I get to run away for a little while today.

 Yes, today is Saturday and it's the FIRST Saturday of the month, therefore, it's Needles of Hope day!  Whoo hoo!  I will be leaving the house for a few hours and hang out with 'girl friends' who will come and we sit and knit or crochet and just catch up on life.  Some exchange patterns or talk about patterns (never me, I do my granny stitch or V stitch and that's good enough for now), and we sometimes get sandwiches from Panera and of course - Coffee.  Well, a couple will get tea, but....   See how I did that? I have nothing to share this morning of value and yet, I was able to fill up a few lines for you to roll your eyes at and go huh?  LOL

I thought about us going out for dinner last night for I didn't know what to fix... but then I found a package of 'my' spaghetti sauce in the freezer so dropped the package in cold water (for about 30 minutes to thaw) and started heating water to put spaghetti in.  Fixed a can of mixed veggies (throwing in the left over green beans from a couple nights ago) to go with it.  So we had spaghetti for dinner last night.  I couldn't believe that hubby asked me if it was Ragu sauce.  Uh, no.  It's MY sauce, which tastes so much better with all the spices and meat in it.  Really!  I had two helpings (ok, they were small!) because it really 'hit the spot' in the belly!  There is enough left over that hubby can have the rest for his lunch today. Although he will wait and see if I bring home lunch, which I usually do. Not today. I'll tell him to eat the leftover spaghetti and I'll fix a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when I home, if I'm hungry.  

An interesting conversation yesterday..... the other day hubby had given me a sheet of paper with some bills on it, how he paid them, and the date.  What I had asked him for, and I think I have mentioned it on here before, was a list of all the bills, how he received them (email or mail), how he paid them (online or check), and his email and password and the password for each account.  If I ever get to take over the bills, I will need this information.  Anyway, yesterday he comes by and says he'd like to talk with me this weekend and us go over the bills, and talk about retirement.  (say what?)  I just looked at him and said "Ok".  I've given up on retirement. Life would not change, just will get very tight.  The only difference is that I won't be sitting in front of the computer 5 days a week for a minimum of 8 hours a day.  I would be freed up to take him places, for sure.  In fact, I turned the conversation around and mentioned that if he would sell his car (our youngest is interested in buying it for his daughter and has told hubby so), he could keep the money, and we also would save not having to pay out insurance.  ABSOLUTELY NOT! he screamed at me.  So this conversation - if it really does happen - will be interesting, for you know that he will have to be in control of 'how it will be played out'.  He doesn't care about my retirement, I know that. Sure, he would like for me to, but he isn't willing to give up any of his pleasures so that I could.  Ok - that is my opinion.  And, enough on this subject. For now. Stay tuned if we have this conversation.  I've decided to work until I'm 80, as long as I can take off when I need to in order to take him to his appointments, and if we ever get him to give up his car, I will need to take him to his bible studies. Which I can do now....

I've already started getting birthday 'gifts' from vendors.  Yeah - it's August so Kohls sent me $5 gift certificate; First Watch sent something but I didn't open it. I guess that is all that was in my emails thus far.  I will get from all kinds of places - and may use only a couple.  I'm not like 'some people' who have to go to every place they get a certificate from. You know who you are!  LOL  I know I'll get from the cake place... forget the name of it - everything bundt?  Two years ago I went to get my 'free' bundt cake, and ended up buying a dozen more!  Yeah, the gift card is a draw, for sure!  

I get to celebrate most of the month as I have a birthday, and we have an anniversary (44 years) this month.  In eleven days we will be heading up north; I have 3 days off work and we will head to a cabin up aways. Not directly north... but where the air is cleaner (I hope) and cooler.  Looking forward to having lots of time to read and relax.   Will probably 'have' to stop by White Castle on the way back as we go through Scottsdale.... usually get at least one case and then put in bags and in the freezer for times we want something quick. Which reminds me, I think I still have one bag in the freezer; maybe I will pull those out for later - if I don't forget!

A long, long time ago my brother had two SC's. (cars).  One red convertible with white interior, one red convertible with black interior.  He ended up selling one a few years or so back.  He had said one was for me, one for my sister, but when they had a falling out, he sold 'hers'.  I've gotten to drive 'mine' and have a photo of me in it, one year when we were back there.  We have joked back and forth about it for years. Do I really expect to get it?  No. But it's fun to joke about it.  Then he tells me not long ago, after he sends me a photo of his granddaughter in the car (she's 10 now I think) and said she offered him $2 when she turned 16 to get the car.  I had competition.  I told him his granddaughter comes first.  Well, the other night he was talking about needing to empty that stall in his garage for he has bought a new Lexus, and is also ordering a Lexus convertible (red, of course, with white interior).... so he commented he will need to drive it out here for me.  Not sure if he was still joking about that or not.  I reminded him his granddaughter had offered him $2 for it; but I would go $3.... he asked if I'd go $4 and I said yes, but that was my limit.  I also told him October would be the best time to bring it out.... maybe the weather will cool down so the convertible top can be put down.  

But, with hubby refusing to sell his car, we don't have room for the car - and you know hubby won't put HIS car outside!  So I'm going to start the 'tease' again and tell my brother that he needs to figure it out and hang on to it for another year or so.  Not that I really expect to get it; but it's been 'my' car for a lot of years.  He lets me know when he puts new tires on it, gets it worked on, etc.  It looks brand-new.  His neighbor AND now his son both want to buy it as well.  It's been fun to joke with him, but a convertible out here in this heat?  Where would I go?  I'd be terrified someone would scratch my car!  The car I have now, which I love, has been my bestest and most favorite cars of all I've had.  Well, other than my black Oldsmobile Cutlass I had back in 1982!  Will see how this plays out.

Wow. I've done a lot of rambling about nothing this morning, haven't I?!  

The pain in my legs has been gone for a few weeks.... but about 2-3a this morning, they started screaming at me again.  It's hard to know what to do as no one can visibly 'see' what is going on inside my leg.  They will have to do 'pictures' to look at the bone, but even then, what can they really see? Would I need to have a bone marrow biopsy done?  And all this comes from the bug bites I got about 3-4 years ago.  Which that area still hurts occasionally.  No one did anything then; just treated the symptom of the pain from the bites.  No one would listen to what I was telling them.  So now what?

I've gone to God (again) with the pain and have told Him that I do not have a Plan B.  I've asked Him to heal my legs and remove the pain.  Tell me what to do.  Do I go to a specialist and have them work on me? Is that in His plan, to use a specialist?  What I want is my Plan A - which is for God to reach down and heal me. Period. Done and done.  But He hasn't.  Yet.  So again I am seeking Him and asking what I am to do - continue to wait, continue to seek His hand of healing, or go to a specialist to work through Him to heal my legs....  I see Dr. Mark in September so will bring it up at my physical if God hasn't healed me by His hand.  God is my Plan A.  I don't want to depend on anyone else.  Unless He sends me to Plan B.  Praying and waiting.  

Psalm 119:114 (NKJV):  You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your Word.

I know that when life is hard, and I have many struggles, there is one place that I can always run to.  God's Word.  His Word refreshes me; His Word corrects me.  His Word sustains me; His Word guides me.  I know that no matter what, I can depend on Him.  Whether life goes my way or another. Whether He answers my prayers or not.  I know that I can completely trust in His faithfulness, His goodness, His love.  I may not get healed from this pain, but I know that in the pain, He holds my hand. 

And that is enough.  He will never forsake me, nor leave me alone.  He will walk with me all the days of my life, however long they are.  Thank you Jesus.  Your Word confirms it.

Wishing you a day of walking with Jesus... tell Him about your struggles.  He will answer by and by.  (yeah, 'Just a little walk with Jesus' song came to mind)   He will make it right.

Blessings!

Happy birthday mama

 Today would have been my mama's 106th birthday.  Highly unlikely that she would have lived that long, but she was born 106 years ago today.  That seems like forever, doesn't it?  And yet, I think of how far away 75 years is and it's like - wow - when did I get so old?!  But I'm young at heart - or try to be.  Sometimes my body has to remind my mind that it isn't as young as I like to think it is.  I'm really glad that I have kept 'somewhat' active over the years - at least before covid I did a lot of walking.  With sitting all day at a desk, and then sitting all evening on the couch, can you just imagine what atrophy my body would have if I didn't work out a night or two and at least try to get some exercise?  I shudder at that thought!  I choose to be active.  I reject medication as much as I can.  Yeah, it sounds like I'm being proud when I say my only medication from my doctors is for my thyroid and my cholesterol and my bones.  The cholesterol I still argue about, but at least at 10mg it's only a smidgen.  My bones - well, I do need my strength, but as I may have shared before, my doctor said that if my bones continue to show strength and density, then after taking the Fosamax at 5 years (2 more years to go!!) I can quit taking them.  I won't need to take any medication for it.  And working out has helped immensely in building my bones up.  My mother was a hypochondriac - she was always finding something that hurt, and if she wasn't hurting, she was thinking of something she might have.  Every doctor I have gone to I have told them, please don't let me get caught up in taking pills for everything.  I don't want to live my life sitting in a chair, taking pill after pill.  I know that if you tell yourself long enough you have a headache, or your shoulder or leg hurts, it will begin to hurt, for you have convinced your mind.  I've seen it happen.  I don't want to be like that. I want to be able to live my life as a 'free woman' - not as an invalid.  They miss out on so much!  I will fight against taking any medication at all for as long as I can.  I may end up eating my words at some point, but I will fight for my health as long as I can.  I hope you do as well.  

Sorry - guess my thoughts just rambled away up there.  Sometimes we do need medication, and we do need to take it as prescribed.  But I saw my mama take pill after pill and I don't want that for my life.  I choose life.  God decides HOW I live it - healthy and well or sick and needing medication - but my choice is to live healthy.  I do my part.

I miss my mama.  I miss her fried chicken.  No one can cook it like my mama did.  Shoot, I don't even fry food anymore here at home.  Fried chicken from Frys has been the closest to what mama cooked, but it has gotten salty lately so haven't gotten it for awhile.  Albertson's is good, as is Safeway's.  Yeah, I've tried a few of them.  I love fried chicken; what can I say?!  KFC is 'ok'; Church's was mama's favorite, but one time I had it, it was greasy, and I stopped eating it for awhile. Last time I had it, it wasn't bad.  We also stop at Popeye's - I like it - a lot - but nothing beats my mama's fried chicken.

Reminds me of the story of the little boy who, when asked at school what was his favorite animal, he said chicken. When asked why, he said because he likes it fried.  This went on a few times and he kept getting sent down to the principal's office.  He said he couldn't help it. His favorite was fried chicken.  I can't remember exactly how the story goes - but I read it again the other day and it just popped in my mind, cause I too, like fried chicken.

 I got through the board meeting yesterday and nearly had a panic attack afterwards.  Because the powerpoint was sent out just that morning, a board member complained they didn't have time to review the minutes of our last meeting. Asked if they could be sent out after the meeting.  No problem.  After the meeting I went to May 8, which was to be our last meeting. There were no minutes in my folder.  I went to the Teams folder, where we put all the information given to the board members.  No minutes there.  I go to the power point we sent out and saw it was February 14th's meeting minutes that had been attached.  I was horrified that we could have made that mistake!  I was going through every folder - did I misfile it? and searched everywhere, trying to find the May minutes.  After about a half hour, I remembered.  We cancelled the May 8th meeting, therefore there would be no minutes, and February was the last meeting.  Breathing a sigh of relief at that remembrance, I typed 'cancelled' beside the May 8th folder so that I would remember in the future and resent out the February minutes. Whew.  Now I do need to get these minutes typed from yesterday's meeting and get them in the folders.  I also made a note on my calendar that for our November 13th meeting, to send out the week before so that the board could approve at the meeting.   What an afternoon it was!

Hubby came in the other day and asked if we could runaway up north in a couple weeks.  I declined the weekend he suggested, but decided we could 'run away' the weekend of October 11th.  We'll just head up north - I got the executive suite at the hotel so that we could have lots of room.  I have a feeling we may get the one we got the year I got so sick up there.  One thing for sure - if it even hints of a smell of disinfectant, I will request a room change.  I have learned my lesson. I know that is what made me so sick - and I still have the aftereffects of staying in that room for 2 days.  But, I pushed through it then and I push through the effects now.  

I will be 'out' of the office this afternoon to get a couple tests completed - my mammogram and the bone density test.  At least I am able to get them both done this afternoon and be done with them.  I'm hoping my doctor will contact me after these tests; I'm still concerned my iron has dropped so low.  I really don't want to take an iron pill so am going to up my intake of kale and spinach.  Greens are always good.  I don't really eat a lot of meat, so that could have been my problem as well.  I get tired, but only occasionally do I feel exhausted.  I have heard my sister had to get iron infusions for her low iron, and my little brother has mentioned his iron is low as well, but the doctors think something else is the cause of his.  Mine is probably just age related - and if I eat more greens, I will build it back up.  Food, not medication, right?   And I do love food!!

Psalm 100:5 (NIV):  For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

When I awoke this morning, a song came to my mind.  "All my life you have been faithful, All my life you have been good, so good!  With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God! "

No matter what we go through, our God is faithful to walk with us through that journey, no matter how hard it seems.  Sometimes it may seem like you are walking on that journey alone, but you are never alone, for He is always with you.  Why?  Because I asked Him to watch over you and take care of you. He is faithful; always faithful.  And I am so grateful He is.  I can seek Him for each one of my children, my grandchildren, and great grandchildren as well. I can seek him for hubby, and even for myself. And I know that He hears me.  He has never forsaken me - in my tough times when I don't feel Him near, I know that He always is.  And He is always near you as well.

When was the last time you talked with Him?  Why not just sit back and have a conversation now - tell Him what is going on in your mind, in your life, in your family.  He knows it already, yes, but have you ever had a conversation with Him about it? Ask Him what to do?  You may - or may not - get an immediate answer, but it feels good to tell Him all your thoughts and get it out.  You will feel so much better.  Experience I have in this area!  I can tell my Jesus about my heartaches and know that He will walk with me through them.

I saw a blog this morning about another senior pastor being dismissed from the pulpit for having an 'inappropriate' relationship with a woman.  What are these men thinking?  Their lives have been filled with preaching the Word of God - and yet - moral failure.  It breaks my heart, for many times it causes the people who trusted him to fall away from church.  Not only church, but many will fall away from God.  There have been several 'falls' this year.  It is heart-breaking, and I can imagine how grieved God's heart is.  But the Bible tells that in the last days that secret sins will be brought to light.  And we are in the last days and the end is near.  No one knows the date or time, but Og and Magog are already in place; there is war in Israel, earthquakes are happening; rumors of war are everywhere.... read Revelations and you will see all the signs that are in place.  But the question still remains - 

Are you - and your family - ready for Jesus to return?  It is our responsibility to entrust each one to God and help them know Him.  To do that, we need to know Him.  I am often reminded of something a pastor friend of mine said as she was being put out for surgery several years ago.  She kept telling the doctors...."let me tell you about my Jesus".... who are you telling about your Jesus?

Blessings!

Back to work today.

 And I don't really want to... I have about 100 emails the last time I looked.  And I don't want to do any of them, although I know I can delete the majority.  But, alas, it is what I must do; not really a choice right now.  'It is what it is' - right?  

Yesterday was sorta quiet.  In a way.  We went to church, then stopped at Rubio's for lunch.  Hubby does like their 'coastal trio' which is fish tacos (barf)  The fish is cooked and I'm sure they are good, but I'm just not in to fish tacos.  I had forgotten that a birthday party was happening yesterday for a grandson that I  really do not know very well.  Hubby didn't go, but I did, and good did come of it.  While most everyone was in the pool, my youngest son and I had about an hour or so by ourselves where we could just talk about things that are going on.  After that, I was getting really tired - so I came home.  Hubby ate a TV dinner... since I had a piece of pizza at the party, I wasn't hungry.  We had to watch a movie of course. sigh.  After that movie I wanted to watch the season 3 of Chosen that I hadn't seen yet - but hubby couldn't stay awake and it was our usual time of going to bed, so stopped it at episode 2 and to bed we went.  I awoke at 3AM with him snoring loudly, so got up and came in here, but could not go back to sleep.  That's what happens when one isn't active... your body isn't really tired when it's time to sleep and then it refuses to go into a deep sleep and you feel like you haven't rested at all.

I'm back to work today after taking Friday off and I know of some things that are already in my in box.  Sigh.  Invoices to process I don't mind... but I really do not want to mess with airline tickets and hotel bills for other people.  But, it's something I have to do.  That in itself is enough to make me want to quit.  But, having the extra money is nice, I will admit.  I still say I would find another job and I am confident that I won't have any problem doing so - even at my age.  I'm not too proud to be a cashier at the grocery or flipping burgers.  

Today is my big brother's birthday.  He is 78 today, I think.  It's hard to believe he is that old - nor the fact that I will turn 74 in a few weeks.  He has been my inspiriration for so many years, keeping me active.  If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be working out.  I wouldn't be making myself do things and move my body.  He is the reason I choose to exercise and walk.  He has been a diabetic for over 40 years now, I think, and he has steadily worked at keeping his body healthy so that he could live a long life - and he has enjoyed life along the way.  He has a very positive outlook on life and tries to see the positive in everything.  I would have sunk into depression a long time ago had I not looked up to him and listened to his encouragement to be positive about life, to LIVE life, and to keep active.  

Yes, I could be a lot more active, and I've been (once again) thinking about that htis morning.  I am lazy; I admit it.  I allow people I love to suck the life out of me with their sharp words that come back to me time and again.  I give up easily and just sit.  But I must change.  For my own sake.  I want to live life to the fullest.  And although I can't do a lot right now; at some point in my life I am hoping that I will be able to.  And when I can, I want to be able to enjoy what I do.  Does that make sense?  So many things I have longed to do over the years but kept from it.  Personal reasons I won't go in to.  I will say that my life is nothing like I dreamed it would be.  And that is why I need my big brother.  He encourages me to do things; to strive to achieve greater things.  And not just sit back and let life pass me by.  I am young - not old.  And I need to quit acting like an old lady.  After all, my brother has challenged me once again to a 10 mile walk the next time we meet up - reckon I need to start NOW and get conditioned.

My boss tells me all the time that since I am 10 years old than she is, although she knows my limitations and availability, she says that she watches to see what I do, because what I do now, she knows she can do when she is my age.  She is active, and she also encourages me to keep active.  Recently she took up pickleball.  It would be fun to learn how to do it and play - but I know hubby would have a fit.  He has a friend whose wife took up pickleball and she is gone all the time playing with her friends and her husband complains to hubby all the time.  And hubby listens.  You know that when he hears one negative thing about something - it becomes law.  Yeah, that's why it is hard for me to live life.  

2 Kings 5:3 :  "She said to her mistress, "I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy."

We probably all know of someone who has 'leprosy' - moreso spiritual leprosy rather than the real thing.  We allow it to rob us of living life.  But our Father's sovereighnty is so complete, His dominion so comprehensive, and His control over even our most difficult circumstances so sure, there is really no situation in our life that is beyond His redeeming power.  Not. Even. One.  Somehow, even our most grim dilemnas contain the essental ingredients from which He can pull peace and hope and even a good, remarkable ending.

If you read this story in 2 Kings 5, you read of an Israelite girl who was taken captive during a raid on Israel and forced into slavery.  She ended up in servanthood of an army captain's wife, and it was this army captain that had leprosy.  She must have been treated well for her to even volunteer that just possibly, if the army captain could get to this prophet, he could be healed of the leprosy.

If you read the story, you read that the army captain, Naaman, did go to Samaria to see this prophet and he was told to go dip himself in the Jordan River.  He rebelled at first; after all, the water was muddy.  Why didn't the prophet tell him to go dip in a nice clean river?  But one of his servants convinced him to do it - and what if he had stopped at one dip?  Or two dips? Or three dips?  ... or six dips?  But he didn't - he continued to dip himself into the muddy Jordan River seven times - and when he came up out of the water on the 7th time, his leprosy was removed.

So many times we take our leprosy - whatever it may be - and we know what we must do, and we may need to do it repeatedly... but we think that after one time all should be well.  It takes 21 days for a habit to form, they say.  If you set your alarm repeatedly at 4AM and get up every day for three weeks, you will find your body will begin to wake up at that time every day, even without the alarm.  If you choose to eat good food and consistently watch what and how much you eat, within three weeks you will begin to see the results of that new 'habit' of eating well.  If you pick up your Bible to read a chapter a day, or a devotional, or just sit and talk with God every day for three weeks.... you find yourself wanting that little bit of time you devoted to Him every day thereafter.  

God can take whatever we give to Him and if we obey His instructions, we will see results.  We often think that if we go to church once that God will give us what we ask for.  But when you turn your back on God, you may think your life is fine... but in reality, it is missing the link to survival, the link to joy, the link to fulfillment, the link to life.  God doesn't cause bad things to happen.  God doesn't always give you in your time frame the answers you want.  But God always walks you through any thing that you go through.  We are impatient people and we want what we want - NOW.  But NOW isn't in God's timetable.  We need to grow and mature, sometimes, before we receive what we ask for.  We may think we have all that we want right now... but there is still that missing link if you don't have God.  

Let me ask you this - if something dreadful should happen within your family right now.... how would you deal with it?  You need Jesus to lean on and allow Him to walk you through what ever that dreadful thing is.  That is the only way you can get through it.  You can't get through it on your own.  He's there. He's waiting for you to invite Him in.  Will you?  It will make all the difference in the world.

Blessings!

I think I hear the wind blowing this morning....

 cause the neighbor's wind chimes have occasionally been making noises.  I enjoy hearing the wind chimes on occasion.  I think sometimes that I'll buy one, but never do. Sometimes the noise can be annoying - remember when the metal flag was against the house and some times when the wind would be blowing hard it would bang against the house and keep me awake?  Naw, I think I'm find without the wind chimes.  I moved the flag to another wall and it doesn't bump against the house now.  

Today my Lenten study told me to read Matthew 23 and think about how it applies to my life.  Ouch.  Well, not OUCH, but only ouch.  At least in my eyes it is only ouch.  I try hard to live the way I say to live.  I depend on God to help me do things the right way.  Sometimes it feels much easier to say one thing and do another, but in my walk with Christ, I must do the right thing.  My little sister accused me of being a hypocrit many years ago and it nearly wiped me out.  But it wasn't me that she was really condemning, it was herself, and I see that now, but at that time I was devastated and it really messed me up.  I hit bottom, although not many people know that.  Her words had cut me deep and to the core.  But that is in the past and since that time I have tried to regain the fervor I lost in her condemnation.  And I choose not to dwell there... not sure why it all came back to me just now.  Oh yes I do.  The enemy is trying to knock me down again, and he isn't going to!  Why?

I John 4:4 (NIV):  "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

I couldn't find the version that says it the way that I like to say it - "Greater is He who lives in me, than he who is in the world."

Romans 8:1 (NIV): "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Sometimes I have to say that a few times, especially when temptations come and trials come and I am confused and uncertain about what to do.  Jesus is always Greater, and He lives in me.  Satan is the destroyer who lives in the world.  Jesus always wins over Satan.  No matter what we have done, when we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and just and will cleanse us of all our sins.  The Bible says so.

I John 1:9 (NIV):  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and will purify us from all unrighteousness."

I've read the end of the Book (Bible) - Jesus wins!  and because Jesus wins, we win!  Think about that!  If you have Jesus living inside of you, you win!  Doesn't mean it is going to be easy.  Doesn't mean there won't be trials and temptations.  Doesn't mean that people will not cut you down and accuse you unjustly.  It just means our Hope is in Jesus and He is the author and perfector of our faith.

In fact, I've been reading about the end times.... kind of weaning myself off of it some.  My little sister is all caught up in the end times, as I've mentioned before.  I've read Revelations, and I am currently going through a study on it (will be done in about a week).  Those are things that are to come - and we are currently in some of these things, we are in the end times.  I love the position and words that a former pastor once said - "The end of the world will come and Jesus will come again. My job is to be ready for when Jesus comes so that I will be raptured to Heaven with Him."  I've kind of held on to that statement.  I am to be ready when Jesus comes, when the Rapture comes and the dead in Christ rise again.  I actually hope I die before the tribulation comes for it will be dreadful.  But I must be ready when I die to meet Jesus for when I am judged, I want to stay in Heaven and not cast down to the abyss and Hell as many others will be who don't know Him.  

Perhaps I am harder on myself than I should be.  I know of people who I may question in my mind if what they say or do is Christ-like and they think they are just fine.  But I hold myself to a standard - and I admit I often fail at it and have to ask forgiveness - I don't want to 'just get by'.  I want to be so in tuned to Jesus that if He should come back right now, I will rise with Him.

Will you be ready?  We will never be perfect in our walk.  Only Jesus was perfect.  But are we ready to face Jesus?  What will that day be like - have you ever thought about that?  Do you shun any report of Him or any thing that has to do with Jesus?  Or do you dig deeper because you want to know the truth of this Man called Jesus?  Oh that we all would seek Jesus and seek His face!  Life is so much better when we belong to Him.

What is Jesus to you?  When you hear His Holy Name, what do you think about?  Anything?  Do you think about when He was born in the stable?  Do you remember Jesus in the temple at age 12 discussing theology with the religious leaders?  Do you think about the healings he did, raising Lazarus from the dead?  And now with what we call Easter just 9 days away, do you think of the crucifixion, when Jesus was placed on a cross and died, for you and for me?  What do you think about when you hear the name Jesus?

Perhaps now is the time to begin preparing your heart for what is ahead.  Turn your eyes towards Jesus, who is truly the author and perfector of your life.  He makes all things new, and He can make you new as well.  The world changed when Jesus was born.  It changed again when He was crucified.  There was never One like Jesus.  And there never will be again.

Choose Jesus.  He will rock your world.  It's all about Jesus.

Blessings!