Justice And Love

Today’s post addresses parenting like God does. God is a great dad! He makes sure we know exactly what He expects from us. He takes responsibility for our uprightness by teaching us His law and His way. And, He’s always ready, willing, and more than able to help us overcome all the wrong stuff. When we parent like God does, our kids become strong individuals, because they know who and whose they are. They know what’s expected of them, and they know they have the help they need when they need it; and are not afraid to ask for that help. They, like us, can come boldly to the “throne” of grace.

(Luke 11:42, ) “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others… Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

(Psalm 89:14-16) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted. –When I read this, I think of how God takes responsibility for us; for our righteousness. That’s the reason He send Jesus, who made atonement (paid the price) for our sins. At the same time, though, Jesus taught us God’s word and His ways. He was an example to us. As parents, we need to take responsibility for our children’s righteousness (uprightness) by setting proper standards and boundaries, seeking out the cause(s) of their wrongdoing, and helping them to correct themselves.

Justice is fairness. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”; so there’s no discrimination between sexes. Age appropriateness comes into play when we’re explaining standards and setting boundaries. And, we teach our children to help the smaller/younger ones; not hurt them. The punishment, or better yet, correction, must fit the “crime.” If you break the window, you pay to have it fixed. If you break the rule, you learn to obey it by repeating the right thing to do –(slam the door, you get to open and close it 50 times or so, depending on your age). We need to ask questions and make sure both parties involvement in a disagreement are addressed. (“Mom, Sister hit me.” “Sister, why did you hit your brother?” “Because he keeps taking my doll away.” “Brother, why are you taking your sister’s doll away?” “Because she won’t play with me.” Then sister says he only wants to play cars, and she doesn’t want to. “Yeah, little man, stop teasing your sister by taking her toys away.” “And, Sister, we don’t hit; so come and tell me if he takes your doll away again.) See who the real culprit was?

The steadfast love of the LORD is so awesome. It’s all in that (1Cor. 13) chapter. The more excellent way is love. That faithfulness is the determination and commitment to the wellness and prosperity of the family unit. That wellness includes peace, and prosperity for all. Prosperity includes every area of our being: body, mind, heart and soul. (Psalm 85:10&13) (Isaiah 41:10) (Proverbs 16:12)

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Saturday Silly-October 30, 2022

I was talking with my brother recently. He was reminiscing about his wife, and told me about a dream she had. Now, my sister-in-law was just a little off her rocker at times. My brother told me she woke up laughing out loud one night (while she was still alive, or course). He said, “she starts telling me about the dream she was having, and says this bear was chasing us because he wanted our fried chicken. We couldn’t climb the tree because I (my brother)was being a limp-wristed sissy.” “Really?” “Yes,” my brother said. He continued with the story. “She said, we were running as fast as we could, and then it dawned on us that we came up there in the car. We managed to get to the car and just barely escaped the bear.” My brother said, “she looked me dead in the eye and said, “I sure hope he doesn’t recognize the car if we go back there.” He said, “I said, Honey, there wasn’t really a bear, though.” Then he laughed and laughed for about five minutes, and finally said, “She got this strange look on her face and said, “Really, then what was it?!” Yeah, I’m still laughing. God bless them both!

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Growing Your Heart

I want to focus more on your heart and spirit in today’s post. I hope this expands my previous posts on the heart, to give us a better understanding of how vital it really is to our success, and our peace. It’s so important to guard your heart vigilantly, and to be disciplined about securing that peace within. Regardless of what’s going on, what someone else has done, or what you’ve done, remain at peace within. If and/or when your peace has been disturbed, STOP everything, and get things back in order. Love God, love yourself, and then love your neighbor. The way we restore that peace is by loving God, praising God, holding fast to God. This is loving ourselves, because God inhabits the praises of His people, and He is your strong fortress against all wickedness. (Proverbs 4:23)

See all unrest and uneasiness as tremors of an earthquake. Just like things get shaken loose in an earthquake, they get shaken loose in our heart and spirit. (Luke 11:17) Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.”

(Luke 11:21-22) “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.” That armor is truth, righteousness –Christ is our righteousness, peace, faith, salvation-again, Christ is our salvation, and the Word of God, which is the sword we fight with. (Luke 11:24-26) “When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ On its return, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that man is worse than the first.” This is the very reason that we have tribulation in the world. Don’t ever think for one minute, the at the devil goes on vacation. He’s a workaholic! This is why we must be vigilant and disciplined about being on guard.

(Luke 11:29-30) As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.” –“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19) There’s a powerful revelation here about putting God to the test, or demanding proof. It is wickedness; and it was Satan’s first question to Eve, and also to Jesus. “Really, are you sure?” This is why Jesus said that he who believes yet hasn’t seen is blessed, rather than he who demands proof. This scripture is a sign, or promise to us that nothing can stop the will of God for us, and that Satan cannot win against us, unless we surrender to him. I believe that even then Jesus will fight for you. He didn’t die for nothing! He died for me, because God’s will for me is eternal life, and God gets what God wants! No one can stop His will for us. (1 Cor. 3:17)

(Luke 11:39-40) “Now then,” said the Lord, “you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well? But give as alms the things that are within you, and you will see that everything is clean for you. (Matt. 23:26) -This refers back to (Luke 11:11) It also tells us that, as in (1 Cor. 13), love is always the more excellent way. Love God, love yourself, and love your neighbor.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Fill And Refill, Take & Make Time

(Luke 10:29-37) (ESV) You’ll find the story of the good Samaritan in these verses. The story it the background and base of today’s post. We’re learning to separate doing from being, and how to keep them in the proper order. This is important because we prosper, or progress and succeed, as our soul prospers. (3John 3:1-2) When you’re a new Christian, or even when you’ve gotten a new revelation and/or made a decision to take a new direction with something in your life (lose weight, overcome some fear, etc.), you often get so busy doing, doing, doing, that you forget to refill yourself (your soul), and find yourself drained. Sometimes, we even suffer burnout before we’ve even really gotten anywhere.

This is where the story of Martha and Mary comes in. Jesus was having dinner and visiting at their house. Martha was bustling around in the kitchen while Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, totally enrapt with what He was saying.

(Luke 10:41-42) But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” That tells us that when we get it down in your souls, and it takes root, we have a much better chance that all our doing will be successful; because, it’s coming out of our being. This points us back to that parable about the sower and the soil in (Matt. 13:3)

Jesus said, in (John 14:27), “do not let your hearts be troubled.” In (2Kings 2:9), Elisha said to Elijah, “let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.” King David, in (Psalm 51) prayed, “Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.”

When I read that psalm, I think about what King David went through. I also think about Elijah hiding in that cave, at the end of his rope, and waiting for the LORD to come get him. It’s really important to make time to spend with the LORD/Lord alone. It may be in listening to praise music, it definitely is in reading the Word of God, or it may even be in a two minute encounter with a little caterpillar on a sidewalk. God always connects with us when we seek Him. We need that fill-up every day. We need to learn to stop and refill on some of the tough days. It’s amazing what one song can do.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

They Have To Obey You!

I think this is an important lesson for us to learn. When you’re going through recovery, it’s very easy to fall back into victim mode and pity pot party frame of mind. We’ve been given authority over all the power of the enemy. I remember my mother saying that she wasn’t going to argue with me over something, and knowing that her final decision was final. We need to deal with those spirits (bitterness, doubt, fear, etc.) the same way. “I’m not arguing with you, get out!” Then, we can go on to deal with whatever the problem is in the right way.

(Luke 10:19-20) “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice.in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

We can see in scripture, that serpents represent craftiness and deception. Scorpions are tormentors, hurtful, and they are also deadly. This is another reason we need to be careful about who we let into our inner circle. We need to scrutinize what we see, hear, read carefully. Everything needs to be checked against the Word of God., Remember that even the elect are vulnerable to deception. (Col. 2:8) (1Cor. 8:9)

(Gen. 3:1) Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. (Eph. 4:14)

(Rev. 9:10) They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.

(Luke 11:11) “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

(Isaiah 43:6-7) “I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”(Eph. 2:10)

(Colossians 3:17) And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

We’ve been adopted by our heavenly Father as sons and daughters. We have everything Jesus has. (Acts 17:29) (1John 3:1-2) (John 14:14) (John 16:23-24)

(Proverbs 8:15) By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. (John 3:31)

(John 2:19) Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”

Jesus is the truth, the life, and the way. We are to be conformed to this image. Speaking truth, bringing life instead of death/deadly things, and finding a way, showing the way, or making a way for ourselves, and for others. In these things, we can rejoice.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Seed For Sowing

Today’s post is, I hope, encouraging to all of you. This is especially important to get into your heart. I believe Mother Theresa once said that it is in service to others that we find peace and healing for ourselves. Jesus said, “The Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:26-28) Do you know that your life experience(s) can ransom, or redeem someone else, if you share it with them? Absolutely! It just might draw them to the Lord. (John 12:32) (Romans 5:17-19)

(Luke 9:10-17) The feeding of the five thousand is a lesson to us, and a revelation to us, about how much we really have within us. When I read this, I think about the Passover meal with the bitter herbs. We all get to eat bitter herbs at various times in our lives. We suffer losses, sometimes we lose (temporarily) struggles, we cannot love without experiencing pain. Life is full of love, laughter, and tribulation; isn’t it? But, Jesus is the bread come down from Heaven. He is the truth, the life, and the way. He’s the way into everything good, and through all of that tribulation. You cannot come through, and not come away with something to give. You now have information you can share with someone who’s going through something similar. Now you can comfort someone who’s hurting. It works just like that old shampoo commercial: “I told two friends, they told two friends, and so on and so on.”

That brings me to (Luke 9:23) And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

If we look at this scripture as a farmer does, we can see that all the things we come away from tribulation or trying times with are seeds. They are seeds of hope to someone else. If the farmer keeps those seeds locked up somewhere, and never sows them, he will never see a harvest on them, will he? The cross that Jesus is talking about has nailed on it all the dead things you put out of your life. It is also the sign of your victory over those things. It’s your banner of victory and peace. It speaks peace with God, with yourself, and with and for others.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Are You Ready? Really?

Are You Ready?

(Luke 9:57-62) This scripture tells us something about how important a quality (solid and final) decision is to our recovery. The verses I want to focus on are verses 60-62: And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Keep in mind that when you become a child of God, you are a member of the kingdom of God; a citizen of Heaven. The things of God are different from the things of the world. The values are different, the ways of coping are different, pretty much everything is opposite from everything (World vs Kingdom of God) This is what’s referred to in the Bible as the flesh vs the Spirit. (John 3:6-7) (John 1:3) (Romans 7:18) (1Cor. 15:50) (Job 14:4) (Ezekiel 11:19-20) (Romans 8:5 & 9)

When we’re trying to get away from alcohol, drugs, pornography, or anything that we’re bound by, we need to make a firm and final decision to leave that stuff behind. That’s what Jesus means by leaving the dead to bury their own dead. The same holds true for abusive relationships, dysfunctional family situations, etc. Sometimes, the others in the relationship or family don’t want to leave that stuff behind. At that point, you have a choice to make. It’s great when everyone involved chooses recovery; but it doesn’t always happen that way.

If you’re in recovery, stop looking back at that stuff and reconnecting with the pain. Yesterday’s post was about how we hear things. How we see things is just as important. That was then, and it was contrary to peace, power, and progress. This is now, and the new things you’re learning, the new ways you’re learning, are empowering you with progress and peace.

Are you fit (really ready) for the kingdom of God? Or, are you still looking back? We have to look back at the things that tripped us up, caused us to fall or fail, and the fallout we may have come away with. But we need to do that objectively, so we can see the truth about them, and understand how they tripped us up. Are you looking back longingly? It’s the good things that you’re missing; not the bad ones. Let me tell you from personal experience, the good does not outweigh the bad. The bad will always do more damage than the good produce progress, as long as you stay in the situation. Are you looking back and feeling the same confusion? The Word of God will tell you the truth, and help you discern between truth and wishful thinking or false knowledge. You have to set your chin, put your head down, and power through. You have to be really ready. Ready for change. Ready to do whatever it takes to overcome your past.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Happy Birthday, Amanda!

I wish you a day that’s filled with everything beautiful, love, and laughter, and beautiful memories, baby! It’s hard to believe your own babies are almost grown. I can still feel your little cheeks nuzzled against mine. This was the little rhyme I wrote for you back then. I remember how thrilled your Oma and I both were when you patted your belly when I came to that part. You were just four months old. Love you so much!

Ten little fingers, ten little toes…little jelly belly and a button nose…Mama loves you, Heaven knows…Happy Birthday, Amanda Rose! Tons of hugs and kisses!

Mom

Attitudes Can Get In The Way

Or, they can make your way. I wanted to expand on this hearing stuff a little bit. I talked about how what we hear can affect us positively or negatively, in a previous post. Today, we’re talking about how we hear.

(Mark 4:24) And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.” – We’ve already covered this one. It includes gossip, by the way. When you hear some, you get to choose whether it will go further than you, or will “the buck stop here”. I found the best thing to do is to pray for the person(s) involved. That usually ends it.

(Luke 8:18) “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” – Notice this one says,” …how you hear.” During my second marriage, I caught myself once feeling defensive over something my husband was asking me about. I developed that defensiveness in my first marriage, where I got the third degree grilling over everything. Have you ever felt scared when someone asked you about something you were doing, or something you said? Maybe you suddenly felt confused about a decision you made because someone criticized it. They caused you to doubt yourself. We have to be on guard about how we’re reacting internally over what we’re hearing.

What kind of attitude are you listening with? You’ve heard some of these before: “That stuff doesn’t work.” “That’s just a bunch of baloney.” “I don’t need you to tell me how to ____!” There’s a popular saying: “Your attitude determines your altitude” That’s true in all things.

Jesus says in (Luke 6:46) “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” – We can trust God’s Word; and we can depend on it every time, in every circumstance! Even when it’s the toughest thing to do, it’s always the right thing to do. You’ll find that more and more as you go along.

I’ve posted a few other scriptural references below.

(Deuteronomy 32:44-47) (Ezekiel 44:5) (Matt. 7:3) (James 1:19-25)

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Saturday Silly-September 24, 2022

OMG! I am not dealing well with stress lately! And when I get stressed, I get kind of dyslexic. I was helping a friend blow up balloons for her daughter’s party…at almost the absolute last minute! It’s alright, we got them all blown up. As I got my cold drink and sat down, I still felt a little frazzled; but I was glad the rush was over….until I went to take a sip of my drink. Yeah, the kids and I are all still laughing.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu