Happy GratiTuesday!

And dogs... :)

SMILE!

That poor doggie! LOL! The look in its eyes says a lot!

He's a good dog. :)

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Thanks Journal

December 27, 2017

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. Psalm 117:1

When I was a new believer in Jesus, a spiritual mentor encouraged me to keep a thanks journal. It was a little booklet I carried with me everywhere I went. Sometimes I would record a thanksgiving right away. Other times, I would pen it at the end of the week during a time of reflection.

Taking note of praise items is a good habit—one I’m considering re-establishing in my life. It would help me to be mindful of God’s presence and grateful for His provision and care.

In the shortest of all the psalms, Psalm 117, the writer encourages everyone to praise the Lord because “great is his love toward us” (v. 2).

Think about it: How has the Lord shown His love toward you today, this week, this month, and this year? Don’t just look for the spectacular. His love is seen in the ordinary, everyday circumstances of life. Then consider how He has shown His love toward your family, your church, and to others. Let your mind soak up the extent of His love for all of us.

The psalmist added that “the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever” (v. 2 emphasis added). In other words, He will continue to love us! So we will continue to have many things to praise God for in the coming days. As His dearly loved children, may praising and thanking God characterize our lives!

Father, if we were to record all of Your blessings, we could not complete the task in a lifetime. But we can pause this moment to say a simple “Thank You” for Your faithfulness and goodness.

Remember to thank God for the ordinary as well as the extraordinary.

"Happy Warm Fuzzy Wednesday To All"
Company 's Coming and I Must Be Away Today

Happy Warm & Fuzzy Wednesday!

Baby, It's C-C-C-Cold Outside!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

God Bless America!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

Happy KEEP-Warm-&-Fuzzy
Wednesday!
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️⛄️

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Everyday Moments

December 28, 2017

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:13

I piled groceries in my car and carefully exited my parking spot. Suddenly a man darted across the pavement just in front of me, not noticing my approach. I slammed on my brakes, just missing him. Startled, he looked up and met my gaze. In that moment, I knew I had a choice: respond with rolled-eye frustration or offer a smiling forgiveness. I smiled.

Relief flickered across his face, raising the edges of his own lips in gratefulness.

Proverbs 15:13 says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” Is the writer directing us to cheery grins in the face of every interruption, disappointment, and inconvenience life brings? Surely not! There are times for genuine mourning, despair, and even anger at injustice. But in our everyday moments, a smile can offer relief, hope, and the grace needed to continue.

Perhaps the point of the proverb is that a smile naturally results from the condition of our inner beings. A “happy heart” is at peace, content, and yielded to God’s best. With such a heart, happy from the inside out, we can respond to surprising circumstances with a genuine smile, inviting others to embrace the hope and peace they too can experience with God.

Dear Father, today as I cross paths with others around me, make my heart happy that I may share with them the hope only You can offer.

Encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

INSIGHT

In today’s reading we see the dynamic impact of a happy heart. It is interesting to note that our attitude toward our circumstances—not our situation—is the key issue. A wise person seeks out knowledge, which builds positive character rather than feeding (literally “grazing like cattle”) on those things that lead to foolishness. The oppressed are those who are bowed down or in great need, which can cause emotional turmoil. But we also see in verse 15 how those who are cheerful have a continual feast. The one who focuses on the God of compassion finds hope in difficult situations and also helps others to have hope.

Are you struggling today? Ask God to help you focus on Him with a joyful attitude.

So cute!

January

The days are short,
The sun a spark,
Hung thin between
The dark and dark.

Fat snowy footsteps
Track the floor.
Milk bottles burst
Outside the door.

The river is
A frozen place
Held still beneath
The trees of lace.

The sky is low.
The wind is gray.
The radiator
Purrs all day.

John Updike

Have a wonderful thankful Thursday, everyone!

Thankful for prayer!
Happy Thankful Thursday!

Awwwww... So sweet!

Greetings...

from New England. It's FREEZING up here!

(((HUGS)))

ML/LTOS

LOL! So I’ve heard! Stay in and stay warm....with Penny by your side!

Three degrees this morning. :(

Single digits, windy, and falling...

Indeed. I bundled up, Swaddled penny in her winter coat, and ventured out.

Unfortunately, other dog owners in the community did not act responsibly, and just let their dogs out the door to do their business.

They, of course, came up to Penny to harass her, and she got “annoyed”.

It was difficult for me to keep her from shredding them, as she is VERY protective when she is on leash.

No harm done, but I am sick of being responsible when nobody else is!

Yikes! You’re tough!