When things go wrong

Have you every had a week when it seems like every little thing is going wrong. You try to get things accomplished and something gets in your way. The more you work at getting a task completed you fall further and further behind. That is the kind of week I have been having.  Circumstances get in the way. We think that we can control the circumstances and then we realize that basically nothing is in our control with the exception of one thing. That one thing is the choices we make. Once we have made that choice we try to reason out why we did what did and then we complain about the circumstances we are facing. Step back and take a look a your circumstances and then give God the Glory. He will carry us through and help us make the right choices if we will only put our faith and trust in Him.

 Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

for he is our God    and we are the people of his pasture,

the flock under his care.  Psalm 95:6-7

Rejoice Always

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

How can you be joyful and pray all the time?  How can you give thanks even in bad times?  It isn't easy but with God's help and strength we can do anything.  Just like the beauty of the Desert Candles, that only grow after a winter with lots of rain, will our soul overflow with joy when we have Christ living in us.  Stay in His Word, Seek Him, and Praise Him.  Yes even in the bad times we can give God the glory and praise because it could have been worse.

Lighthouse

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

There is an old Southern gospel hymn that was one of  my Mom favorites.  That song is "The Lighthouse" and she often sang it in church.

And I thank God for the Lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
For Jesus is the Lighthouse
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown a light around me
That I could clearly see
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse (tell me)
Where would this ship be?

My Mom was a lighthouse for God and taught us kids to let our light shine.  To live a life that no one could question, to be a lighthouse no matter where we are and no matter what the situation is around us. 

Love One Another

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

There is an old song written by Burt Bacharach that goes like this:

What the world needs now is love, sweet love

It's the only thing that there's just to little of

What the world needs now is love, sweet love

No not just for some, but for everyone.

We all need a little more love in our lives.  We all need to love those around us.  We don't have to like what they are doing but we do need to express the love of Christ to everyone.

Happy Anniversary Brad & Mary Beth

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary we love you.

Happy Anniversary to you.

You two have a great day as you celebrate your lives together.

Happy Anniversay Nellie & Roger

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary we love you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

You two have a great day as you celebrate your lives together.

Taken for Granted

 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  John 6:35

Have you ever been taken for granted?  I know I have been on several different occasions.  People expect you to do something without asking and then for you to continue doing it with no questions asked.  How many times have we done the same thing to Christ?  We go to church on Sunday morning, asked for forgiveness for the things we did during the past week and then Monday morning comes and we start doing the same things over again.  We take Christ for granted every time we do this.  There has to come a time in our life when we except responsibility for the choices we make and learn from our mistakes.  The first step is to stop making the same mistakes, seek forgiveness and then choose to live a Godly life.  Be the example and show Christ living in you daily! 

I Believe

I believe in the sun even when it is not shining.  I believe in love even when I do not feel it.  I believe in God even when He is silent.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  Psalm 16:11

Little is much if God is in it!

Twins

I love to make baby quilts and I have had this material for about 10 years just waiting for someone to have twin girls.  Well someone finally did!  My cousin Peggy is the proud grandmother of twin girls. I finally get to make the quilts and  will post pictures when they are completed.

Walk in Love

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Is it always easy to walk in the way of love.  Absolutely not!  Things happen, people hurt your feelings, you get grumpy and want to strike back at the person that hurt you.  That is the way I am feeling right now.  I want to ask the person why and what did I do wrong now.  I feel that in this particular relationship I have always been the one trying to make the relationship work and the other person has put no effort, other than criticism, in the relationship. It takes two people working together for any relationship to be strong.  One person is not always wrong while the other is always right.  So I will go on as I have before and not say anything as it would only make matters worse.  I will do what what God is telling me to do and I will try, really try, to walk in love and not hold a grudge. 

Paths to God

God's fingers can touch nothing but to mold it into loveliness.

