounds too preachy.  

In our society today, we as Christians face a real discrimination problem.  We are encouraged to just shut up and if we do share, please make it pleasant and upbeat.  We are told that to reach others, you have to be icky sweet and share Jesus as a passive, sin condoning, whip of a man, who didn't have a backbone, or make anyone mad, well except for the Pharisees.  People don't want to hear about the Cross.  The Cross is too bloody and we should just focus on the "happy clappy" (dad's words) parts of scripture.  

But if we don't see the Cross and point to the Cross when we share, how will they know?  How will the world see and know the sacrifice?  Bishop preached a message last night called, "The Centrality of The Cross", which means to me, "Keeping The Cross In The Center Of Our Lives."  Keeping the Cross of Christ as the center, it keeps us in balance.  The Cross is sin, love, fear, grace, redemption, freedom, death, sacrifice, tears, joy, faith, compassion, blood, forgiveness, hope.  These are all the things that we deal with everyday.  It all came together, in fullness at the Cross of Christ.  

When Isaac asked his father, Abraham, "behold the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering" -Genesis 22:7-8.  Abraham didn't know how right he was.  God did provide himself as the sacrifice.  The forever sacrifice.  Jesus, very God and very man, gave himself to be sacrificed for us.  (Bishop Estep's Words)

The conviction that we feel when we look at the Cross is good but it doesn't end there.  Yes, the Cross does show us how we have sinned but it also shows us our redemption.  His sacrifice for our sins was so that we could be made free and clean and whole.  We are made whole when we enter into a relationship with Him.  He did it all for us.  Yes, He loves us that much.  We are not without Hope.  

When I see the Cross, I see Jesus.  When I cannot see Jesus in the world around me, I look at the Cross.  It makes me aware that He did it all not only for me but for you too.  When I have trouble loving, I remember that the ground is level at the Cross.  Available to all.  God is not a racist, social status does not matter to him.  

I am so thankful that I have people in my life who teach "the blood and guts" of it all.  It is the blood that cleanses us from all sin.  

Oh Let The Sun Shine In

My desk, letting the sun shine in.

This is the first day I am writing at my desk in my new office.  I brought up my computer and finally placed it on my desk facing the the huge tree in my front yard.  I wasn't expecting this spot to be as wonderful as it is.  There is so much activity going on outside this big double window.  Everything is catching my eye and the colors of spring are captivating.

I love the way the flowers are glowing in the window.
Not my window, this is from my nieces shower.

There is a squirrel jumping all around from branch to branch, birds flitting in and out of the trees and bushes, a white cat (no clue who it belongs to) is walking in the mulch, nose down like it is looking for something.  I can see a tiny tiny squirrel sitting in the crook of a branch, all snug and cozy.  There is life outside on Coachman Drive.

The sun is shining and the world has awaken from her winter slumber.  When I sat down at my desk this morning, the song that my parents would sing to us if we were grumpy came to my mind.

"Oh let the sun shine in, face it with a grin.  Smilers never lose and frowners never win.  Oh let the sun shine, face it with a grin.  Open up your heart and let the sun shine in."

Now when they would sing us this song there were two possible outcomes.  The first and desired outcome was, it could make us laugh.  The second and undesired outcome was it could make us mad and even grumpier.  The outcome was solely our decision.  It was a lesson learned after many days, making the wrong one.

This is also from the shower, but I love pictures of windows.
Oh the possibilities.  I love this window.  

I hope today, when you look out your window, you make the decision to let the sun shine in.  Embrace the day, bask in the suns warm glow and enjoy the blessings of the LORD.

What Is Your Desire Today?

It's My Desire

by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

It's my desire, to live for Jesus.  

It's my desire, to be just like Him.

So often I've failed and I caused Him much pain.

It's my desire, to live for Him.

If you could see

Where Jesus brought me from

To where I am today

Then you would know

The reason why

I love Him so.

You can take this world

All it's wealth and riches

I don't need earths fame

It's my desire 

To live for Him

It's my desire, to help someone today

Someone who might have failed

To see the way.

For I too was once so lost

But I found my way to God

And it's my desire

To live for Him.

If you could see 

Where Jesus brought me from

To where I am today

Oh then you would know

The reason why, 

I love Him so.

Well, you can take this world

All it's wealth and riches

I don't need earths fame

It's my desire

To live for Him.

Some days the way I truly feel can be found in a song.  When I was a young preteen throughout my teenage years, my Mom, sisters and I, sang this song.  

Today this is the song on my heart.  It is my desire to live for Jesus.  To do what I know to do.  To be who He has called me to be.  I want to know Him more intimately.  I desire to be like Him.  To love like Him, to walk like Him, have compassion like Him, have His strength, know what to do and do it even when it is uncomfortable.  

What is your desire today? 

I hope you feel His presence all around you today.  If you are hurting, I pray you can feel the safety of His arms wrapped around you.  God Bless You.