Quote on Silence

"True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment."

~William Penn

"Be still and know that I am God...."

Psalm 46:10

2 John 1:1-3

"The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever; Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." 2 John 1:1-3


I love how so many of the letters of the New Testament begin. John and Paul are my favorites in how they address their letters. As we see above, John speaks of grace and mercy and peace. Paul, many times would address his letters stating how much he loved and cared for the persons he was addressing. These men truly had a special way with words!

As John begins the book of 2 John he addresses the chosen lady and her children. It is not really known exactly who John is addressing here, but it is thought that he was using symbolism and actually addressing a particular church congregation. The assumption is also made that the elder is John himself.

The part that I want to focus on in this post, though, is where John speaks of the truth and the love we have in God. These are not new thoughts to us as John addressed them many times in the book of 1 John. What really speaks to me is the use of them together. Without the truth of God we cannot have the love of God. And, likewise, without the love of God there is no truth. These words have an unbreakable connection.

When we look at this in connection with our own lives and our relationship with God we see a similar connection. If we know the Truth of God then we will love the truth and we will love others. It is the truth that binds us together in our relationship with God and our relationship with others.

And, here's the best part -- "...for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever...". The truth will be with us FOREVER. It NEVER changes. It will ALWAYS be true while we are here on earth. And we will have the truth FOREVER into eternity.

How great is that? In a world where so much changes so fast we know we have one truth that will always be with us and will never change. I find that to be such a reassuring and comforting truth for my own life. I can ALWAYS rely on God. You just can't beat that, now can you?

Friday Facts - Bible History

On Fridays for the next few weeks, I'm going to post some interesting facts (or, at least I hope they are interesting to you) about the Bible. Today will be the history about when and how the King James Version of the Bible was written and translated. Next week I'll post some facts about books in the Bible and so on. I just love this sort of information. Trivia I guess some people would call it. And, just in case you were wondering.... YES, I do enjoy a good game of Trivial Pursuit! :)


The Bible was written by approximately 40 men over a period of 1600 years dating from 1500 BC to about 100 years after Christ. These men wrote the scripture as they were inspired by God. (2 Timothy 3:16)

The first translation of the English Bible was initiated by John Wycliffe and completed by John Purvey in 1388.

The Bible has since been translated in part or in whole into over 1200 languages and dialects.

The Bible was divided into chapters by Stephen Langton in 1228. The Old Testament was divided into verses by R. Nathan in 1488 and the New Testament by Robert Stephanus in 1551.

The entire Bible divided into chapters and verses first appeared in the Geneva Bible of 1560.

Today the Bible is the largest seller of all books published.

Thankful Thursday

My parents live several states away and we speak about once a week on the phone. Usually, at some point in our conversation, one of us will ask the other "Is there anything new going on?" Whichever one of us is being asked usually replies with something along the line of "No, not much... just the same 'ole, same 'ole." And, most of the time, a bored tone of voice accompanies this statement.

At least this is how the conversation went until about a year ago. I don't remember which one of us it was, but we commented that really we shouldn't complain about there being nothing new going on. While there may not be anything really exciting happening this also means that there is nothing bad or abnormal going on. Life is normal. We are moving along at an even keel and everyone is happy and healthy.

This week I am thankful for the normal. The last month or so has not really been normal for us... nothing bad... but not normal. School started the end of August and flip flopped our nice, quiet summer routine around. Homework, new activities in the form of cub scouts for my son (which, while I never knew they did so many activities, I think it is going to be a GREAT experience for my son), new church activities, etc. My dear hubby has been out of town for the last two and a half weeks. My job has been a bit chaotic and filled with many changes (again) over the last few weeks.

However, this week has seen us settling back into normal. We're getting a handle on the new school routines for both kiddos. They're settling into their new routine with new classes, new teachers and new friends. I think I'm beginning to get a grip on all the activities we'll be involved with for scouting and actually see them fitting nicely into our routine and have met some great parents that I think are going to be wonderful new friends. Hubby was able to return home yesterday... YEA!!!!!!! Work is settling back into routine and is quieting down.

So, while normal sometimes on the surface may seem boring.... it is actually quite wonderful. It means we are all happy, we are all healthy, LIFE IS GOOD. God is with us!

Thank you, dear Lord, for normal!!!

For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Sting My Heart!

Word-Filled Wednesday - John 11:35

This verse is in the account of the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus weeps with Lazarus' loved ones as they are grieving over the death of Lazarus. What a comfort it is to know that when we weep, Jesus weeps. When our hearts are breaking, Jesus' heart is breaking. When we smile, Jesus smiles. When we are joyous, Jesus is joyous.




For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.





Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Quote on Joy

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice based on the knowledge that we belong to God and have found in God our refuge and our safety and that nothing, not even death, can take God away from us.”

-Henri J.M. Nouwen

1 John Recap

I had originally planned to begin posting today on 2 John. However, as I was doing a little web surfing today and browsing several sites with study information for 1 John, 2 John and 3 John, I found a background of 1 John that I thought worthy of sharing. The author breaks down the message of 1 John into simple and "easy to address" questions. These are from what look to be a sermon by a Dr. Williams. If you interested in reading the full article, click here.

Dr. Williams breaks down the message of 1 John into four "Tests of Life". He states that if you can honestly say that you pass each of these four tests, you can be assured that you have a relationship with God and have confidence in your salvation.

Here are the four tests......

1. Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe that He is the eternal Son of God who came in flesh?

2. Do you repent of sin?

3. Do you love the brethren?

4. Do you persevere in the faith until the end?

The message of 1 John is beautiful as it tells us the importance of having a relationship with God and tells us how we can approach building and growing this relationship (and does address each of the above questions). If you've never taken the time to read this book I encourage you to take some time now and do so. I promise you will be blessed and, if you follow John's message in your own life, you will be changed.

Friday Facts - Animals

I'm going to continue the theme of Christian/Biblical symbolisms for one more post today (at least for now) and share information regarding the symbolism of animals. The ape, dolphin, and dragon were ones that really surprised me as being on this list. I had no idea there was any type of Christian symbolism behind these. Particularly the dragon as I've always associated this more with myths and legends from ancient types in the Eastern parts of the world.


The Lion is a traditional symbol of solar energy, and this symbolism carried into Christianity with its attributes intact. It is a symbol of strength, fortitude, and wisdom. In some cases, the lion represents the Hebrew Tribe of Judah, in which case it is likely to carry a banner. A winged lion (tetramorph) represents the Apostle Mark. The lion is frequently pictured alongside saints Anthony and Jerome.

The Lamb most often represents Christ, a symbolism that is drawn from numerous references in scripture. (John 1:29: Behold the Lamb of God) When the lamb is pictured with Jesus, as in "good shepherd" poses, it represents man as a redeemed sinner. When the lamb bears a cruciform banner, it represents John the Baptist as the first to recognize the "lamb of God."

The Ox is a symbols of the nativity, and are drawn from the apocryphal gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, which quotes Old Testament prophecy: "and the ox and the ass adored Him. Then was fulfilled that which was said by Isaiah the prophet, saying: The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib." The ass was the conveyence of the pregnant virgin, and was so highly esteemed by early Chhristians that they were accused of donkey-worship.

The ape is a symbol of the lower nature of man, and represents lust, avarice, malice. Satan sometimes appears in the form of an ape. An ape in ahains represents sin conquered.

A dragon in Christian art represents sin and the sinful nature, and is also a common way of depicting the devil, especially in the context of devourer. A number of saints are depicted defeating or otherwise overcoming dragons.

The dolphin is a very ancient Christian symbol, and is drawn from earlier Greek and Roman symbolism. The dolphin was traditionally regarded as a psychopomp, leading souls to safety, and in this sense came to represent the church as guider of souls into paradise.

The snake or serpent is the most unusual symbol, because it represents both good and evil, depending on context. As the serpent of Eden, often pictured with human face (inevitably female), the serpent is the embodiment of Satan.

The peacock is an ancient symbol of immortality. The tail of the peacock, with its 'thousand eyes' are symbolic of omnipotence and often ascribed to the Archangel Michael. The peacock's feather is sometimes associated with St. Barabara.

The phoenix has been a symbol of Christianity from the very first century, when it was used on jewelry, amulets, and inscribed on tombstones. As the phoenix was long rumored to continually renew itself through death and rebirth, it was a perfect emblem of the resurrection and the promise of eternal life.

The dove is the traditional emblem of the Holy Spirit, and is mentioned numerous times in scripture. The dove is the bird who brings to Noah the olive branch symbolic of God's covenant with man, and again appears at the baptism of Christ. Because of this, the dove is used to represent grace and the seven gifts of the Holy spirit.

