By Sharon Raines
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We love you grammie, and hope that you have fun posting on your new blog!
Now don’t you feel hip?
To receive notice of updates to Reflections, just fill out the subscribe form on the right side of this page. Also if you’d like to leave comments, you’ll have to register. The register link is also on the right, under the subscribe form. Happy reading!
We love you grammie, and hope that you have fun posting on your new blog!
Now don’t you feel hip?
1 John 3:18,
Be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. . .
As a child, while visiting the Lake of the Ozark’s in Missouri, excitement filled the mind when I knew Daddy was going to stop at Dog Patch! It was filled with fun things to buy, see and do. Recently, to my surprise, I heard a celebrity speaking of it.
She mentioned the famous ‘old outhouse’ that contained a mannequin sitting on the potty with newspaper in hand. Each time the door was opened, to the complete surprise and embarrassment of the person who opened it, a voice would yell out at the person for invading his privacy. Of course this brought laughter to all in the area, my Dad got a kick out of bring a first time visitor and watching their reaction.
The celebrity remarked it had been that way for 20 years. (try 50 years!)
Dog-patch had lots of shopping, candy, an old grave yard full of tricky names, and a neat player piano. However, what caught our eyes and we loved the most were the carnival fun mirrors! These mirrors would transform our reflection into any way we wanted them: thinner, fatter, shorter, taller, scarier, crazy, weird, funny, really funny, falling down on the floor funny! A person could have multiple body parts, missing parts, or huge parts. You get the idea, right? These mirrors were so much fun for everyone! People would linger just to get a look at others and could hardly wait for their turn. Our children loved them later when we took them for a visit.
Wouldn’t be nice if we could look in the mirror and be transformed into anything we would want to be and stay that way? In the weight department, if we had that ability, we could sell it and be rich! Goodbye Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and Richard!!
Whoops, forgive me for getting carried away! However, wouldn’t it be nice?!
Daily it is our desire to have a reflection of love as the daughters of God, but often we fail and it that isn’t funny! We can transform into Angry Annie, Snippy Sue, Irate Irene, Defeated Delores, Bitter Betty, Callused Catherine, before we realize it and totally lose control. Aimee, my four year old granddaughter does this, she responds before thinking! You’d think we would be able to control it, but we fail. Whether we are PMS-ing, reacting to our daily routine, our children (young or old), what life has brought or anything out of the ordinary, we find our reflection needs some help!
Galatians 5:22 NIV says: But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
While reviewing the list I noticed if we could get CONTROL of our self-control we would have it made, huh? It affects all the others. As most of you know I believe in the trinity: God the father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Spirit. When Jesus left, the Holy Spirit came to help us live what Jesus taught. I don’t know what I would do without Him to help me out on those days!
The scriptures say:
2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
And we, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Spirit.
(You see He helps us!)
Romans 12:2: (Amp version) I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is for you. Let us pray and ask God for His help in our lives. The world needs to see our love not our ‘Hulk’ reflection everyday. WE CAN DO THIS!!!
Linda V. approval for disability, has waited 2 ½ years!
Kim F.’s husband has skin cancer
Upcoming National Election
Pray for flood victims, quick recovery and reimbursements!
Pray for our yard to come back!
(Calories have not been removed!)
1 stick of butter, melted
1 egg, ½ C. milk, ½ C. vanilla yogurt
2 C. flour, 1 Tbs. baking powder, 1 t. salt, ½ C. sugar, 1/3 C. brown sugar
6 oz. Package chocolate chips
Beat together egg, butter, milk, and vanilla yogurt
Stir flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars together in separate bowl.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients,
Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 degree in greased muffin cups for 15-18 minutes.
ENJOY!
1 John 3:18,
Be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. . .
Let’s face it!
Every morning there it is, our reflection in the mirror. (Unless you don’t even look anymore!!!)
Some gals look as good in the morning as when they hit the bed the night before! (Must be nice!)
