Scripture:Numbers 22:30
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own beast have you not always ridden upon me until Have I been in the habit of treating you this way before> "No" replied Balaam

Observation:
God can use anyone or anything to get His point across.

Application:
Of course, there is the whole story of my bible - and his use of the Internet, a lost bible and a 4 year old; however, there is another one that is speaking to me.

Last night, my oldest was acting out of character. She said somethings that were just downright mean. God put two people in my way - like the donkey - to let me know that I needed to look deeper and act with love, not harshness, but I didn't listen.
Our French Intern who is living with us, saw it and said, "I think she is just so concerned about her test and she can't see it for the gift that it is"When I was talking to my MIL - I told her that H1 was acting so awful that I couldn't believe it. She sympathized, but when I asked her if she wanted to hear what H1 said, she said, "No, I really don't, just give her a kiss for me."WOW
I still was not acting as loving as I should have been. I was still taking the role of letting her see that her behavior was something that I disapproved of. Then today, reading about the donkey, and those words... I needed to look deeper and react with Love, not anger.

Prayer: God, please help me to be more loving, to not react harshly when my children do something that on the surface seems willful. Help me to look a little deeper and see if there is a larger reason for what is going on right in front of me.

Scripture:

Numbers 14:40
Early the next morning they started up the foothills saying "Here we are, ready to go up to the place that the Lord spoke of. for we are indeed doing wrong.41 But Moses said why are you again disobeying the Lord's orders? This cannot succeed. .. 45.... and they came down and defeated them

Observation:
After seeing the error of their ways, they wanted to do the right thing, but God's plan had changed. They wouldn't listen and did what they thought was right, instead of what God thought was right and they were defeated.

Application:
God wants us to listen to him and his timing. If we think there was a missed blessing, because we hadn't been listening to God before, it doesn't mean we should or have the right to go back and try and grab it. We need to wait for God's timing again. Of course, we should not sit back and do nothing, but we still wait for God's timing before we move. The men could have been preparing their weapons, or training - but they did not have to go into battle.

Prayer:
God help me to do the right things when you would have me do them. If I do happen to miss something help me to know that I can still prepare for my next task.

Today - I saw the missed blessing in an interesting way. My driveway.

I came home to an unseasonable warm day and I noticed that half my driveway was melted nice and clean. The other half of my driveway was still snow covered. I looked over to my neighbor's house and her driveway was clean and neat....
Last week when we had a large snowfall, I made sure to shovel my neighbor's driveway since she
had thrown out her back. I did not however, complete my own.

It is the story of my life in so many ways. I spend so much time doing for others, that my own home and my own family are missing out on blessings. I was so concerned with doing a almost perfect job at my neighbor's house (she is really particular about shoveling) instead of doing "enough" and still being able to complete it for my own family. I gave my all to her and only gave half of me to my own.

What a visual. We both have black driveways, and so the snow covered parts vs the black clean parts were very apparent.

Of course, I didn't really complain, I just saw it for what it was, me doing something for others before my own family. A lesson I need to look hard at. But - neither did I sit back and do nothing. I did clean the driveway, fully knowing that the sun wouldn't be able to clean the whole thing today. I did a little preparation and hopefully, when the sun comes out again for another day, it will warm to driveway and I will get that blessing, however small it may be.

So two lessons, the same that I keep seeing

1. Prepare for your blessings
2. Listen and obey God and you WILL receive blessings.

Scripture:

Numbers 1:4
To assist you there shall be a man from each tribe...

Observation:
To assist you, God will provide help for the tasks that he ordains you to do.

Application:
I have a bit on my plate right now. Well, a lot and I have been considering taking on more. I know this is speaking to me. If this is something God wants me to do, he will provide people to assist me.

Prayer: God, thank you for speaking to me. Thank you for reminding me that I do not have to do everything alone. Thank you for giving me peace that I know that some of the tasks that you have set before me are the ones that I know have your blessings, when I look at all the faithful people you have surrounded me with.

Remember that bible that I couldn't find? Last night I was using my normal bible that I use for BSF and the writing seemed so small for reading. I got tired, I even prayed about the sleepiness, yet I still fell asleep.

Well... today while I started out the day thinking that I would find time to catch up,I go to log on line - Internet was down. I ended up wasting time on my connection. I had a feeling God wanted my attention elsewhere, then later, after many tries, it finally worked. Fast forward a little later... I see the toolbox post.... still not putting the mouse down to go read... then a little later my 4 year old comes up and places the bible right next to me. The same one I thought she had... the one I liked reading. The one that got me excited to read. I think - "OK God, you now have my attention." But I still don't listen... Then my 4 year old put the other bible that I was reading on top of the first. "OK, OK" I will go read. and so I did.
I was thinking that Numbers would be a little boring, I remembered it last year, all the census' I totally didn't remember all the amazing ways it would speak to me today!

How often people grumble and God still doesn't give up. He just keeps placing things in your path. I may not have had the donkey in my path, but he did put the following in mine:

WOW!!! Thank you Lord!! I needed Numbers today!
Numbers 1:4 - He will assign someone to assist me
Numbers 9:8 - we are to always ask the Lord first
Numbers 9:18 - stay where you are until He moves you
Numbers 9:23 - always do HIS bidding, not your own
Numbers 10 - we are to go about our tasks in an orderly way
Numbers 11:17 - he will ordain others so that our burdens may be lighter
Numbers 11:23 - There is nothing to great that is beyond His reach
Numbers 14:8 - If the Lord is pleased with us, blessings that we cannot even imagine will follow
Numbers 15:40 - we can suffer defeat if we go before God is with us.
Numbers 15 - do not wantonly be led astray by your own desires
Numbers 18:12 - we are always to give our first fruits to him, then the rest will be blessed
Numbers 21:34 - Do not be afraid
Numbers 22:30 - Do not react harshly - look for a deeper reason.

A little birdie has delivered my very own ionator HOM to my door. I am sooo excited. I borrowed my neighbor's when HALF of our family had the flu early this year and the other half of the family never got it. Door handles, faucets, countertops, refridgerator handle!! bathroom sinks, everything - it was so great. I always thought how great one of these would be to have around the house.

By charging and activating regular water, it is able to attract dirt like a magnet and lift it away from the surface. This gives you 30-45 seconds to easily wipe away the suspended grime and sanitize your home all without using any chemicals, so you know that you aren't putting your children, your pets or yourself at risk of anything toxic.

If you need way more detail (like I did) feel free to let Bill Nye, the science guy, show you.

Wow what a theme I have going on here and here:

Scripture:
Exodus 40:36-37
In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out--until the day it lifted.

Observation:
While at first glance it seems really cool, to be able to have a cloud that tells us when to stay and when to go and know that that is God directing our path. It can also be hard when the cloud stays and we are in less than perfect circumstances. It can be hard to be still, when it looks like the grass is greener just over the next fence. Just as I imagine it would be hard to get up and move when you feel like - "wait, I just got to some place good, you want me to move AGAIN?"

Application: In the past, I have always jumped into new ideas head first. I have had a lot of success that way; however, the success, while, it may have been great, has been short lived. I want to do something for God, for my family and for myself that will stand the test of time. The will bring long term blessings to my family.

Prayer: God, help me to be mindful of your cloud. Please help me to find comfort and peace, to be still, staying where I am when you want me to stay. Please make it clear to me when the cloud has lifted and it is time to move on. Please help me to find joy in whether you tell me to stay or tell me to go forward.

Keeping on this same theme - there are two parts in this moving - Facing the Giants -- the first one - is
"Until the Lord moves you, you are to bloom where you are planted."
and the second - (we even were talking about this in BSF yesterday) -
The story of the two farmers who were waiting for rain. They both prayed for rain. One farmer went out and plowed his field while the other stayed in wait instead for the rain. When rain finally did come, only the man with the plowed field was the one who was blessed by the rain.

(We are in John this last week was about his healing the blind man. There was a question about, "Why would Jesus make the blind man wash of the mud, couldn't he have just healed the man, why did the man have to do something?)

The man, who was blind, had to walk in faith, he had to make his way to the pool to wash off the mud. He had to do before he could receive. God is sovereign, he can bless us whenever he chooses, but if we are not prepared, we may miss out. If the man wouldn't have walked to the pool to wash off the mud, he would have missed out on his greatest miracle.

Jesus has great blessings in store for us, but we must act on the knowledge that he gives us and prepare for the blessings, if we are ever to receive them. If we do not prepare for the blessings, when they come, we will miss them. So, even when he is telling me to wait, I still need to prepare. The part of the movie below, starts at around 2:30.

Scripture: Exodos 23:3
Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.

Observation:
We are skilled, or have certain gift and talents that are given to us by God and are to be used for God's purposes.

Application:
We should be using the gifts that we have been freely given for God's purposes. When I try to do things that are outside of my gifts, while sometimes necessary, things many be harder. However, my main life's work should center around the gift's he has given me. It is in doing those things, that I will be fulfilling Go's plan for me

Prayer:
God, please help me to know what my gifts are. Please also, help me to be honest about things that are not my gifts. Help me to discern what you would like me to use my gifts for.

But I feel like God is telling me to wait. Be Still - wait.

I keep hearing this song

Lyrics to While I'm Waiting :
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Takeing every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Wow - I cannot help but to think I am experiencing a bit of resistance with this. I picked it up to read it yesterday, then I needed to help H3 - I had to fix the binding on her children's bible and now I cannot find where in the world I put my bible. Granted I could read another bible that I have, but I am really enjoying reading this one.

However, I did sit down and do my bible study for BSF - and I was able to complete the challenge over at http://www.homesanctuary.com/

I will find it today - and I will work on it. I have BSF this morning - and a few things scheduled after, but I will keep going tonight, even if I have to use another bible for a bit.

Scripture: Ex 15:25 He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
Observation: do what is right in his eyes, not what is right in the eyes of the world
Application: If only I had.... (fill in a million little things.... perhaps green rectangular things) then things would be better... every hurt, frustration, would be healed.
Prayer: Father, help me to know your voice when you speak to me. Help me to remember that you are the healer, through you, hurts, frustrations, hard circumstances, health - can be healed.

Scripture: Ex 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Observation: God is about to work for you. If God brings his people into straits, he will find a way to bring them out.
Application: Take a look at my frustrations that God has allowed into my life. What purpose does he have for them, I need to look to him for the solutions.
Prayer: Father, please help me to stand still in your presence, help me to not make any huge decisions without first seeking you. Help me to know that you are working and fighting for me.