Eat Cake

Dear Friend:

Think of your favorite frosting on a cake. Frosting you crave! As you are thinking about it your mouth should be watering and you want some. Hmmm Good!
As you think about that let me tell you a funny thing happened to me in the grocery store today. I was standing in line and got to talking to this lady. She told me about her daughter and how she has had some hard times in life recently. The advice she gives her is “life is like a cake, the outside of the cake is the frosting which represents the earth and everything in all creation and sometimes that frosting is so good that we just eat that and forget about the cake. We sometimes don’t get to the cake which is God. We need to remember the cake is always there for us and won’t go away so take the time to eat the cake too!”

The Israelite had hard times in their lives especially when they were in slavery in Egypt. But this was their lament. Psalm 18:6 in my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
Through experience the Jews knew the struggles of life, but they also knew in distress that if they called up the Lord he would hear. Do you have that same assurance?

Look past the frosting of the earth and all it offers and remember the cake the middle the solid part. Don’t forget to “EAT CAKE” with the frosting.

LET’S PRAY: In my distress (list that distress) I call upon you Lord; to you I cry for help. From your temple you will hear my voice, and my cry and it will reach your ears. Thank you Father. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Eating the frosting and the cake,
Elaine

Sleepless Nights

Dear Friend:

A man has two sons and the younger son wants his share of the estate and the Dad gives it to him. The son goes off and wastes all the money. He was eating, drinking and being merry. Out of desperation he takes a hard labor job. As he works hard labor and is treated like a slave with not much generous compensation he begins to remember that his Dad, a businessman, treated all his employees with much more care. He treated every worker no matter where they were in the company with dignity and respect. His frustration gets him to think I can suck it up and go back to Dad and say “I am not worthy to be your son, but I am willing to work for you.”
The Dad all this time has been having sleepless nights filled with terror over his son’s absence. What is he up to, is he even alive? He waited and waited for what seemed like eternity to hear from his son. He did decide that he would not run after his son and force him home. He wanted him to come of his own free will.
The day comes when the son is walking up to the company and the Dad looks out the window and sees him coming. The Dad runs to the elevator and goes down and runs to the son and embraces and kisses him. The son can’t believe it! He still chooses to say “Dad I am not worthy to be your son, but will come and work for you.” The Dad realizes he really has had a heart change gets on his cell phone and calls someone to come bring him new clothes, orders some food and proceeds to throw a party that day. The Dad announces to all the employees “my son was lost but now is found; I thought he was dead but he is alive.”

The joy of a Dad seeing his son alive is so great and he chooses to give him GRACE. That means the son did not deserve anything but he chooses to give him everything and no strings attached.

Here are some questions to ask yourself from this story.
Where were all the sons’ friends he met along the way? Did they take advantage of him and then they saw the money ran out and abandoned him? Why did the Dad give him the money in the first place? Should the Dad have taken him back so easily and with a great homecoming?

This is a modern rewrite of the story “The Prodigal Son.” Did you know prodigal means wasteful? The wasteful son received grace from his Dad. At what moment in our lives did we finally stop running away from God and turn and run into his arms. I’m sure the son had “SLEEPLESS NIGHTS.” We ask God to forgive us and then have a heart ready to serve him.

Are you running into the arms of God today or running away? What is the Father’s response? IT IS ALWAYS FULL OF LOVE, COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS, MERCY AND GIVING.

LET’S PRAY: Father in heaven I want to walk with you and not run from you. Thank you for always being there for me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Refreshed from a good night of sleep,
Elaine

Get It?

Dear Friend:

I was reading on my bottle of daily hydrating, exfoliating mask called “WHEN HOPE IS NOT ENOUGH*”
Philosophy*: how we treat our skin is how we should treat others. Compassion, gentleness, kindness, consistency, efficacy and care go a long way in helping us reach our goals in an ever changing world.

Wow! What does Jesus have to say about hope? I always say hope stands for HE OFFERS PEACE ETERNALLY.
Here is something to really read this morning that truly is from God:
Romans 5:3-5 but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, HOPE. And HOPE does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, when he has given us.

Pray: Jesus thank you for being my hope and giving me a heart by the Holy Spirit. Help me to love and care for others today so that it may change the world for you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

There is hope! I leave you with the words of the label, how we treat our skin is how we should treat others. GET IT?

Hopeful,

Elaine

For You

Dear Friend:

Quick note for today. Romans 8:31-32
• 31.What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32.He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
God gave up his son FOR YOU. That means God is available for you 24/7 without a doubt. He cares and wants to be part of your day. Let HIM in.

Pray: Father in heaven “help I need you.” I am sorry I didn’t call on you sooner. I thank you for caring. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Being still,
Elaine