Some Evening Encouragement

Today was a good reminder that after the storm…the sun will shine again. Even though it is cold. Outside of my office against the building is a small raised garden. It stands about 3 feet high, about two feet deep and runs underneath the entire window of my office. It’s where my one bird feeder is that you see occasional pictures of birds and squirrels from my office. The way the wind blows in that courtyard shows a good example why the weathermen were cautioning about the blowing snow. The drift was the height of the wall of the garden.

But it was the small angel statue holding the little bird that caught my eye. All around the angel and the area around the bird, there was no snow. Evidently as the wind would hit the face of the little statue, it would push back against the snow not allowing it to come too close, as if protecting the tiny bird it is holding.

A reminder that while the storms of life may seem to rage around us, we are cared for.

Songs of deliverance, songs of protection, songs of peace, love and care. Songs of the Lord.

Today’s post was more pictures, some I took and some from the internet, but sometimes pictures say more than words. Feel safe and protected in His arms and always remember to be Kind and further reflect His song.

The Ultimate Fireman

Good evening friends. On our church property there is a old house (nearly 100 years old) we have used for many different purposes but the foundation was getting is disrepair and was deemed unsafe after too much longer. After consulting with our fire department, we donated it to them for training purposes. When I came out of church on Wednesday, there was smoke billowing out from the upstairs windows. The smoke was from a machine but it gave them a real life scenario in dealing with the real thing. It reminded me of our Ultimate Fireman…

Our Ultimate Fireman may not be dressed in a fireproof suit like this but he tenderly holds each one of us like this and saves us from the burning fire of hell.

But while we need to understand this, we don’t need to dwell on this because of His gracious gift.

This morning Oswald Chambers’ devotion reminded me of the power of our salvation. How that we need to always be looking to Him, during good times or bad.

The basic lesson of the Sermon on the Mount is to narrow all your interests until your mind, heart, and body are focused on Jesus Christ. “Look to Me, and be saved….” Oswald Chambers

When I was a new Christian, I remember some advice I got from a more seasoned Christian that said “Life is a series of hills and valleys. While we love being on the hill top, the valleys are inevitable and it is the bottom of the valley that makes us appreciate the hilltop even more. So let us never forget the journey we made to get to that hill top and always keep our “eyes on the prize” – Jesus.

Looks like we are going to get some more of that white stuff this weekend. But I guess I cant complain, it is January in Iowa. As we get through these colder months, waiting so patiently for spring, let us remember the beauty of Kindness, even in the snow.

Our Creator’s Love

I reposting part of this message from Pure Glory and while the heart formed in the wave is amazing, the words really rang true with me. Go read the rest of the message and feel its love.

God is our Creator and desires a close loving relationship, combined with reverence and respectful awe. He is so much more than someone to grant all your requests. He doesn’t let you become a spoiled brat but goes with you through your challenges. He is Almighty God, your refuge, the Truth, strength, help, Father, and all you need. He defends, corrects, counsels, and keeps us safe from harm. God is Love, Life, Light, Fire, and Holy. He is Supreme, All Knowing and More than Enough

Crown of Glory International Ministries, http://pureglory.net

My daughter made a cross-stitch picture for me years ago that shows just how much God loves us. It’s a love we really can not begin to really understand but we hang on to that love through faith that was instilled in us at rebirth.

“Faith is how we plug into the grace of God. Think of it like a lamp; The lamp can only give light if it is plugged into a power source.” Quiet Times with God Devotional

Feel His love this evening and while we can never fully understand it, accept it and soak in it’s peace.

And as always, remember, Kindness carries a peace and love all its own with the power to touch people in a safe and profound way.

Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge

Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda are currently hosting the Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge which was started by our star writer Christine Ray.

Today’s prompt: Write a haiku about being lost, without using the lost.

Which Way

We passed by here once

How do we get out of here

Going the circle

Its been a while since I wrote on Tuesday’s prompt. Thanks for the fun. And as always remember to be kind…even if lost.

Being Kind During The Holidays - Texoma with Kids

Amazing Beauty of Nature

Every season has its own beauty but to me the stoic yet amazing constant in all seasons is the tree. Today I wrote a poem in honor of the beauty of a tree. Hope you enjoy.

Oh, To Be A Tree

Oh, to be a tree, sometimes I wish I was thee

Especially this time of year, when the sky is not clear

Oh, to be a tree, it would be great to be thee

In the long winters keep, all you would do is sleep

Oh, to be a tree, that’d be the life for me

When weather begins to warm, the bees begin to swarm

Oh to be a tree, the honey would drip from thee

With your leaves so green, and the birds sit to preen

Oh to be a tree, the beauty you would see

As your leaves grow thick, the shade is the trick

Oh to be a tree, the laugher just for thee

Of children come to play, making joy of the day

Oh, to be a tree, sometimes I wish I was thee

Then the leaves turn brown, as they fall to the ground

Oh, to be a tree, the beautiful colors you would be

When the snow starts to fall, go and sleep for us all

Oh, to be a tree, how magnificent that would be.

Anita Neal

And as a reminder that I always close with, never forget the beauty of Kindness, in all seasons of life.

Beauty in Cold

The temperatures get cold and we feel it upon our face

Cold you don’t see but it gives you a beauty to embrace

As the moisture in the air clings to objects it may touch

On the cheeks of the people it will create a rosy blush

But the true beauty of cold lies high up for to see

As moisture comes to rest on the out limbs of the tree

With the sun glistening off ice on objects up above

Reminds you of God’s proof for each season of His love

So embrace each season of life that is coming your way

And remember the beauty of each and every day.

Anita Neal

We are reminded through all the season of the year, how similar they can be to our own life as we go through them. While winter itself can be harsh, it has a beauty all its own. Photographers around the world have shown us the amazing beauty of winter. These are a few I took yesterday and this morning. When we think of the winter of our lives, remember the beauty you can still share to encourage others of the beauty we all can see. All seasons have a beauty to give and be seen.