Fruit of the Spirit: Margie and Self Control

fruit.of.the.spirit.week.nine.self.control.galatians5:23.

this is last in the fruit of the spirit blog series. i've learned so much over the last ten weeks (supposed to be nine :/) thanks, karen, for giving me a place to express myself. someday maybe i'll have my own blog.

self-control...just use it!

check these out... prov16:32, 25:28 rom13:12-14, 1cor6:12, 9:25-27 1thess5:22  titus2:12 heb12:2,  2pet1:5-7 certainly there are more! found this... http://www.openbible.info/topics/self-control

just like the other eight beautiful fruit of the Spirit, you have the free gift of self-control at your access any time...a sweet deposit from Holy Spirit when you accepted Christ into your heart!

it sounds easy, just use it. even david fell in this area. a man(or woman)after God's own heart. that's how i want to be known, don't you?

david was a man that could have benefited from the use of self-control, yet God called Him a man after His own heart. God is full of grace and mercy. david truly repented of his sin. God forgave him and used him in mighty and beautiful ways. (see 1&2sam 1kings 1chron)  david didn't say "oh lord forgive me, i'm sorry...do you mind if i do it again tomorrow?"  he fell on his face and completely turned from his sin. he changed his mind, yet still suffered consequence. he asked God to search his heart and lead him in the everlasting way. david fully surrendered to God. when repentance came, david changed.

did you know that anger can be averted by using self-control? how about lust...drunkenness...pride...gossip...lies...laziness...judgement...peer pressure... people pleasing??? sometimes using self-control just looks like saying "no!" (no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1cor10:13) or often i stomp my foot and say, "get out!" when bad thoughts come in.

most everyone has a place (or places) where they need to tap into self-control. repent and just start using it! i've decided drum up the courage to confess a couple places i KNOW God is telling me to fast from, or even give up completely. i've been putting this blog off because i know it will be hard. but here goes...confession time...

one. binge-ing. ahhhh i said it.(even if i can't spell it) one example: the other night i woke up 3am-ish, went to the kitchen, got a small glass of silk chocolate milk (that's pretty healthy, right? soy milk) and opened the bag of chipsahoy cookies. i pulled out 2, really good, i shrugged "two won't hurt" i thought. "yummy, just 2 more" mmhm. then, "two more? why not?" wow, delicious... i'm not sure if i had more that night, but more times that not i can't stop. ugh!  or can i?  oh yeah, self-control. i've got this, because He's got it. Holy Spirit, help me. at parties and other gatherings that seem to revolve around food, i just keep going back for one more "something". one more can't hurt, can it?

two. social networking! this one is really hard, too! i am obsessed. i don't work as much in the summer. this opens up free reign iphone time. i absolutely love posting instagram pics, then posting them to facebook, and twitter. twitter connects me with people i respect and learn from in the christian world. facebook was my only connection with family and friends when we went to paris to get my sister who was gravely ill. God did so many amazing things while we were there, and i got to share it with the world. when God inspires me, i post it. when someone inspires me, i retweet it. i only use it for good, really.

so, this is what i am going to do... instead of filling an emotional need with one&two, i will take captive the thoughts that drive me there(2cor10:5). change my thinking (phil4:8). i will turn the other way.

1.total lifestyle change for me here. when i want to take more food than i need, when i get up in the night, when i start to go for more...i will seek Him, worship&praise Him. i will speak life over myself! i am fully equipped to do this!

2.i will take a break of unknown length from instagram, facebook, and twitter. every time i long to check my phone, i will long for and seek Jesus. I read the word.  i will go on my bible app if i'm alone.

3.i will fill up both of these misunderstood needs with the Father's love.

4.i will leave my phone on to check texts, calls and email, but you won't be able to reach me through instagram, fb, or twitter for a while. i know He promises to provide a way out when i'm tempted. 

i repent from these distractions from you, God. oh, how many hours have i missed with you, Jesus? how much time have i wasted? forgive me Lord. i want to waste my life on You. i want to hear Your voice more. i want to know Your word and carry it in my heart more. i want to be more sensitive to Your prompting and direction. forgive me for spending more time like a zombie than seeking and being with You.  (that i may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that i will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please You in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You, God; strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to You, Father, who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.col.3:9-12)

maybe it's relationships i long for. connection to people. i'm going to put down the food and my phone now.

right here, right now, open my eyes, open my ears...

to see and hear, to be aware of all the beautiful opportunities to really connect with people (my husband, daughter, the sister i live with, the one i don't, family, friends, strangers...) social networking has given me a great new connection with family and friends i would otherwise not connect with...this i will miss, but we can still reach each other! 

join me? i'm sure you are not over-indulgent where i am. where are you lacking self-control?

grace and peace to you, margie 

check out these awesome bloggers

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there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness by Margie

a week behind again 

fruit.of.the.spirit.week.eight

(a few words and lots of scripture)

gentleness...i have learned from Ali.  when she was younger, she reminded me that it wasn't the cashiers fault when i was rude about not getting the price i expected. even now as her gentle spirit matures she reminds me to tap into this beautiful fruit of the Holy Spirit. i'm so proud of her for digging in and not just hearing, but doing! (james1:21-25) 

like each piece of fruit, it is a choice to be gentle.  God has provided all we need to walk in gentleness as a gift, freely given when we accepted Jesus into our hearts and called Him Lord!  also, He reminds us to be gentle by sending gentle, godly, jesus-like people into our lives as an example.  

who has Father God sent to you? 

(just a few of the many He's sent me...  john, ali, chad, karen, mom, lorianne, theresa, christy, isaac, kim, lisa, dena, chris, kristen, brenda, brooke, tracy, jenn, kerry, patty, keith, jamie, cathi...sorry if you were left out, i could go on and on)

please don't skip this next part!

the living word of God has much to say about gentleness... 

"Blessed are the GENTLE, for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NASB)

Let your GENTLE  spirit  be known to all men. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5 NASB)

A GENTLE answer turns away wrath,  But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 NASB)

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any  of them  are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be  merely  external-braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but  let it be  the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a GENTLE and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. (1 Peter 3:1-6 NASB)

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, GENTLEness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things  put on  love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed,  do  all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:12-17 NASB)

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and GENTLEness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3 NASB)

now that's a good word! 

can't go wrong with the Bible!

one more to go...self control. i'm super excited to get #9 out very 

soon. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23 NASB)

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there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness (by Margie)

fruit.of.the.spirit.week.seven.faithfulness

*God's faithfulness is never-ending.

it never fails! His word is faithful and true. He is faithful and just. His faithfulness is to all generations. it reaches to the sky.

*for me...given as a gift, a deposit made deep within me when i received the Holy Spirit, faithfulness is always available. i get to let His faithfulness work in and shine through me. like each piece of fruit, i can choose to be faithful. God has given us all we need to walk in the fruit of faithfulness.

(in no particular order)
faithful... to God
to my husband
to my family & friends
to God's family
to the lost
to serve
to love
to the Word
to abide
to obey
in prayer
with my money
with little
with much
with my time
in good and bad times
the list is unending...

i am not a ' thus sayith the Lord' kind of person. however, last year God said, "margie, you are loyal. that is good. don't let the world take it away from you." #sozo

so, i'm wondering if loyalty and faithfulness are the same thing.
what do you think?

definitions...
faithful
- adjective
1.strict or thorough in the performance of duty: a faithful worker.
2.true to one's word, promises, vows, etc.
3.steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant: faithful friends.
4.reliable, trusted, or believed.
5.adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate: a faithful account; a faithful copy.
6.Obs. full of faith; believing.
- noun
1.the faithful,
2. the believers, especially members of a Christian church or adherents of Islam.
3. the body of loyal members of any party or group.

loyal
- adjective
1.faithful to one's sovereign, government, or state: a loyal subject.
2.faithful to one's oath, commitments, or obligations: to be loyal to a vow.
3.faithful to any leader, party, or cause, or to any person or thing conceived as deserving fidelity: a loyal friend.
4.characterized by or showing faithfulness to commitments, vows, allegiance, obligations, etc.: loyal conduct.

i want to be faithful in this...
"abiding is a wonderful discipline that teaches us to stay, to dwell, and to remain in the place of first love." graham cooke

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there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Oh My Goodness... and some words from Margie

Sorry for the lack of goodness last week. It got away from me. I'll circle back around to it soon. In the meantime, check out these words from Margie. You can find more of her thoughts at her twitter account @margiedoh

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fruit.weeks5&6.

kindness and goodness 

(and computer problems)

so... this is very late, but i felt compelled to share a few thoughts! 

God himself is Kindness. 

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (5Romans 2:4 NASB)

Kindness 

- noun

1.the state or quality of being kind: kindness to animals.

2.a kind act; favor: his many kindnesses to me.

3.kind behavior: I will never forget your kindness.

4.friendly feeling; liking.

kindness is a choice, like all the other fruit, it's a gift from God. a deposit when you received the Holy Spirit. you've already got everything you need to walk on kindness! 

God is Goodness

goodness is purposely choosing right over wrong! 

goodness in a man is not a mere passive quality, but deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, and the choosing and following of all moral good. (Easton's bible dictionary)

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. (3 John 1:11 NKJV)

Goodness 

- noun

1.the state or quality of being good.

2.moral excellence; virtue.

3.kindly feeling; kindness; generosity.

4.excellence of quality: goodness of workmanship.

5.the best part of anything; essence; strength.

6.a euphemism for God: Thank goodness!

- interjection

7.(used in expressions of surprise, alarm, etc.): Goodness, you gave me a start! Goodness gracious! 

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. (Galatians 6:7 NASB)

you simply cannot be kind or good if you're...holding unforgiveness, negative, angry, frustrated, grumpy, impatient...

if you notice someone's having a bad day...choose to brighten it.  decide to smile,  love, be joyful, walk in peace, be patient, show kindness and goodness... each fruit builds off the previous.

my encouragement to you: just smile at everyone on your path and see what happens!!!  you could share your experience here if you like. i find it quite interesting the responses from just smiling at someone and being kind. try it! 

see what these amazing bloggers had to say about the fruit of the spirit...

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there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

I had no idea how difficult it would be to write about kindness, and I'm not really sure why.  There are a lot of scriptures, quotes and poems about kindness out there, but nothing has been inspiring me. So here I am, on the last day of Kindness week, with nothing to say.

One definition of kindness is the desire to do good to others; goodwill; charitableness. Do you know people who live like that? I sure do. A lot of them. I think most people, from every place, culture, religion, and nation, have the desire to be kind, to do good, to share, to be generous.  The problem is, we also have free will and a fallen nature.

Kindness seems to be wrapped up in a lot of different things. I don't think one can love without also being kind. Kindness is a choice, each and every moment - the choice to love rather than to lash out, to give rather than keep, to do good rather than bad (however that is defined), to be kind instead of cruel. And, as with all of the other fruits, we do have it in us to be kind to even those who are the most unkind. And this isn't just about doing kindness. It's about asking God to show us how to be kind, how to treat others, how to think kind thoughts. It's not about doing kind things, it's about having an attitude and thoughts that are kind, toward others and about others.  The world may think you are the kindest person ever, but if your heart and mind are not in agreement with your actions, you and God need to have a little talk.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ~ Colossians 3:12

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. ~ Matthew 7:12

Special Guest Post: Patience revisited

God has been so graciously patient with us, why then are we impatient with Him, ourselves & others?

“Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything.” ~ Mother Teresa

...walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3 NASB) [wow love, peace, patience, & gentleness]

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NIV84)

Have you been practicing patience? It's a gift! Receive it, put it into practice today!

doh.margie@gmail.com twitter:margiedoh  facebook:margie doherty

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Don't forget to check out the other bloggers in the series:

there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Special Guest Post: Patience (From Margie)

weekfour.fruitofthespirit.patience

practicing patience

it seems each piece of fruit, so far, can't survive without the previous. without the first 3 (love.joy.peace) the 4th isn't possible.

• i can't be patient if i don't love the cashier in the slowest line at walmart. (eph4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 1cor13:4 love is patient...) 
• it isn't possible to be patient when i allow 3 red lights in a row on owen road to suck the joy out of me. (heb.12:2) 
• without His peace, when worries are the focus, patience is nowhere in sight. (phil.4:6) 

life deals us plenty of hands that are full of opportunities to practice this gift called patience. it's on the list of delicious fruit, given as a deposit when we receive Holy Spirit. the Word says we can have it. don’t be afraid to start asking for it. you'll get it! the more practice you get, the more natural patience becomes. besides, what would we need patience for if everything went perfectly the way we want it?

how are you doing in the patience department?

doh.margie@gmail.com twitter:margiedoh  facebook:margie doherty

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Don't forget to check out the other bloggers in the series:

there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Fruit of the Spirit: Patience

Oh, I've been waiting, somewhat impatiently, for this week's fruit. How's that for a paradox (not to mention that it's Thursday already)? In fact, this whole post may be a paradox to some of you, but stick with me.

It truly was hard to not write this one sooner and just wait for it to post. But I chose to be patient. Hopefully, I'll be able to remember where I wanted to go with it.

I'm sure you've heard this.  "Don't pray for patience. If you do, you've be given opportunities to be patient."  Well meaning people have said this for years. The idea behind it: If you pray for patience, you will get in the slowest line, hit every red light, hear from every long-winded friend when you have somewhere else to go, run into the most annoying situations... you get the idea. You will run into every imaginable test of patience.

To that, I say phooey. (Sorry for the harsh language, but some things just have to be said.) 

Several years ago, when I was still pretty new to this Christian/loving Jesus thing, I went on a shopping trip with a couple of friends. Now, if you know me at all, you know that I vehemently dislike to shop, especially for myself.  We were on a specific mission to find something, but we didn't know exactly what yet.  So we stopped for lunch to talk about it and I prayed before we ate.  During the prayer, I asked for patience to get through the day, among other things. At the end of the prayer, they both said, "Did you really just pray for patience? You know what that means!"  Of course, I had heard the saying before that, but didn't really think about that so I felt kind of bad about it. Thinking the shopping trip was about to be ruined, I put on my best face and we went about our day.

You know what? That was one of the best shopping excursions I had ever had.  So I say phooey to not praying  for patience.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" ~ Matthew 7:7-11 (also found in Luke 11)

Why would God, who loves me and has placed His Spirit within me, deny me something that He has already promised me? Remember Galatians 5:21-22?

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Again, I say phooey. We've already got it anyway, so ask away! A loving God, who cares for the sparrows, is not going to let you down! Will there be times when our patience is tested? Of course! But if we sincerely ask God for it, and choose to be patient in inconvenient and testing times, we will receive it!

Now, patience in waiting on God... well, that's another subject.

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Don't forget to check out the other bloggers in the series:

there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Fruit of the Spirit: Peace

Sorry for the lateness in my post on peace for this week. Inspiration was at the tip of my fingertips, so to speak, but just wouldn't make it's way out. Hope you've had a peaceful week. 


I don't know about you, but when I take a glance at the world around me, peace is not the first word that comes to my mind.

Chaos
Turmoil
Injustice
Hate
Anger
Bitterness
Unforgiveness
Worry
Anxiety
Rage
Oh, how I could go on and on.

Peace doesn't seem to come easily for most folks, even for many who consider themselves Christians.  Focusing on what's directly in front of them is easier than looking deeper to find the peace they long for. Philippians 4 reminds us not to worry - but to pray, asking God, thankfully for what we need, and He will give us peace.  Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, we already have it. We just need to grab hold of it.

Jesus left us His peace. That "I'm-going-to-be-okay-because-I-know-the-Father-is-with-me" kind of peace that is beyond our comprehension. When the world is saying "WHY AREN'T YOU FREAKING OUT?!?!?", we can confidently say it's because God loves us enough to give us what we need to get through what we need to get through, even if it doesn't look how we think it should.

"I'm leaving you peace. I’m giving you my peace. I don’t give you the kind of peace that the world gives. So don’t be troubled or cowardly." ~ John 14:27

But wait... where does this peace come from? Jesus said these words, so we know they are true. But he's leaving (did you catch that in the first part?). He's not going to be around to calm the seas in the midst of the storm. If we look back a verse...

"The helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you." ~John 14:26

So, this peace that Jesus is leaving for us, it comes with Holy Spirit. Because He is in us, we have access to the peace that Jesus offers.

Embrace peace - don't let it get away! ~ Psalm 34:14

Once you grab on to peace, hold on to it! Don't let it slip away in a sea of anxiety and worry. Don't lose it in the midst of an argument. Don't misplace it when the storm winds come. When you have a hold of something loosely, it can easily slip away. When you embrace something, you hold on for dear life, as if letting go would let it fall out of reach forever. Embrace peace - don't let it get away!

‎"at the core of worry, we actually make ourselves our own god."

