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BLOGS
2018 Nov - Links to TPM Wearables for purchase. Oct - Mistaken for the side piece. July - I Cor 7:34 - An Observation, not a Command. May - Women, we change the atmosphere. March - Women's History: Black Women Preachers; No More Smallin' Up of Me; Our Greatest Fear. February - Valentines...daily! January - Random thoughts. 2017 Dec - Christmas...don't get too deep. Nov - Happy Thanksgiving! October - That's not worship. August - The devil is a liar! July - Where do you f-i-t? Be Consistent. June - "No" instead of "Go". April - Let them "kill" you. March -Woman, You are good enough. February - What ministry is calling you? January - Woman, Go! 2016 November - Don't be a Jonah. October - It's Time for a new season. September - Youth, here is something you can conquer. Aug - July - Passive/Aggressive Leaders. June - It's hard to leave. June - YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE. (aka How Women Might Miss God.) May - Woman, why are you still there? April - Passive/Aggressive people. March - God will give you His own special pulpit Feb - Rejection can be a blessing. January - Snakes in your life. 2010 Inclusion or Not? Which one are you? 2000 August - Move!/Sometimes You Gotta Leave Home To Be Blessed 1996 January - So what? August - But I Wrought For My Names Sake |
Woman, do you ever feel like a dead tree, even though you know God has filled you with living water and knowledge/wisdom that needs to be shared? Well, be encouraged. Do what's necessary to go from feeling like a dead tree to BEing/sharing the fruitful, flowering tree that God has made you and wants to contiue to make you.
Isaiah 61"For the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me;.." https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/Isa.61 Products: www.etsy.com/shop/becmin |
BLOGS
2024 Jan- Start Right. Foundations Matter. Gnats and Camels. A Rat. Punishment? Dreams NOW I KNOW WHY! Right, Wrong or Both? Leave Joe Alone. What Would You Title This? Feb - Peebles Hurt! The Lion of the Tribe of Judah Within Us The Road Keep Your Teeth Where Does It Come From? Stuff I Have To Work On Peebles Hurt! Get Them Out. Lion of the Tribe of Judah Dummy Down Why Aren't You Happy? March - Women We Don't Have to Prop Up God God Will Encourage Us To Get It Done 2023/2024 Last and First Dreams of 2023/24. Dreams & Vascillating on How I Feel About the Issues. 2023 Jan - Job's Wife Feb - Cast Away Feb - Don't! Feb - Stand May - 'Pay" Yourself June - For By One Man's Obedience June - Mary Sat. Jesus Let Her. July - TPM It's Not Dead (aired 2006) July - MOVE! (2002) July - In The Presence of My Enemies August - Broken. Humble. Stewardship of Your Gift. Don't Be A Haman. Sept - Who's Doing The Talking? October - Do We Really Want An Apology? October - Two Faces. October- Come Here October- God Can Make Your Situation So Unique October- It's Not A Miracle, We Just Decided... November - Move To The Front Of The Line November - Glad to Have Nerves November - Prayer December - We've Discussed This Before. December - Healed! December - My Testimony. The End. 2022 July - Boundaries 2021 June - Resumes' 2020 Jan - Bits N Pieces |
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Don't be that smart. Don't be that confident. Don't be that Holy. Don't be that Anointed. Don't be that "tall" in spirit. Don't be that happy. Don't be that successful. Why? Their reactions say because it scares them. They can't handle it. It challenges their call to be all that to the level they know God called them...and they don't want to OR they seem to be living all that themselves and see you as someone who may match or surpass them (which is not possible in God's Kingdom because we all have a particular place to operate in) and they don't want you to do that. People, that scenario (reality) is why we need to be dedicated to God, not to people. Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Be ALL YOU THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE FOR, IN, BY, AND THROUGH HIM. Don't slap God in the face by diminishing who He Made you to be just because others (friends, family, co-workers, church people, Christians, non-Christians, neighbors, community) aren't ready! *Wearables on www.etsy.com/shop/becmin *Book on https://www.etsy.com/listing/1481281459/poems-for-all-women-purse-size-book?click_key=74c12ecd7d7da31d9630dbed05163ad9b83e836d%3A1481281459&click_sum=03eeb688&ref=shop_home_feat_1&frs=1
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I was thinking back to some tiny sparrows that were in my yard Summer 2022. They didn't try to run off new birds or go back and forth with bully birds. The tiny sparrows would sit on the little round platform feeder and just stay there, not eating most of the time! One would sit there an hour. Eventually a cardinal or something would come and run him off. But he didn't fight the bullies. He just protested with his presence and sat there as long as he could. 🥰
*Wearables on www.etsy.com/shop/becmin *Book on https://www.etsy.com/listing/1481281459/poems-for-all-women-purse-size-book?click_key=74c12ecd7d7da31d9630dbed05163ad9b83e836d%3A1481281459&click_sum=03eeb688&ref=shop_home_feat_1&frs=1
https://www.gotquestions.org/strain-gnat-swallow-camel.html This proverb is spoken by Jesus in Matthew 23:24. On His last trip to Jerusalem, Jesus spoke at length about life under the oppressive reign of the Pharisees. The religious leaders tested Him continually “and plotted how to entangle him in his words” (Matthew 22:15). In Matthew 23, Jesus pronounced seven woes against the scribes and Pharisees, accusing them of hypocrisy, laying heavy burdens on the people, exalting themselves, and preventing people from entering God’s kingdom. He was especially harsh in His assessment of their strict adherence to the laws of tithing while they “neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). He concludes by saying, “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel” (verse 24). The KJV translates the first part of the proverb as “strain at a gnat.” That wording gives the impression of choking while trying to swallow the gnat while easily gulping down the camel. But the better translation is “strain out a gnat.” The Greek word refers to straining water through a cloth or sieve to remove impurities. The GNT translates it this way: “You strain a fly out of your drink, but swallow a camel!” The Jews had a law that forbade eating any flying insects that did not have jointed legs for hopping (Leviticus 11:20–23), and in this they were strictly observant. Because water could have insects and insect larvae in it, pious Jews were careful to strain the water through a cloth before drinking it. They did not want to accidentally ingest an unclean insect and thus violate the law. Jesus mentions this practice in His proverb and then contrasts it with a hyperbolic picture of gulping down a camel. In this way, Jesus accused them of taking great pains (straining out gnats) to avoid offence in minor things of little importance, while tolerating or committing great sins (swallowing camels) such as deceit, oppression, and lust. Christ’s fifth woe relates to the same type of hypocrisy (Matthew 23:25–26). All Jewish sects agreed on the need to wash their dishes in order to maintain their ceremonial cleanness, but Jesus pointed out that it is senseless to clean the outside of a cup and leave the inside filthy. But this is exactly what the actions of the Jewish leaders achieved. They focused on outward behavior but neglected the most important commands—loving God and one another. They strained at a gnat, mistakenly believing that external conformity to the law was enough, while not seeing that the evil in their hearts was a camel-sized problem. The Pharisees were scrupulous in counting out their mint leaves and tithing their “dill and cumin” (verse 23), but their hearts were full of envy, pride, greed, and malice. They strained at the gnat of ceremony, but they ignored the camel of sin in their hearts. illlustrations are freepik.com www.etsy.com/shop/becmin When someone steps out to do what God told them to do, whether their experience turns as what we humans label as 'good' or 'bad", don't say "I told you so" or "God didn't tell you to do that." If it's legal, not immoral and the person believes it is their vision for life or for God, don't try to stop them. Most importantly, don't bash them when they return with less-than-spectacular results. They learned something, which is the bottom line. God worked. Job's life was torn apart. Loss of family, inventory/livestock, and health. All of the happenings were still God's work. God allowed satan to do the work for a reason. So when people do something whether it turns out to not look so good, don't insist that you were right to try to stop them, or try to make them feel bad about stepping out. It was their process. God was there. God did, didn't do or allowed the experiences - good or bad. It was God work. Don't dare act like you can hear God better about their life than they can. You expect them to run their life but at the same time, when they make a decision you don't like, all of a sudden you're taking their life back from then and trying to run it. Suddenly, you want to tell them they can't hear from God about their life as well as you can. You expect them to hear God enough to run their life IF they run it the way you want it to be ran. Shut up! When they return 'successful' and blessed, apologize for trying to stop them. When they return 'unsuccessful' with more losses than wins, be glad to see them...and that's all. Don't call them 'prodigal'. They didn't leave wrong. They left to do what God called them to do at that point in God's process for their life. Definitely don't wait until later and slip in an "I told you so'. Receive them, not as prodigal, but the way the biblical Prodigal was received when he returned home. Period. Image by wirestock of Freepik <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/shallow-focus-from-male-standing-pathway-middle-grassy-field_9076698.htm#page=2&query=walking%20away&position=2&from_view=keyword&track=ais">Image by wirestock</a> on Freepik July 14-16-2022 Boundaries - Walls, Fences, Gates.
