Ladybugs vs. Imposters...

   When I was younger, I used to love finding ladybugs in the garden. They were the perfect shade of red, and about the only bug that I was NOT afraid of. After all with a name like "Ladybug" what is there to fear?

   Fast forward to recent years and I have found myself saying "I HATE these ladybugs!" ...You see we live in an old restored farmhouse that sits on a sunny ridge, that thousands of these beetles have claimed as a vacation home. The warm sunny rooms in our house, like the kitchen and our bedroom become polluted on warm spring and fall days. I have been "bitten" by one crawling up my leg after it falls into our bed...I have set down a glass of sweet tea in the kitchen only to come back and find one swimming around in my glass...ugh!

So I started looking on line to find out how to get rid of ladybugs who make your house their home...

   I found out that I had been accusing the wrong beetle! What has overtaken our home is NOT the ladybugs I loved as a child, but another related beetle - the Asian Beetle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These imposters look the same at close glance, but if you look closer, you can spot the differences...

 

For instance...

 

 

 

Their Appearance:

Asian beetles vary in color from pale orange to deeper reds and every shade in between.

Ladybugs are dark red in color (which is unattractive to predators) and have almost no color variation.

The # of spots on an Asian beetle can range from 0-19

Ladybugs have a uniform pattern of dots.

Asian Beetles have a "W" or "M" between their heads and backs.

Ladybugs do not

Their Actions:

Asian beetles were introduced to the U.S. to eat small bugs considered pests, but they themselves are now considered pests.

True ladybugs eat small bugs that harm plants and are gardeners best friends. One ladybug can consume up to 5,000 aphids in its short life span.

True ladybugs are more difficult to find now than Asian beetles and it is considered to be lucky if you find a true ladybug.

 

What about a Lady of God?

Many claim to be a lady of God, but are there ways to tell?

Would we be identified by others as a true lady of God?

Can people tell by our appearance?  By our actions?

Those can help, but God looks at our hearts. Do our hearts identify us as true ladies of God?

   Proverbs 31:26 - "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Is our speech kind?"

   I Corinthians 6:19 - "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? Which you have of God and you are not your own?   Do we treat our bodies well? Do we abuse them with lots of unhealthy food? Or maybe we do extreme dieting and rob our bodies of important nutrients? Do we go-go-go with no time for restorative rest?"

   A true lady of God should also nurture her soul by connecting with our Father who longs to spend one on one time, healing, providing, strengthening...

   If we do make time for that, when the storms of life come (and they always do) we will know who to turn to. We will know we can turn to our faithful Heavenly Father who will never leave us or forsake us.

 

   Do you know that your Heavenly Father is there for you? Have you had those precious moments when in the midst of hard times, you feel God's overwhelming presence and peace come over you? I have had that happen at some very pointed times in my life. I will never forget the feeling of blanketed peace...

*A particular time when I was completely overwhelmed when I had 3 little ones and was caring for my injured husband who I so badly wished to see him healed.

*Waiting to see if the "lump" was cancer, test after test

*Watching your baby go under anesthesia for heart surgery, and your not so baby have his lung collapse and need to be on a chest tube vacuum.

I know so many of you have been through similar situations, many of you much worse. In those moments it is so hard to "be still" but so worth it.

 

   When we go through those difficult times, others see how God works in our lives. It is a great chance to show the hope and strength we have from Christ living in us. I know I could never get through the little incidents in life, let alone the big tough things without Christ's strength.

 

     A true lady of God recognizes God's faithfulness and her need for Christ. When God made us, He designed a longing within us to find him, and when we do, we realize how much we need him...

 

   Maybe you are sitting here today and you have never experienced that peace I spoke of...Maybe you have felt a longing for something more, but are not sure God is for you...Maybe you have the look down, you know how to talk the talk, but it's not quite real for you...

   A true ladybug goes through a complete metamorphosis to get to be that wonderful, beneficial creature that is a treasure to find.

   ...It's the same for us, we recognize our need for God to be at the center of our hearts and lives, we then give our life over to the one who created us with a purpose. And then, we have the assurance that no matter how rough life gets, He will never leave us and not only will he never leave us, but He will bathe us in His peace and take us into Heaven to live for eternity someday.

   If you have never fully given your life to Christ, I invite you to open your heart and become a true lady of God.

God is already waiting for you to invite him to the center of your heart, so don't be afraid to ask, He already said yes with the cross.

How God Opened My Eyes In The Walmart Vision Center

   

    So the other day, I thought I would just run into Walmart real quick after work, and pick up my son's new contacts, since I got a call they were in. As I approach the vision center, I see that they are very busy. the waiting area chairs were full and several people were getting fitted for glasses at the little stations there.

    I am thinking "Boy I am glad I don't have to wait with all those people for an exam and can just pick up and be out of here!"...So I walk up to the register with a smile on my face and wait to be greeted...a woman starts to walk my way, but just walks past the register to a back room..."OK, she's in the middle of something"...then a man working there slowly strolls out looks at me (I smile in preparation to be waited on)....he walks, looks at me, and just walks past me...I look over and see a lady sitting at one of those little fitting stations, but she doesn't have a customer, she is just sitting there looking board, but doesn't look my way....I feel my smile may be fading. It has been 10 minutes...I see that there is a clipboard on the counter, but it is for people to sign in for their appointment...I don't have an appointment, I am just "quickly" picking up the contacts....so I don't put my name down...oops, I think I need to refresh my smile...I don't feel like smiling, so I wonder if it looks genuine...

    It must not, because I had eye contact with a customer who was seated in the waiting area near the "board-looking" lady and she leaned over and said something to her and pointed at me...the board-looking lady looked over at me ...*I'm smiling* ... she looked annoyed and then looked at her computer...the customer then looked at me like "I tried"...my smile is gone now...I don't even care to try to smile...I grab the clipboard, sign my name and not so gently place it back on the counter (no I didn't slam it, but the thought crossed my mind)...

    The lady looks over her glasses at me, types some more, and then very slowly stands and begins to walk in my direction... she looks at the two men's names that are above mine on the clipboard...calls out the first...no one comes....calls out the second...no one comes...slowly crossed out those names, finally looks at me and said are you Allison?....Are you kidding???? I am the only one standing at the register, you saw me put my name on the clipboard! So I say "Oh my name DID have to be on the clipboard to be noticed"....she asked if I had an appointment, and I said no I was just here to pick up contacts. She let out a huff and asked my name. I told her and she said she would have to see if they were in. I told her I got a call that they were in...again with a "huff"... anyway, finally she gets the box of contacts...as I am waiting for the paperwork to print, I am thinking of a great speech about customer service and how someone in 15 minutes or more should have at the very least said the polite "we will be with you in a moment" and that a little acknowledgement would go a long way...
...BUT THEN... I heard it...God's still small voice whispering in the midst of my mental rant...

    "It doesn't feel good to be ignored does it?...My child, I wait throughout your day for you to come to me, acknowledge me....sometimes I show up, but it's not just at your scheduled time to meet with me...it takes you awhile to notice because you are distracted...but I wait for you and still give you opportunity to hear my voice and be involved in my work".............

    Wow! what a lesson! The lady handed me my paper and contacts. I said thank you and walked out of the store thanking God for that crystal clear message. He allowed me to feel such a tiny bit of what it must be like for him as we rush around our day, check facebook, twitter, pinterest, emails, text messages, youtube videos, etc...I get caught up in most of that and then some. I have been guilty of trying to fit God into my schedule. I am working on letting God run my schedule, and in order to do that, I have to be aware, look up at him often, keep my ears open. I am so privileged to belong to him and that he uses me in His plan, I don't want to leave Him waiting and feeling ignored.

Thank you God, for opening my eyes.

 

 

Sunsets and Declarations

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

This picture was taken at sunset after a very stormy day a couple of Sundays ago...after the thunder rolled, and the rains came down hard pelting the earth...out came the sun, in beautiful golden  light, screaming silently against the most beautiful blue.

There was a calm quiet, and the air smelled clean, and after the humidity we had been experiencing, the cool breeze in the air felt refreshing....

It has been months since I have written a post. You see I have been going through some stormy times this summer. No worse than others experience, but uncomfortable all the same...changes with my business, health issues, feeling overwhelmed and defeated, broken relationships, just a general black cloud feeling...don't get me wrong, there have been wonderful days, new blessings, great memories this summer...but in the back of my mind, I was letting the storms of this world speak louder to me than God's voice, causing me to question if things would be alright.

God is so faithful and patient. It seems every day I would lay my burden down, and then by the end of the day, I would pick it back up and worry over it some...and then God would send me a friend, a song, a scripture that reassured me that I was never out of His sight... that He had a plan that would all work together to bring glory to Him.

Today, after 4 months of waiting to see what was growing on my thyroid...I got the answer...nothing there...all clear! Months of symptoms and questionable test results...positive findings on ultrasounds...it's gone! Praise God it's gone! I had a different kind of cancer scare a couple of years ago, and had surgery which removed pre-cancerous tissue, God was faithful before, so I knew he would be again....But, there is no guarantee that illness will stay away from me, but I do have a guarantee that if illness would come to me, I will never be alone- God will always walk with me through whatever I walk through.

