the bud blooms

Jewels on the Water

2012-01-11T10:40:00.001-08:00

The sun shines on the water like diamonds.....it is mesmerizing..... almost hypnotic as the wind gently moves the water to shoreline.

It is a beautiful day..... the sun is bright..... everything surrounding this place lushly green ....

the sky is a lovely gentle blue .......

and there is a soft, gentle breeze across my face as I partake of the sound of the waterfall as it overwhelms the faint noise of traffic in the distance........

The music of nature........

Peace and glory of the day......

things not to be missed.......

Sharoni

...giving voice to those with none....

Moment of Happiness

2012-01-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

So...I have a lovely new MacBook Air..... it's a precious gift from my husband in celebration of my birthday, Christmas and upcoming graduation from graduate school with my MSN! Yay!!

Anyway....despite the learning curve I endure, it is a continual joy to me in the fun little things, tricks, bells, and whistles it holds. I do understand why there is such a cult following of Apple products. I am a bit concerned about the fragility of these products, but I do my best to protect them because I like them! It's kinda like a new little pet. :)

Anyway, today I learned how to delete a document. Okay...so you may not be impressed, but by golly I am! This is not an easy feat for one who struggled for years (yes, years people!) with copy/paste on PC's....but that's another story for reals!

Anyway.....it's delightful really how the system is set up and makes something otherwise droll so much fun! I laughed out loud as I emptied the trash to a sound of crunching paper! Could there be anything more fun?

It's the little things in life, people..... the little things! Never forget that!

Find joy in all things....even taking out the trash on your Mac! :)

Sharoni

...giving voice to those with none...

Grateful....

2011-11-23T08:47:00.001-08:00

This morning these beautiful thoughts rolled out to me through a sister .... what a way to kick off the morning, huh?

"To be thankful is to be humble and beautiful. It gives rise to praise, which rolls into worship ~ your lifestyle not just your songs ~ which then persevered, brings you to a state of dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, the very presence of GOD. So be thankful. Not only in this season of America's Thanksgiving holiday, but always, in everything, be thankful."

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of GOD in Christ Jesus for you."
~I Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV

This is by far, my favorite holiday after Valentine's Day every year! And ....
I give you thanks today for so much, but the focus of my gratitude is that you are GOD.....my God and Your love is so rich and deep and powerful.....Your grace and mercy sustain me constantly...minute by minute....
Thank You for creating me just as I am....for loving me without any conditions....and just for each and every breath of every day. For this and so much more.....I thank You, Father.

I love You......

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

more about.....grace

2011-11-15T04:47:00.000-08:00

And the thoughts just keep rolling through me about Your grace.....much like the tide of the ocean I sit beside today, the current gently continuing the movement. While what we see with our eyes appears as a gentle driver, the current actually carries immense power. That is the part hidden to the natural eye. But when we actually study what's going on underneath the depths, overhead in the gravitational pull, it can blow our minds!
And that's a pretty good picture, for me anyway, of Your grace.
Many years ago, a friend who is a really great Bible teacher gave us a definition of grace that captured the essence of this concept. It literally changed my life! She said, and I held in my heart from that day forward, that grace is "GOD's ability to do in me, through me, and for me what I cannot." Pretty simple summation of something that is so immense in reality. And from that day forward, I learned to literally walk in that grace and Your mercy.
She also taught me that grace is not something that is a one time deal, or that which we receive an occassional dose of, but a part of Your love that carries us through our life moment by moment. I can't even use the word daily here because it is truly a momentary thing!
You showed me a well that I can come to at any time and draw grace from.....that spring of life that only You provide that sustains us. And it is always there, and it always carries me. I memorized Hebrews 4:16 ~
"Let us then (boldly) approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." NIV

These words, the concepts and the power within them have carried me every day since I learned them. I remember when Holy Spirit dropped them into my heart and they literally became "rhema" to me. Grace is a bit like that manna You provided Your people back during the exodus..... "gather only what you need for right now, today." I believe those were Your instructions. Anything left over or hoarded for a "tomorrow" was spoiled.
Like the manna, grace is there for the "just when we need it."
Now here's the thing....I have become almost unable to conceive of a day without it! And I don't want to approach anything in life without .... You. And grace is a part of that.
My heart is so ..... well, full for lack of a better word, with all this. So I'll end this blog today, because I just feel that I will throw words out here without much substance should I continue.

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none....

.....by Grace

2011-11-14T05:53:00.000-08:00

Overwhelmed by grace.......I hear it all the time...... I see it in so many titles but seldom am I able to really get the author's true feeling of grace. I hear their stories, I see in my mind's eye their situations, and I feel their pain......but where is the true grace? As the focus is so often, even in my own telling, on everything but the grace that carried them through, or at least it feels that way in the reading, how do we walk away with anything other than a thought of 'and?'.............

Okay, I am guilty of the same. But today I do not want to be ..... today I want to truly be able to express how I am daily, minute by minute..... second by second really overwhelmed by Your grace. Because I am......humbly.....I am. When I look at the man lying beside me faithfully for over 25 years now, I am overwhelmed by grace. As I look back at our life together and all our experiences both those that felt wonderful and those that hurt like heck......I am overwhelmed by grace.
As I consider the birth of each and every child You placed in my womb, both those that lived and the one that lives eternally with You at this very moment ...... I am overwhelmed by Grace. When I consider the absolutely amazing and lovely life I have lived and how immensely I have been blessed by You ..... I am overwhelmed by Grace.
When I consider the outstanding upbringing and mentoring I have had as Your child .... I am beyond overwhelmed by Grace.
And ..... when I consider You..... just You and Who You Are...... I am speechless, almost breathless as I am truly overwhelmed by Grace.
I think about the miracles.......dozens and dozens of miracles You have performed in my life, our lives.......emotion wells up in me and I gasp for breath, again, at the overwhelming concept of that Grace.
And it's all because You love me. That's all......You. Love. me.
And I am ..... overwhelmed by grace.
Seriously.

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none....

Where's Your Focus?

2011-10-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for...."
~John Lubbock~

This morning I asked myself....Sharoni, where is your focus? where???

I received a lovely insight from this little book I read occassionally - Chicken Soup...Count Your Blessings....
the thing about insights is that they are usually what you already know, but just needed one of those great "Ah-ha!" moments to accompany them. So, I 'remembered' that I should:
...focus on what I do want forgetting what I do not want. :)
and as if by magic those little "gnats" of "issues" will seem to disappear....
the road will seem smooth.... aches and pains stop ......
this allows me to soak in every ounce of beauty and.........
life becomes incredible......

....abundant......

So, then GOD speaks to me thru scripture: (He does that you know!)

"...the lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in Heaven, kept taut by hope...."
Colossians 1:5
The Message

Then He reminds me that He gives me "glory-strength.....strength that endures the unendurable spills over into joy" ..... and that He makes me "strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful" that He has for me.
paraphrased from Colossians 1:12, The Message

Much needed beauty of thought ......

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Holy Crap!

2011-10-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

I looked and that last date is June!! Seriously?? How did this happen that I have not visited myself to talk about....myself? Whassup with that anyhow? Well, I have to get back to it. All my best thoughts have been journaled, and so many mornings I thought, "what a great blog idea" but did nothing about it. Probably because I just didn't really want it out there.
There are so many creative and inspired ideas that I have, but people steal off blogs and they can't have my thoughts....as wonderful as they are. At least to me..........
So, for now, I am resolved to post something weekly. Let's see how that goes, shall we? In the meantime, in my 'spare time' (ha!) I shall see about redesigning this lovely little site all by myself. That ought to be a gas!
Over and out!

Sharoni
still giving voice to those with none but getting a little hoarse! :)

The Cure.....

2011-06-14T04:43:00.000-07:00

Wow....did I ever need to hear this on this morning! Father always, always knows exactly what I need. ..... kinda like He's GOD or something, huh? :)
I have been so frustrated with pressures of my life.....and then doing what I do when pressure hits....running from it, from obligation. Well, the good news is that it was a very short run this time, kinda just around the block so to speak. Thank God! Literally.....thank GOD. So, after a night of absolute nervous break down, lack of concentration and etc......the sun arises on the new day. Thank You, Father for these new starts....fresh starts every sunrise.
And ... encouragement comes from my friend, Max Lucado.....again.

"I Am the LORD, the GOD of every person on the earth. Nothing is impossible for Me."
Jeremiah 32:27 NCV

"We need to hear that GOD is still in control. We need to hear that it's not over until He says so. We need to hear that life's mishaps and tragedies are not a reason to bail out. They are simply a reason to sit tight.

Corrie ten Boom used to say, 'When the train goes through a tunnel and the world gets hard, do you jump out? Of course not. You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through'....

The way to deal with discouragement? The cure for disappointment? Go back and read the story of GOD. Read it again and again. Be reminded that you aren't the first person to weep. And you aren't the first person to be helped.

Read the story and remember, the story is yours!"

The story is mine.............

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

the mommy

2011-05-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

WOW! From the heart of dear sisters :

"having a child is like carrying your heart outside your body and letting it walk around"

Amen!! and amen...... :)

sharoni

lessons of a butterfly

2011-05-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

fly .... allow yourself to be sustained on the breeze .... relish the beauty around you ....
allow your beauty to be seen and shared by all around you .... gently .... quietly ....
no more than a whisper, peaceful in its effect .....
these are lessons from a butterfly ...
their beauty is engaging .... their time of celebration, short ...
their life span but a season ....
like a whisper

quietly...gently...as a whisper...
fly

sharoni
...giving voice to those with none...

Character Creates Courage

2011-04-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is so lovely I thought to share it here....from Max Lucado, "The Applause of Heaven:"

"A legend from India tells about a mouse who was terrified of cats until a magician agreed to transform him into a cat. That reslved his fear . . . until he met a dog, so the magician changed him into a dog. The mouse-turned-cat-turned-dog was content until he met a tiger - so, once again, the magician changed him into what he feared. But when the tiger came complaining that he had met a hunter, the magician refused to help. 'I will make you into a mouse agian, for though you have the body of a tiger, you still have the heart of a mouse.'
Sound familiar? How many people do you know who have build a formidable exterior, only to tremble inside with fear? . . . We face our fears with force . . . or . . . we stockpile wealth. We seek security in things. We cultivate fame and seek status.
But do these approaches work?
Courage is an outgrowth of who we are. Exterior supports may temporarily sustain, but only inward character creates courage."

See?......... Let us live the life of the courageous!!

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none.....

The Challenge of Beautiful

2011-03-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Okay....so I'm just gonna say it....this challenges me because I so love beautiful things. It's ok to love them, just not to live to get them. But the clothes.....yes, I like looking nice & stylish. And that's okay....You made me to care because I am royalty and have a certain image to uphold. I thank-You for allowing me to shine, because I am Your daughter. Thank-You for that! These words of Jesuss help me keep it all in perspective....

"...but you both know GOD and how He works. Steep yourself in GOD-reality, GOD-initiative, GOD-provisions....you'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're My dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very Kingdom itself. Be generous. Give to the poor. The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being."
Luke 12:30-34, The Message

Oh...don't worry honey, this is not an excuse for me to shop! I got balance :) (laughing here!)

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none.....

Hope and Blessing

2011-03-12T04:15:00.000-08:00

There are days when the heartbreak over concern of those you love is overwhelming. This is one of those days. Circumstances are not important and certainly not the issue.....it is the concern for the heart.

Then a prayer unfolds and hope springs forth again! And the encouragement provided through eternal words never ceases to calm the internal storm and gives rise to lightness and joy....because that's what hope does.....

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are ~ no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought."
~Matthew 5:5~
The Message

Historically we have known this as "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
Interesting twist, huh?
I like it.

Sharoni
.....giving voice to those with none.....

Each Person....

2011-03-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

The Message says that, "Each person is given something to do that shows who GOD is." (I Cor 12:6ish) WOW!

Okay, so what if Joe Cool or Sally Something Else just can't figure out what the heck that "something" is, or is supposed to be? So many people are walking around and waiting for a postcard from Heaven saying, "Dear You, quit being an idiot and just go feed someone hungry today." Or it could go a little something like this: "Dear Person whom I love, but want to smack upside the head right now because you just don't understand that all I want is for you to _______" And the blank comes not filled in!

Well, GOD did send us all a letter. And it very specifically tells us what He wants each of us to do. He has shown me a trail through His letter to us and it is consistent. So.....here is the trail:

"You are a child of GOD and GOD will give you the blessing He promised because you are His child."

"Children, let me give you a new command.....love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples ~ when they see the love you have for each other."

"Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything."

"Watch what GOD does and then you do it.....mostly what GOD does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love."

"Observe how Christ loved us.....His love was not cautious but extravagant.....He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself. Love like that."

I get it....love. Love love love love love love (in a funny voice) :)

So, one may be wondering, "yeah, what does that look like exactly? How??????? am I supposed to "love?" Oh.....so glad you asked......
There is a very famous passage in a letter to the Corinthians that discusses exactly what love is and what it is not. I never realized just how much, how many things it is not until recently. Or maybe I knew, but just became "aware" of this. Whatever.....there are some cool things here.
When something is written in one language and translators carry it into another language, there is no way to capture the entire gist of the something unless you have an understanding of what each key word or phrase meant in the original language. We call that amplification (big word...whatever!) So.... love .....

Well, in another post I wrote what love is and is not. So now I wanna talk about this "most excellent way" (of the greater gifts we have been given - reference 1st sentence of this blog)

.... always trusts..... trust = having faith in someone
Well that seems simple enough. Just do it.

.... always protects.... protects = to cover over in silence
Very cool. Basically, keep their stuff to yourself, stand guard, provide a safe place for them and a safe place for their heart with you.

.... is kind..... kind = to show oneself useful
This is interesting. Kindness is being "useful" to someone else. I call it helpful, but it's not so much just the what we do, but the how we do that matters. It is pliant....easily moved to compassion and concern.

.... always hopes.... hope = to expect with desire, to expect the best from someone
That is simple enough...I really like to think of hope as having that expectation of something coming around the corner just anytime now....the best of whatever, the promise of yes.

... always perseveres.... perseveres = to remain under
Hangs in there! Regardless......

Well, that is so simple anybody knows that. Really? Why aren't we doing more of it then?

"Each person is given something to do that shows Who GOD is."

Uh, to coin a wonderful phrase: Just DO IT

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none.....

Watch What GOD Does

2011-02-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

This morning I was reminded to
"Watch what GOD does and then you do it. Mostly what GOD does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love." Ephesians 5:1-2 The Message

A life of love, huh? My first thought was to say, well, what does that look like? But I already know the answer to that! I Corinthians 13 spells it out so nicely, and Jesus walked it out for us. He had compassion on people, He met their felt needs whatever they were, there was never judgement for the people ~ only for religious tyranny. His only gripe was with the perversion Jews had made of GOD's law, thereby hurting His people. Everything GOD does and says is motivated by love, because that is Who and What He is. So..... living a life of love? Well ..... it's simple .... or rather, simple to understand (sometimes challenging to do!) :)

LOVE is:
patient
kind
not envious
does not boast
not proud
not rude
not self-seeking
not easily angered
keeps no record of wrongs
does not delight in evil
always protects
rejoices with the truth
always trusts
always hopes
always perseveres
never fails

WOW! I never realized how much it does not do! What it is not is obviouly as important as what it is.

In "God Came Near," Max Lucado shares this poignant look at the sum of "Christianity" (the art of being like Christ / or the art of being a Christ-person or a Christ-follower)......
Are we literally what we see? Paul described the enemies of Christ thusly:
"Their god is their own appetite, they glory in their shame and this world is the limit of their horizon." Philippians 3:19
Oh what a horror!! 'augh!'

We were never meant to "dwell in the stale fog of the lowlands with no vision of our Creator .... "
"Seeing Jesus is what 'Christianity' is all about.
Christian service, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating Him whom we see. To see His majesty and to imitate Him .... that is the sum of Christianity."

WOW!!

Tomorrow or the next day I'm excited to share a little more word study about what love is. Wha-hoo!!

This is just groovy stuff right here....oh yeah.....oh yeah....doin' the happy dance.....uh huh!

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Overwhelmed By Love.....

2011-02-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

I love that I want to do this more than Facebook. Yay!

The title is basically what my life has been about for the past two years. I mean.......I have always been enamoured by Your love, LORD, but.......since we've been back here, out of the darkness and oppressive spiritual climate we lived in for a decade, I have an amazing new appreciation for every little teeny tiny thing of beauty that life has to offer! Is that because I asked You to let me live here a bit longer when I had the opportunity to cave in to cancer and come home? Did that open up new perspectives for me? Or was it that heart attack? Or is it a combination of all of those things and then just a new-found appreciation for Your creation? Whatever it may be......I am so thrilled!

On a page topped with a little blue daisy (I am a sticker fanatic!) I copied these words because they touched me so deeply and because it is truly how I attempt to live my life daily.....
Max Lucado is an amazing teacher and author.....his gift with words and the fact that he actually captures practically my every thought just continues to astound me. Year after year after year.....it's like he and Beth read my mail and put it out there for all to share. So I share now:

"There is a rawness and a wonder to life. Pursue it.... Don't listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second-rate life....they just want to drag you into their misery so as not to feel guilt.....
Your goal is not to live long .... it's to live."
"You can build a fire in your hearth, stay inside, toasty warm ..... dry ..... safe.... OR .....
Or you can hear the voice of adventure ~ GOD's adventure. Instead of building that fire in your hearth ..... build a fire in your heart. Follow GOD's impulses."

Jesus told us and it is recorded in Luke 17:33 that "Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them."

Words to live by, huh?

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none....

Watch What GOD Does

2011-02-13T04:46:00.000-08:00

I have been so moved by GOD's great love this year.....really for the past two years, in ways I never thought possible. It has become my life to look at people and see the children He has created and how He loves them. Wow....who knew that such a person who has never really known great suffering could empathize so completely with others? Only GOD. And it has come about only because of His gift ..... the grace to see people as He sees them (to a certain extent) and to care about their pain and situations in a small way. Nothing compares to the depth of love and concern He has for us, but you know when there is a significant difference between what you would personally feel about somebody and when it comes from GOD Almighty. There is no comparison. And there are no words of thanks I have to express my gratitude for such a gift.

These words from The Message captured my heart yesterday morning, and they still reverberate thru my spirit:

"Don't grieve GOD. Don't break His heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for Himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. Watch what GOD does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what GOD does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observce how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that."

~Ephesians 4:30 - 5:2

Daily I amazed by the depth of His love.

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Here We Are Again.....

2010-10-27T14:30:00.001-07:00

Well....here we are again....at a place I never really wanted to revisit, but like it or not, here we are. And this is really not about us....not about me at all, except that my heart is shattered into thousands of teeny tiny pieces for my new friend. To stand by again and watch as GOD works His wonders in the life of this family is an honor. It is easy to intercede for them, for Amy in particular, because I know what she is feeling and thinking as a mother and as a child of the King.
But to revisit all those emotions from when we walked this path with Alex in our own family is tough. It just is. Doesn't make it bad....doesn't make it good....just makes it what it is....an emotional roller coaster. And that's okay. Because then at least we are feeling something.

But honestly, after all the tragedy we experienced the last few years we were in Colorado....my near death...the traumas and tragedies of my friends and coworkers, walking through all that grief with them for so long, I would be a liar if I said I wasn't ready for a big-time break from all that trauma. One can only stay that stressed for so long. But.....

And it's good. Because GOD's grace is exactly what we need in exactly the amount we need it and it sustains us from moment to moment.....from breath to breath. So, forgive me, Father for not throwing my arms wide open to embrace all these emotions again, but I do so with great love. Because I know You keep us in the cleft of that rock. Because I know You are Sovereign. Because I know Your unfailing love always, always provides exactly what I need exactly when I need it. I'm just bein' real here.....no pretense....no super "Sally Spirituality"..... just real life Sharoni. Just as You made me....no surprises there, huh?

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Miracle Moments

2010-10-09T02:31:00.000-07:00

A recent visit to the ocean reminded me that what I love most about my GOD is the fact that He cares about the most minute details of my life. That there is nothing escaping His watchful eye, that what matters to me matters to Him......these are the things that bless me beyond words. But words matter, at least when you want to share those magical moments. Water moves me....the motion, its freshness, the power it contains, the healing properties.....the life in it, and its power to move you. Such simplicity....such grace and beauty.....a most interesting and inspiring entity these bodies of water are. No life can exist without its presence and involvement. And that is like GOD. I cannot exist without His presence.
He involves Himself in the every corner of my life and I love that about Him.....like the water surrounds me as I emerge myself in it.....GOD surrounds and comforts me. As we walked along the beach, looking for little treasures, we found something rare.....a joined clam shell. My husband tells me that this is a very rare occurrence, finding them intact like this. And I rejoice in the gift GOD has given us. But we seek something even more rare, Max unsure if they even still exist where we are....the sand dollar. Interesting, beautiful, and most fragile, the sand dollar hides itself in the sand (literally) as a protection against all that would snatch it up as a snack. We spoke our desire....simple, yet heart felt, because of the fragility of its beauty and its rarity. GOD heard our prayers. I wanted Max to discover one because I knew how much he wanted to give one to me....for us to share such a unique moment and gift from the sea. And as we were walking to wrap up our visit there, he prayed a simple, "Please let me find a sand dollar that I may give Sharoni....she would just love it..." and before he could barely get the last word out, he looks down and there at his toe was....yep, a lovely little sand dollar....just waiting to come home with us!
The miracle of the moment......
They are all around us....we simply need to watch for them....expect them. They are there....

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none....

Tears of Joy

2010-08-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Okay....it's official.....I am touched to the core of my being. Why? Well......struggling with the diabetes issue has been a bugger. Why? Because:
1. I hate being to told what to do.
2. I hate planning anything, particularly food.
3. I did this to myself and I haven't quite forgiven myself.
4. Focus and discipline are the two qualities that I am currently working on and have not obtained in the least......at least it feels that way, particularly related to well, just about everything right now except the fact that I love my LORD with everything in me.

Okay....so why am I touched right now? "Touched" not meaning knocked crazy in the head....but my heart swells with appreciation of the eloquence of the words of others and with the grace and mercy that GOD pours into my life daily.....yes....daily.

So, having given myself a bit of a go on my own with little resources or assistance to adhere to a balanced dietary intake that keeps me feeling light and good and, well, let's just say, it has not been one of my more glorious undertakings. So, after praying this morning what do I stumble over on the web that eluded me previously? Yep.....the exact resources I needed. I guess I was not truly ready for them prior to today. Sometimes it takes the stubbing of a toe to succeed.

So.....yes......life is good. Opening up the lovely organizer my sweetie gave me at Christmas, I turned to a quote I took down when I started school and it has been quite inspirational to me all this time. It brought tears to my eyes this morning because the gentle nudge the website I discovered gave me about just getting back up and moving forward.....that it was not an unusual thing to "fall off the wagon" and the importance of just moving forward. With that said:

"My energy is in proportion to the resistance it meets. We attempt nothing great but from a sense of the difficulties we have to encounter.... we persevere in nothing great but from a pride in overcoming them."
~William Hazlitt~

I don't even know who this William is, but I am going to find out after I post this.....he said it good, huh?
And then the calendar page from a recent day had another lovely quote on it:

"Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed."
~Corita Kent~

Yet another person I shall check out. Her name is familiar; so is William's. It will probably be one of those "oh yeah, now I remember them" moments. Fun times.....fun times.....

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none....

Ripple Effects of a Life

2010-08-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

With each decade of a life come new considerations. This morning a reflective question in my current Bible study in Ruth (which has been absolutely awesome, for sure!) gave me pause. As I began to list my thoughts and feelings about my own legacy, the fact that it kept growing and growing and growing just astounded me. Who knew? I certainly had never given it this kind of thought before. Oh, I've prayed about leaving a legacy that honored the LORD....why else would I be here? My lifelong prayer and focus has been to bring honor to His Name, Glory to His existence, and to be useful to Him to establish and develop the Kingdom of GOD.

And then I saw it....the ripple effects that a life has on all it touches. We never know. We never know. Like the motion the water takes on as the wind or even a slight breeze touches it. The ripples that emit from a bird landing or a fish surfacing for air. The thrust from a boat cutting through the body of the water. And then there is the pebble effect. It is perhaps my favorite. Pebbles have to be tossed in by someone....me, for example. I liken the pebble effect to those times throughout normal daily activities we smile at a person, we address someone with a greeting or carry on an uplifting conversation with a stranger. We never know the actual effect it has on their life. Given that the majority of my conversations with strangers these days are held in a hospital, I can only imagine what chaos their lives may be in. The kindness of strangers is never to be taken lightly. I know the effect that a smiling face, a kind word, a gentle touch has on me .... just in passing ... random acts of kindness.......

So, my commitment to always carry light and love, no matter in what dose, everywhere I go is not a light (no pun intended) thing. It has the potential for eternal effects. Ripple effects........
of a life.

Just call me GOD's little pebble.

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Courage Within

2010-07-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

As I began the current class, I did so with a bit of trepidation. It focuses on education. I wondered about my concerns...almost intimidation over the subject matter, and then it hit me.....this is what I always thought I wanted to do....teach. If I did not do well, or if I really struggled with the concepts in this class, would that be the end of my dream? Am I really reaching too far outside myself?

Moving through the information, looking at the requirements, I continued to wonder. Then one morning I had that "ah-ha!" moment. That time when the realization that whatever I truly desired would be. And as I think about everything that has been under discussion during the first week of this class I come back to a very basic and elemental thought. What one desires, one can achieve, regardless of circumstances, regardless of feelings. Even in fear. These thoughts are motivated by a captivating movie I just saw...the new Karate Kid. Here is a boy with a desire. His desire is to find acceptance, and not be beaten up any more. He does not want to be afraid. But while he was looking for a way this could happen he found a friend, and a new interest. He could learn Kung Fu. Now, he was in a country where children started learning this discipline as a way of life at a very young age. He comes in with another cultural outlook and an interest which quickly became a desire. And he ends up looking at a fight for his life.

This taught me that anything is possible if you desire it. You can achieve your desire even in the face of great fear. You can allow your courage to empower that which is deepest within you to conquer that fear as you come face to face with it. And you can discover a new passion out of your desire.

As teachers, really great teachers, what we can do is help our pupils learn to discover that desire, and then how to unlock the desire within. I know, as I was growing up, the most inspirational teachers of mine saw raw talent inside me, encouraged me in it, I developed desire to obtain something because of it, and then it became passion for me. And I did it through courage. Yes, it can be terrifying. Yes, it can even be painful, but it is always, always worth the effort. That's how we learn. That's how we grow. And that's what teaching and learning are all about....unlocking the courage within.

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Territories

2010-03-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

This is a very cool time in my life....finding my "home" professionally.....working toward my master's degree.....the future possibilities are endless......and life is just plain ol' good, even with the IRS irritating us! Why can't they pick on somebody who actually has money they owe them, and leave money in the pockets of people who actually work for a living and honestly pay their taxes????
(a little off the subject here, a little ranting and, it's over!)

I have been reading the little book by Bruce Wilkinson called, "Beyond Jabez." Kathy so graciously loaned it to me. It is encouraging and irritating me at the same time. Why irritate? Because I want my prayers for my loved ones to be answered immediately, and without further struggle! Who am I kidding???? I know better than this! GOD has His own time for everything, because, and let's get real here for a minute, with Him there is no time! He is seasonal, He is full of life, but in Heaven, time does not exist. It is a creation of man, for man's sake, for man's own "convenience," and let's face it.....it has been a dismal failure, much like all of our own creations for our own benefit! GOD created cycles for us.....the rising and setting of the sun....the day....the seasons.....the tide.....the rotation of the earth in space.....but He did not create clocks. And while on that subject, let me just say that I absolutely adore clocks. They are fun. I don't like being a slave to clocks, but the older I get, I notice that they are moving more rapidly than ever before in my life! What's up with that? Obviously, my mind is all over the place this morning.

So, I will get straight to the point: I am on the section about enlarging territories. I cringe at this so often. I know that enlargement comes after and with growth, and that growth, more often than not, is painful to my flesh! I do not like pain. Jabez prayed for GOD to not allow him to cause pain, but he didn't ask for no pain. Way to go, Jabez! (she says sarcastically)
So, the little bit of "Much Afraid" that still exists within my soul, shies away from expansion in intercession once again. I could address the key that the LORD gave me as a gift this past Christmas. I could address the little whispers of release He has softly spoken in my ear about gates of the city.....I could address my excitement at possibilities of Kingdom glory I see in my spirit. But, I shall not. I shall not because little "Much Afraid" still cowers from pain. BUT, I know what my GOD can do.....I have seen it over and over and over again.
I will, however, keep the words spoken to me close to my heart, and meditate on the scriptures He is leading me to memorize and bask in during this season. I will, at some point, relinquish all my fears and let go, and let Him do His thing through me. Until then, geesh! Why hesitate? I don't do pain.

You have already enlarged my territory. You have already given me the key. I am at Memorial City.....the whole house, every weekend.......I will walk those halls....all of them, carrying with me the Glory of GOD throughout that house!
And for that I say:

"Thank You! Everything in me says 'Thank You!'
Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing Your holy temple and say it again; 'Thank You!' Thank You for Your love,
Thank You for Your faithfulness; thank You for Your Name, most holy is Your Word.
The moment I called out, You stepped in;
You made my life large with strength."
Psalm 138: 1-4
The Message

After this, what else is there to say? Really.

