Thanksgiving time again. Time to feast on the sacrificial turkey… the bird slaughtered so you can enjoy a celebratory feast.
Time to experience the table full of grace… all the trimmings your body doesn’t necessarily need but craves… delicacies like casseroles, macaroni and cheese, greens, dressing, gravies, rolls, cornbread, cranberry sauce, pies, cakes, ice cream, etc. (but hey, it’s Thanksgiving).
Time to ponder over the table of mercy… the things you’re not eating, but truly need to eat to keep your body healthy… like vegetables, fruits, and salads without the extras.
As Christians, this should remind us of the grace and mercy table we eat from every day.
Renovating and updating a house to improve its appearance, functionality, and worth involves a lot of work and patience. A level of discomfort comes with the process. Most tend to buckle up and endure simply because of the anticipation of the outcome.
Sometimes the renovation process requires interior decorators or designers. The designers see flaws or areas of improvement that our eyes miss. They can see the potential of the house. So, the designers set their sights on transforming the present condition of the house into the image of a newly designed work.
I often gazed upon this picture taken in October 2021 of my son, Ryan and his family, at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. When they sent the photo to me, I enlarged it and set it on my desk. Why? The terrified looks and reactions of my granddaughters evoked so much laughter and lifted my spirits on days when things got too serious in my life. But the more I gazed at the picture, the more my eyes opened to what God really wanted me to see.
Read MoreYou may not have given natural birth to children, but you can still birth life into them. If you pour encouragement, knowledge, wisdom into them, or make a positive impact on a young person’s life, you can claim the title of Mother.
Read MoreWhen my sons Branden and Ryan were young, I would go all out at Easter time. I decorated my house with green grass, plastic eggs, and other Easter paraphernalia. I dyed six dozen eggs! Yes, seventy-two eggs. I never knew why six dozen, but it started with my mother dying that number for us when we were kids. I simply continued the tradition. I did it with my grandchildren when they lived here in Texas and I still do it with them even though they live in Sunrise, Florida. Thank God for technology that allows us to have these moments together. I realize it sounds crazy, but these activities bring back so many lovely memories.
As I put up my Easter decorations this year, I chuckled at something else I used to do when my boys were very young. I would cut out “rabbit paws,” put baby powder on them, and make footprints in the carpet which started from an outside door to the family room. The footprints led to their Easter baskets.
I don’t know about you, but as much as I like candy, absolutely nothing compares to the sweetness of God’s Word. It penetrates my heart, allows me to converse with Him…
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