What is PUZZLING You?

Fun photo of my Larry and Staci working hard on a jigsaw puzzle together. Not! Not the puzzle because it was lying there waiting for attention, but asking these two, who were very busy working at their computers, to pretend they had the time on this day to find a few pieces and connect them. They helped me stage my inspiration for today's blog.

It isn’t out-of-the-ordinary for this family to have a jigsaw puzzle going at the end of their kitchen island. And I have been known to add to the continuation of the fun by gifting another one to them. I’m catering to my own enjoyment of finding a few pieces to add to the project when I stop by. But, this recent puzzle has been sitting on their island since I gifted it to them for Valentine’s. The border is done (that’s the easy part) with some added pieces, but progress has been slow with this one. Why?

This jigsaw puzzle is lenticular which means the image has an illusion of depth and changes when viewed from different angles. In other words, what I saw as a fun opportunity to expand our horizons, has become an “eye-sore” – literally. The way the light hits the variegated shiny pieces, you have to move your head back and forth to not only see the angles of the pieces to match a partner piece, but the colors are so skewed, your eyes get sore just looking at it. I offered to take the puzzle back, but, as in anything they do, they are up for the challenge! In the meantime, we are all puzzled by this puzzle!

Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday starts the season of Lent when we have the opportunity to work on the skewed, difficult-to-reason-out pieces of our lives – those “eye-sore” pieces and welcome this time of seeking God for a clean slate and being transformed to who He desires us to be. We will receive ashes on our foreheads, in the form of the cross. We will be thinking, “I welcome transformation. I welcome You, Lord, to cleanse and purify me as I approach Good Friday when your Son paid the ultimate price for me. I welcome Resurrection Sunday when I rose with Him into the abundant life He promised to give me as I walk faithfully with Him."

Yes, as with the jigsaw puzzle, life can present "puzzling" challenges and "puzzling" situations, but when we submit to His desires for us to be renewed and transformed, our Master Creator steps in and gives us His wisdom for handling the challenges and He'll be sure to help us finish OUR "life" puzzle with all pieces intact -- and it will be JUST as He planned it to be!

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Spoiler Alert – He Lives!

I have two word phrases today:
~ Good News: Something or someone pleasant, fortunate, or otherwise positive. In Christianity, it is the message of Jesus Christ concerning the salvation of the faithful (as elaborated in the Gospels). I love that definition – that means we can wake up each day, and EVERYDAY, with GOOD NEWS!!

~ Spoiler Alert: In a discussion or review of a film, book, television, movie, drama, etc., it is a warning that an important detail of the plot development is about to be revealed.

This photo is of the front of a birthday card I received: "Spoiler alert -- the hero comes back to life". Hilarious! And that's the truth. The guy in the book store has the Bible in his hands -- and the message he's hearing is the Hero – Jesus, rose from the grave and LIVES! The inside of the card said, "Happy Birthday and many happy RETURNS! I loved it when I received it, and I still love the message today, this day after Easter. Spoiler Alert again....There's even more to this "happy ending". Those of us who claim Him as our Lord and Savior will really live forever and ever because our HERO paid the price for us to spend eternity with Him. Now, that's REALLY GOOD NEWS!

I felt that Easter Spirit in church with my Frisco family yesterday. We sang, raised our hearts and hands in joyous praise as we couldn't contain our gratitude for what this day brought us. It meant spending ETERNITY with our Savior. The diabolical plot against our Lord was spoiled by His resurrection and now we can look forward to this Easter joy FOREVER!

It really is a phenomenon that from 12 ragtag men: fishermen, tax collectors, farmers, and a doctor exponentially multiplied to billions of followers throughout the ages. How incredible it is that Jesus never wrote a book yet there are more books written about Him than any other subject in the world. He never composed a song, but there is more music written about Him than any other subject in history. Jesus never painted a picture or carved a sculpture, but there is more art paintings and sculptures made about Him than any other subject in history. Jesus never traveled more than 100 miles from where He was born, and yet, there are followers of Jesus in every nook and cranny of the planet.

