There is Peace

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.

 

Sometimes we face different circumstances. In trying times in our lives, we can have PEACE. GOD leads us into valleys, but also OUT of them. Praise God!! I know some members of a particular family in our church are hurting today. A dear member of their family was killed in an accident this morning. It was devastating to hear.. This dear family is already in the middle of one valley... as this dear family has another member fighting pancreatic cancer..

 

Sometimes we do not understand God's plan of doing things. I , myself ,wonder what he is working up...but that is just it.. this is just one one piece to the puzzle to be COMPLETED...

 

peace CAN calm your fear today.. it did mine today.. as I heard this terrible news, I wondered about if this dear man was saved... I had a big, empty feeling... My mama and I were having lunch together, and as we got the news by a telephone call, it was so quiet, and a bad feeling for the both of us... Later on this afternoon, I got a message from a dear friend. The message brought such a PEACE to my heart. This man was a saved man. He went to Heaven this morning!!! He is at PEACE.The family can be at PEACE, knowing that he knew the Lord, and they can and will see him again!!!

PEACE can be taken away when faced with health issues, family problems, and the loss of a friendship.It can and will still your joy.

 

Isaiah 57:2 He shall enter into peace;they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

Even when we suffer , we can still have the PEACE of God.God is merciful, and HE gives grace. Their has been grace for every trial.... We can have PEACE.. PEACE knowing that the Father is in control, and HE knows everything we face, and it is all part of something that is He knows the outcome of. Praise God for PEACE today.

 

Even in the valley, God is good.

Even in the valley, HE is faithful and true.

He carries his children through, like HE said HE would,

Even in the valley, God is good.

 

Thankful for PEACE!!! AND that HE gives PEACE!!!

Past, Present, and Future

When i think of the past, it really ,at times, seems so long ago.. It feels like elementary school was in another life,lol.... I love to think back on past times... I am glad God never left me... I was thinking the other day, on past times with my grandparents... the only two grandparents I ever had.. my daddy's parents died when he was just a small boy.. I am so thankful for the times I had with them...

Some people never can go forward to the future, because they can't get over the past... If God has forgiven you or someone else that did you wrong in the past, then how can you not go forward??? The Lord can and will bring you out of whatever is keeping you from the future...

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

 

I am glad He knows everything that is going on presently in my life. He is in control of every aspect. He knows that I TRULY want to be a great Christian wife, and a great companion to my husband. I desire to do His will daily. To do this, i must die to self DAILY... yield every part of my life to Him.

 

I am glad HE is in control of my future.. He knows everything to come bad or good, my way. He knows the outcome of every problem, concern, fear, sickness, or even good thing that is going to come my way.

I am trusting in the Potter's hand.

 

He lights our path, one step at a time, one turn at a time.. thankful for this!!

I am so glad HE takes care of the past, HE buried it!! HE knows the present things we are in, and HE knows the future, the future of the outcome of our problems, and the future HOME HE has prepared for us!!

 

Being Contented Part 2

 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

 

 

 

hello everyone in bloggerland. i hope everyone has had a wonderful week celebrating Easter, and our Lord Jesus Christ is STILL ALIVE, AMEN!! I was reviewing some previous posts i had made, and i started thinking/writing more on them. One in particular stuck out at me. It was on being contented... some people have it ALL wrong. they are content with the wrong things. it is all about material things, or what all they can get. My Sunday school teacher was teaching yesterday on young couples who try to have everything in the first few years of marriage, that it took their parents 30 years to work for.... This is a very true statement... i know of people right now, that have went in so much debt their first five years of marriage, and now, they are working themselves to death trying to pay for all of that... they are neglecting the Church on Sunday, and not getting to spend time with their family beacuse they have to work to pay bills!!!! THIS IS THEIR CONTENTMENT!!!

 

 what things have made you content this week?? is it the blessings of God??? Living in HIS will for your life???? Sometimes it is hard to be in content when something goes wrong.. especially with a family member or close friend.. or when someone has done you wrong, or said something about your child... but we can still be in content knowing HE will take care of us... Being godly,brings great content.. knowing we want to live for Him, and serve Him.. this is the will of God...

 EVERYDAY BLESSINGS AND SPECIAL TIMES IN OUR LIVES CAN BRING CONTENT!!

 Last year in June, I went with my mother and some of the ''seniors'' at my church to Natural Bridge, Va. We had a great time and had some of the best laughs I have had in a LONG time.. This brought contentment to my heart and life... AND it made my MAMA happy too... you see, we had just lost my grandmother, and my mama needed a little time away.. I was so glad for her to get to go on this trip. We had a great time, and  it was wonderful time with our friends too!!

 LOVE THIS PICTURE!!! THIS BRINGS CONTENTMENT TO MY HEART ALSO... The lady in the pink shirt is Marla...She was our van driver.. She was a great helper to us that weekend, and we love her so much!!!! Since then, this past January, Marla was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer...She has been undergoing treatment for this, and will go this week to find out if the treatments are doing her any good.. She came to church last night, and stood and testified how she knows that God is in control of her Cancer, and He knows the plan for her life, and she is okay with whatever that may be.. THIS IS BEING CONTENTED!!!! CONTENT with what her future holds... I will always remember this!! Just when you think you got it bad, remember someone else is facing far more something than you!!! She was so full of herself on this trip last year, and we made some fun, lasting memories!!! Some I will always cherish, and think of how contented they made me!!!

 these are just some pictures from the trip i wanted to share.... animals from the safari, and how sweet and content they were with us feeding them...loved this!!

 Fun times with my mama!!

 

 my  buddy and her mama playing around and acting crazy!! this made my heart smile, because they needed this trip like my mother and I did...

 

 

It's times like these, that the Lord sends in our lives.. He sends them always at the right time... Christian fellowship is a great thing... It BRINGS CONTENTMENT..it is great to talk about the blessings of God with other believers, and share your burdens with others... our own abilities do NOT bring true contentment.Trust in the LORD to provide for you, and HE WILL!!  OUR attitude toward  ''things'' makes a HUGE difference in being contented.. we may be in a bad mood and take it  out on other people.... to''some'' people this brings them contentment...but it really does not!!!

 

In closing, I want to be contented, and right now, i feel really contented.. I am blessed every day, and I thank God for that. I want to have a servant's heart. Do you want a servant's heart??? Be willing to help in any way, and do it for the Lord. this brings TRUE CONTENTMENT!! Keeping our focus on HIm , not material things, brings contentment, ALWAYS!!!

Easter Time

 

Easter is soon approaching.. wow, this year is really flying by!! We have had some cool days recently. I am looking forward to warmer temps. This weekend is gonna be jam packed with fun stuff.. On friday, we will be taking the ''newly remodeled boat'' out for the first run of the year... so looking forward to that... and on saturday, I will be doing a wedding.. the first one for the season, as i have more to come.. we have about five weddings coming up soon in our church... this couple is a special couple and i look forward to sharing in their big day..

Sunday, will be filled with our Worship service, and special times with family, looking forward to that also... Some people really think it's all about dyeing eggs, a new outfit, and a quick trip to the park, or a quick sunrise service, and that's it for them until Christmas........ So glad today. it goes way far more beyond that.. We celebrate Easter everyday. The child of God can always have Easter, because Jesus came out of the Tomb, the stone was rolled away!!! HE'S ALIVE!!!!!! thank the Lord for that!!

I know My Redeemer LIVES!!!

 

 

Spring Fun HAS begun !!

 

good murnin..lol.. HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!!! hope you have been enjoying these warmer temps. i am so happy to see them. we had a fun week  in Charleston, SC last week. We went for our annual ''kick off to camping season'' trip. It was a fun time  of camping on James Island!! We had a ball. We got to see some new places and things in Chuck town we have never got to see before.

we went to the Fire Museam in Charleston. It was a really cool place filled with hubby's favorite fire trucks, and memorabilla. It had all kinds of pumpers, engines, and even a hand pumper..it was cool. i was a little dissapointed that they did not have a lot of stuff about Chaleston Fire Dept. nor did they have any Memorial to the CHARLESTON 9... but it still was a fun thing to see.

mmmmmm. bacon... love the smell of this on a morning waking up to the sound of owls hooohootin, and sweet little birds singing, ''sweet,tweet..'' it was beautiful..

had bacon and eggs and toasted english muffins on this morning

i just love these lamps...

one day, it was rather warm, so we headed to the beach.. when we got there, it became sooo windy.. but we had a great relaxing time people watching and listening to the waves crash..... and getting our toes in the sand!!

pretty view from the pier

me and dear hubby on the pier

our view from campsite, this pond was was right beside us, and i sat in that swing, and read, did my devotions, and just took in the beauty around me..

lake view.. we went fishing.. he caught one, me, none... :(

buddy grilling burgers for lunch

 now, that's a piece of meat..lol

our sunset view leaving the beach

us one day before we were headed out for shopping and dining

 

the weather was perfect. Still a little cool, but not cold...but the  dreaded word...POLLEN was in full force...and nearly got the best of me.. but i survived. we met up with my best friend on wednesday. we had a great time seeing them and the kids.. they are so grown!!! we had fun the next night celebrating Shane's birthday!! We went to Outback because he wanted steak...yummmm...We took our bikes, and rode, and rode, and rode..you get the picture... they have all kinds of trails for bike riding!!! we had a great time. on friday, i went with my ladies of faith, to the women of honor conference. we had a ball, and LOL ALL WEEKEND!! and it was so much fun to be with my buddies, and i really needed the fellowship, and the meeting was such a blessing!!!

