Chrysanthemum

"The day she was born was the happiest day in her parents' lives...

Her name must be everything she is...

Her name must be absolutely perfect...And it was...

Chrysanthemum.  Her parents named her Chrysanthemum."

In this story Chrysanthemum grew and grew 

in the safety of her home with her loving parents 

where she was nurtured and happy.

Life continued to her school days 

when others were never as kind to her.

All through this precious story you will find 

her parents standing with her 

through all her trials and tribulations.

Eventually, a special teacher speaks up to say right things.

This is a wonderful book for parents, as well as any of us who deal with bullies.

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this book was given to me from my very own "Chrysanthemum", 1994

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

What a sweet, silly story with gregarious Lilly who loves school.

One weekend her grandma took her shopping, 

buying her marvelous things which 

she wanted to show everyone at school.

Waiting for the appropriate time was so difficult,

 and so the story continues...

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What would we do without windy days?

Thank you, Charles Schulz 

I urge you to keep your eyes open!

Romans 16:17-20
"Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those 
who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to 
the teaching which you learned, 
and turn away from them!!

For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ 
but of their own appetites; 
and by their smooth and flattering speech 
they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting!!

For the report of your obedience has reached to all; 
therefore I am rejoicing over you, 
but I want you to be wise in what is good 
and innocent in what is evil.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."

Happy Memories on a Chain

It all began with a piano recital so many years ago.

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He saved us from our sins! He is all of our hope!

John 1:14
 "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, 
and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, 
full of grace and truth."

Psalm 42
"As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So my soul pants for You, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;

When shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my food day and night,

While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go along with the throng and 
lead them in procession to the house of God,

With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, 
a multitude keeping festival.
Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.

O my God, my soul is in despair within me;

Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan

And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;

All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;

And His song will be with me in the night,

A prayer to the God of my life.

I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God."

Yes, Jesus is all of our hope!

The LORD is your joy!

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From: dec/jan 2018/19, maryjanesfarm.orgmaryjanesfarm.org

Kindness please

Kudos to Charles Schulz who always knew how to teach 
significant lessons without being preachy.

Proverb 25:22

"If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;

And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

For you will heap burning coals on his head,

And the Lord will reward you."

A Beautiful Hand-me-down Book

“She belonged to Sophie’s mother when she was a little girl 

and before that she belonged to Sophie’s grandmother.  

The doll was so old-fashioned that 

she seemed like a visitor from anther time.

When Sophie found her, 

she was wearing a thin dress with a shredded hem. 

Her cheeks were faded and had tiny crackles, 

and her mouth was a dingy pink. 

But Sophie loved her all the same, 

and she named her Rose...

...Dolls don't grow up, or grow old.  

They grow softer. And the more Sophie played with 

Rose the softer she grew..."

This is a real gem of a story book with a wealth of illustrations!

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Friendly Advice

Heheeheee....

Actually, friendly advice from a godly friend is worth more than gold.  There is a preciousness in real friendships where safety dwells. Sisters in Christ have a love that is deeper than blood. The bond is Jesus's blood. We have a higher calling where mercy and grace is on our sleeves, it is in our hearts. We think of the other as dear, a treasure, and we care deeply for each other. Their agonies are our agonies, and their joys are our joys! They are on our minds and prayers for them are always on our lips. The privilege to know and pray for them and for those they love is beyond words.

Thank you for my sisters in Christ!  Glory to God!

Weathering the Storms of Life

Exodus 14:14
"The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”

Priceless Gifts

The Preciousness of Kindness

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From: dec/jan 2018/19, maryjanesfarm.orgmaryjanesfarm.org

Everyone needs to have a Real Hope

--Charles Schulz

Romans 15:13
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 
so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

My Celestine # 3 just in time for Christmas!

Ernest and Celestine give a Christmas party on a shoestring budget 

with lots of imaginations, foibles, concerns, apologies, 

and then much thankfulness in the end---

and guess who is sleeping in Celestine's arms at the end? 

Such joy!

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Ernest & Celestine's Patchwork Quilt

My second Ernest and Celestine Book is a wordless book. 

I just love wordless books as an art project. You think of a subject matter,

design your pictures to tell your story, and begin to draw. It is a great 

way to express yourself in pictures.

In this book the subject matter is about a quilt they make together. 

The story is laid out and we learn all about what happens without 

any words.  It is a wonderful experience and a treasure! 

Enjoy! 

A Very Precious Story Book

We discovered this precious story book at the library in the early 1980's.

The watercolor illustrations are lovely. They are a feast for the eyes 

where details are in every corner.

In this story Celestine's favorite toy is accidentally lost 

and she is devastated. Ernest tries desperately to help in every way. 

The final solution is priceless. A wonderful treasure for your library.

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A Warm Soft Fact:

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From: dec/jan 2018/19, maryjanesfarm.orgmaryjanesfarm.org

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I wish I was sick, too!

A sweet teaching story about a sibling who is ill, 

receiving much attention, 

while the other child carries on as usual.

A touching family story.

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Suppressing God's Truth for your own agenda is sin!

When you know God's truth, but you choose to morph His Word to fit your agenda, you are mocking God. 

If this is you then you are either the abuser or the abused! Choose now to stop and honor God, not men!

Suppressing God's truth is full of legalisms and lies, it is evil. 

If you are caught up in it you need to get away from it!  If you are enslaved in it you need to cry out to God for His forgiveness and freedom from it!

Romans 1:18-22
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven 
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men 
who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
because that which is known about God is evident within them; 
for God made it evident to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, 
His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, 
being understood through what has been made, 
so that they are without excuse.
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God 
or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, 
and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools"

Proverbs 14:8-12
"The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But the foolishness of fools is deceit.
Fools mock at sin,
But among the upright there is good will.
The heart knows its own bitterness,
And a stranger does not share its joy.
The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death."

So change your mind,
change your life, 
stop being drawn into their web of lies.

Romans 6:15-23
"What then? 
Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? 
May it never be! 
Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves 
for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, 
either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, 
you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching 
to which you were committed,
and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh
For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity 
and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, 
so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, 
resulting in sanctification.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which 
you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, 
you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification,
and the outcome, eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, 
but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Stop Suppressing the Truth!

Romans12 

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, 

to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable 
to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by 
the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will 
of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among 
you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; 
but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to 
each a measure of faith.

For just as we have many members in one body and all the 
members do not have the same function, 

so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually 
members one of another.

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, 

each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, 

according to the proportion of his faith; 

if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 

he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, 
with cheerfulness.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; 
cling to what is good. 

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; 
give preference to one another in honor;

not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty 
in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own 
estimation.

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right 
in the sight of all men. 

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the 
wrath of God, for it is written, 
“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, 
and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; 
for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

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Why can't people live together nicely?

-Hagar the Horrible-
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Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy 
and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, 
according to the elementary principles of the world, 
rather than according to Christ."

Matthew 5:43-48
"You have heard that it was said, 
‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
 But I say to you, love your enemies 
and pray for those who persecute you, 
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; 
for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, 
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 
For if you love those who love you, 
what reward do you have? 
Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 
If you greet only your brothers, 
what more are you doing than others? 
Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Therefore you are to be perfect, 
as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Isaiah 1:2-20
“Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the Lord speaks,
“Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me…

…“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;

Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.

Cease to do evil,

Learn to do good; 
Seek justice,

Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.

“Come now, and let us reason together,
”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,

They will be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They will be like wool.

“If you consent and obey,
You will eat the best of the land;

“But if you refuse and rebel,

You will be devoured by the sword.
”
Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
                         
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Remember Pearl Harbor

A Day that will live in Infamy.

When a wolverine lives in your home...

....your Christmas tree has to be in a bowl.

A winter for Snoopy

The promise is to the vilest offender who truly believes!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

To God be the glory, great things He hath done,


So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,


Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,


And opened the life gate that all may go in.


Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!


Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,


And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

Oh, perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,


To every believer the promise of God;


The vilest offender who truly believes,


That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice!


Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!


Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,


And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,


And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;


But purer, and higher, and greater will be


Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice!


Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!


Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,


And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

Crosby

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The Caboose Who Got Loose

A wonderful Bill Peet book with lovely illustrations 

including the story in rhyme.

The moral of the story is to do your job,

be happy where you are, and be thankful.

... "Whenever she passed through a small country town,

Katy wished she could stop and just settle down

And be one of the houses who sat in a row

On a tree-shaded street and have no place to go,

'It's so restful,'   thought Katy,   'where one can relax,'

As she hurried and scurried on down the train tracks."...

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Find out what happens to Katy in this treasured story book.

This is happily ever after

The two shall become one flesh

Ephesians 5:25-33
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church 
and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, 
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 
that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, 
having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; 
but that she would be holy and blameless. 

So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. 
He who loves his own wife loves himself; 
for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, 
just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. 

For this reason a man shall leave 
his father and mother 
and shall be joined to his wife, 
and the two shall become one flesh. 

This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ 
and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also 
is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it 
that she respects her husband."

Oh, to know Jesus as a sweet treasure!

Lone are the paths

and sad the bowers

whence thy sweet smile 

has gone,

But Oh! a brighter home than ours 

in heaven is now thine own.
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Found recently on a headstone while visiting a rural cemetery.

Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent

Bill Peet is one of my favorite authors, illustrators.   

He seemed to know just how to engaged children and adults 

in the silly, sweet stories he wrote.

Although this story is not in rhyme, it is just as charming.

Cyrus is a happy, gentle sea serpent who desires more excitement 

in his life when a shark over hears him and begins to sarcastically 

tease Cyrus to become a bully. 

Of course, Cyrus is not the bully type,

 but the adventures continue until he is completely exhausted 

and taking a break by the end of the story.

Fun for all!

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Have A Wonderful, Triumphant, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Living in Trauma:

I often write to encourage you, sisters in Christ, to run to the LORD in all things.  

I often express how agonies and traumas come and go -- or they just come and stay, but, still, we need to run to the LORD to find His grace and mercy to continue to live in Him and for Him.  It is really the only way to be able to continue living rightly, not becoming bitter and angry.

A bitter, angry person is not what we want to become.  We have all have seen and known bitter people and it is gross and ugly, and not what the LORD wants for us!

When I express these things, I am right there with you.  I am not a super Christian. I live in ongoing stress every day so I run to the LORD all through the day, every day. 

I have not always been this way.  I had to learn to think rightly, which meant I needed to learn to think of my need of the LORD first before I worried all day or picked up the phone.  It has taken me years to learn that the first thing to do is to run to Him.

When we run to the LORD right away, share our thoughts, agonies, and feelings we may expect His peace right away.  This may be what He does for us, but His peace doesn't necessarily arrive as we expect it. 

Do not despair as if He has forgotten you! 

He works, and He works in you, deep inside.  As He does this a marvelous thing begins in us. His peace, which is far from our own understanding, begins to work in us.  

I always marvel at Him because my own life's chaos continues, but I, in Him, become at peace, His peace, while the chaos continues to swirl about me.  

It is a precious thing to have such peace among the chaos. His peace comes at a price. It is Jesus who gave us God's beautiful grace! Let us choose to run to Him more often, glorifying His Name!!

As I think of my life in trauma all my agonies seemingly hang on me.  I run to the LORD so often feeling like a failure because I feel like I do not handle it rightly, but He lifts me up once again. Even so, I continue deep down to feel like a failure. I feel like I failed Him and I failed myself.

But in retrospect, in thinking rightly, all of this learning and running to the LORD, waiting on Him, trusting Him among my chaos, has allowed myself to draw closer and closer to Him -- and isn't this what we all desire?!  To be closer and closer to our great Almighty God who is full of compassions, mercies, and love. My failures are in reality, triumphs in Him!  

I am triumphant in my weaknesses because I trust in Him!  Let us trust in Him more and more! Glory to God!

What a beautiful thing!