Tag Archives: Jesus

The Photo Album

Christ's rest, Christian encouragement, Discouraged Christian, Encouragement for Women, Jesus Christ, Love of God, Spiritual Encouragement, To Rest in Christ, , , , , , , , ,

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The Photo Album

Several years ago I had the opportunity to meet an aunt and cousin.  They were actually my husband’s, but they still were “mine”.  Through a series of events and searching by my aunt, she located our name.  Through some unfortunate circumstances we had never met, much less knew of each other’s existence.  

We met for lunch and talked as though we had known each other for years!  It was the sweetest thing.  We had shared some similar experiences, loves, hopes and dreams.  We shared photo albums, marveling at the physical resemblance of generations so long ago.  It was simply delightful.

What joined our hearts so quickly?  It really wasn’t a biological connection, because technically I did not have one.  But we figured it out…we connected our hearts because we all loved Jesus so much!

I saw in my mind’s eye the Father opening his photo album.  He turned the pages ever so carefully, pointing out the characteristics of each of his children.  He told stories of what the pictures meant…”Here my daughter found her first seashell, she was so excited…see her smile?  She was thinking about my creation…how sweet is that?”  He pointed out the resemblance of each of his children.  “Sara loves on the sick children at the hospital.  Jonathan sat at my feet in this picture as we talked.”

Can’t you see the smile?  Can you feel the pride he has over his children?  He continues to look, page by page…picture by picture.  There are millions of albums, and he tires of none.

1 John 4:7  “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  This is just one of many scriptures that shows how powerful the love of God is…there are so many more.

What connected us at lunch? What connects all of us right now?  Jesus.  It is quite simple..JESUS.  Our hearts are one when we know Him as our Savior.  Could it be practice for our heavenly home.

I have to go…I have some photo albums to look at.

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image, NIV*

 

 

Dandilions! Every Year!

Christ's rest, Grace, Hope, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , , , , , ,

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Dandilions!  Every Year!

 

As every spring begins, there is a lot of yard work to go along with it.  And with the long winter that has been hanging around, it is indeed a pleasure…even though every muscle in my body will be yelling at me tomorrow!

The goal this day:  Remove the dandelions from the back patio.  They grow in-between the division in the bricks every single year.  The task seems so daunting.  But, I will admit, the sea of yellow really is pretty!

Now yellow is one of my favorite colors, so the question runs through my mind every year.  Do I really want to pull them?  They really are just pretty little flowers.  Ah, my reasoning really doesn’t hold up, so seeing the patio does become a priority.  But there is not a year that is different.  Every year.

I lean down to pull out the first one.  That was easy enough.  Oops, the green leaves seem to remain. Strange.  And even more curious is that every year I go through the motions of pulling these things!  One more try…just the yellow flower head!!

I decide that whether I like it or not, I am going to have to resort to the way in which I end up doing it every year.  Pointed blade of one of my garden utensils…first dig deep to the right, then the left….then pull!  Aha!  The entire flower came out roots and all!  I go for another one….great, two…super, three…I am on a roll!  Four…ooops, what happened?  The root was only removed in part.  

At this point it hits me…every year….these pretty little flowers are…..weeds.  Now I know to some they have value, but to me their value is nothing when they are coming up on my brick patio. They do not belong there.  The battle continues…every year.

What does that sound like?  It sounds a little like sin to me.  Sin is “missing the mark” and the result of sin…sins…”the fruit”.  That cute little flower was missing the mark, it was in the wrong place.  These weeds would soon take over and cover my patio.  Sin is so deceiving.  It can appear pleasurable and beautiful and good.  Then you see the root of it.  The consequences overtake you, they are inevitable at some point.

The deception is the key.  It can appear good, even beautiful.  It is pleasurable for a moment…then…

Hebrews 8:12 is one of many scriptures that give us hope.  “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Do you have dandelions in your life?  I sure do.  I have to ask myself if I am pulling them by the root so that they have no more life?  Or because they are “cute”, do I leave them there to simply overtake my life?  The decision is mine…the decision is yours. Every year, every day.

The Father wants us to live our life abundantly.  He has His “best” for us because He loves us.  Once we discover that truly those dandelions aren’t the best for us…we can replace them with lovely day lilies…and it will happen every, single year.

Be Blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

 

*google image, NIV Bible*

Stove Knobs Part 1

Discouraged Christian, Freedom in Christ, Grace, Hope, Jesus Christ, Spiritual Encouragement, Trials, Troubles, Who I am in Christ, , , , , , , , , ,

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How to fix the stove knob. Part 1

That was my google search. My knob needed fixed, at the time my husband was at work. To say that I am mechanical in anyway would be a complete and utter lie. Quite frankly, my husband does not claim that talent either. However, to say that I am stubborn is the complete and utter truth. Or we could say determined…you may decide. Nevertheless, the search began!

I soon found the stove make and model and realized that I needed some special tools that did not include the small hammer and kitchen knife I used for every other “fix it” job I encountered. So, I opened the door of my husband’s shed…and yes, the toolbox was calling my name! Everything I ever needed to fix anything I needed fixed was right there!! Those tools had been there forever, but I really never knew I had them at my disposal.

Armed and now ready for battle, I took my newly discovered toolbox and headed for the kitchen. I was ready to fix that knob. It sounded like a simple enough job, and remember…I was “determined”. With printed instructions in one hand and my toolbox in another, I began my session.

Many times I had the same thought…”what is this tool”? I could not even begin to know how to use them. What good was that tool chest going to do me I did not know what the tools were or what their purpose was? If the toolbox just laid next to me on the floor it was not doing any good either.

So as any determined woman would do, I headed to the internet again. “How to Use Tools” seemed logical. Yes, I found more instructions and you will be interested (or not) to know that I fixed that knob in ten minutes!! Even I was surprised at my accomplishment! I had the instructions and the tool box. Applying that knowledge with the tools I possessed solved the problem at hand.

Stay tuned to Part 2 of STOVE KNOBS” to find out what this means to you!! Ephesians 4:11-15…..It’s good stuff!

Blessings dear ones…

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google search image, NIV Bible*