It's a Birthday Week!!!

Today is our Granddaughter's birthday! It was 15 years ago that we welcomed Abigail Lea into our arms and hearts! She is a wonderful blessing to us and we thank the Lord for her beautiful spirit and loving heart. She brings us so much joy, laughter, and happiness! Her life is a testimony to the Lord in everything she does. Happy Birthday Sweet Abby Lea! You are loved very much!

Actually, this whole week is a celebration of birthdays in our family! On Monday, July 6th, we celebrated our son, Eric's, 36th birthday! It is a very special blessing to have a son, especially if you are a Dairy Farmer, as my husband is. We had a lovely daughter and our family was complete when the Lord gave us a son! Now he farms alongside his Dad. The farm runs smoothly because of their teamwork and love for God's creations.

But that's not all!!! Just one year ago on Saturday, the Lord blessed Eric and his wife Rachel, with a beautiful son!! Wheaton Randall Bleich entered this world on July 11, 2008 and he has brought a smile to our lives ever since!! He is a bundle of energy and joy that we totally enjoy! Every day is a new adventure to Wheaton and we are privilaged to share in his findings.

So we are celebrating the joys of family and the miracles of birth. We are so blessed to have two wonderful, adult, "children" and their spouses, and 6 fantastic grands to complete our earthly family. Because the only things that we can take to Heaven with us, are the souls of those we love, we pray faithfully for our family and trust that we will all be together for eternity

I have the mind of Christ!

I can't believe that April is almost over already! So I must "blog" today! I have been considering my "self-worth" - which is: 'the authentic self-esteem rooted in my uniqueness as a child of God'. In 2 Corinthians 4:16, it says: "...I am not to lose heart. Even though I am wasting away outwardly, inside, I am being renewed day by day!"

Because I am "mortally eternal" I must have faith in the unseen (v. 18)..."being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see"(Heb. 11:1)

So when I ask myself:

Why am I here?

What is my life goal?

How do I want to be remembered?

I must remind myself of what is lovely, true, gracious and worthy of praise....about ME!!! So I need to keep my focus ahead of me, rather than behind me! My peak moments are actually my potential showing!

There is a song we used to sing: "Make me a blessing, make me a blessing, out of my life, may Jesus shine...make me a blessing to someone today!" That's what I want for my life!! To be a blessing to others, my God, my husband, my family and my friends. I want to serve the people that God sends into my life on a daily basis, and I want to share Jesus with everyone I meet!!

As we close another month of the year 2009, I hope I have blessed YOU today! Remember that God created you special and He loves YOU so very much! Turn your life over to Him and watch Him do wonderful things through your life. Be a blessing in "your world" and be blessed!!!

Focusing on What Produces JOY!!!

I finally got back into my "4:8 Principle" today!! I have been aiming my "spotlight" (thinking) in the wrong direction!! So here are some questions to help me redirect my thinking:

1. What are 5 things I'm thankful for? (that's easy and fun!)
2. What are 5 of my strengths or positive traits? (not so easy!)
3. What are 5 of my best achievements so far? (even harder!!)
4. Who are 5 people who love me most? (love this one the most!!)
5. What 5 things am I looking forward to in the next 7 days? (this will take some prayer!)

4:8 Questions = 4:8 Thinking = JOY-Filled Life!!!

Now I need to put this into practice in my everyday life!

I can't believe it!!!!

It's my "Spiritual Birthday"!!

Remember the saying: "Today is the 1st day of the rest of your life"?! Well, 39 years ago, it really was the "1st day of the rest of my life!! Because of the love of a friend, Linda Brown, I met the Best Friend anyone could ever have - Jesus Christ - and He has made my life complete, my family complete, and my whole world right! I have never, ever, regretted my decision to give Jesus my heart and complete control of my life - every day He shows me how much He really loves me...and the wonderful things He plans for me are better than I could ever dream! I know that He only wants the very best for me and my life is abundantly fulfilling because of His Life in me.
I highly recommend that you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior because: "...He is able to do superabundantly far over and above all that we dare ask or think - infinately beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams" (Ephesians 3:20)

Happy Birthday Daughter!

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"Thinking" 2009

This is my goal for 2009!!! I am reading "The 4:8 Principle" in my devotions - a very good book by Tommy Newberry. He says that "no area of my life is untouched by my thoughts"....thus I need to choose to become "intentional" in my thinking and strive to "think like God thinks" in order to live a more joy-filled life - as God intended!!!

So....I am going to take this slow and work on my thinking! First, I am going to "create a fresh start" - and that's what I'm doing here!!! That's why the background is so plain!!!! I tried to change the theme and lost everything!! My blogging knowledge is at kindergarten level right now!! I need help from my Granddaughter Abby!!

This week I am determining to "celebrate God all day, every day - revel in Him!"

I am going to try not to "fret or worry" but instead - pray!!!! "Let petitions and praises shape my worries into prayers....letting God know my concerns"! That isn't easy for me, but I know I can do it....with Jesus' help!

I need to fill my mind and meditate on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not the things to curse." Phil 4:8 (from The Message)

So that's where I am "at" this week!!! If I can organize my time and my thoughts, I might even be able to post here on a regular basis!!! That's my goal anyway! What's yours??? Want to join me??? What can we lose?....better yet - what will we gain????!!!!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook