It was nearly midnight. I was tired and ready to call it a day. Padding across the bedroom carpet barefoot and carrying a water bottle, my foot suddenly landed on a cold, wet spot in the carpet. I didn't think much about it. I must have spilled water.    
     But the next morning, the wet spot in the carpet was still there—squishy, soaking wet—and spreading.      
     I called out to my husband. "We have a problem!"  
     A leak detection company investigated. A faulty pipe inside the bathroom wall caused water to leak into the drywall, beneath floor tiles, and into the carpet. Water traveled to places it never belonged.     
     An unexpected event can turn a typical day into one of chaos. We may grumble and wonder why we can't just have a calm, peaceful day. But just as water can flow into the wrong places, sometimes we look to the wrong places for reprieve. Companies advertise wellness cures—for a cost.          
     To find what our soul yearns for, we don't have to search far. God's Word provides answers. The 23rd Psalm is a beautiful example of balm for the soul. Favorite verses from this Psalm paint serene images: be led to the "still waters" or green pastures. And the comforting reminder that Jesus is the tender Shepherd of the soul.   
     Unexpected life events can be upsetting or traumatic. No one likes change, or the feeling that life is out of control. Yet it is when we travel through the valleys that we often glean life lessons.   
     The "water intrusion" experience has been inconvenient, but hasn't been a major disaster, unlike some who have experienced extreme flooding of their homes or properties.  However, the experience has been a reminder for my husband and me to not take anything for granted—especially our household plumbing. It has also been a lesson in living with less "stuff," as much of our furniture, clothing, and other belongings are being stored in our garage. Fortunately, these changes will only be temporary.   
     For the times in my life and yours when the “waters are not still,” may we turn to the One who is our Help, our Saving Grace, our Consolation, our Salvation: Jesus Christ. In Him, we find true peace—and the “peace that passes all understanding.”
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"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7
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Photo courtesy of vecteezy.com
 
 
 

     The gardener chooses the pumpkin variety they want to plant, then prepares the soil. By forming mounds to plant the seeds, the roots are forced to search deeply for water, providing strength for the growing plant. 
     Proper irrigation ensures the right amount of water reaches the pumpkin patch, and a keen eye is needed to watch for pests such as the Squash Bug, which can stress the plant and compromise its health. Routine weeding prevents the plant from being robbed of water and nutrients.
     Patience is needed, as it takes 3 ½ to 4 months for pumpkins to grow and ripen. If a freeze is imminent, the crop must be picked right away.
      The gardener makes the preparations, but God provides the ingredients: the seeds, the water, the soil, and the sunlight. He also orchestrates photosynthesis to create the miracle of sprouting and growth. Then the special person who takes an interest in gardening becomes a custodian—or caretaker—of the garden.
      The pumpkin—a symbol of autumn—represents a bountiful harvest and a time when friends and families gather for Fall celebrations and Thanksgiving. The pumpkin often serves dual roles: as an item on a menu or as décor.
      From seed to full fruit, the pumpkin’s tale is just one of many stories of one of God’s miracles of nature.
      As a gardener—or consumer of the pumpkin, you are a recipient of God’s bountiful harvest. Along with family or friends, you are part of an immense blessing—the gathering of God’s people, coming together to celebrate and give thanks!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” –
1 Chronicles 16:34

​Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.com/Ikrom Ma-Ela
From my blog post of 10/28/20 - N. Johnson 

[Following is a reprint of a blog I posted in 2023. You might think of other words that could be added to this list. Feel free to leave comments! God's Blessings - Nancy Johnson]
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"Jesus: Who You Are to Me"   
An Alphabetical List
 
A Absolute, Able, (The) Answer, Almighty, Abundant, Accepting, Anointed,  Alpha & Omega, Advocate, Alive, Apostle, Atonement, Advent, Agape, Author of Salvation, All-Knowing, Ancient of Days, Agnus Dei, Authority, Awesome, Ascended into Heaven on the third day.
           
B  Bridegroom, Beautiful, Believing, Beheld, Beloved, Bold, Bread of Life, Branch, Blessed, Bearer, Brother, Brethren, Banner, Balm, Bearer of sin, Born of a virgin, Benevolent, Bountiful           
 
C Christ, Counselor, Cross-bearer, Comforter, Courteous, Consoling, Courageous, Caring, Caretaker, Communicator, Crucified, Confidant, Carpenter, Cleansing, Compassionate, Confiding, Considerate, Changeless, Crown of Glory, Chosen      
 
D Desire of all Nations, Destiny, Defender, Dayspring, Died for us, Deliverer, Door of the Sheep, Dwelling place, Divine, Discipleship 
 
E  Engaging, Eternal, Everlasting, Eminent, Extraordinary, Esteemed, Evangelist, Elect, Excellent
 
F    Fearless, Favored, Faithful, Forgiving, Foretold, Future, Friend, Freeing,
Fountain of living waters, Fortress, First and last, Foundation
 
G God’s Son, Glad, Glorious, Glorified, Good, Good Shepherd, Great, Generous, Gracious, Genuine, Governor, Gift, Guide, Guardian, Gatekeeper 
 
H Humble, Healer, Helper, Humane, Humanitarian, High priest, Holy, Honorable, Honored, Horn of salvation, Heir of all things, Hallowed, Hiding place, Heavenly host, High tower.  
 
