Author: Leslie Ann

Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Child of God Hobbies: Reading, Quilting, spending time with family and friends.

Unusual Sighting

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian2 Comments

I was unprepared for the very unusual and unexpected sighting I received this morning. As I got up and was walking toward the front of the house, I saw through the glass in the front door something large walking across my neighbor’s front lawn. As I got closer, I realized it was a wild turkey. wild turkeyWhat was it doing in our neighborhood where there was nothing but houses, no woods, no stream, etc.? It walked across the grass until it got to their front walk and then proceeded on the concrete path. I thought it was so funny that the turkey was walking on the sidewalk. Anyway, then it headed across the street and into another neighbor’s yard where it walked around their backyard and in between the rows of houses where I couldn’t see it any longer. This was certainly a new sight and out of the “norm”. I was unprepared. I didn’t have a camera or my phone with me to take a picture. No one else was up, so I couldn’t even share it with anyone. We have seen eagles, hawks and of course, geese in our neighborhood but this is the first time I’ve seen a wild turkey. It was certainly an unusual sight.

As I was thinking about this unusual sight., I considered another unusual sighting that will be coming our way. I wonder how many of us will be surprised as I was this morning. We have been notified in advance but how many of us really consider it and will be prepared? Jesus Christ told us Are you readythat He will return one day. He also told us what to expect to see before His return. He warned us against false prophets and those claiming to be him. Will we be ready, or will we be deceived? Will we hesitate or will we celebrate?

Matthew 24 gives us all we need to know to be prepared for the very unusual sight of Jesus’ return. “At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other…Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this:… So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Matthew 24:30-31, 36, 42, 44)

Jesus return is certainly expected. Our hope for eternity is in Him. But the question we must ask ourselves is, are we prepared for His unusual sighting?

Training Wheels

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian

Many or most of us are living under a “stay-at-home” order and are “social distancing” from extended family and friends during this horrible Covid-19 pandemic. It’s certainly a different way of life than what we consider normal. Sometimes the walls of our homes can seem to close in on us and we can get irritable, depressed and scared. Isn’t it a blessing though that it’s happening during spring when we can see the new growth of our lawns and the beauty of spring flowers? Where I live it has been sunny several days this week. I have been able to sit on my front porch and speak or wave to neighbors walking, riding bikes or jogging past.IMG_3781 Yesterday while I was again on my front porch reading a book, I heard quite a commotion down the street. A little boy was learning to ride his bike without training wheels. There was much emotion and encouragement being shouted his way as his Mom walked alongside him with her hands on his back, encouraging him. His Dad was shouting that he was doing great and that he could do it! Many times, they went back and forth, shouting encouragement. Then, he tried it on his own. You should have heard the exclamations of joy! I wanted to clap and shout myself, but I was several houses down and I didn’t want to scare him off balance. It was pure joy to see and hear that family enjoying this newfound freedom in their young son. He had been “training” on his bike for some time and was now ready to go it alone, without the crutch of training wheels.

This morning as I woke up and was praying, God reminded me of yesterday’s experience. He showed me that this little boy’s training wheels are like when we are learning God’s Word.hebrews-5-11-14 We need others to teach us. We need others to go alongside us as we learn about God and His plan for our lives. But, just as this little boy finally wanted to move forward to a 2-wheeler, we, too must move forward in our faith walk.

We can become lazy in our Christian walk and let others do the work for us. We can sit in church every Sunday and listen to a lesson and then go about our week without putting it into practice. We can pray about things we want to see God do without quieting ourselves, reading His Word and listening for His answer. We can think about the scriptures we know without searching them again for new nuggets of truth that the Holy Spirit will give us.

Now is a difficult time in our nation and world. We can’t gather in large groups. We can’t hug each other for encouragement. It is the perfect opportunity to seek God ourselves.2-timothy-3-16-17 It is the perfect time for us to draw closer to God. It is the perfect time to increase our prayer life. It is the perfect time for us to reach out to others with a phone call or note of encouragement. It is the perfect time for God to get our attention. Will we listen? Will we take off our “training wheels” and ride along with God on our own. After all, no one can take us with them to heaven and we can’t drag another along with us. It’s a personal walk of faith. We all need each other for sure but we go to heaven on our own. Are you allowing God to train you?2-wheeler Are you willing to take the risk and lose those crutches you might have been using and ride forward with God? It will be so exciting! We will feel like shouting for joy as we draw closer to Him! God promises it will be worth the risk. Go for it! Let Go and Let God!

The Little Things

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian

This is a crazy time in our world right now. We are literally fighting for our lives. While we are not moving about as freely as we are accustomed to, we have much for which to be thankful. I am so thankful that we have a God who never leaves us. No matter where we are or what our situation, He is only a prayer away. I am thankful for our President and Vice President and all those who are making decisions in the best interest of our country and its citizens. I am thankful for all the medical staff, firefighters, police officers, EMTs and paramedics, grocery store workers, gas station workers, restaurant workers, and the many others that my mind can’t remember now. I say thank you and pray that God blesses you with safety, rest, peace and even joy as you tirelessly work for all of us. You are appreciated.

I know that some are plotting evil and trying to profit off the misfortune of others. That has always been a part of humanity and always will be until Jesus returns. But I am constantly reminded of the Romans 12goodness of mankind. In trying times, it seems the best or worst can come out of us. I am so happy that I am seeing the best most of all. Many are helping their neighbors, doing what they can to provide much needed resources. Both corporations and individuals are stepping up to fill the gap. Little things when done by many, make a big difference. It makes me proud to be an American. The past few years have had many at each other’s throats and I am seeing now most of us are coming together as a country and putting the needs of all before the wants of our own. I think God gives us glimpses of this to encourage us.

The other day I was in a drive-thru line at a fast food restaurant.drivethru There was an elderly lady in the car in front of me. She appeared to be in her 80s and was having a difficult time with her order. I wondered if it was the first time she had ordered in a drive-thru line. She was alone in her car. She finally moved forward and so did I. While she was at the window to pay, I heard the cashier tell her that the person in front of her had paid her bill. That made my heart leap for joy. I have seen this before and done this before but…this was a special moment for me. I believe she needed that encouragement and love at just that moment and it warmed my heart. It may seem like a “little thing” but, to her that day, I believe it made a huge impact.

This is an entirely different thing but yesterday I received a “little thing” from my husband. He was spraying our yard for weeds (and he was using weed spray) – check out my previous post “Mistaken Identity” on March 4.4and5leafclovers He came in the back door and called for me to come see what he had for me. It was a four-leaf clover. He has brought me those before but this time, he also had a five-leaf clover with it. He said he was spraying and looked down and saw both right next to each other. Now, I don’t believe in luck or superstitions but…this brought a smile to my face and lightened my spirit. I felt like not only was it a gift from my husband, I believe it was also a gift from God. Sometimes the little things speak volumes.

Often, we don’t think we can make much of a difference, but we can. One person can make a difference. One “little thing” we do could be a big thing for someone else. I am encouraged to keep doing the “little things” I can and allow God to multiply them as only He can. That way, we will make a positive difference. What “little thing” can you do today?

I’d love to hear your stories of people doing the little things in your community. Please comment so we can all be encouraged. Thank you and God Bless.

Say your prayers, wash your hands, and keep your distance – just don’t forget to keep in contact with others. God is in control and we can trust Him!

Mistaken Identity

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian

Spring is fast approaching. Flowers are poking their heads out of the ground; birds are singing; and we are all starting to get “spring fever” – itching for warmer temperatures. At least here in the Midwest we are. As I am witnessing nature’s new birth, I am reminded of something that happened several months ago. My husband regularly sprays for bugs inside the house. We don’t mind the little creepy crawly things God created but would much rather they stay outside. Anyway, one day I was in my sewing room sitting at my desk and my husband walked past with a sprayer. He was spraying around the baseboards with what he thought was bug spray. However, I noticed that the container said weed killer. I asked him about it thinking that JUST MAYBE, he was using an old container but had the correct mixture inside. But, not so. He had simply picked up the wrong one. In his behalf, they do look very similar – same size, same brand, same spray nozzles. Unfortunately, he had already gone through most of the house before I noticed what he was doing. The good news is that no weeds have grown up in our house this year! mistaken identity

Have you ever mistaken a stranger for someone you knew? I have. And, I have had people ask me if I were someone who I’m not. I’ve heard many times that “we all have twins/look-alikes”. Maybe that’s so. It may be something in physical appearance or expression but whatever it is, it does happen.

I think the most heart-wrenching story of mistaken identity that I can think of is the one that began on April 26, 2006 when a van collided with a tractor-trailer. I’m sure most of you can remember the story as it was all over the news. One young woman died and one lived. They were mistaken for each other and the mistake was not realized until five weeks after the accident. I cannot imagine the emotions those two families went through. Across the nation people grieved and sympathized with all of them. It was hard to fathom. It seemed impossible that something like that could happen, but it did.

Just like the above example, in the case of the weed killer and bug spray mix-up, the mistaken identity went unnoticed for quite a while. The weed killer spray had already covered most of our house before being recognized for what it really was. Isn’t that like Satan? He gets in and covers quite a bit of ground before we know he is “in the house” so to speak.

These mistaken identities are innocent mistakes. But Jesus warns us of others who purposefully try to get us to mistake their identity. These identity mistakes have eternal consequences. The bad news is that it must be easy to be misled because we are warned many times against it. The good news is that we can be prepared, and our eyes can be open to the imposter. God provides all we need to discern the truth and recognize the true Messiah. Lies are often disguised as truth. We must be on guard and be in constant contact with the truth giver – God himself. Here are some things God says about mistaken identities.

Matthew 7:15 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

matthew 24-24

1 John 4:1-6 – Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

2 Peter 2:1-3 – But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. revelation 20-10

 

The moral of the story is this… those who remain faithful and watchful; those whose hope and trust is in the Lord; and those who stand firm and stay strong win in the end!

Letting Go

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian, God1 Comment

Have you ever witnessed a friend or family member heading down a dead end path but were powerless to help redirect them? I recently exerienced that scenerio. For 14 months we tried to help a family member get his life moving forward toward success. We helped him make some progress, actually more than we anticipated. But, then things started to change. Old habits and old friends tempted him. The familiar old “comfort zone” called his name and he answered. Positive goals were gone and replaced with the desire for immediate gratification. A really good hearted person became mean and hateful in attitude and actions. letting-go

One evening when I was praying, God reminded me of the story in the Bible of the prodigal son. You can find it in Luke 15:11-32. I have read this story so many times but this time I was reading it from the father’s perspective. I felt like God was telling me it was ok to “let go”. Sometimes that’s all you can do. You know the father was heartbroken when all this son wanted from him was money. He had hoped for much more for his son. He knew what was ahead for his son if he went down that road.  But, we all choose our own path and this time, he let his son chose his.

Even though his son “took the money and ran” so to speak, the father did not give up hope.  Even though scripture does not specifically say, I think he was very much still living in the present. However, he had hope that at some point in the future his son would return. He was always looking down the road expectantly. In God’s perfect time, his son did return – repentant and humble. He did not expect to be received so joyously and graciously. But, his father had already forgiven him and rejoiced in his return.prodigal returns

This gives me hope that one day (I hope and pray soon), our loved one will come to his senses and change paths. Then we will receive him with glad hearts and be rejoicing and praising God! 

Until then, we continue to pray, hope and trust in God for we know that with God, ALL things are possible.

 

Love

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian1 Comment

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow so of course, we see hearts, flowers, candy, and cards everywhere we look. The words, “Will you be my valentine” will be spoken many times. I have been thinking about the word love and what it represents. For most of us I think it represents a feeling or emotion. But, in fact, love is also an action word. We tend to toss it around a lot, don’t we? I can think of many times I’ve used the word love to describe something such as…

I love pizza, cheesecake, sunrises and sunsets; I love the beach, reading, and flowers, I love exercise (NO – wait, that’s my sister, not me – LOL).

Anyway, you get the point. We use the word love for so many things that sometimes we don’t really think about what love is at its truest form. What is love? Where did it begin? How can we love as deeply as we sometimes do? Is love just a feeling or does it result in action?

What is love?valentines day

” Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Where did love begin?

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8

How can we love as deeply as we sometimes do?

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30

Is love just a feeling or does it result in action?

