Hospitality

It was a bad reason to have to go home to Indiana/Ohio: one of my best friends lost her husband quite suddenly, and I went to be with her on the day of the funeral. But it was a good visit.

I stayed in Indiana at our friends' farm. They are WONDERFUL people; originally my sister's friends (her high school best friend's parents!), they've been SO much fun to get to know, and to spend time with. There were days when we could have gone to do something, but stayed on the farm! It's been fun seeing Kenn (AKA "City Boy") learn about farm life. :)

What I want to tell you about, however, is leaving the farm this last time. I was by myself; Kenn didn't get to go with me. But I know what we do before we leave, each time, so I planned the leaving part accordingly. :D They're building a new house from SCRATCH next to the rickety farmhouse; they've been working on it for years, and they're "close" to getting it ready to move into. Before we leave, we go see the progress on the house, and take a quick tour of SOME of the farm. (Mind you, this is a working farm, so to tour the whole thing would take a VERY long time!!! :) )

The garden on the farm has been producing like crazy, so our friends were SO pleased to be able to send "some" produce home with me. The photo above shows what I brought home. :D Even the pumpkin! He became a turkey, but that's another post. LOL!

We were out in the garden for 45 minutes, cleaning off the vegetables and loading them into the car. Then, it was time for goodbye hugs and waves while I pulled onto the country road, waving and smiling.

I was still smiling five minutes later. Can you IMAGINE?? I'd been there about 38 hours, but I was SOOOOOOOOO blessed by them. I was GONE much of that time, but we still had a couple of meals together, and laughed and sympathized with each other. There wasn't any "You're a guest, so act like one." I'm one of the family! I know where the towels are, I know where to put the bedding when I leave. And I get so blessed, every time I go to visit them. Not only did they bless ME, but I had the joy of seeing Kenn act like it was Christmas when he was carrying it all into the house; Mom couldn't get over how GENEROUS they'd been to us. And NOTHING tastes better than a sweet cherry tomato that someone you cherish has grown and blessed you with! :)

It's not the things they give me - or that I give them, because who goes somewhere like that without a present? :D It's the way I FEEL when I'm around them. I'm NEVER, EVER glad to be leaving them, but I always leave feeling loved and welcome to come back.

Do you *hear* what I'm trying to say? There's no doubt in my mind that I have a place there. I am always welcome. I will always be loved by them. I don't have to wonder if they're just nice to my face. I'm part of the family while I'm there.

Dear one, not only are we to feel that way in the Body of Christ, but we're to OFFER that to anyone who comes to our homes. I just can't imagine anything better than to have someone say to me, "I was still smiling five minutes after I left your house the other day!"

It's a little out of context, but not too much - Jesus said, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." (Luke 16:9, NIV) We have started to become sooooooooo concerned with OURSELVES; we don't just "hang out" with each other, encouraging one another and sharing with each other! We HOARD what we have, as if it's going to be a security.

It's NOT. And that's not why God blesses us with worldy wealth, either - no matter how much or how little you have. It's to bless OTHERS.

Dear one, please pray for ME in this area. I want to be obedient in being a blessing, too! I want people to know I'm different, that they're LOVED, and WELCOME, and part of the family!!!! How about you?

Is this what God's saying to you?

Good morning, dear friend! How are you today?

I'm dragging my feet. Why? Because I DO NOT want to write this post! It's not a warm fuzzy today, but I think it's part of why you haven't heard much from me lately. I have a word for some of you, and it's a call to action. Kind of. :)

I've kept in touch with many of you personally, and know some of the struggles you've been going through. I know a lot of you are looking for direction from God: What should I be doing? Am I walking in His will? What should I be doing to help my family?

Dear ones, I also know that some of you are like the leaves, being tossed by every change of direction in the wind. As soon as a door opens, you think it MUST be God, and try to run through it - and then another door opens, and IT must be God.

HE WANTS YOU TO STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be STILL, and know that He is God. What does that MEAN????

"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:4-5.

We NEED to know His voice. We need to know the difference between God's voice and a stranger's. And that means being STILL. It means being WITH Him. It means reading His Word, so you know what He SOUNDS like, what the truth of His Word says to your spirit - and how that "feels".

Dear one, how can you know His voice to follow HIM if you're not intimately involved with Him?

