ABOUT A DOG!

Enjoying Obedience Training.  Some people don't do this with their dogs, but I highly recommend My Best Friend Dog Training Group.  I have been through four different ones, and they are the creme de la crop!

Jax at 6 months old is the star.  You wouldn't think so, but he loves it, it must be the poodle in him.

He goes to his mat when told, he leaves it if I so direct, and comes, sits, stays, works on dog puzzles like they are just ho hum!  Amazing animal.  Naturally I thought he wouldn't or any other dog would ever replace Dakota.  They are all different, and I would have missed the most fun time of my life right now had I not taken a chance.

A friend of mine Tracy Barse who co-owns Find Great Companies, said "Go call Cathy, my sister in law, you know her."  I waited 2 months, and she reminded me again.  So I did it, what a BLAST!

Thank you Tracy and special thanks to a good breeder family Cathy and Terry Brunner.

Thanks Jax.

CELEBRATING PHIL LONGSWORTH!

ON THE LEFT - PHIL LONGSWORTH - DECEASED 8-22-14!!!

What can I say about the most God-fearing, generous, giving, praying man in our lives.  Phil is celebrating his first day in heaven with Jesus!  For that we can celebrate.  For his friends here it has been a devastating day.

The circumstances of his death remains as bazaar as everything else that goes on in this day and age.
Thank you God for our conversation Tuesday night.  I remain breathless over how that came about.
His son who was arrested recently for trying to bury a man alive took a long time to sort out.  We discussed how things happen in our lives we just don't understand.  I told him I loved him and I would be praying for him.  Two days later he is gone.  We must remember to let those people in our lives know we love them, we can never take that for granted.

The family situation lends our Prayer Team Partners to decide that we will celebrate his life our way very soon.  Coleen Sommers will officiate as he would have wanted. 

Our lives have been touched by this man and he made our world better.  He never failed to tell people they needed Jesus, he prayed for us every day and I wouldn't have taught The Full Armor of God without him pushing me.

He is free, free indeed!  But we still wish he was here with us.  He brought new meaning to the word
LOVE.

TO CIRCUMVENT, OR NOT TO CIRCUMVENT, THAT IS THE QUESTION?

As you are maybe catching on, I love Jesus Calling.  I am convicted every day.  So, I have to share this with you because, I don't know about you, but this is me.

August 18th, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Expect to encounter adversity in your life, remembering that you live in a deeply fallen world.  Stop trying to find a way that circumvents difficulties.

The main problem with an easy life is that it masks your need for Me.  When you became a Christian, I infused My very Life into you, empowering you to live on a supernatural plane by depending on Me.
Anticipate coming face to face with impossibilities:  situations totally beyond your ability to handle.  This awareness of your inadequacy is not something you should try to evade.  It is precisely where I want you -- the best place to encounter Me in My Glory and Power.  When you see armies of problems marching toward you, cry out to Me to fight for you.  Watch Me working on your behlaf, as you rest in the shadow of My Almighty Presence.

Rev. 19: 1  -  Paslam 91: 1  and Psalm 55: 17

Evening, morning and noon - I cry out in distress, and you hear me.

WORKING IT!

Practicing the Presence of the Lord is not some trite little phrase.  It is WORK.  It takes vigilance and sheer determination.

PS 95: 1,2, and 3

O come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation!  Let us come before His presence with Thanksgiving;  let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.  For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

That is what I had to do in spades this week.  Practice the presence and sing.  I realized my zeal has been a little out of touch, well okay, so it was more than a little.  The physical side of myself was getting out of whack again and it got to me.  I was not enjoying get togethers, or much of anything.

I had found myself making an appointment for a third back injection and then the colon went whacko on me again.  So I called it all in and realized I needed to praise, practice and sing this week.  Although I don't know the outcome of some important tests this week, I am leaving it with Him.  And, as always, He comes through when you finally let it go and let Him work all things together for good.  Tomorrow I will know something, and whatever that word is negative or positive, I will let Him know by praising and thanking, and standing on the rock.  I will sing about Joy and pretty soon it starts to come.  Try it.  If you need to that is.

HOW TO CATCH A CURVE BALL!

Curve balls are always a surprise.  I have watched some baseball, and have watched a lot of bowling enthusiasts.  it is amazing how you can set a ball down on the floor in one place and then suddenly it starts to curve over and they get a strike.  Same thing with watching a baseball leave the glove and it does not go where it began.

In life we get hit with a lot of surprises.  I also was watching Illusionists last night on the CW.  You have to be watching closely to what they are doing.  However, it doesn't seem to matter they fool you anyway.  I have always liked figuring things out and I can't figure those people out for one minute.  I believe they trick you into watching something and then they do something behind your back or theirs.  We just can't predict those surprises.  We don't have eyes in the back of our heads.  The hand is quicker then the eye.  Life's events seem to fit that groove very well.

If someone had told me ten years ago, that in 2014 I would be a member of the County Line Church after twenty seven years at Dayspring, and that I would be now taking Zumba lessons in the old sanctuary of Dayspring. . .I would still be laughing at them.  No way, not ever!  Who would put a gym in a sanctuary.  Life's little surprises.  I can name several types of surprises, but you know them, they happen to you too!

It still takes me back to two verses.  Psalm 37:4  Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.  Ps 37: 5  Commit your way to the Lord (roll repose each care of your load on Him); trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.   And, naturally, Romans 8: 28 where He promises that he will works all things together for good. .

Things we desire, want, need, and the surprises are all His doing.  I have learned these past few years, to like it says - roll - trust, rely on, lean on.  He does the impossible.  You know and must admit that you have heard Him say in your head at times. . ."Leave it to me!"   I am just amazed at that whole curve ball thing.  You are pretty sure this "thing" can't be worked out, it would take a miracle.  And, then suddenly something weird comes out the back field.  Personally, I have grown to love it.

I remember last summer thinking. . ."What is going to happen to Emily.  She is in the hospital down south and now they want to send her to the one in Chicago because they can't help her?"  Erik needs to move to the Carroll District and there are no homes available.  We all agreed to let her go to Chicago, and in 24 hours they found the problem with her liver enzymes.  In 4 weeks, Erik found a house to rent just across the street from Carroll High School.  She can walk to school even.  That was when I said, hands off Shirley.  Make the prayer request, and then ask God for Him to work out the rest.  In His time, every time.  Do you trust Him that much?  What stories could you tell?