Update Now?

Often, when I turn on my computer, I get a message that a new update is ready for one of the programs that I use. At the end of this message will inevitably be the inquiry, “update now?” Sometimes this is rather irritating. I have just turned on my computer, so I usually have an intention of using it. At the end of one of these updates, I will be required to restart the computer. There will be very little time before what I have started working on will need to be stopped and closed so that the computer can restart. 

My first inclination is generally to ignore. I will click “remind me later.” I will then go about my business and open the programs I had intended. Although this works for the moment, the reminder generally comes the next time I turn my computer on. This leaves me in the same scenario that I have already experienced. I will again turn on the computer, click “remind me later” and go about my intended use.

As this occurred the other day, I actually paused to think of what this meant. On this occasion, it was my antivirus software that needed updating. I chose not to ignore this one and allowed it to begin the update. The potential damage of not having the software functional is too big a risk. There are many programs that I can ignore updates altogether. Other programs that I use frequently, I will need to update, but not necessarily at the current moment. These I can hit ignore a time or two. I can go about using my computer and plan to update when I am finished. But this is not true of this antivirus software. These update requests I take seriously and treat with urgency.

Whenever I am confronted by the Scripture or a thought from the Holy Spirit, I am challenged to update my spiritual condition. How do I respond to these urgings? Do I click “remind me later” and go about my day? Do I simply ignore God’s gentle correction? Or do I truly see the leading of God as urgently as I see the need to keep my computer protected?

I am reminded of the story in Exodus of the plague of frogs. The frogs were everywhere, even filling the Palace, when Pharaoh called for Moses. Moses asked Pharaoh when to pray for God to take the frogs away. Pharaoh’s response was “tomorrow.” “Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”  Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.”  And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.”  (Exodus 8:8-10 ESV)  I have to wonder why his response was not, “Right now! Immediately! Yesterday would’ve been nice!” But Pharaoh chose to live one more day with the frogs.

How many times does God speak to my heart concerning something that needs to be changed? Sometimes the Father is only looking for a minor adjustment to an attitude or behavior. Sometimes, I may require a more drastic change. Either way, when the Lord speaks to me, I need to respond in the same manner that the young boy Samuel was instructed to answer the voice of the Lord.  “…if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” (1Samuel 3:8 AMP) This is so much better than to reply, “ignore” or “remind me later.”  We must listen to and follow the Holy Spirit’s direction.

Attention and obedience should be immediate. We see this instruction to the people of God both in Psalms and in Hebrews.  “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts as at Meribah and as at Massah in the day of temptation in the wilderness,” (Psalm 95:7-8 AMP) and “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,” (Hebrews 3:7-8 ESV)  This attitude of hardening our hearts, or ignoring the voice of the Lord seems to be common of man. It occurred in the desert, later in the times of the Psalmists and again in New Testament times.  Still it continues today.

Many things in our lives can be distractions to our true purpose. These distractions can and should be either ignored completely or put off to a more opportune time. We are to stay focused on the purpose God has placed in our heart. But when the interruption is the voice of the Lord, do not ignore it or put it off to a later date. Listen and respond with obedience. If His voice brings a correction to a bad attitude or behavior, simply repent and make the correction needed. Then you can continue in your purpose with a new drive and the confidence that you are protected and focused in the right direction.

 “For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV) Every day of life is that favorable time. Salvation is a full and purposed life focused on God. Respond, obey and walk in it.

Thanks Giving or Thanks Living?

To have a day set aside for giving thanks is really great!  This year, on Thanksgiving Day, I spent some time thanking the Lord for things He has done in my life.  We thanked Him together, publicly for the food and friends and the day we could share. But this year, my personal thanks giving had a couple of add-ons. 

First, I was made aware of a host of things to be thankful for.  Many of these are things I often take for granted.  A kitchen mishap took my husband and son on a trip to the emergency room.  A slicer had gotten a piece of finger.  We knew the cut was not deep enough to have harmed the tendons, but there was a lot of blood and we were not sure if the skin could or should be reattached.

As they drove off, I found myself thanking God for both of them; a car to drive;  good roads; a hospital to go to; doctors and staff to care for them when they arrived; God’s healing power…The list went on.  Moments earlier, I had not even considered these things in what I was thankful for this day.  But they had become the focal points of what I was verbally thanking God for in that moment.  It turned out that wound had not been deep enough to reattach the skin.  In time, God’s design for the body will cause the skin to grow back. (Another reason to give thanks)  After stopping the bleeding, which took a bit more effort, they were on their way home.  I thanked and praised the Lord that it had not been more serious.

