Moon Song

I was thinking about the blue moon predicted tonight and it brought back some memories.
When our oldest grandson was small, it was such a joy to have him spend some time with us in our home. One of the favorite times of the day for this Mimi was the time he and I spent swinging in the old swing in our gazebo, the same one I swung in at my home place when I was a child. We would talk about the day and all of the fun things we had done and the things we would do the next day.
As we swung back and forth in the twilight hours, he would look up into the sky trying to find the moon.

"Sing moon song, Mimi, sing moon song," he said gazing up into my face.

"Will you sing it with me?"

"Sing moon song, Mimi, peeeze, otay?" He would plead.

"I'll sing it if you'll sing it with me."

So, in his sweet little voice, Grandson # 1 would sing along with me as we sang "The Moon Song". He was never satisfied to sing it once, no, we had to sing it over, and over , and over. And, Grandson # 1 not only sang it in English, but he sang it word for word in French. Soon, his little head would begin to nod and he would fall fast asleep in my arms.

I would continue to swing slowly back and forth......back and forth, relishing the time God had given me to hold this little one in my arms. As I laid my cheek down on his beautiful, damp, curly hair I thought,

"There is nothing in the world that is any more satisfying for a grandmother than being able to hold a grandchild. Grandchildren eventually get too big to be held in a grandmother's lap and swing as twilight fades away. But, a grandchild never gets too old to be held deep in a grandmother's heart."
"Children’s children are a crown to the aged,  and parents are the pride of their children." Proverbs 17:6 NIV

.......Being Grandma

There's nothing like being a grandma,
Of babies with bald heads or curls.
And you'll find it really won't matter,
If grandbabies are boys or they're girls.

There's nothing that quite takes the place of,
The moment they're placed in your arms.
From that moment, they capture their grandmas
With their sweet and innocent charms.

Then you search their sweet baby features,
For something that you recognize.
Some inherited feature of your child,
Tiny dimples, round face or their eyes.

You count ten tiny fingers and ten toes.
Note the elbows and knees and the feet.
Kiss that precious and sweet baby's forehead
And you marvel at one so complete.

Then you gaze at the face of your own child,
Now a parent....how can this be?
How can time so swiftly be passing?
How can moments so quietly flee?

You cry softly with joy at the wonder,
A miracle you hold near to your breast.
And, you pray for the future of this child,
Then trust God with this life.........He knows best.

Jo Ann -Copyright.......1996

Playing in the Corn Rows

Everyone in our neighborhood planted a garden. No one tried to compete with anyone else for the prettiest garden, it was just that growing your own vegetables helped a lot with the grocery bill and no one who planted a garden in our neighborhood was flush with money. Besides, homegrown just tasted better.

One of the things that Daddy was always proud of was the corn he planted. He had a cultivator he pushed by hand that furrowed out the rows leaving room to hoe between the plants to keep out the weeds. He and Mother worked every evening it seemed to keep that corn growing and the weeds out. The stalks were beautiful; dark green and over twice as tall as I was at seven years old.

 

One of my favorite things to do on a summer day was play between the rows of corn. The tops of the stalks shaded the narrow rows and if there was a breeze, the leafy part blew back and forth. I thought hiding in those corn stalks was so neat. I could get back in them and just knew that no one could see me or would know where I was. I liked to pretend I was being chased by someone and I would race between the stalks, holding my breath until the imaginary person passed. The only problem with playing in the corn stalks was what they did to my delicate skin. My little sleeveless pinafore didn't cover my arms or legs and after only a few minutes of running through the stalks, I would begin to sting and itch terribly.

Mother always knew what the outcome would be. I'd come running in the house, screaming and jumping up and down flailing my arms about with tears running down my cheeks.

"You've been playing in those corn rows again, haven't you?" She would say as she washed my arms and legs with soap and water. "I don't know why you insist on playing in there when you know how badly you will itch when you get out."

When Mother had sufficiently washed me enough that I could stand still and not cry,

"But, Mother, it's just so much fun.", I'd say, "I can hide from those people and they just pass right by and never see me."

