Where are the cows?

Good Morning Friends!!  Thankfully HIS Thursday!   Kim has been trying to buy about 10 more cows to finish out his herd for several months.  Gosh, prices are so high and they are really hard to find too.  So, last week when he heard about a special sale in McAllister on Saturday we couldn’t help but get a little excited.  We knew that it was mostly a bull sale, but there were supposed to be some cows/heifers also, so yep we were anxious.  We got up real early Saturday morning and got all our chores done so we could leave around 10.  I stoked the fire to last all day because we didn’t think we would be home till late and left the pumpkin/turkey lights on too…..I was packed and ready for a day at the sale barn (I just love those sale barn burgers) and excited that Kim might finally get his cows (he has been driving me a bit crazy)!  It was a beautiful morning, the drive was gorgeous,  trees flaunting their phenomenal fall colors, the warm sun dancing happily through the fluffy clouds and the company…..my favorite sweetie what a great day!  We arrived early, pulled on our jackets and headed to the lots to get a sneak preview of what we had hoped to bid on.  We could tell as soon as we stepped in that there wasn’t an abundance of animals.  We walked up and down every row….one after another……bull after bull….where are the cows!!!  We finally found two or three pens of heifers…registered at that…but that was it!  Wow!  What a let- down….dang, we had worked ourselves into a state of anxious anticipation and now nothing….With our bubbles burst and our heads hanging we headed to the car….no need to hang around there!  Now what??!!!  Poor Kim, once again he faced the disappointment of not completing his herd…..We were quiet as we hit the road  home….I did talk him into stopping at a couple antique stores so I could brose and we had lunch, but then headed home.  We were sleepy when we got home, so we sat in our recliners and looked for a movie to watch….we both dozed off….the silence was broken by the shrill sound of Kim’s pager…..he jumped up as the voice from Central Dispatch said Lula Fire….you need to respond…unattended death…..We looked at each other, oh how he hates those calls….he responded and headed out the door.  I said a prayer for the family  and went to the office to do something.  It hadn’t been too long when I got a call from him…..his voice was serious, “Kathie can you come sit with a wife who just lost her husband?”  Oh my gosh I thought, oh how sad….can I?  “Kathie, Vera needs you.”  At that point it hit me, a dear friend and neighbor had died…his sweet precious wife of 62 years was all alone.  “I will be right there!”  I headed out the door, crying….poor Vera….oh I will miss Waymon….precious man, poor Vera.  I drove as fast as I dared, Kim greeted me on the porch where he waited for the ambulance.  “She’s on the couch, on the phone, go on in.”  I embraced her, she cried…..At that moment I knew why there were no cows at the sale!  God had a bigger plan for our day…..His sweet child, Vera, needed hugs……God was in charge of our day…..how could we ever have doubted HIM!  Father, help us to trust and believe in Your plans for us and to joyfully obey.  Help us to always reflect Your love in our actions with Your children.

 

“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.  The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.  Psalm 33:11.  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9.  As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12.

Love you all!

Don't blame it on the dog!: Matthew 7:1-5

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!  Yesterday I told you a bit about our dog, Holina Dos; today I am going to share a cute story that my dear friend Julie shared with me about her precious dog, Annie.  Julie got home after work, the day it had been raining, Annie was outside but very anxious (she is a bit of a worry wart) because there was a big truck parked next door.  So anyway, Annie was in a big rush to get into the house.  As soon as they got in the door Julie noticed some mud on the floor.  She scoffed at Annie, grabbed a cloth and went to wiping off Annie’s paws…..Annie wasn’t thrilled about it and was so excited that Julie kind of had to follow her through the house to get each paw.  She was irritated that she kept wiping, but there was still mud everywhere!  I wasn’t there, so I can’t be sure, but I would just bet that Annie was getting chewed out pretty good…..after a few minutes and lots of wiping on Annie’s paws, Julie discovered….oh my….ready for this….the mud she kept seeing was on her shoes!!!!  Annie was innocent, blameless….but was so quickly accused of making the muddy mess when actually….the accuser was to blame!  Ouch!!  We were laughing as she shared her Annie story, but it got me to thinking.  How often do we…..place blame on others rather than looking at ourselves, our actions first?.....Husband/wife a grouch????  Kids whiney??? Co-worker rude???  Grocery store clerk snotty???  Neighbor selfish????   Hmm maybe we should check for the mud on our feet, before we accuse everyone else around us of the wrong doing……Father, forgive us when we look to blame others before we look at ourselves.  Help us to be more like YOU…..Fuel our lights to shine brightly with kindness and love.

 

Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘let me take the speck out our your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?.....first take the plank out of your won eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Matthew 7:1-5.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4:22-24.  We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10.  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!!!  1 John 3:1. 

Love you all!  Have a wonderful weekend