FROM MY HEART
                   By Mildred Mills

                     LET’S PAINT

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Pr. 25:11).

What a beautiful picture! I’m not an artist but I can paint this picture, and so can you!
We get up in the mornings with a “Good Morning Lord.” instead of “Lord, it’s morning,” and we have already made our first stroke on the canvass as we attempt to paint this beautiful  painting. We give our loved ones a big hug and tell them to “have a good day” as they leave for work or play. As we go through our day we are sure to meet someone along the way with a “good morning.” and later we meet another with “hello, how are you today?” We get a call, we listen to someone’s problems and we let them know we care with words like, “I’m sorry and I’ll be praying for you.” (Oh, our painting is getting more beautiful with every stroke!) Later in the day we remember a “not so fitting word” that we spoke, so we call and ask for forgiveness—another beautiful color added to our canvass. Our loved ones return home and we greet them with a hug and words like, “I missed you” or “how was your day?” I think maybe a few more words like “Thank you” and “You are so kind and thoughtful” will really add some more beautiful colors to our painting.
At the end of the day we thank God for His goodness to us and then we stand back and look at our art work. How did we do? It’s very pretty, but not complete. We need one more stroke of the brush. The words “I LOVE YOU” come to mind and now our beautiful painting is complete.

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FROM MY HEART
                  By Mildred Mills

    MOUNTAIN TOPS AND VALLEYS

There are mountain tops and there are valleys, but no middle ground for me! I can say that my times spent in the valleys have been very few and for this I am thankful. I am reminded that on both sides of the valley there are mountains and that is where I choose to be, on the mountain top. However, I find myself much closer and more in touch with the One who loved me and gave His life for me when I am down in the valley. I have to look up and trust Him more. He teaches us when we are in the valley to wait upon Him, to draw close to Him and to know that He is right there with us and in His time will allow us to get right back on the mountain top where we belong. We have become much stronger in the Lord because;   
             It’s In The Valley I Grow!

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
   Full of sorrow, trouble and woe,
It’s then I have to remember,
   That it’s in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top,
    And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God’s Love,
    And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn,
    And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it’s in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand,
    Why things happen as they do
But I am very sure of one thing,
    My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing,
    When I picture Christ on the Cross.
He went through the valley of death,
    His victory was Satan’s loss.

Forgive me Lord for complaining,
    When I’m Feeling so very low,
Just give me a gentle reminder,
    That’s it’s in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord,
    And use my life each day,
To share your love with others,
    And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord,
    For this one thing I know,
The mountain tops are glorious,
    But it’s in the valleys I grow.

                    (Author Unknown)

FROM MY HEART
                    By Mildred Mills

            PRECIOUS MEMORIES

So many memories, precious memories, so many we could never mention them all, but I would like to share a few of our memories with you, ones that have made our lives what they are today. I remember the night I gave my heart to Jesus. I was thirteen years old and attending youth camp. What a glorious experience and I will never forget it. I remember well the Sunday Morning my husband went forward in our little church and asked Jesus to come into his heart. It was a time that I will never forget, a time that we had been praying for. I remember well when he told me that God was calling him to preach the Word, to tell others of the Good News he had heard. He wanted to see others come to the Lord and have a brand new life in Jesus. He has been preaching for forty five years and lives what he preaches. He is my husband, the father of my children, my pastor, and the love of my life. So many memories, precious memories. I remember having the sweet privilege of teaching each of our four little ones that Jesus loved them and gave His life for them. I remember how old each of them were when they asked Jesus to save them, where we were at the time and every little detail of how it came about. They were very young but knew exactly what they wanted and needed and that was Jesus. What a precious memory! I remember the birth of each of our precious grand children and all the sweet times we had together. The Lord has given us a life time of sweet and precious memories and we are still busy making more memories and I’m sure they will be precious too! My husband and I are looking forward to our 58th Wedding anniversary on July 31 and Lord willing that will be another precious memory. God is so good to His children and we need to remember His goodness to us. I have mentioned just a few of the many precious memories that are ours. I could never list them all but I will forever have them tucked away in my heart.
“Remember His marvelous works that He hath done.” (1Chr.16:12).