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Two weeks ago in my 7th & 8th grade SS class of girls, we took a spiritual gifts survey. Now I've taken these several times before and they always come out the same, as it did again this time. Who I am has been ingrained in me since my birth, just the same as all of us.
I can look back at my earliest days of childhood and 80% or more of my memories involved animals. Mind you, not necessarily animals that I owned but animals that I was always finding, caring for and taking home with me.
There's no telling how many PUPPIES, BUNNIES, FROGS and BUGS I must have brought home over my childhood years. Honestly, the numbers must be huge! Within me, there lay this deep desire to "care for and lead" all these little animals.
When I began to hit somewhere around the 5th or 6th grade, I began to find myself reaching out to those who needed a friend, who were hurting or lonely. I found myself sort of shepherding people in and loving them. Inside, it felt like it was what I was supposed to do and I loved every second of it.
I didn't realize or begin to understand those days, that God had put the gift of a "shepherd" as well as the gift of "mercy/encouragement" in my heart. In the womb, God lovingly blessed me with these gifts. I'm guessing that in allowing me to nurture and care for all those little critters in my younger days, I began learning how to use the gifts that God had entrusted me with.
Although the nurturing of PUPPIES, BUNNIES, FROGS and BUGS are years ago, now God has entrusted me with human lives and I continue to thank Him for allowing me the blessings of my spiritual gifts. If God gave them to us, and He did, then it is our responsibility to use them for HIS glory.
How about you? Are you using the spiritual gifts God gave you for HIS glory? If you're not sure what you're spiritual gifts are, you can visit www.churchgrowth.org to take your own spiritual gifts survey. Follow the prompts and they will bring you to the questionaire. There are 108 questions, I believe, and immediately it will give you your results and then explain your gifts to you.
I encourage you to use the God given gifts you have been blessed with. When we are walking in His grace and mercy, using that which He has given us, our lives will be so much happier.
Now get out there and use those gifts! Someone's waiting to be blessed by YOU!
Around here, we love taping movies that we want to watch later so that we don't have to sit through and listen to all the commercials and can just FAST FORWARD through them. It's so nice to be able to FAST FORWARD the parts we don't want to see so we can get to the stuff we "want to see."
As usual, that got me to thinking about life. I'm sure that I can't possibly be the only person who sometimes wishes we could FAST FORWARD the parts of our lives that we don't want to live through or deal with to get on with the parts we want to live through. How many of us have wished on Monday that the work week would hurry up and be over so Friday would get here and the weekend could begin. Our tendency as human beings is to LOVE that which feels good and HATE or at least, strongly dislike, that which doesn't feel good. We're all guilty.
But when I think about life, I've learned that if we could FAST FORWARD through the difficult parts, we'd miss many opportunities for growth, relationships that maybe we wouldn't have had and sweet moments with the Lord that we'd possibly never have had if had we not needed to draw ever closer in to Him because of our pain or fear.
FAST FORWARD PLEASE????
No, I don't think so. I might miss something that I've been waiting a liftetime for and I don't want to miss a thing that God has for me.
"And we know that all things work together for GOOD to those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28
Sometimes I wonder how many more tears can fall from my eyes...
Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever stop...
I wonder if You see me....if you notice the number of them.
And then I read....
"You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?"
Psalm 56:8
Lord, HOW BIG IS YOUR BOTTLE that you catch my tears in???
It must be big Lord...it must be so big.....
Because my tears are so many.
Thank You for loving me so much that you even care about each tear, every tear, that falls from my eyes. I love you Jesus.
Sometimes...well...often times I find myself wishing that when God spoke there was a volume control somewhere so that He could turn up His voice to make sure it's HIM I'm hearing and not me, or someone else for that matter.
COULD YOU TURN UP THE VOLUME Lord? I'm not sure many times if I'm hearing you correctly. Sometimes Lord, I panic. I get scared that maybe I wasn't listening close enough or that maybe I missed one or two of the words you said that were the one or two words that were THE most important of the whole message!
COULD YOU TURN UP THE VOLUME Lord? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.....
Maybe it's not the volume that He needs to turn up.
Maybe it's me....maybe I'm not listening close enough to hear you.
Is it me Lord?
Never mind Lord....it's me, I know it. It's never You Lord, You're perfect. Father, I'm going to listen better. I need to hear your voice Lord, I'm listening.
Sometimes....some days....
I get tired of spinning on this wheel
Day in, day out...spinning on this wheel
I'm tired of it...my body hurts....it aches
From the thumbs of the Potter against it
Lord....THE PRESSURE OF YOUR THUMBS
Is overwhelming....all encompassing
All consuming and so constant....so constant
Don't You ever tire of spinning me Lord?
Don't You ever tire of molding and shaping me?
Don't Your thumbs ever get weary?
How long Lord? How long will You continue
The spinning?
How much longer until I am refined and conformed
Into the image You desire?
THE PRESSURE OF YOUR THUMBS is immense Lord.....
But.....
I am willing my Savior
I am willing....mold me Lord.....I am Your clay
I am Yours.
This morning, as I was scurrying around trying to get ready to head out for the day, I observed something in my kitchen window.
I was watching my hummingbirds at the feeders outside the window when all of a sudden a moth came flying up behind me and went straight to the window. I watched it for a moment as it was such a pretty yellow and white color and since I VERY EASILY get fascinated with bugs, animals or critters of any kind, I was immensed in watching this moth.
I was just about to catch it and take it outside and let it go when it decided to change its' position.
As it started to fly down into the corner of the window, UNNOTICED by me AND the moth, were two hidden spiders, just waiting.
As soon as that moth made its' presence known to the spiders, BOTH of them, simultaneously, leaped out of their UNNOTICED places and jumped at the moth. As quickly as they jumped out and missed the moth, they disappeared back into their hiding places.
It gave me "the willies" or "the creeps" or the "heebee jeebees," or whatever words you might find appropriate here.
They were so slick. So quick and they had been lurking UNNOTICED by me and everyone else who had stood at the kitchen window.
Man, isn't that just like satan? He hides UNNOTICED by his unsuspecting prey....US. We don't see it coming, we aren't prepared for his attack and when he sees the opportunity, he leaps at us with all he has.
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8
We best heed the warning we have been given. Satan is watching and waiting, moving about UNNOTICED until he can make his attack.
Let's not be found unprepared, like the moth. The spider will give up. Satan won't.
When I allow my mind to totally and completely focus on the love Jesus has for me, I am OVERWHELMED. My heart begins to race and sometimes, I even tremble as I consider His great love.
Often in the mornings when I sit outside with my bible, I am so OVERWHELMED by feelings of incredible love that He is pouring out on me. I can almost feel it cover me as I sit. In those moments when His presence is so near and His love so strong, it's just as though He draws my physical body unto Himself and holds me.
How can He love me so? How can He even desire to embrace me when I am so sinful? My flesh cries out to such a merciful God who gave His life for me. His love is like poetry to me. His words whispered in my ear are like the sweetest music ever played. His touch is softer than silk. He gently and lovingly encourages me onward, ever closer to the cross He died on. The closer I get, the louder I hear His music in my ears and the more I fall in love with Him.
He LOVES ME!
He LOVES ME!
I am OVERWHELMED! Like the waves breaking on the shore of the ocean, His love constantly washes over me and continually keeps coming. There is NO end to it.
OVERWHELMED....tonight, that's how I feel. Man....it sure does feel good.
Sometimes, I'm sure, the few of you who read my incessant ramblings, must think I'm a bit nuts. I think very literally and most everything I see in a days time, has a spiritual application for me.
Now I do understand that for many of you, it doesn't work that way, but that's how God made me.
Today, as I spent another peaceful day on the beach with my sister, I watched her grandchildren digging deep into the sand. The hole kept filling up with sand and water but they kept on digging. There wasn't any giving up here. They were focused, intent and centered on digging that hole ever deeper.
I got to thinking as I watched, about how often with people, and problems and situations that are difficult or uncomfortable, we must often DIG DEEP within ourselves and keep on DIGGING to accomplish the task at hand. We have to reach way down deep and we cannot give up or walk away. We must often be willing to give an extra measure of patience, an extra measure of love sprinkled with a hug and a kiss, an extra measure of understanding and an extra measure of kindness.
There are times when the hole in the sand keeps filling up and we think we cannot reach down one more time....we feel there's nothing left within us to continue putting forth the effort to simply DIG.
But, we are called by Christ to be His hands and feet......NOT just for as long as WE want to be, but for however long HE WANTS us to be!
Lord, help me DIG DEEPER in each and every situation where my emotions are tested, my senses are tested, my physical body is tested and mostly, when my heart is tested.
Would you pass me a bigger shovel God? I'm ready to DIG.
Tonight, I am thanking God for Joshua R. while he serves the Lord on our property in Honduras.
Ever since I have known this young man he has touched my heart. Talk about the heart of a servant, JOSHUA has one. My very first memories of him after he came to our church were ones of seeing him quietly doing jobs around the church. He didn't say much or even look up much from his work, he just went about the task at hand for the glory of God.
As all of us at RRC know, right now, he's serving the Lord again in Honduras and has been there for weeks now. As I read his daily blogs about what he's accomplished there for the day, my heart leaps for joy and pride in a young man who takes the act of serving so serious.
Thank you Lord for JOSHUA. He's a man of God who delights himself in You and I can only imagine how You must be delighted in him! Bless him God, watch over him and keep him safe as he serves you in a faraway place.
She cannot hear me now for she left this earth 17 years ago, but God can hear me, and that does help.
I doubted her, I was angry and afraid and alone. I couldn't understand why she could make the choices she did. She left me. How could she do it? How?
Inside my 13 year old heart, the pain ran deep, very deep. I wanted to forgive her and yet, it hurt like the pain of a burn. The intensity was horrific to me, just 13.
For years, I struggled with the anger deep inside this heart of mine. I didn't appreciate her enough. I didn't reach out enough. I didn't do enough. Oh, I loved her and she loved me and there was a day that I poured my heart out to her and we cried together and she shared her innermost feelings and I mine.
But there were so many things I wish I'd of said. So many conversations that went unspoken. So many questions I had. I didn't respect her enough. I didn't honor her enough. I didn't realize then what I do now. Only now, I can't go to her, I can only go to God.
She gave up so much for me. She sacrificed more than I'll ever have the knowledge of now. She worked a full time job back in a time when most all moms were home, taking care of their children. But she worked so we could "have enough." I didn't understand the depth of that love for her children like I do now. Only I can't tell her now.
With AN ACHING HEART I think of her, I miss her so much. I yearn to tell her how much I respected her and loved her. I yearn to tell her thank you for all she did for me.
Today's morning message at church broke my heart. As Johnny talked about the 5th Commandment and ALL that honoring our parents means, I was overwhelmed with sadness that my Mother is gone and so much was left unsaid and so much "honoring" that I should have done, I won't ever have the chance to do now.
If you still have your mother on this earth with you, call her. Tell her how much you love, honor and respect her. Do it now. There will be a day that you won't be able to. Do it now.
I wish I could.
There's a sweet syrupy feeling when you are surrounded by your FAMILY. They are the ones who REALLY embrace your weirdness, your stupid jokes and your quirks. They are the ones who remember "how it used to be" stories and they STILL laugh at all of them! They are the ones who are extensions of yourself. Maybe not in all ways, but certainly in some.
Today, my sister Pat from California, her husband and their son and daughter and their families, as well as Summer and her boys and Butch and Kay and their FAMILY all came together for the first time in 10 years. When we gathered everyone up, it was just so sweet to see our grown children with their spouses and their children. My heart swelled.
In their faces, I can see my parents and grandparents and I reminisce in my mind about loved ones who are no longer alive. They live on in our children and grandchildren. We remember our roots when we look at them, where we've come from and how we've been blessed.
Being together today was good. The time was short but so sweet.
