THE SUN

For me, the SUN is a shining reminder of Jesus, the “SON”, in our lives.

If you have ever seen the sun rise
    from behind the hills and mountains,
You may have been blessed
    by the sparkling red and yellow rays that fill the sky.

swiss alps sunrise picture

Sunrise at the Swiss Alps–Photo courtesy of Bekah.

Just gazing on this beautiful sight,
    reminds us how much beauty is in creation–
     both inanimate and living,
There is a breathtaking awesomeness in the sight.

So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But may they who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength. Then the land had peace forty years.   –Judges 5:31  (NIV)

During the day, see the sun brighten the earth
    and penetrate so deeply and warmly.
I so enjoy being immersed in the warmth of the sun
    as its rays are radiating so intensely.
A sign and symbol of all the love God gives us
    through His “Son”, Jesus.
Jesus’ love for us is deeply rooted in us
    and rises to brighten the lives of others.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.  –Psalm 84:11  (NIV)

sun day

In the evening, see the sun setting over the ocean waters–
    such a tranquil and serene view.
This sight restores our soul
    letting us know God is in control
     and He is filling us with His peace and love.

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From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.  –Psalm 113:3  (NIV)

FAITH & TRUST

Fall time in the northeast USA is always a breath-taking blessing to experience. I find it a beautiful season where you can see God’s hand working to make such a beautiful masterpiece which we get to  behold with our eyes.  The green leaves on the trees start to turn to different hues of yellow, orange, or red. It is quite a sight to view. For those that have never experienced the fall time colors, I do hope someday you will be able to! Seeing the rolling hills and mountains, especially in the beautiful fall array of colors that God provides, brings me into a closer relationship with the Creator.
I recently had the privilege of going on a short day trip in fall time where, as is typical, I just felt enveloped in the Lord’s presence. It was as if His majestic power and beauty was all around me as I looked upon the “Grand Canyon of PA” in Wellsboro, PA.
There are different stopping points where you can view nature all around you.  It was actually quite a trek to go from one scenic part to another. For me, it was a trek that exercised my faith and trust in God. It made me think about that in my life, especially since I was alone at this point in the trip.
The other factor was that this whole trek was basically with no cell service..no way to contact anyone if something happened.
What if I had a flat tire? What if the car broke down? What if something happened? I tried to put those thoughts out of my head and trust the Lord just like we must continually do everyday of our lives. Listening to some Mac Powell country music also seemed fitting to help me relax.
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Things didn’t get off to a great start. As I was leaving stop 1, there seemed to be this dirt road that was quite narrow. I thought it seemed more like a walking path but it seemed to be where the GPS was taking me. Thankfully it wasn’t too long before a closed gate was my clue that indeed it was just a walking path! I had to back up the car until I came to a parking lot to turn around, as the road was too narrow to do anything else.
Stop 2 is where there was a gorgeous view, though the trees were mostly just green and yellow, not so colorful on this particular day. Getting to Stop 2 took faith & trust in God and the GPS, that I’m never quite sure of! I still find it strange that one day the GPS can take you one way and another day it will take you a different path! My husband always says is a very complicated algorithm and wonders if I’m up to perfecting it!
At one point, I crossed over a paved road and end up on this dirt road that had a big incline and seemed only big enough for one car! I sure prayed a car wouldn’t be coming the other way!! At first I was doubting the GPS, but I figured at least the time was counting down to my arrival time so I had no choice but to trust it.  Sure enough I made it to stop 2!!
Stop 2 is where, looking all around, I definitely felt God’s majesty envelope me–the huge, massive hills–and I don’t know if you can see it, but to me, it looks like a giant heart carved in the scenery that only the Creator could do! I love the pictures that also have bodies of water in them.
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I couldn’t decide whether to venture down one of the trails but finally settled on going down this one. Once again, those “What If” thoughts would go through my head. In case you don’t know, I’m not really the mountain climber type, and I was all alone….What if I fell?  What if I got lost?  What if…  But, again, I tried to put those thoughts out of my head and decided to trust and have faith.
The view was awesome from this one outlook so I ended up being thankful that I did venture down the path. It was a closer up view of some of the water. I am always blessed reflecting on the beauty of the water.
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Stop 3 was actually a good 50 minute ride; once again with intense curves, narrow roads, some one lane bridges where you prayed no one was coming and you just went for it, and roads that required me to step out in faith. I was very thankful there wasn’t too much traffic going my way so I could go slower when I felt the need especially being on such unfamiliar roads.  The drive was kind of cool because at points you were close to the water and the sides of the massive mountains. It was like you were right at the base and could see how massive and majestic they were. These hills were covered with a beautiful array of yellow trees.
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I enjoyed Stop 3 where I pulled out my chair, journal, and started to pen my adventure. This stop was the perfect spot…located near the water where a few people were even fishing. I, in my typical fashion, sat to soak up the “Son’s” presence. At times you could only hear the wind blow, at other times the bird’s echoing squawks could be heard. When I’m near bodies of water and feel the Lord’s presence, I think about how often Jesus was near the water, calling the disciples, calming the water, etc.
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I knew I was definitely in the Lord’s presence when I looked up in the sky. What first caught my eye were three “different” looking clouds; the only ones gracing the clear blue sky. And right among those three clouds was a lone bird. Now, I always love to see the birds flying in the air near the water and want to capture the moment with a photograph. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture a good, clear enough picture of the three birds this time. There appeared this one bird who then left this cloud area, and was quickly joined by a second bird,  and just like I’ve experienced before, a third finally appeared…always reminding me of God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Three in one in ME!
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God is big and sure makes His Presence known to us in the beauty of nature. Take a  moment and enjoy His presence today!
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  –Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV)
And, continue to trust God to help you through your struggles and have faith that His Presence, the Holy Spirit, is with you always!
Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding.  –Proverbs 3:5  (NIV)

THE JOURNEY HOME

As a Christian, you can consider your life on this earth as a pilgrimage to eventually spend eternity with God our Father and Jesus our Lord.

Have you really viewed your life as that?  Maybe not focusing so much on the routine “things” you do daily but on the things that are really important for eternity?

On your journey home, you may travel down many different roads.

**Some roads may be heavily traveled–Maybe you find yourself following the crowd which could be good or bad.

**Some roads may be only slightly traveled–Maybe you find yourself forging your own path doing what you feel God has called you to do that others may not think is popular.

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Photo credit by ANDRÉS NIETO PORRAS under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0) Word added by www.hopetoinspireyouwordpress.com

**Some might be very bumpy and full of potholes–These are the times when trials and tribulations are coming at you to test your faith.

**Some might be smooth–Things just seem to be moving right along on a nice, even keel where you know God is in control.

Whatever roads your life takes, the important thing is to keep your eyes focused on Jesus, knowing He is in control. Relying on His power and surrendering the trials of this life to Him will get you down those roads.

On your journey home, you have the opportunity of meeting many different pilgrims along the way.

**Some pilgrims will have the same views as you on life and faith–Maybe inspiring you to live a better life or giving you a different viewpoint to consider.

Jenny

Jenny, a great pilgrim (& editor) in the Lord who inspires me!

**Some pilgrims will not share the same views as you on life and faith–Maybe you will be an inspiration for them or your life may help them see something differently when the time is right in their life.

By sharing your different experiences with each other, you both may help each other. There is so much to be learned from sharing one another’s journey if we are willing. 

On your journey home, you have the opportunity to do things that build up the kingdom of God on this earth.

**Giving to the poor, lowly, needy

**Sharing your love of the Lord through whatever gift God has given you-inspiring music, writing, art, spoken word

**Serving the less fortunate through serving meals, sharing the Gospel

Jesus Christ

Photo credit by QUOTESEVERLASTING under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

**Praying for others to make a difference in their life

**Showing love and kindness to all you meet–opening a door for a stranger, sharing a meal with a widow or widower

**Giving an encouraging word to someone who is feeling down or alone

On this pilgrimage home, our focus should be mostly on how we can build up the kingdom of God with the gifts God has given us and how we can bring His love to all we meet.

Through everything in this life, it is important to keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus.

Everything you do—whether in speech or action—is done unto Him. It makes no difference if you’re at home, school or work—it is all for the Lord.

By keeping the proper focus throughout your journey, you will be prepared to make that final crossing whenever the Lord calls you home, without fear or concern. Then you can spend eternity face to face with our Lord—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  –Colossians 3:17  (NIV)

MARTHA or MARY?

One of the many great stories from the Bible that Jesus teaches us some life lessons is found in Luke 10:38-42 about the story of Martha and Mary. Hearing and reflecting on this story is always a good thing for me.

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (NIV)

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                                    Photo: God’s beauty in Bermuda

Let’s take a closer look to see what lessons we might be able to incorporate into our daily lives by looking at Martha and Mary and what Jesus had to say about them.

Martha:

–Opened her home to the Lord

–Distracted by preparations

–Worried and upset about many things

–Approached Jesus to ask if He cared that Mary was not helping

–Wanted Jesus to tell Mary to help with the preparations

–Thought Mary should be busy doing the same things as she was around the house

Mary:

–Did not busy herself with doing things around the house

–Sat at the Lord’s feet

–Listened to what Jesus was saying

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus himself said to Martha:

“But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42 (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but I am definitely a Martha as far as trying to always “do” things, especially in the home.

It seems like there are always distractions calling my name, probably like most wives and mothers, and those husbands or fathers who are primary keepers of the house and children.

*Working

*Grocery shopping

*Planning and coordinating of schedules

*Dishes

*Cleaning

*Paperwork

*Bills to pay

*Running children to different events & attending too

*Planning and making meals

*Volunteer work

and the list goes on and on.

But, I must add a disclaimer here….The Lord has definitely blessed me, allowing me to work part-time since the kids came along, AND with a wonderful eldest child who assists me with taking care of so many tasks around the house which allows me more time to sit at the feet of Jesus and spend time writing about Him.

So often, it feels like if I’m not DOING, I’m not being productive or useful.

Reflecting on this story is a great thing to do…

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Photo credit by Unlocking the Bible under Creative Commons License (CC BY-ND 2.0)

**To remember that finding ways to listen and spend time with Jesus are most important….

–Through prayer, which can really be done at any time….I enjoy doing it while driving places

–Through reading Scripture

–Through attending retreats, seminars

–Through small group sharings

–Through Bible studies

–Through visiting the sick, lonely, poor

–Through writings to inspire others in their walk with the Lord

–Through sharing with other Christian friends who can encourage and inspire us

–Through listening to inspiring, worship music.

I think the challenge is to be like both Martha and Mary and to keep that BALANCE in our lives. What a great story to remind us of what is really important in this life!

YOUR STORY

Every life is truly a special gift from God.

What you do with it, and how you live it, is YOUR gift to God.

Have you viewed YOUR life as such?

Do the things you busy yourself with reflect that view? How about the decisions you make, the places you go, the people you interact with?

story to god

Your life is a story that only YOU can write to our Creator, God Almighty. No two people have the same story; each and every story is unique!

Your life is made up of some circumstances you have control over, and some things you do not have control over. Every day brings many decisions. The choices you make shape and mold YOUR life’s story.

Your story is made up of many chapters–it could be based on the stages of life–infancy, childhood, teenager, young adult, adult, elderly person.

The chapters could also be represented by significant events in your life.

When you start out as an infant, you depend solely on your caregiver to meet all of your needs, but as you begin to grow, you have some control over YOUR gift to God.

As you become a teenager, you have even more options in deciding how YOUR story will be written.

**Will you stand up for your beliefs or will you follow the crowd and compromise your faith?

When you are a young adult, you have even greater control over writing YOUR story to God. The opportunities are endless and you have more freedom.

Probably as an adult, you have the greatest potential for writing YOUR story to God. You are now on your own and responsible for yourself.

How you react to the various situations in your life is a big part of YOUR story.

**Are you going to choose to be happy despite possible “bad” circumstances or will you let sadness and loss of hope overtake YOUR story?

**Will you let Jesus guide your path?

With God’s help, you have the power and freedom to write YOUR personal story–your gift to Him.

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Photo credit by BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)

It is never too late to begin anew if YOUR story is not what you want it to be.

**If there is a chapter in your life that you don’t like, you can seek God’s forgiveness and move on to bigger and better things.

God is always there waiting for us and waiting to guide us.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, when you are an elderly person, or at the end of every chapter in YOUR story, you can look back and say that you are satisfied with YOUR story?

YOUR story is YOUR gift to God!

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.  –2 Corinthians 3:2-3 (NIV)

COME AWAY WITH ME

“…Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  –Mark 6:31  (NIV)
I think Jesus’ command to His apostles back in His day also applies to our lives today.
Have you ever had the blessing of getting away from the busyness of life to just spend time being…being with the Lord and enjoying the many blessings that are all around?
…Maybe it was on your vacation where you experienced God’s presence in the beauty of the environment you were surrounded by.
 
 
…Maybe you had the privilege of attending some kind of retreat where you had a close encounter with God.
 
 
…Maybe you just took time to be alone with Him and experienced Him in the peacefulness and solitude.
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                                                 Canandaigua Lake, NY
I know this summer I was truly blessed to attend a three day retreat at a place with a beautiful lake setting where you could commune with the Lord in a reflective way. Spending time with like minded people is always a blessing too where you can share your faith with others. It provides opportunities for making new friends in the Lord and learning from other’s stories as well.
Taking time to get away from the routine of life and spend time with the Lord is a necessity especially in today’s fast paced, technological world that we live in.
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It is enlightening to read the many scripture passages that show how many times Jesus took time to spend alone with God, His Father, getting away from the crowds of people and even His disciples.
“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”  –Luke 6:12  (NIV)
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  –Luke 5:15
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”  –Mark 1:35  (NIV)
“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.”  –Matthew 14:23
I encourage you, if the opportunity ever presents itself to you, to attend a retreat or any get together that will strengthen your faith.  It will help you refocus and concentrate on the really important things in life once again.
Even taking time daily to go to your quiet corner and commune with the Lord will enrich your spirit and get you in tune with the Creator.
I think the most powerful story of Jesus taking time to pray with God was right before He was going to be handed over to be arrested before being put to death.  Jesus knew the most important thing He could do was pray to His Father.
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Photo credit by Waiting for the Word under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

” 36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”  –Matthew 26:36-46  (NIV)

Father, may we grow daily to be like your Son, Jesus….taking time to pray continually to you and being one with you.  Amen.

CELEBRATE YOUR LIFE

I can’t help but share these thoughts today….as this is the day I get to celebrate ME!

 

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                                                      One year old!
When you think about your birthday rolling around, what kind of feelings does that elicit?
Feelings of happiness or feelings of dread?
As I’ve gotten older, I find that it is easier to think about the negative aspect of birthdays. Like the part of the  aging body having more aches and pains and not working as well as it used to.  And then there’s definitely more gray hair to color! Thankfully, I still feel young at heart…now if only the body would realize that too!
But, I think it’s good to shift our focus to celebrating US!

 

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                               Nice crooked bow for Kindergarten!
Think about when you hear of someone expecting a child, especially maybe as a first time parent. Isn’t there so much joy and happiness to celebrate this new life?  One thinks of all the hopes and dreams you have for this child and what the future will be like.

I guess it seems almost like God wants us to rejoice in those same ways once a year when our birthday rolls around.  There are so many things to celebrate.

After all, we are God’s child…a great reason to celebrate!

 

8th grade
                                                                8th grade
Over the years, I have grown to appreciate the specialness of birthdays.
They remind me that I am special to the Lord, and that He is Lord of ALL creation.

 

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                                         High school graduation

 

Birthdays make me think about the reasons to celebrate in the Lord…
…to celebrate the fact that our life is a GIFT from God.
…to celebrate the MIRACLE of OUR life.
…to celebrate how SPECIAL and UNIQUE the Lord made each of us.
…to celebrate the fact that the Lord knew us even while we were in our mother’s WOMB.
…to celebrate the fact that the Lord has a divine PURPOSE for our life.

 

Birthdays are also a great time to take inventory of how far we’ve come in our walk with the Lord and the direction we’re heading.
 
