In His Time

Over a month ago, my little pre-school students and I planted gladiolus along side the school building. I must say that I was quite doubtful that we would ever see results. We had planted a total of 16 bulbs and I remember jokingly saying to another teacher, "We will be lucky if 1 out of those 16 comes up!"

The directions had said to plant 6 inches into the ground and we had struck rock up 1 inch down; in my mind there was no way anything would grow there. I didn't even bother watering them or trying to help them grow, instead I forgot all about them. Just this past week I was out in the field along side the school when one of the children ran to me and said, "Miss Nicole, Owen just pulled up one of your flowers!!!"

I was confused for a minute..."What flowers??" I walked over and to my surprise there were gladiolus sprouting up from the brown earth. I shook my head in disbelief and began counting...1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15...and 16 counting the one in Owen's hand.

I called the other teachers over to see the miracle growing up; I could not believe it!

The gladiolus reminded me of my lack of faith. Reminded me that even in spite of my lack of belief, God is still working; He is still performing miracles. Just as I doubted the growth of those flowers, sometimes I find myself doubting God, and I hear my mother saying, "Nicole, do you put limits on God..."

But, you know what is so wonderful?

That, even though I do not exercise my faith as I should God still wants to bless me; He still wants to make the "gladiolus" grow...

He hath made everything beautiful in His time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Linking up with Emily to unwrap the gift of Tuesday.

Conditioning Circumstances

To get up each morning with a resolve to be happy...is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them.

(Ralph Waldo Trine)

A challenge for you...

The alarm goes off interrupting your peaceful sleep and reminding you that another day of work lies ahead. What do you do? How do you feel?

I am not one to jump out of bed, anxious for another day. Instead sometimes I lie there wishing I could just pull the covers over my head and sleep the day away. Recently though I have been challenged to start my mornings different.

So, here it is shared with you:

1. Say to yourself, "Today is going to be a GREAT day!" (I don't usually advocate the power of positive thinking...but if I can do it so can you!)

2. Jot down two things you are thankful for. ( Some place you will see through out your day)

3. Remind yourself when circumstances start to get you down that "Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it."

What I am Thankful for today...

#1 "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

#2 My sisters...people with whom I can be myself! :)

Oh, how I love them both. So different, but loved alike!

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." Philippians 1:3

Linking up with Emily to Unwrap my Tuesday...

Miracles

"Something that only God can do..."

That is the definition for the word miracle as taught by my Sunday School teacher when I was a little girl. Miracles are not a rarity in life. Miracles are happening all around us everyday we need only to open our eyes to see them.

Life sometimes, like the weather, comes with storms - thunder crashing and lightening cracking. Some see the thunder storms as terrible scary occurrences in the weather, and wish there would never be such outbreaks on their sunny days. However, others welcome the spring storms knowing that it is only by them that summer will come into full bloom.

I do not welcome the storms that come into my life, but I know that without adversities the victories would not be half as sweet. So, amidst my busy life and ever moving schedule I chose to unwrap my Tuesday by closing my eyes, taking a deep breath, pushing those storms out of the forefront of mind...choosing instead to remember that miracles are all around me.

Look around during your storm...you never know what you may see.

"There are only two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle. "

Albert Einstein

Reality Check

Two of the greatest blessings in my life...

Brooke & Lauren - my sisters

I recently heard a pastor speaking about going through hard times. He and his wife recently received a call at 3 a.m. from their 8 year old granddaughter telling them that the ambulance was taking daddy (their son) away to the hospital. He told how they hopped in the car immediately, all the while praying aloud. Their diabetic son and father of 3 had gone into a coma and was in a critical state.

The son finally pulled through and by the Lord's mercy he is still alive. The pastor told how that phone call made him pause in the midst of the business of his life...

pausing...

for a reality check.

The day after all this happened the pastor's car quit working, the landlines were down, his grandson dropped the cellphone in the toilet, and he burnt his hand while trying to fix the car.

On any other occasion, he would have gotten frustrated, perhaps even angry...lashed out at someone, or questioned God. But, that day, was different...

Why? Because he had a reality check the evening before.

What is life all about?

Others.

So...I sat there and thought and I am still pondering that thought, and that is why I chose to write on this topic for Unwrapping my Tuesday. Next time the little things that may cause frustrations and headache come into my life I want to take a deep breath, trust God, and have

a reality check in my life. What is really important to you?

Giving over the fake pearls...

There was a young lady who loved someone very much. Almost too much. Her mother would ask her on occasion if she would be willing to give that someone over to God if He would ask her to. The young girl did not like to think about things like that. Why would God make her give up something so wonderful?

A couple years passed and the woman very reluctantly gave this someone to God. She didn't understand why God would be putting her through this. Why would He not want her to have the best?

Her mother sat her down and told her this story...

There was a little girl who had a set of fake pearls. This little girl loved her necklace more than anything she possessed.

One night when her father was tucking her into bed he kissed her on the forehead then asked,

Do you love me?

Of course I do, Daddy. You know that, the little girl squeezed his neck.

Do you love me enough to give me your pearl necklace? he inquired.

She didn't understand. Why would her daddy want her to give up her necklace? Didn't he know how much she loved those pearls?

Several nights passed and each night her father would ask her the same question.

Do you love me more than that pearl necklace...

Would you give it up for me?

One night when the Father entered the room the little girl was sitting up in bed waiting for him. She looked distraught, yet very determined. Her Father sat on the bed next to her.

She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face, Daddy, I do love you... I love you more than my pearls...

She opened her little hand and in it lay her prized possession.

Her Father took those beads ever so lovingly, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. The little girl opened the box and pulled out a beautiful strand of real pearls. The little girl smiled through her tears and hugged her daddy. These pearls were far more beautiful and precious than her fake beads, and her daddy had just been waiting for her to give up her fake ones.

My mom taught me a valuable lesson; one I will never forget. Sometimes what we think is so wonderful is really not. Sometimes we hold on to those fake pearls, unaware that God has something even more wonderful in store for us. I gave up my fake pearls a long time ago, but I know that my heavenly Father never takes any earthly thing away, unless He means to give us something far better instead.

God having provided some better thing for us... (Hebrews 11:40)

I am linking up with Chatting at the Sky for Tuesdays unwrapped.