Got Milk?

There is nothing better than a tall cold glass of milk with some warm chocolate chip cookies!

Or a cold glass of chocolate milk with a doughnut stick. I also love to fill a glass with ice and pour milk over it and drink it while eating a plate of spaghetti!

When I was young and would visit my Graw on her farm we would go to the barn and watch Pa milk the cows. He had to do it all by hand back then and he would let us try for a little while. He used to squirt milk to all the kittens that would come to the barn at milking time. We would carry the bucket of milk up to the house and Graw would pour it through a cheese cloth. Then she would let the cream rise to the top. We would pour the milk on our cereal each morning for breakfast. Fresh milk tastes very different from the milk that we purchase in the grocery store. In a lot of households, milk is a staple drink. Families drink it at every meal. I'm sure that from Bible time to the present day it is one of the earliest drinks along with water, used every day. Think of the history of milk-people had their own cows and supplied their own homes with milk, cream, and butter. Then when people didn't live on farms the milk man used to bring the milk to their doorstep each day. Now most of us go to the grocery store where the milk has come from farms and been pasteurized before arriving at the store.

Milk is talked about in the Bible and used as an illustration in

1 Peter 2:2-3:

   "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

   If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

When we are saved we start to learn about the Lord from His Word. We learn the simpler biblical precepts first-"the milk of the Word". Even though it is consumed by many, we cannot survive on milk alone. 

 As we grow in the Lord, we should desire to learn more about Him through delving deeper in His Word. This can be known as the "meat". This should be our goal so that we would not be able to be compared to the Corinthian Christians when Paul wrote this:

1 Corinthians 3:2 

"I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."

Make it a meal-Milk & Meat are good!

Snail Mail

There are fewer and fewer of these boxes out there now. The Postal Service has declared that they are deep in debt and have cut back on postal workers and mail carriers. Boxes have been pulled and post offices have been closed in order to consolidate and save money. I have my own opinion on this subject but I will refrain from sharing. The Internet with emails and the computer capabilities with scans and faxes have greatly reduced the amount of "snail mail" that crosses our country. I think it is funny how it has almost become a generational thing. I told my "adopted daughter" that I would send her snail mail and she did not know about what I was talking. I think that is also sad. Letter writing is becoming a thing of the past. I love to get mail-don't you? There is something special about the fact that someone was thinking about you and took the time to send you a letter or note or card! It's o.k. to get an email or text message but it isn't the same thing. Thank you notes are not taught by most parents anymore and I fear it is one more step away from the general world of proper etiquette and Emily Post's "do's and don'ts"! I save all the cards and notes and thank yous that I receive in the mail. I have a huge hat box that they are in and I love going through and re-reading some of them. I also keep some of the notes or cards in my Bible or notebooks so that they are close by and able to be enjoyed. I try to send out notes and cards to those in my life to let them know that I care and appreciate them and am thankful for what part they have played in my life.

There is one letter that has been written to us and was done with a lot of love-written by about 40 different men over a 2000 year period and it is the most wonderful piece of mail we could ever receive. It is the Bible and has so much information in it that we can never exhaust it all. If you are weary there is scripture to read

Matthew 11:28 

"Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Any situation you have God can talk to you through His Word, if you will let Him-one  day at a time!

If you are consumed with worry

Philippians 4:6-7:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

These are just a couple of the many examples that you can find when you spend time in our letter from God.

It is something that has been preserved over the years and still stands true and relevant today. There may be one day when God's Word may not be available to everyone so we need to make the most of our time-memorize it, study it, learn all about it, and fall in love with the author-God.

Bread, Bread, Bread

I love bread! I love Italian bread and wheat bread, white bread and pumpernickel with spinach dip! I love bagels with cream cheese and garlic bread with cheese! I love baguettes and potato bread and pizza crust! Can you see the theme here??!! I'm a "bread head"! 

There are so many different types of bread and most of them are so yummy! 

Bread can be a comfort food and it also makes a great side dish to any food you prepare for family or friends! We talk about "breaking bread" with friends. It normally means more than just eating-but spending time and sharing with others. Christ broke bread with his disciples while He had His ministry here on earth. It also was mentioned when the church came into existence in 

Acts 2:42  

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers."  

