Chaos and Order

All things have ebb and flow, don’t they?  

We experience the good, the awkward, the humiliating, the encouraging, the peaceful and the amazing throughout our lifetimes.  Sometimes we are aware of them, and other times we are simply immersed in the rise and fall of them. 

Honestly, the more I grow the more I understand.  Yet simultaneously the more I understand the more I see that I have so little understanding ….even though I have so much more than I used to.  

What is really ironic for me to piece together, is that somehow, I believe this might be the purest form of harmony and balance: nothing lacking, nothing missing; it is liberty, freedom and allowance of more of the same. (does that make sense outside of my own head?? :)

Very much, I have missed making daily posts.  However, God has had to do a bit of rearranging.  I found that I was being ordered by my to do list of administrative chores, and not by the peace of His divine order.  Although they were all great and very necessary accomplishments, I have not been resting in my tasks.  This is not even the surface of what He has been allowing me to experience, but we will get there!

What He has been returning to me, washing over me time and again is this:  I can do anything and all things in Him…..it is possible!  But not all things are profitable for what He has designed me to accomplish.  Crazy isn't it?  So, there are BIG changes being made, firstly the renewing of my mind. My focus has to be to see through His eyes, not mine or those around me. 

He is showing me that this never stops.  It is the growing from glory, to glory, to glory.  We know He does not change, we believe that we are being transformed into His image and likeness.  We probably even, on most days understand that what He states, in Roman 12:2, is not a onetime thing but an ebb and flow throughout the moments, thoughts and memories of our lives:

 Don't become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants-what is good, pleasing, and perfect.

We know it never stops, if we really thing about it.  How far will we have to go to get to the very last piece of our “self”?  The answer is……it doesn't matter how far that is.  I do not say that to give us a slack moment of self awareness – just the opposite.  My intent is to empower each of us to keep searching for His image, hidden beneath our shady pieces.  But do not search without holding up a proper light.  Be sure to  Keep the light of this word in your presence to search by:

Ephesians 3: 14 -20: This is the reason I kneel in the presence of the Father from whom all the family in heaven and on earth receives its name.  I'm asking God to give you a gift from the wealth of his glory. I pray that he would give you inner strength and power through his Spirit.  Then Christ will live in you through faith. I also pray that love may be the ground into which you sink your roots and on which you have your foundation.  This way, with all of God's people you will be able to understand how wide, long, high, and deep his love is.  You will know Christ's love, which goes far beyond any knowledge. I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God. Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us. By this power he can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.

As I said, it does not matter how far we have to go to reach that last little shady area of self which is covering Him.  You see, you now understand how wide, long, high and deep his love is.  And this love has been covering all our chaos through His divine order.

Pause and Think about this today.

With Love from the depths of my heart…..to you,

Kisses,

Candace

There are three pieces to this understanding.  Tomorrow, I will link them all together.

Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc ®

©Candace Huffmaster 2012, All Copy Rights Reserved

It is True You Have Zeal......

Gosh, I have missed you guys!!  It is so awesome to be back in MY saddle.  There is a very apropos movie quote for how I feel: 

You can't ride two horses with one "bum", sugarbean!  from Sweet Home Alabama

Yesterday, when writing to you all, I was interrupted by “my agenda”.  Usually, I would bury those posts and pick up with the fresh material from this day.  However,   this is not how I will be doing things from now on  :0.  The truth is, I love order, but I live amidst chaos.  We all do, and it is my hope to stretch myself to become order in this chaotic world system!  Would you like to join me today? J

Here is the bite from October 15^th:

God has been teaching me “how” to see.  We, or at least I, cannot even handle that on my own…..At least not in the highest, best sight.  Without Him, I only have my own abilities and possibly a few good meaning friends. 

In group, we have been revisiting The Wind and a Stone.  Each time I teach this, I see something about God’s will in regard to myself a bit more clearly.  For instance, these verses sprang to mind:

Romans 10:2, 3, 14, 15

For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

God desires for us to see clearly.  This is the entire reason He gave us His written word.  He promises to protect truth eternally.  We told us to see things through believing what He says: My children will live by faith, not by sight.

Yet we have eyes to see things don’t we?  I have thought this through many times.  We use it in group often. Let’s revisit some thoughts:

We see with our mind, really, like an artist which holds up their hands to peer through.  They desire to isolate just one segment, having a focus which will fit upon their canvas.  In life, we use memories, thoughts and things we see as the hands blocking out all other images playing into our vision.  Each snap shot, our vision takes, is placed within the frame of these things.  We then attempt to construct a work of art / our future based on what we just perceived

.

All this was the perfect intro in to today’s thoughts, which will now be tomorrows……….

Today, don’t over think what you are seeing.  By faith simply believe a promise which relates to an area of mystery shrouding your clear view.

With a heart desiring your encouragement, in love,

Kisses,

Candace

 

Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc ®

©Candace Huffmaster 2012, All Copy Rights Reserved

Childs Play and a Watchful Eye

Thinking deeply, perfectly placing our thoughts is what we are striving to obtain through this journey of our minds. We are kicking the dust and debris methodically. Not only will it do us no good, but it will do much harm if we simply continue in our haphazard ways of navigating through the moments of our lives.

Our thoughts God tells us are like the words that created them – wonderful seeds. At least that was His intent. So what happened?? We know the answer to that – Satan! Perversion of truth, distortion of reality, however you want to classify it takes a marvelous helpful plan and slowly, methodically grows poisonous or weak plants that cannot be used and are even dangerous to our very life if not aware.

We also are looking at being still, closing the flood gates on the chaos trying to force us to panic, get up, run or hide. There is nothing to worry about unless we have gotten ourselves in a crisis situation. However crisis in an impact point when we have gotten off track and too many harmful elements are pressing in on us. Most of the moments we deal with are not “true” crisis. We often react as if they are – which is the reason why we have to be methodical, patient, faithful instead of impatiently reaching out to grab fear, panic and always trying to trash “all” things to just be Rid Of IT.

We must understand that if we are going to glean experiential knowledge of information, ideologies or biblical truths we have to “use” them. We must “trip, fall and fly a little” – Get down and dirty with it – roll around with it, sometimes even break things a bit because we are experimenting. It’s all “Good”!!

I had a great conversation with our Dad the other day he explained some things to me about this. He has everything monitored. It’s like an educational play zone for kids. We are padded from the sharp corners, baby gates at kitchen and stair, outlet covers, the works. However, sometimes we get a bit too smart for our britches and want to see what is behind those things and get hurt. And there you have it the crying starts baby gets a booboo.

I am not meaning to minimize the hurts and pains we go through – but that baby, even though we are alarmed and that bump may be hideous to look at we all make it okay – right?

God was also explaining to me that the things (material things etc) are kind of like the things we buy for babies. They are necessary as well as useful but mostly functional. They are not things we keep forever, they have a purpose. He was telling me that the things of this earth are like the items we sell at a garage sell. We still believe they have value and they are desirable but we let them go so that others may have what they need. We donate them at times when people need and we have more than enough.

This is why He tells us not to cling to our “stuff”. He wants us to remember, this is our baby stuff. Our adult and eternal things are waiting for us in our future, where we will be all grown up and can’t harm it due to our needing to trip, fall, fly and shattering it all.

So today, I desire for you to think and hopefully draw or write about one of your “play time” learning experiences. Look around at the children in your midst today and give your selves as much of a break as you give them when they are learning. I thank God that He see us, loves us, protects and provides for us all the while knowing that we are precious babies just learning – and one day we will hear Him say “My, my you have gotten so big sugar!” Let’s just pray He’s not a cheek pincher – not that there’s anything wrong with that =D.

Kisses,
Candace

In the Beginning...

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.


I find it amazing that God does not open up His story to us with “How great He is”. The introduction of Himself to us is simply I started something new. Where there was nothing I created tangible and intangible. This is the perfect starting point.

In order for us to believe in the intangible we have to have something tangible. Otherwise we appear foolish to ourselves and others. God never asks us to trust without proof. He asks us to see and believe. So He took the first step into showing us something we could believe in.

Something from nothing is Huge! Can we trust that? Isn’t that the plumb line? What do you believe?

The Story unfolds in Genesis 1

In the beginning God created heaven and earth……. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The Spirit of God was hovering over the water.

The earth was formless the bible says – this is the definition of the Hebrew word Tohuw:
                      Formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
                                        Empty space, nothingness; wasteland, wilderness, a place of chaos; vanity

In Luke it speaks of how deep is that darkness. Can you imagine how deep, cold, isolating and void this must have been? Can you perceive being a life and falling off the edge into this abyss? Isn’t that a terrifying thought? Think about what eternal separation from God and others must be like? We know what life feels like, we know what separation feels like….and we don’t like it!

Thank Goodness God didn’t like it either. We know this because He did not stop the first day here. He made sure His Spirit was hovering over that formless, empty darkness. He did not stop the first day until He had it protected, well lit and covered. Now that is a great intro!

So today, this is my prayer for me as well as us all.

Father, please help us to push the chaotic, empty space of this world away so that I we might hear and see what you want us to. So that we might be able to speak what you have for us to say as well as be able to walk to where you want us to go. Help us believe and find what is real amidst the confusion sweeping around and through this wasteland. Your spirit is hovering, covering us and bringing us light. This is what we believe and trust.

In Jesus Name, Amen.
Love,
Candace

Shouldn't "Living Under the Influence" Carry a Stiffer Penalty that DUI?

In Isaiah 26 the prophet is speaking of our minds and how we much change them from the intoxicated thoughts of the world which embed themselves in our flesh, to the level or sober thoughts of the spirit which are never changing and consistent. We are told to pray for our spirit to prosper even as our soul prospers. We are told that God's ways (which are spirit) are higher than our ways. So if we are to gain understanding of His ways to walk in them, we must judge our own thoughts...each of them, holding them captive to evaluate them. Then, if they are false we must cast them down.

