It is GOD who BLESSES and TRANSFORMS...

This is a blog for women (not just moms) who:

(1) Desire to be transformed by JESUS' LOVE, HOLINESS, AND GRACE;

(2) Believe that GOD'S WORD is the true Spirit food for HIS HOLY SPIRIT who lives within us;

(3) Submit to GOD and walk this journey of life with HIM transforming us more and more into HIS likeness.

It's a blog about the POWER OF TRANSFORMED LIVES. Let's begin with yours and mine and pass it on... 1 + 1 + 1...

Since GOD's HOLY SPIRIT lives inside a christian, let's choose to be nurtured and transformed by feasting daily on HOLY SPIRIT food - GOD's WORD - The Holy Bible..

My regular posts stopped in 2013, with a major move and the chronic illness and eventual death of our oldest daughter. Yes, we grieve daily, yet I am determined to continue to let the LIGHT of my LORD and SAVIOR shine through me. I have tried to start posting again, over the last few years, but have not been consistent. So, I think the biggest blessing for you and me both will be to intersperse some new posts while revisiting some of the former posts. Let's begin with "Oh, the JOY!" as we head into living through Fall 2019; meeting back here 1-2 days a week.

If you need daily encouragement, you will find plenty by clicky on past posts. When reading earlier posts, you will see that I often posted daily, following this format: ...Sunday in the SON, Meditation Monday, GratiTuesday, Women in the WORD Wednesday, Transforming Thursday, Family Fellowship Friday, Ketchup & Mustard Saturday.


There's a whole lot here! Take your time to browse.

Please come back and visit each week. Welcome!

Because of JESUS, we can be family,

Patti





TRANSFORMED MOMS:MOMS TRANSFORMED

Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Thursday, March 5, 2009

I HAVEN'T TURNED OUT YET...GRACE FOR TODAY AND BRIGHT HOPE FOR TOMORROW

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

and

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY


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Yesterday was a very busy day for me as I started teaching one of my new classes at the University...was scheduled to be at a meeting at a local high school and to have a tutoring session for a young girl before dinner and Wednesday night Bible study. First though , I needed to get some laundry done, get lunch for Jessica in the crockpot, and complete my Wednesday post that I had not finished the night before. I smiled as I pushed the PUBLISH POST button. I loved the scriptures that I had found that took us deeper into understanding "BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL..." Yet, instead of publishing, FATAL ERROR came up on my screen and my post was no more. Steve said later, "Had you saved it to a Word Document? You know that this has happened before." I know! I know! You'd think that I would learn. I was feeling discouraged and Steve extended mercy and grace as we continued to talk.
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I am disappointed to not be able to share with you yesterday's post but I'll try to reconstruct it into some TRANSFORMING thoughts for today - THURSDAY.
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When I think of extending mercy to someone, I think of someone who might be:
  • down and out
  • discouraged
  • in need of forgiveness
  • suffering from extenuating circumstances
  • a person with an exceptionality

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Most of the time, people in these circumstances are in need of grace for today and bright hope for tomorrow. They need mercy and understanding extended to them. Mercy for the giver and the receiver can be TRANSFORMING.

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This semester I have begun teaching a class at the University called Human Exceptionality. It is a class that I taught for many years while teaching at York College in Nebraska. The word exceptionality means "not the norm". The class focus is humans...people....people who because of nothing that they have chosen are in circumstances beyond their control and "qualify" to be served under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)in some way, shape or form. Some of these exceptionalities include:

  • Learning Disabilities
  • Autism
  • Blindness
  • Deafness
  • Giftedness
  • Physical or Mental Handicaps
  • Other health impairments, which might include: Diabetes, ADHD, Heart problems, etc.

I have served over the years as a teacher, coordinator, caseworker, and director/administrator of services for people with exceptionalities. Each of my four children has been in either one or two or three of the catagories above at one time. It's overwhelming...for the person and the person's family.

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In schools, communities, and, sadly, in churches I have often heard people with exceptionalities termed as "lazy" or "hopeless". I've even heard "I wonder what the mother or father did to cause that to happen?" I've heard judgment when mercy was needed.

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Just like you and me, everyone needs HOPE for the future. It's TRANSFORMING! My sisters in Christ, Kristi and Debbie, have extended mercy, grace, and hope to our family. Many of you have done the same. Our daughter Jessica suffers from excruciating migraines. She had to drop out of high school....went through college in bits and pieces... And, now at the age of 25, she is home again living with us because it's getting worse. We are no longer able to carry her on our health insurance. So, Kristi and Debbie are walking me through (holding my hand) as I help Jessica apply for social services, social security disability and related benefits. It's overwhelming!

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As we sat in the Social Services office last week on multiple days, I was not alone. One day, I counted 75 of us crammed into a small room waiting, waiting, and waiting some more. I looked into the eyes of those who had lost their jobs. I overheard people telling their stories of lost hope, discouragement, and even of living on the streets. I wept on the inside.

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Jessica's name was called and we were escorted to a little cubicle office. As we sat down, I noticed the framed print hanging on the wall above the computer. I was thankful for the person who had thought to put it there.


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Jessica's caseworker shook our hands and introduced himself as "Mr. Hope". I laughed, appreciating the levity. I really did not think that was his name but it was. In, fact, it wasn't his office and he had not noticed that framed print before. Thank you, God! Jessica and I needed that reminder of HOPE FOR TOMORROW as we started the paperwork.

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Later that day, at the hair salon, they were giving away New Testaments. Amazing! Look at the cover. I asked if I could have one for me and one for my daughter.

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Please join me right now as we look at a few words of mercy, grace, and hope from the New Testament:

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2 Corinthians 3:17-4:1

Now the Lord is the Spirit;

and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is liberty.

18 But we all, with unveiled face

beholding as in a mirror

the glory of the Lord,

are being transformed into the same image

from glory to glory,

just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since we have this ministry...

...as we received mercy,

we do not lose heart..."

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Titus 3:5-7

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds

which we have done in righteousness,

but according to His mercy,

by the washing of regeneration and

renewing by the Holy Spirit,

6 whom He poured out upon us richly

through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7 that being justified by His grace

we might be made heirs

according to the hope of eternal life."

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James 3:17

"But the wisdom from above is

first pure,

then peaceable,

gentle,

reasonable,

full of mercy and good fruits,

unwavering,

without hypocrisy."

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1 Peter 1:3
"Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who according to His great mercy

has caused us to be born again

to a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

from the dead..."

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As, we moved to New Jersey in 2007, our oldest son Jordan and his wife, Jacqueline, gave us a crystal stand inscribed with the words below. It has continued to be so encouraging. Yet, this morning as I think of Jacqueline (in her eighth month of pregnancy), I pray for God's love, grace, and mercy to envelope her and give her hope as she and her family grieve the passing of her wonderful christian grandfather, Lowell Keesee.

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Romans 15:13

"Now may the God of HOPE
fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that you may abound in HOPE
by the power of the Holy Spirit."
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God has given some the gift of mercy. Our daughter-in-law, Jacqueline has that gift. Click here to see Jacqueline and her grandpa. http://jordandjacqueline.blogspot.com/


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TRANSFORMED MOM, LISA, REQUESTED PRAYERS FOR HER HUBBY: FULLY RESTORED! FULLY HEALED!