The Plan of the Master Weaver~

At 1 am today, my longtime and very inspirational friend, Stacey Peretz Giordano, lost her 2 1/2 year battle with leukemia. She fought hard for so long with dignity, perseverance and grace. She was an embodiment of everything that is good and right about the human spirit.

It was hard to see her slip away from us. I worked with Stacey for many years at Mill Pond Press in Venice. She was always a lot of fun to be around and would liven up any party with style. She was a always a hard worker and if she didn't understand something she would come right out and ask. That was one of the things I loved most about her. She was very transparent in so many ways. She was always up for a good giggle.

Stacey always wore her heart on her sleeve. You knew where she stood without equivocation. It was refreshing to be around someone who lived life like that. There was no falsehood or hiding behind anything. Stacey was always right out there with it, whatever it was. And, sometimes you never knew what would come out of that mouth of hers. She made life fun for everyone around her.

Through the years she moved away to Montana to work for artist John Banovich and as life often does, you lose touch. But I was able to see her from time to time when she relocated and began working from home for John. My last memorable time with her was at lunch with another dear friend and co-worker, Ellen Collard.

We had a grand time at Millie's, the best breakfast restaurant in Sarasota, laughing and reminiscing about the good ole days at Mill Pond and sharing about our adventures since then. She looked great and she was  engaged in the fight of her life and she was totally up for it. She knew what she was facing and she had decided to take some time off work to concentrate on her health and her family. She inspired Ellen and I so much and for that matter she inspired everyone she met. Quite a gal our Stacey was. A bright light not soon to be forgotten.

                             Stacey, Ellen and I at lunch last year. Sharing the good times and memories~


When someone in the prime of their life passes away (Stacey was 48) we often ask questions like, Why? Stacey was such a sweet person with a vibrant zest for life. She brought so much joy to those around her. Why Lord? Why did she have to go so soon? It just doesn't make sense.

We don't know the Master Plan, but we know the one who does. Our job is to trust and obey. Our journey on earth is exactly that: a Journey. We are just passing through. This is not our home. We don't know how Stacey's untimely passing may affect those closest to her. But the Lord does and He can use this tragedy to reach out to someone who needs Him most during their time of grief. We don't know how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together, but He does. Trust and Obey~ It's pretty simple and straight forward if we can just do it.

It's not always easy to accept the passing of those we hold dear, but it is an absolute necessity if we are to make sense of why some stay and some go and to be at peace with it. None of us knows the ways of Providence, but we must trust that He knows exactly what He is doing. We each have a time to be born and a time to die. This was Stacey's time and nothing on earth could have kept her here another minute. I find tremendous comfort in that and I pray that all of my readers do too.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us:

"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."

                                  Stacey trying on wigs after her chemo began - she was always a great cut up!

The Lord wanted her home and there was nothing keeping her here, even one more minute. I didn't see Stacey in her last days, but did see her briefly a few months ago at Ellen's house. She was tired but seemed to be at peace with everything that was happening to her. Knowing her like I do, I'm sure she was brave till the end, leaving this earth peacefully while setting a wonderful example for her girls, her husband, her parents, other family members and friends. She showed us all what it meant to live life to the fullest, embracing every minute of every day, and taking nothing for granted.

                                                                 Stacey and precious daughter Sierra. 
                                                                 She was so proud of both of her girls~ 

                                                      Stacey and cherished daughter Cherie in Africa 
                                                      with the "Masai Dudes" as Stacey called them.

                                                              Stacey and her beloved husband Mark. 
                                           They took the plunge in July 2011 after many years together.

                                Stacey and best friend Linda. Linda was by her side through the whole ordeal.
                                             What a wonderful loving friend with a servant's heart.

Oh, that I would have her courageous spirit when my time comes. Thank you Lord for the life of my friend Stacey. Hold her close to you in Heaven above and watch over all of her grieving family and friends, especially her beautiful girls. They were her pride and joy and they will miss her greatly.

My friend Ellen posted some words on her Facebook page that I thought were appropriate to copy and pass along. This says it beautifully~ God has a plan, never forget that.

The Plan of the Master Weaver

Our lives are but fine weavings 
That God and we prepare, 
Each life becomes a fabric planned 
And fashioned in His care 
We may not always see just how the weavings intertwine
But we must trust the Masters’s Hand
And allow for His design.
For He can view the pattern
Upon the upper side
While we must look from underneath
And trust in Him to guide
Sometimes a strand of sorrow
Is added to His plan,
And though it’s difficult for us
We must still understand
That it’s He who fills the shuttle,
It’s He who knows what’s best
So we must weave in patience
And leave to Him the rest
Not ‘til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why
The dark threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.


