Members of His crew

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Tuesday!   Things are buzzing around here this morning, the Chickasaw multi-media is here filming a segment for the loan department.  My gosh there’s a bunch of them and I couldn’t tell you how many trips they have made hauling in equipment.  Big carts with big bags on them, one after the other, stands for lights, sound equipment, load after load….for one little segment.  I’m sure it takes them longer to set up than it does to film.  Watching them come in and out I said to one of the crew, “gosh sure takes a lot of equipment doesn’t it?”  He agreed with a chuckle stating, “ takes longer to set up the lights than do the filming.”  Hmmm, a young man just came in with a roll of blue cellophane. Wonder what kind of special effect they get with that.  Yes so much goes into the short segment, but you can be sure that the finished product will be awesome.  They always do a fantastic job.  The finished product depends a lot on what we do to get there…..I can feel our Father close to me…..HE is reminding me of the perfect finished product….life everlasting with HIM in heaven….Perfect….the thing is….being God’s child is not always easy, life’s temptations are hard resist, stress, anxiety, pain are all around us,  but if we put our time in with HIM, using all the equipment HE gives us, HIS word, time with HIM in prayer, worship and fellowship with other Christians we will succeed….We are freely forgiven through the blood of HIS Son….now let’s put the equipment to good use…takes lots of people on the filming crew to get the job….we have lots of people on our crew too….family, friends, professionals, pastors, teachers, friends and family…..we are not alone!  God provides us with everything we need and will loving welcome us to HIM!  Thank you Father for making us member of Your crew~

 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:14.  The Lord is with you when you are with Him.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you.  2 Chronicles 15:2.  My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.  Ecclesiastes 2:10. It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  Ephesians 2:8.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.

Love you all!

Fearfully and wonderfully made

Hello Friends!  Blessings to you all on this magnificent Monday, loved my HIM!  I was looking for something this morning and ran across this awesome prayer.  Because you are all awesome in God’s sight I thought I should share this with each of you!!!!  Remember dear friends, we are never alone in this world, God has a plan for us and is with us to guide us each step of the our journey.  We simply must rest in the assurance of HIS love, trusting and believing in HIS will for us.  God bless you!  Love you all.

The eyes have it

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!  Yesterday I went to the eye doctor for a thorough exam; it had been several years since I had been (shame on me) and I knew that my eyes had changed.  In fact, to me, my vision had gotten so much worse that I was afraid something was going on with my eyes.  So, I was really anxious to have a good exam.  I went to a doctor I had not been to before, but was highly recommended and I was not disappointed!  After carefully testing my vision, he began the exam to determine the health of my eyes (remember I am not a spring chicken), first one test and then another….with his hi tech equipment he looked right into my eyes, in front, behind, on the sides he could clearly see every part of my eyes and the result was good!  He said my eyes are very healthy!  I was really happy with his diagnosis and sent up a quick thank you prayer as I went to pick out new frames….I left quite happy that my eyes are healthy and excited about my new glasses and better vision.  This morning as I was driving to work, I was thinking about my eye exam….it’s so cool that the doctor can use his equipment and look right into my eyes to see just what’s going on….Oh gosh, I thought…..what if you could look into our hearts and minds like that……look in at our thoughts and attitudes…..Wow, that’s a scary thought isn’t it….so often what we are thinking doesn’t match up with what we say or do…..We are all dressed up on the outside, but on the inside things may paint such a pretty picture…..On the inside we are not always “healthy.”  I felt sad as the realization hit me…..Our Father does look into our hearts and minds…..HE knows…..Father, my goodness, shame on us for working so hard to be pretty on the outside when it’s our “INSIDE” that needs working over.  We are so weak Father, in Your mercy, forgive us.  Father, draw us closer to You, guide us to be more like YOU, to reflect YOUR love, inside and out!

 

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  1 Peter 3:3-4.  The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  1 Samuel 16:7.  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.  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.  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30.  Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  Matthew 12:34. Love one another deeply, from the heart.  1 Peter 1:22.  The world and its desires pass away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.  1 John 2:17. 

Love you all!

 

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Administrative Services

Flat pancakes

Good Morning Friends!  Wise and Wonderful Wednesday!  So what kind of pancakes do you like?  Kim and I like whole wheat pancakes, but lately I have not been able to find our favorite mix anywhere!  At first I could get it at Walmart, then they stopped carrying it, but I found it at Nichol’s and Apple Market had it for a while too.  Now I can’t find it anywhere!!!  I have tried a couple of different “blends” but they were pretty blah.  In an attempt to take the bore out of our weekly pancakes I decided to google “whole wheat pancake mix” and see what happened.  After perusing the internet for a few minutes I came across a recipe that sounded interesting-Whole Wheat/Oatmeal Pancakes.  Healthy and tasty I thought, a bulk recipe that you keep in the freezer for multiple times!  I finally got around to mixing it together Monday evening, so I was really excited to try it yesterday.  It calls for buttermilk, so I put vinegar in milk in advance so it could curdle up real good!  Kim and I were both excited as he prepared to cook us a pancake….the batter looked quite interesting….I always say if everything in it is good how can it not be….Well, guess what….our special, healthy, tasty pancakes were flat…flatter than a pancake should be!  Yep, they did not rise one bit….what the heck I thought….All day I kept thinking about our flat pancakes wondering what had gone wrong…then I remembered the cobbler I had made last week.  I remembered thinking it sure didn’t rise very much…BAM, the light came on….the baking powder…..my baking powder must not be any good…..flat pancakes and flat cobbler….time to replace the baking powder for sure!  How sad all that mix with all those good, healthy ingredients wasted because of one simple ingredient….old baking powder ruined the whole batch….Flat pancakes…..Hmm…..gee…..could my life be the same as those flat pancakes….am I missing the one ingredient that makes me complete…..We can spend our time gathering earthly ingredients in hopes of having a “tasty” life,, but no “things” can do that alone…..there is one ingredient that makes our lives “tasty”  not flat….Jesus….without HIM in our lives all that we do and have is in vain…flat…..JESUS is the ONE ingredient we need!  He is our hope and our salvation!!!  Come Lord Jesus, be our guest in our hearts…in our minds….fill our spirits with love for YOU!

 

Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:19-21.  Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches….apart from me you can do nothing.”  Ohn 15:4-5.  God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16.  Jesus said:  “I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”  John 16;22.  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.    

Jesus Loves You!!!!!! 

 

No quick fixes

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully HIS, Tuesday!  I had to pull over and stop for a road grader on my road this morning…..nothing new lately.  Our road is full of potholes….think I have told you about them before, but trust me when I say it’s bad!  Well, lately the county sends out a road grader to fill them in.  They pull dirt from the side of the road and smooth it over the holes.  Oh, it’s better for a few days, but it just doesn’t last….filling the holes with dirt is a quick fix, but they really need to be filled with pavement, you know the stuff they use on roads….oil and gravel….materials that will adhere with staying power.  I was thankful that at least today my ride home would be a little smoother, rolled down my window, waved and thanked the man on the grader, all the time thinking sure wish they would fix these things right….so they would last.  As I pulled up to the stop sign, I had to smile….not sure if you looked at me you would see it, but our Father saw my heart smiling….I stopped and heard HIM….heard HIM reminding me that my life so often looks like a road full of potholes (I had to agree) and that I am so good at looking for quick fixes….chips and chocolate to calm my anxious mood, a new dress  to lift a gloomy spirt, slamming doors, hollering…..oh yea I feel better for a minute or two after a big bag of BBQ chips, and slamming the door when you are upset helps for the moment….but what I need ……is a permanent fix….something to adhere to me…to my heart and spirit….Oh Father, I am so sorry that I look for quick fixes when all the time You are there, arms wide open, waiting to hold me, comfort me, uplift and guide me through the rough spots in the road.   Enable me to come to YOU first…You offer the permanent fix for me….YOUR love is unending…it’s everywhere just waiting to swoop me up….fill my holes of sadness, anxiety, depression, sadness, anger with peace, joy, contentment, calm….Praise and thanksgiving….To You, our Father be all glory and praise.

 

Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough troubles of its own.  Matthew 6:33-34.  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  Matthew 7:7-8.  Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32.  We say with confidence.  “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:6.   May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  2 Thessalonians 3:16.  Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.  Jude 2.  The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.  Psalm 145:18. 

Love you all!

He always answers!

Good Morning Friends!!  Totally, thankfully HIS, Tuesday!!!  Got in the car as usual this morning (on time, thank you Father) and headed to work…as usual I called Kathyrn….well not quite as usual.  I called her but it didn’t ring….I looked at the phone to see if I had messed up, but it said Kathyrn just wasn’t ringing.  So, I hung up and tried again, nothing…then I noticed I had a voice mail.  What the heck…So, I listened to the voice mail….Initially, what I heard made me smile, but soon I was sad.  The voice on the message was sweet Katy J she was happy, anxious to talk to her Nana, “Nana, Nana, Nana, Naannaa….” At first she was so happy, but soon, when I didn’t answer her, her voice got louder, worried, and sad….Poor Katy, did not understand why her Nana didn’t answer her…she wanted….needed to talk her Nana, but I was not there….OK any grandmas or grandpas will understand how utterly terrible that made me feel…my heart felt broken as I thought, “oh she must think I don’t love her anymore.”  As I hung up the phone a warm peace came over me…..a smile from the inside out….although I was sad for Katy because she called and I didn’t answer….I was happy, thankful for us...we never have to leave a message on an answering machine for our Heavenly Father….Never!  He is always there….always answers…..oh sometimes we might not hear HIM…but that’s because of us not HIM…He is there, HE hears, and HE answers…..HE LOVES US….is ALWAYS there for us…..Call upon Me, HE tells us, I will hear you and take care of you….whatever it is that’s on your mind….bring it to ME….I LOVE YOU!  Thank you Father for always being there for us…..Help us to come to YOU with PRAISE and thanksgiving.

 

  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 eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and HIS ears are attentive to their prayer.  1 Peter 3:12.   “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.  “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear,”  says the Lord.  Isaiah 65:24.  Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and CALL upon ME in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor ME.”  Psalm 50:14-15. 

Love you all!

Water anyone?

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully loved by Him, Thursday!  I am a big water drinker; all day every day you can find me with a glass of water at my desk.  I like water….I know a lot of people think that’s crazy, but I really do.  I don’t drink it just because I am thirsty, I drink it because I like it, much better than soda or tea….Yes, I am a water drinker.  I have just begun working out at the gym with a trainer….oh my…..I have always been an advocate of exercise and eating right, but never had a trainer.  Well, in the past year, I’m ashamed to say, I have really been lax in the exercising and eating right departments and it is showing!  Oh yes both my physical body and my attitude are in need of some “working out.”  Hence, with a little encouragement from a friend and lots of prayer I am working out with a trainer!  So far I feel great!  Of course I am sore, but no pain no gain right!!!!!  Yesterday when I finished my workout, I was quite sure I was going to collapse in shear exhaustion and I was so thirsty, my throat was parched and I just knew if I didn’t get to water fast I was in trouble.  Yep, I was thirsty, really thirsty, more thirsty than I can remember being for a long time….I headed to the water fountain and had a good drink, then walked a couple of laps to cool down a bit….Back at my desk I continued to drink water all afternoon…This morning reading God’s word I ran across a verse in John 7 that I had read many times in my life, but in light of my “thirst” yesterday it took on a whole new meaning.  On the last day of a 7 day feast, Jesus addressed the crowd in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”  My thoughts immediately went to my thirst yesterday……I read on, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (verses 37-38).  Wow….living water….The water I drank yesterday quenched my thirst from exercise, but the water we get through the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus quenches the fires of sin and death….washes us clean, fill us with the Holy Spirit…..Going to Jesus and drinking of HIS water of the Spirit we have life eternal with him to look forward to and that’s all we need!!  I am looking forward to getting into better shape through my workouts, but looking forward to life everlasting with HIM is what it’s all about!  Father, thank you for quenching us with the blood of Your Son.

 

Jesus answered, (speaking to the woman at the well)  “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  John 4:13-14.  Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”  John 3:5-6. Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, as He who promised is faithful.  Hebrews:10 22-23. 

Water anyone????  Love you all!

His most extraordinary, everyday blessings!

Good Morning Friends!  Totally, thankfully HIS, Tuesday!!!   This morning driving to work, I was thinking….”hope things are just a bit less hectic today….”  I was distracted when I saw cows in a pasture with grass at least a foot tall, poking their heads through the fence trying to get something on the other side….my gosh they had lush, green grass, in August right in front of them.  Couldn’t help but think dumb, greedy cows…they are so ungrateful for what they have!  I just couldn’t believe my eyes, but soon turned my thoughts back to a less hectic day….OH MY GOSH, BAM!!!!  DUMB and GREEDY….UNGRATEFUL!!  Those adjectives could easily apply to me…..for heaven’s sake….I am driving to work….First of all in these troubled times I have a great job!  Next, I am driving to it in my little black car….Yes, I live in the country and gas is high, but….did you hear me???  I live in the country, surrounded by lush, green pastures, tall trees, ponds and lots of critters….I live there….oh dear.  My job, is inside of a beautiful office, full of awesome friends and co-workers…My goodness, the friends I have made while at my job are such a huge blessing in my life…not to mention all the benefits…..After work, I go home to a loving, hard-working husband and our little dog Axle and almost always I hear from at least one of my out of state grandkids or maybe a visit from Cooper and Katy.  Last night I invited Katy for a Nana bath; Cooper was at firemen’s with Papa, so it would just be us girls.  They love their “Nana bath”  and it gives me so much joy….they are so grateful to have a bath at my house (of course I do have some really cool stuff for the tub)….a simple bath….Oh and it ended up firemen’s was short so Cooper got to have a “Nana bath” too and then we all sat on the porch and visited until the mosquitos ran us in.  While Harper was here one day Cooper asked her if she had ever had a Nana bath….how special is that?  He didn’t want her to miss out on the fun….shame on me for being ungrateful for even one second, when I have so much, my heart is so full…overflowing with HIS most extraordinary, everyday blessings!   Harper told Cooper, “Oh yes Cooper, I was having Nana baths long before you were even born!  Oh my, I have been blessed to be a Nana for a long time….Shame on me Father when I seem to be greedy and ungrateful for even a minute….I am so blessed by YOU and to be YOUR child…..Let my heart continually sing Your praises!

 

Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.  1 Timothy 4:4.  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (every one, big or little).  12 Corinthians 9:15.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:19-20.  Amen! 

Love you all!