Missed me?

It has been a while since I have blogged. I have been catching up on cashing in my marbles lately. Read the story below to understand!

An Excerpt from
Charging the Human Battery
by Mac Anderson

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday morning. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it:

I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whomever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say.

"Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital," he continued; "Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.

Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3,900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.

It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail," he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1,000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear.

Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life.

There's nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight.

Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time.

It was nice to meet you Tom. I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 year old man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter.

Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast."

"What brought this on?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."

v

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Note: This offer expires at 11:59 PM CST on Friday 01/27/2010.

STAY MOTIVATED!

Please feel free to share this Newsletter with your friends & co-workers!

Today, we are pleased to offer Charging the Human Battery for only $10.00. Our regular price for this beautiful new book is $15.95... a 37% savings. To learn more about Charging the Human Battery or to look inside the book, just click here.

Note: This offer expires at 11:59 PM CST on Friday 01/27/2010.

In a cloud

I have been asking the Lord to enable me lately in giving me wisdom to deal with a hard situation. I was hoping for a word of encouragement as I opened my daily reading for the day. My heart fell at first as I saw the passage was about the Lord’s transfiguration and the heading in July 29’s reading in my Utmost for his Highest was titled “Do you see Jesus in your clouds?” What on earth has the transfiguration got to do with my difficult situation right now?

Then I read the first few sentences that go on like this…

“In the Bible clouds are always associated with God. Clouds of sorrows, sufferings, or providential circumstances, within or without our personal lives, which actually seem to contradict the sovereignty of God. But Nahum 1:3 says, “the clouds are the dust of His feet”…God cannot come near us without clouds-He does not come in clear-shining brightness.

On the mount of transfiguration Peter saw Jesus but also Elijah and Moses and he wanted to erect three shelters there on the mountains for these three. But then a cloud appeared (Mark 7, 8) and enveloped them and truth came in the cloud. The truth that it is only Jesus that they should be honoring and listening to. “And suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.”

I have been under a cloud lately. A dark, thick cloud that was heavy, scary and sometimes felt suffocating. My thoughts have been consumed with this difficulty. All I was seeing in this cloud was this problem and me trying to work through it, and I wasn’t seeing Jesus in the cloud at all. But ALL God wants me to see is Him. This cloud has been full of the issue and I could not hear God’s voice and see Jesus. But He has been there all along.

I am heading out now still somewhat in my cloud but aiming to only see Jesus and hear his voice!

Don't let anyone look down on you because...

Ever heard of Susan Boyle? If you haven't it means you haven't watched TV, not seem U Tube for some time and hadn't had time to check people's blogs and face book because everyone is talking about her. This middle aged English lady who lives with her cat and mother, looks like everyone's village neighbor. Her hair is thinning, her figure is round and no one would look at her twice at the grocery store check out line. Yet she had the courage to step onto the stage of "Britain's got talent" TV reality show. The crowd and judges smirked as they watch her step up to the mike and tell them she would sing for them. Some outright laughed as they waited to see her making a fool of herself.

As she sang the first few notes, all laughter stopped, jaws opened and eyes widened in disbelief. Within a few bars of the song, people were clapping and on their feet in admiration and shock. She became an instant world celebrity in that moment.

What was the difference between the Susan coming onto the stage and the one leaving? She was the same person but the world were seeing her very differently. I like the verse in the Bible that says I Tim :12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example..."

Do you ever feel people really don't know you? In fact, do you sometimes feel people are looking down on you because ________? You fill in the blank. maybe you are looking down on yourself because ________?

God has given all of us gifts and abilities- he is not surprised when we start using them! We might surprise others and even ourselves! Isn't is affirming that when we "walk onto the stage" of using our gifts, God is already on his feet applauding.

Limitations of Technology

If someone wanted to clone me (not sure why they would want to!) or find out anything about me all they have to do is investigate what is on my computer. They will see my family, musings, letters, business world, passwords, devotional notes and prayer diary, poems and songs, pictures and my recipes. When the electricity is cut and my battery runs out I have nothing to do it seems. Anything I think of to do, is all on my machine! How sad!

Much of my relationships now are cultivated through facebook, e mails, skype calls and the such, because of the travel demand from my work presently. How safe or good is that? I am wondering? I NEVER want to loose the face to face, the touch, the warmth of just being in a good friend’s presence, or finding a resolution to a misunderstanding without being there in person if possible. The smiley face characters cannot replace the real thing! So much of communication is unspoken and needs to be seen and felt, not just heard.

I am fighting the danger of just keeping relationships “the easy way”- chatting on the phone, skype calling etc. I am needing to convince myself again and again that the walk to someone’s office or a jeepney ride to a restaurant to meet a friend or even a flight to be with someone is so WORTH it!

May I never replace technology for human touch! How about you?

Rhythms of Rest and Renewal

My Life seems to get fuller, faster, more demanding yet richer! But oh I long to remember and keep rhythms of Rest and Renewal. I will pray for you as you pray for me as we remind each other to rest and renew routinely!

"In order to grow towards wholeness,
accepting our brokenness
and gradually becoming more compassionate,
we need the power of the Spirit.
But we are humans
and must also know the ways of our own bodies and beings...
Each one of us must find our own secret rhythm
of how to rest, relax and find re-creation
for each one of our bodies is different.
We need personal space and time...
Each of us must discover our own
real nourishment...
We must learn
not just to free ourselves from tension and fatigue...
We must learn
As the mother must learn
in front of the never-ending needs of her children,
how to respect our energy
and relax in all the moments of our day
filled as they may be with arduous work
or often tiresome meetings,
and crises of all sorts,
and the hundred and one things that have to be done.
To do this we must discover how to harmonize
the active and the passive in us.
If we are just doers,
feeling terribly responsible and serious,
we will crack up one day.
We must nourish the passive part of us,
our hearts made for a personal love,
learning to listen to others,
to marvel at nature,
to rest a moment in the presence of Jesus,
to receive the love of those around us
and be nourished by their trust,
enjoying the little things of each day,
not taking ourselves too seriously,
accepting to become like little children."
Jean Vanier

Canvas of Society

I dare you to take 20 minutes and watch this U tube video. It is a piece written by a Filipino painter who paints the Last Supper with Jesus at the table with street children and narrates on the Canvas of Society. A very moving piece.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-bzYgSJCPEtY/sa_kambas_ng_lipunan_on_the_canvas_of_society/

The more I deal with adults that suffer from insecurity, low self image, anger issues and are negative and critical, the more I can trace back a difficulty from their childhood. Parents, we have so much influence on our young children. Give them a heritage that will last a lifetime. I am not talking about presents cheap or expensive, educational pursuits or a classic ballet lessons. I am talking about unconditional love no matter their IQ, personality, weight or prowess at sports or music; teaching them to consider others better than themselves, that life is not fair but we should try to be; that we can live within our means and be content with what we have- others will always have more and many more have less; be respectful of country, authority and laws, that we should live with life goals and seek to pursue those; that life without God is no life at all.

When we do this we can change what is on the Canvas of our Society

Don’t Short Change Christmas

Let’s exchange

Worry for Worship

Shopping for Singing

Clamor for Calm

Parties for Peace

Jollies for Joy

Santa for Savior

Christmas lights for Christ the Light

Gifts that fade for the Gift that lasts forever

Baking for the Bread of life

Holly for Holiness

Christmas tree for the Cross

Presents for His Presence

Let’s not short change this wonderful Season!

Coincidence?

Some may call it coincidence, I prefer to call it tracing God’s hand in putting a picture together, piece by piece. I have been asked to take on a new role. My first reaction was “No way, I have enough on my plate and feel quite stretched already!” But I promised to pray about it and after several weeks, felt I should say that I would be willing to tackle it.

If I took on this more-expanded-job, I would need some help in the job I already have. One of the first people I skyped seemed ready for my question before I asked. He and his wife had been feeling that they needed to stream line into one direction, for about a week already. And the direction was in helping in what I am doing!

One of the most overwhelming parts of the job I have now is the administration load. Two people have already said they would and are helping carry that load!

As I have been praying and thinking through this new job, ideas have been bombarding my thoughts day and night. LOTS yet to learn, but the learning seems like something I will enjoy.

We bought a new book called Axiom by Bill Hybel and I have been reading a bit each day. Almost every day God has used that book to speak into the different questions or doubts I have had concerning this new job.

Family, friends and colleagues have all given me their confidence vote!

There are still many pieces missing to clearly see the big picture but there are enough pieces in place that I am starting to see the shape. Coincidence? Nah! Just pieces coming together and I can’t wait for the next one!

Prayer

I am reading Philip Yancey’s book on Prayer: Does it make difference. A good provocative read.

Prayer is vital to me, yet it is one of the biggest mysteries I have concerning my faith walk with Christ. I continue to grapple with how prayer affects my walk with God and God’s working in my life and in the world around me.

Eugene Peterson says it this way

“My grammar book said, “The middle voice is that use of the verb which describes the subjects as participating in the results of the action.” I read that now, and it reads like a description of Christian prayer- “the subject as participating in the results of the action.” I do not control the action: that is a pagan concept of prayer, putting the gods to work by my incantations or rituals. I am not controlled by the action: that is a Hindu concept of prayer in which I slump passively into the impersonal and fated will of gods and goddesses. I enter into the action begun by another, my creating and saving Lord, and find myself participating in the results of the action. I neither do it, nor have it done to me; I will to participate in what is willed.

As I continue to try to understand prayer there is one thing I know for certain. Prayer is commanded by my Lord so I am all the more determined to pray and keep asking for prayer; working in partnership with my Savior and Creator.

Windows of the Soul

One of my all time favorite books is Windows of the Soul by Ken Gire. He gave me the inspiration to look into the many windows in my life that display God!

“If such things as art galleries exist in heaven, certainly the picture of the widow’s offering is hanging there in a prominent place, for it was one of those secret acts of devotion that Christ referred to, something sacred that the Father saw and treasured….The Temple, which for so long had been a sacred place, had become a streetside gallery of religious display. Lost behind the clutter of ornately framed gestures was a pencil sketch of a poor widow’s soul. Not until Jesus pulled it out and put a frame around it did the disciples even realize it was there. Once they did, though, they sensed it was a sacred picture, revealing to them a window and showing them what was dear to God.”

I am no artist- I have sisters who are! But as I make myself more acutely aware of looking around God’s gallery and seeing what he frames (and what he does not), then I get a glimpse of what is important to God.

Lately in the mornings he has framed the non descript little sparrows that hop outside our window. Then in the evening he frames the multi hued gilded clouds of a Manila sunset. During the day he captures wafts of breeze that cool the sweat on my face, sets a family living in a cart on the sidewalk into a framed pencil sketch and splatters my day with loved ones affirmation.

I hope I will never cease to be amazed standing in God’s art gallery. Which picture are you pondering over right now?E is framingHe deems to frame ( and what he does not!)he

Yeshua and me

Doing what I love- being grandma!

Transformation Garden

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Talk & Tranquility
Your Daily Visit with Friends

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The Cart People

I see them from my window and this morning I walked through their midst. The cart people who live on a street near us. Their 6-8 feet wooden carts are their livelihood and their life. They are our area’s recyclers. They go through the garbage looking for wires, cardboard, bottles, steel, iron, soda cans and anything else that may bring a few pesos at the end of the day. A few of the kids may be lucky and find half a banana or a few chippies at the bottom of a bag someone threw away. A young man may find cigarette stubs that he savors as he lights up and feels “like anyone else” and not like he is- street dirt poor. At night they have emptied their wooden carts of recyclables and it becomes the instant bed for the family. During the day, the ones watching the stuff at the “camp site” find shade from the trees or an old tarp nailed to a nearby wall or tree.

As I walked by this morning the “community was abuzz”. A dad had a baby on his knees giving him a bath under a community tap. Two ladies were sorting the already full carts of “merchandise”. Another lady was washing clothes in a small broken plastic basin. One little tyke probably 3 or 4 played with a stick making circles in the muddy stream that was running down the street- a stream full of soapy water and from the smell, someone’s overfull sewage. Another youngster was face down on the sidewalk watching her older brother play in the stream- both stark naked. Another young man was in the grassy part of the median between the street laying out the day’s laundry to dry in the sun.

The only thing any of the young children are wearing was the amulet on a string around their neck to ward off evil spirits. Life as lived on the sidewalk in Manila.

