Just a Little Candle

There is nothing quite as refreshing to me as walking in the house to the scent of  a candle burning or warming in a candle warmer. Usually, I pick the country scents like apple pie or pumpkin spice or vanilla bean. The thing is ....I just realized that I am fresh out of candles! If it were up to me, I would have one lit and put in every window...but we have three very curious cats that like to get everywhere that they are not supposed to, and I am convinced they would burn our house down! We get a lot of thunder storms here in the summer and many times have lost our power and my candles have come in handy for a little light. One little candle doesn't give off a whole lot of light, but when you have a bunch of them, you can light up the whole house. I am just one little speck in the whole spectrum of the world but I can make a little difference. Each of us together can make a bigger impact if we all worked together at it. I remember singing the little song ...."this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.....", and wondered what in the world that meant. My life can either give off a positive glow and actually inspire and help others or it can be dark and negative, and be a destructive force in somebody's life.  It's not always about  words that we can preach  "AT"  people, it is the way we treat them and are in character, that reflects the light of God in our lives. People need to see that we are for real...from the heart....not just religious in the head! I want to be more real  and less superficial.                                                                                                                                                        

Matthew 5:15-16 " Neither do men light a candle and hide it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."

It Has Been Good For Me....

"its not the tone of voice you use when you are praying, but the tone of voice you are using behind closed doors at home."...~Joyce Meyer

I was telling my daughter the other day that this has been the best year of my life... I am 50. I will soon be 51! I suppose to other people, looking from the outside at my circumstances, may say, " how can she say that?"  I have been thinking about how quickly this past year has flown by. Since my last birthday, I have been to many, many doctor appointments, had numerous medical tests, been added several prescriptions. Along with all of this, my husband has also been sick many times with pneumonia, at least three times this year, on top of his "normal" problems that stem from his brain injury. So how can it have been a good  year?

I have learned to really pray. Sure, I prayed all of my life and have been to church and even worked in a Christian School.....but it is easy to let Christianity almost become a " learned"  behaviour instead of a relationship with a person! True Christianity, is not  religion, but a relationship, in which I can talk to my "Best" friend, and in faith know that He hears me! A lot of people pray big lofty prayers but then turn right around and cuss out their family. I honestly do not believe God honors that. I heard this from Joyce Meyer this morning and it is no accident! I was already thinking on all of this...."it's not the tone of voice you use when you are praying, but the tone of voice you are using behind closed doors at home."  I have had time this past year to sit, think, and pray much! I have had some people mad at me for being bold enough to say that I had prayed for them. They may think I  am some kind of a kook! I am not perfect.....far from it!  I have my daily struggles just like every one else...but I know beyond any doubt that God is listening to my voice and has answered so many prayers over this last year. I do not enjoy being sick in the least...don't get me wrong.....and I love all of my friends who believe in praying for instant healing....however for me personally, I have to say,  " it has been a good thing for me to be afflicted that I may draw near to God."  Whether you are sick or in perfect health or things are going great or you are in a heap of trouble....it is always the same...He listens....  He Cares.....He does something about it!

Just A Little Birdie

Well...here I am again...better late than never! I am usually up earlier, before the sun! Today I have been up too, but for some reason I kept changing my mind as to what I wanted to write about. I am sitting here watching the sun shining so brightly and it is refreshing after not showing itself for a few days. I even thought I saw a few little birdies fluttering around in the tree outside my window....or was that my imagination?  I am really getting anxious for the warmth of Spring...It seems to me that this has been one of the coldest, longest winters in a long while! I just want to get outside and walk in my field and listen to the little birdies. Last year I had a constant little yellow visitor at my bedroom window every morning and I hope his family comes back...I know he won't be coming back.....one of my cats saw to that , much to my disappointment, last summer! I remember waking up one morning and realizing that my visitor had not come. I wondered, but dismissed it from my thoughts, until I was later out mowing the lawn around the window, and noticed my poor little birdie on the ground. I felt so sad. You may laugh and think...it's just a silly bird! But to me it was a special little visit each morning with a song....telling me to wake up and face a new day. I am reminded this morning that God cares even when a little bird falls to the ground.......and cares about me so much more than the birds.

Matthew 10:31 " Fear not, You are of more value than many sparrows."