Wildfires in Texas and a Final Celebration of Summer

The August heat has dwindled

To autumn-sort of mild;

Vacation time has ended-

Too short...Ask any child.

What happened to the fishing

That each one planned to do?

The space ship's hardly started;

The tent's unfinished, too...

It's "Eat your breakfast!"

And "Hurry, comb your hair,

The bus is at the corner..."

Does any adult care?

Ah, yes, we care,dear children,

But you're too young to know

That as the years march faster,

How short the summers grow.

Taken from: Quiet Moments for Women by June Masters Bacher

                Copyright © 1979 by Harvest House Publishers

                Eugene, Oregon

                Used by Permission.

 This summer has been exceedingly hot and dry!  While there is flooding on the east coast, Texas (Central and Southeast Texas) is on fire.  More than 17,000 acres have been burned, and containing these wildfires has been an impossible task, at best!  Please pray for those who are fighting these fires, those who have been evacuated and/or lost their homes, and those who are spending their holiday weekend ministering to the needs of all!

The weather in the Dallas burbs has been mild, today, and beckons everyone to come outside for this last celebration of summer!  Thank you Lord for refreshing our minds, bodies, and souls as we go back to school, back to work, and back to living, loving, and praising you!  


Blessings! 

Life is Like a Patchwork Quilt

  Life isn't given us all of a piece;

          It's more like a patchwork quilt-

         Each hour and minute a patch to fit in

          To the pattern that's being built.

                     With some patches gay-and come patches dark,

             And some that seem ever so dull-

           But if we were given to set some apart,

         We'd hardly know which to cull.

                       For it takes the dark patches to set off the light,

           And the dull to show up the gay-

And, somehow, the pattern just wouldn't be right

If we took any part away.

No, life isn't given us all of a piece,

But in patches of hours to use,

That each can work out his pattern of life

To whatever design he might choose.

~ Helen Lowrie Marshall ~

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, formerly called Decoration Day, 

commemorates men and women who died while in military service to the United States.

As we remember those who have died, let's not forget to thank those who are still serving.  Pray for those in the military daily.  And, to each of you, have a safe and meaningful holiday!

Blessed Memories!

This is the day the Lord has made...

This is the day the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

 

For many of my friends who have lost loved ones recently, this verse can feel empty.  No matter where they are in their journey through grief, there is still a hole in their hearts where joy once lived; and, the hope of it returning is somewhere over the horizon, out of sight for the time being.

Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

 

Please pray for all who are on the grief journey.  We will all be there at some time, and we need the prayers and love of other believers.

             Ask not how long

             But how well spent each swiftly flying minute;

             "This is the day which God has made;

             Rejoice and be glad in it."

Taken from: Quiet Moments for Women by June Masters Bacher

                Copyright © 1979 by Harvest House Publishers

                Eugene, Oregon

                Used by Permission.

Count your blessings!

Livin' the Roller Coaster Life

Yep! For the last 18 months I have been on a roller coaster ride called Life!  

But thanks be to the God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.  II Corinthians 2:14

Christ has given us his life, that we may live ours, in him.  He is our hope, our strength, our courage, and our bold speech proclaiming him as our Savior! 

Live...spreading the knowledge of the fragrance of God!  Happy Sunday!

Joy and Sabbath Blessings!

The Joy of Neighbors

                                                             How nice to have a backyard fence

                                                             Across which neighbors chat,

                                                             Exchange a cookie recipe-

                                                             Or speak of this and that...

                                                             Someone who'll reach to hold your hand

                                                             When you are feeling sad,

                                                             Or double-twice your happiness

                                                             When you are feeling glad!

                                                             Today my neighbor called to me,

                                                             "Come see my summer rose!"

                                                             And as we chat her coffeepot

                                                             Boils up and overflows.

                                                             We laugh together and she says,

                                                             "Oh well, come in for tea."

                                                             We share a fence, a rose, a cup-

                                                             And, oh, how blessed are we!

Taken from: Quiet Moments for Women by June Masters Bacher

                Copyright © 1979 by Harvest House Publishers

                                                                     Eugene, Oregon

                                                                     Used by Permission.

Yesterday, I got home from work, early, to find one of my dearest neighbors out in her front yard.  Her husband came out, and we chatted in my driveway (as we were admiring my new-ish Ford Escape...I've had it for a couple of months, now), and stayed to chat with us for a while.  As we chatted, my sons unloaded my car, another neighbor came and went, and her husband went inside.  But, having not seen each other in person for a couple of weeks, we sat in the shade and visited for the better part of an hour.  We have been neighbors and friends for almost 33 years.  God has showered us with wonderful, Godly neighbors who have been blessings to us for all that time, and I can never praise him, nor thank him enough!  One of my greatest joys in this life, is knowing that I will get to spend eternity in heaven, with these same people!   

I use many poems written by June Masters Bacher from the devotional book cited above.  This book was given to me by another very dear friend and neighbor, for Christmas in 1985, and I am rediscovering the messages found in this book.  The messages that God clearly laid on Mrs. Bacher's heart.  Thank you, Kathy B. for giving this to me, so long ago! 

My prayer for you, today, is that you will find joy in your friends, neighbors, and community.  That you will stick together in the good times and bad.  That you will laugh and cry with each other.  And, that you will love each other, and praise God together for all eternity.  Thank you, Lord, in advance for answering this prayer!

Love, Hugs, and Prayers for All, 

Special Request

Yesterday, I received the following request in my e-mail, from a sweet friend.


 

To whom ever recieves this note,

Almost 3 years ago I was priveleged with the opportunity to take care of a young patient while working in Houston at The Methodist Hospital. Casey was a 22 yr old newlywed, with an 8 month old baby girl when he was diagnosed with leukemia. Him and his family flew from Kentucky to Houston shortly after diagnosis to be treated. After chemotherapy, blood tranfusions, bone marrow biopsies, etc he went back home and did very well. In March he had a bone marrow biopsy that came back clean, he had been clean for 2 years, so they called him "cured". About a month later he got sick, and another biopsy showed the leukemia was back. Casey went to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. for treatment. The chemo he recieved was very hard on him. His immune system is completely wiped out and he has gotten pneumonia. The pneumonia became too much for his lungs, and it was too difficult for him to breath on his on. He is now in ICU on a ventilator, fighting for his life. With leukemia it takes a while to recover from chemo, their blood counts take a while to come up. It's a slow process, and very hard to watch and wait.

This is a very overwhelming time for Casey's family. They are out of town, in a hospital just waiting for things to get better. His wife Kristen texts me often with questions and updates. Not only is she worried about her husband, but having a 3 yr old who doesn't understand is tolling. I would like them to be overwhelmed in a different way as they face each day of unknowing.  I ask that all of you write a personal note to Casey, Kristen, and Adlee Grace and let them know that you are praying for them.  I would like for them to feel the presence of God and see the love of His people.  In addition, I would ask that you enclose a one dollar bill for each person the note represents  as praying  for them.  As  they see the "prayer dollars" stack up, it will encourage them and give them a special story to tell.  I don't mean for this to be a fund raiser; only for a unique way for them to realize how  many people care for them.   They won't have to "wish they had a dollar for everyone who is  praying for them." Please pass the word (mail, email, text, etc.)  and let's give them something good to remember when they look back on this tough time.

 

Casey Smithson

MICU Rm# 8641

C/O VUMC

1211 Medical Center Dr.

Nashville, TN 37232

 ckarsmithson@gmail.com

 

  Let me know if I can help you help them.

In Him,

Allison (Crowe) Breeding

tbab730@yahoo.com

281-797-2219

I have been praying for this special family, and am mailing my note, today!

Thanks, Allison, for allowing me to share this with my precious, prayer-warrior readers.  

Love, Hugs, and Prayers,