30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 7

Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 7 Question 7: As a youngster, whose house did you always look forward to visiting?

Answer: My Abuelita (Grandma) Isabel’s house was the best place ever! She would always greet me with a kiss and a hug and then she’d press a $2 bill into my hand. She would tell me to spend it or save it; now that those $2 notes aren’t around, I wish I would have kept them. She was a seamstress and there were times when I’d sit by her sewing table watching her work; she’d tell me all of the stories of all the dogs she had owned when she lived in Colombia. Her two favorite canines were named Trambia, after the street cars that had just come to Bogota; and Nylon, after the popular lady’s fashion accessory of her day.

"Eje Ambiental" on Bogota Downtown, ...
Image via Wikipedia Bogota

At times Abuelita would tell me stories of my father; he was her youngest of 11 children. I learned a lot about him through these brief times of sharing.

Abuelita Isabel had a sweet tooth bar none. She would keep a tin of cookies, Lemon Coolers were her favorite. Once I entered her bedroom she’d give me a few from her cookie tin which she kept close to her night stand. At other times she would sit in her easy chair in the living room eating Tootsie Rolls and drinking glass after glass of water. To this day, when I eat candy, I wash it down with a big glass of water.

I always hated going home after spending time in Abeulita’s house; because her home and presence gave me comfort. Things were cold in the home I grew up in.At Abuelita’s house the whole atmosphere was warm and welcoming, much like the afghans she crocheted for her 32 grand children…I still have mine and on the coldest of nights I take it out and wrap myself in it, still feeling her warm embrace. 

The Evil of Fatalism

 

Dear Warriors,

Reflection and foresight assure success and freedom. Therefore it is important for me to reflect on our days gone by and their lessons, but also to apply prophetic foresight in order to lead us in the right direction. I understand the importance and value of contrasts. Let the one who is excessive join with the one who is conservative, the impulsive with the restrained, and the intemperate with the rational. Contrasts make the world beautiful and if they bring such harmony in the physical world, they will accomplish greater harmony in the moral and spiritual world. As a prophet, I have availed myself to such contrasts by my choice of friends and associates because through the meeting of these extremes there may emerge a meaningful path of untold possibilities. The one thing that I face being a prophetic voice is the accusation of being a lunatic. Maybe for a period of time I am seemingly crazy because of the word that I give in season, but the true lunatics are the voices of those who cannot budge from their stand on the judgment of God…The fatalists; the determinists.

The force that is connected to this religious “luna” is the spirit of materialism, which we can observe by simply watching certain “Christian” shows. The Christian is quite free to believe that there is a considerable amount of settled order and inevitable development in the universe. The materialist is not allowed to admit into his spotless machine the slightest speck of spiritualism. The materialistic person is sure that history has been simply and solely a chain of causation.

Of course there is some truth to this, but what about destiny and our choices to make history? I’m going to use a word that I kept thinking about during my time in Israel, as God was dealing with me about the future – that word is determinism. I looked up the definition and this is what it means. Determinism is the doctrine that all facts and events exemplify natural laws. It’s the idea that human actions and choices are fully determined by preceding events and so freedom of choice is illusory or misleading. In theology it means “lack of free will.” The word “determine” simply means to come to an end and to settle, and from the Latin word “determinare.” Let’s break it down:

DE – OFF
TERMINARE – LIMIT
OFF LIMIT, LIMITED.

We are all acquainted with the word terminate. One of the greatest enemies to the prophetic is predetermination. What is this? Predetermination is the belief that something was decided in advance, and in the case of the many prophetic words being spewed out against our nation, the belief that God ordained sorrow, death, sickness and such for an individual/nation in advance and nothing we say or do can change that. This is a lie.

Determinism leads to fatalism. Fatalism is the acceptance of all things and events as inevitable. An example, “Her fatalism helped her to face death with stoic calm.” In other words, all events are predetermined so that man is powerless to alter his destiny, which ultimately causes a lack of effort or action in the FACE OF DIFFICULTY.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS THEREFORE REDUNDANT, AS THIS WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.

The determinists come to bind, not to loose. These people do not believe in appealing to the will, but they believe in “changing the environment.” They will say to the sinner, “Go and sin no more,” because the sinner cannot help it, but then they will put the sinner in boiling oil because boiling oil is an “environment.” So many of today’s prophets believe that God is creating an environment so that the sinner will sin no more. This environment comes in the form of hurricanes, earthquakes, famines, droughts, pestilence, etc. So let me state categorically that this particular method of “environment” isNOT in fact causing the sinner to sin no more. America has been troubled with hurricanes, earthquakes, etc., and yet I see no sign, not even a glimpse, of acknowledgment of sin (from the sinners and rulers) and only the church is screaming at the world demanding them to change their ways, and threatening even more judgment.

In John 8, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus who had been caught in adultery. Jesus wonderfully deals with the hypocrites by challenging them with these words, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.” Once they had all left, HE ASKED HER IF SHE HAD ANY ACCUSERS LEFT TO CONDEMN HER. THEN HE SAYS, “NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU…Go and sin no more.” So, she DID have the power to make a change.

Another time in John 5, Jesus heals a man who had been crippled for 38 years, waiting for his miracle at a pool. Jesus heals him on the Sabbath and the Jews condemned him for carrying his bed on the Sabbath. Forget the fact that a miracle took place on the Sabbath. When Jesus finds him later in the temple, He said to him, “See, you have been made well. SIN NO MORE, LEST A WORSE THING COME UPON YOU.” So he DID have the power to make a change in his future. His choice of will would determine whether a better or worse thing would come upon him. Surely Jesus knew that there was a power of choice to do right that could be attained from within?

Gilbert K. Chesterton wrote, “It’s amusing to notice that many modern day mystics have taken as their sign an eastern symbol, which is the very symbol of a miserable mean infinity. It is a serpent with his tail in his mouth, eating away. The eternity of these material fatalists is indeed very well presented by a serpent eating his tail – a degraded animal that destroys even himself. The image of a very unsatisfactory meal.”

So what is it that many of these prophets of judgment have left out of their message? MYSTERY. Mysticism keeps men alive. As long as you have mystery you have health. When you destroy mystery, you CREATE MORBIDITY.

Let’s compare the church to the world. The ordinary non-religious man has always been a mystic. He has permitted twilight. He always had one foot in earth and the other in wonderland. He has always left himself free to DOUBT GOD, but also free to believe in God. The world’s spiritual sight is three-dimensional. The carnal man, one who is not influenced by religious fatalism, believes that there is such a thing as fate, but such a thing as free will as well. What I’m saying is that there is more openness on the part of a “sinner” than many saints. In John 4, Jesus gave the woman at the well an opportunity to see further than her fatalistic view, which caused indifference. She said, “A Jew shouldn’t be speaking to a Samaritan and especially a WOMAN.” She argued about where the correct place to worship was, whether in Jerusalem or on the mountain in Samaria. Jesus said to her, “If you knew (spiritually perceived) the gift of God and whom it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” Even then she remained determined not to shift from her materialistic thinking and to entertain the mystery of living water. Chesterton writes, “The whole secret of mysticism is this, that man can understand everything by the help of what HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND.”

As Christians we must permit free will to remain a sacred mystery. He continues to say, “Buddhism is centripetal, but Christianity is centrifugal: it breaks out.” Let me explain. ISLAM IS CENTRIPETAL – MOST RELIGIONS ARE CENTRIPETAL. Centripetal means, “developing from the outside toward the inside; developing inwardly not outwardly.” CHRISTIANITY IS CENTRIFUGAL. Centrifugal means, “moving outward from the center; developing outward from the center.” Another great definition is “developing or progressing outward from a center as in the growth of plant structures.” For example, in a centrifugal inflorescence such as cyme, the flowers in the center tip open first while those on the edge open LAST. IT BREAKS OUT!!

The fact is that organized religion, including dogmatic Christianity, is like the serpent eating its own tail. The meal is atrocious. And unfortunately it is a vicious circle of the church catching its own tail for a meal. Religion is a circle. The circle is perfect and infinite in its nature, but it is fixed forever in its size. It can never be larger or smaller. But the CROSS-, though it has at its heart a collision and a contradiction, can extend its four arms forever without altering its shape. Because it has a paradox in its center, it can grow without changing. The circle returns to itself and is bound. The cross opens its arms to the four winds and is a signpost for free travelers.

Isn’t that beautiful? I’ve been speaking about this subject on my From the Matrix teachings on Tuesday and Thursday nights on www.kimclement.tv and I hope it’s helping and freeing some of you. God has a promise for our nation and for us and it’s a promise of abundance, prosperity and breakthrough. We are His destiny. We are His future.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 6

Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 6 Question # 6

What is one family vacation you have never taken but would still love to take one day?

Answer: This one was easy! I dream of taking my 4 kids to Colombia because that’s where I was born. I left  Colombia when I was 6 years old and I want my kids to see where I came from.I love Colombian food; there are fruits in Colombia such as cherimoyas,( also known as Custard Apple and Bullock Heart)

mamoncillos (Spanish Lime),

Curuba, found only in Colombia (Passion Fruit),  

 

and other exotic fruits that you can’t find in the U.S. so easily. If you do luck up and find some, they are either too expensive or they never ripen properly. That would be one of the main reasons to go there with my kids, so they can experience Colombian culture. The picture below is my birth place, Medellin.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 5

Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. :)

Day 5 Question # 5: What are some of  the very first things you can remember teaching your children to do?

I smiled when I read this question because it brought back a lot of good memories. Being that I began reading to my kids even when I was pregnant with each one of them, reading was one of the very first things I taught them to do. When my 2nd daughter was 4 years old, she picked up an early reader dating from the 1940’s which I had been using to teach them from, and she just started reading it to me as if to say,

“See mama, I’ve been paying attention all along and now I can do it by myself.”

Not only that my first daughter who had been kind of lagging behind on her reading saw her younger sister advancing in her reading, so that was her incentive to apply herself a bit more. My other two kids picked up reading simply because they saw how much their older sisters enjoyed it so they were both eager to try it out for themselves.

I also taught them to cook; I don’t know why  parents shoo their young kids away from the kitchen.  Teach them how to work  with knives and kitchen utensils instead of  over protecting them. Cooking is a necessary life skill that they’ll need when they go out on their own. I am amazed at the number of kids who come to my home and they always tell us that they wish they were allowed to cook when they see my kids being in command of our kitchen.

My faith in Yeshua is of top priority in my life and I taught my kids about the importance of having a relationship with God’s Son, Yeshua  from very early on. I remember a time when I had 4 kids ages 6 and under and we would play Christian music and dance and sing in God‘s Presence. I also showed them how to pray and that praying is simply asking and talking to Him.  

 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4

Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. 🙂

Day 4 Question #4: What is the greatest compliment you’ve ever been paid?

Answer: In the early ’90’s I worked at a museum in Atlanta. The museum director, Lillian and I got along great. One day she asked me to do something extra in order to promote the museum. She told me I had the option to say no and that would be fine too. Lillian asked me if I would make an exhibit using flowers to enter in the Atlanta Flower Show.

Midtown Atlanta, Piedmont Park
Image via Wikipedia

I was taken aback at first since I didn’t consider myself a “pro” at working with flowers. Then I thought about how I had worked with flower arrangements at home so I figured I’d give it a try. The job was to make  an arrangement that resembled the burning of Atlanta during the Civil War. Once I accepted the challenge Lillian stood back and looked at me then she said,” Wow! You’re simply amazing!” I laughed as I asked her,” What do you mean?” The comment caught me by surprise. Then my boss said,” I have never met someone who exudes so much self confidence. It’s almost as if you can do anything that comes your way, because you never let anything or anyone get in your way.” THAT, blew me away because at the time I didn’t think much of myself. I thanked her as we hugged and I went off to plan the exhibit. Words like that stay with a person 🙂

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 3

I was inspired this morning to start a 30 day Blog Challenge. The questions are from an interesting little book I picked up a while ago at a thrift store. THE MOM & DAD QUESTION, CREATIVE QUESTIONS to HONOR the FAMILY by Bret Nicholaus and Paul Lowrie. I will post one question per day and I will give you an answer that came from times of our discussing this little book at our family‘s dinner table. I look forward to my reader’s responses, so YES by all means leave me YOUR answers in the comments section of this blog. Since The Holidays are coming up, maybe you can pick up your own copy of this book and bring it to your own family’s holiday celebrations :)

Day 3 Question # 3: Is there anyone you know of in your family’s history who had an encounter with or knew someone famous?

Answer: Here is an excerpt from my book   AS CLEAR AS CLAIRE GETS, A CONVERSATION with the PAST that tells of how my mama met the president of Colombia.

When Fidel was 8 years old, papa and mama only had 2 children at the time. Mama studied to become a legal secretary and after she met papa, he told her that he didn’t want her to work outside the home.Mama went against his wishes and she began to prepare herself studying at home in secret. Not too long after that she heard that the president of Colombia,  Carlos Lleras Restrepo was going to make a public appearance at a rally in one of the towns surrounding Medellin. So she took my 2 brothers, Fidel and Alejandro with her because she wanted to speak to the president.

Once they arrived at the hall where they scheduled to hold the rally, the crowd was growing by the minute because everyone was anticipating the president’s arrival. once President Lleras Restrepo arrived, the military saluted him by playing Colombia’s national anthem and the whole place charged up with excitement as shouts went out in honor of the president. Mama stood at the front of the auditorium and she and my brothers waited for him to come close. Then she walked up to him as he stood directly in front of Mama and my brothers. Then she said in a dignified and respectful tone,

“Mr. president, I need to speak with you sir.” Suddenly she was rudely interrupted by a security guard who barked at her,

Lady, you are too close. Please step back.” Mama was undaunted by his intimidating manner and she pressed on.

” Mr. president, sir, if you could give me a few minutes of your time… I must speak to you.” Again, she was pushed back and threatened by the same security guard. All of a sudden, the president intervened and spoke to my mama, saying to her in a warm and friendly tone,

” Yes ma’am  and what may I help you with at this moment?” Mama must have been thrilled at his acknowledgement but she kept on in her professional manner, never forgetting whom she was standing before,

“Well sir, I’d like to meet in private with you for a few minutes if that’s all right with you.” The president stopped to think for a minute; then he nodded as he reached into the pocket of his coat and retrieved his business card. He turned it over and wrote down some words as he told mama,

Ma’am, I look forward to meeting with you this afternoon at three at The Hotel Nutibara, which is where I’m staying.”

That afternoon my Mama showed up at three for her interview with President Lleras Restrepo. After their brief meeting, he recommended Mama to Governor Octavio Arizmendi Posada who was the governor of the state of Antioquia. After a few days of enduring challenging exams, Mama landed a job working as an executive secretary of the treasury in the governor’s office in the state of Antioquia.

The flag that is used by the President of Colo...
Image via Wikipedia

BEWARE: Apparently Love Offends

This world has grown completely insane. A person tries to spread a little love around only to get slapped in the face. A while ago, my oldest daughter tried to be nice to a younger girl who was in line to buy some candy at The Dollar Store. The girl didn’t have enough for her purchase, so my girl gave her a dollar. The other girl was just about to take it when her mom stepped in and scolded her daughter for taking it. My daughter gave me a puzzled look and the girl’s mom gave us both dirty looks as if to say,” We aren’t charity cases, so keep your money ‘cuz we don’t need it.”

Then there was a time when I was at the grocery store and the young woman in front of me was short of money for her groceries; I had a few single bills and I offered them to her and with her snooty nose stuck way up high in the air she said in a chilly tone of voice,” No thanks but I got it.” Yeah right! She had to put some of her items back.

The whole world is upside down crazy. I was  kind to a kid, one of my kid’s friends. Her mother went ballistic on me and she had her kid cut off all ties with my family. WTH?  Love offends now probably just as worse or maybe worse than in the days when Yeshua walked with us. He told His followers that others would know they are His followers because of their LOVE. It seems like in these days people would rather that you cuss ’em out than you lift a hand to bless them.

Are these the days that try men’s souls?  It seems so to me. What do you think?

 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 2

I was inspired this morning to start a 30 day Blog Challenge. The questions are from an interesting little book I picked up a while ago at a thrift store. THE MOM & DAD QUESTION, CREATIVE QUESTIONS to HONOR the FAMILY by Bret Nicholaus and Paul Lowrie. I will post one question per day and I will give you an answer that came from times of our discussing this little book at our family‘s dinner table. I look forward to my reader’s responses, so YES by all means leave me YOUR answers in the comments section of this blog. Since The Holidays are coming up, maybe you can pick up your own copy of this book and bring it to your own family’s holiday celebrations :)

Day 2 Question #2: When you were growing up, what was dinner time like at your house? What was a typical meal? 

Answer: This answer is from my husband. ” Mom always had bread at the table along with meat, veggies and mashed potatoes. Mom always said that a birdie had told on one of us whenever she suspected that we were misbehaving or acting up. Since my mom owned a beauty shop, the conversation always centered around the gossip she had heard that day at work.”

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1

I was inspired this morning to start a 30 day Blog Challenge. The questions are from an interesting little book I picked up a while ago at a thrift store. THE MOM & DAD QUESTION, CREATIVE QUESTIONS to HONOR the FAMILY by Bret Nicholaus and Paul Lowrie. I will post one question per day and I will give you an answer that came from times of our discussing this little book at our family‘s dinner table. I look forward to my reader’s responses, so YES by all means leave me YOUR answers in the comments section of this blog. Since The Holidays are coming up, maybe you can pick up your own copy of this book and bring it to your own family’s holiday celebrations 🙂

Question #1:

For each one of your children, where were you and what were you doing when you realized that it was definitely time for your baby to be born?

Answer: Child #1: I was in the hospital where they induced me. Child #2: I was home trying to get some sleep when at midnight,  the contractions were coming at regular intervals. Child #3: I was making lunch for my 2 other kids who were toddlers at the time. Child #4: I was preparing dinner for my whole family and suddenly I had to call my midwife.

 

WRITER’S BLOCK: Myth or Fact?

Le refuge du marais...!!!

A while back my Mama and I were discussing “writer’s block“. My second daughter has also asked  me what I think about it. I  believe there isn’t such a thing as “writer’s block”; I told my Mama and my daughter,  why further torture yourself when you haven’t anything to say. You see this is what I know from my own personal experience as a writer. I write when I have something to say; during those times when I don’t, I know my creative flow is marinading in its own juices, so why not be at peace with it instead of beating your creative being up?

I see it as a time of reflection, when I go out and enjoy life and with my mental camera,  I’m snapping snap shots of life away and filing them for later use. So let me encourage you today by saying: Walk away from the writer’s block that only exists in your head! At times all we really need is rest from our work.

One last thought, we’re not machines that are constantly up and running. The creative process in everyone is as distinct and unique as our own  finger prints; I know this to be fact because we are all wired differently so that no two people think alike. Think I’m kidding? Than I suggest you read THE GIFT IN YOU by Dr. Caroline Leaf.