Water anyone?

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully loved by Him, Thursday!  I am a big water drinker; all day every day you can find me with a glass of water at my desk.  I like water….I know a lot of people think that’s crazy, but I really do.  I don’t drink it just because I am thirsty, I drink it because I like it, much better than soda or tea….Yes, I am a water drinker.  I have just begun working out at the gym with a trainer….oh my…..I have always been an advocate of exercise and eating right, but never had a trainer.  Well, in the past year, I’m ashamed to say, I have really been lax in the exercising and eating right departments and it is showing!  Oh yes both my physical body and my attitude are in need of some “working out.”  Hence, with a little encouragement from a friend and lots of prayer I am working out with a trainer!  So far I feel great!  Of course I am sore, but no pain no gain right!!!!!  Yesterday when I finished my workout, I was quite sure I was going to collapse in shear exhaustion and I was so thirsty, my throat was parched and I just knew if I didn’t get to water fast I was in trouble.  Yep, I was thirsty, really thirsty, more thirsty than I can remember being for a long time….I headed to the water fountain and had a good drink, then walked a couple of laps to cool down a bit….Back at my desk I continued to drink water all afternoon…This morning reading God’s word I ran across a verse in John 7 that I had read many times in my life, but in light of my “thirst” yesterday it took on a whole new meaning.  On the last day of a 7 day feast, Jesus addressed the crowd in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”  My thoughts immediately went to my thirst yesterday……I read on, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (verses 37-38).  Wow….living water….The water I drank yesterday quenched my thirst from exercise, but the water we get through the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus quenches the fires of sin and death….washes us clean, fill us with the Holy Spirit…..Going to Jesus and drinking of HIS water of the Spirit we have life eternal with him to look forward to and that’s all we need!!  I am looking forward to getting into better shape through my workouts, but looking forward to life everlasting with HIM is what it’s all about!  Father, thank you for quenching us with the blood of Your Son.

 

Jesus answered, (speaking to the woman at the well)  “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  John 4:13-14.  Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”  John 3:5-6. Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, as He who promised is faithful.  Hebrews:10 22-23. 

Water anyone????  Love you all!

February 26, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty is our God, Monday!  Saturday is always a manual labor day for me- kennels, fodder, feeding, you name it and I am always tired, maybe a back ache for a bit, but last Saturday…Yikes!  Kim and I were pushed for time, so we decided to divide and conquer rather than work together like we usually do.  This decision left one big chore that Kim usually does to me….it required me to step up and down on a chair, many times…..up, down….up down…..I finished just fine, actually quite proud of what I had accomplished all by myself!  My legs felt a little tired, but heck didn’t give it a second thought right….why I am not an exercise guru by any means, but I do take pride in working out several times a week at home, the gym, the office treadmill, so it never occurred to me that my chair adventure would get to me!  Stayed busy the rest of Saturday, had Hailey and Tucker for dinner and bath never thought about my legs again.  Yesterday, after church I fixed lunch and Kim and I took a little nap (my favorite Sunday afternoon treat)…Kim’s phone woke us…we had sheep in the road….again!  He jumped up and went to get them, I sat in the chair for just a minute and then got up…..Whoa!!!!  What the heck….I could hardly stand up the front of my legs hurt so bad!  I knew immediately that my chair excursion was to blame, but I was really quite surprised….after all…..I exercise regularly, right!  I shouldn’t be sore….Well, after hobbling around for a little while, feeling a bit appalled at myself the thought occurred to me…What a good reminder that we are never in as good of shape as we could be… you know we can always work to be better!  As I helped Kim gather up sheep and work on dinner for the kids my mind (well my legs were killing me…) continued to dwell on working harder…today when I go to the gym, I need to try a new machine, work a different part of my body…..Being physically fit is really important, but how about being spiritually fit!!!!  Sure couldn’t hurt to work a little harder at that could it!!!!!  Just because we go to church doesn’t mean we are spiritually fit…right…..there’s so much more we can do, so many spiritual machines to try for a good workout!  Lots of time with our Heavenly Father shapes us up, but we must never think that we know everything we need to know about Him and His love for us…..worship, bible study, prayer time……feeling better already!  Father, asking You to give us the motivation to shape up our spiritual lives and thanking You for forgiving us when we get a bit out of shape!

Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruity unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the braches…apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:4-5.  The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us t say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.  Titus 2:11-12.  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14.  Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!   2 Peter 3:18. 

January 31, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!!!!  Although I have been a great advocate of the benefits of regular exercise for years, the last year I have been a bit of a slacker and my body reminds me every day!  So after lots of kicking myself, I am bound and determined to get after it and really work on some problem areas so I went to a sweet friend that is really an exercise guru!  After just a couple of emails, a few conversations, and a couple of demonstrations I am soooo excited about my new routine!  I printed out all my emails at home reading and rereading so I was ready this morning to give it a whirl…..it feels so good….a little change and I am rejuvenated!  As I sat in my chair early this morning, getting ready to spend some time with our Heavenly Father a thought hit me hard…..Maybe I have been a bit of a slacker in my spiritual life too….maybe I need some rejuvenating spiritual “exercises” to shape up my life as God’s child…..hmmm…I opened my study book and guess what verse popped out at me….”Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”  Romans 12:1.  Well me oh my….imagine that…….couldn’t be much clearer could it…..kind of like really looking in the mirror at the flab hanging from my arms……Oh Father, sorry I have been a spiritual slacker….renew by spiritual zeal through more time with You in word, prayer and Christian fellowship.  I pray that all I do will serve You and bring glory to You.  And Father I ask your blessings on my new physical exercise too.  Thank you.

But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.  1 Samuel 12:24.  It is the Lord our God you  must follow, and Him you must revere.  Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him.  Deuteronomy 13:4.   Pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.  Proverbs 5:1-2.  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  Psalm 32:8.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5.  I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.  1 Timothy 1:12.

Love you all!