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Don't forget to check out the other bloggers in the series:

there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Special Guest Blog: Peace

fruit.of.the.spirit.week.three.PEACE.

want peace?  take it, it's yours! more ramblings...

philippians4:4-7 rejoice in the Lord always.i will say it again: Rejoice! let your gentleness be evident to all. the Lord is near. do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. and the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  v.8-9 finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. and the God of PEACE will be with you.

confession1: phil4:4-9 is my 'go to' scripture for peace. surely i sound like a broken record to people in my life, sharing it with every one. walking through this journey called life, i've not met anyone (yet) who always keeps their peace, but my heart and mind are convinced that it is possible. it takes practice! pray...read it...do it...read&pray some more...it works. i promise!  the key is doing it! (don't just listen to God's word. you must do what it says. otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. james 1:22 nlt)

my encouragement to you is dig in. really tear it apart, bit by bit, then walk it out. this is biblical principle with two promises of God's peace. (christy covered v.6-7 beautifully, so back up a bit) start right off with with the rejoicing part, you get to do that twice right off the bat! (phil4:4) then carry it out until the end (v.9). the more i do this, the easier and more natural it becomes. peace is a gift, it's always available to you. it came with Holy Spirit the day you accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour! (if you haven't, it would be my pleasure to share this truth with you)

confession2: i didn't keep my peace a few times today, however, as i become more sensitive to Holy Spirit, seeking peace (ps34:14), changing my thinking (phil4:8-9), capturing negative thoughts (we demolish arguments&every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to christ.2cor10:5) is becoming a much easier process these days. i have many daily opportunities to practice!

so seek peace and pursue it! (the one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deciet. he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.1peter3:10-11 &ps34:13-14niv) its right there anytime you need need it. besides, worrying can't add a day to your life. as a matter of fact, it takes days off. worry makes you sick! (can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?...do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorow will worry about itself. each day has enough trouble of its own. matt6:27-34niv. you should read the whole thing)

i believe two opposites of peace are worry&fear. (perfect love drives out fear 1jn4:18 but i'll save that for another time)

if you desire peace, if you regularly think, "if i could just have some peace," go get it! it's yours for the taking! like joy from last week, its not about your circumstances. you can have peace in the storm! Jesus said it, so i know it's true!

grace & PEACE,

margie                       

doh.margie@gmail.com  twitter:margiedoh  facebook:margie doherty

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there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Fruit of the Spirit: Peace

Special Guest Bog: joy - calm delight?

Here's another post from my sister Margie. Hope you enjoy it... 

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ramblings about the fruit of the spirit called JOY...

i used to be more of an outwardly joyful person. it was obvious when i was enthusiastic, excited or happy. life's junk seemed to rob me of my joy(or so i thought). circumstances set my attitude bar. i also thought that other people, i.e. john, were supposed to make me happy. once i figured out that no one was responsible for my joy except me, i decided to do it on my own. it was exhausting! i just couldn’t keep it up. i thought i was disappointing God because i didn't seem 'happy/joyful' all the time. if happiness wasn't pouring out of me, others would not be drawn to Jesus, right?

one day in my car, joyce told me that joy means 'calm delight.' this was really hard to believe. i knew when i 'felt' joyful, it certainly was not calm. delightful, maybe, but not calm. joyce must have really missed it. i mean, i had lead bible studies on joy, spoke and sang about it often, but still had not experienced anything very calm.

i was on the wrong track: mixing up happiness, which depends on my circumstances... with joy, which is a deep knowing that can only be found in Holy Spirit. joy comes from the heart of God. it is a deposit when we receive the Holy Spirit. all this i knew, yet still i was not getting the 'high' of outward joy.

do you know what joy means in the bible? you guessed it...'calm delight.' how could this be? there it is, joyce was right, as usual.

i don't have to perform for God or others to show my joy. what a great relief. He says i can have this calm delight at any time. even in the midst of trials that joy is accessible. i still have explosive joy-filled moments! i can't help it. God is so good, always.

praising and worshiping Him stirs up my joy. He doesn't need to be reminded of His awesomeness, but i do!

(oh yeah, joyce is joyce meyer. she's pretty wise.)

joy is expressed many different ways in the bible: shouts, songs, clapping, dancing, praising, celebrating...in exchange for sadness and mourning, in fullness, in His presence... open up the word of God and read it! it's full of JOY and so are you! just start counting your blessings and see if that doesn't bring delight.

as you journey along life's road, stir up the joy within and deposit it in the people you meet along the way. wear your smile!

grace and peace and JOY to you

(Oh, and today's quote from joyce:  keeping “self” happy is a full time job, but the pay at the end of the week is disappointing.)

Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

Many years ago my parents gave me a book for my birthday, or maybe it was Christmas - I'm not really sure and the occasion doesn't really matter. The book was called My Friend the Bluebird Who Lost His Song. This was a cute story about a little bluebird who has lost his song (duh). The bluebird goes to the window of a little girl and asks for help. Taking her friends along for the adventure, they find the bluebird's song and everyone lives happily ever after.

Cute story, right? What was really fun about it was that I was the little girl in the story, and my friends were the other characters. Well, my friends and my pets - guess I didn't have enough friends to fill in all the spaces. Hey - we lived in the country and had 3 houses near us. I was blessed to have the two friends I did have.

The story was a fun adventure that had us shrinking and riding on the bluebird's back on the great quest to find the lost song, only to discover that the song was right where it had always been, but deep down inside the bluebird. Whew. Crisis averted.

You may be wondering, what does this have to do with the fruit of the spirit? Well, I thought I'd retell that story with a little twist...

My Friend the Bluebird Who Lost His Joy

Once there was a little bluebird who was quite sad. One day, he went to the window of a little girl named Karen, and said, "Little girl, I seem to have lost my joy. Can you help me find it?" Karen replied, "Why, of course I will help you! Do you mind if I ask my friends to come along?" "That would be wonderful!", replied the bluebird.

So Karen, along with Ali, Christy, Lauren, Scott, Babetta, Leslie, Margie, Judy, and Carl, went out with the bluebird to see if they could find his joy.
They looked all over.
They looked in many of the places the bluebird liked to visit.
They looked under his wings but his joy wasn't there.
They looked in bluebird's nest but his joy wasn't there.
They looked around his favorite birdbath but his joy wasn't there.
They looked in the field he liked to fly over but his joy wasn't there.
They looked at his favorite bird feeder bu his joy wasn't there.

Where, oh where, could he have left his joy?

They asked the bluebird, "When did you last have your joy?"

"I remember soaring high in the sky, like I've seen the eagles do, and I began singing a song I'd never sung before. I had such a delight in my heart that I just couldn't explain. Why can't I feel that again?" The bluebird seemed more distraught than ever.

Then the friends all remembered at the same time  "Oh, why didn't we think of this sooner?"

The friends explained to the bluebird that he had what he needed all along. All he had to do was to ask Jesus, and to choose joy. Joy isn't about how you feel, but it's an overall attitude about everything. Take each moment and find the joy in it, even in the trials and hard times. If nothing else, Jesus is with you and that should be enough for you to find joy.

Then the bird flew off, soaring like an eagle and singing a new song, just like before.

He found his joy. Have you?

Special Guest Blog: Love Notes from Margie

Here are some more thoughts from my lovely sister, Margie.

• Love is a choice! Choose love!

• He loves me extravagantly! And you too!

• His love is no respecter of persons. He loves us ALL!

• Real love expects nothing in return. We can only do this with Christ! This is a Choice. Choose Jesus!

• Love people anyway.

• Dog is God spelled backwards, just sayin'. It's pretty cool how you can yell at your dog, or ignore them, but still they are so excited to see you every time you come home! Be excited like that when your spouse comes home or when someone visits. It's a choice!

• Praying for God to bless the unlovable people in your life changes your heart for them!

• Forgiveness brings freedom. Choosing not to forgive imprisons us, not the one we think we're holding prisoner.

• If I don't love me & I speak all kinds of ugliness over myself, it's offensive to the God who took such great care in making me. Speak life over yourself!

• Speak life over everyone you come in contact with, especially those who are hard to love! This is a choice!

• Line up your thoughts toward others with God's truth. Change your thinking. This is also a choice!

• I think the Beatles got it right long before us. All You Need Is Love.

• The loving God of the new testament is the same loving God of the old testament!

• And that's just the beginning...

Don't forget to check out the other bloggers in the series:
there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Special Guest Blog: Love Like That

And another special guest arrives. I've also known this woman my whole life. She's also taught me a lot about love. Meet my sister, Margie. If you know her, you're already exited to read on. If you don't, you will know a lot about her just by reading these thoughts. I'm honored to have her a part of this series. You'll definitely be seeing more from her in the coming weeks.

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i was invited to join in on a "fruit of the spirit" blog series by an amazing woman, my sister. i am joining some inspirational bloggers.
so this is my freshman attempt at blogging, without a blog. after attempting this on my iphone, i’m borrowing karen's cute little net book she bought for romania. thanks karen!
i am not a scholar, just a student of His love. i want to know His heart. what you are reading, should you choose to, are my... ramblings, ponderings, questions, and personal/biblical discoveries (that is, until someone smarter, or a life-experience, shows me a new view)

Love Like That       ...love love love, bah ba da da da
what can i do to make God love me more?

could i do something (or not do something) that would cause Him to love me less?

i realize that you most likely know this, but do we really live in this truth? the truth that we cannot do one thing to make God love us more, and nothing we do would cause Him to love us less. i am still amazed by this truth. (this, of course, is no excuse for intentional sin)

and what about the way we treat each other? are we loving one another the way God loves us? is it even possible? does He really require that of us as His children? i mean, how can i deny someone grace & love when i received it straight from the heart of God?

Jesus says, "what good is it if you love those that are easy to love...the lovable? even the unsaved do that. great is your reward if you choose to love the unlovable!"(ok, that's my paraphrase of matthew 5)

vs.43-48 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

did you catch that be perfect stuff? RED LETTERS! Jesus said not only that we CAN be perfect, but says to BE perfect! He also says "be holy"

i really like eugene peterson's paraphrase on how to love...

Ephesians 5:1-2 [ Wake Up from Your Sleep ] Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

that seems pretty clear to me... and there is more. every time i read the WORD i learn more about God's extravagant love. if we are to learn a life of love then put it into practice, and if God is the one who tells us to do that, then surely he will equip us! i know that i am not capable on my own, in my own strength, but Holy Spirit in me is more than enough to do it through me!

the truths are endless... 1cor 13, john 3:16, all of Ephesians, the cross, the resurrection, song of solomon, love your neighbor, the golden rule, Jesus came to serve as an example for us, jesus poured his love out on me so i better pour it out on others...

i've been doing a self-check... are there people i hide from when i'm shopping at walmart? do i smile at the cashier, the person on the gas pump opposite me, the person holding up my check-out lane, new people at church? the folks i don't "approve" of? the person who hurt me deeply? the lost and broken? the angry, the hurting? do i ever speak to my neighbor?

i want to Love like that. do you? can we? God says we can.

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Don't forget to check out the other bloggers in the series:

there is beauty in letting go ~ the rabbit hole chronicles ~ a joyful journal ~ the ever-changing thought ~ broken rubies ~ by feet or heart ~ apopipto lepis

Special Guest Blog: Mom's Thoughts on Love

It's time to introduce you to a very special woman. One I've known my whole life. Even when I was at my most unlovable, she loved me anyway. I think that's the most important thing I've learned from my mom.  These are her thoughts on love. This was an unexpected addition to the blog this week, and I hope we hear more from her. 

I have been reading a lot about love. I never realized there was so much to it. For me love seems to be easy, yet difficult. The first instinct for me is to love. Sometimes that is dangerous. It can be hurtful if the love isn't returned. But if some of the things I have been reading are true, and I think they are, then love should be the first thing that comes to mind when you meet someone for the first time and for all the times you meet them after that. There is a lot of love in my family. I see it and feel it every day. My family has become my life. Although I have friends at Millpond (the Manor) my life has been changed, altered, by my family. And as some very famous people have declared.....

All you need is love, love is all you need.

Love Glasses

If only it were so easy... just put some gadget on and you will see the world differently. Change your glasses, put on different shoes, wear different clothes, walk down a different street.... some of these things may work for a time, but they aren't permanent. 




This came on the iPod today and since it's love week here on the blog, I thought I'd share it. 


Don't get me wrong. There's not a thing wrong with trying something to help remember to see folks as God sees them. It just doesn't last unless we're letting God love them through us. As hard as we try, we will always fall short. Otherwise, we wouldn't need Him.

