Photo Credit At one point or another we each go through various trials in our lives. .... moments where we feel weakness. These times of weakness can come when we hear the diagnoses of cancer, the loss of a job, not having enough income, wondering how the next bill will get paid, a lack of peace within the family. When we go to through these trials we can get to a point where we feel as if there is no way out. We see people in the Bible from Joseph to Peter who suffered for the Lord's sake, so that a greater good might come. The Bible tells us that our faith will go through times of testing... "So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of ... read more
Change of Focus
In the photo above my prayer cross rests on my grandmother's Bible. It rests on words of wisdom of David offering thanksgiving to God. It's a Bible that was worn and loved, as the pages were turned in diligent prayers of faith, offering gratitude and praise to her Lord. Godly legacies of our past are so important because they guide us onto the roads of the future. Roads of change and maturity as we grow closer in our relationship with God.This year won't you join me in changing your focus. Take the focus in your life from the negative to the positive. Find time to be quiet and still before our Father and find things to be thankful for. These things are all around us, if we just take the time to look for them. This year I am joining the Multitudes on Mondays challenge at A Holy ... read more
Tender is Love
Tender is a mother's love for her child as she looks at her newborn son and speaks word of love to him as he stops crying at the sound of her voice...Tender is the love in a daughter's eyes when she looks up at you with a gentle smile and says, "I love you mommy"...Tender is the love held in a man and wife's hands that hold each other and promise vows till death due us part...Tender is the grandmother's eyes that are filled with tears as she says goodbye to her love of almost 40 years..Tender is the love our Father has for us as he welcomes us into his outstretched arms....Today I am linking up with the Gypsy Mama's 5 Minute Friday. For 5 minutes you let words flow freely and just write whatever comes to your mind and heart. Write without worrying about the finished outcome, unscripted and ... read more
Who’s In Control?
As I was making lunch this week, I found myself in the kitchen with my ipod on listening to some wonderful music. The song I was listening to was called , "Our God Is In Control", by Steven Curtis Chapman. While I was listening to this, I found myself raising my hands in worship to our Father. In the middle of my kitchen there I was, along with His angels, offering praise to the King. Carefully read the lyrics and see if you can relate them to a stage you might be going through in your life. This is not how it should beThis is not how it could be But this is how it is And our God is in control This is not how it will be When we finally will seeWe'll see with our own eyes He was always in control And we'll sing holy, holy, holy is our God And we will finally really understand what it ... read more
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
I love black and white photos. Especially ones from long ago. It's as if you can look into their eyes and see what they were trying to tell you, a story of who they were and where they came from. A story that held laughter, joys, hurts and sorrows all rolled into one.The picture above is one of my mom and her three sisters taken in Kansas during the 1930's. From left to right there is my Aunt Betty, Aunt Helen, Aunt Ruby and the little blond one in front, with the great big smile is my mother. My mom is smiling because she was the youngest, and was pretty tickled because she was holding a purse in the picture. Was it her purse, no, it was my Aunt Betty's, henceforth.... she is wearing the frown. This picture always makes me smile. It makes me want to step back in time and see what life was ... read more
Can’t Leave Them Alone Bars
Last weekend my son and I decided to make a family favorite treat called, "Can't Leave Them Alone Bars". We found this recipe in the 2001 January/February issue of Quick Cooking.Ingredients:1 package of white cake mix2 eggs1/3 cup vegetable oil1, 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk1 cup semisweet chocolate chips1/4 butter or margarine cubed First combine dry cake mix with oil. Add two eggs. Mix ingredients together. Place two thirds of the mixture into a 9*13 greased pan. Melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and butter in the microwave on high for 45 seconds, stir. Melt for 45 seconds longer until chips are melted. Pour mixture over crust. Drop teaspoonfuls of remaining cake mixture on top. Bake at 350 for ... read more
The Miller Family Motto
The Miller family on top of the Hard Rock Cafe in Seattle. Our Miller Family Motto is "Choose Joy". This stands for putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last."22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. "Galatians 5:22-23Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit in the Bible. At times, joy is not an easy thing to find. So many other things can get in the way. Petty squabbles, finances, and health seem to be a few of the things that can cloud our view and become joy stealers. We loose our joy when we take our focus of the positive things in life and start to focus on the negative. Our joy is also lost when our priorities are out of place. When we decide to ... read more
Don’t Listen to the Enemy
Sometimes having cancer is not an easy thing. At times, it can easily distract my everyday life and cause me to worry about the future. As the tears fell down my face, he knelt beside the bed and gently placed his hand in mind. The soft blue eyes looked at me as he said, "this is the devil trying to get in your head and cause you to worry. Don't listen to those voices. Focus on the positives, and how God will take care of us each day." The tears finally stopped and my heart was lifted as I focused on my husband words. I am so thankful for a partner of all most 20 years that loves me unconditionally and always stands by my side to remind me where my focus should be. Where is your focus at today? Take a moment to make sure your eyes are on the Savior and not the daily distractions around ... read more
Listening to His Voice
Over the Christmas holidays, I learned a new lesson in being still and listening to His voice. A dear family member had become sick and we had to wait until after Christmas, to find out test results for what could be a serious situation. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ~ pray without ceasing;This is indeed what I did.....prayed without ceasing. Then, I tried to be quite and listen to His voice. One afternoon, as I looked out our basement window I saw the sun majestically reflecting on the beautiful Christmas cactus that rested on the ledge. That's when I heard it. His voice. "Everything will be just fine". I thought, "now is this me, or is this really you Lord"? Then I heard it again, as clear as day. "Everything will be just fine". Times like this is when the Lord wants us to trust Him, and ... read more
Be Still My Soul
Waiting, it's not any easy thing to do. We have many things in life that we wait for, from waiting in line at the store, to waiting at the doctor's office, to waiting for the light to turn green....what are you waiting for today? Many wait for unanswered prayers, for jobs to be found, and for loved ones to come home. Today in the silence of my soul, I wait...wait for test results from the doctor to come in. I wait with prayer and anticipation for what the Lord will bring. I wait with a thankful heart knowing that the Lord, will not give more than what I can handle. Through the waiting I am reminded of a verse in Psalms... Psalms 37:7a "Be be still before the Lord and wait patiently before him:" In your waiting, turn your heart to the Lord, and wait patiently before him. The Lord does not ... read more