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Let It Be With Me.......Just as YOU say

2010-02-28T06:01:00.000-08:00

I was reviewing my scripture memory this morning (thank you, Beth, for getting me inspired and rolling with hiding GOD's Word in my heart again!) and one particular verse stood up and smacked me good! I am memorizing it in both the NIV and The Message versions......yes, I know that The Message is not a translation.....what difference does it make? It is an inspiring "reading" version in modern day lingo of the scriptures that is very refreshing. Eugene Peterson made a comment at the end of his Preface that resonnates with me strongly this morning. "GOD, let it be with me just as You say." I can think of no greater daily prayer than this. GOD says to love one another......"LORD, let it be with me just as You say"..... GOD tells us that if we see a brother in need to give him not only our coat but our cloak also...."LORD, let it be with me just as You say"..... Jesus taught us that if we see our brother thirsty, give him a drink of water "LORD, let it be with me just as you say"...... the scriptures tell us to love the Lord our GOD with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength......"LORD, let it be with me just as You say"..... the scriptures tell us to love our neighbor as ourself......"Oh LORD, let it be with me just as You say!" Point taken!

"GOD wants the combination of His steady, constant calling and warm personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever He will do next."
Romans 15:4
The Message

Isn't this precious? Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that, "People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character." My prayer is that my opinion of the world will reflect GOD's opinion of the world.....that every person is precious in His eyes, that He loves them unconditionally, and that He wants us all to participate in His Kingdom. There is beauty all around us and we can choose to dwell on it, or we can allow ourselves to focus on the antithesis of it and see only the negative and ugly in the brokenness. I refuse, yes, refuse to be sucked into the vortex of negative thought and sight. No, not totally "Pollyannaesque" because we have to clearly see to "fix," but a realistic view through the lenses of hope.

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and (the) encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
Romans 15:4 NIV

LORD, let it be with me just as You say.......

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

That Which Gives Us Sight

2010-02-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

This morning I watched a little boy receive his sight. From birth he had never seen....he never knew the difference between darkness and light except for the warmth of the sun on his face and the coolness of the night.
God incidents.....
Those moments that happen only so that we may see Him ..... see His Love .... see His Glory.
He designs the "chance encounters," the happenings of each and every day so that we may see Him ... see how He works .... see how He loves .... see how He leads and guides every step we take. During those times I am impatient for answers, the times I stomp my little foot and cry out, "What is going on here, huh? Did you lead us here, for what?" During those times He always calms me with, "Sharoni, what do you need right now that you do not have?" I have yet been able to give an answer other than, nothing, LORD, absolutely nothing. Then He opens my eyes yet again as I look around at the absolute abundance that surounds me and I fall on my knees in gratitude and humility that I have once again missed the entire point of my life here, and give Him thanks and praise for reminding me so gently.

My husband is deaf. His eyesight is critically important to him, and when it is affected in any way, it takes every ounce of strength in him to remain sane - because of the fear. He has often said to me that he would rather be deaf than blind. I find that quite interesting. He tells me it is because he has learned to hear with his eyes. And he hears far more than I probably ever will....he hears what people are really saying....not necessarily what is coming out of their mouths. That is both a gift and at times he feels, a bit of a curse. I cannot imagine what that must be like because I want to believe everybody, all the time. Wisdom teaches us better and we live by those lessons but oh......I wish!

That brings us back to sight ..... this morning Jesus was talking to me about that. Interesting the pathway He led me along .... from the scripture in Hebrews, to the post on a list of a prophetic word from the LORD regarding how the church is to love .... to a link to a conference coming up here in Houston in a week! .... to a link to a video where I cried through the blessing of the gift of sight given by Christ Jesus to this precious little boy. These people have so little in the world ... but they do have each other ... they have their families. And as the world and the evil that is so pervasive encroaches on that which is most precious to them, in a little tent on a hill, GOD works His magic. His Love.

This morning the sun was shining. Not normally a rare thing here in Houston, but this winter has been a little gray.... more so than usual. When I saw it I was thrilled! What a glorious blessing to awaken to full sun ... a storm raged outside last night. The principle that Father reminded me of today is that the sun will always appear after the darkness. It has to ... He has set that in place. We are circular down here on Earth ... everything is set on a cycle with nice flowing lines ... it revolves. DNA is free-floating throughout the air non-stop .... GOD's creative power is available at all times.
What we see with our eyes is not necessarily all that there is to see. I am ready for more illumination, my LORD. That which gives us sight ..... faith ......
Believe.

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none....

The Blessing of If

2010-01-24T07:15:00.000-08:00

Such a tiny little word with so much potential. One little conjugation, two letters, packing so much punch. Mr. Webster tells us that if could indicate, "in the event that......allowing that..... on condition that.....even though ..... it is also used as a function word to introduce an exclamation expressing a wish ...."
In this case, the if that captured my fancy this morning was related to a special place in GOD's Word ~ the book of Deuteronomy. I have these words written at the top of the page of Deuteronomy 28 .... The blessing of If .... The entire passage is GOD's iteration of His Covenant with us. He wants to bless us. So He gives us the ifs.....

"If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your GOD, then....."
And the blessings are stated. Personally, I like all these blessings. I would much rather live and walk in the blessings of GOD rather that what follows ~ the but if.....
Oooooooooo....the but ifs aren't so much fun.
Basically it's like this; you listen to GOD and do what He says (not a big deal) and you are blessed beyond your wildest dreams. Or you don't, and it's not so pretty for you. All we have to do is look around us and see the lives people lead, the frustrations, the heartaches, the struggles, the anxiety, the fears, etc, etc, etc...... Personally this is a no-brainer for me.
Blessing or curse..... uh....DUH! I'll take Blessing, Alex for $1000. Actually, it's priceless. (sounds like a commercial? uh huh...)
But this is no commercial. It is eternal fact. If you will.......then I say.......
You have to read the book to get "the rest of the story."

The blessing of if . . . . . . I'm all about the if.

See you in the high places!

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

An Urgent Kind of Love

2010-01-22T04:57:00.000-08:00

"You cannot touch your neighbor's heart with anything less than your own."

Powerful statement, isn't it? "To 'love your neighbor as yourself' requires the same kind of love. It's a love that notices the need of another person and won't rest until it's been met. It's a gentle, tender love that thinks and acts carefully. It's the sacrificial and compassionate love that a nameless Samaritan had for a fallen traveler. It's the kind of love GOD wants to share with your neighbors through you."

This is my daily goal. It's what I hope to do every day in whatever way I can....a smile, a simple, "hello, how are you?", speaking a blessing, showing a kindness by paying for someone's lunch I don't know have never seen before & probably never will again. I actually missed out on that opportunity once and it haunts me to this day. I saw a young lady at a drive-up in front of me and it was taking a long time for her to pay. She tried one card after another, all returned to her in short order. My heart went out to her. I am still so disappointed in myself that I did not get out of my car and go up to pay for her! Haunting disappointments. But do we let that drag us down? No.....it's a very simple and painful reminder to never let it happen again.
What did Jesus say? Oh yeah....."if you give a cup of water unto the least of these, you give it to Me." Yeah.....I won't let that pass me by again. My heart hurts at the memory. I've been that young woman in the car. The humiliation and helplessness you feel in those circumstances is, well, simply that.