Others of us lie in bed as long as we can so we won’t have to look! Ha
What a sight we are, our pudgy face with its wrinkles (from how we slept or from age), and/or
a pimple from the chocolate attack we had a couple of days ago, our puffy eyes with chunks of sleep in them, our straggly hair with its array of colors (gray, blue, pink, brunette, or blond),
our bulging tummy, jiggling under-arm skin, dried out lips, and our wrinkled night gown or teddy!
Do we even want to mention the ‘hairs on our ‘chinny chin chin’ and/or nose!!?
(And this is mostly the top half!)
Oh my goodness, no wonder it is so hard to get out of bed in the morning!
I guess it helps us to wake up, huh? We exclaim, “I gotta get this thing fixed!”
Inspirational author Max Lucado amused me when he stated the most sacred moment of the day is in front of the mirror in the morning! Yep, that’s what he said! I thought it was a typo—-
a scared moment instead of sacred moment!
Max’s reasoning: This moment is a holy moment to God because of all the honesty. God is seeing us as we really are! No masks, no make up, no pressed shirts or dress, no status jewelry, just us, honest. If people love you at 6:30 a.m. then they REALLY LOVE YA! Not your title, not your style, not your accomplishments, they just love YOU! LOOK IN THE MIRROR, the Holy one! God’s own creation!
Imagine expecting God to come for a visit one morning. Can you visualize us the night before? We would be running around frantically to prepare! We would be showered, shaved (ha), manicured and searching out the best looking outfit with matching accessories! We would want to look perfect for our guest! Then let’s don’t forget to mention the house cleaning we would do, especially the bathrooms! Kind of like Martha in the story of Lazarus!
Well, guess what? God is already with us each morning, waiting for us to awake! He sees beyond our face and body, He sees the heart! He knows everything about us! He sees us honest, honestly.
His creation, His child that He dearly loves! We don’t have to fret!
Ashamedly I admit, years ago in a time of duress and a bad hair day, I looked in the mirror and said:
“I hate you!” Yep, I did! (Maybe I am not the only one who has ever felt that way before)
Believe me it didn’t go unnoticed by God!! He very quickly corrected His child! He pointed out that He created me and I had just insulted Him with that remark! Whoa! Not smart, huh?
Thankfully He forgives our humanness!
Max’s opinion is God sees us perfect! Hard to believe that isn’t it? I for one know I am not perfect!
I recently wanted to hide under a bed because of my behavior, embarrassed by my imperfection.
Max explains when God looks at us each morning, He sees us covered with the perfection of Christ!
Oh, alriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!
The imperfections are there, and if our relationship is as it should be with God, then God sees the blood of Jesus that covers all our imperfections. How awesome is that? Wow!
Yes, each morning with that first glance in the mirror, according to Max, God considers it a holy moment. God’s moment, His child has awakened to a new day. His creation!
I love the scripture in Zephaniah 3:17 that states: The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save, He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing!
How awesome to think that our God, creator of all things, is delighted in us and sings over us!
Doesn’t that just add to your day! Next time you look in the mirror remember that! I know I will!
Jackie Raines-Spiritual growth and strongholds dissolved
Lora- a recent divorcee, spiritual renewal and emotional healing
The Pastor Eric Olsen Family-
Eric is dying of cancer, in a coma as of 6/5/08
Physically healing for: Linda V, Linda H, Debi R, Jean M.
Strength for caregivers: husbands and adult children
All unsaved loved ones!
CHICKEN HAM CASSEROLE
1 package (6 oz) long grain and wild rice mix.
2 Cups cubed cooked chicken
1 Cup cubed fully cooked ham
1 Can creamed of chicken soup
1 Can (12oz) evaporated milk
1 Cup shredded Colby cheese
Pepper
¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese. (optional)
Cook rice mix according to directions. Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish. Top with chicken and ham. In a bowl, combine the soup, milk, cheese and pepper. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake, uncovered at 350 degree 25-30min.
Six servings