This bookmark is one that I use for a lot of the books I read. It's a great reminder!
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. -Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. -Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)
With Valentine's Day approaching us soon, with it being a day to celebrate love, I think of our Heavenly Father's love for us. I, naturally, also think of the ones that I love...the Lord, family, and friends...my Valentine: who just happens to be my husband...I think of all of this, and how great it is to love and to be loved.
How great our Lord's love is for us though!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16 (KJV)
About the Photo: Breann gave me this heart magnet (in the photo above) during her early years of elementary school, and it's been on our fridge ever since then. She is now in 8th grade, and it still hangs on our fridge!
let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. -1 Peter 3:11 (ESV)
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. -1 Peter 3:11 (KJV)
God's Word inspires me, and it helps me find my way along this journey we call life.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Today's Photography Assignment/Challenge: is something that inspires me. God's Word inspires me so very much!
Shining my light for the Lord's purpose, that's what I want to do. I want to live my life with purpose, the Lord's purpose. The Lord has given me so much to be grateful for, and I want to shine my light with kindness, with care, with the kind of love that the Lord offers to me. I want to shine that kind of light as much as possible.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. -Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. -Matthew 5:16 (KJV)
Today as I get up to a new day, as I have my coffee and read my Daily Bible Reading Plan, I think of how blessed I am.
I wake up to a loving God, a loving family, a warm home, good health, a blessed life. I have been blessed tremendously. I am not sure I could ever list all of the many people and things God has blessed me with, but I am thankful for this life God has given me. I'm so thankful, God is so good!
Yesterday, we went to church. We worshiped the Lord, and praised Him for all of the goodness in our life. Today, on this Monday, I praise Him still. He is always worthy of our praise.
I have so much to be thankful for, and I am. I'm so very, very thankful!
It's going to be a great week, filled with God's goodness.
Troy's artwork he did at church today. They also discussed prayer in his class.
Today is planned to be a relaxing Sunday, just as it should be. Our plans for today include: church, family time, and time relaxing at home!
I say that I don't, and I really, really try not to take this life I live for granted. It's not my intentions to take it for granted. I want to soak up every bit of this life that God gives me. It's really a gift!
It's funny (not the haha kind of funny, either) how sometimes a loved one being sick or hurting can really put things in perspective though. It makes one realize how much we really (maybe not intentionally, but we still do) take for granted. We're not promised tomorrow, we may hope for it, but we're not promised it.
The Good Book a.k.a. The Bible says:
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. -James 4:14 (KJV)
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. -James 4:14 (ESV)
You see, this verse means so much. It means we should cherish the todays that we have, before they turn into our yesterdays. It is never my intention to take this great big life God has given me for granted. It's never even my intention to take the people placed in my life for granted. I want to soak every bit of this life up...the happy and the sad times, the big and the small adventures, and the people in my life who I love more than any of the treasures this world may ever hold. These people are one of God's many great gifts to me!
This world has a lot of brokenness in it. Broken hearts, broken health, and even broken faith. This world is not a completely perfect world. You know what, though? Among this broken world I look to the Lord and through Him and the love I've been placed in...my God's love, my husband's love, the love of our children, and even the love of our family and friends I see the unbroken pieces...the solid foundation...the things I never want to take for granted.
The things and people I never want to take for granted...my husband...holding his hand, his sweet hugs and kisses, and even our date nights...our time together is always precious! Our kids...their laughter and smiles, and just being their Mom is such a gift. Time with our family and friends, soaking in every single minute we can of life with them is a blessing. God is so good! He fixes the broken pieces in this world with the journey He places us on...we just have to choose the right path, and not take any of it for granted.
As I type this I'm leaving Dairy Queen. My husband and I went there after we visited Urgent Care for my husband this evening. All will be well, praise God! We found out he has diverticulitis this evening, but God is our strong foundation, and He's awesome!
While eating dinner (which my husband had to do for his medicine), we both noticed an older couple sitting next to each other in the booth behind us. The guy working there handed them one banana split, and asked if they needed two spoons, and they told him yes. I want us to always be that kind of a couple, my husband and I. While I don't like bananas, I do love date nights with my husband.
This is just my thoughts, this Saturday evening. How the Lord can be our solid foundation, and those He places in our life is a gift. May I never take this for granted, and when/if I do, may the Lord help me to always remember what gift this life is, along with everyone who is in my life. I'm blessed!
