Thankful Thursday

I am finally getting to join Greg for the Thankful Thursday meme. My hope had been to join him last week, but my computer crashed, so here are my items for last week and this week.

1. I am thankful for a new hard drive! And that I had much of my stuff backed up.

2. I am thankful that my daughter is working toward the transition to middle school in September, and the Lord is with us every step of the way.

3. I am thankful for my birthday! It was a great celebration. (See photos below!)

4. I am thankful to be in Bible study. I love learning more about my Savior. I am also thankful for good friends who show up at just the right time. The song "lean on me" is so true. I'm thankful for good friends to lean on, when I'm not strong.

5. I am thankful that I am getting time to write. It isn't always easy to get that time.

#3 - My Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to me. (Yes, I needed a hair cut):

My ice cream party:
My cards:

The cutie tote from a good friend. (notice it's my colors!)

A fancy suit from my husband & girls:

Turn your head, the photo is the wrong angle. This is an insulated hot/cold mug with my intial in it (hot pink of course). It can hold either my coffee or my frappachino! From a friend.

From my sister, MyADHDMe. Seinfeld used to be my favorite show. A devotional, Mocha with Max, which I've already read and loved, a mini-frame (Says Hershey's in it, like I would frame chocolate or something. LOL! That was a joke from her). And finally a notebook with a pug on it. She bought it because it looked like my dog. Except it doesn't at all. To a non-dog person a pug & a Boston Terrier might look alike. So she said other than the color and the breed, it looks just like my dog. A typical MyADHDMe gift, and I think it was my favorite, just because it made me laugh out loud, and still makes me laugh every time I look at it.

Beuatiful book mark & Bible ribbon books marks from a friend.

It was a great birthday!

And now, just for my sister.

Boston terrier:
Pug:

Please make a note of it. LOL! I am teasing her.

God IS Everywhere

I know God is everywhere. But sometimes I tend to segregate him to certain places. You know, God is at church, at my house, my Bible study.

My children have always gone to private school. I know God is at the small, Christian private school where they attend. Next year, however, my 10 yr old will begin middle school, and for the first time ever attend public school. Now if you or your kids or grand kids already attend public school, you are thinking "no big deal." However, this is a new experience to us, as I also attended private school K-8th. Could we find God in the public school?

After much prayer, I do believe that we are sending her the place best to get the best education. So, in January when we enrolled her, she & I sat in the car in the parking lot, and prayed before we entered the school. If we were in the "right" place, would God show himself to us, and if we were in the wrong place, to put up a road block.

As we sat in the office waiting, three teachers entered. They were talking about Esther. From the Bible. They were going on about the Beth Moore Esther Bible study they were doing. (The same one I happened to be doing at the time.) Christian teachers. In the Public School. I saw God.

Monday my daughter went on a tour of the school. Together with about 20 students, we toured the facilities. As we entered the chorus room, the teacher asked if we'd like to hear a song. The chorus belted out a rousing rendition of "Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel?" As they sang about Daniel delivered from the lion's den, and Jonah from the belly of a whale, I said to myself, "The Lord is in this place."

God is everywhere we go. No matter what decisions you are facing, remember the Lord is with you today. Put your trust in him, and he will deliver you.

Daniel 6:27 -- He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.

Daniel 4:2,3 -- It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation.



Traditional Spiritual: Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel

"Emergency" Numbers

Emergency Telephone Numbers
These are more effective than 911
When...

You are sad, phone John 14
You have sinned, phone Psalm 51
You are facing danger, phone Psalm 91
People have failed you, phone Psalm 27
It feels as though God is far from you, phone Psalm 139
Your faith needs stimulation, phone Hebrews 11
You are alone and scared, phone Psalm 23
You are worried, phone Matthew 8:19-34
You are hurt and critical, phone 1 Corinthians 13
You wonder about Christianity, phone 2 Corinthians 5:15-18
You feel like an outcast, phone Romans 8:31-39
You are seeking peace, phone Matthew 11:25-30
It feels as if the world is bigger than God, phone Psalm 90
You need Christ like insurance, phone Romans 8:1-30
You are leaving home for a trip , phone Psalm 121
You are praying for yourself, phone Psalm 87
You require courage for a task, phone Joshua 1
Inflation's and investments are hogging your thoughts, phone Mark 10:17-31
You are depressed, phone Psalm 27
Your bank account is empty, phone Psalm 37
You lose faith in mankind, phone 1 Corinthians 13
It looks like people are unfriendly, phone John 15
You are losing hope, phone Psalm 126
You feel the world is small compared to you, phone Psalm 19
You want to carry fruit, phone John 15
Paul's secret for happiness, phone Colossians 3:12-17
With big opportunity/ discovery, phone Isaiah 55
To get along with other people, phone Romans 12


ALTERNATE NUMBERS
For dealing with fear, call Psalm 47
For security, call Psalm 121:3
For assurance, call Mark 8:35
For reassurance, call Psalm 145:18

ALL THESE NUMBERS MAY BE PHONED DIRECTLY.
NO OPERATOR ASSISTANCE IS NECESSARY.
ALL LINES TO HEAVEN ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY.
FEED YOUR FAITH, AND DOUBT WILL STARVE TO DEATH

(I'd like to give credit to whoever wrote this, but have seen in multiple places on the internet, with no credits. But I didn't write it.

Recovering from my hard drive crash and busy busy times, and hope to be back to writing myself this week. Thanks for visiting! )

Technical Difficulties

My hard drive crashed, so I am without my PC. My new computer is expected to arrive Friday, so I hope to be up and running with a new post on Monday. Thanks for understanding.

Stopping Jesus's Miracles

On Monday, I posted about holding back our friends and family by our lack of faith in them. Today, I want to ask, are you holding Jesus back from performing His miracles?

To find out, come with me over to Titus 2 in Action, for my bi-monthly post there.

You say it's your birthday?

It's my birthday too, yeah!





*Artwork courtesy of Rich Gifts Graphics and Blog Design.

Who are you holding back?

When I'm speaking to a large group, or writing for a magazine, I feel very comfortable sharing anything. I don't know the people, so I have no fear of rejection. However, knowing that my heart will be revealed to someone close to me is a different situation. Because they knew me back when. It's hard to be a light to folks who knew you in the darkness.

It's the same when friends from the old days want to be my friend on facebook. I wonder who they are expecting, because I'm not the same girl I was at 17. I am a new creation in Christ, and I fear they are looking for someone they won't find. At the same time, I don't know if they too have changed, so I shouldn't be judging them.

How about you? Is there someone in your life who you are quick to judge? Jesus experienced this in his hometown, when he went back.

Mark 6: 1 - 6
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

"Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Because the people in Jesus hometown did not have faith in Jesus, he could not do any miracles there. Jesus, the son of God, was held back because of their lack of faith. How much more are we held back when family and friends don't believe in us?

Today, I encourage you to give your love and support to a family member or childhood friend who isn't the same person they used to be. Why not give them a chance and see? Don't stop their miracles from happening.