Odd Duck, Book of Esther

Have you ever been called odd? Abnormal, maybe? Do you ever wonder why you seem to walk a bit out of step from the rest of the world? Maybe you do some strange things and don't understand why?

I'm reading the book of Esther now. The main personalities in this book are: King Xerxes, Haman, Mordecai, and Esther. Haman, the highest ranking official, began to notice an oddity going on in the kingdom. The order was given that all who passed by should bow down and kneel before him in honor. The king decreed it. Haman deserved that honor, or so he thought anyway.

There was a man named Mordecai, who refused and it honked Haman off. He was so mad that he didn't want to just take Mordecai out, he wanted to annihilate the whole Jewish people. He did what any good, upstanding public official would do, he ran and whined to the king, "Haman then spoke with King Xerxes: "There is an odd set of people scattered through the provinces of your kingdom who don't fit in. Their customs and ways are different from those of everybody else. Worse, they disregard the king's laws. They're an affront; the king shouldn't put up with them. If it please the king, let orders be given that they be destroyed. I'll pay for it myself. I'll deposit 375 tons of silver in the royal bank to finance the operation." (Esther 3:8-9)

Haman was willing to put up his own money to take care of this problem. What an ego. Wow. Bulletins were posted everywhere giving the exact day that all the Jewish people would be killed. All meaning: men, women, and children.


And Mordecai was upset that he caused problems for his people while Haman and the King enjoyed a cup of java or whatever the royalty drank at that time:)


Are we the odd ducks in our society? If we don't feel that, what are we doing wrong? 1st Peter 2:11 shows us that we are aliens and strangers in this world. We don't quite fit in. We have a home waiting for us in Heaven. It's okay to be a little odd. It's good actually. Stand up for your beliefs. Share them with whoever will listen. Maybe they'll decide they want to be a little odd along with you:)




Love deep today.

• The world doesn't know how to truly love.

Be strong and courageous.

• We have an Omnipotent God on our side. We don't have to put our faith in our government.

Dream big.

• Go after your dreams knowing that God is funding them, making them happen when they do.

Be an odd duck.

• The world might laugh at you but in the end, when Jesus comes back to get us, we will be so glad we chose to walk the odd path.

Tomorrow I'll go on with this historical account of the book of Esther. So much good stuff in such a short book.

(All verses from The Message)

Read more...

Squishing satan's lies...

These are just a few verses to help you along in case the devil is whispering lies into your ear.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made, no matter what I or others may think about me. (Psalm 139:14)

He has a grand plan and purpose for my life, no matter how the present may look. (2 Timothy 1:9)

He has given me spiritual gifts that I can use to benefit other believers, no matter how I may be floundering or failing at the moment. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)

I am always loved and accepted by God, no matter what I experience or who may reject me. (Romans 8:35)

(These are taken from an Elizabeth George Bible study series, Loving God with All Your Mind)

I'm hoping someone was meant to read this today. I know it's helped me lots.
Have a great Saturday!

Read more...

BBBBLLLLUUUURRRRYYYYY

This is what can happen if your vision blurs while driving. It's not good or good on your vehicle. I drive dizzy lots but I also know my limits. If I feel I can't drive - I don't. I do know how to call my husband and he's used to it.

This morning as I was reading my Bible I found this verse. Actually, I've read it lots of time but it just rang different this time in The Message.

Pilippians 15-16So "let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it."

See, when our vision blurs, we get thrown off track. We might even start down the wrong road - maybe even a one-way-road. That's not good. (I can tell you that by personal experience:)

Phil. 17-19"Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times; sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites."

I want clear vision all the time. Driving through fog, heavy rain, snowstorms, and blurry vision is hard, much harder than what we can handle at times. Paul says to make things easier for us, find others on the same course as you. Don't follow the wrong people. That can most definitely be disastrous.

Drive safe. Know your limits. Turn around if you have to, until it's safe. Watch the weather. Help out others you might see stranded along the road after having their own bout of blurred vision. We've all been there.

God is always with us. Ever present in times of trouble. He is THE ONE we should follow ultimately and then find others on that same path, others that can help us and we can help them. We're not meant to drive on a lonely desert road. God wants us to help each other along.

Maybe we need our vision checked today. Make sure our vision isn't blurred.

Phil. 20-21"But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him."


This is what keeps us in the driver's seat. Don't bail out now. He just might be coming today. We never know. Don't give up hope now. The finish line might be just around the corner. Don't give up. Press on. Hang in there.

Press on. Hang in there.
Press on. Hang in there. (Can you tell, I'm talking to me?)
Press on. Hang in there. (Can you tell I'm talking to you?)
Press on. Hang in there.
But not only just hang on - grab hold of life.
Enjoy the drive. Look at the scenery.
Wave as you pass your neighbor. Smile. Giggle. Enjoy.

Press on. Hang in there.
Wave. Smile. Giggle.
Enjoy - that's my prayer today. Amen. So be it.

Read more...

Love is a Journey

A friend gave me an Elizabeth George book, Loving God with All Your Mind, to keep me busy as I mourned Mari's leaving. The first chapter talks about saturating your mind with the truth and meditate on it. Lately I've been bombarded with lies and lots of them and they have been bringing me down - kersplat!

Here is the verse from The Message. I don't memorize from this version but I love how it reads:

Philippians 4:8 (The Message)
8-9"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things

• true,
• noble,
• reputable,
• authentic,
• compelling,
• gracious—the best, not the worst;
• the beautiful, not the ugly;
• things to praise, not things to curse.

Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."

And for me this week, the message I need to get in my mind is that I am loved.

1 John 4:19 (The Message)
19"We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first."

I found this today as I was tooling around the internet. I thought it was so appropriate when thinking about God's love for us and our love for each other. I have so many who are pouring into my life right now as I muddle: my family, my wonderful friends that live near me, and my can't-live-without internet friends. The harder I fall the harder they all rally around me to pray. I have a friend who called them, Princess Prayer Warriors. How true is that?

I've been battling horrendous headaches and because of that my blood pressure has shot to heights that make my doctor's cringe. I did have a miracle happen. I was able to get into my neurosurgeon on February 19th. He will do x-rays to make sure my shunt is working and then, if it is, he will tap into it to drain spinal fluid out of me. If it's not working - well, no need to talk about that right now. For anyone who doesn't know, I have Intracranial Hypertension (IH), or as the doctor's still want to call it, Psuedotumor Cerebri (PTC.)

The constant pain messes with my mind and I feel all alone in my battle and have to be reminded that I am not. So this is to thank everyone who faithfully prays for me every day, the Princess Prayer Warriors and I do have Prince Prayer Warriors, too:) Don't want to forget them. Remember, fill your minds with the truth today...

Read more...

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

I have really been struggling lately and I saw this picture and it helped me put some feelings into words. More importantly, it took me to THE WORD. Does He Love me? I don't feel it today but I don't have to. HIS love is abiding. Deep. Everlasting. When all else fails, HIS love will surround me.

To Love, to Be Loved

17-18God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

19We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. (1 John 4:17-19 The Message)

Wow. He does love me and because of that, I can live without fear of the future. He loves me. He loves you. What a simple concept but sometimes I think we forget. He loves me... He loves me...

Read more...