Help me trust and believe

Good Morning Friends!  My oh my, what an Awesome God is our Maker, Monday!  Yesterday, Papa and I had Cooper and Katy all day!  Good times!  After church and a lunch of hotdogs, we all settled down for a cozy nap in the living room!  Papa put on an old western, Cooper’s favorite and we each snuggled into our little space and had a little nap!  Oh I do love those Sunday afternoon naps.  After naps we had the serious job of feeding all the cows and according to Katy, Papa really needs their help!!!  So we all loaded into the old feed truck, including the dog and headed out!  The wind was bad, but the sun was warm so it was a wonderful outing, in and out of the pastures dumping feed!  Thank goodness,  Cooper is really getting good at opening the gates gives the old Nana a break!   Job complete, we headed back to the house.  Cooper, Katy and I had our usual chores, chickens, bunnies, donkeys to feed as well as filling the wood box, silly kids love to fill the wood box!  Papa headed out to move some animals.  They grabbed their donkey feed cans and headed to the feed room, I opened the door and then the feed bin….Katy was in front so she reached in to fill her can…..she gasped, “Nana, look!”  I looked into the bin surprised to see several red wasps, feasting…..then it happened, Cooper began screaming, “And it just got me, it just got me!”  He was crying and jumping up and down in pain, I thought it was under his shirt so I was trying to get his shirt off, “No, Nana my hand, he got my hand!”  Bless his heart, sure enough already his little hand was red and his finger swelling.  I put my arms around him to console and head him to the house where I could treat it.  “Come on Cooper, come with Nana, I will fix it for you, let’s get to the house……”  He ran to the house, crying and shaking his hand, I headed him to the kitchen counter and began making my magic potent for stings.  I explained what I was doing, promising the mix would help his hand to feel better.  The tears continued, but he stood still and watched as I mixed the baking soda and vinegar…once I had it mixed I took his hand and began bathing it in the stinky mix….he didn’t flinch or fight me…..Cooper knew that I would take care of him….no matter how silly the method seemed to him, he knew that he could trust his Nana to take care of his problem…..No questions asked, no arguing or pulling away….he simply trusted and believed.  In no time at all he was smiling again and ready to go back outside…..as I cleaned up the mess, thankful that I could help him, my heart took a leap….That child totally trusted me to take care of him, no questions asked….why oh why can I not trust and believe in my Father like that……Oh Father, forgive me for all the times I pull away from You, question You, struggling against Your will….strengthen my faith Father, so that I trust and believe in Your will for me…..completely.

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him.  Nahum 1:7.  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.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.  Isaiah 26:4.  Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22. 

Love you all!

Don't make a wrong turn

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Tuesday!  Like I said yesterday, our granddaughter Harper is here for a visit, she lucked out and got a cushy babysitting job for the granddaughter of a friend here at work.  I am dropping her off on my way in, it’s a little off the beaten track so we are leaving a little early.  This morning, after a nice breakfast prepared for us by Papa, we headed out a little after 7.  We were jabbering away about who knows what when I saw the sign for our exit, ½ mile….I thought OK, there’s our exit coming up, too make sure I didn’t, out of habit, pass it by.  I never ceased to jabber….nope not for a second….until…..Harper said, “Nana, isn’t that where we needed to turn???””  OH MY GOSH!!!!  Of course it was….was being the optimum word!!!!  For one split second…..one fleeting moment I thought about trying to make the exit….In my heart I knew there was no way…..no way I would be able to safely make the turn at the speed I was going…..OH MY GOSH!!!!  Now we would have to go up to the next exit and cut back…..I didn’t want Harper to be late, making my friend and I both late to work…..All because I was so busy jabbering, not paying attention to the road….the way to my final destination.  I was busy berating myself to Harper, trying to come up with some legitimate excuse for my mess up when I felt the familiar tap on my shoulder…..”Hi Father, I really blew it this morning didn’t I?”  “Oh Kathie, My precious child….yes, you did mess up this morning, but you were able to turn around and get on the right track again….In this world, Kathie, it’s important that you are diligent in paying attention to the road…the road to ME.  My directions, will guide you to your final destination….life everlasting with ME!  Oh Kathie, I know that sometimes life is so very difficult, full of stress, financial burdens, worry, grief, pain…..but don’t make the wrong turn when things get rough….pay attention, don’t let life distract you from the road ahead…the road to ME!  I am there for you all along the way…..through every detour….just call on Me…follow the light of My word to guide you…..listen for Me in the wind and rain, see ME in the sunshine and moonlight….trust ME…..lean on ME…..follow ME….I will not disappoint you.  I love you!!!”  “Oh Father, gosh thank you for loving us so much, for leading us with the light of Your love through every highway and by- way.  Forgive us Father when we become distracted from YOU….turn us around, bring us back on track…..lead us to YOU.”

 

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my pat.  Psalm 119:105.  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.  Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.  Psalm 89:15.  He brought His people out like a flock; He led them like sheep through the desert.  He guided them safely, so they were unafraid.  Psalm 78:52-53.  God will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.  Isaiah 2:3.  “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them, “ says the Lord.  Isaiah 42:16.  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.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5. 

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Administrative Services

Division of Housing

the Chickasaw Nation

Detours and road construction

Good Morning Friends!  Forever HIS, Friday!  I left a couple minutes later than I like to this morning, not bad though, so I wasn’t really worried about being on time to work….until I hit all the road construction on 3W!  Mind you, they have been doing road construction since last week, so I should have been quite aware what I would encounter on my commute in….I should have planned ahead, planned to leave a few minutes early, rather than a few late.....I was beginning to get quite perturbed, stuck behind a slow moving diesel with only one lane open….concerned that I might very well be a couple minutes late to work.  Oh well I thought….I will just tell them about the road construction, they will understand.  Whoa!!!!  Wait a minute!!!!!!  What did I just say….I should have planned ahead….I knew about the construction, I should have been prepared to leave the house early….not the construction guys fault or the diesel in front of me….I was not prepared to deal with the road construction in a positive way!!  Realizing my misconception, I felt my attitude begin to change and I took a couple of deep breaths to relax, willing to deal with the possibility of being a little late to work.  As my attitude was changing another thought came to me…….we face “road construction” everyday all through our lives, not just what’s on the highways…..detours caused by anger, miscommunications with friends, family, co-workers…..off ramps closed due to envy, greed, fear or anxiety for the unknown, flashing lights of temptations…..unplanned, but always lurking waiting for us to 'leave a few minutes late,’ unprepared tempers flare, stress mounts, worry clouds are thinking, hurt takes over where love should be, tears flow while joy is waiting on the edge……We can be prepared for these detours…..time with our Heavenly Father will give us the strength and wisdom to meet difficult situations in ways that give glory to Him.  Ways, that keep feelings, ours or others, from being hurt…..Time with Him in word and prayer our faith grows stronger, we can persevere through the construction stronger, wiser, closer to HIM!  Father, increase our desire to be closer to YOU, stronger in You, faithful to YOU, trusting and believing in Your will for our lives.

 

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  Ephesians 2:o8..  Everyone born of God overcomes the world (detours and road construction).  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4.  Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17.  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.  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.  Matthew 26:41.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock eternal.  Isaiah 26:4. 

Love you all!

The new addition to the family

Good Morning Friends!  Forever HIS, Friday!  Well……somehow or another we have a new dog at our house!  This past year was tough on us as far as our dogs go….lost 3, so I was somewhat surprised when Kim came home with a small, not too young dog.  He was a stray that had landed at a friend’s house in Gertie and it seems……that every time my husband was there the dog vied for his affection……not to mention that his friend really wanted to get rid of the dog.  So, Axle now resides in Lula, America!  He is a handsome little guy a mix of maybe Jack Russell and Dachshund, brown and white and quite stout.  Upon arriving at our house, Axle seemed a bit confused; he wanted to be with us, but if we tried to pick him up or pet him he ran off….very leery of our touch…it was sad, poor guy, easy to see that someone had been less than real nice to him causing him to be real skittish.  I knew there was no sense in forcing myself on him, rather I needed to just be patient, kind, reassuring (and an occasional treat never hurts).  Well, Axle has been with us for about 2 weeks now and he is really coming around; he’s so excited to see us, and follows us everywhere we go!  He loves to go with Kim in the truck and he loves to be petted and have his belly scratched!  Yep, Axle is going to be a great addition to our family….thanks to a little patience, smothered in kindness!  Do you have any Axles in your life….not dogs, but rather people…..people that for some reason or another need to be reassured of their worth….people that are leery of getting too close…..scared of getting hurt.  We so often think we know just what everybody else needs to get all fixed up!  Well, that just isn’t always the case!  I’m pretty sure that we could have chased Axle away if we would have insisted on  pushing our affections on him…..now slowly he is becoming a loving, well- adjusted pet!  For me I know that even in my prayers, at times, I become over bearing with my requests for people I feel are in need.  I think I know what they need…..Well, everyone needs prayers that’s for sure, and God knows exactly!!!  What He needs us to do is to send them to HIM and in the mean- time….be kind, patient, reassuring…..we may never see results like Axle, but we know that God is working!  He wants us to shine for HIM, to not judge others, but rather to be alert to those that might need patience…..kindness….reassuring.  Father, thank you for knowing needs, so that we don’t have to explain….help us to trust in Your will for our concerns and fill us with the will to love others like You love us!

