Category Archives: Joy

It’s Time To…

Standard

“Enjoy Your Freedom” by Holley Gerth

http://holleygerth.com/

photo by n11a11m

photo by n11a11m

For many years, freedom sat like an unopened present on the shelf of my heart. I looked at it a bit suspiciously. From time to time, I’d pick it up and shake it so I could try to figure out what was inside. But I never had the courage to open it.

Then God said it was time. He placed my hands on that box, helped me untie the ribbon, peel back the paper, and lift the lid.

And here’s what freedom looks like to me this summer:

Being able to laugh out loud.

Friends who accept me as I am, mess and all.

Sitting on the back porch watching fireflies.

A nap.

Knowing I can make mistakes and then try again.

Grace spread out like a picnic and God handing me a paper plate.

Freedom given is not complete. It’s only when we receive it, enjoy it, give thanks for it that becomes fully ours.

The fourth of July in America is a day for celebrating freedom–please do.

And let’s also celebrate the freedom God has given us every other day too.

Open the gift and enjoy what has always been yours, friend!

XOXO

Holley

***Now this is a great post! 

Thank you for permission to reblog this, Holley!

Check out Holley’s entire blog!!

“Heart to Heart with Holley”

Best-selling author of You’re Already Amazing

Who also partner’s with DaySpring

What does freedom mean to you???

Open your gift of freedom from God!!

And Enjoy!!!

Amen!

Galatians 3:22

“But the Scriptures declare

that we are all prisoners of sin,

so we receive God’s promise of freedom

only by believing in Jesus Christ.”

Don’t Stress Out!!

Standard

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 005

Happy 4th of July!!

7-4-13 Onyx & Mom!! 002

Our Crazy Siberian and I are just chillin’ today!

While hubby’s watching the Yankee game…

And our son’s out of town…

7-4-13 Onyx & Mom!! 003

Our Precious Little Girl’s been feeling better lately…

And is actually letting me type this post!

Yipee!!

See?

She doesn’t look stressed out! 

Ha!

I received this e-mail this morning!

“A Great Lesson on Stress

(author unknown)

A young lady confidently walked around the room…

While leading and explaining stress management to an audience…

With a raised glass of water…

Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question…

“Half empty???

 Or half full???”

She fooled them all…

“How heavy is this glass of water?”

She inquired with a smile…

Answers that were called out…

 Ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz…

She replied…

“The absolute weight doesn’t matter…

It depends on how long I hold it…. 

If I hold it for a minute…

 That’s not a problem… 

If I hold it for an hour…

I’ll have an ache in my arm…. 

If I hold it for a day…

I’ll have to call an ambulance… 

In each case it’s the same weight…

But the longer I hold it…

The heavier it becomes!”

She continued…

“And that’s the way it is with stress… 

If we carry our burdens all the time…

 Sooner or later,

As the burden becomes increasingly heavy…

We won’t be able to carry on!”

Here’s where I strongly disagree…

With the rest of this…

 Worldly attitude!!

As she continues…

“As with the glass of water…

You have to put it down for a while…

And rest before holding it again…

When we’re refreshed…

We can carry on with the burden…

Holding stress longer…

And better each time practiced…

So, as early in the evening as you can…

Put all your burdens down… 

Don’t carry them through the evening…

 And into the night…

Pick them up tomorrow.”

But as a Christian,

I must say,

“Lay those burdens down at the feet of Jesus,

And NEVER pick them up again!!! 

Wake up refreshed!!”

Psalm 68:19

“Praise be to the Lord,

to God our Savior,

who daily bears our burdens.”

Matthew 6:34b

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to Me,

all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you

and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy

and My burden is light.”

Psalm 55:22

“Cast your cares on the Lord

and He will sustain you;

He will never let

the righteous be shaken.”

1 Peter 5:7

“Cast all your anxiety on Him

because He cares for you.”

Psalm 121:1-2

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from

My help comes from the Lord,

 the Maker of Heaven and earth.”

I John 5:3

“In fact,

this is love for God:

to keep His commands.

And His commands are not burdensome,

Savor these verses…

Let’s NOT stress out!!

Give it ALL to God…

He can handle it…

And leave us stress-free!!

Amen!

“La Mia Famiglia”

Standard

An Italian get-away this past weekend…

At my cousin’s house on the east coast of FL…

A reunion with our cousin from NJ!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 035

One big, happy family…

Filled with…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 104

Our fathers were brothers…

Raised by our Italian Grandma…

Felicia

We all lived near each other in NJ…

Played together…

And went to church together…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 086

There’s definitely a family resemblance…

But, I’ve noticed lately that…

We tend to favor our Mothers in appearance!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 065

We felt like we were at a “5 Star” Bed and Breakfast!!

While talking about our…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 105

In our Lord!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 157

Cousins!!!

And cousin-in-laws…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 046

The beautiful scenery brings…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 106

And family teasing from our cousin from Oklahoma…

Who before he married my cousin…

He had called…

“Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee”

In a can…

Italian food!!!!

Oh, horror!

We’ve since changed his mind…

And now he says…

“I want some SAAAAAAAAAAUCE”

Whenever he talks to us!!

Good boy!

So funny!!

Let’s add my son to the merry mix!!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 160

Our very special hostess!!!

Such a blessing!!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 034

She cooks, she cleans, she’s sweet…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 100

My son wants to adopt her!!

I do, too!!

She makes us want to…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 107

And be together!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 109

To do what Italians do best…

Eat…

While everyone’s talking at the same time!!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 110

Let’s cook and discuss!!

And…

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 108

The blessing of family!!!

La Mia Famiglia!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 088

Ahhhh…

All together in one place again!!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 126

One beautiful place!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 079

We don’t want to leave!!

6-29 to 30-2013 Judi's 119

Come join us!!

Additional signs should say…

EAT!

TALK!

LAUGH!

LOVE!!

1 Corinthians13:7

“Love bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.”

Seek Out The Life-Giving Water!!

Standard

And Bring Your Whole Family With You!!!

Job 5:10

“Who gives rain upon the earth

and sends waters upon the fields.”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 014

John 4:14

“…but whoever drinks the water I give them

will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give them

will become in them

a spring of water

welling up to eternal life.”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 015

Proverbs 18:4

The words of the mouth are deep waters,

 but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 020

John 7:38

“Whoever believes in Me,

as Scripture has said,

rivers of living water

will flow from within them.”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 021

Proverbs 22:6

“Direct your children onto the right path,

and when they are older,

they will not leave it.”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 041

Acts 18:8

“…and everyone in his household believed in the Lord…”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 068

Ephesians 6:1–2

“Children,

obey your parents in the Lord,

for this is right.

‘Honor your father and mother’

(this is the first commandment with a promise)…”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 082

Revelation 7:17

“For the Lamb

at the center of the throne

will be their shepherd;

He will lead them to springs of living water.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

6-19-13 Lisa-golf course 097

Revelation 22:17

“The Spirit and the bride say,

‘Come!’

And let the one who hears say,

‘Come!’

Let the one who is thirsty come;

and let the one who wishes

take the free gift of the water of life.”

Ahhhhh…

So Refreshing!!!

Love Is A Bright Idea Of God’s!!

Standard

2012 Kraft Cheese Commercial:

“Make Something Amazing!

At Kraft, we’re stretching our cheese as far as it can go.

So go ahead, make something amazing!”

Lyrics, based on a song by Mother Mother called “Bright Idea”

I woke up to a light bulb…

Every little thing is possible…

I woke up to a feeling…

Every little thing has meaning…

Now I’m gonna use my two hands…

I’m gonna move a mountain…

I woke up to a light bulb on…

Every little thing is possible now…

Love is a bright idea…

Love is a brilliant plan…

I built my life around a bright idea…

I built my life around the Love that I’ve found!

I woke up to a new day…

Every little thing’s gonna go my way…

I woke up to a perfect thought…

Every little thing in a perfect spot…

Now I’m gonna use my own voice…

I’m gonna sing the song of my choice…

I woke up to a light bulb on…

Everything is possible now…

Love is a bright idea…

Love is a brilliant plan…

I built my life around a bright idea…

I built my life around the Love that I’ve found!

I’m gonna use my two feet…

I’m gonna walk to my own beat…

I woke up to a light bulb on…

Every little thing is possible…

Hey!

Love is a bright idea…

Love is a brilliant plan…

I built my life around a bright idea…

Yes, I have!

I built my life around the Love that I’ve found!

Life is amazing with the Love that I’ve found!!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

“Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Love never fails…”

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world

that He gave His One and Only Son,

that whoever believes in Him shall not perish

but have eternal life.”

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners,

Christ died for us.”

Romans 8:38-39

“For I am convinced

that neither death nor life,

neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers,

neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us

from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ

and I no longer live,

but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body,

I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me

and gave Himself for me.”

1 John 3:1

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

The reason the world does not know us

is that it did not know Him.”

I John 4:7

“Dear friends,

let us love one another,

for love comes from God.

Everyone who loves

has been born of God

and knows God.”

John 15:9-17

“As the Father has loved Me,

so have I loved you.

Now remain in My love.

If you keep My commands,

you will remain in My love,

just as I have kept My Father’s commands

and remain in His love.

I have told you this

so that My joy may be in you

and that your joy may be complete.

My command is this:

Love each other as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one than this:

to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

You are My friends

if you do what I command. 

I no longer call you servants,

because a servant does not know his Master’s business.

Instead, I have called you friends,

for everything that I learned from My Father

I have made known to you.

You did not choose Me,

but I chose you

and appointed you

so that you might go

and bear fruit—

fruit that will last—

and so that whatever you ask in My Name

the Father will give you.

This is My command:

Love each other.”

Life Is Amazing With The Love That I Have Found! 

Amen!!