TODAY

"This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118: 23

TODAY.

T O D A Y..................focus on it.

Do not rewind to yesterday or last week or last year. It's history.

Do not fast forward to tomorrow. It may never come.

TODAY, focus on this moment...this minute. What does God have before you TODAY?

There is an old saying "An idle mind is the devil's workshop". There is MUCH truth in that! Have you ever noticed when you are alone and have time on your hands...even if you are busy...what starts going through your mind? Do you find yourself going down old trails, re-living past hurts or failures or nursing old wounds? STOP IT!!! It's history...gone...done! LET IT GO!!!!!!!!!!

Or maybe you find yourself worrying about tomorrow or next week or next year. Maybe you dwell on all the "what-if's"....

What if this ache in my shoulder is not just arthritis...maybe it's something worse...

What if gas continues to go up and groceries go up and other stuff continues to rise...how will I pay my bills?

What if we have a storm and my house gets flooded? or blown away? or a tree falls on it?

What if something happens to my husband? my child? my grandchild?

What if...what if...what if..................!!!!!!!!!!

How many hours have you spent wondering and worrying over all the "what-if's" in your life only to find that none of them ever materialized? Do you know the definition of Fear?

F alse

E xpectations

A ppearing

R eal


Have you ever thought about what you COULD have been doing with all that time? Has it ever occurred to you that while you were worrying, the seconds of THIS day were passing you by and that you had just exchanged a day where nothing was wrong and you COULD have been enjoying yourself for a day of worry about stuff that never happened!!?

God says THIS is the day the Lord has made and we are to rejoice in IT! You see, Satan knows your Achilles heel. He knows right where to aim the fiery dart to rob you of your peace in today. He knows whether to cause your mind to rewind or fast forward or both. He loves to take you there because then you are robbed of the joys God had for you TODAY!

So you must learn to beat him at this game. And the Lord tells us exactly how to do that. Abide in Him. Take captive every thought that exalts itself against Christ. Just refuse to go there. When Satan begins to rewind or fast forward your mind, STOP! Begin to quote scripture. Begin to pray. Begin to praise God in a song. You can't do both at once!

Paul gives us the prescription for enjoying today and defeating Satan:

"Don't worry about anything, but in EVERYTHING through prayer make your requests known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses every thought will guard your hearts and minds [against Satan's fiery darts] in Christ Jesus. Finally brethren...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are commendable...THINK ON THESE THINGS!!!" Phillipians 4: 7,8

Today, if you find yourself rewinding or fast forwarding your mind's tape...STOP...and Phillipians 4:8 it! If what you are thinking does not fit in any of those "whatsoevers", then stop the tape, and put in one that does!! God will reward you with peace and you will be able to rejoice and be glad in this day!

MOTHER LOVE

Mother Love

M emory
O pens
T he
H eart
E ngaging
R emembrance

A mother’s hands are the first embrace a child will carry from place to place.

A mother’s heart will ponder anew and dream impossibility for you.

A mother’s faith is the greatest gift, for in prayer alone your burdens to lift.

A mother’s face is etched with beauty,

A mother’s path, devotion and duty.

As the seasons pass and the years unfold, we understand better a mother’s hold.

Her children become

Her hands release

A grip of love abides to ease,

Rites of passage come and go,

College and marriage

Grandchildren to know.

Change enters again.

Trials weather frail hands.

Her heart awaits,

Her faith renewed,

Her face is framed with love for you.

Her path is heaven

God’s time has come.

The Love of Jesus takes her home.

But Mother lives on in you and me

Her call of faith, her liberty

Found only in HIM whose Life will reign,

A Cross of Grace that still remains.

A legacy of love, a trust so tender,

Her Mother Love we do remember.

Billie Cash
Mother, Grandmother, Author
May 2008

** Billie lost her own sweet mother just a few months ago. This will be her first Mother' s Day since her mother entered Heaven.

"Her children arise and call her blessed. "Proverbs 31:28a

A TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS

Mothers are probably the most abused species on earth. From the moment they give birth to a child, they are spit up on, puked on, pooped on, wakened at all hours of the night for all sorts of reasons, and screamed at from wailing infants to angry teenagers. Yet with one wet, sloppery kiss or one tight squeeze around the neck or one straggly bunch of weeds clutched in a tiny fist given with the words "Here Mommy"....all of that melts away. That's just how mothers are.

She is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (unless she is lucky enough to get a little time away with Daddy). Her resume is quite impressive:

Chef - preparing healthy, well-balanced meals all the while convincing a 3 year old that green peas are really "green glow pellets" that will give him super powers

Waste Management expert - cleaning up many poopy diapers and all that goes along with that scenario as well as episodes of stomach upsets that create messes from head to toe

Nurse - rocking sick babies, wiping the brow of fevered children, sitting by the bed through the night just making sure they are breathing ok, watching every cut and scrape for sign of infection, kissing hundreds of boo-boos

Engineer - able to build lego castles, lego skyscrapers, put together toys that a "real" engineer would need a degree to build

Chauffer - managing to get every child to every soccer practice, piano lesson, dance lesson and baseball practice while doing her own errands along the way; driving kids to church for choir, mission projects, Mother's Day Out, and church services; even handling their social lives for birthday parties, sleep overs and fun times with friends until they get their own license to drive

Event coordinator - Staging the most creative birthday parties and baking the best birthday cakes ever; celebrations for everything from first poop in the potty to making 100 on a spelling test

Tutor - teaching the art of tying shoes and buttoning clothes; drilling math skills, reciting spelling words, helping with science projects, health projects, reading and more...

