Well, as some of you might have noticed, I haven't been posting on here twice weekly like I had originally committed, let alone daily posts. As I was sitting quietly this morning, the things that have been happening in my life played themselves out in my brain. Some of you already know these things, but I'm on my third antibiotic for a sinus/bronchial infection that just will not go away, the electrical outlets in our kitchen were malfunctioning which caused us to have no telephone for two days, work became more demanding, and this was on top of the already business going on in our lives. Some of you might be thinking - okay, so what??? So she has an infection, and her kitchen outlets weren't working, work is always demanding, and doesn't she have a cellphone? What's the big deal???
You're so very right - what's the big deal?? But some of you who experience things such as losing keys (and you know who you are, ahem!), being late for work or a meeting, sitting in traffic when you're already late for an appointment allow the little things to ruin part or even your entire day. And to be truthful, most times it IS the little things that infiltrate our lives and steal our joy.
When I was in my 20s, I had bought a new brand new, shiny, red Acura Integra. I had allowed my sister to drive my brand new, shiny, red car while I was in a class at Pitt. When class was over, I came out of the building, saw where Cheri had parked, and started walking toward the car. Immediately, she popped out of the driver's seat, and very quickly came around to the passenger side of the car. Visibly upset, she blurted out, "Alesia, I'm so sorry, I wrecked your car!!!" and she began to choke up. I looked at the front of the car, it was fine, the sides seemed okay, it was the back bumper that had been smashed in - she didn't see a 3-foot pole behind the car when she was backing up and hit it. Believe it or not, I didn't freak out. I looked at the damage, which really wasn't much, looked at Cheri and told her it was okay. It wasn't a big deal. We got in the car and went on with our lives.
Okay, now before you start thinking that I'm a saint for not really getting mad, I need to admit something to you. I've always been "pretty" okay (not perfectly okay understand because I'm human) with the big stuff. It's the little stuff that will drive me over the edge. Jack, my husband, can attest to this and so can my close friends. He lost his job a week before our wedding. Sure, I was concerned but I knew he would find another one and he eventually did, but don't let me come home from being out for the afternoon to find the kitchen filled with dishes that weren't there when I left - you'll definitely see steam coming from my ears.
We all know who Satan is, right? John 10:10 describes Satan as the one who "comes to steal, kill and destroy." There is such a thing as spiritual warfare - it's real and it's powerful. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour." Now I'm not saying that every little thing that happens in our day is caused by the devil. Oftentimes our flesh and our free gets us into sinful situations, but when one circumstance after another after another postpones what God's will is for our lives, let me tell you, it's probably the devil's warfare. He does not want us to do what God's will is for our lives. Ever since I started this blog, something seems to get in my way of writing it.
The good news is the same verse, Ephesians 6:12, goes on to say that Jesus "came to give us life and have it to the full" which is awesome news!! We don't have to be victims of Satan's power. So how do we battle the warfare? By doing what 1 Peter 5:8 above tells us - "be sober, be vigilant." By keeping on and pressing through with continuing to read our Bibles - ooooh, the devil hates when we do that - by learning verses that we can recite when warfare enters our lives. Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." There are many good Bible studies on spiritual warfare, my personal favorite is Kay Arthurs, Lord, Is it Warfare? Teach Me to Stand. I had attended this study many years ago and really opened my eyes. It might be worth pulling it out and perhaps starting a study. If any of you who live close by would have any interest in this, give me a holler by posting here on this blog or emailing me at matoteks@comcast.net.
Let me close by saying this - no matter what the devil or life's circumstances throws our way, everything we need for the battle is in the Bible - let's read our Bibles so we know how to stand - isn't that wonderful news?
My prayer for us today: "Lord, you are so good and we thank you for all of the blessings you have given us. We know we can't stand alone in this world. We need you and we desperately need your word, Lord. Make us thirsty for your Word so that we may put on your armor and be ready for any battle." Amen and Amen!!!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
In Memory of Bonnie Patterson - please read even if you didn't know her
The entry below this introduction is from our friend, Jim Sydney, who lost his beloved Bonnie to breast cancer in June of this year. Bonnie was only 52 years old. After reading this, I asked Jim if he would mind if I shared his story with my family and friends and he, very graciously said yes, as I know a couple of you had lost your "loves" this past year.
Jim has created a website called friendsofbonnie.org to help others facing the diagnosis of cancer. Here, you can read about Jim and Bonnie's incredible journey from the time of her diagnosis to the current post that I'm including below. Jim also includes a very vital link to read for those diagnosed with cancer and covers issues such as insurance coverage and suggestions when visiting your doctor. There is another important link for caregivers or friends and family helping to care for someone diagnosed with cancer. Please take a minute and visit the site and if you know of anyone who could benefit from Jim and Bonnie's words of wisdom, please feel free to pass the website along. Jim's mission is to help cushion the emotional devastation that this disease produces.
Whether or not we have experienced this kind of tragedy in our lives, we need to know that God is our strength. My prayer is that each and every one of us draws strength from the Lord every single day of our lives but especially during the storms.
This is not only a story of courage, but an incredible love story and is the epitome of how Jesus wants us to love...unconditionally and unselfishly. I will caution you before reading Jim's story - grab a lot of Kleenexes!!!
