Springtime in the Mid-West

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"White as snow, white as snow, 

though my sins were as scarlet,

Lord I know, Lord I know, 

that I'm clean and forgiven.

Through the power of Your blood, 

through the wonder of Your love,

through faith in you I know that I can be

white as snow."

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Isaiah 1:16-20

“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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LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT IS YOUR LAST

ROSE is ROSE

*PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT*

If we are believers in our precious Lord Jesus Christ who paid for all our transgressions, we need to heed His Word as we live among others in this evil world, and not be a part of the evil!

If we are with people who encourage us to sin against others, if we are in great sin, then it is our obligation before the LORD to turn around with His help and sin no more. 

Let us turn from our evil ways and glorify God!

Ephesians 4:1--6
"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, 
implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling 
with which you have been called,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, 
showing tolerance for one another in love,
being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called 
in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all."

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Happy St.Patrick's Day

H/T to MUTTS and "the little pink sock" legacy

St. Patrick's Day always brings happy memories of my sweet "Little house on the prairie" Scottish Grandma.  Every year we would receive a St. Patrick's Day card from her. My mother would laugh and remind us of how silly she always was because she was Scottish, (Orkney Islands). 

So thankful for her! She was one of the sweetest ladies I have known.

The LORD has done wonderful things!

Sing a New Song to the LORD God

Sing a new song to the LORD God
for the wonders he has wrought;
his right hand and arm most holy
triumph to his cause have brought.
In his love and tender mercy
he has made salvation known,
in the sight of ev'ry nation,
his righteousness has shown.

Truth and mercy toward his people
he has ever kept in mind,
and his full and free salvation
he has shown to all mankind.
Sing, O earth, to God sing praises,
Let your songs of praises ring;
with the swelling notes of music
shout before the Lord, the King.

Seas with all your fullness thunder,
all earth's peoples now rejoice;
floods and hills in praise uniting,
to the Lord lift up your voice.
For, behold, our God is coming,
robed in justice and in might;
he alone will judge the nations,
and his judgment shall be right.

—F. J. Haydn

Psalm 98
"O sing to the Lord a new song,

For He has done wonderful things,

His right hand and His holy arm 
have gained the victory for Him.


The Lord has made known His salvation;

He has revealed His righteousness 
in the sight of the nations.


He has remembered His lovingkindness 
and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;

All the ends of the earth have seen 
the salvation of our God.

Shout joyfully to the Lord, 
all the earth;
 Break forth and 
sing for joy and sing praises.


Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,

With the lyre and the sound of melody.


With trumpets and the sound of the horn

Shout joyfully before the King, the Lord.

Let the sea roar and all it contains,

The world and those who dwell in it.


Let the rivers clap their hands,

Let the mountains sing together for joy


before the Lord, for He is coming 
to judge the earth;

He will judge the world with righteousness
And the peoples with equity."
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The Merry Adventures of Little Brown Bear

Written by

Elizabeth Upham

Illustrations by 

Marjorie Hartwell

Copyright 1952, '55, '65, The Platt and Munk Co., INC

What a precious joy it was to borrow one of my dear friend's

favorite children's book from her childhood. The illustrations are 

just beautiful and captivating. 

Written by a teacher the little short stories are full of the 

life of Little Brown Bear, his family, neighbors, and friends.

Little Brown Bear is put into sweet, gentle, kind situations 

which makes it a lovely book.

This woman wrote 16 short stories for this book where the 

readers and listeners find themselves enveloped in the everyday 

adventures of this nice little boy bear.

Here is one beautiful illustration from the first story where 

a pot luck picnic was planned for the school children.

Everyone brought their favorite food and they were all surprised 

when it was discovered each had brought a chocolate cake! 

The solution was to invite family, friends, and neighbors.
Such a sweet book. 

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Let us be Effectual Doers of God's Word!

"Others may be deaf to our words, 

but never blind to our actions."

-Andy Erhart

Matthew 5:13-16

 “You are the salt of the earth; 

but if the salt has become tasteless, 

how can it be made salty again? 

It is no longer good for anything, 

except to be thrown out 

and trampled under foot by men.

“You are the light of the world. 

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

nor does anyone light a lamp 

and put it under a basket, 

but on the lampstand, 

and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Let your light shine before men 

in such a way that they 

may see your good works, 

and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

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1 Peter 2:11-12

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers 

to abstain from fleshly lusts 

which wage war against the soul.

Keep your behavior excellent 

among the Gentiles, 

so that in the thing in which they 

slander you as evildoers, 

they may because of your good deeds, 

as they observe them, 

glorify God in the day of visitation.

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James 1:19-25

"...everyone must be quick to hear, 

slow to speak and slow to anger;

for the anger of man does not 

achieve the righteousness of God.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness 

and all that remains of wickedness, 

in humility receive the word implanted, 

which is able to save your souls.

But prove yourselves doers of the word, 

and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

*For if anyone is a hearer of the word 

and not a doer, 

he is like a man who looks 

at his natural face in a mirror;

for once he has looked at himself 

and gone away, he has immediately forgotten 

what kind of person he was.

*But one who looks intently at the perfect law, 

the law of liberty, and abides by it, 

not having become a forgetful hearer 

but an effectual doer, 

this man will be blessed in what he does.

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He who does these things will never be shaken. Psalm 15

Your Holy Hill

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? 

Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? 

Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

He who walks with integrity

All his works are righteousness

Who speaks the truth deep within his heart 

Does not slander with his lips

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? 

Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? 

Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

He who loves all his neighbors well 

Does no wrong unto his friends 

Who honors all those who fear the Lord 

But the wicked he condemns

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? 

Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? 

Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

He who swears unto his own hurt 

And who never takes a bribe 

He’s honest in everything he does 

Never moves or turns aside

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? 

Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 

—Jody Killingsworth

Visions of Captain Kangaroo are dancing in this kitty's head

My most fond memories of Captain Kangaroo was how he would read a story book, his interactions with Bunny Rabbit, and when the ping pong balls would fall from the ceiling.  

Mr. Green Jeans was also special.

Those were the days.

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