Picture DEES ~~~~Close to Home

The day was dedicated to picking out a butcher pig for the family. As the grand kids piled into the car we were on our way to our new adventure. However, soon it turned into a rainbow chasing session.

As the recent rain showers ended the sky was replaced with faded rainbows, short ones, double ones, and ones that shined for only a few minutes. As much as I tried to get a good shot at one it just wasn't working out.

After our joint adventure and returning home I at last gave up on my desire to get a good picture of a rainbow. After going inside the house to prepare lunch I soon found myself outside again announcing its completion. As I walked over to our pig pen where my husband was there in the sky was a complete rainbow arching its full beauty across the sky.

After all the chasing of rainbows earlier God had came close to my home to deliver me the rainbow I was searching for. A rainbow full in size, bright in beauty, and rich in promises. Too often we think we will find our rainbow or pot of gold away from our home but that isn't always the case. 
God knew how badly I wanted my rainbow picture and there it was showing up in my front yard. The thought that God looks at the rainbow the same time I am fascinates me and that's why I nicknamed my oldest granddaughter "rainbow."  It reminds me He is watching over her even when I am not around to see.

Close to home God is watching over all of us. I in my cancer, her in her teens, my daughter in her adulthood, everyone is on His list. Our job is to watch for Him and not give up on that thing in the sky that reminds us He is there. A bird in flight, a cloud on the move, a colorful sunset or sunrise, or a rainbow in the sky it doesn't matter.

Close to home is close to our hearts and that is where we need to be. A place to meet our rainbow and draw closer to God. Seek God. Start chasing today.

Copyright 2015 Karen J Gillett at Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing. 

Journey Thru Bethlehem

Tonight the family went to a live nativity scene in Bend called "Journey to Bethlehem." It was a really neat journey. We started inside the church listening to the band from my church called, "Lost and found." They were the opening scene to the rest of our journey.















Next our tour guides Sarah and Rebekah led us to the owners of the camel, "big Al" who was stopped along the road on their way to Bethlehem as well. (Big Al's picture turned out pretty dark)

After that we ran up against some guards on horses that wouldn't let us go into the city of Bethlehem. They claimed the city was closed until they heard we had money to pay our taxes. That made them open their gates quickly.  I tried to bribe them with the hot chocolate I had but that didn't work, they wanted our money.


Once inside the gate we saw beggars and then some townsmen who tried to sell us goods. We got to see donkeys, sheep, and chickens. In one spot a group of people were dancing and celebrating all God had done for them, Our guide told us to join them so I did because I too can dance for joy for all the things God has done for me. In spite of my cancer I am blessed with other things and for that I want to remain thankful for. Therefore I joined in the dance and around I went on the rugs and even managed to do a twirl and not fall down. Once I tried to stop and my oldest granddaughter Marissa told me I had to keep going.

After getting back to the dancing I heard a man on a horse shout out saying, "Hey, lady in pink did you pay your taxes?" 'Boy,"' I thought to myself,  "the IRS tracks you down everywhere you go. Ha, ha."

From there we went into a tent to pay taxes with the rolled up scroll they gave us to hand to them at the beginning of our journey. When we got into the tent I couldn't find the scroll in my pocket. On the way out I found the round thing and handed it to a guy and told him to put it in for me. Outside the tent my daughter Nycol handed me back my chap-stick and said that was what I handed the tax man. I was so  embarrassed, I was glad it was dark enough outside to hide my red face.

 

I  couldn't help but wonder if I embarrassed the guard with my chap-stick mix up? Maybe not but it sure gave me the giggles. It felt good to laugh at myself for once instead of always being so hard on myself.














Next we found ourselves out at the Inn where there was no room for us to stay in, out of the cold of the night. With no where to rest we continued on and suddenly this host of angels appeared. They had good news for us, they brought us good tidings of great joy and that was the news about the coming of the Christ our Lord.

That was better news than hearing the Bethlehem Inn had finally enough rooms to house us all.

Next thing we came across was Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the manger with the sheep and other animals. What a wonderful reminder to a beautiful event that was designed to save both you and me. Saving us from the one thing that can be more deadly for us than a gunshot wound, car accident, deadly disease or whatever else and that is "Sin." The sin we like to keep close to our hearts where it does so much damage.

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All in all it was a great journey and it really touched my heart thinking about who we have in Christ. He's a journey worth endeavoring on.

I will treasure always having all four of our grand kids with me on this journey and Nycol and her boyfriend too.It was a dream come true to see how we almost took up an entire pew. Even the band from my church that played called "Lost and Found" were great too. 

Believe it or not my dog Coffee kind of enjoyed himself as well until we had to go outside.

Thanks everyone for going with me. I pray you will continue to travel with me on the journey to Heaven. Let's not stop in Bethlehem when we have Heaven just over the horizon and Jesus is the key and the door that gets us in the gate, not the promise of money for taxes or hot chocolate but the giving of our souls to the one who will cherish what we have to offer for all eternity.

Seek God!

I love you, I love Jesus.

Everyone Has a Story

As my granddaughter Brooke and I sat in church one Sunday the preacher talked about Paul's story. He then mentioned the fact that everyone has a story.

One by one the preacher asked volunteers to tell their stories. As people were talking my granddaughter Brooke reached out and gave me a hug. She knew in her heart her grandma had a story to tell whether she got to tell it that Sunday or not.

As there was no time to share it at church I am sharing it now for Brooke and all my other grandchildren. So here we go kids, this is grandma's story:

At the age of twelve I accepted Christ into my life thanks to the fantastic witness and example my preacher Rev D L Penhollow (Penny) was as he displayed his love for Jesus daily. God was going to test that commitment I made as I was declared disabled twice in my life. The first time in my twenties when I had epilepsy and again in my fifties with my breast cancer.

What I learned during my first disability were things I was going to need to survive during my struggle with my cancer. Lessons on how to deal with stress and how to effectively lean on Jesus. Already out of the way was the battle with the "why me" struggle with my epilepsy that kept me from going there when I got cancer. I learned about forgiveness and the poison of bitterness and the short falls of self pity and giving up.

Jesus was and still is my strength thru it all. He was the guide I was going to need to lead me out of the darkness using His word, the Bible. When I wasn't taking well the test of life He was patient with me. He granted me grace when I needed it and mercy when I didn't deserve it. He has always made me feel loved and worthy of what He has to offer. He has walked me thru many trials and picked me up when I have fallen.

He has always been there for me. He has tickled me when I couldn't laugh or smile on my own. His hand has wiped away many a tears from my face. His arms hugged me when I was alone in the darkness. It was His angel He sent to comfort me outside my kitchen window. He has never let me down. He has disciplined me as a loving father does his daughter.

He has shown me again and again how much He cares. Therefore as my second disability carries on so will my love for Jesus. As He is there for me so will I be for Him. My holy reverent fear of Him makes it so I don't have to fear what is ahead of me.

Stick with Jesus my love ones and you too will have a fantastic story to tell. It may not include angels or disabilities but it will contain the same story of love Jesus has to offer you as He offers me and those who have gone on before me such as Penny Penhollow.

Seek God and be amazed at what you'll find.