My heart is heavy. There have been too many deaths, sudden and expected, from suicide to heart attack, illness gone wrong to old age. It matters not how they left this world, but that they did. It leaves holes in the hearts of those who remain. There is this evil one called Cancer. Many I love battle this every day. Some are in the fire, and some have deep scars following their journey. People I love through prayer opportunities are broken. It weighs on this old girl, but God is so very good. He mends up our brokenness with joy, beauty, blessings; all through Salvation.

When my heart is heavy, I always visualize myself at the foot of the cross. I see Jesus hanging there with the weight of ALL my sins, your sins, their sins, ALL sins of the world upon him. I cry. I'm moved. Guess what? He was not defeated. He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!!! We can, too. When life gets overwhelming...be moved!

Be at Peace by Saint Francis de Sales

Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life; rather, look to them with full hope that as they arise, God, whose very own you are, will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand it, God will carry you in His Arms. Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; the same understanding Father who cares for you today will take care of you then and every day. He will either shield you from suffering or will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. Almighty, ever-living God, You give strength to the weary and new courage to those who have lost heart. Hear the prayers of all who call on you in any trouble that they may have the joy of receiving Your help in their need. Amen.

James 2:1-5 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Fresh Find: I do like the My Buddy Tag safety band for kids.

We have heard this discussion many times. We always hear the story comparison. Don't be a Martha, be a Mary. Some friends and I had the discussion again today. Here are my thoughts on this lesson.

Luke 10:38-42 New International Version (NIV)

At the Home of Martha and Mary

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Let us first remember that the scripture says that Martha opened her home to him. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing she had the gift of hospitality. At the very least, she was hospitable, most likely thrilled to have Jesus and his disciples in her home.

Mary sat listening, taking in the sweetness of Jesus. Martha served. I think I might be a little jealous of what I was missing out on, too, if I were her. 

They were among friends. There was love in the room. In his response, Jesus says few things are needed- or indeed only one.

He does state that Mary chose what is better. I don't think we can deny that to be true. Intimacy with Jesus trumps all.

What I learn from this scripture set is that hospitality is precious, needed, and the foot in the door of relationships. I ask, why do we always pit Martha and Mary against each other? To compare creates bitterness. To desire to be one over the other is not reflective of what we are to learn. We learn from both. Who did Martha turn to with her frustration? The One who is the best source for the answers we need to hear. The Only One that delivers true peace. Mary got carried away in the melody of the ministry truths. I think it is important that we remember that we can tell Jesus anything and ask him everything. He is available. Where we are in our relationship with Christ is not determined by whether we are a Martha or a Mary. What is important in this scenario is that the story used both women to deliver the message of Peace.  Having a relationship with Christ is indeed the one thing that matters. God created us uniquely his with gifts that are as diverse as the stars in his universe. We find ourselves in spiritually different places from moment to moment in this life and he knows this. He says, few things are needed, but only One for sure is. His desire is for us to hang on his every word. First, we have to open the door and invite him in.

Thank you, Martha and Mary! 

Fresh Find: Love this fun Ankara bag!

Who remembers making salt maps in school? I'm pretty sure we all made the United States or Texas. Maybe some made other states and countries, as well. Share your memories!

I do remember making these little flags to label areas, as well. 

And what about bean art? Anyone do this as a kid?

I was supposed to create this and ...

it would end up more like this! LOL

Paint by number was huge one summer for my cousin and me. We did many kits. Not sure if we ever finished one. Oh, she probably did, and I was off to something else! This is a paint by number piece from a kit. I did not create it, in case you are wondering! It is a great piece though! It is one of my favorite pieces in our art collection.

Fresh Find: A fun giraffe paint by number kit.

Here are seven words that should matter in today's world.

THE FIRST WORD

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Luke 23:34

THE SECOND WORD

"Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Luke 23:43

THE THIRD WORD

"Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, this is your son." Then he said to the disciple: "This is your mother." John 19:26-27

THE FOURTH WORD

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34

THE FIFTH WORD

"I thirst." John 19:28

THE SIXTH WORD

When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished;" and he bowed his head and handed over the spirit. John 19:30

THE SEVENTH WORD

Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Luke 23:46

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, So that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

We ARE WORTHY because of this! I pray we thirst for it!!! I pray we share it!

Fresh Find: Who needs a fish...EcoQubeC!

In Flanders Field, the Poppy, we remember those who battled for our freedom!

For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. Psalm 95:3

God is superior; we are inferior to only God ... hold the salute, until our eternity rises. Listen. Be impressed by the sacrifice of the life of Jesus, to save our "country,' our being, our soul! Never forget!

Fresh Find: Sweet Poppy necklace.

I came across a binder at a wisdom woman's estate sale called The Ten Commandments. It was printed in 1965, and the artist is Walter Ohlson, and all credit goes to him for these thought-provoking representations of each one of the ten commandments.

These are the things God told his people: Exodus 20:1-17

I am the Lord your God. I am the one who freed you from the land of Egypt, where you were slaves.

You must not worship any other gods except me.

“You must not make any idols. Don’t make any statues or pictures of anything up in the sky or of anything on the earth or of anything down in the water. Don’t worship or serve idols of any kind, because I, the Lord, am your God. I hate my people worshiping other gods. People who sin against me become my enemies, and I will punish them. And I will punish their children, their grandchildren, and even their great-grandchildren. But I will be very kind to people who love me and obey my commands. I will be kind to their families for thousands of generations.

You must not use the name of the Lord your God to make empty promises. If you do, the Lord will not let you go unpunished.

You must remember to keep the Sabbath a special day. You may work six days a week to do your job. But the seventh day is a day of rest in honor of the Lord your God. So on that day no one should work—not you, your sons and daughters, or your men and women slaves. Even your animals and the foreigners living in your cities must not work! That is because the Lord worked six days and made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. And on the seventh day, he rested. In this way the Lord blessed the Sabbath—the day of rest. He made that a very special day.

 You must honor and respect your father and your mother. Do this so that you will have a full life in the land that the Lord your God gives you.

 You must not murder anyone.

You must not commit adultery.

You must not steal anything. 

You must not tell lies about other people.

You must not want to take your neighbor’s house. You must not want his wife. And you must not want his men and women servants or his cattle or his donkeys. You must not want to take anything that belongs to another person.

The folder is an actual Bible Study with in-depth explanations for each art piece.

Introduction:

1st:

2nd:

3rd:

4th:

5th:

6th:

7th:

8th:

9th & 10th:

 “Don’t suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures—either God’s Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God’s Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God’s Law will be alive and working." Matthew 5:17-18

And how awesome it is at work in its purest form, Love.

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

As we remember those who have fought and fight to protect us, let us remember the Son that God sent to save every soul. It is a war between good and evil. The Law is the foundation on which we stand. 

Let Him care for you on this journey called new life!

Fresh Find: Love these blue suede shoes!

As I was sitting still and listening to the Holy Spirit today, I had this thought. 

I take pictures. I watermark them 'eyes to see'. God gave me my eyes to see, and even though I do not see clearly, God allows me to embrace his creation, his color, his beauty all around me every day.

I am a picture taker. I guess you could say I have a picture sharing ministry. It might be considered obsessive or compulsive to most, to me it is how I see life where I am.

I do not know how to use a camera, thus the reason I call myself a picture taker. I'm not a photographer. I'm a picture taker sharing what God allows my eyes to see.

It is a spiritual journey for me. I listen and seek what it is that he wants me to see. Remember, I don't see clearly and I am amazed at all he shows me.

I was thinking, most people use their phones to view the pictures, and I wonder how much they are missing by looking at the beauty so small. I prefer to view them on my monitor because I get to see the detail.

I wonder, too, if we look at our spiritual journey on such a small scale when we could view it in a much larger way. What are we missing? The depth of the blessing for sure.

Have a beautiful holiday weekend. Take some time to commune with God's nature. Sit still. Look at the picture in a big way. See the details. If you think about it, take a picture, share it and tell us how it blessed you!

Fresh Find: Ohhhh, fun, a SwagCycle!

There is a local artist who makes me smile when I am in my outdoor place. I enjoy our yard so much. I love art, too so this season I have incorporated his gift of creating within my place of peace and rest. 

I believe he is praying for a job direction, but I'm sure thankful that he has been creating amazing pieces while he is still and waiting for the Holy Spirit to lead. You should check out his page and request something. It is Red Dirt Rummage.

 And, I did not get this piece from Red Dirt Rummage, but in my peaceful place, in our yard, it reminds me of the legacy of those who have gone before me and what they have taught me, may God find me faithful.

Fresh Find: Is your dog protected in a car seat while riding?

There are phone calls you don't want to receive in life, I've had my share, but today in the Covenant Health Foundation meeting that I was presiding over, my phone vibrated. I had it out for the clock and saw the name come through. I excused myself for a minute because I knew it would be important. 

A little girl who is shy and very giving and kind who just finished third grade and is going into fourth grade stepped outside of her comfort zone and tried out for the school choir. When I answered the call, I could feel her excitement even though we were distanced by many miles. There is honestly nothing that brings me more joy than our children or their children being happy. Miss A was on cloud twenty-nine! Not everyone made it, and she knew there was a possibility she might not. She has no training, but she has really improved this year musically.

To hear her tell me all about making the choir, who else she knew that made it and she can't wait for fourth grade to be in the choir, well, that made me smile big!

Congratulations to this sweet girl!!! I'm so blessed that I got to talk to her and hear her news!!!

Fresh Find: Fun skort!

Gold and the refiner's fire; I'm not a goldsmith. I'm not a jeweler. I'm only a soul whose intentions are good.

What I understand is that to process gold the fire must be very hot. The impurities rise to the top of the melted liquid and are skimmed off as waste. Pure gold remains. For this process to work, the goldsmith never leaves the vat in the process.

In Revelation 3: 18 we read, “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see." Remember the Laodicean's love of gold, fabric, and salve?

When we are placed in the Refiner's fire, he never leaves us. He hears us. We must remember that in the fire our character is strengthened, James 1:2-4, Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work, so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

When we feel the heat, we can know that as believers, we are His children. Hebrews 12: 5-, In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. 

1 Peter 1:6-7, I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

It is not uncommon to be used while in the fire for God's glory. Testing our faith proves our genuineness. Daniel 3:17-18, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Our time in the fire gives honor to God when we come through it with purpose. 1 Peter 4:12-13, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

I don't know about you, but I feel like I am being refined. Our lives are full of refining opportunities. Accept them as blessings. Step through them with faith and allow the glory of deliverance to be God's. He never leaves us or forsakes us. Our purpose in the fire is that when we think we might melt, is not to be skimmed off as waste but to shine God gold, a reflection for others to see Him in.

Fresh Find: Dodow sleep device. Really? Looks like a plan!!!