Watoto

We had the honor of having the Watoto African Children's Choir at our church last night. They are all orphans from Uganda. They have been touring in Canada since January and will return to home in July. The Watoto Villages are raising these children to make a difference in their country of Uganda by preparing them to be future leaders. With God's help, they are turning tragedy into triumph.

Hear a sample of their concert:

Children of Watoto Choir:

I am NOT Forgotten:

We were so blessed to have some of them stay at our home last night. :o) God has not forgotten them and neither will we.

For more information, visit the Watoto web site.

Protected

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

"Because he/she loves Me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him/her; I will protect him/her, for he/she acknowledges My name. He/she will call upon Me, and I will answer him/her; I will be with him/her in trouble, I will deliver him/her and honor him/her. Psalm 91:1-2, 14-15

You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:7-8

I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. John 17:14-15

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Selah Y

Pansies

Hoping to get more flowers in soon. Waiting for the front garden to be finished. These are some of my beautiful Pansies on the back deck.

When is Enough ENOUGH?

I was so excited to finally be able to go and see the movie, AMAZING GRACE. I love historical films, especially when the topic really gets you thinking. It must be my teacher gifting coming out. I am a highly visual learner and God does speak to me through movies. I “see” a lot of spiritual symbolism as well as practical “lessons to be learned” in the stories. They did a good job on the movie - costuming and settings were great. Visit the Amazing Grace web site for more about this amazing story. I can’t wait for the DVD to watch all the extra features!! :o)

What is normal? It is amazing to watch how some people have so much accepted something as “normal” and ok that they don’t even see that there’s anything wrong. The process is so gradual because it is accepted at each point along the way where a red flag went up, but was dismissed and accepted – making the necessary adjustments to accommodate it. The abnormal becomes normal.

Slavery didn’t come suddenly. Working as a servant to another is not wrong. Dominating that person to the point of forcing them to do something against their will, stripping them of their freedoms, and dehumanizing them is surely wrong.

How did it go from servant to slave? When you consider yourself higher or better than another. When it is “beneath you” to do such a task! – Have someone else do it!! (Social class distinctions) That is different than not being able to do it and hiring someone who can. When evaluating one race better or superior to another. (WOW – that one is sure still around!) Although there can be noticeable strengths or weaknesses characteristic to certain people groups – remember, God created ALL of us. One does not have more worth than another. To Him ALL are valuable.

The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. The trouble with servants is that you have to pay them! Workers want (and need!) to be paid – that’s why they are working. They accepted the job and agreed to a certain payment for their service.

But what if you can get the same thing for free? Isn’t it wonderful when something is given to you for free? It’s called “a gift”!! Usually the idea is from the other person. It’s not really a “gift” if you are demanding it from them for nothing. Volunteered means offered willingly as a sacrifice – not manipulated or forced (having no choice) – not intimidated or shamed into doing it for free. Please take note: Don’t expect Christian tradesmen to do everything for nothing. God’s gifts are free – people need to be paid. For example: hire the Christian plumber to give him work – not to try to get a discount rate – pay him fair wages for the work done. If anything, Christians should be more generous and want to bless their Christian business.

Once you start to fall into the trap of “cheating” the worker out of what they are due, and enjoying the extra $$ for yourself instead – watch out!! Greed is an ugly monster – ready to destroy and not even notice the pain of others. Your gain is their loss - the higher your gain, the greater their loss.

But it was far away – in that other country of Africa. They didn’t have to watch them being torn from their homes and families. They didn’t have to sail on the slave ships and see the horrible conditions. They didn’t have to experience the humiliation of slave auctions. They didn’t have to live in the same conditions. Slave quarters varied as did work conditions, but they were still treated as slaves.

It even became fashionable and a mark of prestige to own slaves. The economy so fully adjusted to free labor that when the abolitionists began to cry out for their freedom, it meant economic disaster “to let them go” free. Who would fill those positions? Who would pay for their work? Who would now hire the freed slaves so they could earn a living and support their families? Compensation had to be paid to slave owners for their “loss of property” because of new laws passed by the government. (Britain’s Abolition of Slavery Act allowed for £20 billion in compensation to be paid to British plantation owners who had to their free slaves.) All the slave trade workers were now out of work and looking for new occupations.

Such inconvenience to do what was right. There is a cost for walking in righteousness and putting things back in order to where they should be!! Remember the years of not having to pay? Accumulated debt now due all at once!.

How do you compensate the slaves? How do you compensate those who have been taken advantage of? Those who have been so abused and mistreated? How do they recover lost years and lost dignity? How do they now become part of the society that misused them and caused them so much pain? The cost is more than physical. Abuse is always costly and it always has far-reaching consequences.

Abuse (physical, sexual, emotional or spiritual) begins by taking advantage of the vulnerable. Some scars are easy to see and identify. Others are hidden, often hidden on purpose. One person dominating another is NOT normal or acceptable behavior. “It ought not to be!” Some abuses are subtle, some are blatantly obvious. BOTH are unacceptable, no matter what the setting. Abuse should clearly be seen as wrong and every effort made to stop actively abusive situations. Be aware that it WILL cost something to do it – do it anyway. There comes a time to say, “Enough is enough.”

Whether it is popular to do so or not, do whatever is in your power to stop abuses wherever you see them. Not all of us will be called to a monumental task as William Wilberforce was, but we are all called to speak out against injustices. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor, bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners. THEN He is able to comfort all those who mourn, bestowing on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (taken from Isaiah 61:1-3)

Let’s overturn the abnormal and let God’s Ways be the normal.

Selah Y

Purpose

WOW. This says so much!! I've been hearing a lot about purpose later and it has really got me thinking. What good is knowing your purpose if you aren't living with purpose? We have often heard, "God has a purpose for your life!" Cool!

Now what are you going to do with it? Pack it neatly away in a box and "treasure it"? Take it out once in awhile and admire it? Talk about it and show it off to others - before packing it away again!!

God purposed for us to have a purpose - to live a life of purpose - and He did it on purpose!! WOW. The word purpose can really be over used!

Purpose means: something that one hopes or intends to accomplish; the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists.

Today's "Daily Snippet" is: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

God really does have a purpose for us. Once we find out what it is, we need to be living our life for that purpose - co-operating with God - to accomplish the purpose God has designed for us. Otherwise - what's the purpose of having purpose?? Let's just do it!!

Selah Y

Hey this is my 50th post!!! I had to pick a butterfly to be in it. Something about transformation and maybe there being a purpose to having this blog?? :o)

Redeemed

What used to make us stumble,

God can use to make us stand.

What once made us bow our heads in shame,

He can use for His glory.

~ Janice Weaver ~

Having a Mary Spirit

God loves to redeem. He takes what is considered to be useless, worthless and of no further value and He makes it into something beautiful. Beauty from ashes. There are no "cast aways" with God. EVERY life is valuable. EVERY life is redeemable.

He makes all things new - this doesn't mean that He justs zaps us and makes us completely different. He didn't make a mistake when He created us as He did. Our characteristics are there for a reason - they have a specific purpose. But left to ourselves, we can really mess up. We look at the outward, God looks at our hearts. He knows whats inside.

My grandmother used to say, "We're not stubborn, we're determined!" A "strong-willed" person stands their ground - won't be moved - can't change their mind - can't budge them. Remember the expression "as stubborn as a mule"? We can be "stubborn" and "stiff-necked" - doing our own thing - doing it "my way." "NO ONE is going to tell ME what to do. I am FREE to do as I please." Wow. Can we ever get ourselves in a trouble. We are headed into rebellion.

The prodigal son could not be turned from his plan. He wanted his inheritance and he wanted it NOW. Then off he went. Money wasn't the answer. He made a huge mess. It sure didn't turn out the way he thought it would. But God!! God's plan for him never changed. When he "came to himself" - realized, "what am I doing??" - he returned home and his father restored him to his position in the family.

Stubborness redeemed becomes determination. Determination becomes perseverence, stedfastness, faithfulness. Look again: "stands their ground - won't be moved - can't change their mind - can't budge them." These same characteristics - when redeemed by God, when applied with our faith - bring a totally different result. When we have yielded our will to God, He uses those things for our GOOD. When we live by HIS ways, we will succeed and not make the same choices and mistakes as before.

Peter was like a loud-mouthed, strong-willed bully. God changed his heart as he yielded it to Him. It didn't happen all at once. He failed many times. He often "put his foot in his mouth." He acted impulsively. Many would have said, "Why choose him? How can anyone tame him? He's too far gone!" But God redeemed those same character qualities and shaped Peter into a strong leader. When he was restored, he could not be moved from his faith. He boldly spoke God's Word. He never backed down again. He could not be shaken, he could not be moved.

God uses our weaknesses to make us strong. He redeems them. He doesn't take away our ability to sin or make wrong choices. If WE allow Him to change our hearts and we choose to follow HIS ways, we will stand where we could not stand before.

We become a testimony to His Redeeming Power and bring glory to His Name. We no longer hang our heads in shame, wanting to hide our past mistakes. We say, "Look what the Lord has done in ME!!"

Then we are FREE - not to do as we please, but to live as God had planned for us to live. Free to walk out our destiny - God's plan for our lives. Free from past pitfalls - forgiven and restored. Free to be who God created us to be - REDEEMED!!

Allow God to redeem the areas of your life where you have stumbled. Don't let shame keep them hidden. When surrendered to God, He will redeem and give us the power to stand where we were weak. We will not hide in shame any longer.We will glorify our God.

Selah Y

This week's In Other Words is being hosted by Finding Joy in the Morning. Visit her site and read what this quote is saying to others.