GRACE IS NOT SAFE, BUT IT IS ALWAYS GOOD

Click over here to read some final quotes from A Call to Grace.
Have a great Wednesday.

THE WINDS OF CHANGE ARE STILL BLOWING

If you have been over on Deliberately Delivered, then you know I have been reading David Nasser's A Call to Grace. I actually just finished it last night. I highly recommend it. As one who struggles with grace, for a whole lot of reasons, it was honest, eye-opening, and soul stirring for me. Not saying it will be for you, but it is a good read.
If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know the last year has been a tough one emotionally for me. I whine about it a lot. Still is. Things I need to move on from. Things I need to let go of. Things I need to pry from my fingers that are gripping on so tightly. For many months I prayed for restoration, of friendships, of trust, of faith in people, not really knowing what that would look like. I had in my mind what I thought it should look like, you know, how I thought God should handle it. Needless to say He did not see fit to follow my orders.
While reading the following passage, it was like a light bulb went off.

"No portrait is without its flaws. If you look at the lives of almost all the saints in the Bible, you will see a continuous testimony of mistakes, failures, miscommunications, and wrongs done. You will also see a graceful God who consistently re-makes demolished lives into beautiful masterpieces. He does not restore the lives to their original form, but rebuilds them, using all the shattered remains to form a completely unique construction."

He is not going to take me back to the way it was. Even if those friendships return they won't be like they were. My faith in people won't be like it was. But He will create something new. Something beautiful.
I know I have had similar realizations and posted them on here. But honestly part of me felt like I would be a failure if things weren't restored back to their original form. That I wasn't trying hard enough or showing enough grace or that I just did not do it right. This passage released me from that.
It is not going back to it's original form. I am not going back to my original form. They aren't going back to theirs. Everything has changed. The choice I have is the direction I let that change take me.

2 Corinthians 2 :17-18 (NKJV)

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

IT"S A BIRD...

I am positive this is how Clark Kent started...

(totally their idea by the way)

and this is Steve Jobs and Bill Gates in younger years...

and this is Buddy.

He's not our dog.

He just doesn't know it.

OH THE WEBS WE WEAVE...

So Mom. How did it go with MC 2?

Oh fine. I had to spank him one time for not wanting to put his clothes on and for yelling a time.

LATER THAT SAME DAY...

SO MC 2, what did Audie have to spank you for?

(with great shock and awe at the implication ) She didn't.

She didn't?

Nope.

Audie didn't spank you for yelling at her?

Nope.

No mam.

Not a word came outta my mouth.

"GAL" FIX

The last couple of days I have had the chance to hang out with some sisters in Christ that I had never met. I attended a bible class with some Church of Christ sisters. They were a sweet group of women, all ages, and full of the love of Christ. They recently hosted a women's event where they had over 51 different congregations represented, and only 5 or 6 were Church of Christ. How beautiful when the body comes together. Amen!
Yesterday I attended my first Moms In Touch meeting with 3 precious women. They were older than myself, with kids grown and grandkids nearly grown, but moms are moms at any age. It was so neat to sit and listen to then pray for their grown children, knowing my own mom does the same, and knowing I will do the same for the men children in a few years. I observed through the first part of the meeting because I was clueless as to what to do. However, when it came to our specific children, I threw my hat in the ring. I nearly broke down praying for man child 1, not because he has major prayer requests, but because of the beauty of the entire thing.
It has been good to be with other gals. One of the things I miss the most due to our church move. I don't know about you gals (and guys) but I need that every so often. To be encouraged and challenged. To laugh and to cry. With ladies who have been where I am or where I am going and with ladies who are just beginning their journey.
One of the reasons I enjoy blogs as well.
You can find women at all stages of their walk with Christ.
Get yourself a mini-fix of fellowship.
Hope you have a great day.
Call a girlfriend.
Have a laugh.
Or a cry.
Either is good for your soul!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY!

C= A + B

Want to know how I got men children that do this?

by marrying and reproducing with this one.

ANOTHER MILESTONE

We are now tall enough to hang our

Pj's and unmentionables up on the hook

just like daddy does,

and mighty proud was he.