But as Christians we are also told in Luke 4:4:

"And Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written: `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" 

Christ felt it important enough to quote scripture when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. It was more important that food to Him. We are challenged to do the same thing. This verse in Luke is actually first found in Deuteronomy 8:3. Matthew Henry said that "The Word of God is our sword and our faith in His Word is our shield". We need to be as knowledgeable as we can about the scripture (be in the Word daily) so that we can be prepared for any circumstances we come across as we live our lives one day at a time. 

We also need to remember that Christ is the Bread of Life as told us in

John 6:35 

"And Jesus said unto them, "I am the Bread of Life. He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst."

We can have a bread that will satisfy our hunger it doesn't have any calories! I love how God gave us examples that we can understand and identify. Have you accepted Him as your bread of life or are you struggling through still hungry?

Let Freedom Ring!

Today we celebrated a holiday~

We remember those who have fought in former wars for us-those who came home alive and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom by giving their lives. We remember those who are currently serving in our armed forces against evil forces both on US soil and abroad  and those that once again gave the ultimate sacrifice since 911 by giving of their lives so that we can continue to have the Freedoms that we are able to have here. Sometimes we take for granted certain freedoms that we have-freedom of religion-freedom of speech-right to bear arms and the other rights that are listed for us in our Bill of Rights. We cannot forget that these freedoms came with a high price. Our forefathers left their home and came to the United States to be able to worship as they wanted. We are able to go to church and pray out loud and tell people on the streets about Christ and his salvation plan.

We can gather together with friends and enjoy a time of laughter and fellowship without the worry of being interrupted by police and taken to prison.

We were able to do just that today and gathered together as friends and fellow Christians and enjoyed talking and eating (who gets together without food??!! ) and even a big game of kickball. It's great to have a bond that holds us together-more than just being Americans-but also being Christians.

Matthew 18:20  

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I (God) in the midst of them." 

Some of the delicious food we enjoyed!

Karen matched the dinnerware!! :)

Justin came in his camo outfit

Buddies-Brogan and Austin

The end of the game where the older ones beat the younger ones

We cannot take these freedoms for granted. We must continue to preserve the freedoms that our country was built on one day at a time. My thanks goes out to all of those that have served and are continuing to serve our great country-God Bless the USA!

Time Flies!

What flies but has no wings?

What runs away from you but has no legs?

Time!

As I have gotten older I have learned what my parents have said for a long time...Time flies!

When you are a child, time seems to drag-Christmas is coming and it takes FOREVER!

Your birthday is in a few days and those days feel like months!

As you grow older time seems to speed up. The moments are gone before you know it and the next year is already here. You have a baby and you seem to blink and they are graduating!

We try to multi-task to get more done in a day. 

There are still only 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day and 168 hours a week! 

What do you do with the time that you have been given? It comes down to priorities.

What is important to you is what you will spend your time on. There are good things in life and then there are better things. Christ should be first and you should spend one day at a time with Him-spending time in His Word and in prayer. Most of us have to work and we spend 40+ hours a week at our job! While you are there do you give 100 percent to your boss? And if you have family then time is spent with them-do you enjoy it-are you training your children up in the Lord?

We can't add any minutes to our day but we can make each minute count by making the most of the time Christ has given us. Witness to those around you while you are accomplishing the jobs that need to be done. Take the time to prioritize and choose the better things over the good.

We don't know how much time God has given us here on earth but we have been told that while we are here we should be..

Ephesians 5:16
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Remembering...

We are celebrating a holiday weekend and Monday is the official day to celebrate Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is a day that has been set aside to remember those that gave their lives in our nation's service!

