As the saying goes, We plan-- God laughs! Or as in another verse, ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts”…
Friday (last week) I carefully wrote out a to do list.
There was so much that I had to do! --At least that is what I thought!
Then my husband came in. His phone was not working. It is no secret that we have been going through hard times and for some unknown reason, even when bills get paid there seems to be more problems getting them properly credited during the times when we are struggling. Being modernized, the place where I pay the bill has a machine where you punch buttons and give it your money.. It cost $5 extra to pay at the desk. . So of course I use the machine and hope it gets credited.. The machine gives a paper ticket showing that you paid and how much.
Because of the urgency - my husband depending on his phone while working in a field, I dropped everything (including my list) and did not take time to look up the payment. If they were unable to find where I had made the previous payment, I would just swallow hard, and give them the whole amount they said we owed, then come back, find the recipe and get it strait. .. So off I go, and this is no little trip. I have to make an hour trip to the phone place.. Then the first woman insisted that only my husband could take care of the bill.. And why didn’t I call him? “Hello!! In there!!” Now how was I suppose to call him when his phone wasn’t working? And for that matter- since they are on the same account-- neither was mine. Another woman came.. Got on their screen, punch, punch, punch… wa-ha! She found were I did make the previous payment! And the amount I owed was exactly what I had on my bill! So all I had to do was pay that, and not even any extra charges! At once the phones were working again. I was sending up praises, and even though the to do list went by the wayside, I was seeing the glass half full! Grateful everything was strait and the phones were working. I got out of there paying less than I expected. I would not have to find my other payment then prove to them I had paid it. The sun was shining! The hour trip coming home was nice and enjoyable, and I spend some time in prayer for those on my list and enjoying the scenery. At home, I quickly made out the check for bill I needed send off so it would not be late. And even though the postal employee was taking up the mail early, I got there just in time to see her and give her my envelope.. Feeling good about that blessing,.. I had some things that I needed from the store so I went to the store, and picked up the items then getting back home--
As I took the packages into the house, a feral cat ran through the door. Yes, I know I have been through this scenario before! I reached down to pick it up and put it back outside, to which it bit through my finger and left numerous scratches on my hand. About that time my ‘half full glass’ was switching to a half empty one.. Cat bites are not good! I tried to quickly clean off the blood to see how much damage it had done. Then feeding the cats, left the door cracked enough that the cat could get out, and I hoped that is what would happen, but then there was the dilemma, not knowing- was the cat inside the house or out. It can be a unsettling not to know as you go to bed at night.. Cats can hide anywhere. Then just as my husband had gone to bed, and I was standing in the doorway of the spare room, debating it if I should take Tylenol for my now huge, swollen, red hot and throbbing finger, what should walk by my leg but that cat nonchalantly moseying into the spare room. I stood there froze, not wanting to move so… I called “ Chas!!.. The cat! Come and bring a towel!” Of course he had put long pants on. He did not want to meet that cat with his bare legs! At least it was confined to a small bedroom, which I blocked off while he chased it around with a towel to catch it. .. Cat now outside. No longer have to wonder where it is.. And I am back to the glass half full. At least it wasn’t as bad and the person who came home and found 3 cows in their house!
The dogs were really barking. That is nothing new for them. Some nights Chas goes out there several times to check on them. Sometimes it's cats, possums, armadillos, or other dogs..
First time he went out he didn't see anything, then they really started carrying on. I could hear a bunch of commotion out there, but usually Chas likes to handle it himself. Then chomp, chomp, chomp.. Chas knocked on the door for me to open it. By him not coming in, I figured it meant one of the dogs had gotten loose, so I braced myself thinking I was opening the door to Chas with one of the grown dogs. No, that was not the case.. There he stood .... with a coltin his arms! Yes, a baby horse! A new born colt.
The little thing was wet. It had had its back legs hung up in a thicket. Chas brought it in. I grabbed a dog towel and we dried it off. It couldn't stand on the hard floor very well and there was mud every where. After Chas dried it off, and we got it back outside where it could stand up, we put one of Chas' coats on its back to keep it warm.
That was around 1 a.m. (Why can't things like this happen in the afternoon instead of the wee hrs of the morning?)
Who do you call at 1am about a colt when you don't know who it belongs too? It's mother was no where around. We called our neighbor Michael , who has horses. Finally reached his wife. They said it was not their colt, but they came. They had Smiley's number, so we called Smiley, who had some horses down the road, He has horses and one is due next month. He came, then went and checked his horses, no, his had not given birth. So now it is around 2am, and he calls Frank his son, and has him bring a bottle of milk, so here comes Frank, so now it looks like we are having a neighborhood party in the middle of the night at our house. There is another family that lives on the highway not far from us that have horses. so Michael and Lisa go to that house and honk the horn.. (It is not a good idea to just walk up to a person's house, especially someone you don't know and does not know you, in the middle of the night. That would be taking your life in your hands) Finally after a lot of horn blowing, 2 of the men came out of the house and rode with Michael over to our house, so now its Me, Chas, the colt, Michael, Lisa, Smiley, and Frank, all in our front yard in the middle of the night. The mother of the colt it turned out did belong to the family that lived just off the highway. There are things about it that will probably remain a mystery, (such as how the colt came to be so far from its home, and why it wasn’t with it’s mother), but the colt went back home with the two men, Chas, Michael, and Lisa drove over to where the horses were just to see if the colt was nursing alright and appeared to be OK after it's adventure. It did. As soon as those men came to the colt, it was like it knew that was where it belonged- with them, even though they didn't even know it had been born. It went right to one of them twitching its tiny tail.
Chas and I finally turned the lights off and went to sleep at a little after 4am that morning.
Life is never boring living in the country with animals. I guess the dogs barking saved the colt's life. If it had stayed in that thicket, with its hind legs tangled up, unable to move, it could have froze in the night.
Lord, thank you for all the excitement, and for blessing us with this brief time with this colt. May it be healthy, and may its life and the life of its mother be blessed and long.
As for me, I trust in your unfailing love, Lord. Let my heart rejoice in your saving help, Let me sing to the Lord for the goodness He has shown me.
May God Bless you and keep you,
May His face shine on you, and bring you peace..
“Bring God your weakness and receive His peace. Accept myself and my circumstances just as they are” .. TRUST that we are where we are suppose to be at the moment.. Those are hardly new revelations. Remember that God is all powerful and sovereign over everything. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…” Sometimes a person can wear themselves out with trying to figure things out and planning, and sometimes, at least for me, it is hard to know which way to turn or what to do when things are overwhelming. Do we go right or left? Yet there is something I can do.. A step I can take, and that is to begin each day by being thankful. I can trust that God is in control and He is guiding me, even when I am unaware. That He is with me through the day. I can stay close to the Lord, who as Paul says, ..”Nothing can separate us from…” As we live in the radiance of His presence, His peace will shine on us. We will cease to notice how weak or strong we feel, because we will be focused on Him.
The best way to get through the day is step by step with Him. As a dear friend of mine likes to say, ‘baby steps,,, baby steps’, and so we continue on in this journey, trusting God in this path we are on..
I know my husband and I are far from alone in the struggles we have been going through in these lean and uncertain times. There are times I do feel weak. It is comforting to be able to take that weakness and give it to Christ.
May we all see better times, through the grace of God.
May we all come out of this economic down turn with stronger faith and as better servants for the Lord. Let us not become tired of doing good. The harvest will come in good time if we persevere. Galatians 6:7-10
And--May we have a better knowledge of what is truly important and what is ’just things” and of no value.
Note: Some ref paraphrased from Jesus Calling reading 2/4
Then was our mouths filled with laughter and our tongues with shouts of joy…
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed…
Those who sowed with tears will reap with songs of songs of joy..
Those who go out weeping carrying the seed, will come again with joy shouldering the sheaves Psalm 126: 2,4,6,7
Last night, like so many other people, I watched the Super Bowl. This year was special.
This year the Saints were playing! The Saints! After all the years of them being called the ‘Aints, and the Paper Bags over the head,, The Saints were in the Super Bowl.. For Louisiana, and so many this was more than a ball game. This was a rising up like a Phoenix. This was a healing. The pain of Katrina was deep, and damage worse than anyone that was not there could even imagine, and the Dome. Who could forget the scenes from the Dome? And now to go from that to a Super Bowl win.. Last night they weren’t just a ball team, and they certainly was not any ball team. Last night they were the whole heart of a whole state and everyone that cared for that state and especially south Louisiana.
I will not pray for any sports team to win, but I am sending up prayers of praise that the Saints won.
I am thanking God for the HOPE that gives to us all, that no matter how far down we get, and how bad things get, God can still raise us up.
Lord, My husband just left with the combine payment-- The last one, which took most of the money we have at this time. It certainly is seeming a lot like deja vu.
Back in ‘95, due to reading that morning the words in God Calling, I gave my husband the money I had secretly kept--- money that would feed us, if worse came to worse.. We had had quite a bit of ‘worse’ during those years while farming. Your voice was so strong and clear!.. I had to give all, I could not hold back, Trust You! You would provide. And so I did. That was not to say we didn’t still have some bumps on the road, or that we had everything we wanted, but we did not starve. I can look back and knowing how little funds we had, have no logical answer to how we got by, yet we did. When You ask me to Let Go, and fully trust You--- I did.
I was literally buying groceries with change. Each time I would get my change purse out and buy the few items I got, then the next time -- I would do the same thing.. I kept doing that for quite a while-- yet did not run out of change. My daughter mentioned that she didn’t know how I kept coming up with change to buy groceries, and didn’t run out of change.
It was a God thing. I didn’t question it, and I didn’t try to figure it out. I did what God ask of me at the time and in doing so put my full trust in Him with his promise that He would provide. There were times during that time when trust for me was to trust for one hour, then the next hour… and the next, but God knew how much I could bear.
So, here we are once again. Another combine, another last payment, and another time placing our whole future in God’s hands.
We like the Israelites have to remember-- we have to remember how God parted the Red Sea for us before, giving us just what we needed when we needed it, not a moment before, and looking back I can see His perfect timing. That is where my HOPE is, and that is where my Trust is-- in Him.
With hands open, We can only trust You Lord for our future. You are the keeper of our yesterdays, the one beside us today, and the one that holds our futures in Your hands
Let HOPE keep you joyful, in trouble stand firm; persist in prayer Romans 12:12
And may God, who is the ground of HOPE, fill you with all joy and peace as you lead the life of faith until, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you overflow with HOPE
Romans 15: 13
“Softly I announce My Presence. Shimmering hues of radiance tap gently at your consciousness, seeking entrance. Though I have all Power in heaven and on earth, I am infinitely tender with you. The weaker you are, the more gently I approach you. Let your weakness be a door to My Presence. Whenever you feel inadequate, remember that I am your ever present Help.
Hope in Me, and you will be protected from depression and self-pity. Hope is like a golden cord connecting you to heaven. The more you cling to this cord, the more I bear the weight of your burdens; thus you are lightened. Heaviness is not of My kingdom. Cling to HOPE, and My rays of Light will reach you through the darkness.” -- Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
As the word God gave me for this year was HOPE, I notice a lot of things I read or see have the word HOPE in them and that word will jump off the page at me.
HOPE: I cannot say that I felt a lot of hope as the new year began. What I did have is faith that God would give me the hope, and that He has been doing, as I read things that seem to be there just for me to read. I have had some God Winks for sure.
So much is connected. Hope- being thankful, and that giving hope. Trust, and hope; they are twins. We trust God, and so we HOPE. If we did not TRUST God-- could there be any HOPE?
A dear long time friend and prayer partner shared with me that another friend of hers had given her a gift of the book “Jesus Calling” and how much she was being inspired by it. I remembered the book ’God Calling” (a favorite of mine) and how much it spoke to me at a hard time in my life. On a whim ( God nudge?), I said a quick prayer and went to a book site. There it was! Jesus Calling, and they were having a special on all books and not postage or handling fee, so I ordered. A day later I went to the site-- the book no longer showed up! It seemed to be there just long enough for me to get a copy, and a price I could manage. I have been soaking it up like a sponge as I read it. I do highly recommend it. It is a devotional, with readings for each day of the year.
I may share more quotes from it as time goes by and if I am inspired to do so.
“Domino/ George blessings” .. We throw our bread on the water and never know how far it will reach, like George in “It’s A Wonderful Life”. He didn’t know the impact his life made on the world. Like Dominoes, One good deed leads to another.
You will never hear the words I am bored come from me, for with the dogs there is never a dull moment or a chance to be bored. I have also learned lessons from them.
Dogs do not think in political terms nor do they think, “Well, I wonder what I will do tomorrow?”. They also do not think in terms of what they CAN“T do! . Everything is in the moment.
Rocky is a big black Catahoula. He is about 90 lbs. and when they were passing out the memo about how there was a such a thing as gravity, and Big dogs just could not fly over 5 foot fences, he missed that memo!
When I see him fly over the fence, not even touching the sides, I think of the book years ago that explained why Bees could not fly. But they forgot to tell the bees! Well they forgot to tell Rocky that he could not fly!
A few months ago when my daughter was here, he just loved her and didn’t want her to walk away, so when we went around the corner, suddenly Rocky was out. We didn’t see him get out, and the gate was still closed. At that time we did not know how he was getting out. It never dawned on us that he was jumping strait up and flying over the top of the fence..
I think we named him the wrong name, He is certainly not a Rock. He does not stay put.
Perhaps Helicopter would have been a better name for him.
Rocky is also the daddy of one of the sets of puppies, and he does watch over them. If one of them is out of the pen, Rocky will fly over the fence, There is no way he should be able to do that yet he does! We have been unable to contain him when he wants to get out. My husband has made the top of the fence even higher. I have checked him to see if he had some little wings on his back! And have told him if he keeps ’flying’ he is going to have to get a pilot’s license!
How good it would be if we could be more like Rocky and not realize there was things we couldn’t do. If we went at life and believed we really could do anything, and go for it!
As you go through the days of the year ahead,
busy with all the responsibilities the world has
placed upon you, remember to keep the truly
special things in mind.
Keep things in perspective: Work, play, learning,
living. Have happiness as a part of your priorities!
Be creative and aware and wonderfully alive. And
always remember where to find your smile.
New journeys await you in the coming year.
Decisions lie ahead, wondering what you will do,
where you will go, how you will choose when the
choices are yours. Work for the ability to choose
wisely, to prosper, to succeed. Let the roads
that you travel take you to beautiful places,
and have the faith it takes to achieve and aspire.
I hope your tomorrows take you to the summit
of your goals, and your joys take you even higher.
by Douglas Pagels
This is from a card send by a friend. Thank you Rieke.
We both read it and it has inspired us both to go into
the new year seeing the glass as half full instead of half
empty, Seeing the blessings more than the problems.
And to focus on the things that are truly important.
December- In this month we celebrate Christmas.. to honor Jesus’ birth.
I know about December birthdays; I have one, and have several family members and friends who have December birthdays. Truthfully I feel kind of special-- blessed by having my birthday in December though on the other side of that coin… All of us with December birthdays probably all at one time or another have experienced our birthdays being pushed a side in all the busyness of this time of year, so we can relate to how Jesus might feel at the celebration of His birthday.
While we are running around, with all the activities, it is easy to not give Jesus’ birthday the honor or time it deserves. Too often He gets lost in the shuffle.
Where is the time we spend with Him? Where is the gift we give Him when we are busy getting gifts for everyone else?
My birthday has gotten pushed aside by a loved one or I could say loved ones, so I can imagine how Jesus might be feeling. I can see the lesson.
For my birthday, sometimes I get a very quick call.. “Not much time you know.. Have things to do. Just wanted you to know that I had not forgotten your birthday.--got to go“… then the click of the phone and the call is done. No Happy Birthday! No gift of time.
Last year I so wanted to spend time with family for my birthday.. But a particular family member had other plans. I even said I would go there. They would not even have to come here. But their plans did not include me. They planned to go to an amusement park, for a fun day of frolicking. No gift. No time.. I swallowed, and let go of what I had wished for. I ask-- what about a different day? “No, still too busy. It would not work out…” After all, wont I be “seeing” you on Christmas day?. Wont that be enough?
I could think of all the things that I have done for this person. All the time I have given them. The many sacrifices made. Times I had done without so this person could have what they wanted. Put their dreams first, and yet there was no way they could fit me into their busy schedule.
Then I think about Jesus’ birthday. And while we are celebrating-- how much time do we think about Him? Are we honoring Him? In all the gifts that we give.. Where is His gift? He was willing to come to us.. To meet us. We didn’t even have to go to him- He came. Wouldn’t He love it if we gave him time during this busy month? Isn’t that little enough to give him for all He has given us? We find time to go to the parties, Do we have time to spend quietly in His presence? Do we make a “quick call” to him because we don’t have enough time to “talk” to Jesus.. Because we are much too busy?
How many times has Jesus came to us.. How many times did He just want us to love Him enough to want to spend time with Him? Have we made time to be with Him- in quiet and stillness during this time filled with busyness?
