Hershey Kisses from Heaven

I have heard people say that it is in the good times of life that God becomes forgotten, people become secure and start to depend on their own strength. Yet, it is in the storms of life that most cling to Him with every fiber of their being, holding on to the only thing they have-Him. What do you think? I don't want to be a "wayward Christian," only being strong in my faith at certain times of my life. I want to realize that all things in life come from Him-the good and the bad.

Beth Moore has started a rally to encourage others to memorize scripture. The 1st and 15th of every month, anyone can go to her blog and write what verse they are going to memorize for the next two weeks.The best way to pick one verse out of so many, is to think of what you need right now. It could be patience, or confidence or the need to trust and no longer worry. In January, I needed strength; strength of mind and spirit, so I looked up "strength" in the concordance of my Bible and read every verse about strength until I found the one my soul needed most. It was weird how it almost lept off the page shouting, "I'm it, I'm the verse you are looking for!" When I would start to lose my patience or become weary, I would say that verse and it would really change my perspective. I was reminded that He is my strength and that I am not meant to handle everything life throws at me, on my own.

The beginning of this month, I really wanted to be mindful of being thankful of all the blessings in my life. When you live each day thinking of how blessed you are-it's hard to get weary or bothered or begin to worry. My ladies Bible study group has been going through a different book of the Bible each week. Since the beginning of this year, we have spent a lot of time going over verses that at one point in my life-was all I had. There have been so many times I was taken back to a horrible time in my life and saw the drastic difference of how things were and how things are now. I have spent a lot of time thanking God for saving me from myself and for restoring what the locusts of sin had eaten (Joel 2:25). I pray my heart will always be mindful to look around and see how blessed I truly am.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,

continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him,

strengthened in the faith as you were taught,

and overflowing with thankfulness."

Colossians 2:6-7

Do you remember when you first found Jesus? You might have felt that you could do anything and would go anywhere He told you to go. You were totally mindful of His sacrifice for you. As time went on, you might have forgotten just how good it feels to be "washed as white as snow". Life might have gotten rocky and you wondered where God was. Life is hard, no doubt about it, but this verse reminds us to live life in Him, doing His will, just as you were when you first accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. Have you ever seen a plant that has been pulled from the soil? It doesn't take long until it droops and beings to die. We are the same way. He cannot build us up or strengthen us if we are no longer "rooted" in Him. Remember that faith grows by believing-believing He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. As my pastor said at church last Sunday, if God has done something before in your life, He can do it again. We will not fear, but have the same faith we had the day before.

I encourage you to be mindful of His blessings and stay overflowing with thankfulness for what He has done in your life. It might be hard to find things to be thankful for, but He will show you. It could be as simple as seeing a full moon, eating a hot chocolate chip cookie, sleeping in a heat filled house while it is cold outside. There is always something to be thankful for and those things come from Him. They are the Heavenly Hershey kisses that say, "I love you!" Cling to those things and give Him all the praise and all the glory.

Wordless Wednesday: My Boys

More to Love

So, I should be fired from blog world and be banished forever from cyberspace. Life has gotten so busy and my pregnant brain is no longer functioning like it should. I start a post and then something happens and when I sit back down to finish, my train of thought is gone. Two Sunday's ago, my pastor reminded us that we make time for what is important to us and I guess in the midst of everything, writing has scooted to the end of the priority list. I apologize for not being consistent. My bible study leader was talking about how important it is for us as Christians in this day and time to make sure we get out God's Word. She said, it doesn't matter how you do it, just find your way to reach the world and DO IT! I kept thinking, my best way is through this blog that I have so severely let go. I should make it more of a priority to write something, even if it is short.

This past week I have been thinking about Valentines Day. It is a holiday that has never really been that big a deal to me. I remember friends of mine getting so depressed over this holiday because it reminded them that they didn't have a special someone to send them a card or flowers. As I've gotten older, I realized that Valentines Day isn't just a day to celebrate our love for one another, but the love that our Heavenly Father so richly lavishes on us. A few of you may remember a post that I wrote last year at this time of year. I have found myself thinking of it again so I decided to go back and re-read it. I wanted to share it in case you missed it. There are some changes, but overall the idea is the same. I hope you enjoy! Have a super blessed Valentine's weekend!

What people are in your life that you consider your "loved one's"? There are probably many obvious people you can think of ~your spouse, your children, your best friend, your pet. What people make you smile? I love to see people smile when I pass them in the grocery store aisle. I love to see the older women in my church reach across generational lines and give me a hug on Sunday mornings. I love it when I see a father hold his child. I love to see someone doing something they are passionate about. I love seeing a man hold open a door for a woman. I love to see a grandparent embracing their grandchild. I love to see an elderly couple holding hands.

What things do you love to smell? I love waking up to the smell of coffee. I love the way a campfire smells in the fall time. I love the way the air smells when my father-in-law cooks his famous hot dogs on the grill. I love the smell of my mother's homemade rolls. I love the smell of Gain laundry detergent. I love the smell of Pizza Hut pizza. I love the way the air smells so fresh right after it rains. I love the smell of a flower garden when its blossoms are all in bloom. I love the way a baby smells right after they take a bath. I love the smell of my husband's Brut aftershave. I love the smell of cookies in the oven.

What kinds of things do you love to do? I love it when I wake up early, feeling refreshed and I can sit in the quiet of my house and read my Bible. I love teaching my children new things and seeing their eyes light up when they start to understand. I love watching my children grow older with my husband. I love walking in the park and watching God's beautiful nature play out before me. I love to write and to go to ladies bible study. I love to bake cookies with my daughter and listen to her tell me all about the things going on in her life that I might have missed. I love holidays when my whole family is home and we can simply enjoy each others company. I love to sit on the couch in my living room and watch the red cardinal perch on my back fence. I love doing pottery and making something out of clay and turning it into something beautiful. I love to take pictures and try to freeze those special moments in time forever. I love to learn something new. I love sitting on the couch and reading my boys a story, only to have them bring me another book when we are finished. I love to watch a rainstorm in the distance. I love to get together with other homeschool moms and share our struggles and what things God is doing in our lives.

What kinds of things do you love to hear? I love to hear my children yell, "Daddy!" everyday when my husband walks in the door from a long day at work. I love to hear my boys "talking" to each other or my daughter teaching them something new. I love listening to the wind blow through the trees. I love to hear the first cry of my newborn baby after a long and hard labor. I love to hear passion in a person's voice. I love to hear my three friends Kim, Victoria and Charisse sing on a Sunday morning. I love to hear my daughter reciting Bible verses in the other room. I love to hear people encouraging one another when they need it most. I love to hear my children laughing and playing with their cousins. I love to hear my son Will say, "Eww too," when I tell him I love him or my son Foster say, "I wanna give you a kiss Mama," right before he goes to bed. I love to hear the ocean waves splash along the beach. I love to wake up to the soft, pitter patter of rain on a day I don't have to go anywhere. I love to answer the phone and hear one of my sisters at the other end. I love to hear my mothers reassuring voice tell me, "You are a good mother, Marion!" I love to hear my husband's soft breathing as he drifts off to sleep and I will never get tired of being told how much he loves me.

What kinds of things do you love to feel? I love to feel the soft, cuddly pj's as I hold my child. I love the way your hair feels so soft right after you wash and dry it. I love the feel of crisp, clean blue jeans. I love the way a hot cup of hot chocolate feels on a cold day. I love the feel of my son's soft skin on my face. I love to feel my husband's warm hand in mine. I love to feel his hand on the small of my back as he guides me into a room. I love the way pajama pants feel after a long day. I love how clean my teeth feel after I brush them. I love how you feel when you finally take that plunge of faith and surrender to the Lord. I love to feel needed and loved. I love to feel like I was able to help someone smile. I love the feel of accomplishment over completing a task.

This is just a small glimpse of so many things that I love about life; to name everything would take all day. There are so many things that we have right at our fingertips to enjoy. So often our minds are focused on what we wish we had or on what someone else has, that we take for granted all the blessings we do have. This Valentines Day, remember love doesn't just come from God-He is love! As you look around at your life, all the ins and out's of it-thank Him for all the loves in your life. Since He is the source of love-all of those things are His gifts to you this Valentines Day! How unworthy I am to be loved so much!

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you

and that your joy may be complete."

John 15:9-11

"Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself."
Matthew 22:37-39