Splendor

You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand! Isaiah 62:3

This verse is refreshing and I love this spelendor kind of image.
--Image origin Black Eiffel

Patience

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you
compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all
who wait for him." --Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)

I am the most patient, non-patient person I know. My A-Type personality gets in the way of my best "waiting" intentions. The verse above is good today to take a sweet breath and just lean into Christ and focus more on what he has going on and be grateful for the sparkling glass of half full, not half empty. I know by my own life hopes that the wait can be incredibly hard on a tender heart. I truly think though that there is more valor in smiling and having faith anyway. Waiting expectantly with an open hand of dreams with hopefully more smiles and praise than tears. He is still there though with his hand out to catch each tear and turn it into sparkles of light. God is still more than enough! I hope it inspires as well to all to lean into the real friendship in Christ, be gentle with yourself and hold his hand and wait with a smile as He moves. Be happy, be blessed!
--Image origin is from a European site to be posted once found.

Just good to know the difference

"Unless we know the difference between flowers and weeds, we are not fit to take care of the garden. It is not enough to have truth planted in our minds. We must learn and labor to keep the ground clear of thorns and briars, follies and perversities, which have a wicked propensity to choke the word of life."
- Author unknown. Flowers image: Birch

Peyton Angel Grace

A past picture of my niece, Peyton Angel Grace. Just a cutie.
You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand! Isaiah 62:3
I pray this verse over her always.

True

You can stand tall without standing on someone.
You can be a victor without having victims. -- HW

Photo--SarahKaye

SG Farms

My Mom (Susan) is getting ready to build a home in the near future on what is some of the most beautiful 14 acres. Gentle, rolling green hills of pasture outlined in the very back with trees and even a tiny stream want-to-be passage running through the side of it. Just sweet for her and a dream that she has had for a very long time that I am looking forward to come to fruition for her. At any rate, I have had this barn and string-of-lights image for ages and not certain where either came from. These two images are just gentle inspiration for her to one day have her own barn with a great party going on in it as well. Invite me Mom, will ya?...smile!

Outdoor breezy lunch

I have been getting online lately looking for images of outside eating. I am looking to buy a home, but for some reason the two most important rooms to me are the back yard for eating dinners and to make a sweet room for my six year old niece to come and feel safe and happy in. This outdoor room is just a pretty, I wish I were there for lunch kind of image that just makes me smile!
Image--Anna

Anthony's cutie nephew Wesley.

Everyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It's the
person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something
about it that makes a difference.

-- Nolan Bushnell

A Light

The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets
up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The
saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world,
himself a light.
-- Felix Adler
Photo--SarahKaye

Sweetness

Refreshing imaage, makes me wish for a good glass of wine, a slice of honeycomb from Savannah Bee Company, fru fru cheese and fresh picked raspberries.
Image - Dream Cammy

A verse worth clinging to

“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper” (Psalm 1:3 NRS).

Great day, Great quote

Man is happy only as he finds work worth doing -- and does it well.
-- E. Merrill Root (1895-1973) American Writer

Strength to Conquer

The hope image above is from a t-shirt company, and the name and link I am still trying to find and post soon. Below is an excerpt from a devotional from Joel Osteen this morning. It is just good!

Today's Verse
“They did not conquer by their own strength and skill, but by your mighty power and because you smiled upon them and favored them” Psalm 44:3 (TLB).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Do you need God's strength to conquer something in your life today? Maybe you need strength on your job, or to overcome an addiction. Maybe you need strength to deal with a difficult person in the office. No matter what you may be facing, God desires to give you His supernatural strength in every situation. It's interesting that in this verse that it says, "because God smiled upon them and favored them." Did you know that simply calling on God causes Him to smile on you? Because you are His child, you have His favor! God loves to show Himself strong on your behalf. When you open your heart to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you for doing things your own way, He will forgive you! Best of all, God chooses to forget your past mistakes! It doesn’t matter what happened yesterday, today is a new day. Don't let the enemy's lies keep you powerless. Be strong in the Lord knowing that He is with you, smiling upon you and showering you with His favor. As you meditate on this promise, you will be strengthened to overcome every obstacle, and you will live a life of victory!

A Prayer for Today
God, thank you for smiling on me today. I ask that you show me your favor so that I can walk in your strength today. Thank you for equipping me with everything I need to live as an overcomer. I bless you and choose to honor you in everything I do. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Praying a great day over you. Amen

Thankful and Blessing Prayer

I wrote this prayer a bit ago. It is a compilation of my own thoughts, a couple of words from a song that the words lingerd in my mind by watermark and memories of a prayer once spoken over me from a paster and verses that I recall from the bible. It was something I wrote to pray in the early hours of the morning as words to remind my heart to stay pure before God, to be thankful and trust him even though I know that most of the time I fall mightily short of the heart and actions he desires in me. On the positive side, I do hope that he finds a speck of good and a smile in me and can use it for his glory alone. I thought I would share in hopes that this prayer might be good for the heart of others too.

Heavenly Father,
I don’t stand here in my own confidence, but give you all the glory.
I thank you that you set the stars in the sky and that you are the Heavenly Host over all.
You are to be glorified and honored. Lord, please come and invade my core and walk the halls of my soul
and bring your mercy and freedom. Refine me as silver to purity to sit at your feet, before your throne of grace.
I give you my life precious Father and thank you that I am blessed with your amazing
wisdom and understanding and have clear direction in life.
I thank you that I will always make good choices.
I thank you that you can use me as your vessel to touch the heart of your children.
I thank you that I am blessed with creativity,
with good ideas, with courage, strength and ability.
I thank you Father that I am blessed with good health, good family
and good friends, and a long and prosperous life.
I thank you that I will be blessed when I come in and when I go out.
I thank you that I am blessed in the country and in the city.
Thank you Father that whatever I put my hands to will prosper and succeed.
I thank you Lord, that I will lend only and not borrow.
I thank you that I will be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath.
I thank you Lord that every negative thing that has been
spoken over me, every curse so to speak right now is broken.
I thank you heavenly Father that generational sin that has been
in my family line for many generations, will no
longer have any affect over me or my family.
I thank you Father and declare from this day forward that
I will sense a new sense of freedom, a new sense of joy, a new sense of victory.
I thank you that I am blessed and protected by you Lord and pray to be a 100-fold blessing back to you.
In your precious name I pray,
Amen.

Just loving this picture

Just loving this picture of my favorite breed of dog (weimaraner). They always look so serene and regal to me with their sable coloring and grey-blue eyes.

Below is a great quote for, well, ALWAYS.

He who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger.
-- Japanese proverb

Faith

If faith is the gaze of the heart at God, and if this gaze is
but the raising of the inward eyes to meet the all-seeing eyes
of God, then it follows that it is one of the easiest things
possible to do.

-- A. W. Tozer

TRAVEL LIGHT

I have this illustration from a Tiffany & Co. project I am working on and well, received this quote this morning. One kind of identified with the other at that moment for me with the large bag illustration and all, so enjoy. I am truly grateful that it is Friday and happy I made it through the week beyond my computer going into oblivion for a day. Grateful to the Apple store for some how taking me in and fixing my computer in minutes even though they had no appointments available for the rest of the day! The look of panic on my face for projects that could be lost might have well given them bleeding hearts for me and in so showed me amazing kindness. Silly Intel chip now fixed and OS system working again. HUGE BLESSING!!!!!! So thank you Evan at the Apple Store for your kindness in help and just your ease with giving me information. Also, I am grateful to the gentleman that saw me, this small, but mighty damsel-in-distress with heels on no less (I am certain it was a hilarious sight!), carrying this awkwardly heavy computer that I was hoping would become lighter with each step (unfortunately it was gaining pounds quickly!) and gently lifted it out of my hands and carried it in the store for me. Bless that man!

