Godly Influences

There are doves that have built a nest close to our bedroom windows. Most mornings I wake up to their cooing. That takes me back to my summers I spent with my grandmother out in the country. My prayer time began this morning and soon it has meshed with memories of those summers long gone. I thought of the quilts and pillows I would cart out to the side yard and soon it was quilts covered in books and notebooks. Summer lunches eaten outside on those quilts were especially nice. Of course I realized at some point that I needed to make the return to prayer. It was easy, because I thanked God for those wonderful summers when I had my grandmother all to myself. I thanked God for her life and how she lived out God's love. She was an early riser and I would wake up early too but stay in bed. She'd be in her squeaky rocking chair by the windows praying out loud after she read her Bible. I felt so fortunate to be able to hear her prayers and know her close relationship to the Lord. I don't know if she knew I was eavesdropping or not but those morning prayer times of hers have had such a godly affect in my life.


Yesterday in Sunday School four of us who have been long time friends at First Baptist sat together at one table. We had some good laughs before, during and after class. Each one of these friends have been God sent through the years and I love the love and laughter that accompanies our haphazard meetings and time together. I am so thankful for long time, there on the journey friends.


After church Dena met Roy and me for lunch. We chatted about so many topics and sprinkled in between serious subjects ( Roy and Dena help provide for the serious) there was much laughter. We all provided for that genre. I am thankful for a compassionate and strong believer husband, Roy. I am thankful for a friend like Dena who is both awesome at being a teacher and a great friend. Well she was a great friend long before she was teaching but her life lived out in the workplace empowered by the Lord taught me a lot even if she wasn't standing behind a podium.


Lisa was singing at Second yesterday with their praise team. I wrote on Facebook how much I wish she was singing with the praise team at First. The way God uses her is blessing upon blessing. Her heart and life for Him comes through every song she sings and ministers with. In some of the darkest days of my life, Lisa would call me and sing to me. God so used that to heal my broken spirit and broken down on the mend body. She is one of God's new mercies of every morning. I am so thankful for her and grateful to God that He has woven our lives together.


Roy and I walked yesterday evening but not together. He can go a farther distance than I can. I was content to walk our parking lot several times while listening to Mark Batterson. His sermons make the time fly by so quickly. He or Beth Moore usually accompany me on my bike riding at the gym. I've been listening to Daniel again by Beth... I was there at the taping even and it's been like I never heard this before... I love how God's Word is alive!


I really have nothing earth shattering to write and mainly this post is for me to remember how thankful I am to the Lord to have had such godly influences in my life.