God's biggest fans

Good Morning Friends!  To know HIM, is to love HIM Tuesday!  Most mornings on my way into work, I call Kathyrn for a morning update and catch up on things…she is on her way to work, but first takes 3 year old Katy to sitters.  Katy is my biggest fan!!!!  And I must admit I like it!!  She has to talk to me every morning, bugging her mom incessantly until she relinquishes the phone….”Hi Nana” she says in the sweetest 3 year old voice, melts my heart.  Well, Mom says the last few mornings Katy starts bugging her to call me almost as soon as they get in the car.  They leave earlier than me, so Mom has to put her off, explaining that Nana is not in her car yet…..hard concept for a 3 year old that loves her Nana (aren’t I blessed) to understand.   Yesterday when I called, Katy actually answered the phone.  “Hi Nana, are you in your car?”  Not realizing what Mom had been through for the last 15 minutes, I just happily chatted away with her; several times I could hear Mom say, “give me the phone” to which Katy responded, “two more times, I talk two more times” and our conversation continued!  When she finally had to give up the phone to Mom, Mom was exasperated, “that girl, she started bugging me at 7:10…’I want to talk to my Nana!!!’  I told her she had to wait until you got in your car.”  My heart went pitter patter….how flattering and heart- warming it is to know that someone is so excited to talk with you….to share time with you….be with you.  Yes, just tickles me…..as I hung up the phone and got into work I could feel myself smiling from the inside out….then it hit me…a kid lesson, been a while since we had one.  The wonder of children…..a 3 year old so in love with her Nana desires to talk to her and be with her all the time…..Oh my…..Yes Father…..I can only imagine how thrilled you would be if we were so excited to talk to you…everyday…..many times a day….to spend time with You….be with You….Father, You are an AWESOME God!!!!  Waiting for us every moment of everyday!  Forgive us Father when we think more of ourselves than we do of YOU…..without YOU….there’s nothing worth our time!  And Father, thank you for loving us so much and finding joy in spending time with us. 

 

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.  I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.  Psalm 84:10.  The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:  “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”  Jeremiah 31:13.  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1.  Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  Colossians 4:2.  “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know,” says the Lord.  Jeremiah 33:3.  Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4. 

Love you all!

 

 

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!   We had a wonderful morning of Easter celebration at church, my favorite day of the year!  The kids are so excited, dressed in there Easter finest, carrying their Easter baskets chomping at the bit to hunt for eggs…..Some might say I am mean, but I never let Easter at Sunday School be just about the egg hunt.  So, before we hunt we spend time with our Heavenly Father, reading His word, singing, expanding their knowledge and understanding of what Jesus’ death and resurrection mean to us as His children.  Now, I’m not real mean, I do try with the help of my Sunday school teachers to make it as fun as possible; this year I found a cool idea on line and adapted it to our kiddos….after breakfast we went into our comfy youth room and I read from Mark chapter 15, starting with the night Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate.  In order to hold their interest, I was quite dramatic in my reading (they would tell you I am goofy)  just as we had laid Jesus in the tomb there was a knock on our door.  In a very grumpy, why would you disrupt us tone, I opened the door to find a teacher standing there with a great big smile…”the Easter egg hunt is ready for the kids, come on.”  Well, I acted real put out, but the kids were excited so I went along with it, saying we would finish after hunting.  Miss Kristine lead us to the fellowship hall (it was raining outside) and told the kids to go find eggs.  They hunted and hunted and no one found one egg.  Soon I joined in, trying to help them find some, I got more and more disappointed with the kids….they were sad, frustrated, disappointed, and a bit angry too!  No eggs to be found……Kristine was chuckling as we headed back to finish reading the Easter story, but the kids were not happy!  When we got back to class I asked them how did that feel to go looking for something you thought would be there, something you were so excited about and had been waiting for?  They expressed their disappointment in no uncertain terms…..I finished reading, then asked them, “How do you think the women felt when they went to the tomb to see Jesus and He was not there?”  The older kids got it right away…..the women were sad and disappointed….much sadder than we were hunting for eggs….there Jesus was missing!  But the story does not end there, does it!  Our Jesus was not missing….HE was ALIVE!!!!!  Oh how they rejoiced when they found HIM….alive.  OH how we REJOICE!!!!  Our SAVIOR IS ALIVE!!!!!  Oh yes HE died, HE was buried, but HE AROSE…..Our sins forgiven, our disappointment comforted.  We will have disappointments in life….we will hunt to no avail at times….but our HOPE is in JESUS….HE will never disappoint us….never leave or forsake us….CHRIST IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!  ALLELUIA!  Thank you Father!

 

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.  Come and see the place where He lay.  Then go quickly and tell His disciples:  ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of into Galilee.  There you will see Him.” Now I have told you.”  Matthew 28:5-7.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him  Nahum 1:7.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.

Love you all!

 

A heavenly reunion awaits...

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!  My goodness, am I ever pooped this morning!  I have, thanks to a sweet cousin with frequent flyer miles, been on a whirlwind trip to California to attend a memorial for my Aunt Ella….96 years old, she outlived 11 siblings….a good and faithful servant, sharing God’s love in so many ways all of her life….ready to meet our Father face to face!  How blessed I was to be there and share in a service of Praise and glory in her memory.  I cannot even find words to express the joy I had in seeing cousins and friends that I had not seen in many, many years….sharing memories, catching up, promising to never let so much time pass before we see, at least talk again!  A real reunion buzzing with stories, laughter, tears, pictures of kids, grandkids….overflowing with love, hugs, pictures (one cousin is a professional photographer and she brought her camera!  Can’t wait to get those pictures), joking, teasing, memories, future plans, love and more hugs!  Finally, sadly we all had to say our goodbyes and head in our separate directions….my sister and I had a 3.5 hour drive back where we would meet up with my niece and nephew, have a quick pizza and head to her house for the night….another hour and then in the morning little over an hour to the airport….we knew we had to get going, but oh my we hated the reunion to end…..as we drove off overflowing with joy, love filling our every thought, we thanked our Heavenly Father for the blessing of this time together….for the blessing of Christian family!  Cheryl and I yacked non- stop all the way to dinner and then my niece and I took it up from there, but when I finally settled down for the night, snug on Manda’s couch, in the quiet darkness, reflecting on the day I felt….peace, yes my whole body, inside and out was over taken by a peaceful…pounding….if that makes any sense….peace.  I laid still, feeling calm and relaxed……”Father, I feel You, Father….thank you for such a wonderful reunion today….You just bless us so much….thank you.”  “Oh Kathie, My precious child, you are most welcome.  I love you, it pleases Me to bless you….but Kathie….I am preparing a reunion for you and your family that will far exceed your reunion today.  I am preparing a place for you here with Me in heaven……the most magnificent reunion you could ever imagine…..you and your family of believers will be with Me in heaven someday for life everlasting with Me….Now that is a reunion for you to plan for….to count on…..look forward to…..rejoice in!  Bless you my child.”  I fell asleep with a smile on my face, in my heart….I am His child, I will have a heavenly reunion….life everlasting.  Father, rejoicing in Your love!  All glory and honor to You!!!

 

 

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to with me that you also may be where I am. John 1:1-3.  …..rejoice that your names are written in heaven.  Luke 10:21.  But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.  Philippians 3:20-21.  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 requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4: 4-7. 

Love you all!

 

The miracle of memories

Good Morning Friends!  Wondrously wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!  A couple of weeks ago while going through some things I ran across an old picture of my sons, Shawn and Ira, young teens at the time.  Shawn is 37 now and Ira would be 39 on Sunday (Ira headed to his heavenly home about 10 years ago…stinker.  He is in fact my step-son, but to my heart my son); in the picture they are working on their yearly project books for 4H, undoubtedly they were due the next day!!!!  Well, I smiled at my handsome boys and stuck the picture in my bag to take to work….for some reason I wanted to take it with me…..no clue why until today.    A woman just came into our office to reserve the community building in Stonewall for the end of the year party for her 4H group.  I shared with her that my boys had been in 4H and soon we were sharing 4H stories, hers happening now, for me….memories from those wonderful,l busy kid years! Memories, gosh it didn’t take long until my mind was a buzz with our 4H years.  I asked her if they still had to do their yearly project books and she said yes.  At that point, my co-worker in charge of community center came to help her.  While they were taking care of business I remembered the picture of Shawn and Ira….working on their 4H books.  I got into my desk and pulled it out….this time my heart and mind overflowing with loving memories of my young boys….As she finished her reservation, I showed her the picture of the boys….we laughed about taking “event” pictures for the “whole ”year at one time and rushing to get them printed.  Of course, way back then  we didn’t have digital pictures….so I had to do the one hour deal….I think we had one hour….surely we did!  She asked how old the boys are now and I her told Shawn is 37, sharing that Ira had taken residency in heaven…holding back tears.  Her routine stop to reserve a building had turned into a precious time of sharing for me…..she has no idea how much that little extra time she spent visiting….sharing with me touched my heart….stirring precious memories within my mind….memories that make me smile…..from the inside out!   Just a little time….without knowing…..how often do we miss out on the “little times.”  Father, help us to slow down, just a little, so we don’t miss the smile making times!  And Father thank you for our boys, times to remember and times to look forward to! And Father thank you for the little miracle of memories.  To YOU all PRAISE, HONOR , & GLORY!

 

Whoever touches you touches the apple of God’s eye.  Zechariah 2:8.  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything (including memories) in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:19-20.  A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.  Proverbs 15:30  All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be….(our memories, now that’s just awesome)  Psalm 139:16.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!  2 Corinthians 9:15. 

Love you all!

Detours and road construction

Good Morning Friends!  Forever HIS, Friday!  I left a couple minutes later than I like to this morning, not bad though, so I wasn’t really worried about being on time to work….until I hit all the road construction on 3W!  Mind you, they have been doing road construction since last week, so I should have been quite aware what I would encounter on my commute in….I should have planned ahead, planned to leave a few minutes early, rather than a few late.....I was beginning to get quite perturbed, stuck behind a slow moving diesel with only one lane open….concerned that I might very well be a couple minutes late to work.  Oh well I thought….I will just tell them about the road construction, they will understand.  Whoa!!!!  Wait a minute!!!!!!  What did I just say….I should have planned ahead….I knew about the construction, I should have been prepared to leave the house early….not the construction guys fault or the diesel in front of me….I was not prepared to deal with the road construction in a positive way!!  Realizing my misconception, I felt my attitude begin to change and I took a couple of deep breaths to relax, willing to deal with the possibility of being a little late to work.  As my attitude was changing another thought came to me…….we face “road construction” everyday all through our lives, not just what’s on the highways…..detours caused by anger, miscommunications with friends, family, co-workers…..off ramps closed due to envy, greed, fear or anxiety for the unknown, flashing lights of temptations…..unplanned, but always lurking waiting for us to 'leave a few minutes late,’ unprepared tempers flare, stress mounts, worry clouds are thinking, hurt takes over where love should be, tears flow while joy is waiting on the edge……We can be prepared for these detours…..time with our Heavenly Father will give us the strength and wisdom to meet difficult situations in ways that give glory to Him.  Ways, that keep feelings, ours or others, from being hurt…..Time with Him in word and prayer our faith grows stronger, we can persevere through the construction stronger, wiser, closer to HIM!  Father, increase our desire to be closer to YOU, stronger in You, faithful to YOU, trusting and believing in Your will for our lives.

 

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  Ephesians 2:o8..  Everyone born of God overcomes the world (detours and road construction).  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4.  Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17.  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.  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.  Matthew 26:41.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock eternal.  Isaiah 26:4. 

Love you all!

The smells of Spring

Good Morning Friends!  Warm in His love, Wednesday!  The other day when I got back to work from lunch, landscaping was mowing the lawn out front; oh my goodness it smelled so good!  So fresh and clean…… As I opened the door, I took a good deep breath relishing in the magnificent scent of freshly mown grass ……spring……it smelled like spring.  I was smiling as I walked in and sat down at my desk, thinking about spring coming…the wonderful smell was still fresh in my mind when a woman came in….she was smiling too as she said, “Oh my it smells so good outside….”  I replied, “Yes, like spring”  she said, “Yes, I am looking forward to spring…..it has been a long winter!”  I most definitely had to agree with her….we have had such a long winter…..snow, ice, cold….Utility bills have been so high and we have used 7 cords of wood!  That’s a lot for us!  As she left, I couldn’t help but think about spring, a time for renewing, planting, spring cleaning…..all things fresh and new after a long, cold winter….flowers blooming, gardens growing….softly, gently, I felt HIS touch…..I could hear HIM in the buzz of the lawn mower….”Kathie, my child”  spring is a wonderful time of the year….how about a spring time spiritually….You know, renew your faith by cleaning out bad habits and spending more time with Me.  Plant seeds of kindness, thoughtfulness, love and watch them grow and bloom more of the same!  Mow down angers, frustrations, anxiety and worry…..clean out those attitudes that bring you down and get in the way of doing your very best. Life’s winters can be so long and cold….come to Me let Me warm you with My love….let My SON shine on you, refresh you and give you peace.”   Thank you Father….whatever would we do without you!

 

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understand no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and wary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  The will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, the will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:28-31.  There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1.  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth……And God saw that it was good.  From Genesis 1.  Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.  James 1:21.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness.  Galatians 5:22.

Love you all!

 

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Do you hear what I hear?

Good Morning Friends!  Fabulous Friday, loved by HIM!  This morning sitting in the living room, in my house, with all the windows closed, I could hear one dog….one little bitty dog barking….in the kennel…..behind my house….the back side of my house, living room is in front…..behind the carport…..one little bitty, yapping dog….I could hear him plain as day……yipping….a constant, irritating yip….in my house….with the windows closed…..As I sat there irritated, becoming quite annoyed at the barking dog…..behind my house, behind the carport…..in  my living room with the windows closed…..I chuckled to myself….isn’t it funny that I can hear that dog….you know where……but quite often I do not hear my husband speaking to me when he is sitting a couple of feet away…….Now just how crazy is that!!!!!  At first I chuckled, then I thought….hmmm that little dog is irritating me in the house, but my poor husband often gets ignored a few feet away……I felt rather ashamed of myself….why can I hear that dog way outside, but don’t hear my husband…..Hmmmm….yep……because I choose, selfishly at times, to “not hear” “ignore” him….quite human of me…..while the dog continued to yip, my annoyance building I thought…OH MY…..Father……I too am a yipper…..whining and complaining to You all the time…..begging, pleading day in and day out!  Yet, You never get annoyed with me….never….Your love and compassion are endless, engulfing my life inside and out…..PLUS…..You NEVER IGNORE me either…..OH Father, thank you for hearing my constant yipping and answering my prayers!  Forgive my selfish nature, help me to listen compassionately to others.  All glory, honor, and praise to YOU!

 

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.  The Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for Him!  Isaiah 30:18.  Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  Galatians 5:13.  As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.  Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!  2 Peter 3:18. 

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Administrative Services

Division of Housing

Baby bunny blessings

Good Morning Friends!  WOW, our GOD is an AWESOME GOD, Wednesday!  Some of you might remember that a year or so ago, we (well hubby’s idea), got Cooper a little bunny for his 3^rd birthday.  The bunny stayed at our house for fun visits from Cooper (as well as to keep mommy happy).  Well, my husband couldn’t be happy having just one bunny so over the year we have acquired 4 more bunnies….now all rabbits!  We have bred them several times without a lot of success, but finally…..last Thursday when Kim went in the coop to give them fodder he noticed one girl rabbit was pulling her fur.  OH BOY!  A sure sign she was going to have babies, so he put a nest in her pen……..Friday morning when I went out to feed and water before work……Wow, the nest was full of fur and breathing!  Well you know, I couldn’t really see babies, but I knew they were there because the fur was moving!  They were alive…..I could see there were several, but dare not touch them…..mommy rabbits do not like you touching their newborn bunnies!  As soon as I got in the car to head out, I called Kim and told him!  Cooper and Katy were with us over the weekend and they were just thrilled with the bunnies too…we explained they couldn’t touch them, but they were very content to just look at them….at least, as Cooper would say, a hundred, thirty, fifty, ten times a day!!!  That was ok with me though, because I am, I must admit, just as excited as they are about the baby bunnies….precious new life….spring is blossoming all around us and at my house I have precious tiny baby bunnies…..What an awesome God we have!  In the midst of the turbulence of our lives HE blesses us with baby bunnies, singing birds, blossoming trees and flowers, growing grass….Today, I am just stopping to acknowledge and enjoy these simple to us….but our MASTER mind created them….from nothing….without HIM we are nothing….with HIM our lives  NEW!  Father, Help us to blossom in Your love, to grow in faith, shower others with Your love in word and deed!  And Father thank you so much for the special little blessings You share with us, they sure brighten our days!  We Praise You Heavenly Father, keep us ever grateful!

 

The Sovereign Lord says, “I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill.  I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.”  Ezekiel 34:26.  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”  Lamentations 3:22-24.  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.  Romans 6:3-4.  Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God…For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Love as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth).  Ephesians 5:1-2 & 8-9.