Author: Sue Wilson

After school yesterday I took my grandies to a park where they did some rock hunting. People hide painted rocks for others to find and re hide for someone else. It’s quite exciting to find one ….. but even better to know someone else will experience the same excitement. God loves to play this game! He hides treasures in His Word that have to be sought after ….. and sometimes dug out. Then the person who discovers the treasure shares it with others. He also puts treasure in people that has to be drawn out sometimes. The most precious things take time and effort to discover. Happy treasure hunting. 

We were doing a spot of babysitting yesterday when we suddenly realised Alayah wasn’t with us. We called her but no reply. We started searching inside the house ….. outside the house ….. down the driveway ….. but no Laylay to be found. By this time panic set in and my mind was going crazy! I ran back inside and called her name again. I heard a tiny voice say ‘I’m here’! I ran upstairs to find her happily playing with toys totally unaware of our dilemma. It reminded me again that fear is often ‘false evidence appearing real’! 

Do you see yourself as a victim or a victor? Are you focussing on all the terrible things that have happened to you ….. or on all the things you have overcome? The strongest people are not the ones who have not failed ….. but the ones who have got back up again and continued the race. They are not the ones who have no fear ….. but the ones who ‘do it afraid’! Life can be like an obstacle course ….. but obstacles are to be overcome. If you are alive and breathing you are an overcomer! Here’s a prayer I pray often when facing a challenge. ‘Lord, I thank you that there is nothing I will face today that you and I together can’t handle!’ 

My theme song at this time of year is ‘One day at a time’! And sometimes even ‘One step at a time’!  Jesus warned his disciples not to worry about tomorrow because today has enough to focus on. Much of our stress and anxiety is based on stuff that hasn’t happened yet ….. and may never happen! Have you noticed how the media sensationalises things to make you feel like you are living through something that hasn’t happened yet? Our minds and bodies can’t cope with that. We must learn to live in the present ….. and do life in bite sized pieces! Reading back through my journal ….. I can see that much of what I feared never happened ….. or help came just when I needed it! Commit each day to the Lord and He will determine the outcome! 

For the last few years we have started a new tradition in our family ….. an annual Thanksgiving Dinner. Everyone shares what they are thankful for before we eat including the littlies! Then after the dinner we made a Thanksgiving Tree. The children decorated and wrote on the ‘leaves’ what everyone was thankful for. It’s amazing how much comes to mind once you start. In a season that has become materialistic and one of entitlement ….. hopefully we can bring a balance.

While we are still in the Thanksgiving season ….. I want to say a huge Thank You to all my friends on Facebook for your friendship and support over the years. Some of you I see often ….. others live on the other side of the world ….. but somehow our lives have crossed ….. and you have impacted my life. That’s one thing I love about FB ….. it connects people! I’ve posted a picture of a yellow rose which represents friendship! Wherever you are ….. may the Lord bless you and keep you ….. make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you ….. turn His face toward you ….. and give you peace! 

The Bible warns us about the ‘root of bitterness’. Our lives are like trees. They start from a seed that sprouts roots that hold it securely in the ground. With healthy roots ….. the tree will grow and produce healthy fruit. But if we allow things like unforgiveness ….. resentment ….. anger into our hearts ….. the roots can turn bitter. These roots entangle our thinking and slowly poison the good fruit. The key is to let go of resentment by forgiving those who have hurt us ….. and by letting God deal with them. In that way ….. you will get better ….. not bitter!