Thankful Thursday

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

I am so very thankful for God's Word. I can't imagine where I would be without my Bible to turn to each day. There is an answer to every situation we may face. There is a comforting verse for each need. There are words of encouragement for each and every day. Oh, how blessed we are that God put His words, His message, His love into a form that we could have in our hands at all times!

Over the last 6-8 months I have spent more time studying my Bible than I probably have since I was in high school. I can't begin to tell you how my relationship with the Lord has strengthened. I have grown closer to the Lord, I have learned to turn to Him more often in times of frustrations, stress and discouragement. I have learned to spend more time thanking Him for all He has done for me and my family. I have learned to praise Him more regardless of how I may be feeling on any given day.

In closing I want to share the words to a song that was released a number of years of ago by Amy Grant. I think they sum up perfectly how God's Word leads us and draws us nearer to Him.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.

When I feel afraid,
And think Ive lost my way.
Still, youre there right beside me.
Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.

I will not forget
Your love for me and yet,
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus by my guide,
And hold me to your side,
And I will love you to the end.

Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
And a light unto my path.
Youre the light unto my path.

For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Sting My Heart!

Word-Filled Wednesday - 1 John 5:14

"And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1 John 5:14

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.





Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Awards Shared with Me

This last week I was blessed to receive a couple of awards from some very dear blogging friends. I thank each of you for sharing these with me and for your blogs, as well, as they bless me and encourage me each and every time that I visit.








Laurie Ann shared the Autumn Friends Award with me. I feel so honored, Laurie Ann, that you would share this with me as it has been you that I have considered such a good friend. Your words of faith, encouragement, and sharing of your life experiences have touched me in many, many ways.







BP shared this award with me. To translate the gift from Portuguese to English, it means:"This blog invests and believes, the proximity"[meaning, that blogging makes us 'close' -being close through proxy]. BP's blog is also one that I enjoy to visit so much. I always leave there feeling so good and so glad to have read her words as she shares what the Lord has placed on her heart.

As always, it is so hard to pick just a few blogs with which to share these awards. So, I am going to share them with each of you that stops by and reads this post. You all are special, you all have touched my lives, you all reach out and share your faith in such special and unique ways. You all deserve both of these awards!

I pray you all have a blessed week!

1 John 5:18-21

"We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:18-21

These last few passages of scripture in the book of 1 John wrap up John's message to us about our relationship with God perfectly.

John begins by speaking of being born of God and how this keep us from evil. If we go back to 1 John 3:6 we are told that whoever abides in God does not sin. Don't both of these carry the same message?

Later on in the above passage John speak of "knowing Him who is true". And, in earlier passages in the book of 1 John he speaks of having fellowship with Jesus Christ, knowing Christ, Jesus wanting us to know Him, having an abiding life of fellowship with Christ. All ties together, doesn't it?

The book of 1 John has such a wonderful message. It tells us of the importance of having a relationship with Christ. Not just believing and telling others about Christ, but having a RELATIONSHIP with Christ. There is a big difference in the two. I can believe in and tell others about, for example, a new pharmaceutical product that helps with allergies. But can I have a relationship with that product? NO! While this may be a silly example to use... I think the point still can be made. The point being that Christ was a man and the true God and eternal life. We can (and we must) do more than just believe and tell others.... we can and must also have a relationship.

Through a relationship with Christ we will grow and we will abide in Him. We will turn from sin.... we will be more equipped to identify evil.... evil will be unable to attach itself to us. What freedom can be found in a relationship with Christ!

As I close out my study on 1 John I pray that we all will grow in our relationship with our Heavenly Father... that we will have the freedom that can be found only in KNOWING our Lord and Savior!

Please Pray

As I sit this afternoon in my warm, dry house I am burdened for those that have just weathered Hurrican Ike in the southern parts of Texas and Louisiana. My kids and I have just returned from having lunch with hubby/daddy as he gets a break from assisting with medical patients being evacuated from all over the coastline of Texas. As we drove downtown to meet him at the hotel where they are staying (at this time they have been meeting planes flying into DFW with patient evacuees so he's close to home, though it looks like they will be headed further south in a couple of days) we passed many warning messages to stay away from the Houston and Beaumont areas due to storm damage. Upon returning home we visited with our neighbor across the street who has friends visiting that have evacuated from Houston and whose parents live in Houston and are now without power or water.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, my dear husband Jeff is a member of a medical emergency response team. Their primary responsibilities in these situations are to assist with patients that have been evacuated from hospitals. As we have had chances to talk this week I have been particularly burdened for these people. Can you imagine being critically ill in the hospital and being told you are being put on a plane and flying somewhere else for an indefinite period of time? As I'm sure you can imagine, an airplane (no matter how big or well equipped) can't match the care you would receive in a hospital. You are ill... many dangerously ill... and then placed on an plane with just the basics (a cot or wheelchair, oxygen, medical personnel) to get you through until you reach your destination. Jeff tells me many are in very bad shape once they are landing and have to be rushed as fast as possible to whichever hospital locally is taking in the evacuees. And, just when they thought it was done as so many had been evacuated prior to the hurricane making landfall, there are now additional hospitals evacuating as they have no power or water. It brings me to my knees.

Please join me in praying for all those effected by Hurrican Ike and particularly for the many medical evacuees. I just can't even imagine. And, if you feel led, please remember Jeff and all the others that are doing everything they can to assist and care for so many that have been touched by Hurricane Ike.

Friday Facts - Colors

Since last week when I checked out the significance and symbolism behing various plants in the Bible (which I got started on only because I was looking for some info on the olive branch... isn't it funny how we get off in a direction we never really intended because of one little, teeny, 'ole question we have?), I've started looking at some other areas of symbolism in the Bible. My interest has been peaked! :)

As I was digging around looking at various websites that provided this type of information, I ran across the following information regarding the symbolism behind colors. Again, I instantly became intrigued with this info and wanted to share with you today. Enjoy! :)


White symbolizes the purity of the soul, innocence, and holiness. White is a symbol of purity and virginity, which is where we find the tradition of the white wedding dress and the white robes and collars worn by Christian clergy. The virgin Mary wears white in images of the immaculate conception, and under her blue robes in other portraits.

Black is an ancient symbol of death and mourning; it is used to symbolize the devil, the underworld, witches, and mourning, except when paired with white, the color of purity, whereby it becomes a symbol of humility.

Brown and grey are symbols of humility and earthiness; grey is also a color of mourning.

Blue is the color most often associated with the Virgin Mary, portrayals of the Virgin and the living Christ (ie, Jesus before the crucifixion) wear blue mantles. Blue symbolizes truth and clarity, it is the color of the sky, and therefore a symbol of heaven.

Green symbolizes life and vegetation, and is an emblem of the resurrection.

Yellow/gold is the color of the sun, it symbolizes divine radiance, revelation, and revealed truth. Yellow can also be used as a symbol of the devil, and of the apostle Judas, where it symbolizes deceitfulness and betrayal.

Red is the color of love, anger, passion, and blood. It is used in the Church to denote the staus of Cardinal, and is a predominant color in images of martyrdom. Red is also the color of the Pentecost; symbolizing the fiery nature of the Holy Ghost. Worn by the virgin, it is the emblem of lifesblood.

The royal color purple is a symbol of power, and often represents God. In other uses, it symbolizes repentance and sorrow, and is often used to represent the mourning for Christ crucified in the weeks leading up to Easter.

Thankful Thursday

"And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." 1 John 5:4-15


I am so glad that God always hears us and that he cares about everything in our lives... not just the "Big Stuff"! This has been a week that has been a struggle for me. Nothing major is going on, just alot of little stuff that just keeps piling up one thing on top of the next. Sometimes this little stuff is harder for me to muddle thru than the big stuff. You know the saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees"? That's how I feel... so much little stuff (trees) piling up around me that I can't find the big picture... the things that I need to focus on.. the good stuff.. the many blessings from God.

So, this week I'm going to take a different direction with this post than I usually do on Thankful Thursday. I'm going to look for the many different blessings God has given me that so often get lost and taken for granted amidst all those trees that cloud my view of the forest.

* My family - my husband, my children, my parents, my sisters, my nieces and nephews, my brother-in-law, my in-laws... you know, the whole extended family -- they are all great! I am really blessed with a terrific and supportive family!

* A house that keeps us warm and dry.

* Plenty of food to strengthen us and never leave us hungry.

* A supportive and God-filled church home.

* Rain and cooler temperatures.

* Clothing to wear so we are protected and warm.

* A car to drive that is in good repair to get us safely from one place to the next.

* My Bible filled with God's precious Words (hmmm... this one should've been closer to the top of the list, huh?)

* Laughter and silliness.

* The cool breeze and chirping birds my daughter pointed out to me as we were leaving the house this morning.

* Friends that are ALWAYS just a phone call away.

* Wonderful Christian music to "put a song in my heart" and provide me uplifting messages and encouragement.

* All of you that I have met since I started blogging. What a blessing each one of you are to me!

* The sunshine.

Happy Thankful Thursday to you all!

For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Sting My Heart!

Word-Filled Wednesday - John 14:6

Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.





Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Special Awards

Over the last few months, I have been honored to receive several special awards. I have been remiss in acknowledging these and do apologize. I am humbled that you find my blog worthy of any award.




A couple of months ago Peggy and Nancie awarded me the Sharing the Love award.

This lovely award is created by Crystal @ Memoirs of a Mommy in honor of Noah and the donor of his sweet little heart who ENCOURAGES us to SHARE THE LOVE ! Thanks Crystal! [Click on Memoirs of a Mommy to learn and read this special love story!] The rules for this award are to pass it along to some people whose blogs you love. They make you laugh, smile, leave encouraging comments on your blog. You would like to share some love with them because they have uplifted, inspired, encouraged or prayed for you. Please include this paragraph with the link to Memoirs of a Mommy so that everyone know where this award originated from.




Peggy and Nancie also presented me with the Friendship Award. This one especially is meaningful to me as I do want to be a true friend to all that I encounter, whether in my day to day life or thru blogging. Friendships are so important and really are such a special gift from God!




Peggy and Chickie Momma presented me with this, the Brilliante Award. Thank you both so very much!


I seem to always struggle to decide who I am going to share awards with as all the blogs that I read are special and meaningful to me. Therefore, I am going to share these awards with all of you! I pray that you would know how much I have enjoyed "getting to know you" as I visit your blogs and the encouragement that you give to me each time, as well. You are all special and I thank God for the gift He has given me in finding you in this big 'ole world of the internet. I love you all!

1 John 5:14-17

"And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death." 1 John 5:14-17


I so wish that I could get to the point in my life where, no matter the circumstance, I would just immediately turn everything over to God in prayer. This seems to be an area that I struggle with so much. I worry and I lose sleep and sometimes even let my stress level get high before I will turn a situation over to God. Fortunately, God doesn't hold this against me and He still listens when I do finally turn it over to Him. He is still faithful and still answers my prayers.

I've tried to figure out why I do this.... I think part of it is that I try too hard to control situations myself, some of it is that I worry that it might be "too small" to pray about, and still other times I just let myself get too caught up in whatever is going on. What I need to remember and focus on, though, is that NOTHING is too small for God and nothing is more important than taking it all to God. This is what He wants us to do. He wants us to bring EVERYTHING to Him... no matter how big or small. He wants us to ask Him and to ask Him anything. God cares about it all.

God also desires for us to pray for the people in our lives. We need to remember that it's not just ourselves that need prayer. One of the greatest things we can do for those close to us is to pray for them. And to pray for them about anything. Pray for them during joyous occasions and pray for them when they are hurting.

Alot of times when I'm not sure how to help someone I will hear myself say something along the lines of, "I don't know what else to do but to pray." What I really should say is more like, "I am praying for you. Is there anything else I can do in addition to that?" Many times we pray for others as a last resort. We need to make praying for others the first and most important thing we do for them.

It is only through prayer that we will see our relationship with God grow and that we will find the answers to which we are seeking. Through prayer we will draw closer to God and we will find that our will becomes more in line with God's will. And, really, isn't that what it's all about? A true relationship with God and a heart and mind that is in alignment with the will of God.

Friday Facts - Plants

Plants. Did you realize the number of plants that have biblical symbolisms? I sure didn't. I went on this search looking for the meaning behind the olive branch. Well, I found that, but also found out there is symbolism behind the pomegranite and reeds.... I had no idea.

I found this really interesting, so thought I would share for my Friday Facts post this week. Enjoy!

The palm-branch is a very early symbol of Christianity; its image often accompanied martyrs to symbolize their "victory" over earthly temptations and misery. The palm was in long use by the Romans before Christianization and carried over into Christiani. The leaves of the palm also figure in the New Testament, carried by the crowd who met Jesus upon his" triumphal entry" into Jerusalem.

The lily is a symbol of purity, chastity, and simplicity. As such, it is the emblem of the Virgin Mary, and often figures in scenes of the annunciation.

The reed is one of the emblems of the Passion, the instrument by which the sponge soaked with vinegar was administered to Christ on the cross. The reed is also an emblem of John the Baptist, an emblem of his baptising ministry in the river Jordan.

The olive is symbolic of fertility and abundance, of hope and new beginnings, and, of course, peace. The olive tree is mentioned numerous times in the old testament, as olives were a staple crop for the Hebrews. The olive branch as a symbol of peace stems from the Old Testament story of Noah, who sent out a dove at the end of the great flood. The dove returned with an olive branch, which became a symbol of peace between God and man.

The pomegranate is an ancient symbol of wisdom. In Christian art, it often represents the Church, the seeds within individual congregations.

The rose is the ancient symbol of Venus, the Roman goiddess of love. In Christianity, the rose has a variety of meanings. A white rose is an emblem of purity; the red, martyrdom. A ring or garland of roses is the emblem of the Virgin Mary, and the basis of the rosary. A yellow rose is reserved as a symbol of papl benediction.

Thankful Thursday

For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Sting My Heart!




As I look back over the past week I am so thankful for so many things! God is so good!

This has been a week that is a bit unusual for us, but so filled with blessings. You're definitely going to notice a theme to all my notes of thankfulness and I just can't let today go by without mentioning each and everyone of them. Here they are....

* I am so thankful for my health and for God's healing when I am sick. Last Thursday I was taken down for several days with strep throat. Oh, my... I haven't been that sick in a long time! I am so thankful to be up and about and feeling good again!

* I am thankful that the Lord saw fit to keep my hubby at home until I could get back up on my feet again. Jeff is a member of a medical emergency response team that provides assistance during times of emergency... this last weekend in response to Hurrican Gustav. Originally he was supposed to leave at 5:00am on Friday morning... the day I couldn't even get out of bed! Thankfully, they had a change in plans and he didn't leave until around noon on Saturday and returned in the wee hours of Monday morning. I still wasn't 100%, but I was well enough I could get out of bed and take care of the kids.

* I am thankful for my sweet kiddos that were so understanding of the fact that mommy wasn't feeling too great. They played so well over the weekend... quietly and (mostly) without fussing. They helped me out where they could and just helped make it easier for me since Daddy wasn't home.

* I am thankful the Lord gave me a husband that wants so much to help others in need! He has been a part of this emergency response team for just over a year and this is the first hurricane season we have experienced with him working with them. It is long, hard work but one he so very much wants to do. He wants to go into these situations and do all he can for those affected by these storms. He has such a giving heart!

* I am thankful for my friends and family that love us so much and are there when we need them. We had a neighbor and family friend offer to come over Friday morning and get the kids up, dressed and off to school for me in the event Jeff had to leave on that day. We had other friends checking in on us over the weekend while he was gone. Jeff's parents were close by and offered to help in anyway. My family, while all living in other states kept in close touch with me by phone and my mother made sure to add Jeff, his team, and myself and the kids to her church prayer group list. There are more in addition to these that continue to offer to help out in any way they can over the next week or so as it looks like Jeff may now be heading in the direction of Puerto Rico today or later in the week. That area has already been hit hard by Hurrcanes Gustav and Hanna and may be hit harder later this week with Hurricane Josephine (which, at this point, is still technically a tropical storm.... but could change at any time).

* I am thankful for each and every one of you that visit and offer your words of encouragement and your prayers. As I felt so poorly over the weekend, I stopped and visited several of you and gained such strength and encouragement from the words your shared on your own blogs. I definitely felt strengthened as I visited and read comments you left for me here.

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Psalms 34:14

"Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." Psalms 34:14

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.





Picture courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

Happy Labor Day

I had originally scheduled a post for Labor Day wishing everyone a happy and joyful Labor Day Weekend. As I've sat and watched coverage this evening of Hurricane Gustav, though, I just didn't feel I could leave this cheerful, happy, playful little post up while so many along the Gulf Coast would be experiencing something completely different. While I do still want for all to have a happy and enjoyable Labor Day Holiday, the reality for so many in our country is a day of fear and uncertainty in the days ahead. Please join me today and this week in praying for all those who live along the Gulf Coast. Let us pray for their safety and for their weeks to come as they sort through potential loss of homes and jobs that could happen if this hurricane hits with the force that is expected. Additionally, let us all also pray for the many personnel that have been sent that way to assist in providing protection during the storm and in providing provisions to meet needs in the days following.