There's No God Like You!

There's just something about the sound of rain, isn't there?  It started early this morning and is still going...hopefully all day long! I've got the back door open, just to listen to it.  It's peaceful and calming.

I know that the Lord is great,

    that our Lord is greater than all gods.

The Lord does whatever pleases him,

    in the heavens and on the earth,

    in the seas and all their depths.

He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;

    he sends lightning with the rain

    and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Psalm 135:5-7

After several years of drought, we are thankful for the rains we've had. Praising God for the rain comes naturally, even to those who may not truly know Him.

Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?

    Do the skies themselves send down showers?

No, it is you, Lord our God.

    Therefore our hope is in you,

    for you are the one who does all this.

Jeremiah 14:22

Our praise to Him should not waver.  He, alone, is God. No idol can bring rain.  He IS the ONE who does all this. Let's never forget to give Him praise.

Gratituesday - Rain

Southwest Oklahoma needed rain.  God has provided!

The skies have been filled with brilliant colors, beautiful storm clouds, and magnificent lightening.

But while many around here (southwest Oklahoma and north Texas area) needed the rain and are very thankful for receiving it in ample supply, our thoughts go out to those in areas around Oklahoma City, who have had extensive flooding.

Many homes are flooded.  Many businesses are flooded.  Thankfully, as of yet, there is no loss of life from the floods.  I pray that this continues to be true.

Rain.  It has been a blessing to us, but has created many problems for so many others.

One of our blessings has been seeing a rainbow two days in a row!  Our children were thrilled to see a complete half-circle rainbow and even a double rainbow on both of those days.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a whole picture of either of the rainbows. But, on the bright side, I didn't get stuck in the mud trying to get these pictures, as I did this one time.

In storms and in floods, God shows His awesome power.

I am grateful for His power and His might.

I pray for the safety of those who have had flooding and at the same time, thank Him for watering our dry land and watering the farmer's cotton plants.

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Inspired by an 80-something-Year-Old

This has been a very busy week.  We had a meeting series going on at church Sunday through Wednesday, noon fellowship meals following those lessons, baseball/softball games, doctor's appointments, FFA speech contests (my husband and I were judges), several of us fed the Sojourners at QMCC, my husband's work board meeting - just a lot of "stuff" going on.  Good stuff.  Busy stuff.  That was from Sunday morning until yesterday afternoon.

And then there was a Ladies' Night Out (LNO)scheduled in Altus for last night.  I wanted to go, but didn't want to go.  You know what I mean, don't you?  I was totally worn out - didn't think I could do another thing, but I really wanted to go and felt that I should go - just to encourage the ladies that worked so hard to provide the evening for other Christian sisters.

Well, who would have thought than an 80-something-year-old woman would have been the one to get me to go to the LNO last night?  She did.

Wednesday night at the last night of our meeting series this sweet lady asked if I was going.  I said I wasn't sure, but asked if she was wanting to go.  She said yes.  I told her I would let her know.

All the way home I thought about my schedule for Thursday and Friday.  Many things to do.  Many schedules to keep.  But then I thought of that lady.  She's been doing a lot of the things I have been doing all week long.  She's been going to the meeting series every morning and evening.  She had been cooking daily for the fellowship meals.  She hadn't been going to the baseball games, softball games, and FFA things, but she also does things I don't do.  She's one of the Avon ladies in town. She also has another job with a funeral home and sits with the body when there is one for our small town.  And there was yesterday.  And she worked all day.  And the person who passed away is her sister-in-law (both of their husbands passed away a long time ago).

So, I got home and talked to my husband.  I explained to him my dilemna, with schedule conflicts and being asked to go to the LNO.  He said something very simple:  "What's the most important?"  Well, that's an easy answer, isn't it?  What's more important?  Taking an older woman to something she's wanting to go to or going to a ball game?  Of course. Taking her to to the LNO is much more important.

So, I immediately called her.  I told her I would take her to the LNO.  She was so excited! I was still able to go do most everything I had on my list and even saw all of our son's baseball games.  I missed our daughter's softball game, but there will be many, many games left in her life (Lord willing).  I wouldn't want to say I couldn't help someone because of a ball game.  That just doesn't seem right to me - does it to you?

So this lady and I went to the LNO.  I actually picked her up at the funeral home where she was working.  We had a great time and heard a great lesson about choices and perspective.  The theme was, "Drought, Storms, or Refreshing Rain?"  The question raised made each woman present ask themselves this question.  Our attitude and actions and speech determine whether we are a drought, a storm, or a refreshing rain.

I know that the influence this 80-something-year-old woman I took with me to LNO is definitely a refreshing rain to me and to all who come in contact with her.  She encouraged me to do something good - something I should have been willing to do all along.  She encourages others in our church family, in our community and in her own family.  She is a goer and a doer - a worker for the Lord.

I want to be a refreshing rain to those I come in contact with, don't you?

It Rained and Rained for.....

Well, so far here in Tipton it's rained for five days and maybe even five nights (I'm not exactly sure about the nights). There are two more days of rain in the forcast right now, so it looks like we may even get more. At our house, we've had close to three inches, which we really needed! Thank you, God!

When I think about continued rain, I always think about Noah. Today, I thought it would be fun to do a "Noah Quiz". It's something I've thought about before as I've taught little ones in Bible class, and it might be good for all of us to think about, as well. If anything, it gets us digging deeper into God's Word - and that's always a good thing!

I'll ask some questions and then give the answers below. Be sure to comment on the questions or answers, but also please take the time to search the scripture references for yourself.

1. True or False: The animals went in the ark two by two.

2. True or False: It rained for 40 days and for 40 nights.

3. Noah herded the animals onto the ark.

4. How many windows were in the ark?

5. How many people went into the ark?

6. True or False: Everyone on the outside of the ark died in the flood.

7. How long was water on the earth?

8. Noah sent a bird(s) out of the ark ______ times to see if the waters had gone.

9. What kind of bird(s) did he send?

10. If you were alive during that time, would you have been faithful like Noah and his family? Or would you have been one of those who perished in the flood?

ANSWERS:
1. Some did, but some didn't! Genesis 7:2-3

2. True. Genesis 7:12

3. No! The animals went to the ark! Even the animals obeyed God. I love that, don't you? Genesis 7:8-9

4. Only one window that opened, but the ark had an opening all of the way around, 18 inches from the top. Genesis 6:16; Genesis 8:6

5. Noah, his wife, his three sons (Ham, Shem, and Japheth) and their wives - 8 people in all. Genesis 7:13

6. True. Genesis 7:21

7. 150 days. Genesis 7:24

8. Four times. Genesis 8:6-12

9. Raven, Dove, Dove, Dove - Genesis 8:6-12

10. Only you can answer this question.