Sunday, November 30, 2008

More Kids Sites

Upon finding the site mentioned earlier; I went in search of more Christian kids sites. I found many. I will continue my research from day to day and pass the findings on to all of you. If you know of any great sites, please feel free to share them with everyone. Here is what I have found so far:

Adventures in Odyssey
This is a favorite program that I even enjoy listening to on the radio. For little ones; unless you explain it to them may get confused with some of the stories. So if the children are listening, it is best to have an older person listening as well that can explain the meaning of the story and/or answer any questions they may have.

A Kids Heart
This site has a wide variety of activities to do with the kids.

Garden of Praise
This is an awesome site. There is a lot to do here as well.

Christ for Me
This is a neat site. Click on the kid zone when you get there. It has many valuable lessons to teach children. I can’t wait to start using these with the grand children.

Heaven Sent Children Stories
This is a neat little site with stories and jokes.

CBH Ministries
This site even has a daily devotional for kids.

Kids site

As the title says, this blog is also to discuss children and teachings. I've finally come up with another place well worth noting. I haven't delved into the whole site yet, but what I have read so far is outstanding.

You can visit this site by clicking here. This site is a topical directory for great Christian kid sites. There are links upon links that covers many different topics, activities etc. to look up that will help aid children in learning the Bible and about God.

As the site states, this site isn't just for kids. Their message I thought tells it well when it talks about how this site is not just for kids, it is also a place for adults, students and teachers as well to delve deeper. We can never learn to much. The more we learn and experience, the closer we become to Him. Hope you all find this site helpful as well.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Where to Look When:

I like to collect Christian book marks and wallet sized cards with great sayings or helpful resources. I thought I would share one of those this evening. This particular book mark is one with scripture references on where to look for certian happenings in ones life. I'm taking the scripture readings out of the NKJV. Some scriptures are too long to print here. They are still very good resources to read.



Where to Look When:



You are weary; read Psalm 95:1-7

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His prescence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods.

In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also.

The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.

Oh come, let us worship and bown down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For He is our God, And we are His people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.



You Seem too Busy: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15



To everyone there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;

A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain form embracing;

A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.



What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?

I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

I know that nthign is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,

and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor--it is the gift of God.

I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. god does it, that men should fear before Him.

That which is has already been, and what is to be has alredy been; and God requires an account of what is past.



You Can't Sleep: Psalm 4, 56, 130


4
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? Selah

But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the Lord will hear twhen I call to Him.

Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within yhour heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?" Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

You have put gladness in my heart, morethatn in the season that theri grain and wine increased.

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep for You alone, O Lord, make me swell in safety.


56
Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting all day he oppresses me.

My enemies would hound me all day, for there are many who fight aginst me, O Most High.

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

In God (I will prasie His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

All day they twist my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.

They gather together, they hide, they mark my steps, when they lie in wait for my life.

Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the pebbles, O God!

You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are tehy not in Your book?

When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me.

In God (I will praise His word), In the Lord (I will praise His word),

In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do tto me?

Vows made to you are finding upon me, O God; I will render praises to you,

For You have delivered my sould from death. Have you not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God in the light of the living?



130
Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my sould waits, and in His word I do hope.

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning--Yes, moe than those who watch the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.

And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

When You are Tempted: James 1
I'll leave you to go read this one on your own since it is a longer scripture.

When Friends Disappoint You: 1 Corinthians 13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowldedge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but havenot love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not reject in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it iwll vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, loe, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Our Pastor's son spoke of the unfailing love of the Lord last night. It was an awesome message. You can go here to listen and/or watch the message.

When Business is Poor: Ecclesiastes 5
This one is a longer scripture. I'll leave it to you to go read it.

When Nothing is Going Right: II Timothy 3
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away be various lusts,

always learnign and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;

but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,

persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what
persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,

and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

that theman of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

When You Bear a Grudge: Ephesians 4
This one is also a longer scripture which you will have to look up also.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

And His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful

I recieved an e-mail with a great message about Jesus.

It is titled: "And His name shall be called Wonderful."

You can read this article here. It is a pdf file. It is a lengthy read, but well worth it.

God Bless

Thought for the Day

Thought for the day: We can always do more than we "think" we can.
So think less and imagine more.

This was taken from a screen saver at Webshots.com

This is a lesson I've been given by our heavenly Father. There was a day He placed on my heart to perform a certian task. I thought there is no way I can accomplish this in that short of time. He told me to trust Him. So I did, and wow! Needless to say the task was completed and paid off. If we listen and follow the Lord, we can do more than we "think" we can. :)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Another Goody

Crosswalk.com's live it has another great article. It is about Thanksgiving and the true meaning and who we really should be thanking. Here is an insert from the article. Go here to read the message.

For years, many public schools have left God out of Thanksgiving, teaching instead that the Pilgrims gave a party to thank the Native Americans or Mother Earth. Even more current are claims that the first Thanksgiving was a copy of European harvest festivals or a stolen Native American custom, or just a repeat of thanksgivings by other explorers.

Christmas Letter/Hank Hanegraaff

I'm excited. Hank Hanegraaff is doing a Christmas Letter. Here is what he has to say about it:

Each year during Christmas, I communicate the truth concerning Christ’s coming in flesh. This year I want to do something different. I want to take the truths of Christmas and turn them into a Christmas tradition. As such, the purpose of The Heart of Christmas: A Twenty-five Day Devotional is to ensure that just as you prepare your home for Christmas, you will likewise prepare your heart.
As the culture begins promoting Christmas shopping in stores the day after Thanksgiving, Christ can begin preparing your heart for the celebration of His birth starting December 1st and climaxing Christmas Day. Each devotional is complemented by a related passage of Scripture, a special Christmas carol, and thought-provoking questions.
It is my hope and prayer that this year you will use The Heart of Christmas to begin a Christmas tradition that carries on through your children’s children.
To make the journey memorable, I’ve organized this twenty-five day odyssey around the acronym C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S.

You can go here to find out more.

Check out this Blog

I'd like to give a shout out to Chris Bowers for listing me as a featured blog on his blog Simply Put, here.

Thank you Chris. It's nice to see someone likes this blog.

Chris has a knack for writing. Hooky is one of my favorites so far. His spiritual writings are great. He is having a writing contest on his blog with a winner being announced the 26th of November. It looks like it would be fun. I stink at writing, but am going to give it a shot just for fun. I love being goofy.

Anyway, make sure you stop over and check out his blog.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

The Christmas Shoes

I finally watched the whole movie, "The Christmas Shoes." If you have not viewed this movie yet, I hightly suggest you do. View it with an open mind, not just as another sappy movie. It is far more than that. I has so much family importance values in it.

