It's the little things

Good Morning Friends! Thankfully His, Tuesday!  Recently Cooper, soon to be five, learned how to open the chicken coop.  The latch on the coop’s door is a bit tricky so until just recently, Cooper was unable to work it.  Yesterday he had no school, so mom dropped him off to spend the day with Papa while she and dad were at work.  Each morning as I leave for work, I stop and open the door to the chicken coop, fastening it with a bungee cord so they can come and go as they please during the day.  Yesterday, as I was getting ready to go to work I asked Cooper to go out and open the coop door and hook the bungee to keep it open.  No biggie right….but it would really help me and for him what a major accomplishment!  He was proud to go out and take care of the task, no matter how small, because he knew it would make his Nana happy that he was helping.  And indeed it did make me happy for several reasons…..It’s a joy to watch our grandchildren growing stronger improving their skills as they grow, I was proud that he had learned to manipulate the tricky latch.  I was of course happy to have one less little chore to do as I headed to work, but most of all I was smiling inside and out,  pleased that Cooper wanted to do something for me….to help….a small thing, yes, but huge in the scheme of things in this busy, hectic world.  As I headed to work, still beaming thinking about Cooper’s task, I felt the familiar tap on my shoulder.  “Good morning Father, wasn’t Cooper cute this morning?”  “Yes, Kathie, he certainly was.  I was so happy to see him go out by himself and take care of the door in order to help his Nana.  Kathie, I know that you think the little things you can do don’t really make a difference….but, My child, you are so wrong.  There is so much pain and suffering, worry and stress in this world, it is the little things that can make a big difference in someone’s day….maybe more than a day….the little things can truly lead to hope in a sad, worn out heart or mind…refresh, renew dampened spirits….boost confidence….dry tears….the little things, can heal in big ways.  The little things you do make ME smile…..I am pleased to see your faith in action, no matter how small the task may seem to you….do it….I will do the rest……Renew your spiritual energy, strengthen your faith….through the little things…..Smile as you do My work…..it matters.”  Thank you Father, for the little things that lift our lives….enable us to never tire of serving YOU, no matter how little it seems to us!  To YOU be all glory and honor.

 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people….  Galatians 6:9-10.  A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  Proverbs 17:22.  There are different kinds of service, (some big some little) but the same Lord.  1 Corinthians 12:5.  Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.  1 Samuel 12:24.  Be kind and compassionate to one another.  Ephesians 4:32.  Jesus said, “If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”  Matthew 10:42.  I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service (not matter how small).  1 Timothy 1:12.

Love you all!

 

The open gate

Good Morning Friends!  Wise and Wonderful is our God, Wednesday!  Last night after a rather late dinner of chicken tacos, Kim said we needed to go up and check on a calf that had been born the night before.  He explained that all day yesterday, it laid in one spot and mama was not too close.  He was sure that mama would join him by nightfall, but just wanted to be sure the calf was not alone all night.  We were both tired, but knew we would hate ourselves if something happened to that calf because we didn’t go check.  So, we started up the little Isuzu and headed to the pasture where baby was last seen.  Sure enough, the little black calf was curled up sleeping in the same spot Kim had seen him off and on all day…..mom….well she was on the other side of the fence, not too far in distance, but too far for safety!  Kim got out and jostled him to his feet, mama was watching intently and headed towards her baby.  Soon they were face to face, however there was a fence in between; Kim thought the gate was open as we headed the calf that way so he could reunite with mama.  However, as we got closer we could see that the cows had pushed the gate shut…..What if we had not gone up there to check…..baby would have been alone all night, coyote bait for sure!  Silently thanking our Father that we had found the gate that separated the calf from his mama, I got out and opened the gate.  I hadn’t even made it back into the truck when mama and her shiny black calf were together again.  As I got back into the truck, my mind filled with the wonder of God’s creation, His magnificent planning….that mama cow knew right where her baby was, there’s lots of shiny black calves, but she knew hers and he knew his mama.  Amazing, there’s no doubt in my mind that she would not have come to get him before dark…..that’s God’s amazing planning….but what about the closed gate……what a terrible night they could have spent, separated by a closed gate.  Kim drove me around a bit more, showing off his new water system…the pastures green….the sky… shades of pink and purple highlighted the fluffy clouds as the light began to fade…..God’s breath taking handy work filled me with overwhelming peace….AHHHH, my heart and mind whirled…..There’s no closed gate that could ever keep us from our Heavenly Father…..no matter what the circumstances are that might separate us for a time…..He always yearns for us to come back to HIM!!!  He is our Good Shepherd, our Perfect Shepherd….He delights in pushing open the gates of our mess ups, frustrations, grief….OH Yes Father!!!!  How blessed we are to have a Father, a Good and Perfect Shepherd to open the gates to YOUR LOVING arms….wrapped in Your arms we have peace that passes all human understanding. 

 

From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him,  and His righteousness with their children’s children.  Psalm 103:17.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1.  Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  Colossians 2:6-7.  Submit to god and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you.  Job 22:21.  The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Psalm 23:2-3.  The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7. 

Love you all!

 

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Administrative Services

Division of Housing

Our Perfect, All Knowing Fix-it Man

Good Morning Friends!  Today, Tuesday, so very thankful to be His!  A while ago…..I would say maybe 2 or 3 months ago I noticed a musty, wet smell in the house.  At first mostly in the kitchen, but as time went on I could smell it all over the house.  My first thought, something’s leaking under the house….oh yuck….not the kind of thing one looks forward to addressing with the man of the house….know what I mean?!  But as time went on and the odor worsened, I knew what I had to do….So I began by just mentioning I had been noticing a wet…..kind of musty odor all over the house.  His initial response….”I don’t smell anything!”  Imagine that!!!!  Did I expect anything different!!!!  Well, this went on like I said, for a couple of months, me politely complaining while he ignored me or insisted he smelled nothing.  Remember a couple of weeks ago, I went to California for a few days?  Well, one of the first things Mr. Johnson had to report was…..”Uh…..I smell the musty odor.  Must be something leaking under the house!”  To which I wanted to reply, notice I said wanted to….”DUH!!!”  But I didn’t, I merely smiled and silently thanked our Heavenly Father.  His plan was to crawl under the house and check it out….definitely not an easy feat for an old, chubby man (I say that most endearingly).  The space under the house is so small and remember it had been leaking for quite some time……can you imagine.  I didn’t push him about it and in a few days, bless his heart he ventured under with his spotlight to see if he could find the problem, having me turn on different faucets.  Well, he found it…kitchen sink.  Step one…..next step, go all the way under and fix it.  He was quite convinced he would not be able to get under to do it, so he tried his best to find a slighter built friend to help him out…..I stopped using the kitchen sink on Friday to help dry it out a little, but finally on Sunday afternoon he had to suck it up and go under himself.  Remember this issue had been brewing for at least 2 months….drip, drip, drip, damp, damper, wet….puddled….by now a real mess!  Most unhappy and quite negative, he gathered the tools and supplies he thought he would need and headed in.  I could hear him grunting and groaning, struggling to say the least to make his way over to the kitchen pipes……wasn’t very long at all, and I heard him grunt and groaning his way out!!!!!!  He was covered in cobwebs and mud from head to toe, but the leak was fixed!!!!!!  Golly molly, was I ever a happy wifey.  In 3 hours I could actually do the dishes!  Later as I attacked the piles of dishes that had accumulated since Friday, so happy that the leak was fixed, the odor soon to be gone, I couldn’t help but think about the leaks in my life.  The situations, that could have been easily taken care of that I let drip with worry, drip with frustration, drip with stubborn attitudes about doing it my way….drips that turned into wet puddles of hurt, anger, financial issues….muddying up my life……why?  Because I ignored God’s direction, His wisdom, and guidance, thinking I can do it on my own.  In the end……muddy, covered with cobwebs of guilt and sadness……all over a little drip that could have been fixed pretty easily if I had just called on our Heavenly Father first!!!!  Our Perfect, All Knowing Fix-it Man…..just waiting to stop our leaks!  Thank you Father for bearing with us through our stubbornness, forgive us…..help us to trust and believe that YOU always know best for us and come to YOU first.

 

“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 plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11.  I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.  Psalm 73:23-24.  I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.  When you walk, your steps will  not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.  Proverbs 4:11-12.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.  Isaiah 26:4.  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 whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.  Proverbs 29:25. 

Love you all!

Memories of a duckling and a chicken hawk

Good Morning Friends!  Wonderfully wrapped in HIS loving arms Wednesday!  No friends, I am not crazy, started this yesterday and then found my services were otherwise required!!!!!  Hence……let’s add…..Thankfully loved by HIM, Thursday!  I was talking to my son, Shawn, the other day, telling him how cute our bunnies are.  “Oh yea,” he said, “there’s nothing cuter than baby bunnies and baby ducks. Do you remember when……?”  I knew immediately which memory he was about to share……Many years ago when the kids were young and we lived in California we decided we needed some ducks!  The boys, especially, loved animals and we always thought it was good for them to have the responsibility of caring for them.  Once we decided on ducks, we headed to the feed store; after careful examination of every duck, we finally agreed on the perfect  mommy and daddy ducks!  We fixed them a little shelter and filled a little wading pool for their swimming pleasure!  Oh so  proud of our ducks and beyond excited when we had ducklings, the whole family couldn’t wait for them to be covered in yellow baby- feathers and join mommy and daddy in the pool!  The boys were quite proud of their beautiful ducklings and mommy and daddy took good care of them…..Then one day, after school, Shawn and I went out to check on our family of ducks, fill the pool, check their feed…..we were happy as we walked out to the pasture, anticipating our family having fun in the pool.  As we got close we could see that most of them were indeed swimming, it was a beautiful spring day…..blue skies boasting of God’s wondrous creation….Then…..out of nowhere……Shawn and I, at the say moment, caught site of a…..oh no…..surely not…..no, please don’t let that be…..no, no……please no….but in fact there was a chicken hawk circling over the family in the pool….closer and closer….Shawn and I ran screaming towards the pool, hoping our screams would scare the vulture away…..our earnest attempts failed…..we were both sick and heartbroken as we watched, totally helpless…….the skilled hawk dived towards the pool and in one quick swoop snatched a tiny, precious baby duck, covered in fluffy, yellow-baby feathers, swimming happily with his family totally unaware of lurking danger.  Gone….in one fell swoop….Shawn and I were devastated as we stood silently watching the chicken hawk carry our duckling away….Ever since our conversation, the memory of that precious duckling’s fate has lingered in my mind……causing me to think how very vulnerable I am…..strutting through life as if I had everything under control……swimming in a pool of selfishness, misplaced priorities, edging on disaster at any time….unaware of the dangers because I am too preoccupied with today……me…..mine…..So vain, thinking no chicken hawk would dare swoop down and get me……HUH!!!!  Praise God, our fate does not ever have to be the same as our little duckling’s.  Our Heavenly Father is there watching over us, at all times…..ready to fell the hawks…..There was nothing the duckling could have done to stop his fate, but we….we have every opportunity to spend time with our Father, reading His word, growing in faith, finding comfort and strength through our prayers and conversations with HIM….He does not want us to be swooped up by this world.  No siree!!!!  He wants us as HIS very own, safe and sound, through life everlasting with HIM!  Thank you Father for loving us so much, for wrapping Your loving arms around us!

 

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am they God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.  Isaiah 41:10.  Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7.  Blessed are they that keep His testimonies and that seek Him with the whole heart.  Psalms 119:2.  Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them:  for the Lord they God, He is it that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  Deuteronomy 31:6.

Love you all!

Kathie A. Johnson

Receptionist

Administrative Services

Division of Housing

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!

 

 

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Good Morning Friends!  Forever His, Friday!   We had a wonderful morning of Easter celebration at church, my favorite day of the year!  The kids are so excited, dressed in there Easter finest, carrying their Easter baskets chomping at the bit to hunt for eggs…..Some might say I am mean, but I never let Easter at Sunday School be just about the egg hunt.  So, before we hunt we spend time with our Heavenly Father, reading His word, singing, expanding their knowledge and understanding of what Jesus’ death and resurrection mean to us as His children.  Now, I’m not real mean, I do try with the help of my Sunday school teachers to make it as fun as possible; this year I found a cool idea on line and adapted it to our kiddos….after breakfast we went into our comfy youth room and I read from Mark chapter 15, starting with the night Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate.  In order to hold their interest, I was quite dramatic in my reading (they would tell you I am goofy)  just as we had laid Jesus in the tomb there was a knock on our door.  In a very grumpy, why would you disrupt us tone, I opened the door to find a teacher standing there with a great big smile…”the Easter egg hunt is ready for the kids, come on.”  Well, I acted real put out, but the kids were excited so I went along with it, saying we would finish after hunting.  Miss Kristine lead us to the fellowship hall (it was raining outside) and told the kids to go find eggs.  They hunted and hunted and no one found one egg.  Soon I joined in, trying to help them find some, I got more and more disappointed with the kids….they were sad, frustrated, disappointed, and a bit angry too!  No eggs to be found……Kristine was chuckling as we headed back to finish reading the Easter story, but the kids were not happy!  When we got back to class I asked them how did that feel to go looking for something you thought would be there, something you were so excited about and had been waiting for?  They expressed their disappointment in no uncertain terms…..I finished reading, then asked them, “How do you think the women felt when they went to the tomb to see Jesus and He was not there?”  The older kids got it right away…..the women were sad and disappointed….much sadder than we were hunting for eggs….there Jesus was missing!  But the story does not end there, does it!  Our Jesus was not missing….HE was ALIVE!!!!!  Oh how they rejoiced when they found HIM….alive.  OH how we REJOICE!!!!  Our SAVIOR IS ALIVE!!!!!  Oh yes HE died, HE was buried, but HE AROSE…..Our sins forgiven, our disappointment comforted.  We will have disappointments in life….we will hunt to no avail at times….but our HOPE is in JESUS….HE will never disappoint us….never leave or forsake us….CHRIST IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!  ALLELUIA!  Thank you Father!

 

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.  Come and see the place where He lay.  Then go quickly and tell His disciples:  ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of into Galilee.  There you will see Him.” Now I have told you.”  Matthew 28:5-7.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2.  The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him  Nahum 1:7.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26.

Love you all!

 

A heavenly reunion awaits...

Good Morning Friends!  Thankfully His, Thursday!  My goodness, am I ever pooped this morning!  I have, thanks to a sweet cousin with frequent flyer miles, been on a whirlwind trip to California to attend a memorial for my Aunt Ella….96 years old, she outlived 11 siblings….a good and faithful servant, sharing God’s love in so many ways all of her life….ready to meet our Father face to face!  How blessed I was to be there and share in a service of Praise and glory in her memory.  I cannot even find words to express the joy I had in seeing cousins and friends that I had not seen in many, many years….sharing memories, catching up, promising to never let so much time pass before we see, at least talk again!  A real reunion buzzing with stories, laughter, tears, pictures of kids, grandkids….overflowing with love, hugs, pictures (one cousin is a professional photographer and she brought her camera!  Can’t wait to get those pictures), joking, teasing, memories, future plans, love and more hugs!  Finally, sadly we all had to say our goodbyes and head in our separate directions….my sister and I had a 3.5 hour drive back where we would meet up with my niece and nephew, have a quick pizza and head to her house for the night….another hour and then in the morning little over an hour to the airport….we knew we had to get going, but oh my we hated the reunion to end…..as we drove off overflowing with joy, love filling our every thought, we thanked our Heavenly Father for the blessing of this time together….for the blessing of Christian family!  Cheryl and I yacked non- stop all the way to dinner and then my niece and I took it up from there, but when I finally settled down for the night, snug on Manda’s couch, in the quiet darkness, reflecting on the day I felt….peace, yes my whole body, inside and out was over taken by a peaceful…pounding….if that makes any sense….peace.  I laid still, feeling calm and relaxed……”Father, I feel You, Father….thank you for such a wonderful reunion today….You just bless us so much….thank you.”  “Oh Kathie, My precious child, you are most welcome.  I love you, it pleases Me to bless you….but Kathie….I am preparing a reunion for you and your family that will far exceed your reunion today.  I am preparing a place for you here with Me in heaven……the most magnificent reunion you could ever imagine…..you and your family of believers will be with Me in heaven someday for life everlasting with Me….Now that is a reunion for you to plan for….to count on…..look forward to…..rejoice in!  Bless you my child.”  I fell asleep with a smile on my face, in my heart….I am His child, I will have a heavenly reunion….life everlasting.  Father, rejoicing in Your love!  All glory and honor to You!!!

 

 

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to with me that you also may be where I am. John 1:1-3.  …..rejoice that your names are written in heaven.  Luke 10:21.  But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.  Philippians 3:20-21.  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 requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4: 4-7. 

Love you all!