I love mosaics, in fact I have tried to make some of my own. Not too big, just the size of an ashtray. This is not one of mine, and it isn't famous or anything, I just liked it. It kind of reminds me of all the freckles that have been showing on my face lately.

I started using "bio oil" to naturally erase them, but I never stay with the regimen. At night it seems like another thing to do. In the morning I don't want to be bothered either. The label says it takes about 4 months before you see a difference. UGH! Who wants to wait that long to see results!

I have to say that this reminds me of prayer sometimes. I consider it "easier" if I just do what I want, instead of waiting on God. What a mistake because I usually need to go back, and ask the Lord for His advise or seek it out in His Holy Word. I waste more time by not looking to Him in the first place!

I know my "freckles" cannot be seem by anyone but me, so its not a big deal. My prayer time is. As I get older it seems that I want to seek Him more. A good portion of my life is behind me, and I'm fine with that, I'm not longing to be 20! I want to be more like Jesus, because I know what happens when I am at the helm. It's is worth everything to honor Jesus, and bow before Him!

"Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.  {Isaiah 55:6}

Greetings! What a lovely summer day, not really but we can dream. I like these windows and chandeliers in this walkway. It is very fancy and I appreciate something different.

The sunlight is what makes Florida so appealing! In the winter, the sun is still strong, and warm. Everyone wants to be in the sun. Birds, animals, plants and us of course. Life is sustained by the sunlight that we get almost every day. Our world is safe from the power of the sun, because we are the exact distance from the sun to keep us the right temperature.

I don't believe that the "Son of God" is synonymous with the sun in the sky by coincidence.  God's unconditional love for us is like a warm kiss compared to the darkness of sin and wickedness. Warmth causes us to think of nights by the fireplace, wrapped in a blanket while snow is coming down in the yard. Maybe New York isn't so bad!

I love my time by the fireplace, and I love that knowing God is a warmth like no other. We can only imagine how wonderful it will be to see Him face to face! And the hug He will have for us will feel like a never ending hug.We will be so fulfilled, and never empty again! It boggles my mind to try to imagine this, but Thank God it will not be something we have to imagine for ever!

Our time here is very important in many aspects and God has wonderful purposes for us being here. We can rest in the confidence of knowing His timing is perfect.  He doesn't make mistakes, and He is not a man that He could lie. Rest in His faithfulness, do what He gives you to do. You will be blessed!    "But for you who fear My name {with awe-filled reverence} the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap {joyfully} like calves from the stall.
{Malachi 4:2 amplified}

"He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The King will be his friend. {Proverbs 22:11}

I'll bet you are glad that I didn't choose to write this entire devotion in hot pink! I want you to be alert and awake when you read this! My daughter thinks it's funny to blow in people's ears to get a reaction, but I don't react; it just doesn't bother me. Of course I wouldn't do that to you, just a little color to brighten your day. I hope you don't think I'm being mean on a Monday!

Pure is a strange word in our society. The only time we see it is on food labels, or maybe in a restaurant.  One hundred years ago it was a cherished character trait, as people might describe another by saying what a pure life so and so has. It was used to describe a virgin, and this was a good thing to be know as. Today our young people are the exception rather than the rule when it comes to sexual purity.

How do we get a pure heart? Only Jesus can give this, and it is usually a growing process in our lives. All heart are deceitfully wicked the Bible says, so in order to desire a "pure heart" we must keep ourselves in God's word. That is where we are kneaded and pulled and stretched  so that we can acquire pure lives. Good friends can do this too, but we must be sure that they have our best in mind before we can accept correction. I know some Moms that know how to say things in just the right way so that their children do not take offense. This is a great art that I wish to learn!

I certainly want our King to be my friend, and I think I speak for all of us! We want to know God and come up next to Him, so that we can hear His heartbeat. The greatest privilege as children of God is knowing Him. Call upon Him in prayer, let Him into the deepest parts of your heart and you will be rewarded with relationship from God himself. Is there any greater calling in this life? I know not one!

Isn't this mirrored wall lovely? I could only get a small portion of it in my picture, but you can just imagine how beautiful it is when it fills an entire wall! The mosaic tile behind it is so intricate,  and it sets the background for the shiny reflective parts.

Do you ever feel as if you are the background, set into a bigger plan but not as important? This just can't be true, because the forefront would never be as definitive, bright and outstanding if the background didn't provide a contrast! Every christian, set into the right place, is just as important as those who are in the limelight.

If one part of the mosaic were missing, it would not be complete, and thus it would not be right! The Bible talks about the whole group of believers as The Body of Christ. If one member is missing, how could it function properly?

" so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."  {Romans 12:5}

If one member hurts, we all hurt. If one of us rejoices we all rejoice! we ought to be team players and not to ourselves, because that is not how we function. We all need one another as a great orchestra, making melody in our hearts, to The King of Kings. It is all for the purposes of God, being fulfilled on the earth that we must stand for.  We need to build each other up, in love, even those who are unlovely. Only the love of Christ can overcome bitterness, hatred and rejection that is so prevalent in our society today. Let the love of Christ flow out of you to some hurting, angry person today. "A soft answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger."  {Proverbs 15:1 }

I want to continue to talk about free people today. As I was reading the book"With One Cry", by David Butts I came across a section where he wrote about praying for freedom. The pilgrims were so enamored with this idea, that they were willing to launch out into the Atlantic with little certainty that they would survive.

David says," One of the most important prayers you can pray is for restoration of freedom." I believe he is right. Romans 8:21 says,"that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into freedom and glory of the children of God."

Galatians 5:1 says, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Some of you may be wondering what kind of freedom I am speaking about. Freedom of worship is certainly what we have in this nation, but the freedom of our souls only comes when we bow our knee at the foot of the cross. Many church goers have no idea about this, because they think that just their presence in church pleases God. He is after much more.

Our hearts are what control what we say, and how we say it. Where we go, and what we do with our time come from our hearts. Freedom of the heart comes when we become free to be all that God desires us to be. This requires a surrender of our own ways to God. It goes against everything that we think we need to hold on to, but once we obey God, and follow in His footsteps, we understand how life has just begun!

I think this is the funniest name for a clothing store! It sounds more like a comment that you would see on someone's facebook or twitter account! So be it, they are making a statement, and I guess it has an effect. It made me laugh, and curious about what they were selling.

What do we know about freedom? We live in a country that is free, just ask someone from Syria or Iran. We are free to take on any occupation, or activity that we want; Go to the college of our choice, as long as they want us. We are free to attend whatever church we want. 

Spiritual freedom is something else completely different. Anyone, anywhere can control who and what they are going to believe. A government can't make us change our faith, but some have certainly tried. What about the 90, 000 christians who were beheaded or killed in the middle east just last year?
Once we are free, we are free indeed! Not even death itself can persuade us to renounce Christ.
Even those who gave in to propaganda, and renounced Christ, are forgiven and encouraged to get up and walk on.

Maybe this title also hit you as funny. All those around me at the time may have not had the slightest idea how I saw this, but freedom to me is what Jesus gave to me, and you, and he's still freeing me from myself everyday. Thank God for the cross, where I can die to my own selfish, wicked ways, and allow Him to shine! Be blessed today!

Beautiful flowers and wide open spaces! Clear skies and warm air; this is not a dream, but it seems like one to me. New York is not there yet, but wait a while, and it will be.  Change is something that  we can count on, almost. It is the unknown in the future that scares us!

Thankfully the Bible tells us that He is in the future, and He is in our hear and now. He doesn't dwell in the past. His perspective is forward march! He tells us to look ahead, not downward, but upward and onward! His plans do not include retirement, but perhaps a different path.

Can you imagine what life would be like without the grace of God on your life? Fear would enter in, and try to rule over you. Change can cause fear as well, but knowing that Jesus holds our future means that we can walk in peace and confidence.

 God gave me the verse below when I was expecting my forth child. I was concerned about how to get my children off the school bus, and take care of them if I went into labor at that time. It seems a little silly now, but it was real at the time. As I recited the first part of this verse, peace swept over me like a warm breeze, and I never thought about it again. There is power in God's word to deliver, and set us free! By the way, I went into labor about the time the bus would have come, but I had a baby-sitter take them that day to the school fair. How good is God to change circumstances to benefit us!

"My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.   {Psalm 31:15}