W.I.S.D.O.M.

12/2/17

Dear Reader,

     Happy New Year! We just celebrated another year ending and a new one beginning. It's an exciting time, yet one that brings forth the unknowing. Unknowing of what awaits us this year. The joys, the struggles, and the victories we can have! Welcome 2017. We didn't do much at home, but rather lounged to watching a movie in pj's. We did have a toast to the new year though. :) 

     One of the toast we made as a family was; saying declaring the good of the Lord! Declaring good things over our family and friends, health, protection,  careers, college, classroom, finances, relationships, and our nation. I believe that the Lord will provide these things over us. 

     The beginning of the year usually brings forth goals. A long list of goals to meet for the year. You perhaps also seen all of the gym and workout apparel on sale as well. Guess what. I didn't make a list or set any goals for myself. Earlier last year I received a word more than one time telling me NOT to set any goals for myself. I am person who is strongly willed and dedicated myself to reaching whatever goal or expectation I set for myself. Sadly, without even knowing it, I would set such high expectations or goals for myself that I couldn't reach. 

You might even be familiar with these goals:

• Lose 20 lbs.
• Run 3-5ks this year
• Have your own classroom
• Pay all the school/books on your own
• Make sure to have a home-cooked meal every night
• The house must be cleaned every Friday
• Drink plenty of water everyday
• Plant a garden
• Go to all your friend's kid birthday events
• And this list would continue on...

     I would feel like I failed at home,  on my healthy journey, being a wife, and even as an educator at times. Because I set goals for myself that were at times unreachable. Plus, I would have the mindset that "I must be a failure" or "I'm not strong enough" .This even affected me physically with many anxiety attacks.

    AHH! Wake up Kaleen! (That's exactly what Jesus did). No goals. No expectations. Just trust. Trusting in Him. I have truly found that with Him too. Anxiety attacks are lesser, my view on myself has changed, and mostly, my mind has peace. I had to remind myself who I am in Christ with scripture. :) 

    This year, again, no goals or expectations; however, I seek for a word from the Lord. The word I received is WISDOM. 

The Wikipedia has this on wisdom. 

"Wisdom or sapience is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight.^[1] Wisdom has been regarded as one of four cardinal virtues; and as a virtue, it is a habit or disposition to perform the action with the highest degree of adequacy under any given circumstance with the limitation of error in any given action. This implies a possession of knowledge, or the seeking of knowledge to apply to the given circumstance."

     All day I kept thinking, I need to read the word. I wanted to know what the Lord wants for me this year. As I picked up the word, I kept getting 1 Corinthians 1-2 in my spirit. With excitement I turned and read the chapters. 

     First Corinthians deals with multiple of subjects throughout the entire book, and yet it's main theme is in the most simplest form as well. It was written by Paul to address the church(Christians) in Corinth. Corinth has many diverse people and religious backgrounds which has caused problems within the church. It deals with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, confidence in God, unity, healthy eating/taking care of our bodies, handling money and our possessions. One thing that kept reappearing to me was wisdom. Not putting our faith in human wisdom but in the power of God. 

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 "Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] to world, but the Holy Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessings so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. ³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. ¹⁴ The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”But we have the mind of Christ." 

 

Our good Father wants us to seek His counsel and He gave us the Holy Spirit to do just that. It's no secret or a key to success. Keeping our heart on Him daily and seeking the word of the Lord is what will bring healing, fruit of the Spirit, unity. 

Wisdom. 

Father, I just adore you for who you are! My Father! My healer, strength, provider, salvation, beginning and end. Lord we asked that you would do a healing in us, in our hearts. We asked that we will learn not to hesitate to move when you want us to move. That you will gave us the words to speak when needed. Provide the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom in ALL things Father. We thank you Father for providing and preparing the year for us and our family. We declare that our eyes has not seen, our ears have not heard, and our hearts has not thought of things that can only be revealed to us unless by your Spirit. Amen. 

He has already prepared the way for you this year. Believe in Him. Look to Him for ALL things. 

Good night sweet friends,

Kaleen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+2&version=NIV 

Joyce Meyers The Everyday Life Bible 

C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S.

          12/26/16

Dear Reader,


          Christmas time for our family is a celebration of Jesus's birth and giving glory to the Lord for such a selfless act of love. With this celebration comes some traditions through many generations and spending time with love ones. One tradition for us is putting up our decorations while listening to all the classic Christmas songs. Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, and Pentatonix are a few our favorites. One part of the decoration process that I absolutely cannot wait to do is hanging the stocking on the mantle. We would always(even as a child) would reflect on what the Lord has done and how blessed we are. We exchange gifts, eat a great feast, spend time with family members, and reflect the goodness of God's favor throughout the year.

      My parents and I's favorite part was finding what was in the stockings... I'm not sure if it was due to everyone's unusual gifts, or the small packages that waited to be unwrapped. Perhaps it was the thought of 'digging' to find such sweet items tucked inside. One thing I do know is this; each of us had our own stocking holders that seemed to fit our personalities and likes. With that being said, imagine Snoopy on top of his house with garland draped across with lights flashing as the red berries. Or that there is a Eskimo sitting on top of a frozen pond of ice fishing for fish with a pup(seal) next to him. Thirdly, a small mouse with an oversized Santa hat waiting with a twinkle in its eyes. These were my family's stocking holders and was one of the many items I couldn't wait to put out first when decorating. 

        In 2011, my family and I lost everything except the clothes off our backs in a house fire. We were blessed that all of us and even our fur babies were okay; however, I have never felt so vulnerable or exposed then I did then. Healing started immediately that same day! People would drive by giving items, money, prayers, food, comfort, and their love. For weeks I saw a community and two businesses raise money for my family. Friends who would go out of their way to spend time with us or bring food over. Family who took us in when we need a home. Literally people from all over gave from their hearts and it touched mine in that most vulnerable way. Instead of fearing, we trusted that the Lord would work this out for the greater good! All Glory to Jesus! 

     Years later I have even found pictures covered in ashes and edges burned, but the picture of a memory remained. Yes, so much was lost in material items like: family photos, heirlooms, books, furniture, clothes, shelter. You name it, it was gone. Other things were broken in spirit which made other things arise like: no peace of mind, feeling exposed, some fear, hurt, lost, alone, and most of all, vulnerability. However, those things the Lord has restored! He restored many things through prayer, reading his word daily, changing my mindset through the word, bringing strangers who brought blessings, bringing family and friends who brought love, friendship and understanding. He brought UNITY!! 

    The Lord has even blessed me with items that seemed to be lost forever.... Like stocking holders at Christmas time.

 You are looking at the same 1985 little mouse with the oversized Santa hat with that little twinkle in its eyes. It was found through a seller online no longer needing theirs. It found us without us even trying to find it. I saved this gift for my mom to open on Christmas Eve.

     Isn't Jesus so wonderful? Even years later after a tragedy, He is STILL moving in that area! STILL healing smaller hurts from that time. STILL providing the desires of our hearts! He is so good!! Be encouraged today to know that the Lord is STILL moving in your situation! He is STILL interceding for you! He is BRINGING people in your path, and blessings on its way! Even if it's as small as a stocking holder, HE RETURNS ten times what was taken away. He loves you.  

Merry Christmas,
Kaleen