ADJUSTING

Gloria Phifer


I am joining the gals Five Minute Friday...the Word for the day is ...Adjust.

Adjusting...we are to Shelter in place.  The Corona Virus is our invisible enemy.

I was in our grocery store this week (My hat and glasses on...in disguise...see I am a Senior Citizen)

I was "Incognito".  "Hoping no one would yell "Senior Citizen on the loose."

I asked the young stock boy on the ladder..."Do you know when you will have more toilet paper?
"
He looked down at this 5 ft lady, with the hat and glasses, smiled and replied, "You can come in at 7

 in the morning."

  WHAT??? this kid knows I am "A Senior Citizen???" It seems I can't get away with middle-aged!

I smiled my sweet elderly smile..."Thank you."

Adjusting...no toilet paper and now everyone knows....I'm a Senior Citizen!!!

A FRAGILE FLOWER

Gloria Phifer

My life is a fragile flower, here today and gone tomorrow...blown by the wind.

The soft rain falls on my life and I absorb the nutrients into my being.

I respond to the Son and grow in strength and vitality.

Blossoms cover my life. as my roots grow deep into the rich soil of The Word. My blossoms are for His Glory.

My Gardner and Maker is pleased with the fragrance as He prunes away the excess.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE...NO VICTIM.

THANKFUL

Gloria Phifer

I have been praying for wisdom and understanding and the other night a friend prayed for me.

It is like a new perspective. In my last blog I talked about being diagnosed with "celiac.' I can't eat gluten or I become sick.  After talking to a friend, who also has other food allergies. Today I feel like The Lord has given me a whole new perspective. 

"I am NOT a victim." Because I know I cannot eat gluten is good!!! Sometimes it takes people up to 10 years to find out they have this problem. I have known for 10 years and my body has healed. It is good that I know what my body cannot tolerate.  What I saw was... I am not missing out. I am healthy. I do have good food to eat. I am being healthy. 

Also, about my childhood, I felt The Lord told me all of this today...I am not a victim from my childhood. . As a child I was not in control of my circumstances. 

Since coming to Jesus Christ I have entered my destiny!!!  I am more than a conqueror through Him!!!  I am a Victor through Jesus. He has repaid me 7 times over for any losses. 

He has redeemed and given me back more than what was in my past. He has turned everything to good.

My past is a testimony of His protection, His covering, His calling in my life. 

His grace, His love, His reckless love that pursued me. He brought me to salvation.

He gave me a family, a home...abundance...I do not want. I am safe. I have peace. I have joy. 

I have a ministry...a call on my life from Him. I teach, I write, I mentor, I paint. I love, I am thankful. I see all the "Good". 

I love my Savior ...I am chosen, destined kept and loved...thank You Jesus Amen.

AS A LITTLE CHILD

Painting By Gloria Phifer...No Fear In Love.

Even though you are all grown up, do you ever feel like the little child you were?

Many of you know my story...that I was a child that wasn't wanted and I was told that.

In an alcoholic home, with abuse, anger, fights, I was very afraid and insecure. I didn't want to go home after school. There was no peace, no security, no surety of where I would be next. I changed schools 14 times.

At 22 yrs old, when I felt my life was falling apart I surrendered my life to Christ. I say "surrender" because there were times in my life when He would speak to me. But I wanted to control my own life. As if anything was in "control."

What I found was a Savior, Someone Who really loved me and He told me He had wanted me to be born and I was born for Him.

For the 1st time in my life, I found peace. I had to learn how to live a normal, everyday life.

You would laugh if you knew my age. I have been a Christian for over 50 years. The Lord has been so faithful to me. I have a husband, children, grandchildren and now I am a great grandmother.

But sometimes, something will happen and there is that little girl again. I don't want to go there...It is like an onion. I have had much healing and I think I am all healed and then...there is another layer...and truly "It stinks."

I don't want to feel those things that come to the surface. Every time...and you would think I was a little girl if you saw me go to The Lord and cry and talk to Him about it.  And, then I feel what that little girl felt. The Lord gives me the assurance and I feel like He holds me.

So what do I do with this little girl, Gloria, that comes to the surface once in a while? (And I will say it isn't real often...just when something triggers it.)

I was at someone's house. They were talking and I didn't feel heard. Also, I was diagnosed with celiac, so I can't eat gluten. I kept telling myself it didn't matter if I could eat with them or not. But it did bother me...I try to come after dessert...but there it was. After 10 years, I still have a secret sadness that I can't have it with everyone else. Yes, I felt like a child. And as things went on, I tried so hard, but I began to cry. And I was so embarrassed and I knew they didn't understand. Even as I am writing this I really don't know why it was so emotional to me. But there it was...and there was my vulnerability.

So, there is also the child again. What do I do with little Gloria...I know I need to love and understand her like I would someone else. And that's when I go to The Lord...here I am again Lord...And He always understands. Someday, when I am in Heaven, I won't have these feelings. But, while I am here I need to learn what He wants me to learn.

I will say this, I do believe because of what I have been through I understand a lot what others are going through.

And I love little Gloria. She belongs to The Lord.

BE A TAKER

Gloria Phifer


I am joining the Five minute Friday group we write on one word for 5 minutes...the word is...Take.

I have been realizing even more in my life  that The Lord is this wonderful "Giver." He always gives.  John 3 :16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but will have everlasting life."

Now, who would come to this world that was full of sin and put on flesh and become a man when You are God?

That love is so incredible and to the human mind so hard to comprehend.

 He paid the price for our sins and all we have to do  is...receive...to TAKE what He purchased for us.
Oh The love and glory of God.

God gives His salvation freely to all that will come to Him and accept what Jesus did on the cross for us. He forgave our sins...He purchased and redeemed us (bought us back). He loves us and longs to have a relationship...

Take His Hand and take what He has purchased for you. He is waiting for you.

Pray with me...Lord Jesus Christ I thank You for taking all of my sins on Yourself at the cross. I accept You as My Savior and I ask you to come into my heart. I surrender my life to You and Your love. Amen.

THE MYSTERY MAN

Gloria Phifer

I was 10 years old before I knew about “the mystery man”. I had a father that I didn’t know existed. He lived in California. And, from what I understood, I had not seen him since I was 3 yrs. old.

My mother told me she never loved “the mystery man.” Later she told me I looked like him and I reminded her of him. (Most of my life I would wonder how she really felt about me.)

In my young mind I told myself that “the mystery man” surely cared about me. Although my mother told me he did not.

Someday I would venture out and find “the mystery man.” I imagined someone who really did love me and had always wanted to know me.

When I was older, my uncle told me more about “The mystery man.” It seemed they were good friends. My uncle told me my father was a good man. He owned his own business and that he didn’t drink. Now this news about drinking was very important to me because alcohol was an enemy to me. My mother had become an alcoholic. Although, no one could speak of such a thing. It was a forbidden rule.

My day dream persisted to meet “the mystery man.” I was 19 yrs. old. In November I would be marrying.

 My mother received a letter from my grandmother….”The mystery man" had died the year before.” He had a massive heart attack at 41 yrs. of age.

So what do you do with a mystery man that you will never be able to meet, after you have day dreamed about him for years?

Warren Kenneth you will always be a mystery to me…even though I am told I resemble you. Were you a kind person? Did you ever think about me? Was there ever a time you wanted to see me?  

You remain a mystery in my life that will never be solved here on earth. I pray that in Heaven you will be there and you will be a mystery no more.

I have found a Father Who is not a mystery to me. I know He loves me and cares for me. I know I resemble Him because He made me in His image. He will never abandon or leave me. He meets all of my needs and He understands and knows all about me. He and I talk every day. He wants to hear my voice. He wants to be with me.

 And so I have given up wanting to know what could have been. Maybe I was kept from the mystery because it would have hurt me.

I am safe with my Heavenly Father...

I have found The Father Who loves me as His Own. He will never leave me or forsake me. So, I climb up in His lap where He holds me secure. The Father Who always wanted me from the beginning.

THE LORD MY HELPER

Gloria Phifer

I have learned to pray about "Everything." Even when I can't find my glasses...I pray and I find them.

Painting by Gloria Phifer

Some years back, a friend brought me a pair of earrings from Africa. One day, after I had worn them, I could only find one of the pair. I looked everywhere. I prayed and had the thought to look under the car.

It was winter and there was slush under the car. I found the earring in the slush behind the front wheel. If I had backed up with the car I would have crushed it. I thanked The Lord.

This last week I had two pairs of earrings on my dresser. When I went to wear them...one pair of both earrings was missing. I prayed. And I looked everywhere I could think of. So I prayed again. A few days later I was putting on a necklace and there, dangling from the necklace was one of the earrings.

Today, I began to put on a bracelet and there dangling from it was the other earring from the other set.

I believe we have a Personal Friend...The Lord Jesus Christ Who cares even about the little things that concern us. 

These were only a few examples of how faithful He is to me. I have a childlike faith. I can ask my Heavenly Father, He cares for me in all things that concern me. 
Thank You Lord Jesus for Your faithfulness and caring.

I want you to know He loves and cares for you too. Don't hesitate to go to Him in everything. He is faithful, loving and kind. His Name is Jesus Christ The Lord of Glory.