Under Cover…~ Thought for the Day ~

We were driving around the other day and saw four deer next to a tree line. They immediately ran into the woods and out of sight. Nearly every time I see deer, they are hanging close to a tree line so that the least little sound or the first sign of trouble, they can dart under cover. But there are other animals that stay in plain sight. Our horses for example. They hang out in plain sight all day long. In fact, when they see us or hear us, they might run, but it’s to us instead of away from us. They know us, they trust us, and they know we can give them what they need. When I made the choice to walk with Christ, I spent a lot of years hanging close to the tree line. But the thing is, there’s more danger in the darkness than there is out in the open. I don’t want to be a deer, darting into the cover of darkness. In fact, the only running I want to do, is toward God and the only cover I want is under His wing of protection because I know Him, I trust Him, and He is the ONLY one who can give me what I need.

March winds of change are blowing!!

On this 25th day I’m going to change how I view possessions. I try to remember but sometimes I forget…I have nothing. Everything in my possession is there because God has allowed it to be there. Including “my” girls. They are His but He has blessed us with them. Nothing is ours, nor do we DESERVE anything. We are not worthy enough to deserve anything. Especially if what we think we deserve causes others pain and sadness. When we start thinking that we DESERVE something, Satan wins. When we start admitting that God has blessed us far beyond anything we could ever DESERVE, then we win.

My Sunday Prayer

Dear Gracious Heavenly Father,

We thank You for all of the blessings that we see amidst a broken and fallen world. We thank You for time spent with family rather than wasted chasing entertainment. We thank You for quiet times of prayer and meditation that we might grow closer to You. We thank You for time with our spouses to invest in our marriage that is second only to our relationship with You. We thank You for those who are working to keep stores stocked, patients cared for, utilities on, and their families cared for. We pray for all who don’t know You as their Savior, that their eyes and would be opened to Your amazing mercy and grace and that they would turn away from their sins, humble their hearts, and repent. We know that You have the power to heal this land and bless it beyond anything we could imagine. And we know and believe that You will. We thank You. We love You. And we give You all the honor, glory, and praise! Amen!!!

Will You Drink?…Thought for the Day…

The word ‘to’ and the word ‘in’ have a lot in common. It’s been awhile but if memory serves me correctly, they are both prepositions, they’re both used frequently, they both consist of two letters, and I’m sure they have many other similarities. But they are also very different. If you were wandering aimlessly and you were dying of thirst, you could go ‘to’ the water or you could go ‘in’ they water. ‘To’ gets you close. You may even be close enough that you can describe the water to others. Tell them how good it is for them. Maybe even show them the way to the water….but unless you’re willing to make that last little bit of effort, you won’t be ‘in’ the water. And unless your lips are actually ‘in’ the water, you can be right next to it and still die of thirst. I said all that to say this…you can go ‘to’ Christ and remain there until you breathe your last breath but unless you are ‘in’ Christ and He is ‘in’ you, you will die of thirst. The dead ‘in’ Christ shall rise! But the dead ‘to’ Christ….He never knew. So I guess my question is, will you drink?

Words like dandelions… Thought for the day…

Have you ever blown on a dandelion? I used to love to. It was so cool how the little fuzzy pieces would float away. It seemed like they would float forever. Then one day my mom told me to stop doing it because those cool fuzzy things were seeds and everywhere they landed another dandelion would pop up. I didn’t see a problem with that since it would mean many more days spent picking and blowing on them but she explained that they are weeds and that we don’t want weeds in our lawn and garden because they’re bad for the good plants. Blowing on dandelions is not much different from spreading rumors. We may convince ourselves that it’s fun…or maybe for someone’s protection…or maybe because we feel like it’s our duty to set the record straight…or maybe we think we just can’t help ourselves. But the thing is…once we blow on the dandelion, we have no control over where the pieces go. And everywhere a piece lands, more dandelions pop up. Before it’s over, we have done more harm than good. So maybe, when we find a dandelion, it would be better to spray round-up on it instead of blowing it. Because you never know whose garden or yard is going to be hurt by it next. And regardless if the rumor is true…regardless of how reliable your source is…you are the one that has to answer to God and if what flies from your lips does anything but give Him glory, then it should probably be kept to yourself.

I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
Psalm 39:1 NKJV

What are You Dwelling On?…Thought for the Day…

This is actually a thought that I wrote awhile back but it’s as if it was meant for now….

If you watch or read any news at all, you know how easy it is to get frustrated and irritated at the state of the world. As hard as I try…I find myself getting worked up if I even think about it too much. But why does it surprise us that the world is in turmoil? In Job 1:7, the Lord asks Satan from where he came & he responded, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” Satan’s handiwork is all over this earth and in the people. And while I believe you should most definitely be aware of what is going on the world, I do not believe we should dwell on it because to dwell on it and worry about it takes away from the glory of God. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. If you are a true child of God, desiring and aspiring to do His will for His glory, then you are already part of the solution. But don’t allow the things of this earth to overshadow your relationship with God. There is nothing on this earth more powerful.

