Taking Time......

Wow!  What a gorgeous fall day in beautiful North Carolina!  I sat on my deck reading from my devotional, "Jesus Today," by Sarah Young. She reminded me that I have a restless, scampering about, mind!  Ouch!! Ouch!! He is as close as the mention of His name!!

It was so peaceful on the deck....leaves dancing their way to the ground in a slow waltz sort of way,
birds jostling  at the feeder, Susie chasing off the squirrels and returning with lolling tongue and a cheesy grin on her silly face, Jon "mowing" the leaves into one pile......

"Be still and know that I am God" was the song of the moment. It was so pleasant to "pull away" from so many distractions.  I feel renewed, refilled, and quietly peaceful in His Presence!

Nothing else "thrilled my soul" like Jesus!  Nothing else satisfies. Nothing else fills the deepest recesses of my soul!

Family Renuion

It had been three years since all five of us siblings had been together. Here are a few shots of this past weeks time.

Stephen stopped in and surprised us. We all had to have a hug!!

 Second cousins. Aschiah and Kiley Mae(Pam's grandchildren),. and Cameron, mine.

These are especially posted for our dear friend, Sis. Dunn!!

Whiskers in the Sink

Whiskers in the Sink..

I cleaned my house so perfectly

It looks so nice, I think

Until I saw the awful tale of

Whiskers in the sink!!

Ugh! I groaned, how thoughtless could he be,

To not appreciate..., a little wife like me!

"'I'll tell him so,' I seemed to think."

There's better ways to show your love, than whiskers in the sink!

And THEN I had a solemn thought

How empty life would be

If lived alone, clean house and all

Just things, and time, and me....

So now the dirty dishes,

Or perhaps, socks upon the floor

Help me count my blessings

Jon's coming through the door!

I'm not alone, Companionship

Is a dear and precious link

I thank you, God, for husband dear

AND WHISKERS IN THE SINK!!

(Written for Jon's 50'th birthday, many years ago)

Today, I'm doing loads of laundry from his six day trip. AND I'M LOVING IT!!

56 minutes ago

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It is Well With My Soul

It Is Well with My Soul    8 28 13

This is a hospital experience, but not one focused on me.

When I was admitted to the local hospital early Monday morning, after a long night in the ER, to put it mildly I was exhausted. From the pain as well as all the hospital protocol.

The plan was to do a stress test and a scope to check my esophagus. I asked Amy and Jon not to tell anyone. Tests are tests and we all have them.
However, when the plan changed to transport me to the large Heart Center for a heart cath, I must admit I did a momentary "melt down." Even for one who has spent years in the medical field, it seemed rather frightening. Transfer via ambulance seemed a bit of "overkill," pardon the pun.

So the prayer requests went out. How precious is the family of God!!!  United prayer is a powerful force.  The day dragged on as I was bumped for more urgent patients, which I totally understood.

Moments like this in life are beautiful times for soul searching.  Finally after long hours, I was wheeled into the procedure room. As lights and machines glared and blared, techs, nurses, and doctors scurried around me.  I was read a statement of all the things that can go wrong, without warranty, and the paper was thrust into me hands to be signed. I reminded them that even Walmart gave warranties... lol.

And then............   a miraculous, amazing thing happened(before I was given the relaxing meds!), God's Presence settled over me like a warm, soothing blanket.  The words of "It is Well With My Soul" rang loud and clear deep in my heart.

A peace that this World cannot give nor take away lifted me into His Presence. I'm not writing this for drama. I know a heart cath is routine. But as I look back, the experience is a precious one. Another stake driven to reassure me that our God IS ALWAYS ENOUGH. For today, for tomorrow.

One never knows what tomorrow holds, but on the railway of life, the good and bad run parallel. I think of the railway ties as God's Presence that binds them together.  The way leads off into the horizon, and we know not what curves and valleys lie ahead. But "I know who holds tomorrow, and I KNOW WHO HOLDS MY HAND!"

Eternal Security and An Abundant Entrance

Peter tells us that we can have an abundant entrance into Christ's kingdom. He also tells us the conditions for such, laying out the "conditions" for being "eternally secure" as we become partakers of His divine nature....


II Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are told to diligently add faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, Godliness, brotherly kindness, and love... and if we do these things we shall never fall!!

No, that's Not salvation by works........because he emphasized that only as we partake of His divine nature will be able to do this!
That is living in Christ, Christ living in me!!

And the result of that is being fruitful!!

Today, Lord, my prayer is to grow in the grace and the knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ!!!

The Written Word

The Written Word

Yesterday I was in Barnes and Noble with my granddaughter. It was a refreshing experience. Yes, there were electronic "books" everywhere.........getting with the times.
But there were thousands of the "old fashion" paper edition of books. In the coffee shop there were young and old on their ipads and laptops. But there were many as well sitting on the comfortable sofas...just lost in the world of the book they held in their hands.
This morning I picked up my precious, worn, well marked Bible. I enjoy the "electronic age" as well as any "grandma" can, I suppose. I love having the many translations at my fingertips in stead of having to dig through countless books.
Just the other morning I was sitting on my deck reading when I wished I could read a certain passage in a few other translations. However, I didn't want to interpret my devotions to come inside and look it up on my laptop. Suddenly I remembered that I had my beloved Bible Gateway program on my phone. I slipped it from my pocket and there it all was.

But this morning, as I read, prayed, and sung my way through several of the Psalms......I was keenly aware of how very precious this old book is to me. Notations of days gone by marked as though a journal, reminded of and reinforced the power, comfort, and endurance of His Word.
Oh, I know there is actually no sacredness in these paper pages. But to me, when I picked up this book, it become hallowed in my hands.
Although down through the countless ages, many have tried to stamp it out, burn it up, defame it, deny it, scorn it...it has stood the test of time.
Today, my internet service or phone service may suddenly fail me. But today, I hold this sacred book in my hands!
Thank God for His Precious Word!!

Cutting Back....

Cutting Back.......

I sat in my walker by my beautiful flower pots.  I drank in the beauty and reflected.  My pansies, planted last summer had taken on a burst of new life......brilliantly coloring my front yard.
But since this was their second summer they had grown tall and spindly. Yes, the blooms were still as magnificent...but I knew they were struggling.
I knew what I needed to do,but it seemed almost painful to me. No, no......I just can't sacrifice these present blooms.
But knowing that new freshness of growth would create healthier blooms that would endure a new summer's heat.......I determined to do what was necessary.
So gently I broke a few of them off their tall unsightly stems........waiting for another day to do a few more.
For now the brave little flowers grace my table. For now I'll watch and wait for the fruit of such pruning

.
As I had studied the situation, I was reminded how my kind Gardener, in His infinite wisdom and love knows that I, too, often need such "cutting back." Sometimes it's , oh, so unpleasant, yes....even painful.
But looking back, I  know it was indeed profitable and fitting.
Today, Lord, I yield to your embrace or purging.......... Thou, Oh, Lord, knowest me!!