Isaiah  43: 1-5

New King James Version (NKJV)

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;


Today instead of the Sermon that was advertised, the Pastor taught this one.  He mentioned that the Bible has 365 occurrences telling us not to fear.  One for each day of the year.

His message to me was that of hope, as I walk through the fire and the storm, God will supply all my needs.  So I shall endeavor to "Fear Not" and seek instead to abide in Him through this season of my life onward.
Stay blessed,

You can't always win

It's the pep talk I've been giving myself since early this morning.  "The Gambler" said it so eloquently"

"You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away and know when to run"

Makes me think Kenny Rogers has the inside track on being able to throw in the towel.

Like most people I know, I do NOT like losing.  It's not that I'm super competitive, I'm not at all.   I just would rather win, or at the very least, have the game end in a draw.  I especially despise losing when I've giving it my all, over and over again.  When I've rationalized, marginalized and minimized my own feelings, to ensure I'm not stepping on yours, losing damn near infuriates me.

While I always strive to be a gracious loser, I am not a good loser.  Yes, I can shake hands, pat backs, buy dinner/drinks and utter up a sincere "Way to Go!" with the best of them.  Most times I mean it.  You bested me; good for you!  Heck I can even send up a heartfelt prayer that you continue to walk in God's blessings.  However, when I'm alone, I let myself have it.  I ruthlessly look for all the "signs" I missed, then berate myself for seeing only what I wanted to see.  I know I'm not alone in this behavior.  I do not derive any comfort from that knowledge. It takes me a long time to come to terms with my failure to, if not win, then tie.

Today, Saturday March 1, 2014. I'm gagging on losing.  I started to say "losing big".   Now I'm wondering...if the loss provides peace of mind, in the long run, is it really "losing big"?  I don't know.   I do know disappointment and anger are stuck in my throat, and I'm sitting in isolation working my way through the process.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done. I'm crying "Uncle", throwing in the towel, I give in/give up.  You win, I lose.  This fat lady has not only sung, she's left the stage, turned out the lights,  locked the theatre door and has gone home.

Stay blessed,