Tuesday, March 25, 2014

A Rose in His Garden

We so often go through life asking "God am I headed in the right direction? Is this the plan You have for my life? We have this need in-bedded deep with in us, a need to know we are headed in the right direction. We ask ourselves over and over again is this where I'm suppose to be?

The one's who ask this question the most, are the ones' who are dissatisfied with their choices. Oh don't get me wrong we all wonder if we are in the right place. Some where in the back of our minds we have imagined our lives differently.

Some folks have even gone as far as setting goals, and that isn't a bad idea for the most part. However when things don't go as planned and we all know how that happens (chuckles) Plans have a way of falling apart or taking a different direction than the ones we envisioned.

Life is funny that way, or perhaps "God has a senses of humor after all! Not that I would ever consider nor am I trying to imply that "God laughs at us! Rather that He simply reminds us of who is in control! If we veer off course He will gently redirect our steps. Its when we don't listen to that still small voice within us, that we get into trouble.

Recently as I was driving back from doing my weekly grocery shopping, I felt this overwhelming senses of peace engulf my very soul. To my surprise I found myself feeling very content, like a cat sunning herself and realizing I was very happy with the recent changes in my life.

Now I too had been like so many asking "God where do you want me? Am I heading in he right direction? Hello have You forgotten me? No "God had not forgotten me, I was just wanting the quick fix. I wanted the window of Heaven to open up and just rain down all the blessings I felt I deserved! And I wanted them now! 

What I really needed to do was wait on "God I had to learn to be patient, I had to realize "God was in control and He had to clear the path so that I could continue my journey. I was at a road block, just like the ones we see when we take a road trip. I had a few detours to go around one of them was my own pride!

Oh how that ole pride ca get in ones way and mess up a perfectly good trip! 

As I was pondering my new found feeling of peace, I asked myself what had changed to make my soul so very joyful? Why did I feel this senses of peace? I know what some are thinking why in world would you be asking this just sit back at enjoy it! I would except I am one of those gals that has to ask a ton of questions ( laughs)  I'm sure I drove my family crazy with the whys' and how come's.

The answer came to me much latter and it was while I was enjoying a good book by Joel Osteen. One  page inparticular hit home with me "Bloom Where You Are Planted" as I read this page I realized I was exactly where "God had planted me, I was where He needs me to be, so that I could bloom.

We may never know when or where "God will answer our questions or through what form nor person. I realized I had the answer and yes I am where I'm suppose to be. Will I stay planted where I'm at? Who knows' only the Master Gardener has the answer to that question.

Even the best gardeners know when to re-plant. If a plant isn't fairing well in the garden, they will place it in another spot in hopes that the roots will take, and it will flourish and grow. "God knows' when to re-plant and where we need to be. "God is a masterful gardener He has to make ready the soil; so that we can flourish and He too hopes we take root and grow.

For now I will enjoy this new found joy, and if you are in a place where you are wondering am I in the right place? Not to worry if you're not the Master Gardener will surly replant you so that you too can take root and blossom!

"God only wants to see us grow to our fullest potential, in order for us to do this we need to get out of our own way! We need to put pride on the sideline so that we can let "God do what He does best and that is take control! Once we do this we can reap the benefits and watch the windows of Heaven open and the blessings pour down. 

Are you where you're suppose to be? Are you headed in the right direction? You are if you are at peace with where your life and choices have taken you.

Psalm 37:23 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way. (KJV)

"I Am but A Rose in His Garden" In His capable hands I am safely planted. "I Am a work in progress "God and I are working on me; when We are through I will be a masterpiece,until then I will remain on the Masters work bench.....................




All Rights Reserved:
Writer: Victoria E. Miera
Photo: Taken at the State Capital in Sacramento, Ca
Photo: From my personal album.......................................................................................... 
 

 



 





Tuesday, March 18, 2014

In the Master's Hand's

While laying in bed after a very long and difficult day, I reflected on  of what took place. It started out like any other day, with me getting up and getting ready for work. Little did I know it wasn't going to be a normal day, no not today. Today was going to be filled with trials and it was going to test my very patients.  

 

Recently the company I worked for under- went some major changes in management. And like any company that makes changes the uncertainty of the what ifs sets in! What if we no longer have employment or what if they keep me and I don't fit into their idea of what an employee is suppose to be, well according to their idea of the perfect employee.

 

At first it looked as if I would be one of the lucky ones' that would be relocated, what a relief. One because I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting the new manager. I'm sure he was going to be a good manager, but I knew we were not going to be a good fit.

 

I shared this with a family member, only to have them say to me.Don't give up on God, don"t turn from Him! Don't loose faith something will come along. I know this person was trying to give me words of wisdom and comfort.

 

But what this soul didn't know was I would not give up on God today or any other day. You see God and I have been through tougher times than this. He has been with me from the start, why would I think He would give up on me,that just seemed absurd to me.

 

I realized while laying in the still darkness and quiet of my room with only my thoughts. God and I go way back, He has seen me through tougher times, and this was just going to be a little bump in the road.

 

 

Granted once upon a time I might have had a different outlook on the what ifs. But today I realized I had grown spiritually and the foundation I have under my feet has been a work in progress. I had to learn to trust God's wisdom, He knows what's ahead.

 

I can't say that I always had the faith to trust in "God's wisdom, I was afraid of letting go. Yes I said it I was afraid of letting go, and letting "God do His job. I wanted to but some where deep with in I just didn't know how.

 

I had to learn and it wasn't going to be an over night magic trick! It was going to be a slow process, one that would take years of refining me. The master was going to have His hands full, He needed to undo years of fear that laid deep with in my very core. He would have to pull back the layers that I hid behind to shield me from fear.

 

It was while I was laying in the dark of my room that I realized just how far "God and I had come. I was learning to let go and I was learning to let Him take the wheel. I had come along way from the day I met "Christ in my kitchen.

 

I had learned somewhere along the way that I could turn everything over to Him, and I knew then as I do today that He can and will take care of me and all my needs! What a wonderful feeling knowing that "Christ had it all under control and all I had to do was trust His wisdom.

 

Finally I didn't have that burden on my shoulder! Yes I was not alone in this, nor was I worried about what lay ahead. No "God is there in my future as He was in my past. He will be in all my tomorrows just like He was in all my yesterday's!

 

Somewhere along the road, I found a solid foundation when I found "Christ" when I started building a relationship with "Christ was when I learned to let go!

 

I was and still am a work in progress, the "Lord and I are working on me! When we are done I will be a work of art; but for now I am in the Masters hands and there I will stay till we are done working on me.

 

Author of: In the Master's Hand's" Victoria E. Miera

All Rights Reserved.

Photo: courtesy of photobucket.com

 

 


Matters of The Heart

Matters of the heart can be a very complicated issue to undertake, yet here I sit taking on such a task. Something that should be so simple as love should be anything but a task!

So what has me behind my keyboard taking on such a task? Well it all started after reading a quote in a book. There is no fear in love! Now this had me thinking and this my friends has brought me to my desk and here I sit typing away.

Jesus gave a new commandment John13:34-35 "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another, by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

You maybe asking yourself what does this have to do with matters of the heart? It has everything to do with the heart. You see when "Jesus gave this new commandment, He gave it out of love. Perhaps He knew it would be one of the hardest things man could do.

Yet it is so easy to love! We have love for baseball, kittens babies, we even have love for one another to a certain degree. What we don't have is un-condtional love for one another! The kind of love that "Christ has for us.

We hold back out of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of not being loved: fear of not being worthy of such a gift. Perhaps we are afraid of giving love a second chance, maybe we have been hurt in the past and the very thought of giving our hearts away brings back that bitter memory.

What ever the reason may be, we are incapable of fully loving with out having fear tagging along!Oh what we miss out on when we hold back all because we have fear in our hearts. Letting go of the past hurts will allow us to grow. Open the heartstrings and allow someone in to see what "Christ saw when He gave His new commandment.

That we are worthy of being loved and ever so capable of giving love in return. Love was not born out of fear, it was given to us not as a gift but a curse! When we live our lives out in fear we loose more tan we gain. Love is not to be feared but cherished nurtured, like that of a beautiful flower.

Feeding into fear smothers the wonderful feelings that only love can bring to the surface of one's soul. Love makes us happy, it brings warmth to our very being. Love is a feel good, feeling so much so that we want to share it with everyone we meet on the street.

One can not help but smile from the inside out. Love can make a bad day seem do-able. You have positive thoughts instead of living in a world of negativity. You are the kind of person that everyone wants to be around when love has her perfect way with one's soul.

This is why "Christ wanted to give this new commandment, so that we could live a life of happiness. The adversary the biggest lair of them all, gave man fear. He knew if we had love for one another we wouldn't see his cunning way's. He could hide behind the lie that love hurts its not a good feeling it will only bring you pain and tears!

Its the first thing he throws in our face when the very person we love has hurt our feelings, he widens the gap by having the hurt feelings stay up-front. Oh he is so cunning hat he will have us think its our own thoughts when in fact their his!

Matters of the heart are very complicated there is no doubt about that, its how you choose to use the power that love has. If you are still holding back out of fear I encourage you to take it into prayer, ask "God to help you open your heart to love. What have you t loose?





Photo: Courtesy os photobucket.com
All Rights Reserved:
Author of "Matters of The Heart" Victoria E. Miera