“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life.” Matthew 20:18-19

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

We can love because God first loved us. He deserves our love in return. We don’t have to ask God “Will you be my valentine” because He’s always waiting on us to love and follow Him in true adoration and obedience. God offers His love to all. We just have to accept it.Be Mine

 

The Lions Den (2.7.20)

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian, God

It’s been a while since I’ve read the story of Daniel in the Lions Den but as I was reading Daniel 6 this week, several lessons stood out to me. Daniel lions den

  • Envy and Jealousy
    • The administrators and satraps were jealous of Daniel. He was living a life pleasing to God and man and evidently he made them look bad. So, this led them to sin. They plotted and coerced the king (who valued Daniel and planned to set him over the whole kingdom) to issue an edict that anyone who prayed to any god or man during the next 30 days except to the king, would be thrown into the lions den.
  • Pride and Ego
    • The king, even though he must have known that Daniel prayed to, worshipped and followed God, the thought did not enter his mind. His ego was elevated as he thought of the honor he would receive.
  • Praise and Worship
    • Even when Daniel knew it could cost him his life,  he continued to pray openly and praise God. He not only kept his faith, he did not hide it.
  • Consequences
    • The king, even though it distressed him greatly, followed through with his edict and ordered Daniel in the Lion’s Den. He did, however, say to Daniel “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you.” (Daniel’s witness was evident)
  • Faithfulness
    • Daniel was faithful, even unto what appeared to be his death.
    • God was faithful and rescued Daniel while in the den of lions.
  • Blessings
    • The king issued a decree that in every  part of his kingdom, people would fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
    • This is an example of how our faithfulness can impact the lives of others, pointing them to God.

This certainly made me consider my witness as I go about my days. How about you?

Happy 4th of July!

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian2 Comments

Independence DayIt’s Independence Day/the 4th of July! This is a day where we all usually gather together with friends and family for fun and food, which is great. I have been thinking about this holiday though and what it really is celebrating. It’s celebrating our great country and more importantly, GOD – who made it all possible. So, as we gather together and enjoy the company of one another, let’s pause and thank God for the blessing of being able to gather together at all.

This song keeps singing in my head so I wanted to share the lyrics here.

“God Bless America”  By Irving Berlin

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free.
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, as we
raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God Bless America, land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam.
God Bless America, my home sweet home.
God Bless America, my home sweet home.

2 chronicles 7.14

Do you remember the words to our Pledge of Allegiance? It is another remember of who is responsible for tPledge of allegiance boyhe blessings we have enjoyed in the United States of America. I pray we never forget and fool ourselves into thinking it was us. It’s all about Him – The One who created and sustains us. To God be the glory!

Have a wonderful holiday!

 

Fishing

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian2 Comments

I’ve never been excited about fishing. When we took our children fishing, I always took along a book and relaxed and read. My husband however, spent most of his time baiting hooks and taking off fish. Not too much fun for him. With five children, he was busy. And, since we fished off a boat, it could be a little scary with hooks flying about. fishingThankfully no one was ever injured.

This past week, we took three of our grandsons fishing. So here we were…fishing again (well, we were with those who were fishing). But, these boys were old enough to bait their own hooks and remove their own fish – if they caught anything. They were all excited and anxious to be the first to catch the big fish. Well, after a couple of hours, no one had caught a fish. There had been a few catches of moss but no fish. They had each lost a fishing lure but no fish. Well, those teenage boys moved from one spot to another. They switched bait. Back and forth they went. fish sleepingWhat a time. They were discouraged and disappointed but persevered. I never knew teenagers could be so patient! One plus was that it was so quiet, grandpa got a quick nap in. 

I started thinking about the passage in Matthew where Jesus called Simon (Peter) and Andrew to follow Him and they would become “fishers of men”.  When you fish, something has to lure the target (whether it is fish or men). Jesus was the lure (for a life lived to the fullest). He was the cure (for all that ails us or assails us). Our job as “fishers of men” is to lure people to Jesus. They must see Him living in and through us. If we are living as we should as followers of Christ, His light and His love will be seen in us. We are now the lure. Jesus is the catch!

There is someone else though who is fishing for men. His lure is temptation, self-gratification, sin itself. His name is Satan and he is after our souls. He lures us with many different kinds of bait, all tailor made for us (our weaknesses). He is crafty. He can even make it look like a good thing. He is a deceiver, a distractor, a liar! We must be on guard and not “take the bait”.  Just like the fish on this day with our grandsons, we must resist the urge to get “hooked” on whatever sin Satan puts in front of us. Just like a fish can end up in the frying pan, so can we. Taking his bait can be deadly.

fishers of menI will never look at fishing the same way again. It’s not boring; it is a life lesson. Whose bait/lure will I follow? Jesus or the evil one? The decision is mine (and yours). I want to fish for men with the love of Christ. I hope and pray my life reflects that choice.

Oh, by the way…there was a fish caught that day. Just when we were about to pack it all up, one of the boys caught a fish. They all got so excited that even though it started raining, they wanted to fish on…in hopes that they could all catch a fish (competition you know). But, it eventually rained so hard we had to go. No more fish caught that day. We had a fun anyway and I received a good visual lesson. Until next time…fish on!

06.21.19

 

Hope

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian2 Comments

{Well, I began this post two weeks ago and am just now getting back to it. Maybe my next post should be on procrastination!}

HOPE. What do you hope for? In what or whom do you hope?

Hope in God green grass

We had been searching for a used garden tiller for a few months. We had bought our tomato plants, but our garden plot wasn’t ready yet to receive them. So, we kept them in pots until they could be planted in their summer home. Then, thanks to our friends Pat and Terry, we got some wonderful compost for our garden soil. All that we needed now was a tiller to get it all in the ground. So, before renting a tiller, we searched once more. We found a couple of possibilities. One we could see right away, the other later that evening. So, off we went to check out the first one. The owner said he and his wife were downsizing due to his recent diagnosis of cancer. He also disclosed over the phone that sometimes the tiller would quilt running. But that if he unscrewed the gas cap and then screwed it back on, it would be off and running again. So, since my husband (Pete) is a handy guy, we decided it was worth a look.

We met Gary and Nancy at their beautiful home. I don’t say that lightly. It was almost breathtakingly beautiful. The property and house were gorgeous and sat on a shared pond. A lot of work has gone into the landscaping and I could have stayed there for hours just enjoying the surroundings. And, to you guys out there, they have a 5-car garage – a handy man’s dream. But that beautiful home took a lot of work to keep it that way. Gary and Nancy were both wonderfully friendly down-to earth people and we enjoyed talking with them.

Well, Gary took Pete out to his garden to try tilling. It started and ran like a champ. No issues. While they were playing in the dirt 😊, I talked with Nancy. She shared some things with me about their family and Gary’s illness. Their children live out of state and haven’t yet been told about Gary’s cancer. They are coming for a visit this summer and they plan to tell them in person. She said that they don’t talk about it much. They just go about their days trying to stay positive and hope (fingers crossed) for the best. There was no mention of God or faith. Just keeping their fingers crossed that everything turns out ok. I was sad that luck was all they were holding onto in this trying time.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15)

Well, the guys made a deal on the tiller and loaded it up. I felt strongly that God would want us to pray with/for them so I asked if they would mind if we prayed for Gary. They said no, they didn’t mind at all. So out by the pond, we all held hands and Pete and I prayed. Afterwards, Nancy had tears in her eyes and said that their friends had been past the evening before and prayed for them. Do you think God directs our paths? He sure does! (Proverbs 3:5-6)

As we were driving home, I said that I thought God sent us specifically there just to water the seeds of faith that had been planted by their friends the night before. There is a reason we had searched for so long for a tiller. The timing wasn’t right. In our minds, the time was late, but God’s timing is perfect!

A funny thing happened after we got home and unloaded the tiller though. We got it around back and Pete started to till the garden soil. I’m telling you it was like a comedy show! He started it and before he could even step back to the handles, it died. That went on and on and on for so long that we were laughing. I know his arms and shoulders hurt from pulling that cord so many times in a row. It would have been quicker and much less effort to just shovel the dirt and compost together! We believe God has a sense of humor and we had to laugh. Eventually though, the garden got tilled and the tomato plants put in the ground. As we watch the garden grow, we will remember to pray for our new friends Gary and Nancy. Thank you, God, for showing us that following You always leads to blessings.hope in God

I am thankful that my hope is in the Lord. What about yours?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

05/20/19