"Trey Tuesday" - March 31, 2015

Holy Week/Busy Week

The days before Easter are typically packed with feverish activity preparing our families and homes for our Easter celebrations!  There are baskets to fill, eggs to dye, and bonnets to buy!  :)

Take a peek into the life of Jesus during Holy Week:  He performed miracles, bestowed blessings and curses, taught, prayed, counseled, washed feet, and went to trial.  He must have been physically and emotionally exhausted long before his gruesome crucifixion!   Listen closely to how Jesus handles the stress:

"Haven't you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, 'You have taught children and infants to give you praise.'"  Matthew 21:16 

 Four verses before this, Jesus had just turned over the temple tables due to the temple activity in the name of profit.  Jesus stops it all to remind us that we are to praise God.....like children!  What an antidote for greed!  God doesn't need our grand Pinterest-style Easter decorations!  He wants our child-like faith to reach out and worship Him!  :) 

 

 A few verses later, Jesus simplifies it again for us:

"If you believe"  Matthew 21:22 

Trey's awesome example of pure child-like faith is an inspiration to us every day.  Remember the purely innocent photos and videos of Trey living out loud, praising, loving and believing.  This Easter week can the same be said of you?

"Trey Tuesday" - March 24, 2015

Jelly Beans, Peeps and Cadbury Eggs

Sweet treats!  :)

Are they a childhood memory of your past?

A guilty pleasure of your present?

Or a post-Lenten indulgence of your future?

The word "treat" implies it is not a daily staple.  A treat is something special enjoyed on a designated occasion, a reward or a change from the ordinary.

Easter Week is quickly approaching!  It is the best kind of sweet treat ever!

Spend some time in the upcoming days savoring the work of Jesus:

This Sunday is Palm Sunday - Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey past the people waving palm branches while shouting, "Hosanna!"  ("Save us!")  Matthew 21:1-11

Holy Thursday - Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples - The very First Communion Luke 22:7-38

Good Friday - Jesus' greatest act of love, sacrificed on the cross, making peace between God and all mankind once and for all - literally Mark 15:21-41

Easter Sunday - Hallelujah!  Jesus is Risen - just as He said!  :)  Matthew 28:1-10

One of Trey's favorite treats (he had many!) was a bag of fruit gummies from Grandma's house.  He counted on his treat, he relied on getting his treat and he savored his treat!  May the message of Easter be a gift for you to count on, rely on and savor - not just as a once a year treat, but for every day of your life!  :)

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."  Psalm 34:8

"Trey Tuesday" - March 17, 2015

Luck of the Irish

Whether we wear green this St. Patrick's Day by heritage or just for fun, we all enjoy a holiday to eat special food, dance a jig and kiss a Blarney stone! (?)  Someone may even wish you the "Luck of the Irish."  Leprechauns revealing pots of gold sound pretty good to me.  Don't you wish we could have the Luck of the Irish every day?

Good News!  You can have something even better!

"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you;
in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17 

God is with you.  Jesus saves you.  God takes delight in you.  God will no longer rebuke you.  God will rejoice over you with singing.There's a 100% chance God's Word is true! 

That's better than luck any day!  :)

So go ahead - dance a jig!  (you could even do Trey's butter dance!)  <3

Whatever it looks like, celebrate God's delight in you everyday!  :) 

"The LORD your God is with you...He will take great delight in you...He will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

"Trey Tuesday" - March 10, 2015

This very precious and oh so timely "Trey Tuesday" brought to you by Jay Mitlo!  :)

Joe's Pot Hole Repair Inc.
http://jaymitlo.com/joes-pot-hole-repair-inc/

"Trey Tuesday" - March 3, 2015

Celebrate!

Celebrate more snow and ice?

Or Dr. Seuss?

Or white and gold and black and blue?

Or tax season?

Or March Madness?

Celebrate...really!?!?!  Sure!  We can celebrate all those wonderful happenings!

But what about more snow and ice?

And world conflicts, debt, disease, grief and injustice?
And other times when we don't feel like celebrating?
Life is short....Celebrate anyway!  :)

We need to celebrate in spite of the troubles we face!
"In this world you will have trouble" we are reminded in John 16.

Yes, we will have trouble.  That is a given.

But....back up that verse...it begins with:
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace."

Peace!  God doesn't intend for you to suffer and struggle on your own!
With Him, we can experience His peace!
And then that verse ends with:
"But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Regardless of the trouble, God ultimately wins!

God's Peace and Victory certainly are worthy of celebrating every day!

"Everyone will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness."  Psalm 145:7

"Trey Tuesday" - February 24, 2015

Jennifer Hudson vs. Frozen

Of all the breathtaking music performed at the Oscars on Sunday night, it wasn't Lady Gaga's timeless rendition of The Sound of Music that brought me to tears.  And I did not join the audience weeping at the Academy award winning, "Glory." No, it was Jennifer Hudson's heart wrenching song that opened the floodgates....

"I Can't Let Go" she sang.  "I Can't Let Go"
Trey.  I can't let go.  I can't let go of him.
And at that very moment I remembered a sweet little voice singing at the top of his lungs,  "Let It Go!"  "Let It Go!"

The tears turned to a smile.
Innocently and joyfully singing and trusting, never ever knowing anything about the cancer growing inside him, Trey would sing out loud, "Let It Go...."

It took my breath away! 
Do I have such trust in what I do not know?  What I do not see?  What I do not understand?
Once again our Young Warrior teaches me a lesson!  :)

Yes, "I Can't Let Go" of trusting God's promises!
And yes, I must entrust my life, my agenda, my past, my present and my future..."Let It Go"...and leave it with our Lord and Savior!  :)
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  Hebrews 12:1-3

"Trey Tuesday" - February 17, 2015

Footprints in the Snow

We can't get our toes to the beach yet to find Footprints in the Sand, but God has provided a beautiful illustration right outside my kitchen window this week....

Footprints in the Snow.

We have a bird feeder visited by many types of birds.  Each one of them, from the large pileated woodpecker to the teeny tiny house wren, nibbles away at the seed in the feeder, swooping in and away with their treasures.  Sometimes seed bits drop and we have a different sampling of birds feasting from the ground.

When all is said and done, the footprints in the snow are amazing!  These little birds, weighing ounces (or portions of one ounce!), collectively manage to flatten snow mounds to get their treats with their continual and persistent activity!  Despite the cold and the wind, the birds make progress.

How are you doing this season?  Making progress despite the harsh conditions of your life?  Are you using your little footprint to work together to make a big difference in someone else's life?

Trey's smile, laughter and charm certainly left little footprints in each of our lives.

Let's do the same wherever we are!  :)

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:16