For some reason, I believe I had a misconception of Labor Day. Thought it was a day to honor the workers and reward them for their hard work all year long. We played Saturday and Sunday (craft sales, church, relaxing, enjoying our son-in-law's fabulous grilled pulled pork and our daughter's delicious, homemade coleslaw, my great tasting cranberry-pumpkin muffins, and just relaxing after making one trip to move our daughter. Well, we paid for it today!!! Loading for another trip for moving, changing sheets and washing them, remaking beds, washing clothes, making muffins, washing towels, washing dishes, etc. etc. But it was worth it all as we did have a great long week-end. Early morning coffee outside and great company. Just need to take a shower, and fall into bed on clean sheets and in clean pj's!!! Life does not get much better.
Guess this will be fairly short this evening, as I do even not have any pictures, only in my mind of beautiful Arkansas - the beauty of the wildness of the woods, that majesty of the Ozarks, and the fields, ponds, cows, and horses. We are still looking for a place to live - in the meantime our daughter has graciously opened her home to us - temporarily, of course. We are asking Lord to lead us to the correct place - but sometimes I give things over to the Lord but then want to pull them back again - pray for patience.
Pastor Vance was back in the pulpit this morning after a bout with COVID - thankfully it was a mild case. His message this morning was meant to be an encouragement for us all. We need to remember that we have a living hope in Jesus even though our world today is a discouraging one. Satan is constantly trying to sabotage our relationship with God. We begin to doubt God's hand in our lives. Things don't always go as we think they should. God can disappoint our expectations so He can exceed them. "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20. John the Baptist's role was to pave the way for Jesus, to announce His coming. John seemed to be the guy who had it all together, who had no doubts about Jesus. But he sent his disciples to see and ask if Jesus was truly the one who came to save His people, even though he announced His coming and even baptized Jesus. John was in prison for telling the truth about Jesus, and later beheaded because of it. He stood up for what he believed was right. He began to doubt Jesus because he stood up for Him but he was imprisoned for it. God can handle your questions about how your life goes. Jesus sent John's disciples back to him to remind John of all the things He had done. We have to move forward in a trying situation and remember that God's Word is for us. Jesus affirms in our lives today in 3 ways.
1) You are doing better than you think even though things are not going right - they are going exactly the way Jesus planned for you. Keep making a faithful step for the Lord.
2) You matter more than you think. What you are doing matters to your family and church. It touches many more lives than you understand.
3) It's less about you than you think. Jesus paid with His blood for us. It's not about us, but the work of the kingdom - the message of Jesus Christ. We have to get outside of ourselves to get the message of Jesus Christ to others. We need to decrease so Jesus Christ can increase and be glorified in the middle of our situation.
Have a wonderful week and enjoy this time of year and all that God has created for you.
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