A celebration

My son was born May 31,1992 at 12:31 in the morning,seventeen years ago today.Wow,what a blessing his birth was. His name is Jacob,and he is the most wonderful boy I know. He is my son that gives me a kiss and a hug,and has never been ashamed to show his love for his parents out in public. He has a great heart,he is a giver,and the most unselfish child I know.Yes, I am proud of my son.Today we celebrated his birthday with his close friends at the bowling lanes.We had a wonderful time laughing and just being silly with one another. I even ended up throwing my ball backwards into everyone! That just seems to happen with me.But to hear my son laugh is a great joy to me. We enjoyed cake,and shared with one another. It was an afternoon out that was filled with love and laughter. Our childrens birthdays are very special.We love to throw big parties and have all the fun we can have together. We can remember each date our children were born,the time,their weight,height,and all the stories of their birth.We find ourselves looking over old pictures,and feeling the blessings of being a parent of our wonderful children.Do we ever sit and think about Christs birth and how thankful we are? Is that only come to mind at Christmas,the day we celebrate it? Do we remember that Christ was born,only to die for our sins? I think we should be praising Him daily and thanking God for His birth,not just one day a year.For without Him and His blessings,I wouldn't have blessings with my children. It always comes back to Jesus and His birth and gift to us,His life for our lives. I had such a great time with my son today,but as we celebrated today,we should also celebrate the gift of life daily,and remember the one who gave it and why.Today was a day I think my son will remember for years to come,but He will remember the gift that the Son has given to him forever.Lord I thank you for my son,his birth,and each day I share with him. I praise you for allowing me to be his mother and to love a very special young man.I thank you Lord for your gift to us,your birth,your death upon the cross,and your coming again.I praise you for all that we have and for the love instilled in our hearts from you.Thank you for this day and all the blessings you sent our way...

Waiting on someone?

I can remember my mother waiting up for me when I went out and didn't come home when I should have.As I walked in the door I could see the pain on her face that I had disobeyed and didn't come home when I was to.She had given me privledges and I abused them,and was selfish.As I became the mother of teenage girls,I too waited on them,not just at night,but anytime because I loved them and wanted so much to protect them.A mother knows those feelings of waiting.We waited for our prom date to ask.We waited on the right man to come along.We waited as we were pregnant with our child,and then during labor,we waited to make sure they were here and okay.We wait upon many things in life.Sometimes we wait a long time for answers,for relationships to reconcile,for loved ones to be saved and come to know the Lord.We wait on dinner,we wait for the phone to ring.While we are waiting do we always show patience? I can say I haven't.That is one thing that I struggle with,I want everything to be fixed right now,not years later. I found this verse in Isaiah 30:18 it says this;"Therfore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted,that He may have mercy on you. for the Lord is a God of justice;Blessed are all those who wait for Him" So in this verse we know that God has patience,He has justice,and He has grace for us.Is that not awesome words to hear? They all work together for our good.He loves us so much He waits,maybe all night,a day,a month or maybe years for us. He gives us time and that is pretty amazing love to me.He knows what it feels like to wait upon your daughter to enter the door.He knows what it feels like when we are waiting for our husbands to get home safely,and when our parents are ill,we are waiting for them to heal and recover,He too knows this waiting.With all His love He has for us,it is such a special message for us to understand also.For if He can wait on us,why then is it so hard for us to wait.I think He has been waiting much longer for all His children to come home.The next time your waiting,remember the grace and love our Father has for us,His children...

Are you stuck in a lions den?

In Danial chapter 6:10-23 it tells the story of Danial in the lions den. This has been a favorite story of my children.I remember having this book of bible stories for children,and asking my kids,"Which story do you want to read today?" Over and over again my son would yell out,"Danial,mom,tell us about Danial." Here in this story, Danial is thrown into the lions den for praying to God,and not bowing down to their idols. Because of Danials great faith and knowing God was with him and would not allow harm to come upon him,King Darius worshipped God throughout the rest of his reign. Danial brought God honor through his faithfulness and trust in Him. Danial didn't do anything to hurt King Darius,he only stated the truth and took a stand for God. His God and King. He wasn't going to worship any other thing brought before him.God blessed Danial for trusting in Him,and serving Him.Has anything brought you to the lions den lately? Could someone look at our lives and find Jesus there? Could they just take a peek and not even have to search and find God in our lives?We struggle daily to follow Him instead of ourselves,instead of the world and those around us. People should be able to see a change in us as we have placed our trust and faith in Christ Jesus and Him alone. Is there something in our lives that would point straight to God and we be thrown into the den of lions? I can only hope that my life shows my love for Jesus. I pray my speech,my actions,and my love show that I love Jesus,that I put my life in His hands. The lions can never touch us,for we have the power of God inside us. With His strength and might we can conquer anything that comes our way. Don't be afraid of the lions in your way or that are all around you. Stand,believe,and trust,knowing God is right there to fight them for us,because He loves us so.....

When did you know what you wanted to be?

Its funny now that I look back over my life and see the dreams I thought I wanted to achieve. When I was a kid,I played teacher, and nurse.Those were the things I really wanted to do.To be a nurse or a teacher was my plan.I remember keeping a notebook of my students,and placing paper around my bed for each student bear or doll. I would really stand and teach,act like I was grading papers and having roll call. I did it all. Now, being a nurse, I had all the things needed to act that out also. I nursed my dolls,bears and my parents back to health. I know I was strange kid with a vivid imagination. When we were taking these crazy quizzes on facebook just a few days ago something caught my attention.I had the question,"What did I want to be most when I was a kid?" I had to really think about that, and I came up with a writer. Some of my friends,ofcourse said they knew me better than myself. But as I looked back over my childhood,I was the kid with the pen and paper. I carried it everywhere. I still do today.I was the kid who loved to read,escape to other lands and imagine. I was the kid writing stories about all kinds of different things. I had forgotten that until I took that quiz. Its funny how God helps us to see the clear picture. He gives us desires and goals. He instills in us the gifts that He gives out to His children. Sometimes I will hear people say,"I had this dream,but it never came true." Maybe that was because they weren't seeing the whole picture just yet. My plans were changed also,or so I thought. But being a mom,I have homeschooled my children. I taught them new things everyday. I have been a Sunday school teacher,and an awana teacher. So that dream has been fulfilled,maybe not how I saw it,but how God saw it. As a mother I have nursed my children back to health,I have helped others when they have been hurt. I am a mercy,and that is a gift from God. I may not wear a white uniform,and walk the halls of a hospital,but God has lead me to others to help them,and when my children were up all night,I was right there holding them,giving them medication and giving them love. Healing many scraps and bruises. So now I am left with a writer. I have been writing a journal for years now.It had become a helper in my healing process with pain.Today I write this blog and never in a million years would I have thought others would be reading it and being blessed. I may never be on the New York Best Sellers List,but I am sharing the word of God with others,I am sharing my struggles and blessings in serving God. He isn't finished with me yet,and He knows the plans He has for me.Jer.29:11 states;"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,says the Lord,thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." I can either look at my life and say,"Well I never got to...." Or I can look at my life and see how God has worked and instilled qualities in me that He knew I would use in many different ways. He knows the whole picture,we only see what is right in front of us. If we put our faith and trust in Him,He will guide us,and show us the way He wants us to go. We must stop looking at our lives as though we have failed or just aren't doing the right thing.Chances are,your right where God wants you to be,we just have to look up,pray and ask Him,"What do you want to do with me?" Then we take our gifts and use them for His glory and honor....

What kind of walls are you putting up?

This week as my son has been helping a friend build a house,he comes home every evening very tired. He has worked really hard and learned many new things about building. I started thinking about the walls we build up around ourselves. Many times we build them around us because we have been hurt,relationships have scared us,and we protect ourselves from getting hurt again. In some cases,we have seen others get hurt and we can see the pain it has caused,so we build up those walls around us so we never feel that pain we have seen our friends and family face. It gets to a point in some peoples lives that they build those walls up around them and just focus on them,not thinking of others. We live in a painful world,and we can build walls for several different reasons.How sad to build those walls and never allow yourself to feel love. That is a lonely place to be. It is better to be loved and know hurt,then to never have loved at all. In our relationship with Jesus,we have to have faith in Him,and let those walls down. He cannot reach us if we constantly have walls built up around us. If we continue to push away everyone, how can things ever begin to grow? Our lives are so short here on this earth,to feel love and to love is one of the greatest gifts from the Lord. We don't need those walls to protect us,all we need is to have faith in Jesus and trust Him with our hearts and our lives. In Hebrews 11:30 it states this; "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days."Do you see the meaning here? It was nothing that they did themselves,it was the faith they had in God,and what they knew He was going to do for them. See we can have victory with our faith in Christ.We can let those walls come down,and trust God with all we have, knowing He is in control.It takes great faith in God,believing and knowing He is our Wall breaker,not one who constructs walls around us. As the Master Builder,He knows what is taking place in our lives,He knows all that comes and goes. If we allow Him in,He can heal those hurts,change us to look more like Him,and He can teach us how to love,how to be loved and how to let God be the builder of our lives. If we humble ourselves before Him,He will take us by the hand and lead us through the right path. This world is full of hurts,and no one is untouchable from those hurts.We will either be hurt or someone we love will hurt. But with Jesus on our side He can conquer all and bring healing.A life with Jesus is a blessed life,no matter what comes. A life without love is not really a life at all. So lets tear down those walls we have built up around us,and let God in,and those around us begin to love us. Let us have faith as they did in Jericho.Let us overcome by faith in Jesus.

Sisterhood.....

Sisterhood is an amazing treat. Its like an icecream on a hot day.Its like dipping in the lake to get refreshed.Its that thing you never forget to pack on a trip. Its that spot in your heart that is filled to the brim with love,and not just love,but,uncondisional love. Sisterhood has blessed my heart with so many different sisters I have met,for each one God has brought into my life. Each one is there for a different purpose and plan God has that God has to touch our lives. We are knit together like a woven sweater,all connected by our love for Jesus. Sisters are there for you to hear the yucky stuff,the hurtful things,the mountains and valleys we go through. They too are there for those times of blessings. My speed dial is full. Most of the space is for my sisters. They are the first ones you want to call when something goes wrong,or when you want to praise God for something wonderful. A sisterhood is a connection,a line you have that cannot be broken. Your sisters help keep you on track,leading you in the right directions when you want to take a turn off road. I have a sister of mine who when I wanted to get a tattoo of a verse on my foot,(which I thought would be really cool,but then changed my mind!) she said just get a t-shirt to make your point! She was right,like always. When we need to hear the truth,they are there to tell us with love.They are there for those midnight calls, and early morning calls when you really need them. They listen and share parts of their lives with one another that they cannot share with anyone else. Sisters understand. They can help to be our sunshine on a rainy day. If you have a sister who has blessed you, call her today,text her, send her a note. Let her know just how special she is, and how important she is in your life. Life is much more special with the sisterhoods I have made.

Whats the score now?

Have you ever been arguing with your husband or anyone for that matter and all of a sudden you bring up all the past hurts? That person has totally forgot them,but we remember all from the beginning of time. We can count each and every one of the hurts or wrongs committed against us. Our we at a ballgame and need to be keeping score? No, we shouldn't but it seems that we can struggle with that very much. If a person has hurt us, we not only bring up that,but we can go back in time, years really,and think we can change things,or make them better by keeping a list. Lists are for our groceries.Keeping score if for our softball games. We should forgive as Christ forgives us. In Colossians 3:13 it tells us; "Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." Christ is telling us to forgive just as He did. Would we really want Jesus keeping score of our many sins against Him? I don't want Him to remember each day what I have done,and have to start all over again. Psalm 103:12 says; " As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." See, Jesus remembers no more,why do we think we can hang on to that? We must remember all that Jesus has done for us, and all He has forgiven us of. For us to hang on to all the wrongs against us,is to say that He dying on the cross was of no gain. He died for all, and for all sins we have committed in our pasts, our present and our future. We must look at His example and forgive,not keeping score no more...

Trusting God no matter what...

A few years ago I found myself having a mammogram. I had gone in for my yearly check up. I had to have the dreaded mammogram,and they just are not fun for me. But as women we must have them, for they can save our lives. My mammogram had come back with a bad result. As soon as I heard the nurse telling me I had to come back in for another one because something just doesn't look right, I began to cry. I had let satan get into my mind, and allow me to think that something was really wrong before I ever had the second mammogram. Why do we allow ourselves to get caught up in all that worry that in the end just makes us sick?I had spent days worrying. As I went in for my second mammogram, my mom went with me. I did feel comfort knowing she was with me.Its amazing how much comfort our moms can give us. As I waited for my results, I remembered a movie I had seen, "Facing the Giants",and I thought of the part where the woman had gone in for her pregnancy test and she wasn't sure of what was going to happen. But as she stood there,she began to pray to God. She placed all her faith right where it was suppose to be. She had told Him, no matter what the results I will be faithful and follow you. She was telling God, that no matter what she was going to love Him and serve Him. As I sat there waiting for my results in this little room, next to me was a woman that had lost her hair do to chemotherapy. I was beginning to shake inside. But I sat there and prayed silently for the woman next to me, and through that I said,"God,no matter what I will serve you, and trust you with my life." I just kept repeating it. Soon the nurse called my name to come with her.As we walked I kept repeating it over and over. I felt this huge weight come off of me, and felt a peace that only God can give. She turned to me and told me I was fine. That my mammogram was great, that it was only a shadow. I stood there for what seemed like forever and just stared at her. She asked me if I was okay, and I asked her to repeat herself. As she told me again I started to cry. She said,"Whats wrong honey,your fine?" All I could do was look her in the eye and say, "God is just good." When my mom saw that I came out crying, she thought the worse,but I shared with her what had taken place, and she too cried. I didn't just cry because my test was negative, I was crying also because I felt the presence of God. I was feeling a peace inside that whether my test was fine or it showed cancer,I knew God was going to see me through with His love and strength. In Psalm 37:3 it states; "Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness."That verse is telling us not to fret over what comes our way. Have faith in God, and trust Him with our lives and all that touches us. To do good, is to go to Him with trust knowing that He is in control.For us to dwell in His land and gain all that peace He has for us. For us to feed on His faithfulness, is to know that no matter what the results, we are going to believe in Him and put our faith where it belongs. Right there in His hands.As He was faithful to be there with me on that day, He too is faithful to there for you no matter what trials you are facing...

To talk or to be quiet?

Many times we get angry with others. Our co-workers,friends,husband,children and those who walk in our paths. Have you ever been driving and you look over at the person driving next to you,and they look as though they are angry at the whole world? So many people are just angry, and many have no cause to be angry at you.They are angry at others,maybe their pasts have caused much hurt,or maybe they are going through something hard and they do not know the Love and forgivness of Jesus. We sometimes don't know whats behind that anger to begin with. Many times our anger comes from deep within and we don't even realize it. We can wake up angry,or wake up just fine and then bang, it all seems to blow up in our faces. We can begin to think about things and we just start to form this anger that wells up within us. For me, I am a talker. I would rather talk things out as to just try to ignore the problem. In Matthew 5:9 it says; "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." We are to bring peace whenever possible. When someone has hurt us, we are to forgive and not carry that anger with us. Ephesians 4:31 says; "Let all bitterness,wrath,anger, clamor,and evil speaking be put away from you,with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God forgives you." We should pray and ask God to do a work in us, to begin with us,and for us to be the example we need to be. We can not be a Savior to anyone. We cannot heal anyone, they must go to Christ for that healing. We must pray for others, lifting them up to the Lord,and not speak wrong of those we love,but only prayer through God's grace will heal wounds and hurting. We must talk about what is hurting us,causing us to become angry. But we shouldn't talk about that with everyone,only the person we are having difficulty with. As we shouldn't go to bed angry, we should be in prayer over all that is hurting us. We should call upon the Lord to teach us, and lead us through our problems. We cannot hide from our problems, they are like a cancer and only grow worse.We have to let go and let God. We have to learn that yelling produces more yelling. It doesnt solve anything. We must pray for our husbands,children,friends,and co-workers,for God to bring healing and to give us strength to carry on. Problems do not get solved over night. Sometimes it may take days,months,even years for healing to come. As long as we begin with ourselves,and start the process of forgivness, God will see us through all. Don't let those troubles heap up on you, and keep you down. Anger will kill all good that Christ is trying to do in us. We must learn to talk and talk with love,not anger. When we can forgive ourselves and ask God to help us to forgive the other person,even if they haven't asked for forgivness, we must forgive them anyway, and treat them with the love that we want to be treated with. So may we learn to talk with love instead of walk with anger.

Quilts, I love them so...

I have a collection of quilts. Some are very old,some are new,but they all mean something special to me. I have loved quilts for such a long time,the homemade ones are the most special to me.They are stitched together by tiny hands of women. Put together with love and beauty for each one. Last summer my husband took me to the quilt museum in Kentucky. I was so excited to be going,for I really didn't know what to expect. As we walked in and payed our fee,right before me was the winner of them all. It had won first prize, a $20,000 first prize. I was amazed at the beauty and technique. As we walked hand in hand I was overwhemed at all the quilts that hung like beauty in the air. We finally came to one.It was all white,dressed with pink flowers across the whole top. It was the most beautiful one I had seen so far. I just stood with tears streaming down my cheeks at the wonder of it all. To know a woman sat with this quilt for many months at hand,and put in so much time and love through each strand. We moved our way through and the tears just couldn't stop,for each step we took the beauty just grew. As I carefully looked at each and every stitch, they all so different,but yet so alike. They each had a uniqueness about them, a story that seemed to be told with each and every color around the been. As I looked at each one, I could only think of God,and we too were His creation, each one unique and special with all the colors under the sun. I thought of the time it took to make such beautiful things,then I realized God made all in six days and even took a rest. For He stitched each one of us together and made a wonderful creation to bring glory and honor to Him with the same loving touch.

