While on vacation, I was eating lunch at a local diner. This diner was filled to the brim with character. There were fun signs and saying all over the walls. The people working there were unique and full of personality. I would even go so far as to say that the food was unique and different. It was overall a very fun experience and let me just say that I would defiently go back.
As I was eating my food, there was an older gentleman sitting a nearby table chatting with some younger men about the war and what it was like. I enjoyed listening to him talk about what it was like when he was in the service. I could tell that he was enjoying having an audience and his companions were enthralled with his stories. I also overheard another conversation with a family at another table. It was funny to hear them talking about a recent trip to the shoe store. Now before you go on thinking that I just sit around listening to other peoples conversations, please understand that those that I heard were talking loud enough for the whole diner to hear and I enjoyed good conversation with the people at my table also.
So, finally I was waiting to pay and heard a conversation between a young man and an older man. The young man was trying to convince the older man that there was indeed a book of secrets that the President of the United States has and uses. The young man used everything from Hollywood folklore to actual facts to support his belief. As I listened for a few brief moments, I was hit with realization that this young man simply wants something, anything, to believe in. I don’t know much about a book of secrets, but I do know that when we have something to believe in there is a hope for tomorrow. This young man in all his zeal about a book of secrets has missed the most important thing to believe in. It is Christ. He is the only one who can give us a hope and a future. Sure the enemy can give false hope in many things, but he can never give true hope. True hope comes only through the Lord.
So, I learned a lesson today... everyone wants something to believe in. I have a responsibility to point those people to my Lord, who is my hope. Why would I do anything less? Until next time…
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
A Refreshing Of The Old
Happy New Year, dear ones!
I have been delinquent in my blog during the month of December and I am sorry. I have been fighting off a rather nasty sickness that has left me in the bed quite a bit this past month. Anyway, I feel as though I am on the mend and can't wait to get back started with my varied activities and goals. I look forward to what the Lord has for 2012.
As with any new year, I take this time to look over the past year and see what the Lord has done. He has been good, faithful, gracious, giving and loving in so many ways. However, this year I am more looking forward to what the Lord wants to do into the next year.
During this time of illness, I have realized that God has given me dreams and goals that He wants me to take off the shelf, dust off and get moving toward. It is a refreshing of the old. I have learned through scripture and godly teaching that God doesn't just give us dreams and goals to give us hope, but He gives them to us for fulfillment. I believe that God will fulfill the dreams and goals He has given me and I am excited about the prospect. I look forward to the moment of fulfillment. And that in turns gives me hope for tomorrow. God has given me hope!
What a joy it is to know that God has plans, good plans, for me and you and He can't wait to bring them to fulfillment. So, during this new year of resolutions and goals, ask the Lord if there are dreams and goals that He wants you to take off the shelf and dust off. God is in the business of fulfilling the dreams He gives us.
Blessing for 2012, my dear ones! Until next time...
I have been delinquent in my blog during the month of December and I am sorry. I have been fighting off a rather nasty sickness that has left me in the bed quite a bit this past month. Anyway, I feel as though I am on the mend and can't wait to get back started with my varied activities and goals. I look forward to what the Lord has for 2012.
As with any new year, I take this time to look over the past year and see what the Lord has done. He has been good, faithful, gracious, giving and loving in so many ways. However, this year I am more looking forward to what the Lord wants to do into the next year.
During this time of illness, I have realized that God has given me dreams and goals that He wants me to take off the shelf, dust off and get moving toward. It is a refreshing of the old. I have learned through scripture and godly teaching that God doesn't just give us dreams and goals to give us hope, but He gives them to us for fulfillment. I believe that God will fulfill the dreams and goals He has given me and I am excited about the prospect. I look forward to the moment of fulfillment. And that in turns gives me hope for tomorrow. God has given me hope!
What a joy it is to know that God has plans, good plans, for me and you and He can't wait to bring them to fulfillment. So, during this new year of resolutions and goals, ask the Lord if there are dreams and goals that He wants you to take off the shelf and dust off. God is in the business of fulfilling the dreams He gives us.
Blessing for 2012, my dear ones! Until next time...
Thursday, December 8, 2011
O Christmas Tree
Happy Christmas!
My family enjoys many things during the holidays, but I think my favorite is decorating our Christmas tree. Because of our current situation, we had decided that a Christmas tree was not the most important thing on our list this Christmas and we were willing to enjoy all the other decorations without a tree. I think that God cares about even the small things, in life. I say this because He provided a tree for us to decorate. It was a simple blessing!
As we were decorating the tree, we laughed at the ornaments that we made when we were two. You remember the ones, the cotton ball laden paper with glitter that is suppose to be a snowflake and the tin foil covered cup with a jingle bell that is suppose to be a Christmas bell. I also love the fun ornament that dad brought back from a trip when I was six. Those are the fun memories that are so fun to share when decorating our tree. We laugh and giggle like a bunch of kids. It’s just one big night of fun and laughs with my family!
This years tree is full of ornaments…I mean FULL! As I looked at the tree, it hit me that there is a good life lesson here. You know how I love to pull life lessons from the simple things in my life What could this lesson be?
As I pondered, the lesson hit me: We love to decorate ourselves for all to see, but the most important thing is the backbone that is holding it all together. Jesus is the backbone. I can make myself look all pretty on the outside, but He is the one who makes everything stay together. Interesting right? The tree is the most important part of the beautiful display that is our Christmas tree. Let’s face it, without the tree we would just have a pile of colorful plastic and glass. It’s the same with me and Jesus. Without Him, I would just be a mess of colorful clothing and makeup. I need Him to perfect me. I must press in and learn more about Jesus if He is going to hold me together. It does me no good to simply say that I know Him; I must grow closer to Him. I must read about Him. I must talk to Him. I must spend time just being with Him. I must hold tight to the backbone, so the “decorations” are all the more beautiful.
Praying that you enjoy simple blessings this Christmas! Until next time..Blessings!
My family enjoys many things during the holidays, but I think my favorite is decorating our Christmas tree. Because of our current situation, we had decided that a Christmas tree was not the most important thing on our list this Christmas and we were willing to enjoy all the other decorations without a tree. I think that God cares about even the small things, in life. I say this because He provided a tree for us to decorate. It was a simple blessing!
As we were decorating the tree, we laughed at the ornaments that we made when we were two. You remember the ones, the cotton ball laden paper with glitter that is suppose to be a snowflake and the tin foil covered cup with a jingle bell that is suppose to be a Christmas bell. I also love the fun ornament that dad brought back from a trip when I was six. Those are the fun memories that are so fun to share when decorating our tree. We laugh and giggle like a bunch of kids. It’s just one big night of fun and laughs with my family!
This years tree is full of ornaments…I mean FULL! As I looked at the tree, it hit me that there is a good life lesson here. You know how I love to pull life lessons from the simple things in my life What could this lesson be?
As I pondered, the lesson hit me: We love to decorate ourselves for all to see, but the most important thing is the backbone that is holding it all together. Jesus is the backbone. I can make myself look all pretty on the outside, but He is the one who makes everything stay together. Interesting right? The tree is the most important part of the beautiful display that is our Christmas tree. Let’s face it, without the tree we would just have a pile of colorful plastic and glass. It’s the same with me and Jesus. Without Him, I would just be a mess of colorful clothing and makeup. I need Him to perfect me. I must press in and learn more about Jesus if He is going to hold me together. It does me no good to simply say that I know Him; I must grow closer to Him. I must read about Him. I must talk to Him. I must spend time just being with Him. I must hold tight to the backbone, so the “decorations” are all the more beautiful.
Praying that you enjoy simple blessings this Christmas! Until next time..Blessings!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thanksliving
Happy Fall Friends!
I sat down today and decided to write down all the things that I am thankful for. It is a task that quickly became very time consuming and lengthy. There are so many things that I am thankful for. At the top of the list is: (drum roll please), of course, my God and my family. I am sure many of you will share those same things as Thursday rolls around. But here is the thing…even though my list is long and is taking me a long time to write them out, I don’t really think that I am thankful enough. What I mean is this: God wants us to have a lifestyle of thankfulness and that is something that I don’t live up to.
I was sitting in church and the sermon for the day was on Thanksliving. In a nutshell, it was a call to a life of thanks. It was in that moment that I started to examine where I was really at as far as being thankful. Do I look at my daily situations, circumstances and struggles with a thankful heart? Or do I walk through my days with a hardness that doesn’t allow me to see the blessings in every moment. For example, my car needing to be fixed could be a cause for thankfulness: I actually have a car. Or, like in most cases, I could complain that I will have to change my schedule and plans because I can’t use my car for that day.
In Psalm 50:14, it refers to thanksgiving as a sacrifice to the Lord. In Jonah 2, in the midst of a horrible situation Jonah cries out to God with a song of thanksgiving and then is delivered. It sounds like there is a key hidden in here about thankfulness. Could it be that the sacrifice of thanksgiving is so pleasing to the Lord that in turn He wants to bless us? I think that God is beginning to teach me about this revelation of His character. I do know that when I am living with a thankful heart, I see more blessings in my life. It is something to ponder on during this time of thankfulness.
I need to be more thankful! God is working in my heart this season. I pray that He is touching your heart also. Enjoy your families, friends and of course all the food as you look to Him and thank Him for all He has done! Happy Thanksgiving!
I sat down today and decided to write down all the things that I am thankful for. It is a task that quickly became very time consuming and lengthy. There are so many things that I am thankful for. At the top of the list is: (drum roll please), of course, my God and my family. I am sure many of you will share those same things as Thursday rolls around. But here is the thing…even though my list is long and is taking me a long time to write them out, I don’t really think that I am thankful enough. What I mean is this: God wants us to have a lifestyle of thankfulness and that is something that I don’t live up to.
I was sitting in church and the sermon for the day was on Thanksliving. In a nutshell, it was a call to a life of thanks. It was in that moment that I started to examine where I was really at as far as being thankful. Do I look at my daily situations, circumstances and struggles with a thankful heart? Or do I walk through my days with a hardness that doesn’t allow me to see the blessings in every moment. For example, my car needing to be fixed could be a cause for thankfulness: I actually have a car. Or, like in most cases, I could complain that I will have to change my schedule and plans because I can’t use my car for that day.
In Psalm 50:14, it refers to thanksgiving as a sacrifice to the Lord. In Jonah 2, in the midst of a horrible situation Jonah cries out to God with a song of thanksgiving and then is delivered. It sounds like there is a key hidden in here about thankfulness. Could it be that the sacrifice of thanksgiving is so pleasing to the Lord that in turn He wants to bless us? I think that God is beginning to teach me about this revelation of His character. I do know that when I am living with a thankful heart, I see more blessings in my life. It is something to ponder on during this time of thankfulness.
I need to be more thankful! God is working in my heart this season. I pray that He is touching your heart also. Enjoy your families, friends and of course all the food as you look to Him and thank Him for all He has done! Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Slightly Different Blueberry Muffins
It’s me again!!! I love, love, love almond meal! It is so yummy and such a healthier alternative to traditional flours. Let’s just put it this way, almonds are good for your health. Almonds are a fatty food…but they are full of monounsaturated fats which is a good fat for you. Eating almonds in moderation can help lower cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease and can help with weight loss. Sounds like a good reason to try them, right? So, I have tried blueberry and coconut muffins with almond meal. They are so yummy! Here is the recipe:
Blueberry and Coconut Muffins
2 ½ cups almond meal
3 eggs
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 to 1 ½ cup blueberries
½ to 1 ½ cup coconut
Preheat oven to 300. Prepare 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or oil. Mix first six ingredients well. Stir in blueberries and coconut. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the tops start to turn light brown. Let cool and enjoy the yummy goodness!
Blueberry and Coconut Muffins
2 ½ cups almond meal
3 eggs
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 to 1 ½ cup blueberries
½ to 1 ½ cup coconut
Preheat oven to 300. Prepare 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or oil. Mix first six ingredients well. Stir in blueberries and coconut. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the tops start to turn light brown. Let cool and enjoy the yummy goodness!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I Will Trust You
Hello my friends,
In the midst of deep personal pain, the Lord is showing me His awesome faithfulness and love. Here is the thing: It is daily my choice to trust Him for His faithfulness and love. This song by Steven Curtis Chapman speaks the words of my heart better than I can. May this song speak to your heart and may you chose to trust Him, in the good and bad times.
Until next time, be blessed!
In the midst of deep personal pain, the Lord is showing me His awesome faithfulness and love. Here is the thing: It is daily my choice to trust Him for His faithfulness and love. This song by Steven Curtis Chapman speaks the words of my heart better than I can. May this song speak to your heart and may you chose to trust Him, in the good and bad times.
Until next time, be blessed!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Old New Pants
Hey guys!
I was shopping the other day. I realized that I was in need of some black slacks and needed them quickly. So, like many times before, I headed to the local thrift shop in hopes of find something that would work.
Well, I tried on at least a few dozen pair of pants before I found "the ones". They fit great and in the dressing room they looked like a really good find. I was so excited! I had only spent $6.00 and found the perfect pair of black slacks. All my problems were solved, at least a few of them were. That was until I got home, washed the pants and went to put them on. What I had not noticed while in the dressing room was that there were at least three holes in these pants. And let's just put it this way, the holes were not in great places. So, needless to say, I didn't end up finding the perfect pair of pants after all.
As I was thinking about those pants, I realized that many times I think about people in the same way. I see a person and I think, they look like they have their life together. And I want to get to know them better. As I get to know that person, I start to see the not so perfect parts of their personality. I must admit that sometimes in those moments, I think that I don't need to get mixed up in their messy problems. But...I know that God calls us to get mixed up in the problems of our friends lives as we press on toward the goal, to win the prize. Isn't that what I, as a Christian, am suppose to do when my brother or sister needs encouragement and grace? Isn't that why God continues to pour out His grace on me, so that I can pour it out on others? He gave us each other. We need each other. He gives us love so that we can share it!
Who knew that a trip to the thrift store would allow my heart to hear a revelation from my Father about encouraging and showing mercy to my friends? Isn't God cool in that way? He uses everything in our lives to bring us closer to His heart. Until next time...enjoy the small moments of revelation!
I was shopping the other day. I realized that I was in need of some black slacks and needed them quickly. So, like many times before, I headed to the local thrift shop in hopes of find something that would work.
Well, I tried on at least a few dozen pair of pants before I found "the ones". They fit great and in the dressing room they looked like a really good find. I was so excited! I had only spent $6.00 and found the perfect pair of black slacks. All my problems were solved, at least a few of them were. That was until I got home, washed the pants and went to put them on. What I had not noticed while in the dressing room was that there were at least three holes in these pants. And let's just put it this way, the holes were not in great places. So, needless to say, I didn't end up finding the perfect pair of pants after all.
As I was thinking about those pants, I realized that many times I think about people in the same way. I see a person and I think, they look like they have their life together. And I want to get to know them better. As I get to know that person, I start to see the not so perfect parts of their personality. I must admit that sometimes in those moments, I think that I don't need to get mixed up in their messy problems. But...I know that God calls us to get mixed up in the problems of our friends lives as we press on toward the goal, to win the prize. Isn't that what I, as a Christian, am suppose to do when my brother or sister needs encouragement and grace? Isn't that why God continues to pour out His grace on me, so that I can pour it out on others? He gave us each other. We need each other. He gives us love so that we can share it!
Who knew that a trip to the thrift store would allow my heart to hear a revelation from my Father about encouraging and showing mercy to my friends? Isn't God cool in that way? He uses everything in our lives to bring us closer to His heart. Until next time...enjoy the small moments of revelation!
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