PERSPECTIVE! LOOKING PAST THE STORM

Photo provide by Kathy Mitchell

Each Saturday morning my grandchildren and I usually snuggle 

up and spend a few minutes looking at video's and photo's that 

people post on Facebook.  I began this ritual with my own children 

when they were young and we lived twelve hours from my family.  

Although we didn't have Facebook, we tried to keep plenty of photos 

in books that we viewed every week and discussed.

I have found there are always great animal videos posted on 

friends pages that my grand children love to watch, and I don't 

have to worry about scanning through and accidentally 

pulling up bad video's trying to locate a good one.  

This gives us some great time to talk about my sisters, 

brothers, cousins, etc... that live far away.  

This is a time my grandchildren can see things my family 

is doing and see what everyone looks like. This helps bridge 

the gap of family time lost for when they see them face to face.

Shown above is one of the photo's my sister posted during the week.  

As we scrolled through all the photo's of the winter ice storm 

that hit West Texas, Noah and Emma would give me their 

perspective on the event.  There were a few that we would say, 
"burr, that really looks cold."   One photo Noah seen was a tree
covered with ice and drooping down. He started laughing 
and said, "It looks like an elephant."  I had to agree, 
it did sorta look like a giant elephant.

This one particular photo shown above caused Noah 

immediate excitement.  His eyes enlarged and with enthusiasm 

in his voice he looked at us and said, "Who can push me?" 

As Emma and myself perceived a wagon standing still in the winter 

coldness with ice hanging all over it making us think, "burr."

Noah perceived an item of extreme excitement.  He looked beyond 

the ice that was hanging down on the sides, 

the snow that was cradled on the top, and the freezing 

temperature outside.  His perspective captured 

one single thing, "an exciting set of wheels 

that could provide a fun ride".

What is the perspective of the items or people around 

you who seem to be distant, cold or useless?  We must 

remember that our own perspective is not always what 

that item or person is, "It is only our perspective".  

Maybe this is why the Lord said we must become as 

little children to inherit the kingdom of God.  

Verily I say unto you, 
except ye be converted, 
and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the
kingdom of heaven
Matthew 18:3

May we learn to look through the eyes of the Lord, 
the eyes of hope, faith, and joy instead of our own worldly,

cast down, forsaken set of eyes.  These eyes of ours 
that cast a shadow of winter coldness over our hearts 
and keep us from moving forward and enjoying 
life to the extreme can rob us of true joy.

WINTER IS JUST A SEASON

Photo submitted by Kaye Rowe

For the Lord himself shall descend 

from heaven with a shout, 

with the voice of the archangel, 

and with the trump of God: 

and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be 

caught up together with them in the clouds, 

to meet the Lord in the air: 

and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18

REMEMBER HIS MARVELOUS WORKS

Photo submitted by David Boston

PSALM 105:1-5

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: 

make known his deeds among the people.

Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him:

talk ye of all his wondrous works.

Glory ye in his holy name: 

let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

Seek the LORD, and his strength: 

seek his face evermore.

Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; 

his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

WARM MEMORIES AND FAMILY LOVE CARRY US THROUGH LIFE'S HARSHEST STORMS

  Photo submitted by Kaye Rowe

The winter months bring many times of discomfort to our heart and our bodies. Many of us wait anxiously for the first sign of spring.  As we age, our bodies scream with pain as the coldness settles itself upon the face of the earth.  

Although winter is dark and harsh, it can also be a time to reflect and remember special moments with our families, the moments that warm our soul.  This warmth fills our soul and gives us strength to move forward and carry on, no matter the temperature outside. 

This is a great time to reflect upon, a time to start building memories for the future. This is something we are never too old to do!  

Are we leaving warm "love trenches" in the lives of our children and loved ones, that will be a place they can go on those wintery harsh nights and find warmth? Are we leaving a memory they can go to and find strength to carry on, or are we leaving memories of cold, icy storms, a place when visited, they shutter and run from, due to the bitter coldness of the memory. 

