MY Mercies are New Every Morning

I wish that those words were my words. I mean MY mercies. I read this scripture: “The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies are new every morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23. I know those words are so true. I know His faithful love, His fresh mercy each morning. But, then there’s ME! What about my love, my faithfulness, my mercy to others? I want MY faithful love, MY faithfulness and MY mercies for others to never end.

I’ll admit it. My love, faithfulness and mercies falter. Sometimes I’ll get bugged because there are no cashiers in all those cashier lines and I’m standing in a long line at the only one line that is open. Then there's the lawn sprinklers that are aimed at the street more than their lawn and my clean car gets hit. And, the McDonald's drive-thru leaves out the fork and napkin for my pancakes as I drive home from Tulsa and I have to use my fingers! Argh! Sometimes I’ll get aggravated at a driver who cuts in between me and another car and I almost hit him. And, then yesterday, the engine light came on my car again, after it was in the shop all day, the day before. I had to take it in again -- another day for not getting all my errands done. To top it off, I need MY mercies for me, who is oftentimes my biggest challenge. Oh that MY mercies were new every morning!

I sincerely desire to be like Jesus. He set the example for us in the love, faithfulness and mercy departments. Clearly, that’s why God set Him as our role model. He modeled how to do it. God daily invites us to come and sit with Him and His Word (His "how to" manual) to learn about His Son’s countless ways of never-ending love, faithfulness, and mercies.

Sometimes we’re overridden with guilt about our lack of performance. We turn down His invitation to meet Him at the watering (Living Water) well. Maybe you’re familiar with some of these thoughts: “It’s been so long since I’ve sat down with my Bible. I can’t remember the last time I prayed for more than a few hurried minutes. Who am I to ask God to speak to me?”

But how wrong to think those thoughts. God isn’t keeping a spiritual scorecard to see when we deserve the right to sit in His presence and feast on His Word. His invitation has nothing to do with our performance and everything to do with His mercies and desire to fill us with His wisdom and encouragement.

My heart is overwhelmed by the example that God gives to us. His mercies are unending. And He extends a fresh, grace-filled invitation for us to draw close to Him each and every morning. His eyes are brimming with hope that we’ll accept His invitation afresh today. He knows the more we lean in closer to Him, the more we’ll become like Him. That’s my prayer today.

Make me more like You, Jesus. Give me a heart that’s filled with love AND mercy, and make me more like You! A merciful heart like yours each and every morning. Lord, have MERCY!

God is With You -- So Get Ready for a Blessed Day

"Have a good one!" "Have a great day!" "Have a wonderful day," "Have a terrific day," We’ve all heard those words, in one form or another, and we've given those words at some time to someone. And then there are those of us who take it to a HIGHER level when we say, "Have a blessed day!" After ALL, we say it with the words ringing in our ears "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:24). We woke up; we're breathing so it's a good, good day!

Today is election day and I'll be honest with you, I'll be thrilled all the campaign signs will be off the lawns in my neighborhood and the negative ads that dominated our airwaves and the latest polls will be over. At the end of this day, regardless of who is elected, this day will have been a blessed, good day.

What DOES a good day look like to you? Does it depend on all wins and no loses? Sunshine and no rain? Is it a day when all is calm and there are no storms; only smooth sailing and no waves? Is it just laughter and no tears? Is it making progress and no setbacks? Is it just exciting times with no disappointments? What DOES a good day look like?

A GOOD Day has G-O-D in it -- no matter what that day holds. God in our day; God in our heart; God in our circumstances; God in our valleys; God in our mountaintops; God in our joys; God in our sorrows; God in our trials; God in our triumphs; God in our need; God in our abundance.

ANY day is a GOOD, blessed day when we are mindful that where we are and whatever we're doing, He Who holds our yesterdays, todays and tomorrows is with us. He is for us. He is able to sustain us, provide for us, equip us and fill us with His peace, comfort, and joy in our EVERY day! I refuse to count my problems; I'll count my blessings. I'm breathing. I'm moving. I'm alive.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new EVERY morning; great is Your faithfulness” Lamentations 3:22-23

Now, go out there and have a good, great, wonderful, awesome, fantastic, BLESSED day! After all, God made it for us and He is smack dab in the middle of it so we might as well jump wholeheartedly into this day and make it the BEST one EVER!

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Is that you that we're talking to? Are you a ray of sunshine when you get up in the morning? I make it a point to be, and for those not-so-sunshiny folks, I can be quite annoying with my sunny disposition. The fact is, I don't need an alarm clock -- mine is built-in -- usually, right on time between 6:30 am and 7:00 am. I get up, get my thermal mug of coffee, post my morning blog and FB message, and enjoy a few precious quiet moments at the beginning of the day before the phone starts ringing and my daily routine and responsibilities begin. I taught myself to be this way. It was a decision I made years ago, and it has sure paid off for me.

Most of the time, I start my day in a state of joy and gratitude. I love the feel of a new day, with all the potential of new opportunities and moments to enjoy. Michael Buble sings this song so well: “It’s a new dawn; It’s a new day; It’s a new life, for me, and I’m feeling good!”

