The new desktop picture which includes 3rd quarter calendar is now available. 

Click here to go to the picture, then right click and select “set as background”.

Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes in the morning.    Psalm 30:5

My daughter called, sobbing. The child she was carrying, now in her 7th month of pregnancy, had died in the womb.  I rushed to the hospital to be at her side as medication was administered to begin the labor/delivery process. 

Family gathered at her bedside for the hours of labor. When it came time to deliver everyone was shooed from the room but I was allowed to stay to hold her hand. “Push” the doctor would tell her, “push again”. Slowly a small head of dark hair emerged from her body. “One more push now” the doctor spoke quietly as my first grandchild softly entered the room. No cries of new birth, only silence filled the room as this small boy perfect in every way except for no heart beat was placed in his mother’s arms.

Born into the arms of Jesus, this small child was in our life for such a short time. When I arrived home early the next morning a package was waiting for me. With no return address I found a simple plaque that read “Joy Comes In The Moring. Psalm 30:5″.   I cried as the words of God comforted me.

An investigation of the package gave us the senders location so I knew who it was. I called my father-in-law and told him of the events leading to this morning and opening the package. “My wife saw the plaque last week and immediately said she had to send it to you. Now we know why.” 

God’s promise to watch over us was a reassurance during this difficult time. Today I play with my grandson, a brother to this first born, delivered a year later.  We don’t know why this tragedy happened to us, but we do know that God was with us and has given us Joy in the Morning.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  2 Corinthians 9:7 

I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.        Martin Luther

I received the following story by email some time ago. I don’t keep many of these but this particular story caused me to stop and consider. After reading the story it occured to me that perhaps this is the reason Jesus was able to sleep in the boat during the storm while the disciples all paniced. (See Matthew 8:23-27 for that story) He was prepared. Here is the story:

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He
constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to
work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that
raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a
steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the
farmer. “Are you a good farm hand?” the farmer asked him.

“Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired
him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to
dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out
of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired
hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up!
A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!”

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told
you, I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the
spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been
covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were
in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly
secured. Everything was tied down.

Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired
hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Ps 127:3

I’d like to take credit for this one, but I heard it on the radio today. I don’t remember where it came from though.

Planning family fun this weekend? Write out 3 ideas for family fun and place each one in a separate envelope. Designate one person to pick or vote on each envelope, not knowing what is inside it. Do not open the envelope.

Place the envelope on the refrigerator until the weekend to maintain a level of excitement., then make a big production of opening the envelope to see what family activity will take place.

Pack up the family and have fun !!!

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear. They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.

2Timothy 4:3-4, NLT

I don’t know about you, but I am really frustrated at all the junk mail and offers for home loans, car loans, consolidation and credit card offers. Many are even making the envelope look authentic so you have to open it!! The Federal Trade Commission has a way you can opt-out of receiving these for 5 years or permanently (and if you don’t receive enough of this stuff you can opt-in).

Check out the website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/prescreen.htm and sign up now.

Now if I could opt-out of all those “you will be blessed by God if you forward this to everyone in your contact list” emails.