Closed Doors, Detours, and Roadblocks

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles was a 1987 comedy. It is about two men with very different personalities and from different backgrounds who embark on a trip to get home for Thanksgiving only to be detoured throughout the journey with mishaps and disasters galore.

     I was reminded of this movie when I read the following: “Be thankful for closed doors, detours, and roadblocks. They protect you from paths and places not meant for you.”

     Closed Doors, Detours, and Roadblocks would make a great name for a Christian movie as God closes doors, establishes detours, and provides roadblocks to protect us from our misdirected choices. 

The Porch

Growing up, I fondly remember the front porch. We had one, and both my grandparents had one. It was the center of our relaxation and family time. Today, I am very fond of my porch, and it is a place I often go to find peace and comfort. I have both a front and back porch, but the back porch is where I am usually found. It is where I often go to:         

             P raise and find Peace of mind

                  O bserve God’s handiwork 

                  R emember my blessings

                  C heerfully glorify God

                  H ave a conversation with God   

 Whether a front or back porch, I like to think that I use it wisely!

Promises

Years ago, when I attended Al-Anon, I learned not to get too excited about promises made to me. They usually were not kept, and my unfulfilled expectations left me feeling low. I learned to listen to a person’s actions instead of their words. 

     Although we love the people in our lives, they often let us down with unfulfilled promises. I am sure I have also been at the other end of spectrum, as well, by letting someone down. 

     With God, I don’t how to be edgy, depressed, or let-down. His promises are always kept. I do, however, need to listen to His words, watch for His actions, hold them in my heart and love Him because the results occurring in my life are pre-planned. With God, I can have peace, knowing if I trust and love, my life is joyful.   

 

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV

The Same

Have you ever started the day not knowing what to expect from a family member, a co-worker, or friend? Isn't it wonderful to know that there is One who never changes? 

The Same 

 Some mornings, I wake up sleepy,

Then others may find me weepy.

I may be grumpy,

Or I may feel jumpy.

My moods can be fickle,

Changing as the flip of a nickle.

I may be rude.

I may be crude.

I may want to brood.

You might find a smile upon my face

That you want to embrace, 

Or there might be a frown

I wear around the town.

My words might be inconsistent,

And I might be distant.

I might be sarcastic or kind.

It’s a quess, what you will find.

But, 

God’s mood does not change;

It does not re-arrange.

He is the same day in and out;

There’s nothing to doubt.

He’s consistent;

Never distant.

Every day, He’s the same.

That places Him in my Hall of Fame.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 7/21/2024

 

“I the Lord do not change.” Malachi 3:6

 

“…the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like 

shifting shadows.” James 1:17b

 

Love

Love is eternal because “God is love.”

John 15: 12 also says, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have love you.”

     When I think about love, it lifts my heart, and coming from God, I know it is forever. He will never fall out of love with me. 

 

Love from God is: 

    L asting

    O verwhelming

    V ictorious

    E ternal 

Believed

There roads of life lead in many different directions and they offer different adventures. I have found as I travel along:  

         I heard, listened, or ignored-

         I saw, watched, or looked aside-

         I spoke or was quiet-

         I thought, reacted, planned, and dreamed-

         I focused, set my course, or wandered along-

         I was active or passive-

         I was humble or boastful-

         I chose the good or the bad-

         I forgave or resented-

         I trusted or I worried-

         I cared, neglected, loved, or hated-

         I slept and awoke.

Yet, through all my travels the most important is “I Believed!’

         

Focus

My word for the day is focus. A couple of meanings are “center of interest” or “pay attention to”.  So, who do I want to pay attention to? What will FOCUS do for me?

The 1^st 3 letters were easy because ,in all things and at all time, Christ should be my focus.  

 

F ocus 

O n 

C hrist 

U ndoes

S elfishness, S adness, S harp fear, S ilent lonliness, S omeone’s injustices

 

 

No Other God

 I woke this morning thinking about the power of my God and how there is no other God.

No Other God

 

From the rising to the setting of the sun,

From light to darkness,

There is the Lord!

In Him, all things are done.

He sets the day,

The night,

And all that goes between.

There is no other God!

No other has created mother, father, and brother. 

The One and Only Lord

Set the earth’s formation,

Pours down righteousness,

And gives salvation!

Within the clouds,

Within the rains,

There is the Lord!

He walks among the crowds.

His thoughts higher,

Seeing all about to transpire.

He is the Potter-

I, the clay.

He is the Living Water-

The Way!

There is no other God!

His laws-

His Words-

His ways are never flawed.

In Him, I am awed.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson – 7/17/2024 

 

“I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, through thou hast not known me. That they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45: 5-6 KJV

Beginning and End

 God is not only the Alpha and Omega- The Beginning and The End, but He sees the Beginning and The End. 
     So, why should I "fear"?  God destined my beginning and He knows my ending. He also knows my in-between and stays near to help me through. 

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12 NIV

"Pray continually." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV 

Father, Forgive!

Everyone wants to be accepted and loved.  I certainly do!

Although, Jesus was not accepted and loved, He accepts and loves me. He died for me. He forgives me. He is willing to come to my aide. All He asks is for me to die to my sins, accept Him, and love Him. 

Father, Forgive!

 Betrayed or waylaid,

Leaves one afraid or dismayed.

Being rejected 

Leaves one disconnected and neglected.

Being humiliated

Makes one feel hated.

Jesus was all of those.

He suffered from head to toes.

He was rejected, humiliated, betrayed!

No one came to his aide. 

He suffered torment, 

Yet He didn’t resent.

He did not fixate

On thoughts to retaliate.

He didn’t get mad.

He simply said,

“Father, forgive!”

         

Mary Crisp Jameson 7/12/2024 

 

“Then said Jesus, Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” 

Luke 23:34a KJV

 

 

 

 

 

A Goat

My verse for the day comes from Ephesians 4:30. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

 

I am sure I grieve the Lord every day, and I am so sorry for the grief I cause. As I thought of ways I grieve God, I thought of:

 

G-ossip

R age or Rationalize my sinful ways 

I nconsiderate toward others

E nvy

V alue possessions over God

E lect to go it my way 

 

But then I though what word can I call myself for the way I grieve God. Immediately, I thought of a goat. I don’t know why, other than they are known to be willing to eat or chew on almost anything including tin cans and cardboard. 

     By nature, I sometimes, too, am willing to test the waters of sin, chewing on it to see how good it can be and how far I can go. 

 

So I might call myself a "goat": 

 

G-ossip

O-verindulgent

A-ct selfishly and unrighteous (unforgiving-anger-and the list continues)

T-estor of the waters of sinfulness 

 

 

 

Promises A-Z

I have done several A-Z writings, but I have never attempted one about God’s promises. I think that if I believe, receive, treasure God’s Word, obey, trust, and fear God, there are promises I can cling to and the following do not include them all.   

 

Alive with Christ 

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us (me) alive with Christ even when we (I) were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you (I) have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5

 

Barns will be full of plenty

“Honor the Lord from your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

          

Correction  

“Because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.” Proverbs 3:12 

 

Discretion will protect me 

“Discretion will protect you…” Proverbs 2:11 

 

Eternal life is granted

“Now this is eternal life; that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” John 17:3 

         

Free gift of life 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 

 

Grace is bestowed 

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesisans 2:8-9

 

Health  

“…Fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nournishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3 :7b-8

 

Included Forever 

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 1:13 He is intimate with the upright” Proverbs 3:32 

 

Joy is within 

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3

 

Knowledge will begin 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." 

Proverbs 1:7a

 

Love with be given me  

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins…Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another…But if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:10,11,12b  

         

Mercy is provided

“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. Luke 1:50  

 

Needs are met 

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

 

Overcoming friend by my side  

“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14 and “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

 

Protects my way and Peace of Mind but not Problem free  

“For He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.” Proverbs 2:8 and “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

 

Quick assess to God

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…” Ephesians 6:18a

 

Rest in contentment  

“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” Proverbs 19:23

 

Shield will cover me

“He holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk if blameless.” Proverbs 2:7 

 

Things work for good

“For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

 

United and One with God 

“But whoever is united with the Lord is one with Him in spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17

 

Victory is granted

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

 

Will not be broken in the stumble 

“Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:24

 

X-rayed daily

“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14 and “…we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.” 1 John 5:20b

 

Yahweh, my God is always the same-His Word never changes  

             “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

         

Zillion reasons to follow God who is the zest to my life and the zip to my walk

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13 

Stuck in Sin

I hate it when I sin; when I am rude, when I get irritated too quickly, when I am unfriendly, even when I catch myself "doing the eyeball roll" at someone else's action or comment. Why do I do the things I do? It seems I cycle in and out of my sinful ways. I have no excuses, but if I did, it would be that Satan roams to and fro hoping to deceive.  I am just to thankful that God forgives and He gives me grace.  

