Confirmation and Joy

I don't know why I am always amazed when the Lord shows me things that I have been thinking or contemplating...yet I am still amazed.

I set my alarm for 5:00a as I went to bed last night;

at 4:15a  I woke up wide awake...

so after laying in bed for about 15 minutes I decided to just get up...

and I am so thankful I did...I had such a wonderful time with the Lord this morning...

I had a variety of scriptures on my list to read this morning:

And I wrote and wrote....

God gave his most precious gift to me ~ His Son!  The Lord reminds me daily to not be afraid ~ He is always with me.  I need to teach others (by example as much as words) as the Lord has taught me ~ that discipline is not fun nor easy but is important in our lives.    Everything good comes from the Lord.  He never changes, it is me/us who change!!!  God knows our lives and He only wants good for us ~ if we follow Him, He will guide us in the right paths.  God is my rock and refuge and is always available.  God thinks of me way more than I think of Him.  The Lord will always fight for me ~ my job is to be calm.  

CALM

Choose Joy!!!

Praise the Lord for where I have come from!!

And where I am and where I am headed!!

Choose Love!!!

Awareness + Contact = Change**

Be honest, not hurtful,

Be calm ~ a soft tongue turns away wrath.

Singleness of heart...don't be so stubborn.

Old self ~ whine/gossip

New self ~ go to the source, be direct, address the issue head on

And don't forget the 

As I sat and thought about the different scriptures I had read this morning and was spending time in prayer and thinking of some changes that are upcoming in some friends lives and thinking back to all the different life experiences I have been involved in over the years and the many, many people I have met I was amazed at how God's timing is perfect for each specific moment in my life.  

I am who I am today because of every experience, every thought, every person I have met, every job I have had and I wouldn't be me without each of these things.

One of the books I am using in my quiet time

Philippians is a book that reminds me to be encouraged despite of hardships and trials.  That it is important to imitate and strive to be Christlike and to be content with what I have and where I am and to see JOY in each situation no matter how difficult things may feel at the time.  And that everything has its time and that God's timing is perfect all the time ~ all the time God is Good!!!

I have felt so encouraged today.  

I have drank almost 60 oz of water, walked the circle around the ranch two different times today, made and ate a healthy and delicious dinner and had a great afternoon/evening with the kidlets.

Life is good and I am so thankful for where I am today and that I am blessed to have the best helpmate by my side!!!

***********

**Awareness + Contact = Change**

was a phrase given to me by Tom, our therapist for two and a half years in the late 80's and I was reminded today that things can't change if you don't know about them and that it is important to be authentic in my relationships and that even when there are difficult things to deal with it is best to face them head on.

And so I prayed this morning to be able to talk to with someone openly and honestly, not letting fear dictate what I would say, to speak softly like the squishy marshmallow and to share God's love and joy.

I am so thankful for my quiet time this morning

as I was so blessed to have such a great day today and I know it was because the Lord went before me and I responded as He would have me to do.