Psalm 103

April 15, 2013 10:58 AM 1

Good Monday Morning friends!  Today is “Tax Day” and also one month since I have posted. WOW! Time flies when you’re a wife, mom, Gran Jan, mother-in-law, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, women’s ministry leader and WOMAN! Life is busy but all is good because GOD IS GOOD.  Yes He is!

I am participating in the “Scripture Memory Team” over on Beth Moore’s blog – you can go HERE to read all about this wonderful plan. Living Proof Ministries offers this every other year and I am very thankful.  I will never forget my trip to Houston in January of 2010 with Emmy, Wendy, and Deborah for the first celebration ever! We had the most wonderful time, and I shared it all HERE. 

This year I have chosen to memorize Psalm 103 in its entirety – and today I posted verse 8…a wonderful verse full of TRUTH for us.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

I honestly can’t remember why I chose Psalm 103 but God sure knows.  The verses have been absolutely what I needed each week…but today’s verse has been marvelous.

THE LORD IS MERCIFUL
Yes He is and His mercies are new every morning. Have you heard that mercy is God not giving us what we DO deserve while grace is God giving us what we DON’T deserve? I am thankful for His tender mercies – those times when something happens in my life that only He knows and that I know it’s Him. Tender mercies.

GRACIOUS
Proverbs 11:16 talks about a gracious woman – a desire of my heart, especially as I age. But a GRACIOUS GOD?  Kind and benevolent – that is our GRACIOUS GOD. He is so good to us in our downfalls – always ready to forgive.

SLOW TO ANGER
I  surely am thankful for this wonderful attribute of our God. He is slow to anger. Have you ever been the victim of an angry person? It is so painful. I don’t have a quick temper, but there have been times I have lost my temper. I have regretted every single time I did that – especially with two little boys back in the day. God knows that we need His merciful graciousness – exhibited in Him being slow to anger…

ABOUNDING IN MERCY
Abounding – to exist in great quantities…to be rich or well supplied…to be filled.  Glory to His Great Name. He abounds in mercy. His mercy will not run out. You and I won’t use it all up today or tomorrow or ever.  There is more mercy than we will ever need or deserve. New every morning…how glorious of our God to give us His mercy.

I stepped out on my front porch last night as I often do…just to see the setting sun or the rain or to take a deep breath of air.  This greeted me…a beautiful rainbow, more confirmation of God’s merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding LOVE!RAINBOWApr14

Blessings to you all,
Gran Jan

 

 

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April 15, 2013 10:58 AM 1

Five Minute Friday – REST

March 15, 2013 9:27 AM 2

Five Minute Friday

Today is a Five Minute Friday where I join hundreds of other writers RIGHT HERE using a single word in a 5 minute prompt. This week, Lisa Jo invites us to write about “REST.”

REST – all elusive rest. Rested bodies? Rested souls?  Every single one of us in this sleep-deprived world must have rested bodies to survive and thrive. A good night’s sleep is so precious.  How many times do we say, “did you rest well?” And how many commercials do we see about sleeping pills…  But these next few moments I want to focus on something that is even more elusive – SOUL REST.  Many people would give up sleep to have SOUL REST.  Peace of mind and heart.

I’ve been a pastor’s wife for 35 years and I’ve served in women’s ministry for 15 years.  One of the things I’ve seen that keeps us from SOUL REST is the captivity of activity.  God gave me an acrostic years ago that I’ve shared when given the chance to speak at women’s events…it is R-E-S-T.  So when I saw the prompt today it immediately came to my heart.

R – Relationship
We absolutely must have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the only One who can give you rest of soul.  For years I struggled with this one until finally giving up my goodness for His free gift of salvation.  My story is HERE.

E – Encouragement
One of the ways to find soul rest is to focus on another person in need and really be an encouragement to them.  It always works for me.  I get my mind off myself and onto someone else.

S – Simplicity
In this fast-based world many long for simplicity. I especially think of my favorite old show from the 1980s – Little House on the Prairie.  Now we don’t have to go back that far…but we can KISS our lives with this truth:  “Keep It Simple Sister.” Everything doesn’t have to be homemade…

T – Time
Time with the Lord in prayer and in His Word will provide the best SOUL REST. These two gifts – prayer and His Word are vital to us as we sojourn.

Get some REST this weekend friends.  A little nap on the sofa and then some good SOUL REST too.  Remember that God is in control, breathe deeply, and REST in the knowledge that God is awake. All the time.  And He has everything in His Hands.  Isaiah 40:28-31:

28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

 

Resting in Him,
GranJan

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March 15, 2013 9:27 AM 2

Five Minute Friday – HOME

March 8, 2013 8:42 AM 5

Five Minute FridayThis is my FIRST EVER “FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY,” although I’ve loved this concept of fast fun friendly five-minute writing for a long time – almost as much as I’ve loved getting to know the creator of this Friday Fun, Lisa Jo Baker.  It’s really crazy…but just because I spent 2 weeks in South Africa (almost 3 years ago now) I think I KNOW her…because that is her HOMELAND and could have been mine too because I loved the people there so much.  Here goes…

HOME
I literally  just heard Building 429 singing “Where I Belong,” from my K LOVE iPhone app.  The lyrics that speak of HOME…

 “All I know is I’m not HOME yet, this is not where I belong,
take this world and give me Jesus…this is not where I belong.”

We know as believers in Christ that our real HOME, our eternal HOME is Heaven. I’ll admit there are days my sojourning on this globe make me long for that HOME because I can feel deep in my bones that this really isn’t my HOME.  As a child I had many homes, and none were ever even ours because my father was a career Marine and we lived in what’s called “goverment housing.”  We lived all over…and even though we didn’t own those houses, my mom always made them feel like HOME. So HOME for me as a child wasn’t a specific place, but a knowing that wherever my mom and dad and sisters were, that was HOME.  If ever I was away from them, I would be so homesick.  Home is my people.

HOME for me as a newly married pastor’s wife was a little duplex apartment. Our first HOME as a married couple. We’ve served three churches and every HOME I’ve “set up” has been so special – not because of the bricks and walls, but because of the memories made with my church people during the seasons of life we served them.  A lot of living went on in these HOMES…Home is my church family.

The HOME near our first church that my husband’s grandfather had lived in 50 years before…
The HOME we lived in when we brought our baby boys home from the hospital…
The HOME we lived in where I had my first garden…
The HOME we lived in where we raised up our boys…
The HOME we lived in when the boys got married and left HOME…

And now the HOME we live in as empty nesters.  My sweet  man always says, “this house ain’t empty, we’re still here!”  And yes we are, and this HOME now welcomes four little people, Gran Jan’s JOY – Zeke, Madie Ruth, Jackson, and Emery.  HOLLERLUJAH! Grandbabies make every HOME precious.OURHOME

As my five minutes wind down, I am reminded of an older version of “Where I Belong.”  🙂  If I close my eyes, I can hear my mom’s younger sister, my Aunt Sandy singing in her Southern twang…

This world is not my HOME, I’m just a passin’ through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
and I can’t feel at HOME in this world any more.

And I believe this with all my heart! Wonder who I’ll live next door to in Heaven?

Gran Jan

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March 8, 2013 8:42 AM 5

Women’s Ministry – Don’t Lose Heart

March 5, 2013 10:03 AM 0

SERVANT LEADERSHIP is important to me. We lead by serving, we serve by leading. In my church I serve in the music ministry and in the women’s ministry. Tonight our women’s ministry Leadership Team is meeting…over chips and salsa at a local Mexican restaurant.  (We are hoping for a “table in the back!”)  I love these ladies so much. Left to right – Cindy serves as our Events Coordinator, Teresa serves as Bible Study Coordinator, Jennifer serves as Outreach Ministry Coordinator, and I serve as Director. Tonight we will pray, share, and go over our calendars. Yesterday I emailed them  the following encouragement. [It isn’t original to me, but I can’t pinpoint it’s origin, and just tweaked it a bit to fit women’s ministry; however, it can apply to any of us out there serving and leading.]  It is easy to lose heart and focus. Why? Besides the spiritual warfare that is rampant to servants of Christ, a whole lot of living just happens. In the lives and families of this team just the past year we’ve experienced births, deaths, hospitalizations, and more.  Just like your lives I’m sure…WMLT3

WOMEN’S MINISTRY – DON’T LOSE HEART!
From 2 Corinthians 4

#1 The Temptation to Lose Heart
In verse 1, it says “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we DO NOT lose heart.” It doesn’t matter what our ministry is, sooner or later we’re going to be tempted to lose heart, to get discouraged, to listen to naysayers, and to want to give up. We can’t! When others accuse us or reject us, remember what’s at stake: the gospel of the glory of Christ (in every women’s ministry event we plan, that is our priority).

#2 The Temptation to Lose Focus
In verse 5, it says “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” Do we need a focus check? (I do.) No matter what our job or ministry is, if we are followers of Jesus Christ, our ultimate goal ought to be to shout out the name of Jesus in everything we do. WE are so commited to this! 

#3 The Temptation to Lose Power
Verses 7-12 are some of the greatest in the whole Bible: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”  GLORY!

Those are awesome verses, aren’t they? We must walk in the Spirit and overcome our flesh and fatigue. We must FOCUS! Let God’s Spirit have His way in us. That’s our treasure. That’s our secret. Don’t let the difficulties we face cloud the truth of God’s Word.

#4 The Temptation to Lose Faith
There’s more! In verses 13-15, the Word says “Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, so I spoke”, we also believe, and so we also speak.” Do we believe God? Are we resting on His promises, or do we still follow our feelings? Feelings are terrible leaders and we know that as women we can RUN on emotion. Faith is believing God’s Word and acting on it no matter how we feel, because God promises a good result. ARE we doing it?

#5 The Temptation to Lose Vision
Finally, like it can get any better, 2 Corinthians 4 ends with these verses: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Can y’all hear the music soaring?  This is not the end. Our vision is fixed on eternity. There’s more to come and I cannot wait.

I hope you know these truths in the depth of your soul. I pray these truths will fill you with joy to keep on enduring for the sake of HIS GREAT NAME.

Hollerlujah,
Jan 🙂

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March 5, 2013 10:03 AM 0

1,000 GIFTS, #949 to #966

January 21, 2013 2:07 PM 2

949.  As I get so close to the GOAL of 1000 gifts, I am remembering today where it all began.  I was attending a conference for worship pastors (and their wives) with my husband, and we were in Birmingham, AL.  My first gifts, one to ten are here.  That conference is 2 weeks from today and we are part of the team that is hosting the event (Metro II) here in our state in beautiful Savannah, Georgia.  Time flies…

950.  And speaking of worship – here is our grandson Jackson singing “Where I Belong”  (Building 429)  in the tub just last night. He had heard that Pop (my husband) had sang it in “big church.”  Click on the little link below (Jackson-Tub) for 20 seconds of pure JOY.  “All I know is I’m not home yet, this is not where I belong…take this world and give me Jesus, this is not where I belong…”  Jackson-Tub

951. Phone calls at work that begin like this, “Mom, you want to meet me and Carrie and the kids at Chick-fil-A for lunch?”  Indeed!  Then lots of hugs and kisses from Zeke & Madie Ruth before I head back to the office.  My favorite way to spend a lunch hour!  Thank you Jeremy for calling and inviting me.

952. Grace beyond all measure in the continued strength and healing in my dad’s recovery.  He is a miracle of the Lord and my heart is full to overflowing with thankfulness.  He is still in the hospital but is most assuredly on the mend.  Thank you for praying.

953.  My friend Lanie invited me to an “art party.”  The sponsor is Truth Be Told Art and it was absolutely wonderful.  It is a wonderful ministry where you paint His Truth on canvas. We painted the scripture from Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit. The artist led us step by step and we are so proud of our artwork!  Left to right in the picture is Kathy, me, Lanie, and Joy.  Both Kathy’s and Joy’s husbands are staff pastors at our church.  Blessed time of fellowship.  Pears
954.  Thank God for the JOY of some springtime weather right in the middle of winter…record highs last week.  This may be the perfect weather to me.  Just warm and wonderful, breezy, low to no humidity.

955.  My oldest grandchild and I spent a long time just sitting on the bank of our pond on that beautiful Spring day last weekend. Zeke is a talker and we enjoyed long conversation. He calls this weeping willow our “picnic tree.”  We had a most wonderful time and I’m so thankful.ZekePond956.  And that perfect day was made more perfect by some “flowers” from Zeke. Dandelions…delightful! 🙂Dandelions

957.  I love the music of Travis Cottrell and our choir and orchestra and really our whole church enjoy his music.  Our Praise Team is working on “Jesus Saves.”  My husband is planning something very special when we sing it and it will feature a presentation of ALL the people who have come to Christ and been baptized in our church recently…YES! Jesus Saves!  I was actually in the audience the night Travis recorded this music at First Baptist Woodstock, Georgia. What a great memory!

958. I planted a Rose of Sharon last weekend.  Mine is white and I love this old-fashioned flowering shrub.  A sweet and precious friend, Jan Leary brought it to me from Atlanta.  Her father was in the hospital at the same time as mine.  We met in the hospital lobby and talked and encouraged each other through that trying time right at Christmas.  She is very special to me.  I love you Jan! We have a lot in common, beginning with our names.

959.  Life is but a vapor…James 4:14 from the Amplified Bible.  Barely a week goes by that I don’t think about something I learned from the Bible study on the book of James (Mercy Triumphs) by Beth Moore and her daughter Melissa Fitzpatrick. One cool morning last week as the vapor and fog was wafting through the pecan trees I stopped to take a picture…

Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow.
What is the nature of your life?
You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist)
that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air].
Vapor

960.  Love this new “app” for the Scripture Memory Team!  I am memorizing Psalm 103 this year.   SSMT app

961.  Thankful for the safety of my friend Cindy who was home during an attempted break in at her home last weekend.  She is a woman of the Word and had the presence of mind to know that the attempted “robber” needs Jesus.  I am praying for God to bring her peace of heart and mind as she works through everything.  Jesus be near.

962. I had everyone over for a big family breakfast this past Saturday and we enjoyed some time outside. I love this picture of Jackson and Madie running.  They are exactly 2 weeks to the day apart. I pray they will be as close in friendship as their ages are in days…Running

963. Sweet Emery is always so HAPPY and I enjoyed some time with her in the house while everyone was visiting the cows!Emery-JOY

964. Our Pastor preached one of the most practical and clear messages yesterday on what it means to be a disciple of Christ that is GROWING in relationship with Him (from Hebrews 5:12-14).  I so desire to be a mature woman of faith!
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

1. Lack of growth limits your ability.
2. Lack of growth hinders your productivity.
3. Lack of growth reveals your immaturity.

965.  I assure you I did not draw any attention to myself or disturb anyone around me as I quickly took this picture (with my iPhone) at church yesterday, but I wanted to preserve this moment in my mind…a group of friends praying together at the close of our services.  I have no idea who or what they were praying for, but it touched me way down deep.  So thankful for small groups, Bible study, Sunday School and JESUS!  The bond that holds us all together is His love.  Thankful for that grace moment yesterday.PrayingTogether

 966.  And lastly…this quote from Dr. Perdue yesterday:

Grace didn’t come with a “to-do” list, Grace came with a DONE list.

AMEN AND AMEN!
Jan

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January 21, 2013 2:07 PM 2

1,000 GIFTS, #928 to #948

January 7, 2013 8:54 PM 2

928.  Peace of heart and the truth of  Proverbs 13:12 A “longing fulfilled” after hope has been “deferred.”

929.  Today is a wonderful, marvelous, and happy day! First and foremost it is because it is God’s created day, planned before the foundation of the world, January 7, 2013.

930. Eight years ago today Rev. Rastus Salter, our Pastor of 50 years crossed over into Heaven. We love him and thank God for his life and legacy. He gave my son Jeremy his sermon library before he passed away.  What a treasure! We miss you Preacher…Rastus

931. MORE HAPPY DAY NEWS – Our family just got word that my dad is headed out of our local hospital to a rehab facility! He is on the mend and Lord willing, he will be coming home after this next portion of his journey. Please pray as God brings him to your mind.  He faces intensive physical therapy and we will appreciate your prayers.

932. I  talked to one of the nursing administrators and she told me that our family had really made a “connection” (JESUS IN US) with one of the doctors who was taking care of my father.  This doctor told her that he looked at dad’s test results and thought all was hopeless.  Then he looked at us and “purposed in his heart” that it would not happen on his watch. God intervened with His mighty healing power! So thankful we are under God’s watchful eye.

933. Thank you Laura – for your medical expertise and for your kindness. Both qualities make you a fine nurse. And thank you for your comments about my blog. I love you for it. Thank you for being there for us.

934. Medical staff who have tended to my dad the past 36 days, Dr. Lomboy, Dr. Sripathi, Dr. Assad, Dr. Ogunsakin, Dr. Morales, Dr. Patel, Dr. Kahn; nurses Donna, Amber, Lori, Joy, Brian, John, Beverly; respiratory therapist Dendy and so many more that I don’t know your names. But God does – and I’m asking Him to bless you!

935. A Saturday where I was graced to see all four of my grandchildren…the younger two in the morning and the older two in the evening.

936. Zeke is the oldest…here he is reading books to his new puppy, Copper. He is such a smart little tender heart. Z

937. Next is Madie in the tub surrounded by bubbles…I even painted her nails a lovely purple polish, a first for this “mom of boys!” She loved it and so did I.  God has graced me with sweet granddaughters.Madie

938.  Grandchild #3, Jackson…in his new Gator, just like Pop has…he is so very proud…Jackson-Gator

939. And the youngest, this little precious grandgirl is as sweet as sugar. She is SO good and content and we are absolutely smitten with Miss Emery Caroline…Emery940. Sunday afternoon naps. I’ve missed them. Had one yesterday. It was so nice.

941. Jackson is amazing with an iPad. He can use it better than most adults and I am not kidding. He loves the song “Where I Belong” by Building 429. Love to hear him sing it.  Love that he is being raised by parents that BELIEVE “take this world and give me Jesus…” Jackson-WhereIBelong

942. Zeke “preached” the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den the other night to our family. He didn’t miss a lick.  He is serious about it too, and he got it right – great perception for a four year old.  Thankful that he is being raised by parents that believe in the God who “shuts the lions’ mouths!”

943.  Elisabeth Elliot – Faith is not an instinct. It certainly is not a feeling – feelings don’t help much when you’re in the lions’ den or hanging on a wooden Cross. Faith is not inferred from the happy way things work. It is an act of will, a choice, based on the unbreakable Word of a God who cannot lie, and who showed us what love and obedience and sacrifice mean, in the person of Jesus Christ.Faith

944. Joy that really does come in the morning after a restless night.Vapor

945.  Pop and Jackson singing…precious.GaryandJackson

946.  I have a new route to work that includes a drive by this lumber yard.  I pulled over this morning to snap this picture of the American flag perched atop this crane. I love this!NewRoad

947.  And may we never forget the truth of this passage of scripture from Philippians 4:13.  My friend Patsy Randall took this picture in a little country church she visited recently.  In all we’ve been through as a family the past 5 weeks, I can testify that Christ in us gives us the strength and grace to bear up…in all things.Phi4-13

948.  And all things means “ALL THINGS.”  Romans 8:28 says,  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  ALL THINGS means ALL THINGS.  Embrace that glorious truth – no matter what your “ALL THINGS”  happens to be.

Love & Blessings,

Jan

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January 7, 2013 8:54 PM 2

1,000 GIFTS, #901 to #927

December 31, 2012 6:20 PM 7

On this last day of the year 2012, I am winding down to the last 100 gifts in my goal of counting 1,000 grace gifts.  This journey has been one that may not always “show up” here on my blog, but is ever before me in daily life.  The realization of His grace has never been more true or more near than the last four weeks as I realized a new journey in faith during my father’s serious illness and hospitalization. Dad is still in ICU, but I am most grateful that he is alive and beginning the long journey back to restored health.

901. Immediately on my heart is thankfulness for family time in times of pain.  I’ve spent more time with my mom and sisters the past four weeks than I have the past four years…or so it seems.  It has proven to me that we are there for each other when it counts. What a gift of grace.

902. I love this fun tweet that I sent on 12-12-12 at 12:12:12.  Silly me – but fun.12 12 12

903.  Christmas isn’t just a date on the December calendar – it is knowing in my heart why Jesus came, to be born to die for me, for you. For the first time in my entire life I didn’t spend Christmas Eve with my parents, and yet we had JOY.  My son Jonathan brought a little tree to Dad’s ICU room and it really brought  joy to us all.hospital tree

904.  Support from both my sons as they have texted and called me with “how is Papaw today?” Knowing how busy they both are with young children and still taking time to check in means so much to me.  I love my boys and their wives so much.

905.  Dolls under my Christmas tree – a first for this mom of boys! Both Madie and Emery got “Bitty Babies” from American Girl for Christmas.  Madie calls her doll a “Tiny Baby Bitty Baby.” Precious. American girl

906. An unexpected Christmas gift for me from my husband – totally a surprise with our schedules upside down with daily trips to the hospital…he gave me an iPad and I love it!

907. Christmas Day Night is the time our family gathers as we continue our tradition of blueberry pancakes and bacon. I love my family so much. SONY DSC

908. Prayer. Times of crying out to God with pleadings for Him to heal my dad. Intense, and yet comforting to know I can intercede and enter His presence. I will NEVER get over the privilege to pray. I’ve become more aware as people have told me they are praying for my dad that I am so grateful for their intercessions. I want to take requests for prayer from others way more to heart than I ever have. One person even stopped and prayed for my dad right over the telephone. That blessed me so much.

909. My sweet mom with her youngest great-granddaughter, my granddaughter Emery, celebrating her first Christmas. I’ve been so proud of my mom as she’s seen her mate of 56 years go through such a hard time…what a testimony of her faith in Christ.EmeryandGigi

910.  An email to tell us that the shoebox of toys and supplies we put together for Samaritian’s Purse ministries went to Central Asia. Oh I pray that the child who received our gift was blessed and heard the story of Jesus and received the truth of Christ and His love! shoebox

911. I harvested sweet potatoes from my garden – a first for me.  One afternoon I went to my garden and worked and dug and dug sweet potatoes and prayed and worked.  Gardening is and has been good therapy for me, physically and emotionally.taters

912. Most folks that know me well understand my love of gardening and birds too. This picture was on Twitter last week and I love it. Redbirds are my favorite!redbird

913.  My co-worker Brenda gave me this Christmas cactus two years ago and it was so pretty this year. I love that it knows just when Christmas is and when to bloom.  Isn’t God so creative?cactus

914. Oh the joy to attend the Christmas program at my son Jeremy’s church and see our grandson Zeke portray Joseph in the program! It just doesn’t get any sweeter than that… Joseph

915.  One morning before Christmas I was listening to Dr. David Jeremiah on the radio and he shared a message on “strength in waiting.”  I needed that so much as we waited and waited for news of my dad’s health each day, I was growing weary. The wonderful passage from Isaiah 40:31 was so good as Dr. Jeremiah spoke that “those that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength and mount up on wings as eagles…”  On my way to work just minutes after hearing that message, I got a text message from my sister Joan who had a picture to send me…of this glorious eagle that was in a tree in her front yard!!! We both rejoiced as we received this special sighting as God being very near and very dear. I will never forget this as long as I live.  An EAGLE landed in that tree just for me and I shared with her my morning and we both REJOICED and thanked God that He sent His eagle that morning to visit her front yard! Eagle

916. My grandson Jackson sent his Papaw a get well picture…it is still hanging in his room at the hospital tonight.  get well from Jackson

917.  It’s garden greens time in my garden…and these cabbages and collards are huge.  I just cut a “mess” of collards to cook for New Year’s Day tomorrow.  This is a very Southern tradition and I am very Southern.  And thankful to be! 🙂greens

918. A new little donkey born on 12-12-12. He is too cute and has already been promised to a little boy at our church named Zack that wants him! He’s already been to visit “Jack.”  He doesn’t get too far from his momma, Ellie. new Jack

919. Especially grateful to my husband for keeping up around the farm with chores for my dad…and even more thankful for Gary being a rock to my family of women.  My mom and sisters and I have really needed his strength.  I am so blessed.farm chores

920. I really love this picture of Gary’s tractor and the reflection in our pond.  I snapped it from across the pond as he was driving back after giving the cows some fresh hay. May we all be “reflections” of Jesus in 2013. 🙂Tractor reflection

921. I love this group of young men and women so much!  They are all going to Passion at the Georgia Dome this coming week. Five  of them are planning a church plant in Florida in 2014.  They bring such hope to me as they serve Jesus. passion kids

922.  So blessed by the sweetest smile on this little face as she coos at her Pop on Christmas night.  I look so forward to making some dresses and fun little things for her next year!SONY DSC

923.  Hospital waiting rooms are difficult places, made more pleasant by my niece and nephews…I love y’all!waiting room

924. I made a book of pictures for my dad to see of things he loves; hopefully to encourage him and jog his memory of all he has to look forward to as he heals.  He was under sedation on a ventilator for 20 days…we “missed him” so much!

925. This prayer means more to me these days and I hope will stay with me in 2013…healty

926. The last sunrise of this year as I took this picture this frosty cold morning December 31, 2012…God be near in 2013  and I thank Him for His GRACE every day the past 365 days.sunrise

927. Thank you faithful blog readers for your support, prayers and love. I know this post was full of comments about my dad and all I’ve experienced the past month, but that is what this place in cyber space is…the ramblings of a woman who loves Jesus and her family and seeks to live each day to the fullest.  I pray God’s blessings on you and your loved ones this year.  Treasure every single day you have, they are ALL gifts of God’s glorious grace.me

In Christ,

Jan

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December 31, 2012 6:20 PM 7
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