This is "The Life"

Blessed, that's what I am, truly.  I live a simple life.  I don't have a lot of money.  I don't have a lot of worry, or stress, or issues, or family problems, or money problems, or hard work.  I don't have it all.  I have what I need.  I have a relished life filled with peace, and quiet, and love, and beauty.  I have my family who loves me.  I have a life others would love to have.  When I hear my friends speak of their troubles and their difficulties, I quickly recognize how blessed I am and I thank God.  Who knew but him that after all the things that I've lived through, that right now, this is where I would be?  I wish I could say I never complain.  I wish I could say I never wish I had something else.  I wish I could say I never say I wish this was different.  But I can't.  I do know that I would not trade my life for anyone else's or give it up or take a big risk and lose it all.

This week when Baby Gray was here and we were outside swinging and we were laughing and he was smiling and opening his arms wide and saying "How much do I love you", it just confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is where I'm suppose to be.  This is my life and it's filled with love.

And as the butterfly flew by (right in front of us where he could see it) watching us play (butterflies are a sign my mom is looking down from heaven with love), I cried.

God is good.  He may not answer your prayers the way you hoped he would or you thought it should be.  He may do it better than you ever dreamed.
Still dreaming and praying in my little house!

Ephesians 3
²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Shhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

I mentioned I was starting a Bible Study this week.  It's called Discerning the Voice of God.  First session out of the box I learned several very valuable things in the weekly daily work.

The first one is...to know God's word and not obey it is a sin against Him.  If you defy God you will not hear him.  If you obey God, your reward will be great.  A consequence of that is that we will hear his voice far less often.  A callous will build up around our "spiritual" ears!  No matter how hard you pray, your likely not to hear him if you are blatantly disobeying him.

'If only you had paid attention to My commands.  then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.' (how peaceful) Isaiah 48:18

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man."  Matt 7:24

Second...you must set aside time for him, time to talk and time to listen.

I'm all about talking away at him, telling him this and telling him that; asking him for this and asking him for that, thanking him, praising him, on and on.

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" Thes 5:16-18

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Matt 21:22

But then I don't set aside a time for HIM to talk to ME!  I don't give him time for rebuttal.  I don't give him time to answer my questions or listen to his will for me or his wisdom.  It's a one sided conversation.  It's all about me.  So while praying is about thanking him, talking to him, asking him, it's also about listening for him.  How can you hear his voice if your ears are calloused or if you never give him time to speak.

"As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut...he is in heaven, and you are only here on earth,. So let your words be few.  Ecc 5:1-2

And hey, here's another thing....he may not speak or answer your prayers when or how you want him to.  Waiting for him to respond may take a while.  You still have to give him the opportunity, every day.  Even if you start with a few minutes of listening and not talking, listening without a hundred other things going through your mind, listening with anticipation that he will answer, that is what it's all about.

"Be still, and know that I am God.  Ps 46:10

Obeying him, setting aside time, being quiet, and listening for him with anticipation that he will speak to me, are my goals.  That's a big order.  It's God before me and I'm pretty selfish much of the time.  I can do it though and I know God will be patient with me.  He always has been...I'm a slow learner.

House Shopping...To Rent or Buy..follow the yellow brick road.

Have you ever been house shopping?  If not, don't.  It's time consuming and frustrating.  It's also a bit mind boggling.  Most of the houses we looked at have been on the market for a little while.  Most of them were dirty, literally dirty.  It was unbelievable that folks were charging as much money as they were and they had not even been in these houses obviously in months.  There were some that I knew would need some work.  I never imagined I would be looking at houses that folks just neglected and don't care about.  When my house was on the market, there was not a dirty dish, dust on the TV or a bed unmade.  There was pride in the fact that my house was nice and clean and ready for someone to view.  I wanted folks who saw it to appreciate the fact that it was well taken care of.  Who wants to buy a house that is unkept, unless you want a project.  I'm not looking for a project when the houses I'm looking at are my top dollar purchasing price.
Needless to say, house shopping was a bust.
I'm reconsidering renting over buying.  I looked at several rental houses but most were way out of my price range.  None of them seemed right anyway.  I had no feelings about them...I just felt nothing about them.  Then I saw an adorable rental I'm hoping the owners will consider me for.  There would be things to work out, but I can see me in that house.  I could see me making a home there.  It's an older house, in the country, with a front porch, a tin roof (I can hear the rain falling) and big oak trees.  It's got big windows and the owner said there is always a breeze blowing through there.  It has a beautiful view.  I always loved living in the country.  In my life, I've done so three to four times.  It's so peaceful and quiet.  This house has been taken down to the studs and redone.  If I had done it myself I might have done a few things different, however, what they did do was great.  I can see my old family furniture and my "treasure hunting finds" inside this house.  I can see my ivy baskets hanging from the porch, my urns with geraniums or jew leading up the steps and pretty things in the flower beds.  I can see the two white rockers I have that rocked on our old front porch for who knows how many years, rocking here on this porch.  I can see my grandson playing in the yard and a swing hanging from the tree.  So time will tell.  We'll see if they call.  If they don't, I'll keep looking.

So my prayers to God, about the when and the where He is paving the way for me to go, continue.  I pray He keeps my eyes and ears open and clear.  I hope He speaks loud and that His path is lined with yellow bricks so I'll know which way to follow.

Encourage One Another

Plop Plop Fizz Fizz, Oh What a Relief It Is

OK, earlier this week I spoke of missing then relocating my watch...much relief there.
Well, there's been a concern hanging over my head for about 6-7 months now.  In April, the owner of the property and barn where I keep my horse told me he was selling his property.  He and his wife were tired of the country and were going to sell their home and move to town.  I immediately became concerned about losing the place where I board my horse.  Months went by but about a month ago I received the dreaded phone call that he had sold it.  He said he had told the new owner about me and my horse and I'd have to talk to her about what was going to happen.  I asked him to give her my name and call me as soon as possible so I could see what was going to happen.  I never heard from anyone.  This week I had decided to ask for her number and had planned to call her.  On Wednesday I went to ride in the evening after work.     As it turned out, she was at the property when I drove up.  I introduced myself and told her I had been wanting to talk to her.  She said he never gave her the number.  But what she also said was "nothing had to change...he is fine where he is".  She mentioned some things they were going to do to the property, but that he was fine right where he was.  I was so relieved tears came to my eyes.  I told her I was fixing to retire and looking forward to riding more often and hoping I would not lose my place to keep him.  She was really nice and very close to my age.  Once again this week my concern has been relieved.  Another prayer answered.

Encourage one another!

Friendship

Friendship, it's an amazing thing.  I have this friend.  We pray together.  I have not had a friend to pray with in a long time.  I can't remember when to tell you the truth.  I'll call her up when I'm in a dilemma and tell her my story.  And then she will say "can I pray for you"or "would you like me to pray for you?".  I love that.  I love her.  She is a mentor to me.  Tonight she called me.  She and I are both going through somewhat of dilemma right now.  It's about should we follow our heart or should we follow God.  Ok, really, is that even a question?  That in itself shows our selfishness, our wanting it our way instead of God's way.  We know what He wants us to do.  We know what we need to do.  Now we need the courage and strength to do it His way, to walk the path He has laid out for us.  It's the harder way...or so it seems to us.  However, I bet in the long run we look back and see that His way was THE way after all.  Tonight she prayed for both of us.  Amen!

Encourage one another