There is Hope

I had some verses and thoughts sent to me today and just wanted to share a few of them.

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12
God has big plans for you--even if it may not seem like it right now. Even in the worst of circumstances, God has provided a heavenly hope. Keep telling him about your struggles, and he'll keep holding you up.

...Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33
God doesn't promise to protect us from problems on this earth. Instead he promises to give us the courage to face our problems with his strength when we put our hope in Him.

O Lord, you alone are my hope. I've trusted you, O Lord, from childhood. Psalm 71:5
Sometimes in a hopeless world it is nice to know who our hope is in--It is the Lord Jesus.

For I hold you by your right hand— I, the LORD your God. And I say to you ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.' Isaiah 41:13
He is walking with us every step of the way. Every part of our life. He wants to be so close to you and wants you to feel so safe with him. He wants to help us.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
When you know Jesus, you’re continually refreshed. Even when you are most weary, God will come to you. He’ll gently carry you when you can’t walk on your own. On the way up to Jenny's service today, there was an eagle soaring over our car for a bit. I thought of this verse as I watched it, and I thought of how she was now strong and walking with the Lord, never to be weary or in pain again.

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16 The Message
As Eric made reference to today at Jenny's service, when you are a believer in Jesus, life doesn't end in death, instead, death is the beginning of life. When we believe in Christ, our life does not end when we die, but goes on forever. Our troubles, pains, sorrows, and tears are gone. We are COMPLETELY healed from all that has gone on in our lives on earth.

My chains are gone, I've been set free, My God My Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace.

This Life

I'm having a difficult time focusing this morning. My thoughts are sporadic, and my heart is anxious. Soon, I will make the drive north to go say goodbye to a friend. Her life ended much too soon, but she knew how to live life for every moment. If all of us who know and love Jenny take that away from this time, then the world will be a better place because we will all be more loving, more giving, and not waste our time with those we love but take time to really love them. We will smile through the pain, and we will stand strong for our beliefs. Even if you didn't know Jenny, I hope you decide to live a little more intentional, and not waste the precious moments on this earth that you have been given.

These lyrics from Switchfoot's This is Your Life hit me hard every time I hear them:

this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, is it everything
you dreamed that it would be
when the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Is my life all that I want it to be? Is your life all that you want it to be? Don't wait to change it, do it now!! Life is short and we need to live our lives without regret every day because once today is over, we can never get that time back.

The Garden

""Into every life a little rain must fall, but I think someone's mistaken me for Noah."" ~Allison Raul

"Whether the weather be cold Or whether the weather be hot,We'll weather the weather,Whatever the weather,Whether we like it or not!"

I was happy to look out at my flowers and garden this morning and see that they are not covered in white stuff. We were under a snow advisory last night when we went to bed. The mountains are socked in with clouds so I don't know if we got fresh snow in them or not. My poor garden is struggling enough right now with all the extreme wet we've had. That extreme wet has brought with it a lot of bugs, and my plants are fighting them off, as well as turning yellow from lack of sunshine. It's hard to believe the east coast is having 100 + degree weather! We went for a walk last night after dinner, and it was a nice night, for late October! The next couple nights are supposed to be very cold, so I keep praying my garden makes it through. It's hard to believe the longest day of the year is almost here, and we've only had a couple days of summer-like weather!

My flowers and garden are an important part of my life. Not only do I enjoy the harvest of fresh food, it is where I relax and think through everything going on in my life. It's a place and time where it's just me and God. God started life in a garden, so I can understand why it's easier to focus on Him there. It's hard to focus on God, though, when I go to my garden and everything is bright yellow, full of bugs, and not growing very well and the endless rain keeps pouring down. At this time, I have to remember that it is my choice to focus on God. He's still there and ready to be a part of the special time in the garden, I'm the one who is distracted and not focusing on Him. Hopefully, I will get some of that special time towards the end of the week because I could use a good garden talk with God right now. I could use some time to just get focus on Him, without all the distractions and let Him work on my heart as I work on my garden.

"Where flowers bloom, so does hope." ~ Lady Bird Johnson

"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful." ~Abram L. Urban

What Are You Waiting For?

The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can. ~Robert Cushing

Is there something you've been wanting to try, something you want to do? Is there something you are doing but you aren't giving your all to because you have some type of fear of what could happen if you give it your all? Why not give your all to it today and see what happens? Do your best, ask God to help you, and don't let doubt or fear stand in your way. Why wait any longer to achieve a dream you've had, or to try something new? Find someone to help you, if you need it, and achieve your dreams.

One way we can all make a difference in our world is by reaching out to others, and make relationships with those around us. We live in a society that is busier than ever, and lonelier than ever. We need each other so reach out to someone and offer friendship. There are so many ways we can make small changes today to make our world a different, a better place so do something today that will make a difference in your world!

The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live. ~Elbert Hubbard

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. ~Helen Keller

Saying Good Bye

Tonight, I found out my friend Jenny went to be with Jesus. Although I know she's better off and her pain is gone, I know she will be missed by so many. It doesn't seem fair that someone at age 34 is taken from us because of cancer. Of course, that is looking at life from an earthly perspective, not an eternal one. Her strength and courage in the battle she faced for so many years gives others hope and helps us to persevere through the tough times. Her faith was amazing and she encouraged so many with scripture and thoughtful words. She has left an amazing legacy through her daughter Grace.

The first time I heard the song Homesick by Mercy Me is the week my Grandma died. I think of her every time I hear it. I also think of the many family and friends who have gone before us, who put their hope, faith, and trust in Jesus and are with Him now. I think of Jenny among those people now. Those are the faces I will see again someday because of our shared faith in Jesus. One thing I am thankful for is that when we are believers in Christ, there aren't any permanent good byes, just 'see you later's.' I can't imagine not having the hope to see my loved ones again. As I was told today by the pastor Jenny & I grew up with, it's better to have opened up our hearts and loved and feel the pain of loss, than to not have loved.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. John 3:16-18

Homesick by Mercy Me

You're in a better place,
I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times
I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken,
the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength
to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me,
the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength
to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength
to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength
to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength
to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now


Thanks for your friendship, Jenny. You will be deeply missed!!

Restless Mind

I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

My mind is restless over the many things going on. I need to remember to put my hope in God, He is the only one who can calm my restless heart and mind. He is the one who protects us through troubles. He is always with us, through the good times, and the bad times. He is the safe place that we can go and he will understand when we break down. He will give us comfort in our times of sadness and confusion. If you are like me today and struggling with a restless mind and heart, go to Him. Open up God's word and take in what he is telling you. If you don't have a bible to read, go to www.biblegateway.com and pick the New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version, or the Message for an easier version to understand. You can put in a phrase or a word, and it will take you to verses that talk about that subject. If you are struggling with feelings as I am, Psalms is always a good place to start. David, who wrote many of the Psalms struggled with a lot of sadness, and times of questioning God. I pray that rest and peace are found in him today by all who need it.

God's name is a place of protection—good people can run there and be safe. Proverbs 18:10

Making a Difference-Jenny

“Will someone else's life be brighter tomorrow because of what you have done today?” —William Arthur Ward, author and writer

This quote made me think of my friend. She's touched more lives than she will ever know. She's been an inspiration to many, and a source of hope to those who have crossed her path. Her strength and courage make her a hero to so many. She is an amazing woman. She has more fight in her than most of us can fathom. She loves Jesus and she puts her hope in him even though she's been fighting a horrible fight of cancer for eight years now. Right now, she and her family need a lot of prayers.

When I read the quote above, I know that she has made the world a brighter place and I am thankful that God has used her in such an amazing way to reach those around her. I strive to be more like her in my attitude.

Her blog site is http://mangymooseacres.blogspot.com/. Go there for inspiration, for a reason to celebrate life.

Harvest

I made the first harvest out of my garden yesterday! I'm not a huge radish fan, but I am excited to have grown something this year. The weather is a bit crazy, so anything I can grow is great! I will eat a couple of them for the simple fact that I grew them myself and there's nothing like home grown produce!

The Armor

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:10-18

I know a lot of people going through a lot of really hard things in life right now. I am taking time to put on the armor today, because somedays I forget, and to intentionally pray, really pray. I know I go through my day saying prayers as I think of different things, and that's great, but I think with all that is going on in life, and in the world some very intentional time to pray is a must. I pray expecting miracles to happen. Sometimes what I think is a 'miracle' isn't what God thinks is a miracle so I pray for eyes to see God's plan in what He is doing. I know that I have to pray for God's will, even if I don't understand it at the time. Many times I can look back and see how God was glorified through a situation that seemed like the wrong answer at the time. God works. We have to trust Him, and ask to see things through Him.

My friends, by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that comes from the Holy Spirit, I beg you to pray sincerely with me and for me. Romans 15:13

Friday Ramblings

It's been a week of reconnections. My cousin is back in the area after being away for ten years, so we spent some time together over the weekend and tried to catch up a bit. He even came down on Monday and helped us work on our paver patio. When I opened my email on Thursday, there was an email from an old classmate/neighbor. I think the last time I saw him was twenty years ago. We used to do a lot together, since we lived a few houses apart and were in the same grade. He is now an artist and lives in Denver. It has been great to reconnect with my cousin, and with an old friend.

Today is my niece's 5th birthday! I won't be able to be with her today, so will have to wait until tomorrow to celebrate with her. I can't believe she's already 5!! Where does the time go?






I am worried about my garden because we had very, very heavy rain and strong winds last night, along with lightning and thunder. The torrential rains lasted over an hour. I'm sure part of our newly seeded lawn washed away but I will have to inspect the damage later. Speaking of damage, there are bugs eating my beans as they pop through the ground, and they are also making my tomatoes turn yellow. My mom thinks she has figured out what bug it is, some type of beetle, so have to find something to kill them before they annihilate my garden. I've put too much work into it already to just let the bugs destroy it!

Happy birthday, Liz! Happy Friday to everyone else!

Welcome to My Garden

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~Abram L. Urban

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. ~Lindley Karstens












One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides. ~W.E. Johns

Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. ~Song of Solomon 2:12