Well, are y'all? And y'all may even be asking why I am asking such a question. If y'all are, then I will refresh us on what I had discussed waaaaaaay back on January 1st. Instead of making a New Years Resolution, which I always know I will break before I even get it out of my mouth, I decided I would challenge myself with something that would be far greater than any resolution I could ever make and keep. The challenge was and is to be able to Rejoice every day. I have felt like "Rejoicing" was something I had forgotten how to do. So, I have made a conscious decision to look for and recognize that I have much to Rejoice about.
Have you ever thought about that particular word? To be honest, I had not really paid that much attention to the word. So, I decided I would get my Strong's Complete Dictionary of Bible Words out and look it up. Just so you know, I did not go further over to the Greek and Hebrew section of the book. With that said, there was 19 different numbers to look up in the Greek and Hebrew sections. Each one having a different meaning of sorts. But, I do want to share with you some of the ideas that the word "Rejoice" has behind it in the 19 different Greek and Hebrew words and wordings. Rejoice; stage of life; delight; to jump for joy; exultant; reveling; leap for joy; wave; shout for joy; to be bright; cheerful; to laugh; to play; to be or make gleesome; to be glad in; to glory in; to boast or brag; to sympathize in gladness. Do these words make you happy or what?! They just make me want to "shout for joy", which of course would be Rejoicing!!!! This is where my mental image just took me: All of us crafters and artists and people who love the Lord, in our area that brings us peace and happiness break out into a "wave" all at the same time, in a celebration of Rejoicing; God seeing the big picture, smiling and proudly saying, "THOSE ARE MY KIDS!" Now, tell me, is that not enough to make you want to rejoice?
In reality, we all do have so much to jump for joy, wave, leap, to laugh, to play, to be bright and to sympathize with in gladness. We don't have to look hard either. So, again Rejoice is my word for the year. And, again, I challenge myself and y'all to look for ways to Rejoice everyday. We won't have to look hard, I'm sure!
I had a major reason for Rejoicing on Sunday, January 11th, 2015. My family finally got to have our Christmas get together at my Mom's. She had texted me earlier in the week and was letting me know that Sunday would be our get together. I had texted he back and let her know that we wouldn't be there, because of my hubby's job. He was supposed to have to work, so we wouldn't get to be there. On Friday, he found out he would have the weekend off and he texted me from work. So, I was thrilled he was just having a weekend off and then I realized we would be able to see Mom and everyone. I did not let my mother know we was gonna be there. I just let it be a surprise to her, and she WAS soooooo surprised as was everyone. It was a great day of family celebration and I have been rejoicing over that.
When we all get together, there is tons of laughs and lots of strolling.........down memory lane, that is. The main conclusion that we all finally come to is that it truly is AMAZING that we all reached adulthood with all limbs, eyes, fingers and toes in tact!!! Each one of us had to have had about 20 guardian angels!!!!!! Looking back on those days, it truly is a miracle! Something was mentioned about breakfast. My oldest brother looked at me with eyes as big as serving trays! I said "Oh my gosh, there has been times that I would have paid $20.00 for a breakfast that my mother used to make. Every morning of the world for more than 30 years she was up about 2:30 a.m. making two cookie sheets of home made biscuits, gravy, bacon, sausage, eggs, oats, and always home made jelly. (Try cooking for 8 mouths and see what time you have to get up and how long it takes.) That is the way we got our day started off, every day. Dad left for work about 5:30 a.m. and then we caught the school bus about 6:00 a.m. Our particular school bus route was the longest route for one bus in the county, so we was on it early. If I ever went home with a friend from school and spent the night, we had corn flakes. Corn flakes don't get you very far in the day. But the breakfast that my mother prepared for her family was fuel that would last till lunch and longer, if needed.
Those are good memories, worth remembering and sharing and passing on to the younger ones. Those are memories worth rejoicing over! I think so anyway, and I hope you do too.
