Happy Anniversary Gary

Forty-one years ago my sweetie and I said I do  There is not a day goes by that I don't think God for blessing my life with this man. Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!

Life is Hectic

Life has been a little hectic around our place lately.  My sweetie and I spent some time in prayer and with God's leadership we decided it was time for us to move to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to our daughter Marianne and family.  So for the past couple of weeks we have been packing and getting things ready to move.  Once we are there and settled in I am going to wait on God and His leadership to decide what to write about.  So stay tuned and we'll fill you in on the next adventure God has in store for us.

Happy Anniversary Stephen & Marianne

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Stephen & Marianne

Happy Anniversary to you.

 

Twenty-three years ago you two said "I Do" and your love for each other has grown daily.  We love you two and wish you a day filled with love, joy, peace, laughter and sunshine as you celebrate your lives together.

 

Love,

Mom & Dad

Summer Vacation Part 1

 

In the early morning hours on July 27 my sweetie and I headed north to spend some time with the kids.  It was absolutely a beautiful drive up through the valley and into Northern California.  We had originally planned to stop and spend the afternoon and evening with Patty and drive on up to the kids place on the 28th but Patty had a couple of surprise visitors, her grandsons from Virginia.  Patty called to let me know that she and family were going to spend the weekend in the bay area which was perfectly fine with me as I know exactly how she was feeling, "You can never spend too much time with the grand kids."  I told her to go for it and we would catch her on the way back home.

Here are a couple of pictures of Mt Shasta area and the foothills around Yreka.

Whenever we are traveling through Yreka we always try to stop at Grandma's House for lunch or dinner.  We were heading there for dinner on our way home this past April but they were closed by the time we got there and we definitely wanted to stop this time.

Lunch was absolutely yummy and I spent some time in their wonderful gift shop.  The only thing I bought this time was a old time gospel CD by Jim Reeves.  When I was paying for it the owner came up and gave me another CD with some of the songs from the 50s and 60s that my sweetie and I grew up listening to.  We really enjoyed both  CDs as we continued to make our way north to Vancouver,WA.  Two very tired people arrived at the kids place around 6:30 PM.

 

Sunday morning we were up early so we could all attend church as a family.  My sweetie and I love the kids church and we feel like we are a part of their church family. 

 

Monday I pitched in and helped Awbrey get her things packed for Journalism Camp and then for our trip to Hawaii.  She agreed with me that it wasn't easy packing for two separate trips as I had just done the same thing.

 

Tuesday morning arrived and we packed up the car to take Awbrey to Journalism Camp.  Camp was at Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, so we had about a 4 - 5 hour drive ahead of us.  Traffic was heavy going through Seattle but then it always is, at least every time I have been there. 

 

 

We arrived at the university and Awbrey met with the counselors and checked into Nash Hall, her home around from home, for the next 4 days.

 

 

 

 

Once she was all checked in it was time for some lunch so we headed up to Viking Hall.  Had a really yummy lunch while sitting there looking out on the bay.

 

Here are a couple of shots I took while we were walking around the campus.

 

 It is now time for my sweetie and I to head back to Vancouver.  It was really hard to leave our sweet granddaughter there for the next 4 days.  I don't know who was having  hardest time leaving, me or Papa.  We knew we would be back to pick her up on Friday but that just didn't make it any easier.

 

Gary and I spent Wednesday relaxing and getting last minute things done for our trip Saturday.  Come Thursday morning, suitcase is packed and ready to head back to Bellingham, WA.  Neither one of us wanted to do a turn around trip Friday.

 

It is now Friday morning.  We have breakfast at the hotel and hang out while we wait for Awbrey's call.  Around 10:30 AM we head to the university, pick up Awbrey and head south.  Traffic is absolutely awful, it has started to rain and there are several accidents.  Hoping the rain and traffic will let up we stop for a bowl of hot soup, a cup of coffee and hit the road again.  It is still raining and the traffic is still awful and thinking it might be lighter I take the 405 around Seattle but it was not meant to be.  We finally reach Olympia and decide to stop, have dinner and fill the car up with gas.  Finally with tummy's full, a large Starbuck;s Hazelnut Latte, and a full tank of gas we head out again.  The rain has let up and for the first time since leaving Bellingham I can finally drive the speed limit.  The trip back to the kids place took us 10 hours, we averaged 27 miles per hour, the three of us are exhausted and we have to be at the airport Saturday morning at 5:00 AM.  Needless to say we decided to call it an early night and hit the hay.

 

 

 

Happy Anniversary Blake & Tami

 

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Blake & Tami,

Happy Anniversary to you.

 

Thirteen years ago you two said "I Do" and your lives began as husband and wife.  May your day be filled with love, joy, peace, laughter and sunshine as you celebrate your love for each other,

 

Love you,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

Bless The Lord

 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, You are very great.  You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment.  Psalm 104:1-2

 

Dear Father as I go about my daily routine today may the light of your Son shine through me.  I thank you Father for the many blessings you have poured upon my sweetie and I.  I thank You for the way you have blessed Marianne, Stephen and Awbrey.  Father forgive me when I fall short and don't do the things I know I should.  I ask that you keep all our loved ones wrapped in your loving arms and protect them from harm.  I ask that you place someone in Kim and Ray's lives to tell them of Your Son's saving grace.  Father thank you for Your awesome unconditional love.  Amen

 

O Worship The King

by Robert Grant, 1833

 

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,

Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space,

His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,

And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

 

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?

It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;

It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,

And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

 

 

God Will Take Care Of You

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming from this time forth, and even forevermore.  Psalm 121:8

 

 

Today is the Lord's Day, spend time with Him and your family of families on this day of rest.

 

God Will Take Care Of You

by Civilla D. Martin, 1904

 

No matter what may be the test,

God will take care of you;

Lean, weary one, upon His breast,

God will take care of you.

 

All you may need He will provide.

God will take care of you;

Nothing you ask will be denied,

God will take care of you.

Search Me

 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me the way everlasting.  Psalm 139:23-24

 

Dear Father I ask that you keep my thoughts pure as you guide and direct me on the path you want me to take.  Amen

 

Search Me, O God

by J. Edwin Orr, 1936

 

Search me, O God,

And know my heart today;

Try me, O Savior,

Know my thoughts, I pray.

See if there be

Some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from every sin

And set me free.

Beautiful Day

It is a gorgeous day here in the city with the small town charm.  My sweetie, Ozzie and I started our day with a drive.  We then stopped at Starbucks for a hot mocha and a breakfast sandwich.  We then headed to the Lindsay City Park so we could have our breakfast while Ozzie ran in the grass.  We were also on a mission as I needed to find a pathway for today's photo challenge. 

 

 

 

After breakfast we then headed out to Yokohl Valley on the hunt for some pathways. Drove up over Rocky Hill, beautiful view of Exeter, but didn't really like the pathways so I used the one I had taken earlier in the park. When we got home I decided that the front flower bed needed to be weeded and a little dirt therapy never hurt anyone. Got the weeding done, transplanted a few plants and cleaned out the court yard too. So now it is time for a shower and then I am going to sit back, relax a bit and catch a movie. Hope all ya'll are having a very blessed Saturday. Stay safe out there!

Thru The Storm

 

“For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,

Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:13

 

I had something entirely differently planned for today but God had different plans.  You see as I was reading the posts on FaceBook there was a post that jumped right out to me.  It was a post from The Rusted Chain Jewelry about a necklace entitled, "Thru The Storm He Is Lord."   This spoke directly to my heart.  There have been so many storms in my life that God has brought me through.  I have lost loved ones that were way to young with young families of their own and I have often wondered why Lord?  Why did you take this young person home in the prime of their life?  Why did you leave their young children without a father or mother?  Why Lord?  Then I stop to remember that I have not lost them as they are alive in my heart.  Sure my heart aches for the families they left behind and my heart aches for the emptiness of not having them in my life but I know my God has a bigger plan.  He will get me through these times.  He will hold my hand and lift me up until the pain is easier to bear.  He will teach me how to dance in the rain and to look for the rainbows He places in my life.

 

 

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

By Thomas A. Dorsey, 1932

 

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:

 

Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

 

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:

 

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

 

Thanks Becki Hastings for this reminder that God will bring me through all the storms of my life.

Sharing a link to the necklace;

http://therustedchain.bigcartel.com/product/through-the-storm-necklace

Quiet Rest

 

He said to them, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."  Mark 6:31

 

Have you ever been so tired that all you want to do is sit down by yourself?  Have you ever felt so over burdened that you don't know what you are going to do.  How you ever felt like the sun is not going to rise tomorrow?  If you are like me you have.  God's word tells us that He created the world in six days but on the seventh day He rested.  His word tells us to give all our worries and cares to Him but we don't listen.  His word tells us the He will take care of tomorrow but yet we still worry.  Why?  Because we think we know better and if we don't take care of things then no one will.  If we would only listen and take the time to rest in His word, meditate on it and listen to what God is speaking to us.  Will everything be perfect?  Absolutely not, but with God leading and directing our path things will be easier.

 

Near To The Heart Of God

by Cleland B. McAfee, 1903

 

There is a place of quiet rest,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where sin cannot molest,

Near to the heart of God.

 

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God,

Hold us who wait before Thee

Near to the heart of God.

One Foundation

 

 

No one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 3:11

 

 

 

The Church's One Foundation

by Samuel J. Stone, Lyra Fidelium

 

The Church's one foundation

Is Jesus Christ her Lord,

She is His new creation

By water and the Word.

From heaven He came and sought her

To be His holy bride;

With His own blood He bought her

And for her life He died.

Happy Anniversary Momma & Daddy

The angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  Revelation 22:1

 

Today my Momma and Daddy are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in heaven.  I miss them everyday but I know that they are with our Heavenly Father and that one day I will see them again as they will be waiting to welcome me home.

 

Shall We Gather At The River

by Robert Lowry, 1864

 

Shall we gather at the river,

Where bright angel feet have trod,

With its crystal tide forever

Flowing by the throne of God?

 

Yes, we'll gather at the river,

The beautiful, the beautiful river;

Gather with the saints at the river

That flows by the throne of God.

Good Morning Girls - Loving Like Jesus

Nothing Is Impossible

 

Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  Mark 10:27

 

When we look at our list of things we need to accomplish each day we wonder "how on earth will I get this all done."  So then we start to prioritize and usually the first thing to go is our time with God.  We put it on the back burner saying "I will have time later to spend time with you Father."  We also do the same thing with our family and put things ahead of that precious time we get to spend with our little ones.

 

What if God did the same thing to us by saying to us "I'm really busy right now but I will get back to you later.  You see there is this little war going on in some far off place that I need to take care of."  But you know what?  Our God is awesome and He will never put us on the back burner.  He can take care of the wars and our little problems at the same time.  All He asks of us is to spend time with Him, to build a relationship with Him, for with Him nothing is impossible. 

 

Trust Him and spend some time listening to our Heavenly Father today for He always has your best interest at heart.

 

Nothing Is Impossible

by Eugene L. Clark

 

Nothing is impossible when you put your trust in God;

Nothing is impossible when you're trusting in His Word.

Hearken to the voice of God to thee'

"Is there anything too hard for Me?"

Then put your trust in God alone and rest upon His Word;

For everything, O, everything, yes everything is possible with God.

 

 

God of Peace

 

photo by CarolSue

Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21

 

It is a beautiful morning here in the city with the small town charm and there is a little taste of fall in the air.  I don't know about you but I am so ready for the cooler temperatures and the rich colors fall brings to us.  Thinking of the cooler temperatures brings to mind the things that we sometime take for granted and complain about during our hot months.  God gave men the knowledge to build air conditioners to keep us cool but all we do is complain about the high energy bills.  Then we have our swimming pools and we complain about how much time it takes to maintain, the cost to heat and then there is the water bill.  We fill our yards with beautiful trees, flowers and grass and then complain how high the water bill is each month.  But you let the air conditioner stop working, the pool isn't filtering right and the beautiful things we planted in our yards start to turn brown and the first works out of our mouths is why me Lord?

