Spiritual Sundays

A moment to think about how blessed we are. This week as we loaded the first of many loads of our 'stuff' to move to our new home we stopped to sit in our chairs on the edge of the little utility trailer we were loading. Lots of times as I sit in a small space like that trailer I think there are many parts of the world where someone would love to have such a sturdy place to raise their kids.

I am Grateful God gave me the skill to earn a living, a husband who works hard and the brains to handle our money well. I am trying to be a good steward of HIS money.

Just the fact that I am here, now, blogging about what color to paint my new table and my new home and that I can afford to feed animals with our 'extra' tells me we are very blessed. Even with the hardships we all face....we are blessed.

This week I also got a letter from my Compassion sponsor child and how elated she is to get the tiniest gifts from me (ten dollars) makes me acutely aware....

What are your blessings and are you counting them or counting sorrows?

Spiritual Sundays

If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will you Father forgive your trespasses.

Mathew 6:14, 15

I think alot of us struggle with forgiveness. We somehow want people to DESERVE to be forgiven. We want to know people will NOT do it again and won't hurt us again. We want to hold grudges and be angry, because we are RIGHT!

Forgiveness is about US not them. Forgiving frees you from the anger and hate that dwell in holding a grudge. Those are not fruits of the Spirit, to be sure.

This week I had a hard time with Forgiveness. My usually wonderful, yet human, husband had been taking change from a jar of mine. He had missed the memo that this money had come from my grandmother. She was a woman of little money and yet she saved all the coins of all the grandkids birth years. So I shared 1974 with my cousin Bill and she would sort those coins from her change and put them away for us. She touched each coin with her tiny line-covered hands. She likely had times where the end of the month came before the end of the money and she could have taken a few bucks from any of us without our knowledge, but didn't and still she saved.

I was so angry at DH when he I found the jar, I had intended to use it as a symbol of her helping me to buy our home. He was sure he didn't know what it was when he took it and I believe that, but then I was SO mad that he hadn't listened to me tell him (8 years ago) and that stung even more. I left the house so angry I couldnt' breath. I took the lighter jar and sat in a parking lot and sobbed over that money. I spent most of the week angry about it and thinking how Grandma never had nearly what we had and yet DH used her money for things (pop etc..) she probably gave up for me to have this money.

I became convicted of my feelings a few days ago when I realized that the EMOTION my grandma put in there was important and she too had an imperfect husband (i never met him) and she was also a wonderful wife by all acounts. The biblical description of a good wife/woman was read at her funeral, even. I never heard her say a bad word about another human, even some who had scarred her deeply. My language slips more in a day than hers did in a lifetime. She would NOT want me angry at my husband. She would want me to forgive him for MY sake and HIS. Even more so, God would want me to forgive this too! I am still sad and have some moments, but I am working on forgiveness.

Is there someone you should forgive for YOUR sake today?

What if HE didn't forgive us when we misused his belongings?

Spiritual Sundays

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Joshua 1:5

When sometimes I feel God isn't with me I remind myself he is never gone. Like the fifth sunny day in a row you start to 'not notice' the sunshine. Like your loyal dog you don't even hear him at your feet. However, when the rain comes you feel the absence of the sun and when you lose your loyal dog you miss the sound of his breath beside your feet.

Often when we think we are missing God we have put stuff between his presence and ourselves. Are you standing with your back to the Son? I am often guilty of being so caught up in my day to day that I don't pray or seek out God enough. I sometimes question whether He is there, only b/c I know if I were the parent and my child had turned her back on me as much I, in my humanness, wouldn't be so loyal.

Try today to think whether you take time to "be still and know....that HE is God"....just Be still and see what things are fogging up the windows to your soul.

Spiritual Sundays

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:3-5

This is one of the gems I found when I was really NEEDING it. It really speaks to my heart. There are alot of times I wonder WHY we must suffer, why good people have hard times. It helps to know that God works all things for the good. I do beleive those of us who have had 'hard times' are more resiliant and I believe God uses it to show us to ask for help from him and from fellow Christians, as well.
If you are having a difficult time today be sure to add this verse to your daily readings!
Here's to hope!

Spiritual Sundays

Gratitude

God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

Just about every night my pal and I 'IM' one another and at the end of our chats we require FIVE gratitudes from one another. Some nights it is so easy. Some nights it FEELS hard, but really that fact that we are sitting inside our homes typing on computers says how blessed we are. While I might find myself annoyed with football on television as my hubby watches, I am truly blessed to have a husband, a TV and be sitting her healthy to be annoyed.

I have alot to be thankful for in my daily life. I have been worrying about the money for the house downpayment and praying for lots of business and my phones have been ringing. I am trying to remember to say a little 'thank you' to God each time I book another dog. I need to remember as we are moving to this new home that each of those calls, clients and opportunities was a way for him to give me this home. We often forget that he GIVES us our skills and everything we have is HIS.

This week my neighbor, Karen, brought me a book (after reading last Sunday's post) called God's Promises & Answers for your life. It was such a kind gift and jesture. She also brought Peach preserves which Duncan is enjoying on his PB and J sandwiches (PB and P??).

I have had clients, friends and fellow bloggers cheering for and praying for me this week and I have felt those blessings in my life.

So, today, take a moment to count your blessings and remember where they came from and to whom we owe the thank yous. If we truly counted them, we would be praying without ceasing as we should.

Thanks for reading and have a blessed Sunday

Spiritual Sundays

and on the seventh day He rested.

While it is unlikely any of us will give up ALL activity on Sunday. Consider what things you do that make OTHERS work. If every Christian family decided they would ONLY go out for TRUE needs what impact would that have.

I spent many years working in retail. My grandmother would be very annoyed that I had to work Thanksgiving or any other holiday or Sunday. I asked her "Do you SHOP on those days?" The more you shop, the more other people's kids are working.

You can do some simple things to make it easier for others to rest on Sunday. Try to eat your meals at home on Sunday (also a good way to spend time with other friends), get some or all of your shopping done during the week and reward places that ARE closed on Sunday.

For me, that last one is very important. If you are choosing between Chik Fil A and Wendy's consider what it takes for a company to make that committment to it's people and morals. When you spend five cents more at Hobby Lobby versus Michael's you are making a moral statement. I completely understand why businesses feel they MUST be open Sunday (and Holidays) but I would love for my husband's work to make SO little money on Sunday that they didn't feel it was necessary.

So, this holiday weekend, when it may be hardest, consider voting with your pocketbook and putting your money where your morals are.

I guess I will just be thankful I found that chair YESTERDAY so Goodwill didn't get MY money on Sunday!

Spiritual Sundays

Another late entry. A busy day!

He who buries his talent is making a grave mistake.

Neglect not the gift that is in thee...

1 Timothy 4:14a

I sometimes wonder what my gift is, how about you? If you already KNOW yours do you fertilize and care for it, or let it wilt? I feel in this season of my life, that many of my past 'trials' were training for being Duncan's mom.

Are there trials in your life that are pointing you towards your gift and towards your intended good works here? Did you have a hard childhood and are able to help other kids to overcome? Not all of us have gifts as obvious as a voice, or an artists eye.

Take a moment today to find your gifts and uncover them, nurture them and use them for the good.

Spiritual Sundays

A Late entry!

Better late than never! I spent a weekend with fellow pet stylists in Chicago Illinois. I enjoyed the freedom from housework, work and responsibility. I was with my best gal pal, Daryl and we stayed in a marvelous hotel it decorated very modern and beautiful. We both joked that we would have to buy ALOT of white paint if we lived there.

We found time to visit a little group of antique shops and even a flea market. She gave five lectures and I gave two.

Last week my 'theme' happened to be friends and I can't help but say it is again! I am a better person for having known Daryl. She is a great role model. She has shown me how to be a better wife and mom by example.

So here I am road weary and yet content of spirit. So I searched for an appropriate quote and it's related scripture (again in my grandma's book..God's Little Insturction Book).

Real friends are those who, when you've made a fool of yourself, don't feel you've done a permanent job.

beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth...

1 Corinthians 13: 7,8

I really feel we can learn such great lessons from our friends about how it is to love, We can even learn from moments when we feel on of our friends have not 'measured up' take a moment to consider how we may need to work harder on ourselves or even our relationship to God. How often do we fail to do what He would want and yet we are forgiven? Grace is really the most powerful thing.

So, I often feel that Daryl is the friend/gift God gave me when He knew I would need her. He knew I would need a friend who was a good example, who would laugh with me, cry with me, work beside me, nag me when necessary and encourage me. Some days I see thorns....Daryl points out the roses. In the garden that is my life one of those very roses is HER!

Go find the roses fellow bloggers....Thank God for them...count the blessing and not the trials...it is in feeling and finding blessings that we become MORE blessed.

Spiritual Sundays

I am new to this so I went to my bookshelf. I have there God's Little Instruction Book. It was my grandma Russell's. If I have met a 'saint-like' woman it was her. She was the epitome of what it means to be a 'good' woman. I can still hear certain hymns and in my mind be transported to the pew next to her as she sang with such an open spirit to her creator.

So I dug out the book...and I flipped until I found something compelling.

Your companions are like the buttons on an elevator. They will either take you up or they will take you down.

He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20

I felt this was so appropriate for this blog community to which I am so new. Finding this new way to share our love of cottage style and all it embodies is amazing. Beyond that to find that so many of you are good and faithful women and still enjoy caring for our families. In all our different ways makes me joyful.

So for my part of Spiritual Sunday I say we celebrate our wise friends and continue to prove that the internet is only as good or bad as we choose it to be. Where will YOu surf today?