Morning

I have never been a morning person! I am very lively at night, but I do not even want to whisper in the morning. I have always preferred quietness until about 9 or 10. God must surely have a sense of humor. He created me to teach. He placed me in a school over 40 miles from home. He has given me very lively, noisy children who are bright and perky, and even loud in the mornings. Even in the noise, I have a new appreciation for mornings.

A favorite old song says that God's mercies are new every morning. I have gained a passion for beautiful sunrises. They often remind me that it is time for God's mercies to be fresh again, fresh like the morning dew.

Be blessed!

Thinking Vertically

In the last three years I have heard a term at school called "vertically aligned." In the education world, that means people at various grade levels get together and organize better so that students do not reread the same books in different grades and so that our education transitions can be smoother (elementary to middle school and middle to high school).

It hit me last night that God wants us to be vertically aligned. You know on the Day of Pentecost, followers of Jesus were gathered in the upper room, and the Bible says they were all in "one accord" (Acts 2). They received what God wanted to give them because they were vertically aligned. They were centered on Him as they prayed and waited.

God has not changed. He has blessings for us: salvation, Holy Ghost baptism, His divine presence, joy unspeakable, unconditional love, peace that passes understanding... and so much more. He is waiting for us to turn our attention to Him so He can pour it on. Lord, here I am. You are God of all; my mind is on You. Pour it on! As a wonderful old song says, "I want to be so full of You that there won't be room for anything else." AMEN!

Christmas Gift!

It's Christmas! WOW! And in the blink of an eye, it will be gone. Christmas is a time to celebrate, to share, and to reflect.
I celebrate love from a holy Creator to an undeserving mankind.
I celebrate family and time set aside to be with them.
I share my worship from my heart for the One Who came down and took a robe of flesh so that I may have life abundantly.
I share my time, my blessings, my food, and my talents with those close to me.

My family has always played a game called "Christmas Eve Gift." It is a race to see who can say it first. The goal is to say it first to as many people as you can. Every other person willing to play it with you is your opponent. My mother's best friend and her daughter once came to our house at midnight, so they could "get" Mother at the first possible, and unexpected, moment.

That daughter now lives out of the country and has been known to call at midnight just to say "Christmas Eve Gift!"

I must admit I got a little bored with the game in my teen years, and let it slide. Now that I have kids, it is back, and with a vengeance. My eldest is competitive and loves the game. The fun is back. Somewhere along the way, I carried it over to Christmas Day. Christmas Eve has passed. All that is left now to say is

CHRISTMAS GIFT! Have a Merry Christmas!

Bits and Pieces

That is what I feel like these days: bits and pieces. My church family lost a precious member to cancer a week ago. She was a mother, sister, daughter, friend, minister of music, Sunday School teacher, Wednesday night teacher. She was the kind of teacher who was always prepared. She was the kind of friend who showed up to help you whether you had windows to clean, hair to perm, or a disaster to fix. If you were moving, she came and cleaned behind the furniture that had not been moved in five years. When you tried to shoo her away from your dirt, she shooed back and said, "Nah, I got it." She was my sister's best friend, and we are sooooo gonna miss her.

She, however, has choirs of angels all around and light straight from the Son. Streets of the purest gold are under her feet. The day of her funeral, at the graveside, there was a magnificent wisp of clouds that waved up like they were painted with giant fingers into angel's wings. Just after the dove release ceremony, we looked straight overhead, and one of those wisps was rainbow colored. I have never seen anything like it.

I have 3 projects going at the same time as I try to finish up my master's degree. Overwhelmed does not touch it. I am also an optimist and know that I will get through it. I can do ALL things through Him Who gives me strength!!!

All for now. Blessings!

Pray 7x7, inspired by Angie Smith

I copied this button from Angie Smith's blog. It has a link attached regarding praying for our children. I just think it is precious. How much more meaningful can a life be than if it is covered in prayer?

Unwanted

I happened on a website today that showed pictures of actual aborted fetuses. I did not know that was what was behind the link I lifted. I think it said, "Results of Abortion" and I thought it was a video of someone who had lived through a failed attempt at an abortion. What I actually saw was grotesque photos of pieces of babies. I do not understand how anyone can call them "tissue." They have arms, legs, ribs. I do not know how many pictures are available to view. I saw a few and began to weep.

Society deems abortion a choice. Some people say it is a woman's choice to abort an unwanted baby. It is justified because the child is unwanted. I have no biological children, so no unborn baby is unwanted in my eyes. I could never have adopted forty million. I know that, but that does not mean they were unwanted.

The only choice women should have is whether or not to become pregnant. I won't even touch the rape topic, because I do not believe that is why people abort. If a person makes a choice that could possibly result in a baby, then that baby deserves the same right to live that its mother has.

I am grieved. Images are etched in my memory that I cannot erase. God have mercy on us. Forgive our sins, and heal our land. Give peace to those who have aborted and repented, and help them to let go of the guilt of the past. What is done is done, but help us find a way to stop more atrocities. In Jesus' name.
Amen.

A Thin Line

I have been feeling a little differently about death lately. I have always felt as if the substance between me and death was thick like a thick, cushiony, padded room (and neatly bottoned like an old couch. It's quirky, I know). Lately I have been feeling like the substance is thin like a placenta.

I heard someone else talk about the following last weekend, and it made me want to look it up for myself. According to Philippians 1:21, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." What is gain? According to http://www.yourdictionary.com/gain, gain means "increase in wealth; earnings; profit." That sounds like one supreme payday!

Gotta stop for now. More later.