Oh glorious day!

Oh, glorious day full of sunlight and possibility may we treasure your every moment! How can we comprehend the vastness of God's love for us? This thought gives such hope and joy to my waiting heart. In the stillness of each morning I awake in prayerful anticipation and wish to glimpse a few moments of his grace. The one who causes stars to shine in the sky so blue, while heaven and earth applaud with bird song and thunders of praise!


Oh Holy One, creator of all which is, and all which will come to be; and yet we can come before you as children of the King and find you always waiting and stretching out arms of comfort to your children. Grace beyond measure, poured out and flowing through a world which so desperately seeks you. So many hearts are in need of a Savior.


Grace is a garment of forgiveness and protection. Those who are covered in divine mercies know of time set aside to marvel at the gifts of each moment. Some days I sit and ponder at the joy I know my dear sweet husband experiences each day as he lives new life with God! No longer does the cruelty of cancer cause his once strong body to weaken and die. I picture him as a young man, full of awe at the majesty of God! Full of joy and vitality, walking once more; no pain within his once weary bones which cancer made weak and caused him to be unable to care for himself.




He wanted to live! He had some many things he wished to delight in; Our beautiful granddaughter's wedding to her new husband, the graduation of our grandson from the Virginia State Trooper Academy, a trip to Hawaii and a simple life spent loving others. I long for his arms to hold me once again and for his voice to sound in my ears. His beautiful green eyes followed me everywhere in love and protection. Each time I walk the halls of the hospital from which he retired I imagine him coming to be with me to reassure my heart with his words of love and comfort. How can I ever love this way again?


There is a Savior! He has become my husband in a spiritual sense. The one who will never leave or forsake me. A constant friend, everlasting to everlasting, my God. My  prayer is for the musings of my heart to somehow touch others that they may come to know the goodness of our heavenly Father.


 John 3:16 reads, For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the whole world through Him might be saved. Whosoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whosoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.


Praying you will take heart and realize the gift before you. Trust in Him. It's the only way to find peace and joy today! R.B.


 

Finding time with God...a blessing each morning.

Last night I set the alarm clock for what I thought to be the correct time for getting up this morning. When I entered the kitchen to turn the coffee pot on, I noticed it was actually an hour earlier than I expected! This meant I had even more time to spend in Gods word and prayer. What an unexpected blessing is has turned out to be. My dear friend Andrea Perdue left a book entitled: Dimensions in  Prayer, by the author Douglas V. Steere for me to explore. Cultivating a Relationship with God is the sub title on the front cover.


Seldom do I look for books with such depth to read on a daily basis, however this one is an exception. Communication with God is seeking to explore the intricate truths of His power and grace, so freely offered to us, yet we many times overlook the sheer necessity of the prayerful approach to a Living , Loving, Creator! Oh the joy which floods my soul when He listens to my prayers as I pour out each petition before a Holy God. Sometimes the pure reality of this connection to my Lord causes me to want to shout praises, and yet my heart urges me to stay in communion with Him in my object
simpleness... He is always available!


Prayer is not difficult, rather it is conversation with God. Many have sought to elaborate on this topic, none better to teach us than Jesus in Matthew 6: 9, This is how you should pray: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. As our Pastor preached in church last Sunday At Greentree Church, "Our Father in heaven means we are accepted by Him."


Father God, this morning as I come before you in prayer, the sweet perfume of your holiness causes me to pause in awe and with a  calmness in my soul. These moments of stillness etch my waiting heart with your grace and love. Even as I seek your holy face my waiting mind finds peace in the gentle beating of a heart pressed close to yours. Guide me Father, hold me close as I cling to your strong arms of love. Your simple servant, R.B,

Never Underestimate the power of LOVE and Friendship.

It has been said that to have a good friend we must first be one! How very true this can be. As I have traveled the road of life, it has been my privilege to have lived in many places. My first home was a farm full of love and joy back in Sikes, Louisiana where I lived with my Momma and my loving Grandparents until my Daddy came home from service in the military. I have some sweet memories seen through pictures taken with my loving Aunts and Uncles who were still living at home at the time. Memories are beautiful keepsakes.


