He knows my every thought even before I speak it

My babysitter (and adopted daughter), Emily, got a good glimpse of just how much God cares about her today! It was so very cool!

One of the reasons I love to go camping is that I’m always overwhelmed by the hugeness of what I see when I stargaze, but sometimes I let my thoughts wander even further.

When I do, I realize I am but one of billions of people who populate this planet. I’m just this tiny speck amidst billions of tiny specks on a speck of a planet amidst billions upon billions of other planets and stars.

Yet God cares about me and my life. And he cares about YOU, too.

Psalm 139 says He knows my every thought even before I speak it—that God formed me in my mother’s womb and knows what each of my days hold.

Hard to believe, I know. But it is TRUE! Now on to telling my fun story of the day!!!

Today I had to go into the office in southfield for media and staff meetings. As I was on my way home, a random thought hit me to stop at the party store just a few miles from my house and get something to drink.

Now, normally I wouldn't have stopped especially since I was almost home...not to mention the fact that I had already texted Emily to tell her that I would be home in 15 minutes and knew that she had to go to back the barn where she and her boyfriend, drummer boy Chris, work to finish up the chores that the farm owner had waiting for them to get done.

But, for some reason I really felt like I should stop and grab a drink. Okay, no biggie. A drink. I especially liked their frozen coffee drinks, so perhaps I could get one of those. It had been a while since I had one...but, it sounded good to me. I figured that it only would take a minute right? So I went into the corner store to get my frozen coffee.

However, when I walked in, I quickly recognized that something was missing...yep, you guessed it, there was NO frozen coffee anywhere to be seen. Thinking this was quite weird, I asked the store clerk/owner where the frozen coffee machine went? He said, "We don't have any frozen coffee machine...and haven't had one in several years." Now, I knew it had been awhile since I had gotten coffee there, but several years? That didn't seem right to me. (and I asked Randy about it when I got home and he was as surprised as I was! and said he didn't think it had been years either...so who knows?) Anyhow, what was a gal to do now?

So, looking around I spotted the frozen cherry and coke machine. Hum, well it wasn't quite what I wanted, but since it was a hot day and all - it seemed like a good choice.

As I began to pour my drink the thought suddenly came to me to get one for Emily and Chris, too. I thought to myself... how am I going to seriously balance 4 drinks and get them safely to the car all while walking in heeled sandals that were killing my feet? (Four drinks, as I would have to get one for my 5 year old, little Emily, too -- if everyone else had them right?) But, I thought, okay...it will be a nice treat for them since it is a hot day.

Honestly, I think the crew of painters who had also stopped in to buy drinks got a good laugh at this crazy women, trying to fill 4 drinks (mixing each of them with just the right mixture of frozen coke, then the frozen cherry, and then topping it off with coke.)

Since there wasn't any counter space to actually set these cups on...I had to get intuitive and use the busch 6-pack display to set them on. It was quite funny, now that I think about it!

I paid for the drinks and headed home. As I was walking in garage, the door to our house opened and there stood Babysitter Emily with her purse in hand ready to go to the farm and finish her chores. She looked at me and the drinks in my hand and made a weird face. I thought 'hum, wonder what that was about?" I said, "Hi, these are for you and Chris..." and handed her the drinks.

She said something to this effect, "Wow, that is weird! I seriously was just watching a commercial that had slurpee/slushes on it and thought about how great a slushy drink would be to have. She continued on to say that one of the things she enjoyed about going to the movies was getting a slushy and that she had JUST thought of maybe going to the movies to get one but then decided that might not work out for her after all.

She was bummed, cause she really wanted one. And then -- there I was with the drink in hand. :) Think about it... God gently cued me in to get the drinks for them 15 minutes BEFORE Emily even saw that slurpy commercial or thought how much she would enjoy having it!

Do you remember the scripture I posted above? Psalm 139 says He (God) knows my every thought even before I speak it—
Well, he proved it in a very gentle, wonderful way to a young woman and her sweet boyfriend...as well as to a busy business lady and mom.

Friends, as you go about your day, remember that our Lord knows what it holds. The Bible says He walks with us through everything—that He goes before us, follows us, and places His hand of blessing upon our heads.

Psalm 139:5-6 (NLT) says, "You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"

I concur...it is too great to understand... but, wonderful to behold and know. Thank you Lord for your many blessings in our lives and that you desire to know each one of us, caring about us as individuals, and walking with us through our daily joys and trials.

It is truly a miracle that the God of the universe surrounds our tiny, little lives with His loving care. Listen for Him as you pray this week. Look for the miracle of answered prayer -- or blessing. It’s not always big and showy, but it is no less a miracle when the God of the universe chooses to commune with us in a very real way.

Ps. I would love to hear your story of answered prayer or unexpecting blessings!

The Trapped Bee... A crazy little story...

Crazy little story...

Yesterday, I noticed a bee stuck in our bedroom window between the screen and the glass... honestly, I don't care much for bees...(had an 'incident' with a hive when I was little) so I quickly shut the window so that it couldn't fly into the house.

All evening and into the night I thought about that silly little bee. I ... See Morerecalled the stories I have heard about how bees are dissapearing and that this is causing great damage to flowers and crops due to lack of pollenation. I have to admit that I peaked at that bee at various times.

This am I looked again and noticed that this little bee was growing much weaker. It crawled up and down on that screen desparately seeking a way out. I couldn't stand it any longer. (crazy, I know) So I called Randy and asked him to help me get this bee out by lifting up both the window inside and the screen outside. (he expressed his disdane at assisting me for a silly bee - but was good to his crazy wife and helped!) Carefully, Randy and I worked together to get the bee out the screen without hurting it or us getting stung.

The bee being so used to that screen -- began crawling up and down the outside of that screen not recognizing that it was free. It had become to accustomed to its situation that it continued to climb up and down.

Funny, how God can use a situation like this to make one think about things (then again, maybe it is just me, lol). I thought of how many times I became comfortable where I was at (whether in a good place in life or not so great) and soon resolved myself to where I was at.

It is only for the grace of God that that 'screen' is lifted and I am set free by his mercy. Eph 2:3-5 (NIV) ...Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.

As that bee finally flew away and recognized its freedom, so shall I bask in the Freedom of the Cross. Bee stuck in window = priceless object lesson.

Thank you, Jesus. :)