Yeshua a month old

Who will take their place

I have just hit the delete button on our partner database for 4 prayer partners. 3 are with the Lord and one has Alzheimer so cannot of course pray as he did. Wow, 4 in a few days! That is a lot of prayer NOT done because these people really did pray- not just give lip service to it. So I wonder who God is tapping on their heart and saying, "You child. I want you to take up the baton of prayer from these dear saints. I am calling you to this high purpose in life to pray for the nations. I am asking you to stand in the gap. You cannot go and bring the gospel in person, but you can touch anyone, anywhere with me on your knees through prayer." This is not to put false guilt on anyone. Just a cry of help. Will you listen and see if you are part of that answer?

grandparent-hood

Let me introduce my grandson. Yeshua Emmanuel Schlitt Manansala. He joined our family on August 30 by C section. Lisa is healing really fast and Yeshua is a delight! He was 5lbs 12 ozs. but starting to thrive on mommy's milk. So now you know why I haven't blogged in a few weeks.

Some aged wisdom I have gleaned in my new found role:

Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you're just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric. ~Pam Brown~

Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old. ~Mary H. Waldrip~

It's amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one.
~Author Unknown~

If your baby is "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you're the grandma.
~Teresa Bloomingdale~

Total Living

I have been to three men's funerals in the past few weeks. All leaving an indelible mark of Christ in their path.

The first man was only 21 years old. But the wake service went on and on as classmate after classmate gave testimony of his friendship, his influence and his joy of life with God.

The next man was a seasoned Chinese elder in his church. The greatest tribute that was given is how much he loved his family, especially his wife of 60 years and how much he loved God and wanted all to know Him as he did.

The third was a veteran soldier- actually a Brigadier General in the Philippine army. But he also was a governor statesman, teacher, and a man of Christian integrity who refused to take bribes and even advances in his career if it meant compromising his faith.

I just finished reading Beth Moore's book on the life of David. David, like each of these three men was not perfect but a man after God's own heart. Let me quote you something that Beth wrote that my heart resonates with:

Satisfy me not with the lesser of You
Find me no solace in shadows of the True
No ordinary measure of extraordinary means
The depths, the length, the breadth of You
And nothing in between.
Etch the words upon my heart, knowing all the while
No ordinary roadblocks plague extraordinary miles
Your power as my portion, Your glory as my fare
Take me to extremities
But meet me fully there.

Dancing With God

I just received this and it is a beautiful way to think through guidance from our gracious Guide Master- God:

When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, And everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, Both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back Or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, And attentiveness from one person And gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw 'G': I thought of God,
followed by 'U' and 'I'.
'God, 'U' and 'I' dance.'
God, you, and I dance.

30 years and still going

It was 30 years ago yesterday that I stood in my long white dress at the altar and spoke my wedding vows to Richard. Sometimes it seems like a different life time ago and other days it seems like only a very few years ago. I love what someone wrote on my face book. “We believe that birthdays come and go whether you like it or not (and usually we don't like it), but that wedding anniversaries represent achievements - marriage is hard work - and so need to be celebrated.” Amen!

So what has made our marriage work? – other than God’s grace! We are far from perfect but here are a few things that help make our marriage into what it is today.

Respect for each other and embrace our differences- and there are many!
Divorce isn’t even joked about in our home.
We accept each other as we are and not try to change each other- that is God’s job!
We try not to assume what the other is thinking- but share or ask.
We give each other space
We affirm each other’s gifts
Try to keep short accounts when things are not right
Talk about money
Celebrate special occasions

Bottom line as we individually work at keeping close to God, we are closer to each other.

There but for the grace of God…

A few mornings ago, Richard and I woke up to a shouting and screaming match coming from the street below our fifth floor apartment window. There is a 24/7 bar/restaurant open across the street and often we hear happy noises, but this was anything but happy.

One woman had another woman pinned to the ground and both were screaming at each other. It was all in Tagalog and I couldn’t make most of it out but it was something to do with one of the husbands. I have a feeling a wife came in the early morning hours to find her husband and found him with this other woman. She was a large woman and VERY drunk. It took a couple big men to haul her off, put her in a tricycle (motor bike with side car) and send her home to sleep off her stupor and rage.

As I stood watching this scene from our window, I prayed for all those involved. There were many hurt that night and not just from the physical punches!

I couldn’t pass judgment as God quickly reminded how depraved we all are!!

I went to my Bible to start my morning devotions (even though it was only 5 am). I am reading through the Bible and was starting Romans. 1:24 “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.” THEN 3:12”All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." BUT 3:21 “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

So the only reason why I am blissfully sleeping with my husband of 30 years and not pinned on the street by a jealous woman is GRACE- God’s grace!