Whistle in the Storm!

When I look back and think of all the choices...all the turns down the wrong roads...all the stupid or naive actions that I was allowed to make before I began to walk with Jesus, I stand amazed! Amazed that He protected me when I did not even speak His name unless I used it as an explanation point. Amazed that I remained relatively safe through the consequences of some of the bad choices, decisions and circumstances. Mostly amazed at His forgiveness and mercy on my life and for the lessons learned in the storms.

I remember about a year ago on a very rainy cold night thinking how tough my life was because of finances (9/11 related job loss)or I guess lack of finances..Let's see...couldn't buy the kids school pictures because it wasn't in the budget, needed a different vehicle because old car was on it's last leg or should I say tire, had two kids in college and tuition was due, insurance changed and medical bills due...blah blah blah etc.,etc, you get the pity party picture!
That same night at about 4 in the morning while it was still storming and cold outside I heard the little puttering of the motor on Richard's car pull into the driveway after a second shift night. I always felt bad hearing that car because we had to trade a beautiful new truck in to get this tiny little gas saver that Richard can barely get in with out bumping a knee on the dashboard! I waited a second or two to hear if he made it inside okay still remembering how miserable I had been when I went to sleep...and then I heard... a whistle...Richard was whistling! He came into the house and I new he was home safe so I went back to sleep. Sometime later in the wee hours of the cold rainy morning (I am not sure how long) Richard crawled into bed most likely exhausted from the long double shift, and put his hand on my back and quietly began to pray..."Father I thank you! Thank you for getting me home safely in the storm. Thank you for this warm home to come to. Thank you for the meal that was left warming for me as I got home. Thank you for letting me come home to this woman that you have given to be my wife!" Well this sweet man that was in the same circumstance I was in reminded me with a simple heartfelt prayer that we have been certainly, overwhelmingly, abundantly blessed!!! For the years we have walked together with the Lord, Richard has been a quiet reminder of what Faith really is. The evidence of things not seen...but our Hope is in God. You know, Richard knew the same facts about our finances that I did. He was in the same yucky weather I had experienced. He chose Faith, Hope and Love. I can't imagine how much God must love me to have allowed this man to be my husband.

Thank You Father for my life, for Richard and our children. Thank you that truly through many dangers, toils, and snares we have already come...and yet Faith will lead us home...just like my positive husband on that cold stormy late night ride home...may I begin to whistle over my blessings when the world around me thinks I should be complaining in the storms of life.

I love you LORD! I praise you! I Thank you,

In Jesus Name

Kathy

Material for A Gentle Answer Ministries ©

To Answer Your Question FACEBOOK...GOD IS ON MY MIND!

Women I meet from place to place and even in my own local Bible Study often bring up the "Why do I struggle to be close to God? The harder I attempt to get involved in activities, or the more I do the harder life is!" question.

Well I was reading this today...Living Bible Translation...he tells us why our efforts seem like an effort!

Isaiah 58:2

"We have fasted before you," they say. "Why aren't you impressed? Why don't you see our sacrifices? Why don't you hear our prayers? We have done much penance, and you don't even notice it!" I'll tell you why! Because you are living in evil pleasure even while you are fasting, and you keep right on oppressing your workers. 4 Look, what good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. 5 Is this what I want---this doing of penance and bowing like reeds in the wind and putting on sackcloth and covering yourselves with ashes? Is this what you call fasting? 6 No, the kind of fast I want is that you stop oppressing those who work for you and treat them fairly and give them what they earn. 7 I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor and destitute. Clothe those who are cold and don't hide from relatives who need your help. 8 If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you/ your godliness will lead you forward, and goodness will be a shield before you and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. 9 Then, when you call, the Lord will answer. "Yes, I am here," he will quickly reply. All you need to do is to stop oppressing the weak, and to stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors! 10 Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day. 11 And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like and ever-flowing spring. 12 Your sons will rebuild the long-deserted ruins of your cities, and you will be known as "The People Who Rebuild Their Walls And Cities."

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Well except for that whole "don't hide from your relatives thingy!>>>" Are my kids to count as relatives? Yes I sometimes feel like hiding from them! Love them, but how can I miss them if they won't go away? smile smile...wink

Go Rebuild Some Walls girlfriends!!

Just Thinkin'

Kathy

What's in Your Purse?

You know that ever popular commercial "What's in your wallet?"? Well Ladies, "What's in your purse?" We carry in our purses what we value; what we hold dear. Maybe some of you have pictures of your children, maybe you have personal identification, maybe you have an unlimited American Express Gold Card (may I borrow that?). We keep our purses near to us. We protect them. We rarely let someone else dig around in them. So what's in your spiritual purse? Do you carry make up to put on a good face? Do you have a fake id to go where you shouldn't? Do your charges on the mental card put you in low self esteem debt? What if you saw yourself as valuable to God? What if you were sealed, stamped, with an permanent marker that would allow you to always know your worth? In Christ, you have this. Praise God when you receive that saving Grace of Jesus Christ as Lord you are now permanently valuable and unmistakably a Child of God! No more fake id...no more bad emotional debt...no more need for cover up...you are beautiful to HIM. If you are a child of God remember that and live it out.

Just Thinkin'

Kathy

Story by A Gentle Answer Ministries ©

H1N1?

All this H1N1...contagious...are you contagious? Contagious Joy? Contagious Anger? Contagious Hope? God1Good1!!! Spread it!!!!

Just Thinkin'

Kathy

Surrounded by the Warmth of God

Today my youngest was home from school with a bug...well not a spider or an ant a flu like bug! Winter has tried to sneak in early and my son was trying to get warm from waking up in a one hundred year old house. Just as he was waking,the dryer buzzed and I grabbed a "hot out of the dryer" hoody and ran upstairs with it warming my hands along the way. As I reached his room I said, "Close your eyes and lift your hands!" And without questioning me he did just that! I slipped the warm sweat shirt over his little head and down his raised arms and a sweet little sigh of comfort and gratitude filled the room. When his head popped out of the hood opening the most grateful face was there to smile at me. Do we allow God to do this for us: Trust God enough to close our eyes, lift our hands in praise to the one who cares and provides for us at just the right time? Remember that the creator of the universe knows when you have a bug, or a need, or are just lonely or sad. Here's hoping today you will feel the warmth as you are surrounded by the truth that Christ Died for you, God loves you, and if you accept that in your heart HE is with you.
The Bible says, "If you confess with you mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you Will be saved." Don't you think if He thought you were worth dying for He would want to hear from you now and again? Lift your hands friends...warmth is on the way!
Hot cocoa anyone?

Just Thinkin"

Kathy

Story From A Gentle Answer Ministries ©