Today I was playing in the ocean of Waikiki and a turtle swam up to within arm’s length from me. I saw his fin and his head and our eyes met. I yelled, “Turtle” and someone who had been watching him for a while yelled, “Shh”. They’d been watching and wanted me to join them but not scare him away. It had already been a great day. I swam with Dolphins and a Wolphin (a mix between a Dolphin and a Whale).  Here’s the difference, I knew I was swimming with the Dolphins and Wolphins.  I did not know I was swimming with a turtle. So here’s the lesson: God knows everything. God knows when we are in danger and when there are things lurking within arm’s length that we are totally unaware of. God sent Jesus to the earth to take our place so that when we accept that and confess Jesus as our Savior we also can receive the Holy Spirit. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to keep us safe. He brings all things to our remembrance and leads us and guides us. We no longer swim alone in this world we have a comforter and counselor who never leaves us alone.

The end of the day as I watched the sun set I was comforted in knowing no matter where I am He is there. No matter where I find myself I am never alone He is closer than arm’s length—He lives inside of me. There are others who know Him too. His presence can be seen. So when you find yourself floating in the Sea of Humanity remember you are significant. There is nothing that can miss His eye—and when your eyes do, you can trust Him to take care of you.


Luke 12:7 (KJV) “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

Have you ever flown somewhere or planned a vacation and been given or done an itinerary. Everything is mapped out. You land here; you get picked up here, taken there and even eat at so and so.  Awe every day is all planned out and you think you are going to just show up and everything is going to be alright. Why we even sing songs about “Everything’s Alright”. But just because we have an itinerary and plan we are NOT guaranteed everything is going to be alright. 

Psalm 19:21 (NIV) “Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.”

On a recent trip my seats were pre-selected and I had plans of where I was going to sit and what I was going to do while on the plane. Well, due to a mechanical problem I was unable to fly on a specific style plane but had to fly on a different model. There were only three seats in the middle of the plane instead of five so I wasn’t able to sit with the persons I had planned.

Life happens.  The people we plan to do life with don’t always get to stay with us. Sometimes they get moved. It’s a blessing when it’s only to a seat nearby but sometimes it’s to a place far far away that only can be gotten to by making a reservation and making a life change.

Have you made a permanent reservation to final destination? Life happens. Itinerary's change. However, there is One that never changes.  He is faithful to do as He has said.

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NLT) “God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Baggage Claim

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Baggage we all have them. We can sometimes think we identify our baggage only to find someone else come up to the conveyor belt of life’s baggage at the airport and pick up our bag. They do a quick check at the tag and sure enough it’s their bag. We are not alone at carrying baggage.  At a recent conference I found we all have baggage and many of us carry the same baggage. One bag so many of us carry is rejection; another common bag is low self-esteem.  Still we may recognize pride and shame because we too have been weighed down by those bags. Some of us decorate our bags. We put fancy tags on our bags. We stuff it full of things to entertain us and feed us—and yes, even cover us up. It’s great when someone comes along and asks if they can help with our baggage but it much better when we can get rid of the baggage all together. 

At home I don’t need to carry my baggage.  At home I usually unload my bags and stick those suitcases in a closet until the next time I have to go somewhere. Then I go to the closet get out the bag and start stuffing it again.  Our hearts can be like that. When we are in a safe place we function without all the baggage but when challenged to go to a new territory or a place we’ve never been, we grab the baggage again. The “They won’t like me bag”, “The I can’t do this bag”, and even the “I doubt God” bag.

While on at an airport lately a really big man got my bag down for me because it was too heavy.  Then he even asks if he could help me with it. People in life can help us carry our baggage but only God can deliver us from them.

Take a good look at this picture and then tell yourself, “Glad it ain’t that bad.”  No, really how would you like to have to produce and be happy about it all alone with no one around you to show you how to stand tall and look good in a rough spot.  Nature often shows us what can be done because of the what that is “in us” not the what that is “around in”.  Often times we use the situations we find ourselves in to excuse ourselves from doing what we are supposed to do, let alone what we are called to do.

We are not natural once we come to Jesus—we are supernatural.  That being said we are to walk by faith and not by sight. If we are having trouble displaying the beauty of Christ likeness within us then it will be next to impossible for Christ to be seen through us.  Here are a few challenges:

·        Being nice when we feel like being mean.

·        Saying “Thank you” when although others have tried to help they have fallen miserably short.

·        Remaining thankful rather than complaining.

·        Displaying a Christ like attitude when we want to act like the devil.

Let’s take a lesson from this little flower and bloom where we’re planted. The next time you find yourself between a “Rock and a Hard place”…let go of the hard place and keep letting your roots go down and keep climbing higher.

Today was a great day. I had lunch with my grandson. He fulfilled my expectations. I wasn’t upset at all. Did I mention he is two? I have experiences with two year olds. They are picky eaters, get bored quickly, throw fits, as well as other objects. The best part of it all is they try so hard to do what we do the way we do it. Today my husband leaned against a post and crossed his legs. This lil man of mine looked down at his Djed’s (Croatian for grandpa’s) feet and tried to do the exact thing. After the first try he grabbed for my hand to hold while he did his man thing. Yep, he wanted to be just like Djed.

I think Father God loves it when we try to be just like Him. We men made in His image both male and female must often appear as two year olds. We pick what we want to read and obey out of His word, get bored quickly, throw fits, as well as other objects and He isn’t surprised. (Mark 10:6) This Father of ours is well acquainted with two year olds and we usually fulfill His expectations. But, just like my grandson does to me I bet we often bring a smile to His face and a laugh to His day. 

The best part of it all is when this lil man of mine holds out his arms to reach for me.  Want to make God’s day reach out for Him and let Him protect you and hold your hand. He wants lean us to lean on Him.

