Gift of Thankfulness, SoCS “fab”

My devotional reading this morning was about thankfulness. When you focus on what you don’t have or on situations that displease you, you inner mind becomes dark and disgruntled. When you approach God with thanksgiving, the light of His presence surrounds you. Lets have some examples from my life –

The harshness of this past winter only to be reminded of the ever resilient fabulous bulbs of spring.

The poor commitment of the “handy man” that showed up to get the old curtains down but has yet to show up to put up the new rods. But yet the light shining through the windows has been beautiful and helped my violet to burst forth in fabulous white and purple blooms.

The most inconvenient idea of being without a refrigerator for 10 days, yet I can still enjoy a fabulous cup of hot tea. And last but not least…

The ability of being able to enjoy fabulous fruits all year long from those warm climate zones and the trucking industry getting them to the stores for us to enjoy.

The inconvenient challenges of life can drag us down or we can give thanks to God that we have an ability to view those challenges through His eyes and find that silver lining – there is always one however small it may be.

So all the more reason to understand you inconvenience and be thankful of the light they can shed on us and bringing forth kindness to others who are also experiencing inconveniences themselves. Remember to always be kind.

Linda G Hill’s challenge today for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “fab.” And I think if we really look around we can find more fab than non-fab. You just need to correct frame of mind. So I challenge you to review and give thanks for all the fabulous things you have in life. You could probably amaze yourself in seeing your gifts.

Sunday Morning Surprise

Surprises are supposed to be good things …right??? Not always. It never ceases to amaze me the things satan will do to try to keep you from going to church; weather issues( 3+ inches of snow will do it for me and my southern roots), health issues and then home issues.

This morning I woke to milk being all over the floor in the kitchen – what?? Turned out it was not milk but melted ice cream. Fridge died during the night and every thing in it was dead as well…or dying. The way I looked at it – it will be there when I get home from church. Going to church anyway. I cleaned the mess off the floor and the freezer was quickly checked and what could be saved was taken downstairs to the big freezer. After lunch we tackled the refrigerator side.

IMG_20190331_133731 — Truth be known, there were some things that should have been tossed last month

So March is going out with a bang. Yippee! I guess the good thing was that due to commitments yesterday, I didn’t get to the grocery store as the normal Saturday chore.

Sunday service was great and I was glad I didn’t miss it. Worship was titled “Is It Real” and dealt with what is worship according to the scriptures and how does that translate to you. I guess satan didn’t want me hearing that message or lifting my heart in praise and worship. Sorry dude, you loose. Worship was great.

Life can throw curve balls at us and how we handle those helps us either strike out or hit a home run. I don’t strike out a lot, but do sometimes. I seldom hit a home run but once in a while it does happen. I am more of a base hitter trying to get all the way around the bases and with God’s help I usually do but I need His constant guidance knowing when to run and when to stay on base.

I pray that this week, you too get all through the bases, maybe even a home run. Feel His love as He guides your steps and honor Him with your praises. And as you are moving from base to base remember to always be kind. Kindness is a form of love and worship as he tells us “what ever you do for the least of these, you are doing it to me”. So be kind.

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Things That Make Me Smile

When I have days like to day that get so busy with other stuff and I get nothing on ‘my list’ completed, I get refreshing relief by going to Pinterest and looking at the various animal categories and scripture categories and get my head back in to the correct groove as it were. Therapy was a beast but I have much improved mobility and only one week left, so that is a plus. The handyman didn’t show so the new curtains and rod are on the floor. I can do that but was trying not to have to climb on a ladder just yet. So that was a bum. Rearranged my living room and got my plants in a position to get outside as soon as the weather stays above 65. So all in all a good day. While we always seem to attribute good days as God being there for us, in reality He is always there for us. Especially on the dark days when we can not see His hand. I saw this picture today and it made me smile so I thought I would pass it on.

