just a comment...

From a friend....(you know who you are), thank YOU!:


I needed to read this today . . .just wanted you to know that God is speaking directly through you to me.  Thanks for sharing from your heart.  Have fun at the beach!!

Lesson # 2 :Pruning!! EEKS

I'm here, in beautiful Rosemary Beach, Fla. Yesterday was Terry's b'day and we are here for some time away/good food/long walks and re-charging ( and celebrating, a wee bit early, our anniversary and Valentine's , Feb. 13 and 14th- as well).
 We both do our devotionals in the morning. Not bragging here, it's about all I do! haha At home, he sits on one side of the fireplace and me the other! (we have one of those fireplaces that are open ended in 2 rooms). I love the quiet time! I'll admit, sometimes I get on FaceBook or check email instead of doing my lesson. yep, I do. Here, I am at the island, at this beautiful Beach House and he is sitting by the door looking outside at the little pool and the water pouring out of the big vases making  comforting "splash sounds". We are both "doing our thing" but doing "His" thing at the same time! That's what I love about Bible Studies.  You can do one with a friend or a stranger and still be doing it about God in your own way.There are a gazillion and one Bible Studies out there and , not only that, you can have about ten gazillion takes on EACH ONE! So, I hope you have your own "take" on your own,whether it's with me or doing another one. After all, it's all about finding the time (it's there! I always say God stops time for you to study His word!), and just doing it. Honestly, if I think I don't have time to do any kind of reading/studying, I find I run out of time that day. BUT, if I start off with God, I always seem to have time for everything else. Kinda weird, but true. I truly believe God just wants to visit with us!!! I have LEARNED I don't have to do all the talking! HAHAHAHA! Yes. I . Like. To. Talk. Even to God! But, I have LEARNED that sometimes if I just open my heart and BE STILL that 1. He whispers to me 2. He just wants me to sit in His Prescence 3. He wants me to just SETTLE DOWN. * Here's a JF example: Terry and I decided to take a walk after we got back from breakfast with Chi Chi. We walked thro this big neighborhood, into the little square with it's shops and across HWY 30A down to where you can walk to the beach. We went to the beach and just sat there for a little while and then we walked back up the boardwalk to this huge grassy square area. Around the area are some benches but mainly just big beautiful green grass. Terry went and plopped down with Chi Chi. So , not worrying about getting grass stains on my new jeans, so did I. We just sat there for about an hour. He made pictures of Chi Chi (HAHAHAHA, he never makes pictures!) and we just CHILLED. We didn't talk much, (we didn't have to!) , we just soaked up the warm sun and felt the grass on our behinds and watched our little dog  who almost  seemed to "SMILE" and say "thanks, mom and dad." I think what I'm saying is after all these years I've learned I don't have to be DOING SOMETHING all the time to enjoy myself. a few years ago I would've been thinking, "now what can we do next???". Not now. Now I'm enjoying being with Terry and enjoying God's creation. Whether it's in beautiful Rosemary Beach, Fla or on the walking trail at Lake Cyrus. (I will be adding pictures of our little time here,  including pix of us on the grassy area here, later, but I can't load them on my laptop so I'll do it when we return home). I guess what I'm saying is that having had 2 friends die in 2011 and another hit by a car in grave condition, I am realizing, ever more clearly, life is short. You can't tell that to someone in their 30's or even 40's sometimes. But come into the ages 50+ the realization is there.  God's GRASSY AREA is warm and inviting all the time. 24/7. No rain to keep you from it nor the cold. Or the heat! but perfect time and  perfect oasis. If you need a visual, picture that big grassy area in your mind. I know I will. And hey,Enjoy  your time but also enjoy time WITH GOD. (JF sermon of the day. Sorry). Now on to the REAL lesson! 


Today's lesson , from the little book, "Secrets of the Vine" is about PRUNING.  The author writes, "if disciplining is about sin, pruning is about self". YIKES. This gets harder and harder for me! He goes on to say, '
"In pruning, God asks you to let go of things that keep you from His kingdom purposes and your ultimate good. Pruning is how God changes the picture of your life from a basket that is almost empty to a basket that's starting to fill"

For me, I think I've surely had some fruit in my basket but for sure, I keep letting some fall out! Even before tasting it!!!! And most likely that is because I have a hard time with pruning. So, PRUNING VERSUS DISCIPLINE: WHICH IS IT???

Here is what Bruce says:
"You can distinguish pruning from discipline by asking a few simple questions. If you suspect that you are being pruned follow these steps:
1. Acknowledge that God is trying to get your attention. Decided that you don't want this season of turmoil to go to waste.
2. Trust that since a loving parent would tell a child why he or she is receiving correction, your loving Father will do now less. Believe that He wants you to know whethere you are experiencing discipline or pruning.
3. Ask the Lord to help you answer this question: Do I have a major sin that's causing you to discipline me?
4. Pray, Lord, I want to know. If You do not show me within a week from today that it is discipline, then I will take it by faith that it is pruning. God has many ways to let you know if sin is the issue--you will find the truth in a Scripture, a conversation, a teaching or a phone call from a friend.
5. If you conclude that you're being disciplined, sin is the problem. Repent and turn around. You'll never regret it.
6. If you conclude that you're being PRUNED, your response is just as crucial, and the rewards will be even greater. Ask God to show you clearly what He wants you to let go of, and trust Him enough to release it completely to Him.

You might be lookoing down the fence line of your life right now, seeing branches being hacked off, felling assaulted by circumstances--maybe even by God Himself--and wondering what God will do next. I must tell you that your heavenly Father loves you so much that He won't stop tending your life.  The most fruitful AND the most joy-filled Christians are the most pruned Christians!"

I find that I already know most of the time when God is pruning me. But, as per Jan,  many days I keep my ear muffs on. Case in point: EATING. I love to eat. And I love to eat just about anything!!! But have learned , over the last few years, that rich foods hurt my tummy.  I think God is pulling out the last stops for me to tell me to "SLOW DOWN ON THE OVER INDULGING" or He's gonna let me explode! LOL!  NIGHT BEFORE LAST  IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. We decided to run to a local dive and get a good ole dinner. I got a BIG FAT CHEESEBURGER and Terry got a personal pizza. Ordinarily , I would have wolfed the thing down,despite saying I wouldn't. Last night I cut it in half and put the rest in the refrigerator. TA DA!!!!  LAST NIGHT, I kinda slipped back. We went to a great restaurant and while I did get a huge salad vs. a big steak, I also got the most delicious dessert I've ever tasted (Banana Beignets with home made macadamian ice cream if you'd like to know! HAHA).So, I'm starting to get it but still have times I slip back. . I knew God was "pruning" me and telling me I didn't need to eat everything on the menu!
 Another thing for me--shopping. I am a: "if I see it , I usually want it no matter what" kind of girl. My SON-IN-LAW has helped me with a great way to not get everything I want, when I want it. He calls it the "FIVE MINUTE RULE". You can pick up the item and walk around with it,  for FIVE MINUTES weigh if : 1. you really need it 2. is it worth the money 3. will it make me happy.  I can't tell you how many times I have used that in the past few years!!!! I will walk around stores holding something and many times now, I'll put it back!!!!!! Again, a kind of pruning.   You can use that for anything. Food/shopping and even big ticket things you want to buy, like a house/car, etc. *(JON , YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK ON THIS! It would be the thinnest best seller of all times! HAHAHAHA).

So, you KNOW when He is chiding you, right? Gently chiding. When I do something I'm not supposed to be doing, whether it's over indulging on food/over indulging on shopping or  even over indulging on gossip I know He isn't happy. And just like when I was a kid, and knew my mother had those eyebrows in a frown, I don't like it when I make God mad/sad. I think God just nudges us when He wants us to let go of selfish/bad habits that can hinder us.  The thing is, I seem to back slide so often and it's flat out HARD! Sorry for all the personal examples but they are all I have!

What are your thoughts about this? Do you have some habits that are keeping you from a better relationship with God? Since I'm being honest, I may as well lay it all out here.  Here's A BIG one.  For me, it's running and checking emails or FaceBook or Voice Mails on my phone many times a day. And with iPhones, etc., it's easier than it's ever been to run and "just look". YES< THOSE THINGS CAN BE ADDICTIVE. I know!!! I LOVE to check what others are doing on FaceBook! It's fun to see what my family/friends are doing each day. But that can be fun but it can be obsessive. I have had days where I have to make myself stay away from the computer and do those things that God is telling me to do! (like clean my house! HAHA!). While here, for example, I can use the excuse that I can keep up with our kids but what did we do BEFORE iPhones and computers? Heck, I can hardly remember! And yes, they are great , too. Thankfully I can talk to Katie when she's driving from Huntsville to make sure everything is ok. Or talk and SEE Patrick, Kelley and Ryder on SKYPE!! THANK GOD!!! Just like anything else, I know I need to use my "electronic gifts" for good and not for evil.
 For real, what are things that you find are kicking your relationship with God out of your life?  As I say ALL THE TIME, the devil loves to get us. And it's things we "love", maybe not things we think of as things that are "devilish". My beautiful Apple Computer can be a stumbling block for me sometimes b/c it "calls to me" when God is wanting me to do other things. Same with my phone. I really didn't want an iPhone (seriously!) b/c of that very reason. It's so easy to scroll down it during lunch/while at a stop light/ even visiting with my MOTHER! (she asked me, a couple of months ago, are you SLEEPING? Poor thing, she thought I was dozing off but I was CHECKING MY PHONE and probably texting my sister!). Yes, some things we LOVE can be a detriment to our Spiritual relationship with our loving God. YES, I know the GRACE of God forgives me and gives me peace (NEED I SCREAM IT: I'm a Methodist! HAHA) , but I think God sometimes gets frustrated with just how many times and ways He can show me of things I need changing. And then, I think He allows things to happen. God help me, I need His help and I need to take off the EAR MUFFS!

 Now that I've laid my soul bare: How about YOU???Maybe writing things IN YOUR JOURNAL will help. (YES, I love journaling! It helps ME). Don't like to journal (>?!), well, talk to a friend!!! SHARE your thoughts. Still worried>>>? , talk to your pastor. But, don't let things get so tangled you can't get out. God doesn't want that from us. All He wants is us to be happy with Him. Not in the THINGS our world throws at us. I'm PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. So, I know exactly how you feel. Your issues might not be mine, but there are some things there . Unless of course your basket is overflowing with fruit. If so, hop out of this study! HAHAHAHAHA! I hope you are reading some of these words, and maybe see some things that you need work on. Heck, I see them and even write about them and STILL have a hard time backsliding. But, I believe God is a God of wonderful 2nd, 3rd and 1000 chances. Don't forget the chalkboard. AND, don't forget your basket. It looks lonely without anything in it!
Abundance is a beautiful thing. Let's have a bumper crop!

Touching base

Just wanted to TOUCH BASE with yall before Big T, Chi Chi and I head a little South to Destin.(Just a little b'day vaca for Big T!)!.... I have heard from several others, (thank  you!),sweet encouraging words and it encourages me with the study! THANKS THANKS THANKS...


Was thinking of something different to ponder---you know me, I like DIFFERENT!, for you to think about to keep you mindful of the lesson while you journal. I don't like too much of the "discipline" part of anything, haha,  so I wanted you , after identifying and trying to change anything that is keeping you from filling that fruit basket, to think like this a minute. Remember when you were in school and the huge blackboard that filled one whole (and sometimes BOTH) sides of the room???? SOMETIMES, if your teachers were like MINE, she would put NAMES ON THE BLACKBOARD of students who were being naughty. Of course, never having my name up there.....never mind, it's being HONEST SATURDAY, I forgot----anyway, remember how that felt? The peer pressure/the worry about the parentals finding out?  Having to write on the same blackboard, "I will never do such and such again" for 100 times??? Well, just for a  minute try to imagine God's blackboard. MASSIVE. HUGE. And you're standing there, in your little dress and pigtails trembling in your shoes as you await your sins being written on it. Not a crowd of peeps there. No way. Just you and the Almighty. He's not mad, in fact, He's sad. Because it's not fun discipling the child you love. There, on it, in glow- in -the- light -chalk are my sins. UGH. So,  how do I get them off? SOOOO easy and yet at the same time, sometimes soooooo hard!!! HOW? repent them off. Not just SAY, "I won't do it again, 100 times," but really make the effort.  THEN.....WHOOOOOOSH! As if God has this giant huge earser,  Those sins are erased!!!!!!!! GONE. Not one of them left for me or anyone else to see . I don't know about you but  when I was in school, we had people each week, when I was in elementary school, who were the "eraser fairies". (Couldn't use that term now b/c of being politically correct! HA!!!!). What we did was take the erasers outside to the brick wall and hit them together and watch the chalk fly off the erasers. To get the TEACHER'S eraser was the best. I can see us now----pounding those erasers and giggling and laughing with chalk all over our clothes/faces and each other.  Honestly, it was the job us kids loved more than going out to play! Because a certain number of us could go out and squeal with delight and get to beat off all the words that landed on the eraser during the day (like math! HAHA) and have some fun doing it! OH THE JOY!!!!!!!!! I think that's how we should feel when we let go of those things---it's freeing and fun and joyful! There. More of a postive (and I think, better!) way of letting go something worrisome for our good and to bring us into a joy unspeakable. And I think God smiles then, too. As all that chalk dust settles, He enters into our hearts with ever more closeness and love. (with a little bit of chalk dust....!)!
Love yall.

Don't be TOO jealous of me and Big T as we skip down to Destin with our little dog in tow. See ya Wednesday. From Destin!  *Here's where we're staying ! We went with my sister, Judy and bro-in-love, Robbie in Oct. and loved the place. Hugs

Part 2 of Lesson # 1 :)

After writing so much (too much probably! LOL)last night, I actually found a few more things to mention in the same vein before we get to next week's study. SORRY!!!! But, it has to be written b/c it's part of the study and God keeps nudging me to write it even though it's tough to read!!!! Yes, this segment is important so thought I better go ahead and add them while you were in the mindset of discipline.  Bruce says there are 3 degrees of intervention. Here goes:
(remember I put Bruce's words in purple)! From:"Secrets of the Vine"--"love by degrees"


"Do you have a clear sense of how God communicates His wishes for you when you need His correction? If we look at the verses from Hebrews 12, we find 3 degrees of intervention.You'll never again need to live in confusion about how God is acting on your life to bring you back to fruitfulness.
Degree 1: rebuke--"my son, do not be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him (vs.5)
A rebuke is a verbal warning. God can make Himself heard in many ways: A prick of our conscience, a timely word from another person, a Scripture, the preaching of God's word or conviction by they Holy Spirit.  These verbal cues, like the frequent pleas of a mother with young children--are by far the most common kind of discipline we experience in God's family. we should always have our ears open for them. IF, however, we harden our heart and close our ears, we force our Father to intensify the correction".


Me,again! I can't tell you how many times I have had the prick of conscience or a scripture touch my heart but generally I do one of 2 things. ONE, think "that's not for ME" or TWO, "I'll do that another day" (my Scarlett O'Hara persona)!THOUGHTS? WHat do YOU do??


2. Chastens--"For the whom the Lord LOVES He chastens" (V 5)
Chastening is something you feel as emotional anxiety, frustration, or distress. what used to bring you joy now doesn't. Pressures increase at work, at home, in your health or finances.  Many CHristians bump along in this level of discipline, yet fail to read the signs. They feel  unfulfilled at church, critical of their Christian friends and "on the outs" with God. When they pick up their Bible, it feels like a lead weight instead of welcome relief. Their relationship with the Lord, seem blighted by a sadness or lethargy they can't quite trace. If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you don't need to go to church more or try to read your Bible with a better attitude. you need to look for ongoing sin in your life, the dirt crusting over your leaves and cutting you off from God's best. If you don't respond, love will compel your Father to take more drastic measures.


ME:WHOA, NELLIE!!!!! I get all fidgety when I read things like that. WHY? NOT TO POKE FUN AT MY DENOMINATION, but it recent years it seems that our  Methodist churches preach less on judgment and more on grace. (I'm not worried about any Methodist preachers reading this either so I'm not scared of reprecussions! HAHAHA! I mean, if they are any Methodist ministers reading this, please reveal yourselves and set me straight!!!!!)! ...AND OF COURSE, we all want the GRACE PART!!!!!!!! ME TOO! But, I do remember a time when I was little when we had a little wiry old minister who preached a hellfire and damnation series that almost blew the ladies underwear off! He would rant and rave and wake me up from my long hour nap (where I would lay across my parents lap and snore so loud my mother would pinch me!). When Dr. Chitwood (I think that was his name) preached, people listened. Maybe we need some more fire.Or it's quite possible that maybe I have missed this portion of Bible teaching somewhere along the line or, as usual , had my listening ears OFF. Whatever the case, I don't think I've EVER heard a sermon on Chastening. I'm glad I'm hearing one now b/c obviously it's something Biblical and needs to be heard! So on it goes. Number 3 which, get ready, is scary. Get ready....


 From the book:
Degree 3: Scourge "And scourges every son whom He receives" (v. 6)


"To scourge is to whip, to inflict punishment. It's the same word the Gospels use to describe what the Romans did to Jesus just before they crucified Him. Not a pretty picture! In FACT, for the word scourge you could substitute CAUSE EXTREME PAIN.  What percentage of Christians do you think  have experienced scourging? It may shock you to read that God scourges "every son". That means you have most likely already been scourged in your life. At this level of discipline you are living in open sin with a flagrant disregard for what you know is right. You have not heeded previous attempts by God to rescue you from rebellion and return you to fruitfulness. Therefore He must resort to intense pain to bring you to your senses. PAIN--everyone hates it, but it sure does get your attention, doesn't it? C.S. Lewis said that God whispers through pleasure but shouts through pain. Sometimes our Father has to shout.  He takes long-term sin very seriously, and He will act. The consequences are more drastic than most Christians understand. Paul said that unconfessed and unrepented sin in the Corinthian church had cast an alarming pall over that little community. Members were living openly in grievous sins, yet sharing at the Lord's Table as if nothing were wrong. Paul said that their acts brought judgment to themselves and others,   Because of continuing sin among believers, many were weak, many more were ill, and some had already died!!! ....Since so many Christians in our churches acknowledge that they are producing no fruit from God, could it be that many among us are suffering dire consequences as a result? What would you say to the evidence?
Having said that remember:
*God would never hurt an innocent person to indirectly discipline a sinning person. In other words, your mother won't get cancer because you're living in an affair.
*When God does disciplines us, it is never out of meanness, impatience, or wrath.
*God offers each of us opportunities to respond to Him, right up to the moment we leave this earth.


If you realize you have issues, embrace truth, discarding lies that have kept you stuck in unnecessary pain.  Turn wholeheartedly away from the sin that has kept you from thriving and your basket empty.
. 
The Bible word for this unforgettable, hope filled change of direction is REPENTANCE. Repentance is a turning away from the sin that ails you to the bounty God promises you. One day you will look back on your former determination to stay in the dirt and wonder how you resisted your Father's kindness for so long and at such cost. Responding to God's discipline brings immediate benefits. Hebrews talks about the 'peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it' (12:11). repentance doesn't just get us back to zero--God takes us from a minus ten to a plus ten. Neither is repentance a one-time act. It is a lifestyle, and ongoing commitment to keep putting aside our rebellion and receive God's forgiveness. Each of us are invited to give God permission every day to shape and cleanse and redirect us. with each turning we enter more directly into an experience of God's pleasure. 


In the next lesson you'll discover the secret of moving from "fruit" to "more fruit". Every vinedresser knows that once a barren branch starts to thrive, it holds great promise for an abundant harvest ahead".


WHOA!!!!!!! That's a lot of stuff to digest. And most reading don't have the kind of serious sin that Bruce it talking about. BUT, if there is just ONE who does,then I am glad they can see it in black and white (or purple, in my case! HAHA).  There have been instances in my life where I have wallowed in something or other. One recent one I'll share is that I just kept eating unhealthy while KNOWING God was upset with me about it! I KNEW He was. But I kept on. And ON. ANd then one day, RECENTLY,I had some kind of attack (I think gall bladder), have had them before but this one lasted 2 weeks and I was miserable, hurting and feeling like God was frowning at me. (can we say BURP FEST?! HAHA).I did the ole"Beg- in- the- shower -to -make- me- feel- better" while promising  God to eat better. This time I'm sticking to it. I hate it when God chastens me like that, but sometimes there's just NO OTHER WAY! (I'm STUBBORN!)!!!!! God wants us to be healthy so that we can do our best for  Him. Plus, I just hate it when I think God's mad at me! LOL




Now read below a couple of comments from today.Thanks girls.


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Love/love/love the Bible Study.  Will be thinking about it and journaling about it and praying for you as you prepare this study!!

Love ya!!

and from another dear friend who I will keep anonymous....




I don't want to be the first to comment but please know this is a good thing you are doing.  I read John15 and the Holy Spirit clearly convicted me!!!  I know this sounds like a confession but it isn't...I just realized that recently I have not "been in Him and He in me" and that's why I've been out of sorts...big time out of sorts!  Only in Him do I EVER have peace, and joy which is a result of His LOVE.  I have been too busy with worldly things and not putting Him first.  OMGosh, how sad is that?!  Thank you again for your time and effort in renewing folks like me, so that I may be FRUITFUL again!!!


BTW, friend, you're not the only one who has been too busy with worldly things. Um, can we say, me, too?! I did this study for selfish reasons, too! (like, mostly for ME!)! ...love you---(you know who you are).

Thank you!

Thanks , everyone for all your emails , etc. about the Bible Study Blog! I've had numerous emails from some of yall plus  183 hits from readers since posting yesterday, which is great but makes me feel, well---like---I better do something worthy of your reading!! Seriously, thanks .....I have one more little part to my first entry. I will put it on either this afternoon or night. Right now I HAVE to walk in this 73 degree sunny weather! I'll be taking the time during my walk to thank God for each of you and just LISTEN (yes, I am capable of that at times.). I have that giddy feeling when I know that I know that I KNOW I'm doing something God wants me to do. But, it won't work without EACH OF YOU. 
I'll be back in a few.
hugs

Lesson # 1

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BIBLE STUDY LESSON # 1:


Well, here goes. My very first BLOG BIBLE STUDY. Un-named as of this point! As I mentioned earlier, I am going to use  SECRETS OF THE VINE as my first study lesson. I love  this little book and I will not be reading ahead, but will be pulling out things from it and commenting and hoping you will comment as well. (remember my email address!).....HERE GOES (please take notes so that you can respond/comment/add or take away!)!


Secret of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson is my book of choice this time. WHY? Only God knows. It's really a small book filled with great and wonderful insights.I will be quoting from the book some and paraphrasing about other parts. It's a book about  ABUNDANCE and how to get that abundance from God that He wants us all to have. "the beautiful overflow of true worth in a person's life". Now, let me say, I WOULD LOVE SOME ABUNDANCE!!!!! Yes, I have plenty of "stuff". Physical stuff. Clothes/make up (well, I could use a bit more of THAT probably!)/friends/family. But I could use some abundance from GOD. His abundance probably isn't what you think it is. At least that's the way I see it. First of all, you probably need to go and get your Bible. I'll wait for you! HAHAHAHA! Ok, that was QUICK! Now go read John 15.  These verses were some of Jesus' last words while with his disciples before the Upper Room scenario.  It's the "I AM THE VINE" verses. Since I like WINE (haha) I love the whole wine growing reference.  It's a cool chapter. Really  alot of stuff in it. Bruce , (we're on a first name basis now, haha, joke!),  explains about how a vineyard looks and how the vine grows, etc. Unless you are from Northern California, you probably don't get the idea all that perfectly in your head. So, I am going to say, especially since I live in Alabama and GROW TOMATOES to just think about a TOMATO VINE for a minute instead. BRUCE says to feel the curl of the tendril and fuzzy leaves and smell the spicy sweetness of the grapes. I say, do the same regarding tomatoes. Funny, isn't it, how you can SMELL a tomato before it forms? On the vine? I guess the same is true for grapes! Here is now from the book, cause I don't want to mess up what he's saying. *BTW, When I quote from Bruce I will write in purple so you will know that is the author's words!...(From the book, chapter 2) 
"An Old Vinyeard, a new perspective"
1. Jesus is the vine. If you didn't grow up in wine country, you might think that the vine is a long, trailing limb that sprawls along the trellis. Actually, it's the TRUNK of the plant that grows out of the ground. Vineyard keepers traditionally keep the vine at waist height---36 to 42 inches. The vine ends in a large gnarl from which branches grow in either direction along the trellis.
2. The Father is the vinedresser. The vinedresser is the keeper of the vineyard--either the owner or the person hired to tend it. the vinedresser's task is simple--to coax from his plants the most pounds of grapes possible. A healthy and properly tended vineyard means a higher yield.
3. You and I are branches. In the vineyard, the branches are the focus of the vinedresser's efforts because they produce the fruit. Branches are tied to a trellis or propped up with sticks to let air circulate, to provide the maximum amount of sunshine, and to allow full access for tending. The vinedresser lovingly cultivates each branch so that it will bear as much fruit as possible.


OK, me again. thinking about my tomatoes I think about last year. Last year's crop was, flat out, horrible and disastrous. Small tomatoes, just not a good crop. Probably b/c I added lots of other veggies to our small plot and it smothered them, but also I just got tired of tying the darn stems up. I was lazy and halfway tied them up so that bunches ended up on the ground and were small, insect eaten and bitter. Hmmmm, I think ole Bruce has something  there about tending the 'maters. Or grapevines. I didn't prop mine up properly this year (well, a few of them) but the ones I didn't, sure enough, terrible tomatoes as a result.  Now read further what Bruce says....


"Why would Jesus talk in such detail about growing grapes when He was only hours from death and His best friends' hopes had just been crushed??? Clearly Jesus knew that the time and place were right to show the disciples a new way of looking at things. Jesus wanted them to see their future from the perspective of heaven.He didn't want to leave them on earth wondering, what is God up to in my life? And why isn't it turning out the way I expected? "?


