Hey Celebrity friend,

Beautiful blog and thank you for this reminder to stay Hot for the Lord in all seasons.

Also love your photos - appreciate them even more from this part of the World.

Love and blessings
Michelle

Hello lovely lady,
So good to hear from you. Thank you for writing. God's been bringing you to mind today so have been praying special blessings on you and your beautiful family who are always hot for the Lord.

Glad you liked the photos. Hope that little grandson is doing well.
Much love as always,
Anu XOX

My dear friend Anu,

Thank you for another precious blog post, I really love reading your inspired writing. You have always made it very clear in all your writings about your relationship with the Lord Jesus and His being the very centre of your life. Thank you for your faithfulness in expressing your deep convictions and faith in Him, through your writing.

Yes, He is the Author and Perfector of our Faith. In Him we live and move and have our being.

Much love and every blessing to you and yours.
Dashika xx

Dearest Dashika,
How lovely to hear from you and thank you for your encouraging words. You bless me my friend. Thank you so much. I'm very glad you said that I've made it clear that the Lord Jesus is in the centre of my life. Rejoicing in the hope we have as believers - one day you and I will be rejoicing before the Throne of Grace together. Won't that be awesome?

Bless you for your loving words my friend. It was balm to my heart.
Much blessing to you and your loved ones,
Lots of love,
Anu XOX

Good morning dear, sweet friend :-)

Wow, two posts in your Guestbook in one day ... amazing!
Actually, I am just feeling guilty that I haven't responded sooner to your beautiful message. Those very same words "Guarding My/Your Heart" came up three weeks ago at our Sunday service. It was part of a series called "Crazy Busy". It really grabbed at my heart, and I knew that I had to write something about it. I love your post it really resonates with me ... especially lately. I have had to say "no" to many things recently. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I do find it so difficult at times. I am the kind of person who loves to say a resounding "yes" to most things, especially if I am to be helping someone. But God has shown me lately that He wants me to be more sensible and reasonable about what I can and cannot do. There are after all, only so many hours in each day.

I am learning to put my prayer and conversations with Jesus first. I did do that for quite a while, then I just got back into bad habits again. Life is crazy busy, but this life isn't really what counts in the end. We must love, respect and honour our spouses, love our children unconditionally, and love those around us ... but we must also obey the first commandment, which is to Honour God first, before anything else.

I am a slow, stubborn learner, but I do know that if I don't value and nurture my relationship with my Jesus, nothing else in this life is going to go well. These days now, I am concentrating on being the best wife/Mummy/Nanna that I can be, Doing more things that make me happy (I am not going to do Uni study anymore ... way too stressful with my BiPolar and other health issues), and of course that make my HoneyBun happy. I am cooking and baking more, gardening whenever my joints let me, and of course, I am reading and writing until the cows come home ;-)

July has been a difficult month, so I am kind of glad that it is over. With Margaret passing on July 9th, her wake on the 24th and my dear wee Jessie passing on the 25th, it has been really overwhelming. My Mummy and Daddy have also been sick (and still are unwell). They thought that they had come down with a cold, and asked me to stay away in case I got sick as well. Bless them. Unfortunately when I rang yesterday to see if the coast was clear for me to visit, I found that they had gotten worse (bad flu now even though they have been immunised). Mummy is very ill, but at least while she has the flu, her rheumatoid isn't as painful. Daddy has got it right down on his chest, and at 86 and a half, I am quite concerned. Thank goodness they have got some medicines to take, a nice warm home ... and of course God watching over them.

Well, my dear, I think that is enough rambling for one day. I have to go and do some chores now. I hope you have a lovely day and a wonderful week.

God bless.
Much love,
Jo'Anne xoxo

Dearest sweet Jo'Anne,
Thanks for that special sharing. I am so sorry that it has been a tough month for you that's just past with 2 deaths to contend with. Very sad and my heart grieves with you. I am also very sorry to hear that both your Mum and Dad are unwell. That is a concern indeed and I have just written it down so I would remember to pray for them.

Thank you for sharing your present journey with me. Sounds very similar to mine. I too like to jump into everything but over the years, have been learning to say 'No' and to draw back in order that I maintain the quality of life that God desires of me.

Love it that you are aspiring to be the best wife and Mum and Grandmum you can be and also writing and reading lots. Sounds like where I am at present too. My fibro battle which has been so hard for me has actually helped me be more intentional with my use of time because my energy levels are so low. A blessing in disguise.

About going to God first - yes, that's something that God's been teaching me too over many years, Jo'Anne. I had a tendancy to first go to family or friends and then to God. God's shown me that in some instances I need only go to Him full stop. Amazed at His answers too. So much to learn in this life of ours, but praise our awesome God that He is very patient with us.

It was lovely hearing of your close walk with God and your journey with Him dear friend. Well done for listening to Him and for guarding your heart. I know God must be very pleased with His beautiful daughter, Jo'Anne.

Much love and thanks again for sharing.
God bless you with a blessed day and a wonderful week in His Presence,
Anusha XOX :)

Good morning sweet friend :-)

What a lovely post with such a relevant message. It is so true that often we/I forget to stop a while and think about WHY things are possibly happening the way they are. There is usually a jolly good reason, but so often I will get cranky about that very same thing. I don not like grocery shopping ... or any kind of shopping really. I just like to get in and out fast. Hopefully, your supermarkets will have finished their editing very soon, so that you can go back to knowing where everything is. In the meantime, you may have to go with the old adage that 'variety is the spice of life'. Oh, and I must say that I really think God has an amazing sense of humour ;-)

God bless.
Much love,
Jo'Anne xoxo

Hey lovely Jo'Anne,
What a tonic it was to hear from you this morning. Thanks so much for not only stopping to read my blogpost but also to comment on it. You've blessed me. You made me chuckle by your comment. Glad to hear you are like me and not made for shopping. I agree that God's sense of humour is wonderful - no wonder there is much to laugh about! He's a good good Father.

And you are a good good friend. :)
Blessings sweet friend and God bless you always.
Much love,
Anusha XOX

Hey my celebrity friend,

It's been a while since I went the next step after reading your blog (which I do eventually) to write a comment.

Thank you for this. In fact Sajith spoke on this for two Fridays at church. Luke 10 being the base. It is so so true.

With the new role as grandparents and the many counselings are hearts have been a bit unguarded and the Lord has been gracious with us.

Thank you for this reminder again. Bless you darling Anu

Hey beloved Mich,
How lovely to hear from you. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to stop by and to comment. Always love hearing from you. Delighted to hear that Sajith had preached on this too. I must had a re-read of Luke 10.

Life must be wonderful being grand parents but extra busy too. The Lord is always gracious isn't He?

Blessings sweet Mich and muchest love,
Anu XOX