SIDENOTE

I started a new blog...just for fun.

Katie told me to review movies...so here is the first

http://kristiesmoviereviews.blogspot.com/

Thai Time...something special for me

Have you ever had one of those things happen that makes you sit down with the Lord and just say, "Thank you. That was special just for me..." I felt like last night was one of those special moments between me and the Lord.

Last night was our annual women's Christmas tea. It's a bit of a traditional for the Danna/Poncy ladies to go on the same night and be served by the men and just have a good time. While I was super excited for the tea this year (because I love the tea...I always have a great time), I was also kind of dreading it.

See every year my dad would serve our table. He was hysterically part of our ladies tradition...simply because he was such a nerd (but in like a serious way, that's why it was so funny). Every year he would wear and vest and a pair of white gloves. Gloves, you might wonder...yeah...I have NO idea. But he was just too funny and he would snag extra of the only things that me and my mom eat (both of us are super picky). The little things like that make it what it was.

I was sad all week in preparation for doing the Christmas tea for the first time with out him and this year we had a comedian come as our guest speaker. She was super funny and genuine and just really in love with the Lord. She shard a verse from Isaiah 61 that the Lord so easily inserted my name in to, it was really just for me (and I'm sure a bunch of the other women in the room) but really it was a me and Jesus moment.

She shared Isaiah 61: 1-3, which I have translated into Jesus' words for me...feel free to do the same. It's quite encouraging (at least it was to me...)

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on you Kristie,
because I have anointed you
to preach good news to the poor.
I have sent you to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
just as I have done for you.
I have bound your broken heart
and I have set you free from captivity and darkness.

I have anointed you to proclaim that this is the year of My favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion, including you Kristie.

I will bestow on you a crown a beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of your mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

You will be called an oak of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the displays of His splendor.

Sometimes, especially with the way that I have been feeling lately, it's just nice to know that the Lord hasn't forgotten. He hasn't forgotten about the pain or about how bad it still hurts. He hasn't forgotten and He so desires to comfort me and be near me.

Thai Time...Undivided

A couple weeks ago I was reading Psalm 86 at the mall before I started work, and I have been continually being reminded of it ever since. I have read that particular Psalm a bunch of times before that no one section in it has ever stood out so greatly to me. I love the way the Lord works. Every time you read the same verse, you learn something different and the Lord shows you something else through it.

Pslam 86:11
"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."

I meditated on that one verse all day at work. I just repeated "give me an undivided heart" over and over again. Through repetition the Lord started to reveal to me ways that my heart is divided. The goal is that our hearts would be completely the Lord's and that He was give you the capacity to love and experience other things.

I feel like over the past couple months I have just been so busy with stuff that I have forgotten that the Lord is the one that makes it possible to love and be loved. He's the one that makes being productive at work possible. He's the one that gives me time in the day to get everything done that I need to get done and He supplies me with the tools to do it all.

Psalm 86: 13, 15
"For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave. But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."

God is the only person, place, or thing worth giving our hearts completely too. We forget that, through marriage and relationship and friendship and careers and even doing what the Lord has called you to do. Those are all blessings and desires the Lord has for us, but they ALWAYS come secondary to HIM!

I have given little pieces of my heart away to people, things, stuff, and doing what the Lord wants. It could be a very small and subtle piece, but you know what a bunch of small and subtle pieces lead up to??? A divided heart.

So my prayer over the past couple weeks has been pretty simple.
"Lord show me where my heart is divided. Give me strength to take back my heart. Most of all Lord, GIVE ME AN UNDIVIDED HEART."