The Son is Always Shining…thought for the day…

After a few cloudy days, I’m ready for some sunshine. After a few more I feel like the sun is never going to shine again and I’m sick and tired of mud. It makes a mess of my floors. It’s a pain to put on muck boots every time I have to walk across the yard. It gets to the point that every step takes so much effort because my boots stick in the mud and I have to get unstuck before I can move forward. It’s pretty easy to lose my footing and next thing I know I’ve fallen and am completely covered in mud. But even through all of this, and even though I haven’t seen the sunshine in days, I know that the sun is up there. It’s just blocked from my view. Sometimes we let things get between us and God and it blocks Him from our view. It’s not that He’s not there. It’s just that we’ve let the storm clouds of life get between us and Him. And then the next thing you know we have allowed so much sin into our life that we’re bogging down in it until we don’t think we can move forward. But even when it’s the darkest and we’ve lost all traction and fallen to our knees, covered in the sin we’ve allowed into our life, all we have to do is ask the Son to shine into our lives and He will.

Psalm 69:2World English Bible (WEB)

²I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold.
I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

Psalm 69:14World English Bible (WEB)

¹⁴Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink.
Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.

Praise Him in This Storm…Thought for the Day…

For the last several Sundays, at the end of the day, I have looked at Todd & said, “This has just been an amazing day!” Sunday has always been one of my favorite days of the week so it’s not overly surprising that I would say that. It just seems that lately they have been even better than normal. So I began to ponder why they have been making such an impression on me. It’s not the weather because in Arkansas, the weather can easily vary 40 degrees in either direction with anything from snow to hail to rain to gusting winds to blistering sunshine…all in the same week…lol. It’s not the sermon because although I love it when I get to hear it, I’ve been in Children’s Church the last couple of weeks & haven’t gotten to hear the message. I finally realized that although my reason for attending the church has always been to praise Jesus, it just feels like the last few weeks I have accomplished that. I go to church on Sunday morning, not to receive a blessing…although I usually do, not to be a blessing…although I hope I am, not to see my church family…although I love to see them, not to learn…although I always do, not to teach…although I try, but to fully and completely worship and praise my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!! Everything else is simply a bonus!

…I actually wrote this awhile back but Sunday will always hold a special place in my heart. I know in all the uncertainty in the world and the storm that we are facing that I won’t be worshipping in the same place for the next few Sundays but I will still be worshipping. And although the worship service will not be the same, it will still be special. I will praise Him in this storm! I will still be worshipping the same amazing God that has healed my wounds, answered my prayers, and loves me with a love greater than my human mind can even comprehend. Nothing can stop His love for me and nothing can stop me from praising Him because the church is not walls and windows. WE ARE THE CHURCH! And if we can’t be the church outside of the walls and windows, then we can’t be the church inside of them!

Our Prayer for You…

Dear Gracious Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the community that You have allowed us to live in and the love for one another that we have. We come to you in a time unlike any that we have experienced before. We are facing a nation gripped by fear and uncertainty. We have those who are out of work by no fault of their own and are worried about how they will pay their bills. We are moms, dads, doctors, nurses, teachers, children, and people from all walks of life, but most importantly, we are Your children. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that You will never leave us or forsake us. Your Word also tells us in James to pray for one another and that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. So we lift up those in our community who have been affected by this trial. We pray Your protection over each and every one who reads this. We pray that instead of seeing all of the negative that the world wants us to see, that we see YOU. We see You in the kindness of neighbors. We see You in the prayers of a stranger. We see You and Your all consuming healing powers. We see You in a small group bible study. And we see You in ourselves. We know that the church building is simply a place and that we as individuals working together are the Your church. We pray that You guide us in continuing to be Your church outside of the walls of the building. We pray that You allow us to minister, both spiritually and physically, to those in this community that have a desire to move closer to You. We know the promises that You have made us and we know that You are still in control. We thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. And in all things, we give You the glory. Amen.

Itsy Bitsy Spider…thought for the day…

Thought for the day. This may only happen to me, but seems like every time we get lots of rain, suddenly I find spiders in my house. I’m assuming that they are trying to move to dry ground. When it’s dry & sunny I rarely find one in the house. But you let a little…or a lot…of rain fall & here they come. Pretty sure God is up there shaking His head thinking, “Yes little spider. Why do you always wait for the rain to seek My shelter?” And it’s true! So often we think we can handle something on our own and the next thing you know we are swept away, trying to keep our heads above water. But the thing we have to remember, is that even when we fail to move to God’s higher ground…even when we are being washed downstream…even when we can’t see any way out…all we have to do is ask & God will lift us from the swift waters, dry us off, and shelter us from the storm.

Flowers of Faith

Spring’s abloom with flowers of faith!! On this 10th day of May, I’ve been reading all the Mother’s Day statuses and opening all the sweet gifts my girls made at school for me and thinking about what it means to be a mom. God did not bless me with these girls just to have someone to love & hang out with. He put them in my care & gave me the responsibility of teaching them His word, right from wrong, self respect, self worth, respect for others, and to love and care for them as only a mommy can. And while I enjoy playing with them, watching their extra-curricular activities, shopping with them, etc…. I would rather they know God than how to make a basket, throw a curve ball, or coordinate the perfect outfit. Lord I pray that I never forget to guide our children according to Your will and that I live my life as an example. This is my prayer…and my flower of faith, to all the mom’s out there 😊

Don’t forget the Sonscreen… Thought for the Day…

~ Thought for the Day ~

I don’t sunburn easily. So when we’re at the beach…which isn’t as often as I’d like… I put off applying sunscreen…even though I know that I should put it on right away. Maybe I’ll put it on after I’ve swam or looked for seashells a little while. But then I have to wait until after I dry off. And of course I don’t want to put it on until after I help the girls build sandcastles because that will just make the sand stick even more. And besides…I’ve been out here all day and I’m not even red yet. It’s not until it’s too late that I realize that I burned. It’s kind of like that in our relationship with God. We fail to put Him first…even though we know that we should….but we’ve just been so busy lately. Maybe when life slows down we’ll have time to study our bible. I know I shouldn’t be gossiping, but this is “just between us”. Maybe I’ll miss church this Sunday but only because “I really need to catch up on a few things”. I’m just too tired to pray right now…I’ll do it later. And before we know it, we’ve strayed away from God. And once it’s too late…there’s not enough Aloe Vera in the world to cure that burn.

Filled Life or Full Life…Thought for the day…

It is so easy to confuse a busy life with a full life. We try to pack more sports, church events, girls’ nights, boys’ nights, work, family time, and vacations into our lives than we can possibly handle. I.AM.GUILTY.OF.THIS. We want to do it all, have it all, and be it all. But if we’re trying to do, have, and be, all at once, then we get absolutely no satisfaction from it and more importantly, God gets no glory from it. Instead of focusing on everything, maybe it’s time to stop and focus on God. God is supposed to come first. He wants us totally focused on Him. He doesn’t want us to give Him an hour… or occasionally two on Sunday. He wants every decision, every activity, everything, to be based on what He wants for us. If we’re reluctant to give Him our time on Sunday, then chances are we’re not giving Him any time from the other 6 days either. God, our spouse, our children, and everything else. That is the order that He wants us to have our priorities. If we constantly try to fill up our lives with everything the world has to offer, maybe we should stop and asker ourselves, ‘Do I want a filled life, or do I want a full life?’. Fill it with Jesus and you’ll never feel empty again.

³⁰And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
Mark 12:30 ESV

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ²⁸In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰because we are members of his body. ³¹“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³²This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.³³However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Ephesians 5:25-33 ESV

Mayberry Wisdom – Thought for the day…

Thought for the day. My husband was watching Andy Griffith this morning. It was about a spoiled little boy. Andy made a comment that basically if we don’t teach children to live in society then they’re never going to make it in the real world. On that episode, there was one spoiled brat but all the other kids were good. Somehow today’s society has managed to flip-flop that & now the brats outnumber the good kids. Unfortunately on occasion mine can be included in the majority. We all want our kids to have more than we did but are we also teaching them to appreciate it? Are we teaching them that all things are a blessing from God? Are we teaching them that misbehavior yields consequences? I would never ever want to be a teacher…not so much because of the kids…but because of the parents that have the “my kid can do no wrong” attitude. ALL kids can do wrong. My kids do wrong. But at least my kids know that when they do wrong, they will not only have to deal with punishment at school, they will have to deal with it at home. I’m not here to be their buddy or to be the cool mom. I am here to teach then right from wrong…to show them how to be thankful….and to hopefully equip them for life. And my most important job is to instill in them the love of Jesus Christ. If I don’t do that, then I have failed as a parent.

Blessed…not lucky. Thought for the day….

It’s all about perception…or is it? I picked up some slap bracelets for my girls at the dollar store about a few years ago. They’re those straight stick looking things that when you slap them on your wrist, they curl around it. They came 3 in a package. When I got home I discovered that 2 packages had been rolled up together. So the next day when I was in town again I stopped by the dollar store and left the extra package. My daughters thought it was odd because we had “lucked out” and gotten 2 packages for the price of 1. Well first of all, we are blessed…not lucky and something that is obtained dishonestly will not be blessed by God, but that’s a thought for another day… So I explained to them that regardless of how the packages had gotten stuck together that we only paid for one of them and to keep the other would have been stealing. Unfortunately not everyone perceives things this way. How many would say, “It’s only a dollar.”? How many would justify it because they think they’ve been overcharged for something before? How many would consider themselves “lucky” because they got a bargain? But what would those same people say, if the tables were turned, and they were the ones selling 2 separate items, and someone took both but only paid for one? Would that then be considered dishonest? It might be a matter of perception but whose perception? Perhaps if we worried a little more about God’s perception of us, then we wouldn’t have to worry about anyone else’s.

Blessed…not lucky.