Are you one of those that pours yourself into your work? That has little to no time with your family? Has missed many of your childrens programs? Well then this movie is definitely for you. All too often we put money and material things first. We want the nicest looking house, dress a certian way, keep up with the Jones', drive nice vehicles, etc.

This isn't what life is about. In fact, the Lord does not want this for us either. The movie was well designed to get the point across loud and clear. If you are a sentimental person, have a box of Kleenex next to you. This movies hits home.

God Bless, enjoy life, make the best of it, and live like the current day is your last one.

Poll

Good Day All!

I have posted a new poll today. Poll daddy I will change later on; probably tonight. If there is anything that you are interested in seeing the results in, let me know. Also, would love to hear why you choose a particular Bible. Sharing information allows us all to learn more. If you chose other, list the one you use here. I know there are so many more out there. I just listed those we have and forgot to put in the Message Bible.

Have a Blessed Week!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Check it out!

For you pet lovers be sure and go to Meggies Stuff and read the Dog Prayer. I think of it as being any type of pet prayer. Very beautiful prayer.

Movies

The following are a couple of movies I've recently seen. One is: "The Case for Faith" by Lee Strobel. What an amazing story that was put together by many. The testimonies really pull at the heart strings. Fascinating to say the least.

The other is "Christmas Shoes." I've only seen half of it, as I just bought it and was watching it with two of my grand daughters tonight when they asked to turn it off so they could go to sleep. It was so good that the poor babies had to ask three times before I finally gave in. I wanted to watch it all! But from what I've seen it is a very, very good movie. Definitely one that pulls at the heart strings. It just has so much meaning to it.

It is a movie that is very befitting in this day and age with the fast paced life that so many live and never take the time to realize the finer things in life. For those who never "create memories."

Another thought. If you get a chance to listen Lee Strobel talk about "If God Lived in my House" listen to it. What an impact it has.

Well that's all Folks...
For now that is. ;)

Growing Old

I love going to the One Minute Writer blog (you can go there by clicking on her button on my main page.) C. Beth has some awesome ideas for writing prompts. The latest one got my mind to going. Oh oh, ow ow ow, that hurt. I had written my thought in haste, but in truth. But then I read one that really touched my heart about his wife and what she had said to her husband at one point and then later found out she had cancer. The prompt was "growing old." His writing touched my heart and sent my thoughts soaring. So here is what came to mind. Bear in mind I've never been very good with words, but I think you'll get the jest of it all.

We start out a thought, to a seed, to a growing child then out into the world we come. Everything about us planned by our Creator a very long time ago. We are but a young little one depeding on others for every little thing we need. We can't talk, we can only cry or laugh to let our caregivers know whether we're happy or sad. Then we begin to roll, crawl, walk, and then we're off and running.

We can finally communicate! We see the older ones around us go through many different emotions, but are still too young to comprehend. We are still too young. Then we start school. We begin to realize that life isn't all fun and games and can actually at times be more challenging than it was to learn to walk.

We move on, growing up and heading into the lovely teen years; the ones we hear our parents say, "oh no, I'm not sure I'm ready for this." ;) We begin to learn that life can take many twists and turns. We learn what death is. Some of us have already lost or are losing grand parents. Some of us learn what it's like to lose a friend. We learn that the heart can be broken. We wonder what it is we are suppose to do. Some of us turn to the Lord for guidance, as we are fortunate to have learned at a young age what God is all about, and how Jesus died for us. How we are comforted when we turn to the Lord. Others remain lost.

Then we become adults ourselves. We look back at the years and laugh at how we hated going to school and now wish we were back in school. Funny how our thoughts change as we grow older.
Now we are middle aged and look back and ask ourselves, did I really do that? What was I thinking? Sometimes we may think, gosh if only I was that age again with the knowledge I have now. Our faith has grown stronger, we have become wiser. We are enjoying grandchildren. We reflect back over the years and think; wow! where did the time go.

As we grow older the days seem shorter, the weeks, the months the years, they slip by faster with each passing year. Where does the time go? Our children are grown, having babies of their own. Our grand children wow! how did they get so big so fast. We reflect back over the years, hopefully we have done well with our children so that they have a loving family life as well and will be able to look back with pride and satisfaction. Yes, as we grew older we made sure our children recieved knowledge of our Creator, of His son, of their great sacrifice for us. Yes, they know what family values and the value of life is all about. Yes, they were shown what it is like to have a kind heart, to love others without question. Ahhh the good old years.

Then we become senior citizens. Our lives change, we aren't able to get around as well as we used to. Even though in our minds we refuse to give into aging, our bodies are singing a different tune. We've taken good care of our tent that God has borrowed us though. We are in good health and keep moving, as we know if we sit and say hello old age, I succumb to you, that yup...you guessed it. The body says okay, you give up, so do I. We want to be around to enjoy the little ones again. To hear the laughter and pitter patter of little feet. Oh how they bring such joy. Oh Lord, take good care of them, protect and guide them. Let them have the good life I had, let them come to you.

I may be old and coming home soon, but at least I can go with knowing that I'll see them again. We grow older and weary. Soon our bodies say, I've gone the journey long enough. It's time to part from this world. I lived a good life. I've been blessed with a beautiful family that keeps growing. Thank you Lord for this time on earth to be with the people you placed in my path, for your teachings, for your heart. I'm ready to come home now. Good bye world. I'm through being old.

Then we are home with our Maker, free of pain, free of suffering, a body complete and whole, reunited with our loved ones of past. Ahhh, the good life. Growing old was worth it.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Today's Verse

Be still

in the presence of the Lord

and wait patiently

for Him to act.

Psalm 37:7

I know this is one that I need to remember. There are times I find myself wanting to know the answer right now, or grow impatient when I don't hear his voice, or when my prayers aren't answered in the time I expect them to be. But...I have gotten much better about this; as I've learned when we become impatient, we're pushing Him out. Getting in a habit of reminding ourselves that it's on His time saves us from heartache. He has our lives planned out for us.

God Bless and have a great weekend.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Innocence

This was just too cute not to share.

Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of

tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter.

The man at the counter asked the older boy,
'Son, how old are you?'

Eight,'
the boy replied.

The man continued,
'Do you know what these are used for?'

The boy replied,
'Not exactly, but they aren't for me. They're for him.

He's my brother. He's four. We saw on TV that if you use these you

Would be able to swim and ride a bike. Right now, he can't do either

one.


Ahhh the innocence of babes. All too often, we see something and can totally misinterpret the message. For children it is even more apt to happen with them. That's why I believe it is very important for parents to be very active in their childrens lives. Know what they are doing. Definitely control what they watch on TV. There is so much adult information now that it is hard for children to differentiate at times. The internet is another place to watch carefully if you allow your child to utilize it. I've seen and heard some scarey stuff.

We need to remember, kids are like little sponges. They try to absorb as much as they can; as quickly as they can. Their desire to learn all is vital to them. When they do not have a mentor there to explain to them what something is, or that something just isn't what they need, etc. their curiosty strengthens and that is when things can go haywire.

It's like the song--and darnit, I'm brain farhting again--I know, nothing new there--but some of the words are:

"Oh be careful little eyes what you see; oh be careful little ears what you

hear. For the Father's up above, and He's looking down in love, so be
careful little eyes what you see."

Oh, and just for the record; I'm one of those people that puts songs I've heard with life happenings or something being spoken. ;0) I drive my hubby up a wall sometimes. Hee hee. Granted the piece above is a joke, but you know, I can see this sort of thing happening.

God's Purpose

God knows your purpose.
Do you?
“For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the Lord…
“plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Prime Time with God

Today's Prime Time with God is another great one. A good lesson involving the work place. It starts with the Two Pillars that were placed at the entrance of the Temple, one on the south named he named Jankin meaning; "it establishes," the other on the north is named Boaz meaning; "in its strength."

You can read more about the Pillars and find references to the story of the pillars by clicking on Prime Time above. The following is a piece on what is being done in today's world.

"Kings and Priests are joining together to bring the presence of God into the
place that has been forbidden territory - the workplace. It is only when this
partnership cooperates in unity, mutual respect, and affirmation that we see
God's power released. Alone, we cannot do it. Together, we can bring the
presence of God into all spheres of society to transform workplaces, cities and
nations."

Imagine if people of the work place were all righteous people working there. Imgine the impact on the people that do business with that business. For instance, my husband prays every moring and through out the day about keeping his tongue in control and shining with the light of the Lord so that people realize. Since doing so, his boss has started to change! Now he doesn't go in there praying and pressing the issue upon everyone, he just works on being a builder of faith. Its actually quite simple when we believe. Let's all be builders of the Lord, let people see we are happy with who our Father is and share the light with others when approached. May you all go in Faith and be Blessed in Jesus name, Amen.

It's a God Thing

Here I am, it's 3:06 am, was awoken at 1:37 am. I was told to go read John 1:37. So I did. In the NKJV it read: "The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." So then I asked myself what He was trying to tell me. Am I not following? I then proceeded to my e-mail, as it was placed on my heart to write to my small group leader and was given the words to write.

As I finished the message, the Lord told me to start catching up on my devotionals in my box. The first one I opened was: Crosswalks Power Point with Dr. Jack Graham. His message was about following Jesus. It's a God thing. The following is an incerpt from there. You can read the entire message by clicking on his name above.

"But too often, we put our complete confidence in men and what other people
tell us when there is no substitute for the truth of hope in Jesus Christ!
Have you lost sight of the fact that our greatest and only everlasting hope is from
God? I want to remind you that Jesus is sufficient for your needs and mine. He
provides a hiding place in the storms of life.
He is a Father to the fatherless. He is the Great Physician to those who are
wounded and sick. He is the Beginning and the End to those who face
uncertainty. He is the Resurrection and the Life. And He is your Eternal and
Living Hope! "

His message was from 1 John 3:2

We must not forget who we are to follow. Remember, there is only one God. When following someone else, or somethig else, we become lost.
God Bless!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Menopausal Women Joke

Q: How many women in MENOPAUSE does it take to change a light bulb?
Woman's Answer:One! ONLY ONE!!!! And do you know WHY? Because no one else in this house knows HOW to change a light bulb! They don't even know that the bulb is BURNED OUT!! They would sit in the dark for THREE DAYS before they figured it out. And, once they figured it out, they wouldn't be able to find the darn light bulbs despite the fact that they've been in the SAME CABINET for the past 17 YEARS! But if they did, by some miracle of God, actually find them, 2 DAYS LATER, the chair they dragged to stand on to change the STUPID light bulb would STILL BE IN THE SAME SPOT!!!!! AND UNDERNEATH IT WOULD BE THE WRAPPER THE STINKING LIGHT BULBS CAME IN!!! BECAUSE NO ONE EVERPICKS UP OR CARRIESOUT THE GARBAGE!!!! IT'S A WONDER WE HAVEN'T ALL SUFFOCATED FROM THE PILES OF GARBAGE THATARE A FOOT DEEP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE!! IT WOULD TAKE AN ARMY TO CLEAN THIS PLACE! AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON WHO CHANGES THE TOILET PAPER ROLL !!
I'm sorry. What was the question?


Now women are we really that bad??? Men do you really see us this way???? ;)

Share and Learn

Do any of you have some great testimonies or stories to share of how the simple things in life have given you insight of the Lord’s teachings? I would love for you to share them with us. I truly believe that when we share what we have learned, we are helping one another to learn as well.

The Prodigals

Tonight I am asking for prayer for the Prodigals.

As parents we want nothing but the best for our children. There are those of us that want that without realizing just what the best is. I was brought to the Lord by my grandmother. Attended church and Sunday school growing up. But then wandered when I left home and went into the military. Married a man that did not believe. I still believed, and talked to the Lord, but was not a true Christian.

Our two children had followed friends into Christianity which was a blessing. I wanted to be involved, but for some reason just couldn't do it. Now our kids are grown adults, 25 and 26. Our son, the oldest came to Christ and led us to Him as well. Our daughter once moving back to the states lost her Christianity. We've tried to bring her back, but to no avail. We continue to pray for her, as we believe she will return. Our son has waivered in the past due to medications and illnesses. He has been doing so good and now we may be losing him again.

My message is to all that have young children. Involve them in church and the word right away. We currently take some of our grand children to church with us. Sometimes they attend services, other times they go to Sunday school. They love it and crave it. One is 6, one is 4 and the other is 4 months. The baby is captivated by our Pastors voice! Ocassionally the 7 year old goes with us as well. He craves learning about Jesus as well. They may venture as they get older, but are much less apt to, and will come back much easier.

I wish I had stayed involved, but perhaps I went through what I did to teach me some important lessons in life. Regardless, I know what it is like to be without the Lord. Life is a struggle more than we could ever imagine until we find our way back. I can not imagine what it would be like to walk away now. I don't want to know.

So I'm asking that we all pray for the prodigals of the world, that they will be brought back, their faith will grow strong, they will stay with their walk in the Lord. Let's ask for the lost souls to be saved. They need us; they neeed Him. Luke 15:11-32 talks of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:31-32 NLV, "His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!" Amen. I'm believing the prodigals will come to life again and will be found again.

Matthew 18:12-14 NLV, "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the nintey-nine that didn't wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little-ones should perish."

