Tag: joy

Happy Friday ~ The Ring

With love, Mom

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful week. It has been an interesting week. I want to share something that happened to me this week. Once upon a time….(Kidding! So not writing a children’s book!😄)

Years ago, my mother received the opened heart shaped ring above. Not long after my son was born, during one of our visits home to see her, she asked if I like the ring. I said yes and she gave it to me. She said “You’re a mom now, I want you to have it.” I asked if she was sure and she said yes, so I accepted it and wore it for a few years. This week I decided to wear my “mom’s jewelry” things that she had given to me throughout the years. I put on my earrings, put on my “mom” ring, and off to work I went. The ring didn’t fit on my ring finger, but it did fit on my pinky finger albeit a tad loosely. I thought I’ll be careful and it should be alright.

Walking to the mailbox at church to send off some mail, walking through the church building, sitting at my desk working. I did all theses things and managed to keep my ring on. As I sat at my desk working, I didn’t give it a thought. It was later on when I went to wash my hands that I noticed it missing. I thought, NO, not my ring from my mother! I’ve had this ring for over 23 years! I retraced my steps, I went to the mailbox, walked through the building, checked my laptop bag, checked my purse, but all to no avail. It was gone. I had lost the ring. The whole time I was praying asking the Lord to help me find the ring. I backtrack again all the while praying and talking to the Lord. I’m telling Him that it wasn’t the ring itself, but it was the sentiment, it had come from my mom. I tell Him that I know I shouldn’t be worried about material things but…it was a gift from my mom. I ask if it were possible, could I find it. Then I’m saying “I know its stupid to worry about it, it’s just a ring, but my mom gave it to me, if it is possible can I please find it. Please show me.” So I retrace my steps once more, still no ring, so I start going through my laptop bag taking stuff out one at time. No ring. I go through my purse taking everything out, and there at the bottom tucked in a corner, lay my ring.

I started crying, thanking, and praising the Lord. And I sat in awe of the magnitude of finding my ring. It wasn’t the fact that I found it. But what it meant to find it. Of how much I am loved and because He cares so much, He showed me where to find it. I thought about what that meant to me to lose a ring that had sentimental value, to find it, and in that moment, I thought about how far Jesus goes to find His lost sheep. He doesn’t quit. He doesn’t say I give up. He keeps searching until He finds them.

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

Luke 15:4

Jesus says in Matthew…

For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

Matthew 18:11

Have you had a similar experience where you asked the Lord to help you locate something and He has? How did it make you feel? I’d love to hear about your experience.

God bless and have a wonderful weekend.

2020 Celebrating A New Chapter

Can you believe another year has flown by and we’re looking at 2020? Seems like yesterday I was sitting around with coworkers talking about expectations for 2019. And now here we are at 2020. Last year was a year of growth and change for me. I made some new friends. Wonderful women that I still keep in touch with even though we no longer work together.

I send out devotional texts during the week and last year I added a few more people to my list. I started working in ministry again and love it! I’m a reader – ha! ask my family and they would probably say I’m a bookaholic if there’s such a thing– and one book that really caught my eye was, Fervent by Priscilla Shirer from the movie War Room. It has changed the way I pray. Ever have one of those I wish someone had taught me that when I was younger moments? Yeah, its that good and I would highly recommend it. It isn’t just for women even though its written that way. The message in there is for anyone who wants to pray. Really pray. For some it will change the way you pray, for others maybe not so much change the way you pray, but refresh your spirit.

I went through another phase of grieving my mom in 2019. Its been three years since she passed away and I thought I was through with grieving. Sometimes some little thing will remind me of her and I’ll say “God tell mom I love her and miss her”. Once I saw this little Asian woman, someone’s okaasan (mother) and/or possibly their sobo (grandmother), that reminded me of mom and I was like “I want to kidnap her and take her home with me so I can take care of her”. 🙂 Of course I didn’t and I wouldn’t because she was someone’s okaasan or possible sobo and that just wouldn’t have been legal anyway! But she sure did remind me of my own haha (mother). And yes, you just got a mini lesson in Japanese. 🙂 That’s another thing I’ve been working on Japanese. Mom’s native tongue even though she’s no longer here it makes me feel closer to her.

I started this blog and I’m really excited about it! I must admit when I first started blogging I was nervous about it. Still am because this is new territory for me. I have another blog that I post devotionals on but I don’t really write posts like I do here. The thought of people all around the world able to read what I write was a little intimidating for me because I am by nature the person in the background not the person up front where everyone can see you. And let’s face it, in a way a blog is like a stage for all the world to see. But I realized that I am doing what the Lord put on my heart to do and as long as I’m obedient that’s all that matters.

John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

I am looking forward to 2020 and excited to see what’s next!

Broken Pieces

We’ve all been there at one time in our lives. Whether young or old, we’ve all experienced some form of hurt. It could have been the child waiting with anticipation for his or her parents to attend a school play only to have them forget or were too busy with work to attend. The heart begins to crack. Promises broken. Pieces begin to fall away. Or maybe it’s the adult with the promised promotion or bonus that falls through adding to the hurts already there. The list could go on forever.