"Keep truth seeking, listen to wisdom speaking, catch his heartbeat and see the world through Gods eyes!"
"God give us grace to see all things, To see man's heart the way You see" ~ Beckah Shae

Check out some of these other posts about love from other bloggers:

Ali ~ Christy ~ Lauren ~ Scott (he hasn't posted yet... boo) ~ Babetta ~ Leslie ~ Carl

Random LOVEly Thoughts

• Love really is patient.
• It's impossible to love something that can't love you back.
• Just because something/someone can love you back, it doesn't mean they will. Love them anyway.
• Sometimes it's harder to receive love than it is to give it. Sometimes it's the other way around.
• There are times when it's easier to love a stranger than it is to love those closest to you.
• Love is hard to measure. 
• Love is a choice.
• Talking about loving and actually loving are very different. The former is much easier, less risky, and way, I mean way, less painful.
• You can learn a lot about love from a dog. Not so much from a cat. (This might get me some hate mail)
• Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand. - Mother Teresa
• First, love God. Second, love everyone else. The rest will fall into place - just don't get the order mixed up.
• Love hurts sometimes, but it's worth it. 
• There's always someone within reach that needs to know what love really is.
• God loves me, so it's okay if you choose not to. 
• It's all about love, love, love, love, love. Thanks Steven Curtis Chapman. That part of that song is all I could remember all week, and it's stuck in my head.
• It's hard to love someone when all you see is their faults. 
• Love doesn't change based on circumstances.

What about you? What thoughts run through your head when you think about love?

Fruit of the Spirit: Love

{Love. Who came up with the idea to put love first? I mean, where do I start? When I think about love, I either sit here, staring off into space thinking, "uhhhhhh, ummmmm, uhhhhh, yeah". Or, my mind reels with a gazillion thoughts that never really form into anything. I've written about love before. Do I really have to again? I mean, you get it, right?

Sigh.

Okay.

I'll do it.}

(please excuse the previous conversation that occurred out loud in my head. it wasn't meant to be shared, but sometimes, that just happens)

On to the real blog now.

In case you haven't stopped by in a while (and why would you, unless you like watching paint dry), this is the first in a blog series on the fruit of the spirit. I have some friends coming along to share their thoughts on the fruit, too. More about them later. If you're bored here and want to know more, they are all linked on the side bar, and some of them are on top of it and have already posted.

Today as I was driving to work, I was thinking about this word love and how poorly I've been doing it lately.  On the outside I can go through the motions with the best of 'em. But on the inside, I'm doing what's right. It's not what comes naturally. Not yet anyway.  I want to have that instant "what can I do to love this person more" reaction in every situation. Don't you? Maybe you already do that, but I think we can all fall short sometimes, so don't think I'm beating myself up here.

Jesus loved in every moment. I want to be like Him. He got it right. I mean, when one of your names is Love, how can you not just automatically bleed love?

Where does that leave me? My name isn't Love.

But Love is in me. He has placed His love in me so I can let it flow out of me. This reminds me of a thought I had recently. God doesn't give us anything we're to keep for ourselves. He gives it to us so we can give it, share it, explain it, express it, nurture it and let it go, learn from it.

I am not Love, like He is. But I am His beloved. Cherished. Loved. His love in me is not just for me. It is in me so I can give it, share it, explain it, express it, nurture it and let it go, and learn from it.  I'm still learning.

I have a feeling there will be more on this subject this week. Stay tuned.  In the mean time, check out these blogs from earlier today:  there is beauty in letting go, a joyful journal, the rabbit hole chronicles

...Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Fruit of the Spirit: A Blog Series

This is something new for me. I had the idea to write a series of blog posts on a particular subject. Since I haven't been writing much lately, I thought it would be a good jump start to get back into the habit. I started talking with a friend about it, and there were so many questions to answer...

What subject?
When should I post?
Should it be daily? Weekly?
What if I forget?
What if I'm not inspired?

Then I thought... why put so much pressure on myself? Just have others post as guest bloggers on your site!  Brilliant!

But that defeats the purpose of me actually writing. So then it hit me, do the series, but bring someone along for the accountability and inspiration to keep going. So I asked someone, and then someone else, and then another, and so on. So now what we have is several bloggers participating in this series, and I'm super excited about it!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be introducing you to their blogs. Some are people I've known my whole life, others I've just met, and the rest fall in between there somewhere. Some I know in real life, others just on-line. But what's really cool about it, is we all love Jesus. He's the reason we're doing this. He's the reason we write. He's the reason we live. He's the reason we take our next breath. Without Him, none of this matters.

Starting next week, we'll all be starting a series on the fruit of the spirit. Each week, a different fruit, starting with love next week.  Feel free to join in on the fun.

...Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!