He reigns

"But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You." Psalm 5:11

The weather today is daunting. Whether torrential downpours, tropical storms, floods, gusty winds or hail, shelter is required from the elements.  As a child of God, no matter what our day holds, we are under the umbrella of God's love and assured of His complete protection. With Him by our side, our fears can be calmed.

Father, through it all, we need to hold tightly to Your "J" (Jesus) handle and remember Your ability to protect us through whatever passes our way.  In Your perfect time, i trust our hearts will bloom with joy and peace. Your smiling face under the umbrella tell me we will be okay.

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live, love and do like we believe it,

veneal

surviving?

 Jesus said...

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Pack'em up and move'em out...

 

How sweet those words as we closed the book carts last Friday. Like the Book Fair books, the past 2 weeks delivered a wide range of emotions.  We saw and experienced all types of genres: drama, suspense, celebration, mystery, comedy, crime, heartbreak, magic, horror, and human survival.   

Every day was an action‑packed, page turner from start to finish.  But all things do come to an end. It was a sweet beginning and even a sweeter farewell. So, goodbye Book Fair, you did not disappoint; we survived a mighty thrilling ride with you and look forward to another chapter next year. 

Book Fair came and Book Fair went,
at times we about lost all our sense.

But thanks to great help, here and Above,
we survived a busy week filled with gifts and love.

Believe and know God's Words are faithful and true,
With Him all things are possible, because He loves me and you.

Lord, thank you for hearing my prayers and getting us through this time.

Because You are with me, i have the strength to survive.  Thank You.

we are loved and chosen by God,
may we live, love and do like we believe it,
veneal

let me see You

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 

"Johnny, let me see you for a minute." 

It's a familiar teacher's comment when a student gets off track or misses the intent of the assignment or lecture. A refocusing on the teacher's plan is necessary to accomplish the goal outlined by the teacher for the student.

Father, there are things i am experiencing and not understanding right now. What i see as important and what i want, gets in the way of what You desire to accomplish in me.  I often need a Word from You, reminding me where and on whom to focus.  Please keep calling me back to You. As long as i can keep my eyes fixed on You, Your strength and guidance will be my peace.

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live, love and do like we believe it,

veneal

caught

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Situations, circumstances, events can throw an unexpected and unwanted wrench in our day.  And when it does, i pray to not be like a deer caught in the headlights -- frozen in blind fear.

Life would be almost impossible, IF we didn’t keep our focus on God and KNOW He is in control of ALL things.   

TRUST HIM, we must. Period. No matter what.

God uses absolutely everything to His glory… the good, the bad and the ugly.  May we keep praising Him in ALL things.  His Light is not blinding but calming.

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live, love and do like we believe it,
veneal

wishes fulfilled

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

Book Fair... it's been quite a week, actually 2 weeks, but in a terrific way.  All the work, planning, time and sweat of the event produced buckets of gold. With a drastic reduction in parent volunteers and shoppers, support of the fair was questionable.  However once underway, we were tickled to see enthusiastic student shoppers from day one. But the biggest JOY did not come from the students shopping for themselves, but for others.

One of our most important Book Fair missions is putting a book in every student's hand.  This effort in the past has always been funded primarily by kind, generous parents. But in their physical absence, students stepped up to the need and freely gave.  From pennies to $10+ students gladly donated to help fellow students, covering the needed expense. But their generosity did not stop there.

Another mission of our Book Fair is donating books to all our teachers.  Money for teacher books was sent in by parents, past teachers, as well as students. During the second week, we watched groups of excited students return pooling their funds to buy a book for their teacher. Some of the books were given from the group and sometimes the group credited their entire class for the donation.  Their JOY in buying for their teacher was only exceeded by our JOYFUL witnessing of their generosity.  Every desiring teacher will discover at least one donated book by the end of the Fair. 

When measured by the action of the heart and not the dollar sign, i must say this was the most successful Book Fair i've ever had the honor to work. Cherished memories of the past 2 weeks strengthen my faith for our future. There is a wise and actively caring generation formulating.

Jesus loves the little children, and this week it was easy to see why.  I love them too. 

Father, thank You for opportunities to help those in our path. In doing so, we not only honor You and the desires of Your heart, but we are showered with blessings too.

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live, love and do like we believe it,

veneal

a Mighty Word ~ restore

 "I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." Jeremiah 31:25

The only thing normal about most school days is that there is no normal, routine day.  Besides the changes due to Covid, special activities, interruptions, revisions and shifts are a constant part of the week.  And if that doesn't take a little punch out of you, the stomach bug crawling around the neighborhood might.

Feeling a little green around the cheeks? I hope you find the time to stop and rest this upcoming weekend. Even though we will be an hour short Sunday, God has the power to fully restore.

we are love and chosen by God,
may we live, love and do like we believe it,
veneal

sticky fingers

"YET, the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Isaiah 30:18

It happens, and it breaks my heart.

Covered in the syrup of desire, sticky fingers stuck to and took items they wanted from the Book Fair. Some books contained trinkets, creating an unbearable urge to possess them greater than the desire to be honest. Temptation comes in all sizes, and the pain of falling into it hurts to the core for all affected. 

Is there anything you are moving forward with in life without God's direction?  Anxious to take matters in your own hands?  Tired of waiting for God to answer?  May our desires and wishes not propel us forward without God. 

Father, it happens. I want it, i get it, and it breaks Your heart.  Grow in me the wisdom to seek You in all areas of my life and to patiently wait for Your guidance.  How often have i missed the treasures You have for me because i refused to wait for You?  I want to trade in my pitiful temporary fix for Your sweet divine blessings. Trip me up, slow me down, break my leg; just don't let me miss any blessings You have for me.

What God has in store for us far exceeds our expectations... every time.

we are loved and chosen by God,

may we live, love and do like we believe it,

veneal