Everyday Hero

Hello, dear ones! I heard through the grapevine that maybe one or two of you missed me. :D I'm sorry I've been gone so long; I've got lots of thoughts brewing, but sometimes it takes me a LONG time to get a photo to go with it, or to get my thoughts to flow cohesively. :)

So I'm here today. And I want to tell you about a friend of mine.

We've never met in person. But I know she loves God with all her heart. No matter what her circumstances, she serves other people.

How do I know?

For one thing, she is passionate about ministering to the children of Haiti. She's gone on at least two mission trips (forgive me if I've forgotten earlier trips!), and her love for them and her desire to show them God's love is evident in every word she posts, every photo she shares.

For another, I have physical proof. Let me share some of what she wrote me:

I saw your FB (FaceBook to the uninitiated! :D) post about your theater friend needing clothes. A day before that, I had tried on the blue dress and was thinking about making it into a skirt. I love the material and print.... But then the Holy Spirit nudged me - I have enough skirts. Someone might need a dress. Then I read your FB note!....
Anyway, because of what God spoke to me about in Haiti concerning giving...and what the Holy Spirit prompted me about last week, I am sending these [clothing items] on to you for your friend or someone else in need....

Dear ones, I'm not going to tell you WHO this person is - she knows, and she would not thank me for "outing" her, because of the things God is teaching her about giving. :) But I want you to be AWARE of people like my friend, and AWARE of your surroundings. And that still, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit.

Many of us don't have much in the first place. But we can still give of ourselves, our time. Honestly? It's easier to throw money at a problem and go on about our lives than it is to invest of ourselves in "a problem" - that "problem" has a face, a heart, a LIFE. When you feel the tug of compassion, listen a little closer. What does GOD want you to do? I urge you, sisters and brothers, to LISTEN to Him. Take the time to let Him speak - don't just tell Him what you want. Be still, and listen. Let Him love you.

(Hmmm. This post took an unexpected turn, but someone needs it! :D)

Be blessed, dear one. Know that the King of kings loves YOU. And hopefully, it won't be so long when I come back. :D

My Lumberjack!

Psalm 90:14-17

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

for as many years as we have seen trouble.
May your deeds be shown to your servants,

your splendor to their children.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;

establish the work of our hands for us—

yes, establish the work of our hands.

Today was kind of fun - I can't believe it's already early evening! It's been SO beautiful here, and I'm just feeling SO blessed. Dad's increased the tulip bulb count to over 400 - partly because I love tulips so much. :) It's GLORIOUS around here - but that's not today's post. Today is about my lumberjack, Kenn.



There is a tree out in the "wheel" that is most of our back yard. It was planted before Mom & Dad decided on the wheel design, and it throws too much shade, gets leaves everywhere, and the roots are beginning to cause problems. So Dad wanted it down.

Guess who volunteered to at least try! So, first he cut off the bottom limbs....

Then higher up, on top of the ladder. He only used a Sawzall and a hand saw!










(That's my dad, assisting.... :D )









And finally, the tree trunk in three pieces. The sunglasses are mine; they couldn't find the safety goggles. :D I figure any glasses were better than an eye in trouble!
















LOTS of sawdust and sweat later, he has the tree down as far as the parents wanted. He's gonna be SORE, for sure, but what a great thing for him to do!

How was YOUR day? Did you do something fun, or get to watch an event like I did?? :D Tell me about it!!!!!!!!!! I want to HEAR!!

Good Monday Morning!

How are you today? I hope you can read the picture beside this text; it's from Psalm 16, verses 5-6. God is GOOD, my dear friend. We've been singing a new song at church based on this Scripture - the boundaries of my life have fallen in pleasant places. My heart is FULL of that content feeling today - Praise God. :) He won the victory this weekend in our banking trial; my banking contact is going to close out the account today, and we move on. God is GOOD. What a relief!

So! What have you been hearing from God lately??? Did you get a chance to go to church yesterday??? Or perhaps listen to a sermon? What is God saying to YOU? (Blogger's not cooperating right now, so no cute little icon for sharing today! :D)

Our new sermon series at church is on servanthood. The pastor wasn't there - we're pretty sure this is his week to be in NYC, seeing some Broadway shows with his lovely wife :D - so one of the others, Bruce, spoke. Basically, his theme was that servanthood isn't about US. We do it because of the character of our Master. It's not a slave-owner relationship. And God WANTS us to get to the point where he no longer calls us servant - to the point where we KNOW what He wants done, and we do it without being told - and He calls us His friend. We're adopted into His family - our servanthood is our way of saying THANK YOU.

Pastor Bruce used the following Scripture to close out his sermon:

Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "

--Luke 17:7-10

Now, seriously. How often have you heard this passage mentioned ANY TIME in a sermon??? We like to feel ENTITLED - in fact, we've got a couple of generations coming along that feel entitled to anything they want, just because they want it, seems to me! But this passage certainly NEGATES that!!!! There's certainly a reward COMING, but our time here on Earth is to be spent SERVING. Not BEING SERVED.

Woah. Some serious re-thinking is going on in MY head, and I bet maybe yours, too. If you'd like to hear the whole sermon, please CLICK HERE - and keep checking until they post the sermon for JULY 27. :D

OK, dear ones. I'm going to fly now - I have a class to get ready for. :) I hope and pray you've been counting your blessings, and using them to encourage yourself in your walk. God LOVES you, SOOOOOOOOOOO much. He is just waiting for you to look out your window and see that butterfly, or savor your delicious lunch, or enjoy touching your loved ones. Each and every thing you enjoy has been put there by the Father for you to be able to enjoy. He just wants YOU.

LEAVE ME A COMMENT!! :D I'm lonely! :D