Aunt Pickle's Blog

 I have been slacking in a relationship. I love my husband and am committed to him. I love my family and am committed to them. I love my puppies and am committed to them. I love my savior. He died for me so that I may live. I love my God because he created this world and gave me life. But am I committed? Today when I talked to my counselor I mentioned I do things even though I know I shouldn't. I do things I have prayed that God would remove the temptation. I hear God telling me to make a different choice, but I do it anyway. She asked me why. And my answer...because I want to.  It feels lame in a way. But it's the truth. I want to.  A couple of weeks ago I listened to Louie Giglio speak about heaven and it rocked me. I only listened to it once but I remember he spoke about what it will be like when we see Jesus. My synopsis is this. Think of a penpal you've had. You have been writing back and forth for decades building a relationship. Then you have an opportunity to mee...

It's been a long time since I've blogged. I can feel it because it's been awhile since I've read my Bible too. It's amazing how that works, isn't it? It's been about 10-12 days since and I am finding myself falling "off the wagon". It's a little hard to hear God speaking, yet a little easier to hear the other voices. The Justification Voices. You know what I'm talking about. The voices that say, you can do "______" just this once, it won't matter. So then you do "______" and it doesn't really matter. You don't really feel any different. You go about your day and you think you're movin' right along and put off reading your Bible. Then you start feeling a little blue. Then you find yourself feeling a little tired. Then you find that you become a little frustrated over things that are not normally things that cause you frustration. You're feeling a little off. People start asking you how you're...

Deuteronomy 28:1 HCSB "Now if you faithfully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all His commands I am giving you today, the Lord your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth." Many of us know true unconditional love. Not the love between spouses but the love between child and parent. I believe it can be said that one or both of our parents have, at one point or another, shown love unconditionally- beyond our own understanding.   Remember a time that your parent acted unconditionally toward you. How did it make you feel? Did it humble you? Did it bring remorse to your heart? Did you ever make that mistake again? Did you ever sin against your parent again? What did they do? Forgiveness is an amazing thing. We are taught forgiveness at a very very early age. I believe forgiveness is the first step to unconditional love. After forgiveness is obedience. Once we have been forgiven of a mishap and truly repented of it we don't want to do it aga...

Mark 8: 34- 38 HCSB "Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, "If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? What can a man give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Let's talk about this passage for a second. First off, realize that Jesus is talking to his disciples and those surrounding him. This is what he spoke after rebuking Peter. Again, we find that in Jesus day it wasn't all that different than today. There was sin and skeptics. It was a struggle to follow him then just like now. However, today in America, you don...

Some of you know I've been attending a different church these past several months. It's been an amazing experience! One of the things I love about this church is the community. Everyone is encouraged to do everything. I have been participating in a women's book club/ study. We're reading " You're Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be" by Holley Gerth. I recommend this book to every woman; young and not so young. Holley has a way of getting you to think about your life from a perspective that only you and God will understand. She helps you recognize your strengths, your weaknesses, your relationship with God and many other things. This book has helped me look at my life and see that I've been doing things not so bad but I've been human and slacking. You can purchase this book here and I'm sure any local book store. Please find $10 out of your budget to buy this book and commit to yours...

It's been a good chapter, it's been an eventful chapter. There's been love, loss, tears, sorrow, happiness, gratefulness, appreciation, growth and now it's time to move on. I think it's super interesting to look back at my life and see all the changes and all the growth that has happened. I give God all the credit because I know with all my being that it's because of Him that I am sitting here today about to tell you that He provided for me once again! As most of you know I have had 2 jobs for the past almost 6 years. I have worked in the insurance industry at one job and with developmentally disabled adults at the 2nd. I have loved both jobs immensely! Well, about 3 months ago I learned of a position at an insurance company that I knew I would be perfect for! A trainer position at Pekin Insurance. During the phone interview I was feeling super hopeful. 3-4 wks later I had a face-to-face interview which I, again, felt hopeful. Then 2-3 wks later I had a 2n...

Jeremiah 29: 11-14 "11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.14 I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." We all know Jeremiah 29:11... or maybe I should say we recognize the scripture address... if you've been in any Christian bookstore it's plastered all over. If you've ever been anywhere that has a Christian something or other there's a good chance that you've seen this passage. You may not know what it says but you've seen it. 29:11 states that the Lord knows th...