Another funny little thing happened that day. I had shared with y'all back in November about one my brothers coming and spending a major part of the day with us and having such a great time that day. Well, a few years ago he started this little thing that I have just come to expect. When ever we was together, he would say "Hold out your hand", and very cautiously, I would. hehehe The first time, it was a little monkey about 2 to 2 1/2 inches tall. The cutest little thing you ever seen. The next time it was another little monkey with a different pose. He said that was us when we was little. And over the years, there has been little animals, one right after the other. Zebras, hippopotamus, a cardinal, a meerkat, a mouse.........and the list goes on. Well on Sunday, he came over and sat down by me and asked if I ever found anything after he left that day back in November. I said I hadn't and that I was a little disappointed that I didn't, because I was so accustomed (spoiled) to it, that I really expect it now. We laughed and he said "You haven't looked hard enough". Well, I couldn't wait to get home!!!!!! I had searched the living room high and low, but I knew nothing was there, because I would have already found it long ago, had it been in there. I started searching the kitchen, high and low again; knowing that it would be easy enough to overlook in there, but I searched anyway. Nothing!!!
Next, I went to the bathroom, and to be honest, there's not much of a place to hide anything in there, but I kept looking. I have a little cabinet in the bathroom that is about a foot wide and a foot deep and its about 5 foot tall. I have lots of makeup (not that it's used that much) and haircare products and stuff like that in the cabinet. On top of it is a lot of dust (I decorate with dust and glitter), a Victorian style clock, and a set of makeup brushes (again, never used), nail polish remover, hand and body lotion and just stuff like that. I had actually looked up there for something that he might have put up there, but I didn't look really good, just a quick glance and I thought to my self then "I really need to dust the top of that cabinet off", and then I thought of something else, what, I don't remember, just anything to keep from having to dust.
Well, sometime back in December, I was fixin' my hair or something and I bumped into that cabinet and I heard something fall over, but I didn't take the time to see what it was. If I was fixin' my hair, I had plans, and my plans didn't involve dusting, so I forgot about it as quickly as it happened. (One "might" come to the conclusion that I really don't like dusting.......one "might" be right.) Well, then he asked me on Sunday if I had found something and I told him I hadn't. After searching the living room and the kitchen, then I went to the bathroom and was standing there looking all around with my hands on my hips and I just said to myself, "There's really limited space for him to hide something in here". I turned to the cabinet and done the tippie toe thing and, and low and behold, right there behind the clock was a little orangutang patting his head. That is what had fallen over earlier when I bumped the cabinet. I'm telling you what's the truth, if I had taken the time that day to look for and find what had fallen over on the cabinet, I do believe I would have had a heart attack!!!!!!! I really do!!!!! Even as it was, knowing something was somewhere, it really startled me when I found it!!!! I still haven't told him I found it. But I found it about 25 to 30 minutes upon arriving back at home. So, now I will really have to watch him and keep a close eye on him!!!! Hahahahaha Oh how I love it!!!!!! I can see us now when we are old, say, him 92 and me 90, I will be expecting him to give me a little animal and will be disappointed when he "forgets" it. Hahahahaha I don't know why he started, but it is something I look forward to now. So, yes, he has spoiled his little sis.
I have been on a vacation from my blog and just had to sit still and let God be God in my life. It has been a time of refreshing, renewing and reinvigorating. So, I'm back, with a new attitude and a new heart for sharing some of what God has shared with me. I just pray for God's continued guidance in my life as I strive to be the best that I can possibly be for Him, only with His help! I hope I can put off the old Pharisee-ical "law" and walk in the "mercy and grace" of the cross. I hope I can put off the Pharisee-ical pride and walk in the humility of the publican.
I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 This is a sweet scripture full of that mercy and grace. I can't do anything in and of my own strength. But with Christ going before me, being my strength, I CAN DO!!!!!!!!!!
Ladybug, as you sail high this week, I pray for God to direct the vessel! See you soon. Sweetpea loves you bunches!!!!!
I can't wait to start sharing some of the stuff I done during "my silent period". hehehe Nothing spectacular, just fun.
May God richly bless each and every one of y'all with a deeper knowledge and love for Him. Always remember that God loves y'all and so do I!!!! hugs, Patty
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