I Am Rich!

By Pat

It's funny how, as a Christian, my perception of the word "riches" is very different than the world's perception. As we observe the society surrounding us, we see the desire for bigger homes, better jobs, faster cars, cooler technological toys, and greater beauty. It's easy to become caught up in the quest for the acquirement of these worldly possessions, and to compare ourselves to others, but I have become much more interested in attaining riches of another kind.

My car is over ten years old...but it runs! My house is clean and it has a roof on top. I am content with that! We struggle at times to get all the bills paid, but still try to always think of and do for those who have less. It's not what you GET that makes you rich...it's what you GIVE. I like that! I am rich!

I want to be more generous in kind words and deeds, in unconditional love and acceptance. I want to offer a simple meal to a friend in need, an extra blanket to someone living in the streets. I want to have a heart filled with quick forgiveness, thus being rich in grace, for I have had grace richly and generously given to me by my Lord. I want to be quick to smile and I want to laugh easily so that I am rich in good humor. I want my trust in God to deepen daily and my faith to grow stronger, and I want to share that faith with others. I want the world to see that I am very rich indeed...in all the ways that really matter to God, so that it is clear that riches are the things in the heart. The things that really make a difference. The things that last. If I die with not a penny to spare, I will still die a rich woman, and I am so very thankful.

"Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:10-11)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

Thank You

By Pat

For love and life and joy each day,
And friends to help along the way.
For homes to clean and food to cook,
And guidance from your Holy Book,
Dear God, I thank you.

For blessings we provide for others
Because you said that we are brothers;
For watching over all we do,
For evening dusk and morning dew,
Dear Lord, we thank you.

For patience when I'm too demanding,
Peace that passes understanding,
Eyes and ears that I might see
And hear the things you've made for me,
Dear Father, I thank you.

For showing me when I feel stressed
The many ways in which I'm blessed,
For family, friends and those I love
And countless blessings from above,
My Lord, I thank you.

And for the greatest gift of all,
The One who saves me when I fall-
For Jesus Christ, my Lord and King;
My life, my all, my everything,
Precious Lord, I thank you.

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

Fingerprint Friday: Clean Water

By Ginny (MAD21)

Here in Maryland we have somehow missed late spring/early summer weather. We went from 50-60 degree weather to 90-95 and humid in just a matter of a week or two. But to put things into perspective, all we have to do is turn on our local news and suddenly we are thankful for such "miserable conditions." After seeing images of entire towns being completely wiped out in a matter of minutes by all the tornadoes our country has seen in the last month or so it makes one a lot more thankful.

I think most of us in general don't think about how fortunate we are in our every day lives. But put an entire area into a situation like the devastation caused by all the tornadoes, and people are quickly confronted with the harsh reality of how fast it can all be taken away. One day you go to work and have a "normal" day, the next, not only are your house and all of your belongings gone, but you no longer have a job either because your place of employment also no longer exists. Suddenly you aren't asking what you are going to have for dinner that night, you are in crisis mode because there is no food to eat, or water to drink at all... for you or your family, or your friends and neighbors. People who are used to living in our society with everything at their fingertips are suddenly thrushed into living in survival mode and just looking for the barest of necessities. Much like how a lot of people around the world are living, except for them, this is the normal. And they don't have access to enough food or clean water... at all.

My oldest had a service project with her class last week. We went to one of our local public playgrounds and planted flowers. Everyone brought with them at least a gallon of water to pour on the flowerbeds once we were done. As I stood watching the kids work, I looked over at all of the gallons of water and I was struck by how much we take advantage of having clean water. No one there that day probably even gave it a second thought about what an incredible blessing it was to have as much of it as we wanted... and not only to drink, but to pour onto the flowers in the ground... something that is unimaginable to a person living places like Kenya, Ethiopia or Uganda.

Next week I'm going to be sharing about an important project we are part of for the month of June. I can't wait to tell you about an amazing opportunity we have to help those who don't have access to clean water.

Clean water... 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.

Little Things

By Pat

Sunday was the first day of spring, my favorite season! To see the trees begin to bloom, watch the daffodils say goodbye to winter, hear the glorious song of the birds, and smell the delightful fragrance of flowers fills me with joy. It's those little things in life I live for.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the little things in life, the ones that cost nothing but the well-spent time it takes to stop for a moment, take a deep breath, appreciate them, and thank God for them. And not only them, but also for the gift of eyes to see, ears to hear, and nose to smell. They are precious things we often take for granted. Shame on us that we sometimes fail to fully take note of the beauty God has placed all around us. I truly feel sorry for people who pay little attention to the glory of nature and feel the true joy of a warm breeze or a mockingbird singing in the middle of the night.

My problems do not go away, but they certainly slip further into the corners of my mind as I realize that these wonderful treats are touches from God, reminding me that He is in everything, and He is everywhere. It has brought a smile to my troubled heart more times than I can count, and reminded me to keep things in perspective and to look for the little ways in which God can and does sooth.

Every season, every day, brings gift after gift of little blessings, all created by a loving God and given to us with joy, along, of course, with the most wonderful gift of all, our Savior Jesus! So from the little things to the great gift of salvation, I say...thank you, God! Thank you!

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.