"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Good

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: good

What do you think the word good means?

In what ways can something bad (in earthly terms) be something good (in eternal ways)?

Explain what this phrase means to you:  "God is good, all the time."

What is good about Good Friday?


Let me know what you think!!


"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28, NLT)

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep." (John 10:11, NLT)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

WHAT WAS JESUS THINKING?

Sometimes I ponder…

One of the things I think about is what might go through my mind if I knew that I was dying.  In those last few hours as I approached the gates of eternity, what would be my most important thoughts?  

What would I want to communicate to my loved ones? 

In this week leading up to Easter, I'm pondering Jesus.  Hanging on the cross, battered and bruised, weak and suffering, He knew He was dying.  In those last hours before He died…

What was Jesus thinking?

So, I'm taking a look at His last words, and speculating on what might have been going through His mind.


1. "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

The message:  Forgiveness

In an amazing act of humility and love, Jesus looked at His enemies, the people that were responsible for killing Him, and asked His Father to forgive them.  The message of forgiveness was of utmost importance to the Savior.  It was the purpose and the motivation for Him to complete His mission on earth. In His dying moments, He was compelled to tell His followers – both then, and through the ages –

"Look at My example.  Forgiveness trumps evil.  Forgive others, as I am forgiving you."


The Lesson: Forgiveness is important.  Embrace it, and pass it on.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37, NIV)



2. "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)

The message: Faith 

Jesus didn't make this moment of salvation theologically complicated, or personally difficult – no, He just spoke an unmistakable, clear promise that anyone who believed in Him would be saved.  Even if it was a last-minute repentance.  Jesus offered hope to sinners, and it was another important message He wanted to pass on.  In His dying moments, He was compelled to tell His followers – both then, and through the ages –

"Believe in Me, and you will be saved.  And when you die, you will join me where I am, and live in My Presence forever."


The Lesson: Faith alone saves.  It saves in an instant, and it lasts forever!

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…" (Ephesians 2:8, NIV)



3. "Dear woman, here is your son." And He said to His disciple, "Here is your mother." (John 19:26-27)

The message: Family

Was Jesus self-absorbed in His own struggle, His own suffering? No, even at the end, in His supreme moment of agony, His tenderness shone like a beacon to everyone at the foot of the cross.  Jesus did not think of Himself.  He took care of those He loved – and at the same time, He was taking care of us.  In His dying moments, He was compelled to tell His followers – both then, and through the ages – 

"Take care of those you love, both family and others.  Love them like I do."


The message:  Family is important.  People are important.  Look out for them like Jesus did.

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." (John 13:34, NLT)



4. "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Matthew 27:46)

The message: Fear

I believe that Jesus had to battle real fear.  I don't think for a second that Satan kept silent when Jesus was hanging on the cross.  I believe that the taunts in those last dying hours were escalated.  The lies must have been a torture all their own.  And can you imagine a greater fear than the moment when God had to turn His back on His beloved Son?  Jesus experienced all the wrath, judgment, and penalty for every sin – He experienced it alone.  In His dying moments, He was compelled to tell His followers – both then, and through the ages –

"It isn't a sin to feel fear.  I've felt it, too.  But, because of what I'm doing right now, you never, ever have to fear separation from my Father or from His love."


The Lesson: Fear is part of being human.  But it doesn't have to consume us.  Love overcomes fear.

"Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." (1 John 4:18, NLT)



5. "I am thirsty." (John 19:28)

The message: Fragility

Jesus was a human being.  While He lived His life on earth, I'm sure there were times when He was sick, and achy, and hungry, and tired.  And on the cross, He had moments of genuine anguish.  He bled, He hurt, He grew thirsty.  Dying is lonely human business, and Jesus died a real, physical death. I believe this statement was important for Jesus to express so that we would understand that He was like us, fully human. He understood what that feels like.  In His dying moments, He was compelled to tell His followers – both then, and through the ages –

"I'm a human like you.  And I understand the struggles and weaknesses you experience.  But because of what I'm doing right now, someday you will receive a new imperishable body!"


The Lesson:  Jesus knows what it means to be human.  Talk to Him about everything.

"Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death." (Hebrews 2:14, NLT)



6. "It is finished." (John 19:30)

The message: Finality

This phrase is a translation of a Greek phrase that means "paid in full." Yes, Jesus paid the price. Totally. Completely. And in this moment, in this statement, Jesus proclaimed the humbly jubilant truth that once and for all, the price was paid – by Him, and only Him.  We can never do enough to win God’s approval – we can never bridge the gap between a holy God and sin-filled people. Jesus did what we couldn't do. He bought us reconciliation with the shedding of His blood.  In His dying moments, He was compelled to tell His followers – both then, and through the ages –

"I have done what I came to do. I have borne the sins of the world. I have brought salvation to all people." 


The Lesson:  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Only Him – the only way.

"…so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28, NLT)



7. "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" (Luke 23:46)

The message:  Freedom

Now, in the last seconds of His earthly life, Jesus expressed utter and total trust in His Father.  Having felt abandonment, He still believed that God was there.  God still cared.  God would take care of Him. And with those last words, He breathed His last. Jesus gave up His Spirit.  He rested in the promises of His Father's words – that this moment was NOT the end of the story.  Jesus saw the death of believers as the ultimate freedom, the final release from the slavery to sin.  In His dying moments, He was compelled to tell His followers – both then, and through the ages – 

"Trust your life to the Father's hands.  Death has no more power over you.  Enter the door to freedom."


The Lesson: Slavery to sin is over.  The fear of death has no power. Jesus has overcome.  We will live forever!

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 
(1 Corinthians 15:55, NIV)



These were the last words of Jesus.

And last words hold a mighty power.  They are important, and well worth listening to.

On this Easter, I'm pondering what Jesus might have been thinking on the cross – what He might have been saying to the world.

And Lord, I am listening.

Into the darkness,
The Light of the World came...

And the Son still shines! 

HE IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

"After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.  As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them.  'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!'"  (Acts 1:9-11, NLT)

"And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega--the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life."  (Revelation 21:6, NLT)

How are you celebrating Easter this year?

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY
Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Pamela at A SHELTERING TREE
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Holy Spirit

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: Holy Spirit

How would you describe the Holy Spirit - His character, His purpose, His work?

How would you describe the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit?

How does the Holy Spirit work in your life?


Let me know what you think!!


"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26, NIV)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

THE BATTLE I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT

There are true confessions…

…and then, there are TRUE true confessions.  Confessions that are painful to make – because they make us look really, really bad.

I'm going to make one of those today.

It all started yesterday morning…Sunday morning…God's Day.

Yup.

So, I had my alarm set for 7:00 AM – giving me plenty of time to snooze a bit, and then get up and get ready for the 9:00 AM service at church.

But, when the alarm went off, I realized that I didn't FEEL like going to church.  I had a bit of a headache, I didn't feel like I had gotten enough sleep – but the truth of the matter was that I just plain didn't WANT to go to church…period.

Didn't want to smile, didn't want to visit with people, didn't want to be convicted by the sermon.

You see, I knew that our pastor was finishing his ten-week series on the Ten Commandments.  And this week, the message was going to be about coveting.  I just wasn't looking forward to that particular "thou shalt not"…

I rolled over and went back to sleep.

But, when I finally woke up again at 9:17 AM, I started to feel convicted. For one reason, "The Hub" wasn't going with me to church this week.  And so, I felt I should set a good example, be a testimony.

And I felt that God probably wanted me there.

So I got up and got dressed and put on a face (the Maybelline face, not a happy face) – and finally went in to grab something to eat before I went to the 10:45 AM service.

Doing the right thing.

But not in the right frame of mind.

