Lessons Learned From the Class of 2013 (Part I)

After reading others New Year's comments from what they had learned this past year, I was motivated to complete my own notes in the form of a Blog.  If for no other reason, as a measuring stick as to my own progress or lack thereof this past twelve months. So here are this year's class notes:

I do not shrink from issues that are what I judge to be battle worthy. If it is something I am passionate about, if necessary, will lead the charge knowing full well there could be a high price tag that accompanies this choice.

I am well aware that my passions often lead me to be outspoken. I also am acutely aware that the gifting the Lord has placed within me sometimes gets turned wrong side out! I am also acutely aware that the enemy of my soul would love to place a "Gag Order" over my mouth. But my passion for truth, justice, protection for those I cherish deeply, and the fear of the Lord keeps the words coming.

I have learned that if you allow the fear of man or need of approval to dictate your life - your dreams and aspirations could end up being the dash on your tombstone between the dates of your birth and your death. At the age of 102 you could still be sitting on the curb of "I wish" with your bags packed as your "What could have been" waves as it passes you by.

I have discovered the people that have judged me the harshest are also the same people who never bothered to call or come by for "The rest of my story."  At the same time, I discovered the Lord has healed my heart to the point I can still love, forgive when I "do" know "ALL of the rest of the story."  There is a time to be silent - and there is a time to speak.

It is difficult at best to operate with any part of your body in a sling - especially, your heart. I have discovered that you can completely be transformed but, still walk with a significant limp.  As ugly as they are, and sometimes disfiguring, scars are necessary.

As perfect as Jesus was - His battles produced scars as an ever present reminder of His triumphant victory. It is our Adamic nature that would seek to cover our wounds under a cloak of shame when in fact; they should be worn as medals of Honor.

After these so many years, I am still a dreamer. Your age nor circumstances does not determine your ability to conceive and produce the desires of your heart or the plans God has foreordained for you. Lest you need a reminder, revisit the story of Sarah and Abraham.

I have been reminded that relationships are much like shadows - some are stronger and more apparent.  Others fade or disappear altogether depending on the position of the light. You must be willing to purge and let things/people go.  In the 'process of time' all things fade - with the exception of the love and truth of God's Word.  His promise to never leave you nor forsake you is ever present.

Often times the bad things that have happened in our lives and those we love ultimately serves as the components and ingredients for the recipe of our life - Romans 8:26-28 (MSG) ^"Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

(to be continued).....  ta - ta - for now

 

Grandmop And The Turnip

 (A tale about allowing those you love to be themselves)


The following is an excerpt from my Mother/Daughter Banquet teaching from several years ago. Regretfully, since this date, both my mother and husband have gone home to be with the Lord.  What better way to honor my mom and my husband's prayers than to make someone else smile.

Who knew you could learn a life lesson from a turnip?

When the Lord gave me this visual I went dashing to Wal-Mart to purchase a turnip. I needed to have time to get it all dolled up for the Banquet! I was in a BIG hurry when I realized I did not know what a turnip looked like! So I asked the person stocking the produce, and she didn’t know either! Luckily, my husband did. He purchased the lonely little turnip and brought her home in time for her debut.

How many of you have ever heard the saying, “You can’t get blood out of a turnip?” I’m a visual learner so here goes…

How many of you know you can be related, but feel like you live in two different worlds? Surely the other person is the problem. The conversation from two different worlds.

Gmop: What’s up Turnip?

Turnip: Not much GrandMop…just trying to figure out what to do today.

Gmop: I know…we could go shopping! I have a coupon!

Turnip: I can’t go shopping…I don’t have a driver’s license or a coupon. For heaven’s sake…I’m just a turnip!

Gmop: Well…maybe we could go get a massage and a pedicure.

Turnip: I can’t go get a massage and a pedicure…I don’t even have a back, toenails or polish!

For heaven’s sake…I’m just a turnip!

Gmop: I’ve got it! We could go out for a quick bite! We could go have Sushi and then coffee from Starbucks!

Turnip: I can’t go get sushi! I don’t have a Sushi Bar in my neighborhood and I’m allergic to caffeine!

For heaven’s sake…I’m just a turnip!

Gmop: Turnip this is so frustrating! I need so much more love, attention, and time than you are giving me! YOU NEVER CALL ME! YOU NEVER HAVE ENOUGH TIME! IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU! YOU DIDN’T EVEN COMPLIMENT ME ON MY NEW DRESS!

Turnip: Grandmop…I’m sorry….this makes me sad. I don’t seem to be much help or any fun. God designed me completely different. If you plant or cook me, I could give you nutrients to help you stay healthy or I would look great in your purple kitchen! Besides…I don’t even have a watch. Plus, I live on the ground and I can’t see above your ankles! For heaven’s sake…I’m just a turnip.

Thank you Turnip…please take a bow.

Isn’t this ridiculous? In reality, this is no more ridiculous than the outrageous demands that we place on the people closest to us. For me…. lesson well learned.

After the banquet, during our drive home, our daughter just shook her head and said, “Of course, my mother painted a turnip!” (Poor girl…imagine having me for a mother)

             H A P P Y   M O T H E R ’ S   D A Y !

                            t-t-f-n- (ta- ta- for - now)

God Loves Fruit Too

Did you realize ... God craves fruit?

As you may well know by now, several of my Blogs deal with my ongoing episodes with produce. I have so many that I actually asked the Lord about this. Yes, really.  He, of course, took me back to His Word.

Genesis 1:11 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.


12: And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

The fruit trees were among God’s first creations. Fruit was used throughout the Word as a token of the blessing or curse and judgments in your life. Children were compared to fruit. Fruit was the prize of the promise land. Nehemiah declares that fruit trees were a portion of the enemy’s plunder. Psalms sings songs about fruit. The wisdom of Proverbs warns that men’s deeds will produce fruits of righteousness or destruction. The poetry of Song of Solomon uses the metaphors of fruit to describe the love between King Solomon and his beloved Shunamite. Jesus had no patience for trees that did not produce good fruit. The Word commands us to bring forth much of it and encourages us to be fruitful in every good work. Fruit can be peaceable. The fruit of our words generates life or death.

Fruit can be used to measure our spiritual growth. Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

God compares fruits to our different levels of giving: Deuteronomy 18:4 - First Fruits -Leviticus 27:30 Tithe.

I think you would agree the most notorious fruit was connected to the fall of man.

Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

We as a nation, have sent men to the moon, but still have not understood or harnessed the full healing power of raw fruits and vegetables. The Prophets of old knew the earth’s secrets. Isaiah 38: 21 Isaiah had said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Make an ointment from figs and spread it over the boil, and Hezekiah will recover.”

Seeds, crops, harvest, Parable of the soils, vineyards, seasons, break up the fallow ground…you get the jest. God is the Master Gardner, and He loves fruit too!!!

From Genesis to Revelations there are 253 references to just fruit. Wshewwww! Who knew there were so many life lessons in the humble fruit basket?

Sooooo…with that said this is the beginning of our summer season and I already have two more episodes under my belt. Never mind the fact that I drove around this past Sunday for two hours with 5lbs. of lettuce in the back-end of my 76 degree SUV. At least it gave the cantaloupes a break!

With fear and much trepidation, I purchased a new Smoothie/Juicing book. The recipes are sure to carry me through many new adventures and much riper life lessons. So if you see me perusing up and down the produce aisles with ear buds on and I fail to speak, please forgive me… I’m just singing ‘Silly Songs’ with two of my favorite fruits and vegetables “Bob and Larry.”

One more thing before we go…just couldn’t resist!

Q. What is a ghost favorite fruit? Boonanaa !

Q. What do you do if you see a BLUE banana? Try to cheer it up!

Q. What do bananas do best in gymnastics? The splits!

Q. Why don’t bananas snore? Because they don’t want to wake up the rest of the bunch.

t-t-f-n (ta-ta-for-now)

P.S. I think I'm being stalked by my produce....this was in my pickle jar!