New Year…New Poetry

I had just thought about how nice it was to have the warm Spring weather break, and thought how I’d love it to stay. I looked up at the sky, and there were the clouds, streaked with light pink, and stretched out as if they were making their exit…perhaps to let me have my way…LOL They inspired this little poem. They also made me think of a message from God Calling, that tells us that Jesus is Lord of the moments…this was one of mine.

Clouds at Play on a January Day…

The clouds are playing tricks again; they do it every year…They convince us that they’re moving on, but end up staying here.

My Dear, you cannot fool me anymore; I know that Spring is nowhere near the door just yet; so, just forget it darlings.

But, I do appreciate your trying to cheer me with those soft pink hues; ah, yes, I do. You know how much I cherish them. And, oh, my fluffy, floating loves, I also cherish you.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

This Present Darkness…

Has been with us for such a long time already. Today’s message comes to us from Psalms 12. Psalm 12 gives us a picture of what happens when, as is told us in verse 8, what is vile is honored among the children of man. When I read about the lies and flattering lips, I think about some of the ways we’re lured into sin. In terms of generational curses, and dysfunction, I think about having learned all the wrong ways. I think about denial, living behind facades, etc. We live this way when we fear, doubt, or feel dejected. Those things are meant to put us beneath the devil’s feet. He is to be beneath our feet. I spoke about poverty of spirit in a previous message. Generational curses and dysfunction and denial plunder our spirit. We are robbed of dignity, sense of worth, or value, our confidence, self-respect, the power to choose, and power to BE ourselves. The word power here, denotes strength and capability. Pure words are true, they show the way, and they infuse us and empower us with life.

The powers, principalities, and hosts of spiritual wickedness , if you can picture it, kind of circle humankind, like a shark circles its prey. They’re always ready to snatch their next victim. When what is vile is exalted among the children of man, we open doors to bondage and destruction of life/lives. Some of these things are demon worship, witchcraft, adultery, illicit sex, hedonism, pornography, hatred and violence, racism, sexism, etc. These things make everyone involved vulnerable to the bondage and destruction, or the fallout from them.

Check back tomorrow for the second part of the message on this Psalm. I found an interesting connection between verse 6 and proverbs 6, that brings an awesome revelation and lesson.

In this present darkness, and in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. who fought to bring light into it, I offer this song. Thank you, Jason Upton. This is so beautiful; and remember, we’re not alone either.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Stir Yourself Up Before The Enemy

Today’s message comes from Psalms and Proverbs 9. Psalm 9 is an awesome way to stir yourself up right in the midst of adversity; right in the height of the storm. Our enemies are fear, doubt, shame, guilt, dejection, etc. It is with these things that the enemy strikes us, and through them, that he binds us. I believe that the crown of thorns they pushed into Jesus’ head, represents a hedged in mind. Then, your hands are helpless, and your feet lame. You can’t do anything, and can’t go anywhere except where the enemy wants to take you; which is Hell-here on Earth, and then in eternity. I love verse 6 of this psalm: “The enemy has come to eternal ruin…” Jesus did that through His death and resurrection. “…the very memory of them has vanished.” The longer you walk whatever it is, out with the LORD/Lord, and according to His Word and Ways, the weaker the power of that sin, that dysfunctional mindset, that fear, etc., becomes. Pretty soon, it’s all gone! Hallelujah! I have no more thoughts of smoking, and no more thoughts of running to drown my sorrows, frustrations, etc., in alcohol. The “triggers” have been rendered powerless by, and through, God’s love. Verse 9 assures us that we are never forsaken by God; He is a stronghold in times of trouble, and especially in oppression-be it physical, mental, or spiritual. Verses 10-14 tell us that God lifts us up from the gates of death. Every bitter end is a death. But, thanks to Jesus, through His resurrection, we have a hope of a new beginning. When one door closes, another opens. Some bitter ends include divorce, loss of another kind, perceived failures-dreams, goals, etc. God lifts us to the next level – even from those. Verse 16 tells us the wicked are ensnared by the work of their own hands. This is why we’re told not to lean on our own understanding. We live what we learn, and we learn what we live. Let’s live with, and for, God.

Proverbs 9 speaks of the seven pillars of wisdom. I came up with these: 1. Honor the LORD 2. Receive instruction/take it to heart 3. Increase in learning 4. Obtain guidance/seek the LORD/Lord 5. Treasure God’s commandments 6. Walk in integrity 7. Hold fast to steadfast love and faithfulness – He is faithful and has promised never to forsake us or leave us. And He loves always, and anyway. We should too! He is love…so should we BE. Jesus said, “be perfect, therefore, as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” When we surround ourselves with these pillars, and stay within their boundaries, we can overcome the world.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Saturday Silly-December 12, 2020

Boy, I don’t know about you all, but I believe that studio apartments have gotten so small, you may as well just rent a closet somewhere. I went with a friend to look at a furnished studio apartment recently. When we opened the door, I felt like we were walking into a closet. My friend said, “It’s not too cramped; I think I can manage this.” (She’s a little flighty, and doesn’t think things through sometimes) I thought to myself, “Oh, yeah? You’ve only been in here three minutes. Spend a whole day in it.” The apartment manager said all the furniture in it was brand new, and encouraged my friend to try out the easy chair. My friend kicked off her shoes so she wouldn’t mess up the upholstery, and settled herself in the chair. She flipped the lever and reclined the chair, and this loud voice came from next door. It said, “Oh, my God! Will you get your feet out of my lap, please?! And go change your socks!” She jumped up out of that chair so fast. She decided not to take that studio apartment…and I’m still laughing!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

He Believes In You

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God is not willing that any should perish. We are reminded that Jesus never gives up on us. He is the “Heavenly Beggar, in His great humility, always knocking at the door of your heart. And, let me tell you, Jesus can and will be there the instant you call on Him. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins when we confess them. And, He will take you into His arms and make you His when you come. “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,…” (John 1:12)

Even after you’ve been saved, Jesus never pushes Himself on you. He knows each heart, and He has perfect timing, and the perfect way to reach you. I’ve been chastised so gently by the Lord. And then there was one time I asked, “Lord why don’t I feel your presence? Why aren’t you talking to me?” The answer thudded in my heart: “When’s the last time you came and talked to me?” Not that Jesus was trying to teach me a lesson. But let me tell you, the Holy Spirit will surely reveal your heart to you. I’d been into this, “it’s all about me” attitude with the Lord.

As children of God, we are commissioned to preach the Gospel, and lead others to Jesus. I’ve learned something over the years; from my own life experiences, as well as from witnessing to others. I’ve also picked up some revealing little nuggets just from listening to people talk about God. One of the most important things is that people don’t want to hear about how to get to Heaven, nearly as much as they want to know how to get out of their Hell (s). Heaven is, for the unbeliever, much too far away for them to “waste time” thinking about right now. “Give me something that I can use, and right now,” is pretty much what their attitude is. One of the best salvation sermons you can preach is about what Jesus has done for you. The woman at the well did just that, and a town full of folks got saved. Jesus said, “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves, or what to say. For at that time, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.” (Luke 12:11-12)

I was in a discussion about whether or not God exists, one time. The man kept saying He didn’t believe in God; and rather snidely. I wasn’t arguing with Him about it. I did give Him my testimony of some things Jesus has done in my life, and of the power of God displayed in my life. Still, he said, “I do not believe in God!” I said, “That’s okay. He believes in you. Remember that when you need to.” Then I walked away. “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10) That’s the scripture that came to mind as I was leaving. Sometimes, it’s only ours to sow the seed. The Word of God is alive and filled with power; and it will accomplish that for which it was sent. So, just be still, and know that He is God, He has perfect timing, and He will save whom He will save. You’ve done your part.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

He Can Clear The Blockages

I said that to say this…

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that self kills power. When we operate in the wrong spirit, we block the Holy Spirit. Operating in the wrong spirit includes things like anger, fear, frustration, greed –this includes those attention grabbers, etc. This is all the flesh trying to be in control.

I anagrammed the word “SELFISH” once. It comes to this: FLESH IS – SELFISH, or SELFISH – IS FLESH. I recall many holidays spent sort of like Sadie’s Granny…family gatherings are the perfect setup for the flesh to get in the way of the spirit. In terms of generational curses, they’re also the perfect excuse for the addict, the alcoholic, the people pleaser, the person who just can’t be pleased, the fixer, and the martyr; just to name a few. The stage is set as soon as the invitations go out, and the “play” begins as soon as the first guest walks through the door.

When we let God work in us, and through us, we can begin to see how all the players are connected. We can begin to see the connections we, as individuals have to the alcohol, the drugs, the fear, the frustration, etc. God’s love empowers us to overcome the fear of seeing the truth(s) within. When we can do that, we overcome the fear of seeing the truths in our little world(s). The connections can be clearly seen.

I used to drink to excess out of anger, frustration, and pain. Of course, I never saw the connections between my excessive use of alcohol and the consequences of losing control. I saw those things as separate events-before I was able to look at the truth. When we become able to see the truth(s) and make the connections between our emotions, our behaviors, and the consequences, changes can begin to happen. We become empowered to recognize triggers (emotions), make better choices (behaviors), and have better consequences (peace, progress, power). Don’t forget the joy, joy, joy! That’s what life should be; joyous, even in the midst of the storms.

When we can come to the point where the Holy Spirit can flow through us, we can truly become powerful forces to help others rise up out of those pits of generational curses. I’ve been able, for some time now, to laugh at the spirit of those old “drunken sweet potato” holidays. But before I was able to make the connections, there were a lot of tears, and some horrendous encounters with my flesh.

Happy Birthday, Katrina! I hope your day was blessed with all things beautiful. I know it’s coming a day late for you, but I’m going to try to get back on track with this stuff.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

Feast Like There’s No Tomorrow

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to keep a listening ear bent toward the LORD/Lord. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20) Those are Jesus’ words.

It is when Jesus is on the scene, that the feasting begins. This message reminds me of the hours I spent in Bible study after I first came back to the Lord. During my baby girl’s nap time I would just feast on God’s Word. I always tell people it was just as if I were sitting at Jesus’ feet, like Mary did when He visited the home of Lazarus.

This is the reason that we are to seek out time alone to study God’s Word. It’s the reason we have the privilege of prayer, and the joy of praise. It’s through these that we are able to gain more and more intimate knowledge of our LORD/Lord. It’s through that intimate knowledge that our relationship with Him grows.

This is one of my favorites by Mr. Ray Boltz. When I first heard this, what an absolute FEAST my torn and tattered soul did partake of. Thank you, Mr. Boltz. And, thank you, Jesus, for loving me so.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Break Through The Bars

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, speaks to us of the imprisoned God. Praise, we’re told again, brings God on the scene. Praise opens the doors to the throne room of God, giving us a glimpse of who He is, who we are in Him, and all that He has put inside of us. I hope you’ll read the message for yourselves at twolisteners.org -this is one we all need from time to time.

When I read the message, this scripture comes to mind: “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12) We often don’t reach our full potential in things because we’ve imprisoned the son of God within us. I’m not talking about Jesus; I’m talking about you and me. Although, we can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. We’re created in God’s image and after His likeness. That means we can be awesome when we’re working with God, instead of against Him. (Psalm 139: 13) tells us: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” God knows each and every one of us, our strengths, weaknesses, gifts, favorite things, things we don’t like, etc. He knows us intimately; even better than we know ourselves.

Here’s where that fallow ground comes in. Quite often we are, from birth, guided and led, coaxed and cajoled, and yes, often coerced into becoming people we really don’t want to be. We end up becoming people pleasers, suffering from anxieties, harboring resentments , and living bitter and unfulfilled lives. We spend most of our lives trying to become someone else’s version of awesome. When we sow righteousness for ourselves, we’re sowing God’s thoughts about us, and His Word to us into our hearts. We reap His steadfast love within us. We grow in His love for us, and we learn to love ourselves like He does. The Word of God, and His love will even break up all that fallow ground (hard, unplowed), if and when you can’t do it yourself. Breaking it up involves tearing down the strongholds and wrong attitudes and thoughts that we’ve been fed. Then, God can come in and rain righeousness on us.

Here’s a short list of some bars that surround us and keep us locked away from our full potential: “You’re never going to amount to anything.” “You can’t do anything right.” “Your brother’s/sister’s the smart one.” “I don’t know why I bother; nobody cares anyway.” “It’s too late in my life.” “I’m too old, young, shy, stupid, fill in the blank.” Are you getting the picture? These all come back to that fallow ground; to the lies we’ve allowed to be covered over, and allowed our potential to be packed down under.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Naturally, A Little Laughter…

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that nature is filled with healing power for us.

I don’t think I’ve posted this story before; although I’ve told it at least a hundred times. When I lived “out in the country,” I had a beautiful little Border Collie. Emma was her name. She actually was the kids’ dog, but she and I were kind of like Thelma and Louise. She was beyond spoiled.

One day, I had two five gallon jugs of water in my car when I came home. I opened the back door of the car, took the two jugs out, and headed for the house. I’d left the back door of the car open; I guess I just wasn’t thinking. Anyway, I set the two jugs down on the porch so I could unlock and open the front door.

I no sooner opened the door, and Emma rushed past me. She ran right to the car, and jumped into the back seat. I took the jugs into the house and headed back out to the car. Try as I may, I got nowhere with her. Emma refused to get out of the car. She was bound and determined to go for a ride. Finally, I shut the car door, and got in the driver’s seat. I started the car, backed out of the driveway, and pulled right back in. (I didn’t have the gas to drive around; I needed it to get to work) I shut off the motor, got out, and opened the back door for Emma…who promptly got out of the car, tail as high as she could hold it and wagging triumphantly, and -I swear-this hilarious self satisfied smile on her face. I almost doubled over laughing!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Saturday Sentimental Silly-July 25, 2020

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God is the boss-the controller of every second of every minute of every day. We are asked if we can see how wonderful life really is with Him.

It got me thinking back to our military days. We don’t always like what’s happening. I hated having to move away from friends; and it seemed as if that’s exactly what we were always doing…moving, moving, moving. I was the oldest kid in the family, and, naturally, not very impressed with some of the stuff my younger siblings pulled. My mother was always good for embarrassing this teenager too. But, just when you think you’re at the end of your rope, God throws the curve ball…and everybody’s roaring with laughter. This very thing happened on one particular journey. Six women in the family; and all had to use the restroom. At this particular place, there was ONE restroom for ladies. Also, we were on a time constraint; my dad did not like to get off schedule traveling. So, there was I, on the potty, while my sister was washing her hands-both of us crammed into this little stall. My mother was supposed to be holding the door ajar slightly, so the next girl could duck in quickly when ready. Something happened, and she got distracted and let go of the door, which opened wider all by itself. Just at that instant this gorgeous guy happens by. He’s looks in at me, and says, “Hi.” I’m smiling at him, thinking how cute he is…”Hi,” I said back to him. That’s when I remember I’m on the potty with my pants down around my ankles. Needless to say, I didn’t need any blusher when touched up my makeup.

It gets better, we had dinner there. After dinner, we all piled into the car, and Dad had to go into the restroom. He came out of the restroom, and headed straight for this station wagon that looked exactly like ours – but wasn’t. We were all roaring as he started to tell the poor lady in that car she needed to get out; just before he realized she was the only one in it, and he was at the wrong car.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu