My Fabulous House of Cards

We have been kicking around the pieces of our lives attempt to discovering the deep seated beliefs we have anchored in our soul. I do realize most of you were not aware of this fact.  Question; if by chance you had known would you have participated with such openness?

We all must make a decision that we are either going to believe God is fully, meaning all aspects, who He says He is or either He is not what He says He is at all;  these are our only two options.  The general problem we all have is this:  We do not really know who God says He is, not all aspects based on only who He says He is.  But God knew this would be our common problem due to “the knowledge of good and evil”. 

God’s solution was to give us mercy and grace through Christ Jesus.  Once we can accept this truth – just the one mind you, He’s got us covered throughout the journey of discovery. He also doesn’t want us to keep believing misconceptions, so He sticks right with us ready and willing to clarify all the ambiguity and what not.  But fear makes us close down and attempt to run away and hide just like Adam and Eve did. 

We discuss our pieces of understanding without guilt, shame, condemnation, pride or arrogance.  If we do not open up, speak and listen to others compassionately as we embarrassingly expose our fragments of doubts, fears, ambiguity, frustration and everything which seemingly opposes what we profess we believe, then fear trumps our faith every time!  May that never be!! 

For this reason we constantly bring up the Trip, Fall, Fly patterns within our sojourn.  Again, common stuff here – no big surprise at all.  Just as God powerfully relates to each of us to ground and anchor His body here on earth, we must stretch ourselves to allow His embrace to under gird and unite us – and thank God we are called to be one.  Think about these things and review the information from the past several weeks. 

Pick up just one dusty piece and be ready to polish it off…..just one.  You can do, I know you ….and I trust Him, honestly!

Don’t be embarrassed if you are afraid to pick up a piece, maybe you are hesitant to even look toward the pile of pieces.  If so, try not to quit; simply pause.  Now, take a deep breath for me and ask yourself, kindly mind you, “Has the vine of my emotions swung me out only to drop me center stage?” 

Usually, when we attempt to isolate something uncomfortable, we begin to feel separated from everyone else, as though no one else in the world has ever dealt with this hideous thing.   And worse yet, all those “other folks” we begin envisioning sitting below us in the audience starring at our bewildered state.  But we know how to handle that, we simply picture everyone of them in their underpants!  However, that vision keeps getting interrupted by everyone staring up at us, on stage, under the spot light in nothing but OUR underpants – and they are decked out in the attire which would make us feel like a million bucks.  OK, so I might have overshot the emotional swinging, but you will understand in a moment.

Let me tell you a little golden nugget about emotions:  They build a house of cards around the one real piece of the puzzle which they are concealing.  We build these false images layer upon layer to protect the vulnerable piece; as well as our stage presence.  Often, we really do not realize we do this.  We might catch a glimpse of it, but it passes so quickly we believe it is the masquerade.  Then every once in awhile, God will gently allow the winds of change to blow toward your magnificent construction and hit …just one card……and quickly they all collapse into a one dimensional array.

There you have it.  This is what you are really looking at, or avoiding looking at ;)  Remember, it’s okay; it was just a silly house of cards.  Somewhere in that pile, however, is one brilliant piece of truth……….Let’s find it, together, and let it shine!

Kisses,

Candace

p.s.  There are enough cross-links in this to keep your mind moving forward if I get behind due to research.  Each time I re-read information I dust off another piece.  Yes , even I find fabulous card houses all around me; but now I ask God to blow the winds of change toward them - as He sees "I'm fit to handle it".

©Candace Huffmaster 2012, All Copy Rights Reserved

Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc ®

 

Are YOU That Confident?

 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. ~ Galatians 5:10

Here we read of Paul’s confidence in those he was speaking of, but how can we be confident that we are seeing clearly and prepared for the battles we see?  Well, with experience comes confidence.  So God let’s us spar each other – after all, iron sharpens iron right?

These “spars” that we go through are not the battle, they are with flesh and blood opponents.  This isn’t to say that they are not equally being used by the enemy, as they are by the advocate, our Father who is for us and not against us.

The enemy tries time and time again, using his entire arsenal to deceive us.  He wants us to think the training IS the battle, so that we will exchange our view point, for his lie.  He is on a mission; “Mission Persuasion”.  He is attempting to tire us, wear us down and overwhelm our brain with his distortions and half truths.  He knows he can get us to digress and start chasing rabbits instead of following Christ.  When we get off track he feels confident that he will be able to obliterate our hope as we start to get tangles up in the forest of deceptions taunting us with God isn’t coming…….and you can’t hold on much longer so you might as well just lay down to defeat and be done with it.

But God tells us the truth with no distortions.  He tells us “I have come to fight these battles, you are weak against these evil schemes, but I am strong.  I have already won! “Mission impossible” is what Satan is fighting – it is impossible for him to have a comeback.  Remember, through Me ALL things are possible – this is your mission, Mission Possible!  When you believe and keep perceiving in hope through faith, no one or anything can persuade you of another view.

Yesterday we looked at taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God and standing in the might and power of the Lord. So, when Satan and all who have joined his evil forces are tempting you to shrink back – Remember the only thing that counts in this battle is your faith expressing itself in love. 

Paul made a statement and asked this question to those who had hope in Christ and were combating these same forces:   

You were running a “good race”, who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

He goes on to encourage them of the confidence he has that they cannot be persuaded to “take” another view.

We must beware and not overly confident though, because the real snare is being set up to catch us, Paul tells them: But watch yourself or you may be tempted, each one should “test” his own actions.  This is the duel; can you walk away taking pride in your victory without comparing yourself to anyone else?  Or will you go for the “flesh wound”?

I pray that each of us only spar with each other, not as to enter into the final battle, but knowing we are here to strengthen each other; making each of us the best we can possibly be.  After all, that is our Mission!

With Love ~ Kisses,

Candace

^{©Candace Huffmaster, 2012  All Copy Rights Reserved}

^{Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Inc™}

Sometimes you must Be the beauty in chaos!

Making His Mark With Beauty
KB, Inc’s world-wide motto is alive


Hip, Hip Hooray! Now our organization is seeing beauty emerge all around the world. When we changed our "slogan" from Loving Who You Were Divinely Created To BE to Reaching Through Chaos, Seeing True Beauty Emerge we did not quiet understand why - because we knew the first one was correct. However, we had to believe in what God saw beneath the chaos in order to find the faith which enabled our perseverance to help others not only see what we saw, but believe in it.

As we began telling women and children that they were desired, loved and had a reason to not be afraid, we saw them embrace the " idea" of hope.  But as we stuck by them~ encouraging them to believe that even as God forsaken as life can feel at times, there are always lovely moments too; we noticed they were actually reaching out to grab onto that hope and tucking it away to protect it. But the day we understood with His understanding was when we saw His "beauty mark".  It was the day that all the pieces collided to perfectly mesh.  For the first time I know I saw the elusive Kaleidoscope Butterfly.  Although it was one moment it was also many and there will be many more.  Because as we are walking and relating to these lovely individuals God is revealing precious details which are transforming their minds to see that they, themselves, need to BE BEAUTY in this world of chaos.

We are witness to the fact that there is not a more beautiful sight than His hand reaching through their chaos to share in very real ways.

Our work is simple but true:
We believe True Beauty is as a seed planted within you, tenderly tucked into a deep, dark space. Alone with such dreams of grandeur, restlessly squirming, simply dying to be released! It truly believes there is something much larger and unique it is to be. It feels it could bestow beauty and goodness upon an unaesthetic world. “Just as the butterfly is always within the caterpillar – so too your beauty is fighting to take flight and ride the breeze. You are a kaleidoscope butterfly, a vision foreseen in the mind of the Great Divine. He delights in what you have to offer. He created you to rise above and be seen. So flutter your jagged, shattered pieces in His sunlight. His hand merges all our shapes in His time. To Him we are not missing or broken we are His Delight and perfect in His sight.

We make our request known and know it is His will:
Do not look with your eyes to perceive reality. Do not allow this world to diminish what He sees. Push through the weight trying to hold and bury you. Stand tall in His continence, mercy and grace. Reach up and out with your arms wide. Turn your face to be set on the sun. Allow your bud to blossom. Be open for all to see and embrace. Release the joy in your heart for their pleasure. Allow it to pour out, free. Keep it flowing till the scent of it rises - as a fragrant offering of what you believe all heaven can now see.

So allow us to encourage you "BE the Beauty in chaos no one can stop you – honest!"

With the Love of our Christ,
Kisses,
Candace

Afraid of Love, or Afraid of Not BEING Loved?

Philippians 4 1-9


So, brothers and sisters, I love you and miss you. You are my joy and my crown. Therefore, dear friends, keep your relationship with the Lord firm! I encourage both Euodia and Syntyche to have the attitude the Lord wants them to have. Yes, I also ask you, Syzugus, my true partner, to help these women. They fought beside me to spread the Good News along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the Book of Life.


Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful! Let everyone know how considerate you are. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.


Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable. Practice what you’ve learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you.

I love the way Paul speaks the truth in love. He is encouraging his fellow believers and those he has been sent to lead and cover. He opens with how much he loves them all….right where they are, as they are. He speaks of a desire for them, to be with them and how he wears that relationship with pride / honor.

Look at what he says next, keep your focus on God first. He does not say focus on what “I” am saying, how much “I” love you and you own “me” something (usually respect due to how we have mentored or cared for someone) He keeps all eyes focused on Christ. He encourages them to seek this relationship first.

Paul goes on to speak highly of the work of others as He is making these requests. He is not touting what he alone has done; he is expressing how they are one body.

It is my opinion that a large factor of how conflict either gets resolved or propelled into a drama is within the next few scriptures. We take our focus off Christ and get into the problem and short comings of people in our midst. We start to desire to “fix” the other person, “Tinker” with how and why they do not see things as we do. We get anxious, irritated, defensive, justified, self righteous…..angry.

Fear is what we have been talking about along with Trust over the past few months. Counseling programs have a diagram that shows “anger” being the tip of an iceberg with all those emotions felt being unresolved beneath the surface of the water. I would like to propose a thought. What if anger is the surface of the water and “Fear” is the cap of the iceberg.

What if we would visualize Christ walking on that fluid surface of anger coming toward us….wearing our cap of fear? We are to grow up into our head which is Christ. He does not wear a hat labeled fear. In fact God promised that there is no fear in love. He also said that pure love casts out all fear.

We cannot wear 2 hats on one head. I think in the south we state it another way…2 horses one backside. Paul closed these encouraging words “then the God who gives this peace will be with you”. Will you receive it? Paul showed us how in these scriptures.

If Christ is our foundation - that means He is literally the road way, because the ground we walk on which uphold us. "Stay with me here" - Christ himself said he is "the way" "the truth" and "the life". So write and think about the surface you are walking on. Look beneath that surface even if for a moment and take a quick peak. See if your way has truth under it. Now look up and see if the destination seems to be heading you toward life. Friday I want to hear about your discoveries - together we will journey on!

I pray for us all that others will see how considerate we are. I pray that the peace and joy of the Lord is our today and that we rejoice. I pray that we grow in relationship with Christ today all the while giving thanks that we are one body upheld by His righteousness. I pray that those who have hurt us or threatened us in anyway be forgiven because I do not believe they knew what they were doing. I pray that Christ meet them right where they are and bring them understanding so that restoration may take place. I pray that God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard our thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. I thank God that He is showing us thoughts that are Holy, Lovely and Pure so that we can be holy….because He is holy.

I trust that all this is done, because of Christ our Lord, the abilities of our God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit working within us this day.

Please Pray this with me, as One in Christ Jesus -
Kisses,
Candace

©Candace Huffmaster 2007 All Rights Reserved

Do Not Lean on Your Own Understanding - Stand Upright on His

It is vitally important to understand how God works verses how man thinks. We avoid suffering at all cost. We feel entitled to have what we perceive "everyone else" has. We do not understand why we have to do without when we see others that are no better than we are getting "good things". I wish I could say,as a generalization, that we are comforted in these situations knowing that Christ and many others did not receive here on earth what they deserved. But sometimes we get cynical and think God must be punishing us, if He wasn't mad at us we would be getting everything we want. (Kinda like spoiled brats don't ya think?)

The truth is, just what we thought about yesterday. There is a reason things happen like they do. A really GOOD reason. When things like this happen, remember we are the lights in the pits of earthly lives. Think about this: What if God allows you to go without because He trusts you to show someone that is weak or lost that those "things" "positions" what ever it might be, are not the most important thing. They are not worth loosing moments, hours, days, years of peace and joy. Or worse yet loosing your eternity in heaven with Him.

God calls us His Delight. He does not call us His Dark and Doomed. I pray that we can have His heart, Hear His words and Feel His Spirit as it fills our continence. They I pray that we all our Little Light to Shine in the pits of this fallen world. Share his mercy today and you enjoy His grace.....

Write about it, below is a Psalm by King David be mused =D
With Love -Kisses
Candace

Psalm 62 (GWT)
For the choir director; according to Jeduthun; a psalm by David.
My soul waits calmly for God alone.
My salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my savior—my stronghold.
I cannot be severely shaken.
How long will all of you attack a person?
How long will you try to murder him,
as though he were a leaning wall or a sagging fence?
They plan to force him out of his high position.
They are happy to lie.
They bless with their mouths,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah
Wait calmly for God alone, my soul,
because my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my savior—my stronghold.
I cannot be shaken.
My salvation and my glory depend on God.
God is the rock of my strength, my refuge.
Trust him at all times, you people.
Pour out your hearts in his presence.
God is our refuge.
Selah
Common people are only a whisper in the wind.
Important people are only a delusion.
When all of them are weighed on a scale, they amount to nothing.
They are less than a whisper in the wind.
Do not count on extortion to make you rich.
Do not hope to gain anything through robbery.
When riches increase, do not depend on them.
God has spoken once.
I have heard it said twice:
“Power belongs to God.
Mercy belongs to you, O Lord.
You reward a person based on what he has done.”

Confidence In Numbers - by Oz Hillman

Continuing our thoughts on growing our faith think on what Oz has to say on our Deeply topic:
I have great confidence in all that God is doing within each of your lives. I know I will have great bragging rights as to how each of you encourage me to keep on with what I do by the way you grow in your understanding and stand tall in your faith.


I thank God for each of you,
Candace


Confidence in Numbers
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Wednesday, March 09 2011

"David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, 'I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg You, take away the guilt of Your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.'" - 2 Samuel 24:10
It just seems to be human nature. As we grow in wealth and ability, our confidence moves from complete trust in the Lord to trust in our resources. King David decided one day that he needed to know how many fighting men he had in his army. This was a grievous sin in the nation of Israel. God always made it clear to the nation that He, not their army, was their source. It was against the law of God to number the troops. David's general, Joab, knew the serious nature of such an action.

But Joab replied to the king, "May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?" (2 Samuel 24:3)

Joab knew that David was treading in dangerous waters when he brought up the idea to him. But David had it in his mind that this is what he was going to do. And he did. The result: God judged David for this sin by smiting the nation with a plague that resulted in the loss of 70,000 lives.

Recently, I was having lunch with a former stockbroker who lost everything in the 1987 stock crash in the United States. He made an interesting comment. "You cannot know how to fully trust the Lord in the financial area until you really have to. When I lost everything, I was forced to trust Him when I knew I could not pay my next bill unless God provided. This was the time I learned to trust God. I never had to trust God before I lost my money because I had plenty. We don't willingly enter this level of trust with God."

Ask God today to keep you from trusting in your own resources. Ask Him how to balance trust and blessing from Him this day.