The most beautiful ones...

Today my husband and I were laying hardwood flooring together.
                                                                                        As we laid flooring, I told him about my day.
                                                       It was not a day I would want to repeat. 
A close relative had said some things that hurt me deep.
                                                                             I was still hurting.
                                                                                                  As I grabbed the next piece of hardwood,

I noticed it was damaged...but absolutely beautiful.

                        
I said, "Do you noticed the damaged pieces are the most beautiful?"
                                   My husband said, "I agree." 
                                                     He was not looking at the flooring, he was looking at me.

We all have hurt and untold pain, give it to Christ.  
                      Only He can take the "damage" in our lives and make us into something beautiful.

We are never alone

God goes with us wherever we go...
                                                          ..He will follow us into the pit
...He will rescue us
                                                                                                ...He is there for every moment of every day
                           ...from birth 'till death

HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US

This is the ONE thing we can count on in life.

LOVE

Love comes from God.
Nothing has more value.
Nothing has more worth.
Money can't buy it.
It cannot be stolen.
It is a gift.
A perfect gift with no strings attached.

Thank you God for your love.

Blessings ~ Karlee

Take it or leave it...

When someone is negative around you or says something mean or hurtful to you; you have a choice:

Take it or leave it...

All my life I have been a "taker" taking on everyone else's problems and the things they say about me, now...

...I leave it! 

You see, the load on my back was just to heavy to lug around. 

How do I let the negative things around me roll to the ground?

I

GIVE

THANKS

TO
MY
FATHER

ABOVE

(Who gives nothing but goodness and love!)

Blessings ~ Karlee

Life As A Dirt Road!

It was late...pitch black...no moon...
      As I turned on the dirt road, my oldest daughter said, "I hate this road! Mommy don't take it! It is scary!"
                Her two younger siblings informed her that Jesus was in our car so she didn't need to be scared.
                       I smiled at their conversation in the back seat and drove slowly down the rutted dirt road.
                             Then I saw it...a big mud hole...I considered turning around and going back...
                                   Instead, I gunned the engine in my Impala and sloshed through the mud hole.
                                       Triumphant!  I told the kids, "The Duke's of Hazard have nothin' on us!!!"
                                           They had no idea who the Duke's of Hazarad were. 
                                                  I thought, "Now it will be easy to get home. The worst is over."

Then I saw it.  Another mud hole only much deeper and bigger.  I knew I couldn't back through the hole I just went through without getting stuck.  There was no turning back!  Once again I gunned the engine and the car plunged into the mud and water.  This time we weren't going anywhere!  My wheels kept spinning and spinning.  Then I remembered what my three year old son said, "Jesus is in the car."  I said His name, "Jesus." I could feel the smallest bit of tire catch on dry gravel.  That was all we needed to pull us out of the mud and mire to dry ground! 

Psalm 40:2 "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."

Life is full of mud holes...only Jesus can pull us out!

His ways are not our ways...

There are certain things in this life that we will never understand or make sense of.  

One can drive oneself crazy trying to figure out things like why bad things happen to good people or why sometimes evil people appear to thrive.

Isaiah 55:8-9

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 Romans 8:28 Tells us that all things work for good for those who love God.  

This does not mean that ALL things are good.  It means that ALL things work for good for those who love God.  Instead of worrying and trying to figure life out, focus on loving God and drawing closer to Him.  That is where true peace and joy comes from.  

Blessings ~ Karlee

This is love!

1 John 4:10 ~ "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrafice for our sins."

God's love for us is pure. 

There are no strings attached. 

His love for you will never fail.

It is the one constant in this life.

GOD LOVES US!

How awesome!

Have a great day

Blessings ~ Karlee