{ SONday Scripture }

Do you ever just wish God wouldn't work so hard trying to show you something? Many times it's about the deceit of others, but most often it comes back to haunt me about my own shortcomings.  I was trying to counsel a fellow on Friday about forgiveness and later on, as I thought back on the conversation, I realized God was doing a work in my own heart about some of the things my friend is struggling with. 

I saw something this morning that brought up a tinge of anger in me.  It was yet another example of a person who, whether they realize it or not, seems to have absolutely no mind of their own, having to get so many of their ideas from me. It brought up a lot of emotions that I thought I had buried.  Well, I guess I had buried them, but obviously in a dark place in my heart and mind that I allowed to resurface from just reading a Facebook post.  I thought I was "over it".....

God brought it back to light....:(

There are so many times I wish I could expose others for who they really are.....isn't that a funny statement?  I had to kinda chuckle after I typed that  because I had to think about what I had just written.  What I had to say would be totally based on MY OPINION, and we all know what they say about those, don't we?  Then I think to myself, what if God exposed me to the world for who I really am? What if He put on display the things that anger me and cause me to fear and many of my thoughts and actions and words? Let me tell you, it wouldn't be pretty! 

So, I'll just let God handle each and every situation and know that He has a much better plan of action than me spouting off at the mouth.

(I'm pretty sure my husband would disagree with me there, though....LOL)

Let us NEVER think we're better than others.

Let us NEVER think "that'll never happen to me, or I'll never say/do that"!

Like my Momma used to say.....
(I'm quoting my Momma a lot these days)

"Given the right set of circumstances and the right frame of mind, 
it could happen to anybody."

HOPE Y'All have an awesomely blessed SONday!

{ It's not odd, it's GOD }

Documenting for my own future reference.

I shared these with Dawn yesterday, 

and she completely understood that I wasn't trying to brag in any way of how God speaks to me.....

me of all people.....

but that He does speak to His children whom He loves so dearly.

One day recently Sawyer asked me what I thought they read about in their morning Bible study.  I said, "Sawyer, there's a lot of stories in the Bible, so I don't have any idea what you read about." He told me to guess.....

so I said......

"Ummmmm, Joshua!"

His eyes got as big as saucers and he told me that was exactly who they read about.

I was flabbergasted!

That was totally an "it's not odd, it's God" moment.

May 26, 2016

Jess posted a picture of her and the kiddos on Instagram and called them her "arrows".  My response was that her "quiver" was  full and so was her heart.  Later in the day as Pappy and I were doing our daily Bible reading together, this was part of what we read.....

Psalm 127:3-5a

Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him.
  Children born to a young man
    are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!

May 27, 2016

A  blogging friend, Ms. Terri, posted a picture of a cow on her blog for our Friday Foto Friends.  I left a comment that at first I thought it was the Mayfield Cow and explained about the Mayfield Dairy in Athens.  Later, Time Hop came up on my phone and when I checked the photos, there were several of when I went to Athens and Oneida with Jess and Sam and Sawyer to the Dairy.  I had no idea when I left the comment for Ms. Terri that it had been exactly 7 years since we made that trip.

Things like this happen to me all the time.

I know in my heart that they are God-incidences.

I do not believe in luck or coincidences.....

IT'S.ALL.GOD!!

Again, this is in no way to brag about anything for me.....

all GLORY to our Precious Lord and Savior!

Friday Focus!!!

I recently read something and the writer had a "gimme, gimme, gimme" attitude.  What they had written was example after example of things they wanted and it was really kinda sad.  But, then I stopped and realized that there was something that I had been wanting, but in no way deserve, even though somewhere in my mind Satan had convinced me that I did.  I had to repent of those thoughts and was able to realize that if it happened okay....

and if not, well I was okay with that, too!!!

So instead of fretting over something I don't have, 

and won't miss if I don't get.....

I just changed my focus on the more important things in my life....

like our GRAND's!!!

I have no idea when Sam got so big!

 :(

I painted RK's finger and toe nails....bit of "photo shop" done on the pic!!!

RK refused to look at the camera and See-Saw had the "squints"!!!

I think she was still focusing on her painted nails!!!

So, yes I'm very richly blessed....

don't need one more thing, except to see our youngest GRAND's to accept Jesus

(or Gee-Jus, as our baby boy calls Him) 

into their hearts!!!

Psalm 24:5

They will receive the Lord's blessing
    and have a right relationship with God their savior.

In HIS Most Precious L♥ve....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,

Deb

Thoughtful Tuesday!!!

I saw this on Facebook and it really spoke to my heart.  
We had a conversation with our son-in-law yesterday afternoon about how this world is being consumed with pride and greed.  I'm finding that I don't look at things the way I did even a year ago.  God has spoke to my heart about giving things away and I've been trying to do that.....I know not as speedily and not as much as He wants.  I believe that God allows us to go thru trials and tribulations and struggles that make us turn our eyes to Him and to the cross that Jesus bore.  On SONday as we were driving away from church, Pappy started talking about "where is our passion".  He said that people get passionate about a football game (he was referring to Tennessee and Coach Dooley), but where is our passion in the church and for each other?  God convicted my heart lately and I've had to do some things that I really would have preferred not to.  I asked forgiveness from someone that I had carried a grudge against for quite some time and the apology was rejected.   I've spoke up in situations where I would have normally kept quiet and actually the words were flowing out of my mouth before I even quite realized it.  Some might see this post as a slam against Black Friday shopping.....if so, then the point is totally being missed.  Our pastor made a statement a few weeks ago about how we need to be more bold and less timid....or, something along those lines.  Maybe that's what I'm attempting to do with this post!!!  Our GOD is so awesome and I thank Him for always being there for me when I mess up....which is quite often.  I love Him with all of my heart and that Black Friday when His One and Only Son died on the cross for my sins will forever be so precious to me!!!
Thank you, Jesus!!!

Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, 
he was bruised for our iniquities: 
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; 
and with his stripes we are healed.

In HIS Most Precious Love....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,

Deb

      

Peace will come!!!

I know that our God in heaven has a plan for our lives....

....but I'm only human and I have weaknesses and shortcomings.
I share that with y'all because I believe in honesty.

I have a very strong faith in our Lord and Savior.

And....I know He led me to Ms. Jen's post for "such a time as this"!!!

The rest of this post is not mine, but one I found at Finding Heaven yesterday, written by Ms. Jen Ferguson, and  I got her permission to share it with my readers.  It spoke to my heart.....HOPE it does the same for somebody reading this who is going thru a troublesome time, too!!!

Quiet time in the morning, 

fighting anxiety of what is to come in the future

and yet He leads me back to the present

I AM with you now.

Tell me what you need.

I will listen to you.

How have I failed you in the past?

Is your trouble bigger than I AM?

What do you wish for more,

control 

or 

peace?

And I realize,

real peace comes only when I lay it all down in front of 

the One who created it all.

~~~by Jen Ferguson~~~

Jen Ferguson @ Finding Grace

Philippians 4:6-7

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. 

Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 

Then you will experience God’s peace, 

which exceeds anything we can understand. 

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

In HIS Most Precious Love...and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,

Deb 

Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center

Sometimes, I do a post that is mostly for myself....to document something that has taken place....sort of like a journal with pictures!!!  That's what this post is all about.  

Yesterday, Monday, November 12th, 2012, I went with Jess and the boys on a "field trip", along with other Moms and Dads and kiddos who belong to a local home school co-op, to the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend, Tennessee.  We had such a great day....the first outing for just the four of us in a long time!!!  Here are some of the pics I took to document the day.  I'm not in any of them 'cause I was the "photog"!!

 The sky as I left home Monday morning!!!

Matthew 16:2

‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow;  

 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’

And, it did rain later in the day with a lot of wind!!!

 A model of the museum

Our big boy checking out the model.

 We started out watching a movie about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park narrated by Ms. Edye Ellis.  You local folk will remember her as a WBIR news anchor several years ago.

 Pictures of several old cabins and churches that were transported to the center and some of them re-built on site.

 Beautiful stacked stone chimney

 A cantilever barn

 A little sign on one of the buildings that was once a motel.

It was explained that there used to be half cent coins....

....did y'all know that?!?!?

I didn't!!!

 A spinning wheel

  So grateful for indoor plumbing!!!

The most handsome 6 year old in the whole wide world!!!

 Another view of the cantilever barn

 An apple press

 ?????

 Cowbells

 Just loved this old wooden window....especially the reflection

 A raccoon hide....ouch!!!

 Isn't this fireplace gorgeous?!?

 Ignore the electrical plug in this pic....;-)

 Another gorgeous chimney

 The old church

 Wagon wheels

 The building on the right of this old barn is a corn crib.  

One of the little kids asked if this is where they make corn!!!  

I had to smile!!!

 Our precious baby GRANDson....he is so very kind!!

 Tin roof....rusted!!!

(name that tune....;-)

 A sawmill

Brothers

 Playing with some of the old pioneer toys

 An old school room

 For lunch we went to Pizza Hut.....

....here's a pose of Saw showing his rock star hair!!!

And, this one won't let you take his picture at all unless you can catch him off-guard....hence, the blur!!!

We had a great day.

I am so blessed to get to spend so much time with our  GRANDsons.

Jess tells me that they get up every morning and ask,

"Do we get to see Nannie today?"

Sure does do this Nannie's heart good!!!

And, I can't wait 'till baby girl asks the same thing!!!

Thank you, Lord, for your blessings on me!!!

In HIS Most Precious Love....and with mine, too!!!

Blessings,

Deb