Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a rainy day in the mountains, which always puts me in the cooking and cleaning mood! So, today I decided to begin cleaning the pantry out and realized that I had an abundance of oats and nuts that I needed to do something with. I went down a rabbit hole and started planning granola! The pantry didn’t get cleaned completely, but I did make some delicious granola! I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
Ingredients:
Three cups of organic old fashioned oats
1/2 cup organic chopped walnuts
1/2 cup organic chopped almonds
1/2 cup organic chopped pecans
3 tbs organic raw pumpkin seeds
2 tbs organic sunflower seeds
1 tbs organic chia seeds
2 tbs organic ground flax seeds
3 tbs gogi berries or raisins
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/2 cup of organic pure maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup smooth organic peanut butter
1/2 cup organic olive oil
Agave or honey for drizzling not mixing.
Mix all the dry ingredients and preheat the oven to 320 for convection. Mix the remaining ingredients over low heat until it comes together smoothly. Pour the wet ingredient into the bowl of dry and gently stir with a rubber spatula. When mixed spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread evenly and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and mix the granola with a metal spatula. Return to the oven and bake 20 more minutes. Take out of the oven and drizzle your choice of honey or agave and put under the broiler for just enough time for the granola to brown up lightly. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.
Mixing the ingredients.Spreading the granola in a baking sheet.
Using the spatial mix the granola gently once it’s cool. Store the granola in a glass jar. Keeps for a couple of weeks if it is in an air tight container.
This is a two gallon jar! I’ve got another batch of granola to add to it.
I hope your family enjoys this tasty granola. I think it’s great alone as a snack and wonderful in a parfait. I also like it in a bowl with almond milk as a cereal.
Dinner
Just for fun! A picture of dinner this evening. Fresh beans, corn, potatoes, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes with sautéed portobello mushrooms with peppers and onions and a slice of cornbread. Nothing better than veggies from our garden!
For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! Don’t forget to like, comment, and or follow! We
Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky! Cold air invaded the mountains last night. It was a chilling 28 degrees when I awoke this morning. I was thankful that I had covered my ferns up last night. We have several mountain winters in March and April in Kentucky. With so many of the trees and bushes blooming early this year, it’s difficult to determine which winter it is. I’m not sure if this cold snap is redbud winter or dogwood winter. Nevertheless, hope remains as these small winters only last a day or two and then it’s mild weather again.
The smell of yesteryears lingers in the air as the garden was turned this week. The smell of fresh soil always reminds me of growing up only a few miles from where we live. Papaw plowed with a mule and plow from morning till evening. He would wipe the sweat from his brow, fan with his hat, rest a bit and return to his work. The smell of the rich dirt lingered in the air just as it does here today. The chickens are enjoying the freshly plowed ground as well. They love to scratch and search for worms in the loose dirt.
As I prepare breakfast this morning, I am reminded of eating oatmeal with my Papaw. I felt an unction to prepare a hardy bowl of oats, as he called them. I like to use a half cup organic oats, filtered water, fresh honey for the sweetening, and whatever fruit I have available. This morning I added a half of an organic banana, and some organic blueberries. I include a tablespoon of organic walnuts, a teaspoon of flaxseed, hempseed, and chia seeds. White serving I drizzle with almond milk and a tiny bit of honey. I toasted a slice of my homemade seeded bread with breakfast this morning. It’s a hard breakfast that will sustain me until late in the afternoon.
Delicious plant-based breakfast for a busy day!
I’m excited about planting this year. The manure has been spread and the first turning of the garden is complete. Seeds have been sewn in miniature green houses, and in the hydroponic garden. Fresh vegetables are a joy in the summer months. Fall is a time of harvesting and preserving for the winter months ahead. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for those who enjoy eating what they’ve grown from seed to nourish their bodies.
Spreading natural fertilizer.
Gardens can be as large or as small as you want them to be. For us, a large feeds our families all summer and sustains in the cold months. We usually have an abundance to share with neighbors, extended family, and church family. It seems the more we give to others, the more it grows.
Organic lettuce in one of the hydroponic gardens seven days after seeing the seed.
Eating healthy is a large part of being healthy. Eating organic, plant-based, and clean is a foundation for overall health. Get up and get moving! Being active helps prevent and fight many diseases that plague people across the world. Make it a point to know the ingredients in the food that you put in your body. Know the vocabulary of hidden toxic ingredients. Do your research, and start small and make changes weekly. For example, I no longer buy bread that is deemed healthy, but is it really when you can’t pronounce fourteen of the twenty seven ingredients. I choose to bake bread formy family on Saturday mornings. My recipe has four ingredients, of which one is water, and I add various organic seeds for the crunch and fiber. The following is a link to my bread recipe. It’s easy, doesn’t require an abundance of time and tastes delicious. Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
Living a clean and holistic life is very gratifying. The rewards are great and exceeds the long days and time spent prepping, preparing, and growing, foods that nourish your body, not poisoning them a little at a time with toxic ingredients found in processed foods.
The first turning of the garden!
I would like close with a great book suggestion for young readers, as a read aloud, and great for the primary classroom. It is written by our daughter and it’s beautifully written and illustrated. Check the book out at the following link;
God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! May your day be filled with joy, hope, the love of Christ, and good nutritious foods that can help heal you from the inside out. Feel free to leave a comment, like, and or follow by blog for more posts on clean and holistic living.
First turning of the garden complete! Awaiting a second plowing and plants!
Good Monday from the mountains of Kentucky. I awoke early this morning to make time for prayer, reading scriptures, and a little quiet time before preparing for the busy day ahead. There’s something about the early morning hours that brings a sense of renewal to my spirit. The stillness of the still dark sky, a quiet house, and the ability to meditate and truly listen for the Lord’s voice. Having a healthy relationship with God is part of being physically happy and being spiritually happy, which helps us be better prepared for the day or days ahead.
Our pastor’s wife once spoke on the voice of God. It was inspiring, reassuring, and confirming. The voice of God can be heard, sensed, and felt. It can be heard through His word, anointed preaching, the stillness of the night, a distant cry of a Hawk, in our thoughts, through words of wisdom given from others, and many other ways. His voice can be loud, soft, bold, and it can also be sweet and tender through prophetic words. We cannot put limitations on God. He is the Great I Am. He is the Alpha, the beginning, the first, the Omega, and the last. He is everything in between. We must recognize Him and reverence Him for who He is. To hear Him, and or recognize Him, we must calm the voices in our heads.
God’ promises are the same today as they were yesterday!
We are in a spiritual warfare with the enemy. The only place he can access is our thoughts, which if we allow his ideas and discouragement to linger, can become toxic. At this point we have allowed the enemy’s voice to overpower His voice. I have learned to pray for a watchman over my heart and mind. The enemy has no right to invade our peace. We must command him to go in the name of Jesus! He trembles at the name of Jesus! Speak the name of Jesus with boldness. You have authority of the enemy. I have countless testimonies about the voice of God but will only share a few of those with you today.
Years ago a friend of mine was having a difficult season in her life and was praying for answers. She prayed, trusted the Lord and waited on Him. One evening as she was checking her mail as she did on any given evening, she asked the Lord for confirmation that He would work this situation out. She needed help. She needed answers. And an answer came. She described how a gentle soft wind suddenly swept over her. She knew in her heart the gentleness of the unexpected breeze was God reassuring her that it was going to be okay. She worried no more but waited on the hand of God to move in what seemed like an impossible situation. And… He did.
He is with us even in the eye of a storm!
During a horrific spring storm a couple of years ago. The trees were swaying in the wind, rain was pouring down, and the creek water was rising fast. The sky was dark and we were under dangerous storm warnings. I was at home alone and was walking the floor praying for protection for myself, my family, for our homes and for our neighbors. I began speaking the name of Jesus. I quoted scriptures and continued to pray as the storm around our homes was raging. It felt as the storm was mocking me and trying to intimidate me and dissipate my faith that the Lord would take care of us. As I quoted Psalms 91, while peering through the window of the back door, I saw a sight that stopped me in my tracks and words. Hovering ever so gently near a set of wind chimes was a tiny hummingbird. Beyond the porch the winds lapped, the rain poured and the creek waters raged. The wind chimes were stilled and tiny bird hovered gracefully. I knew at that moment that the Lord was saying, “I’ve got this, trust me. I will care for you as I care for the fragile hummingbird. Trust me.” I snapped a quick picture of the hummingbird and as quickly as it arrived, it was gone. I relaxed as I knew the Lord was in control. The storm finally ceased leaving behind little to no damage. Since that day, when the enemy tries to scare me or intimidate me, or make me doubt, I think about the tiny hummingbird and words of comfort that I felt. We now have feeders gracing our porch to feed the tiny birds that God used to show me that He was in control of all. He is our protector, our guide, and God almighty!
Taken through a screened window during a raging spring storm. The creek was a small stream minutes before this picture was taken.
Many years ago, when we were praying about buying our home, there was chaos surrounding the situation. Some family members wanted to sell their parents home place, while others didn’t. I knew the home that had been their home was supposed to be our forever earthly home. I prayed and was continually being pulled to and fro. First we could buy the home and then others would change their minds. I continued to pray for His will. I felt compelled to visit a church one Sunday evening that I visited occasionally. Not really knowing why I felt lead to go, I went. During the worship service an elderly lady came to pray for me. She had no reason to know that I was praying about the home.
As she prayed for me, I felt an instant comfort and a closeness to the Lord. She spoke in my ear and said the Lord told her to tell me that even as soon as the morning, He would move in this that I had before Him. The peace resonated throughout my being. I can’t really recall what happened in the remainder of the service, or what the sermon was even about. I was enveloped in His presence and already planning how I would prepare for the move! The move to our new home. The next morning a family member who was an heir of the land we wanted contacted us to let us know they had made the decision to sell the home. A few months later we were living in our new home where after twenty seven years, we still reside today. God is faithful!
Early spring garden on our forever earthly land. God is good!
The voice of God can be soft, gentle, loud, clear, concise, and sometimes He uses the simple things such as the hummingbird to speak to us. Nevertheless, we must be willing to hear and receive what the Lord is telling us. Once we recognize it, we have to stand firm in our faith that He will do what He says He will do. Keep in mind the Lord spoke to people throughout the Bible through animals, nature, audible voices, angels and much more. We are no different than those that heard the Lord’s voice all those years ago. We, too, are His children. Finally, God don’t change. He was, and is, and is to come. He is the Great I Am.
God’s creation. Fall in the mountains.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my testimony’s about God’s voice. Feel free to comment, like, and or follow. I am excited to share more testimony’s of His voice next week. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky.
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. I hope this post finds each of you well. I wanted to share a small part of my heart with you today. I awoke early in the morning hours, just after midnight. I had a sense of uncertainty welling up within me. If you are like me, it seems today, more than ever, i find myself being stretched to the limit with time to complete tasks, some of which go untouched. Unfinished work, tasks, or plans leave me with a feeling of uncertainty, which sometimes interferes with my sleep. This morning was one of those mornings. But through the sleepless hours, I was reminded of just how Big God is.
His joy will fill us… if we are willing to be filled.
As I lay awake trying to find sleep, I pondered questions such as when I could complete the task(s) neglected yesterday due to unplanned obligations. How can I stretch time to allow me to meet all of the tasks that face me tomorrow? When will I find a little much-needed time for myself? And the big question, Lord, am I spending enough time with you? With questions swirling through my mind, sleep seemed far away. I began praying for peace, answers, and for sleep to come.
I was reminded while praying to pray the Lord’s word. I was reminded that life and death are in the power of the tongue. There is life in His word. I found comfort in the following scripture. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV). I prayed for the Lord to help me trust Him during difficult times. He reminded me that He is my Heavenly Father, and just as I, as an earthly parent, will ensure that our children are cared for and help them in any way that I can, He, too, would help me. Trust filled me and sleep soon came. It was good sleep. It was restful sleep. I awoke feeling rested and ready to face the day. I was reminded this morning of His love and mercy and His word from 1 Peter 5: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you. My heart was filled with peace and the trust that the enemy tried to take from me in the early hours of the morning. The enemy is a liar! I am an overcome.
His word don’t lie!
We must remember that we wrestle not against flesh but against the principalities of evil. Spiritual warfare is real. The enemy’s sole purpose is to discourage, take away, and destroy God’s children. We must be steadfast, hold tight to His word, trust Him with all our heart, rebuke the enemy, and plead the blood over and around us and our family during this trying time, and at the name of Jesus, the enemy will flee. Life will be filled with uncertainties; you will feel overwhelmed at one time or another, and you will see that full calendar and fear that the tasks will not be completed. But, remember that fear does not come from God, but rather from the enemy spiritually fighting against you. God is ever-present and is as near as you allow Him to be. He will be there to help you when you call upon His name. The name that is above all names. He never leaves us, nor will He forsake us. The word tells us that He will go all the way with us.
Finally, let us never forget that as long as we have been born again, we are blessed and will be overcomers. Stay the course, press forward, pray on, stay steadfast, and trust Him for all our needs and we will finish this race as an overcomer. He is our Alpha and Omega, beginning and ending, and everything in between. I learned a valuable lesson in the early morning hours talking to Him. Maybe my awakening aimed to teach me and help you when you have that sleepless night.
God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky. I love to read comments. Feel free to like, share, subscribe, leave comments, or prayer requests. Enjoy this beautiful day that the Lord has blessed us with.
Good morning from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a hot one here today! Heat advisory’s have been posted, and the air is already warm this morning. I am not complaining though, I love this time of the year! I wanted to share a small piece of my heart with my readers this morning. I want to encourage you. I hope you enjoy.
Standing alone, but not forgotten.
I have always had a fascination with old things, antiques, vintage items, old barns, old homes, old school houses, and especially old churches. I even find a fascination in the house seats where old houses once stood. You know the ones that still have remnants left behind. Sometimes it’s a really matured oak tree. Other times, it’s an old stone fence, or maybe a dilapidated barn or the remains of an old root cellar. I instantly begin to visualize and imagine those that lived there before. What was there life like? Were they Christian’s? Did they enjoy the mountain scenery? Did they have children? Did they farm? The questions roll sometimes until I can’t stop my mind from wondering. I am often stirred within and feel a connection to the past.
Beautiful home! Oh the stories that could be told.
I love the group, Abandoned in KY group that I follow on Facebook. I can’t browse too much or I find myself lost in the photos making them larger to see every detail of even the tiniest object that was left behind by the previous tenants. Then the questions roll again. I am fascinated and saddened at the same time, especially when I see so many abandoned churches across our state being postsed. I find myself asking, why did no one carry on? Why is the homes and the churches abandoned? Have they been forgotten? Where are the ancestors? Did no one share the importance of maintaining a home? Did anyone share the importance of attending services in the church. Did no one keep the fire burning?
A one-room school house/church restored through a grant written by teachers.
I have pondered on these empty dwellings and sanctuaries for years. I have written many poems about them, and am currently working on a novel based on many of the empty structures that I have photographed. But today, I feel like lifting someone up. In the day we live in many of us look around at our churches and notice an undeniable trend of low attendance, lack of concern, and empty seats. I want to say this, don’t dwell on what you see or who you don’t see, but focus on God. Pray without ceasing, press for the mark, lift up His name, and pray for the return of fire in God’s church. Not just the church where you attend, but His church. The body of Christ. Remember a fire begins with one single tiny spark. The spark must then be fanned to produce a flame. Once the flames ignite, keep fanning and keep praying. A wildfire, a revival wildfire will erupt. But remember, don’t neglect the spark. Press on. Stay the course. Ignite the fire through prayer and fasting. Praise God for what’s coming, don’t look at current circumstances, and be willing to fan the flames of revival. Will you be that spark?
Let the the fire burn so bright that it can be seen even in the darkest times.
I hope you feel encouraged. Don’t be down trodden, don’t look at what you see with your physical eyes. Look through spiritual eyes and recognize that God is still God. He don’t change. It is His pleasure to restore and connect our todays and tomorrows to history of our yesterdays. Great awakenings erupted in the past through dedicated prayer and fasting and He can open up the geysers of anointed revival again. God’s not finished yet! Fan the flames! God is still God! The same today as yesterday!
Feel free to comment or click follow to follow my blog. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Fan the flames, spread the word, God’s still God! He’s not dead! He’s still alive!
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. KJV
Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. It’s a beautiful day in the mountains. The sun is shining, birds are chirping and singing, and I can feel the buzzing and abundance of life all around me. Nature inspires me, as I know who created all manners of life. As I sat down this morning to grade students’ work, I felt the still small voice of the Holy Spirit whisper a simple message to me; come walk with Me. I thought about that simple statement. Come, walk with me. After a few minutes of pondering, the Lord reminded me of the many times that He has spoken about paths that we, or that I, should follow. I am reminded that to walk the path that He lays before us, we must walk with Him. We must take up our cross and agree to take up His yoke and follow Him. To follow Him, we must walk with Him.
Regardless how the enemy tries to instill fear… we must trust and follow God. His way leads to victory.
As I face surgery next week to have my right hip replaced, the enemy tried to instill fear within me. Fear of being put to sleep, fear of being in an operating room vulnerable to the knowledge, skill, and wisdom of the surgeon, nurses, and assistants. The scariest thought of all was the knowledge of what weight and responsibility the anesthesiologist was going to be responsible for. He would be responsible for my breathing, or so the enemy said. For a moment, a bit of panic gripped my thoughts. But then a clear vision came forth. I am never alone and will not be alone in the operating room. God will guide each person involved in the surgery. He will be there with me, just as He has throughout this journey. He reminded me, He holds my very breath, not the anesthesiologist.
So, for now, the fear that the enemy tried to fill my mind with… has dissipated as I advance and walk with the Lord, who knows me more intimately than I know myself. He is the way and the way maker. He lays the path that we are to walk, but we have to get up, dust ourselves off, believe in what we can’t physically see, and walk with Him. I want to encourage you. If you are facing what feels like a mountain, or a giant. If a situation seems impossible, know that with Christ, all things are possible. Remember, it is the enemy, the oppressor, who tries to make burdens and trials seem impossible and who desires to fill you with fear. But remember that fear is not of the Lord, just as worry is not of Him. We must trust in the Lord, and give our fears, burdens, weight, and the mountain that stands before us to Him. We must trust and walk with Him. He is our life support, our breath, and our all.
I will cling to His promises for they are true!
I hope this short post has encouraged you. I feel encouraged this morning by what felt like the weight of the world to me only days ago. That which loomed before me now seems insignificant and an opportunity to tell others about Him. God is my refuge and my very present help in the time of trouble. He promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us. We must lay it down and follow Him. I encourage you to find a quiet place to abide in Him, talk to Him, and, most of all, listen to Him. Will you join me? Come, let’s walk with Him.
God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky. As always, I welcome your comments and questions.
Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. I hope you’re having a wonderful spring and enjoying the beautiful outdoors. I felt the Lord inspire me this morning to write a post about paths. I love when the Lord inspires me with one word, then encourages me to dig deeper into the word for a better understanding of why He is speaking the word to me. Many times, when a believer says the Lord is speaking to them, it opens up opportunities for others to ask questions. For me, some of those questions include; Are you hearing an audible voice speaking this word or words? How do you determine that it’s the Lord speaking this word? What if it’s not Him? I typically answer with, no, it isn’t an audible voice, but it very well could be. I also reply that the Holy Spirit allows me to know that it is the Lord encouraging me to dig deeper into the word or words. Finally, if it’s not or wasn’t the Lord, then what would be the harm in exploring the word(s), praying about it, and learning from them? God grows us in various ways. The key is that we have to be receptive, willing to hear, and sometimes see what the Lord is impressing on our heart… and then have a willing heart to do something with the word or words. Willingness produces growth.
Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains in a more simplistic time than we now know. There wasn’t always entertainment at our fingertips. We had typically five to seven channels on television if the cable was working correctly. Did that mean we sat in front of the television mesmerized, much like youth are today? No, indeed not. We didn’t spend time indoors when we were home from school unless it was raining or bitterly cold. Were we being punished? No, indeed not. We were typically outside exploring, playing, and enjoying the surrounding entertainment that God provided. We spent most of our days fishing or wading in the creek, creating mud pies, playing in our homemade clubhouses, and making our own fun with what we had available. Were we bored? No, indeed we were not. We enjoyed checking out books from the bookmobile that frequented our house during the summer months. As a child, adventures awaited us daily. Adventures lay within the eye of the beholder, just as they are for me today. Pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to receive what the Lord is telling or showing you, then to have the wisdom to apply what He is saying.
The physical worn path…
I have enjoyed walking and exploring the beautiful mountains of Kentucky since I was a young girl. I still see a path that’s worn by those that sojourned before me and imagine who blazed the first path. Where were they going, and what did they find? Even today, I get lost in my imagination as I walk the path before me. The Lord has piqued my curiosity about the word path countless times. He allowed me to know that paths can be physical paths made by the footsteps of others and that paths can be the remnant of what’s left behind in annotations in Bibles. There’s something about the smell of a path through the mountains that entices me, just as the aroma that fills my nostrils from the time-worn pages of a bible. Both paths arouse curiosity and both have the potential to grow me spiritually, and opportunities to hear from the Lord. I am a firm believer that if we are receptive to our surroundings, objects, places, the word, and the people that He places in our paths, He will grow us. God doesn’t change, we do. I encourage you to dig deep, find that child-like faith, the curiosity of a child, and always the willingness to trust Him when He speaks to you. Again, the key to growth is the willingness to adhere to what the Lord is saying. It’s not about us, but all about Him.
The annotated & highlighted path reveals the past…a spiritual timeworn bath left behind.
I hope this short post has encouraged you to listen closely, and to not dismiss the repetition of a word or words that surface from various places, and to pray through the experience and allow the Lord to lead you to gain new knowledge, help someone else, or just satisfy a curiosity that lies within yourself. Life is short. Live it… live it for Him. Love life and above all love Him, and resonate His love toward others. God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky. As always, your comments and questions are always welcome.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5, 6.
Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. I hope your spring is off to a great start. It’s a rainy spring day in the mountains today. I feel compelled to share this experience with my readers today. I hope it blesses you as much as it has blessed me.
Clouds over the mountains.
I awoke a few mornings ago with a word lingering in my thoughts and spirit. I have since repeatedly been hearing the word, doors. I’ve thought much about the word. Why was I hearing it, what did it mean? What was the hidden message behind this thought, this word? I would ponder and pray about the word, doors, and ask the Lord for an answer.
Doors serve many purposes. They can lead to unknown places, familiar places, opportunities, and adventures… and that’s just a minimal number of things that often await us behind a door.
God’s promises!
As I pondered and prayed about the significance of the word doors. I envisioned journeys and opportunities that might await, but for who? I wondered if this word was meant for me, a family member, or did it hold a significant meaning or message for the future. I wasn’t sure. Maybe, it was for all the above.
Confirmation came, not only once, but multiple confirmations came. Confirmation one came for our son-in-law, who had recently leased a small storefront to serve as an office. After a period of time, the office was no longer needed. Just as he was removing his last load of belongings from the office, a man stopped him as he exited the building and stated, you don’t know me and I don’t know you, but I feel that the Lord wants me to tell you something. Our son-in-law replied that he would like to hear what the man had to say. The stranger proceeded to tell him that the Lord wanted him to stop and tell him that when one door closed, the Lord will always open another door. And a door opened, a door of opportunity opened wide for him a few days later. Confirmation number one! I’ll share more about this opportunity at a later date.
The second confirmation came through a spoken word by a friend at church just as the Lord began to deal with my spirit that He wanted us, His children, to take His word through the doors of the church and out to others. He was speaking to me that we need to tell others about Him and share His word with them, but we needed to walk through the doors to do so. It’s great to assemble in the church to worship and fellowship, but He was saying there was work to do beyond the church doors. As my brother-in-law testified about the need to have a servant’s heart. I felt the tugging again that we were to take the word outside of the church and share God’s goodness with others. Confirmation number two. We must walk through the door to take the word, His word, out to others.
Let the Lord lead… and you follow.
Finally, the third confirmation showed up in a totally different way. The Lord allowed me to see a beautiful doorway in a vision yesterday. The doorway was divine, big, dark wood, and beautiful. It had intricate scrolling wood carvings, and beautiful green vines covering the outer edges. The door served as a gateway to a beautiful garden just beyond the door. The garden was full, lush, and green. It was alive with colorful blooms, and vibrant colors, and bees were buzzing around the blooms. It was alive! The Lord instilled within my spirit that just as the beautiful garden was alive… His word was alive. The garden door served as a gateway to a vision of God’s living word. We, as Christians, need to walk through our doors into the outside world and be living examples of His word, every day.
As always, feel free to leave a comment. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!
Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! Unseasonably warm temperatures have spoiled us in the mountains. I’m talking temperatures soaring into the seventies in January and February. Trees are blooming, bulbs are peeking out above ground, herbs are coming up, and the redbud trees have been alive with color. We all know that the weather can turn on a dime in the mountains of Kentucky. Meteorologists have recorded Kentucky having multiple seasons of weather in one day. So I shouldn’t have been so surprised when March came in with a vengeance! Snow yesterday and today I awoke to a frosty twenty degrees outside.
Spring will arrive on time and, as always, it will be welcomed. After all, He is always on time. Over the course of my life, I have found that to be true. He is on time. It’s not always our time when we want things done, or a situation changed, or a particular prayer answered, but in His time… He answers on time. Sometimes an answer comes quickly, other times almost immediately, and even still other times our answers seemed to be on hold or delayed. Either way, answers to prayers come in His time, and He is always on time.
I have found Him to be faithful. A very scary situation and experience occurred in my life this week that intensified and solidified my belief that He is an on-time God, even more than before. Early Monday morning as I was traveling to work at a high rate of speed on the Interstate, I noticed a small SUV in the outside lane of weaving between two vehicles in enter the middle lane. Fear engulfed me, as I wasn’t sure he was going to make it between the cars. Checking my mirrors to check the traffic behind me, I let off the gas to make sure I was far enough behind the thick traffic in case the driver clipped one of the cars. Amazingly enough, the SUV made it without hitting either car. But, the driver didn’t stop there. The SUV proceeded to enter the fast lane where I was traveling at now at least 75 miles per hour following a jeep at about two car lengths in front of me. The driver of the SUV tried to enter the lane in front of the jeep in front of me, who apparently was in the SUV’s blind spot.
The SUV hit the front passenger fender of the jeep in front of me and sent it crashing into the concrete wall that divides the north and south lanes. Hitting my brakes, I began to fishtail back and forth while the jeep in front of me was thrown and spinning widely back into oncoming traffic: me! I could hear tires squealing in all directions and from my own jeep. The gray jeep that was hit and now spinning out of control was coming directly at me! I began saying Lord help me, Jesus, repeatedly. That’s when I felt control over the situation. With the Lord’s help, I was able to maneuver through three lanes of traffic at a high rate and avoid the jeep twice as it spun through the lanes, as well as the parts that were flying off it.
Suddenly, I realized I had made it through without a scratch from the gray jeep that was still widely spinning trying to get control. I hadn’t hit the jeep or it hadn’t hit me. None of the flying parts had hit me, or none of the other traffic has hit me or anyone else that was just traveling along as I was. Meanwhile, I had forgotten that I had my pastor and his wife blue-toothed into my jeep talking about prayer. I heard her asking, “are you okay?” she explained that all she could hear was a loud crash and tires squealing… and me saying, Lord help me Jesus repeatedly.
I assured her I was okay, and we said a prayer for the other drivers. I explained what happened and kept traveling, giving God the praises for His hand of mercy on me and the others. I saw the state police arriving and the SUV that had caused the horrible wreck stopped on the shoulder. The police would take care of the wreck. Jesus took care of me! He is an on-time God!
Traveling back to work two days later was a bit unnerving. I have driven the interstate for forty-plus years and never really had a fear of the fast pace, or the heavy traffic, until now. I prayed as always before I left for sage travels and asked for angles around my jeep. I entered the traffic on the interstate and directed my thoughts to the traffic, His goodness, and prayed for safety. Shortly thereafter, the heavy traffic began to dissipate and a wonderful thing appeared just out in front of me. Check the picture out below. Just another reminder that He is on time and Jesus is and always will be, Lord.
This gave me comfort as I drove the same road where a near-fatality crash occurred only two days prior.
Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. Let me first begin by saying, we are blessed! I am not just implying my family, I am saying and proclaiming for all that are reading… “we are blessed!” You might be asking how so, or why did she post that? Deep within, you need to know that if you are physically able to read this post or any other post, you are alive, thus… you have been blessed with another day. Even, if there are things going on in your life, and we all have those days and even weeks, or maybe seasons, if you are breathing, you are blessed. Secondly, accept this day and know Lord has your best interest and will take care of you, walk in it. Make this day count. For every day that passes, is a day that we cannot and will not be able to enjoy again.
God’s beauty…
My mind often drifts back to a simpler time when life didn’t seem as hectic or as chaotic. The world seemed to be a more simple place. Sure there’s always been trouble, trials, wars, and bad things that happen, but that’s because we live in a real world where both good and bad happen. However, it seems to rein in a more bold abundance than in the times gone by. Is that it? Or, is that we, as a whole, are more connected to the media, social media, and here say, than we are to our savior and His word? Is it that we focus too much on what others are saying, or implying, than what the word tells us?
My heart is leading me in a direction to simplify life, my life. How so? By disconnecting from so much of the media. I don’t mean that I will live in a bubble where all is well and I will not acknowledge that bad things do happen. No, not at all. I mean, that I am being selective of what news I read, that’s right, read. I feel lead to spend much less time on social media, and more time in my prayer closet, in the word, and with the Lord, and with myself. I am doing some soul searching, meditation, deep and close reading, and also spending some quiet time listening to His voice.
His beauty abounds everywhere!
I was reminded of how we, as a society, often overlook the simple things and become bored when things begin to calm down, or when there’s no fast paced gratification in most anything we attempt. Have we allowed the use of technology to rob us of the blessings of using our hands to create, our strength to labor, our eyes to actually read a book that we physically hold in our hands, and using precise measurements to create delicious dishes? Have we allowed the clutter in our lives to rob our desire of helping our fellowman? Do we care more for ourselves than the elderly widow who would love to have a home cooked meal, or someone to physically talk to? Have we allowed the convenience of instant almost anything to replace the satisfaction that we once felt by actually taking the time to complete a task?
This is an afghan I’m working on for one of our grandchildren. This is the fourth of five that I’ve made with love and many prayers for each of them.
What tasks am I speaking of? For such as a time as this, almost anything would fit into this category. Anything from baking a scratch cake instead of a boxed cake. From crocheting your own afghan for a friend instead of buying a thoughtless gift. Nurturing a plant from a seed with care and love, rather than picking the finest mature plant from a nursery. Growing your own herbs to dry, rather than buying a cheaper easier version from the store. Canning healthy produce for your family, rather than buying cheap imitations that are full of preservatives? It could be as simple as taking a break from browsing your phone, to watching a squirrel gather nuts. Reading deeper than surface reading the Bible. For such a time as this, this list could continue for far too long. We can’t make a total change overnight with simplification, but we can simplify our life, one habit, one deed, or one choice at a time.
I was inspired by our six year-old grandson to post this blog. While I prepared breakfast a few mornings ago, he was enjoying his pre-breakfast muffins and a cup of milk. He was a bit upset because his tablet battery was low and he wouldn’t have enough battery life to watch a cartoon that he wanted to see. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a company’s Christmas toy catalog lying on the table. Immediately he laid the tablet aside and asked what the book was for. I explained how his mommy and uncle used to browse the Sears and JC Penny wish-books for weeks circling their favorite toys in hopes of getting those for Christmas. They were making their choices known. Right away, he asked for a pen to circle his choice of toys, not just for himself, but for his brother, cousins, and friends. Grant it, if the item was given a circle and a check, then that indicated the ranking of interest for that particular item. All the while, he never mentioned being bored, or once stopped to watch his tablet. With excitement, he browsed the pages several times and later declared to his mommy that they too needed a book like Nan’s.
Take time to enjoy something with substance. We need more Sears and JC Penny’s moments in life. Simplify things.
With that being said, for such a time as this, I feel inspired to ask you today, to take time to stop and enjoy what our Heavenly Father has created for us. Simplify your life. Choose wisely how you spend your time. And above all, remember that He gave all so that we could have life and have it everlasting.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this post. It’s a bit different than many of my other posts, but I am a person of many diverse interests, from crocheting, reading, writing, gardening, thrifting, collecting antiques, baking, creating, singing and so many more things. Above all, I love to tell others about Him. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Feel free to follow and comment. May the Lord bless each of you abundantly.
A Healthier Me...Simple & Clean 