DID YOU KNOW?

• Did you know that you were not a mistake? 
• Did you know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that the Lord determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live?
• Did you know that you are a Divine, one of a kind, original, created for a special purpose no one else can fulfill?
• Did you know that you are God's treasured possession, and that He loves you with an evarlasting love?
• Did you know that His love for you is so great that even if you were the only person on this earth, He still would have sent Jesus to die for you so that you could be forgiven of your sins and reconciled to Him?
• Did you know?

(For Scripture references, click here to read The Father's Love Letter).

BEAUTIFUL BUT DANGEROUS

20 days 'til Spring!

WHY?

There are so many things I don't understand, and this morning when I picked up a devotional I had started reading last year but never completed, these words by Marilyn Morgan King spoke right to my heart.  I'd like to share them here in case anyone else can relate to my ever questioning mind.

Some hard questions are shrouded in mystery

too deep for human minds to understand;

the hidden answers aren't meant to be unlocked

until the soul is ready to see life whole.

Every good thing has its shadow

and every dark night is the back side

of a new day waiting to dawn.

GREAT-GRANNY GRANDMA BUILDS HER FIRST SNOWMAN

Yay!  I built my very first snowman ever today.  On my balcony, where 23 inches had accumulated.  (The accumulation on the ground below totaled 36 inches, I have been told.)

Not bad, if I do say so myself.  I guess it's never too late to try new things.

TIME IS LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE

As long as I can remember, there's always been a jigsaw puzzle in process somewhere in my home.  I love doing jigsaw puzzles.

My latest effort has 3,000 pieces.  I found it at a yard sale and couldn't resist buying it since I've never seen anything over 1,000 pieces before.  It has been a bit of a challenge though. 

First I had to put several large pieces of cardboard together to create a surface large enough for it to fit on, and even then, there was no room to dump all the pieces.  So there were pieces all along the sides, in the middle, on top of the parts of the puzzle that have already been completed, and  a whole bunch still in the box because there was nowhere else left to squeeze them in..

This is something that has never ceased to amaze me, how in the beginning there is no place for all the pieces, and yet the more of the puzzle you get done, the more space there is, and when the whole thing is completed, all the pieces fit together perfectly, and there is plenty of space all around.  Well, while working on my current colossal project, I was suddenly struck by an aha moment.  Time resembles a jigsaw puzzle. 

I'm always so overwhelmed by the things I'd like to squeeze into my day, and frustrated by how much is left undone at the end of it.  It has even led to sleep deprivation as I try to cram more in.  I've gone to time management seminars, and even used a planner for a while, but never really consistently because I didn't truly believe that it could make a difference.  Maybe it was time to give it another shot. 

First I made a list of major projects I've been neglecting (such as putting stacks of pictures in albums, and backing up files on my computer), with an estimate of how long each one would take if I just devote a half hour or an hour a day to tackling them.  And then I made another list of things, like work, exercise, quiet time, that absolutely need to be included every day.

With these two lists in hand, I make it a point to fill out my daily planner page the night before.  Now I'm astounded at how nicely the pieces fit in when I follow the schedule.  Instead of frittering away half my day on blogs and e-mails, for example, I stop after the allotted time and move on to the next thing.  It's amazing how much more gets accomplished and how much less overwhelming it all seems..

BLIZZARD OF 2010

SERENITY PRAYER

Oh the frustrations of dealing with organizations that have no mercy!

THE LOST HORSE

THE LOST HORSE is an old Chinese folk story that explains the meaning of a blessing in disguise.  It is the tale of a wise old horse breeder who can see the silver lining in a dark cloud, and who recognizes the hazards that can lurk behind a stroke of seeming good fortune.

In a nutshell, one of the old man's horses runs away one day.  When the neighbors commiserate with him over his misfortune, he asks them, "How do you know this is not really good luck?"  A few days later the horse returns, bringing another horse with it.  When his neighbors congratulate him on his good luck, he says, "How do you know this is really good luck?"  Sure enough, some while later the old man's son falls while riding the horse and breaks his leg.  This turns out to be a strke of good fortune when all the young men of the village are ordered to join the Emperor's army, but the old man's son doesn't have to go since he has a broken leg.

Moral of the story:  Things are comparitive; the good comes with the bad.  You should not lose your will to continue if an unlucky event happens, nor should you be too overjoyed or feel too self-satisfied because of a lucky event, or because something that you desire comes very easily to you.

This parable came to mind this week as I butted my head against what seemed like a brick wall.  Circumstances that had at first seemed positive had turned negative, and I was powerless to do anything about it.  All that butting just gave me a very big headache.

Now I do not believe in fate or luck, but in a God who is in total control, and from whose hands all blessings flow.  I know in my heart that even when my senses scream at me that everything going on in my life appears to be contradicting His promises, and my prayers are going unheard, it's because I tend to focus on one  small piece of the puzzle instead of being patient and trusting Him to work things out according to His perfect timing and plan.  I tend to forget that, unlike me, He sees the whole picture, and is working things out for my ultimate good and for His glory (Romans 8:28).

So once again, I lay my burdens at the foot of the Cross and put my trust in Him who gave His life for me (and for you too) so that we could be reconciled with the Father and enjoy eternal life.

A TOUCH OF NOSTALGIA

I came across this photo while looking for something to post on Facebook for Way Back Week, and no, it's not the one that got picked, but it did create a nostalgic moment.

Could anyone have imagined--even in their wildest dreams--that the path would lead from there to here?

A CALL TO ANGUISH

Feeling convicted by this video clip I saw on the blog of a 15-year-old, and thinking what a great testimony that even in today's world there are young people out there who are not ashamed to be sold out for Jesus and who have the boldness and courage to follow the narrow path instead of trying to fit in with the crowd.