The difference between a fence and a wall. Just because I'm looking at, listening to and receiving your conversation, doesn't mean I'm going to let you in. It's not a wall. I'll listen. It's a fence. You can stand at the fence and talk but I don't know if I'll let you in. I have put up walls where I should and shouldn't have. Past experiences have led me to put up impenetrable walls to keep out some people and to try to forget some places. I don't plan to be hurt by those people or places ever again. You've seen walls. They usually remain for a long time. Walls aren't as easy to take down. They require heavy tools, a vehicle hitting it purposely or by accident, or a strong storm. I've heard testimonies of people who removed personal walls because a personal storm acutally helped them make the decision to tear down self-constructed wall. Lord, may I never have to be snatched into a mindset that forces me to tear down my walls. Heal me that I may tear them down purposely and without pain. WALL - Brick - Can't see over it or through it. Hard to hear through it. Don't even try. continuous, vertical, brick or stone structure that encloses or divides an area of land. * (Are we humans not ‘land’? Yes, we are. Dirt. Created from a human who was created from dirt.) to protect or lend some privacy to hold back form a periphery of a room or building *SOLID, can’t see through - “Don’t look over here.”; “You can’t climb this easily so don’t try.”) *(Some situations require a WALL, People.) ************************************ I have fences around major areas of my life just letting others know "Don't go there. It's not hidden but I'm not giving any explanations either. It is what it is. You don't know what the Lord told me. You haven't lived with that person. You haven't had to deal with them at work or in a group. I got my fence up around that area. Ask permission to enter." FENCE - Chainlink - Can see through it. Can probably climb over it. Can hear through it. You will be allowed to stand on the other side of the fence and have a conversation, but that doesn't mean you'll be allowed to enter the yard. Wood - Can't see through it very well, except through the small slits between the boards. Can hear through it. Can have a conversation through it, but you're not be allowed to see the person on the other side and may not be allowed to enter. a barrier, railing, or other upright structure, typically of wood or wire, enclosing an area of ground to mark a boundary, control access, or prevent escape. *(are we humans not ‘ground’? Yes, we are. Dirt.) *Wire – “You can look through, but this is mine.” “You can see what we have, but don’t climb over or come through the latched gate.” “You can talk to me over or through the fence, but stay on that side.” *Wood – “You can’t see what’s over here. Yes, you can knock it down since it’s hard to climb, but you can’t see what you might meet on the other side when you knock it down, so don’t even try.” *Metal – (4’ white – like neighbors) sturdy, but low enough to climb or go around because it doesn’t go to the end of the property or connect to the house – meaning – “Come over or around. I don’t mind because I know you understand my boundaries and will not overrun or overuse the privilege of access.” ******************************************************** You may enter this part of my life, but only through a certain path. Don't climb over. Don't dig under. Don't go snooping around asking other people, searching, questioning, surmising, taking information any way you can get it. Ring the bell for me to open the gate. Lift the latch that doesn't have a lock on it. In other words, ask. Ask me. You can enter but via a specific route and with my permission. GATE a hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge. Wall, it’s a door. Knock or ring. If no answer, leave. Fence – Wire – unlatch and come on in. Wood – unlatch and come in, at your own risk, because you can’t see what you may meet on the other side Lock attached – keep out. Call, ring, knock or leave. December, 2020 We can spend our life tip-toeing around this one or that one, but, at some point, this one or that one has to get over or deal with their reactions to you/me/us and what we do, just like we have to do with them and others and stop expecting everyone to tip-toe around our issues. Yes, we can think 'You don't try to keep your issues off me, so I'm going to stop trying to keep my issues off you', but that's not going to work. We should all seek healing/help, and act right towards people regardless of our inner issues, because if I (and we all) start tip-toeing around you and you and you and them and them and them, I would be highly dysfunctional and 'tripping' around - physically and in my mind and spirit - like I'm playing the Twister game. No! November, 2020 You worked hard to make her dumb, deaf, blind and stupid. Now, you're mad at her because she is or is acting dumb, deaf, blind and stupid. Why are you made? You set out to accomplish that goal. You accomplished it. So why aren't you happy? Now, you have to do everything, make every decision, fix every problem, come up with every suggestion. Why? Because you either dummied her or she fakes being dumb (this one) just to appease you or vex you. When you dummy people down or shut them up, YOU have to do all the work, now! It's your own fault. September 15, 2020 A friend who started a business traveling the world teaching praise dance and all that goes with that spiritual gifting/calling, taught us a principle about business and ministry. She noted how patriarchy in the churches find some reason to 'sit down' a woman or a choir (mostly women) but rarely sit another male down. This was years ago when women took that type of overbearing unequal mess. If you are old enough you remember a woman being told she can't usher today or be on a program somewhere else because they heard she left a dish in the sink or her kids clothes never looked clean enough, so she couldn't do something for the Lord until she perfected her life...yada yada yada, while men ran around doing whatever they wanted but held and worked in positions in the church no matter what. Anyway, my friend said to make your calling your business/non-profit/profit, so that no one can 'sit you down' from it. Who has the right to tell you that you can't 'go to work', 'can't run your business', right? If you owned a candy store or worked in an office or factory, your leader couldn't tell you you're not allowed to go to work because you've been a 'bad Christian' that week, right? She knew this because her business was a powerful niche and people were jealous. So there was a time when she made errors, as we all do, that someone tried to 'sit her down' and was not successful because it was her JOB. I told my husband the same thing - that he didn't have to ask a new leader for permission to continue running his non-profit business. Bam! Boop! Pow! Sept 6, 2020 Doers, Donors, Door Openers. August 28, 2020 (Disclaimer: I don't remember this one, but I wrote it down so it must apply to somebody. ) He said that! "When a woman in the spotlight puts her man in the spotlight who has not been in the spotlight before, he starts talking to the woman like he's crazy." (If I remember exactly why I noted his statement, I will edit this post. The only example of this that I can think of could be situations where the woman has been attending church all her life, saved, taking the kids to church. Then, the man gets saved and really gets saved like he said he was when they got married) and suddenly, he takes over trying to tell the wife and kids how to be saved even though they've been in church and saved since they were all kids, including the wife. So suddenly they are expected to go back to salvation kindergarten so the newly saved man can teach them how to be what they've been for years.) Aug 24, 2020 I saw some things that led to this rant...post. A good man won't - (as I witnessed on many occasions) block his wife and who she's speaking to just to make her push past him to continue the converstaion, when in any other situation, he would politely and courteously step aside or go around any other woman or person who's having a conversation after church. She didn't even realize he did that purposely. No, he wasn't in such deep conversations that he didn't notice her. I saw his face each time. He enjoyed blocking her just to be messy. - block her from giving her message, that he assigned her to give on particular days, by singing a song and shouting around the church for at least 35 minutes, so she has less time or no time to bring the message he assigned her to bring...especially on the women's day services. But, she went on anyway despising the blocking, Praise God. - won't side-eye husbands to make sure they notice his tactics so they will be encouraged to treat...mis-treat...knock back their wives the same way. August 21, 2020 Treat everyone right. You grin at shackers at work, knowing they're shacking, but turn your nose up at shackers in your family, church, and neighborhood. Why so nice in the workplace to people you think are sinners or who claim Christ but openly act the opposite towards he same labeled people you are up close to? Perhaps we are at ease rejecting close-by sinners to their face because we know they will keep on keeping on with a smile or nod, whereas we are so kind to sinners we think are off limits, may stop to listen (which may frighten us) or won't kindly take our negativity towards them. Hmmm. Be nice to all, listen, answer or respect their choice to not listen at that time, and keep the nasty comments and turned up noses to yourself. Interesting point: A bully who claims to dislike you, will make every attempt to keep everyone's attention on you. They make sure everyone is watching you, what you're wearing, how you sit, what you eat, how your hair looks, how you work or study, and especially how you react to how the bully points you out, makes others afraid to speak to you, makes others hate you, etc. The bully always keeps the attention on the disliked person rather than trying to keep attention off the disliked person. Perhaps, the bully feels insecure and keeps the attention on the disliked person so people don't have time to see whatever is wrong with the bully that the bully wants to hide about him/herself. Perhaps, the bully doesn't dislike/hate you at all. Perhaps the bully admires you and hates self because she/he (not YOU) thinks that she/he is lesser than you. So, what could be secret admiration is manifested in open "hate". Remember Samson vs the Philistines? Since she/he can't figure out how you are who you are, so that she/he can be as strong and self-loving as you, she/he would rather kill you...which is ridiculous because quickly she will find someone else that she admires...um.... "dislikes" and has to start the bullying all over again. It's so much easier and less time-comsuming and less stressful to just love and like yourself. It takes work, but do the work. Period. ..the person who is embarrassed about their decisions and then tries to make other's think you are in the same bad situations that they are in. They try to bring you down to the level they believe they are on, rather than making better decisions about their life. ...that one who discredits anything serious and direct that you say, but will make sure to try to do or repeat something you say off the cuff. Tell them that Jesus Christ saves and heals and they refuse to believe it. Tell them to jump off a bridge and they will try to tell your friends that you suggested they kill themselves or they will go looking for a bridge to jump off (yes, an exaggeration, but you know what I mean). Ask them to meet and pray every weekend. They will refuse. Tell them to stop coming with that attitude, so they stop coming and tells everyone that you told them to stop coming. Narcissistic. Fake martyrs. Dramatic. ...that person who won't let you talk...AND IF they ask you a question or you jump in during a pause, they immediately have to put you on hold or something distracts them so that they don't "hear" anything you say and have the nerve to ask you to repeat it. UGH! Look, I was taught that the devil always tells you who he is. They are telling you that they control the relationship - whatever kind it is - and that you should just sit there like a dog and worship them. Believe them. Avoid them, if you can. If you can, show no interest in them...in as polite a way as possible. If you can't avoid them, then let them talk. They can't help themselves. They don't know. Let it go. ...that one who is nice to you alone, but in the group, they huddle with others, act like they dread you, don't want to hear you, whisper/make faces if you say something, etc. Get them out of your life. Period. Two-faced. Double-minded. Can't stand up to others if others are insisting that they treat you that way. Possibly ill, mentally, which is beyond their control, but doesn't make it easier for you to deal with. Seek your peace and pray that God connects them with whoever can help them. ...pseudo invitations, which goes along with the person who likes you in private but dislikes you in public. They will inform you of plans as if the plans include you (this includes Significant others and spouses or relatives). When you arrive, they bow to others at the gathering. If others approve of you, your "date" is okay (maybe). If others do not approve of you, your "date" pretends they didn't invite you and that you invited yourself. I've seen this, been this and even witnessed it in church situations (ex: Male minister arrives and is invited to a particular section, but wife/daughter/mother minister is not invited with him. ...church people who invite you or yours to make a presentation, then say they have someone else to do present...every time. Weird. Messy. Strange. ...the one who changes the atmosphere, for the worse. You have a great time. The next time you hear of the encounter, mutual acquaintances suddenly dislike you. Hmmm. Who turned the tables on you so quickly? The snake with whom you thought you had a good encounter. Once you figure this out, remove yourself from the relationship. I had several experiences like that with a particular person. If I said someone had on cute shoes, the next time I saw that person, they hated me...because snake told them that I "talked about what they were wearing" and mixed it with her evil, spiteful spirit, so the person would be angry with me. Ugh! I am so tired of messy folk. ...that ONE who disputes everything you say. If you say the sky is blue, they will google to see if the actual color is blue. If you say, they did a great job on the project, they will get angry and argue with you. YOU are the problem. Deal with it. Move on. Find nicer people to hang with. ...the Significant Other who has spent so much time trying to hide from you, even in matters you don't even care about. Frankly, they did you a favor because you didn't like them either - lol! - and that their absences gave you time to do what you were called to do and hang out with who you wanted to hang out with. Do not blame yourself. People have their own reasons for being who they are. James 1:5. They were weird before they met you - lol! This is long, so Part II will be continued in January 2019. THE only reason I write about this is that we are so apt to give people another chance (over and over again), feel like we must be nice (especially if it's a relative, work leader, church member, etc), think we have no where else to "go", find it inconvenient to go somewhere else or find a new circle, fear of the unknown (which is not better than the presently negative known). ...to be continued... they exclude you completely but pout when you exclude them.