Love, what a wonderful word and there are so many forms of love. I wrote a post back in November giving my perspective on just how much God loves us but in reality it can not really be measured. But God doles out love to all who will accept it in all of His creation. Man has the notion that he is superior because of his analytical abilities. I wonder sometimes if that is an admirable attribute when it get so badly misused. Scripture tells us the LOVE is the key. There are well over 100 verses in the bible that involve teaching us about love. Why do we have to be taught about love when it is given so freely to us because he loved us first. Think on that for a minute but don’t over think it with your analytical mind. There are picture after picture of the animal kingdom showing great strides of tender compassionate love to their own kind and sometimes to a totally different specie. Our human minds have a hard time getting around that and we gawk at it in surprise when we see it. I feel sometime we are the silly ones. Its very simple to me, but I am a simple person. 1st – God is love. 2nd – God freely gives that love to His creation 3rd- we in turn are supposed to share that love. Its a circle. This picture I found shows true devoted love between several family members.

God's love — Nurturing, devoted and tender love

Wonder what it is going to be like in Heaven when we all understand what real love is and how to use it with out out analytical minds getting in the way. Then we can use the analytical minds that he gave us as a gift to further His purposes like it was meant to be.

And with love in mind, try to always be kind. Its as much a part of love as love itself.

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1,000 Steps…and Counting

Thanks to many pictures of sunrise on internet

I was up and at therapy early today. While I did not see the beautiful sun pictured here, I did know it was to be a beautiful day. I am about 1/2 way through the proposed plan and seem to be doping well. Pain is down considerably and unless I get tired, the penguin walk is gone. Today on the seated step machine(I have no clue what you call really these machines) I got up to 1,000 steps. I was a wonderful milestone for me. Then I went to Lowes to get window caulk and a center rod bracket for the double window. Then coming home I stopped and took some cool door pictures. I am getting out. Yay me!

Today’s devotion was written especially for me I think. Waiting on Me(Christ) was the title and the first sentence said it all. ‘Waiting on Me means directing your attention to Me in hopeful anticipation of what I will do.’ Waiting is not a strong suit for a lot of us. It requires a lot of patience, also not a strong suit for some of us. Then there is trusting something we can’t even see. So waiting, patience and trust – that’s a lot. But he goes on to say : ‘Waiting on Me is the way I designed you to live; all day every day. I created you to be conscious of Me as you go about your daily duties. I promise renewed strength.’

Since my surgery I have been waiting to walk properly, waiting for pain to lessen and waiting for winter to get over. And even though we are forecast more snow on Saturday (really!) My daffodils popping through the ground and my lilac budding promise me that spring is coming, and 1,000 steps shows I am healing.

Isaiah 40:31 tells us : ‘but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’

I know that several of us are healing from various things in our lives so I encourage you wait, have patience and trust. He will renew your strength.

And always remember the gift of kindness that is so easy and free to share. Sometimes when you feel surrounded in a dark spot, a shared gift of kindness can also brighten your day. So always be kind.

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With Praise and Worship We Come

worship

As our church is coming together to redefine the worship service to be more of a glory to God and not of man, today…today was amazing. The music starting the service was ‘All Creatures of Our God and King’, written by Sty Francis of Assisi in 1225 (794 years ago), music written 1623 and revised by William Draper in 1926. You could feel the electric presence of God in the room, the warmth, the love, the reverence. It was still there when we went to the ‘reaching out with hands of fellowship’ greeting. The sincere love of the people was evident, it bleed into the room of fellow Christians and visitors. Then when the sermon started Pastor Rob made a statement we knew to be true but probably didn’t think much about. Of all the many times we come into the church building throughout the week, whether it be for bible study, youth activities, choir activities, ladies circles, community activities and so on and so on, these are all activities to feed our own selves. We come to those activities to learn more about God or we are there to meet about other needs the church may have or other things we may need help with. But Sunday worship is about God. We are not there for us (but we are), we are there for worshiping our God and King. Its an entirely different purpose. God is always worthy of our praise and worship regardless of our circumstances and while we do that during the week, Sunday is the day set aside where we come together as a family(the church) and praise and worship Him together, sharing in the fellowship of love he bestows on us for us to bestow on each other. That love brings us peace, peace that can only come from God. John 14:27 tells us of Jesus explaining His peace – ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you….do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’

So as the last verse of All Creatures of Our God and King says, Let all things their Creator bless, and worship Him in humbleness, O praise Him, Alleluia! Praise , praise the father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, three in one, O praise Him, Alleluia.