The HERO mentioned on this card, really is about GREAT NEWS. It's great news because, when it's understood, we are radically transformed by such indescribable love, peace, joy and so many other benefits that cause us to have a full, vibrant, abundant life on this side of heaven......AND BEYOND!!! Jesus defeated death so we don't have to fear it. We can be certain of our future in heaven, but the best part is while we are still here, God gives so much purpose to our lives.

I don't know who your hero is, but mine still lives.....He walks with me and talks with and tells me I am His own. He lives. He lives. Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives......He lives within my heart!

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, Oh What a Beautiful Day!

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, Oh What a Beautiful Day!
Joy, Hope, Peace, Comfort, Life Everlasting Came This Morning! Jesus' tomb wasn't for the dead. It was a birthing roomfor new life. That tomb became a Delivery Room.

The Apostle Peter said in Acts 2:24 "God raised Jesus up, loosing the PANGS of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it." That word, "pangs", is associated with labor and childbirth, so on that early "3rd Day" morning (probably 12:00 am -- God just could not allow His Son to be in that tomb one minute longer), so He must have said "It's time to get the SON up!" That tomb became the Delivery Room for the Son of God. Can you imagine that tomb was about to explode because of the POWER that was getting ready to burst forth. Notice that scripture again "because IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE for Him to be held by it." I remember Johnny Cash singing "Ain't no grave gonna' hold my body down!" And that song is not only true about the Son of God, but also you and me!

Our Lord LIVES, and SO DO I. Everyday is a new, bright resurrection morning, because of Christ's death, burial and rising to live forevermore. Only God can bring life out of a season of death. God just can't leave death well enough alone, can He?

Perhaps, today, you are still living in the ashes of remorse, brokenness, depression, and a tomb is holding you back. You are still alive. Go ahead and put your hand over your heart. If it's beating, God has a destiny and mission for you to fulfill. You could have been born sometime in history, but you weren't. You're here now, so the resurrection power of Jesus Christ lives big in you. Let Him turn your tomb into a Delivery Room to your new life today! Romans 8:11 "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you!"

Indeed it is a beautiful morning! He LIVES! Christ Jesus lives today. He'll walk with you and talk with you and tell you, ,you are His own! You ask me how I know He lives. He lives within my heart! Happy Resurrection Morning!

He Arose! It's Resurrection Sunday -- Easter!

Day 94 of Photo Inspirations – HE AROSE!  It’s Resurrection Sunday – Easter!  
Think about it – it seemed all hope was gone.  Jesus was dead. He was laid to rest. His body was anointed and wrapped in clean linens, then was laid in a tomb. The stone was rolled over the entrance and it surely seemed to be the end.  But a lot can happen in three days!

Up to this point, death was final. But while those He lived with, laughed with, and cried with, were in their deepest sorrow – the GREATEST of all MIRACLES was taking place. Jesus was conquering death, hell and the grave, and this tomb they thought held Him, became empty.   And that crown of thorns he wore became the crown of royalty He deserved.  I love this.  Dumb devil!  He thought he had won. And, from that point to today.....we continue to give that dumb devil the reminder that "We know the rest of the story, and the end of the BOOK, and WE WIN!"

True HOPE was made official by the resurrection.  It wasn't just some hocus-pocus magic trick or exercise in wishful thinking.   If it were, then the whole thing would have fizzled out, but here we are 2,000+ years later celebrating that incredible day of all days.  The resurrection of Christ is so big that it's the answer to everything!!!   I can vouch for it – THAT day and the ONE whose grave could not hold Him, is MY EVERYTHING. I just can’t hold it in – I’m overjoyed about this day because it represents my hope, my joy, my peace, my comfort, my freedom, my liberty, my great expectation for this day and my tomorrows. His resurrection represents my resurrection.

He Who created LIGHT is our LIGHT that ever shines so brightly.   It's not just about another sunrise.  It's about the rising of the LIGHT of all LIGHTS, and that LIGHT brings with Him mercies and hope and love EVERY morning – not just Easter morning!

Is there a "tomb" in your life that holds broken dreams, dead relationships, hopeless situations?  Perhaps it's time to allow Him who is the answer to EVERYTHING, to roll your stone away......and make ALL THINGS new!

So how BIG is Easter? Oh, it's only the answer to EVERYTHING!

#HeArose #Resurrection #Easter

Brand New Life

Day 81 of Photo Inspirations -- Brand New Life
Yesterday, in front of me in church, I saw a little bit of heaven.....it was a precious newborn baby.  He drew all of us into his world -- a least those of us who sat near him.   When he was born, his Mama said "he looks like the other puppies In the basket!"  She would know -- he's the 5th "puppy" to come along into this beautiful family.

We were oohing and aahing at his every little move and facial expression he made, and a dear friend held him close for a few moments and I could tell she was feeling so close to God as she gazed upon his sweet little face.   I know that feel and I know that smell.  He still has heaven's scent on him.  What inspires me the most about this "brand new life"  is his preciousness, his sweetness, and his purity.  Nothing has tainted his innocence.  

Yes, I was inspired and I knew this would be my photo inspiration for this day.  I've added an additional photo from his Mama's FB page -- it is her Mom looking into the beautiful face of her grandson -- the oldest life looking at this precious "brand new life".

I've been posting a great deal about the coming of  Spring and the freshness and beauty of the "brand new life" we see all around us.  But of all the beauty that is seen in all the evidences of Spring, still nothing compares to someone that comes to a brand new life in Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone. is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"   It's possible for us to have a "brand new life".  We can take confidence in knowing that God forgives us and gives us a clean slate, and then He gives us full access to His everlasting love and abundant life.  A brand new life in Christ brings love, joy, peace and a renewed sense of purpose for living.  Isn't that REALLY what this season is all about?  In just two weeks, we'll celebrate Easter -- Resurrection Sunday -- He Who was crucified, was buried and rose again.....brings us SPRINGTIME and gives us a "Brand New Life".

My daughter wrote and recorded this beautiful song "Brand New Life" -- listen to these words and may you "Come As You Are" to Him who will make "all things new your your life.
http://staciwallace.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/02-Brand-New-Life.mp3

Surprise! We've Got White Stuff

Day 76 of Photo Inspirations -- SURPRISE!   We've Got White Stuff!
And, thankfully, that white stuff isn't more snow -- it's our beautiful Tulsa Dogwoods in bloom.    I'll admit it!   I'm quite excited about this "white stuff" -- even as excited as I was for the snowy "white stuff" here just a couple of weeks ago. How soon the weather can change in Oklahoma. Monday, it was in the 80's -- today, the 50's. Actually, the inconsistent weather is one of the reasons why I love it here. Each new day can be full of surprises!

Speaking of surprises, I'm reading Mark Batterson's "Draw the Circle" 40-Day Devotional book and he says this: “But God always has a holy surprise up His sovereign sleeve. And when we pray, God throws surprise parties!” And it's so true. If we'll trace it back, every blessing or divine appointment or miracle that comes our way was a "set-up" by God.....because we prayed about it and just really expected that one day we'd witness His perfect timing for answering that prayer. God's Word backs this up...."You have not, because you ask not" - James 4:2. He wants to hear from us, and taking a time out for a little talk with Him is what matters to Him.

I can recount so many surprises (an unexpected check in the mail, an unexpected encounter with someone that led to great opportunity, being given something for FREE instead of having to pay for it, winning a trip, being given a car, someone showing up at our door wanting to buy one of our properties NOW, being the winner of a raffle, having a debt PAID IN FULL -- unexpectantly -- all surprises. And when one of those surprises shows up, I often look up to heaven and say, "You did that, didn't YOU? I live in the FOG -- Favor of God. Is it because I'm better, more favored or blessed than anyone else?  Heavens no!   I simply live prayerfully, and in an "expectant" mode that "Something good is going to happen to me today!"   I'malways on the look-out for God's surprises!  

My surprise blessing yesterday was driving through town and seeing all of those beautiful Dogwoods in bloom. It's nearly Spring and new life is starting to show itself, and surprise us.  And,  the all-time greatest surprise?   Resurrection Sunday will soon be here when we celebrate the ORIGINAL SURPRISER showing up ALIVE AND WELL!