Tell me now...when was the last time you did something nice just for the sake of doing it!

 

 Happy "HUMP" day as it is so lovingly called! I pray your Wednesday has started out on a positive note and that you fly high all day today! It seems mine will be one of those hurry up and wait mornings, gotta love these tests in patience :)
      This morning as I sit in wait for a grand adventure, I am once again amazed by the beauty around me, the skies are cloud filled, some gray and almost angry looking, some cotton ball, so clean a pure, there is a mass of color and the way the clouds are moving is just beautiful! The sun is trying to peak out ever so often but only to be covered by another band of passing clouds! We are at 57 degrees and very windy...without a jacket, to cool to sit out! Oh wait, I have my 'Betty "blankie" so life is gooooooood!
In prayer this morning, I prayed for all of my family and friends asking God to give you a break today, to allow your minds to rest a bit so that you can reflect on what is most important in your life, not the everyday trials and tests that you face, but the love, the goodness, the issues that make you smile! I asked him to bless each of you with your needs and to hold you in the warmth of his arms and allow you to feel hope and to catch a glimpse of the lighthouse on the other side of the storm. I prayed my usual morning prayers for health and healing, for resolve of issues, for lost souls and for renewed faith. When my prayer came to a close a picture I saw yesterday posted on facebook on my sweet aunt's page crossed over my heart! It goes with all that has been on my heart and the topic of my messages this entire week!

"You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you!"

What power there is in this statement, what a wonderful meaning there is in these words...when was the last time you did something for someone with absolutely NO expectations? When was the last time you saw someone in need, knowing they could never ever pay you back but you gave from your heart just for the sake of giving? In our world, money is getting tighter and tighter, as the price of living rises our wages stay the same! Groceries, gas, utilities, clothing...it just keeps going up and up, paychecks stay the same so we are having to struggle to make ends meet, single family incomes are near impossible to live on..it is ugly out there in case you have not noticed! My dad was one of the biggest inspirations to me, if he had an apple he would give half to a person in need without expectation, if he saw someone in need he gave of himself for no "glory" but because he had heart. At his funeral this was mentioned and I felt so honored to hear these kind things said about him! God does not want us to go out and give our last penny and allow our families to do without but he does expect us to give when we have excess, to share when we can! I never used to look at homeless people with any care or concern, me not having learned the life lesson my dad taught, me being cynical would think, there are jobs out there, they should be getting a job not panhandling on the side of the roadway...me being hard in heart never offered anything! One day my daughter was with me and we saw a panhandler, she asked me to stop so that she could give him a dollar, I scoffed at her and said, "he probably has more money than you do, he makes his living taking from others!" she got really upset and what she said to me forever changed how I feel. "mom! maybe he does, that is something he has to live with, but what if he does not?" I thought about this and felt ashamed that I was "on the defensive" I did not have a clue about this person only that he appeared to be in need! Megan gave the dollar and the remainder of her day was beautiful, mine not so much!!! Don't let your children be the ones to teach you these life lessons, be the example to them. One of my greatest pleasures is being anonymous, I love to do nice things for others without them knowing, that is when our hearts are full. If you are doing something for personal gain...it is not as it should be...do it with love in your heart and anonymously when you can. There is no better feeling in the world! Today I am going to open my eyes more widely and am going to look for opportunity to do something nice for someone, especially one that I know can never repay me. If Jesus came to your door dressed as a poor, hungry person, would you turn him away or would you give him part of what you had in hopes that it would be sustaining to him? How do you know where Jesus is, do you not think he can come to you to check the content of your character, to see what really lies in your heart? I believe he can and since that day that Megan taught me the lesson..I have never strayed off of the path! Sharing is caring and caring is love! To all of those who have helped me in my life, I will never forget the deed, for those who I see helping others, I will never forget the deed! I love each of you and pray that today will be the day you open your eyes and give...give from your heart with no expectation of repayment! How about the yard you drive by each day that is in need of some TLC, does it belong to a person who cannot physically take care of it? Get off of the couch and help them out??? How about the single mom trying so desperately to feed her kids, to work, to be both mom and dad, is there nothing you can do today to help her out? How about the family who's dad just lost his job, what would a couple bags of groceries left on the doorstep mean to them?? How about the mom at the store trying to juggle her groceries and her kids, could she not use a hand in getting them loaded into the car? How about that car you just passed broken down on the highway, maybe they could use some assistance or even someone to sit with them until assistance comes...God gives us opportunity all day long, the question is...are you willing to take the opportunity or will you turn a blind eye and just keep living your life as it is now! Let us band together today and be what God needs us to be, what he has taught us all of our lives, let us be pleasing to him in showing that we have learned!!! God bless you with his love!

