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I am so thankful for God's Holy Spirit Who teaches and transforms as I learn to abide in Him. Over 2009, we have covered several themes on this blog. We began the year with discussions of the BeAttitudes and being "poured out". In the summer we looked a the Woman of Proverbs 31 and at Taming Our Tongues. This fall, I have shared scriptures and thoughts on things that the Holy Spirit of God does. These have not been exhaustive studies, but hopefully have planted enough seeds in your heart that will continue to grow and blossom.
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I am so thankful that Jesus taught in visuals. So, let's do what Jesus would do and this week as we end the year, let's finish with some powerful visuals:
- On Sunday, we used the mirror - looking in it and seeing the glory of Jesus.
- On Monday, we used Thomas Kinkaide, The Painter of Light, and his houses paintings to remind us that God is THE PAINTER OF LIGHT and we are a house of God...
- Today, I'd like to use an earthen vessel... a piece of pottery...jars of clay...
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I am so thankful for friends who encourage me to keep teaching! If you follow this blog, you know about my "jars of clay" collection. On my birthday this month, my friend Alana stopped by with this clay pitcher and a note:
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Yes! I am a teacher and "being a poured out jar of clay" is something I teach a lot about. Yet, the Holy Spirit continues to teach me daily that I certainly have not "arrived" at learning this concept.
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On a shelf in our dining room sit two wedding goblets representing Steve and me. Three of my clay jars symbolize that I want the Holy Spirit to continue to fill me up with: HOPE...PRAYERS...COMPASSION...
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Tomorrow will be the 36th anniversary of the day Steve and I were married. Some of those anniversaries have been more memorable than others. Several of our anniversaries we spent at Youth in Action in Kansas City. This is the week for Youth in Action in multiple cities across this nation. Young people gather to be taught and encourged to love and serve our LORD.
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Eleven years ago this week, Steve and I were speakers at the Kansas City Youth in Action on our 25th anniversary. So, the next year we declined an invitation to return in order to celebrate in a different way. The coordinators would not take "no" for an answer. After we finally agreed, prepared, traveled, and arrived at Embassy Suites, we were shocked to find that they had reserved the Penthouse Suite for us and on the bed was a basket of goodies and the two goblets that are shown in the picture below. As these goblets sit on our dining room shelf, they remind me of a time when we chose to pour out our desires for the greater good and we were blessed many times over because of it.
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These jars of clay remind me that I must pour Patti out so that the Holy Spirit of God can fill me with compassion, peace, grace, and a Christ-like attitude.
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"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (jars of clay),
- we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
- perplexed, but not despairing;
- persecuted, but not forsaken;
- struck down, but not destroyed;
I am so thankful for my husband, Steve, who once again has helped me think in spiritual instead of earthly terms. His actions and words led me to revisit this concept of being poured out at least twice in the last week:
- On Christmas day, we decided to make it low key... relax, watch movies, I would keep working on my grades, and Steve and the girls would make Christmas dinner. Of course, that is no small feat for a man who had knee surgery in November and then his "back went out." So, hobbling around with a cane, my husband also made me my favorite homemade pecan pie (from scratch). What a surprise! It was not easy! He sacrificed pain and did it out of His love for me! It was soooo yummy!
- On Sunday, in his sermon, Steve shared 10 "Windows of the Soul" that we can choose to board up and not let "light" out or we can allow God's light to shine through. I will share these 10 windows tomorrow and Thursday.
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On FB yesterday, several of my friends made comments about tough stuff that is happening in their lives. One friend came home from Christmas vacation to find her refrigerator had quit working and she had lost the food in it. Another, is experiencing broken pipes and water damage on 3 levels of their home. Yet, another, had her two elementary school boys involved in their second car wreck of this year - very traumatic. Then, there is my friend who has been caring for her chronically ill daughter and mother...and now today she's at the hospital with her grandfather who is having surgery on an aortic aneurysm. One of my friends articulated it well on her status... "on the front lines, fighting the minions of Satan..."
.QUESTION: How do any of us survive difficult circumstances day in and day out?
ANSWER: The power is from God! GOD IN ME! We have to pour ourselves out so He can fill us up with His transforming power ...
- His mercy
- His grace
- His patience
- His kindness
- His joy
- His gentleness
- His faith
- His goodness
- His peace
- His self control
- His love
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And, as said so clearly on Sunday, "Each of us must look at our circumstances as Paul did, through 'gospel glasses', in order for the revelation of the God of the gospel to be made through each of us!"
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