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

My Valentine

More pictures at the end :)

  I am such a blessed girl! I have a husband who is my protector, provider and my best friend. We have been through a lot since we started out two young puppeteers in our youth group. 
   Dave and I met when he was 9 and I was 7. Our families went to the same church growing up. When I turned 13, I got to enter the church's teen group. We had an active group that traveled doing puppets and music ministry. During a fun game night, Dave & I were voted most shy boy and girl of the group. For some reason, I think it was part of a game or something, I had to hold his hand that night. He was a tall strong farm boy with thick strong hands. I NEVER forgot that feeling! I had never held a boy's hand before! Or felt the way I did while holding it! We all had such a fun time in that group. 
   Unfortunately, our church had a split and our family stayed and Dave's family left. We didn't see each other until I got a call  almost 3 years later from one of the youth leaders that had left, but continued the puppet and music ministry. They were calling to see if I was interested in joining the team. I went to one of the Bible studies and saw a lot of familiar faces from the old group. Including Dave! His parents were also leaders of the group.
   We became fast friends. I had many scars from when my dad had left our family and from other life circumstances, but we worked together so naturally through everything and before we knew it, we were committed to staying together. 
   We were committed to God and doing things His way, so we relied on him throughout our 3 1/2 yrs of dating. We got married when I was only 19. We started on a family right away. We will be married 20 years this year! We have been through 3 babies, a child who needed heart surgery, a cancer scare for both of us, back surgeries, unemployment, 4 moves, health issues...and yet, here we are still standing (not always perfectly) but still best friends and in love with each other.


   What is the key? I believe the key is nurturing our FIRST LOVE and by that I mean that each of us had a love in place before we loved each other. Each of us had a committed relationship with God. We relied on Him to make the match, and we rely on Him to keep us matched. That doesn't mean there aren't hard days...there are. It doesn't mean we don't argue...we do. But what it does mean, is we take the fact that we took a vow before God to "Love in ALL things"
   When it gets hard, we lean on our First Love to maintain and work out our love. Giving up is not an option, besides, Dave has seen me at my best and worse...he was the face I saw loving me through the birth of our 3 babies.....his was the hand I held waiting to see if I would hear the words "it's cancer"....he is the man I have set up house with 4 times....he's the one that still sends me silly little messages on Valentine's Day. Why would I want to give up on all this beautiful history?

   I am so thankful for my First Love that makes it possible to extend love to my husband and children.

Do you know him?

Everyone has at least heard John 3:16, but it's more than a sign at a sporting event...let it pierce your heart.

For God so loved the world (that's you) that He gave is only son (Jesus Christ), that whoever (that can be you) believes in Him shall have everlasting life!

Watch this:

   God loved you enough to pay the price of all your sin (and mine) with the life of His only son. Jesus was willing to be beaten and crucified, to have His blood spilled to pay the price of your sin (and mine). The power of God raised Jesus from the dead, and is offered to you through the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is ask.....Have you asked? The Holy Spirit is close by just waiting for you to ask Jesus to come into your heart.

It's the best Valentine ever!

One of our Halloweens while dating: Scarecrow & Dorothy

Our Wedding Day 10-10-92

Our 1st son Cody's 1st Family Reunion

Going to a friends wedding

Christmas'11

Re-Learning Lessons I Thought I Already Knew....

   Wow! Have you ever had a day (or a week) where you feel as if God pointed everything right at you to shout a message loud and clear? I don’t mean in a harsh mean way…I mean a gentle Fatherly loving way?

   I went to our church’s ladies Bible study like I do most Wednesday nights. Tonight we started a new fabulous looking book called Becoming a Woman of Extraordinary Faith. What If You Gave It All to God? by Julie Clinton.

   Well right out of the gate we watched the companion video that shared a woman’s amazing story of how her life and the lives of her family were forever changed by a drunk driver crashing into them. She talked about how her daughter struggles even today, some six years after the accident, with memory and physical issues. She has had to mourn the future she imagined for her daughter. She talked about praying for God to return things back to “normal” for her daughter….But then she realized that God was doing something extraordinary through her daughter the way she was now…She had to let go of the picture of what “normal” would be for her ….

   I have been mourning a few issues lately. Dreams I felt were from God…good things that seem like they would have good godly results for others….situations I felt called to, but the doors aren’t opening in the right direction…feeling the (prideful) need to stand up for my child/children/self when wronged or have our character challenged…ugh this list has had me stressed, angry, confused, sad….and now that I really look at it, struggling with my faith….and pride.

   Yesterday, I read a blog that I “stumbled on” about pride it struck a nerve, but it was really only setting me up for the things I would hear today. Tonight I realized I was waiting for things to return to “normal”. Waiting for the picture I had in my head to play out in real life… and running ahead (and running my mouth) to defend my children’s good name and reputation as well as my own. How prideful of me!

   Even though the things I was wanting and waiting for were not selfish ungodly things, the grip I had on my vision of those things was! If God called me to something it will happen in His time…my waiting for things to change causes me to miss precious time and blessings right under my nose….God will defend my family, I don’t need to help him…

   Well it’s a good thing that I have a long drive home. As I was alone in my car, the rain streaming down the windshield, tears began to fall…I allowed my heart to break for these things I have been desperately grasping. I confessed my pride and lack of faith…I let go…we had a long talk and knowing how music touches me, He spoke to me through the songs that played on the radio. Songs I’ve heard a thousand times, but tonight spelled out a message just for me.

   First was “Come as You are” by Pocket  Full of Rocks:

 He's not mad at you
And He's not disappointed
His grace is greater still
Than all of your wrong choices
Chorus:
You can come as you are
With all your broken pieces
And all your shameful scars
The pain you hold in your heart
Bring it all to Jesus
You can come as you are

God knew the burden I have been carrying and when I felt I couldn’t come to Him, He came to me!

Then played “The Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns:

But the giant's calling out my name 
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times 
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. 'Boy you'll never win!'
'You'll never win!'

Chorus: 
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, 'Do not be afraid!'
The voice of truth says, 'This is for My glory'
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

I need to listen to His voice, not all the voices out there talking about or against us. I need to listen for His guidance every day instead of my agenda.

Then came Matthew West’s “Strong Enough”:

I know I'm not strong enough to be 
Everything that I'm supposed to be 
I give up 
I'm not strong enough 
Hands of mercy won't you cover me 
Lord right now I'm asking you to be 
Strong enough 
Strong enough 
For the both of us

I don’t have to carry all of this myself, I can walk away from my idea of “normal” but only when holding His hand.

Then I got home and read my devotional…

Psalm 73:23-26

New International Version (NIV)

 ²³ Yet I am always with you; 
   you hold me by my right hand. 
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, 
   and afterward you will take me into glory. 
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you? 
   And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail, 
   but God is the strength of my heart 
   and my portion forever.

Tonight, I go to bed knowing the road may be hard, but I am holding the hand of my Heavenly Father, knowing He will be my strength forever…. Do you know that too? I hope so…


For more wonderful scripture's look HERE. You can find lots of good articles on this site

An Unexpected Icy Sanctuary

    The morning started out pretty rough. I was taking my life in my hands just walking from my door to the car this morning when I left for work. All the left over snow and ice on the ground was now blended beautifully in a glaze of gleaming ice.It was cold but just warm enough to rain and the sun wasn't out yet. I glided my way to the car and managed to get it turned out to the road which was clear and just wet....whew! I  didn't  fall! (I'm sure I was a humorous site to behold...I am not  known  for  being graceful!)
   As the day went on, it warmed up to something like 60ish degrees! Then the sun came out and it was gorgeous! On my lunch break, I ran a few errands and had my car window down! It's January!...in Pennsylvania! On my way home, it was raining...the sky was dark, but the sun was shining from somewhere behind me..."there has to be a rainbow" I thought...as I drove  over the top of the hill heading into  town, I saw it...a beautiful  rainbow...I wished I  was at home out on the  ridge where we see many...my youngest son Colton took a couple of pictures for me  so I could see that it was in fact a full double rainbow...my favorite!  (....and just as soon as we can figure out how to get those pictures off his ipod i will upload them LOL)
   I love that God's  word tells us it is a sign to remind us of His faithfulness, and  I can't help  but feel like  it's  a  big  warm  hug from my Heavenly Father when I see one.

   I wanted to post the beautiful pictures I took on Sunday. I was home from church sick. When I woke up, the house was quiet since my family went to church. When I looked out my bedroom window, the sun was just beaming off everything! A thick coat of ice blanketed everything! But I could see that the sun was warming it all and water was dripping everywhere. I had to get my camera before it was all gone. I must have  been a sight...Pj's...rubber boots...bedhead...Good thing I live in the boonies!
   The fresh air did me good... I felt terrible all weekend, and  hated to miss church, but God and I had a moment  like we often do.... out in his beautiful creation.
   With as warm and beautiful as it was today, there are no traces of the ice-ing we had. But here are some of the pictures I took in the glistening sanctuary right outside my door. God is faithful to meet us where we are and speak to us in a way he knows will touch us. God loves each of us in a personal way...He knows your love language and He will speak to you too...you just have to listen.

....Here is how He spoke to me :)

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Isaiah 1:18

Leave a comment and share  how God spoke to you recently...I would love to hear about it!