How grateful to God I am today for giving us all the opportunity to spend time together with FAMILY, to laugh, to play and to love. Thanks God.
I have an ASSURANCE that Darwin's theory of evolution is totally false...
I have an ASSURANCE that when I need to be hospitalized, my insurance will take care of the bill.....
I have an ASSURANCE that when I put the dead bolt on the front door, I'm safe inside......
I have an ASSURANCE that my GPS will correctly take me to my destination......
I have an ASSURANCE that when I sit in my rocking chair, it WILL hold me up......
I have an ASSURANCE that when I turn the key to start my car in the morning, the engine will fire and I'll be on my way......
ASSURANCE............ASSURANCE..............ASSURANCE...............
What do you put your ASSURANCE in?
There are many things in this physical world that we place our ASSURANCE in every single day. The list could be endless.
But today, the day I've been praying for and semi-patiently waiting for, has finally come! GLORY TO GOD!
Today, my friend Mary now has the ASSURANCE that when she leaves this temporary home here on earth........she'll make her journey to her forever home in heaven!!!!!! To have the ASSURANCE of salvation is the best ASSURANCE one could ever have.
We daily place our ASSURANCE in many things that will fail us. But God never will. We can be assured of a home in heaven when we put our faith and trust in Him.
Oh my goodness.....I'm still floating on a heavenly high from hours ago! I'm not sure my tires ever touched the road as I left her apartment and headed home.
God is so good! YOU are the only one True God and tonight, I praise YOU for the ASSURANCE of salvation that Mary now has. Knowledge of salvation is the ultimate ASSURANCE we can have and BLESS GOD........SHE'S GOT IT!
I love this word.
Webster's Dictionary defines the word RANSOM in this way:
Payment for the release of someone...The act of being freed from captivity or punishment
I have been RANSOMED by a God who bought me with a price. I was paid for by His blood on the cross. I shall never understand it or grasp why He did it for such a wretch as I.
I have been RANSOMED from the punishment that I deserved. A punishment so horrible that to even think of it, frightens me beyond words. I have been freed!!
He held the keys that unlocked the chains that kept me bound and held me prisoner to my sins. THESE are words to get excited about IF you know Christ!!!
RANSOMED! HALLELUJAH TO THE KING OF KINGS....I'M FREE! I've been RANSOMED and I am free, yes free indeed!
Last night, Summer and the boys came over for dinner. After we ate, I was holding little almost 6 month old baby Will and he began to get a little fussy. Yaya was trying to console him and it did seem to help a bit. BUT, when he heard his MOMMA'S VOICE, his cry became much more intense and urgent.
He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the voice he had heard, was his momma's and ALL he wanted, was her. He wanted to make sure I knew that it was her he wanted and only her.
It got me to thinking about my own mother's voice. As an adult, nearly every Saturday morning for many years, my mother would call me. How I loved to hear my MOMMA'S VOICE. She always started the conversation in the same way...
"HI HONEY! How are you?" How I LOVED to hear her call me HONEY. It warmed my heart like no one else's voice and everything always seemed to be alright when I could hear her voice.
I miss that voice, no different than little baby Will would miss his MOMMA'S VOICE if he couldn't hear it either.
There's only one voice that will ever be any sweeter to hear than my MOMMA'S VOICE.
The sound of Jesus voice is the one I long to hear the most. As much as I long to hear my MOMMA'S VOICE, it is HIS voice, calling my name as He takes me home, that I wait for.
A MOMMA'S VOICE is so sweet...
But sweeter still will be the moment I finally hear the voice of my Lord and Savior.
On the day of my birth, way back in 1953, my parents chose a name for me. I can just imagine how proud they were when they came up with the name "Barbara Jean." I understand I was named after a very good friend of theirs who meant a lot to them.
From the moment they decided on my name, I now was known by "that name." When MY NAME was called, I knew it meant me. I didn't look up when someone else's name was called. MY NAME identifies who I am.
When I was a child, MY NAME wasn't particularly important to me, mostly because I hated it and still do!
But now, MY NAME means a lot to me. I have the understanding of the importance of a "good name" now. I didn't understand that when I was a child.
MY NAME....the name I am known by. When my name is spoken whether in my town, my church or my family, people will immediately picture who and what they know I am because MY NAME identifies me with my behavior. MY NAME sets me apart from all the other six billion people on this planet.
"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches......" Proverbs 22:1a
I pray that when MY NAME is mentioned any time, any place at any hour, MY NAME brings nothing but glory to HIS NAME.
HIS NAME, the name above all names...MY NAME, the one who represents HIS NAME. Lord, let me always bring glory to the name that means more than anything else to me.
What could be better than a day at the beach!
For the next two weeks, my sister and brother-in-law from California, have rented a wonderful house on the beach down A1A outside of St. Augustine. Today, we took off to spend the day there with my sister and her whole family. My nephew and his family came down from Atlanta and my neice and her family also came from California.
As we stepped out onto the back deck and started down the boardwalk to the beach, I just gasped in awe of the beauty of the ocean ahead of me. Titus was immediately drawn down the beach chasing a flock of birds that he was just sure he could catch! It was an adorable sight.
After lots of fun in the ocean, we went back up to the house and then down to the pool on the street side of the house. All of the second cousins were in the house doing other things when this picture was taken, but Karli, Titus (with his pink goggles!!), Easton and Butch were having a ball. Yaya got pretty tired, so I went back up to the house to rest a bit. After resting a few minutes, I stepped out onto the back deck and took the shot of all of them in the pool from up above.
Second cousins Miles and Will met each other and sat staring at each other just until I took this shot. They are only about 2 weeks apart in age, both born in January. Aren't they just darling?
Butch and Karli had so much fun that they stayed behind to spend a few more days with everyone, while Summer, myself and the boys came back home.
I do not know why, for the life of me, God gave me the indescribably precious gifts of my children and grandchildren, sisters, neices, nephews and even great-neices and nephews. There are so many people who have no one and yet, I have so many who love me, care for me and bring such great joy into my life.
God has been so good to me. Once again, I thank you Lord.
This weekend, we celebrated Ty's 2nd birthday! How sweet it was to watch him open his gifts, with his cousin Butch looking on, and enjoy his family on both his parents sides. It was a wonderful afternoon.
It just so happened that cousin Lindsey, who just returned from her first mission trip to Honduras, wore her Honduras shirt. Little did she know that Easton and Titus were both dressed in their new Honduras shirts also! Naturally, we just had to take a picture of the 3 of them.
When little baby Will is around, Lindsey or Aunt Kay are usually holding him. Isn't this a precious shot of Lindsey and Will?
Outside on the back porch, Titus was doing his VERY best to get ALL of Aunt Kay's sugar before Uncle Butch did! He did a pretty good job of it too!
Later, Ty was seen and heard, talking to Aunt Kay on his new cell phone! How sweet:)
Cousins Natalie and Karli were found sharing yet another hug with each other. Their hug and Ty's kisses for his Aunt Kay summed up the day.
Love....family love. The only thing any better is Jesus love.
Another sweet day filled with SIMPLE PLEASURES! Thanks Lord. I'm blessed.
This wonderful non-fiction book, winds it's way through the tremendously interesting life of the author. As you read "Between Wyomings" you will ride along with Ken and his wife Connie on an amazing journey of his past, before he knew Christ, and the present day, as a born-again Christian. Ken does a wonderful job recounting his life in the music industry for some 30 years.
As I read this captivating book, I enjoyed every minute reading about the lessons Ken has learned over the years, why the Lord allowed everything in his life to happen and what he's chosen to do with his life now. In paragraph after paragraph, I saw myself and often felt like he was reading my own mind. I too had experienced many of the same feelings from the time before I knew Christ.
I was deeply touched at the words of this humble man. His faith and what the Lord has brought him through, was such an encouragement to me.
I most definitely would recommend this book to anyone, especially those who were hitting their teenage years in the 60's. You'll understand why when you read the book.
Today, my dear friend was told by the oncology doctor that she possibly does not have more than a year to live and probably much shorter.......but ONLY GOD knows that for sure.
While I scurry to make cookies...
While I stress that the vacumming isn't done...
While I spend hours looking for the "right" new shoes....
While I waste away my time doing useless things....
My dear friend, and millions more across this globe, are dying. Oh yes, I know you would say that we are all dying, more or less. But until you've been told "about" how long you have to live, it doesn't seem to sink in that our days are numbered on this earth. We busy ourselves with daily tasks letting life pass us by, forgetting that we are only here for an appointed amount of time.
This news today has certainly "PUT IT ALL IN PERSPECTIVE" for me. Let's face it, what "REALLY IS IMPORTANT" in this life? What is not??
Let us worship our Savior on this earth while there is breath within us....
Let us spread the Gospel while we still can....
Let us "prefer our brother ABOVE ourselves" while the sun is still shining...
Let us love the unlovable, feed those who are hungry and minister to all we come in contact with......while we still have breath within us.
PUTTIN' IT IN PERSPECTIVE.....those truly unimportant things that I stress about don't add up to a hill of beans!
ONLY CHRIST REALLY MATTERS.
In our youth service tonight, God decided it was time to change some things up, intervene and move amongst us.
Before we ever were supposed to split up into our small groups, God moved on Dale's heart after singing "In Christ Alone."
"In Christ Alone, My hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand."
I, too, was ovecome with joy, victory, love and gratefulness to a Savior in whom my ONLY HOPE is found! Needless to say, we never split into small groups and Dale poured his heart out to us as God moved through him.
We were challenged to cast our sin aside, once and for all......ONCE AND FOR ALL! We were challenged to live life on a higher plane, stop the selfishness, stop the hunger for worldly "things", love of self, love of popularity, love of everything OTHER than JESUS CHRIST!
We were challenged to fall IN LOVE with Jesus and let HIM be our FIRST and LAST LOVE!
Then, Garrett spontaneously got up and poured his testimony out to us. All I could do was cry and say "thank you Lord" over and over again as he bared his heart to us in confession and then praise to a Savior who forgives and loves us so much. Talk about powerful!
As we began to close, Dale challenged us to fall on our faces before God and bring our sins to Him. In complete silence, no music, no low lights......just us on our faces before a holy and mighty God. Man, talk about being FULLER....that would be me!
Tonight, I thank you God for our youth. I pray for them Lord that when they make daily choices, they will make them with YOU in mind, and not self.
"Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
Luke 9:23
Tonight, as I write, my heart hurts so bad for my friend and yet that same heart is so FULL of peace.
How can a heart hurt and yet be FULL of peace at the same time?
All I know is JESUS. Plain and simple....JESUS.
The same heart that can ache with hurt, pain and despair can also, IF that heart knows JESUS, can be FULL of Him and His love at the same time.
IF that heart IS FULL of Jesus love, then that same aching heart can be comforted, held, embraced, and be brought peace to it BECAUSE of Him.
Right now, I'm basking in His comfort and love because my heart hurts so badly. How thankful I am that I know Jesus personally and whenever I want to or need to, I can climb up in His lap, rest, be loved on and comforted and be made FULL again with His love.
Although I hurt, I am FULL and I thank Him for that.
"Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from the region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries after us." But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." And she said, Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Matthew 15:21-28
This persistent Canaanite woman would not give up on her daughter and her persistence paid off.
This is a verse I can personally cling to, as many millions of others probably too. For all those of us who have children that we are praying for, this one thing I know...
WE MUST BE PERSISTENT!
I will not give up nor give in. I will not throw in the towel and say the heck with it all. I will not forget to pray nor neglect to pray.
I, just like this precious woman who loved her child so much, will press in and continue to be persistent on behalf of my child.
"Oh God, help me not get weary in the waiting. Help me stand while I kneel before you and press in while I press on. God, I want to hear you say, "Great is your faith Barb." I will wait for You and pray."
