Brief Thought, Laughs Below...

In Bible study we talked about David as a young boy, tending his father's sheep. We talked about how, out of the entire army at King Saul's disposal, David was the only one willing to fight Goliath, and he was a civilian.

Remember how King Saul tried to dress David in his armor? David tried it on, then refused it, saying it was too cumbersome and he would not be able to do what he was called to do while wearing the king's armor.

My thought is this:

Who's armor are we trying to wear, and is it helping or hindering us in fulfilling God's call on our lives?

I know I'm guilty of picking up stray pieces of other people's "armor", trying to make them fit me and then wondering why I feel so awkward and uncomfortable, so ineffective and insufficient.

Maybe it's because I need to put on my OWN armor (see Ephesians for more) and do my OWN thing according to God's will, and stop trying to be like everybody else.

So, who's armor are you trying to wear? And isn't it about time you took it off and let God make you who HE wants you to be?

I'm just sayin....

Be blessed!

Deena

The Living Lexicon: Church Terms that Oughta Be

Biblidue: The build-up of bookmarks, bulletins, notes, and other miscellanea that collects in one's Bible.

Clivaholic: One who can no longer control the compulsion to quote C.S. Lewis in every sermon, lesson, or conversation.

Hymnastics: The entertaining body language of the song leader.

Narthexegesis: Unsolicited post-sermon commentary given the preacher by armchair biblical theologians.

Pewtrify: To occupy a precise spot in the sanctuary for more than 15 years without once showing signs of sentient life.

Ministereotype: A common myth or misconception about any ordained person.

Deaconscript: An unwilling church officer cajoled into a position of leadership.

Hi-litaholic: One who cannot resist highlighting Bible verses until the entire volume is a multihued mass of Day-Glo vibrancy.

Hymnprovisation: The abrupt and unannounced transition from one song to another, usually a chorus unfamiliar to most present.

Proliferation: An abundance of anti-abortion activists.

Pulpituitary: That phenomenon familiar to those seated on the front pew, during which a preacher produces hazardous conditions with alliterative P's.

~~Received via email from Church Laughs Newsletter

Be blessed, and don't forget to laugh! It's healthy!

Deena

All I'm Saying Is...

KNOW WHO YOU ARE VOTING FOR...



That's All I'm Saying.

Deena

If You're Able...

An elderly woman decided to prepare her will and told her preacher she had two final requests.

First, she wanted to be cremated, and second, she wanted her ashes scattered over Wal-Mart.

"Wal-Mart?" the preacher exclaimed.

"Why Wal-Mart?"

"Then I'll be sure my daughters visit me twice a week!"

Don't let this be said about you. If you're able, call home and say I love you to the ones who raised you. I'd love to talk with Mom and Dad again...but I have to wait for eternity now.

In The Center Of His Will?

Some food for thought....

Q: What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalms 117


Q: What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalms 119


Q: Which chapter is in the center of the Bible?

A: Psalms 118


Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118

Add these numbers up and you get 1188.


Q: What is the center verse in the Bible?

A: Psalms 118:8


Q: Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?


The next time someone says they would like to find

God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to

be in the center of His will, just send them to the

center of His Word!


Psalms 118:8

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

Now isn't that odd how this worked out (or was God in the center of it)?


When things get tough, always remember...

Faith doesn't get you around trouble, it gets you through it !!

Thought you might like that!

Be blessed, and stay centered!

Deena

Food For Thought, Doncha Know?

Jake, the rancher went one day,
To fix a distant fence.
The wind was cold and gusty;
The clouds rolled gray and dense.
As he pounded the last staples in
And gathered his tools to go,
The temperature had fallen;
The wind and snow began to blow.



When he finally reached his pickup,
He felt a heavy heart;
From the sound of that ignition,
He knew it wouldn't start!
So Jake did what most of us would do,
had we been there.
He humbly bowed his balding head
And sent aloft a prayer.




As he turned the key for one last time,
He softly cursed his luck.
They found him three days later,
Frozen stiff in that old truck.
Now Jake had been around in life
And done his share of roaming.
But when he saw Heaven,
he was shocked --
It looked just like Wyoming !



Of all the saints in Heaven,
His favorite was St Peter.
(Now, this line ain't really needed,
But it helps with rhyme and meter)
So they set and talked a minute or two,
Or maybe it was three.
Nobody was keeping score --
In Heaven time is free.

"I've always heard ," Jake said to Pete,
"That God will answer prayer,
But one time when I asked for help,
Well, HE just plain wasn't there.
Does God answer prayers of some,
and ignore the prayers of others?
That don't seem exactly square --
I know all men are brothers."



"Or does he randomly reply,
Without good rhyme or reason?
Maybe, it's the time of day,
The weather or the season.
Now I ain't trying to act smart,
It's just the way I feel.
And I was wondering,
could you tell me --
What the heck's the deal?!"

Peter listened patiently,
And when old Jake was done,
There were smiles of recognition,
And he said, "So, you're the one!!
That day your truck;
It wouldn't start,
And you sent your prayer a flying,
You gave us all a real bad time,
With hundreds of us all trying."

"A thousand angels rushed,
To check the status of your file,
But you know, Jake,
We hadn't heard from you,
in quite a long while."
And though all prayers are answered,
And God ain't got no quota,
He didn't recognize your voice,
And started a truck in Minnesota !"




BETTER KEEP IN TOUCH!

Nuts in the Cemetery (A Funny)!

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence.

One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts. "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me," said one boy.

Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence. Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate.

Sure enough, he heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me." He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off.

Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along. "Come here quick," said the boy, "you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls."

The man said, "Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk."

When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery. Standing by the fence they heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you,one for me."

The old man whispered, "Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord." Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything.

The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.
At last they heard, "One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done."

They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.

Be blessed, and be a blessing!

Deena

I Don't Usually Do This...

...but I think it's worth doing today.

Recently I was asked to review a manuscript of a book that is due to release in February. Nothing unusual about that...I get them these days. And it was a book I was interested in anyway...just a bit earlier than I had expected.

Talk about a Divine Appointment!

Since I know some of you only read "Wholly Devoted" and either aren't aware of my book review blog, I'm going to repost some of the information here for your benefit.

I buy a lot of books. I read a lot of books. I review a lot of books.

No book has changed me like Allison Bottke's soon to be released book, "Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children".

Except the Bible.

Allison wrote this book out of a painful experience involving her own son; she recounts that pivotal experience in the opening pages. With a prologue from Carol Kent, who's own son's actions changed HER life forever, this book rings with authenticity and a heart for hurting parents that is just HUGE.

In this non-fiction, semi-autobiographic book, Allison first explains "The Parent as Enabler". This was a difficult section to read, because from the very beginning I saw myself in these pages. But it was also a divine appointment (and you thought this was just a book review:-), because I also found freedom in these pages.

As a mother of a prodigal (wayward) daughter, this book was more than just something to read. It was, as I stated earlier, a God appointment. I didn't request this book for review...I was asked to review it.

And now I know it was because God knew I needed the message of healing contained in these pages, and because He wants to get the word out to hurting parents of prodigal children..."There is hope, and you are NOT alone!"

Buy this book for yourself, for a friend or family member, for someone who's hurting over their adult children. Begin a support group and read it together. And allow yourself to regain your S.A.N.I.T.Y. once again. "Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children" releases February 1, 2008 and is published by Harvest House Publishers.

To Read the Entire Review, click here.

This is a book with a wide appeal. It's for hurting parents; it's for friends of hurting parents.

It's for aching families. It's for families who want to avoid the aches and pains of raising kids in this messed up world.

It's a wake up call for some. It's an alert for others. It's a roadmap to avoid pitfalls...for others, it may be the rope that rescues you from the pit you're in.

No matter what, it's worth reading...and sharing.

Pray for me as I pray for direction concerning this book. I'm going on blog tour with Allison Bottke's new book in April, and I've had some things asked of me.

I don't want to make a move without God's approval, but I feel a sense of urgency about this issue. It's very personal, and I don't believe God is wasting this experience for a mere review.

So, please check out the review. Watch for the interview. And pray for me to find direction in what He has ordained through this divine appointment.

Be blessed,

Deena

What Will WE Do?

So, there I was, sitting at my desk this morning, doing my work, minding my own business...

(For those who DON'T know, I work part-time as a church secretary).

I was putting together this week's bulletin for church, when the announcement about the Wednesday evening Bible study caught my eye.

Now, I'm familiar with this particular piece of news...I designed it. It runs every week. It's an ongoing ministry of the church I work for.

What held my attention was this thought...

It took several years for this church to begin having a Wednesday night Bible study. There was some squabbling, some discussion, some bickering, some badgering, and finally a surrender. But it took a long, long time and a lot of hard work to begin a weekly Bible study.

And Bible study is good...worth fighting for...don't misunderstand me. What hit me was we're like a group of medical students who go to medical school to learn how to be doctors...

...and we keep going and going and going and going...once in awhile we'll pick up a scalpel...test it's weight...polish it up...and put it back in our nice and tidy medical bag.

Or a group of law students who practice court but never really hold court, buffing our briefcases and toting our huge law books back and forth, impressing one another with our torts and briefs (now that just sounded SO wrong!)

What's the use of going to medical school if you won't one day practice medicine?

What's the use of going to law school if you won't one day practice law? (Maybe that's why so many are so bad at it...their still practicing?? LOL!! Sorry, my bad...)

Why study God's Word if we're not going to one day go out there in the world and use it?

When's the last time you watched your church fight for an evangelism program? Struggle to fit in a Bible study...sure, no problem! But witnessing? Evangelism? Street preaching?

Ummm...let me check my datebook...

The cool thing about the church I attend (no, it's not where I work...long story for another post), we have one gentleman who is fighting for our church to beginning spreading the gospel more actively.

What I find even cooler?

He's not waiting. Did you catch that? He's not waiting for the rest of us to pick up the call...he's called, he knows it, and he's just waiting for the rest of us to CATCH up!

See, the thing is this...

We'll have all eternity to learn about God, His ways, and His thoughts...

We'll have all eternity to worship Him in word, song, and deeds...

We'll have all eternity to fellowship with fellow believers and to share our testimonies among the faithful...

But we only have here and now to share the gospel message with someone. And far too often, I find myself doing the first three, and neglecting the one thing I can only do here and now.



Who will spread the Good News? He's waiting on YOU and ME. How about it?

Be blessed, and keep studying...but let's get out into the "operating room", shall we? Let's do a full court press for Jesus! (Sorry, just couldn't help myself...get it..."court"..."law"....oh, never mind!)

Deena

Deena

It's Scandalous!

Okay, unless you've been living under a rock these days, you've all probably heard the latest buzz on the unauthorized biography of Tom Cruise, written by Britain's version of Kitty Kelly--Andrew Morton.

It's been on all the talk shows, scandal rags, and television gossip shows for weeks now. I caught a snippet on the Today Show this morning.

And, just in case you didn't know the latest dirt on THIS celebrity...



She checked herself out of mental health, lost permanent custody of her children, and her Dr. Phil special? Canceled.

My question is this...why do we care?

Don't we realize that we create this stuff? We create this kind of voyeuristic living and lifestyle for these people? If everyone who claimed to be a believer in Christ stopped watching and reading and buying, and just started praying...what a difference we'd make!

I mean, I was just as upset as any American mom when the scandal about Vanessa Hudgens (of High School Musical fame) hit the airwaves. And I was heartbroken when Jamie Lynn Spears announced she was pregnant at 16.

But it was even more heartbreaking to know that, without Christ in their lives...all of these so-called famous people will die and go to hell.

And isn't that more important??

Do we pray as much as we watch, read, and gossip?

Britney can one day get her kids back...Tom can leave Scientology, and Jamie Lynn's baby can have a hope and a future, but only if WE get off their backs and get on our knees.

With all the surveys done lately on who claims to be born again...we're a force to be reckoned with at the gates of hell...and we're too busy reading The Star and watching Entertainment Tonight.

So, I don't care about Tom Cruise's wacky or racy habits. I care about his soul. How about you?

Be blessed, and be praying. Develop a Hollywood hitlist...'cause if Steven Baldwin and the lead singer from Korn can be redeemed...Tom Cruise?? He's no challenge to God at all:-)

Deena

Guess What?!?

God answered prayers (well, of course He did...He answers all of them)...
but He answered SPECIFIC prayers on my behalf.

I do NOT have breast cancer...I just have a lymph node in an odd place.

But praise God I DO NOT HAVE CANCER. I DO however have a much deeper appreciation for what women go through who receive "that" phone call, and vow to pray for those battling breast cancer (or cancer of any kind) more fervently.

If you or someone you love is battling breast cancer, my heart goes out to you. If you need a shoulder or an ear...you can always count on mine:-)

Thank You, God, for choosing to heal me now instead of later. I praise You and give You ALL the glory!

Amen, and be blessed in His name.

Deena

Grandma's Hands

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and

looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at

my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. "They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

"They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

"They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

"They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life..

"But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

When you read this, say a prayer for the person who posted it for you, and let's continue praying for one another.

-- Author Unknown

Be blessed, and be His hands and feet.

Deena

Tomorrow...

I go in for an ultrasound. The second mammogram showed enough to warrent more tests. Please pray for me Thursday afternoon (around 3:30 PM PST).

I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't scared, but I know God is there ahead of me and He already knows the outcome. He's already made a way, no matter the final outcome.

I know this, but I don't know if I want to have to walk the path laid out...and right now, I'm still at the crossroads. And that really stinks!

Be blessed, and thanks for blessing me with your prayers.

Deena

Standing In The Gap...

Today, I saw my general practitioner (i.e., regular doctor). I told him all that had been going on for me since August, and told him exactly how I was feeling.

Now, my doctor is a Christian, and he knows I'm a Christian. So, instead of a prescription for pills, he prescribed Scripture. Instead of medicating my fears, he spoke against them. And instead of predicting the outcome, he pointed my eyes to the One who holds every outcome.

And he encouraged me to lean on my prayer warriors, those who stand in the gap for me. But to know my strength comes from the One to whom we all pray.

I won't say I'm not at all fearless now...but I fear less. No matter the ultimate outcome...no matter if I have to one day say, "I have breast cancer"...I will look to the hills from where my help comes from...and I will cry out to God.

I'm still waiting for results from the last mammogram, and will most likely have an ultrasound or a biopsy done. Please, continue to pray for me. I have my strong moments, but I still have my weak ones as well.

Many thanks, and be blessed.

Deena

The Space Between...

Welcome to a brand, new year...2008.

Remember when we thought we'd never see 2000, let alone be eight years into the new century??

Entering a new year always causes me to reflect back on my spiritual journey of the previous 365 days. This year is no different, yet in some ways my reflections are a bit more...reflective, shall we say?

The last few months have been one health issue after another for me, beginning way back in late August. I re-injured my back, which resulted in possible surgery. An MRI was ordered, which revealed major damage to my back...

...and a cyst on my left ovary. Which led to an ultrasound that revealed an abnormality in the lining of my uterus. So I was referred to an ob/gyn for further tests, and was referred for spinal epidural steroid injections on my back.

Saw the ob/gyn, which led to lab work and a request for a uterine biopsy. Because I had been naughty and never had a mammogram, one was ordered for me. Not happy about it, I almost didn't go.

But I've always done what I'm told, even when I don't like it. So I went. The next day, I got a call from the imaging center...they found a lump the size of a pearl in my right breast, and need more images.

That's a phone call you can think about, but when it comes, you don't react in any way like you thought you would. Time stops for a brief moment, and then your heart races and your mind runs rampant down all the possible roads that now lay before you.

I went in yesterday for my follow-up views...and it wasn't just a shadow. It wasn't just a density in the tissue. It is a genuine, "let's take a better look at this" lump. Next up, another ultrasound, and then, if it is warranted, a needle biopsy.

Through all of this boring, repetitive stuff, I've made an astounding discovery about myself. Something that both reassures me and perplexes me at the same time. I'm not quite sure what it says about me...so feel free to comment on this...

...but I must warn you, I'm not in the mood for lectures or rebukes. My emotions and my body are both very tender right now, so if you cannot talk to me in love, then please, for pity's sake, be silent right now.

What I have found is that I have total assurance that, no matter what comes my way through this or anything else life has for me, I'm going to be fine. God has it all in His hands, and He is already ahead of me, making a way for me to walk.

What I find so perplexing about that is this: it isn't the I'm fine part of it that has me knotted up inside...it is those three words in between the I'm and the fine...it's the "going to be" part of it.

See, I know that if I don't have breast cancer (those are hard words to type...excuse me for a moment.................................)...if I don't have it, I'll be fine. I also know that if I do have it, I'll still be fine.

It's the journey between I'm and fine that leaves me feeling breathless, overwhelmed, and a little dizzy right now. It doesn't really comfort me to be told what I already know...I KNOW I'll be fine. I am fine.

It's the unknown of the "going to be" part that has my heart racing at moments in the day...my eyes filling with tears unexpectedly when I'm doing my household work...my throat in a vice when I try to tell my husband what I'm feeling...my emotions on a swing when I give myself that "spiritual talking to".

I have such huge faith and trust in God at this juncture of my journey that I'm amazed at myself. This is a huge turning point for me in my faith walk. But now, as I face whatever is out there ahead of me in my health issues, I find that it's that space in between that still causes me pause...that still has me asking, "What are you going up there, Father?"...that still causes me to tremble in my not knowing.

I have this sense that the Father holds me even closer at those in between moments. That He gives me more grace. That He hears me better than ever. That He doesn't just walk with me, but He picks me up at those moments. That He doesn't rebuke, but He restores my soul.

That His love for me means far more at those in between moments. And so does my faith in Him. Because I know the one who stands in between me and my fear...and He is mightier than anything that life can throw at me.

Pray for those who stand in between the I'm and the fine. It's a hard place to stand, but through His grace and strength...we will stand.

I will let you know the ultimate outcome of this latest health dilemma. Please pray for me that God's will be done, and that I can walk where He leads me to walk. Because, when it comes right down to it, I have peace, and yet I feel so fearful. I know, I'm odd.

But you love me......right?

In Him, be blessed.

Deena

P.S. I can't promise I will be blogging much, but I will try. So don't give up on me just yet:-)