Beautiful

He makes all things beautiful in His time - Ecclesiates 3:11

Jozanne Marie in Beautiful

We go through a lot in life and often times we don't know why. If you believe in God ultimately you are able to reconcile the circumstances of your life, with attributes that aren't human. Things like grace, mercy, forgiveness, redemption, restoration and hope.

We saw the play Beautiful on Saturday. It left me speechless (and few things do). It was stunning in its capacity to show what the human spirit can endure. It also displayed the supernatural power of God's forgiveness and healing. We talk about redemption and restoration, but to hear what Jozanne went through and how she now holds no ill will to those who hurt her is amazing. Those that hurt her were very close to her and it was part of her family legacy, but with the forgiveness she chose to bestow, she has broken that legacy. With her life, God has made something absolutely beautiful.

Currently I am wrestling with a number of things as it relates to families and child rearing. I have recognized that I need to support my children even though I don't necessarily agree with their endeavors; this has been hard. I recognize what support does for a child - I supported another child in her endeavors because I believe in her and having that support behind her has made a huge difference. For the other child not having the support they so desperately needs has also made a huge difference but not in a positive direction. My prayer right now is that God will take all of this and make it beautiful in his time; that He will change hearts - mine and theirs.

Perhaps you're not going through anything as harrowing as the character in the play, or perhaps you are.
Seek Him - 1 Chronicles 16:11 Isaiah 55:6-7
Trust God -  Proverbs 3:5-6
Forgive, for your own benefit - Ephesians 4:31-32, Matthew 6:14
Feel his love flow through you - remember the offense no more as God did with us; He hath not dealt with us according to our offenses - Hebrews 8:12; Psalm 103: 8-12
Trust God to restore - it's a promise -  Joel 2:25

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiates 3:11
God makes all things beautiful in His time. Let Him take your mess and make it beautiful. Will you?

Tropical Mood

On 7/30/12 I planted an avocado seed from Jamaica.
Since I live in sunny Southern California, I don't see why a pear tree can't grow.

avocado also known as pear

 I also hope to plant an ackee tree also and then I can have ackee and codfish whenever I want.

ackees

Ackee and codfish eaten with breadfruit is one of life's pleasures. A Breadfruit tree is also on my wishlist

I also want to plant a mango tree.

mangoes

I'm going to need a big yard...but a girl can dream, can't she?

Just Do It

We've all heard the expression from Nike - "just do it.' Nike provides the equipment, but ultimately you've got to decide to use the equipment. This has great application to every aspect of life including the spiritual.
Lately, I've been a slacker on many fronts. I used to run three to five days a week until I developed a knee injury.  In attempting to treat it, I slacked off on the running.
I also used to wake up every morning and spend quality quiet time with the Lord. Of late, I find myself rolling out of bed and jumping right in to the day's activities, then stopping myself so that I can at least have 5-10 minutes of morning devotions. This amount of time is not sufficient to deepen a relationship.
In both of these areas I've seen the difference - I often feel disconnected from my Source, and I question and doubt myself.

Recently I started running again and here's what I realized:

• I have what I need to do this
• Just because it feels tough does not mean I should quit
• You already know how to run, now just keep putting one foot in front of the other
• The sense of accomplishment when completed is worth it
• The more I do it, the better I feel, the easier it becomes
• Just when you think you've mastered this, something comes along to trip you up, but keep going any how.
• Finish strong

These lessons are important in my spiritual life as well and I've started to apply them. As a matter of fact they are more important spiritually, than physically.

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 (NIV)

Have you been slacking off lately? Do you have what it takes to just do it?

Changes

This blog used to be called Life....After Death of a Brother, since that was the genesis of the blog - death was the beginning (do you see the irony in that?)  It was an outlet for grief and all that it entails. Over time I realized that I was not grieving anymore, but I still needed to write.

I try to write from a positive perspective; to be an encourager. If one sees death in the title, encouragement may not automatically come to mind. I also noticed that many of the things I write or wish to write would fall under things I wish or have shared with my children.

So, once more I have moved on.  The new name of the blog is LifeNotes. I will continue to write about spiritual things since I aspire to be a devotional writer, but I will also write about other things that are happening with me or cross my mind.

I hope you stick around, keep reading and follow - I would really love to have more followers. You can follow via Networkedblogs or Google Friend Connect.

Graduation Sunday Morning Musings

No matter which coast I'm on, I always seem to wake up early.

• Today, is our second child's graduation from college. Moments like these are joyous and sad. Joyous because it's an achievement for her and for us; she did the hard work of completing the course work, staying the course, overcoming hurdles and keeping the end goal in sight. We were on the sidelines providing support in all forms and sometimes that seemed just as hard.
• Children are a blessing, but what our children are dealing with nowadays sometimes baffles my brain. They are called the Me Generation, which is described in this article. They are more self assured in their early 20s than I was at that age. They know what they want, and go after it. To us older folks this can come across as selfish, being entitled or being well grounded.
• Raising children with morals, values and principles, or as I like to call it Biblically, never goes out of style. But as a parent - you feel more battle weary. That's the devil trying to wear you down and he will use anything to do so even those closest to you.
• When you feel battle weary - take time to replenish. Replenish yourself so that you can be stronger in your relationships.
• I replenish by being up early and communing with God - sometimes I don't know what I'm saying but just to sit still with a cup of tea, God's Word and an expectant heart is sometimes miraculous.
• I also replenish by shoe shopping!
• I'm prepared for the celebration of another milestone; I'm sure I'll shed a tear or two and my husband and I will look at each other with a nod and that knowing look. We're getting it done with God's help.
• There's a bigger message than achievement and that is, God is in control in every facet of life and this is who we rely on. Without Him today would not be possible. I hope this message is not lost on the Me Generation.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. Psalm 119:9

I'll be back with pictures.