The Positive Column

This week I have been a little discouraged. During times like this the devil is very quick to point out all the negative things in my life so that I will believe I have every reason to be down and out. And honestly, in the day that we're living in the devil doesn't have too work to hard to find negative facts to throw in our face. If we listen to him, we will always be discouraged because we are living in a very wicked world.


Today on the way to work God brought back to my memory something my parent's Sunday School teacher use to say all the time. He would say, "How has y'alls week been? Have you put all the negative things in your life in the positive column?" Then he would go on to tell about every day things in his life that had gone wrong and how he learned to see the positive side of it.



So what about you? What are you going to do with the items in your negative column? I'm going to try to put them in the positive column.

Picture:: Have you ever noticed that the cross is a big positive sign?

Doing for Others . . . and Yourself

Lately I have been going through a very hard time. I was very discouraged with myself and felt like I couldn't get out of the hole I had gotten myself into. After going through this for several weeks I finally told mama some of what I was going through. After we talked a while she asked me, "So what are you going to do?" I said, "What do you mean?" Like I have heard before, she said I would feel better if I did something kind for someone else.


Fifteen minutes later I was in the kitchen baking a Bluberry Buckle Cake for an elderly couple I really like but don't see very often anymore. Bethany went over there with me to visit and what I thought would be a short visit turned into an hour of good country fellowship around the table. We talked about everything from gardening to the little town we use to live in. After they gave us a hug goodbye and told us to come again I was so refreshed! We enjoyed our visit so much and can't wait to do it again for someone else. (Truth be told, I think I got a bigger blessing then they did!) It was nice to think about someone other than myself and do something homey.


This weekend I did something for myself. After being in the office all week (where I have NO WINDOWS to look out) I'm usually ready to spend some time out side in the fresh air and warm sunshine. So after we got home from a short shopping trip (where I bought a $60 purse for $24!) Bethany, Amy, and I went for a bike ride at a local state park. The whole ride lasted an hour so we were a little tired when we were done! Cold water never did taste so good!

Picture:: This is a snapshot I took at our friends house last year on another one of those wonderful visits!

Cute Post

Have you ever seen a 4-wheeler loaded down with 5 people? I have. In fact, I was one of them. Me and my 4 siblings got on ONE 4-wheeler and drove about 50 yards veeerryy slowly! You can see the picture at my sister's blog. It's very funny! What else are country kids suppose to do when their board?

From the Mouth of a 17 Year Old

"The problem isn't when you fall down. The problem is when you don't get back up." ~ Jacob Renshaw

Photo Tag

I usually don't do a whole lot of tags, but when Bethany sent me this one I thought it looked like a lot of fun so I thought I would play the game too. The rules are: go into your 6th picture folder and select the 6th photo. Post it and your done. There just happens to be a story behind my photo!

This picture was taken at the National Christmas Center in Paradise, Pennsylvania. This was one of the many places I visited with a church group while we were in the Amish Country. (You can see more pictures here.)When this grumpy old man came on our bus to give us an intoduction to the museum I asked Mr. Fred (the trip coordinator) "Is he Santa Claus?" He replied, "No, he's too mean!" I do have to say, if he is going to work at a Christmas museum he needs to stop acting like Mr. Scrooge!

I tag Amy @Under Southern Skies.

Quote of Truth

Don't Ask God to Direct Your Steps
If You are NOT Willing to Move Your Feet!

Learning of God's Abundant Mercy: Part 3

Once she was seated at her desk she opened her Bible again, but this time with more hope. "Lord, please show me what I need to know" she prayed silently.

Natalie read the paper she borrowed from her dad. She turned in her Bible to the reference Luke 15:11-24. She had heard and read the story of the lost son many times, but still she read it again not wanting to miss anything.

Underneath the reference were three points. The first one was, 'The State of a Hired Servant (vs. 17-19)' "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants."

"I know I am not worthy to be His child," the girl thought. "So why would he take me back into His fellowship?"

She skipped to the next point. It read 'Going to the Father (vs. 20)'. Natalie realized she hadn't prayed about her problem. Maybe if she had went to Him first she would of already been forgiven. But instead she tried to figure out how to fix it herself. "How stubborn of me." Underneath the second point her dad had written the scripture I John 1:9. "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness." The word 'if' was written in big letters and underlined. "My sins will never be forgiven if I don't ask for forgiveness. But first I'll read the last point."

'Sins Forgiven and Fellowship Restored (vs. 20-24)' "The father is always ready to accept his son back into his arms. He waits and urges him to come back and when he does, his heart rejoices and He gladly restores fellowship." ~ Pastor Jones.

Natalie's heart sang with joy! That is what she had been waiting to hear. Her Savior still loves her and is willing to forgive her iniquities.

With a heart overflowing with repentance, she poured out her soul before God. When she had finished her prayer and wiped away her tears of sorrow, she felt such wonderful peace and happiness. "Oh what a wonderful God I have! Thank you Lord!"

Looking down at the paper that she was so thankful for, she noticed a scripture at the bottom of the page. "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy." Micah 7:18 A smile spread across her face as she repeated the last phrase, "he delighteth in mercy."

Natalie realized that no matter how awful her sins are, His mercy will always be sufficient enough to cover them.

To remember in future times, she took out a piece of paper and pen, and began to copy her fathers notes . . . and add a few thoughts of her own.

THE END