My verses for today are above in red.


My prayer for today:

Dear Heavenly Father:

Thank you for the life of my friend Stacey. She's home with you now Lord. Thank you that she is no longer suffering and is no longer in pain. Thank you for allowing me to be a brief part of her life. Watch over Mark and her family and especially her girls. Pull them close to you in these difficult days and in the years ahead. Let them feel Stacey's presence throughout their days in a gentle breeze and the falling rain. Let them know she is near.

In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen

What is your "Treasure?"

If someone asked you what your "treasure" in life was, what would it be? Think about all the things you've done or haven't done throughout your life. What has been your focus? Websters defines a treasure as something precious or of great worth.

Think about what motivates you to get out of bed each morning? Is it your family or your job or your love of money or power? Do you want to just succeed in life so you get get a bigger house, or a nicer car, or go on a nicer vacation that your neighbors? What drives you forward? What gets you excited? What "gets you going" as they say? What is your "treasure?"-- the thing that makes life worth living. Have you even taken the time to identify it?

                                Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also." 




Are you familiar with the wonderful verse above? No truer words were ever spoken, but often we don't take time to even think about our "treasure" while the demands of life have a hold of us.

As we travel down the road of life, the daily rituals take over. School, career, marriage and kids are the tried and true path that most of us take. Then we get caught up in the activities of raising a family and/or holding down a job. We pay the mortgage and the monthly bills, saving where we can. We all juggle our time between the kids schedules and our own, trying to fit everything in. Then we have the demands of keeping a house running. We squeeze in a vacation once a year or a few days here and there when we can afford the money and the time. And that is the way our lives normally are until the children are grown and gone and it is very happily accepted and enjoyed by most loving parents. I sure know I was very happy in that role and relished my time with my family in those early years.

But, when the kids are gone, you turn around and say, "Hey, what happened to the last 18-20 years of  my life? And now what? My Dad used to tell me that life was like a walk around the block. A father's wisdom is something you can't deny. As I've gotten older, I now know exactly what he meant. Another truism from Dad was "time marches on." Boy, he hit that nail right on the head too. You can't stop it and the older you get, the faster it seems to go!

As most of us begin to age, we look long and hard at our lives and the choices or lack of choices we've made. I think most of us look at ourselves differently as we get more miles under the hood as they say. For me, as I was reevaluating my life, I looked up to my Creator for new direction and renewed focus.

                                                Jesus can help you down the long road of life~ start to finish!

I mean, come on, it's a wonderful thing to have your family - your husband and/or your children engulfing you in those early years and being your "treasure" in life, but is that enough to really ground you? Your family changes, they grow up and move on, and then where is your treasure? Is your treasure your job, career or business? Is it your hobbies - like your love of tennis or golf, photography, scrapbooking, or volunteering for example. Or is it travel bug that has becomes the focus of your new found freedom? Spending time with your grandchildren? Or maybe now, you can really spend more time with your spouse and rekindle the spark of those earlier days. But, what happens when and if you lose your spouse? Then were is your treasure?

Our fast paced world is full of ways to entertain yourself. There is always something to do to keep yourself occupied so you don't really have to think too much. You can stay busy everyday and every night if you want to. You can literally distract yourself and your thoughts until the day you die. But, what do you have at the end of it? Are you fulfilled ~ is that hole in your heart full?

If your treasure is in the Lord Jesus Christ, He will never leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8 says "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” He is not going anywhere! He is the one that made you and I and He is the one that promises to never leave your side, no matter what until you take your last breath! He will escort you right into your eternal home~

If your true treasure in life is God Almighty, you can totally relax. He has a plan and always has from the moment you were conceived in your mother's womb. Jeremiah 29:11-13 states it like this:  "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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

He knows the plans He has for you. What a wonderful statement of assurance that is. Relax, He's got a plan for you and for me. But how many of us stop and take the time to tune into Him and seek His plan for us? We're too busy carrying out our own plans. It doesn't matter when you stop and take notice of that promise, but please do because that promise, if followed, can change your life forever. He can help you re-prioritize everything in your life and re-create yourself a thousand times over.

If you stop and earnestly seek God's direction for your life instead of your own direction, He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." 

So, if you're looking around for your treasure in life, look no further, it's easy, look up to the Lord Jesus. He is the greatest treasure on the face of the earth. Let Him be your life's statement. You will never be disappointed.

A friend of mine on Facebook, posted this on her page. I think this one statement pretty much sums it up for me too, so I wanted to share it with you. Very simple, but right to the heart of things:

"I am God's child. I am thankful for everything He blesses me with and will do everything for Him that I can."


