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MY HAPPY PLACE

A couple of days ago, it was snowing. The last four Wednesdays in a row it has snowed. Looking out the window, I can look at the purity and beauty of those flakes. I love to watch it come down, from the safety of my front room, and I thank God for the white, seemingly purifying flakes falling to the ground. There is a tree out in front of the animal hospital I work at, that was so pretty. It actually looked like it had spring blossoms, of white clumps on the top of all the branches.  I told one customer if you try to not look at all that white stuff on the ground and surrounding trees, it looked like a promise of spring ahead. He looked at me like I was crazy, but smiled.

When the roads are bad, I am so blessed to have my two boys close by that they can (if works out with their work schedules) take me to work and pick me up after work. My work actually takes care of me too when the snow flies. There has been one Wednesday that my office manager called and said to stay home because the roads were too bad. We have gotten a lot of ice first and then snow on top of that. When looking out a window safe and sound inside, the snow is just beautiful! But when out on the roads trying to get around, or trying to walk, it is so dangerous! The older I get, the more cautious I am about trying to walk on the ice and snow.

If someone asked me where my happy place is, I always say on the beach watching the waves coming in and going out. (When I go visit my grandkids in Virginia, my daughter always makes it a point to go to the beach one day. So that makes two happy places at once: watching the ocean and being with my grandbabies.) There is just something about hearing that ocean water coming in and out with the tide. It somehow makes me feel at peace and helps me remember the magnitude of our God!

But on the other side, the ocean can be so dangerous. It has been known to engulf a ship and capsize it, which causes loss of life and livelihood. When a hurricane happens, it can cause so much devastation to people’s homes and lives within its path. Under the surface, there can be dangers lurking there as well. There have been several instances of people being attacked by sharks or other creatures lurking under that seemingly calm water.

These two places make me think that our lives are just like that ocean and snow. We can have so many beautifully happy times in this life here on this earth. As I mentioned, one of those is when I am blessed to go see my grandbabies in Virginia. Hearing their voices and hugging them close, brings me to one of my happy places that I just want to treasure and remember. I try to take a lot of pictures when I am with them and send them a little photo album so they can look at them and remember our happy times together.

When I am writing for this blog or a vendor at a show selling and talking to someone at an event, about my books that I have published, I am at my happy place as well. I feel like my experiences, both good and bad, have and will help others who might be going through a trial in their life. I have seen and heard comments that give me encouragement and courage to share even the darkest times of my life, that can help someone put one foot in front of the other.

On the other hand, this life can throw us curve balls. Things happen that we don’t see coming. Death of a loved one or friend bring us back to reality that life can end without warning. James 4:13-15 reads “Come now, you who say, ‘today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell and make a profit;’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘if the Lord wills, we shall do this or that.” I remember one time, my daughter, her oldest (who was a few years old then), and I were traveling. We went by a mine and there was white smoke coming out of a pipe, which went up in the air and then it just vaporized. My grandson said, “look, nana, they are making clouds!” I thought, just like a nana would, boy he is really smart to see and think that! That smoke went quickly up into the air and then vanished. Just like our lives. We are here on earth for such a short amount of time. Then, sometimes without warning, we are gone. Our lives here on earth, vanish.

Maybe, our life does not turn out the way that we had envisioned. My husband and I were going along our lives and then all of a sudden, he became physically sick. He sank into a deep depression for two years. There were many dark times during those years. His illness made him change from the strong Christian leader of my home, to someone who felt like he had caused all of the trials we faced. My faith was tested. But then I remembered the hope that I could hold on to that we have in Jesus. I know I did many things that were not right. I know that I felt bitterness within my heart towards my husband. I had to work with God’s help to rid my heart of that. Now I can look back and see God was at work in my life. He was by my side helping me take one step at a time.  

Romans 8:18 & 22-25 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us…For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that but we also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly awaiting the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does someone hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

Even though this life can be hard, we must hold onto the hope, that only God can give us, that we have an eternal home with Him. Hebrews 6:19 tells us about this hope that God has promised us.  “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus…”  Our hope, as believers, is secure in Christ, just like an anchor is to a ship. This anchor is not dropped into the sand or this world which would not be strong, but rather the anchor is on solid rock; which is the knowledge that our Savior came to earth, died and was raised and ascended to heaven. We must serve Him, even though we make mistakes, remembering that hope. That should be our happy place even when life sends us curve balls. Somehow when life is hard, I feel closer to God and remember how powerful He is. Just like those powerful waves and the danger of the ice and snow, our hope is that the waves will become calm and that the sunshine will come out once again. This gives us hope, each and every day, to make it through. 

Where is your happy place here on this earth? Is your happy place with God? Is it anchored securely in God’s promises of eternal life one day? This hope has gotten me through some really bad “snowstorms” and “treacherous waves” in my life! Creation has so much beauty and peace for us to enjoy. Find a happy place for you to enjoy the beauty that God has created for us. But more importantly find the happy place that only God can give us! Hope of eternal life when our time on this earth is over.

Till next time!                                                  Keela

(The picture at the beginning of this blog, is the last time I was able to go visit my grandbabies! What a happy place!)

ARMS WIDE OPEN

Whenever I am blessed to be able to go see my four little ones in Virginia, I love the hallway that I walk down, after getting off the plane. My grandkids can see me coming. They run calling “Nana-Nana.” I open wide my arms and they run into my arms with hugs and kisses! That gives me so much joy! There was one time, several years ago, that I was concerned that my three-year-old granddaughter might not remember who I was. When they are so little, going six months between visits can be a long time in their little lives. But when I came down that long hallway, I started waving at her and she literally ran and jumped into my arms and squeezed me around the neck. I cannot tell you how that made me feel! (If you are a grandparent reading this, I think you know exactly what I am saying.) The joy-the happiness-the love at that moment will live in my heart forever!

I want to talk about two fathers who opened their arms wide open. Open your Bibles and read Luke 15:11-32. We have heard many thoughts about the youngest son and the oldest son, but have you ever thought from the viewpoint of the father? I want to focus on the fact that the father always had his arms wide open just waiting for the son to realize his error and come back into his arms. But before we do that, I want to remind us about the youngest son and what he did. The younger son, the Prodigal. In Webster’s dictionary the word prodigal means: “reckless-wasteful.” This son asked his father for his part of his inheritance. The father made the choice to give it to him. This son made choices after leaving home that made him void of all his inheritance. He wasted it on things of this world. The younger son, after losing his inheritance, was eating and living with the pigs.

Verse 17 says, the younger son, “came to himself.” I love that expression!  He realized that his bad choices-his selfish choices, led him to this place and caused him to stumble and fall. Read verse 20. It says “And he arose and came to his father…”  He realized that he needed to go back home-back to his father. The son actually had to put into action, he had to make an effort, to come back to his father.  I can just see his father when he saw him a “far way off” with his arms wide open, ready to wrap his arms around him! I can feel that anticipation and joy this father felt when he saw his son coming towards him. When the lost son returned home, he felt like he did not deserve to receive anything from his father or even be called his son. Verses 18-19 tell us that this son became humble & realized he had done wrong. He said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”  His father instead, brought the best he had and gave to him. (Read on in this scripture about the older son and the jealousy he felt towards his brother. He forgot that he had always had the father’s blessings and always the best at his disposal. We will save any other thoughts about the older son for another time.)

The other father I want to talk about is our Father-God. Just like this lost son, sometimes we have to reach bottom-get down into the muddy mire, before we can truly rise up and embrace the reality that there is a God who cares so much for us that He gave His only Son on the cross to die for us! Arms wide open! Just like the son, we can make choices here on this earth that are not the best for us. We can live our lives for ourselves or we can live our lives in service to our God. There might be times that we have gone so far into the world that we feel we can never be accepted by His son. Isn’t that how we feel sometimes? We feel we have done so much sinning that God will never forgive us. But that is a lie spoken to us by the devil, who is always ready to jump into our heads and pull us farther away from God, and make us feel that this world has so much more to offer. We have to wake up and realize that we are sinning-doing what is not right and ask for forgiveness. We have to look up, come back to our Father and ask God for His forgiveness. Then, we can truly run into our loving Father’s arms with complete & total joy.

So, two of the things we need to do when we come to our senses and realize that we have made choices that pull us away from our Father are: we have to realize what we are doing and then reach out to God asking for forgiveness. God chose to give us His Son, Jesus Christ, with His arms spread wide open on that cruel cross of Calvary. Jesus had His arms wide open for us so that when we fall, and yes, we will, God will be right there waiting, with arms wide open, for us to come back to Him. He gives us forgiveness and we have the amazing reality of our inheritance in heaven one day! 1 Peter 1:3-5 reads “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” God gave His only Son for us so that we can have a hope of realizing our inheritance; which is living in heaven with Him after our lives are over here on this earth. God raised Him up so we can have that hope. God gives us the choice to squander our inheritance by living with and by the world, just like the Prodigal son did, or we can realize what God did for us and we can live in service to and for Him.

I can just see the father, with his arms wide open, running to his son. Can’t you? As a parent, I can feel the joy in that father’s heart, that this lost son was coming home. Maybe you have a child that has fallen away from you and God. He or she has made choices that have sent them far away from God. But God always gives us hope and mercy, that no matter how long it might be, they can always come home. And we as parents will always have our arms wide open just waiting for them to return to us and God. The Prodigal son’s father, never lost his love for his son. Our Father, in heaven, is the same way. Romans 8:38-39 reads “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Wow, that tells us nothing can separate us from God’s love. Even if you partake of the things of this world: drinking, taking drugs, given your body for money, committed a crime and am in prison, stopped gathering with other Christians in church, do not even know where your Bible is. Those things cannot separate you from the love that God has for you! When you realize that you are in the miry pit “with the pigs,” be assured that God is always waiting for you to return to Him! Do you need to leave those worldly choices that you have made, which have made you fall from Him?  Run back to God! Do not delay! Don’t say I will do it tomorrow. What if tomorrow does not come? What if death comes your way before you make yourself right with God? Don’t choose the world and lose your inheritance in heaven. Choose God and work for Him every day! Remember, God is always waiting for you to return to Him, with His arms wide open!

Till next time!                              Keela

VOICES IN MY HEAD

There are the voices in my head once again this time of year. The ones that tell me to be sad because another year has gone by. The voices that tell me I am getting older and more painful physically than before. The ones that remind me of the pain in my heart over the loss of family members. The ones that remind me that I am a widow and am alone. Sure, my family is near. (Actually, one of my sons lives with me.) But the feelings a widow has, after her husband has passed away, are real. He is gone forever and the loneliness that those thoughts bring to her, to my, heart.

The beginning of a new year reminds me that, wait, I did not fulfill what I promised myself that I would do. It is like 2019 is tugging on my heart not wanting to let go. But then there is 2020 looming large and present making my heart realize that I have to jump into the new year whether I am ready or not. I still have that weight that I promised myself I would lose. (Maybe that cherry pie I bought the other day has something to do with that!) I beat myself over the head for not losing that weight which makes me feel so sad, “feeding” those voices in my head.

When my family had our Christmas together, we sang the 12 days of Christmas. My mother, years ago, had bought drinking glasses with each one of the days printed on it and the tradition is that whatever day we have at our plate during our Christmas dinner, we have to sing that particular day. My dad always gets the fifth day, five golden rings, which he has always made us laugh at the way he sings it. (The new members of our family, always cringe when they realize what we are doing.) I have so many things surrounding me of my mother, my grandmother and of my husband. At times like these when I am sad, tears stream down my face because I will not be able to enjoy the traditions with these loved ones again. The voices in my head get louder and louder trying to pull me down.

As a widow or widower, you see all the couples holding hands. And you long to hold that mate’s hand once more. You see all the families with little ones, and wish for times gone by when your children were little and realize that those were the best times of your life! But they are gone! Even though I have family who cares for me, they are busy creating their families, their lives, their memories. A person who has never been a widow or widower, cannot understand those feelings completely, of being alone. The feelings of being a “third wheel” at a gathering where there are couples. The feelings that you just want to “wrap yourself up” into a ball and feed the loneliness. The voices!

Those of you who know me, are thinking ‘where is that Keela we know and what has happened to her.’ I usually see my glass half full, not empty. I usually try to bring joy and happiness to others, not bring them down. I try to let my light shine for the Lord, but it sounds like the darkness has been trying to creep into my heart. I am just being real here. I am just voicing the feelings I know others have at the end of the year and the beginning of another one. There are so many of us who hear those voices in our heads!

So, what do I, we, need to do to get my, our, thoughts focused back onto our walk with the Lord and not let the devil take hold in our heart? How do we “starve” those feelings so those voices will go away?

1. The first step in anything about our lives that we need to change is: we have to REALIZE what we are saying or doing to ourselves. Instead of wallowing in those negative sad thoughts, voices, we need to realize that those voices ARE making us sad. We have to tell ourselves that we need to take steps to change our thought process and replace them with more positive, productive thoughts that are more positive voices.
2. We need to figure out HOW to change those voices to positive.  I have been trying to think of fun times with those who have passed away. Remember times of laughter and times of happiness that those people brought into our lives. But in the middle of those good times, there are also those memories of “not so” good times. Sometimes it feels better to avoid any memories of our loved ones because of those painful memories. But if we do that, we will miss out on so many of the joyful ones also. Think on the positive times! Let there be positive voices in our heads!
3. TALK to others about how you are feeling. This is a really hard one. We do not want anyone to know that we are feeling sad or feeling down on ourselves. We want to put on a happy face and not let anyone know the pain we are in. I have found when I confide in a friend, that some of that burden I am feeling seems lighter. It seems like some of it has been stripped away and we can really see more clearly how to go on with living our lives with the right focus once again front and center.
4. FOCUS on the fact that God has given us a purpose to be here in this time in history, this time in other people’s lives. This time to shine His light for others to see. But how? I have written before about Peter when he was walking on the water towards Jesus in Matthew 14. This passage in the Bible shows us clearly what happens to us when we lose our focus off of the purpose God has given us. Peter had an extreme amount of faith that he actually stepped out of that boat. He was walking on the water and looking at Jesus. I visualize Jesus holding out his hand to Peter. But once Peter stopped looking, took his focus off Jesus, Peter started to sink. He started thinking about the storm, the boisterous wind and waves surrounding him, he started to be afraid and sink into the abyss of that dangerous sea. Peter called out for Jesus to save him. Jesus was there to immediately save him from those voices in his head. Those same voices that tell us to be sad, afraid, helpless, worthless, vulnerable, that we are alone. The voices that tell us to curl up into a ball and stop living our lives. Who do you think those voices are coming from? Definitely not our Lord and Savior!
5. PRAY and READ the Bible. Connect with God. Regain your focus by talking to God. Tell Him how you are feeling and ask for His help. God already knows what we are going thru. He already knows how we feel. But as in the story of Peter above, we have to ask for help and reach out to God. God is always waiting for us to come to Him. When we feel alone, we need to remember that God is always by our side waiting for us and always ready, immediately, to take us into His arms. Joshua 1:9 reads “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for your Lord God is with you wherever you go.” Reading the Bible connects me to who God is, who He wants me to be and gives me hope. At times when I feel sad, alone, helpless, those scriptures will come into my mind and help me remember God’s goodness and that I have hope thru Him of eternal life one day. One of my favorite books of the Bible is Psalm. There is so much wisdom and comfort in so many scriptures in this book. Here are just a few.

Psalm 145:17-19 reads “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of those who fear Him, He will also hear their cry and save them.”

Psalm 69:29-30 reads “But I am poor and sorrowful; let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

Psalm 56:3-4 reads “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?”

Psalm 37:23-24 reads “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

Yes, the end of one year and the beginning of a new one, should be one of reflection. But we need to be careful that we do not get so caught in the past that we cannot move on with our future! We might not know what the future will bring, but we know Who holds our future! Center yourself in the reality that you were created by a magnificent God who loves you and only wants the best for you. We just have to do our part and let God be God! The older one gets, the more loved ones we will lose. The more we realize that things and people in our lives grow up and change. When we feel sad and overwhelmed with grief, do something for someone else. Give them a gift-it does not have to cost much. Take a meal to help a young mother with several small children because you know how overwhelming it can be. Get some girls together and go see a movie or just go out to eat together. Call or visit an older person who is feeling alone and cannot get out because of the affects that age can have on the body. When we interact with others, share ourselves with others, we can help ourselves and also them to refocus back on what we were created for in this particular season in our lives.

