Showing posts with label heartache. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heartache. Show all posts

Friday, April 10, 2015

Mending fences

Good Morning Friends!  Fabulous Friday, loved by HIM!!!!   A few years ago we had a really wet spring….so wet that the creek that runs through our property, filled to over flowing, breaking its banks and flooding a pasture.  The whole event was pretty strong, so when the flood waters broke loose they took down a quarter to half mile of fence bordering the creek.  I mean to tell you…plum flattened that fence, laid it down!!!!!  Now with the fence down the cows and sheep had total access to pastures on both sides of the creek…..not really the ideal situation.  Of course, my husband had good intentions of fixing the fence immediately…..however, life happens!  One year rolled into the next, big plans to get to it, but cows and sheep roamed where they pleased….each year more grass, limbs, leaves grew over the flat fence making a job that once would have been not easy, but very do able, now seemingly impossible!  Year in…year out….can’t tell you how many times I heard “I gotta get that fence up.”  So many times, that got to the point I really didn’t hear him….especially when he complained about the animals being where they were not supposed to be!  Tuesday when I got home from work, he was sitting on the screened porch, munching on chips and dip and sipping a nice cool beverage!  Remember how beautiful and warm it was on Tuesday, so I went in changed my clothes and put up my stuff so I could join him.   He shared his chips and even had a cold drink poured for me.  We chatted about our work days, enjoying our snacks, relishing in the beautiful spring-like weather.  I needed to take care of my critters, as I was heading out the door he hollered, “hurry up, we are going for a ride!”  When Kim wants to go for a ride on a week night he has a specific plan….something that can’t wait to have my attention.  Maybe a new tool in the shop, or the beginning of one of his creative inventions or maybe a set of twin lambs….well, I had no clue what he was up to on Tuesday.  As soon as I finished my chores we hopped in his truck and headed out!  First stop, the gate that leads into the pasture that had flooded….I hopped out, unlocked the gate and in we went.  Within just a matter of a few seconds I knew what he was up to!  No new tool, or baby…..the fence was up!!!!!  The whole length from one end of the pasture to other…..up…..in one day he had, with the help of a young neighbor, put the whole fence back up….one day….not even a whole day, he had done all his farm chores too!  I was quite impressed with his accomplishment and praised him for a job well done….we of course had to drive the whole pasture and check it all out, although not perfect the fence would definitely do its job now!  As we headed back to the house I couldn’t help but think how at times, we let the severe storms of life flatten us….our spirits, our moods, our finances…..flattened relationships…..we procrastinate…..let the messes in our lives get worse and harder to fix when we have the perfect tool with us all the time to get the job done!  Our Heavenly Father is there to guide us with HIS wisdom, support us with HIS love, wrap us in HIS comfort…..HE”S there 24/7……why do we procrastinate….allow ourselves to get depressed, emotionally and spiritually….we make ourselves sick with worry and heartache…..when like Kim, when he finally just did it, got the job done in a few hours…..we can get our fences back up by going to our FATHER, giving HIM our worries, letting HIM carry the load!  Oh Kim’s fence is not perfect nor will our “fences” in life always be perfect.  Life on this earth because of sin is just not perfect….but Praise God He sent His Son to die for us and promises to mend our fences until we get HOME with HIM!   Oh Father, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!  You supply all the tools we need to keep our fences up!!!!!

Just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.  2 Corinthians 1:5.  Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18.  Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  Isaiah 43:2.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him  Nahum 1:7.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11. 
Love you all!



Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Driving Through Life in the Dark

Good Morning Friends!  Totally His, Tuesday!  So, how do you like this time change?  Most people are griping about it….messed up their sleep, dark too early…I didn’t like feeding my critters in the dark last night, but I am loving driving to work in the light!  The last couple of weeks before the time change, it was plum dark on my drive in and there’s just something about driving to work in the dark that I am not crazy about.  Have to be so careful watching for deer and all the other critters out and about and frankly my vision isn’t that good in the dark, so I am really enjoying my morning drive the last couple of days.  Even today, with the clouds and rain, it was still light….makes my drive so much less stressful.  “Oh Father,”  I felt the familiar tap….”Oh yes…..I do get it.  Driving with You to light our way, the stresses are much easier to handle.”  So much of the time we drive through our lives stressed out, worried, anxious about the future, concerned about the present, troubled about our kids, family, friends, work…..dark….we are trying to drive through life in the dark….Why do we do that….we just cause ourselves so much grief and heartache that could so easily be avoided if we turned on the LIGHT!  The LIGHT of hope, peace, and love that is ours for the asking if we just go to HIM….the LIGHT of the world….the LIGHT for our lives, each one of us….individually….When we go to HIM through prayer and His word we are surrounded with LIGHT….our drive because much less stressful…oh there will always be potholes and critters to watch out for, but you will have the LIGHT of the WORLD to guide you through.  Father, thank you for lighting our way.
 
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His WONDERFUL LIGHT.  1 Peter 2:9  When Jesus spoke t the people, He said, “I am the LIGHT of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the LIGHT of LIFE.”  John 8:12.  Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.  Isaiah 2:5.  The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.  Isaiah 60:19.  The Lord is my LIGHT and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1. 
Love you all!

Friday, January 18, 2013

January 18, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!   My mom, left this earth for her heavenly home quite a few years ago, but if she were still hanging around she would be 93 today.  Gosh, after so many years, I still miss her;  today she is really on my mind, so this morning as I was browsing through some inspirational verses and came upon this quote, “Always remember, when God made you He did so with a purpose and a plan.  He saw all your days before you lived one of them and placed over you the covering of His protective love.  He has allowed nothing to come into your life that has not first been screened through that love.  His hand has remained upon you to this very day,”  my thoughts went immediately to my mom’s life.  My mom was a wonderful Christian woman…..she oozed with “Care-Isma” but she didn’t cruise through life trouble free.  No, actually quite the opposite…..her life was composed of lots of hard work, heart ache, after heart ache, at the age of 53 she suffered a severe stroke that left her disabled for the reminder of her life and  my dad passed away 6 months later…..I have just touched the surface of mom’s life, but I am sure you will follow my next point.  “He has allowed nothing to come into your life that has not first been screened through that love….”  When I read this, for one brief moment, I thought had all mom’s heartache  been screened through God’s love……how can that be?  Why would He…….then I smiled and thought of her faith….unshakable!  I have never known anyone with a faith as strong as my mom’s……throughout my life I was the beneficiary of that faith….watching her grow stronger through each heartache…..At that moment God’s words from Romans 5:3-4, came to mind, “We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”  My mom never lost hope and she most definitely was a character…..she persevered with dignity, bringing glory to our Heavenly Father.  Suffering is not easy, that’s for sure….but thinking about my mom….the lives she touched, the Care-Ism she shared for 82 years….I know that her life was planned through God’s love and so are ours….through thick or thin He knows what we are going through….heck He knows how many hairs we have on our heads……We are His dear children….Oh Wow How we are loved by Him!!!!  His hand is on us every day!  Thank You Father, for the faith of my mother, keep my growing and strong.

For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:10.  Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22. Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18.  Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.  He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with Him.  Psalm 12:5-6.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Crist. 
Ephesians 5:19-20.

Love you all!
Kathie A. Johnson