Today is the 4th Sunday in Lent. We are moving ever closer to Easter. I have really enjoyed the emergence of daffodils and gorgeous pear tree blossoms turning bare branches into beautiful white blooms. Yesterday I noticed vegetable plants along with small potted flowers for sale at a local store. Spring is inching its way to us and I am more than ready!

Along with improved surroundings and more daylight, I am enjoying occasional March Madness basketball. It’s always great to see a game go down to the wire with the underdog pulling off a win.

I guess I’m just grateful for the small blessings in life that I’m experiencing right now. I don’t want to take them for granted, because life has a way of handing you the unexpected at times. So thank you, Lord, for the “little” things. I am most grateful.

God bless – Sue

It’s early on the first day of Daylight Savings time, and I went to bed too late. Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet, and I need to leave in a couple hours for church. I will be “springing forward” to help pack 125 boxes of food after our worship service for our monthly drive-thru distribution, so I need to get myself ready and out the door.

I don’t feel very springy for a variety of reasons. What about you? Are you feeling weary today? You’re not alone. Life for many has gotten very challenging with reported bad news everywhere. Continual warfare in Ukraine, devastating storms, increased prices on everything, political upheaval, and family situations.

It’s tempting to not even try to count our blessings, but let me encourage you to do so. I have much for which to be thankful – hopefully you do too. If you have a roof over your head, heat, food, clothes, a working vehicle, job or retirement income, etc., you are blessed compared to many others. Let’s try to be a blessing to others in these difficult days. God’s word tells us that we are blessed to be a blessing. Spring foward!

God bless – Sue

I’ve been busy lately, but in all the activity I’ve been reminded that blessings and hope remain. For example, last week several of us from our small church worked to pick up fresh produce to add to the 100+ boxes of food that we had packed earlier and would give away in our “drive-thru” food pantry on Saturday. I never considered how heavy multiple bags of potatoes,cabbage, and apples could be! Saturday was cold but sunny as we set up tables and pallets for the food that would be given away in less than two hours. People are so grateful to receive the food and the offer of prayer several of us offer. I am always blessed to experience being a blessing to others.

This week I have also had the opportunity to transport and watch my granddaughter at her 2-hr volleyball practices. The amount of energy out there on the court wears me out just watching. Time spent with her = blessing.

As I pulled out of our driveway several days ago, a brief spot of color caught my eye. It was a full-blooming daffodil standing straight up in my flower bed. It wasn’t there days earlier! The unseasonably warm weather must have encouraged that reminder of approaching Spring, and once again I was blessed.

I guess the rationale for this entire post is to encourage all of us to look for the bright spots – the blessings – in our daily lives. We need these “uppers” to outweigh the negatives. So look for the daffodils, the blessings, in your life in the coming days. It could make all the difference in the way you view your circumstances.

God bless – Sue

It’s February 10th and the temperature has reached 73.° Such a beautiful, sunny day, at least for several more hours before some rain may move into the area. So my husband suggested that it was a perfect day to get out of the house and take a drive.

We head down the road into the countryside of nearby NC and see a sign for a ferry. The next trip is in 90 minutes, so we find some lunch and head back to wait for our ride. Nothing to do but rest and relax. What a blessing! How many hard working folks would love to have the opportunity that we found by chance.

Pulling onto the ferry, we find ourselves at the front with nothing much to obscure the view. With windows down, we enjoyed the sunshine, breeze, and scenery. After reaching land, we discovered a way home through back roads and didn’t need to wait for a return ride on the ferry. In the midst of a winter month, an unexpected adventure was provided for us – it was a good day. I hope the Lord blesses you with one soon.

God bless – Sue

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Everything worthwhile in life takes time. From birth, a process that took around nine months, to our education that progresses through twelve-plus years, we don’t achieve much in life overnight.

Let me transition from these two examples to a Christian perspective. I have been taught that God hears and answers prayer in one of three ways: “yes, no, or wait.” The hardest of these three is undoubtedly “wait.” We want our answer now; it’s important! However the Bible tells us in Psalm 27:14: “Wait on the Lord – be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart – wait I say on the Lord.” This idea is reinforced in one of my favorite scriptures: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” from Isaiah 40:31.

Is something or someone on your heart today? Pray for God’s leading to the answer you need, and get ready for God to move on your behalf. Just be ready to wait, because His timing is always right.

God bless – Sue