Have you ever "googled" the history of a word or holiday or person? I love learning new things and I picked up a lot of tidbits of information on this holiday. It is a day that has been observed all the way back to the Civil War in the mid 1800's. To honor the fallen soldiers, women placed flowers on their graves.  It was officially observed in 1868 and all the northern states honored it by 1890 but interestingly enough the South would not observe it at that time (Civil War time remember?)  It wasn't until World War I that we became united in the celebration because it was for all soldiers and not just those who died in the Civil War. There have been poems written about it-check out Moina Michaels. She was the one who originally started giving out the red poppies. The VFW has now picked up on that tradition. Our country has gone through a lot of wars and many lives have been sacrificed to maintain our freedom. The slogan "Freedom is NOT Free" has become very popular and is something to remember. Our armed forces help maintain our physical freedom one day at a time and for that I am thankful to all of you that currently serve or have served in the past-Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 

Philippians 1:3 

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 

Because of your sacrifice I continue to have the freedoms set up for us in our Constitution including religious freedom to speak about my Lord. I not only have physical freedom but spiritual freedom because of the sacrifice that Christ gave by giving His life for us.

In our church we have communion-a special time where we remember what Christ did for us.

1 Corinthians 11:24-25

and when He had given thanks, He broke the bread and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me." 

In the same manner also He took the cup when He had supped, saying, "This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." 

Every day is Memorial Day from the aspect of remembering the price of our freedom-both physical and spiritual.

Commencement

Tonight was Commencement Service for Community Christian School and the 2012 Graduates.

There were 15 graduates and it was a very nice service. The class sang "Embrace the Cross" and did a beautiful job.  My son was color guard for the American Flag-hard to believe he will be graduating one year from tonight. Pastor Knoedler was the speaker and he gave a great message-he started out with an illustration about "The Blob" (remember that movie?) He said that you needed bones-a wish bone-to dream-a funny bone, and a back bone. If you think about the word "commencement", the definition is: a start or a beginning. Everyone gets excited because it means the end of 13 years of school. But it is just the beginning of the rest of your life. The Valedictorian made a comment in her speech that "if their life was a book-this would be a page turn". That is a great way to look at it. Things change a lot after high school graduation. If college is next there is new independence and responsibilities.

Commencement doesn't only come at a high school graduation. When we become a born again believer we should have a commencement ceremony. It is a beginning-you will have a new life-you should have new desires and responsibilities. You need to turn the page in your life per say and start fresh.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 4:24
and that ye put on that new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
So, Congratulations to the Class of 2012! As you begin the next chapter in your life be sure to keep Christ as the center-the main character. Dream big and allow God to use you one day at a time and be sure to remain a strong witness for Him.

(Here are a few pictures of some of the tables. Each graduate sets up a table for themselves at the reception.)

This was cute-a life-size poster of Autumn!

Jacob and his sports!

Ben and his music

Of course it was a party-so there were cupcakes!! :)

Insurance

We went to Clearwater tonight to have dinner with family. My husband's aunt and her daughter and granddaughter are visiting from Texas and we have not seen them for a year, so it was nice to be able to see them and catch up.

We had fun laughing over stories told about the past. We also talked a little about what my sister-in-law has been learning in her classes. She is working on her insurance license. We all have some type of insurance. We have health and home and car and life. How do you describe insurance? The definition has a couple of different meanings:

: coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril

 : the sum for which something is insured

: a means of guaranteeing protection or safety 

She made a comment that insurance is tied to just about everything. It will pop up in different aspects in a lot of different topics. I thought of how so many people don't have insurance. There are those that drive without insurance. There are others that can't afford medical insurance. What I thought about was that there is an insurance that is available to everyone equally and doesn't exclude anyone. It doesn't cost anything financially-it only takes repentance on your part. The sum for which something is insured-I am worth so much that Christ gave His life on the cross for me. He guarantees my protection. He has promised that He will never leave me or forsake me.

Hebrews 13:5  

... and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 

I'm talking about eternal security when you accept Christ as your personal Savior. I am so thankful that I don't have to worry. Once I am saved I am always saved. 

Christ paid the price-he totally covers the insurance policy and I am so thankful. I can live one day at a time knowing that nothing take away my salvation. 

John 10:28-29

   And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

   My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

A-Maze-ing!

Tonight my picture comes from our monthly visit to the church nursery! This is a marble maze. It was given to us by some friends and when my kids got older I donated it to the church. There is a sweet little guy that loves to put this together and he is very serious about building it until every piece has been put together. It's funny how when we put the marble through the different holes at the top it has different results. Sometimes it goes nowhere because it hasn't been put together right. Part of the time it shot straight down and other times it went through the maze that he created.

