Listen!!!

I love them that love me
and those that seek me early will find me.
Proverbs 8:17

One hot July morning, I felt the prompting from the Lord to get out of bed. The sun had not risen yet, so at first I rolled over and closed my eyes again. But there it was, that need to get out of bed and wait on the Lord to speak to me.
I stumbled to the living room, picked up my Bible, and plopped on the couch. Reaching up to turn on the light, I fought the urge to curl up with my afghan and go back to sleep. I opened to the chapter I had been reading out of and tried to focus on the lettering.
“Outside, go outside” the quiet voice seemed to be saying. So I stepped out on to the deck and planted myself in a lawn chair.
“OK, God, I’m here, now what?” was my attitude. The mosquitoes began buzzing around my head. I shooed them away. I waited to see just what it was God had to show me that he couldn’t have just shown me in the comfort of my soft bed.
God knows our hearts and hears our grumbling. “Put up with the bugs.” He whispered.
“OK, Lord, I will put up with these little critters annoying me. They are small and You are big. I need a big God right now.”
(Things in our household had been unsteady for the past several weeks. We were facing financial struggles and acts of rebellion by the kids. My strength was waning. I needed a new revelation from God.)
I moved over to sit on the tiny bridge next to our pond. I sat there in the humid morning, hoping today there would be break in the scorching temperatures we’d been having. Through the moonlight, I could see my little goldfish were frolicking around playing chase with each other. I was tempted to dip my feet in the pond for a little refreshing.
Then it started. Ripples in the pond began to appear. “What’s causing that?” I wondered. Plunk! A raindrop hit me in the back of the neck. It hadn’t rained for weeks and we desperately needed it. The fire danger in the surrounding mountains was extreme. I needed the rain too. It seemed to pour over me, washing away concerns and worries.
“Thank you, Lord, for the rain.”
I turned to face the eastern sky. I wanted to see the sunrise. Glorious colors emerged in the sky. I began to worship and praise God for this wonder that happens every morning. ( How is it we don’t appreciate this?)
My neighbors sunflowers were dancing in the wind. Out  darted two hummingbirds from behind the fence. My eyes followed them to other side of the garden. Buzzing and chattering at each other, they zoomed around the cannas and liatris like to two little fighter jets.  It was entrancing watching them and their routine. My gaze, captivated by these acrobats, turned east. As I watched them whirring back over the fence where they started,  my eyes were filled with the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen. The colors were so intense. The thunderclouds clinging to outside edge of the sky were glowing with purples and reds. The sky itself  was a neon sign flashing the words, “Glory to God in the Highest!”
I began to weep. I felt God saying, “Child, why do you struggle so much to do it on your own?  Don’t you see I am here? I will give you the refreshing you need. I will supply all you need. Trust me. Lean on me. Follow me.” I knew at that moment that my God, the creator of the universe, had just orchestrated that particular sunrise for me, his child whom He loves and cares for each day.
The songs began flowing from my mouth. What a wonderful God I serve! How could I doubt Him? He continued to speak to my heart words of comfort and peace. I felt everything leave, all the worry, anger, self doubt, fear. It all melted away. In it’s place flooded in hope, love, faith, trust and awe for this so very personal God that was touching me.
I just lingered there, in the rain and the presence of the Lord. A peace set deep within me. I determined to start this day anew. “Lord, help me remember this time I have spent in your presence. Help me, Lord, not to returned to my old ways. Keep me close to you and let your peace flow out of me to others.”
In the south end of the valley lightening flashed across the sky. The low rumble shook my body. I sat very still- another flash and rumble.
“Child, you see how I love you and hold you in my arms. You know my gentleness and caring. But remember I am the still the one who controls the thunder. I choose to touch lightly and speak softly. I have the power to command the lightening. Listen today to this gentle word. I do not want to show my force.”
God mercies are new every morning! If He had given me what I deserved that day, the lightening would have lit upon me! Instead, He chose to refresh me and touch me lightly. His warning, however rang loud and clear in my mind. I see in the Bible and in my own life the measures God has been forced to take with His people. He chooses first the gentle, light touch, but we must be willing to hear and obey.

Stepmom reflections

Let  all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, to be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.                                                Ephesians 4:31,32
By nature I am an organized person. I enjoy making lists and checking things off as I go. I like to know what is on the agenda for the day and see things happen exactly the way that they were planned. Last minute changes should never occur. In my view, things should move smoothly and efficiently with no interruptions. (I am gaining on this–trying to embrace flexibility)
If you are a parent, you know already this form of ideological thinking is living in a fantasy land.
I banged my head against the wall for years trying to make this fantasy become reality.  Sometimes I could make the smooth transition from Plan “A” to Plan “B”, but if it looked like a Plan “C” may be necessary, I was done. I would get so frustrated if the unexpected happened. Frankly, I liked being in control!
As a child, I knew when my mom was close to reaching her overload capacity. She’d holler,  “I’m gonna blow my ever-lovin’ stack!”  My brother, sisters and I would interpret that as, “Warning, warning evacuate the area quickly and quietly!”  We would slink out of the room and wait until she calmed down or was able to ferret out the culprit and  give them their due.
My girls weren’t quite so blessed. I didn’t usually send a warning. I just blew. Making themselves as stealthy as possible, they would slip out of the room if I hadn’t already laid hands on them. The duck and cover routine wasn’t always successful. Sometimes I would detect movement in the perimeter, while other times I’d go on a search and destroy mission. All these military terms are appropriate because I  was like a boot camp drill sergeant, barking orders and demanding respect. It was bad!
Will was able to escape most of the shrapnel from my explosions by spending more hours at work, but the poor kids, they were stuck with me. I don’t know how they survived those early years.
Although I may be sounding lighthearted and flippant, knowing how I behaved really crushes me. Instead of enjoying the girls and “realizing the blessing”, I was consumed with order and responsibility.  Looking back, I see that my rigid ways kept me from enjoying many precious moments. Not that I overlooked them all, but I must have missed thousands.
God faithfully kept working on my heart and mind until I began surrendering control to Him. I discovered I had been so busy trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing, my eyes were closed to what He was already doing.
God began exposing the dark spots in my heart to me. He did this bit by bit so I wouldn’t become overwhelmed and run from His constraining love. Looking deep within my heart was painful. It frequently was an ugly sight. But as He begin to strip away pieces of my old nature, He began to reveal more of Himself to me. His nuances became mine.
The vision I have of this wonderful work is simple. It works for me because I cannot tolerate the smell or appearance of canned sardines. I see myself as this tin can filled with sardines. God has His hand on the key and begins to peel back the lid. Once the lid is cracked, out wafts the horrendous odor of stinky sardines. God continues to roll back the lid exposing the full panorama of the dead fish.
Then He does something amazing. He begins to pluck them out of the can. As He removes each sardine, the smell diminishes. Before long, the shiny reflective bottom of the can begins to peek out around the fish. In that mirroring surface emerges the face of God. As God empties me of all the malodorous garbage, He begins to fill me with His sweet presence. The more I lose of me, the more I gain of Him. It is a wonderful, mind-warping transformation taking place in my spirit. God is  faithful to continue working on me as long as I am willing to change.
His lessons are daily, moment by moment. God continues to prove to me how much he loves  my family and me. I am responding by becoming more trusting and flexible. My time in prayer and reading has increased. I’ve accepted the fact that things will happen that I won’t know how to handle, but its OK. God is there to uplift me. He is my stronghold and my sure tower. He will give me the words and wisdom I need in each battle with the enemy. Ultimately, I have learned its about His strength, not mine.

Return

Am I the only one who is appalled at the condition of our country? We have been slipping away from God for decades, but the last few months seem to have speed up that process. Perhaps it is simply that what has been happening unseen in the spiritual realm for decades is now becoming extremely evident in the physical realm.

Could it be that we, the called of God, have been ignoring His call? Could it be that we have chosen the ways of the world rather than the ways and truths of God? Have we slipped? Have we, the standard bearers, laid down God’s standard for the pursuit of pleasure and money and hobbies and fun? Have we dropped the ball?

Oh no, that is too much to bear. Surely the decline of our nation, our world, has nothing to do with us. It must be those liberal, left wing, darwinian types-right? No, folks. It’s us. For God set us here to be the light and the salt. He left us in the this cesspool of lies to be the precious truth. Have we been? Or has the stench of this world rubbed of on us a bit? …………So what now?

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself but in me is thy help. Hosea 13:9

O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Hosea 14:1

… the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them.. Hosea 14:9

Return to the Lord

God?

When is God?
At this last family camp a great deal was spoken about how we receive God and His direction for our lives. I learned a lot. But the one thing that keeps coming back to me is something Becky said.
” God is not the great I was or I will be- He is the great I am “
“Wow!” I thought when she said it. I wrote it down and circled it. It really hit me.
Just how do we look at God? Its easy to read the great stories in the Bible and relish on how God spoke the earth into existance, or how He made man, or the great flood, or the creative devices He used to bring victory to His people so many times while in battle.
It is also great to read the prophecies of how God will show His mighty power in the end, and how beautiful He will appear.
Christ will bring all evil, all illness, all sadness to an end. How wonderful will that be?
But what about today? What about right now? Is God taking a nap or perhaps enjoying his favorite galaxy somehwere far from us? Of course not. Then why is it that we sometimes live that way? Too often we lean on the nostalgic romaticism of God’s performances in the old Testament. Or we cling strictly to the hope of a far off eternity.
We are living in eternity now! God is with us now! He is still and will ever be the Creator of the universe. Do you believe that? Are you showing that?

And God said unto Moses,
I AM THAT I AM:
and he said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,
I AM hath sent me unto you.
Exodus 3l:14

Errands

I had the day off of work today so I decided to cram as many errands in the day as I could.
First, I was off to the hospital to get my blood drawn-something my doctor insists on annually to keep an eye on how my thyroid is functioning. Normally that is all done at  my doctors office is Shady Cove, but we forgot at the last appointment. Since I am more often in Medford I asked to have it done at the hospital for my convenience.
I walked into the hospital a bit unsure of where the lab was. I was directed down ahall, where I found a nice volunteer who signed me in. She then told me to go to the lady at desk three. The lady at desk three was an attractive brunette in her twenties. She promptly checked me amid some small talk. It turned out she was planning her wedding. I congratulated her and ask if she had chosen her florist yet (of course—always thinking flowers, you know). She showed me the photo collage of  her fiancé and herself that they were using for their invitations.  After allowing me enough time to peruse all the photos and compliment them, she handed me some paper work and directed me down another hallway to the lab.
There I was met by a bespectacled young woman in a white coat. She smiled at me and gestured for me to follow her. After seating me she stepped away. She quickly returned with several vials in her hand. Referring to a lingering conversation she was having with a co-worker she said  “We are talking about glasses and contact lenses. My three and half year old is getting glasses today.” I told her I wear contacts and I doubted it would be easy for a three year old to use them. She agreed adding that she could not wear them herself for the discomfort of putting them in. We chatted back and forth until she was done. I thanked her and made my way out of the hospital.
Next on the list was to get my oil changed. I pulled my car into the pit and gladly accepted a cup of coffee. As I sat looking over my mail, the guys working on the car hollered instructions back and forth. Even though I don’t really understand what they are saying, I enjoy the cadence in the way the shout to each other. But due to the separation (me in the car and them out of the car) there wasn’t much opportunity for conversation.
Next I decided to try finding some good buys at Sears. I was looking for something for my grandson, Colton’s, first birthday, my daughter, Kendra’s, bridal shower and a friend’s baby shower. I had heard there may be some good sales, and there were. I spent 30 minutes or so and found gifts for all three occasions. As the cashier was ringing me up she began to tell me of some of her credit card bills. She was hoping this new offer on a card with a lower interest rate would help her out. “First, though, I’m gonna run it past my mom and see what she thinks about.” I told her that was a good idea.
Carrying my bag I strolled back to the car.

On the drive home, I couldn’t help but reflect on what these three women had shared with me, a total and complete stranger. In my opinion, they were three intimate issues: wedding plans, child rearing and credit card debt. “Why?” I thought to myself. “Is it that everyone simply needs to be heard by someone…anyone.  Or is it that I seemed like a nice enough person they thought they could crack that barrier just a bit to let me into their lives.” But as I continued to think about through out the day, I realized these women were all placed in my path on purpose. Not just on purpose but also for a purpose. I was to be a light to them. God was asking me if I was going to slow down my day (my plans, my check list, my errands to accomplish) long enough to actually show His Spirit to others. He was asking me to put “me” aside and look out for the good of others.
God doesn’t really care if my car was two months past due for an oil change. Nor does He care if I saved $82.38 on the sales I found at Sears. What He cares about is His children. What He cares about showing them He loves them just where they are, whether planning a wedding, fighting credit card debt or cheering for your child and his new glasses. He has us here to be His hands, His feet,  His ears and His smile. He was testing me. I’m glad I started my day off in quiet prayer or perhaps I would have totally missed every opportunity he had placed in my path….I would love to say I missed none, but I doubt that.
As a matter of fact, I think I’m missing one right now……well….off to the bowling alley!

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.
Hebrews 13:2

work

I was watching TV the other day and there was an advertisement for one of those battery operated toothbrushes. On one side of the screen was a woman gleefully brushing her teeth with her fancy new battery-operated toothbrush. On the other side of the screen was a man scrubbing away on his teeth with his manually operated toothbrush. The woman finishes brushing her teeth, smiles, the looks woefully over at the man. “That looks a lot like work to me.” she quips.

I thought to myself, “Come on now just how lazy have we become, when we consider brushing our teeth too strenuous!” I mean, what next a George Jetson shower where we just stand and a robot washes our every crevice?

Just when did work become a four letter word?

I know some folks who find it more appealing to find a government run program to sign up for than to do an honest days labor. It seems like if you know how to operate the system, you may never have to work. Just fill out the paper work, provide the correct documents and voila’ government funding! It just yours there for the asking!
Why bother working when good old Uncle Sam is a trillionaire!

Oh, how far we have fallen from God’s directive. He never said, “Sit on your duff and wait for someone to serve you the world on a silver platter.” Quite the opposite.

Sure there are times when we all need a helping hand. I am not disagreeing with that.
I’ve been there. It is a humbling experience to ask for help. But simply asking a brother for help is not what I am talking about.

I am talking about the reliance upon the government. There is a real danger here. Government was not originally designed to provide for you, it was designed to protect your rights. When we look to Government rather than God to provide our needs we have become idolaters. Our government becomes our God. This is unfortunately a very easy trap to fall into. Think about it for a minute. Examine your thoughts about this.

What does God say about work?

We know that He provides us with endless examples in the Bible of folks who knew about hard work. Ever try making bricks with mud and straw? How about herding sheep?
Making tents by hand? Plant a field? Building a chair or other piece of carpentry without modern day tools? Or perhaps constructing an ark would appeal to you?

One of my favorite scriptures is about work.

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us:
And establish thou the work of our hands upon us;
Yea, the work of establish thou it.
Psalm 90:17

I like the idea that I am not working to gain a paycheck or to just put in my hours, but I am working for God to be able to use me and my talents. This includes volunteer work too….or anything we do for others or to promote the Kingdom.

One of my favorite days is Sunday. It is usually a laid back day at our house. We get up, do a few chores, sip on coffee, prepare the church bulletin, and go to church.
We close the day out by going to evening Bible study. The hours in between are met with naps, quiet conversations, fiddling in the yard, or just basking in the sun. It’s just a lovely day of rest. But if I chose to spend all of my days that way….what a disaster that would be. God tells us to work six days and rest the seventh. I chose to use that liberty of rest and I do not feel a bit guilty about it!!

Six days thou shalt labor and do all thy work:
Deut. 5:13

Again, it goes back to our mindset. Do we chose to labor for the Lord or do we chose to serve the government and it’s ‘grand’ programs? Looking five or ten years down  the road, I don’t see how people could even consider the latter! We do not want a socialist government—we really do not!  Sometimes when our body is aching after a hard days work, or our boss has yelled at us for the fifth time, we think about quitting a staying home on the couch watching old reruns of  the Honeymooners or Full House. But that moment passes.

For the people had a mind to work.
Nehemiah 4:6b

Do not let disaster strike your home or your nation.
Do not be duped into leaning on the government for your substance.
God provides for his people.
Get up and get to work!!

Treasure Each Bloom

Consider the lilies how they grow:
they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you
that Solomon is all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luke 12:27
Over the years, Will has planted well over one hundred species of flowering plants in our yard. Each one is gorgeous in its own right. Mix them together and the fragrance and colors become a spectacular kaleidoscope for the senses.
Standing on our deck the massive explosion of color makes it difficult to distinguish each bud. Once I step off our deck and walk among the blooms, I can begin to appreciate each flower on its own. Little secrets begin to be revealed. I am able to see the intricate patterns of each one.
Each flower has an aroma unique to that particular species. Burying my nose in a Shasta daisy, I am startled by it’s pungent smell. Breathing in the scent of a freesia delivers a more pleasant result to my nose.  Still others have no detectable fragrance.
The mammoth hibiscus bloom, measuring ten inches across, lasts only one day. The yarrow on the other hand can last a month, it’s brilliant reds and purples slowly fading to white. Pansies are the only blooms in our landscape hardy enough to withstand the winter’s chill. They can be covered in a blanket of snow, yet emerge vibrant and perky when the cold abates.

Only by examining closely am I able to truly treasure each bloom. The overall view of the garden is grand, but  I cannot forget it is made up of  thousands of individual blooms.

Family is the same way. Each child, “each bloom” needs to be individually recognized and specially nurtured. The fertilizer I can pour on one generously may cause another one to go into shock. Some flowers love full sun, while others require shade. Each is unique.

Having then differing gifts
according to the grace that is given to us
Romans 12:6a

Every child has it’s own traits and talents that makes him or her an original. By patiently studying and experimenting, we find these special gifts. Pray for your child to hear directly from the Lord about the calling He has put on his or her life. Reaching in, we can encourage them see those strengths and gifts the Lord has given them. Some children recognize easily what their hidden treasures are, while others need support drawing their gifts to light.
Watch your child. Take note of their favorite pastimes. Do they show an interest in art, music, math, science, theater, words or something else? Do they posses the knack to encourage others? Perhaps organization is their strong suite? Maybe your child cries out indignantly against injustice. Whatever their special interest or passion is, you will quickly discover it after a short period of observation.
Next, begin pointing out to them their gifts.  Start cheerleading your child to develop and use those gifts for the Lord. Small steps are key steps. Each time they use those gifts it builds strength and confidence. Even if there are flops, continue to encourage them. God has a plan for your child’s future and their God-given gifts will be a large part of that plan.

What’s going on with the Church?

Many years ago I met a young man. This young man had reluctantly followed in his grandfathers footsteps as a great soldier for Christ. His name was Micheal Boldea. If you have never heard of him, I recommend you do some research. His grandfather wrote a terrific book called “Through the Fire”. It is an amazing story of faith and obedience to the Lord.

Recently I came across Micheals blog. His words are strong and true. Here is a sample.

Imagine if you will, feeling unwell and going to your doctor who promptly offers you a haircut. Imagine if you will, being hungry and walking into a restaurant only to find that they served no food, but rather only sold doorknobs. Would you ever go back to that doctor or that restaurant?
How is it that the church today is advertising Christ by its very existence, but only offering entertainment, workshops on financial planning, or lessons on self-esteem? Can the church, as we know it today survive? Should it survive?
One can only go to a certain place for a certain thing so many times and leave empty handed before he or she is disillusioned, distraught, and in frustration throws their hands up in defeat. When will we realize that what has become of the modern day church is a mockery, not even a shadow of what it ought to be? When will we realize that God will call us to account for our wasted potential, for our skirting of responsibility, for the absence of accountability, and our callous willingness to merely watch countless souls marching toward eternal perdition?
Last week my wife sent me to the store to get some chicken breast. I decided to drive the extra couple miles and shop at the local super bulk warehouse where you can get a twenty-pound can of corn, or a thirty-pound bag of pinto beans. I began walking down the endless isles, pushing a squeaky cart, and started seeing a lot of items I never knew I needed. The first thing to draw my attention was an oddly inviting pair of mustard colored overalls, quickly followed by an industrial paper shredder, something called a Magic Bullet, and the list goes on. I didn’t buy everything I listed above, but I am embarrassed to admit I am now the not so proud owner of a brand spanking new pair of mustard colored overalls.
It took me a little longer than I anticipated to finish my shopping, and as I arrived home with two bags of stuff I didn’t know I needed, and quite honestly didn’t really need, at least in hindsight, my wife simply asks, ‘where’s my chicken?’
You guessed it; looking through the warehouse full of stuff I forgot the reason I was there in the first place. I forgot to buy the chicken.
I relay the preceding story to make a point. Many people today go to church, they sit through the service, the hear the choir sing and the pastor preach, and only when they are alone, away from the excitement of it all do they begin to realize that they are missing something. More and more people today are beginning to ask the question, ‘where’s Jesus?’ It was Jesus I was going to church for, it was Jesus I wanted to meet, to know, to fellowship with and to build a relationship with, but here I am two hours later, with a head full of stuff I didn’t really need, and lacking the one thing that I can’t do without.
I say the following as frankly and forthrightly as I am able, already knowing that some will perceive it wrongfully, and accuse me of being unloving, unmerciful, unkind and ungracious. If the church does not get back on message, if the church does not return to it’s foundation which is Christ and Christ alone, it will not only fall apart from within, but will have no one to blame but itself for not having the strength and boldness to stand for truth when it will count. We are not merely asleep, we are dying, every strength every spark of life leeching out of us with every compromise, with every deviance from the truth, and with every omission of the name Jesus for fear of offending those hearing. Not only will we suffer the fury of the godless in this nation, but we will suffer the wrath and judgment of God, for judgment begins in His house, and with His children first and foremost.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

Posted by Michael Boldea Jr. at 2:06 PM

Move to: Inbox [New Folder] Prev  |  Next

Scars of Life

another wonderful short story–don’t know the author–hope you enjoy it!!

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in South Florida , a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his 2 legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father’s fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, ‘But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn’t let go.’ You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He’s been there holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril – and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That’s when the tug-of -war begins – and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go. Please pass this on to those you love. God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person’s scars, because you don’t know how they got them.

Young Love

Days like today make me think about young love. The sky was blue, the birds were chirping and daffodills are lifting their heads to the heavens.

After work today, I tossed a blanket on the deck and took a nap. It was so warm and peaceful. The fountain in the center of the pond was drowning out all the other noises that were eeking from the neighborhood. The warmth from the sun seemed to relax my every muscle.

I love this time of the year. The promise of spring. The promise of love. The birds are starting to gather for their nests. Wildlife of all kinds are looking for their mate. New love…new families.

Perhaps my mind is inclined to think this way because of the upcoming wedding. Or perhaps it is the new baby that could arrive anyday. Either way, I have no challanges finding things to be happy and grateful for.

Sarah and James are about to be mommy and daddy. I will soon be holding my grandson,  little Micheal Dane, kissing his fingers and nose. Babies are miracles! The smell, the soft skin, the new life….created right in a mother’s womb! Gotta give God credit for coming up with that one!!

Kendra and Will are about to be married…May 30 will arrive before we know it. I am excited, but also a bit scared. Kendra (my only biological child) will be moving away. She’ll only be 6 hours, so I guess I can handle that. She and this man she is marrying are both clear thinkers and they both desire to serve God in whatever capacity He leads. Will is  working for Eteranl Impact Ministries out of Oregon. He started there last fall. Before that he held a job at a local TV studio, but he left it to pursue what God was asking him to do. Both Kendra and Will intend on traveling to Uganda as missionaries. Again…a bit scarey. But God is awesome because he began preparing my heart (and Kendra’s heart) for this years ago. We became quite close with a Reverend from Uganda. He was here on a 6 month visa as a missionary to the US. What a wonderful man. As has often been said about him, he oozed the love of Jesus. Our family quickly became aware of the tragedies in Uganda and began praying and supporting. So when I went on the website to learn about this particular ministry Kendra was marrying into, I cried. I was so overwhelmed at what God was doing. I still don’t know the full outcome, but He does…and thats good enough for me.

The weatherman is calling for rain tomorrow. Blah! But today the sun is shining. And, yes Jody, I’m gonna say it….

We are living in today! And today the sun is shining! And today the SON is shining!!

Hope your today is great too!