Later, my parents moved to us many destinations determined by the United States Navy. It was difficult to form friendships due to the limited time we stayed in each duty station, however I found my brothers to be the best of friends growing up. I learned how to find joy in everyday pleasures. It was a rough and tumble childhood with many a band aid necessary to cover the skinned knees we fell privy to after a day of fun. I stood up for them many a time even though I was "just a girl". How fortunate we were to have each other! Some evenings after we had all been tucked into beds in our separate rooms we would call out to each other; 'I love you, sweet dreams'. To my hearts delight we truly meant each word. They were my buddies for life.


Life has a way of taking us to destinations we would never have chosen. Some fifty years later we live in separate states and still say I love you on the phone. Our paths have taken us to places far away such as Hawaii, Guam and Scotland, however one thing is true; sibling love is a bumpy ride which has sealed our hearts for eternity. Oh, to know the joy of sharing such a bond is to see the face of our creator and know without a doubt we were meant for far better things than we can imagine.


Many of my closest friends as a woman, have been those I have met through worship and studying God's word together. We have a common bond as sisters in Christ; one of love and concern for one another. We pray for the needs of each other, pouring the power of prayer and genuine compassion as well as our testimonies of God's grace and power reveled to us through His Holy word. Just this week my newsfeed is full of good wishes and offers to provide meals so that we can rest and find healing after Momma and I had similar surgeries within a week of each other.


A dear friend came to be with us from Virginia in order to love us and help me gain perspective during what was a stressful few days while waiting for test results from biopsies. Instead of worry and fear, we found joy in spite of circumstance. Andrea was here to drive me to surgery and pray with me during my recovery. As I write she is traveling home to be with her husband and rest after the trip. Many have called to encourage and help in times of concern. My heart is so full. I have asked the question many times ; how do people manage without Jesus? Friends we have a divine hope which will always provide even more love than friendships here on earth. Proverbs 17:a reads: A friend loves at all times. And some are even closer than a brother. My heart is so full. Blessings and love all mine.

Life's about changing nothing ever seems the same.

When I was little life seemed so simple! My heart was captivated by the everyday adventures of life. Playing with my brothers out side, getting a new baby doll to love, or maybe spending time laying underneath the piano bench listening to the songs my Momma played which became in some ways, the foundation of my walk with God. 'Jesus loves me' is a song which plays even now in my hearts memory bank. Oh, how simple life was to my little girls heart!

Oh the laughter and silliness of being a child, in the 1950's! Roller skates which could be adjusted to fit our sneakers for riding down the neighborhood sidewalks, provided my brothers and I with more than our share of band aids and sore behinds. Movies on the weekends and listening to music were fun times to us all. We rode our bicycles for hours until our Dad whistled for us to come home in time for dinner.

Soon I will share pictures of my childhood with you and maybe then the innocence of my younger days will inspire you to look within your own heart for just one lovely glimpse of the person you were before trials and heartache came along and robbed you of sweeter days. Maybe you can relate to the simple time of which I write. Life was sweet and so was our love for each other.


There are always blessings to come! Our hope is not in things of old but in the saving, transforming grace of a loving creator who designed our tiny baby hearts to love Him and find complete and utter joy in the simple thing we call life. 'My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and righteousness'! We have sung this countless times around the piano growing up as kids. 'Oh how I love Jesus' is the melody which plays over and over in my heart!

Perhaps you have memories you would rather close up tight in the closet of despair and forget about whatever caused you hurt. I have good news from Jesus own testimony: You my friend are loved! Jesus said in Matthew 19: 14 Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. 


As I walk the journey we refer to as life, the little girl within me still looks forward to the simple blessings ahead of me each day. Nothing captures the love of God better than little people. They look for little ways to find joy, simple gifts of nature can cause their hearts to glow with delight! Have you lost the light which glows within your heart today? I am a living testimony to the power of His grace to take a broken woman and restore her to wholeness and a willingness to share and love in a way I never thought possible.


Why not bow your head and ask the Savior to pour a fresh glimpse of his spirit on your weary heart today? Healing is grace fulfilled and joy can once again grow within a heart which is repentant, and ready to lay it's self before the healing love of Jesus. Truth is who knows better than the very God who molded your precious soul with in the tiny speck of what was once just a glimmer in your earthy Daddy's eye? 'Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey'!


From a woman's heart restored, I pray love upon your beautiful heart today! With love always, R.B.

The gift of a Daddy: priceless in every memory!

I scurried past the father's day card display this year, hoping to escape the bitter truth of it being the first year I have no reason to buy a card for either my beloved husband Dan, or my adoring Daddy, Lon. As with most families we had a custom of doing all we could to make the day special for the men we called Daddy. Usually a barbeque and maybe some nice steaks and baked potatoes would get a pretty big smile out of the man of the house! Truth is, this year my husband is celebrating the day of honoring fatherhood with Jesus. He and my precious Daddy are together and I am certain there is quite the spread on the table of grace.


We were blessed as children to know with out a single doubt that our Daddy loved our Momma. He showed it in so many delightful ways! Holding her hand in public, telling her she was pretty, making time for just the two of them to sit and share time together. He smiled at her from the choir loft on Sundays and issued a stern look to the boys and I if we misbehaved. With out a doubt, we know he was bigger than life. Our hero and a godly man. A deacon, a man of caring ways who believed in reading the bible every day. He had the biggest arms which held our hearts for generations.


The man I love was also a wonderful Daddy. Our two girls were the light of his heart. He was thrilled to be the father of two sweet and loving little girls. There was no doubt he would go to the ends of the earth to make certain they had every reason to cherish him. I still picture them riding on his strong shoulders through the park when their little legs grew weary. He never seemed to run out of compassion for their needs. Dawn would crawl up on his back when he took a nap just to snuggle her Dad. Deanna always put her arms up and asked to be held safely by him.


As a mom I counted myself fortunate to be loved by such a man. I wondered if every father loved his children with the same unconditional love and affection. Later in life we became grandparents, and once again the excitement of being around little people lit up his handsome face. We were thrilled to see our family grow and to be able to spend time with our little sweet grandchildren. To the day he went to heaven he counted it joy to be in their company! Oh the memories in my heart could fill page after page, but for today I will simply say thank you for loving me, and giving your heart and soul to making sure we knew you loved us all and we will spend eternity together!


In closing I would like to share a poem written by me for my sweet Daddy Lon McCartney in 1980:
I found it on the back of a needlework picture I made for him that fathers day so long ago. The front of the picture has the words "Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy"


"When God made a father he sent molded with love, each man in His image, a gift from above.
To guide all his children, and show them the way, to help in the sharing of living each day.
To comfort when problems were too much to bear, a shoulder to lean on with wisdom to share.
Yes, God gave His gift to each one on earth, a father to love us, beginning at birth.


He went one step farther to show us His love, He gave few a Daddy, a gift from above."

There is just something about nature which causes me to smile.

Today the sun is taking a break and the rain is slowly falling upon my garden. Last evening I spent a blissful few hours outside taking in the lovely sights and sounds of nature. My kind neighbor came over to cut down a dead crepe myrtle tree which I had been using as a plant display prop. Another idea popped into my head as to how to better use the space, so off went the dead tree and in came a pretty urn with a pink flowering bush planted in it which is sure to attract the local hummingbird my late husband Dan and I enjoyed watching. We named the creatures as part of our adventures in gardening. A chipmunk is also a daily visitor. I gain lots of peaceful respite in the place which once only existed in my notebook design drawings.


Something about nature causes me to smile! Maybe it's the knowledge of God creating it for us to enjoy that causes a stirring in my soul. The connection with what God called good. Designed in His image as a place in which we can dwell with Him. Although today the rain drips from tender shoots and the bird are singing oh so softly from branches soaked with drops of water I am still wishing to be in this place I call mine. One day I will move to a place where there will be a garden tended by others...still my little garden will always be a part of who I am.


Perhaps a few scriptures will help give you hope today. Psalm 121: 1-3 I lift up my eyes to the hills
where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
John 15: I am the vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me which bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more fruitful.
John 15: 5 I am the vine; you are the branches, If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.




Take a few moments to look into the garden of your heart. Imagine what the God of the universe can grow within the debts of a heart which lingers with Him. I promise you, fruit comes after the ground had been prepared...the gardener rakes and prepares the soil with nutrients, fertilizer and adds the little seedlings with a prayer for them to reap a harvest worthy of the time he has taken to prepare it. Some gardens take a lifetime to prove the gardener worthy of the harvest. Others, bloom much sooner. Whatever path you are given always remember...if you do not take the time to prepare for the
storms of life, your garden may find you missing out on the joy the Father intends for you to find there. With a prayer and a pack of seeds a whole world of creativity is yours for the asking. Blessings, R.B.

Children learn what they live!

Today is a day of celebration in our family! Thirty six years ago God answered my prayers and sent into my arms, the most precious blonde haired angel I could have ever dreamed of! Deanna, "aka: baby #2" was born smiling and very happy to be free from the place she called home for nearly three weeks later than planned. Her Daddy and I were in tears at the sight of the little one we had waited seven years to hold in our arms of love. She had the most hair you have ever seen on a little babe and a sweet disposition when still makes me smile to think of it.


I recently spent a week visiting her at the home she shares in Virginia with her husband and eight year old son who has the same gentle loving spirit as his beautiful Momma. Every morning she blessed me by bringing my cup of coffee up to the bedroom in her home office. "Good morning she says with a smile as big as Texas! Time to wake up Mom". I tell her all the time how precious she is to me. She has the same tall elegant stance as her Daddy and many of his ways. This gives me a lump in my throat as I type today. You see, last September her precious Daddy went to be with Jesus.


Looking back I see how God prepared my heart for Dan's passing by allowing "pieces of his heart" to reside in our two beautiful Godly daughters. They say the apple does not fall far from the tree. I know God intended for our children to reveal the grace and love they have been nurtured with for a lifetime. Intentional LOVE never fails. The kind of LOVE which God gave each and every person he created with love in their Mother's womb. Children really do learn what they live.


As parents we are called to live out the Love of God before our children. It is a lot easier to do so when our own parents have taught us the precepts of Godly living. My family of origin is precious to me. Many mornings I listen with a busy ear to the gentle playing of my Momma's fingers on her beloved piano. I am instantly calmed by old hymns which have nurtured my soul since birth. I realize not everyone has been raised with the same experiences...but there is good news! There is a Saviour, who cares for you! Change can happen the moment Jesus comes into your heart.


By the way Happy Birthday sweet Deanna! I wish I could be there when you blow out the candles on your cake...in a way I am always with you in my heart! I leave you with a verse from Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  With a grateful I heart I pray blessings will be yours until eternity!

Time alone with my thoughts of thankfulness

Today is the first day I have been alone in quite awhile. My Momma has gone out for a bit to run errands. Prior to this my life has been busy and filled with appointments and travel. Life can be full of things to do and places to go. My favorite times are days like today when I can decide how I want to spend my alone time. Devotional time gives an opportunity to refocus on what is most important to my spiritual health. For without a close walk with my Heavenly Father my heart tends to be overcome by trials and business.


A verse from Psalm 103:5 speaks to what I am trying to convey from my heart as my fingers busily type todays blog: "I wait for the Lord, my souls waits , and in His word I put my hope". Only God can help my soul to be nourished with encouragement, hope and joy in time which can be extremely trying, to say the least. "Life is a problem solving experience", a dear Pastor friend Michael Duvall once proclaimed in a sermon. This got me thinking about what I truly depend on, and whether or not things go the way I want them to...do I truly listen to God in all things? Do I wait quietly for His answers when I pray? Or do I rush ahead and do things my way? Perhaps you can relate to my concerns.


One thing is for sure, not matter how much I ponder over my desires to be faithful in my devotion to Jesus. He is always close to my heart. His promises to never leave me or forsake me. To be with me always. To prepare a place for me (just as he has done for my dear husband when he died) to prepare a place for me in Heaven. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18. Oh, blessed thoughts which cause me to rejoice in Him.


Soon I will be chatting busily again with Momma, but for now; Oh, how I love being with my Father in this time of quietness and praise. I want to share words from a song I wrote in 2004 :


"In the midst of a storm, flowers still bloom, though the sky may be dark, the birds sing in tune,
There is joy in my heart, and I know soon, in the midst of the storm, I'll find You.


Jesus you lead me through valleys deep, Your love surrounds me with promises sweet,
Time cannot measure infinite peace, Daily I seek you, my heart to keep!


In the midst of a storm Heaven still waits, For each soul who is lost to seek His face
Though the burden is heavy, He'll carry you; In the midst of the storm, God loves you" R.B.


May God give you grace for the day, love along the path of life and a song in your heart as you walk the path before you. He is enough.

Attitude Adjustments!

The morning light falls softly into the room as I type along merrily with anticipation of yet another day full of joy! I didn't always have such hopes and dreams ( my children find this phrase to be a 'mom-ism') but I wish to encourage you to take a moment each morning to think about what it means to have hope. Perhaps today you are in the midst of trials which leave you a bit weary and confused. Join the club friends! Every person who lives in this world full of business and confusion has a choice to make. Will I purpose to find the blessing in each time of testing today? Or will I let the cares of life determine my attitude?


When our girls were teens and things got out of hand I would tell them they needed an attitude adjustment! Truth is, I was the one greatly lacking in the attitude realm. Instead of making my time with God a priority, I dove into each day with gusto, determined to have everything my way regardless, of how my children were feeling on a given day, I wanted them to know "if Momma' isn't happy, nobody is happy." Well, this girl had a lot to learn about grace.


The Bible teaches us much about hope! Romans 12:12 reads, 'Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer'. Share with God's people who are in need. We are to look forward to each day because God has given it to us that we might relish His provision for us. Not only in times of great heartache and trials, but daily! To be joyful in hope is to realize He has given you another day in which to share His awesome power and love with every person you come in contact with on a daily basis.


I leave you with another verse to build you up in faith: Psalm 27:13 reads, 'I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord'. The grace the Lord reveals to us is always in line with His holy word. Our choices each morning when we rise can make a difference in the lives around us. How can you purpose to lift another up today? Smile, be patient in the line at the grocery store, invite someone to worship with you on Sunday, say I'm sorry to an unsuspecting friend or loved one. By doing so, you may just light up their day.


Lord, this morning my heart is full of gratitude for because of Your love for me! Many distractions call my mind to wonder; birdsong and sunlight lift my heart to praise instead! Make me a blessing and fill the hearts of those who are sharing this day with me by reading this post. Be filled with hopes and smile because after all,  you are deeply loved by the Father! Just a Simple Servant, R.B.

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Each day brings with it a new set of challenges. When I was working, my schedule was always very busy, both in the amazing dental practices I was fortunate to work in, and years later in my design business. Now I find myself busy in other ways; living with my beautiful 83 years young Momma, missing my dear loving husband of 43 years who lives in heaven now, and preparing for a move back to our home state  of  Virginia, a place we  lived for nearly 30 years. Life is different now...new places to visit, up coming surgeries for my Momma (cancer) and myself (not sure what will become of it.)


One thing is certain: our marvelous God never changes! I was a soloist for many years in our church in Virginia. I had countless opportunities to share my faith through music. The testimony of my heart has never wavered: 'Great is thy faithfulness oh, Lord to me.' There is a certain calmness to my spirit in knowing Him to be the source of my peace. The trials of life once consumed me causing my mind to spiral into nearly 3 years of despair. Depression was a dark tunnel of hopelessness due to medications I was taking for a major life threatening illness. During that time God impressed upon my heart the need to understand the hurting and desperate cries of the lost.


Be encouraged dear ones! There is a Saviour who is able and willing to do above and beyond whatever you can EVER hope for! I can truly testify to His abounding grace and love. Healing takes time and He is always available, day or night to hold your aching soul in His arms of love!                 


From the Bible: Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to Him for help, praising Him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, my Lord would not have listened, But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer and did not withdraw His unfailing love from me. Psalm 66: 16-20.


Blessings! R.B.