He always answers!

Good Morning Friends!!  Totally, thankfully HIS, Tuesday!!!  Got in the car as usual this morning (on time, thank you Father) and headed to work…as usual I called Kathyrn….well not quite as usual.  I called her but it didn’t ring….I looked at the phone to see if I had messed up, but it said Kathyrn just wasn’t ringing.  So, I hung up and tried again, nothing…then I noticed I had a voice mail.  What the heck…So, I listened to the voice mail….Initially, what I heard made me smile, but soon I was sad.  The voice on the message was sweet Katy J she was happy, anxious to talk to her Nana, “Nana, Nana, Nana, Naannaa….” At first she was so happy, but soon, when I didn’t answer her, her voice got louder, worried, and sad….Poor Katy, did not understand why her Nana didn’t answer her…she wanted….needed to talk her Nana, but I was not there….OK any grandmas or grandpas will understand how utterly terrible that made me feel…my heart felt broken as I thought, “oh she must think I don’t love her anymore.”  As I hung up the phone a warm peace came over me…..a smile from the inside out….although I was sad for Katy because she called and I didn’t answer….I was happy, thankful for us...we never have to leave a message on an answering machine for our Heavenly Father….Never!  He is always there….always answers…..oh sometimes we might not hear HIM…but that’s because of us not HIM…He is there, HE hears, and HE answers…..HE LOVES US….is ALWAYS there for us…..Call upon Me, HE tells us, I will hear you and take care of you….whatever it is that’s on your mind….bring it to ME….I LOVE YOU!  Thank you Father for always being there for us…..Help us to come to YOU with PRAISE and thanksgiving.

 

  This is the confidence we have in approaching God:  that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of HIM.  1 John 5:14-15.  The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and HIS ears are attentive to their prayer.  1 Peter 3:12.   “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know,”  says the Lord.  Jeremiah 33:3.  “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear,”  says the Lord.  Isaiah 65:24.  Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and CALL upon ME in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor ME.”  Psalm 50:14-15. 

Love you all!

God's biggest fans

Good Morning Friends!  To know HIM, is to love HIM Tuesday!  Most mornings on my way into work, I call Kathyrn for a morning update and catch up on things…she is on her way to work, but first takes 3 year old Katy to sitters.  Katy is my biggest fan!!!!  And I must admit I like it!!  She has to talk to me every morning, bugging her mom incessantly until she relinquishes the phone….”Hi Nana” she says in the sweetest 3 year old voice, melts my heart.  Well, Mom says the last few mornings Katy starts bugging her to call me almost as soon as they get in the car.  They leave earlier than me, so Mom has to put her off, explaining that Nana is not in her car yet…..hard concept for a 3 year old that loves her Nana (aren’t I blessed) to understand.   Yesterday when I called, Katy actually answered the phone.  “Hi Nana, are you in your car?”  Not realizing what Mom had been through for the last 15 minutes, I just happily chatted away with her; several times I could hear Mom say, “give me the phone” to which Katy responded, “two more times, I talk two more times” and our conversation continued!  When she finally had to give up the phone to Mom, Mom was exasperated, “that girl, she started bugging me at 7:10…’I want to talk to my Nana!!!’  I told her she had to wait until you got in your car.”  My heart went pitter patter….how flattering and heart- warming it is to know that someone is so excited to talk with you….to share time with you….be with you.  Yes, just tickles me…..as I hung up the phone and got into work I could feel myself smiling from the inside out….then it hit me…a kid lesson, been a while since we had one.  The wonder of children…..a 3 year old so in love with her Nana desires to talk to her and be with her all the time…..Oh my…..Yes Father…..I can only imagine how thrilled you would be if we were so excited to talk to you…everyday…..many times a day….to spend time with You….be with You….Father, You are an AWESOME God!!!!  Waiting for us every moment of everyday!  Forgive us Father when we think more of ourselves than we do of YOU…..without YOU….there’s nothing worth our time!  And Father, thank you for loving us so much and finding joy in spending time with us. 

 

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.  I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.  Psalm 84:10.  The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:  “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”  Jeremiah 31:13.  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1.  Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  Colossians 4:2.  “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know,” says the Lord.  Jeremiah 33:3.  Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4. 

Love you all!

 

 

Philippians 2:13 - Do Everything Without Complaining!

Good Morning Friends! Thankfully His Tuesday!  I got up as usual this morning a little after 5; Kim was still asleep.  I had only been up for a few minutes when I thought I heard his phone ringing….oh dear I thought, ringing so early usually means a problem, of course my thoughts turned to his brother.  However, in just a few minutes he emerged from the bedroom fumbling, still half asleep trying to get his clothes on.  “Sheep are in Jason’s yard” was all he said.  I blurted out a big, “Oh no!  Good grief, for crying out loud, my gosh!”  Something to that effect expressing my disgust with the sheep that were causing him to have to get out of bed and go, in the dark to put them back into their pasture….hopefully before they got into the road.  I was surprised when he calmly, positively responded, “Well, it’s sure better than having them in the road.”  No cussing, grumbling, stomping or door slamming…simply got dressed, got on the four wheeler and headed up the hill to get the job done.  I was quite proud of his behavior, thinking to myself, don’t think I could have been quite so congenial in the same situation.  I couldn’t help but think about things at work, church, at the fire department that irritate me and I don’t always contain my not so pleasant thoughts……I thought of how my day was blessed by Kim’s pleasant reaction to an unpleasant deed…….Oh Father I am so sorry that I often react to situations with words and actions that are not pleasing to those around me, which I know Father means that You are not pleased.  Forgive me…..fill me with Your peace and love and guide me in every situation to respond to Your glory, to be a blessing to others for You.

 

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pour, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.  Philippians 2:13.  At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.  We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He save us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.  He save us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, sot having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying.  And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.  These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.  Titus 3:3-8.  Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.  Titus 3:1-2.  Now may the God of peace….our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.  Hebrews 13:20-21.

Love you all!