I want you to know that I struggle with this, too - and I don't spend nearly as much time with Him as I should. But I'm READING. I'm PRAYING. I'm trying to be STILL as much as possible, to LISTEN.

It's easy to think that every opportunity that comes your way is from God. But it's not TRUE. Everything may look PERFECT, but if you're listening, there MIGHT be a check that says WAIT.

Please, dear friend, HEAR ME. I'm not directing this at any one person. We ALL struggle - and if you're into your Bible every day, YEAH!

Still, I will say: LISTEN. Be STILL, and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. Then, you'll be able to MOVE, and know you're following the Master's voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He says:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you."

I love you! I am praying for you! And if you want to share with me, PLEASE do so - you can leave a comment if you'd like others to pray or celebrate with you, too, or you can email me at pooh0612@aol.com.

BE BLESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU can make a difference!

After you read this story, you'll realize the SMALLEST act of compassion can change someone's life. I encourage you to look around for random acts of kindness YOU can do. If you see it, DO it!

It is not known who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies..' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:


Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by..
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

Our GOOD NEWS email today....

If you'd like to receive an email containing a photo with Scripture and a short thought for the day, please email me at HeavnlyPhotos@aol.com or leave me a comment here. This is TODAY'S email that went out this morning. :) You can remove yourself at any time from the mailing list, no hassle, no problem! (The photo is bigger in the email; here, you can click on it to see the original size - but it doesn't take long to open at all!)

Look full in His wonderful face!

I spent some time in a local park yesterday, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the flower garden was still very lush. Usually the heat of summer takes its toil, and by late August, Tennessee looks more brown than green.

But not so this year! With plenty of rain, the ground is actually soft instead of brick hard. This is a bloom from a Rose of Sharon bush, related to the Hibiscus. These blooms open up to the sun; at night they tighten up. During the day, when the evidence of the sun and of God's creation is so abundant, there is no need to hide yourself! There is far more to be thankful for than to be feared.

If you find yourself getting depressed, and being filled with anxiety, open yourself to the Son.

Photo:Centennial Park, Nashville, Tennessee, August 20, 2009.

It's been too long. :)

Please forgive me for seeming to drop off the face of the earth where this blog is concerned. I think I've kept in touch with most of you personally. I started this blog to be able to communicate about the daily struggle of being a Godly woman, and haven't posted in two months! I do ask your forgiveness. I lost my message for a while - but then, I realized, we ALL do sometimes. Sometimes God changes our message, or we refuse to listen to the message He wants us to share (as a wise woman admitted in her study last night at church!:D)

So, I might as well jump right in with a tough subject, right? :D

I've been feeling lately that I'm sleepwalking through my personal walk with Jesus. Let me tell you what I mean, and I hope you'll share whether I'm crazy :D, whether you've gone through something like that yourself, or whether something in your spirit is testifying the truth of what I share.

I read my Bible. I read devotionals online. I read REALLY great stuff that's being written by my friends and contemporaries.

I pray. I pray with my husband. I pray throughout the day. I do devotions with my husband.

I listen to praise music. I sing praise music - and worship music. I sit in stillness and try to listen.

I minister. I help my friends. I give them tough love and we have real communication about what God wants.

And some days, it's GOOD. Some days, I feel GREAT about where I am, what I'm doing, and what God's using me for.

And yet.

There are MORE days when I don't feel like I'm moving. When I feel NOTHING. When I know God is moving, and moving ME, but I'm not being MOVED. Does that make sense?

Like I'm sleepwalking through when I should be WIDE AWAKE. Like I'm not engaged in what God is doing to me or through me.

Or is that the way it's SUPPOSED to be? Am I being a vessel, poured out and used by Him?

So tell me, dear one. Does this strike a chord for you? Which do you think it is? And can you give me some Biblical backing for what you think?

The picture of the cat, above, is one I dearly love. I took it in Kalama, WA, outside a little restaurant. It's one of the prettiest places that's not directly on the ocean that I know of. :D This cat was sleeping on the handrail outside the restaurant. He wasn't phased by ANYTHING or ANYONE. He was content, comfortable, fed, and on his own turf.

But I don't want to be found SLEEPING. I want to be awake, alert, and AWARE. So talk to me!!! :)

Testing!

Blogger's doing funny things with my posts. Testing, one, two, three! :)

More prayer requests!

But God's angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand. -- Romans 1:18-23

Wow, ladies. We've got some hurts going on in our families! Here come two more people we need to uplift! Again, please pray the following for them: strength, peace, and joy that can only come from God; wisdom and discernment to deal with anything that they face; someone to PHYSICALLY walk through this with them, whether it be a spouse whose eyes need to be opened to their needs or a friend who cares; and clear direction from God about what to do and how to do it. Pray for them to be blessed in unexpected ways, that God would show each one that He's intimately concerned about her/him. PRAY FOR VICTORY!!!!

From Terri, who just had surgery on her back:

Sorry I have been so long in sending out an update.. Things have been very stressful.. My health is not very good today.. I woke up with my right arm swollen and terrible pain in my right shoulder.. I am hoping the weather has something to do with it. I am waiting to hear back from the doctor as he in surgery the whole day.. I can bearly move my right arm... I had to make a trip to my family doctor this week as my blood pressure drop really low.

Also this week I had a gas leak and found out I need a new AC unit for the house... So I am trying to deal with that along with my health issues... Of course Joe and I are not agreeing on the AC he thinks it should be fixed and I believe we should get a new one. There is along about 1200 difference between the new and repair bill..

Thank you for all your cards and prayers. I am starting to feel depressed and trying to the best to keep myself from going stir crazy...

And from Deana: Please pray that my husband, Scott, will find a job. Also, a girl in my mops group has a 5 yr old, 2 yr old and is about 7 months pregnant and found out today that her 2 year old has a brain tumor. Deana also has an unspoken personal prayer request.

Please, please lift them up!

Another request, and more encouragement for each of us!!!!

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
to stick it out through the hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The "worst" is never the worst.
Lamentations 3:25-30, The Message

Oh, dear friends! Thank you for praying for each other, and for continuing to be vulnerable in asking for petitions!!! I want to encourage you: if you need prayer, PLEASE let me know. There are people you don't even know about praying for you!!!! And when you get an answer, or feel like submitting a praise report, GO FOR IT!!!!! It's by your testimony that we will ALL be encouraged, uplifted, and spurred to keep praying!

Here's a new request, sent by dear Ginny:
Lori, may I add to that list of prayer requests? First for my daughter, Grace's, boyfriend. His job, his true calling, problems with his parents. I can't be more specific, but God knows! Also, my arthritic right knee is causing me tremendous pain. It's difficult to get comfortable. I made an appointment with the orthopedist for next Thursday; I will probably get another cortisone injection, which is painful. But I'm concerned that the deterioration is worse than a year ago; I've been offered a partial knee replacement, but I feel I'm too young, and I can't care for Phil if I'm laid up. I need wisdom, and freedom from the pain.

DEFINITELY, dear one. I know Becky has already prayed for you! We won't stop lifting you up until you get answers.

Now, then. Some things don't need captions at all. BE ENCOURAGED, and take a moment to COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (If it's too small to really see well, click on the image.)

WOW! MORE prayer requests, and a report from Kathy!

I think we need to stay focused on praying for each other for a while, dear ones. There's SO MUCH hurt going on - and it's not been easy for me today in real life - so I KNOW we're doing what God wants here. :D

Please pray for my dear, sweet friend, Claudia. Claudia is the dance ministry director at our church; for about six months now, she's had a problem with her sinuses and ears being blocked. She's had some hearing return, but she can't sleep for long periods, so she's very tired. When I asked how her week has been, for the first time I can think of she told me, "HARD." Please pray the things I asked you to for everyone for both her and the next request, but also that God would release that pressure, and allow her to rest, and that this whole problem would be healed.

This one is from Becky - who prayed beautiful prayers for everyone in the comments sections!!!

