MOVE FORWARD FEARS!

Move forward in faith----not fear!

Medical fears! How can that be when I belong to the Great Physician?!

The fears I feel, in response to the growing impact of amyloids, stroke, and heart issues are not from Him!

2 Timothy 1:7  reminds me, He does not give the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Not sure how much soundness is left in my mind......but God, is the One whom I trust even in the midst of these fluctuating medical issues, a "mess" of emotions, a "kaleidoscope of feelings." AKA fear.

Lord, this week I seek to exercise, sound mind----self- control, good & sound judgment, and wise discretion, no matter how I define it. Self-preservation needs to take a back seat to Your glory. I need to move forward in faith.

May I learn to handle my pain/fears with hope because I trust in you.

PLS--PLEASE & THANK YOU----for the power, love and self-discipline you have given me for this season.

abun-DANCE!

abun-DANCE is the "dance" of celebrating life right now! It's dancing to the music of life. Yesterday it was "dancing" with hubby in the booth at Peter's Pancakes in Cherokee NC because that's what we do, wherever we are, when "Ain't to Proud to Beg" by the Temptations plays. And to think I almost said "No" to going because I felt too frumpy to leave the house.

It's special to have traditions that become special memories as you age....especially when extended family understands as well. As Candy Paul says, "It's saying "No" to fear and "YES" to LIFE!

Scripture reminds us, God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) Even when our mind seems to be a bit wishy-washy at times, God can provide the ability to discern His will for each day & every moment. Music for our soul....enough to have our toes tapping in step with Him.

That's abunDANCE!

"IN THE PINK"

One's feelings can go from one place to another in a New York second!

Anger to peace. My weakness to His strength. Through a black hole to "in the pink."
Fear and anger to confidence and acceptance. Self serving to self-denying. Entitlement  to '"of the heart." Spiritually, the heart God sees.

A just, pure and lovely lifestyle from one's thoughts and attitude of the heart,(Hebrews 4:12).....

...."living in the pink" emotionally, physically and spiritually,

providing a sense of peace, purpose, and forgiveness!

"W" = WISE WORTHY WORDS!

My emotions are a mess! From hyper-sensitivity, jumble & a library, in my grief to total numbness, I'm an emotional assemblage that defies reason. 

W (s) flood my mental library. Whines need to turn to Worship. Wrap Weeping in Hope. More worship than worry needed! Worry is waste. Wise words come from His Word!

This morning I awakened remembering my disconcerting medical news.

May medical diagnosis not fuel fears. I know the Great physician and my times are in His hands. 

Whether he takes me sooner rather than later, I need His transendent "peace to guard my heart and mind." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Wise & Worthy Words! Amen!!

ACRONYMS ABOUND!

Acronyms abound----on jars of jam, no less.

T.O.E. Jam made me laugh!!

Eventually, I realized the acronyms let a customer know contents of the jams.

I liked my THOTS better.

T rust                  T hrow                               T urn

O nly                   O ut                                  O n

E lohim                E expectations (of others)      E encouragement

Stick your toe in the positive "waters of words" to encourage others!

FRISSON OF FEAR

Frisson of fear is what happened to me as I waited for the latest biopsy results. 
Fear the antithesis of trust.

I  didn't scream out to others for prayer but I turned inward somewhat, though not exactly in a spiritual way. 

It was like a pall hanging over me---a dark pall of worry. 

Worry the antithesis of contentment & peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)*
Source of fear is NOT from the Lord. (2 Timothy 1:7)**
Discouragement can follow fear and dismay is close behind. (Isaiah 41:10)***

A bedside reminder from a dear friend and MAC mentor.

But God....in His love, mercy and great love reminded me of those truths from His Word. (Ephesians 2:4)

The biopsy was benign......but the diagnosis requires ongoing observation and treatment. Recently I had "bragged" to a friend that I now no longer had to go to doc every 6 months.
Lesson learned. No more bragging assumptions from me---I am not in control! 
"I am not in control" is a praise because I know the One who is sovereign.

Frisson of Fear be gone.

*For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

**So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

***Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with   thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

CHOOSE: LITTLE PINK PAD

Cancer Center.

Choose the little pink pad. Sounds simple enough.

But.....how do you choose the Pink Pad without also choosing anxiety, dread for the procedure without fear of the outcome?

So....how does one choose reality of a hard place moment without exacerbating the situation with negative emotions? Here's my list.

