Juggling is an Art

Life is a juggling act but juggling isn't always easy. It is a skill that must be fostered and constantly worked on. If you take on too much, you burn-out. If you take on too little you are left wondering what your purpose in life is and if you are like me you are working hard to keep everything up in the air where it should be. So, the juggling jug called my Blog, has been falling down a lot as has been exercising and other things I don't even realize yet that have taken a back seat in my life. The "to-do" list is too long and I am not organized enough nor have the brain cells in my memory to make it all work. But life is also like riding one of those buck-you-off bull rides, you have to get back on and try again. Persistence is a big key to your growth. Giving up cannot be an option. Get back on the bull, pick up the balls you are juggling and start over. In the midst of starting over, look to God and rely on Him to help you stay on the bull and keep the balls flying through the air.

Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 67

A smile. It's something so simple and yet so profundly effective in helping change someone's day for the better. I learned that lesson a long time ago when I was a server at Applebee's. "Mr Grumpy" came in with his downcast family and got to sit in my section. My first initial face to face with Mr Grumpy wasn't so great. I went back to the kitchen to put in the order and something just clicked in me. Maybe I just need to be as cheerful as possible, maybe smiling and disregarding his grumpy face would make some kind of difference? It did! He actually smiled back! I have always held that memory with me and recall it everytime I hear about what it says in the bible to, in my words, killem' with kindness. I was reminded about this last night as I got into my hot tub to let the days stresses float away. I looked up into the clear night sky and there was the moon. It was a crescent moon with the light shinning from the sun on it from the bottom giving it the look of a smile. There was God smiling down at me and my grumpy mood was gone and I smiled right back. Thank you Lord for this wonderful reminder of something so simple and yet so effective in helping make someone's day better. Challenge yourself this week to smile more and know that every smile is a little bit of God's love shinning outward to others.
Psalm 80:3 Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 65

I was reading the story of Noah last night to my daughter at bedtime and the part at the end about the rainbow gave me an "ah-ha" moment. It says the rainbow is a reminder to us of God's promise to never flood the earth again. The word that popped out to me was 'reminder'. If you have never read through the entire bible you will find it's a major problem for us humans. We have this natural tendency to forget. God was helping us out by creating the rainbow as the symbol of his promise to us. He's given us other symbols at well like the dove with the olive branch, circumcision, miracles, the cross and Jesus, himself. He is always putting out there a trigger that will help us remember Him, who He is and what He promises to us. I love that word 'reminder' because it has been a central part of "me". My memory seems to be a little worse than the average person's and that is probably why I love scrapbooking so much because it give me a way to concretly put down the memeories so I can remember them and be reminded of things I have learned. That is why I love faithbooking so much! Each faithbooking page I create becomes another reminder of something about God that I will forget or will become buried in the mess of life. Keeping our focus on God has to be our number one priority. Blessing will flow if we keep our eyes on God. So, if you haven't yet tried faithbooking, I would love to help you out. I have a few kits thus far for you to come and make at an FTLC workshop or you can order a kit and do it on your own time at home.

This kit is about "Treasure" that we can store in our hearts just like Mary did with her memories of Jesus. I am betting she would have loved to faithbook them if they had scrapbooking at that time. This is done with a new paper pack from Close to My Heart called Florentine but it can also be done in any of Close to My Heart's paper packs. You can pick the colors that suit you and your photos. Order online anytime at www.ctmh.com/janinerobertson and I will mail you the instructions and embellishments to complete your project.
My prayers to you that you start to see all the reminders God has given us and that you may keep your focus on Him.
Genesis: 9:15-16 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 40

On New Year's Eve we were up at Aunt Joanie's home in Sterling enjoying a mexican feast and doing a round of Apples to Apples Family version so Faith could play with us and a round of Uno Attack. Playing games with the family in Sterling has become a highlight to our times together. We all look forward to the interaction and laughter that ensues. This time was no different although we were missing a few family members. There was a moment when my son Tristan and Aunt Joanie who were sitting side-by-side where they were enjoying some playful banter. I kept that visual in my mind all through the first new day of 2012 and when I finally had a moment to myself with God relaxing in the spa that evening. I realized that it reminded me of my own aunts and uncles. I don't have any specific memories except for when my Great Aunt Elisabeth who lived on Catalina island was very kind and provided a new friend I had made and myself, a peanut and butter sandwich lunch. I wish I could remember more of the details but I do have the memory of the feelings. That is the only memory I have of that particular aunt because she lived on Catalina island off the coast of California so we didn't get out there too much. My praise is for those family members in our lives that we may not get to know or be around much but who in some way touched us even in the smallest way like a peanut and butter sandwich lunch.
Hebrews 13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.