Ahh...Spring is on the way

My favorite time of year is Fall but Spring rates next.  I appreciate Winter because little skin is seen.  I detest Summer because of all the ludicrous flesh baring clothing (or lack of) that must be endured. 

At the moment, though its only mid-February, I hear one little bird waking up.  It is a beautiful reminder that as long as this world exists, spring will come. Much hope is in my life at the moment.  

Come July, I will observe 60 turns around the Sun.  Incredible!  Lately, much thought is given to what my life has been, what has been accomplished and what I will leave behind. To many, according to the worlds standards, I've been a total failure. I prefer to see my life in terms of eternal perspective.  I prefer to define life events from a spiritual point of view.

Early days were simple and uncomplicated without adult pressures.  All my needs were met.  I remember a few happy Christmas mornings.  Despite turmoil in the household, I had strong prayer warriors giving me a spiritual foundation that would set me up for future events.

Teen years weren't fast enough.  Too much to contend with.  I desired friends and understanding adults.  There was a church that did much to shape the rest of my days because of a godly, spirit-filled, powerful pastor.  There was a mentor to listen to the ramblings of a sad, confused teenage mind.  Still, at 18, I remember grabbing all the zest and zeal from things and people around me.  Homelife turmoil was getting further behind which aided in that quest.  Then began the sad dirge toward "happily ever after."  Would I ever meet "the one?"

Then, "the choice."  Wedding invitations in hand, I clearly heard the Spirit speak in my heart and say, "Wait!"  The Lord did not say I would not get married.  He simply stated, "Wait!"  Of course, wanting what everyone else had and desperately needing "Happily Ever After," I did not wait!  Sixteen years for that to bear fruit and it did.  Boy, did it ever.  

I've often testified when asked if I, "would I change that time."  I would say, "No!"  One, because of my precious daughter who blesses me all the time with her life.  Second,  would I want a "do over" of that life changing time?  I would also say, "No!" Even though I learned to trust the Lord in ways I never understood before.  Third, would I actually "ask" for such a lesson?  Absolutely Not!  So it is true, "All things work together for them that love God, who are called according to His purpose." (Rom 8.28)

Did the Lord know I would make such decisions?  Of course.  Did my Heavenly Father know how I would act, react and respond to such decisions?  Of course!  It was His way of teaching and training me for the next twenty years that would see "60 turns around the Sun."  He knew and still knows my "expected end."  (Jer 29.11)

Now, the rest of the story.  Sixty turns around the Sun and what do I have, what is my testimony/legacy?

• Hope of Heaven when this life is done
• a praying momma still with me
• a beautiful daughter
• a wonderful son in-law
• a gloriously, delightful, wonderful granddaughter
• still happily in touch with NC family and their lives
• best friend of 45+ years
• KJV inspired church home
• humble, godly Pastor
• church friends
• eternal truths preached into my heart 
• good job
• roof over my head
• food in the fridge
• reasonable health
• car and $$$ to put gas in it
• a sound mind to tell any reader of this blog how good God has been to this ole girl

I could go on but you get the idea.  Spring, dear reader, is on the way!  Hang in there.  Trust the One who died for you and rose from the dead and still lives that you may live abundantly! (Jn 10.10)

Continue...2024

Can it really be that we are four years beyond the nightmare that was 2020?  A time that shut down churches, business and lives?  This blogger always believed it was political ploy, though a very real illness to be sure.  Yet, here we are 2024!  This will be my sixth decade around the sun in a few months.  My thoughts run to Colossians 4.2, "Continue..."

Continue what, you ask?

Well, the verse directs to "Continue in prayer, and watch...with thanksgiving."  Verse 5 instructs to "Walk in wisdom...redeeming the time."  Obviously, we should study the Word "that we may know how...to answer every man."  We will have much of the same in each life.  Church, work, kids, housekeeping, bills...and two things prevail that we may "continue;"  First, "In everything give thanks..." (I Thes 5.18) and second, "Continue in prayer..."

Life is difficult, hard and sometimes downright discouraging. (2 Cor 4.9) For a believer there is no place to stop, quit or give up.  We understand it is a daily walk with Him who "called us out of darkness into His marvellous light." (I Pet 2.9)

No new years resolutions. No better intentions.  No singular purpose.  Simply, "continue" in the way you have known. (2 Tim 3.14)  He never changes (Mal 3.6) and as believers one may depend on His "unchanging hand."

If one needs to adjust to His will, then do so, willingly and without murmuring.  All else yields to "continue in the way thou hast known." (2 Tim 3.14)

So, New Year Resolution?  "Continue!"

Thank you, thank you, thank you

Our KJV Word of God mentions gratitude at least 178 times! The images and verses below show three.

Just the word (thank) is shown 25 times in the KJV.

"Thanksgiving" is noted 28 times in the KJV.

Websters 1828 tells us that "thank" is to "express gratitude or favor."  Gratitude is an "emotion of the heart excited by favor."

When a child is asked "what are you thankful for" they will say the sweetest, simplest things;

• mommy
• daddy
• puppy
• toys

When a teenager is asked "what are you thankful for" they might say:

• parents who care
• xbox
• food
• car

When an adult is asked "what are you thankful for" they might reply:

• my spouse
• my family
• health
• job

When a believer is asked the same question, almost all will begin with:

• salvation
• Bible
• church
• strength to get thru the day

The topic of this entry would be simply to ask, What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

"Falling..."

 "To everything there is a season..." (Eccl 3.1)

I LOVE FALL!

First, let us pay homage to bible verses about this wonderful time of year:

"Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest." (Jer 5.24) 

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." (Jms 5.7)

" That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil."(Deut 11.14)

However, when you study what happens during this season it could be viewed as a bit of an "oxymoron."  That is, a contradiction to what is beautiful.  Autumn is a time of "letting go!"  It means the "bloodline" or sap of plant life goes away.  Plant life turns brown.  Leaves come off the trees in a brown, sometimes soggy mess for us to clean up.  

Autumn is a time of harvest.  Harvest for life-sustaining things. Like; Apples, Basil, Beans, Cantaloupes, Carrots, Celery, Collard Greens, Corn, Cucumbers Eggplant, Figs, Grapes, Lettuce, Melons, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Pecans, Plums, Spinach, Squash, Strawberries, Tomatoes...

But the colors!  The gorgeous oranges, golds, reds, burnt corals!!!  Just WOW!

True, it is a time of "letting go."  What time, event or situation, which you have absolutely NO control over, should you "let go?"  Just thank God for the beautiful things that ARE in your world, whether personal or just His creation in Autumn and "let go!"  You will be happier and more content for it.

Enjoy your Autumn!

Looking forward to fall

Still my first love

My beautiful daughter finally obtained her Real Estate license!  She is a dear child to her momma, faithful wife, loving mother, homemaker, motivational architect for young ladies, beloved niece, devoted daughter in-law and authoress of another book! ("Dive into Modesty")! That's nine books, two published poems, two newspaper articles and the architect of Striving for Rubies" Conference #2!  Once again, a place where young and older believers alike may find help, encouragement and fellowship with like-minded sisters in the Lord.  It's a lot of work but Rachel maintains she does none of it for acclaim or money.  It's simply a burden the Lord put on her heart for others.  

There is much to say about my 3 y.o. little darling granddaughter but at the moment my heart is to focus on the legacy the Lord has given me in the young woman pictured.  

I knew the moment she was handed to me in the hospital that God was giving her to me to love, train and support in any endeavor she wanted.  Life still tends to have curves, bumps and boisterous waves but because of the leadership of the Holy Spirit in the hard times and my honor to train her in things of the Lord as much as I was able, she excels in it all!

It seems the older I get - with the big one looming next year, the more I reflect on what I will leave behind.  I am thinking about what others will remember about me.  Will I be remembered like my grandmother, "grit with her grace."  Will I be remembered like my mentor, one who listened to any thought I needed to share while struggling with so much disappointment.  

Ecclesiates 3.1 declares, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Thus current musings cause me to consider, "what now?"