The Lord turns my darkness into light

Good Morning Friends!  Freely forgiven through HIS love, Friday!  We had to have a light bulb replaced in the bathroom at work this week, it’s a big bathroom so there is more than one light, but just one was out.  Well, job done, the new bulb casts a different light than the others (nice, just different)…you know a different batch of bulbs.  This morning as I entered the bathroom the different glow seemed to reach out and encompass me…..I have been going through some tough stuff recently….really struggling to fill my heart and mind with God’s will, rather than excruciating worry…..so often feeling lost, and in the dark…..the glow of the new light…..oh the light…..Why do I allow myself to be in the dark when the light of God’s love is reaching out to me, encompassing me all the time….everywhere….Father, thank you for the light of Your love shining on me, warming me, melting my worry, holding me….comforting me…Forgive me Father when I choose to stay in the darkness, give me strength to cling to YOU!

 

You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.  2 Samuel 22:29.   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.  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”  made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  2 Corinthians 4:6. 

Love you all! 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mending fences

Good Morning Friends!  Fabulous Friday, loved by HIM!!!!   A few years ago we had a really wet spring….so wet that the creek that runs through our property, filled to over flowing, breaking its banks and flooding a pasture.  The whole event was pretty strong, so when the flood waters broke loose they took down a quarter to half mile of fence bordering the creek.  I mean to tell you…plum flattened that fence, laid it down!!!!!  Now with the fence down the cows and sheep had total access to pastures on both sides of the creek…..not really the ideal situation.  Of course, my husband had good intentions of fixing the fence immediately…..however, life happens!  One year rolled into the next, big plans to get to it, but cows and sheep roamed where they pleased….each year more grass, limbs, leaves grew over the flat fence making a job that once would have been not easy, but very do able, now seemingly impossible!  Year in…year out….can’t tell you how many times I heard “I gotta get that fence up.”  So many times, that got to the point I really didn’t hear him….especially when he complained about the animals being where they were not supposed to be!  Tuesday when I got home from work, he was sitting on the screened porch, munching on chips and dip and sipping a nice cool beverage!  Remember how beautiful and warm it was on Tuesday, so I went in changed my clothes and put up my stuff so I could join him.   He shared his chips and even had a cold drink poured for me.  We chatted about our work days, enjoying our snacks, relishing in the beautiful spring-like weather.  I needed to take care of my critters, as I was heading out the door he hollered, “hurry up, we are going for a ride!”  When Kim wants to go for a ride on a week night he has a specific plan….something that can’t wait to have my attention.  Maybe a new tool in the shop, or the beginning of one of his creative inventions or maybe a set of twin lambs….well, I had no clue what he was up to on Tuesday.  As soon as I finished my chores we hopped in his truck and headed out!  First stop, the gate that leads into the pasture that had flooded….I hopped out, unlocked the gate and in we went.  Within just a matter of a few seconds I knew what he was up to!  No new tool, or baby…..the fence was up!!!!!  The whole length from one end of the pasture to other…..up…..in one day he had, with the help of a young neighbor, put the whole fence back up….one day….not even a whole day, he had done all his farm chores too!  I was quite impressed with his accomplishment and praised him for a job well done….we of course had to drive the whole pasture and check it all out, although not perfect the fence would definitely do its job now!  As we headed back to the house I couldn’t help but think how at times, we let the severe storms of life flatten us….our spirits, our moods, our finances…..flattened relationships…..we procrastinate…..let the messes in our lives get worse and harder to fix when we have the perfect tool with us all the time to get the job done!  Our Heavenly Father is there to guide us with HIS wisdom, support us with HIS love, wrap us in HIS comfort…..HE”S there 24/7……why do we procrastinate….allow ourselves to get depressed, emotionally and spiritually….we make ourselves sick with worry and heartache…..when like Kim, when he finally just did it, got the job done in a few hours…..we can get our fences back up by going to our FATHER, giving HIM our worries, letting HIM carry the load!  Oh Kim’s fence is not perfect nor will our “fences” in life always be perfect.  Life on this earth because of sin is just not perfect….but Praise God He sent His Son to die for us and promises to mend our fences until we get HOME with HIM!   Oh Father, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!  You supply all the tools we need to keep our fences up!!!!!

Just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.  2 Corinthians 1:5.  Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  Romans 8:18.  Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.  Psalm 55:22. 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.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him  Nahum 1:7.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11. 

Love you all!

He strokes our worries and sadness away

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in His loving arms Wednesday!  Our little dog Axel is sick….oh we just hate it.  He has a terrible cough…it just sounds horrible and Kim and I just hate that he doesn’t feel good….Well, on Monday he was so worried about his little pal that he took him to the Vet.  She said he didn’t have a fever and couldn’t see anything in his throat, gave him a shot and some pills for his tummy ache and sent them home.  The cough kept getting worse and worse and yesterday morning, sitting on my lap, he kept looking at me….his eyes so droopy and sad…..he just looked miserable, so pathetic….As I sat in the quiet of the early morning, gently rubbing his throat and having my morning talk with our Father…..it occurred to me just how pathetic we must look to our Father sometimes….times we are worried, sad, grieving…..eyes drooping, cheeks tear streaked, shoulders drooped…..pathetic….Axel found comfort sitting with me, being stroked…..feeling my compassion for him….Can you just imagine how much compassion our Father has for us, when He sees us…..drooping and sad……He yearns for us to come to HIM, sit with HIM and be comforted….HE will not fail us….gently, lovingly HE strokes our worries and sadness away….carries them for us…wraps HIS loving arms around us and gives us peace.  Thank you Father.

 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4.  May your unfailing love be my comfort  according to your promise to your servant.  Psalm 119:76.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11. 

Love you all!

God's Loving Rays

Good Morning Friends!  Mighty Marvelous is our God!  Saturday morning Kim and I headed into Ada to get a couple of propane bottles filled and while we were there have breakfast!  Missions accomplished we headed back to Lula; about half way home, I was awe-struck by the beauty in the sky.  The sky was cloudy with a mix of both puffy white and heavier dark clouds with blotches of blue sky peeking through…. huge magnificent rays of sunlight expanded the entire sky…..reaching out through both the white and dark clouds….reaching out….warm and comforting.  As I stared at the breath-taking site I suddenly felt like our FATHER was there with me, shining through the clouds to warm and comfort me, to uplift and guide me with HIS love.  Later on in the day while helping Kim with ranch chores I couldn’t help but notice that the sky was now totally filled with dark clouds…..dark, gloomy clouds…like certain times in my life when I seem to be consumed by heavy dark clouds of stress, worry, family needs, financial…..staring at the gloomy sky, I felt a big smile emerging from within me….I know what is behind those gloomy clouds…..God’s loving rays are always there, shining on us… all over us… from the inside out!  Whether the skies are clear or cloudy HIS Marvelous, Magnificent LOVE shines on us warming our hearts and minds with HIS Peace….Father, thank you for shining on us….forgive us when our worry consumes us and we become weak…..

 

Restore us, O God; make Your face shine upon us.  Psalm 80:3.   My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.  The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  Deuteronomy 33:27.     The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.  Numbers 6:10. 

Love you all!

Happy lights!: Psalm 27:1

Good Morning Friends!  Wise and Wonderful is our God, Wednesday!  So, how about this weather….isn’t it wonderful, I love the changing of seasons, especially summer to fall.  I love putting up fall decorations, corn stalks, ornamental corn, beautiful colored leaves, but my favorite is my pumpkin and turkey lights…well actually, one strand of mini white Christmas lights that stretch across the front porch (now Cooper and Katy’s playroom) window.  Each fall I alternate hanging plastic jack o lanterns and turkeys on the lights…..and it’s the silliest thing, but when I go to turn them on for the first time, I am so excited….just happy….well heck joyful…..isn’t that silly!  This morning as I walked into the dark living room for my morning prayer time, I smiled as I flipped on my happy lights…..Oh my…..I felt our Father…..so close to me….His arms around me…..”Kathie, My precious child….you love those lights because of the joy they shed on the darkness.  This world is so often full of darkness, sadness, worry, stress……My LOVE is your LIGHT in the darkness, your HAPPY LIGHT…..I shine to bring you JOY…..HAPPY, knowing that I am with you always, through every turmoil…..know that your JOY will come through MY LIGHT.”   Thank you Father….forgive my times of doubt and weakness.  All Honor, Glory, and Praise to YOU my LIGHT and my SALVATION.

 

You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.  With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.  2 Samuel 22:29-30.  The Lord is my LIGHT and my SALVATION—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of life—of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1.  Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the LIGHT of the Lord.  Isaiah 2:5.  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never wak in darkness, but will have the LIGHT of life.”  John 8:12. Restore us, O God; make Your face shine upon us.  Psalm 80:3. 

Love you all!

 

The Creator and Performer of great and glorious things

Good Morning Friends!  Full of His Greatness, Friday!  “You are, O God, The Creator and Performer of great and glorious things.”  A friend shared this quote with me today…..On first read, might seem like one simple sentence, but if you will “be still” for just a moment and read it again…..Wow!  Of course we all know that God is the “Creator” of our world, just open Genesis 1 for a magnificent recap of the 6 days in which He created-made out of nothing- our world.  It’s the “Performer” part that got me to thinking…..We think about Jesus “performing” miracles, you know healing the blind, turning water into wine, casting out demons, but how about today…..right now…..do we believe that our God still performs miracles or in our weakness do we  tend to forget….forget that HE is the Maker and DOER of all….What “things” do you need “Performed” for you?  Great and Glorious things????  Feeling trapped?  Worried?  Stressed? Anxious?  I think about my son, sick in the hospital in California….I hate to think how much time and energy I have wasted worrying about him rather than Praising our God, our Father, for the great and glorious things He is planning to Perform for Shawn….for you, your family….friends…for me…..Great and Glorious beyond our human imagination….we see His magnificent world in front of us….the works of His hands and still can’t understand how He did it….just imagine….be still and let your mind be full of HIM and be blessed by the great and glorious things our Performer has in store for us!  Thank you Father, forgive our worry and our simple minds! “ To YOU, O God, The Creator and Performer of great and glorious things” be all Honor, Glory, and Praise, now and forever. 

 

Therefore, we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18.  Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is He who made us, and we are His/  we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.  Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.  Psalm 100.

Love you all!

January 14, 2013

Good Morning Friends!  Marveling in His mighty love, Monday!   I usually buy groceries on payday Friday, but last Friday things came up and I just couldn’t get to it; so Kim and I decided to come into town late Saturday afternoon, get groceries, and then go out to dinner!  It was really cold, so I dressed appropriately…or so I thought.  Warm coat, gloves, stocking hat and my warm, all- weather, Ugg type boots.  About half way through our list it sounded like jet airplanes were right on top of us….was actually a torrential downpour!  By the time we finished shopping and headed to the car it was barely sprinkling, but of my gosh!  The parking lot was flooded….and it was cold!  I was so glad that I was dressed for the occasion (or so I thought)  feeling so smug in all my outer wear I drudged right into the flooded parking lot…..OH NO!  THERE’S NO WAY!!!  THESE BOOTS ARE WATER PROOF!!!!......or so I thought.  Within a matter of seconds, my feet were soaked…..my boots leaked….my boots that I was so sure were all weather…..leaked…..I thought I was ready for anything and my boots leaked….within seconds!  Later that evening after we got back home and I was removing my wet socks and trying to warm my feet I couldn’t help but think that the smug feelings I had about my “all weather” boots carries into my life.  How often do we carry on like we are untouchable….that will never happen to me….we go about our daily lives with little contact with our Heavenly Father, smugly thinking we are prepared for things on our own and then….BAM!!!!  In a matter of seconds our life feels like it is flooded with worry…..one minute we are smug and confident and the next minute “our feet are wet” with stress and worry……alone in the blowing wind and rain…..drowning…..in just a matter of seconds!  Good news!  Doesn’t have to be this way, nope!  We just need to stay dressed in God’s word, praying and talking to HIM daily….heck hourly…….That’s where we get our strength, our protection from the “bad weather” this world can dump on us……Spending time, regular time with our Heavenly Father we are prepared for the storms……Father, we know that life will always have its storms, but we are so thankful that You are there with us when we call on You!  Help us to stay “dressed” in You every day in every way.

For nothing is impossible with God.  Luke 1:37.  For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. Philippians 4:13.  The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him  Daniel 9:9.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9.  The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.  Psalm 29:11.

Love you all!

January 3, 2012

Good Morning Friends! Totally trusting in His will Thursday! Happy New Year everyone! Although we never really know what even the next minute is going to hold for us, it seems that the beginning of a new year is always a time for reflection……things that happened in the last year and what lies ahead in the new. Times in our world seem to be unsettled…..stressed…..full of anger…worried about cuts in our paychecks….health care……world unrest…It would be easy for us to feel forlorn, depressed….but we are not alone, nor will we ever be…these are times we must truly draw on our faith, pull closer to our Heavenly Father…..hear His words…."Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:5-8. He is our refuge and strength……don’t leave home without HIM! Remember the sparrows I told you about the other day, frolicking in the rain puddles….not a worry in the world…..”Consider the raven: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” Than the birds…..how much more are we worth to our Heavenly Father…..Oh friends, like the angles told the shepherds so many years ago, “Fear not!” We are not alone, for goodness sake….He knows how many (or not) hairs we have on our heads! We are His adored children….now and forever! Heavenly Father, thank you for the promise of being with us every day in every way….helps us to totally trust and believe in Your will for us. This is the day the Lord has made……let’s get to rejoicing!

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:34. Put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemptions. Psalm 130:7. I love Psalms, don’t you!

 

Love you all!