What are you focused on?

Being busy is most often used as a guise for avoiding the few critically important but uncomfortable actions. -Timothy Ferris

Hm...

Reformers change structures in society to make them better.
Revolutionaries say--the structure is not as important as the people.
Proactive people are proactive in action.
Reactionary people are reactive in action.

--Rustin Comer Pastor of Bethel Lutheran Encino, CA

Psalm 68

Psalm 68

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.

¹ May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

⁵ A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

⁶ God sets the lonely in families,
he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

⁷ When you went out before your people, O God,
when you marched through the wasteland,
Selah

⁸ the earth shook,
the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.

⁹ You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.

¹⁰ Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.

¹¹ The Lord announced the word,
and great was the company of those who proclaimed it:

A very good week.

Okay-best parts of the week! (On a roll for this incredible holiday season!) Great times in the car with Mama Beth& prayer&intercession on the way 2 San Jose, visiting cousin Carl & family, vegan dinners&meals&cookbooks, Helveston family Southern cooking, reading war letters from Grandpa written in 1945 when he was waiting 2 return home from Guam, getting "bemed,' great conversations w/fam and friends, family time w/sis &mom, turkey dinner, visiting East Valley Church, visiting Sam and Michelle &fam! So good...& still going... :-)

So looking forward to the holiday season!!! :-) I've got some GOOD times comin' ahead! ;-D

The Power of Forgiveness

Proverbs 31 Song

Proverbs 31

She dances through the land.
She dances through the land.

She extends hope to the needy

She reaches out her hands.

To the poor and needy
She brings hope to the hopeless--
To the orphan she reaches out her hands.

Wisdom is on her tongue.
Wisdom is on her tongue.
Of the future she can laugh--

If you're in need of wisdom
If you're in need of wisdom
Just ask.

Commit your ways to Me
I will counsel-- I will guide you.
I will establish the work of your hands...

Clothed in strength and dignity
Her children rise to praise her
And her arms--they are strengthened for the task!

Many women have done noble things--
Many of women have done noble things
But of all of them--you have surpassed--

Wisdom is on her tongue
Yeah--wisdom is on her tongue
And of the future--she just laughs.

Clothed in strength and dignity
His wisdom is upon you.
He will establish the work of your hands.

Her children call her blessed
and her husband will rise to praise her
There is oil in her lamp....

Many women have done noble things.
Many women have done noble things...
You have surpassed....

Os Hillman on "The Heights"

"The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights" (Hab 3:19).

The book of Habakkuk inspired Martin Luther's reformation and the book "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hunnard. Habakkuk encourages us to question what God is doing in our lives.

When we are thrown into suffering for a period of time, or our enemies are prospering while we are just barely getting by, we wonder about the equity of God and life. Habakkuk affirms that God is God and we are made to scale the mountains of adversity. We just need to be still and know He is at work. He is who He says He is and does keep His promises. God equips His people to scale the heights even in the midst of great challenges. He enables us to go to the higher places with Him where we are set apart from the world.

Sometimes the way we have to go to get us there is through suffering and sorrow, but if we rest in Him and trust Him we come out where He wants us. When Jesus told the disciples He was going to send the Holy Spirit to them, it was in order for them to scale the mountain before them with a new form of power they had not experienced. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

If you find yourself in a place of doubting God and His plan for your life, know that this is a normal aspect of your journey in God. However, know that God has made available His Holy Spirit in order for you to accomplish the tasks that lie ahead. Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to achieve the heights for which He has created you.

Hebrews 10:22-24

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Prayer Requests....

Here are my prayer requests: 1) place to live by 1st of year! :-) And 2) ...some sort of steady income/finances that I can count on also by that time... And 3) that I can use my gifts and talents wisely in this city and also be able to focus them toward things that have lifelong impact/value.... 4) great friends! And last but not least.... 5) for a move of God in this generation and with the youth of this nation...and in the city of Los Angeles and all the industries of Hollywood... that His glory would be known and that people would fall at His feet and believe....

The one who has gone through the FIRE.

Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the merchant's fragrant powders?—Song of Solomon 3:6 NKJV


So many full circle messages from the Lord this last week and still...

So beautiful...

Isaiah 66:7-14

7 "Before she goes into labor,
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.

8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.

9 Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?" says the LORD.
"Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?" says your God.

10 "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.

11 For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance."

12 For this is what the LORD says:
"I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.

13 As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.

Today's Beautiful Children: Ps22 Elementary School Chorus in NY!

love this! check it! gonna fall in love with it! ;-) today's children tomorrow's entertainers! check it!






Fell in love with this teacher and these kids! Change the world with your hearts, souls, and music! You are inspiring us! Wow! :-D Reminding me of my own loves, too!

Whoa. This woman had it all together!

9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character


10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. 16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Untitled Hymn by Chris Rice

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

FIRST LOVE--You taught us what LOVE is!

Lord, you ALONE are our FIRST LOVE!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (Rev.2:3-5,)

Quotes

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." --Martin Luther King Jr.

I would I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours. ~Bernard Berenson

Chuck Pierce quote:

"The enemy longs to capture us in yesterday. If we become so attached to what the Holy Spirit was revealing yesterday that we cannot move forward, then we are in danger of coming under a religious spirit and missing revelation for the present day."

God, break us out of small minded thinking, legalism, and control! The picture God paints is so much grander than our small minded ideas of what we think or even hope He is going to do! :-)

He is God! The Ultimate Creative Guru! He called the world into existence and then He ordered it. He continues to let His creativity go!

Roll with the punches! Go, go, go!

Jesus Calms the Storm

35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

To be who you are...

All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself. ~Ralph Ellison, "Battle Royal"

He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away. ~Raymond Hull

Commitment:

1. the act of committing.
2. the state of being committed.
3. the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
4. a pledge or promise; obligation: We have made a commitment to pay our bills on time.
5. engagement; involvement: They have a sincere commitment to religion.
6. perpetration or commission, as of a crime.
7. consignment, as to prison.
8. confinement to a mental institution or hospital: The psychiatrist recommended commitment.
9. an order, as by a court or judge, confining a person to a mental institution or hospital.
10. Law. a written order of a court directing that someone be confined in prison; mittimus.
11. Parliamentary Procedure. the act of referring or entrusting to a committee for consideration.
12. Stock Exchange. a. an agreement to buy or sell securities.
b. a sale or purchase of securities.