The other addition to my giving thanks this year was that God had me write a thank you a note to each person who was to be at our home.  It was a practical way to turn being thankful into giving thanks.  I so love these people.  They know that from my words and actions. Yet this was so simple to do, and it greatly touched those who received it.  That makes me want to do this more often and for more people I care about.

I had already known I would be writing this post about thanks living.  My experiences today simply changed how I would express the concept.  Thanksgiving, a special day to consider and to give thanks, although great, is not enough.  The Bible states, “Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].”   (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)  This verse says so much.  We are to thank God in all things, the good and bad.  We are to both feel thankful and express it.  All this is His will and Jesus gave a great example.  Thanking the Father was a natural part of His life.  I am sure he still does as He intercedes for us.

 We are also to thank God for who He is.  And we are to let others know about Him, both who He is and what He does.  “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness.  Let the whole world know what He has done,” (1Chronicles 16:8 ESV)  The Psalms are full of expressions of gratitude for the mighty attributes and deeds of the Lord.  We can read and share these thoughts.  Better yet, we can tell of how wonderful He is to us.

 We can also thank God frequently for those He has placed in our lives.  This was Paul’s habit and he frequently noted this in his letters.  To the church in Ephesus he wrote, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,” (Ephesians 1:16 ESV)  He wrote similar greetings to several other churches.  I think he probably expressed this same sentiment verbally to those around him daily.  We should too.  Telling someone you appreciate them may be that timely word that really encourages him or her just when needed most.

 So, thanks living is this.  Thank God, speak it out,  at all times regardless of what is going on.  Thank Him for who He is and for His blessings.  Also let other know that you consider them among these blessings, and that you thank the Father for them.

 The Bible instructs us to, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6 ESV)  I would like to add my thoughts to this.   “Let all your conversations be sprinkled with words of thanks, both to God and others.”  This habit will turn your thanks giving into thanks living.

Thankful or Giving Thanks?

As the month of November progresses, I have been reading posts on Facebook of things that people are thankful for.  This has been very encouraging to me.  Since I do not always check my Facebook daily, I did not see this trend until the 5^th of the month.  I thought about catching up and joining this group of my friends who were participating.  Realizing that this would require logging in daily, I chose not to.  Instead, I would consider the things I am thankful for on my own.

I remember a hearing message which stated that the term “giving thanks” appears 8 times as often as thankful (80/10) in the Amplified translation of the  Bible. (ESV is 73/3 and NLT is 46/10) This truly made me think about the subject of being thankful and looking at those scriptures.   I spent some time looking at these verses.   Even the few verses about thankfulness or being thankful were either an expression of Paul’s appreciation, or they were a part of a command to express thanks.

In my last post, I spoke of a thankfulness glass.  The goal is to have your glass not only half full, but brimming over.  Considering the command of God to express our thankfulness, I thought of how water gets stale when left in a glass.  For it to provide true refreshment to the drinker, it needs to be emptied and refilled regularly.  Likewise, when my heart is full of thankfulness, it should flow from my mouth with ease.  “The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)

I have become increasingly conscious of expressing my gratitude to the Lord.  There is great joy and peace that comes with the awareness of all that I can thank Him for.  If I am having a hard time, I can start with the salvation provided by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I can continue on about a loving Father God and the companionship and leading of the Holy Spirit.  Before I even begin with my family, friends and things God has blessed me with, I have already thanked myself happy.

I was thanking God for this.  I am very happy that gratitude is becoming my default response to life.  Before I could pat myself on the back too much for these changes, God spoke to my heart. Though I may have improved my expression to Him, how am I doing with other people?  Ouch!  I try to voice kindness, mercy and gratitude to others.  But I have a long way to go.  The excuse “They know how much I appreciate them,” just will not hold up.  “Thank you” must be vocalized continually.

Have you ever bragged on how much you appreciate something a person has done, only to have that person later tell you he or she never realized you felt that way?  I can think of times this has occurred with my husband.  As I contemplate it now, I can think of other things, big and small, that he does, and I fail to let him know just how much these things affect me.  Then I think of my son.  Although I love and am grateful for so much about him, I tend to ask a lot more of him than telling Him what I appreciate. If I think long and hard enough, there are many people for which this is true of. Why is it so natural to tell others about something good, yet never speak your appreciation to the person you appreciate?

The reason I have been so encouraged by these Facebook posts is not that my friends are thankful.  It is that they have chosen to give thanks by writing it out.  Their time, effort and expression of thankfulness moves this from their hearts to my eyes.  As the reader, I get to experience this with them. 

So now, I find that simply considering what I am thankful for is not enough.  I will be actively attempting to thank those I appreciate.  God has already giving me some creative ideas on how to do this. 

I want my life to be one that shows what is in my heart.  “Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.” (Hebrews 13:15 AMP)  My aim is to give thanks to God in every situation.  I also want to express my appreciation to others in both the big and little things of life.

So to start…To anyone reading this post, THANK YOU for taking the time!!!

Is Your Glass Half-Full or Half-Empty?

Is your glass half-full or half-empty? This is a question that generally refers to whether you are an optimist or pessimist. Do you look at life and the good in it? That would be considered half-full. Do you always look to what is missing in life or what can go wrong? That is half-empty.
 

With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I’ve been thinking about this question in terms of thankfulness. Is your thankful glass half-full or half-empty? Do you look at your life and the good you have experienced with a grateful heart? Do you see the future with hopefulness and appreciate the promise of tomorrow? Then your thankful glass is half-full. Or, when you look at your daily life, do you see mostly what is missing? Can you find a few things to be thankful for, but many other areas in which you feel you are lacking what you want or need? If this is you, your thankful glass is half-empty. Worse yet, it may be totally empty.

Have you ever met someone whose life seems to be full of good, yet all they do is complain? They have a good job and home. Their health and family are all doing well. Yet nothing will make them happy. Then you meet a person who is always hopeful and grateful for the every little thing. It seems this person has had a charmed life, until you then find the real story. There has been great heartbreak and challenge in this person’s life. And yet without digging deeper, you would never have known that anything was wrong. People have traveled to Third World countries and have found peace, joy and thankfulness in people who live in conditions we would consider deplorable.

What determines if a thankful glass is half-full or half-empty? Is it the circumstances or opportunities in one’s life? Is the temperament someone is born with the determining factor? Or is it a choice each person makes? The above scenarios make the first option, circumstances, unlikely. Temperament may play a small part, but there are people who live thankful, happy lives for a while, then after a series of trials, they become bitter. So temperament alone cannot be the deciding factor. A thankful glass that is half-full or half-empty is determined by what one chooses to look at.

Each day, we are given opportunity to choose our attitude. Good things are all around us. Waking up is a good thing in itself. Regardless of the trials and challenges we may be facing, there are many, many little things to inspire thankfulness. There are people in our lives that we can be thankful for. If these are the things and people are what we choose to look for, our thankful glass will always be half-full. Likewise each day will provide opportunities to make us less than happy. These can range from little irritations to seemingly insurmountable problems. If we choose to focus on these, our thankful classes can quickly become half-empty. We choose, minute by minute, which half of the glass we focus on.

When it becomes difficult to focus on the half-full portion of our thankful glass, it may be time to think of another cup. This is the cup of forgiveness that was purchased for us with such a high price. Jesus Christ paid that extremely high price so we could drink from this cup. “And in like manner, He took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new testament or covenant [ratified] in My blood, which is shed (poured out) for you.” (Luke 22:20 AMP) Jesus knew the price ahead and even asked the Father to remove it. But He saw the other half of the cup as well. “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Looking to, and truly appreciating, this cup can help change how we look at our own circumstances. Hurts and challenges can become smaller when we realize he considered us valuable enough for this great sacrifice. (Any unforgiveness we harbor against others or ourselves can be brought to light. With the Lord’s help, we can forgive as well.) We are told to, “Do this, as often as you drink [it], to call Me [affectionately] to remembrance.” (First Corinthians 11:25) Remember and give thanks!

The apostle Paul, who suffered many challenges, always had this thankful cup not only half-full, but brimming over with thankfulness. We can take some good advice from him. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” (Philippians 4:8 ESV) When good as the focus of our thoughts, we can quickly become thankful for many things that we may not of seen before.

So each day we must look at the glass of our lives and decide to focus on the thankful portion. By doing so, we can become people whose thankful glass is half-full. And not only can our thankful glasses be half-full, they can become brimming over. Drink deep from the glass of thankfulness today!

 

Baby Ducks

For little over year, I watched three children in addition to my son. Having been the parent of an only child, suddenly taking care of four was an adjustment.  I learned many lessons during this time.

One day, we were sitting by the lake. We observed a mother duck and six baby ducklings. As a mother duck swam the ducklings followed in a single file line. Wherever mama duck went, the ducklings followed. Then suddenly, as if on cue, the ducklings went into a double line. It was as if they had been told, “Pick a partner and get in line.” They continued swimming this way for some time. Then again as if on cue, they went back to the single file line.

The mama duck never had to turn to instruct or scold her babies. She simply swam and with whatever communication she used, they followed her wherever she went. We could neither see if this communication consisted of small gestures, nor could we hear if there were soft verbal cues coming from the mother. All we knew was the beauty and grace that we saw. The ducklings following just as mother intended.

Not wanting to be someone who continually yelled at the children, I looked for ways to make obedience preferable. So after seeing this together, the children and I talked about mama duck and her ducklings. We decided that this would become a new code word when we were out public. Things can get very chaotic with four children between the ages of seven and ten. So it was decided that day, that when I wanted them to follow me quietly and in a single file line, I would call, “baby ducks.” If I wanted them to change to following me two buy two, I would call, “double ducks.” This began as a game but ended up being a very convenient way to obtain the behavior that I desired. I didn’t have to yell or complain. When I said either ‘baby ducks’ or ‘double ducks,’ the children responded quickly and properly.

I’ve thought about those ducks many times.  Why did the ducklings follow the mama so easily and with total trust?  I’ve believe the trust was born from experience. Mama duck a given them life. She had fed and cared for them to sustain that life. She also protected them from the dangers to that life. They had no reason to do anything but trust mama duck.

We have all of those same things with the Lord. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV)  And He promises this life to us. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  (John 10:10 ESV)  We are fed by his word and have promises of provision for every need. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 ESV)  The Lord cares for us tenderly with great love. “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 36:7 ESV) “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” (Psalm 91:4 ESV) 

 So we have the promise of the Lord for so much more than mama duck gives to her children. So let us be like the baby ducklings. We can follow Jesus wherever he leads. Whether the direction comes by reading the Bible, hearing a message that touches the heart, or simply feeling God’s promptings in daily situations, follow God’s lead.  There need be no vying for place in line and we can swim side-by-side with our brothers and sisters. It will be a beautiful thing to observe.  Who knows?  Someone may be watching and using us as their example of obedience.

Who’s In Control of Your Life’s Vehicle?

I recently went on a trip with three other women.  One had purchased a newer SUV and offered to drive.  We gladly took her up on that offer.  My friend drove the majority of the way to St. Louis. After about five hours of driving, she asked me to drive the final hour. When I entered the car I asked her where the cruise control was. She replied that she did not know. She never uses the cruise because she liked being in control of the vehicle.

My response to this statement was that I liked not having to think about how fast I am going. I find peace in not having to worry if I am speeding or have slowed down and become a danger to those around me. To me, cruise control simply means one less thing to be concerned with while driving. I can keep my focus on the road ahead, the drivers around me and my rearview mirrors. Oh yeah, and the great conversation in the car, as well!

 Later on that trip, I began to think of our two responses to cruise control and how they could apply to other areas. Do I try to stay in control of my life, or do I let God set that control?  Who is in control of my life’s vehicle?

What does being in control of your life’s vehicle mean?  Three major areas that people often try to control come to mind. These are the where we are going, how fast we get there, and what the other drivers are doing along the route.

The first control issue is the direction my life is going. Trying to control the direction of our lives can be very dangerous. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12 &16:25 ESV)  I was surprised to see that this verse appears twice in Proverbs, not just once. When I looked up the two passages I found that in chapter 14 this “way that seems right” appears between verses concerning a fool and evil ways. In chapter 16 it appears between verses that speak of wisdom and good. We must be very careful to not follow the way that seems right to us.  Whether it leads us directly into sin or it sacrifices God’s best, we don’t want to be lead by what seems be good.

The path that God leads us on can be contrary to where we want to go.  It can also be against the flow of traffic as others go the opposite way, choosing to not follow God. And still others will follow different plans as God leads them.  We are commanded by Jesus to seek that narrow path that was planned for us.  “Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.  But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 AMP)   We want to be sure that we aim for and enter by that narrow gate.Setting the speed of our spiritual journey can also be quite dangerous.  Impatience can cause us to run ahead of God.  He has a lot to say about waiting for Him.  “The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s word].” (Lamentations 3:25)  This verse both instructs us to wait with expectation and promises a benefit.  We are to wait, anticipate and seek His plan.  Both God and the plan will be good to us.                                                                                Not only must we not get ahead of God, but we must keep up with Him.  The attitude Matthew took when Jesus called him should be our attitude. “And after this, Jesus went out and looked [attentively] at a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, Join Me as a disciple and side with My party and accompany Me. And he forsook everything and got up and followed Him [becoming His disciple and siding with His party].”(Luke 5:27-28 AMP)  When we hear the call of God to move forward, we should respond immediately.  The disciples followed Jesus for three years, staying close to hear His words.                                                                                                                                                 If you have run ahead or lagged behind, now is the time to return to the proper place.  ‘Therefore return to your God! Hold fast to love and mercy, to righteousness and justice, and wait [expectantly] for your God continually! (Hosea 12:6)  The perfect attitude of our hearts should be, “My times are in Your hands;” (Psalm 31:15a AMP)

The final area we are often tempted to try to control our life’s vehicle really concerns others more than ourselves.  We must learn that we cannot control the destinies of others.  Just as we cannot will that slow driver to speed up or turn off, we cannot will others to change the pace or direction of their lives.  All we can do is be good drivers ourselves and hope to influence those around us.  We can choose whether we follow or pass another vehicle depending on where and how they are driving.  We choose also who we follow, move beyond or stay alongside on our life’s journey.  Whatever we do should be with respect for others.  “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” (1Corinthians 10:24 ESV)

So my advice to all is to scoot over and give up control of the wheel and the gas pedal.  Jesus can drive your life far better than you can.  Relax and enjoy the ride!

Greeting God

Whenever anyone arrives at our front door, there is barking and mad dashes around the living room.  Our two dogs go into ‘alert and protect’ mode. Once the door has been answered, and the person entering determined to be friend not foe, the alert turns into dances of excitement.

Kari will go right up to a family member or visitor, give a quick lick and wait to be petted. Once she has been appropriately acknowledged, she goes back about her own plans.  (This is usually is laying down somewhere.) This behavior leaves you longingly calling, “Kari, come back!” She has ensured that you are okay to be in her home.  She lets you know she still cares and is happy to see you.  Nonetheless, she does not let your entrance make a significant difference in her activities.

Beamer, on the other hand, does not approach right away. He first goes to find one of his toys to present to the person entering. He brings the toy up close, but he does not drop it at your feet. He sits with a toy in his mouth expecting to be petted and praised. Do not try to take the toy from his mouth. It is for you to see, not for you to take.  It is as if he is saying, “Be proud of me for what I have, but do not touch!”

I look at these two approaches and think of my response when God enters my daily life. Each day I have an opportunity to respond to his gentle nudging and a variety of ways.  I have to admit that I have, on occasion, acted like each of my beloved dogs.

Kari’s response seems great at the onset. She is excited to see you and expresses this with licks and dancing. Do I welcome God’s entrance into my life with praise and excitement? Do I jump readily on board, only to go back to life as it has it has always been? I can welcome God’s coming, and even listen, without truly spending time and devotion to Him and His plan for me. Somehow, I can fail to be as impressed as I should that he has come to stay with me.

Beamer’s response is somewhat different. Although he knows and is very comfortable with the humans who live in his home, he still feels the need to impress when we enter. Neither my husband nor I have any great interest in the toy he presents. Nor do we require any gift or “offering of prey” from the dog that we love dearly. Have I have approached God in this way? Do I come with sacrifices of things that I have accomplished in my own power? Do I feel as though I have to impress God with my good works before I can be accepted by Him?  Although this is no longer common for me, I would have to honestly answer “Yes, I have.”

A Kari-like response makes me think of the scripture, “And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,” (Isaiah 29:2ESV)  God wants our hearts 24/7.  He is not impressed with our show of welcome, when our heart is not truly enamored with Him.

A Beamer-like response is also less than the Lord desires.  He doesn’t want us to come because of what we have accomplished.  We come because of what He has done.  “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” (Psalm 95:2 ESV)  The only gift He desires is a heart that truly appreciates and wants more of Him.

To find the correct response to the entrance of God in our lives, I looked to the words of the man God called ‘a man after His own heart,’ King David. “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” (Acts 13:22b ESV)  Despite all of the mistakes and sin in David’s life, through good and bad times, David knew to, “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (Psalm105:4 ESV)  This means simply wanting to be with Him, not for a moment; not to impress; but to truly say, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 ESV) 

So how will you respond when God knocks at the door of your life today?  Don’t miss a moment with Him!

(By the way, this is just how my dogs act when we come home.  They both have many cuddly moments in them.)