For whatever His reasons, GOD has chosen to allow us to be the representatives of His love on this earth. That is a daunting task, for sure.

Breathe.....love.....
it's that simple!

Off to love some people today!

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Redirectes

2010-01-20T06:42:00.000-08:00

This was the title of my devotional this morning. It shared the story about a young and very successful pianist who lost his ability to play. This fellow was world-renown. After walking through his downtime and adjustment period, he became a teacher and conductor. He said that he loved music more than he loved the piano.
I just noticed that my title had a typo; I had intended to entitle it "Redirected," just as the devotional page did. But as I reached to change it, I stopped. No, leave it as it is. It is meant to be that. Redirects......how many of those have I had in my life? How many have we all experienced? By choice, by consequence of choices, by life circumstances beyond our control.......whatever the reason, whoever said that redirects are a bad thing?

Artists inherently seek to raise the bar and tweak and achieve a place never experienced before in their medium. Most of my life I never considered myself an artist.....I've addressed that many times before.......I never considered myself a true musician. I thought that "true" musicians possessed talent way beyond my own. I always said, Oh I have talent, but not that kind of talent. Phooey!
I realize now that I really am an artist......an artist in music appreciation and expression......an artist with words from time to time........an artist in my ability to appreciate people in all their complexities and lovliness.........an artist in my ability to have a conversation of substance with anyone, almost anywhere and almost anytime - but that always comes at the LORD's direction. And I am an artist in my ability to capture vision. Artists see the world in all its beauty and all its implied beauty......the potential beyond the realized. If you can look at a fallen branch of a tree and see the beauty in that......you might be an artist! :)

The hard question asked this morning was: "When our dreams are shattered, how do we react?" And the story of Joseph was shared. I know this! Yes.....my dreams have been shattered......and my life was a train wreck for a period of time on more than one occassion. But those times.....those shattered dreams are what have allowed me to flourish in this season of my life. Had I remained in a dysfunctional relationship and stayed in the music industry, who knows where or what I would be right now? Certainly not a nurse. And being a nurse is a life-long dream of mine, held since I was a little girl.
Imagine.......dare to dream.....it is the stuff realities are made of.

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none.....

"A man's heart plans his way.......but the LORD directs his steps."
Proverbs 16:9

All I Can Do

2010-01-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

Ever hear or - Gasp! - say the phrase...."well, all we can do is pray"?
WOW!!!
Are you kidding me?!?!? All??? Tout??

The intercessor in me cringes at the thought of these words in combination. I know that I know that I know what intercession can and will do. It is only limited by our ability to utilize our access to the throne of the Almighty.
I know my GOD. I know Who He Is....I know What He Is....and I know His great love. He loves us....and all He wants is relationship with us. I know who I am in Him....an heiress....royalty....dearly loved by my Creator, Redeemer, and Friend. And I know that because of that love I have access to the Sovereign at all times. The royal scepter is extended toward me anytime I desire to be before Him. Anything that concerns me, concerns Him.
And here is the cool thing. I don't even have to "get" anywhere special to "do" anything unusual for intercession to occur.
When I am discussing a person, a situation, any concern I may have with something...anything, it becomes intercession for me. That is because Christ Jesus is always with me, standing, sitting, walking, beside me and is engaged in any conversation I may be having. When I speak a word, it is released to do its work, because I am that person, the intercessor. My unspoken prayers are never left lying inactive, because Holy Spirit takes them directly to the Throne Room. I don't have to gyrate, meditate, or integrate myself into any type of frenzy to have that access....I already have it! All the time. And there is no limit on how much or how little I have to say or not say for GOD to delegate action in a person's behalf. Because I know that I am speaking His heart over a situation if I have laid down my own personal feelings and preconceptions, and given it to His Holiness. As His royal daughter, it is my right and responsibility to carry concerns of the Kingdom to my Father, the King.

So....all I can ever do.....all I ever should do.....is take matters of state to the Head of State, and let Him do what is His will to do.
My sincere belief is that people who utter the heartwrenching words, "all we can do..." simply do not understand this. There is no judgement here, simply a deep desire that more of us would, "get it," and walk "in it."
Can you even imagine......Kingdom kids acting like the royal heirs that we are?? WOW!!

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none...

Reflection

2009-12-22T06:01:00.000-08:00

This season, the season of lights, is a beautiful time for reflection. A time for enjoying life. A time for enjoying people. A time for enjoying....
The music, the focus, is on triumph, fun, giving, laughing, playing, family, friends, just enjoying...
It is the brightest time of the year...it sparkles. The heavens glitter, the earth glitters, people glitter, everything around us...glitters!
And it is all a reflection of the greatest light ... the love of GOD.

And that's all I have for now....

Sharoni
... giving voice to those with none...

An Autobiography of a Love Affair Between Me and GOD

2009-11-07T04:52:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since the last entry....but who cares, really? This is for me. I don't believe anyone else reads this except my sweetie. But it is out there, just in case..........................

Recently, Max and I were talking about blogging and how much fun it is. He even became inspired and started his own. It will be around for our children when we pass on. That's one thing. As a child who has been missing her parent for 29 years now, I know how much I would cherish any writings my father left me, if he had left me any. But, alas, he did not. So, I have to rely on the old memory banks. Luckily, pictures are worth a thousand words! But, I want my children to have more than just their memories.....I want them to have a piece of my heart. I have a special leather journal with significant quotes, thoughts, and excerpts of writings that are so eloquent that I would not even dare to alter, even with my thoughts regarding them. They stand on their own merit, and the kids can enjoy things that have meant something to me. And yes, the grandbabies as well.

But, yes, there is always a but somewhere out there waiting for insertion........ obviously the most important thing to me during my entire life ~ oh how I love saying that! ~ is my relationship with my GOD.....all of Him. And that's where this idea for an autobiography came into being. I have led a very interesting life. And the key word is lived. So, I will begin this autobiography....it will not be written here, but excerpts from time to time will appear.

This morning I simply say:
"Bless the LORD oh my soul! Bless His Holy Name!"
Psalm 103 is one of the dearest scriptures to me. It has carried me over the past several years; it blesses me to bless the LORD......it lifts me up.....it improves my outlook.....it gives me strength....because I honor Him Who is the source of my strength.
As I work daily with people whose strength wanes, I appreciate what little I have left. And I enjoy understanding that I also have the option to rebuild more strength.
Oh BLESS the LORD....oh my soul!!

In His Love.....

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

The Face of GOD

2009-09-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

I just finished a devotional post from a pastor who has been a pastor to us for many, many years now.....virtual, but as real (more so) than many we have often served under. He speaks truth without apology, and his life has been an unwavering and self-sacrificing example of his faith for as long as I've known about him, since about oh....age 14, 15? F0und out about him when his book, "The Cross and the Switchblade" was released. It rocked my world, for sure! So, the words of my "virtual pastor" follow:

“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after” (Psalm 27:4). King David knew there had to be more to knowing God; he sensed there was something of the Lord he hadn’t obtained, and he would not rest until he found it. He said, in short, “There is a beauty, a glory, an excitement about the Lord I haven’t yet seen in my life. I want to know what it’s like to have uninterrupted communion with my God. I want my life to be a living prayer. Only that will see me through the rest of my days.”

The face of God is his likeness, his reflection. In answering the cry of David’s heart to have intimacy with him, God said, “Seek ye my face.” David’s response was, “Lord, when you said, ‘Seek my face,’ my heart leapt in response.” “My heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek’” (Psalm 27:8).
“Learn of me. Search my Word and pray for understanding through the Spirit, so you can be like me. I want your life to reflect my beauty to the world.”

This was not merely a call to prayer; David had already been praying seven times a day. In fact, David’s prayers are what created this passion in him to know the Lord. No, this call from God was to hunger for a lifestyle that totally reflects who Jesus is.

Today, when God says, “Seek my face,” his words have greater implications than at any other time in history. With all that is going on in the world around us, how should we respond? When David was surrounded by a host of idolaters, God said, “Seek my face.” And we do it for one purpose: that we may be like him! That we become his express image, so that those who seek the true Christ will see him in us."

This is my earnest plea.....LORD....let people see and hear and feel Jesus in me!

Amen....so be it!

Sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .

Delight ...the commissioning

2009-08-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

Just below is the "commissioning" prayer we said over one another at the close of this weekend's conference with Beth Moore as we dug into Psalm 37. I just had to post it here....for posterity if for no other reason. But my prayer is always that some pilgrim will just wander thru this blog on the way to something else, or nothing else, and that there will be a little blessing waiting here for her/him. I have so much more to say in regard to the Bible study, but words escape me at the moment. My heart is so full and I am not finished processing quite yet. When I am.....it'll appear here!

"My Dear Sister. . . God has not overlooked you. . . . He has not ignored you. . . He hears every petition, And intimately knows The heart beneath it. Give Him full access To all your longings. . . Pray every single day To become a person who delights in Him. When it(that delight) seems to disappear, Remember to check your JAW. . . Are you jealous? Are you angry? Are you worried? Roll it all on Jesus . . . He's strong enough to carry it . . . Big enough to handle it. Trust God with all your heart! Now leave this place - And go into the world - And do some GOOD!"

Sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .

music and waves

2009-08-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

In the midst of watching "The Soloist" I am reminded of the similarities between the music of instruments made by human hands, and the music in ocean waves made by the hands of GOD. Each has the immense power and capability of soothing the soul. Each has the capacity to heal. Each provides us something that we, as mortal beings simply cannot live without.....rhythm. This rhythm moves within us in unique ways - the beat of a heart, the movement of our respirations, the motility of our gut, the firing of neurons enabling thought or feeling or memory processing or the regulation of our autonomic nervous systems allowing us the boom boom boom of our hearts, lungs, kidneys, and etc. Both are in a water based environment, for even music is fluid in its action. Its waves of sound float on the air in much the same way as droplets of water float as air born spray in the form of rain or snow or hail.
All this glory wrapped up in scenes of the most base of human conditions . . . homelessness. Nothing is more raw than the observation of human behavior in the midst of survival mode. It wraps around my heart like a tight fitting glove, and is something that pulls at my heart strings in much the same way as a celloist moves his bow across the strings. I miss working in benevolence ministry. It looks as if it may be time to engage again. It is time to release the music in me to provide some relief, albeit temporary, to the pain of living.

Sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .

By the Sea

2009-08-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

Yoga by the ocean . . . standing in the midst of the waves as they wash over you under the moonlight . . . breathing . . . deeply breathing . . . clearing the mind of all that is not here or now . . . basking in the light of a hot sun . . . feeling the sand melt beneath your feet and move as you move . . .
These are some of the greatest joys in life to me. Days spent in relaxation and rest . . . focusing on what is truly important in life . . . and letting go of what is not.
GOD reminds me that "clearing the mechanism" (my new favorite relaxation saying I adopted from the movie For Love of the Game) gives me that clarity of vision and thought that allows me to receive what He desires to share with me every day. I do not need to miss another day of heavenly download.
Today, it is enough to relive that moonlit sky, feel the waves wash over me and breathe.

sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .

4:8 my thoughts....

2009-08-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

There are times when we have days of great downpour not only from weather (I simply love summer thunderstorms!), but spiritually as well. Today has been one of those days....just greatness all around. And I'm loving that there was absolutely no need to leave the house for a single solitary thing. Thank You, Jesus, for left over pizza. And by the way....this new Pizza Hut to the edge pizza rocks big time!

The Bible study I have been in this summer is a lovely one dealing with our thoughts - presented in a very creative way by Jennifer Rothschild - "Me, Myself and Lies." Today I learned how to choose to "4:8 my thoughts." Very nifty!

" . . . whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise . . . think on and take account of these things . . . fix your mind on them."
Philippians 4:8

I've known for many, many years that our words have power and we should take care what we say. I've also known that our words come from our thoughts . . . our hearts. I have totally loved drilling down this summer to the control panel of my thought life (aka the "thought closet") and dealing with the real nitty gritty of this part of my life. I love accountability!
I'll close this blog with a lovely tale that Jennifer included in the study when we looked at the woman "with the issue," what she thought about it, and what she did about it. Very, very cool!

"Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a desperately unhappy woman who talked to herself.
She might have said any number of things. She might have told herself to cheer up, to walk on the sunny side of the street, to whistle while she worked, or to simply accept her lot in life. She might even have told herself that her problems were illusions; she was really healthy and whole.
But those aren't the sort of things she said when she spoke to her soul. What she did say led her to an act of faith more daring than anything she could have imagined. When this woman talked to herself, it initiated an encounter that brought immediate healing to her body and soul. It was all because of what she had in her thought closet during one of the most important conversations of her life. She told herself the truth, and that led her staight to Jesus. May you be that woman."

May you be that woman.

As the sun reappears in a beautiful, fluffy cloud filled sky after a cleansing rain . . .

Sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .

Celebration and Joy in Darkness

2009-08-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

I tried to post this yesterday but there was simply too much interference. I like to get things out as they are fresh. I mean, who likes stale bread, really, except maybe ducks. Moving forward......
Over the past few years I have been more than a little surrounded by grieving . . . true, unsullied, honest grieving. There have been more funerals attended than I ever imagined as I grew up that I would. Some touched us more deeply than I ever imagined possible. Knowing full well at a deeply personal level the full force of grief through the loss of my father and my son, it now hits me harder than ever when people I care deeply for also walk that path through the "valley of shadows."
This past week two of my staff suffered deep losses - one, her father; the other, her son. Yesterday morning I entered deep intercession for Cassie, not even being fully aware of many details, just the full force of her loss and the loss of that entire family hit me spot on. And this was part of my prayers:
We were never meant to experience this shearing away of loved ones. We were never meant to experience death . . . it is a most unfortunate piece associated with the fall of mankind from the Garden. When GOD created us, He meant for us to live in that wonderful fullness of relationship in a perfect place on this earth with Him. We were never to know distance from Him, we were never to want, hurt, feel sadness or loss of any kind . . . never, never, never. We were never meant to experience sickness or pain, or anything negative. And the fact that we have hurts Him far more than it could ever hurt us. Really."
So....once again, I was off to a funeral. I have experienced many .... some real snoozers, some so very touching and some true celebrations of worship, praise and the person's life. This time it was a true celebration of Stephen's life and a time of true worship and praise. I was the cream in the oreo cookie....and I loved that! I have to hand it to some communities and cultures ..... they really have it going on. And they have maintained a dignity and closeness that the rest of us seem to have forgotten in this world gone mad. Every person who shared did so after honoring the house and the dignitaries and leadership there. They give honor to one another. And they share without restraint. The congregation does not sit by idly either . . . this is an interactive time of worship . . . during the speaking, during the music, during the prayers . . . and we all walked as one. That was a most honest and refreshing expression of grief and understanding of what's really going on in this world.
All glory and honor and praise to The King!

Sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .

Nigeria to Me!

2009-07-29T01:40:00.000-07:00

Well.....I've never been one to doubt that GOD will grant me the desires of my heart. He's proven Himself much too faithful to leave me even the tiniest smidgeon of doubt. From my earliest memories, I have carried a love for Africa in my heart. Africa and India...the two places on earth that I am continually drawn in my spirit and have the most intense love for....it amazes me! Despite my wants and wailings, the LORD has never allowed me to go to Africa...in the flesh. But I have been there in my dreams, my thoughts, my heart. Now, He, in the wonderful ways that only GOD can pull off, has brought Africa to me.
As a child, we had family friends who were missionaries in Africa, Nigeria and Kenya to be precise, and I loved to sit and listen to their stories, cherished the gifts they brought to our home, and loved all things that were mysteriously Africa to me. As I grew, I constantly looked for opportunities to seek out people who had been there and lapped up their tales as a thirsty man does water.
At my current place of employment, there are several nurses and aids who are native Nigerians. I am in heaven! I love to just sit and listen to them speak....about anything! The musical lilt of that accent....I can never get enough. And I have developed a friendship with them. One beautiful lady and I have become friends, and she is a beautiful, beautiful soul. This past weekend I was invited to join in at her church for a series of special meetings. The speakers were all from - Ta-Da! - Nigeria! I was in heaven!
It never ceases to amaze me the passion that Christians from anywhere but here have for Jesus. There is no shame, no apology, no compromise....just pure passion and love. Such grace that blows me away! The depth in simplicity....the beauty in just loving on Him and sharing that love with one another.... We do not need slick productions to worship. As a matter of fact, I think we do more harm than good with them. It distracts from that which is most important .... hearing HIS voice.
God love you, my Nigerian friends. I have been so honored to worship with you! I can hardly wait for the next opportunity!
There is a song that I have been wrapped in for the past couple of months or so. It was on a free CD that the Vineyard church we visited gave us....what a lovely gift and what a blessing it has turned out to be. The LORD has spoken to me so often when I worship with it and it has become very, very special to me. I close with these precious words of worship:

Jesus, You're more than a friend ... Jesus, You're more than my heart could ever express. Your love and Your grace never fail me ... You're merciful touch always heals me ... You bring joy to my soul. Joy to my soul.
Sharoni
. . . giving voice to those with none . . .

2009-06-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

I'm a baby blogger....it's true....a certified "green-horn" and not too proud to say so. Obviously, I don't know the first thing about this blogging stuff except that it's really kinda fun. Even if no one ever reads it but an occassional child of mine, that's cool, because I just have fun doin' the thang!
After spending a few days with our precious son, home on leave from the war in Afghanistan, my perspective is renewed, once again, to that which matters most...... this wonderful relationship I have with my GOD and His amazing love for us!
Always looking for more insight into that love.....

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none....

Having Strength

2009-05-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

As I have struggled with recent challenges in my new position here, and always, Father GOD is faithful to reassure and comfort me with His Words. I have never felt the presence of Jesus beside me more than I do now, and that is so nice, that there are no words to really do those feelings justice. Recently, I was led to purchase a book entitled, "How Strong Women Pray," by Bonnie St. John. She is a remarkable woman herself, but she has managed to locate many other remarkable women to share their stories as well. I highly recommend it.

Back to the point of this post.... this morning I was reminded of some very precious Words known to me all my life, said over and over and over again, but this season they take on an entirely different meaning.

"I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me...I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency."

Philippians 4:13

The way we often banter about the Words of scripture sometimes lead us into a state of desensitization with them. We see them on plaques, on mirrors, on this little dilly dally thing or another, and they seem, at times, to lose their "punch." However, when the Spirit of GOD brings them rhema to us, all of a sudden, there is this whoosh as the breath of GOD flows through His Words and our spirits again, reenergize and restore us in that which we need for the hour.

Living and Learning,

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none...

Thoughts in the flood

2009-04-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

Seriously, a real live flood. Leaving early, early this morning for the office and discovering the water covering the hood of my car, I realized I was just given that day off I have been craving. The police blocking the street looked pretty serious that nothing was gettin' thru today. It's funny....the things that we spend time stressing over and rushing to and fro to accomplish come to a screeching halt in the face of elements created by the Almighty. I do hurt for my staff that are having to work double shifts because replacements can't reach them. We saw satellite feeds of the Coast Guard out with boats rescuing those who ventured forth in less than wisdom!

Just reflecting a minute on a talk I am giving to the associates next week.....the subject is Needs and Desires of Aging.

Needs and desires.....hmmm.....

Sharoni
....giving voice to those with none....

Isn't it Interesting?

2009-03-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

Interesting that last night I had destiny on my mind and this morning, a devotional I subscribe to was posted with that focus. The pastor asked good questions...these are some of the same questions I ask people when I interview them for employment with our facility, and always have. I want to know what it is that attracts them to us, particularly now since the population we work with is so special. These are worthy of a good pondering:
1. What is your deepest desire?
2. What stirs your passion?
3. What naturally flows out of you?
4. Where do you get results?
5. What career or ministry do you feel the peace of God about pursuing?
6. What thoughts, visions, dreams are impossible to put out of your mind?
7. What goal or ambition can you dedicate yourself to 100% for the rest of your life?
8. What do people volunteer to help you accomplish?

Most interestingly, he entitled the devotional "What it Means to Be a Worshipper." I never thought about it in those terms even tho I am sure that somewhere in the past I have said that my life was my worship to God. It is...our life is our worship to God....we don't think about that too often. We have wrapped our concept of worship around an action we take when we are gathered in a public "service or meeting"... or maybe even that great alone time when we just let it all out with God. But we are really missing the boat if we think that He is unconcerned with our all day, every day comings and goings, our doings and our thoughts. We worship Him in the most dear way to His heart when we love His people and bless them with our lives. That, to me, is pure worship.

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none...

Thoughts and Reflections

2009-03-28T21:33:00.001-07:00

Listening to "This Time" by John Legend brings this quote to mind:
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
~Anais Nin~
It takes courage to be what God intended for us to be... a child who loves ... one who is not afraid to share His love with mankind. We have been blessed with four children and one grandchild. Our greatest joy is when they are settled in their lives in whatever venue, whatever activities and occupations they choose at different times in their lives...living in peace and feeling fulfilled in their tasks. But our hearts rejoice when we know they have a relationship with their Saviour and are willing to love those around them. What else matters when the sun sets and the day closes down? To have known love and grace and mercy.... to bloom ...
As the lights dim tonight ...

Sharoni
... giving voice to those with none ...

Hi and Hello and a little Howdy!

2009-03-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Well...isn't this just the bomb!! So, a new experiment in living. As I write, I'm listening to Missy Higgins' "Where I Stood"... a very neat song. And the phrase, "I don't who I am without you," speaks so clearly to me of my love relationship with Jesus. If you happen in on this little area of cyberspace, you will see and hear about this relationship with God...one I hope you share, but if not, His love for you is not altered, just intensified. There is a phrase used in a book I read recently that I just loved....really loved, and I quote it now. Now Sharoni (that's me!), she is one of my children who "I'm particularly fond of." And you should know that God is "particularly fond of you too," whether you have ever thought of being fond of Him or not. It's a very amazing relationship you should check out, or check into, or whatever. In any case, you are very welcome here!
To start the ball rolling, the following is representative of my heart tonight and has been for quite a long time:
"Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it."
~Anne De Lenclos~

Sharoni
...giving voice to those with none...