has God hugged you today?

Have you received a hug from the Lord lately? There is nothing quite as amazing as a holy hug from our almighty God. His embrace extends beyond what we can imagine. His love exceeds all other love. A hug from God is right at your fingertips... you just have to open your eyes to see.

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I got the biggest hug from God on Sunday as my newest little granddaughter made her first trip to Sunday School and church at 6 days of age. There is no place better to take your little ones than to the house of God.

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I got a big hug from God the other day when Bryton walked over to the church with me one afternoon. We had walked in the sanctuary and I told him to remember that we couldn't run in the church because it was God's House. He stopped and looked at me with wide eyes and said, "Nana, I didn't know that God lived here!" 

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God gave me a huge hug Sunday as Bryton put on his papa's glasses and then looked at my small globe for about an hour trying to find out where papa was going in Africa and where we lived in comparison. He then wanted to see where Melissa 'lived' when she was in Africa and where papa and I go in Nicaragua. I love that boy!

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I always get a big hug from God when I spend time with these 2 precious boys. Sawyer and Bryton just brighten up any day and I am so thankful that I was blessed by God to be their Nana.  I have the best 7 grandchildren in the world....

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I was wrapped in a HUGE embrace from God today as we were watching the boys play and all of the sudden Sawyer looked up at Ashlie and said, "I so happy Mama"... If that doesn't make you feel God's arms around you nothing will...

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I felt a hug from God today as I was studying His Word and as I read the Psalms, I came across a few verses that I had highlighted a while back that just really spoke to my heart today.

"For ever, O LORD, thy Word is settled

in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations;

thou hast established the earth, 

and it abideth.

(Psalm 119:89-90)

So very thankful that God's Word is eternal! It stands firm in the heavens and His faithfulness is forever. 

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I felt a big hug from God when me and my sweet fella were holding our sweet little Laylah Beth on Sunday. She is just a fresh breath from heaven and I thank God for new life.

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Watching little Laylah sleep? Big hug....

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I take a look around and I see things all over that are just tight embraces from God. My husband, my children and my grandchildren. My church family. A wonderful place to worship and a great place to live. My mom and my sister and brother. Life. Health. God's Word. Friends. The amazing presence of God in my life. The Holy Spirit. Salvation. Grace. Mercy. 

The list is endless. Each day God reaches down from heaven and wraps His mighty arms around me and hugs me. I am learning to view each second of my day as a precious gift and learning to feel His presence in each moment. He is amazing and wonderful and fills me with awestruck wonder at His goodness. I am blessed beyond measure. ..

2 brothers and a sister...

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good;

for His mercy endureth forever."

(Psalm 118:29)

Laylah is certainly one blessed little girl. She has two big brothers who are madly in love with her already. They love to hold her and they are quick to tell you that she is their baby.  They both wanted to hold her yesterday for their first picture all together. So, of course, Ashlie had to let them take turns and they each got their wish. And even though Sawyer was holding her in the first picture, you will notice that Bryton had her feet in his hands. 

Laylah was wide awake for just a little while today when I went to visit.  I took advantage of this opportunity to get a picture with her eyes wide open. She didn't stay awake for long, but I certainly enjoyed holding this little sweetheart for several hours while she slept, and just marveled at the miracle of life in my arms. I thanked God for all 7 of my grandchildren and the blessing that they are to me and to my husband.

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The faithfulness of God never ceases to just blow me away. He is the biggest thrill of my life and I am so overwhelmed most of the time by His goodness. He has generously graced me and my family more than we could ever deserve. I thank Him for His sweet mercy upon us and even though we are so undeserving, because of Him we are worthy. We are a family rescued by grace and blessed beyond measure. I pray that we will live our lives for Him and that we will honor Him in all that we do and say. May I forever reverence the magnificent name of the LORD. May I worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  He is Jehovah. Yahweh. Creator. He is Hashem.

what a week

This has been an amazing week. It started out with the miraculous birth of my 7th grandchild. A precious, beautiful, angelic baby girl. She entered this world with a head full of dark hair and a dimple on her chin, stole all of our hearts and is quickly wrapping every one of us around her darlin' little fingers. I am blown away by her each time I lay eyes on her. She is perfection.

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She has certainly done a number on her big brother Bryton. He thinks she is the best thing ever! He wants to hold her all the time and just can't quit looking at her and touching her little fingers and her little feet. He is so sweet with her. Sawyer loves her as well, but he isn't quite as enamored with her as Bryton is. She is one blessed little girl to have two big brothers to look after her.

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I was able to spend some time enjoying those precious boys this week while their parents were in the hospital with their new little sister. We played in the water to try and cool off in the 100+ degree weather. Thank you, Lord for little pools and sprinklers! And for little boys!

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I am getting to enjoy time with Melissa this week. She is between semesters at BU and so she was able to fly home for her niece's birth and spend some time with her family as well. We miss her a lot and Boston is a long way from home, but I am thankful that she is happy with what she is doing right now.

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I have spent much time holding this sweet slice of heaven...

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I managed to find time to sit on my back patio and sip some great coffee while eating the bread of life. I also added to my '1000 gifts' journal.

I've been studying how God's name used to be so revered!  The people wouldn't even say the name "YHWH" because God was so respected and reverenced they didn't feel like they could even utter His name.  Instead they used the Hebrew word for 'the Name' which was "Hashem". I love that! Oh, that we would reverence Him like that today!!

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Laylah didn't have her eyes open very many times this week, but today I managed to get a picture of these gorgeous eyes while she had them open for just a little while. 

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I've experienced God's goodness and faithfulness this week in a mighty way. He is always so loving and He is always so present in our lives that sometimes we forget to be thankful. I am so grateful to my Father in heaven who has bestowed me with mercy and grace to overflowing.

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I am really missing my daughter and 4 grandbabies while they are in Pennsylvania working. I love to talk to them on the phone, but it just makes me want to wrap my arms around them in a big way! Oh, how I miss my babies!! Mikaela, Eli, Mercie and Silas need to come home!!

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I am just basking in God's abundance tonight. He supplies all our needs and He is more than enough...

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"From the rising of the sun unto the going down

of the same the LORD's name is to be praised"

(Psalm 113:3)

little Laylah is here!

At 1:14 pm, little Laylah Beth Huffty made her grand entrance into this world. She weighed 7'13 ounces and is 20 3/4 " long. She has a head full of dark hair and is already reigning princess over that household! She is gorgeous and she is perfect and she is a true gift from our faithful and loving God. She had no problems at birth and is doing great. My sweet daughter Ashlie is also doing great and feeling good.  We just give God all the praise and glory for bringing little Laylah safely here and for protecting her and her mother during the C-section delivery.

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In her daddy's arms about 5 minutes after she was born.

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Proud papa and his sweet princess.

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Bryton is in love with his little sister already.

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Sawyer gave her a few kisses and then he was done!

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Bryton just couldn't get enough of her. I think he is going to be a big help to mama.. 

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Aunt Melissa came in from Boston to see this little sweetheart.

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Sweet little Laylah Beth. My heart is just overflowing tonight...

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She is pure joy and perfection. 

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Even though she is my 7th grandchild, it just doesn't get any better than this.

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Sleeping mama and baby..... I love them both so much!

Thank you sweet Jesus for your hand of protection on Ashlie and Laylah today. We give you praise and honor and glory for your graciousness and your generous love to us. You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords and we love you and worship you with all that we are!  You are glorious and worthy of our praise!

important things

We have spent the last few weeks getting things ready for an important event. Both of Ashlie's boys got some much needed haircuts.

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Ashlie had a few baby showers and got lots of amazing little girl things.

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The boys gave mama's belly one last hug!

And one last kiss....

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We spent time playing with those sweet boys in our last week before their sister makes her arrival!

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And of course, Nana had to make just one more tutu for that little princess...

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And now the countdown begins. I should be laying eyes on that precious baby girl in about 3 1/2 hours.... I don't think my heart can take it....

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"But the LORD is the true God,

and an everlasting King"

(Jeremiah 10:10)

do we walk in the light?

"God is light and in Him is no darkness at all"

(1 John 1:5)

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I love scriptures that just cut to the chase. No fancy preliminaries. No segues needed. Just the plain truth of the gospel issued in a few words. In God there is NO darkness. None. Not one bit.

I read this verse and asked myself a very important question. Am I walking in the light? Truly? Or am I allowing just a tad bit of darkness to creep in. Just enough to do some mighty damage if not replaced with the soft glow of Christ's light.

Am I allowing myself to possess the old nature in a certain matter? Instead of allowing the light to take over this darkness, I am giving power to it and in turn letting it have some form of control over me.  It doesn't take much darkness to dim the glorious light of TRUTH. Even just a shadow casts enough darkness to dim the brightness that existed first. 

Once this darkness is recognized, it is so important to take the necessary steps to drive it away. If we don't take immediate action it will interrupt our wonderful fellowship with Jesus.

 It will hinder our growth. It will steal our joy. It will cripple our walk. It will put out our light.

But thankfully, because of the precious and redeeming blood of Jesus, we can be forgiven. We can obtain new mercy. His generous grace can be applied and we can be free of that bondage of darkness.

You see,  God never breaks relationship with us. We won't lose our salvation. We can't be 'unborn' as a Christian once we've experienced rebirth in Him and through Him. But we can lose that close fellowship with our Savior when we allow the dark to overshadow the light.

I don't want to walk in darkness. Not even for a little while. I desire the glorious, radiant, blinding light of Christ to cover me and illuminate my every step.

I want to walk in TRUTH. I want to walk in the light of the one who is LIGHT. I want to walk in Him...

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"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and

just to forgive us our sins and to 

cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

(1 John 1:9)

loving this journey

I love my life. I love the journey that I am on with God and am so thankful for the abundant mercy and grace that He has shown me for 49 years. My sweet Lord never fails to teach me something each day of my life. Some are easy lessons and at times there are some hard ones mixed in. The hard ones are usually due to my failure to yield in some way to His authority. But they are still lessons that needed to be taught. Needed to be learned. Lessons that just plain needed to be so that I could continue on this wonderful journey with my Lord. Always growing. Always striving to be more like Him.

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We grow in relationship with God one step of obedience at a time.

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I love learning from my grandchildren. They give me so much joy and I want to be part of each of their lives. I am trying to enjoy life to its fullest and trying to slow down and savor these precious times with them. 

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I love to read the Word of God. It is the Bread of Life. It is the nourishment that I crave. There is no greater food for our souls than the heavenly manna of God's Word. 

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I love the on-going reminder to be thankful  due to my '1000 gifts journal that I started several months ago. My last entry is #631 - "The sweetness of God's presence" 

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I am so excited about the upcoming birth of my 7th grandchild. My youngest daughter Ashlie will be adding a sweet little girl to her family.  She will be welcomed home by 2 amazing brothers who are excited about having a little sister. 

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I love this picture of Ashlie and the sweet baby she is carrying. In 2 weeks, that little baby will be in our arms and the spoiling will begin!

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"Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord,

to whom shall we go? 

thou hast the words of eternal life."

(John 6:68)

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I am thankful for those precious words of eternal life. We have unlimited access to those words and the one who speaks them. Jesus is always there for us. Ready to listen. Ready to respond. Ready to speak those words that cover, heal and restore. Ready to reveal Himself to us as the Christ. The Son of the Living God.

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I am missing my daughter and her 4 sweet babies so much! They send us the cutest little letters and cards that just make us want to get hugs and kisses from them in the worst way! And the photos of them that she sends just make it that much harder!

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My middle daughter, Melissa, will be flying in next week so she can be here for the birth of Ashlie's baby. She will be between semesters and able to visit with us for 2 weeks before she heads back to Boston! I am so thankful that God provided a way for her to be able to come home. I miss her so!

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God is so good. I am continually overwhelmed at His goodness. Humbled by His sweet mercy. Overcome with gratitude by His generous grace. 

Thank you Lord for your presence in my life. Thank you for drawing me and speaking those words of eternal life to me. I love you from the depths of my soul.