Fireflies...

My son and I were driving home the other night and as we looked out the window we could see thousands of fireflies. It was the most amazing sight. Just night, the moon and fireflies dancing across the fields. As we got home and parked the car,all we could do was just stop and stare. It was a beauty all its own. It was like a masterpiece being designed by God Himself. Twinkling lights of laughter for little ones to catch, and for us on that night,was just between us. I love fireflies. They are so tiny,but give off a great light.Just as we are God's people,we are so signifigently small. We too can give off a great light. I can only imagine heaven with all the saints before us,do they all shine before heaven in the same way for God to see in all His glory? It is one of my favorites at summer,for in the beginning,you can see the glow. For us,we are blessed to live in the country.We can look right outside our windows and see the wonder of it all.

The Pearl

Pearls are treasured by many in our world. They think them to be of beauty. Me, I like black pearls. They are different and rare. Pearls do not start out beautiful. They start out as a little piece of sand in the oyster. Over time that grain of sand gets bigger, and all the ridges and roughness of it are gone. As the oyster kinda grinds and polishes that piece of sand, it slowly with time becomes something of beauty,but it didn't get that way on its own. Our lives are like this pearl. I think of all the harshness handed to me,the mean words, the hurt, betrayal in life,as the oysters grinding of that sand pebble.After awhile all the mean stuff rubbing on that sand pebble begins to make it shine, get its shape and color. If we allow all those mean things in life to rub at us, and let them go,God comes along and polishes us up, He makes the rough patches a thing of beauty. We may find that it is the hard things in life that make us the people God wants us to be. It is through those trials that He shines through us. Many find pearls as their treasure, I find that through the pearls we find our treasure in God.

The Narrow Path...

Have you ever driven on a narrow road? Its not easy at all, your always afraid your going to go into the other lane or they will cross over to you. You might even go off road. Maybe your walking a narrow path in the woods,and you find it hard because of all the bushes and twigs coming at you. I remember as a kid playing in the pool, and we would play the game of swimming under one another,between each others legs. That was not as easy as it seemed. Sometimes you just couldn't get through,especially if they tried to close their legs and grab you. There are narrow paths to take, they seem longer and harder than the wide ones. The wide ones are easy. You may get there a little faster,but is it always the best way? In Matthew 7:13-14 it tells us this; "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." It takes faith to do the right thing, it also takes faith to take the narrow path. In life we sometimes have to go in the other direction as our friends, they seem to want to take the wide road,it seems easy and fun,but we know from studying God's word,it isn't the right road. The narrow path seems hard,but as my father in law would say,"The easy way is not always the correct way or the best,just because its easy."God is not going to bless us with all He has unless we turn from our wicked ways,leave our sins behind, and follow Him. To do that we must follow that narrow path, that path protects us, provides for us, and leads us straight to Him. If we ever get off that path, we can find our way back.All we have to do is stop for directions, look inside God's book of life, and He will guide us back to where we need to be.

Wheres your advice come from?

Its funny that we have an awesome God who knows all,but when we need advice, we always seem to turn to others or worst yet ourselves for advice. Is is not wiser for we to allow God to teach us,than for His hand to correct us? Why can we not seem to fathom that? We should always go to God first,and seek His wisdom and knowledge. He gave us life,yet we assume we know more about it than He. Isaiah 55:8 tells us this; "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, Says the Lord." We cannot fathom the depth of His love or wisdom. Our thoughts will never be as His,nor will they even come close. Going to our christian friends for advice on things that seem heavy on our hearts is not bad,but first with our humble hearts we should be going straight to God with all we have. In Ephesians 3:14-19 it says; " For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts throught faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Wow, is that not amazing? He wants to grant us with strengh, but not just strength, strength with the riches of His glory. He wants to dwell in our hearts, believing in Him with faith, knowing God's love which passes all understanding, and He wants us to be filled with the fullness of God. I don't know just how much space we have in there to fill, but me, I want all the junk out, the false advice, the wrong advice, my advice to myself,and be filled up to the top,as far as it can go,even overflowing with His understanding and knowledge. When it really comes down to it, what do we really know for sure? I know without a shadow of a doubt that Christ is my Savior, my Redeemer, my Strength,and my wisdom, if I allow Him to be. How much better would our lives be if we went to God first, prayed and really waited on an answer? They would be glowing, they would be the light for all the world to see. Thats the kind of advice I want to gain. Not just advice to help me with one problem,or just for the hour I seem to be caught off guard,but to be filled with an everlasting wisdom straight from God's heart to mine. Should it be any other way? 1 Corinthians 18-20 says; Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and again the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." So we could say that the wisdom of this world is foolish to God. There is no comparison with God's wisdom and our wisdom. We cannot praise ourselves for we do nothing without Christ working through us. All we do is really Christ. So is His wisdom working through us. We can not depend on ourselves for wisdom in this evil world, we can only depend on God's holy and true wisdom to see us through and to teach us. If we are gaining wisdom from anyone that is not giving us prayer and Godly wisdom, are we really gaining anything but foolish talk? The next time you need wisdom turn to God,His word, and search His ways, for His ways are far better than ours.

Sharing a prayer request or gossip?

Have you heard the phrase "I'm not gossiping, I am just sharing with a friend a prayer request"? Please, I have even said those words. There is no such thing. Why does gossip seem to be okay as long as it isn't about us? When we are hurt by gossip,then it kinda wakes us up to what it really is. Its tearing down a person to another. Its talking about things we have no idea of. Its adding our own light to it. Its us thinking we have the right to say these things to others, and when we do gossip about someone, how many times is it to someone who doesn't even know them? Then they go and spread it to others who don't know the person. As gossip moves it spreads like cancer. Its ugly, and merciless. It is not love, nor is it compassion. If someone really does share a prayer request with us, let us pray together, and let it stop there. Do we really need to be in others business? No, we do not. As my Pastor says very wisely;"If your not part of the problem or the solution, don't talk about it." If someone has something to say about me, I would rather them come to me,and ask me about it. If we had to go to the person first and ask permission to gossip about what was going on in their lives, what do you suppose they would say? I think not... How can we gossip about a person or their family and then infront of that person be nice? I don't get that. I am long after wanting everyone to like me,it just aint gonna happen,but I have become all about being a witness and keeping my eyes focused on my own plank in my eye. We have enough going on in our own lives, how do we have time to talk about others? God talks about idleness. Proverbs 19:15 says; "Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger." The Proverbs 31 woman was never idle. She was always working, and kept her eyes focused on Jesus. She wasn't a busy body. She knew it wasn't her place to speak of others. Gossip hurts. When people think we gossip, how can they really trust us with anything? They cannot, and should not be trusted. I have many prayer requests, and when I need prayer, I call a friend. I dont want others gossiping about things they think they know,when all they know is nothing. The next time a prayer is shared with you keep it and share it with the Lord. The next time someone wants to gossip to you, stop it right there, and put an end to it. Sharing with that person that gossip hurts and shouldn't be spoken. If we are to bring glory to God, then we must first begin with ourselves, and let God work with others.

Just me, praising God

In our lives,I believe nothing happens by chance. All happens for a reason,and a purpose. I don't believe in chance or luck. I believe that God is always moving in our lives to bring us closer to Him. One of my bestfriends makes cards, yep, I'm gonna say her name, its Tami. She makes the most beautiful cards I have ever seen. She loves to make cards, I love to send'em. She is one who encourages me to write also. I have my friend Bobbie,who I love with all my heart, she seems to bring out the creativity in me. She blesses me with her laugh and oh how I love to see her praise God,and raise her hands up high. My friends lead me to this blog page. I think the first blog I read was Ashleys. It was amazing how she wrote all those poems, and placed all her thoughts down for others to see. I have so many stories like this that I could tell. The thing that has blessed me this week is my blogging and facebook. I have met the most amazing people. I can go to my homepage and see all these christian women gathered and they are writing and sharing about God. Everyone that I have become friends with on my page are christians. It is so awesome to learn and grow with others all over the nation. I have met woman with MS ,migraines, sickness's, writers, singers, women who struggle with family,with faith, and who have overcome obsticles with God's grace. Through my page, I had met a woman whose sister tried to end her life. I was able to pray for this young girl, and then become friends with her. I got to share with these women a common bond, Jesus. He leads us to others to touch them and to have them touch us through His love. All that has been happening in my life is because of Jesus. I can surround myself with old friends and new,and focus on Jesus,not ourselves. I can spend time with these women and not worry about gossip. those that I have met just have the Lord shinning through them and I want to be a light bearer for Jesus. I want to be able to touch others with His love in my life. I have been so blessed by others stories, they have changed me, and help me look at things through a different light, Jesus. At first all I wanted to do was write and just chat with my friends,but it has become so much more than that. If all I ever write is this blog, then I know thats what Gos's will was for my life. If it never goes any further,then those that read it and were touched by one thing, well then God moved. If I never move out of this circle of friends He has placed in my life,I can still call myself blessed. I have seen God move this week. I have seen Him touch the lives of those around me, and to bring joy into my heart. All I can do today is praise God, praise His name, and praise all He has done.

