"If I could define enlightenment briefly I would say it is 'the quiet acceptance of what is'."- Wayne Dyer
Beth, this is a good quote but somehow the quiet acceptance just doesn't seem like your personality, & I mean that in a good way.
This quote was given to me by my cousin, Alice Loveless. She sent it on the Facebook yesterday. Thank you, Alice. It's a good one, and your observation about me is pretty spot on. I usually go kicking and screaming into any type of change from my comfort zone. And, oh brother, am I out of my comfort zone. I mean, I gain such satisfaction from being at home, having a little routine, growing flowers, hearing from family, working out, watching Christian tv and HGTV, and taking care of Jim. And here I am sitting in motels, living out of suitcases, eating free breakfasts at motels, and looking forward to living like this for a long time to come. But remembering the Bible Study lesson last week-I cannot complain; God hates complaining-remember his giving Miriam leprosy due to her complaining and criticizing.
So, this am I was flipping through the channels, and lo and behold, there was Creflo Dollar. I found him while living in EQ Guinea. I had never heard of this man of God. What a teacher he is! His insight into the Bible and into God is remarkable and just speaks to my spirit. Each time I listen to him, I've always gleaned something to carry into the day. Today's message was taking authority over Satan. The gist of the message was that Satan is raising an army in these last days to go against anyone who professes to be a Christian. When I look back at our brief time in EQ, I know we were gaining spiritual strength. I was listening pretty much exclusively to TBN, we were giving money to God's work in a big way that we hadn't done before. So, I really think that this thing that happened has been an attack from Satan and his demons to thwart Jim and me, to discourage us, and to keep us off our focus of doing God's will.
One of the things I am sure of is this (and I've said this in previous blogs)-this is either a whole series of bad circumstances that happen regardless of whether I believe in God or not, or this is part of God's bigger plan to draw Jim and me closer to Him. I choose to believe the latter rather than the former. I thought I understood suffering, but I don't think I really did. In my charmed life, I've only suffered maybe a couple of times in my life (and that's pretty good considering). As I look around at the people God has brought into my life, many people have worse challenges than I have. I mean daily we seem to be encountering people who have overcome such horrendous obstacles.
As Pastor Dan said, "it is our season." And seasons do come, we go through them, and then they are over and we move onto the next season. These are very simplistic insights, but nonetheless, insights that are making their way from just platitudes to realities in my soul.
Yesterday both of Jim's bosses took us to lunch and dinner. That was a pleasant surprise. And Jim's immediate boss, Wout from Brussels, was so kind. He told me that anything we needed within reason to make our lives more comfortable in Guinea, just to let him know, and he would make it happen. He asked me how I felt about going back, and I very honestly told him how I felt, but that I would go, because that's where Jim believed he needed to be. He was very very kind. Of course, I know that they need Jim's expertise in this "snake hole." And again, this is a business, and their openness is only contingent on the work Jim produces. Then, last night, one of the VP's from Intercon took us to dinner at a lovely restaurant run by Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute. The entire restaurant is run by student chefs. This was a lovely place, beautiful China, magnificent presentation-I mean, considering Jim and I are homeless, we have lived very well, don't you think?
Things I'm thankful for today:
1. Good grade reports from two of my granddaughters-in a long line of grandchildren succeeding, healthy, and seemingly happy in this bad world-thankful for the good parents my children have become.
2. Family who continues to love us throughout our seeming insanity as we listen to God's voice.
3. Friends who are there to love, advise, and "house" us during this time of transition.
4. Health f0r Jim and me, especially during this time. (both of us have been attacked by Satan when we were low. It's as though he knew we were down in our spirit and wanted to attack us in our bodies-Jim's knee, my stomach and hip.
5. Balley's giving us a free 7 day pass to work out! Yay!
6. Computers that allow us to connect to the world!
7. Jim's hard work ethic and willingness not to give up in the face of uncertanty and his belief in his God given talents and skills.
8. Jim's love for me.
9. Preachers who preach the gospel.
10. The wonderful comforts and ease of living in the United States.
11. Marathon's severance package.
12. Hope!
Beth, this is a good quote but somehow the quiet acceptance just doesn't seem like your personality, & I mean that in a good way.
This quote was given to me by my cousin, Alice Loveless. She sent it on the Facebook yesterday. Thank you, Alice. It's a good one, and your observation about me is pretty spot on. I usually go kicking and screaming into any type of change from my comfort zone. And, oh brother, am I out of my comfort zone. I mean, I gain such satisfaction from being at home, having a little routine, growing flowers, hearing from family, working out, watching Christian tv and HGTV, and taking care of Jim. And here I am sitting in motels, living out of suitcases, eating free breakfasts at motels, and looking forward to living like this for a long time to come. But remembering the Bible Study lesson last week-I cannot complain; God hates complaining-remember his giving Miriam leprosy due to her complaining and criticizing.
So, this am I was flipping through the channels, and lo and behold, there was Creflo Dollar. I found him while living in EQ Guinea. I had never heard of this man of God. What a teacher he is! His insight into the Bible and into God is remarkable and just speaks to my spirit. Each time I listen to him, I've always gleaned something to carry into the day. Today's message was taking authority over Satan. The gist of the message was that Satan is raising an army in these last days to go against anyone who professes to be a Christian. When I look back at our brief time in EQ, I know we were gaining spiritual strength. I was listening pretty much exclusively to TBN, we were giving money to God's work in a big way that we hadn't done before. So, I really think that this thing that happened has been an attack from Satan and his demons to thwart Jim and me, to discourage us, and to keep us off our focus of doing God's will.
One of the things I am sure of is this (and I've said this in previous blogs)-this is either a whole series of bad circumstances that happen regardless of whether I believe in God or not, or this is part of God's bigger plan to draw Jim and me closer to Him. I choose to believe the latter rather than the former. I thought I understood suffering, but I don't think I really did. In my charmed life, I've only suffered maybe a couple of times in my life (and that's pretty good considering). As I look around at the people God has brought into my life, many people have worse challenges than I have. I mean daily we seem to be encountering people who have overcome such horrendous obstacles.
As Pastor Dan said, "it is our season." And seasons do come, we go through them, and then they are over and we move onto the next season. These are very simplistic insights, but nonetheless, insights that are making their way from just platitudes to realities in my soul.
Yesterday both of Jim's bosses took us to lunch and dinner. That was a pleasant surprise. And Jim's immediate boss, Wout from Brussels, was so kind. He told me that anything we needed within reason to make our lives more comfortable in Guinea, just to let him know, and he would make it happen. He asked me how I felt about going back, and I very honestly told him how I felt, but that I would go, because that's where Jim believed he needed to be. He was very very kind. Of course, I know that they need Jim's expertise in this "snake hole." And again, this is a business, and their openness is only contingent on the work Jim produces. Then, last night, one of the VP's from Intercon took us to dinner at a lovely restaurant run by Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute. The entire restaurant is run by student chefs. This was a lovely place, beautiful China, magnificent presentation-I mean, considering Jim and I are homeless, we have lived very well, don't you think?
Things I'm thankful for today:
1. Good grade reports from two of my granddaughters-in a long line of grandchildren succeeding, healthy, and seemingly happy in this bad world-thankful for the good parents my children have become.
2. Family who continues to love us throughout our seeming insanity as we listen to God's voice.
3. Friends who are there to love, advise, and "house" us during this time of transition.
4. Health f0r Jim and me, especially during this time. (both of us have been attacked by Satan when we were low. It's as though he knew we were down in our spirit and wanted to attack us in our bodies-Jim's knee, my stomach and hip.
5. Balley's giving us a free 7 day pass to work out! Yay!
6. Computers that allow us to connect to the world!
7. Jim's hard work ethic and willingness not to give up in the face of uncertanty and his belief in his God given talents and skills.
8. Jim's love for me.
9. Preachers who preach the gospel.
10. The wonderful comforts and ease of living in the United States.
11. Marathon's severance package.
12. Hope!
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