<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624</id><updated>2011-07-13T17:30:26.628-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Your Mama's Food of Love</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>23</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-4830536235935433192</id><published>2011-06-11T19:14:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-06-11T19:30:19.426-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Relevance and Identity Cont.</title><content type='html'>...Although I have realized how irrelevant I had become in the old culture I was saturated with, I have also realized how to become relevant in every situation.  I'm not saying I've conquered that in every case, but I do see the path to success.  If I can really know who I am, as God sees me (which is the most important key - as God sees me), and if I can give who I am fully in every situation, I will never be irrelevant.  God is never irrelevant.  I know some may disagree with this, but that is only because they haven't experienced the God that is always good and always loving.  Knowing God is always good, every time, anywhere, is really a very radical statement.  If we really believe that, it would begin to take us down a path leading far from fear, far from religion, far from failure (not far from mistakes, but far from failure - there is a difference), far from lack, far from emptiness...into joy, into peace, into fulfillment, into success, into passionate and unconditional love.  I could go on. So, my path is leading me through the experiential knowledge of the great joy, peace and love.  Where there is love, fear cannot live.  Therefore, I am also experiencing freedom from fear like never before.  There more I write, the more the subject of this true love culture seems to have endless boundaries of discovery. "I want more God, more of you,  more of your love, more of the experience of you goodness, your love, your joy, your peace."&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-4830536235935433192?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/4830536235935433192/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=4830536235935433192' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4830536235935433192'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4830536235935433192'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2011/06/relevance-and-identity-cont.html' title='Relevance and Identity Cont.'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-5116859741039912468</id><published>2011-06-08T07:38:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-06-08T17:49:37.359-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Relevance: are you ever too old?</title><content type='html'>In some ways, I never thought I would be here. In some ways, I wish it hadn't taken so long. I began in my mid 50's to change what culture I lived in.  There has been a lot of turmoil and upheaval from the inside out due to this decision.  The decision will lead to pain but it must happen from the inside out.  That is because culture always exists and is also created from the inside of us to the outside of us. What ever is on the inside of us determines our behavior.  We may want to be a certain way. We may say we are a certain way, but if our belief system contradicts with how we want to be or how we say we are, the belief system always wins out and our behavior is the byproduct.  I have seen that my old belief systems made me &lt;b&gt;irrelevant&lt;/b&gt; to a culture based on true and unconditional love.  From my youth, maybe even birth, I have wanted to live, breath and exude the love of God.  I tried to control and change my behavior to fit that love, but since my basic belief system was that God only loved me if I am good, this basic belief system kept me from true change from the inside out. The only way for me to love purely and completely was to realize God always loves me purely and completely, unconditionally.  He loves me this way no mater what I do or accomplish, no matter how I behave and no matter what position or title I hold. He doesn't love me like this because I deserve it.  He loves me like this, because he deserves it. He loves me because he is the purest of all lovers. For me to be able to love the way he does, I must know him and receive that love completely.  The level at which I love, is directly correlated with the level at which I receive his love and know who I am in  him.  Who I am in him - now there is another thing to ponder. How he sees me is who I really am and in him I become all that I'm meant to be.  This is a massive subject on it's own, so we shall continue later.&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-5116859741039912468?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/5116859741039912468/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=5116859741039912468' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5116859741039912468'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5116859741039912468'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2011/06/relevance-are-you-ever-too-old.html' title='Relevance: are you ever too old?'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-2337551134214370724</id><published>2007-09-30T10:09:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-09-30T10:12:26.128-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Salado Shines</title><content type='html'>This weekend we are in Salado, Texas, one of my favorite places to chill out.  We are with Sam &amp; Kathi Rhodes and having a blast.  The food is delightfully delicious, the activities are fun with an emphasize on frolic and the company makes love go around. Thank you Lord for the lovely world and loving friends you created.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-2337551134214370724?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/2337551134214370724/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=2337551134214370724' title='4 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2337551134214370724'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2337551134214370724'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/09/salado-shines.html' title='Salado Shines'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>4</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-2661540703560322375</id><published>2007-09-08T08:05:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-09-08T09:03:58.147-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Some of the Women I Love</title><content type='html'>I was thinking this morning on the women I love.  The list is very long.  To me, that means I am very blessed.  I love these many women for different reasons on one hand and for some of the same reasons on the other.  The following fall in the "same" category (you know how I love categories):&lt;br /&gt;*  I love them for the life that exudes from their being&lt;br /&gt;*  I love them for their beauty - though varied, they are all beautiful&lt;br /&gt;*  I love them for their laughs - they all have wonderful laughs&lt;br /&gt;*  I love them for their mischievousness - with some, you must dig deep to see, but all have it&lt;br /&gt;*  I love them for their love of the Trinity -Father, Son &amp; Holy Spirit- &amp;amp; how they relate to Him&lt;br /&gt;I could go on (I love lists as much as categories), but what about their differences that I love?&lt;br /&gt;This is harder to express, but not hard to feel, because, sometimes when I thing of them as a group, all their faces and their attributes, gifts, personalities, etc., get mingled and mixed in a lovely pool of memory for me.  But, I will list those loved ones that come to mind and one of things I love about each.  Keep in mind, they may share some of these attributes too, but in my opinion, each one owns the one listed with passion and excellence:&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Kathy Hawk for her spiritual passion and strength (definitely birthed from her joy) which enables her to look for the righteous and loving way, no matter how painful.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Erica Prosser for her sense of humor and her conflict of person.  For although this conflict causes her pain, I believe she uses it to choose God in her weakness and therefore she is strong.  She inspires me to do the same with my conflict.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Trish Trueblood for her pure heart.  She continually meets hard situations with a positive outlook and a trust in her God.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Ashlee Bradford for her encouraging and kind words which heal my heart.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Pam Park for her mix of great intelligence, great passion and great humility.  Her love for me sooths my soul.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Francesca Hafner for the way she submits herself and all of who she is to God and out of that submission her being she  is evolving into a mighty ministry to people.  My heart melts when I observe how she strengthens others and leads them out of captivity as she also leads me.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Cherith Newman for her depth of maturity clothed in a protection of innocence.  Your pure heart with protect your destiny.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Amanda Chavez for her love of life, although she sometimes protects it from showing, God will use this love of life to bring people to righteousness: Enthusiasm in humility of heart breads life.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Jennifer Chavez for the passion of her quest.  The enemy has attempted to destroy her through very deep heart wounds, but she has look on the face of Jesus and she shall never turn back from that light.  The light is and will do surgery to heal the wound and bring new flesh to her heart.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Rachel  Laughlin for her kindness.   She chooses humility and kindness and yet is not afraid to delve into the detail of the hard decisions and how they need to change her.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Candy Hallford because she never gives up, never stops seeking Jesus, never stops seeking His prize, though she dies in the process and though she doesn't seek perfectly.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Ashley Caperton for her strength of faith and how she continually unwaveringly applies it to her life and prayer for others.&lt;br /&gt;*  This brings me to Ginny.  I love Ginny Hawk for her strength of covenant intertwined with her pureness of heart.  She will love to the end.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Krissy Hawk for her deep passion and prophetic nature which she has used as a bridge to leave off all fear and seek God with no reservation - no matter what it looks like.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Donna Halliburton for her infectious laughing spirit and her strength to serve which is birthed from the deep joy it brings her.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Gail Vinson for her faithful friendship and her unconditional love - she always makes me feel safe.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Brandi Wilson for her example of how to be a princess with a heart of humility.  She doesn't know this, but her princess heart has helped free me from a poverty mentality.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Becky Cauthen for her heart of longing for freedom, freedom for herself, her family, her church, for all.  I love they way she goes for her passions at the risk of failure, but with the fruit of great success.  She, like Erica, allows her inner conflict to spur her on to righteousness.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Monica Reid for the calming love she wraps others in.  She is trustworthy.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Amy Yates - to use a cliche: "her beauty is not just skin deep".  She also has a princess heart wrapped in humility.  Many of the lovely women I love will be or are now becoming queens and learning how to rule with love - Amy is a prime example.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Kristina Reedy - her energy and fountain of the life of Jesus is very powerful in her.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Rose Melton - my beautiful rose.  Her humility and faithfulness astound me.  Her hugs are a healing tonic to our bones and spirits.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love the lively Kristi Ancheta.  I love her innocence and mischievousness.  I love the root of deep love in her that motivates her to serve and faithfulness.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Kristi Belcher and her adorable sense of humor which springs from a spicy and loving heart.  Her enthusiasm for life and ability to lead inspire me.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Wendy Barron.  She may be the most "I will obey my God and never give up on what He has told me to do" person I know.  She is a sweet friend.&lt;br /&gt;*  I love Dana Bell.  How I love Dana.  She has become a great joy to me.  I love her passion for people.  I love her many stories.  I love her faith and faithfulness - because of which she has and will be healed completely:  body, soul and spirit.&lt;br /&gt;Now you see some of the many reasons I am blessed among women, blessed among friends, blessed among sisters.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-2661540703560322375?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/2661540703560322375/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=2661540703560322375' title='4 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2661540703560322375'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2661540703560322375'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/09/some-of-women-i-love.html' title='Some of the Women I Love'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>4</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-2557740281134292990</id><published>2007-09-03T08:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-09-03T08:52:28.298-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Are We What We Eat?  Is Our World What We Eat?</title><content type='html'>I am blessed to know so many awesome, loving, unique, creative, beautiful, full of life people.  One of these lovely ones is lovingly nicknamed Pamelotta or Pammy.  This faithful friend of mine recently gave me a book called "The Omnivore's Dilemma".  I have begun reading this delicious combination of science and philosophy (a combination which Pam and I commonly adore) and would like to share.  I have often been interested in food, food of every kind, every kind of food for the body...every kind of food for the soul...every kind of food for the spirit.  Food: anything that sustains; anything that nourishes; anything that brings life (of course this is the definition in my mind).  "The Omnivore's Dilemma is about the three principal food chains that sustain us today:  the industrial, the organic and the hunter-gatherer." (p. 7) The following quote gives an example of how delightfully our eating networks with areas we don't often think of:&lt;br /&gt;" 'Eating is an agricultural act,' as Wendell Berry famously said.  It is also an ecological act, and a political act, too.  Though much has been done to obscure this simple fact, how and what we eat determines to a great extent the use we make of the world - and what is to become of it.  To eat with a fuller consciousness of all that is at stake might sound like a burden, but in practice few things in life can afford quite as much satisfaction.  By comparison, the pleasure of eating industrially, which is to say eating in ignorance, are fleeting.  Many people today seem perfectly content eating at the end of an industrial food chain, without a thought in the world; this book is probably not for them.  There are things in it that will ruin their appetites.  But in the end this is a book about the pleasure of eating, the kinds of pleasure that are only deepened by knowing."  (p. 11)&lt;br /&gt;Isn't this route of thinking so true of our being, not just our eating?  Just as how we eat effects our bodies, our economy, our politics, our culture, our environment and probably more I haven't thought of, so what we feed our soul and spirit affects all that and more.  Isn't connection beautiful?  Isn't connection satisfying?&lt;br /&gt;Lord, I submit another level of control to you - a level I haven't seen before.  If I control what I feed my body, soul or spirit, then there will be times that what I feed myself will bring an unacceptable outcome.  I want to come into my highest potential for this life you have created.  Therefore, you must be in control of all of me.  I give you control of what I feed myself.  I do not give up control to the law, although you created the law.  I do not give up control to my mind, will, emotions, body or spirit, although you created them too.  I give up control to you Holy Spirit. Control based on relationship and not law.  Control based on love.  Control based on your love which says what I eat is not what defiles me, but what comes out of me.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-2557740281134292990?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/2557740281134292990/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=2557740281134292990' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2557740281134292990'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2557740281134292990'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/09/are-we-what-we-eat-is-our-world-what-we.html' title='Are We What We Eat?  Is Our World What We Eat?'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-5593863261041744933</id><published>2007-07-07T19:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-07-07T19:56:13.396-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What to Do With a Rift?</title><content type='html'>What to do when there is a rift. How I despise them. Why must the pain of the rift be greater than the pain of the conflict? Long ago I had pride (before my fall) that I was so good at relationship that I could prevent any rift. That was not true. That would only be in the hands of my God. Only He could prevent rifts. What do you do when the pain of relationship seems too hard? What do you do when you've given many chances - it seems an infinite number - and the chances are &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;dissolved&lt;/span&gt; into each betrayal? What do you do when you gave your heart and your "friend" (knowing you, you thought) found greater pain in having relationship than in destroying it? What do you do? You forgive. You continue to give chances. You love with His love, not your love. You "feed on all that is gained and nothing that is lacking" (I love your words Bill Johnson). You "plant the seed of your lack by giving it back to God in thanksgiving, so that it may reap the spiritual justice and good fruit instead of barrenness, death, loneliness and infinite lack". I will choose to believe and not fear, because my God is pouring out His grace on me and on my weakness. His grace blows into my limp, hollow life like breath blows up an empty &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"&gt;balloon&lt;/span&gt;, so that it is tight and round and full and ready for it's destiny. Without Him, I am nothing. His grace washes over my parched and cracked and hard heart, changing me from old and &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"&gt;leathered&lt;/span&gt; like an ancient skin to new subtle, fresh and &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"&gt;elastic&lt;/span&gt;, like a baby. Like a baby from the inside out, from elastic bones to subtle skin - &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"&gt;resilient&lt;/span&gt;. My God is &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"&gt;resilient&lt;/span&gt;, therefore, so am I. I love Him. Everything He asks is worth it. One last note: With the pain of this, we step further into our destiny, not because God brings pain, but because He brings the way out and shapes us into something new in the process.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-5593863261041744933?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/5593863261041744933/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=5593863261041744933' title='5 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5593863261041744933'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5593863261041744933'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/07/what-to-do.html' title='What to Do With a Rift?'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>5</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-1302871688661975710</id><published>2007-07-02T20:07:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-07-02T20:28:37.297-07:00</updated><title type='text'>My Window</title><content type='html'>I love the shining light pouring through my foyer window&lt;br /&gt;no matter what the source, I love that shining window&lt;br /&gt;sometimes the light is very bright and hot - you might say scalding&lt;br /&gt;and sometimes it is comfortingly warm, flowing soothingly through that window&lt;br /&gt;Warmth is a very interesting thing, from soothing to annoying&lt;br /&gt;it may chase the deepest cold from your bones&lt;br /&gt;or cause tossing to keep you from sleeping&lt;br /&gt;Heat is evidence of energy imparted:&lt;br /&gt;a loving hug, a healing touch, a love just started.&lt;br /&gt;no matter what years have passed, I long for that energy&lt;br /&gt;from my God, from my friend, from my sweet love's kisses&lt;br /&gt;as I said it matters not the source of warmth and light&lt;br /&gt;from moon and stars to shining sun, from God direct - He is so bright,&lt;br /&gt;but though all the light and all the heat have some positive contribution&lt;br /&gt;without a doubt, it is His light that has changed my constitution&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-1302871688661975710?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/1302871688661975710/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=1302871688661975710' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/1302871688661975710'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/1302871688661975710'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-window.html' title='My Window'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-8995263197820701286</id><published>2007-04-11T05:29:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-11T05:56:24.136-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Thanks God for Sharing Your Resurrection in so Many Ways</title><content type='html'>I had the most wonderful birthday this year.  My birthday is in spring, April 8&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;th&lt;/span&gt; (1954 if you would like to know).  I am a glorious 53 years of age, and I do mean glorious. Sometimes my birthday falls on Easter Sunday.  I love birthdays, not just mine, but all birthdays.  I love celebrating the glorious miracle of people.  I also love spring.  Spring is my favorite time of year.  Spring is another miracle I love to celebrate.  I think our culture should have a "Celebrate Spring Holiday" and we should all have a grand party with many flowers and brightly colored clothes and trays of the lovely first fruits and vegetables of spring.  I know that this might sound like Easter, but we need another day to just concentrate on the glory that God communicates through spring.  (You might hear me blog in the other seasons my love for them, but in the gauge of loving seasons, spring is definitely my favorite).   I also love Easter.  (I definitely need to find some more descriptive and definitive words to describe levels of positive emotion and attraction other than love.)  Well, back to my wonderful birthday.  Every time my birthday falls on Easter, I feel so honored and loved by God that I could share his blessed day.   (That really emphasizes my "I" personality doesn't it.)  This Easter could not have been more enjoyable to me.  God poured his love on me in a special way through many joys, hugs and kisses from heaven.  Below is a list of the ones I can think of at this moment:&lt;br /&gt;*my husband sang happy birthday to me and gave me a wonderful card, expressing his love in just the right words&lt;br /&gt;*I got to go to church with my beloved God family&lt;br /&gt;*I got to worship my great living God with my beloved God family&lt;br /&gt;*Pam Park told me happy birthday right before worship with the sweetest, most genuine smile of love&lt;br /&gt;*&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"&gt;Cherith&lt;/span&gt; picked wonderful songs (she actually always does this)&lt;br /&gt;*I got to go to my best friends house (&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"&gt;KH&lt;/span&gt;) for lunch with my Hawk relatives&lt;br /&gt;*I made a chocolate &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"&gt;meringue&lt;/span&gt; pie and a coconut custard pie for lunch and they turned out great and everyone had a fit over them&lt;br /&gt;*Gail Cleveland made a coconut cake (my favorite) for the party and God told me it was my birthday cake - for some reason I don't get many birthday cakes, so this was very special&lt;br /&gt;*My husband didn't ask to leave the Easter lunch until I was ready to go&lt;br /&gt;*I got to visit with so many of my lovely God family about God and Easter and &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"&gt;babes&lt;/span&gt; and food and the weather and love and miracles and Bryan's sermon...&lt;br /&gt;*My precious prophet leader, Bryan &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"&gt;Cauthen&lt;/span&gt;, gave a radical life changing sermon and gave an awesome analogy - he is so brave and walks with abandoned love for his God&lt;br /&gt;Thank you God for Easter and for my birthday and that you really really love me - I will always be grateful.  Let us all be grateful for his sacrifice, for his &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"&gt;resurrection&lt;/span&gt; power, for his living in us now.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-8995263197820701286?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/8995263197820701286/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=8995263197820701286' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/8995263197820701286'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/8995263197820701286'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/04/thanks-god-for-sharing-your.html' title='Thanks God for Sharing Your Resurrection in so Many Ways'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-4717158943776751976</id><published>2007-04-11T05:25:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-11T05:29:14.613-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Praises to my God</title><content type='html'>My heart is full of praise for you&lt;br /&gt;Full and overflowing&lt;br /&gt;My mouth is full of praises too&lt;br /&gt;Full and overflowing&lt;br /&gt;I'll sing of the great things you've done&lt;br /&gt;And your mighty works to come&lt;br /&gt;What great changes you've begun&lt;br /&gt;I'm full and overflowing&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-4717158943776751976?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/4717158943776751976/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=4717158943776751976' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4717158943776751976'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4717158943776751976'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/04/praises-to-my-god.html' title='Praises to my God'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-4077787334444237079</id><published>2007-02-23T07:21:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-23T07:29:51.286-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Thoughts for the Season</title><content type='html'>Yes, yes, I know, I am so sporadic at blogging.  I'm not sure of the reason.  I can't decide if I want to blame it on my life or my personality.  Oh well, I don't think it really matters.  I shall just do what I do.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is such an exciting season.  I love it so much.  I love the people that I'm experiencing it with.  Most of all, I love my God for leading the way, cheering me on, dragging me though. However each moment  should be defined.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God is teaching us about so many things.  His emphasis with me is "servanthood", "seeking his face and not his hand", "being righteous and not being concerned about being right". &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My life, Jim's and my life, is going though so many changes.  My head and heart are spinning.  I can't seem to sort it all out yet.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I love you all, my sweet blogging friends.  I love knowing your hearts.  You are precious in God's sight and mine.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-4077787334444237079?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/4077787334444237079/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=4077787334444237079' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4077787334444237079'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4077787334444237079'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/02/thoughts-for-season.html' title='Thoughts for the Season'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-2717265348091990471</id><published>2007-02-08T15:09:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-05T05:47:29.218-08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>In honor of the Chavez sisters, who I adore, I follow their lead:&lt;br /&gt;Four jobs I have had in my life:&lt;br /&gt;1. Life Guard&lt;br /&gt;2. Hamburger Joint Employee&lt;br /&gt;3. Jr. High Teacher&lt;br /&gt;4. Laboratory Technologies&lt;br /&gt;Movies I watch over and over:&lt;br /&gt;5. Fiddler On The Roof&lt;br /&gt;6. What a Wonderful Life&lt;br /&gt;7. 8.&lt;br /&gt;Four places you have lived:&lt;br /&gt;9. Ft Worth, Texas (1 day old - 18 yrs)&lt;br /&gt;10. Abilene, Texas (18 yrs - present)&lt;br /&gt;11.&lt;br /&gt;12.&lt;br /&gt;Four places you have been on vacation:&lt;br /&gt;13. Knoxville, Tennessee&lt;br /&gt;14. Granite City, Illinois&lt;br /&gt;15. Throughout the state of Colorado&lt;br /&gt;16. British Columbia, Cananda&lt;br /&gt;Four of my favorite foods are:&lt;br /&gt;17. Fried Chicken&lt;br /&gt;18. roasted veggies&lt;br /&gt;19. 100% whole wheat homemade bread&lt;br /&gt;20. steak (different varieties)&lt;br /&gt;Four places I would rather be right now&lt;br /&gt;21. with my Mom&lt;br /&gt;22. at a full service spa&lt;br /&gt;23. at Colorado, in a luxurious cabin with a fire and Jim&lt;br /&gt;24. worshiping with KLF&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-2717265348091990471?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/2717265348091990471/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=2717265348091990471' title='6 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2717265348091990471'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2717265348091990471'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/02/in-honor-of-chavez-sisters-who-i-adore.html' title=''/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>6</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-7349480415239814139</id><published>2007-02-01T06:03:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-01T06:44:18.034-08:00</updated><title type='text'>From freedom, to freedom; From glory to glory</title><content type='html'>Words cannot express fully the deliverance I have received by the grace and love of my God.  Of course all my life I have experienced deliverance, but this deliverance which I speak of is very current.  As God has increasingly poured our His presence on our church, as it seems He has on the whole body of Christ, deliverance must come.  In His presence our whole being must respond in some way - for or against.  His grace is sufficient.  Some of the freedom came easy, but there was a wall - a very black wall - a seemingly impenetrable wall - which prevented me from resolution of a root matter.  I saw the root in part, and the truth of God seemed to dig pieces of that root out the way you dig into a vegetable with a spoon - slow, deliberately and seemingly very inefficiently.  I saw the root in part, but it was fleeting and shadowy and when I could reach for it, it ran through my fingers like water.  Only a uncomfortable film was left on my skin which tormented me by it's stinch.  But wait, my God is faithful and graceful no matter what or how things appear.  While going through the process (in the darkness) I did hear from  my God, although faintly.  He continued to say "don't give up.  I love you, even when you don't see it or feel it or think it".  Some of my dear friends unknowingly would agree with Him.  The drops of water I received from Him and them saved me from death.  Well, I should say what I was delivered of.  The lie was rejection.  The lie sounded like "You aren't included, and there are many good reasons." It seemed silly.  It seemed stupid.  It was full of shame.  It wasn't true, but it felt as true as any truth I know.  But it didn't line up with my God.  It lined up with some of the relationships I've had.  It lined up with some of the wounds I've received.  How thankful I am that the truth, THE reality, is that if something doesn't line up with my God it is NOT TRUE.  I pray nothing affects or changes me but the truth.  My God is the Way, the Truth, the Life.  The truth that set me free was a prophecy which called me out.  God had sent many words and prophecies to act as a battering ram to beat against that wall.  The last meerly said "You are included.  You are in the center, surrounded by a circle of love from the Body of Christ as the inner circle and your God is the outer circle."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;HE INCLUDED ME&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am so happy in Christ today&lt;br /&gt;That I go singing along my way&lt;br /&gt;Yes I'm so happy to know and say&lt;br /&gt;Jesus included me too!&lt;br /&gt;vs:&lt;br /&gt;Jesus included me, yes, He included me&lt;br /&gt;When the Lord said "Whosover"&lt;br /&gt;He included me&lt;br /&gt;Jesus included me, yes, He included me&lt;br /&gt;When the Lord said "Whosover"&lt;br /&gt;He included me&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Gladly I read, Whosover may&lt;br /&gt;come to the fountain of life today&lt;br /&gt;but when I read it I always say&lt;br /&gt;Jesus included me too!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Ever God's Spirit is saying "Come"&lt;br /&gt;Hear the Bride saying "No longer roam"&lt;br /&gt;But I am sure while they're calling home&lt;br /&gt;Jesus included me too!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Freely come drink&lt;br /&gt;words the soul to thrill&lt;br /&gt;O with what joy they my heart do fill&lt;br /&gt;For when He said "Whosover will"&lt;br /&gt;Jesus included me too!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-7349480415239814139?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/7349480415239814139/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=7349480415239814139' title='9 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/7349480415239814139'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/7349480415239814139'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/02/from-freedom-to-freedom-from-glory-to.html' title='From freedom, to freedom; From glory to glory'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>9</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-5855639553634586046</id><published>2007-01-19T08:45:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-19T08:57:31.336-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Old Friends and New Bridges</title><content type='html'>I have some old friends (known them since the 80's) that got brought a new connection to this week.  These were the kind of friends that really know you, and still love you.  The kind that make you part of their family.  That means the kind that welcome you into themselves, not matter what time of day, what state of life, no matter what it cost them.  Sounds like Jesus doesn't it?  Well yes, they are a whole lot like Jesus.  There were times they saved my life, times they spurred me on, times they caused me to see the hurtful truth, times they cheered me on, times they fought for me, times they encouraged me, times they were the only bridge for me to cross to reach my Lord Jesus.  We have had very little contact in the last 5 years and this week God built a new bridge.  At first I thought it was rebuilding an old one, but sometimes you have both gone such different directions and so much has happened and you have changed so much that your way to far away from the old bridge.  You don't even know where that old bridge is anymore.  So praise our Lord Jesus Christ, that he knows exactly where to build the new one, so you can both cross over.  This family, my old friends, have a calling on their life to be a bridge themselves.  I relish the fact that we are reunited and I love the look of the  new bridge and cherish all the times of crossing the old.  All of you wonderful ones who are my family now are going to love my old friends and I pray God's bridge will grow stronger and stronger for the multitudes to cross.&lt;br /&gt;I thank God for Brandi's dreams, Aarons wood and my new bridge. (see appropriate blogs)&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-5855639553634586046?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/5855639553634586046/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=5855639553634586046' title='5 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5855639553634586046'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5855639553634586046'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/01/old-friends-and-new-bridges.html' title='Old Friends and New Bridges'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>5</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-3823076043825657570</id><published>2007-01-11T08:08:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-11T08:16:36.063-08:00</updated><title type='text'>How Great is Our God, Mighty &amp; Just, Loving &amp; Kind</title><content type='html'>I have just finished reading and commenting to all the blogs (I don't think I missed any) of all my wonderful friends that blog.  How inspired I am in righteousness and loving my God more and more.  I blessed is our God to have such a lovely God Family.  I am so proud of my friends.  I am so thankful that blogging to us is proclaiming the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as great, pouring out our joys and sorrows before His feet and sharing the moment with our friends, loving our friends as Jesus loves us. How Great is our God, How Great is our God.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our great God reminded me of an old song that has always brought His presence to my heart, and I would like to share it with  you:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;YOUR THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN HELP ME&lt;br /&gt;JESUS YOUR THE ONLY ONE&lt;br /&gt;WHEN EARTHLY FRIENDS HAVE FAILED ME&lt;br /&gt;AND EARTHLY HELP IS DONE&lt;br /&gt;YOUR THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN MEET MY NEEDS&lt;br /&gt;FROM THE DAWN TO THE SET OF SUN&lt;br /&gt;JESUS, MY SAVIOR, YOUR THE ONLY ONE&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;May He be praised, our guiding light, our rock and fortress, our comfort, our stay.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-3823076043825657570?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/3823076043825657570/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=3823076043825657570' title='4 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/3823076043825657570'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/3823076043825657570'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/01/how-great-is-our-god-mighty-just-loving.html' title='How Great is Our God, Mighty &amp; Just, Loving &amp; Kind'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>4</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-3836741563786003388</id><published>2007-01-01T09:13:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-01T09:14:49.494-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Ready to Fly</title><content type='html'>It is a new year - how glorious to end and begin the years with communication with God.  I am buckled in for the ride.  Ready to fly.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-3836741563786003388?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/3836741563786003388/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=3836741563786003388' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/3836741563786003388'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/3836741563786003388'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2007/01/ready-to-fly.html' title='Ready to Fly'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-8116825235032321561</id><published>2006-12-31T14:35:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-31T14:38:51.250-08:00</updated><title type='text'>My Dad Turned 80 This Year</title><content type='html'>My precious father turned 80 years old this year.  That is a sobering and gratitude inspiring mile stone for all our family.  My sister, brother-in-law, husband and I took him on a golf trip -  his favorite thing is trips with his family.  I wrote a poem in his honor for the trip and would like to share it with you:&lt;br /&gt;         To Ralph E. Crawford, on his 80th birthday year:&lt;br /&gt;                            A Poem of Appreciation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Daddy you have given us – so much throughout the years.&lt;br /&gt;You’ve given loving discipline; you’ve wiped away our tears.&lt;br /&gt; You said that we should follow – all of our dreams,&lt;br /&gt; And there would be not limit – to how we would succeed.&lt;br /&gt; We always felt you loved us – we were the apple of your eye.&lt;br /&gt; Yet if we thought too highly of our selves – you were so wise.&lt;br /&gt; You taught us many skills, such as changing oil and tires.&lt;br /&gt; How to manage money to make it stretch for miles.&lt;br /&gt; You showed us how to work hard, with all our heart and soul.&lt;br /&gt; And playing just as hard kept the work from taking toile.&lt;br /&gt; Thanks for all the glorious and amazing trips to golf&lt;br /&gt; Of course the shopping wasn’t bad – the fun reached a great loft.&lt;br /&gt; We will always love and appreciate your wit.&lt;br /&gt; Your laughter, your thoughtfulness, your courage makes you fit&lt;br /&gt; For all of your accomplishments – with family, your highest goal.&lt;br /&gt; Thank you for that example – it has satisfied our souls.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;All our love, forever, Brenda, Jim, Marsha &amp;amp; Bobby&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-8116825235032321561?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/8116825235032321561/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=8116825235032321561' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/8116825235032321561'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/8116825235032321561'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/12/my-dad-turned-80-this-year.html' title='My Dad Turned 80 This Year'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-2576535276495368590</id><published>2006-12-31T14:09:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-31T14:22:56.990-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Acceleration Continued</title><content type='html'>Well the acceleration continues.  Like a giant rollercoaster, sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's not, sometimes it's encouraging and exillerating and sometimes the devil uses it to flood with fear and apprehension.  The wonderful thing is that deliverence is from our Lord, who is faithful and just, loving and good and it is always worth it.  I am learning so much more about believing His Word and not my soul.  I am so happy His word is true - the greatest reality.  This not believing my soul seems to require death to flesh - body, mind and emotions.  I pray I receive all the faith He's giving and all the death required to believe - I WILL OVERCOME.  I have seen a picture from God showing us on one of the fastest spiritual rides (acceleration amplified) we have ever been on as we enter 2007.  Our hair is flying back, our skin is taught from the pressure, our clothes ripples with a loud flapping against our skin, sometimes we must close our eyes so they won't dry out.  We seem to be out of control. We are, but God isn't.  The acceleration is in the direction of life from the dead, healing in body, soul &amp; spirit, freedom from debt, a year of jubilee, forgiveness from debt.  Let us receive, let us run into the acceleration, not away from it.  Let us give up and give in, knowing that the end of the acceleration will lead us to not recognizing who we are in comparision to who we were.  PRAISE OUR GOD, HE IS GOOD.  HOW I LOVE HIM.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-2576535276495368590?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/2576535276495368590/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=2576535276495368590' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2576535276495368590'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2576535276495368590'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/12/acceleration-continued.html' title='Acceleration Continued'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-5231908218764172938</id><published>2006-12-26T08:12:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-26T08:12:59.653-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Let God Accelerate Us Into 2007</title><content type='html'>I fell a lull in the storm. Through the last couple of months I have been going through some intense deliverance. This deliverance has been mixed up with: 1. a fight with hormonal depression 2. a working out of new and old relationships 3. a flood of new vision and clarification from God on priorities 4. a new time (first in my life) where it seems I actually have time to plan ALL the routine chores of life with purpose and not just shoot from the hip - Praise God - new success is on the horizon and there probably are more variables that don't come to mind right now. The storm has been relentless to this point and, like all storms, there are wonderful and terrible moments: moments of refreshing, moments of destruction, moments of cleansing, moments of debreeding, moments of majesty, moments of torment, moments of joy, moments of depression, moments of exhiliration, moments of terror. But no, at this moment there is great calm, great peace, great comfort, great focus. I see that this horrific and wonderful deliverance has, by the hand of my God, brought healing and wholeness. God has healed the deep festering wound, hard and seamingly impenetrable and created new heart and new flesh, like a child. This deliverance began it's greatest thrust after prays for a pure heart - a childlike heart - a heart that saw the best - a heart full of faith, hope, joy and love. I know deliverance will continue throughout my life, for there are always battles and enemies to be delivered from, but I think the current phase is complete, giving me a new heart and mind, answering my long time cry, bringing me to a place that is probably virgin territory. GOD IS GREAT, GOD IS GOOD, HE IS MY FRIEND AND I AM HIS. MAY PRAISE COME FROM EVERY CELL OF MY BEING AND FROM EVERY EXPRESSION OF MY SOUL, FROM THE VERY DEPTH OF MY SPIRIT - PRAISE GOD I AM WHOLE. Well, from that heighth of emotion and expression, my dear precious husband is calling me to Cracker Barrell for breakfast. I must continue this later - there is much to express on the current acceleration.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-5231908218764172938?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/5231908218764172938/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=5231908218764172938' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5231908218764172938'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/5231908218764172938'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/12/let-god-accelerate-us-into-2007.html' title='Let God Accelerate Us Into 2007'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-3786403206970050698</id><published>2006-12-22T06:53:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-22T06:58:21.968-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Lovely Christ, Lovely Christmas</title><content type='html'>How lovely is our Christ.  How lovely it is to remember His birth with all the trimmings which leads us to remember more of Him.  I remember so many times He has brought me new freedom.  I have new found freedom received recently by the grace of my Christ.  Freedom comes at such a price, yet worth every pain, every struggle, every ounce of energy, every ounce of time, every ounce of whatever it costs.  Thank you Jesus for paying the price first.  Our price is so small compared to yours, yet it costs us everything.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-3786403206970050698?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/3786403206970050698/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=3786403206970050698' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/3786403206970050698'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/3786403206970050698'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/12/lovely-christ-lovely-christmas.html' title='Lovely Christ, Lovely Christmas'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-4414043530643965283</id><published>2006-12-08T16:58:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-08T17:00:46.167-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Can you believe I'm Superman?</title><content type='html'>Your results:You are Superman&lt;br /&gt;Superman&lt;br /&gt;90%&lt;br /&gt;Spider-Man&lt;br /&gt;80%&lt;br /&gt;Green Lantern&lt;br /&gt;80%&lt;br /&gt;Iron Man&lt;br /&gt;80%&lt;br /&gt;Robin&lt;br /&gt;70%&lt;br /&gt;Supergirl&lt;br /&gt;60%&lt;br /&gt;Wonder Woman&lt;br /&gt;50%&lt;br /&gt;The Flash&lt;br /&gt;45%&lt;br /&gt;Catwoman&lt;br /&gt;45%&lt;br /&gt;Batman&lt;br /&gt;40%&lt;br /&gt;Hulk&lt;br /&gt;20%&lt;br /&gt;You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/"&gt;Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-4414043530643965283?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/4414043530643965283/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=4414043530643965283' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4414043530643965283'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4414043530643965283'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/12/can-you-believe-im-superman.html' title='Can you believe I&apos;m Superman?'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-4401391179535716817</id><published>2006-11-30T13:04:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-11-30T13:07:01.252-08:00</updated><title type='text'>God's Wonders to Behold</title><content type='html'>How glorious and wonderful is God's changing wheather.  Today we woke to a sparsely snowcovered ground and chilling temperatures.  The variety God brings to us in all areas of life is refreshing and encouraging.  Everything is seasonal but the character of our God.  Halelujah.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-4401391179535716817?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/4401391179535716817/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=4401391179535716817' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4401391179535716817'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/4401391179535716817'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/11/gods-wonders-to-behold.html' title='God&apos;s Wonders to Behold'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-2271979301416439552</id><published>2006-11-27T15:23:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-11-27T15:33:38.090-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Counting a few blessings</title><content type='html'>How good is my life?  Today has been glorious and it is not over yet.  Never in my life have I had the time to spend on wonderful frivolities such as:&lt;br /&gt;1. liesurely buying Christmas presents and decorations&lt;br /&gt;2. stopping at a shop just to look with no need required&lt;br /&gt;3. talk to my sister as long as we want&lt;br /&gt;4. clean my floor and still be able to clean out a closet&lt;br /&gt;and all these things were done before 5:00, when I arrived home and still had time to blog and read blogs while watching the food channel.  Life is Good.&lt;br /&gt;I thank my God for giving me this wonderful time of life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another blessing I would like to proclaim, is seeing that Ashlee Bradford commented on my last blog.  Ashlee, your such a sweetie.  I still owe you and your husband an email.  Love you lots.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God's love is such a joy in all the ways He expresses it.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-2271979301416439552?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/2271979301416439552/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=2271979301416439552' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2271979301416439552'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/2271979301416439552'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/11/counting-few-blessings.html' title='Counting a few blessings'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1457422598310363624.post-6270028056456852171</id><published>2006-11-26T14:27:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-11-26T14:44:56.866-08:00</updated><title type='text'>God makes the cutest Girls</title><content type='html'>I would never have started this blog, if I didn't have girls.  I know you can "have girls" in different ways.  My husband and I weren't able to have girls physically, so God gave us another way.  He gave us girls spiritually.  These girls He gave me are more awesome than I can say in words.  They are beautiful and smart, witty and kind, loving and hard working, faithful and strong.  They are so much more.  Anyway, several of my girls blog.  The things they blog often prompt me to comment.  I haven't commented till today, and this showed me there are sometimes that blogging (or something similar) is the only way to get out what is in you. I needed something to help me interact more fully to their blogs, so here I am joining the blogging generation.  Well, after this introduction, I must blog about one of my girls:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This precious girl has strength she doesn't know.  She has 5 children, a husband, extended family, a church, friends.  She is very relational and that is saying a lot, considering how many relationships she has.  I would like to blog my prayer for her today.  She has a child who is being healed.  "Lord God, I do not understand all circumstances in my sweet girl's life, but I know you love her more than I do.  I pray you will settle the inner conflict she has when she tries to put together the physical reality of her child and faith reality in the spirit realm of her child.  We know what your word says.  We know what we see with our physical eyes.  We don't know who to meald those together without an atomic explosion.  I thank you that when the realms of darkness and collide there is always an explosion.   May your peace that passes understanding be hers and ours.  Let the inner conflict be settled.  I love you.  Thank you for your answers.  Thank you for his healing and the price you paid for it."&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1457422598310363624-6270028056456852171?l=brendamariebecker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/feeds/6270028056456852171/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1457422598310363624&amp;postID=6270028056456852171' title='7 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/6270028056456852171'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/1457422598310363624/posts/default/6270028056456852171'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://brendamariebecker.blogspot.com/2006/11/god-makes-cutest-girls.html' title='God makes the cutest Girls'/><author><name>Brenda M Becker</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/09799461628832293279</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>7</thr:total></entry></feed>
