New friends; the Locust praising God

Don and I had our first experience with Thai food today.  Precious Jade and Lucius (center) invited us to join them at Thai Thai Restaurant here in Branson.  PJ is a singer/song writer and as a hobby, started making buttons, which turned into a way for her to make money for ministries.  She gave me “Jesus Loves U but I’m His Favorite.”  Cute.

After lunch, we drove through Stormy Point, a community fashioned after Cape Cod.  It is communities such as this where CRM chaplains are getting permission to conduct Bible Studies during the week at their clubhouses.

This evening, Mark and Jen invited us to drive out to Reed Springs to see a forty-six acre property that they are going to get and use in ministry for at-risk children.  As we were driving, the sky was very red as the sun was setting.

Isn't this amazing?! And the crazy thing is, I took this picture from the truck, through the windshield, and God allowed me to catch this shot with those trees in the frame. Going 50 mph, there's no time to see a picture like this and then take it. After I clicked the sunset is when I saw the tree that semi-framed this gorgeous sunset. That's God and His gift to me today and I couldn't wait to share it.

Mark, Jen, Jacob and Dustin are very excited about the future for this property.  Jacob and Dustin can hardly wait to explore every inch of it.We prayed with this dedicated family, for them and for the work that God has given them to do here.  We’re expecting exciting things to happen here.  

I have to share with you this moment:  As we stood in a circle and begin to pray God’s blessing over this 46 acres and the family about to embark on a ministry here, the locust in a nearby oak tree begin to “sing” in a resounding chorus in agreement with us.  In the middle of our prayer, I giggled.  It was just too awesome to hear.

DAILY VERSE
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:21

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DAILY QUOTE
Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; Where your treasure is, there is your heart; Where your heart is, there is your happiness. - Augustine

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DAILY THOUGHT

Could it be that so many in our modern culture are unhappy because they have mistaken fleeting pleasures for a deep abiding joy, and in so doing, have treasured unworthy ends? C. S. Lewis probed this thought when he said: "Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
Do you have acquaintances, friends, and family members whom you have watched exchange immediate pleasure and instant gratification in the place of true happiness? Have you stumbled into this trap yourself? All of us need a spiritual checkup from time to time to make sure our hearts and our desires are in line with God's will for our lives. Where do you find your pleasure? What do you consider your treasure? Have you given your heart to something of infinite worth?
O God, my pleasure is in you. I give You my heart. I treasure my relationship with You! Amen.

You can’t take it with you, but you can certainly send it on ahead. – Randy Alcorn