I so enjoy reading the Jesus's parables. Some can be confusing, but when we take the time to read different translations it often helps. Also reading the commentary helps one have a deeper understanding. We have so much at our fingertips to teach us what the Bible says. God is good!
Thank you Father God for all the good you do. Thank you for never leaving us, standing by, waiting for us to come to you. Amen

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Blocking Out

Driving just keeps getting more and more interesting. Can you tell it is my favorite thing to whine about? ;) Better to talk about it than end up with "ROAD RAGE!" Agggghhhh! LOL

Seriously though; while driving today and going through the construction sight that has a lane closed brought me to this subject. Every day I have to go through that area, I'm reminded of how people ignore/block out road signs, either that or they feel the signs do not apply to them. Who knows!

Well today we could have ended up in a serious pileup. I was back as I knew it was coming; but we still would not have been able to avoid the accident should it have occured. Two vehicles wait until the last minute to merge over, traffic is very heavy, there is nowhere for them to go, so they force themselves in. And of course, the people in the proper lane were not going to slow down to let them over. I think people are tired of those that have to take chances and get the one, two, or third car length between them.

What came to mind is this; what if we treated God that way? What if we chose to block out all the signs he sends our way? Life would be like the driving scene is becoming every day; a mess; a serious chance on our lives/well being. Is it worth it? No, like driving; taking chances is unwise. The whole idea is to continue to get closer to the Lord. Blocking Him out is not the way to do it.

So if we pay attention, everyday little lifes happenings actually has a message in it. The Lord has many ways of reaching out to us to get our attention. It's taken me a long time to realize this, but find it fascinating that when we leave ourselves open to Him, we learn so much more.

Strongholds

All too often, we are willing to hide from our problems; run from them; or what ever the case may be. Is this the right thing for us to do? No, it is not. Prime Time with God talks on this very issue. It is a very good article talking of how David was running from Saul. David was joined by many who were also having a hard time. But it is not wise to stay in the stronghold of safety; and God will find a way to let us know that we need to move away and learn. The following is a passage that was used:

"Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah...1Samuel 22:5

Monday, November 17, 2008

If

Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety-one?
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If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea,
does that mean that one out of five enjoys it?

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Why do croutons come in airtight packages?
Aren't they just stale bread to begin with?

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If people from Poland are called Poles,
then why aren't people from Holland called Holes?

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If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
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Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist,
but a person who drives a racecar is not called a racist?
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If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked,
then doesn't it follow that;
electricians can be delighted,
musicians denoted,
cowboys deranged,
models deposed,
tree surgeons debarked,
and dry cleaners depressed??!!!!
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If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge,
would they call it Fed UP??
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Do Lipton Tea employees take 'coffee breaks?'
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What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?
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I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and
forks, so I wondered what does a Chinese mother use. Toothpicks? [Small
porcelain spoons are the answer.]
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Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office?
What are we supposed to do, write to them?
Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps?
so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail?
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If a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose?
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Whatever happened to Preparations A through G?
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As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice:
When you put the two words 'The' and 'IRS' together,
it spells 'THEIRS?'
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Sunday, November 16, 2008

Bio Part III

Decided I would continue the saga of my life. Once we were at Castle AFB, we lived in Merced, CA for a short time then moved to Atwater which was much closer to the base. We were married by the justice of the peace on the 16th of December. This is the funny part of our marriage. Oh and yes, I wanted a full blown wedding, but it was not possibe, as I was nine months pregnant, and my family was all back in Minnesota and couldn't afford to do anything.

Anyway, back to the marriage. For one, I was nine months pregnant and had a belly that looked like someone had shoved a basketball in me. I wasn't heavy then either. Second, there was a couple married before us. The woman was sitting in there when her husband to be was brought in; they were married; kissed, and he went back to jail. We looked at each other and said, "We're doomed." Well, we did have our struggles, but have been married 27 years!!!!!

Our son was born December 24th! He was a blessing to us. I thought how special. I always believed and still do that God had given us this child to carry out a special task. Some day he will discover what it is that the Lord has planned for him and will carry it out. I'll tell you, have a child for Christmas is a wonderful experience. Our nurse wasn't happy though. The midwife delivering him was wonderful! Jas was a very easy birth as far as everthing happening fast. This is a story in itself. A moment I'll never forget.

We had gone to the hospital the 23rd. I thought sure I was in labor. I was only a centimeter dialated and they sent me home. The next day, hubby calls to see how I'm doing (he worked 24 on 24 off shifts in the Fire Department). As we were talking my water broke, and I mean broke. I was sitting in a pool of water and was like, "Oh my gosh, I think my water just broke!" Hubby asks if I'm sure. I'm like, "Yes, I'm soaked, it's time!"

I'm sitting on the toilet when he gets home in record time I might add and he says lets go. Well dear hubby, I have no pants on. So he goes into the bedroom, comes back and says he can't find any pants for me. HUH? He says, "Lets go." I started laughing and said, "Dear, I can't go out like this, you have to calm down and find me some pants--labor pains hadn't gotten too bad yet, so he did. He was so cute, bless his heart. I don't know how, but I managed to stay calm.

Then the labor pains hit! Oh my gosh, did they hit. Hubby became even more excited. Tee hee. We managed to get to the car, he's almost hyperventilating--the man who always stays in control--(have to tease him about this one)--and takes off. I'm on him to take it easy on the bumps, as the labor was coming fast and hard. We make it to the hospital and I'm already 4 centimeters. They get me all hooked up and realize my labor is off the charts. Duh! You don't have to tell me that. Poor hubby is lucky to have a hand left. We went to LaMaze classes, but guess what, that pretty much went out the door. I tried hard to breath, which I did for the most part, but at the peak of each contraction had a hard time. It got to the point where hubby would not give me his hand. Hmmm, can't imagine why. ;)

Anyway. My water broke at one; by 4:24 pm our son was born. Talk about going fast. Wow! A couple of pushes and there he was. Birth is hard. Ha! I thought wow, this is great! Yeah the labor was rough, but it didn't last all that long and there he was, our beautiful bouncing baby boy! Thank you Lord for our beautiful gift!

Oh, I left out a step. With being pregnant, hubby and I weren't allowed to be on the same shift, or one of us work 8 hours, so we decided it was time for me to get out of the service. Woman were still allowed to do that at that time. We figured it wasn't worth my staying in when we would only see one another 2 days every two weeks. This certianlly was no way to raise a family. I knew I was going to miss it, but on the same token would enjoy just being a mommy. Dec. 1st I left the A.F. This gave me time to prepare for our bundle of joy too.

May of 1982 we left for Grand Forks AFB, N.D. Woo hoo, what an assignment that was. We had a wonderful F.D. family. The housing was great. There was a nice yard and neighborhood for the kids. Oops, did I say kids? Yup. I got pregnant again while on the way to our next station. :) Our daughter AJ (nickname) was born March 24th, 1983. So she became a Nodakian. Another blessing in our lives. I'll tell you, as a parent, I was one of the few lucky moms with great children that very seldom fussed and smiled a lot. They were such joys in our lives.

Our winters there, wow! One year we had to dig our way out the back door, literally. We lived in a 2 story with a basement. The drift was up to the second level. Our garages were drifted in as well. So we had this tunnel that we walked through to get to the garage. We had talked my middle sister into moving out there at that time too, and she had a hatchback car. Hee hee, poor girl, apparently the hatch hadn't gotten closed all the way and was blown open. Her car was packed with snow. The little ones made out though. We bought a sled and they loved sliding down the big hill. Well, mound. :) I put in an iceskating rink in the back yard at one point too. Oops, don't try this at home, it kills the grass off. We had fun though!

We spent 6 years in Grand Forks. We never expected to leave there. It was nice as I was only 3 hours away from home. So we were able to make many trips to see my family. But then the orders came in. I wasn't none to happy. Going to a foreign country. But then again, some of my ancestors were full blooded German, and dad was in the army over there and loved it there, so off we go. We went to see family first and took the kids to Disneyland and Sea World. We had a blast. Rick went alone to get us set up. I was left to clean the house and pack up and make the move alone with two litte ones!!!! Auuugggghhhh. All was going well until...AJ fell, bumped into someone and put a whole in her bottom lip. Not a litttle one mind you. She had to have 6 stiches. She was a little trooper. Then to top it off, the poor baby ended up with the flu. Thankfully our best friends let us stay with them until it was time to leave. I ended up hiring someone to finish the cleaning of the place. Talk about stressed out! I wasn't sure what to pack. And of course, I've never been a light packer. Needless to say, we had a butt load of luggage to carry. :( Hubby had bought us new vehicle before leaving so the kids and I would have something dependable to drive out to Philadelphia.

The time comes, teary good byes, we head to my parents, spend a couple of days there, then to my mom's parents and see my favorite Aunt who was in a nursing home. Took pictures of everyone. Then hubby's oldest brother who had his family living in VA at the time flew out to help us drive out there and ship our car off. It was a beautiful drive, and the kids were amazing! We stayed in VA for a few days, then drove to DE to visit his sister and brother-in-law. Stayed there a couple of days, then we flew out of Philly to Germany. It was a 9 hour flight! Uggghhhh.

Okay, end it here. I'll do more later. There will be two, possibly three more segments to bring us to current times. :)

Polls update

Actually, I've added two polls for now. This is just to see which one will work the best. Have fun with them.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Something for Fun!

Okay, I've decided to try something new. I've set up a poll on the side bar just to do something fun. I've started it with a very easy category. I have all kinds of ideas, but wouldn ya know it, da mind failed me again. Darn the luck. They will all come back to me though. Just gotta have faith donchya know? Sorry, had to throw some of the old Norwegian slang in there. I was reminded of how us Minnesotan's and Nord Dakotans used to sound last night while at Albertson's. It was actually quite refreshing. Did not realize just how much of an accent we really did have then. I used to laugh at people when they said we had quite an accent. Our daughter can do the voice quite well. Okay now hon. Oakie Doakie. ;) The grandkids are starting to get used to the talk and even have fun using it sometimes. Gotta love us! Hey after all, we are all just one big patchwork of different designs weaved together by the love of our Creator!

So have fun, answer the questions and I promise, they will get better. I know the first one may seem dull, but hey it's a start down what will hopefully be an interesting path. If any of you have ideas or would be interested in a category, let me know. I'm open to new ideas.

Christmas Lights A New Perspective

Just thought I'd share a thought about Christmas lights. This thought came to me last year as we were driving around looking at the various houses all lit up. I love listening to the squeals of the little ones. Omah! Look over there; oh wow, that is neat; and on it goes. Yes, I admit, I love all the lights. But last year I looked at them in a different way. Here's what I see now and it warms my heart and makes me thankful and excited for the holidays more than ever.

When you see the lights aglow, they are lights celebrating Christ! Yes, this is what I see. It's a way to Glorify the Lord for all the good He does. It's a celebration of Jesus. It's a way of saying Happy Birthday Jesus! We Love You and Thank You for all that You have done. I have been teaching the girls that now. Of course they don't see it that way just yet, but I'm believing they will. And yes, we still do the, "look over there, oh look at those, wow, ew, ah...;)

So the next time you are out and about and see the beautiful display of lights, perhaps you too will have a different perspective on what they signify. I will admit, I used to think good grief, all those lights, must be ringing up their electric bill. (I know shame on me, but that was before coming back to the Lord). But now, I say, you go people! Shine those lights. Let Him see how much He means to us!

Unconditional Love

Last night my little sister called to say the two girls they have been fighting to get custody of was taken from them for now and given back to the mother who is not able to care for them.
:( On their way home from court, her husband commented on how he looked into the babies eyes and saw unconditional love. He said that he had messed up with his boys, but would not mess up with these girls.

That got me to thinking. "Unconditional Love;" what exactly is it?

On wikipedia.com, which I do not use that much anymore stated:

"Unconditional love is a term that means to love someone regardless of his or her
actions or beliefs. It is a concept comparable to true love, a term which is more
frequently used to describe love between lovers. By contrast, unconditional love is
frequently used to describe love between family members, comrades in arms and
between others in highly committed relationships. It has also been used in a religious
context to describe God's love for humankind. However, this can be seen as
contradictory in some cases where God's "unconditional" love is predicated upon the
believer's fulfillment of one or more criteria."

From Webster's New Milennium Dictionary:

"Definition:
affection with no limits or conditions; complete love"

Unconditional love in my eyes says you love someone without any boundaries. You may get upset with them at times, but will forgive. Just like our Lord our Savior. Despite what it says in Wikipedia, I truly believe Gods love for us is unconditional.

My reasoning behind this is due to the fact that despite the years I had become a prodigal daughter, He never gave up on me. When we come back to Him and repent of our sins he takes us back with open arms. Our Father is a loving Father. I love the picture of Jesus being asked "How much do you love me?" And Jesus replies; "This Much" then He spread His arms and died on the cross for us. Is that unconditional love or what?

So my point is, we should follow Gods example and think of the little children--who Jesus loves so much--and their unconditional love.

God Bless!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Devotional

Max Lucado has a page called: " 31 Days of Blessings." You can read them here.


What has God called you to be? A Martha, Mary, or perhaps a Lazarus. What ever it is, we should be putting it to use. Max Lucado has a piece on this very subject which you can read
here.

When the Lord gives us our gifts, they are intended for us to put to good use and not just sit on them. Those that do nothing with their gifts are hurting themselves; the people of whom they may have touched/helped; and we hurt our Lord as well. The whole purpose is to Glorify God. So if you know what any of your gifts are, let use them. After all, what do you have to lose? ;0)

Beliefnets Helpful Readings

On today's Beliefnet there are all kinds of goodies for helping one with coping in today's fast paced, often times seen depressed world. We can and need to beat down the blues. A quote for increasing hope:

"It's critical that we be absolutely intentional about nurturing hope in our lives
and the lives of our children. Now more than ever, overcoming fear and holding
onto hope are essential."

