Boojoyful

Lunch that says a bunch! After I made this creative lunch my grandson grabbed the celery broke it in half saying, "Let's make him smile!" One simple action makes such an improvement. Ha! Kind of like asking Jesus into your life. April 29-30 Heading out the door, I grabbed a new pair of jelly shoes by Trendsup that I'd purchased for $16.99 on Amazon. They are so light and comfortable.  The perfect summer lake shoe. I thought,  "I need to tell my friends about these." The thought process on sharing continued realizing the difference a friend's tip on Johnson and Johnson's No More Tears baby shampoo made in opening up a clogged oil gland in my eye. It saved me from surgery! Now some women may not share their special recipes or secret beauty tips, but there is a life saving tip we should all be quick to share. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.   Romans 3:23 The wages of sin is death.   Romans 6:23 If you de...

Our son sent this picture.  He was on his own baby sitting for his two sons a few weekends ago and decided they'd have a contest to see which sugar cereal is the best! Growing up, we didn't allow sugar cereals during the week, it was a Saturday treat. Sounds like his house adult rules may be similar to his childhood! April 28 Presently, I'm joining the She Reads Truth community in a study of miracles.  Today, contributor, Sharon Miller wrote: "The Gospel accounts of Jesus conquering death (as in Lazarus and the religious leader's daughter) seem like the ultimate of all miracles.  But really, they were only a short-term (and yes, miraculous) solution to a long-term problem.  The only source of real and lasting hope is not a miracle, but the Messiah. 'I am the resurrection,' Jesus said to Martha.   As glorious and dazzling as a miracle can be, it has only an ounce of the power and glory of the Savior." The stories of miracles in the Bib...

 While visiting a dairy farm recently, we came home and turned into cows ourselves. After we journey to heaven we will experience a transformation! What you talking bout lady? April 27 Today's Merriman Webster word of the day is junket-" a trip made at another's expense." For those of us who love the Lord and call Him Savior.  We have an amazing trip to heaven awaiting us and it is only made available at the expense of Christ's sacrifice!!!! In 1 Corinthians 6 & 7 Paul is preaching on sexual purity and marriage. In both incidences he reminds believer that "...you were bought at a price."   Listen to how The Message translation expresses Romans 5:9-11. "Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way.  If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his ...

Sparklers bring such a thrill, so will the light of heaven...FOREVER! God's Glory will be a light like we've never seen. April 26 Yesterday, I read this entry in Jesus Always,  by Sarah Young and thought.  Who do I know who's headed to heaven soon.  The thought entered my mind, it could be me and this was to excite me about the journey.  Ends up, the father of a dear friend, since childhood, had passed from this earth into heaven just hours earlier.  He would have been 96 tomorrow.  What wonderful words for this friend of my to read as she thanks the Lord for her father's faith and the comfort of knowing where he is spending eternity! “There will be no night in heaven, for the Glory of God gives it Light.  You will not need nighttime for sleeping, because your glorified body will always be full of energy.  Tiredness is one of the main things people have to contend with in this this world, especially as they grow old or sickly.  B...

Laughter is good for the soul. April Our last small group study was on laughter, joy and happiness.  What a joy it was to gather each week and laugh together. We watched clips from Tim Hawkins and Jeanne Robertson, which had us chuckling, but taking turns reading church bulletin bloopers out loud made our bellies hurt we laughed so hard. 1) Do to the pastor's illness, Wednesday's healing services will be discontinued until further notice. 2) Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist.  Come      hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa. 3) The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience. 4) The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, "Break Forth Into Joy" 5)  Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having      trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Nelson's sermons. 6) ...

"She is at a place  in her life where peace is her priority and negativity cannot exist." April 24 This quote popped up, like an advertisement, when I was reading some blogs.  It caught my attention as I thought back to my own mother growing older and it seemed like one day she had a brain shift and had come to a place where she just wasn't going to be riled anymore.   Peace was her priority. Unfortunately, although she had a passionate love for Jesus, for many years she also had a very real addiction to alcohol that had robbed her of peace and joy.  That peace that passes understanding was evident the last years of her life. Sarah Young writes, "The nature of addiction is that you need more and more of a substance to get the same effect as before. This is a self-destructive trap. However, the more you make Me (Jesus) your Focus, the less dependent you are on other things." One definition of addiction is:  enthusiastically devo...

The Saturday before Easter provided a wonderful day for an egg hunt. April 22-23   We are always hunting for something, aren't we?  The car keys, our phone, the perfect pair of shoes, a new job, the man/woman of our dreams, what God's purpose for our life is....  Things that bring satisfaction in this world. As I set off on this seeking journey a couple months ago these are steps I jotted down in my journal. The Journey-Seeking Him-Simple Steps to Take 1) Approach Me- Return, return, return to Me. 2) Remember you are not of this world.  3) Keep your arrow pointed out  (away from selfish desires) On day twelve, I wrote down that I heard the Lord say, "I will not make you wait long.  You will know My plan."  Then my husband said, "Remember with the Lord a day is as a 1,000 years!"  Ha! Thanks! March 21st brought this message from  Jesus Always ,  "I may not answer your prayers quic...

April 21 Years ago, we were teaching in the youth department of a large church, a new youth pastor came onboard.  The hashtag he lived by was #it's all about Jesus.  At some point in our faith walks, the gears shift and we realize...this life journey is not about us, it's about what God wants to do with us.  The initial journey begins when we recognized we've been bought at a precious price...the price of Jesus' life. Sarah Young so beautifully writes in the voice of Christ in Jesus Always , "There is no condemnation for those who are in Me." I want you to enjoy the wonder of walking through your life as My follower-totally forgiven!  The best response to this wondrous gift is to live in gratitude, seeking to please Me above all else.  You don't need to do good things to secure My Love, because it's already yours. Just let your desire to please Me flow readily out of your grateful heart. Thanking Me frequently will help you stay close to Me, rea...

God's love is amazing and is showered upon us in so many ways. A new path. April 19 Transformation: a thorough or dramatic change. That's what Jesus is all about.  He came to earth to transform us from sinners bound for a dreadful death, to the realization that we can be the forgiven sons and daughters of the King, with our greatest eternal  destiny waiting for us.  The choice is ours. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the  right   to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.   John 1:12 One of our sons posted on Facebook recently a message of God's transforming power in his life.   "The last 30 + years I have been walking blind to the most amazing gift I could ever receive.  I knew who Jesus was, I went to church with my family, I even went to a Christian college and studied ministry.  Yet, I never felt worthy of God's grace and I ran as far from it as possible....

April 18 So, I'm back, but still not certain of the exact format.  God's not finished with this training course! Back in early March, I was driving home from a baby sitting gig and the Spirit prompted me to pull off the road onto an overlook.  I started to resist, because I wanted to scurry home, but heard these words in my heart.   "Do what is of better. Do what is of value?"  Looking down into the valley below was a little red brick church with a white steeple.  God had my attention. About 30 minutes away was the assisted living/nursing home facility where the woman who raised me was now living.  What was of value, was to change the course of my day and go spend time with her.  Oh, yes, I got the blessing! This past Easter weekend I was a mix of Mary and Martha.  Groceries have to be bought, meals prepared and the house cleaned up, but time can always be made to sit at the feet of Jesus. " Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "...

The Women at The Cross April 7 It's the middle of the night, I've long ago learned not to pray to go back to sleep, but to seek the face of Jesus in the quiet of the night. With Good Friday only a week away, that's where my mind drifted...to the foot of the cross. While Jesus hung here in the most horrific pain and humiliation imaginable, I probably would have been hiding out at home with a pillow over my head, so I couldn't hear the hammer hit the nails and praying "God save him!"  The images on the movie/TV screens and  in books  are more than I can bare.  Yet, the women who loved him most were there to be with him in his suffering. How could Jesus's grieving mother, Mary of Nazareth, most likely a widow by this time, have stood this torment.  Years ago, we watched one of our sons struggle for his life following a devastating car accident.  While death tried to grab him for days, it was nothing compared to the p...

Learning to play pinball from your 90 year old great grandmother is a cherished moment. April 1  The lessons I'm learning on this spiritual getaway are so powerful. This has truly been a time in my life to cherish. At times I think God's going to beam me right up, then I look around and realize...I'm still here. Sarah Young's message today in Jesus Calling (I'm not fooling) is a large part of what God is teaching me. It reads: "I AM calling you to a life of constant communion with Me.  Basic training includes learning to live above your circumstances, even while interacting on that cluttered plane of life.  You yearn for a simplified lifestyle so that your communion with Me can be interrupted.  But I challenge you to relinquish the fantasy of an uncluttered world.  Accept each day just as it comes, and find Me in the midst of it all. Talk with Me about every aspect of your day, including your feelings.  Remember that your ultimate goal i...