Graced with Grace

Hi Friends, So I just realized that many of my readers may not realize that I actually have a baking blog, too. Now this baking blog actually does not get used very much, but occasionally a story or recipe will make its way to publication, so if you're interested than you can check it out. Here is a link to my latest blog post over there telling a short little story of baking bread with children. http://hanasmessykitchen.blogspot.com/2015/06/bread-baking-and-child-joy.html  

  "Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14 This was the Bible verse that I shared on my Facebook just a couple days ago.  I had been feeling a little discouraged one morning with a couple different things on my mind I was having to wait for. I decided to look up a couple different Bible verses about waiting on the Lord and found hope, comfort, and courage in these verses. My day then continues like the past several days. Besides a few babysitting jobs here and there or some other random event, my days were pretty slow and I was getting pretty itchy to find a job and have something to occupy my mind and time. I spent some time at a local coffee shop, composed a poem while staring out into the streets, then prepared to head home for another long day of WAITING, so to speak. I had applied at a few jobs already and was hoping to hear back from at least one of them, but was beginning to wonder...

    Stare out the window Out upon the busy street. Cars stopping at red lights Than slowly moving on. Young ladies walk and chat. Music ringing within the coffee shop. Muffled conversation from nearby. There's a park across the street With laughing, running, playing children. Lady asks for money once again. Bikers everywhere and busses too.   These are some of the sights That cross my eyes. City life.   Lives that matter Walking quietly by. How often do I remember That each life is uniquely created And each is born with a soul like me?   God created that beggar woman Just as much as he created me. Why should my life be More important than hers? Its not.   God created her And God created me. God cares about her So I should care about her, too. But I turn and avert my gaze And try to ignore her pleading eyes.   Every soul that walks the street. God created eac...

I have been thinking a lot about love lately, I mean true Love. It’s easy to get an image in one’s head of love being this happy fuzzy mushy gushy feeling that gives one butterflies in their stomach. It’s all about meeting that prince charming and life being happy ever after or at least that is what a lot of the fairy tales tell us, right? Love is a whole lot more than that. Love is not just a feeling! Love is primarily action! You can read about it in 1 Corinthians 13 and all throughout the Bible. Love is the action of being patient, being kind, being forgiving, being a joyful servant, being longsuffering, being tenderhearted. It’s the action of not seeking one’s own, not being puffed up, not being rude. Love is an action and you can see it being acted out all throughout scripture. Love is the action of believing, hoping, bearing, and enduring. Nowhere, that I see or can recall, does the Bible ever talk about love being a feeling, whereas, everywhere does it tell of the ...

I asked my friend to give me one word to write about and she said “coffee”. So coffee it shall be. I was a little hesitant to write on the topic considering everyone does. But I am hoping that this post may be a little more original considering it comes from a girl who drinks coffee maybe once or twice a week, but is definitely not addicted to it. So here goes a passionless post about coffee! Coffee is NOT my life. I can enjoy a cup of coffee, but I don’t need to drink a cup of coffee to survive each day (laughter does good like a medicine, but I have not heard anything about coffee being a good medicine, so I think I 'll stick to laughter which is tried and true). ;) I do write this post while sitting in a coffee shop, but that is beside the point. ;) Coffee to me is a refreshing drink to enjoy with a friend over an encouraging conversation or else to drink in the morning while journaling some deep inspiring thoughts (or not so inspiring, as the case may be). But I can do...

I was reading a book called Heart to Heart Stories of Friendship compiled and edited by Joe L. Wheeler and one thing that stood out to me in these stories of friendship is the power of words. You can use your words to kill a friend in a matter of seconds or you can use your words to save a life, but it’s up to you. One story tells of a grouch who always seemed to be in the worst of moods, never smiled, was disliked by all, and cussing seemed to be his only language, but he was also the most faithful at his job. After eight long years of laboring day and night, someone finally told him that he was appreciated for his faithful hard work and guess what happened? The grouchy man was transformed completely; began working harder than before, smiled at everyone, moved his way up to top position in his line of business, and became a much loved coworker. I was thinking about this and other stories I had read and began to think how I might be able to use my own words to change lives, as ...

  Sometimes I realize I have been in search of something I didn’t even realize I was in search of. I was in need of answers, comfort, hope through a dream, yet little did I know I was in need of any of these things. Walking along the shores of Long Beach Island I noticed a couple ladies and girls picking up sea shells as if there was no tomorrow. Knowing that the shells on this particular beach has been picked clean of its beauteous shells, I was only slightly confused about the excitement these ladies showed, until I looked down at my own feet. Then everything came to light. There at my feet lay dozens of Sand Dollars scattered across the shore to my extreme amazement and complete confusion. I wasn’t even sure that I should trust the realness of the occasion, but gently bent down and picked up one, tenderly holding it in my hands and then knew it had to be real. Now to some, a Sand Dollar may seem of little significance, but to me it was a childhood dream come to fruition...

I have started my collection of children's books. Some day these shall be quite necessary in life, particularly that middle one. The middle one was a favorite growing up and I still love it. ;) The other two were my Grandma's. I intend to continue adding to my collection with other childhood favorites. Are there any favorite childhood books that you loved and one to read to your kids someday?

  Waves crash against the shore, Waves sink back to the ocean floor. Like rhythmic music or a heartbeat. Steady and sure with every wave and retreat.   The sun rises in the east, sets in the west. Hidden behind the waters where it’s laid to rest, Certain that tomorrow it will rise upon the ocean crest. Reappearing like yesterday, to continue its quest. You can’t stop the waves, you can’t stop the sun, Just like its creator, the unchanging One. His faithfulness unwavering, his love will endure. Redemption and forgiveness he can ensure.