Author Archives: daisiesndaffodils

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About daisiesndaffodils

Married for over 25 years; mother of four children ages 25, 16, 13, and 11. Youngest of three siblings. I am a Christian - I have spent the last 16 years in youth and young adult ministry and missions work. I've also braved the world of substitute teacher and have become a licensed insurance agent. I have failed miserably in all areas of my life, yet I have had some great life victories. I will never post anything that I have not given serious prayer attention to and feel strongly led in my heart that God will not be disappointed. My words are sometimes quite strong; I make no apologies for being real. My life has been filled, and continues to be filled, with many interesting stories and testimonies. It is my prayer that these blogs bless, inspire and encourage you to be real with yourself and others. I hope they make you think deeply, laugh heartily, and cry passionately. I especially l hope they cause you to think for yourself, desire to explore more possibilities and become the person you were created to be. You were wonderfully and fearfully created to be a unique person in a world that constantly tries to put you in a box. Get out of the box. Be real. Be YOU!!

Would you do it by faith for free?

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Each and every victory in the Bible was made through God’s provision to those who, by faith, were obedient when God called. Why are modern day believers afraid to trust that the same God who provided in the Bible is the same God who provides today? Why do modern day believers trust in the dollar as provider and not God the Provider?

The same acts of worship and service that the Bible instructs us to offer up as sacrifices are now given for a price. What would have happened if Noah had agreed to build the ark, but only if he received an hourly wage? Imagine what the world would look like had Abraham replied to the Lord, “Sure, I’ll have a bunch of kids to bring you glory and inhabit the land as long as you give me plenty of child support.”? What if Moses had charged admission to the Hebrews to look upon his face and hear the commandments after visiting with God on the mountain? How might King David’s legacy be different had he agreed to slay Goliath for money rather than God’s honor? What if Isaiah had answered God, “Here I am, Lord, pay me.”? Can you grasp how much money Jesus could have made working miracles in the streets? Paul’s personal testimony and thirteen books could have made him a multi-millionaire in today’s society!

We hear folks say it all the time, “God called me.” The truth is that God has called everyone, however, not everyone listens. Of those who listen, few put in to action what they have heard. Of those who listen and act, too many will not unless they are compensated an agreed upfront amount because they do not fully trust God as Provider. (I am not referring to the provision offered but rather to provision expected or demanded).

How many church doors have closed because the small salary offered by congregations is not enough to satisfy the “needs” of the young preacher who feels his or her seminary training and knowledge is worthy of a mega church and a mega salary? How many youth groups are never formed or never grow because seminary trained youth ministers are too far in debt to lead without pay? How many musicians and singers go unheard because a music minister demands a price to lead worship? How many prospective missionaries never go past the comfort of their homes due to financial doubts?

The provision God supplies will come through other people (believer or not) who, likewise, listen and act. The Bible is packed full of great examples of how God provided protection, food, shelter, and more through people. Three well-known examples are (1) Rahab and the Spies in Joshua chapters 2-6, (2) Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17 and (3) the ever popular “Good Samaritan” in Luke 10. God places people in our paths to help us along this faith journey.

Your calling should also be your passion. When one is passionate about something he or she will stop at nothing to obtain it. My question is simple, “Would you do it by faith for free?” It is my belief that if a person is not willing to serve the Lord for free and not willing to trust Him to provide, then he or she probably does not trust God in other important areas. Sure, that person may hit the mark on many occasions, but where is the faith required to please God? (Hebrews 11:6) Jesus trusted God in every area of His life. All the way to the Cross! He now holds the keys to the kingdom!

Stepping out in faith is not always easy. In fact, it is almost never easy! That is why it is called “faith”. We need to become people of faith. Otherwise we are simply selfish carnal Christians who will only do what feels good and works for us. The enemy has done a great job of producing churches full of carnal Christians, carnal teaching, and carnal worship. It may look and feel great but who are we really worshiping? Are we sacrificing unto the Lord or are we pleasing ourselves? It is time we hold ourselves – the church – accountable to the Word! (1 Corinthians 3 & 9, Romans 8) Sure, God gives us the desires of our hearts and a great place to meet and worship fits that bill. Let’s just be careful to not let our desires be for selfish gain. When we become selfish and do not walk by faith we hurt our witness and our testimony is greatly tainted. Think about it…our entire testimony is built on FAITH.

Read what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:3-11 (NIV):
“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, yet possessing everything. We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you”. Talk about faith!

The mission trips I have been on could not have been possible had I not heard the call and acted in faith and obedience. That was all I could do. The provision came from God. Not only have the trips been spiritually rewarding, they have also been some of the toughest physical and emotional work assignments I have ever endured. No amount of money could ever be enough to compensate me for what the Lord has done in and through me. There is absolutely no dollar amount that can cover the reward of a smile or hug received from someone who has just been given hope for the first time. To watch faith being born is priceless! Had my faith been in money; I would have never stepped out.

Earlier I mentioned several people from the Bible as I pondered the outcome of each of their stories had money been an issue. In each of the stories the people trusted God for provision by faith. As a result great things happened. We hear these stories time and time again never fully grasping that the same God who took care of every single detail then is still the same God today! Don’t turn down an awesome opportunity to serve God because your faith is in money (education, position, family name, etc). Put your faith in God and be amazed!
First Corinthians chapter nine offers a good lesson of how those called to serve should do so willingly and without expectancy; however, let us not miss the part where Paul reminds us who God uses to provide for the needs of those called to serve. My favorite verses in chapter nine are 16-18 – “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward: Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.”

Now, go and serve God by faith. (The reward is great!)

Good Bye, Great Year!

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2011 was a great year for our family packed full of wonderful adventures, friends, new opportunities, and even some pretty tough decisions. All-in-all, I believe it was one of my best years yet.

We started our year off on the very hard, very cold floor of our former church’s youth room after a long, fun night with 37 young people for a New Year’s Lock-in. It was Rob’s very first lock-in and I am pretty sure it was his last! Once we got the youth room back in order we headed home to shower and then right back out the door to our friends’ house for a traditional New Year’s Day meal and communion. It was a wonderful time of reflection and fellowship. Later that month, we took our youth group to downtown Shreveport to work with HUB Ministries at the Providence House. We got to PLAY with kids for a couple of hours. It was a great time and the youth that participated really enjoyed being a part of the ministry service.

In February, our family took a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee to visit with my mother. While there we drank many Mountain Dew Icees, toured Gatlinburg and drove through the Smokies. The highlight of the trip was the baptisms of my mom and our youngest daughter, Aubrey. Rob’s parents drove over from Durham, North Carolina to be a part of our special day. Even one of my best friends from middle/high school, Julie, came to witness. Later that afternoon, I ran in to my BEST, BEST friend, Lisa. Little did either of us know at that time that God was working on a part of His plan that would involve both of us later in the year. Before returning to Louisiana we stopped for two nights at my brother’s home in Georgia.

March was a breakthrough month for me. I had the privilege and honor to be a key speaker at an annual women’s conference here in Louisiana. Because of that opportunity, the Lord opened other doors for me and even helped me understand some dreams and visions for my life’s purpose. A new birth was about to take place within the next few months. During a time of prayer concerning an upcoming mission trip to Peru, God redirected my steps to my previously mentioned friend, Lisa, and a mission trip she was leading to Nicaragua the same week in August. It was completely and divinely arranged; every step ordered by God. Our oldest daughter also got on board for the trip. It was a time of expectation and excitement!

April was a little scary for our area. Several tornadoes tore through many of our communities. Our youth group got together and went out to help some of the older folks from our church and community. We also handed out complete sack lunches, Coca-Cola products, and water to families without electricity. We were all blessed by the experience even though it came about through a bad situation.

The month of May was jammed with fundraisers for summer youth trips to Buffalo River and Panama City Beach. At the end of the month, many amazing young people we have come to know and love graduated high school. Rob and I celebrated our 20th Anniversary!

In June, Rob, along with our oldest son, Kyle, and about 25 men and boys went on the annual river trip. When he returned, his parents flew in from Durham to stay with our boys while the girls and I went to Panama City Beach for the Summer Xtreme Conference hosted by First Baptist Woodstock. There were 14 girls – two adults – in our group. We had a blast and the conference blew us away!

Durning this time, the winds of change were blowing. The lack of ministry support was increasing and it seemed every good thing we did was no longer a blessing to our church but a threat. This is what happens when the enemy takes notice to what we are doing. The enemy started his initial attack in motion long before June; however, he seemed to have turned up the volume even more during this time. Ahhhh, what the enemy meant for evil; God meant for good!

July was challenging. Partly because of the heat. Mostly because of the on-going battle to stay the course. It had become very clear that our church leadership had shifted from its original vision to something new and that “new” had very little to do with us working with the youth any longer. I “knew” it deep in my soul back in March when I spoke at the women’s conference that my service to the youth ministry was about to be not over; but changed. Glory to God….this was His doing and not of man.

The first week of August was AWESOME! Kennedy and I went on a much needed mission trip to Nicaragua. As we journeyed, we discussed how this trip was very different from the others. It seemed as though this trip was as much about removing us from our situation at home and church to get a clearer prospective as it was to minister to the amazingly beautiful folks of Nicarugua. It was one of the most productive mission trips I had ever been on. God blessed me with some new eternal and life long friends. Marilla has stolen my heart! The trip was possible because of obedient Christians who listened to God’s voice and made a way for us financially. I sometimes wonder how many Christians here His voice and ignore it because it involves money….and women!

While in Nicaragua I did a lot of soul searching. Even as I served I spent almost every moment in prayer and meditation on the Word. I desperately needed God’s direction and discernment. I knew then that I did not want to return to my church. I felt that I was no longer supported or even wanted there. I know we are not supposed to go on feelings so I kept praying for a “knowing”. I also knew that it is not enough for me to not want to. God had to make that decision and He had to confirm it through my husband. During this time of seeking I had a vision of people sitting in our living room worshiping God and encouraging one another in praise and prayer. Then, I heard His still small voice within say the most simple and what has come to be the most relevant words to me; “Open up your home.” Upon hitting U.S. soil I called my husband and told him what God had revealed to me. He was not too enthusiastic. But then, the word was not yet spoken to him and he had not yet grasped the vision. Oh, but he would……Kennedy and I prayed for God to intervene if it was truly Him leading us away….

One hour after our phone conversation, Rob called me back to report that we would not be returning to our church. Though it was an uncomfortable situation, God used another man’s angry and hurtful words to move Rob to decision. Two days later, Rob sat down with the pastor to discuss our thoughts and revelations and then he resigned both of us from leadership in the church and we have not been back.

Our return flight from Nicaragua was to Knoxville so we spent a couple of days there with my mom. The three of us hiked up to Alum Cave Bluffs. Mom was the perfect trail guide. Kennedy was blown away by the scenery. I was taken back to my childhood memories of my Grandpa who had hiked the Mt. Le Conte trails over 700 times AFTER turning 60 and losing a lung! We left Knoxville and went to spend the night with my brother and his wife Michele in Georgia. Kennedy and Gary had a jam session with the guitars and they played while Kennedy sang the most beautiful version of “The Revelation Song” I had ever heard. Gary was blown away and said that Kennedy sang like an “angel”.

One week later, we opened our home. Each Thursday night our living room is filled with hungry and thirsty Christians who love and praise the Lord and encourage one another. It has been a New Testament Church experience. You know something is of God when His presence is overwhelmingly strong and people are getting delivered! We give God all the glory and praise because He has done this wonderful thing. We call it “Dinner & Devotions” and all people -young or old, male or female, saved or not – are welcome to eat and fellowship with us. And guess who generally leads the meetings? That’s right….Rob! On any given day our home is filled with young people who just want to “hang out” with us. Why us? Because Jesus first loved us…now we love others. Young people are not stupid. They know love and they know real. It is all we have ever been to them and they appreciate it.

In November, Rob took a week off to be home with the kids so I could drive to Knoxville to pick up my mom and drive her to Rochester Hills, Michigan, just between Detroit and Troy, to see my Aunt Helen and Cousin Vivian. I had only seen Vivian once in twenty years and that was at my Dad’s funeral. We made a promise then to see each other more often and not just because someone had died. I enjoyed the ride with my mom, the time reconecting with my Aunt and Cousin, and getting to meet all my second cousins! I even got to see some snow!! Upon returning to Knoxville, I went and visited another friend from high school named Angel. (aka, Heaton) Oh my, how we laughed!

We had a great Thanksgivng dinner with our friends, Toby and D, followed by a night of fellowship with our Dinner & Devotions group.

December brought excitement and frustration as Christmas quickly approached. It seems there is never enough time or money so I am glad we all love each other. We have spent our entire parental lives teaching our kids about the Gift of Jesus Christ and this Christmas was no different. Our kids did get at least one or two items on their wish lists. My mom got to go to St. Petersburg with my sister and nephew to surprise my neices. (JEALOUS!) I got to talk with my brother and Michele over the phone as well as Uncle Les and Rob’s parents. Then a few days later my cousin, Vivian, came to visit for a couple of days. She even got to participate in our Thursday night fellowship.

Tonight, we are going to two different bon-fires to celebrate New Year’s Eve. One with new friends, and the other with old friends. Both are kid-friendly or we would not go.

Yes, 2011 has been a great year. Through it all – traveling adventures, baptisms, storms, storm clean-ups, lost friendships, restored friendships, new friendships, new fellowships, family ties, and new beginnings – I know that we are blessed and because we are blessed and highly favored, 2012 will be even greater with more challenges and greater rewards.

Happy! Merry! It’s all good!

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With the holidays just around the corner (Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, New Year’s – not to mention my sister’s, my sister-in-law’s, and my birthdays), I thought this would be a great time for my yearly rant on the “Salutation War”. What’s that you ask? It’s the pointless argument of “Merry Christmas” Vs “Happy Holidays” that gets so many folks in an uproar.

Once again, I must remind the reader that this is my blog, and therefore my opinions and revelations are what I write about. Right or wrong; faith, different faith, or no faith, your opinion can be expressed in the comment section.

Christ is definitely not the “reason for the season.” Oh, did that upset you? Well, let’s look at some of the evidence that strongly supports my belief system. First, Jesus was not even born in December. Second, the trees, ornaments, lights, etc. are all derived from pagan practices to pay homage to false idols and gods. Third, I find it very hard to believe that Jesus supports the rude, selfish, and greedy behavior seen among most of the shoppers who are spending money (they may or may not have) on worthless items to impress family members, friends, and co-workers. Don’t’ even get me started on the money wasted to wrap these items! And my last piece of evidence is that you can’t possibly convince me that while you are out doing your holiday ( yes, I wrote “holiday”) shopping that visions and heart-felt meditations of the virgin birth, life, miracles, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus our Christ are the reasons you are doing so.

Let’s look at my first piece of evidence regarding the birth of Jesus. Scripture strongly supports a fall birth most likely during the festival of Sukkot. It begins with the visitation of the angel, Gabriel, with John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias, in the temple. Zacharias was a Levite, or priest, who was serving in the temple during the course of “Abia,” the eighth course of the year. (Luke 1:5, 1 Chronicles 24:10) This event would be during our calendar months of May or June. Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, conceive John the Baptist shortly after this visitation. (Luke 1:23-24) Therefore, John the Baptist was probably born around Passover during early spring. According to Scripture (Luke 1:24-27, 36), Jesus was conceived six months after John the Baptist was conceived by Elizabeth. This would place the birth of Jesus during the festival of Sukkot. There are also the facts that shepherds were in the fields with their sheep (Luke 2:10) and Sukkot would have been an opportune time for King Herod to take a census of the people because all were encouraged to participate in this joyous festival therefore making it easier for a census to take place. So, all this fussing over a particular day in December is really pointless. There are way more details than what I want to get in to here. Study for yourself!

The second piece of evidence I present to you deals with the pagan practices that are all too popular during the holiday season. A few years ago our former pastor here in Louisiana gave a great informational message regarding this subject. I wish I had a copy of it to share with you here. But, you are just going to have to read about my sparse findings because I am too lazy to go as deep as he did.

Let me start by pointing out that neither Jesus, nor the Apostles, nor the Early Church/New Testament Church ever observed such a holiday. However, for thousands of years pagans observed this particular day before Jesus was ever born! They were celebrating false gods, most notably the Sun-god. Christians took over this day that the pagans set aside to worship the Sun-god. This day marked the beginning of the winter solstice and the “birth” of the Sun-god. This was a practice forbidden by God!

And what about that tree? The Christmas tree also has pagan roots. (No pun intended!) In Egypt it was a palm and in Rome a fir. These trees were representative of the mother of Adonis, the Sun-god! In pagan practice it is believed that the mother gave birth to her son in this form. Mom is a tree and her son is the branch. Trees were also worshipped. The pagan Yule Log was to be thrown on the fire the night before the “birth” celebration and in the morning the tree would appear. The decorations on the trees were actually offerings to the gods. (Are you still upset over our president not calling his White House tree a “Christmas” tree? Perhaps we should be concerned about any tree being decorated in our Nation’s Capital!)

We all know about Saint Nicholas so I won’t go there. He was a cool dude who wanted to help people in need be happy. We could use a lot more saints like him today!

I will lump my last two pieces of evidence together since my blog is not being graded by my high school English teacher. I see no sign of Christ when hateful, busy-bodies bump in to me at Walmart or run over my daughter’s foot with a shopping cart just to get a better position in the check-out line. (Okay, you got me…that happens during every season!) I really don’t see Christ in the TV commercials and newspaper advertisements manipulating parents into buying worthless, mind-numbing games and toys for their children who won’t appreciate the gifts past day three. There is certainly no Christ in drunken office parties where married folks “hook up” with co-workers in bathrooms. Then there is the long list of loved-ones who have died or will die leaving a party drunk. (Don’t judge me! I’m fully aware of my past involvement in such parties. I am thankful I am alive and that I never killed anybody! At one point I thought “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” meant there would be cocaine at the party.) And just where is Christ in the parking lot when people are cursing one another over parking spots? Do I really need to go on?

No, Christ is not the reason for the season. So why get your panties in wad over whether or not someone wishes you a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays?” If Christ was really the reason then people would spend less time and money shopping for worldly items that have no real value and, instead, people would spend more time and money on items that would bless His kingdom. You know, food for the hungry, clothes for the naked, homes for the homeless, letters to folks in prison, etc. (Matthew 10) After all, isn’t that what putting or keeping Christ in any day is all about?

Let us not forget that we live in the United States of America. Freedom of speech is for all US citizens – Christian or otherwise. If a business owner decides that his employees should refrain from saying “Merry Christmas” then so be it. My theory is that if more employees actually cared then the business owner would back off. Both parties certainly have that right. Just because the employee does not say “Merry Christmas” does not mean that you cannot! Honestly, how often do YOU say “Merry Christmas” to the slow, rude clerk who mishandled your groceries? Without sarcasm? And why would you boycott a company that does not allow this particular salutation? I do not see anything Christian about that at all. The employees need their jobs! Boycotting would only create a loss of income for the employees. Think about it….your spouse comes home and says, “Sorry honey, I lost my job because the Christians wouldn’t shop at our stores anymore. There is no money left for food and shelter and I won’t be able to keep the insurance that was paying for your cancer medication. But that’s okay. As long as I get to say, “Merry Christmas” everything will be all right.” Are you going to organize boycotts because someone said, “Gesundheit” rather than “God bless you” when you sneeze? (By the way, Gesundheit was a saying that wished good health and a blessing to ward off evil spirits during the Middle Ages when the bubonic plague was running amuck. It’s about as harmless as wishing someone “Happy Holidays” which actually means “Happy Holy Days”).

I will conclude by telling you this; I do say “Merry Christmas”. Why? Because I like to and it is the only time of the year this salutation makes any sense. Just like during our other pagan holiday season, Easter, it makes sense when I say, “Happy Easter.” But wait for it, there will soon be a demand for “Happy Resurrection” or else!

I am not opposed to the salutations. I am, however, opposed to a bunch of people who are unwilling to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ on any given day of the year getting all bent out of shape over this debate. Jesus our Christ was about Salvations not salutations!

Happy Birthday to my sister and my sister-in-law!
Happy Hanukkah to my niece’s boyfriend and his family!
Merry Christmas to all my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus!
Feliz Navidad to my precious Mexican and Nicaraguan friends!
Happy Kwanza to …..okay I have no one for that!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!!!!

By the way, I am a Christian who loves to celebrate the birth of my Savior Jesus Christ on December 25th and I do go spend money I cannot afford on gifts!

Now go share the reason for your faith!

******I wrote the above in November 2011. I still feel the same. With everything the god-haters are doing to make Christians look intolerant and full of hate, we really need to choose our battles wisely. I believe that insisting non-believers adhere to Christian sayings and beliefs is just as bad as them trying to make us conform to secular ways.

Trust me on this, they are not going to come around because we post on facebook (or wear buttons that read), “Keep Christ in Christmas.” Truth be told, most will be turned off by the constant “Likes” showing up on their walls. (Do it anyway…lol)

For the record, and in keeping with my honesty theme, I do have a sign for my yard that reads, “Jesus is the reason for the season!” I’m all about visual witnesses as long as they can be backed up by real human witnesses. Just understand, the visuals are no match for the humans!

What I am trying to say is this, be the one who shares God’s love and good will with others. You are the one with whom the Holy Spirit dwells, not the visuals!

It may seem that I am not upholding the true Spirit of Christmas. Not true. I truly believe that Jesus is the reason for every season, not just Christmas. I love how the Christmas season reminds us of the great Gift of God.
Merry Christmas! And Shalom!

A Vessel To Be Reckoned With

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“And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.” Jeremiah 18:4

We are all marred by sin. It is sin that makes us feel damaged, less than perfect, unattractive, useless, disfigured, and scarred. Sin impairs and spoils our vision of what God has planned for our lives. That is why He lovingly crushes us and puts us back on the wheel for remolding.

If anyone knows the marred life it is me. It seems that I have been on the potter’s wheel more than I have been off. My history is certainly less than perfect. Name a Ten Commandment and I will give you an example of just how marred my past (and possibly present) is.

As a young child I was very curious. This curiosity led me in to more trouble than you could imagine. I grew from a “curious” child to a “rebellious” teenager. I can’t exactly pinpoint why I chose to behave the way I did but I really had no regrets. Getting called out by teachers or going to the principal’s office didn’t seem to faze me nearly as much as it did my poor mother. My rear end was tough by then so corporal punishment was a joke and detentions were just another opportunity to annoy teachers. I got a kick out of being me.

In the midst of my teenage rebellion, I met a girl on the bus who invited me to spend the night with her and go to church with her the next morning. I was up for any excuse to get out of the house so I accepted. I hadn’t been to church in a few years. I never liked church before but I actually liked going to that church. The lessons were cool, the kids were different, the teachers were not demanding, and I made a couple of new friends. Before long I was involved in everything the church offered for students. Things were going great and in the summer of ’83 at a camp in South Carolina I asked Jesus to forgive me and be my Lord.

I was completely changed in an instant. I stopped being rebellious at home and at school. My grades were perfect. I no longer snuck off, told lies, stole, lusted after older boys, got in fights, cussed……..YEAH RIGHT!! I swear as I live and breathe I got worse. I would read my Bible with the Eagles blasting in the background and think, “Oh, God, I’m going straight to hell.” After a while I believed the lie that because I was Saved I could do whatever I wanted to do. So there I was a rebellious teenager with a free get-out-of-hell-ticket-to-heaven that made my boundaries for rebellion even larger. The next few years I would put this forgiveness and eternal love stuff to the test. I’ll spare you the details….for now.

I was the perfect image of a marred vessel. I can only guess that when I asked Jesus in to my heart at age 14 I must have been falling off the potter’s wheel while I was praying. When I was 21 years old I hit the bottom of the bottom. My family wanted nothing to do with me. All but one of my friends had given up on me. I was homeless, jobless, and directionless. Getting high and drinking were the only constants I had in my life. Partying did not make me happy nor did it give me an escape. It only made what was going on worse. My lifestyle could not mask the choices I had made and the pain I had caused. I was never blinded to my pain by the drugs and alcohol. I think back then I really wanted to be blinded. But for some reason, God did not let drugs and alcohol consume me. I was always very aware and never numb.

During this time, a man I knew introduced me to his God-fearing mother. She was the sweetest little old lady ever. She had a room I could stay in rent free. She would corner me every day and in her sweet little old lady voice tell me about her church news and that she and the ladies at the church were praying for me. [At the time]I really wished they wouldn’t do that. However, over time she started getting to me. I stopped trying to avoid her like before. Her news about the church no longer bored me and the fact that they were praying started to comfort me. At least someone cared about me. She treated me with such kindness and compassion; however, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being so dirty and worthless in her presence. I kept thinking, “If she only knew.” Looking back, I know she knew.

One morning I came to myself. Just like the younger prodigal son I woke up and realized that I was in a nasty pit. So much had gone on and it was too much for me to carry alone anymore. I was finished. I cried out to God, not for forgiveness but rather, “Lord, I would rather be dead than be used as an instrument for the devil any longer! Just kill me now and get this over with!” I looked out the window at the trees swaying in the breeze with the morning sun shining in streams of silver though the green and golden leaves. Somehow I knew He heard me. But He had an entirely different kind of death in mind.

Later that very same day the man who introduced me to his mother called me with an opportunity to make some extra money. All I had to do was to drive a car that belonged to a couple who had moved to Florida, from Knoxville to St. Petersburg. The couple would pay me $300 and cover my food, lodging and return expenses. I accepted.

I really had no idea what the future held. I had not planned to stay in Florida but for some reason I packed everything I could in two suitcases. I spent that evening with my one and only friend. We had the best time. Madonna was performing live in London and it was being broadcast on the radio. We laughed and sang so much that night. The next morning as I was getting in the car to leave she questioned me already knowing the answer, “You’re not coming back, are you?”

Little did I know at the time that God was placing me back on the potter’s wheel to reshape me in to a vessel He would use later in the future. My “death” was in the move. While in Florida I met up with a young man I had met on a previous trip. He too was in a pit. His pit was very different from mine but a pit none-the-less. We started hanging out together and became close friends. One night we went on a “date” to a popular beach bar. After a while, we made our way out to the beach. He was discouraged about his and his family’s present situation. I told him about God and how God understood what he was going through and how God loved him. (Yeah, I know… weird right?) There I was on a beach miles away from my home town with no direction of my own holding a joint in one hand and a beer in the other telling this guy about God’s love and how He had a plan for his life. Call me crazy but I don’t remember this strategy in any Witnessing 101 classes!

Eventually, we fell in love, got married and had our first child. She was (and still is) a beautiful, spotless, near perfect little child. My pregnancy and her birth was part of the remolding process taking place on the potter’s wheel. For obvious reasons drugs and alcohol were no longer issues. From the moment I found out I was pregnant I would read the Bible and pray. I knew nothing about the prompting of the Holy Spirit at that time so I was reading and praying purely out of selfish fear. I did not want to mess this up. I “re-dedicated” my life and dedicated my unborn baby’s life to Christ. My husband did not share my religious ambition. However, four and a half years after the birth of our first child my husband became a Christian as a result of another man’s obedience.

From that time on, our marriage and lives have been glorious and heavenly with no defect or fault. We have lived in perfect harmony and peace. We have never once encountered the problems found in non-believers’ marriages. As if!!!! Once we both were on the Christian boat of hope, our marriage was crushed and remolded on several occasions. We have been blessed to go through it all. I say blessed because every trial and temptation we have faced and endured in our marriage has only made us stronger and our love for one another is truly unbreakable and absolutely unconditional because of what we have learned along the way. God made our marriage one fine vessel in His hand.

We have been married for almost 21 years and now have four beautiful, spotless, near perfect children. We have been actively involved in church ministry and missions for many years now. Our children are all believers who love the Lord. We have a plethora of godly friends who encourage and challenge us. A lot of crushing and remolding has taken place to get us this far. I am sure we are in for more.

But you know what? I am excited about getting on that wheel. Think about it. God has this awesome ability to remold us for His good pleasure whenever He chooses. With the knowledge of the result we no longer have to be bound by the process. These little, and sometimes large, cracks in our vessels aren’t obstacles but opportunities in the Potter’s hands. So when you feel like you are being crushed rejoice in the renewing that is taking place. God isn’t going to leave His vessel marred. He will continue to reshape His vessel unto perfection.

God won’t leave us in our marred state and rendered useless. He will continue to press and mold us to the likeness of Christ Jesus. He is constantly forming us to serve His purpose. We are becoming vessels He fills with the Gospel and with His Spirit.

Once I was a curious little girl and then rebellious young person. Now I am a bold and courageous woman. I am a vessel to be reckoned with my friend. I know the Potter and I am confident that only He can crush me and only He can mold me according to His purpose. Check out this fine workmanship. I am daily being filled with His Gospel and His Holy Spirit. If He discovers a crack or marred spot He will fix it. Oh my goodness that’s good news!

“Take me, mold me, fill me, use me… I give my life to the Potter’s hands.”

Jeremiah 18:1-4, Jeremiah 29:11, John 1:4, Isaiah 64:8, 2 Corinthians 4:8, Philippians 3:13, Luke 15:11-32

Yee Haw Cerro Negro

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The climb was tough and marked with many obstacles. Even the seasoned hikers and young adults in great shape found the trail to be difficult and challenging. It was painful at times; especially when we would look back and discover we had not traveled but a few yards. Then, at other times, we would wrestle with thoughts of turning back only to realize that we had come too far to give up. Somehow we knew there was something great ahead of us as we continued our sojourn. To encourage myself, I kept singing the chorus to The Hoppers’ “I’ve Come Too Far”.

As we climbed the massive hill of volcanic sand, ash, gravel and rock we did all we could to spur one another on to the top.

Some of the younger girls went ahead of our guide and group only to find themselves on the wrong path. Two of the girls got back on track while the third girl struggled in fear as her footing was unsure due to the loose rock on the less traveled surface. Our guide carefully made his way to her and coaxed her back to the safety of the correct path and our group.

The scenery was amazing and so beautiful. From time-to-time I would sing the chorus of “How Great Thou Art”. As I sang I would lift up my hands toward heaven and smile through tears of joy at how great our Creator truly is.

Due to the intense heat and extreme physical challenge on our bodies our water supply quickly ran low. I had brought two water bottles with me and I found myself doing something I never – ever – do. I shared my container with another. (Don’t think I am selfish. I just get freaked out by other people’s mouths touching where my mouth is going to touch). But I knew I had to because this other man and his son had brought only one bottle to share between the two of them and it was almost empty. I was concerned about their safety. Another man in the group helped others by carrying the boards of those who could no longer do so on their own. Yes, I was one of the ones who “let” him. He was a very persistent helper. It only weighed eight pounds but half way up the volcano I had exhausted my physical limits. (Now, back at home, I am determined to lose eight pounds).

Now, I can’t explain this without sounding weird but it’s the absolute truth. Upon putting the lid back on my water bottle and the water bottle in my backpack I had a sudden burst of energy set in. Strength and endurance showed up out of nowhere and I was off and ready to get up that hill. Even the path got smoother! It reminded me of Matthew 10:42 where Jesus talks about giving water in his name.

Before long we reached the top of the volcano and were ready for our descent. Some wasted no time getting on their boards to slide down the steep incline. I was not part of the “some”. I wanted to drink in all the beauty that surrounded me. No, seriously, I was scared to death! It was a half mile down and the incline was extremely steep! Our oldest daughter was there with me and I thought to myself, “What have I gotten my baby into this time?”

The plan was that we would go down together. Well, we all know how some plans go. I rallied my courage, turned on my phone’s Ipod, selected “Rocky Top”, put my earphones in, secured my phone in my backpack, wrapped my bandanna around my face like a train robber, got on my board, shouted “Yee Haw”, and absolutely nothing happened. Well, not exactly. The front of the board dug in to the sand. Talk about a complex! One of the girls told me to lean back towards the rear end of the board. So, I started the process all over again. This time I shot off like lightning. Alone.

The thrill of the ride made the exhausting hike to the top totally worth the work. Even when I tumbled, bounced and slid on my face during my one and only wipe-out, I was at complete peace and so full of joy. I “yee hawed” and laughed all the way. “Rocky Top” was still going strong. Once I got to the bottom and shook off all the volcano sand I realized that the whole left side of my body was covered in tiny wounds and scratches and my shoulder ached. Even then I could not contain the joy I felt or the sense of excitement long enough to be concerned about a little injury and pain. I simply could not stop laughing and shouting, “That was awesome!”

Just as others had done before me, I stuck around at the bottom and watched as the last of our group members came down the massive hill. As each person made his or her way to the bottom, those of us who had gone before cheered them on and welcomed them with shouts of praise and encouragement. It was a victorious moment for each one of us.

A few made the trip down with great and smooth success while some experienced tumbles. One young boy had to go very slow and stopped often. He was very fortunate that our guide was kind and compassionate and stayed with him every step of the way. The important thing is that we all made it.

Recalling the Cerro Negro Volcano experience opened my eyes to what God has been trying to show me all along. My attitude of excitement, anticipation, encouragement, giving, and joy was the key to the success of that journey and is the key to success in this Christian’s life. Not just my attitude either, but the attitude of others as well.

I was also reminded of how staying close to and following our Guide can save us from a lot of unnecessary struggles along life’s path.

The eye-opening message I really loved from God was the picture of those on the trail lifting one another up and spurring them on to the top as well as those at the bottom who were cheering others on as they came down. It was a beautiful picture of friendship and Christianity at its very best.

You see, it doesn’t matter where you are on your path or what type of path you are on. Some paths are easy and worry free while others are difficult and marked with suffering and pain. What does matter is who you are. How you act determines the success of your journey. Had we been complaining about our struggles and fears rather than encouraging one another it would have been the worst experience ever. Instead, it was one of the best memories recorded in my mind.

Now, go cheer someone on their path today.
Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 10:42, Acts 27:22, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 13:5-6

The Cerro Negro (Black Hill) Volcano is an active volcano in the beautiful country of Nicaragua. It erupts on average every eight to ten years. The last eruption was in 1999.

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What’s Your Sign?

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A few weeks ago my cousin posted a very disturbing link about a family who was protesting homosexuality. It showed a little girl holding a sign that read, “GOD HATES FAGS”. I was completely repulsed by the image. Here was a little girl, not just being taught hate, but also being encouraged to demonstrate hate. All in the name of Christianity.

Let me go ahead and get this out-of-the-way for all you religious folks. I am very well aware of what both the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible say about homosexuality. It is what it is. This is not about homosexuality. It’s about a lying spirit that has convinced way too many that God and Christians are haters.

If God hates “fags” then what about the rest of us? None of us is without sin. Sure, as Christians, our sin is covered by the blood of Christ; but I haven’t found a “good” one yet. And what does that say of the Gospel Message, aka. Good News? God hating people isn’t exactly good news to me! The One True God demonstrated His love while we were yet still sinners.

How can one say that God hates anyone and then believe that God so loved the world…?

Why not signs that read, “GOD HATES GOSSIPS”, “GOD HATES LIARS”, “GOD HATES FORNICATORS”, “GOD HATES HYPOCRITES”, “GOD HATES DRUNKARDS”? I’ll tell you why…too many church people are those people! Well I’ve got news for you. There are homosexuals in churches too. These people are no different than you or me. They too are seeking Jesus.

We as Christians are to be firm in our faith and to turn away from sin – our own sin. We need to work on our own beams and planks. How are we to demonstrate and tell of a perfect love that produces forgiveness, mercy, and grace if we condemn the very people Christ Jesus died to save?

Look within yourself. What’s your sign? How would you feel if someone was harassing you with a giant sign that exposed your sin and lied about your loving Father?

Love, grace, and mercy are the keys to sharing the Good News. Hate is never the answer. Love wins.

Please pray for those who are lost in sin. Pray also for those who think they are not lost in sin but act otherwise.

There is only one type of person God will turn away. That is the one who denies His Son as Savior.

Now, put down your hateful sign.
John 3:16 & 17, Matthew 22:36-40, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 3:7-21
Matthew 7:3-5

Modern-Day Stones

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She sits in the pew crying. The message from the eighth chapter of John was so compelling. She knew this was the moment that she would surrender everything to the Lord. She slowly stood up and made her way forward. The stares from all the “perfect” people made her so nervous and uncomfortable. As she walked toward the altar she remembered how many times she wanted to make this journey but sat frozen in fear because Sunday after Sunday the pastor stood before his congregation, alone, silently praying for the souls of those who came to church that day but never came forward. Time after time she thought to herself, “I can’t be the only one. Can I? Does everyone here have it all together but me?” But this day was different. This day she had a sense of urgency and boldness that propelled her forward. She knew that she had been caught in sin by the One who sees everything and the only One who could forgive her.

Can you imagine how the woman “caught in the very act of adultery” in John chapter eight must have felt that day? She was ripped out of bed, dragged before Jesus, thrown down at his feet, and waiting to be stoned in front of the entire community. This woman was completely exposed and so was her sin.

Each of her accusers had one or more stones in hand ready to pelt her unto death. Our youngest son zinged me with a rock to the shin one day. Once the shock of the hit wore off I fell to the ground grabbing my leg and I cried like a baby. Not fun. I could not possibly imagine being hit all over my body by rocks flung by grown men before they finally gave way to “mercy” and moved up to my head to finish the job. She must have been in a great amount of fear.

In the midst of all this, Jesus bends down to write in the sand. What he writes no one knows but, apparently, the fact that he did was important enough to have the event forever etched in Scripture. That must have freaked the accusers out. After all, when I go to our oldest son’s baseball games and I see him on the field bent down playing in the dirt; I get the feeling that he is totally oblivious to what is going on around him. Perhaps Jesus was writing their names or their hidden sins in the dirt, or maybe he was just playing tic-tac-toe with himself.

My best guess is that he was doodling while he was kneeling to pray to the Father about how best to handle this very delicate situation. You see, the woman wasn’t the real target that day. Jesus was. The accusers wanted to see how Jesus would judge this woman. Instead, he asked that the “sinless one among you” be the judge. They all dropped their stones and walked away.

Now, I know most of you have heard this story told in sermons many times but this is my take on it.

The enemy of our soul, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), has a bunch of stones in his hands. (He is so full of pride that he doesn’t even recognize that he is not without sin). Satan does not throw the igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic kinds either but ones of much more painful consequences. He throws modern-day stones.

The enemy’s the modern-day stones are pride, greed, jealousy, hatred, judgment, self-pity, depression, drug abuse, alcoholism, gossip, slander, adultery, envy, unforgiveness, loneliness, grief, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, sickness, and many, many more.

How does he throw them? He uses everyday folks like you and me – Christian or otherwise – to throw these very powerful stones. They come from a mighty weapon that can actually create life or death. (Proverbs 18:21) It is so small that it fits in a person’s mouth and is used more frequently than any other weapon on earth. It is the tongue. (James Chapter 3:1-10)

Back to the woman walking towards the altar to surrender her life to Jesus. She is much like the woman caught in adultery except rather than being forced before Jesus she is choosing to go before Jesus. She too has her accusers ready to throw stones as she walks the isle to freedom. “How could she? Who does she think she is? I heard she….She’ll never…”

Jesus set the perfect kingdom example of grace and it is the only way we should follow. When he asked, “Woman, where are your accusers? Is there no one here to condemn you?” She answers, “No Lord.” And Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” That is the picture of heaven for Christians on judgment day right there! Hallelujah!

I have chills right now and my eyes are tearing up with joy! This is awesome! Can you grasp how exciting this is? It is so simple and so plain!

When we are covered by his blood and in his presence we are not condemned and we have no sin! Come on!! That’s awesome news!

The world is watching us just as the accusers that day were watching Jesus. How shall we respond? I pray with the same grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now, drop those modern-day stones.

“How Can I Serve You?”

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We have new T-shirts at church that read, “How Can I Serve You?” The idea is to outwardly show people in the church and community that we are here, ready, and willing to serve the needs of God’s children and those He is drawing to Himself. Service is one of my “gifts” so, naturally, I got one of the T-shirts for myself – plus they look really cool.

Last Sunday, a sister in our church was seeking volunteers for the nursery. She walked up to people holding a clipboard and kindly asked various sisters to volunteer. I was one of them. Now, I’m not really the greatest candidate for this particular ministry opportunity so I declined. I work best with teens and women, not children.

At the end of the service, I was convicted as our Associate Pastor’s wife made the announcements. One of the announcements was a request by the youth director for volunteers to teach the elementary age children on Wednesday nights. This time I was the one seeking volunteers.

After the service ended, I walked up to my sister seeking nursery assistance and told her that I would help when I returned from my mission trip next month. Most likely she had the same conviction as she quickly volunteered to teach a class on an upcoming Wednesday night and quite possibly at least one Wednesday night a month thereafter.

Later that day I was reflecting on what had happened when the T-shirts came to mind. I thought about how many people bought the T-shirts and proudly wore them. I got a little “miffed” at the idea that people were willing to wear T-shirts asking the question, “How Can I Serve You?” but when opportunities to serve presented themselves few – if any – volunteers stepped up.

Another thought came to mind; “We shouldn’t be chasing folks down with clipboards begging for help. People should be chasing us down!”

I realize people are busy with jobs, families, and other ministries and activities. I know I am. I am also aware that many people come to church to hear a message and that is all. And then there are those who “did their time” with their own kids and grandkids and feel they are no longer “obligated” to help with children’s ministries. Some, like myself, understand that there are some areas of service best left to others.

When “Five percent of the people are doing 95% of the work” as my Senior Pastor’s wife commented yesterday (she too is needing volunteers in her area of children’s ministry), then we have a problem. After all, if “the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve” what then shall we as the church do? And especially when it comes to children’s ministry.(Matthew 19:14)

Still not convinced to actually walk the T-shirt message? How about this…What if the one thing holding you back from obtaining your true ministry calling is your unwillingness to serve in another ministry or under another’s leadership?

I wonder how many great female pastors and teachers never came to be because serving in a nursery or teaching children was “beneath” their calling. How many pastors never step up to a pulpit because they were unwilling to sit under another’s teaching? How many great evangelists never went out because they never served within? (Zechariah 4:10)

So many people say “I’m just here to serve” and never do more than what they WANT to do. Though there is reward in that; can you imagine how much more reward for those who serve where there is a NEED? Too many want a title, official position of authority, and/or recognition to serve.

I encourage you to read Matthew Chapters 18 and 19. What Jesus says is much more important and trustworthy than the opinion of this sister. Please allow me to also encourage you to serve. Even if it’s behind the scenes where only God can see. Even if no one ever says, “Thank you” or “Good job”. If serving was good enough for our Savior then it is better than good enough for us.

Now, “How Can I Serve You?”

My Quest for Coca-Cola

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Around 4:00 am this morning I woke up and found myself very thirsty. But my bed felt so good and the room temperature was near perfect so I stayed put. A few minutes later my husband crawled out of bed and headed to the kitchen. I listened as he opened the refrigerator door and no doubt take a swig from the opened Powerade bottle. Then he returned to bed and quickly fell back to sleep. I on the other hand could not go back to sleep. I really, really wanted a drink! And not just anything, I wanted Coca-Cola.

The next hour was not completely wasted as I used this time to pray for everyone and everything that came to my mind. I even asked God to be with others who were struggling with the last few hours of darkness.Finally, I gave up and made my way to the kitchen.

As I walked toward the kitchen I realized I needed to go to the bathroom. I didn’t want to disturb my husband so I went to the hall bathroom. There I found a stopped-up, smelly toilet in need of a good cleaning. Apparently the kids didn’t think I needed to know about this during the day! So, I un-stopped the toilet in between moments of dry heaves and then got the comet out and cleaned the nasty thing. After I finished, I did my “business” and proceeded back to my quest for Coca-Cola.

Upon entering the kitchen I noticed lots of sticky spots on the floor so I turned on the light to find what had to be the worst attempt at cleaning up cherry Kool-Aid ever. I grabbed the cleaner and mop, filled up the sink with water, and mopped the entire floor. I then noticed the gummy red stains on the counter tops so I cleaned them as well. Just when I was satisfied with my efforts, I noticed the front of the cabinets, dishwasher, and oven were covered with red spatters. “What in the world goes on after I go to bed?” I wondered amusingly.

Once I finished cleaning the spatters I went to the laundry room to put away my rag and noticed I had enough dark clothes in the basket to run a load of laundry. So, I did. Then I headed back to my room, got in to bed, and went to sle….wait…I didn’t get my Coca-Cola!

I turned to my water bottle which had been there all along and I took a drink. It did not please my palate but it did quench my thirst.

Had I just drank the water in the first place I would have gone back to sleep sooner in peace. I would not have known about the toilet until I took one of my random visits down the hall. I would have discovered the sticky floor later in the morning when the kids were running around and in “firing range” and I would have had the laundry to catch up on. Those things would have still needed addressing either way.

Life is a lot like my early morning. We have goals that we set out to obtain and sometimes there are many obstacles in the way. Sometimes those obstacles get us completely off track and we miss our target and sometimes we never really needed to obtain the goal at all. Sometimes the obstacles lead us to better things.
We just needed to overcome the obstacles in the way to realize we had what we needed all along.

Our Christian walk is much the same. Our goal is heaven. Our obstacles are temptation, sin, health, wealth, greed, painful relationships, loss of loved ones and the list goes on. But, thankfully, our Prize is eternal life with Jesus and he has been here with us all along the journey cheering us on and waiting patiently for us to notice him and let him be the one to quench our thirst.

It’s 9:00 am on a beautiful Saturday morning in hot Louisiana. I’m sitting on the back porch recounting the events of my early morning quest for Coca-Cola. I am so thankful for this time I have. I could be cleaning up messes, but instead, I’m writing a message!

To God be the Glory – He alone satisfies my thirst!
Matthew 5, John 4, John 7, 1 Corinthians 9, Hebrews 12

Why Daisies and Daffodils?

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So why in the world would I give my blog site the title daisiesndaffodils? The answer is simple and, I hope, engaging.

Just like there are many types of flowers – beautiful, bright, colorful, small, medium, large, tall, short, sweet aroma and foul, prickly, smooth, edible and poisonous – all are unique and wonderfully created by our Master-sisters are much the same. What kind of flower would remind others of you?

My favorite flowers are daisies and my sister’s are daffodils. Two different flowers for two different girls, yet very similar as they are both grown in the wild and if you are not careful you will get bitten by various forms of wildlife and insects if you try to pluck them from safe pastures.

There are many types of sisters in the world. I have one sister from my Mom and Dad, a sister-in-law I adore, two best-friends I call sisters-my children refer to as “aunts” – other friends, and a whole bunch of Christian women who are my sisters by faith in Jehovah God. As different as we all are, we still have much in common.

Like Martha and Mary of Luke Chapter 10:38-42 and John Chapter 11:17-40, all of us sisters have different perceptions on how we see others and what they do. The most important perception, however, is our own self perception. When we get our own self perceptions in line with God’s Word, we will find that our perceptions of others will change dramatically. The peace that follows that change is satisfying and freeing.

Obviously, sisters are very important in my life. Therefore, I wanted my blog site to reflect something with significance, hence, the title, “daisiesndaffodils”. My goal is to encourage all my sisters to love themselves and one another.

Since I’ve never seen thorns on daisies, I will do my best to be nice.