All from a Baggie

What a THRILL to teach Children's Sunday school today! I have the miracles of Jesus all in a baggie, and each week a child chooses one out of the bag to be our lesson. So it is a surprise to me also. A fresh word from the Bible for the student/s and also for me! Today the healing of the Crippled Woman was chosen. Luke 13: 10-17. Fun as we walked around the room all humped over trying to imagine how awkward and sad it would be to have had that condition for 18 years, like the Bible says. Then I had cardboard people which we used to act out the miracle. We had a man figure that was JESUS, and a woman figure (which we bent over with our hands) to be the crippled woman. We took turns re-telling the miracle story. Amazing how the woman went to Church crippled and went home HEALED. We talked about how Jesus SAW her and called her forward. Most of the time when a teacher tells you "Come up here"....it is not for something good. But Jesus had something WONDERFUL planned for this woman. I love how Jesus spoke to her his intentions, and then touched her. So glad that JESUS is a touchy kind of God who does not stand back from us, but loves to touch us, love on us, let us know that HE is with us. Her reaction to His touch of healing, was to praise God. [There is a whole sermon in that statement alone!] I said: "Do you think everyone in the church was happy that this woman was healed and could stand up straight?" YES, was the reply. But then we read verse 14. Not everyone was happy! But when Jesus tells the man he should be ashamed of himself. Jesus had healed a person on the Sabbath which the Accuser had considered "work" on the sabbath. Jesus pointed out that he had untied his donkey that morning and led it out to water. Was THAT not work on the sabbath? A Donkey needing water and a woman needing the ability to stand straight were both needed today! AND all the people understood and left REJOICING. Sounds like that was one powerful Church service when Jesus was teaching, stopped and healed someone in need. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TONIGHT in our Church service, a lady was feeling terribly sick, and made it known to Pastor. He stopped, went back to her, Gentely touched her and prayed for her.........and she begin to feel FINE once again. Thank You Lord, that YOU STILL hear and answer prayer. That You Still minister to the needs of Your people. May we never be too involved in our lesson, our plan, our life.....to miss the needs of people...one precious soul at a time.

Unknown Protection!

On this wonderfully hot day in Florida, I decided to make a lunch of fresh fruit and took it out to my hubby who was putting shelves in our shed. We decided to take our lunch out to the chairs that overlooks a lovely pond behind our "house". Our dog, NOMAD, sat in his chair begging Ken for pieces of cantelope. A lovely Lunch by the water. Then I looked out and asked Ken if he thought THAT was a gator whose eyes were barely visable above the water level. Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between gator eyes and the huge turtle noses....but as we continued to look...his head lifted, his back came to the surface and his identity was WELL KNOWN. No more doubting. It was indeed a Gator. Little did our 15 pound, tail wagging dog know that without our presence and protection, he might be the target of a gator's lunch. Nomad had no idea that danger was just alittle way off. I could not help to thank my LORD for the zillion of times HE protects us and yet we have no idea we are even in danger! I am so very thankful for a God who cares about us! Thank you Lord for your care!

Sermon from my Cupboards!

This is not my first house to have the Fruit of the Spirit stenciled on my kitchen cupboards. I find it challenging, empowering and comforting to walk into my kitchen several times a day and to see the REMINDER of how God wants me to think and act on my kitchen cupboards. When we moved here, I thought I could do without it....but before long I found myself stenciling the familiar words to my cupboard doors.

I am a believer in Scripture and desire the Word of God to be around me and in me as much as possible. I need to be renewed in my mind on a regular basis so as not to return to my old pattern of thinking or acting. I am so thankful for the Word of God, that truly is life changing. His Word changed me and I have no desire to go back to where I used to think or act! In the photo you see some of my kitchen cupboards. "Gentleness" is found under the oven. The others are on the other side of the kitchen. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. -- Galatians 5:22-23 You can see the Fruit on my cupboards, but my prayer is that people can see them in my life!

What a Dream!

RARELY do I remember what I dream, but I STILL remember a short dream I had the other night!

Hubby and I were at a large deaf event, like Deaf Expo, although I am not sure what it was. We were walking around and chatting with deaf people when I noticed a newly converted DEAF FRIEND of mine enthusiastically going up to deaf people and signing: "Are you saved?"

If they signed back "Yes", she smiled and gave them a hug. If they signed: "NO, and get out of here.", she quietly left them to go to the next. BUT IF THEY SIGNED: "I don't know what SAVED means" or " I hope so"....she would gently take them by the hand and lead them to us.

