Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Last Day to Save Money!
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Special Baby
Mary's Baby
Most mothers think their baby is the cutest, sweetest, and brightest baby ever born, and they believe their child will grow up to make a major contribution to the world.
If the mom holds athletics in her DNA, perhaps she dreams her baby will become another Tom Brady or a Michael Jordan. If the mom’s family is known for high IQs, she imagines her child will be another Einstein or Elon Musk. But present-day mothers can merely hope and fantasize about their baby’s destiny.
The Virgin Mary knew with certainty that her baby was special. An angel told her.
When the angel, Gabriel, told the virgin Mary she would have a baby boy, Gabriel also told the terrified teenage mother-to-be that her baby would be the Son of the Most High, would rule over the house of Jacob, and His rule would have no end. Luke 1:30.
No need for an ultrasound here. Mary received a Divine Revelation.
What was in Mary’s DNA to make this baby special?
She belonged to the tribe of Judah.
Other than her ancestry, Scripture doesn’t divulge why she found favor with God.
Did Gabriel tell Mary her son would die on the cross? Nope. He didn’t reveal that.
Did Gabriel say, “And by the way, your heart will break as you watch your son die.” Nope. He left that out.
Did ole Gabe tell her how to raise this special child? Nope, nary a word.
That little teenage girl knew she carried a special baby, but like all mothers, she didn’t know the future. She was a mere mortal, chosen to live an astonishing life as a parent to a normal baby who really wasn’t normal. He was an ordinary baby, with typical infant needs, but He was also the Son of God.
How did Mary parent Him?
With love, affection, and discipline. That’s what mothers do.
Both eBook and Print on Sale
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Scammers
When tricksters learn our loved one is gone, they find way to cheat us.
I have a doctor sending me notices for services he
didn’t do. An ambulance company sent a bill for services they didn’t perform.
Tips for Caregivers.
1. If an invoice arrives, check it out before you pay it.
2. Be careful what you put on social media.
3. Remember hackers are out there, and they read obits.
4. Check the Internet to see how many times you find your loved one’s
name. You can send a cease-and-desist letter to the organizations that have
misinformation. I had our funeral home write one to Echovita. They are an Internet site that gathers obits. They make up
their own obit based on what they find and read. I don’t think they gather info
to harm. They say they want to help, but it is more information for scammers.
5. As we close Shelley’s business, one entity wanted us to take a picture of the death certificate and email it. I didn’t think that was a good idea. Secure sites get hacked. Any information with her name, social security number, etc. should be kept safe. Smart hackers can trace data back to the family and who knows what sort of evil they can plan.
Another Christmas Book on Sale
Monday, December 16, 2024
Do What You Don't Want to Do
Just
Do It!
That’s my hubby’s motto, and he does what is needed
without procrastination.
Me? Not so
much.
I put off things I don’t like. I hesitate on stuff I
do like.
When I do what needs to be done, I feel better about
myself. How about you?
I’ve done all sorts of things to help myself. Here’s a
few ways I’ve tried to improve.
1. Set
goals. Yep, I’ve done that. I’ve even written them down. Sometimes they helped,
and I felt good about my accomplishments.
2. Just
start with something. My desk is a good example. When I sort through the
stacks, I’m proud of the clean areas.
3. Ask
someone who is good at organizing to help you. It’s amazing what these people
can see that you can’t.
4. I
read a list once. It said to create habits. Well, I’ve done that, but I develop
bad routines. If I start to write a blog, shouldn’t I play a game of Scrabble
first? I need to keep my mind alert, don’t I?
5. My
motto these days is to do at least one thing. That might be to cook a good
meal. It could mean I organize a closet. Or go to the gym. Today, I’m writing a
blog.
While writing this blog, a verse came to me. It says:
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with
all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither
working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes
9:10
Solomon, the author of this verse, was correct. When
we get to our destination, Heaven, there is no working or planning. But he was
wrong about knowledge and wisdom. Up there, we will have plenty of that. However,
while down here, we should work with all our might.
Here’ a video I did yesterday as I sat in my hubby’s
truck. I didn’t want to go to church yesterday. I didn’t feel up to it, but I
went, and afterward, I was happy I did.
Just Do It!
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Angel in my Pocket
My dainty,
crocheted, angel winked at me.
Honest! She
did.
Her little,
white, stitched face doesn’t have eyes like yours and mine. But I saw a sparkle
where her eyes should be.
She has snowy
hair, and so is mine, but her tresses were recently coifed by the
sweet lady who crocheted her. Mine need a lot of help.
Her golden
wings shine and never appear tarnished. Either this little angel is always
perfect, or her wings are brand new. If she grows into someone like me. She’ll
need to hoist down the halo/wings and polish them every day.
When she
arrived, her note said she’s a pocket angel to be with me throughout the
day. She is a reminder that God is nearby.
She hasn’t
gone to my pocket yet. She sits on my desk and leans against the computer
screen. She sees me working away.
She knows
when I’m sad. So, she winks at me, and I feel better. Her tag reads, “I’m an ever-present guardian,
a reminder of God’s love, and how He’s watching over us from somewhere up
above.”
I write
about an angel named Sarah, and I’ve named this little one who sits near me, “Sarah.”
Unlike the Sarah at my desk, my Sarah is not a good, ever-present guardian.
She’s Heaven’s Little Love Angel. She brings romance into the lives of
earthlings who are her assignment.
But she makes a mess. In the end, she gets things straight, but not without a bit of help from someone in The Heavenlies. Her angel friends are always ready to pat her on the shoulder or give her words of wisdom and encouragement.
On Earth
down here, we sometimes need a bit of help, and it’s a beautiful gift when one
of our human friends extends kindness.
We can give
a smile or word to those who sad.
Or if you
know how to crochet, send a pocket angel.