Stuck in Sin

 

Stuck in the muck?

Stalled and appalled?

Blinded and weak-minded?

Satan's foot-hold

Got you trapped in sin's mold?

Running in place

And looking for grace?

Tis wise to take heed.

Seek help to be freed.

If need be-

Unfriend,

Avoid the trend,

Don’t over-spend,

Make amend.

Detect, 

Reject,

Correct!

Do what it will take;

God’s grace is at stake!

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 7/8/2024 

 

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2: 11-12 NIV

 

 

Make Cake

Not many people today make layer cakes. They are more difficult and time consuming than  sheet cakes. A layer cake finds the baker often having to deal with layers that did not bake out evenly and which can slip and slide to the side if not careful adding the frosting. Yet, three layer cakes are what I bake most often, because I think they are better- sweeter and more moist. 

     Although I bake layer cakes, my cake can get pretty messy. To prevent the layers from sliding, I often have to jab a few toothpicks around here and there to prevent them from sliding. Sometimes, the layers can even break apart and need a repair job. The top frosting is usually pretty messy looking. It may even drip down around the rim of the plate. I can often hide the flaws and messy look of the final top frosting by dressing it up with a few nuts, coconut, or some other item that compliments the taste unless I decide to let the flaws show and not worry about the lopsided appearance, hoping all the flaws will be overlooked by the deliciousness of the cake. Actually, I've learned in life that looks can be deceiving; the taste still good.  

     That said, I find my life much like a layer cake-messy with a few toothpicks jabbed around supporting the structure and the flaws dressed up, but life is joyful and good. And, as I savor a good slice of cake, I remember that "All things work together for good if we love God.”  

The Right Shoe

Yesterday I talked about “putting the shoe on the other foot.” Thinking about shoes led me into how comfortable I am in the right shoes; shoes that don’t just look cute but ones that really fit.
     In fact, I love a good, comfortable pair of shoes. My daughter says I am really picky when it comes to buying shoes, but that is because if a shoe is not comfortable my whole body is out of sync. I am probably telling my age when I say, “I gave up high heels long ago.” 
     The following quotes are some of my favorites, but a quote can always be changed a little, like:  
 
“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.”  
     I like to think of this as “Give a girl the right God, and she can walk in her shoes and conquer the world.” 
 
“Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy fabulous shoes and that can lift one’s “sole.”  
     Hmmm, how could I change this?  Maybe, “Money can’t buy happiness, but with God you can have “joy and hope” in the shoes you wear and He can lift one’s “soul.” 
 

      That being said, I came up with my own quote. “If you put faith in God in your walk, you are wearing the right shoes.” 

Putting the Shoe On The Other Foot

Years ago, I watched as my daughter was in the learning process of dressing herself. When she put her shoes on the wrong feet, I am sure I told her, “Put the shoe on the other foot.” 

     As I reminisced about this, I thought of Luke 6:31 where scripture tells me, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”

     Putting the shoe on the other foot is like putting myself in the other person’s place and asking, “How do I want others to treat me?” I am constantly in this learning process-“putting the shoe on the other foot.”

 

The Pause

My life has been filled with “pauses”.  

     When I read about Abraham and Sarah, they had a long pause between when God told them they would be blessed with a child. David had a long pause between the time it was declared he would become king and the time he actually did become king. Everyone has pauses in their life and usually for a reason. 

     So, my question to myself is, “What do I do with the “pause” in my life? 

 

P – It is a passing of time in which I can prepare and pray for God’s plan before proceeding onward.

A- I can alter my lifestyle to conform to God ways as I seek answers before acting.

U- I can use the passage of time to be useful.

S- I can seriously seek God at all times.

E- I can enter into every day with eagerness-eager to enjoy life and eager to enrich someone else’s life.