Greedy Little Glutton...

 Greedy Little Glutton…

This post was born from a comment my aunt made concerning a previous post, “Bother or Blessing.” I shared in that post (read it here) how bird lovers do not normally like squirrels. 

He was heading for the bird feeder before I interrupted him...

Here is an excerpt from my aunt’s comment:

“If they (the squirrels) were considerate of others they could share a life with me. As it is right now they remind me of humans that you give things to and they always want more. I fed them in the woods and all I ask is they leave the bird’s food alone…do not destroy the feeders…they never seem to get the message”

My aunt has a great love of wildlife and she tried to co-exist with the squirrels. However, the squirrels were greedy gluttons, who kept destroying her bird feeders and stealing all the bird’s food. 

When I read her comment, I was immediately struck with the fact she is right. Squirrels can be like humans. Some people can be greedy gluttons. It is okay to shake your head in agreement.

  

Did a name or face most likely “popped” into your mind? Most of us know someone that no matter how much you give them…it is never enough. They always want more. How do we handle these people? Are we truly helping them if we continue pouring into their bottomless pit?

My aunt tried co-existing with her little gluttons, but they just demand more. When they felt like she wasn’t giving enough they started destroying things (her bird feeders)...The person who “popped” into your mind is destroying. They destroy their relationships with others and with God. The majority of friends and family will become fed up with being used. They will have a serious distaste in their mouth when this person’s name comes up.

The sad part is for some reason this “popped in your mind” person doesn’t understand that God is all they need.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 4:19

Notice, that God wants to supply all our needs not our wants.

In my own life, there have been people who were gluttons just like the squirrels. How did I deal with them? I prayed for God’s guidance. In one situation, I truly God clearly directed me to pray for this person. God further released me from feeling this person had to be an active part of my life. Abba Daddy reassured me that I did not have to put myself in the position for them to take from me.

There was another person we will call her ‘Claire’. Claire always needed more and more. God used me and a few other select people to help Claire realize that God would supply all her needs. With Claire’s permission, we kept her accountable. When she would start seeking more and more to fulfill her life instead of her loving Father we would point it out to her. We did this in love.

Here is the “ouch” of this post for me. There have been times over my 45 years of life that I have been a glutton. Times that no matter what was given, there was more that I wanted.

 I have even been a glutton with God. I wanted Him all to myself instead of sharing Him with others. This breaks my Savior’s heart. I was just like the servant who buried his talent.  (Read Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:12-28)

Have you been a greedy little glutton (just like the squirrels)? Ask God to change you…He is changing ‘Claire’ day-by-day and He can change you?  Is God calling you to pray for someone but have distance? Do it without feeling guilty, just keep praying for them. Are you burying your talent and not sharing what God has given you? Take a step today and start sharing the gifts God has given you.

My next step with God....

Hallelujah statue by Ken Smith currently displayed at the defunct
Spirit of Freedom Garden in Fredericksburg, VA

I am taking my step next with God today. You will learn about it with the following letter, my only request is that each of you pray and follow God's leading.

Hello Family & Friends,

God has provided an opportunity for me this July to attend the She Speaks 2012 conference. This is a conference that focuses on writing & speaking.

The last 6 months have been an unusual time in our lives and I am taking a big step in sending this letter. Without boring you with all the details, just know that during this time God has reinforced in us that He is in control in all circumstances. Furthermore, I am trying my best to be obedient to my Loving Savior; because I have personally seen what disobedience can do.

The conference being at the end of July will have given me plenty of time to recover from my upcoming surgery. I have committed $100.00 to the conference fees. This $100.00 will not cover the complete $650.00 fee (the fee covers conference materials and lodging). The other $550.00 needs to be secured before May 15^th to hold my spot in the conference. I know that nothing is impossible with God.

The remainder of the fees is where God is giving you an opportunity to be a part of this endeavor. You can read my sponsorship letter by following this link.

No money is sent to me. As stated in the sponsorship letter, all monies are sent to Proverbs 31 ministries with the donor designating the funds to Dawn Whitmore.

My one word for 2012, given to me by God, is focus. I am trying to learn what God wants me to focus on. Yes, He wants me to focus on Him. Yet, through this focusing on Him, He is revealing to me many things. I share these in my blog on a regular basis…Dawn’s Dialogue.

My prayer is that each of you will pray and ask God if He wants you to be a part of this ministry opportunity.

In Christ,

Dawn Whitmore

P.S. All donations are tax-deductible. 

You can learn more about the She Speaks conference at their website: 

http://shespeaksconference.com/

Drop Dead or Proudly Possessing...

Are you Drop Dead or Proudly Possessing? Say What?  As always, this blogger has questions? Now, let’s have a story…Who doesn’t love a good story?

There once was a man named Ananias. He and his wife, Sapphira hatched a plan.

“Sapphira dear, let’s sell this piece of our property? But, we will keep a portion of the proceeds hidden for ourselves. I shall take the rest and lay it at the apostle’s feet.”

Sapphira sweetly replies, “Ok Ananias. Whatever you want, my adoring husband?”

Boy, I wouldn’t see it playing out that way in my home. But, that is another story for another day. Here is a little background for you. In Acts 4, people started selling their possessions and laying proceeds at the apostle’s feet. Therefore, this couple decided to do as the others in their community and sell a piece of their property. Yet, they also decided (yes ladies, they decided together) to hold back a portion of the proceeds and to lay the rest at the apostle’s feet.  (Go check the full story out in Acts 5)

Here is where things get interesting:

Upon laying this decided amount at the apostle’s feet,

Peter says, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the land…you have not lied to men but to God?”

After hearing these words, Ananias fell down & died!

His wife, Sapphira comes looking for him (my ESV version says after about 3 hours). 

Here is how it goes down for her:

“And Peter said to her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much money.”

Sapphira responds, “Yes, for so much.”

But Peter says to her, “How is that you have agreed together (see ladies, TOGETHER) to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

Sapphira stays true to her and Ananias’ plan, the result she’s dead too!

There are so many questions that swirl around in my head upon reading this but I will not bore you with them today. Instead, let’s look at what God gave me during my reading of this portion of scripture:

There are two types of people:

1.    Drop Dead

2.    Proudly Possessing

It never says, how much Ananias & Sapphira conspired to hold back. We need to come to the realization that if we hold anything back, even the tiniest portion it is a bad thing. It didn’t matter if Ananias had held back 1% or 90% the result would have been the same. Why? Because the action of holding back wasn’t their sin, their sin was in thinking they could hide it. Hence, DROP DEAD!

Does this mean we can hold back and it is okay as long as we don’t try to hide it? Uh…. No! 

When we walk around saying, “God knows that I struggle with letting go of my children, husband, insert whatever you fight God over” does not mean that we are okay because we are not being Ananias or Sapphira and attempting to hide it.

This is PROUDLY POSSESSING.  It is like false humility. Neither of them is good for us.

Proudly Possessing keeps God from having full reign in our lives. People who are proudly possessing are some of the same ones who cry that they don’t see God working through them like their friends.

So, we have come back to our original question:

Are you Drop Dead or Proudly Possessing?

***All pictures on this blog unless otherwise stated belong to Dew Photography***

Linen Clothes & Naked Men...(originally posted on Biotikos Blog by Dawn Whitmore)....

“And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” Mark 14:51-52 ESV

The past week, I have been reading through the Gospel accounts leading up to Jesus’ betrayal, death & resurrection. While reading Mark 14, the above verse jumped off the page at me. Yet, it wasn’t the man running away naked that got my attention. No, it was the “linen cloth” part of the verse, which caught my eye.

Upon reading it, my  mind instantly thought of the linen cloths that Peter found when he went to the empty tomb. Upon reading Mark 15:46, we see Joseph of Arimathea buying fine linen (cloth) to wrap Jesus’ body in before placing Him in the tomb.

 Further in Mark, it is interesting that Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James) & Salome encounter a young man dressed in a white robe at the empty tomb.

What does all this mean? Possibly, no more than I am an eccentric person. One whose mind wanders while reading the scriptures or could it be God revealing more? At times it seems, I always end up with so many questions while reading Scripture.

Does this happen when you read the Scripture or is just me?

Stop by one of my social sites and let me know:

FB: Dawn Whitmore

FB Page: dawnwhitmorespeaks

Twitter: @DawnWhitmore

Look forward to hearing from you!

Serving or Seeking...

Have you ever had one of those weeks? Not bad, just one were you did a lot of pondering and thinking. That is what my week has been. It started on Monday when my part-time job ended, my Mom went to the ER on Thursday night, and my doctor told me on Friday surgery is a definite on my horizon.

Remember the part-time job ending part…that also means a possible end to my insurance. On a bright beautiful Saturday, I am thanking God for who He is and enjoying a John Hopkins (JHU) Men’s Lacrosse game provided by ESPNU. (Thanks to my Sweetie & the company he works for…)

My online bible study (A Confident Heart) gave me a “Pondering & Thinking “ list:

1. Am I spending all my time serving God or seeking God?
2. Am I bossing people around when I worry or bossing my heart to submit to God and His Plan for me?
3. The most poignant one to me: God not only wants to give me peace that surpasses understanding; He wants to surpass my need for understanding with promises that are bigger than any of my concerns.

Lets be honest, at times life is overwhelming. I have walked through a tough time and Jesus was with me each and every step. Even when I didn’t realize it He was there. There are days that I am still dealing with how my disobedience forced God to drastic measures, which hurt others. Yet, there is relief knowing that being where He wants me to be will be a blessing as we continue to walk this journey ahead of us. Will the journey be easy? Probably not, surgery is never fun…if you think it is fun you are either an aspiring medical professional or “a fry short of a happy meal”. 

However, currently I am at peace with whatever happens. I am sure there will be days that will “stink” but hopefully, they will be in the minority. This is possible if I can remember #3 in my list of “pondering & thinking” from this week.

Where are you this week? Are you busy serving God or seeking Him? Bossing people or bossing your heart? Or maybe forgetting that God is bigger than all our problems? It is okay, we are all there sometimes…but the real question is will you stay there?

"My heart is confident in you, O God;" Psalm 57:7a

Are you an Enoch?

“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5

I have always been told taught that Enoch had such a strong faith with God that one day the two went for a walk and Enoch never came back. This conjured up the image of Enoch waiting at the white picket fence for God to come down the sidewalk. Upon his arrival, He & Enoch would go for a daily walk around the block. Then one day, when it was time for Enoch to return, God asked if he wanted to keep walking. Enoch replied, “Yes” and never returned. 

You have to admit it was a nice little image…until the day God showed me differently.

God showed me in my life, it is not me waiting at the gate each day for Him to come down the sidewalk. Instead, it is He is waiting at the gate for me. See, the reality is my Loving Father has a special piece of His day carved out to walk with me. That is correct, the God of the Universe has a place in His calendar every day for me!

 

Yet, on many days this is the scenario:

Me (running down the sidewalk): “Hi God! You know I love you! I truly appreciate you carving time out for me today… but I still have so much to accomplish before the end of the day. Tomorrow ok?”

Even before, He can answer, my response as I zoom right past: “Thanks for being so understanding. Promise, tomorrow we will walk together…as long as I can fit you in.”

Are you an “Enoch”, treasuring and cherishing your walk each day with God? Or are you, like me on many days, giving up something so precious without a second thought?

Huddle...

While at the park this morning I saw all the ducks grouped together from the night. It made me think do we support each other and protect each other like these ducks?

Each of the ducks everyday go out and do the life and business they are called to accomplish. Each one has a different calling. Just like each one of us, we all are called by God to accomplish different things. He is the one who does the work through us.

However, so many of us neglect the gathering together to provide encouragement, support and protection. Think of it as refueling. As we go about our lives and business we are being used by God. Yet, when we go to bible study, church or have lunch with a trusted brother or sister in Christ we are entering a time of refreshing and refueling. Have we made the commitment to be that source of encouragement and protection to our brothers and sisters? Do we show them love and protection?

God gave all of this to me while I spent five minutes at the park with Him this morning. I thank Him for showing me His handiwork and His love.

Please do not try to be like the bird in this last picture. You have to look really hard (he is the little speck at the top) but that is a lone bird on top of that pylon. This is not God's will He has created us to fellowship with one another. In this society of people claiming they do not have to attend church please remember what God said in Hebrews 10:25:

"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near"