Reflections

Reflections can be beautiful.  

What am I a reflection of?  Am I reflecting beauty?  Am I a reflection of my Father in heaven?

If we are not reflecting our Father, we can change that.

We can "put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him..."  Colossians 3:9-10

I also believe what I end up reflecting starts with thought life.  We need to "think about what we are thinking about" as my son Benny says so often. 

Philippians 4 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

As we do this, we are setting ourselves up for being a beautiful reflection of our Father because we have emptied ourselves of worry and fears, and given it all to God so that now we can mirror God in a beautiful way.

We can reflect beauty today ... God has given us the ability to do that as we look to and walk with Him today!

“Your life is a reflection of your thoughts. If you change your thinking, you change your life.”

Make Your Choice

My Studio 😊

I love making every inch count in my small cottage and studio.  We have about a  750 sq. foot home, and my studio/guest area is about 350 sq. feet.  We don't have a storage unit anywhere so it's fun to really make every square inch count.  

With this amount of square feet, we have plenty of room to work with for the two of us, but we also need to choose what we REALLY like to have around us to keep things organized and fun.

The picture above is an area I designed that is both happy for me to look at but also has usable mugs I can choose from or my guests can choose from. 

What's happier than choosing from a colorful group of mugs in the morning?!

Our day is full of choices.  Maybe our days start off with the fun choice of which mug we are going to take our first sip of coffee or tea from... But we do know that our day is FULL of choices.

Of course we have fun easy choices in our day, but we will also have more substantial choices we will be making today.

Choose what is right today.  Choose to go for the things God has put on our hearts. Choose forgiveness.  Choose rising above our circumstances.  Choose to trust God.  Choose to talk and walk with God.  Choose kindness and love.  Choose to speak life to ourselves and into others. 

The choices we make will influence how are day goes and how we feel about our day at the end of our day.  Our choices will also make a difference on those around us. 

We can sometimes feel that we have already made way too many bad choices in our life and it's too late to start making good and right choices.  But today is a new day GOD has handed you and I.  His mercies are NEW EVERY MORNING! ☀️

We can also, at times, feel that our choices won't really matter, or that we are just too weak or foolish to make the right choices, and even if we did it would make no difference to anyone else...

...but an interesting choice GOD has made is this: God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27).

This is pretty awesome!

So let's look to God for strength and wisdom in our choices throughout our day today and confound the "wise" and the things that are "mighty."

Have Fun Today!

Rogue Regional Medical Center - Medford Oregon

A couple weeks ago my oldest son Peter-John had the WORST day of his life and the BEST day of his life.

Many of you already know the details but to sum it up, he was once again in the hospital with operations and the worst pain and situation of his life (which says a lot because he has been through a LOT)!

In the midst of this at one point, he was caught up in a very real vision of heaven.  

I will never forget sitting by his bedside the morning he woke up from this vision.  His eyes were full of excitement and joy as he kept saying "It was SO FUN, SO FUN, SO MUCH FUN... but FUN with MEANING!" (BTW "fun" isn't a word Peter often uses so it really stood out.)

I've thought so much about this and my heart is so full of joy (understatement here) that God blessed Peter-John with this precious vision, and in Peter's very own words, "making it all worth it." Wow!  That's big!

I've also thought how can I digest this news?  That heaven is SOOOO FUN yet with great meaning.

My Tambo thoughts go to this place...  "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." -Matthew 6:10

If heaven is full of fun with meaning... I'm thinking God wants to bring that to earth as well.

Of course this gives us so much to look forward to when the day comes that we enter into eternity.  But meanwhile, we are here on earth for a reason.

I believe we are meant to be a part of God bringing some heaven to earth!  This is an exciting journey we are on here. WE get to be apart of bringing FUN with MEANING to earth.

Can this earth be filled with more fun and meaning?  

Is part of the meaningful fun, understanding that our lives can have great impact here on earth as we have a God-given calling?  ... Each one different than the next.  God is SOOO GOOD which makes LIFE GOOD!

You might be saying "Life doesn't feel so good; in fact like Peter-John this is the worst day of my life." ... I would reply... "Don't give up because maybe like Peter-John it will turn out to be the best day of your life too."

I've found that from the biggest to the smallest things in life, that God turns the actual things that are bad... into something good as we keep walking with Him.

I think part of why you guys might be joining me with these posts is because you, like me, love inspiration in your day.  To be reminded of how good God is.  We know doing this will make a life difference. 

Today we came to a glorious conclusion that this life can be fun with meaning, fun with purpose!

Walking with God on this beautiful earth He has created doesn't compare to what's coming, but it sure is cool that we get to enjoy so much beauty and we get to be a art of something so epic. 

I'd love for our prayers today to be something like, "Father, show us and empower us today to have heaven brought to earth through you living in and through our lives.  Bring heaven to earth as our days our full of fun with purpose.  Help us to impact and be impacted to walk with You!  Show us specific ways of how to bring fun with meaning into this world."

I'm thinking others will be drawn to people who have fun with purpose!  I know I am sure drawn to that!

So friends, have a meaningful and fun fun fun day today! 

Heavenly Hugs to each of you!

“...Your will be done (having fun with meaning), on earth as it is in heaven.”

— Matthew 6:10

Think Thumbs Up

So who put thumbs down to Bach Cello Suite No. 1 Prelude by Yo-Yo Ma?  Who put thumbs down to Luciano Pavarotti?

These had to be people looking for a place they could put a "thumbs down." 😭

When I was younger I didn't appreciate Classical music or opera, but even back then, when hearing Bach done by Yo-Yo Ma or opera by Pavarotti, I wouldn't have put a thumbs down because I've always understood it's incredible and it's talent even though maybe not fully my style at that time.

NOW, I love to listen to both and think they are incredibly romantic and beautiful .  

When I see the people that put the thumbs down and wonder WHO would do that, I can't help but think I never want to be that person looking for ways to verbally, or even in my thought life, be someone who is a "thumbs down" kind of person.  Looking for the worst in people.  Picking out the one or two things I disagree with and harping on that. 

Here's the thing...I bet we all at times have been a "thumbs down" kind of person, but let's change that.  

Let's be those that find the best in others.  Let's be those that remember what our moms taught us, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Let's go throughout our day looking for places we can put our "thumbs UP" instead.  Let's try this with light little things, and let's go for it even in areas it might be harder for us.  Let's just do this! 👍

A good way to get motivated to do just this, is to start by absorbing these verses from the Bible: 

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32 and "As you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." Luke 6:31  and "Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10 and "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."  Romans 12:18 and  "Love (our greatest "call") is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails...."  1 Corinthians 13:4-8

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!”

— Mum

Power Meets Fragile

I've always loved this picture from a number of years ago.  It's my granddaughter Lula "walking PawDre" my dog. 

It's funny to me because PawDre probably weighed 5 times more than she did.  Was quite a bit more powerful than her.  He could've taken HER for a walk. 

But PawDre was a gentle giant.  That's the nature of a Newfoundland. 

PawDre sensed a sincere and sweet little Lula that just loved him and wanted to go for a walk with him.  And he just walked right along with her.  He didn't yank her around, he just walked with her.

I think of our walks with our all-powerful God.  God has the power to yank us around.  But He made us and knows we are but dust.  He is gracious and kind.  His very name is LOVE.

He is there with us.  He protects us.  He is a Gentle Giant, I say in the most respectful way! 

I love knowing there is so much power walking with me.  I love this picture of power meeting fragile. 

Because that's me with God.  I am weak... He is strong.  But we walk together so where I am weak...I am made strong. 

This is true for each of us... Ya gotta love this! 😍

“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

— Psalm 86:15

Gods Hands

Photo taken of The Sea of Galilee -  You can purchase upon request (not yet in gallery) 

I often love to look up to the skies when I pray.  Because whether it is daytime or nighttime, it so speaks of the glory and vastness and beauty of God and the work of His hands.

Our God is capable of so much.  He is capable of any and everything. 

When we pray today.  Let's pray in a vast way.  A big way.  

Let's pray with God's hands in mind.  Let's pray with an understanding that our God is a glorious God.  

His beautiful hands have done more than words can really say...

...But the skies say it...  And the scars on His hands say it.

These hands are mighty and loving.  Let's pray with the hands of God in our minds today! 

One last precious thought about the hands of God, Jesus said "...no one will snatch them out of my hand." 

God's got YOU in HIS hands!  No one or nothing can snatch you from these hands. 

How simply beautiful is that!  

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”

— Psalms 19:1

Don't take it personally...Just Laugh!

A few weeks ago I was sitting on a little bench in our front garden.  I was holding and feeding my grandson Ev and talking to Jon and my daughter Mary. 

While I was doing that... IT....BROKE! 

As It was breaking right from underneath me it felt like we were falling in slow motion.  I was thinking, "this is embarrassing" and laughing so hard at the same time.  Trust me, so were Jon and Mary(As far as Ev was concerned, he didn't care at all and just continued to take that last bite as we were tumbling.  He seemed to think it was no big deal.) 😂

The picture above is the broken bench after I moved it to the side yard and  broke it down to put it in the garbage.  The picture of me and Ev on the "about" page on my website was taken right after this happened! 😄

Embarrassing things happen in life.  

Let's laugh.  Let's live.  Let's not take things quite so personally.  Let's take a lot more things a lot less seriously and just laugh more. God's got it all under control even when we don't.

“God created us to laugh, there must be some value in it! 😉”

— Tambo

The Door

Photo available in "shop"

Is there a door you want to open but it's shut?  Pause and think about a specific door you want to open, but it just isn't yet.

I promise you this,  you keep walking and talking with God and He will open it up at the PERFECT time.  Or he flat out will take you to  a BETTER door and open up that instead.

Meanwhile, while you are waiting, understand Our Father is getting you ready for that door to open. 

So be patient my friend and do not give up!  God will lead you perfectly as He opens the right door at the right time and you will look back and say "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU God for making me wait.  It was so worth it!"

“Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you.”

— Matthew 7:7-8