This is why we can have "some" nice things

~Internet photo

 

It was just 48 years ago...

Forty-eight years ago my beloved arrived at my college dorm after driving ten hours from North Carolina where he was discharged from the Army that noon. 

The last thing for him to do was "sign out" where there was a cake to honor him.

When he arrived I was so very thankful and happy - even my roommates were happy or I would not have had this photo!

The LORD's loving kindness has held us ever since. 

Praising the LORD!

"When An Old Man Dies, A Library Burns to the Ground"

~Charles Schulz 

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*Protect our Heritage: keep your own Library*

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~quote: African Proverb

There is always something to do for a cat

 ~internet photo

Love them always

 Psalm 127

"Unless the Lord builds the house,


They labor in vain who build it;


Unless the Lord guards the city,


The watchman keeps awake in vain.


It is vain for you to rise up early,


To retire late,


To eat the bread of painful labors;


For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,


The fruit of the womb is a reward.


Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,


So are the children of one’s youth.


How blessed is the man 

whose quiver is full of them;


They will not be ashamed


When they speak 

with their enemies in the gate."

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Another Language all Our Own

PLUGGERS 

Like the Whiteness of Snow!

 Another snow is falling. 

Lovely, gentle...cold, very cold...

The new snow covers over the old, worn land, the old dirty, frozen snow piles, blanketing everything until we see only smooth lumps and it gives us a fresh view looking out and a fresh outlook on our lives as we remember how the LORD has saved us from our sins.

Black, hurtful, ugly sins...

Psalm 51

"Have mercy on me, O God,


    according to your unfailing love;


according to your great compassion
 

blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity
    

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
    

and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned
    

and done what is evil in your sight;


so you are right in your verdict
    

and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,


    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
 

   you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
    

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins
    

and blot out all my iniquity.

 

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
    

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
   

so that sinners will turn back to you.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    

you who are God my Savior,
    

and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

Open my lips, Lord,
    

and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
    

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    

a broken and contrite heart
    

you, God, will not despise.

May it please you to prosper Zion,
    

to build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
    

in burnt offerings offered whole;
    

then bulls will be offered on your altar."

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Thanks for that WW1 Flying Ace

 

The Beauty in You

People can be so very mean.  

I have even stated that some of the meanest people can be Christians. 

Christians who judge unrighteously, those who are manipulative, controlling, thoughtless, inconsiderate, unfriendly, mean....the list goes on and on and on...

Well, the issue is obvious.  

Christians are fallen sinners in a fallen world in which they can easily be just as sinful as the unbelievers! 

Good news! Christians can repent and change their wicked ways.

FACT: Christians, if they really, truly trust Jesus as their Savior and turn from their sins, are sinners who have been saved!

So for these mean, uncaring, unkind... Christians out there do have a big job to do with the LORD: ask for forgiveness and begin anew!

What about the people who are not Saved?

I could say, "Danger Will Robinson!" but this would be trite in this serious discussion. 

It is serious!

The people who do not choose the LORD God whose Son, Jesus Christ came into the world to save those who accept Him/His sacrifice on the cross to pay for the sins of all those who truly follow Him---those who chose NOT to follow Him will not be saved when their end comes or when The End comes.

It is a huge decision which should not be taken lightly.  People tend to believe in The Now, and let whatever is next come.  They do not think ahead to what will come.

We have talked with so many young people through time whose answer to the question: 

What will happen to you when you are dead?

Their answers always led to: 

*worm food*

This is a very trite thought, which sounds safe enough, but the truth is: 

the fires of hell forever.

Getting back to Beauty

People, the unsaved and the Saved by God's grace, can be mean, unfeeling, bothersome, rude or nice, kind, caring...

The thing about all of this is:

!PAY ATTENTION!

There are other people all around you. I'm talking about you Christians now, those saved by God's Marvelous Grace: 

Look around you! 

Look at the people you never notice, AND look at the people you already know whom you choose not to acknowledge.

These other Saved or unsaved people you now see  -besides your selfish self-  deserve to be treated kindly with compassion.  

Bring out the beauty of the LORD in you! 

Your God given Beauty will shine because of Him in you! Praises!

A smile, a door held, a kind word to the person who serves you, the ones who fix your plumbing - treat them with honor, a note of encouragement, a gentle hug, a "hello", a wave, a smile..... there are countless ways to be loving and kind. 

These acts of love can melt a hard heart!

Let's begin to see others and see the beauty in them or you be the beauty who acknowledges their being.

We have a job to do in our beauty for the LORD.

 It is to love and to love the unlovely.  This is the way to begin to love others.

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1 John 4:7-21

..."Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; 

and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent 

His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us 

and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides 

in us, and His love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because 

He has given us of His Spirit.

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent 

the Son to be the Savior of the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, 

and he in God.

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. 

God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, 

and God abides in him.

By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence 

in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because 

fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

We love, because He first loved us.

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; 

for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, 

cannot love God whom he has not seen.

And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who 

loves God should love his brother also."

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On a Cold Morning you may need Hot Kitty Cocoa

 ~Internet Photo

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A window to understand.

 

Matthew 22:37-40

 Jesus replied: 

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul 

and with all your mind.’ 

This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: 

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets 

hang on these two commandments.”

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One Last Valentine

Sweets are nice, but Sweet People are the Best.

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Galatians 6:1-10

"Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

Bear one another’s burdens,

 and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.

For each one will bear his own load.

The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith."...

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Love is in the Air: Love the Ones you know

1 Thessalonians 4:9-11

..."Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. 

But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need."...

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Valentine's Day Cookies

~fancyflours 

More beautiful creations from talented bakers.

Too beautiful to eat! But then we do eat! 

I have been to a sweet friend's Tea. She is a wonderful cook and baker, but she also knows how to decorate her table as well as her home.

Everything she served was too beautiful to eat!  But we all eventually ate her delicacies.

Perhaps you have had a similar experience?

One attribute this lovely Christian woman has is hospitality mixed with genuine love. She loves and loves on each person who enters her home. 

1 John 4:7-14

.."Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; 

and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The one who does not love does not know God, 

for God is love.

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God 

has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we 

might live through Him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved 

us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, 

God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, 

because He has given us of His Spirit.

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son 

to be the Savior of the world."...

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Beautiful Foods : Valentine's Day

Here we are at the brink of Valentine's Day with all the beautiful fun foods. 

Some of them are difficult and time consuming to make, but all are wonderful when they are completed!

The attributes of what makes good desserts are one thing, but what about people? 

Specifically, I am speaking of God's people, the God of the Bible, and those who believe in Him and follow Him.

When you are a follower of the God of the Bible and His son, Jesus, who saved those who believe in Him from their sins, you are a Christian. 

Christians are sinners who are saved by God's grace through Jesus Christ. Our role now is to live as God's children following how Jesus lived. How do we do this? We can't be God, but we can follow principles of God's attributes.

Some attributes of God which we can learn from for our own lives are:

--How to love and how to love the unlovely

--How to be sad and yet continue to live and love because of Him

--How to know how to show compassion, live compassionately

--Goodness. Learn how Jesus lived, how God the Father desires us to be good

 

--Just. The LORD God is just. We can learn to be just and compassionate

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These 3 Attributes, (thank you to Hope Bolinger, Christianity.com) :

Knowledge: God gifted us with our ability to think and know about Him. Without such knowledge, we cannot come to know about God’s goodness and His saving work.

Reason: God has given us the skills to reason and think logically. Apologists implement such reason to bolster the veracity of the Gospel through arguments and proofs such as the Kalam Cosmological Argument.

Truth: We have an innate sense of truth. We want to know what is and isn’t factual about the fabric of our reality

  

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We live our lives in all we do to glorify His Name! We can never be perfect here on earth, but our job is to wholeheartedly try and do.

So beautiful sisters in Christ, let's do!  :o)

2 Peter 1:1-11

"To those who have received a faith of the same kind 

as ours, by the righteousness of our God 

and Savior, Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge 

of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine 

power has granted to us everything pertaining to life 

and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him 

who called us by His own glory and excellence.

For by these He has granted to us His precious and 

magnificent promises, so that by them you may become 

partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the 

corruption that is in the world by lust.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, 

in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral 

excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, 

self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, 

and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, 

brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they 

render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true 

knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, 

having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make 

certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long 

as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom 

of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly 

supplied to you."...

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Do not be surprised at your fiery ordeal

 1 Peter 4:7-19

..."The end of all things is near;

 therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 

Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?

Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."

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Flee into the Arms of God

 "The only way to escape from the devil 

is to flee into the arms of God."

~God's Little Answer Book

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James 4:7-10

..."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."...

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Trials and Tribulations of Life: Well Conquered

"If it isn't one thing -it is another."...

...the old saying goes.

There is always something which makes our days in this life difficult.

Our world is fallen. It happened when the first man and woman were in paradise - they chose poorly. (this is when they chose not to listen to God's words, but followed after satan's tricks)

From then on: weeds, weeds, weeds...

Not only the green things, but wickedness, evil, broken relationships, stealing, abuse....and it goes on and on.

If you aren't injured in some way by another person, you know people who are hurt and wounded.

Life is really, terribly rough and tough, but we who choose Jesus as our Savior have a power beyond this world. We can still be hurt, injured, marred, tricked, robbed, etc. 

...but when we cry out for help, physical, spiritual, or mental we can KNOW that He is with us giving us help in the way which is best for us.

Romans 8:14-25, 31-39

..."For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, 

these are sons of God.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery 

leading to fear again, but you have received a 

spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 

“Abba! Father!”

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that 

we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, 

heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, 

if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may 

also be glorified with Him.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present 

time are not worthy to be compared with the 

glory that is to be revealed to us.

For the anxious longing of the creation waits 

eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

For the creation was subjected to futility, 

not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, 

in hope that the creation itself also will be set free 

from its slavery to corruption into the freedom 

of the glory of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation groans 

and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

And not only this, but also we ourselves, 

having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we 

ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly 

for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is 

seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he 

already sees?

But if we hope for what we do not see, with 

perseverance we wait eagerly for it."...

..."What then shall we say to these things? 

If God is for us, who is against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered 

Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him 

freely give us all things?

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? 

God is the one who justifies; who is the one who 

condemns? 

Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was 

raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also 

intercedes for us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? 

Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or 

famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;


We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer 

through Him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, 

nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 

nor things present, nor things to come, 

nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor 

any other created thing, will be able to 

separate us from the love of God, 

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

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There's No Place Like Home!

~internet photo

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White as Snow

White as Snow

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

white as snow

white as snow

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Isaiah 1:18

...“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."...

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This is the way the LORD planned it to be.

Colossians 3:12-17

..."So, as those who have been chosen of God, 

holy and beloved, 

put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, 

gentleness and patience; 

bearing with one another, and forgiving each other,

 whoever has a complaint against anyone; 

just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Beyond all these things put on love, 

which is the perfect bond of unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, 

to which indeed you were called in one body; 

and be thankful.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, 

with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another 

with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 

singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Whatever you do in word or deed, 

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks through Him to God the Father."...

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KINDNESS, CARE, & LOVE

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Just One more.... :o)

 

It Was a Sunny Day, Not a Cloud Was in the Sky...