Who You Are

             What a good reminder that we all need at times.... honor and love who you are.  We often focus on our flaws and rarely see ourselves as a creation of God's handiwork.  We should take pride in the fact that we are made in His image.
             Genesis 1;27  ''So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.''

             It is said, 'Why do we struggle so to fit in, when we were made to be set apart?'  We are each unique and have our own special qualities about ourselves.  God made you a certain way with purpose in mind so don't hide who you are. I know this is all easier said than done. I have yet to wear my shorts this summer but I will.  

            We honor ourselves with modesty, discernment and respect.   We love ourselves with acceptance, obedience to God, and living a life that pleases Him, not the world.

Clicked

           This afternoon I spent the afternoon with two friends, Karla and September, that I really haven't known for a long time, if you consider the large scale of life.  They are both women who I automatically clicked with and knew we would be friends.  I can't point out any one aspect in either of them that drew me to want to know them better so I'll just say 'Its a God thing.'
           Today we worked on making tissue paper flowers.  September generously shared a flower making kit and we had fun putting them together. [When I say 'we', I mean 'they'... my hands aren't that dexterous.]
Here are some pictures.

Use Your Resources

                  I cannot be more adamant about the message of this caption and I'm speaking from prideful experience.  We all want to do things independently and our own way but those thoughts are pride's lure and we shouldn't take the bait.  I agree wholeheartedly that it is not easy to ask for or to accept help from anyone.  We all fear the display of our weaknesses to others but why?
                 ''But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.''
2 Corinthians 12;9
                 Our church camp's verse for the week is...  “Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1).  We must look at our circumstances and see how the glory of God can shine through it, whether in giving or receiving a blessing.
                 God has blessed me with a great resource of people who help me to show God's love to others through transportation, finances, food, gifts, and more.  No, I can't do it on my own and it would be less of a blessing to me if I didn't share the joy with those who help me.

                 

Filled Up

           So many people are consumed with the idea of filling their bank account, their belly, their resume and many other temporal pleasures but what about the void within ourselves?  This verse points us to the only source that will fill us completely... God.
           People search and unsuccessfully try to fill their lives with stuff and quick satisfaction.  Joy and peace come only 'because you trust in Him.'  The sooner you learn not to put your trust and hope in people and the things of this world, THEN you'll sooner seek and find an everlasting hope in Christ.
           Confident hope is different than hope that could go either way, like 'I hope it doesn't rain today.'  His Hope is based on His promises that do not and will not fail.  ''Confident hope is based on the full assurance that God is trustworthy, reliable, and able to fulfill His promises.  That He will keep His word.''
          'Hope is looking forward with expectation and anticipation of something we believe will happen.  Confident hope does not waver even when rough times come.  Confident hope does not let circumstances diminish its power or boldness.  Confident hope believes every circumstance, no matter how unpleasant at the time, is working on our behalf to grow us, mature us, and cement our hope.  Challenges give us the opportunity to give God the opportunity to prove His power, His might, His ability, and His willingness to come to our aid.  Confident hope relies on God.  Given the opportunity, God answers and gives us more reason for confident hope.'
         But hope which is seen is not hope. For how can one hope for what one already sees?  What we see and have seen is proof of God's faithfulness.
        May the verse above be my prayer for you today and always.

Cut Back

         You might have noticed that I haven't blogged as much lately.  I guess I've been trying to live more of a life worthy of the gospel, rather than just writing about it.  This is my time of the year, weather-wise, so I am out and about more using the strength God gives me.  I do think my pictures can say more than I can about my joy, strength, comfort and all the other ways God provides for me daily.  I do have to manage my time of play/shopping/outdoors with adequate rest so writing my blog may not always make the to-do list every day.
        Here are some pictures from the vintage market that my dad and I went to today.....

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