A New Beginning, another opportunity to make the known necessary changes in my life. Could this be my last chance? We are not privilege to that information. God alone holds our life in His hands.

My responsibility is to change the things in my life that need changing. He won’t do that for me…there has to be ACTION on my part. He wants to see my intentions become more than mere words or thoughts. Active consistency…a determined effort and desire to make those life changes, he will honor. He desires our response to Biblical commands of living, not end of year resolutions written down (usually the same ones year after year), but a real response to His Word and our knowledge of what we know to do! Honestly now, we do know!

What’s the old quote: It takes 21-days to develop a habit…and so, conversely it takes 21-days to break one too!

The soon ending of a year of my life always puts me in a contemplative mood. My thoughts move through idealistic dreams and goals…to the pattern of real life and on to the attempt of combining the two into something feasible and realistic. We will never accomplish anything if we stay in the unreal world of idealism! Hiding our heads in the sand does not diminish or make the real world disappear!

REAL LIFE is an everyday challenge!

Ever feel like a Zombie? And no, I’ve never seen the movie, nor do I know much about the Zombie groupies/phase. But I have seen the photos of the lifeless Walking dead with the blank stare, just going through the perfunctory motions of life. How boring…to be emotionless and without feeling, numb to life!

Have you ever looked deeply into someone’s eyes and saw NO LIFE there, blank eyes, no sparkle, no interest in their surroundings… robotic body movements? Speaking in general phrases…no depth of thoughts or emotion…just there…body is there…but mind/spirit is disengaged!

What causes this to happen? Tragedy, complicated life situations, loss of HOPE, loss of trust, unfulfilled desires…?

I think loss of HOPE and TRUST are the biggest issues causing zombie living. Next, is the inability to follow through with intentional living. Consistency of intentional living…it’s so easy to fall back into old habits…consistency is the key…and when that is not accomplished then the hopelessness of never changing becomes a weighted albatross. The feeling that change can’t be accomplished becomes the norm and hope disappears into the black cloud of zombie-ism!

I recently read an article about Zombie Bees!

The parasitic fly lays eggs in a bee’s abdomen. Several days later, the parasitized bee bumbles out of the hives often at night on a solo mission to nowhere. These bees often fly toward light and wind up unable to control their own bodies. After a bee dies, as many as 13 fly larvae crawl out from the bee’s neck. The bees’ behavior seems similar to that of ants that are parasitized and then decapitated from within by other fly larvae from the Apocephalus genus.

“When we observed the bees for some time the ones that were alive we found that they walked in circles, often with no sense of direction,” Andrew Core, a graduate student who works with Hafernik and a co-author on the new paper, said in a prepared statement, describing them as behaving “something like a zombie.” (Read about other parasites that turn their hosts into zombies in the article “Zombie Creatures.”)

It made me think about the parasitic influences we are bombarded with daily and how they can become buried deep within causing us to lose our sense of direction …walking in circles, directionless, becoming Zombie-like instead of Christ-like!  Floundering off-track influenced by worldly parasites. The adversarial parasite uses us as a host, laying the larvae of joylessness, bitterness, prayerlessness, a what’s-the-use attitude, incubated in our very being until the larvae is ready to spew forth its sinful dialogue! Leaving us drained of life, debilitated, a Zombie, a shell of what we once were. The adversary knows exactly what he is doing!

I refrain from continuing the Zombie thought, (I have more notes on the subject) but I refrain because I KNOW  THE ONE who says WE CAN BE OVERCOMERS.  ALL HOPE is NOT lost!

This is not one of my typical NEW YEAR greetings… I truly am happy to be ALIVE and entering the year 2012!  I feel this is going to be a crucial year for The Church body…we need to be ready, not lacking in our prayer, fasting, absorbing the WORD (our nourishment), drinking in the LIVING WATER!  We need to be on guard, watchful and walking on the straight path.  Staying ALERT and keeping our directions in hand!

There will be OVERCOMERS…those who have endured!  Many Overcomer’s have left us this past year.  Those who led us in the path called straight!  Will we continue to follow?!  I plan to keep on keeping on…how about you!  I’m not promised my next breath…but I am promised a home in glory if I endure to the end.

LORD JESUS, Come Quickly!

Many Blessings in 2012,

Pam (Heartwhispers)

 Where do the years go?  It seems like just yesterday that we exchanged those covenant vows!  Vows to love, cherish, honor, …until death parts!

This was our first non-professional Christmas card photo .

Our engagement party.

… now on to today…

Today, at PF Chang’s for our 44th Anniversary dinner. We had been shopping (got a cover for my Kindle Touch that my boss gave me for Christmas).  We usually celebrate a day early because it’s too hectic on the 24th and places close early.

Green Organic Tea!

I love green tea…this was very good, but I do like mine a bit stronger…however, this was pleasant.

Now for dessert!!!

The Great Wall of Chocolate & Creamy Cheesecake.

Before and After… yum… and just enough to satisfy without elevating our glucose level!!  I forgot to take photos of our meal .  I had Sweet and Sour Chicken with brown rice and Bud had ???Lamb…forgot what his was called.  We had spring rolls (they make the best I’ve ever eaten) for appetizers!  I could go to just eat the spring rolls!   

Now home and ready to relax, read, snack, drink more coffee, read, snack…  take a nap, read some more… snack…

To friends and family… “Merry Christmas, and Have a wonderful time with family and friends”… missing my kids!

Pam

Heartwhispers

Driving home tonight after work, I noticed for the first time that the Kudzu was no longer clothing the trees with its impenetrable coat of green. Instead, it was a writhing, twisting, dying mass of brown summer past. No longer offering a shady respite or safe hiding place for deer and turkeys.

Lost of its aggressive vigor…it leans toward the earth with a silent moan of surrender…the green swiftly fading from its twisted limbs.

Waiting for another year to pass to spring forth with new life and once again attaching its clinging vines to every available willing or unwilling object in its path….Hanging from the trees with its huge ghost-like shapes.

There are not enough goats to slow the progression of this wayward plant. It verges on being obnoxious…but it’s a Southern Thing…wouldn’t be the South without it!

Kudzu, I’ll see ya next Spring in all your creepy splendor!

My husband wanted to know why I couldn’t see a snake cross my path???

It is a lovely place to walk, but really now…unless it was a huge snake!

He said I stepped right over one.  It was just a little itty bitty one though!  I should have taken a picture of it…wasn’t thinking… I was fuming over the above question! 

After I’m through seething over his insinuation that I was not watching where I was going…  I can see the spiritual application that could be made… maybe later, when I’m in a more spiritual frame of mind!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend and may His presence be near!

Here are the promised photos from Garden of the Gods in So. Illinois.  I have also included this link to more photos that other’s have taken.  It is breathtaking-ly beautiful!!  (

Jason conquering his fears!

Gavin, Micah & Papa

One of the trails

Grandpa & his grandkids on one of the trails.

Kailee & Tyler

Brian, Tina, & Chloe and Jason behind the tree (as usual).

Cousins: Micah, Gavin & Chloe

Gavin & Micah

 Tim & Terri enjoying the day!

Playing with Uncle & Pop Tim

  Papa Bud (too close to the edge)

Jason across the ravine from where I was taking the photo.

Camel Rock

We enjoyed the few days with our family!                         

All the grandkids together: (Clockwise)

Brian, Christina, Micah, Chloe, Gavin, Brock, Kailee.

Papa & Maw with ALL their grandkids and one in the oven!  (Due April 2012)

Me and my boys…all grown up!

Tim, Jason & Marc

Dad and his boys…………>

Enjoyed being together again.

  We enjoyed our time together…next…Garden of the Gods (Part 3).

 The Childers family recently spent Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday until checkout at Cabin in the Woods at Rend Lake, Benton, IL.   We rented two 2-bedroom cabins complete with kitchen, living room and front porch with porch swing, hammock, & fire pit! 

We had Jason and Jason’s son Jason(Brock), Marc and Shenyle’s boys, Micah and Gavin… in our cabin.  The rest of the crew from up North were in Tim & Terri’s cabin.  Marc and Shenyle came over from Carrier Mills and Marc stayed Sunday night…Shenyle had to work Monday.  Marc had brought his boys over on his way to work Friday afternoon and they stayed through Monday. 

We actually had ALL of our grandkids together at the SAME TIME!!! 

Enjoyed the evenings sitting outside around the fire pit!  Reminiscing about childhood memories and the funny stories involving their DAD!  Each one had their own stories to tell which brought belly laughs.  There’s nothing a like a good laugh to relax the body!

Our precious granddaughters … KK (Kailee), Chloe (our GREAT granddaughter and Chloe’s mommy, Christina (Brian’s wife)!   I Love Chloe’s red hair! 

 Chloe (5) with Mickey.  She really liked Mickey.  Her Daddy is NOT a fan of Chihuahua’s so she will NOT be getting one! I don’t think she’ll talk him into that one!

Micah (13) and Gavin (almost 9) our youngest (handsome) grandsons…      

They mastered the hammock…but made the circle first!   I didn’t even try!  That would not have been a pretty sight!

1-Photo Album (more to come):

Rend Lake Cabin in the Woods 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I will write more later with additional photos of family.  We took group photos on Monday before we all drove back to “real life”.  We drove back home in a downpour all the way!  Sometimes I could barely see the tail lights of the car ahead of me!  I hadn’t driven in rain like that in years…at least not for 6-hours!

Once in the kitchen out of hearing distance of the constant whirr of the window a/c unit (our heat pump/ac unit isn’t working) I could hear the RAIN! Yes, the RAIN! Blessed Rain!

I realize for some it’s already caused terrible flooding and by the end of the day may cause flash flooding here…but for now, it’s just a steady rain. I actually went out back and stood in the acid sweet falling rain (don’t worry, the neighbors couldn’t see me and NO, I DID NOT Let Bud take a picture of me “singing in the rain”).

Can you feel the seasonal change in the air? I can!

I had BIG plans for today and they’ve all WASHED away! So, on to Plan B… Wait, did I make a Plan B? Let’s see…nope, don’t think I did!!

My new revised plan… catch up on my Summer Challenge Bible reading, laundry, wash my hair, and clean up the mess from Bud’s cooking (he fixed a delicious breakfast this morning) . He thinks he cleans up, but…his idea of clean is different than mine!?? No other explanation needed. I love him anyway.

We are Falling out of summer!

LABOR DAY is the

unofficial end of SUMMER!

Notebook Reflections

Oops…I am behind in my Summer Challenge Bible reading! With my recent surgery and some other tasks that had to be done… I fell behind! But I am catching up quickly and enjoying THE WORD and missing it when I don’t get to have my quiet time in the early morning hours! I’m almost back to my normal routine!

While reading this past week, a particular phrase caught my attention in both Matthew and Mark…

Matthew 24:4-9

Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pangs, with more to come.” Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. (emphasis is mine)

The phrase: “But all this is only the first of the birth pangs, with more to come”, is the phrase that captivated my attention.

Then in Mark 13:8(b) I read it again!

The Amplified Bible reads: “This is but the beginning of the intolerable anguish and suffering [only the first of the birth pangs].”

This phrase tumbled over and over in my mind… “only the first birth pangs” … “more to come”. In my notes I wrote… the beginning of sorrows.

What we are hearing, reading, and seeing are mild as to what is to come:

Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.

We are looking at history in the making…and we are part of it!

Mark 13:33 … be on guard! Stay Alert! (and pray) Mark 13:36…don’t be found sleeping…WATCH for HIM!

Matthew 14:37 (b)

“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

I believe we are truly in the throes of the “last days” with more to come. I am not predicting a date for His return, but I am saying that we need to stay alert and be on guard. The temptations of this world are creeping into places that were once sacred territory and becoming “acceptable” by ALL generations. I’ve written on “change” in previous posts, but I’m not talking about generational change.

How easily we drift away. Are we losing our way? Have we reset our moral compass to different coordinates? Have we rewritten the map to please others? I’m not trying to be a “negative spirit”. However, I am trying to keep myself on the right road…the less traveled narrow road… not the broad smooth easily traveled road. My road has rivers to wade, rocky hills to climb, and valleys to trudge through. I’m traveling this road with the one who calls me friend!

And through all the above, there is a place of peace and quiet solitude that gives me strength to continue on the way. I have always believed that this life is only a journey in a foreign land and one day I will cross the border into my eternal home…Yes, there is more to come! This feeling deep within my heart becomes even more pronounced as the years pass by. It’s the feeling one gets when anticipating an exciting trip in the near future.

Please, don’t misunderstand me…I am not a negative person…I enjoy my life here as much as this world allows me…within the boundaries I have set for myself. Do you “set boundaries” for yourself?

I’m increasingly amazed at how easy it is to “let up” or “let go” and how acceptable certain things have become. What was once “sin” is no longer considered sinful. Have we redefined sin? I’m not referring to personal convictions and I won’t even go there. Although I do, as you, have my personal opinions of the changes I see occurring.

Even when Peter tried to blend into the crowd and warm his hands at the edge of the fire (Jesus’ Trial & Crucifixion)…he couldn’t hide. He was recognized as being “one of them”. We may pretend that we don’t know Him, but the world knows who we are! And once you’ve been associated with “Him”… you will never be accepted in the same way by the world again.

Believe me, if we are filled with the Spirit and living a Holy life…we will be recognized. We will not find peace in going back to the “old way” of life. It will always be there to remind us! We will carry that mark in our hearts forever! It will either be our resurrection or our doom!

My desire is to be “recognizable” as having been with Jesus! I want to be “one of them”… and be found with oil in my lamp along with extra oil in reserve…not just skimping by and hoping I have enough when the time comes. Are you recognizable?

Be Watchful,

Be On Guard,

Be Alert,

Pray,

and

Not Found Sleeping,

WATCH FOR HIM!

These are words of warning to us. We must heed these warnings!

In Him we have peace in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. They can kill the body but not the soul.

I want to be found faithful to the end,

 Let me share my personal story from the beginning… In 2003 I was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer   (T0) … not the worst stage (T1 would mean that it had progressed through the bladder lining).  Thankfully it was discovered in the very early stages. 

The surgeon was able to remove it by fulguration and then I underwent BCG treatments for 6-weeks.  Since 2003 I’ve gone every 3-months or a couple times had a 6-month schedule for follow-up Cystoscopy exams.  Every year or year and half…my Urologist exams my kidneys too! 

This time was a little frightening as a second physician/surgeon was there also.  I had had some other problems and my Urologist was concerned so he referred me to a Gyn/Oncologist.  I know he referred me just to be safe, but anything to do with the word CANCER, Oncology, etc. can put fear deep into your very being!  It’s like an invisible monster at work in your body… never knowing if it will rear its ugly head again!  It’s as if it tries to own your body! 

I have lost family and friends to this insidious monster.  My own mother has had cancer twice, breast & colon and is a survivor.  She just had her 86th birthday this past July!  I’ve seen many minister’s and pastor’s wives who’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer or have passed on to their reward.  So, this has been an emotional week for me!  But in the depths of my soul there was a peace that passes all understanding.  His ways are far and above ours and our understanding falls short of His! 

During my Bible reading this summer I read several passages that touched me to the core of my being.  One I read recently that soothed my soul with His peace was:

Isaiah 57:1-2 (NLT)

Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time.  But no one seems to care or wonder why.  No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.

For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.

My thoughts when I read the above verses were, “God, you know what my future holds and you alone know what I can withstand.  I place myself completely in your hands and your will.”  God knows what we can handle and He protects us because He loves us and has compassion for our weaknesses.  HE KNOWS US through and through!  He knows things about us that we don’t or won’t even acknowledge to ourselves!  I trust Him with all my heart and my very life depends on Him. 

Just like that old song…

I don’t know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden’s getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky.

I don’t know about tomorrow;
It may bring me poverty.
But the one who feeds the sparrow,
Is the one who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me
And I’m covered with His blood.

He is LORD! He KNOWS! He UNDESTANDS!

I am overflowing with thankfulness for a good report! Each breath I take is a blessing!