Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Echoing Themes...Yes, Lord, I Am Listening

I have noticed over the last few months that one of ways the Lord speaks to me is through repeated themes. I posted on here earlier about how the story of Joseph became a focus in several aspects of my life:  book club, personal book study, youth trip...that's when I began to slow down and wait on Him.  Or could it be that I have to hear something several times, be totally immersed within a topic before I clearly learn what He's teaching me?  Or am I just continually being taught to wait...and listen...and pray...and read...and wait.


My Newest Theme

feature_annual.jpgIt's happening again...this time with the word story.  I noticed it at last month's WMU meeting when I opened our periodical and read The Story Lives On, WMU's theme for this year. In BIG letters.  As if a voice said, "Tammy, I need your attention."  Now, that may not be that grand within itself...although I sure felt the effect of the words, except...please read on...this wording echoes so closely the theme in my English 11 classes that we had had begun the week before...Everyone Has a Story:  What's Yours?  I actually did a double-take, for I had just been absorbed in the echo of the story of Joseph and the pit and becoming familiar with the echo of His voice, teaching me more about Him, teaching me more about myself.  Was a new emphasis starting?  Hummm....

Then, at the WMU breakfast hosted by our church's association group, I listened as Kaye Miller, a former president of WMU and a resident of our state, discuss this theme, stating again that everyone has a story, everyone has a testimony.  I so enjoyed listening to her story, of her being raised in Thailand and the loss and regaining of her friend there.  (Yes, I later bought her book Called to Love:  Stories of Compassion, Faith, and God's Amazing Grace, just waiting on Amazon to deliver it to my door!)

This "story" continued last week, as I was perusing the books at Wal-Mart, there, just released, was Jodi Picoult's new novel The Storyteller.  I read the back cover and decided to buy it...full price...brand new.  (This is something I rarely do...always looking for a bargain on half.com...or I choose to wait until book's price drops.)  I have not had a chance to read this novel, but I am bumping to my next read.  That's right...should our Lord want to speak to me via this book, I want to hear/read what he has to say! (Click here to read, in the author's voice, why she wrote The Storyteller.)

Tonight, we had our monthly WMU meeting and were blessed to hear the story of an 83-year-old Christian lady share her testimony and her love for our Lord and Savior, concluding her time by reading a poem that she had written just for tonight's event.  (By the way, she is participating in the MyOneWord Challenge...her word is joyous, and I do believe that the Lord is honoring her word!)

Just as the meeting concluded, I recommended another person to tell her story next month.  These testimonies...or stories....are such a blessing.  The Lord did bless us with vocal cords, a tongue, lips...yes, he meant for us to use them for Him!


Am I Crazy?

Maybe.  Crazy for Him!  While He chooses to speak to me this manner, I will listen, learn, and grow.  Should He choose to never to speak to me again in quite this way, I am blessed for these two experiences, and, therefore, I encourage you to pause and become more in tune with topics you hear and see being repeated within your life. A reason may exist, a Heavenly reason, for this repetition occurring.  You will know, for that still, small voice still speaks to you...and to me.

Blessings!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

THE Lawn Mower...Tractor!

Here's just another example of how God works...but, first, a bit of background info...

Late last summer our John Deer lawn mower quit.  Just like that.  No more.  One could hardly blame it, as we thanked it for the fourteen years of service in mowing our ten acre yard (at least) and for the many steps it saved The Hubby as his personal ride up and down the shooting range and such.

As spring began to spring, we chatted about options, for the grass...and weeds, especially...did not cease to grow nor mourn the loss of that previous family member.  Thus, we thanked Mother Nature via the Good Lord for those extra cold days, as we determined what next mower might join our Gillmore Farm Family.

John Deere?  Bad Boy?  Kubota?  A new model?  A used model?

Finally, I reminded the hubby, "You just pray.  Every time you have made a big purchase, God has given you a great deal that you knew was the right one for you."

Yesterday, a used Kubota tractor...not just a lawn mower...but a tractor!...joined our family...and the Lord blessed us tremendously with an awesome deal that only He could have arranged.  The Hubby has been playing...ooppps, I mean mowing!  :)  Proud he is of the new big boy toy.  Proud I am of the nicely mown lawn.  A win-win for everyone!

This week,we were reminded that God's Time is simply that:  His Timing is perfect.  Sometimes...okay, nearly always...we have to wait, as He teaches us lessons and then blesses us for that wait time.  Yes, "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength."  I invite you to enjoy His Strength.  He will be there for you...just wait.