Blessings to you all,

Cheryl

My Suitcase of Bondage

There are days when I carry my suitcase like a tortoise carrying his home on its back. These I call normal days.  Normality to me means hanging in there!  Sometimes I wonder why I bother to carry this suitcase around. Of course, this suitcase of mine has a lot of different colourful panels and compartments.   And I love colourful, bright things! Don’t you think this is quite cute?  I suppose you’d like to know what’s in this suitcase of mine. Okay! Here’s a sneak preview:

Yes, I thought you’d be a bit surprised! When I look at this suitcase now, you can just imagine what’s running through my mind!  What else...  I am so exhausted by the load that it seems like I’m a prisoner walking with a ball and chain in a prison yard. You might ask me some questions like:

Why do you carry your sins in this bag?  Are you nuts? Don’t you know how clever and devious Satan is? Now wait a minute, the only reason I’m carrying my sins in this suitcase is because I think I can try and hide it in little compartments far away from God. But, then just when I think things are running smoothly, Satan barges onto the scene with his scheming plans of a quick fix. He’s adamant that he can use my sin as a diversion to keep me away from God. Then he tries everything in his power to conquer my spirit. He even brings my sin’s sidekick in the form of conflict, resentment, anger, jealousy, and what not to try and make me a slave to sin. As expected, Satan is singing and dancing because he knows that these are the times that I am proud of myself because I want to be God. I want to wear his crown. I want to be King! He laughs at me silently when he sees that I want to take control of our own ship. He beats his fists against his chest when he realizes that my ship is about to sink. But, then out of the blue, his dreams comes crashing down when I humble myself before God and throw away my foolish pride and plead with Our Heavenly Father to forgive me from all my sins. God, the forgiving father that he is, then pours out his mercy and grace on me taking me in his arms just like a father would. Once more he gives me the assurance I need that my sins are forgiven without any conditions. (Hebrews 8:12) 12 For God will be merciful to our unrighteousness. He will remember our sins and lawless deeds no more.”  As soon as I’m forgiven, I know that Satan has failed in his quest to conquer my spirit. So, this is when I picture myself carrying my suitcase [back pack] like a mountain climber reaching the summit of Mount Everest. It is in this instance when I realize that I have left all my sins at the top of that mountain at the foot of the cross. This is the time when I know that God has forgiven me from all my inequities.  He has cleansed me from my sin and that my heart is scarlet no more because it is now as white as snow. (I John 1:9) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It is then that I know God is the only captain of my ship. And all I have to do is put my ship in cruise control. Isn’t that amazing?

Prayer: Father God, I come before you a sinner who falls short every time.  Please forgive me of my foolish pride, my fits of anger when things don’t go my way. Help me not to judge others harshly. Let me not take part in any gossip of any kind. Just help me to keep my mind on you Lord. Help me to let go of all past hurts and wrongs that was inflicted by friends or family. Lord, help me to forgive those people who have wronged me.  Please help me also to be like you in everything I do or say. Amen

This is how I strive to be!

How do you carry your suitcase?

 Be blessed,

Cheryl

He is my shepherd

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus to you today?

Blessings to you all,

Cheryl

The Road to Emmaus

We walked that road

We walked that road

Spoke about Him

The one who died that day

We thought he’d pave the way

for our Redemption

Our hearts were full

of fear and sadness

He walked with us

but we didn’t know

He was the One

Even when he spoke to us

about the prophets words

The risen Lord

had to die

for God to give him

honour, power and life

We weren’t sure

We weren’t sure

But our heart’s were filled with gladness

We forgot about all our sadness

when he said the blessing

and broke some bread

That’s when our eyes opened

to what he had said

Alleluia, the Saviour is alive

He isn’t dead [anymore]

A blessed weekend to all,

Cheryl

My Emmaus Journey

Let’s face it, we all go on countless journeys and life takes us along many a winding turns and narrow streets.   But, how many of us have taken a spiritual trip along the ‘Road to Emmaus’ just like those two disciples did long time ago?  I had the opportunity of travelling on mine a few months ago when I embarked on an Evangelisation Course at our Church. It all began on a cool Saturday afternoon. However, the setting was nothing like the rocky road that those disciples travelled.  Our journey took place in the church grounds. We students were grouped together and each one had to choose a partner for the journey.  Before embarking on this journey, everyone had to be blindfolded.  After that, we made our way all along the church grounds taking on the characters of the two disciples many years ago. When my partner and I started the journey, we didn’t know what to expect. We were a little perplexed, weary and hopeless. We also had many reservations about the entire journey.  But, as we journeyed along, we spoke about the many struggles each other were facing.  My partner had a problem with her daughter who was in a relationship with someone of another faith and she was also managing a dysfunctional marriage. On the other hand, I was coping with a crisis wherein my father was in denial over his substance abuse problem and I was also trying to endure my constant bouts of depression. We chatted and listened to each other all the time. Although our challenges were different, we could relate to one another as mothers and as sisters in Christ. We could offer each other support and some godly advice.  In the beginning, it seemed as if nothing was going to change our mood. But, when we reached “Emmaus” our frame of mind underwent a drastic transformation. In our hearts we knew God was walking alongside us even though we never noticed his presence. And as our journey came to an end, everyone could but stare at us in awe! That previous air of uneasiness was replaced by profound joy radiating from our eyes to our faces. God is alive! God is real! God’s love is everlasting.

Verse: 30. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

 Luke 24:30-32 [NIV]

Prayer: Lord, thank you for accompanying us on our Emmaus journey. Please help us to never lose faith in you and to know that you are always with us no matter what our circumstances. Thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and rising again. Amen

Have you travelled on your road to Emmaus yet?

Have a blessed day,

Cheryl

Comfort to you my friend, if you have lost a loved one

My friend, today

in God I pray

that you will find

some peace of mind

That God will be

forever near

to wipe away

your every tear

And that His grace

will strengthen you

And shelter you

in love anew

Your anchor he

will be in time

A spiritual safe-haven

when rocky roads you climb

And when you think

he’s far away,

God’s always there

to address

your every care

In the morning

and at night

He will fight

your every plight

And in Him that

perfect peace you’ll find

A precious gift

call peace divine

That inner peace

beyond compare

Will make you all

your sorrows bear

So hope in God with

all your heart

‘cause his love in you

will not depart

Even in those times

of death

His kindness and grace

will give you rest

And in God’s promise

Is hope of what’s to come

A new life and heaven

with God’s very own Son

So, let His word be

your guiding light

And keep that Holy

fire burning bright

What legacy are you and I going to leave behind?

I was reading a “Guide to a better life” by Randy Pausch a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Before he died of pancreatic cancer in 2008,  Dr Pausch inspired many people through his highly acclaimed book, “The Last Lecture”.

I was inspired by his love for his family and the fact that he wanted to leave a legacy for his wife and children despite the short time he had left on this earth. His courage was phenomenal!  In spite of his circumstances, he still wanted to motivate others to reach for their dreams. Dr Pausch was an amazing human being. What a legacy to leave behind!

Here are some of the points he mentioned in a Guide on how to improve one’s life:

Personality:

1.      Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

2.      Don’t have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

3.      Don’t overdo; keep your limits.

4.      Don’t take yourself so seriously; no one else does.

5.      Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.

6.      Dream more while you are awake.

7.      Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

8.      Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partners of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

9.      Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.

10. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

13. Smile and laugh more.

14. You don’t have to win every argument.

15. Call your family often.

16. Each day give something good to others.

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.

19. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

20. What other people think of you is none of your business.

21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.

23. GOD heals everything.

24. Do the right things.

25. However good or bad the situation is, it will change.

26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

27. The best is yet to come.

28. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.

29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.

30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy.

While practising all of the above, I would like to share this knowledge with all of you so that you in turn will pass this treasured gift onto everyone who crosses your path on a daily basis. This will enrich your life and the lives of all those around you.

What legacy are you and I going to leave behind?

Prayer: Lord, let me leave a legacy behind that is worthy of your praise. Help me to be forever grateful of the precious time I have here on earth and let me live every day as if it were my last. Help me to always live in your light and be a blessing to all who crosses my path. This I pray in your wonderful name. Amen.

Be Blessed,

Cheryl

The God of Hope

Stuff I've Done

Here is a list of Stuff I’ve Done – or not

I came across this list on Jenna’s The Joyful Journey blog. I tweaked it a little bit and just thought it would be great to see what I have done and what I haven’t or what I would like to do. If you’d like to try it, why not copy the list and mark the things you’ve done in bold or whatever colour you’d like to use. I’ve marked mine in red. Enjoy the journey!

• 1. Started my blog
• 2. Slept under the stars            
• 3. Played in a band
• 4. Visited the Holy Land
• 5. Watched a meteor shower
• 6. Given more than I can afford to charity
• 7. Been to Disneyworld
• 8. Climbed a mountain
• 9. Held a praying mantis
• 10. Sung a solo
• 11. Bungee jumped
• 12. Visited Paris
• 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
• 14. Taught myself an art from scratch
• 15. Adopted a child
• 16. Had food poisoning
• 17. Walked to the top of Table Mountain
• 18. Grown my own vegetables/herbs
• 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
• 20. Slept on an overnight train
• 21. Had a pillow fight
• 22. Hitchhiked
• 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
• 24. Built a snow fort
• 25. Held a lamb (does a goat count?)
• 26. Gone skinny dipping
• 27. Run a Marathon/Big Walk
• 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
• 29. Seen a total eclipse
• 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
• 31. Hit a home run
• 32. Been on a cruise
• 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
• 34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
• 35. Seen an Amish community
• 36. Taught myself a new language
• 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
• 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
• 39. Gone rock climbing
• 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
• 41. Sung karaoke
• 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
• 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
• 44. Visited Africa/ Namibia
• 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
• 46. Been transported in an ambulance
• 47. Had my portrait painted
• 48. Gone deep sea fishing
• 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
• 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
• 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
• 52. Kissed in the rain
• 53. Played in the mud
• 54. Gone to a drive-in theater
• 55. Been in a movie
• 56. Visited the Great Wall of China
• 57. Started a business
• 58. Taken a martial arts class
• 59. Visited Russia
• 60. Served at a soup kitchen
• 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
• 62. Gone whale watching
• 63. Got flowers for no reason
• 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
• 65. Gone sky diving
• 66. Visited Mauritius
• 67. Bounced a cheque
• 68. Flown in a helicopter
• 69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
• 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
• 71. Eaten Caviar
• 72. Pieced a quilt
• 73. Stood in Times Square
• 74. Toured the Everglades
• 75. Sang a song to someone
• 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
• 77. Broken a bone
• 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
• 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
• 80. Published a book
• 81. Visited the Vatican
• 82. Bought a brand new car
• 83. Walked in Jerusalem
• 84. Had my picture in the newspaper
• 85. Read the entire Bible
• 86. Visited the White House
• 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
• 88. Had chickenpox
• 89. Saved someone’s life
• 90. Met someone famous
• 91. Joined a book club
• 92. Lost a loved one
• 93. Had a baby
• 94. Seen the Alamo in person
• 95. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
• 96. Been involved in a law suit
• 97. Owned a cell phone
• 98. Been stung by a bee
• 99. Visited to Mt. Rushmore
• 100. Learned to play a musical instrument

I hope to try a number of activities on this list. I hope you do too! 

Be Blessed,

Cheryl