Our Sauce

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Magnificent is our God, Monday!  Wow, can you believe that this is our last Monday of 2013…..where has the time gone?!  I am really excited about the New Year….but I’m not letting go of CHRISTmas, nope not for one day!!!!   So, speaking of Christmas…..one of my favorite Christmas treats is Kathyrn’s homemade Chex mix!  Optimum word….mix!  The tasty snack delight is truly a “mix” of all kinds of salty, crunchy, grainy, crackers, chips, cereal in all shapes and sizes, all mixed together in one big bowl then tossed with a wonderful blend of spices and Kathyrn’s secret sauce….In her words, “I drizzle the sauce and stir till I know that every piece is covered.”  Then she bakes it crunchy!!!!  Yummy!  Last night as I was smacking my lips, munching on a handful…the thought hit me…..A delightful mix….round, square, rectangle, flat, puffy……all covered with the same sauce…..and it’s wonderful!  Aren’t we…..God’s children a mix….all kinds of us…..young, old, doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, secretaries, supervisors, homemakers…..and we come in all shapes too, short, tall, plump, skinny, light hair, dark hair, blue eyes, green, or brown…..a mix…..in a big bowl….the world…..our bowl is the world…..what is our sauce?!  Our “Sauce” is the Love of our Heavenly Father…..the blood of HIS SON JESUS poured over each of us, covering us from the inside out…..JESUS Born on Christmas…..lived and died for us…..the perfect spice in our Sauce, is that Jesus, rose from the dead….giving to us life everlasting with HIM!  Each of us, in our own unique way, have so much to offer to the “mix….” God’s children in life’s bowl, covered with HIS LOVE…..Hmmm, our turn to be yummy for HIM…..The Chex mix is really yummy, makes me happy eating it…..Father, help us to mix together in service for YOU…..making others happy through Your love to Your glory!

 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power  until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  1 Peter 1 3-5.  Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  Psalm 34:8.  Therefore rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.  1 Peter 2:2-3.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  1 Corinthians 12:5.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10.

Love you all!

The Perfect Gift

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!  A good friend is in the process of having their home remodeled; recently they moved completely out into a little house on their property, so that the big work could get done.  She is really excited about her “new” home, but has found some inconveniences in her temporary housing situation.  One, her Christmas decorations, paper, cards are all packed up and stored….somewhere….The other day we were talking and I was telling her about my silly little Christmas tree, she told me she had only a tiny fiber optic one on a little table, this year….that everything is packed and really no room.  She said that the little tree will be about the extent of her decorations.  She mentioned having to dig for paper and cards, so she had slim-lined her gifts.  I pointed out a little nativity scene I had found in someone’s left-over garage sale things and she said,” I can’t find mine…it’s somewhere, but I don’t know where.”  So often our Christmas spirit is focused on decorations, lights, gifts, but we don’t need all the decorations to celebrate Christmas.  My friend’s house may not be all aglow with Christmas decorations, but her heart is.  Her heart is aglow with the true joy of Christmas….the reason for the season…..JESUS!   Christmas decorations are fun, but the real Christmas is in our hearts…..the real Gift….Perfect Gift…JESUS…King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Emanuel, Prince of Peace….our SAVIOR….and our BEST FRIEND! Father thank you for the PERFECT Gift, Your SON…..fill our hearts with the real JOY of Christmas…CHRIST!

 

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.   Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”  Luke 2:11 & 13-14.

God Grant you:  “The light in Christmas, which is faith.  The warmth of Christmas, which is love.  The radiance of Christmas, wish is purity.  The belief in Christmas, which is truth.  The all of Christmas, which is Christ. “ Wilda English.

 

Love you all!

Where Do You Find Peace?

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!  Peace, Joy, Love…..words….just words???  Have you even noticed how many Christmas cards contain the words peace, joy, and love?  Let’s take “PEACE.”   Where do you find peace?  What is peace to you?  Where does a young mom, struggling through an ugly divorce find peace?  An adult child caring for an aging parent that can no longer stay alone?  Husband and father out of work?  Parents with a critically ill child?  Parents whose child left this earth?  Mourning families?  Parents with a wayward child?  People alone?  Homeless?  Down hearted?  Over worked with so much to do?  Peace?  Where is it found?  True peace can only come through the love of our Heavenly Father…..we seek HIM…..we stop everything for HIM…..Be still…..Really still…..He’s there……and only when we are there with HIM do we find peace….maybe it will be in a beautiful sunrise, a child’s smile, an unexpected hug from a friend, glistening snow, a beautiful Christmas card……Be still…HE is there……He loves you and will bless you with HIS Perfect Peace…..Be still.  Father, times on this earth are so noisy at times……enable us to be still….bless us with Your Perfect Peace.

 

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not afraid.”  John 14:27. The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11.  The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts an your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7.  The God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:9.

 

Love you all!

The Blessing of Crawling...

Good Morning Friends!  Totally taken by His love, Tuesday!  My goodness what a few crazy….cold days we have had….agreed?!  Out on the ranch things have not been dull….ponds to break, leaks to fix, firewood to load, snowmen to build, and animals do not care how cold it is for us, they are want to eat!  Lots of stories for sure, but this morning as I was driving in for the first time by myself (woo hoo, so many thanks to Linda that faithfully hauls me around) my thoughts went to our first winter in Oklahoma, about 15 years ago….Kim and I were living in a travel trailer and it didn’t take much to freeze the water, so I had gotten used to going down the road to my dear neighbors, Bob and Imogene and take a nice hot shower….they were my first Lula friends and the visits to their house for a shower were a great time for us to get to know each other.  Well anyway, I got up one morning and oh yeah, no water….I had no clue what the conditions outside were…I packed my little bag, put on my Carhart overalls and headed out….yikes steps were a bit slick…oh well, no biggie.  I was headed to the car (again no clue….) when our friend Harry drove in (he was helping Kim with some things on the ranch).  He said Good morning and asked what I was doing, I said I am going to Bob’s to get a shower.  He laughed….laughed at me…then said, with a chuckle you aren’t going anywhere….well I thought how dare he…..he then proceeded to tell me that the road was a solid sheet of ice….Oh well I said, I will just walk….To this day I can still see the smirk on his face as I headed down…..down our driveway!  Just a few steps told me this was not going to be as easy as I had thought….I eased my way over where there was more dirt and made it down to the road….I must say I was feeling just a little smug as I took a step onto the road, ha, ha Harry I thought…..My smug turned into….UGH….I hit the road…hard!  My smug brought me right to my knees…..I felt foolish, but was determined to have a shower so I crawled across the road (I know you are all laughing, it’s ok I deserve it).  Well, I made it to Bob and Imogene’s, had my shower, coffee, and a wonderful visit and then crawled back home…..This morning remembering……”brought me to my knees” is what hit me.  There was no way I was getting across that road without getting on my knees…..once I did…..I made it!  Father, oh my, forgive us when we are so stubborn and try to get there on our own…..It’s when we are on our knees with You that we are at our best!  Thank you Father for the blessing of crawling…..

 

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.  Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18.  Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall (crawl maybe, but not fall).  Psalm 55:22.  Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith (on your knees, crawling) develops perseverance.  James 1:2-3.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9.  The God of peace be with you!  Philippians 4:9. 

Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. George Matthew Adams.

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Administrative Services

Division of Housing

The Most Important Christmas Choice

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully loved by Him, Thursday!  This meditation really touched me and I know I could not put the message into better words, so sharing with you!  Praying your choices always reflect Christ.  Love you all!

December 4, 2013 The Most Important Christmas Choice Tracie Miles "Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'" Luke 2:13-14 (NLT) Tis' the season to be merry... and stressed. Although it should be a season of peace, this month can often make us feel more tangled up inside than a messy string of Christmas lights. Some people dread the hustle, bustle, and emotional rustle this time of year brings, knowing that irritability, loneliness, or depression will threaten. While there are others who may love the Christmas season, but worry, busyness, family conflicts, and unmet expectations take their toll. In either case, we have a decision. We can choose to get bogged down with stress or we can choose to bow down in worship. Scripture gives us a beautiful picture of praise in Luke 2:13-14. When Jesus was born, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds sharing the good news. Then many other angels joined together and praised God. "Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'" (NLT) That's not the only place the Bible records angels worshipping the Lord. In Hebrews 1:6 it says, "And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, 'Let all of God's angels worship him.'" (NLT) And Revelation 5:11-12a says, "Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus." (NLT) Angels serve as role models of worship. They bow down before Jesus. They shout with incredible joy as they sing songs of praise. Through worship, angels spread the news of God's glory and exhibit holy reverence. Angels intentionally and deliberately spend time praising God. Keeping Christ in Christmas is more than just a cliché. It is an intentional act of worship. It requires a heart of adoration, much like the angels had. When Jesus is the focus of our holiday, we're centered on His love, peace, and joy. This prompts us to be His hands and feet to others in need. When worship fills our hearts, it leaves little room for aggravation in long lines at the store. We focus on what Christmas is truly about—the amazing gift of a Savior—rather than stressing out over buying the perfect presents. We exhibit grace to someone when we'd rather do otherwise. Worship turns our attention to giving thanks to Jesus for all He has done, rather than letting stress strip His joy from our hearts. And it might even mean joining in with the heavenly chorus to sing praises to Him, even if we can't carry a tune! The holidays can bring a flurry of heightened emotions and can often result in an unhealthy level of stress which can prevent us from engaging in worship and praising the One we are supposed to be celebrating. There will be lots of choices to be made during the month of December: where to serve, what gifts to buy, and how many events to attend. The most important choice we can make is to worship and sing praises to our Lord. For His gift. For His love. For His peace. And when our hearts are at peace, our holidays can be too. Lord, I choose to intentionally worship and praise You during this Christmas season. Help me stay focused on You and Your goodness. Amen.

Decorate with Prayers!

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His loving arms Wednesday!  Well, are you ready to do some decorating?  While we are busy shopping, baking, wrapping presents, and decorating our homes, some are busy with something else, not quite so fun!  In the busyness of my life it had not dawned on me that it’s time for college finals.  Do you all remember the stress and anxiety, long sleepless nights, worry, stress of finals!  Home for Thanksgiving from his first year at OSU, a special young man to me, and I were visiting at church Sunday.  I asked him how school was going; immediately he began sharing his concerns about upcoming finals.  He shared with me that people had been telling him that finals are really hard and he is really worried about them, and wants to do good….but.  I let him lament for a bit and then I tried to speak some words of encouragement….You know, be prepared, get lots of rest, eat well….and most importantly ask our Heavenly Father to give you a clear mind and help you do your very best!  I made a mental note to send him an encouraging email and say some extra prayers….When I got to work Monday, once again I was reminded of a young co-worker, sweet, special young woman who is also preparing for finals while working full time.  OK, I thought…..extra prayers for her too!  As I went through the day names of college students kept popping into my mind…..All of them getting ready….worrying about their finals.  No, college finals are not life of death, but to the college student they are pretty important and stressful so……I got to thinking….we need to decorate all the college students we know with prayers to help them through finals…..My goodness….let’s help them sparkle with self-confidence, glow with clear minds and sing with praise by lifting them in prayer….Oh I do love to decorate!  Father, thank you hearing all of our prayers no matter how small!  Be with our college students, protect them, guide them and help them to do their very best to Your glory!

 

I urge, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority (and college students), that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  1 Timothy 2:1-2.  This is the confidence we have in approaching God:  that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.  1 John 5:14-15.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:16.  “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear,” says the Lord.  Isaiah 65:24.  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  1 Peter 1:22.

Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. George Matthew Adams.

Love you all!

Jesus is the Reason for the Season

Good Morning Friends!  Totally taken by His love, Tuesday!  Yesterday a friend brought me a great big piece of homemade chocolate cheesecake to share with my husband.  Oh my goodness!!!!!!!  I have never ever tasted anything so good!!!!  From the thick graham cracker crust to the deep dark chocolate on top!  Absolutely marvelous!  But you know what the sweetest part was…..not the crust or the fillings….nope, the sweetest part was not what tantalized my taste buds…..the sweetest part was the act of giving…..not just the cheesecake, but her time, and knowing that she thought of me and cared enough to take the time in her morning to wrap it up and bring it to me….Yes and delivered with a hug!  Now that is sweet!  Here we are, December 3^rd….I have seen lots of homes all decorated with lights and Katy and Cooper have their tree up and decorated….I have been thinking it’s time for me to get to decorating too…..I love Christmas decorations reminders of our Savior’s birth, my favorite are the Christmas lights…..shining, sparkling, filling rooms with a warm glow….Seems to me that we can be Christmas decorations….living decorations…decorating the people we encounter in our lives with unselfish acts of love and kindness…..sharing a tasty treat (recently another friend brought me her venison jerky), giving up a place in line, maybe offer to babysit, or give someone a ride, take a lonely neighbor dinner, stop by a rest home and share a Christmas smile, make your hubby his favorite dinner, getting on line and ordering butterfly wings for someone that is not so good at it, do some crafts with kids…..not necessarily just your own……oh what beautiful decorations……Jesus is the Reason for the Season…..Jesus is LOVE…..Alive in our hearts we can be HIS loving, living decorations shining brightly, warming the world…..Father, prepare our hearts to focus on the LOVE of CHRISTmas…Your gift to us to share!  Thank you Father for the people in my life that share so unselfishly!

 

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  John 8:12.  This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  1 John 3:16.  Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  1 Peter 4:8.  We love because God first loved us.  1 John 4:19.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.  Galatians 5:22.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10.  I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.  1 Timothy 1:12. 

       “Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first.”  George Matthew Adams

Love you all!

 

Attitude of Gratitude

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty awesome is our God, Monday!  Well, here it is Monday after Thanksgiving!  Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and weekend, I know I sure did.  So many things which made me stop and say a big thank you to our Father!!!!  There’s one in particular that really touched my heart……a reality check….so to speak about what’s really important.  After a wonderful day and dinner with Cooper and Katy, oh yea and Mom and dad on Thursday, Kathyrn, Katy, and I headed to OKC to shop at 4 am Friday morning!  Papa kept Cooper, but Katy was excited to go “shopin” with us.   Of course, I was missing out on the ranch chores that Papa loves to save till I have an extra day off, but I didn’t care.  Figured I would worry about that on Saturday and just enjoy my time with the girls on Friday!  And yes, a definite thank you for that day….lots of love shared and Katy is a born shopper!  Saturday morning Kim and I headed out for a day of chores, first on the list was the kennels.  We worked for several hours, cleaning repairing and pampering our dogs…..I was trying hard to keep a good attitude and keep my energy going because what Kim had planned for us next was definitely going to require both a good attitude and energy.  Kim and I were going to work our calves…you know gather them, sort off mommas and then give them all their shots…..oh that means that you have to run them through the corrals and into the shoot….then give them 3 shots each!  OK, Kim lost our good shot equipment off the back of the truck awhile back and it’s too expensive to buy at one time, so we had to use one- dose shots which means I would be filling syringes for each calf….Kim would have to leave shoot, go into pens and get each calf up…..oh my…..Well, we were out in the pasture luring them in, when Kim had a call from a young-man neighbor.  He was looking for Kim because he was bored…..Oh my…..young man, country boy…bored.  Indeed!  We nabbed him up took him to Tupelo for a burger and yep, you got it….he didn’t even hesitate when Kim asked him if he would help us!!!!   I cannot even imagine how long and how many tiffs there would have been if Kim and I had set out alone!  Oh we would have done it, but…..We hadn’t been working too long when I realized how Kim and I had been blessed….Jayson did all the dangerous stuff, while I filled syringes and Kim gave the shots….Blessed….As I was cleaning up I felt a warm glow from the inside….Oh I had said “Thank you” several times, but suddenly I knew that it’s not the big things in life that warm our hearts….it’s the unselfish acts that really warm us…..right then I knew that Jayson had been sent to us by our Heavenly Father as a special Thanksgiving blessing.  And you know what…..Jayson had the best time…..He was so excited about each calf, his youthful attitude and energy were definitely a boost to Kim and I and he was having fun!  Thank you Father for the special little blessings that warm our hearts and help us but “things” into perspective!  Fill our hearts with attitudes of gratitude and help us to share the warmth of Your love with others.

 

Give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds.  Psalm 107:21.  I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise t the name of the Lord Most High.  Psalm 7:17.  Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 106:1.  Be kind and compassionate to one another.  Ephesians 4:32.  In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.  Psalm 33:21.

Love you all!

Overflowing With Thankfulness

Hi friends, I reached back in my archives and pulled out our Today from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving last year….and there’s a thank you… modern technology!  I’m just so excited today, silly I know, but couldn’t seem to settle down with a new thought……so many thank yous running through my mind….I know that each of us have certain struggles going on, but for the next few days, let’s try to focus on the positives…..lift our hearts and minds in total praise and see what happens….let’s remember our prayers of comfort for those mourning, healing for loved ones with health problems, peace and rest for troubled minds.  Chiming in with apostle Paul in his words from Thessalonians….”Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks!  1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18.

 

Good Morning Friends! Thankful, oh so very Thankful to be loved by HIM wonderful Wednesday!!!  The Johnson family has always had a family reunion at Thanksgiving.  Kim and I have not attended since we moved to Oklahoma, but oh I have some great memories of our Johnson Thanksgivings.  As I sat in the quiet darkness this morning having my morning chat with our Heavenly Father, my thoughts went to Thanksgiving…..being thankful, grateful, I asked for a true attitude of gratitude, I felt so blessed and undeserving of all the blessings I receive day in and day out…..Thanksgiving attitudes should be everyday….Father forgive us when we forget in between.  Well, anyway the Johnson reunions kept coming into my mind and I thought about my sister-in-law, Rita.  Rita is from Germany, Kim’s brother met her while he was stationed there many years ago.  She is a wonderful, kind, unselfish woman….worthy of thanks!  Well, what I really remember about Rita at Thanksgiving is that she always cleaned the turkey carcass…..yes the most dreaded, awful job of the whole meal and Rita did it (sure she probably still does) every time, without asking, without griping… with a smile.  Rita would stand as long as it took and pick the meat off the carcass so we could make something tasty, she never missed one speck.  Lots of times we were done with the rest of cleanup and ready for pie and Rita would still be picking…..smiling, chatting with her heavy German accent…..love just oozed from Rita as she completed the most dreaded job of the day!  You know….we don’t have to do great things to serve……it’s what’s in our hearts…..Rita’s heart reflected God’s love as she worked on the carcass….she knew the rest of us hated that job, dreaded it, so she lovingly took the job from us….Rita knows what Thanksgiving is all about……Father help us see that there are so, so many ways to serve You, to show You how grateful we are for all you do for us.  Father thank you for Your greatest gift….Your SON… who took our sin from us.  Fill us with love and gratitude.  To You be all glory, praise and honor!  A quote from Roy Lessen, “It is not how busy you can be for the Lord that makes a difference, but what the Lord does through your obedience to Him that really matters.”  Father, help us to listen and obey.

 

Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  Colossians 2:7.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift (s)!  2 Corinthians 9:15.  May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.  2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.

Praying your Thanksgivings are blessed with His best. Love and peace to each of you.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!!!

 

You Better Not Pout...

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully loved by Him, Tuesday!  Cooper is out of school today, so Papa has his favorite helper!  I’m not sure who was more excited Papa or Cooper, but I do know who was quite mad about the whole deal!  Oh my, Miss Katy wanted to stay with Papa too and she did not hold back on her emotions one little bit.  I grabbed my robe and ran outside to say hi to her…..Well, let’s say it was definitely a one way conversation and Katy was not a part of it! From the confines of her car seat she did not even look up at me when I excitedly called her name, waving like only a crazy Nana can…..she sat perfectly still and glared at me…eyes squinted, mouth stern and stiff….a look, that to anyone but a Nana, could have actually seemed hostile!  Bless her heart she just does not understand why Cooper can stay with Papa, but she can’t….she loves going to Grammi’s (where she stays while mommy works), but it’s just the thought of missing out on Papa fun.  I keep seeing that look on Katy’s precious face……Katy, just a young child, doesn’t understand……but how about us…..How often do our faces display an attitude that is not becoming…..hostile….unwelcoming….When our Heavenly Father looks at us, what does HE see?  I know that we can’t be running around grinning from ear to ear all the time….but did you know that it is proven that smiling makes us feel better!  More importantly than sporting a smile on our face is what our heart looks like….When our Heavenly Father looks into our hearts, what does He see?  Does He see unselfishness or greed?  Does He see envy or encouragement?  Does He see anger or self-control?  Does He see trust or stress?  Every day we encounter situations that may be stressful, hurting, promote anger, cause worry…..how we handle these situations depends on what is in our hearts……Does He see love?  If our hearts reflect HIS love we have everything we need to get through the worst of situations (even if it means not staying with Cooper and Papa)!  His love is our strength, our guidance, our hope…..our everything!  Father, remove our pouting faces, fill our hearts with YOU, and help us to share Your love….Father when people look at us….let them see You.  Thanksgiving and Praise to You, our Loving Father!

 

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.  The Lord protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, He saved me….I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord.  Psalm 116:5-6 & 17.  Co not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29.  A happy heart makes the faith cheerful.  Proverbs 15:13.  A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.  Proverbs 15:30.  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13.

Love you all!

 

Ice, Ice, Baby!

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Awesome is our God, Monday!  Most of you know that my husband and I moved here from California fifteen years ago.  I think that for the most part, I have acclimated quite well to my rural Oklahoma life……yep, I can worm and vaccinate sheep with the best, feed the cows, haul hay, clear pastures, load firewood (and I keep a mean fire in the woodstove), a master of tick patrol, stay by myself during a tornado watch, why I can even fry a pretty darn good pan of okra….but there’s one aspect of Oklahoma living that this California native just can’t get mastered…..driving in inclement…..icy……weather!  Usually at the first hint of sleet, ice, or snow I hitch a ride to work with my good friend Linda.  She lives in Clarita so we hook up in Tupelo; Linda is an expert driver in the worst of conditions!  When I realized last Friday, that Linda was off today……I immediately began to panic…..bad weather predicted through the weekend and into Monday…..oh my…..however will I get to work!!!  We didn’t have ice in California….I hate it….I’m not good at it…..Oh my what will I do (are you feeling real bad Linda,  lol).  Well sure enough we had weather…..I checked the weather channel throughout the day yesterday, stewing and fretting about driving in today…..I got up at 5 as usual and looked out the back door….yep….it had snowed or something during the night, didn’t look like much but there was a layer of white.  Too early to call inclement weather, but on the dot of 6 am I called our Inclement Weather number for work…..”all offices open on schedule” was the report!   At 6:03 am I texted a neighbor that has to be to work in Ada at 6 am.  He said the roads were just wet, but be careful of ice on bridges and over passes.  Ok, I can do this… I fearfully told myself over and over….as I headed into town I called Cooper’s daddy, he had worked all night and would just be getting home, so I could get an update.  Charley said, roads are good, just watch bridge by Owl Creek, little icy!  Clenching the steering wheel I proceeded with caution…..saying a little prayer for God’s protection….after just a few minutes….the light in my fearful mind came on……I remembered our talks from last week on being thankful….Then, bravely, feeling less stressed and more confident I said a thank you prayer….Father, thank you for my safe trip to work!  And here I am….fear….is the devil’s advocate that’s for sure….and the sure way to fight the devil is by staying hooked up to our Father…..keeping HIM foremost in our hearts and minds all the time…..ceaseless conversation with HIM…..letting go and letting HIM do the driving!  Father, forgive me when I fear first…..increase my faith so that I come to YOU first when the roads are icy!  Thank you!!!!

 

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel:  “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the fame scorch you.  Isaiah 43:1-2.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  1 John 4:18.  Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.  Proverbs 29-25.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7. 

Emotional Intelligence

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!  Yesterday I attended a customer service class entitled “Emotional Intelligence.”  The main gist was how we use our emotions to best serve our customers and co-workers, including tips to recognize and deal most effectively with their emotions.  I really enjoyed the class, learned some new things about myself and others that I will apply in my job, but it wasn’t until this morning, while reading a meditation with a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. that I realized the lesson I learned in class yesterday, certainly doesn’t just apply to my job!  King said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”  Wow! …..One more time, “The time is always right to do what is right.”  That was the very essence “Emotional Intelligence”  it’s always right to give the very best service that we can….always.  Sitting in my chair this morning, pondering King’s quote…..I realized that God’s lesson for us is “emotional intelligence”…… Treat others as you want to be treated, love our neighbor as ourselves, do what is right in God’s eyes…..be kind and compassionate to one another. Eph. 4:32…. be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Rom. 12:10……Father, clear our hearts, minds and desires of the “me, me, me” attitude and replace it with “Emotional Intelligence” of YOU…..Love each other as YOU loved us!

 

As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.  Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:2.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.  Galatians 5:22.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:12.

Love you all!

Giving Thanks Day

 

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His love, Wednesday!  Well, better late than never, Kathyrn and I finally finalized our plans for Thanksgiving last night….Not a big crowd, but still good to be organized right!  Everybody is talking about their plans, all the sale papers full of ads for turkey, ham, cranberries, pumpkin, stuffing, you know all the good traditional stuff….Thanksgiving…….I was thinking this morning that the name of the day needs to be changed to “Giving Thanks Day.”  Giving thanks….oh how slack I can be in that department…..This morning I was reading in the book of Acts, Paul was talking to the people of Ephesus about his work there and encouraging them to carry on in the faith when he leaves…..it was the words of our Savior, he quoted, that got me to thinking, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  Acts 20:35.  Blessed to give….think about it….These are the words of the GRANDEST GIVER of all time!!!!  He gave HIS LIFE for us….HIS LIFE…..and says, “It is more blessed to GIVE than to receive”  That thought is almost incomprehensible to me……We received the gift of Eternal Life and He is blessed…..I feel, sad at my smallness, but energized to GIVE more….starting with THANKS…..I am blessed with so much and yet so often complain, envy, feel discontent……I am giving thanks that for that I am forgiven for each of those….thankful that I have a chance to do better……thankful for food, clothes, a warm home, car that starts, a good job….especially thankful for the love and support of family friends in this life……thankful that I have so much to give…..and thankful that my giving will be blessed through the love of our Heavenly Father.  Father, help me to always be a cheerful giver, I simply share what you have given me.  Thank you Father for the GREATEST GIFT.

 

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful give.  (what more motivation do we need).  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  As it is written; “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”  2 Corinthians 9:7-9.  Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.  Enter His gate with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.  Psalm 100.

Love you all!

Our POWER is UP!

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Tuesday!  I wanted to go to the bank before work today, so I exited on Cradduck instead of coming in on the loop as usual.  Good grief!  Road construction big time…..and you know that with road construction comes lots of warning signs….uneven lanes….right lane closed ahead….power lines with an arrow pointing up!  Warning signs are a good thing you know, they keep us from getting into predicaments that could cause us problems, accidents, damaged car, tickets….So I always watch and heed the warning signs….It was really the “Power Lines”  that got my attention.  One after another the bright orange signs heeded the warning that the overhead power lines were hanging low.  After passing 3 or 4 of them I got the giggles…..POWER LINES UP……go figure!  First the warning signs….uneven lanes….oh life’s lanes can be most uneven at times….and how we struggle when the lanes are closed……but not to worry……the POWER is UP!!!  Our strength and hope is UP!!!!   Our comfort and healing, peace and rest are UP!!!!  When we are hanging low with “life’s construction” stress, sickness, worry, depression…..when we are hanging low…..Our POWER is UP!!!  Up into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father….UP where He is waiting for us to come to Him for rest, peace, and hope…..UP where He is anxiously waiting to lift our burdens, heal our pain…..lead and guide us through the construction zones.  Father, thank you for being our omnipresent  Power and strength.  We are weak Father and don’t always heed the warning signs, forgive us, increase our faith, enable us to always come to you for every need.  To You, Oh Awesome Father be all glory, honor, and praise.

 

God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  1 Corinthians 10:13.  Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Psalm 37:5-6.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7.  Do  not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been please to give you the kingdom.  Luke 12:32.  The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 3:8.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12.

Love you all!

The One Who Never Changes

Good Morning Friends!  Freely forgiven, forever loved, Friday!  Gosh, remember last week we talked about how beautiful it was outside, fall leaves against the still green grass and then the glistening frost….Oh how quickly things change!  As I walked outside this morning the site that greeted me was….well, not so beautiful???  The flowers planted in pots for me by grandchildren last spring had frozen to death……Yuck what a sad site and then driving in the beautiful green grass…..gone…..so quickly the green grass, because of the frost had turned browned…..so many changes so quickly…..and not the most pleasant ones….Like our lives….the changes that happen at times so quickly are hard on us……changes at work cause us stress, change in prices of gas and groceries burden us, health changes can be devastating…..quickly the beautiful green in our lives turns to dismal brown……anxiety and worry consume us…..But hold on friends…..there is ONE who never changes….ONE who is always green with life everlasting….ONE whose love for us is constant and overflowing…..”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8.  Jesus Christ, our Best Friend’s love for us has been the same since the beginning of time……A love so strong that He gave His life for us……a love that encourages us to come to Him and unburden ourselves of life’s struggles….He will carry them for us…..How blessed we are Father to be loved by a changeless God.

 

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5.  Jesus said, “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.

Love you all!

Ten Ways to Love

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!  Well, for the second day in a row I am going to share an email I received from a friend….just too good not to share!  “Loving” isn’t always easy is it…..be it our spouse, child, friend, or…..God says love our enemies…..at times we just are not in the mood to be “loving.”   However….we do have a very important command from our Best Friend….Jesus said, “My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.”  John 15:12.  Wow….that definitely puts a different aspect on “I not in the mood today.”  What if, our Father wasn’t in the mood to hear our prayers, heal our sicknesses, comfort our sad hearts, heck help us get through Walmart…..What if….OK, scroll back up to the top of the email and read the list again, closely please.  Each one has an important message for us….tips to help us “love each other as Jesus loves us.”  Each one has an important message for each of us for sure, but maybe one really hit a little closer to home than the others….start with that one….give it to HIM and remember HE forgives without punishing and gave HIS only Son for us…..”You yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.”  1 Thessalonians 4:9.  No, it’s not easy to love like our Father loves us, but we can give it our very best with HIM guiding and directing us…..And oh the returns are great….worth the effort.  Father fill us with the desire to love others, like You LOVE us, even when we are not in the mood.

 

Keep on loving each other.  Hebrews 13:1How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together I unity!  Psalm 133:1.  Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:2. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one anothr, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:12. 

Love you all!

He is Our All in All

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully cared for by our Awesome God, Wednesday.   I am fighting off a cold, so I feel kind of groggy this morning….hadn’t had a clear thought for us to share until I read the poem below by Roy Lessen…..my sweet Texas cousin shared  with me.  Go ahead, take a minute and read it a couple of times……What do you think…..please be still for a minute, close your eyes…..clear your mind of everything but HIM….breath……I am serious….please, .trust me on this…..whatever you are doing….be still….let HIM in……just for a minute…..HE IS OUR ALL IN ALL our EVERYTHING…..EVER PRESENT…..ALWAYS.  Eternal Father…..how blessed we are to be Your children, loved and protected ALWAYS……

 

He Is-

The Almighty One and your Might,
The Provider and your Provision,
The Giver and your Gift,
The Protector and your Protection,
The Warrior and your Victor,
The Healer and your Health,
The Blessed One and your Blessing,
The Eternal One and your Ever-Present Help in time of need.  Roy Lessen  

 

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for you Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32.

Love you all!

Putting God's Teachings Into Practice: Philippinas 4:8

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty is our God, Monday!  This morning my time in God’s word led me to Philippians 4:8, Paul’s words here really got me to thinking, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Wow, you might want to read that again….true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy…..simple words at first glance but Paul encourages us think about them, in verse 9 he says, “put into practice” all we have heard from him…..I have read that verse a hundred times I’m sure, but this morning the words really spoke to me…..I had to think of my actions…..gosh yesterday at church I snapped at a friend….plain rude…..nothing lovely or admirable for sure….As I finished reading and began my prayer time….I decided I was really going to work at having my thoughts and actions reflect Paul’s advice to us…..while sitting in the quiet of the morning, praying, it was easy….talking to God is the one time of day that my thoughts are right and pure….but then the morning began, time to get on the floor and do my exercises….I felt a grumble coming on….and not a lovely one…..a discussion with Kim about a problem we are having with neighbor caused thoughts that were definitely not noble….A call from Cooper warning me of the thick fog, strongly suggesting I leave early for work…..got me in a rush and my actions weren’t praiseworthy.  Getting into the car and heading out I could tell it was going to be a slow go….Immediately I felt grumpy and anxious…..irritated at the thick fog and the dangers it could present….Then I heard Him…..felt Him…..my thoughts…..that were not praiseworthy, or admirable or pure…..were slipping away…as I focused on our Father….His presence and love…my not so admirable thoughts changed…as I listened to HIM….leaned on Him…..talked to Him…..my thoughts could be right, pure…..lovely…..The praiseworthy….giving that one to our Heavenly Father!  He is the ONE holding me up, leading and guiding me….to HIM all glory and praise!!!!  Father, forgive us when our thoughts and actions are not a reflection of You……help us!

 

The Lord knows the thoughts of man;   Psalm 94:11a. Be kind and compassionate to one another.  Ephesians 4:32.  As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.  You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.  Psalm 16:11.  Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before Him with Thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.  For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all Gods.  Psalm 95:1-3. 

Love you all!

Fall: A Showcase of God's Magnificent Palette

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!  My goodness, this morning it seems that the beginning of winter may have touched our beautiful fall……Yesterday on my drive in I was just in awe of the beauty of fall around me….we have been so blessed with frequent rains that the grass is still green and the green grass with the fall colored leaves  framing it is simply spectacular….the reds, yellows, oranges against the green…..Our God is an awesome God….And did you notice the sky yesterday, my gosh pure white clouds sharing the bright blue sky with clouds of every shade of gray……breathtaking….I had intended to write about all that beauty yesterday, but the day got away from me, so this morning….Well, this morning when I got into my car and headed to work…..the scenery was even more impressive, intense….This morning the green grass glistened….sparkled….danced...with the first frost gently covering every blade ….the sun in the clear morning sky shining so brightly  the grass appeared to be covered in tiny sparkling gems….Breath taking….Our God is an awesome God!  How could anyone wonder about HIS existence!  As I drove, my heart over-flowed with love and gratitude to our Father for the beauty of His world, for the blessings that fill each day, for family, friends, job, home, church, for struggles that make me stronger and draw me closer to HIM……I was seeing His love in the sparkling grass……and I want to sparkle for HIM.  Father, our Creator….thank you…..Your world is magnificent, help us to be good caretakers and Father help us to sparkle with Your Love.

 

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.  But he way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.  My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart (and sparkle with them); for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Proverbs 4:18-22.  The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of His people.  They will sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown.  Zechariah 9:16.  Jesus said, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  He who has ears, let him hear.  Matthew 13:43.  RISE, SHINE, GIVE GOD THE GLORY!!!  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth……AND IT IS GOOD!  Genesis 1:1.

Love you all!

Driving Through Life in the Dark

Good Morning Friends!  Totally His, Tuesday!  So, how do you like this time change?  Most people are griping about it….messed up their sleep, dark too early…I didn’t like feeding my critters in the dark last night, but I am loving driving to work in the light!  The last couple of weeks before the time change, it was plum dark on my drive in and there’s just something about driving to work in the dark that I am not crazy about.  Have to be so careful watching for deer and all the other critters out and about and frankly my vision isn’t that good in the dark, so I am really enjoying my morning drive the last couple of days.  Even today, with the clouds and rain, it was still light….makes my drive so much less stressful.  “Oh Father,”  I felt the familiar tap….”Oh yes…..I do get it.  Driving with You to light our way, the stresses are much easier to handle.”  So much of the time we drive through our lives stressed out, worried, anxious about the future, concerned about the present, troubled about our kids, family, friends, work…..dark….we are trying to drive through life in the dark….Why do we do that….we just cause ourselves so much grief and heartache that could so easily be avoided if we turned on the LIGHT!  The LIGHT of hope, peace, and love that is ours for the asking if we just go to HIM….the LIGHT of the world….the LIGHT for our lives, each one of us….individually….When we go to HIM through prayer and His word we are surrounded with LIGHT….our drive because much less stressful…oh there will always be potholes and critters to watch out for, but you will have the LIGHT of the WORLD to guide you through.  Father, thank you for lighting our way.

 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His WONDERFUL LIGHT.  1 Peter 2:9  When Jesus spoke t the people, He said, “I am the LIGHT of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the LIGHT of LIFE.”  John 8:12.  Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.  Isaiah 2:5.  The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.  Isaiah 60:19.  The Lord is my LIGHT and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1. 

Love you all!

Is Your Worship Off Track?

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty awesome is our God, Monday!  Our church organist was out of town yesterday, so in her absence, Pastor ( he’s quite a good organist as well) recorded the whole service, liturgy and hymns on our awesome organ.  I don’t understand it all, but he records everything in order and then someone (Deb you’re the best) pushes the buttons at just the right time and we have our music!  It had been awhile since we had been without our awesome organist, so we were a bit rusty at the routine.  We are so programed by our organist to have just the right music at just the right time…so we go through the service virtually thought free….Yesterday, however things were not quite so on track…..during the liturgy we would all be doing as usual…singing with no thought when all of a sudden there would be no music….I have never heard so many deep breaths getting ready to belt out the words….big breath and nothing….the organ had not caught up with us…time and time again we would flub up….just not thinking….so used to things just going as they are supposed to.  At one point I looked up at Deb at the organ and we had to smile that “oops” smile at each other.  At that point I thought….my gosh, think Kathie…..you are in church, your worship should not be routine….use the pauses to reflect on God’s love, to thank Him for the blessings of the day, for the joy of being in His house, for His grace and forgiveness.  Use the pauses to bless Him….I enjoyed the rest of the service so much, looking forward for a chance to pause, to rest in His love and say, Thank you Father…..As I left church I asked our Father to help me to consciously pause throughout my days….to take a break, find rest and peace in Him, to thank and praise Him every chance I get!  Father, help us to never take You and the blessings you provide for us for granted….Thank you for the rest you provide when we come to You.  All glory and honor to You!

 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1.  Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.  Psalm 62:5.  The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Exodus 33:14.  Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.  Psalm 116:7.  Taste (pause) and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  Psalm 34:8.  That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.  Ecclesiastes 3:13.  Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7.

Love you all!

"In His grip" : Isaiah 41:13

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully Trusting in His will, Thursday!  As I headed into work this morning, I had a few things to share with our Father…..nothing new just the same old concerns and needs for others that I seem to bring to Him every day…..As I started to pray, I had this feeling that good grief you have prayed about this before, leave HIM alone for while…I felt guilty of not trusting Him enough….maybe I should just skip these prayers….but I didn’t, I took a deep breath and lifted my concerns to Him , asking Him to strengthen my faith!  Got to work, and was flipping through a calendar when this quote popped out at me, “As you walk with God, don’t worry about how tight the grip of your hand is upon His….Remember, He is the one who is holding on to you!”  I read it several times, relaxing a little more with each read….HE doesn’t get tired of hearing from me! Oh my….I  made a couple of additions of my own feeling so blessed, “As you drive with God, don’t worry about how tight the grip, of your hand is upon His, or how many the prayers, or how heavy your heart, or how many times you have asked before, He is the one who is holding, lifting, carrying, loving, cherishing you!”  Go on, get busy, have a blessed day, trusting and believing in HIS plan for YOU, in HIS answers to your prayers because HE does hear and answer everyone single one!  Oh Father, forgive me when I try to out guess you….fill me with faith to trust you completely and THANK YOU Father for hearing my prayers, over and over again!

 

Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  Philippians 4:4-6.  For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Isaiah 441:13.  Be joyful always; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Love you all!

The seasons of our lives...

Good Morning Friends!  Wise and wonderful is our God, Wednesday!  Last night when I got home from work, Kim was nowhere to be found, figured he wasn’t far, so was enjoying putting around the house.   After about 15 minutes or so, I saw Kim and his helper come in the drive in the backhoe hauling hay for the donkeys.  Then my phone rang, “Come on out here.  We are closing the pool up” was all he said.  A little bewildered, I responded, “OK”  and headed out the door.  I really had no idea he had planned that for our evening!  Closing up the pool is really the official sign that summer is over and winter on its way…..The change of seasons….Taking proper care of the pool for winter is really very important, saves the filter from freezing and the winter chemicals help keep it clean, and of course covering it up is so important!  Last year, we never did get it done and what a mess we had; luckily, the filter didn’t freeze, but the pool was gross and took hours of hard work and chemicals to get it clean again…..Here in Oklahoma we truly have “changing seasons” each season so different from the one before and the one to come….In the spring we have to get the storm cellar ready, summer get the pool up and going, fall close it up, stock up on firewood, winter make sure everything is insulated and lots of feed on hand for the livestock….you get it right….each season, winter, summer, spring, or fall brings unique situations….As I sat on the deck holding onto the cover while Kim got the ladder off, I got to thinking about seasons….our lives are full of seasons aren’t they…..seasons of contentment…seasons of discontent…..season of health….season of illnesses…..for us…our lives….everyday might confront us with a new season……we need to prepare for the changes in our lives, just like we prepare the summer pool for upcoming winter…..How we handle the “changes” in our lives depends on how well prepared we are…..And the way to be prepared is…..lots of time with our Heavenly Father, keep Him posted on your life through lots of prayer time, find wisdom and guidance through HIS word, and strength from worshipping with your Christian family!  Our Father Is always there for us….how close we stay to HIM directs our “change of seasons.”  Father help us to be prepared for all the seasons of our lives by being close to YOU.  Give us wisdom and strength to know YOU and follow YOUR will for our lives.  Thank you for being Changeless! 

 

Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take refuge.  I said to the Lord, “you are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Psalm 16:1-2.  You  turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to You and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.  Psalm 30:11-12.  The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer.  1 Peter 3:12.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:16. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Love you all!

"Happy, happy, happy!": Philippians 4:4

Good Morning Friends!   Thankful to be HIS, Tuesday!  Well, it’s Tuesday….we got through Monday….what are we going to do with TODAY?   Seems like sometimes we are content to “get through” a day, but I’ve thinking….well, Hailey just sent me a bunch of pictures of Tucker….I think maybe we could learn a few things from my one-year-old great-grandson.  First picture he’s in the bathtub, just sitting in the tub, surrounded by bubbles, but the smile on his face tells it all….from ear to ear his smile is shouting “I AM SOOOO HAPPY!!!”  There’s not a ton of toys in the tub, just water and a few bubbles, but a whole lot of HAPPY!  One picture shows him standing on the bed pointing out the window….no toys, just standing there in an unsnapped onesie, pointing to the beautiful world outside…..HAPPY!  Next, he is petting a chicken….he’s not afraid, but instead amazed and curious about God’s creation….enjoying the chicken, leaves, sunshine, clear air, just being outside with mommy and daddy and the chickens….HAPPY!  Seems to me that Tucker appreciates each moment of his day, simply, no great expectations, just HAPPY, that he is loved….Yes, he is too little to know all about the love of our Heavenly Father, but he does know that he lives in a beautiful world and he totally appreciates each part of his day…His precious smile shines with an “attitude of gratitude.”  Yep, I am sure that each of us can learn from Tucker…..today….tomorrow….let’s not just “get through” the day….let’s be HAPPY, like Tucker….TODAY is the DAY the LORD has made….HE made TODAY and all tomorrows for us…..let’s rejoice in each day….Rejoice that we too are loved….Loved and Forgiven by our Heavenly Father….Woo Hoo!!!!  Take a minute today….look outside, if you can go out bask in the beauty of His creation, clear skies, gentle breeze, cool temps, turning leaves….be still….feel HIM….thank HIM….Praise HIM….then go back inside glowing with an attitude of gratitude!  Father….gosh, help us please to see how blessed we are….to appreciate, rejoice, and praise YOU all day everyday with attitudes overflowing with gratitude!!!!  Thank you Father!!!!!

 

This day is sacred to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.  Nehemiah 8:10.  How many are your works, O Lord!  In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.  Psalm 104:24.  These are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him!  Who then can understand the thunder of His power?  Job 26:14.  You alone are the Lord.  You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them.  You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.  Nehemiah 9:6.  You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.  Isaiah 55:12. Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Philippians 4:4.  Be joyful always.  1 Thessalonians 5:16.  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13. 

Love you all! 

Don't blame it on the dog!: Matthew 7:1-5

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!  Yesterday I told you a bit about our dog, Holina Dos; today I am going to share a cute story that my dear friend Julie shared with me about her precious dog, Annie.  Julie got home after work, the day it had been raining, Annie was outside but very anxious (she is a bit of a worry wart) because there was a big truck parked next door.  So anyway, Annie was in a big rush to get into the house.  As soon as they got in the door Julie noticed some mud on the floor.  She scoffed at Annie, grabbed a cloth and went to wiping off Annie’s paws…..Annie wasn’t thrilled about it and was so excited that Julie kind of had to follow her through the house to get each paw.  She was irritated that she kept wiping, but there was still mud everywhere!  I wasn’t there, so I can’t be sure, but I would just bet that Annie was getting chewed out pretty good…..after a few minutes and lots of wiping on Annie’s paws, Julie discovered….oh my….ready for this….the mud she kept seeing was on her shoes!!!!  Annie was innocent, blameless….but was so quickly accused of making the muddy mess when actually….the accuser was to blame!  Ouch!!  We were laughing as she shared her Annie story, but it got me to thinking.  How often do we…..place blame on others rather than looking at ourselves, our actions first?.....Husband/wife a grouch????  Kids whiney??? Co-worker rude???  Grocery store clerk snotty???  Neighbor selfish????   Hmm maybe we should check for the mud on our feet, before we accuse everyone else around us of the wrong doing……Father, forgive us when we look to blame others before we look at ourselves.  Help us to be more like YOU…..Fuel our lights to shine brightly with kindness and love.

