Blog Archives - The Remarkable Blog

Week 0f Thanksgiving #4 "Happy Thanksgiving"

11/28/2019

Happy
Thanksgiving

Thanks for being so loyal and encouraging me to keep on writing. There are some mornings or evenings I truly think, "I have nothing to say." Then, I think of you. Do you need encouraged? Do you need to feel the Father's love? Have I told them what I have been hearing? Or learning? Or studying? Then, God is always faithful to help me write. I have been writing this Blog now for over five years. I am grateful.

ACTION STEP: Stop and really think about the year we are about to finish. What can you thank God for? Ask others that you see today, what are they grateful for? Since we are all attempting to "BE COMPLAINT FREE", let's start by giving thanks.

1 Chronicles 16:34
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever."

Week of Thanksgiving #3

11/27/2019

We don't raise morale, it trickles down from the top. I saw these bracelets, on a website by Jon Gordon and his book, "The No Complaining Rule." I realized it was to be a Thanksgiving Message. I thought there is no better way to be thankful, than to "Be Complaint Free." I must define that complaining is to express grief, pain or discontent. "Be Complaint Free" which is about learning to develop healthy communication skills. Will Bowen said he heard that, "Complaining is like bad breath--we only notice it when it comes out of other peoples mouths."

These are the wristlets I handed out. Here was the catch, in order to be a part of the culture those present were to vow to take the challenge of being "Complaint Free", for the next 40 days. This would take us through January 2nd, 2020. Imagine being complaint free for 40 days? It will take us through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years without a complaint. I hope you enjoy this You Tube video. If you have some free time waiting in your car, waiting in line or just plain free time read the Bible about how the Israelites complained in Numbers chapter 11.

Here is the catch. When you complain switch the wristband to the other wrist and start again with day one. Eventually, you will get to day two. It may take months to get through 40 Days Complaint Free.

ACTION STEP: Watch how you start a conversation. Tell the truth. But start off with, "You may not be aware..." rather than complaining. Identify the person in charge that can change the situation and make it better. Complaining only keeps us focused on the problem not the solution. Take the Challenge! "Be Complaint Free!"

The Week of Thanksgiving #2

11/26/2019

You have got to love technology. When we depend on it and it works it's great. When we depend on it and it doesn't it's terrible. Thus, the story why this Blog went out late. I did the message last night and then closed up my computer and went to bed. I obviously was so tired I neither put it in the hopper of saved it. I just closed the laptop. That doesn't work. So, here I sit trying to remember what I said. It always seems better worded when you write it the first time. Nevertheless, I believe I have a word for you from the Lord.

Today, I am grateful for the Word of God. It is the pathway to God's blessing.We are the richest people in the world because, we have the Word of God. The Word of God can change any circumstance, person or problem. This past weekend in all three of our services I gave each person a wristband. The wristband said, "Be Complaint Free." I share that whenever God wanted to do something, or take a people into a blessing, they always complained about the process. The circumstances were always less than desirable in the process, but the Word of the Lord still stood. The Word of God will come to pass but whether we pass the test of the process, is another matter.

In the process we must fear the Lord. We must reverence His commands. We must do as He instructs us in order to come into our promised land, in to our position of authority. We must be under authority in order to have authority. A policeman has the backing of the entire police department. The lawyer has the backing of the complete judicial system. We have the total backing of Heaven and the God of Heaven.

ACTION STEP: Take the challenge to be complaint free for the next 40 days. This will take you to January 2, 2020. This challenge will get you through the holidays complaint free. Are you in? God's word demands us to fear the Lord and trust in Him and trust His Word. It is the pathway to the blessings He has in store for us.

The week of Thanksgiving #1

11/25/2019

Countdown has begun. Today, is Monday and I couldn't be happier. With Monday being my Sabbath, I got to start my week off with two little guys I call my Grandsons. It was so exciting to being woke up by giggles. Well, not so much at 5:30AM. I decided since I did bath and bedtime routine, it was his turn to take over--at 5:30 AM. I went back to sleep. To my surprise, when I woke up all three of my men were still sound asleep. Way to go DeDa! (Grandpa in Croatian)

Then, it dawned on me. This must be the way God feels. God just loves us. He doesn't care that we are so less capable, so less intelligent, so less faithful and grateful, He loves us anyway. The Word tells us, "...He never sleeps or slumbers but He gives His beloved sweet sleep." He doesn't love us because of all we can do but because of who we are. We are His!

It makes no difference my littlest one changed his mind three times about what he wanted to eat for breakfast--only after DeDa had made each one. Then he ate more bacon than he weighs in pounds. Needless to say, we are so in love with these guys.

ACTION STEP: Find time to spend with those you love. That's what love is all about!

Practice Thanksgiving Everyday of your life.

11/22/2019

Psalms 50:23
He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.

What would it look like if the things we do at Thanksgiving we did all year long, in our spiritual lives as well as in the natural? I know I promised to explain # and I will get there. Hang in here with me. i got to share what God is telling us in this season.

1. Invite family and friends over

Matthew 9 Jesus says, "Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

One of our job duties as Christians is to actively work for souls. Remember we give the invitation and God does the saving! Invite others to share a meal with you this year. Reach out to the singles and widowed in your community.Where will the lonely eat?

We need to actively promote what God is doing in us! One way to do this is around the dinner table.

2. Prepare for the feast

II Timothy 2:15, "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Preparation is needed in order to pull off a successful Thanksgiving Day feast right?
The turkey just doesn’t stroll up and sit on your porch and the potatoes don’t jump out of the ground and into your mailbox! You prepare in advance for all the day’s activities.

Are we as believers truly preparing for the day when we see God face to face?

We need to prepare. Memorizing scripture, earnestly praying and being a blessing to everyone around us.

Col 4:2
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving."

3. Prayer of thanksgiving is offered

In many American homes, the Thanksgiving meal is the only time when a prayer is offered to God!

We need to remember that what we believe in hinges on prayer!

Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. What if Jesus didn’t pray that night?

We prayed a prayer of salvation to receive Christ as our savior.

Prayer is the heart of our spiritual walk. If we don’t pray, we will start the process of dying!

ACTION STEP: Here are three of the seven things I wanted to share with you. I will share the other four with you tomorrow. Begin to celebrate Thanksgiving today and then continue to celebrate Thanksgiving everyday of your life. Open your home to others, prepare yourself for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and pray. Pray like everything in life depends on it, because it does. Practice these three today and then tomorrow we will add four more to practice daily, to make Thanksgiving an everyday occurrence in our lives.

Be careful what you pray for. Thanks or No Thanks?

11/21/2019

You know it's true? We treat God with the same manner we treat our closest friends or family. Not good. He is like way bigger, better, and deserves to be treated way. God offers you something and then you say, "No, thanks." That is truly messed up. We can say that to our parents, our sisters and brothers, but they are not God. God gives us something and we has better to say, "Thank you!" He does not waste time, rather He created it. He does not say, "Let's make a deal." No, He says, "Here's the deal." Now, that we have that settled just for the record, when God says, "Here is manna." We do not say, "I want Quail." No. We just shut up and eat the manna. It doesn't matter that we don't like manna. It don't manna....(I know I did that on purpose, smile.)

So, let me get this right. God was giving them daily portions of the food of Angels, enough for everyone in their family AT NO COST! And they still complained? How versatile was manna! It could be ground like meal, cooked in a pot, made into cakes! You could have as much as you needed, no one went hungry. It was the ultimate protein bar, containing 100% of the Daily Nutritional requirements for life in the wilderness! Or anywhere, on earth or in Heaven! "No thanks." Their tables were laden down with food, provided AT NO COST, and they lost their appetite! They had filet of manna, manna-cotti, manna burgers, and ba-manna nut bread, and still lost their appetite! Why? Not because the taste had become tiresome, but because they were ungrateful. Ingratitude! All they needed, but not what they wanted – leeks, onions, garlic, fish – all the stuff that leads to bellyaches and bad breath! No “Thanks” in their lives! They were not complaining about their DIET but about what God was DOING! What You are doing for us, God, is not enough!

In a sense, gratitude is an expression of DEPENDENCY. In Hebrew, the word for gratitude "hoda’ah" is the same as the word for confession. To offer thanks is to confess dependence, to admit that your life is better because of another’s efforts. These people were rejecting God when they rejected and complained about His gift!

God let loose (Psalm 78: 26) the east wind and it didn’t rain cats and dogs; it rained quail and quail! And more quail! Right within arms reach and everywhere around them. They didn’t have to hunt them! The quail did not hide or fly away. Every man, woman, boy, and girls, who wanted meat with their manna could gather all they wanted. Just knock ‘em in the head, and throw as many as you could in your sack! And they did! Everyone who wanted meat gathered no less than 65 bushels!!!! Can you image walking through Quail knee deep as far as you could walk? The stench? The feathers, the beaks, the sound, the filth? Be careful what you pray for...you might get an abundance of it!

Numbers 11:1-34
"And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.
3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.
4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.
8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
11 And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
23 And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord'S people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!
30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
31 And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.
34 And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted."

ACTION STEP: Be careful what you pray for. You might get an abundance of it.

Somewhere in the wilderness between the two branches of the Red Sea lie the graves of the ungrateful. These folk who said “NO THANKS” to the provision of God found their just desserts in the desert!

"Thanks" or "No thanks", I choose to give thanks with a grateful heart!

#Weight loss

11/20/2019

1 Corinthians 3:17
"If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."

We have all wondered about either how to lose weight or get in shape. Who hasn't looked up #weight loss? Okay, maybe it's just because you didn't understand hashtags? I will explain that in my next Blog. Smile, I know you want to. On a more serious note why am I mentioning weight loss right before Thanksgiving? Because there is always a reason to wait to start watching what we eat. Someone, somewhere, is having a birthday. But what about Christmas? Well, then there is Easter? See what I mean? I want to share my year long journey with you. On October 15, 2018 I began a weight loss journey. I use the word journey because it took me almost a year. But, I lost thirty pounds and have kept it off. I got rid of my fat clothes and have made a commitment to stay a healthy weight for my body. I made a lifestyle change.

So, you're probably asking what I did to loose thirty pounds? I changed the way I ate and the what I ate. I actually started eating more and more often. Really. I eat every two and a half to three hours. I eat smaller portions and drink lots of water. Did you hear that? I drinks lots of water. Drinking the water was the hardest transition to make. At first it made me sick and kept me running to the bathroom. Then, I adjusted or should I say my body adjusted? Now, I legitimately get thirsty. I don't burp all the time and I don't constantly run to the restroom. I feel amazing most of the time. It is only when I fall back into an old patterns that I begin feeling really bad again. I have had that happen so many times, I have finally chosen to stay with what is working and not go back to my old habits of eating bad. It is just not worth it. I feel hungry when it is time to eat and satisfied once I have eaten. That's a big deal for me because I would starve myself and then eat everything I wanted. My body was totally abused, not at all the way I should have treated the temple of God.

Today, i weigh a healthy weight and no longer concern myself with what to wear, and does this make me look fat? I get dressed in half the time. I am more comfortable in my own skin. I have less aches and pains and more energy. I've learned more about food. I know what a protein, a fat and a carb is and how to combine them to fuel my body and not cause me to gain weight. I am a fat burning machine operating the way God created me to operate. I am grateful for the journey and for all the help from from folks who went ahead of me and shared their journey. I hope this helps you. I started right before Thanksgiving in 2018 and now before Thanksgiving 2019 I have a lot more to be thankful for. Do I still eat a cookie, or pizza or drink a Starbucks from time to time? You bet I do! I am human. But, it just doesn't taste the same and for the most part not worth the sick, feeling bad, aches and pains that accompany that short taste good feeling.

I changed my mind about what I wanted to weigh to how I felt and what was healthy, and the weight came off. I told myself what to do instead of my flesh telling me what it wanted. I planned my meals and prepped them accordingly, then ate what I prepped. My husband started eating what I ate and lost weight too. Now, we are both a good weight and enjoy our new way of eating. We are both well over fifty years old and we feel thirty again. I even began running again and in May did my first marathon since I was in my twenty-to-thirties. If you want more information reply here or email me a pastarena@aol.com for more information.

ACTION STEP: Make a decision. Start ruling your body and stop letting it rule you. Philippians 3:18-20 says, "For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ," There are so many verses in the Bible about weight. Read them. Find out what works for you and treat your body like the temple it is. Remember the scripture I opened with, 1 Corinthians 3:17 "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." Eat to live. Proverbs 23:2 tells us, "And put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite." Wow, that's a really tough statement! I haven't done that--but somedays in the beginning it did feel that way, lol. But, be encouraged you can do this! Your body will thank you!

As good as cash.

11/19/2019

"Active faith gives thanks for a promise, even though it is not yet performed, knowing that Gods contracts are as good as cash."

I am practicing this week to be more active in giving thanks. I am reframing the way I think about things. I am making a conscious effort in finding reasons to appreciate my daily occurrences. Instead of wishing I was at the beach, I looked at my seashell collection and thanked God for all the trips to the beach I've enjoyed. This led me to being thankful for my Dad and all the trips I'd got to take with him to the beach. This made me thankful for my step-mother who pushed my Dad to take all of us kids (eight) to the beach for the very first time for (five of us). That is one of the first times I can remember as ever being thankful for her.

This challenge to be thankful is opening memories and giving me more things to be thankful. It's strange how giving thanks for one thing leads one to be thankful for other things. Just like being grumpy and complaining leads to more of the same.

This week I am thankful for my grandsons. I am grateful for my daughter and son in love who opened their heart and home to two little boys born to an alcoholic mother. Born with FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) these little guys have had everything they need to grow into normal men. For this I am thankful. I once was sad because I had no grandchildren. I was sad for the infertility challenges my daughter was battling. But these little guys changed everything. They have brought joy to our hearts for which we will be forever grateful.

ACTION STEP: People who are grateful live longer and have better health and energy. Studies show people who are grateful make more money and have more friends. Living in gratitude and a thanksgiving presence brings presents! Expect good things and good things come into your life. When we are present and awake we notice opportunities that we otherwise would have missed and overlooked. Don't miss the blessings that surround you. Gratefulness opens our eyes and awakens us to challenges and gifts all around us that are as good as cash.

Thankful for fleas.

11/18/2019

Daniel 6:20
''Daniel was on his knees three times a day,
praying and giving thanks before his God.''

G.K. Chesterton called gratitude ''the mother of all virtues''. One of the most significant changes that Jesus Christ wants to make in our hearts and lives is to transform us into people who are continually grateful.

Psalm 30:11-12 says:
''You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

I am listening to, "Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude" by Nina Lesowitz. I must admit you will have to chew up the meat and spit out the fat. There are several great quotes. She lost me often but I trotted through it and had several thought provoking moments. It did cause me to think more about being grateful, giving thanks, and our most simple actions and words make a huge difference in the lives of others. We are never alone and may be entertaining angels unaware.

Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place relates an incident that taught her an important principle. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck.

Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded and flea-infested. Their Scripture reading that morning in 1 Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters. Corrie at first flatly refused to give thanks for the fleas, but Betsy persisted. She finally succumbed.

During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings without guard interference. It was several months later when they learned that the guards would not enter the barracks because of the fleas.

ACTION STEP: Refuse to complain. Every time you catch yourself complaining turn it into thanksgiving. Take the challenge to give thanks daily. Celebrate life in the little things not just the big events. Shift your thinking to what makes you glad to be alive. Enjoy your journey. Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.

Pray for the Peace of Israel

11/15/2019

Since coming home from my trip to Israel I have been much more diligent to pray for Israel. My love for what God loves, and my hate for what God hates has grown. The brevity of life has awakened within me and aroused my spirit to wage war in prayer. Tonight, as I write this to post in the morning, I have an urgency to sound the alarm for us to pray for the peace of Israel. When Israel is at war, we are at war.

Friends of mine that live in Israel are telling me that things are getting more dangerous. "Since Tuesday, at least 25 terrorists were killed by the IDF as they tried to launch missiles and anti-tank rockets towards Israel. In total, 450 rockets were fired at Israel since Tuesday morning. Around 90% of those heading towards population centers were intercepted by the Iron Dome. Sixty percent of the rockets landed in unpopulated, open areas." https://www.israelam.com/top-israel-news-headlines/

Psalm 122:6
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee."

ACTION STEP: Pray for the peace of Israel. The scripture above tells us that, whoever loves Israel shall prosper. It tells us, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Today, I set aside all topics I could write about and focus on sending you this message alone, "Pray." The prayers of the righteous avail much. One can put a thousand to flight, how much more all of us. Standing with you in prayer. Use the time you would normally be reading this Blog and pray.