A Month of Renewal

One thing I love about Spring is the burst of new life!  During Easter weekend, with my grandkids, I observed a mama-robin preparing for her babies' arrival.  A few days ago, the kids sent me this photo.  

This morning, the wind ushered in the strong aromatic fragrance of wild mulberry and jasmine and the birds were singing to the high heavens.  Everywhere I look, I see the blossoming of new blooms on vibrant green branches. 

According to the Hebrew Calendar, this month of Nisan is the Month of Renewal.  Truly, the earth cries out with the sights and sounds of new birth, new life, new beginning! The children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt in Nisan.  The Israelites were free to experience NEW LIFE-a new beginning. In Christ, we too have experienced NEW LIFE!   

I love new life-the cry of a new baby, the sound of baby birds singing.  I also like the idea of starting anew, beginning again, a chance to look at life in a fresh, new way.  At the beginning of the year, some people make resolutions.  I prefer to ask the Holy Spirit for a Word to carry me through the year. By the way, this year my WORD is "breakthrough." (That's another post.) In this new month, the first of the Hebrew New Year (and April by our calendar), I am thinking about what I think about.

Romans 12:2 says, "Be not conformed to the standard of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then, you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God."

What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of your mind?  

Transformation is change.  Changed from what?  For me, it's transformation from thinking like the world thinks-moving like the world moves.  I worry that we as Christians are being molded into the shape of the world.  We listen to the world's music and it moves us.  We bring the world into our churches.  We create coffee shops in our sanctuaries and enjoy scripted sermons that make us feel good. On the flip side of that, we enter in negative conversation about others when we should be building each other up.   In reality, transformation takes place when we walk out the door of the church.  

Transformation is renewal-being made new in the attitude of our minds.   Transformation is taking captive every thought and making it obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) When I encounter a negative situation I can become overcome by fear, doubt and discouragement or I can choose to think on these things...

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, what is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think on these things."  Philippians 4:8

A few years ago, a Christian artist wrote the song, "Speak Life." Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and Life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit." ESV

Amplified Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words." 

What You Focus On Will Grow

 The message Sunday morning was entitled, "Time to Unmask Your Hidden Joy."  There was so much deep truth in the sermon.  I'll try to unpack a little of it here.  

"Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with the uncontainable joy and peace as you trust in Him.  And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope."  Romans 15:13  (TPT)

I also like the New Living Testament version.

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him-then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

To sum it all up, Joy and Peace are not surface emotions that we can conjure up. They are found when we trust in Christ.  Jesus prayed for his disciples that they would have HIS joy and that their joy would overflow.  

What did HIS joy look like? The kind that could endure the cross knowing the joy that would follow, the joy that came from the perfect union with His Father.  John 15:7 says, "But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you-then ask whatever you desire and it will be done." When we live in life-union with HIM, we are able to trust HIM, because we know He is a good, good Father.  "What kind of Father when you ask for a fish, would give you a serpent.  If you, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask HIM."

The well of joy is deep within in each of us if we have Christ living in us.  So why do we not experience that joy.  A part of the sermon that spoke volumes to me was a simple statement made, "What you focus on will grow."  

I don't have a "green thumb."  Maybe it's because I really don't like to get my hands dirty, literally and figuratively.  

I took a photo of the Camelia Bush that is in front of The Sunshine House where I work.  It is gorgeous.

It blooms several times during the year.  It's blooms are large and fragrant.  This time of year it is especially beautiful.  I Googled the Camelia since I know so very little about planting. 

1.  The Camelia is a perineal.  

2.  The best time to plant the bush is in Fall or early Spring.  

3.  A deep root system is necessary to grow larger blooms. Plants must be planted 14-18 inches deep.

Here's the tricky part...

There must be enough sunlight, but not too much.  

Enough water, but not too much.  

Enough warm weather...not too hot and not too cold.  

Thus another reason, why I don't do plant!  As a young thing, someone must have given it perfect care and focused greatly on every detail because it is beautiful and continues to bloom year after year.

How does all of this relate to JOY?  If we focus on the negative, we can stunt the growth of joy in our  lives.  As we focus on God's goodness, it will grow.  As we focus on His goodness, we remember all the ways He has been faithful before and we know He will be faithful now.  Therefore, we can trust HIM.

This week was my annual mammogram.  I always have a 3-D because of the deep tissue and last year I had to have a sonogram.  I learned last week that they wanted to get another sonogram.  This unnerved me at first.  After the message, I began to concentrate on the message of JOY!  I memorized the scripture this week from Isaiah, "Behold, God is my salvation!  I am confident, unafraid and I will trust in you.  The Lord God is my might and my melody; He has become my salvation!  With triumphant joy you will drink deeply from the wells of salvation.  In that glorious day, you will say to one another, "give thanks to the Lord and ask him for more!  Tell the world about all He does!  Let them know how magnificent He is!"

I was able to experience the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit this week as I waited for the results in between the tests and seeing the doctor.  I was able to wait with confident expectation that everything was going to be okay.  As I focused on HIS might, He became my melody!  My joy! All was well!  

Thanks for following along!

May your day be filled with the Joy of the Lord!

Bonnie 

The Babies are Coming to GA

 Since moving back to Georgia, I decorate very little.

The buzz word a few years ago was "Minimalist."  I guess that's what you could say I am now.  After living in 3 houses and 2 apartments in a 9 year span, I'm keeping it simple. 

I no longer accumulate the unnecessary. 

HOWEVER...

The kids are coming to our niece's wedding next weekend, so I'm pulling out a few things. 

The buffet was at one time decorated with my favorite bread bowl filled with orbs, 

a milk can with stems of cotton and decorative items.

I prefer seeing my babies when I walk in the door everyday. 

It helps. 

This Hebrew blessing from Numbers is one that speak often.  

I love that it hangs over the buffet and my babies.

I believe everything we speak should be LIFE! 

I wish I had learned this a long time ago.  

I hope you'll click follow and let me return the favor. 

Some Bunny (BonBon/Bonnie) loves you!

Bonnie :)

What is Your True Identity?

 I have been collecting Ironstone for several years.  Each piece is unique.  Some are very old and depending on demand, may be very valuable.  Some are newly manufactured.  Others are ceramic pieces, hand crafted and of little market-value.  However, as has been said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

I love that each piece is unique.

This small pitcher is one of my favorites.  

It is the only one I have that is marked USA.

This one may be the oldest that I have. 

I find beauty in the discoloration.

There is real character in the aging.

This is the tallest pitcher I have and yet, 

probably the least valuable. 

However, inscribed with the creator's name, 

I treasure it. 

I love the marked ones, indicating their true identity.

Though similar, these two are very different. 

Identity...STOLEN

We are encouraged to protect our identity by safely regarding our social security number, bank account information and credit cards.  In spite of our best efforts, we can be hacked and our private information stolen. I've been told I'm too much of an open book.  However true, I've learned that even the most solid firewall can be cracked.  After 10 years of blogging, a few years ago I found that my domain was not mine and I could not access my writings.  Someone had stolen my domain.   

Identity...CRISIS!

This is definitely true in our world today.  I have to take continuing education for the child advocacy center.  Many of my most recent classes are geared toward accepting identities in the LGTBQ plus community.  I can't even remember the different ways in which these identities identify.  What in the world is our world coming to?  Talk about stolen identity! 

The house of faith where I attend teaches the Hebrew Calendar as well as the Gregorian Calendar.  In Hebrew, this month is Adar.  While in Adar, we recognize that as followers of Christ, our true identity is found in Him.  My preacher-daddy used to say, "You are branded, marked.  You'll never be happy outside of the will of God."

A true follower of Jesus Christ is marked by the blood of Jesus.  Our identity can't be stolen.  If we are truly a Christ-follower, we wear His name everywhere we go.  Even the devil in hell "can't take what we have, change who we are, as the song says, we belong to HIM."

Like pieces of Ironstone, we are all unique.  Some of us may be older, with fine lines.

We all have a few "dark" spots as we are continually being made new in the attitude of our minds.  All of us are really just "cracked pots" if you think about it. But if we have been born-again, we are a new creation!  The old has gone and the new has come!   

In this world of confusion, I don't have to be confused about who I am! 

I'm so glad I know my true identity!