 

Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘let me take the speck out our your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?.....first take the plank out of your won eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:1-5.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4:22-24.  We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10.  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!!!  1 John 3:1. 

Love you all!  Have a wonderful weekend

Blessed with unique talents: Acts 10:28

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully loved as we are, Thursday!  Have I told you about our new puppy?  Remember back….Kim  adopted a Pyrenees puppy that he found in the pasture after being abandoned by its mother?  He named her Holina and they were instantly best buddies….inseparable !  He raved about her all the time, how smart she was, easy to train, not a pest, and just so cute….and then one afternoon….a few months after Holina had joined our family…..Kim accidentally ran over her.  He was devastated, swearing he would never do that again (fall in love with a dog), never ever have another dog!!!!!  And that was that!  It broke his heart to have to tell Cooper that his buddy was gone.  Well, wasn’t but maybe a couple of weeks later he started saying things like, “maybe Holina’s mom will have more puppies…..maybe we will have another Holina.”  And guess what??!!!  Yep on August 10^th, Holina Dos (two in Spanish that was Hailey’s idea) was born.  There were four puppies, two all -white and two with color on their faces just like Holina One had.  Kim was all excited and could hardly wait until she was big enough to take home.  The day actually came sooner than we had thought because once again mother abandoned two puppies, one was very weak and didn’t make it, but Holina Dos was strong and active!  I dug out all of Holina One’s toys….Kim was thrilled!  Of course, we both thought that Holina Dos would be just like Holina One……She does look just like Holina One, but her actions and behavior…..Not so much at all!  The other night we were watching TV, Holina Dos was destroying everything she could get her teeth on; Kim picked her up, holding her in his lap trying to love on her and she was just going crazy biting him, chewing his fingers, squirming all over….at that point he said, “She sure isn’t like her sister is she?”  I most definitely had to agree…..Holina Dos, was not Holina One reincarnated….she is in fact very different….We were bemoaning that fact when Kim made a great statement about us!  Seems that we, wanting so much to have Holina One back have been in fact quite unfair to Holina Dos…..Holina Dos is unique, a separate creation, she has her own personality traits and characteristics….we have been wrong trying to change her or assume that she will be just like Holina One…..At that point, Kim and I vowed to accept her, love her based on the puppy she is….not the one we thought she should be.  Later, lying in bed it occurred to me….Oh how blessed we are that our Heavenly Father created each of us uniquely…..HE loves each of the same……big or small, short or tall, old or young, rich or poor, shy or outgoing, mechanically inclined or all thumbs, good cook or fast food queen….Our Father LOVES us, accepts us…..blesses us with unique talents….that’s the way HE planned it!  How boring this world would be if we were all the same….Hmmm, if our Father sees us all the same….yep…..we must do the same.  Father thank you for loving each of us for who we are, help us to set aside prejudices and treat everyone as You would…..

 

Do to others as you would have them do to you.  Luke 6:31.  Jesus said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”  John 13:15.  Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Hebrews 10:24.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10.  God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.  Acts 10:28.  To love God with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.  Mark 12:33.

Love you all!

 

 

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Administrative Services

He makes all things brand new: 2 Corinthians 5:17-8, 21

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His loving arms Wednesday!  I was so excited yesterday at the prospect of finally getting to come to work on CR 1600….if you reach back, you might remember I shared when it closed quite some time ago.  More miles and time for me, so I was so glad when I found out Monday night that it was open (well sort of).  I headed out early yesterday because of the rain, but I was excited about being back on 1600!  My goodness, what a difference, the old road was so rough, bumpy, and full of potholes….the new road smooth, wider and no potholes!  Just amazing to me what they can do with good equipment and man power…..an old road, “brand new.”  As I drove along a thought came to me…..we too can be brand new…..no matter how rough and bumpy we become, no matter how many potholes or how deep they are….we can be “band new” again too!  Oh  friends, my heart warmed as I felt HIS arms around me…reassuring me that through the blood, the death, and resurrection of His ONLY SON, JESUS we can be ‘brand new,” washed clean, free from our sin and guilt….from the bumpy, narrow road that we sometimes travel…….There’s always, always HOPE for us and those we love through JESUS……smile with me, thank our Father for HIS unending grace and mercy, and never give up on yourself or a loved one no matter how deep the potholes….Go to HIM, Be Still, lean into HIS embrace, Listen….Trust……Believe……HE Makes all things NEW….BRAND NEW.   Thank you Father!  All honor and praise to YOU!

 

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life…..for sin shall not be your master because you are not under the law, but under grace…..For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  From Romans 6.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.  God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5: 17-18 & 21.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12.  It is by grace you have been save, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the girl of God.  Ephesians 2:8.  Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”  Matthew 17:20.

Love you all!

The Golden Rule: Matthew 7:12

Today at 10:27 AM

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His Friday.  I have developed a bad habit….unconsciously….seems like I must be clenching my teeth in my sleep.  I do not have a clue that I am doing it, but when I wake up my jaws are sore, well my whole mouth, teeth and gums throbbing…..every once in a while I will wake up out a sound sleep and catch myself doing it….so I know exactly why my mouth is sore when I wake up.  Like I said it’s totally unconscious and I am sure it has to do with the stress I have been under lately, but I sure don’t like it.  This morning I got to thinking…..hmm, wonder what other things I do unconsciously that might make people around me feel uncomfortable……remarks that just spew out without thinking, rude facial expressions that cause pain…..all unconscious actions…..but definitely not reflections of God’s love shining through me.  God’s love shining through us is easily snuffed out if we don’t have our hearts and minds focused fully on HIM!  When we tootle along through life just doing as we please, we will do things unconsciously that may cause hurt to people around us….The Golden Rule comes to my mind…..we do want to be treated kindly, don’t we….well we must treat others just like we want to be treated…..simple enough, right??!!!  Nope, not if we don’t have God’s love in our hearts…..remember the other day we talked about “clothing” ourselves in HIS love…well, here you have it!  Oh and a PS…..I need to trust in HIS will a bit more too…..hold on tighter, be still, feel HIS peace and trust in HIS will….HE is in charge and HE will take care of every last detail….trusting and believing Father!  Please forgive us when we don’t shine for YOU…help us to find strength by staying close to YOU in Your word and prayer….staying close to YOU we will be OK!  Thank you Father!

 

Be kind and compassionate to one another.  Ephesians 4:32.  As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.  In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  Matthew 7:12.  Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; TRUST in Him and He will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him….Psalm 37:3-7a.  And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  To our Gd and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  Philippians 4:19-20.

Love you all!