​Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.                                                                                                                                                       Colossians 3:15   
Good morning, dear ones,
          Thank you, God, for this new week.  Last week was a doozy.  The world must have been on tilt and all the crappy stuff swung to Clearwater.  Teacher friends back at school were facing chaos from new state regulations and changes to curriculum.  Long days and into the night they worked getting ready for the new school year.  Another friend had family upheavals with lots of hurt feelings. And in my little corner of the world, the youngest was quite sick with covid in spite of being fully vaccinated.  The oldest son was trimming trees in our backyard and the chainsaw ricocheted and he went to the ER for stiches.  And my doctor informed me that my blood work was off and ordered a complete abdominal scan which, for a cancer thriver, is indeed a scary procedure.  Yet, I can say with confidence that I maintained my sanity. My usual support people were feeling overwhelmed with their own stuff, so it was just me and the Lord.  And that was enough, more than enough to see me through the stormy week.
          The Amplified Bible (my favorite translation ever) of Colossians 3: 15, reads, “Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with him] be the controlling factor in your heart deciding and settling questions that arise.”  My word to you right now is to make sacred time a priority—a daily habit.   Know that God longs to be with you, to speak to you through the Word, and to grant you peace. It’s an investment of your time that pays huge dividends.  Use your time wisely.  Choose the best counselor ever, our wonderful God.            Linda