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Happy Valentines Day Mom!

Happy Valentines Day Mom!

missingSix-year-old Jimmy was so excited to go shopping with his dad for a Valentine gift for his mother. After picking the right card telling her how much they loved her, they headed for the candy store. Jimmy and his dad found a beautiful heart-shaped box with bows, ribbon and lace on top, and one pound of his mother’s favorite chocolates.

As they headed home, they discussed where to hide the gift until tomorrow morning. Jimmy ask if he could keep it in his room under the bed, and dad agreed. Jimmy could hardly wait for the next day to surprise her. After all, she loved chocolates.

The next morning after breakfast Jimmy and his dad presented her with their lovely Valentine gift. Excitedly she opened the box and realized one piece of candy was missing from the center.

Noticing an elegant gold label written in calligraphy which said, “Packed especially for you by Selina.” Still confused about the missing chocolate, Jimmy mother turned the paper over her saw a hand-printed message saying, “ tested by Jimmy!”

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I love shoe sale’s, How about you?

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Reflections:


forrest-gump-suitcase-bench-tom-hanksMama always said:
“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” Forest Gump

I always love Valentine’s Day, especially the chocolate, I think Chocolate makes everything better, don’t you? Have you ever noticed when you are feeling a little off, depressed, or just plain grumpy, chocolate helps immediately. Even if I’m feeling fat, Chocolate helps. Lol, What is that?

I remembered many years ago; I tried to wean myself of a secret chocolate habit. Attempting to be firm I would self-talk listing all the pro’s and cons of learning to control my sweet tooth. However once in a while, I would secretly make a whole recipe of fudge just for me, eating the entire batch out of the pot. It would never get to the pan and have time to set.

My husband would drive me crazy; he could have one piece of chocolate at a time and save the rest for weeks. While I would eat mine at one setting, and then want him to share with me.

Now after all these years he often brings us home some chocolate bars in a bag of groceries, and we both sit down and enjoy them. No guilt, no worries, just pure enjoyment of a special moment together.

When I look back I think that quote is right, Life is like a box of chocolates, and we never know what you’re going to get.

We hit times of crises, and circumstances we don’t understand, that seems to be the world we live in these days. But through these time, we can stand firm knowing that we have a God, who loves, cares and protects us from the storms we face. I read this quote the other day that puts everything in perspective for me it says:

“We can endure life’s wrongs because we know that God will make all things right.”

What a relief, He is in Control!

We Win!

Lovingly, Karan

Thank you, dear friends for spending your time with me, Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day Sunday. Hugs to all

Remember I’ll Love You forever?

Remember I’ll Love You Forever?

One Letter Makes A Difference

man4An Illinois man left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick email.

Unfortunately, when typing her address, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher’s wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:

Dearest Wife Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. P.S. Sure is hot down here. Author unknown

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Reflections From Karan:

Have you ever wondered why men and women are so different in taking and giving directions?

If a man gives directions, it goes like this; Go three miles, turn left, go seven miles, turn right, then go a quarter of a mile and you will see it on your right, you can’t miss it! Now I am blonde, and a creative thinker is there a three-mile sign, how will I know? With these directions I could end up in someone’s cow pasture, never to be seen again.

I drive by landmarks, go to Wal-mart, turn left, go down to the Tasty Freeze, and turn right. Drive to Hollywood Video, turn into parking lot, the place is right next to the shoe store that is having a huge sale, 70% off. You can’t miss it. (Now that is my kind of directions)

Thankfully, we decided to get a GPS for the car, saves Lyle and I a lot of time, him from driving all over the country trying to find an address, and me from getting lost. However, in my creative moments, I have been known, to second guess the GPS system, and go a different way because it didn’t look right to me. Only to get lost, have the satellite locate and get me back on track.

It gives me great security and peace in my life to know that I am never off of God’s GPS system. He always knows where I am, and even if I wander off, he has his eye on me. The Bible says:

Psalm 139:1-6 A Psalm of David

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.

4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.

5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

His loving care sustains, guides, and protects me; I just need to follow his directions. ©

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me today. Wishing you a wonderful Valentines day next week.

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You are Loved! Hugs

Lovingly, Karan

Dream Big ~ Exercising is Fun, don’t you Think??

couple at the beach Exercising is Fun, don’t you Think??

A retired couple decided that they should walk two miles a day to stay in shape.

They chose to walk a mile down the beach so they would have no choice but to walk back.

At the one-mile mark on their first venture, the man asked his wife, “Do you think you can make it back all right, or are you too tired?”

“Oh, no,” she said. “I’m not tired. I can make it fine.”

“Good,” he replied. “I’ll wait here. You go back, get the car and come get me.”

 

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“What does Encouragement mean to you?”

Johann W. Von Goethe once said,” Instruction does much, but encouragement is everything.”

Many times a kind word of encouragement, a smile or a simple touch can lift a heart out of sadness, grief, exhaustion or despair. An act of kindness encouraging others lets them know we care about them, and they are not alone. It also gives us the opportunity to show God’s love as we touch the lives of others. Encouragement gives me hope and determination to keep moving forward when life is tough, and I become weary of the struggles.

A while back I found myself in a place of discouragement. Wondering if the goals and dreams God had placed in my heart were achievable anymore. The way forward seemed so complicated and challenging, and I wasn’t sure I had the enough energy to finish. You know those moments when doubts sneak in and steal your confidence and joy, replacing it with worry and fear.

One morning as I was reading my Bible and praying I asked God to encourage my soul with his love, compassion and guidance. Asking Him to give me a new perspective and passion for the task He had given me. I had become tired. And His promises and love lessons come just in time. I received emails that afternoon of encouragement and confirmation that God is not finished with the dreams and goals He has placed in my heart. God is never late.

I know life can be tough, and the struggles of life can be harsh. But, with God’s encouragement we can remember His promises and rely on Him. The journey will be brighter for us and others as we stand together building each other up with encouragement and care

 

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What do encouraging words mean to you? How have you been encouraged lately?

Thank you, dear friends for spending your time with me, Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs to all.

Have a great week, HUGS

Lovingly, Karan

I Know Just What You Need!

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I Know Just What You Need!

It was one of the worst days of my life; the washing machine broke down, the telephone kept ringing, my head ached, and the mail carrier brought a bill I had no money to pay.

Almost to the breaking point, I lifted my one-year-old into his high chair, I leaned my head against the tray and began to cry.

Without a word, my son took his pacifier out of his mouth and stuck it into mine

 

 

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What Am I Thankful For?

Am I thankful? When God does not answer prayers as I have hoped, and circumstances have left me broken and vulnerable, do I see the hand of God’s wisdom? When the people I love are hurting and going through unimaginable trials, can I still cry out to a God who says He loves me and believe Him? Where can I find a thankful heart?

I always thought as I aged that somehow I would know all the answers to life. However the more I matured I realized I have more questions than answers. Surely I have learned something along the way, or have I forgotten?

The awareness of having a personal relationship with God has given me a great peace in my life. Through the highs and lows, disappointments and joys, sickness and deaths, I have found God a trustworthy and loyal friend. Holding me up, calming my heart, and giving me the confidence to keep moving forward, even when I felt numb.

Some days I must confess that I would rather sit in a closet with a large bag on my head. But in those times He gently reminds me that He is the same today as He was yesterday. The same God, who calmed the storms on the Sea of Galilee and healed the sick so many years ago, lives today. He would die on a cross and then rise again to life a living God. He is the same God I rely on today who calms the storms of my life and gives me peace. He is everything I need.

Because I know the creator of life personally and trust Him, I can choose to be thankful even when I do not feel like it. I have a God, who holds my life and my loved ones in His hands. I think He is better at handling the details of my life, don’t you agree?

When I look back on the life that I have been given, my family, friends, and ministry, how can I not be thankful? I am blessed with God’s incredible protection, love, and forgiveness. Today, I choose you Lord, and desire to be thankful because of who you are, not my circumstances. I love you, Lord.©

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Happy Thanksgiving America, Have a great week!

Lovingly, Karan

What are you Thankful for today? I would love to hear from you.

“Those WHY questions.”

Do You Remember 1950?

These statements made me laugh; ahh those were the days:

1. Pin-up-young-woman-in-vintage-73665439 “I’ll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a weeks groceries for $20.00.”

2. “Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won’t be long when $5000 will only buy a used one.”

3. “If cigarettes keep going up in price, I’m going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.”

4. “Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?”

5. “If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.”

6. “When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.”

7. “Kids today are impossible. Those ducktail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls,”

8. “I’m afraid to send my kids to the movies anymore. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying damn in “Gone With The Wind,” it seems every new movie has either Hell or damn in it.”

9. “I read the other day where some scientist thinks it’s possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas.”

10.”Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn’t surprise me if someday that they will be making more than the President.”

11. “I never thought I’d see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.”

12.”I’m just afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.”

13.”Thank goodness, I won’t live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to Congress.”

14.”The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.”

15.”There is no sense going away any more for a weekend. It costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.”

16. “No one can afford to be sick any more; $35.00 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood.”

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“Those WHY questions.”

When I talk, hear, and see many of you, I am constantly aware that the world we live in is very demanding. With those extra demands in our homes, with our children, and the social and work obligations in our lives, we have a lot of stress. We need to find a way to de-stress and find strength and calm in the midst of the chaos.

I love that verse in the Bible that says, “For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” (Philippians 4:13, NLB)

It gives me great comfort to know that God’s telephone line is never busy. He will never put me on hold, and He does not have an answering service or voice mail. He takes all my calls quickly and personally.

There had been times in my life when he has not answered me right away, and sometimes he has even said no. I also recognize there will be times in my life when I will never know all the answers. Those are the WHY questions, the one’s I don’t understand. And there seems to be a lot of them these last few years.

Can I love him and trust him enough to accept the answers He gives me?

God does not always answer yes,
to every prayer I pray.
Sometimes He answers “No my Child,”
I have a better way.

Thank you for sharing your time with me today, dear friend. If you find and inspiration, love or laughter here, please share with the ones who might enjoy a giggle too.

Have a Great week, HUGS

Lovingly, Karan