COUNT IT ALL JOY

For the past few months, my life has been filled with just "trying to keep up".  Have you ever been there?

I am one of those women who take their "green" bags into the store to use instead of the plastic ones provided.  A few days ago I pulled in to my local grocery store, opened the trunk to get a couple of bags, and amazingly enough it itself, I did not pull out one of the four hospital bags I had accumulated this past year.  Yes, count 'em....four.  Instead I pulled out one that spoke to me.  Here it is:

For a while, The Son-in-Law has been planning a trip for us to see Disney on Ice.  Our tickets for the event were for this past Saturday.  Plans were that we would cook out at their house afterwards and The Grandbaby would spend the night alone with us for the first time ever.   It has been a long time since The Husband and I have attended such an event so I was somewhat looking forward to it and strangely enough, The Husband was not kicking and screaming about going as he might have done when he was young and foolish.  😄  Reckon why that change of attitude came about?  Uh huh.  May be had something to do with a little mini munchkin?   

The whole day was wonderful and filled with joy.  The meal was delicious.  The spend the night party went without a hitch.  

Yesterday morning, the Sunday School lesson in my class was from Romans 5:1-8 and it thrilled me that I could hear God's voice in that.  The verses that spoke to me were these from Romans 5:1-4:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worth patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope..."

In the course of the lesson, The Teacher then read James 1:2..."count it all joy".  Coincidence?  Nah.

I was reminded of a time of much tribulation and during that time, I found no joy.  I can look back now and be joyful that during it all, I and those I love were given strength to endure, faith to believe, and strength to overcome.  All alone in those?  No, but by the grace and care of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  The joy has bubbled over in my heart and I am filled with gratitude.  In addition to spiritual joy I experienced the last few days, here's some of the physical joy I have experienced.  I thought you might enjoy seeing the pictures.

GREAT joy in this little one and her smiles.  Isn't she getting to be a big girl?  (Insert tear here for the swift passage of time.)  Here mama decorated her "Mimmie" shirt for the occasion.

There was joy in the delight of being The Poppa and The "Namma" (she can't do the Gr sound so I have at least become something to call by name.  I'll take it!

Joy was in the smiles of these three whom I love dearly.  Smiles are so often taken for granted and I pray I never do that.  Ever.  A true smile is a joy and delight.  These two bigger people are WONDERFUL parents!

Joy just because.    Missed The Son-In-Law in the picture but he had to take the camera which was not allowed inside the arena to the car.

This picture speaks for itself...

There's always joy in a sleeping little one even when she's missing Ariel and Aladdin.  At least she woke up for her favorites--Woody, Buzz, Elsa, Anna, and Olaf.

And then there's simple joys like climbing, walking, and hand holding....

...and flower picking and flower gifts.

With genuine smiles and happiness of heart, count it ALL joy!

With an attitude of gratitude for all blessings, count it all joy and consider.......

MY GIRL

I can tell you what I was doing exactly 37 years ago from this minute.  Because I had a massive backache, I had moved from my bed to the comfortable couch in our den.  In this very house.  It wasn't long after that I realized the backache was going to stay as I was going into labor.  At 11:59 a.m. on February 15, thirty-seven years ago, the lives of The Husband and me changed forever.  For the good forever as The Girl joined our family and lives.

The Girl was blessed to experience the era of polo shirts in school pictures.

The Girl endured the time of the curly hair particularly curly bangs....artificially permed hair, that is!

The Girl is now a good wife with an equally good husband...

..a good mommy of a sweet toddler girl....

..and enjoying a life of joy with the both of them.

I have realized the importance of pictures together even though I don't smile in pictures well.

I'm practicing the smiling technique more.

Blessings from my world...

Yes, I'm so grateful for The Girl who made me a mama those years ago.  Even though we are all aging, she will always be THAT girl....my girl.  The Husband and I are proud of the woman she has become--one who is an overcomer, has a compassionate heart, and is one of God's children and loves HIM as she serves HIM well.  We are proud of her love of her husband and child and proud of the wife and mother that she has been blessed to be!  

Many thanks is given this day as I celebrate The Girl with love and joy in MY heart.  Wishes for not only a day of special "normal" but a life filled with it!  

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

And yes, only fitting to end with one of her favorite scriptures:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6

REMEMBER....

We can all have joy and smile like this...

if we ALWAYS remember that...

"God is faithful....".  1 Corinthians 1:9

Consider........

CHINK IN THE ARMOR

Wikipedia defines "chink" refers to an area of vulnerability and as a "weak spot in a figurative suit of armor".

As I am aging, I find that I am weak physically, more so at least than in the past.  Bottle caps are harder to open, heavier items harder to pick up....you get the picture, right?   With the way that life evolves some days, I find that it's just as  easy to be a bit weak figuratively.   THAT is my biggest strength challenge.  

One of the scriptures in the Bible that we learn kind of early on as children but that means more to us as older adults is from Ephesians 6:11-18--yes, another wise writing of the Apostle Paul who we are learning knew the stuff of his heavenly Father.  It goes like this:

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Well this scripture sure tells us how strong our armor can be.  Truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, the Spirit--the WHOLE armor of God.  This scripture doesn't say to only have one or two, it takes all.  

I can't tell you how many times the evil one has tried to get through this armor in my own life.  If I have just a little chink in my armor, he can squeeze right in.  I remember a time in life when the evil one was giving my family a huge troublesome time.  I can remember being in the living room of friends and those friends praying specifically that all of us as Christians would gather around the hurting one and use our shields of faith to keep the enemy away.  I got and still get CHILLS when I considered the strength of that effort.  I pray for that often--that I can use my shield of faith and other armor that is freely provided to me to keep the enemy away from me and those I love.  

So with this post comes a warning to be careful of the chinks in your armor so that the evil one does not squeeze in.  Trust in the Lord, read the Word, hold on to the Sword of the Spirit and fight the battle with courage and confidence.

Consider.........