I hope that you have that confidence, that the God who made you, loves you more than anyone else could and just wants you to rest and trust in Him...if you don't have that confidence, He is waiting there beside you .... waiting for you to turn to Him and ask Him for it...

So going back to that sunset picture...it was just about that weekend that I had been feeling more confident, that no matter what, I could face anything with my Lord by my side. I was at home when that beautiful sun came out, and I ran to get my camera...as I looked in awe at the beauty before me, it was like my own lens was dialed into a sharp focus. I felt joy... that the God who effortlessly painted a masterpiece across the sky, also painted my future.

The Heavens declared the glory of God...right to my soul. Later that week, I got to have the big scan I had to wait 4 months for. I had peace the whole week, through the whole test, and even in the waiting for the results that came today. I don't need to know where the nodules went, I don't care how...they are gone, and I am declaring the glory of God, because the hands that paint the skies, touched me...me.,who is sinful, selfish, and has many moments of "little" faith...

If you are going through something, hold on, have faith, cry out to Jesus...stand ready to capture the light of the sun that WILL shine on you again...

Here are a couple more pictures, that I snapped that evening...wonder what the sky in Heaven will look like... I hope someday to meet you there :)

Sunset Easter Thoughts...

This was the beautiful sunset Thursday night...(Straight out of Camera) 

I love sunsets and tonight as I reflect on this week leading to Easter celebration, I wonder what the sky looked like when Jesus went to the garden to pray...

The ever changing sky is the handiwork of a never changing God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. That same God sent his Holy Son to die as a sacrifice for me!...for you! The fathomless power God demonstrates in His beautiful creation is the same power that raised Jesus from the grave and cleanses our sinful hearts and lives...wow!...

I am linking a series of posts here that I wrote last year for Easter...

Please click  on each of the three links below:
Thursday Thoughts of the Cross

A Time of Waiting: Sunday is Coming (with pictures)

He Has Risen!!!

May you have a blessed Easter and feel the celebration this Easter Sunday...He Lives!!!

~ Allison

Life Lessons From a Weed

Have you ever really looked at some of the weeds that pop up unexpectedly?....They don't belong there...do they?....We didn't plant them there...

Some people look at their well manicured green lawn and see one of these golden nuisances standing proudly in the sun...when we were children, we proudly picked these mounds of sunshine for our mothers...when we were small, we somehow had the ability to notice detail with great appreciation...we would take this beautiful creation carefully in our hand, and purely motivated by love share the beautiful gift we found for this beautiful person in our life.

I have long loved the pop of bright yellow color of dandelions against the fresh spring green grass...I know, a part of me will never grow up, and I don't care to have one of those perfectly manicured monotone green lawns...I rather like the random pops of color...

However...I would like to have a smooth well groomed looking life...but I find that there are "weeds" that pop up unexpectedly...I want them to go away.... be plucked out....so I do  my best to attack them with everything I have to get rid of them...then I got to thinking...

Could I get to a place in my life where I looked at these weeds with appreciation?...If I were able to hold these "weeds" and look from a different perspective, could I see beauty?....Could I see design?....could seeing things in that perspective change my life into something better?....

When I was a little girl, I used to feel so sorry for the weeds that my mother would pull from her flower beds...I would see them thrown on the ground with their roots withering in the hot sun...I simply had to rescue them! I would scoop them up and carry them to a section of the yard that I deemed "The Weed Garden" I lovingly planted them and felt that I had done a good service.

Over the years, my weed garden took over the little corner of the yard....then branched out further into the yard...it sort of got out of hand. It was on it's way to choking out good plants that were pleasing and beneficial....

...I learned that when someone who knows better than me, pulls out a damaging weed, it is to protect the good healthy things like vegetables that give us nutrition and support our health....Hmmm... So if the Master Gardener decides to uproot some damaging "weed" I have let grow in my life....I had better not run to scoop it up and re-plant it...I need to trust that He knows what needs pulled and work on cultivating the beneficial things in my life.

Also, have you ever noticed a wildflower growing in a strange place and  thought "How did that get there?"

I found this little wild viola (some may think of it as a weed) growing in a crack between the cement steps up to our front door.

This made me think of the times in life when you are not sure why you are where you are...you may feel alone...out of place...away from friends and like-minded people. Take a lesson from this little beauty....

You are made with incredible detail and value, when your Creator looks at you, He smiles at His wonderful design. Perhaps when he looks at your corner of the world, you brighten it...just like this beauty stands out against the gray concrete...bloom where your planted and leave the transplanting to The Master Gardener...

And finally...

If you look around at all the other flowers growing in the garden of life...and you feel you look more like a weed than a magnificent flower...maybe you don't feel as attractive...or as beneficial...or as talented... remember, we are all a work in progress...God makes us beautiful and brings us to bloom in different seasons...This little Peony doesn't look like much now, but wait and see what a beautiful display comes with a little more sunshine and rain...

Speaking of rain, I have learned a few lessons from that as well.....I will save that for another time though.

For now, I challenge you to see the beauty in the unexpected "weeds" of life....allow the Master Gardener to pull some damaging weeds from your life...Grow where you're planted...and if you are feeling a little weed-like, just wait...God has a wonderful plan for your life!

Happy Spring!

-Allison

A Call to Prayer: Do we hear it?

   

Ezekiel 36:26 God promises to renew our hearts.

This week our church has been having prayer services every night for an hour. During that time we pray together...as a family of believers...unified before our Heavenly Father. We pray for revival first in our own hearts and lives as well as the rest of the congregation that didn't make it out to the prayer service. We pray for a renewing of the Holy Spirit...a renewed passion for serving the One who so freely came to serve.

   I, like many others, am tempted to think that I am too busy...too tired...not feeling well...can't spend the gas every night...I'm tempted to think "Well, I'm sure there will be enough people who will show up, so I can just join in with my prayers at home"....

   I think one of Satan's greatest weapons are our own excuses and thoughts. He whispers to us and reminds us of how busy we are. He keeps us occupied with distractions of all kinds...and we let him.

   I can't help but think about how Jesus went to the garden to pray..his heart was heavy knowing what was coming. He asked the disciples to watch while He went to pray...they fell asleep.

   We as a church, (the whole church, not just the local church) I'm afraid, have fallen asleep. We forget that we take part in the spiritual battle when we pray...together as a body. We have gotten comfortable in our routine...Maybe we go to church Sunday morning...maybe even Sunday night...sometimes a Wednesday night...but for one week, could we go every night? for just one hour...

   Is Christ asking us to stand watch? Are we too tired? We could stay home and pray...but then we miss out on the strength you feel when you sit side by side linking up prayers...building where one prayer leaves off...we miss feeling the Holy Spirit move from person to person as He brings to our minds different areas of the ministry to pray for.

   I am glad that the leaders of our church care enough to set aside a week for nightly prayer for the health of our church. And I am  proud of the prayer warriors who came, especially the group of fabulous teens...they are the next generation of the church, we need to boldly set the example and hand them a healthy vibrant church.

   If you are a believer, I challenge you to set aside one hour a day to pray for revival in the hearts of Christians everywhere... the health of our churches...the state of our own hearts...where God would have us be His hands and feet...If we all were willing to devote one hour to pray for the state of the church in this country, we could change the country!

   We are so blessed to live in a country where we can openly pray and worship...we should not get too comfy ans sleepy ...we need to nurture that right through prayer. 

P.U.S.H: Pray Until Something Happens

Calm: Poetic Winter Photo Challenge Week 4

   Well, this is the final entry for the Poetic Winter Photography Challenge. It has been fun finding shots to go with the theme each week.

   I am late getting this one in...this week has been anything but calm. I just couldn't bring myself to find the time to put a post together or to focus on a word that I just could not fit my mind into...

   These photos are being pulled from shoots where I was feeling calm. As this week comes to a close, I am hoping this weekend will slow down a bit. 

   As you visit here today, I hope these images and the songs that are playing will help make you feel a sense of calm....

 And if you are in a stormy time in your life right now, I encourage you to tuck yourself in close to your Heavenly Father and wait out the storm...The wind will die down...the sun will shine warm on your face again...you are not alone...lay your burden down and rest...

Calm


I love to watch the sky, I think it is one of the most calming things to do...

We have not had much snow this winter, so I pulled this one out from pictures of the last big snow we had.

A thick blanket of snow quiets the earth in a very calming way...

Time spent around water is always calming... I love this picture of the pier at the lake and watching the water move...and watching how the wind fills the sails of the boats on the water is very calming

Time spent with scripture calms and quiets the soul...

May you have many "Green Pasture" and "Still Water" moments today....

Love,
Allison

Passion: Poetic Winter Photo Challenge Wk.3

  Wow! February is clipping right along, I have really enjoyed participating in this Photo Challenge this month. This week the theme is...

Passion

I have several passions, but...I love photography...especially shots of flowers and other detailed items found in nature.

I also of course think of my wonderful Hubby Dave when I think of the word Passion...

(To read our story, click here)

And my passion as a Mom...I love my boys....

Mostly when I here the word Passion, I think of the PASSION of Jesus Christ on the cross...

(To read an earlier post about this trip read here...)

And, I am so thankful that my family knows the Love of Christ and has made the decision to follow Him....

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

Glad you stopped by, leave a  comment and let me know you were here :)

Have a Blessed day!

-Allison