Foto Friday

Karla's friend, Beth, with
her gift from me

Tux in her bed

Tiger on her pillow

Maru's flan sold at the Sherwood
flea market.. yummy

David stopped by for a visit

My flea market find

View from the Big Dam Bridge

Outta my way people

Blessings

              We all want to be blessed by the Lord but do we know what to ask for?  These 10 verses help us to be specific in our prayer requests for ourselves and our homes.  I think it's important to recognize that all of these attributes come from the Lord and He is the giver of them all.  So the next time you say 'May God bless you and keep you', maybe you can be specific with one of His blessings listed here.

Being Friendly

          As children, we were told... 'Don't talk to strangers', but as adults we should be more open with sharing our testimony.  Hebrews 13;2  ''Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.''
          We have a natural tendency to surround ourselves with people who are similar to us, but if we don't expand beyond that then we will miss out on opportunities and friendships.  There are no coincidences but rather God appointments.
         We may never know 'why' we are in someone's life or they in ours, but there is value in every relationship.  Some people are a life blessing, while others may just be a life lesson.  Some people are in your life for a season, while a few others may last a lifetime.
         The people in my life all have a purpose in helping me to fulfill my true purpose here on Earth for Christ.  May my pride or timidness never hold The Light back from shining through me.  

Hey

       Hey!!  I just wanted to give a shout out to my readers.  Thanks for sticking with me and my thoughts.  I hope my blog has been a source of fun, encouragement, and of thought provokement. I post a lot of quotes on facebook that you don't see here so I thought I'd share a few with you today.

''The next time you feel too tired or frustrated to go on, remember this: Our God is not exhaustible. Instead, He is faithful to provide a supply of endless divine strength to those who are willing to wait for His perfect timing. In all things, He gives exactly what we need for the moment at hand.''  intouch.org

''While it is wise to learn from the past, we shouldn’t live in the past. We cannot redo or undo the past, but by God’s grace we can press forward and serve God faithfully today and in the future. The life of faith is a journey forward as we become like Christ.'' odb.org

''How do you respond when someone compliments you? My advice is simply to say, “Thank you very much.” Then whisper a prayer in your heart to the Lord, thanking Him for the blessing, recognizing that anything worthy of praise ultimately comes from Him. If you felt encouraged, let the person know how the comment blessed you. If you receive praise for an achievement that was really a group effort, be sure to redirect the compliment to all those who were involved. A blessing is always more enjoyable when it’s shared.''  intouch.org

''if i had a nickel for every raindrop this past week...... hmm? enough already''  angie

Foto Friday

Secora, Paulina and Maru
at the farmer's market

Grace, Heidi, Ashley, Betsy and me
at the farmers market

Bentley by the pool

Hank on the diving board

Grace helping Nancy jump

Jed with an audience

Angie with the swimmers

Hank says 'Good grief this water is cold'

Zaedi playing with legos

'You will catch us, right?'

Who''s ready to rumble with Buster?
[blood vessel vs his eye]

Marion growing up at
the Godbee/Wittenburg house

'Hey guys'

The Final Start

        ''Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what tomorrow will bring.''  We often make plans for the near future, but are we sure of our eternal plans?  If you don't have the blessed assurance that Jesus is yours, then death has not lost it's sting and fear awaits you at the judgement seat.
         Death is part of life, even if it's not a topic people like to discuss.  Today, people died that are younger than you, the same age as you, and that are older than you.  No one escapes this guarantee, unless the Lord comes back before you're called Home.
        Some people may think this is a grim, sad topic today but for believers it is not.  It is a waiting game until the time when all things will make sense.  My doctor has said that I have a strong will to live and I do.  I also know that when God stops my heart one day that I will not fight it.  I will push this body with all my might to the end but my soul is secured, surrendered and saved by grace for an eternity with the Lord.

Included

           Pets play a big part in some families lives.  The ones we have now and the ones that have passed on before these have left huge pawprints on our hearts.  My daily prayers always include a 'Thank you for keeping Tiger, Tux and Jack happy, healthy and safe.'  Our pets are loved, spoiled and taken care of by us so we must also express our gratitude for them being placed in our lives.
          Proverbs 12;10  ''The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.''
          Whether you are an animal lover or not, we are commanded in this verse to treat animals with kindness and gentleness.

Alert and Thankful

       I sure hope I am not the only one who has nodded off during a prayer and then felt guilty when I woke back up.  I know sometimes I am praying about something then my mind wanders off on some tangent.
       This verse reminds us it is important to set aside time to pray without any distractions.  Stay focused and keep your mind on the conversation between you and God.  I think it's important to find some place to be alone without your kids, tv, phone and just have a quiet moment to pray.
       Praying with a thankful heart is a way of showing your gratitude for everything that God has given to you.  God loves to hear 'thank you' just as much as we do.  People with a sense of entitlement have no response of appreciation, thus receive less and less.
      Mark 12;30  '' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
      ''Prayer is to be a time of separation from the world in order to be with God. It occurs when we surrender our schedules, our priorities, and ourselves to the joy of drawing near to our Father in heaven. It’s a time to experience His love and express ours to Him; to remember that life is centered on Jesus and that our priority is to obey Him. It’s where our souls are nourished and we gain strength to continue.'' intouch.org

Foto Friday

Jamey Johnson at Riverfest

Hank Williams Jr on screen at Riverfest

Riverfest ladies

Jack in his favorite chair

Squash..... the week of rain was
good for the garden

Tiger pondering her days
when the bench was a regular
sitting spot of hers

Mica and Angie with our watchful protector, Jason,
at Riverfest

Our rainy day art project

                       

Emma's rescued fledgling robin...
they hand feed her and trade
whistle calls

Live Life

         Charlie Brown knows a lot of life's philosophical truths.  We would do good to listen to him quite often.  His cartoon life is all about the hard knocks and struggles that we all face at some point.
         James 1;2-4  ''Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.''

         If we didn't have grace given to us by God that is sufficient, I truly believe we couldn't make it through this life.  We need His blessings that we don't deserve.

        I know some days are harder than others to keep going on the path God intended for you.  Sure there are days that we'd like to just throw in the towel, when really we know we'd just have to pick it up.  As inertia is defined as a body in motion tends to stay in motion, we too must keep striving to keep going in life.

        Life is not fair but it is unique.  No one can live your life for you, so it is up to you to make it a journey worth traveling.  Both success and probably more so loss will make you stronger.  When your faith is tested, it will prove to you what you truly believe and show you your weak areas that you need to work on.

       I have felt like I have been at death's door a couple of times in my life.. [my guardian angel probably says 'you have no idea how many times you've been there'].. but those times have taught me life lessons that have made my faith stronger.  Just to name a few..... Prayer works abundantly, God will always be with me, Love has no limits, Forgive even when they know not what they do, and Praise Him in the storms while you wait for the rainbow.  

To Do List

           What's on your to-do list?  Are you gona break your back for a million bucks that you can't take to your grave?  Toby Keith suggests 'Start living' to be the next thing on your list.  It's time that we each make time for that.
          I think the caption's list above would help us to get more things done, if we would start to follow these first.  Our influence, good or bad, is in a direct correlation with how we respond to the world and our perspective of it.  When we know this world is our temporary home, we can much more easily let things go and carry on.  When we are thankful for all we have been given, the blessings are seen more and more each day.
         This to-do list is not one in which we cross off and ever complete.  We should strive to be doers of these goals everyday.  Let your life be an example, so that others will want to know Who you follow.

Riverfest 2014

Mica, Karla, Angie, Charlene
[my dad is parking the van 10 blocks away]

Jason, my bodyguard
Yes, I know I look rough but
that's what Riverfest does to you

Karla and Mica spent all of Sunday
at Riverfest

             We had a great time at Riverfest 2014 and I actually think it couldn't have went any better.  I do admit tho that Riverfest is not for the fearful.  It is a place of intimidating crowds, crazy people and a wide range of music genres.  Karla and Mica spent all of Sunday enjoying Riverfest, while the rest of us spent 730pm to 1130pm down there.  We went to see Jamey Johnson, the fireworks and Hank Williams Jr.  I must say that all were good but Hank rocked it the best.  He played country, rock, rap and slow music while fabulously playing the guitar, fiddle and piano.  He even used his boot to play the piano.

            The last time Hank was here, my dad and I went to see him but the crowd was so out of control that we left and I was thankful just to get out alive.  This time we went as a group because we're not just friends... we're really a small gang.

           We met a new friend, Jason, at the concert area.  Before I got there, he kept a watchful eye on Mica.  When I got there, he turned into my personal bodyguard and guardian angel.  He blocked people from running into me and politely asked people to move from blocking my view.  He knew what was going around me that I was unaware of, like the guy behind me getting punched and knocked out cold.  It was a happening place as the police darted out twice from behind the gate after some troublemakers.  I really did have a peace that surpasses all understanding because I felt safe in spite of the chaos.  Jason never left me alone either, if he had to step away he had his friend, Chase, stand in for him.  What gentlemen they were!

          I really believe in living life to the fullest, not just merely surviving it.  Thanks to all who helped me live it up last night.  I had a blast.