The fires in our life

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in HIS loving arms Wednesday!  Have you noticed the smoky skies lately?  Seen flames, heard sirens?   Seems like our weather conditions have definitely landed us right smack dab into a busy fire season!  As the wife of a volunteer fireman (a very dedicated one) I know full well what this entails….and how dangerous it can be for the firemen.  Yesterday I received a call from him about 2:30, he was full into the “going to a fire mode,” his voice serious and strong….fearless even though he was telling me, “It’s a big one, I can see the flames.”  These men and women that protect our rural areas are volunteers…..no one pays them to go into the dense smoke, hot flames, unknown terrain to put out the fire….to protect their communities from harm….these firemen do it for free because they care….rather amazing to me, makes me so proud to be a small part.  As I was driving home I could see the smoke and as I got closer to Lula I could smell it too.  I said a prayer, lifting the firemen into the loving care and protection of our Heavenly Father.  As I pulled into our driveway I felt a warm peace flow through me; I smiled from the inside out….I knew our Father had something really important to remind me of……”Kathie, there will always be fires in life…..blazing finances, smoldering relationships, flaming out of control children, stress, worry, pain, grief….fires threatening to destroy you…..But Kathie, I am here, always here, no need to call 911 and wait for the firetrucks to come….come to me….I will put out your fires, I will guide you, comfort you, hold you in My arms and fill you with My peace….come to ME, precious child I will douse out your fires….come to ME.”  Thank you Father….for loving us so much that You remind us in such special ways that You are always on call for us.  And Father, please protect our firemen and women when they head out. 

 

Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me; O Lord, be my help.  Psalm 30:10.  The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 31:8.  He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress.  Proverbs 14:26. We say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:6.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11.  Cast all your anxiety on God because He cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7.  I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.  Jeremiah 31:13. 

Love you all!

Our perfect first responder

Good Morning Friends!  Wow!  What a wonderful God is our God, Wednesday!  Last night sometime after we had gone to sleep….maybe 2 hours, Kim got a page! 

Oh, gosh what a way to get awakened from a deep sleep!  For me, I just tell him to be safe, say a prayer, roll over and go back to sleep (hopefully), but poor Kim, he has to get up, get his wits about him, respond to Central, get dressed, get to station and head out to emergency!  All in the middle of a deep sleep….well needless to say, last night he really was in that deep sleep stage when the page sounded….loud and clear, followed by…”Lula, you need to respond to a grass fire at……..”  He just couldn’t seem to get going, walked out of the bedroom, then back in again; I could hear him getting his clothes on and soon I heard the car head out the driveway…..but I couldn’t help but think he was a tad bit slower than usual.  Being the good wife that I am, as the car headed out the drive, I fluffed my pillow, pulled up the blanket, rolled over and settled in to finish my night’s sleep……as I laid there in the quiet darkness of the night, I felt myself smiling, relaxing knowing that when we sound the pager in need of our Father’s help….there’s no fumbling around….He does not have to be awakened from a deep sleep and get his bearings….Nope….quite the contrary!!!  Our Father, is Johnny on the spot all the time, day or night….no matter what the need…..big, small…serious or maybe just…well you know…..just need HIM to help you through a bad day….HE is there!  Thank you Father!!!  For being our PERFECT, GO TO, FIRST RESPONDER!  And Father thank you so much for all of our firemen, all emergency personnel, they have an important job here…bless their efforts and protect them. 

 

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.  This is what the Lord says…”Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”  Isaiah 43:1.  Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  Psalm 34:8.  Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.  Proverbs 29:25.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.  Isaiah 26:4. 

Love you all!

 

April 16, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Tuesday!  Last night Kim had call a phone call from our grandson Brayden in California.  Brayden was reading Papa Kim the very first report he had ever written.  The subject….pick your hero and write about him/her.  Well, guess who Brayden wrote about!  Yep, his Papa Kim….he read, “My hero is my Papa Kim……because he is a fireman.  He is a fireman, he helps his community,  and he saves lives……that’s why he is my hero!  I am proud of my Papa Kim.”   I didn’t hear the whole report, but that is what I could get from Papa Kim…….He was so proud, beaming like a bright light, smiling from ear to ear, so he could hardly speak.  Gosh, can you just imagine…..a tribute like that from your 7 (8 tomorrow) year old grandson.  His hero, Papa Kim.  After his call I started thinking who I would write about if I was given that assignment…..people in my life came to mind first…my mom, my brother Sam, my husband…..then I thought of some biblical persons….David slaying Goliath, Daniel in the lion’s den, how about all the apostles dying because they would never deny their faith……dying…I thought of Brayden’ s report….how Papa Kim saves lives……..yes Papa Kim and all firemen do have the opportunity at times to save lives and I am so thankful for all the people that risk their lives for others in their jobs…..And then the LIGHT came on….the LIGHT of the WORLD is my hero……Jesus our Savior, our Good Shepherd, our Best Friend….HOLY…without blame….born in a stable…..DIED FOR US!  He didn’t risk HIS life….HE GAVE IT…..WILLINGLY!  For you and for me…….Really, Hero is not nearly BIG enough to call our JESUS!!!!  We are so blessed!  By grace we have been saved……Father, my goodness how we so miss the LIGHT so often, forgive us!  Thank you for YOUR gift to us…YOUR only Son, our Savior…….Father, thank you for precious grandchildren that help us to see the LIGHT and bless our lives in such very special ways.  All Praise, Honor, and Glory to You!!!!!

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.   Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for You name’s sake.  Psalm 79:9  Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.  You ha e filled my heart with great joy than when their grain and new wine abound.  Psalm 4:6-7.  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His suffering in order that we may also share in His glory.  Romans 8:16—17. 

Love you all!

April 2, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Tuesday!  I didn’t realize that it had rained during the night, but when I got up I could hear it on the metal roof of the porch….I said a thank you prayer.  As I drove into work the rain was steady….not too hard, so visibility was ok, but steady enough to be a good rain….I said another thank you, grateful for the rain for our dry pastures and low ponds…..My thoughts turned to the pasture Kim and I had checked on Sunday….I smiled as I envisioned the fragile, green- grass yearning to emerge through the dry grass…..I felt my shoulders relax and even though when I left the house my husband was worried and anxious, I could feel a smile forming in my heart….yearning to break out in joy…….My heart and mind were consumed with the many blessings our Heavenly Father rains on me every day…..doesn’t have to be a torrential down pour, the gentle blessings are so wonderful too….you know…..lunch with an old friend…..a call from a grandchild…..fresh coffee delivered to your desk…..dying Easter eggs with grandkids and then hunting them……something you really need going on sale……a visit with family you haven’t seen in a long while…..notice of on-line donations to Rely for Life popping up on computer…..fresh eggs from the chickens you thought never would lay…..homemade ice cream…friends that pray faithfully for and with you…..new tires……the Good Will Store……volunteer firemen…..sweet puppies….good jobs…..French toast made with rye bread and powdered sugar…cold water in the fountain at the touch of a finger…an unexpected box of goodies in the mail from your sister…….gentle rain falling on the pastures…..sunshine that follows the rain……green grass…….Thank you Father for the good little blessings that bless us every day.  Forgive us for being too busy, too dry to appreciate our steady blessings……to Praise and Thank you with grateful hearts….Shame on us Father….Thank you for loving us still!  All glory, honor and praise to YOU!!

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is He who made us, and we are His;  we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.  Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.  Psalm 100.

Love you all!