There are eight steps listed for helping one find hope.
Also, there is a book listed: "The Highly Sensitive Person" by: Elaine Aron.
There are other articles as well. A calming exercise to do; and 15 ways to stop obsessing.
Today's Inspiration:
"In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." The Beatles

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Sweet Blessings

Tonight I recieved the sweetest gift I have ever received. It started out by my hubby asking me if I wanted to go on a date a few nights ago tonight. Then he kicked me out of the computer room for the next couple of nights telling me he was on a mission and would not let any of us know what he was up to.

Tonight I found out. He was working on a blessings letter that he framed for me. I have never cried over a gift or a card like I did this. It came from the heart, had the sweetest message I've ever received, and carried so much love. It was a God moment. He tried to read it to me a couple of times and felt bad because he couldn't because he kept getting choked up. I explained to him that his emotions showed me just how much it meant.

This concept came from a small group of our church that he has been attending called, "Letters from Dad." A few of the words were from this group, but the rest came from him. This goes to show that by attending small groups we can learn from what others share, and extend it to our family members. We have all been able to share and touch one another from attending these groups. I have to say though, this took the cake. I'm still reeling in the sweetness of this letter. I already have a special place picked out to hang it where everyone can see and read it. It will be where I will see it many times every day to remind me of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful father for our children and a wonderful husband, friend, and confident. The Lord has blessed our family in so many ways. Thank You Lord. And a thank you to my hubby for following the Lord! Amen

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Tribute to Grandpa

While reading some comments on Oneminutewriter's blog, I was reminded of a special man. My maternal grand father. He was a POW in the Vietnam war and served in WWII. I have his discharge papers showing that he indeed was a one. My grandfather had a hard time dealing with all that he saw. He took to drinking which caused much harm to his body and made it hard on grandma. Grandma never left his side though. He started out with have bleeding ulcers burst and a trip to the emergency room every time; leaving grandma with a mess of blood to clean up. Eventually grandpa lost a leg to gangrene and then an arm. He had several strokes and could barely talk. It was hard seeing him that way. He was a brilliant man who could not cope with the night mares.

Regardless of all the pain, he still supported the military. Heaven for bid should someone have anything negative to say about it. He was proud when I had joined the Air Force. I miss him dearly. Grandpa, this day was set aside to honor you and all the other brave men and women who have served their country and fought for our freedom. I have nothing but admiration for you. At least now your pain is gone, your suffering over with. May you rest in peace!

Bear With Me :)

Bear with me all. I'm trying to dress up my blog some. I mean after all, it is fall, and a light house on the ocean sene, although is serene just doesn't seem to fit this time of year. I wish I knew how to do my own programming. Oh well. Obviously something went wrong while trying to set the theme, but hey, it's different. Hee hee. Good things come to those who are patient. Hopefully you all can put up with it for now. ;)

In Honor of Veteran's Day

A special shout out to all the Veterans on Veterans Day. There are not enough words to show the heart felt appreciation for all that you have done for our country. The sacrifices you and your families have made are beyond any ones immagination. We could never Thank You enough.

May the Lord shine down on all of you today, and give you all great Blessings. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, for your dedication and service to our great nation. Thank You to all the military members and their families for their continued dedication and support to our great country.

God Bless each and everyone of you.

Monday, November 10, 2008

A Seed Has Been Planted!

For months I've dealt with a heavy heart knowing that--or should I say thought that--one of my grandsons did not believe in God. We've prayed and prayed for deliverance for him and his dad for some time. The boy wants to be just like dad, and dad is an atheist. Today after retrieving him from school, he says, "Omah, remember how you told me that my mom had told you that she used to take me to church; well she said she never did tell you that." I told him he had misunderstood me, that he was the one that had told me. He argued with me and then started asking questions about God!

Needless to say, I was excited. I thought cool, he is interested. Come to find out, he has always believed and prayed; Praise the Lord! But, he was confused, as dad is confused and does not know whether to believe and what to believe. My son and I continued for the whole 20 minute drive to discuss the Bible, Jesus, and God with him. He was under the wrong perception of what church is all about. We were able to get him to see that church is not a downer place to go. He thought we were there to get people to believe and do what we felt was right.

Because of his frustration and carrying on the thought of a conversation we had once, a couple of weeks back, a child was enlightened more and has a desire to learn. A seed has been watered. Now it needs to be tended to and nurtured. He wants to start reading the Bible now. In fact, I told him I would get him one that would probably be a little easier to understand. Then we talked about receiving Christ and being saved. He had the wrong perception of that and why Jesus died on the cross.

Once hearing what and who our Father & Son are, he is excited, wants to learn and wants to be saved!!!!! Hallelujiah! God is Good! All the time! I can't begin to say what a relief that is. There has been a cloud of darkness covering that household for some time. A little glimmer of light has broken through. Hopefully the other four children will have an easier time now. The two girls and occasionally the one or to of the other boys go to church with us. They all have a love for Jesus. The oldest girl wants so bad to learn all she can! Now we just need to pray for dad to believe and for mom to go back to church and get her strength back in the Lord.

And oh Happy Days! Happy Days! We'll never be the same! Even in the shadows of the dark and dreary days of fall and winter, there is light! Praise God! We can never give up hope; never stop praying; never stop believing. For every season, there is a reason.

Kids! Gotta Love em

This one was cute today from Beliefnets Chicken Soup for the Soul. It talked about looking through your house for different appliances, furniture, accessories, etc. How one goes through different thoughts of what may have happened to them. Although neither of my children went off to college...well I don't want to spoil the whole piece. It was funny to read. You go through life with your children as they are growing, used to them getting into things and "borrowing" things without asking and finding them in their rooms eventually, but who would have thought that it would happen as they become adults and get out on their own. LOL! Kids! Gotta love em' ;)
Anyway, you can read the rest of the story here. The story is called Lost and Found.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Nostalgia

Today, one of my grandsons was making up a song about his "buddy" which reminded me of years back when I was taking care of a friends son. The "My Buddy doll" doll had come out in the 80's. The littel guy that I took care of loved that doll.

I had completely forgotten about this doll. Isn't it amazing how something as simple as one word bring back memories? So then I thought; well, I haven't heard about that doll at all any more. I wonder what ever happened to it. Come to find out it is a collectors item now. You can read about them and look at the different ones that had been designed, here at Kaylee's Corner. She has the dolls from the ninties on the main page but a link to compare with the originals.

