My Treasure Chest

"...Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee:"

THE WORD OF GOD!

This is MY Treasure Chest.

My treasure chest is full of wonderful, beautiful, and bountiful treasures. The unique thing about it is anyone can dip into it at anytime and take out of it what they want. Its resources will never deplete. There is always an abundant supply for anyone who wishes to partake of what my treasure chest has to offer.

When you open up this treasure chest and start digging around and searching within, you will find things like joy for your soul, peace of mind, happiness, and laughter. My treasure chest holds healing for both body and spirit, faith to move mountains, and encouragement. You will also find friendship like no other in my treasure chest, for in here you will find a friend that will stick closer than a brother. In this treasure chest you will find the lover of your soul. Dig deeper in this chest and you will find hope where in other places all you find is despair. My treasure chest also holds the secret to salvation. In here you can find a new song to sing, for the one who made this treasure chest will put music in your soul. It is full of wonderful things , I promise, just taste and see. In my treasure chest you will find rivers of living water that will never run dry.

My treasure chest leads me to shelter in the time of storm. It introduced me to the rock of my salvation. It is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It guides me in the direction that I should go so that I don't stray from the straight and narrow path of righteousness. When I am frightened I pick it up and hold it close to my heart. Then I open it up and begin to dig through the many treasures within and before long I am comforted by what I find and once again I feel peace sweep over my soul.

Within my treasure chest are many love letters from the lover of my soul. I can open up this chest anytime and read these beautiful letters over and over again. Each time that I do I am renewed with His love in my soul. When I read of all that He created I am in Awe. Then when I read of how He died for my salvation I am humbled to think that One such as He would die for one such as I. One day I am going to be with Him forever in a place that He has gone to prepare for me. For that is one of the promises written within my treasure chest. Oh yes, that is the greatest treasure yet to come.

My Little Scam Artist

My grandson decided he did not want to go to school this morning so he started out with pretending that he was really tired and needed to go back to sleep after his mother left for work. I told him to quit pretending that he was asleep and to get his shoes back on. He pretended not to hear as though he was asleep. But I got his attention. Then he looked at me and said "Grandma, are you OK?" and I replied "Yes Caleb, why?" He said, "Because you don't look to good. You look really sick. You shouldn't be driving when your sick like that. Guess I'll have to stay home."

I just about lost it. Where does he come up with things like this? Two weeks ago we were talking to him about joining the boys and girls club after school. He would only be there until his mom gets off work. He was really excited. We explained to him that before he could play any games he had to do his homework first then he would get to participate in the games. He furrowed his eyebrows and declared to his mother and I, "It's just a scam, that's all it is. A stinking homework scam. They do this just to make you do your homework. I tell ya it's just a scam."

My daughter and I just about rolled on the floor with laughter. I do not know where he comes up with these ideas but he blows me away sometimes. Where did he learn the word scam? I asked him if he knew what it meant and he said, "It's where someone tricks you into doing something." Well, I guess he knows what it means. This morning he was trying to do the scamming.

Garden Of Your Daily Living

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be patient
Lettuce love one another

NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
Thyme for God
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends
Thyme for each other

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.

THE FRUIT YOU REAP IN YOUR GARDEN WILL BE A RESULT OF WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN.

(I ran across this online and thought it worthy of sharing.)

Trusting The ONE True Living God

Dr S: How are you today Mrs. Mendoza?

Me: I'm fine doctor.

Dr S: Praise be to God. Let me listen to your lungs. They sound better than ever before. The surgery we did on your esophagus has done wonders, no? They sound stronger every time you come in.

Me: Sure has doc. It feels good to be off of the steroids and all of the other meds. I feel like a new person that's for sure.

Dr S: What have they said about the brain tumor?

Me: Well, I go in for another MRI the first week of February. I haven't received the exact date yet but that is what we are looking at.