Counselor - consoling weeping children due to the loss of a pet, a favorite toy, a friend who moved away, snubs by a "supposed" friend, the first broken heart..

Detective - found the missing paci, the missing teddy, the missing shoes; unraveled the mystery of "who dunit" when everyone involved points to the other; solved the case of the mysterious brown stain on the living room carpet

Entertainer - Sang silly songs and danced around the room with a 1 year old to stop their crying; made the silliest faces imaginable to a tiny baby just to elicit one little toothless grin; made up games and songs on rainy days to keep bored children occupied; created a stage and audience for all the performances of the most talented kids on earth;

Religious instructor - taught them songs about Jesus since they were born, read Bible stories to them til they were old enough to read for themselves, prayed with them, taught them to pray, taught them about God and His wonderful creation, taught them to take their troubles to Him.

Also skilled at multi-tasking, scheduling appointments, coordinating play dates, fashion consulting and refereeing. Additional duties include: seamstress, hairdresser, coach, roommother, chaperone, team mother, den mother, sponsor to cheerleader squad, gynastics team, band, etc.

Served on PTA, booster clubs, teen board, and concession stands.

Yes, ALL of these things are included in mothers' resumes and more...Why? Because that is just what mothers do.

Mothers always have to play the bad guy. They are the ones who refuse to get you up every 30 minutes as a baby, allowing you to cry instead til you quit waking up through the night. They are the ones who take away your paci, who refuse to allow you to wear diapers any more, who won't let you stay up til all hours of the night. Mothers are the ones who make you eat yucky food like broccoli and green peas. They are the ones who will not let you ride your bike in the street or throw your ball through the neighbor's window. They are a real kill-joy when it comes to TV, too. They will only let you watch a limited number of hours and then only what THEY want you to watch! Bummer! When you get older they are the ones who decide what you can and cannot wear, much to the chagrin of many a teenage girl. They are the ones who search for and usually find the Playboy magazines hidden in the boys' rooms and who refuse to give them back! Yes, mothers can definitely be a real kill-joy. That's just how they are.

Yet mothers are always the one their children run to, they are always the one they know will be there with a hug and a kiss and a prayer. They are the ones who will tuck them in at night, scare the monsters away and let them know that all is well. They will kiss all their boo-boos away, mend Teddy's arm when it falls off and keep stitching Pooh Bear back together because it's baby's favorite lovey. Mothers know just how you like your sandwich fixed, which cup is your favorite, and can read your favorite book without ever opening the cover. She is the one who will hold you when your heart is breaking and weep with you when there are no words to console you with. She is the one who will spend hours on her knees in prayer for you, who will hurt with you and for you til all is well in your world again.

Mothers hold your hands while you are little but your heart for a lifetime. Their love is never ending, no matter what. And if they are a Christian, they have no greater joy than to know that their children walk in truth. They spend their life raising you so that you can stand on your own two feet and grieve when you do because they miss you so much. Mothers must give you roots and wings even if it breaks their heart. Most mothers think that when they get their children raised, their work will be done and the worrying they did for 18 years will be over. But then they find that instead, their hearts just open wider to envelope the spouses of their children and then be filled to overflowing with love for the grandchildren that come. No, a mother's work is never done, but neither is the loving. That's just how mothers are.

JESUS CALLING

Several weeks ago while at a retreat with dear friends, one of them shared a little book with us entitled "JESUS CALLING". It is written by Sarah Young and all of us fell in love with it! I think most of us came home and bought our own copy.

It is written as if Jesus is writing to you, speaking personally to you. The daily devotionals are very short...can be read in less than a minute. But to pick it up each day, and listen to what HE has to say is amazing! I can't encourage you enough to find and purchase this book. It has been a tremendous blessing to all of us, and I know it will be to you as well. Be sure to read the preface of how Sarah came to write this book. You will appreciate it all the more if you do.

Here is today's just to whet your appetite:

Don't be so hard on yourself. I can bring good even out of your mistakes. Your finite mind tends to look backward, longing to undo decisions you have come to regret. This is a waste of time and energy, leading only to frustration. Instead of floundering in the past, release your mistakes to Me. Look to Me in trust, anticipating that My infinite creativity can weave both good choices and bad into a lovely design.

