Party in Heaven

Last night I was sitting in the dark listening to a sermon from Bishop Tudor Bismark that he did at Bishop T.D. Jakes Church – The Potter’s House in Dallas, Taxas entitled: “Don’t Choke“. He is one of my favourite speakers and his wife is also very good – Pastor Chi Chi Bismark.  They inspire me much when I listen to them as they present the truth of God’s word in grace and skillfulness.  My dear reader, truth is what I am writing about today has nothing to do with Bishop or his wife…hahahaha.  Just wanted to mention  I was listening to them because I love them and want to introduce you to them in case you’ve never heard of them. smile.

Okay on with the story….

So, my son who was sleeping woke up and realised we were in the dark.  So he began to whine and complain “Mommy place dark, turn light on, on with light mommy…”  So I got up and went to turn on the light but I switched and instead dashed around the corner with my phone light leaving a trail for him to see where I went.  Naturally he didn’t like it because now he couldn’t see me anymore.  He began calling me: “Mommmy, mommy, mooommmmyyyy…”.   Since the phone light had now faded he was stuck but he had followed closely behind and got  very near to where I was when the light I was carrying went dim.  I was standing right where he was but he couldn’t see me.  So on his fourth call “mommmyyyy”  I answered “yes baby,  here I am”.  He couldn’t see me but he could hear me.  So he put out his hand trying to find me, listening intently from where the sound was coming .  I answered again realising that he still didn’t find me and of course since the place is completely dark I didn’t want him to bump into anything.  Although I was standing right there he could’ve  just easily turned around if I didn’t answer fast enough, then bump into the wall or the bookcase so I answered even louder just to reassure him to continue because even though he couldn’t see me in the dark, if he listened for my voice he surely could hear me and then find me.

Upon being certain that he heard me correctly, he proceeded with arms outstretched and then in one more step, he took a hold of me.  I was so overwhelmed and ecstatic that he followed my voice in the dark and eventually found me.  As I grabbed him placing a thousand kisses over him and turning on the lights so now he could see his way, he said “mommy, I found you in dark” with a huge smile on his face. I replied equally overjoyed “yes baby. You sure did”.  I told him how proud I was of him and that I love him.

The Lord then spoke into my heart “if it pleases you so much that you’ve found your son and he found you in the dark of your home,  how do you think I feel when my children who are in the darkness of sin in a world that’s not their home, eventually find Me, grab hold of Me and then realise their true Home? How do you think I feel to have them wrapped in My arms?”

I smiled and said “my Jesus, I can only imagine”.

I thought about it and then this scripture tells me explicitly what happens – PARTY IN HEAVEN!

“I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval.”  Luke 15:7 (GWB)

 

 

 

Related article:  A Walk of Faith on My Dreams and Visions.

Pretty Little Killers

Living in the lush tropical paradise called Jamaica we are blessed to have fruit trees  growing almost all year round and so its easy to anticipate whatever fruit is in its specific season. Cherry is a wonderful little fruit that is round and red when ripe and is very delicious when blended to make cherry juice. It can be blended with pineapple or our Jamaican apple and gives a really great caribbean flavour that’s intoxicating and almost addictive when tasted.

I noticed midway last year that some nice little additions to my cherry tree were evident all over the branches and root of the tree. These flowerless but nice little blossoms were everywhere on the tree. I thought “wow, these little blossoms are so nice and the many clusters of them look quite decorative on the tree”. Honestly, they reminded me of little Christmas tree treats used to lively up one’s tree during the Christmas season.

After a while, something began to bother me though, because my tree is normally loaded with cherries but for some reason it looked dry, brittle empty and cherry-less.

An example of parts of the dry brittle fruitless tree

So I went to my husband quite concerned.

“Baby, what’s happening with the Cherry tree? There’s hardly any cherry on it. It looks dry and thirsty. That is quite unlike it to not be bearing. Do you know what is going on with it? I saw some nice little blossom thingy on it. I think it should be producing much more since its blossoming now”. (Cherry trees don’t exactly grow blossom my dear reader but I never knew that).

My husband replied “Sweetheart, those blossoms are not blossoms at all. They are actually parasites that are feeding off the tree so they themselves can live. The more they feed the more the tree will die. They are slowly killing the tree dearheart”.

“What? Eyes wide open, appalled and devastated, I responded… “so those cute little things are actually pretty little killers?”

“Uh huh”.

“Oh no.  Poor tree” I said fighting my tears.

“Now you feel sorry for the tree right?”  He said, smiling and reading me and my face like an open book.

My eyes welled up. He hugged me realizing my tears were not far from my cheeks.  I couldn’t believe it.  All this time, I thought those cute little blossoms were helping the tree but in reality they were killing the tree.  They feed off the life of the tree. In order for them to survive, the tree must support them surrendering its life whether it wants to or not.  They are invasive, parasitic and lethal .  I could only imagine what the poor tree must be undergoing.  They were choking the very life from the tree.  This tree that once bloomed and flourish with pride was dying and there was nothing the tree in of itself could do to survive.  It needed help. Help from something or someone greater than itself.  Everyday I would go out and try to pick off as many as I could.  They were sooo many and most of them were higher than I could reach. Also the limbs makes your skin itch big time when they come in contact with you. All those factors put together with the attraction of bugs and mosquitoes that the warmth produces were working against me helping it further. I lamented for the tree almost daily. It’s like I could feel the tree’s pain.

During the Christmas holiday, I was so tired after all the work that naturally comes with Christmas.  I went in and took a nap.  I awoke to smoke and was quite concerned   “Smoke…my son…my husband…wait, where is everybody?”  I ran almost frantically outside to hear my husband talking with someone and I was thoroughly amazed.

My husband brought a chair outside, stood on it and was pulling every single one of those little monstrosities off the tree.  Those little murderous fiends… and he made a small fire; burning them to ashes.  Yay! My heart bursted and overflowed with gratitude and love for this man.  He said “Surprise Baby!”  He had been out there for the last two hours diligently pulling, tugging and scraping every last one of them from the tree.  I was ecstatic and speechless.  He was bruised, bitten, battered and banged up pretty good. There were scrapes and cuts and swellings all over him because when the tree touched his skin and he scratched it, it became swollen.  I was so grateful I couldn’t say a word but smiled broadly.  I joined him in picking up the ones that did not yet fall in the fire.  I enjoyed watching the little suckers burn to dust… those, those, little hellions.  When he was through, I had to nurse him back to health. Sanitizing the cuts and stuff but I was so overjoyed, I didn’t mind his usual whining and whimpering about every little bruise. This time, the whimper was well accepted. Smile.

Everytime I think of this incident it reminds me of my Jesus.  Our sins act like those parasites. They look good on the outside, (sometimes even cause us to feel good or justified) but underneath they are slowly killing us bit by bit.  Our unforgiveness, our lies, fornincation, rebellion, jealousies, puffed up pride, lusts, cheating… a mean you name it.  All these things that make us feel good, but underneath everything about us – the real us, is being lost.  We can’t help ourselves in our own strength (although for some reason mankind think they can fix themselves).  We need Someone higher than us to do so.  We need Someone who is willing to pay the cost in blood, sweat and tears to set us free.  Well like my husband did for this tree, Jesus did for us.  He took all our sins and washed them all away with his dreadful suffering on the cross just so you can be free, flourish and bloom in your purpose.  He loves you and wants you to be free to live life to the fullest in His grace.  He wants us to thrive…

My tree is now blossoming and I smile to myself when I realise just how much on a daily basis the tons of cherries that are ripe and are ready to be eaten. I mean – DAILY!  Its flourishing even more than it use to and I believe it is its way of saying thanks for freeing me to do what I was created to do.  It now provides much needed vitamin C for me and my family, others, insects and birds too.  Its wonderful to live life empowered and purposeful.

My son with a few cherries ripe and ready to eat… Yummy!

Now my son can reach up, pick, wash and eat.  Isn’t it great to be free on the inside as well as the outside?

To All The Mom’s

*Gigantic smile*
*Beaming…*
My husband just surprised me with my mother’s day gift. He hid it in my handbag I was packing up to go to church with later while I wasn’t looking. I am esctatic! It’s what I wanted and I am feeling on the moon.

It feels good to be appreciated and loved. Its good to know you have someone who listens to you and wants to grant you all your heart’s desires. All I have to do is speak it! This, my earthly lover who loves me like Christ loves His church, reminds me of my heavenly Lover who loves me enough to actually die for me – His church. Such beauty, wonder and fascination touches every facet of my mortal being and personality.

So I just want to take this time to say to all my fellow blogging moms, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY and BLESSED MOTHER’S DAY!

You are special. You are a world changer never forget that!
Many blessings and love from my famiy to yours.
Hugs and kissess to you!

Different Place

image by: danielrandle.blogspot.com

My son jumped into ma bed this morning mugged me and began assaulting me with this request:

My son: Mommy tell story to me plz…

Me: A story? Smiling…  What kind?

My son: Story of NJ (His name, he responds with anticipation and a gigantic smile)

Me: Ok. (thinking what kinda story I would tell him) Once upon a time there was a sweet little boy by the name of NJ………

I carried the story on for a while making up as I go along. I began declaring and decreeing somethings over his life – in story format.  Normally at the end of the story I would say “Thee Eeenndddd” stretching out those two words as much as possible since he seems to like when I do it.  However this time, my mind was in a total different place and something else came out:

Me: “….and NJ lived happily ever after, In Jesus Name Amen!”

My son’s face was like huh? Not prayer mommy…story!

The confused look on his face at my end credits caused me to laughed endlessly, I guess I got so caught up in the story it turned in a prayer with lots a Jesus and all.  My heart and soul was in the story and he was so enthused I just got all in there…all in there. It reminded me of  the conversational prayers I have with my Eternal Lover on a daily basis and so it ended likewise. HAHAHA.  It reminds me of this scripture:

“…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”. (Matt 12:34 KJV) 

Have you ever started one way in a story and ended in  a total different place because your heart “got into it?”

A Moment of Silence…

Can we have a moment of silence please.

My sins are dead.  

They were crucified to a cross.

SSSHHHHH____________________________________________________________________ Shhhhh

Now please stand and give a tumultuous round of applause for the Man who did it all for you and me – Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Because of Him, You and I are free!

No one else would go (they were not worthy enough anyway) so He volunteered His perfect self to imperfection and now because of His loving sacrifice, we will live forever.

image: ptl2010.com

Thank You Jesus!

 

 

 

Around the corner

The midweek blues can sometimes set in on us on Wednesdays. It’s not yet Friday for us to say ‘Yay! weekend. TGIF”.  Yet its not Monday for us to say ‘Lord another week has began and I need You to make it through this one’. We find ourselves in the middle of the week.  In the midst of all our endeavours. So then we can encounter the blues, especially if our job or schedule or family or business or ministry  or whatever we are involved in is truly stressful.  Let me encourage you today:

“You are not Alone!”

Jesus told me to tell you:

Give your blues the boot because Jesus loves you and is ever ready and willing to be there for you. 

Be blessed and be encouraged!

The Break-Up

image by: offthepathandontotheroad.blogspot.com

 

Dear Stress – Depression,

This is my BREAK-UP letter to you.

I had been wanting to do this for a long time but just never knew how until recently.  I found someone! I sure have…

To be honest, I have been secretly dating Joy – Peace for a while now, and have found that He is is all I ever wanted, needed and more.  He makes me happy, gives me serenity and takes me to blissful tranquility where all my troubles and fears disappear.  Smile, Wow! He overhauls me in love and wraps me in the preternatural pleasantry of mental paradise.

My health has improved, my attitude has been remodeled and I am now feeling like the woman I was created to be all these years.  Its because of this, I realised what a parasite you have been to me all these years!  Oh Man!

I have no regrets in leaving you.  I am just sorry I never did it earlier.

So here it goes: Our relationship is OVER!!!  [echo] )))))))))))))))

Ba-Bye!  Forever!

image by: allgroanup.com

 

 

post inspired by:http://codedjeannie.wordpress.com/2013/05/05/dear-stressw/

 

God in Commercials??

A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God. 

Here are some of the results:

God is like: BAYER  ASPIRIN 
He works miracles. 

 

God is like: A FORD
He’s got a better idea.

 

God is like: HALLMARK CARDS 
He cares enough to send His very best… 

God is like: TIDE 
He gets the stains out that others leave behind. 

God is like: GENERAL ELECTRIC
He brings good things to life. 

God is like: SEARS
He has everything.

God is like: ALKA-SELTZER
Try Him, you’ll like Him.

God is like: SCOTCH TAPE 
You can’t see Him, but you know He’s there. 

God is like: DELTA
He’s ready when you are. 

 

God is like: ALLSTATE

You’re in good hands with Him.

God is like: the U.S. POST OFFICE

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination. 

God is like: TVJ... Having Him makes you say to others, “Just look at us now”

 God is like:  Maxwell House. . . Good to the very last drop.

God is like: DIAL SOAP
Aren’t you glad you have Him? Don’t you wish everybody did?

God is like: VO-5 Hair Spray 
He holds through all kinds of weather.

God is like: KFC… So good.

God is like: Lucozade… He energizes your life.

God is like: Lime… With Him, you can “Value every moment”

God is like: Bounty. . . . 
He is the quicker  picker upper. ..He can handle the tough jobs. . .and He won’t fall apart on you.

 

borrowed and modified from an email I received.

Wisdom Thoughts [Part II]

Buenos Días, my dear reader.  Here are your wisdom quotes part two.  Again, please participate by indicating your favourite.  Have a marvellous Monday and a blessed week.

image by: crazy-frankenstein.com

Wisdom Thoughts [Part 1]

Here are some wisdom thoughts I want to share with you today.  I pray they will inspire you and bring you peace.  Please share/indicate which is your favourite:    You can’t change the past,  but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future ! Love…and you shall be loved.  God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.  Everyone needs to be loved…  especially when they do not deserve it.  The real measure of a man’s wealth is what he has invested in eternity.  Everyone has beauty  but not everyone sees it.  Thank God for what you have,  TRUST GOD for what you need. If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow,  you have no today to be thankful for. Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks in your heart. The choice you make today  will usually affect tomorrow.

Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.  Anger is a condition in which  The tongue works faster than the mind.

For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back. Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.