Hello, everyone in blog land! I was tagged for this post by Thony at markanthonyswall.wordpress.com. This tag is kind of awesome because it includes visuals and makes me use my brain. Follow Thony because he is an aspiring author with a lot to say and you will want to read what he writes. Seriously!

RULES:

1. Link back and thank the person who tagged you.

2. Link back and thank the blogger who started the tag. That was Beth.

3. List and picture at least seven of your favorite things.

4. Tag at least seven people.

5. List the rules.

My seven favorite things:

1. My Bible

This is a photo of the YouVersion app that I use daily for my devotions. I also have a regular Bible (many, actually) and I take one of them to church with me weekly.

2. My grandchildren

This is Tinslea who is named for me. She is my sixth grandchild and is very precious to me, since I got to see her shortly after her birth. All of my grandchildren are a big part of my heart.

3. Books

I read online a lot as well as hard copies of books.

4. My Fitbit tracker

Photo is from imore.com

I have the blue one and wear it daily. I have had one since I had my stroke in 2015.

5. Chai Latte tea

This is my favorite kind. I buy it at the grocery story or order it from Amazon.

6. My kitty Daisy

Daisy always sits right on my lap desk while I try to work on my IPad.

7. My IPad

I use it daily to read my Bible, post on my blog, check my email and Facebook and to read on my apps.

Tag:

If you are reading this and want to share your 7 favorite things, consider yourself tagged. I would like to see many of my online friends participate so I can find out more about you.

Blessings until next time!

Thank you to Kathy Wire at Maggie Tiggles for this nomination. Dollfaced Writer has created a tag where each month the theme is different but the tag continues monthly. Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you to participate.

2. Link back to the original post.

3. Attach an image that inspires you regarding the month’s theme (or use the original).

4. Talk about what this month’s theme means to you.

5. Answer the questions.

6. Nominate one or more people to participate.

7. Enjoy the rest of your month.

For February, our theme is called: What’s on Your Heart

What’s on my heart for February’s heart theme:

I have been really missing seeing our grandchildren. I was scheduled to spend Christmas with them, but the doctor indicated that it was risky for me to travel with the hernia that I have. You see, my stomach is pressing against my heart and he doesn’t want it to “strangle” my heart. So, I have been careful with my activities and have been on a special diet since December 6th, when I was diagnosed. I thought that my surgery would be right away, but I had to undergo multiple invasive medical tests. Then, my surgery was finally scheduled for February 12th, but my body didn’t cooperate because I got sick on February 7th so I couldn’t have the surgery. Now that I am cleared again, my surgery has been postponed until March 20th. I was crying when the surgeon called me to tell me this news and he asked why I was so upset. I told him that I have already waited three months and I haven’t been able to see our grandchildren. He told me that it’s better for me not to be stressed over not traveling, so I can travel to see our grandchildren in Maryland. Hurray!

Meet the granddaughters that we get to visit soon. Penny had a birthday this last week and is four now. Evie is ten months old and is almost ready to walk. I have missed so much in the close to six months since I saw them last. So, our grandchildren are on my heart. I want to get the surgery done, get through my recovery, and go visit the five others in Pennsylvania. We got a phone call this week that my friend Heidi’s son and his wife have a brand new baby girl. My eyes were full of tears as I imagined how happy Heidi would have been to hold the new addition to her family. She’s in Heaven now and I’m hoping that she can see the new little one and is rejoicing with our Heavenly Father. I’m blessed to be able to visit the little ones (and the big ones) and I rejoice with a full heart because I love them so much. The thought of my surgery is scary, but the idea that I get to see Penny and Evie beforehand gives me an overwhelming flood of love and joy!

The questions that go along with this tag:

1. Do you believe in love at first sight?

I think it is possible, but an unusual occurrence. Love is not only a feeling as people like to think. It is a choice that you make every day.

2. Do you believe in soulmates?

If a soulmate is the person with whom you have chosen to live your life, yes, I do. Again, having a soulmate is a choice. You choose daily to open yourself up to a particular person and they do the same for you.

3. What’s the first thing you notice about a person?

Their facial expression. I’m always hoping for a smile.

4. What’s your ideal date?

Dinner and a movie.

5. What traits do you look for in a friend/significant other?

A love for God and a friendship that wants me to have a good relationship with God, also.

6. What are your thoughts about being friends with an ex?

Whatever causes the end of a relationship, there is normally blame for both parties. So, although I am not sure that being a friend is possible, I do believe the forgiveness is an absolute necessity.

7. If you’re a believer, when did you give your heart to the Lord? If not, what in life keeps a bounce in your step?

I became a Christian on February 28, 1973, so it has been 46 years now. I was a very young new teacher and on my own for the first time in my life. He has shown me the way to walk with Him, not always with a bounce in my step, but with a faith in my heart that He has everything under control.

I nominate the following to continue with the tag:

Stuart L. Tutt at stubaby777.wordpress.com

Bellesmoma16 at christianfictiongirl.blog

The Audacity of Faith at theaudacityoffatih.wordpress.com

Bruce at brucesbible.website

Gail at gaillovesgod.blog

No obligation to participate. Just follow the leading of the Spirit. Blessings!

This novel evoked so many different emotions in me. I was crying one minute, then smiling, then laughing aloud. I was cheering the whole time for Cassie to overcome all of the obstacles in her life but knowing in the back of my mind that real life doesn’t work like that. I loved that she was so kind to the Rookie and that she learned how to forgive so that she could then teach how to others. Cassie was a strong female character, one of the strongest that I have ever read about and her strength is in her words and her actions. I could see the research that went into the novel all along the way as I read it and I am thankful for the author’s firefighter husband who helped to make the details so realistic. As the sister of a fire chief, I was enthralled by this book from the beginning to the end. Fans of Katherine Center will not want to miss this one because it is an excellent portrayal of the real life of real heroes. I loved it and highly recommend it to those who want to be entertained and educated about the sacrifices of firefighters everywhere.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

AVAILABLE ON AUGUST 13, 2019 FROM YOUR LOCAL BOOKSELLERS EVERYWHERE!

I’m always the first one to get up in the morning, and if I get up really early, the house is dark. So, the first thing I do is head to the light switch so I can see where I am going without stumbling and falling. In the bedroom I use my flashlight on my phone to find my way to the door so that I don’t awaken my husband. But I know that you are aware of what happens when I leave one room and turn the light off. The darkness returns! It actually never went anywhere.

When the Israelites were traveling in the wilderness, God told them to keep the lamps in the tabernacle always burning. Did you get that word, ALWAYS! It reminds me of the eternal light on the grave of John F. Kennedy, Jr. It always burns, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Now, not to belabor the point, but we are the dwelling place of God and we are the lights burning in the darkness and dispelling it.

Photo from Patheos.com

How do we have the light that Jesus is talking about in this verse? We believe in Him and we walk in the light of life that He has given us. When we are the light that we are supposed to be, the darkness doesn’t exist around us. It’s all lit up and whatever is there is revealed. That’s why some people don’t like to be around believers. They don’t want their sins to be revealed because they are happy wallowing in their sin. Most sinners are comfortable in their sins because they don’t know the true way. We shine the light in the darkness and show them a better way. If we aren’t being the light, then what is our purpose for the Lord? We are supposed to shine all the time, never turning off our lights. And you know what else you can see in the darkness once the light is turned on? You can see yourself more clearly, so if there is something that needs to be changed in your life, it will be shown to you so you can get rid of it or change it. The light doesn’t become the darkness; the darkness is always there waiting for the light to be turned off. Think about it!

Photo from brainyquote.com

My desire is to be a candle in the darkness as well as a mirror reflecting the light of the Lord. I want only the light in my life, and I hope and pray that is what you want for yours. No darkness…only the light that the Lord shines into my heart to be reflected out to others who need to see clearly. Blessings to you and your household!

You finally get that great new item that you have been waiting for, and then you get out the instructions and you have to spend several hours reading them. They are difficult to decipher, but you know that you have to follow them in order for the fitness tracker or the Christmas tree or whatever it is to work properly. Bummer! You actually have to read and follow the instructions. For many years, the habit of my husband and I has been that he puts things together while I read the directions orally to him. That is usually helpful since he is an auditory learner and I’m a visual one. But when he recently got a new fitness tracker, the directions were online and more than a little difficult to follow since our satellite connection at home is so slow. So, off to the electronics store we went and the geek behind the counter had the watch synced to his phone and ready to use in no time. Don’t you wish life were like that? You have a problem and you take it to the resident geek and get it fixed in the snap of a finger? God didn’t mean for our problems to be solved like that. He left us an instruction book, called The Holy Bible, that we are supposed to read and follow. And our helper is not a human geek, but the Holy Spirit who leads us to the truth.

When we follow God’s instruction Book for life, then we are going to end up eternally with Him. However, there are many in the world who reject God’s instructions, to their own peril. I know many who think that they can consider eternity later; after all, they have their whole lives to think about death and what comes afterwards. But life may be shorter than they think, shorter than any of us think. Thus we need to be prepared for eternity, whether with our Maker or on the path to eternal destruction. I myself am choosing daily to be disciplined, corrected, and led by the Lord. I hope and pray that is your choice, too. The Bible is the instruction book for our lives and the reward at the end is eternity with our Creator. Don’t you think that is worth following those instructions? Have a blessed day!

God gives each of us twenty four hours per day, seven days per week. Tick! Tock! What are we doing with all of the valuable time that He gives us? We will be accountable to Him for how we use our time, so it is our responsibility to use it wisely. I remember when I was younger, I thought that thirty was really old. Then, I got a RIP cake from my brother for my fortieth birthday. For number fifty, I was beginning to think that I was getting old myself. Then I turned sixty and I started thinking a lot about my death, especially since my mom died when she was only fifty one. When I was sixty three, I had a stroke. Now, here I am four years later and still alive. But the question is the same? What am I doing with my time? I read, I relax, I spend time texting or talking to my children and grandchildren. And, most importantly I think, I pray. I pray for friends, for people that I haven’t met but about whom I have heard on the news. I pray for online friends, too. Of course, I attend church, but only on Sunday morning. I teach Sunday school and have taught for the last sixteen or seventeen years. The only thing that has changed has been my curriculum and the ages of my students. All in all, my life is a good one, but I am always wondering what else I can do for God. I think that is a question that we should all be asking ourselves daily. “What can I do for God today?”

We only have so much time on earth to show God’s love to others, so we need to be busy demonstrating that awesome love and forgiveness as much as possible. I fondly remember my grandparents because I spent a lot of time with them. But my grandchildren are distant and I feel that each time I visit, I have to re-introduce myself. I just want to be a good influence on them, someone who listens and hears and sees them. Isn’t that what grandparents do? I also want my children to know that I have unconditional love for them, just as the Father has for us. There are so many hours in the day in which I am selfishly pursuing my own hobbies, like reading. I am striving to spend a tithe of my time with the Lord each day. He is worthy and wants to be a part of our lives. For me, He is as close as my next heartbeat. He rescued me after I had a stroke and I am forever thankful for that. How do you show your gratitude to God? I hope that you will sincerely look at your life, just as I am doing, and purpose in your heart to “redeem the time.” Yes, there is evil in the world, all around us, in fact. But God is greater and He lives in you and me. It’s our responsibility to show God to the evil world. Perhaps we can make a small change…if each of us makes one small difference, how different could the world be? Think about it, and I hope that you will make a choice to use your time wisely. Blessings!

Photo from Word Wise on WordPress.com

On Sunday night, it was raining really hard here so I was having difficulty going to sleep. When I went into the bedroom, my husband had on the network with David Jeremiah so I got to listen to the end of his message. It was all about prayer, and I really needed to hear that message. He said that God had three ways to answer your prayers. If the request is wrong, God says “no.” If the timing is wrong, God says “slow.” And if we are wrong in making the request, God says “grow.” But if the request if right (in God’s will for us), if the timing is right, and if we are asking with a right heart, God says “go.” I have been praying a lot lately, not just for myself and my own attitude and health problems. I have also been praying for friends facing challenging

health issues like cancer and pancreatitis. This message from David Jeremiah encouraged me to keep praying. After all, I know that what I am praying is in God’s will because He desires for His people to be healthy. Sometimes, though, I know that God takes the person I am praying for to Heaven to be with Him. I consider that a divine and total healing, although, of course, I will miss that person here on earth. I am glad to know that God is listening to my prayers. Have you ever had an entire conversation with a person, finished talking and realized that the other person wasn’t really listening to you at all? That never happens with God. He is always listening to us and wants what is best for us always.

This quotation is from quotationmaster.org

This Scripture is from earlymorningshowers.com

James 5:16

What I have been told most recently about prayer is just to never stop praying. God is listening and may answer just the way I would like. Or He will answer in a way that will be better for me and for the person for whom I am praying. And sometimes I have to wait an even longer time and God answers in a way that is the absolute best thing for me and the person I am praying for. All in all, God knows all about me and all about my friends for whom I pray. He knows what is best for me, so since I want His best, I need to be willing to wait. That isn’t so easy when I have already waited two months to have the surgery that I was told had to be done as soon as possible. However, I am believing that the surgery will take place at the best time for me, so as I head out today to be checked by my primary care doctor and to possibly receive the coveted clearance for surgery, I am confident that God is working on my behalf and for my very best interests. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that when I prayed on New Year’s Eve and asked God for my word for the year, He gave me the word “TRUST.” I am learning to lean on Him, to trust Him in all things, including my health issues and those of my friends. God is equal to the task and I can trust Him to go with me in all trials. I hope that you already know the security that comes from trusting God; my confidence is in Him and He has always shown Himself worthy of my trust. He doesn’t turn away because He is bored with me and all of my concerns. He listens attentively and is working on me and on an answer for me. Let Him work on your behalf! He can be totally trusted!

Photo from wisdomhunters.com

This is one of my favorite Scriptures and one I will leave you to ponder. God’s plans for me are good…and so are His plans for you!

Through a series of vignettes about the great military leaders of our nation who have graduated from West Point, the author encourages his readers that we, too, can develop the qualities of great leaders and have success in our lives. This is like a short biography of many different military leaders, some from the last century and others from the time of the Civil War. I was most interested to find out more about U.S. Grant since he was never really hailed as a hero here in my native South. I also enjoyed reading about General Omar Bradley and his sacrifices, the reason his men trusted him enough to follow him into battle. Each story is told with the backdrop of West Point and the influence it had on each leader. I never knew about the benches at West Point, but the qualities that each leader showed and the qualities taught at West Point are some that I hope others in the United States can aspire to. This was an inspirational book that all should read and refer to frequently.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I have to confess that I have not been guarding my heart as I should lately. I have allowed all kinds of discouragement to enter in and that was quickly followed by anger at my situation. But God dealt handily with me yesterday, reminding me of the scripture that He had just spoken to me on Friday from Habakkuk. No matter what is going wrong in our lives, God is worthy to be praised!

You see, I was having a regular pity party because I just wanted to get my surgery over with and be able to move on with my life. Getting sick just before surgery was not part of my plan! But perhaps, it was part of God’s plan. Now I don’t believe that God struck me with this virus and asthma. No, but He can certainly use it to teach me. While I have been sick, I have noticed others that are not complaining as I am, and Heaven knows that their illness is much more serious. In fact, I have three friends who have recently been diagnosed with cancer. No cure, little help for it, just excruciatingly painful chemo therapy that kills the good cells along with the bad ones, leaving them weak and so sick that they can’t lift their heads from a pillow. Yet, I have not heard them whine about their fates. They have accepted what is happening and are cherishing every moment of life that God has granted them. One friend was supposed to go in for surgery and have the cancer cells cut out, but when the surgeon got into the surgical site, he discovered that it had spread, so he closed up the incision and had to break the news to her. She is one of the strongest Christians I know, so she continues to smile and be gracious and loving to all. The circumstances of my three friends make me feel so small, in a way that I know that God is dealing with me to get it together and pray for others instead of feeling sorry for myself. The truth is that when you are focused on others, it is very hard to stay self-centered. I’m looking outward now, waiting for God to act on my behalf, of course, but also hoping for more. I want Him to touch my friends, to comfort them, to be close to them as they go through these dreaded treatments. Mostly, I want life for them…just that. More years added to their lives. More of being able to reach others for Christ, just as they have been doing. As for me, I am spending less time praying for myself and more time praying for others. Isn’t that what Jesus did? He knew that He faced certain death on the cross, a death that was totally undeserved, yet He willingly took our consequences for sin because of His great love for us. Would that I can remember that in the days to come…sacrificial love for others was the example Jesus showed us. I hope that all of you have someone special in your life to pray for today, but I also ask that you pray for my three friends. For they need your prayers, and I appreciate your praying for them, for God’s comforting and healing touch on their lives. Blessings.

Is everything going just the way you want it to right now? Has there ever been a time in your life during which things kept going wrong? I remember Job in the Bible and his trials that Satan put him through. He lost his family, all of his belongings and then his health disappeared. His wife told him just to curse God and die. I loved his response.

Sometimes, even though we are living for God, bad things happen. That is just a fact of life.

In the Old Testament, Habakkuk was a minor prophet with a lot of wisdom. He told us plainly that even when bad times come, we should still be rejoicing in the Lord. You see, God does not move away from us or love us less during the hard times. He is still right there, if we just have the faith to lean closer to Him. Our human tendency is to move away from God and to blame Him for our troubles. But God is not to blame for the sin that is in the world. It is that lost condition of the world that causes our sicknesses, our broken relationships; in fact, anything that might separate us from God is because of the sin that entered the world with Adam and Eve’s choice to sin. So we need to realize that and as we start feeling like the world is collapsing around us, we need to remember that God is still our Savior and rejoice in Him. This is an easy topic to write about if everything is going fine in your life. I must tell you honestly that I have had some trials lately, the biggest one being my health. However, through it all, I can also honestly say that I have not turned away from God. Rather, I have run to Him, getting closer to His presence so that I feel His comfort and love during this entire ordeal. What allowed me to be able to do this? Nothing in me, I can tell you! The person inside me has been screaming for relief from this awful diet that I have to follow. I have been frustrated and in tears over the invasive medical tests that I had to undergo. But the spirit inside me says to rest and to know that He is my Lord and will be there for me, always.

You see, my faith has been tested, just as Job’s faith was tested and just as yours will be. It isn’t that God loves us less so He is picking on us. No, He loves us so much that He gave us His Son who died for us! God doesn’t “pick on” people. Life happens. That’s the truth. It’s what you do when life happens that is the test of your faith. Bad things come and bad things go. But good things come, too. We have to accept that. It’s a part of life and a part of our walk with God. We walk through valleys sometimes; other times, we view life from a mountaintop. God has never stopped being the Lord of our lives; He doesn’t change just because the circumstances of our lives change. Do I have everything all figured out and I’m just resting in peace and faith? Of course not! I still struggle at times, but I refuse to give up on God and His great love and plan for me. I hope that you are able to see the blossoms in your life that God is bringing about. Through great trials come great and beautiful testimonies! God is still working on me…and I hope that you will let Him continue to work on you.

Photo courtesy of aiobp.org

We can rejoice because we know that God is always in control. Rejoice always! When things are going all wrong, rejoice because God is working things out for you. His plan will not be thwarted; He has a good plan for you. Rest and enjoy the journey.