Lilies....reminder of God's Faithfulness (beanies too!)

I don't think many of you know, but we are struggling financially right now. When Frank changed jobs, we lost about 60% of his previous income. We are trying to check out all our options, but the future looks a bit dismal, financially.

I've shared with my best friend, Debbie, my personal struggle with all of this. I am SO tired of have to juggle our finances! I am SO tired of stretching paychecks to cover our bills. I don't want to move and I don't want to live in an apartment...but our rent just went up! However, Debbie's been praying for me to trust the Lord and that has been my constant prayer on a second by second basis right now.

This money thing is SO painful to me! Ever been punched in the stomach? (okay, me neither) Ever had a huge test on Friday and it is a make it for break it for your grade...and here it is Thursday and you just found 20 pages of double sided notes you missed when studying? That sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach that says, oh man....I'm not going to make it?!!

That's pretty much how I'm feeling. Then....today happens.

I am thankful the Lord gives us EXACTLY what we need at EXACTLY His right time!

Praise God!

At work today, I walked down to our mail room to drop off my fliers and there was this box of knitted beanie hats in a box. There was a sign that said "free!" So, I rummaged through them and found what we needed for one of the games we will be playing at Pismo! Way cool!

I am so thankful my heavenly Father knows my needs and cares to provide even "free knitted beanies" for a silly game we'll play at Pismo!

I've been praying and waiting on God to provide in all areas of my life. This is a reminder to me to keep praying, keep trusting and obeying Him! He IS FAITHFUL!!!

I know this may seem silly to y'all, but this was a great reminder and faith booster for me! It brought to mind the passage in scripture about the lilies of the field...

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
(Matthew 6:25-34)

Thanks be to God, for loving me so much and giving me the object lesson of the "lilies=beanie hats" today!

cUtE oVeRlOaD

Okay, this is way too cute NOT to share.



Click HERE for animal cuteness and clever, silly comments with a brogue lilt thrown into the mix.



From that site, here's a little bun in the box! :o)

psssssssssst! Sirah!

fergit yer lyesense...what did yer tink of 'arry Potter 'n the deathly 'allows?

I was deeply satisfied.

Glad to see confirmation of what you and I were telling Sasha about Snape's love for Lily.

he.he.he.he..

congrats on your license!

c'iao!

just ONE step . . .

(this was from today's PlanetWisdom devotional...click here to subscribe)

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
--Philippians 3:12-14

Often this verse is splashed across an “inspirational” poster depicting a group of runners at sunset or a guy clearing a track hurdle or someone lifting weights with sweat dripping from his face. And I think it’s great if all that athletic imagery pumps someone up to keep going strong down the path God has called them to follow.

For me, though, thoughts of strapping on running shoes or putting another 20 on the bar or working even harder at the Christian life are actually kind of discouraging. When I’m feeling like I’ve failed again to live as I should as a Jesus-follower, I don’t really want to hear a “dust your self off and get back out there” tune.

Two things in this passage DO help me in times of discouragement about my own missteps on the path of Christ. First, Paul admitted that even he has not yet become the perfect runner. Even he -- an apostle called by the audible voice of Jesus to take on the dangerous mission of bringing the Good News to the world and inspired by the Holy Spirit to write Scripture -- even he saw the gaps between what he was called to be and what he was.

If Paul, at this late stage in his life, was still imperfect, it makes sense that I would still make faithless choices myself sometimes. Not having yet finished the race doesn’t mean you’re a lousy runner, just that there are more steps yet to take.

The other encouraging thing Paul says is that it’s not all about his performance. It’s not a matter of his gritting his teeth and just. trying. harder. until he gets there. Notice he said he had not yet been “made perfect.” That implies that someone else is involved in moving him along the path. And, of course, God is the one who is making us into the image of Jesus. He’s doing the real work, right? He’s the source of our power to keep going.

Paul goes on to say that Jesus has already taken hold of him. Whoa, that’s a big deal. It’s not a matter of “will I ever get there?” Jesus already has me. I will finish this race. I will get there, because it’s not up to me. It’s His power, and it’s his plan. My life is already "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3), so crossing the finish line is inevitable.

So what’s left for me to do, then? Take the next step. Sometimes, that takes a lot of “pressing on” and a lot of “straining” toward the goal. But my whole job in the scheme of things is just to take the next step in the power of God on God’s path to reach the prize of crossing a finish line He’s already assured me I will cross.

One step. That’s motivating to me. The poster might be a little less heroic but, after all, I’m not the hero. I’m just following Him.

-My we all start our "one step" now. Today. This moment. -dogledanje!!!

Is what we say important???

More on how we should talk…words…what we say…

Don't jump to conclusions--there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw. In the heat of an argument, don't betray confidences; word is sure to get around, and no one will trust you. The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, and a wise friend's timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger. Reliable friends who do what they say are like cool drinks in sweltering heat--refreshing! Like billowing clouds that bring no rain is the person who talks big but never produces. Patient persistence pierces through indifference; gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses.
(Proverbs 25:8-15)

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.
(Colossians 4:5-6)

I hope you all are planning to come tonight! It is going to be CRAZY fun!

I love you!
C’iao!

Cha..cha..CHANGES....

So, I resurrected the Youth Group Calendar! Yippeeeeeee...

The correct link is now associated on the left over there....

But, you can also check it out by clicking here.

Did you KNOW? You can have up to 5 blogs associated with your login? Amazing!!! See Frank, I DO pay attention to what you say! You are so amazingly brilliant...and I love you!

Random thought - I believe I enjoy "whole natural almonds" rather than those other salted, hideous roasted almonds.

Dogledanje!!!

Peasout!

C'iao!