And now, here's our very couragous, very talented friend Jim's story...
09/22/11 This event transpired Sunday 09/04/11. I mentioned it to a few close friends and they unanimously thought I should share this experience. I hope it helps others that can relate to a "connection".
It was not planned.
I woke up Sunday morning and knew exactly what had to be done.
I set about collecting my bike gear, disassembled the tandem, (bicycle built for two) and mounted it to the car rack.
I grabbed a screwdriver and silently walked upstairs, then pensively, disassembled Bon's urn.
Inside it was plastic bag not unlike the kind that you would put wholesale candy in. It had a dogtag / serial number and was secured with a twist-tie binding it shut. Somehow I felt there should have been something more ornate about the internal containment. It seemed so industrial but it is what it is. That too can not be changed now.
So this is it. I've come to this point.
The mineral essence of Bonnie was now in front of me. I could not help but be impacted by the fact that it is really true. We do weight but a few pounds without water. So just what is "life"?
Back to my task.
I knew that I was going to take her ashes with me.
Bonnie liked to ride our tandem at the Moraine State Park's paved trail. We would ride to the end of the trail, then sit on a particular bench. The bench was inscribed with a plaque. " In loving memory of my husband Bob. We spent many happy hours riding this trail together". The bench and inscription were present before Bon was diagnosed. Long ago we had been immediately touched by the inscription's sincerity and looked forward to visiting this bench. Typically we would have a snack while watching the birds and boats from it's vantage.
The wind was increasing. The air was streaming through my helmet vents to point that it could not be ignored. The sun was shining and the waves were now unusual.
The sunlight was reflecting oddly on the water. At first it looked like a few candles that had their stems illuminated as well as the flame. The visual impression was somewhat like a upside down U or ^ stretching upward. At first there were a few, then within seconds 10, 100, 1000, 2000, 10,000 the lake was aglow with incredible light. It was an absolutely amazing experience that transcends description. I grabbed a tissue to wipe my nose and suddenly I knew.
It was time to move on.
Jim has created a website called friendsofbonnie.org to help others facing the diagnosis of cancer. Here, you can read about Jim and Bonnie's incredible journey from the time of her diagnosis to the current post that I'm including below. Jim also includes a very vital link to read for those diagnosed with cancer and covers issues such as insurance coverage and suggestions when visiting your doctor. There is another important link for caregivers or friends and family helping to care for someone diagnosed with cancer. Please take a minute and visit the site and if you know of anyone who could benefit from Jim and Bonnie's words of wisdom, please feel free to pass the website along. Jim's mission is to help cushion the emotional devastation that this disease produces.
Whether or not we have experienced this kind of tragedy in our lives, we need to know that God is our strength. My prayer is that each and every one of us draws strength from the Lord every single day of our lives but especially during the storms.
This is not only a story of courage, but an incredible love story and is the epitome of how Jesus wants us to love...unconditionally and unselfishly. I will caution you before reading Jim's story - grab a lot of Kleenexes!!!
And now, here's our very couragous, very talented friend Jim's story...
09/22/11 This event transpired Sunday 09/04/11. I mentioned it to a few close friends and they unanimously thought I should share this experience. I hope it helps others that can relate to a "connection".
It was not planned.
I woke up Sunday morning and knew exactly what had to be done.
I set about collecting my bike gear, disassembled the tandem, (bicycle built for two) and mounted it to the car rack.
I grabbed a screwdriver and silently walked upstairs, then pensively, disassembled Bon's urn.
Inside it was plastic bag not unlike the kind that you would put wholesale candy in. It had a dogtag / serial number and was secured with a twist-tie binding it shut. Somehow I felt there should have been something more ornate about the internal containment. It seemed so industrial but it is what it is. That too can not be changed now.
So this is it. I've come to this point.
The mineral essence of Bonnie was now in front of me. I could not help but be impacted by the fact that it is really true. We do weight but a few pounds without water. So just what is "life"?
Back to my task.
I knew that I was going to take her ashes with me.
Bonnie liked to ride our tandem at the Moraine State Park's paved trail. We would ride to the end of the trail, then sit on a particular bench. The bench was inscribed with a plaque. " In loving memory of my husband Bob. We spent many happy hours riding this trail together". The bench and inscription were present before Bon was diagnosed. Long ago we had been immediately touched by the inscription's sincerity and looked forward to visiting this bench. Typically we would have a snack while watching the birds and boats from it's vantage.
Dare I touch the ashes?
Yes.
I wanted to be the transferring agent. The link between here and there.
I grabbed a 'baggie" and carefully untwisted the dogtag, then placed my hand into the ashes - and it hit me. At first I was appalled by the grittiness - reminiscent of pestled bones and teeth- and then the flood gate opened. In a moment a thousand memories flashed to the surface.
Good.
Bad.
All of them almost at once and I broke down crying in sorrow not entirely for my personal loss, but mostly for the unfair circumstances that had been dealt to Bon. She was a wonderful person and a tremendous loss to many people. She didn't deserve this.
I sealed the baggie, placed it in my backpack, sealed the urn and returned the urn to it's resting place.
The drive to the park was uneventful. My eyes stayed dry. I felt comfort in my mission.
At the park I assembled the tandem and hit the trail.
This particular tandem is quite striking with a large, flat black frame with chrome wheels. It looked like a .... hearse!
I was going to ride the tandem in the fashion of the "unmanned horse".
There would be no rear passenger.
As I rode the 7 mile distance one person called to me... "Hey you forgot somebody". Lacking whit but having focus, I yelled back...
"no I didn't. She's right here..". and I tapped my backpack. I know they had no idea what I spoke of. It was not one of my more comedic moments.
At about mile marker 6 of the seven miles to ride I found myself fast encroaching upon a group of older riders. We exchanged short pleasantries as I slowed and passed through their group. Mile seven arrived and the bench was soon in front of me. A lady was sitting on the bench looking out over the lake. I tried to stay distant and allow her the quiet moment that she sought. As she arose I knew it was my turn.Yes.
I wanted to be the transferring agent. The link between here and there.
I grabbed a 'baggie" and carefully untwisted the dogtag, then placed my hand into the ashes - and it hit me. At first I was appalled by the grittiness - reminiscent of pestled bones and teeth- and then the flood gate opened. In a moment a thousand memories flashed to the surface.
Good.
Bad.
All of them almost at once and I broke down crying in sorrow not entirely for my personal loss, but mostly for the unfair circumstances that had been dealt to Bon. She was a wonderful person and a tremendous loss to many people. She didn't deserve this.
I sealed the baggie, placed it in my backpack, sealed the urn and returned the urn to it's resting place.
The drive to the park was uneventful. My eyes stayed dry. I felt comfort in my mission.
At the park I assembled the tandem and hit the trail.
This particular tandem is quite striking with a large, flat black frame with chrome wheels. It looked like a .... hearse!
I was going to ride the tandem in the fashion of the "unmanned horse".
There would be no rear passenger.
As I rode the 7 mile distance one person called to me... "Hey you forgot somebody". Lacking whit but having focus, I yelled back...
"no I didn't. She's right here..". and I tapped my backpack. I know they had no idea what I spoke of. It was not one of my more comedic moments.
What was I going to do?
How was I going to do this?
I had felt no need to plan and now I had my moment to....
I took off my backpack, read the inscription on the bench's plaque, and placed the backpack where Bon would have been sitting.
I sat for a moment waiting for inspiration.
Then, without hesitation, I removed my glove, reached into the backpack and removed the baggie.
Upon opening the baggie ashes were placed in an impromptu amount around the bench.
While walking around the bench I became aware that the group of older people I passed earlier at the 6 mile point were now present. They were seated in the surrounding benches behind me, sitting silently, watching.
I instinctively felt that they knew what was going on. I dared not make eye contact as it was taking all my control to keep from crying aloud.
There were still ashes in the bag.... now what?
The wind at this location usually blows inward from the water to the shore. This places the flow of air in your face as you view the water. The wind today was reversed. I could feel the air flowing through the back of my helmet... strongly as if a fan were placed inches from my head.
Standing at right corner of the bench and facing the water I tossed the now silken ashes into the air. Perfectly they evaporated like smoke carried into a breeze and over the water. A second pinch was perfectly thrown from the center of the bench, and the final perfect amount remained for the dust to carry away from where I was standing at the left side of the bench. "A trinity" came to mind.
I sat on the bench, and ate a granola bar in honor of the traditional snacking done at this bench.How was I going to do this?
I had felt no need to plan and now I had my moment to....
I took off my backpack, read the inscription on the bench's plaque, and placed the backpack where Bon would have been sitting.
I sat for a moment waiting for inspiration.
Then, without hesitation, I removed my glove, reached into the backpack and removed the baggie.
Upon opening the baggie ashes were placed in an impromptu amount around the bench.
While walking around the bench I became aware that the group of older people I passed earlier at the 6 mile point were now present. They were seated in the surrounding benches behind me, sitting silently, watching.
I instinctively felt that they knew what was going on. I dared not make eye contact as it was taking all my control to keep from crying aloud.
There were still ashes in the bag.... now what?
The wind at this location usually blows inward from the water to the shore. This places the flow of air in your face as you view the water. The wind today was reversed. I could feel the air flowing through the back of my helmet... strongly as if a fan were placed inches from my head.
Standing at right corner of the bench and facing the water I tossed the now silken ashes into the air. Perfectly they evaporated like smoke carried into a breeze and over the water. A second pinch was perfectly thrown from the center of the bench, and the final perfect amount remained for the dust to carry away from where I was standing at the left side of the bench. "A trinity" came to mind.
The wind was increasing. The air was streaming through my helmet vents to point that it could not be ignored. The sun was shining and the waves were now unusual.
The sunlight was reflecting oddly on the water. At first it looked like a few candles that had their stems illuminated as well as the flame. The visual impression was somewhat like a upside down U or ^ stretching upward. At first there were a few, then within seconds 10, 100, 1000, 2000, 10,000 the lake was aglow with incredible light. It was an absolutely amazing experience that transcends description. I grabbed a tissue to wipe my nose and suddenly I knew.
It was time to move on.
I stood slowly and once again avoided direct eye contact.-out of self preservation.
In my peripheral vision I could see the others look, and not look.
I mentally thanked them all for sharing this moment.