Ever feel that your life is like a maze? That you don't know where you are headed or feel as if you have hit a brick wall or taken a wrong turn. To a certain extent, life is a maze. We don't know what our future holds. We can know results and consequences by decisions that we make but we don't always know what will happen. 

Life can be an adventure and if we have God at our side then we CAN make our way through the maze until we reach the "finish line". You have to make a decision-will you build your maze by yourself without any instructions or help and struggle through alone or will you seek the Lord and be in His Word and in prayer so that He can guide you successfully one day at a time.

Joshua 1:8:

   This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

An Ordinary Day!

When you are a child you live for all the excitement and "special" days! As I get older I am thrilled for an ordinary day.  One without drama or sadness or anger. There are a lot of ordinary days and ordinary days are something for which to be thankful.

It was an ordinary, uneventful day at work and now it is a quiet, ordinary evening at home. 

Grilling burgers out on the lanai and eating with the family. Just an ordinary night! What a blessing!

It brought to my mind a lot of friends that are not having an ordinary day. Some families have members that are not with them at this time. There are some that have heavy burdens they are carrying right now and it makes today a very difficult day. There are those that have exciting plans coming up in the near future and today would be a busy day with lots of items to check off their list. 

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in our own lives and be consumed with ourselves and forget about those around us. We all have problems and as Christian and a friend I count it a privilege to be able to share with others one day at a time so that I can pray for them and help out where I can.  (An ordinary day gives me the opportunity to be available for someone else.) See? There are wonderful benefits of having an ordinary day!

Isaiah 41:6 

They helped every one his neighbor, and every one said to his brother, "Be of good courage." 

Hebrews 4:16 

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

So, when you are having "just an ordinary day" thank the Lord and then spend some time praying for those around you that might not be having an ordinary day.

The Wheels on the Car Go Round & Round...

A couple of weeks ago we started hearing a "sound" while driving our car. We weren't sure what it could be..it didn't feel different but it sounded like it wasn't in gear.  My wonderfully mechanically gifted hubby looked at some different things and discovered that it was our right wheel bearing. I am not extremely knowledgeable in cars but I did do a little research and know that it is an important part of the suspension in the car. It allows the wheels to move freely. The brakes are attached to it. This is not a part that you want to have fail while you are driving down the road. 

God was good and protected me while driving to and from work today. As we speak, my hubby is outside in the heat fixing the problem. (Isn't he wonderful?!)

 When something goes wrong you have to acknowledge that there is a problem, find the problem, and then fix it. In fixing it you have to have the knowledge of the item you are working on and have the proper tools to fix it. We could have ignored it and continued to drive the car as it was and eventually we would have had a problem and most likely had an accident. This is the same as with sin in our lives.

We are all sinners and we have to acknowledge it. If we choose to ignore it and continue to live our lives one day at a time in sin, eventually our sin will cause problems and show through in our lives. Once we acknowledge sin and confess it and repent, we need to turn away from it. God has given us tools to use in living our lives striving to be more like Christ. We have the Bible and the Holy Spirit, who dwells inside us from the time of salvation. Being able to be in the Word, praying, a fundamental church, and other believers to fellowship with are wonderful tools.

Psalm 119:105- Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 

John 14:26 

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

Ephesians 4:11-16

 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

   12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

   13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

   14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

   15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

   16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 6:18 

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

Philippians 4:6 

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Be wise-use the tools that we have been given. It won't give us a problem free life but it will help us handle the crisis wisely.

OK-I'm off to see how our car repair is coming and if I can help!

Celebrating 23!

We were invited to be part of the celebration for SJ tonight-I consider her to be my adopted daughter. Today she turned 23! We have known each other for quite a few years and she has brought a lot of joy to a lot of people's lives. She is a young woman that loves the Lord and it shows in all she does. She is getting ready to leave for Israel-she feels that Lord telling her she needs to live there. She will be missed but her mama and I talked tonight about how we will miss her but you want your child to be where the Lord wants her to be.

