Pixabay and Unsplash are my favorite sites for free photos. Lately, Pixabay has been winning over Unsplash because instead of typing in a subject to browse, I have been stopping to browse the pictures Pixabay features on their first page. In this way, I have found some stunning photos as well as humorous ones. Here is one I found today.
It struck me that this is how I tend to approach God. I “type” in my requests for the day without looking to Him for what he had already chosen to show me.
Dora Bedell became Mrs. Ivan Bowers on April 27, 1937. I put on the rose flowered dress because the long white one didn’t seem right for a small group wedding. Ivan’s dad had arranged for me to have a rose corsage, and the fragrance of those roses has reminded me of that day ever since.
We were married in the basement of the Baptist Church between Sunday School and church by Reverend Swabackland. Lucille and Glen stood up for us. Two of their friends and a child were there. After the wedding, we all went to Glen and Lucille’s for chicken and noodles Sunday dinner.
The ladies of the First Baptist Church of Canon City sent us a shower by mail. We got handmade lunch cloths, pillowcases, and tea towels. Most of the shower gifts were hand hemmed, embroidered, and crocheted. Mother and Dad got us an electric iron. Ivan’s mother and dad got us silver-plate flatware.
We spent our first night in Lovelock at the better hotel on the right side of the tracks. There were slot machines all over the lobby. Ivan put a nickel in one and a jackpot of nickels poured out. But a nickel jackpot didn’t go far and we were running out of money, so after the first night, we moved to the Big Meadows Hotel across the tracks. Accommodations took the last $20 of the original $80.00 we started out with.
Ivan was making $27.50 per week. After the Big Meadows, we rented a large, empty house, empty except for a bed and a table. Lovelock, the county seat, had a population of 2300 and drew Black Foot Indians off the reservation, and miners and ranchers came from a hundred miles away in all directions. Between Safeway and home, 13 bars and gambling parlors and 3 houses of ill repute nearly filled the main street.
We still lived on the wrong side of the tracks and Ivan had to walk past about half those places with his weekly paycheck to get home. One Saturday night, he lost the week’s wages gambling. After that, I met him and walked home with him. I imagine that was when he first felt truly married.
I remember though, that I always felt safe with him. He kept a butcher knife by the bed to protect us from the many railroad bums who jumped off the boxcars of the Reno-Salt Lake City train and roamed Lovelock looking for handouts before they got back into the boxcars.
I really enjoy some of the things that flit through my mind. Well, most of them. Most of them are fun, good memories.
And then I will find something that brings my mind into focus on things of God and how He has led my life so thoroughly.
Recently, Fred and I were in Cracker Barrel
Credit Google Search and xilusmale
(one of our favorite places to eat), and they had a sign hanging for purchase that touched my heart. Here’s a picture of it. What do you think? It’s just a simple thing, but the message is so powerful.
It is a reminder that we are responsible for our actions – and our thoughts and reactions to things that happen to us. We can make ourselves happy or miserable – and those actions (or reactions) will pro-ject into the remainder of the day.
I had a friend once, many years ago, who grew up in rural America. Life was hard and work was constant. She married a military man and they had a young child when I knew her. She told me that she had discovered her attitude toward the day was reflected in her daughter. If she was down or mad or sad about the day – then her daughter was the same. But if she presented a happy face and attitude, her daughter was, as well. And so, she made the effort to present the happy face every day…even if she didn’t feel like being happy that day. She wanted a happy day for her daughter. And by doing so, she made the day happy for the entire family.
Wow! What a concept! It’s so easy to fall into unhappy times and attitudes. But to actually make the effort to be happy – wow again!
I’ve been trying to memorize scripture lately. There is so much in God’s word that lifts me up – all those wonderful promises (I’m told there are well over 900 promises in scripture). Those are for me and my strengthening and comfort. But recently, my heart has been telling me to find and memorize scriptures that praiseGod! The Psalms are just bursting with praises to God!! But one of my all-time favorite verses of praise is found in Revelation 4:8 ….
“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
Isn’t that magnificent? It’s an easy one to memorize, and is spoken by the angels around the throne of God, over and over. They never stop saying it. May I never stop saying it, either.
And so, I can make weeds, or I can make flowers – as can you. The choice is yours
More next week…
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home. After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking. She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
Why in the world am I so slow in eating? I asked myself all the time. My college friends got tired of waiting for me. Today, my friends get restless as they wait beyond the time they finished their own meal.
But God sent me a loving friend who sits, chats and never complains as I eat my last bite.
We all need friends like that, especially when we’re at the table of sorrow. Have you ever been there, trying to digest the pain of the moment with no friends around? Fighting self-pity, we look up and see the mountain tops where others walk. We observe the joy that fills others’ lives and we wonder, when is it our turn?
And when we ask that, our circumstance looks worse.
We long for that someone to come. We desire the company of that special someone. The person God will send who will stay with us to the end.
Is there such a person? While we look and look, and no answers come, the pain deepens. Secretly, we keep hoping to have someone around to mend our broken heart. To hold us when the silence of the night is deafening. But reality barges in—friends are too busy with their own lives. They can’t be with us or around us.
“But God — it is he who will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you, so don’t be afraid or downhearted” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
His Promise
His promise is that He goes ahead of us, paving the way, preparing the outcome and putting all the pieces together.
In expectation for that to happen, can we believe He’s telling us not to give up; not to give in to discouragement? Is He speaking to us when He says, “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end” (Psalm 48:14).
Till the end. Not only while we read inspirational messages. Or only while we’re in prayer, or seated in a church pew, but when, in the privacy of our disappointment, sad moments invade our heart. When our tears soak our pillow. That’s when, though we may be unaware, every minute, every second the friend of all friends—Jesus’ hands are around our pain, His voice whispering into our cries and His promise echoing through our emptiness.
Let’s Pray
Father, I confess of my impatience in the waiting. Grant me the peace I need to expect the best from You, my best friend, to focus on the blessing and to take each step in anticipation of great things to come. In Jesus’ name, amen.
What friend can you count on till the end?
Janet
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Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Yesterday I discovered that the written instructions for my eye care, did not match the instructions I remembered the doctor giving me verbally. The written instructions told me to use twice the amount of drops! Since the drops would elevate my already fickle pressures I was alarmed and placed a call to the surgeon’s office.
A few years ago, I would have been confident that my memory was correct and not placed the call. This whole aging and memory issues are for the birds!
For our physical health, it is important that we follow the correct instructions with our medications and take them faithfully until the health event is cured or the doctor stops them.
How does this correlate with seeking peace in my heart, mind and soul?
For me, I need to spend time alone each morning, reading a devotional, scripture verses and pondering on their words. I need to follow the correct instructions from my healer.
But somedays, I feel too busy or even too complacent. I think to myself, “I’m good today, I will be fine.”
So, I skip a day and if that doesn’t result in a setback I am tempted to skip another, just as we do with medications. It doesn’t end well in either circumstance.
The surgeon’s office returned my call. My memory had been correct…this time.
Love: By spending time with the author of love, I am prepared by His love to face my day.
Joy: The result of being thankful.
Peace: When I am following correct instructions, by verifying them, I have peace.
Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually. Psalm 105:4.
I saw this photo on Pixabay and it stirred my curiosity. He looks scruffy and maybe a bit dangerous with those teeth. But there is something appealing about his eyes. He is just as he was created to be.
We don’t have to conform to what others think. Test and discern!
I underwent a laser procedure on my eye this morning and it wasn’t fun. Imagine 50 pins pricking your eye. So, instead of posting my blog today I have been resting my eye, well except for scrolling through Facebook.
When I saw my church tagged in this picture from the Seafarers, Canaveral Port Ministry, I wanted to share it as a follow up to my Tuesday post about volunteering.
Cookies our church collected to be served to those who work on ships.
Yes, there is a Cookie Ministry and anyone can do it!
Our church is on the small side, averaging less than 100 each Sunday. This past Sunday the bulletin had an insert thanking the members for their volunteer activities. The insert was front and back listing the many ways the congregation volunteer.
The secretary who put composed the insert shared that the insert began with naming individuals who had volunteered. As the list grew, she realized that almost 100% of the members had volunteered in some form. Do you know how amazing that is?
To make a difference, one doesn’t have to be the head of a committee or lead a ministry. Yes those are necessary, but little acts of service make a difference too. Sunday a week ago, our church had a cookout in a park underneath a pavilion next to the Indian River. During worship service a small group of us went to the park to set up. My husband and I took on the task to wipe the tables, cleaning bird poop from the tops and the seats. Certainly not a presitgious job, but I felt a sense of accomplishment that my friends were able to enjoy their meal without any unpleasant surprises.
In Acts 20:35 Paul wrote: In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ “
By this measure, I would say that we are a blessed congregation.
After graduation from High School, Ivan went to Nevada to work, and I stayed in Canon City and clerked at a jewelry store downtown.
Early that spring he came home for a visit, and my boss at the store let me take a break every day at three at the Wildwood Malt Shop on Main Street. In the evenings, we sashayed out to dances, laughed at movies like, “Our Gang,” and climbed WMCA peak west of Skyline Drive.
Skyline Theater Canon City Photo Album
Ivan had proposed and I had accepted, but first, he had to go back to Lovelock to make sure he still had his job. I was to join him in a few weeks. He rode back with his uncle Glen and his wife, Lucille. They lived in Reno but had been visiting his family in Canon City. He was only gone a week when I got a telegram saying, “Do nothing definitely STOP have lost my job STOP”. I cried and cried because I thought it meant he had changed his mind and didn’t want to marry me after all.
I moped for a week or so and then, wonder of wonders another telegram came saying he had found a new job at Safeway (one of the first super market chains in existence.) He had $80.00 in reserve and sent me $20.00 for a wedding ring which I bought at the jewelry store where I worked. It was rose-gold and had three tiny hearts in a row each containing a diamond chip at my request.
In a flurry of getting ready Mother and I rushed to Pueblo to shop. My wedding dress was a long, white voile with delicate pastel flowers. Mother paid $5.00 for a trunk and I got an ashes-of-roses, flowered rayon dress to wear for best. Because it was such good quality, it cost $3.98.
The last of my savings from the $8.00 I made each week allowed me to outfit myself for the trip on the first Trailways bus ever to leave Canon City. The bus ticket cost another $20.00 of Ivan’s savings. On the trip, I wore a gray suit, yellow blouse, gray high heeled shoes, and a matching clutch purse. A new Bulova watch circled my wrist. The trip took twelve hours and 53 minutes. I kept the beautiful Rocky Mountain range in sight as long as I could and after that,the scenery gradually turned into a desert. I thought I would never arrive, but eventually,we pulled into the mining town where Ivan worked. As I stepped offthe busand crossed the intersection I saw Ivan and whistled two notes to gain his attention. That particular whistle became our family signal and has been passed down to our children, grandchildren, andgreat-grandchildren.
Lovelock, NV County Courthouse, Lovelock Photo Album
Since it was Ivan’s lunch hour, we went to, “The Chinaman’s.” I had Pork Noodles with fresh green onions on top. That evening, another $20 went for a round trip ticket to Reno where we stayed with Glen and Lucille in separate bedrooms overnight.
To be continued
DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”
As I stated last week: There are times when it seems like I have nothing come to mind to write about. And then I will have some thoughts flit through my mind and then disappear just as quickly. Sometimes I can grab hold of some of them and put them down on paper – in this case, on the page in the computer.
That happened recently, and here is what I was able to remember – and it had me jumping out of bed and racing to the computer to get my memories down on paper – well, in the computer, anyway:
I was reading a book in bed before I went to sleep, and in the story, the heroine was trying to make friends with a shy horse – probably an abused and mistreated horse. So she went into the field where other horses approached her asking for a handout, which she gave to them. She definitely tried NOT to catch the eye of the shy horse.
Credit Pixabay.com
As I read that, I realized that I had a similar experience once – but not with a horse, with a dog.
As this memory goes, we were visiting Fred’s parents in San Antonio, Texas. They always liked to get their walking exercise by going to Eisenhower Park, just west of San Antonio, and walking there.
Credit Google Search and Eisenhower Park website
Credit Google Search and Eisenhower Park website
Credit Google Search and Eisenhower Park website
We always went with them when we visited. It had some nice trails and hills to walk along.
This one particular morning, there was a man who was walking with four or five greyhounds, on leashes.
Credit Pixabay.com
Because I love most any kind of animal, I stopped and began to pet the dogs…and they just ate up the attention. However, there was one who hung back, eyeing me cautiously.
Credit Pixabay.com
The man said that all of the greyhounds were rescue dogs, from the racing circuit. The dog who was hanging back had been mistreated, and was having a difficult time trusting humans.
Credit Pixabay.com
Therefore, I tried to not push myself on that particular dog, all but ignoring her, but making over the other ones. As I was beginning to work my way away from the dog crowd, I felt one more nudge of a wet doggie nose on my hand. Looking down, I realized it was the standoff dog that was nosing her way into my space, and wanted her share of the love and attention. So I made sure that I gave her as much love and petting as she could handle.
Credit Pixabay.com
The man was amazed that she had come to the group – and me – as quickly as she did.
I felt blest to be able to give that one particular dog my full attention and affection.
And by-the-way, in the book, the heroine was able to make friends with the horse, and they had a long, lovely friendship.
More next week…
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing.
Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.
She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins.
She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
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