Boojoyful

So long winter...maybe. It's very easy to love a little one needing snuggies,   as one granddaughter calls them. As we near the end of the "love" month I found myself pondering the command to love one another.  Jesus was able to love others, the way he commands us to love, by staying connected to his Father.  We have the ability to stay connected to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and be equipped to love in ways that sometimes feel impossible. Love your enemies.  Luke 6:27 You must love each other, just as I have loved you.  John 13:34 Love your neighbor as yourself.   Galatians 5:14 Whew! There are days I am very unlovable, yet Jesus does it.   Whether we like someone or not we are commanded to accept them and see value in them simply as God's creation. We are to love others unconditionally and forgive them totally even if they do not ask us to. 1 Corinthians 13 isn't just for wedding ceremonies.  It's for everyday life. Love is pa...

In this 1960-1961 cartoon series pictured above, "Mr. Wizard would rescue Tooter the Turtle with the incantation, "Drizzle, Drazzle, Druzzle, Drome, time for this one to come home." As I seem to say way too often, "Lawsie, lawsie, lawsie!"  I had a full day of ministry before me and it covered multiple categories and required sending out lots of email groups.  Seven hours into the work I sent an email that went to 54 people and in it I put the wrong contact name, email and cell phone number. As I prayed for that person to forgive me for putting her information out there a cartoon quote from my childhood came out of my mouth... "Time for this one to come home."  Mr. Wizard Then with a chuckle I thought what great last words those are for a believer.  One day God will say, "Time for this one to come home to heaven." For this world is not our home;  we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.   Hebrews 13:14 One thing I really app...

I put together this collage of items from our son's car accident. The back of the T-shirt he was wearing that day which had been cut away from his body. (He was employed by Sonic at the time.) A letter from a pastor at our church, and a picture of our son in his neck brace (broken neck) holding his English Bulldog recovery buddy he named Moses. Has there been a time in your life where you proclaimed, "This is the pits." Have you been in a position, so deep in your woes that you felt there was no way out? When one of our sons was trapped in our car after it flipped 4 times on an interstate someone sent him Psalm 40:1-3, 13 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.  He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord...O Lord, to deliver me!  O Lord, make haste t...

A huge thank you to these two for grabbing our chain saw and clearing our road from falling trees.    Picking up my phone from a table in the dark the other night the double click for purchase sign showed up. As I fumbled with the phone I said to my husband, "I think I accidentally just purchased something." He calmly inquired, "What was it?  Are we talking clothes, a car... " I sincerely had no idea, so we are watching the credit card closely. Jesus knew exactly what he was purchasing when he paid the penalty for our sin on the cross.  An angel made a proclamation to Joseph at the time of Mary's unexpected pregnancy that Jesus would be a S avior. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.  Matthew 1:21 God requirea that his justice be satisfied. Our sins have to be paid in full by us or someone else.  God knew we could never do that, so... For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that...

My mother died 25 years ago February 17th.  Both she and my father died in peaceful confidence that John 14:2-3 is true. There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this unless it was true.  I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me.  Then we will be together. My husband was delayed having to go into work, due to a short snow storm we had recently. Before the sun came up or the snow started we enjoyed sitting in bed snuggling and chatting. My thoughts drifted to how our lookout on life changes as we age.  Like years ago to the days with six little children at home and what a snow day meant!  Exciting and exhausting for parents. Now we are content to just sit in bed and watch it.   I went on to reflect on how 46 years ago we had no clue of all that was ahead for us. Now, as we look at where we are in life, we know each moment together is precious and this earthly...

This little one knows she is perfectly loved by God and deeply loved by her family. The song "PerfectlyLoved" came on the radio. The title led me to Google, "What does it mean to be perfectly loved by God?"  Check out some of these top Google responses. "Perfect love is an expressions of God's love for us, and it is only complete (or perfect) when we reflect it back onto Him. We can know no greater love than the love God has for us.  By receiving that love, He offers us the power to give it - to become the perfect expression of it and bask in the gratitude of His love." "Human love is fickle and changing; even the strongest human love is tested in life's trials.  But God's love is perfect, steadfast, and unchanging, and in His love, we can have strength as we face the challenges of the world as well as hope for eternity." "As believers, we are fully loved, fully known in Jesus. His new covenant with us is unshakeable. He is no su...

I've been knitting hearts this month. A sweet remembrance that God has knit us together in love. Do you have a Paul in your life? You know, someone who is so full of joy and excited to tell you about God's love. Who does God have you loving and encouraging in that way at this time in your life? I started nibbling on Colossians 2:2-3, but then ended up going back to the beginning of Colossians and rejoicing that I know people who are passionate about the love of Christ like Paul and want to pray for and encourage others. I want you to know what a struggle I am going through for you, for God's people at Laodicea, and for all of those followers who have never met me.  I do it to encourage them.  Then as their hearts are joined together in love , they will be wonderfully blessed with complete understanding.  And they will truly know Christ. Not only is he the key to God's mystery, but all wisdom and knowledge are hidden away in him.  I tell you these things to keep you ...

  What a week. A trip to the ER Friday for a very sick grandson with strep, a son staying here with his family because they had no power for 4 days and now my husband has the horrible stomach flu for the second time in two weeks. I have my plastic bowl by the toilet in ready for it to knock me out, but praying for a passover. Last week's snow and ice storms were topped off this weekend with flooding rains and high winds.  Whew, there has been some damage, but like the title of today's song, "Who Am I to Not Worship You. Lyrics "I'm losing sight of all that matters.  Blinded by questions I can't answer. I'm paralysed by what I don't know t hat holds me hostage and won't let go. Breathe out, breathe in   Raise my hands and remember You're the one, You're the one   Who makes mountains move Stars will not shine  Unless You tell them to, tell them to Conquered the grave  To make all things new So, who am I, who am I  To not worship You? I wi...

These Valentines are from a watercolor paint project our card ministry team held recently. Aren't they beautiful! The best Valentine card we can receive is the Word of God. The best Valentine love we can ever have is Jesus. It is a steadfast love. Steadfast- here are some Google definitions. "-to be fixed or firm in a direction or purpose- unwavering. The word for steadfast in the original Hebrew is chesed   and refers to God's devout loving-kindness, mercy, and faithfulness at the very core of His character and actions." "Someone can be steadfast in a belief, an effort, a plan, or even a refusal. Whatever it is, it means that the person will calmly hold firm to the chosen position and follow through with determination." Listen to David's words in Psalm 36:5-12   Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgements are like the great deep; man and beast you...

46 years ago, on my first Valentine's Day as a young married, my husband came home with this silk rose in a silver plastic vase. He said, "You can pull this out every Valentine's Day to remember how much I love you."  Well, that vase and flower have held up better than I have for 46 years.  The other night he came up to me, knelt in front of me and said, "Boo Andrews, will you accept this rose?"  He is certainly loveable. We all want to be pursued by someone and feel they have a passionate love for us.  Do you believe God is running after you in passionate pursuit for your love? Hmm. Sending his only son to die for us points to that fact.  Then, better than the gift of roses and actually all of creation, God have given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide and teach us through all the things we will encounter in this earthly life.  Yup, God's love is sacrificial and truly incomprehensible when we consider how unloveable we can be at times. God's lo...

  When our five year old granddaughter was walking out the door to head home the other day grabbing the crown on her head she said, "Oops!  It's not my crown" and handed the crown to me. The crown had been sitting in our kitchen for a week and every time I saw it I thought..."What am I picking up that isn't mine.  What am I carrying away from a gathering, that I should be laying down." Burdens and worries came to mind first. Relationships and healings I want to fix, but only Jesus can. God loves to carry our burdens, it's a breeze for him, so let's lay them down. Cast your burdens on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.  Psalm 55:22 The Song  "Burdens Down" by  Tasha Cobbs Leonard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPC8b3tPIwk