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!

February 5, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty and awesome is our God, Monday!  Well, Kim’s trip to Kansas last week was productive….he got his cows….3 year old, black angus and all pregnant.  He was quite excited Friday evening waiting for them to be delivered.  The trucker called about 7 and said he should be there about 9.  Sure enough he called right about 9, so Kim and a neighbor meet him at the fire department so he wouldn’t get lost.  Kim came in about 10 all excited.  “We are going to brand them tomorrow!”  Just last week he got an electric brand he had ordered…he was quite proud of our lazy K-hanging J brand.  A good brand is really important for cattle owner’s protection.  We got up early, Saturday and got to work on our regular chores, so he could work the cattle in the afternoon.  About 1:30 I sent him off with a PB&J sandwich and some tea…..he was so excited-2 neighbors were going to help him, so I could stay home and get my work done.  He hadn’t been gone long when he called and needed me to bring some wormer.  As I walked up to the chute I could see Kim holding the hot brand on a cow.  One guy was helping to hold her while Kim held the brand….she did not like it…..you could tell it hurt her.  I knew it was important, but I hated to see her in pain.  I left the wormer and headed home, but my thoughts stayed on the cows being branded so they could be identified as ours.  Wow, we too are branded….branded with the cross that Jesus hung and died on for us……but our branding hurt HIM, not us….Jesus took all the pain of our sins and in turn branded us with HIS love…..We don’t walk around with a lazy K-hanging J for everyone to see….to identify us as HIS, but others will see that we are HIS by our actions, by our love….like the song says, “They will know we are Christians by our love.”  Father, thank you for the gift of Your Son….the brand of Your love on us…..Your mercy, grace, forgiveness.  Help us to show others….and bring glory to You.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage our hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.  2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Romans 12:10.  Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:2.  Keep on loving each other.  Hebrews 13:1.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:12.  The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.  Galatians 5:6. 

Love you all!

January 31, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!!!!  Although I have been a great advocate of the benefits of regular exercise for years, the last year I have been a bit of a slacker and my body reminds me every day!  So after lots of kicking myself, I am bound and determined to get after it and really work on some problem areas so I went to a sweet friend that is really an exercise guru!  After just a couple of emails, a few conversations, and a couple of demonstrations I am soooo excited about my new routine!  I printed out all my emails at home reading and rereading so I was ready this morning to give it a whirl…..it feels so good….a little change and I am rejuvenated!  As I sat in my chair early this morning, getting ready to spend some time with our Heavenly Father a thought hit me hard…..Maybe I have been a bit of a slacker in my spiritual life too….maybe I need some rejuvenating spiritual “exercises” to shape up my life as God’s child…..hmmm…I opened my study book and guess what verse popped out at me….”Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”  Romans 12:1.  Well me oh my….imagine that…….couldn’t be much clearer could it…..kind of like really looking in the mirror at the flab hanging from my arms……Oh Father, sorry I have been a spiritual slacker….renew by spiritual zeal through more time with You in word, prayer and Christian fellowship.  I pray that all I do will serve You and bring glory to You.  And Father I ask your blessings on my new physical exercise too.  Thank you.

But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.  1 Samuel 12:24.  It is the Lord our God you  must follow, and Him you must revere.  Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him.  Deuteronomy 13:4.   Pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.  Proverbs 5:1-2.  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  Psalm 32:8.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5.  I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service.  1 Timothy 1:12.

Love you all!

January 28, 2013

Good Morning Friends!!!!  Mighty and Marvelous is our God, Monday!  Just to refresh your memory, Cooper and Katy spend their days with Hailey and Tucker, and of course Clark when he’s not at work or school!  Well, Hailey is such a creative daycare mom and always has such cool things for them to do, she never ceases to amaze me.  Her latest invention, over the weekend, I would say is the coolest (got to give Clark some credit too, he was a big help)!  Ok so I know you are on pins and needles to find out what they did……Cooper and Katy (3 and 2) love to help Hailey with the laundry….well me and mommy too…they just love to put things in the washer and dryer….laundry is their thing.  So, Hailey and Clark made them a washing machine out of a big cardboard box (see attachment).  The kids get to Hailey’s about 6:50 am and the first thing Hailey did was take them to play room to show them their washing machine; needless to say, they were delighted!!!! Kathyrn went on to work and Hailey started breakfast while Cooper and Katy were playing.  According to Hailey, they had not been in the play room very long when Cooper came out, stripped bare!!!!  “Cooper, why are you naked?!  Where are your clothes”  To which Cooper immediately and quite matter of factly, replied, “in the washing machine, I am washing them.”  Can you imagine Hailey’s reaction!  When she told me I just cracked up….kids!  She said, “Nana, who would have ever thought that he would do that.  You just don’t know what a kid is going to do.”  When we finished our conversation I couldn’t help but think about Cooper standing in the kitchen naked while his clothes washed, gosh what a good smile maker!  Then a thought occurred to me…..Hailey’s reaction…..”who would have ever thought he would do that.”  We never know how our words or actions are going to be interrupted by others….it never crossed Hailey’s mind that he would strip and wash his clothes…..to him it was just the logical thing to do!  I had to think about my actions at times, things I say to people without really thinking things through……gosh, think of the feelings that are hurt, ill feelings sprout, misunderstandings….gosh, we can really never be too careful with our words and actions…..we need to think before we act, put ourselves in the other person’s place and try to let our actions reflect God’s love!  Father, thank you for grandkids that can teach us simple, but important lessons.  Help us to speak and act according to Your will.

A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.  Proverbs 25:11.  Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  Matthew 12:34.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.  Colossians 4:6.  He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.  Proverbs 13:3.  A gossip betrays a confidence.  Proverbs 11:13.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14.

Love you all!