Thoughts Along the Journey

I hope you all had a joyous, wonder-filled Christmas. My favorite part is watching the kids' faces as they open their gifts. My best gift came from my husband. A note in a little box, telling me of his gift: a trip to see my family in Kansas!!! We will be heading west in about 1 1/2 weeks...which means I get to be there for my "big" birthday (yes, that 4-0 thing I mentioned previously). Thanks to all for the wishes via e-mail and posts.

The pre-Christmas hustle and bustle stresses me out. Don't get me wrong. I'm no Scrooge or Grinch. I love the lights. I love singing the carols. I love the anticipation of celebrating the birth of the Savior. I love buying gifts for my kids and husband. I enjoy seeing the tree lit up, weighed down with our menagerie of ornaments. This year, I've even become quite a Christmas movie buff. (I especially like the old ones: "It's a Wonderful Life", "White Christmas", "A Christmas Carol" (with George C. Scott), "Miracle on 34th Street" (black and white version with Natalie Wood). I'd like to see "The Nativity". And, of course, my two childhood faves, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas".) I like seeing the house looking all festive. I love all the church services, each with their own special significance and meaning. But when it's all said and done, it mostly makes me...t...

The whole idea of Advent is a fairly new concept to me. I heard about it some when I was growing up, but didn't really know much about it. Over the past few years, I have come to learn more about what it means. I have grown to love the meaning and the season. Advent begins 4 Sundays before Christmas Day. Each week, the readings in church are focused on the prophecies of Christ's birth. But they also focus on His second coming. Both emphases remind us that we are to prepare our hearts for His coming: to welcome Him into our hearts, and to welcome Him when He returns in glory. My prayer for all who read this, is that you have a heart ready to receive Him. That you will be open to all He has for you this Christmas season. And that you will be anticipating His return with great joy! "He who testifies to these things, says, ' Surely I am coming quickly. ' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Revelation 2...

This morning, the Lord gave me the rest of the words for the song! A big "thank you" to all who have been praying! I wish I could share the music, too... But since I can't, here is the complete song--finally! Mary's Song (At Your Feet) I walk into Your presence, Lord, I fall down on my face As I come before You, Lord, I marvel at Your love and grace. Refrain: At Your feet, I find a place of perfect peace At Your feet, I find a place of sweet release At Your feet, I've finally found that I am home So take me Lord; shape me, Lord While I sit at Your feet So many voices calling me Can cause my heart to stray But when I listen to Your voice I know You'll show the better way... (back to Refrain) Bridge: I come and lay my heart at Your feet I pour it out to You And as I gaze into Your eyes, You give me all of Your heart, too. (back to Refrain) © 2006.  Joni Renee Johnson.  All Rights Reserved.  Thanks be to G...

It has been requested that I post the words to the song here. I wish I could say it is finished. It is still missing "something". However, I felt I should post what I have. I hope this ministers to someone in some way. But even if it doesn't, the Lord has used this song to touch and soothe my soul on many days so far. I'm still waiting for the rest of the words. Mary's Song (At Your Feet) I walk into Your presence, Lord, I fall down on my face As I come before You, Lord, I marvel at Your love and grace. Refrain: At Your feet, I find a place of perfect peace At Your feet, I find a place of sweet release At Your feet, I've finally found that I am home So take me Lord; shape me, Lord While I sit at Your feet So many voices calling me Can cause my heart to stray But when I listen to Your voice I know You'll show the better way... So there it is, dear friends. I know there is more to come. I'm just wai...

The new baby in our family is forecasted to arrive late May, 2007! By then, I will have hit the big 4-0, which seems about the right age for a great aunt, don't you think?? For those who have asked, the song is still sitting near my piano...more words are there...but it is not yet complete. I'm not sure what God is doing in this, but know it will be okay. Praying you all have a blessed weekend...

In addition to praying for my new little great niece/nephew to be safe and healthy... Please pray in regard to the song I mentioned in my "Travelin' Music" post. I keep sensing there is more God wants to give me (more words to the same song). I just don't have them yet. There's a sense of the song not being complete. Isn't that how our lives are? A song God just keeps writing: note by note, and verse by verse, as He makes our life a beautiful melody that draws others to Him. May your life be filled with sweet music, my friends!

I have to post this! We received a phone call from our niece last night. She and her husband are going to have their first child next May or June!!!! I'm going to be a great aunt! My husband said, "I'm already a great uncle." :o) Okay. So maybe I'm going to be an even "greater" aunt??? Anyway, congrats, sweetie! We all look forward to this arrival with great anticipation and joy.

As anyone who has read my recent posts already knows, I've been struggling along this journey lately. If you've read the beginning posts, you'll know why. Our family is in a time of transition. As my friend Paula M. would say, "God is wrecking our boxes." It's time to move on to something new. Something most of you don't know about me is that, next to God, my husband, kids, family, and close friendships, my first love is music. I've been playing piano since I was a little shaver. :o) I play a few other musical instruments, too. I love to sing. One of the joys of my life has been singing praises to God, and leading others to learn to worship Him--beyond the music--from their innermost beings. I haven't had much music in my heart lately. I've been too wrapped up in "life" issues. My mind and heart have been full of other things. I haven't been focused on worship. But today...today, my friends...today was different. I sat down at th...

I have spent my life worshipping idols. GASP! What did I just say? Okay. Take a deep breath. It's not what you think! All my life, I have looked at someone who is: older, wiser, prettier, wittier, more spiritual, more popular...you name it...I have looked at that "someone" and idolized them. Not in that, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" kind of idolatry. It was more like a, "I'll never be able to be as.....(wise, pretty, witty, spiritual, popular)...as he/she is. They are just too (wise, pretty, witty, spiritual, popular). I could never measure up to that!" You know the type, right? That person that never seems to run out of wise advice. The woman who never has a hair out of place, no matter how many children are clinging to her skirts (jeans?). The person who always has a funny line to lighten the mood. The one who seems to be friends with just everybody they meet. The hardest to deal with, though, is the person who always has the ...

Over the past few weeks, I have been reading a forum which deals with issues in the church with which we were formerly affiliated. I won't go into detail. What I will say though, is that there are a lot of hurting people out there who need your prayers. What does this have to do with me personally? A lot of those people are my friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ. There is this "thing" inside me that can't stand it when those I care about are mistreated, lied to, or in some other way wronged. It's that part of me that wants vengeance . Wow. Did I use that word? But it's true. I want the erring party to repent, yes. But I also want to see them do some groveling and major "making of things right". And that thing inside me is like a mother bear protecting her young: you hurt someone I love, and I will attack! Shocking, isn't it? Most people who know me think I'm this gentle, meek person. I've been accused of being a "goody two s...

A few years ago, a CD came out called, "My Utmost for His Highest". The songs were based on excerpts from the Oswald Chamber devotional book. They were sung by various artists. One that has been on my mind today is the song, "God of All of Me", which was sung by Sandi Patti. There is this hunger inside me, this longing for God to have every bit of me. Every molecule. Every atom. To have total control of every thought, word, and deed. For my every move to be that of a Spirit-led child of God. Yet there is this "other" me. The one that says, "I can take it from here, God. Just step aside for awhile. I've done this before. I can handle this one. I'll get back to You when I really need You." That's the part of me that gets me into trouble. The part of me that worries when the car needs to be fixed--again. The part that worries when the utility bills are higher than I'd expected, for no apparent reason. The part that gets angry when ...

I'm still alive, dear friends. Just haven't had the time nor the brain power to jot down a new post. I shall return!

I'm a home school mom. Or should I say, a mom that home schools? Overall, it's a great experience. Especially when I see that little "light" come on, and they "get" something. When they grasp some new concept. Those are the wonderful moments. But then...there are the not-so-wonderful moments. When I have to leave the room for a brief period of time. With instructions to the boys: "Go ahead and work on your spelling (or handwriting, or math, or whatever!). I'll be right back. Don't bother each other. Just do your work." To which I get the angelic response, "Yes, ma'am." Ahh. Life is sweet. Sure. When I come back, just a short time later, life is anything but angelic! Sometimes it involves flying pencils, erasers, crayons, children...take your pick! Other times, it is simply that there was too much silence in the room when I left. They just have to tell each other something really, really important--right now! Usually, the first...

Have you ever noticed that God's path for our journey is not the one we would have chosen for ourselves? I'm not just talking about the "big" things, either (jobs, locations, church affiliations, etc.). I'm talking about the journey : the day-to-day places of our lives. Still confused? Let me illustrate. Several years ago, while on my lunch break from work, I chose a booth away from the lunch crowd. I had been around crowds enough at work. I just needed some quiet for a few minutes. As I was finishing up the last of my fries, the Holy Spirit spoke very clearly to me: See that woman over there? The one carrying her tray away from the front counter? You need to go pray for her. My immediate reaction was: NO WAY! God, You know what a crazy morning it has been at the store. I am not going over there, disturbing some complete stranger's lunch, invading her privacy, only to look like a fool! And why does it matter what anyone in this place thinks of you? You w...

In tribute to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. For those who gave their lives trying to rescue others. For those who gave up their lives, so that others would not be killed. For those who continue to wage the battle on foreign soil, seeking those who took innocent lives. For those who gave their lives fighting for our freedom. To those who continue to work to make this a safer place for us and our children. May we never forget. May we never cease to honor them. May we never cease to pray...

I haven't forgotten my blog. Actually, I miss my blog, and all the great comments from my "blogland" friends. However, I'm a home schooling mom. So, with school starting Tuesday, life has become a bit more hectic. Never fear. I shall return!

Doesn't it sometimes seem like our journey of faith resembles one of those "Life comes at you fast..." commercials? I guess, really, it mirrors the Israelites' 40 years of wandering. I can just hear the people muttering: "We've seen this rock before, Moses." "Isn't that the same pile of sand we saw last week?" "I've seen this scorpion so many times, we're on a first-name basis!" "Wow! Look! Manna again !" (Of course, you have to read the sarcasm into that one.) Though, of course, Moses could have responded: "Oh, surprise! Surprise! They're grumbling about the lack of water!" "If I hear them complain about the manna just one more time..." I don't know about you, but walking in circles in the desert for 40 years would make me a bit cranky, too. (Never mind that it was their own fault...) In my personal journey, I seem to keep wandering back to those same old familiar places, too....

I read this article on Christianity Today's website. Thought I'd pass it along. Let me know your thoughts. If the link doesn't work, try going to www.christianitytoday.com and search for the article, "A Call to An Ancient Evangelical Culture." Article Link

Okay. Before this blog becomes duller-than-dirt and my readers all get that glazed-over look, thinking, "She's going to just sit there day after day, and chronicle her life for us. Whoopee."...let me say, this is going to be the condensed version. The main reasons I mention my time at college are twofold: first, I met my husband there. Very important part of life! Second, it was a time of great changes and formation in my spiritual life. I began as a music major, but ended up graduating with a degree in missions. I never intended to find myself a husband, either. But God gave me a very dear friend, who I fell in love with, and eventually married. I'm so blessed to be on this journey with him. We spent the early years of our marriage in ministry of various forms. We ministered in the inner city of Detroit for awhile. We were youth pastors in a couple of churches. My husband worked on staff at a center for those with life-controlling problems (alcohol abuse...

Even as a child, I knew about "knowing Christ". My parents raised me in a solid, godly home. Church was a natural part of that. Christ's teachings were the foundation of our family. My parents taught me to tithe at a young age. (Okay. My allowance was a dime...but still!) I never had any doubts about the true meaning of Christmas or Easter. My parents lived out their faith. As I grew into preteen life, there became a bit more of an awareness of the need for a personal relationship with Christ. I began looking at the words of the hymns, realizing they were words to live by. I began reading my Bible. And even more as I became a teen, I saw with even more clarity the need for the Holy Spirit's work in me personally. I even began listening to sermons! And (gasp!) taking notes! During my teens, I went on three missions trips to Central America. Those trips changed me forever. I will never again view the American lifestyle or even the American definition of...

The journey began as a child, in my heart desiring to "know Jesus"...it continued as I sought to know Him more, to live for Him...it went along as I followed His call on my life...as I married, and had kids...as we ministered in various ways and places... Today, our journey is leading us to a place I never thought it would take, and the path is a bit scary. (Okay, a LOT scary, at times!) These are just the thoughts of a sojourner. You're welcome to come along.