Change is...

Psalms 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Change is....
Work
Pain
Dedication
Uncomfortable
just plain old....HARD and REQUIRED!

I have tears in my eyes right this moment because my desire for all of us is that I could just say, this journey is gonna be 'easy'. But one thing I have learned, walking the road myself, is that it is HARD - JUST PLAIN OLD HARD! I am so frustrated at that right now. It is my desire that each of you have good success and that you walk into that success smiling and glowing. I guess that's how I 'parent' too. It hurts me desperately when I have to force my son to do things that are uncomfortable. I had things really, really, hard growing up and I want to shelter him from that. But realizing that in the things that I went through I grew and I gained knowledge, wisdom and strength that no amount of 'books' could teach me, I realize that difficulty or rather (and more importantly) PERSEVERING THROUGH the difficulty nets tremendous rewards.

Then I looked at this scripture. The part of it we always focus on is 'create in me a clean heart o God'. But that's now how it starts. It starts out with a good old fashioned 'BUTT WHOOPIN' form the Lord. Purge me with hyssop...uh, no thanks. I'll pass. Break my bones...umm...i'm good. Hide thy face...wait, God no...I need you right here, right now, don't hide from my sins, I'm in my sins....come get me. Please, cast me not away from thy presence, I say, but I realize He's not even really 'casting' me away, I am walking away! God can't be in the presence of my sin so either I have to decide to let Him 'beat' it out of me or wallow in it - alone. I don't desire to be alone. I don't want to any of you to feel left out in the cold because things are not 'working' for you as quickly as you'd like.

BUT (and its a big but)! We have to take responsibility for the part we play in our success or lack therein. Am I turning to God when I should or am I going to the old standby (bowl of ice cream, bag of chips, bottle of soda)? So much of the issues I get mad at God for are my fault (notice, I didn't say 'all').

B2E News:
The Do It Again - RAP (review all pitfalls) Session was a great success! Thank you so much for coming out and sharing. I think we all learned a lot about our selves Tuesday night. Based on everyone's feedback, I'm scheduling the next RAP session for November 18th, 2010 @ 7pm. That will give us approximately 3 months to make some progress and have some growth and get back together to share and strengthen one another before THANKSGIVING. Congratulations to all the winners!

B2E Get-A-Way
I am still trying to schedule this prayer/fitness/nutrition field trip to Cane Creek. We were shooting for either 9/17 or 9/24 but the cabins are not available. I'll keep you posted, we may have to do a change of venue or scheduling. Trying to keep it as cost effective as possible. I am also soliciting my BESTEE-Pam D. to plan one of her fabulous 'Get-A-Way's' for our 'regional' group. Send your suggestions and Stay tuned!!

Pray-in/Weigh-in (local AND remote)
Monthly: Come in or send in your stats and prayer requests (on the 2nd Saturday of each month)
30 minute Prayer Circle - followed by weigh in
9/11, 10/9, November - No pray in/weigh in due to RAP session, 12/11
Location & Times: TBA. Feel free to suggest your favorite site. RCM (301 W. 24th Street) is my old standby. But I'm willing to go elsewhere.


Today my prayer is simple, 'Create in me a clean heart o God and renew the right spirit with in me'. But I say it as a sincere invitation, to God, for you and for me.