Merry Christmas!

As I take time to wish you all a Merry Christmas, I hope you will take time
to really contemplate the Reason for the season......

Out My Kitchen Window This Morning......

 This was the view......











Look a little closer.......

                                                         Yes, that's frost!

I must say, I enjoy looking out this window. The view reminds me of Terry's
uncle's in North Carolina. The hills are not quite as big as they are there, but
it is still a beautiful sight!

The Majesty of The Lord

           " Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and 
              the victory, and the MAJESTY:

                for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the 
                kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all."

                                                                                               I Chronicles 29:11

Desert in Bloom

Back in April we were able to spend a month in Texas. While we were
there it seems everything was in bloom!

 These first two are
 what they called a
 coffee tree.
 It smelled amazing!

 




Mesquite bush.....
isn't it strange!

Desert willow.
The hummingbirds
liked this one! And
it is right out front
of Trevor & Liv's
house!






And now for the cacti....

Barrel cactus

Two different prickly
pear. The plant above
looks bad, but the
bloom is pretty!

Not sure what this is called, but it is pretty!

And last of all.....a single flower. While hanging wash on the line I noticed
these little yellow flowers here & there. Poor things would bloom and die
in a few hours because the sun is so intense.....

I hope you enjoyed these blooms of the desert!

Hymn - Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

 In my devotions one day this week I read this about this hymn....

Summer Days

                            Oh, how I remember the simple days of summer....

                           "To everything there is a season...." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Have You Changed Your Glory?

You may be wondering what I am talking about, but I discovered
something about this in my Bible reading a few weeks ago....and
it caused me to stop and think......

My Country 'Tis of Thee

In the last post I mentioned there was a last verse of "The Star-Spangled
Banner" most hymn books leave out.

Well, I found there was a middle verse of "My Country 'Tis of Thee"
taken out in 1833......

"No more shall tyrants here
 with haughty steps appear
 and soldier-bands ;

No more shall tyrants tread
 above the patriot dead -
 no more our blood be shed
 by alien hands."

Maybe it's time to add them back into the song........

               God, please bless America!

Happy Independence Day!

What a blessed country we live in! Take time to think of what made our
country great....... a foundation built on God & His Word.

Take time to thank God for His blessings on our country... and ask for
His help to make it great once again.

And take time to sing our national anthem..."The Star-Spangled Banner"
Here is the last verse that is not found in most hymn books....
(I have a collection of them and only found it in one.)

"Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!

Then conquer we must when our cause it is just.
And this be our motto: " In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

Happy 4th of July !

Created For Glory

I was on my way to Colossians chapter 3 this morning, when this devotional
title caught my eye..... "Created for Glory" written by John Wesley, based on
Philippians 3:14. After I read in Colossians, I came back to see just what it
said.......

Simply Blessed....

This past Sunday Josiah sang with the quartet at church. It is such a blessing to
have children who love the Lord! The quartet started in Mexico back in 2012...
They sang in Juarez and when we got back home they sang at our church to show
what we did in Mexico. From then on they have been on the special music schedule
every quarter!
The second picture isn't as good, but Josiah started the song, "The Steps of a Good
Man", by singing the first line alone then each one joined in on each successive line.
wish I had recorded it. I am also looking forward to his solo he is scheduled for in
August!

Sorry girls, I usually write about things we have done.....I thought I'd brag on Si a
little!

I am truly blessed!

One Year Ago Today.....

We arrived here...

The bridge to Prince Edward Island

And there began three days full of sightseeing, exploring, coffee-drinking,
memory-making fun!

How We Spent Our Memorial Day....

 ..... or at least part of it....

                   Historic Poole Forge

 

We were able to tour the mansion... below are a few pictures of the inside....

First floor parlor

Second floor bedroom

Third floor attic.....had to get a picture of the crib!

Out the attic window

These next two are of the flower bed & planter decorations...

 

The celebration was not just for Memorial Day, it was also to celebrate
Churchtown's 150th anniversary. They have the oldest running Memorial Day
parade, records show it has been going on since 1866! They had Civil War
reactors, various Jeeps & trucks from the World Wars (sorry, no pictures)&
people walking around in period costumes. (You can see two people sitting on
the porch in the second picture above.) The main reason I wanted to go was
for this....

A string quartet playing on the porch! It was beautiful! Everywhere you walked you
could hear them!

Even though it was just the three of us, we had a great hour or so walking around
looking at everything & listening to the music! Unfortunately, we couldn't stay for
the parade....we had to be in Hanover by 3.

Let Us Never Forget....

 

                        Freedom is never free.....

May God Bless America & those who serve to keep our
                               country free!

Hello Again!

I never realized when I started a personal blog just how time
consuming it really is! I have a hard enough time trying to
keep up with our ministry blog, so I think I was a little crazy
for trying to keep up with a personal one too!

Thought for Thursday

      Write a letter in order to get one!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

 I'm so glad the cross is bare and the tomb is empty! I know I serve a RISEN
 Saviour!

                 "I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today;
                  I know that He is living, whatever men may say;
                  I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
                  And just the time I need Him He's always near!

                  He Lives! He Lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
                  He walks with me and talks with me, along life's narrow way!
                  He Lives! He Lives! Salvation to impart!
                  You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!"

 I trust you can say the same thing today! Take time to praise God for the
 wonderful gift of His Son Who gave us our salvation!

Thought for Thursday

 Your relationship with God is for time & eternity!

 Everything you do hinges on this relationship -
 the decisions you make,
 the reactions you have to circumstances,
 the way you relate to others,
 your sense of joy and peace,
 EVERYTHING!

Thought for Thursday.... on Friday!

 Sorry folks! Life just seems to be so busy, I'm not sure what I am
 going to do with this blog..... weekly posts can have too much
 pressure!   Please bear with me while I figure it all out......

The following quote is from a missionary prayer letter, I thought
 it was very profound....

 When we try to mimic the world in it's
 philosophies, music, dress and habits,
 we are robbing them of the light that 
 they so desperately are searching for 
 today....

Thought For Thursday

 Flexible people never get bent out of shape!

SPRING !

This time of year really seems to get to me......
The older I get, the longer it seems winter gets!

I don't think I have ever been a fan of winter.
Oh, I like to see snow...It is a wonderful picture
of our clean life after applying Christ's blood to
our sin account....

But the cold that goes along with it all.....nope,
not a fan.....AT ALL!

And just when I think I can't take it any longer......

Thought For Thursday

 The measure of real character is what a person
 would do knowing he or she would never be
 found out....
 

The Place

 The devotional that I thought about the most this week is.....

 February 14~ The Pure Heart (Matt.5:1-12 & Psalm 24:1-4)
 The challenge was given to keep our hearts pure, unlike the
 Pharisees who seemed pure but it was all on the outside...
 We know from the text in Matthew that the pure in heart will
 see God. Shirley had a great quote in the book, "The outward
 actions reveal the inward heart".  There is so much truth to this
 statement..... I've also heard this "What is in the heart comes out
 through the mouth." We can look great on the outside, but does
 what comes out of our mouth glorify God? Does it make us
 like a Pharisee, all clean looking on the outside but full of dead
 man's bones inside? Maybe we need to ask like David did in
 Psalm 51...."Create in me a clean heart, O God...."

Thought For Thursday

 No one ever learned anything
  by talking......
                               

The Place

 WOW!  This was a good week in the devotional! May I suggest if
 you do not own this book, that you send for it and get a copy for
 your own personal time! You can find it here .

 I again had a hard time trying to decide which one impacted me the
 most.....

 I'm going to go with Feb. 6 ~ A Glad Heart (based on Psalm 4)

 I like how she (Shirley) pointed out that "David realized his gladness
 came from the Lord, a deep abiding joy that no one could take away."
 In the book she also give a quote by Spurgeon "Worldly joys do put
 gladness into the face, but the Spirit of God puts gladness into the
 heart; divine joys are heart joys."

 I think joy is something we all want. It's what we all seem to be
 seeking.....yet if we know the Lord as our Saviour, it is ALREADY
 in you! We should not be looking anywhere for joy but to the Lord.
 He told us in John 15:11 that we can have joy that remains & is full!
 I also like (and have been thinking about lately) I Peter 1:8.... "ye
 rejoice with JOY UNSPEAKABLE and full of glory."

 Don't look for your joy in things or even people...it's not there....you
 will be let down. Let Jesus be your joy! Meditate on Him and let His
 joy be full in your life!

 *If the above link does not work for you, please leave a comment and let me know.

Thought For Thursday

 Joy is not in what we own....
       it is in what we are. 

The Place

This month's study is Biblical Hearts. I think the day that meant the most
to me this week was February 4th - An Understanding Heart. I think the
reason I liked this one so much is because I like the story that goes along
with it....Solomon's request for an understanding heart. I often think about
this when I read this passage in I Kings 3....would I ask for that? Or would
I ask for wisdom, riches, power, you name it.....God said " Ask what I shall
give thee." No limitations, NOTHING was off limits.....Solomon had the
ability to have ANYTHING from God......


and he chose an understanding heart.


WOW! Solomon, the wisest man, chose an understanding heart. He knew
the importance of discerning right from wrong, good from bad. How much
more do we (I) need this! The good news is, we can have an understanding
heart too. All we need to do is ask.....James 4:2 says we have not, because
we ask not.....

So the next time you read the passage in I Kings 3 take time to think
about what your answer would be if God asked you that question. And
then maybe take time to ask for an understanding heart......

Thought for Thursday

 No small act of kindness is ever wasted.

Poem For The New Year

                           His Unfailing Presence
                                        Another year I enter
                                        Its history unknown;
                                        Oh, how my feet would tremble
                                        To tread its paths alone! 
                                        But I have heard a whisper,
                                        I know I shall be blest; 
                                        "My presence shall go with thee,
                                        And I will give thee rest."

                                       What will the new year bring me?
                                       I may not, must not know;
                                       Will it be love or rapture,
                                       Or loneliness and woe?
                                       Hush! Hush! I hear His whisper;
                                       I surely shall be blest;
                                       "My presence shall go with thee,
                                       And I will give thee rest."
                                                       ~ Author Unknown



                I meant to put this on last month, but it still applies now....
               We do not know what the year may hold, yet we know Who
               holds the future and because of that we can rest.
 

The Place

I had a hard time again this week trying to narrow down one day....
I have two again.....

Walk and Faint Not... based on Isaiah 40:25-31~

  This reminded me of a few years ago while I was struggling
  with homeschooling. The Lord gave me Galatians 6:9 "And
  let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
  reap, if we faint not." It was so helpful as the Lord showed me
  it is a good thing (the well doing) to teach at home and there
  would/will be reaping in the end if I do not faint.
  Shirley makes a point in the book by saying we need to wait,
  as verse 31 in Isaiah says....wait in His presence for the strength
  to go on and not faint or grow weary.

Walk in the Good Way..... Jeremiah 6:15-17~

  I mainly liked her illustration in this one, but here's the overview:
  The Lord was telling the children of Israel to walk in the old paths,
  the good way, but they said they would not... how sad! To tell the
  Lord no......but how many times do I tell the Lord no.....We know
  the way to walk, but we refuse to do it...
  Here's the illustration.... "Some of the old train and stagecoach roads
  in the Colorado mountains contain the most beautiful scenery of God's
  creation. Although newer highways have been constructed which
  afford you to arrive at your destination more quickly, the old paths
  afford QUIETNESS, BEAUTY, and REST to the inner man."
  (Emphasis mine) I have seen some of those old roads so it is easy to
  picture the beauty, quietness & rest she is talking about.... I want to
  walk in those old paths.... how about you?

Thought for Thursday (on Friday!)

Christ liveth in me.....
                                             ~Galatians 2:20

Digging out....

I'm not sure exactly how much snow we ended up with, but I know it
is a lot! Enjoy some more pictures!

 This was the last picture I took last night....sorry for the quality, it was through
 the bedroom window & zoomed across the street. The first van is our neighbor's
 work van, then Erin's car & the Excursion is lumped in behind that!

                                         The picnic table is almost gone!

                                         There is a grill under all that snow!

 I had to take this one....can you see the tire/wheel imprint from the car? We
 shoveled it all out, then he pulled the car out & there it was! I thought it was
 neat.

Our path through the sidewalk....thankfully the neighbor has a snowblower!

The side of the excursion NOT visible from the house...that's a LOT of snow!

Erin's car almost gone. They had already cleaned the top off before I got over to
take pictures. Sorry about our shadows!

Erin & I were going to walk around town and take some more pictures but I don't
know if it'll happen....we all ended up sick with a cold. I think being all closed in
together was NOT healthy for us! I am glad church was cancelled though, we
probably would not have been able to go if it hadn't snowed! It does make for a
long Sunday.... both Erin & Josiah asked if this is how it is for people who do not
go to church. I am thankful they aren't familiar wtih that way and they desire to be
in church on Sundays!

SNOW!

So we are in the middle of a blizzard......really it is our first snow of winter!

Taken about 10 this morning

Taken about 3:30... can you find the truck?

The snow is about up to the top of the tailgate of the truck in the second picture!
There isn't too much to do living in town...Terry went out and shoveled and
Josiah took a walk through town.... we even saw 2 four-wheelers go by! That
just made everyone a little homesick for the trailer.....so much fun there in the
snow! So glad for memories!

Here's a few more pics....enjoy!

Our Camry is about gone in the snow!

That's the neighbor's van, Erin's Subaru & the Excursion parked across the street!

Here's the same pic taken 4 hours later!

This is a closer one of the truck across the street!

We are not even close to the end of this storm! It will definitely be one for the
record books! We may even have to make some snow ice cream! Wish the rest
of the family was here to join in! We'll be thinking of you!

The Place

This week's devotional that spoke to me was the one titled
Walk and Faint not based on Isaiah 40:25- 31. We all know
verse 31 and we probably quote it often, yet the verse I like
is verse 29...." He giveth power to the faint; and to them that
have no might he increaseth strength." A dear senior saint at
church gave me this verse one time when we were on the phone
and I have been thinking it over a lot....

How often do we feel like quitting? Oh, it is in those times we
need to rely on the Lord for strength and power to carry on.
Another verse to go with that is Galatians 6:9 telling us to not
grow weary in well doing but continue on because we will reap
IF we don't faint. (Paraphrased)

So let us keep pressing on, knowing the prize is before us!

Thought For Thursday (or Saturday!)

 What counts in life is what we do for others

The Place

Thought For Thursday

 I've been wanting to do this for a while.... I have so many of these random
 little saying written down I'd like to share....

 Life is like a coin....you can spend it any way you
 wish, but you can spend it only once! 

The Place....

I started this new devotional with the girls on the 1st....