Are you looking through Rose colored glasses?

I just came back from a women's conference called Redeeming Pink. Pretty suitable for me huh?! I have to say this hands down the MOST amazing women's conference I have ever attended. They minister to women like women need it. I know that in some way I will not only be a part of this but will extend it out to others because God has placed pink in me way before I ever even heard about this ministry. Pure Love glasses that only God can provide.

So, am I looking through rose colored glasses? Why YES! Yes I am! but not by the worlds standard or definition of rose colored glasses but my Lords. As I said in my pink roses post, to me pink is a color of pure love. The only  love that is pure is God's love. As His love fills me more and more and is evident to me more and more inevitably I find myself looking at things through HIS rose colored glasses.

Everything I see, I see God in. Every event that happens, happens for His reasons. I know it's all in God's plan in His timing. This weekend He constantly showed me His love, His plans, and His will. How He sees things, how He plans things, and His timing is perfect. I saw how He would orchestrate people to be in a certain places, do certain things, and prevent certain happens to all work in His will.  There is NO WAY I could have ever imagined or made up these things I experienced this weekend much less tried to orchestrate them on my own. The only reason I can see them is through HIS rose colored glasses that He has given me to see through. My love, ability, and passions are not enough. I need His love, His Power, and HIS passions placed in my life and on my eyes so that I can see how HE want me to do things.

It's like a puzzle. One event happens and you don't know why or you think it may have just been a "fluke" event, but had that one event not happened it would not have opened the doors for others. God has all this in His plan and to complete is His big puzzle. Piece by piece. Can you see how God has positioned and planned events and people to be in your life at a certain times? For a certain time? Can you see what He has planned not only for YOU but for those around you? You see the encounters and positions He has ordained for you? 


If not you may want to exchange you glasses for some rose colored glasses. 
Pure Love glasses that only God can provide.

Is your head in the sand?

Leviticus 19:17 (Message Version)" Don't secretly hate your neighbor. If you have something against him, get it out in the open; otherwise you are an accomplice in his guilt."

I'm sure we all know by neighbor they don't mean the person who lives next door to you although it may apply. But seriously, how many times do we "not like" someone or someone "rubs us wrong". Now don't get me wrong, we don't have to be buddy buddy with EVERYONE, but we should not harbor hate or have "issues" with them. Especially, our brothers and sisters in Christ. I am as guilty of this as anyone.

How many times has there been "tension" between us and someone else and we don't even know why? We are semi polite or we just ignore them as to not address what may be underlying. Ducking our head in the sand like an ostrich is one of Satan's number one tools used to divide the church and ostracize Christians from each other.

Instead of "being polite", "pretending nothing's wrong", or maybe even posting a random anonymous comment on facebook about it....why don't we just address it? Like a wound that is not cared for, only two outcomes will happen. It will either fester with infections and become even more hurtful and volatile OR it will scar over and become hardened, visible, and sensitive. Neither is what God has intended for our relationship with each other to be.

Beside, (on a selfish note) do you REALLY want to carry someone else's guilt or issues? Don't we have enough to reconcile on our own to God without carrying anyone else's? I know I do!

So I encourage you ladies, and I say to myself as well, stop back biting, secretly talking, posting "random vents", and passing each other by with unaddressed tension. Pull your head out of the sand, look your neighbor in the eye and make a beautiful resolved relationship 
instead of an ignored festering wound .

Designing God's house

So, I decided to redecorate my bedroom. A task that I have been putting off for YEARS.

After many hours of thinking and shopping for inspiration I had an idea of what I wanted to do. I was going to make a mini canopy. It would be elegant, romantic, and soft looking. I looked all over Baytown for the right material to construct this but could not find what I wanted...so I expanded my search. I went to a great place in Houston called High Fashion Fabrics. I knew if I couldn't find the material I needed here then I had a problem! As I walked in I looked around....there was SO MUCH fabric to choose from!! I knew what kind of material I wanted for this specific job now I just had to go and find it!!! 

Isn't God like that? He has a house He is outfitting. He has a specific way He wants it to look and be designed.  Now He is just looking for the perfect material to fulfill that job.

As I started looking around a nice lady asked if she could help me....YES!! I told her what I was doing and what type of material I was looking for and she started leading me to the right areas. Well, after a bit, we found "IT"! The most gorgeous piece of material I had ever seen! It was gorgeous, perfect for the job, and SO ME!!! 

I wonder if that is how God feels when He finds us available and ready to be used in His house? Gorgeous...the most beautiful thing He has has ever seen! Perfect...He see us as perfect for the job He has planned for us! and SO HIM...made in His likeness, with His traits, and for His pleasure! To be used and constructed in whatever way He pleases.

Now when we found the "perfect" piece it wasn't quite so perfect. It was a bit tattered and some things had come loose from people handling it carelessly, but nothing that couldn't be fixed. Honestly, it was so perfect for what I was wanting to do I would have done whatever I needed to fix it! In addition there was a limited amount. Pieces had been taken here and there so there was barely enough and each inch would count. So I bought it all and was just gong to make sure I used it wisely.

You know most of us are tattered and torn from people not handling us with the delicacy or respect we deserve. God says it's ok. It's a minor thing I can just sew back in place and make it stronger and more secure then even before! The you will be whole and beautiful as you were made from the beginning!

God wants all type of material to use in His house. Burlap.... it is rough, strong, and can hold up to just about anything! A little itchy and abrasive at times, but whether on it's own or paired with another type of material  it can make a really cool design. Satin and silk....soft, smooth and beautiful but sometime the most difficult to sew. Cotton....good stable material, can be used for just about anything, and comes in so many different patterns, colors, and thicknesses it is widely used. Then you have the super intricate and "blingy" materials that are stunning and eye catching. These have taken HOURS of  handwork and sewing to make them the way they are. They are also the most delicate to rip, tear and are the most costly. 

What kind of material are you?

The bigger question is how much material do you have ready to be used by God to make His house how He wants it to be? Have you given so much to others that you don't have enough for Him to use as He would like? Even if your torn and tattered He can repair it to better then before, BUT you have to reserve enough for HIM for when He comes to choose you for the job He has designed.