 

The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.  1 Corinthians 1:25.  As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.  “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear,” says the Lord.  Isaiah 65:24.  Dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  Jude 20.  As believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.  James 2:1.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11.

Love you!

Kathie A. Johnson

Ten Ways to Love

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!  Well, for the second day in a row I am going to share an email I received from a friend….just too good not to share!  “Loving” isn’t always easy is it…..be it our spouse, child, friend, or…..God says love our enemies…..at times we just are not in the mood to be “loving.”   However….we do have a very important command from our Best Friend….Jesus said, “My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.”  John 15:12.  Wow….that definitely puts a different aspect on “I not in the mood today.”  What if, our Father wasn’t in the mood to hear our prayers, heal our sicknesses, comfort our sad hearts, heck help us get through Walmart…..What if….OK, scroll back up to the top of the email and read the list again, closely please.  Each one has an important message for us….tips to help us “love each other as Jesus loves us.”  Each one has an important message for each of us for sure, but maybe one really hit a little closer to home than the others….start with that one….give it to HIM and remember HE forgives without punishing and gave HIS only Son for us…..”You yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.”  1 Thessalonians 4:9.  No, it’s not easy to love like our Father loves us, but we can give it our very best with HIM guiding and directing us…..And oh the returns are great….worth the effort.  Father fill us with the desire to love others, like You LOVE us, even when we are not in the mood.

 

Keep on loving each other.  Hebrews 13:1How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together I unity!  Psalm 133:1.  Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:2. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one anothr, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:12. 

Love you all!

"In His grip" : Isaiah 41:13

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully Trusting in His will, Thursday!  As I headed into work this morning, I had a few things to share with our Father…..nothing new just the same old concerns and needs for others that I seem to bring to Him every day…..As I started to pray, I had this feeling that good grief you have prayed about this before, leave HIM alone for while…I felt guilty of not trusting Him enough….maybe I should just skip these prayers….but I didn’t, I took a deep breath and lifted my concerns to Him , asking Him to strengthen my faith!  Got to work, and was flipping through a calendar when this quote popped out at me, “As you walk with God, don’t worry about how tight the grip of your hand is upon His….Remember, He is the one who is holding on to you!”  I read it several times, relaxing a little more with each read….HE doesn’t get tired of hearing from me! Oh my….I  made a couple of additions of my own feeling so blessed, “As you drive with God, don’t worry about how tight the grip, of your hand is upon His, or how many the prayers, or how heavy your heart, or how many times you have asked before, He is the one who is holding, lifting, carrying, loving, cherishing you!”  Go on, get busy, have a blessed day, trusting and believing in HIS plan for YOU, in HIS answers to your prayers because HE does hear and answer everyone single one!  Oh Father, forgive me when I try to out guess you….fill me with faith to trust you completely and THANK YOU Father for hearing my prayers, over and over again!

 

Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  Philippians 4:4-6.  For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Isaiah 441:13.  Be joyful always; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Love you all!

He makes all things brand new: 2 Corinthians 5:17-8, 21

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His loving arms Wednesday!  I was so excited yesterday at the prospect of finally getting to come to work on CR 1600….if you reach back, you might remember I shared when it closed quite some time ago.  More miles and time for me, so I was so glad when I found out Monday night that it was open (well sort of).  I headed out early yesterday because of the rain, but I was excited about being back on 1600!  My goodness, what a difference, the old road was so rough, bumpy, and full of potholes….the new road smooth, wider and no potholes!  Just amazing to me what they can do with good equipment and man power…..an old road, “brand new.”  As I drove along a thought came to me…..we too can be brand new…..no matter how rough and bumpy we become, no matter how many potholes or how deep they are….we can be “band new” again too!  Oh  friends, my heart warmed as I felt HIS arms around me…reassuring me that through the blood, the death, and resurrection of His ONLY SON, JESUS we can be ‘brand new,” washed clean, free from our sin and guilt….from the bumpy, narrow road that we sometimes travel…….There’s always, always HOPE for us and those we love through JESUS……smile with me, thank our Father for HIS unending grace and mercy, and never give up on yourself or a loved one no matter how deep the potholes….Go to HIM, Be Still, lean into HIS embrace, Listen….Trust……Believe……HE Makes all things NEW….BRAND NEW.   Thank you Father!  All honor and praise to YOU!

 

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life…..for sin shall not be your master because you are not under the law, but under grace…..For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  From Romans 6.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.  God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5: 17-18 & 21.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12.  It is by grace you have been save, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the girl of God.  Ephesians 2:8.  Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”  Matthew 17:20.

Love you all!

The Golden Rule: Matthew 7:12

Today at 10:27 AM

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His Friday.  I have developed a bad habit….unconsciously….seems like I must be clenching my teeth in my sleep.  I do not have a clue that I am doing it, but when I wake up my jaws are sore, well my whole mouth, teeth and gums throbbing…..every once in a while I will wake up out a sound sleep and catch myself doing it….so I know exactly why my mouth is sore when I wake up.  Like I said it’s totally unconscious and I am sure it has to do with the stress I have been under lately, but I sure don’t like it.  This morning I got to thinking…..hmm, wonder what other things I do unconsciously that might make people around me feel uncomfortable……remarks that just spew out without thinking, rude facial expressions that cause pain…..all unconscious actions…..but definitely not reflections of God’s love shining through me.  God’s love shining through us is easily snuffed out if we don’t have our hearts and minds focused fully on HIM!  When we tootle along through life just doing as we please, we will do things unconsciously that may cause hurt to people around us….The Golden Rule comes to my mind…..we do want to be treated kindly, don’t we….well we must treat others just like we want to be treated…..simple enough, right??!!!  Nope, not if we don’t have God’s love in our hearts…..remember the other day we talked about “clothing” ourselves in HIS love…well, here you have it!  Oh and a PS…..I need to trust in HIS will a bit more too…..hold on tighter, be still, feel HIS peace and trust in HIS will….HE is in charge and HE will take care of every last detail….trusting and believing Father!  Please forgive us when we don’t shine for YOU…help us to find strength by staying close to YOU in Your word and prayer….staying close to YOU we will be OK!  Thank you Father!

 

Be kind and compassionate to one another.  Ephesians 4:32.  As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.  In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  Matthew 7:12.  Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  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.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him….Psalm 37:3-7a.  And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  To our Gd and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  Philippians 4:19-20.

Love you all!

June 17, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Awesome is our God, Monday!  My ex in-laws and I are still very close, even though I have been divorced from their son for 33 years; shortly after Kim and I moved to OK, they came from CA for a couple of visits…Ben was originally from Holdenville, but had never been back since his family moved to CA when he was about 7.  We actually found his old home place.  Mom was born in Arkansas and had never been back their either, so they both really enjoyed being back here.  Well, low and behold about 3 years after our move, Mom and Ben bought a home in Arkansas and moved back lock, stock, and barrel!  They love their home in Harrison and don’t regret their move, but they are quite elderly and live on a very fixed income, so if they have any kind of problem, they really struggle.  I call Mom every Sunday morning and try to send them little extras once in a while, but I really am not able to help them in a big way, so when Mom’s car became terminal, it was devastating to them.  Diagnosis, new engine….well there’s no way they had money for that…..Mom was so sad…..Mom is pretty crippled up with arthritis so it’s hard for her to get in and out of Ben’s truck, not to even mention driving it….but she was….she had no car and had to get to exercise (at 83), so she would drive herself in the truck.  Each Sunday she would tell me how hard it was for her and it’s so big she had a hard time parking.  I hate Mom to be upset and wished I could afford to get her car fixed, but I knew that was not feasible, so I just prayed for them like I always do….probably more for Mom’s safety and contentment than anything because I knew they would never have the money to get her car running again.  That’s how much I know, right!!!!  Yesterday, I called Mom as usual, we were just chatting away when she casually mentioned something about her car!  “YOUR CAR!!??  YOUR CAR IS RUNNING??!!!”  I couldn’t believe she was so nonchalant in her response, “Oh yes our neighbor (mind you, they have made friends with one neighbor since they have been there) helped us.  He worked on it and financed what we needed for the engine.  He is the best friend we have ever had!”  Well, I guess he is!  I rejoiced with her and as we said our goodbyes my heart and mind were overflowing with thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father!  I could feel HIM there with me….patting me on the back….reassuring me that HE is quite capable of taking care of terminal cars in HIS own way….and time.  Gosh, I couldn’t help but smile and feel so relieved to think that my prayers for “HELP” are answered perfectly according to the will of our Heavenly Father…..Pray….trusting and believing….leave the rest to HIM!!!!  Oh Father….forgive me when I think I need to have all the answers….thank  you for always hearing my cries for help!  And Father, thank you so much for taking care of Mom and Ben!  Care to join me in a round of, “Seek and Ye shall find, Knock and the door will be opened, ask and it shall be given….. “  His love is all around!

