Everyday Blessings...

Will and his MMDR friends have made it to Haiti. We won't hear from him this week but I feel sure that God will bless them and keep them safe. I know that they will be a great blessing to the children at the orphanage that they are working at. They are going to build a cinder block cafeteria for the orphanage. The picture below is of where it will be sitting. Will says that they will help if needed as medical staff help also. For some reason thinking about the orphans and about these incredible college students and adults that go on these somewhat dangerous missions, I have been pondering the word home. We have moved alot and our children have not had that experience of some that have lived in the same town and same house all of their lives. I can't say it has all been easy because leaving friends behind has torn my heart apart more than once, but there are advantages to the outlook that our kids have now. I think that they have a little more of the view that this world is n...

Romans 15:4-6 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessings on this beautiful Lord's day! Another wonderful scripture that popped out at me this morning: 2 Chronicles 29: 30 So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped. The scripture above is talking about the people of God that had walked away again from Him. Hezekiah their king through seeking God brought them back to worship and love Him. I think we can learn so much through the Chronicles of the kings. Let's not walk away from God but STAND and STAY and praise and worship and not forget the hope that we live for. Let's all go worship and praise our Creator and Kin...

Uncaged Mary DeMuth “We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:7-8 As women of faith and joy, we’re all birds of paradise, meant to freely soar, to live so fully engaged in the present that most folks wouldn’t be able to tell that we’ve had difficult pasts. That’s how big God is compared to our past trials. He has already uncaged us, and He longs for us to spread our wings. But I don’t always live that way. Much like the main character Willa, in my recent novel, The Muir House, I’ve been stranded in my past, believing if I could discern all the devastation, I’d finally be free. Unfortunately, secrets in families don’t always present themselves all bright and shiny. In their aftermath, I’m left with the question, “If I don’t know everything, can I still be free?” As I examine what the Lord has wrought in my heart, I know He has uncaged me. This is someth...

California cool temps...dreaming Just imagine walking along in a sweatshirt feeling a little chilly but barefoot with your feet in the cold sand and water. Ahh...nice. Or just close your eyes and think about a cold night like the one below with the snow gently falling and making a beautiful white covering on everything. It's 81 degrees at 6:30 a.m. It is going to hit 106 or higher this afternoon. Wow. I do believe that this heat can make us a bit disgruntled. Testy. Despondent. Sure does make you dream of that first real cold (or even cool) front or somewhere cool or cold like the pictures above. Of course here where we live that possibility is days and days off in the future. I am going to try to find positives today and not dwell on how stinkin hot it is. Not a day goes by that I don't give thanks for air conditioning. What an incredible invention! Words of encouragment from the Word this morning... Ps. 20: 4 May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your pla...

Good morning! This little Heartlight daily reminder for today that my husband sent me is so moving. Our wonderful Texas and New Mexico are burning up and need rain relief so badly. It is going to 104 degrees here today and 107 in Abilene. I know so many people are praying fervently for rain. I pray also for relief from spiritual dryness and discouragement. Please join us in prayer! Blessings, Amy VERSE: You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. -- Psalm 68:9 THOUGHT: Dryness, whether spiritual or physical, is sapping to the spirit and wilting to all living things. Let's join our hearts together today, tens of thousands strong, praying that God will do two things: (1) that he bring rain and refreshment on those lands that are parched and where times are hard; and (2) that he will refresh all of his servants who are discouraged and close to giving up in their difficulties, challenges, temptations, discouragements, and failures. Let's pray for today ...

By Doug Mendenhall Abilene Reporter-News What about a child's prayer for bubble-gum-flavored rain? What about a hate-filled man's prayer for revenge? What about the deathbed prayer of a killer? Let the theologians argue. Whatever system God uses to filter, categorize and react to all those prayers is surely the best possible. So forget about it. Instead, think about this for a minute: I believe that God has heard every song ever sung, every tune ever played. All of them. We know from the psalms and other biblical passages that God is honored by the raising of "joyful noises" in his direction – that's a lot of leeway, and that tells me that God is a music lover with broad tastes. So, I boldly assume, God has heard it all. Not just "The Old Rugged Cross" and "Amazing Grace," but even devilish stuff such as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," "Devil With the Blue Dress On" and the old Barney theme song. I'm not sure what God ...

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night the display knowledge. Ps. 19: 1&2 Gorgeous sunset on our drive home last night. My sweet husband took me out to eat last night to a cool little restaurant on the square in a quaint little town not too far away. It was a well...this will sound a little corny...enchanting. I spent a lot of the day yesterday thinking about how quiet it is without the boys at home and the inevitability of facing the echoing quietness well...forever. Sad, silly thoughts I know, but hey I am a woman...I suppose we are allowed to ponder such things from time to time. Anyway, as we sat and enjoyed a great meal together the thought hit me, I better check my phone and see if Wes has checked in. Duh. (He is back at camp for two weeks.) We had a little laugh about how different this is going to be and then I thought about how we raise them and love them and coach them and th...