Lap of luxury

 New Life

Little nose

Tiny fingers

Soft and warm

Amazing Creation!

Praising the LORD for His Plans!

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The Creation Glorifies the LORD!

 

Internet Photo:  Magnificent Blue Jays

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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Thank You

Be willing to Change for the Better: Glorify God!

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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I Know that I can be White as Snow

Praising the LORD God Almighty for His Son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world!

John 3:16-21

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

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Isaiah 1:18

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Truth

 

Luke 2:8-14

"In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, 
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

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Peanuts for Christmas

 

Christmas Cookies and Pecan Pie

 

A Hundred Year OId Wind Break/Safety in Jesus

One Hundred Year Old Cedar Trees planted for a wind break on the sloping land of a One Room Country Schoolhouse. 

Christ shall Have Dominion

Christ shall have dominion Over land and sea,


Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be;


They that wilds inhabit shall their worship bring,


Kings shall render tribute, nations serve our King.


Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,


Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

When the needy seek Him, He will mercy show;


Yea, the weak and helpless shall His pity know;


He will surely save them from oppression’s might,

For their lives are precious in His holy sight.


Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,


Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

Ever and forever shall His Name endure;


Long as suns continue it shall stand secure;


And in Him forever all men shall be blest,


And all nations hail Him King of kings confessed.


Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,


Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

Unto God Almighty joyful Zion sings;


He alone is glorious, doing wondrous things.


Evermore, ye people, bless His glorious Name,


His eternal glory through the earth proclaim.


Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,


Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

--from Psalm 72

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The LORD God Does Not Forget His Own

 

Psalm 126

When the Lord brought back 

the captive ones of Zion,


We were like those who dream.


Then our mouth was filled with laughter


And our tongue with joyful shouting;


Then they said among the nations,


“The Lord has done great things for them.”


The Lord has done great things for us;


We are glad.

Restore our captivity, O Lord,


As the streams in the South.


Those who sow in tears

 shall reap with joyful shouting.


He who goes to and fro weeping, 

carrying his bag of seed,


Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, 

bringing his sheaves with him.

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GLORY!

Praises to His Name!

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Happiness

 

Purposely choose Happiness

My mother was extraordinary. She was sweet as could be, but could keep us in line and ready "to do or go" at any time.

She is so woven into my life even though she has been with the LORD for ~25 years.

There are so many things I love all because of her. 

Her growing up was difficult, plus, money was an issue. The few toys she had she treasured. When she had her own children she didn't go overboard because she had "missed out", but she "studied" each child while growing up, even grown up.  She knew what each of us loved and so she aimed in at those things as gifts.

As a girl she knew I would love a doll's house so when an Air Force family had to transfer and sell everything, she bought the doll's house and all - even though I was too young for it. I found out years later that she had it in her closet for those few years before I received it as a gift.

At Christmas time I bring out three greenery swags I have decorated with smaller ornaments  she has given me, and those which I have gotten which remind me of her. So pretty and festive. She would have loved them.

She easily loved anything we would do. She loved to listen about our lives. She would stop everything to sit and hear it. She easily loved. 

I would say that she purposely chose happiness!

My only regret is that I didn't love on her more and more. If she was here she would say,"Oh, but you did!"

Every day I praise the LORD for my sweet mother.

Psalm 16:5-6

..."The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You support my lot.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me."...

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Reminiscing

 

internet photo

Time has flown, but I remember a happy, safe childhood.

Thankful.

What Child is This?

 

What child is this who laid to rest 

on Mary's lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet 

while shepherds watch are keeping.

This, this is Christ the King

 whom shepherds guard and angels sing.

Haste, haste to bring Him laud.

The babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and donkeys are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spears shall pierce him through,

the cross he bore for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

the Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,

Come, peasant, king, to own him.

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The babe, the Son of Mary.

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud,

The babe, the son of Mary.

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Luke 2

..."“Do not be afraid; for behold, 

I bring you good news of great joy 

which will be for all the people;..."

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Merry Christmas Snoopy and Woodstock!

 

Oh, to Gather Roses!

 Mary Engelbreit

..."You, O Lord, are a shield about me,

My glory, and the One who lifts my head."...

Psalm 3

"A Star is Born"

 Facebook kitty

At least all of ours have never done this before!

Christmas Time is full of Nostalgia

Making my Grandmother's Chocolate Frosted cookies!

Now all the rest. 

What else can be said except, Yummy!

Wandering Roads/Wandering Lives/Wonderful Savior

I have been contemplating old, dusty, country roads. They wind all around depending on the terrain while they go up and down with all the hills. Sometimes, when out in the boonies, you wonder if you will ever find a way to take you home again!

Our lives can be like wandering country roads. All along we grow and learn to eventually begin to choose our own paths; make our own decisions. Sometimes we choose wisely, and other times we choose poorly, and our lives begin to wander.

During these times we may allow other people to affect our right thinking. They sway us into thinking Their Way.  We begin to think Their Way is the only way: it is the right way; maybe even the more "holy way". We then follow after the leader of a group. We begin to give them our complete trust. These leaders seemingly have what we think is good and right- even "holy".

People who have known us all along may question our new behavior, our new relationships, our desire to be exclusive with Their Way, and why we listen only to that one person - even to the point of "worshipping" them; hanging on their every word.

The TRUTH is these leaders are not right. 

They are not leading you in the right way. 

They are leading you down an evil path AWAY from the True Savior.

The GOOD NEWs is that the True Savior, Jesus, will forgive you when you come to Him in His Truth. He alone is a Wonderful Savior. His is the Word of Truth to follow and trust ---not a person who chooses what they want God's Word to say.

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." 

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Please check out a very educational post by Don and Joy Veinot, titled, Children of the Cult.

Their subject begins with how children who are raised in cult groups eventually  struggle when they mature into adults after a lifetime of learning the wrong ways in which God views us; the wrong ways to interpret scripture. 

God's Grace has been left out.

Here are some quotes concerning Gothardism (a legalistic, cultic lifestyle group) - although, every cult-like leader tends to have similar kinds of controlling, manipulating, legalistic teachings. All cults abuse their followers if only in the twisting of God's Word to suit their own desires, their own belief systems.

..."The powerful being they have been taught to believe in is an evil distortion of the God of Scripture."...

..."They have realized they cannot possibly live up to the rigid standards imposed upon them, and so often they wander through life feeling as though God Himself has rejected them."...

Concerning the individual people who control, manipulate, and abuse their followers:

..."a patricentric authoritarian group and can certainly be considered sociologically to be cultic."...

By the way, women can certainly be the abuser, manipulator, controller, legalistic wielding leader.

..."the love of God is lacking"...

The Veinots then continue in thought provoking examinations. It is definitely worth reading.

After all your wandering there is a way to find yourself with the real Savior, Jesus of the Bible:

James 4:6-10 

"But He gives a greater grace. 

Therefore it says, 

“God is opposed to the proud, 

but gives grace to the humble.” 

Submit therefore to God. 

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. 

Cleanse your hands, you sinners; 

and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Be miserable and mourn and weep; 

let your laughter be turned into mourning 

and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, 

and He will exalt you."

PRAISE the LORD!

Thank you to Don and Joy Veinot

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You Know You're Living in a Cult When...

 

Deuteronomy 13:1-5

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 

‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ 

you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 

You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him."...

 

Joy!

Thankful for PLUGGERS all these years!