THANKS

Today is Thanksgiving here in the US. We have so many things to be thankful for in this country,in this world, in this life!

First, there is life. On November 30 last year I had my second heart attack. God has blessed me so many times by keeping me alive. I have no idea why or what He has planned for me that He is keeping me around. I know I want to be willing everyday to serve Him and to help those in need He brings my way, any way I can.

I have a place to live, to work, and to go to church. I am free (at this point) to do, to worship, and to live the way I want to as long as it is lawful. God has blessed America to stay a nation for over 200 years, and I believe that it is only because there are God fearing people who pray daily for it. I believe there will come a time when we will have to ask God like Abraham did... "Would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Suppose there were 50 righteous in the city; would you destroy the place and not spare it for the 50 righteous that were in it?" (Genesis 18: 23-24) Today, we are safe, tomorrow may be a different story.

I have a Daughter who is beautiful in so many ways. God blessed me good when he gave her to me. I have a brother and a Dad, a step-mom and many many other aunts, uncles, cousins and so on... I love them all and I am glad they are in my life. I have a half-sister out there somewhere that I wish I could meet and get to know. I love her also even though I have never met her!

I have friends in many places all over the world and they are all very special to me! Some of them more than they know. They all have a special place in my heart and I am thankful for them!

I am Most thankful for my LORD, my Savior, my God! He is my all, without Him I am nothing. He is the air I breath and the song I sing. I do not live up to His will for my life on a daily basis, yet I know He still loves me. He sees my heart and knows the good and evil in me. I pray He will continue to guide me through this life.

I am Thankful that I have the ability to write this blog. Sometimes it does not make any sense I know, yet I share my heart here, and I am glad I can. Thanks to all of you who read it.

Lord, help me to be thankful every day of my life, not just on this one! You are so awesome and have given me so much! Thank-you!

The Quote:

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ~ I Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Drawing:

STUFF

Stuff happens! I have tried so hard to keep this blog going and really I thought that I would do much better. Things just get in the way, it is hard to get motivated sometimes. Even today this is not an easy task. I know I haven't written in a while, I want too.

Stuff can mean a lot of things.... You could look at it like a closet filled to the brim that someone has opened and everything has fallen out on top of them. At times that is how my life feels like an avalanche of unusual odds and ends tumbling into my space and making it hard to function.

Stuff can be a boulder or log in the road that makes you turn around, causing you to detour from your chosen path. Those hindrances are often large, time consuming, unexpected, and at times hazardous, yet they can most often also be something that is needed to get us back on the right path.

Stuff can be a dead end! No where to turn it seems because there is not enough room to maneuver, and backing up is rarely an option. Yet. in those times a way out is provided even if you have to crawl through a tight space or climb a high mountain.

Most of the stuff that comes our way we bring on ourselves. The words spoken or the actions taken without thinking can cause stuff to pile up. We make choices whether we think that all is well or we know it is not, we do them anyway.... then we complain about the stuff that is in our way. There are times it is the stuff of others that has gotten in our way somehow, we still allowed that to happen....

So lately, my stuff and the stuff I have allowed to get in my way has kept me from writing and drawing and spending much time being creative. I hope that I can get back on track... I am trying... just need to push some stuff out of the way!

Quote:

"Same old stuff, different day." ~Anonymous

The Drawing:

WORKMANSHIP

The Quote:

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

Every time I see the word workmanship in the bible I think of a sculptor. God created each of us in His image, and for His glory. When we become Christians, we become a new creation in Christ and God starts to chisel away all the bad things in our lives that hinder Him from using us the way He wants to.

God doesn't do anything half way, it is all or nothing with Him. We are either going to allow Him to use the chisel on our lives and work a wondrous work or we are not going to let Him. We can not stand on the fence, we can not be lukewarm. When God works on us it may hurt, it may cause us pain and suffering. In the end it will all be worth it.

Lord help me to be a new creation in you, your workmanship for your honor and glory. I know it is going to hurt, I am willing to be put through the pain. Lord, I want to be used by you. Thank-you Lord for taking the time to help me become more like you.

PS: Here is the link to a video by the Skit Guys about this.... http://skitguys.com/videos/item/gods-chisel

The Drawing:

NOT

The Quote:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

I God's eye I am saved because of His grace and faith. I have a gift that no one else could give me, only God.

It is NOT something I can do for myself. If I had to save my self I would still be on my way to hell. I am NOT good enough. I am NOT strong enough. I do NOT have the knowledge or the power to make it to heaven on my own merit. Without God's gift of love and grace I would NOT be saved.

I can NOT do anything to earn the gift. If I could it would make the gift nothing. Once God gave me the gift it was mine forever. NOT one thing can take the gift God gave me away. I can NOT do anything to lose the gift God has given me. I might hide it or cover it with new sins, God looks right through all that and sees the gift. I can NOT hide it from God.

This does NOT mean I can go out and do whatever I want. It does NOT give me a license to sin. I can NOT stop working for God's kingdom just because I have this gift. Well, I could do these things.... I should NOT want too.

Lord, help me to NOT take the gift you gave me for granted. Help me to NOT forget to share your love and grace with others. Help me to be the person you see me as and NOT the person I think I am. Thank you Lord for the gifts you have given me.

The Drawing: