The Names of Jesus--Day 31

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Carpenter

"Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?" Mark 6:3, NKJV

The carpenter. Most people do not associate this career with the same esteem as that of a doctor or lawyer. This was not a career that would make Jesus famous, like that of being a movie star. No, this was honest, regular work. As a boy, Jesus would have learned the carpenter's trade under the watchful eye of Joseph, His earthly father. He would have been taught to do careful, quality work. I'm sure as Jesus grew older, surely his work pieces became well known for the good quality and fine workmanship He would have put into each piece.

I love thinking about Jesus as a carpenter, because carpenters build things. Not only did Jesus learn how to build things out of wood, but in following His Heavenly Father He also learned how to build people's lives and hearts. He is a perfect Saviour, just as He was a perfect carpenter.

"He learned the trade of a carpenter, that He might stamp honest labor as honorable and ennobling to all who work with an eye single to the glory of God. Angels were His attendants; for Christ was doing His Father's business just as much when toiling at the carpenter's bench as when working miracles for the multitudes." The Bible Echo (E.G.White), October 21,1898

Jesus. Come into my life and make it new.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus

The Crowd or the Cross?

The Names of Jesus--Day 30

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The True Light

"That was the true Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world." John 1:9, NKJV

Light. The interesting thing about light is that it cannot exist at the same time in the same place as darkness. When light is there, darkness must flee. John, in his Bible book, refers to Jesus as the light of the world more than twenty-three times. He also quotes Jesus when Jesus said "I am the light of the world." (John 8:12)

Not only is Jesus the light of the world--but He is the true light. If we follow Him, we cannot lose our way. How blessed we are that Jesus does not hide from us. He is not difficult to find. He wants us to find Him, and He promises that if we seek Him with all our hearts, we WILL find Him.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 29

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The True Vine

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:5, NKJV

Throughout the Bible, a vine is often referred to when the author was talking about union or fruitfulness. Having many sons and daughters would be said to be many vines around your table. The Jewish people considered the vine to be representing majesty, excellence, prosperity, and joy.

Jesus called Himself here the genuine vine. He is more than just a vine--He is the TRUE vine. Union with God is found only through Jesus, the true vine. Only through a connection with the true vine is there salvation and oneness with God.

When we are united with Jesus, the true vine, we will also be united with one another. "By the figure of the vine and the branches, Christ illustrated not only the relation that should exist between Him and His followers, but also the union between every believer and his fellow believer. Each must be dependent alike on the vine for sustenance; and must be joined to the parent stock." Manscript Releases, Vol. 20, p. 362 (E.G.White).

I pray that I may be united with Jesus--the True Vine--today. And every day.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 28

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Sun of Righteousness

"But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings." Mal. 4:2, NKJV

Our sun is the very center of our solar system. It rules the other planets and causes their individual orbits. Every living thing on earth is dependent on the sun as the source of energy. The "Sun" is a very appropriate name for Jesus, because He is the light of the world.

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' " John 8:12

As the Sun of Righteousness, Jesus dispels the darkness of sin. He fills us with His warmth of grace and forgiveness. "As the sun-flower is constantly turning its open blossom to the sun, so let your heart, your thoughts, ever turn to Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness." Sons and Daughters of God, (E.G.White) p. 151.

"If we gaze even for a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we turn away our eyes, the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look. Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness." The Faith I Live By (E.G.White), p. 150.

I am so thankful for Jesus sending the darkness out of my life, and filling it with His light instead.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 27

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The one Mighty in Deed and Word

"Jesus of Nazareth. . . was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." Luke 24:19, RSV

Do you remember when you were a child and you would hear the sing-song expression on the playground "Sticks and stones can break my bones but names will never hurt me?" That is something that children will say to each other when someone is picking on them--but how untrue it is. Names CAN hurt someone--terribly. And likewise, words can also build up in a powerful way. Jesus' disciples testified that their Master was mighty in deed and word. He influenced all the people by His preaching, teaching, healing, and doing good because God was with Him (Acts 10:38).

"A sense of our own weakness and frailty will lead us to lean upon One that is mighty to save, whose delight is to impart strength and courage to the humble." Review and Herald (E.G.White), January 10, 1856

Jesus lived what He preached. He is strong enough to carry us. He is the one we can trust.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 26

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Friend of Sinners

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' " Luke 7:34, NIV

A friend. I think having a friend is one of the very best things that can happen in this life. I absolutely LOVE this picture of these two grandmas, laughing as they look at something on a cell phone. Blessed indeed is the man or woman who has a true friend. I know, because I have a very dear friend that I have had for years. We knew each other in B.C. time--that's "before children," in case you do not know. Newly married, my husband's job took us literally across the country from where I had lived all my life. Everyone at our new town/church/job treated me very kindly, but there was no one that I just hit it off with. I was SO lonely, and I started praying for a friend. I prayed for a full year, before one day we met a new couple that had just moved there and went to a church activity. I knew right away--she was my new friend!!!! Maybe she didn't know it at the start, but "I" did! And what I always found amusing was that God had moved that couple there from the very state I had previously grown up in. I prayed for a year, and God heard my prayers and answered them by moving that couple across the country as well! :)

A real friend is not necessarily someone who is the same as you. My dear friend is very different from me in many ways, but she has been a wonderful blessing and has helped me to see things from a different point of view. I have heard it said that a friend is someone who knows all about you--but likes you anyway! This could not be more true than when speaking about Jesus. Who else knows us the way He does? Who else can read our heart, knowing the very inmost thoughts and feelings? No one knows us better than our Creator--yet He loved us enough that He chose to die in our stead.

In our verse above, it was not ment as a compliment of Jesus when he was accused of being a "friend of sinners." Yet how true that was--He IS a friend of sinners--and that is exactly what He wanted to be. My very best friend.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

And may you truly enjoy the real reason for celebrating today--beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 25

Good Morning--and Merry Christmas!

Our name for Jesus for today is: Christ the Lord

"For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11, NKJV

Play pens. Car seats. High chairs. Birth announcements. All these things are part of having a baby for most of us today. But when you think back to when Jesus was born, He had nothing. Even for that day and age, He had nothing--not even a real cradle to be laid down in after He was born. Yet--the heavenly angels sang and gave His birth announcement. This was the single most important birth that had ever taken place on this old earth of ours--or ever would take place. He was born in a barn--a stinky, smell barn--yet had come from the courts of heaven. He was Christ the Lord, the Son of God, NOT because of what He had here on earth. But rather, because of who He was. It is not the palace or robes or gold that make a king a king. It is being the son of the king that counts.

You and I are important to Jesus, NOT because of what we have or what we have done. No, we are important simply because of who we are. His creation. And He loved us enough to die for us, because He could not bear the thought of eternity without you.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

Lego Nativity

Hello Everyone!

I ran across this little video of the Nativity Story done with legos. I thought it was a really neat idea to do with kids--now where are our legos. . . ?

Hope you enjoy--and have a wonderful Christmas!

The Names of Jesus--Day 24

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: Immanuel

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel--which means, 'God with us.'" Matthew 1:23, NIV

Immanuel--meaning God with us! Can you imagine that? I mean, really think about it. God--you know, the One who created EVERYTHING and lives up in heaven and has adoring angels singing praises to Him--THAT God came down to our little tiny sin filled planet. And He did it all because He loved us too much to leave us in our misery, without hope in our sin-filled world.

Jesus now belongs to us forever--and we belong to Him. He became our blood brother, our personal Saviour. There is nothing that can happen to us that does not concern Him, or of which He does not take immediate notice. He knows what is making us happy, as well as what is breaking our heart. And when the time is right, we shall see Him face to face. How awesome is that?!

God with us.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 23

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Holy Child

"The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy child to be born will be called, 'Son of God.'" Luke 1:35, NEB

Centuries before Jesus was born, the angel Gabriel came to Daniel and told him the time of the coming of the Messiah (Daniel 9:21,25). Now Gabriel came again--this time to Mary, to tell her that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah--the one whom people had waited for since the Garden of Eden.

Even before Jesus was born, He was called "Holy." At all times, as He grew to be a child, a youth, a man--He never sinned even once. He who was perfect and holy took my sins as though they were His, so I could have His righteousness as if it were mine. Such love exists no where else. My mind cannot even comprehend how Jesus would do this for me.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 22

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Sure Foundation

"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 3:11, NIV

If you are like me, the foundation of your house is not something you normally think about. In fact, you may not think about it ever--until you have a problem! I have a dear friend who came home from work one day, and while still parked in her driveway she looked at her house and realized that it seemed to have a definite slope to it--and found out the foundation of her house had cracked and things had moved! How does one fix the foundation of a house that is already built? Not very easily. Perhaps not at all. Even bringing in "experts" this is a job that may not be possible to accomplish. The foundation of a building is the very most important part of that building. It doesn't matter how great other things are. It can have a brand new roof, or the most energy efficient windows ever made--but if the foundation is bad, the whole building is worthless.

How thankful I am that Jesus is our foundation. We can have the most important job at our company, designer clothes, a new car, or a perfectly shaped body. We could even own the bank--but without Jesus nothing else matters. Whatever storms life brings to our doorstep, if Jesus is our foundation we can weather them--because He holds us up.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 21

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Lion of Judah

"Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. . . has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." Revelation 5:5, NKJV

Lions. Big. Strong. Majestic. King of all the animals. Being called the Lion of Judah indicates that Jesus is the ruler over all the universe.

The verse here in Revelation says that the Lion of Judah has prevailed. He has won, and therefore is the only one worthy to open the scroll. The ending of the plan of salvation is already known. In His role as Lion of Judah, Jesus is able to fight the cause of His people, clear the name of God, and guarantee salvation to all who accept Him. Because Jesus is able, our redemption is sure.

"As the Lion of Judah, Christ will defend His chosen ones and bring them off victorious." The Home Missionary (E.G.White), November 1, 1893

Our Lion will defend us.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 20

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Beloved Son

"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 17:5

Beloved Son. This is spoken by the God of the entire Universe--saying that Jesus is His whole heart, walking around here on this earth. People who are parents have some small idea of what it means to have your heart separate from your body. From the moment your child is born, you will never be the same again. Forever your heart will be wherever that child is--praying, hoping, loving.

God loved Jesus with the same closeness, yet He gave Him up to come here to this earth--knowing that we would kill Him. Because God loved all of us too much to lose us. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." Colossians 1:13:, NIV

God loved us so much He sent Jesus. Jesus loves us so much that He came.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 19

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Lily of the Valleys

"I am. . . the lily of the valleys." Song of Solomon 2:1

A lily is a very special flower. There are hundreds of species and thousands of varieties of lilies--I realize the picture I chose for this post is probably NOT the type of lily that was being referred to in this Bible verse, but it is one of my personal favorite types of lilies so I chose this illustration anyway! :) Lilies are used for both celebrations of happiness, as well as for gifts at a time of sadness. A lily is used to illustrate purity and serenity. For centuries, the lily has become an illustration of the resurrection, therefore the wide cultivation of the famous Easter lily.

I find it interesting that this flower is used for so many different times of life--from the most wonderful of all to the most sad of all. Reminds me that there is no inappropriate time for Jesus in our lives. We need Him when times are wonderful and we are overflowing with happiness just as much as when our hearts are floundering in grief. There is never a time that we do not need Him.

"We must look away from the disagreeable to Jesus. We must love Him more and obtain more of His attractive beauty and grace of character." That I May Know Him (E.G. White) p. 136

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 18

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Rose of Sharon

"I am the rose of Sharon." Song of Solomon 2:1 NKJV

The Rose of Sharon is a title for Jesus that He did not specifically call Himself, but which has been long used to refer to Him due to it's color, beauty, and fragrance. The rose is the most popular flower in the world. It is believed that "Sharon" was the name of the plain between Joppa and Mount Carmel. This area became very well known and popular for it's beautiful fields of wild flowers, known as the rose of Sharon.

To really appreciate the fragrance of a rose, you have to come close to it. Jesus wants us to come close to Him, and He tells us "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3, NIV

When Jesus is blooming in our lives, we will give off the fragrance of His love. "We need Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, to beautify the character and make our lives fragrant with good works, so that we shall be a savor of Christ unto God." Reveiw and Herald, Mrs. E.G. White, August 14, 1894.

May I be beautiful like Him. Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 17

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Arm of the Lord

"Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" Isaiah 53:1, NKJV

When we think about arms, we think about power or strength. I read that the phrase "the arm of the Lord" is found thirty six times in the Old Testament. It is used to describe the saving power of God. I love this promise where Jesus says that we are safe with Him: "Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." John 10:28, NKJV With Jesus, we are safe.

And here is another beautiful thought about Jesus: "If we lay hold upon the arm of Infinite Power, it will sustain us through every conflict and discouragement of life, and will finally place a crown of glory upon our heads, and bring us to share the eternal reward of the righteous." Signs of the Times, (E.G.White) August 6, 1885

Safe in the arms of Jesus. Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 16

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is:  The Author and Finisher

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."  Hebrews 12:2, NIV

Author and Finisher.  Don't ALL authors finish what they started to write?  Well, no!  There are many more articles and books that are started than there are those that are completed.  I love this name for Jesus, because it gives me assurance that JESUS will complete saving me.  All I have to do is cooperate with Him.

I have read that the Greek word for "Author" also could be translated as "leader," "originator," "founder," and "pioneer."  Jesus is all of these things.  Jesus not only created the plan of Salvation, but it is through Him that Christians are able to believe and follow Him.  It reminds me of the father Jesus was talking with in the Bible where the man said "Lord, I believe!  Help my unbelief!"

"Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, 'Lord I believe!  Help my unbelief!'"  Mark 9:23-25 NKJV

We have many beautiful promises in the Bible that Jesus will not leave us to try and be saved on our own.  He knows we cannot do it.  "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion."  Philippians 1:6  All we have to do is accept the wonderful gift.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 15

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Burden Bearer

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalms 68:19, NIV

Burden bearer--I LOVE this name for Jesus!!!! Have you ever gone backpacking? I have--but unfortunately, I was totally unprepared for it! I was in high school, and joined the "back pack club" for a trip to the Smokey Mountains. Sounded fun, and it probably would have been except for one thing. I had no idea what I was doing! Our school gave no instruction ahead of time, so I had no idea really of what proper equipment would be, how important it was to pack LIGHT, what kind of good hiking boots you needed, etc. I was totally unprepared. Not to mention that I had never hiked a mountain in my entire life of living on the flat lands of Michigan! The scenery was beautiful. But the trip was miserable!

The one thing that helped keep me from being stranded in the mountains when I fell and twisted my ankle (and the teacher was somewhere over the next mountain by then!) was a friend of mine who carried my backpack for awhile. What a relief! What a blessing! So I can imagine very well what it means to have someone else carry our burdens. . . we are free of them!

Jesus is the only one who can truly carry our burdens in life. No matter how serious of a problem you carry. "You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. . . His heart of love is touched by our sorrows. . . Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. . . There is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel." Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, (E.G.White) pp. 480,481

How foolish we are when we hold on to our burdens and insist on carrying them ourselves. We are never ever going to make it off that mountain if we do not turn things over to Jesus.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 14

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: Our Elder Brother

"Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers." Hebrews 2:11, NIV

Brothers--do you have one? I do, and while he teased me unending as a child, now that we are adults I know full well that he would do anything to help me if I were in trouble. Jesus identifies Himself as our elder brother. He is our example. He is our protector. He is our defender. He left heaven to come to earth to save us. He didn't have to--but He chose to. Not because we deserved it--because He is our brother.

"The Elder Brother of our race is by the eternal throne. He looks upon every soul who is turning his face toward Him as the Saviour. He knows by experience what are the weaknesses of humanity, what are our wants, and where lies the strength of our temptations; for He was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. He desires us to realize that He has returned to heaven as our Elder Brother and the measureless power given Him has been placed at our disposal." My Life Today, p. 297 (E.G.White)

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 13

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Consolation of Israel

"And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him." Luke 2:25, NKJV

Today's name is a very interesting one to me, because of my background thinking about the word "consolation." When I was growing up, the only time I heard the word consolation used was in the context of "consolation prize," which, of course, was never as good as the REAL prize you had been hoping to win. Instead, it was some little thing, designed to make you feel better about losing. The way this name is applied to Jesus, it is certainally not meant as some "little thing!"

But yet--when you think about it, we humans DID lose out on the big prize when we sinned way back at the Garden of Eden. We lost so many things, the main one being daily face to face communion with God--along with immortal life, living in a sinless world, etc. I realized that we did lose out on the "big prize," and at that time Adam and Eve were promised a consolation prize--that a Savior would come. The difference between my way of thinking of a consolation prize and Jesus as a consolation prize is that because of Jesus coming, we can be restored to what we previously lost! We already lost--but now we can win!

Jesus "binds up the brokenhearted" Isaiah 61:1 He has promised to "never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5 And He will "wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

THIS is a "consolation prize" that is priceless!

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 12

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today is: The Bridegroom

"The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete." John 3:29, NIV

Jesus is the bridegroom, and we are His bride. Jesus loves, protects, and defends His bride. He has already given His life to save us, and constantly nurtures and cherishes us. There is no prayer that we can whisper of which Jesus is not immediately aware. He loves us with an everlasting love. Just like my favorite stories when I was a child. "And they lived happily ever after."

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 11

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The Captain of Salvation

"For it was fitting for him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Hebrews 2:10 NKJV

Captain of our Salvation. I love the image those words make me think of. Other Bible versions state "Author of their Salvation," which is just as wonderful to think about.

A Captain is someone who has been that way before. This is not his first time. He knows the way. He is well aware of what dangers lay ahead--both the visible ones and the hidden ones. A good Captain will give up his own life if need be, in order to save the people under him.

Jesus is the one who created salvation for us in the first place. And now He is offering to lead us to heaven so we can live there with Him. He has been this way before. He knows the way. He is well aware of what dangers lay ahead. And he has already given up His own life in order to save us.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 10

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The Desire of All Nations

"'And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2:7, NKJV

I find it interesting, the way this name is given--the Desire of ALL Nations. Not just "Desire of Nations." But specifically ALL nations. Every single person in every single country over this whole world--desires one thing. We can be very different--our culture and background can make us look at situations in various ways. But when you get right down to it, in the deep dark recesses of our hearts, we all long for the very same thing. Jesus.

We may not recognize that it is Jesus we are missing. So often we go on quests for other things that we think will make us happy. We may pursue money, food, shopping, collections, travel--it doesn't matter what it is, could be anything. None of these are bad or wrong in themselves, but if we are trying to substitute them for Jesus we are never going to be happy.

I have heard it said before that every human has a "God sized hole" in the middle of their hearts. I very much believe this. No matter what we are trying to stuff that hole with, it is only going to give a temporary, momentary feeling of satisfaction. But never that deep down permanent feeling of peace. Because in that "God sized hole," only God will fit.

The Desire of Ages (Ellen G. White), p. 187 says "Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, 'The Desire of All Nations,' is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul."

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus. Come into my heart today, and fill me.

The Names of Jesus--Day 9

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The Hope of Glory

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. 1:27, NIV

Hope. This is a very interesting word, because it is an intangible. You cannot hold "hope" in your hand. Often we will use this word to describe things that are not real important. "I hope there is sun today," we might say. But unless we are a farmer with a crop that is about to be washed away from excess rain (or some such thing as that), it probably is not critical that we have sun. We hope for good grades in school--but those grades are more a result of our hard work during the semester than they are of how much we "hoped."

But hope IS a very important thing--and is talked about many times in the Bible.

There is:

the hope of the resurrection (2 Corinthians 3:12)

the hope of righteousness (Galations 5:5)

the hope of salvation (2 Corinthians 1:10)

the hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2,3)

We have hope because of divine grace (Romans 12:12). Hope saves us (Romans 8:24). Hope looks to God (Acts 24:15).

The word "Hope" points to Jesus, who is the source of all real hope. Without Him, we have nothing. With Him, we have everything!

The Names of Jesus--Day 8

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The Door

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." John 10:9, NKJV

The door. What does that make you think of? A doorway is a way to get in to someplace. A wall is for keeping out. Of course, sometimes a door may be shut. But for the right person--the person who has the key--the door will open wide and welcome them to what is beyond that door.

And speaking of keys reminds me of something I read once in "Steps to Christ" by Ellen White about keys. It seemed to go right along with today's name for Jesus, so I thought I would look it up for you. Here is what I found:

"The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered temptations of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all because they do not make use of the privileges that God has given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?" p. 94,95

So there you have it. Jesus is our door. He is how we sinners may enter for freedom and forgiveness. He is how we may have access to God. He has promised that if we enter in, we will be saved. And prayer is our key.

The Names of Jesus--Day 7

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The Chief Cornerstone

"Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 1 Peter 2:6 NKJV

I do not personally know all that much about building large buildings, but I have read that the cornerstone is the most important part of the foundation. That if the cornerstone is not strong and laid just right, the strength of the entire building will be compromised. There simply must be that strong cornerstone that all the rest of the building depends on. Paul also writes of Jesus being the chief cornerstone.

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-21 NIV

Just think. In Him, we are being built to become a dwelling place of God. Amazing.

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 6

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The Bright and Morning Star

"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am . . . the Bright and Morning Star." Revelation 22:16, NKJV

Morning star. This is the star that always shines brightest in the darkness that is immediately before dawn. It is in it's own way announcing the beginning of the new day--even though the darkness is still over the earth. It is filled with hope, and promise.

Here, Jesus is calling Himself the Bright and Morning Star. Is this not a fitting name for our King? Does He not shine brightest in the dark of this sinful world? Dispelling the darkness. Promising that the dawn is coming.

"He (Christ), is the bright and morning star, shining amid the moral darkness of this sinful, corrupt world. He is the light of the world, and all who give their hearts to Him will find peace, rest, and joy." Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, p. 804 by Ellen White

The Names of Jesus--Day 5

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The Bread of Life

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.'" John 6:35, NIV

Never go hungry. Doesn't that sound good? I felt like I was pretty hungry yesterday. It was one of those days with many things scheduled into it. They were all fun things, but sort of like getting a drink of water out of a fire hydrant! I had a Christmas Brunch in the morning, followed immediately by my Needlecraft Fellowship which is sort of like a sewing circle where people bring whatever project they are working on and visit as they knit or sew or quilt. Needlecraft Fellowship would end at 4:00, and at 5:00 at the same church I had a Women's Ministry dinner! Like I said--ALL very fun things, though I wished they were spread out on different days so I could enjoy them more.

Anyway--since my Christmas Brunch was a late breakfast, I thought I would just skip lunch that day--I was too full at lunch time to eat anyway, due to the late breakfast. The Women's Ministry dinner was starting early--at 5:00, so I thought I would be fine just waiting to eat until supper time. I was wrong! Not realizing what the program was for the Women's Ministry dinner, I did not know that as it would turn out I wouldn't be eating supper until almost 7:00! I was famished! Fortunately, I did have some scones in my car, so I slipped out to the parking lot and brought several in which I then shared with my friend who had had the same activities going on that I had--and was starving just as I due to having only eaten breakfast that day.

Never go hungry. My friend and I were hungry because it had been a long time since we had had food. But a much worse sort of hunger is to be starving for Jesus. He gives permanent satisfaction. In the Bread of Life are all the nutrients necessary for our spiritual lives to grow and flourish! How many times do we try to skimp and "get along" with just a little bit of spiritual food here and there? Are we trying to eat just one time a week, when we got to church? We need to eat physical food every single day. How much more important it is for us to eat of Jesus every single day.

"Our Saviour is the bread of life, and it is by beholding His love, by receiving it into the soul, that we feed upon the bread which came down from heaven." Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 112.

The Names of Jesus--Day 4

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus for today: The One Altogether Lovely

"Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend." Song of Solomon 5:16, NKJV

Altogether Lovely. Isn't that a beautiful name? Have you ever heard the expression "Pretty is as pretty does?" This is something I will say to my daughter, as I am trying to encourage her to make sure her behavior is as sweet as it should be. It is a way to help teach that being beautiful or pretty is not what is on the outside, but what is on the inside. This is exactly what Jesus is. He is not only beautiful on the outside--but so much more beautiful on the inside. His character is beautiful. His actions are beautiful. His promises are beautiful. One of my favorite verses is the one that says:

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11

This shows that even Jesus' THOUGHTS are beautiful. And to think that Jesus is my FRIEND--that just about takes my breath away. That He would even want to be MY friend, to be associated with me in ANY way--I am speechless. I certainally do not deserve it. I cannot understand it. But I can accept it.

Beautiful, lovely Jesus. Altogether Lovely. And my very best Friend.

The Names of Jesus--Day 3

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus today is: The Able Advocate

"My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1 NKJV

An Advocate. Someone on our side. I have read that in Bible times, the advocate was more than what we think of today when we think of a defense attorney. In those days he was more than that. He was a defense attorney, yes, but he was also a counselor and a comforter. He stood by the side of the accused. He would comfort, encourage, and defend. Jesus is available and willing to come to our side any time we need Him.

Ellen White in "Our High Calling" p. 49 says that Jesus "has never lost a case that has been committed to Him." Just think how popular a lawyer would be today if they never EVER lost a case! And Jesus does not lose the case just because of being able to argue better than another lawyer, or being sneaky and underhanded. Jesus wins the case because He Himself fulfills the law. Our sins deserved death--and He offered himself to satisfy this (Galations 3:13). He obeyed the law perfectly for us (Romans 5:19). And now we can trust Him since he Himself has saved us and pleads His merits for us.

Beautiful Jesus.

The Names of Jesus--Day 2

Good Morning!

Our name for Jesus today is: The Author of Eternal Salvation

"And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." Heb. 5:9, NKJV

Just think. An author is someone who creates something. They write something that did not exist before. A new recipe, perhaps. A new poem. A new story. Thanks to Jesus, I have a new story. I have salvation, which He made for me. And it is not a salvation that someone can take away from me. It is permanent salvation--as long as I continue to accept it from Jesus. It is a gift. It is free for me, though it cost Jesus everything.

The Names of Jesus--Day 1

Good Morning, and welcome to December 1!

I thought for the month of December I would like to share with you some of the different names of Jesus. I have a nice collection of different names, and I have been blessed over the years by thinking of these names and what they all mean in describing Jesus and His power.

Sometimes I will share my thoughts on that name or verse--other times I may just share the verse, depending on my available time and how busy I am. I pray that you will also be blessed as you contemplate our beautiful Savior.

The Alpha and the Omega

"'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'" Revelation 1:8 NKJV

The Alpha and the Omega. Before I was here, Jesus was here. Before any of my problems existed, Jesus was here. None of my troubles are too hard for Him.

Thankfulness--Day 30

Good Morning!

Today I am thinking of something that is a huge, very very big thing that I am thankful for--light! I love light, and God must too because He is the one who created it! Back on the fourth day of creation, way before He created us, God created light. Genesis 1:14-18 tells us that He used light to separate the day from the night, and to mark seasons, days and years. He also gave us a big light for the day, and a nice gentle night light--the moon--for at night.

With all of our inventions, today we have harnessed the power of light and we can have light 24/7. We have candle light, which is so lovely to look at and romantic to eat by. Christmas lights are popping up all over this time of year, bringing a cheerful glow. My desk has a nice florescent light over it that I was using late last night as I finished up some paperwork. Each room in our house has a light switch near the doorway that turns on an overhead light. Our wood stove not only gives off heat, but also has it's own soft light from the glowing fire. I have a trusty flash light that I keep near my bed if I need to get up during the night. Our cars have head lights on them so we can drive after dark. There are plant lights for growing plants inside. I even have a special therapy light that I sit in front of each morning, which aides with keeping depression away! We really need light!

Without light, we are in darkness. But there is something worse than physical darkness. Jesus said "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." John 12:46

Again, in John 8:12 He said "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Sadly, we do not always want or appreciate the Light.

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." John 3:19

Jesus is our light. And if we are His followers, we are to be a light to others--pointing them to Him. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

I pray that I may be a light to others--a strong light, never faltering, always guiding to Jesus. The Light that takes away our sin.

Today I am thankful for light. What are YOU thankful for?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for joining me for these 30 days of Thankfulness. I pray that somehow you will have been blessed. I know pausing to consider what I am thankful for has been a blessing for me.

Thankfulness--Day 29

Good Morning!

Today I am thankful for----yes, I know. You can tell from my picture! Today I am thankful for my dog!

This is our dog Holland II, Holly for short. We have only had her for one week, but she has already wormed her way into my heart. Those of you who know our family, know that our son has cerebral palsy--and had a legal service dog for eleven years. That dog--Lauren--just passed away a year ago. It has been hard--VERY hard, not to have her. She was just such a part of our lives, especially since she WAS a service dog--and went with us literally everywhere. Losing Lauren was like losing a person. She just had more hair!

Anyway, when we lost Lauren, I asked my son if he wanted to apply for a successor service dog. With all the things that are going on at this point in his life, he decided not to apply for a service dog right now. He can always apply later, if he chooses to. Sooooo, when he made that decision, I decided to go ahead and apply for a released dog. This would be a dog who was born into the service dog program, but was released from the training for some reason. It could be for a medical problem, or any number of other training problems that prevent a dog from becoming a service dog. There are only around 35% of the dogs in the program who become service dogs, so you can see how they do need to find good homes for the others who do not pass. Our family has a good advantage in that we would understand how a released dog had been trained, and how it was used to living--with people, and lots of interaction. They are not used to being in the back yard all alone all day, as they were specifically in training to try and become a service dog.

Well, a couple weeks ago I received a phone call from a trainer at Canine Companions. My heart stood still. My brain could hardly understand what the trainer was telling me--that they had a released dog they thought would be a good match for our family. No serious health problems. She is simply a retriever who does not retrieve! Holly has no interest in bringing someone their keys, glasses, wallet, etc. Oh dear. That would NEVER work for a service dog--but a pet dog does not need to retrieve! I didn't know what I wanted to do. It had hurt so bad to lose Lauren. Did I dare open that door of my heart up again, knowing that in this world of sin at some point I would only lose the furry one I had grown to love? Even though I had applied for a released dog, over the months that had passed my heart had closed more and more firmly. If you do not love, you cannot be hurt. Or so we tell ourselves. . .

Then I saw her face in the picture the trainer e-mailed to me. Look at her eyes. Doesn't she look as if she is asking if you would love her? Would you be her family?

I cannot help but think of Psalm 37 when I think of Holly. It goes like this:

"Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the Lord

and he will give you the desires of your heart."

verses 3 & 4

God knew that I needed a dog to love again, and He brought me Holly--a dog who needed to be loved.

We do not always get what we want here in this world of sin. Even when what we want is a good thing--it does not always come our way. But whether those desires of our heart are fulfilled here on earth, or later in heaven, the one thing we can know for sure is that God knows what those desires are.

And we can trust Him.

Today I am thankful for my dog. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 28

Good Morning!

Today I am thankful for something that kind of goes right along with the water that I was thankful for yesterday--today I am thankful for soap!

We really take soap for granted in our country. We have all sorts of soap--special formulas for special applications. There is soap for washing hands--antibacterial if you would like. Then soap for washing hair. Soap for cleaning the shower. Soap for washing the floor. Soap for washing your clothes. Soap for washing your car. Soap for washing your dishes. Soap for babies and their delicate skin. I even have special soap for washing our dog!

But there is one soap that we do not have--even with the abundance of products we have at our stores. That is a soap for washing away sin. Even if I use the strongest product I have--bleach--no matter how hard I try, I cannot wash away the dirty stain of sin in my heart. There is nothing I can buy that will work on this stain.

"'Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me,' declares the Sovereign Lord." Jeremiah 2:22

There is only ONE special solution for a dirty heart, and that is the blood of Jesus.

"So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Hebrews 9:28

Beautiful, wonderful Jesus. He who was without sin, took my ugliness upon Himself, and washed me pure. He took what I deserve, so I could have what He deserves.

Today I am thankful for soap! What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 27

Good Morning!

Today I am thankful for something that I start and end my day with--and use all throughout the day as well! Yes, I am thinking of water! Good, clean, cool water! How important it is, and how blessed I am to live in a country where clean water is abundant. We often think of food, and how we do not like to be hungry. But the fact is that water is of even more importance to our bodies than food is.

Over the weekend, we received in the mail "ADRA's Really Useful Gift Catalog." If you are not familiar with what this catalog is, go to their web site at www.giftcatalog.ADRA.org . ADRA stands for Adventist Development and Relief Agency, and is an internationally networked humanitarian agency that works in 120 countries. Every year, ADRA helps provide for urgent needs for more than 20 million people world wide.

Anyway, each holiday season our family eagerly awaits the coming of the "Really Useful Gift Catalog." We like to look through the catalog and choose some projects that we can donate to. Certainally large donations are helpful, but it is really amazing to look through the catalog and see what even a small amount can help with. There are a wide variety of projects that need funding, but I am always struck by how many of the projects are focusing on that one thing we so often take for granted--clean water! One of the projects I looked at this morning is to provide clean water in Nigeria. In the description it said that in Nigeria, it is the girls and women that must walk several miles each day carrying water for their families. Because of this, the girls do not have the opportunity to attend school, and the women are stopped from earning an income. Also, the health of everyone is at risk from cholera, dysentery, and typhoid that is found in the ground water. With our help in funding, ADRA wants to drill boreholes in Pamfura, Kujama, and Amuzu-Arungwa and install water reservoirs with tap points on each one. The cost for one borehole is $10,925--way more than I can afford! But it breaks down to only $5 per person. Could I not donate $5? This would help one mother like me. We have four people in our family--can we not donate $20? This would help another family like ourselves. . .

Water is so important. Jesus talked about water quite a bit. He even likened Himself to water. Remember the time He was sitting by a well and came into conversation with a Samaritan woman?

"Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.'" John 4:9-11

Jesus also likens us to water. . .

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." John 7:37-39

Today I am thankful for water. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 26

Good Afternoon!

Sorry I did not get to my thankfulness post this morning--I was busy helping company get breakfast and getting ready for church. But that does not mean I haven't been thinking about what I am thankful for today.

With having just celebrated Thanksgiving Day, and the Christmas season now "officially" starting, I am seeing more and more announcements for choir programs or sing-a-longs or other musical concerts that are coming up soon to help celebrate Christmas and Jesus coming to this earth.

I am not especially talented in music. I only play a tiny bit of piano, and an equally tiny bit of mountain dulcimer. But one musical instrument that I have always enjoyed that God gave to each one of us is our voice--we can all sing! (Yes, I know some will argue with me and say they "can't" sing--but I will argue right back and say that you CAN sing!) It does not matter if you carry a tune perfectly or not--singing is something you can do. Singing expresses someone's deepest feelings--whether those feelings are happy or sad.

The Bible talks a LOT about singing. In fact, you probably already know that the Psalms are all originally songs that the people sang to the Lord. Some of the Psalms are singing about God's great deliverance--others are singing about needing God's help. Today our pastor's sermon was based on Psalms 95. It went right along with my thoughts on being thankful for singing, so I thought I would share a bit of it here:

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD:

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,

and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth:

the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it:

and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down:

let us kneel before the LORD our maker."

Psalms 95:1-6

Today I am thankful for singing. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 25

Good Morning!

Today I am thinking of something I use each day. . . something that helps me organize things I need to remember as well as save money and keep in contact with my family and friends. That's right--my computer! I am very thankful that I have a computer to use for different activities. I grew up in the "dark ages" when no one had a computer at their home--and the only computers that existed were the ones that took up whole rooms in the research labs of the scientists!

Now a days, it is very common for people to not only have a computer in their home, but many people have more than one! As a teacher, my husband uses a computer daily--all day long, to write his lectures, create power points, make up home work assignments. As a home school teacher, I purchase home school curriculum that is a download--never even having a paper copy of the curriculum at all.

My computer helps me organize and keep things I need to remember. It contains my shopping list, my e-mail addresses, etc. If my computer dies--I am in big trouble!

With as many things as I feel I have to keep track of, have you ever thought of how many things God needs to remember? The Bible tells us:

"And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." Matthew 10:30

The very hairs? Of each person? In the whole world? How can God remember all that?! Does He have a big computer????? If He does, I am glad that it must work better than mine! Mine will occasionally have glitches and freeze up, becoming useless until I turn it off and things reset themselves. How thankful I am that God does not lose track of me, if His computer decides not to work! He knows right where I am and what I am doing. Whether He has a computer or not, He never loses track of where I am. If He knew Jonah was in the belly of the whale, He knows when I am sitting in gridlock traffic. He loves me so much, He numbers the very hairs on my head. Wow!

Today I am thankful for my computer. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 24

Good Morning, and Happy Thanksgiving!

With today being Thanksgiving and all, I cannot help but reflect on the start of our country and the people who founded it. Different people had different reasons for coming to this land, but many of them did make the journey into an unknown and sometimes hostile wilderness so that they could worship God according to their conscious.

Of course, if it had not been for the kindness of the Indians--even after they, perhaps, had not been treated kindly--some of the settlements of pilgrims would have never survived. When Samoset introduced Squanto to the settlers, there was no reason Squanto should have helped them. Afterall, it was white men who had kidnapped Squanto years before, enslaving him and separating him from his people. And when he finally arrived back in his own country, it was only to discover that sickness had wiped out his entire tribe. He was the only one left--and yet, in spite of this, Squanto took the Pilgrim people into his heart and lived with them and taught them how to survive in this new world.

Yes, many miracles happened in the development of our nation. I am so thankful to have been born here--where religious freedom is still proclaimed across the land. But even though I love my country, I am still looking for a better one.

"Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:16

I want to be ready to be a citizen of the better country--heaven.

Today I am thankful for my country. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 23

Good Morning!

Today I am thankful for something that I was longing for last night---my pillow! I was sitting at my desk trying to do some book keeping, and my thoughts kept coming back over and over to how tired I was and how I just wanted to lay down with my pillow and go to sleep.

Pillows are such comforting things. People can become very attached to "their" own pillow. My mom will travel to my house from several states away--and will often bring her own pillow with her!

The Bible tells the story of Jacob who--when fleeing from his brother because he had deceived him, lay down and had only a rock for a pillow. "When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep." Genesis 28:11 That does not sound very comfortable to me!

I feel very blessed to be able to lay down at night and sleep with a comfortable pillow. But I still look forward to not needing one. Did you know that there may not be pillows in heaven? I can't say this for sure--but the Bible does tell us that there will be no night there. "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there." Revelation 21:23-25

I am looking forward to heaven--being with God, and not ever getting tired. But in the meantime, while I am still living in this world of sin, I am thankful for my pillow. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 22

Good Morning!

Today I am thankful for something that I never leave home without--my shoes!

I am so VERY blessed. So many many people in this world do not have shoes. They wrap their feet in rags to try and help protect them from cold or heat. Not only am I blessed to have not just one, but many pairs of shoes, but I also am blessed to have custom made inserts that help the shoes fit my hard-to-fit feet shape.

Shoes are very important, as they protect our feet. Wars have almost been won or lost due to armies being without shoes. With a good fitting pair of shoes, you can accomplish much in a day. But if you are wearing shoes that hurt your feet, you will hobble around and look forward to sitting down. Something that is supposed to be helpful to you, can turn out to be causing you harm instead.

Makes me wonder. Am I the kind of person who goes around helping others, or hurting them? The Bible says "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" Isaiah 52:7

May I bring good news today, where ever my shoes take me.

Today I am thankful for my shoes. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 21

Good Morning!

Today I am thankful for a really handy little device that helps keep me from getting lost--or at least gets me "unlost" once I am mixed up in where I should have turned. Yes, I am thankful for my GPS!

I know the person who invented this wonderful little machine was not doing it thinking of middle aged moms getting lost as they drove, but it sure does come in useful for that! I love that not only will it tell me the path I need to stay on, but if I stray from that path it will even give me an alternate route to get me back on the chosen road. Sometimes I stray from the chosen route on purpose--such as when there is construction or some other reason that I cannot follow it's original plan. Sometimes I stray by mistake, as I miss a turn. But always it tells me "recalculating" as it guides me back in the direction I should go.

My son does not use his GPS for driving, but for his hobby of geocaching. If you have never heard of geocaching, people hide little containers that hold a log book (and sometimes trade items) and register the coordinates of where their cache is hidden. Others will use their GPS device to help them find where that cache is so they can sign the log book and perhaps leave a trinket for others to find. Sort of like a world-wide game of hide and seek. Personally, I think my use of a GPS is much more practical, but the purpose is still the same whether you are using it for driving or geocaching--it directs you where you should go.

I have another GPS. This one is the best--absolute best. It always works, and is never out of commission due to low batteries.

"Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." Isaiah 58:9

It not only helps me find my way, but provides for all my needs.

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Isaiah 58:11

I am always thankful for my heavenly GPS. Without Him, I would be truly lost.

Today I am thankful for my GPS. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 20

Good Morning!

Read any good books lately??? Ask any of my friends, and they will definitely tell you--I LOVE books. I love books much more than other activities. I have to be careful, because I can happily spend the day reading--all day long and not get anything else done that I need to do! One time when I was talking to a friend of mine, I referred to my books as being "friends," and my REAL friend--the human variety--laughed and laughed and laughed at me! She just could not understand how I could feel that way about my books--but it's true! Well, not ALL my books are my friends. . . just some of them!

In books you can read about far away places, places you have never visited and perhaps never will. You can learn how to build things. How to cook. You can find out how others are living somewhere else, and what you can do to help them. So many, many wonderful and useful things can be discovered in books. I even became a teacher specifically because I wanted to be able to teach others how to read! (I told you I love books!)

But reading Dick and Jane books are not going to change your life. They are not going to heal relationships. They are not going to show you the way of life. But there is one book that will.

A couple days ago I told you how I was thankful for bread--and I am! How Jesus even referred to Himself as the Bread of Life. . . But physical bread is not going to save a person, and an infinite number of books will not either. No matter how many words are in those books.

Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Words from the mouth of God. That sounds like the Bible to me. That one most precious book, the one book that WILL change your life--and it was written by your friend. Your very best friend.

Today I am thankful for books--especially the Bible. What are YOU thankful for?

Thankfulness--Day 19

Good Morning!

Today I am thinking of something I am thankful for. . . no, no, no. It's not horses, though I admit I do think horses are a wonderful creation. I'm thinking of something that you can't see in my photo here. Actually, I am thinking of something you can't see in any photo. What I am thankful for today is my angel!

There are MANY stories of angels in the Bible--you can find them doing all sorts of things for people. Carrying messages, bringing food, protecting, etc. But my absolute FAVORITE story has got to be the one of Elisha and his servant.

You see, the king of Aram was trying to capture Elisha. He had been told that Elisha was in the town of Dothan, so he sent his army there and by night they surrounded the city with horses and chariots. When Elisha's servant woke up the next morning and saw the surrounding army, he cried out to Elisha "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" And then--here comes the good part--Elisha answered him. . .

"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2 Kings 6:15-17

Horses and chariots of fire. And who do you think were driving those horses and chariots of fire? Not a regular army, that is for sure--but an angel one, sent by God to protect them from the king of Aram.

So today, I am thankful for a big big VERY big thing--my own special angel, and all the rest that work for God and follow His bidding to protect and guide and help me. Even if I do not see them with my eyes.

I am thankful for angels. What are YOU thankful for?