Holding the person's hand (my dream only showed woman to woman), she came up to me and said: Would you please explain to her what SAVED means.

This happened over and over. All the time we were there, I noticed this deaf friend, going around as if THAT was the whole reason she came to this Deaf event.

I had come to meet Deaf people.
She had come to lead them to Christ.


Oh that Christ might make me more of a soul winner. Oh, that Christ, would stir up the Deaf people to reach other Deaf people for Jesus. Oh, that my dream will become more of a reality!

Good Friday

Since my children were babies, I have had my idea of the PERFECT WAY to spend GOOD FRIDAY afternoon.

[Now, I rarely get to truly spend it this way, but my heart does every year.]

When the children were tiny, I would gather them into the living room, we would turn off most of the lights, the TV and all sound. And from 1:00 until 3:00, we would sit in silence, sing, or read the Bible.

[When life got busier and they didn't want to comply with my ideas of silence,.....I started to only celebrate this way in my heart.]

There is something so precious and holy to ME about Good Friday. I have felt this more strongly as I age and have experienced grief over the death of loved ones and friends. I have been with people when their child died, or their spouse died and the loss and grief cannot be described. I can only imagine how Mary felt watching her precious, oldest son, being tortured and hung publicly on that cross of shame. I can only imagine the confusion in the minds of the disciples and other followers, who did not understand why a GOOD man like Jesus, had to die. Many people thought their hopes and dreams ended during the time of the Crucifixion.

I don't know what you plan to do today from 1:00 - 3:00, and I don't know what I will actually be doing either.....but my heart will go to a dark room and be EVER GRATFUL that He hung on that cross, shed His blood.....for ME!

Another special GOOD FRIDAY happened in Watson Bible Chapel, several years ago. A group of us marched in to Service that day with black flags and we waved them in different formations to depict the song: Via Dialosa. THAT was a spiritually powerful experience for me that I have never forgotten.

Whatever your body does this afternoon.....silence your heart, and bow your knee.

And Remember: Sunday is coming!

Stop! Are You Kidding, Lord?

I LOVE IT when God talks to me....directly....personally....to ME! Doesn't happen as often as I would like....but I am sure the reason is ME, not HIM.

Today I was furiously making some things I had felt would be wonderfully meaningful and would add to our special service Sunday which will be about the MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB. I was in my element as I was cutting, twirling, beading and gluing what I THOUGHT was a special project.

Today as CLEAR as could be, God told me to STOP! Now I am sure you can picture this in your mind....as I quickly turned my eyes to Heaven, and said, "Surely that wasn't YOU!" I explained to Him that this would be a great project....loaded with gospel meaning and added to the topic of Sunday. God again spoke very clearly....."NO, I want you to stop that project."

I didn't ask Him, Why? I just put them down and left the project area.


NOW I MUST SAY....I have not put the project pieces away....JUST IN CASE HE SAYS: "I was just kidding!" or "You can resume them now."

I did remind Him, 'that my schedule if pretty busy this week, and my time for this project is limited. So if He is just wanting me to rest from the project NOW or TODAY, then keep in mind that my time is limited.'

I am sure God gets a kick out of hearing me talk back to Him.

I DO LOVE to hear His voice, and in all truth I will gladly continue to lay down the project even though I don't understand HIS reasoning. I do trust HIM and will obey His voice.

I Want to be Drunk!

I hope you didn't wonder for over a second that I would fall away from my love for my Lord. I posed for this picture, as I was appalled when a local Restaurant served me ROOT BEER in this brown bottle. Ken said I turned all red and quickly asked for a glass. Then after he had a good laugh at my embarrassment, he had me pose for this picture!

I am so thankful that I never walked the walk of alcohol, for I know it is a very difficult addiction (or habit) to control or stop. Alcohol changes the thinking, reacting, speech, and attitudes of people. Total families have been effected by the drinking of one family member.

SO should a relationship with Jesus change our thoughts, our reactions, responses, our choice of words, attitudes, and family relationships! I long to be Drunk with the Holy Spirit of God. I want Bonnie to be empty of herself, and filled with the Holy spirit. I want to be moved and motivated by the Holy Spirit. I want my words to reflect my love for Him. I want to think, act and talk differently than those who do not honor Jesus with their heart.


The Bible says: "Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18)