Choose to Find the Pretty

My emotions are whacked.
I have cried more in the last couple of months
than in my entire life, I think.

Too many changes and decisions.
My kids growing up.
Friends moving away.
Church difficulties.

It's all seemed to come at once.
And I don't like it.

But...
I know God's timing is perfect.

And...
I know He is in control.

That's what I'm holding on to.

I tell my kids all the time that their behavior,
or how they respond to something or someone,
is a choice.
THEIR choice.

So I'm trying to choose joy, peace.
I'm trying not to let all of these yucky things
make me yucky to others.

It's hard.
But when I'm intentional about it
and seek the Lord's guidance,
I feel so much better.
And hopefully I'm a nicer person to be around.

So, yah, that's where I'm at right now.
Life is just hard sometimes.

I'm choosing to find the pretty in things.

Sun and Moon

We were listening to the radio in the car the other day.
K-LOVE.
They've been doing their fund-drive.

DJ:
You never know what God can do.

Jobie (very matter-of-factly):
Well, I know one thing God can do.
He makes the sun come every day.
And then He makes the moon come.Such a simple, powerful truth.
From a 4 year old.
Acknowledging God's sovereignty.

Psalm 74:16
The day is Yours,
and Yours also the night;
You established the sun and moon.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Awesome God

God is so big.
So, so big.

God has been showing me how limited
my view of Him really is.

I think for the rest of my life
and then, for all of eternity,
God will continually reveal
something new about Himself.

Can you imagine?
I know I can't.
That's how awesome He is.

His Word doesn't even begin
to touch just how big He is.

Even all of the works of Jesus,
while He was on earth,
cannot be contained.John 21:25
Jesus did many other things as well.
If every one of them were written down,
I suppose that even the whole world
would not have room
for the books
that would be written.

How amazing is that verse?
Brings me to tears
everytime I read it.

God is so big.
Yet He loves me.
And died for me.
And desires a relationship with me.

Amazingly awesome.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Beautiful

Yesterday did not go as I had pictured it.
But then again.
When does it ever?

It all started out great.
We got the Christmas decorations down from the attic.
We found a great tree.
Really quickly.

Jake told me the other day:
Mom, you know what the worst thing is
about the day after Thanksgiving?
Picking out the Christmas tree.
It always takes us too long.

Well, it didn't this year.
I was thinking things were going to be beautiful.
All day.

We got home.
Took some pictures.
Got the tree in the house.
And then things weren't so beautiful anymore.

The kids fought.
Especially the little boys.
Jobie cried a thousand times.
Ryan and I might have gotten a little upset.

One brand new strand of lights.
That worked when we tested them.
Did not work when we got them on the tree.
In the middle of the tree.

I got one of my lights stuck in a village house.
Ryan couldn't find his needle nose pliers to get it out.

Two ornaments were broken.
By me.
One snow globe was broken.
By the little boys.
One ceramic tree was broken.
By Jobe.

I cannot get my mantle right this year.
(I am decorationally challenged.)
Wanted to do something different.
It just isn't working.
Brookie told me to give up.
No way.
I will get it.
Haven't yet.
But I will.

In spite of all that.
As I looked at pictures from yesterday.
All I could do was smile.
And be grateful.Our life may look and feel like a mess sometimes.
But it is beautiful.

Because God is good.

He has richly blessed us.
And it's only the tip of the iceberg.
He has so much more.

Some of it may not seem beautiful initially.
We may not even see the beauty
in some things
until we reach heaven.
But we will.
In its time.

Because God has promised.Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom
what God has done
from beginning to end.

Fingerprint Friday

Ready for color.
Ready for spring.
Ready for flowers.A God Who could create such beauty needs to be praised.In fact, demands to be praised.Psalm 147:1
Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise Him!

Psalm 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Prasie the LORD.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Fingerprint Friday

3.24 billion.
That's how many gallons of water
flow over Niagara Falls.
Daily.

Amazing.
Huge.
Powerful.

My God is so big.
So strong and so mighty.
There's nothing my God cannot do.



Deuteronomy 10:17&21
For the LORD your God
is God of gods
and Lord of lords,
the great God,
mighty and awesome...
He is your praise;
He is your God,
who performed for you
those great and awesome wonders
you saw with your own eyes.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Fingerprint Friday

I love how these flowers
stand out against the brown shriveled leaves.
It's even difficult to focus on the leaves.
The flower draws your attention. Do I stand out in a sinful world?
Is my love for Jesus obvious?
Am I bringing glory to my Father?

Matthew 5:16
In the same way,
let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds,
and praise your Father in heaven.

Each week pamperingbeki hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Word Food

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceeds out of the mouth of God. - Matthew 4:4

One of my favorite scriptures from one of my favorite passages. So...What makes God's word, good food?

God's word gives us a taste of God; because God's word reveals God. In fact, God's word IS God. God wants us to consume His word. To be nurtured by His word. To live off His word.

God's word feeds our souls. It purifies our souls. Most importantly, it saves our souls. God's word comforts, convicts and converts. God's word is living. God's word is active. But God's word will never fade away.

It's no wonder God has exalted above all things His name and His word (Psalm 138:2). Both are perfect, because both are one.

God loves His word. How can we do any less?