Good evening to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you. Catawampus. That is my word of the day. Catawampus. It is a beautifully weird word that can be used in a myriad of ways to describe the perfect blend of chaos and dumbness in any given situation. The definition actually is: going badly, awkwardly, or in the wrong direction. Most Mondays are, by definition, catawampus. As you read from last night’s post, mine was extremely catawampus. Today tried to slide sideways but quickly smoothed out. Another vibrant way to describe something going haywire is “off-kilter”. The actual definition of this word is: out of balance. So, if your catawampus is off-kilter … is that good or bad? The purpose of this paper today is to make you laugh with the playfulness of words. We make up words every day depending on how our brains and mouths communicate. Sometimes real words come out; sometimes weird syllables that formulate a weird concoction of letters into a word come out. Most of those situations result in gut-filled laughter and a sense of relief because of the guffaw. What if we approached our off-kilter moments in life in the same manner? Throwing off the stress of the catawampus event and finding the hilarity in the guffaw. If we look, most any stressful situation can find some humor or light, even if it is deemed ‘inappropriate’. Such as, a friend of mine had a falling-out with their dad. They got sick, and when asked if the dad had been notified, I was promptly told no. For whatever the reason, I simply stated that had they called the dad, my friend may have just died on the table, to prove the point that they did not want to speak to him. Dark humor, yes. Somewhat funny in the moment, yes. Appropriate, not really. However, the levity of looking at something bad in a light that can bring a smile … totally worth it. A business deal is heating up. Everyone involved is losing patience. Someone sneezes softly. Another person belts out, “No need to bring in biological warfare.” Inappropriate, yes. Funny, yes. Mowing the yard with my borrowed mower, I missed a stump. Yes, a stump. Did not know or see it there. When the mower locked up and stopped mowing, instantly I saw my retirement check fly out the window. This mower was in my care; I was not careful enough, and instant panic set in … when explaining to the owner, he laughed and said he would like small bills. (FYI the mower was fixable) There are going to be times in life when the situation or circumstance is not good. It is the habit that we have formed to always go dark and negative. That is fine if you only stay there for the moment, but immediately you should be searching for the bright side, the humor, the sarcastic satire. Something that shows you, in your heart, that God is in control and it will all work itself out. Catawampus and off-kilter moments are a part of life. Do not allow them to remain permanent residents in your lane; find that inappropriate giggle line, and give it back to God. You will find that it helps alleviate your stress level and replace it with His love. Be blessed. **Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – Colossians 3:2

🎂 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝? 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘵. Another candle on the cake. Another year has passed. Is a birthday merely a worldly custom, or can it become an occasion that truly honors Christ? You've celebrated every birthday you've ever had. But have you ever stopped to ask: — 𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺? Before answering too quickly, let's sit under one verse and allow it to search our hearts. 📖 𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟏 (KJV) “𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘵, 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘦 𝘥𝘰, 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥.” Paul wasn't speaking only about worship services or special religious occasions. He was talking about everything—ordinary moments, daily activities, celebrations, and yes, even birthdays. Here is the challenging truth: If you're not celebrating your birthday to God's glory, you're not celebrating it according to His purpose. That may be difficult to hear, but it's a question every believer should consider. ✅ The Birthday Checklist That Changes Everything — Look at the glass you're holding during your celebration. 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘥? — Look at the clothes you're wearing. 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴? — Look at the music, movies, conversations, guests, and activities surrounding your birthday. Ask yourself: "𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥?" Let's be honest. How many of us can confidently say that our last birthday celebration was truly centered on honoring Him? This isn't meant to rob us of joy. It's meant to sanctify our joy. 📖 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞: 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 Some people argue that birthdays are neutral because they are rarely mentioned in Scripture. Yet the two birthday celebrations specifically recorded in the Bible should make us pause. 📖 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝟒𝟎:𝟐𝟎 (KJV) “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘰𝘩'𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴…” 📖 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝟔:𝟐𝟏-𝟐𝟐 (KJV) “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘦; 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘥…” Pharaoh's birthday was associated with an execution. Herod's birthday eventually led to the beheading of John the Baptist. Does this mean birthdays are evil? 𝐍𝐨. But it does remind us that a celebration without God at the center can quickly become a platform for pride, self-indulgence, and sin. That is why Paul's command in 𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟏 is so important. It transforms a self-focused day into a God-centered one. ✨ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 "𝐃𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝"? Scripture gives us clear guidance. — To glorify God means: — To act with gratitude. Recognizing every breath and every year of life as a gift from Him. — To walk in humility. Refusing to make everything about ourselves. — To seek His approval. Valuing God's pleasure above likes, comments, and human praise. — To live in obedience. Aligning our choices with His Word. 📖 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟑:𝟏𝟕 (KJV) “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴, 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘮.” Your birthday can become an act of worship, or it can become an act of self-indulgence. The difference isn't found in the cake. It's found in the heart. ❌ 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝟏. "𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐲, 𝐬𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦." This can drift into legalism. Scripture gives believers liberty in matters not explicitly forbidden, while calling us to honor God in all things. Romans 14:5–6 (KJV): “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.” Colossians 2:16 (KJV): “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” 1 Corinthians 10:23 (KJV): “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” A birthday can absolutely be celebrated in a God-honoring way. 𝟐. "𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧, 𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦." If our music, entertainment, speech, or activities do not glorify God, we should not dismiss them as harmless. Colossians 3:17 (KJV): “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Romans 14:7–8 (KJV): “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (KJV): “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 𝟑. "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥." True. But the Bible does command us to glorify God in everything we do. That part is not optional. 1 Peter 4:11 (KJV): “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 𝟒. "𝐌𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡." No day belongs to us. Every day belongs to the Lord. Romans 14:8 (KJV): “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” Psalm 118:24 (KJV): “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Luke 9:23 (KJV): “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Galatians 2:20 (KJV): “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” 🎁 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 Thank God for the gift of life. 📖 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝟏𝟑𝟗:𝟏𝟒 “𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦...” 𝟐. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐝 Share a testimony. Offer a prayer. Sing songs that exalt Christ. Let your celebration point others to Him. 𝟑. 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 📖 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝟐𝟎:𝟑𝟓 “𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦.” Consider helping the poor, supporting missions, sponsoring a child, or blessing someone in need. 𝟒. 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 If the music, jokes, or activities would not honor Christ, they have no place at a celebration meant to glorify Him. 𝟓. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 Every birthday marks one year closer to eternity. Let it remind you that life is brief and that Christ is worthy of our remaining days. 💭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐔𝐬 Every birthday you've ever had was either lived for God's glory or for your own. One day, every believer will stand before Christ and give an account of how they lived. 📖 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟐 (KJV) “𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥.” Will your birthday celebrations be remembered as opportunities used for God's glory? Or opportunities wasted? The choice is before us. And we don't need to wait until our next birthday to make a change. ❤️ 𝐀 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 This message isn't meant to crush your joy. It's meant to redirect it. God is not against celebration. He is the Author of true joy. 📖 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟏 “𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘰𝘺...” He created the feast, the family, the laughter, and the blessings we enjoy. So yes, celebrate. Blow out the candles. Eat the cake. Rejoice in the gift of another year. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲. And may your next birthday be the one where you can honestly say: "𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥." 🙏 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