"26:7-11 The path of the righteous is level, O Upright One, yo make the road of the righteous smooth. Certainly, we wait wit hope for you, O Lord, as we follow the path of your guiding principles. We want to remember you and your name, Wit my soul I long for you at night. Yes, with my spirit I eagerly look for you. When your guiding principles are on earth, those who live in the world learn to do what is right. Although the wicked are shown pity, they do not learn to do what is right. They do what is wrong in the upright land and do not see the majesty of the Lord. O Lord, your power is visible, but they do not see it. They will see how devoted your people are, and they will be put to shame."


I pray for us this day, that we walk in sobriety to the thoughts of this world so that others might see, be put to shame as they realize not us, but the Lord and turn to him. May we all see clearly, today, the ways of the Lord.

I thank Him for His example and those following Him so that we too could see and feel the shame, turn to Him and be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

With Love in Christ,
Candace

The Master Will Judge

We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ . . . —2 Corinthians 5:10

Paul says that we must all, preachers and other people alike, "appear before the judgment seat of Christ." But if you will learn here and now to live under the scrutiny of Christ’s pure light, your final judgment will bring you only delight in seeing the work God has done in you. Live constantly reminding yourself of the judgment seat of Christ, and walk in the knowledge of the holiness He has given you. Tolerating a wrong attitude toward another person causes you to follow the spirit of the devil, no matter how saintly you are. One carnal judgment of another person only serves the purposes of hell in you. Bring it immediately into the light and confess, "Oh, Lord, I have been guilty there." If you don't, your heart will become hardened through and through. One of the penalties of sin is our acceptance of it. It is not only God who punishes for sin, but sin establishes itself in the sinner and takes its toll. No struggling or praying will enable you to stop doing certain things, and the penalty of sin is that you gradually get used to it, until you finally come to the place where you no longer even realize that it is sin. No power, except the power that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit, can change or prevent the inherent consequences of sin.

"If we walk in the light as He is in the light. . ." ( 1 John 1:7 ). For many of us, walking in the light means walking according to the standard we have set up for another person. The deadliest attitude of the Pharisees that we exhibit today is not hypocrisy but that which comes from unconsciously living a lie. by Oswald Chambers

Which Way Do I Go.....Which Way do I Go?

If you read in the old testement you will see where the followers of God were always "waiting" on the Lord to tell them what to say, do or where to go. For some reason, we think that God only helps those that help themselves. There are things in the bible that tell us we must work as if we are working unto the Lord. But that does not imply that we are to run ahead of Him.


Think about these words from Proverbs 21 and consider that in Jeremiah God asks us to stand at the cross road, ask for the way that is good before we set out. He also asks us not to lean on our own understanding, but to consider His ways which are higher than our. Lastly, He loves us and promises that if we will just listen to Him, that He has plans for us to prosper and not to harm us. So let's trust Him!

(Gods Word translation)Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is like streams of water. Both are under the LORD's control. He turns them in any direction he chooses. 2 A person thinks everything he does is right, but the LORD weighs hearts. 3 Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to the LORD than offering a sacrifice. 4 A conceited look and an arrogant attitude, which are the lamps of wicked people, are sins. 5 The plans of a hard-working person lead to prosperity, but everyone who is [always] in a hurry ends up in poverty. 6 Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time. They are looking for death. 7 The violence of wicked people will drag them away since they refuse to do what is just. 8 The way of a guilty person is crooked, but the behavior of those who are pure is moral. 9 Better to live on a corner of a roof than to share a home with a quarreling woman. 10 The mind of a wicked person desires evil and has no consideration for his neighbor. 11 When a mocker is punished, a gullible person becomes wise, and when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.

I pray that God keep you today and make His face to shine upon each of you.

With Love
Candace

Parked For Now

From Daily Bread Devotionals

READ: Numbers 9:19-23

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. —Psalm 40:1

Parking my car has been a lifelong problem for me. It really wasn’t a high priority with my driving instructor, so I never learned to back up into a parking space until many years later. He also skipped the parallel parking lesson, and I still avoid that unless there’s enough space for two or three cars.

I’ve also struggled to understand a statement I heard when I was a young Christian: “God can’t steer a parked car.” I took that as a challenge to shift my life into motion, and along the way God would guide me in the right direction. It’s an interesting thought, but it’s not always the way God works. Occasionally, God does want us to “stay parked” for a while.

At times, when Moses was in the wilderness, God kept the Israelites in one place. He led them by a cloud, and when it stayed still for many days, “the children of Israel . . . did not journey” (Num. 9:19). Waiting isn’t always easy, but sometimes God wants us to stay right where He has put us. The psalmist reminds us, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (27:14).



You may feel that you’re stuck and just spinning your wheels in your service for God. But keep your heart open to God’s leading. Then you’ll be ready to shift gears when you hear God say, “Let’s go this way.” — Cindy Hess Kasper

Praying, resting, waiting, trusting—

These are words that tell a story;

As we wait for God to lead us,

He responds, “Just seek My glory.” —Hess

God orders our stops as well as our steps.