Reflections On My Mirror--Today

Mirror writing...Earlier I posted "Reflections On My Mirror" earlier this week...

See it @ http://thegoodlife54.blogspot.com/2013/06/reflections-on-my-mirror.html

Since I moved last summer I again started the mirror writings.  The original writings were on my bathroom mirror.  The bathroom mirror here is much too small, so these are on my bedroom mirror.  They are a bit different, but they are reminders that I need to read....

Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your god.  Deut 5:32

"People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."  Abe Lincoln

Every breath of life depends on God's will.

Let your light shine...you are the light of the world.
You are a breath of fresh air.

He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.  Ps 147:3

Sometimes we have to leave people behind who are not good for us and who are keeping us from being the person God wants us to be.  Sermon

Call on me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do now know.
Jeremiah 33:3

You will find that it is necessary to let things go simply for the reason that they are too heavy.  C Joy Belle

Spacibo=God saves you.

There is still a lot of space on my mirror, lots of room for other things that have special meanings to me.
If you need a constant reminder about something, and encouragement, a blessing, a push, try writing it on your mirror, with a scripture to match. It can start or end your day with just what you need!

2 Peter 3:5

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.
Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Moore, OK....Like a War Zone

Guess it's taken me a few weeks to be ready to talk about Moore, OK.  The group I went with from Revolution Church in Schertz was awesome.  Getting to know them, especially Joyce and Angela, was a great experience.  They are all people with huge hearts for God...truly His hands and feet.
The people who opened their homes to us, fed us and prayed for us were so gracious.  Samaritan's Purse is a very well organized and run organization that gave us several jobs to do.  They have obviously done this many times before.  We met people that this is all they do now.  In their retirement, and even some that specifically take off from their jobs for weeks at a time, to go and help in disasters.  All of the above were inspirational.
I came home knowing for absolute certain that "stuff is just stuff" and that all that matters is family and friends and love for one another.
It was an unexplainable (God and only God) miracle that only 24 people were killed in that tornado.  In the path it covered, truly hundreds could have died.  Bless those who lost their lives, especially the children. The stories the survivors told, about where they were, how they managed to come out alive, were amazing.  To see the destruction with my own eyes was heartbreaking, breathtaking, and mouth opening.  From as far as you could see and further, there was total destruction.  Houses were flattened, smashed, broken, and wrecked.
On the second morning, after bending, pulling, raking, loading, hauling and lifting, I woke up thinking, "oh my goodness, we have to go do it again!"  Then I thought about the folks who have to do those same things EVERY day until their house, their neighbors house, their family's house, their business, is cleaned up and rebuilt.  Day after day and difficult and grueling day they courageously get up and do it one more time.  It would be so easy to just look at it all and say, "I give up", or "nothing can be done", or "I can't do it anymore".  But they don't say that.  They bravely forge ahead, one step at a time, and do it one more day.
It was so emotional to pray with people you didn't know, pray for people you didn't know, to hold hands with the home owners and pray comfort and blessings over them.  Gratitude for my home, my family and my life was ever present in my head and my heart.
I'm including a few photos, but truthfully, it's painful to look back at them.  They don't even come close to the real thing.

 When the debris is clean up, it's all hauled to the curb so it can be picked up by FEMA trucks or someone.  We are not even sure who does that.  Miles of piles of debris covered the street's edge.

This was the one that touched me the most!

I did not take photos of the school, but we saw it.

I will not forget this time.  I had hoped for an opportunity to go back, but so far it has not arisen.  It will be years before Moore is healthy again.  Perhaps another chance will come.

         Matthew 6:19
       “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and      vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

1. Matthew 6:20
   But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.
Blessings and love to you xoxo.

Reflections On My Mirror

Years ago I use to write on my mirror, things that helped me live each day, reminders of things that are most important.  When I moved from that house, that mirror, I wrote them all on a dry erase board so I could keep them with me in my new home.  When I moved from there, I got rid of many things, including the dry erase board.  From there, I wrote them in my journal.  They are still in my journal, and now they are here. I can feel the healing power of God working in me today! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Phil 4:13 Live in the present moment. God can work miracles. Ps 77:14 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Ps 37:4 My happiness cannot possibly depend on my forcing changes in someone else.  Nor does my misery come from anyone but me.  (Al-Anon) Growth in wisdom comes in obeying Gods laws.  Praise his name forever.  Ps 72:19 Unconditional love is of the soul, instantaneous, universal, not bound and from God. In His will is our peace.   You are a mighty God. Don't be impatient, wait for the Lord and He will come and save you.  Be brave, stout hearted and courageous.  Yes wait, and he will help you.  Ps 27:14 God show me the way. For I know the  plans I have for you says the Lord, to give you a future and a hope.  Jer 29:11 With hope in our lives, all else is possible. This too shall pass.  (AA and Al-Anon) I pray to learn to enjoy the good each day brings and not to be apprehensive about the future which is in God's hands. Enjoy the good life.  Receive it with a grateful heart. With God all things are possible.  Matt 19:26 I will not give up my passions and my dreams.  I will live to do them.  (Me) I am the miracle! EVERY time I read these I feel blessed.  God is an awesome God.  Waking up I am reminded.  Looking outside I am reminded.  Living each day, one more day I am reminded. Philippians 4:10-14 (Paul) says: God who gives peace will be with you. 10 At last you are concerned about me again. That makes me very happy. We belong to the Lord. I know that you have been concerned. But you had no chance to show it. 11 I’m not saying that because I need anything. I have learned to be content no matter what happens to me. 12 I know what it’s like not to have what I need. I also know what it’s like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough or not enough. 13 I can do everything by the power of Christ. He gives me strength. 14 But it was good of you to share in my troubles.  This is what I strive for, to be content, no matter what, no matter what.  I can do everything by the power of Christ.  He gives me strength. Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths. Blessings and love to you, xoox.

Horse Love

A recent horse photo session.  Here are some of my favorite shots of the yearlings, mares, and mares and foals. 

Yearlings

Ring-eyed sorrel foal

Gray mare and sorrel foal.

Bay mare

Blue / gray yearling colt

Palomino mare and sorrel ring eyed foal.

Dusty palomino yearling

Judges 5:22

Then thundered the horses’ hooves— galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Bunny Love

In the last few days the evidence of spring in the dead of summer has become apparent.  Baby rabbits!  At this point, they are somewhere between birth and adulthood...teenagers!  I began to see two little cotton tails in the front yard.

They were rolling around in the sand and dirt like nothing I'd ever seen before.  I have seen them numerous times in the front and side yard eating grass.  I've seen them early when I leave the house to walk.  Saw one of them this morning in fact.

Another afternoon I saw this guy.

Yesterday, Ikey started barking while he was up on the pillow on my bed looking out the window.  Low and behold we see these three Jack Rabbit bunnies.

The little guys are adorable...even if one was eating some of the only flowers that are left in my yard that the grasshoppers have not eaten.

 See the rings around this one's eyes?

There's something longer and more drawn out about these last ones than the first ones.  Their ears are not long yet and I'm no rabbit expert, but I'm pretty sure it's the Cottontails vs the Jacks.  I guess time will tell...even though it may never tell me.  Until then, we'll just watch and photograph and love our hopping bunnies.

Maker of Heaven and Earth (All Things Bright and Beautiful)

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
God made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset, and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
We gather every day;--

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well. 

Cecil Frances Alexander

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Super Moon, Did You See It?

I love stuff like super moons and eclipse, meteor showers and starry nights.  Last night was exceptional.
I saw on FB yesterday morning that yesterday through this morning the moon would be the closest and the brightest of the year!  Called the Supermoon, the Rose Moon or the Strawberry Moon, based on it's elliptical path around the earth it was to be the closest, biggest and brightest.
Hays and I talked about it all day.  We looked at photos on the internet.  We watched for it to rise from the horizon as evening drew near.  When it finally did it was awesome.  He was inside and went in to get him.  Here's our conversation as entered on Facebook.

SUPER MOON SHINES BRIGHTLY THIS WEEKEND...!

My grandson's here and we've been talking about the super moon coming tonight all day. This evening I said "THERE's the SUPER moon, there it is!" Him "does it have a cape?" Me "sure"...him "wow, is it going to fly?" Gotta love that boy. On the way home from the backseat he says "I love you Annie". Be still my heart!

Is there any choice but to just love that child in an indescribable and unmeasurable amount?  Is there anything else to say? Except...

God you are so good!

Job 42:16-17
Job lived on another 140 years, living to see his children and grandchildren—four generations of them! Then he died—an old man, a full life.

Psalm 128:5-6
Enjoy the good life in Jerusalem every day of your life. And enjoy yourgrandchildren. Peace to Israel!

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Love and Blessings to you, xoxo