Blessed Thanksgiving

Oh give thanks to the Lord, His mercy's are forever.....

Isn't that something to be thankful for? But there are so many things. What are you thankful for today? I sit in my cluttered office and smell my candle flickering. I enjoy that my husband has a day off and is sleeping; no phone calls. I feel peaceful and well. I will be with my family today. I will eat good food and play boring games- but be able to laugh at my family. Maybe we will watch a movie together. It doesn't matter to me, because this is the good life: family, faith and friends- what could be better?

Should I be David and write a Psalms today it would say this..

He was faithful to me and my family. Praise his name and give thanks!

So as we remember all the things we are thankful for today. Keep in prayer the lonely; family less and humbly pray. For God loves the broken. They may feel lonely today, but he sits on the street corner with them. He walks in the shelters; and it is His people that need to be His feet and heart. Blessing to all today, on Thanksgiving.

freefoto.com

What are You Thankful For....

It is amazing to me the wonderful things all around us. It does not take any time at all to see goodness. Everywhere there is something to see that brings loveliness to our world. Tomorrow our country celebrates a time of thanks.

Why not post five things you are thankful for. I will start...

Family

Friends

Home

Laughter

God

Faithful Husband

Great church and leadership

Health

Pets

Seasons

Readers of blog...

Post a comment and let me know what you are thankful for....

bigphoto.com

Manual

I purchased my birthday present, a month late: an Ipod. But I have no clue on how to use it. So I am downloading the instructions: without reading those I am clueless...

Seems the same with God. You may be introduced to God, but how much easier to learn about him by reading his manual. The Bible gives us so much good information, but it does take time to read and understand. Sometimes that may seem dull or difficult. However when we do decide to read the book...well, we learn.

I am glad gave us a way to connect with Him and to know His ways....

Blessings....

Abundance

Abundance. Sometimes when I stop to think of the great amount of blessings around me I am in awe. This picture: look at the wonderful color, imagine the texture and taste. The smell and the joy of eating so many healthy things.

God is a god of so many blessings. I am thankful.

picture: bigphoto.com

Waiting Results

It has been a long day for me. I have been so concerned about a few people in my life. I have spent a lot of time deep in prayer. My chores that should have been done are not. But I go to bed at peace. Sometimes priorities of chores need to be set aside for God.

I believe the time I spent in prayer will make a difference so I can go to bed peaceful. God has shown me some amazing things recently around the matter of prayer. I don't understand it at all; but I have seen people changed by it.

So my "wasted" time today, I see as investment. And I am patiently waiting the results.

Just Take Care

Recently I am just working hard to keep emotionally balanced. This is "my time" of the year. Winters, for many people with bipolar or Seasonal Affective Disorder are hard times. We crave sun lights like food; and often spiral into depression or other things. Add holidays- yep, a mess.

Then when all else is spinning, comes guilt. Why am I so angry, depressed, not trusting etc.....things; so many things..........spin into the picture.

I am thinking that maybe we need to be easier on our selves sometimes. It is so easy to demand so much, particularly now at holidays. Is the food right? Will they like my gifts? Who's coming to dinner? Will it be good....Did I invite the right people? Etc.

Taking care of ourselves is not easy. But I think it is important. I think it must be with compassion God looks at us at times. We get so busy we don't stop for him, don't take care of ourselves and he must just wonder.

Care givers often forget their own care. So as holiday's come, take care. Spend time with God, care for yourselves: and be at peace. You are special.

Let Go. Let God.

I was sitting here thinking. I know what I need to do sometimes. "Let go. Let God." That seems so easy to say- but sometimes I think Christians say it too much. Sometimes I think that we are careless. When a struggling brother is hurting we throw out a worthless little phrase to quickly dismiss them and get on with life. This is not caring, because it is simplistic. It takes little time to listen and care when we can roll a little phrase at a brother.

Yes, people need to trust God: but I think that God puts us in places at times to share a cup of hope, a tender smile a listening ear. When we enter our world with hearts full of love, actions speak so much more than a word tossed out.

Around me are struggling people. I am praying hard for hurting among me. I too, become overwhelmed with things on my plate. Sometimes, my needs are a listening ear, a tissue passed along. Maybe a phone call. Maybe just a tender smile. When I see the actions of others trusting God, loving: then I am more able to "Let go. Let God." because I see God working in the giver.

On the other hand, when I am broken and get tossed a Christian saying- I am hurting worse. Because I have been dismissed quickly with a trite saying. No care was really offered.

Oh- I am not saying I am not guiltless. The phone call that comes on caller I.D. that I don't pick up because, "They have so many problems." The person I really don't listen to, because I am too busy on my own issues. Or the person I quickly judge as "too needy" when I really don't know about them. All these faces come back to judge me when I become hasty in judgement of others.

I just want to be sure my words and actions say the same things: I care. Caring can be work: but it is what Jesus did, so it is what I want to do.

He Likes Spending Time With Us

I visited my friend, and her granddaughter was there. We danced together. When I picked her up I would throw her in the air and then dip her low to the ground. At first her little eyes would get big with fear. But once she realized I would not drop her and would always be there if I threw her in the sky or if I dipped her low: she squealed with joy and giggled, and laughed.

What interested me was that when I would hold her between songs she got quiet and studied my face intensely. She wanted to know my face. All the rest of the day she would follow me with her arms open for me to pick up. And I believe that is the relationship God wants for us as well. He wants us to enjoy him in the up and down times, to intensely study him and then delight to be in his presence. God likes spending time with us.

Are You Ready?

Well, my camera is not here, or maybe...maybe I would show you my house: on the other hand maybe not. Boy, is it a mess. The reason? Well, I am a Christmas nut. I have lots of trees and lots of decorations.

This year I have been asked to have a party for the true needed. I will have 20 guests and I am working like crazy to make this a wonderful party for them. I have gifts wrapped, cookies decorations etc. But my house has paid a big price. Right now I am in the wrapping gifts, baking cookies stage. And it is pretty bad here......WOW!

I am thinking it must be that way for Jesus. He says he is making a home for us in heaven. I can imagine that he is trying so hard to make it what we would want. That is exciting, isn't it? It will be better than anything we can imagine, and I am ready for my new home. How about you?

Trust the Master Weaver

I was feeling really anxious today. Miserable. I tried praying, counting my blessings and any thing else I thought might help. Nothing did much to change my mood. I did get a bit better but certainly can not brag about great things changing. Do I regret the day- not really, yes I was miserable, and still I am anxious and depressed. But it takes rain to grow flowers, and the air is so fresh when it is done.

I don't like feeling miserable. But I am learning that when it seems bad, good often results. I appreciate things so much more. I learn compassion for other suffers. I don't like the bad days, but they too have their work.

Here is a poem I love, it used to hang in my home growing up.

Trust the Master Weaver

Author: Unknown

When gray threads mar life's pattern
And seem so out of line-
Trust the Master Weaver
Who planned the whole design.
For in life's choicest patterns
Some dark threads must appear
To make the rose threads fairer,
The gold more bright and clear.

The pattern may seem intricate
And hard to understand
But trust the Master Weaver
And His steady, guiding hand.

Just Listening

I had a very bad day today. My illness was kicking me, and then my son told me he is moving away. During this bad day I was really praying. I just seemed at the end of my rope. "God help me!" My anxiety did not go away. And things did not get all warm and fuzzy, but what did happen was out of the blue my friend called to check on me and then my neighbor came over to see if I was OK. Neither of them has done that before.

What happened? I don't know, but it has impressed me that God did send someone. My day is finally about over, and I am glad. But I also am thinking that sometimes God uses others to do the work he wants. I need to think about that, pray and meditate on what God is calling from me. If I listen, perhaps, God may use me to make the call or to visit.....something to think about for sure. And, it is sobering to think that my hearing of God must be in tune with his mission.

Just Keep Me Seeking

I was listening to someone once, that told how she bailed out of different religions when things were confusing to her. I respect this person very much but I have been thinking about that. I wondered when she would be bailing out in her religion now? I do understand that there are times when things just don't make sense to us. That I believe is the time to really pray and keep seeking. Dig deep, but don't give up.

I am learning more, and more there are the times of storm before the calm.

Recently I was having difficulty as I struggled with where God was. I did not feel him, and my prayers seemed to bounce off of the ceiling back to me. I kept praying and still felt nothing. This lasted several weeks. Yet, I just kept praying. In faith, I stood in prayer. I never did have a lighting bolt experience with God. Instead he came to me in a still small voice. His answer: rest.

That seemed to me a ridiculous request. Rest! So simplistic, yet as I obeyed; I became quiet and now all sorts of things are becoming clear to me that never have been before.

I am not in criticism of the person I mentioned. We all stop praying and seeking at times. But as I mature as a Christain, I realize more than ever that those times we don't understand push us to the deepest growth. Because if we keep seeking, God does answer. It is not always the answer that we expect, but it the answer that shows us a deeper God.

I have been told that to establish a tree you don't water too often. The reason is that this forces the tree to struggle deep. This deep root system then waters the tree for life; and it establish strength for the tree in storm.

I want that kind of system. I don't like the silent treatment from God, and I don't like conflict: but those things push my limits and establish me in God. So, for today, keep me seeking and trusting in God.

Caring for the Small Things

Do you think God cares about little things? I am sure that I must be a genetic kin to Thomas. I would have wanted tnot only to see the scars in God's hand, but I would have wanted a DNA sample. I am not a faith based person like some. It surely is one of my weaker gifts. Yet, sometimes it is the small things that touch me that God does...and here is an example.

I have mental illness. One of those crazy things that happens to me is that I get stuck in cycles of on going worry. I just recircle thoughts over and over, and two big things have been worries for me in the past months. The first is that I would not get my deck painted, the second is that my garage would not get cleaned.

My life is a busy one and the busier it got, the more frantic I became about getting these chores done: yet, it just seemed that I could not get the two finished without some other thing bumping them down the priority list. And that brought my stress up the ladder.

But yesterday, it happened. We had unusually warm weather here, and I was able to cross the last thing on my list off. I was able to satisfy my last wish: clean the garage.

It sounds simple, but I just praised God all day when I realized he had helped me finish my list so I can rest through the winter.

It is a God that works with a "crazy woman" to finish her to do list, that makes me have comfort with him. For he does care about our small items.

Why?

Why do bad things happen in this world? Why do children get sick? Why do good people suffer what appears needless pain? Why does the person that seems to be good parent material, desperately wanting a child-not have one; yet, the person that has no parent skill seem to have the ability to produce child after child.

I have wondered these questions too. I don't always understand why "good people" have "bad luck". And as I ponder these things, I realize that in the bible good things did not always happen to good people. Jesus hung on the cross? Why? What did he do to deserve that? Nothing.

Does that mean God, the father, is cruel? No. It means he has a wider spectrum than we do. Often I see that God sees eternity. Our time period is simply a dot in a whole huge picture. God never operates on the worlds time table. He never operates in a cruel manor: but he does work towards the best for all people. We, as Christians, need to remember that our life does not end here. Our reward is in eternity. Our work begins here, but does not end here. As does our reward.

Daily God manages a universe. We do not. Sometimes it does take faith to believe. It is a daily relationship with a loving God that gives us the faith to know: God has not forgotten us. That is where faith is developed.

Back to Sleep

Well, I was up at 1:50 A.M. today...not too happy about it either. The reason is that my computer crashed, and I had concerns my identity had been stolen. Still am a bit concerned but I will be checking in with the banks later. Yet, today, on my husbands lap top I finally was able to get into my bank accounts. None of them has been touched. I have had to answer security questions of all my banks: but those questions kept others out of my accounts.

I am thinking that sometimes we are vulnerable. It is part of life. But, I find comfort knowing God is never taken in surprise. Nothing happens he does not know about. So...now at 4:23 A. M. I think I will go back asleep.

It is good to know I am in good hands/ God's hands.

Jesus Was Respectful

Someone sent me an email telling me all her reasons for voting for her candidate. She quoted scriptures, which I felt out of context, and I just did not understand why she wrote.

The woman is a lovely person, so this seems so out of character for her. I felt pushed, and as if she was saying that if I did not vote as she had I was less of a Christian. Was I? No. God gives us the choice to make decisions by our values and beliefs. My friend over stepped my boundaries.

So...Well, I chose to believe my friend simply did not see how the letter came across. But I have been thinking about her email. We need, as Christians, to be especially careful how we use scripture and also to treat each person with dignity and respect. Jesus never forced, needlessly embarrassed. Neither should we.

I Chose to Be Thankful

I was sick today. Miserably sick. I went to the doctor's and was given medicine that took a long time to work; but that experience was a good one. It helped me remember to be compassionate when others are sick. It helped me appreciate the days I feel fine, and it kept me thankful for a husband that waited an hour and half in the waiting room.

Life has many choices. Today I chose to be thankful. Blessings to the readers!

Pray for Your Country

I have been thinking. What would happen if all the readers of this blog committed to pray daily for our country until the next election? The party is not important; faithfulness is. We could pray for leaders, we could pray for policies. We could pray for ourselves to appreciate and support our land.

What if.........

Four years, in prayer, with a group of committed people. Will you join me, pray and love your country? God Bless America! and all other nations...because our country is our home and we are blessed.

Too Tight

My friend and I were laughing at each other. Why? Well, like so many people our finances are really starting to be stretched TIGHT. We laughed as we heard the other one describe the stress and frustration to stay paying the bills when times are so tight. We just enjoyed being together sharing the misery I guess!

That experience was a good one. Why? Because it made me realize once again that joy comes often from attitude. God tells us to rejoice daily and that call helped me do that. I noticed so many happy things in this day. Sure, budget is so tight; but I have shelter, food and friends. I sit behind this screen sharing my life. I have hope. Not one day goes without God knowing about it. And today I was able to find so many funny happy things around me.

Today I rest in Jesus.

A Storm Coming...

Our stocks tumbled again yesterday, and now I am hearing more and more people that are losing their jobs. Am I afraid; um, no. Will I be afraid? Maybe, but more and more I am becoming peaceful and steady. I have seen God take care of us so many times. We do have troubles, but then I see God make those troubles bring out good.

Now is a time when people are suffering. My heart is being pulled in many ways as I watch our current economic situation. I am concerned, and I am starting to prepare for troubles. Slowly we are putting money aside, and I am wondering if my tenants are going to be able to keep rents coming.

I watch as people, good people struggle. Yet, I am in prayer. We are heading for a storm. Pull in and press together. God wants us wise, prepared but most of all running to him. So if a storm comes, may we be ready to depend on God.

Today, I am trusting.

I Am Thankful

Imagine how difficult managing the world must be for God. I am not happy with the elections, I am a Republican. But, my Democratic friends are so happy. This is where we can meet. We turn our lives over to God and to his management. I can be glad anyway, as I know God is never taken by surprise. And that is comfort.
Today, I will rejoice in the fact God is still in control. And I am thankful.

It's Over

Its almost over......the elections. I am so tired of it all. Today we will know if we have a new president. I am so thankful that we do not have to keep at it.

Makes me think of heaven. One day, we as believers can say, "Its' over!" and walk into heaven. Won't that be a time of joy!

Practice Here/ Enjoy True Freedom

Have you ever seen anything like this.... the fighting over candidates. I know there is always fighting but this year; I am simply shocked. I don't understand it either. Where is freedom of speech and choice now?

I am concerned when Christians can't love their fellow worshipper as Jesus does. And it is interesting to me, I can't think of one reference to politics Jesus ever started. Why is that? I think it is because he never was caught up in the world. He served others but ultimately knew his home was else where.

Does that mean, we stand and do nothing? I don't think that either. The bible tells us to occupy until he returns. I believe that means we should be outstanding citizens, but when it is over Democrats and Republicans will be in heaven together. Better practice love here, and enjoy true freedom there.

What's On Your Mind?

It has occurred to me that women need a place to just sit, chat and share. Sometimes we spend so much time running we get little time for ourselves. I am opening this spot to any woman that just wants to chat.

I spent time with friends lately. Don't they look happy? Time with girlfriends, is time well spent.

This is time to affirm who we are, our values and our hearts. These women love God, and my time with them is good.

Come share with me. What's on your mind?