Snow Petals

Cherry Blossom tree, every morning I see, your petals so white but in the light, you quickly blossom to hues of sweet pale pinks. The wind blows softly and takes part of you away, but the memories you give me of the fresh Spring days last in my thoughts.

Night Sounds

I'm blogging from my IPhone. This is a first. :-) Well I am officially on Easter vacation. No work tomorrow and looking forward to a nice weekend ending with Easter service with family and friends at church early Sunday morning.

So as I sit here relaxing with my cat Buddy nuzzled at my side, I take in the night sounds. The meows of my other cat Jasper exploring through the house, the soft lull of the tv, and my most fav, the spontaneous blows of the train whistles and vibration of its passing.

Even though I live 'in town' the train gives me a sense of still being out in the country. Yeah not sure how to explain that but it just does. I'm sure most people get annoyed by the train or they just ignore and never really hear it. Well a day doesn't go by where I don't stop and listen. It just makes me smile every time. Oh the little things...

Obsessed with Avocado

This may be my dinner tonight! I have recently become obsessed with Avocados. Is that a bad thing? Surely not! Its green, yummy, a healthy fat, high in protein, sodium and cholesterol free....and classified as a FRUIT!
So I think this is a really good addition to my daily regimen. Instead of an apple and day, and avocado a day will be my daily dose of health!

So tonight an alligator pear please! :-)

This pretty much sums up how I'm trying to be.  I will not be discouraged or dismayed. I will endure, remain faithful to Christ, and keep hoping. I can never lose hope, never.

Time

I miss having the time to write down my thoughts....I use to keep a journal and was dedicated to writing in it almost daily. Did it for almost 15 years. But I haven't read them in quit some time. I know what's in them. A bunch of junk! But since I know what's there, I do know one thing. I've grown from those days and time has surely made a change in me. Thank the Lord!

So now in my busyness, I can't find the time to sit and write, and I really want to. I almost feel God needs me to.  I like where I am now in my life and mainly because its not just about me. Yes I am single. No husband, no children, but God keeps me busy doing the things I may not find the time to do otherwise. Somehow though, I need to find the time to write.....I'd have growing experiences, ah-ha moments, struggles God has walked me through.....  I need to write these things down. Not just for me, but hopefully for others that can be encouraged and uplifted, or maybe just to cause someone to chuckle at my ridiculousness.

So I'm hoping to start making the time to write, maybe once a week? Time will tell.....tick, tock.

Be still and know...

Psalm 46:10 says 'Be still and know that I am God...' and Romans 8:28 promises this, 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.'

These passages have stayed on my mind alot in the past few months. Right now, I really need to meditate on these verses. An area of my life has been going nowhere for too long. I've tried too hard and I'm constantly getting frustrated with my efforts. I'm not giving up, I just can't keep trying things my way. I have to surrender this thing completely over to God and be still and let Him take over. I will stop physically trying but I will start praying about this and trusting that God is working on my behalf.

My past mistakes in this area can only have been necessary to get me to where I need to be now, especially since I'm putting this in God's hands at this point, finally! So all my past decisions and mistakes will work together for good and God will work out the blessing that is to come. I love God but I know He loves me more. He only wants me to trust Him now, put Him first, and follow His commands and leading in my life. He has His very best in store for me and I have to always believe this no matter what the circumstances.

So tonight, I am still....

Weeding

Have you ever recognized how God removes people from your life? Sometimes you see it as a good thing, but not so much when it's people that you are very close to and care about. I’m going through this right now and it’s been difficult. For the past year or so, God has been weeding out certain people in my life.

Some have been distractions from the path He has chosen for me. These people added in my stumbling and poor decisions making, and distracted me from seeking God first. Once I recognized these people as negatives, God removed them. How did he do it? He hardened their hearts and they abandoned and ignored me. What a blessing!

God also removed a few people that weren’t really causing me to stumble in anyway, but looking back now, I wasn’t growing in my faith with them. Maybe I wasn’t doing my part by being a better Christian influence or vice versa. We were just comfortable with the ‘status quo’. So I’m not sure if these people will come back into my life, only God knows. I have realized that the ones that remain are even more important to me now. I know I have to love them more through giving, understanding, listening, helping, and prayer.

God has removed a couple of very close and dear friends from my life too. They didn't die, move away, or become comatose. I think one of these three may be easier to understand and accept. They just basically stopped communicating with me, stopped being my friend. They were friends that I never expected to abandon me. It has hurt me tremendously. Feelings of anger, confusion, and sadness have evolved during this lose. I've tried to make sense of it all but their behavior has truly baffled me. Right now I can't understand why God has allowed them to become absent from my life. I do know however that this pain has only caused me to lean on God more and trust Him. I still love them very much and pray for them everyday. As hard as it may be to see it, life will go on without them.

Thank God He will never leave me! I may not feel His presence some days, but His word promises that He is still with me regardless. People may come and go, but my Lord is lovingly and constantly present. Amen.

...I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5