The abandoned calf

Good Morning Friends, meet Homer…he’s in the middle, in between Cooper and Katy!!  Homer came to us last week…and that is the front yard at my house not a pasture!  You see, Homer’s mommy abandoned  him, but lucky for Homer Kim found him in a very weakened state, brought him to the house, ran to the feed store for milk replacer and a bottle (believe it or not we have not had to bottle feed a calf, so were unprepared) mixed up a bottle and attempted to feed him.  Poor Homer he was so weak, he couldn’t even suck….So, that meant Kim had to tube him…..put the milk in a squishy bottle with a long tube that goes down his throat into his tummy, direct nutrition…..the first couple of days were pretty bleak, Kim continued to try to get him to suck, but he just wasn’t interested, seemed weak….then all of a sudden he took the bottle….BAM!  Now less than a week later he is drinking like a champ and following us around.  This morning when I left, Homer was at the gate obviously wondering where his breakfast was!  Homer is gonna make it, thanks to Kim’s persistence!  Last night as I was taking my turn feeding Homer, my thoughts turned inward….to my heart…..How many times have I felt totally abandoned by the world, just at the breaking point, weak and alone and our Heavenly Father rescues me….Yep, picks me up, dusts me off….and tube feeds me…..from His loving arms to my broken heart!  He nurtures me with HIS grace and mercy, comforts me with HIS peace and wisdom…….Feeds me with HIS word….my strength returns….my faith grows…..I am HIS child, no matter what the world sends my way……all is well with HIM.  Thank you Father…..for feeding me……forgive me when I am weak.

This God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.  Psalm 48:14.  With His is wisdom and strength, He hath counsel and understanding.  Job 12:13.  Do not afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.  Luke 12:32.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.  For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  Colossians 1:1.

Love you all!

HIS strength is never zapped!

Good Morning Friends!!!  Wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!  Yesterday after I got off work, Kim had a couple chores we needed to do….first, at long last we got to move Chloe and Eyore (my miniature donkeys) from wayyyyyyyyyy back behind the house back to their regular little home in the front yard where I can see them from my kitchen window.  At a certain point they run out of grass there so we have to put them out in another pasture and I miss seeing them and giving them treats every day.  So last night was the time, I was excited, but had not considered their temperaments after a lengthy stay in a big pasture….oh my goodness, did Kim and I ever have a run (literally) for our money!!!!  But finally, they walked right into to their pen…..darn stubborn donkeys.  OK, that done we headed to a neighbor’s house to get a hay ring made specifically for horses/donkeys!  I wasn’t sure exactly what “picking up” the feeder would entail, but was sure I was up for it.  Hmm, it was huge and quite heavy I might add and I was a bit apprehensive as I listened to Kim telling me how we would lift it up and slid on the back of the truck….alrighty then….here we go.  Not without some grunting and groaning we completed the job and headed home…..to unload it in the their pen.  Oh boy, I got out and got Kim backed up to fence, helped him unstrap it and took my position to help hoist it over the fence….Oh my gosh, this is so heavy and I am so tired….the thought ran through my mind, “good grief, this is no job to attempt at the end of a long day!  First thing in the morning ok, I’m all over it, but now, 7 pm, worked all day…..not sure I can do it.”  And Kim was not much better off than me, he had worked really hard all day and was ready to be done….take off his boots and relax!  Well, it wasn’t pretty, but we did finally manage to get it unloaded; Kim headed to the house while I went to feed rabbits and lock up the chickens….Gosh I thought, “sure am glad that our Heavenly Father never gets tired….morning, noon or the middle of the night!  No siree, HE is always up for the task, whatever it is that we might need….HIS strength is never zapped, HE’S never worn out from a long day, overwhelmed by too much to do….Our FATHER is on the job, all-knowing, all-powerful, all the time!  Oh Father, me oh my, thank you for never being too tired for us.  We are so blessed.  Increase our faith and gratitude to Your glory!

 

 

For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of a the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.  Isaiah 25:4.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the stronghold of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.  He who fears the Lord has a strong fortress.  Proverbs 14:26. “ I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”  Revelation 1:8. 

Love you all!

 

Kathie A. Johnson

He who searches our hearts...

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully HIS, Thursday!!!  A dear friend recently received some horrible news….life altering……the news comes after years of struggling with a certain issue, many worries, stress, feelings of hopelessness for several years, hoping and praying for a positive outcome.  My heart has ached for her, watching her struggle, always praying with and for her, that she be guided by and find her strength through the love of our Heavenly Father.  And now, the devastating news; when she told me, I had no words….no words of comfort, strength, encouragement, only tears…..My heart aching for her pain, I couldn’t imagine how she would go on…..Oh, I knew that she was not alone….Our Father never leaves us alone, but I had no words for HIM either….my heart aching my mind drowning in worry….no words, no thoughts to send to HIM….how will I help my friend?  She needs support…..I need to pray, but nothing comes…..I knew had to do something, so I opened my bible……BAM!!!  A knock to my head…….Romans 8:26-27, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”  Oh Father, ahh…..it is YOU that searches our hearts….you know all about my dear friend’s problems….She is YOUR child…me too….YOU are our FATHER…..”And we know that in all things God (our FATHER) works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.  Dear, sweet friend…not to worry, He’s got this……He’s working…..it’s gonna be GOOD…..”If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him graciously give s all things?”  Romans 8:31-32.  Thank you Father for searching our hearts…..for hearing our cries…..for working even though we don’t see You….for taking care of everything. 

 

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39. 

Love you all!

Our POWER is UP!

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Tuesday!  I wanted to go to the bank before work today, so I exited on Cradduck instead of coming in on the loop as usual.  Good grief!  Road construction big time…..and you know that with road construction comes lots of warning signs….uneven lanes….right lane closed ahead….power lines with an arrow pointing up!  Warning signs are a good thing you know, they keep us from getting into predicaments that could cause us problems, accidents, damaged car, tickets….So I always watch and heed the warning signs….It was really the “Power Lines”  that got my attention.  One after another the bright orange signs heeded the warning that the overhead power lines were hanging low.  After passing 3 or 4 of them I got the giggles…..POWER LINES UP……go figure!  First the warning signs….uneven lanes….oh life’s lanes can be most uneven at times….and how we struggle when the lanes are closed……but not to worry……the POWER is UP!!!  Our strength and hope is UP!!!!   Our comfort and healing, peace and rest are UP!!!!  When we are hanging low with “life’s construction” stress, sickness, worry, depression…..when we are hanging low…..Our POWER is UP!!!  Up into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father….UP where He is waiting for us to come to Him for rest, peace, and hope…..UP where He is anxiously waiting to lift our burdens, heal our pain…..lead and guide us through the construction zones.  Father, thank you for being our omnipresent  Power and strength.  We are weak Father and don’t always heed the warning signs, forgive us, increase our faith, enable us to always come to you for every need.  To You, Oh Awesome Father be all glory, honor, and praise.

 

God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  1 Corinthians 10:13.  Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Psalm 37:5-6.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7.  Do  not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been please to give you the kingdom.  Luke 12:32.  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 3:8.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12.

Love you all!