Rambling Friday: When Troubles Come...

When troubles come, what do we do?  

Complain?

Put on a grouch?

Question why does it have to be ME?

Put on a martyr'd face?

*  We had to put off Christmas celebration because of circumstances, till January. BUT it turned out just fine. Relaxed and fun.

*   Hubby and I both got a serious case of covid (in spite of all precautions) in February and March. BUT, you know what? It drew me closer than ever to God. He loves us so much, and I trust in Him!!

* In late Spring hubby lost a beloved brother suddenly and unexpectedly. We were heartbroken and sad, but God gave hubby the strength to speak at his funeral. He comforted us when we needed it although we surely didn't understand the why.

* We lost close friends from our church who felt it was time for them to move on. Sad.

* Hubby and a son have been way too busy trying to complete some jobs they took on. WHICH means, they had little to no time to complete some landscaping and repairs needed on our property. Sigh. 

* Hubby had a bad case of kidney stones, and I've been going through another serious physical problem.

OR...

Can we, do we look heavenward and claim the Biblical verse:

The Lord is good, 

a strong hold in the day of trouble; 

and he knows them that trust in him.

Nahum 1:7

God has given strength to face each and every battle that has come our way this year of 2022. 

Because, sure as we are breathing (right now!), God knows our problems, our very being, and He will honor His word. He cares about us and whatever befalls us, He will see us through each and everything that comes. He is our anchor! 

What a wonderful God!

Rambling Friday: Fallen Leaves and Smoky Skies

I love Autumn!

It's a beautiful season,

but... 

God says...

There's a time for everything.

and a reason.

No matter the season of our lives,

God is in control. 

We trust and believe

that He will work 

everything out according to His will

for our lives. 

Ecclesiastes says in Chapter 3:

To everything, there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Hang on. God's got this! 

Sunday Morning Sunshine: It's the Truth!

Trust! 

 

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Uncertainty

Life is strange, sometimes hard, sometimes uncertain, but we know we can face our fears and our questions by turning to God and his power. Today, here are some quotes that may give you a little encouragement.


Of all the liars in the world, sometimes, the worst are our own fears. ---Rudyard Kipling

We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. --Oswald Chambers

Don't let today's disappointment cast a shadow on tomorrow's dreams. --Unknown

Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don't!
You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait! Pray without ceasing. And hope! --Unknown


Don't give up! TRUST! BELIEVE! HOPE!

Sunday Morning Sunshine: I Give You Peace says Jesus

Peace I leave with you 

My peace I give unto you: 

not as the world gives, give I unto you. 

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

--St. John 14:27

Why does he give us peace?

He loves us.

He promised it to his children.

When does he give us peace?

When we are his children.

When we need it. 

What is peace?

Freedom from disturbance

Tranquility

What does peace do for us?

Assures us of his continuing love.

That we might know, he will never leave us.

Enables us to trust him fully.

Peace, my friends! 

Just When I Think I've Lost Confidence In Man's Trustworthiness . . .

Yeah, trusting folks that we are, cautious and prayerful about major decisions, abundantly wary over people who seem scam-ish--we "got taken" this summer.

Normally, we would have pulled away immediately.

Our antennas would have been quivering with suspicions . . .

Why weren't they?

They were.





But I ignored mine for a variety of reasons. It doesn't matter what those reasons were. The big question I had was: WHY?

• Why did I ignore the warning signs? 
• Was I ignoring God's gentle touch to be careful here? 
• Or was it God's way of getting my attention for an area in my life that was just a bit too unguarded?

What does matter is:

• I've strengthened my spirit in being more guarded than ever in aimless trusting. 
• I've determined that being a bit more pushy (in a Christ-like manner) can't hurt--at least me. If the other person wants to be offended, after I've listened to that "still small voice" then it's on them. 
• I've learned to be even more careful to follow God's leading, and finally . . .
• I've learned that I must keep and cherish the promises I've made to God. 

It was a hard lesson to learn, but somehow God has seen us through. Since then, I've felt God's presence and comforting touch and his wonderful peace. He's given me a calmness over the whole matter that regardless of the deceit and slyness I should have seen through, we will come through. 

Stronger.

Steadier.

Have you ever gone through an experience that, in hinder sight, seemed so foolish? How did you handle it, and how did you come through? 

Blessings to you in the awkward moments!

God's Accuracy

God's accuracy may be observed in the hatching of eggs:

• the eggs of the potato bug hatch in 7 days
• those of the canary hatch in 17 days
• The barnyard hen's hatch in 21 days
• Those of the mallard in 35 days
• The eggs of the parrot and the ostrich hatch in 42 days

All divisible by 7, the number of the days in a week.

Our lives may be ordered by the Lord if we entrust Him with them. If we try to control our own lives, we fail and make a mess. Only the one who made the brian and the heart can successfully guide us to a profitable end.

Quote:
People see God everyday; they just don't recognize Him. --Pearl Bailey


Blessings!

Rites of Passage

Regardless of what you think about it, it has merit. Hope you enjoy it today!

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.

He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience,

because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified.

He can hear all kinds of noises.

Wild beasts must surely be all around him.

Maybe even some human might do him harm.

The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump,

but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.

It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared

and he removed his blindfold.

It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night,

protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone.

Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us,

sitting on the stump beside us.

When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Moral of the story:

Just because you can't see God,

doesn't mean He is not there.

Quote:
Only that day dawns to which we are awake. --Henry David Thoreau

Blessings

Taking Me Home

A pastor had been on a long flight between church conferences. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on 'Fasten Your Seat Belts.'
Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."

As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive.

Later, the voice on the intercom said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."

And then the storm broke... The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.

Then, suddenly, I saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world.

When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid."

The minister could hardly believe his eyes. I was not surprised, therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and the behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.

The child replied, "Cause my Daddy's the pilot, and he's taking me home."

There are many kinds of storms that buffet us physically, mentally, financially, and many other storms that can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparent uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess that it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.

But . . .
Let us remember:
Our Father is the Pilot.
He is in control.
He is taking us home.
Rest Assured!
Don't worry!

Quote:
A very important test is how you act when you can't feel God's presence in your life. --Rick Warren


Blessings