Her mama-Kelly-is the hostess with the mostest and knows how to throw a party. She has a business "Dear Jane" and if you need to throw a party-she can do it beautifully and tonight wasn't any different. Her theme was Adventure and travel and all the little details added to the party.

The food was yummy-we all loved the cake pops, and the slaw, and the chicken salad, and the spinach dip!!

Kelly and I are both crazy about cupcakes so of course there were cupcakes to eat! SJ made them!

The travel theme was carried out through all the decorations. It was cute. She got cookies from Pastries by Design in the shapes of planes and suitcases! And we all had small suitcases filled with candy as favors.

It's fun to celebrate together with friends, one day at a time.

We celebrate births, anniversaries, weddings, and many other events. I think about how we will all be together one day and the celebration will be bigger than any party we could ever throw here on earth. It will take place in Heaven and those of us that are saved will all be there to take part in it.

Revelation 5:11-13

 11And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

   12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

   13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Happy Birthday Sarah Jane! ♥ ya!

New Places~

This weekend I was able to visit some new places and try some new things.

Yesterday Bethany and I were able to visit a new Farmer's Market in San Marco plaza. They have a lot of nice booths-over 35 vendors with things such as fresh salsa, sift bakery with great muffins, and Blissful Essence-natural soaps and scents. We bought some hibiscus tea, 2 kinds of salsa, and a couple of muffins.

This is San Marco Plaza~

This is some of the items that Mary carries with Blissful Essence-she is careful to use natural products and discloses all of her ingredients. She is big on making sure that everything smells GOOD!

This vendor sells and show how to have patio gardens

This is Venetian coffee-roasted right down the road in Venice. They even have a San Marco blend made especially for our area. I plan on trying some soon. It was a beautiful day and fun to walk around. You can get your fruits and vegetables here as well. They even have live music playing as you walk around. Part of the proceeds that the vendors make here will go to a charity. That was a fun first for us on Friday.

Tonight was another new place. A few girls got together and went out to dinner to Ichiban for dinner. It is well know for their sushi but I stuck with a plate of sesame chicken and rice.

You can order exactly what you want-tempura or sushi. The food was good and we enjoyed eating and talking. When we left there Jen asked if I like SweetBerries. I had to admit that I have NEVER eaten there. I thought the car might tip up on 2 wheels as she whipped into the parking lot for us to get dessert!! :)

I had a "concrete"- vanilla custard with carmel and heath bar! It was delish!  Can't believe it has taken me this long to eat there. Then again it may be better that it has taken me this long since it does have a few calories! It's fun trying new places and new things -enjoying life one day at a time! It's fun to get out of the rut sometimes and venture outside your normal routines-it can broaden your horizons. When we thing of new things it brings to mind different aspects of new. We are told of God's love and compassion for us.

 Lamentations 3:22-23:

   It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

   They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

We are also told that when we accept Christ as our Savior we have new life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

And we are told that after Christ comes back there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

Revelation 21:1 

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. 

New can be exciting! Try something new this week!!

K5 Pomp & Circumstance

Tonight I was able to watch C.C.S. K5's class graduate and it was a cute and fun evening!

They shared what they have learned over the past year and it is wonderful how they learn their sounds, count their numbers, and can read by the end of the year. They did their pledges, quoted their verses, and sang their songs! They did a great job. Then the little 4 year olds did their part and they did a cute job also.  The younger ones like to find their families and wave! They are a little more active but they all said their lines and sang their songs with such exuberance! I was there to watch 2 special little girls. One was Brooklyn in K4! She has come out of her shell and was so sweet to watch. And then I was there as "Aunt Lori" to see Chloe graduate from K5! She looks just like her mama did at that age and was so cute! 

Aunt Lori and the graduate!!

Nana and Poppy!

Mom and Dad

What kind of party would it be if we didn't have cupcakes!!

 My friend Lori O is a wonderful teacher that shows genuine love to her students.

Teaching is a responsibility that we have all been given in different aspects. As a parent I am responsible to teach my children and the church and school are there to assist me. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7:

   And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

   And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

 My prayer is that I have taught my children well and that they will love the Lord with all their heart, mind, body, and soul first of all and then strive to be the best that they can be one day at a time and teach those around them about Christ and His love for us. 

