Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts

Sunday, January 2, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May God make 2011 a happy one!


Not by shielding you from all

sorrows and pain,

but by

strengthening you to bear it, as it comes.


Not by making your path easy,

but by making you

sturdy to travel any path.


Not by taking hardships from you,

but by

taking fear from your heart.


Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,

but by

keeping your face bright,

even in the shadows.


Not by making your life always pleasant,

but by

showing you when people and their causes need you most,

and by making you

anxious to be there to help.


God’s

LOVE,

PEACE,

HOPE

and

JOY

to YOU for the year ahead.

(anonymous)

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

What is it about Costco?

Ok- What is it about Costco?

I went to Costco yesterday with my full intention of purchasing the items that I had on my list...and ONLY those items on my list.

I get there, and I'm not kidding, I feel like I'm at a Sale or something!

I LOSE CONTROL!!!!
Can anyone relate?
On the outside, I'm calm, cool and collect and on the inside, I'm like,
"What do I need, do I need some of those, do I need more of this, oh my gosh, what a good price, I've got to get that!" (repeating in my mind at light speed!)

Here is what I had on my list:


Fruit (it's healthy, we all eat a ton)
chicken (it's healthy, we all eat a ton)
trash bags
pizza (for mom's night out)
romaine lettuce (it's healthy and I eat a ton)

Here is what I purchased IN ADDITION to my list:

cute shirt for my daughter (only $10.00 for a brand name!)
cute shirt for my husband (only $15.00 but said he didn't like the color-too feme, but still cute)
cute shirt for me (only $10.00 for guess what, a brand name and excellent quality well worth over the $10.00!!!!!!!)
kids sour vitamins (we actually needed these)
kids fruit snack ( made with real fruit....but did we need 74?)
6 pack cans of soup ( weird thing, I like to have cans in the garage in case we someday DO go to war or get invaded by aliens or have THAT earthquake they've said is coming)

Do you overspend at Costco?
Do you ever feel like it's a frenzy in there?

Being in Costco is almost like having a drug induced episode (though I've never had one, I guess this is what I imagine it would be like?)

You go in and come out with things in your basket that you don't remember putting in, everything was a blur and all of a sudden you are in front of your car....

Maybe it's because I think I'm getting a totally awesome discount by shopping there?
Maybe it's because their drinks only cost .59 cents?
Maybe it's because I can feed three half-starving children for less than $2.00 each!!! Seriously!
Maybe it's because you can actually have lunch for FREEEEE by snacking at all their sample stations!
Maybe it's because you feel like part of an elite group when you are shopping there?
(Yes, I have a gold card- ha ha!)

Do you think God wants me to pray about where and how I'm spending money?
Well, it is HIS money, isn't it?

What about praying for self-control when going into the out-of-control zone?

What about praying for wisdom on what to purchase?

What about praying for peace, so that I don't do or buy anything to fill that gap I may have in my heart and ...Let HIS peace fill it...

I know this may sound silly, but I really believe God wants us relying on him for strength, wisdom, peace and self-control.
I believe that HE wants us to rely on HIM for even MORE, but you and I have a choice every moment of every day to say "YES" to the Lord or "NO!"

When I do rely on HIM more, I'm more like HIM. I make choices HE would make and, have the kind of self-control, wisdom and peace that HE would have.

Just for today~

Ask the Lord to give you wisdom as you make choices and decisions for your family.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7

I love those who love me and those who seek me, find me.
Proverbs 8:17

Ask the Lord for self-control in spending, eating, maybe even your tongue.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Romans 8:26

For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of LOVE and of sound mind.
2 Timothy 1-7

Ask the Lord for peace as you go on with your day, to be in the moment, fully engaged with the day!
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

On the journey with you~
Janet

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

........................HOPE

I saw a physical sign of HOPE in my front yard.
We have lived in this home for over 4 years and there is this one spot in our yard that has dirt, always had dirt and probably always will.....the sprinkler must just miss it by overshooting it or undershooting it.
Last week as I pulled into the driveway I saw something that surprised me....in the middle of this dirt patch was a very cute, sunflower standing up as straight as can be, all by itself.......in the midst of that dirt!!!

Do you feel like your life is "stuck in the dirt" sometimes? I know I feel that way occasionally, okay, more than that since I'm being honest. Sometimes I can look around and not notice all the blessings God has given me, I can feel sorry for myself or self consumed with WHATEVER I can come up with in my head at any moment...but in the midst of it all....there is HOPE...there is GOD!

GOD has promised you and me HOPE...
* HE will comfort us when we are feeling isolated like that flower, Psalm 23:4 "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me"
* HE will protect us when we are vulnerable to the world, 2Thes:3:3 "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one."
*HE will never leave us even when we don't SEE HIM there, Hebrews 13:5..."Never will I leave you:never will I forsake you"
*HE will quench our thirst, when the world leaves us dry..... John 4:14 "but whoever drinks the water I give her will never thirst."

Psalm 62:5
"Find rest, O my soul, in GOD alone;
my HOPE comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress,
I will not be shaken."

I am so at peace that I can have HOPE in the LORD: MY COMFORTER, MY PROTECTOR, MY STRENGTH and the WELL of LIFE.
Thank you father for being there for me whenever I need you, wherever I need you for whatever I need~
Let's HOPE in the LORD today!