I love this song by Alison Krauss. I always want my life to be a Living Prayer to my God~ Enjoy




My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

Dear Heavenly Father:

You are my treasure Lord. Help me to refocus my life to align myself with you, my treasure, each and every day. Help me to help others learn about the best treasure in life: YOU! Thank you Jesus for my Salvation and thank you Lord for this beautiful day. Thank you for all the blessings you bestow upon me and my family each day, for we know they all come from your Hand.

I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus, my Lord,
Amen and Amen

Relax~~Jesus holds the Keys!

Do you know one of God's most faithful promises to mankind? Romans 8:28 tell us: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."


It isn't always easy to see the fruits of that promise, but they are always there and they are something that, as a Christian, I keep in the back of my mind at all times. I'm not in charge, HE is. Relax, everything will work out the way He wants it to! 


None of us ever know the ways of Providence. We don't know why events happen the way they do. We have no idea why one person lives and another person dies, one person is healed and another person is not. We don't hold the keys to the Master plan of the Universe. But we know who does, Jesus! Our Lord and Savior, our Creator! 

                                                                      Relax~~Jesus holds the keys!


When situations go awry in your life, that one solid verse is one thing you can hang onto with absolute certainty. Say it out loud, memorize it, write it on the mirror of your bathroom, and look to it often. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Doesn't it have a wonderful sound? Please note that it doesn't say in some things, it says in "ALL" things. God doesn't take any days off. He is on the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a years. 


Life happens. Tragic situations come up all the time in everyone's life. There is no way to get around it. You never know what the new day will bring. How you handle those events totally depends on you and the foundation in your life. You can either completely collapse or stand firm in your faith and your belief that Jesus is in charge, not you. When tragedies occur, prayer often begin on your behalf or on the behalf of the person affected. Do you ever think - Is He really listening up there?


The answer is YES! The Lord hears all those prayers. James 5:16 says ..."The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." He also tells us that when two or more are gathered in prayer, He is there.  Matthew 18:20 reminds us "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."


Your prayers are not in vain. God hears each and every one of them. The way He answers them is what is according to His will and His Master plan, not ours. That is the hard part. People think that when they lose someone or some other catastrophic event occurs in their life and they don't receive the answer they are praying for that God wasn't listening and He wasn't there with them. Not true! If you are right with God, He is there with you. If not, then you need to reconcile yourself to Him by confession and repentance and He will hear you, loud and clear.

                                              Jesus said  "When two or three are gathered in my name, I am there."


Jesus wants you to lean on Him in all times, not just when things go wrong. He wants a relationship with you and that means reading the Bible, spending time in prayer and studying--really studying His Word. That is the only way you will ever get to know Him intimately. 


He desperately wants to give you His peace, that surpasses all understanding. He doesn't want you to worry about anything. Philippians 4:6-7 says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Our job is to trust and obey and leaves the details to Him. Seems pretty simple, but can you do it?

Unfortunately, for many of us, God doesn't enter the picture until we really reach bottom and feel we have no where else to go. The Lord knows that and He is faithful and forgiving of all of us and our wicked ways. He's used to being a last resort God. He doesn't like it, but He is the one that never turns away from us. He is ALWAYS there when you need Him, he would just like to be included in the normal everyday things and not just during the toughest times of your life. He wants to celebrate the good times too! Psalm 105:8 tells us " He remembers His covenant forever, the Word He commanded for a thousand generations " That's another promise. He's not going anywhere, you can absolutely count on that one too. One of my favorite songs is "Great is Thy Faithfulness." Sit back, and enjoy it with the link below.

Just like any relationship you care about, you have to spend time nurturing it. You have to spend time with the Lord Jesus. It's amazing how when you do that, He will reach out to you and you will begin to understand what He is saying to you through His Word. You will see His presence all around you in all the little things in your life. But you need to be in tune for Him to reveal Himself to you.


He will send certain people into your life with a phone call, or visit, call or email, text or even a Facebook or Twitter message or post. There are many ways to communicate these days. The Lord can be part of all of them, if you will let Him in. You will be more in tune with the things He is doing for you because you will be more in tune with Him! Don't wait until you reach the bottom. Open your heart now, let Him use the Keys and He will change your life forever. He is waiting for you with open arms!


My verses for today are above in red.


My prayer for today:


Dear Lord Jesus: 


Thank you that we can relax and know that you are in charge. What a comfort to know that we don't have to worry about anything. Help us to turn to you in everything Lord. You hold the keys to everything. Help us to remember that, always. Help us to TRUST and OBEY! 


In Jesus name I pray,
Amen