Love is Ageless

Actually Love is better than ageless, it grows sweeter than a fine wine with time!

"Love is the long sought fountain of youth. As long as we love, we remain young. Death becomes simply the final stage of development in life. It is well to remember that we are transient guests on earth. Less than a century is not long to live, but it is long enough to learn that love is what it's all about." Leo Buscaglia-one of my favorite authors! (Taken from his book, "Born for Love".)

We all were born and we all may die, but how many of us will really live?

To really live we must first learn to really love whole heartily. Loose the fear of being hurt by love. True love is ever given, or received without pain at some point in the relationship. As long as we live we sin-sin causes pain. Still, where would we be without love?

(I'd be dead. Love spurs me on when I would like to give in and give up. Loving prayers from those who love me continue to prompt God to restore my body and soul often. Thank you for those prayers. Thank God for His loving kindness.)

"If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain

If I can ease one life from aching,

or cool one pain,

or help one fainting robin into his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

Emily Dickinson

Separateness is an illusion.

"Love is the most effective connection to all things. It has the power to enlighten, heal, unite, enrich and restore. All we need is to open it." (Leo Buscaglia)

Real living requires the defensive walls to come down. We must expose our true self, and embrace others and life without the fear of failure and pain. If those you truly love can't accept or embrace you, then there never was love anyway.

Isn't it interesting, that true beauty in a human being only fades when love is gone. The wrinkles, gray hair and even body flab doesn't take away from your value. If you're growing in love, aging issues mean nothing to those who value and love you. Decreased abilities such as performance issues, or even limited mental abilities do not subtract from others love for you. You can give love and keep accepting love as long as you're alive. Love is a choice. Love is one of those few gifts the more you give-the more you'll gain!

"...Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies." Last part of 1 Corinthians 8:1 (NASB)

Read 1 Corinthians chapter 13

Finally I would encourage you to love as Christ loved; with outstretched arms and always with an open and giving heart.

"The only justification we have to look down on someone is because we are about to pick him or her up." Jesse Jackson

God's Power is Perfect in Our Weakness!

Please Read Acts Chapter 27, either before or after reading this.

Imagine being on a trip you dread, you are already sick, but now you have to sail in the midst of cold turbulent water. As a prisoner you are being taken to appear before Cesar on trial, so you have no choice. You board a stinky cold ship, feeling horrible, you try to stay positive. The ship sets sail in the worst of conditions.

A few days out, things only get worse, the waves grow stronger, all hands on deck are scurrying doing everything they can just to keep the small boat in a vast sea floating. Food is scarce, and because the stars were hidden by clouds, the captain has sailed off course

With little food, and sunken hopes of living through this, Paul stands up and tries to encourage his jailer and the deck hands. "Yet I urge you to keep your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Cesar; and behold God has granted you all those who are sailing with you. Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I believe that it will turn out exactly as I have been told." Acts 27:22-25 (NASB)

If I were one of those deck hands my thoughts might have been, "Great-even if I survive the icy water, will I have the strength to swim to shore? Even if I do, how will I ever get back home to my family and friends?"

Paul goes on to encourage them to eat because he knows they're going to need energy to finish this journey either by working harder than they've ever had to, or swimming like an awesome fish. Finally after literally working their hinnies off, they see an island.

Then, the soldiers plan to kill the prisoners. Typically a jailer's head would have rolled if his prisoner got away. Poor Paul, he doesn't seem to be able to win for loosing, but wait...God is on his side!

"but the centurion, wanting to keep Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump over board first and get to land, and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they were all brought safely to land." Acts 27:43&44 (NASB)

I love this example of life in Christ! Do you understand? Even though God loves you as He did Paul, YOU are going to experience the pits of life, love and adventures, but like Paul, God will see you through! In the storms of life embrace and seek the grace of Christ.

Keep Growing and Going You are not Home yet!

"And He said to me,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfect in weakness."

Second Corinthians 12:9 (NASB)

...But a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised

"While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed."

But He said,"On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

Luke 11: 27 and 28 (NASB)

Do these words shock you? They shouldn't. Who is worthy of Glory, Honor and praise?

"saying with a loud voice,

Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."

And every created thing which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

Revelation 5:12-13 (NASB)

God entrusted each of us to the best mother according to our needs. Mary was the best mother for Jesus, just as you were given to your mother because of your personality, physical, and spiritual being. Although we love our mothers dearly, we must love, the author and perfecter of our faith-God even more.

If you were blessed with a Godly mother who taught you about your Heavenly Father, praise God for her. Thank Him for entrusting your life to her.

If your Momma wasn't a believer, there is still a reason God put you in her care. If she is alive share Jesus with her. You may have been born to lead her to Christ.

If you've been blessed with children, spend your life as a mother showing them love for God by example. Your children's salvation should be your greatest joy. God forbid any family member would be lost because of our lack of example, or lack of love.

"Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.

Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, "Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear my words so they may learn to fear Me all the days of their life on earth, and that they may teach their children."

Deuteronomy 3:9 & 10 (NASB)

God hasn't changed- He still requires the same heartfelt devotion from His people. We have responsibilities as parents, grandparents and to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember your Momma on Mother's Day! But give glory to God your Heavenly Father.

Finally, my favorite verses about a Godly woman are found in Proverbs chapter 31:10-31. I hope God can find all these qualities in me at the end of my days on this earth! Happy Mother's Day! May God help you be the mother and grandmother he asks you to be.

Green Bean Casserole may give you cramps and even make you dance!

How many of you have ever had "recipe surprises" that tickle your toes?

Well as usual, I was "experimenting" with a new one I've ate, but never made myself on Easter. Green Bean Casserole- every one's favorite right? :D Well, maybe not in our house. My mother in law was here and I asked her if she liked it. She said, "Oh yes, and I haven't had it since my mother was alive."

So of course that spurred me on. I got the recipe out, while Mark and his father were outside. (I have to be sneaky about some of my cooking. Mark thinks he hates onions, mushrooms and lots of other good ingredients, so I slip them in when he's not looking. Most of the time, he doesn't have a clue, and life goes on merrily.) I mixed all the ingredients and added the french fried onions on top, before we knew it it was time to eat.

The guys came in. Mark says, "Um, what smells so good?"

"I don't know? It might be the homemade macaroni and cheese or the green bean casserole, you're smelling."

We prayed, then began fixing our plates. Marky takes a little ham, sweet potatoes, corn, macaroni & cheese and even tries the green bean casserole, yeah hey! He eats all that, and by golly he goes back for more sweet potatoes and and another huge helping of green bean casserole. He finishes that, and scoops on an even larger helping of the green bean casserole. My eyes must have bugged out a little, my mother in law leans over and says, "Look at that, I thought you said he hates onions and mushrooms!"

"Rats!" Of course he heard. The fork action stops. You guessed it- I got "the glare." Mark didn't finish that last little bit.

A few hours latter after coconut cake and coffee Mark and I decided to take a shower. We're getting undressed and talking as usual. He tells me what a good supper it was and how he appreciates all the hard work. I smile, adjust the water and we step into the water.

All of the sudden, in the midst of soaping up, Mark grabs his hinnie and hollers, "Oh no!"

I have shampoo in my eyes, but I manage to see Mark sharting. (For those of you who may not know what that is, well it's when you think you have gas- but there's an eruption!) Needless to say green bean casserole decorated the shower wall.

All I could do was laugh. I laughed so hard, yellow water ran down my legs. :D Mark was extremely upset. He screamed, "I'm gonna tell you something right now, from now on there better not be anything in my green beans, except a little bit of butter. Do you understand me?"

Giggling even harder, I managed to grab him and just move his hinnie in front of the water. (There's no better place to shart, than in the shower! It just washes right down the drain!) I reminded him that probably wouldn't have happened if he wouldn't have made such a little piggy of himself.

"Kathy, I mean it-Nothing but butter in my green beans from now on."

Ha- little does he know the sausage casserole I made today for lunch had two small onions minced up and a can of mushroom soup in that too. ;D Don't worry he only ate one big bowl of that before he left for work today.

"A time to weep and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn and a time to Dance." Psalms 3:4 (NASB)

Read Psalms 3 there's a time for Everything!

Live your Life with Zeal!

"Do Not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell." Matthew 10:28

I watched a movie last night called, "Lady Jane." I selected it because I had a close family member who had nicknamed me "Lady Jane," when I was young. I use to ask, "Why do you call me that?" With a smile she'd reply, "When you get older you'll have to read the story-then you'll know why."

Latter, I found myself often calling Heidi, "Lady Jane" when she showed her stubborn or zealous passions for life and God. At times she seems so much like her Momma in both her body and soul. Yet she truly is a unique person in Christ . :)

"Lady Jane" was one of the best movies I think I've ever seen. It starts out extremely dry, in fact, I almost turned it off. After the first fifteen minutes the whole plot sped up and I was totally enchanted for the rest of the movie. I will not tell you about the story. I'd rather you just watch it for yourself-I think you'll agree it is a wonderful true story about zeal, passion and devotion to God at all costs.

Ignorance about life, love and the true values of life are NOT bliss. You will only make the most out of anything you do in life by researching the facts, finding a zeal in your commitments and whatever you do-do it for the glory of God.

"He who has found his life will loose it, and he who has lost his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39 (NASB)

"The one who endures until the end, he will be saved." Matthew 23:13 (NASB)

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." John 14:16 & 17 (NASB)

And this is why you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you!

God Bless You, today and always for seeking and serving Him.