Upon approaching the tandem I observed that somehow, somewhere on the way from the car to this point, a pedal had spun off the crank and the pedal was now missing. The thought occurred to me. Yes, I am incomplete, but I'm still whole. A part of this (bike) is missing but it will go on!
I climbed aboard the tandem and never looked back. A few emergency stops had to be made on the return ride to utilize the remaining soggy tissues as best as possible. I never did find the missing pedal.
The ride home was also uneventful, but the morning obviously was not. There was a sense of.... the word is not closure... but completion that settled upon me (us) and I was at a comfortable point of acceptance.
In Loving Memory of Bonnie Patterson, April 26, 1959 - June 25, 2011.
In my peripheral vision I could see the others look, and not look.
I mentally thanked them all for sharing this moment.
Upon approaching the tandem I observed that somehow, somewhere on the way from the car to this point, a pedal had spun off the crank and the pedal was now missing. The thought occurred to me. Yes, I am incomplete, but I'm still whole. A part of this (bike) is missing but it will go on!
I climbed aboard the tandem and never looked back. A few emergency stops had to be made on the return ride to utilize the remaining soggy tissues as best as possible. I never did find the missing pedal.
The ride home was also uneventful, but the morning obviously was not. There was a sense of.... the word is not closure... but completion that settled upon me (us) and I was at a comfortable point of acceptance.
In Loving Memory of Bonnie Patterson, April 26, 1959 - June 25, 2011.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Make Me!!
A few weeks ago, before I started this blog, I was watching Joyce Meyers on TV and she had a message that struck my heart so strongly - instead of saying, "God, give me..." Joyce dared everyone to say, "God, make me...make me into what you want me to be." After her program had ended, I sat there mulling this over in my mind. I wonder what would happen if I asked God to make me into what He wanted me to be? I wonder what He'd have me do? Would I be able? Would I be ready? I thought, "What could I, a middle-aged, work-at-home, mom of 2 boys and wife possibly have to offer God that He doesn't already have people doing for Him?" And a little whisper in my heart replied, "Say it and see." Closing my eyes, bowing my head and gripping the arms of my chair, I whispered very softly, "God, make me into what you want me to be." I opened my eyes. I didn't feel any different, but then again, did He really hear me? After all, I barely whispered it. I turned my eyes upward through one of the skylights in my family room and searched the sky. "Did you hear me, Lord?" I took a deep breath, closed my eyes again, and said it again but louder..."God, make me into what you want me to be!." Wow, this was so freeing. "God, make me into what YOU want me to be!!" I won't have to worry about what I'm going to do with my life. "God make ME into what YOU want me to be!!!" God is in total control. "God, make ME into what YOU want ME to BE!!!!" I felt such joy and such freedom. Over the next few days, an overwhelming need came over me to write. This need was stronger than an itch that you can't reach. It was a nagging, a tugging on my heart leading me to my paper and pen and then to the computer where this blog was born. Was I scared? Absolutely. Terrified? You betcha!! Terrified of what people would think. Terrified of putting myself out there. But all the while I knew this is what God wanted me to do. He would equip me to learn how to blog and He would give me the right words to say. After all, God used every day people to do great things in the Bible. I'm sure Joshua was a bit shaky as he stepped into Moses's shoes, but what did God tell him? "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5). Sometimes our "equipment" is hidden inside of us bursting to get out and sometimes our "equipment" doesn't show up until the very last minute, but God will equip us. So, today, my friends. I'm gonna dare you!! I dare you to go to a quiet place today and ask God to make you into what He wants you to be. Go ahead, I dare you, I'll even double-dog dare ya!!! Don't be afraid. But remember to have something close by to hold onto, because God just might start moving you right where you are!!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Bad Girls of the Bible continues with Potiphar's Wife
Hello everyone. I apologize for not posting on Wednesday night but I came down with some type of virus, but am on the mends. Without further adieu, let's look at our second bad girl in this Bible study - Popiphar's wife.
The author of "Bad Girls of the Bible," Liz Curtis Higgs, opens up the second chapter with Mitzi leaning over the breakfast table toward her husband, Christopher, making sure she offers him more than just coffee..."So...may I serve you something before you head to the office?" She asks seductively. Christopher doesn't even glance up from the newspaper he's reading but does strike up a conversation by telling Mitzi about a new guy he had hired at the office by the name of Joe, the kind of man "you can trust with the company bankbook...and everything else." Christopher winks at his wife while he says this last sentence. What Christopher doesn't know is that he may be able to trust Joe with everything including the company's bankbook, but Mitzi has already set her sites on this young prey. She noticed him at the and his musky smelling aftershave at the company picnic last weekend. She didn't care about the rumors that he lived a squeaky-clean lifestyle and was religious to a fault. She thought that was perfect - she loved a good challenge. So, after asking Christopher if he'd be home for dinner and receving the usual reply of, "Not tonight, sweetheart" and something about meetings..blah, blah, blah...Mitzi didn't care after that. She was already thinking of how she was going to get Joe over to the house so she could have her way with him. She waved to Christopher as he backed down the driveway all the while composing a list of things she needed to do...first, she made a few phone calls...telling the gardner and the housekeeper to take the day off, and then she hung a note on the front door for the UPS man to leave the packages on the porch. "No doorbells please. I might be napping. Correction - she might be in bed if all went as planned."