What are you doing with the word God placed in your hands, "love"?  

L  O  V  E 

Consist of four letters in the alphabet!

Four letters full of energy and power!

Four letters harnessing the lives of the future!

You hold in your hands the letters that can make someone great and famous, kind and compassionate, joyous and full of hope for the future.  The letters that if used incorrectly can break down, destroy and leave someone without hope to carry on.  

Love Trenches 

Lay them prayerfully and carefully 

for all those visiting in the future! 

I Corinthians 13 4:13

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; 

charity envieth not; 

charity vaunteth not itself, 

is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, 

seeketh not her own, 

is not easily provoked, 

thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, 

but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, 

believeth all things, 

hopeth all things, 

endureth all things.

Charity never faileth: 

but whether there be prophecies, 

they shall fail; 

whether there be tongues, 

they shall cease; 

whether there be knowledge, 

it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, 

and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come, 

then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, 

I spake as a child, 

I understood as a child, 

I thought as a child: 

but when I became a man, 

I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, 

darkly; but then face to face: 

now I know in part; 

but then shall I know 

even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith,

 hope, charity, these three; 

but the greatest of these is charity.

WHAT DOES YOUR FATHER SEE?

This past week as I watched our grandson, I began to ponder what the Lord sees when He looks down upon me, as His child.  Does He become as excited as I do as I watch my children and grandchildren explore, learn and step forward with new insights and goals?  

Noah is learning new words each day.  As we watched a video of him, I watched as he experimented with a new sentence.  The first time he tried it out, he said, "Hi kiki", Watching him closely for what he would do next while standing over the box of baby chickens, he said, "Hi kickin, hi kickin".  Then there was a pause as he looks into the box some more and he tries over and over saying "Hi kicken".  He tries hard to get it to come out correctly.  Then he decides which color he would like his father to hand to him.  He says, "That one" and Josh thinks he is giving Noah the correct chicken but Noah knows exactly which one he wants to have out of the box.  He looks back into the box and says, "white" as this is one of the colors we have been recently teaching him.  

As I watched Noah I was filled with awe, love, pride, excitement, joy, eagerness for him to learn more words, and a great desire just to give him a huge hug and kiss.  

Does the Heavenly Father become this excited about us learning and exploring?  I believe He does and I am sure he waits anxiously for us to take the next step, learn new jewels of His Word, and grow deeper in love with Him.  So go ahead, witness to others, study His Word, teach that class, write that song or write your book, as it will only bring great joy to Your Heavenly Father.   

He has created each of us just as he created our grandson Noah, with the need to learn and grow stronger each day in our physical walk.  Not only our physical walk, but also our spiritual walk.  Many of us have matured greatly physically but we have not even begun to take baby steps spiritually.  When you begin this process, the Heavenly Father will be filled with excitement, joy and an eagerness to help you learn more.  He longs for the day for you to become nourished and grow into what He has planned for your life.  

When will you take the first step or say the first words to begin that process.  Do not wait until your spiritual life has dried up and weathered away.  Let today be the day when you take that first step.  It will surprise you after a few years, how far you have come when you look back, if you begin to cultivate your spiritual maturity each day.  

GIVE UNTO THE LORD THE GLORY DUE HIS NAME

Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; 

worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: 

the LORD is upon many waters.

The voice of the LORD is powerful; 

the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; 

yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

He maketh them also to skip like a calf; 

Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.

The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD 

shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, 

and discovereth the forests: 

and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, 

the LORD sitteth King for ever.

The LORD will give strength unto his people; 

the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Psalms 29

ALLOWING THE LIVING WATER TO FLOW

Photo Provided by Karen Boston Fain

In the last day, that great day of the feast,
Jesus stood and cried, saying, 

If any man thirst, let him come unto me,
and drink.  He that believeth on me,
as the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water.

John 7:37