I need to ask for prayer for my friend. Please pray for Michelle, whom in the past 6 months has been transformed from a hardworking leader and active mom/wife/teacher/church worker and friend to a weak and scared individual. Michelle went to the doctor because she simply didnt feel well and thought she might have a sinus infection. The next few weeks were a rocking whirlwind. She was diagnosed with Graves Disease and was rushed to surgery to remove her thyroid completely. She has lost more than 70% of her vision and her eyes are protruding so far now that the lids cant even cover the entire eye. She was also diagnosed with seveirely compacted sinus cavities and once again went in for emergency surgery. So now she is on the emotional hormoneal roller coaster that comes with Thyroid issues. She is nearly blind and is having extreme issues with phobias and and anxiety. She rarely leaves her home any more. Is having a hard time with her faith. Her marriage has become just a matter of business as her husband is purplexed with the stress of money issues that seem to keep piling on. Her children are struggling as though they have already lost their mom because she is no where near the person she once was. Pray for the entire family.

Oh, sweet friends, please pray. Such difficult things we're ALL facing!!! You know, I find it SO true that our burden seems heavy until we see the next person's. God is SO good! His mercies are new EVERY morning. I don't care WHAT you're facing; God is bigger than it is! I love the "bumper sticker saying" that says DON'T TELL GOD HOW BIG YOUR PROBLEM IS. TELL YOUR PROBLEM HOW BIG YOUR GOD IS! Claim that for these requested people, dear friend; maybe they're not able to claim it for themselves right now. Pray for FAITH.

And now for a wonderful report from Kathy! :D

Mom had her surgery today. She did well. The doctor said it was not as difficult as he thought it might be. He removed a small portion of the stomach where the tumor was attached. We did not know he would be doing this but he said she wouldn't miss it. :) He also said that he would be suprised if there was any cancer as it did not look like it would be there. Praise God!!!!! She was in quite a lot of pain at first because the pump was not working correctly. They finally got the doctor up and he got it working. Mom was getting a little testy and was just about to tell them off. We knew she must be feeling pretty bad as she usally is so quiet. She's much better now!!!!! Continue your prayers. She will be in the hospital 3-5 days. The doctor says she will feel pretty lousy for a few weeks.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!! Keep praying! Keep sending me your requests! AND how God is answering!!!! He is FAITHFUL - let's not hesitate to remind one another!!!

I love you all. Thank you so much for lifting each other up!!!

Requests that came in last night!

This is from Hootie:
"Lori, I have read these requests and will add them to my prayer journal. Will u please add my parents to the list. God knows the need in their life and I pray God shows them what they need to do and they will listen. I need prayer for strengh. Thank u!!"

Now, for Shirl:
After all the weeks of my hobbling around --it has been determined that a hip replacement would help me-----only thing now is after visit to my Dr. yesterday--he was not happy with the ekg--so I have to waite till Thurs. (11th) to have stress test to see if my heart is up to the surgery-------Hope I can pass that test--and get-her-done---so I will be able to get back to work at Encore-----Don't really know How you have managed without me--LOL--------Thanks for all the good thoughts you have sent my way---Love Ya all----Shirl

Calling all prayer warriors!

Please read the new additions to the post if you read it before 10:56 p.m. Central Time 06/09! :)

Hello, dear friend. I'm so glad you stopped by again; there's another big post brewing in my spirit, but today's is MOST important.

There are SO MANY of you, my friends, who need prayer right now. Since I consider us all sisters in Christ, I'm calling on each person who reads this to pray for the following people. PLEASE. We need to make some spiritual warfare on behalf of each other.

Pray for Kathy's mom: "This is an email that my sister has sent out concerning my mom. I would also like to include you in this circle of prayer. For most of you this is the first time you have been made aware of the situation. I guess I take after my Dad’s mother in that if you don’t talk about something it goes away. But getting this email has been my “slap in the face”. It is real and it is serious. I do know and believe in the power of prayer. Mom’s mother was a true prayer warrior and anytime there was a concern she called on God to take over. Her faith was always strong and her belief never wavered. I do believe that as God watched over the family of Abraham he has also watched over the family of E.B. Swinford. Not that we haven’t had our trials but we know that God is with us each step of the way." >Keep mom in your prayers (and me too)!!! Kathy

Cousins: Please keep Mom, Freida in your prayers, she is going to have surgery next Wednesday, 6-10-09 to remove the tumor in her stomach, the doctor told her today the biopsy came back no cancer, but he is not promising there is no cancer, he said sometimes it won't show in the biopsy. He said the surgery is going to be difficult due to the location of the tumor. Mom is already very weak physically due to her weight loss, so we are of course concerned about the difficulty of this"

A sister in Christ's dad: Health problems that can be serious, but I can't go into detail. Please pray for this sister, too; it's so difficult dealing with something like this! (Names and specific details withheld on request.)

Kenn: OK, so he's not a sister, but it sure affects ME. :D His asthma is REALLY bad right now; he's not able to sleep, because of having to be vertical or he can't breathe.

Ginny: Fibromyalgia pain is in a high-level flare right now. Her husband has also bee fighting an incurable cancer for what seems like a very long time, and the drain on their finances and hope takes its toll.

Becky: They've placed their house on the market; money is quickly draining away, and they're really feeling the spectre of something awful.

Kimmie: She's had a LOT of major life changes in the past year, and is still trying to adjust to everything.

Rhonda: She and the kids are buying a house and moving to another small Texas town. She has a promising new job, but it's a lot of responsibility, and please pray for her children, that they'll be able to heal from the way their dad treats them, and grow up to be loving adults who don't carry his cycle of neglect forward.

Jan: I just found out that her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Looking at the specific requests, it seems that our parents are really under attack right now!

(I know I'm forgetting someone; if you want us to pray for you, please leave a comment!!!!)

Please pray the following for our dear friends: strength, peace, and joy that can only come from God; wisdom and discernment to deal with anything that they face; someone to PHYSICALLY walk through this with them, whether it be a spouse whose eyes need to be opened to their needs or a friend who cares; and clear direction from God about what to do and how to do it. Pray for them to be blessed in unexpected ways, that God would show each one that He's intimately concerned about her/him. PRAY FOR VICTORY!!!!!

I would ask that you uplift me, too, as I share with you. Also, that God would see fit to loosen our finances as only He can! Most days, I have no trouble counting my blessings. There are some moments, however...!! I KNOW you know, too! :)

Now, everyone, as God answers these prayers, PLEASE share with me or leave a comment so we can all read. We need to be able to look back and see His hand moving in our lives!

THANK YOU. I can't WAIT to see how God's going to move!

A friend - thank you, Ms. Mary! :) - sent this to me today. It may help someone else, too, to hang on when the bottom seems to be falling out.

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE!!!!

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky.... He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story:
It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that
summons the Grace of God.

P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today.

Musings on a year....

Good evening, dear friend. It's been a long day; a good one, for the most part, but I've spent part of the day thinking back on things.

I read through my 10th Anniversary Scrapbook, which was the best trip I've been on in my entire life. We went back to Oregon and renewed our vows on our favorite beach, with close friends and family members from the area. It was a glorious, wonderful, awesome, fantastic (I can't think of any more superlatives!) trip. And I miss the ocean.

A year ago yesterday was our first Sunday after the fiasco at our old church. So this coming Sunday will mark our first Sunday at our NEW church. I still miss some of my friends, and the closeness of the family I thought I had there. But OH! I wouldn't trade that for the wonderful place God has put us!

A year later, we're still learning names, learning songs, learning the ways of the Body in this particular building. But we see GOD there! And we're learning where we fit, and feeling His flow.

Life. Such a series of good and bad, happy and sad - yet our good God uses them ALL for His glory - and for His purpose in our lives. For our good.

God is good, ALL the time. Selah!

Something a little light-hearted!

Remember: A merry heart doeth GOOD, like a medicine! So click on this link, and laugh your heart healthy! :D It's so fun!

Don't Live a Garbage Truck Life!

Good morning! A dear new friend sent this to me today, after receiving what I had to say in the Heavenly Perspective Good News email (went as a 5-day devotional; please let me know if you'd like to receive it!). I love it - it's SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you enjoy this thought, and let me know if it has an impact on your day. :) I love you, dear friend!!!

Law of the Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, say a prayer for them and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so . . . love the people who treat you right. Forgive the ones who don't. We're not always responsible for everything that happens to us, but we are responsible for how we react to what happens. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

Have a wonderful, garbage-free day!

What's your duck?

A dear friend sent me this last week, and I've been wanting to post it. So, here it is. :) Be blessed, my dear friend, and consider what your duck might be!

Here’s a great story by Richard Hoeffer:

A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot.
He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target. He went back to
Grandma’s back yard, where he spied her pet duck. On an impulse he took aim and let
fly. The stone hit. The duck fell dead. The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead
duck in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all,
but she said nothing.

After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.” But Sally said,
“Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you, Johnny?”

And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck!”

So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if anyone wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I
need Sally to help make supper.” Sally smiled and said, “That’s all taken care of. Johnny
wants to do it.”

Again she whispered, “Remember the duck!”

Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing.

Several days went like this: Johnny was doing both his chores and Sally’s. Finally he
couldn’t stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he had killed the duck.
“I know, Johnny,” Grandma said, giving him a hug. “I was standing at the window and
saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I wondered how long you
would let Sally hold it over you.”

The question is: What’s your duck?

What if...?

Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

~~2 Cor. 5:14-21, MSG

Good morning, dear friend!! How are you today??? I don't know about you, but even when I'm not working, my weekends are jam-packed!!!

I want to share with you today a thought that was planted in my head and heart at church Wednesday.

What if we lived our lives like we BELIEVED that God ordained every step we took? What if we treated each contact we had with another person during the day as if it was a divine appointment?

We are called to share the message of RECONCILIATION with the world! God sent His only Son to die that we might be reconciled with Him - and that's the message we're to share with the world!

Now, before I can go any further, I have to plead: If you have ANYTHING you're holding against another brother or sister, take care of business! How can we spread the Gospel of reconciliation if we can't be reconciled in His body???

Here's the definition of this word:

1a: to restore to friendship or harmony

b: settle, resolve

2: to make consistent or congruous

3: to cause to submit to or accept something unpleasant

4 a: to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy

b: to account for

Please note that to be reconciled with someone does not mean that the relationship has to pick right up where it left off. Dear ones, many of you know the pain I went through last year with being told to leave our church. I still wish for reconciliation with a certain person, but there are two things that are true:

1. (Thanks, Amy, for helping me grab this one!!) I cannot FORCE the other person to desire to be reconciled to me. I can give all sorts of reasons why it should happen, but the fact is, I cannot change this person's heart.

2. Even if we are reconciled, the relationship will not be as it was. Between lessons learned and hearts' desires changing, things will be different.

But the fact remains that reconciliation means to restore to harmony. God is our God; we are to love as He loved us. If we can't be reconciled in Him, how can we expect the world to want reconciliation at all?

So. What if each person we met today was given a smile? A show of God's love? His mercy and grace? What if we each resolved to be a "peculiar people", not like everyone else, but to die to what our selfish nature wants and let God shine through?

Let me know your thoughts, dear ones!!! You have all been through a lot lately; you've also walked beside me while I have gone through some things. But in all and through all, GOD IS GOOD. He has our BEST in mind. How can we not bless His name today!?!?! :)

Sharing with you!

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. ~ Philemon 1:7

Good afternoon, dear friends! The above photos are several years old, but they all show a little bit of who I am. Daughter, friend, wife, aunt, stepmom - we all wear SO many different hats during the same day!

This email was sent to me several weeks ago by a dear friend. It touches me in a different way every time I read it. I hope it awakens something in you!

Quilt of Holes
Author: Unknown

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt

before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares

of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our

quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the

pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was.

They were filled with giant holes.

Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had

been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in

everyday life.

I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me.

Nobody else had such squares.

Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled

with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.

I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together,

threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the the scrutiny of truth.

The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries.

So filled their lives had been.

My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.

I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes.

I had love in my life, and laughter.

But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth,

and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.

I had to start over many times.

I often struggled with the temptation to quit,

only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.

I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.

I had often been held up to ridicule,

which I endured painfully,

each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin

beneath the judgmental gaze ofthose who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth.

My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around me,

at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me.

Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ.

Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.

He said, "Every timeyou gave over your life to Me, it became My life,

My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowingChrist to shine through!

Burnt Stones

Psalm 149
1 Praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with tambourine and harp.
4 For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the saints rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.
6 May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,
9 to carry out the sentence written against them.
This is the glory of all his saints.
Praise the LORD.

I had the honor and privilege of meeting Kent Henry this weekend. If you know songs like WHEN I LOOK INTO YOUR HOLINESS, ALL HAIL KING JESUS, or TAKE ME IN (to name just three!!!), you've been touched by him in some way. He's going to churches everywhere, teaching about worshiping. I can't encourage you enough: if your church does a weekend with Kent, or he's nearby, GO. You will be blessed beyond measure!