 

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.  (even if we don’t know what to ask!).  1 John 5:14-15.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:16.  The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayers.  1 Peter 3:12. Those who know Your name will trust in You, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.  Psalm 9:10.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him.  Nahum 1:7. 

Love you all!

June 7, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His loving arms, Wednesday!!  I have a couple of hens that have been quite persistent in “sitting.”  Sometimes they get that “need to nurture” attitude and sit on the eggs that someone else has helped to lay!  Every night when I go in to gather eggs, I have to pull them out of the nests to get my eggs!  I would much rather eat the eggs than have baby chicks!  Well, the other evening as I went in, my two “wanna- be” mother hens let out a couple of clucks and jumped out of nests.  I thought well good, they finally got over that sitting stuff…about time….such a pain!  I stepped into the nest area and immediately realized why my hens had exited the nests so quickly!  Woven between the nests and slightly draped over the edge was a big ol gross, slimy, yucky, big nasty snake!!! And he had an egg…..my egg….bulging from his body!  I hate snakes….terrified of them…..but there I was home alone and it was eating my eggs!  I knew what I had to do…..as I rushed out of the coop to get a shovel….I asked our Heavenly Father to help me meet my fear head on…..I ran to the carport, grabbed a shovel, and headed courageously back to the coop…..I felt positive… I could handle the mission in front of me…..boldly, I entered the coop making my way to the nests….he was still there, lurking….who knows how long he would have stayed, terrorizing my hens and devouring my eggs, if I had not meet the situation head on….bravely…..I got him on the shovel threw him down and immediately began chopping at his head….egg yolk was flying everywhere….my conquest was not easy….but I did not give up…..How many times have we each been confronted with our “snakes”……a situation seems so dire….we feel so helpless…..depression consumes us.....finances are out of control…..sickness…stress at work…..broken relationships…..How was I able to conquer my fear head on???  Only because I let go and let God have my fear….HE and HE alone can see us through anything…..HE can lift the gloom, heal the sick….see us through…..fill us with confidence and a peace that passes all human understanding….joy when you think there is none…..love that holds us up, fills the empty gaps…refreshes…renews…..gives us strength to keep on keeping on…TRUSTING AND BELIEVING…that with HIM anything is possible!  Father, we come to You sad, hurting, empty….we give all our pain to You….Thank You for carrying our burdens and seeing us through!

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5.  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26.Fear of man will prove t be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.  Proverbs 29:25.  Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leave are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.  Jeremiah 17:7-8.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 443:2..The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him.  Nahum 1:7.

Love you all!

 

May 13, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  More than we deserve, Monday!  Hope everyone had a good weekend and all you mom’s hope yesterday was love-filled!  Mine sure was….I have to say I got everything I asked for!  A couple weeks ago I told Kim, I need a new hose for mother’s day.  Gosh I have had the same one for so long, one patch after another, had to cut off the end and a leak sprung so big that I couldn’t fix it….been wasting so much water…so I thought perfect time for a new hose, right.  Well heck a few days later, I saw the coolest yard shoes at TSC; they are rubber slip-on’s and oh so brightly colored…perfect for the yard chores!  So, I told him….forget the hose I want these cool shoes….Well, a few days after that, I thought….darn what I really want is a month of tanning (sorry doc)…so, once again I told my sweetie….forget the shoes…I want a month of tanning for Mom’s day!  Guess what I got!!!!!  Go ahead guess….spoiled brat~  I got all three!  Why he even had the new hose all hooked up, ready to go and threw away the old one!  My shoes are awesome, turquoise with bright flowers…..and tanning gift certificate.  I got everything I asked for, even though one thing is not really too good for me. Delighting in being spoiled and feeling quite special a thought occurred to me…..What if God gave us everything we asked for….what if He didn’t use His omnipotent powers to do only what’s best for us…..Sweet Kim gave me a gift certificate for tanning because I asked for it, but really…it’s not good for me.  So often we ask God for what we think is best for us….even though it is hard at times to accept what He gives…..we must trust and believe that HIS will for us is best….even if it’s not what we asked for…..Father, thank you for always knowing what’s best for us…..increase our faith so that we trust and believe in Your plans for us….keep us grounded in YOU. 

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.  Proverbs 16:20.  Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but however trusts in the Lord is kept safe.  Proverbs 29:25.   “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, “ declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!  “Who has known the mind of the Lord?  Or who has been His counselor?”  “Who has ever give to God, that God should repay him?”  For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things,.  To Him be the glory forever! 

Love you all!

