Mood:  a-ok

This was a T-Shirt Design originally for a church group I attended Years ago..I still share this in Poster from here on my blog! Blessings In Him, Brother Tim

direct link to this pic in a larger size is here:

http://www.terryartworxstudio.com/files/He_Is_Hope.jpg

other pages full of Christian Downloads for no charge and free for personal use are:

http://www.terryartworxstudio.com/Graphics.html

http://www.terryartworxstudio.com/Graphics2.html

My Main artsite is:

http://www.terryartworxstudio.com/

Mood:  quizzical

I woke up early this morning and was going back to sleep but a lot of things running through my head...namely a Rick Godwin tweet..which I thought was non pertainent, yet even trite...but that is how a "WORD" sent out will hit You at times.....like a flying mallet or a velvet covered brick (My Favorite)

The Quote:

Sometimes you put walls up "not "to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down!- Rick Godwin

So here I read it and re-read it...seemingly not for me..but I'm tired trying to get another hours worth of rest.... and realizing this was me, and is me! Have my own walls been ever taken down...have they been just to see, or just to keep others out? Maybe a little of both!

We all have walls, and most of them have been built with the bricks of hurt and disappointment, to protect us...they are veneered with the graffiti of life, or facades of toughness or the dangerous ones of faux lowliness...sometimes they are even camoflaged with the Word of God.. Yes the people that can quote a verse on every occasion...nice folk, brethren, yet do You know them, can You get past that wall, that barrage of Scripture and ritual to a level of transparency and know them? 

This seemingly simple statement by Rick speaks much....I think it is key to where real relationships of depth are formed..the soul ties in a positive sense..yet it means vulnerability (therefore the protective walls).

I really do not have a distinct summation to this post except that I know there will be some  who will read this and it will make them think.to reflect.

Yet My walls are up just like everyone else, excepting I have always tried to keep a nice picture window that is clear to see in... hoping maybe  there will be that one who will see in, see the potential and throw the brick....

I know of one like that with me...I see the toughness, the sharp wit, the sarcasms, all are truthful, yet truthfully saying I am waiting for someone to "throw the brick", I want to be known, and loved for who I am inside not just a nice outer wrapping....

I thank God that He is with me in all I do. Just as a point of clarity, I am not talking of this relationship I have with the Lord in regards to the quote...I am talking of life and relationships in the here and now, with those around us..My relationship with Christ is what keeps me together and He gives me the strength and tools to discern the walls in my life and others...

So My Prayer is You and I encounter those bricks or wrecking balls from the right ones, to open us up and to grow...

Well now having writing what I need to, I still can grab an hour of sleep before my breakfast and power walk with Buster the wonder dog!  Have a blessed day,

In Him, Brother Tim

P.S. I think is Tom Petty is close to the mark...

Mood:  quizzical

I figured other than my regular postings to drop a note on a personal level...As I ready for bed I am very thankful to God for blessing me so much. I had enecountered problems with getting a call through to my convalescing Mother in the early morning, and in the mean time My Sister whom I had not talked to for a while called...we had a good chat.

Sis is ten years older than I am and has been an extra Mom to me...we talked of family and her grandkids, it was very informative...Sis was the main one who always told me I was smart, sharp and intuitive...she is a multi-talented lady who understands her Brother more than anyone else in the family I think..I learned to create by watching her paint as a child, and was a model for her in her art. My first modeling job! :)))  The pay was good...BurgerChef and going to see The Sound of Music. South Pacific, Oklahoma...

So after the call I was able to get through to my Mom and chat...I call her daily...I chat with her, but mainly listen, and give ear to her...and we pray, it means alot to her, and I know God hears us!

It was Mom who has been the example of a Godly Woman, and how we as five kids, Mom have us read Uncle Arthur Stories at the Kitchen table...those stories were stories that were true of the miraculous ways God answered prayers for people...especially Children! Those stories even seemed far fetched until I took God at His Word many years later and started seriously walking with Him....there are memories of instances of things we endured as a family that I would not take a fortune for because those were times where God used Mom as an example to us, and I am eternally thankful!.

When Dad died I was about 9 and Mom went back to school and got her Nursing Certification...by that time there was only My Younger Brother and I, and I stepped it up as a big brother should. My Sis and Oldest Brother were off to war, and older Brother off to college. In light of being fatherless, we still had fun as we as a family, did paper routes and traveled..and lived well! Every Sunday am & pm in church and Wednesday for Prayer meetings....

So, referring back to the call with my Sister, she touched on something and it struck a chord with me as we chatted. We had discussed me being single :)) which has been the longest stretch of me being that way since I was a much younger man....and I spoke about what I would like in that area...and how I felt I was more clear about making right choices, I think what struck me was talking of being multi-faceted (My paraphrased term) and it led me to later think I have been praying amiss...it was all about completeness which I realized needed to be for me..and vice versa.

So those that do visit these pages and read my postings, just know this is not the norm. I welcome Your prayers for me in this matter. I enjoyed the last few years being single for sure, and God only knows it may be quite a few more or even for good. But once again I seek some clarity from Him in this area and where to go from here in general...first and foremost to know Him more! I am tired and instead of risking my posting as something rambling I will close out for the night! Blessings! 

Mahalos In Christ,

Brother Timothy

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Mood:  a-ok

Tonight I caught a glimpse of a rarity I have seen on a two or three time at most in my life and I got a blessing in being able to snap pics of the Nightbow or Moonbow as I call them...they are rainbows at night and illuminated by the moon's light or reflection of the sun. Tonight is a full moon...so here I share....

As I posted the pics online I thought about the darkness and how the bow still shone in the darkness, as You can see the carlights blurred in this nightshot...It reminded me that even in the darkness Gods Promises show through, and they are comforting......

If You do not know about the bow ...in Genesis 9 God gave the Bow to Noah and all of us as a reminder to us and Him, He will no longer destry the earth with a flood! It is a covenant!

Genesis 9:12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

17  And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

Wow what a promise, and here on Maui I am reminded of that promise even at night!

I am posting a song by Phil Keaggy which has blessed me these many years called "Noah's Song"

Mood:  a-ok

I have always been one who had to fight not to poke at a sacred cow, I guess that is why Tim Hawkins has used humor in a Christian Sense to do so! I grew up seeing many different denominational structures in my formative years and learned a lot...

I am from a long line of ministers.(never aspired to be one).My Great Great Grandfather was a Primitive Baptist, as well as his son My Grandfather, My Uncle a Southern Baptist Pastor and I grew up in the Nazarene Church..I went to summer camps at Nazarene and Quaker Denominational Outings also and Summer camps at The Salvation Army Camp, went to YMCA when it was a Young Man's Christian Association, then I Pastored for a short time a Holiness Church though I am ordained through a Charismatic Church and also a Four Square off shoot church group..:)))))

 Many times I think I have seen it all. My Pastoral Mentor was wise in telling me to study all the greats of the faith, and the one thing I have drawn from it all is this: You either live the life "In Him" or You don't! He works with us, not against us...and I still hurt when I see sheep that are astray struggling to earn stripes with God, when He is there ever loving just wanting us to get our liturgies and works out of the way and just sit in His Presense and soak Him in!

Have You ever loved another so much that the blessed moments are just holding You in their arms and being silent...the beauty of the moment? It can be like that with Jesus, and all Your cares lift and encouragement and insight to problems come....

Now I will say I have been blessed going to Episcopalian Midnight Masses, Catholic Masses, Baptist Services as well as Full Gospel services...Why? Because God shows up! Now these words may disturb You, about a varied bunch of denominations..but just talk to Jesus about it ok! Remeber where there is "Love Shown" in a church, even in constructive corrective manners...there is God's Spirit!

Now I am all for freedom of worship, but I found Tim's explanation of hand raising so humorous I cried....enjoy: