Dear Ones,
 
Hope you are having a peaceful day. We left early this morning for the lake and we stopped on the way so I could see my friend in Assisted Living. Then I got to my old Bible Study group which was wonderful and Ann made a birthday cake for me and shared with them. Then we had a delicious  early Birthday lunch on Ann’s deck. It was followed by tutoring on our new phones by our grandson which was a big help. Now we are home with grateful hearts.
 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
 
We don’t know the exact number of our days on earth for only God knows that; but we can live each day wisely and well, as if it were our last day. Moses prayed in Psalm 90:12 & 14 (God’s Word), “Teach us to number each of our days so that we may grow in wisdom…Satisfy us every morning with your mercy so we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days”.
 
Recently I read how Pastor Max Lucado prepared himself for heart surgery and had the thought, what if this is my final night? He was having 4 hours of probes inside his heart and asked himself, what if something goes wrong? He spent some time alone the night before surgery and asked the Lord to show him if there were people in his life that he needed to make things right with; he also wrote letters to his wife and daughters in the event he didn’t make it. Afterwards he was at peace and slept like a baby, and his surgery the next day went well. But we all need to face the fact that we will some day die and we may have no warning ahead of time, so each day is a day of preparation.
 
Right now, my very special aunt who is 94 years old, has been in the hospital as she has been bleeding and her heart grows weaker. She has had other times that we thought the end was near when she fell and broke her hip, had pneumonia, or was injured when hit by a drunk driver; but she has always surprised us and bounced back stronger than before. That would be my personal wish again at this time and I am so grateful she was discharged late this afternoon to her daughter’s home.  But like Paul said in Romans 14:8, “If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
 
It is wonderful to know that we are secure in the Lord. When we exit this life, we have so much awaiting us.  No matter if we have few days or many days on earth, we have an eternity with the Lord when we have accepted His gift of salvation. May our hearts overflow with joy as we wait for that wonderful day and let us be ready!
 
Challenge for today: Make preparations for eternity and share the Lord with those around you who may not be ready.
 
Blessings on the rest of your day and prayers and love, Judy