Christmas is Coming!

Blessings, in the name of our Lord!  In all we do, praise the Lord!

What a celebration!  The remembrance of the birth of our Lord, Jesus, the Christ child.  His birth is celebrated by kings and beggars, by the elderly and the child, He is worshiped by all.  It is so magnificent that this amazingly awesome God of all Creation has such great a love for each and every one of us.    Oh blessed Jesus, we worship you, and you alone.

This year Christmas is fast approaching.  I still have not made my gift for the children, but God will provide just the right amount of time for it to be done, when the time has come.   My daughter made cookies a couple of days ago.  Now it is my turn to make some candies.  I have one new recipe that I am looking forward to trying.  It is the Betty Crocker recipe for mints, which will be dipped into almond bark.  I've been thinking of it for some time, ever since my daughter-in-law posted the recipe on Facebook.  Today is the day I will make the new experiment.   First I have to finish a load of clothes so that they will get folded before I start.

We have been working on getting a fence installed.  It has been done in three segments.  First the setting of the poles and the putting together of a frame for the bottom.  Second, the pouring of the cement.  Third, the installation of the fence fabric and gates.  The installation was done yesterday, and it was such a perfect day.  The temps got to the 60's and there was no wind.  Now the animals can run freely and in safety!

This year for the holidays I am going to visit my other children.   This time I am not driving--I have had enough long distance trips during the winter time!   I am not taking the bus, on which you sit in one spot for pretty much the entire trip.  I am not flying, which would be quicker, but more costly and the corridors at the airport  are just too long and big for me to get around to change flights.  Instead, this year I purchased a rail pass and will be traveling to both the west coast and the east coast for one very reasonable fee!   I went to K-Mart and Shopko and found a couple of pairs of very comfortable clothes to wear and a new pair of boots that would give my feet good support.   An added feature with these boots (for when I returned) is that they have nonskid soles.   When shopping, I went down the row of boxes filled with boots and felt all the soles before choosing the perfect boot.  Now, all I need is for my days of travel to begin!!

The children at the church made Advent wreaths with candles this year - so I bought one.  My granddaughter got up to the table and was admiring the wreath.   The next time I saw her she had the candles out and was trying to mash them into her own design on the green wet ring that held them.  Needless to say, the ring was destroyed.   A new ring was bought, but they had already left, so we have not even got to light our candles yet!

The Christmas cards and letters have been sent - with a quick message and holiday wishes.  Christmas presents are starting to appear under the Christmas tree.  The mail services have been busy with deliveries of brown boxes filled with mysterious goodies.  

The weather, which has been so warm, except for the big storm that came through, is starting to change.   Winter is coming soon.   The geese which have been out of sight, are now starting to congregate in the fields around us, honking noisily as the flocks settle into the fields.

Expectations are high.  There is a celebration in our hearts and love for each other abounds.  Christmas is coming!

The Courage of Our Conviction

It is not easy to step out in faith.  God has told us though, that we are not to fear, that He is with us.  We stand in the last days, where many will be lost as Satan and his world come against the Living God.  Let us be a light to the truth.   

Whatever I see, whatever I hear, I trust nothing unless it can be found in scripture.   His Word is there to strengthen us, to protect us and to shelter us from evil.   Sweet antidotes and sayings are found everywhere in social media, and amongst the people, loosening the boundaries of evil in the name of love.  If we, who stand by the Lord, cannot speak the truth, then where will our children and their children look when they seek the truth.   If we cannot stand on the Word of God, against the evil in our land, then how can our children, when those in authority teach them otherwise.

Our days are numbered, let's make the remaining days for the saving of others.

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.  Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Chill of Winter

The Bachelor Button Flowers gracefully stand in the frigid white snow.  They came in a packet of wild flowers planted a couple of years ago, and have just kept coming back each year after that.  All the other plants have withered and turned brown, yet these flowers are still clothed in purples and blues and the green of their foliage.   They testify to the beauty of nature, even in sub zero temperatures!

