Today a dear friend wished me laughs, treats, family and friends.  Such a perfect lineup for me!  And God “exceedingly abundantly more than I could ask or imagine” Eph 3:20-21 blessed me!  And then surprisingly on top of it all a friend sent me a card with confetti!  Confetti!?!?!  How fun!  🙂

What are a few of YOUR favorite things?  Friend time with golf, statistics and bacon?  Quiet time with flowers, cats and a good book?  Quality time with nice clothes, a suspenseful movie and special company?

Whatever God has called you to do/be  – do it BIG!  I call this living on the right side of the comma!  🙂  Live where God leads.  Trust Him for the details.  Love large.  Follow Jesus as the Way….

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, <— note the comma! – and have it to the full.”  John 10:10

Peace = manyyyy definitions and images come to mind

Are we talking a groovy language of peace?
Are we reverently offering each other a sign of peace at church?
Are we dreaming of an empty house or office so we can enjoy some peace + quiet?

Or…..do we consider God’s perspective of peace?

Isaiah 48:18 
Peace like a river….? Wait what?  An abundant river that rambles and rises and flows?!?  Well-being like the waves of the sea!?!?  Active, innumerable, unceasing…?!?

Riding the waves and the river with God are an exhilarating (and scary!) place to be!  Only with Him will we find True Peace!

“And the God of peace will be with you.”  Philippians 4:9

Hope for a sunny day tomorrow?  LOL!
Hope for cheaper gas prices?  Keep hoping!
Hope for sanity and civility in all things elections?  Oh dear!

The old hymn has it 100% right!

“My Hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand”

Seek hope with a capital H!  And His Name is Jesus!  All other ground is sinking sand.

“That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our Hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.”
I Timothy 4:10

It’s always such a huge ordeal deciding who is going to be “It” in childhood games:  age, size, social standing, idea creator, etc., all determine the rank of authority.  (Note: I haven’t seen kids “putting their feet in” to decide the matter in a lonnnnggggg time…have you?!)

As God thinks about you, you are always “It” to Him!  He chooses you every single time!  He wants you on His team!  He wants you to win with Him!  He wants you to “tag” others for Him! 

No more Hide and Seek – we’re all “It!” Let’s just Seek the Lord’s calling together!

“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.”  Ephesians 1:4

God is saying something to you – yes YOU!
What is He saying? How can you know?

Read His Word
Spend some time alone
Spend some time with other believers
Listen in prayer
Fast for focus
Connect with creation
Roll up your sleeves and serve
Give until it hurts

Taking a break from our fast paced world will help us hear God better…..but more important than dwelling on the answer, is the blessing of dwelling with Jesus Himself!

“Those who know Your Name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.”  Psalm 9:10

Life can be so complicated.  Aaaaand we seem to complicate things even more!
Sign here
Click here
Enter here
Return this
Deposit this
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

But what is God – not culture and not the expectations of people – reallllllly saying to you?

2 Kings 5:10 tells of God healing after a simple command to “Go, wash yourself.”
That’s it.  No fanfare.  No special attention.  No fancy hand waving.
Just faith.  It’s enough.

How can you Keep It Simple Sweetie when it comes to submission to God?

“so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 2:5

How do you measure success?  

Subscribers?  Follows?  Likes?
Want to be a REAL Celebrity?  

Try holding your spouse’s hand, calling your mom or sitting down to play with a child!  You may not hear man’s applause or see your name in lights, but selfless love is a prize that never grows old!

“Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
I Corinthians 13:7

What kind of noises influence your life:
People?
Places?
Things?
Thoughts?
Dreams?
Fears?
Love?
Money?
Work?
Play?

How’s the volume working for you?  Can you hear the Lord speaking to you?
Maybe it’s time to turn these things down a bit so you can hear His voice singing over you!

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

Isn’t it amazing to witness the living history unfolding in the passing of Queen Elizabeth II?  The honor!  The formality!  The reverence!

Yes, Queen Elizabeth led an extraordinary life…which God clearly ordained for her….but God created each person for His extraordinary purpose!

Maybe you won’t have a crown resting atop your coffin when you die, but you are worthy of attention and respect as you LIVE for God today!

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”  I Peter 2:9

Beautiful sunshine
Two precious grandchildren
Thundering ocean waves!

A perfect recipe for fears and tears – except not with my grandchildren!  🙂

As long as their Mom was nearby the kids could face the wildest, wettest waves!

“Come to Mama,” I would hear, and the children would scramble and scamper to get safe and secure in their Mom’s care.

Having a tough day?
Getting beat up by life?
Understood and underappreciated wherever you go?

Come to Papa!  Call on Your Father God – He is waiting with open arms to rescue you!

“In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God. And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.”  2 Samuel 22:7