Retirement

Virgin River ZNP

Originally uploaded by susan.house

I have not been working since 1996. November, 1996 to be exact. People have often asked me, “What do you do with yourself?” “How do you keep yourself occupied?” Let me assure all of you, I have never had a problem keeping my days filled since leaving work. I’m coming to the conclusion, if you were busy before you retired, you’re going to be busy after you retire. The big difference between now and then, He has filled my life with contentment, peace, and joy.

If you’re afraid of being bored or not having enough to do, just ask God what you can do to keep busy. He will have plenty of suggestions!! And each one of them will make you feel better about yourself. You can be certain you won’t ever get bored!!

I can honestly say, I look forward to every day with eager anticipation and a sense of excitement wondering what adventure He is going to fill my day doing. When you let Him permeate your life along with being at the helm of your ship, life is never dull!!

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God’s Canvas

God’s Canvas

Originally uploaded by susan.house

You are my God, I will praise You,
You are my God, I will exalt You,
You are my God, I will trust You,
You are my God, I will believe You.

You are my God, show me your beauty,
You are my God, let me see You,
You are my God, I love you,
You are my God,I will believe You.

You are my child, I will praise you,
You are my child, I will exalt you,
You are my child, I will trust you,
You are my child, I will believe you.

You are my child, show me your beauty,
You are my child, let me see you,
You are my child, I love you,
You are my child, I will believe you.

You are my child, I will never leave you,
You are my child, I will never forsake you,
You are my child, I will heal you,
You are my child, I will forgive you,
You are my child, I will believe you.

You are my God, I will thank You always,
You are my God, I will obey,
You are my God, I will honor You,
You are my God, I will believe You.

You are my child, I am with you always,
You are my child, I will protect you,
You are my child, I will provide for you,
You are my child, I will believe you.

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Setting Sun

Setting Sun

Originally uploaded by susan.house

Ephesians 4: 26-27. “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” NIV Study Bible.

This post, as will be some in the future, is one where I will let God’s Word and the picture rest softly on your heart and gently meditate in your mind.

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Just Look at Me

Pelican, Venice, FL

Originally uploaded by susan.house

Sometimes we just can’t help but be proud of ourselves and apparently this pelican agrees. We hear much about not being filled with pride but there are times when pride is a good thing. For example, pride in a job well done. Paul tells us in Galatians 6: 4 and 5, that we should test our actions so we can take pride in ourselves without comparing ourselves to others.

Pride is like food. If we eat too much food, we become overweight and put too much stress on all the other parts of our bodies. If we become filled with too much pride we forget the One who gave us the strength and the means to accomplish the task. We all need food just like we all need to take pride in the work we do. We just have to remember moderation is the key and God is the focus.

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Circle of Light, Banff NP

Circle of Light, Banff NP

Originally uploaded by susan.house

Lately, it seems like everytime we pick up the paper or listen to the news we hear about typhoons, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes doing horrendous damage all over the globe. The Midwest section of our country has been besieged by tornadoes and flooding. When is it going to stop ones are asking. Then you add on to that the rising costs of gas which is affecting food prices and the economy all around us and one can’t help but wonder what is going to happen next. People are going without food so they can put gas in their cars–so they can get to work–so they can pay their bills. It’s a never-ending cycle for some people. Agencies attempting to help these individuals are having to close their doors because the money isn’t there to help them. Yet, amongst all this doom and gloom there is a circle of light.

In Matthew, we are told not to worry about where our clothes come from or what we should eat or drink. We are told how God takes care of the birds and the lilies of the field and how much more important we are to Him than the birds and the flowers of the field. As I was praying yesterday, I had a Christian CD Inseparable by Ivan Parker playing on my computer. On it, he has a song called I’LL DO THE MIRACLE. It caught my attention when I heard him sing:
“but children, don’t you worry. Let me set your mind at ease. You do what’s possible, you do the praising. I’ll do the miracles….you put your trust in me. You keep the faith then, when you can’t go on, that’s when I’ll do the miracles….”

Once again, a reminder to us all. When everything seems hopeless and we’ve nowhere to turn; it’s when we finally admit we can’t do it on our own that God does His most amazing work. One truth I’ve learned through the years I’ve walked with my Lord: when I am at my weakest; He is at His strongest!! Our circle of Light!! Praise God!!

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Waves of Life

Waves of Life

Originally uploaded by susan.house

Approximately five years ago, I was sitting in my motor home along Lake Michigan at Ludington State Park. Looking out my window I saw pretty much this same scene. I was studying Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life because my mother had died and I was alone, not knowing what to do with my life from this point on. I knew I wanted to travel with my motor home but that was about it. Deep-down in the marrows of my soul though, I knew God desired something more from me than travelling the country.

In my twenties, I was in a near-fatal car accident and the doctor would not even discuss the possibility of my ever walking again. This doctor felt success for me would be to live a full life in a wheelchair. Again, deep-down in the marrows of my soul, I knew this was not God’s desire for me. For the last 39 1/2 years, I have been walking. Walking because of God’s grace, God’s strength, and God’s love. It was Jesus’ words in Matthew 19: 26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” that have kept me putting one foot in front of the other. These have been the words that have helped me survive the impossible circumstances that have been a part of my life. This message I repeated over and over to my children when they were going through some of these impossible circumstances with me.

God’s message for me that day was He wanted me to write. Me, a nobody, God wanted to use to write His words of love, His message of “with God all things are possible”. He told me He would give me the words and the tools I would need to deliver His messages. I must say, I really, truly, did NOT believe Him. However, one self-published book later, many unpublished articles, one published devotional, and a blog site later, I again say, “with God all things are possible”!!! So now, as I continue this fairly new venture, I ask for your prayers as I start on another phase of God’s plans for me: speaking.

Two truths I carry with me is Matthew 19:26 and 2 Timothy 3: 16-17. If the situation before you is a difficult one, these are two very good truths to write on paper and place in a prominent spot that your eyes will fall on throughout the day.

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Taranac Falls, Banff National Park

Taranac Falls, Banff National Park

Originally uploaded by susan.house

 

A friend showed me a plaque the other day which read: Faith makes things possible…not easy. How true this is. So many times, we feel our faith will make things easier. If we have faith our life will be one big bowl of roses. No, nada, no way. Our faith gives us the strength to hang in there for one more day, sometimes one more minute. Our faith gives us hope. And hope, in biblical terms, means an assurance-an expectation of things to come.

As we look at this waterfall, we see where it has begun carving into the mountainside. In time, because of the power in this water it will transfigure this mountainside. The falls will cut deeper into the mountainside until a canyon may be formed. The falls may become wider and more forceful like Niagra Falls. However, none of this is going to happen overnight. It will all take time.

Faith works the same way. Beth Moore in the study, Believing God, states: “By faith, God is turning our weakness into strength.” In Hebrews 11 we are shown what faith has done. On my trip, I met several people no different from you or I. These were ordinary people who did extraordinary things because they believed God and said “Yes” when asked by God to do something for Him.  Like the beauty this waterfall is and will bring to this valley in the years to come, so is our faith to each one of us. “FAITH MAKES THINGS POSSIBLE…..NOT EASY.”  As Hebrews 11: 1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  The emphasis is mine.  One neat thing about faith, no matter how difficult the journey may be, there is always beauty at the end.  Why is there always beauty at the end?  Because God’s glory will always come shining through!!!

 How have you allowed your faith to make things possible?   I would love to hear about some of your “faith journeys”. 

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footprints

footprints

Originally uploaded by susan.house

This picture was taken at the ocean on the Saturday of the Discovery space shot.  This new version of the poem Footprints was sent to me today.  Isn’t it absolutely amazing how God plans these things out?  I love to see His hand at work in my life!!  Here’s the new version of Footprints:

Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down the road together.  For much of the way, the Lord’s footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace.

But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.  For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord’s, soon paralleling His consistently.

You and Jesus are walking as true friends!

This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens.  Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus’ are now walking precisely in His steps…

Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one.

This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change.  The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger.

Eventually they disappear altogether.  There is only one set of footprints.  They have become one.

This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back.  This time it seeems even worse! Zigzags all over the place.  Stops.  Starts. Gashes in the sand.  A variable mess of prints.

You are amazed and shocked.  Your dream ends.  Now you pray:

“Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits.  I was a new Christian, I was just learning.  But you walked on through the storm and helped me learn to with you..”

“That is correct.”

“And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in your steps, following you very closely.”

“Very good..You have understood everything so far.”

“So..When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like you in every way?”

“Precisely!” said Jesus.

“So, Lord, was there a regression or something?  The footprints separated and this time it was worse than at first.”

There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice:

“You didn’t know?  It was then that we danced!”

 

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Be Strong and Courageous

Be Strong and Courageous

Originally uploaded by susan.house

Before starting, let me remind you to click on the picture if you have problems reading it. This will give you a larger picture and make it easier to read.

When Joshua was told this he was going to enter one of the hardest battles he would face as leader of the nation of Israel. Moses had just died and they were going to be entering the land God had promised them. They could have entered this land 39 years previous to this if they had only trusted God and once again they were going to have to trust God for their promised land.

Last December I was in a similar circumstance as Joshua where God told me to “be strong and courageous” and know that the “Lord my God will be with (me) wherever (I) go”. I was traveling along I-75, heading home from Gainesville when my car died suddenly. Being on a fixed income and having no emergency funds, I knew the only one to fix this problem was God. I prayed and asked Him for His help. I told Him I didn’t know what was going to happen but whatever it was it was going to be a testimony for the glory of God. It was at this point, I knew I was going to have to be strong and courageous and, most of all, to trust God. This was going to take time. The following Friday, a man from an organization I volunteer with, Love In the Name of Christ, telephoned me and told me a man from a car dealership would be calling me with a car for me. Don’t worry about the down payment, the organization would make the down payment. By that evening I was driving a 2001 Buick Century Limited, leather interior, 45,000 miles, completely loaded. The only thing it didn’t have was a CD player. That was not all, I had a 3 year extended warranty and 1 year free maintenance on the car. All for approximately $200 a month.  Exactly what i could afford.  Not only did I have this car to check out; but also, two other Buick Limited’s.

Was it easy for me to sit and wait out the week? No, but I knew if I interferred the result would not have been the same. This is God’s car and all the glory goes to Him!!  I have no doubt in my mind without Him the results would have been much different.  Rest assured when you are going through hard or uncertain times, God is there with you, guiding you and strengthening you.  “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified.  Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

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