Sunday, October 13, 2013

Carrot, Egg or Coffee?



Grandmother says... Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee; "Which are you?" A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft.She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked. "What's the point,grandmother?" Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity--boiling water--but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her granddaughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level? ~Author Unknown


Have you ever thought that maybe at times when you do want to give up thats the devil knocking on your door? I certainly do! those times are the hardest, because without thought of mind its very easy to just give up. However, someone, somewhere, somehow loves you! Can you believe that that individual is the one who created you, the one who doesn't judge you until your own judgement day, but you have all that time on this plant to think about what type of person you are and what type of person you want to be. All in all that person you create here is the way of life you will live after death. Kind of a weird subject and strange thing to even talk about (after death) so... we will leave that for another time. Tonight above is enough to ponder with the way you live RIGHT NOW!



God Bless!

~Victoria Clouse




Thursday, October 3, 2013

I did not forget about you....

It has been awhile this I know!!! I am sorry as I am finishing up school right now (BS in Business Analysis) and after that I am going to focus so much more on this Blog and reading more stories in the bible. Did you know that a man named Job was tested by the devil. The devil said to God that basically he (Job) isn't as strong as God says he is. So God says test him, but don't touch his health.... through terror and torment of having EVERYTHING taken from him from food and cattle to his own children he still worshipped God. God in my eyes laughed at the devil saying see I told you. The devil says let me take his health. While the devil took his health, his wife left him, his friends tried to steer him away from God and thats when God came to Job and his friends and said "Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them". Job 40:7.... 


All the while you ask God questions, but why not listen and answer some that He may have for you. I knew a little bit about this story, but my husband is the one who shared the in-depth version and my own worded version above. It opened my eyes to the fact that Job never gave up his faith even when his wife left him and his friends were telling him to just stop and give up hope, he NEVER did. You are who you surround yourself with, keep that in mind when someone is telling you that God is not the answer or trying to sway you away from Him. Of course as humans we question things that happen to us and direct it toward God, but in the end who are we to question Gods will??? 

Listen and read the words of this song as I feel it relates whole-heartedly to Jobs faith and then the bible verse above.

I'm not skilled to understand 0:27... What God has willed, what God has planned 0:32



God Bless All of you!

~Victoria Clouse

Friday, June 21, 2013

It has been a while..... Music Time!!!

Sorry I haven't posted lately!  I have been extra busy with home, school, work, and getting ready to change jobs up for 2 months starting on the 1st of July. Pretty excited about it too.

Anyway enough about me! If you have noticed reading a couple of these post I love music. I am the person in the car singing to every song and doing a little dance. I think it expresses how I feel, what I may be thinking and mostly what I wish I could say, but just can't put them into words. So this as been the song on my heart lately. It has to do with Gods unchanging love!!! Its "My God" by Jeremy Camp. Take a listen, read the words as you listen. It may bring something amazing to your heart.

This next song was hard to find on YouTube, however here it is and its called "Just Say Jesus" by 7eventh Time Down. Its basically saying when all else fails look and call out to Jesus. There are things in life that we try to hard to handle and we should leave it to God and his Son. However, i must say that when God is giving you the answer and you choose to ignore it you can only be upset with yourself.  Enjoy!!! Just Say Jesus or try this http://youtu.be/-bNi8WoD3bc

This one is just touching in every word song. I workout to this song, because I feel like it just push's me. I put my head down and just do more weather its lifting or running. If you don't feel pumped after this boy somethings wrong and we need to talk! Enjoy!!!


Lastly, just listen to the words!!! I heard this song the day after I talked to Will (husband) about adopting. Just throwing the idea out there, because I can love I can give so much and when I hear about what parents do to their children or how they treat them I just want to love them. We are great parents (or so we think ;)), but the two of us together do great things and I want to give love to children so they aren't worried about their appearance, what other people think, and they can have someone forever there NO MATTER WHAT! ENJOY! and try not to cry!!!


God Bless each and everyone of you!

~ Victoria Clouse


Tuesday, June 11, 2013

"My Life" by Paul Thomas Mitchell

While watching America's Got Talent (AGT) tonight this was the last act of the night and WOW was he good. It made me think not only about my own life, but about those who go through so many struggles in their life, it is all for a reason. You go through so many horrible things and end up on top in the end is amazing. God is an awesome God and gifted him with this wonderful voice that I just had to share this with all of you. In times of despair the Lord knows what he is doing. TRUST in the lord!!!







