Yesterday’s conversations on my blog were a great encouragement to me. Your comments made me think of the scripture, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24

A few weeks ago, James gave me a cute journal and I sat down and compiled a list of some of my favorite scriptures, quotes, etc. that I felt God really used to speak to me this past year. It’s interesting to look back and see a theme that He’s been trying to patiently teach me. I thought if they encouraged me so much, maybe the Lord could use them to encourage you as well. I welcome you to share your own if you so desire. I am sure we need all the encouragment we can get!

Yes My child, I want you to share even what you think are just tiny little morsels that wouldn’t even make a ripple in the water. How little you know about ripples! Every piece of bread you share as you cast it upon the waters of life, makes a huge difference in My Kingdom. Angels are sent, divine connections are made, Words are caught and seed is planted. In every seed is a future harvest of plenty. You are thinking too small. I rejoice over the smallest details of your life, and as you share them with others, they are multiplied over and over again. So cast your bread upon the waters and trust Me to do exactly what I have promised.

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.” Ecclesiastes 11:1 NJKV

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We can do no great things– only small things with great love.” ~Mother Teresa

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Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

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He takes care of His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms. He carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those that have little ones. Isaiah 40:11 I love this! My children are safe in His care. All I have to do is follow Him!

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Faith is action. Faith is something we do. It isn’t necessarily “spectacular”.

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Faith is praise turned inside-out!

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As for me and my house, we WILL serve the Lord. Be a rock for those around you.

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The way I feel is determined by what I believe. What I believe controls what I feel.

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The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.

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Whatever coaxes us out of hiding, to write, record, and express, is a revolutionary act. It says that we believe our lives count: our lives do count.” SARK (The reason I started my blog)

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So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-36

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Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. . . Ecclesiastes 9:10 God gave David a slingshot as a boy. He had no idea how God would use his ability in the future. God has given me a home and family and placed them in my care. Lord use me in the simple, mundane things. May my efforts reap a beautiful harvest.

The last few weeks have been very busy ones for me. My posting has slowed down quite a bit. With four little ones at home, it’s challenging to sit down and do a new post. Wednesday Lydia and Jessica return to school and things should return to a normal pace.

Our Christmas turned out to be an extremely anxiety filled one. To appreciate the story you need some history:

In February of 1991, James pulled into the driveway of our humble, honeymoon mobile home with a malnourished little puppy, snuggling up to his neck. The pup was a Valentine’s gift for me, which James had saved from the barrel of a co-worker’s gun. James named him Razz — short for Razzleflacker.

Razz lived with us for the next 12 years. He is most definitely the best dog ever and was like a child to me for many years. After the birth of our third child, I could no longer handle the demands of having a pet. I know those of you that love your pets dearly may have a hard time understanding that. Razz is very emotionally needy and was growing too old for our busy, loud home.

Our close friends Carl, Mary and Tori became Razz’s loving, adoptive family. We surprised Tori with Razz at Christmas three years ago. I think Tori was eleven at the time. His retirement home is the best. Razz is very loved and wants for nothing.

We are Razz’s dogsitters now. He always comes home for the holidays as Carl and Mary travel out-of-town to visit family each year. On December 23 of this year, Mary and Tori dropped Razz off at our home. Around 10 0′clock that night James let Razz out in our backyard to sniff around and do his business. We did not realize the gate was open and Razz walked off (he can no longer run away like he used to). We drove around and walked the neighborhood for hours and got very little sleep that night. We could not find him anywhere!! We were very stressed and panicked feeling. We spent the next two days trying to find Razz. We imagined his geriatric, arthritic body freezing to death in an alley somewhere in the cold rain. Such a good dog should not go this way!!! We dreaded telling Carl and Mary we’d lost their dog. I cried all day Saturday and much of Sunday. James drove around for hours, sometimes yelling and pounding his fists on the dash! I’d take my turn driving around until my nerves could take it no longer.

Saturday morning someone actually found Razz, but by the time James got to Carl and Mary’s answering machine, he’d gotten loose and ran off again! They had called the police and an officer had taken his identification off his collar!!! Now he had no identification!! We prayed and begged God to bring Razz back safe. I just knew he was going to freeze and die alone somewhere in the night or get ran over by a car!

Christmas evening we received the most wonderful call! A man had found Razz in the middle of the street, stopping traffic, and had taken him home and called the police. We had been in touch with the local police department several times and they promised to keep their eyes open for our dog. We rushed to this kind man’s home and there was Razz. He was perfectly fine! I was so happy to give him his arthritis medicine!!! I guess this fifteen year old dog wanted one last, big, 48 hour adventure!!!

I took this pic of Razz the morning after his big adventure.

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The Moral of The Story

As I was driving around, praying for Razz, I asked God if there was anything I was supposed to learn in this situation. To be honest, I was trying to speed things along. I thought maybe I could quickly learn my “lesson” so Razz could come home quicker! Despite my intentions, the Lord answered me immediately with this scripture from Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek ME and you will find ME if you seek ME with all your heart”. Whoa!!! We had spent hours seeking to find a silly dog. We would stop at nothing less than finding Razz! I believe the Lord spoke to me in that wet, cold rain. This year, I need to let nothing stop me from seeking Him each day. He needs to be my priority. I need to stop at nothing less than finding Him. Lord, please help me, help us all, to be hungry and thirsty for you this year. May we all be satisfied daily in your presence. ~ Selah