The Inspiration of a Baked Potato

All it takes is to make myself a baked potato with all the fixin’s to open the memory bank of playing that old game “Hot Potato”! Well, it wasn’t actually playing with a baked potato, but that’s what the game was called when I was a kid. We were in a circle and we tossed around a ball, instead of a potato, but the object was to pretend it was a very HOT potato. It was way too HOT to hold so we wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. Either music was played and stopped or someone was designated to shout out “HOT” and whoever was holding the “potato”….er…ball would be out of the game. It was great for practicing motor skills involving eye-hand coordination and catching.

Of course, I’m going to parallel that game with another real-life scenario for casting our cares off as quickly as we would toss away that baked potato/ball. It’s time for us to play that hot potato game with our worries, concerns, challenges, fears, and any other taunts and smack talk that the enemy is throwing at us. He plays all kinds of mind games with us that makes us think the worst. I’ve learned the best way to “cast off” his lies is to quickly replace them with God's Word just like Jesus did when the enemy was smack-talking Him. Jesus would always come back with the words from scripture "It is written......" And we come back with God's Word as we say "It is written... "I am more than a conqueror. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. Greater is He Who lives in me than he who lives in the world. I am loved. I am a child of God."

It's time to play offensively against our arch-enemy #1, with the power of God’s Word and His Spirit within us. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxieties on Him (God), because He cares for you.” I love that. Casting is like playing Hot Potato – getting rid of that potato as soon as possible and getting rid of our worries and anxieties by casting them on He Who is our worry-bearer, our care-bearer, and our concerns-bearer.

Anything that causes us anxiety takes a lot of space in our brains. Let’s trade those thoughts for “I am expecting things to turn around for me. I am expecting blessings. I am expecting the answer to my problems. I am expecting God to take over all my concerns. I am expecting good things coming my way. I am a faith-filled, fully devoted follower of Christ, therefore, there is no space in my place for doubt and worry. I can’t help but overcome because the Greater One lives in me and occupies all that space in my brain, in my thoughts, and in my actions. I speak to the enemy “Liar, Liar – pants on fire! I've read the back of the Book and you lose, BIG TIME! I win because I am on the winning team!"

Take the World By Storm

I saw this sign on the chapel entry at Concordia University where Payton and Alexia are in their Regional Speech & Debate Finals. I'm sure it's referring to their team's name, The Tornadoes, but I believe the second connotation is to live our lives by taking this world by storm in our "can do" actions and attitude.

I had been thinking about the storms that have raged havoc in so many states over the last few weeks. What made me think that because I moved from Tornado Alley in Oklahoma, that they didn't have a Tornado Alley in Texas also?

The most notorious thing about Canton, TX to me was the First Monday Trade Days held there. They are the oldest, largest continually operating outdoor flea market in the United States. But now, Canton is also known for the devastating tornado that raged through there on Saturday night, April 29th. Homes leveled that looked like tinker toy pile ups, many lives lost and injured. A community in mourning because of the nightmare they experienced.

I'm well acquainted with living in "tornado alley". Over the years, we witnessed many tornadoes, as well as the aftermath. We watched our barn roof be taken off (yes, I said "watched"). The tornado worked its path down Keystone Lake and our home and acreage backed up to it. We took to our under-the-stairs closet for safety when the winds grew to such ferocious velocity. My husband's parents lost their home in a tornado, but they were safe in a bathroom shower stall. They came out with not a scratch on them.

A few weeks ago, my new home in Frisco encountered damage from a severe hailstorm with tornadic winds that hit the area. My kids and hundreds of other homes had damage also.

Bottom line -- that's why, on a daily basis, I've come to realize that I must stay connected to my survival source. "I dwell in the secret place of the Most High. I abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord He is my refuge, my fortress, my God in Him I trust." That's always my emergency 911 number. Psalm 91:1 that is. I pray and speak safety and protection to all of us in the pathway of storms -- whether they are weather storms or life storms. I pray and speak to the storm and tell it to cease and desist. (God's Word says we can do that: Mark 11:23 "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.") I quote my Prince of Peace's words as I speak to the storm -- "Peace -- be still." And, personally, MY peace is still.

But, here's what I surmised from that sign at the chapel here at Concordia University. We have the choice of being stormed inside and outside by the prevailing winds and storms in our lives -- those natural storms, as well as those we face in life's circumstances and adversities, or we can TAKE THE WORLD BY STORM by being in a conquering attitude to everything that comes to steal from us. We've been notified that WE WIN and "Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world," (1 John 4:4) and "We are more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37).....so shouldn't we be on the offensive with the enemy of our souls rather than cowering down to his tactics that try to paralyze us with fear of what the storms can do to us. We can still make it through any and everything by finding peace in the midst of the storm by trusting in God's faithfulness. We might as well realize that storms, of any kind, are no surprise to God and so let's just TAKE THE WORLD ON BY STORM! After all we know the maker, creator and peace maker of the storms!

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

Day 85 of Photo Inspirations -- Peace in the Midst of the Storm
Dark clouds looming.  Tornado warnings. Hail warnings. Heavy rains and flooding warnings. News reports kept urging those in the path of the storm, to take cover.  Family calls to check on  me.  I'm in the toy closet with pillows over and under me.  Granddaughter wants me to go to a storm shelter.  I'm quoting scripture..." I dwell in the secret place of the Most High. I abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord He is my refuge, my fortress, my God in Him I trust."  That's always my emergency 911 number. Psalm 91:1 that is.  I pray and speak safety and protection to all of us in the pathway of the storm.  I pray and speak to the storm and tell it to cease and desist. (God's Word says we can do that:  Mark 11:23 "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.")   I quote my Prince of Peace's words as I speak to the storm -- "Peace -- be still."  And, personally, MY peace was still.   Just a short while later, I heard on the news station, "Cold front is pushing the tornado activity out of the area."  While there was calamity and devastation from yet another Oklahoma storm, it could have been so much worse.  I'm so grateful that it wasn't.

I'm well acquainted with living in "tornado alley".  Over the years, we witnessed many tornadoes, as well as the aftermath.  We watched our barn roof be taken off (yes, I said "watched").  The tornado worked its path down Keystone Lake and our home and acreage backed up to it.  We took to our under-the-stairs closet for safety when the winds grew to such ferocious velocity.  My husband's parents lost their home in a tornado, but they were safe in a bathroom shower stall. They came out with not a scratch on them.

And, with natural storms, as well as those we face in life's circumstances and adversity, we can still make it through by finding peace in the midst of the storm by trusting in God's faithfulness.  Wednesday night, I was singing an old song.... "So let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise. They don't worry me, for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God. He walks with me, and not of earth shall harm me, for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God."

After being in the toy closet for just a few minutes, and hearing the "all clear" report, I got up and turned around and looked at that closet and realized it's still Spring cleaning time around here, and since I'm here, I might as well get this toy closet all organized and cleaned out.  "All things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28.  "Thanks, God, for the light-works, wind-works, and water-works Wednesday night.   You definitely got our attention."