So, what's with the fruit thing, you ask? You may know or you may not. I was taught, (And this coming, remember from my intro blog, from the last 20 years because before that I was acting a fool in Sunday School and didn't LISTEN!), that fruits represent your good works. I've heard it said from people, "if you want know if they're Christian, check their fruits". Hmmm, I say, HOOOOOOLD ON A MINUTE. Maybe that Christian is just not quite up to snuff on things, like I was. Maybe they ARE a Christian and just haven't gotten the puzzle pieces put together yet. Give 'em a break, folks, their fruits might be there but just not ready for harvest. If God gives us chances, we should give others chances too!  And I  would remind those folks that Jesus doesn't like those to JUDGE too much. Right??? (whew, thank goodness). I know you've read from Galatians 5:22 the fruits of the Spirit? If not, go read them. OH , OK,  I know you're not looking them up so I'll tell ya. "love/joy/peace/lonsuffering/kindness/goodness/faithfulness/gentleness/self control". How bout that? That's called the inner fruits. To PRODUCE some you gotta allow God to work in you. and to bring HIM glory which is what we strive for. It surely ain't for ourselves (forgive my grammar). Although, I do like me some pats on the back every now and then, I'm human.  SO, what does that mean or how do you do it? EXAMPLE from J.F. (me): terry going to Jamaica every couple of months. He goes , not for himself (altho the man does love to get hot sauce every trip!), he goes to help those peeps there.  Terry has decided that to help those people is part of God's plan for his life.  He doesn't brag about it or tell people. He just goes and does his work there.Some trips he feels like nothing happened that profound, but I bet in God's eyes it does! Doesn't matter to him about numbers. Which brings to mind about the "starfish story".  I just bet you have  heard the story of the person who was shocked one day to be on the beach and see hundreds of starfish dying in the sun. He was horrified and began throwing the starfish in the ocean. Someone comes up and harshly laughs and says, "Dude! No way you're going to save all those starfish! So, what's the point?" And the man says, "it matters to  THIS one". WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Profound. Yep. THAT is producing a fruit. Helping when it might seem desperate to YOU but not to Him. Just like the Bible Study I flubbed the dub on????? That I went home and CRIED OVER because I felt so frustrated over leading? And 20 years later, 3 people tell me it made a DIFFERENCE in their life???? NOT ME made a difference, but the STUDY inspired and breathed into by God. I was sooooooo inept and tongue tied and unable to hardly pray out loud at that time. And GOD BLESSED IT. Because He wanted it to happen. He needs us to help others. And by doing so,we began to produce fruits. SOOOOOOOOO, what about this fruit thing?This ABUNDANCE thing?  I know! I want to know, too!!!!!


Here is a paraphrase of a story from the book. The author , BRUCE, said he was at a retreat and was talking one night when  a lady approached him after his talk and told him that she felt that God was unhappy with her and that she didn't make a difference for Him in the world.  He responded by saying he thought she was "spiritually stuck". After ruling out things one by one that might be causing her distress he asked her about any unforgiveness she might be struggling with. The next day the woman met him and said she couldn't sleep  the whole night prior but that she didn't realize she had so much anger directed at her mother and she had filled 5 sheets of paper of bitter indictments against her mother that night. She wept and cried.  Healing began there but it was six months later that she called Bruce again and she said that she had reconciled with her mother and "was back on speaking terms with God".


That is but one instance that can be a stumbling block for someone. How about these. Any of these sound familiar to you? :
 Unforgiveness.  Envy. Gluttony. Pride.Arrogance. Stubborn to the core. Selfishness. Jealousy. You name it, us humans can hold on to and make any of those, and others, rule our hearts to the point where even if God wanted to, He couldn't get in. Why oh why, do we let those things rule us and keep us from what God wants for us? And yet, the devil continues to throw those things our way and makes them look good. Delicious. Desirable. Pleasurable.  Gotta have it or gotta do it. For me, it's like the old ad for potato chips: "BET YOU CAN"T EAT JUST ONE". Of course I can't! that darn quip makes me eat more! HAHA! And how about THIS quip , those who are my age will know this one: "GRAB ALL THE GUSTO YOU CAN GET" (beer commercial from '70's!). ? Grab all the gusto at the expense of everyone else? Put yourself numbero uno?? Don't think so!  And if we do put ourselves on the top of the heap then gradually, without even realizing it, we can find ourselves controlled by one who twists truths into lies and makes what once was pure and sweet, dirty and sullied. I know, I've been there! I  have always  told my kids, "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.  Don't fall for the slick talker. Don't think you can get something for nothing. The devil LOVES to make things look good. He doesn't come with horns! he comes looking like a million bucks!"  I tell ya, I've had my turn wrestling with the ole devil! But, I'm not letting him win! (not today!) but, let me tell you, for whatever reason, that devil loves to taunt me! usually over something I get myself worked up over that doesn't mean a hill of beans to anybody else. That's what the devil is so twisted that he can use people or things that seem innocent on the outside but are rotten on the inside. A casual remark that hurts someone. A repeated story that isn't all true. You know! It's happened to you,t oo! Something someone said or did that they probably don't even remember saying or doing! So my advice (and this is to myself , too!) is  don't get caught spinning in the mud in frustration over someone that probably doesn't even know you have a problem with them! It's their problem! let it go! As a wise friend told me many times, (you know who you are if you are reading this!), "let them off  your hook. They're still on GOD'S hook". In other words, quit stressing about what this or that person does/did to you. It's a lot easier to just pray for them and turn that anger into prayer for that person. HARD sometimes, YES! But, once done, a burden quickly  flies off the ole shoulders!  Another big thing this day and time is wanting to HAVE IT ALL. How crazy is that? Have all of what? The best body? Face? car? House? Dog? (sorry, I do haha)  Vacation? why must everyone try to TOP everyone?! Some people even have to have the best darn STORY!!! You tell a funny story and someone says, "OH! I have a better one that than!" HAHA!!!  I'm not talking monetary stuff here---I'm talking about trying to satisfy oneself with things or food or vacations or friends or whatever it is that we try to fill that EMPTY  place that only God can fill! We've all been there. Right? We've all had those times where we go shopping only to come home with things but still not happy. Or the vacation that was wonderful but then back to the mundane. Or the new baby and reality of the responsibilty that comes with that child. Or the new house with the realization that it is expensive. And the list goes on. The GOOD NEWS is that GOD can remove those anxieties those things bring. He wants us to have abundant living , of that I am sure! HIS abundant living. Which might not be what our idea of abundant means. But, I can promise you this, HIS will be better than any life we could make! His plan is better than any other! And I hope, during this study, that every single person reading or participating will find GOD speaking to their situation/their questions and their searchings.
Which brings me to my SERMON quote of the night: ONLY GOD CAN SATISFY YOUR HEART!!!!  NOTHING can fill your heart like Jesus. (yep, some of you are singing that song now in your head....!)


More from Bruce...
"A sun browned man came up to me and asked, 'Do you understand John 15?'"  'Not completely', I answered. 'Why?'"
The man responded he owned a large vineyard in Northern California and said, 'I think I have it figured out.'
 I offered to buy him coffee on the spot".


"as we sat across the restaurant table from each other, he began to talk about the life of a grower--the long hours spent walking the vineyards, tending the grapes, watching the fruit develop, waiting for the perfect day to begin harvest." and the man continued "new branches have a natural tendency to trail down and grow along the ground, but they don't bear fruit down there. when branches grow along the ground, the leaves get coated in dust. when it rains, they get muddy and mildewed. The branch becomes sick and useless".
Bruce then asked, 'what do you do? Cut it off and throw it away?"
And the man replied, "oh no! The branch is much too valuable for that. we go tho the vineyard with a bucket of water looking for those branches. We lift them up and wash them up. Then we wrap them around the trellis or tie them up. Pretty soon they're thriving". 


Bruce said he could picture Jesus' own hand motions when He taught in the vineyard that night. he was showing how the Father makes sure His crop comes in full and sweet. And when the branches fall into the dirt, God doesn't throw them away or abandon them. He LIFTS THEM UP, CLEANS THEM OFF and HELPS THEM FLOURISH again".


wow. So I see as myself-- just like my own tomatoes that failed last year what went wrong. They fell into the dirt and I just left them. To fend for themselves!!! Poor things, they needed a TOMATO DRESSER (me)  to clean them up. Tie them up. and let them flourish again. The dirt (or my sin if I use  Jesus' story) weighed the poor things down.  God is like that for us! He picks  us up, dirty as we are  and cleans us and ties us up on the trellis. Where we can breathe/feel the sunshine (SONshine) and thrive as He wants us to.
Bruce says the first "secret" of the vine is:
"IF YOUR LIFE CONSISTENTLY BEARS NO FRUIT, GOD WILL INTERVENE TO DISCIPLINE YOU".


Well now, that is kind of scary to me! GEEZ!!!! Discipline is one word that causes me to cringe. DISCIPLINE. For myself. And even when I had to discipline my own  kids! And now grandkids. I just don't even like the way that word SOUNDS. UGH. But isn't that what we do for our kids so they won't get hurt? Just a couple of days ago, Natalie  told me that Kemp was "grounded". "WHY?" I asked b/c Kemp is so good and hardly ever has to be disciplined. At 7, he's such a great kid. But, he did something that caused his mother and daddy to have a near panic attack a couple of day ago. He rode his bike off the street into another neighborhood and they couldn't find him for about an hour (I'm sure the longest hour of their life). They COULD have said, "oh that's ok, Kemp, don't do it again, (even though they nearly called the police and they nearly had heart attacks)." but, they were upset and had to let Kemp know how upset they were so they were very stern with him and he was grounded. I think it broke Natalie's heart that Kemp sobbed and sobbed and apologized profusely.  How many times have I had to apologize, on my knees to God for doing something that  caused hurt to others because of something I have done or said??? It hurts to admit , even to God, who already knows what we've done, to tell Him. I hate when I have to do that. And, just like when I was a kid, I sob every time. I'm surprised I haven't made the tub overflow adding my tears to my bath while sobbing out to God for things I've said or done that have hurt others! And, I know I will be disciplined for it! How? Maybe I hurt someone so badly that they  didn't talk to me for awhile or maybe I hurt someone's feelings INTENTIONALLY. Wow, that's the worst. God makes me suffer the consquences and sometimes it sucks! Even things I did in the past, I know I have been disciplined for. It's not fun! But, the sense of relief, just like when I was a kid and had to tell the truth to my parents, well, it's a relief to just tell God. He knows it already, but He wants me to just LAY IT OUT THERE. And the relief and JOY that comes afterwards far surpasses the tears.
 I honestly don't think God ZAPS us with hurts/pains, but he ALLOWS things to happen and sometimes, well, we reap what we sow. RIGHT?.  Deuteronomy 8:5 says, "As a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you". Was Kemp happy he got disciplined? NO! was Natalie AND BRAD glad they had to discipline Kemp? NO! Was it done in LOVE? YES!!!!!!!!!! 


 from Bruce again,
"Our Father God will never discipline you out of rage or selfish desire. He will never lose control. God's actions are all intended to nudge you---lovingly, wisely, persistently, toward the life and character you desire but can't reach without help.  God always disciplines those who bear no fruit. But understanding how He goes about this---and how to respond to Him so that His correction can end--is part of the secret that can take you to the next level of fruitfulness. That's where you get to trade in your empty basket for clusters of luscious grapes."


 Or TOMATOES! 




what do I want you to do until next week?? How 'bout this. Why don't you get some paper and write down your thoughts. Is there anything you feel in your life that is keeping you from bearing more fruit?? If so, write it out. Pray about it. Ask God to help you.TA DA! I have just lowered the BOOM on you. JOURNAL!!!!!!!!!! If not journal, write on the back of your grocery list, for goodness sakes. But WRITE DOWN your thoughts. First , write down if you think you have any fruits showing. If you do, HOORAY!  YOU DON"T HAVE TO SHARE! (except to your own self).  But, I would LOVE it if you  would like to!!!! I REALLY want to hear from you! (email: Imamethodist@aol.com) or leave a message here. If you don't care if I publish what you write, I will and only add a first name. If you'd rather keep yourself anonymous, that's fine too. Just remember, by sharing you are helping others!


If you are showing fruits,You're doing great, keep on keeping on. If you are worried about if you have fruits, do a FRUIT CHECK.  Are you doing things without wanting reward? Are you tending your tomatoes? Are you in need of some cleaning off?  Are you in need of some GOD DISCIPLINE?  (eeks! get ready to cry in your bathtub! Join the Bathtub Crybabies!).If you feel your vineyard (or in my case "'tater patch" )isn't producing enough fruit, then come back next week for some more helpful hints from SECRETS OF THE VINE on what may be keeping you (and me) from producing a bumper crop and how to have baskets full of grapes (or 'maters!).
 Love u all! <><
Jan aka GranJan  xxxooo

wanna join me ????????

Have you been looking for a Bible Study you can do at  the privacy of your own home that doesn't require leaving home/getting dressed or having to be at the church at a specific time that you are unable to attend? OR,  worse case scenario, have you been hurt by a well meaning but judgmental Christian person/denomination or Christian group and that soured you on all facets of Bible studies?   Have you not joined a Bible Study for fear that you "aren't familiar enough for the Bible"/"don't have a church background" or the biggest: for other reasons only you know??? Have you been feeling that Nudge to know more about God but aren't a part of a church or small group? ON THE FLIP SIDE:
 Are you a regular church go-er who  gives to everyone else and needs some study time  yourself??? Are you a church leader/team organizer/Sunday School teacher who needs a little oasis and quiet time ? 
 If you answered "YES" to any of the above or any not listed:
Then, WELCOME. YOU HAVE FOUND A HOME.


 I have gotten "THE NUDGE" to invite you to an online/blog Bible Study!!!!For the past couple of YEARS I have felt like I needed to lead a Bible Study group again. Actually, felt the breath of God, hotly, on my back about it. And I have brushed Him off. Yeah. It's never good when you brush off GOD, for heaven's sakes. But, being in between a couple of churches, *(attending 2  different ones , both Methodist, if you're wondering, haha), I just haven't felt like approaching one of the two churches we regularly attend with: "OH, BTW, I'd like to start a small group study". That would be odd since I'm (me, b/c Big T goes to one of the two ), floating and being indecisive about where I feel led to worship permanently with the Body of Christ. That would be awkward. If not pompous on my part. haha. But, still the hot breath of the Holy Spirit, (not only God but also the H.S.!) ,continues to whisper to me to listen and do that which He has asked me to. Does that sound HOKEY to you? If so,  hit EXIT and leave right now. Because God is bigger than you can ever imagine and, YES, He speaks!. He can whisper to you at any moment, IF YOU HAVE EARS TO HEAR! I promise, I'm not being judgmental here, THIS I know to be TRUE! HE SPEAKS!!!!! In so many ways!!!! (His Word/Christian brothers and sisters/Your pastor/thro circumstances just to name a few). For me, it is undeniable and real. And one thing I am CERTAIN of, I DO know when God is telling me something. How? Don't know. Just do. I'm sure YOU know too, and if you don't, then * I AM SCREAMING NOW:maybe you'd like to JOIN me in a weekly BLOG Bible study so maybe you can recognize , more clearly , HIS Voice? HMMMM? Willing? want to???? If so, PLEASE do! I won't be "giving the plan of salvation" (although I hope you already have heard  that and if you haven't, heck yeah, I'll tell you right then you need to have J.C. as your Lord!). I won't be "talking down to you" (how could I? me a sinner?). I won't be SERMONIZING (again, I'm a sinner, I have to have sermons myself to stay on track!). WHat I WILL do is SHARE what I have read/learned/experienced. Am I qualified? NO! Am I without sin?  NO! Am I judgmental? ABSOLUTELY NOT!>>>  Well, sometimes when I watch "The Bachelor" or "Housewives" I'll be judgemental (YEAH, I'm a real person and I do have my guilty pleasures! reality T.V.! HAHA! BESIDES, you can , and I DO, pray for those folks who seem so looking for what only GOD can give them!).Am I willing to put myself , with lots of warts, out there to share? YES!!!!!!!! (withholding a few secrets that only God knows, of course! HAHA). Want to know where I come from and my beliefs before you comment to this?  Of course you do if you want to join a group with me as leader! So here goes.............
I'll make it simple and quick, ok? Age first. I am 60. wow, that hurts. OUCH! OLD WOMAN.Yeah, I'm old. Another thing about me is that I LOVE to laugh. I always say, (yeah I say it a LOT) that Jesus had THE best sense of humor and GREAT FABO personality!!! I mean, who in their right mind would follow someone who walked around acting all deadbeat and depressed all the time?! He WAS AN AWESOME AND FUN PERSON!!!!!! I see Him smiling almost all the time, except of course, when those who came to Him were hurting or sad. Or when someone just didn't "get it". See, Jesus doesn't MAKE you follow Him, He wants you to do it on your OWN. we're not puppets, folks. He gives you the opportunity to JOIN HIM in His plan.So where was in His Plan? Oh, I'm in it. Just didn't figure out all about it for a long time. I really HATE it when people lament to me, "well, I wasn't brought up in church so I don't know that much about the Bible...blah blah blah". Ok, how about this? I WAS brought up in church , there every SUnday and had to have a doctor's excuse if I was sick on a Sunday!IN OTHER WORDS, I missed about 3 Sundays growing up! DO I KNOW IT ALL????? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
WHAT A JOKE! It was almost, I say "almost" a detriment to me b/c I TOOK FOR GRANTED and DIDN'T LISTEN. Got it? So no excuses about not growing up in church. I had about the same knowledge as you. Soooo, when did I come into the knowledge of Christ and accept Him as my Lord? well, when I was 12 I became confirmed and Baptized at East Lake United Methodist Church. This is kind of funny but when I was signing up for Confirmation I asked my mother, "Was I baptized as a baby?" She said, "well, I just can't remember. we went to Dauphin Way UMC (in Mobile, Ala.) but I don't remember if you were actually Christened then or NOT!". Hmmmm, sticky. HAHAHA! (I had to tell tHAT to my minister).So, it is QUITE POSSIBLE I was baptized TWICE>! THat makes me super special, right? WRONGO PONGO! HAHAHAHA! It took a lot of GOD WORK to get me straight! I wasn't a bad kid/teen at all. I was just silly. Tried to be "center of attention"(no comments from the peanut gallery). I Liked to make people laugh. (still do). Not disrespectful to adults but didn't listen either. So, first encounter with Jesus? THis sounds weird and hokey, but I used to talk to God all the time as a kid. Yeah. Like a best friend. I think God probably thought that was endearing and made Him smile. But, as I grew older, I didn't do that as much. I became older and wanted more "real, skin on Friends". So, after years of hearing all the Bible Stories at church---in some kind of film strip thing we watched in Sunday School  about a flying squirrel who gives the Gospel. (hmmm). I liked that, of course. Fast forward. (cause I'm losing your attention). Next encounter.At Camp Sumatanga, (A Methodist campground) about an hour from here , in the wooded beautiful mountains. Long story short, I felt Him , for the first time in a long time, in Quiet Time during a Youth Retreat.I HEARD THE VOICE in the woods at Camp Sumatanga. But I was WAAAAY TOO COOL to mention THAT to my friends. And, it only lasted long enough for me to get home and get back to my silly, teen aged years and forgetting Him. Kind of. Except while singing at Sunday School, "IN THE GARDEN" or other meaningful hymns where I did definitely hear "HIS VOICE" again.*(YES< MUSIC CAN GET YOU SOMETIMES WHEN NOTHING ELSE CAN).


*NOTE HERE: I AM A METHODIST. That does NOT mean I don't like: Baptists,Episcopalians,Presbyterians(oops,wrong spelling even tho my grandmother was one)/Catholics/ etc. But, I was "born/raised" a Methodist and that I will stay. I like their belief system and how we do things , well, methodically. I love John Wesley ,founder of our denomination b/c he was awesome. NO, I didn't know him personally, heck he's been dead for ages, but I truly feel he "got it"/shared it and lived it. I don't agree with everything the Methodists do/say!But,a Methodist I am and will stay. (see my email address below! HAHA)....Now, lets move quickly. I got LOTS out of our Sunday School Class at ELUMC when my kids were little. THen, in 1990 we moved to Hoover. We joined another Methodist church that was small but would soon become a massive, huge congregation. Riverchase UMC. It was there that I joined a DISCIPLE group , (joined to make new friends, I DID, and they are friends to this day!), and my appetite was whetted and I now knew I needed more. MUCH more of THE GOD I PUT ON THE SHELF UNTIL I NEEDED HIM. I was invited to go on an EMMAUS WALK which changed my life. And my whole concept of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit and they they work in my life. In 72 hours I had what I had missed for 40 years in Sunday School and Church. NOT BECAUSE OF THE TEACHERS OR PREACHERS. Let me underscore that! It was because of  ME. Selfish ,me. Close minded, me. Hard to penetrate the brain, me.Even harder, hard to get to my faith understanding, me. What I found during one of the "reflection times" during my "Walk to Emmaus" was that , not surprisingly, He was still speaking to me as He had when I was 3. My "mature" ears had just stopped listening. OH THE JOY I had upon leaving Camp Sumatanga that Sunday after the Emmaus Walk ended.  For I had NEW TOOLS ,  almost like a better "hearing aid" to hear His Voice again. And I took off running. LIFE CHANGED..Life did not change in the fact that anything changed but ME. I changed!!!!! Life was the same. Pain/struggle/world issues.. I UNDERSCORE, I was  not completely changed. NO WAY! I was still: selfish/stubborn/envious/prideful/unwilling to forgive about a lot of things. I AM A WORK IN PROGRESS< FOLKS! I am STILL working on these things. But, as if Jesus is  constantly and yet gently tapping my hardened heart, I see a shinier and cleaner one emerging. I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO! But, I see changes. And I have regressions. But, One step forward and trying NOT to take a step back. Oh, I do sometimes, but it's getting better......The past 20 years have been one of growth/pain/suffering/incredible joy/searching/fulfillment/ and pure happiness. During the past 20 years I have led several Bible Studies. Not patting myself on the back, in FACT, the very first one I led , TO THIS DAY, I cringe at how it went. BUT, have had 3 of those precious folks tell me it meant so much to them. HUH?! How could it??? It was chaotic,inept and lacking. BUT, it was where I was then, I guess God just "fixes" things where people don't always see your flaws when it comes to teaching HIS Word. I'm not going to talk about the groups I was blessed to be a part of.RIGHT NOW. I was only the designated leader (as inept as I am), but it was the people there that made each group what it was. AMAZING and wrought with miracles, each amazing group of women . I would love to one day write about two different particular groups (and I will one day);one with one other person who started a group and another later on-- 4 of us who stepped out with a vision and how we were all overcome with all that came with it. JOY/DISCOVERY/PAIN/FAITH/DESPAIR/ and HOPE.
How sticking together and walking together with HIM, changed all of us involved......
*********************************
SOOO,That's it, not really, but enough if you're still reading. More to come! IF you want to. I'd love to have you "come along with me" on this journey God is calling me to take once again. Only this time in very different venue. THE BLOG. What I thought I'd do is have one day a week for my "study". Say, Wednesday! (just randomly, just that minute, pulled that out of the air! HAHA). On WEDNESDAY I will have my thoughts on something I am reading or studying. It might change from week to week! or, it might stay the same. Who knows? (but God!). So, are you ready to come along????? If SO, you don't need to tell me, unless you WANT to. If you WANT to, please email me (Imamethodist@aol.com) or leave a comment here. I'd love to know , if you WANT me to know! Otherwise, you can stay a silent traveler with me. Fine with me. Of course, I'd love to have your INPUT so if you get brave, please give me your thoughts!!!!!!!!


For my FIRST study BLOG lesson, (that I will start soon), I found this little book I bought back in 2001. Do you remember "Prayer of Jabez" ? Its not that one, haha, but another one by the same author, Bruce Wilkinson, called: Secrets of the Vine.Certainly not as well known, a small book, I think I skimmed it after buying it and promptly put it away amid the others in my closet. And I have MILLIONS, (ok, hundreds), of Christian books around here. BUT, for SOME REASON (GOD???), it landed in my hands. WOW, it has some awesome stuff in it. I LOVE IT. The book is based on John 15 and is about "fruit bearing". Spiked your interest? If it sounds, well, BLEH, to you, don't give up.It's cool, I promise. Maybe I thought it was, well, "bleh"  the first time I read it too but not now. Now it seems sooooo perfect to launch a little study on. The thing is, you might not even be able to find it now.(except online). That's ok, I'll just go over the stuff and what I've learned. And then, you can see what YOU think. (and maybe you will come out of hiding! HAHA). 
enough for now. I am going to let you think about and pray about if you want to be a part of a "blog Bible Study" or not. I will come back tonight after putting together some thoughts about it. Until then, ask yourself what I've asked MY self. Are you ready to go to a Bible Study but can't "fit it in" b/c of work/busy-ness during the day but yet KNOW you need to hear/read/ be in something? Well, maybe you've found a niche. Maybe I"VE found my niche. I'll challenge you AND ME to get out of the rut. You can't say you don't have anything to wear! COME IN YOUR JAMMIES! You can't say that you have tennis or exercise! YOU CAN COME AT NIGHT! (in the MIDDLE of the night!) you can't say that you are TOO BUSY(you have time now to do this!). YOU CAN say you need to be connected. You CAN say you need a friend. You CAN say you feel called by God but not sure how to respond.  We'll try this together. If you want to remain anonymous, do so. But, I will encourage you to SHARE because WHAT YOU THINK is important to me and even more important to GOD. And by sharing what YOU know, you are helping others. maybe this is the first time you've EVER been in Bible Study. Maybe it's your TEN MILLIONTH (like me). Maybe you are shy (that's ok, I won't call you out), maybe you need someone to know the real "you". Whatever reason you're here (and God love you if you're still here reading this now!), I'm glad. But God is gladder. (I know, that's not a real word, but I'm not an English teacher. HAHAHAHA). I will put prayer requests that come along to me at the bottom of my blog for you to write down, if you will, to pray for. I want YOUR requests as well. If you have one too personal, just ask for "unspoken".
Since you're still here, I have a prayer request until we meet again. It's for a childhood friend who was hit by a car after her son's wedding, of all things. She is in grave condition at UAB hospital with many broken bones and possible brain injury, It happened 10 days ago. She is a Principal at a local school, (Homewood for those in the area) and we grew up together, watching the same squirrel filmstrips and giggling in Sunday School and church. She needs our prayers, friends. Her name is Carol Calloway Lord.


Now.......
  come along with me....the best is yet to BE.


P.S. BTW, would you like to help me name this group>>>? I have been a part of many groups and we always named ourselves. I have already been a part of "SPLASHES OF JOY"; SERENDIPITY and B.A.B.E.S. and "Starting Over....with GOD" and "OASIS".  Now I need another name for OUR group. Send me a message with your idea, you just might be the winner!  EMAIL me or put on here your ideas....I'll be back on the blog tonight after working on what I'll say in my first study. I'm excited. I hope you'll join me.


P.P.S. YES< I'll still be putting my usual blah blah stuff on here--annoying and oftentimes obnoxious pix of grandchildren,e tc. Just in case you were wondering.haha