Wednesday Walks

     Happy February! Not quite sure how it got here so fast. Wasn't Christmas just yesterday?

     January 31 -   a gift found on a paper, in a person, in a picture

     95/338  Godly news in an unexpected book
     96/339  Encouraging words from my hairdresser
     97/340  Big smiles of quilters holding up their completed blocks from the class I taught

     February 1 - a gift found at 11:30a.m., at 2:30p.m., at 6:30p.m.

     98/341  Brunch prepared by hubby
     99/342  A project turning out just right
   100/343 Clear skies for hubby's commute

     Ann, from the blog "a holy experience," asked us, "How do you love in difficult places, our husbands, our children? How do we live out the greatest of these commandments?"

     I told an experience I had to a friend just a couple of weeks ago that deals with this very subject. It was a couple of years ago that God called to my heart in the middle of night for about two weeks telling me to love my neighbors.  I said to Him, "But Lord, You know my heart better than anyone and You know I love my neighbors." Every night, at 2:ooa.m. He would call to my heart and say the same thing, "Love your neighbors." And my answer would always be the same, "I do, Lord."  Finally, the last night I said, "Lord, please tell me what you want me to do? I do love my neighbors!!"  He then asked me, "How do you love the ones who are evil?" I said that was maybe bigger than I could handle. The Lord said, "Pray for them."  He did know my heart.  I usually prayed for the easy ones. The ones I loved. I wasn't praying for the ones who really needed my prayers. The evil rulers of this world. I just hated them, but to pray for them? For them to see God's light? Now there's a concept. So I try to do that now. Only God can truly change someone's heart.

There is a wonderful story of Samuel in the Bible. Please read 1 Samuel 3: 3-10, for inspiration. It has always been one of my favorite stories, as well as the song, "Here I am, Lord."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcxOkht8w7c

Blessings, Deborah

 

Wet Wednesday

     Glorious rain! Filling up the creeks, filling in the cracks, filling up the thirsty earth and nourishing each leaf and soul.  I feel refreshed.
    
     January 18 - three gifts from God's word

     55/298  Phil 4:11  Not that I speak in need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.

     56/299  1Peter 4:7  Now the end of all times is near; therefore, be clear-headed and disciplined for prayer.

     57/300  Psalm 113:9  He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children.  Hallelujah!

     Walk with Him always.
     Blessings, Deborah

When God Calls

     Discernment - noun - the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure.

     Have you ever felt that God is calling on you to do something?  That tiny little voice in your heart that whispers, "This is what I want you to do for Me."  My usual response is, "Really?"  "Me?" It always gives me pause and I never rush in to obey. Why is that?  So while I was doing laundry, baking bread, baking banana nut muffins, washing the dishes, thinking about what to fix for dinner, I was talking to Him about this new call, this idea He just threw out at me out of nowhere.  How can I do this?  I'm fairly new in this town.  Hardly anyone knows me.  Of course my list of excuses is endless. Really?  I ask a hundred times over the morning and into lunch...really?  Really.  It's becoming less scary as I think of ideas to make it happen and be successful.  Whenever I have answered His call in the past I have found I am not alone in my task. He always walks the journey with me, every step of the way.  It is growing on me, this new call.  It could be fun.  I'll pray about this and decide in the morning. 
     I just remembered one of my favorite sayings, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."  I'm sorry I don't know who to give credit for the saying. 

     167)  Discerning the call
     168)  Granddaughter coming Saturday for two weeks!!
     169)  Muffins for breakfast
     170)  New quilt patterns to try
     171)  Anticipated walks on a crisp Autumn day
     172)  Artist dates
     173)  Giggling jammie parties

     Blessings, Deborah

    

Faith in the Midst of Fears

     My brain MRI is tomorrow. I'm not afraid of the MRI or what the test might reveal.  I was, until I remembered I will not be alone in the machine and however the test turns out I will still be okay. Good or bad news. Positive or negative results. I will be okay, because God is in charge of my life.  As Ann reminds us in her book, One Thousand Gifts, All is Grace.
     Fear takes on a whole new meaning when you believe that about grace. At least, it has for me.  Thank you, Lord for All of Your gifts of grace. 

     122)  Machines that see inside us
     123)  Doctors who are specialists
     124)  All my doctors
     125)  His words He left to guide and comfort
     126)  Family and friends who care
     127)  His Grace
     128)  Being His and able to praise Him freely

     Wishing you blessings, Deborah

    

Wednesday & Thankful Thursday

     I'm not sure what happened yesterday, but I'm so thankful today is different.  I woke up yesterday feeling out of sorts, depressed with basically no joy. Huh? How can that be when for the past few days I'd been spewing joy out every pore?  I read some scripture and a few pages of Ann's book and I seemed to be better. I walked around in a much better mood, then it happened again. I slid back down in the pit. ICK.  Like I said, I'm so thankful that today is a new day and filled with joy again. I know we have to expect those kind of days, being human, but I would just as soon skip them all together. I'm working on it.

     I'm going to combine "Walking with Him on Wednesdays" "Word Filled Wednesday" and "Thankful Thursdays," since yesterday was, well yesterday.

     Ann challenged us Wednesday to share this week and the next two, how we "Practice our Faith."  She asked us to answer three questions. I'm going to do one a week. 

     1)  What does it look like to believe? 

           For me it is to have faith, never give up hope, remember Who is really in charge every second of every day, follow Jesus' teachings and thank Him daily for the gifts he gives us.  

 THANKFUL THURSDAY                                                                                         

      99)  A camera to capture the moment                                

    100)  Returning favors for friends

    101)  Hearing the sounds of children playing happily                 
    102)  Helping hands reaching out in need
    103)  A black feather with a red stripe in my lawn
    104)  Heart shaped rocks
    105)  Feeling blessed on a not-so-good day

     Blessings, Deborah

    

        

          

    

      

HOPE

     Hope. A small word with such ginormous emotion. Hope is one of the ultimate gifts. To live without it is to give up. Scripture is full of hope and I need my daily dose in this world gone crazy that tries to steal it in some way each day.  I keep my eye on Him and there lies the path to hope.  The only way.
     I live for the human stories that renew my faith. The ones that speak of trials overcome, or someone born again in faith, or simply never gave up their hope. 
     Hope.  Such a small word. I feel it with each new day. I feel it in a conversation with a friend. I feel it when I look in my grandchildren's eyes.  I feel it when I pray. I FEEL IT when I read His word.
     Hope.  Please, Lord. Let me never live without it.

     Hebrews 10: 23  Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful.

     51)  Hope
     52)  Scripture
     53)  Each new day
     54)  Faith
     55)  Paths of truth
     56)  Kind words
     57)  you
 
     May you never live without hope, Deborah

Day 3 - Fifteen thru Twenty-two

     (15) "Your sister is coming today!" I shout to my husband as I dance around the livingroom like a child on Christmas morning.  I haven't seen her in months and even though we talk on (16) the phone almost daily, it is still not the same as in person. She called to say she was just over the hill and would be here in less than a half an hour.  My husband sees me staring out the window, looking down the road and asks if I plan to stay there until she gets here? I turn to him smiling, unaware that I was even doing it and say, "Maybe." Then finally she is here and all chaos explodes as dog cousins sniff dog cousins, jumping around barking as
(17) we hug and make our way inside. Once order is restored and we catch our breath, she shares a few (18) apples she stopped along the way to pick. The branch is still attached to one apple and I add it to my window with my garden (19) tomato and capture the moment. 

     The apple tree grows right along the highway, no human tends it and the apples are perfect. No worm holes, no blemishes, no diseases.  She cuts one open and slices it, handing us each a piece. It is good. 
     (20) Autumn is in the air again. Crisp mornings, warm days and cool nights. We are expecting a week of rain beginning Friday. The ground is so parched and needs it badly.  My soul does, too.  I will (21) harvest the last of the garden before it rains. There is not much left, but a few tomatoes and some herbs. The garden wasn't as productive this year as in years past. Some years are just like that. So am I actually. (22) Ecclesiastes 3, comes to mind. A time for everything.
     Wishing you blessings, Deborah