Is today as far as you can see?

Is today as far as you can see? We can look into our pasts, we can see today,but we are not able to see the future. Only Jesus knows what our future holds. We are not to worry about what comes tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 says; "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." We dont have to worry about last night, today,or tomorrow. God has it all in His hands. If you are like me, you have worried, you have worried about your children, our parents, our health, our jobs,and all that can consume our minds. If we allow all those negative things to enter into our minds, is there still room for our faith? We have to trust in Jesus and know that we know that we know He is our God,He is bigger than anything that comes our way. We must believe that all we place into His hands He will care for as its the only thing He must do. For me, I have to be able to look past today. I have to be able to look to Jesus to protect my children, and bring them all back into his fold. I have to believe that someday, our family will be reunited again,and we can laugh the way we used to. I have to believe that God will care for my mother, who is losing her sight. I have to see and know that my husband will gain a job,and one that was better than before. I have to believe that when my family walks out of our home that He will protect us.When I see the storm clouds blowing in, I have to know that God will make all safe. If all I could see was today, I would be missing the point. God loved me through my past and built a bridge for me to get to Him,He cares for me in the present, and as for my future, I am leaving it all up to Him. I can find joy in Him, I can find peace, and comfort. I can know that He has my hand,and dries all my tears away. Without Him, I would be nothing,but with Him I am all I can be through Him. Stop looking behind you, stop waiting for the present to move and don't look to your future as though you have nothing there. Stand up and praise God for all we have today,and praise Him knowing He has all we need for tomorrow.

Whats standing in your way today?

As you wake today, we can look all around us and see God's creation. We can see His beauty all around. We can come to Him at any moment,and ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us of our sins, the wrongs that we have made against Him. We can talk with Him about anything on our hearts. We can seek wisdom,gain knowledge, pray about our future,our past,and our present. We can intercede for those in need,and walk with Him and listen to His word. He can lead us through this ugly world we live in, and He can stand in the way of our enemies. If all this and more is possible today,what is standing in your way? Maybe you feel as though no one can love you for the past you have lived. Jesus can. Perhaps you allow your pride to get in the way. Jesus can remove it. Just maybe you think theres a catch to it all. No catch, only Jesus' love. You may be lost in pain. Jesus can give you the strength to move. Maybe you let the world's wisdom lead you into thinking there is no God. He created all, and died for you and me. He is bigger than any man's knowledge,and can tame an angry sea. Jesus holds in His hands our past, our future, and our present. We don't have to look up to see Him,all we have to do is look all around. He is in everything good and all that is beautiful. Maybe your selfishness is in your way today,God can lead you away from yourself and straight to Him. So really, when we look at all things possible,Jesus is the only way. Don't go another day with something you have put in the way. Allow Jesus to take it away and make way for you to meet Him all the way.

Roses or wildflowers?

I have been very blessed to have my husband bring me roses. They are very beautiful and fragrant. They come in every color you can imagine now. They seem to make the whole room smell nice. You walk by them,you can't help but bend down and smell them,taking in all the beauty. I remember the first time my husband surprised me with wildflowers. He stopped along one of our country roads and picked me a beautiful bouquet. It was full of many different flowers and colors. It was a hot day, and ofcourse if your going to get out of your car on a country road, you know when you step into that field here comes the ticks and chiggers. These are the flowers that bless me the most. Anyone can stop by the market or the florist and pick up roses,but for a man to stop on the road and go out into the field and come into the house with his hand behind his back and say,"Close your eyes",and hands you a picked bouquet of flowers that have the scent of cow manure is the best gift of all! Yes, I can hear some of you ladies now,saying give me the roses verses the manured flowers,but not me. I love them,for that gift really comes from the heart. No, they don't always smell like manure,that only happend once.Thank goodness. The wildflowers have a beauty all of their own,and they smell so wonderful. Each with the tiny little blossoms that you just want to finger,for they are so delicate. I always put them in a vase that my mother gave me,and set them on the table. For me, they light up the room,not only because of the special hand picked gift,but because of the wonderful gift giver who thought of me on his way home.

The bean plant....

Remember when you were in kindergarden or 1st grade and you got to grow a bean plant? I think everyone has had this experience,and if you haven't you have watched your children bring them home. I remember mine in kindergarden. I brought it home in a little styrofoam cup. My mom set it in the window,watered it everyday and I waited, and waited to watch it grow. I would go into the kitchen every morning and look at my little cup that I began to cherish. One day as I came into the kitchen I looked up at my little cup and right there was the little green sprout. I was so excited to see that little plant growing. At school we had put in the dirt, next we added the seed,and watered it just enough to make the soil moist. At home it kept growing, getting bigger and bigger,until one day the little seed coat fell off and now it was really ready to grow. Our lives are like this little bean plant with Christ. Someone comes along and sees the dirt and knows that it would be much more beautiful if there was something in that old dirt. They plant the seed,then someone else comes along and waters it,still next someone comes along and makes sure it is growing upward. Then you have the gift giver watching the little seed grow into something grand. We cannot add too much water at once or the little seed becomes overwhelmed and drowns. But if we take our time feeding it and giving small amounts of water,we are blessed to watch it grow. It not only grows but it produces food. And with that comes more seed we can plant,water,and with love and care watch it grow.

How do you accept a gift?

We either love to give or we even like to receive. I love getting special gifts to brighten up my day,but more than that I love to give gifts to others. I am a card giver. I just love writing loving words down to bless others. Once my pastor tried to give me a gift,and I knew that gift was special to him.It was one of his dads concordances. I didn't want to accept this gift,for I knew how special it was to him. But,he shared with me how important it is to accept gifts from others. To not accept a gift from others is taking the joy away from them. I thought this to be a beautiful thing. Beautiful and wise words to live by. Every since then,those words of wisdom have stood with me in my heart. I have learned to accept a gift and say thank you. I accepted the Lord's salvation freely and am so thankful for His gift of love. The Lord sends special people in our lives to touch us,whether it be with a wrapped gift, a hug,a note, or a prayer. How can we not accept what others are giving to us without hurting them? For these special people have the gift of giving,and our gifts are from the Lord. Each gift is special in its own way,and we should be giving without wanting anything in return. I have been given some amazing gifts from my family,friends,and the most amazing gift was my gift of salvation in Christ. His love is a gift and a gift that we should share with everyone we meet. They should be able to see that gift through all we do. It was never easy for me to accept gifts, many times we think we are not worthy of a special gift. But for those giving,they think we are. So the next time someone wants to give you a gift,something special,accept that gift with love,the same love that Christ gives to us each day,for it not only blesses us,but the gift giver.

Got Milk?

I have to share this story with you. My Pastor told this story a few times now,and everytime I hear it, it blesses my soul. Bro.Ben was preaching on obeying God, and following Him and His lead. He told of a man that had gone to the market,and while he was there,he heard God tell him to buy a gallon of milk. He thought this to be crazy,for he didn't need any milk. God kept talking, until the man bought the gallon of milk,still not understanding,but following his Maker. As he started driving home,now he hears God giving him directions,as to turn here,and now get out. The man sat in his car,I'm sure thinking he was crazy.How could he really go up to someones house he didn't know and just give them milk? God was on this mans heart,and he listened and obeyed. As he went to the door and knocked a man came to the door. He held out the gallon of milk to him,and the man took it and shut the door. The man, starting to walk away, now sees the other open the door again with tears streaming down his face. He shares with the man his thank yous,and adds that his baby had not had milk for a few days now. He was forever thankful for this man giving him this gift from God. I am sure the man went back to his car,and shed some tears of his own. God worked through this man to touch another family,to save a life of a starving child. If that were you,would you have followed? I am sad to say that most likely I would not have. I would have thought myself crazy and really thought,what will these people say as I walk to the door. When God is speaking to us, we know His voice, His whisper to us in our hearts. We can feel His voice,and know He is asking us to follow with faith. I wish I were like this man,and followed everytime God has spoken to me. Many times I have heard His soft voice and I have ignored Him. One Saturday a couple years ago. My son and I had gone to a local gas station to get a soda for our day out. As I was sitting there,next to us was a man on a motorcycle. He looked as though he were sad. I sat there in the car,and I too felt the Lord telling me to roll down my window and speak to this man.Tell him,I love him. I thought, okay,am I crazy? God,you cannot ask me to do such a thing,what if the man gets angry. So I rolled my window down half way,then as Jake enters the car,I say,"Jake go tell that man about Jesus." He said,"What!" I sat there and said, God is telling me to speak to this man,and my son said,"Well,Hes asking you not me." He had a point there. I was so chicken to move, I allowed that man to drive off on his motorcycle without saying a word. That could have been the first or last time someone shared Christ with him. I struggled with that all day. I felt bad that I did not follow what Christ was asking of me. Today,as I listen to Him speak to me,I try to obey. I have learned it doesnt matter if the person shuts the door, calls me names or just turns away. What matters is that I obeyed my Savior. I did what He asked.Now, instead of really concentrating on what could go wrong,I concentrate on what could go right. Oh, how I hope to be like this man obeying God. I want to be an obedient child,but I still struggle. If God can not trust us with the little things He is asking or sending us to,how then can He trust us with the big? Lord, I pray that I can be as this man with the milk. I pray that I will obey your every word. In faith we must believe,and through that faith many people can be touched by God's grace and mercy if we only break out of our comfort zone and obey. The next time you go to pick up a gallon of milk,think about what God wants you to pick up or drop off.