April 15, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Awesome is our God, Monday!  This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!  Whether we feel like it or not……!!!!  Gosh seems like we are in one of those spells, when you think nothing else could go wrong and then….it does!  Sitting here feeling sorry for myself, my thoughts turned to David….and his words in Psalm 40.  I am not sure what had happened that led David to write what he did, but I get the feeling he was in a spell like we are, but he starts out…”I waited patiently for the Lord;” gosh it’s hard to do that sometimes isn’t it….he continues, “He turned to me and heard my cry.”  Can you hear me Lord?!!  I’m crying, like a big baby…..hear me?!  “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”  Ah…..a solid place would be nice….Lord, give me courage to step out in faith and feel You, solidly beneath me…hold onto me as I get through the mud….David goes on to say, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”  Hmmm, a new song….that’s what I need…..how about the laughing song….Do you know that one?  “ho, ho, ho hosanna, ha, ha halleluiah, He, He He saved me, I have the joy of the LORD!”  A joyful song because I know that He hears me, loves me and cares…..I can rejoice with David because, “Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust….”  I do trust You Father……Thank you for lifting me out of the mud…….forgive my weakness. 

The email below was sent to me by a sweet friend, I thought it was really worthy of a share….God bless you all.  Love you

The Holy Alphabet- Although things are not perfect Because of trial or pain Continue in thanksgiving Do not begin to blame Even when the times are hard Fierce winds are bound to blow God is forever able Hold on to what you know Imagine life without His love Joy would cease to be Keep thanking Him for all the things Love imparts to thee Move out of "Camp Complaining" No weapon that is known On earth can yield the power Praise can do alone Quit looking at the future Redeem the time at hand Start every day with worship To "thank" is a command Until we see Him coming Victorious in the sky We'll run the race with gratitude X alting God most high Y e s, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but... Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad! "I AM Too blessed to be stressed!" The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.

April 4, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!  Well, how about this rain!  So funny, out in our neck of the woods there’s always so much hype about the weather….you know the men…..they all have their input on how much rain, how cold, how dry….you know.  Well, Monday was their firemen’s meeting and when Kim got home he had lots of rain stories to tell!  One said,  gonna get 4.5 inches, another no not that much gonna get about 3.5 inches…..another 2-4…everybody boasting that their predictions would be the one!  My husband, sporting his doom and gloom attitude, said “it’s gonna miss us! Not gonna get anything.”  So, we did get something didn’t we!  You know what we got?.......Bottom line?   We got the amount of rain that our Heavenly Father wanted us to have!   No meteorologist or fireman could predict the exact amount of rain that our Heavenly Father would send to us….or how it would come……we must simply trust and believe that it will rain and thank Him…..oh yes, even in times of drought we must THANK HIM FOR THE RAIN…..the rain that’s coming!   Oh my…..that’s the message for our lives……we must trust HIM…..sometimes it seems like one yucky thing after another comes our way…..we begin to wonder…..doubt that our Heavenly Father really cares about us….that’s when we must reach deep into our hearts, holding tightly to our faith and trust…..and thank HIM…..Oh yes my friends, He tells us to give thanks in all circumstances…..that means…..even the yucky ones.  God is always working for us….Always loving us…..in HIS way….in HIS time….and as hard as it is….we must work diligently to not question HIM.  We must, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; and in EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. At times, we might not see God’s love with our eyes, but close your eyes and see His love in your heart…..Oh yes HIS love is always with us…..His arms are always open….waiting for us to come and be refreshed…..reassured that the blessings will come.  Father, gosh sometimes life makes us wonder….forgive us when our trust in You, Your love, for us weak…..bring us to YOU for comfort.  Thank you Father.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.  Psalm 9:9.  My soul fins rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.  Psalm 62:1-2.  Jesus said, “ have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33.  I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Isaiah 41:13.  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am you God.  I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with  my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10.

Love you all!

March 5, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Trusting in His time, Tuesday!  This morning, everyone is talking about the strong winds that started blowing last night and continue this morning……trash cans, feed barrels and trash were strewn everywhere.  The big heavy doors of my office keep blowing open….fierce, cold winds……I was feeling tossed about by the winds of life this morning…everything around me blowing out of control…..fierce and cold….then I turned my calendar and read this, “Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what He promised.”  Hebrews 10:25.  Oh yes….the winds are blowing right now, but I have the perfect hope…..if I hold firmly.  He has promised to never forsake me, He has promised to carry my burdens……if I believe….I must trust and believe firmly in His hope because He says, “he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6.  The fierce winds are trying to toss me….but I am holding firmly to His promise because He tells me….”cast your cares on Me, I will sustain you:  I will never let the righteous fall.” From Psalm 55.  “It is God who …makes us stand firm in Christ.  He anointed us, set His seal of owner ship on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”  2 Corinthians 1;21-22.   If I put all of my trust in Him the winds will not blow me because, His word tells me, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leave are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. (even in the fierce winds).  Jeremiah 17:7-8.  “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32.  Thank you Father for taking my hand in the fierce winds of life and holding fast….I feel secure in Your flock.

