Today...

Creator God, remind us that we are safe in your hands. Help us to be shaped by your love every day. Amen.

I worked on my creative block...played out in the building with Mark. He's making some really fun stuff, and Jesse Ray is helping. Cody went to a cookout and then bowling with friends. I cooked a pot of soup beans a pan of corn bread, and had fried potatoes, or "patatas" as I call 'em. YUM! From my daddy's garden. Mixed up with flour, sweet basil and seasoning salt. Sooo, NOT good for me, but I love 'em.
Received many uplifting messages from my faraway friends, thank you...
I want you to be in prayer for a young man in Florida now. He's having some health issues, and I'm waiting on his Mama to give me more details. I Love you Betty!
I also watched last nights episode of "Army Wives", oh, I'm loving that show somethin terrible. I loaded a new song to my play list..."I'll carry you home". Pull it up, it's a really good one. Tomorrow I'll try to get back on track posting in the a.m. Good night my friends. Say your prayers, be thankful, and praise God in all circumstances...
My Joy for today, was waking up and remembering God's Promise...

The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
-Jeremiah 18:4 (NRSV)

LAST Christmas I received a gift certificate for lessons at our local pottery shop. I was thrilled. I envisioned myself creating a multitude of lovely handcrafted items. The reality was very different. On my first day, I gathered up a fist-sized lump of cold, wet clay and attempted to center it on the wheel. Listening to my instructor, I tried to apply a gentle hand as the clay spun around under my fingers. I discovered that even the slightest pressure could cause the clay to completely shift its shape.

I gradually learned to gently smooth the sides and formed my first bowl. Then disaster struck; my hand slipped, my fingers jabbed the pliable clay, and my newly formed bowl collapsed. "It isn't too late," my teacher said. "You can still make something beautiful out of this clay."

Jeremiah describes God as a potter who sees endless possibilities for God's creations. Even when we would give up on ourselves as misshapen or ruined, God whispers, "I am not through with you yet." When we submit ourselves to God's touch and allow our lives to be shaped by love, God can make something beautiful out of each of us.

God never, never, never gives up on any of us.

These things doth bring me "Joy"...

God's grace and mercy.

Rain

My courageous friend Deena who faces cancer head on with a smile on her face, and hope in her heart.

My faraway friends who always know when I need a "smile"

Answered prayers....& unanswered prayers

The song of the blue bird

Watching Jesse Ray bow as he lights the altar candles at church

Having a 16 year old son who, for no reason, sends a text message simply saying, "I love you Mom"

My husbands eyes

The smell of Kim's candles

His watches over me...

This morning as I listened to the relentless beckon of a sparrow I was thinking...it is the lowliest of birds, yet his eye is upon him. I am but a sinner, trying to find my way...beckoning for grace and mercy. I feel my walk at times getting slow...then I remember, surely he watches and cares for me. How it is possible for Him to hear each and every whisper every need, every prayer that is lifted up to him...I can't grasp it, but he does, and his grace is sufficient.
As I look out the window, I think of all that is good in my life. I can spend this entire day, thanking him for the goodness around me. The Blessings are endless...

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

-Isaiah 40:28

Lord today...keep my paths straight, and help me to realize that I only need one stone in front of me. I don't need to see the whole path...help me Lord, to live simply...and for you. Amen

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my cry of supplication. In the day of my trouble I call on you, for you will answer me.

Prayer request...

Update on Michael McCarty. Michael is in intensive care...He was not stable enough to have any type of surgery today..He has been in a lot of pain..The heart specialist told them today that Mike did have a major heart attack and has serious heart damage..They are going to attempt to put in one stint and then wait until Mike is stronger before doing Open Heart Surgery to repair his other artery and also his leaking heart valve.
I ask that each of you be in prayer for Michael McCarty in Kentucky. He had a heartattack and will soon be having surgery. Lift up his wife and family as they are waiting...may they feel the mighty hand of God comforting them during this time.

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

Playing in the dirt

Father God, help us to trust and follow you, even when the way ahead is uncertain or threatening. Amen.

Yesterday, Jesse Ray and I played in the dirt. We worked in the friendship garden. There is one thing I do not wish to have dwelling there...Wasps. I was moving some things around, and I was about to pick up a bird house when I realized there may be a nest of something ill tempered inside. I got the wasp and hornet spray and zapped those lil demons. They were "red"...ouch, just made my skin crawl thinking of them. I decided at that moment that we needed to keep them from going back inside. I know this is not a pretty sight, but I think after a while in the weather, it will rust and look much better. We used steel wool. That will surely keep them OUT! It was a fun day, J is such a worker. He is very interested in all the flowers and herbs. I'm thrilled, and it surely did my soul well to dig in the dirt.
Have a Joyous day my friends.

Joy cometh in the morn

Give, and it will be given to you. . . . for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.

Today as I woke, I felt restless & burdened...I am unworthy of his grace, his mercy...yet he gives it so freely to me. What makes me doubt? I am overwhelmed with the things I have to do, with the flowers in desperate need of rain, with Cody traveling too far today, with wondering if Jesse Ray will want to eat today. It goes on and on. Obsessive Compulsiveness is a horrible thing to live with.
Today I will reflect on a message I recently received from a dear friend. Those messages from far away friends are a gift to me.

God will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are stayed on Him. (Is. 23:3).

I know that even when I feel as if I'm in the bottom of the pit, HE is with me always to the end of my days. Life is tough, things don't always go my way, the plans HE has for me, or not necessarily the plans I want for myself, but his grace is sufficient.
I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me. LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Now in my prosperity I said, "I shall never be moved." LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O LORD; And to the LORD I made supplication: "What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!" You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever. (Psa 30:1-12 NKJV)

getting attached...

The Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. . . . so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.
Joshua 4:23-24

New baby calf born a couple of days ago. He is the sweetest thing. I've never witnessed one so small. Mark tells me it's not a big deal if he doesn't make it...now, I'm sure in his life, growing up on a farm, he's witnessed many, but I don't care what he says...he does care;) Look at this next picture. He's just got off working graveyard, and goes straight to the barn to check on the lil guy.

Sharing a smile...

Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.

-1 Peter 41 Peter 4:10:10 (NRSV)

Todays devotion got me thinking...do you know what a smile can do for someone? A couple of Saturdays back, Cody and I "had" to run in WalMart...this is one place, I have a hard time smiling. We were in a hurry..."in a big way"!!! We had only a couple of items, and we get to the SPEEDY checkout, and low and behold, the lady in front of us clearly can't count past "10". She must have had 100 or MORE items in her cart, and she was in no hurry to get out of there. We stand there for a good bit, and with only a couple of other registers open and at least 10 people in each of the two lines. Cody says we should go to the garden center and check out. Well, we really didn't have anything to lose at this point, so we head out weaving through the crowd of leisurely shoppers with their carts, and we came to an isle where there was no room to get passed a sweet elder lady in her wheelchair. So I'm standing, watching her come along with a big grin on my face...there is another lady behind her, and when she gets closer to Cody and I, she stops and tells us what beautiful smiles we are wearing that it is a joy to see them. She must have known we were really desperate to make our way out of this place, but was glad we were still able to laugh about it. Cody was standing behind me, so I had no idea he was smiling also. Although I should have known...he is full of sunshine. So I know this was a long story. But in that moment I realized something very important. Even when we don't feel like smiling, it might be at that very moment, that someone else is needing only a smile. So read the devotion for today, and remember to take a minute to breath, and smile, even at a stranger...Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained Angels unaware...Hebrew 13:2

"JOHN, you have a letter," I said to one of the seniors at the retirement community where I work.

"Can you please read it to me, since I cannot see well?" he requested.

I read the letter from John's sister, who was far away. Then John talked about his sister and about the kind of day he was having. As he turned to leave, John's parting words were, "Thank you for taking the time. This was the best day of my life."

His words hit me hard. John is 82, and the highlight of his day is my spending a few minutes talking to him. John made me realize that I can affect the lives of others positively when I serve them and the Lord by giving my time.

Since that day, I talk more with John and other seniors at the retirement community. John plays hymns on his harmonica for hours, and we all enjoy listening to him play. He also gives his time to serve the Lord and the community.

God, you love all your children. Teach us to give our time as well as our gifts to serve the people in our community. Amen.

Scroll to the bottom, and listen to the "point of Grace" song...it's a good one!

Garden tour...

Heavenly Father, we give thanks for Jesus and his death on the cross to redeem us. Fill us with your spirit so that we bring others to you while we live on earth. Amen.

Deena is hosting a garden tour on her blog...oh, there are some beautiful gardens out there. You should go for a visit. The link is below the picture...just scroll down the page for a list of those sharing...
Visit The Gardens HERE

My talented friend...

Angela Hillstrom
So I've always known how blessed Angela's hands are...but I came across this very special doll, and had to share it with you all. You must go over to ebay for a visit.
Angela has a great big heart, and I'm ever so proud to call her my friend!A special Amish doll...everything she creates is from her heart.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190230576296&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

The great Protector

O God, the Protector of all who trust in Thee, without Whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; increase and multiply upon us Thy mercy; that Thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake our Lord. Amen.

God's Blessings on the earth

each day, seeing something new...something that wasn't there yesterday, and I know that is a smile from God. He

here's , each tiny seed...even through the struggles of not enough water, or in some areas, too much water. They still bring joy. I especially love herbs. Not that I really use them, but I do love to look at them. I have a sweet friendship garden that is really struggling this year. It's so dry here, and no matter how much I water, it's just not like the waters from the Heavens. I'm sharing a picture of my goose neck loose strife. you can clearly see how dry it is here.


It won't be a grand display as it usually is, but I do love to see it when the wind blows by. My sweet Papaw always said, "When it's our turn"...the rain will come. (Click on the picture to see a larger version). Also, here is a nice place to visit for planning a garden...It will surely bring you joy!