Christmas Presents and the Election.

Tonight I made the decision of what to make the kids for Christmas!   Its already into November, so there is not much time left to get it done.  I'm excited, but cannot write it, as this blog is shared with the kids.  Time, too,  is even shorter, as this week and next will be all about getting the outside ready for winter--the yard and providing safety and shelter for the pets.

The election results came in and our United States turned red tonight.   Even though the newly elected representatives now are having the opportunity to work together in Congress, it is still an uphill battle.  We still have the most liberal president ever, not to mention a liberal leaning court system.  But, through God, all things are possible.  Let His Will be done.  God bless our Land and may our love for God extend to all.

Quick Trip and Now Back to Life

I did not find Little Black in California, but I am not giving up.   As soon as I can get the pictures off my computer, that crashed earlier this year, I will post again, and post a reward with the message.  That, hopefully, will get the neighborhood kids involved.

Finished up another project from my to-do list!   It took a few intense days, but it was time for the messages to go out.

Today the house needs to be cleaned and readied for the hunters -- hunting season is about to start.  So, today inside work...tomorrow outside work.  There is lots to do, but when you  keep going forward, it seems to go quickly.

God is good!  I love these fall days.  The days are still warm and the skies almost look like spring, again. 

You Never Know What the Day Brings

Having lost my grandson's cat last year in California, I was heartbroken.  How will he survive in a land he is totally unfamiliar with, with no place to call home, or anyone to feed him, and, then, there are all kinds of new predators down there.  Before we left, the children ran around the neighborhood sending out flyers, and we walked in all directions trying to find Little Black and their cat, Lilly.  We notified housing, and put up posters.   Then the time came to leave and we had no choice but to go.   My daughter-in-law stayed in Sacramento and later someone on the base contacted her that they found her cat...so Lilly was found, but no sign of Little Black.

Ads were placed in the local paper.  I, also, put him in a lost and found on-line, but there were no responses from the lost and found, and the paper got one response which was not Little Black.  Then one day, a short time ago, I received a suggestion to try a couple of sites on Facebook.  I did and found that there were a number of sightings of black cats and have been for the last year.   Tomorrow I am heading down to find out if any of them are Little Black.  (Although, he might not be so happy to head home when he learns we have already had snow!)  Hopefully, soon, Little Black will be tucked away in his own home.

God is good.  With His providence, the timing is right, money is available for gas, the car checked out good, and the weather is going to turn nice again.    Who is like the Lord??!!

Getting Up and Moving

So, now that the children are on their own, the days are my own.  My thoughts are going in dozens of different directions.  There are so many projects I had put off - mostly large projects.  Realizing what is ahead, I am temporarily overwhelmed and flustered and I don't feel like starting anything.  

Sitting down, I turn to Rejoice Radio:  http://www.rejoice.org/Streams/RBNPlayerFlash.html  The focus is now on the Lord and my heart is at ease.

After many rainy days, the sun is shining.   As soon as it warms up I will go outside and start filling some gopher holes.   The gophers dig out on the landfill and when winter comes, and the freeze sets in, their holes will allow the sewer line to freeze.   We also have a couple up by the house that need to be filled, and should have been filled before the rain.   Their holes allow water to get down on the foundation.  Then, when the freeze comes, and the dampness, or water, gets into cracks, crevices or bubbles in the cement, it freezes.  Then the thaw comes, the ice expands and it cracks the cement.

Well on with the day.   The first priority is to get all the winterizing done, and then it is time to start on Mom's scrape books, again.

 God is good.

Fall Comes

"He Was So Much More" by Carroll Roberson:

                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa9MG_4OGHM

This song is so beautiful. It has a touch of country to it, and I love it.   What an awesome God we have!

