Good Morning, Lord!

Posted on Friday, June 5, 2026 by forrealone

Our God is an Awesome God!

Another bright and sunny day, Lord.  A day for us to rejoice in You – Our Lord, Our God, Our Father, Our Creator, Our Savior, Our High Priest!  May we ever bask in Your Goodness and Glory!

Let us not be discouraged or feel alone or unworthy. You, Jesus, lift us up every day at the Throne of Grace,  You, Jesus, are with us every moment with every breath we take.  You, Jesus, died for us, a living sacrifice to cover our sins with Your blood.  You, Jesus, are Our King and Savior.  You conquered all that is evil, and death.  You are Our Shield and Defender.

Sweet Lord Jesus, I pray that our eyes, hearts and minds are able to open up and be filled with Your Spirit and Truth!  Help us always to see You in all we do, think or say.  Guide us, lead us, show us every moment how Loving You are and how much we mean to YOU.  Help us to get past and leave behind our fleshly thoughts and wants.  Help us to put behind us all selfishness and judgement and anything negative that can separate us from You.

Father, help us all to draw near to You.  Help us to reach for you and call out to You for all our needs, troubles and when tempted.  Help us to lean on YOU and not rely on ANYTHING or ANYONE, but YOU.  Help us to stay humble and kind, thoughtful and loving, honest and giving.  May we always carry You in our hearts.   May we always be a vessel for Your service.  Remind us continuously of Your Love for us.  You are Our Armor and Our Shield.  You are the Great and Mighty Conquerer, Ruler of the Universe – THE MIGHTY ONE!

Lord I pray for all those in need of Your healing hand who are sick, Your comforting arms to those who are grieving, Your gentle nudge for those who have wandered off the Path.  I pray You bring hope to the lost and weary, peace to the anxious ones who are persecuted by the enemy.  Bring resources and supplies, courage and strength, wisdom and faith to your many workers in the harvest fields.

Bless ALL who come to you this day, Lord.  Fill ALL with Your Spirit, Joy, Love and Peace.  Only You, Lord, can save us and you have!  May we understand that so we can shout with all of our might that YOU ARE OUR KING and we are Your children!

Each heart searching, each hand reaching, each eye looking – may all find YOU, oh Blessed Redeemer.  Be with us this day I pray!  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN

Let us all say together, “Good Morning, Lord!”

 

Posted in Faith, God, Heart, Jesus, Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

In Whom Shall I Trust?

Posted on Monday, June 23, 2025 by forrealone

There is much going on in this world of ours.  All of us are being inundated by so much, intending to bring fear and confusion.  No matter where you are or who you are, you are being affected.  There is no escaping this planet and the chaos that is flowing from one end to the other.  Many are espousing one opinion, while others, another completely opposite one.  What are you supposed to believe?  Can you even believe anything anyone is saying?  Can you put your faith in a single person or a single philosophy or a single belief?  Is there actually any truth in anything that you are hearing?  Can we find a way to wade through this quagmire of uncertainty and somehow have a sturdy foundation to stand on?

Where or with whom do I find my comfort?  Where can you?  Let’s talk, and see what God has to say about it.  This will not be all encompassing, but a brief dive into a few verses in the Bible that address how to deal with troubling times.

Jeremiah: 17:5-6 “Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord, for he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.” 

7-8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the river, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit” Psalm 1:1-4 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…. his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.  Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.”

Jesus, through His prophets of old and throughout His ministry here on Earth, taught us many lessons and gave good advice to us all.  He showed us how to live our lives and in Whom we should trust.  In Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came and it fell.  And great was its fall.”  You might want to read that whole chapter, by the way.

Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.” NIV       Psalm 31:3 “For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.”       1 Corinthians 10:4 “and all drank the same spiritual drink.  For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.“

In whom do you trust your life?  Who will you choose to follow through these harrowing times?    Are you carried about by the winds of tumult and false promises, by the raging flood of humanity’s screaming voices and false rhetoric?

Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”        Proverbs 3:5-7  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes, Fear the LORD and depart from evil.”       Psalm 120:2  “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, And from a deceitful tongue.”       Ephesians 6:1 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”   Ephesians 4:14 “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.”

Or, in the peaceful, loving words of Our Savior, in Whom we can trust with our very lives.  In His promises, we can securely rest and know that this world is only a temporary existence and eternity waits beyond the noise and chaos.

Matt: 28:18-20  As He left his disciples and ascended to His Heavenly Throne, Jesus commanded them to teach and preach to all the nations about Him and what He had taught them and then He said: “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

So many promises, uplifting words of hope and faith and cheer in His words…..

Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

WOW!  In that, His Word and Promises, I can surely trust!  How about you?  Let the world go by; it is already on its course.  We have another world to look forward to, no matter what happens in this one.  Have faith.  Believe.  He IS coming back.  For you, for me, for all who trust………. in HIM.

 

If you haven’t opened up a Bible, you will be amazed at what you will learn and experience and feel.  It is the ONLY place where you can find hope, joy and answers to a gazillion questions all in one place. 

All verses are from the NKJV, unless otherwise noted.

 

Posted in Chaos, Faith, God, Jesus, Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ready for Harvest

Posted on Monday, June 2, 2025 by forrealone

Morning Beauty

Good morning, Lord.  How wonderful it is to be with You for another day.  Thank You for blessing me with it.  I am so grateful to have the life You have given me and SO grateful that I know YOU.

What a precious gift that is, to know YOU.  So many don’t at all, some think they do.  Everyone needs to.  Know YOU.  Adore YOU.  How can it happen, Lord?  You said that “the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” (Matt 9:37)  And what laborers there are, we are slack.  Oh, that we would work harder.  The time is short, Lord.

Help us, Lord, help us to see what we can do for You, how to do it and give us whatever it is that we need for that.  How do we miss the mark so easily?  We should be working diligently to show the lost ones Your Truth, Your Love, Your sacrifice for them and why that was necessary in order to save them.

John 3:16-17 ” For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

They don’t even know they are lost, Lord!  They don’t even know there’s a war, a battle going on for their souls. The enemy has clouded their judgement and blinded them from the truth.  You warned us to be watchful.   2 Timothy 3:13  “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

Help us, Father.  Give us courage, wisdom, selflessness, humility, grace and whatever it is we need to share Your Word and Truth to this broken, blind, lost world.  What we can do is in Your hands because You alone know each of us and what You would have us to do.  Impress upon us Your will for us, give us the tools and show us.  Bless us with that desire and willingness, just as the apostles and disciples of old, to follow in Your footsteps.

Teach us those ways, fill us with Your Holy Spirit and set us on on our way.  May we be Your workers with Your Word in one hand and a sword in the other, to finish the harvest for You, provided it is in Your will and we are worthy to do so.  Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”

I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus, Our Lord.  AMEN.

John 4:35 “I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest.”

Ready for Harvest

Posted in Faith, God, Heart, Jesus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Give Us This Day

Posted on Friday, May 16, 2025 by forrealone

Today, I shall rejoice and be grateful!  Today, I shall call upon the name of my LORD!  Today is a gift from my CREATOR!  Oh, how grateful I am!

I look at my trees as they reach up to the sky.

The breeze pushes even the mightiest branches as they all sway in harmony with each wave that flows through them from one to the next.  The splashes of color from all the flowers paint the landscape with their many colors.

The birds enjoying them, hopping from branch to branch.  Their songs fill the air with music, each having its own little tune.

Goldfinch dining on echinacea

Downy on suet cage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The clouds, though few, billow then race across the blue, leaving no traces behind.

Opening up my door

Yes, how grateful am I!!!

Father, be with all who need You today.  You know who they are and what it is they need.  Babies soon to be born to soon to be moms.  Those who are sick or in the hospital.  Those who are grieving the loss of a dear one.  Those who are worried or anxious.  Those who are discouraged or overwhelmed.  Those who are poor or hungry or homeless.  Those who are lost, alone or hopeless.

Hear my prayer, oh  Lord.  Touch them with Your loving hand.  Fill them with hope, peace, encouragement, healing, love and all that Your Spirit can bring into their lives, hearts and souls.  Reach deep into their beings and let them know that YOU are their GOD and You love them dearly.

Psalm 139:1-4 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  You know when I set and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue You, Lord, know it completely.”

For YOU ARE the giver of life, of all that is good, of all that we need today.  Thank You, dear Jesus, for this day.  Amen

 

Posted in Creation, Faith, God, Heart, Jesus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Walking with Him

Posted on Thursday, May 1, 2025 by forrealone

May 1st!!

A new month is here, Lord. This year is going by so fast. And, here am I still. Another day to add to my life, and I thank You. You, who are Our Lord, Our God, Our King and Creator. How great Thou art!

May this day be full of joy and peace for us all, Lord. Help us to walk beside You, looking ahead to the joy You have set before us. Help us to follow the path You set before us, so long ago, when You walked with men. How loving You were to all. Teaching us how to be towards each other, how to live in Your Spirit, how to love one another and all people, no matter who they were.

Proverbs 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD

 

Jeremiah 17: 7-8  But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. 

 

Fill us this day with the Spirit of Love that we may be kind and patient to all we meet. Fill us with kindness to treat all with gentleness of spirit. Open our hearts and eyes to see others as you do. Bless us that we can show all Your Glory, I pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Luke 1:79 To shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

Psalm 29:12 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Posted in Faith, God, Jesus | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Passover Love

Posted on Monday, April 14, 2025 by forrealone

Gethsemane

Open your Bible to Matthew 26

Lord Jesus, we are coming to the time of the Passover when You ate Your last supper with Your disciples. The time had come and Your death was near.   Read Matthew 26:20-30

Oh dear Jesus, You knew.  You knew what manner of death You faced.  You knew the horror that awaited You.  Matthew 26:36-46

Yet Your Father’s will was to be done.  Your sacrifice was necessary to save us.  From our sins. You, the Holy and Sinless One, the innocent Lamb, chose to die in our stead!

Oh, sweet Jesus, how could I ever understand this kind of Love?  We are not and could never be worthy of such a sacrifice as this.

But because of Your Love, because it was necessary for our salvation, You died on the cross for us.

Help us, Lord, to truly understand this love and to bow down in total humility and gratitude.  Help us to see the depths of our sinfulness and the depth of Your Love so we can glorify You in everything we say and do.

John 15:13 “Greater love has no man than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”  NKJV

Oh Lord, how great is Your Love?

Posted in Faith, God, Jesus, Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Year Blessings to You

Posted on Sunday, December 31, 2023 by forrealone

As this year comes to an end, I have a prayer for you my friend.  May Our Lord bless you and fill your life with joy.  May you always walk along His path and find all that you seek.

Our world is full of so much sadness and hate and violence and sickness.  Fear permeates down to the bones of so many. Doom and gloom, terror and heartache, poverty and homelessness blanket the planet no matter where you happen to be.  Wars between countries, states and neighbors echo everywhere the hate and greed that fills this world.

That is the state of the affairs of man.  I prefer to dwell in God’s world.  The world where love lives.  Where kindness, generosity and patience flow from the hearts of His people: Those who dwell in the heights of His kingdom, knowing that all this will soon be gone and His Kingdom will come….

2 Peter 3:9-13 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (How patient is Our Lord!)  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Isaiah 65:17 See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

Revelation 21:1-4  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. And I, John, saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

When Jesus returns, this world as we know it will no longer be!  May this coming new year give you many opportunities to experience the Glory and Love of God, to study His Word, to learn of His promises, and to read about the new day that is coming soon.

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Father, Heavenly King, Giver of all good things, I pray that You will bless all of Your children with the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit. I pray that all of Your children will see with new eyes and clean hearts all that You have in store for all of us. To those who do not know You yet, I pray You fill them with an earnest desire to know YOU. Lift them up out of this worldly mess and show them what is coming! Take fear and dread away from their hearts and minds and fill them with that joy, that peace that knowing You brings to all who trust in You.

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming here, for walking with us, for showing us how to be and how to love, for sacrificing Your life for us, for ascending into the Heavenly temple to prepare a place for us to be with You, and for the promise of Your soon return!

Amen!

 

 

PS.  The header I am currently using is a cropped version of a photo I downloaded from wallupdotnet

Posted in Faith, Family, God, Heart | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Struggling? Lift yourself up and Rejoice!!

Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 by forrealone

My orange sky

Gosh, it seems like more often than I would like I find myself struggling.  Not all day, and maybe for just a short while, but I am sure I’m not alone in that.

I struggle with all kinds of things.  I make some decisions that I wish I hadn’t.  I say yes to someone, but deep inside I want to say no.  I end up doing something I didn’t want to or have the time/energy for.   I start thinking about things done and over with, that I really need to let go.  For good.  I let the world and all its craziness sneak inside of my mind and sidetrack me.  Thankfully, He brings me back to the reality He wants for me.

I thought maybe if I prayed about it and listened to what He may have to say about it, I might be able to help simply by typing.  And, so I did.  Pray, that is.  And it did.  Help that is……  My prayer now is that it will help you, just in case you are struggling too……

Keeping warm with my wood stove

Whether it’s going for a walk, sitting by a pond, watching the birds or warming up by a fire, do something that makes you feel good inside. Breathe in the Spirit of the Lord and let out all that is troubling you. Commune with His Creation! Spend time with Him!!

Psalms 96:11-13 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.

Anytime you feel anxious or discomfort wherever you are or whoever you are with, remember:

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Philipians 4:6  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Keep a gratitude journal. Each night, write down ten things that happened today that you are grateful for – even the simplest of things can bring us a smile and that can become contagious.  And try to do that every night.  After a while, your outlook might change a little or maybe a lot!

Psalms 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

Avoid negative people and situations. Think long and hard about the different ways their behavior or the situation could affect you in the short term AND in the long run. Choose friends and activities wisely.  And learn to say “No”.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits.

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

As Albert Einstein once said: “Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.”

Spend time with people who lift you up and make you feel good inside and that have faith in the Lord as you do.

Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Remember that none of us is perfect; we all make mistakes and stumble. HE knows that and He forgives us. If we fall, He will pick us back up.  Really, He will!!  If we let Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Don’t let the world and its events overwhelm you. Don’t get trapped into believing what you hear. Our Father knows everything you need and His Word should be your guidepost. Follow Him and not social media. You can trust everything He says.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.

I feel better.  I’m glad I typed this.  Granted, it didn’t all come spilling out of my fingers with no thought involved.  I did think about how to feel lifted up and then found some verses in the Bible to put His words into it.  I pray you will be blessed in a special way today!  Remember always that we are all family.  His family.  And He truly does love us so very much.  So, lift yourself up and REJOICE!

 

PS.  I do get counseling when I need it.  Ever since my Mom died, and then my husband, there are times I need someone to talk to.  In private.  In confidence.  It helps.

 

Posted in Creation, Faith, God, Heart, Nature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Love Poem

Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2023 by forrealone

I have been sad lately, discouraged perhaps.  It’s the time of year when I go through things and clean.  This week, I have been going through my office and am continuing to do so until I finish.  To be honest, it has not been done in probably ….. three years?  I mean I am talking about – an inch by inch going through.  Usually, if there is a stack of pictures or a small bin of “stuff”, it just goes back wherever it was.  This time, I am going through every picture and every thing in all places.  This has been my office for almost 30 years.  It was a screened-in back porch when I moved here. I hired a contractor to turn it into an additional room with 3 windows and real walls to become my office.  It’s around 180 sqft or so.

It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulate.  Back in 2017, we had a house fire that started in the office – lots of stuff got burned up or melted.  There was smoke everywhere, in every room in the house except one because the door was closed. Soot found its way into every cabinet, on every plate and cup and can of soup and toilet paper. I mean it was on everything.  It was seriously unbelievable.  It took six months before we were actually back to normal again.  If you are interested in reading about that: Day of the fire

After my husband passed away in 2019, I bought some bookcases and built some freestanding cabinets for the office and put a lot of stuff into and onto all of that.  Stuff that had been elsewhere in the house.  I didn’t go through it all, just moved it from one spot to a new spot, in the office.

I have been going through all of that and whatever else has survived these many years.  So many memories, tears are flowing, yes.  Lots of pictures of so many people and places.  His and my birthdays were close together and we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant to celebrate…  I just found a picture of one of those times – we with giant sombreros they put on our heads with shots of tequila in front of us.  I am not a drinker, but it was free so we sent them down the hatch.  That was an interesting rest of the evening.  That was in 2003.  Another picture of us from 1996 just weeks before we married was in the same stack.

I found a love poem I wrote him – wow!  I had forgotten all about that …

You are my man. You are the one I want in my life forever.  You are amazing in all that you do.  You must never feel incomplete.  For you and I make each other whole.

Without you I would not be who I am. Without me, you would not be who you are.  Without us, we would not be who we are.  Together, we are.

You will never be a failure because you never fail…. You never fail to try.  You never fail to do your best.  You never fail to do all you can.  You never fail to do a good job.  You never fail to be honest.  You never fail to give it all you got.

You are a man.  You are a good man.  You are a strong man.  You are a decent man. You are a hard working man.  You are a down-to-earth, God fearing man. YOU are my man.

I loved him.  A lot.  We had some pretty rough times.  He was sick with cancer for a long time.  He struggled a lot.  I miss him.  A lot.

When I woke up this morning, I was sad.  Discouraged.

Last night – A friend whom I have been helping take care of and for whom I am a patient advocate had asked me to visit last night.  He lost the lower part of his right leg six weeks ago due to complications from being on dialysis.  He wanted me to check his other foot and leg.  I did.  Not good.  I won’t include one of the photos I took but suffice it to say, it is not good.  I looked at him and said, “You need to go back to the hospital”.  He sighed and said “I will tomorrow.”  He had just gotten home from 8 weeks of hospital and rehab stays.  I didn’t blame him one bit!  I got home late and stayed up quite a while trying hard to not be discouraged.

So, I got out of bed.  And I thanked the Lord for another day.

Good morning, world!

What a blessing.  Another day!  I end my days thanking Him for what He gave me that day.  I do not deserve any of the days He gives me; He graciously grants me a new one anyway.

After the morning wore on, I had to decide how to spend the day.  Back to working in the office, I thought.  And you now are caught up to me typing this at my desk.

So, yeah, I have lots and lots to be grateful for because He Lives!  No matter what life or people throw my way, He lives inside of me.  In my heart. In my be-ing.  How blessed am I?

And, yes, I get discouraged.  And sad.  But every time, because of Him, I am lifted up.  Out of the darkness.  And, there I will be for the moment or moments or days until I fall again.  Oh, we humans are a sorry lot.  BUT, He does not seem to think so if He was willing to give up His life on a cross and die.  For us.  For you.  For me.

GOSH!   And if you have any doubts, READ HIS WORD.  It is the most beautiful love poem you will ever find.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me this day.  I am so grateful to you for that.

 

Posted in Faith, God, Heart | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I Am With You Always

Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 by forrealone

It was my cooking day.  That means I go to the local produce stand and the grocery store and buy fresh, fresh vegetables and go home and cook up a storm!  I can be hours in the kitchen. Thursdays always smell good at my house!  (Just sayin’).  I share with neighbors or family or freeze for winter time when fresh local produce is limited to fall/winter crops.

Onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, cabbages, yellow squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and black beans!! Plus secret herbs and spices. Ha ha

Hurricane Idalia, then a tropical storm, was heading our way.  Always erring on the side of caution considering all that could happen, I wanted to fill up the gas cans, make sure I had plenty of jugs and buckets of water in the house and get whatever groceries I needed. I made sure I got plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.

Once I got back from the grocery store, I started steaming, sauteing, and chopping. Every so often, I would have to stop and go rest in my recliner with some heat on my back. Standing for long periods of time takes a toll on me and breaks are not a luxury, they are needed!

While I was sitting in my chair, I kept hearing the well pump coming on and I was not aware of anything running that uses water.  This just was not normal – usually is indicative of a leak under the house. Hmmmm. It’s kind of raining out and maybe I’m wrong, I thought. (Actually I was avoiding reality for the moment).

Shortly after that, I went back into my bedroom and while I was in there, I heard a swishing or some kind of strange, unrecognizable sound. I thought maybe it was the air moving in the ducts and maybe something was caught in there?

A while later, I heard the pump come on again and I sighed loudly in reply.  I hurried back into my bedroom bathroom to make sure I hadn’t left the faucet running or something. I heard that swishing sound again and it was, and it definitely sounded like, a water leak, for sure.  There is no mistaking the hissing sound of water spraying onto plastic.  (My crawlspace has a new moisture barrier – heavy gauge plastic on the walls and the dirt floor).

I kind of got into a panic. Until He calmed me down. I took a deep breath and took comfort in the knowledge that He was with me and everything would be all right. I called my lawn guy Gary– he and his wife have always been very kind and helpful to me and always told me – call if you need us! So, I did and he came right over. I grabbed my flashlight, unlocked the entry door to go under the house (it is a tall crawlspace, not a basement) and I went to where the chain was so I could pull on the light. I shined the flashlight back to where we could both hear water spraying, and the water drops glittered in its beam.  There was a little stream coming down the plastic, forming a puddle at the lowest point of the floor.  With a storm coming, I have to admit I was a little unnerved.  “The Lord is good,” I thought, “and everything will be all right, remember???”

Many years ago, my husband had piped a single line of cold water to my kitchen sink, separate from the rest of the house. There is the main shutoff for the whole house, and then there is a second shutoff for everything except that cold water line to the kitchen.  We found that second shutoff and the sound of the leak stopped. Hallelujah!!!!

I had very recently found an honest, kind and Christian plumber. He is very experienced, a bit pricey but fair, and there is no one else I would even consider calling. I texted him to see if he had any time available so he could help me out. He texted me back and said that he could come the next afternoon unless I needed him sooner. I explained that I have cold water in the kitchen.  Which meant I have drinking water, “spit bath” water, brushing teeth water and water to pour down my toilet when I need it. (HA HA). He said he would be here that next day.

WOW!   This happened all in ONE day!!!!!    Father calmed me down again(see my previous post) where I would usually be quite anxious under these circumstances.  I was able to get my shopping done, get gas, fill buckets and do all my cooking.  Once I realized I had a leak, He made sure that Gary was available to come over right away to help me shut the water off before it got dark. He made sure my plumber would be available the next day. He made sure that my husband had part of the house set up to give me water in the kitchen all these years later.  (It still hurts to think about him; I miss him).  To say that I was/am humbled by how Our Father looks after us every moment would be a serious understatement.

And what part of “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20) can we not understand? These last several weeks have proven me to that without a doubt, my Lord Jesus is always with me…….

Deuteronomy 31:6  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Matthew 28:20   ….. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

I will never doubt His presence any moment of my life.  I know He is always here with me and for me, ever desiring to bless me as I walk with Him along this path He has shown me and all of us who turn to Him and reach up to Him and lean on Him and trust in Him.  May He bless me with the ability to turn to Him immediately when I am troubled.  On my own, I am a wreck or one waiting to happen!

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 

Isaiah 40:31   but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

And, just to share one of many pictures from my yard……..

My lovely Bell Garden

Posted in Faith, God, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment