CREATE JOY

Christmas Season for me, is all about highlighting the things of Jesus I love the most.  Trying to bring to life the very story of Christ in His birth, burial and resurrection. One of the ways we can do that is to bring the different scents and lights of Christmas right into the story, take the time and allow your children to experience the different scents and enjoy the lights they will always remember.  *the Legend of the Candy Cane  *the Gifts of the Wise men *The woman with the alabaster jar.... Talk to your children about how we are lights in an ever darkening world.  How each child has their own fragrance and light they are meant to share. I love you so much, Enjoy the Holiday Season. Jackie  

Teachable  "See that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;" Proverbs 24 Sure, you've been around a few years,and been through many experiences.   There is always more to know and understand.  Open your eyes and your heart to the things of God. No one knows all except  God. Ask God what He would have for your life! Who He would have you reach out to.  Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see YOU! ~love jackie

Dear   Mean Girl, What do you think is at the heart of your meanness?  Maybe fear?   I understand.  More than that, God understands and He wants to heal your heart and help you learn to trust Him in all those hard places. But, you must spend time with Him.....Maybe you already knew that, it doesn't change the fact that, that is exactly what you need..... for depression for anger for fear. Curl up on God's lap and let Him heal you. Love Jackie.  

Fall is a beautiful time of year.  I remember fall as a time of harvest and preparations.  A busy time.  Preparations for bleak winter with no produce or easy pickings.   Listen, fall's  coming.  Both literally and figuratively.  It's  time to get busy.  The long days of plenty might not be here for a lot longer.  (No need to be discouraged tho, we can look to God to be our provider and shelter) But He does expect us to do our part.   We are in the book of Esther in our Wednesday life class. Esther is a book about  human participation in God's great plan... Esther had to do her part. The harvest is plenteous,  the workers are few. Pray for the Lord to send MORE not less for the harvest.  

"God daily loads us with benefits."   Psalm 68:19  My brain knows this intellectually, but I still fail to acknowledge them as blessings and instead reason out why a particular thing has happened.   I dismantle them and search for the meaning and make small the precious gifts I have been given, and even wonder if it was from God.   In short, I listen to my own thoughts more than I rely on God's.  This week, I will receive God's blessings and acknowledge they are from my Father in heaven, Abba, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Rock and Hiding Place. ~love Jackie  

Let us be the instruments of change Lord.  Let us be the ones who build and not tear down,  Who heal and not kill.  Let us CHOOSE to build! A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; ah time to mourn, and a time to dance; ... A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

  

Mothers Day. so many things go through the mind at Mothers Day...... greatest joys deepest hurts   proudest moments maternal bonds Wednesday evening we took a look at the Book of Ruth.  Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law had to face some very tough situations. Her husband and sons died, one of her daughter-in-laws returned to her former gods.....  Coming back into Bethlehem Judah, the people couldn't even recognize her.  Life had been harsh and hard.   Many times, I think we feel like Naomi.  Life just hurts so much and we are no longer the carefree youth we once were.  We want to sit down and sulk in our hardships. But listen,  He was not finished with Naomi, and He isn't finished with you.   Everyday is a chance to be a difference maker for someone.  Someone to nurture,   Someone to encourage, someone listen, someone to be there.   Mothers Day is a great reminder of the responsibilities we have as Mothers. Not just for your children, but to nurture those around us. 14 And the wo

FOLLOW JESUS I wonder what our Lord thinks ..... When he hears hungry children cry About war torn countries and people with no homes Depression in record numbers and hopeless youth It's almost Easter, the time when our Lord took upon himself the pain of all of our sufferings and sin. May we as believers follow in His footsteps and be the answer for someone else today. Let's lift each other up and hold the strangers hand and help any way we can. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. Luke 19:2‭-‬5 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.19.2-5.KJV    

I don't know how things are in your home, but let me share a moment in ours.  There is a Dad, a Mom, a 21 year old young man, and a 20 year old young man, oh, and a dog.      We all go off to work or school, our separate ways. There are moments of very loud, joyful screaming for absolutely no reason at all, and incessant barking. The phrase that gets uttered the most is "what's for dinner"...nothing spectacular or unusual.......but contented.    At the center of it all, what we try to keep as the most important things are these: being present and aware with each other kindness and gentleness patience and most of all love.  Love for each other yes, but love for God, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and who most importantly gave His only Son to die for us, that we might live this wonderful amazing life.  This Valentines Day I pray you experience that very same love that brings you into a family of peace, and contentment and AGAPE love.   John

      Reading Genesis 4:6, "And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth?  and why is thy countenance fallen?" So many times going through my day, I have an idea or expectation of how it's going to go. And then absolutely nothing turns out as planned.....imagine that! Notice my words "My idea, my expectations",  it is so easy to get discouraged and focused on how things should have gone, and how much better it all would have been if only it was done the way I had planned.  And then, my response shows all over my face, my body language, my attitude, my heart! Cain too, had an idea.  It wasn't the one God had in mind.......and instead of just changing his expectation of what he thought a sacrifice should be,   he eliminated the  competition. He killed his brother.  God noticed......all of it.   The bad attitude, the degusted  look on his face, the dark heart. Listen, I understand our intention isn't usually to kill someone😏, but a bad response can kill