I Immanuel, Ideal, Instructor, Infallible, Inspiring, Insightful, Immaculate, Innocent, Intercessor, Immortal, Incarnate
 
J  Jesus, Jehovah Girah, Joy, Jubilation, Judge
 
K  King of Kings, Kingdom, Kindred, Kindness, King of the Jews, Keeper  
 
L Lamb of God, Lord of all, Light, Love, Loving, Life-giving, Living, Living water, Listener, Lion of the tribe of Judah            
 
M Magnificent, Messenger, Master, Mediator, Messiah, Morning star, Majesty, Man of sorrows
 
N  Near, Nazarene
 
O  Overcomer, Omnipotent, Omnipresent
 
P Pacifist, Patient, Present, Persevering, Perceiver, Prince of peace, Powerful, (Our) Promise, Pure, Peaceful, Paschal Lamb, Preacher, Physician, Prophet, Provider, Passionate, Powerful, Perfect, Praised
                
Q Qualified, Quick to understand 
 
R Radiant, Radical, Rabbi, Redeeming, Righteous, Revelation, Rock, Relentless, Resilient, Real, Resurrected, Revelator, Root of David, Ransom for many, Refiner, Refuge, Reward, Revered, Rose from the dead.  
 
S  Strong, Sweet, Savior, Salvation, Sacrificed, Slain, Son of Man, Son of God, Spirit, Sinless, See-er, Sword-bearer, Shepherd, Sharing, Sought, Sanctified, Sincere, Spotless, Shield, Shelter, Song, Strong tower, Steadfast, Sun of Righteousness, Servant
 
T (Of the) Trinity, Truth, Teacher, Trusting, True vine, True light, Treasure, Triumphant, Transfigured  
 
U  Upright, Unequaled, Unparalleled
 
V Valiant, Victorious, Valued, Virtuous, Virgin birth, Very present help in trouble, (The) Vine    
 
W Worthy, Wonderful, Welcoming, Warrior, Witness, Word, (The) Way, Well of living water, Wise
 
X  Of the Cross
 
Y  Yielding, Yahweh
 
Z  Zealous
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Blog post from 2/7/23 - Nancy P. Johnson  
Photo courtesy of Puwadon Sang-ngern, Vecteezy.com
 
 
 
 
 
 

When I was seven years old, I learned the value of saving my allowance. While on a family vacation in a gift shop, I fell in love with a small "Turtle" coin bank that I couldn't do without.  

I walked up proudly to the cashier with a dollar bill and coins in one hand and the Turtle bank in the other.

“That’ll be $1.78,” the clerk said.

I was perplexed. This was more than what was printed on the price tag.

“Got change?” the clerk asked. “You owe tax.”

I didn’t know about taxes, but I dug into my jeans pocket. Two nickels. Six pennies. Whew. I had enough, and a little left over.

I didn’t realize just how much change would be required. Early life lesson!

The vacation memory stuck with me, so I came up with a backup plan. I'd save all the extra change I could. When my little Turtle bank filled up, I saved my coins in an empty stationery box.    
  
When I became an adult, I saved coins in a gallon jar and kept it half full. The change came in handy if I ran low on money for groceries before payday, or needed to buy birthday gifts.   
 
If anyone said, “Got change?” I had it. By putting money aside, whether in the coin jar or the bank, I got by.  
   
But later, unexpected change caught me off-guard: my first husband passed away, and later our family lost beloved family members, friends, a business, investments, and jobs.     
    
If anyone said, “Got change?” I’d shake my head affirmatively. Yes. I had change, all right--life change. I couldn’t look to the coin jar or the bank account to help me with those things; however, I looked to my faith in God. He knew about the changes I’d been through—and the changes our family would experience.   
 
God knows everything there is to know about cost, too. His Only Son, Jesus, paid the greatest price of all when he gave his life on the cross—to save us from sin.    

The other day, I approached the counter at the grocery store.

“Got change?” the cashier asked.

I dug into my wallet and retrieved the needed coins.

Yes. I have change. My family and I have experienced it firsthand. We never knew just how much of it would be required. But we have a backup plan. We have a bank filled with God’s grace to get us through. We wouldn’t want to be without it!
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"For by grace you have been saved by faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-9

Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.com