Today

By Kay Heitsch

SMILE, it will make you look better. PRAY it will keep you strong. LOVE it will help you enjoy life more. ~ Enjoy Each Day Quotes ~

Our grandson Eli got his first cell phone last week. He's been sending me a "Good Morning" before he starts his day. This makes me smile. So I send him a text back telling him good morning, and I'm sending prayers and love his way.

Smiling, praying, and loving will undoubtedly help us enjoy life more. But, if we wait to be happy until all our circumstances are just the way we like them, we will be waiting to enjoy life for a long time.

Our Bible verse says, "This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 NASB

This is the day, not tomorrow or next week. Today is the day the LORD has made. So let's all rejoice and be glad in it!

SMILE, it will make you look better. PRAY it will keep you strong. LOVE it will help you enjoy life more.

The Power Of A Moment

By Kay Heitsch

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you'll look back and realize they were the big things. ~ Little Moments We Remember Quotes

There is power in a moment! For instance, I will never forget walking into our youngest son Brandon and Veronica's home and Brandon handing me baby Gus. It was a little thing, but it's a moment I will never forget.

It's the little moments in life that we seem to remember. We may not remember the whole day, but we sure remember a moment some little thing happened.

Our Bible verse says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10 GNT

The thief does come to try to steal, kill, and destroy our lives, but Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly.

Enjoy the little things in life. Then, one day, you'll look back and realize they were the big things.

The Big Game

By Kay Heitsch

Tonight is the big game between Dover and New Philadelphia, Ohio. I remember the game well when the Dover Seniors dedicated the game to Todd. It was a special night.

I don't believe that year the Dover team was supposed to win, but can I tell you they did! It was an exciting game!

A few days after the game, a group of football players came to the house and gave me the game ball. I will always treasure this ball. I still have it on display. I have to say, thanks for the memories!

After all these years, I have very special feelings for this game. But since I have friends who live in Dover and NP, I hope the game ends in a tie.

P.S. The game did end in a tie! It went into overtime and NP won by one point!

Noah

By Kay Heitsch

When our first grandchild, Noah, was born, we didn't know what to expect. We thought he would be healthy and developed like most babies. Unfortunately, however, that was not the case.

Noah had a lot of health problems from the very beginning. As a result, he had several labels put on him, one being failure to thrive.

We take a lot for granted when we have children, one being their eating ability. Unfortunately, Noah wasn't able to suck like most babies. While in the hospital, a feeding tube had to be put in. As much as this was needed, it broke our hearts to see what all Noah and our children went through.

One day I was in the grocery store. A young mother was walking by with her newborn baby. The baby started to fuss a little. Then, in a disgusted voice, the mother looked at me and commented that now she had to feed the baby again. I knew she was taking feeding her baby as an inconvenience and not something to be thankful for.

I was kind, but I shared with her what Noah was going through. I said, "You have no idea how thankful my daughter would be to feed Noah like you're able to."

Noah is unique and has come a long way. I'm thankful he can do things today that I didn't know he would ever be strong enough to do.

Today, let's take some time to think about things we often take for granted and be thankful.

What Took You So Long?

By Kay Heitsch

Talk to God. He loves to hear from you throughout the day. ~ Reach Out To God Quotes ~

I remember the first time I called out to God in earnest. I was in distress! I needed God to help me. I had tried everything I knew, but now I was at the end of myself.

What I heard surprised me! I don't know what I was expecting, but God answered me with these words, "What took you so long? I've been here all along."

Our Bible verse says, "In my distress, I called to the LORD, and He answered me." Psalm 120:1 ESV

I relate to this verse. I sincerely called to the LORD in my distress. And much to my surprise, He answered me.

God was there all along, but I hadn't sincerely called to Him. It took being in distress to call. Don't wait like I did until you're in distress to pray.

Talk to God. He loves to hear from you throughout the day.

A Perfect Excuse

By Kay Heitsch

The phone rang; a woman asked if I would come and share my testimony about the death of our son Todd with a women's group at her church. This would be an intimate setting in the lady's lounge.

I had shared my testimony once a couple weeks before. I only did that because an old friend had been bugging me for months to come and share. I am not a public speaker, and talking about the death of our son, Todd, in a car accident was not something I had ever thought about doing.

Honestly, when that night was over, I thought I would never be asked to talk about this tragedy again, even though I knew the Lord had brought a lot of good out of Todd's untimely death.

However, now I was on the phone with someone I did not know, asking me to share my testimony again. I wasn't sure what to say until I was told the date this women's group wanted me to come over.

