OUR GET AWAY.....

FINALLY CHECKING IN….

So, here I am again, been a while. What’s my excuse? I hate excuses, it makes way for lies. So what’s mine, my excuse, that is? Nothing! I just hadn’t wanted to write anything so there you go the truth and not a lie. Do you ever just get tired of keeping up with everything? I bet you do.

So I just wanted to check in and fill in my months since my last post in May. Life took many turns with me and my family. Had lots of events some good, some bad. You are saying so what else is new, me too! It does seem where ever I go we are all facing something. Maybe coming out of “one”, going into to “one” or in the middle of “one”. We are all so a like with our paths and how we take it all in dealing with the things life brings around. I once heard someone say if the Violin has no stress on the strings it want make beautiful sounds. Life is full of stresses and our lives can make beautiful music if we let it.

We just got back from taking a time out and it was just what the doctor ordered. People in the people business/ ministry get so caught up in the issues of others in the care giving arena we give and give until one day we are running on empty. That was what happened to us. I can’t say we haven’t been there before. You would think one would recognize it and stop before it catches up with you.

We took a trip last week, just got in the car drove north, didn’t stop until we wanted to and you want believe this, 10 hours later we were way up the road. I felt like I was doing something wrong and would get in trouble for it. It felt like we were running away and would soon be caught. It felt so nice, we laughed, cried, listened to music looked at God’s beautiful creation and let out a breath that felt like we had been holding for several months. And you know what? You that know us, know we are a close couple… Phil and I. We are together 24/7 and even though that is true we can not even know what is going on in each other’s lives. We did something that felt so good…we talked! I felt like I was on a first date getting to know my husband of 46 years, 10 months and 5 days. We only took off a week but what a cure for what was going on inside of us. It does help to take a step back, take a deep breath and just exhale….. BIG!

So until another time I am out of here to do some more, will check in later. Like the old saying goes, “don’t look for me until you see me coming”……

TAKE TIME TO STOP

One morning recently, while driving home from Murphy NC, I started thinking… “I have really got to slow down”. I was driving the speed limit but in my mind and life it seemed my “internal speedometer” was reading 90 miles an hour. Life can get that way before you know it. It can become a habit if you are not careful…. knowing how to “STOP”, get in the moment and “recalculate” takes a measure of disciple and a sense of reality to know it is going on. Unless it is “checked” you can get in a MESS!

Back to my moment, as these thoughts were racing through my head, I put a CD in and it was just what I needed to hear. My soul was being soothed. I wanted to take more of it in. I actually had no where to go, no where to be and no one needed me at the time. So as I drove up to the red light (how apropos for the moment!...that wasn’t a mistake). I looked both ways and cut it to the right, taking the road to the Dam at Lake Nottley. Just 5 minutes away, I approached the parking area that gives you a wide open view of the lake and the mountains in the background. How relaxing!

The music was playing rather loud. Hey! no one was around, but me and God! It became a defining moment, that to this day, I look back on and remember. It was as though I could hear God saying, “Where have you been? It’s been a long time." I could feel my body relaxing, getting into a state of rest, that I had not had in a long time. I could not believe how I had let “stuff” clutter my life, taking up my time ruling and having the potential of keeping me from the real things that matter…like spending time with the One who created me and who cares for me. It turned out to be a time of solitude with the One who loves me and I love more than anything or anyone. We had a talk and I became reassured of Who I Am! From the words of the song that was playing, I was captured and drawn back from the busy life I had developed. I had thought those things were so important and that I had to keep running like running on a treadmill, driving it hard and fast until it started to consume me.

Looking around I thought, it has been a long time since I had stopped to let myself take in the beauty that surrounded me, resetting my mind to the things that keep me focused and on course. As I sat there, this verse came to mind, Isa 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” That was what I have needed for months and it was here all the time.

I went away that day feeling a sense of Renewal in my heart, a refreshed feeling from visiting with Father and hearing Him express Himself to me. My mind was re-set to Col. 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Just this morning a portion of the song I heard that day came to my mind it goes like this… “I know who I am, I know who I am, I know who I am, I am yours and You are mine”. It was like a “telegram from God” saying wake up “baby girl” now lets get started we got places to go and people to see” living My life through you is easy because “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” so lets go out and have an awesome day! YEAH….. WHAT A LIFE!

GETTING BACK ON TRACK

When it gets like this it is way out of my Comfort Zone. I then get in a mode of "Trying to fix it" and I get things in a mess. I want to know, when it gets like this, why I can't just relax, chill out and trust God? OK! I know, He is silent right now in times like these. I like to see things, knowing where I am walking, like in the light all the time, but when it is dark, Oh My! It gets scary...OK God what are you up to now? I think right now would be a good time to take inventory with myself, maybe answer some questions I've had. How am I doing in my Spirit/Soul/Body? In my Spirit, that is my relationship with God. In my Soul, where my Mind/Will/Emotions resides, could use some attention. That is where my flesh patterns, from my old way of life kick in, saying, "I should Worry about this", then, "I am going to Doubt"!; and "Fear this or that". You know what living like this has the potential to cripple you. So how is my Body doing? I sure can use some alteration of my food intake, finding out why I eat when I am not hungry and why don’t I find the full level and stop when I am full. Did you know we only should be eating the amount the size of our fist? I am going way beyond that then I beat up on myself. Ever been there? Yeah you have!!! So we all need to work on these things. The price has to be paid and now it's HERE make a plan and work the plan. Today I have blood work getting ready for my 6 month check up with my doctor. Oh how I hate to get on those scales. I take off all I can and decide the morning of my visit what I can wear that will weight the lightest. All along I need to be working on the day Nurse Debbie says, “Ok! Mrs Mason get on the scales let’s weigh you then I close my eyes and the truth comes out.

Venting is good! And I guess this is what this has been and I feel better. Maybe someone out there in cyberspace is feeling the same way and would like to give me their take. While I am waiting this thing out I have a pretty screen saver that will brighten your day like it does mine. My SIL grows this orchid in her window; it just stays the same and produces the most beautiful blooms to enjoy. I took a picture of it one day. You know what I think it is saying? Bloom Where You are Planted and Wait...even if it is slow and quite, right now....

WHAT WE CAN COUNT ON IN 2008

The list below, Predictions for 2008, was recently sent to me by my niece, Becky. Becky is a single Mom of two wonderful children. I knew the list meant a lot to her because she has no choice but to live trusting these things on this list. As I read over them, I was reminded of how we live in a crazy world and sometimes we might experience FEAR. I heard this said one time: FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. The TRUTH is, we don't have to fear, we CAN walk daily with confidence that God IS with us everywhere we go and IN everything we face. He even allows the things that come our way. I know because there is not one thing that can come into my life unless it first goes through Father's great big hand.

Speaking of our Father's great care, this Christmas we enjoyed having our grandson, Caeden, for a day at the Mall, shopping for quite a while. Walking back to the car after a busy day, I observed his Granddad holding his hand, as I walked behind. It was with special care, because I knew he was holding the hand of someone very special to him. I took this picture, knowing it is like the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father. It says to me...He is here with me wherever I go and I am safe!

So what do you feel as you look at the picture? And what about the list? I made a copy to carry with me to be a reminder this year when the storms of life come raging to remember, "The Truth is Always What God Says, No Matter How I Feel"!

PREDICTIONS FOR 2008

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost.