Be Thankful

Its that time of year again! Time for turkey n stuffing, pumpkin pie and giving thanks! What are you thankful for? Oh, we usually thank the Lord for our meals..so much so that it almost becomes a religious act instead of truly being thankful that the Lord has blessed us with something to eat. There are many people who are not sure if they are going to have food on the table or not! We tend to always thank the Lord for the "good" weather he has brought us. I guess we should be thankful for the "not so good" weather since our Lord is the one who brings them both. We say we are thankful for our families but id say we don't really know what true thankfulness is until we don't have whatever it is that we say we are thankful for! Recently I stood in a funeral home and watched a man say goodbye to his son who was only in his thirties! This same man had just lost his wife of over thirty years in a car accident just 3 years earlier. My heart ached for this man! I can't imagine the pain he must be feeling. I'm sure he was still feeling the pain and emptiness from his wife passing and now his only child lay before him. The son left behind two little girls ages 11 and 13. As I saw the tears run down their little cheeks, I suddenly felt so unthankful! I had been complaining earlier about the smallest little things. The kitchen is in the middle of  remodeling and I complained about having to do dishes in a pan. My truck is broke down and the weather isn't what Id like it to be.......and on and on!  Two little girls lost their mamaw and now their daddy. A man stands alone after death takes his wife and his only child. How  Unthankful I have been! We should really be ashamed to be complaining about things in life that really don't even matter in the end. So what if our house project isn't finished yet or we don't have enough money to pay our bills. We should be thankful that we have our loved ones around us this Thanksgiving. Many people have no one! I pray that the Lord fills this family up with his comfort. I pray that he would forgive us when we seem to be ungrateful. Life isn't always going to go smooth. Its ok to get upset about things in life, but when we do start to get upset, lets remember to be thankful for what we do have instead of focusing on what we dont have! It could be worse! If you are blessed to have your loved ones around you this Thanksgiving, be thankful to the Lord and make sure you tell them you love them...it may be your last chance.
Psalm 100:4
Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name

Smoke ~n~ Crash

It was a Sunday morning. My son was here to give me a ride to church because my truck was broke down. I got up out of bed and went into the kitchen to put my coffee water on. A few minutes later my son says, " whats that smoke in the kitchen?".. In my "know what im talkin about mom voice", I said " thats not smoke honey, its just steam from my tea kettle." He runs into the kitchen saying,"Thats smoke Mom!" I ran into the kitchen and smoke was so thick we could hardly see each other! The tea kettle water wasnt hot at all, but the can opener sure was! I had turned on the wrong burner and had for some reason sat the can opener on that back burner! HAHA..this wasnt a bit funny at the time although I can laugh about it now.. My son ran around opening windows and doors while I got the melting can opener and threw it out the back door! The smell of the burning plastic was terrible! So with my nerves all a wreck and the house filled with smoke I finished getting ready for church. Before we left I suggested we sit the fan in the kitchen window so it could blow out the smell while we were gone. Before the fan would fit in the window I had to move this wicker stand I had in front of the window . So without thinking and remembering this stand was wicker and the shelves were not built in, I pulled on one side of it and CRASH!!!!! Glass dishes went falling to the floor one after the other! UGGGHH Are you kidding me????  Why did I pull the side of the wicker stand knowing that the shelves were just laying in it! I let go of the shelf and ran out crying. By this time it was ten minutes til 9.....with church starting at 9! What a morning this was! I had no idea which dishes broke and which did not! I just left them all in the floor and got in the car. My son followed me out trying to comfort me with his best 22 year old wisdom he could. "It will be alright mom, my days go like this all the time"...Bless his heart, Im really glad he was there with me when this happened. About 15 minutes into the church service I noticed I had blood running down my ankle. Real attractive. I wondered if anyone had noticed. I got cut somehow  during the dish crash and didnt even realize it! I went to the bathroom and cleaned it up and put a band aid on it. When I got back home to clean up the mess I found that 2 of the dishes that had broke were  my two favorite bowls. So I sat and cried a little more. Then I heard the still small voice of my Lord saying," come here my child, let me comfort you...its been a few days since you have shared your heart with me" Then I felt ashamed. I had been so busy the past few days that I had not really spent time with God. Oh, I thought about him all day long and I even told others about him, but I had neglected to actually take some time to sit down with him and enjoy his company and talk to him about things going on in my life! If I hadnt had the bad morning with the smoky house and the broken dishes I might have went on another week or two without spending time with him. I thanked him for getting my attention even though I lost my 2 favorite bowls. It could have been worse! Has God been trying to get your attention? We are going to have bad days as long as we are here on this earth. But if you know Christ as your saviour...you have the blessing of being able to sit and talk to the Lord and bathe yourself in his presence!No problem is to big for God to handle. We will never be problem free until we get to Heaven but we will always have the Lord to run to with our problems! Until he comes to take us out of here, lets spend time everyday talking to him and giving him our troubles. It makes the burden not so heavy when we give it to him to carry. So whether you  have a broken dish or a broken relationship...run to the one who loves you the most! It is so worth it to take time each day just to sit with him and enjoy his company!
1Peter 4:12-13
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with eceeding joy.

Watch your Mouth

 The background was pretty, and the girls were beautiful as I sat with a friend watching the couples walk across the stage before their prom. Their names were announced and they walked arm in arm across the floor to show the audience the attire they had chosen to wear to the prom. The dresses came in many styles and colors. Some were knee length, others hung to the floor. You had those with many ruffles and lace, and those that were silky and sleek.  About half way through the show I caught myself and my friend "oooing" and "awwing" at all the dresses we particularly liked. But along with the approval of the gowns we thought were beautiful...came those we didn't like. I suddenly realized that every time a girl walked out with a dress we didn't think was all that pretty, we made sure we announced it. She would look at me and say," eew i don't really like that one" and as another would walk out i would say," the red one isn't very pretty!"  Shed look at me and Id look at her and we would snarl our nose up every time a certain dress just didn't tickle our fancy! We were just stating our opinion. The problem though was that we were  being inconsiderate of the other people around us who were watching. Suddenly I realized that the man sitting behind us may have been there to see his precious daughter who was beautiful in his eyes no matter what she was wearing. The woman beside me could have been a grandmother who worked hard making her granddaughter's dress with her own hands.The words they heard us say may have hurt their feelings. I felt really ashamed. My intent was not to make these people feel bad, but it's possible that because of the words i spoke ,I did!. After we realized that we could be offending others around us who were there to applaud their loved one, we decided to stop saying anything when  there was a certain dress we weren't to fond of. We did continue to clap or comment on the ones we liked.  We just kept our mouth shut on the others instead of saying some negative comment that could sound to someone else a criticism.
You know, just like it was best for us to keep our opinion to ourselves about the dresses , that principle also applies in other areas in our everyday life. The Bible has many verses in it about our mouth.

Proverbs 18:21 says Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit therof
Wow! Imagine having the power to kill or to make alive, right there in our own mouth...but that is what God says in his word. Although we cant physically kill someone or bring them back to life, it is possible for us to kill them emotionally.
Proverbs13:3 says He that keeps his mouth keeps his life but he that opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
There again are some powerful words! Many relationships could have been saved if people would have chose to just keep their mouth shut. We don't realize how harmful our words can be. Our words can destroy even if that's not what we are trying to do. We were not trying to hurt any ones feelings at the Promenade. We were just simply stating our opinion. But do you know that the Bible teaches that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent? Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us that.

Proverbs 15:28 says The heart of the righteous studys to answer but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. We should think before we speak. Most of the time we just say whatever is on our mind. We feel the pressure building up and bam out it comes! We often say things that we didn't mean or that we regret. Even if we did mean what we said, we didn't have to say it We won't die if we hold it in until later or just not give our opinion at all.. If it is an important issue that really needs to be discussed, we need to obey Gods word by thinking first about what and how we are going to say it. We also need to make sure it is the right time to say it.
James has alot to say about the mouth in the Bible. James 3:3-6 says Behold, we put bits in the horses mouths that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships,which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds,yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity;so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature. and it is set on fire of Hell.
God is very clear here! Even though our tongue is the smallest part of our body, it can do the most damage.

Matthew 12:26 says that we will have to give an account to God for EVERY idle word we speak. Yes, Id say our speech is very important!  We not only damage others when we don't use our mouth the way God says...we damage our self too! Ephesians 4:29 says that the only thing that should come out of our mouth are words that will encourage. Sounds like alot to live up to doesn't it? Dealing with people isn't easy. They complain to us, gossip to us, insult us,yell at us and the list of negative things that come out of our mouth every day goes on and on! But through Christ you can take control of your speech.You don't have to talk to others the way they talk to you! Ask God to forgive you for the wrong and hurtful things that have come out of your mouth and ask him to help you replace them with speech that will honor him. Look through your Bible and write down every verse you can find about the mouth and study them! It really is important!

Proverbs 21:23 says whoever keeps his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles!
Are you having trouble with people or a person? Maybe you need to work on your mouth! Taking care of your mouth might just take care of your trouble!

When the mop bucket dumps out

I decided to wait until almost time for prayer meeting to start before I came to clean the church. I was trying to save gas so I figured if I came a couple hours before church started id get done just in time, and would kill two birds with one stone. As I was pushing the cleaning cart to put it away, the mop handle got hung in the doorway somehow and the mop bucket dumped out all over the floor! I picked up the bucket and ran to grab a towel to soak it up. By the time I got back the water had spread over the carpet about 6 feet. I looked at the clock and saw that it was about 45 minutes before time for the service to start! I didn’t know what to do. The towel I grabbed from the nursery (which was actually a changing table cover) wasn’t doing the job. People were starting to show up. Boy was I embarrassed! We found a shopvac and I started sucking up the water as fast as I could. It was not working as fast as I wanted it to. More and more people began to come and the clock was quickly approaching 7 o clock! To make things worse, the spill was right smack in the middle of the doorway leading into the sanctuary. As I stood there sucking the water out of the carpet people were walking past me asking what happened. Some asked if the roof was leaking. I felt so humiliated as I told each person who asked that I had dumped the mop bucket over. I’m sure no one gave it another thought but as I stood there in the middle of the doorway with that shopvac I felt as if all eyes were on me! How could I have been so clumsy? Why did this have to happen right before the service? These were some of the thoughts running through my mind. The carpet took about a week to dry and then left a big water stain that I had to look at each time I walked into the sanctuary. I felt like that big stain in the middle of the floor was the main church conversation. I was so glad when the carpets got shampooed a few weeks later. I can now walk through those doors without feeling like an idiot.

A month or so later I was pushing the cleaning cart down the hall to put it away again. Can you believe that the mop bucket dumped out AGAIN? This time it wasn’t on carpet, thank the Lord! It wasn’t on a church night and no people were around, the Lord spared me from that humiliation. I couldn’t believe this had happened to me again! “You have got to be kidding” I said to myself! I was done cleaning and ready to go and splash…there I was standing in a puddle of water again! I had to laugh as I was mopping the water up! The Lord does have a sense of humor. I know he was laughing with me as I wondered why this mop bucket keeps dumping out on me!

You know, sometimes the mop bucket in our lives dumps out! We don’t expect it. We are just strollin along pushing the cart of our life when all of a sudden it happens! You get a flat tire on your way to work, or the refrigerator stops working right after you buy a months’ worth of groceries. What do you do when things happen for no apparent reason? Your day is going fine and the next thing you know you lose your wallet or the toilet runs over. These things may seem unbearable when they happen but what about when the bucket dumps on the carpet and leaves a stain? Maybe your child commits a crime that puts him in jail or you lose your baby in a miscarriage. Life is fine and all of a sudden the doctor calls you with bad results. Maybe your husband leaves you for another woman and you go through a painful divorce…As people walk by you feel as though all eyes are on you. You feel the embarrassment as you wonder how this happened! The stain remains even after you dry the water up with the shopvac! When the mop bucket dumps out, it makes s big mess. You try your best to clean it up but it still takes awhile to dry. Sometimes you have to look at the stain for awhile. One thing I know for sure is that there is nothing you can  do when the bucket dumps out except dry it up and go on! It doesn’t do any good to stand in the puddle wondering how it happened. It might be humiliating to dry it up as people walk by looking at you, but don’t worry what they think. Pick the bucket up and get on with your life! Don’t waste time worrying about something you can’t change! God is working everything out for your good if you are his child! Ask him to show you what he wants you to learn from the tragedy and move on!  If you don’t know the Lord…my friend, I have some good news for you! Jesus Christ came to wash the stain away! It doesn’t matter what you have done, he died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins! If you believe he died and rose again, you can be saved! Ask him to come into your heart and forgive you for your sins. He loves you and wants to give you eternal life in Heaven!

There may be a time in your life when your mop bucket dumps out  and makes a big mess!You can either stand there feeling hopeless in the puddle… or you can dry up the water the best you can and trust that God will eventually clean the carpet of your life and take the stain away!  
Psalm 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all
Psalm 57:1
Be merciful to me O God be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities be overpast.
Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the Lord hath made, we will be glad and rejoice in it

A ~Priceless~ Inheritance

   As I think about this being Easter weekend, I wonder if people really know what its all about? If they really understood what Christ did for them, would they live differently? Would they be more grateful? Would they have more compassion on others? Would they live like Christ so they could be an example to others? Would they tell more people about their Saviour?
   Most people know that Jesus was born in a manger to a virgin. Do they even know why he was born? Is it more than just a Christmas story to them? Do they know that he was born to save them from their sins? (Matthew 1:21) Do they even know that they are a sinner in the first place? Sadly, some don't even realize that they need a Saviour or know why! But Romans 3:23 says we ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. NONE of us are worthy! We ALL need to be saved!...and God sent his son just for that reason. In order to save us, he had to suffer the penalty in our place! Which he did on the cross!...and that is what Good Friday is all about. People go about their business on Good Friday without even acknowledging Jesus and he is the reason there is such a thing as Good Friday. Do they even know? I wasn't there when he hung on that cross, but by faith I believe what the Bible says about that day. I hang my head in shame as I imagine him being beaten and punished in my place! My heart breaks when I think of them torturing him, making fun of him, spitting on him, stripping his clothes, ripping his skin, and pounding rusty nails into his hands and feet! The blood ran down his head and body as he suffered...and he cried in pain as he died for me! Although I would have shed many tears of sadness that day , I would have shed more tears of gladness three days later! On that Sunday morning, my Saviour who died to save me, rose from the grave! He defeated death! He proved who he was, and said that those who believe in  him will be raised from the dead to and have ever lasting life! We will no longer die, but will pass from death unto life and live forever with him!..and this is why we celebrate Easter.
   But it doesn't stop there! Jesus is alive , and most people will agree with that...but do they even stop to think about where he is? Yes, he is alive, and he is in Heaven! Do you even realize what Heaven is? People throw the word around so loosely like its just some dream or far away fairy tale land. But Heaven, according to Gods word is where Jesus lives! I am just amazed that Jesus left this earth and went to Heaven and is preparing a place there for me! (John14:2-3) I can only imagine how beautiful it must be! If our God created the breathtaking mountains, oceans, and flowers...imagine how much more beautiful he has made Heaven! The Bible doesnt tell us everything about Heaven, but it tells me enough to know its a place I want to go!
   Do people even know? Do they know that the one who died for them is there? Do they know their loved ones who believed in Christ who have passed away are there...and are waiting to see them again? Do they know there will be no more pain or sorrow there?
1Peter 1:3-4 says:
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of his great mercy that we have been born again because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation and we have a priceless inheritance; an inheritance that is kept in Heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
   We should live with "great expectation"! If you are a Christian, you have an inheritance in Heaven! The Bible says it is kept in Heaven for you to receive when you get there! How awesome is that! We live our day to day lives sometimes without even thinking about what we have waiting for us! We focus so much on our troubles and present circumstances without even looking forward to our home in Heaven. The Bible even states that we are to live as "citizens" of Heaven while we are here on earth. This isn't our home. We are just passing through. If people really lived as citizens of Heaven, wouldn't they try to be more like Jesus? Wouldn't they  live and talk diffrently than those who are not citizens of Heaven?
   This week as you celebrate Easter, how about taking time to realize the reason Christ was born, then died, then rose again! If you are saved, praise the Lord...you are on you way to Heaven! If you have never trusted Jesus Christ to come into your  heart and be the Lord of your life...why dont you do that today? Jesus loves you regardless of who you are or what you have done...and he is waiting for you in Heaven with open arms!

Slippery Ice

     One night a few weeks ago, I heard my dog Buddy barking outside. I went outside to see what he was barking at and all of a sudden my feet went out from under me! One minute I was walking and then before I even knew it I was flat on my back on the cold wet ground! I had slipped on some ice and down I went! Thank the Lord he spared me from hitting my head or breaking any bones. I landed on my back with my left side taking most of the hit. I was really sore from the left side of my neck all the way down to my left hip. I could barely walk for a week or two. That fall could have been prevented if I would have been more careful and watched for the ice. For one thing, it was dark and another it had been raining and I thought all the ice had melted. When morning came I looked out the back door and I couldnt believe my eyes! That "icy area" that had knocked me flat on my back was barely as wide as a gallon of milk. It was just a small piece of ice big enough for my left foot to slip on.Although ice can be very pretty, I know now that it can be decieving. Dont think you can walk out in the dark after theres been any ice because even the smallest patch can cauce much damage! I should have taken the flashlight with me and I could have saved myself two weeks of pulled muscles and not being able to get the things done I needed to get done during that time.
     Do you know that sin is like the ice? Even the smallest thought of sin can knock you off of your feet and leave you with "spiritual damage"! We often think we can get away with "just a little", but the truth is even the thought of sin can land us flat on our back where we will not be able to accomplish what God has called us to do. God is merciful and he will forgive us when we confess our sin to him and ask him for forgiveness. Although he spared me from broken bones or a concussion, I still suffered pulled muscles from my carelessness. If I would have taken a flashlight and also realized that even a little ice is slick enough to hurt someone, I would not have fallen. Likewise, if you will take the light of Gods word with you out into this dark world, and realize that sin is "slick" no matter how big or small you think it is, you can keep yourself standing firm for Christ!
     God wont use us to bring people to him if we keep sin in our lives! Stay away from all sin! Walk around it! If not, you are setting yourself up for a fall!


Psalm 19:13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins. Dont let them control me! Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path

Psalm 119:11 Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you

Proverbs 24:9 The thought of foolishness is sin and the scorner is an abomination to the lord

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

Love, Laughter,...and Anna

Today on Valentines Day I am reminded of one of the greatest examples of love I've ever known! Her name was Anna.
   Anna was beautiful! What made her so beautiful wasnt just her lipstick and curls, but Annas beauty came from within her heart! So full of love and willing to share a cup full of love with every person who crossed her path.
   When i was a little girl Anna used to hold my hand as we walked down the road. Shed pick a pretty flower in the park, smell it, then put it in my little hand. She told me stories about her when she was a little girl. Anna always had a smile on her face that looked like laughter was gonna come bursting out any minute...and it usually did! I could always count on her to be there if I was sad or lonely. She was always full of hugs and kisses! You never got past her without getting one. "I love you" came out of her mouth more times than I can even count! But when Anna said she loved you, she meant it...and you knew it! Love flowed out of everything she did! Anna and I had alot of fun together. I remember staying up late at night just finding stuff to laugh at. Shed let me put rollers in her hair and we'd dress up in fancy clothes. She'd let me fix her hair anyway I wanted. She didn't complain at all about it getting messed up, she was enjoying every moment of the togetherness. She  used to make me mayanaise sandwhiches for a snack. Shed sprinkle a little sugar on them and then say" come and give me a sugarpop"! I remember a night when she was popping some corn for us to eat. We were in the other room when we heard loud popping sounds. Anna ran to the kitchen hollering," Oh I forgot to put the lid on!". We sat right down in  the middle of the floor and laughed as the popcorn popped into the air and fell all around us! It was a funny sight! Anna  was like that. It was from her that I learned to "just laugh"!
   Anna became my best friend. We shared many secrets and made many memories. She loved everyone! She didn't know a stranger. She spoke to every person she saw. I remember many times waiting on her in the grocery store while she told the clerk all about what we were doing that day. She didn't have a clue who the store clerk was but she told her she loved her before she left anyhow. She told everyone she loved them including the mailman and the rent lady.
   There was such a glow coming from Anna! Never a harsh word to anyone, always a smile, and always a giving heart! She would give away her last five dollars. I've seen her do this many times. She didn't even have any milk but she'd give her last five dollars to a sweet little girl who came to the door trying to raise money for a school trip. She always saw the good in everyone. She was so full of energy and you were always in for an adventure when she was around!
   Anna didn't have alot of money. She only received a ss check each month from her husband who had passed away. She lived in a small three room apartment, but she felt rich! Most of our fun memories were made right there in that little place! You see, to Anna home was wherever your loved ones were. Love is all that mattered to her. She knew everyone needed to be loved so she loved people in every way she could. She put her own needs and wants aside so she could meet the needs of others. She never bragged about her self but was always telling everyone else how beautiful they were. Everything was beautiful in Anna's eyes! She had a heart full of forgiveness that always forgave no matter what someone did to her.

   The Bible says in Ephesians 5:2 Live a life filled with love following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

You couldn't look at Anna without seeing Christ in her! She was loving, joyful, kind, patient, long suffering, and she was an inspiration to me!
   In 2004 I whispered "I love you, Jesus is waiting for you" in her ear. I held her hand as she took her last breath. My grandma Anna went to be with her Lord and Saviour that day!

   Are you living in a way that will show others the love of Christ? Can they see his love when they look at you?  The Bible tells us all about Jesus Christ and how he lived his life so that we may have an example of how we are supposed to be living. People need love! They are lonely, hurting, depressed and confused! Let the love of Christ shine through you and touch their hearts!

She was my grandma....her name was Anna...

In memory of my grandma Anna Faber. This BearHug is devoted to the valentine I love with all my heart!