Monday, September 30, 2013

Happy Monday Morning! ~ Believe

Hey there friend!


Happy Monday Morning!
 
 

"I've commanded you to be strong and brave.
Don't ever be afraid or discouraged!
I am the LORD your God, 
and I will be there to help you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9 


As I begin a new week I'm so very thankful that God is with me wherever I go.
There's no need to be discouraged.
There's no reason to be afraid.
He is forever faithful and by my side.

Love ya!

Friday, September 27, 2013

5 Minute Friday Fun: TRUE

Hi there friend!

Hope you've had a great week!

Got the one word prompt for this week's Five Minute Friday Fun and I'm not sure how this one's gonna go. 

It's not that I have a lot to say this week. {surprising, I know}
It's just that I'm not sure how to explain what I want to say. {not a surprise}

So, I'll just get started and see how it goes.


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

and GO!

TRUE

Did you know that "true north" is only a geographical direction?
Something you can find on a map or globe.

I think of God's word as our map to the "true north" in life.
The Bible shows us, from beginning to end, how to get from here {as in planet earth} to heaven.

The words of the LORD are true,
and all His works are dependable.
Psalm 33:4

Did you know that a compass doesn't point to the north pole?
It points to the magnetic north.
If you only follow that little needle you may never get to the north pole.
You've got to figure in the magnetic declination for where you're starting from.

And I think that God's Holy Spirit acts as our compass when we get off track of true north. 

If you wander off the road to the right or the left, 
you will hear His voice behind you saying, 
"Here is the road. Follow it."
Isaiah 30:21

God's word and His voice - best map and compass there ever will be!


and STOP!

Five Minute Friday


So I'm gonna go put myself in "time out" now. I kinda broke the "just write/no editing" rule.
I couldn't help myself and admit there was just a teensy bit of editing this week. *hanging my head*

Have a blessed weekend friend!

Love ya,

Monday, September 23, 2013

Happy Monday Morning! ~ The One who knows.....

Hey there friend!


Happy Monday Morning!



 "O Lord, You have examined my heart 
and know everything about me. 

You know when I sit or stand. 
When far away You know my every thought. 

You chart the path ahead of me 
and tell me where to stop and rest. 

Every moment You know where I am. 
You know what I am going to say before I even say it. 

You both precede and follow me 
and place your hand of blessing on my head. 

This is too glorious, too wonderful to believe!"
Psalm 139:1-6



I'm praying these words to God this morning - for me and for you.

I hope you know how much He loves you.

Great way to start the week don't you think?
Love ya,

Friday, September 20, 2013

5 Minute Friday Fun: SHE

Hey there!
Woo Hoo it's Friday folks!

Once again I'm linking-up blog land style over at Lisa Jo's for some Friday fun.

The third time doing this and I think I'm hooked!
I really must be because it's Friday, I'm tired, fighting a head cold {or maybe allergies} and I still want to par-tay. Well, at least for five minutes of writing fun.

It's so simple.
Very, very early each Friday morning Lisa Jo gives us the one word prompt.
Sometime during our day, when we find a quick five minutes, we just write.
It's like : Go - 5 mins - Stop.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
and GO!

SHE

She pulls in and drives slowly down the winding drive.
She looks to see if others are there today and is relieved to see no one else.
She smiles a kind of bittersweet smile at the crepe myrtles in bloom this time of year.

She came today to spend time with him. But, she knows he's not there.

Oh how her heart yearns to tell him one more time how she loves him.
How much she misses him. Every. Single. Day.
She just wants one more hug, one more smile.



She gently touches the cool stone bench where his ashes were gently placed in years ago. That's all that's left of him on this earth. That's why she goes to this place .... peaceful and quiet, yet painful.

She is not sure that those that have gone before can hear us. But, she knows her Jesus always hears.

So she asks Jesus to tell him she loves him.
She misses him.
She is so sorry.

She is so thankful to have been his mom for 25 years 6 months and 1 day.

and STOP!

Five Minute Friday


Not sure about you, but I need a tissue.

Hey friend, I want you to know something.

Because of Jesus I know I'll see my wonderful son again one day. In fact, we had promised each other when he was young that whoever got to heaven first would wait by the gate for the other. I'll get that hug and see that wonderful smile again. Some days it just seems like it can't be soon enough.

Love ya,

Monday, September 16, 2013

Happy Monday Morning! ~ Blessed by the grace of God

Hey there friend!


Happy Monday Morning!



"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD 
and have made the LORD their hope and confidence."
Jeremiah 17:7


Can I get an "Amen!"?


Love ya,

Friday, September 13, 2013

5 Minute Friday Fun: MERCY

Hey there friend!
Yay it's Friday!

I'm ready for some Friday fun! But, I'm exhausted.
So, I think I can only manage about five minutes worth of fun tonight.

Yep! You guessed it!

I'm gonna join in the fun with the other gals over at Lisa-Jo's place for ~ 


Even though Lisa Jo has been hosting these bloggy parties or as she calls them "a kind of writing flash mob" for over a year (or maybe two by now) this is only the second time I'm joining in.

So, deep breath.
and GO!

* MERCY *

The dictionary says that mercy is a noun.

However, all day I've been humming.... when mercy found me.

It's the main line or catch phrase in the Rhett Walker Band's song When Mercy Found Me.

I love that song. Really, really love it.

"In one moment everything changed 
and who I was got washed away. 
When mercy found me."

Yea, I think mercy is more like a verb than a noun.

God's mercy finds us ....
.... washes us,
.... fills us with peace,
..... gives us joy,
..... and brings healing for our broken hearts.

Maybe the word mercy is a noun, but I'm telling you God's mercy is a verb.

If you haven't experienced it just ask Him. He'll be glad to show you.

and STOP

Whew! OK. I think that's a bit better... or at least less stressful than last week. Yay me!

Hope you have a blessed weekend!

Love ya friend,

Monday, September 9, 2013

Happy Monday Morning! ~ Cherish the day!

Hey there friend!


Happy Monday Morning!




"This is the day the LORD has made. 
We will rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24


Whatever your circumstances may be, I pray this picture and verse speaks to your heart in some way.


Love ya,

Friday, September 6, 2013

5 Minute Friday Fun: RED

Hey there friend!

I'm trying something new today. It's also something a little out of my comfort zone.
However, it sounds like fun and a great exercise in writing so I'm giving it a try. If nothing else I'll quick add it to my bucket list and than cross if off. Ha!

Anyways, it's called Five Minute Friday and Lisa-Jo hosts it. It's a link-up, bloggy land party type of event held each Friday.

Five Minute Friday

What happens is you get the week's one word prompt (at least I think it's always one word) which Lisa-Jo chooses {I wonder how she comes up with them?}. You go to your blog, set a timer for five minutes and write. No fancy editing or re-dos or do overs. {that's the part that this perfectionist, type-A personality gal is having a bit of a problem with}.
Whatever you end up writing you post at your blog home. Then link-up over at  Lisa-Jo's place. The best part is you must be sociable at this party. The one rule is you must introduce yourself to the person who linked up before you and say "Hey there friend" in their comments.
 

So I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Telling hubby to set the timer on the microwave.

Deep breath.....
And GO!

RED

On my way to work this morning I was thankful for the red stop lights. Even though I was running a bit late.

It's amazing how a little red light will make all those cars and trucks stop and wait their turn.

Sometimes, I wish I had a red light in front of me during the day. It could blink a warning that only I could see to help me navigate through my day as a better person and light for Jesus.

Red light - stop & listen to that person who's trying to share with me something important that's going on in their life
Red light - stop! no gossiping zone!
Red light - pray for that one who just found out a loved one has cancer
Red light - just plain stop. rest. relax for a few.

Well, friend, it's a great idea. And in a way I do have something with me every day, although it's not a red light. Actually, it's Someone. Jesus in me helps me navigate through each day.

STOP

ugghhhhh!

So I guess it wasn't exactly an epic fail.

But, I confess I gave it two tries. And maybe the second time I went like 30-40 seconds past when hubby called time. *wink*

Hubby thinks I'm either nuts or a cheater. I'm not sure which. But, I'm not a liar and in fact sometimes too honest for my own good. So, I bent the rules a bit on my first try. I really don't think that the bloggy land police are gonna be banging on my door any minute. Oh yea -and I'm a bit sarcastic, too.

But hey, it was fun! I think I'll do better next time, now that I know how short five minutes is in "writing time".

Now to go link up over at Lisa-Jo's and say "Hi!" to the person who got to the party right before me and see what they thought about RED.

Love ya friend,

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Lowering My Nets Like Simon Peter

Hey there sweet friend!
Welcome!

OK, so no, I'm not feeling called by God to start fishing. Thank you Jesus.
Except for an occasional tuna salad sandwich I don't like to eat fish.

Today is Thursday! That means it's blog hop day!  Yay!

Those of us that have blogs and are participating in Proverbs 31 Ministries OBS (Online Bible Study) choose one of the topics for the week and write about it. I've only been able to be a part of the first week's hop and I'm so happy to be doing it again.

Here's the fun topic I chose:
Lower Your Nets – Simon Peter had no idea that his obedience to something that seemed so small and insignificant could help him discover his calling in life, but it did! What little thing is God asking of you today?

Actually, I do have a few "nets" that the Lord has asked me to lower.

Lowering my nets = obeying what Jesus is telling me to do or not to do as the case may be.



Net number one -
time with God is first each morning.
No more jumping on Facebook first thing in the morning. Not even for a quick peek.
Yea right. Just a "quick peek". *smirk*
We all know how those two minutes of FB time is like thirty minutes real time.
It ends with me thinking: "Oh my! No time for Bible reading or prayer." And praying: "Sorry Jesus. I gotta go shower. We'll chat as I drive to work. oh-kay?"




Net number two -
limit the number of blogs I follow.
I recently subscribed to follow another blog. This one is focused on writing and being a writer. What harm could there be? However, as soon as I hit the subscribe-by-email button something felt wrong. Maybe even a bit stinky. I guess like eating a bad piece of fish? {I wouldn't really know since, again, I don't eat fish} This is a perfectly fine blog which I enjoyed visiting. Maybe I'd learn a few tricks so I won't struggle with my own writing here in blogland. Honestly, sometimes it feels like I've been trying for hours and not caught written a thing. Yet for some reason, I felt the Lord telling me to unsubscribe. Just a little thing? Yes, maybe. Only God knows for sure. All I know is that as soon as I hit the unsubscribe button my yukky feeling subsided.


Net number three -{I wonder how many nets Simon Peter had} one OBS at a time please.
The same day I subscribed to the writer dude's blog, I signed up to be a part of a mini-online Bible study. What?! Am I crazy? Again, I felt a nudge in my spirit that this was not what Jesus wanted me to be doing. And so I hit that unsubscribe button once again. It's for the best - I mean since you can only steer one boat at a time, I figured one OBS at a time is enough to navigate through as well. Plus, I'm learning some amazing things through this Bible study and want to stay focused on it. I wouldn't want to be distracted by some pretty little fish in the bloggy sea.





Net number four -
To be honest with you friend, this net I've not lowered yet. I'm holding onto it and keeping it right here in my boat. You see I just need to be sure before tossing it overboard. But I think Jesus& is asking me to give up the dream for my "Miss Maribel's Place" esty shop. Yep, I may end up letting that net sink down, never to be seen again. For now I'm asking for confirmation from the Lord.




So you can see I've been busy lowering my nets like Simon Peter. Like him, some of what I've done seems small and insignificant. Maybe even a bit silly.  I'm fine with that.

You see friend, I'm following the One who loves me like no other and living each day with true joy and anticipation for what He will do in my life.

There's no better way to live the life we're given!
 Love ya friend,