George MacDonald

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’  

Acts 17:24-28 

Quality Time

It has been a wonderful Saturday afternoon.  Gary and I had a great lunch at Orange Blossom Junction, took a drive out through Yokohl Valley, and then to Orange Works in Strathmore where we had a dish of their fabulous Orange Ice Cream before heading home.  His sister was here visiting with his Mom so it gave us the opportunity to get away from the house together for awhile.  Today is the first time in over a month that we have been out together just to have fun and to spend some quality time together.  It was absolutely fantastic!

God is in control!

“I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Psalm 16:8

I will never understand people.  They asked you not to do something so you abide by the boundaries they set and the next thing you know they cut you out of their life completely without any explanation at all.  As the scripture says God is in control and with Him holding my hand nothing can shake me. 

 I will trust in Him because he always has my back!

Giving

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 6:38

This is a wonderful book I read several years ago and I found that my love language was giving.

I love to give gifts! I make most of the gifts that my husband and I give for Christmas, Birthdays, Anniversaries, etc. and I love to get thank yous for them.  I like to know that the receiver appreciates all the thought and hard work I put into choosing just the right gift for them. 

Is this the type of gift that Christ is talking about?  I don't think so!  I believe Christ is talking about the gift of self.  When we give of self it is a gift given unselfishly, whether it be the gift of service to our local church body or to someone we come in contact with.  Do we give expecting something in return?  The answer to that question should be no but we are all human and unfortunately sometimes we do expect to get that added blessing.  We give out of obedience to Christ!

Sunflowers

Many flowers open to the sun, but only one follows it constantly.  Heart, be thou the sunflower, not only open to receive God's blessing, but constant in looking to Him. 

Jean Paul Richter

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 

John 10:27

 

Refuge and Strength

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

There were times during the past couple of months that I didn't think I would make it.  But with the strength of God I did and I know that He will carry me through whatever lies ahead for me.  He is my strength and my refuge.  When I am reading His Word I have to remind myself not to just read the Word so I can say that I have done my devotion for the day but to be stop and wait upon God.  To listen to His still small voice, to spend time in prayer communicating with Him, and meditate upon His Word.

Take the time to be still, you'll be glad you did.

Trust in God!

Psalm 40

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
and put their trust in him.

 Blessed is the one
who trusts in the LORD,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.^[b]
Many, LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.

 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
but my ears you have opened^[c]—
burnt offerings and sin offerings^[d] you did not require.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.^[e]
I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.”

 I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, LORD,
as you know.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.

 Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
Be pleased to save me, LORD;
come quickly, LORD, to help me.

 May all who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be appalled at their own shame.
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The LORD is great!”

 But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay.

Be like the bird that, halting on its flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings knowing that she hath wings.  Victor Hugo

This is the day!

The LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
The LORD has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

LORD, save us!
LORD, grant us success!

Psalm 118:23-25

Have you ever gotten up on Sunday morning and wanted to crawl right back into bed, put the covers over your head and sleep the day away.  Today is that kind of day for me.  I don't get to sleep in that often and today that is exactly what I wanted to do. But I have had my shower, gotten dressed and now am ready to head out the door to church.  This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it.

Wishing each of you a blessed Lord's day!

Made Alive in Christ

  As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,  in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:1-10 

Take a look in the mirror.  Are you the image of Christ?  Does your life reflect Christ living in you?  I know that my life does not always reflect Christ is living in me and that is something I am working on.  I am truly trying to live the life Christ wants for me and to do the things he is preparing me to do.  How do I do this?  By staying in His Word, then listening to His still small voice as He leads.

Temple of God

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”  

 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Why do we abuse our bodies with over eating, lack of exercise, smoking, drinking, drugs, and the list goes on?  Is it because we think we know best or that we just don't want to listen to others that have made these same mistakes and have learned from them.  Christ paid the ultimate price so that we could live a life that is clean and glorifying to God.  So the next time you think about having that second piece of pie or make an excuse to do what you want to do.  Show the same respect for your body as you do for your church.  Remember you are the church and you are the Temple of God! 

Life Through the Spirit

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.  The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.  The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.  Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.    Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.   For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  

 Romans 8:1-17

Isn't it wonderful to have such an awesome Father!!!

Happy Son & Daughter Day

Happy Son & Daughter Day

Stephen & Marianne

You two bring so much joy into our lives and we wish we could be there to spend the day with you.  But since we can't be there, the three of you, Stephen, Marianne and Awbrey , get together and have a great time today enjoying the gift of time.  We love you guys very much!!! 

Lavender Honey

Here you go baby girl.  I found this recipe on Food. com.  Hope it is what you are looking for.

Lavender Honey

By Kozmic Blues on June 02, 2003

Photo by Mikekey

4 Reviews

• 
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Yield: 1 cup

About This Recipe

"We made this in a "Cooking with Herbs" class I went to a few months ago. The lavender adds a wonderful taste and aroma to the honey. Drizzle over toast, scones, pancakes, waffles, granola....possibilities are endless! This will fill your kitchen with such a heavenly smell as it simmers. I use it drizzled over my sour cream pound cake (recipe to be posted soon)"

Ingredients

Ratio

• 1/4 cup lavender flowers
• 1 cup honey

Directions

1. Simmer lavender flowers in honey over a double boiler for 1 hour.

 

 

A song of Praise

¹ In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;
God makes salvation
its walls and ramparts.
² Open the gates
that the righteous nation may enter,
the nation that keeps faith.
³ You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
⁴ Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.
⁵ He humbles those who dwell on high,
he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground
and casts it down to the dust.
⁶ Feet trample it down—
the feet of the oppressed,
the footsteps of the poor.

⁷ The path of the righteous is level;
you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.
⁸ Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,^[a]
we wait for you;
your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts.
⁹ My soul yearns for you in the night;
in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When your judgments come upon the earth,
the people of the world learn righteousness.

Isaiah 26:1-9

God you are my Rock in whom I will place my trust. Whatever comes my way I know You will be there for me and guide through the darkness.

Peace

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

¹ Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶ He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
⁷ The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.
⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
⁹ The voice of the LORD twists the oaks

and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

To be blessed with the peace of God is awesome.  To know that no matter what comes our way God will give us strength and He will bless us with His peace.

Salt and Light

  

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:13-16

Dear Father in Heaven,

Help me to live the life You want and for me to be in Your will.  Let the light of Your Son, Jesus Christ, be reflected in me so that others will see and everything that I do, I do to glorify You.  Amen

Prayer

 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:5-13

God always knows what we need.  All we have to do is ask Him!

Happy Sister's Day Nellie

Life made us Sisters....

                                                           

                                      Love made us friends.

Happy Sister's Day Baby Sister !!!

Happy Birthday Patricia!!!

Your Birthverse For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; Deuteronomy 8:7

Happy Birthday BFF

Love you girl and wish you a day filled with all the good stuff!!!

Taller Than Trees

  

    There is an old song that Johnny Cash sang, Taller Than Trees.  It goes something like this:

On your knees you are taller than trees

You can look over heartaches and fears

When my faith is gone to my knees

I will go, growing stronger and taller than trees

When life throws you that curve ball and you don't know which way to turn, try going to your knees in prayer.  God will wrap his arms around you, He will guide you and He will lead you in the direction He wants you to go.

Happy Birthday L Z!!!

Your BirthVerse

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. 

1 Corinthians 8:6

Happy Birthday Big Brother

Love you and hope that your day is filled with all the good stuff; love, joy, peace and laughter!!!

Happy Birthday Awbrey

Oh Happy Birthday to you, Oh Happy Birthday to you.

Everyday of the year may you find Jesus near.

Oh Happy Birthday to you and the best one you've every had.

Your BirthVerse

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
1 Corinthians 8:6

Awbrey 14 years ago God sent you, this little bundle of Heaven, to your Mommy and Daddy.  You are a blessing to their lives and ours.  Papa and I are wishing you a fantastic birthday as you celebrate you!
Love you  BG's baby girl!!!