You know sin is a lot like that. We can hide and play in the corn rows of sin because it's fun. But, there will be painful, stinging consequences of sin to pay. Jesus died on the cross to take away the consequences of our sin. The blood he spilt for us there will wash away those consequences much like my Mother washed my arms and legs to take away the sting of my playful fun.

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:7 NIV

 

Chicken With It's Head Cut Off

My Mother was a mere 5'2 or so but she was a mighty woman in more ways than one. If you read my post about church camp and her counselor experience with some teenage girls, you will know that she was kind, but firm and had a grip on things.

My Mother also had a grip on other things. Take for instance when the day rolled around that she decided fried chicken would be our supper. My Mother didn't run to the store and buy a chicken that was all dressed out, my Mother killed a chicken then undressed that old, Mrs. Hen a handful of feathers at a time.

I remember the first time I observed how a chicken got from the coop to the table. I couldn't have been more than five years old. Mother went to the chicken coop; chose one of the nicest hens there and carried Mrs. Hen to the middle of our big back yard. With Mrs. Hen squalking as loudly as she could, Mother tucked Mrs. Hen's backside under her left arm; quickly grabbed Mrs. Hen's neck; released Mrs. Hen's body and began to swing. There Mother stood with her left hand on her hip and with her right hand, she swung Mrs. Hen around and around as hard as she could. After about a dozen swings, Mother brought Mrs. Hen down toward the ground and with all the force she could muster, Mother popped Mrs. Hen's head right off her body! I couldn't believe my eyes ! Poor headless Mrs. Hen jumped up and began to run around the yard in dizzying circles. As Mrs. Hen headed my way, I screamed; ran around the corner of our smoke house; grabbed the back porch screen door and raced inside as fast as I could.

I suppose Mrs. Hen finally gave up and fell over because when I went outside to see if my Mother was okay, Mrs. Hen was hanging upside down from the clothesline via a cord tied around her feet and Mother was plucking the feathers off Mrs. Hen.

Mother fried Mrs. Hen for our supper. She had all the trimmings; mashed potatoes, gravy and corn on the cob. It really did smell wonderful but I asked Mother if it would be okay if I just had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I still wonder why my dear, sweet , kind Mother allowed me to witness that slaughter. But, back in those days, that wasn't considered bad; it was considered providing food for the table. It was a fact of life. And, it didn't scar me for life because I can eat chicken with the best of 'em now.
How many of us are like Mrs. Hen? We run around day after day like a chicken with it's head cut off. We have so many things to accomplish yet we seem unable to get the things done we feel we need to do. How many of those things are necessary? How many of those things are truly satisfying? How many of those things will really matter 10 or 20 years or even 50 years from now? How many of those things will matter in Eternity?

"These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem.
'Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!' What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content." Ecclesiastes 1:1-8 NLT

Is Our God Make Believe?

“Mimi, tould you tum and pay wif me and my billage?”Granddaughter # 2 pulled pleadingly at my arm.

“Pease, Mimi” she said, as she looked up at me with those big brown eyes.

“Just a minute, Sweetheart, let Mimi finish this and I’ll be right there.”

I had a million things that needed to be done but nothing that wouldn’t wait. After all, playing “wif de “billage” would be a thing of the past in a very few short years.

As I crossed my legs and sat beside her and the little village, I thought once more of the days gone by …..days when I sat beside her mother and her aunt as they played with that same little “billage” so many years ago. It had held up really well considering how many times it had been taken from its box and placed on the floor, kitchen table or even the back door steps. I could see them now; two little girls playing contentedly with the village. Although there was almost five years difference in their age, when it came to playing with the little village stores, they could get along pretty well.
 

