Boojoyful

  We have changed baby sitting gigs and are now at our daughter's home. Her family lives on the 14th green of a golf course in the mountains of SW VA and beholds the most beautiful sunsets at night. Last night was a little cloudy but still such a peaceful reminder of the light of Christ! I know you have all heard it said, "If the devil isn't messing with you, if things are going smoothly, then you probably aren't doing much for the Lord." Today's Biblegateway verse is Yesterday, I had the privilege of listening to three godly people from a variety of backgrounds, sexes, ages and spiritual maturity who were each facing a very different type trial.  One texted:"I need wisdom". Another, "Do you have a minute to pray?" God placed the third on my heart and had me call just as tears were pouring down her cheek out of fear and concern for her husband's serious health issues.  She ended up ministering to me.  Actually, all three did for I had t

Our fifth child, a son, and his family The clock is blaring out the numbers 2:20AM.  I'm not certain what has awakened me, maybe a bathroom run, but my mind shifts into high gear and I cannot get back to sleep. I start to silently sing, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" and open my computer for the complete lyrics.   The clock now illunates 4:08!  For almost two hours I've been captured by my inbox and taken  down wild rabbit trails of emails, some revealing content that leads to being weary and troubled. Lyrics O soul are you weary and troubled No light in the darkness you see There's light for a look at the Savior And life more abundant and free Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace His word shall not fail you he promised Believe him and all will be well Then go to a world that is dying His perfect salvation to tell Turn your eyes upon Jesus  Look full in his wonder

  The move is going well. So impressed with our daughter in law and her positive attitude with all the newness she is facing.  New city, new house, new school for the kids, new baby, new job for husband, new doctors, etc.  It's a blessing to be able to walk alongside her through all this change. The move has been a challenge with workers putting in a new HVAC system. The drilling through floors and even brick and concrete has been a challenge to talk over. And the mess, oh, my.  We realized tonight the bottoms of all our shoes and one granddaughter's bare feet were nasty black. This morning before I faced another day, I plugged into a Bible reading plan I am doing. As I read in Nehemiah chapter 3, the list of all the people who helped to rebuild Jerusalem stirred my heart to reflect on all those who have helped us the past couple days with this move.  (Our son is on a three day corporate retreat so I've been staying and helping our daughter in law and three children. My hus

Morning snuggles are the best. It's going to be hard to let this one move out. The next three days I will be helping our daughter in law with a move to their family's new home in Roanoke, VA. Our son is out of town on a company retreat, so God will make a way! I'll try to jump on here (probably at night) and share how Jesus has showed up. Right now He is allowing me to type with my left hand and hold a newborn with my right. My church connect group is arriving for our Monday morning time of Bible study and prayer. I could have cancelled, but know I need this time with Jesus, before I head into town with this baby and help unpack. Jesus Calling provided me strength for the move!  I have a close friend whose husband passed away yesterday morning.  She was talking about what she should be feeling. I reminded here with grief those feelings can change every hour.  I thought this was a great message for her as well.  It's so easy to fear what others are thinking of us.  What

  Forty-five years ago I married a man never imagining how deeply love can grow between two human beings.  We were young.  He 24 and me 21.  Neither of us knew that two years later we'd experience the start of a baby boom and have six children in eight years!   As I thought back upon the wedding I realized the date nor ceremony had absolutely nothing to do with my choices. My mother chose my dress, the venue for the ceremony and every detail of the ceremony from the soloist and song, to the flowers and every element of the reception at The Hotel Ronaoke. My sister chose the bridesmaids dresses and strongly suggested my crystal and china patterns, which were lovely. None of that mattered to me then and it doesn't matter to me now, as I often say, "It's not of eternal value."  What they didn't choose was the groom. That was a triangular decision between God, my husband and myself.  I thank God for how closely He has woven us together. While I remember the solois

This little pumpkin ruffle butt is easy to love. Love is difficult to define and hard to offer up at times. Paul makes an excellent attempt to leave us with a prescription to live a life that reflects love. Let's do an "Am I Loving" check as we reflect on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast. Love is not arrogant  or rude. Love doesn't insist on its own way. Love is not irritable or resentful. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth. Love bears all things. Love believes all things. Love hopes all things. Love endures all things. Love never ends. Whew. Well that was convicting.  I filled in all these blanks. I have not been patient with _______________. I could have been kinder to ________________. I am envious of _______________________. I boasted about _______________________. I was probably perceived as arrogant or rude when I _______________. Pain and weariness brought about irritability and I responded s

  I am still under conviction related to how easily a spirit of grumbling came upon me a few Sundays ago. The Israelites were  were prone to grumble against God, even after miraculous provisions occurred in their lives. In John 6:43 Jesus senses that spirit of grumbling arising and says   “Do not grumble among yourselves." Post from the SocialWorkerHaven.com 1.  Positive People Encourage You Not to Quit 2. Positive People Add Value to Your Life  3. Positive People Encourage Positive Thinking Patterns 4. The Past Stays in the Past for a Positive Person 5. Positive People are Grateful 6. Positive People See Possibilities 7. Positive People Have a Great Sense of Humour 8. Positive People Have Emotions 9. Positive People Empower

  The children's book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,  is one of my favorites. I relate because so often when I am going through my house looking for something, ten other tasks come into vision and often I forget what the originally mission was! One thing led to another when I made one grandson a stuffed turtle by request. Then a grandson came in requesting a bat; another a raccoon and our granddaughter is awaiting a flamingo! One thing can lead to another in life as well in good ways and bad.  Allowing temptation to creep in can lead to sin with wide spread consequences.  On the flip side, accepting Christ as Lord and Savior can lead to richness in life when one scripture or Bible study leads us to want to know more and more about Jesus. Walking with Jesus in turn brightens our lives. He is the Light of the World. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also p

Another one loses a tooth! I started a 30 day devotional/journal called  Everyday Prayers for PATIENCE, Giving Yourself and Your Kids the Grace to Grow   by Brooke McGlothlin (Founder of Million Praying Moms). And the very day I started I lost my patience with a grandchild in a major way!  It wasn't until I cried out to God in the name of Jesus that both of us calmed down. This book is going to be a blessing, but I hope a major test doesn't come everyday. Philippians 1:6  says:  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ. Day 1 has 2 Peter 3:18 as the key verse: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. The author’s prayer: “Father, I confess that I wish You had left us a roadmap for raising godly children. Sometimes I wish You’d audibly tell me how to have what I need for them everyday, especially on the hard days whe

Spurring this big brother on to care for his baby sister. Cousins meeting together to celebrate this mermaid's birthday.   I was (last weekend with 3 birthdays here and some amazing cakes) attempting to shed some pounds that have crept on with me not being able to maneuver very well physically with this knee issue.   Lettuce  is a great filler for  a diet plan. As Hebrews 10:23-25 stared at me from the pages of a book I am reading on mentoring I chuckled... this is the lettuce passage. Let us draw near to God... Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess... Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds... Let us not give up meeting together... Let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works ...Hebrews 10:24 Let us live lives that bring glory to God! The Song "Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful"  Lauren Daigle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np_hHc2

  While carpooling to an event with these church ladies I said, "I have a game for us to play. It's called Two Joys and a Struggle! Along the lines of the ice breaker "Two Truths and a Lie and Five Joys and a Jitter," I suggested this group share "Two Joys and a Struggle" with one another. For us, we face Sunday mornings with the expectancy that some things are going to go wrong, but God is greater than any struggle and will see the service through. Last week, no sooner had my husband pulled off our 1/2 mile long driveway onto the first street towards church than a black bear lumbered across the road in front of him. When he slowed to grab his phone for a photo that bear took off! An hour later I followed and as I entered the church lobby that were children screaming "a bird, a bird is in here" and a mother and large group of children were trying to catch a beautiful white tagged dove.  After a teenager caught the bird, she said, "This bird b

  Life is full of milestones, you know the "I made it through" times. Yesterday, I heard my husband referencing Max Lucado's study called "You'll Get Through This." He says, "It won't be painless. It won't be quick. But God will use this mess for good." What has God seen you through? Eight years ago today I suffered a stroke which left me paralyzed on my left side. I had just driven to Nashville, TN to visit our daughter's family and was playing with our grandsons in one of their bedrooms when it happened.  Fortunately, our daughter was home and I was able to speak and call to her. Three minutes later EMTs arrived and within 25 minutes I was receiving the miracle stroke drug,  TPA   My husband was the head of a  private school at the time and it was back to school night. His cell phone did not work in the school gym where the event was being held. It was 10 PM before our daughter could reach him and he began the 8 hour drive to Nashvill

  We were celebrating a 3 year old birthday with one of our grandchildren. Her parents were out of town for a wedding and I was thrilled to host a mermaid party. We had pink sprinkled donuts for breakfast with candles to blow!  Cupcakes for lunch and had done cake the night before.  We allowed her to stay up past her bedtime to watch a "show" with her cousin and then she insisted on going to be with the light up rainbow Barbie we had given her.  Bedtime was  not progressing at a pace that was pleasing to this tired Mama Boo.  When I made Barbie sleep at the bottom of the bed, this little girl gave me quite the glare.   Next it was "I need water."  Then, "I need to go potty." I said, "No you don' t, you just went potty." She insisted and I explained I would not be a happy Mama Boo if she was tricking me, but off to the potty we went. She did not have a drop in her. Patiently, I expressed my disappointment and said, "I will not be getting

  There probably isn't a week that goes by for any of us where we don't encounter someone needing prayer for a broken heart.  Heart ache and heart break comes in so many forms. These three scriptures came across the Proverbs 31 site on IG and I immediately thought of three young women who needed this encouragement.  Praying God places someone on your heart to pass them along to as well. The Song "Hold On To Me"  Lauren Daigle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaGoIhSlWUQ

 This fellow is pretty peaceful in our yard. He has a side kick of equal size and four does in his entourage. I may have written before about the realization that hit me becoming a pastor's wife.  All you want to do after church is go home and have a nice long nap! A minister has to be "ON" from the time he leaves home Sunday morning until he locks the doors behind the last person to leave after the service. For my husband that is usually at least a five hour stretch.  We get home, eat and SLEEP!  Normally, 2-3 hours.  One of our sons said he came in the house on a Sunday afternoon, walked into our bedroom, could have robbed the whole house and he doesn't think we would have heard a thing. Proverbs 3:24 says... If you lie down, you will not be afraid, when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.   I say, "Hallelujah!" The Song "Perfect Peace" by Laura Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKynh0Spy-Q

  This week I had the joy of beginning my 30th year of bleacher sitting for sons or grandsons football games!  Three times I took to my feet cheering as #22 caught a 30 yard pass and he recovered two fumbles. Aren't we blessed to be children of a God who helps us recover from our fumbles in life? Looking up the slang definition of fumble I found "make a mess of, destroy, ruin." It happens in life! Our church has a Tuesday evening church service called Recovery Church for people recovering from addictions, wanting to be set free from addiction, family members of addicts or those who feel called to encourage these individuals. It is may husband's favorite service each week.  No pretenses in those coming, just honest "I've fumbled and I need Jesus to set me free" attitudes. Is there a place in life you have fumbled and maybe unforgiveness still has you held down?  Call out to Jesus, so he can lead you to Recovery. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us f