And God Created Woman

God said....

When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being. When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils. But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man because your nostrils are too delicate.

I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity.

From one bone I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects man's life. I chose the rib, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I created you perfectly and beautifully.

Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile. You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man as the rib cage supports the body.

You were not taken from his feet, to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side. You are My perfect angel. You are My beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and My Eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart. Your eyes - don't change them. Your lips - how lovely when they part in prayer. Your nose, so perfect in form, your hands so gentle to touch. I've caressed your face in your deepest sleep; I've held your heart close to Mine.

Of all that lives and breathes, you are the most like Me. Adam walked with Me in the cool of the day and yet he was lonely. He could not see Me or touch Me. He could only feel Me. So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with Me, I fashioned in you: My Holiness, My Strength, My Purity, My Love, My Protection and Support. You are special because you are the extension of Me.

Man represents My Image - woman, My Emotions. Together, you represent the Totality of God. So man - treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is fragile. In hurting her, you hurt Me. What you do to her, you do to Me. In crushing her, you only damage your own heart, the heart of your Father, and the heart of her Father. Woman, support man. In humility, show him the power of emotion I have given you. In gentle quietness show your strength. In love, show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self.

"For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God."

Surviving Storms

What storm are you living through right now? When we try to survive the storms the way we're told to handle it by our worldly training or by the selfish passions of our flesh-nature, things only get worse, or at best, peace is delayed. And yet, it seems crazy to expect peace from doing what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Love your enemies? Don't be angry, even when someone is angry at you? Give to anyone who asks for something from you and even give more? Don't judge but always forgive? 

Seriously? How can we find peace by offering the other cheek when a person hurts us? (Note: turning the cheek does not mean staying in an abusive relationship; it does mean handling the abuse with loving boundaries that protect victims from harm and the victimizer from committing more sin.) Is this fair? No!

Actually, when we try to deal with the storm the "fair" way, we end up in greater difficulty because we kick up new storms. But when we quit fighting God by surrendering to his ways of handling the people who cause us problems, our inner turmoil subsides. His love takes over. He becomes the source of our happiness and we stop relying on others for our peace. The storm can rage all it wants, and we will still live in peace.

Who Packs Your Parachute?

Here's a very nice story that would remind us to appreciate those invisible yet significant souls who makes our life better and delivers blessings to us every single day...

After surviving the War, Captain Charlie Plumb received the Silver Star,Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit and two Purple Hearts, and returned to America and spoke to many groups about his experience and how it compared to the challenges of every day life.

 Shortly after coming home, Charlie and his wife were sitting in a restaurant. A man rose from a nearby table, walked over and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk . You were shot down!"

Surprised that he was recognized, Charlie responded, "How in the world did you know that?" The man replied, "I packed your parachute." Charlie looked up with surprise. The man pumped his hand, gave a thumbs-up, and said, "I guess it worked!"

Charlie stood to shake the man's hand, and assured him, "It most certainly did work. If it had not worked, I would not be here today."

Charlie could not sleep that night, thinking about the man. He wondered if he might have seen him and not even said, "Good morning, how are you?" He thought of the many hours the sailor had spent bending over a long wooden table in the bottom of the ship, carefully folding the silks and weaving the shrouds of each chute, each time holding in his hands the fate of someone he didn't know. Plumb then began to realize that along with the physical parachute, he needed mental, emotional and spiritual parachutes. He had called on all these supports during his long and painful ordeal.

 

...how many times a day, a week, a month, do we pass up the opportunity to thank those people in our organization who are "packing our parachutes?"

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