God Is Able

Our verse for today:

"God is able to provide you with every blessing
in abundance,
so that by always having enough of everything,
you may share abundantly in every good work."
                                      - 2 Corinthians 9:8

We need to remember today that God is able.

Day 39 - gifts from God:
1.  a cheerful and caring pastor
2.  friends with great laughs
3.  JV's suitcase weighing in at 28 pounds
4.  JV's handsome passport picture
5.  time to talk with Vic on the drive
6.  praying for my husband
7.  a husband willing to take a risk for God and the good of his family
8.  always welcoming friend
9.  wonderful children who care
10.  the sound of our dishwasher washing

With gratitude,
Sally

Something New

From "A Holy Experience" today:

Isaiah 43:19
" For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun!
Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

Lord, I know you are doing something new.
I'm just not sure which something new it is.
Help us to see it.
Thank you for the pathway.
Thank you for the rivers.

Day 38 - gifts from God:
1.  children who pitch right in
2.  Margaret's hand on my back
3.  wearing a funny, pretty hat
4.  plenty of vegetables from our little garden
5.  surprised by a visit from our dear friends finally home
6.  beautiful, sweet smelling roses on the tables
7.  birthday ladies celebrating each other
8.  the princess table and Cathy finding me in the kitchen
9.  our company ladies coming again
10.  Vic fixing a steak send-off dinner for John Victor

With gratitude,
Sally

Make a Difference

From Upper Room devotion:

"Yes, our efforts may be small, but that does not mean they are insignificant.
God can use even the most ordinary people and actions to make a difference in someone's life."

"Prayer: God of all being, thank you for the small joys and surprises of each day.
Help us to be aware of you in the little and big moments of life.
Help us to let our light shine for you. Amen."

Everyday You give us opportunities to make a difference, Lord.
Open my eyes and help me to see all the opportunities around me each day.
Help me not to miss an opportunity to make a difference for You.

Day 37 - gifts from God:
1.  early morning light on the porch
2.  roses: yellow, red, light pink, dark pink
3.  nail polish the color of pink crepe myrtle blossoms
4.  Stephanie working me in on a Friday afternoon
5.  Miss Rachel calling me in to give me vine ripe tomatoes
6.  being missed at church
7.  listening to Margaret
8.  receiving encouraging pretty thank you note from our Sarah
9.  sweet strawberries
10.  praying with Benjamin

With gratitude,
Sally

Blessings

What if our heartbreaks, our dark days, our mistakes,
are really blessings in disguise?

Day 36 - gifts from God:
1.  two girls grown up into lovely young ladies singing "Blessings"
2.  finishing the puzzle
3.  watching the soccer final with Ben and Margaret at Zaxby's
4.  Victor's thin and crispy delicious potato chips
5.  colorful children's dresses hanging across sanctuary
6.  praying for John Victor and mission team
7.  Victor getting to service in time to pray
8.  Almost all of Karen's crosses being taken at service for donations
9.  vine ripe tomatoes
10.  pretty handmade red bird pillow

With gratitude,
Sally

Divine Control

The verse for today from "My Utmost For His Highest" is Matthew 7:11:

"How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things
to them that ask Him?"

When the circumstances in our lives are out of our control it is so important
to remember that our lives are in God's control.

And God wants to give us good things.

We only need to ask and to trust Him.

Day 35 - gifts from God:
1.  a day with nothing pressing
2.  sitting out in the swing with a dog on either side
3.  a cool breeze
4.  roses blooming again
5.  sitting round the supper table talking and talking (and talking with Margaret)
6.  possibilities
7.  Ben's excitement over his new soccer cleats
8.  a hug from John Victor
9.  a phone call from dear cousin Miller who's taking Sarah to brunch
10.  invitation to a very special dinner

With gratitude,
Sally

Trustworthy God

God has a plan for our lives.
God wants the best for us.
When we don't understand.
When we don't know what to do.
When we don't know what comes next.
We choose to trust God.

Because God is worthy of trust.

"My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
                                                     (Isaiah 55:8)

Day 33 - gifts from God:
1.  working with my hands
2.  Victor's yogurt swirl and surprise in the soup
3.  my brother Lee coming to the restaurant
4.  Ben having lunch with Lee, but both pitching in during unexpected lunch rush
5.  hugs from dear, faithful restaurant friends and their smiling faces on envelope
6.  three generation birthday celebration with especially lovely ladies
7.  another visit from Chicken-of-the-Sea folks from here and there
8.  encouraging Miss Kay
9.  the sweet spa ladies
10.  Margaret and John Victor coming home from mission to homeless

With gratitude,
Sally

Without Complaint

This passage from I Peter speaks to my heart right now.

"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

                                                                      (I Peter 4:8-10)

We all need to be covered in love.
True hospitality is without complaint.
We have received so many special gifts to put to work serving one another.

All this--the manifold grace of God.

