Fingerprint Friday: Good Days

By Ginny (MAD21)

Family. Friends. Perfect weather. Perfect water. Boat rides. Birthdays. A ton of fun and lots of laughter. Good days. Definitely one of God's fingerprints.

Fellow blogger Beki at The Rusted Chain has a really great weekly post she does every Friday called "Fingerprint Friday." We are to look around and see where we can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Anywhere? Go find out where Beki saw God this week, and be sure to check out the other bloggers who linked their stories as well.

God Says... "I will supply all your needs."

By Kely Braswell (Dangerous Breeze)

You say… "I can’t manage."

God says… "I will supply all your needs."

Well, excuse me if I – just for a minute – work out my salvation with fear and trembling. And a little kicking against the goads. A small rant, and a vent on the side.

Just gonna go a little “David complaining in the Psalms” on y’all for a minute.

God, it DON’T ALWAYS FEEL like you’re providin’!

We’re a family of 8, and we’re always right on the edge of, “Uh-uh, these bills aren’t gonna get paid this month!”

“How are we ever gonna finish paying these medical bills off?”

“God, we need tires! And the van leaks oil like we struck a gusher! We need a new dishwasher! There are ants all over our kitchen!

“The upstairs faucet leaks! How will we ever paint our house? It needs it, Ya know! And what about our old, grimy carpet?”

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One Word At A Time: Porch

By Ginny (MAD21)

I love porches. I've always dreamed of having a house that had a nice front porch with comfy places to sit and enjoy God's creation, watch the world go by, or just sit with friends and family to visit. I envision a porch to be a place where a lot of memories are made, everything from finding some peace and quiet, to watching kids build things and pretend their toys are in far away places, to finding that perfect perch to nail someone in a water balloon fight.

I still haven't lived in a house that has had the porch from my dreams (though my back yard deck works as a good substitute), and while I would still like to have one some day, I heard a song a number of years ago that gave me an entirely different perspective.

The first thing I thought of when I saw our One Word this week was a song recorded by Lonestar back in 2003. It's called My Front Porch Looking In, and I LOVE it. Honestly, I don't think I could write anything for this post that would be better the words in this song and the message they convey. So please take a moment to listen. I hope it reminds you, as it did me, to remember which side of the porch is more important, and that no matter how much you enjoy "seeing the whole world," there is a reason we "can't wait to get back home." It's family, love and a sense of belonging.

 "Yeah the view I love the most
Is my front porch looking in

I see what beautiful is about
When I'm looking in
Not when I'm looking out"

My Front Porch Looking In was written by Richie McDonald, Frank J. Myers and Don Pfrimmer.

This post is a participant in a blog carnival over at Peter Pollock's place.
After you finish here, be sure to go and check out what everyone else wrote on: Porch

One Word At A Time: Pets

By Alan

"All Dogs Go to Heaven" - The popular Don Bluth movie (no, it was not Disney) continued a long line of tales, cartoons, and stories that gave animals voices, personalities, and even alluded to having eternal souls. Do dogs go to Dog Heaven? Do cats go to Cat Heaven? Do Dogs chase cats in Dog heaven? That would make Dog heaven into a Cat Perdition.

Maybe heaven would be where all the animals hang out together with perfect peace.

We humans, (Americans in particular) have a special relationship with our dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals. Sometimes we love them more than our fellow man. We weep when we see a tragedy involving a pet, yet we're supposed to giggle when we see a human do something careless (but fatal) on TV.

We love them so, we sacrifice so much for them to live and thrive, and we grieve desperately when they are injured or succumb to the end of life like all other living things. Does that give us incentive to create a heavenly story end for our pets?

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One Word At A Time: Home

By Ginny (MAD21)

Home: The place in which one's domestic affections are centered.

We've all heard the saying: "Home is where your heart is." But what does that mean, really? I currently live in Maryland, but I have always considered my "home" to be in Idaho because that's where I grew up, I said for years it was where my heart was. But honestly, my heart is wherever my husband and kids are. So I ask myself, since they are here, does that make my home in Maryland? I still won't concede.

I lived in seven different dwellings before I got married. I loved the little house I rented in the years just before I got married. It had so much character and potential. I had a lot of good memories there. I bought my first house with my husband just before we got married, we've been in that same house ever since. It's the longest I've ever lived in one place, 11 years. It feels odd at times, especially since a lot of our furniture has also been in the same location since we moved in, too. So since we own this home, and it's where I've lived the longest, does that make it home?

It calls to you.

Perhaps our general definitions of home are a bit shallow. It has to be more than where you currently have an address and more than just where you sleep or keep your belongings, or even where you grew up. I believe "home" is a place that calls to you. It's a longing or desire to be somewhere or with someone. A place where you are surrounded my memories and feel secure. A place where you are loved and wanted.

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