Quote - Steve Martin

"Be so good that they can't ignore you."

~ Steve Martin

This quote works in any area of life.  This is an example of what we should aspire to be, but not in a prideful way.  Sometimes you meet someone and they just seem to be different from other people, there is something about them that glows.  We are suppose to be the light on a hill in the darkness.  When we are following God and living His word then people notice, it will draw people to us because they want to know what we are doing.  We can be mighty ambassadors for God or we can blend in with this world.  This choice is up to you.

Jonah 3:9-10

v. 9-10 "'Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.'  When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened."

I LOVE THIS!  People who the world considers "especially wicked" turning to God with hope and faith and because of this they were saved from being destroyed.  I can imagine during this time period that many thought there was no hope for the people of Assyria, yet they came to know God.
 
The king's hope (I love looking up the meaning of words to gain knowledge of what I'm studying):

Who - of what character, origin, position, importance
knows - to perceive fact or truth, to establish or fix in memory, be acquainted with by sight or experience
yet - at the present time or particular time, in the time remaining
relent - soften in feeling, compassionate, forgiving
compassion - deep sympathy, feeling to alleviate suffering
turn - move on an axis, reverse position, to bring lower layers to the surface (as in plowing)

In 1956 five missionaries were killed by some men in a jungle tribe in Ecuador.  Later these same men who had killed the missionaries became Christians.  When they heard about what happened in Columbine, CO in the United States, where two teens killed many people at their school their response was "We use to be savages like that too before we came to know Jesus."  We think people can't change, but God does not hold to our logic nor is He bound by our rules.

"You've not outrun the grasp of His grace or overstepped the boundaries of His mercy."  Priscilla Shirer

The king said that maybe God would have compassion on them, such amazing insight for someone who didn't even know God, yet could still hope for a loving God to show compassion on his people.  When you give control over to God, He can do mighty things in your life.  Jonah's message was scary, but there was also an element of hope mixed in.  God was giving the people forty days to repent, plenty of time for the word to spread to the entire city and the outlying villages.  For many of us God has gone past the forty day mark, waiting for us to make a move back to Him.

"The people of Israel had heard many messages from the prophets, but they had refused to repent.  The people of Nineveh only needed to hear God's message once.  Jesus said that at the judgement, the men of Nineveh will stand up to condemn the Israelites for their failure to repent (Matthew 12:39-41).  It is not our hearing God's word that pleases him, but our responding obediently to it."  NIV notes

Some believe that God changed His mind as if He were wrong.  Jeremiah 18:7-8 says "If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned."  He has already written the end so how could He not know what happens up to that time?  He knows when we will turn from Him, when we will come back and those who will never come to Him at all.  Some think that God was repenting, but He does not sin so this would not apply to what He did.  A word used for God in this case is nacham which means 'to be moved to pity'.  So to say that God was mistaken does not make sense to me.  God knows the outcome of every event that unfolds before us.  God is never caught off guard for even one moment.  The Bible is our instruction manual for our lives so I think this shows His vast compassion for those the world thinks of as lost forever.

God didn't change, it was the people in Nineveh who changed.  In Hebrew a word frequently used for repentance is shub which means 'to turn' from sin to God.  It is God's nature to extend love and compassion to us, although we often don't accept it.  The book of Jonah is read by Jewish Rabbi's every year during Yom Kippur to show no one is beyond God's reach and to show His unending mercy for us so that even after we mess up He is willing to forgive us.

Christians should read this book at least once a year to check our hearts for any Jonah qualities that need to be uprooted and restored back to being obedient to God.

Jonah 3:5-8

v. 5-8 "The Ninevites believed God.  They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.  When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.  Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh:

'By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink.  But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth.  Let everyone call urgently on God.  Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.'"  

Jonah was going about the city proclaiming the coming destruction if they did not turn from their ways and immediately the people believed in a God they did not know.  This must have been some sight for Jonah, while he was walking by their must have been such commotion from the people who heard these words, the people stopped what they were doing and changed into sackcloth.  The king and all of the people put on sackcloth and did not eat or drink anything.  Sackcloth was probably very uncomfortable to wear, sin should not be a comfortable fit.  One of the reasons to wear sackcloth was to show repentance for sin, either personally or nationally.  Even the animals did not eat or drink, this was showing that every being was submitting to God.  Jonah was walking around this city, he would have had the attention of everyone due to the words he spoke and the possible harsh state of his body.

This message was for all the people, not just a select few.  All of the people were now equal in their repentance, the king did not say that only the greatest should put on sackcloth.  This king could have kicked Jonah out of the city, but he enforced Jonah's words.  This man also saw the truth and was trying to ensure that his people would all be saved.  A leader should care about the welfare of their people and do the right thing, unfortunately we have many in power around the world now that are not God loving God fearing leaders.  I think that many countries would benefit by having female leaders, there may be less wars and I think that the welfare of the needy would be on the heart of any woman who ran a country.  I pray daily for God to take those out of power who do not know Him and are cruel to their people.  A true leader should serve in the best interest of their country, not to see how they can inflict their power on the weak.

"Forgiveness of past sin qualifies us for present service."  Priscilla Shirer

Many commentators believe this was the greatest revival in history.  Looking back to see what happened during this time period will help us understand why these people didn't hesitate.  There were two plagues in 765 and 759 B.C. even though they were protected by the city walls this would have been devastating probably killing thousands of people and on June 15, 763 B.C. there was a total eclipse of the sun.  The plagues showed that there were things that they could not control, their well defended city was brought to it's knees.  The eclipse must have been scary to the people who probably didn't know what it was at the time.  This takes nothing away from God when Jonah preached to the people.  I believe God uses situations to soften the hearts of the people so that when He sends someone on a mission, the people receiving the words are willing to accept Him.  He has done this from the beginning and He still does it today.

When we are up against a task that appears too grand for us to undertake, we must remember:

• We are right.  It most likely is too big for us to handle.
• If God is calling us to it, He will equip us for it.
• God has been at work in the situation long before we are scheduled to arrive, and He is preparing the way for our obedience to make a difference.     Pricilla Shirer

God's word is for everyone, anytime, no matter what we have done or how long our sin has gone on.  

I don't think that we need to put on sackcloth and ashes on our forehead, but we can do this in spirit.  We can mourn those lost by death, those who choose to turn from God, cruel leaders that continue to still be in power wielding their weapons of hate.  Many things people did in the Bible we can do in spirit today to show God obedience.  

Many times God may give us a task that seems small, insignificant or something we don't want to do.  What we don't see is the ripple effect from our obedience, it may spread through one person to their family, friends and possibly their children and grandchildren.  It's an interesting sight to see when we help other people in that process God can help and heal us.  

We can't truly repent if we intend to keep our sin.  Repentance is accepting that we need God and asking for Him to forgive us.  His offer is hard to comprehend, He gives us love and mercy if we turn from sin.  This deal is unlike any other and if you take it you will reap rewards that will astonish you for decades to come.

Quote - Today

"This is the beginning of a new day.  You have been given this day to use as you will.  You can waste it or use it for good.  What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.  When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever.  In it's place is something that you have left behind.  Let it be something good."

I saw this sign online.  I think this is one of the best daily reminders we could have to think about how precious each and every day is.  Living our lives and not paying attention over time will result in looking back with regret that we did not live our lives according to what God wants for us.

Jonah 3:4

v. 4 "On the first day, Jonah started into the city.  He proclaimed: 'Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.'"

I had never thought of Jonah's condition after his release from his watery cell.  Priscilla Shirer spoke about a man in 1926 who had been swallowed whole by a shark.  This man was recovered after two days and of course he was dead, but the description was vivid.  All his hair was gone, he had patches of yellow and brown all over his body, there was a terrible stench from the body starting to break down.  Just imagine Jonah walking into the city, he would have stood out among the inhabitants.  He preached a warning to the people and I think his physically appearance must have had a great impact on the them.  Now when you think of Jonah try to think of this man who is physically scarred, someone who is forever changed on the outside.  Disobedience comes with a price.  His physical appearance may have been changed for the rest of his life, a continual reminder of his defiance.  If we see someone and assume they are filthy and hopeless just remember Jonah.  This man of God went through a massive change so those we may look down upon may have been in Jonah's shoes and have a story to tell.

"God's plans for us are so overwhelmingly beyond anything that we could ever imagine that our feelings or ability to reason His directives cannot be the determining factor for choosing obedience.  Making sense of what God has asked or feeling compelled to cooperate cannot be the prerequisite for choosing obedience.  His Word must be enough."  Priscilla Shirer

Jonah is finally there in the city of Nineveh, ready to preach.  Priscilla Shirer said that God gave Jonah only five words (in Hebrew) and nothing else to say to the people.  We get glued to the words when we hear a perfectly crafted speech.  Jonah did not have an elaborate lengthy speech to move the hearts of the people, these words had power in them because they came from God.  He had five words that changed their lives.  Sometimes simple is better.

The inner wall of Nineveh was about 8 miles to walk, a large city for that time period.  Jonah walked along the streets of the city proclaiming the coming destruction if they did not repent.  God did not outright destroy these people, He gave them a time frame to change their ways.  He could have decimated them, but then there would have been no reason for God to send Jonah.  God is a caring Father, yet even children must be disciplined if they do not obey.

Jonah 3:3

v. 3 "Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.  Now Nineveh was a very important city-a visit required three days."

When Jonah was in the fish he said, "What I have vowed I will make good."  The word vow implies a gift of sacrifice.  He wanted to go back to Jerusalem to make a thanksgiving offering, but God told him to go to Nineveh.  This shows that our obedience is more important than the sacrifices that we make.  This probably didn't make sense to Jonah, they were so steeped in the ritual of making sacrifices to God that obedience didn't seem to be the focus in their lives.

Many in Jonah's position at this moment would still choose to ignore God.  After all Jonah had gone through he still did not want to go, but he obeyed God's call.  Sometimes a wake up call does not rouse us to movement or we freeze in place and can't make the first step in obedience.  The enemy is extremely happy for us to stand still in a spiritual coma.  If you are in a moment of rebellion against God, I pray that you will study this important book of the Bible.  Learn from Jonah, so you don't have to be swallowed up by the world into darkness.

Are you amazed that God would choose to use Jonah even after he ran away and his heart still was not in this task he was given, I know I am.  There is no limit on the number of times we are given another chance, although I believe God would like that number to be as small as possible.   

"Oftentimes the greatest hindrance of a new move of God in your life is the last move of God."  Priscilla Shirer

God has His own timing which does not go by our calendar.  Sometimes we are called to an area then when He asks us to move on we don't want to go.  He is constantly stretching out our borders so we can have a greater affect on those around us.  Jonah was a reluctant missionary, he was called to go to a foreign land to speak with those that did not know God.  Sharing God with others should be an underlining mission as a part of our life, not just something we do to get it off of our to do list.

The four steps to reconciliation:

• admit our sins (that means ALL of them)
• accept responsibility for your actions, no matter what others do to you
• ask for forgiveness
• accept the tasks you are given by God, be obedient no matter what you feel like

In doing this you will be ready for what the world has to throw at you because you are not alone, you have a Father who loves you dearly, you have brothers and sisters around the world who are often in your same situation.  We are a collection of mismatched pieces, when we let God move us, then we can all fit together to make a beautiful picture.  

"When God speaks or allows you to see his hand, giving you the opportunity to participate in His purposes, you don't have an array of options to choose from on how you will respond.  It's clear-cut, plain and simple...black and white.  You can either choose to obey or disobey.  No neutral ground."  Priscilla Shirer

This time after being humbled, Jonah obeyed God's command.  This would be funny if he wasn't outright defiant to God.  Just thinking of my kids when I ask them to do something, they resist at first, then after a consequence they have found that they can do what I ask of them, stomping and whining the entire time.  They still have to do what is right, even though they don't want to.  They will learn that if they do it from the start then there will be no consequence.  Life is so much easier this way.  When God puts us in a "time out" we should think about what we did wrong, how it affected those around us and what we could have done differently.  So Jonah appears to be like a child.  Going off of what he wants to do instead of what the Father has asked him to do.  He pulled off a massive fit and his lesson was a massive fish.  I think this is a good example for parents to make the punishment fit the crime.  We are so hard headed that we often pick and choose what we want to do, instead of following the task that has been appointed to us.

Nineveh was 500 miles northeast of Joppa.  If Jonah sold his possessions to pay for his passage to Tarshish then maybe he was without any money for his journey to Nineveh.  I don't know if this is the case, but I'm thinking that Jonah didn't take anything with him when he was thrown overboard.  He may have had to rely on God and the kindness of strangers to make it to Nineveh.  It must have been a difficult trip, looking on the map it shows mountains and desert.  He might have stuck to the coast with it's mountains or went across a massive desert, either way it was not an easy journey.  God will ask things of us that will be difficult, but He will give us the grace to complete the task.

Nineveh was a city of around 600,000 people, an extremely large city for this time period.  Outside the city were towns that were influenced by Nineveh.  It was powerful, wealthy and a very important city.  This city was full of brutality and violence and outsiders avoided it.  Jonah was walking straight into this even though he felt like going the opposite direction.

"A way to determine where our allegiance lies is to consider how we respond to a divine intervention."  Priscilla Shirer

What are you shopping for?

This is for all the exhausted, stressed, angry, frustrated sweet women out there who don't think they are good enough and compare themselves to other moms.   Or am I the only one who has cried at the end of the day covered in Cheerios and baby food?

God has placed you in this exact moment in time with these specific children to raise them to know Him and when you look back you will be amazed at what God has been able to do with you, although it might not seem so in this present moment. 

My mom gave me a copy of this and I thought I would share this with you.  It was from a handout she had received a while back from Old Paths Tract Society, Inc.  When we are too busy during our day to spend some time with God we really start to unravel.  Moms are so busy with car pool lines, another trip to the store, homework, etc.  We need to remember that the items in this grocery store are vital to make us the moms that God has created us to be.  If we fill our carts with the things below we will be a mighty force in God's Kingdom.  Do not let the insignificant things of this world take your time and attention.  I know that I need this daily or I'll loose my temper and anger will abound.  I can guarantee that if our kids went with us to this store that they would surely behave!  Don't worry, men you can also go to this grocery store.

Shop in Heaven's Grocery Store

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read Heaven's Grocery Store.
As I got a little closer, the door came open wide,
And when I came to myself, I was standing inside.
I saw a host of angels; they were standing everywhere.
And one angel said, "My child, shop with care."
Everything a Christian needed was in that grocery store.
And all you couldn't carry you could come back the next day for more.
First, I got some patience, love was in the same row.
Further down was understanding, you need that everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of wisdom, a bag or two of faith.
I just couldn't miss the Holy Ghost for He was all over the place.
I stopped to get some strength and courage to help me run the race.
By then my basket was getting full, but I remembered I needed some grace.
I didn't forget salvation, for salvation that was free.
So, I tried to get enough of that to save you and me.
Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill.
For I thought I had everything to do my Master's will.
As I went up the aisle, I saw prayer and just had to put that in.
For I knew when I stepped outside, I would run right into sin.
Peace and joy were plentiful, they were on the last shelf.
Song and praises were hanging near so I just helped myself.
Then, I said, "Now how much do I owe?"
He just smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go."
"How much do I really owe?"
He smiled and said, "My child, Jesus paid your bill a long time ago."

Quote - The Trail We Follow

Priscilla Shirer talks about an Indian man that said, "I have come to know the carvings of Jesus, I have come to know His marking, I follow his trail."

Such a beautiful way of expressing our desire to follow Him when everything else around us is against this.  Last summer horseback riding in the Rocky Mountain National Park we passed an open field.  Our guide said that this use to be a road for stagecoaches and you could still see in the tall grass two lines going across the field.  Those two lines were lighter than the rest of the grass, but the grass was all the same height.  There seems to be a permanent mark of the path to follow.  It was amazing to see that long after people stopped using this trail there was still such a defining imprint upon the earth that may never go away.

This trail is like following Jesus.  Once we humbly go to God and ask forgiveness, He gives us the Holy Spirit, to guide us through the rough terrain in this world.  His mark will forever be on the path, all we have to do is follow it.

Olympic 2014 - My Favorite Moments

During the 2014 Olympics there have been some amazing stories.  Here are some of my favorites:

Evgeny Plushenko, Russian men's figure skater, won gold in the team event.  He backed out of the individual event due to injury, he has had two spinal surgeries over the last two years.  There is no point to go on if you might be permanently injured as a result of competing.  With the Olympics in his home country and such an intense focus put on winning medals in the figure skating events, he was brave to walk away, despite what others thought of him.

Heidi Kloser, American mogul skier, who was hurt in a practice run before the Olympics started and went to the opening ceremony on crutches.  Yes, Heidi you are an Olympian.

Alex Bilodeau, Canadian Mogul Skier, won his second gold medal.  What is even more special is that he got to share it with his brother, Frederic, who has Cerebral Palsy.  This one hits close to home and reminds me of my brother Bryan.  One of the most memorable moments for me.

Gus Kenworthy, American slopestyle skier, shined a spotlight on the stray dog problem in Sochi.  He is bringing a mom and her pups home to the US, along with a few other US athletes trying to adopt dogs.  I love when someone can use their celebrity status to raise awareness for a good cause.  I know in the US there are millions of cats and dogs in shelters.  This might seem strange to bring dogs from other countries to the US, but this may lead to more people adopting pets here and all over the world.  Many countries in the world do not fix their pets so the population continues to grow until there are strays everywhere.  Hopefully people will start to get their pets sprayed or neutered.

Anton Gafarov, Russian cross-country skier, who continued to ski on one ski after two falls and the Canadian coach, Justin Wadsworth, who came to Anton's rescue and helped him with a new ski.  See the post Victory Beyond the Podium, for more details.

Adelina Sotnikova, Russian figure skater, who was over shadowed by fellow Russian skater, Yulia Lipnitskaya, when she helped Russia win the gold medal for the team event.  Adelina went on to win the gold medal for figure skating in the individual event.  Having the spotlight off of you and being the underdog can really motivate you.

The Jamaican bobsled team, so great to see them again at the Olympics.  They had to wait on their gear and luggage since it arrived late.  Even though they came in last, they did not give up.  Such an inspiring story to see that despite the odds, they pursued their dream.

Donations came in from around the world to help out some of the athletes.  The Jamaican bobsled team got donations and American speedskater, Emily Scott, who was on food stamps due to her monthly paycheck from US Speedskating that was cut by more than half got help as well.  Emily and her dad were able to be at the Olympics due to complete strangers.  It takes courage to reach out and ask for help to make your dream come true.

Viktor Ahn, Russian speedskater, moved to Russia to skate due to problems back home in South Korea.  Viktor won four medals for Russia.  I think South Korea regretted letting him go.

Dario Cologna, Swiss cross-country skier, won a gold metal.  In true sportsmanship fashion, he waited around to congratulate last place finisher, Roberto Carcelen of Peru.  Roberto was competing with a broken rib and came in eleven minutes after everyone else.

Vanessa Vanakorn (Mae), Slalom skier from Thailand, she was happy to have finished the course, despite being in last place.  For some competing and finishing the race is more than enough.

Quote - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“We have a choice. We can seek for the bad in others. Or we can make peace and work to extend to others the understanding, fairness, and forgiveness we so desperately desire for ourselves. It is our choice; for whatever we seek, that we will certainly find.”

~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Victory Beyond the Podium

As I was fast forwarding through the cross-country skiing at the Olympics I had to rewind and I saw what is probably normally an uneventful cross-country skiing race turn into something more.  Many racers fell that day near the same spot so when I saw someone fall I kept racing through the show.  Then I saw another fall a little later in a different spot and decided to go back and see what happened.  A Russian cross-country skier, Anton Gafarov had crashed again due to a broken ski.  No matter what athlete falls or gets hurt, I hate to see that.  What country they are from does not matter to me, I don't like to see anyone get hurt or have their dreams crushed.  After his second fall he got up and started skiing on one ski.  Then a coach ran over and gave Anton a new ski so that he could finish his race, which he made it to the finish line with applause from everyone.  This man was not a Russian coach, he was actually a rival Canadian coach, Justin Wadsworth.  Justin said of this Russian skier, "I wanted him to have dignity as he crossed the finish line."

