Susan’s World « Fruitful Words

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6 Questions Google Answered Quite Well

“Lorna and I decided that what the Bible doesn’t cover, Google does.” I recently wrote this as my Twitter/Facebook status. Below are some things I’ve needed to know.

1. Is it okay for my dog to eat raisins? No. As few as 7 raisins can cause death!

2. What is a Dear Jane Quilt? It is a Civil War quilt designed, sewed and finished by Jane Stickle in 1863. It has 225 different blocks.

3. How to shorten URLs for Twitter. When I want to link to a blog. fan page, website or news article, I need to shorten the URL in order to fit it and my comment into Twitter’s 140 characters. I am currently using Metamark.

4. When does advent start in 2009? I am going to decorate the church before Advent and so needed to know when that is. If you want to help, call me. Advent starts Sunday, November 29. BTW – This week I will post an Advent Quiz.

5. Define debauchery. Why do I need/want to know what debauchery means? I’ve been memorizing Ephesians 5:18: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

It means: too much indulgence in pleasures usually considered immoral, especially sexual activity and excessive drinking.
Debauch means: 1. a. To corrupt morally.b. To lead away from excellence or virtue.2. To reduce the value, quality, or excellence of; debase. See Synonyms at corrupt.

6. Potato Soup. Cooler weather means time to eat soup. Only thing is, I usually cannot make a decent home-made soup. But there are a lot of easy and yummy sounding potato soup recipes out there. I am looking for one that is gluten-, dairy- and egg- free. I think I can modify this cream cheese potato soup recipe quite nicely. (Scroll to the bottom of the post.) I even found a cream cheese alternative (at Whole Foods) that is free from gluten, dairy, and egg. I’ll let you know how it tastes.

What have you Googled lately?

Related Posts

If Google Doesn’t Have God’s Phone Number, Try This One
Hello Elizabeth, This Post Is 4 U; Plus Google Reader Warning
Creating Folders (Labels) in Gmail
27 Posts are on Today’s Gratitude List (27 posts I’ve tagged on my Google reader.)
One Caution When Using Online Cookbooks (WFMW) These days it is so much easier and faster to Google “pancake recipe for one,” “vanilla pudding recipe,” “perfect gravy,” or “What can I do with sweetened condensed milk, coconut and chocolate chips?“ It may be easier and faster, but the results are not always better

How to Hear God’s Voice

“Have you ever heard God’s voice? How do you know it’s Him who is answering your questions?” A friend recently asked me this.

How would you answer my friend? Below is my answer.

I’ve never heard an audible voice from God. Nor do I have special headphones to detect His voice. But I do hear from Him in several ways.

1. Intuition, a hunch, a small quiet feeling - it almost seems like it’s me. I.e. I couldn’t find papers I needed to do my taxes and I looked and looked to no avail. I finally calmed down enough to ask God for His help. Then I had this “intuition, a hunch, a small quiet feeling” and looked in a place I hadn’t looked before. There they were. I could have ignored that “voice,” but I didn’t. I’ve had enough of these kinds of experiences to know that the answer was from God and not me. I didn’t know the answer before I prayed.

Plus, the Apostle John says that we are God’s sheep and the sheep know their Master’s voice. I think this knowing get’s stronger with practice. In general, if the advice leads to peace, joy, unity, and godliness it is from God.

2. I ask God a question or for help and then I wait for His response. I get God’s response in one of four ways.

Through His Word – general reading. When I’m waiting for an answer I love reading God’s word. It’s like I’m on a treasure hunt. Sometimes the answer will pop right off the pages. Like it was just written for me today! As I keep a regular Bible reading schedule, the more often God will “talk” to me through this. As a minimum I read a psalm and a proverb a day. The proverb I read corresponds to the date.

I.e. I’ve been fretting a little about my future. I read Proverbs 16 and it tells me (in a nutshell) “Stop worrying. God’s got it under control.” Click here to read it for yourself. What did God “say” to you from this Proverb?

Through His Word – specific reading. When I need advice/help/guidance I look to see what the Bible has to say about it. A concordance comes in handy here. I also look over the highlighted portions of my Bible. It’s amazing how helpful this has been for me.
Through other people. The Bible talks about how wise it is to consult with others (who are wise) when I need direction or help. I talk with the pastors and elders from church. I also talk to a few people who know God and value/follow His priorities for their lives. I look for answers that are uniform from all these people. I look to see if their advice agrees with biblical principles. Finally, I listen to hear if my own “spirit” agrees. All these need to be consistent with each other.
Through circumstances. This is also called the open door or closed door answer. I.e. When I moved to CA in June 2002 I knew I needed to go back and finish my BA so that I could get a job that would support me. I prayed and asked God to show me which school. I made phone calls to various schools about counseling. Sac State was not taking any more students. The other 5 or 6 places I called didn’t return my call even though I left several messages. Then my sister said she heard an advert on the radio for William Jessup University and maybe I should call them. I did. The next day I went for a campus tour. By the end of the tour I was signed up and ready to start school in October in a Christian leadership/theology program. They didn’t have a counseling program (then).

God wants to communicate with/to you. As you seek Him, He will make Himself known to you.

Psalm 9:10: Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Proverbs 8:17: I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
Lamentations 3:25
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.

November 10 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

Who are am I? When I look in the mirror am I really seeing me? Or some glorified or demonized version of myself? One way I can accurately see myself is through my relationships.

“The people we are in relationship with are always a mirror, reflecting our own beliefs and simultaneously we are mirrors reflecting their beliefs” (Shakti Gawain). “The people with whom you interact show you who you are and ultimately provide you with an opportunity to love yourself” (Dr. John Demartini).

Have you heard that the frustrations we experience with others are really frustrations we have with ourselves? I.e. If I am upset with my mom because (imho) she is a know-it-all , maybe one reason I am upset with her is because I do the same thing. (True story.) Dr. Demartini takes this idea one step further. “There is truth in the statement that what we dislike in others, we haven’t learned to love in ourselves.” Ouch.

“At times it can be difficult to see that we have the qualities and talents we admire in other people. But it can be even more of a challenge to accept that we also possess the traits we don’t like in others” (Dr. John Demartini). Today I will look at the mirror and discover who I am, good and bad. And I will make changes according to this information.

This gratitude thinking is helping me to see that I’d like to make some changes. I’d like to exhibit more patience, goodness and self-control. I want to show the kind of love that looks for more opportunities to give of my time, talent and money. (See “Everyone Can Help One Child,” said Twila Paris.) I echo the words of Michael Jackson in his song Man in the Mirror .

I’m grateful for change, the kind that I can make and for which I am responsible. All this gratitude thinking is helping me see that I really do HAVE lots to acknowledge. And making some godly changes is an appropriate response.

Finally, I’m grateful that making changes is not something I do on my own. In fact, God has custom designed a plan for my life. And He has given me His Holy Spirit so I can change in order to fulfill those plans. “God planned for us to do good things and to live as He has always wanted us to live. That’s why He sent Christ to make us what we are.”

Previous Photos

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able to read other participants on this thankful journey.

4 Secrets to Contentment

How content are you? Always? Never? Sometimes?

Pastor Mike is doing a series on Generosity in a World of Greed. Sunday’s message was titled, “The Lost Art of Doing Without.” One of the gems from the sermon was how to be content.

The most important step to contentment is . . .

. . . Seek the Lord above all else and you will have what you need

How do you fare in this area on a scale of 1-10?
Do you seek God before seeking goods?
How will you seek the Lord today…Prayer…Read Scripture…Obey Scripture…Other?
Make a list of your needs. Share this list with a friend. Would s/he agree these are needs? Share this list with God in prayer. Compare it to Scripture (I.e. Matthew 6:33). Are they truly needs or are wants mixed in there too?

“At one time or another, we’re all guilty of allowing wants to live in our hearts as needs.” Jim Fay & Charles Fay

Pastor shared 3 more secrets to being content. Read the 3 following statements. Pick the correct answer.

Fight the impulse to . . .

(a) “have it now!” (b) shop. Shopping is evil. (c) share.

Don’t buy things . . .

(a) you can’t afford. (b) ever. (c) that are cheaply made.

Remember your most important needs are . . .

(a) food, clothing and shelter. (b) good quality chocolate. (c) to be put on hold until you tithe.

The correct answer for each statement of truth is letter (a). Delayed gratification and correctly identifying/buying needs versus wants are actions that lead to contentment.

How are you doing with the above secrets? Is there a change you will make today? What is that change?

Pastor based his sermon on 1 Timothy 6: 3-19. Read and ponder these Scriptures. What is the Holy Spirit saying to you from these verses? Share what you learned/heard with at least one person today.

23 Things I Want My Kids to Learn From Me

Don’t take life/people so seriously.
Respect authority.
Share your thoughts and heart regularly.
It’s okay to ask for help from store clerks, mental health professionals, teachers, family and friends.
Life is not fair or predictable.
Having a critical spirit damages you more than anyone else.
Walking closely and in obedience with/to God is worth it.
Embrace people of other cultures: this pleases God and enriches you.
Use money wisely.
Be generous and wise with your possessions, time, words and love.
No one is perfect, not even you, so accept it.
Have fun daily.
Work harder and give more than asked.
Search for the silver lining.
Tithe.
Be a life-long student of the Bible.
Be a good example.
Think outside the box.
Don’t let fear make your decisions.
Chase after your bliss and do it.
Get a college degree.
Eat dessert first.
Being different is okay.

I’m still learning to implement many of these things. I am a work in progress and so are you my two precious (adult) children! And I have to admit that I’ve learned and am learning much from you two.

What are you hoping your kiddos will learn from you?

Peace and Hope While in the Depth of Pain – John Stumbo’s Story

The theology one has about God makes all the difference in how one handles the pain of hard times. It is the person with faith, the person who sees God rightly, that can say in the most painful of times, “God is in it and God is good.”

I recently heard John Stumbo’s story from this video. He is the pastor of Salem Alliance Church in Salem, Oregon. At the beginning of the week of October 17, 2008, John thought he had the flu. By the end of the week that was far from the truth. Many months and 100 tests later, the doctors still don’t know why John’s body weakened to the point of death (several times). One of the medications produced delusions some fun, but many dark and eerie.

Overview of John’s Reactions to Pain (Illness)

John described having a deep peace despite his desperate illness.
The hope John had in seeing Jesus upon his death helped John get through the dark, delusional times.
This deep sense of hope helped keep John sane.
The prayers and encouragement (verbal as in calls and cards, practical as in money and meals) aided John in his journey during the dark times and now in his journey back to health.
These events have been good for his spiritual journey, marriage and congregation. God has already begun to use it.
After 100 tests the doctors still don’t know what was/is wrong with John. But God is still in it and God is good.

Quotes I especially liked

I had my hand on death’s doorknob ready to push the door open but I had about 3000 of you pulling back on me not letting me in. I didn’t have a chance to get into heaven with all you people praying for me.
I’m running a marathon I didn’t plan on running.
I don’t really like the journey I’m on…but God is in it and God is good.
Some of you don’t like the journey you’re on either right now. You’re in a tough spot . . . Economically hard times . . . Financially bad news . . . Relationally tough situations . . . Physically struggling. Please know according to Psalm 139, He is the God of the light and the darkness.
God is in it and God is good.

When I’m going through a painful time in life, I listen more readily to people who have been through their own painful times. John has been through such a painful time. Yet he still clung, and clings, to the truth that God is in it and God is good. I love this example of perseverance and faith, this illustration of a man’s deep love and trust in God.

Many times life doesn’t make sense and in fact its not always a likable journey. But it is also a fact that we, Christians, don’t travel alone. God is with us. And often, often we are surrounded by a faithful group of people who cheer us on with their prayers and encouragement.

Let’s Talk About It. Where are you in this journey?

Needing prayers and encouragement? Who will you contact for this? Will you do so today?
Able to offer prayers and encouragement? Who has God laid on your heart to help? Will you do one thing today?
Do you believe that God is in your painful journey and that God is good? Why or why not.
Listen to the video. What are your reactions? Favorite quotes?

Twenty Wishes Can Change Your Life (more than a book report)

“Twenty. Twenty wishes that would help her recapture her excitement about life. Twenty dreams written down. Twenty possibilities that would give her a reason to look forward to the future instead of staying mired in her grief. She couldn’t continue to drag from one day to the next, lost in pain and heartache because Robert was dead. She needed a new sense of purpose. She owed that to herself – and to him.”

4 widows became friends at a book club run by Anne Marie in Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber. One Valentine’s Eve the four gather to soothe one another’s grief. Anne Marie tentatively suggests they list and fulfill 20 wishes. But as Anne Marie discovers, it is hard to lead the grief-stricken heart into wishful territory. It’s hard to figure out what she wants out of life.

“So now she had two separate lists – one for wishes and the second for the more practical aspects of life. Not that each wish wouldn’t ultimately require its own to-do list, but that was a concern for another day. She closed her eyes and tried to figure out what she wanted most, what wish she hoped to fulfill. The next few ideas were all sensible ones, like scheduling appointments she’d postponed for months. It was a sad commentary that her one wish, the lone desire of her heart, was an outrageously priced pair of boots.”

”That was the problem; she no longer knew what she wanted. Shrouded in grief and lost dreams, her joy had vanished, the same way laughter and singing had.”

But Anne Marie was able to list one wish - a pair of red cowboy boots. This one silly, maybe even inconsequential, wish was a beginning.

“Okay, this was a start. She wasn’t going to abandon the idea. And at least she’d taken control of some immediate needs. She’d identified what she had to do.”

”Sometime later, she’d list what she wanted to do.”

“ Already the thought of listing her wishes was making a difference; already she felt a tiny bit of hope, a whisper of excitement. The thawing had begun.”

Lillie, one of the other widows, found this wish making powerful too. She felt a sense of expectation that she hadn’t felt in years. She said, “It’s like I’ve finally given myself permission to do what I want.”

The events that lead to grief can take away our joy, our ability to plan happily into the future and a sense of control. For awhile this is normal. But we can become stuck in grief. Making and seeking wise wishes (whether they are 3, 10 or 100) can reverse the above. Give us a plan to integrating the grief and moving into a new sense of self. Give us a sense of purpose. Help us to see who we are now.

Let’s Talk About It . . .

Is it time to give yourself permission to live again with joy, to plan for the future and to take control for life?
What are your wishes?
Can you list 20?
Which one will you work on first?

My Twenty Wishes Idea . . .

I’ve never written up a 20 wishes list. But for my 50th year of life I made a list of 51: 18 new habits to incorporate into my life and 32 thingsto do. Life was soooo busy that year (and this one too) mainly because of school, I never finished the list.

So I’ll start with this 51 Things to Do List. I’ll have a look at what can be crossed off (not many of the habits, but many of my educational and spiritual goals get the line through). I’ll be sure to post where I am with this. I hope you post too!

Related Posts

1 comment .

8 Thoughts on Living Well

Can you guess what movie/book the following advice came from? The short story was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

For What it’s Worth . . .

It’s never too late . . . to be whoever you want to be. There is no time limit. Start whenever you want.
You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing.
We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it.
I hope you see things that startle you.
I hope you feel things you’ve never felt before.
I hope you meet people with a different point-of-view.
I hope you live a life you’re proud of.
And if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

Having just come back from retreat, I have thoughts on how I want to change. I can change or stay the same. It’s my choice. It’s also my choice as to the speed of my change.

We learned that we can’t change well on our own. We need a community – God and people – who are involved in our lives and who want what’s best for us. We learned this weekend that hurt is caused in relationships and these hurts are healed in relationships.

The hurts I’ve received from my childhood family, teenage friends, or spouse can be healed in relationships now. The healthly friendships I have today do more than support and encourage me today. They can help me to heal, forgive and move on from my past. I can change.

The hope I want to experience this year is to see things that startle me.

What is your hope?

Want to see where these 8 thoughts are from? The answer is found by clicking on the more below.

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2 comments .

13 Resources for Chronic Pain: Books & Websites

Books

Copen, Lisa J. Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend. San Diego:Rest Ministries Inc, 2008.
Copen, Lisa J. So You Want to Start a Chronic Illness-Pain Ministry. San Diego:Rest Ministries Inc, 2002.
Harvey, Greg. Grieving for Dummies. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing, 2007.
Kassan, Stuart S. and Charles Vierck, Jr and Elizabeth Vierck. Chronic Pain for Dummies. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing, 2008.
Koestler , Angela J. and Ann Myers. Understanding Chronic Pain. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2002.
Thomas, Richard. Alternative Answers to Pain.Pleasanton: Reader’s Digest Association, 1999.
Wells, Susan Milstrey. A Delicate Balance: Living Successfully with Chronic Illness. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 2000.

Websites

PainFoundation.org, The American Pain Foundation: Library has information on a variety of topics related to pain: qualifying for disability from Social Security, diseases that cause chronic pain, pain relief studies, therapies
Pain.com, Danemiller Foundation: Information for patients and a forum where pain medicine experts answer questions
MayoClinic.Com, The Mayo Clinic: Diseases and conditions are listed alphabetically – find updates in research and background information.
MedlinePlus.gov, Medline Plus: Access to summaries of many medical journal articles, extensive information about drugs, interactive patient tutorials, illustrated medical encyclopedia, and latest health news
aaPainManage.org, American Academy of Pain Management: Database of 6,000 physicians and accredited pain centers
AmPainSoc.org, The American Pain Society: Database of pain treatment centers identified by location, services, classification and setting (home or hospital-based)

What books or websites have you found helpful?

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11 Grief Resources: Books & Websites

Below are 9 books and 2 websites I’ve read that deal with grief. Be sure to let me know what helpful resources you’ve found.