Everlasting SONshine!

Good Morning Friends!  Wondrously wrapped in HIS loving arms Wednesday!   This winter and it’s drabness has, seems to me, been the gloomiest one I remember for a long time too….the sun is having a terrible time coming out to shine on us….must say I was really happy to see it for a little while yesterday, but today, cloudy again.  I have gained empathy for people (my grandkids) that live in places like Alaska and Sweden (Ryan) where there is relatively no sunlight for several month and understand why depression, alcoholism, and suicide are so high there.  We need the sun to thrive….oh yes we crave that natural vitamin D…so at times like this winter it’s natural to feel down at times.  Every day someone, including me, whines about the lack of sun….I just love all the fun flavors of body wash these days!  I don’t usually pay much attention to the name just the ingredients, but for some reason this morning as I climbed into the shower my eyes went right to my recently purchased bottle of body wash…..Everlasting Sunshine….that’s the name of my body wash…..Everlasting Sunshine…..I knew that our Father had a lesson for me…..and it didn’t take me long to get it…..We have Everlasting SONshine every day of our lives…..God’s SON, our Jesus, shines HIS Everlasting love and forgiveness on us day in and day out……Life may seem gloomy, clouds of worry, pain, heartache hanging over us, but don’t fret needlessly….We are glowing in Everlasting SONshine!  We need the SON to thrive in faith hope and love….everlasting!  Thank you Father, for the light of Your SON no matter how gloomy things seem around us…..help us put our hope in His glow and thrive!  And Father thank you for the sunshine that is headed our way!

 

Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”  Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.  You have fill my heart with greater joy than when their grain and wine abound.  I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:6-8.  Why are you downcast, O  my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 4:11.  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 2:29-30.  For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.  O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.  Psalm 84:11-12.

Love you all.

He Yearns for Our Touch

Good Morning Friends!  True and Tender is our God, Tuesday.  I had the most amazing week last week….a whole week in Fairbanks, AK with Hailey, Clark and my precious great grandson, Tucker!  Blessings overflowing from the minute I arrived until, I sadly left on Saturday…..sitting at the airport alone, I began reflecting on the special times during the week.  There were tons of laughs, too many happy smiles to even count, and the conversations, especially with 18 month old Tucker, were stimulating!  Oh so many precious memories, but the event that touched my heart most deeply was rocking Tucker to sleep….We would sit in the big rocker, snuggled in a blanket all cuddled up;  at first a bit restless, but he soon settled down, as we rocked I could feeling him relaxing in my arms, his breathing slowing, deep and then… just as I felt he was almost asleep, he reached up with his little hand and touched my face, his tiny fingers gently caressing me….my heart….oh my heart was bursting with love, the joy overwhelming….a brief touch…..precious….irreplaceable…..sitting alone in the airport, reflecting on that moment I could not hold back a smile…a smile building from the inside….glowing on the outside.  Pure joy from that little hand touching my face…..My thoughts turned to our Heavenly Father, as I sat there I began thanking Him for the joy of Tucker’s touch……Oh Father, I can only imagine how You must yearn for our touch….for us to reach up to You, touch You and receive Your endless mercy, grace……love.  Thank you Father for filling our lives with joys overflowing, precious memories, and love.  Help us to remember all that we have, every blessing is from You….thank you for Your tender caresses……

 

People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have Him touch them.  When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Luke 18:15-16.  Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  Colossians 2:7.  Let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  1 John 4:7-8.  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!  Matthew 7:11.  Amen!  Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever.  Amen!  Revelation 7:12.

Love you all!

 

Kathie A. Johnson

July 19, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!  About 14 years ago my sister sent Kim and I some very special T-shirts; mine says, “Nana’s my name, spoiling my game” and Kim’s says, “Papa’s my name, spoiling my game.”  We loved them, and so began a tradition of wearing them to the airport when we went to pick them up for a visit and when we took them back to send them home!  Year in and year out each summer or winter visits to Alaska (I just put a turtle neck under mine) we wore our Nana/Papa shirts with love and pride!  The girls came to expect seeing us in them…….So last Tuesday as we were watching Hannah and Harper go through security at the airport, heading home after a wonderful visit, Papa and I were both shocked at Harper’s last words to us……”You didn’t wear your T-shirts!”  We looked at each other….horrified…..HOW COULD WE FORGET OUR T-SHIRTS!!!!!   They were both waving and smiling that, “we gotcha” smile as I said over and over again how sorry I was….Papa too!  As we headed back to the car, we both just shook our heads in disbelief….How in the world did we forget our T-shirts!!!  I truly felt like the worst Nana in the whole world, even though they both reassured me it was OK, I just couldn’t stop thinking about how disappointed they must have been….and then I got the most delightful idea!  While they were visiting, they talked their dad into sending me an old ipad that they no longer use because they have I phones…..Hannah got it all set up for me and taught me how to use it so that I could face-time with Tucker and them…..How special is that!!!!  So exciting for me and Papa!!!!  Wednesday was our first time….it was Tucker’s first birthday and to be able to see him crawling around, playing with his new toys and sing to him was a true joy…..a special blessing…..that happened because Hannah and Harper had a love-filled idea and acted on it…..and then we forgot our T-shirts…..oh heck, hang on….I know what Papa and I can do…..We can face-time them…..wearing our special T-SHIRTS!!!!  I was so excited to have a chance to make it up to them……last night was the special night….Papa and I got our shirts on and I called Hannah to see if they could face-time.  She said sure, so I connected on the ipad and WaLa!!!!  Hannah and Harper got a T-shirt fashion show!  I am not sure who was more excited the girls or me….I truly had the special “warm fuzzy” feeling….in my heart. I must admit that modern technology does have its plus side!  Warm fuzzies are a special blessing……Grandchildren truly are an endless source…..let’s learn from them and find someone that needs a “warm fuzzy” today…..I know our Heavenly Father will smile on us…..He is the Master of special blessings and warm fuzzies!   Thank you Father for filling our lives with special little joys that warm our hearts.  Help us to pass it on!

Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.  Hebrews 13:16.  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.  Hebrews 13:2   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.  (and everyone loves a warm fuzzy).  Matthew 7:12…….the greatest of these is love….

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson

June 19, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Wondrously wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!  Gosh, I am having a hard time waking up this morning…..I feel way too tired for 9 am!  Monday night we didn’t get near enough sleep, so last night we were determined to get to bed earlier….and we did!  Both of us were sleeping quite soundly when my phone rang….took us both just a second to rouse enough to answer.  Seems that in her excitement of sharing good news, our Hailey forgot about the 3 hour time difference…..Alaska is 3 hours behind us…..hence her evening was young while ours….well……The news was wonderful, Clark got the job he was hoping for, worthy of being shared for sure….but waking from a sound sleep can sure be disruptive to the rest of the night.  Sure enough, neither Kim nor I could go back to sleep….we tossed and turned, even turned on the TV for a while…..but it took us quite a while to drift back to sleep!  Hence, feeling a little tired…..sitting in my chair this morning, getting ready to spend some time with our Heavenly Father, I was really wishing I could wake up…..could be a long day……then I thought of how excited Hailey was when I answered the phone….as soon as she heard my voice she knew I had been asleep; she immediately began apologizing….She felt so bad because she had awakened us, but really wanted to share their good news.  We talked for just a minute, I told her how happy we were, and then she said once again how sorry she was and told me goodbye……Oh my…….I thought, smiling from the inside….sure am glad our Heavenly Father is awake 24/7……awake, ready and anxious to share in our joys and carry our burdens….He is never groggy from being awakened, needs no time come to His senses…..just always there, arms wide open….for you and for me….anytime!   Father, thank you loving us 24/7….help us to be examples of Your love even when we are sleepy!  And Father thank you for the blessing of Clark’s job! 

 

“With everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you, “  says the Lord your Redeemer.  Isaiah 54:8. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.  Psalm 33:21.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trust I Him and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.  Psalm 28:7.  Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  Psalm 100:1-2.  Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:20.

Love you all!

 

April 17, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!  Yesterday afternoon Kim and I took Hailey, Clark, and Tucker to the airport in Dallas…..from Dallas to Fairbanks, AK…..the first leg of a new adventure in their lives…..moving back to Fairbanks.  The last couple of months, knowing that they were leaving have been quite difficult for Papa and I.  Of course, we love them so very much, and always want what’s best for them, but I must admit my first reaction was more selfish than loving.  Yes, at first I even questioned our Heavenly Father…asking Him why He would bring them to Lula to live, bless us with Tucker and then BAM!  Take them away……Alaska is a long ways from Lula!  We listened to their reasons and their plans, teased them endlessly about staying and then helped them pack up, and finally yesterday took them to the airport with lots of great big bags!  It took all of us to get everything checked in, my job…..taking care of Tucker!  Finally the moment had come, we had to say goodbye.  I found someone to take our picture, lots of hugs and kisses…..tears…..and the final goodbye.  Kim and I walked silently to the car, tears streaming down our faces wondering how long it would be till we see our precious Hansen family again.  We got in the car and headed out of the airport towards home, silent at first and then Kim broke the silence….”Well, at least they got to have the country experience for a while.  They have really grown and matured.”  I agreed….and then….peace….do I feel peace?  I asked myself…..I think I do…..but I just put my first-born granddaughter, her sweet husband, our grandson, Clark and our first great-grandson on an airplane to Alaska…to live.  How can I feel peace?  I am devastated, broken hearted, sad…..peace…..there can’t be any room for peace in my heart…Oh wait….”OK Father…..I feel you…..I hear you…..Yes, forgive me….I know You supply peace beyond human understanding…yes that’s what I am feeling!  I just have to let You in don’t I?  But Father they will be so far away and I worry about them…..Oh Ok, OK…..yes…..I do know that You are with them…they love you and You will guide and protect them…..Thank you Father…..Thank you Father for the blessing of having Hailey, Clark, and Tucker in Lula with us for almost 3 years.  Gosh we are so blessed!  Father thank you for finding me and filling me with Your peace when I am wallowing in self-pity.  Forgive me.

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7.  The God of peace will be with you.  Philippians 4:9.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11.  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 be afraid.”  John 14:27.  To everything there is a season, and a purpose to everything under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:1.

Love you all!