I don’t know if this link will work but if not go find this song on you tube and really listen to the words. There are several version, I just preferred Sovereign Grace Music, Prayers of the Saints.

https://i.ytimg.com/an_webp/MUZD0hgtSgE/mqdefault_6s.webp?du=3000&sqp=CPed3-QF&rs=AOn4CLDzKcfy3aCMFWH1RmqbF0wk3-pf_A

And as always, as you go through your day and encounter creatures of our God and King, remember He don’t ever make junk and all things have a love and a purpose so remember to always be kind.

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Do You Know God

Unashamed of Jesus posted Love God tonight and it so spoke to me I felt the need to re-share his words. It is so very important that if you want to love God that you understand how much he love you. He loved us first…so that we could then love him.

Enjoy Love God and take to heart the message from both writers… Unashamed of Jesus and God.

And always remember to be kind as a reflection of God’s love.

Gods love

It Can Be Beautiful

After a winter of harsh temperatures and more snow than I really wanted to see for one season, we felt the season was finally over and we could wait for the spring to slowly seep in with its warmth and beautiful flowers. Yea, wrong thought.

My daughter texted me at 11:45 last night – “Mom, look outside, its snowing!”

What, no, I had looked at the radar earlier that day and the entire US was mostly clear with sun.

Yep, reports said to expect an inch. Good grief. But as morning arose, it actually was about 1.5 inch but the roads were clear. OK, I can deal with that. And the more I looked at it, I really saw its beauty. It was a wet snow, so it stuck to the trees and the snow in the yards seemed really white. I understand snow is really white but with the sky bright blue and the sun rising in the sky, it just reflected whiter than what we had seen with the cold gray sky’s of winter.

As I got in my car and headed to church the trees were even more beautiful. I took this shot from my car as I crossed over the bridge….probably not a good idea but at least I wasn’t texting.

IMG_20190317_082341 — Crossing the Mississippi

I was reminded of the scripture verses asking for our sins to be cleaner whiter than snow. It made me feel a real connection at that moment of the closeness we can have with God.

As I moved through town the sun was at the right angle to really show case the beauty so I am enclosing a shot of the tree in the corner of the parking lot at the church. It really was amazing.

IMG_20190317_083014 — Whiter & brighter with the sun

And by the time we got finished with church, it was all gone. The best kind of snow.

So I remind you of the beauty God has to offer visually, spiritually and even emotionally and remind you to share those wonderful uplifting feelings with those who have seem to lost sight of them. Share His love and always be kind.

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Sole or Soul, #SCoS 3/16/19

What a thought provoking Stream of Consciousness Linda Hill has given us today. Webster has many versions for sole with it being an adjective, verb or several versions of a noun. As with a verb, I am the sole writer of today’s intelligence. However the intelligence solely depends on the individual reader.

Or maybe we are referring to the most marvelous sole fish, flounder, as the type we had in Florida growing up.

Or we could be referring to the soles of my shoes which currently represent spring thaw and mole tunnel stomping.

Or maybe we are referring to our soul, the spiritual inner self that communes with the Holy Spirit. and when this body dies, goes to heaven to be with God.

soul

Most only believe that only humans have a soul. I disagree with that. Other creatures may not have the capability for the Holy Spirit to help them commune with God, but they commune. God created all living things therefore it is my belief he gave all living things the ability to be with Him, to love Him and to commune with Him.

