It is all Heart

I have enjoyed a great conversation with a dear friend this morning.  It all started with an innocent post on Facebook.

This post that I shared started a tremendous conversation between two friends who with the eyes of God can see the heart of the other clearly.  We began sharing how so very often that we, as fellow Christ followers, are perceived as fake.  So often in our desire to portray the love of God, His mercy, and His heart for all man kind, we put on attitudes and actions that are not true of who we are.  I don't view a post such as the one above to be in conflict with my intense love of God and dedication to Him but rather my intention to be as real as possible.

I do put on the witch hat sometimes.  This occurs when I take my eyes off the One True God and focus instead on the things of the world.  No excuses.  I am wrong, and when I fall, I make sure that I fall on my face seeking forgiveness and in turn, go to those I have wronged and seek their forgiveness as well.

My friend put it oh so well this morning.  I come from the deep South.  Not the South the way Tennessee knows it but the deepest parts of the South where Southern takes on new depth, and a much deeper meaning.  To quote my friend, "It's all or nothing in the deep south.   There are variations elsewhere but it's hard to explain effectively.  There are always people who make you go "huh?".  However it is those that are so raw with you, that help you use the full potential of your heart so that you feel every fiber of your being without fear, those are the angels from above."  I call the people that allow this kind of relationship, gifts.  The gift to be wholly you, as God created you, with NO apologies.  This occurs very frequently in the deep South as we are all so very different but bound with the cords of Southern traditions, living off the land, family Sunday dinners, get togethers, and more.

It also explains so very much why I am the way I am.  I AM a deeply Southern girl.  I am all or nothing.  Sometimes for the best and sometimes to my detriment.  But it is who I am.

Heart.  It is a precious things my friends.  Treasure those who allow you to fully live your heart in a protected relationship.

Much love.

Dusty Roads of Memories

American Tribute - Elvis Presley

I listened to this in the early hours of the morning today and so many memories flooded my heart that they spilled over on to the cheeks of my face.

Days of sitting on the carpet in the living room in Louisiana with my beloved granny good witch and my Aunt Bobbie watching this concert as it premiered.  I remember how much we all just adored the voice of Elvis Presley.

You know what else?  I remember these two Godly women and how they would always share with me the very heart of God.  Not words.  Not idle talk.  Rather how each of them lived the heart of God daily and shared Him with me.

I remember quiet Sunday's when we would come home after church, take off our Sunday best, sit around a small brown table together and enjoy lunch, and then "rest" as we waited for evening services.  Afternoons which were filled with a peace that is unimaginable in today's world. 

I don't remember ever once being bored or wanting to go or do anything.  Rather I was content to stay and revel in the love and presence of family.

I fondly remember shared laughter as we would play a prank on my granny, dancing to 45's on the record player with my aunt, but most of all, I remember the peace and love that reverberates within my heart still today.

I remember the joys of being raised in the Deep South.  Hot summer days wandering barefoot along dirt drives, wandering through fields lush with grass, cattle walking through pastures, birds circling over the pond, the smell of hay in the barn, and just the joys of lazy days filled with promise.

I distinctly remember the summer my aunt was going to teach me to drive.  Down the dirt back roads we would go, me all tight gripped on the steering wheel and her asleep in the passenger seat.  Until that fateful day when I managed to straddle two really large rail ties that somewhat constituted a cross over.  I woke her and she nearly flipped over the predicament.  I think she retired as my driving instructor that day. The peels of laughter that came from family as we returned home and shared the adventure with the rest.

Do you know what is great about all these memories?  It isn't just the places, the people, or the situations.  It was and is the over riding presence of God in all things.  That God reigned in their lives and His peace and love flowed through and around them in all that they did.  So when any one would come around, that peace and love flowed freely to you.

And there in that peace and love was the subtle invitation.  The invitation to let go of worry, to let go of hurt, to allow God in.  To welcome El Shaddai, Almighty God, our all sufficient supply.  To partake of the mercy, grace, and goodness that is God.  

It wasn't something shouted at people, it wasn't pushed upon anyone, they didn't point fingers in judgement, they quietly lived their lives rooted and grounded in Jehovah M'Kaddesh (Jehovah who sanctifies / sets us apart unto Himself) and in that, the invitation was clearly given to join the family.

I will forever be grateful that in the midst of a time that sought to destroy that our faithful God made the way according to His promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13

13) There hath no temptation taken you but such is common to man: but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that yea are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye might be able to bear it.

Praise God for His love, His provision, His mercy and grace that are fresh and new every morning....

I had to share my walk down the dusty roads of my memories today with you my friends, because I know there are those who are feeling forgotten, lost, and buried with no way out and no hope.  

There is a way out.  There is hope.  God is faithful.  He has His arms open wide reaching down to you.  Will you grab His hands?  Will you run to the arms of pure love?  

I am always here to share with you, the family that is precious to me and has kept me safe and protected amongst the ill of the day.  

I love each of you so very much...

Be blessed

Focus Your Faith

What is your faith focused on?  Is it those things that can be seen?  Things that can be heard?  That which you witness in the physical?

Today's tumultuous times draws our attention to all the danger, evil, and sin in the world.  It is like standing under a shower of filth.  It coats most of what we hear and see each day.

Now more than ever, we need to consistently re-align our focus through the day.  We need to shift our gaze to the Father and remind ourselves that nothing happens that has not been sifted through His hands.

The word "truth" is talked about quite often.  The foundation of truth is the real issue.  If the version of truth being spouted is derived from any source other than the Word of God, then it is faulty.  When we know truth, we can be assured of what is evil and what is not.

We are told plainly in Hosea 4:6  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

So this begs the question:  how do you know truth?   Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God.

The only way to know these things, is to daily study His word.  As we earnestly seek Him, He will reveal himself to us.  It is through studying His life, character, and teachings that we will come to know Truth itself.

So lift your eyes my friends.  Do not be afraid for the events of today's times but instead rest in the peace that can only come from the Father above!

Blessings to one and all....

Katrina

Selfies / Selfie Sticks ~ The Struggle is Real

The struggle is real.  

Size 2 models in all forms of advertising being shoved at us every where at all times.  A constant picture of what the world deems as womanly perfection is being used to drive marketing for everything you can think of.  

Body shape, weight, and type is constantly being blared on all forms of media.  Exercise and you can be this.  Eat right and you can look like that.  Take this pill and you will be everything you dream of.

What a CROCK!!!

I have been thin 85% of my life.  I am 5'10 and weighed 124 when I got married.  At age 29, when I got pregnant with our first son, I still weighed only 130 and wore a Junior size 4.  Not because I did anything, but because that is how God designed me.

Now, I am age 50, and I am battling Polycystic Kidney disease.  In the past three years I have gained more clothing sizes than I have in my entire life.  This disease process has not only caused my kidneys to become the size of a football (resulting in a distinctly pregnant look), but because of the process itself and the imbalance of nutrients in my body, I am gaining everywhere and as if that wasn't enough fun, let's lose our hair while we are at it.

I have been trying every clothing style imaginable to cover, disguise, improve upon my looks.  Each time I walk into a store, shop might as well be the dirtiest four letter word out there.  Hairstyles keep changing to disguise the increasingly thinning of my hair.

I started my marriage to my husband 28 years ago just a few miles down the beach from where we are now.  Skinny little thing that barely cast a shadow on the sand, could rock a bikini with the best of them, and had over come, with God's help, what I then thought, was the worst days of my life.

This morning as I walked along the shore I was thinking and I caught my shadow ahead on the sand and was immediately displeased.  God immediately came in to instruct me and teach me a lesson that I wish I had listened to and learned long ago.

Guess what I discovered???  I am VAIN.  Yep, I said it.  Put it out there for everyone to know.  I have, over time, bought into the line of trash being fed to women that we must be more, do more, and look like more.  

My body shape, size, type doesn't matter one fig!!  The one single thing that matters, and it matters more than anything in my life, is that each morning that I draw breath that I love my God, I show the love that He gives to me to every single person around me, and that as much as it is within me, that I keep my body a temple for the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.  

Pretty simple to say but so much harder to live.  So today as I go back out on the beach amongst the young and not so young, and I look around, I will choose to NOT be ashamed of how I look but rather to be proud that I am the child of the King; to know that I am wonderfully made; and to know without a doubt, that I am created in His image.

Be blessed my friends and go out and rock YOU today!!!

me

A walk through emotions led by faith

Sometimes when you quiet the noise of daily living, you must make listening to God's direction a priority. I wouldn't have chosen this particular day to take the emotional journey that was placed in front of me. I had "plans".  Plans to organize, clean, and simplify everything in the house.  God had plans as well.  His plan was to simplify my life, usher in peace, and bring about a greater depth of joy.  I have discovered that often times in my life, God will use something that is painful to bring about tremendous beauty if I will only allow the journey.

I don't know of any one that would willingly choose pain.  I am no different. Today, today I decided to allow faith to lead emotion and take a journey that has led me down every road of emotion I have ever known. Sorrow, joy, pain, anger, resentment, resignation, peace, and more has raced through me during the past four hours.  Honestly, I am exhausted.

Emotion led by faith.  To me, this means that I don't become stuck in any one emotion triggered by various occurrences in my life.  Instead, I choose to allow God to hold me close, protect my heart, and keep me moving forward into the blessings that only He can bring when I am obedient.

The blessings He gave me today?  He blessed me with freedom from past hurts and abuse.  He blessed me with forgotten precious moments. He blessed me with the ability to understand that although some may have caused me great pain, that they did indeed love me to the best that they were able in the realm of understanding that they had of that word. He blessed me!  He continues to bless me.

Now it is up to me to choose to live in those blessings and to not allow anything to arise and take my focus off of that.

God, you are my Jehovah Jireh, the healer of my heart!  How I love you so!!

Me....

My mind, My mind........

Have you ever noticed that the largest battles you face in life are the battles that are within the boundaries of your own mind?

Proverbs 23:7 says.....  For as he thinks in his heart, so is he....

Wow... I mean just wow!!  In a world where "finding oneself" seems to be the reigning mantra, it is nice to know that we only have to look inward to know who we really are.  There is a catch, however.  I mean, isn't there always?  Only those who are willing to be strong, willing to view the truth without any pretty filters, those, those are the ones who will discover who they really are.

All too often we have a variety of pretty facades that we put on to be appealing to others: our dog friends know us as champions of the throw aways, our church friends know us as oh so Christ like, our work friends know us as efficient, smart. and innovative.  Our family, our family probably sees the truest facade of all.  It is not often that we will don a facade for those we interact with all day every day.  Even so, they don't know those secret places in our heart that we guard oh so diligently.

These are the places where dreams are allowed to grow without boundaries, hope soars, hurts are buried, and fears are shoved in corners.  The heart, that place where thoughts roam uncensored.  Where thoughts are given the freedom to just be.

The heart.  Are we really willing to remove all blinders and search deeply within the areas of our heart and quietly acknowledge the reality of who we are?  I urge you to do so!  I urge you to move forward, don't let fear fetter your feet.  Keep looking deeper and deeper.  No need to dwell, simply acknowledge and keep searching out the farthest places of the heart.

Turn with trembling lips, eyes rimmed with tears of the times we fail, and fall into the arms of the One True King who loves us above all else.  Rest in His arms and know that nothing you found is a surprise to Him.  Nothing you are or will be will ever cause Him to love you less.  Finally, let it go.   Release it to the only One who can bring healing and who will bring change.  Then you will find it..... that peace that can't be shaken.  The joy that can't be stolen.

The journey to training your mind is a simple one.  We must daily renew our minds with His Holy word.  Knowing that as we read His word, it begins a work in our mind.  A work to transform, heal, and renew.

You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind!!

So be encouraged my friends.  We are all on this road.  And those who are willing to be brave, to travel the road of truth and look deeply within their hearts, there you will find who you are.  In the arms of the Savior, you will find who you are meant to be.  In the pages of His word, you will find the road between the two.

Love and prayers.....

Katrina.... a fellow traveler.