Blessings

Each day is a wonder to live and behold
All the blessings of life and miracles untold.
To enjoy the dawn of an early morn.
In which new opportunities are borne.

Be thankful for the blessings God does send.
Thank Him for wealth of home and friends.
For the beauty of His creative hand.
And wondrous sights throughout the land.

Let the glorious sun that shines on high
And the stars at night that glitter in the sky.
All the singing of birds and fragrant flowers
Whisper hope to your heart in weary hours.

May God’s guidance, promises and love
Keep you in blessings that come from above.
This is the day to thank the Lord for all things
And to life Him up as King of Kings!

-Joy Haney

His Goodness

Did you know that in the beginning God designed everything “good”? The word “good” is mentioned seven (7) times in the very first chapter of the bible.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
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.
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

And He created all of this good for us.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

What an awesome God! God is Good!

Be Glad and Rejoice

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9)

I will praise thee, O Lord with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee; I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. (Psalm 9:1-2)

Praying Like a Child

Each night, Anthony (my son) and I have prayer request before we go to bed. We each pray about three things. It never ceases to amaze me how He always remembers those in need. When someone was not at church, he asks God to send him or her to church. When someone is sick, he asks God for their healing. All of that and he never forgets to thank God for his toys. God answered his prayers too. On more than one occasion, shortly after he started praying for someone to come back to church, they came back to church. After he thanked God for his toys, he was blessed with more by relatives or family friends (mommy sometimes too). He makes it look so easy and it should be. He asks for it and he believes God can do it. What examples our children set for us!

Sunglasses

I think as a vision begins to stir within our souls, the light tends to shine more brightly everywhere we go. It's funny, I just began to wear sunglasses to protect my physical eyes, but God has been shedding the layers of sunglasses off my spiritual eyes. The bible says "But the path of the just is as the shinning light, that shinneth more and more unto the perfect day." (Proverbs 4:18).

In His Presence

"Let the rain of Your presence fall on me
Everyday that I live, with every breath I breathe
Let the rain of Your Presence fall on me
Everywhere that I go, Lord let Your presence flow
Rain on me

Love divine, Joy unspeakable
Overflowing in my soul
This heart of mine
Is refreshed and at rest
In Your presence
In Your presence."
-Power & Glory (I am unsure if this is the name of the group or the CD).

I started listening to this song last night and the words began to take form in my mind. This is not meant just for me alone, but for those who I will bring to God. Everyday, everywhere that I go, I desire for God to flow into me, through me and into whomever I come in contact with. When I have the victory that brings "joy unspeakable" and the comfort of "love divine" I do not want God to stop with me, but to flow through me into seeking unloved souls. When my heart is "refreshed and at rest" I do not want this blessing alone, but I ask for God to provide this peace to hurting souls as well. This is my prayer; for others not to only know the glory of the Lord, but to experience the glory of the Lord.

"One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:6)

Temporary Shock

Almost every night around 9:30 Disneyland has a firework show that is heard from my home. Each time the show begins, my son, Anthony stops what he is doing for about 10 seconds and then asks what the noise is. If I do or do not answer, he knows what it is about 99% of the time. He knows, but he still has a moment of shock. Isn’t this how we are with God sometimes? We know God has everything under control from valley low to mountain high. We pray for the miracle and claim the blessing. Yet, we still go into shock when we receive the blessing.

Every blessing I have received really has been a firework. Sometimes I hear it before I see it; sometimes I see it before I hear it. Sometimes others see it while I’m still looking. No matter if it is a single explosion or the grand finale, I know He has popped that blessing into my life, on that day, at that time because He does have my show under control. I don’t need to ask every time what it is that I’m hearing, because I should expect it. Is it really that shocking with “The Alpha and Omega” perfectly times the blessing? When “The Almighty” shows His power?

“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9-10)

“ And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing ye shall receive.” (Mathew 21:22)

Enrichment vs. Acceleration

Today, I went to kindergarten orientation for my son. I am praying to get him into this school which places heavy emphasis on math and science. Using these subjects as the base for learning, the children develop in other areas such as reading and writing. All of the programs they offer provide tools that can be used in the careers of today. For instance, the 7th and 8th graders are required to bring laptops, Ipods are used in some class assignments, a few elective courses are offered on the internet, and more. The principal classifies that school as an “enrichment-based school” not just a school that offers accelerated programs (I.e. Gate Programs). The focus is not to get the most for your time, but the most for your mind by staying up with the times.

Keeping up with the times is a full time job. Take health insurance for example. The moment those provider directories are printed and sent out, they are outdated. During the time it took to get the directories into the hands of the members, they were already behind the times. No matter how fast those directories get out the door, they are still too late. So members go online to search for their providers. It’s enrichment versus acceleration.

So I have began to ask myself if the programs I desire to see in the church are enrichment-based or accelerated-based program. Have I been keeping up with or waiting for the times to pass me by?

The Meeting

A few days ago a coworker and I had a "meeting" which is the second "meeting" we’ve unintentionally had. We just happened to be discussing work issues and ended up asking each other how we can spiritually grow in the work place. I found out more about her from these two "meetings" than I have in the entire two years I have worked with her. What I found was that she has some of the same spiritual aspirations as myself, to be a witness in the work place.

As you may know, it is dangerous to intertwine religion in the workplace. When I first started in the company I heard about the religious fanatic who was fired for emailing the company about their sin and then stood on the corner protesting the company after she was fired. I have not heard any other horror stories of any kind since that day. It was almost like a silent warning, "Stop: Religion Is Not Allowed!"

So, seeking God’s direction I finally decided to act upon His push and threw out the bait. When she asked me how I dealt with one coworker in particular, I told her "I pray about it." That was it. The door was opened. Since then, we’ve had two "meetings." Additionally, I now have one coworker who comes to me for prayer and another who suggest religious reading.

As I was taking time to think about the changes God has made in my life, I realized that the "Philana Zone" is starting to shrink. Those cushioned walls I have built up around myself are starting to Deflate. It has taken me two years to get to this point, but God has rewarded my steps by opening doors.

Response

I was speaking to a friend this morning about the wonderful changes that God has made in her life. She told me that what she was hesitant about before, she has learned to trust God with now. It has been a long travel, but rewarding. I would have never thought this about because for years I’ve only ever seen her as what she was trying to become. It was almost like God saw her efforts and illuminated them from the outside in. He had shown the outsiders what he was creating before she understood the change that had taken place within her. God was working things (belief) in while moving things (unbelief) out.

A Sweet Lullaby

God blessed me immensely last night. In service, I was praying with my eyes closed, but if I opened them, I would have expected God to be there, embracing me in His arms. His nearness was so real that I could feel the gentle swaying as if He was saying, "Shh child, it’s okay." It was an assurance that God knows what I am going to face and what I need in order to be prepared for a blessing coming my way. It was an affirmation of His mighty power and grace. It was a confirmation of His love. The embrace was not so much a reprimand as it was a sooth calming. It was His gentle way of slowing me down. The best way for me to describe it would be to call it a lullaby.

An old friend of my parents has often advised my sister and myself that God sometimes wants us to sit and be still. This allows us to hear what God is saying so that He can direct us where He wants us to go. I can’t say that I never understood this concept, but it was never as powerful as I felt last night. God sat me down, gently. He was so gentle that I felt I was sitting on His lap as a child would do with their parent. I felt safe, secure and loved.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is to sit and be still. This allows God to step in and "sway" us in the direction we need to go. God sometimes needs His "me" time with us as we often do with Him. He shouldn’t have to command "quality time" from us, but because He loves us, He will.

His Daughter

"And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor 6:18)

Today I had the pleasure of watching my niece for the day. I always enjoy being with her and absorb each moment we are together. Everytime I see her, the love I feel for her grows stronger and stronger. I imagine that this is how God, my Father, feels about me. With each daily devotion, with each prayer or whenever I come to Him, His love for me strengthens. It feels good to be loved. What a wonderful Father I have in Jesus!

Fit vs. Unfit? That's not the question.

I finished Dr. Leonard Sweet’s book, Summoned to Lead. What a wonderful book! After finishing, I was compelled to research Ernest Shackleton. He was not what I expected him to look like. I imagined this huge man with muscles bulging out from everywhere. I was surprised to see such a normal looking man. At that time, I started laughing at myself for being like a little child who thinks of a Super Hero as someone who can move buildings. But what if we did this to those who walked into the church? What if we classified them as "fit" versus "unfit" before they qualified themselves? We might have a lot of Super Heroes, but no leaders. Imagine how many leaders would be passed by.

Keep the Imagination Rolling

Isn’t it funny how we are told a variety of tales when we are younger to encourage us to use our imagination, but the use of our imagination became a cliché as we grow older? If you think about it, those who took imagination as a requirement instead of an option, are the ones who now own empires (a little bit of an exaggeration, but you know what I mean).