Todd died in a car accident on February 6th. That said, February 6th can be an emotional day for me, so when this caller requested I come over in the evening on February 5th, I hesitated! I knew I would be feeling more emotional than usual. I certainly didn't want to cry in a group of women I didn't even know.

Then it hit me; I had told the Lord I would be available to do whatever He wanted me to do. So I could see I had a perfect excuse to get out of this, but somehow I knew I was supposed to accept the invitation.

I did share my testimony on February 5th with this lady's group even though I had a perfect excuse not to. It was a memorable evening. I felt their love and became close friends with many women in that church. In fact, I'm still friends with many of them today.

When The Time Is Right

By Kay Heitsch

If you have ever had to sell your house, you will understand that keeping it clean and ready to show anytime isn't easy. Unfortunately, I've had to do this several times over the years. One time our house was on the market for over a year.

During this year, many things were happening. My husband, Bill, had started a new job an hour and a half away from home. As a result, we were able to help a homeless mission there. Our daughter, Shannon, was a senior in high school, and she was able to graduate.

During this year, my friend, Ruth Ann, asked me to help her with a teen group at church. We had a lot of fun working with the kids. However, I knew I would, at some point, be moving on. That being so, Ruth Ann and I wanted the church to hire a youth minister. However, not everyone agreed with spending the money to hire a new staff person.

Ruth Ann had clarified to the pastor that we would not be attending business meetings. However, one evening Ruth Ann and I participated in a business meeting to discuss and vote on hiring a youth minister.

I don't know who invited a youth minister from another church, but he was at this business meeting. I was happy to see him. He sat quietly listening until he seemed to sense some tension in the room. Then, suddenly, he spoke up and asked everyone to get in a circle and hold hands. Everyone did as he asked, and he prayed. After his prayer, a vote to hire a youth minister was approved.

I was overwhelmed with joy! I stood up and said, "Well, now I believe my work here is done, and our house will sell! Then I added, but not tomorrow Lord because we're taking the teens to Geauga Lake." I was shocked I was being so outspoken, but the words were out!

Bright and early, the morning after we went to Geauga Lake, I was in bed when the phone rang. Paula, our realtor, was on the phone and asked if she could bring some people over to see the house immediately.

I scrambled my sunburned body out of bed. What's funny is I didn't have time to get everything perfect as I always tried to do. But it was the right time, and these people bought our home.

Our timing isn't always God's timing, but He will make it happen when the right time comes.

I Trust You

By Kay Heitsch

God, I have no idea where you are taking me, but I trust You. ~ Trust In The Lord Quotes

I distinctly remember saying these words right after I gave my life to the LORD. I told Bill I didn't know what God would do or where He would take me. But I knew He would bring something positive out of Todd's death, and I was available if He wanted to use me.

I have been amazed at what God has done! He has taken the tragedy of Todd's death and brought many positive things. I have been blessed and so have many others.

This Bible verse is on a plaque on the wall right behind me as I write. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3: 5&6.

This has been true in my life. I have trusted the LORD with all of my heart. But, of course, sometimes I haven't understood what He's asked me to do. But I have tried to seek His will in all I do, and He has shown me what path to take.

I highly recommend living life trusting God. He'll show You how to live your best life. Trust Him!

God, I have no idea where you are taking me, but I trust You.

Can't You See Him Smile?

By Kay Heitsch

I try to walk on the treadmill every day. I keep my old cell phone there to listen to music when walking.

I was on YouTube yesterday, and an old Amy Grant song came up. I hadn't heard her music in a long time. Her song, "In A Little While," came up. These words stuck out to me, In a little while, we'll be with the Father; Can't you see Him smile? In a little while, we'll be home forever. We're just here to learn to love Him.

How we view, our heavenly Father makes all the difference. If we see Him as a loving Father who cares about every aspect of our lives, we see Him as smiling. So every day, we will be learning to love Him more.

After all this, the earth is not our Home. (Hebrews 13:14) We will be Home forever with our Father in a little while. Can't you see Him smile? I can!

Meaning In Life

By Kay Heitsch

This past weekend was the baptism of our youngest grandson, Gustave Jozef. Before the baptism, a mass was held. Since we aren't Catholic, this was our first mass. That being said, I found the message the priest gave very interesting and, in my opinion, right on point.

In the message, he brought up ways that give life meaning. Of course, our relationship to the LORD is most important, but I liked how he pointed out that finding your purpose in life means getting yourself off your mind and thinking about others.

He is so right! If we want to have real meaning in life and know our purpose for being here, we need to get ourselves off our minds and think about caring for others. Having this mindset will bring us happiness and fulfillment.

The weekend was great, and this message was excellent too.