Painting of my dear friend, Denise Sagan

Denise is a christian and God has richly blessed her with a wonderful gift.  God also blesses non christians with gifts, beauty, talent for us to enjoy and learn.  It is called common grace.  He gives it to everyone for our delight and enjoyment in this world.  Expand, Grow, Enjoy, look for beauty and grace all around you in Gods creation.  He does it to make this world a better place for you and me.  It is not earned.  That is why it is called grace.  It is not just to christians.  It is common to the just and unjust.  He is ruling the earth for His church says Tim Keller.  It is for you.  Respect beauty and truth and wisdom and insight anywhere we find it because we know every good and perfect gift is from our Heavenly Father.  Our maker.

Excellence of Love

Excellence of Love

 ¹ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body ^[a]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ^{7 [b]}bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. x

My first reaction today was thinking of someone I thought had disappointed me.  I called and ask my husband to dinner.  He said he would be going to a basketball game. Did I mind.  Initially it hurt my feelings.  My next though was I would really love some tulips.  We talked again and he said Today is valentines.  I am not going to the game.  I told him what I would really like was some flowers.  He insisted on dinner.  I told him I had already made plans. To go and have a great time.
The Father loved me first.  Why do I think of how others respond to me rather than how can I love this person.  Sitting and soaking in the Fathers presence.  Loving my family and friends.  I love you and praying for you today.  That the love of  God so fills your heart you spill over to whomever you see.

Perfect Love

We each are looking for "Perfect Love".  We want someone to love us unconditionally.  To fill the void in us.  Someone to never fail us.  Christ gave His life to say I love you.  My love will never fail you.  I will always be here for you.   I love you unconditionally.  Nothing can ever change my love for you.  I will never love you any less.  I am relentless for you.   

Grace

Please go to www.whispersofgod.org.  I wrote a devotional about how I am dealing with the depression
Also what God is doing in my life.

If Only

Many times we think, we might not dare say.  "If Only" God would answer my prayer I would believe.  If He healed me, gave me a loving mate, a good job, an obedience child.  Then, then Lord I would believe.

We are like Thomas we won't believe til we put our fingers in His nail scared hands.  Our hands in His side.

Thomas did believe when He saw.  But Jesus said blessed are those who believe and don't see.

Spoiled Brat

The story goes that this Indian girl fell in love and  her dad promised her to another warrior.  So she took her life.  I have not taken my life but have been off and on, in a state of depression for 16 years.  I think it is because I have not gotten my way about my life.  What a spoiled brat I have been.  Oh the things I have wanted have been good things but my life has just not gone the way I thought it should.

Mondays devotional will be more in detail I pray.  Thank you so very much for your prayers for me.  I feel like I have touched the hem of Jesus.

Hanging by a Thread

Today began harder than the rest.  Feeling like I was hanging by a thread in this glass ball going around and around and couldn't get out. The right thing to do was to cancel my appointments today.  Soon arriving at my friends for my class.  Sitting in the drive way  I decided I just couldn't make it.  Hesitantly I went inside and began to cry as my friend hugged me.  There was some kind of release.  I did feel better.  You know how you feel after a good cry or a good laugh.  It is almost like a cleansing of your emotions.

As soon as I got home I fell asleep.  It was strange.  When I woke all I could think about was reconciliation.  People  who had not been together for years were coming together.  God was weaving all this together.  I didn't even notice.  He was gracious enough to let me be apart.  My spirits were so lifted.  Amazing peace.   Grace had carried me through yet one more day.