The joy of finding lost lipstick

Good Morning Friends!  Wise and Wonderful is our God, Wednesday!  I am on a hunt for a lost….well hopefully just misplaced cord to my camera!  This morning, in a fit of desperation I pulled out a bag I used to carry back and forth to work.  I knew I never had finished cleaning it out, so I thought maybe, just maybe I’d left it in the bag!  It’s a pretty big bag and I could tell there was definitely “stuff” in it, so I was feeling hopeful as I dug in, pulling out note books, pens, pictures…..but no cord….No cord, but wait….what am I feeling…feels like a tube of lip stick….Wow, it was not just any tube of lipstick….no siree!!!!  I was my favorite tube of orange lipstick given to me by a wonderful friend!  I thought it was gone forever…..and there I was holding it in my hands!!!!  I was so excited I could hardly stand it….poor Kim, just didn’t get it, but that’s ok!!!!  No, I didn’t find the cord, but in the process of looking I found something else that I had totally given up ever finding…I was so happy that I had decided to wear brown and orange today, so I got to wear my beautiful orange lipstick!!!!   As I headed into work, still a bit frustrated I hadn’t found my cord, I couldn’t help but smile about finding my lipstick….my thoughts were suddenly consumed with love…..the love of our Heavenly Father….Our Father’s love is an all-knowing love…..He knows what’s best for us and when…..how often we trudge off looking for the best job, or snazziest car, perfect house, classiest friends…..thinking we know what we need and where to find it…..but God knows better, He knows best for us….Thank goodness when we are looking for what might not be the best for us, He helps us find what we really need….We whine and cry, thinking God doesn’t hear us, or worse just doesn’t care….wrong!!!!  He cares so much, that He doesn’t want us to “find” the things that are not best for us…..He wants us to lean on Him for everything….to stay strong in our faith….to trust and  believe in HIS will for our lives….Oh might not always be easy.  He didn’t promise that, but He did promise to never leave us or forsake us.  Thank you Father…take our hands and lead us so that we find all that You have for us….trusting and believing in Your grace and mercy!

 

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31:6-7.  Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love for they are from of old.  Psalm 25:5-6.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, If I settle on the far side of the sea, even there you hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast, O Lord.  Psalm 139:9-10.Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.  Psalm 9:10.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5. 

Love you all!

 

 

April 23, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Totally wrapped in His loving arms Tuesday!  Last Saturday I was on a mission! I desperately needed  half a day in my house!!!!  So, I gave up breakfast with Cooper and Katy and headed outside to get my ranch chores done quick as I could, so I could get in my house and get to work….oh my what a mess I had.  Well, Kim and I worked hard and believe it or not I was back in the house by 11:30 and got right to work.  I was going gangbusters.  About 30 minutes later Kim called…..Oh boy I thought…..wonder what’s up.  He was frantic to say the least!  “Get the 4 wheeler and get up here now!  Sheep are out and all over the Beagles, going crazy, they’re acting crazy!”  I grabbed my jacket and a bottle of water, who knew how long I would be gone….started up the 4 wheeler and headed up the hill.  Kim meet me at the cattle guard and waved me to follow him, he was fit to be tied.  We went to the intersection at the top of the hill, our property on one side, the Beagles on the other.  Jumping out of his truck he hollered at me to stand in the road and make sure they went towards home, he headed down the side road to stop them, turn them around and head them home…..I stood in the road and waited and waited and waited……oh gosh, I thought this is not good….thinking he might need a little help, I said a little prayer.  Finally, I could hear the 4 wheeler, the sheep (about 150 with lambs) making a ruckus, and Kim hollering at them and me.  “Don’t let them go up that hill (if they got up the hill they would be out of my reach and would head the wrong direction…not good).  Well of course 5 or 6 head right up that hill too steep for the 4 wheeler and besides Kim was busy trying to keep the rest from doing the same thing.  No other choice, I had to head up the hill, glad I had on my good boots…..I got up just fine, before they got away….headed them back down and then….well let’s just say getting down the hill wasn’t quite as easy as getting up.  Kim was right; they were acting crazy, like they had been locked up in a dirt lot all winter, and the green grass had them crazy when actually they have eaten lush green fodder all winter…..150 sheep plus lambs acting crazy is not a pretty site on CR 1600 on Saturday…yes we did finally get them on 1600, but it wasn’t easy, Kim got stuck and they headed into the trees….finally got them out of the trees and heading down the road now….would they turn in where they were supposed to….could I keep them out of the neighbor’s yard……could I warn traffic in time to slow them down……I jumped in the truck and turned on the hazard lights just in time to slow down a car…..well we lucked out…..they turned in the right gate and headed out to pasture!  What a relief and Thank you Father!  We headed back to the house for lunch, shaking our heads, wondering what in the heck we were gonna do with them…..crazy sheep.  I didn’t think much more about them until Sunday morning in church when Pastor read the Gospel lesson from John 10:22-30.  Jesus was talking to some Jews that needed some proof that He was the promised one….He said I already told you I am, but you don’t believe because you are not part of My flock……”My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”  Oh my gosh, it was all I could do to not burst out laughing right in church!  I thought not always…..they don’t always listen or follow!  My thoughts returned to Saturday and our crazy sheep…..they had everything….green pastures, fresh water, dogs to guard them, mineral on demand, green pastures….and what did they do….tore up good fences and took off….no clue what was out there….no regard for the dangers outside the pastures….Oh no……Father…how frustrated you must get with Your sheep….us….when we tear down the fences…and head out to the unknown without YOU…..not listening to Your voice….not following You….looking for the greener grass when You provide us with everything we could ever need…..Protect us, forgive us, love us, comfort us, heal us…….Father, forgive us when we don’t listen to Your voice, help us to hear and to follow You.  Remember this song…”I am Jesus Little Lamb, Ever glad at heart I am…..”

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before m in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil’ my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Psalm 23.  The God of peace be with you.  Philippians 4:9.

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson