Things do quit but

                                                 

Thing do quit working.   I have had several things that have quit working in the last few weeks.  My old car quit so I got another car.   My new to me car quit in Texas, the weekend before Thanksgiving. It is still in Texas being worked on.  Last night my dryer quit but started again but I think it is probably on the path to never working again.  I had to get a new washer several weeks back because the washer quit.  There have even been times that I have quit. 

Things do quit but they are replaceable.  I quit and others quit but God is always there.  He never quits.  When I have quit, God gives me the strength to keep going.  He reminds me of my Jesus and what He did for me.  Jesus died on the cross for me and for you.  That could have been one thing to quit but He did not.!

When you are tempted to quit doing something that seems impossible, remember the cross! 

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NLT)

For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified

Bella, my other dog

                                                   

I know I have written about Samson but I am not sure if I have ever written about Bella.  She is also one of those little dachshund dogs.  She has issues.  I do not know what has happened in her past though.  She has lived here less than a year and I must confess that I have wanted to give her away several times. 

Every morning I have put her out so that she can pee and poop but almost immediately she is scratching at the patio door.  I would wait awhile but she would continue the scratching so I would eventually let her in.  Most days it would not be long until I would find pee and or poop in the other living room or in the kitchen.

This morning for some reason I turned the outside light on.  What a difference that light made!  She did her business outside.  I am thinking that maybe she was afraid when it was dark but the light gave her courage to stay and do what she needed to do.

To be honest I like to have a light when it is dark.  What a difference even just a flashlight makes.  The light cuts through the darkness and I can see the path to take. 

There is a light better that a flashlight. That light is Jesus!  He came to give us light and He does not care what your issues might be.  He will take you just like you are!

Jesus is my light!  Is He yours?

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people,  He said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Rather hit the dust than

Yesterday was a long day but that was probably because it was Monday.  It was a good day at work but I just seemed tired, which was probably from waking up early on Fall Back Sunday.  I did not get an extra hour of sleep in fact I woke up earlier than normal on Sunday and Monday.

I worked a little later on Monday so when I left work the sun was trying to disappear though it was still light.  I was stuck in traffic for a bit.  It seemed that everyone had chosen the same time to go wherever they were going.   Maybe they were all trying to get home before the sun disappeared and left us in the dark.

I was about eight minutes from home when a truck stopped right in front of me.  My instincts took over and I swerved into the grassy, dusty area by the side of the road.  As dust swirled everywhere, that truck took off at a high rate of speed.  I am sure that they thought I was going to chase them down.  I had no intentions of doing that.  The person that was behind me waited and let me back onto the road.

Even as the dust was swirling around my car I was thanking God for His hand that protects.  If I had hit that truck it probably would have crumpled my car and maybe me.  So that is why I would rather hit the dust than wreck.  I am so glad that I am not in the dark.  God's light is always with me even  when dust is swirling.

Are you in the dark? What happens if you hit the dust?

1 John 1:7 NKJV

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Romans 3:23-24NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Fall Back

                                         

Happy Fall Back day.  Did you get your extra hour of sleep?  If you did please let me know in the comment section below.  For some reason, I woke up at regular time even though it was 5 am instead of 6 am.  I even went to sleep an hour later thinking that would work. 

I was thinking about fall back.  Are there things in your life that you fall back into.  I know I very easily fall back into eating chocolate even when I try to take a sabbatical from it.  There are many other things that if I do not watch it I will fall back into, like being self-righteous, being unkind, thinking bad things about others and getting offended to easy.

What I should be doing is to fall back into having compassion, patience and to be more like my Savior.  I should mirror his kindness even when I have an extra hour to sleep but wake up early.

Jesus is the One to fall back to.  Jesus is not on regular or fall back time, He is there all the time!  He just wants us to fall back into His arms! Maybe this is the day to go to Jesus or to meet him for the first time.

John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The Heart of a Wellston Tiger:Precious Memories

                            

Many of you know, if you have read my blog posts, that I grew up in a small town, Wellston, Oklahoma.  I loved that town and the people, well most of them.  I have so many good memories and thought that I had better start writing about them before my mind is completely gone.

I grew up on a farm, off of 177, and I remember that when my older brothers got on that bus, to head to school, I wanted to go with them. What was I thinking? Why on earth would I want to go with brothers that were so mean to me?  They loved to throw persimmons at me and make my life crazy.

One of those early memories was at church in Warwick, Oklahoma.  It was a small town with a gas station, a small school house and the church.  That church was planted there by a church in Chandler, Oklahoma, the country seat of Lincoln County.  It was the first church that I remember.  It was the beginning of a life long relationship with my God.  It was at that church where the Word begin to be planted in my heart.

My God is still with me, He will never leave me nor forsake me. He has walked with me through the good and the bad times.  I have many precious memories of His help, His compassion and most of all His love.  

I would like to become like David, who was a man after God's heart! 

Acts 13:22 (NKJV)

22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David[the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

August 30th, Remembering

20 years ago today was the day that I married Richard.  Our plans were that we would work, work and work some more.  We looked forward to when the children would be grown because we had plans to spend time traveling.  He also wanted to spend more time in China.  He had been there and loved the culture and of course the food.

Most of the time on this day he would try to surprise me in some way by taking me out to eat or a present of a necklace or ring. Oh and always chocolate.  He knew me well.  After he was diagnosed with cancer we spent lots of time talking and looking to the future.  The future was after cancer.

There was a point in time though when he started talking to me about what he wanted me to do after he was gone.  I did not want to listen but had to.  He made me listen.  We talked about many things.  He talked about how he would miss seeing Sarah graduate and Brianna's ballgames.  He talked about how he would miss the boys achievements.  He treated my boys as if they were his.  He often said how blessed he was with them in his life.

20 years ago today though was a crazy day full of family, friends and a wedding.  It is a day I will always remember!

There is also a day that I can not forget.  It is the day that Jesus died on the cross for me.  Without that I would be doomed!   The good news is that Jesus rose again.  Jesus did this for me and for you.  You may have many fun vacations but don't forget that you need to secure  your last vacation.

Where will you go when you die?

Do you know?

John 14:1-4

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

What is your everything??

 Samson is my handicapped dog.  He does not know he is handicapped though.  He still eats and he still wants to be petted.  He still can get to the food faster than the other two dogs.

What he does not understand is that as he is running around trying to beat the other dogs, he is rubbing his back underside raw.  He can not feel the pain that he should be feel.  He is just doing what dogs do.

  Do people run around trying to beat other people?  I believe that yes most people want to win.  They want the food or the prize or the money or the best everything.  They want to be the first.

I think that Samson probably needs to slow down when his food or his prize is given.  He can gulp it down in seconds.  I wish that he would or could slow down, I believe it is a dog's nature to eat fast or faster!

I think that sometimes I forget about what the true prize it.  As a human I am just trying to get to the prize fast, whatever that I perceive the prize might be.  I think that I am probably more handicapped than Samson.  I let people and circumstances dictate how I react or what I do.

The only thing  that I should be doing is what Samson is doing.  He is looking to me for his food, his bedding and love.  He gives the love back freely and will try to protect me if he feels that I am threatened.

 I should be running to my Savior, just like my Samson runs to me.  I need to forget about being first.  I need to slow down and savor the minutes with my Savior.   I need to remember that He is the prize!

Jesus is everything!

Do you feel the pain?

What is your everything?




But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.  2 Peter 3:18

That commercial

Have you seen the commercial where there is this guy that is talking to women.  He is talking about how he can help with their bodies.  In this short commercial he lets woman know that he can help them get their bodies to where it should be.

The problem that I have with this commercial is the guy talking is very rotund.   In other words he might could use some help also.  Of course in the commercial there is proof of his work.  There are many lovely women with their before and after pictures.  There were no pictures of his before and after.  He did not have an after.

This commercial made me think about Heaven and people like this man.  This man is on the outside looking in.  He is talking the talk to get those women to change their bodies but apparently he does not need to change.  How many people talk the talk but do not see the need to change?  The guy in the commercial wants to sell his service but he is not willing to change.

Jesus is the only commercial that you need.  He paid the price for you when He died and rose again.  His work starts with your heart.  Have you changed?

Will you have an after?

John 3:16 (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

What if you died today

I don't know why I started thinking about that statement today?  I was on the way home from taking my grandchild to school and it just popped into my head.  Maybe someone needs to read this today and if so this is for you!

Do you know what will happen to you when you die?  If not you can be certain that one thing.  You will either go to heaven or you won't!  I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that when I die I am headed to heaven.  The reason that I can be so sure of that is that I have accepted Jesus as my Savior.

Jesus died and rose again on the cross for you and for me!  He paved the way for you to get into heaven.  All that you have to do is:

Admit that you are a sinner and repent
Believe that Jesus Is God's son and and accept His gift of forgiveness
Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord

Romans 3:23New King James Version (NKJV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 5:8New King James Version (NKJV)

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9New King James Version (NKJV)

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:10New King James Version (NKJV)

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.