Walt Disney’s entire company is based upon imagination. Disneyland is the place "where dreams come true". It’s a place where imagination and creativity is everywhere and is literally built into the foundation of the company. If God had not allowed His imagination to come alive, we wouldn’t be here today. There would be no Planet Earth! If we as Christians would not allow our minds the privilege to imagine we would never make it to Heaven. If we can’t imagine the goodness of Jesus, then we don’t believe in the goodness of Jesus.

Our very core of being a Christian is founded on imagination and creativity. Like Taco Bell’s slogan says to "think outside of the bun," let’s think outside of the box. If God can do anything, then we are imposing the limitations. As long as we stay in line with the Spirit, the Spirit will let us know when we are about to get out of line with Him.

God has given us a whole world of creativity. Identify where your creativity flows from and do it. I love to draw. So you know what I need to do? Get out the drawing paper and begin to draw. For me, this is what will break up my regimental thinking and ignite my tires of imagination.
So, let’s not make anymore excuses for why we don’t have the time. Trust in God’s capabilities, believe in his goodness and let’s work it out. Keep the Spirit flowing, keep the mind going, keep the imagination rolling!

Team Building Events

When I first began working at my present company, I was blown away how management was strong on the building of office relationships. We would have team building events were we would take part of the day and hang out somewhere outside of the company. We call it a "Team Building Event". The purpose of this event was not just to sit around but to engage in activities that would allow us to strengthen our personal relations. When you get down to business, it’s hard to collaborate as a team if we cannot collaborate personally. This is exactly what every church can benefit from. Why was our Youth Alive Scavenger Hunt so successful? We had to get on the same frequency to produce an effective team. We had to learn to pull together as a team in order to win. Fellowship is vital, but imagine what we could form from "Team Building Events"?

The "Philana" Zone

As I was praying this morning, I believe I received what we would call "a check in the Spirit." For the last couple of days, the thought of collaboration would not leave my mind. There was something I was not quite catching on to. So, I decided to wait it out, as usual. That’s when the light came on. I realized that my biggest comfort, which I have made to be a tendency, is waiting it out. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard a message preached about faith without works is dead. It must have landed on deaf ears. Ha! Ha!

Seriously, until I sat down and wrote my last couple of entries, I didn’t realize what I was feeling, let alone what needed to be done. All I understood was that sometimes I felt a disconnection. I would pray about it, thank God for what I have and kept going. But that was the problem. It’s not the faith, not the thanks, but the lack of work. In essence, I only moved a few feet from where I last stood. Don’t get me wrong, my walk has matured greatly in those last steps, but I’m far from the check point. I was learning to the extent that I thought I could be taught, but there is so much more God is trying to show, if I am willing. And I am willing. I want to win the race and I want to drag everyone I know (and those I don’t know) along with me. How do I do that?

I stay in a learning experience. If I want to live to learn, I better start getting out of the "Philana" zone. I have a lot of work to do! First of all, I need to step out of the comfort zone. Instead of waiting for God to give me the epiphany, I need to get to work and trust that He will direct me in the way I should go or at least let me know when I have it all wrong. I know it is not that simple, but in reality it will get me a lot further than where I am now.

Secondly, I need to make a list of those things I would like to see happen in my personal life as well as in church. As I have heard many times before, we need to see what we are trying to accomplish. The list will remind me of the goals I have set. The scope of the goal may change over time, but as it changes I need to revisit my list and change it accordingly.

Thirdly, stay open to the tunes being played by those around me. What are the vibes being transmitted by others? Do I need to adjust my station in order to catch on to the frequency?

I thank God for not hitting me on the head too hard with this revelation. Yes, it is a revelation because beyond the cosmetic layer, I never understood how "works" applied to me. It’s too easy to apply what we want to hear with where we want it to go. By doing this, I can show the faith but I am neglecting to do the work. Fortunately, God is sending me through a purification process so that I can be prepared to move to where He wants me to be.

Living to Learn

My sister, a college grad, recently vented to me that she felt her college experience to be a waste. Her exact words “college does not prepare you for the real world, it’s a way for people to make money.” This was a very surprising statement coming from someone who persistently pushes her little sister (me) to finish her college degree. I would have agreed with her a few years ago, when I felt like a failure for not following through with my plans, but today I see it differently.
Everything that we do, everywhere that we go can produce a learning experience. School provides an opportunity to expand on concepts. Work is an opportunity to expand on skills. Church is an opportunity to expand on our walk with God. In every aspect of our lives, we have the opportunity to learn.