Kent has a passion to bring back "burnt stones" to the Body. Here's the reference:

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?"--Nehemiah 4:1-2

I think a lot of my friends online would qualify more as burnt stones than as living stones. :) Burnt stones are the people who used to be active in church - serving, teaching, singing - but they got "burnt out" or wounded along the way. And so they're not assembling with the saints anymore, for one reason or another.

We came quite close to this last summer, I think. If we hadn't gone when God said GO to our new church, I don't know if we would have WANTED to be in church anymore. GOD IS GOOD!

If you're one of my burnt stone friends, please know this: I LOVE YOU. And I'm sad you were wounded, however it happened. I'm sorry you got burned out. When we base our service on performance instead of Presence, it's bound to happen - and it's HARD to find that place!!

Please know: God has a place for YOU, too. It's so easy to just stop going to church. It's another whole day that you can rest. But it's not all about what feels good, is it? :) God's got HIS BEST for you, my dear friend. I know you can worship Him "on your own", but DO YOU? If meeting with other Christ-followers wasn't important, God wouldn't have given us so much instruction on how to love one another. THINK ABOUT IT! :)

If you're a stone who has been restored or still lives, please reach out to the burnt stones in your life. Call them! Kent says to tell them these three things:

1. I LOVE YOU

2. I MISS YOU

3. IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN PRAY ABOUT FOR YOU RIGHT NOW?

Try it. I know there have been a LOT of times no one has reached out to me when I've been away for a long time. WE NEED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, NOT LIVE LONELY LIVES!!!!

OK. :) I'm done preaching today. :) I want you to know YOU ARE LOVED. But there's some responsibility in that, too - WE NEED TO LOVE EACH OTHER!

Be blessed, dear friend! I hope you'll leave me a comment?

I just had to share this with you - I received it in my email today! ENJOY and be blessed!


1. Give God what's right -- not what's left.

2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end! -- God's way leads to an endless hope. (AMEN!!!!)

3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him be the period.

6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.

8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.

9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

10. We don't change God's message -- His message changes us.

11. The church is prayer-conditioned.

12. When God ordains, He sustains.

13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.

16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

17. Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord.

18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive.

19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

21. He who angers you controls you!

22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.

24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them..

25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

How much MORE!

I really hope you'll click on the picture today, and really soak in both the picture and the Scripture. Go ahead. I'll wait for you!

::::::::: watching dogwood sway and listening to windchimes:::::::::::

Isn't this an awesome thing? Let me give you another illustration for what God's saying here!

I LOVE tulips. I love almost any flower, but there's just something about the shape and incredible multitude of olors that tulips come in that I just love. They're one of the first flowers of spring, too, and I love watching them grow and POP UP! :) It's amazing - there can be nothing there one day, and the next they're in full bloom!

ANYWAY. :) Last time Dad was out of town, I wrote him a note to tell him how much I appreciated his planting so many. We have over 400 bulbs out there! I know it's because I love them so much. I know he doesn't get a chance to appreciate them too much when he travels - Kenn sends pictures, but it's just not the same as being able to watch them wave in the breeze!

You know what my dad wrote back? "I hope they help you know how much you're loved."

Wow. My dad plants tulips JUST BECAUSE HE LOVES ME.

Dear one, God does the same thing - He CREATED those tulips because He loves me. And if He'll give me beautiful tulips in the spring when Dad plants them, just THINK what other good things He wants to give me!

This passage says He'll give me as much of the Holy Spirit as I'll ask for. We all-too-often forget the Holy Spirit when we talk about God. He's IN me now - but how often do I allow Him to guide? Do I LISTEN to what He's trying to tell me? Do I follow His tug to do this or that?

I'm learning. I'm a living sacrifice, after all - and that means I tend to crawl off the altar when I'm not focusing. But I want to get my SELF out of the way, and let GOD shine through my life. I want HIM to get all the glory. As I follow His leading, it gets easier. But I can still get unfocused - my prayer is that I continue to lift my eyes to Him, and not look at things around me that distract me. The more I fill my vision with Him, the less I get distracted.

How's YOUR vision, dear one? Are you looking to Him for your sustenance? Is He your Guide, or just your emergency rope?