Well, health-wise, it turned out I pulled a muscle.  Who would think that would hurt so much!  But, rest and walking carefully, sitting carefully and laying carefully, and it is healing.  Yea!   Can't wait to be "normal", and yep, I know I will be.  If God chooses, that this is a cross to carry, then, so be it, I will keep limping along.

Fall is stepping into the country beautifully, with the night-time cooling down and touches of warmth during the day.   The grasshoppers are clicking and jumping everywhere, and the half-grown kittens are leaping and pouncing all over, trying to catch one.   God is good.  We have a beautiful world!

Summer Slips on By

The morning coolness spills into the house through open windows, as we prepare for another warm day.  Its only going to be 83 today, and for me, that is a comfortable temperature, but with cooking, and kids running around, it is a little too warm for a house.

The grandchildren have either returned to school, or are preparing for the return.  Summer is over.   My plans for accomplishing a lot of projects, for the summer, were again put on the back burner.  But, the Lord opens doors and when it is time, then He will make things ready, or give the opportunity to make our paths ready for Him.

My back, lower right side, has given me all kinds of problems lately.  Sleep is difficult for more than a couple of hours at a time.   Tomorrow I will have to call and set up another appointment with the physical therapist.  They can do such wonders with the alignment of the body!   I am so thankful the Lord sent me there, or I would still be using a cane.

As the year draws nearer to fall and winter, the children have all made plans and taken actions in their lives, that have made them all more independent and given them more freedom in their own lives.  I'm almost not needed any more!   But, then, that is not so bad, just being in the "grandma" capacity is quite a full-time job, as it is!!  And, one I thoroughly enjoy!

As soon as life settles down, and everyone is back on a normal schedule, I will write about this summer.  God be with us all.

Out With It!

God created Adam, and Adam was able to think and to talk with the Lord.   God created Eve, from Adam's rib, and Adam was able to speak to Eve.  What is this mind, this spirit, this life that God has given us?  What an awesome gift the Lord has put into us--a gift to communicate, and to understand each other.  Adam didn't have a mind of a baby, where one would have to take his hand and teach him how to work, live and love, he had the mind of a man, and Eve of a woman. 

In addition to life, we each have our own gift(s), that the Lord has given us.   There is a great joy in using that gift for the Lord.  May we all be so blessed.

So, what is new with me?  My room is stuffed with old files and needless information.   I now have some time to myself, and will use that time to put old files on a spreadsheet and then destroy all files, except the ones with original paperwork that must be kept.   It is so frustrating to keep heavy boxes, that clutter the room, that may never be opened again.  So...out with it!!  When God opens a door for me, I don't want to be bogged down with baggage of useless "things".  The time of His return draws near, and my desire is to be ready for Him.  God be with us all.

In the Dark of Night

Something very strange happened last night. The house was dark and all was quiet and I had fallen asleep.  Suddenly I awoke to a sense of something floating into my shoulder blades and through me.   But, then it was gone.  I had an uneasy feeling, but soon fell back to sleep.  Then I awoke again to something spiritually grabbing me from behind and wrapping me in something from head to toe.  I had a sinking feeling of going down.  Something was on my back, it was spiritual, but it felt strong, and it seemed as though it was trying to get inside me. It was apart, or part, of what was holding me in its grip.  Then, determined, I used all my strength and pushed my arms up and outward and pushed apart what was holding me, yelling at what was in back of me to "GET OUT!"   What gave me strength was the Hope that God has in my heart.  I was not going to lose it.  Then, whatever was there, was gone. 

I have no idea what it was that came in the night, or why.    We read in Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.    What was it that came last night?   I have felt the sensation of something passing through me before, but that was years ago.  

There is so much that we cannot understand. We cannot turn our eyes from the Lord, He is our Hope and our Strength.  Praise the Lord.  Come quickly, Lord.

Strength

All the inspiration and resolve that I had to get in shape has quickly dissolved into just hoping to get through the day.   I twisted my back wrong when a rug moved under me, while I was turning on some steps.  Now it is painful just to move.   It was a poor goal to begin with.  Our eyes should be on God and His desire for us.

2 Corinthians 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Let us see what the Lord has planned for us.

The Ides of March

The Ides of March is noted for being a pagan holiday and, also, the day that Julius Caesar was killed. When I was young, the Ides of March was a romantic mystery in March that brought forth Spring, I knew nothing about any pagan holidays, nor would I have bothered about what day Julius Caesar was killed.  The "Ides of March" was like the romanticized windswept moors of England or Ireland. Bringing alive the breathe of spring in all its mystery.

This year, the 1st of March roared in like a little lion.  It was followed by the Ides, which brought forth sun and a beautiful day.  A day blessed by God.

My forever friend and I were going to celebrate my birthday on the 1st, but due to icy road conditions we postponed our lunch get-together til the 15th.  It was a wonderful choice.  She brought her mother, and I brought my elderly cousin and sister, and we had a wonderful time.   It ended way too quickly.  We confirmed promises of meeting again soon, and then she made the long journey home.

It is always somewhat amusing, when people set aside days for pagans, or other special occasions.  There is no day that can belong to a pagan god, for they are nothing.  All days belong to the Lord and are consecrated by Him for whatever purpose He desires.   What strength we have to know that in all things, God is with us!

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

Freedom

GOD ON THE MOUNTAIN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nwKZThgzwc

What a faithful God we serve! No matter how dark the night, He is there. We may not see darkness on our difficult days, yet spiritually, it is there. But, we have Hope, and it keeps His light in our lives. Our Hope is in our Lord who will be there for us, a Hope that our Lord will never stop loving us, a Hope that the Lord, God of All will keep us to the end.  

We all have mountains, and each day can bring new mountains that stretch into weeks, months and years. This year has seen the end of many mountains, as the Lord opens new doors and new life for me and my children.

  

As my birthday rolls around, I am going to make changes in my life.  The Lord gives us so many opportunities to help others, but He also opens doors for His love to shine on each of us, also.   I have the opportunity to heal.  I will go to my doctor's appointment, a little over a month away, and there hope to get orders to continue physical therapy for a few more sessions.  Its amazing what a physical therapist can do, they just manipulate your spine and joints and get everything in alignment and order!   I love them!  

Once everything is back in alignment, I hope to work out at the spa and get back in shape.  Our hearts and spirit are forever young, we need to keep our body toned so that we are ready for whatever comes.  We have freedom to choose to live for the Lord or die with this world.   I choose the Lord!  There is freedom in His love--a love that frees our soul and makes it soar to places that are indescribable.  Lord, whatever you will, let it be so.

Terror

In a house, just shy of the border, I was sleeping in my grandson's bed, while visiting.  He was not home at the time.  My daughter had arranged the room so that the head of the bed was centered on the north (CORRECTION:  WEST--OK...yes, I've lost my sense of direction up here.) window.   A nightmare broke my sleep.  In it, terrified, I flung myself to the floor and there on my knees I stared at a huge, bigger than life, bear.  It must have roared or something, as I do not know how I knew it was there.  It stood on its rear feet right outside the window.  Its mouth was open and its front legs spread, as though ready to attack.  It was huge, way bigger than the size of the window.  Actually I didn't see the window.  It was just there, ready to strike and I was terrified. Before it could attack, I woke up.  When I got up the next morning, I rearranged the bedroom so that if I was attacked, I would see it before it struck.

Fear is unreasonable.  We see an unknown in our future and we fear it.  The Lord has a future for us.  We have a promised land in our lives, where the glory of God dwells with us.  We cannot live in fear.  We need to keep our eyes on the Lord, to follow Him and trust that He will destroy all the giants, whether they be bears, roaring lions, or whatever Satan throws at us, to make us stumble and keep us from the promised land. We don't know what is in our tomorrows, but whatever comes we know the Lord will be by our side.