First and Best

There is a Gift that is perfect in every way, and it’s given by the best gift giver of all, God Himself!

We get to reflect on the love that God has towards us every day. And as Christmas approaches, celebrations of His love are everywhere. We give gifts at Christmas to show our love to others, but God was the first one to ever give a Christmas gift.

The motivation for God’s gift was love. He put a lot of thought into the gift He gave for you and me.

2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

The gift that God gave was His very own Son, Jesus.

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” 

Great and Small

God makes every creature, both great and small. Long ago He set the world in motion. He continually brings new life, and constantly cares for all of His creation.

He knows when a bird falls out of its nest. He knows every hair on your head. He catches every tear drop that falls. He created you, He loves you, and He constantly cares for you.

Luke 12:6-7,  ^“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? 

Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 

⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

 Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Counting My Blessings This Day

Being thankful begins with being present in today, it means being aware of our surroundings at the moment, not the regret of yesterday or “what if’s” of tomorrow, but the blessing of today. I encourage you to make a list of every blessing you can count for today. Small things, big things, and every blessing in-between. Air in your lungs, legs that walk, eyes that see, strength, hope, good doctors, good friends, the blue sky, the green grass, fresh water to drink, food to eat, family to love, flowers to smell. List “every good and perfect gift” that God has blessed you with. Let these lift your heart with joy, and fill your soul with peace as you reflect on the blessings of  “this day”, a day of Thanksgiving.

Count your blessings, name them one by one! Count your blessings, see what God has done!

“This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”      

            Psalm 118:24“

Taste and see that the LORD is good.” Psalm 34:8

Abandoned Heart

There is nothing more beautiful than a heart that has been fully surrendered and abandoned to God. This morning as I stood singing along with the worship band at church, I noticed down in the very front row, standing alone was a young girl about 7 years of age. She was singing praises to the LORD with her little arms fully outstretched, unaware of the adoring glances of others all around her. Her full abandonment to the moment and to the LORD was the most precious sight.

We sang, “I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the One who gave it all; I’ll stand, my soul LORD to you surrendered. All I am is yours.”  One by one the arms of others sprang up around the room to join her in surrender to the Savior. Great joy, peace, hope and love are found as we hand our lives over to God’s care and trust Him completely.

Psalm 33:21, In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.

You are Beautiful

My life is blessed by many amazing women; my family is filled with women who have helped make me who I am today- my mom, my grandmas, my sisters, my step-mom, my mother-in-law, my sisters-in-law, my aunt, my cousins, my nieces.  I have many dear friends- some I’ve had since childhood and share many memories with.  I have a group of precious women that I meet with week after week in Bible study.

As I sit in my backyard this morning, surrounded by my beautiful flowers, I am reminded of each of the lovely women in my life. As my gaze wanders around the yard my eyes land on the flowers one by one; each is unique and beautiful in its’ own special way.

There are the full, robust, pink ones, full and bright;  the petite, cheery, orange tinted ones; the white, delicate blooms; the tight yellow buds still waiting to blossom. There is a pale lavender one hiding in the midst of them all.  Each flower has its’ own color, shape, size and fragrance. God in His creative sovereignty made them each uniquely different, but equally beautiful. My hope is that each dear woman, some I know, others I may never meet, would come to celebrate her own beauty, to realize her own worth just as she is, not comparing herself to the woman next to her. I hope that she loves and accepts herself just the way she has been created. I am so glad that God has put a variety of flowers in my yard, and I am so very glad that He has put a wide variety of women in my life. Each is a beautiful blessing to me in her own special way.

Song of Songs 4:7, You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.

Great Gardens

We can find inspiration in the most random of ways. This morning my inspiration came through a Nursery truck that was driving past. It had the words, “Great Gardens Begin Here” written across the side. That was the claim and slogan for this local nursery. It occurred to me that this could also be the claim and slogan for the Bible, with the “garden” being our lives.  Our gardens can be “great” when we allow God to be the Gardener, helping us to grow and flourish into an abundant display for His glory. God’s Word is the seed, our hearts are the soil, and praise, prayer and fellowship are the water that is so necessary for continual and healthy growth.

LORD, Help my heart to be fertile soil, letting Your Word grow in my life and change me. May I blossom into a beautiful display of Your love, peace, hope and joy. May my life be a reflection and testimony to the work of the Ultimate Gardener.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

Matthew 13:23, ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears 

the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a 

hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Honeysuckle Day

This morning as I took a morning walk before church I prayed, “Dear LORD, help me to notice the beauty all around me, lift me eyes and make me aware of all the sights, sounds and smells that surround me; help me to feel Your wonderful Presence and live surrendered to You today. Help me to not be consumed by the menial tasks that demand my attention, but instead put You first, to make You my number one priority and let all the rest fall into place. Thank you LORD, for Your peace which surpasses all understanding.  In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Today I didn’t stop to smell the roses, but as I continued my walk I encountered the sweet fragrance of Honeysuckle floating around me. I leaned in close and held a blossom from the vine up to my nose, gently inhaling its’ intoxicating aroma. May my Honeysuckle morning set the proper tone for a Honeysuckle day, a sweet fragrance of peace and awareness of God’s Presence all day long.

2 Corinthians 2:14, But thanks be to God, who always leads us in

 triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

Wave Princess

Today my aunt and I ventured to the beach for another outing. This time I brought my Boogie Board along for the day in hopes of catching a few waves. I know this sport is often reserved for the younger crowd, but maybe I fit the bill since I like to consider myself young at heart. My board is pinkish purple in color and is actually called “Wave Princess”. I sat with my aunt awhile, warming my body in the bright sunshine, building the courage to enter the brisk water. It wasn’t long before I left the comfort of my chair and the safety of the sand, and with my board in hand I made my way to the waters’ edge. It was chilly as my feet stepped in, as my legs made their way deeper into the water, and as the waves splashed completely over me. I let out a shriek as the cool water shocked me for a brief second; soon the temperature felt perfect for such a warm day, refreshing and heavenly.

As I stood there facing the approaching waves the same song came to mind (last week it was the verses about God’s wave of love crashing over me); this time the lyrics that played in my head went like this, “You make me brave; You call me out beyond the shore into the waves”. I was reminded that God often calls us out of our comfort zone into a new ‘adventure’, sometimes one that we’re eager to jump into, other times one we’re very reluctant to join and even try to decline with a “No way”, or a polite “No thank you”.

Remembering that whatever God calls me to, whatever opportunity, situation, blessing or problem, relationship, or task, He is always with me, He’s beside me and will never leave me; that makes me brave, even willing to face the seemingly impossible. He makes me brave enough to get out of my comfy chair and step beyond the shore into the waves. He makes me feel like a “Wave Princess”.

Hebrews 13:5-6, for He Himself has said, “I will never   desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” ⁶ so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.

Side by Side

We are never too old for fun and adventure, and what a joy when we find someone to join us in doing something very spontaneous and out of the ordinary!  For some strange reason since we moved into our house I have wanted to sleep out on our balcony, and until recently I had not been able to find anyone to join me… imagine that! My always adventurous sister was sleeping over a couple of nights ago and as we stood in the backyard looking up at the stars I mentioned my desire to sleep on the front balcony and to my surprise she immediately volunteered to join me that very night. I was filled with giddiness and glee! I excitedly ran to find the sleeping bags and pillows and a couple of thick blankets to cushion the floor. We quickly got our pajamas on, went out onto the balcony, and climbed into our sleeping bags. We lay there like kids, side by side in the dark; talking heart to heart, giggling like young girls, staring at the Big Dipper which spread out in the sky before our very eyes. We heard the crickets chirping and the frogs croaking, a fountain trickled in the distance, random dogs let out a bark now and then, and a cool breeze gently blew past, barely brushing over our faces.

Two adult women, both sisters and friends, choosing to sleep on a balcony when two perfectly comfy beds awaited inside. Was what we did practical? Was it well-planned out? Was it even considered normal? Absolutely not!!! And that’s what made it so much fun!  I thank the LORD for the joy that is found in the spontaneous, out of the ordinary things, and I thank the LORD even more, for my sister who was by my side in this wacky adventure. It was perfect that after all these years, she was the one who camped out, side by side with me.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, ⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.¹⁰ For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. ¹¹ Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? ¹² And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

You are Very Good

Uniquely Me 

When God made the birds and fish He said, “It is good.”  When He made the animals of the land, He said, “It is good.” When he placed the stars, moon and sun in the heavens, He said, “It is good.” When He made you a smile of great pleasure spread across His face, and He said, “It is very good.” God doesn’t make mistakes. He made you just the way you are; special and unique, unlike anyone else. Let God’s words sink into your heart and mind, and give you encouragement and confidence to be uniquely YOU today.

Genesis 1:31, Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very  good!

Fully Submersed

For most folks the summer season begins with Memorial Day Weekend. Summer is punctuated with fireworks on the Fourth of July; it is filled with the aroma of hamburgers and hot dogs.

As for me, I don’t really feel that it is summer until I have fully submersed myself in the waves of the ocean. Today was that day, the day that summer truly came alive for me. I set aside the day and ventured to the beach with my lovely aunt. We were greeted by a bright blue sky, and sparkling turquoise waters, which formed into white rolling waves. The warm and grainy sand clung between my toes. The sun warmed my skin till the ocean called my name, and beckoned me to take a dip. On a beautiful day like this a dip would never be enough. I love the feel of the waves washing completely over me, from the tip of my toes, to the top of my head. The cool, salty water surprises and refreshes me as I plunge completely in. The waves roll in one after another. I am filled with delight as wave after wave crashes over me, taking my breath away each time.

As I look at the waves, as I feel them crash over me, I am reminded of God’s amazing love for me. There is actually a song that runs through my mind; the lyrics begin, “As Your love In wave after wave, Crashes over me, crashes over me”.

God’s love is relentless, it is powerful, it refreshes our soul, it is endless, it makes us brave, and it takes away our breath.

Come into His Presence today and let Him wash you in His love.

Ephesians 3:16-21, ¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 Here is the link to the song.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hi-VMxT6fc

Respite for My Soul

As I sit here this morning with the sun rising to take its place in the sky, I tune my ears to hear the chirps of the birds in the trees above me, I hear the buzzing of the bees in the bushes nearby; my eyes capture the slight swaying of the leaves on the trees as an almost undetectable breeze passes by. Some of the birds, with their bright red breasts have hopped down to nibble on seeds that have fallen to the ground. What a wonderful moment of solitude I find here, what a respite for my soul.

From all of my blog posts it may sound as if have all the time in the world to sit around, relax and contemplate things. Actually, my life is very full, busy and active just like most people. But, in order for me to function at my best in each of the activities on my plate, I must also make time to recharge my mind and soul.

Without these precious moments stolen away for my well-being, I would start to run on empty and begin to sputter and stall. Just like a car, we’ve got to refuel, and once refueled we can get back on the busy road and find enjoyment in that too. So I find that quiet times in my garden, before the day begins, are like the gas station for my soul. Fill ‘er up, and send me on my way!

Psalm 23, “God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to Your Word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.”

Joy is for Keeps

Joy is gift from God.  Joy is a gift we are meant to keep. People and situations will come along and try to steal our joy. Like a bandana-masked train robber they interrupt our lovely train ride; with gun in hand they command, “Stick ‘em up, and give me all your joy”. The joy belongs to you, and to me! Don’t let them take it away; we can share our joy, but don’t let them take it away.

Psalm 21:6, You have endowed him with eternal blessings

    and given him the joy of your presence.

Rose Smeller

Through the years my Dad has passed down more than a few qualities to me. For as long as I can remember my Dad has had a great appreciation for the beauty of nature. He is an artist by profession, but it is his personal art which best portrays and captures this appreciation; He paints, he sketches he photographs. His art captures the majesty of creation at its best; the sky with its’ varying colors on display, the clouds floating effortlessly by, the sea with its’ changing emotions of gentleness and power, the desert landscapes both serene and harsh at the same time. With the eye of an artist he sees the big picture and notices the tiniest detail. He is the one who taught me to stop and smell the roses.

When I was a young girl the neighbors across the street from my grandparents had a yard full of rose bushes. They were beautiful, every color imaginable filled their front yard. One afternoon my Dad took me across the street to their yard and photographed me standing amongst the blooms. He took some of me admiring the roses, some of me smelling the roses.  So you see, he really did hand down an appreciation of roses and all flowers for that matter.

Another thing my Dad passed down to me is my fast-paced walking stride. He is a very fast walker and as a little girl, with my little legs, I would do my best to keep up with him. As a result of this training I’m still a fast walker, but I also take time to stop and smell the roses.  I walk around the block almost every day, and as I approach the yards with roses in front, I purposefully bring my feet to a halt, lean over, and deeply breathe in the fragrance of the bloom, letting the sweetness bring me to my senses, helping me appreciate my surroundings. Let’s face it, life is not always full of roses, so when we do encounter them along the way we need to be sure to enjoy them.

Song of Solomon 2:11-12, Look, the winter is past,
    and the rains are over and gone.
¹² The flowers are springing up,
    the season of singing birds has come…

In the fast pace of everyday life we must be mindful to purposefully pause and take in our surroundings, take time to stop and smell the roses. I am a rose smeller, yep that’s me!

For Everyday

Following up on This Day and The Wisest Way, I believe there are two things of utmost importance for every day that we are given…

Be present in the moment.

Wear and attitude of love and grace.

1 John 4:7, ⁷ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another,

 for love comes from God.

The Wisest Way

 Yesterday I was blessed with a “This Day”, and as I sit here enjoying the gorgeous summer morning I am hit with the realization I have been given yet another this Day.  Another day full of opportunity and possibility. How will I go about utilizing this day in the wisest way? First, I will remember that this day is a gift, not to be taken for granted.

James 4:13-15,  Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

How reassuring to know that my life is in God’s hands. I am not going to boast about my plans for today or tomorrow. I know God’s plans are far better than anything I can dream up. I don’t look to the stars for guidance, I look to the Maker of the stars. He is the One who has given me this day, so I bet it would be a good idea to seek His will and direction for it. I want His wisdom! How do I go about getting it? Just ask Him!!! Yes, it’s that easy!!

 James 1:5 says, “if any of you lacks wisdom he should ask God, who gives generously to all…”

All wisdom, knowledge and understanding needed for a life well-lived is found in the LORD, and He wants to give me that info. As I seek after His wisdom, store up us His Word and His commands in my heart and mind, and actually apply it to my life,  I can get into bed at night knowing I lived my this day in the wisest way, His way.

True wisdom is more than just knowing the wisest thing to do, it’s acting on that knowledge.

This Day

Each new day I have is a gift from God, waiting to be opened and appreciated. I need to be intentional with how I use this gift. As I face this day it is essential that I remember to focus my attention on today, not worrying about tomorrow or fretting about the past. Worrying and fretting just steal the precious resource of time today.

Scripture says that, “This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Scripture gives us countless guidelines for making the most of our time, but here are just three of the basics-

1-      Focus on making the most of this day, rejoicing in this day and the gift that it is. Even though life can be quite difficult we can still rejoice in this day by remembering that God is good, He is faithful and He is with us. This day holds the possibility of change and the promise of hope.

2-      Don’t waste the gift of this day, this precious gift of time, by letting it slip away unused and unappreciated. We cannot get a day back once it has passed.

3-      Be careful and mindful of how we use and spend our time. As this day begins and we get to choose how to thoughtfully invest our time, and are wise to consider, “is this a good use of this gift of today, is it beneficial, is this wise, it a blessing to me or others and does it honor God?”

We never know what the next day holds, we only have the gift of today. So let’s accept it, open it, appreciate it, and use it to the fullest.

Ephesians 5:15-16, Be careful then how you live, making the most of every opportunity.”

Refreshment

California is in a season of drought and residents are asked to cut back on their water use in every possible way. As you drive the streets of our neighborhood the cut in water use becomes evident rather quickly; the lawns which use to be lush and green, now have large brown, crunchy, dry spots. A brown lawn is now the pride of the neighborhood, representing that you are you doing your part to conserve.

This morning I came out into the backyard to take in the cool fresh air before the heat overtook the day. As I stood their surveying the hills and sky around me I felt the delightful sprinkle of tiny wet drops landing on my skin. It wasn’t much in the way of precipitation but I appreciated every little bit. I could hear the birds chirping and if I listened hard enough I’m sure I would hear the parched hills exhaling a sigh “ahhh” as they absorbed whatever moisture fell on them, providing a bit of necessary refreshment.

I can totally relate to the hills that have been deprived of some much needed water. Just as the land needs constant watering in order to be its best; lush, green, vibrant, and growing strong, I need time alone with the LORD to get my necessary refreshment. To be my best, to feel vibrant and alive, and to keep growing in the right direction; I need time in God’s Word (the Bible), I need special, quiet time to talk with Him alone (just Him and me, heart to heart), I need time with girlfriends who share my love of the Lord (we can encourage each other). I exhale a sigh of “ahhh” after these precious times of refreshment, they water my very soul. Without these vital times of refreshment I quickly grow parched and my attitude can get “crunchy” like the dry brown lawn. Just like crunchy, brown grass is no fun to walk on, a crunchy brown attitude is no fun for anyone.

 It may be a good idea for me to get a hat to wear as a caution to others during my times with the LORD, but Instead of writing “Do Not Disturb” across the front it would say “Soul Watering in Progress”.

Jeremiah 17:7-8,  “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
⁸ They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Delightful Welcome

Out of the mouth of babes!!!

 A few days ago I went to visit my cousin for the afternoon. I knocked on the door, she invited me inside, and I stepped into the entry area. I had stood there for barely a few seconds when around the corner sprang the cutest, most joyful little girl; it was my cousin’s two year old daughter. She had her sweater dress on, a bow in her blonde hair, and chubby bare feet. She wore the biggest and happiest smile, from ear to ear; her eyes big and bright. She bounded right up to me and as she approached, she loudly and gleefully proclaimed, “I’m so glad you came!” She then snuggled close to my leg and I grabbed her up in my arms for a sweet embrace. It was the most delightful welcome, filled with joyful sincerity. Her greeting held such warmth and invitation. My cousin and I looked at each other, surprised and tickled by her words. This precious two year has the genuine gift of hospitality. She was a “faithful (little) steward of God’s grace” (and love) toward me as I entered her home that day.  I’m tempted to begin greeting my guests this way. I can’t imagine that anyone wouldn’t enjoy such a loving reception the way I did; surprised by a delightful welcome.

1 Peter 4:9-11, ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Always (reJOYce)

Our theme at Bible study this past year was “reJOYce”. We had the theme title printed on flyers, on binders, on pages and on agendas for the morning; it was everywhere. A dear friend of mine who is originally from Australia told me that on the first day, back in September, she looked up on the big video screen and noticed the odd spelling; she wasn’t sure if that’s how we spell it in America or if we had just done a big “oops” and misspelled the main theme on everything around. It wasn’t long before she realized the misspelling was on purpose. We had wanted the JOY part to pop out with great emphasis. 

I had the privilege of writing the “Welcome Page” that described our theme and was included in every woman’s binder. Here is an excerpt from that page-

“I’ve got the JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY down in my heart… Where?.... Down in my heart to stay!!!”

There are many things that come into our lives try to drag us down and steal our joy.  Life may be far from perfect, which means we have to be deliberate about our JOY each and every day. If we choose the perspective of Jesus we will always find a reason to reJOYce!!! Despite the heart-wrenching trials that Jesus faced while here on earth His heart was full of JOY because He knew God.  And God wants us to experience that same JOY in our own lives.  As we come to know God our Father more and more we too can experience the same confident JOY; resting in the fact that God is in control. JOY is a gift from God that He is anxiously waiting for us to receive.  You see, we play a big role in whether we experience a JOY-filled life or not.  We must choose to accept the gift that God has already offered us.  God has given us His own Holy Spirit to live within us and JOY is an overflowing fruit of His Spirit.  His JOY comes alive within us as we walk hand in hand with God.  We gratefully reflect on our salvation, our redemption, our new life in Him, His strength to see us through, and His promise of eternal life with Him. As this Heavenly JOY fills our own hearts and minds we can’t help but infect the world with a contagious JOY.

    “Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again, Rejoice!!”

Hat Night

There are so many types of hats to choose from. Whatever your mood, there is a hat to suit it; whatever your activity, there is a hat to represent it. There are hats that we wear to sporting events as we root for our favorite team;  hats that are worn as a piece of our work uniform making everyone aware of our official role or position; party hats with a pointy top and an elastic band that fits under our chin (usually accompanied by a roll-up paper party blower). Hats can evoke feelings of respect, loyalty, belonging, frivolity, fun and celebration.

This past Christmas season I had the pleasure of being a participant in a group declared “Hat Night”. The little group was comprised of my Mom, my sister and me. We were going out for a night on the town (accompanied by my sister’s wonderful fiancé). As we were in the planning stages for the evening we decided it would be fun and celebratory to wear hats for the occasion; the celebration was as simple as we were all together. We aren’t talking baseball hats, but instead lady-like hats especially for the festive evening. My Mom and sister each wore a wide brimmed, slightly floppy hat and I wore an old-fashioned 20’s style, bubble one. After we had finally settled on the outfits to complement our hats we had a little photo session in the family room, in front of the Christmas tree (again, my sister’s fiancé was very helpful as he patiently clicked away, as we posed this way and that).

Our hats graced our heads as we entered the grande Hotel Del Coronado. We paused in the lobby for a while and enjoyed the lovely voices of the quaint Victorian carolers, with the Christmas tree glittering in the background. It momentarily transported us back to a different era. From there our hats sat atop our heads as we wandered around the lobby admiring the tree and the old décor, and as we ventured into the hotel gift store. So many delightful baubles and gifts and decorations to behold.

Next, we continued on to the hotel lounge to enjoy some of my favorite kind of music; a very talented man strummed his acoustic guitar as he sang along perfectly in tune. He did perfect renditions of many of our favorite songs. We talked and laughed; we quietly listened and took in the music; we clapped and sang along; we even shed a tear or two when he played our special requests. Through it all we proudly wore our hats. Funny enough, we had people approach us through the night and even come up to our table to comment on our hats. They would ask us what the special occasion was. We just replied that is was our “Hat Night”.  I guess not too many people have Hat Nights (except the ladies who wear purple clothes and red hats). Our hats made us unique that evening; I guess they represented that we were a part of a special group; that there was something to celebrate; and that we weren’t afraid to show it.

It’s kind of like the special hat that God gives us to wear- “the Helmet of Salvation”, as the Bible refers to it. This helmet (hat) represents our place of belonging to a really special group (God’s very own family), it definitely means there is something to celebrate (we get to be with Him forever), and it means that we aren’t afraid to show it (we wear the helmet of salvation with great pride and joy).

1 Thessalonian 5:8-10,  having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as 

a helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but 

for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, so that

 whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.

Happy

Who doesn’t love being happy? Who doesn’t long for those spontaneous moments of happy? Who doesn’t want to skip, jump, dance and sing at the very idea of happy? I personally love being happy!!! I even named my first pet just that- Happy. He was such a cute little rat- yes I said cute and rat together in the same sentence. He had a hairy little body, a long hairless tail, long twitchy whiskers, small beady eyes and he was very sweet. He was a gift from my Dad.

My Dad and I would often go on outings to the local pet store, followed by a scoop of bubble gum ice cream. On our usual visits we would enjoy walking the aisles observing all the animals; the playful and cuddly puppies and kittens; the scaly and creepy lizards and snakes, the googley-eyed fish swimming round and round their tanks; and the various furry little critters such as hamsters, Guinea Pigs and rats. We usually left the store empty-handed (except the time we left the store with 10 goldfish, but that’s a story for another time), but our hearts were full of fun memories.

The time I’m remembering here is when we left the store with Happy the rat. We brought Happy “home” to my Grandma and Tata’s house. I carried Happy up the steps of the front porch. He was in a little cardboard box with holes on the sides and a handle on the top. Happy you see, was going to be living at my Grandparents’’ house and I would get to visit him on weekends. He had a silver cage and a fun, squeaky wheel to run on. He did most of his running at night which I’m sure my Grandma enjoyed hearing as she tried to sleep.

On my visits I looked forward to playing with Happy; I would take him out of his cage and I would hold him, and pet him, and watch him run around.

One day I arrived at my grandparents to spend the weekend with my overnight bag in hand. I immediately went to look for Happy. I remember my Grandma taking me aside and gently explaining to me that Happy had recently died; he had gotten cancer and the tumor had grown very quickly. She assured me that Happy had passed peacefully; my Grandma put her arms around me and comforted me as tears flowed down my cheeks. I was sad that Happy had died and I was going to miss him.

Isn’t that how life is?  Happiness is truly fleeting; it comes for a moment, an hour, a day or a season. It leaves us with warm memories and a yearning for more happy. Happiness comes from favorable circumstances, and as we all know, circumstances can quickly change; they come and go. As fun as happy is, there is something more sustainable that will keep us going strong no matter what comes our way. It’s something that keeps us going in-between those happy times. It actually makes the happy happier, and the sad more tolerable. What is this “something”? It’s JOY!!! Joy is the deepest sense that all is well with your soul no matter what happens. Joy is the undercurrent that connects those dots of happy. Joy is Biblical. Joy is a choice in the focus of our mind. Joy comes from knowing that God is with us, and that He is in control; it comes with knowing that God celebrates the happy with us, and that He understands our pain as well. Joy comes in knowing that God wants all His best for us, all the time. Joy is found in the presence of God, and He doesn’t ever change. Choose JOY always and enjoy the HAPPY when it comes your way.

Psalm 16:11, You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Wonderful

Here’s an oldie (a real oldie), but a goodie for you- “Oh what a beautiful morning,

Oh what a beautiful day, I've got a wonderful feeling, Everything's going my way.”

Even if it feels like not everything, or even nothing is going your way it’s still possible to have a bit of that wonderful feeling. Take a break from the mundane and the overwhelming and step outside with God today; even if it’s only for a moment. Take in the fresh air and gain a refreshed perspective, and grab some of that wonderful feeling for yourself.

Psalm 145:5, They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works

Like the Birds

As I sit outside on the back patio this morning enjoying my hot cup of hazelnut coffee I notice a wide variety of cheery birds flitting around. They fly and hop from tree to tree, and bush to bush; they skitter around in the dirt, nibbling on the bits of seed they find. They sing and chirp with delight as they let the golden sunshine warm their feathery little bodies. As I observe their morning activity a curious thought comes to mind… They have not a care in the world (except maybe a rouge cat or hawk to be guard against). Their needs are provided for each and every morning. I seriously doubt that they lay in their nests at night, kept awake with stress and worry the way we humans do. Can you imagine the mamma bird making lists in her mind of all the things she will need to accomplish the following day? Can you imagine her saying to herself, “Let’s see, I have to get up early, gather more twigs to freshen the nest, go find worms and get back to the nest before the children awake, make sure I chew the worms well before feeding my babies…” Can you imagine her letting worry about the future overwhelm her as she tries to settle into that elusive sleep and rest. Can you imagine her letting worrisome thoughts run rampant in her mind, thinking something like this, “What if I oversleep? What if I can’t find any twigs or worms? What if one of the kids gets sick? What if they don’t catch onto this whole flying thing? What will I do when they grow up and leave the nest? What will I do if they never grow up and leave the nest?” Yes, I seriously doubt they have any of these thoughts overwhelming them at night. It’s time to take a lesson from the birds and get a good night’s rest. Worry about tomorrow only steals precious time from today. As our head hits the pillow each night it’s a very good idea to remind ourselves of and thank God for all of His care and provision of that day. We would also be wise to find comfort and peace in handing over all the cares and concerns for the day to come; handing them over to our heavenly Father who never sleeps and always keeps watch over us.

Psalm 4:8, I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone Oh, LORD, make we dwell in safety.

Matthew 6:25- ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.