What is it that we really need?

What is it that we really need in life? Is it a new home,a new car,maybe new shoes would be nice,even a new purse to hold all our stuff that we so desperatly think we need. We tend to fill our lives with stuff. The stuff seems to be what we think we need. Have you ever gone to yardsales or even auctions and seen something really cheap and just had to buy it? Even at the shopping mall,you go and find a great sale,you buy it because you thought it was a great deal and you needed it. I don't know how many times I have come home with stuff, and my husband has said,"Did you really need that?" Well, ofcourse I did, or so I thought I did,until I had it for awhile and began to think,why did I buy this in the first place. Our lives can contain so much junk that we think we need. All we really need is Jesus and His love. All the other stuff in my life is really of no value. But the love Christ has for me is. Psalm 46:1 says; "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." He is always with us,and will help us in our troubles. He is our strength,and our refuge. Wow, I can turn to Him with anything I have and share with Him my whole heart. I can turn to Him when I am weak and He will give me His strength. In Isaiah 58:11 it tells us; "The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones,you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." Is that not a beautiful verse? God is our everything. He is all we need to satisfy us. Can you picture a beautiful garden with flowers and blooms of all kinds? That can be us, as God waters us with His love and strength,we can feel as beautiful as that watered garden. In Philippians 4:19 it also says; "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."God will take care of our needs. He never said our wants,but our needs. He will give us ALL. What an awesome verse to come to and see His love spilling over for us. He loved us so much He gave His life for us.(John 3:16) And now on top of that He will supply all our needs. This world can be a mean place,full of mean people. If we never find love here on earth,we can find true love in Christ Jesus. He wants us to come to Him,and He wants to live in us, filling us with His love. The next time your out and you see a really good sale. Ask yourself,is that what I really need today,or can God fill what I so desperatly need. He can and He will.

Who is it that completes you?

The world that we live in now tends to teach that a man or a woman completes us. Maybe a degree,a large company, a big house, the raciest car,the best and the brightest children,money,and many friends. Sometimes we can hear negative talk and make us feel as though we are not complete enough or whole unless we have these things to show in our lives. There are two verses I want to share with you. The first is 2 Corinthians 13:9, "For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong.And this also we pray,that you may be made complete." The second is from James 1:4," But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete,lacking nothing." The only person that can make us complete is Christ. He and He alone completes us. It doesn't take a boyfriend or girlfriend to make us special.As when we were in highschool,many kids had girlfriends or boyfriends to make them feel special,to make them feel important. We don't need a boy to tell us that,nor even our husbands,we can only find that love that fills us like no other in Christ. It doesn't even take a husband or a wife. All the money in the world will not complete us,nor the things of this world. Only when we give our lives to Christ and ask Him into our hearts,and to live within us will we find that completeness. He makes us whole. We cannot look to our husbands,wives,boyfriends,girlfriends or our careers to make us happy and to fill us with joy.Joy comes straight from the love of God in our hearts. As feelings of happiness can change from day to day,joy stays with us always no matter what the situation. When we are weak,God is strong in us. We are a work of God, He is still at work with us,working in us until He and He alone completes us. In Him we can be complete,lacking nothing. We have to stop looking at the magazine covers,watching Oprah or even Dr.Phil for what we should be like. The world's standards are not of God. We are to find our completeness in Him. If you turn to James 1:5 it goes on to say,"If any of you lacks wisdom,let him ask of God,who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." See, whatever we are in need of,if we ask God,He will give to us,not our wants,but what He has in store for us. Only He can give us the understanding and wisdom we need for this world. As we go about our days,seeking something to complete us, we have to search no further than Christ.

Broken Wings....

Have you ever felt as though you were about to break? Maybe you feel as though you are alone in all your troubles. As we can see the birds flying in the air,what happens when they have a broken wing? They cannot fly,and if they cannot fly,they are open to all the preditors around them. We too can feel as though our wings are broken. If we are feeling alone, someone is giving us negative words,if we have lost our job,or our family is torn apart,we can be so hurt,that we cannot soar any longer. I have felt like one of those birds that may have a broken wing. I have felt that I was all alone with no one to turn too. As we want to fly so badly,things and situations can come into our lives and we feel as though our wings have been clipped. We don't have to feel that way. When we get down and lose ourselves in our pain,its hard to get back up,but with God we can. He will help our wings heal, and be back flying if we put our faith and trust in Him. In Ecclesiates 4:12 it states; "Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." This is a powerful verse about friendship and God's love. We don't have to be that one cord standing alone.We can go to our christian friends for help,for advice,and for prayer.They can lift us up. More importantly we can go straight to Christ. He is that third cord. Just as in our marriage of a man and a woman,together we are strong,but you add in that third cord(Christ) and it cannot be broken. Just as friendship adds to our healing,God right there in the middle of us,can give us a strength that we have never known. We can also look at Isaiah 61:1 for help. It says; "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives,and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." This verse lets us have hope. It allows us to see that Jesus can heal the brokenhearted,those who cannot fly. He can free us from our pain and hurts with His love. We must not allow satan to keep us in chains. Christ can free us from all that hurts. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 40:31,"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary,they shall walk and not faint." We can hope in the Lord,and be renewed by His power. I love this verse,as I love to watch eagles, they were easy to see where I grew up. I would watch them for hours,thinking how wonderful it would feel to be so free and being able to fly. As a christian now, I understand the beauty of the eagle and what it stands for. It stands for the strength of God in us.It shows the picture of how our lives can be if we only put our faith and trust in God. If we do, we too can soar like the eagles. Place your broken wings at the Lord's feet today,give Him all that weighs you down,gather His strength, allow Him to heal your wings, so you too can soar with all the love that He has given.

To live a quiet life...

Do you find yourself desiring a quiet life? We can be so busy with our lives and be involved in so much we lose track of who we are and our real purpose. Some love to have sound all around them,me I enjoy the quiet. Those days that I can find quiet are the days I can reflect on Christ. When we are busy we can get too involved and forget to reflect upon Christ,and when we do we lose something very valuable,our relationship with Him. In our lives we can get involved in trying to know everything around us, and be busybodies,which in turn leads to gossip. Why is it so hard today to be quiet and to find quiet? Many times people think us to be strange if we are not always busy,and not running ourselves ragged. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 tells us; "That you also aspire to lead a quiet life,to mind your own business,and to work with your own hands,as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing." If we have many children, a job that takes much of our time,that can make us busy.I know taking care of my mother,and doing my chores and household duties,I too get busy with all the things I am involved in. I don't think God is telling us we cannot be involved in anything,but to set a guide for ourselves and make sure we are spending time with Him,our families,and our church family. He is telling us,through all that busy stuff that seem to overwhelm us at times, we can find peace and quiet in our hearts. Many times we are too busy running other peoples affairs and trying to stay with all that is happening around us that we lose track of our lives. We don't have to know everyones business, we don't have to be involved in everything just to get the scoop on everyone. We don't need to be a busybody with those around us,that leads to gossip. He is telling us to work with our own hands, staying busy with what He is calling us to be busy with. As christians we should be running our own households for God's glory and as a witness to others. We can take a look back in time at the farmers and their families. They were always busy with the farm,the animals and their children. But they in all their business, didn't lose track of what was really important,and they focused on Christ,making Him first. When we make ourselves too busy for God,we are too busy in life. Take time to evaluate what your busy with,and make Christ the center and the forefront of your lives. When we can do that and put all in perspective we will find that quiet and peace,even though there is noise all around us.

Do you need rest?

I love reading the Psalms.They can bring such comfort. There is beauty in these words,and much wisdom to live by.Have you ever found yourself needing rest? Have you ever been so tired from work,or your heart is heavy with stress that you cannot sleep at night? That feeling that you are so tired and wish you could fall asleep,but your mind and body just won't allow it. As a mother, I believe we have all felt this way. Whether you work outside your home and have a family,or whether you work inside your home and homeschool your children,we know all to well what it feels like to be tired. Our jobs do not begin and end from 9-5. They are 24hr jobs. I remember the nights when my children were ill,and I would stay up all night with them.Even caring for my mother,the times at the hospital with her,that seemed to last throughout the night. Those of my friends who suffer from migraines as I do,know what staying awake all night is. For those like my daughter who work the night shift,and try to sleep in the day,and go to school also,she gets tired. Remember when you brought your baby home from the hospital and he or she didnt quiet know when to sleep? I remember being so tired,I thought my son was next to me in bed,as I awoke and was terrified that I couldnt remember where I put him.He was in his bed safe and sound. You may have parents who you are caring for,or you yourself may be suffering with an illness,maybe you have a heavy heart over the lost ones in your family. You have lost your job and are having sleepless nights as my husband. All these things can way us down,like carrying too much luggage around. God,did make the earth and all in it in six days,and He called for a day of rest.( Genesis 2:1-3) If we look at scripture there are many verses on rest. In Psalm 62:1-2 it states; "My soul finds 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." Can you hear these wonderful words? We can find rest in God. What a powerful verse we have here. No matter what is going on in our lives we can find rest in Him. He is our Rock and our Fortress. When we put our faith in Him,nothing,not nothing can shake us. Why do we keep saying yes all the time,when we clearly have too much going on in our lives? Much of my own burdens were from me,putting too much on myself and thinking I can do it all.A friend asked me yesterday with her two children,"How did you raise five kids?" I had to tell her,I have no idea. I am still amazed today,as I look at others with children and I think,wow,how did we do that. We put so much on ourselves,we try so very hard to do everything.When we begin to do that we are letting something go. We cannot give 100% to everything. Somewhere along the road we are going to break. The load we are trying so hard to carry is going to falter. As I grew,I realized I cannot do it all.For us to be strong in the Lord,is for us to be weak in ourselves. Meaning we have to realize we cannot do it all,all the time. We have to allow God to take hold of some of the burdens we are carrying. When we are not resting,and have too much to carry,we start to realize the stress starts to do things to our bodies. We weren't made to carry so much stress. We are to let those things go,and find our strength in our Rock. When you are growing tired and weary,we must turn to the Lord for help. Matthew 11:28-30 says; "Come to Me,all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart., and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." We do not have to suffer under a heavy load.We can find rest and peace if we allow Jesus to take those griefs and burdens away. We don't have to hold on to them. He wants to carry them for you and for me. For those of you struggling,tired and weak,Jesus is the answer. We can go to Him and He will lighten our load. He will give us all we need. We have to come to the conclusion that we cannot do it all. We can learn to give up some things and change the way we are thinking. God is there for us to lighten our burdens,we just have to let Him and when we finally do, we will find rest in Him.

My Trip to Walmart.....

A few years ago I had made a trip to Walmart. I had many things to get. A whole cart full. I had just had a cortisone shot in my wrist and was feeling the pain,and I had just found the lump in my neck. I was really feeling poorly. I gathered all my things and headed for the check out line. As the young girl was checking my things out I asked her if she could please put them in my cart. Not thinking she heard me,I asked again. Oh,she heard me the first time.So she went on to tell me that was not her job. I was shocked at this information,for this is a check-out persons job. I realized there was a woman behind me,and she started cursing at me. Yelling in fact,that others were doing their own bags,why couldn't I? I tried my best to ignore this woman who seemed she felt the need to scream at me now for all to hear. I asked the young girl again and even said,I always do this myself but today I cannot. The woman behind me kept yelling. I just felt the Holy Spirit come over me,and I was calm. I felt a peace that just washed over me. The girl finally put my bags in the cart,but she slammed them in,my cart was running over and things were falling off. The woman behind me still yelling mind you, I thought okay, I am finished and I will make it out to my car. As I got outside,the lady who was cussing at me,was parked by me. As I was putting my bags in the car,I saw her coming,and for some reason I just began to cry. She was coming down the center lane yelling at me!! While we were inside,I politely turned to her and told her,"I am sorry,but this isnt your concern and yes,it is her job,not mine to put my bags in the cart. Needless to say,my words did not help her any,but they did me.I will not repeat all she said,it was words that hurt and shouldn't come out of a womans mouth.I sat in the car and cried,I hurt so bad. I was wondering to myself,why didnt you just turn around and slug her? That may have made me feel better for a moment,but then I would have brought myself down to her level,and I wouldnt have been a good witness,plus she was three times my size. What amazed me about that day was how the Holy Spirit just came over me,and washed me with patience.I sat at home after putting my bags of food away,and prayed for this woman. Something had to be happening in her life for her to be so hateful to a total stranger. Something had to harden her heart to be a bully.I still think of this woman from time to time,and wonder if she has been treated like that. I felt sorry for her,to be so mean,no one knew what was going on in her life. So many times we meet others and they can be so mean for what we think is no reason,but maybe something happening in their lives or in their pasts had effected them so,that it took all joy from their hearts. When those people enter our lives for those brief moments,we need to pray for them.I dont think that woman was by me just by chance. I believe God put her there,then to lay her upon my heart to pray. She had no idea what I was facing in my own life. I was so thankful the Lord was with me that day,and layed His peace in my heart. The next time you meet someone that has nasty words to say,or is just mean for no good reason,think about a quiet answer turns away wrath,Proverbs 15:1 tells us; "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." I could have screamed back at this woman,but what would that really have solved? It would have made the situation worse. Our quiet words will surprise some,and just may show them the way to a new way of life.

Have you been sharpening anyone lately?

In Proverbs 27:17 it tells us "As iron sharpens iron,So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." I have been loving my homepage in my facebook. It has been a blessing. The Lord has filled my friend list with Christians from all over the U.S. It is awesome to see what they are writing,the blessings and the struggles. I have been following many blogs of christian women teaching one another,and walking with Christ together. This is a new journey for us each day we wake.We never know what may come our way. To speak to others that have traveled those roads we are new to,is a blessing straight from God. I love how He puts those people in our lives to help mold us,teach us,and keep one another accountable. I have several friends that I am accountable to. It makes this journey even better. To have a friend ask me if I did my lesson,or if I am reading my bible is adding to who I am,and them also. As we read this verse from Proverbs we can see that we are to keep each other accountable. If I am walking down a road to disaster,I want my friends to speak out to me to wake me up. It may hurt,but that hurt is truthful and needed. We are to be honest with one another,we are to grow with each other. When christian ladies get together for Christ,nothing can stand in their way. A friend will be honest with you.We shouldn't just give advice,but give scriptural advice to lead them. We can be there for each other when temptation comes our way.All we have to do is pick up the phone and share our struggles with a friend and ask for prayer. We can lead with love,as we follow Christ. True love for someone is telling them the truth in all circumstances. We cannot just sit back,when we know someone is falling and not try to catch them. As christian women we should be examples to others,we should be sharing God's word with each other everytime we are together. Friends who love will sharpen each other and love one another for it.

Would you die for a friend?

Would you die for a friend? Jesus died for all of mankind,not just one person worthy. None of us were worthy of His sacrifice for us. This question was asked one day in our Sunday School class. I may be really goofy according to others,but I had to raise my hand and say yes.Yes,I would. After coming home I really put some thought into this one.I have my family,my best friends,my church family and then we have those we meet everyday when we walk out our doors. I find that my life is no more important than anyone else's life. Take a look at the disciples.They died for Christ and for what they believed in. They lived their lives knowing they were not better,their lives were no more important than anyone else. I have to say if a bus was coming,I would push my friend out of the way in order to protect her. If a man came in I would definetly step in front of a friend for a bullet.As mothers,we know we would die for our children,our family,but what about others? I remember at one of the school disasters where wild bullets were flying everywhere,the teacher who stepped outside the door to hold it shut to protect his students.He died protecting them. This happens daily where we see people stepping forward to the aid of others.Do I want to die?No,but to save a friend I would lay down my life. I have these little kindergardeners in Awana at church. If someone was coming in to hurt them,you bet I would step in and do all I could to protect them.Now the question is would you die for a stranger? Someone who you have no idea about. This one is a little harder to answer. I can only hope if I was walking down the street and someone was getting hurt,that I would step in and try to help them. Do we have anything to fear? If we have Christ with us in our hearts,we have nothing to fear. For whatever comes our way,He is there to protect us,whether that be here on earth or taking us to heaven. With our faith we should be able to step out of our box,and not just think about us,but focus on Christ,and put others first. Love is a special gift from heaven,God instilled it in our hearts. For if we are not able to love as Christ did and does today,we are waisting time given to us from Him. My life is but a vapor in this world,just as yours is. I would hope to think if I did die for a friend my family would be taken care of. I know they would by Christ and His amazing love. Now,heres a harder question.I can admit I would die for a friend and hope to die for a stranger,but taking a bullet or a bus,but would I do as Jesus did upon the cross? That one is a big,I dont know. Jesus as our Savior died for the world,for everyone in it.Are we willing to die for those who have hurt us,caused pain to someone we love,or those who have murdered,raped and did hideous things to wonderful people? In Christ's eyes we are all the same,He puts no one over or above anyone,so again is my life really more important than anothers? No,it isnt. We should be willing to give our lives over to Christ, trust in Him,and follow Him in everyway. Christ doesn't have favor, so how can we? Through reaching out to help a stranger,standing in the path an oncoming car,should not even be a question for us to think about. We should do all,and love all for our love for Christ.In doing so we are showing Christ to the world. I can only hope I leave behind a legacy for others that points to Christ. He saved me from the depths of hell,the least I can do,is love as He has called me to do.

Going Climbing.....

Have you been climbing any mountains lately? I have,and its really hard to climb. Once your in that valley and you look up and see how high the mountain is,do you really want to climb it? Whats at the top of that mountain for you? Is it relief,peace,quietness,or could it be just growth? I have climbed many mountains in my life,and too have been in those valleys. When your in the valley all we see is the pain,hurt,sufferings,but with those comes a need.That need is to be lifted up,put on a straight course.Many times we get ourselves lost in the valleys of life and we cannot see clearly anymore through all the trees.What trees in your life are blocking your view of the mountain? We all have been there,we all have those big trees that we just cannot for the life of us get past. At first I thought being on the mountain top was the best thing. It was the place where all felt right and good. But for me,I seem to slip off that mountain and into the valley over and over again. I have found that with all my slips, that is where I really found Jesus. That is where I really found out who I am,and where He wants me to go. In those valleys of life is when we call upon Christ. Because when we are in those valleys,He is all we have.He is all we need. For Him to help us see that and to help us grow into the people He wants us to be,we have to go through those valleys to get to the mountain. There is a popular song out today about climbing mountains,and one of the lines is,"Its not about how fast I get there or whats waiting on the other side,its all about the climb." I like this song,and love to sing along with it. This song rings so true about it doesnt matter how fast I get there.Many times in those valleys and with the climb it takes for what we feel a very long time.I have been there calling out to God,asking Him,"When am I gonna get there,when are my prayers going to be answered?" For us time seems like forever,but all things come in God's timing. He knows how long we must stay in that valley to learn,and when we need to start our climb. God hears every prayer we say,even before we say it. He knows what we need more than we do. Some climb faster than others,some try to climb all on their own,thinking they got it figured out,and thats when you seem to slide right back down into that valley.We cannot make the climb without Christ. When we do reach the mountain top,sometimes we are there for a long time,others we see the valley coming again and again.This is the part of the song I disagree with,about it doesnt matter whats waiting on the other side. To me it does matter. I know Jesus is on the other side of that mountain.If it were not for Him being there,what good would the climb be? What would we really gain? Nothing. In our lives there are those who think it doesnt matter how I get to the top,or what I have to do to get to the top. It does matter.When you go mountain climbing you cannot just show up in your tennis shoes and a t-shirt. You suit up in the right gear,and before you climb,you learn how by those who have climbed before you,and by the One who is at the top.Whether we are in the valley,climbing or reach the top,the amazing thing is,Jesus is with us all the way if we will allow Him to carry us through those valleys and as we climb,learning from Him as He teaches us each step. Even when we fall,He is right there to catch us.He is our saftey net, our harness,and our gear to get their. After we have been in the valley,we have made our climb,and we are reaching the top,we may have a few bumps and bruises,but with God's love and healing He will be there all the way.The next time you are in the valley,call out to God and you will find Him there,when your making that climb and you feel as though you cannot make it,call out to God and He will help you up the mountain.Once we are at the mountain,we can look back through the valley and really see how we got there.It was with Jesus all the way.Don't get caught up in how long it takes us to get there,or how many times we slip.Never give up when it gets hard,for that is when Jesus shows us He is with us. Through those valleys and climbs that is where Jesus shines through us,and that is where our praises begin.Don't be afraid of those valleys and climbs,trust Jesus as your spotter,your gear,and all you need for your trip up.

A healing wound...

Remember as a kid when you would be riding your bike and you would fall off on the gravel? I learned to ride my bike in the gravel,and it wasn't always fun. I fell off my bike many times. I scraped my knees so badly, I still have scars today. I would fall into the rocks and they would dig into my knees. Once my mom had to pick them all out,while I sat crying. She would pick them all out and then put on medication,put on bandaids and they would begin to heal. If you were like me,as soon as the scab started to form ya picked it off and then it began to bleed again. Its alot like our lives,getting our hearts broken,and beginning to heal. See, God made that scab for a reason. Its there to protect that wound,and to allow it to heal from the inside out. If we pick that scab off,then we start all over again. I learned to stop picking my scabs off,and let them heal on their own. Just as now,I am learning to allow my heart to heal,and others also. It seems at times just when we think it is all healed,it breaks open again. Just when we think all is well,we can fall off that bike again and end up with new scabs over new scraps. It takes time to heal,it doesn't happen over night,and it just doesnt happen with I'm sorry. Its a long process that takes love,patience,and forgiveness of yourself. I have tried getting on the bike again too soon,too soon when the healing hasn't even started yet. Then one wrong word or action and the pain shows itself again.When we say we are sorry,are we really sorry for our actions and hurting the other person,or are we just trying to make ourselves feel better? That old saying,"If ya fall off the horse,ya get right back on",well,its not that easy. Just as riding my bike,I had to learn to ride a different way,I had to learn to steer in the right direction,and I had to learn that I was going to fall,and it was okay. Many times we think we cannot make mistakes,and we are too hard on ourselves when we do. But God knew we would fall,He knew as we learned to ride our bike we were going to have to take some painful falls before we got it right.Just as my mom picked all the rocks out and put on medication,we have to allow God to do the same within our hearts. We have to allow ourselves to grieve,to feel our pain,and be able to let go of the past. We have to put our trust in Christ,and believe He is our training wheels. He is there to guide us,teach us, and to help us grow through our pain and our trials. Just as my scabs healed,so will my heart. Yours will also if we allow time,and Christ to do His will and way with our lives. The next time you take that trail ride,and you fall off your bike and end up with skinned up knees, allow them to heal from the inside out,and allow Christ to lay His hands there for healing.

A Favorite of mine

At church I love to hear singing,with that singing,I can praise the Lord.Just me and Him during that time of singing,I can close my eyes and picture Him there with us worshipping. A young woman at church sings on Sunday mornings. She will often sing the song Better is one day in your courts. I know this is not the real title,but its how I remember the song that touches my heart. There is a verse in the song that sings, Better is one day in Your courts than thousands elsewhere. In 2 Peter 3:8 it tells us; "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing,that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." In our time things happen slowly,but in God's time it is always perfect. We seek Him to come,and He will come. The Lord has longsuffering for His creation and wants all to come to know Him as Savior. Just one day with the Lord,is better than a thousand days without Him. I would rather spend one day with Christ,than anywhere else here on earth. I believe the Lord longs for the day He can come for His children,to spend time with us will also bring Him joy. We all have our favorite songs,we all have songs that touch us in special ways. The Lord speaks to us through song also.That we can spend a day in church,sing praises to Him and feel His presence is a joy beyond measure. I long to see our Savior,and when we do,we will spend many more days with Him than one.

Our Pasts

Why is it that our pasts haunt us so? We all have them. I did not come to Christ until my 20's, when I had my son Jake. Coming to Christ was the very best thing that has happend in my life. He has brought me so much. I have been through many sickness',trials and growth. I am not the same person I was at 20.In my past I was not always nice, I had done drugs,drank, smoke,I had sex before I was married.I could go on and on with telling you stories of my past.But the stories of my past don't really matter,its what has happen since my past. Its what has happend since Jesus came into my life,and all that He has done for me and with me. When I was young,I didn't really know what a Christian was. I had heard the name born again,and heard family speak about how strange they were. I just had the idea that being a christian was no fun at all. That is such a trap that satan puts us in. I have had more fun as a christian,than my whole life. I can laugh without being drunk,I can go to many parties and have the time of my life with family and friends with Christ living within me.We have all done things we shouldn't have in our pasts.No one is perfect.We are all sinners in need of a Savior.When we go to Christ and ask Him to forgive us,He does. He wipes every sin away from our pasts,and remembers them no more. In Psalm 103:12 it tells us; "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Do you hear those amazing words? Let them soak in awhile. When we ask Christ to forgive us,He forgets our sin,and remembers it no more.He doesnt keep score.From the east to the west,wow. What a blessing of grace.The problem is we have to forgive ourselves,and remember no more. That is key here. We cannot get hung up with our pasts. To really move forward,we must forget and give our pasts to Christ. I am so glad I have a past and a future. My past was my old self and my future is with Christ. Let us not concentrate on the past.Thats where satan wants us to stay.Lets focus on the future we have with Christ,and allow Him to forgive us,and we too must forgive ourselves.The sad thing would be that if we were just caught in our pasts and had no future,no hope.But we do,as children of God,we have a future and a place with Him forever. So leave the past where it be,and bring it up no more.

My miracle

Two years ago I felt a lump in my neck. I just happend to turn and it hurt,so I felt my neck and there was a lump.I was fearful, I cannot deny that. I called the doctor right away,but each day it got bigger and bigger,with my fears growing. As I went to the doctor,he too was frighted. He sent me to a surgery specialist. I had many tests done over a period of time,as this lump was growing. We made my surgery date to biopsy this thing growing by the day. The morning of my surgery date,Bro.Ben and Bro. Brad had come to see me,although I do not remember alot about their visit,I know Bro. Ben prayed over me. Before that the doctor had come in and placed an X on my lump with a black marker. As they rolled me into surgery,I was awake but really silly. As I was laying there,the nurse began to feel my neck.She kept feeling,and then said,"Honey,did they mark your neck right?" Ofcourse they did,but she couldn't feel the lump.Others felt,and still could not feel anything.The nurse says,"Honey can you show me where the lump is? I sat up and said its right here! Then kept feeling,and had to take those words back,and I said,wow,its gone,its not there.What happend?"Then it hit me,that the Lord had healed me. The doctor comes in and starts to feel,and says,"There is nothing here." He went ahead and did a biopsy where he thought the lump to be,and ofcourse by the grace of God,it was nothing. As I lay there on the table feeling the pain in my neck,not totally out.I had an amazing nurse right at my head. She at one time,placed her hand upon my head,and told me,"Honey,today everything is going to be alright."This nurse blessed me,and I feel as though God was speaking through her to me. My lump had disappeared! I knew right away God had healed me,and gave Him praise for doing so,but I also knew He had me there for a reason. As my tests came back,it showed that I had problems with my thyroid. I had many,many nodules on my thyroid,and they were growing. They decided to watch them for awhile,but they too kept growing. I soon found myself back in surgery,only this time my thyroid was coming out. I was finding it hard to breath before my surgery,and thought it to be my asthma(Yes,this girl has just about everything.),but it wasn't.My thyroid,my goiter was growing around my windpipe,and cutting off my air. The doctor had said he had never seen such a thing before.Usually goiters grow outward,mine chose to grow inward.Needless to say,today I am on thyroid medication,but I feel good. This was a trial for me,and took time to heal,but without that lump in my neck I would have never found myself having tests on my thyroid. I would have not known for sometime something was wrong,and my nodules could have turned to cancer. God had plans for me,He planned that lump,He planned to heal me,and He planned for them to find what was wrong in time. I felt His touch that day He healed me,and I am forever thankful. God does wonderful things to those who trust and believe in Him. The power of prayer works.

Miss Independent?

There is a popular song out today called "Ms.Independent". Telling about how this woman can do it all.She doesnt need anyone or anything from anyone.It speaks of her new car,her new job,and all the money she has. If we aren't careful we too can have these ideals about life as a woman. We have womens rights who teach their daughers they can do anything a man can do and do it better.They teach about going off to war,and being the head of the house and making all the decisions.They degrade men and make them look useless. Our world teaches that its great to have sex,have many partners,do all you can to make it to the top,and not caring about who you step on to get there. They teach us that "Its our body,we can do with it what we want." First just let me say,I am glad I am not a man. I could in no way go out and do what my husband does,nor would I want to. As he could not do what I do.It is a marriage.I am glad my husband acts like a man,and is head of our home. I would never want to degrade him and take that away. I also have my place and that is right by his side,loving him,working beside him,and loving Christ together. I do not believe we need women in the military. Yes, some can be strong,some are very smart,but I at 120 pounds could never carry out a man at 200. Can he really trust me at his side to carry him out if he is hurt? I dont think so.As for my body,and doing with it what I want? That is untrue,and a trap women fall in.If I have a baby,that baby is mine and my husbands baby,not just mine,and that little baby has a life of its own to live one day.He has rights also,and who would I be to take them away,but murderer? I love being a woman,a Christian woman that knows who I am and I am safe to say,I am not independant. I am totally dependant on Christ. I am dependant on my husband for love and care. I am not ashamed to say I am dependant on a man or Christ. We are to humble ourselves,and as with these thoughts and this song comes pride. there are many verses on pride. Proverbs 13:10 says: "By pride comes nothing but strife, but with well-advised is wisdom." and in Proverbs 16:18-19 states this," Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,than to divide the spoil with the proud." These two verses speak volumes of wisdom to not just men,but women. We are to love Christ with all our hearts,and to give our lives to Him,and allow Him control over our lives. Some cannot come to Christ because of pride,and thinking they have to have control over their lives.That their lives are theirs to live,and to live as they choose. I am so thankful to be dependant upon Christ.He is my Savior,and my Redeemer. Everything I have comes from Him and Him alone,its nothing I have done on my own. Our world has a backwards way of thinking now,and it is sad to see women trying to be the man in their home, downgrading their husbands,and thinking they are better and do not need anyone. We all need Christ. If you are a single woman or man,you do not need a husband or wife unless God leads them to you to do so. But you are still not independant on yourself. Christ is there and He is life giving and life saving. It is an awesome feeling to give that control over to Christ.Too many things happen in life and I don't want to be in charge of those things,I want a Savior to be my King. It is also deeply awesome to have your husband be the head of your home. I don't want all the responsibily that he has. I pray for my husband to be the man God has chosen him to be,and that he will live as Christ has called him. We are ALL dependant on something in this world,why not make it Jesus Christ? I also need to add on that we can not find happiness or fulfillment in others. We can only find that ultiment joy in Christ and Christ alone.To be dependent on Christ is to give Him your life and allow Him to fulfill in you His will. As we see in poplular movies,where the man tells the woman "You complete me." This is just not possible. We are complete only by Christ and His love.

Are we ever alone?

Psalm 138:7 states this; "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me." We can be confident that in this life we will have trouble, we will have trials.We can also be confident that God is always with us. Just as when I was a little girl afraid,I would reach out for my daddies hand. He had huge hands,and within them I knew I was safe. Even though my daddies hands were big,God's hands are bigger. In our times of trouble God will reach out to us,protecting us, leading us, and loving us through all those trials. Just as if a man were hanging off a cliff, knowing danger is around him,and knowing he is about to fall,out of nowhere a hand comes and pulls him up to safety. This is a picture of God with us. In my life I have felt as though I was falling and had no chance of reviving myself. But see, God was there,He reached out to me,pulled me up to Him and He revived me with His loving hands.Just as when we were children and we were afraid at night.We call out to our daddy.And what does He do? He looks under the bed, in the closets, behind the curtains,and sits by us. Telling us all is safe,and with that assurance we can fall back to sleep. God is our monster killer. He is our safe haven. He reaches out to us,and not only pulls us up,but makes sure we can stand. The amazing thing is,we never just stand alone,He is always there with us. We don't have to fear our enemies, we have nothing to fear with Christ at our side fighting for us. Just as I said God's hands are bigger,well, no problem,no trial,no enemy, no trouble is too big for God.God is bigger than anything we will ever face in this world. We can know that He is bigger than anything to come our way. If we just get out of the way and let Him take the lead,He will pull us to safety, and take care of those enemies around us that we think are too big for us. They are too big for us, but not for God.With His love and power we can live each day trusting in Him, knowing He indeed has got our back.

We were made with love...

Psalm 139:14 says this; "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfull made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Is that verse just awesome? Does it make you smile? It just about puts a fire under my feet. I love this verse. We can come to this verse,and see that we can praise God for how He created us. He created all things beautiful. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. He didn't make junk,He didn't make throw backs, and He sure never made mistakes. He made each one of us with His beautiful hands,created in us beauty that surpasses all. In each one of us, He put His love and created what was beautiful in His sight. He didn't just create the outside,but the inside where our beauty begins. I always taught my daughters,who are very beautiful, that beauty begins within,and flows outward. Beauty is created with God's hands,we are all special,each and everyone of us. I love the New King James version of this verse.Psalm 139:14 "I will praise You, for I am fearully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." This could be said that we are an awesome wonder. Can any of us really fathom how God created us? Each and every part of our bodies work together. As the blood pumps through our heart and throughout our body,can we really understand how we were made? From our brains down to our big toes,each part created to work together and designed to carry out a process. While we are sleeping, our heart still beats, our lungs still help us breath, our organs are all working and working without our knowledge. Our eyes blink, our heart beats,and each breath is taken without thought. How can we not worship and give praise to God for His marvelous creation?