For His Service

I am so thankful for the things God has taught me in 2013.  The most important thing I have learned is you can not fully understand the struggles of other people.  I can't fully understand losing a spouse, as thankfully, I have not.  I can't fully understand the lost of a child; I have lost two babies in utero, but haven't parented and then lost a child.   I can't fully understand having a difficult spouse, because Russell is gracious and kind to me... most of the time ( love you, honey).... just like I am, most of the time.  No one will fully know how difficult it is to raise a child who didn't have his/her basic needs met during the infant years...unless you also have a child like this.  No one will fully know how difficult it is to raise a child who has a chronic illness...unless you also have a child like this. I have learned to fully get that "Hurt People"'  hurt people.    But, that God is the ONLY healer.   God is the only one ...

The Fellowship of the Believers  (Acts 2) 42  They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43  Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44  All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. How cool!  God shows us in Acts the need for the church  to devote itself to  “fellowship.” What do you think about when you hear the word fellowship?   If you are a good old Baptist, you probably think of food. :)     We expect the church to...

I have been thinking about Hebrews 10 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 An d let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Sometimes you need your sisters in Christ to help spur you on…to help you not give up.  Sometimes we are the ones that are spiritually strong and can spur each other on.  Other times, we are the ones just on the mat… barely making it.  Any number of life’s troubles can zap us and that’s when we need our Christian sisters most.    It made me think of this story… Here you can read it in three d...

The first surprise is a BABY!  We were at the rescue helping with feed February 13th.  We couldn't find our donkey, Annabelle...and she never, ever misses a feed.  I asked Tom, one of the long-time volunteers to look around the 22 acres to see if he could see Annabelle.   Less than 5 minutes later, a commotion ...   Annabelle, who NO ONE knew was pregnant, gave birth to Lilly.  What a sweet, sweet surprise! Apparently, my running partner knows how hard 6 months of no running has been for me.  So, she surprised me with a Swedish massage.   It hurt... but my foot didn't have the flexibility it needed in order to make running happen again.  So, one hour later, and a few tears, my foot is so much more flexible.  I took the soft cast off three weeks ago.  I have been seeing the Physical therapist for  2 weeks.   Running should resume soon!  Thank you, friend!  I am so thankful!

Once there was a family with 7 kids and a number of pets living in a busy and oh, so loving home.  Even though they were content with the number of pets, they knew they could love one more.,,,,..a very, small 2 lb cat that went from living outside..to living the  BIG life..   At first, the two original cats were like, "She has cool toys..but we just don't know about  her."    Little cat felt a little overwhelmed. She couldn't even eat without being starred down. But, she put on a brave face....recited, "You is kind.. You is smart..You is important..." and soon claimed the dog's bed as her own.  ...  She quickly claimed the people in the home....as her own, too... The other cats started to see her good attributes..and started to like her...almost as much as her toys.  They realized she made a great snuggle buddy. She had been brought in...as part of the family.. No more cold ...

For  several months I have been pulling myself out of my warm, toasty bed at the crazy time of 5:20 a.m. to meet a group of -oh-so-worth-it ladies at 6:00 a.m.   Being so-not a morning person, I hesitated to begin a group at this time, but this was the best time for all of the other moms.  We have journey through several studies and today, we completed our study on Colossians.   This is the end of Colossians 4.   Many of us thought this wasn't necessary to study, but KNOWING God's word is living and breathing and useful for all training, I knew there had to be more than meets the eye.   ...and is there! Final Greetings 7  Tychicus  will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant [ a ]  in the Lord.   8  I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our [ b ]  circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.   9  He is coming with On...

So love can fail if I don't feel that my spouse or friend isn't being easy to love?  So my love can fail if I feel someone else can love me better?    So my love can fail if being together isn't fun anymore?  So my love can fail  if I feel that God wants me to be happy ...even though Christ was a "man of many sorrows"?   (Isaiah 53:3).   We KNOW these things aren't true...but we often choose not to live this way. Read 1 Corinthians  13 1If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [ a ] as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers ( [ b ] the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in ...