Dr S: Mrs Mendoza, you do not need to worry for you know the one true living God no? He will take care of you. I do not think you will have to have surgery. You just pray to God and He will touch you. The one true living God is a healing God and He hears His people when they call on Him. Do you believe that?

Me: Yes I do Doctor. Very much so.

Dr. S: I am a doctor but I know a physician mightier than me. He is the great physician and He is the only one who can perform miracles. That is what we must believe Him for in your case Mrs. Mendoza is a miracle, yes?

Me: Yes, Dr S, I must believe for a miracle.

Dr S: We will believe together. You come back to me with a good report, OK?

Me: OK doctor, I will.

Dr S: I will see you in 8 weeks. Remember you must believe.

Me: I will Doc, bye and thank you

The above was my conversation with my lung specialist this past Monday afternoon. I must say that this past week has been a good week. I went to prayer meeting on Monday evening and I felt the hand of God come down and touch me while I was praying. Later, pastor came by and prayed for me and again I felt the touch of God move through my body. When I got home I was reading my favorite blogs and then checked my e-mail and had a note that read, "I've prayed for you today, Jolene. Be calmed and peaceful." Shirley Buxton. Again, at that moment I felt that hand of God reach out and touch me one more time. It was as if it were a confirmation that God was telling me that He has it all under control and that I need to trust Him and not worry. Everything is going to be OK. This all transpired in one day. What is that scripture that talks about out of the mouth of two or three witnesses? 2nd Corinthians 13:1 “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” First my doctor, then my pastor, then Sis Buxton. God is so Good, is He not?

Oh and by the way, I have not had near as much trouble with my speech this past week. Still some trouble with my typing and still losing my thoughts as to what I am suppose to be doing by the time I get from one room to the next but at least it is easier to speak my thoughts. But there has been some improvement. Praise God!

Whatever Your Cross

The following is something that my niece shared with me sometime ago. I had saved it in my files and ran across it last night and decided to share it with you. It's message is powerful. God will never put more upon us than we can bear. Our cross that we carry can be used as a stepping stone in the time of need. Never begrudge the cross that you must carry. It could be your life saver.

Whatever your cross,

whatever your pain,

There will always be sunshine,

after the rain ....

Perhaps you may stumble,

perhaps even fall,

But God's always ready,

To answer your call ...

He knows every heartache,

sees every tear,

A word from His lips,

can calm every fear ...

Your sorrows may linger,

throughout the night,

But suddenly vanish,

dawn's early light ...

The Savior is waiting,

somewhere above,

To give you His grace,

and to send you His love ..

Whatever your cross,

whatever your pain,

"God always sends rainbows ....

after the rain ... "

YOUR HAND

I ran across the following poem and I would like to dedicate it to all of my blogging friends. I enjoy reading your many postings. I have laughed with you as well as cried with you. You have lifted me up in many many ways. I have gleaned a lot of strength from many of you and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for sharing your world with me. When I slip over to your blog sites and read your postings I feel as though through your words you reach out and touch my soul and there I find such peace. Thank you all for letting God use you to reach out and touch others in such a special way. God bless you all.

YOUR HAND

When my world falls down around me,
And the ground is sinking sand;
When peace can’t be found on this earth,
I reach out for your hand.

Then when your hand wraps ‘round my own,
A strength pours from your soul;
It brings me to a quiet calm,
Till once again I’m whole.

A peace beyond all reason,
A rest there in your touch;
Something in your quiet words,
My heart yearns for so much.

If I but rest my worries,
Upon your shoulder there;
The strength that pours forth from your soul,
Will wash away each care.

Like a cool, sweet taste of water,
For a tired and thirsty man;
My heart finds peace, my soul is calm,
When I reach out for your hand.

Right Attitude?

