Imagine That

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I mentioned Randal and I are reading through a book called, "The Practical Dreamer's Handbook." It's been quite a challenge too! It's certainly got us thinking about what's at the very core of our desire. God says He'll give us the desires of our heart, but I'm of the opinion that many of us don't even know what that is. I know for us, it's been a layering process to keep digging to the "real" desires. What we initially thought were our greatest dreams became quite superficial. There's more buried down there than we realized.

My thoughts are that God may have put those desires there long ago ... maybe our purpose in life is within those desires. It's something to ponder in our mornings with the Lord.

Our Black Willow tree is being eaten up again by caterpillars that look like bird poop. Many people would get out the chemicals and kill them to "save the tree." Since we don't consider that an option because we like earthworms, birds and other critters that are killed by these chemicals, we send up a prayer and see what happens. That's what we did the first year we saw these caterpillars. I did some research on those guys and found that they produced some beautiful Admiral butterflies. One of them is the Red-Spotted Purple Butterfly that we see so many of around here. To think I could've killed them off before they ever had a chance to become a butterfly.

The tree didn't seem to suffer at all and all the leaves came back before Fall came along to drop them to the ground. Maybe it's just part of the process. Maybe they actually benefit the tree in some way? Like challenges of life benefit us if we look for good in all things.

Look at the size of the Black Willow in 2004, which was the year we first saw the caterpillars and also the year it had been moved to a new site after being "dropped in" by God.

Now, look at the size of the same Black Willow two years later. I don't think the caterpillars "killed" the tree. I have this little inkling in my heart that says they somehow helped the tree.

I wonder how much time, money and poisons we could save by doing a little research or just giving nature a chance to balance itself out. May I encourage you to consider this in your own backyard? :-) If you have to spray something, visit www.gardeners.com for something safer. People, pets and children are affected by all these poisons also..... but that's another story.

Hugs and Blessings to Each of You!
Donna

Today's Featured Article

Imagine That
by Donna L. Watkins

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. --- Matthew 5:6

I want to be filled. Don't you want to be filled? Filled with joy and peace and love and just ooze with mercy and love for others? Have you met anybody like that? There are few out there in our current world of so much bad news and stress-filled lifestyles. Deep within each of us is the capacity to be like that. Imagine how you would feel being that kind of person.

I've always been a wild horse. Rebellious, stubborn and full of pride. It had to be my way as a child and being raised as an only child by my grandparents, it pretty much went my way. I think those of us who are wild horses take a lot more bumps and bruises in life to get the real message. It takes a lot for us hard-headed folks to break away from our sins since we were made tough enough to handle it all; to find our way around bad circumstances and keep on plowing through, even if we do so in misery.

How many burdens and health problems can I truly handle? The weight and pain of health issues can cause somebody to turn to Christ and choose life ... or to turn away in anger because they are not getting their own way. I still struggle with those thoughts against God when I don't get what I want. When my prayers aren't answered with "yes." I find that many times God gives me a "yes" answer to my delight, only to find that I end up in the devil's wasteland getting my own way.

It's quite a lesson to learn to "humble myself in the sight of the Lord" as the song and Scripture says. Matthew 5:6 above tells me that I will be filled if I hunger and thirst after righteousness. Gee, what would it feel like to always be filled. No ups and downs, no mountain tops and valleys. Can you imagine that?

I am usually so busy being hungry and thirsty for my own way. What does this mean? I asked to be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and here I find out how to get that prayer answered. It's up to me!

Smith Wigglesworth says, "If you ever see a "shall" in the Bible, make it yours.

Health problems? Wouldn't it be just grand if God would just take away all our diseases? I like that thought, but the Bible tells us that Christ healed all of our diseases. We need to appropriate that healing with our faith. How many times did Jesus say, "Only believe." How do we believe when so few in the church have been able to take this to heart and make it happen?

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God is what Hebrews says, so what am I listening to? My own negative and faithless thoughts or am I thinking, believing and hearing the Word as I meditate on healing Scripture. Oh, how much easier it is to wallow in self-pity and beg God to just do it. Where is all my head-strong and stubborn determination in this arena of life? Hmmmm....

Smith Wigglesworth says, "Jesus was true, inwardly and outwardly. He is "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6), and on this foundation we can build. When we know that our own hearts do not condemn us (1 John 3:21), we can say to the mountain, "Be removed" (Matthew 21:21). But when our own hearts do condemn us, there is no power in prayer, no power in preaching. We are just "sounding brass or a clanging cymbal" (I Corinthians 13:1)."

Prayer:
Father, we hunger and thirst for your righteousness. Help us to look away from everybody else and look to Your Word and Your Truth about healing. Your Word says You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. Increase our faith, Father, that we may see the healing that Jesus made available to us on the Cross. He turned no one away. He healed them ALL. I believe Your Word, Papa, but as the father of a demon-possessed son said to Jesus when He walked this earth, "Help my unbelief!"

Spiritual Roots of Disease

Book Closeout! "A More Excellent Way" by Pastor Henry Wright shows which emotions are causing many of today's health problems.

We are trimming back duties and slimming down our business. Selling this book is one of the things we are going to discontinue. It's the only in-house inventory we carry. I began selling it because it was not available elsewhere and then we continued so people could get it for a bit less, but it's time to sell out the supplies we have and use that time elsewhere. If you'd like to get one of the remaining copies from the last case we received, click here to order.

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Copyright and Reprint Information © 2006 Donna L. Watkins

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This article originally published in "A Healing Moment" was reprinted with permission. The Herbs Place provides a free email subscription to "A Healing Moment." Visit the author's website for more articles and other free newsletters available. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html