Kreativ Blogging!

Last week, I had the pleasant surprise of being awarded the Kreativ Blogger Award by two of my favorite bloggers --- 

Lianna and Rebecca.  I don't even feel like I am in the same blogging league with either of these sweet ladies, but I am so grateful to them for passing this award on to me.

The rules of this award are that I have to name six things that make me happy and then pass the award on!

1. My family - Having all of my family together.  I love cooking for all them and I love all of the noise, confusion and laughter when everyone is together.

2. My morning coffee - I love the coffee that my husband makes for me every morning while I am getting ready for work.  We both make coffee the VERY same way, but his ALWAYS tastes better than mine to me.  I don't know why, but it's true!

3. Ice Cream Floats - I LOVE ice cream floats!  MY favorite would have to be a Dr. Pepper Float, with a Cheerwine Float running a close second!

4. Clean sheets - I love getting into my bed with clean sheets on it.  They are just so much better when they are "crisp" with no wrinkles. And that smell......love it!

5. Grocery shopping with my hubby - I love having my hubby go to the grocery store with me for our weekly shopping trip. The fact that I know he doesn't really want to go, but he does, means a lot to me.  We carry our own reusable bags with us and he always bags our groceries.  I always tell the checkout person that I bring my own bagger with me!  (-:

6. Cards, letters and emails - I love receiving a card, letter or email from a family member or a precious friend. God always seems to have them come right at the appropriate time when I so need them.  After all, God's timing is always perfect!

There are so many blogs that I read on a daily basis that deserve this award.  I know that most of you have already received this award, but if you have not already been the recipient of this award, PLEASE consider yourself awarded by me!  

I love you all!

RESTING ON HIS WORD TODAY

The Captain of My Ship

Isn't it amazing how you can read a passage that you have read many times before and suddenly you "see" something that you failed to see every other time that you read that passage.

That happened to me recently as I read this:

"And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation."  

Genesis 7:1 KJV

Did you see that? God didn't tell Noah to "get into the ark". He told him to "come into the ark".  There's a big difference! "Come into the ark" implies that God was already onboard waiting!

Noah didn't even shut the door on the ark!  Genesis 7:16 KJV says:

 "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in."

Noah did not have onboard navigation.  He had no way to steer the boat. It was totally up to God to protect the ark and guide it to the proper resting place. We always call it Noah's ark, but God was the Captain of the ark.

What a great reminder to me at times when I feel like I have completely lost my ability to "navigate my life", to remember Who's onboard! Who's the Captain! Who is protecting me and guiding me.

Lord, Thank you for this reminder that you are always present with me; that no matter what I am facing, you are already "onboard". When the rains come, and the waves pound upon my "ship" as the storm rages, thank you that you promise that you will never leave me or forsake me. Help me, Lord, to trust You to "steer my ship" and to set me down on "dry ground" just as You did for Noah and his family!

Elmo's World

Not a lot going on to blog about this weekend, but Poppa and I did have a very special guest spend the night last night. ELMO! 

Oops, I mean "E"!

After a very fun day with Nana and friends going to see Elmo (live), "E" came to spend the night.  As soon as she arrived, she wanted some cashews, so I grabbed my camera to capture how precious she looked!

Can you believe that Faith made this shirt the night before for her to wear to the performance!

You should feel Elmo's face - it is made out of "minky" fabric and is the cutest thing ever!

I sure wish I had a Nana like that!

Something To Warm Your Heart

I heard this story on my way to work this morning and literally had to wipe the tears away as I was driving.

In a world where most of the news right now is so depressing and discouraging, how wonderful to hear a story like this on the morning news!

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be a student in THIS high school!

Please watch --you will be blessed!

"Gossip In The Grain"

A couple of years ago, my son introduced me to a musician that quickly became one of my favorite artists - Ray LaMontagne.  

His new album, "Gossip In The Grain", was released today and it is amazing!  ITunes classifies him under the genre "Rock", but don't let that scare you away. I would classify him as more Acoustic / Folk. He is an amazing guitarist and is known for his raspy, unique voice.   He has a sound all his own - sort of like a softer, gentler Joe Cocker.

You may have heard his music in any one of many Prime Time television shows. If you're not familiar with him, listen to one of my favorites from one of his earlier albums.  

If you are already a fan, you won't be disappointed with "Gossip in the Grain".

Living In A Toxic Environment

There is much talk today about our environment.  I am concerned about the water I drink and the air that I breathe.  I want my grandchildren to grow up on a clean planet, with clean lakes and rivers, and I am doing as much as I can to help accomplish that.

But, I wonder whether I am just as concerned about other pollutants in my environment. What about the "moral climate" in which I live?  

Do you know that there are some people that are toxic. Do any of you know what I am talking about? Think of some of the people that you enjoy seeing and hanging out with.  

Do they build you up spiritually?  

Is your walk with the Lord stronger as a result of being with them? 

Or, is it weaker?  

I have some friends that I love to hang out with, but God has shown me that I need to distance myself from them. I am not stronger spiritually as a result of having been with them.

I used to tell my children when they were younger, "You become like those you hang around." Did you know that is a scriptural principle?  I Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be deceived; Bad company corrupts good morals." How many times I have seen this to be true in my own life and in the lives of my children and it happens so quickly and with such subtlety.

There are also toxic places that need to be avoided. There are websites that we need to avoid.  There are certain books and magazines that need to be off-limits. There are movies that we need to avoid because they "contaminate" our minds. 

Proverbs 4:26 says, "Watch the path of your feet."

I wonder, would we relocate our family to a place that we knew was a toxic waste dump?  Would we plan to spend our family vacations there?  Of course not, and yet, there are many places that we go, television shows that we watch, and things that we read that are JUST as toxic to our souls!

So the question is, "How can we remain uncontaminated in this world in which we live? I believe that the answer can be found in Psalm 119:9-11:

How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Thy word.

With all my heart I have sought Thee;

Do not let me wander from Thy commandments.

Thy word I have treasured in my heart,

That I may not sin against Thee.

God, make me sensitive to the places I go, the people that I am with and the things that I do. Help me to remember that I will become like those I hang around and help me to surround myself with friends that make me spiritually stronger as a result of having been around them. I pray that Your Word might be hidden in my heart so that I will immediately recognize things in my environment that are not healthy for me or my family. Strengthen me and give me the courage to walk away from these things. Help me to keep my way pure by keeping it according to Your Word. Amen.