To end this particular post I have a quote I found today which I believe applies now:

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be"

- Douglas Adams              


God Bless!

Victoria Clouse


Sunday, May 19, 2013

Does God Complain?

This question came to me while listening to klove during a 30 day challenge. Funny enough I didn't stop at 30 days and I typically only change the station to play one of Sophia's kids music CDs. Anyhow a lady wrote into klove and said that she felt that she always had something going on in her household such as laundry to be done, dishes in the sink, toys on the floor, and as soon as she picks all of it up or takes care of it she turns around and repeat it all over again within a couple hours if not minutes!!! We can all relate to this in some form or fashion, RIGHT???

But have you ever thought.... maybe thats how God feels? Ok maybe not FEEL, but you know what i mean!!! I think of it as a person in charge like a commander or even the president (good, bad or indifferent). I would not want to be one of them, that is a lot of responsibility that is bestowed upon a person and that would be overwhleming. Do you think he thinks like as soon as he takes care of one thing there is something else he has to take care of?!?! He must be exhausted because I know I am at the end of the evening. He is an all powerful God and for that he would never be to tired for us! But, at times it seems like it would be easy for him too.

Prayer:
Thank you so much lord for being here for me through all the good and bad times of my life. You are always a powerful God and I pray that you give me the wisdom to know when I need you and when I can call on you. I thank you for all that you have given me to and the happiness for my children and family and even for the busy life and mess house!

God Bless,

~Victoria Clouse


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Week 2



Above is the video from Week 2s reading in the book Trusting God from the ladies who created the Girlfriends In God (GIG). This video specifically features Gwen Smith speaking about somethings she wrote in this weeks reading. 

What I personally took away from this week is that trusting in God brings peace. Knowing that you can give your worries over to God and he will most certainly handle them is an amazing feeling. Having a recent conversation with someone has put a lot in perspective. When you trust God amazing things happen in your life. God gives us free will to make choices about the things in life that he has planned. I think we take the long sometimes not so scenic route to get to what God has planned for us. I found this paper and in it i found exactly what I am trying to convey:

"Ultimately, the only absolute freedom we have resides in a man’s free will. And that freedom was given us by our Creator, essentially, so that we might freely choose to love and serve him. .... It is in choosing to serve God, to do his will, that man achieves his highest and fullest freedom. It may seem paradoxical to say that our highest and fullest freedom comes when we follow to the least detail the will of another, but it is true nonetheless when that other is God" - Fr. Walter Ciszek for his book titled He Leadeth Me.

I guess my point is that you have to practice what you preach. If God Brings you to it He will bring you through it! He is not afraid and if he is always with you then why should you be afraid? Human nature I get it, but not when you have Him in your heart, mind, body and soul. 

The question I choose from the book this week is:

  • What helps to bolster your God-courage and increases your faith strength?
    • For me this comes in a coupe forms. 1. Being my husband. He is not afraid of what the Lord has in store and expresses it to me everyday. We are a good team at making sure we let God take the lead. We both know that we will not make it very far without God leading. He also inspires me in all my endeavors and without God working in his life he could never be the husband, father and leader of our home! 2. KLOVE! I know that sounds silly, but I love music and I pretty much only listen to christian music. Music speaks to me on a different level them just reading something. Plus the encouraging stories on there are a constant leap of faith for me that talk about Gods work in everyone around the globe. 3. Praying no matter where I am or who is around. I get my strength from knowing God is there. When you feel Him in your presence it feel natural yet also bone chilling at the same time. 
Share with me what increases your faith strength and God-courage? 

Also for those you do not have the book a couple main verses are 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, Isaiah 26:3-4, and my favorite from this (which goes with the music video below from a song that I know) Isaiah 40:29-31 that I thought were perfect for this weeks reading. 



   
Prayer:
Thank you lord for all the many times you have been there for us weather close calls or merely not running out of gas. Thank you for the courage, strength and understanding you give us in our times of unworthiness. We also thank you for all the creatures in the world that you had Adam name before giving him Eve. Thank you for giving us hope in the things that we sometimes try to handle ourselves. You are doing work in my life every minute of everyday and I ask that you give me the faith to give more of myself in your name to other people! In your sweet and Holy name I pray, Amen.

God Bless,

~ Victoria Clouse

Monday, May 6, 2013

Favorite Sites

I just wanted to explain some things on the blog. So to the right are things called widgets these are things that can translate the content of the blog into a different language. This Blog has been viewed by 3 different countries as of today. Your replies and comment are what brings people back to view more information and also share their own thoughts and beliefs. I encourage all of you to comment to the different posts. To comment you can go to the bottom of the post and hit either the "# comment' or 'no comment'. You will have to sign into your account that they offer. I have gmail so it was was for me to comment, but if you have something different I am not 100% sure what all the other accounts are that they offer for you to comment. You can also comment anonymous if you do please put your name at the end so we can reply to your post and refer to you by name. If you are having any issues email me at vdeshner7@gmail.com and I will share your comment.

Other widgets include people who are following the blog. This means you can follow from your google account (other accounts allow you to be a follower too) as well as receive emails when there are posts to the blog. There is a video widget that will allow you to view videos from different youtube pages that I have either used or found to be good video per the Blog content. There is also a favorite sites, which is the reason I am posting tonight. These are different web sites of authors that have been an inspiration to me or of our current read (books we are referencing), there are youtube pages on there as well as other encouraging web sites that I have come across or others have shared with me. If you have any that you would like to share I can post it to the page as well, just comment on this post. My latest web site that I recently found is God Bless You. It has lots of information, stories, videos, music and lots more on it and the first thing I noticed was a video by Francis Chan the author of Crazy Love. If you have not read this book there is a website that you can look at here Crazylovebook. What an excellent book!

Anyway... off subject a little, my point is that there are quit a bit of things to explore on this blog. I want to share specifically the different websites to use for your questions that you may have if you do not feel comfortable asking on here. But I assure you others with the same experience or same questions as you, but maybe scared to ask can help you rather then some websites.

I end of this note (back to Francis Chan hahaha). The video on this site Lukewarm and Loving It  is what I have been feeling about a lot of Gods followers lately. You cannot be lukewarm and think it is ok to live that way as a follower.

What do you know about follower-ship? Can you share your experience of this in Christ? How can you not be lukewarm?

God Bless,

~Victoria Clouse


Monday, April 29, 2013

Music Inspiration

 These songs have spoken to me in the pass couple days and I just NEEDED to share them with all of you!!!! 

First take a moment to listen to this song titled Don't try So Hard By Amy Grant and James Taylor!!!! I heard this song on klove the other day and almost had to pull over because I had such crazy tears in my eyes. Then, I started to cry when I heard the verse 'He gave you His love and He's not leaving; He gave His Son so you'd believe it'.


I thought to myself at that moment he does love me for who I am and I plan to open my heart up to Him and love Him for who I am! He has already accepted me, why not let him love me! I think sometimes you have to stop trying to hard and just let God take over. I have learned that very quickly and what comes with that is even more of a reward then I ever expected. 






Then literally the next day I hear this song. It just reminded me SO SO SO much of our society and what they think about marriage or relationships overall. I said a silent pray to God to guide them through their marriage/relationship. I know some of you can relate to this weather in a relationship, a past one or maybe someday even through the struggles you can relate and I prayed that for the past, present and future of all relationships good, bad and indifferent that you can find God and accept jesus into your life and know that without those two things in your life you cannot go on. God knows how to Restore better then anything in this life.



I am going to end on this video..... It speaks for itself!!!



Happy listening!

God Bless,

~Victoria Clouse




Saturday, April 27, 2013

Week 1

The Girlfriends In God (GiG) Team has put together a weekly video that corresponds with the reading that I will also post. They are all very short little clips that each lady take a moment to talk to us. 




God knows what is going on in our lives as well as our hearts. I plan to be completely honest the whole time I am on this Blog. Not being honest does not help our trusting in God. What an eye opener for the first weeks reading! The stories were relatable on different levels and so  to think about in our very own lives. At the end of this weeks reading were a series of questions called "Now It's Your Turn", these questions are quit profound. I found a couple that hit me personally in my faith in God along with the reading. So lets get started on some of those questions....

  • What letter did everyone pick about the "trust-bail"?
    • I picked letter C, which is "I Know He's strong and can handle the weight of my fall, but I bail cautiously just in case He's not interested in catching me this time". I feel like this because at times i feel my problems are minor and not as important as others who have "real" problems. God should answer their prayers over my own mediocre stresses in life. 
  • What part does human understanding play in the process of strengthening our faith in God?
    • This question seems like there is so much more beyond our understanding in God. Our faith comes from faith and believing that you cannot see with our own human eyes. Understanding is believing in something bigger then yourself and acting upon it.
  • What does the word all mean to you when it comes to trusting God "with all your heart"?
    • We hear this or we say this when we absolutely love someone or something such as an unborn child or a spouse. When we love someone so much we give them our all, we give them everything even our lives. Could you give yours in the name of God? The God who people claim to never see, never hear, never believe, and to never trust. 
    • When you say "with all your heart" you must put God above all!!! Trust that He will be the one there in all times and darkness, all times of stress and pain, even when you seem like you can no longer go on, He is there. When you think you made the wrong choice, and life seems unfair, He is there with you guiding you to your next adventure on Earth!
    • What does it mean to you???
  • This question God to me the MOST..... this is the question of questioning Gods decisions..... If God has given angels charge over us, then why are some people protected in a car crash, but others aren't? If God really loves me, then why did He let this or that happen? Why didn't He deliever my loved one from cancer.... from the accident... from temptation?
    • How do you answer this? However, my feeling about this is that God has a plan for everyone and everything and those unfortunate things are apart of it. We tend to look at something like losing a family member in an accident or to cancer as we lost our loved one, instead we should look at it as the other family/friends loved one got to live. Or when you ask God why he allowed the other person to live and not your loved one, you are basically asking God to put them in as much pain as you are currently going in. It almost seems unfair at times.
    • Can anyone elaborate on this?
  • The last question is very hard to answer.... most of you have someone to catch you when you fall. Who would you trust to catch you? Are you more often the friend on the tall stump needing to trust or the friend on the ground encouraging another to trust? 
    • Above all my HUSBAND! Besides him though I have a couple friends I can say that i trust to catch me, but I feel more often then not that they are to business for me, almost like the how I feel God feels for me at times. Pretty crazy to think that about another person who I am supposed to trust and care for as they would for me. My problems are not as important or again are mediocre compared to what other peoples are. I would rather be the one there to catch someone else then for someone to have to worry about taking time and effort to catch me.
I end this weeks reading with the things that stood out to me in this weeks reading. First is on page 14 "God wants you to trust Him... right where you are. It might be scary. Tears might be shed, But God is faithful and can be trusted". The next one on page 17 "when we ignore our Father's warnings, we forfeit the safety of His shore and plunge into the ocean of harm's way". Also a prayer from that same page from Psalm 144:7 "Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and reuse me from the mighty waters". 

Prayer:
Thank you lord for this day, thank you for your blessings in our lives seen and unseen. We thank you for the love and pateince you give us to wait for your calling. Guide us through those storms that come with darkness to find the calm in the storm and trust that you will be there to catch us if and when we fall. We pray for those who have not found or are search for your trust that you weigh on their heart and send them understanding to love will all their hearts. In your sweet in holy name, Amen.

God Bless!!!

~Victoria Clouse

Saturday, April 20, 2013

In the Beginning.......

Hello and Welcome!!!!

I am excited that you have decided to come check out this blog titled God's Beautiful Imperfections. This blog is to bring together people of all backgrounds, all races, all genders, and all ages to learn and share with other readers what your purpose is in God's creation.

For the next couple months we will focus on trusting God with this book, ironically, titled Trusting God. The authors are three women named Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith and Mary Southerland who created this ministry for women who call themselves "Girlfriends In God". In this day in age with technology there is no reason that people cannot come together, for us its on here or elsewhere on the world wide web, and fellowship!!!!  The idea of this book is to share with others our experiences, our stories about the bible and God and also learning from others about Gods plan or how to figure out God's plan for our own lives. I will post from this book starting in the next couple days. Any and all comments are welcome. If you would like to follow along I will be posting information from this book every other week and comments throughout the week.

Here is the link to the actual page of their devotionals. There are also 12 short videos that I will post along with the book information.

http://www.girlfriendsingod.com

If anyone would like to join my email distro list please send and email to Victoria Clouse at vdeshner7@gmail.com. This distro list is just to inform you that I have posted on this blog not as spam.

I end on this note..... God created all that was in 6 days and on the 7th day he rested, which signified the end of God creating by himself!!!

God Bless!!!

~ Victoria Clouse


Good Father

Last week (26 April 2017) while at Engage Night at our church, The Worship Center, we heard a song about our father. The idea of Engage Nigh...