Love you all!

January 15, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Totally trusting in His care, Tuesday!  My sister gave me one of those daily inspirational calendars; each day there is a verse from one of the Psalms….I love Psalms don’t you.  Today, as I tore off yesterday’s and read today’s…...a sweet peace came over me……a quiet strength…..I could feel worries being lifted…..The verses are from Psalm 139, “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”   I sighed….a deep cleansing sigh……Oh silly me….how can I for even one second think that I am alone…..”in the uttermost parts” of the pile of bills…….of health issues…..cranky husband….wayward child…..aging parents……grief……Take my hand and lead Father, holding 0nto You I am safe……trusting and believing in Your power in my life……according to Your will.  Thank you Father, all glory, honor, and praise to You.

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar…..Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?...If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you…..How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with you…..Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  From Psalm 139.

Love you all!

November 28, 2012

Good Morning Friends!  Wow, it’s a wonderful Wednesday wrapped in His love!  Seems like we spend so much time worrying about balancing….balancing our diet…..you know making sure we get healthy stuff go along with the junk.  Balancing our budget so that we make sure we can pay our bills before we buy a new dress….balance is important in so many ways in our lives.  Yesterday I was responding to a missionary in Turkey that our church sponsors; I was telling him about all the activities we were planning at church and Sunday School for Christmas and as I listed them, I began to feel overwhelmed……unbalanced so to speak.  I finished my email and as I hit send, my thoughts returned to all the things I had ahead of me, programs, costumes, decorations, Hanging of the Greens, shopping, decorations, wrapping, cooking, cards, letters……Oh my gosh….I felt like screaming.  That’s when “Balance” hit me……I need to do more than balance my diet and budget….I need to “balance” my priorites….my time…..Number one priority for this season of Advent and Christmas is JESUS!!!!  JESUS is the Reason for the Season!  Without our precious Savior there would be no season worth celebrating.  So without further ado, I am asking our Heavenly Father to help me balance my Christmas activities….after all, it’s all for naught without HIM!!!!  Without JESUS…..there’s no need for a tree….the tree points to heaven, reminding us where Jesus came from and the green represents the eternal life we receive from HIM…and the lights, well….HE is the light of the world!  So, as you shop for the perfect gift for loved ones….remember the perfect gift of Jesus life….Thank Him, Praise Him and love others as He loves us…..That’s the reason for all the fuss and muss……We will all be busier in the next month, that goes without saying….but with God’s help we can “balance” our business and joyfully celebrate the birth of our Savior…..The REASON FOR THE SEASON!”  Father, thank you for the gift of your Son and the joy of celebrating His birth….keep us focused Father on what is really important and Go Tell it on the Mountain!

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and place him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped cloths and lying in a manger.”  Luke 2:6-12.

Love you all!

November 8, 2012

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His Thursday!  Big, nerve racking day at the Johnson place today…..State inspector for the kennels is coming in from Tulsa for our annual inspection!  Oh how we dread this day…even though we work hard at keeping our kennels and dogs in good condition, it’s always scary when you know they are coming to inspect everything you have and do with a fine tooth comb.  So needless to say, we have been working diligently every day this week in hopes of passing inspection with flying colors!  This morning I had to clear the clutter from the dining room table so Kim and the inspector could sit and go over things (and I cleaned the bathroom too, after all she is coming in from Tulsa).  I headed to my car just a little behind schedule, but made sure to leave my sweetie a note of encouragement; as I began my drive in my thoughts were consumed with the inspection…..being under the magnifying glass is so nerve racking…..I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful colors of leaves in the trees all around me….the colors of fall are my favorite…..a feeling of peace settled over me and my thoughts turned toward the love of our Heavenly Father……Oh Father, thank you for loving us unconditionally…. Your grace that saves us, nothing we do….just You.  Thank you for not examining us with a magnifying glass…….for just loving us…..forgiving us….through Your grace.  Father in return fill us with hearts and minds that work to bring You glory.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:8-10.  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be hold and blameless in His sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  Ephesians 1:3-10.  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 1:2. 

Love you all!

November 5, 2012

Good Morning Friends!!!!! My oh my, I am glad I am HIS Monday!!!! This morning I loaded up all my bags for work (they call me the bag lady here) and headed out the door. I was feeling quite spiffy in my zebra print dress and sporting my high heels…..Now if you have ever been to my house you know about the wooden ramp that my husband built, but for those of you that haven’t let me describe it a bit; it’s a bit steep….short and steep, I guess because of the steps it was built over and the size of the screen porch. Anyway, needless to say I try to always be careful when I head down, especially when sporting the high heels…you know the ones with the thin heals. This morning was no exception, loaded my bags and headed out the door. I hadn’t taken 3 steps down the ramp when my right heal got stuck between the boards…..a first and I hope a last! My heart and mind were both racing as my leg buckled at the knee and I was headed down. Praise God, somehow I managed to get control of my body, pull my heal out, and stay on my feet! As I stood up, I took a deep breath, said a thank you prayer and headed to my car, knowing I had been blessed because I could have really hurt myself! As I got in the car I couldn’t help but think that if I wasn’t somewhat physically fit….you know, if I didn’t exercise (not as much as I should, but I do try) and eat half way healthy I very well may not have had the strength or dexterity to hold myself up and get my balance. Because I take care of myself I was able to ward off a potentially serious fall. Hmm, oh goodness don’t we face potentially serious “falls” everyday….”falls” into worldly temptations? Falls….like the temptation to gossip, ignore a friend in need, criticize unjustly….these falls might not seem too serious, but left unattended…..oh my the pain and hurt that happens. So, you are asking what does your near fall have to do with this. If we are spiritually fit….if we spend time every day with our Heavenly Father, in prayer and His word we will be able to ward off potentially serious “falls.” We will be strong and balanced in our daily lives, being spiritually healthy His light will shine brightly through us to others….well heck our light might even help others to avoid “potentially serious falls” making the world a brighter place. Heavenly Father, help us to stay fit by spending time with YOU, the most important time in our days….Help us to share your love with others, generously!

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the spirit have their minds set on what the nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5. What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humble with your God. Micah 6:8. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Titus 2:11-12. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! 2 Peter 3:18.

 

Love you all!

October 26, 2012

Good Morning Friends! Fully confident in His plan, Friday! So, those of you with me in OK, how are you liken the chill in the air this morning?! Bit of a change from the day before isn’t it! How quickly the weather can change…..are you ready, prepared for the winter cold? Got your wood cut, propane tanked filled, know where your winter clothes are…hats, gloves, long johns? Being prepared is so important as winter hits us…..it can change so quickly! Isn’t that the way it is with our lives too…..one minute we are just cruising along….smooth….no bumps in the road and then bam….a child is very ill, a car accident, dissention in our family, loss of job, death of a loved one…..we are never really ready for life’s really tough stuff, but we can be prepared if get our hearts and minds focused on the love of our Heavenly Father, if we fill our time with prayer, His word, praise and worship and wear His love from the inside out! With HIM we can handle the tough stuff, with HIM we get over the bumps. Let’s not waste time traveling alone….waiting till the cold front hits and no propane……let’s be prepared, let’s spend each day growing in faith, loving Him, listening to HIM and following His will for our lives….Oh HE will keep us so warm with HIS love. Father lead us to follow you daily…..thank you for loving us and keeping us warm as we travel through this life. Father I ask you to comfort those suffering any pain right now, pull them close to You, wrap Your all- loving arms around them and give them Your peace.

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leave are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Psalm 86:7. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26. We live by faith, not sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1. Rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7. 

 

Love you all!

October 24, 2012

Good Morning Friends! Wow, sure is wonderful to be His child, Wednesday! This morning I was sitting in my cozy chair, in the dark, having a good visit with our Heavenly Father…..all was quiet until…..until my donkey (actually Hailey’s donkey, down for a visit with his girlfriend) started braying like the world was coming to an end! My first thought was…..Oh my gosh, how obnoxious, he knows I am not coming out there this morning…but then I just had to smile….silly donkey, what a racket he makes just to get my attention….There in the quiet darkness of the morning I smiled again thinking about me yesterday…oh heck so many days! Oh, I am sure my pleas sounded as obnoxious as Eyore’s braying….Oh my do I bray at God? Do I just cry out in the darkness sounding desperate and out of control? Yes…..I know that at times….like yesterday……I do……but, I think that our Heavenly Father smiles when I do…not because I am suffering, but because He wants us to come to Him……He knows the source of our pain and He is the only one that can fix it…..and HE wants to fix it and He rejoices when we come to HIM!!! Why oh why are we as stubborn as a……donkey sometimes!!!!! Oh Father, thank you for your attentive ears, Your open arms, Your endless love!

You turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. Oh Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever. Psalm 30:11-12. But I trust in you O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who purse me. Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Psalm 31: 14-16

 

Love you all!