"DON'T GIVE UP!"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"JOSHUA AND MAMA SHIRLEY"

"JOSHUA"

"Doesn't look good. I don't think the little calf is going to make it." my husband reported solemnly as he came in from the barn.

 "He isn't moving, he is just laying in the hay. He's not standing up and he still isn't taking milk from his mama. I've given him two bottles of Colostrum, that's all I can do, he probably won't make it through the night."

I jumped to my feet. "What?" I cried across the room. "You're giving up on him? No way is he going to die! We are not giving up on our little calf! I am going out to the barn to pray for him!"

 I knew it was cold outside so I threw on my down parka, warm boots, hat and gloves and headed out.

I trudged through the thin blanket of snow and the frozen leaves and made my way to the barn. The sun was setting and it was reflecting a pink glow upon the snow that made it look like cotton candy was spread across the white hilly landscape.

"Hi Mama Shirley. How are you and your new little baby doing tonight?" I patted Shirley on her head and handed her some treats. She bellowed loudly and turned her head in the direction of the newborn calf lying lifeless in the hay.

I started praying loud enough that the Llamas, sheep,chickens and other cows all gathered around the fence in the pasture behind me to see what was going on.

"Get up little cow in the name of Jesus rise up! You shall not die, but you shall live and we will declare the works of the Lord! Rise up, rise up!  No sickness or disease in the name of Jesus! I speak life to you little one. I name you Joshua. You will grow up be a mighty little bull! Rest now Joshua, because tomorrow morning you are going to be running all around and kicking up your heels, full of life!"  

Shirley looked at me with her big brown eyes and let out a big M-o-o-o-o as if to say Thank you and Amen.

The other animals were still stretching their necks over the fence b-a-a-ing, m-o-o-ing, snorting and clucking with curiosity as to why I was out preaching in the barn again at this time of night!

"Don't worry Mama Shirley, the Lord has healed your baby and tomorrow he will be dancing all around in the barn."

You may think I'm crazy praying for a cow, but if the Lord cares about the sparrow, I believe he cares about our cow!

I came back in the house. My husband asked, "Did he move, did he get up?" 

"No" I said "He didn't move. But he will! Don't give up because the Lord has touched him. He is going to live!Tomorrow morning when you open up the barn door he will be running all around full of life kicking his heels up! Oh, and by the way, I named him Joshua!"

The next morning my husband came back in the house shaking his head. "Praise the Lord! You won't believe this but that little calf is running all around the barn like a ninny snorting and kicking his heels up!

I named him Joshua because in Hebrew Joshua means

"Jehovah is generous. Jehovah saves." 

Have you ever felt like giving up? Are you ready to give up now? Is there something going on that seems impossible to overcome? Does the situation look lifeless and dead to you? Does it feel like there is no way to restore what was lost? Do you think there is no way for you to survive this?

Are you feeling defeated?  

DON'T GIVE UP! Did you hear me? DON'T GIVE UP!

Rest in the Lord and know that,

JEHOVAH IS GENEROUS! JEHOVAH SAVES!  

Yes, it may look like your life, your marriage, your relationship, your children, your career, ministry and your dreams are lifeless and lying dead in the hay. DON'T GIVE UP! JEHOVAH IS GENEROUS! JEHOVAH SAVES! Jehovah is only a prayer away!

"...always pray and don't give up..." Luke 18:1

What have you given up on, or what are you ready to give up on?

The moment you're ready to quit is usually the moment right before a miracle happens. DON'T GIVE UP!

Ask God right now to be generous and to save your dream, your children, your marriage, your relationship, whatever you need but most importantly to save you and your relationship with him! 

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7

NOW, RISE UP IN THE NAME OF JESUS! PRAISE THE LORD, RUN AROUND SNORT AND KICK UP YOUR HEELS LIKE A NINNY! JEHOVAH IS GENEROUS! JEHOVAH SAVES!

Hallelujah! 

Praise the Lord and Share the Good News!

Donna Selma Lind

"BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"BIG BERTHA"

Meet Big Bertha.She has been the "Workhorse" of my kitchen since the early 1980's.

Big Bertha and I have made countless Birthday cakes, cookies, breads and pies together through the years. She is a little like the Bionic Woman, she doesn't have all her original parts. She's had her motor replaced, a new button here and there and a couple of other parts I had to scout for on eBay.

We have been through alot together. Lived in a dozen houses in several states.We have canned hundreds of jars of jams, pickles and salsa's together. She has perched upon Butcher block, Formica, and Granite. Withstood the fashion decor from 1980's calico wallpaper and 1990's stencils to more recent bead board and subway tiles. Nearly four decades later she still runs like a champ! 

"Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?" Proverbs 20:6

Nevertheless, when the sales clerk at the department store started spouting off reasons why I needed a new Kitchen-aid and rattling  her pitch on the once in a lifetime deal and how this new machine would drastically change my life, I fell. I fell hard. I bit the bait. Hook line and sinker. Head over heels. I was starry-eyed. "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs." I was imagining myself making homemade pasta and cupcakes with mile high butter cream frosting, pies with meringue, tapioca, truffles and trifles. I dreamed of owning one of these power houses since I was a teenager in Miss Davis's Home-Ec class. 

Now the only obstacle in my way was deciding between the colors Classic white or Stainless steel?

Big Bertha who? We had our share of good times. But here was this fancy beautiful brand new sleek shiny machine sitting right in front of me. Any questions? Only one choice right?

 Breaking up is hard to do. 

The clerk promised delivery by Christmas. I was elated. Cloud nine over the moon excited.

I came home and knew what I had to do. There she was sitting on the kitchen counter. With her glass nesting bowls all sparkly from the sunlight. I got a box out from the closet and started to gather all the attachments. The dough hook, the food chopper the meat grinder, the blender. Oh my, I forgot all the special features Bertha had! Every attachment I put into the box sparked another memory.

We had such a history. She and I shared so much. I knew all her little quirky flaws and she knew mine. How could I let her go? Sure she was a little worn around the edges(like me) and wasn't as beautiful as her modern contenders, but she still worked great! She was a survivor! A faithful friend. They just don't make them like Big Bertha anymore.  

A few days later the UPS man delivered the boxes with the new "Kitchen-aid." They weighed a ton!

My very confused and patient  husband drove me back to the  department store where I promptly returned the boxes and it's  contents to customer service. 

"Big Bertha" and I worked the holidays together again. I used to look at her and think someday I am going to replace you with something bigger and better. Now I look at her and think, Wow you look good for what you have been through! You're a hard worker. I am so glad I decided to keep you! 

 Sometimes we have to let go of old things to make room for new things. Sometimes we have all that we need right in front of us and we just need to recognize it and count our blessings.

It's easy to get caught in the enemy's trap of material things. Coveting something new when there is nothing wrong with what we already have.

"Beware and be on your guard against every form of greed." Luke 12:15

 The newest and the biggest isn't always the best.

 Be thankful for what you have and you'll always be blessed!

We took the extra money that was refunded for the Kitchen-aid and purchased Bibles for persecuted Christians in foreign countries instead! Material things fade away but God's Word will last forever! 

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."Colossians 3:2

"But the word of the Lord lasts forever." 1 Peter1:25


HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Donna Selma Lind

"HOLIDAY HUMPS AND HURDLES"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"HOLIDAY HUMPS AND HURDLES"

It's that time of the year when we are dashing to and fro, running willy nilly from pillar to post trying to find the perfect gifts for friends and family. 

Ahh, the family. For those of you who have the perfect family like "THE WALTON'S", this post is not for you.You have my permission to stop reading and go back to your Candy Cane Cocoa and Christmas cookies.

 For the rest of us, we are preparing for "Humps and Hurdles."

You know what I'm talking about. 

The awkward family conversations where you can't really talk about anything  because someone gets upset and offended. The problems, pain and past hurts we carry around like humps on a camels back. The hurdles we have to jump over in order to avoid arguments and keep the peace so war doesn't break out at the dinner table.

Real families have real issues. You might not want to admit it ,but it's true. If there is a perfect family out there I haven't met them. Every family has something. That family problem you are trying to hide or avoid is nothing new and you are not the only one who is dealing with it.

Family problems may include: jealousy, strife, quarrels, sibling rivalry, addiction, divorce, blended families,financial burdens, adultery, lying , cheating , stealing, greed, pride, pornography, unforgiveness, abuse, anger, depression, eating disorders, unconfessed sin,chronic illness, rejection.

With all the different personality and temperament types plus all the different ideals and opinions it can get a little sticky and uncomfortable. People get anxious, hurt feelings, upset, emotional and can lose tempers. We say things we don't mean and we mean things we don't say.

 The Hot Cross Buns at the dinner table can quickly become The Hot Tossed Buns! 

How many have ever witnessed or been part of a food, word tossing or worse at a Holiday celebration?

Things can get ugly and ugly grows. Ugly drives a wedge between people and families. Ugly becomes Humps and Hurdles that separate families. One word, one action that separates us from the ones we love for weeks, months , years or a lifetime.

Time we can never get back. Time the devil steals from us. Loved ones the devil steals from us. Joy the devil steals from us.

I know there are families out there that will not see their loved ones this Christmas because they got upset about something and stopped talking. They got offended and refuse to forgive. They are stubborn or prideful and won't let go. 

I know because I've been there, on both the giving and receiving side.

What a waste of time and life.

Please stop, get over the Humps and Hurdles and JUST LOVE THEM!

 Love them for who they are. Forgive them for what they've done.  Ask them to forgive you.

Even if you don't think you are wrong. Even if they hurt you, JUST LOVE THEM!

This doesn't mean you are condoning or agreeing with them it means you are refusing to live in bondage and pain any longer.  It means you choose to walk in Love and Liberty. It means you are taking back what the enemy has stolen, your loved ones, your joy, your peace.

Pick up the phone and call them.

Send them a text or E-mail.

Write them a letter.

Take the high road. Before it's too late. This may be your last chance.

Grandparents, parents, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, grandkids, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, step-family, in-laws and out-laws, co-workers, friends or foe.

JUST LOVE THEM!

God will take care of the rest. 

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32

"Make allowances for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." Colossians 3:13 

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

1 Corinthians 13:7

PLEASE STOP! GET OVER HOLIDAY HUMPS AND HURDLES.

GIVE THE GIFT OF LOVE ! JUST LOVE THEM!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord and Share the Good News!

Donna Selma Lind