Have you ever really listened to the lyrics of "Praise You in the Storm" by Casting Crowns? 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalms 121: 1&2 God does not want bad things for us but, because of free will, we have the choice to live a life that will throw us bad events. When bad events happen to us, something small- like my car breaking down on the side of the road for no good reason or something huge- like the main office of your business burning down in the middle of the night, He's there. God calls us to praise Him always. When we find out that it's only going to cost $62 to fix the problem of the car which died on the side of the road it's easy to praise Him. When we find out our best friend's cancer has been surgically removed, it's easy to praise Him. When we find out that we're going to get a raise, it's easy to praise Him. When we find ...

Psalms 37:3-4 HCSB 3  Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4  Take delight in the Lord , and he will give you the desires of your heart I have struggled with giving all my thoughts to God and being faithful in His timing. When I struggle with it I remember these verses. Actually, they're hanging up at my desk, see.... When I'm having a bad day or feel like I'm floundering I remember the promises given in Psalms and then I remember my Grampie telling me to just trust in the Lord with all my heart. I think he had read these verses before... LOL I hope these are as encouraging to you as they are to me.  I'm gonna tell you something that I've only told about 3 people. I have always known what God has had in store for me but, for some silly human reason, I haven't done anything about it. Often I would feel sorry for myself and "cry" to God asking Him why "so-and-so" had this and that but...

Facebook... you have become my methamphetamine! Seriously! I think about you too often. I'd like to think that it's all my friends of whom I'm thinking but I know it's just that stupid news feed.  For no real reason I checked my friends' list the other day... 400! 400 friends! How in the world is that possible?? I really should weed it down. I know not all 400 people really care about what I'm doing on a daily basis. In fact, I know that to be true. Instead of checking Facebook a million times a day, I'm going to occupy my time with other things. One of them being this blog. I don't think this will happen every single day but I will update it more often. Maybe this will become my addiction... will that be so bad? I don't think so because there could be some good come from it! Here is my FB filler for the day... I think it's fantastically perfect for what I'm trying to accomplish here.... Ephesians 2:1-9 HCSB 1  And you were dead i...

Philippians 3:8-11 HCSB 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ-the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 [My goal] is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Holy cow! How have I never heard what this passage is saying? Read it again, I'll wait.................... Now go back and read it a third time! Do you hear what Paul is saying? Do you really? I didn't until Francis Chan gave me his insight in "Crazy Love.... Overwhelmed by a relentless God". Paul is telling the Phillipians that he is giving up the way of his las...

I don't understand how I can give you my heart I don't understand how I can give you my soul I don't understand how you can tell me you love my heart I don't understand how you can tell me you love my soul. I don't understand how I can dream about you today I don't understand how I can dream about you tomorrow I don't understand how you dream about me today I don't understand how you stop dreaming about me tomorrow I don't understand how I love you today I don't understand how I love you tomorrow I don't understand how you love me today I don't understand how you don't love me tomorrow I don't understand how I put everything aside I don't understand how I put you ahead I don't understand how you put me aside I don't understand how you put her ahead I don't understand how I hurt you I do understand how you hurt me I don't understand how I love you I do understand how you didn't love m...

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to have coffee with a long time friend. I found it interesting the things I thought I knew about her. We have "known" each other for about 15 years. We started working together just as I was leaving the area to live in Freeport. We reconnected when she was my boss at my part-time job. I always felt we had a special connection when she was my boss. I respected her then and even more now. She reminded me that it is important to spend time with those we love. When I left the coffee shop I vowed to myself that I am going to do this more often. Don't just say "we should get coffee sometime" but say "when are you free to get coffee?". Yesterday was proof that I love the people in my world and I want to get to know them even better than I know them now. I encourage you to open that door to your heart. Call your friend and say, "hey, when are you free?". You'll be so glad you did! ...

Acts 5: 1-11 (English Standard Version via www.biblegateway.com) "Ananias and Sapphira 1)But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2)and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3)But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4)While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5)When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6)The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 7)After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8)And Peter said to her, "Tell m...

Last night at Bible Study I asked to have our gov't put on our prayer list. When I said it I got scoffed at. It hurt me a little that my Bible Study Buddies do not think that the gov't is worth praying for. I'm not sure why the reaction but I know that we did pray for the leaders of our country. He prayed that God's will be done which reminded me that I really believe that God has His hand in the doings of our world. "For nation shall rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, there shall be famine and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places; and these are the beginning of sorrows;" Matthew 24: 7&8 Has anyone ever thought that Obama is in office because he will help God's plan? Has anyone ever thought that this health care situation is to get us to be "nation against nation"? Has anyone ever thought that Jesus is coming in our generation? It's the most amazing thing to think that Jesus will return and I will get to witness...

Being a good steward is not really my strong suit. OK, it's not at all my strong suit, in fact, it's embarrassingly horrible.   My life is amazing and I wouldn't change it for the world. I love my jobs, family and I have amazing friends.  I love that I can go sing karaoke with my friends and get home late with no worries of children or husband.  It has taken me a very long time to realize that I'm blessed and God is consistently working within my life. You know when life throws challenges your way and you just don't know how you're going to pull through? Well, recently (about 6 months now) I've had these challenges which I haven't really shared with anyone because they're embarrassing. I'm not one to let embarrassment get me but in this case it prevailed.  Without going into the "hairy details", I've been putting on a front. Then the other day it hit me. I've been living a lie. I've been living as if God has been #1 in my...

I didn't realize it's been so long since I posted something. I don't know if anyone still reads these or not but it will help me. If you are reading this I pray that God will use it to help you grow in your relationship with Him. I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Women of Faith conference with 3 of God's amazing women; Megan, Janet and Aims. It was an inspirational time with God and friends. It's amazing how God uses perfect strangers to talk directly to your heart! I can't explain the weekend except it was perfect and I learned a lot about my relationship with our God of the Universe. Leaving WoF reminded me of when I would leave Nat'l Camp in the early 90's. That experience was so uplifting that I felt as if I could conquer anything. Then reality set in; the radio came back on, TV returned, non-Christian friends returned along with my old habits. This is how I feel today. However, I know I'm stronger than I once was. Satan has rea...

From Josh Groban's new album,  Noel Somedays, we forget to look around us,  Somedays, we can't see the joy that surrounds us,  So caught up inside ourselves, we take when we should give,  So for tonight we pray for what we know can be  And on this day we hope for what we still can't see  It's up to us, to be the change  And even though we all can still do more,  There's so much to be Thankful for,  Look beyond ourselves, there's so much sorrow  It's way too late to say, I'll cry tomorrow  Each of us must find our truth, it's so long overdue,  So for tonight we pray for, what we know can be  And everyday we hope for what we still can't see, it's up to us, to be the change,  And even though we all can still do more, there's so much to be thankful for.  Even with our differences, there is a place were all connected, each of us can find each others light,  So for tonight, we pray for what we know can be  A...

The most wonderful thing happened to me today... my 16 month old niece, Annabel, held my hand. It was amazing! I went to her house for lunch today and before I left I read her a book and she was leaning on my lap and she held my hand. Her nose itched and she bent over to itch it on my leg and she still held my hand. I just kept reading the book. I said to her mom in the "book-reading" voice, "she's holding my hand." When Megan saw this she couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it!! Babies are one of God's most precious creations! How blessed I am to have Annabel in my life! I love you, Lil' Pickle!

"you are Blessed, God loves you, Jesus died for you, your friends rock and your family is amazing!"..."you are Blessed, God loves you, Jesus died for you, your friends rock and your family is amazing!"..."you are Blessed, God loves you, Jesus died for you, your friends rock and your family is amazing!" It's been about 3 weeks now that I have been feeling frustrated. This one particular person in my life is a challenge for me to be around. The thing is I have no choice but to be around them. It's so challenging for me that I have contemplated cutting them out of my life for good. The thing is; I can't!! So instead of letting them get under my skin I have decided to pray. I have been praying every day, every moment, every breath. After praying I have noticed that God has given me this peace about this. God is completely amazing. He blesses us even though we do not deserve it! His grace is amazing! God's grace is given daily, even every...