Philippians 4:6-7

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully loved and forgiven by HIM, Tuesday!  Due to circumstances beyond my control I have some extra responsibilities to take care of and I am totally stressed out….overwhelmed…..walking in circles…..nearing wits end, I feel like screaming!!!  Consequently, my attitude is in the gutter…yes friends, I am not denying that at this moment I am truly a grumpy old woman!!!!!  Just a minute ago, I turned my daily calendar page and read the scripture verse for today….Luke 5:16, “And He (Jesus) withdrew Himself in the wilderness, and prayed.”  Oh my…..Jesus must have been stressed out too….too much swirling around in my mind to accomplish anything……Maybe I need to follow Jesus example and withdraw and pray…..Yea….I need to withdraw from the stress, the responsibilities and go to HIM….give to HIM…give every detail of the tasks at hand.  He cares, truly cares about the most insignificant details in our lives.….find peace….clarity….energy….and an attitude that gives HIM all glory!  Yes, I do have a lot to do, but I know that if I go to HIM first and keep HIM with me all the way, every day, I will succeed…..To HIS glory and that’s what it’s all about!  I come to You most Awesome God for an extreme attitude adjustment!  First and foremost forgive my gross attitude, uplift and energize me to get the job done, to YOUR GLORY! 

 

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 I Jesus Christ.  Philippians 4:6-7.  Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty.  I don’t concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me.  But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother.  Yes, like a small child is my soul within me.  Psalm 131:1-2.  May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  2 Thessalonians 3:16.

Love you all!

 

Angels watching over you

Good Morning Friends!!!  Wondrously wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!!   I just love it when fall finally rolls around again!  Oh I’m sure our hot days are not over, but Monday evening did officially mark the beginning of fall!  And I was ready!  As soon as I got home and got Kim fed, I headed to the front porch to clean up a bit and get ready to hang my pumpkin and turkey lights!  Gosh I just love my lights on the porch…it’s just one strand of white mini lights, loosely stung, but I change them with the seasons.  Beginning with fall, I alternate pumpkins (jack o lanterns actually) and turkeys.  Simple little plastic ornaments, but I just love the white lights shining through them, especially in the long winter evenings!  Well, it’s become a tradition the last couple of years to endorse the help of Cooper and Katy (my 5 and 4 year old grandkids) to help me with the fun task.  So after cleaning up the porch I headed to their house to beg Mom to let me take them for a little while….my trip was successful.  Katy and I got the ornaments out of the closet and the three of us got to work.   They were so good at taking turns handing me pumpkins and turkeys…..We hadn’t hung too many when I discovered an angel ornament that I had missed taking down after Christmas…..somehow it had gotten hidden….all summer long, never once had I noticed the beautiful angel hanging in the front window of the porch…..I showed the kids and they were so excited….we all did a little happy dance about the hiding angel and left her right there in the front window with the pumpkins and turkeys.  As soon as they were all hung, Cooper got the honor of turning the lights on; another happy dance and to celebrate….ice cream.  I took them home and headed back to the house, anxious to check out our lights and see if I could possibly find the angel…..I just couldn’t believe I had missed it and never once spotted it hanging there.  Well, try as I may, I could not see the angel from the road….. right then, I suddenly felt….so warm, a safe, comforting warm…..I knew that I was not alone, His arms were encompassing me……He was not alone either…..a company of angels were with HIM…..the angels that HE provides for us…..all the time, everyday, in every way and place…..even though we do not ever see them…..Thank you Father, I know we keep YOU and Your angels real busy…..whatever would we do without YOU to comfort our sad, heal our sick, guide our confusion, calm our anxious, and share our joys.  All Praise to You Father!

 

For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  Psalm 91:11-12.  Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?  Hebrews 1:14.  God said, “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.”  Exodus 23:20.  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and He delivers them.  Psalm 34:7.  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 goodwill to men.”  Luke 2 13-14.

