Boojoyful

January 7 Teachable moments are all around us and that often happens to me when I'm gardening or working with my plants.  As I was transferring this orchid to a larger container its roots sprung forth. It was as if they couldn't wait to be released. The lesson began.  What is it that I'm holding in or onto and not releasing to the Lord? My quiet time ended with me praying for our daughter-in-law to be released from the hospital, from this dreadful infection and from any fears Satan has been speaking over her the past few weeks. That prayer was answered the very next morning. We rejoice that she was able to go home Saturday and abide there as the doctors continue to seek answers for her healing. When we position ourselves in a quiet place we will hear from the Lord and learn amazing lessons. "Lord, taking with You doubles my joy and halves, my sorrow."  Author Unknown " All wisdom comes from the Lord, and so do common sense and understan...

Well done with these matching pajamas! January 5-6 One friend called that her childhood friend was nearing her time in heaven. Another emailed for prayer for a neighbor whose son-in-law died suddenly, while yet another sits by the bedside of her brother-in-law on a respirator in a drug induced coma.  Death is a real part of life. For those in Christ, it is not to be feared.  We long to hear, as in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25: 20 -21 " Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. " I came across this song and the story behind it and just had to share as a way of encouraging those who are missing someone who has exited this world. The Story behind the Song "Well Done" is quite moving. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtR13mxgFng The Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivYLuF-WIlw    

These three visiting Mom at the hospital. Our long legged grands! January 4 I've shared that our daughter in law has been very ill since mid December and is still in the hospital.  I texted her and our son yesterday saying,  "Today’s  Jesus Calling   is absolutely for y’all.👏 Claim it and give thanks for what God is doing.😘” She texted back that this morning she “coincidentally” decided to download  Jesus Calling  to her phone that morning and she and our son were blown away by how pertinent it was for them. See, those are the things that make me do my “hallelujah dances.”  Those little things that make us know God is with us .  Not coincidences  God-incidences and I love them. Turning on Pandora I heard a song which was new to me  "He is With Us" by Love and the Outcome.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYLoigK4WSI   It's perfect for what our family has been walking through. Read how perfect J...

This bunch makes me laugh so much! I know our family is chaos, but I really, really love the madness. January 3 My husband had our church congregation laughing out loud last Sunday during announcements.  He challenge everyone to stay up and watch the "ball" drop New Year's Eve, but said "As you do this lift your left leg in the air.  Then you will be sure to start 2019 off on the right foot!" He loves to make people laugh for he knows it is good for the soul. " A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."   Proverbs 17:22 Don't keep joy to yourself.  Think of ways to make others laugh.  I highly recommend these activities we did at cousin camp this past week.  Indoor marshmallow wars, Post-It Note surprises. praise the Lord pajama parties and monkey hunts in the woods. Email me for details. Before the marshmallow war! Sticky note surprises! Praise the Lord pajama party. Woodland monke...

These two love relaxing and appreciate cool cucumbers on their eyes. January 2 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 God designed the land and our bodies to be rejuvenated through rest.  He laid out the plan in the very beginning by example during His creation process. " By the seventh day God had finished his work, and so he rested." Genesis 2:2 A great  rest  word is  rest ore... which comes from the Latin word  restaurare  meaning to rebuild. When something is restored it is given back from a previously taken or stolen state.  This goes along with the situations we are praying for for so many related to their health!  We cry out in Jesus' name, please give back their good health Lord! "You always heal them and restore their strength when they are sick."   Psalm 41:3 Another  rest  word is for weary cooks...  restaurant!   ...

January 1 "The Lord said: 'Forget what happened long ago!  Don't think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is!  Do you see it? I have put roads in deserts, streams in thirsty lands.'"   Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 There is something so "hope filled" about a new year.  God is doing something new every second! " Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.  The past is forgotten, and everything is new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 I've been praying about what Boojoyful would look like in 2019. I know it will involve photos! Early this morning while praying before the sun rose the phrase "It makes sense" came to mind.  My response was, "But Your Word doesn't always make sense to us humans." Just then our daughter came in the room to see if I'd give her baby his morning bottle.  As I watched him devour that milk with a smile on his face 1 Peter 2:1-3 came to mind and made total SENSE! ...

Glad to have had this part of the gang here for cousin camp. Missed those who couldn't make it. Prayers for our Minnesota gang, as their mom is in the hospital again fighting an infection. December 31 I took a little Psalm time out yesterday. " With all my heart I praise the LORD, and with all that I am I praise his holy name! With all my heart I praise the LORD! I will never forget how kind he has been. " Psalm 103:2 What makes you feel this way?  It may simply be watching the sunrise another day.  Maybe you've been studying in the Old Testament and watched God redeem his people time and time again and been filled with hope. How kind!  Possibly you've experienced a prodigal return home over the holidays or rejoiced with someone who has made it through another year of recovery of some sort.  I find praising the Lord to be exhilarating and life giving. As we look back on 2018 we can certainly say, "The Lord was with me!" It is a gift fro...