Happy Encouragement Day to you my friend!!
Honestly, I didn't even know that there was such a day. It's a great idea -we all need a little encouragement now and then. Don't you agree?
The wonderful ladies over at (in)courage are celebrating National Encouragement Day and have asked their bloggy friends to help. They are also celebrating their one year anniversary and have been doing it in true blog land fashion - with a giveaway, every day, for thirty days. Wooo Hooo!
For one of their giveaways you could "win" a free pack of ten cards from DaySpring's new Hope & Encouragement line. The first 400 ladies to leave a comment would receive a pack.
I checked real quick to see how many comments had already been left - only a few - and quickly left mine.
Yea! I win!
Gotta say I love the idea for this giveaway. Encouraging others is something I enjoy doing and one of my favorite ways is to send a note or card.
First of all, who doesn't love getting mail. I mean real mail - not bills or mail addressed to "current resident".
In fact, my set of DaySpring cards came on Friday and so did a card from a friend.
Guess what?!
I opened the card first!
What a neat surprise to receive a note, written just for me, for no special reason. Just kind words to encourage me. I have her card on my dresser and will probably read it again once or twice before putting it away with some other cards I've kept that are special to me.
That's exactly why I love to send cards. It's always a pleasant surprise for the person who receives it. A card is something for them to touch and hold as they read your words..... words of love, encouragement, sympathy, congratulations or hope.
And friend, this blog is not a card, but as you read I hope you -
.... are encouraged
.... know I appreciate your stopping by
.... sometimes have a laugh at silly me
.... understand I care.
If there was a Happy Birthday type of song to sing for National Encouragement Day I'd be singing it to you right now! Just to encourage you, because I appreciate you stopping by. But because I care - I won't sing. Silly me!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Walking (not just talking)
You've probably heard the saying: "if we talk the talk, we should walk the walk"
Within a week of my last post, Stopping Long Enough, I had to make a choice of whether or not I was going to walk out what I had talked about.
Take a look at these two sentences from that post ~
"I stopped long enough to feel His love for me. During those times this week I recommitted all that I had to Him."
Yep, that's exactly what I said. I had talked it and was quickly given the opportunity to walk it.
When faced with the uncertainties in life ~ would I trust Jesus with all that I had committed to Him?
Friday afternoon I was faced with some uncertainty concerning the future of my job. Friday night our A/C went out. That would most certainly put a strain on our already tight finances. Monday I went for my yearly mammogram. What if there are health issues to be faced? That just can't happen..... because if I don't have a job than I don't have insurance......
.... so what did I do?
Did I cry? Yes (a little)
Did I want to hide? Yes
Did I pray? Yes (a lot)
Did I loose any sleep? Yes (that "yes" was at least partly due to not having any A/C - in Florida- in August)
What did I, the self-appointed "OFP" {official family planner}, do about all of this?
Well, I had to fight the urge to try to plan out all the answers. So, no lists. No plan B.
I just kept reminding myself that when I had committed everything in my life to the Lord it was because I know He is faithful. I know He loves me. I believe He wants what is the very best for me. And I want what He wants.
Each time thoughts of fear or worry would pop into my head I would stomp my foot and say "No, I gave it all to Jesus and whatever happens He will be with me." Well, I didn't actually stomp my foot, but inwardly, in my spirit, that was my attitude. I meant what I had said ~ I committed all of my life, meaning everything to Him.
So how did things turn out this week? Well, I still have my job. Yea! We had the A/C fixed and the Lord provided the money without us having to go further into debt. And no news on the mammo results (no news is good news).
However, as my week of walking out what I had talked about came to an end we learned that our next door neighbor is the third neighbor to have a potential sinkhole in his yard. If you don't know what a sinkhole is, it's a hole that can develop under the ground. It can at any time sink in and swallow anything above it. This new info was kind of a bummer since we don't have sinkhole insurance. But, it also is just one more opportunity to walk the walk. I absolutely know that our home is in God's hands. Whatever the future holds *stomping my foot here* He is aware of it and He will be faithful to guide me through it.
Now friend, I want you to believe me when I say - I'm not bragging on myself here. I just wanted to share how amazing it can be when we "stop long enough" in the Lord's presence. When we commit everything to Him we can relax knowing He is in control.
For me, these last couple of weeks have been another few steps in my journey of Finding Hope and Joy. I so hope that what I share will encourage you in some way.
Here's another saying I'd like to share -
think of it as my little {{HUG}} for you today:
"Don't worry about tomorrow, God is already there"
and go ahead... *stomp your foot*, too.
Love ya friend!
Within a week of my last post, Stopping Long Enough, I had to make a choice of whether or not I was going to walk out what I had talked about.
Take a look at these two sentences from that post ~
"I stopped long enough to feel His love for me. During those times this week I recommitted all that I had to Him."
Yep, that's exactly what I said. I had talked it and was quickly given the opportunity to walk it.
When faced with the uncertainties in life ~ would I trust Jesus with all that I had committed to Him?
Friday afternoon I was faced with some uncertainty concerning the future of my job. Friday night our A/C went out. That would most certainly put a strain on our already tight finances. Monday I went for my yearly mammogram. What if there are health issues to be faced? That just can't happen..... because if I don't have a job than I don't have insurance......
.... so what did I do?
Did I cry? Yes (a little)
Did I want to hide? Yes
Did I pray? Yes (a lot)
Did I loose any sleep? Yes (that "yes" was at least partly due to not having any A/C - in Florida- in August)
What did I, the self-appointed "OFP" {official family planner}, do about all of this?
Well, I had to fight the urge to try to plan out all the answers. So, no lists. No plan B.
I just kept reminding myself that when I had committed everything in my life to the Lord it was because I know He is faithful. I know He loves me. I believe He wants what is the very best for me. And I want what He wants.
Each time thoughts of fear or worry would pop into my head I would stomp my foot and say "No, I gave it all to Jesus and whatever happens He will be with me." Well, I didn't actually stomp my foot, but inwardly, in my spirit, that was my attitude. I meant what I had said ~ I committed all of my life, meaning everything to Him.
So how did things turn out this week? Well, I still have my job. Yea! We had the A/C fixed and the Lord provided the money without us having to go further into debt. And no news on the mammo results (no news is good news).
However, as my week of walking out what I had talked about came to an end we learned that our next door neighbor is the third neighbor to have a potential sinkhole in his yard. If you don't know what a sinkhole is, it's a hole that can develop under the ground. It can at any time sink in and swallow anything above it. This new info was kind of a bummer since we don't have sinkhole insurance. But, it also is just one more opportunity to walk the walk. I absolutely know that our home is in God's hands. Whatever the future holds *stomping my foot here* He is aware of it and He will be faithful to guide me through it.
Now friend, I want you to believe me when I say - I'm not bragging on myself here. I just wanted to share how amazing it can be when we "stop long enough" in the Lord's presence. When we commit everything to Him we can relax knowing He is in control.
For me, these last couple of weeks have been another few steps in my journey of Finding Hope and Joy. I so hope that what I share will encourage you in some way.
Here's another saying I'd like to share -
think of it as my little {{HUG}} for you today:
"Don't worry about tomorrow, God is already there"
and go ahead... *stomp your foot*, too.
Love ya friend!
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