                                                    The current ME!
So, when your birthday rolls around this year, don’t worry about getting older, but rather…
REJOICE & CELEBRATE the fact that YOU are a special part of God’s creation!

When I think of celebrating ME, I can’t help but think of my favorite, what I call “life song,” Offering by Third Day. I know I’ve shared it before, but take a moment to click the link below and really listen to the message of the song.

For me, in my heart and soul, this song holds such special meaning and truly summarizes that

MY life is my OFFERING to Him for all He has done for ME.

This song is an older song of Third Day’s, so it was such a blessing to hear them play it live at the last concert I went to! Such a wonderful song!!

 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  –Psalm 139: 13-14  (NIV)

ADVERSITY

I continue to be blessed by and in awe of those people I meet who have had what I consider, great adversity, in their life.
As only the Lord could work out, last weekend, my youngest son accompanied my husband and me to a dinner & social gathering at some friends’ of ours.  They usually have these Sunday night gatherings that are open to any family and friends that are available.  They usually cook the main staple and the attendees pitch in and bring a dish to pass. (Thanks, Ken & Sandy, for being so kind and generous and sharing the love of the Lord with us all!)
Toward the end of this past Sunday, the three of us “happened” to sit down at the table where this gal in a wheelchair was. (Maybe it was because that is where the desserts were!) We overheard this gal ask these other two people if they were going to be around the next weekend and wanted to participate in a Big Ball tournament which is an annual benefit to help this gal with medical expenses.
My son, the baseball enthusiast, looked over at me and said he’d love to play. At the time,we had possible plans to be out of town, but I said if we did not go out of town, that would be fine for him to participate.
As you may guess, we did not go out of town, and my son got to play Big Ball for the first time! I was blessed to drive and accompany him to the benefit as well as be there to watch him play.
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                                                Ready to run to third base!
While watching my son play three Big Ball games on Saturday and one on Sunday, I had the true blessing of talking with this gal, her father, her mother and step-father.  In my book, they are all wonderful examples of people overcoming adversity in their life and making the best of it.
When I’m at these events, I find myself praying for the people and thinking of how inspiring their lives are to me. I brought things to help pass the time, but I didn’t need any of that. I just got lost in my thinking and praying.
Can you imagine what it must be like to…..
 
 
….be paralyzed for the past 8 years
 
 
…to not have use of your arms, hands, or legs
 
 
…to not be able to walk
 
 
…to be told you’d never drive
 
 
…to not let your situation get you defeated?
Well, this gal, through lots of determination and perseverance, rather than stubbornness (the word her father used) has regained the use of both arms and hands! And, she was determined to drive….and she does now! She has her goal set on walking again one day, and I really hope she does!
What a true inspiration and living example of how to not let adversity get the best of you.
It is pure joy to talk with her, to hear her positive outlook on life and to see her overcome so many obstacles. She has had numerous surgeries for several different ailments.  But through it all, she has a wonderful, peaceful attitude.
She currently endures a three hour drive each way four times a month for medical intervention.
I am so thankful that my son wanted to be a part of the Big Ball tournament. I know my life was blessed by talking with this amazing gal and her family.
Like I said, it was my son’s first experience playing Big Ball. He was part of one of the non-competitive teams which was a mish-mash of people from young to older, with a range of no Big Ball experience to years of experience.  Unfortunately, they lost all four games so then the tournament ended for them.
The last game was a tough loss as both teams had not scored until that final inning, and if they lost then they were out of the tournament.  His team was up first in the inning and scored two runs.  The other team had their last ups, and  ended up getting three runs with two outs.
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                                               Ready to play defense!
It was a tough loss for my son because the team fell apart defensively during that last inning.  And, to make matters worse, he ended up making one error that did not help the situation.  It reminded him too much of the last game of his travel baseball season where it was the same kind of situation.
I always find it difficult to know what to say at times like that. In thinking about it now, maybe I missed an opportunity to tell him some about adversity and even sharing more about this gal. I always try to tell him to do his best, and it’s never one person’s fault if you lose a game…it’s a team.
My heart smiled a few times when first the gal’s mom (which I didn’t know at the time) wondered who that second baseman was. I was a little hesitant to say that was my son, since I wasn’t sure if she was going to say something good or bad. Thankfully, it was good…she said, “He is good.” (I breathed a sigh of relief!)
On Sunday, the gal’s step-dad came to me and introduced himself and said, “You have a fine young man there.”
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   Photo credit by BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)
All of this also made me think about adversity….
…maybe you are an athlete and do lose almost every game you play
…maybe you have cancer or some other chronic illness
…maybe you have a loved one serving in the military and they are deployed
…maybe your spouse died unexpectedly
…maybe you are trying to find someplace to live
…maybe you are unemployed and need to find a job
…maybe your child has some kind of addiction.
Through all of these things, our attitude and perspective on life is so vital to how we handle the situation.
We can dwell on the negative and let that defeat us…
or
We can choose to dwell on the positive and try to overcome our situation one step at a time!  As this gal often reminds herself, there is always someone else worse off.
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.  –John 16:33 (NIV)
 
So, I encourage you to try to take that first step to overcome whatever adversity you are facing  in your life today.  Try to reach out to another to help encourage you or help you in some way, and always remember you are not alone….God is with you through it all!
…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.  –Matthew 2:20 (NIV)

EVERYDAY MIRACLES

Do you ever stop and wonder why we don’t see the many and great miracles that were done back in Jesus’ day?  Maybe we need to reflect on our current lifestyles and the “little” miracles that occur every day in order to gain a better perspective on this question.

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Photo credit by Danielle Lynn under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

 

Our lifestyles these days are rather “instant” and technically advanced, compared to Jesus’ day.  We rush and run from one place to another, merely “doing” our routine.  All this advancement is great, as long as we keep the proper perspective on life.

 Amidst the hustle and bustle of each day, we need to take time to see the “little” miracles God sends our way.

The miracle of nature…..

–how the sun and moon appear each day

–the seasons that come year after year

–the birds flying south to keep warm

–the trees changing with the seasons.

The miracle of your body….

–how you were formed in your mother’s womb

–how you were part of the miracle of the child birth process

–the blood pumping through your body performing so many functions

–the hairs on your body growing when you don’t even notice

–how your eyes provide you with beautiful sights

-your ears can hear all kinds of sounds

–how your heart beats continually as you progress through this life.

The miracle of circumstances in your life….

–the relationship that was restored

–the people that offered to pray for you when you were having a health test

–how you found strength to make it through a long, rough day at work

–the “chance” meeting you encountered at the store

–how you quit smoking after so many years.

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Photo credit by  Scott Costello under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

This thought of everyday miracles seems to resonate in my life lately.

I was talking on the phone to a co-worker whom I’ve never met, and I was in awe of listening to him tell the story of how another co-worker was on his way walking to his car when someone stopped him to help with a problem. Thankfully, this occurred at just the “right” time! If he had not been stopped, he would have been getting in his car at the time that the parking ramp collapsed where his car was.  That gave me goosebumps and made me stop and thank the Lord for an everyday miracle right there!

Recently I was at a minor baseball league game with my youngest son. I happened to run into a co-worker who works on my floor, but not in my department. For some reason at the game, we hugged each other and I noticed a cross necklace she was wearing. I went to her at work the next day, felt led to share my blog site with her, and we talked about God and my favorite band, Third Day. It was just what she needed that day to help her through a rough time. I consider that baseball game encounter, along with our follow up discussion, an everyday miracle!

This blog (#55!) happens to be at the one year mark of when I started this blog site! I consider this site an everyday miracle in my life! I am truly in awe of how God, through a series of circumstances, worked every thing out which led me to write again….just trying to share the things that are in my heart about our great God.  God also used His ordinary circumstances to provide an “editor” for me…using a simple comment via Facebook on a mutual friend’s post. I’ve never met my editor in person yet, but ironically we grew up in the same hometown! I am so blessed to have an editor who I can run things by and who encourages me along this path. You are such a blessing in my life, and I am so blessed by your sharing of your faith with me, Jenny! She always reminds me that “God never works in a vacuum…not ever!”

Can you think of some everyday miracles you have experienced in your life? Feel free to share them in the comment section below.

It is so refreshing to see God at work in the “little” details of life performing His everyday miracles!

If we recognize God’s little miracles every day, our faith in Him is going to grow and grow—and, as our faith increases, we will learn to trust Him more.  We might even see the Lord perform even greater miracles!  Keep your eyes and heart open to His everyday miracles!

You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.  –Psalm 77:14 (NIV)

THE VAST OCEAN

Is there a special place where you seem to feel God’s presence most powerfully?

For me, one place where I always seem to feel God’s presence most powerfully is the beach.

Marco Island beach

                                                  Marco Island, FL

When I was young, my family would often vacation in North Wildwood, NJ to enjoy the beach and boardwalk there. We would always stay in the same motel, The Flying Dutchman, usually with an ocean view room that was a short walk to the beach. I think because of that, I have always enjoyed spending time at the beach and ocean especially as I became an adult. Even as a child, I would be sad when it was time to leave and return back home; I just wanted to stay there and be in God’s presence. On a side note, we took our kids to North Wildwood a few years and were surprised to see The Flying Dutchman was still there….just remodeled! 🙂

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                                     Back in the day at North Wildwood, NJ

I have been blessed to continue to vacation at a beach often and have gotten spoiled to frequent places where we are able to rent a condo right on the beach. That way there is easy access to and from the beach, and you can cook your own meals whenever you want. I have enjoyed sharing my love of the beach with my children through the years, and it was a good place to vacation, especially when they were younger.

When I go to the ocean, I seem to encounter God more powerfully and sense His presence. It is still difficult when it is time to pack up and return home.

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                                      Virginia Beach, VA

What makes the ocean so special to me?

–I love to look out and see miles and miles of the vast ocean water-you can’t see the beginning nor the end of it…it just flows on continually all day and night…

–I marvel at the width and depth of the ocean waters…

–How does the water continually flow from one place to another…back and forth…all under God’s command?

–It is amazing to think how the tides come in and out each day…

–Sometimes the waves are enormous and sometimes they are few and far between…

–I love to think about all the life that is present in the ocean waters…each type of fish, crab, starfish, sand-dollar, shark, dolphin, sea plants having its own life pattern and serving the purpose God has in mind…

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      A sand-dollar at Marco Island, FL. So cool to see it breathing!

–The uncountable grains of sand in the ocean and on the beaches each with its own special purpose in God’s plan…

–I think it’s neat to think about the many Bible stories of Jesus and his disciples that were near the water…

–There is a peacefulness in listening to the waves soothing my soul…

O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.  –Psalm 89:9 (NIV)

This summer my family was blessed to visit a new-to-us beach place called Marco Island in Florida, which is on the southwest coast. I felt like I was in heaven because it was such a beautiful place with the water having a blue-green hue to it, and there were such calm waters there. My kids were actually disappointed the waves were so calm, but for me, it was just perfect. You could go out in the 85 degree ocean waters and just float around for hours not having to worry about waves. Technically, it is the Gulf waters rather than the ocean, so I’m wondering if that is why.

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                       The tranquil waters of Marco Island, FL

Being on the west coast of Florida provided for stunning sunsets glistening upon the ocean waters every night. I was glad a friend mentioned about taking a picture for her the first night. Then, it was so much fun and so beautiful, that every night I had the pleasure of seeing God’s majestic glory of the sunsets. It was great to take so many pictures of them.

Seeing the sunrise or the sunset shows me God’s presence, and I love to soak them in.

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  SO PROUD OF THIS SHOT… a bird in the sunset at Marco Island, FL

For me, the ocean is a wonder of God’s presence where His awesome love and beauty flow forth. I feel the glory and the splendor of the Lord at the ocean!

The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea–the Lord on high is mighty. –Psalm 93:3-4 (NIV)

A friend of mine was just at the beach last week, and I felt her words best summarized my thoughts of being at the beach exactly:

“There is a peace to be found at the ocean’s edge. Words cannot touch the part of our souls that a pounding surf reaches. This gives life a tranquil place of rest.” –Mischell Barbieri

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                     Ship Bottom, NJ Photo credit by Mischell Barbieri

How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number–living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. –Psalm 104:24-26 (NIV)