Need directions? Don't ask me unless you want to get lost!

Why am I so directionally challenged???  It is so easy for me to get lost.  I hate getting lost.  I spent at least an hour today not knowing exactly where I was.....yes, I was using the gps map on my iphone.  Yes, I was watching that little green dot moving along the green line that was my trip map.  No one ever told me that the green dot keeps moving if you lose your cell signal.  But all that means is, it moves whatever direction you are going.  You can no longer see the map - just the green dot moving on the line.  Next thing I know, the map is back.  That's when I noticed that the signal was back - which, by the way, I had not figured out before this.  That's also when I noticed that my little green dot was moving in the oppposite direction of my green line where I was supposed to be.  I was sooooo disappointed to realize that I was going the wrong way, and that, of course, I had no idea where I had taken a wrong turn (or not taken the right one).  To top it all off, I had been behind a white truck for miles.  At this very moment, they decided to turn right.  I figured they would think I was following them, if I chose to turn the same place (so I could turn around), so I kept going a little ways longer. 

As I turned around and re-set the trip planner from my current location, I couldn't help but think about some things I wished I had done differently this morning before I left home.  I made this same trip a few months ago with no problem, so I didn't really even think about getting the directions again.  Big mistake!!  Two other people from my town were also coming here.  Why didn't we caravan?  Cell phones are nice, but they cannot be depended on when there is no signal.  The only think that would have made me feel totally at ease would have been to know the directions by heart.  That would have given me full confidence that I knew exactly where to go and what to do.

I thought about my Christian walk then, and how important it is to have God's Word in my heart - to know some scripture from memory.  We don't always have time to look up a verse or call someone when something happens quickly.  What great assurance it is to remember what God promised when facing hard times.  It only takes a few seconds to go from worry to peace when you can recall what God's Word says about your situation.  It is the best thing you can have to help you know where to go and what to do. 

---- I added something to my blog today.  I made it at Wordle.net.  It's made to take ideas, comments, or feelings from a group and put the answers given most in larger print, and then smaller prints for other words, according to the number of times that answer was given.  You can also use it to enter your blog address, and it will make a wordle out of the words you used on your blog.  The words that occured more often are in the largest print. 

I got a big blessing out of this.  Check it out!  It's fun.  I hope you have a great week.  God bless!

Small Miracles

(but miracles, nonetheless)


Earlier today, I was standing at the kitchen sink and looking out the window, when something that was small went flying through the air.  Expectantly, my heart jumped, and I was excited.  Was it a hummingbird?  I felt such a thrill to think it might be.  Have you ever felt that way? 

I began to think about hummingbirds and how hard and rare it is to see one.  But then God reminded of something.  If you want to see hummingbirds, you have to create the right conditions - the sweet nectar they eat; the right kind of feeder; and the right kind of flowers.  If you have all those things, you will see hummingbirds quite often.  I don't have all those things, so on the very rare occasion that I do see a hummingbird in my yard, it feels like a small miracle to me and gives me such a blessing.

This made me start thinking about God and miracles.  Some people say miracles don't happen anymore.  I know they do because I have experienced some, and no one can convince me that they are not real.  However, miracles need the right conditions to be seen, just like hummingbirds do.  The most important thing you need is faith in God's ability and love for you.  Whatever you ask for must agree with His Word and His Will for your life.  You cannot have the faith you need if you do not know Him well enough to trust Him completely.  You cannot know Him unless you spend much time with Him in the Word and prayer. 

Think of someone in your life that you love very much.  How often do you think about them during the day?  How often do you spend time with them or talk to them?  Do you think about your Heavenly Father during the day?  Do you take the time to talk to Him and spend time with Him?  As far back as I can remember, I talk to Him every day.  I cannot imagine not doing it.  He is such a vital part of my life.  I don't want to go a day without talking to Him.  Still, I ask myself if I have enough faith to believe Him for a miracle.  Do you? 

Times are hard right now for a lot of people.  The Bible tells us that they will get even harder.  I know I need to spend even more time with Him and in reading His Word, which is our lifeline to survive in the trials and temptations of our lives.  I hope you will join me.  I pray God blesses you this week and draws you into His Presence and gives you so much joy that you overflow on others.