Spring highlights

Highlights of today
- Warm weather
- The beautiful sky
- My grandma and her enthusiasm as she found out she returns home on Wed, getting a perm and her four visitors
- I not only will get to hear Shane & Shane, but also Shawn McDonald!!
- Getting an unexpected call from my friend Julie
- My initial bites of Doritos- haven't eaten them in a long time; however, as I continued to eat I felt kind of gross....
- The wave of hello from my neighbor
- My flowers are popping up- ones from my friend Kelly when I initially moved
- My beautiful centerpiece from my friend Mitsu's younger sister's wedding....isn't it beautiful...

Determination

DETERMINATION....STEADFASTNESS......NEVER GIVING UP HOPE.....LEADS TO VICTORY!

Wow- what a game. I must admit I don't follow basketball like I do Ohio State football, but what a game last night. My limitless sleep was well worth it as I witnessed the determination of the Buckeyes last night. The first half was quite disappointing as the Bucks were down by 20 points. I walked dishearteningly back to my bedroom, thankfully the team was not disheartened as they proved themselves to come back from 20 points down to win by a point. As I think of this game and again the determination that was put forth, I think I pray I have that for this life. Jesus....determined to do the Father's will.....steadfastness in His love for us....the hope we have in Him, inexpressible and this leads to victory- our victory in Jesus in His determination over sin, over death. So, my readers and I speak to myself, when our circumstances are looking down....we may feel like we're failing and never going to win....may we recall Christ's DETERMINATION-as He continued to walk with the cross....people thought there was no victory, being crucified- a criminal's death....for there was a waiting period....three days. Then the rock was rolled away. Resurrection occurred- Victory- everlasting life in a pure and glorious place in the presence of our Father.

The Abandonment of God

From My Utmost For His Highest: March 13th

For God so loved the world that He gave...


Salvation is not merely deliverance from sin, nor the experience of personal holiness; the salvation of God is deliverance out of self entirely into union with Himself. My experimental knowledge of salvation will be along the line of deliverance from sin and of personal holiness; but salvation means that the Spirit of God has brought me into touch with God's personality, and I am thrilled with something infinitely greater than myself, I am caught up into the abandonment of God.
To say that we are called to preach holiness or sanctification, is to get into a side eddy. We are called to proclaim Jesus Christ. The fact that He saves from sin and makes us holy is part of the effect of the wonderful abandonment of God.
Abandonment never produces the consciousness of its own effort, because the whole life is taken up with the One to Whom we abandon. Beware of talking about abandonment if you know nothing about it, and you will never know anything about it until you have realized that John 3:16 means that God gave Himself absolutely. In our abandonment we give ourselves over to God just as God gave Himself for us, without any calculation. The consequence of abandonment never enters into our outlook because our life is taken up with Him.

What a beautiful God

Plunging

This past weekend I had to retrieve my handy dandy plunger- I have two since they work so well. I have one for the toilet and one for the sink; mixing is not kosher. So after using my sink I would hear some gurgles maybe up to 30 seconds later. So my dad who is a very handy man- kudos to you dad if you're reading this- suggested I start plunging. I tried taking apart my sink to remove the drain stopper, but that was too complicated for me and per suggestion of my mom started the plunging process with the stopper intact. Let me tell you what- my mom was right- it works. So as I'm plunging this filth comes to the surface. Nasty looking stuff. So I cleaned it all up. But I feel as if that can be representative of my heart. At times I know my heart can be deceitfully wicked- as it says in Jeremiah. There are times when I feel like sin has invaded me and the Holy Spirit works just like the plunger; bringing that junk out b/c it's impeding the proper flowing, the proper working. And then the junk needs removing- and thanks be to Jesus that He cleanses me from all unrighteousness- that I do have hope in Him and realize that I am in need of a Saviour. Amen