Haiku My Heart

                                       

                               

As through a tree we were made
 debtors to God, 
so through a tree we receive 
the cancellation of our debt.
~~Saint Iraneaus~~

All is possible

When we release our Ego

And trust in our God!

For through creation

Beauty and serenity
Are to us given.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Cathy

Please visit Rebecca at recuerda mi corazon for Haiku My Heart. There is always more beautiful words  there to enchant and encourage!!! 

I'm also joining Lou Ceel at Haiku Friday.  Come play with words.  It's such a joy!!!

GoD And DoG by WJ Francisco

Just had to share this. It was sent to me by Emily and I cannot thank her enough for this. It is so tender. Please enjoy!

This will be a busy weekend as Wes, Annie and the girls will be here for Kellie's Confirmation on Sunday. It is so exciting to celebrate your oldest granddaughter's special day!

Wishing you all a grand and glorious weekend!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

It rained...

last night. For the first time since June we had a steady rain. So when I let Duchess out VERY early this morning I saw Sam resting on the moist ground, seemingly content and without worry.


I was reminded of the words of Isaiah.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing from which I sent it. (Isaiah 56: 10-11)

With the vision of a cat content with the wonder of his surrounding, as I see it, I felt a calm. God is Good. God is Wonderful. God is Kind. God is Gentle. God is Father. God is LOVE. What do I have to fear?

Have a wonderful day, resting in the Love of God!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Hot Chocolate

We are still tasting Hot Chocolate weather here. We are to get snow on Friday. So, in order to add more joy to this still winter season, I thought I would share this e-mail with you from my friend, Maggie! I love hot chocolate, but after reading this analogy I don't think I will appreciate it in quite the same way anymore.

~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at
a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now
retired.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress
in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the
professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot
chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some
plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help
themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said:
'Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving
behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only
the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot
chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases
even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot
chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups...
And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and
position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and
contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality
of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail
to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.

God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people
don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything
that they have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
And enjoy your hot chocolate!

~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~

Does any of this ring a bell? It sure does for me! And He has always been good to me...even if it isn't what I really wanted. He knows what's best!

***

Thanks be to God!!!

Thought for the Day...

I have read this before, but today I feel the need to share this offering sent me by a friend. Please read it and reflect on it, for it truly is a wonderful analogy!!!

~~~~~~~

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
Malachi 3:3

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where
the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you

~~~~~~~
Thanks be to God!