Talk About Seasons

Seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter are inevitable for us, and we appreciate them; most of the time. The things which we may call “Seasons” of our lives also come with mixed appreciation.

It seems sometimes that the seasons of my life have been stricken with only the “Winter” mode, and that of my wife as well. This is not meant to capture anyone’s sympathy, empathy or what ever, but I pray it will encourage you. I know, and am trusting completely in our Lord’s goodness, grace and love. He holds my life, my wife’s life, all our family’s lives in His powerful hands.

You see I cannot see the finished picture which He is painting for my life. I have only what is today; however, He sees the complete picture. When He is finished with this painting it will be a glorious picture which will glorify His Son Jesus. No work He has began in me or any of His children will fail.

Before I go on with this let me tell you what my wife and I have found out from our doctor, and blood tests. According to my last blood test I have a high glucose level, and a failing liver. She has also told me that my kidneys are only functioning at 60% (just the other day a woman gave one of her kidneys to her husband whose kidneys had failed completely, so she is on fifty percent kidney function) WOW!!! Thank the Lord.

My wife has an aortic anyrism (an enlarged aorta of the heart). When it was first discovered she was told it was at a 4, and when it reached a 5, they would need to do surgery. We were told Monday that it is now at 4.5. The surgery we have been told would be open heart surgery. I am so thankful that our God who has created all things, and holds all things together has it all in His mighty, everlasting hands.

We have also determined to fight these things through prayer, praise, and eating right, or at least closer to right, and getting some much needed exercise, starting with walking as often as we possibly can.

He can heal us if He chooses to do so, and we would be thankful, and we are thankful to Him for the privilege and “Right” through His Son Jesus for having a personal relationship with Him.

Jesus our Savior and God is the Creator of all, is worthy of our praise. We will love Him, serve Him, and will not bow to the words of men or the devil; but we will praise and serve the LORD of hosts. There is no rest without this God and Savior who died on the cross for our sins.

Look to Him today. Have peace through faith in Him. Live His faith.

Give thanks for every day you can arise from your bed, take a breath, take a step, look into the early morning skies and see the stars, the moon, the planets, and have a knowledge that there is the Creator. There are those who cannot do those things and are thankful still.

When we are oppressed by the rough seasons of our lives; let’s be sure we make it a season of praise to our Creator.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Stinker Family

There was a family, and their neighbors called them, “The Stinkers”. That is the name they had lived with for many generations. There were times when they would gather together, and everything would be just great, but then, there would be times they gathered and boy! what a stink that would rise.

It seemed upon their once per week meeting everything went well. They would even bring in their dinners once per month, sit down together at their tables, talk and enjoy their meal. When there were new things to do however there would almost always be one stinker who would rise up and start calling the rest of the family.

Everything in these special things could be going really well, but because one Mrs. Stinker was not in charge she would call others who were not present telling them that another stinker was being mean to the kids, and treating them unfairly. Can you imagine one Stinker working against another Stinker. All you get is STINK.

It is a shame that one Stinker cannot get along with another Stinker. One Mrs. Stinker says to the other Mrs. Stinker, “Well that Mr. Stinker of our family, he really doesn’t know how to be a leader.” The phones start ringing and the ears of all the Stinkers start buzzing. Lips start yapping, and in the end there is no peace.

What are the Stinkers going to do? What is their Creator going to think about the stink that is being raised within the Stinker family? The domineering female Stinker will need to cease and desist in her stink making, and seek to yield to the leading of the Creator. As long as any of us Stinkers think we can control the family we will continue to stink.

Aren’t we all stinkers at times?

The Smile of God

My wife, Madge and I were getting near home this evening and I had been noticing the moon. You can’t see much of it; there is the faint outline of the whole moon, but in darkness; with the exception of a long curved lighted bottom. I had thought that was rather odd.

I do not remember ever seeing the moon in that phase. I said something to Madge about it, and she said, “A smiley face”. I told YEAH!, I had not thought of it that way and then, I said, “It’s as though God is smiling down on us.

I still think that is a pretty neat moon; especially if it is a reminder of God’s good grace toward His people, and a smile to the world of His mercy.

He is smiling down on you. He loves you. Love Him by loving His Son Jesus Christ.