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I haven't been as faithful to post each day this month. It just happened to be a month that I found myself unable to get to a computer and communicate all the many blessings the Lord bestowed upon me. I didn't really know what Thanksgiving would look like this year after the home going of my Mama to her eternal home. There is just something about your mother not being somewhere on this earth and your inability to communicate with her that is just odd. Since I often decorate for Christmas on the weekend after Thanksgiving, I began to wonder if I had been caught up in the decorations, the wrappings, the shopping and the baking more than emphasizing the true meaning of Christmas. Thus I pondered how many of the multitude of containers in our attic should surface this year. But I have to admit, my children and grandchildren turned it all around for me Thanksgiving weekend. My house was full with laughter, conversation, decorating, playing games, and this year for the first time in many we rode out to a tree farm and selected a real, live tree for the family room! It was simply an amazing weekend filled with so many memorable moments they could not all be captured on our phones. So I close out this month of giving thanks by thanking my family, my Lord and Savior and my sweet Mama, who taught me all about the journey in life and how important it is to have fun and let every single day count and to thank God for every breath. I hope you enjoy our weekend photos!
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 This past week our heating system had its 6 month checkup before winter. Gary met the company rep when he arrived and, after showing him where the furnace was located and all the necessary information, Ron, the representative, began his job checking out the furnace.
Once Ron was finished and got back into his truck, Gary came upstairs to my office and informed me that Ron had purchased one of my books! Now this was a surprise because the books are not anywhere in the basement with a big advertisement on them. However, there happens to be two open boxes on the pool table so Gary can grab a few books to place in our car when we are traveling. He calls them, "just in case book sales." So I asked him, how in the world did he find the books? Gary replied, "Ron said he didn't want us to think he was nosey, but he saw the open box and the book, Being Led Beside Still Waters, was on top. He really felt as though he wanted to purchase one. Ron even asked at first, "Is your wife an author? Living right here in the township?" So I immediately asked if Ron was still in his truck in the driveway and I proceeded out the front door and asked if he cared if I signed it for him. He agreed with a smile and said, "Maybe I'll be back for more!" Now here's what is interesting to me. There has been a pandemic and I have been cancelled for three speaking engagements/retreats. I haven't sold one book at any venues this year and my fourth book was just released in April. At times I wonder how the Word is going to get spread through this little ministry with the world closed down. The Lord continues to remind me not to be discouraged....the Word of God will prevail and will get out to those who need to hear and learn of Him. Even though the book details the blessings of God, the plan of salvation, is in a box in the basement....the Light of His Word will be discovered! Hallelujah!  This wasn't quite the picture outside my door today, but surprisingly it snowed in western Pennsylvania off and on all day! In fact, at one point the ground was covered, but alas, it didn't stay. There is something so beautiful when the snow falls in big flakes, slowly and quietly. Just seems the world should slow down and enjoy a few minutes of simply watching God color the earth with a blanket of white.
For this I am thankful today....SNOW!  I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you who sent condolences via Facebook to me and our family as Mama made her way home to glory. We had great moments remembering Mom/Granny/Grandma G/Mrs. G over the past week as we shared stories of our favorite times together. I also thank my dear friend, Cathy, for housing us for seven years just about every 4-6 weeks and then providing the opportunity for us to gather at the farm around a bonfire each evening to just reminisce... I thought I would share with you how our benediction to Mama's service ended...with one of her prayers. This was a long one, about 8 minutes, but I thought since so many of you commented about her prayers, maybe you would like to hear her once again. Thank you for your prayers, support, encouragement, cards and love during this time. Mama is home in glory with her Lord and Savior....after five years of blindness, she can see, hear clearly, walk/run/skip/hop, sing (on key) and gaze into the face of Jesus....along with being in the presence of those who have gone before. How can I be sad and wish for her back? Praise God, heaven's bounty has multiplied!  The lines of a poem, like lyrics of a song, become endearing because of the one who wrote those words. Going through countless photographs and other personal belongings of my parents recently, we came upon the words of a couple of poems my mother shared with her caregivers. There just seemed to be a longing for Mom to have these words written down and her caregivers became her scribes.
Today I am thankful for those words, maybe they were the lyrics to a song, or perhaps my Mom truly did come up with them but nonetheless, it's great to be able to share what was on her mind. Blessings! Poem 1 When evening folds her precious curtains and pins them with a star Remember darling I'll always love you No matter where you are..... Poem 2 With a smile on my face, a song in my heart and a wave of my hand, I have wandered into an unknown land where Jesus waits for me there and welcomes me home. Julia "Julese" Garbee  I am so thankful for Jesus Christ who came to earth, born of a virgin and lived a sinless life; professed the love of His Father for all; total forgiveness of sins upon repentance; suffered for the message He delivered; was crucified and rose again on the third day.
It is because of this belief I was taught as a child, and accepted as my own, that I have the assurance I will once again be reunited with my loved ones who have gone before me in death. This belief becomes stronger with each home going I experience. I am grateful God is preparing a home for me in glory and that one day all the chains of sin, death, disease, aging, blindness and unbelief will be broken. But my prayer remains, as my Mama taught me, if there is one who doesn't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, may they come to accept him before breath leaves their body, In Jesus' Name, Amen!  There are many things I am thankful for throughout a time of grief and bereavement, but one of the main sources of gratefulness stems from the countless notes and messages I have received from friends and relatives through social media. Even though walking these next few days with COVID still abounding, it is with great confidence and hope we face the events for my mother's services.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for all your kind words of support and encouragement. It has been quite the year, but God still reigns, our Father sits on the throne and Jesus Christ is our loving Savior and the Holy Spirit continues to minister to our needs. May following our Lord always be our top priority because with Him by our side we can face anything. Blessings, my friends!  It's sunny here in southwestern Pennsylvania today and the temperatures are in the 50's....that's a blessing in and of itself. But to be honest, the sun always shines whether we see it or not. Often clouds interfere with its brilliance, or perhaps an oncoming storm, but regardless of the weather, the sun is always above us.
I'm reminded of God's Light as my blessing today. I have just spent three days in Virginia by my mother's bedside saying good-bye to her earthly body as it slows down. She's been ready for a very long time to head to her eternal home and I have been dragging my feet with wanting her to leave, but now I need to realize, as I have often taught, this world is not our home. We are here temporarily, but where we are headed is eternal. It matters not what happens here on earth, God is still in control and what occurs or unfolds is being allowed by our awesome and great God. As hubby and I head back to Virginia tomorrow, I'm not sure how much I will be posting on a daily basis, but rest assured there will be an outpouring of blessings as we think about mom, reflect on the blessing she has been in our lives and look forward to the day when we will be reunited. The SON is always shining....thank you, Jesus!  One of the benefits of living in a democratic society is the privilege we have as Americans to voice our opinion by voting for the candidates of our choice. Regardless of your political preference, exercise your right as a citizen of the United States of America and vote this Tuesday, November 3rd. Find an issue near and dear to your heart and support the candidates that agree with that position.
So for this 3rd day of giving thanks, I am overjoyed living in a democratic society and I pray we stay strong and free for generations to come! VOTE, my friends!  I am thankful for our freedoms....I love our country and I continue to pray for strong leaders and the unity of Americans!
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AuthorJudith "Cookie" White is the founder of The Sounding Board Ministry. She is the author of two devotional books which are available on this site. Archives
January 2021
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