Yes, I take a lot of photos of flowers.  I dunno...I stand amazed at the beautiful basics.  May they never cease to make me smile!  

Thanks God for Your artistry.

Nothing like a fresh blossom after the cold winter.  Let each one remind you that His promises never fail.  His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness is great!

"...I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove his sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."  Matthew 3:11

Why do we not hear more about this today?  I am ever thankful for the baptism of repentance!  But oh how I long for more of the added baptism of fire and passion for the things of God.

Could it be that the element of power is missing from the church today because we are not teaching and desiring more of the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

It requires faith to come in repentance to the waters of baptism.  Perhaps the hope that the power of God will re-visit our hearts will require yet added measures of faith - and our simply asking Him to fill us anew? 

Lord, plunge us into the waters of faith and fire in these days when the powers of darkness are all the more challenging! 

I had a delightful and inspiring therapy session yesterday morning.  A dear friend of mine is an ice skater - and a skating teacher.  Recently she has been "upping" her skills and taking tests before judges to qualify for various levels in her expertise and I had the pleasure of being present at one such event.  This very graceful lady is a mere 55 years "young" and appears as beautiful and accomplished as any much younger competitor!  I watched her float across the ice with such ease!  Every turn and move was as silky as the next - I was completely mesmerized.  

Though this lovely athlete moved as fluidly as water and made it look so stunningly easy, I was reminded of the time, sacrifice and even years it takes to develop and perfect those kind of skills!  The analogy came to mind that Christianity requires our offerings in the form of daily practice and patience!  Being "Christ-like" is a life-time process.  However, the wonderful thing about becoming a believer is that the moment we ask Him to enter our heart, He immediately forgives our sin and sees us as lovely.  We might feel awkward as we learn to walk in a steady and worthy manner, but in His eyes, we are clothed in the beauty of His forgiveness and righteousness!  

As much as I enjoy watching this fascinating sport, at this point in my life, I doubt that I will ever become an accomplished ice skater.  However, I am very thankful for what God can do through me - and even in spite of me!  I will hope to attend more events to see my friend glide over the ice with such ease and grace.  I also will continue to seek greater levels of walking with the God who so thoroughly loves me.  I will express my constant gratitude that He is my best Encourager and Father, accepting me just as I am and calling me to continue to press in and press on in my journey forward in Him.  And...perhaps I'll remember as I watch this lovely lady skate, how also our loving heavenly Father is watching us with admiration and love, seeing the beauty in His created children!

Mary

Jesus loves me, this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong.

They are weak, but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

Yes, Jesus loves me.

The Bible tells me so.

So simple.  So true.  How I wish I had the child-like faith that would shrink every doubt about how much He loves me!

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are..."  1 John 3:1

This cute little guy is my grandson.  Oh, we are excited grandparents for sure, watching him grow and discover new things every day!  He is the picture of innocence and joy!  I was taking pictures of him and captured this sweet shot.  He seemed so pleased to see his smile in the mirror!  Of course, I was even more delighted to watch his expressive face and actions.

As I later look at the photo, I wonder if my Father is as pleased with my reflection of Him?  Do I bring His glow and kindness to those around me?  Do I radiate His love and compassion to others - even my enemies?  Do I allow the warmth and light of His mercy and servanthood to shine through - even when I might not feel  like being a vessel of His beauty and life?  Make me an instrument of Your glory, Lord.

KimBday_s17

I think I might just tell this story.  I have friends who insist.  But it simply is a story that in spite of its tragedy has a way of bringing the kind of chuckles that makes one spit out their coffee!  I figure...why not chuckle?  Life is full of crazy!  There are stresses and demands at every turn.  Yes, I think I'll just tell this silly little story! 

When I was but a young "toe-head" I acquired 2 chickens at Easter one year.  I don't remember how they came to me, because I am quite sure my mother would never have brought them home!  (laughing out loud!)  I do remember the local 5 and 10 store down the street selling colorful baby chickens each year in March or April.   There they would be in the front window - adorable rainbow-colored fluff balls hopping about and peeping in time!  All I could think about was holding one and "making it my very own"!  

At any rate, after certain pleading and begging, I somehow ended up with two - a pink one and a green one.  Now, we lived on the main street of small-town Potosi where there was quite a bit of traffic throughout most days.  Our little rock duplex was a shotgun style home, with dad's insurance business office in the front room.  As one walked through the office they would then pass into mom and dad's bedroom and then enter a dining/living room/kitchen area.  Just past this tri-living area was a large floor furnace that covered the hallway - with a small bathroom to its right and my sister and I's bedroom beyond the furnace at the back of the house.  During the later spring months the furnace would be covered by a rug as the heat was turned off in the house.  I vividly remember the rug - it was bright pink! 

Did I mention that our house was small?  I am still trying to remember what we did with those chickens when I wasn't holding them!  And more-so, I am trying to imagine what my mother was thinking by letting me bring them inside and actually keep them!!  Since my grandparents raised chickens, I figure the destiny of my pet's adult days was to be in the chicken house at their farm!

One of the chickens did in fact make it to grandma and grandpa's and if I remember right, stayed there until it's untimely death after getting in the cabbage patch and eating some bug killer that grandpa had dusted onto the plants in early summer.  My other chicken had yet another story that continues to be told today in our family.

For some reason, I had a hard time keeping that bird contained, because at one point it ran out the front door, right into the busy street!  From the way my dad tells the story, there were cars honking and skidding around while he ran down High Street trying to round up that chicken!  Somehow between my dad and the good people of Potosi, they managed to rescue it and save it from the dumpling pot!  

Unfortunately, that poor little feathered friend would not quite make it to adult hood.  I loved my chicken, but one day I made a terrible mistake while carrying it through the house.  I started running towards my room with the little guy cradled in my arms.  It seems that so admired bright pink rug was pushed back slightly becoming the very thing I would trip on, bringing an unpredicted end to my chicken.  Oh the heartache!!!  I was crying because my chicken was gone, and my mother was crying because she had to clean it out of the grates of the floor furnace!!!  What a mess of mayhem it was!  

Now, the sadness did fade after awhile, and in fact it became a rather laughable story as I got older!  In fact I have a friend who put yet another spin on it....she says we created the original chicken strips!  :)