I was super crabby.  Like *bite your head off* crabby.  Snappy, snippy, yappy, naggy.

And "The Hub" got the brunt of my bad mood.

(Nice testimony, huh?)

I can't even remember what we talked about in the 15 minutes before I left. All I know is that there wasn't a nice word in there.  There wasn't a good attitude.  Love, joy, peace – HA!  I single-handedly mangled every single fruit of the Spirit in one *wrong side of the bed* harangue.

I'm glad "The Hub" didn’t say "God bless you" as I walked out the front door – I think I would have punched him.

As I drove down the winding, twisty road from our house, I was so irritated.

"I'm so tired of driving this switchback road," I thought to myself. Riding the brakes, watching for squirrels darting out into the road, sliding a bit in the dirt left over from the snow.

Every single time I want to do something.

Oh, and on Saturday, we had had to make our expedition *down the hill* to do the "big city" stuff we have to do from time to time.  The banking at the branch, the shopping at a "regular" market, the picking up of a prescription.  Luckily, this was one of our faster trips – only 3 ½ hours.

Inconvenient.

I'm not going to share all the lovely thoughts I had on the drive to church.  Suffice it to say, they weren't good – they weren't godly.

That's the true confession.

The TRUE true confession is coming next.

I enjoyed it.

Yes, you heard me right.

I did NOT WANT to change my attitude.

This happens to me sometimes.  Sometimes I just like being bad or mad.  I enjoy being crabby.  I like being sarcastic and mean-spirited.  I like talking back and being disagreeable.  I find it almost fun doing my best to be as hard to get along with as possible.

I enjoy not being NICE.

Maybe it's because I'm mostly nice, most of the time.  And maybe I just get tired of the effort.  Or maybe it's just that sinful nature of mine that likes to be let out of the cage once in a while.

No excuses – just the honest truth.

As I continued driving down the road to church, I knew I was in a battle.

A battle I should fight – but it was a battle that I didn't WANT to fight.

So, I walked into church as a quietly rebellious believer.  I arrived late on purpose so I didn't have to visit with anyone – (I am terrible).  I sang the songs rather half-heartedly.  I put my offering into the plate.  I went through all the *proper”* motions.

All the time knowing that I needed God to help me.  Not just to get me out of my bad mood – but to help me WANT to get out of my bad mood.

Well, the message that our pastor gave was inspiring.  Challenging, convicting – in all the best ways.  Yes, he addressed the issue of *coveting* – the uncontrolled desire to acquire – to possess something or someone that we don't have.

But, he also spent a great deal of time on the issue of contentment.

About how so many sins seem to emanate from wanting something other…

I painfully began to realize that what I WANTED was to have my bad mood.  That I wanted to hold on to it – like it was my right, my possession. I wanted to let it percolate and permeate my spirit.

I realized that I was once again allowing myself to be DIS-content with everything.  My aching body, my inconveniences, my husband who wasn't going to be sitting next to me in church, my new house – on and on and on.  

(Notice the theme?  My, my, my…)

I realized that I was being discontent with kindness, gentleness, and goodness.  I was seeking something other…

Something angry, and selfish, and mean.

I was essentially making an idol of my feelings.

Ouch.

TRUEST true confession?

I am a sinner.

And I need – oh how I need – my Lord.

Of all the things that our pastor said, these were the words that hit me over the head – words that God said directly to me:

"DO NOT REPLACE ME."

Once again, I was reminded that I only have one throne in my heart.  And there's only room for one person to sit on it.  It's my choice.  Do I want a snappy, snippy, yappy, naggy tyrant?  Or do I want my Savior?

We closed the service with this song – and at the very end, the congregation sang it *a cappella*.  My voice cracked, suddenly and unexpectedly, right in the middle of it:


Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face – (this is where I lost it),

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.


Yes, contentment leads us to say, "Lord, give me a grateful heart."

And might I just add –

"And Lord, please help me fight the battle I don't want to fight…

…the one against my SELF."



"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." (Philippians 2:13, NLT)

Portrait of a Woman in a Bad Mood?

Do you ever have an *un-godly* attitude that you don't feel like changing?  What do you do about it?

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY

Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY

Charlotte at WINSOME WEDNESDAY

Pamela at A SHELTERING TREE

Bonnie at FAITH BARISTA

Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS

***SIDENOTE: I am having difficulty with some inappropriate comments getting past the Google spam filter.  I apologize for this, and if it continues to be a problem, I might have to enable comment moderation.  Just wanted you to know!  

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Prayer

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: prayer

Why do you think prayer is so important?

What is the biggest impediment to your prayer life?

What is one thing that you are laying before the Lord in prayer at this point in your life?


Let me know what you think!!



"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." (James 5:16, NLT)

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."  
(James 5:16, NIV)

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."  
(James 5:16, ESV)



"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

THOUGHTS ABOUT PRAYER

Some of my thoughts about prayer...


1. My paraphrase of Philippians 4:6-7 into a formula for anxiety:

You don't need to worry about anything.  Here's what I want you to do instead - pray.  Talk to Me about what you need - physically, emotionally, spiritually - tell me ALL of it.  Be thankful for who I am, and remember the things I have done.  That will help you trust Me with your prayers.  

Replacing worry with prayer will give you peace.  My peace.  The circumstances won't change - but you will.  MY peace is so much more than just absence of anxiety.  It has power behind it.  It will guard your mind from the enemy's thoughts and taunts.  And it will guard your heart from doubting. Live in my Son - He is the way to Life!


2. My paraphrase of Philippians 4:8:

Just one more thing.  There are so many things in life to distract you from what's really important.  You have to watch out for that.  It's important to stay focused.  What you put into your mind determines what comes out in your words and actions.  So here's what to do.  Fix your mind – glue your spirit – to these things that are:

Truthful – Discard things that are not from Me.  Don't lie or believe lies. Don't be fooled by false teaching.  Be on the lookout for the devil's deceptions.

Honorable – Behave with dignity, and treat others that way, too.

Right – Do the right things. Have integrity.  Don't lean on your own understanding to determine what's right and wrong.  Sometimes it's just not black and white.  Life is really full of gray.  So, ask for My guidance and discernment.

Pure – Keep a clean and clear conscience.  Your body is My Temple.  My Spirit lives there.  So, dirty thoughts or actions have no place in the Most Holy Place.

Lovely – There's so much in the world that’s dirty and ugly.  Sin destroys so much.  But focus on the beauty that I have put there.  It's all over the place. Look to small things in creation, and big things.  Have an eye tuned to *lovely*.

Admirable – The world admires politicians, celebrities, and athletes.  Are they worthy of being admired?  Most of the time, no.  Follow the example of people who look like Me.  BE a person who looks like Me!

Excellent – Don't just settle for good or good enough.  Perfection belongs to Me. But make it your goal to strive toward excellence.  I want you to be *a cut above* – I want you to put aside all things that don't shine.

Worthy of praise – Yes, this is My desire for you.  I want the fruit of My Spirit to grow mightily in you.  Be a follower who lives a life that people will praise – for they will be led through your example to praise Me.


You know what I've taught you so far.  Keep putting that into practice.  Be a person who "talks the talk" AND "walks the walk."  Look at the life of My Son – Jesus.  He is the example of My perfection.  Look at everything He said and did.  And then, go and do likewise.  

I am a God of peace.

And I AM with you.


3. What is the difference between superficial and *meaty* prayer lives?

Superficial prayer is like having a conversation with the person that lives around the block.  Nice, friendly - but surface.  Meaty prayer is like what you talk about with your very best friend, or your spouse.  The REAL stuff of life.


4. Why is prayer a key to peace?

We can only get peace from God - and we can only tap into it through prayer. There is something about *dumping* out our spirits to God in prayer - knowing that He is the ONLY One who can do anything about this life that we can't really control.  It's like saying, "Help me" - and God responds, "I AM."


5. How has prayer brought peace to you in a time of great stress?

I'll tell you a story about that.  One time my sons had hamsters.  And one of the hamsters developed a big growth on its skin.  We were going to go on vacation, and my mom was going to take care of the hamsters.  I told her about the growth - that I didn't know what to do.  She said, "I'll take care of it."  I had such a sense of release and relief.  Someone I trusted knew about the problem and was going to take care of it.  I just KNEW that she'd do the right thing.  This was before cell phones, and we were away from phones of any kind, so it wasn't until a week later that I found out my mother had taken the hamster to the vet, and paid for the surgery to have the growth removed!

Prayer is me talking to God with the sure assurance that HE listens, HE understands, and HE will do something.

Peace comes when you rely on someone you trust!


"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you." 
(Philippians 4:6-9, NLT)

I Lift My Eyes Up 

What are some of your thoughts about prayer?

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY

Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY
Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Pamela at A SHELTERING TREE

Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Renew

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: renew

What does the word renew mean to you?

Renew or change - do you think there's a difference?  If yes, please explain!

What is one thing you would like to have the Holy Spirit renew in your life?


Let me know what you think!!


"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."  (Psalm 51:10, ESV)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

DOG HAIR

Yup, another Marty story.

I love my grandbeagle – he is such a delight.  Yes, a bit of a scamp – (especially when I show up!) – but just adorable.

One of my favorite things about Marty is he's very affectionate.  He loves his *people*.  You cannot move an inch without him opening his eyes and following you wherever you go, or getting up and following you wherever you go.  I can hear him saying, "Where you going?  Can I go, too?  When you gonna be back?  Are you getting food??"

The other thing I love about Marty is that he loves to cuddle.

He's rather particular about his cuddling though.  He's got rules:

1. If he comes to sit by you on the recliner, and he wants to sit next to you, it has to be on your LEFT side.  No exceptions.

2. If he decides that he wants to sit between your legs, you better move to accommodate him.  He will not accept sitting NEXT to your legs – it must be in between.

3. If he comes to sit next to you on the recliner and you don't move into the proper position, he will stare you down.

4. If he comes to sit next to you on the couch, he will always throw one of his arms across your legs or your arm or your lap.  (Picture someone sidling up to a bar)

5. This arm-throwing maneuver is also used on the recliner when using the in-between-the-legs position, or if he cuddles up particularly closely to your face…on the left side.

6. Sometimes the cuddling involves what we call *tenting* – Marty often loves to get UNDER blankets or cushions when he curls up next to you.

7. If you do not "help" in this tenting behavior, Marty will use a very insistent (and very cold) nose to prod his way into getting the proper assistance.

8. If you choose to sleep with Marty – all bets are off.  You may find some variation of these *positions* during the night:

- a dog draped across your legs (or stomach or chest)
- a dog face up by your head, only to be replaced at some point during the
             night by a dog's…ahem…"other end" in your face
- a dog flat on his back
- a dog pushing into you like a sausage (with arms and legs) looking for
            more room
- a *tented* lump somewhere in your vicinity


Ah yes, the joys of cuddling with Marty.

But, there's also one particular hazard involved when you choose to cuddle with a beagle…

DOG HAIR.

It's interesting.  I figured a short-haired dog wouldn't shed that much.  HA! Evidently, beagles are known for shedding.

"And lastly, beagles shed a lot. This is how all short-haired dogs maintain their coat length. If you have allergies or consider yourself a "neat freak", beware!"

Who knew??

One of the things I do when I go visit my son is sweep up the hair from the wooden floors in his apartment.  I often joke that we could make another dog out of what I collect.  And also, this strikes me as weird – though Marty is black, and brown, and white – the pile of hair always has this non-descript grayish color to it.  Odd.

Oh, another odd thing.  Some of Marty's hair actually is two-tone.  One hair can have black, and then white, and then black again.  Or it's a mix of brown and white.  I'm fascinated by the DNA that's responsible for this *checkered* look!

But I digress.

So, a trip to Marty's house always involves some *follicle-shed shrapnel* when I get home:

- A layer of gray, non-descript hair plastered to the bottom of my socks
- Hair in my hair
- Hair that shows up in unexpected, and sometimes unexplainable places
          (like clothing underneath my clothing, if you get what I mean)
- Hair on my shoes, which I always leave outside the front door – a mystery
- Hair that appears magically on clothes I have not worn while visiting Marty –
          (this is properly called "transfer hair" – because it transfers
          from Marty to clothes to car seat to new outfit)


Most often Marty's hair removal is only a minor inconvenience.

Sometimes it involves war.

Like the time that I mistakenly took a warm, fleece blanket down to visit. Turns out that fleece is not good material for *tenting* purposes.  The hair doesn't end up laying on the surface – it gets embedded in the very fiber of the blanket!

"The Hub" was very helpful.  We shook the blanket, and smacked it against the house.  We tried using a brush.  We tried using those sticky remover gizmos.  We tried a hair dryer.  We tried using a Dustbuster.

Helpful, but not completely successful.

You know what "The Hub" finally used?  Our Power-Vac!  Yup, sucked those little things right up.

But evidently not all of them.

Even after washing, Marty's legacy lives on.  Right this very second, as I type this post, I am using this blanket.  And, I see random Marty hairs on the sweatshirt that I am wearing – ("transfer hair").

Wanna know a secret?

Those little hairs make me smile.  Somehow they make me feel closer to my little cuddler down the hill.

So, where's the God lesson?

Well, it's about all those things that are just *me* – the things that no matter how much I try, I just can't seem to get rid of.

My worry-wart nature.  My oversensitivity.  My ability to make mountains out of molehills.  My negative bent.  My propensity to getting depressed.  My tendency to ask people a million questions (needling, nagging?) – (it's true, ask "The Hub").  My need to be overly-involved in everything – (it's true, ask my sons).  My perfectionism – (OK, I'm still calling it my "eye for detail").

This list could go on and on, but then I'd self-implode with shame…

Yup, these things seem to be imbedded in the very fiber of my being.

I have tried to get rid of these things in many ways.  Sweeping them away, shaking them out, dust-busting them.

They just keep coming back – or, more accurately, they just never really go completely away in the first place.

Sometimes these things are only a minor inconvenience.

Sometimes they involve war.

This is where I cannot fight alone.  My paltry power is no match for the sin-filled nature that still lurks within me.  I need help.

Power-Vac help…

That is why I am so very grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The miracle of the indwelling is amazing.  Every moment of every day, I am empowered to withstand temptation, endure trials, persevere through testing – I am empowered to be something I'm not…

Something better.

Someone better.

Because of the Someone who lives within me.

You know, I don't think it's an accident that I am curled up in this particular fleece blanket as I write this post.

You see, it's red and white.

Kinda like me.

Red for the blood of Jesus washed over me.  White for the righteousness that He has imparted to me.

Sure, there's some dog hairs still embedded – just like my embedded *stuff* still lingers…

But this blanket is clean…

…and so am I!

I'm sorry - Dog Hair Happens 

How does the Holy Spirit help you with the "dog hair" in your life?

Linked today with:

Joan at SHARING HIS BEAUTY

Michelle at HEAR IT ON SUNDAY, USE IT ON MONDAY

Tracy at WINSOME WEDNESDAY
Pamela at A SHELTERING TREE
Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Willing

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: willing

What does it mean to be willing to do something?

Do you think a willing spirit changes the way you perceive a situation?  If yes, how so?

What are you willing to do for the Lord?


Let me know what you think!!


"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land..." 
(Isaiah 1:19, NIV)

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you." (Psalm 51:12, NLT)


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"