Shhhhhh...they will hear you!

When I was a little girl I believed so much in fairies that I would be careful where I walked. You didn't want to step on a beautiful fairie sleeping under a leaf, flower, or mushroom. And of course, you could never speak loudly or they would hear your secret, go and tell it to someone.
I can just see me and Brenda, my twin sister, whispering to each other...giggling so that the fairies would not hear us.
I guess you can't take the little girl out of me even though all grown up?!
I thank God for imaginations, fairy tales, and butterflies...you surely know that is how they travel, right?

Love you all,
Mom/Meme/Linda

" Whisper your secret wish to a Butterfly
and it will carry your desire to the Great Spirit to be granted.
Having given this sweet creature to the Universe,
your wishes will be fulfilled in return."

Native American Folklore

'GENTLY' back on board...

Dear Loved ones,

I'm excited tonight for some reason. I've been sluggish all day long, so it's about time to have a little life starting to stir in myself.

I want to get back to the devotions I started with you back in the Spring on the Fruit of the Spirit.
It's a great study.
It is IMPORTANT to God for us to know HIS attributes.
It is what HE wants to do through us.

Think about that! Goodness, Gracious! Why would he want to pour out His attributes into these shallow, cracked, ugly, dirty, vessels of clay??? He so much is Not our way of thinking...Alleluia!!
I wouldn't pour anything into myself if it were me...for that matter, I wouldn't pour anything as beautiful as He is into a lot of people I know. I would think that I or they would just mess up a good thing and ruin said reputation. Ha...see how different we think from the way God thinks. I'm assuming that someone else out there feels the same way I do.
Having said that so gently and kindly, let's look at some attributes of kindness (gentleness). That is our Fruit for today.

(from Bible knowledge.com)
"Here are some of the different definitions of what real kindness is all about:

1/ Quality or state of being kind

2/ The steadfast love that maintains relationships through gracious aid in times of need

3/ Goodness of heart, serviceable, good, gracious, pleasant

4/ Love for mankind, hospitality, acts of kindness, readiness to help, human friendship, benevolence, taking thought of others

5/ Goodness in action, sweetness of disposition, gentleness in dealing with others, affability

6/ The ability to act for the welfare of those taxing your patience " (oooouch, I feel that one!)

Listen to this verse...then listen again.

Gentleness (kindness) -- We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).

We all know someone that we could honestly say has any one or several of these attributes: They could be lovely, joyful, peaceful, long suffering, gentle (kind), good, faithful, meek (enduring injury with patience and without resentment : mild) and practice temperance people.
They also could not even know the Lord Jesus. They are just simply nice people we enjoy being around.
There has to be a difference! God has distinctly made it clear that this one nine fold fruit is from HIM and that we cannot nor will not be able to produce it.
Maybe the difference is people's reaction. If it is from Him we will be drawn to Him eventually through contact with this spirit filled person. If it is a personality of someone then we are drawn to her or him. Is that the difference? What do you think?

The word “Spirit” is with a capital “S” – which means these 9 fruits are coming directly from the Holy Spirit, not from us.

What this means is that God’s love, God’s peace, God’s joy and God’s goodness can start to be transmitted up into our personality. These are His attributes and personality qualities that will start to move into the core of our personality.

Think about the ramifications of this – that God the Father Himself is allowing us to share in a part of His divine nature by allowing His Holy Spirit to transmit and impart these nine divine qualities right up into our soul and personality!
As you can see from some of these different definitions, this is a very beautiful quality to have transmitted up into your soul and personality by the Holy Spirit. Not only will you be able to touch others with this godly quality, but you will also be able to touch yourself – because you will feel so much better about yourself if you can learn how to treat others with much more kindness and respect in your daily dealings and affairs with them.

Think about that...then think about it again. Have you ever had to minister to yourself? David did over and over.
I love you all!!

Blessings,
Mom/Meme/Linda

A brand new day, with new mercies, and new kindness from God

The sun is peeking through the trees. It's a lovely view sitting at Paula's computer table. A view of trees and sky. When the wind blows the trees dance like crazy and it's so soothing.
I'm up earlier than usual today. I'm going to meet a dear friend for coffee at Good Cup and we are going to catch up! We've been trying to get together all summer.
What a great way to start my day.
Then to the Post Rd home to meet a painter to get a bid. Then back to the computer to help John list all the train contents lost in the flood. He reads,I type. We hate it, but it has to be done. You can't imagine how many little tiny parts are connected with trains and then the cars...mercy me! One day this shall be over with and we will be back home.
I miss my home so much. My emotions have gone from shock to denial to dread to confusion to sadness to displacement...with some excitement thrown in there with the designing. But, oh so tired! Thank you, Lord. You are so good to me. I love you.
Hope all has a wonderful day.

SET BACK...Ugggh!
Oh well, better to find out now than after the flooring gets installed. The sub flooring starting cupping badly today. All over the house.
The back board and aqua Bar they have put down in some rooms will have to come out, and we have to decide on a solution. We have 2 or 3 options to resolve this problem.
Looks like a Sept move after all. Updates to follow.
And, Yes, I'm rejoicing in the Lord...but not the cupping sub floors. :)
Blessings,
Linda

I shared on Resting in my last blog. As the Lord would have it, Martha sent me a wonderful site that I invite you to visit. Please read Resting, June 30, 2010 http://www.aholyexperience.com/2003/06/buttons-to-use-and-share.html

Breatheeeeeeee, Resssssssst........

Good Morning,

Often times the best advice we can give ourselves and others is
to Leave it to God. There are many things God gives us that we do play a part, but when those difficulties or questions come around that are beyond our explanation or understanding, we can still be at rest. We Leave It Up To God...and rest...and take several deep breaths.
Love you all.

~~~~~~
"Philip Melanchthon and Martin Luther were once deciding on the day's agenda. The former was disciplined, intellectually gifted, serious, and goal-driven; the latter was equally intelligent but much more emotional, risky, even playful.

Melanchthon said, "Martin, this day we will discuss the governance of the universe."

To which Luther responded, "Philip, this day you and I will go fishing and leave governance of the universe to God."

What wise counsel!

Let's declare today the day you and I give ourselves permission to relax without being afraid or feeling guilty . . . and leave the stuff we cannot handle or change to God. Is it a deal? Great! But what shall we do about the person who thinks we are slacking off too much? You guessed it. Just leave it to God!"

(excerpt from Insight for Living)

Blessings,
Mom, Meme, Linda

Home again, home again. I'm glad to be back to the wonderful world of designing our home and our abnormal routine these days. This is the fun stages of our restoration. These pix are possiblities of what we will use in the kitchen. I love the way the finish of the cabinets pops the coral in the granite.
Hope we can find a slab that has a lot of coral in it.