Slow & Steady to the Finish

A couple of weeks ago I was able to go and walk the beach one evening. While walking along the sand I came upon this turtle nest.

A mama turtle has the instinct given to her by God to lay her eggs in the sand. After incubation the eggs hatch and the little turtles make their way to the ocean. Most turtles are not known for their speed. We all know the fable of the turtle and the hare. The turtle was slow but steady and he finished the race.  This is how I should be in my life and walk. My life is compared in the Bible to a race. Christ's desire is that I finish "the race" strong. 

2 Timothy 4:7 

I have fought the good fight,  I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

Hebrews 12:1 

[ Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith ] Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Patience, endurance, faithfulness, and commitment are just some of the qualities that we should  practice. The race won't be complete until we reach heaven and we must continue to run until that time. Be faithful and consistent and keep running!

Servant of All

This is Dillin. He is living right now with one of our church members. He is in training and he so far seems to be doing a wonderful job. His "person" volunteers at the South Eastern Guide Dog where Dillin lives. Right now he is in training to become a service dog for someone who will need his help. He knows that when he has his blue vest on then he is "working". He has been to church 2 times now and you wouldn't even know he is there-he is so quiet. Training him takes patience and time. The end result will be a dog that will be of service to someone. It made me think of how I could parallel Dillin to how we are to be to others. His goal is to be a "servant" to a human. He will be able to assist in different ways. 

Christ came and His goal was to be a servant for all of us. He was our example in showing us how we should be for those around us.

Mark 9:35

If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 

Our goal on earth should not be to get the most "stuff" here or to try to get ahead-life here on earth is only temporary. God will bless us with all that we need and even our desires if we are in tune with Him. Our goal should be to share the gospel with all those around us. We heard tonight in church that humility and pride are incompatible. In order to be more like Christ we need to be submissive to Him, humble in all we do, and willing to put others ahead of ourselves. A children's song comes to my mind- "I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart! J.O.Y. =Jesus, Others, and then You! 

Love Them Even in the Little Things

Sometimes it's just the little things in life, like a warm chocolate chip cookie and a glass of milk, to make a good day even better.

 It only took a few minutes out of my night to pop these cookies into the oven and have a plate full for my family to enjoy. It's just a small thing to show my family that I love them. They love chocolate chip cookies and I want them to know that I love them enough to know some of their favorite things and am willing to make them for  them. Do we take the time to get to know the likes and dislikes of our family? I try to make one dinner a week that is either my husband's or one of my kid's favorite meals. Have you thought about how your family would feel if you always cooked just what you wanted or only bought grocery items that you wanted? I don't want to be selfish-I want to love my family and put their needs and wants in front of my own. Just like Christ did for me! He left Heaven and came down to live life on earth so that He could know all the things that I have gone through. He then died on the cross for my sins-He didn't have to do that -He could have been selfish and stayed in Heaven and we could all die in our sins, but He didn't and I am so thankful!

Philippians 2 :5-11

 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

   6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

   7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

   8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

   9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

   10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

   11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Take a moment and let your family know that you love them one day at a time, in word and in action.

As the Deer...

As we were driving through a neighborhood the other night we came across this deer standing next to the street. He wasn't afraid of the car and allowed me to take a few good pictures of him. I realize when I decided to post this picture that I correlate a lot of my pictures to songs! I love to sing! What's even better is when I get to sing songs that are written from scripture. And that is exactly where this song comes from.

As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after thee. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship Thee. You alone are my strength my shield, to You alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart's desire.

Psalm 42:1  " As the deer panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul for Thee, O God. "

I love where we live-we have a lot of wildlife that still is visible in our neighborhoods. It reminds me of all the   varieties of animals that God created.

Then I think of what the verse says and ask you the same question-Do you "long after the Savior"? My desire is that the more time I spend in His Word and talking to Him the more I will want. My prayer is that we are never satisfied-that we always thirst for more. I am reading the Bible through chronologically and am loving it. I have learned so much more and have been able to see how the different books fit together in the history of the Bible. Challenge yourself and strive to be closer to the Lord each day of your life, one day at a time.