Friends are Awesome :-) Rocky Road

Hey all,

It's raining - and my only goal for the day (besides keeping the 4 little ones alive - so far so good! Yeay!) is to get some washing done, as these rainy days are making it difficult to keep the wardrobe full!

That's the tough thing about minimising possessions, is when you have a couple of constant rainy days and no chance to wash n dry on the line - you suddenly have no underwear and a family of 6 sharing the one towel! Ewww!!

And so, as I wait for another load to finish washing, before I take me and my book to the laundromat, I wanted to reflect on the highlight of my day so far which is talking to a friend on the phone. I don't often call people, I am more of a texter, but you sure can fit a lot more in right??

I think this is why I love prayer so much. And writing. It really is good to get out in words what has been happening up in the mind - and my mind has really been in overdrive for some time.

So, when my friend asked 'How's life' this morning (It's been a while since we've caught up!) it gave me a chance to be real and share what God is doing in me while walking through the valley this year so far.

Sure, I could of said 'yeah great, everything is fine!' and she would know no different, but how much greater to share what we are truly struggling with and drudging through and how God is working. She may have had a shortcut for me to get through the mess or even be struggling with something similar and helped me feel less lonely.

I love being transparent with people. Sometimes I think this could be a bad thing though, as I feel I talk or share too much perhaps? Do I? Is this why people avoid me??

Someone shared with me recently I had put a fear of 'giving birth' in them after hearing about my birth story. I was surprised! My 4 have all been 'good' births to others I've heard about - but didn't think it right to share that with this childless person at that time....ha ha!

But should I not be so transparent?? Since my renewed passion in Christ - I've cared less about what others think of me or my reputation. Is this a bad thing? Do I shoot myself in the foot by sharing that I'm Imperfect?

Seriously - we are all human, we all make mistakes, but I would like to think you won't judge me as 'unworthy' by my past or struggles - just as I won't judge you - as long as we have learnt and moved on from these mistakes right? We are really only answerable to One right??

What better way to encourage another by sharing "Yeah, I use to do *insert hidden past here* but God showed me and convicted me and I have since been growing" How could we then hold their reputation against them?? How discouraging to keep beating the person with their sins and dragging them down....

Some lyrics to match what I'm trying to say - thanks NewWorldSon. 'Rocky Road'
Man, I love lyrics :-)

There's a road, it's a rocky road, lined with sticks and stones.

and it's a road, where the thistle grows, and the freeway never goes, 
But even though this road is long, everybody's welcome on, this rocky road
Now were all, doing the best we can, we hurt from head to toe

and we fall, short of heavens plan, we stumble as we go

but even when we all done wrong, everybody's welcome on, this rocky road
Casting stones, even though were all sinners. Pointing fingers and calling out names

the rocky road, there ain't no-one among us, Without blame, on the rocky road
How can I, with this log in my eye, count your spots and scars?

Oh Why, why should I even try, to put you behind bars

When I need Your love to carry on, we gotta help each other along, this rocky road...

Washing done - I'm outta here! Have a great day fellow Rocky Road travellers! May you also be blessed with a friend to lighten your load xoxo

xKelly

Coin on the Wall

 Happy New Year everyone!

Just had an experience that I want to document, and so while on school holidays, with 4 kids continually disturbing and asking me questions - here I am!

I've been having a good break from the computer for a while actually... and I now know why.

When I have my own agenda, I am the type of person to want to get it done right there and then. And anything that stops that from happening, pushes my buttons. Right now, I want to write this post - and so these kids - asking me for drinks and telling me their stories, while I love them dearly, are extremely frustrating at this time.

Story of my life really :-) But I should learn to adapt as I know it hinders me from getting things done....

ANYWAY - coin on the wall.

Recently I caught up with a good friend, who has a lot of contact with people from different churches and denominations and she shared a few different testimonies and stories of what she had heard. Talk of miracles, healings etc - one of them being about the coin on the wall experience.

One of her friends shared, about the idea of putting a coin on the wall, and asking God to keep it there.

Straight away my head jumped into skepticism mode. Why do I do that? What am I immediately protecting when I haven't even anything to protect?!? Making up excuses or reason before even stepping out myself...

She shared her experiences with it and what she had seen. That a child tried it and with great ease, managed to have her coin stick for several days... and really, thought not much of it. "Yeah, I asked God, and He did it" kinda mood. Childlike faith :-)

Another lady tried it and when it stuck, she cried tears of Joy, exclaiming that "God really does love me!"

(...but to those it didn't work for, does that indicate He loves them less??)

My friend continued to share the number of people who tried it and it didn't work at all. For some it did, others it didn't. Couldn't really explain why - other then the level of faith perhaps?

As my friend was speaking, I wanted to put a coin on the wall right there and then. But of cause, the fear of failing prevented me from doing so in such a public place, with a witness. How crippling that fear must be in my walk to increase my Faith. Wow.

This morning as I woke, I remembered the conversation and the coins left in my purse from my change (Not normal) and decided to try before I got out of bed. And try. And try. Couple of seconds perhaps, here or there, but nothing worthy of being amazed at.

I'd read the night before (yes, of course I googled it!) about the idea of heat being trapped between the coin and the wall, so tried rubbing the coin also. Nothing.

Husband, who I had shared the story with the previous night, caught on to what I was doing and watched a bit, but didn't comment. Off he went to get ready for work....

Finally, the coin stuck.... to my finger!! :-( Hmm.... Felt God was taking the mickey outta me!! :-)

So I stopped, asked God why, and pleaded that I really needed this at this time. He knew my walk of the past few weeks has not been where I have wanted it to be. I'm in a bit of a hole and don't know why. He knows me better then I know myself...

Scripture came flooding to my mind and so, I attempted once again, with His words in my mind and praying them.

Stuck.

Long enough to whip out my camera and document it too!

Husband wasn't there to see it (or my insides filling with Love and thankfulness) but my little girl was, and even she was amazed. Thought she would copy mummy and give it a go herself... Very cute!





A few minutes later, my coin fell (which my daughter found amusing) and I had been too scared to try again.

My first thought, is that I don't want to ask God to waste anymore miracle on me, but then I laughed at myself, remembering that this is God I'm speaking of :-) He is limitless!

Over brekky, I shared with hubby what had happened and he wanted to see the photo. Not that he doubted my testimony, but that he wanted to experience it too. He said his head went instantly into 'reasons' mode as well and how, scientifically, this would be possible. (including the heat between the coin idea)

I heard that voice in my head then, asking me to try my ring.

Without a word to him, I took off my ring, held it to the wall, prayed again the scripture that came to mind, and took away my hand. And it stayed.

We both just stared at the ring on the wall for a while, and each other, until it fell. He then said he wouldn't of believed it if he hadn't seen it, and it also took away the heat trapped theory. He asked how hard I pushed it into the brick / paint and maybe that was it...

I asked "Couldn't we just accept that maybe we have been blessed with a miracle?" Jesus said Himself "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father" in John 14. Why can't we read Scripture as Black n White??

I then thought I would try a kitchen utensil (as I read about through my research last night) and grabbed a fork, tried the same process..... and the fork quickly fell to the ground :-) Hubby and I both laughed :-) 

So - anyway - still in a bit of a daze about it all - and already my mind is trying to reason and excuse out of what I have seen and experienced this morning.... but it surely has increased my faith, which is a good thing right?

I'm trying to read scripture as black and white these days - and this really does match up with what I'm reading. I just need to get my head and myself out of the way :-D

Comments? Thoughts? Doubts? Ideas? Would love to hear from you....

xKelly