One more blessing before I go. Last night I had dinner with Gretchen, my sister, my Mom and my niece, Peyton Grace. The time spent with them was lovely. I cherish my family so! Amazing that a tall (decaf, might I add) latté shared with a 6 year old while pretending to walk with her imaginary horse named Captain was just the sweetest part of my Day. His imaginary self had to be tied up by Peyton Grace outside the gate of where we ate as he kept imaginarily nuzzling her which kept her from eating. We just can't have that now can we?! Thank you God for giving me a reason to smile beyond my work challenges today.

So true. This image made me giggle, out loud no less!

I came across this image early this morning in some old files, along with a email devotional from Joel Osteen. The image first made me giggle, but I have to wonder is waking up this way a good thing? The question went across my mind as I was going for my second cup of coffee this morning. Then I tasted the yummy coffee and thought, naaaaaaa. I know that my feelings are wrong. I am a two cup of coffee in the mornings gal as I try to be awake early to get some time in with God before the start of my day. I realize that the rest of my day I am so very conscious and proactive to place quality pure food in my body instead of junk. My God/coffee time is actually my favorite part of my day. However, I realize that the above image is quite true of me. I am trying to swich slowly to green tea. Admittedly, a new taste that I am trying to acquire and convince myself to adore more than the taste of coffee. Not totally sold out yet. One day possibly.

“Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is” 3 John 2 (TLB).

Just a Good Monday or Any Day Prayer

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Just good for Monday or any day, moment or second in a day. I really wish I had all that good of Galatians 5:22-23 verse in me without the bad. You know as if people would say that is true of me and my life, that I lead my life in this manner. Well, I hope that parts of it truly are of my character. This side of heaven though and well, I just want to always keep it real and truthful. So, today I will just speak the fruit of the spirit well, all over me and in me, and allow God to make this true in me. Create in me a right spirit God and make me filled with incredible smiles of warmth to all I am near and a woman of character worthy of your time. Thank you God for just an amazing personal, just real relationship with you God that you even know every hair on my head and accept me beyond well, me. For that I am eternally grateful. As Peyton Grace would say "And all God's children said.....AAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEENNNNNNN"! Okay, Peyton Grace used to say, mmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaamen. Thinking back, once we were praying and she said Amen and changed it to Awoman. Fully little sprite she is!

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

I get this devotional from heartlight.com. Today well, it was true to what I needed. I hope it speaks to you as well.

Dear Father, grower of spiritual fruit,
Let the fruit of the Spirit blossom, mature, and ripen in my life:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these. Let me
possess them!

Since I belong to Christ, I have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires. Let me live by the Spirit. Let me walk by the
Spirit!

Let me show no self-conceit, give no provocation, have no envy
toward anyone else. Let me live in, through, and for Christ Jesus,
as he lives in, through, and for me and his whole church.

In the name of Jesus I ask you to perfect us, whatever that may
take, and give us the grace to endure your renovation process.
Amen.

Evi Cici - Oh when did she grow so big?

I have a picture of Evi in the beginning of my blog. She is a girl that I was and still, today blessed enough to sponsor through Compassion International beginning at age 3. I just received this new picture of her. She is now 13. I still think of this situation in awe of Christ and how he just moves and we just find out where he is moving and get involved. She has been far more a blessing to me than I could ever be to her. Where oh where did the time go? What a blessing she is. I just wanted you to see her shining face.

Sweet Wedding Bliss

This was an amazing wedding of a cherished friend of mine, Kelley Cole. This was a huge wedding, but still very personal. Hank Aaron and other celebrity types were there if this helps you with a grandness view into the wedding. Just a sea of beautiful people honestly. Kelley was exquisite to say the least, and her hubby quite the handsome guy as well with a very kind soul. Anthony, my fiancé is quite protective of Miss Kelley and was thrilled to be one of the first guests to see her walk down the stairs to the isle. We were late, but it worked out that we got to see her glowing prior to meeting up with her Dad for the walk. How lucky are we! Kelley and Romero were just happy and relaxed and I think that when you get married you should feel how they felt. Giggling, eating as if at home without wedding stress, dancing and knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is until death do us part commitment and happy to get on with the journey of life as best friends with God smack dab in the center of it all. I do wish them much happiness, great friendship, sweet love with one another on this journey in life together.