Temper, Temper

I am one who does not always outwardly express the loss of my temper; although it does happen. More often than not, I tend to keep my temper tantrums in check, but when I blow my top and my blood pressure rises and the skin color of my forehead turns red it is often difficult to hide and I must run to the place where I can find my temper and regain my composure.


That place would be in my car, where I can play a soothing CD of instrumental worship on and just cry out to my Heavenly Father and ask for his peace to cover me and take any anger built up inside of me away.

A little taste of heaven

The aroma released from the freshly ground coffee beans captivates the entire house as the addictive brew begins to perk. I manage to stumble into the kitchen and deshelve the largest mug I can find.
I fill my mug ever so carefully with the steaming delight and slowly stir in a perfect blend of White Chocolate Mocha creamer. Once the beverage has received the proper preparation, it is time for some serious indulgence.

One Minute Writer of the Day Winner

If you happen to notice on my blog, I have a new button on it. I was chosen as the writer of the day on the one minute writer blog for my blog named "Clue". If you haven't read it, this would be a great time to check it out. Thank you

http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/2011/06/friday-fiction-clue.html

My Bucket List

My Bucket List in no particular order.


1) hike the Grand Canyon
2) go scuba diving in the Cayman Islands.
3) go parasailing
4) go skydiving
5) visit all 50 US States
6) tour historical castles in Europe
7) write a book
8) record a song in a studio
9) go to a South American rain forest
10) take a safari tour in Africa
11) travel through the outback in Australia
12) watch all 3 of my children get married.
13) drink a pina colada on a tropical island.
14) run in the NYC or Boston Marathon
15) celebrate New Years Eve in Time Square
16) go watch the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena
17) live completely debt free
18) go to Yellowstone National Park
19) learn to surf
20) bowl a perfect game
21) go on a cruise
22) fly in an F-16
23) drive through California Redwoods
24) attend Vermont Maple Festival
25) take a hot air balloon ride

Clue

Slowly I trudged down the sidewalk and up the steps to enter my haven. Tired from a long day’s work and what seemed an even longer commute home, I couldn’t unlock the door fast enough and proceed to the couch for a quiet evening without the family being home. The moment I stepped across the threshold, a chocolate-laced aroma that infiltrated the entire living space grabbed my attention. I immediately made like a bloodhound to the kitchen to investigate the enticing temptation. As I anxiously approached the kitchen, my mind filled with the desire to sinfully indulge in some chocolate chip cookies and cold milk. When I stepped around the corner expecting to find the desire of my lust, my excitement turned to dismay. There was nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not a single morsel in sight, or so I thought. Exhaling in disappointment I prepared for my retreat to the couch, when it caught my eye. A single crumb lay innocently on the tablecloth. It may not have been much, but this clue was the evidence needed for me to launch my investigation.

Grandma's Fried Chicken

I have always enjoyed and will always remember my Grandma Gilbert's home cooked meals. She would fix a meal fit for a king and was willing to fix it anytime I requested it. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamstyle corn, fresh rolls, freshly cut cantaloupe and my choice of ice cold chocolate milk or freshly brewed sun tea. And to top it off, she would have a wonderful dessert; usually a cherry or peach cobbler prepared that would sooth the savage beast. Thinking of this always puts a smile on my face. Thanks grandma!

 

Give Me Your Eyes

Open my eyes, that I may see

glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Verse 1 from the music and text written by Clara H. Scott, 1841-1897

This classic hymn is one I sang countless times in the Methodist Church in Liberal, Kansas where I first recall being part of a church home. Of course due to my father’s job, we relocated to several different areas in the Midwest and thus I became part of several different church families and this hymn was one that was often sang in those places of worship as well. In many of today’s church settings we have traded classic hymns for the newest and freshest sounds of worship. May we never forget the truth of the hymns that were written as intercessions of prayer to the creator of the Universe.

These lyrics have a very deep meaning and they will greatly impact you if you allow it to soak into your spirit and begin to meditate on what it is saying. It is my desire to simplify it in to more layman’s terms. It is a prayer, much like those that David prayed to God and should be considered as such. We should pray that our spiritual eyes be opened and see past our physical world and look at the things of God differently. We should pray for God to open our spiritual eyes so that we can be set free from having our eyes fixed on something that is not of God. We should pray that we would see how Jesus sees and go beyond what our physical eyes capture: pride, prejudice, judgement, lust.

Psalm 101:3 “I will set no base or wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the work of them who turn aside [from the right path]; it shall not grasp hold of me.”

Psalm 27:8 “You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word].”

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).”

This hymn came to my mind when my I learned my 9 year old daughter, Alexis, was going to have to have glasses. It didn’t really soak in until she actually went to get them and began wearing them. It reminded me of when I first had to get glasses and I still remember that day vividly. We had gone to pick them out and once I had them and walked out of the eye store, my eyes literally were opened! We went to Sam’s Wholesale that evening and I was in amazement as to the things I could see and how big it was. I recall hearing my parents comment on how my eyes had been opened to a whole new world.

When my daughter received her glasses this past week, she had an experience much like mine. She kept taking them off and putting them on in amazement of what she could now see. One comment she made was that all the trees along the ridge-row at church used to seem clumped together for her, but now she can see all the details of the leaves and branches. I not only want her physical eyes to be opened to the things around her, but it is my intercession and prayer that her spiritual eyes will be awakened as well. I pray that the Lord will reveal things to her through the Holy Spirit and she will see things He wants her to see. One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs by Brandon Heath called “Open My Eyes” is very powerful and should be our prayer to be the eyes of our Lord and Savior. We should never be satisfied with what we have seen and what we currently see. We need to desire for more of Him and that He will reveal things to us that will change our lives and those around us.

Click on the link below to hear and see the song by Brandon Heath

Open My Eyes by Brandon Heath