Day 33 - gifts from God:
1.  mother with daughter home for a visit from Hawaii and Japan coming to lunch
2.  miracle flea pills
3.  tiny star cookies with red sprinkles
4.  banana blueberry smoothie
5.  low country boil in blue dish
6.  hearing compliments about Benjamin
7.  Miss Rachel missing us
8.  timely radio programs speaking straight to my needs
9.  pink crepe myrtle blossoms outside restaurant kitchen window
10.  lady with Monroeville roots coming to lunch

With gratitude,
Sally

But With God

Jesus said to His disciples (and He is saying it to us today):
"With people this is impossible,
but with God
all things are possible."

I need this encouragement from "The Upper Room" today:
Thought for the Day:  God makes the impossible possible.
Prayer:  Dear Lord, strengthen our trust in your power to help us work for you,
even when we feel overwhelmed.  Amen.

Day 32 - gifts from God:
1.  Rebekah bringing us a beautiful book of pictures from her wedding reception
2.  her sweet spirit
3.  hearing that Bobby and Betty are home
4.  serving a doctor and her nurses in their scrubs
5.  friends celebrating birthdays
6.  catching up with special friends after "long time no see"
7.  finally getting down to business
8.  blue glass dishes
9.  compassion in Margaret's voice as she tells about mission to homeless
10.  finishing a good book too late

With gratitude,
Sally

Entertaining Angels

  Our restaurant, our work, is based on Hebrews 13:2:

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it."

I realized today that it is in the showing hospitality,
in the entertaining angels, that we are blessed.
God speaks to us and cares for us, encourages and loves us
through the ones we serve.

Several of these angels had lunch with us today
and graced us with the goodness of God.

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful work you've given us
and for the angels you send our way.

Day 31 - gifts from God:
1.  finding out that our friend Faith was one of Daddy's ER nurses when the snake bit him
2.  dear Anne bringing me gifts:  sweet smelling pancake mix from Texas,
     an encouraging note that I'll keep and read again and again,
     and (this made me cry on the spot) money for a special "Sally treat"
3.  best of all, Anne brought the gifts of her lovely daughter and granddaughters
4.  Gwen, who has listened and loved and believed with me and given me hope
5.  Jan, who forgave us our debt and revealed Your forgiveness and grace
6.  celebrating birthdays with sparklers, songs, and signs
7.  friends who taught together getting together
8.  this wonderful computer
9.  safety in the vicinity of a shooting
10.  pretty paper pineapples

Love, Grace, Gifts. . . Overflowing. . .

With gratitude,
Sally
                                  
  

That I May Know Him

Today we get back to work after being at the beach on vacation for a whole week.

The devotion from "My Utmost For His Highest" for today
directs me to the real reason for my work:

"That I may know Him." Philippians 3:10

"The Holy Spirit is determined
that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life,
and He will bring us back to the same point again and again
until we do.
Self-realization leads to the enthronement of work;
whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work.
Whether it be eating or drinking or washing disciples' feet,
whatever it is,
we have to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it."

O Lord, I want to know You in my work today.

Day 30 - gifts from God:
1.  more than enough food to eat
2.  a beautiful home to live in
3.  rain turning everything green
4.  chilled watermelon soup
6.  Ben helping me shop
7.  two "least of these" ladies
8.  the way You speak to me
9.  the school supply aisle
10.  fresh mint growing by our front porch

With gratitude,
Sally

Even the Least

Matthew 25: 40

"The King will answer and say to them,
'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine,
even the least of them,
you did it to Me.'"

Lord, You sure are speaking to me about the least of these today.

Am I listening?

Day 29 - gifts from God:
1.  attending FUEL service as a family
2.  beautiful worship music
3.  praying for Margaret and John Victor and rest of M25 mission team
4.  Jose's humility and ability to speak the Truth in love
5.  watching the women's world cup game in the restaurant at lunch
6.  loading the church bus and sending the team off with prayer
7.  finding Mema all right in Progressive Care
8.  Benjamin pulling up a chair and holding Mema's hand
9.  the U.S. team winning in penalty shoot out
10.  sitting on the porch with Victor while it rained this afternoon

Lord, I do want to hear what You are saying to me.

With gratitude,
Sally

Home Sweet Home

After a week at the beach, we are so happy to be home.

Our vacation was wonderful and refreshing,
but it feels so good to be home.

And that's nice.

Day 28 - gifts from God:
1.  Little Darlin' and Sweetie Pie being so glad to see us
2.  Dante (our funny cat) keeping watch by the back door for us
3.  coming home to a beautifully clean house
4.  my dear husband who stayed up nights doing that cleaning for us
5.  candlelight shining through my blue bowl
6.  Joyce's find of a lovely Lennox Holiday candle holder at Goodwill
7.  clean clothes
8.  the tow truck guy fixing Daddy's car so it didn't have to be towed
9.  finding out about our soccer coach's secret skill
10.  spending a whole week with my Dad

With gratitude,
Sally

Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

"Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!"

If we rejoice in the Lord,
we can always rejoice.

Day 27 - gifts from God:
1. Walking in the rain
2. "When You Walk Through A Storm"
3. Heading out to meet the van
4. Suzie's 80th birthday party
5. Lunch at Dunham Farms
6. Delicious three course meal
7. Sitting across from Julie and hearing her toast her mother
8. Visiting with old friends
9. Huge Live Oak trees
10. Browsing through the bookstore

With gratitude,
Sally

Gifts

Day 26 - gifts from God:
1. Mother wearing skirt sitting in surf playing with her young boys
2. Idea of seasonal praise party
3. Planning to come to Tybee every month
4. Menu ideas
5. Cereal with fresh peaches and blueberries
6. Talking with Suzie about birthday party tomorrow
7. Swimming in the ocean with Margaret
8. Reading in beach chair beside John Victor reading in beach chair
9. Man putting his cell phone away long enough to play frisbee with his wife
10. Mint chocolate chip ice cream with milk

With gratitude,
Sally

The Vision and the Valley

From "My Utmost for His Highest"

Isaiah 35:7

"And the parched ground shall become a pool."

"We always have visions, before a thing is made real.
When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in us,
then is the time that Satan comes in with His temptations,
and we are apt to say it is no use to go on.
Instead of the vision becoming real,
there has come the valley of humiliation.
God gives us the vision,
then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision,
and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way.
Every vision will be made real if we will have patience."

Lord, I feel like I've been in the valley for a long time now.
I still have the vision.
Please help me to have the patience.

I believe You are making the vision real.
Thank you.

Day 25 - gifts from God:
1. A little while at the Tybee Island Public Library
2. Eating with Joe and Margaret and Ben at The Breakfast Club
3. The round, pink sun finally shining through the haze
4. My early morning walk on a quiet beach
5. Margaret's long, brown braids that remind me of Mama as a girl
6. Ben's enthusiasm for soccer
7. Seeing John Victor after ten days
8. Hearing his stories about the medical forum
9. Victor coming to Tybee
10. Watching Dad encourage my children

These are days of renewed vision
and I am deeply thankful.

With gratitude,
Sally

Commit Thy Way

Psalm 37:5

"Commit thy way unto the Lord;
trust also in Him;
and He shall bring it to pass."

Lord, help me to commit my way to You.
Help me to trust in You.
Help me to believe You shall bring it to pass.

Day 24 - gifts from God:
1. Waking and walking and talking with the Lord
2. Watching Dad begin his early morning run
3. Pelicans diving
4. Hearing JV describe his medical forum experiences over the cell phone
5. Andrew and Beth and friends coming to the beach for the day
6. Fitting a piece in the jigsaw puzzle
7. Finishing "The Sweetest Thing"
8. Having supper at the Crab Shack with Dad
9. Victor having me listen to hail hitting our foyer windows over the phone
10. The storm stopped while we were talking

Thank you for another wonderful day at the beach!

With gratitude,
Sally

Do Not Fret

Psalm 37:8

"Do not fret;
it leads only to evil doing."

Looking out at the ocean as far as I can see
helps me to not fret.

How good it is to be here, Lord,
with You at the beach.

Thank You.

Day 23 - gifts from God:
1. Driving to Hilton Head at dawn with Dad and Ben
2. Watching them run the Firecracker 5000 together
3. Finding a bench in the shade of an arbor
4. Crossing the bridge and looking back at Savannah at sunrise
5. The upstairs porch swing at Tybee
6. Ben running his fourth race with Joe
7. A midday nap in our room at the beach house
8. Sitting in a beach chair reading a good book feeling the breeze
9. Losing track of time
10. Joe's low country boil on the Fourth of July

With gratitude,
Sally

All My Heart

Psalm 111:1

"Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart!

Day 21 - gifts from God:
1. Watching fireworks on the beach with good friends and family
2. Ross grilling brats
3. Sweet fresh pineapple
4. Huge American flag flying from our lighthouse
5. Long Sunday morning walk on beach
6. Visiting with old friends on their porch
7. Time to talk with dear, good friend
8. Sand dollars
9. Talking around the supper table
10. Shining sea oats

With gratitude,
Sally

Be Glad In It!

This is the day the Lord has made!
Let us rejoice and
Be glad in it!

It's Tybee Time!
Let us rejoice and
Be glad in it!


Day 21 - gifts from God:
1. Being at Tybee with my dad
2. Watching Margaret and Ben play soccer against Team Vallarta
3. Having both vehicles serviced
4. Stopping at the bookstore and finding all my books
5. Bringing restaurant leftovers to the beach for supper
6. Sarah and Ross driving down for holiday weekend
7. Walking on beach after supper
8. Pretty pink sky behind our lighthouse
9. World Cup Soccer on TV for Ben
10. Writing this post on my dad's Ipad

With gratitude,
Sally

Praying Always

Colossians 1:3

"We give thanks to God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
praying always for you."

Day 20 - gifts from God:
1.  Joyce and James coming by on way home from hospital
2.  exceeding our high goal this week
3.  tomorrow we begin our first week of summer vacation
4.  fresh corn
5.  a fresh month
6.  my sister calling
7.  our town's walking trail
8.  Barbara (and Billy?) waving from kitchen window
9.  Rachel in her pajamas with her cup of coffee
10.  pink clouds at sunset

With gratitude,
Sally