The enemy whispers “nobody cares about you”, “your not worthy of the promotion”, “look at you, even God doesn’t want you”. He torments you with feelings of unworthiness, shame, betrayal. He digs in pressing on the one thing that he knows will take the wind out of your sails. He is so busy tormenting you that he lets his guard down and doesn’t notice the change in the air around him until it’s too late. He whirls around only to see the Lord picking up the pieces of your broken heart. He screams at the unfairness as he turns and tries to attack you only to find a shield around you that he can’t breach, leaving him frustrated that he lost yet another one to the Lord. I can see this handsome fallen angel shaking his fist promising next time he won’t fail as he slinks away licking his wounds of defeat.

I can almost visualize the Lord picking up the pieces of our hearts and examining each one with loving care. How He might hold the piece in His hand and pray over it taking the hurt from our lives and setting it down to pick up the next piece of hurt and continue the process until each piece has been carefully handled and prayed over. I can imagine Him looking at the pieces after handling them and seeing them put back together again. Smiling as He whispers in our ear “I am with you always.”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Can you see yourself touching the jagged pieces and wondering why He didn’t just make it smooth and whole again? I can envision Him saying something like: “You wonder why the edges aren’t smooth and whole. The jagged pieces are a reminder of what you went through and how I was there for you putting the pieces together so you could find your way home again.”

Psalms 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

He’s waiting on you to open the door so He can heal your broken heart. Praying for you! God Bless!

Christmas Cheer

My favorite time of year to decorate.

Keeping it simple – most of my ornaments are handmade by our son from when he was in elementary school, some are from my sister, and some are from my mom. 🙂

I love putting up the tree and set out my village sets.

North Pole – Not sure if you can see him or not but the pup won the race beating out Santa and Mrs. Claus and Santa’s workers. 🙂
The Village – After all the elves need a place to shop when they aren’t working. 🙂

Putting out the village sets, I was like a kid in the candy store trying to pick out his or her favorite candy only to discover that all of the candy are favorites. It’s a good thing you weren’t here as I decorated. I’m sure you would have shaken your head in wonder. I was talking to the villages telling each piece where it would be placed and how, when you arrive at the train station, you had to be sure to stop by the radio station before making your way to the church. I even told the pup that won the race, that next week he would come in last, so one of Santa’s workers could have a shot at first place. Of course they will all eventually make it to first place it’s only fair. That’s right, a kid in the candy store.

As I was decorating, setting each piece out with care, making sure to find just the right spot, I thought about the time and care that God took when He created the universe and mankind. I could almost visualize His eyes twinkling with anticipation as He rubbed His chin thinking about every detail and the love He would put into it all. Can you see it? Can you imagine the canvas and palette of colors as he created the universe? The loving details He placed in each one of us? Oh to see the joy on His face as He created His masterpieces. I can imagine Him whispering to each us Jeremiah 29:11 reminding us of the things He wants for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

One of my favorite verses, it is a perfect reminder of what He wants for us. Peace. Future. Hope.

It is my prayer that if you don’t already have it, that you will find your peace, your future, and your hope in Him. God bless!

Peace After Chaos

Yeah, it’s that time again. Thanksgiving with the family is over, your belly is full of good eats, your heart is filled with contentment having spent a joyful day with the family and reflecting on the year that just flew by. Now you get to jump into the fray of Black Friday sales where you get to push, shove and fight through crazy crowds of people hoping to get that one little or big item that you just have to have. Of course nowadays all you have to do is turn on the computer, hit a few buttons and snap, you’re done with shopping. No crazy crowds of people, you’re finished with your shopping list and you didn’t even have to leave the house!

Thinking about the chaos that comes with Black Friday sales I started thinking about the enemy and how he the not only likes chaos, he likes to create as much chaos as possible in our lives. He likes to stir up the waters cause strife, confusion, and discontent. A master of deception, he thrives on the chaos he creates.

2 Timothy 2:23 “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they will generate strife.”

As I hit the add to cart tab adding Christmas gifts to the little shopping cart, I think to myself, now this is the way to go. No long lines to wait in, no pushing or shoving to search through piles of stuff on sale. No shopping carts to maneuver around and no people to walk around as they stand in the middle of the aisles talking to friends and acquaintances blocking the path you want to go down. I mean seriously? You’re blocking the aisle when all you have to do is move to one side so people can pass. And just like that I’m not stressing over the gifts I need to buy.

It reminds me of Christ and how He can turn chaos into peace. He takes the chaos in our lives and smooths out the confusion, strife, and discontent when we let Him. Instead of jumping into the fray, we can sit back open the Word feed on His truths letting the chaos slide off our backs as a peace begins to envelope us wrapping us in comfort. It doesn’t mean that we won’t ever again experience chaos in our lives, but as we continue to press in to the Word of God, we will find that we are not alone. He is with us bringing peace in the midst of chaos when we put our trust in Him.

Philippians 4: 6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Chaos reigns when you let it. Peace comes when you seek it and embrace it through Jesus. I’m praying for you.

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