Prayer Partners

It's interesting how as we age many of us grow closer to God. Maybe it was always there and we just didn't know that about people. As I facebook and catch up with old friends, I find more and more people saying,"You are in my prayers." It is a warm feeling. But what bothers me how much it surprises me.
Some of these facebook friends I have not seen since highschool. And, let's face it, not too many of us were talking about Jesus then. No one wanted to be viewed as a "Jesus freak" or a "Bible thumper". I had one, maybe two friends I'd talk religion with but that was it. In college when I started attending a youth center and would talk to my old friends from home I heard things like, "Wow Bethany is really into that religion." Because, well, you know, that's like so harmful. I even picked out generic Christmas cards and religious Christmas cards to keep everyone comfortable.
Then, I started dating a Pastor's son. Whoa-scary! It was nice though to be able to be myself with him. So nice that I married him. He never looks at me like I'm wierd or off the deep end when I talk religion or confess some guilty sin (for the record not all of these sins involve chocolate.) He understands and points me right back to our Heavenly Father. Being married to a man of God definately has its perks.
As I send messages to these folks on facebook I hear things like, "God has really blessed us" or "I guess that just wasn't in God's plans for us." I'm amazed all over again and then upset with myself for being amazed. This is a good thing! A relationshop with God is well so many awesome things! Life altering, love based, grace induced-the list could go on forever. Which is another good thing! This leads me back to the warm feeling I also get when I read these posts and messages. And it makes me so happy to know all these people who are so dear to me have found this happiness-this awesome Jesus!

Nobody Paints a Picture Like God

Does anyone not like Spring? I mean , really do you miss the snow? The ice? The artic blasts? Its especially windy here in the prairie state where our landscape is so flat. I once received a note from teachers reminding us of the "prairie winds" and to dress our kids appropriately. I felt like Ma Ingalls! Had we been transported to Little House on the Prairie days? It made me seriously feel like turning up the heat to 90 degrees in the old soddy.
Anyhow, here we are in the midst of Spring! I love the warmer temps and the sunshine. I almost forgot what it felt like. And EVERYWHERE I look it is green. And, pink. And yellow. And white. And blossomy. People have actually mowed their grass for the third time and it smells so good. Of course, freshly mowed grass is in a class all by itself second only to the aroma of all the flowers. I stand out on our deck and smell the lilacs and know this has got to be what Heaven smells like.
The only bad thing is some of the beautiful colors don't last. It really bums me out. Think if the colors stayed all summer to melt into the beauty of fall. If God had planned it that way, we would never have appreciated Spring in all its glory. Nobody paints a picture like God! His colors are in a brillant palette all their own! Vivid, those colors that can reach out and grab one like nothing else can. I try to soak it all up from my nose to my toes! Thank you God for Spring and all your many blessings!