Happy Spring everyone and remember JESUS is the reason for THIS season also!!!!!! <3 p=""> 

PLAYING CATCH UP

 

 HELLO EVERYONE!! IT HAS BEEN 22 DAYS SINCE I HAVE UPDATED THE SIMPLE GIFT. FEBRUARY IS A WONDERFUL MONTH!! WHY YOU MIGHT ASK??? DUH!! IT IS MY BIRTHDAY MONTH, AND OF COURSE VALENTINE'S MONTH.... IT HAS BEEN CRAZY BUSY AROUND OUR HOME. WE ARE GETTING THINGS READY FOR SPRING. HUBBY HAS BEEN ''KNEE DEEP'' IN GETTING HIS BOAT BACK IN ORDER, AND READY FOR SPRING FISHING!!! CANT WAIT TO BE ON THAT WATER!! HE JUST ORDERED NEW TIRES FOR THE CAMPER, SO WE WILL BE BACK IN FULL SWING WITH CAMPING TRIPS SOON!! SO READY FOR WARMER WEATHER!!! I MISS MY POOL, BAD!!

WE HAD MY BIRTHDAY LUNCH LAST SUNDAY!! IT WAS YUMMOLICIOUS AS ALWAYS!! WE HAD A DELICIOUS SPIRAL HAM, GRAPE SALAD, STACKED SALAD, RED VELVET CAKE, MAC AND CHEESE, AND MY REQUEST WAS MY MAMA'S WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESE CAKE FOR MY '' BIRTHDAY CAKE'' !! IT WAS OH SO GOOD!!

  WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESE CAKE

 

MY AND MY SWEETIE

YES, THAT IS MY JUG!!

 LOVE THIS YUMMY FOOD!!

 

 

YUMMY PINTOS, CORNBREAD, AND THE HAM!!

 

 ME AND THE SWEETIE TRYING OUT THE NEW LOCAL ''CHEDDARS''..IT WAS DELICIOUS!!

 

 LAST SATURDAY, WE HAD OUR FIRST SNOW OF THE YEAR!! IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, FAST, SNOW!! WE GOT AN INCH.. SOME MORE IN OTHER AREAS, BUT IT WAS A PRETTY SIGHT TO SEE!!

 

LOVE THIS PIC OF THE ROAD BY MY HOME!!

THE WHITE TREES AT NIGHT, SO PRETTY!!

 

HERE IT IS FALLING!! BIG FLAKES!!

 

SO, YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL!! IT HAS BEEN A FUN MONTH, AND I THANK GOD THAT I GOT TO SEE ANOTHER BIRTHDAY!!

GOD is BIGGER than THAT

 

Sometimes we need to feel comfort. Comfort in time of death, pain, lost loved ones, health issues, or just any burden or suffering  we may have. His grace has been a comfort to us and our family and church family, especially over the past few weeks. A dear lady in our church recieved bad news the other day. She was told she has stage 4 cancer.. She is probably one of the strongest Christian ladies I have ever met. She is a really nice lady and has a huge heart, and is always willing to jump in and tackle any problem!!! I hope I am known for that!!!

Seems like every time I need comforting, the book of Psalms is always a book of comfort and wonderful promises.Promises from the Father of being with me or you when we face those uncertain valleys..... but EVEN IN THE VALLEY, GOD IS GOOD!!!....

Psalm 23:4 KJV Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: mfor thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

WHAT A COMFORT TO KNOW HE IS WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!!

our GOD is so much BIGGER than any fear we have or problem we are facing!!

So many songs come to mind. I am glad God can comfort us through music. I sing a song at church sometimes... we have not sung it in a while, but i still sing  it in my heart.
''my GOD is BIGGER than the mountains, or the raging sea, HE'S bigger than MY worries, bigger than my NEEDS, he is the rock of ages, sweet VICTORY AT LAST, no matter what the problem, GOD'S BIGGER THAN THAT. HE is bigger than all my PROBLEMS, bigger than all my fears, GOD is bigger than mountain than I can or can not see, BIGGER than all my QUESTIONS, bigger than anything, GOD IS BIGGER THAN ANY MOUNTAIN THAT I CAN OR CAN NOT SEE!!! NO MATTER WHAT THE PROBLEM, GOD'S BIGGER THAN THAT!!''
IT is a comfort to know HE is faithful to be there if we lean on Him. HE is bigger than any loss we have, cancer, problem or any fear we have.!!!! amen!!

II Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

When you have experienced the comfort from God, it is easy to tell others that God will see them through because HE proved His FAITHFULNESS.
Praying for comfort right now for two parents I know, who will, or have just recently gave birth to a still born baby suffering from HYDROPS.. and for the dear lady I spoke of with the cancer.