So I was packing my car and left the garage door open.  The next thing I knew a bird comes flying into my house. It would have been funny but I was trying to leave and didn’t have much time to delay. I figure if I open the doors the bird will fly out. So I tell the other person in the house I’ll shoo the bird your way and you shoo it out. Well bird brain goes upstairs not outside.  Now the apparent parents of bird brain are fighting and screeching outside my door and I’m thinking any minute they are going to come in and join the party. If my child was in a strange house much bigger than the average bird house I may get a bit freaked out too; after all who sees at 3,000 square foot house from the inside every day—not your average bird.

Well eventually the bird found his way back downstairs and was reunited with his parents or perhaps feathered friends.  Moral of the story? When you decide to take off on your own it might be a good idea to go slow and maybe ask someone who isn’t a bird brain.  All joking aside who do you ask advice from? Are they up-line or on the same horizontal plane that can’t see any further than you can?

God sees way ahead of us. I mean He doesn’t worry about not being able to see the forest for the trees. He made them both. The Maker of Heaven and Earth, creator of all that is and was is not directionally challenged. We are created in His image. Christ lives in us. Our goal is to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Come on, don't be a bird brain!   


Proverbs2:6 (NIV) “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

When preparing to go somewhere sometimes it’s so hard to get everything together I wonder if it’s worth it. By the time I am packed, the house is clean, the laundry is done and all the many details are taken care of I’m left wondering was it worth it. Then when I arrive at my destination I’m exhausted. You carry everything to your hotel room or location you will be staying and just about the time you get everything where it needs to be and you are in somewhat of a routine it’s time to come home. Once home you unpack do laundry and put everything away you’re wondering was the get-a-way really worth it. Come on I know you know what I mean.

So life sometimes is like that preparing to go to heaven. There is a lot to do. Sometimes we are too tired to get it all done and we begin again the next day. There are delays and detours but we keep our eye on the goal. For when we get to heaven compared to other destinations we never have to come back, never have to move and get to stay in the same place for forever. Heaven is looking better all the time.  We don’t even have to worry about what we are going to wear. Whatever incarnate is that we get to put on must be some pretty durable stuff.  Heaven will be worth every once of preparation and then some for us and for those we introduce to Jesus and they do prepare for destination home.

1 Corinthians 15:54 (NIV) “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

Enjoy life. Enjoy the journey. Pack light and remember the important stuff.  People are the most important for they are eternal beings. The other stuff really doesn’t matter. When things get tough remember one day you will arrive at destination heaven.

Life was not fun today.  I barely had time to go to the restroom.  I scarfed down my food.  I drove to fast and can’t really remember the faces or conversations I had. Oh but I got my list done. I checked off every item.  I can’t recall a cashier’s face. I don’t remember what the lady at the dry cleaners looked like.  As I sat down to write this blog I thought to myself nothing was fun today.  I don’t remember seeing anything pretty or noteworthy. So I began to go over my day. As the scan began I remembered I saw more than a normal amount of road kill. Seems squirrels, skunks, and several unidentifiable creatures met their fate today. Then it came to me. I’m thankful I didn’t end up road kill today.

Matthew 6:34 (ESV) “34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Then I remembered I sent out several Birthday cards today.   I ran into a friend.  I got to get my hair done and even had a cup of tea after dinner while sitting in the living room with my husband.  Life is like photography you need to develop the negatives in order to see the picture. As I thought about all the work, the phone calls, the loading and unloading, the cleaning, the packing, the decisions the negatives started to develop into a beautiful picture. My life is full because I am full of life. Not just any old life but the life of God and this life I live is to glorify Him.

I must say by the end of this blog I am feeling better.  I can see that what I did today will make for a better tomorrow; a better week and not just for me but for the lives that I have the privilege of touching. I think the negatives of today once developed have tuned out quite nice. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds because I know who holds tomorrow.

There is an innate need in each of us to belong. God the father wanted children and He wanted to create man in His image and wanted man to be fruitful and multiply. In other words He wanted us to have children too.  When I look at my daughters and my soon to be grandson my heart floods with love.  Today at church I was looking out at our congregation and the love for each of those sitting in the congregation flooded my soul. When I am away from my family I miss them and I know they miss me too.

When I think of all of this it motivates me to reach out to those with no family. I want to share Jesus Christ with the lonely and the lost disconnected people of the world and tell them they don’t have to be alone.  There is a father in heaven that desires family and wants them to be a part of that family.

Recently our family has grown. I have nieces who recently married, others who have just had children and still others who are pregnant and awaiting the arrival of even newer soon to be members of our family. We all rejoice at each event and get together to celebrate.  When we see one another we embrace and catch up and eat.  Even when we get to heaven we are going to eat! I think that is just part of being a family.

Last night I took a class. I saw friends I had gone to Bible College with did life with and served in the Kingdom of God with and still do. It was a home coming. We hugged and caught up with one another. We showed pictures to one another of our grandchildren. It was heaven.  Then I thought to myself. Heaven is going to be like tonight. I will see old friends, people perhaps I went to school with, and even children, it will be well—heaven.

God is all about family. It was His idea to have family. God wanted us to be His family. He enjoyed His relationship with us until sin came between Him and us. Isn’t that the way it is here on earth? Everyone and everything is fine until sin comes on the scene. Marriage is good until sin comes in. Finances are good until sin comes in. Our bodies and minds work well until sin comes in. Relationships are ruined when sin comes into the picture. The word of God tells us to pray, “…on earth as it is in heaven…” (Mat. 6:10)

That’s all I have for today, but I think this is enough. Think about the areas in your life that are not heaven on earth and then begin to ask God where sin came in. He will help you get it out so you can have heaven on earth.