THANKSGIVING

With all the baking of desserts, prepping the turkey, mashing potatoes, and worrying a out which relatives you have to deal with for Thanksgiving we forget the reason we are doing this at all.

Autumn 1621 the Native Americans and the Pilgrims put aside their prejudices, came to the same table, and feasted together.

Let us take their example this Thanksgiving, put aside all our prejudices, and focus on the real reason we have this day of feasting.

God has richly blessed us. Today, I will focus only on the things God has blessed me with; selfishness and grumbling absolutely not allowed.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 107:1

"Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15

Life or Fire?

With words God spoke this earth into existence. With words He filled the depths with water and peppered the sky with stars. Words I say in passing could come to replay in someone's mind giving them the motivation to persevere. But they could also replay in their head daunting them. This doesn't only apply to me; this applies to every man that has breath.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue" Proverbs 18:21. With the words “Get up and walk” Christ healed a paralyzed man. With words I can give people the boost they need to keep going through the day, the determination to pursue a certain goal with vigor, and remind them they are loved. On the other hand, my words have the potential to destroy. Just as it takes only one spark to start a blazing inferno, it takes only one callous phrase to wound someone at the heart.

People also say that it doesn't matter what you say or do as long as your heart is right. This may be true however, only God sees your heart while men only see your actions and hear your words. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The tongue can start a fire of destruction. James 3:6, 8, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell... no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." So, if our tongues are so destructive and cannot be tamed why bother at all? Because God is more powerful than our out-of-control mouths: “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3.

That said, out words are powerful but it is up to you whether you let them be heinously destructive or beautifully life giving. Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

In Him,

Tiffany Raye

You Have Filled my Heart with Greater Joy

Serving has become a huge part of my life and is one of the most enjoyable and spiritually rewarding things I have ever done. When People say, "Blessed is the giver more than the receiver" they aren't kidding!

I began volunteering [at Woodside] with singing in the choir at age eleven and have since done anything from packing shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child, to leading groups of first graders through Kreative Kids Day Camp. Whatever the occasion I love volunteering. God has filled my heart with greater joy through volunteering and, though it seems backwards, I have become more outgoing through meeting people who share the same goal as I have; to reach out to the world as the hands and feet of Christ. Christ not only commands us to be His hands and feet but He came to set an example.* It is this example that makes me rush to AWANA every Wednesday to greet the precious faces of my Cubbies. I have learned more from their innocent hearts than I ever imagined and they never fail to make my day with smiles and laughter.

The friends I have made while serving have become some of the best. I would not be who I am today without these friends, or the experiences we’ve had together while serving. God calls us each to serve and there is a place for everybody. He wants to fill your heart with greater joy!

*Matthew 20:26-28 "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

John 13:14-15 "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

Birthdays and Blessings through Black Stuff

These summer months have been extremely busy for me. Beginning in early June my little bro turned 10! WHAT?! 10?! Oh my...

Though he loves pranking me and is a little smarty pants; my life would be extremely dull without his creative (yet often devious) little mind.

Another exciting part of June was Kreative Kids Day Camp hosted at my church. It never ceases to amaze me how God uses six-year old's to teach me invaluable lessons while I am supposed to be teaching them. One of the lessons that struck me was the one involving "dirt". It began with telling the kids that things aren't always they seem and that God always knows what is better. I then pulled out a cup of what looked like dirt and showed it to my campers. Assuring them that it was good to eat and that I would never do something that would hurt them I asked if any would like to taste it. I love the simple belief exhibited by first graders as they willingly held their hands out toward me. I proceeded to scoop this "dirt" into their hands and the looks on their faces were incredible as it dawned on them that it was actually crushed Oreo's.

The entire demonstration was to show them in simple terms that though things may look like dirt, God is really giving us Oreo's. We just have to trust him.

In Him,

Tiffany Raye

My Path Leads Home

I saw a winding road that was edged with trees of green. Just above the road and trees were clouds unlike any I've seen. The road twisted and turned and made me think about my Christian walk. Twisting and winding up to mountains and down through valleys. All through the crazy

winding road, Jesus was there with me. As I look above the road the clouds all puffy and white; yet dark and thin. It was like the clouds were in layers and there was a gap between the upper and lower. Beyond the clouds was the glow of sunshine. Promising and beckoning. All I could imagine was heaven, just beyond the clouds. The floor of heaven is the clouds we see above us.
So many mysteries lie waiting just above. So close I want to reach out an touch; but so far that only Jesus can bridge the gap. This is what I imagine I'll see when I meet my maker. The clouds will lower themselves into a grand staircase. Jesus will be waiting at the top for me. I'll run up to Him. Home. All this came to mind because of a winding road and some clouds.

