Happy Fall!

I received this e-mail and thought it was a beautiful analogy.

Being a good person is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all of the yucky stuff -- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a bright new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.

Have A Happy Fall!

Are you a 'kept' woman?

"I Am a 'Kept ' Woman
You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind,
But GOD kept me sane. (Isa. 26:3)
There were times when I thought I could go no longer,
But the LORD kept me moving. (Gen 28:15)
At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong,
But the LORD kept my mouth shut. (Psa. 13)
Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough,
But GOD has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc. (Matt. 6:25-34)
When I thought I would fall, HE kept me up.
When I thought I was weak, HE kept me strong! (I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30)
I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you hear me!
I'm blessed to be 'kept '
Do you know a 'kept ' woman?
If so pass it on to her to let her know she is 'Kept '
I'm 'Kept' by the Love and Grace of God
Have a Blessed Week everyone!
Let's keep encouraging one another in these tough times!"

I have been blessed a few times to receive this poem in an email. May you be bless in all your days.

Loving our Widows

God has always protected those who couldn't protect or provide for themselves. In Deut 14:29 God commanded that every three years a special feast would be prepared for the Levites, widows, orphans, and aliens (foreigners) in the town. Proverbs 15:25 says "The LORD tears down the proud man's house but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact." 1 Tim 5:1-3 shows how to treat those around us, including our widows; "¹Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, ²older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. ³Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need." Finally in James 1: 26-27, Christians were told this: "²⁶If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Needless to say, we are to care for those in need. Care for our widows and orphans. Be the family that they need.

For our December Ladies Ministry event, we focused on our widows (widowers and shut-in also). I requested that our members donate items to place in small baskets for these special people. The abundance of items was overwhelming and heartwarming. On Friday night we met at the church for food, fellowship, devotional and basket making. We were few in number, but that didn't stop us from having a good time. The baskets turned out beautiful and were received by our widows/shut-in with such joy and excitment. Seeing their faces made the whole event worthwhile.

Mother~ Daughter Tea 2009

Today was (hopefully) the first annual Mother~Daughter Tea at Helen Street. As part of the Ladies Ministry, our goal is to bridge the gap between our older and younger ladies. I believe today was a success. We had about 28 ladies participate in bonding and tea! We shared what we learned at the end of the event and left with a full stomach! Thank you ladies for coming and participating. Without you it would not have been as possible!

Burdens

How many times do we talk with a friend, husband, or relative and find that we are comparing our bad days. The next thing we know, we are trying to one up the other with a bigger complaint,"if you think that is bad..." In Galatians 6:2 we are told to "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ." While bearing those burdens, we can't look at them and say they are less important than what we've gone through. Everyone has their own trials and tribulations and as a Christian we must consider their burdens as "a big deal." Philippians 2:4-5 "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." So next time you feel the need to compare complaints, take a moment and show some compassion!

Mirror Images

Be careful little eyes what you see!
Be careful little mouths what you say!

Be careful little feet where you go!

Be careful little hands what you do!

Ever sing this song to a little one and wonder what it is they are taking in? Those that have children or have taught bible class, know that children take it all in and before long are coping. We have two little girls that have helped us see how our behavior and actions affect them. My four year old is a master at playing house and before long has any little boy in the area taking care of her baby doll. I know she has learned this by watching me care for her baby sister. That makes me think what else is she seeing me do and coping.

3 John 1:11
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

If you Give a Mom a Muffin

If you Give a Mom a Muffin




If you give a mom a muffin,

She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.

She'll pour herself some.

Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.

She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.

She'll remember she has to do the laundry.

When she puts the laundry in the washer,

She'll trip over the boots and bump into the freezer.

Bumping into the freezer will remind her she

Has to plan for supper.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.

She'll look for her cookbook (101 Things To Do

With a Pound of Hamburger).

The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.

She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.

She will look for her checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse, that is being dumped

Out by her two-year-old

She'll smell something funny.

She'll change the two-year-olds diaper.

While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.

Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.

She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.

Thinking of coffee will remind her that

She was going to have a cup.

She'll go to get a cup of coffee,

But her kids will have eaten the muffin that was going with it.



Does this sound like a typical day in your house (with or without the kids). If you are not caring for children, then you may be caring for a husband, work, or school. The list never seems to end. We must remember Matthew 6:25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" No matter what is going on in your hectic busy schedule, know that the Lord loves you and will care for you!



Additional reading: Matthew 6: 22-34, Luke 12:22-31