A little piece of home

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Awesome is our God, Monday!  Yesterday began as a typical Sunday morning at church; I was finishing up my Sunday school superintendent duties, you know offering, attendance, leaving Pastor a copy of attendance on his desk…the usual; as I came out of his office I noticed we had visitors looking at our bulletin board.  I stopped, said good morning and introduced myself….the wife turned to me, took my outstretched hand and said “Tina”  then her husband shook my hand, “Keith, and this is our daughter Jessica.”  I started to ask them where they were from when Keith got the oddest look on his face, he raised his hand kind of pointing at me and slowly said, “this is a stretch, but are you from Terra Bella?”  Oh my gosh my heart leaped as I said “yes.”  He said, “you were my Sunday school teacher.”  We were both in a state of shock!  Indeed, Keith’s parents were friends of mine at my home church in Terra Bella, California….many years ago…..my mom’s family were founders of the church and Keith’s family long, long time members so our families had known each other and worshiped together for decades…..I get goose bumps right now just thinking about such a wonderful coincidence…..I was so excited as I drug them around introducing to my current church family….Keith was excited too!  I had to go finish up with the kids, Jessica was quite willing to go and meet them, so off we went.  As soon as Sunday school was over I found Keith and Tina, introduced them to more people and asked if I could sit with them.  I was so excited I wasn’t sure I could sit still and of course I had to introduce them formerly during announcements…Gosh, what a wonderful coincidence I thought all through the service, my mind raced with memories from all those years ago, smiling, remembering what a cute little boy Keith had been (nice looking man now, I must add).  After the service, as we were getting ready to say our goodbyes, Keith expressed how happy he was that we had meet again after so many years.  In a serious voice he said, “I feel like I got a little piece of home.”  Hugging him I had to agree, it was all I could do to hold back the tears as Tina expressed that even though she had not ever been to California, she felt a “piece of home too.”  As Tina and I hugged I was filled with a  special peace….a peace and joy beyond human understanding…..oh this reunion was no “coincidence”  no way…..This was our Mighty Awesome God at work with a gift of love for Keith, Tina, and me, that we didn’t even know we needed, but HE did…And the piece of home we felt was unity and love of a Christian family….shared faith in our ONE TRUE GOD and SAVIOR…..a piece of home on earth, a foretaste of the HOME we will share in heaven with our FATHER….oh my goodness….goose bumps for sure!  Father thank you for such precious, special blessings that we sure do not deserve….thank you FATHER for the awesome bond we share with YOUR children….You pour your love over us in ways that we cannot even fathom….Thank you Father, all honor, glory and praise to YOU!

 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:8-9.  Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies.  Psalm 36:5.  From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children.  Psalm 103:17.   So we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in Him.  1 John 4:16.  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!

Every day is praiseworthy

Good Afternoon Friends!  Mighty marvelous is our God, Monday!  Gosh we had the best weekend!  For my birthday, Kim planned a little weekend away for us; we left Friday morning and spent the whole weekend in OKC!  We had a nice hotel, ate out at cool places and spent the whole day on Saturday at the fair!  I was so excited about a whole weekend of no cooking, dishes, chores that by the time we left on Friday, I was acting like a little kid at Christmas.  I enjoyed every minute of our time, we laughed so much and had so much fun I really hated to think about coming home, back to the real world.  So, I have to admit that as we loaded the car and hit the road  home, I was feeling a bit down….Oh poor me I thought, back home to the drudgery, work, chores, dirty house, cooking….dishes… oh how nice it was to not have any dishes to do!  I was fairly quiet, wallowing in my self-pity…poor me….I’m not sure how far we were from home when….it hit me….Well, you know who…..knocking a bit of sense into me.  “Kathie” HE said, “remember that nice birthday card you got that talked about the gift of a day?  You wrote about it, remember?”  That’s  when the light came on….SHAME ON ME!!!  How could I be so selfish….How could I think that one day is any less of a blessing than another!  How could I think that a day in OKC with no dishes is more praise worthy than a day in my home, or at my job, or cleaning kennels, or….And could I ever appreciate getting away if it was the usual…better yet….how could I really appreciate home….if I didn’t get away….Oh yes Father, first and foremost forgive me….forgive my ungrateful attitude….and thank you Father for the blessing of each day that You make for us….at home or away….You are there and that makes every day extra special! 

 

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.   (at home or away)  Philippians 4:11-12.  A happy heart makes the face cheerful.  Proverbs 15:13.  Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:18.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!!!  (at home or away)  1 Corinthians 15:57.  Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, overflowing with thankfulness.  Colossians 2:7. 

Love you all

Each day is a gift

Good Morning Friends!   Totally, thankfully, HIS Tuesday!  Yesterday I got yet another birthday card in the mail!  Gosh I got so many cards this year, wonder if that’s because I am getting so much older!  This was a beautiful card from a special friend, silly girl had already sent me a funny card, this one is sweet.  It’s what it says on the front that got me to thinking!  A quote from Goethe, “Nothing is worth more than this day.”  Of course in light of this being a birthday card it is of course making reference to my birthday, but my thoughts went further….nothing is worth more than any day, right….because God makes each day especially for us…..”This is the day the Lord has made….”  Each day is a gift from HIM, some days are seemingly better than others, but each day was made with love by our FATHER.  So, what are we going to do with each day….each blessing from HIM…..Our daily blessings are abundant, oh I know we all gripe about being broke, too much to do, kids are brats, husband a pain…..but count the blessings in each of those subjects!!!  Are you hungry?  Naked?  Living on the street?  We are blessed each day….Let’s REJOICE, PRAISE HIM, HONOR AND BLESS HIM WITH OUR ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES!  Nothing is worth more than PRAISING our Father each day….each day…that HE lovingly makes for us….each of us….We are all HIS children!  Tenderly loved and forgiven TODAY, TOMORROW, and each day of our lives.  All Honor and Glory to You our AWESOME Father God!

 

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything (everyday) give thanks.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge I 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.  The Almighty says:  “See if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”  Malachi 3:10.  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.  2 Thessalonians 2:16. 

 

Love you all!