Who cares?

April 9, 2018May 16, 2018 / kstrick7 / 4 Comments

I can’t help but absolutely love this.

I hope everyone had a blessed Easter weekend. We had a wonderful time at Lads to Leaders in Nashville, TN. If you have never heard of Lads to Leaders, you can read about it here. It is a training tool for our younguns’ coming up in the church. I cannot tell you how encouraged and excited it makes me to see so many young people working for the Lord! It makes me feel good. Like a warm biscuit on a Sunday morning good. (In the great words of Kelly Clarkson.)

Our amazing group of youth at Lads to Leaders

I was so honored to get to judge a group of 9th grade girls doing speech. I just sat there in awe of their sweet hearts and love for the Lord. As I listened to them, I said a little prayer, just thanking Jesus for letting me be right there in that moment. It really blessed my heart. And after my week at work, I sure needed my heart blessed!

One of the girls, that spoke, said something that really got me to thinking. She was talking about how the Lord cares about us. How He looks beyond our imperfections and short comings. It especially got my attention when she said,

“Does God really care about my Bs?”

Bless it.

I believe this precious young lady hit the nail on the head. I believe the Lord cares for us in ways we sometimes don’t consider.

Do you think the Lord cares about my dishes that need washing? Or my clothes that need folded? Or my closet that needs cleaned out? Or when I eat candy in bed? Or my hair that needs the gray covered? Or my pants that beg me to eat a salad? I believe the Lord cares about me just like I am. He knows I have faults. But he loves me anyway.

I Peter 5:6-7

⁶Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

The Lord cares about you. Whether you are a hot mess or forget to take the clothes out of the washer for three days straight. Whether you can’t stay on a diet for love nor money or eat Easter candy for breakfast. Whether or not you hit your steps on your Fitbit or hit the snooze on your alarm too many times. The Lord loves you.

Romans 8:31

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

And in the words of my sweet baby grandgirl:

“We are on God’s team.”

4 years old and she knows Who’s taking care of us.

So, so, blessed by this sweet friend!

I hope you all have blessed week. Spring is springing and the pollen has made itself at home, apparently. I don’t necessarily like that guy. On the brighter side Miss Neenee is playing softball and we are just enjoying the fire out of it. She has quite the bunt this year. #softballgoals Until next time I should be going because I should be washing clothes.

Please be in prayer for my daughter & her little family. My son-in-law has deployed & we miss him so much!

photo credit-Facebook

5 things to help you through the holidays

December 12, 2017December 12, 2017 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again. You know the time of joy & peace & love. Also, of depression, uncertainty, & how in the world am I going to get this all doneness? But y’all. How do you make it through the holidays without the annual hair falling out conference (as I have attended for several years)? I have to keep myself psyched up & organized (to a degree, because who am I kidding?) Here are a few things that may help you combat the bah humbug syndrome.

Christy Jordan, over at Southern Plate, has the best printables to stay organized at Christmas. To see these click here.

If you need a good Southern recipe, she has that covered, too.

Whether you are eating, cooking, shopping, or just having a good ol’ fashioned meltdown for the holidays, remember to take a minute for yourself. This is priority. I have found that taking time to stop & study my Bible & spend time with the Lord COMFORTS ME SO. Here are some verses to consider during this time.

Good news! There’s hope in the Lord. No where else. Jesus came, lived, preached, & died on the cross for our sins. Because of this, we have forgiveness of sins & a home of heaven, if we are faithful. Proverbs 14:32 promises ³²The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. (KJV)
You know that meltdown I was talking about? That’s real. Many dread the holidays because of the fact so much has changed in their lives. Loved ones have gone on. Health problems may keep some from enjoying the holidays, as they always have. There may be family problems, money problems, or any kind of problem that makes a person feel helpless. However, the Lord comes right in with another promise- Matthew 11:28 ²⁸Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (NKJV)
Remember to trust. This was my “One Word” that I focused on this year. And let me tell you, it has really brought me through some tough times. Just knowing God is with me & that He will take care of all my insecurities. Psalm 46: 1-2God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;(NKJV)
How can you make it without love? Jesus says you can’t. That’s why in the scriptures He continually tries to drive home the message that we as humans need love. 1 John 4:11¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.(NKJV)
And last but not least, expectations are the devil. These kids expect costly electronics, name brand clothes & shoes, the latest gaming system with you know, the expensive games. All of that costs money, right? You know the money that’s so hard to come by. Make this season about love, joy, & peace. Let’s show our families that they are important. Because it doesn’t matter how fancy your house is, how new your car is, how much money is in the bank. If it costs you your soul, all is lost. Luke 9: 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (NKJV)

Y’all. Let’s make this Christmas what it’s supposed to be. Don’t let the burdens of expectations take a hold of you. Pray about it & then do your best with the situation you have. Ask others for help, if need be. Things tend to work themselves out. Don’t fret! I hope you are having a blessed week. I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: pinterest

The time I thought God was missing

February 2, 2017February 2, 2017 / kstrick7 / Leave a comment

January is just a fleeting thought. And Lord have mercy the weather has been crazy. 70 degrees one day then, not too many days later in the 30s. No wonder we’ve had tornadoes all around us. January is also one of the most depressing months of the year. It’s no wonder we get to questioning all kinds of things in our lives. Which brings me to this:

Do you sometime wonder where God is? I’m not talking about where His spiritual being is. I’m talking about why am I going through such a hard time? Why is God letting this happen to me? Me, of all people? Dog gone it, haven’t I sat in the same spot, at church, for years, visited my elderly neighbors, gave my grandkids money to put in the plate every Sunday, and sung more Sunday school songs with the 1^st and 2^nd graders until they roll their eyes & say,

“Can we do something else?”

No. You can sing “Jesus Loves Me” until it’s so deep down in your heart nobody could snatch it out. Because that’s what a God fearing person does. So, where is God, when I need Him? Did He take a break? Did He say He needed a day off from my issues? Should I put out the word that “God is missing”? I bet the apostle Peter had some of the same exact feelings in Acts 12.

Peter certainly was in a predicament. One of his very best friends had just been killed (v. 2) And now the king was coming after him. He was thrown in prison & things looked pretty hopeless. The Bible doesn’t say what Peter was thinking, but I betcha he was wondering where God was. But you know what the good news is? God was right there. Working behind the scenes to help Peter and deliver him out of death. Things weren’t looking too great for Peter, since not only did Herod put one set of soldiers to guard him. He put 4. Peter was basically just sitting in jail, waiting to die. However, that’s not where Peter stayed. The Lord sent an angel to rescue him.

If you search the scriptures, no where will you find the Lord promising an easy passage. He does not offer a life free of problems or pain. We live in the world, y’all. As long as we are in the world, we are not exempt from sufferings & heartache. The good news is that we have an awesome God to turn to. He is the great comforter. He is the One that is going to take care of us. And just like He did for Peter, He delivers us in our times of trouble.

Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (NKJV)

Matthew 5: 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. (NKJV)

Thank heavens the Lord will not give us more than we can handle. Many times we get more than we WANT to handle. But the Lord is faithful to his promises.

I Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (NKJV)

So just know & remember how great our God is & how much He really does care for you. No matter the situation, He will provide all we need. God’s never missing. He’s just not always where I think He should be. I have to remember to just pray. Relentlessly, sometimes. And be still & know He is God & will take care of everything, In. His.Time. These are the times I have to go back to my one word for the year, “Trust”. God is always there. Always working for our good.

I’m so happy you came by to visit with me today. I have been enjoying the cooler weather. I’ve also been trying to eat a little better. Which I am using “trying” loosely, because LORD HAVE MERCY I do love to eat. I hope you have are having a wonderful week. Until next time I will be going because I should be washing clothes.

When you want service station fried chicken & jojo potatoes, but your jeans say, “For the love of Pete, lady, have a salad.” I hate those jeans.

When you want to bring juice boxes and cookies for snack after the 6 year olds get finished playing ball. But then realize you can't because SHE'S IN JUNIOR HIGH ALREADY.

When you want to bring juice boxes and cookies for snack after the 2nd graders get finished playing basketball. But then realize you can’t because SHE’S IN JUNIOR HIGH ALREADY.

photo creds: http://www.crosscards.com, Calvin & Hobbes

Learning to trust & can I get a marshmallow peep?

April 2, 2015April 2, 2015 / kstrick7 / 2 Comments

I can remember when I was little, if I was scared, I would run & hide behind my mama. This was mostly when I had maybe perhaps done something to my brother. He would chase me & I knew, if I could find mama, I would be ok. I can remember her saying to him,

” You have to be good to her. She’s the baby. You have to show her how a big brother acts.”

(This was promptly followed by me poking my head out from behind her sticking my tongue out at him.) And oh MY word ya’ll, if that hasn’t been a reality check for ME in life. Because, you know what? People aren’t always nice to me. And they really don’t care if I’m the baby or not. But my sweet mama used this tactic to try to get us to behave. I can remember her having to stand in between me & my brother & I would hold on to her just as tight as I could. I always trusted her & whatever I did, if I could get to mama, she would take care of me. No matter if I were right, wrong, or indifferent. I had that wonderful, special trust.

Do you ever have troubles? Sometimes problems arise from a wrong choice or decision that you’ve made. At other times, you don’t really have to be responsible for any of it & here it comes. Either way, problems in life are just plain unwanted. What makes an incredible difference in bad situations? How you handle it. We can be afraid, angry, disappointed, or have a multitude of emotions. We might start to ask God, “Why me? Why us? Why this?”However, we can trust, in the middle of all the heartache, that:

1. The Lord will not leave you. Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”(NKJV)

2. The Lord will take care of you. I Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Things may not be exactly like you think they ought to be. However, there are times the Lord takes care of us in a way we don’t understand. Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. If we only go to Him & trust Him, He will help us, period. He will NOT leave us hanging out to dry.

3. The Lord will turn tragedy into blessings. One of the worst things that has ever happened to me is my mama’s sickness & untimely death. I will Never. Get. Over. It. But you know what? God has blessed our family with deeper love for each other. He sent people to help us through our hard times. We always had someone we could depend on, around us. He has caused me to appreciate life & to remember the wonderful example my mama left for us. I realize that for 30 years, I had a precious mama. Some people don’t have that. Some folks have never known their mother or don’t have a Christian mother. I was very fortunate to have had that. I can pass along those qualities to my children & family. I have a hope that I will be with her again one day. Until then, I have got to keep on keepin’ on.

John 16:22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.(NKJV)

The Lord is always working behind the scenes for us. We just have to trust in Him. We readily accept good from Him. As a part of life, sometimes we will have to accept bad, too.

Job 2:10 Shall we indeed accept good from God & shall we not accept adversity?(NKJV)

Life goes on. Even in awful circumstances. It’s ok to grieve the loss of a loved one, to get down & depressed about an erring child, or to feel like no one has any idea what you are going through. Those are human feelings. We just can’t unpack our bags & live in the land of desperation. There are times we get stuck going through the struggles of life. Just like a big ol’ tractor pullin’ a truck out of the ditch, the Lord can send people to help. Let them. I have said it once & will say it again & again. Folks, we are all in this big ol’ mess called LIFE together. We have to depend on each other. I hope you are at a point in your life you have finally relented to this fact. It makes things so much easier knowing you have people, who care about you. Isn’t it wonderful to know we don’t have to go through trials alone? We always have the Lord there with us. He can do things for us no one else can. We just have to simply trust. Is there a struggle in your life today? Pray about it. Seek others to help you. Look to the Lord for comfort.

The psalmist David said in Psalms 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. (NKJV)

I’m not saying your problems will vanish overnight. I am saying you will be able to bear whatever it is, until things are better. You will find peace of mind. Only if you are willing to trust. God’s love never fails. We must give Him a chance to show us that. Whenever I am facing something hard in life, I have to remind myself, there’s someone out there who has a worse situation than I do. There’s always something to be thankful for. Maybe it’s that things aren’t as bad as they could be. No matter what, I have to be thankful for a loving God I can depend on. It’s hard to see the other side of trials sometimes. We just have to remember to slow down & take things day by day & trust the Lord to take care of us. In times like those, we don’t know what we need. We have to let the Lord handle our needs. He’s good at that. Just like the trust that my mama was going to make everything all better, God can do the same thing. Even bigger & better. Promise.

I am so glad you came by to visit me today. Goodness gracious, I about got too serious & heavy hearted with all of this. But sometimes it’s just that way, ya know? This Sunday is Easter. I sure hope you have your Easter frocks ready for church. My grandbaby girl is going to look so sweet. If you see her, you will be tempted to eat her with a spoon. I would discourage any of that. She has a tad of a mother hen for a mama. My Miss Neenee is ready all but the shoes. We will be getting those this week. Oh the fun! The kids & grandkids will be coming over after church. We will be dying eggs, hiding eggs, running around chasing kids, eating good food, & oh the Easter candy. There is nothing that suits me more than a marshmallow peep. Until then, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.