Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful that God is constantly providing for all of us. I've been watching the birds feed at our house a lot this week. Ken put sunflower seed in the feeder, wild bird seed on the open layer under it, thistle in the box on the side, suet in the box on the end, and scattered seed all over the rails of the deck.

Birds have been two and three deep trying to get at the food when there was so much ice on everything. And there were even more lined up in the trees trying to get to their smorgasbord of treats.

But, today, we're down to seven or eight at a time. I still love to watch them. They are making me think of myself. Hopefully I'm not really for the birds. But I think that too often I am like them. When the ice was bad and they couldn't get to anything else to eat, they flocked to the feeders. But since the ice has begun melting, they can find food elsewhere...and they are.

Too often we are like that with God. When the going is tough we're lined up to take everything he'll provide for us. But when things get better we go back to taking care of ourselves.

Let's remember how much He provides and be thankful for it all today. And, let's try to go to Him for everything--whether things are good or bad.

Prayer Request

This is a note from a young family from the church we attended in Texas. Heather is about 23 and expecting quads. She was admitted to the hospital yesterday. Please pray for her and Bret and all four babies.
Tuesday at 2:15 Heather was scheduled for her routine checkup. When we arrived at the doctors office, he and his staff performed their normal procedures and noticed that Heather was dilated to 1 centimeter. Heather had been having what she thought was contractions on Monday night, but they were not regular so she did not panic. She arrived at her room (New Home) around 3:30 and immediately starting receiving Procardia to stop the contractions, and steroid injections to strengthen the babies’ lungs in case delivery was necessary. The nurses got everything under control around 6:00 p.m. During our doctor's visit, they gave Heather a Fetal Fibornectin (FFN) test this is used to determine if she will go in to labor within two weeks. The test came back positive, but they are not sure how accurate the test is with quads. We are taking it day by day and remain optimistic that everything will go as planed. Heather struggled with wearing four heart monitors and a contraction monitor last night because of the discomfort she was not able to get much sleep. With that said Heather and the babies are doing great and I will keep you fellers informed as things unfold in the coming weeks.

Prayer Priority

Weekly Prayer Priority

I "borrowed" this idea from my daughter's women's blog. Thanks Jamie.

Prayer is powerful! We've all experienced times when it's changed a life we know. Miracles in healing, loved ones being drawn to Jesus, a time when God gives us the words when we otherwise wouldn't know what to say...
So why are we reluctant at times to make it a part of our daily routine? We know that only good can come of it, yet it gets pushed to the back burner.

This year, I'd like to challenge our Girlfriends to make prayer a priority!
Each week, join with all the girlfriends of Clear Springs and focus your prayers on the suggested topic for that week.

Here's what we'll do: *** When you drive across a rail road track or stop at a red light, let that be a reminder for you to PRAY! ***

Imagine what God will do through our combined weekly prayers!

This week let's pray for our country and its leaders on every level.

When you smile...

Remember the old Louis Armstrong song..."when you're smilin', the whole world smiles at you"?

Weather wise there's not much to smile about in Oklahoma today. But...there's a lot more than weather to control our lives. I love the quote with the picture at left..."you can even break ice with it."

So, today, break through the ice and smile at people. Remember that if we let people see Jesus in us, we are glorifying Christ. And our God has control of the ice--and all else.

This little poem from Emily Dickinson sorta sums it up:
"They might not need me, but they might.
I'll let my head be just in sight;
A smile as small as mine might be
Precisely their necessity."

Whose necessity can you meet with a Smile? Go ahead and practice on your family or your coworkers so you'll be ready when a smile is needed.

Prayer Requests

These prayer requests are from Anthony and Lea Edgemon, missionaries to Spain. Please say a pray for them and these things:

We appreciate you taking the time to pray over these things with us this week.
- some families in our church are struggling.
- wisdom as I try to counsel man from church.
- Thank the Lord with us that Emily seems to be doing well with her knee brace.
- Tim Johnson will preach this week as we delve into 1 Peter 2.
- Lea´s sister in the final weeks of pregnancy. Pray that everything goes well.
- María del Carmen, pastor´s wife in Colmenar Viejo is battling cancer and dealing with chemotherapy.
- Pastor Jose Manuel from the Esperanza Church in Alacalpais looking for work.
God bless you all

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday, and it is an easy day to be thankful.

Today I'm especially thankful for the spring-like weather, even though I know it will not last. But a little bit of spring in the middle of winter is a sweet thing.

That reminds that in the middle of problems, bad time, things we don't want to do.....God is our springtime. He is always there to boost us, make us feel better, take care of us and love us.

So take a deep breath today and enjoy the weather. Then take another deep breath and enjoy your life in Jesus.

Doing Our Jobs

Ken is at the airport with Mollie and Isaiah. Their plane is supposed to leave any minute to take them home to California. We've had a fun two weeks. I'm sitting here thinking about the fact that all my kids and grandkids are Christians--thank you, Lord.

But the kids still need a lot of direction, guidance and examples. Deuteronomy 4:9 says "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

So, are we the examples we need to be to our children, our grandchildren or any of the children in our church family or the community. I hope I am. It is a monumental job we undertake to keep them following the Lord and seeking His guidance.

Let's pray for each other today that we will be the examples we should be. That our trust in God will supersede all other things in the minds of our kids and grandkids.

Thankful Thursday

It's already Thursday again, and I'm always thankful. But today I am especially thankful for the five women who participated in Breaking Free last night and the six who are signed up for tonight. It is a blessing to see women desire to study the Bible.

I like studying with others because it helps motivate me to do my studying daily as well as gives me insight from others that I had not though about before. Thank you ladies.

P.S. It's not too late to show up tonight. You will be extremely welcome!

Tonight's the Night

Tonight is the night for the beginning of our new Bible Study, "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. Hope you're ready for an awesome time with this study. If you're unable to come on Wednesday night, we're doing it again on Thursday night, Tonight we meet at 6:30. Thursday's session begins at 7. Hope you're able to make one of them.

Thanks and Extensions

Today is Thursday, and I am thankful. Especially thankful for kids and grandkids--we've enjoyed all of them this week. I hope you have family you are enjoying too.

On another note, our first session of Breaking Free has been moved to next week. The only ones present last night were Sue and I. And I hated for all the rest to miss the first 50-minute session with Beth Moore. So....we decided to wait until next Wednesday. Gear yourself up for a treat and some cautious insight into yourself. You're going to love it.

If you're busy on Wednesday night, we're having a second session on Thursday nights. Four people who work with Awanas want to study Breaking Free. So if you'd like to join them, meet with us at 7 p.m. Thursday January 15. We will not meet on the second Thursday of each month because of other obligations I have.

Hope to see you on either Wednesday or Thursday night. Love you all.

Amazing Friends

Sunday evening my daughter called and said the airline was going to charge them to bring Isla's car seat and pack and play bed ($50 each). She wanted to know if I would try to borrow them from someone. I though, well if worse came to worse we could probably borrow a bed from the church or rent something. But I though "No one has an extra car seat!" But I called Kyla and Jeremy and they said we could borrow Jenna's Pack and Play bed. We borrowed a highchair from the church, and at home group Virgil remembered that Nathan had a car seat sitting in his office. I called him and he said he seldom used it that we could borrow it for a week.
What would we do if we didn't have a church family? It has always amazed me that everyone is there for you when you need something--even a baby car seat. But that's the way it is supposed to be isn't it? We are there for each other to support, love, and care. I thank God that we have a church family that exemplifies those characteristics. When you need prayer, material things, hugs or whatever, call on your church family. They are there for you.

More on Joy

Just read a quote from Barbara Johnson that goes along with living your life with joy:
"We CAN do it. We CAN sparkle with joy in the deepest, darkest basement, because the Lord is our battery pack that empowers us to smile and laugh no matter how dire our circumstances appear to be."
I like that analogy. The good point is that our battery pack never runs low, needs recharging, or dies.

Deliberately Choose Joy

Ready or not, 2009 has begun and we're all off to a new year. Some of us well have the best year of our lives, others may not.

Some will struggle. Some will laugh. Some will share. Some will wish. Some will pray. Some will commit. And others will resolve.

How about you? In spite of what happens to us or to those around us, there is one thing we can deliberately accomplish in 2009.

We can choose to look for the joy that comes through Christ in every step of our journey this year. Then, we can share it with others. When we do that, we will be blessed with peace and happiness that passes any earthly understanding -- no matter what our circumstances are.

So I'm asking you to deliberately decide to embrace your joy in Christ all year long. And embrace the fact that our Girlfriends are there for you through the good and the not so good. Even through the bad. Yes, even the terrible. Remember to thank God for each other and our group of women. Love you all.

New Book Study

We will begin Breaking Free by Beth Moore on January 7 --one week from today. I'll try to have the workbooks to hand out and we can do a preview of what we will be doing that night. For those of you who want a study at another time, I need to hear from you so I can set aside the time we are going to meet. We can meet on Tuesday or Thursday evenings if we skip the 2nd week each month. Or, we can meet Friday evening or any time on Saturday. You let me know.