What is a Baby worth?

Ever wonder what a baby is worth?   I do not know all the answer's to that question-- but I am learning.

I know it's worth a lot of inconvenience and money, just ask all the people that pay thousands and thousands of dollars to adopt a child overseas.

I know it's worth a lot of heart ache and longing-- just ask all the people waiting 7+ years to adopt a baby.

I know it can cost you a great job-- been there, done that.

So what is a baby worth?

It's worth a lot of sacrifice.    It's worth the cost of all the luxuries I think I need.  It's worth the time sacrifices that will be asked of me.

I don't want to be someone that says, "You made your bed, you lie in it."  I don't want to be the person that goes, "Tsk, tsk, (big sigh)",  and rolls my eyes.  I don't want to be the person that is always reminding the girl/woman of the mistake they made-- like they've got to "pay" and be miserable the rest of their lives.

Church, there are a lot of women in our midst who are getting pregnant --while on birth control! and they are considering abortion because of our attitudes and lack of support. Heaven help us!

The heart of the Father longs for these little ones!  He is entrusting them to us.  We dare not turn aside-- who knows but that we will find his perfect will for our lives as we help the one in front of us.

So what do you think?  Any thoughts or comments?  I would love to hear from you.

Faytene's group (v-kolmedia) did this great video and it sums up what I am feeling right now..

http://youtu.be/8xUR5SbuWdY

Bless you real good!
Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

Values

I have heard a lot of stuff in my fifty years and I have seen a lot of stuff go wrong in relationships.

I have seen seemingly good relationships fall apart for the most minimal reasons that became mountains somehow.

Because I value relationships above money I have watched and learned a few things to protect relationships.  Here's one big tip...

When you go on a trip or a joint venture with someone before the end of it always ask if the money obligations are satisfied.  You do not want them walking away feeling used or shortchanged.   My friend was really good about that and I so appreciated her bringing up that sensitive topic.

You see, I made the mistake of going on a holiday with someone and wrongly assumed that they would bring money to cover their share of the motel, food, gas and some spending money.  What a shock when I found out that she didn't bring a cent!  Spent her money before the trip no less!

So now I know to communicate more, rather than less.   This can be very difficult especially if the other person is 'too busy' for you.... but you have to try.

When a friend was planning on going on a 3 week holiday with two of her  friends I suggested that she discuss in advance what the itinerary was going to be, how many events they wanted to take in, who was going to drive and how the expenses were going to be paid for.   After the trip my friend phoned and thanked me many times for that piece of advice because the trip was great, there were no headaches and their friendships were still intact.

You see,  some people have the idea that Christianity doesn't affect their spending habits  They are Christians, all right-- they just haven't gotten a revelation about kingdom priorities.

In the Kingdom of God we are warned not to cause  any of God's little ones to stumble.  God values you and I --not money.

If you are on the receiving end of some financial abuse... take heart!  God hears your cry and he will pay you back.

That's not to excuse the other person's behavior.   They will end up having to retake the test another time.  Your priority is to keep your heart clean before the Lord.  That's a big enough assignment!

I hope this tip saves you some grief.  I am still learning of course and I welcome your feed back.

Have a great day with HIM!
Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

Puppy Turn Around

The puppies are cute at 4 weeks old. They were not very good at licking up the pablum at first. They started licking it off my fingers initially and then I would draw them to the plate edge. Once they realized the food was there they got excited and tried to climb into the plate. Well that was hilarious as all legs skidded out on them.

It took them a while to realize that walking across the plate was not a good idea. I had to keep pulling them back.
The mother is from a little town way past Kitchener and the Daddy is from Missouri.   I was really happy with their markings and their health, so you can imagine my shock when the vet told me that one of them had a heart murmur.  I had done everything possible to make sure the parents were not related.

"What is that?," I asked in my ignorance.

She replied, "It's when the heart valves don't work properly." 

"Is it serious?," I probed, looking for more information.

"No, 95% of the time they go away on their own by the time the dog is full grown," she explained.

Hmm.  I couldn't get her to try the stethoscope again and she wrote the damning information on the vet report. This was horrible news. Sick puppies don't sell and I was counting on the money to pay off the summer bills because I didn't have a job. Never mind that fact that I was going back to work and didn't have time to look after an additional puppy.

By the time I got into the car to head home I was upset to say the least.  I told the Lord, "This is not blessed. You told me I was blessed, so show me what to say or do to change this into a blessing."

Immediately the words of the vet came back to me.... it goes away on it's own 95% of the time.   So what I needed was for God to speed up the healing process.  She was an otherwise healthy pup and played as hard or harder than the other pups, so I had peace to pray that.

As soon as I got home I got  my son and daughter to agree with me that Ruby was supernaturally healed and that she would never have a heart problem again and neither would her future puppies.
Nothing happened that we could see, no physical witness, tears, heat, tingles.  Therefore we stood by faith. I wouldn't let anyone confess anything but health and blessing over Ruby.

It was the longest 4 days ever.  I had a hard time sleeping at night because so much was hinged on this puppy selling.  I disliked not telling the lady about the situation, but the Lord kept telling me to wait whenever I asked him if I could let her know.  Ruby was scheduled to fly out on Tuesday so we went to the vet on Monday.

The senior vet examined her and when she had the stethoscope on her, she kept moving it.  Laughter and tears hit me as I realized that she couldn't find the murmur.  I had brought two business cards from church and was sharing about all the miracles that had happened recently in the meetings.

She didn't want to acknowledge the miracle and said, "Well, hang on a minute." Bringing out a pediatric stethoscope, she again listened to Ruby's heart from many different angles.

Well it's not there," she stated.  "It could be that it was intermittent," she offered by way of explanation.

We know better.   Ruby got her miracle and I got my testimony and the opportunity to witness to the receptionist and the vet. To God be all the glory!

Incidentally, this is what the vet put on the travel document:
"Innocent Heart Murmur noted on first exam Aug 19/10. 
Unable to detect today - maybe intermittent but unlikely pathological."

I emailed Ruby's new owner with the news and a pdf of the Certificate of Health and gave her the option of taking her or I would refund her money.  She decided to take her and Ruby flew out via West Jet on Tuesday.

I rejoice in how it worked out.  God is on our side and there is a devil/bully on the loose trying to kill, steal and destroy any area of our lives he can, especially our finances.  That is his last stronghold because he knows that money makes the world go around.

So the challenge is to renew our minds and then ask the Lord what we can say or do that will change things.  He says that all things will work together for our good, to those that love Him and that we should have no fear of bad news, so now we have to dig in to the word and put it to work for us. (Rom. 8:28, Ps. 112:7-10)

Rejoice!  Again I say rejoice!  The Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.(Psalm 35:27) That's good news in these economic times.

I decree you are blessed with God's wisdom  today. May you have His joy in your journey and may you know His love more and more, in Jesus' name I ask. Amen.

Justice or Grace?

Someone was complaining to me today that God was unfair and that He would help someone and then maybe not.

I cannot agree with that.  God does not have multiple personalities.  He is the embodiment of Love.  His mercy and grace are over all his works and even in the old testament He extended grace to King David, a murderer and an adulterer because he cried out for forgiveness.  Of all people King David deserved to lose his throne, his kingdom and his life, and yet God forgave Him.

So what's the deal?  One thing I have learned is that our mouths get us into more trouble than we ever realize.  What we speak about God limits what we will receive from Him.  God asks us every day to choose life and much of the time we won't.

We want justice, whether it be the person driving without regard for the rules of the road or the coworker that got the promotion we thought we needed.  Wanting justice costs us grace and the price is too high, in my estimation.  We can't walk in justice and grace at the same time.   Wanting justice shuts down our faith and paralyzes our praise and worship.

God has promised that 'all things will work together for our good' and we have to take him at His word. (Rom. 8:28)  If He really is God almighty then it's high time we start asking Him to turn our troubles into blessings.

As we stay in grace the promise of Galatians 3:13-14 becomes available to us. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."  Since we have the blessing of Abraham on us (as we walk in grace) we have the right to ask God what to say or do that will turn this circumstance, that's coming at us, into a blessing.

He's our Daddy and as we run to him, with the right attitude He'll show us what to do.  He wants to help us.  He gets no glory when we suffer with lack and hurt and torment.  Rather, God gets glory when His people get breakthroughs financially, physically and mentally.

Bless you as start to command your troubles to turn around into blessings!

ps. Testimonies are coming. It's been a busy summer and I've been keeping my journal up to date with lots of nuggets from the Lord and testimonies... so check back every so often.
Bless you again in Jesus' name!