Tiffany Raye-September, 2010

Wearing My Heart on My... Hand?

"Are you married?"

"No, I'm not."

"So why do you have a ring on your wedding finger?"

"Umm.. well, I uh..."

This is a conversation I've had on many an occasion with the curious first graders I volunteer with. Such a simple question I could answer so many ways. Usually I answer with something like: "I wear it on my ring finger because my future prince is that important to me."

However, here is a more elaborate version:

My purity ring represents not only a promise I made to my future Prince Charming(guys: Cinderella), but, in a way it also represents my heart. Although it has met some hard times, and has gotten scratched and bruised; it's still all there. Whole. Here's a mental picture: if I were to give in to temptation now it would be like cutting a piece of my ring out and throwing it away. Cutting a piece of my ring out would be foolish simply because it would become sharp and poke at me. Just like cutting a piece of my heart out would be foolish because it too would become sharp and hurt at me. To be completely honest, giving your heart to someone you think is "the one" at seventeen is a silly thing to do: even sillier when you change your mind and re-give what's left of your heart to the next "the one" two weeks later.

Think about what kind of reaction you would get if you took the piece of your ring that you cut out and gave it to the same person you gave the piece of your heart to. Would they value it and say, "Oh thanks! I'll treasure it forever!"

Or would they say, "Wow, how useless." and simply throw it away. Even though it's not all that meaningful to them, it sure hurts you.

If you asked me, "What if I've already given away these pieces? Can't I get them back?"

I would have to tell you no. You can't get them back. And even if you did, all you'd have is pieces. However, in all this gloominess there is hope. God came to the earth and died on the cross representing a heart/body so beaten and cut it was unrecognizable. By doing this, He built a bridge to God-the Master Jeweler/Heart Mender. Although God won't bestow on you a new heart, He will help you put all the pieces back together (because in Him you are made new.Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.2 Corinthians 5:17 . But only if you're willing to give up control and let Him do His perfect work. He will also help your future Prince Charming/Cinderella look past your past, and love you for the precious person you are. If this person doesn't want to be with you because of your past, he doesn't really love you. If this is the case, you should wait patiently until God sees it right to introduce you to you real Prince/Princess. "I charge you brethren, do not awaken love until it so desires." This is so important, God wrote it not once, not twice, but three times in Song of Solomon.

I pray that my ramblings mean something to you; and if you read this all the way through, thank you. :) If you ever have a topic you'd like me to write about, leave a comment!! And if you don't want me to know who's asking, write to me anonymously!

In Him,

Tiffany Raye

From My Heart to Yours

Merry Christmas Bloggers!!!!!! I'm not feeling to inspired or original to give you some stirring piece of advice that will make or break your Christmas. I'm not feeling Funny to give you a joke that will make you laugh long after your relatives go home. So, what's left... I'm feeling very friendly and loving and I want to give you a Christmas wish that will stay with you even after all the food is gone. So, from my heart to yours I'm wishing you the best, warmest, most loving and amazing Christmas wherever you find yourself and a blessed 2011 designed by God.

Make sure you don't get too caught up in what you did or didn't get, or get frustrated when your family embarrasses you to no end, and remember why we even celebrate December 25. There's a popular Christmas card greeting that says, "Jesus is the reason for the season" and there are bounds of truth in the statement. Jesus came to give Himself as the greatest gift ever given, and I want you and I to remember that in your heart until next Christmas... when all the hustle and bustle will begin again and we will have to re-focus our minds and hearts on what really matters.

Here are some verses that I especially liked this Christmas:

Psalm 98:4Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.

Sing Christmas carols this year for Jesus!!

Isaiah 9:6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

The greatest gift

One of my favorite verses in the Christmas story is

Luke 2:14“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a blessed 2011!!!!

Love and peace,

Tiffany Raye

The picture above is a Thomas Kinkade I found on Google. :)