365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MAY...ONE THIRD THE WAY!

Its funny to me when people get upset when you don't call them but when you do...they don't even let you talk. Usually with this particular family member...I don't pass the test. Today I will! This is a great way to practice being silent. Before God...we must learn to be silent and LISTEN for His still small voice. Many people do not LISTEN well, me included. Learning to LISTEN is an art form. I tend to zone out even when I appear to LISTEN. This year I am learning to LISTEN with every part of me...not just my ears, but  my eyes, and my mind. When we talk to God...pray...we should also LISTEN for a reply. It may not come right at that moment but it will if we diligently seek Him. Do you need to learn to LISTEN better? Try it the next time you have a conversation with someone.

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MAY...ONE THIRD THE WAY!

Today was another beautiful day...a 12 if I must say! I thank God for his protection today as I haphazardly rushed across the street...a 6 lane street...forgetting the 3rd lane...the turning lane...all with the light green. It was red until I started across. Praise God! However that is not my word for the day...smiles. Today's word is all about the Bailey! Bailey has a new HOUSE! He hasn't even seen it yet because he has been out for Bailey Time. I must say Baileys HOUSE overwhelmed me a bit since it is big enough for me to sit in but hey...it was cheap. This is my word for the day because I feel like I am truly blessed and that God gave me the desires of my heart in due season. Perhaps, because from the very beginning when I first saw Bailey and didn't get him because I felt God telling me to wait, that everything is falling into place. I used to always get what I wanted, when I wanted it without a thought or care. That was years ago. Now I know God's timing is always best!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MAY...ONE THIRD THE WAY!

Today was one of those hot and sunny days that allowed us to reach the low 90's in some areas and high 80's in others. I could not ask for a more beautiful day! It was perfect in every way! However one of the local news stations that rates the weather 1-11 rated today a 10 because it was hotter than the average for this time of year. It would seem to me that if you are blessed with more than your EXPECTATIONS...you would be happy...but as humans...we never seem to be satisfied. When we get more, we want less; when its hot, we want cold; when its sunny, we want shade. No matter what our EXPECTATIONS are we are never happy and rate everything higher or lower. This is one of those things that I will never understand about human nature. I feel blessed that after a harsh Winter, God sent us a glimpse of Summer. I rate today a 15! My EXPECTATIONS are high for everyday that God allows me to enjoy my life here on earth before I arrive at my eternal home. Good or not so good, rain or shine, hot or cold...this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MAY...ONE THIRD THE WAY!

I learned many things today I learned was not to go to bed and start reflecting on NEGATIVE things and past disappointments. Its so easy to do when you are just laying there waiting for sleep to come. Most of the time I pray...but sometimes I just lay there and allow myself to bombarded by thoughts of the past. Bad, very bad idea. If I go to bed focused on everything and everyone that has disappointed me...I will wake up with all that garbage in my spirit and feel defeated before my day even begins. I made a conscious decision...no more going to bed and focusing on the NEGATIVE!!!!! When I focus on the goodness of  God and how much He has blessed me...I can't help but wake up feeling victorious! Do you dwell on the NEGATIVE things in your life or have NEGATIVE emotions such as anger, bitterness, revenge, or strife on your mind when you lay down at night? Make a commitment to stop, by praying, and see what wonderful changes God brings into your life! Wake up in victory!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MAY...ONE THIRD THE WAY!

With God all things are POSSIBLE! I often have to remind myself of that. I was very frustrated waiting for my laptop to cooperate so that I could do the things I needed to accomplish, including type today's post. Did I remember to pray? No...I was so deep in my frustration that it didn't occur to me until everything seemed so impossible and I called out to God, that I remembered with Him everything is POSSIBLE! I am here later than I would have liked but God's timing is always best. All that I need to deal with frustrations and disappointments, and mountains, is all within me. God has given me strength, grace, mercy, patience, etc...for every test and trial...all I have to do it tap into it and all will be well...and it was. As a matter of fact...it was better than well...I was blessed not once, not twice, but three times. It pays to pray...I just need to remember everything is POSSIBLE if I only pray and believe and I need to remember to do that first!

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MAY...ONE THIRD THE WAY!

I may not pass every TEST I am given but I believe I passed the TEST I was given today with flying colors by God's grace. I even joked that the ultimate TEST would be if I missed my bus...I did...God does have a sense of humor...smiles. I heard a teaching just this morning that said, among other wonderful things, that we should not just study the steps of Jesus, but His stops! That was very thought provoking indeed! No matter how busy Jesus was or how fast He needed to be somewhere...He always stopped to help those along the way who needed Him. Which is exactly what we are supposed to do. Hebrews 13: 2 (NIV) tells us...Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Not only do we need to be obedient to that still small voice prompting us to do the right thing and help someone, but the joy we feel afterwards is very rewarding. the next time you are given a TEST...make sure to pass it...but if you don't the wonderful thing about a God given TEST is that you get a chance to take that TEST over and over and over again...until you do pass it! 

365 WORDS...ONE WORD AT A TIME...MAY...ONE THIRD THE WAY!

Its hard to believe that its MAY already! My One Word Journey has taken me through 1/3 of the year! imagine that! I have made a commitment from the beginning, learned about peace, become more focused, thought about being moody, grateful, learned to forgive, I have added more balance to my life, started relaxing, set goals, faced my disappointments, adopted a wonderful fur-baby, planted spiritual seeds, dealt in Godly way with my noisy upstairs neighbours, gone through football and soccer, completed my 30/30 challenge, traveled spiritual highways, embraced the abundance of rain, I have learned not to look backward, most of all I have learned that I am not on this journey alone...God is walking with me every step of the way. He is there when I struggle and He is there when my days are filled with sunshine! I look forward to MAY...the beginning of the second third of my journey. I pray I continue to grow and learn. I also pray that MAY is all you need it to be and more.