Laughter with friends

Rainy days

Sunshine

Birds singing

Cold drink of water on a hot day

Hot coffee on a snowy morning

Watching snow fall from my living room window

Playing with my granddaughter

Hugs from my grandchildren

Phone calls from my children

Vacation at the beach w/family & friends

My puppy asleep in my lap

A loving extended family

Prayer

Southern Gospel music

A job that's also a ministry

Christian sisters and brothers

Kindness

Smiles

Wonderful weekends

Butterflies

Spring is here

Ladybugs

Dolphins

Walking without pain

Cards of encouragement

A good book

My morning quiet time

My evenings

Freedom

Jesus loves me

I am a child of God

Live, Laugh, Love

Being Thankful

I've been thinking a great deal about being thankful lately.

  

I see so many people around me who are hurting 

physically, emotionally, psychologically, relationally, and spiritually.

 

The tsunami in Japan.

People starving while others throw away food.

Children and women being abused in so many ways.

Christians being persecuted for their faith.

People who are fighting for the freedoms that we take for granted.

Then I look at other happenings around the world.

The political fussing and fighting that is so ridiculous!

 So called "idols" who people listen to just because they can

maybe sing or act or "something".

Some of them are just famous "because".

And our society worships them.

You're probably wondering where the thanks is in all of this.

I am thankful I know Who has won the victory.

I am thankful for the One Who has taken care of me through all the 

ups and downs of my life.

I am thankful that God has revealed and is revealing Himself to me daily.

I am thankful that no matter what 

may happen to this body of mine as it ages,

my spirit is safe in the Father's hands.

I am thankful that God is my Father and Husband.

I am thankful that Jesus is my Savior and Best Friend.

 I am thankful the the Holy Spirit is my Guide and Teacher.

"In God, whose word I praise,

In God I have put my trust;

I shall not be afraid 

What can mere man do to me?"

Psalm 56: 3-5

"Lord Jesus, I worship You alone. 

Thank You for Your love, mercy, kindness, and grace.

Enable me to live more like You every day.

I Love You!

Amen"

 

 

"Sometimes just being there is all that is needed."

 I have learned over the past few years that we sometimes 

talk too much when someone is hurting.  

Many times all that's needed is a hug.

If they're genuine, tears minister to a hurting heart.

Platitudes and even scripture are often not the way to go.

Sometimes, however, a well placed word or two can help.

Just be certain they are healing, not hurting words.

"I know how you feel" 

doesn't  help because when you're hurting 

you don't care if someone else knows how you feel.

You just know you hurt.

"He's in a better place" 

may make her feel bad because right now 

she doesn't want him to be in a better place.  

She wants him with her.

"Call me if you need anything" 

is nice but most likely he won't call.

"We're picking you up and taking you out to eat tonight" 

may be just what he needs to hear.

"God knows what is best"

is true but not always appropriate

because loss doesn't seem best at the time.

"I care and I'm praying for you" 

mean more than you may know.

 When I was going through my worse pain after my divorce,

the people who just listened 

and listened some more helped me the most.

Even if they'd heard it all before,

they listened again.

They allowed me to vent, 

to complain,

to cry,

to grieve.

No judgment.

No platitudes.

No "get over it'.

And after they listened to me,

I believe they listened to God.

The words that helped me heal came from these people.

So if you don't know what to say,

say nothing!

Hug!

Listen!

Cry!

"Jesus wept."

John 11:35

 

 

Sunshine fills the world with wonderful warmth!

Posies fill the sky with sweet smells!                   

Rain fills the rivers with rushing rills!                  

Insects fill the garden with gorgeous gardenias!

Nectar fills the flowers with fruitful flavor!           

God fills His child with complete contentment!   

“While the earth remains,
      Seedtime and harvest,
      Cold and heat,
      Winter and summer,
      And day and night
      Shall not cease.” 

Genesis 8:22

Delight!

 This is one of my favorite words.

"a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment;  

joy; rapture"

"to give great pleasure, satisfaction,or enjoyment to; 

please highly"

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, 

© Random House, Inc. 2011.

 

In what do you take delight?

I delight in:

my children and grandchildren
conversations with friends  
laughter.
drinking in the sights and sounds of the ocean.
the melody of children's voices.
good Southern gospel singing.
a warm sunny day.
a spring thunderstorm
my dog welcoming me home.

 

I could list many things that bring delight to my life.

I cannot name many material possessions delight me.

I suppose my radio, CD player, and TV do 

because that's how I enjoy Southern Gospel music.

But they are just a means to an end.

My Bible brings me delight because reading it is 

one way I communicate with God.

I delight in knowing I am a child of THE KING!

"Delight yourself in the LORD;

And He will give you the desires of your heart."

Psalm 37:4

 

And I delight in knowing THE KING delights in me!

"He brought me out to a wide-open place; 

He rescued me because He delighted in me."

Psalm 18:19

"Finding" Myself

"I need to find myself."

"I don't know who I am."

So many people are looking for themselves.

"Who am I?"

"Why am I here?"

 

The world gives a myriad of answers to those questions.

Fame, fortune, success, material possessions are just a few of the remedies.

He who dies with the most toys wins.

Only problem is, none of them are right.

This is why so many famous rich successful people 

are the most miserable people in the world.

So how do we "find" ourselves?

Jesus gave us the answer.

"In that day you will know that I am in My Father,

you are in Me, and I am in you."

John 14:2

 

Fusion:

"the act or process of fusing; the state of being fused."

Fuse: 

"to combine or blend by melting together; melt.

to unite or blend into a whole, as if by melting together."

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2011. 

"Fusion with Him means finding who you are."

Joni Eareckson Tada

 

 There is a void in our being that needs to be filled.

It can only be filled by God.

He is the One who gives us identity and purpose.

He reveals us who we are, who He created us to be.

 

This does not happen through keeping rules and regulations.

It is not about being the best we can be.

This fusion is a result of a relationship with God.

He is the One who makes us whole.

 

Fusion takes place as we spend time with Him.

Prayer, Bible study, worship, and fellowship 

with other believers are the keys to this relationship.

 The more time we spend with Him,

the more we grow to be like Him.

 

And it is in being like God that we find ourselves.

 

"So God created man in His own image; 

He created him in the image of God; 

He created them male and female."

Genesis 1:27

 

 

 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, 

there is a new creation; old things have passed away, 

and look, new things have come."

2 Corinthians 5:17

Random Thoughts

The sun is shining today after yesterday's deluge.

It's cold but just the sight of the sun warms me.

I'm having some random thoughts so I thought I'd write them down.

I love to laugh.  

Laughter really is the best medicine.

No matter what is happening in your life,

when you laugh you feel better.

So laugh!

I love to smile.

When you smile at someone hopefully they smile back.

It might be the only smile they see that day.

So smile!

I love to encourage.

Sometimes just a word or two can make a difference to a person.

If someone looks good, tell them.

If someone does a good job, tell them.

If someone lifts your spirits, tell them.

So encourage!

I love to listen.

Listening has become a lost art.

Ask yourself:

Am I thinking of what I want to say, or am I listening?

Am I thinking of what I have to do, or am I listening?

We all want others to listen to us.

So listen!

 

I love to cry.

A good cry cleanses the body and soul.

"Those who sow with tears reap with songs of joy."

The best tears are those shed with and for others.

So cry!

 

 I love to live.

The older I get, the more precious life is.

I wish I'd realized this when I was younger.

I'm thankful I realize it now.

It's not about how much I have.

It's not about what I do.

It's about relationships.

Laughing, smiling, encouraging, listening, crying.

Living!