...the person who gets angry at you for telling them to stop coming to someone's rescue, THEN they try to make other's think they rescued you, too, knowing that you have never asked or tried to use them for anything. They try to bring you down to the level of the person they are being used by, so that others will think you are just as petty as the true user. Rather than changing, they would rather stay down and bring you down with them. ... People who discredit anything serious and direct that you say, but will adamantly try to do or repeat something you say off the cuff. Say, "Do better" and they will rebuke you. Say, "Go jump off a bridge" and they will get up a campaign to tell everybody that you tried to MAKE them kill themselves or they will go looking for a bridge to jump from. Say, "Let's meet and pray weekly" and they will refuse. Say, "Don't come in this door with an attitude again" so they stop coming and tells everyone that you told them to stop coming. I get angry just typing it in. Fickle, silly, froward, obtuse people. People who won't let you talk. And IF they ask you a question, they immediately have to put you on hold or something distracts them so they don't hear anything you say and have the nerve to ask you to repeat it. Look, I was taught that the devil always tells you who he is. They are telling you that they control the relationship - whatever kind it is - and that you should just sit there like a dog and worship them. Believe them. Avoid them, if you can. If you can, show no interest in them...in as polite a way as possible. They don't want you around. Their actions tell you that. Believe them. Be free, and I mean FREE, to find people who treat you as an equal. ESPECIALLY when, individually they are nice to you, but in the group, they act like they dread you, don't want to hear you, whisper/make faces every time you say something, can't even pretend to be civil at all lady Things to avoid in 2019: Pseudo invitations- The SO or "friend" will inform you of plans as if the plans include you. When you arrive, they bow to others at the gathering, meaning that if their friends like you, they say they invited you. If their friends hate you, they say they didn't invite you, they just told you about them planning to go and that you invited yourself. Messy churches. There was a congregation who invited my husband to speak several times. Every time we arrived, they said they had asked someone else to speak but since my husband was there, they would let him speak. I also knew a church leader who would operate that way. Messy. Unorganized. Wanted people to beg their way in. People who dispute everything you say. If you say the sky is blue, they will google to see if the actual color is blue. If you say they did a great job on the project, they will argue with you. Tell them you are enjoying your job? Their response is "Oh, so they have you rnning the place now?" YOU are the problem. Deal with it. Move on. Find nicer people to hang with. They will convince relatives and old friends to dislike you. Well, that person may be someone you need to keep near by because if they can cause people who've known and "loved" you to be convinced that you're not worth loving, that tells you something about those people. They either never cared for you OR were looking for a reason to not care for you OR so gullible that they were easily led astray from their affections for you by someone new who they had not known nearly as long as they've known you. Free yourself. Move one. You don't have to start a fight, be confrontational or perhaps never speak to them again. Just free yourself to do other things and be amongst other less easily moved people in your future social fellowship opportunities. That significant person who has spent so much time trying to hide from you. Sneak;ed out to go enjoy themselves or do ministry? Tell them they did you a favor because you didn't like them either, anyway, and it gave you time to do what you were called to do and hang out with who you wanted to hang out with. Tell them they did you a favor leaving you behind, hiding from you, etc. People who take things literally, perhaps because they are so in need of attention. Why isn't he where he's supposed to be? "Oh, because he's a "social butterfly". Well, Social Butterfly takes that to heart instead of deducing or surmising that he should be where he is supposed to be. So, he makes himself more of a "social butterfly" by intentionally being out of place, flitting around talking and socializing instead of being where he's supposed to be. People like that, be compassionate, be prayerful, be intentional in trying to lead or influence them, but also be careful. The liar. Don't necessarily avoid this person. There are some people we have to deal with. They may not necessarilly be in our "circle", but because of who they are, we have to deal with them. You need that liar. That liar will tell lies on you just because. They will watch everything you do, just to tell lies about it. The hard part is, the people they tell the lies to, believe the lies. The liar is going to tell the lie to people you like or who you thought liked you. The caveat here, is that they will believe the lies. You wouldn't even know about the lies, unless they believed them and started treating you funny or not treating you at all. It's hard to find out the people who know you well, long and intimately, but will automatically be decieved by The Liar. You need to know that. You need to know those that labor among you. You need to know, no matter how much it surprises you or how bad it hurts you, that those particular people are so willing to believe whatever The Liar tells them. Those people can go. The Liar can and probably will stay. The Liar will help you live your life more specifically even if it's just to stay so high that The Liar 'aka' snake can't breath or breed (Snakes don't like heights, right?) The one who changes the atmosphere, for the worse. You go in with them and have a great time, go home and mind your business. The next time you go in with them, everyone in the room hates you and constantly checks with the other person (via word, eyes or facial expressions) to see if and when it's okay to have anything to do with you. Hmmm. Who turned the tables so quickly? It doesn't matter. Don't go there anymore or hang with that person who somehow had to make sure that the people in the room no longer liked you or like them more than you. Let them have it. Find someone else to socialize or fellowship wtih. People who act like everything I say is stupid then they are doing it the next time I see them. You can tell that they are arguing with you in their mind, but you haven't said a word about their life. How can they be mad at you about nothing you've said. Their conviction comes from within, not from without. Kick them to the curb. That person who won't do the good advice, but if you say something stupid, they will do it for the rest of their life reminding you that "that's what you said for me to do". ARGH!!!!! Get rid of them! That person that needs you and others to be under their control. You can't talk to or speak to or react to anything or anybody in a particular setting unless you look at them to get their approval or assign you a reaction to have. They're not running anything except you and whoever is weak enough to need somone else to tell them how to think and feel about things. Each color represents a verse. Visit www.etsy.com/shop.becmin to see all the bracelets for sale. Purchase one today. Wear this conversation piece daily, with any outfit alone or paired with your other bracelets and jewelry, to be reminded that The Shepherd is always with you and to inspire others with it's message of hope and encouragement. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Inspirational-Psalm-23-bracelet-5-org-anoint-beads-a-color-per-verse-0-ship-/253997581897
Noah built an ark even though he didn't know what rain was. Jonah asked to be thrown overboard into the water, which would lead to detainment and mental evaluation, these days. Obama ran for President...anyway. You did what God told you to do and prospered. Obey, even when it looks wrong.
During a particularly interesting situation this year, God reminded me of some ways He has shown me that He was with me. One of those incidences, a few years ago, involved a gift card. My husband volunteered at a particular place on a regular basis. Others who he volunteered with became friends. Some volunteered alone, others volunteered with their spouses. Now, both my husband and I have the volunteer spirit. I've been an avid volunteer, making sure to add or change where I volunteered yearly, from around 1980 until the early 2000s. He has been a volunteer since we married in the mid 90s. We've always had separate volunteer interest, due to the nature of the volunteerism, our schedules and the fact that we, like everyone else in this world, are individuals with individual interests and callings. Well, at the particular place I'm referring to in this post, there were people who thought we should volunteer together. I wasn't interested. My husband didn't care that I wasn't interested because of one particular aspect of the situation. It was a long-term event that revolved mainly around men, anyway. Core workers were both genders, all ages. Volunteers were diverse in many ways. So, there were volunteers, who I barely knew, that decided to have an issue with me not helping. I can't remember how they informed me, because I rarely saw them, but I got the "this is how you need to support your husband" suggestions. I was livid. I have NEVER approached a spouse to tell them how to support their spouse. Even if a spouse has spoken to me about something, I wouldn't dare approach their spouse about the conversation. If one can't talk to their own spouse about issues, I'm certainly not doing it for them. Anyway, the few times I participated, I got the side eye, the attitude and the avoidance. I couldn't go off on them...well, I did, a little, but not like I really wanted to. Anyway, once per year, the organization gave a gift card to each volunteer. I was not on the list, didn't want to be on the list because I was not a participant. My few appearances there were only to be with my husband. But, every time he got a card, he gave it to me. I didn't ask for it. I didn't expect to get it. It was his. He and I don't get in each other's personal money business. One year, the last year they gave gift cards, was particularly aggravating for me because i really felt the ire of other volunteers - nosey, busby bodies. That year, my husband was handed several gift cards to give to others in his group. He handed out the cards and brought me his card. I took it to the store and spent the small amount that's always on the card. The cashier handed the card back and said that I had $225 left on the card. I asked her to check it three more times. I was shocked. I texted my husband that a decimal point must have been keyed incorrectly when the cards were ordered for the volunteer organization and I got one that had much more money on it than it should have. He told me he check with the organization and they said to keep it, don't worry about it. I was delighted. God quickly let me know that He gave me that card and He knew the reason I wasn't a volunteer for that event and He was pleased. When people don't understand your "no", stand on what God told you to do. He will surely let you know that He's on your side because He's the one that gave the command to you to say "No". Situations aren't just about you. Situations are about everyone involved, for whatever reason they need to be in the situation. My "no" was fro me, others and God. side piece. other woman. her! or him! mistress. side chick. best friend. affair. (Risking the incorrect use of grammatical sentence structure, I didn't dare capitalize any of those words) Generally, you would think a cheater would hide the other woman and not let her know where he engages in social, spiritual or family events for fear that she might appear and put him under pressure of the lies he's told her about kicking his family to the side and bringing her fully into his life. What the nut does is he treats you - his Wife - that way. He sneaks to do whatever he does - social fellowship, church, entertainment, ministry, and volunteerism. Yet, the side piece knows his whereabouts and is often included, which is what you would think he would do with his wife. You, Wifey, find out when you see the pictures of the gatherings and events or acquaintances question you as to why you weren't "there". "There, where? I didn't know about it." But, she did and was there, too. Proverbs 5- 15 "Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well." Just read the whole chapter. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pictures! You would think that a husband would take pictures, candid shots or posed, of or with his wife and kids. But your smart husband takes pictures of side chick, smiling, having fun, enjoying life...not in a group of other people, but individual pictures of her. So deceived. Song of Solomon 7:10 - "I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When you two are (amazingly) together at an event, whether he knows others there or not, he acts like he doesn't know you. He has so convinced people that he does not like you and has spoken against you so many times, that he has to remember to act like he doesn't like you in front of the people to whom he's disparaged you. Stupid (having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense). Why? He got out of the car with you, wears the wedding ring you gave him, goes home with you, pays the bills you two make together, but IS convinced that if he doesn't talk to you or avoids being around you in the presence of others at events (and even church), then they will be convinced that he isn't married to you. Yet, he and the side chick always have something to laugh and sniggle and coo about. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He and the side piece actually think they are more "saved" and Christian than you - the WIFE. The MARRIED man and his girlfrIend actually think God prefers them over his MARRIED self and his WIFE. Deuteronomy 11:16 - "Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;" A few years ago, I did a TPM teaching how we do but should not worship our feelings and emotions. We should not make a god of our feelings and emotions. Live holy. Stick with the one your with. Don't be a cheater. Don't suffer the mistreatment of a cheater and that goes for the Wife and the side piece. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By the way, how often do humans do the same with God and our relationship with Him? So we not invite Him to certain places? Do we act like we don't know Him around certain people? After treating Him as if we don't know Him, we rush to Him in times of need or privacy. Are we humans cheaters, double-minded, unstable about Jesus in our lives. Hmmmm. Peter said he didn't know the man. Luke 22:54-62 Peter said about Jesus 57'...I know him not." 58 "...I am not." 60 ".. Man, I know not..." Many years ago, in the late 90s, I was attending a Women's Conference at the church I attended. The place was packed, so my seat was at the back. Before the service began, my pastor and a man walked through the front door and walked up the middle of the aisle. The man had no head. I wasn't startled because God has shown me many a weird thing. Now, mind you, I was usually early and the Pastor and his wife were always early. He normally entered the sanctuary through the side door. Once worshipers gathered or the service started, I never saw him come up the middle aisle. Once, he and the headless man went through the sanctuary, and through the door leading downstairs. Later, after service, while I was downstairs handling whatever I was supposed to handle, the pastor stopped me to introduce me to the man. By then, the man had a head. When he shook my hand, anger flashed through me. I was shocked. The pastor looked at me puzzled because he noticed the quick flash of anger on my face. It wasn't may anger. I didn't know the man. He had not offended or disrespected me in any manner. God told me that it was His anger that I felt. I went on and put the experience in the back of my mind. Fast forward about three weeks. The pastor send another Elder and I to a three-day Church planting course at ITC. There was a man there, who I didn't recognize, that I ended up paired up with for lunch a couple of times. He mentioned that he had attended the Women's Conference a few weeks earlier and he went on to ask me who the ladies were that lead Praise service at the Women's conference, which I answered not with their names but with their statuses and positions in the church, but I still didn't recognize him. The other Elder changed groups and went with us. We were all married. I sat in the back seat and teased the man about the earring I found in the seat. You know the old-time teasing about a woman leaving one earring in the back seat of a man's car. They laughed and he stated that he had a wife and two or three daughters. He didn't seem to have a job but traveled around the South, attending conferences and church services. The final day, the class participants had to break into groups and create a church, every aspect of the church, and a worship scenario. When we returned from our groups to make our presentations, his group was frustrated with him. They explained that they created the church and made him pastor, but had to fire him and "run him out of town" because he couldn't decide how many children he had. At some point in the "creating a church" assignment, he kept changing his mind about how many daughters he had. They became frustrated with him and fired him in their practice church. As soon as the group finished explaining the situation, God opened my eyes and explained the headless man. God said to me that the man was the headless man He showed me weeks earlier at church. God went on to tell me that He showed the man to me as headless because God no longer considered him the head of the household/marriage because the man was married but traveled from place to place looking for church women to have affairs with, particularly praise and worship leaders. Then, I became alarmed, realizing that he had been at that Women's Conference to scope out the ladies on the Praise Team. How he ended up in the course with the other Elder and I still escapes me. Maybe, the pastor told him the plan to send the two of us there and this guy signed up for it. Maybe, it was a coincidence. He was the only one at the course that was there alone, as in, no one else was there with him from his church, whereas all other participants attended the three-day course in groups of two, three or more from their church fellowship. He was headless because God no longer considered him the head of his household/marriage because he was a cheater. Cheater, cheater, pumpkin-eater as Gayle would say. We are expected to mature into a position of long-suffering (Galatians 5), but not forever suffering, like God, who has a limit. God has a limit, so should everyone else. 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