It astounds me that people say: "I am not a morning person so don't talk to me until I've had a cup of coffee!" They imply "I'll be in a bad mood until I get my coffee!" Okay, so I'm big on being positive and optimistic, and when I hear someone say that, I think "And, they are getting what they are saying. They will never be a morning person as long as they keep saying that!" If I woke up in a MOOD, my Mama would say: "You got up on the wrong side of the bed. Go get back in, please, and get up on the right side!" My Mama didn't take too well to crankiness and grumpiness (and believe me, she had plenty to be cranky and grumpy about) so she taught me to bring sunshine to our mornings. The fact is, if our family and friends have to deal with our crankiness and grumpiness, just because we had to get up -- it has the potential to dampen even morning persons' spirits.
God loves "morning" people, so that's reason enough to become a "morning" person. Listen to His Word here:

~ "Because of the LORD’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are NEW EVERY MORNING; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

~ "I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me." - Proverbs 8:17

God promises that His great love for us and unfailing compassion (and mercies) are new every morning. So, whether we are a morning songbird getting up at 6, 8 or 10, or a night owl, the point is that everyday is a brand new day with God and joy and gratitude should be our reason for getting up. So, say: "Good-bye YESTERDAY, with all the mistakes and worries and fears, and say "GOOD MORNING, Sunshine! It's gonna' be a GREAT day!"

God's Faithfulness is New Every Morning

I often take a meal to Mom's for us to share and "catch up" on what's going on in our little corner of the world. Last week, we had our usual conversation, drew cards from her Bread of Life Promise Box which contains various scriptures, which by the way, she has all memorized. I started reading the one she pulled for me, and she quoted it right along as I read it. She's had that Promise Box for as long as I can remember, and it always seems the promise we draw, are "right on" for "the word" we need for that day.

I looked up at her little corner stand by her kitchen table and took in the sweet photo of her and Dad alongside that beautiful scripture and song, "Great is Thy faithfulness," taken from Lamentations 3:22-23 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

I think back on the faithfulness of God for this precious couple. Though they went through many storms of life in the natural, physical and spiritual, those words were always those that they held onto. Those words on that plaque held true for her and Dad when the devastating tornado blew through their home and destroyed everything around them, except for the shower stall they were standing in -- the faithfulness of God brought them through it without even a scratch on them.

I always enjoy seeing Facebook's "On This Day" that comes up each day in our timeline (that is, if you've agreed to have it come up). Since I only started using FB in 2009, that's as far back as my "On This Day" goes back. (By the way, if you'd like to see your "On This Day" posts, just go to www.Facebook.com/OnThisDay and yours should pop up. I remember when, in 2009, how much FB annoyed me. It seemed it was just a haven for people complaining or whining about stuff, so I avoided it. But, then, when my sweetheart became so ill with Stage 4 Kidney Cancer, I knew it would take on a whole new meaning for me. It would be my daily journal to show the faithfulness of God during what was the toughest, yet the sweetest time of our live. God's faithfulness took us through it all. I know that because of FB's "On This Day" and I'm reminded how sweetly God carried us through those days.

What is it about those times that seem so crushing and disappointing, yet they become the most victorious and purposeful times of our lives? It's the faithfulness of a loving God Who displays His sufficiency in the midst of our insufficiency, His peace in the midst of our chaos, and His grace in the midst of our being so lost.

God's faithfulness -- strength for today -- hope for tomorrow -- and unwavering love that causes us to sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness". Knowing that, it sure makes the journey so sweet.

Have a GOOD Day!

Day 293 of Photo Inspirations -- Have a Good Day!
"Have a good one!" "Have a great day!" "Have a wonderful day," "Have a terrific day,"  We’ve all heard those words, in one form or another, and we've given those words at some time to someone. And then there are those of us who take it even to a HIGHER level and we say, "Have a blessed day!" After ALL, we say it with the words ringing in our ears "This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"  (Psalm 118:24)

What DOES a good day look like to you?   Does it depend on sunshine and no rain?  Is it a day when all is calm and there are no storms?  Is it just smooth sailing and no waves?  Is it just laughter and no tears?  Is it making progress and no setbacks?  Is it just exciting times with no disappointments? What really DOES a good day look like?

A GOOD Day has GOD in it -- no matter what that day holds. God in our heart; God in our day; God in our circumstances; God in our valleys; God in our mountain tops; God in our joys; God in our sorrows; God in our going out; God in our coming in; God in our trials; God in our triumphs; God in our need; God in our abundance; God in our deserts; God in our fruitful fields!

ANY day is a GOOD, blessed day when we are mindful that where we are and whatever we're doing, He Who holds our yesterdays, todays and tomorrows, is with us.  He is for us.  He is able to sustain us, provide for us, equip us and fill us with His peace, comfort and joy in our EVERY day!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new EVERY morning; great is Your faithfulness”  Lamentations 3:22-23

Now, you go out there and have a good, great, wonderful, awesome, fantastic, fun, BLESSED day!    After all, God made it for us and He is smack dab in the middle of it so we might as well jump wholeheartedly into this day and make it the BEST one EVER!