365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 313

I love when something is expanded upon in a way that would glorify God. My pastor did this on Sunday when he told the story about The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and proceeded to explain how the story could have been written. The basis of the story is about a boy and a tree. The boy always goes to the tree and wants something and the tree always gives it what the boy wants. This happens all throughout the boy’s life until in the end he is an old man sitting on a stump of the tree. Now, I haven’t looked further into this but I have seen that there are a few opinions about the meaning of this book. In any case, my pastor added to the story with the boy actually taking seeds from the tree each time he came and asked for something and scattered the seeds outward. In the end the boy was sitting on the stump of the tree looking out over a whole orchard of apple trees sowed by the seeds he scattered. God like this tree gives us 100% and we can take the seeds and scatter them creating blessing upon blessings or we can just sit with the tree and do nothing. At the end of my life, I like the idea of being able to see the orchard. How about you?

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'

 

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 196

We went to the circus yesterday. What a feast of stimulation! Everything was spectacular but one thing stands out and it is because I didn’t expect it. All the typical circus performances were there including the shoot the lady out of the cannon ball. The tigers were amazing and all I could think was how brave is that guy to stand in front of 17 tigers! But the unexpected performance by a group of poodles (Yes, I said poodles) was the icing on the cake. White poodles, Black poodles, Big poodles, little poodles. They were so cute! You never know what the Lord will bring you each day. The blessings he gives us are too great to number or name. But these odd-ball blessings tend to stand out so I am shouting out to God, “That was awesome!!”

Deuteronomy 28:2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 57

I like this quote from Joel Osteen: You have a choice; you can either keep your joy, or you can give it away.  Choice is by far one of the biggest factors in becoming a believer of Jesus Christ and in our Christian walk. From the moment we make that first choice to believe that Jesus is the son of God and died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead so that we too might live we have the Holy Spirit within us. But everyday is a new day and so everyday we have choices to make. Not just the physical choices of what I am going to eat for breakfast or pick to wear today. Not just the mental choice to have a positive attitude or figure out the bills to pay but the spiritual choices of do we rely on God today, do we pray for the Holy Spirit and the fruits he can ripen within us or do we go it on our own. I for one have seen the power of the Holy Spirit working within me and it motivates me more. It is much like going on a weight-loss plan. The first week you are motivated by the idea of losing weight and feeling better about yourself, etc and by the third or fourth week the motivation comes from the very real reaction to your action. You get on the scale and see you have lost 3lbs and are thrilled. I have felt that same way every time I experience the Holy Spirit has given me what I needed. It makes me want the Holy Spirit working within me every moment of my life. For each day in the rest of my life, I am going to choose to pray in the morning for the Holy Spirit to ripen the fruits of the spirit within me, to help me love, to remind me that my joy comes from knowing I am saved and have the love of an awesome God.  And each night, I am going to pray and thank the Lord and confess my sins and what I could have done better and thank him for all the blessings, help, guidance, protection, inspiration, love and fruits of the Spirit that he gave to me for that day. I made a choice a couple years ago after a dentist visit with the typical talk about needing to floss. I made the choice to do it everyday and have only missed maybe two days in the last 2 years. If I can floss everyday, I can certainly pray everyday and so can you.  It is your choice.

2Thessalonians 2:13

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 55

I am dealing with a head cold so will keep this short. Our response to God’s provision, love, blessings, everything should always be to rejoice in Him. Its not enough that we rejoice over the obvious things like when our football team wins or we get some very much needed encouragement at work or you are sick and healed quickly but it has to be in everything. Rejoicing just for waking up to a new day, the sun rising and shinning, your kids smiles and laughter, your cupboard full of food, your cat that just puked a hair ball you now get to clean up, this computer I get to write my thoughts on to you and so much more. Our joy comes in rejoicing in our God for everything he does, is and gives us. May you find yourself rejoicing for the little things, the big things and the blessings in disguise things today and everyday to come.

Psalm 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot—come, let us rejoice in him.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 28

My brother and sister-in-law adopted not one but two children a few years ago. They have struggled over the last couple of years with issues that each of the girls has but have shown an amazing amount of perseverance and strength that comes from their love. This love they have for their adopted children and biological children is the same, unconditional.  The adopted girls are a part of the family. God has adopted us into his family. His love was so great that he sent his only son to earth to dwell among us, teach us and become an example for us of love. Love is sacrifice. My brother and sister-in-law could have gone on with their lives with their two boys but because they love God, they did what he called them to do in adopting these two girls. This has been a tremendous sacrifice for them as a family. But there will be un-told blessings because of their love and sacrifice. God sacrificed his son in love for us. Jesus sacrificed himself in love for the Father and us. We too must learn to sacrifice in order to fully love. Whether it be a sacrifice of time, control or whatever, it needs to be done with a heart of love not a heart of bitterness, frustration or anger. What can you sacrifice that will show your love for your family, friends and neighbors? Holy Spirit, give us a desire to live in love and show our love through sacrfice. Amen.

1 John 3:1  See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 325

It’s Stewardship season and with that comes the sermons on giving. I am not the best at tithing but have improved over the last couple of years but I have tried giving in other ways like being a Sunday school teacher, bringing food donations to church on the first Saturday of every month and getting the family to raid their closets to weed out clothes for the clothing drives. I am in a season of life where doing anything with my time is tough because my kids and family is where my time is spent. The sermon yesterday was about you guessed it, time. I really liked how our pastor said that we can start with giving our time in prayer and worship. In thinking about this, I realize that what I do everyday with the 365 Days of Praise Challenge has been a form of worship. I have managed to give of myself everyday to write up a praise for the day and hopefully have passed some blessings on to others who read it. In giving my time this way, it has been one of the greatest blessings to me. So, if you are in a season of life like me where spare time is hard to come by, think about starting with just 5 minutes everyday to pray and/or worship the Lord. Time is our greatest gift to God and each other. Find a way to give some everyday.

Eccelesiates 3:1-10 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ...

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 254

The weekends are such a great time always. As much as I am thankful for having a job, I am very thankful to God for the weekends when I can get away from it completely for two whole days. The weekends are my time to focus on my family, my faith and the things I love to do. I wonder how hard it must have been before we had the official work week, before all the conveniences of our modern world, before technololgy. On a TV show we watch called Hell's Kitchen, they had the losing team for a paticular challenge, turn butter the old-fashioned way. It took forever, up and down, up and down. It just makes you think of how blessed we are to be able to go to a grocery store and have that kind of stuff already done for you. We have it easy but it's easy to take advantage of our blessings.  Think about these everyday life blessings today and give thanks to God for our life ease.

Colossians 3:15-17 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as memeber of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dewll in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 179

Have you heard of the concept of 'paying it forward'? There is a good movie by that same name that shows the concept in action. Recently, I heard of a friend who was in the drive-in line at some fast food place. When she got to the window to pay, she was told the car in front of her paid for her meal. She expressed her surprise and briefly learned that it started ten cars ago. She nor any of the 9 in between her will know who started this kindness but they will have taken that kindness into their day and passed more blessings on to others. One act of kindness can reap so many blessings. The person who started it all is smiling in his or her heart just thinking of the surprised smiles he/she created by this thoughtful act. We have the opportunity everyday to express our kindness and to act thoughtfully towards others but how intentional have you been about it.  I know I haven't but I will start a prayer card to use as my reminder to pray everyday for my heart to open up to acting out in kindness towards someone in ways they don't expect.
Ephesians 2:7 ...in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 109

Commitment is a wavering thing in our culture today. That word has been on my heart the last few days. The definition of commitment is the act of commiting or the state of being committed. Interestingly, the second defition is dediction and application. When I look at the things in my life that I have been dedicated to, I have grown more and that 'thing' has been successful. My first mememory of dedication goes back to my high school days when I was in drill team. I didn't make the drill team the first year I tried out but all my friends did. In looking back, I can honestly see I am a late bloomer in most things. I was dedicated in that next year to perfecting my skills and getting on the team and I did it with flying colors. I ended up getting awarded with the Most Dedicated award in my second year with drill team. My marriage is another thing that both Nathan and I went into with hearts that were committed to endure until the end and beyond. On a smaller scale, I went to a dentist cleaning appoitment one time and they said things weren't looking so great, I needed to do more. So, I committed right than to flossing every night. I have only missed two nights in the last two years. It made a difference! Committment brings success, blessings and growth. Committing to doing this praise challenge has been a glorious thing. I am in His Word everyday, thinking about Him all the time and am more open to seeing Him in everything. It is an amazing blessing. Commitments can be challenging but they are worth the effort. Have you committed to doing something to help you on your faith journey? Reading the bible everyday, praying more, memorizing scripture, bible study, faithbooking. Pick something today and say I am dedicated to doing this everyday and enjoy the fruit of God's blessings upon you.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose herts are fully committed to him.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 66

You know the games of connecting the dots. I am starting to feel like this ministry is part of a large connect-the-dots game. This is not in a funny way but in a very cool way. I was talking with a customer of mine last night that I hadn't talked with in quite some time. She's never been to any of my events so getting face to face time with her has been minimal. But for whatever reason, last night we really connected on the phone. We talked for an hour and a half which is like unheard of in my house, because I am not a phone person. I learned so much more about this wonderful lady last night in our conversation and discovered she is a Christian. But the real dot-to-dot connection came when I asked her what church she goes to. Radiant. My eyes went wide with wonder. I started researching on the internet for non-demononational churches this last week to find contact information and Radiant was one of two churches I looked at. It was mentioned in my master mind group that having a connection with a church might help get me in the door to having a face to face with the right people. So I found myself in awe of God and how he is steadily been giving me those little things I need to continue to build this ministry. He's connecting the dots. Wow, I wonder what the full connected dot picture will look like? So thank you Father for the little mile marker posts like this you have been giving me that are letting me know I am on the right path. You are amazing! Do you see God at work in your life connecting the dots?
Psalm 24: 3-5 Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior.
Psalm

Faithbooking FAQ's

I am working slowly but surely on some faithbooking FAQ's and will create a page for this on the blog so people can get a better idea of what it is all about. I would love to hear your questions so I can have an idea of what's going on in people's minds when they hear the word faithbooking and find out it has to do with scrapbooking. So, please post your question using the comments here or email me directly at RobertsonOasisAngel@gmail.com I really appreciate your help for this!

May our One True and Holy God of the Universe bless you this day with all that you desire and may you draw closer to Him. Amen.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 25

I think it's been the usual case that in hindsight when looking back over a situation that has happened, I can see God in it but yesterday as I went through my situation, I felt God with me the whole of it and I was able to bring praises to my lips despite the circumstances. In the bad things that happen, there is always some good that God uses for it. So, here's a recap of my not-so-great situation that turned out to be a blessing. I headed out to do some errands and stopped first at my bank ATM to deposit a check and than headed to Walmart to pick up some things for baking, etc and when I went to pay found I did not have my credit/atm card. OH NO! Thankfully, I had some checks and paid with that than headed right back over to the bank. The checker had said that in those cases he heard the atm machine eats the card and you don't get it back. Ugh. Yep, that is what happened but Cindi at the bank was so sweet and helpful in getting me set up with a temporary card and than the suprising thing happened. "Did you know your driver's license is expired." "What?!" Oh yeah, not expected but she knew about getting a renewal and told me it was a simple go in and hand over your license, take the eye test, picture and pay the fee and your done. I was hurting considerably with the pain in my shoulder and it was past lunch time at this point so I was hungry too but despite the negative circumstances I was given this positive person to help me deal with it and was thanking God because it could have been SO much worse. So, I am really thankful to God for placing this person in my path and helping with this situation that ended up being a blessing since I did not know my license had expired a month previous on my birthday. I never saw the notice in the mail and I went over to the DMV office after my daughter's class party and was in and out in 10 mintues! Praise God for helping me maintain a positive attitude throughout this experience.
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

365 Days of Praise Challenge

As I was laying in bed this morning, contemplating my day of cooking ahead of me and fighting the desire to just lay in bed a few more minutes, I thought about what this day represents. Everyone thinks about what they are grateful for on Thanksgiving but our thankfulness and praises to God should be a consistent reality in our lives. After my month of wearing my 'A' pin which helped me keep my focus on the Abundance of blessings and opportunites that God gives and that Anything is possible with God, I find that I am so much more AWARE of those blessings, opportunites and that really anything is possible with God leading you. So, my challange to myself and to anyone that would like to participate is to give praises consistently everyday for the next 365 days. I think the attitude of gratitude will become one of the greatest blessings. So, my first day of praise starts this Thanksgiving 2011. I praise my Heavenly Father for my desire to inspire others. Being an idealist by nature, I have found battles greatly with the fact that I am not the one in control but God is. But I don't want to be down about my own personality type, because God made me this way and he will use it for his own purposes not mine. So, I praise him today for that desire and pray that he will use it for the good of His kingdom. I would love to hear your praises everyday, too. Become a follower and comment on my praise each day with your own praise. Let's work on keeping each other accountable to our 365 days of praise challenge.

In the beginning..

God created the heavens and the earth. God said, "Let there be light." And there was light. I am starting off my journey with this ministry because light is not only very necessary for life but also without light we have no visual, we would not be able to see anything and certainly would not be able to capture anything on film. God gave us this blessing of light and being able to see his creation with all the wonderful colors and textures and he gave us the ablility to capture it on film. Our memories are a huge part of ourselves and the photos of those memeries gives us a visual we can go back to again and again. The visuals in our minds fade away and become gray and distant. So, our photos give us back a connection to where we have come from, where we have been and can perhaps give us a glimpse to where we are going. I have a strong desire to find deeper and deeper connections to my Lord and King. Being a scrapbooker for almost 15 years, I have delved a little bit into tapping into how the Word of God connects with my life through scrapbooking and the day has come to really committ to digging into this and helping others connect to the Lord through this meduim and connecting to other believers. I pray that this ministry will be a blessing to myself, my family and all those that become a part of it.