                                             

The scene is set, it is the last of days, how do you spend it?

 

 Good morning my friends, another beautiful morning here in Utah, it just keeps getting better and better! They say here when the summer is very mild the winter is very harsh, if that is the case our winter is going to be brutal. I dare not buy trouble and refuse to let that thought get to me, I am going to enjoy the mild days we are having and will cross the "winter" bridge when we get to it.
     In prayer this morning as I lay my head back to enjoy the aroma of the trees, to relish in the song of the birds, to bask in the warmth of the sun on my face and to chat with my favorite person to chat with, our Father in heaven, I pray. As usual I prayed for each of you, asking God to bless you with a new found peace in your hearts, with a pep in your step and with the opportunity to share a smile with someone today. I asked him to afford you a weak heart, that the beauty of you might touch, a down in the dumps person that will benefit from your positive attitude. Keep your eyes open, I know he answers prayers and that person in need is in your path, don't close your eyes, don't look the other way to avoid longing eyes. Face the challenge head on and bring light to a dark soul.
      This morning as I sat there in prayer, a "what if" came over me, it was as if God was asking me, what if today were my last day on earth...how would I spend it? I sat there in still silence and thought about this question. I have had thoughts on this subject many times in my life, after I read The Left Behind series I really thought about it but never seemed to come up with a concrete plan. I guess I have never really delved deep into it because it seems surreal to me, So this morning, I decided that if that was what God wanted to know from me, I would be obedient and oblige him with answers to his question. I would not change my mornings at all, I would wake up, would say the Lord's prayer and ask him to be my strength and my shield against satan, I would get out of bed and prepare for my journey out to the porch to begin my prayer session and to appreciate the beauty that I know will be there! I would then call each and every one of my family members and tell them how much I love them.  then I would prepare a picnic for Wayde and I to  go and lay on a blanket in the park under a big shade tree and, as we have many times, converse about the scriptures, our thoughts on Christ, our belief in the promises that God has made to us and just enjoy one another. I would stop in on all of my g-babes and hug and kiss them, tell  them how much I love them and what joy they have brought into my life. I would make contact with  my friends and tell them what an impact they have made in my life and thank them for being true and honest parts of my heart. I would find a wonderful quiet place that I could make a call and speak with my daughter, I would tell her how very much I love her, how pleased I am in the woman she has become, I would share special memories of her growing up, I would try my best to transmit my intense love for her over the phone. I would ask her to continue in praising our Heavenly Father and would  urge her to continue wearing the light of Christ and to always share her love for him in all that she does. I would tell her about the promise of eternal life once again and would remind her  that we all will be together one day. I  then would do as I always do, write my blog, urging you to come and pray with us, to come and lift prayer to our wonderful savior so that our words would be directly given to our Father in heaven. I would pray for any requests that had been asked of me and then would close my prayer with telling heavenly father how much I love him and that I was ready to join him so that I could begin my next phase of his plan. I would snuggle with Wayde, tell him what a difference he has made in my life, tell him how much I love him and that I look forward to spending all time and eternity with him in the heavens. Finally I would ask for forgiveness of my sins, and say the little prayer that I have said for as long as I can remember...now I lay me down to sleep... I would lay down in the calm and comfort of my Father in Heavens loving arms and thank him for loving me and then I would sleep. I must sound awfully boring, some people say they would try and fulfill all that is on their bucket list. I feel that I have done the most important things on my bucket list. I have loved and been loved, I have shared my love for Christ and our Father in Heaven each and every day, I have listened when others needed an ear, I have hugged when others needed compassion, I have prayed with true intent and I have been a true friend, to me these things have been the most important things and I have achieved them, praise be to God for allowing me to! Now I ask you, if the scene was set and it was your last day....What would you do? I would love to hear from you, please if you feel compelled to share, put your words into the comment section below. I love each of you in Christ. Have a beautiful day and live it as if it will be your last, we are not promised tomorrow. Live the life you have and love the life you are living:) God bless each of you with comfort, peace and calm this day!