After clicking on this site: http://janiverbrown.blogspot.com/ and reading Janiver's Journey I thought what an amazing lady she is. She has such a wonderful attitude and she has been through so much. Her story/testimony gives me so much faith and encouragement. Then I clicked over to http://www.bethaniroam.blogspot.com/ and read about another amazing lady. Again I find such a beautiful attitude even though she has been through so much. I ask myself, does God find in me a good attitude or do I need to make some serious adjustments here concerning my illness? These two Godly women have boosted my faith for my own situation. I have pondered on these two great ladies and all that they have been through all night so much that I have not been able to sleep.

On January 2,2008, Sis Hurst, http://www.iluv2prshim.wordpress.com/ did a post on 10 RULES FOR A BLESSED DAY. (It is worth reading so if you haven't already done so, click on the above link and hop on over and read it.) I thought, Hmmm, I will make this my New Year's Resolution. Easier said than done! There is a situation going on in my life with another individual and I am sure all of you at one time or another have been in a situation where there have been hurts between you and another. This morning when I went to the refrigerator guess what I saw? That's right! The 10 RULES FOR A BLESSED DAY. I had printed this out and posted it on my refer and there it was staring me in the face this morning. My reaction was,"Oh Dear God, I could not even carry out my resolution for one day." For yesterday I did not respond the way the 10 rules said to respond when someone was unkind to me. I did not ask You Lord to bless them. I was so hurt that I did not forgive them. How can I be forgiven if I do not forgive? For your word says: "...forgive, and ye shall be forgiven", Luke 6:37. Did I not just recently do a post on this? What is wrong with me Lord? I did not live by your word for Proverbs 15:1 reads, "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."

I must forgive regardless of how many times this hurt is brought my way. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.Matthew 18:21-22. "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15 NIV

My Father, not forgive my sins? I can not bear the thought of the Lord not forgiving me when I mess up. Lord knows I am not perfect and that I fail at times and make mistakes. Who am I to judge and criticize others when they do the same? Psalms 139:23-24; "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

It is a New Year with a New Beginning. I ask you Lord to "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalms 51:7) I must go and make things right to the best of my ability and leave the rest in the hands of God. I am asking for you to help me God, to have the right attitude and to live by the 10 Rules For A Blessed Day AND Your 10 Commandments in 2008 regardless of what comes my way health wise or in any other avenue in my walk with you. For as the quote in the picture above by Charles R. Swindoll reads:

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes."

What A Friend We Have In Jesus

When you saw only one set of prints, it was then that I carried you!

I was just sitting here and re- thinking our New Year Eve's service and what a wonderful time we had. I began to think of all the wonderful testimonies from the different generations that we heard. When I heard the testimonies of the elders who had been serving God for many many years I thought just how wonderful God really is to have kept wonderful saints safe within His harbor through out all of this time the way He has.

Knowing life the way I do, I began to think, I know that they have faced heartaches, sorrows, disappointments, discouragements, sicknesses, loss of loved ones, and many battles with the devil where he has literally tried to destroy their soul. I know they have had to climb many mountains, cross many valleys and cross a lot of rivers that I am sure at times they just knew they were going to drown. Then there were times they had deserts they had to go through. Those where the worst. They were the times when their souls felt dry, dusty, and parched. They felt as though they were far from the living waters. They must have thought, where is God in all of this? But there was something within them that sustained them to hold on. To just keep putting one foot in front of the other and take one step at a time, one moment at a time, one hour at a time, and one day at a time. For they knew that their God would see them through just like He always did before. HE DID and they are still here today to tell the story of just how great God is! They are an encouragement to the younger generation today to say hey look at us, see what God did for us through the years? He is faithful! He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Pro. 18:24) He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Heb 13:5) What He did for us He will do for you if you will stay faithful and true to Him. Hang in there church for it will be worth it all.

I sit here this morning sipping my decaff coffee and slowly typing and continuously hitting this spell check key. Woo hoo, man at the mistakes I keep making, I feel like a first grader. But this too SHALL PASS!!! I am encouraged while I re-live this service and think of these wonderful pillars who are still with us today (my wonderful friend, Sis Wilson, who is like a mother to me but I am afraid she might one day, cause me to get called into the pastor's office for giggling in church. For I just know she is going to make me snort out loud yet) and the ones who have gone on to be with the LORD and it makes me smile. I think of all the battles they have gone through living for the LORD and this one thing I know, they have learned that the battle was not theirs but it was the LORD'S! If we can ever get that through our heads and learn to lean on Him, then we too, someday, shall be standing where these pillars are, saying "Look at me younger generation and see just what God can do. He was by my side at the starting line and He is still by my side after all these years and He will be by my side when I cross the finish line. What more could I ask for? Closely read the words to the following song. It is an old one but never were truer words sung.

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He'll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"The young sailor at sea was ordered to climb a mast to adjust a sail during a violent storm. He got halfway up, looked down, got dizzy and sick. An old sailor on deck shouted up to him Look up, son, look up. Young sailor looked up, regained his composure, and completed his mission. Moral: Look ahead, not back." (Unknown source)

We had a wonderful service last night ushering out 2007 and welcoming in 2008 with songs, the Word of God, testimonies, and praise and worship unto God Almighty. I was very tired in my body and had such a pounding in my head when I first entered the church service. I felt as though my head was in a vice grip and each time the drummer hit the drums or someone near by clapped their hands it was as though fireworks went off inside my head. But I would just say "In Jesus Name, In Jesus Name" over and over and continued to worship and praise Him. Before long I felt the hand of God come down and touch me and the pain subsided and the vice grip let up and I began to relax and felt such sweet peace come over my soul. GOD IS SO GOOD!

One of the brothers sang a song and part of the chorus was "I will praise Him in the midst of my storm" and I thought Lord this song is for me. I will praise you in the midst of my storm. No matter how high the waves crash around me. No matter how high my boat gets tossed from side to side I will hang on. I will not jump ship! For I KNOW the Peace Speaker and I know HIM by Name. All I have to do is get to Him and He will calm the storms in my life. Then the above quote was in my email this morning and it seemed to go so well with the song that was sang last night.

When the violent storms come and the mast needs adjusting, we must not hang our heads and look down. We mustn't become discouraged and throw in the towel. We can not allow ourselves to become dizzy, sick, weary and weak. By all means, we can not jump ship. Lift up your heads because your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:28).

When troubles and trials come your way, don't become discouraged. don't turn around and go back the other direction. We must keep going forward. If you will look to Him, then you will be able to regain your composure and go on for Christ. Now is not the time to look back. We must look ahead and do as Paul did in Philippians 3:13-14; "...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

PRESS ON

ENGLISH GRADUATION SONG

When the valley is deep,

When the mountain is steep,

When the body is weary,

When we stumble and fall.

When the choices are hard,

When we're battered and scarred,

When we've spent our resources,

When we've given our all.

CHORUS

In Jesus' name, we press on,

In Jesus' name, we press on,

Dear Lord with the prize, clear before our eyes,

We find the strength to press on.

Forgetting all that lies behind us

And straining towards all that lies before.

We press on towards the mark of the high calling

That is ours in Christ our Lord.

Dear Lord, dear Lord with the prize,

Clear before our eyes,

We find the strength, we find the strength,

We find the strength to press on...To press on...

2008 is here! A new year with new beginnings. Out with the old and in with the new. All of your hurts, pain, disappointments, bad attitudes, discouragements, mistakes, and all of your failures, leave them them in 2007. It is a new year with a new beginning and a new start. "Whatever your past has been, your future is spotless." (Unknown Source)

Me, I am expecting a year of MIRACLES! :D Healings, Revivals, Backsliders coming home, my son returning to God. My two nephews returning to God unspoken prayer requests being answered and the list goes on. Oh yes, I am expecting many, many wonderful things to happen in 2008 by the hand of God.

Come on Saints

Don't hesitate

Go forward

In 2008!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!