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Showing posts from October, 2009

Lessons learned the first 50 years

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I hit a milestone. I turned 50 years old. I am thankful that I don't feel 50.   I am thankful for things God has taught me throughout those 50 years. .  I have learned that God loves mercy and when I feel a sense that justice needs to happen over mercy, all I need to do is remember that I am thankful for when God gives me mercy instead of a just punishment.   (Micah 6:8 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.) ( Luke 6: 36  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. ) I have learned that hurt people end up hurting people.   When I am able to see that I didn't hurt them but I am bearing the results of that persons hurt inflicted by other people, it helps me forgive whatever hurt they pushed onto me and move on.  (Romans 12 : 18  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. )  I have learned that anyone who thinks they have God

20 years of God's grace

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As a 19 year old, many of my decisions weren't good ones. One great one was marrying Russell Pate. He has been kind, funny, helpful, and good-looking, but all of that isn't enough to have a good marriage. It ultimately depends on God's grace. He has poured grace upon our marriage. I wish Russell and I could take credit for the survival of our marriage, but we can't. We have been selfish. We have thought only of ourselves. We have not always thought of the other person first. I am so grateful for what God has done. I love the husband He gave me.

Love is messy; do it anyway

Okay...now that I have your attention. .... Loving people is a risky thing to do, a painful thing to do, at times, a discouraging thing to do, a disappointing thing to do...but we need to do it anyway. How boring and unfulfilled life would be if we didn't risk loving others! How meaningless life would be if we didn't allow ourselves to love people even though disappointment, lost, and pain is involved ...especially.....when we love and love well. Right now I feel there are so many people in my life whose hurts effect me. I am unable to forget their pain and problems; it just eats me up and makes me grieve. I am glad I have compassion and empathy for them, but God has to toughen me up. Perhaps this is what God is doing in this stage of my life... toughening me up.....maybe this is why I have friends who ...after 2 years....seem unable to get a foreign government to allow them to bring a 9 year old orphan home as their son....maybe this is why I found out that two of m