As I hung my American flag out on the front of my house this morning, my father's face flashed before me. But it wasn't his 81 year old face that I saw for the last time before he went to be with Jesus that I was remembering. It was this picture of him that was in my mind. This wonderful handsome picture of my precious daddy.
My father was one of the many thousands upon thousands of men who served in our military. My dad was in the Army Air Corps some 70 odd years ago. I wish I could remember all of the stories that he used to tell me, but I was younger then and didn't really realize how important those stories would be to me once he was gone and I was older.
But all I want to do tonight is to simply say THANKS DAD AND ALL YOU OTHER VETERANS all across these great United States for your service to all of us.
It is because of your willingness to serve that we continue to enjoy our freedom. Whether you serve in the trenches, in the desert, behind a desk, in a tank, in a truck, in a plane, on a ship, in the USA or a foreign country....
I salute you!
YOU give us a reason to celebrate July 4th and our independance. I thank you for sacrificing your life, your time, your comforts, your families and everything in between to serve in our military forces.
May the hand of God Almighty keep you safe, provide your every need, and bless you and your family for all that you do for all of us.
"Tonight, I thank You God for those who lay down their lives to keep this country free. I honor you Dad and I wish you were here, so that one more time, I could wrap my arms around you and tell you how grateful to God I am for you. I miss you Dad and I will always be proud to have been chosen by God to be YOUR daughter. Thank you Dad, for your love for our country, our freedom and what our flag stands for. It is YOUR old flag that I hung outside this morning Dad. You would have liked that. Thanks God, you have been good to me and to our country."
"And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend her still today
Cause there ain't doubt I love this land
God bless the USA."
Want to bless a life?
Then take a trip down to one of our two local nursing homes. Here is another SIMPLE PLEASURE that you can take advantage of any day of the week.
The cost?
Your time.
Can you spare it? Do you want to spare it?
Every first Thursday of each month, I am priviledged to accompany our youth for nursing home visitation. Some months, 15 might show up, while other months, only one comes.
Today was one of those times. It was just Emily and I. Her very committed mom drives her all the way from home, and it's quite a distance, and then comes back an hour later and picks her up. Thanks Mom! That's dedication and that's most certainly love at its' sweetest.
Each time we go, we are reminded just why it is that we're there. As we go from room to room to just "love on" people, THEY bless us. We stopped first to visit Mrs. Henry and she was tickled to pose for a picture with Emily. We made our way down the hallway and stopped to talk to Mrs. Ora Mae. She was in quite a bit of pain so we did the only thing we knew to do...pray for her. Such a simple gesture and yet, you'd of thought we'd given her a bar of gold. As we continued down the hallway, we were blessed to have a few minutes to chat with the grandparents of one of our church family. How precious they were and once again, WE walked away the ones who felt so full.
Thanks Emily for faithfully coming every month. YOU have a great understanding of what SIMPLE PLEASURES in life are.
SIMPLES PLEASURES are waiting every single day of our lives to be taken advantage of but we must slow down to see them there waiting for us. AND...we must take the TIME to breath them in. There are so very many things in life that bring us SIMPLE PLEASURE and yet, we think we must drive long distances, spend lots of money and impress our children with the finest things in life.
We need to remember, the FINEST things in life truly CAN be found in the SIMPLE things in life.
Have you ever driven in fog? Most everyone has. It can be a frightening situation, until it goes away. Fog always diminishes at some point and is no longer seen. While you're in it though, it's powerful and most certainly gets AND takes your attention. It's encompasing, engulfing and constant.
FOG got me thinking about my FAITH.
Does my FAITH appear to others as that of a FOG? Does it sometimes appear powerful, encompasing, engulfing and constant?
And yet other times, does it appear to diminish with the heat of the sun? Do others see a FAITH in me that remains regardless of the circumstances that life brings my way?
I don't want to appear to have FOGGY FAITH when God and the world look at me. I want my FAITH to be as dependable as the sunrise every morning and the sunset every night.
Hosea 6:4b says, "For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud and like the early dew it goes away."
"Oh God, let not my FAITH melt away like the morning clouds of dew. Let my FAITH remain so thick that nothing can melt it away."