“Mimi, dis fireman set in dis firetuck. He goin’ to a bid fire!” She said as she pushed the little red, white and blue fire truck down the table making all the right sounds. A favorite part of the village when Granddaughter # 2’s mother played with it was the mail truck. There was a little blue clad mailman who had little white “letters”with the name of the recipient printed boldly in black. Each white plastic letter just fit in the slit in the front door of all the stores in the village. There was the fire house, the barber shop, the theater…….on and on. What fun it was to match up the letters and shove them through the slots then look around to the open side of the village to see where each landed.
 

“Dis is dis such fun, Mimi, idn’t it?” Granddaughter # 2 said as she smiled up at me.
 

“Yes, it’s a lot of fun” I said and I truly meant it. There is nothing more satisifying than watching your grandchild enjoy spending time playing in your presence.
 

“Mimi, wook out, here tums the police car. Move ober a widdle. I tan’t dit fru!”

Granddaughter # 2 had been engrossed with the little “billage” now for nearly an hour. She had moved every piece of furniture in every room, including the barber chair. The people in the theater had filed out and gone home and now the policeman was making his rounds.
 

“Mimi, I tink I fru for now. I tink I gettin’ hungry. I tink I want mataroni and cheese today, Mimi, den apter dat we tan pay a widdle more wid the billage, otay?”
 

“Sure, Sweetheart, whatever you want to do. Now, let’s go wash your hands.”
 

Playing make believe is probably one of the best learning tools a child can have. I could play for hours with my little doll house making up stories, planning many an exciting adventure for the little family that occupied it.
 

How many believers live as though God were just make believe; someone we call on if we need something but we don’t really believe He will provide it. Or if He does, we call it luck or coincidence? How many of us really live as though we believe He is coming back for us one day to take us to Heaven to live with Him for eternity? Is your God just make believe or is He truly the One who controls your life each day? Is your worship of Him in His house on Sundays real or is it make believe?
 

In John 17:1-5 MSG, Jesus said this:

“Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said: ‘Father, it’s time. Display the bright splendor of your Son So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.You put him in charge of everything human So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge. And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God, And Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I glorified you on earth By completing down to the last detail What you assigned me to do. And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, The very splendor I had in your presence Before there was a world.’ ”

The Political Scene

Ah, yes, the political scene is revving up! Each candidate is touting their own reasons why they would make the best next leader of our country. Do each of these people feel their ideas can bring this country out of the mess it's in or do they run for prestigious reason? Of course, there is the salary of $400,000.00 and a $50,000.00 expense account. Oh, and there are perks such as living in the White House with it's own movie theater, bowling alley, swimming pool and, yes, a staff for everything. They can fly to exotic places on their own private plane; take vacations anywhere in the world; have their own vacation retreat at Camp David for use whenever. Then after leaving office they have a retirement of somewhere around $200,000.00 a year and Secret Service protection for at least 10 years. And, they are provided an office, staff, travel and mail expenses during that time. Now, tell me, do people spend a couple of years extoling their qualifications for the job just because they want to make this a better country or could the benefits be the draw?

Before we become too critical, what is the reason we do what we do in life? Are we after the almighty dollar? Are we striving to attain prestige so we will be considered "Somebody"? Do we choose a career based on what we think we will enjoy? Or could it be we consider a career where we will be helping others regardless of the financial benefits?

It matters not if we are the President of the United States, the Queen of England or a ditch digger, we are placed here for the purpose of serving God and our fellow man.

"Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing. Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God." Philippians 2:3-6 (TLB)

The Road Runner

I remember our girls the Road Runner Show. In the cartoons, Wile E. Coyote repeatedly attempts to catch and subsequently eat the Road Runner, who is portrayed as a fast running ground bird, but he is never successful. Wile E. Coyote, uses all kinds of things to chase Road Runner. Usually Wile ends up getting hurt while Road Runner goes on his merry way, once again the victor. The girls would watch that and laugh themselves silly at their antics.

Never before have I seen a road runner up close......until today that is. Where he came from or where he was going is a mystery. He zipped along our back porch like Wile E. Coyote was fast on his tail. He jumped up on the bannister; looked around, jumped down and headed down our driveway.

Mr. Road Runner appeared out of nowhere much like Satan does. Satan can be found in the most unlikely places much like Mr. Road Runner, who would normally be running in the Southwestern United States or Mexico. The road runner isn't particular about what it devours; snakes, small birds, insects, fruits, seeds, etc. It doesn't matter to him as long as he can snare it. Satan doesn't much care who he ensnares although he seems to prefer those who are Believers because he has already ensnared those who are not.

It's really difficult to know how Satan will be disguised, where he will show up and even more difficult to stop him just as it's difficult to stop the road runner.

"Satan can change himself into an angel of light," 2 Corinthians 11:14 TLB

" For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 Modern English Version

Compare Yourselves and See How You Measure Up.

I watched the groundhog waddling closer and closer to our front porch. From my kitchen window, I could see him glance at our reflective storm door. Then, he stood on his hind legs looking into the glass, then from side to side to see if anyone was watching I presume. Suddenly, to my amazement, while standing upright, he began swaying back and forth as though he was hearing some music that I wasn't privileged to hear and all the while looking at the reflection in the glass.

At the end of the summer last year, I observed a very busy squirrel at the base of one of the old trees in our yard. Mrs. Squirrel was stashing away nuts. She worked diligently digging and burying; digging and burying. When she was satisfied she had done a good job of hiding what she had foraged for the winter, she scampered off across the creek. Meanwhile, another squirrel, who had taken it's place on a limb high above that industrious squirrel, was watching every move she made. As soon as she was out of sight, down came the thief and retrieved Ms. Squirrel's food and buried it under another tree nearby.

Then there are the Blue Jays. What a beautiful bird they are! But, evil lurks within them and at the sight of another bird of a different species, they dive bomb, squawing loudly and scaring the innocent bird away.

We also have skunks. A family of them chose one of our storage buildings for a home. Late in the evening, you can see them wander out and casually look around. Occasionally, they raise a stink most often just because they can.

A tree along our fence line apparently has been designated as the maternity ward for our neighbors cows so we have a ring side seat to the miracle of birth. Meanwhile, a lot of the cows gather round to watch. As soon as the baby emerges, they all must have a look. I can hear them saying one to another, " Oh dear, what an ugly calf. I'm just glad my calf is beautiful".

Our Ms. Kitty , like most cats, is noted for her ability to let you know when she wants to be held and when she has had enough. When she wants attention, she can get it; when she wants to be left alone, she makes that known loudly, too.

Are we a little like the animals or the birds of the air? Do we look at ourselves and dance around like Mr. Groundhog thinking we are all that and then some? Or like that thieving squirrel, who waited until Ms. Squirrel had done all the work and then slip in and take what we were too lazy to work for? Or perhaps, we are like Mr. Blue Jay, just waiting until someone shows up we can heckle just because they look different than we do.

Are there any of us who wander about just waiting to raise stink over the tiniest thing? Maybe some of us are like the cows comparing our family to another family whose children may not be as beautiful or as smart or dress as well as ours?

Surely none of us have the personality of Ms. Kitty in that we want what we want when we want it no matter how inconvenient it might be for someone else. And, when we have used that someone for our purpose, they are cast away like an old shoe.

" If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3

Sequels

Because I read a lot, most of the time I have three or four books going at one time. I keep them in different locations so when I get a minute, I can sit down and read. The story lines are usually different enough that I don't confuse them when reading that many at once.

How many of you are avid readers? Don't you hate finishing a really good book? When the story is intriguing or really interesting, you just want it to continue. Of course, I guess that's why many authors,... like Karen Kingsbury, Lori Wick, Jeanette Oaks, Terri Blackstock and others write sequels.

Books are rather like life. If your life has been good, you don't want it to end; you want someone to write a sequel. If, like some books, you get to the middle chapter and life isn't going well or interesting enough, you would just as soon close with that chapter.