 

During our busy lives do we stop to thank our Heavenly Father for all he has given us?  We get so caught up in daily living that we forget what living is all about.  Give praises when things go wrong for God blessings.  He will give us all we need when we follow His will for our lives.

 

I Am Resolved

by Palmer Hartsough, 1896

 

I am resolved no longer to linger,

Charmed by the world's delight,

Things that are higher, things that are nobler,

These have allured my sight.

 

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;

Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I will hasten, hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;

Jesus, Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

Sing Praises

 

Oh, what a wonderful God we have!

How great are His wisdom and knowledge and riches!

How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods!

Romans 11:33

 

Sing praises to our Heavenly Father for the blessings He has given you each day.  Let all you come in contact know that you are a child of the King by the light of Jesus, His Son, shining through you.

 

Rejoice, The Lord Is King

by Charles Wesley, 1744

 

Rejoice, the Lord is King!  Your Lord and King adore;

Mortals give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore;

Life up your heart, lift up your voice:

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

 

Jesus, the Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love;

While He had purged our stains He took His seat above'

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

 

 

Yesterday, Today, Forever

 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Hebrews 13:8

 

I am so glad that Jesus never changes.  I don't have to worry about what his attitude is going to be today.  I don't have to worry if he got up on the wrong side of the bed or if he will take his frustration out on me.  I don't have to worry if He will still love me tomorrow.  I don't have to worry if He will believe what someone said in anger.  Though my attitude and my outlook on life changes daily as things come my way, Jesus will always love me with an unconditional love.

 

Yesterday, Today, Forever

by Albert B. Simpson

 

O how sweet the glorious message simple faith may claim

Yesterday, today, forever Jesus is the same.

Still He loves to save the sinful, heal the sick and lame

Cheer the mourner, still the tempest, glory to His Name.

 

Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same.

All may change, but Jesus never!  Glory to His Name!

Glory to His Name!  Glory to His name!

All may change, but Jesus never!  Glory to His Name!

Beautiful Inside

 

Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit that is so precious to God.  1 Peter 3:4

 

Have you ever thought about how others see you?  Are you walking the talk or are you living the Christian life on Sunday and then blending into the world on Monday?

 

When others see me I hope that my life is projecting the light of Jesus.  I don't want to be a Sunday only Christian.  I want my daily walk to project a life that is centered on Jesus Christ.

 

Dear Father I pray that you give me the strength to live as Jesus did every day of the week.  I pray that all I come in contact with will see the light of your Son shining through me.  Amen

 

Let The Beauty of Jesus

by Albert W. T. Orsborn, 1967

 

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me

All His Son and purity

Oh, Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine

Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

Happy Anniversary Brad & Mary Beth

 

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Brad & Mary Beth.

Happy Anniversary to you.

 

Today as you celebrate your love and lives, may your day be filled with all the good stuff.

 

Love you,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

 

 

Happy Anniversary Roger & Nellie

 

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 

Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary Roger & Nellie.

Happy Anniversary to you!!!

 

Wishing you a day filled with love, joy, peace, and laughter as you two celebrate your love and lives together.

 

Love you,

Gary & Shirley 

Happy Birthday Mary Beth

BirthVerse

This is the one about whom it is written: “'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'  Luke 7:27

 

O Happy Birthday to you

O Happy Birthday to you.

Every day of the year may you find Jesus near.

O Happy Birthday to you

and the best one you've ever had.

 

Mary Beth wishing you a day filled with love, joy, peace, laughter and sunshine as you celebrate you.

 

Love you sweet niece,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

Happy Birthday Connor

BirthVerse

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  Matthew 7:26

 

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday dear Connor,

Happy Birthday to you.

 

Connor wishing you a day filled with lots of cake and ice cream as you celebrate your "10th" birthday.

 

Love,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

Happy Birthday Faye

BirthVerse

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Hebrews 7:25

O Happy Birthday to you,

O Happy Birthday to you.

Every day of the year may you find Jesus near.

O Happy Birthday to you

and the best one you've ever had.

 

Faye wishing you a day filled with love, joy, peace, and laughter as you celebrate you.

 

Love,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

 

Are We There?

Photo by Leanne

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.  Psalm 77:1

 

God is always there for us when we are in pain.  He is there when emotional hurts have us weighed down and we feel all is lost.  He is there when physical pain feels insurmountable.  He is there to give us comfort and wrap us in His loving protective arms.

 

Are we there when our friends are in pain?  Are we there when emotion hurts have weighed them down and feel they have no where to go?  Are we there when their physical pain is to much to bear?  Are we there to give a hug just when it is needed?  We should be there lifting them up in prayer to our Heavenly Father.  We should be there to give them a hug, an encouraging word, cook a meal when needed or just to sit and listen.

 

Today say a prayer for those you know that are hurting, for God to meet their every need.

 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10

Difficult Times

 

They shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.  Numbers 11:17

 

Whether we want to admit it or not we all go through difficult times.  We work hard trying to make ends meet to get the bills paid, food on the table, and hopefully have a little left over to maybe take in a movie every now and then.  Just when we think we are getting a little set aside for a rainy day something happens.  Someone gets sick, car breakdowns, home needs repair, etc.and we fret and worry as to how we are going to make it through the latest fiasco.

 

Stop for a moment and take a deep breath.  God has blessed each of us with loving friends and family.  Don't be afraid to share your burdens with them.  Let them come along side you and accept your offer of help.  We also need to be the same type of friend to others.  Don't be afraid to ask how you can help, offer words  of encouragement, prepare meals, visit them, help with expense, etc. 

 

The most important thing we can do is pray.

 

Because you are my helper,

I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;

your strong right hand holds me securely.

Psalm 1:3

When You Are Overwhelmed

 

Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

 

Have you ever felt overwhelmed?  Stop and think about it this way, if you are feeling overwhelmed then your friends are too.  They struggle with every day life just as you do.  My sweetie helps me a lot around the house and I am really thankful for his help but at times I still feel overwhelmed.  Then I stop and think of others who don't have someone to help them out.  How many of us know someone whose helpmate has passed on or single moms?  Do we ever stop and think of how they feel having to do every thing for themselves, their children and their home.  We sometimes let the neediness of others get on our nerves.  They talk about the same things over and over and we forget that they are a loyal friend that also listens to our needs.

 

When God puts a friends name on your mind and in your heart reach out to them, offer to help and be there for them in their time of need.  Put friendship first today!

 

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore...

Romans 14:13

 

 

When You Are Depressed

 

For You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord shall enlighten my darkness.  2 Samuel 22:29

 

At one time or another we all go through  states of depression.  For some of us it will be more serious as we are unable to cope with daily living.  Something happens and it feels as if someone has turned out all the lights and all you see is darkness.  I know because it happened to me.  I felt as if I was unlovable and that no one really cared what happened to me.  My world was crashing in all around me and I didn't know which way to run.  I wasn't thinking clearly because if I was I would have known.  But as I said when we are depressed we feel as if no one loves us, we even feel our Heavenly Father's love is unattainable at that moment. 

 

Well let me tell you it is!  God, our Father will never leave us nor forsake us.  When we don't feel His presence it is because we have moved away from Him.  He is still right there beside us, walking with us and carrying us when we are so overwhelmed with depression and He will make His presence known.  In my instance He gave me not one but two rainbows.  He then put the end of one of those rainbows in my path and I literally drove through the end of the rainbow.  As I was driving through the rainbow my car was filled with all the brilliant and vibrant colors of the rainbow and I felt God saying to me, "It will be okay, I have got this and all you need to do is put your faith and trust in me."

 

So my friends when depression comes I pray that God will help you find your rainbow.  Look for your rainbow in the lyrics of a song, a smile or a kind word from a friend or family member.  Let the brilliant and vibrant colors of your rainbow shine through you by helping someone else find their rainbow.