Voices in my head! When they are negative or sad, we do not have to let them take root in our thoughts. Refocus, share, pray and read scriptures. The good Lord is just waiting for you to reach out to Him and immerse yourself in His word. What are the voices in your head trying to say or make you believe? Replace them with the goodness that only God can give you. That is exactly what I will try to do. Will you join me in getting rid of those negative voices in our heads? Voices! How powerful they can be for our future!

Till next time!                    Keela

BLESSINGS IN THE UNEXPECTED

As we have come to the holiday season, I have been decorating my home. I see so many of my mother’s and grandmother’s decorations bringing so many memories of times gone by. My grandmother created a lot of holiday ceramics. I have sitting on my desk, the three reindeer that she painted. I put out a white ceramic tree that lights up, with red birds as ornaments, that she had made so many years ago for me. My mother liked the “12 Days of Christmas” song. She always hung the twelve ornaments I gave her with the different verses on it, from her dining room chandelier.  I now have them hanging from mine. My husband has been gone ten years this last October. He loved to play Santa Claus for the boy scout troop, for special needs kids and even as the Walmart Santa in my area. I have a precious picture of him as Santa with my grandson, A.J. A.J. was maybe about 4 or so. He is wearing reindeer antlers on his head, standing in front of my husband, Santa. My husband has his head turned to the side, leaning forward to talk to A.J.  The sweet thing is, A.J. had no idea that he was really talking to his grandpa. Such a wonderful picture to set out this time of year! One year my husband recorded his voice on an ornament that has his picture as Santa on it. The first year after his death, it brought me to tears hearing his voice and remembering how much he loved to play Santa and be with the kids. The picture I have for this blog, is my great-granddaughter, Delaney, kissing that ornament which hangs on my oldest son’s tree. She will never know her great- grandpa, but we will keep his memory and the memory of my mother and grandmother alive for future generations to come. The death of our loved ones is so unexpected in how we had envisioned our future!

Thanksgiving has come and gone since I last wrote. My daughter and family made the long trip here from Virginia, with four kids and two dogs. I had so much planned for the few days they were here: getting a picture of all my grandkids together at one time, spending a holiday together with them which we had not done for many years. I have been back & forth to visit them but the rest of my family had never seen little Iley who had just turned a year old and they had not seen my Navy son-in-law for three years! I was so excited for family here to get to know our littlest one and spend time all together. But the unexpected happened when they got here. Little Iley was not feeling well when they got here. We were thinking it was just a cold. But then she started running a fever and had trouble breathing. We took her to the emergency room and they sent her very quickly to a pediatric hospital. She ended up having RVS which is baby bronchitis and contagious to children under the age of 12. She, my daughter and son-in-law ended up at the hospital three of the five nights and days they were here. Not what we had expected the holiday week to be like. I was in charge of the two dogs and three other kids under the age of 10. I was so worried about our little one. I know and have taught women to not worry. But in reality, we all worry from time to time. We just need to remember to reach up to God during times like this and give the problem to Him trusting in faith that He will take care of the situation for us. I was so sad that they were having to spend their Thanksgiving holiday at the hospital. We took lots of pictures that day, but we had three family members missing from those pictures. I was so sad that we could not get all of family in picture at once. That had not happened for three years before and never with little Iley in them. Unexpected!

 I had the other three grandkids, Adasen who is 10, Owen who is 8 and Opal who is 5. Also, their two little dachshunds, one who is blind. I realized, even though I was sad about how the holiday was turning out, that here were these three precious grandchildren in my care. Little Opal was in the bathroom for a long time and I knocked on the door to see if she was ok. I heard a little voice say no. I opened the door and there she was sitting in the bathroom crying. I asked her what was wrong and she asked me if little Iley was going to die. It was right then that I realized I had to make this Thanksgiving a memory maker for these three sweet ones. (I won’t lie. I am very thankful for the Disney channel on tv, when they got a bit rambunctious! Ha!)  We played games, colored, giggled, read books and played hide and seek. I had planned on Friday night after Thanksgiving, to have a little Christmas for just my daughter’s family since we do not ever get to actually see them open their gifts. My son-in-law came but my daughter and Iley were still in the hospital. Unexpected!

That day I gave the three kids jobs around the house and told them we would go to McDonalds when they finished. I had them line up along my kitchen cabinet and we made some cookies, each one having a different job. I had them take their presents and put under the tree. During the time of our party, we had so much fun. My mother had a tradition that she would read a story she had made up about what had happened since last Christmas, in our family. She had drums, bells, reindeer antlers, Santa hats and horns and at certain times she would tell the drummers to beat their drums, ring those bells, etc. Since her death, my brother has taken on coming up with a story and reading it. He wanted to do it at their Christmas party so they could experience the fun. Even though my daughter and little Iley were not there, we still did it and had so much fun. My brother had a special gift for all of us after. We all got different colors of little ceramic trees with lights on them that actually light up, just like what my grandmother had made so many years ago. Unexpected and heart felt!

There were many blessings during all of the unexpected ways our Thanksgiving turned out. My son-in-law was with my daughter and Iley when this happened. He was not gone out on leave! This unexpected happening was when she had family surrounding her to take care of kids and dogs. My son-in-law had to be back home Monday at 7am, to go out on leave for about three weeks. Iley had to breathe on her own all night, without any oxygen before the hospital would release her. As of Friday night, we did not know if she would be released in time for them to start the long drive home before early Monday. We started thinking that we could fly him back, but then my daughter would have a sick baby, three other kids and two dogs to try to drive all the way back home alone! We all started praying that God would give good health back to little Iley and they could all travel home together. Praise God for answered prayers! The hospital released Iley on Saturday morning and they were all packed up and left about noon. I am always very sad when I have to leave my daughter and family. But this time I was full of praise to God that they were able to get on their way. Do I miss those little munchkins snuggles and laughter? Of course, I do! I texted all my family here and told them that they had gotten on their way home and said that I was going to go out for some shopping therapy!

Was my Thanksgiving what I had planned for? No, not at all! But when life throws you the unexpected, we have to look for the blessings that are intermingled through all of those unrealized expectations! God will never fail you. God is always by your side holding you up when you don’t think you can take another step. God is with you when your future with your husband is cut short by death or when your amazing, supportive mother passes away before you are ready to let her go! Life can kick us in our guts, way deep down! But God has promised us that one day when we become a passing memory, that we have a heavenly home waiting for us!

This holiday season, if your plans do not work out like you had hoped they would, remember to find all the many blessings that God is giving you and helping you through. Don’t take your loved ones for granted! Hold them tight, laugh, take pictures for future generations, put away your phones and concentrate on them and them only!

I want to leave you, this year, with my favorite verse in the Bible. One that has given me hope in troubled times and the ability to keep on going and working for the Lord.

Isaiah 40:28-31. “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable, He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

May God bless your time with family! May He bring you peace for the unexpected! May He help you to remember to be thankful for the times you can be with family! May He help you to be thankful for your blessings during the unexpected! Happy holidays!

Till next year!                 Keela

THANKSGIVING

I am already making my list of what I need from the grocery store, for Thanksgiving at my son & daughter-in-law. I am usually asked to bring the same thing: broccoli casserole, frozen pink stuff, deviled eggs and seven-layer salad. I am so blessed that my daughter & family from Virginia, will be here this year. My family here, have never seen their little daughter, who just turned a year last week. It has been three years since my family here have seen her husband, who is in the Navy. I will have all eight of my grandkids & my one great-granddaughter together. Those of you who know me, realize there will be a lot of pictures taken! We are truly going to make some memories! I am so thankful that they are going to make the long trip to us!

Let’s go back to the first Thanksgiving. In the early 1600’s, English colonists had traveled across the ocean to a new land. Most of the passengers failed to survive the first few months. The weakened remaining pilgrims from the voyage, did not know how to take care of themselves in this wild new land. The Indians from the Wampanoag tribe, shared their knowledge of crops and how to build shelter against the cold of the winter. The pilgrims celebrated thanksgiving as a part of their religion. But those were days of prayer, not feasting. Our national holiday stems from the feast held in autumn of 1621 between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe. This was celebrated, in thanksgiving, for their first successful harvest.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Sometimes it gets pushed to the side by all the Christmas decorations and merchandise. We as the family of God, should celebrate thanksgiving every day. There are so many things for us to be thankful for! Let’s look at some scripture to help get our mind centered.  

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Paul was finishing up his letter to the Philippian brethren. He uses the word “everything.” He is telling them in every situation to pray to God. When we do this, we can find the kind of peace that only God can give, which is beyond our understanding. This kind of peace can help protect us from external corrupting influences and keep our hearts and minds, focused on His truth. Thank you, God, for giving us this peace!

1 Corinthians 11:24-26 Paul shares that on the same night Jesus was betrayed He said, “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take eat, this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’’ In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”  1 Corinthians 15:56-57 “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Especially when wetake the Lord’s Supper, we are to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us through His earthly body, giving us victory over sin through Him. Without that sacrifice, we would have no hope. We need to be thankful every day for our Lord and Savior!

Philippians 1:3-4 reads “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you with all joy.”  Paul ends this letter to the Philippian brethren, letting them know he prays for them in love and in thanksgiving, for all they have done to spread the gospel.

Psalm 107, starts the chapter out with “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Then,four different times in this chapter, we read “Oh, that man would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness. And for His wonderful works to the children of men.”  This chapter tells, in praise, of the things the Lord has done for the Israelites and applies to us today. Sit down and read this amazing chapter in praise to God for His goodness and mercy which endures forever! Actually, read the whole book of Psalm some time. Amazing!

Even when the happenings of life get us down, there are so many things we still can be thankful for. I have realized when I am down and out, if I start thinking of all my blessings-my attitude towards the struggle I am going through, changes. I look at life in a more positive way. I go to God in prayer and thanksgiving. He helps me realize that through Him there is hope for the future. Maybe my trial has not changed, but my attitude has!

So, this Thanksgiving when you sit down to the dinner table, look around you at your family and friends God has given you. Put away your cell phones and focus on what really matters-the family and friends who surround you. Don’t just start putting the mashed potatoes with gravy on your plate, but stop and give thanks for the gifts the good Lord has given you. There are many this holiday season who are not as blessed as we are. People who are cold and hungry. People who will not have left overs like we always do for the next meal. We have abundance. They have nothing. While you are reading this article, look around you right now. What do you see? I have so much to decorate every season. I see so many reminders of my mother in my home. After she passed away, I have furniture and trinkets that remind me of the love she had for her family and the blessings she gave us! Life is fleeting! Tell your loved ones today how much you love them! As I am writing this, the snow is flying outside. I am in this warm home. How long has it been since I thanked God for that? I have found that once I start making a list of my blessings, that there is just not enough paper to list them all. Put into your mind something you are thankful for and each day, pray for that one thing all day. When you do that, no matter what is going on in your life, your attitude will change and you will remember the hope that God has given us!

I am going to just write one more article after this one, before the end of the year. I don’t know about you, but my life is truly crazy after Thanksgiving. I am still working and as I have told people, work gets in the way of my social life! Ha! There are so many things I want to get accomplished before the end of the year. So many places to be-people to see-parties to go to. I have truly been blessed and I need to remember to be thankful. I am so thankful for you reading this article today and walking this journey with me. I hope that my articles will give you hope for your future and help you put one foot in front of the other on this journey, we call life.

The picture that I put at the first part of this post, is one Thanksgiving many years ago. My daughter, Ashley was in high school at the time. My husband loved the “blow ups” for each occasion-Santa, pink bunny and turkey! My oldest grandson, Austin is on Ashley’s shoulders. My granddaughters, Alexis and Aubrie by her side. And the little one is A.J. I remember saying “Ashley has stinky feet!” And that is the reaction they all had. What a blessed memory! One of my favorite pictures from many years ago. My husband has long since passed away and my daughter is now married with her four little ones. There are times that I feel sad about the time that has flown by but I look at a picture or think of something that happened and it makes me smile and brings me joy! Don’t just look to the past. Look at the here and now and be thankful! Cherish the memories and praise God for them.

May you all have an amazing Thanksgiving with family and friends! Take pictures so that you can look back. There are many of my family members who have passed away and I cherish all those pictures that I have of them, to look at and remember times gone by. May God bless you, give you hope and help you to be thankful, not only this time of year, but every day.

Till next time!                                                   Keela