Anton was not going to get to the podium, but he did not give up and I believe he would have continued with one ski if he was not given a new one.  We all look at the medal counts and those that do not make the podium are soon forgotten.  This man did not quit, he was determined to finish this race no matter the physical pain.

Maybe the Canadian coach was just looking to pay forward a good deed that was given to his country back in the 2006 Olympics in Italy.  One of the Canadian women skier's had broken a pole and a Norwegian coach, Bjornar Hakensmoen, ran out to give a new pole to her.  This gesture ensured that Canada would win a medal while Norway did not medal in this event.  The teammate of this woman was Beckie Scott, Justin Wadsworth's wife.

There are many memorable moments so far in this Olympics, but this I will remember.  When the top athletes in the world fight for a medal, this athlete fought just to cross the finish line.  This is beyond a simple race, it is a grand display of God's handiwork.  How kindness and thinking of another can move the hearts of many around the world.

Quote - Winston Churchill

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

~Winston Churchill

Olympics 2014 - At The Start

The Olympics are going strong in Sochi, Russia.  Everyone wants their own country to win, of course they root for athletes from home.  There is such a sense of pride to follow them along this journey.  We do not know the pressure the athletes go through, but know it must be mind boggling to be on this international stage.  The decades of practice from a young age, the countless hours of training for a competition for mere seconds to strive for gold.  Many have had to leave their families to go train in a strange new city.  We do not see the intense training, we see the finished product, when they step foot onto frozen ground they are ready to compete.

One of the American women skier's, Heidi Kloser, crashed in a training run before the opening ceremony and had to be taken off the course in a sled.  She asked her parents if she was still going to be considered an Olympian.  Once you have made it on the team for your country, you will always be known as an Olympian.  Even if you don't get to complete due to injury before the competition starts, that can never be taken away from you.  It must be devastating to them to not get a medal, to us at home the fact that they worked hard and made the team is a feat we will never reach so we can't help but root for them.  They are hero's on the frozen ground and should hold their heads high.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's day and I hope that you all feel loved.  You may think to yourself, I don't have anyone special, but you do.  You have a wonderful Father who loves you more than you will be able to comprehend.  There are millions of people in this world who feel completely alone.  With all of our technology many feel even more cut off from people than ever before.  We are to fellowship and thrive while here in this world.

Today is a romantic field day for flower, candy and card companies, yet many will not receive a single thing.  The best Valentine card is to open the Bible and look for Scriptures that talk about love.  This entire book is a love letter from a caring God who wants you to know you are loved.  If today is a difficult day, please remember that throughout your entire day and the rest of your life there is someone waiting for YOU, wanting to show you love, grace, acceptance and mercy.

One of the most famous lines for this day is "How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways."  ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Here is a part of the love story between Elizabeth and Robert Browning.  Such a beautiful story of love and how the love of another person can bring about a happy life.  So think how much more God loves us as He waits for us to turn to Him so we can have a blessed life.

THE BROWNINGS

On January 10, 1845, Robert Browning wrote to Elizabeth Barrett for the first time, after reading her volume of poetry.  He was a little-known thirty-two-year-old poet and playwright, she was an internationally renowned poet, an invalid, and a thirty-nine-year-old spinster. “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett — I do, as I say, love these verses with all my heart,” the letter said. Over the course of the next twenty months, they would write each other close to six hundred letters — one of the greatest literary correspondences of all time.

The pair’s last letter was exchanged on September 18, 1846, the night before the two left for a trip to Italy, and two weeks after their secret marriage. Their romance, which she would eventually credit with saving her life, lasted for fifteen years and spawned some of the world’s most beautiful poetry. Elizabeth Barrett Browning was the daughter of Mary Moulton Barrett and Edward Barrett Moulton Barrett, an extremely wealthy landowner who owned sugar plantations in Jamaica. Her mother died when Elizabeth was just twenty-one, after having given birth to twelve children. Although Elizabeth, the eldest, was probably her father’s favorite child, she struggled along with her siblings under his tyrannical parenting. Incredibly controlling, Mr. Barrett insisted that none of his children marry, baffling even the family’s closest friends.

To add to her difficulties, from the time she was a teenager, Elizabeth suffered from a mysterious illness that caused her uncontrollable spasms of pain, breathing difficulties, and a general malaise that made her unable to leave her house. In fact, she rarely left her room, and believed that she was destined to forever remain a sickly shut-in and spinster. When Robert Browning first began to court Barrett — through their correspondence — she seemed to enjoy the relationship, but dismissed any romantic aspect of his attention, unwilling to believe that he could really be interested in her. Browning, the son of Robert and Sarah Anna Browning, a bank clerk and pianist, was a direct and ardent suitor. But despite his obvious affection and the mutual admiration that is prominently displayed in their letters, Elizabeth refused to see him until the spring — months after their first contact — as the cold weather of the winter made her health poor. The couple’s first meeting occurred in May 1845, after five months of regular correspondence. It is believed that Browning wrote to Barrett immediately afterward to declare his affection — flouting Victorian convention — but this letter has not survived. Elizabeth, sickly and so long in isolation, found it difficult to trust his intentions and was already skeptical of the institution of marriage and its treatment of women. Despite the obstacles, Browning’s visits continued, though always when Elizabeth’s father was not at home.

In the summer of 1845, Barrett’s physician recommended that she travel to Pisa, in Italy, for the winter because he felt sure she would not survive another harsh season in London. Her father, for seemingly unknown reasons, refused to allow the trip. After writing to Browning about her predicament, he wrote back, saying, “I would marry you now.” Instead of dismissing him as she had done before, she embraced his sentiments. They continued to see each other regularly, and, thanks in part to an unseasonably warm winter, Barrett’s health began to improve. In January 1846, Elizabeth, inspired by Browning, took a major step toward recovery by leaving the room where she had spent the last six years of her life.

By May 1846, Barrett began to walk outside and, in her letters, credited Browning for having a large part in her recovery. Also, she had begun to decrease her use of the morphine and opium prescribed for her condition. By summer, she was living a much more active life. On September 12, Barrett and Browning were married, before another London winter could again weaken her health. Sadly, the wedding was held in secret, with only her maid and Browning’s cousin attending as witnesses. Although she was then forty years old, Barrett lived in fear of her controlling father’s wrath if he found out that she was disobeying his direct order not to marry. When her deception was revealed, she was disinherited by her father, as were the two other Barrett children who dared to defy him.

Just a week after their marriage, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning left London for Italy, where they would spend the next fifteen years of their lives. Barrett Browning’s Sonnets From the Portuguese (1850), of which the line “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways” has since become one of poetry’s best-known, was written during their courtship and early marriage and is about her dramatic romance with Browning, and how he helped her save herself from a life of sickness and isolation. In Italy, both poets would enjoy many productive years of writing, as well as the birth of their son, Robert Wiedeman Barrett Browning, in 1849. She completed a second edition of Poems, as well as Casa Guidi Windows (1851), Poems before Congress (1860), and her well known verse-novel, Aurora Leigh (1857). She also became active in the fight for Italian nationalism, the abolition of American slavery, and the advancement of the condition of women. He published Men and Women, which was dedicated to his wife and is considered to contain his best poetry. They remained in Italy for fifteen years, until Elizabeth died in her husband’s arms on June 29, 1861. Casa Guidi, the Brownings’ home in Florence, Italy, has been preserved and is open to visitors.  ~ from The History Channel

Jonah 3:1-2

v. 1-2 "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.'"  

Some scholars believe God commanded the fish to spit out Jonah at Joppa, the piece of land that Jonah had left to run away from God.  Looking at the map of the area the fish could have spit Jonah out up near Turkey so his journey wouldn't have to be as long, but why would God give us a boost if we are in defiance?  Back to square one,  this seems to be a good position for us to reevaluate our decisions so that our path will start to seem clear.  Obedience has to trump our feelings.

"You were created with specific intention and recreated at the moment of your salvation with specific attention to detail so that you would be equipped to walk in the plans God mapped out for you long ago.  You can not reach complete satisfaction in life apart from your decision to engage in His predetermined plans.  For Jonah and for us, this means giving Him the position of prominence in our lives and restructuring our plans so that we can partner with Him."  Priscilla Shirer

God repeated His commission to Jonah, although He said it in two different ways.

First - "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me"

preach against (to make known, to deliver, give earnest advice, in opposition, hostile to, resistance, defense)

Second - "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."

proclaim (to announce, to declare, to praise publicly)

Both times God said that Nineveh was great.  I think that Jonah hearing that a second time might have stung his pride a bit more than the first time.  Nineveh was a large city that was very powerful and influential in the area.  Then the wording changed.  First, Jonah was told to preach against them because they were brought before God.  Second, God told Jonah to proclaim the message He would give him.  The second one seems to me to be a message to someone who has been humbled and is ready to follow God's plan.  God's power shows up clearly in this passage.

"We run mentally when we detach our thought life from our tasks and go through the motions.  We run emotionally by building up a callousness displayed by the attitude we show to others.  We can even run spiritually, going through the motions while having no fellowship with Him.  We can be on the run from God's directives even while we are engrossed in them."  Priscilla Shirer

When things are repeated in the Bible that should be a wake up call to all of us.  We should study the reasons why things need repeating in the first place, then we can hopefully let the message sink in so that God does not need to repeat Himself to us.  Even after running away, God still used Jonah.  Sometimes we get hung up on the notion that we are too far gone to be of any use to God.  His love covers all insecurity, if only we would let Him.  If you give God all your mistakes and ask for forgiveness, He completely wipes it ALL away, never to be see again.  That is unless you continue to dig it up because in some strange sense it is like a security blanket that we feel we can never part with.  "Serving God is not an earned position-no one qualifies for God's service.  But God still asks us to carry out his work."  NIV notes

Looking back, Jonah could have gone to another city or just stayed where he was to avoid going to Nineveh.  At God's calling many of us stay put, we do not want to make any changes, especially when we are comfortable where we are.  It will cost us far more than we would ever want to pay to keep in our comfort zone and not follow God.

"When we flee from God's presence, we do a most unusual thing.  We put ourselves in the very spot of punishment.  We find the people who are most subject to bad consequences, and we join them in their negative results."  Priscilla Shirer

Is God calling you to something that you keep ignoring, thinking it will go away?  Don't waste another moment, heed the call from a loving Father who wants to use you to do great things in this world.

"Jonah was involved in ministry as a prophet to Israel and yet, when divinely interrupted, chose to run from God's manifest presence.  He claimed loyalty to God and yet desired no intimate relationship with Him."  Priscilla Shirer

Why God shut down my TV when I wouldn't listen to Him

A couple of years ago God put it on my heart to stop watching Grey's Anatomy.  I really liked this show and had no intention of taking it off my list of shows to watch.  So what do you think I did?  I said, OK God I will stop watching at the end of the season.  At the time this happened it was not close to the end of the season.  I was trying to reason with God, trying to get my way just a little bit longer.  Our minds justify things we do and we think them to be OK since we are going to listen to God, eventually.  Well guess what happened.  The next week on Thursday morning my DIRECTV went out, the show was going to be on that night.  I still had everything on the DVR, but I could not watch any new shows.  This was a loud hint that I should have not tried to make a compromise with God, if I would have obeyed and said yes, I am confident that my TV viewing would not have been relegated to just what was on the DVR.  This was when my husband was out of town working in another state, so I just hung out and watched things that were already recorded (this show was not on the DVR).  Several weeks later we ended up switching companies to a new satellite carrier.  The installer mentioned that the old satellite dish cable had been loose.  You may think things like that just happen, but when we refuse to listen to God, He is more than capable of using anything that He sees fit to teach us a valuable lesson in His perfect timing.  I'm not a fan of thinking that things just happen in a chaotic randomness.

At first it didn't seem like such a big deal what I did in response to God, but it started to sink in that I was outright disobedient to something God called me to do.  Several times He has asked me to do something and I have listened, but not in this instance.  Sometimes in the small things we do not see the larger danger of disobedience.  This show did not have biblical values and I believe God wanted to weed out some of my entertainment choices.  You may think there is nothing wrong with this show, but for me it was time to quit watching.  We can't look around at other Christians and wonder why they get to do things that God has asked us not to do.  There are many Christians who watch shows and movies that are not considered Bible approved.  I still have work to do in this area and God is working on me.  I know He may not call you to cut out certain TV shows, movies or music, but I believe He is calling to many of us to make changes in what we see and hear.  God tends to work on us slowly over time starting with the big things and then moving on to the little things that we think to be insignificant that can come between us from getting to know Him better.  I cut out horror movies a long time ago, ideas of evil can influence your mind and if you tend to be paranoid like me it's not a good thing.  I am not a person who only watches and listens to Christian movies and music.  I like many things that are not considered "Christian", but are not bad influences either.  God can use most things in the entertainment industry to hint at His kingdom, but not all will see the message.  Many would never watch a "Christian" movie, but would gladly see an entertaining movie starring their favorite actor or actress.

Now when I see a commercial for this show I used to like so much, I don't feel even the tiniest bit interested to tune in.  I know that if I satisfied my flesh, my soul would suffer.  I am not trying to guilt anyone about their entertainment choices, I hope you all, along with myself, will make smarter choices.  Hollywood listens to money, so if we all would put our hard earned cash into good entertainment then they would start making more of it.  Unfortunately they get a lot of money from horror and R rated movies so they continue down that road until persuaded to a bigger cash cow.  There is a trend for romantic comedies to be R rated now, I guess that is to make the men want to go see them with their girlfriend or wife.  All it does is ruin a really good movie for a lot of us girls.  When we get desensitized, the movies continue to decline.  When will it be enough?  How low is the industry going to sink?

Our voice my be small against the world, but it is still a voice.

Jonah 2:10

v. 10 "And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land."

God is in command over all the land, including all the creatures of the earth.  God gave an order to a fish and it obeyed.  God ordered the sea to become violent, then be calm again, He ordered a fish to swallow Jonah, then dump him onto dry land.  The details of this story are so interesting, for such a short book it is packed with valuable lessons that beg us to pay attention.  Jonah was in the depths and God heard him.  You are never so deep down in darkness that God couldn't pull you out.  Light can crush through any amount of darkness.

Someone wrote to me and asked if I thought Jonah was dead or alive when he came out of the fish.  I had never heard this was a controversy before.  The bible does not say that Jonah died and was brought back to life so I believe that Jonah was alive and the fish spit Jonah onto land at God's command.  Maybe why some think this is because Jesus referred to Jonah in Matthew 12:39-40 "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!  But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."  There are many layers of meaning in the Bible, Jesus spoke in parables to the people.  It was never just a story, for instance, Jesus would speak about a farmer because the people would understand that topic, but those who could truly hear understood that the farmer was representing God.  There are literal, figurative, spiritual and practical lessons all throughout the Bible.

I hate fish and seafood and do not eat any of it, so the thought of being inside a fish for three days and the indescribable smells, rotten food and possible burning sensation of my flesh rotting away doesn't appeal to me at all.  I can see how that could be used to really open your eyes so you can see Truth and the mistakes you've made.  After looking at some of the posts on different websites about Jonah it is clear there are as many different views of this story as there are people to speak them.  It is dangerous to pencil in or cross off verses in the Bible.  People start huge arguments based on their belief which can greatly differ from what the Bible has to say.  We should ALWAYS refer back to the Bible and study to see what the Bible has to say.  I believe the Bible should be talked about so that we can gain wisdom and share our point of view with others, but I would not want to be the one who is before God answering for trying to rewrite His book.

Some reasons Jonah may have turned away from God on this mission:

• This mission made no sense to Jonah
• Jonah foretold the prosperity of Israel, not the destruction of an enemy country
• If Nineveh received God's mercy they may block the future prosperity of Israel
• A trip to Nineveh would not be easy to make by foot
• Jonah might have had to sell most of his possessions to make this trip
• Jonah had to leave behind the comforts of home
• Jonah would have had to leave his position of power to become weak in a strange land
• In Jonah's mind only Israel was to receive God's mercy, not the people of Nineveh
• Nineveh was a great enemy of Israel so hatred ran deep
• Pride, from beginning to the end of this book pride held Jonah in a twisted grip that wouldn't let go

"God works miracles and that He has a plan that supersedes our senses."  Priscilla Shirer

Justification of our beliefs and ideas does not give us the right to run away from God.  Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?"  Our hearts will slide into darkness without God in our lives.  Anything done out of the heart (works of the flesh) will always fall short of God's plan for us.

This book is a reminder to us all to follow God even if what we are asked to do does not make sense, does not appeal to us, is embarrassing or is the last thing in the world we would ever want to do.

Concussion Update

It has been two months since getting my concussion.  I have what the doctors call Post Concussion Syndrome.  The neurologist said that it usually takes up to three months to get back to normal and could be several more months past that time frame.  My head and neck still hurt daily, sometimes a sharp pain, but most of the time it is an all over mild pain which is very annoying.  I don't like taking pills and do so sparingly.  So if it appears I repeat myself often in my blog posts then I have forgotten what I have said in older posts!

Even in pain I give glory and praise to God.  I know that He is keeping my safe and there was a reason for my injury.  Even if it is to empathize with others who have had concussions it would be for the glory of God.  There is a comfort in having someone else who has gone through the same situation as you have so that you know you are not alone and someone on this great big planet understands how you feel.

I would be most thankful for you to keep me in your prayers for healing so I can get back to normal and in help with my patience during this time.  I am not the best person to be around while I'm hurting.  I complain a lot and any patience I have goes out the window.  Thank you

Quote - Priscilla Shirer

"At some point or another God is going to ask for something that I wasn't anticipating.  He is going to expect something out of me, want me to yield and surrender completely to something that I wasn't fully aware of when I signed up to be a Christian."

~ Priscilla Shirer

Jonah 2:1-9

v. 1-9 "From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.  He said:"

"In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the deep,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
I said, 'I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.'
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O Lord my God. 

When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you, 
to your holy temple.
Those who cling to worthless idols 
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
But I, with a song of thanksgiving,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
Salvation comes from the Lord."

When we are in the darkest places we tend to bow down to God.  It is never too late to turn towards God, but a life lived only turning to God in our misery means we will be missing out on so many things in this life.   Jonah said that he called to God and God answered him.  Yet Jonah did not answer correctly when God called Him to a task that he hated to the very core of his being.  Even in what looks like the end for Jonah he says that God is compassionate, He does not turn from us when we call.  The problem is that we turn away from Him when the call comes to us and we do not like what we hear.  Jonah is in deep, he speaks so passionately that he was to the roots of the mountains.  This my friend is what many of us feel like and we do not have to venture down to the depths of the sea to know how Jonah feels.  We could be surrounded by sunshine, but what we see is no light in sight.  It's as if our vision is so clouded over with sorrow that all we can see is darkness.

Jonah was giving a prayer of thanksgiving.  Our words are powerful for good or evil.  I hear many things that people say as if the words spoken did not matter and it makes me think to watch what I say.  Think of speeches throughout history that have inspired us to do better or those propelled by hatred to start a war. They wield the same weapon, just used to get different results. Jonah thanked God for who He was and what He has done.  Many times in the bible people in deep despair will speak of God's goodness and how low they sank.  It is important to take responsibility for our actions and acknowledge them before God.  When we realized how far we have come, only then can we put into perspective the depths we sank to and the heights that God cares for us in.  It is interesting that Jonah spoke about people who cling to worthless idols, at first this seems to be odd that he was saying this in the belly of a great fish.  It was as if he were speaking to a large crowd, instead of himself in the darkness.  I think he was speaking about how pride is an idol if we let it take the place of God and think that we are better than other people.  Jonah had an issue with pride that had to be dealt with in a severe way.

Jonah could have avoided this situation if only he would have listened to God in the first place.  Would we rather be used by God to help shine His light in this world or be passed over because we ran like Jonah? God does not have to use any of us, He wants to use cracked pots so that His light can shine through the cracks so the world can see that it is not us, but Him.