OH, To Be Like Kevin!!!! pure, simple,and honest!

Good morning and Happy Friday, only two days until the BIG EVENT! I pray that each of you are nearing completion of CHRISTmas day and are now taking some much needed time to be with your family and friends with no stress or drama.

In prayer this morning, I am so very thankful for an event that took place last evening, a sweet couple that are the parents to two of my G~babes have had some major struggles with finances this year, they have not really worried about the lack of for their children for CHRISTmas as we all know that toys and goodies are not what it is all about. At work one day the dad made statement that he could barely pay his rent and that CHRISTmas presents were not high on the list of things to get. Yesterday he went in to work and to his astonishment and surprise, there were bags and bags of CHRISTmas gifts for the kids, more bought than would have been if the parents had shopped themselves. The humility an joy of this wonderful deed is amazing. Praise God for touching the hearts of these co workers and selflessly giving of themselves. Another of my g~babes got approved for toys for tots this year and will be receiving gifts from that organization and the last 2 g~babes will receive assistance from their local church. I find it wonderful that all of these good deed came after each parent has sat down with their kids and explained the real reason for the season and that not everyone would be getting presents.They explained to their children what the true meaning was and all 6 seemed to understand and were not even disappointed. Thank you Father for allowing these parents to throw away pride and allow their kids truths. I asked God to continue to bless each of us with his unconditional love, for his never ending watchful eye and for always making a way for us. I asked him to continue to bless us with mercy, grace, favor and healing and to let us feel his presence every step of our journey. I prayed for those with special requests for healings, for will, for power and for strength to overcome this day.I prayed humbly in the name of Jesus Christ. amen.

Today's story really touched my heart, if only we could be like Kevin!!!

God's under the Bed

My brother Kevin thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night. He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped outside his closed door to listen. Are you there, "God?" he said. "Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed." I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor. Apart from his size (he's 6-foot-2), there are few ways in which he is an adult. He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7-year-old, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas, and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them. I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life? Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, returning to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed. The only variation in the entire scheme are laundry days, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He does not seem dissatisfied. He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work. He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores. And Saturdays-oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside. "That one's goin' to Chi-car-go!" Kevin shouts as he claps his hands. His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights. I don't think Kevin knows anything exists outside his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips. He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.

His life is simple. He will never know the entanglements of wealth of power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. He recognizes no differences in people, treating each person as an equal and a friend. His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be. His hands are diligent. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it. He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax. He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others. His heart is pure. He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue. Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. And he trusts God. Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Kevin seems to know God-to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an "educated" person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith. It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions. It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap-I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances-they all become disabilities when I do not submit them to Christ. Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of the Lord. And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed. Kevin won't be surprised at all.

By Kelly Adkins, copyrighted 

Used With Permission

Are we more glorious when we are broken and humiliated?

Good evening and happy BIGGEST LOSER Tuesday, on the scale this evening I must say I was disappointed but not as badly as if I had gained weight. I am down only 1 pound this week, but 1 more less than I was last week, at this rate it will take me until I am 90 to get where I need to be! Oh well, Rome was not built in a day and I did not gain the weight over night so "ONWARD AND UPWARD" 

In prayer this evening I asked God to provide for you and to comfort you, to look at each of you individually and define your needs, to hold you when you are scared, to give you strength when you are weak, to dust you off when you fall and to nudge you forward when you stop. I ask him to bless my sweet friend who is still suffering with pneumonia, she will have a CT scan to look deeper into the problem, please Lord lay your hands upon her lungs and bring them back to healthy. Father bless all those who are suffering this night, give us peace, calm, and comfort. I ask mercy, blessing and grace in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Tonight's story is an eye opener who would ever think that in our weakest most vulnerable moment and in total humility that we are most worthy? 

James 4:6 - But he gives us more grace.  That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Bamboo

Once upon a time, in the heart of the Western Kingdom, lay a beautiful garden. And there, in the cool of the day, the Master of the garden was wont to walk. Of all the denizens of the garden, the most beautiful and most beloved was gracious and noble bamboo. Year after year, bamboo grew yet more noble and gracious, conscious of his Master’s love and watchful delight, but modest and gentle withal. And often when the wind came to revel in the garden, Bamboo would cast aside his grave stateliness, to dance and play right merrily, tossing and swaying and leaping and bowing in joyous abandon, leading the Great Dance of the garden, Which most delighted the Master’s heart.

Now, once upon a day, the Master himself drew near to contemplate his Bamboo with eyes of curious expectancy. And Bamboo, in a passion of adoration, bowed his great head to the ground in loving greeting.

The Master spoke: “Bamboo, Bamboo, I would use you.”

Bamboo flung his head to the sky in utter delight. The day of days had come, the day for which he had been made, the day to which he had been growing hour by hour, the day in which he would find his completion and his destiny.

His voice came low: “Master, I’m ready. Use me as Thou wilt.”

“Bamboo,” – The Master’s voice was grave --- “I would have to take you and cut you down!”

A trembling of great horror shook Bamboo…”Cut …me… down ? Me.. who thou, Master, has made the most beautiful in all thy Garden…cut me down! Ah, not that. Not that. Use me for the joy, use me for the glory, oh master, but cut me not down!”

Beloved Bamboo,”—The Master’s voice grew graver still—“If I cut you not down, I cannot use you.”

The garden grew still. Wind held his breath. Bamboo slowly bent his proud and glorious head. There was a whisper:

“Master, if thou cannot use me other than to cut me down.. then do thy will and cut”.

“Bamboo, beloved Bamboo, I would cut your leaves and branches from you also”.

“Master, spare me. Cut me down and lay my beauty in the dust; but would thou also have to take from me, my leaves and branches too?”

“Bamboo, if I cut them not away, I cannot use you.”

The Sun hid his face. A listening butterfly glided fearfully away. And Bamboo shivered in terrible expectancy, whispering low: “Master, cut away”

“Bamboo, Bamboo, I would yet… split you in two and cut out your heart, for if I cut not so, I cannot use you.”

Then Bamboo bowed to the ground: “Master, Master… then cut and split.”

So did the Master of the garden took Bamboo…

and cut him down…

and hacked off his branches…

and stripped off his leaves…

and split him in two…

and cut out his heart.

And lifting him gently, carried him to where there was a spring of fresh sparkling water in the midst of his dry fields. Then putting one end of the broken Bamboo in the spring and the other end into the water channel in His field, the Master laid down gently his beloved Bamboo… And the spring sang welcome, and the clear sparkling waters raced joyously down the channel of bamboo’s torn body into the waiting fields. Then the rice was planted, and the days went by, and the shoots grew and the harvest came.

In that day Bamboo, once so glorious in his stately beauty, was yet more glorious in his brokenness and humility. For in his beauty he was life abundant, but in his brokenness he became a channel of abundant life to his Master’s world.

Author Unknown