Happy Birthday, Isolino

Today, I was planning on posting a photo of Isolino, for this blog, but found out, I can't do it yet, without a major amount of work, and right now, that just isn't possible, so, I pray you will all be ok without a photo on this and future blogs.  My computer got messed up about three weeks ago, and on the day when I was going to do a blog, no less.  I have been trying to work out the kinks of my keyboardless world, but it has taken me a while to figure some things out, and today, I thought I had a plan, and lo and behold, I can't access my pictures just yet.  So, instead of getting upset and just giving up, I am writing in spite of  "no photos", and I will continue to do so, until I can add them again.  You will just have to look at my flickr photos at the bottom and choose one for the blogs in your own minds!

Since Isolino's birthday falls around "Labor Day", we try to do something the weekend before or of, his birthday.  This year, we did a camping trip to "Cherry Lake" and were blessed that Roy, Jolynn, her boyfriend Jordan, and Kaylee were all able to go with us.  Unfortunately, Kristine and Nathan were unable to come, due to Nathan's cousins wedding.  We had fun, but they were missed, too.
Celebrating birthdays in our family is kind of important.  We try to make it special, for whoever it is.  Surprising Isolino, is near to impossible, so I have kind of given up doing so.  He is just very savvy, and seems to come in or hear things, so that he is rarely surprised by anything we do. He told me to surprise him, but I don't think so, honey.  I think he did get a nice surprise this weekend, though, with Roy deciding to come, and camp with us, and bringing Moo, we didn't know what to expect, but Moo was a good dog, and we found out, he loves to play in the water.  He had a blast and everyone had fun playing with him, too.

I believe God wants us to have fun in our lives.  He sure made a lot of celebrations for the Israelites to enjoy and remember things in.  Some are solemn occasions, but most are to rejoice and remember God's provision and protection.  On our birthdays, it is a good time to reflect on what God has done for us in our lives.  How He has protected us throughout the year, how He has provided for us, how He has brought us joy and times of His Presence filling us with wonder at HIM.

May you all be blessed on your birthdays, may you find that God has done more than you expected, and may you see the wonder of His plan in your life.  I watched "Soul Surfer" on the camping trip, and even though I had read of this young lady, in "Guidepost magazine", this movie brought out even more, what she had to go through, to win over losing her arm to the shark bite.  One Scripture quoted was Jeremiah 9:11  "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you..."  This was quoted before the accident had happened.  What an impact it had on her life, after the accident.  God does have a plan for your life.  He knows the number of your days.  He wants you to fulfill what He has placed in your life.  Don't let fear, discouragement, disillussionment, dismay, or anything else keep you from having a vision for your future, and holding on to the hope that God gives to each of us.  I personally ask God for help, when I am needing a bit of a lift from Him.  I ask Him to give me something to hang on to.  I asked for rainbows, for quite some time, and then God began giving me the sun rainbows (that are sun dogs) and He has let both Isolino and I see rainbows around the sun and moon.  But, He is not limited with those signs, He just asks us to open our eyes and watch for what HE brings.  I do not limit God with what He can do for me, I just ask Him to let me know when I see it.  I always do.  Even the beauty of a brilliant sunset, is a way of Him saying, "I Am here, do not fear".  This weekend, I saw a shooting star, which I hadn't seen in quite some time, and a hawk, flying down the canyon, and butterflies, and a star-studded sky, that was so brilliant and clear.  So many things, can speak of His love and care.  Let Him minister to you.  I had a friend, that needed a touch from Him, and she asked for something specific, and God gave it to her.  It blessed her tremendously, and spoke clearly to her, that she was special to Him, which she needed to see.  I pray you will know, how special you are to Him, and how your life has purpose and meaning.  God bless you all.