God has blessed my life with good chapters. As I came to three-quarters of a century mark, I began to wish I could go back to chapter one and start to "reread"my life with no rewrites. However, the God I know didn't create us to be reincarnated; to come back and live life again. If we don't get it right the first time, there are no do overs. So, it behooves us to live every day; enjoy as much of life as we possible can and leave behind footprints worthy of being followed by others.

When the chapters of our lives come to a close, we will begin our sequel in eternity. If we are believers in God; have asked forgiveness for our sins and followed Him, when He opens the Book of Life, our name will be found there and we will continue our sequel in Heaven.

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke often to one another, and the Lord listened to them. And the names of those who worshiped the Lord and honored Him were written down before Him in a Book to be remembered. " Malachi 3:16 (NLV)

Those Hot Summer Days

I love everything about summer..........well, almost everything. I could do without the scorching heat, biting bugs, storms, floods, flourishing weeds, sunburn, and t.v. reruns. Of course, there is always the benefit of air conditioning, bug spray, a dry storm cellar, weed eaters, suntan lotion and an off button.
Memories of summer as a child bring a smile. Barefoot days were here.... finally.

My dislike for biting bugs came to the forefront when I was six years old. While running through our clover filled yard I stepped on a bumble bee. He let me know that crushing his house was not the best idea. He must have been a really bad bee because my foot swelled until I couldn't walk. I ran temperature for three days and the pain was terrible. All I could do was lay in bed with an ice pack on my foot and cry. Good old Dr. Carter made house calls back then. He stopped by on his way to the office each morning to see how I was doing. His smile and the sucker he pulled out of his pocket and handed me, made the medicine he gave me taste a little better. His advice to my mother about giving me ice cream and cold popsicles didn't hurt either. Back then, we had no air conditioning and anything cold and sweet was a godsend.

Our old walnut tree by the back porch had a limb that just begged for a swing. My daddy made one and hung it high enough that, when pumping it as hard as I could with my skinny legs, it would almost reach the sky, or so I thought. My imagination would run away with itself on the days I spent in that swing.

Looking forward to my July birthday and the excitement of an all day trip to Kings River for a cooling time of playing in the water filled my mind the whole month of June. Inner tubes proved to be quite a fun thing as my cousin and I would twirl about in them, kicking and splashing each other. Occasionally, one of us would float out into a current and scream to be rescued by my daddy, who was always close by with his watchful eye.

There was nothing better on a hot, summer day than spreading out an old quilt under the maple tree in our back yard. My friend and I would scamper across the sidewalk at a place along the way, fearing that an angry troll, who surely lived under the bridge the walk crossed, would grab our leg. When we reached the library on the third floor of the court house, we would check out three books each and hurry back home so we could settle down under that tree and read. Mother knew by the time we returned, we would be thirsty so she always had lemonade made for us. My friend and I did quite a lot of reading while lying on that old quilt, but there was also a lot of girl talk that went on.

Those carefree days of summer as a young girl were some of the best times of my life. We had no t.v. that blared out the troubles of the day; our radio was seldom on except for The Grand Old Opry on a Saturday night. Our children nowadays are, for the most part, deprived of a safe neighborhood where they could run and play with their friends even into the dark of night. They don't know the joy of the simple things that make for memories as old age creeps up on us.

Even though our home was very simple; we didn't have a lot of worldly goods, there was a lot of love and there was the companionship of neighbors, who always had time to sit on our porch in the evenings and pass the time of day. And, there were the childhood friends, who were always eager to spend the summer with each other; enjoying the simple things of life.

"Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young,
Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,
Before your vision dims and the world blurs
And the winter years keep you close to the fire." Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 (The Message)

Obstacles

When I read the postings on Face Book or I see the prayer requests printed in our Sunday bulletin, I am reminded of how many friends are now facing trials. So many have difficulties that seem to have no answer. And, yet, those of us who are Believers know that God, in His infinite mercy, understands our needs and He has the answer. We may never understand His reasoning; never know the answer, but we know that He is the giver of life; the sustainer of life and His will should be sufficient for each of us.

If it takes nine years for a space craft traveling 31,000 miles per hour to reach a small planet, might we assume that our God, the creator of our whole universe, is capable of seeing to our needs?
I shared this poem a few years ago but I want to share it with you again in hopes that it might help someone realize that whatever they are facing is not quite as daunting as they think when they allow God to have control :

Obstacles have come my way in life
That I didn't understand.
But God reached down from Heaven above
And always took my hand.

He led me down a narrow path
At times I'd prefer the wide.
But through the good times and the bad,
He was always by my side.

I cannot see my future
But I'm thankful He knows best
So I'll just put my faith in Him
And then I'll gently rest...........

What's Your Purpose This Very Moment?

What is your purpose for this very moment? Not your purpose for life , but for this exact moment.

Life isn't given to us all at once but in small increments of seconds, minutes......moments. It's difficult for anyone to say what your purpose in life is other than for the believer, it's to honor God; to do His will. But, what is your purpose for this moment; the moment you are reading this.

Are you setting by your phone? Is there someone that needs a call? Is there a pen ...and some paper on the table beside you? Does someone need to hear from you with an encouraging word or perhaps a word of sympathy?

Maybe you are homebound but God has placed a name of someone on your heart that you are to pray for.

Are you at your work desk? When you look up, do you see another person? Do you need to invite that person to lunch with you ? Perhaps they need to unload their burdens on a listening ear. Or maybe they are unchurched and they need an invite from you to attend your church?

Are you working in a day care where a little child needs that extra hug they didn't get before they were placed in your care for the day?

Is there a student in your classroom that is dealing with a difficult home environment? Or maybe they are being bullied and afraid to let anyone know ? Do they need your smile and just a word to let them know that they are important to you and that you are proud of them?

What about that person who walks into your store? Do you have time for them or do you just let them browse and maybe walk out when what they really needed was some conversation?

What about your own family? When you are together in the evenings are you preoccupied with catching up on the latest news on TV or maybe answering your e-mail or checking your Facebook? Remember, those children God has given you won't be in your care always. This moment you have to give them your undivided attention will not come again. Those parents and grandparents won't always be there and they need attention, too.

Time is precious.

Each moment that passes leaves us with less moments. We all have the same amount of time. God knew that 24 hours and 7 days a week was plenty of time to accomplish what He wants each of us to do. It's up to us to determine how we are going to spend those moments because we will never have them back.

A Time for Everything
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 NLT

Playing Dress Up

Playing dress up was one of my very favorite things to do as a child. I loved to pretend I was a movie star or sometimes I would be a bride. The dress up clothes didn’t have to be fancy because in my imagination, they were fancy no matter what they looked like. An old lace curtain with holes from years of wear made a perfect veil for my bridal attire. My mother loved hats and she had a few that she allowed me to play with on occasion.

My friends and I had a bit of Hollywood ...in us and we loved to give plays for the neighborhood. Under our maple tree in the back yard was a perfect place for this. Our parents would come and sit on our screened in back porch and watch a performance. The cost of tickets was usually a marble, a pretty rock or flower. Our profit came from the lemonade that was sold for two cents a glass. Our mothers footed the bill for the lemonade. We took turns keeping the pennies at night. I can remember setting and counting those pennies thinking how rich we were going to be in the future.
 

I guess the need for attention can be passed down from generation to generation because Daughter # 2 was famous for dressing up as were her three daughters. I only recently dismantled the box of dress up attire that was kept in a closet for such an event.

Every little girl likes to pretend. It’s a way of escaping into a place where they can be anything they want. They can play house or bride or be a princess. Most women are probably just grown up little girls who enjoy dressing up for special occasions.

Even as girls get older they like to get together with friends and try new clothes or have make up parties. And, when a prospective bride goes to try on her wedding dress, she doesn’t go alone. No, she wants her mother, her bridesmaids and the mother of the groom to go along to validate how beautiful she will be on that most important day when she walks down the aisle.

Dressing up as a little girl usually brought attention from a parent who was close by.

“Oh, how cute you look. Are you going out today?” Mother says to Little Daughter as daughter parades around for Mother to see.

“Yes, I’m going to a tea party with my friend,” Little Daughter replies, “Don’t I look beautiful?”

We all want attention……….no, we all crave attention; especially from the ones we love.

Have you ever prayed and felt God wasn't paying attention? We all want God to hear our prayers; to pay attention to us. We don’t have to play dress up or pretend we are someone else for God to hear us. Our God is big enough to hear the prayers of His people whenever and wherever they are. If we are committed to Him, we can rest assured we have His attention.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

What is Your Purpose?

If you could have anything in the world right now, what would it be? What would it take to satisfy the desires of your heart? Do you think the desires of your heart are God’s desires for you? I have heard it said sometimes we have to “trust and adjust”. There are times when the desires of our heart are things that would only harm us. However, if we give those desires over to God and trust Him, somehow He will help us adjust our desires so they are in line with what God k...nows is best for our lives. We are on this earth to fulfil the plans God has for us.

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 TLB You notice in this verse, God says “the plans I have for you”, not “the plans YOU have for yourself”.

God has promised us if we look to Him for our happiness rather than things of this earth, He will give us our heart’s desire. Because, only then will our desires be His desire for us.

“Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire. Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you.” Psalm 37-5 GNT

If we can bring ourselves to forgo that desire that is in our heart, and just allow God to take complete control of us, He will not only give us what He has promised but it will be something that will be far beyond what we could have imagined.

Sometimes we may feel that nothing is going as we planned. We might feel it’s because we aren’t in God’s will. Sometimes, God is allowing those difficult times to happen to grow our faith and to bring about His purpose for us. These are the times that we just have to “trust and adjust” and continue to walk through those doors that you feel He is opening.

"Hold loosely to the things of this life, so that if God requires them of you, it will be easy to let them go." Corrie Ten Boom

In a message Bro. Steve Rogers brought at our church one Sunday last year about following God’s plan and not ours, he asked the question: “Am I working for the Lord or just working for a pay check?” Then he presented this acrostic:
Purpose

 Love to do

 Ability to do

 Now

God has a Purpose for placing us on this earth. And, because He is a loving God, He will give us the desires of our heart; things we Love to do. God has given us the Ability to do things with our gifts and talents, and God desires that we do these things for Him Now.

"It's My Birthday!"

It was my birthday.........finally! According to my daddy, it was never warm enough to don a bathing suit and get into the river until my birthday rolled around. The anticipation grew from the first warm days of spring. Every night I would pray for no rain on July 2nd when finally I would get to experience the cold, refreshing water and the hot sun beating down on my skin.

My birthday party from the time I was about seven years old until I was almost a teenager, was always... a day spent on the Kings River. Mother would pack a picnic lunch, gather up old towels; a blanket to set on while we ate our picnic lunch, and always the trusty first aid kit. I would call my cousin, who was my age, and let her know that, once again, we would get to spend the day together, laughing and splashing each other and floating around on old inner tubes. Daddy would pack everything into our old car and off we would go.

My cousin and I could hardly wait until the car door opened and we could jump out and run barefooted down across the gravel bar. We knew the water would be cold so we would stop; stick our toes in and then dance about shouting, "It's cold! It's cold!" For a time, hoping the water would warm just a bit, we would pick up rocks and throw them into the river, seeing who could throw them farthest .

After a fun day of swimming, picnicking, throwing rocks in the water and laughing at everything that happened, two tired little girls and two weary adults would head back home. I'm not sure about everyone else, but by the next morning I would be anticipating another fun trip to the river for my next birthday.

Much has been said the last few days about the conjuncture of Jupiter and Venus, bringing about speculation that this is the same light that was seen by the Kings when they went to find Baby Jesus.

I don't know what the significance of this latest conjuncture is. However, I do know that there is one birthday that is more significant to mankind than all the others and that's the birth of our Savior, Christ our Lord.

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory— this was during Herod’s kingship—a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, “Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We’re on pilgrimage to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 (The Message)