Inspirations

I am thankful that God offers forgiveness.  When my sins loom in front of me, and I'm faced with a mountain of guilt I can take it to God. He is the only one who can cancel our sentence. Because of that, I can  offer others that same forgiveness  when they hurt me. I am thankful that there is nothing I can do that God will not forgive when I ask. There is no pit so deep that God's hand is not deeper still, to lift us out of the hole of sin and hold us close to his heart.

I am thankful for each new day. Each day is a chance to start over. Yesterday, with all of its problems and struggles, is over, gone, poof. I may have made a mess of things yesterday, but I can try again today, and tomorrow, if necessary. When I am having a bad day, I am thankful that I have hope that tomorrow will be better. I have the privilege of making today the best day it can possibly be. With each day I can choose to; laugh more than I did yesterday, Be kinder than I was yesterday, love more than I did yesterday, dream bigger dreams than I have ever dreamed. What a blessing that Yesterday does not define today. No matter how bad yesterday was, today may be different. I don't have to live in yesterday's failures. Each new day offers hope that things will be different than yesterday, and it will be because no two days are ever exactly alike.

I am thankful for the times when I can sit with a cup of coffee  and catch up with what's going  in my children's life. Often our lives are busy and our work schedules don't allow us to get together, so it's always a special treat  when we can sit and swap stories  and encourage each other.

                                                                                                                                                                      Today we celebrate my son's birthday. Birthdays only occur once a year. Everyone has them. I love celebrating a birthday, whether it's mine or someone else's. It's a time for letting a person know that you love them, and are glad that they're alive. How we celebrate is unique. I personally prefer something small. A few friends, dinner, cake and some gifts; Others love a big party with all t...

As I grow older, I find more joy in handmade gifts. They may  not be perfect, but what I see is the thought and talent put into that gift. It's something I will appreciate. It says I care enough to give you a part of myself. I see time spent making the gift and I'm grateful. I see the uniqueness of that gift made just for me and my gratitude overflows. I see the personality of the giver in what was made and I'm overjoyed. Thank You, God, for handmade  gifts that I have received  and for the ones who loved me enough to trust me with their treasures.  As I use the gift or look it, I smile and see love.

Thank you, God, for helping and encouraging us to widen our horizons. Thank you for helping me to try new foods some I liked, and others were awful, and I'll never try again. Thank you for putting within us the desire to branch out in other areas as well like writing, and painting. Thank you for the milestones that these new things created. I have met new people, I learned new things. Sometimes as I have branched out, I have succeeded.   Other times I failed, but I did  learn more about myself in the process. Thank you, that, as you expand our horizons, you are right there cheering us on, and smiling as we take those baby steps. Thank you for standing close-by, ready to pick us up if we fall.

First world problems.    I ordered a phone case.     I got a letter saying it was undeliverable and they refunded my money.    Then I received the case.    Now I have to try and pay for the case or return it.   Ugh.    On top of that, I had to call our mortgage lender because  they forgot to take out the money for the housing payment.    If you're like me, things like this can drive me crazy!    As I was thinking about my predicament,  it occurred to me that  these things that are getting under my skin  are really first world problems.    People in other countries live without cellphones. Others don’t have a housing payment because have no house.   So when I look around at the house that I can't keep clean,  or pace back and forth in a store because  I can't decide if I want an...