 

I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.  Genesis 9:13

 

 

When A Friend Disappoints You

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.  Psalm 103:8

We have all been there when disappointment in someone we love hits us right smack in the face.  It could be something they did or said or something they didn't do or say.  The question is how do we deal with this disappointment?  Do we show love, mercy, compassion or are we quick to anger?  What if God treated us the way we treat others when disappointments come?  What if He continued to hold on to those disappointments and held a grudge toward us instead of offering His forgiveness?  I, for one, am so glad He doesn't!  So, if He is willing to show us His love, mercy and forgive us why don't we forgive those that have hurt us?  One word, pride!  We don't like to admit that we just might have the same flaws someone else has.  We don't like to admit that we are wrong when we refuse to forgive someone.  Sometimes we just want to have our own little pity party and go on and on about how we have been wronged.

I don't know about you but I want to be more like God in this area.  When I hold on to grudges and refuse to forgive someone the only person I am hurting is me.  I want to be a kind gentle person that offers love, compassion and forgiveness to those that have hurt me.  Will it be easy?  If I try to do it on my own the answer would be No.  But by placing my faith and trust in God, and walking beside Him, letting Him guide me and lead in the direction He would have me go I know I can.

 For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.  Luke 1:37

When A Door Closes

For the past couple of weeks I have been praying about what I share and what I should share on my blog.  Oh I will still share the family stuff but I have been asking God what He felt I should be sharing.  This morning as I was cleaning I found this book from Guideposts.  I purchased several years ago, read it, put it on the shelf and forgotten about it.

 

As I was reading some of the devotion titles I felt like I needed to read it again and share with all of you.  So here are my thoughts on today's devotion.

 

When a Door Closes

 

There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me. 1 Corinthians 16:9

 

Have you ever been going along in a ministry that you just knew God had called you to do?  I know I have.  There have been times when I just knew that the ministry I was doing was exactly what God had called me to do.  I also found that the more I pursued and fought for the ministry that doors were continually closing and things were just not proceeding the way I thought God wanted them too.

 

When this happens we need to take a step back and really commune with God.  We need to get self out of the way, sit a spell and listen, I mean really listen to God.  When God tells us it time to move on, that for now this door is closing.  You will feel disappointment for the lost opportunity to minister, I know I did, but God will open another door for you and me.  Spend time in prayer, have faith and believe.  Ask God to open the door as it is already there waiting for you and me.

 

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.  2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Happy 1st Birthday Silas

 

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday dear Silas

Happy Birthday to you.

 

Silas hope your birthday is as special as you.  Eat lots of cake sweet nephew.

 

Love,

Uncle Gary & Aunt Shirley

Beautiful Sun Shiny Day

 

Whom have I in heaven but You?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than You.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Psalm 73:25-26

 

We have a beautiful sun shiny day here in the city with the small town charm and it looks like it is going to be another hot day with a forecast of 109.  So that means gotta get up, get busy and get things done before the temperature soars.  Lots to do over the next couple of days as my sweetie and I are hosting Celebrate Recovery July 4th Barbecue.

 

Stay cool out there and God bless each of you with a beautiful day.

 

Take The World, But Give Me Jesus

by Fanny Crosby, 1879

 

Take the world, but give me Jesus,

All its joys are but a name;

But His love abideth ever,

Through eternal years the same.

 

Oh, the height and depth of mercy!

Oh, the length and breadth of love!

Oh, the fullness of redemption,

Pledge of endless life above!

We Are The Clay

 

O Lord, You are our Father.  We are the clay.  You are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.  Isaiah 64:8

 

 

When you go outside today stop for a moment and take in all the beauty that God has surrounded you with.  He made all this beauty for us to enjoy.  Then He made us, He molded us in His image and gave us dominion over all this beauty that we so often take for granted.  I want to be like putty in His hands.  I want to let Him mold me and use me the way that He wants so others will see Christ living in me.

 

 

Have Thine Own Way

by Adelaide A. Pollard, 1907

 

Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

 

 

Have Thine own way, Lord!  Have Thine own way!

Hold o'er my being absolute sway!

Fill with Thy Spirit 'till all shall see

Christ only, always, living in me.