Do you clean your house for Christmas? I usually do a whole house cleaning in early November. Generally I will have already done some cleaning in early fall, but in November I whip through the whole house, dusting the walls and ceilings, washing the windows, making my house sparkle in anticipation of Christmas. One thing I always did in my old house was to put candles in my windows... and my windows had to be perfectly shined for the lights of Christmas. This week I had a little bit of an "ah ha" moment. You know that I'm all about observing Advent... doing Advent readings, … [Read more...]
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30 NIV Grateful... for you for God's grace expressed in our lives for the beauty of our Creator's creation for peace, joy, life, and liberty and most of all for the Hope that lives in us. May you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving! Diane To receive FREE bits of inspiration like this in your inbox or reader, subscribe now. Let’s connect! Facebook :: Pinterest :: Google + :: Twitter :: Shop-Longaberger Lifestyle … [Read more...]
Whatever happens. Keep thanking God. Seriously? Yesterday I received an email from a sweet friend asking me to pray for her. She works from home and the company she works for had not sent any work all week. So, she emailed them to find out why. Their cold response was, "You are no longer working for us." What would be your response? To go back to bed, pull the covers over your head, and sob? That's a natural response. And it is perfectly okay. When jobs and people and homes are taken from us... it's natural to grieve. Whatever happens, keep thanking God … [Read more...]
We're in the season of gratitude. Don't you feel it all around you? Okay...I've exaggerated a little bit. When we're out in the marketplace we often get the opposite sense of that don't we? Like the person at the car wash who is just coming in behind you and sees that you're in a broken bay, and as you are backing up to switch bays, whips around you to be next in line at another bay, before you. Or what about the child who has a tantrum in every aisle because he isn't getting something he wants. Or, ________ you fill in the blank. We see selfish behavior in … [Read more...]
"Is anything too hard for the Lord? No!" Genesis 18:14 Can you imagine sitting on your porch, resting at the heat of the day, and having the God of the universe stepping towards you on your walkway with two men? Seriously, that is mind-blowing. That was a day in the life of Abraham. If that wasn't enough, God and his two companions sat down and ate a meal with him. During their conversation, God remarked, that a year from then Abraham and his wife Sara would have a son. Now Sara was way, way past child-bearing years, so when she heard this remark, she laughed. Out loud. Of course she … [Read more...]
Today I want to remind you that no matter how difficult the day seems... God has promised rich and glorious blessings to each of us who have chosen to call him Lord. Many of those blessings come in the most unexpected ways. I'll be sharing just one here today. Early each morning, I post an inspiring greeting on Facebook. Today it was this verse: I pray also that you will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us and that you will know how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his holy people. Ephesians … [Read more...]
We talk about living with joy here at An Extraordinary Day. All the time. But, it doesn't always happen, does it? What do you think is your number one joy stealer? Fretting! Let's stop for a minute and think about this. If you find yourself stewing on something, fretting about it, trying to figure out how something will or won't happen, you are expending a lot of mental energy. Wasted energy. Fretting does not produce anything other than more worry. All the fretting in the world doesn't change the outcome of a problem. Fretting is a real joy … [Read more...]
I love reading the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It's so rich with wisdom for living a good life. It's amazing how just a few sentences can open our eyes and set us on the right road. When I was in college and interviewing for my first 'real' job, I memorized Proverbs 3:5-6 from the New American Standard Bible. Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. I remember walking in to the big interview continuously repeating the words in my mind. It gave me peace, despite the trembling knees, … [Read more...]
Every where you look this time of year... midst the dying...there is beauty. There's something magical about autumn light. There is more contrast. And intensity. And then there is all that brilliant color that greets us... It's as if a bird had flown through the trees with a flaming torch, igniting fire upon fire. Ever notice how individual leaves become red or golden embers illuminated by the sun? And then there is the farmers' harvest...brimming with color. Apples, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes. Our world is awash with color and texture and light. Even … [Read more...]
Have you ever wondered... If God is perfect and complete in every way....why do we praise God? Why does he need, even require, us to do that? I struggled with that concept for a long time. Because I love God and want to obey him, I praised him, but it always seemed strange to me. I didn't get it. What I did 'get' was that when I did, my outlook changed and I had a better view of life, living, and those around me. Knowing that praising produced positive things in me helped me to continue the practice. And then... I had an Ah Ha! moment. Recently in my reading I came across the wise words of two … [Read more...]
During my reading time this week, I came across a quote from a renowned preacher of the late 19th century, Charles Spurgeon. I struggled with sharing it with you for the Joy Day! post. The quote doesn't feel very joyful. It's even a bit stern. But, I couldn't shake myself from it. With that in mind...let's imagine that we are sitting at a lovely table drinking our favorite fancy coffee or tea and enjoying a tasty treat. After the usual pleasantries, indulging in the delicacies from the table, and conversational catching up, I look you in the eye and say, "I think it's time we … [Read more...]
How to win the mind battle. Once and for all. Today I'm sharing a simple, doable exercise to help you win that battle going on in your mind. "Once and for all?" you ask. I know...is that really possible? And then I wonder, "Who am I to suggest that this battle can be conquered once and for all?" After all, I just spent the better part of a week on the roller coaster of positive/negative thoughts. Speaking of roller coasters... I'm sure there are a number of reasons that people get on roller coasters. Many ride because it's fun. They love the exhilaration of … [Read more...]
Have you ever been sitting absolutely still but found your body trembling? Were you trembling from excitement? Anticipation? Anxiety? Or maybe fear? Lately that is a state in which I often find myself. Some days it's much better than others. This week has been a mixture of joy and sadness. Over three days I was blessed to have out-of-town guests. My friend and her daughter came for a brief overnight visit, and another friend and her husband came to spend the day with us. I can't tell you what bright spots those days were in my summer. It was so good to see far-away … [Read more...]
When was the last time you said to God, "I can't get enough of you!" For most of us the thought never crosses our minds. We may wake up and thank God that we're alive, but do we bless him every time we take a breath? Probably not. Those of you who follow An Extraordinary Day on Facebook are familiar with my nightly sweet dreams post where I share a gorgeous bedroom photo and some inspirational words. I'm amazed at how many people will mention they look forward to it each night. I have to confess, putting up the lovely sleeping room photos is easy. Daily having something of … [Read more...]
Have you noticed how dark it is these days? The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn't extinguish the light. John 1:5 (CEB) The news on TV, online, and even our Facebook feed is filled with bad, scary, and horrific details. We need to remind ourselves, and each other, that as dark as it gets....the darkness will not put out the light. Have you ever noticed that when the light comes on in a dark place, the light is even more bright? That's the contrast we are seeing in our world right now. People living in darkness need to see. They need … [Read more...]
Hope. I can actually say I have hope. The only reason I can say that is because... This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. Hebrews 6:19 (NLT) Maybe you're familiar with this verse. One day as I was standing on the dock taking photos in the early morning light, it came to mind, and I had this peace wash over me. No matter what happens each day, my anchor is the Lord. If you're familiar with this verse... do you realize that there is a second part to the verse? Here's the second sentence in the verse... It leads us through the … [Read more...]
Let me tell you how blessed I am. Every morning I wake up next to a man who loves me with his whole heart. I pretty much jump out of bed each day because I can. Clothes hang straight in my closet sorted by type and I get to put on something to fit the day and occasion. When I go to the kitchen sink and turn the faucet, out pours sparkling clean water. As I grab my Bible to sit on the couch, I turn and look out the window and see the morning mist rising or dancing across the small lake. Turning the pages of my Bible, I read words of encouragement, and I'm blessed that I have the ability to read and … [Read more...]
