Today the skies are clear and blue. My life is going very smoothly now, but there are some gray skies once in a while. I am a chronic pain sufferer. I hurt every day, but the pain level varies from day-to-day. Chronic pain is not just pain that is sometimes there, then leaves, then comes back again. Chronic pain is the first thing you feel when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you feel when you close your eyes and blissfully fall asleep (if you are fortunate enough to be able to sleep).
I am so grateful for the good days! To be able to travel and walk around the Longaberger Homestead was a real blessing to me! It was a dream to see the Homestead in the fall, and I got to do that! It was absolutely breathtaking!
What mask(s) do you wear?
Today is HALLOWEEN of course! Some days when my pain levels are especially high, I need to wear a mask and act like everything is just fine. Fortunately, today is not one of those days – and I am so glad! Thank You, Lord! ❤
Have you ever heard the old saying, “Little things mean a lot” – ??? Well, today I was getting a little tired from the walking, climbing stairs and socializing that comes with being part of a club. I wanted to call it a day and head back for the hotel room but that was not an option.
We were walking around outside – just getting some fresh air. My sparkle was beginning to leave and I didn’t have much of a smile left on my face. I happened to look down and saw this tiny little ladybug on the sidewalk! Fortunately I had the camera with me and was able to get a pretty good shot of it.
Larry thinks I’m daft when I do things like that – “Why do you need a picture of the ladybug?”, he asked. I just waved him off as if to say “I have my reasons – !” I don’t think he expected me to write about it, and to be honest when I took the photo I didn’t exactly have that in mind either.
Then I thought about how much that little bug changed my attitude! Maybe seeing a ladybug on the sidewalk would not affect you the same way, but God knows me – He knows my personality and how little it takes to snap me out of a funk. I seriously felt energized after that experience. I love how God knows me so well – and He knows how to get me motivated to keep going! ❤
The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many…. September is dressing herself in showy dahlias and splendid marigolds and starry zinnias. October, the extravagant sister, has ordered an immense amount of the most gorgeous forest tapestry for her grand reception. – Oliver Wendell Holmes
What a beautiful day we are having here at the Longaberger Homestead! I’ve seen so many new basket styles and some of them are interesting to me, but I really like the older baskets best. Does that make me an old lady? Wow, I sure hope not, but I really am partial to the lighter stain color and older styles.
Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree. – Emily Bronte
I just enjoy walking around the beautiful grounds here at the Homestead. I’m not sure who does all the work there but it is certainly nice! There’s something about being surrounded by beauty. It makes me feel abundantly blessed! Thank You, God, for giving some people a talent for landscaping. I will continue to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was as though a young person died for no reason. – Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
My dad always told me if I got a chance to take a vacation and go East in the Autumn, I should go. I wish he was here because I would say “Wow, dad – you were right! The colors are amazing!” It feels so good to get some things crossed off my bucket list! I still have a long list, but everything in time. Today I am so very thankful for opportunities to rest and relax (and shop for baskets too, of course)! Wink! 😉
We left Wichita, KS around 11:00pm this evening under a little thumbnail moon, aware of the fact that we have a very long journey ahead of us. We will drive through the night and reach Columbus, OH in time to sleep tomorrow night. That is our plan. Before we head out on the road we pray for traveling mercies. We invite God on the trip – actually more to the point, we invite Him to call the shots because maybe doing things our way won’t work out too well.
I learned how to pray when I was very small. My mom used to pray every time she got behind the wheel of her car. I think part of it was because she was afraid to drive, but I think she realized the sovereignty of Almighty God and knew that she needed His help. If it was important to ask God to help my mom drive to the grocery store, then I think we should probably invite Him to help us get through 3 states on I-70, right?
We all have close calls when we’re driving – and some of those can just shake you to the core. But it gives me peace of mind to know that God is in control and that He will take care of us on the road. I’m so thankful that God watches over us while we are traveling. 🙂
No one can show mercy to a soul and restore completely like our Lord can. He is the only One Who can forgive and forget our trespasses. Human beings can try to forgive and with the help of the Holy Spirit we can do a pretty good job, but when it comes to forgetting the offense done against us, that is where we come up short! That’s where I come up short – perhaps I should just speak for myself.
I’m thankful today for the ones who uplift me when my soul has been squished and I’m not quite myself spiritually. Those people closest to me who know what I’m going through and just pitch in and help me out until I can get back on my feet – spiritually speaking.
The hurt is behind me – the healing has begun and the Holy Spirit will continue to help me find avenues of ministry online. I have prayed the Prayer of Jabez over these ministries and those prayers are heard. When I see that I have nearly 500 followers on this blog alone, I feel humility and give all the glory to God. He is so good to me! There are over 100 members in the wellness group on facebook and I am administrator of two facebook pages, America, Bless God and Poems & Prayers for my Savior. These are growing by leaps and bounds, praise God! Oh, and I hope you will visit the America Bless God website. There is a complete listing of the designs you see here on the blog.
Make the way clear Lord, so I can be happy and free. Let there be no harsh feelings between my brothers and sisters and me! – Linda Palmer
God completely restores us so we can move on and keep serving Him. Praise His Name! ❤
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? – Psalm 27:1
I’m fascinated with stained glass and Thomas Kinkade art. What do the two have in common? LIGHT.
Thomas Kinkade was known as “The painter of light”. His art portrays a warmth like no other; particularly the cottage paintings. There’s something about seeing a cottage with every light on. It indicates there is life inside. I imagine there are people who are happy with each other. I imagine many conversations going on within the walls of the cottage. I imagine that life inside a Thomas Kinkade painted cottage is perfectly laced with love, laughter and joy. The paintings draw me in with their peaceful enchantment.
I am quite fond of stained glass. It has nothing to do with the value of it. I do not have to own a Tiffany lamp to enjoy the effect. Seeing fragments of colored light filtered through a stained glass lamp dancing on a wall is the most beautiful sight. I’m reminded of the Light of Christ that we all carry in our hearts. The colors of my Light are different from the colors of your Light. We go to the same Source – but we fragment differently. It’s all of our talents and gifts from our Light Source that make us work together so well to reach the lost world for Christ!
Stop wishing you had another person’s talent or gift. God gave you the colors you have through Christ. The Holy Spirit helps you to grow and develop the Light you carry inside your soul. Concentrate on doing that instead of just wishing you had something different. If you had someone else’s Light it would not be a better Light anyway, but it would just echo someone else! You were not created to be an echo of anyone else. You are given your own colors by God so that you can praise and worship Him in your own unique style. The enemy of your soul wants nothing more than to talk you into the notion that the Light God gave you is not “good enough”. If he can persuade you to stop using your gifts and talents for God – that makes him very happy. Don’t give ol’ split hoof that kind of power over you! 🙂
When was the last time you thanked God for waking you up in the morning? Today I want to take this opportunity to do just that.
When my granny LaVella died on Christmas day back in 1967, they told us she died peacefully in her sleep. More than once I’ve heard people say that it’s the way they want to go when it’s their time. I agree. Peaceful and quick sounds like a great option to me.
There is no question that I want to live every day for my Savior. Gratitude of heart is the least I can give Him for all He has given me. Sleep does not always come easily these days, but I’m thankful for the times I can sleep – the times when pain is not so bad that I cannot relax enough to rest. I thank God for the sleep I get and for waking me up in the morning.
It is my desire to walk daily with God on a path of peace with His love to light the way. He is my Lord and Master forever. HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER! Amen. ❤
Today I want to say GOD BLESS AMERICA and I am so very thankful for my freedom! I have freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Those are not to be taken lightly and not to be taken for granted. I pray that our country will wake up before it’s too late. Obviously I have some very strong right-wing opinions. I don’t think anything should be taken away from Americans. When you start taking freedoms away from us, you do not strengthen us as a people, but make us more dependent on government. I do not wish to be dependent on the government.
There’s a post I’ve seen on facebook that reads “No matter who is president, Jesus is King!” I smile and shout GLORY every time I see it. That’s the bottom line – we know these things have to take place in the last days. I’ve read the back of the BOOK – Christians – we do win in Jesus’ Name! Praise Him today. God has kept every promise He’s made, hasn’t He? Why would He not keep this one too?
I don’t mean to get all “preachy” today, but I get emotional and opinionated when my freedom in America is threatened. Freedom is not free. Men and women have died so that I might enjoy the freedoms I have. It’s time to wake up, America! Think about what is going on in our country now. Step out of your little world and see the big picture. Is this the direction you really want to see us go?
Jesus will come back for His own – and He doesn’t even know when that will be. God alone knows when it will happen – but my Bible tells me it will happen. We are told of some signs to look for – and from the look of things now – it could happen any time. I know people have preached the second coming of Christ for a long time and it hasn’t happened yet, but think about it this way: we are closer to that day today than we were yesterday, right???
Thank God for the way of the cross – for without the cross there would be no hope of salvation for any of us. Thank God for America and the freedoms we enjoy here. I pray we stay on a path that reinforces the freedom that our founders envisioned from the beginning. 🙂
I’ve talked with other adoptees who make statements like, “I really got lucky” or “Wow my life sure could have been worse.” I agree with both statements, but I prefer to believe that my life was a gift to me from my heavenly Father. He had the thing planned out from the beginning. He cares about my life – all of it – from beginning to end.
The biggest part of love is trust as far as I’m concerned. If there is no trust between people – or if I did not trust God completely with the plan for my life, then how could I say I love Him?
It’s not the same sort of trust I have for my washing machine. I trust that it will work as it should, but there is not a particular emotional or physical attachment between my washing machine and myself. I love God because I do trust Him. I’ve witnessed just how well He works all things to the good in my life. He does perform miracles in my life .
I’m so thankful for my Christian heritage. God is good and my faith is in Him alone. He is a risen Savior and His Holy Spirit dwells in my heart. He LIVES within my heart! You totally sang that! Wink! 😉
My loved ones have gone on to be with the Lord. I miss them every day in so many ways, but I know one day I will see them again. No, it won’t be the same as it was here. I’m excited though because I know once I get there, we will never have to say goodbye again – ever!!! ❤
I hit a brick wall today – or I thought I did. I’ve tried to get this new laptop all figured out – and in the process I got locked out of facebook and out of my blog! It’s devastating to a blogger when you can view a blog but not able to post anything! My frustration level was at an all-time high!
A couple of other little incidents just almost put me over the edge. I was honestly ready to throw up my hands and give up. Well, that’s basically where I had to be in order for God to help me. As long as I was stomping around and mad, He could not reach me. I had to be still and know that HE is God – HE would help me – HE would make a way!
What a beautiful way HE made! I have not lost a thing – but in fact I have gained yet another promising avenue of ministry in the process. Ah… I’ve prayed the prayer of Jabez over this ministry – and my territory has grown! Why does it amaze me so much when God keeps His promises? Why am I surprised albeit grateful, when God does what He says He will do?
I know you’ve heard this before, but I just have to say it one more time… God is GOOD… ALL the time!!! ❤
HEART HUNGER 