• Battle those fearful thoughts with the Sword of the Spirit. (Ephesians 6:17)
• Know that the spirit of fear is not from God. (2 Timothy 1:7)
• Remember God’s goodness in a past cancer journey or difficulty and tell others. (Psalm 145:4)
• Recall God’s omnipresent promise. (Isaiah 41:10)

Give up the “what if it’s cancer” tremors and exchange it for “even if it’s cancer,” I know God can use it for good. (Move from “what if” to “even if” thinking---a tip I learned from Carol Kent)

Choosing the little Pink Pad was something to lead me to results I had no control over so........"when I am afraid," it's wise to put my trust in the hands of the One who is truly in control. (Psalm 56:3)

CHOOSE: CORRECT MULTIPLICAND

In calculation, one gets a "product" (answer ) when one chooses the multiplicand that is to be multiplied. Multiplicand x Multiplier = Product

To me, in my spiritual life, this is somewhat of a warning. Those mathematical terms might be a stretch for all the thoughts that multiply in my head but God is showing me that anxious thoughts multiplied indicate I need more of Him or I will get a quantity obtained by multiplication, which I don't want. (Psalm 94:19)

As Chuck Swindoll states in the "anxiety" chapter 3, Christ at the Crossroads, (my) problems,  "multiply" when I insert "my" solutions, try to work them out by "myself "or allow "my" own "fear" of inadequacy to creep in. The product from the multiplication of those problems is an answer I don't like. I become "afraid."

Clearly the answer for the multiplying of anxious thoughts is fear.  "Fear with inadequacy." 

Multiplying anxious thoughts becomes a deep-seeded fear much too heavy for me to carry around----so I choose thought multiplicands of love & truth, given by God. For He has not given us "fear but power, love and a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) I'll take those "products" any day. 

HIGH! HIGH!! HIGH!!!

HIGH!!! HIGH!!! HIGH!!!......605' high. I said I was NOT going up!!
That's what I told myself long before I even boarded the plane for Seattle.
As my family knows, my feet hurt when I am high above the ground.
Bridges. Ridges. Skyscrapers. Elevators. Helicopter rides. Hotel rooms with a double digit number.
My head swims. My feet hurt. The tingling starts at my feet and goes all the way up----so, as I've aged, I've chosen to avoid very high places.
I know the spirit of fear is not from the Lord but was this endeavor in the sound mind category which He does provide? (2 Timothy 1:7) My mind was spinning just thinking about it.

My friend Gigi had planned this trip and reserved this "upward excursion" to the space needle as part of our fun. The 10 mph glass elevator ride to the top (on a very WINDY day) was a little unnerving to consider as was my fear of being in a place that might be considered a "soft target" by Isis.
The Paris massacres had occurred as I was leaving Turkey a few weeks ago and just 16 hours before I left for Seattle, 14 people were killed in San Bernardino, CA in a terrorist-style attack.  I checked the area for unattended backpacks. If I could sweat, I probably would have been doing that as well.

But.....I also don't like to hurt someone's feelings. So.... I went. I prayed. I peeked over at the downtown Seattle skyline and Puget Sound and across at Mount Ranier. I returned to earth and seriously considered kissing the ground.

This pic is a FAKE backdrop tho you can probably tell---'cause our hair isn's flying!!

No more High! High!! High!!! for me so don't even think about asking.....unless of course I'm worried about hurting your feelings.

T-Shirt Theology

8/5/13 Nowadays a person's wardrobe has a way of espousing their belief's----at least in the T-shirt domain. More than advertising or designer logos. Sometimes a "cause" or a "beef" is front and center.

This past week I saw several T-Shirt "backs" that had me thinking and one that gave me pause for meditation. One was still hanging on a sale rack in the ice cream shop "gift" area. T-Shirt #2 was being worn by a VBS teacher eating lunch at Chick-fil-A (natch) in Lebanon, TN.

Life is bumpy. Enjoy the ride.
So true. Life sometimes offers twists and turns that we don't expect....but they are part of "our life story," as Taylor taught us on Sunday. So.......choose acceptance,  pray for God's strength and enjoy the ride as much as possible.

In order to get through the fear of those "bumps" in life that come our way.....one must choose to trust God. 

For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7) 

Focus (meditate) on God's love and power---not on those fearful bumps. Make that your theology and wear it on your own T-Shirt, if you choose.

Quest continues ...emotionally, part 2

2/1/13 The verse I closed with last night, because I was too tired to continue the blog, reminded me that fear is not from Him.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Looking back on the week, (after my home invasion) I saw that fear, which is from the pit,  robbed me of that sound mind that comes from His hand. I had spent a week in limbo---that fear permeated so many of my thoughts that everything seemed to be LARGER than life.

The limbo of waiting exacerbated by fear:

• Waiting for the police to arrive
• Waiting for peace of mind to return
• Waiting for a coherent thought to take shape
• Waiting for "walking" weather so I could walk---not only to clear my head but to continue "training" for upcoming rigorous trip to Disney World
• Waiting for blood work from lab that had to be "redone"
• Waiting in 2 doctor's offices for "scary/unknown" procedures 
• Waiting for physical therapy on leg/hip pain to diminish pain
• Waiting for biopsy report---on a place above my eyebrow I had never even noticed

But God, on the anniversary of THE event.....sent a late afternoon message that face biopsy was negative.

But God.......in His love and mercy sent a blog comment of encouragement from a long ago student, Nancy E.

But God.....in His goodness had me open a email this morning (though sent yesterday from Australia) from Jesus Calling author, Sarah Young, who has also experienced the violation of a break-in. She is praying.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him. (Psalm 40:1-3)

Quest ends where it should have begun...with the Lord.

The Quest continues.....

1/31/13 The physical quest. The spiritual quest. What about those on a quest for emotional healing?

Considering that question one week after THE event.