From ONLY to UNLI

Was truly blessed by the sermon series yesterday.  The Unlimited series has come at the right time and I really needed to hear it.

Like in everything in life, nothing is constant.  It keeps changing as certain as the seasons change.

Out text was about Elijah and the Widow (1 King 17:7-16).  The pastor showed us the side of the widow and the side of Elijah.  One was certain of her faith, the other was not but still obeyed and had faith.  

For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, "The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the Land." (1 Kings 17:14)

I choose to wait and obey.  The waiting is always the worst part but the results will always be far more and beyond my imagining.   

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6 NIV)

Our Father by Joseph Prince

Let me tell you a true story I heard. There was a pastor whose young child was diagnosed with cancer.The day his boy was scheduled for an operation, this father cried out to God, "God, I'm almost 30 years old, but my boy is only about three months old. Why don't you just take some years off my life and give them to my boy?"

Then, from deep within him,he heard the voice of God say,"I am not like that." When the man heard that, he realized immediately that his son's sickness was not from God. He also realized that if he, who has faults, could want his child well, how much more his heavenly Father. So he changed his prayer and said, "Father God, I come against this sickness and I ask you for healing for my child." That day, on the operating table, the surgeons could find no trace of cancer in the child!

Today, God wants you to know that He is not the kind of Father who wants you sick and defeated, keeps you poor and wanting, refuses to provide for your needs and denies you your blessings.

When my daughter Jessica was younger, I bought a beautiful teddy bear for her. Teddy bears are her favorite toys and I could not wait to see her joy when she saw it. My joy is to see her happy. When she is sick and has difficulty sleeping at night, it hurts me to hear her cry. When she is crying, I cannot ignore her cries. I enter into her discomfort and pain even though I know that her sickness is something that will pass shortly. When she is in pain, I feel the pain too. When she is sad, I am sad too.

I believe that God gives us children to help us understand what His Father- heart is like. His joy is to enter into your joy and see you happy. If you, in spite of your faults, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to you when you ask Him! My prayer today is that you will know just how much your Father loves you!

Thought For The Day

God's joy is to enter into your joy!

Be You

Step out and be the person God made you to be. Don't let the way another person treats you or responds to you determine your worth. Have the courage to be different and deal with criticism.

Remember that God accepts you and loves you. He made you the way you are for a reason, and you have something special to offer.

- Joyce Meyer

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, & do not lean on your own understanding. -Proverbs 3:5



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Love and perspective

Currently reading Francis Kong's book, "The Early Bird Gets the Worm". What I love about him is that even if it is a book on business, it is so like him to throw in little nuggets of life lessons that are just too good to pass up.

"If you love somebody, you will care enough to share your life to help, to give, rather than to get or to receive.

If you love somebody, you will begin to invest more of your time, listen carefully to what that person is saying.

If you love somebody, you will rejoice at that person's success.

And most importantly, if you love somebody, you would pray for that person and bring him or her to the Savior."

Amen and amen to that! 

Travelling has always been one of my favorite hobbies. You absorb so much from where you are, meet different and interesting people. The smells, sounds, tastes and sights are a wonder. At the end of it all, you also challenge yourself as well. Stepping out of safety zones and relish the whole adventure, be it good or bad.

In about a week's time, we embark on another adventure as a couple. God is blessing us with another opportunity to experience all this together. I've also learned so much about Bryan and our relationship through our past teavels and I am looking forward to more.

The lessons that I am still learning is to let Bryan take the reigns. Yes, I have 10x more travelling experience, but I can be a bit head strong. God doesnt want me to be that way and, to be honest, I dont like me that way.

Then theres Dani, who we will miss terribly. 4 days is a long time. But I pray for God's love and protection on her as well as for us. Dreaming of the day when she can come with us and I can show her the things I've experienced when I was a child.

But in the meantime, I leave my little angel in Iloilo. Sigh!

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. (Psalm 16:1 NIV)

Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not on them. (Job 21:9 NIV)

Thought bubble

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein.



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On payment and dues

Some people pay their bills when due, some when overdue, and some never do. Fulfill obligations. Protect the name. It’s more precious that gold and silver. - Francis Kong


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1 x 1 = 200?!?

Last week, as I did my daily reading and quiet time, I have come into the habit of highlighting the lessons and or verses I've learned and forward it to people. Its something I just like to do. That group of people includes my in-laws, family and friends. I also paste the same lessons on my Facebook account.

I've been doing this for years but last Friday made me even more encouraged. An acquaintance from UPV whom I have added to my daily text pals messaged me back. He said he really appreciated my messages and has been forwarding it to probably 200 people. I never realized it until then! What was a very simple move was rippling to so many people! God has used my little quiet time to move in ways I never knew it could! Jay has been a blessing and I am more than humbled and honored to be a part of it. My P1 was multiplying to about P200! Thats how God multiplies!

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of the way you work. A simple action done for you could do so much without us realizing it. What a fantastic reminder!

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19, 20 NIV)


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God and His goodness

God's goodness will provide and protect. God's mercy (unfailing love) will pardon and forgive. God's goodness will supply. God's mercy will soothe. God's goodness will help. God's mercy and will heal.

Goodness is the fact that God gives us good things in life that we don't deserve. Mercy means God holds back the condemnation we deserve.

- Rick Warren



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Willingness to obey

Don't come to your quiet time to choose what you will do or not do, but come with the purpose of doing anything and everything that God wants you to do. Jesus said, "If anyone chooses to do God's will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." (John 7:17) Come to meet the Lord having already chosen to do his will no matter what.

- Rick Warren


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Morning Reflection on Jealousy

Don't despise the days of small beginnings. Our rewards come from obeying the specific callings He's placed on our lives, not from jealously trying to achieve things that you think will impress people. Don't let jealousy grow in you. Trust God to place you where you need to be.

- Joyce Meyer


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Ooops!

In my excitement to create a new blog, I just realized my site is no what it should be. Its should have been "aspeckintime2" but it turns out to be "apeckintime2".

Now my dilemma, to create a new one or ride on with this one... Think, think, think.


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From Joyce Meyer

Prayer Starter: Lord, because seedtime is necessary for harvest time, I won't get discouraged while I'm waiting and feeling like nothing's happening. I will continue to obey and trust You, knowing that You will bring me into my harvest at just the right time.


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Water & truth

Thirst was made for water; inquiry for truth. #CSLewis


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Onto new days

Over the years of writing and blogging, you can't help but feel so sentimental when you have to move on and leave what was behind.  I've always been fond of the written art and there are so many things that I want to remember and re-learn from time to time.

So this new blog is my own little step of looking at things from a more mature perspective, lighter (as is in my blog design) and more expectant of a hopeful future with these new people in my life.

God has been so good and will continue to be so in our lives.  I thank Him for every breathing, waking and dreaming moment.