Showing posts with label bad habits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bad habits. Show all posts

Monday, August 1, 2016

Mercy! How Giving God Glory Embarrassed Me!

Now y'all read all the way down! #1 you'll get a good laugh and #2 there's a #GIVEAWAY at the end! YOUR CHOICE of all my books!


For three and a half years, Ron and I went to early morning prayer. There, to start things off, we shared prayer requests and praise reports. I love praising God and giving Him glory!

The day before, I left my purse with two weeks' pay—in cash—in it on the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) bus! My six-yr-old had wanted to take all his friends on a bus ride for his birthday, so in my defense, it was a little hectic with all those first graders, keeping up and everything.                   

I called the bus offices and told them where I'd gotten on and off and where I’d been sitting…midway, left hand side behind the driver. They contacted the man, and within the hour, he circled back around on his route to the same corner...with my purse! And all the $$ still tucked into my bank envelope! 

I shared the praise report at church the very next morning. praising God and giving Him all the glory! !

Well, hardly any time passed--a week to ten days at most--until I left my wallet at the lumber store! I didn't realize it didn’t get put back in my purse where it belonged until I was at the mall trying to pay for my next purchases! Mama was with me. I suppose we must have been visiting away and I absentmindedly left it at the checkout counter. Oi Vay! We flew back (only a few miles away), and the cashier smiled real big. She'd saved it for me, figuring I'd be back! I shared THAT at prayer.

This happened like two or three more times until it was absolutely just ridiculous and very embarrassing to share anymore! I do have blonde hair, but don’t enjoy giving credence to the humor rumor that same are ding-a-lings! I had a conversation with Holy Spirit that fifth or sixth morning, but decided however red-faced, to give God glory. I just LOVE His sense of humor!

I must admit as the years passed on, I repeated my ill-intended habit of leaving my purse here or there. My guardian angels really are forced to stay on their toes. Most recently, I left it hanging on the waiting bench outside a restaurant. No, wait. More recently than that, the bank lady chased me to the car with it...uh, that was last week if I'm remembering correctly! I know. I know.

But here’s the deal. My Father watches over me and everything that concerns me. If he cares about me keeping my purse safe, then I know beyond any shadow of a doubt, He will keep my loved ones safe, provide every need in my life, and watch over every detail, every day of my life. I know how much He loves me because He’s always thinking of me.

I’d like to share a new song that He gave me titled "I Will Trust In You". Close your eyes and listen to it (that way you can’t see me J) and memorize it and sing it until you know it’s the Truth—because He is not a respecter of persons and loves you just as much as He loves me. 


His love is not earned or deserved by anything we do…whether we’re obedient or willing to be embarrassed or choose to glorify Him. He loves us because of Who He is.

Want to give Him a little glory? Please share the last thing He did for you to prove His love! From those who share, a winner will be randomly chosen and win her (or his) choice of my novels!     



Bio: Caryl McAdoo loves God, and currently writes four series: the historical Christian ‘Texas Romance’ a family saga; a contemporary ‘Red River Romance’; The Generations, her Biblical fiction, and the newest Days of Dread Trilogy for mid-grade readers. Known as the “Singing Pray-er”, she loves praising with new songs the Lord gives her and prays her story gives God glory! In 2008, she and high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-plus years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and sixteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings, believing all good things come from the Lord. Besides glorifying Him, she hopes each title also ministers His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. The McAdoos live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State with two grandsons.

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Monday, June 20, 2016

Are There Squirrels in Your House


Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.
Proverbs 22:28

It could have been a catastrophic mistake. I did what I consistently tell others not to do. I failed to close the screen door of our mountain home. When my husband came in several hours later he saw the door open and a big squirrel sitting on the door step.

Of course I have been teased mercilessly. I’m constantly telling people to close the doors or we’ll have squirrels in the house. Fortunately the curious little fellow did not come in and neither did any of his friends.

I’ve heard stories of the terrible way squirrels wreak havoc in people’s homes. They’re very wily and difficult to catch. They chew things and steal things and make a mess of everything.

Screen doors serve as boundaries to protect us from a lot of pests and varmints. Without them we couldn’t enjoy the fresh breeze bringing in the wonderful scents of our mountain surroundings, free from the worry of unwanted visitors. In the same way, God’s word places boundaries in our lives, providing us with the protection we need from things that have the power to destroy our lives, robbing us of the blessings of obedience.

 Just as I warn my family of the dangers of squirrels in the house, God’s word reminds us of the dangers of allowing things like unclean thoughts, wrong attitudes, bad habits and temptations of the enemy into our lives.

The enemy sneaks in when we remove God’s boundaries and whispers things like, “Just this once won’t hurt,” and “If you’re careful no one will find out.” Those little lapses become habits and one day someone discovers the havoc in our private life and everything we have worked for is in jeopardy.


It is necessary for me to hide the word of God in my heart on a daily basis so sins don’t creep in and destroy all I’ve been blessed with. I hear His voice warning me to keep the boundaries where He set them. I don’t want those bad habits creeping in any more than I want squirrels in my house.

Vow today to close any doors in your life that allow bad habits to enter in. When you keep the boundaries where God set them you will see His blessings.


© Copyright by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman 

About the author:
Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.
Connect with Norma:
Book Links:

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http:// lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/