My Rubber Ducky

Yes, I must admit I have a rubber ducky and it sits on my computer table and looks at me everyday.

Now you may ask why a sixty-five-year old woman would have a rubber ducky sitting on her computer table. Well, it all happened like this.

I went to a writer's conference in July. And each evening they had a meeting around 7:00 p.m. So someone announced that everyone come and sit up front. So I did. Not really hearing the beginning of the conversation I found myself among many people who were now becoming a part of a duck group.

I stayed and was handed my rubber ducky. The group and the duck is to remind us to write everyday. And this I do, in one way or another. And if I don't feel like writing then all I have to do is look at my ducky and say, "I'm writing today." Who would think such a small strange object could get one to do something? I never thought about it, but I am glad I have it.

I love to write about everyday things and about Bible things. I don't think  rubber ducks are found in the Bible but I know there are all other kinds of creatures mentioned.

So if you are a writer or have a ministry of some sort and you are just not up to doing it just think rubber ducky and that might help you get into what you need to do.

Ring Around The Toilet Bowl

Yesterday, my husband and I cleaned a church that we clean each week. One of my jobs is to clean the five bathrooms that they have. We do them every week and so it is really not a hard job to keep them clean. But the one in the nursery I don't always put the tolilet bowl cleaner in it as it is not used as much as the rest of the bathrooms. I do swish around the water with the brush and clean the rest of it.

Well yesterday as I looked inside the toilet bowl I found that there was just a slight trace of a ring around the bowl. My first thought was, "Your sins will find you out." In otherwords, I need to make sure that each week I put the cleanser in the bowl correctly so that there will not be the ring around the bowl.

Then I was thinking about my spiritual life. How many times that I pass by on little things that I should be doing but don't. Then I become quilty of having something showing that shouldn't be there. For just one example it could be a bad attitude as I have not been thinking the right thoughts. Or reading other blogs and saying to myself, "I wish I could write like that," instead of being content with how the Lord has me deliver the message He wants me to deliver.

So I learned a very valuable lesson by cleaning a bathroom and that is "Whatever I do, do it unto the Lord." Actually He is my boss anyway. And I want to please Him everyday.

My Kids

Most parents believe that their children are the best. And I am no exception. As I looked on my facebook page this morning I saw my son's picture of one of the dogs that he walks for a living. He lives in New York City and it is a very good business walking dogs. He loves it. And in his free time he is a photographer and he is also an artist. When he was young he said that he wanted to be in the military and so in his senior year of high school he joined the Amy Reserves and served for six years as a Civil Affairs Specialist. This is my youngest child.

My oldest child is a full-time mother and has three children which keep her very busy. She wanted to be in TV and since she was in sixth grade she did all she could to reach her goal. And she made it and worked at for a station in Elmiria, New York. While attending church she meant her husband through. And now they has a thirteen-year-old son, a twelve-year-old daughter who went to be with Jesus shortly after her birth, a eight-year-old son, and a six-year-old daughter. They keep her busy, but loves to be a stay-at-home mom.

My oldest son paints cars. He was around his grandfather a lot who loved to work on cars by fixing them and we had a great neighbor who did work on cars for a living. So he got very good training and he is one of the best fixer-upper of cars and does a great job in painting.

The reason I mention my children is that the Bible says we are to train up our children in the way they shall go and they will not depart from it. I believe there are two meanings to this.

The first meaning is that as they begin to grow they usually have some type of talent that shows up in them. So we tried to encourage each child in their talent. The youngest is a wonderful artitist, he loves photographer along with antiques. So he took lessons in art and had a few shows of his own. Our oldest son when to special school to learn how to work on cars along with being with his grandfather. And our daughter did internships at various TV stations and radio stations to get her training.

The second part of the verse means to teach them about God and His ways. That was done also. However teaching and having them learn in their own way are two different things. They went to Sunday School, church, youth groups, Christian school so they received the truth. But two of my children strayed away from God and one stayed with Him. Of course my prayer is that the two that went away will come back as the Word teaches. Much prayer goes up each day for all of my children.

So I feel we need to get to know our children, see their gifts and talents and teach them how to use them for the best and let the Holy Spirit work in their lives to guide them even though they might not want to hear that still small voice.

If you have children like the two that have gone away from the Lord don't give up on them. The Lord sees the whole picture. Just keep praying for them.

Worry

Last evening I went to a writer's group, which I attend once a month, and one of the writer's there had written about worry. Even though she didn't know it I got news yesterday about my thirteen-year-old grandson who hasn't been feeling well for some time. My daughter was able to get him in to see a specialist that works with young people. As it turns out the doctor is very concern about his condition. Not going into details right now I could begin to worry about it if I let my mind go in that direction.

What I am saying is that I have a choice. I could think about the worse things that it could be, or I can give it over to the Lord, who knows all about it, and let Him guide the doctor in what is best to do to help my grandson.

I am going to trust in the Lord and take one step at a time and pray over each thing that comes about. James writes have peace, calmness, and assurance in your hearts when trials comes your way.

It makes a lot of sense to me as I think about it to be calm instead of being stressed out and see what the Lord is going to do for my grandson.

How about you? Which sounds best to you? Peace, calmness, and assurance that the Lord is in control, or stress, worry, health problems and fear.

What Is True Love?

True love is God's love in me.

True love endures long and is patient and kind.
True love it never is envious nor boils over with jealousy.
True love is not boastful or vainglorious.
True love does not display it self haughtily.
True love is not conceited, rude and does not ace unbecomingly.
True love does not insists on its own rights or its own way.
True love is not self-seeking, is not touchy or fretful or resentful.
True love it takes no account of the evil done to it.
True love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness.
True love rejoices when right and truth prevail.
True love bears up under anything and everything that comes.
True love is ready to believe the best of every person.
True love hopes are fadeless under all circumstances.
True love endures everything without weakening.
True love never fails or becomes obsolete.

True love is true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us.

Trust

Having Good News

I am always happy when I get good news. And in the past few weeks I got a lot of good news. The first, is no more body scans for cancer! My lost two came out negative so am just going to have blood work.

Next, I was told of a supplement that might help me with my running knee. Praise the Lord it has not only helped my knee but has also calm down my fibro. This is great news!

I am able to be back to work and that is also good. It means that the area that got flooded out is cleaned out enough that the Town Hall workers could move back into their building and not having to use the library.

The best news that I could receive is that there is a God. That He loves me so much that He sent His only Son down to earth and then His Son went to the cross and died there for me. He shed His blood for my sins. And the hardest part of all this for Jesus was not the pain from the crown of thorns, the scurging, the lost of blood, but that His Father had to turn His back on Jesus just at the time He needed Him most. That was when Jesus was bearing the sins of the world. Then Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. And then He went back to be with His Father and be able to be back Home.

And Jesus is coming back for me also. Some more good news.  So I have to make sure I am ready to meet Him in the air. And then the best news will be if He says to me, "Well done my favorite servant."