As I sat this morning on the porch, I asked the Lord if there was anything He wanted to say or wanted me to know. I waited quietly and then like an inner whisper I heard "I came into the world, not to condemn the world but to save it".I went to the Moffatt's translation and read the familiar passages in John 3:16 and following..For God loved the world so dearly that he gave up His only Son, so

our front porch

that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life, instead of perishing. God did not send his Son into the world to pass sentence on it, but to save the world by him. My next thoughts were, do we condemn or have we sentenced those in the world already? I thought about how Jesus was attracted to those who were lost, demon possessed and they were to Him. He even sought them out. Do we attract through our love like He did or do we sentence and condemn? I have had this on my mind all day. Jesus seemed to have an acceptance that the world wanted. Only the religious pharisees and even some of His disciples had a disdain for those who they thought were "sinners", who didn't exactly measure up or follow their rules. I love the story of the woman with the alabaster box who was scorned when she poured the expensive perfume on His feet and wiped them with her tears. The pious disciple in John 12 was annoyed at her waste of expensive ointment and the motive of the heart was at that moment exposed. He wasn't really interested in the poor but the love of money had already blinded him from the the true meaning of what Mary did. Those who have been forgiven much love with extravagance just like He does. I know the Lord was showing how quickly we can deviate from His real message and His true mission. We need to remember why He came. Not to condemn, or pass sentence but to introduce them to Him. Like Mary their lives will be changed forever and will pass the love on just as they were loved. Some of us have forgotten have much we have been forgiven and our love has grown small. I love what Danny Silk says, when Love is small, Law is big.. Hmmm a good barometer that we can check our love with!

the house mother owned as an antique shop, Lake City Co.

The mulberry tree was planted in 1964. I was in the eighth grade. Mama said it would grow faster than other trees, that's why she chose it. Years later it appeared in the local news because it was one of the largest trees in town. Back in West Texas, trees were scarce so you planted them to shade your house and yard. I didn't pay much attention to it for the next several years with sports,cheer leading and of course boys . When my family moved to another town, my grandparents moved in and became the official caretakers of the tree. On visits back home, the tree would be the first welcomed sight as we pulled into the drive way. My kids would scramble out of the car and run over to climb up her massive trunk to their favorite branches. We were always amazed at how much she had grown. It was a statue that represented happier times, stable homes with squealing kids and grand kids as they swung from her strong arms with rich, green leaves and played under her broad cool shade. Sadly one day when we were driving through our old home town we decided to go back by the house and see the tree..As we turned down our street we could see the bare yard and the sun beating down against the house. The new owners had cut down the beautiful tree. My grandparents were gone now and the tree that was so much apart of our childhood would now just be a memory,but a good memory. I still think about it and all that she has represented to me through the years. The love, security ,faith and strength of a family and a time when things seemed much safer and simpler....Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,that brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper.

Sept 13

Zion and Jaden at Nonni and Poppy's

  Four years ago Zion Rebekah came into the life of our family, joining her sister, Eden and brother Jaden. What's funny is that the night before we were all at a Jason Upton concert at their church..Megan's contractions had been irregular on and off all day, but when we began to worship with Jason the contractions began to start with the  rhythm of the music. We knew Zion would love music as she communicated it to us that evening..Megan and Billy had gotten a prophecy right before they married, that their children would be worshippers around the throne..So today we celebrate the joy she  has brought us...She always insist that I have my radio on in the car as she loves to sing along with the Christian artists.  We always say what would we have done without Zion...glad we didn't have to find out....So Happy Birthday to our little sunflower!

Sept12                                      

between ojo caliente and espanola n.m

    Today I am experiencing a quiet stillness and calmness. I  know these times are to draw me into a much more intimate friendship with Jesus . I love to read Oswald Chambers and one of my favorite devotionals he writes is the one on silence..".Has God trusted you with a silence--a silence that is big with meaning? God's silences are His answers. You will find that God has trusted you in the most intimate way possible, with an absolute silence, not of despair, but of pleasure, because he saw that you could stand a bigger revelation. I f God  has given you a silence, praise Him, He is bringing you into the great run of His purposes. A wonderful thing about God's silence is that the contagion of His stillness gets into you and you become perfectly confident.  I know God has heard me. His silence is proof that He has.  If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, He will give you the first sign of His intimacy-----silence."( My Utmost for His Highest, Oct.11)  In quietness and confidence shall be your strength

Sept 11                                                 Joy

Victoria Island

     Joy stirred in me when I truly saw your Face today. With the autumn winds blowing through their hair, smiles and frowns on their faces, I saw You in them as they scrambled back to their cars with sacks full of groceries,hurrying kids to their cars. Father today I saw you and I was grateful to be apart of these humans you created. In  awe that you wanted us, wanted someone to love and created us in your likeness, I would have missed you today if I had not looked up and caught your glimpse.It took me away from my own thoughts, my own struggles.I was caught off guard by the amazing diversity of your creation and I am apart of it. Thank you, Thank you!

Sept 10                        

Dillon Beach

 Nature heals us like nothing else...we cage ourselves in with our flat screens, computers,I pads, and isolate with something we hope can heal our disappointments, hurts, reverse our anger. We look for the entertainment world to escape to when God knew all along what would really soothe us, restore and refresh us.Today the air is so cool and calm, the birds are singing heaven's songs and the blue sky mirrors the halls of heaven and a brisk walk in God's creation removes the heavy covering of oppression..I remember the time when working with people in a hospital who were suicidal, depressed, hopeless and one of the doctors on staff would suggest a trip to the lake or to the park to feed the ducks..He was a quite wise man who knew His Creator and how creation brings healing to the soul...Father you provided for every need.. even healing! Psalm :103

September 9

aspens turning on windy point..Lake City Co
Matterhorn,
Wetterhorn, Uncompagre Peak

We should love the transitional days between seasons...one extreme to another..a cool, overcast almost cold day ,breezy with scattering leaves and whirlwinds to a hot day with the sun beating down on you with a vengeance..and so goes the seesaw of weather until it finally settles down into a name you can call it ..Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall  Transitional days get us use to the season coming and even began to welcome it and all its glory..God uses everything He made to teach us and show us that nothing stays the same. The Spirit is always moving and each movement comes with  manifestations that we began to identify. Nothing He made was without purpose..for our enjoyment and to learn His ways...first comes the natural , then the spiritual I Cor.15:46

Sept 8                                               Seasons of Childhood

Eden 12 today

our three N.M. grands..ready to swim

  ...Enjoyed today having little girls ranging from 8-12 at our house for our grandaughter Eden's birthday...the younger ones just seem to enjoy the water, no matter how cold ,were just so energetic with no worries whatsoever..but the older ones, well you can already see the affects of peer pressure, concerns of the world,  and the mother coming out in them...I relived today feelings I had at that age...but remembering the sense of security and feeling that most of the things that mattered Mom or Dad would handle ..sometimes we need to remember the innocence of childhood. realizing that God our Father is in control and knowing that most of the things that matter He can handle...a burden is lifted when we become childlike and  don't need to know everything because our Abba does...Happy  12th Birthday Eden..we love you!

Anya and friend

You know we are to learn from every season of life that we go through.. Struggling is actually one of the ways we find our identity, our wings...Just as the butterfly has to struggle to push out of the cocoon,  we have to go through many cocoons that will strengthen us so we can fly. We groan and moan when things aren't easy, but without adversity we won't become what God intended us to be; strong, determined, confident and successful...so don't ask God to make things easy, ask Him to make you a person who is just more than a survivor or a victim but a Victor!  .Become someone who can stand and be secure and have the faith to speak to the mountains in your life that are in the way of your dreams. Your DNA is in Him...find Him and you will find You...You look like your Father...how cool is that!

Sept 6

I walked this morning and tried to listen not just with my ears but with ears of the Spirit. The soft wind was refreshing as the heat of the morning sun was just bearable.  I can feel the season transitioning but the heat of the summer is having trouble letting go and  I am still enjoying the warm sunshine and dips in the pool yet anticipating the coolness of  autumn.  Such as with the season of our lives ...God gives us a taste or touch of what is coming before it fully arrives. I pondered if I was really ready for what lies ahead because there is calm right now..I don't want to disturb it. Its nice. But I felt the winds of change this morning and it will come, ready or not.

to understand seasons......a quote from Kris Valloton

"To succeed in the kingdom you must understand the seasons of your life and act appropriately.

River running through Petaluma, Ca.

You LIE DOWN by the green pastures. You WALK through the valley of the shadow of death and you SIT at the table prepared for you in the presence of your enemy.

Lying down when you should be walking can turn a 40 day trial into a 40 year cultural experience. The enemy's strategy is to scare you to DEATH.

Walking when you should be lying down creates intensity that can't be sustained. It's a demonic strategy to work you to DEATH (see Daniel 7:25).

If you are walking or lying down when should be feasting, while you sit at the banquet table of Lord, the enemy's strategy is to starve you to DEATH.

But you can LIVE in peace in every season of life by simply POSITIONING yourself for success."

Kris Vallotton


"Shame is an equal opportunity destroyer" Kris Vallotton

Be still and Know that I am God...the verse I received this weekend from a friend..
The part that really jumped out to me was "and know".The Spirit quickened me that you need to learn stillness to Know. Knew (past tense of know) was the word in scripture used to describe intimacy between Adam and Eve in Genesis 4:1 "Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain". Stillness provides the right posture to conceive from the heart of God. ..Be still and know that I am God...He wants us to know Him..and wants us to conceive when our soul and spirit are at rest..Why is being still so difficult for us?

Graham Cooke: We are not designed to have merely functional relationships in the Kingdom. God is highly relational, and so intimacy must be the highest priority of life in the Spirit."