In the book of Revelations, John spoke of God creating a new heaven and a new earth for man to live in peace with all of His creation. My very first book is under review for publication and while it is totally fiction, it deals with man and animals working together in heaven like we were supposed to be able to do in Eden.

None of us really know what heaven is truly like although a few people have had near death experiences and some of them describe similar sightings. It really doesn’t matter, it is all tied up with faith and discernment of scripture. But while we are still on this earth, let us always try to give a little touch of heaven by be kind and supportive to all of creation.

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God is Everywhere if You Look

Part of my duties as church secretary is to keep the main bulletin board current. With permission, I squared a small section on one end to create an Encouragement corner where I post encouraging quotes and pictures I find or scriptures that get quoted against beautiful photographs. I think it is important to lift up the inside of the church as well as the out reach and lifting up of those not in the church. I ran across this little bit of science that I thought interesting. Some of you may already know of this and some may not think much of it but I thought most interesting and decided to write about it today. In my opinion, God shows us all through nature as well as in science that he does indeed exist. You just have to look and believe.

Below is a picture of the molecular structure of Laminin. Look familiar?

Laminin

Laminin is a protein that is part of the extracellular matrix in humans and animals. The extracellular matrix (ECM) lies outside of cells and provides support and attachment for cells inside organs (along with many other functions). Laminin has “arms” that associate with other laminin molecules to form sheets and bind to cells. Laminin and other ECM proteins essentially “glue” the cells (such as those lining the stomach and intestines) to a foundation of connective tissue. This keeps the cells in place and allows them to function properly. The structure of laminin is very important for its function (as is true for all proteins).

I am reminded of the phrases we use when apprehensive about a situation referring it to “my gut instincts”. There has been quite a bit of research linking gut, heart and brain responses to situations. If I remember correctly, ancient expression of love came from the gut, not the heart. All of this boils down to, for me anyway, is that God is in you, all around you and always there for you. You just have to be aware and let Him love you only as He can. His love for you goes beyond our understanding.

If you are a parent, you understand the love of a child. God’s love for us is exponentially greater. Let His love radiate from you, through you and around you. And as you feel it share it with others. But even on days when you don’t feel it, if you try to share His love and kindness to others, it will flip around and come back to you. So always try to be kind.

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Fog Symbolizes Life

Last week Debbie Smyth of Traveling with Intent posted a picture called Trees in black and white that inspired me so I borrowed it and wrote this poem comparing the scariness of fog to the scary uncertain things of life. We can’t always see where we are going but we can always be assured that God is with us so be encouraged. In the old testament, Moses remind the people that God is always with you. Deuteronomy 31:6 says “Be strong and courageous. Do not afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.” In the new testament, Paul also reminds us of God always be there for us. Hebrews 13:5b says “because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'” So rest assured knowing His love for you.

trees, Deb Smyth — Trees Shrouded in Fog

Eerie Quiet Fog

What is it about the eerie fog that mystifies us so

Moving quietly through the trees in the valley far below.

It snakes stealthy through forest engulfing each tree

Overtaking the land which once was thought free.

The coldness of winter brings a new kind of fog

Surrounding each limb and crossing each log.

Mystery overtakes them as we can no longer see

The coming together as one – quiet fog and tree.

In walking through fog, the light whisper you will hear

Is the trees reassurance, you there is nothing to fear.

If deep winter chill turns the clinging fog to ice

The crystal on limbs can make the tinkling sound nice.

But if the winds pick up shaking limbs all around,

The tinkling becomes cracking as limbs fall to the ground.

But a saving sun at last shows through, melting away the fog

Leaving only a dampness to linger around the trees and log.

The longer days of sunshine bring a warmth of hope to stay

As trees remember to wake and take in this bright new day.

The lessons we can learn when watching the fog and the tree

Remind us of God’s loving hand as he forever guides you and me.

Anita Neal

As you remember His great love for you, be a reminder to others of His love love for them. Always Be Kind.

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