Are you ready?

Good Morning Friends!  Totally trusting in HIS loving care, Tuesday!!!  Over the weekend, Kim and I (and we had a great helper) finished getting all of our wood in for winter.  Got it all stacked nice and neat and even took a load up to our little cabin, got propane delivered on Friday, and Kim has everything ready to begin winter feeding of the cows.  Saturday afternoon we were feeling pretty proud of ourselves….we are all ready for winter…..last couple of years we were hauling wood all winter long and propane…waiting until there was an odor to call them……yep might even say we were a little smug as we went in patting ourselves on the back….all READY for winter!  Back in the house, I got to the laundry and then hit the shower…..standing there under the warm water, thinking about our accomplishments….my mind took a turn…..a really big one you know like a 180…..oh wow!!!!!!  Oh yea, Kim and I are ready for winter, and that is important here on this earth, but are we ready for what really matters….Are our hearts and minds centered on HIM, is our faith strong in the one true God……Are we READY!  Father we know you are preparing a place for us, keep us ever faithful….READY…..to spend eternity with 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 be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4.  Jesus said, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.  I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he come in the second or third watch of the night.  But understand this:  If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.  You also must be READY, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”  Luke 12:35-40.  Jesus said, “I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”  John 16:22.

Love you all!

A vaccination for our attitude!

Good Morning Friends!  Forever HIS, Friday!   Well, it’s no secret, it’s time for our flu vaccinations!  Couldn’t forget it if we tried because everywhere you turn, drug stores, newspaper, TV, doctor’s office we are reminded.  Clinics are popping up all over which is really nice, makes it easy for us to get the job done.  Two years ago when our great grandson, Tucker was born, Hailey asked Papa and I to get the whooping cough vaccination; I have been seeing lots of advertisement for the shingles vaccination and now they are working on a vaccination for Ebola.  I can remember when I was just a little kid standing in a long, long line at a big building to get the new vaccination for Polio.  Seems like it was on a sugar cube…..and then there was that yucky vaccination for Small Pox, some of you will remember how it left a scar on our arms.  I’m not sure how I got so intent on vaccinations the last few days, but I sure have…..and I had a thought….a great big thought that has been gnawing away at me like a dog with a juicy bone……wouldn’t it be great if we could get a vaccination for our attitudes!  My goodness, I must admit I have been sporting quite a toxic one lately…..and the thought of it being contagious really made me stop and think….seems like I can find fault in just about everyone and everything lately….little situations that are really insignificant really tick me off….and I’m not so  quiet about it…Hmm how does that make the person listening to me feel…ick!  And it seems like I have been a magnet to gossip….and definitely not holding back on my opinion.  Yep, my attitude is definitely not well….and what’s coming out of my mouth is reflecting that….Oh my, what does God’s word say about that…”With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be.  Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?  My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?  Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”  James 3:9-11.  Wow…I wake up in the morning praising our Father, read HIS word, pray to HIM and then… "Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let Him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  Oh Father I want this wisdom, YOUR WISDOM, because…. "Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” Bible verses from James 3:13-17.  Father, forgive my unbridled tongue and mind and help me to reflect You in all I say and do.

Love you all!

 

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Are you in a fog?

Good Morning Friends!  Wrapped in HIS loving arms Wednesday!  My ride to work this morning was interesting at best…leaving my house there was a high fog or haze, but as I continued the fog got thicker…at least in spots!  I was driving along pretty much at normal speed when BAM I hit a thick wall of fog.  You know the kind you can’t see through….I slowed way down and really concentrated on the road.  Gosh, I hate fog, so disorienting…then BAM….it was clear as a bell again.  High fog, but the road was clear again, aww, I took a deep breath, thankful.  I was just getting my speed up again when….BAM….POW…hit it again….so thick, I couldn’t see more than a couple feet in front of me.  Again,  slowed way down…the fog was so thick that I felt…well….it was kind of a scary, unknown feeling….I hadn’t gone too far when….BAM….clear again!  Traveling the same road, but encountering such different conditions…..As I got on the highway the fog was really high, but I couldn’t help but think about my travels on 1600….hmm….kind of like our lives….as we travel through life we never know when we our going to hit a thick patch of fog….fog of financial worries, sick or troubled kids, health issues for us or our family, turbulent relationships, over-worked, stressed out and anxious we hit the fog.  We become disoriented…..not knowing which way to go, what conditions may be awaiting us….frightened….And then the road becomes clear again, the fog lifts….As I got close to town the high fog actually broke to display beautiful clouds enhanced by rising sun….pinks, blues, and purples enhanced the gigantic, puffy clouds…..I knew then that God, our Father, was speaking to me….I felt HIS presence, HIS peace…..Thank you Father for the reminder that we are never alone, no matter what we encounter on the road of this life, we know that YOU are with us….Just waiting for us to call on YOU…..YOU guide us lovingly through the foggy patches as well the clear ones….OH FATHER, help us to never forget. 

 

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.  I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night (or in the fog) my heart instructs me.  I have set the Lord always before me.  Because He is at my right hand,  I will not be shaken.  Psalm 16:7-8.  You will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me (no matter how thick the fog) with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:12-13.  Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires wit good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  Psalm 103:2-5.

Shine your light!

Good Morning Friends!  Forever in HIS LIGHT, Friday!  A couple days ago, Kim had a man scheduled to come from Bristow and buy a bunch of feeders that Kim and I had made.  They were so big that he was bringing a semi and Kim would have to load them with the back hoe; this was no biggie they were all in a nice easily accessible pasture and he was scheduled to be there at 2 pm.  Kim and I had planned to unload and stack firewood when I got home, however when I got home, the man was just on his way….Oh boy….another late night.  Well, he finally got there a little after 6, so Kim headed out on back hoe….me…..I pulled on my leather gloves and hit the firewood!  I had just been in the house for a little while when I got a call from Kim, they were about done, but he needed hydraulic oil for the hoe.  It was totally dark by then, but I found the oil and headed to where they were loading out.  Wow, it was so dark, how could they even see to get the job done.  I turned the car around and pointed the headlights where they were adding the oil.  I was so tired and still needed to cook, but my conscience wouldn’t let me leave them in the dark to finish.  Kim had to go into the pasture and load the feeders and it was dark!  So, I carefully pulled my little back car into the pasture, found the last of the feeders and positioned the car so the lights shined for Kim to see the feeders and safely load them.  Job done I headed back to the house to get to dinner!  As I pulled into the driveway, I felt the familiar tap on my shoulder, actually it was more like HIS arm around me pulling me close to HIM.  “Hi FATHER, what’s going on?”  “Well, Kathie sure glad you stayed and shined the headlights so the men didn’t have to flounder in the darkness……MY LIGHT….sweet child….is always there to guide you, to shine love on you, to keep you from being afraid….MY LIGHT protects you, there’s no need for you to ever flounder in darkness I am always there lighting the way, and MY LIGHT warms you, comforts you, shields you from the dangers of darkness….MY LIGHT shines endlessly, MY LOVE for you is eternal…Go, reflect MY LIGHT!”  I felt so warm and safe….Thank you Father for the gentle reminder of YOUR ETERNAL LIGHT of LOVE for us!

 

You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.  With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.  2 Samuel 22:29-30.  Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”  Let the light of Your face shine upon us, O Lord.  You have filled my heart with great joy than when their grain and new wine abound.  I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:6-8.  The Lord is my light and my salvation of whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1.  Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.  They rejoice in Your name all day long; they exult in Your righteousness.  Psalm 89:15-16.

Love you all!

HIS strength is never zapped!

Good Morning Friends!!!  Wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!  Yesterday after I got off work, Kim had a couple chores we needed to do….first, at long last we got to move Chloe and Eyore (my miniature donkeys) from wayyyyyyyyyy back behind the house back to their regular little home in the front yard where I can see them from my kitchen window.  At a certain point they run out of grass there so we have to put them out in another pasture and I miss seeing them and giving them treats every day.  So last night was the time, I was excited, but had not considered their temperaments after a lengthy stay in a big pasture….oh my goodness, did Kim and I ever have a run (literally) for our money!!!!  But finally, they walked right into to their pen…..darn stubborn donkeys.  OK, that done we headed to a neighbor’s house to get a hay ring made specifically for horses/donkeys!  I wasn’t sure exactly what “picking up” the feeder would entail, but was sure I was up for it.  Hmm, it was huge and quite heavy I might add and I was a bit apprehensive as I listened to Kim telling me how we would lift it up and slid on the back of the truck….alrighty then….here we go.  Not without some grunting and groaning we completed the job and headed home…..to unload it in the their pen.  Oh boy, I got out and got Kim backed up to fence, helped him unstrap it and took my position to help hoist it over the fence….Oh my gosh, this is so heavy and I am so tired….the thought ran through my mind, “good grief, this is no job to attempt at the end of a long day!  First thing in the morning ok, I’m all over it, but now, 7 pm, worked all day…..not sure I can do it.”  And Kim was not much better off than me, he had worked really hard all day and was ready to be done….take off his boots and relax!  Well, it wasn’t pretty, but we did finally manage to get it unloaded; Kim headed to the house while I went to feed rabbits and lock up the chickens….Gosh I thought, “sure am glad that our Heavenly Father never gets tired….morning, noon or the middle of the night!  No siree, HE is always up for the task, whatever it is that we might need….HIS strength is never zapped, HE’S never worn out from a long day, overwhelmed by too much to do….Our FATHER is on the job, all-knowing, all-powerful, all the time!  Oh Father, me oh my, thank you for never being too tired for us.  We are so blessed.  Increase our faith and gratitude to Your glory!

 

 

For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of a the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.  Isaiah 25:4.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the stronghold of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.  He who fears the Lord has a strong fortress.  Proverbs 14:26. “ I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”  Revelation 1:8. 

Love you all!

 

Kathie A. Johnson

His Word is all around us

Good Morning Friends!   “O earth, earth, earth hear the word of the Lord.”   I cannot get these words from Jeremiah 22:29 out of my mind; it was the verse on my daily calendar yesterday and ever since I pulled it off I cannot stop thinking about the words….so powerful…..so…..commanding, yet so simple……hear the word….of the LORD!!!!  Not once, not twice, but three times…..earth, earth, earth no misunderstanding here….this is for us…hear the word of the LORD…So guess I better start going to church a few more times a week and make sure I listen to sermons on the radio…..oh look at those turkeys in the pasture, wow must be a hundred of them, oh and is that a doe and her fawn on the hill?  Hey, did you see the lunar eclipse yesterday morning, awesome and the stars were so vibrant, took my breath away.  Oh you should see the pictures of Tucker and Tanleigh that a friend that has Facebook (I don’t) shared with me…oh such precious babies “Children’s children are a crown to the aged….Proverbs 17: 6 .Richard’s daughter’s surgery went well “Praise the Lord….who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…Psalm 103:3.  And my niece and her husband are moving into their new house this weekend, they waited so long to find it “who satisfies your desires with good things” Ps 103:5……leaves are beginning to turn and rain is coming…” He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”  Job 8:21.  Oh but I have so much to do, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  Proverbs 16:3  and so many bills to pay, Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22.  Oh my goodness Father…..I hear….Your word…..in every breath I take, in every piece of your creation, my family, friends, work, play……..YOU are THERE…..Let me always hear You and Praise YOU!  Grow in the grace and knowledge of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever!  2 Peter 3:18.  Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  HEAR HIM!  Psalm 100:1-2.

Love you all!  PS.  You still need to go to church…..Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy!!!!  But you can sure hear HIS word all week long, all around you!

 

Off with the old, on with the new

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Marvelous is our God, Monday! If you could see my yard and chicken coop you would think that the poor chickens had been in a major war!  There are feathers everywhere, white ones, black ones, red ones….feathers….Good thing is all the feathers my girls have lost are being replaced by brand new, beautiful feathers.  This whole process is called molting and happens, in a normal year, during the early fall.  It had been a couple of years since my girls had really gone through a good molting, so I had forgotten how bad they look during the process.  Poor things, practically naked while they shed their old feathers and wait their new ones.  Finally, the new feathers are really coming in and most of my girls are looking much better….I am so glad, bless their hearts they just looked pathetic.  Off with the old and on with new………”Father, is that you?”  “Yes, Kathie, it’s Me….I was wondering if you realize the significance of what you just said?”  “What’s that Father?  Off with the old and on with the new?  Yea, so they lose their old feathers, looking quite shabby for a while and then get beautiful new feathers….so, what’s Your point?”  “Well, my child….that’s the way it is with you, all my children, as you grow in faith, you shed your old ways, your worldly ways and replace them with My ways, My love takes over your heart, mind and body as you become My precious child, dearly loved, cherished, forgiven.  Off with the old and on with the new…..through My love and forgiveness you are as beautiful as your hens with new feathers!”  Oh Father, thank you for loving us so much that You make us new through Your love….sin makes us as ugly as these poor hens, but You Father make us beautiful in Your sight.  All honor, glory, and praise to You!

 

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.  2 Corinthians 5:17-18.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  Galatians 2:20.  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off our old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in the knowledge in the image of its Creator.  Colossians 3:9-10.  Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.

Love you all!