Talk about a blast from the past. Now I just thought of the "Dressie Bessie doll." I had one of those, and so did my kids. :) OM Gosh, I can't believe the walk down memory lane tonight. While searching for Bessie, I found Chatty Patty, Wetsy Betsy, Dollikin Paper Dolls, the Tammy, Pepper, and Ted barbie type dolls. But nothing on the "Dressie Bessies doll before the 1983's. Was it a figment of my imagination that I once had one of those dolls? Does anyone remember it from the sixties or seventies?

I also came across Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake. Our daughter loved those two, and how about the pound puppies. Both kids loved the pound puppies! Then of course there was the Cabbage patch. Those are making quiet a come back.

Okay, I am beginning to realize that I could go on and on. But I'll stop here and ask if anyone else has some great child day memories of favorite toys.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Another good one at Proverbs 31 Ministries under Encouragement today. Today's discussion is on clutter in our lives. Not just home, but also in our spiritual belonging. It's funny, as I have often wondered about the junk in my house, about being all too often a procrastinator. It is true that the time the junk isn't well hidden that someone shows up. But the most important is the junk/clutter in our spirituality. Be sure to stop in and read the article. Makes sense and offers great advice.

What Are You Thankful For?

A little something different here. Would love to hear from all of you!
Thanksgiving will soon be upon us.
How do you view Thanksgiving?
What are you thankful for?
What are some of your traditions?

1. I view Thanksgiving in many ways, but first and formost the thankfulness of the Lord and all He has done. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. I also reflect on how Thanksgiving even came about and share it all with our grandchildren. Well, that is when I can get them settled down long enough to listen and do projects. ;)

2.I'm thankful for Church, the Pastors and our family there. For family and friends, being together, sharing and the love brought out in people at this time. I'm thankful to be an American. Most importantly, I'm thankful to be a daughter of the Lord, a sister in Jesus Christ.

3. Our tradition is getting as much of the family together as possible. We each bring one or more things to lighten the load on the host/hostess. Telling one another what we are thankful for. Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes with marshmallows of course (which reminds me, anyone out there have a good sweet potatoe pie recipe, would love for you to share that), pea salad, fruit salad, rolls, and of course stuffing (yummy!), then last but not least, we always have a pumpkin, apple, and pecan pie. Oh, almost forgot, on occasion someone will make zucchini, and/or banana nut bread; and we always have a relish tray, cranberries, and a veggie tray. That is a must! :) We also join hands and pray, thanking the Lord for our family time, the food, and thank our troops, praying for their safety! This year we have a new family member to add to our gathering. My father-in-law was married yesterday and is taking his bride back to San Diego. One of her daughtes lives here and we have invited her to join us, as she has no family here, (well now she does, us!)

Okay, now it's your turn. :)

What

On a Ligther Note

I don't know if any of you have looked at my gadgets section. I just love Ansel Adams photo's. I had read an article in the Photograhpy magazine by photographer that her way of finding the right pictures to take is to ask yourself if it would make a good black and white picture. Well, clearly by looking at Adam's photo's this make sense. I've looked at photography with a whole new perspective and have at times captured some great shots. One of my desires in life is to be a professional photographer. I plan on eventually purchasing a "good" camera, as ours went on the blitz and start taking photography more seriously. There is so much to capture whether it be people, architecture, (which I love to look at, Prague was an amazing city of architecture), animals, country and city scenes, nature, you name it, it's all good. My biggest desire is fall scenes, sunrises and sets, and birds of prey. I could sit and watch them all day. They simply fascinate me. They're so graceful.

Also, the photos from National Geographic can simply be amazing. And of course, I've talked of my desire to do missionary work in other countries. I'll be thrilled when I am built up in the Lord to do this. He has set a calling in my heart for that. The photographic opportunities there, some of saddness, but more importantly of the goodness God is doing there. Showing that we can, through Him make a difference in others lifes. And yes, here in our own country as well.

Funny but Serious

Well I have to say, I got a good chuckle out of an e-mail that I did not open, just the subject line made me laugh. But it is a serious issue. The subject line read:

Is America ready for a black President?

How sad is that? Yes, of course we are. That is not the issue, well for many that I know and my family and self. The issue is being honest, for America and our well-being.

Years back, I had wished that Colin Powell would run for President. He's a brilliant man. Martin Luther King Jr. Wow! Now there was a special man. He is probably looking down and shaking his head over the dividedness that he fought against. He would have made a great President. So yes, America is ready for a genuine Godly President. I pray that is what Obama is. Regardless, I'll support him, and will definitely be praying for him and his family.

America!

Oh my gosh. I went into the Newswire chat room and was appalled at what I read. So much slamming of McCain and Palin still!!!! Why must this go on? Still talk of Palins ward robe.

One: Michelle Obama spent way more on her wardrobe for her alone along with her family. Do we hear about that? No!

Two: The complaint about Bush and the economy. First, I voted McCain/Palin, but will support Obama as he will be our President. That is the American way and the God way. But I think many are forgetting or will not accept, the Dems were the majority in the Senate and Congress the past 2 years and that is when the economy went down hill. Bush? I don’t think so.

Three: McCains party was and still is being slammed for negative ads towards Obama, but Obama a gentleman and scholar being polite when Obama’s party did the same thing.

Shame on us for lies, for looking for dirt, that often times was not there, for being petty, such as wardrobes. The right has said they want to unite for some time now. Clearly by so many of the comments on the News wire, that is not the desire of the left.

They are still dogging McCain and Palin and the election is over with! Where are we going with this? Let’s Stop this ridiculous behavior! Let’s set examples and show our Political parties that we are sick of this pettiness, lying, mud slinging garbage, and stick to FACTS only. Let us know exactly what they want to do and how.

One last point; shame on all that are dogging McCain in the manner you are. McCain went through way more than many of you will ever do to support our country and give you your freedom, much the same as Jesus had done for us. We are Americans that should be fighting for our country, showing an example of what we are founded on and should be acting like. Unite people! No more LEFT and RIGHT. UNITED WE STAND! GOD BLESS AMERICA! Yes, I used the word God. Look at the Constitution of the U.S. Look back at history and our founding fathers. Why do you suppose there is so much ugliness today; because we have lost sight of our values?

Please America, stop and think about what we are doing. Many say you are against the war, but you continue a war here in our own country. Not to mention the dishonor to our troops you are showing. I’ve been cussed out for voicing my opinion. That is sad and petty. I’m praying Obama will be the man he says he is. I’m praying Michelle will come to the people and be genuine about being an American. I’m praying that those that are so full of hate get past it and be the people we need to be. Let’s save our great nation, let’s unite, lets stop the fighting! Many say you are against the war. Well let’s stop the war here in our own country. I’m talking to the so called LEFT and RIGHT. I have to say, there are many Dems. and Reps. I support, and there are Dems. and Reps. I don’t. It’s based on facts and what the Lord our God and Creator has told me to believe in.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Excellant Posts

I highly suggest clicking on moments passed and Rabbit Run Cottage from my links on the left side of the page. Both bloggers wrote a great post on Obama. Nothing negative mind you. I feel they both put a great perspective on the whole outlook of the ending of the election. Well worth the read.

Good Post

Pastor Ken has left a wonderful post on the day after the election. He makes some great points about moving on, accepting and the fact that the Lord is still in control, and we have a duty to our President elect. It's well laid out and explained for us. You can read the whole post here.

Hand Prints

Today's Encouragement for today has a great piece on enjoying the little things in life that really matter. To slow down and take it all in rather than being the tidy neat person who doesn't stop to look at the little things. Stop worrying and look around you and enjoy. The lesson came from a mother-in-love to her daughter-in-love. What a great way to look at that huh? A simple talk of not washing the windows saving the grandsons hand prints on the window to rememeber the sweet times in life. It is a moving reading that you can view here.

So down, look around, enjoy the finer things in life, looking for the little things that we all too often miss. Don't worry about those little finger prints, as someday they all go away faster than we could imagine. Enjoy today!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Good Word

Wow! Before publishing my post, I wish I had read Beth's post first here. She puts the election, God, and the way we should act and respond into perspective. It is so easy to resort the flesh. For some refreshing reading click on the link above. It will be well worth it.

Explanation of My View

Apparently it would have been better for me to keep my feelings about the election to myself to save from anger of others, but decided to speak out.

The reason for my feelings against Obama has nothing to do with the mainstream media. It has to do with what I am hearing in my soul. I don't care about the Left and the Right. Quite frankly, I'm sick of the fighting between the two. I do feel McCain and Palin are genuine in wanting the two to work together. This battle over the left and the right is sad and has a lot to do with our divided nation.

My decision for McCain/Palin is because of my concern for my children and grand childrens future. Because I am concerned for America and the world. I'm concerned about health care and retirement. I'm basing my decision on facts!

If you really listen to Obama's messages and you look at what goes on in other countries of a socialist life, that is exactly where we are headed. There are people that have lived in socialist ran countries that have come to the U.S. and have said themselves that is what Obama wants. Facts, plain and simple whether they want to be heard or not.


The Lord is trying to get our attention; if a righteous man is not put in the Presidents seat, I truly believe it will be because we did not listen to what He was trying to tell us. We've lost sight of values in country, family, church, God, and our Constitution.

If we would stop the bickering, try to work together, think about how much better our country would be. I sure wish Ronald Reagan was still here and still in office. The man was brilliant. America needs a person like that again.

Our Great Nation

After reading some blog posts, and listening to videos on this early morning of the voting day; I've reflected on all that has transpired up to this day. It is amazing how so many have been duped by the media. It saddens me to see how many are relying on the media and not what our great and wonderful Creator asks of us to do.

What does make me feel good is how the Churches across the world have come together, prayed together and seek the word of God. This is a comfort, as the Lord is the one who is in control; not us. Our Church has been praying three times a day; 6 am, noon, and 6 pm. for insight from Jehovah Jireh, for righteous people to be voted into office, for truths to be revealed, etc. This past Sunday we had Sacred Assembly which was a life changing event! The Lords presence was so strong! His voice loud and strong!

Our Church is going to continue to pray on a daily basis. Our Pastor has been great at getting the word out and many are picking up on the importance of the Church. We are coming back to where we all should be, and that is being steadfast in seeking the Lord as a whole!

I have a good feeling about this great nation. I'm believing that God will prevail. Regardless of what happens this election, our faith must remain strong. We must remember that whatever happens, God is in control. We must turn to Him! No matter what, stand for America, our great nation, to keep life, family, marriages as they were deemed to be from the beginning. Let's come together to remove the dark veil that has been sweeping over America!

Remember, what happens in our country has an affect on the whole world. It's not just about us. What happens today can affect the future of our children. What do we want for them?

God Bless America, the land of the Free, the home of the Brave!
Don't forget to Vote!!!

Please Watch

Please go to this site and listen to what Pastor Ken Wilde has to say about the zero hour. About why we should get out and vote. About what we should be looking for. About the history of this great nation. Believe me, it is worth it.

God Bless America!

Voting

A good plea for people to vote was found here
Let's all get out and vote. It is so important!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Gestures: Real or Accident?

You know, normally I would say that people do things without thinking, but when he has made this gesture while congratulating Hillary also, it seems that this is not a mistake. Look at the mans face; does it look genuine? Not to mention that he wants to bankrupt the coal industry. Tax us to death, as if we aren't already. Our economy is going to go downhill real fast. A socialistic life, oh yeah, that sounds like fun! Anyway, go here to view the video that I'm referring to.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Prayer Request

This is a prayer request going out to all.
My little sister Sarah is currently fighting for custody of her grand daughter and her sister. The other girl is of a different father. The reason being is the oldest has been suffering neglect for some time. The mother has some serious mental problems and is incapable of caring for the babies properly. Micah (the oldest) has had severe diaper rash since birth. Mom refused to use desitin or anything else. When my sister went to see her new granddaughter (Katie), she found the bathtub was filthy. It took her 2 hours to clean it! Micah had a urninary tract infection. Mom did not want to take her in to receive medical care. The poor girl has been sleeping in a bed soaked with urine, to include the pillow. Mom does not know how to cook. Yesterday, Micah had french toast for breakfast, which is okay, but didn't happen until 10 am. Then she had sweet tarts and graham crackers for lunch; and part of a corn dog for dinner. This is a typical day for the child.

Sarah called and asked for serious praying to be done. I knew to come to all of you as well. There is a hearing Monday, Nov. 3rd to decide whether or not Sarah will get custody (the social worker is pulling for it to happen) or whether more research will be needed, or if the mother appeals.

Please be praying for the children to recieve what is necessary to have them in a loving environment, more importantly a safe environment. Sarah's son does have bi-polar and has been off his medication and was afraid to go against the mothers wishes as she would do crazy stuff if he did. While pregnant with Katie (the newborn) she held a knife to her stomach and threatened to take her life and the babies. She's called the police on Ryan and lied to get him into trouble if he made her mad. The children need to be taken from that environment. Praise the Lord, Ryan is back on his medication, receiving counseling.

Please pray that the Lord will continue to work on him and help him become a good father. Pray that Melissa (mom) will be helped as well. Those babies deserve a better life than this. Children are a precious gift from God. We need to nurture them and care for them.

So please pray for Micah Marie O'Grady and Katie May Krueger (the two babies) for safety and love. For Melissa and Ryan to come to the Lord, be healed and become the parents those precious girls need. Thank you to all of you for your prayers. Prayer in numbers is owe so powerful. God Bless!