Mother’s Day Knockout Rose

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” – Zephaniah 3:17.

“I am calling you to a life of thankfulness. I want all your moments to be punctuated with thanksgiving” — Jesus Calling.

Unfortunately, there are many examples where I failed to thank God for all my blessings. I find myself complaining about petty items.   

The weather is too hot or too cold. We need more rain or there’s been too much rain. This meat is too spicy or too bland. They get more time off to do what they want to do. Or, their grandchildren live close by and mine don’t. She’s further ahead in her writing career, or he has more published magazine articles than I do.

Instead, I need to be thankful for:

• Sufficient food on the table
• Employment opportunity
• Children & Grandchildren alive & well
• The gift of writing
• My own platform to proclaim my story

I am right where God intended me to be. He placed me in this family for a reason(s).

Dear God, forgive me for daydreaming and wondering what the grass on the other side might be like.

“You may think the grass is greener on the other side. But if you take the time to water your own grass, it would be just as green” – unknown.

Jimmie Joan

But she isn’t here to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day. On July 23, 1990, God chose to bring her home to him. How could such a good woman, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and daughter be taken from us at such a young age? Yet I know that God’s “thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8).

Fast forward nearly 23 years later. Sometimes it’s tough to see and appreciate all the blessings and good God has bestowed upon my family and I. Where do I begin? The best place: right here & now.

I feel especially blessed this Mother’s Day. Both of my children were with me, my grandchildren, daughter-in-law, spouse, mother-in-law, sister & brother-in-law, various nieces, nephews, friends surrounded me at some point in the weekend.

My gifts included fresh flowers, rose bushes, fancy pendants, hugs & sloppy kisses, heart-felt cards & notes. It was all good. Truly, I feel loved.

Just seeing family members seated around the table filled my heart to the brim with love & appreciation! Life is sweet. God is good. All the time.

Investigate, search, test me — those are mighty probing terms. Do I really want the God of the universe cross-examining me? One thing for sure – nothing will slip past him. There’s no way I can bluff the One who sees all and knows all.

Thank you, God, that you are a personal God. You are involved by knowing & caring for each of us. Gently lead me away from wrongful behavior and thinking. Guide me in the path of integrity & virtue. 

• Are you willing to have every thought and action cross-examined before the Judge?
• If so, can you take steps to right the wrongs?
• Or, are there some pieces of your life you’d rather not have exposed?

I am calling you to a life of thankfulness. I want all your moments to be punctuated with thanksgiving –  (Jesus Calling).    

Unfortunately, there are many examples where I failed to thank God for all my blessings. I find myself complaining about petty items.

The weather is too hot or too cold. We need more rain or there’s been too much rain. This meat is too spicy or too bland. They get more time off to do what they want to do. Or, their grandchildren live close by and mine don’t. She’s further ahead in her writing career, or he has more accepted magazine articles than I do.

Instead, I need to be thankful for:
* Sufficient food on the table
*  Employment opportunity
*  Grandchildren alive & well
*  The gift of writing
*  My own platform to proclaim my story

I am right where God intended me to be. He placed me in this family for a reason(s).

Dear God, forgive me for daydreaming and wondering what the grass on the other side might be like. 

“You may think the grass is greener on the other side. But if you take the time to water your own grass, it would be just as green” – unknown.

My finite mind will never reason it out. There is no justification for senseless, needless killings. Humans have free-will choices. Many choose to use their choices to do good. Unfortunately, there will always be those who choose evil.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” — Jeremiah 17:9/NLT.

And what about those who wake up this morning with no son, daughter, sister, or brother? What about the injured with missing limbs, brain or head trauma?

How do we counsel them? What words could possibly ease their pain?     

Amidst this horrific situation, God stands ready to comfort, to extend his caring, loving arms. To wrap those arms around bleeding limbs & hearts. God’s love is deep and strong — able to shelter the worst storms. He extends his hands and says, “Come to me, my bruised child. I will ease your pain.”

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God … but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God” — 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 9.

God gave each of us a message, a song, and a story in our hearts. He gave us this message to share. Not to keep it stored up inside.    

Your story is different than mine. Your story is yours. My story is mine. My story includes joy, pain, trials, defeat and victory — so does yours. Our stories involve different details, but similar characteristics. The Author-Creator of our stories remains the same God.

Isn’t it time to pen those words, so others can be blessed & encouraged? Ask God to fill you with his all-encompassing power. He will give you and me the courage to write that story burning deep inside!

Let me fill you with my Love, Joy, and Peace … Glory-gifts #JesusCalling.

Rather, offer “the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the Lord” -
Psalm 116:17 (NKJV).   

I’m considering the words to the famous song written by Chris Tomlin, “How Great is Our God.” Only five one-syllable words, but packed with power and meaning. Let’s look at a few attributes of this great and awesome God:

Sunset over Lakeshore Yacht Harbor – Muskegon Lake

*  Clothed in majesty (compared to my filthy rags)
*  He is Light (I sometimes hide in darkness, how about you?
*  King of all Kings (I am nothing without Him)

Yet when I humble myself and call on his matchless name, I am called a daughter of the King. God desires my fellowship and bids me to walk in the light as he is in the light. He truly is a great God — worthy of all my praise.

*  Have you thought about the hugeness of God, creator of the universe
*  Have you told him your worries (none of which are too big or too small for him to handle)?