The Upside Down Kingdom

This was fun to write, it seems that if man places great value on things, God does not. They are kind of ironic, or the opposite of what you would expect, and I’m sure there are many more, so if you have any to add, please feel free to comment.

The weaker we are the stronger the Lord is in us.

We lose our life to gain it.

The poor become rich in Christ.

There is no resolving to do as we will but the giving in to do His will.

The servant is the greatest.

The scares bring healing.

Getting on our knees accomplishes much more than standing proud.

The simple are made wise.

What we do for others matters more than what we do for ourselves.

His burden is light and His yolk is easy.

He came to bring the sinner to repentance, not the righteous.

The first shall be last and the last first.

The humble shall be exulted.

A child leads the way to the King.

A Warrior

I will learn to fight!!

I will use the shield and sword!!

I will knock, and it shall be opened to me!

I will ask, and it shall be given me!

I will seek, and I will find!

I will seek first the kingdom, and all these things shall be given unto me!!

I will not give up just because I don’t always live up to my own standards!!


After much prayer and pain, once I became silent and really listened, the Spirit convinces and convicts me.
He was sharpening His ax ready to chop off the large unsightly weed that I have allowed to grow in my heart.

“No” I begged, “There is a root under there; if you just cut off the weed, as soon as there is a new season it will spring up again and grow stronger yet. Bring shovels, uproot the whole blasted thing. I need a makeover, transform the whole landscape.”

So we go back and dig, what is under there? Back to Crystal Springs, back to Airport, back to my childhood. What made this weed grow and take root so deeply? What is feeding it?

It has found much nourishment from the past; the water of life has given it drink. Life has not been perfect from the time Adam and Eve disobeyed God. They were, in fact, the very first dysfunctional family; remember Cain and Able?

I cannot change the way things happened in the past, but I can change my reaction to them. So out comes the root.

“Wait, are you sure I won’t need this for something? Not even to keep me humble? Things are going to look a little different around here.”

It’s about time to get rid of it, there is plenty more work we must do. Leave the past and forget the things that are behind and reach forward for the things that are ahead.

So we covered up the gaping hole; spread the soil evenly over it, and planted some flowers. Today’s flowers and buried the past.

Now watch, Satan has many seeds lying in the ground just waiting for food. If one happens to spring up, tare it out while it is yet small lest I come again and find your garden in ruins. “For though we live in the world, we do not do battle as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Maybe now that I have considered the beam in my own eye, I will see more clearly to help my brother with his tiny little speck. Hypocrite is a very humbling word.

The Sword

I am just learning to use the sword of the spirit, the word of God so that I can deal with the lies the devil is constantly pounding into my head.

I have long been wearing the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness given me at my spiritual birth. I have even been walking in the sandals of the gospel of peace and have accepted the girdle of truth. Maybe not perfectly, and I know I need to learn to use this armor to fight, but I have found another weapon...

...the sword...

When the devil reminds me of my past sin and wants to make me doubt that I have been forgiven, I can tell him what God said “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

When he tells me I’m worthless, I remember that “I am crucified with Christ, therefore I no longer live, but Jesus Christ now lives in me.”

When I am tempted to go after the things of this world, I hear the Lord say, “The world is passing away and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” 1 John 2: 16-18

When I want justice done and am not treated fairly, I hear: “He shall lead His flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs in His arms and carry them in His bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young.

When I want revenge… "Vengeance is mine says the Lord, I will repay.”

I have a big problem with worry: it is a sin like all the rest: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have its own worries, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

This without doubting is my most powerful instrument for the battle. Could I give my head for it as our for-fathers have? I would love to have their faith, or that of Moses or Joseph and David.

Yet again He calls my name, “Nelda, you need only the faith of a child.”

Calvary Love

Talk about a challenge Dianna, today at church I was severally challenged to not only love with my lips and with words but with deeds and in truth. We had the Love chapter, Cor. 13.

Many years ago in Airport I found this in the garbage behind our new house. I was just doing some Friday cleaning and I sat down on our porch to read it. I was moved to tears because of how far off I was from knowing anything about Calvary love. It helped change me and the direction that I wanted my relationships to go. I read it often because it always keeps me reminded of where and what real love in action is.

Calvary Love

If I am perturbed by reproach and misunderstanding, if I cannot commit the matter and go in peace and silence remembering Gethsemane and the cross,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I hold onto a choices of any kind just because they are my choices: if I give room for private likes and dislikes,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I am soft on myself and slid comfortably into the vice of self-pity and self-sympathy; if I do not by the grace of God practice fortitude,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth): if I cannot take the first place without making a fuss about my unworthiness,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I take offence easily, if I am content to continue in cool unfriendliness, though friendship is possible,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If a sudden disturbance can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
(For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill one drop of bitter water however suddenly jolted.)
If the care of a person or a community be entrusted to me, and I consent to subject it to weakening influences because the voice of the world..my immediate Christian world…fills my ears,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If monotony tries me and I cannot stand drudgery; if stupid people fret me and little ruffles set me on edge; if I make much of the trifles of life,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If interruptions annoy me and private cares make me impatient; if I sadden the souls about me because I myself am sad,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If souls can suffer alongside me and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I become entangled in matters of the world; if things or places or people, hold me back from obedience to my Lord,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If my interest in the work of others is cool; if I think on terms of my own special work; if the burdens of others are not my burdens too, and their joy mine,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I wonder why suffering is allowed, and press for prayer that it may be removed; if I cannot be trusted with any disappointment, and cannot go in peace under any suffering,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

Sisters

So how do you tell from a skeleton if it’s a man or woman? The woman’s jaw is slightly more warn.

The wedding was strangely uninspiring, I guess because I missed the sermon and was more involved in the fun part of the entertainment. You know with all the kitchen work you get kind of busy, and there’s not so much social time either. It was a pleasure seeing the Acadia women again and working with them, but I never was a Martha. I can play her part, but not quite with all my heart though ‘Ich mus mich zwingen’ so that I don’t fall too hard on the lazy side. In truth I would rather sit with Mary and have my sole and spirit fed.

My friend Sonya stayed after the wedding for almost a week to give me a hand at making a much needed bed. It turned out awesome with my mother-in-law teaching us how. Sonya has a real eye for color so she designed a jean rug to complement it. We had a wonderful time jabbing over many a cup of strong coffee. Melissa is also here for a week at Melinda’s to help out with her sewing so we are celebrating sister month (whenever that is) in a real personal way.

I watched My Secret Garden over again for the third time in my life, and I think I finally got it (minus the whitchcraft, always spoils a good movie). When we get to know each other and relate, we can get a glimpse of the other person’s inner beauty. We can walk in their secret garden and discover the beautiful flowers that grow there. We can share or scatter seeds and even help with the weeding.