The porch light is on...

I've got asthmatic bronchitis right now and can't sleep. It's a beautiful night/morning. The moon is the fullest and brightest it will be in 2009 so they say. When I was lying in bed trying to sleep, the moon was shining in the window. I couldn't sleep and was praying. In my devotions this week, I read how our prayers should be dialogues with God not just a laundry list of wants. I asked God what He wanted to tell me. It was as if He was telling me the moon is my porch light - it's on for all who want to come visit; you know how we leave the porch light on when we are expecting someone. I thanked Him for being there, for loving me, for my family, my church, and so many other things. I'm a country girl and I like the idea of sitting on the porch swing or in the rocking chair - sitting a spell and talking with a friend. None of us know exactly what Heaven will be like, but I like to think I'll get to live in the country part of Heaven. I'll want to sit a spell and talk with Jesus and all the loved ones who have gone on before; singing praises to God too. In the meantime, every time I see the full moon I'll be thinking about tonight and the porch light being on...

The love of a child

I had to go to the doctor today and of course, you have to wait. While I was waiting, a young mother and her 2 year old daughter came in. Just moments later an older woman, slightly bent over, came out of the doctor's office into the waiting room to check out. The 2 year old with her "Pebbles" hairdo ran up to the lady smiling and gave her a big hug. At first, I thought maybe it was her grandmother. Ended up, she didn't even know the little girl. You could tell the love in that child's eyes and hug probably did more to make the lady feel better than any medicine. At that moment, I thought this is how Jesus is to each of us. He is so excited to spend time with us. I need to spend more time with Him - just hugging...

Trust

I think one of my words for this new year is going to be TRUST. When we know God is in control of everything, why do we have issues with trust. Especially in this difficult economic time, I must trust. I must trust God will show us the way; show my family and friends the way. So many I know are looking for jobs and jobs aren't as prevalent as they used to be. Lord, please help me trust in you. Thank you for all your blessings.

Increase...decrease

Ashley is a sweet young girl on a missionary trip to Guadeloupe. She is keeping a blog on her experiences while serving the Lord there. She inspires me all the time. One of her recent thoughts was Lord may You increase and we decrease. Increase...decrease - very similar spellings, just a few letters are different; but the magnitude of change using those words can imply. The degree of change can be minimal or maximum. Would you like your salary increased or decreased - we like to think the change would be a great increase. Sometimes I think we overlook a minimal change. Even a minimal change increasing Jesus in our lives can be maximum in results! This year the words joy and surrender have been on my mind (and in my blog) on a very regular basis. When we surrender our will to Jesus, our joy increases. Surrender can bring freedom - not a word we usually associate with surrender. Surrendering to Jesus is the ultimate freedom. God cares about us - He sent His only Son as a baby knowing He would die on a cross for us. Think about that for a moment - could you send your baby to die for someone else? Our oldest son, Scott, was born on Dec. 18th and we brought him home on Christmas Eve. As I sat there feeding him early on Christmas morning with only the tree lights on, I thought of Mary. How it was a moment like this that she held her baby knowing He was the Son of God. She knew He was born to suffer and die to save us all from our sins. As I held Scott, tears ran down my face - I couldn't imagine... Can you? Lord, help me decrease so You can increase in my life. Help me surrender to the joy of Your leadership.

Surely I Will Help You Now

Part of my daily devotion today was called "Surely I Will Help You Now:" This morning may each of us hear the Lord Jesus speak to us, saying, "'I myself will help you.' It's a small thing for Me, as your God, to help you in your time of need, especially when you consider what I've done for you already. What! Not help you? I bought you with My blood. What! Not help you? I died for you, and if I've already done what is greater, will I now not do what is less? Help you? This is the very least I will ever do for you, for I have done much more for you in the past and will do much more for you in the future. "Before the world began I chose you and made the covenant for you. I set My glory aside and become a man for you, and then I laid down My life for you. If I did all this, surely I will help you now...." —Charles Spurgeon

How powerful is this - if God came to earth as a baby and then died for us, how can we ever doubt He will care about what is happening in our lives. I know some people think we shouldn't bother God with the small things in our lives, but I believe God is all about the details. He knows the number of hairs on our head - and for some of us, they are getting fewer every day (ha, ha). How awesome God is! With joy we should surrender to Him, His love, and His plan for our lives. He's got it all under control - we just need to trust Him. Spend time with Jesus today thanking Him for all He has done and is doing for you everyday. Thank you, God, for caring for me...

A Baby changes everything...

Faith Hill has a new song out entitled "A Baby changes everything." I can't get the song or the thoughts about it out of my head. How true it is. Babies change our lives. With the Christmas season fastly approaching, I can't help but think about Baby Jesus and how He changed my life. I have a Savior, hallelujah! Think about Mary & Joseph, the innkeeper, the shepherds - Baby Jesus changed their lives and He can change yours too. Just ask Jesus into your heart - He's waiting to be invited in. Here are the lyrics to the song and a link to the video.

Teenage girl much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything
Not a ring on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

The man she loves she's never touched
How will she keep his trust
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
And she cries Ooh
she cries Oh ohhh...

She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything
She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place there's no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries
And she cries
Oh she cries

Shepherds all gather 'round
Up above the star shines down
A baby changes everything
Choir of angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Everything, everything, everything
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

My whole life has turned around
I was lost, but now I'm found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SJigHz4mQk

Let Jesus change you...

The colors of autumn...

The colors of fall are majestic. How can anyone doubt there is a God when we see His handiwork all around us. The colors in any picture ever painted cannot compare with the colors God created. As I looked out the window at church this morning, I thanked God for autumn. How beautiful this earth is, and yet it doesn't compare to the beauty we will see when we get to Heaven. I was also reminded of God's amazing love. If He can care for all of the plants, trees, and animals, surely He can take care of any needs I might have. "How great is our God, sing with me, How great is our God, and all will see How great, How great is our God."