Prior to going in before the King, Esther and the maidens had to go through a twelve-month purification process. I don’t believe that purification is an easy process. If it were that easy, then all the bad habits we have formed in our lives would be easy to break. In order for you to understand that you need purifying, you must have learned that something was dirty.

To further build upon what I mentioned in my previous entry, I have learned that there is something that is not necessarily dirty, but a little convoluted. When there is something that is stifling the partnership then it needs to go through the purification process. What can we change today that may not work tomorrow? What are we doing right that we can continue to improve upon today? We cannot stand still while the world passes us by, so we must remain in constant learning mode. It’s a learning process that I have realized has my mind in swirls. There is so much I have learned and so little I know. Opportunities are endless as long as I live my life to learn.

On Cue

As Dr. Sweets stated, collaboration is of vital importance in the church. It is a partnership between leaders and teammates. Before we can become leaders, we must learn how to be teammates, because sometimes we may lead while other times, we may follow.

As a singe young mother, it is easy to sometimes feel transparent to others. Not a transparent leader, but a transparent teammate. Where do we fit? We need the encouragement from those with parental experience, yet the fellowship of those with the youthful vigor we still crave. Unintentionally, it is easy to be overlooked by a two-parent household because we do not have the partnership that another mate can offer. Yet, it is easy to be overlook by single adults without kids because we don’t have the ability to get up and go on impulse. How do we create a partnership with two groups where we don’t exactly “fit together”?

If “leadership is a dance [where] the partners in the dance are not rigidly divided into those who lead and those who follow” then sometimes we will get our toes stepped on and sometimes we will step on toes. Collaboration takes practice. An extra hello today or a spontaneous phone call another day will be required from both partners. It’s an ongoing process where the follower may take the lead because the follower may think something is missing and an extra step is required. Taking the extra step is what distinguishes the leader from the follower. If two people decide to hang back instead of acting on the need, then you no longer have a dance, but you have an audience.

As more and more single parents come into the church, it will take an effort on the church members to lead in the dance, or to form the collaboration. However, as the leader, we must pay attention to the cue of the follower. Are they trying to take the lead because they feel something is missing? Can they follow your steps and vice versa? Have you formed the collaboration that is required to make the dance work? Does everyone have a partner? Is there something you can learn, that just might make it work? Everyone dances differently, so in order to collaborate, sometimes we may need to take the lead and sometimes we need to take the cue and follow.

So, what we need to ask is, what can I do to encourage collaboration in the church? Where can I add an extra step to make the partnership work? Lord, lead me and I will follow.

Replay

Last night one of the Sisters asked me about a former friend of mine, someone with whom this sister is currently a friend. The relationship I had with this former friend left off on a sour note taking my best friend of 12 years along with her. The way things ended has taken me several years to accept. As you may imagine, my heart still skips a beat when I hear their names.

I explained to the sister that the former friend no longer talked to me and the relationship left off pretty ugly. On my way home, I began to wish that I could recall those words. Although I was truthful in my explanation, I was not pleased with the picture I had painted.

Since words are so powerful, the words used to describe a situation, no matter how bleak it may be, have influence over other’s understanding. Not just about the situation being described but about the person who is describing the situation. My statement was discouraging, not encouraging. Yes, it was truthful, but saddening. This is not the quality that I want to be known for nor did I want to play a flat note in that Sister’s ear about my former friend. I did not go into details about how the friendship ended and I explained to the Sister that I wouldn’t. But if I could redo that moment, I would explain to the sister that though I hurt (because you don’t have twelve years without tears), but I still love them very dearly. No, they don’t talk to me, but they are in my prayers. I have faith in knowing that God has His hands even in the relationships that end on the wrong key.

The Moral of the Story - Ugly stories do not have to be painted ugly. Show your faith by ending on a positive note with a positive statement.

Esther

I am really enjoying Dr. Sweets book. It was hard for me to put down last night. I had to go back and reread a few sections because they made things so clear. Isn't funny how we can think something but cannot understand until someone else says it?

As I have been reading Dr. Sweets book I began to read the book of Esther. I have always been drawn to Esther. I consider her a great leader and Dr. Sweet is helping me to understand why. Esther sang a song with passion and aligned herself with her musicians (the Jews). They made a Grand Symphony. Once she heard the vision, she acted upon it and changed the course of history.

Her Soundtrack: The sweet song sang by Esther was of humbleness. Despite her beauty, her humbleness created a song that even the King could not resist. "Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her." (Esther 2:15)

The Vibration: She chose the team that fit together. The team made a vibration that shook the foundations. "Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise…" (Esther 3:15-16).

The Magic of the Music: Esther heard the vision, stepped up to the plate and let it loose. From the very first movement, Esther’s heart song was being sung and the soundtrack was being created. With each line of the story, I can feel the heart beat of the symphony. I can see the Maestro directing the musicians. They’re building up to the crescendo and I’m on the edge of my seat. The vibrations are drawing me closer and closer preparing me for the dance. Bump, bump bump, bump…

Can you hear the music?

Grand Symphony

On the first night of our Annual Southern District Ladies Conference, guest speaker Kathy Hernandez spoke on the different movements of a Symphonic piece and how each movement represents a different phase of our life. She excellently explained how we go from up to down to dancing all before we even make it to the finale. She also explained how the Maestro (the conductor) leads the symphony and keeps the musicians aligned with the movement. Musicians wait their whole lives to perform in one of these grand symphonies. They wait years, if ever, to play the movements created by the Maestro. It was awesome!

What makes the Symphony so grand? The "heart song" of the Maestro that is aligned with the "heart song" of the musicians. Dr. Sweet wonderfully laid out how leaders have a distinguished personal soundtrack. The leader’s soundtrack is truthful, original, vibrant and created from a "well stocked soul, well-furnished mind and a well-appointed being." The soundtrack is transforming because it separated the pretty from the beautiful. The soundtrack is powerful because the passion of the musician aligns with the "heart song" of the Maestro. Together they create a Grand Symphony!

Leading by Example

As I was listening to talk radio today, a caller came on asking the host what he should do about his marriage. He asked his wife for a divorce because he was fed up with all of the arguing about finances and church. He went to church and she did not. He wanted to take his children to church and she didn’t want him to. I instantly answered the question. “Keep going. Lead your household by example.” The host advised him to put the family first and stop going to church.

As a single mother, one thing that I have learned is that leading by example has been a strong point in my relationship with my child. It is a very tiresome task to guide my child through words and no actions. He in turn will do likewise, all talk and no play. Since I do not have another parent in the house to assist in the daily task associated with raising a child, expending extra time trying to fix what I allowed to be broken, is far too great a task than if I would have just kept going. So, by example I show my son what I want him to be. If I want him to be clean, I clean. If I want him to be neat, I’m neat. If I want him to pray, I pray. It’s the routine and dedication I am trying to show him. If I want my child to love God, I show him by loving God. If I want my child to be obedient to God, I will show him by being obedient to God. If I want him to form a relationship with God, then I need to form one.

The husband was showing his kids what he wanted them to be. I don’t know if he will leave the church and I pray that he doesn’t. And even though the talk show host called him a hypocrite for being a Christian because he wanted a divorce. Wasn’t he being a hypocrite by wanting his kids to have a relationship with God, but he was willing to give up on his?

Humbling Experiences

This morning as I began to read Dr. Leonard Sweet’s leadership book, Summoned to Lead, I began to think about a concept he noted from author Jim Collins. “It is the intentionally humble and quiet leaders who truly do make a difference. Humility can win out over more powerful organizational forces.” I do believe that some of the greatest leaders were the most humbled leaders. These are the leaders I believe lead out of respect and not out of fear. The type of leader you want to do your best for, instead of being afraid of if you fail. I don’t necessarily believe that we start from humble beginnings, but I believe that from humbling experiences we are put into the position to be used by God. God is not going to use a prideful vessel. Pride is hard to break and can be a spiritually breaking device. It can be disruptive and destructive. Some of our greatest biblical leaders, like Moses, David and even Esther, were put through humbling experiences in order to be used by God.

So when I go into work tomorrow and make a mistake (because mistakes are guaranteed), instead of getting angry with myself for not being perfect, I am going to thank God for providing me with humbling experiences. Without them, I would never learn. Without them I would never grow. Without them I would never be put in a position to be used by God.

Rainbow Reflections

Do you remember when you were a child and you were told there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Of course, as every other kid probably did, I dreamed of one day reaching the end of the rainbow and claiming my pot of gold. But, as I got older I realized that I can’t even see the end of the rainbow! There couldn’t possibly be gold at the end of the rainbow!

You know what? There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But the gold (or our reward) is not here on earth, but in heaven. God gave us the rainbow to always remember His covenant: "And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh" (Gen 9:15). The rainbow helps me to remember that my life He has granted, grace and mercy He has provided and an eternal reward He has offered.

With this, I mark the beginning of my Rainbow Reflections.