landktheluckyones

Posted on November 25, 2023 by landktheluckyones

Let Us Give Thanks

Thanksgiving…I know it’s just one day. At times, this day, finds only the two of us having dinner together, at others, their are more. I enjoy preparing the Thanksgiving feast for as many that join us.

This year, we had two of my sister-in-laws, a brother-in-law, my son, daughter-in-law and two of my grandsons and their dog, “Hope”. It was a nice day, where the meal turned out well and good conversation and games were had by all.

On a day where we should reflect on all we have…sometimes, we don’t. You know, when our kids are young, we teach them to share and be kind to others. For myself, I must heed my own direction. When our children get families of their own, then WE have to share. This year, my daughter, her husband and my grandson went to Grand Rapids to spend Thanksgiving with her in-laws. At first, I was disappointed, and of course, I would have loved to have had them here, but as I reflected on thankfulness, the Lord brought a few things to mind.

For several years, my daughter and her family have had Thanksgiving with us.
I am sure, my daughter’s in-laws would have loved to have had them there on the years that they were with us.
My daughter comes over and sees us on birthdays and other holidays.
If I am to treat others as I want to be treated, I must share.

Isn’t it funny how selfish we can be on a day where we should be thankful. For me, most days I am quite thankful for the goodness of God to me. He has shown me so much kindess. This is not a once a year occurence. So, as I have been reflecting all month and being grateful. I am also grateful that my daughter’s in-laws had the opportunity to be with my daughter’s special family.

I did, however get some grandma/grandpa hugs.

Yes, let us give thanks. Today, tomorrow, everyday. For a day does not go by where we have nothing to be thankful for.

Posted on November 6, 2023 by landktheluckyones · 1 Comment

Today I am Grateful

I believe that we should be grateful for everything that we have and experience. Does that mean that I always think of how incredibly blessed I am? Not usually, but I try. You know that saying, “You have brought nothing into this world and you will take nothing out.” That pretty much sums it up.

God gave us breath when we entered this world and He will take it, when it is our time. So, I am grateful for breath and life; for friends and family; for good times, for bad times and everything in between. For the beauty of creation, with it’s array of colors and textures. You cannot help but marvel.

Today, I met with some women that have retired from Honeywell. Some, I did not know, some it so touched my heart to see them again. I am grateful for those who set up this “get-together”. Many of these ladies worked there 30+ years. Not one said that they regretted retiring. Many said they miss the people. I echo that sentiment. It was such a good group of people there. I hope that still holds true.

The ladies that I worked with, I will always be grateful for the friendship we shared. Wisdom imparted and camaraderie with ones that will forever remain in my heart. Today, I am grateful for THIS day. Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to see some dear friends. Today, I am grateful for the many acquaintances I have made through the years. This day, I choose to be so extremely grateful for those things that may not be seen but are of the heart. Today, I am grateful that the God of the universe cares enough for me to arrange these encounters.

Posted on October 22, 2023October 22, 2023 by landktheluckyones

Yes, I’m A Sinner

In my early days, I made a lot of bad choices. As a result, I struggled with guilt and remorse. After listening to a “Billy Graham Crusade” on television, I called and prayed with someone and received Christ as my Savior. I enbarked on a life to please my Savior.

Once you acknowledge, associate or wear the name Christian, you put your life on display. You become vulnerable to ridicule, judgement, ect. For the person who does not believe, there is not this same level of judgement. “Live and let live” Do as you please in your own eyes. It is not the same for a Christian, for you wear the name of Christ. People expect you to be perfect or you are a hypocrite.

Yes, we are complete in Christ, but that is where Christians and non-Christians alike err in their thinking. It is “in Him” that we are complete. I had fallen into this for many years, I knew that Jesus loved me and gave the ultimate sacrifice for me. Death sentence that I deserved. Not according to the world’s standard, but according to God’s. His standard is the only one that I need to be concerned about. I tried to please Him the only way that I knew in my limited understanding of the Scriptures. We are complete because we have His name, nothing that we have done.

As life has taken many twists and turns, God has been with me through that whole time. Well, of course He’s there. He’s everywhere and sees all. 🙂 The problem that I have acquired as I have traveled this life is when I rely on my own understanding. This is a moment by moment decision. It has caused me to stumble, to maybe seem like a hypocrite. If anyone has thought this of me, I pray that from this moment on, that they will see Christ in me. When I rely on what’s natural, this causes me to live in sin, but when I give myself to Jesus, it is right. When I pray to my Father, sometimes He answers with a “yes”, sometimes with a “no”, and sometimes “not right now, for there is a better time.” All I know from my experience, is that the more I talk to Him, the more peace I have.

This month, the pastor is teaching on the “Ten Commandments”. Today, I felt that I needed to hear what He had to say. He was talking about the 3rd commandment where it states not to take the Lord your God’s name in vain. I don’t do that…or so I thought. He made the point that how I act, effects God’s name. If I use His name carelessly, if my life does not portray Christ, I’m using His name in vain.That I need to honor the Family name in my conduct. There is much Power in the name of Jesus. I pray that I don’t lessen it by how I portray Him to the world. The following, is a song by Rich Mullins,which are my sentiments… give it a listen! 🙂 Part of the lyrics state, “And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am. I did not make it, no it is making me. It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man.”

I also believe this. My belief in God, makes me who I am. IT is what makes me who I am. No, I have not always lived in a way that I want to live, because I relied on my own understanding. I need God! Every moment of everyday. I cannot live this life without His direction.

I wish that I would have been a better example for my kids and continue with that same hope. I pray that as I look into the light of the face of Jesus, that I may radiate that love to them. I also pray that anyone that knows me, knows that my desire is for them to know how much I love them.

I and some other ladies recently went to the “Ark Encounter” in Kentucky. It is the exact dimensions of Noah’s Ark. It was an awesome experience. Some like to think that the people listed in the Bible are mythical, yet here there is much archaeological evidence to the contrary. Just as a Creator intricately designs nature, the details of the Ark cannot be explained away. In my own life, how situations have been connected can have no other explanation than to be divinely orchestrated. This was an awesome experience. If you ever get a chance to visit, I would highly recommend it.

We continue to be the “lucky ones”!

Posted on October 6, 2023 by landktheluckyones

World Smile Day and Green Tomato Pie

I like to celebrate World Smile Day every year. Mainly, I like smiles but also, I like that the purpose of World Smile day is to do an act of kindness to make someone smile. How can you go wrong with an act of kindness?

Today, I tried to make a video of pie making. I went all the way through, hit something and off it went. So, I remade a video just explaining the process.

I do like to experiment a bit with cooking. Leonard calls me a cooking rebel. That’s pretty funny, as I’m not very rebellious. Yet, it’s fun to try different things. Even though he is a picky eater, he is always game for the things I try. Continuing to be the lucky ones.

Posted on September 20, 2023September 20, 2023 by landktheluckyones

Thankful for Brother’s

Today, is my brother’s birthday. We always meet up for each other’s special day. It was such a beautiful day to share lunch by the water. A woodpecker and some geese joined us. Or should I say, we joined them.

It blesses my heart to spend time with those close to me. I was my brother’s first fan when he would perform on a flat bed trailer in our yard. He has been all over the world performing. Yet, I don’t think he’ll have a more sincere fan. I’m so proud of him for who he is.

Mostly, I’m thankful that he always keeps in touch. He’ll reach out if he hasn’t heard from me.

I definitely am one of the lucky ones to have him for a brother! ❤️

Looks like I should have worn sunglasses 😎!

Posted on September 20, 2023 by landktheluckyones

Apple Crisp

One thing I miss since I have been retired is conversation and connection with people. Leonard likes to do “his own thing”. Which causes me to have a lot of alone time. God did not make me that way. I like interaction.

Sunday, I was feeling a bit lonely and decided to bake. I made a video of a recipe that I tried. Maybe it was just so that I could hear talking. Hope you like it. 🙂

Posted on September 11, 2023 by landktheluckyones

Autumn Thoughts

It sure feels like autumn today. Some people enjoy this season which provides an array of colors, smells of cocoa and pumpkin spice. Some, on the other hand, dread it. For at times, the sun is dwindling and they know what the next season will be.

For me, I enjoy autumn, even though I prefer summer with the warm temperatures and the feeling of summer break. Always wanting to “go somewhere” and do “summery things”. Even though summer is actually my favorite, I enjoy all the seasons. In Michigan, the weather can change as quickly as you can proclaim it.

All the seasons have an element for us to enjoy. Well, you know all the benefits of summer. It seems summer is made for play. Then comes fall, with cooler temps and arrays of vibrant color and harvesting of crops. Winter, sparkling like diamonds along a billowy cloud…Snow is beautiful to behold, yet it brings with it, cold temps and more work, and makes us thankful when we have a home and heat to keep out the blustery winds. Spring, seems to be forever coming, but with it brings new life, new hope.

I liken the seasons to life. We have seasons where everything is sunny and fun, ones where we dread the inevitable. There are seasons of growth and seasons of death. Seasons where it’s all you can do to just get by. I like to live in the season of “spring” which always promises hope. We don’t know when we will be brought back to dust, so I pray for whatever season you are in, that you will enjoy each moment.

Lately, I have been enjoying the season of harvest as God has provided more bounty than I could imagine. At this time, I have been doing a lot of canning. Here are a few of the many jars that I have canned:Potatoes, spaghetti sauce, jalepenos, beets, green beans, applesauce, tomato soup, squash. It brings me much joy to use apples from the last tree my Dad planted. I have been enjoying the produce which brings to remembrance the season when my Dad was on this earth. He loved the earth and farming and growing. He loved me.

I like to try different things. Here, I am trying to make tomato soup. Everything for me, is a work in progress. 🙂

In all seasons, we are the lucky ones!

Posted on August 23, 2023August 23, 2023 by landktheluckyones

Truth and Blessing

I have quit watching the news. Why do we need to know about things that we can’t do anything about? Disaster sells. When on occasion that I have watched, I have paid attention to the fact that it isn’t news, it’s full of people’s opinions. They try to tell you what to believe rather than letting you hear actual news and letting you come to your own conclusion. Especially with politics. Both sides claim the other sides are liars. Which in that case, are both probably true. Yet, the media over and over say, “so and so FALSELY claimed “. If you have to tell me that every couple seconds rather than letting me decide for myself then I tend to believe what they are saying rather than that reporter. I just don’t believe any of it anymore.

That being said, one thing I do believe is the Bible as it is always true. Always has been, always will be. Unchanging, it does not bend to popular opinion or money of sponsors. It is the very words of our Creator. He is not surprised by the evil in our world that is the result of the Fall. Yet, He is continually drawing us to Himself.

Christ is always interceding for us! That is so amazing. I love this verse which states: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?-Romans 8:35

Continuing on in Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus loves me. Jesus loves you. Nothing can separate us from that. He told us that this world is not our home. We are to live according to His kingdom. Yes, in this life there will be devastating events, death, earthquakes, wars. He told us these things would be. In this life we would have trouble. Yet, He also said He wouldn’t forsake us. He would give us strength and walk by our side in the hard times. Even in death from this life. Yet, He also promised that if we believed in Him we would share in His glory. This is what I listen to.

God has given us this time to learn about Him and to love our neighbors. In creation, we see the care of our Father. The details are amazing. He cares about our relationships and our well being. We are His image here on earth to reach out to those in need.

Sometimes, that image extends to beyond our 4 walls. At other times and seasons, it is within our own households.

Recently, my kindness has been within my own household.

I was able to treat my daughter and grandson to lunch!

In all things Christ remains. He is who gives me my very next breath, who I can cling to in blessing or in hardship…for this, I am extremely grateful. Continuing to be the lucky ones! 😊

Posted on July 30, 2023July 30, 2023 by landktheluckyones

End of July All Ready!

Wow! It seems like July just flew on by!

We haven’t done any great summer thing but we have been busy.

Our summer has consisted of gardening and I’m still way behind; garage sales, berry picking, making pies,small town concerts, family reunion, fishing. Did I mention fishing? Well, it seems we do that a lot.

Leonard keeps laughing at me for saying,”Let’s do a summery thing”. Our summery thing this week was to grill some of our fish at a park. I packed up a picnic lunch and some fish and we headed for Petoskey. Leonard wanted to go to Bayfront park where they have the little waterfall . There were no grills there, so we ended up going a street up where they always fish for salmon.

Our fish turned out fantastic and it was a pleasant outing. While we were waiting for the grill to heat up, I sat in the pavilion. There was a young girl studying her Bible. I asked if she was studying by subject and she said “no”. She shared with me that she’s part of a youth group and the leader was on vacation and had asked if anyone would want to run the meeting that week and she was excited to do it. She shared with me the content she was sharing. In our conversation, I shared with her about cancer striking twice in my son’s family. When she left, she shared her name and asked my name and my kid’s names as she wanted to pray for them. It just so touched my heart!

Watched the circus with Isaac and had the opportunity to hang out with him again the next day!

Whatever our hearts find to do, the Lord brings joy to it. Whether it be gardening, fishing, bringing pleasure to my husband for baking pie or chance encounter with a special teenager ( of course I don’t believe that was by chance), we continue to be the Lucky Ones! God has been so good to us.

Posted on July 17, 2023July 19, 2023 by landktheluckyones

Doesn’t Take Much

There are many things that cause me to ponder. It really doesn’t take much to cause me to do so.

Today, is no exception. I ran into a young man that I worked with yesterday. It was good to see him, although I have to admit that while I was talking with him, I was distracted. You see, I,(from the prompting of my husband), have decided to quit dye-ing my hair. Currently, it is an unusual shade of very blonde, mixed with dark brown, mixed with white and I am sure, a bit of gray. Also, the beautician stated that it would be less noticeable if I grew it out a bit. As I reflect on the image in the mirror, I do begin to doubt her comment. In any case, I was distracted by what I was perceiving this young man was thinking. I felt that he was thinking, “Wow! She’s gone downhill in just a little over a year!! ) By the way, I am ashamed to say, that I think of this every time I see someone I haven’t seen in awhile. These thoughts cause me to be focused on myself. Hmmm.

How contrary to what I truly believe matters in this life. My whole life, I have believed that beauty from within rather than the outer image is truly important. Yet, here I am, wasting thoughts on such a thing at this stage of life.

I did tell this young man, that as I reflect on all the people that I have come in contact with it brings me a smile because they are who have made me who I am. I bid him farewell, told him it was good to see him, for it was…but, of course, this caused me to ponder a bit more.

In my reflection, the following are some thoughts that came to mind.

I am sure that you have heard the quote, “No man is an island,an entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”

Many people believe that they are here for themselves—what they do, does not effect anyone else or very few. Yet, I believe that everything that anyone does, effects everyone.

As I stated to this young man, everyone that I have been in contact with, causes me to smile. Each are either a blessing to my heart, a lesson to be learned, they have brought me to who I am today.

There are many people that I have loved to be around. That I have had pure joy in experiencing their uniqueness and feel so fortunate to have known them. There are others that for one reason or another have been a thorn in my side (so to speak). Maybe they have irritated me or caused me pain or the pain of a loved one. Maybe there was someone who cut me off while driving, or caused some other thing that I found to be an annoyance. May-be they didn’t agree with my point of view or see things clearly the “right way”. 🙂 Notice, this was all about “ME”. Others, have been so wise in their ways, that I have just been taken aback.

Many people don’t like Christianity because it is a religion. Well, Jesus didn’t like religion either. He was all about the heart.

At Bible Study,we were talking about the Greatest Commandments that Jesus spoke of when the “religious” people asked Him which of commandments was the best and most know what He said. “ To love the Lord, your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

You may say, I do that. I love God, I love people. I believe that God wants us to see people as He sees people. If I truly love God, I will love my neighbor…but wait a minute… He says, “Love your neighbor as Yourself!” Okay, now, this is a bit different. When someone cuts me off while driving…will I get angry? If I do, then it is about me, but if I think about him. Maybe he wasn’t a jerk after all. Maybe, he was late picking up his kid, or work or whatever. How would I feel if someone was angry with me, if I cut someone off because I didn’t see them or for whatever reason.

Who is it that you get angry with? Someone who has hurt you? Someone who has hurt someone you love? These are the very people that we are instructed to love and pray for. This is a hard thing and something that we can’t do in our own strength. In these incidents, we must ask the Holy Spirit to bring us God’s love to truly love.

Back to the things that this man caused me to ponder, just by my own statement. There have been many times in my life where I have been put in situations with extremely difficult people. I can honestly say, that these too are ones that cause me to smile. For, I am thankful for them. They have caused me to sometimes, complain to God about them. God in His wisdom, has caused me to see the other side of these people and created a love in my heart for them. Each one taught me a lesson about myself, life and God Himself. So, yes, I am thankful.

I read in Isaiah this morning, “This is what the Lord says -your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.”

Have I always paid attention to the Lord’s commands? No, maybe I thought I was at the time, but no. I am so thankful that we have a God that continues to reach out to us and draw Him to Himself, to teach us and direct us in the way I should go. I can attest that when I do, I do have peace like a river.

That peace causes us both to be “The Lucky Ones”.

We Are the Lucky Ones

Author: landktheluckyones