Because you are human, you will continue to make mistakes. Thinking that you should live an error-free life is symptomatic of pride. Your failures can be a source of blessing, humbling you and giving you empathy for other people in their weaknesses. Best of all, failure highlights your dependence on Me. I am able to bring beauty out of the morass of your mistakes. Trust me, and watch to see what I will do. Romans 8:28; Micah 7:7

SUNSHINE FOLLOWS RAIN

We have been experiencing a monsoon season here in our area. We had one of the heaviest rains ever last Friday! Probably in the neighborhood of 4-1/2 inches fell in about 12 hours.

The next morning, the clouds were parting, the sun was rising and everything looked totally different from the day before. It was a beautiful day!

I could not help but think how much that is just like our lives. The storm clouds gather, the rain pours.......sometimes in torrents...and it seems as if the sun will never shine again. The darkness and the heaviness of the clouds weigh us down. The thunder rolls, the lightening flashes and it seems as if our whole world is about to crash around us. Then, ever so slowly the rain begins to subside. The roar of the thunder seems to be farther and farther away. The lightening ceases to flash. The winds become still.

Darkness gives way to morning and the sun shines through in all its brilliance!! It's a new day!

We all go through those storms in our life. Some are mild and short-lived, others seem to last forever and are so tumultuous! Yet the storms do not last forever. God breaks through the clouds and the darkness and brings His light to the situation and His peace begins to flow.

Psalm 30:5 says "Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy cometh in the morning"!

If you find yourself in the midst of a storm today, just remember it won't last forever. The SON will break through the clouds and the sun will shine again in your life.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ANGEL

Some people have a fascination with angels. They collect angels of all sorts. Some people believe that their loved ones become angels when they die (although there is NOTHING in the Bible to support that at all). There is quite a lot we can learn about angels in the Bible, however, if we choose to spend the time.

Many picture angels as having a halo and wings. I have an angel, but she has neither a halo or wings, at least not that are visible! She has blonde hair and the most beautiful eyes you ever saw with the longest eyelashes you can imagine! Her smile will light up a room and she is always happy (unless she is sleepy).

She has boundless energy and can move with the speed of light from spot to spot, happily chattering all the way. She is curious about everything, wanting to know "whassat" or "what happened" constantly.

She delights in the simplest of pleasures such as swinging with the breeze blowing in her hair as she squeals with delight "Yook at me, Papaw, yook at me!!!!!!!!!!!" (can't say 'L's yet) or peering into a crawdad hole as she beckons to the creature she really does NOT want to see "Yo!!!!!!!!!! Yo!!!!!!!!!!!!" She can spend countless minutes engrossed in poking sticks in the ground or picking berries off of a plant. She loves the outdoors and revels in every sight and sound.

She gives the best hugs and kisses anywhere, exclaiming with great gusto "I love you..... always..... you bet!"

She loves to read books (or be read to) and has since she was a baby. This has already helped her to learn to count and she is beginning to recognize her colors. She loves Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Curious George and Little Bear. She also loves Hermie (from the Max Lucado video series) and Nemo and Fox and the Hound. She giggles at Elmo and sings along with Mickey.

She can readily tell you that her daddy is on the "hel-copter helping sick people" and her mommy is at the "hospital helping sick babies".

Yes, my angel is no ordinary angel. She is my precious granddaughter and today she is 2 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is a blessing beyond compare, a joy and delight and I am so grateful to God that He has blessed us with this precious little angel.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!

NONE LIKE YOU, LORD

O Lord, there is none like you! You are past finding out. You are higher than the Heavens and deeper than the deepest seas.

Our finite minds cannot grasp that You, O Lord, have always been!!! You have no beginning and no end. How can that be? You are Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

You are incomprehensible! Your thoughts toward me are more than the sands of the sea!! Lord, I have stood on the seashore and seen the innumerable grains of sand just within the scope of my vision. Yet you tell me that you have MORE thoughts than that of me! Your focus on me is 24/7. I have your full attention every moment of every day. There is never a time when you are not thinking of me, listening to me, seeing me, hearing my thoughts and seeking to communicate with me. Yet while you are doing that with ME, you are doing the same with the other billions of people on this earth at the same time!! What an awesome God you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Father, what love you have for me that you would not leave me in my sinful state. But that you would make a way to bridge the gap between us by sending your only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for my sin. Your son, beloved and cherished, was sent by You to be the sacrifice needed to pay MY sin debt! What love!!! What incredible love! I cannot think of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST movie without pain in my heart to realize what Jesus suffered for MY sin. It should have been me, yet he willingly took my place and suffered for MY sin when He was perfectly sinless himself. What amazing love!! "I love you....written in red."

Oh God you are SO holy, so perfect in every way. You alone are God. You spoke and this world was created. You will speak again one day, and the skies will part and Jesus will return in all His radiant glory!! One day we will all bow at your feet and together with the angels we will sing Hallelujah, Worthy is the Lamb!

Father, I praise you for who you are....

King of Kings

Lord of Lords

Alpha and Omega

The Great "I AM"

Lion of Judah

Our Great High Priest

Our Loving Father

Creator God

Master Designer

Our Rock

Our Redeemer

Our Strong High Tower

Mighty to Save


You, O Lord God, are EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!! Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. Let everything that hath breath praise You today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!