Wow! All we have to do is watch the news and wonder!! 

Overnight Israel attacks iran. Iran retaliates. I am a news junkie but I don't understand Hamas, Gaza, Palestine, anti-Jewish efforts. In our country, Illegal immigrations. Keep them; send them home. Leadership in the world or in our country. Maybe even local leadership.

What direction are we going? Who is in charge?

Two of my sisters got home from Europe last week after about ten days there. Following in the steps of my dad who left there almost 80 years to the month after fighting with the Battle of Bulge, trying to help preserve freedom there

Nothing has ever changed since the beginning of time! Many to most want peace. But some people like to stir up trouble.

Good time to pray and believe in something; Someone bigger than all of this and us!!

Dear Father in Heaven,

when I watch the news I want to be afraid.
You tell us not to but to trust You.

We pray for today,
for the people in leadership
locally, in our country,
and around the world.
Help us to lift them up
to You!

Help us to keep our eyes on You
and not on what we see
and think we know or how we think things should go.

You have always been in charge.
Help us to remember that!!

Thank You for Your love and care!
Amen!!

**

Yesterday's (June 11) entry from "365  Days of Prayer for Women" by Stepahnie Sample:

YOU ARE SECURITY

"Behold, I will bring to it health, and healing,
and I will heal them and reveal
to them abundance of prosperity and security."

~ JEREMIAH 33:6 ESV

"God, you are secuirty. When I place my hope in the things of this world: money,  achievement, accpetance, and health, I am bound to insecuirty. None of those things----or in al this world---are guaranteed. Nothing lasts. There is no security, except in the one who never changes, the one who cannot fail, the one who is love itself. Let mY health be in my soul, my achievement be for your kingdom, my acceptance be at your table, and my riches be treasures in heaven. I'm placing all my hope in you, that it may be secure."

HOW CAN WE PLACE ALL OUR SECURITY IN GOD??


***

When we got ready to travel, I decided not to take my Bible with me. Too big and bulky. Going to be doing a lot of moving around. I opted instead to take with me a much smaller "Everyday Blessings" - 365 days of inspirational thoughts by Max Lucado. Something I had received as a gift for my birthday.

While it is meant to be 'read one day's thought. each day', I chose instead to read it as I would a 'story book'; looking at four or five each day. What I am sharing with you today is from mid-November:

"You are...God's own possession."
~I Peter 2:9

"God loves you simply because He has chosen to do so.

"Ho loves you when you don't feel lovely.

"He loves you wne no one else loves you.

"Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you. Always. No matter what."

*

At the rate I am reading this, I should be done in a week or so, then I can regift it to someone else!

Before we took our trip this spring, I attended six graduation parties. When I returned home, I had one thank you note from a hgith school student for the gift I had given him.

Will I get thank yous from the others? I don't know. It would be nice,

But as I thought more about it and not really keep score, I thought of all the things God gives to me. Do I always let Him know that I am thankful?

Probably not! Like my young friends, we might not get around to sending a note or acknowledging how grateful we are!!

"Always be joyful.
Always keep on praying.
No matter what happens,
always be thankful,
for this is God's will
for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

` I Thessolanians 6:16 - 18 LAB

*** 

Back after being gone for 10 - 11 days. Traveled with two of my sisters to Europe as we followed in the footsteps of my dad and his journey fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. We arrived 80 years after my dad left in May 1945. He saw very little of the conflict on the front lines. But he was close behind, serving as a medic.

One of the statistics that we saw was if soldiers were not killed outright. Or their severe injuries could not get them the medical care they needed as quickly as it could. Once casualities get the medical treatment they badly needed, only 4% actually died.

We experienced much about the cultures of five European countiries. On Thursday, May 29 was Ascension Day. We were in two countries on that day. I have no idea how the day is celebbrated there. We hear about how few people actually attend church regularly. But on that day and for the next few days, the stores are all closed in observance and celebration.

We see it on our calendars annually too. How much of an emphasis is placed on Jesus' assending to heaven here? We know that after Jesus' resurrection, He wandered the earth for 40 days. Leaving here for His "real' home, 40 days later. Because Easter moves around annually, Ascension Day would as well. But it would always be on a Thursday, marking off those 40 days!

"When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them (his disciples), He was taken up into heaven and sat down at God's right hand."

~ Mark 16:19 LAB

*
Bible Commentary:
"When Jesus ascended into heaven, his physical presence left the disciples. Jesus' sitting at God's right hand signifies the completion of his work, his authority as God, and his coronation as King."

***

(I will be away from my computer for a few days. Karen's Korners will resume on Monday, June 9. I will miss all of you!)

This is Memorial Day weekend.

Wikipedia says,
 "Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the U.S. to honor and mourn the military personnel who died in service. It originated after the Civil War and was expanded to include all wars, and is observed on the last Monday of May."

*
The Bible says, 

"the greatest love is shown
when a person lays down his life
for his friends.."
~ John 15:13 LAB

*

Not everyone who serves or has served in the military dies in his/her service. But the willingness has to be there.

When we volunteer, we 'lay down' a portion of our lives for others.

The Bible Commentary on the above verse says, "We are to love one another as Jesus loved us, and he loved us enough to give his life for us. We may not have to die for someone, but there are other ways we can demonstrate our sacrificial love for others:  listening, helping, encouraging, giving. Think of someone in particular who needs this kind of love today. Give all the  love you can, and then try to give a little more."

Happy Memorial Day!

Taken from "365 Days of Prayer for Women" by Stephanie Sample. Not today's but from a few days ago, May 19.

Some days I feel like God should be grateful to have me as His Child. Other days not so much! It has nothing to do with me. And everything to do with Him. He never changes. Praise God!

WITH YOU

"We can confidently say,
'The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?"
~ Hebrews 13:6 ESV

"All-powerful God, what is too hard for you? And with you, what is too hard for me? With you next to me, I am strengthened. With you behind me, I am fortified. With you in front of me, I am shielded. With you holding me up, I am immovable. With you inside me, I know all this to be true. You give me confidence, Lord, and with that confidence, success. It doesn't mattter who comes against me; it doesn't matter what they say, or do, or bring to defeat me. I have you, and you've got me."

"What is too hard for you? Is it too hard for God?"

***

Something written and sent to my computer several days ago by Max Lucado. He talks about childhood memories. Some of us had wonderful memories. Some of us didn't. If you are in either category, chances are pretty good you could share this writing with someone else.

IT  STOPS HERE!

'Your family history doesn’t have to be your future. The generational garbage can stop here and now. Don’t give your kids what your ancestors gave to you. Talk to God about it, in detail. 'God, every day I came home from school to find mom drunk, lying on the couch. I had to take care of baby brother, do homework on my own. It’s not right, God.' Difficult, for certain. But let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Let him replace  'childish thinking' with mature truth.

"A dear friend of mine was called to identify the body of his father who’d been shot by his ex-wife. The blast was just another in a long line of angry, violent family moments. He made this resolution: 'It stops with me.' And it has! God wants to help you—for your sake. Trust him. With his help, you will get through this."

**

Gardeners here in north central Iowa have had quite a battle on our hands the last few days, maybe weeks! At times, it has been too hot or too dry. Wind? We have several days in a row with massive winds. I have starter plants which are almost parallel to the ground! Dry too. Seeds lay in dry dirt waiting for a drink. I take water to them, but it doesn't work the best.

Then comes yesterday! Lots of rain to soak up the dry, thirsty ground. God can do in minutes or hours which we can't do in days! What a miracle worker He is!

God,
thank You that You take care of stuff!
Not just sort of...
abundantly!
You take care of not only rain
and drinks of water for our fields,
gardens, and seeds,
but for every part of our lives.
Sometimes we forget,
so thank You!
Amen.

As a follow to Saturday's Karen's Korner and a quick reminder to the familiar John 3:16, I wanted to include something from yesterday's sermon - 1 John 3:16! Not nearly as familiar........

"We know what real love is
from Christ's example in dying for us.
And so we also
ought to lay down our lives
for our Christian brothers."

*

Bible Commentary (in part):  "Real love is an action, not a feeling. It produces selfless, sacrificial giving. The greatst act of love anyone can do is to give himself or herself for others. How can we lay down our lives? Sometimes it is easier to say we'll die for others than to truly live for them, which involves putting others' desires first. Some ways of sacrificial love for others:  listening, helping, encouraging, giving. Think of someone in particular who neeeds this kind of love today."

***