Some thoughts that I’ve been thinking…

This 52nd year of my life has been one with several hard knocks. I’d like to think that I’ve been like the song~ I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down.  I have enjoyed my time off- I have been a good friend when my  best friend lost her husband, I have been a Meme who could help my daughter and keep her girls while she is building a house, working a part-time job, doing her work with PTA. I have bonded with my peeps in my Sunday School class as we had a day each week that we swam together. I have sailed through the summer and enjoyed each gift I’ve received. Under it all has been this little nagging voice that has taunted me, it’s saying ~Un huh, what you going to do now girl, you got fired from a job you love, you are getting older every minute, you are not a skilled professional,  jobs are not plentiful and what do you have to offer. SO, I wait and I repeat the words I said the day I fell- God has something in store for me. Something better! Here’s a good place to stop and share a verse He has given me through this.

The Lord directs the steps of the Godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalms 37:23-24

So I am pressing on, I am getting in His word, I am trying not to fret. I am trying not to pay attention to the nagging voice. I am looking ahead and seeing the day that I am more than a conqueror. Because…

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of  power and of  love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

 

I am getting to rest of the part about I’ve been thinking-the key to this is I”VE been thinking ~these are my thoughts and by no means those of a Great theologian or expert. Here goes….

I think you can tell alot about a person from several situations….

how they react when the going gets tough. Like when a loved one dies or even when they they face a crisis for sure.

I also think you can tell alot about a person by the way they comfort others during these times.

I think you can tell alot about a person when the air conditioner isn’t working like it should and everyone is warm.

I think you can tell alot about a person by the way they treat children.

I think you can tell alot about a person by what they read.

I think you can tell alot about a person when they’ve been given a day and what they do with it.

You can surely tell alot about a person by the way they love-selfishly, conditionally, abundantly, unconditionally.

Maya Angelou says :I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I think I fail at the Christmas  lights so I got pre-lit trees. And it’s not raining today . It’s a beautiful sunshiny day and my peeps are waiting by the pool, so I’ll go …spend another rough day laying on a raft sharing thoughts and laughter with my friends and do some more waiting ~to see what God has in store for me.

Be blessed!

Your mouth can be an enemy

Sometimes God can get your attention in ways you can’t imagine. It could be the voice of a friend, it could be a sermon or a book you are reading and sometimes it can be a mistake that is not a mistake at all. 

Today I was reading other blogs, just looking at recipes and decorating things when I came across a verse that I thought was interesting and went to BibleGateway.com to read it in other versions.

The verse I read was

Proverbs 15:14

The Message (MSG)

¹⁴ An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth;
   fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies.

This piqued my interest, but I wanted to read it in another version to see what it said. I typed in Proverbs 15:4 and looked at the Holman translation.

Proverbs 15:4

⁴ The tongue that heals is a tree of life,
    but a devious tongue ^[a] breaks the spirit.

So then I went to the Message again~

Proverbs 15:4

The Message (MSG)

⁴ Kind words heal and help;
   cutting words wound and maim.

Not even the verse I had originally seen, but the verse God had meant for me all along. A verse I needed .

A verse so similar to others I know by heart

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Colossians 4:6 (NIV)Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Earlier in the day, when I was trying to count to ten and not react in anger, I let my mouth get the best of me. I said things to someone I love that did not help at all, they hurt. It came out all wrong and even though I felt like the things I said had merit I said them in a hurtful way. So that caused the person I was now in a hurtful confrontation with, to not hear the things I were saying that could help. I hate confrontation, and misunderstandings. Most people do. I don’t like to argue or fight with people I love. It makes me sick- I mean that truly.

So tonight  I am saying  thank you God for loving me enough to use any means to speak to me and work on me. For causing my eye to see a verse I thought was interesting, when all along you wanted to remind me that there is power in our tongue and not only do you desire me to use it for building up , not tearing down I desire to be a person who helps others, not hurt them.

Tomorrow, I am going to ask the person that I love to forgive me. Hopefully we can talk about the things we let go to far and help each other meet in the middle.

I’m so thankful God is still working on me.

I wish I never had to write this, I wish I had not been a jerk. I’m thankful for words that heal and mistakes that are actually divine intervention.

Be blessed!

How about a Do-Over

I was going back through with my grandbaby ,letting her see pics and I came acroos this one and wanted to share it again...
My sweet blog friend Brenda had this on her site and I sent her a comment to "Interview me"- If you'd like to participate just include "Interview Me" in your comment. I'll shoot over 5 questions along with the rules.
Here are her questions.
1. What is the biggest piece of advise you would share with your child as they embark into the world?
I think of a few off the top of my head. Guard their heart- many friends, and people who claim to care about them can turn their head, but they are in control of themselves.
-Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life."
They must have goals. Jer. 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
Contentment doesn’t come from things- You are not defined by what car you drive, house you live in or even what job you have. The character you have –the way you do your job and how you let the things of this world affect you, defines you. -Phil 4:11-13 "For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Remember whose they are- First, before anything else, they are God’s - Children of the King
2. If time and money were not an issue, what would your ideal vacation be? I have always had a desire to drive across the country with no agenda, with like my best friend to see places I would like to see –(probably now meet bloggers I would like to meet) and have a leisure amount of time to do whatever we like. I would have a convertible and start in the South where I live and see all I want to see, then head North and go to New York –DC, Campobella Island Canada, Maine, then go full circle around this country- I would see Sedona and the Grand Canyon. I‘d like to see Las Vegas and Jackson Hole Wyoming. Just to name a few.
3. If you were stranded on a desert island for one week with one other person, besides your spouse but someone you personally know, who would that person be and why? I would like one week on a desert island with my 3 kids and 4 grandkids, so we could have solitude and make memories and do wonderful things together with no TV, video, cell phones or outside influences.
Okay, so that's more than one person, but I can't narrow it down-it's my interview and I'll booger up the answers if I want to.
4. Who is your favorite woman in the Bible and why?
The Sinful woman- the woman with the expensive oil who’s story is told in Luke 7:36-50, Matthew 26:6-13,and Mark 14:3-9.This story is one of my favorites, because it so clearly displays God's love for us. The woman is defined as "one who lived a sinful life." She was said to be a prostitute. Haven't we all lived a sinful life? Don't we all have things in our lives that we don't want to share with others? I certainly do. That's why this story is so special to me. Jesus knew this woman's chosen path, but He didn't focus on that. He focused on her actions – her expression of love and sacrifice to Him. I’m thankful God looks at me with eyes of love and Mercy, instead of what I deserve.
5. Hot air balloon? Sky Diving? or free trip to the Moon (and back!)? I won a Hot air Balloon trip once and didn’t take it- I’m scared of heights-I don’t desire to sky Dive- I’d probably have a heart attack or at least mess my britches!!!~ I’m not even sure I’d like to go to the moon and back. I wish my husband could go because he’d like to. The closest thing to all these is a trip to Heaven and I’ve made my reservation- I’m going there someday and I won’t be afraid.
I tried to think about these answers and answer honestly- I felt like they probably do when they are put on the spot in the MS. America pageant and they want to give these profound answers to the question set before them and the answer comes off HUH?
It was fun and I will sure give you some questions I can think of if you just say the word...
Be blessed!

Time flies when you are having fun!

I have neglected my blog! There are good reasons- the month of April came and it started with quiet days and mornings spent with cups of coffee and sometimes hours of quiet time-honestly reading God’s word and devotions and studying. It was a time of building up.

Next -comes the family of five to stay until their house is finished.

Meme loves having her girls here- it is never a dull moment-or should I say quiet moment.

Then there was Easter- a blessed day in our family- every member of our family was at church together this Easter- plus extended family.

I put this on Face book:

‎59 years ago two people pledged their love, the day after she graduated. Although they had dated since she was 16 and he was 17~It wasn't supposed to last. Two weeks later he flew overseas and served his country. Five years later they had their first little man, two years later came the first girl, three years later the second girl and in their 18th year of marriage what a precious golden haired boy came as a present to them all. The children all grew up good because the Daddy loved the Momma well, just like the Bible says. Now the children have had children who have given them children. All of this from living a life that is pleasing to the one who gave us life~Thank you GOD.

All because two people fell in love…

Next came the April tornados

The day of the tornado we went in our laundry room with pillows and took a mattress to put over us- the girls were truly scared and at one point began to cry –the power had failed and the sound outside was very loud-so Meme  did the only thing she knows to do when times are hard-I began to pray out loud and at one point felt like I was being very loud over the noise, then there was a calm. We went out and found hail that was bigger than a golf ball  in our yard, it went through a screen and broke an upstairs window. We had some shingles blown off the roof. But the tornado had lifted about one mile away and gone right over the top of us.

Devastation everywhere around our county- we were spared. We were without power for 6 days. A few of those I left and flew to Dallas with my best friend Barbie and her Mom. It was planned before any of this happened. It was a great trip.

The month of May was filled with softball and t-ball games, friends and family time.  My baby girl got engaged to the best young man around.

 

June has roared in with a trip to Memphis –I got to see Michael Buble’ in concert again and spend the weekend with Barbie, Juju and Charlene, Barbies Mom. I have swam, got another year older, enjoyed life and been busy.

I thank God for my blessings everyday- I have more than I deserve and I know I am loved by the KING of KINGS! Just today He told me this…

I have loved YOU with an everlasting Love. Before time began, I knew you. For years you swam around in a sea of meaninglessness, searching for love , hoping for hope. All that time I was pursuing you, aching to embrace you in my compassionate arms.

When time was right I revealed myself to you. I lifted you out of that sea of despair and set you down on a firm foundation. Sometimes you felt naked –exposed to the revealing light of my Presence. I wrapped an ermine robe around you: my robe of righteousness. I sang you a Love song, whose beginning and end are veiled in Eternity. I infused meaning into your mind and harmony into your heart. Join me in singing My song. Together we will draw others out of darkness into My marvelous Light.  (Jesus Calling-June 14th)

How can you not LOVE a God like that! How can you not want to serve Him?

Be blessed! I am!

God, Angels and Prayers

This week I encountered a self –proclaimed atheist. It really bothered me because this man is important in the lives of some people I really love. I tried talking with him, sharing with him- giving him specific verses of importance and even situations of God’s presence evidenced. No luck-he doesn’t know what he believes, just not in God. I’ve thought about it countless times since then. I know that all I can do is pray for him, and for the people I love that are in his influence. It brought home to me again the importance of knowing what you know so that you can give an account for it.

My sweet youngest daughter asked me if I told him about our angel visit. I love to share it- A story of how God sent an angel to intervene-  it was early in 2002 and my youngest child was going through a time of rebellion (That is enough to need divine intervention-Can I get a witness?). She decided at the age of 16 she would leave my home where there were rules and curfews-I always knew where she was and knew all  her friends and expected her to be in church, to go to her Fathers house where rules were looser, curfew was later, he didn't have to know her friends and Church? not at all. I being the close mother I felt I was, wanted her home-it was breaking my heart- every phone call was tears and please come home, ending in hurt and anger. All I knew was to pray! In the midst of this my Father had a major stroke and we almost lost him. When I finally got her on the phone, she being angry with me said she wasn't even going to come to the hospital. I cried and said our fight may be our fight but all her Poppy had ever done was love her. Much later after her aunt went and talked to her and other family members had called her she came-I remember looking down the hall of that hospital and seeing a little girl with a big chip on her shoulder coming toward us-she went in and was a broken little girl seeing her Poppy laying there. When it came time for her to leave I wanted to walk her out and she didn't want me to -she thought there would be more begging when at that time I just needed her love and she needed mine. We got on the elevator and she said “don't start on me”- I said “cant we just get along right now” and the elevator door opened a floor down and a large beautiful young black lady got on, we ceased talking and rode on down. We all got off the elevator and she went to the food area, and we were sitting on a bench not saying anything when she came back up and said God had told her to tell us some things. She looked at my daughter and told her everything she was doing and that God was revealing that she should go home. She held her hand up like God was sending information down at that time through an antenna. She said there is nothing you are doing that your Mother won't love you-she prays for you. She was very specific and said things very few people could know- she then laid hands on us and prayed out loud in that lobby over us and the little girl with the big chip melted right there. We sat there and agreed it was an angel- she went home that night and told her father God had sent an angel. SHE CAME HOME. I left out many personal things said and and details, but I hope you see the picture of God coming in human form and speaking words that we needed. I told everyone and even spoke about it publicly and to this day know that God came in the Hospital in the form of a beautiful young black lady.

Today my devotion says:

Heaven is both present and future. as you walk along your  life-path holding My hand, you are already in touch with the essence of heaven: nearness to Me. You can also find many hints of heaven along your path,  because  the earth is radiantly alive with My presence.  Shimmering sunshine awakens your heart,(oh yes- it did today-it’s a beautiful sunshiny day) gently reminding you of My brilliant Light. Birds and flowers, (I can hear them right now outside my front window) trees and skies evoke praises to My Holy Name. Keep your eyes and ears open as you journey with Me. 

I’m so thankful that I know HIM- I wish everyone did.

I’m going to keep on praying. I’m  going to pray that those of us who do know Him do a better job of representing Him so that others want to know….

I know this was deep , but I had to tell.

Be blessed!

I needed this and I know some others who do to

I saw this the other day on a new blog I read (loved it by the way)

and I had to share because I needed it and I know a few others who do to.

"Wait"
by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . .
And the Master so gently said, "Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

"My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.

"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence are all you can see.

"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you.

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait."

Be blessed!

April is here!

This has been a great month so far-with a few bumps, but that’s life right?

It started like this

Playing with friends on a beautiful day until she fell asleep on Meme.

Then Sunday we had church- wow- I love Sunday’s!

They start with my wonderful Sunday school class-I love every single lady there! We have a great class and we are there for each other in a special way. Then the service was great Sunday as we looked at the last words of Jesus. Powerful stuff!

Then the church picnic-more food than you can imagine, great music-Great Fellowship.

Next was my Sweet wonderful Daddy’s –POPPY- birthday dinner with all the people I love there! All my kids and all my grandkids what more could a Mom want- well to have her camera there-duh!

Poppy turned 78 –April 4th. We are so thankful that he has had 9 good years since his strokes . He is a very special man – one good thing about him-I do believe he is a baby whisperer-there has never been a baby that he doesn’t love and they don’t love him. He holds them really close and hums and they just melt. Poppy always smells wonderful too!

Monday –Poppy’s birthday actually – we spent the day at the Heart center, then the hospital as my oldest brother Mike had a heart cath, then two stents put in. It was a long day, but all went well –prayers were answered and maybe BIG BROTHER WILL START TAKING BETTER CARE OF HIMSELF!

The rest of the week has been spent getting my house ready for these sweet folks to move in.

Can you imagine how much fun this house will have for the next few months. It will no longer be an empty nest- a quiet place. It will be never a dull moment- then they will live even closer on my street. I’ll have to get a pic of the house in progress.

Yes, April is turning out to be a great month!

Spring is here and I’m loving it!

Be blessed!