From our family to yours, we want to wish you a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

Jeff, Christy, Christen, Jeffrey, and Joshua!!

Story of the day:  “God” Mindset

Roger von Oech in his book, A kick in the Seat of the Pants, suggests:

Take a look around where you’re sitting and find five things that have blue in them.  Go ahead and do it.

With a “blue” mindset, you’ll find that blue jumps out at you:  a blue book on the table, a blue pillow on the couch, blue in the painting on the wall, and so on…In like fashion, you’ve probably noticed that after you buy a new car, you promptly see that make of car everywhere.  That’s because people find what they are looking for.

Quote of the day:  Craig Larson

“At times in our lives, God seems strangely absent, but the problem is not that God has disappeared.  We simply lack a “God” mindset.  When we develop our sensitivity, we soon begin to see His work everywhere.”

Bible verse of the day:  Matthew 13:9

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

May each day that I am alive on this earth, develop and keep a “God” mindset, fixing all that I am and have on You.  May I be filled with Your loving Grace to a point that I am overflowing to those around me.  I pray to You that the eyes to my heart continue to open to those suffering, lost, and in need, so that Your Word may be shared with each of them.  I love You and thank You for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Funny Friday Quote: Surgery

A man was still a little groggy from the anesthesia after surgery.  His wife was sitting at his bedside.  As his eyes fluttered open, he murmured, “You’re beautiful.”  Then he fell asleep.

A few hours later, he woke up, looked at his wife and said, “You’re cute.”

“What happened to ‘beautiful’?” she asked.

“I guess the drugs must be wearing off,” he replied. [Jim Kraus]

Bible verse of the day:  Psalm 119:129 (NKJV)

“Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul keeps them.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today is such a beautiful day!  I awoke to Your beauty that fills the sky and the earth.  Thank You for sharing it all with me this day.  Fill me with Your Living Water that I may do Your Will this day!  I love You and thank You for this day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Story of the day:  Hanging On

Christen had to have four teeth removed yesterday.  As she sat in the chair, I could see the anxiety on her face and her mind thinking about all the things that were going to happen.  As tears began to well up inside, I immediately prayed with her and asked God to give her peace about what was going to happen.

So after a few moments of wondering if she still had to have those teeth removed, the dentist came over, nummed her up with some cotton swobs, and then took out these great big needles that were going to pierce the flesh in her mouth, and numb her entire mouth.  I, with all that I had, remained strong for her, for I knew if my facial expressions relayed any of what I was feeling inside, she would have probably wanted to run out of that room.

There were four teeth, 3 adult teeth, and 1 baby tooth that was missing an adult tooth in it’s stead, that the dentist was going to remove. In just a few minutes, the dentist was able to pull the 3 adult teeth out with hardly any effort.  The baby tooth, however, was clinging on to it’s root for dear life.  The dentist almost had to call the oral surgeon, because as far as the dentist was concerned, that baby tooth wasn’t giving.  Eventually, the baby tooth was cracked and broken from the root, allowing the dentist to get a grip on it and pull it out.  He said, “It’s always those little teeth that have the deepest root and are the hardest to free from the area that it’s gotten accustomed to.”

As I got to thinking about this some more, I began to think about how similar sin is in our life when it isn’t dealt with right away. In the beginning, we might think about it and be a little concerned, but then after a while of it being there, we may forget about it. The sin, no matter how small it is, begins to take root and before you know it, we get comfortable with it being there.  Eventually, we don’t even notice the pain that it may be causing us or feel the need to get rid of it because it is somewhat nice.

Well, no matter how nice or comfortable Christen got with that baby tooth being there, there were some underlying effects, caused by this little tooth that had made itself home in her mouth.  She would get headaches and her jaw would hurt because it was crowding all of the other good teeth in her mouth.  Same is true with sin, it will eventually begin to take over all of the areas in our life, even the good ones, affecting us in different ways.  so much so, that we need Jesus, the Ultimate Dentist, to crack it and break it from the root from which it is embedded within.

Quote of the day:  Christy Povolish

“Jesus is the Ultimate Dentist, able to free you from all of your sin, no matter how big or small it is, you just need to let Him get in there and pull it out.”

Bible verse of the day:  Romans 6:23 (NKJV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

There is no sin out there that is considered not so bad in Your eyes.  Sin is sin, no matter how big or small it is.  You have said that sin cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and because of Your great love for us, You paid the ultimate price, freeing us from all sin, if we willingly come to know Jesus as our personal Savior.  Father, You pulled out the tooth of sin that has been in my life and have made room for the Holy Spirit to reside, giving me a new life.  Father, I ask that You search my heart and bring to the surface any sin that may be lingering and trying to take root in my life, so that I can confess it to You, and You can pull it out.  Father, I pray for those that don’t know You, that today is the day that they do.  I love You Father, and thank You for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Story of the day:  Black Gold

In Moody magazine, John H. Timmerman writes:

In the back corner of my yard, partitioned by a rose bed and a 40-year old lilac bush, rests a pile, 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet high–my compost pile.  Old-fashioned chicken wire stapled to well-anchored stakes holds it in place.  Into it I toss every bit of yard scrap and a heavy dose of kitchen scrap…a bit of lime now and them, a good dose of dog droppings, and an occasional handful of fertilizer.

The compost pile burns hot, never smells, and each October yields about 70 bushels of find black dirt, dark as midnight, moist and flaky, that I spread in the garden…Gardeners call it “black gold.”  It nurtures 80 roses and a half-dozen beds of perennials and annuals…

Could it be that what nourishes my pants nourishes me?

This compost soil grows rich and fertile and sits for months, just as my life and the need for my soul to rest. [John H. Timmerman, Black Gold: Nurturing the Heart. Moody, September 1994, pg. 14.]

Quote of the day:  Craig Larson

“Daily life hands us all kinds of things–good and bad.  But as we take sabbath rest, these things are transformed.  Godly rest can turn the difficulties of daily life into a rich resource for spiritual fruitfulness.”

Bible verse of the day:  Mark 6:31 (NKJV)

“And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for rest.  With all the things that my day holds, good or bad, it is nice to rest in You.  You fill me each day and provide all the things that I need to get through my day.  I am grateful for Your love that continues fill me to the point of overflowing.  I love You and thank You for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

                                                                                                                                                   Story of the day:  Type Freedom License

Christen will be getting her license soon and I began thinking about driving licenses and the freedom that comes from driving.  Jeff and I have been gearing up and preparing ourselves for the time that she will hit the open road.  I will be sure to let all of you when that day arrives so that you can stay home. All kidding aside, Christen is excited to take on this responsibility, a responsibility which does carry freedom.

Do you remember when you first got your license?  There was sense of freedom that came with that little piece of laminated paper.  Though freedom exists with the license, it requires some obedience on the driver’s behalf.  The word freedom in driving doesn’t mean that we have the freedom to drive as fast as we want or to run red lights.  It means that we have the freedom to be obedient with a vehicle that is in our possession.

Just as I don’t expect Christen to get into a car and run red lights or stop signs, I don’t expect my freedom in living to mean that I get to do whatever it is that I want to do.  ”In fact many people think that freedom is the license to do whatever they want, but in actuality, true freedom is the ability to do what is right, even when no one else is looking.  It takes obedience in order to have true freedom.” (Michael Green)

Quote of the day:  Author Unknown

“To be truly free, we must have the power and ability to be obedient.”

Bible verse of the day:  1 Peter 2:16 (The Message)

“Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for freedom.  Help me Father, each and every day, to listen to Your words and to be obedient to Your call.  Let my heart be open to all the love, joy, and grace that comes from freedom.  I love You and thank You for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Story of the day:  “Makin’ Sumthin’ 4 you”

In Discipleship Journal, Paul Thigpen writes:

I remember coming home one afternoon to discover that the kitchen I had worked so hard to clean only a few hours before was now a terrible wreck.  my young daughter had obviously been busy “cooking,” and the ingredients were scattered, along with dirty bowls and utensils, across the counters and floors.  I was not happy with the situation.

Then, as I looked a little more closely at the mess, I spied a tiny note on the table, clumsily written and smeared with chocolate fingerprints.  The message was short–”I’m making sumthin 4 you, Dad”–and it was signed, “Your Angel.”

In the midst of that disarray, and despite my irritation, joy suddenly sprang up in my heart, sweet and pure.  My attention had been redirected from the problem to the little girl I loved.  As I encountered her in that brief note, I delighted in her.  With her simple goodness in focus, I could take pleasure in seeing her hand at work in a situation that seemed otherwise disastrous.

The same is true of my joy in the Lord.  Many times life looks rather messy; I can’t find much to be happy about in my circumstances.  Nevertheless, if I look hard enough, I can usually see the Lord behind it all, or at least working through it all, “makin sumthin” for me. [Paul Thigpen. Where's the Joy. Discipleship Journal, May/June, 1996. p.21.]

Quote of the day:  Walter B. Knight

“Joy is the flag that flies over the castle of our hearts announcing that the king is in residence today.”

Bible verse of the day:  James 1:2 (NKJV)

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You so much for always makin’ sumthin’ for me each and every day. It is through these blessings, whether they are messy or not, that I am able to find joy through it.  I pray to let patience have its perfect work no matter what goes on in my life and through any situation, that I give You all the praise and glory!  I love You Father and thank You  for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Funny Friday Quote:  Test Grading (Jim Kraus)

At a large college there was a star athlete who was academically challenged.  In one of his classes he sat beside a straight A student.  The professor suspected that the athlete was cheating, but she didn’t have actual evidence.

Grading the midterm exam, she saw that for question number 10, the smart student had written, “I don’t know the answer.”

Immediately checking answer 10 on the athlete’s exam, she smiled knowingly.  He had written, “Me neither.”

Bible verse of the day: Proverbs 3:13

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this blessing of a day.  It is filled with Your beauty that shines off of the sunrise and the sunset.  I pray that this day will used for Your Glory and may I find rest in You.  I love You Father, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Your Great Commission.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Story of the day:  Step out and smile

Ruth Ryan, wife of Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, had one moment she looked forward to in every one of her husbands’ games.  In Covering Home, she writes:

It probably happened the first time on the high-school baseball diamond in Alvin, Texas, in the mid-1960’s.  Then it happened repeatedly for three decades after that.  Inevitably, sometime during a game, Nolan would pop up out of the dugout and scan the stands behind home plate, looking for me.  He would find my face and grin at me, maybe snapping his head up in a quick nod as if to say, There you are; I’m glad.  I’d wave and flash him a smile.  Then he’d duck under the roof and turn back to the game.

It was a simple moment, never noted in record books or career summaries.  But of all the moments in all the games, it was the one most important to me. [Ryan, Ruth.  Covering Home. Word, 1995; as seen in Reader's Digest, September 1995, 87.]

Quote of the day: Craig Larson

“Those who love us long for us to acknowledge them, to give them our attention.  This is true not only in marriage and family, but in our relationship with God.  Throughout our days, in both the big and small moments, God enjoys it when we “step out of the dugout” and smile in His direction.”

Bible verse of the day:  Proverbs 3:6

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You so much for my marriage.  Father, may I find ways each day to acknowledge the greatness in my spouse.  May the words that I speak be encouraging, uplifting, and full of love.  Thank You for sharing my spouse with me while I am here in this world.  May we make the most of each day that You have blessed us with.  Father, I thank You for always being a part of my life, no matter where I go, and teaching me how to love unconditionally, just as You do.  I love You and thank You for this day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Story of the day:  Love is found in many ways

In Rhythms of the Heart, Phil Hook writes:

My mother and I did not “mix.”  I chose a typical teenage solution to the problem–silence.

I would leave for school in the morning, come home to eat, then leave again.  When I was finally home late at night, I read books.

Invariable, my mother would come downstairs and ask me if I wanted a sandwich.  I grunted my assent.  She cooked egg ad bacon sandwiches for me night after night until I left home for good.

Years later, when our relationship was mended, she told me why she had made all those sandwiches.  ”If you would ever talk to me, it was while I made that sandwich,” she said.

Hook writes, “I’ve learned love is found in a consistent display of interest, commitment, sacrifice, and attention.” [As abridged in The Christian Reader, May/June 1995, 34.]

Quote of the day:  Mother Teresa

“I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no more hurt, but only more love.”

Bible verse of the day:  1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for love, especially Your Love.  Father may I wake each day and live the days to their fullest, sharing love with all those around me.  May You rain down on me with Your love, Grace, and Mercy, that I in turn will spill over into this world with the same love, grace, and mercy that You have given to me.  May I make each day, each moment count in all that I do.  I love You and thank You for this blessed day!

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen