January 27, 2013

Wow, what a wonderful day it was today.  We started the day going to Church at Fellowship Bible Church of Venice.  Pastor John Meyer is such a great teacher.  I always enjoy his messages.  I love that his messages are recorded and can be found at www.fbcov.org so that I can often go back and review.  Check it out and see the wonderful messages we hear each week.  If you don't have a church, please feel free to join us each Sunday at 10am for Church and 11am for Sunday school.  The children's program called Quest runs from 10:30am until 12pm.

Pastor John finished up a message he started last week in Hebrews 10.  Don't drive, don't doubt, don't become dull  and don't despise.  Oh, how often I have done all of those things.  Hebrews 10: 26 talks about if we deliberately sin after getting saved, then we should be fearful of judgement and the fury of fire.  We are supposed to have a changed heart.  We are to long after the Lord and want to be in His will.  Of course this doesn't happen over night, but we are supposed to try and live right.  I get angry sometimes and am hurt when someone "wrongs" me.  But God says in verse 30 For we know his who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay."  The Lord is in control and HE will judge His people!  That makes me think as a parent who I want to correct my children.  I don't want others or the siblings correcting each other.  The Lord says, the same thing that HE will do the correction!  We need to just worry about keeping ourselves in line, that is a big enough job. 

After Church we headed back to Englewood, delivered children home and then headed back to Sarasota.  Today's is Curt Ross' 50th surprise birthday party.  Jeff, Jannine, Shannon and I ran a bunch of errands and prepared for the party.  I love spending time with the Ross/Eskew families.  What a precious time ... just appreciating the time we ahve been given together to celebrate the milestones. 

I realize that so many times in life, times are so hard and there often seems like there is no hope for tomorrow.  One of the things I challenged myself in blogging for the new year, was to appreciate the little things or miracles each day.  Today was filled with amazing miracles and such joy.  In Church Pastor John mentioned if a quote from a missionary.  He said basically that if a man holds on to earthly things so that he will survive, but in doing so lets go of heavenly things ... is it worth it?  We shouldn't be earthly minded, but instead, heavenly focussed.  Today brought me so much joy spending time with my church family and our earthly family.  There were several generations there tonight.  Grandma Ross and Grandma Eskew ... are two Godly women who have not had an easy life but have never lost focus on God!  They raised their families along with their husbands to love the Lord.  They have both been blessed with a long life so that they may now enjoy their children, their grandchildren and now their great grand children.  There were two precious little baby girls there tonight, 4 and 9 months old.  They brought so much joy to everyone there.  There is nothing like the smell and smile of a little child.  I just really love being with family.  Those times are so precious ... moments in time to be cherrished. 

Happy Birthday Curt!  We love you and Shannon and thank God for your continued testimony.  May God bless you with at least 50 more wonderful years!

I am thankful for the precious time with wonderful people God has placed in our lives.  It is wonderful to see so many people who love the Lord and to witness all He has done in so many lives.  Thank you for the wonderful and beautiful day.  Thank you for recharging my batteries Lord.  Thank you for loving me.