Tag Archives: confession

Jan 2, 2018 reflecting on Jan 2, 2014

Thanks to Facebook, I was reminded of my thoughts four years ago.
Because it is just as pertinent now as it was then, I’m going to repost it here.

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January 2, 2014 – Welcome 2014

I may be a bit strange…well, yes, I am peculiar….but I have a way of looking at the new year that sort of gets some folks down.

It is like a new salvation confession.

During December, in the midst of all the celebrations, I look at my life as if I am going to meet the Lord Jesus. Of course, that IS what folks supposedly celebrate on Dec 25, welcoming the Lord Jesus into their lives – but that discussion is for another blog!

I look at the Old year as, well, my old life….it is passed away by 2014…and I look it over as if I was preparing for my confession of Christ as my savior. Sort of like one would do before their public baptism.

What things troubled me last year?

What things needed help last year?

What were my weak areas?

What were, if any, my strong areas?

DID MY LIFE SCREAM JESUS EVERYWHERE I WENT?

Well, of course, there are times that our lives should just whisper Jesus – but the point is, did I shine the light of Jesus to those around me? Or did I hide my light under a bushel?

2013 was a year of recovery.

2013 was a year of acceptance.

2013 was a year of resting and leaning on Jesus.

Yes, I failed.

  • I failed in my consistency of blogging.
  • I failed in my consistency of painting.
  • I failed in my consistency of writing…or writing the books at all!
  • and those are just the public failures!

But were those my goals or God’s goals????

  • I was blessed to help out our daughter, Faith, around her baby boy’s birth.
  • I was blessed to enjoy a week of vacation with our son and his family here in Florida.
  • I was blessed to visit some ‘old’ friends in Ohio.
  • I was blessed to take a road trip with my daughter, Rachel.
  • I was blessed to go on some trips with my husband.
  • I was blessed to walk up FOUR lighthouses!
  • I was blessed to get to see two cousins that I hadn’t seen in years…one that was my ‘older sister’ cousin, and one that was my ‘younger sister’ cousin.
  • I was blessed to learn that milk and bread mess up my body and cause pain.
  • I was blessed to learn about alkaline ionized water, and how it benefits my body to enable me to do many more things with my chronic illnesses.
  • I was blessed to learn that I could choose my food…my food did not dictate or, rather, my emotions did not dictate my food.
  • I was blessed to learn that my husband and I love each other more and more than we did when we got married…with 34 years of experiences, good and bad, shared.

In all of those, I learned many things.

Did I get done the things I thought I was supposed to get done? no.

Some of that is my fault…some of that is what God brought down my path.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Ps 16:11)

I say I want to walk the path God gives me…that I want Him to lead me and be the light unto my feet, and the lamp unto my path…but

  • do I follow? or,
  • do I follow willingly? or,
  • do I follow unbegrudgedly? or,
  • do I whine? or,
  • do I embrace JOY? and accept HIS pleasures (listed above as blessings)?

The sheep don’t whine about following the shepherd.

Those that wander, he breaks their leg, so that they learn to stay near…

I have had several years of learning to be still….the last surgery was a HUGE be still lesson.

But, that was last year.

Just as someone that is going to their baptism, their public confession of Faith…that is in the past. When I confess my sins, he is faithful to forgive and to cleanse me of all my sins (1 John 1:9).

That is what my evaluation of last year is all about.

Then, 2014 – all things are new….I have been washed in the blood – and my time before me is NEW…just as after my confession of sin, and confession of the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior, I am a new creation…old things are passed away, all things become new(2 Cor 5:17)!!!

So, I start this year with some new goals…I’ll write about that in another blog. But, 1/1 seems to be a great time for a NEW start.

I will fail…but He is the glory and the lifter of my head(Ps 3:3).

I will succeed…but I am weak, success is because HE is strong(2 Cor 12:10)…

and I will flounder…I still live in this body of flesh…Romans 7

But I will work out my own salvation with fear and trembling(Phil 2:12)…I will press on towards the mark of the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus…I will continue to run this race….because I know what is at stake! Eternity! 1 cor 9:24; Heb 12:1-2; Phil 3:14

BTW – every evening can be a re-eval of your day, and every morning can be a new day – weeping may be for the night, but joy comes in the morning.(Ps 30:5)

May each of my readers be blessed this year with a new and fresh knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

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I guess I’ve had that quote for a while!
I know I’ve had that life verse for a while.
I still spend December looking back over the year.
I still make a fresh confession to Jesus on New Year’s Eve.
This year, it came out in the form of a Poem.

I again pray that my readers will be blessed by these thoughts of mine, focused upon my Savior, Jesus Christ, and His plan for our lives.

 

Jim & Christi 2017

 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission.
The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment! Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, follow me on Pinterest, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

My Christmas Confession

Star

I missed Jesus this Christmas.

This Christmas I was filled with awe,
the lights, the candles, the gifts and all.
I spoke of Jesus, I declared his day
but I didn’t sit down to hear him say:
“It’s my birthday, do you know if I’m here?
Is there time to discuss what I want this year?
The colors are pretty, The lights are so bright,
but where is the manger? there’s no silent night!
What were you doing on this midnight clear?
the pretties are hung, and the stockings with care
But did you invite me to be with you there?
Come all ye faithful…or did you forget,
that I must be invited to be with you, yet.
The first noel, the angels did sing,
but what sort of praise to me did you bring?
What is the purpose of CHRISTmas this year?
Did you even notice if I was near?”

I’m sorry, dear Jesus, I left you alone,
I’m sorry that I was too full of my own.
There was no candle light service to remember you came
There was no Christmas Day singing, now, only my shame.
No singing of carols, to remind us of you,
No reading the story that makes Christmas true.
No prayers of repentance, no prayers of rejoice
Just lots of people with flashy new toys.

The tinsel was sparkling, the lights, they did shine,
But my focus was messed up, and the fault is all mine.
There were gifts, and food and candles galore,
and symbols of your birthday were somewhere, I’m sure.
There were people to talk to, and gifts to unwrap,
and even the time to take Christmas day naps.
I gave gifts that I chose, and they loved gifts that shone,
I took photos a plenty, but my focus was torn.
The papers all flew as they tore into boxes,
and that thank you’s all flew, but who knew which was what’s it?
Gift cards are lost in the bright whistles and bells,
and labels were lost as the trash was dispelled.
Who gave me this? What was in that bag?
Oh, forget it now, let’s go play more tag!
Santa did this, and Santa did that…
Who’s birthday is it? No one said that!
It’s my celebration of Jesus the King,
I’m responsible for forgetting him.

I celebrate Christmas because He’s my King,
It is His love in my life that makes me to sing.
The King came to earth so that I could be free
He gave me new birth, and helps me be me.

The Story does not end on Christmas Day,
It ends 33 years later in a dark ugly way.
It doesn’t matter if there’s a virgin birth,
It doesn’t matter if He did great works.
It doesn’t matter if He raised the dead,
It doesn’t matter if He healed someone’s head!
The key thing that matters is that HE gave of Himself
And that’s more than any stupid elf on the shelf!

He knew when he came what he needed to do,
He planned to die for me and for you.
And no matter how many gifts that you get….
The gift of salvation is the most best gift yet.

A savior is Born

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I have been struggling with this since I got home, 12/26.
This is my confession – only mine.
There is no judgement on anyone else, because I do not know anyone else’s hearts…only mine.
I am horrified by how I handled Christmas this year…and I have asked my Lord’s forgiveness.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission.
The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.