🐞 Miss Tillia’s Garden 🌳 🎂 The Birthday Girl Who Forgot to Have Fun 🥳 🎉 Lily had been waiting for her birthday party for what felt like a hundred years. Actually, it had only been eleven months and twenty-nine days. But when you are a child waiting for your birthday, eleven months and twenty-nine days is practically forever. And today was finally the day! Lily had planned everything. There were colorful balloons tied to the garden fence, flowers arranged around the picnic tables, games waiting to be played, and a beautiful birthday cake sitting safely beneath a little cake cover. She had even made a special sign. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY! She stood back and admired everything. “Perfect!” Then she frowned. She walked over to the balloons. “Are you all tied tightly?” She tugged one. The balloon bounced. “Good.” She checked the cake. “Still there.” She checked the games. “Still there.” Miss Tillia watched as Lily checked everything in the garden. “Lily,” she called, “your party doesn't begin for another hour.” “I know!” “You've checked everything three times.” “Only three?” Miss Tillia laughed. Lily giggled and went back to work. Soon the first guests arrived. “Happy birthday!” Each of them handed her a present which she immediately put on the table she had set up just for presents. “Thank you!” Lily hugged her friends. Then looked over their shoulders. “Did everyone get their party hat?” She handed one to each child. “Okay! Now the games are over here." She watched as all her friends began to play. "When we're done playing, we can enjoy a snack. The food is over there. Don't forget the lemonade." Everyone looked at the table with little sandwiches and chips. "And we're going to have cake after presents, but don't touch the cake yet because—” She stopped. All of her friends were staring at her. “What?” “You're not playing.” “Of course I am!” “No, you've been telling everybody else what to do, but you haven't been joining us.” Lily looked around. “Oh.” She hurried over to the first game. “Is everybody ready?” They played a beanbag toss. Lily watched carefully. “That's one point!” She straightened the beanbags. “That's two!” She picked up one that had rolled away. “Okay, everybody throw again!” She noticed one of the balloons had come loose. “Oh no!” She ran after it. She tied it back up. Then she noticed the lemonade pitcher was getting empty. She filled it. Then she noticed one of the children had dropped a napkin. She picked it up. Then she checked the cake. Then the presents. Then the games. Then the balloons. Then the cake again. Miss Tillia's leaves began to wiggle. Not from the wind. From laughter. “Lily,” Miss Tillia said, “when was the last time you had fun?” Lily blinked. “I am having fun.” “Are you?” “Yes.” “Then why haven't I seen you smile?” Lily opened her mouth. Nothing came out. She looked around the garden. Everyone was laughing. Her friends were playing. Someone had put a party hat on a garden statue. Two children were racing to see who could carry the most balloons. And one little boy was trying very hard to eat a cookie without getting the powdered sugar on his nose. He failed. Everybody laughed. Lily smiled. Then she looked at the cake. “The cake!” She started toward it. Miss Tillia's branches suddenly stretched across the path. Lily stopped. “Miss Tillia?” “You forgot something.” “What?” “Your birthday.” “My birthday is right here!” “No, dear. Your party is right here.” Miss Tillia's leaves fluttered. “But the birthday girl seems to be missing.” Lily looked around. “I’m right here!” Miss Tillia shook her branches. “Nope.” Lily giggled. “What do I have to do to find her?” Miss Tillia pointed one branch toward the children. “Stop checking.” Lily looked at the party. “But what if something goes wrong?” “Something probably will.” Lily's eyes widened. “What?!” Miss Tillia laughed. “That's what makes parties interesting!” Just then—POP! A balloon burst. Everyone jumped. Then they laughed. A little later, someone spilled lemonade. Everyone grabbed napkins. Then they laughed. One of the games didn't work the way Lily had planned. So the children invented a new game. And it was much sillier than Lily's original one. Lily finally stopped trying to fix everything. She ran. She played. She laughed. She got frosting on her nose. She accidentally stepped on a balloon and jumped when it popped. She even wore the party hat that had somehow ended up upside down. For the first time that day, she wasn't checking the cake. She wasn't checking the presents. She wasn't checking the games. She wasn't checking whether everyone else was having fun. She was having fun too. When it was finally time for cake, Lily stood beside Miss Tillia and looked around at her friends. “This isn't exactly how I planned it.” Miss Tillia's leaves rustled. “No.” Lily smiled. “It's better.” Miss Tillia's leaves danced happily. “And what did you learn today, birthday girl?” Lily thought for a moment. “That making everything perfect isn't as important as being there to enjoy it.” Miss Tillia laughed. “And?” Lily grinned. “And sometimes the best parts of a party are the things that go wrong!” Just then, the little boy with the frosting-covered nose sneezed. ACHOO! A tiny puff of powdered sugar flew through the air. Everyone laughed. Lily laughed the hardest. Miss Tillia's branches swayed above them. Because sometimes the happiest memories aren't the ones where everything goes perfectly. They're the ones where everyone is together... laughing, playing, making a mess... and enjoying the moment they were given. And Lily? She finally remembered that she wasn't just the one who planned the party. She was the birthday girl. And birthday girls are supposed to have fun too! #misstilliasgarden #christianwriter #christianfiction #christianfantasy #stacyfrantz

PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 14) 1. The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. 2. He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. 3. In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them. 4. Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox. 5. A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies. 6. A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. 8. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit. 9. Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favor. 10. The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. 11. The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will flourish. 12. There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. 13. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief. 14. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above. 15. The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. 16. A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident. 17. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of wicked intentions is hated. 18. The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19. The evil will bow before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20. The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends. 21. He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. 22. Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good. 23. In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty. 24. The crown of the wise is their riches, But the foolishness of fools is folly. 25. A true witness delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies. 26. In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. 27. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. 28. In a multitude of people is a king’s honor, But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince. 29. He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. 30. A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones. 31. He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy. 32. The wicked is banished in his wickedness, But the righteous has a refuge in his death. 33. Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known. 34. Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people. 35. The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

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PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 14) 1. The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. 2. He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. 3. In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them. 4. Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox. 5. A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies. 6. A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. 8. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit. 9. Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favor. 10. The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy. 11. The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will flourish. 12. There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. 13. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief. 14. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above. 15. The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. 16. A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident. 17. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of wicked intentions is hated. 18. The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19. The evil will bow before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20. The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But the rich has many friends. 21. He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. 22. Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good. 23. In all labor there is profit, But idle chatter leads only to poverty. 24. The crown of the wise is their riches, But the foolishness of fools is folly. 25. A true witness delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies. 26. In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. 27. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. 28. In a multitude of people is a king’s honor, But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince. 29. He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. 30. A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones. 31. He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy. 32. The wicked is banished in his wickedness, But the righteous has a refuge in his death. 33. Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known. 34. Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people. 35. The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

"When the poor and the needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I The Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them." [18]. "I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." - Isaiah 41:17-18 KJV. https://www.facebook.com/share/1cY4uzNnK5/ ☆☆☆ Beloved, the poor and the needy are not just those who lack money or the material things of life. ☆☆☆ Somebody may have money, very wealthy and yet still be poor. ☆☆☆ Somebody who has any need in his/her life yet to be met, is poor. It doesn't have to be financial or material needs alone. ☆☆☆ For example, a very rich woman with million of dollars in her account but still trusting God for the fruit of the womb, is poor when it comes to childbearing. ☆☆☆ The fellow who is sick and yet to be free from that sickness is surely poor health wise. ☆☆☆ Beloved, I don't know your own area of needs but I have a God who knows and can meet all needs. For you this day I therefore decree, every need of your life shall encounter God's divine provision from today in Jesus name. I decree and declare, where the help of man has failed you, the Lord shall arise to meet your needs in Jesus name. Once again I decree, fountains of manifold blessings shall spring forth to replace your valleys in Jesus name. In the name of Jesus I prophesy, your dry land shall enjoy springs of water from today. Every need in your life that has hitherto experienced delay, shall be promptly met from today in Jesus name. No more delay for you are now unstoppable in Jesus name. This is your season of joy and laughter. It's your set time to manifest. Happy day Shalom. Daily Prophetic Prayers and Messages by Pastor, Dr. Olutimehin Isaac.

🤝 Community Outreach: Connecting with Compassion 🌟 At Harvest Edge Missions Center, our weekly community outreach initiatives weave together connection and compassion, bringing us closer to one another and to those we seek to reach for Jesus. Under the leadership of Pastor Tom, alongside the energetic contributions of Pastor Deus and Brother Isaac, these outreach sessions go beyond mere giving; they are profound opportunities for relationship-building, sharing hope, and embodying Christ’s love in tangible ways. From distributing care packages to lending a helping hand at local events, every action is filled with excitement and purpose. Once a month, we gather for a meal that transforms into an unforgettable evening of laughter, storytelling, and spiritual growth. With Sister Grace and Sister Nancy guiding faith discussions and Brother Owen uplifting spirits with joyful praise, these gatherings create a true sense of belonging, strengthening our community bonds and igniting our passion for evangelism. Additionally, our door-to-door missions, led by Brother Reagan’s welcoming smiles, break down barriers as we share God’s message one home at a time. Each gathering enriches lives and enhances our mission: reaching people for Jesus through friendship and unwavering faith. 🌐 View Our Website To Learn More: harvestedgemissions.org #CommunityOutreach #HarvestEdgeMissions #ConnectingWithCompassion #FaithInAction #BuildingRelationships #SharingHope #SpiritualGrowth #Evangelism #ServiceAndJoy #TangibleLove

🌿📖💖😄 Together we grow in faith, love, and joy! A day filled with learning, laughter, and the love of Christ. Little hearts. Big faith. Endless possibilities. 🌐 Learn More www.freedomchapelfellowship.org #KayenjeKids #FreedomChapel #KidsClub #PraiseTheLord #UnityAndJoy #CommunityLove #GratefulHearts #Celebration #GodsPromise #SundaySchool #JesusLovesTheLittleChildren #Faith #Community #Hope

Three Angels Broadcasting Network Devotional. Nothing Is Wasted By Sergey Gruzdev August 5th, 2026 My wife and I are teachers here in Russia, and we tried to raise our children in the best traditions of intelligent families. Our children saw no evil, and we taught them only good. We well remember the first time our daughter was allowed to go for a walk on her own, and how she came back crying. She cried for 15 minutes before we managed to calm her down because one of her girlfriends stuck her tongue out at her! During this time, we learned about 3ABN Russia’s Bible study courses and my wife became interested. She studied them and then told me she wanted to be baptized. I was a bit worried, but she invited me to the baptism ceremony so that I could see everything with my own eyes. I had been watching my wife’s transformation for a long time but now I went to her church and met the pastor. He answered all my questions intelligently, according to biblical teachings, so I agreed to her baptism. The minister prayed for me and gave a sheet of the church’s beliefs and doctrines, and again I saw that it was all written in accordance with the Bible. Who am I to disagree with God? I thought, so I asked to be baptized, too. And that is how, in one day, my wife and I became spiritually close. In fact, we decided to both be baptized the same day! At the time, I was a hiking and mountain tourism instructor and loved my job very much. But after my baptism, when I began to observe all the commandments of God, my friends said, “You need to forget about tourism.” That worried me for a while, because at the time I did not yet know that God finds use for each of our gifts, abilities, and talents. Now, I’m convinced that our abilities develop and become even more vivid when we use them for the Lord! As a result of my thoughts and prayers, we decided to form a Pathfinder Club for young people. The children from church and I made many hiking trips—including some into the mountains. They learned how to survive in wilderness conditions, and they fell in love with God’s great outdoors. A hike began to mean more than physical exercise—it meant fresh air, friendship development, and teamwork. There were bonfires, fun, and laughter. And we studied nature, geography, grass, water, stones, and stars. Before and during our hikes we pray that the Lord will bless us. We are constantly in His presence and under His protection and our minds are clear of all unnecessary things. There are spiritual moments when we study the Word of God, share our experiences with God, and pray for each other and for the solution of our problems. When a situation comes up and we don’t know what to do, we ask God for help. Once such case came up when our route was not shown on the map. We’d covered many kilometers and were very tired but still a long way from our campground. And we prayed and asked for a shorter way, and soon we saw a faint path overgrown with grass in the forest and decided to follow it. God shortened our trek by four kilometers that day, and in addition it ran on flat terrain! When we arrived, a noisy group of about 50 drunken young people were nearby, and their speech was abundantly seasoned with obscene expressions, which, of course, we didn’t want to hear. Since it was already 9:00 p.m., it was too late to head to another campground, so we turned to the Lord, that He would change this unpleasant situation. Right then, our neighbors decided to leave for another campground eight kilometers away! There was no doubt that the Lord had answered our prayer. There are habits we should develop, and others that lead to degradation. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.” We have to choose what is useful. I do not regret that I entered into a covenant with God, and He has found a use for all my gifts and given me more than I ever had before!