Now for the challenge of getting her prey, oops, rather Joe to come to the house...she picks up the phone, changes her voice tone a bit so the receptionist won't recognize her, and asks for, "Joe in Property Management, please." When Joe comes on the line, Mitzi drops her voice back down to its usual "husky pitch" and introduces herself as Christopher's wife. In a few minutes, after telling Joe that Christopher left an important file at the house that he will need for his meetings that day, Joe is putty in her hands and tells her he will be there in 30 minutes. After hanging up the phone, she quickly bathes and dresses in a scarlet gown that leaves nothing to the imagination along with a gauzy robe and red slippers. As she brushes her hair she hears a brisk knock at the door. Joseph! She practically skips down the stairs and stops to catch her breath. She doesn't want to appear too eager...her smile changes to a look of surprise as she opens the door. Joseph, who was very handsome and well built, look shocked and quickly shifted his gaze to the planters on the porch. He tried looking everywhere else but at her. She quickly stretched out her hand to catch his and forced him to meet her gaze, "Silly man! Have you never seen a woman in her pajamas? you merely got here too fast for me to change, that's all. Come on in and let me see if I can find that file."
She's smoother than a double-blended mocha frappucino. Poor Joseph doesn't stand a chance.
After Mitzi messes around with "trying to find that file," she quickly finds out this is definitely going to be more of a challenge than she had originally thought. Slowly slipping his jacket off, she allows her hands to brush against his chest. She asks him if he knows why she invited him, and he says, "it's becoming clearer to him by the moment." She nods, relieved, and says, "Good. Then we don't have to play games, do we? I want you, Joe."
Joe clears his throat and takes a step backward, pressing his broad shoulders against the front door. "No simple at all. You're Christopher's wife. He gave me this job, promoted me to manager. He trusts me with..he trusts me with everything." This gave Mitzi perverse pleasure to see how he sweated...boy she was affecting him wasn't she...she watched him gulp and wipe his hands along the sides of his suit pants. Laughter spilled from her lips. "Come to bed with me, Joe. Believe me, Chris not only won't know, he wouldn't care." Joe groped for the knob behind him and yanked the door open. "You don't understand! It isn't only Christopher I'm worried about. This..this is a sin!! A sin against the Lord. The Lord I love with all of my heart." Disgusted, she sputtered, "The Lord!! What has God got to do with this?" Kinda sounds like a Tina Turner song, right? What's God got to do, got to do with it?? Joe looks at her and smiles and says, "Everything." Then he bolted for his cars and the tires squealed all the way down the street.
You can imagine how our sultry seductress felt at this moment...until...she...spotted...his...jacket!!! Now she felt the sweet taste of revenge rising in her throat. "You'll pay, Joe. You'll pay you holier-than-thou-jerk!!"
When she heard the receptionists voice on the other end of the phone, she snapped on a teary sob, "Uh, B-Betty? Is that you? I'm so...scared! Is Christopher there? Please. Tell him I need to talk to him. Yes, yes, interrupt the meeting. Right away!"
That's how the modern-day Potiphar's Wife does it!! Genesis 39, chapters 1 - 23 - the story of Joseph and Potiphar's Wife. It's worth your time to read these chapters and see the similarities in our modern-day Mrs. P. We've all heard stories, watched Lifetime movies, and perhaps, unfortunately, experienced her in our lives. As destructive as she can be, what lessons can we learn from her?
The author of "Bad Girls of the Bible," Liz Curtis Higgs, opens up the second chapter with Mitzi leaning over the breakfast table toward her husband, Christopher, making sure she offers him more than just coffee..."So...may I serve you something before you head to the office?" She asks seductively. Christopher doesn't even glance up from the newspaper he's reading but does strike up a conversation by telling Mitzi about a new guy he had hired at the office by the name of Joe, the kind of man "you can trust with the company bankbook...and everything else." Christopher winks at his wife while he says this last sentence. What Christopher doesn't know is that he may be able to trust Joe with everything including the company's bankbook, but Mitzi has already set her sites on this young prey. She noticed him at the and his musky smelling aftershave at the company picnic last weekend. She didn't care about the rumors that he lived a squeaky-clean lifestyle and was religious to a fault. She thought that was perfect - she loved a good challenge. So, after asking Christopher if he'd be home for dinner and receving the usual reply of, "Not tonight, sweetheart" and something about meetings..blah, blah, blah...Mitzi didn't care after that. She was already thinking of how she was going to get Joe over to the house so she could have her way with him. She waved to Christopher as he backed down the driveway all the while composing a list of things she needed to do...first, she made a few phone calls...telling the gardner and the housekeeper to take the day off, and then she hung a note on the front door for the UPS man to leave the packages on the porch. "No doorbells please. I might be napping. Correction - she might be in bed if all went as planned."
Now for the challenge of getting her prey, oops, rather Joe to come to the house...she picks up the phone, changes her voice tone a bit so the receptionist won't recognize her, and asks for, "Joe in Property Management, please." When Joe comes on the line, Mitzi drops her voice back down to its usual "husky pitch" and introduces herself as Christopher's wife. In a few minutes, after telling Joe that Christopher left an important file at the house that he will need for his meetings that day, Joe is putty in her hands and tells her he will be there in 30 minutes. After hanging up the phone, she quickly bathes and dresses in a scarlet gown that leaves nothing to the imagination along with a gauzy robe and red slippers. As she brushes her hair she hears a brisk knock at the door. Joseph! She practically skips down the stairs and stops to catch her breath. She doesn't want to appear too eager...her smile changes to a look of surprise as she opens the door. Joseph, who was very handsome and well built, look shocked and quickly shifted his gaze to the planters on the porch. He tried looking everywhere else but at her. She quickly stretched out her hand to catch his and forced him to meet her gaze, "Silly man! Have you never seen a woman in her pajamas? you merely got here too fast for me to change, that's all. Come on in and let me see if I can find that file."
She's smoother than a double-blended mocha frappucino. Poor Joseph doesn't stand a chance.
After Mitzi messes around with "trying to find that file," she quickly finds out this is definitely going to be more of a challenge than she had originally thought. Slowly slipping his jacket off, she allows her hands to brush against his chest. She asks him if he knows why she invited him, and he says, "it's becoming clearer to him by the moment." She nods, relieved, and says, "Good. Then we don't have to play games, do we? I want you, Joe."
Joe clears his throat and takes a step backward, pressing his broad shoulders against the front door. "No simple at all. You're Christopher's wife. He gave me this job, promoted me to manager. He trusts me with..he trusts me with everything." This gave Mitzi perverse pleasure to see how he sweated...boy she was affecting him wasn't she...she watched him gulp and wipe his hands along the sides of his suit pants. Laughter spilled from her lips. "Come to bed with me, Joe. Believe me, Chris not only won't know, he wouldn't care." Joe groped for the knob behind him and yanked the door open. "You don't understand! It isn't only Christopher I'm worried about. This..this is a sin!! A sin against the Lord. The Lord I love with all of my heart." Disgusted, she sputtered, "The Lord!! What has God got to do with this?" Kinda sounds like a Tina Turner song, right? What's God got to do, got to do with it?? Joe looks at her and smiles and says, "Everything." Then he bolted for his cars and the tires squealed all the way down the street.
You can imagine how our sultry seductress felt at this moment...until...she...spotted...his...jacket!!! Now she felt the sweet taste of revenge rising in her throat. "You'll pay, Joe. You'll pay you holier-than-thou-jerk!!"
When she heard the receptionists voice on the other end of the phone, she snapped on a teary sob, "Uh, B-Betty? Is that you? I'm so...scared! Is Christopher there? Please. Tell him I need to talk to him. Yes, yes, interrupt the meeting. Right away!"
That's how the modern-day Potiphar's Wife does it!! Genesis 39, chapters 1 - 23 - the story of Joseph and Potiphar's Wife. It's worth your time to read these chapters and see the similarities in our modern-day Mrs. P. We've all heard stories, watched Lifetime movies, and perhaps, unfortunately, experienced her in our lives. As destructive as she can be, what lessons can we learn from her?
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Blink!!
How many times have you heard a song that you just can't get out of your head? It's typically a really lame song that you heard on a commercial or in a store and you'd give anything to get it out of your head. Well, I actually have a good song that's been stuck in my head for the past few days. It's called "Blink" by the Christian band Revive and the lyrics are:
Blink, by Revive
Teach me to number my days
And count every moment before it slips away
Take in all the colors before they fade to gray
I don't want to miss even just a second more of this
Refrain:
It happens in a blink
It happens in a flash
It happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life
It happens in a blink
When it's all said and done
No one remembers how far we have run
The only thing that matters is how we have loved
I don't want to miss even just a second more of this
Refrain
Slow down, slow down
Before today becomes our yesterday
Slow down, slow down
Before you turn around and it's too late
Refrain
You can Google it and listen to the actual song which is much more awesome than just reading the lyrics, although the lyrics are pretty powerful. I love the first line, "Teach me to number my days." You know the Bible actually tells us to "number our days" in Psalms 39:4 (NIV), "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life." In Psalms 90:12 (NIV), Moses asks God to "Teach us to number our days alright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
After thinking about this numbering my days concept, I actually sat down and numbered my days - it's pretty sobering to realize that if I live to be 87 years old, which is 1 year more than my mother had lived, as of today, I have 13,197 days left to live or 1,099 months. What happens when we put a time limit on things? I don't know about you, but when I put a time limit on something I'm doing, I tend to move a bit faster than if I had all day. Well, guess what? You start putting a time limit on the number of days you estimate your life to have left, and now you're going to find your life has a whole new meaning. Instead of "waiting" in order for things to happen like "When I lose weight, I'll finally do..." or "I don't have time now to take care of this, but I will when..." your "whens" start to become a bit more urgent and it's suddenly not so important to lose weight before going on that vacation you always wanted to go on. You suddenly realize that you only have 4 more years before your oldest son starts college and if you're not careful, you'll blink and miss his entire high school years because you're too busy waiting for "when" to happen.
If you dare to number your days, post how many you estimate to have left and let's all start to help each other in slowing down and realizing what our blinks in life are right now!! Friday night, after dropping Josh (my 14-yo) and his friends at the high school for an away game they had, I picked up Jack and Jakob and drove to Monroeville to celebrate my nephew, Michael's, 19th birthday. Someone had commented to me that I'm crazy for driving all over creation and that my nephew wouldn't mind if I didn't show. I agreed but realized that in a few short years, Michael will be out of college and starting his life. My reply was simply, "This is my blink!!" And now it's Sunday night and Friday night is a memory - a very wonderful memory!!!
Lord, Show us how to number our days and to realize that your plans for us is bigger than what we can even imagine. Help us to listen for your direction, Lord. Amen and Amen!!
Check back on Thursday night for the continuation of, "Bad Girls of the Bible."
Blink, by Revive
Teach me to number my days
And count every moment before it slips away
Take in all the colors before they fade to gray
I don't want to miss even just a second more of this
Refrain:
It happens in a blink
It happens in a flash
It happens in the time it takes to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life
It happens in a blink
When it's all said and done
No one remembers how far we have run
The only thing that matters is how we have loved
I don't want to miss even just a second more of this
Refrain
Slow down, slow down
Before today becomes our yesterday
Slow down, slow down
Before you turn around and it's too late
Refrain
You can Google it and listen to the actual song which is much more awesome than just reading the lyrics, although the lyrics are pretty powerful. I love the first line, "Teach me to number my days." You know the Bible actually tells us to "number our days" in Psalms 39:4 (NIV), "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life." In Psalms 90:12 (NIV), Moses asks God to "Teach us to number our days alright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
After thinking about this numbering my days concept, I actually sat down and numbered my days - it's pretty sobering to realize that if I live to be 87 years old, which is 1 year more than my mother had lived, as of today, I have 13,197 days left to live or 1,099 months. What happens when we put a time limit on things? I don't know about you, but when I put a time limit on something I'm doing, I tend to move a bit faster than if I had all day. Well, guess what? You start putting a time limit on the number of days you estimate your life to have left, and now you're going to find your life has a whole new meaning. Instead of "waiting" in order for things to happen like "When I lose weight, I'll finally do..." or "I don't have time now to take care of this, but I will when..." your "whens" start to become a bit more urgent and it's suddenly not so important to lose weight before going on that vacation you always wanted to go on. You suddenly realize that you only have 4 more years before your oldest son starts college and if you're not careful, you'll blink and miss his entire high school years because you're too busy waiting for "when" to happen.
If you dare to number your days, post how many you estimate to have left and let's all start to help each other in slowing down and realizing what our blinks in life are right now!! Friday night, after dropping Josh (my 14-yo) and his friends at the high school for an away game they had, I picked up Jack and Jakob and drove to Monroeville to celebrate my nephew, Michael's, 19th birthday. Someone had commented to me that I'm crazy for driving all over creation and that my nephew wouldn't mind if I didn't show. I agreed but realized that in a few short years, Michael will be out of college and starting his life. My reply was simply, "This is my blink!!" And now it's Sunday night and Friday night is a memory - a very wonderful memory!!!
Lord, Show us how to number our days and to realize that your plans for us is bigger than what we can even imagine. Help us to listen for your direction, Lord. Amen and Amen!!
Check back on Thursday night for the continuation of, "Bad Girls of the Bible."
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Welcome!
Welcome to Hope Today Cafe!! This blog is inspired by God so that its contents may bring you hope and inspiration.
This blog has been in my heart for many months, but every time I felt God nudging me to write it, I allowed fear to creep in and whisper, "What makes you think you can do this?" But yesterday morning, the nudging was so strong and lasted all day that I couldn't ignore it any longer and I'm reminded of the verse in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
I signed up for a Bible study and this week was the first lesson. I've done alot of other Bible studies, mostly Kay Arthur Precept Upon Precept studies which are very good, in-depth studies that I learned alot in. But when my friend, Lori, asked me if I was interested in going with her to this study, the title wasn't even out of her mouth and I knew I was in. It's called, "Bad Girls of the Bible, and What We Can Learn from Them" written by Liz Curtis Higgs. Seriously, who can resist a title like that? We all can relate to this, right? Well, at least my female readers can, but I know our male counterparts have somewhere along the line, met a bad girl or two (or three, okay, I'll stop there).
The study is broken down into 10 chapters with each chapter concentrating on one of the Bible's best-known femme fatales. First up, is the First Lady of the Bible, Eve! The author first introduces us to Evie - a modern day Eve in a more modern setting. To make a long chapter short, and at the risk of sounding like I'm writing a book report, here's my summation...
Evie is in her father's garden located in the Historic District of Savannah, Georgia. She's about to have her "coming out" ball and become engaged to her one true love, Adam. The garden is filled with such wonderful plants, flowers, fruit trees, as well as a Spanish moss-covered gazebo that she is forbidden by her father to enter - ever!! Well, I know what you're thinking, and you're absolutely right! On the night of her ball, after dancing herself into a sweat, Evie ventures out into the garden in her white silk gown and new silk dancing flats to wait for Adam to bring her a snack. While she waits, she hears, "Pssst! Here, Evelyn." She turns to find herself "nose-to-boutonniere with a man dressed in the most elegant evening clothes. Not white tails though (as it was an all white ball), but black." His name is Devin, and he wears a "sleek black tuxedo with a silvery gray vest, cravat, and dress gloves, crowned with a black silk hat." What happens next doesn't come as a shock to any of us. The mystery man lures our innocent Evie into the gazebo by convincing her that her father really didn't mean she would be cut off if she's discovered there. The lustful liar doesn't stop there, he kisses Evie (who has never been kissed) and that's it for her. A whole new lustful world has opened up and she can't wait to share what she experienced with Adam. When Adam comes to the garden, of course he's shocked to find where she is, but she quickly shows him what she learned and they throw all caution to the wind. Now, this is a Bible study, so only shirt buttons are undone before Evie's father catches them...
If that section of the first chapter isn't entertaining enough, the author goes on to analyze the true Garden of Eden events using humor and up-to-date examples that are easily relatable. What we can learn from Eve is the following:
1. Don't get into a debate with Satan - get out!! "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7).
2. Know God's Word so you won't be fooled. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11).
3. Watch out for the Big Three. "For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world." (1 John 2:16)
4. Let's avoid the blame game. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25).
Next week, Potiphar's Wife.
If you'd like to follow along each week using the book, you can purchase it at Amazon.com or check at your local bookstore.
It's not my intent to write a book report each week, but to share some of the highlights of this truly entertaining and enlightening study. If you live in the Cranberry Twp/Economy Boro, PA area and would like to join the study group, email me at matoteks@comcast.net.
Thought for the week: God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (paraphrased from the New Living Translation Bible).
Be sure to bookmark or add this site to your Favorites and check back on Thursdays so you can check up on what our "Bad Girls" are doing as well as on Mondays when the posts will be...well, only God knows. I'll also be adding new things often while I'm building this site for the glory of God!!
This blog has been in my heart for many months, but every time I felt God nudging me to write it, I allowed fear to creep in and whisper, "What makes you think you can do this?" But yesterday morning, the nudging was so strong and lasted all day that I couldn't ignore it any longer and I'm reminded of the verse in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
I signed up for a Bible study and this week was the first lesson. I've done alot of other Bible studies, mostly Kay Arthur Precept Upon Precept studies which are very good, in-depth studies that I learned alot in. But when my friend, Lori, asked me if I was interested in going with her to this study, the title wasn't even out of her mouth and I knew I was in. It's called, "Bad Girls of the Bible, and What We Can Learn from Them" written by Liz Curtis Higgs. Seriously, who can resist a title like that? We all can relate to this, right? Well, at least my female readers can, but I know our male counterparts have somewhere along the line, met a bad girl or two (or three, okay, I'll stop there).
The study is broken down into 10 chapters with each chapter concentrating on one of the Bible's best-known femme fatales. First up, is the First Lady of the Bible, Eve! The author first introduces us to Evie - a modern day Eve in a more modern setting. To make a long chapter short, and at the risk of sounding like I'm writing a book report, here's my summation...
Evie is in her father's garden located in the Historic District of Savannah, Georgia. She's about to have her "coming out" ball and become engaged to her one true love, Adam. The garden is filled with such wonderful plants, flowers, fruit trees, as well as a Spanish moss-covered gazebo that she is forbidden by her father to enter - ever!! Well, I know what you're thinking, and you're absolutely right! On the night of her ball, after dancing herself into a sweat, Evie ventures out into the garden in her white silk gown and new silk dancing flats to wait for Adam to bring her a snack. While she waits, she hears, "Pssst! Here, Evelyn." She turns to find herself "nose-to-boutonniere with a man dressed in the most elegant evening clothes. Not white tails though (as it was an all white ball), but black." His name is Devin, and he wears a "sleek black tuxedo with a silvery gray vest, cravat, and dress gloves, crowned with a black silk hat." What happens next doesn't come as a shock to any of us. The mystery man lures our innocent Evie into the gazebo by convincing her that her father really didn't mean she would be cut off if she's discovered there. The lustful liar doesn't stop there, he kisses Evie (who has never been kissed) and that's it for her. A whole new lustful world has opened up and she can't wait to share what she experienced with Adam. When Adam comes to the garden, of course he's shocked to find where she is, but she quickly shows him what she learned and they throw all caution to the wind. Now, this is a Bible study, so only shirt buttons are undone before Evie's father catches them...
If that section of the first chapter isn't entertaining enough, the author goes on to analyze the true Garden of Eden events using humor and up-to-date examples that are easily relatable. What we can learn from Eve is the following:
1. Don't get into a debate with Satan - get out!! "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7).
2. Know God's Word so you won't be fooled. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11).
3. Watch out for the Big Three. "For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world." (1 John 2:16)
4. Let's avoid the blame game. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25).
Next week, Potiphar's Wife.
If you'd like to follow along each week using the book, you can purchase it at Amazon.com or check at your local bookstore.
It's not my intent to write a book report each week, but to share some of the highlights of this truly entertaining and enlightening study. If you live in the Cranberry Twp/Economy Boro, PA area and would like to join the study group, email me at matoteks@comcast.net.
Thought for the week: God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (paraphrased from the New Living Translation Bible).
Be sure to bookmark or add this site to your Favorites and check back on Thursdays so you can check up on what our "Bad Girls" are doing as well as on Mondays when the posts will be...well, only God knows. I'll also be adding new things often while I'm building this site for the glory of God!!
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